Technology & MSG

I saw Public Enemies last night. Opening night, apparently. You could have fooled me, the mall was vacant. Sign of a Wednesday night? or one of the times?

I remember seeing the trailers in the theater and saying “damn, I’ll surely be seeing that.” With Johnny Depp and Christian Bale facing off, how could you go wrong? After seeing it however, I felt a bit disappointed. Depp played well. Bale’s part was weak, accent and all. Babyface Nelson was a hit, but it just wasn’t enough.

Michael Mann does his usual, making you sympathize with the known bad guy (Heat, anyone). What really bummed me out was the cinematography choices. Maybe they were going for mass awards later, but there was a lot of hand-held camera work, shift of focus, and jitter. It does have its place, but I’m not a big fan of it.

Interesting for sure, but not a must-see at the theater.

Tags: disappointments, movies, reviews

Some friends recently went to Japan and took their HD Flip video camera. They made a very nice collage in iMovie of stills and video. Now it seems — thanks to my college roommate for sharing — that the camera works just as well in the cockpit of an F/A-18 Hornet doing maneuvers.

Though not specified in the video, this was taken over Annapolis. You can very clearly see the Naval Academy fields and buildings during the flyovers, the Severn River Bridge, plus all the boats anchored out in the river to watch the whole thing. A very neat perspective.

Needless to say I would love to hitch a ride in one of those jets.

Tags: flip, planes, video

I was driving and saw two kids riding in the opposite direction on bicycles. One of them was talking. The other had no hands on the wheel, busy texting and not looking at the road at all. In the 20 seconds or so that he was in my immediate view, he didn’t look at the road once. I was surprised. I had never seen that. I shouldn’t have been. People text everywhere. I guess it’s no less dangerous than a car/bus driver. On the one hand, anything could happen at any time to cause an accident. On the other hand, a cyclist is more likely only to injure themselves (short of striking a pedestrian) if they run into something. Then again, cars that swerve out of the way to avoid hitting a cyclist have the potential to do a lot of damage.

We had laws restricting hands-free cell phone use. Why on earth don’t we have the same for texting? I know that bicycles count as motor vehicles in some ways, but do these laws even apply to cyclists?

Tags: cycling, driving, phones, texting

The result of a company policy about mandatory retirement for executives, our CEO is stepping down. As I look back over the past couple years, I’m not thrilled with the path he has led us down. In fact, I’m irked.

Did our CEO do a lot for the company? From my position as a worker bee (with no managerial duties), not really. Did our CEO increase my personal wealth by way of stock price? No. Neither of these two things are guaranteed, so what happened during his tenure that makes me mad?

Our CEO lauded several measures to diminish employee control of the company. For one, an important employee benefit was downsized. I feel that employees do better work when they feel like it’s their company, so I wasn’t thrilled when employee discounts were reduced for those wishing to purchase preferred stock. Secondly, a restructuring of stock was proposed that leaves employees with less control of the company. This wouldn’t have been so bad, but our CEO went to great lengths to campaign that these measures would make the company more attractive in the marketplace. If a CEO really thought a measure was the logical way to go but wouldn’t be around to reap the benefits, why not abstain from the vote entirely? I have my doubts that it’s going to help us out and I voted my shares accordingly, unsuccessfully. Using fear mongering tactics to obtain such objectives is low, moreso when a CEO doesn’t have to stick around for the aftermath.

This behavior isn’t unique to my company. I feel that many CEOs attempt to lead by making things familiar to them. If that means changing a company structure so it better resembles another company they’ve managed in the past, so be it. If that means displacing a lot of people, “hey it’s just what needs to happen so I can run this thing.” And to be fair, they may genuinely feel like it’s the responsible thing to do.

CEOs by and large, come and go. They reap large salaries and so long as they don’t break the law they aren’t accountable for what happens after their departure; meanwhile employees are stuck with the results of their decisions. Say what they like about goals and their promises, their tenure is limited and temporary in nature compared to most employees. That can lead to tunnel vision. Their incentives tend to be financially oriented and though perhaps in the “best interest” of the company, their vantage point is that of someone in it for the short haul. Do the best we can in year or two. It’s half-assed and unacceptable to me.

So a new CEO will be taking over, leaving another company to do so. I have no doubts that we’ll undergo additional changes until we fit his new (and probably different) mold. And so the cycle begins again.

Tags: business, ceo, employees, ownership

I’ve been wanting to eat at Tampico Grill for a while. It’s small. It’s local. It’s been around for at least five years without any major changes, though some of my coworkers say that there used to be a cheese steak joint in its place. It’s got all the indicators that it could be another great sleeper-of-a-restaurant.

The first test of Mexican-style restaurants is the chips and salsa. It’s my thinking that they ought to be included and refilled as part of the meal, not just because I’m thrifty but because the right salsa can help cleanse the palate and enable a better sense of taste. The chips and salsa are complimentary at Tampico Grill, just as they should be. There was a zingy California-style tomatillo salsa that went really well with the thick tortilla chips that left me licking my lips, ready for my meal.

It took a little longer than expected (probably 15-20 minutes), but when it did our server just kept bringing out more plates.

The Carnitas pictured about are listed under the Specialties section. After indulging, I can see why. Chunks of pork, marinated in orange juice and garlic. The pork is soft on the inside, with a touch of chewiness on the edges where it’s been sitting on the iron skillet. The onions were hot and cooked but still crispy. The garlic was lost on me in the mix, but I could distinctly taste the citrus from the orange juice. The platter was served fajita-style with sauteed cilantro, 4 grilled tortillas, and a full round of sides. It was one heck of a meal.

There are several homemade sauces to choose from on most dishes, ranging from mild (ranchera, mole, and green) to spicy (both a Chipotle-based and one based on chile negro guajillos and anchos). Everything that we saw delivered to other tables looked delicious. The menu boasts several unique dishes, like catfish or talapia fillets, Oaxican migas, Mahi Mahi tacos, shrimp agave (made with tequila), and portbello fajitas.

As you enter Tampico grill, the pickup counter awaits. Large photographs of some of the dishes are prominently displayed; they aren’t professional photographs but the food pictures still looks delicious. To the left booths line the front side of the building. Larger tables sit farther back. To the right is a small bar room fit for 20 or 30 people. During Happy Hour (Monday through Friday, 4-7pm), this is where you can buy half-price appetizers and get $1.25 12oz domestic drafts. Sunday and Tuesday (from 4pm-close) they serve $9.95 Fajitas, normally $13-15. With deals like that, I could see Tampico Grill becoming one of my regular fixes.

Tampico Grill isn’t a place that I would zoom into to have a really quick meal. It’s a place that I’d come to have a chance to talk with my dining companions. It’s quiet and secluded. At no point did I feel like I was being rushed. That’s really important to me. I hate it when I feel like the server just wants to turn a table as soon as I sit down. The food took a little while longer to come out than at a large chain, but the food was worth waiting for and I was enjoying talking with my Dad.

Located on Route 1 just one block north of Main Street in Laurel, Tampico Grill technically sits on the southbound side, but it is accessible from the northbound side too if you turn left into the Quality Inn parking lot and pull through.

Tags: carnitas, garlic, mexican, pork, restaurants, reviews

I owe a coworker a Diet Coke for his suggestion to follow up with the landscaping company. I owe a lunch to Sharon at Safelite for her reinforcement of that suggestion. Either I’m too cynical or I’ve had bad experiences in the past.

The landscaping company that maintains the property around the office paid for my car window in full. No questions asked. Well, they did take a minute to verify that one of their crews was working at my office on Tuesday. That was it. Not expecting much, I just asked about the possibility of reimbursement. The office manager at Safelite told me that they — the landscaping company — were pretty honest and good about paying for accidental damages, but I was surprised how quickly it played out. As I was standing by the service desk at Safelite while a new window was being installed, they provided a purchase order number to put the charges on their account. I didn’t pay a dime. No prior coordination or notification. Aside from driving to the repair facility and making two quick phone calls, I didn’t have to do anything.

There are good people out there.

Tags: cars, glass, honesty

I’ve never heard of anyone getting a citation for littering. On the highway and in parks you see all those signs warning that littering will bring fines of $500-1000, but isn’t it a crime everywhere? Where is it actually enforced?

Certainly not on the highway, where I see cigarette butts flung out the window or out the sunroof on a daily basis. It’s like the guy in front of you is just waiting to see if you’ve swerve to avoid the burning embers.

How many cigarette butts are laying by the corner at the corner nearest your house? or at the stop light nearest your office? Hundreds. Maybe thousands.

I can’t see how it’d be a difficult thing to write a ticket for. All you have to do is see it happen. You don’t even need to be driving around; just park near an intersection and wait. It’s not like you could argue that you weren’t paying attention. You either flung something out of your window or not. Make the tickets non-contestable in court.

If just 1% of those butts in the gutter turned into ticketable offenses that brought in fines, the county/state could pull in some serious dough while being good on the environment.

Tags: environment, fines, littering, tickets

There was a time in the not-so-distant past where I found myself in Pasadena on a regular basis. Last night I found myself reminiscing as I drove down Fort Smallwood Road. I was heading towards Riviera Beach en route to shoot some pool, but kept coming back to times of old. Late nights ordering custom subs at Royal Farms. Early morning trips to Lauer’s for Mountain Dew and strawberry milk. Walking to pick up lunch specials from No. 1 Chinese as soon as they opened or eating out at La Comida. Countless evenings spent hanging out with friends close enough to be considered family. Though I’ve never lived there, I feel like there’s a lot of history there. Several of my married couples met their respective others at house parties that we threw there.

It had been years since I’d been up that way, but it felt like it was yesterday.

Tags: memories

My car — still unnamed — sustained her first injury today. I came out of the office and found a completely shattered window. Short of a hole smaller than a pencil eraser the glass was intact, just crystallized as safety glass is supposed to be. I was parked on the end of a row and I found a bit of mulch on my windshield. Otherwise the car was secure. My best guess is that one of the lawn mowers kicked up a pebble in the parking lot. No note was left, so I’ll never know for sure.

It was pretty clear that I wasn’t going to make it home without the glass shattering, so I had to push it in myself. It was the first time I’ve ever gotten to bust in a car window. With a police officer watching, no less. Not much of an upside, really.

Not even 1,200 miles on her.

Grr.

Tags: broken, cars, damages, glass

I was reading Scott Smith’s novel A Simple Plan. It’s a dark tale about a trio who come across a large sum of money. It’s more about the sick and twisted acts that greed can inspire in people. It left me feeling very uncomfortable, such that I was having work on it. I can’t remember the last time I felt this way or gave up on a book, but this one just didn’t seem worth the time.

By comparison, Couplehood by Paul Reiser was a light and amusing read that I borrowed from a friend. The book contains many short vignettes about shared and common experiences surrounding couples and interactions between men and women, probably adapted from stand-up. There’s lots of little gems in there that left me thinking “I do that” and “I’ve been there.” There’s a few pokes at his wife (and women in general), but they’re gentle and not mean-spirited. Its many interconnected but independent little essays are perfectly suitable for a few minutes here and there.

A Simple Plan will be return to The Book Thing or given to someone else who is interested in giving it a try.

Tags: books, humor, reading

Growing up, I swam competitively for close to ten years on a summer league. Then life caught up with me. School. Career. No regrets; my priorities changed. So after a ten year hiatus, I’m pretty excited to be heading back to the pool. My roommate has inspired me, after watching her take up running, cycling and swimming in order to participate in two triathlons. I just recently watched her complete the Chesapeake Challenge, a 1-mile open water race on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

I love the water. Ask anyone who’s had me over to a pool party; I’m typically the first one in and the last one out. I might get out if there’s lightning or if there’s something on the grill worth eating. My parents are to thank/blame for this, having introduced me to pool water at a very young age. I’ve been hooked ever since.

My goals are fairly straightforward. Swim. Have fun. Event-wise I’m planning to swim the 1-mile Bay Swim in June 2010, hopefully with my roommate. Further on out, swim the 4.4-mile Bay Swim in June 2011. I’ve been told that it comes back pretty quickly, so we’ll see. In the meantime, swimming is an outstanding way for me to keep in shape. Great for cardiovascular and non-impact strength training. It will complement my time spent at the gym. The best part is that it’s enjoyable on its own for me. The exercise is just a bonus.

So with a lot of practice and training, a year from now I’ll be one of those capped folks standing next to Route 50 (pictured above) and in 2 years I’ll be one of those little specks swimming between the spans of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (pictured to the right).

Inspired.

Tags: goals, swimming

GQ is still referred to as “Gentlemen’s Quarterly” on the spine of the print edition. That’s odd, since publisher Conde Nast puts out twelve issues per year. Actually eight issues worth if you exclude the advertisements, but that’s a tangential thought and one that could be directed at much magazines.

Tags: advertising, conde nast, gq, magazines

Though I’m usually a fan of Super Saver Shipping, I’m in the midst of a 30 day free trial of Amazon Prime. After a handful of orders I came to realize something.

Two-day shipping is awesome.

For two reasons, really.

1. Items arrive in two days.
2. Items arrive via UPS.

In my experience, UPS does a better job of handling packages than USPS; I’ve had some problems with the way that USPS has handled some of my stuff in the past. UPS’ tracking system is a lot better, too. You get what you pay for.

In the past, I’d leave things in my shopping cart until I reached the minimum for the free shipping. I do enough advance planning that 7-10 days wasn’t usually a big deal, but I can see how it’d be really convenient at times not to worry about it. That’s what prepayment affords you. Last minute birthday presents, for example. Or the holiday rush.

Considering that shipping on my usual orders would cost $6 to $10 if I shipped 2-day, it would only take 10 orders a year to make the $79 annual fee worthwhile. That assumes that no one else in the household utilizes it (which they’re entitled to).

It’s tempting because it’s convenient. That’s at least a couple trips to the shopping mall that could be avoided. No checkout lines. No dings or dents or scrapes in the parking lot. No frustration dealing with other customers going bonkers over the last item in their cart that isn’t ringing up properly. That’s worth something.

The holiday season alone may make Prime worthwhile. The rest of the year would just be a bonus.

Tags: amazon, prime, shipping, shopping, ups

After careful consideration, I’ve decided that sandwiches are better when cut diagonally. They don’t taste better necessarily, but the experience is better overall. With a full sandwich, you’ve got to hold it with both hands. I feel like I’m eating a turkey leg at the fair and large bites follow, inhaling the contents. Whereas a diagonal I can hold with one hand; it’s easier to take smaller bites and enjoy the thing. Plus when you’re done, you can take a breather and you’ve still got the second half. I feel like I’m getting more out of it.

Tags: eating, food, observations, sandwiches

I’m a regular but infrequent E-ZPass user. I probably only use it once or twice a year, but when I do I rack up $30 or $40 worth of tolls across the East coast.

Back on January 5th, 2009 the Maryland Transportation Authority proposed raising toll rates for large vehicles. That doesn’t affect me so much, but they also snuck a few other things (PDF) in alongside.

Effective July 1, 2009:

• E-ZPass Account Charge: $1.50 per month per account
• E-ZPass transponder purchase for new customers and replacement devices: $21 (standard)
• Notice of Toll Due Charge: $3 + toll due
• Toll Violation Charge: increase from $15 to $25

These matters were up for public comment back in January, but absolutely nothing came of it. If there was a debate of any sort, I’d bet it didn’t satisfy anyone. The Chairman and eight Members of the Authority approved the increases anyway, expected to raise $60 million dollars annually. That money had better end up going towards maintenance of existing roads and better mass transit options, rather than building additional roads.

So it’s going to cost me $18 a year for the luxury of having E-ZPass, without even using it. I realize that the MTA has to recoup costs of maintain roads and bridges. I’m fine with paying tolls on bridges that I cross or express roads that I use, but to pay a monthly accounting fee? It isn’t like they’re sending me a monthly statement. It isn’t like my lack of usage is costing MTA any more money (by way of transactions being stored in their databases).

Yes, it’s convenient to be able to zoom through a toll booth without rolling down the window. But Maryland benefits too. It reduces congestion at major toll collection points, benefiting E-ZPass users and everyone else. We pay for that convenience through registration and automated billing (wherein our money is locked up and earning interest for Maryland as it sits dormant in our E-ZPass accounts).

I was all set to cancel it on general principle, except that it’ll cost me the equivalent of 14 months worth of account charges just to purchase a new transponder (if I ever opted to rejoin the program). I may still cancel.

I wish I had known about these changes much sooner.

Tags: cars, ezpass, money, politics, tolls