from digg and engadget:
For years, Diebold has embarrassed itself by claiming that obvious faults were actually not faults at all, and during the past decade or so, it mastered the act of pointing the finger. Now that it has ironically renamed itself Premier Election Solutions, it’s finally coming clean.
I can’t blog and keep up the momentum necessary for moving. I can’t even keep track of the days until we move.
We started at 5pm and are just finishing for the evening (it’s after 10)….5 hours non-stop–after working all day. I’ll update folks when the net connection is up and functioning at the new place. I might still be going to ADAPT too. It depends on how physically taxing the move and trip to Harrisburg are.
Enough whining. See you all next week!
It’s actually day 9, because it’s 12:30am, but I’m blogging day 10.
Checked some accessibility issues at the house today…all clear, for the most part.
Steph packed a bunch of clothes, almost all of hers, and loaded up totes.
Went and picked out some furniture we needed. We got a good deal and it’s being delivered and assembled. I’m hoping our current fridge keeps working, so we don’t need to buy another. Same thing for the existing range and oven. If not, this furniture is going to be a ’splurge’ item. Nonetheless, it was pretty cool to buy new furniture. We’ve been using my parents ‘hand-me-downs’. We only bought two pieces, but we’ll save for more.
Major packing and cleaning up tomorrow. Cleaning the attic, basement and laundry room.
And moving more furniture.
I mentioned some issues about social networking and blogging today, to my boss. She was receptive for the most part. Nonetheless, I broached the subject because of the explosion of blogging as a means of self expression and as a business tool that makes a company more transparent. Many major corps have internal and external blogs. More transparent means, in my opinion, an increase in innovation and quality.
And regarding using blogs as a means of self-expression, I think that’s important to the disability community. Sharing our stories and experiences is both powerful to one another and a great political tool. The boss recommended getting essays from people for our corporate webpage, I think it’s a good idea… I just hope to be able to use one of the blogging tools I know, like wordpress. At first, however, it will probably just be coded into pages on our existing site. Nonetheless, all of this is in preparation for possible presentation of a seminar at the PA SILC. Hopefully I/we accomplish enough to present to others. I’m going to examine Endeavor Freedom TV again too.
no hyperlinks in this post, feels weird.
Just getting back form work, had a rather pleasant day. I spent the morning toiling on my GIANT to-do list. Despite my large list, I traveled to a neighboring CIL to look at donated furniture with coworkers, in the afternoon. Nothing special, but it was a good day. Different confines lend themselves to different modes/types of conversation, so that was a positive. I need to network more and attend some more conferences to increase my perspective. Working at a great CIL is a start, but it’s not the complete picture. I haven’t been having as many big ideas as I’m accustomed to.
No major packing tonight, Steph is working late and I’m just finishing walking the dogs.
We start again tomorrow.
from digg and wired:
The worst time to find out you’re highly allergic to something is when your throat suddenly starts to swell shut. Slow the onset of anaphylactic shock by delivering a quick injection of epinephrine as a first aid measure. Modern devices make it easy, but it’s best to be prepared, so learn the basics now by following our guide.
I’m going to keep a simple moving log. There are 10 days, counting today, until we close and 12 days until we move. I’ll probably be able to blog until day 2, but no further. I’m expecting to lose internet connectivity on the 29th. We’ll see when it comes back up. I’ll only have the iPhone. I don’t have my blog linked to the iPhone…except twitter and facebook.
Moved the first of the furniture tonight. The dressers are pretty heavy, more to move tomorrow. Bought totes, easier to pack clothes.
Looked at lawnmowers.
Steph called and booked a U-Haul.
moved a metal bookshelf.
We’re going to tackle the attic tomorrow evening. This will not be pleasant. The basement after that…
I’m obsessing over the concrete pad and width of the driveway, where people can drop their wheelchair lifts (at the new place)… if all goes well. The driveway isn’t in mint condition, to say the least. If a lift can’t be dropped, I’m going to need to save to widen the driveway (more money!) or otherwise modify. I’m really REALLY hoping that it’s going to work out for a van/lift. This has been such an hassle!! This single issue, accessibility, has caused a tremendous amount of grief.
The hassle for someone using a wheelchair has got to make the house hunt seem impossible. I know some folks who are modifying an existing home for accessibility now. Good luck to them. They’re braver and more skilled than I. Builders need to concentrate on making accessible homes from the ground up. All new housing should have to be accessible. I don’t usually advocate strong government intervention, but this just makes sense. The government should realize it’s for everyone’s own good.Someone should freaking realize it.
god, I hope the downstairs entrance works out at the new place.
Whew, I feel a bit better.
Another rant tomorrow.
from digg and maximum pc:
Another birthday for the CD has come and gone and yet the damn things just won’t die. On Aug. 17th, 1982, the Compact Disc was born into an age of rampant consumerism that was the 1980s. Big hair was in, big vinyl and the big snarls of tape from cassettes was out.The CD of course wasn’t without its drawbacks.
from digg:
For those of you who’ve been nabbed coming home from Cuba, or have otherwise fallen into disrepute with U.S. travel authorities and found yourself on a no-fly list, there’s some good news out of the Ninth Circuit: You can challenge your no-fly status in federal court.
It looks as though we’re moving on the 31st. Thanks to everyone who has offered help (a complete list to follow). I hope people don’t flake out. If everyone comes through, I’m going to owe a lot of people (both favors and money). I can handle that and repay favors in-kind. When I’m done with some research online, I’m going to call U-Haul. I’ve packed some more boxes. This weekend we’re going to move a good deal of the furniture into the living room/1st floor. It’s starting to become very real.
We’re still packing. I’m starting to wish we could simply hire a moving service. However, this is not practical or a good use of resources. It’s wasteful. Thankfully, Steph is coordinating things. I’m too obsessed with work and the fiscal-end of the house purchase to be of much use. I’ll be happy when the whole thing is over. This is not an event to savor.
Offgrid until Monday. Working on packing. Might have to move our moving day till the 31st. Will find out tomorrow. I still hope we can find enough help. The 31st is a Sunday and a holiday weekend. We thank those of you that have already committed to helping.
I didn’t completely delete it. But I’m leaving my myspace page dormant. Their layout is just messy. Although, I really don’t like the new facebook style either. Having said that, it’s much better than myspace.
We’ve been having strategic planning sessions at work; they’ve been tedious, entertaining, frustrating, and enlightening. I suppose this is indicative of many things. We have a lot to work with.
The dreaded packing is beginning. My house is full of boxes. I think I have more boxes than I have possessions. A special thanks to “pretty Mike”, TRIPIL, the Gabby Inn and Steph’s employer, for donating boxes. Now the fun begins. The endless cataloging, packing, moving and discarding of our lives.
I haven’t moved in several years. At one point in my life I was moving every 6-9 months. I guess I’m overdue. We’ve lived in this house about 4 years. Still, moving is unpleasant, stressful and hard work.
I suppose it will all be worth it once we’re settled in. The new place is cute. I’m still a little upset that we have no yard and that the neighbors are so close. We were really hoping for something more isolated (that was a big draw of the two acre property we looked at). The new place, however, is much more updated and ‘visitable’. I feel we were picky enough and made a good choice.
Here we go.
Here’s to the screaming ones. The chair-throwers. The death-threat makers. The imperious gazers. The ones who see things differently — and will stare you down until you do, too. They’re not fond of rules, especially those outlined by the human-resources department on “treating your employees with respect.”
from digg:
Given its massive distribution network, IKEA’s new announcement to start producing affordable mass-market solar panels could pose a monumental shift in the accessibility and affordability of renewable energy technology.
from 