468. Tuesday Tech Tips 101: it pays to complain: Dell Computer story continues

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For those of you who have been following my never ending story about my experiences with Dell support, I have some heartening information. (More links to old stuff) Briefly, I have six (count ’em) running Dells and one old one that I have put away. Over the years I have noticed a decline in service and quality. I’d say things were fine until about 2007 when I bought my workhorse desktop. My son’s computer, purchased on 2004 before he left for college, runs day and night and he’s never had a problem with it until recently when the e key … Continue reading →

461. Computer update…

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Computer update: I received an automated call alerting me that my new replacement computer was shipped yesterday; in about an hour Fed-Ex was at the door, good thing I didn’t go out, never expected it to arrive so fast. Gorgeous upgraded machine, albeit some parts refurbished. High gloss red, leather trim, top of the line, backlit keyboard, face recognition, upgraded battery, Studio XPS 1645. Much better speakers, higher res screen, bigger screen–now 16″. So high res that I can’t adjust it so that I can see. Everything looks minute. Ctrl+scroll mouse wheel helps on some pages. It’s funny because when … Continue reading →

460. Why I Haven’t Written Poetry In Months or…Social Security was the last straw

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In case you were wondering where all the creativity has gone, the muse has left and in its place there is an ogre that shleps along, exhausted, trying to make the world a better place. Sometimes I wish that I had become a consumer advocate. I have ongoing aggravation with Dell; I have anxiety about Toyota; I have growing disgust with the publisher I have chosen, iUniverse: after reading through tweets and following links I am finding other writers who are expressing anger and resentment toward the company which is appearing more and more inept. One wrote that she never … Continue reading →

459. A Letter to Michael Dell, Dell Computers

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Dell Headquarters 1 Dell way Round Rock Texas 78682 Att: Mr. Michael Dell March 15, 2010 Dear Mr. Dell: I have just called the telephone number associated with your corporate office in hopes of speaking to a customer service representative in America, but my call was routed as all my calls have been over the last year, to India. This reinforces my feeling that Dell prefers to be disconnected from its customer base. That’s too bad. I started purchasing Dell computers in 2002 when I chose an Inspiron 8200. In 2004, when my son went off to Brown University, I … Continue reading →

458. Is It Too Much to Ask For Things to Work? Blame It On The Computer.

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My on-going rant continues, and will be twittered and fed through Facebook. My hope is that eventually one of Dell’s people will read my blast. I’ll call this one: Who’s Minding the Store? Excuse me while I open my briefcase filled with righteous indignation and let it fly. I wonder what people who lived during the incredible time of the Industrial Revolution would think of this blog. Their lives were changed by the advent of processing and manufacturing, machines, and mass production. Long hours. Moving away from farms and into cities. The world has been spinning out of control. From … Continue reading →

457. Tuesday Tech Tips 101: When your computer needs an exorcist: No tips, another rant!

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For those of you who have been following along my technology state of affairs, you will recall that I was having the strangest of situations with my less than a year old Dell computer. I am going to Twitter this blog AGAIN in hopes that someone in the upper Dell stratosphere hears my call–which I understand might happen as corporations seem to have planted Twitter ears. So hear you have it: The computer is less than a year old; At some point in its life it became a remote test computer because Trend Micro couldn’t get its act together for … Continue reading →

456. Another Rant: Coming Up For Air

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I suppose the connotation of coming up for air is that one must have been under water first. I have been drowning in stuff, but want you to know I am still here but not functioning on all cylinders. 1. I am still editing the book. My son is almost done doing a read-through. 1a. I serendipitously met my friend’s cousin who is an author and editor. He did a quick read through and loves it, especially the graphics, illustrations and photography. he calls my project a labor of love. He is going to go over everything before I submit, … Continue reading →

377. NYC Photo Journal: A visit to Katz’s: Send a salami to your boy in the army OR I’ll have what she’s having

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After our visit to the new High Line park last week, we ended the day perfectly; got back in the car and went from the Lower West Side of Manhattan to the Lower East Side of Manhattan. This was the area where many immigrants (Jews, Irish, Italians) began their life in America. They found themselves living in cramped railroad-flat tenements with little air or light, but lots of street life. They shopped form pushcarts below, children played in the streets. When they had the money they moved “uptown” or left Manhattan for The Bronx or Brooklyn. [photos can be viewed … Continue reading →

376. NYC Photo Journal: The High Line: abandoned rail in the sky becomes a park–a little poetry for Wed.

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Welcome back to New York City; here’s what’s happening: the first section of the High Line park has opened this week. In the 1930’s an elevated freight rail cut through parts of New York City’s west side as part of the manufacturing industry’s method of getting raw materials from factories and taking the finished products to their destinations. From the brochure:”The High Line delivered meat, milk, produce and raw and manufactured goods into upper floor loading docks of factories and warehouses. The last train ran on the High Line in 1980, carrying a trainload of turkeys.” The High Line sat … Continue reading →

394. NYC Photo Journal: From the Caribbean to India: Tribal Legacy to Dosa Hutt/Flushing, NY

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Sunday Concert series at Flushing Town Hall, Flushing New York. This is the second in a concert series that we enjoyed. Impending storms kept us inside with the house rocking. Last concert (Doo-Wop), was held outside in the garden and gourmet catered food was available. Great music, great sound: Tribal Legacy. A high energy group that went on and on for 2 hours, sans break. Fabulous time. Dancing, dancing, dancing, hot, hot, hot…   * Tricia Cooper – Vocals * Richard Burton – Vocals * Compton Lyken – Bass * Lester Hunte – Guitar * Ricardo – Steel Drums * … Continue reading →

379. NYC Photo Journal: Long Island City Part 1/ P.S.1

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This is an area across the East River from Manhattan on the Queens side. It was once run-down and industrial but as years go by and areas become gentrified the face of the city changes. This area is soon to be unaffordable. I’ll start the tour at P.S. 1. (Public School) P.S. 1 was built in the 1800’s and is no longer used as a school. It has become a contemporary arts center where artists have their own studios in classrooms. P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center is one of the oldest and largest non-profit contemporary art institutions in the United States. … Continue reading →

380. NYC Photo Journal: Long Island City: Part 2: Gantry State Park

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Not far from P.S. 1 (part 1 began here)(part 3 continues here) is the new Gantry State Park. The waterfront area just behind the landmark Pepsi-Cola sign now sports gorgeous high rise apartments with waterfront views of Manhattan. Long Island City is a Queens neighborhood that has been built up from a pocket focused on industry. So far, two and a half acres along the East River waterfront are the beginning of this development project. Enjoy the view with me.     8 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded reply instrumentalpavilion wrote on Jul 13, ’09 Beautiful pics…I was in NYC last week. … Continue reading →

381. NYC Photo Journal: Long Island City: Part 3: The Socrates Sculpture Garden

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Our tour continues further up the waterfront at a 4.5 acre park now known as The Socrates Sculpture Garden. Once an illegal dump site, it is now an area that showcases art installations. It was created in 1977 by the sculptor Mark di Suvero to encourage the arts, to expand the culture and to create a space for the harmonious interaction of people and art. The current theme is “State Fair.” The exhibits are whimsical and ironic. The ones with the New York City themes—such as having to squeeze through the subway doors—are just plain urban fun. Notice how the … Continue reading →

393. Index to Photo Journal Posts, July 2009

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Click on images to begin your journey: 8 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded reply instrumentalpavilion wrote on Jul 27, ’09 Thanks for sharing! 🙂 reply gapeach7355 wrote on Jul 27, ’09 Should have gotten a primer from you on NYC eateries (from the Battery to 53rd.) Had a great visit to Gotham last week…hope all that walking counteracted the NY Cheesecake! reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Jul 27, ’09 HA!!! Nothing counteracts that!!!! I’m glad you had a good time, there’s really no way not to! eater’s paradise! Gimme some details/blogs. reply madisonpooface wrote on Jul 27, ’09 Food is definitely art. Great … Continue reading →

383. Part1. Photo Journal: The Connecticut River Valley: come hungry … the eat-a-thon begins

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We enjoy this part of Massachusetts and have been coming here for years. We begin in the Connecticut River Valley, usually in Northampton. (This is the state of Massachusetts; Northampton is the red arrow in the lower center. The area is a hub of college towns: Smith, Amherst, U Mass, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke are the most well-known. This is the northwest corner of the state and it is close to the borders of New York, to the west and Vermont to the north. We will be heading northwest and end up in North Adams, the upper red arrow.)[photos©author/2009:click to enlarge] … Continue reading →

384 Part 2. Photo Journal: The National Yiddish Book Center on the campus of Hampshire College, Amherst, MA…more food and poetry

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I have done several blogs on The National Yiddish Book Center; we are annual visitors and the place always amazes us. This is the place to go to learn about Yiddish culture. We attended 4 events; there is always something going on. The building has expanded and is visited by people from all over the world. The founder, Aaron Lansky who can be heard at this link, single-handedly set out to save as many Yiddish books as he could obtain when just a student. His book, “Outwitting History” is the story of how this incredible undertaking began and evolved. The … Continue reading →

385. Part 3a. Photo Journal: A pit stop at the Yankee Candle Company

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Friday, 7/17/09 Over the Berkshires and through the woods… We are traveling northwest to the town of North Adams. (lower right arrow to upper left arrow) This is what happened along the way; a pit stop at THE Yankee Candle Store in South Deerfield. A bathroom stop ended up being an over an hour adventure. (Last year’s trip led us to The Vermont Country Store; once you go in you can’t get out! Former post) Room after room, theme after theme, shop after shop. Almost as good as Disney Land. Ha! I just linked this with an About article and … Continue reading →

386. Part 3b. Photo Journal: a stop at Ashfield: food calls

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Friday 7/17/09 Ashfield, MA Countrypie Pizza By 2:00 pm we were starved and needed something to keep us going. We stumbled upon a pizzeria, embedded in a house and sharing its turf with a hardware store. Good stuff, Seth and Eli! These two young pizza cronies make their sauce from scratch and did a beautiful job on a salad and pizza lunch. [click to enlarge] 8 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded reply sousonne wrote on Jul 25, ’09 Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh……that looks SOOOOO good! What kind of soda is that? reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Jul 25, ’09, edited on Jul 25, ’09 Correction: That’s … Continue reading →

387. Part 4a. Photo Journal: North Adams: The Porches~ from hovel to hotel

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Then on to The Porches, where we stay each year when we go to North Adams and catch the latest doings at Mass MoCA, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. North Adams was a factory town in the 1800’s, built on a canal. I am including history from the website because it will give you not only a background of the museum, but some insight into out country and manufacturing in our earlier years: The history of MASS MoCA’s site spans more than two hundred years of economic, industrial, and architectural development that traces the trajectory of industrialism in New … Continue reading →

388. Part 4b. Photo Journal: Mass MoCA, a cultural center in the Berkshires

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The main exhibit is that of Sol Lewitt’s art; “A Wall Drawing Retro-Spective.” These are huge installations which were reproduced by artists and interns by what looks like architectural plans. They are colorful graphics, and the reproductions in such large spaces were an enormous undertaking. A quote that moved me: “The idea is the most important aspect of the work.” I attribute that to the fact that the work was not done by his hand, but by his design.   Photos in and around the building     The former factory as art space. I find it fascinating to dig … Continue reading →