Foolish Enough to Temp Fate

[Mike Landi]

Well, I leave tomorrow AM early for the drive to South Florida. Driving again. Same van, new engine.

Hopefully, the new engine will not self-destruct as the old one did last year.

If all goes well, I'll be in South Florida Saturday night....

[davidh]

Well, I leave tomorrow AM early for the drive to South Florida. Driving again. Same van, new engine.

Hopefully, the new engine will not self-destruct as the old one did last year.

If all goes well, I'll be in South Florida Saturday night....
Watch out for giant burmese pythons swallowing vans on the interstate.

[Judy G. Russell]

If all goes well, I'll be in South Florida Saturday night....And if all DOESN'T go well, you'll be in South Dakota...

(Enjoy the trip!)

[Mike Landi]

<chortle>

[Mike Landi]

...or East Jesus. <g>

[Judy G. Russell]

...or East Jesus. <g>Heavens! Not THAT!!!

[ndebord]

And if all DOESN'T go well, you'll be in South Dakota...

(Enjoy the trip!)

Judy,

Quick! Quick. It's not to late to suggest that Mike purchases a cheap compass before he heads off to South Whatever!

<g,d&r>

[Judy G. Russell]

Quick! Quick. It's not to late to suggest that Mike purchases a cheap compass before he heads off to South Whatever! <g,d&r>Nah, I wanna wait until he logs in from an internet cafe in East Podunk... or South Whatever!

[ndebord]

Nah, I wanna wait until he logs in from an internet cafe in East Podunk... or South Whatever!

Judy,

Now that's truly cruel!

<g>

[Judy G. Russell]

Now that's truly cruel!Why... why... why, thank you!

[ndebord]

Why... why... why, thank you!

Judy,

And IF he breaks down somewhere in the wastelands of South Dakota, you won't have a car ready to go off and rescue him. (For want of a....compass!)

<evil grin>

[Judy G. Russell]

And IF he breaks down somewhere in the wastelands of South Dakota, you won't have a car ready to go off and rescue him. (For want of a....compass!)Of course not. Mine will be in the shop getting fixed!

[ndebord]

Of course not. Mine will be in the shop getting fixed!


Judy,

To read between the lines of fine discourse is one of the happiest moments any human can enjoy.

O.K. I guess I should have sent him the compass, barring that, I guess I must pull my trusty Corolla off the street and go off and rescue poor Mike from the Badlands of South Dakota since our trusted heroine is temporarily hors de combat!

(None of this would have been necessary if only he had been enlightened enough to buy Toyota!)

<g,d&r>

[Judy G. Russell]

I guess I must pull my trusty Corolla off the street and go off and rescue poor Mike from the Badlands of South Dakota since our trusted heroine is temporarily hors de combat!Well, it may not be necessary. His older kid should be old enough to read a map by now!

[ndebord]

Well, it may not be necessary. His older kid should be old enough to read a map by now!

Judy,

Not so fast. It all depends. Is this KID a) public school, b) private school,*
c) home school.


(If the answer is b), then the followup question is it private secular or is it Jesuit. If the answer is Jesuit, then Mike is hopelessly lost.)

;-)

[Judy G. Russell]

Hmmm... I don't know! Maybe if we ever hear from Mike again, we can ask him.

[Mike]

I'm presuming that not hearing anything from you means that you're on the road, not stuck in some podunk town? <g>

[Mike Landi]

<blush>


Well......

I should not have tempted fate.

We left on time and drove all the way to Columbia, SC. No problems at all. We stopped for the night after 15 hours of driving.

The next morning, Saturday, when I started the van, it was running badly and my "Check Engine Soon" light was flashing. To make a long story short, we wound up back at the dealer that replaced the engine last year. A spark plug wire had cracked and arced, burning it out. The wire next to it was also cracked. Water had gotten into the wires and corroded one of the contacts on the coil assembly.

Bottom line, we lost 5 hours and almost $500. At least we were not stranded and it was fixable on a Saturday. We got here 5 hours late, but only five hours late.

Now, if only the rest of the vacation can go smoothly.....

(BTW, the kids go to a public school. A very good school, at least by national rankings. Thomas, my older son, reads maps just fine. So does Lisa. I had pleanty of people telling me to "stay on I95". I think I could have handled that one myself! <g>)

[Dan in Saint Louis]

we wound up back at the dealer that replaced the engine last year. A spark plug wire had cracked and arced, burning it out. The wire next to it was also cracked

After one year? Sounds like DISCOUNT time to me....... if not total WARRANTY.

[Judy G. Russell]

ARGGGGHHHHH!!!

And here we were joking at your expense, while you were suffering!!!

That #$%@# dealer should have done that fix at his own expense, Mike. That's simply outrageous that he charged you for it.

Hope the rest of the vacation goes better!

[ndebord]

ARGGGGHHHHH!!!

And here we were joking at your expense, while you were suffering!!!

That #$%@# dealer should have done that fix at his own expense, Mike. That's simply outrageous that he charged you for it.

Hope the rest of the vacation goes better!

Judy,

You see, Mike had told this particular dealer last year that this was an annual pilgrimage and so, doing what he does best, the dealer made sure that the Van would make a return trip to the shop.

<g,d&r>

[Judy G. Russell]

You see, Mike had told this particular dealer last year that this was an annual pilgrimage and so, doing what he does best, the dealer made sure that the Van would make a return trip to the shop. <g,d&r>That dealer can't <g,d&r> fast enough...

[Mike Landi]

Don't I wish....

[Mike Landi]

<sigh>

The parts that dies were (supposedly) from the old engine. Who knows? I was not in a very good position. They could have not fixed it and I would still be in SC.

[Mike Landi]

If they engineered that one, I'm im(de)pressed.

[Judy G. Russell]

I hear you. It's hard to be tough when all the negotiating power is on the other side. But BOY this is definitely big time no foolin' no fun!

[Mike]

I should not have tempted fate.
Holy $#!%!

Sorry to hear that, Mike, but at least it was just a minor delay! And that means the rest of the trip will be flawless!

[Mike Landi]

Yeah. No fun.

It's in the past now. We're off on a kyack trip on the Indian River for the morning. The van dying is becoming a faded memory....

[Mike Landi]

Thanks, Mike. So far, so good!

[Judy G. Russell]

We're off on a kyack trip on the Indian River for the morning. The van dying is becoming a faded memory....Good, on both counts.

[Mike Landi]

Well, we had a great trip. All family members enjoyed (4 kids, oldest 13, two sets of parents, and one grandmother) the trip.

I get back to the car and I have 4 urgent messages from my office. Seems that the great pains I took to schedule my time away was all for naught. Our #1 customer emailed me, at the office, something that HAD TO BE DONE today. When it was not done within the hour, she blew up at my boss, who then hit the panic button to me.

Ever try to talk your boss through an email detachment, Excel range save, database conversion and finally email reply with attachment over the phone?

I can now claim that one on a resume.


Now...time for a scotch! (and the view!)

[Judy G. Russell]

Sigh... I got to the point when I was working for a law firm that I refused to tell them where I was going... and wouldn't leave a contact phone number!

(BTW I edited your message to attach a smaller version of your photo -- love the view!)

[Mike Landi]

Since I have a interest in the company, I cannot (or, it would be against my best interests to "disappear").

Thanks for the edit. I thought I posted a smaller, compressed version. I guess I had had too much scotch. <g>

Should I mention the blackened whaoo dinner we had? <g>

[Lindsey]

When it was not done within the hour, she blew up at my boss, who then hit the panic button to me.
I thought this is what bosses got the big bucks for -- not to hit the panic button over things like that. It shouldn't be your problem that your boss has made no provision to cover for you when you are out. :mad:

Your boss sounds like many that I know -- completely helpless when it comes to anything remotely technical. You get many points for being able to talk him through a multi-step process! (And I hope you enjoyed the Scotch when you were finally able ot sit down with it!)

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

Your boss sounds like many that I know -- completely helpless when it comes to anything remotely technical.Tell me about it... one of mine deleted the entire contents of the network drive once...

[Lindsey]

one of mine deleted the entire contents of the network drive once...
Aiiiieee! Lucky for him he's the boss; he'd never survive as an employee!

--Lindsey

[ndebord]

Tell me about it... one of mine deleted the entire contents of the network drive once...

Judy,

I had a boss at a magazine where keyboards weren't working randamly, etc. On my dime, brought in some anti-virus software and found a bunch of stuff. The boss had said that he didn't need no stinkin' anti-virus software 'cause he ran a tight ship. <g>

He ran to the nearest CompUSA to pick up Norton (he had to ask what to buy!) and then I spent the next few days doing that job in addition to editing.

(There were 2 brothers running things there and this one was commonly referred to as the missing link in human evolution!)

But that little incident does not even begin to match up to your boss's actions!

[Judy G. Russell]

Aiiiieee! Lucky for him he's the boss; he'd never survive as an employee!Ain't that the truth. Another time he buzzed me on the intercom and asked how to install a screen saver. I told him without thinking. Then I thought. And screamed: "Michael! DON'T!" But he already had. So I disconnected him from the network and then spent the next hour cleaning that virus and its aftereffects from his computer.

[Judy G. Russell]

My office is pretty good (now) on virus protection. But it took a loooooong time to train the top guys not to simply open every attachment that came their way...

[Jeff]

My office is pretty good (now) on virus protection. But it took a loooooong time to train the top guys not to simply open every attachment that came their way...

I look at my email in mail2web.com, so as to pass most of it along to spamcop. It's a hobby of sorts to see where all of the open proxies / zombies are. This morning F-PROT popped up an announcement that it had seen and stopped a .zip containing a .jpg that I hadn't even opened. It saw it as it was part of what I was forwarding to spamcop. It's getting really weird and dangerous out there.

- Jeff

[ndebord]

My office is pretty good (now) on virus protection. But it took a loooooong time to train the top guys not to simply open every attachment that came their way...

Judy,

Ackk! Not good at all. That fellow I was referring to, at first, wanted to do the cleanup by himself. After mucking up his own computer, he grabbed me from my office and the two of us made an odd couple making the rounds!

[Judy G. Russell]

I run everything through mailwasher (http://www.mailwasher.net/) and delete anything that isn't obviously good.

[Judy G. Russell]

That fellow I was referring to, at first, wanted to do the cleanup by himself. After mucking up his own computer, he grabbed me from my office and the two of us made an odd couple making the rounds!ROFL!! At least he learned!!!

[Mike Landi]

Oh, Lindesy, you don't know the half of it.

My boss was technically ahead of his time, cutting edge, forward thinking, in 1980. Since then, his time has stopped, but the world has progressed.

Hey, he's the boss (and owner of the company!) He does not trifle in such things as technical details, schedules and customers. That is left for us second-teir employees. <g>

As for the scotch....

Are you a scotch drinker? Ever hear of "Isle of Jura"? I've done yeoman's work "sinking the island"! <g>

<hic>

[Mike Landi]

...and who's fault was it? Not his, I know. Who got blamed for the 'no safety on the network'?

[Mike Landi]

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, got b*tched at for taking so long to fix it.

[Mike Landi]

At least my boss does not complain when I mention that a bunch of computers need their AV software updated.

He tells me (which is a RARE event), just do it. I don't care what it costs.

[Dan in Saint Louis]

Mike, I don't know if you get into this genealogy stuff or not, but someone sent me a copy of a page from the "Dictionnaire historique et biographique de la Suisse", v.4. There, a couple of lines above the reason it was sent to me, I found this.

[ndebord]

ROFL!! At least he learned!!!

Judy,

IF a missing link can learn, then, yes, he learned.

;-)

[Judy G. Russell]

At least my boss doesn't gripe when somebody else has to fix one of his mistakes. And I guess I generally feel that if he really wants to pay my salary for doing things like this, hey, it's his company and his signature on my paycheck.

[Judy G. Russell]

Our guys do that too. Now. Especially since one of my co-workers is a virus magnet.

[Judy G. Russell]

No, actually, there are two top brass and the one who keeps fouling up the computer system doesn't play the blame game. The other one sure does. It's infuriating, except that more and more often his "find out who did this!" comes back with "you did." He doesn't ask that much any more...

[Mike Landi]

I don't read Italian (or French) that well. <blush>

[Mike Landi]

his "find out who did this!" comes back with "you did." He doesn't ask that much any more...

ROFL!

[Lindsey]

My boss was technically ahead of his time, cutting edge, forward thinking, in 1980. Since then, his time has stopped, but the world has progressed.
Yeah; occupational hazard. Unless you're up to your elbows in technical stuff most of the time, you fall behind really fast. It's scary.

Are you a scotch drinker?
Uh, no -- sorry. Once upon a time, bourbon was my liquor of choice, but these days I prefer wine. I couldn't tell you when I last had any hard liquor.

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

It's French and it says something about trying to introduce reforms in Bellinzona in the 1600s. (According to Babelfish!)

[Lindsey]

It's French and it says something about trying to introduce reforms in Bellinzona in the 1600s. (According to Babelfish!)
Oooo, I read better French than I thought! :p I managed to work that out without Babelfish, but I can't figure out the last sentence. I do believe, though that "la fin du XVIe s." is "the end of the sixteenth century," not the 1600s.

It also says (I think) that Ortensio Landi was from Milan.

--Lindsey

[Mike]

The last sentence translates roughly as "his attempt lost/failed grace at the energy and the zeal of the archpriest Caratti."

[earler]

It says: Ortensio landi, from milan, tried to introduce "the reform" in bellinzone toward the end of the 16th century. His attempt failed thanks to the energy and zeal of archpriest caratti.

-er

[Mike Landi]

Unless you're up to your elbows in technical stuff most of the time, you fall behind really fast.

That, and if you do not care about technology, it hastens the process.

[Mike Landi]

Interesting...

We've researched the family back a couple of hundred years and found next to zero interesting.

[Mike Landi]

Starting to sound like a D&D game that went on way too long.

[Mike Landi]

Well, I know my ancestors did come from Florence and Milan.

[Judy G. Russell]

We've researched the family back a couple of hundred years and found next to zero interesting.I think that may depend on what you think of as interesting. Yeah, it's really neat to know I can qualify for the DAR, but it's far more interesting to know, for example, about the cousins back in the 1930s who had a bunch of kids, including a set of triplets and a set of twins. Every last one of those triplets and twins died in a whooping cough epidemic when the twins were infants. I can't imagine how the family survived...

[Lindsey]

That, and if you do not care about technology, it hastens the process.
Yes, I would imagine you are right about that!

--Lindsey

[Mike Landi]

Ugh!

Frankly, I've got enough BS in the family now that I don't want to know about the BS that happened before.

[Judy G. Russell]

Frankly, I've got enough BS in the family now that I don't want to know about the BS that happened before.I hear you. One of my mother's cousins asked me once why I was into genealogy. I told him some people collect stamps, I collect relatives. He asked what I did when I came across one I didn't like. My answer: "I trade 'em in for one I do like!"

[Mike]

<snicker>

[Mike Landi]

ROFL!

[Mike Landi]

...and now we are on the way back.

We stopped at St. Augustine to take the boys to the Alligator Farm. Ever see an albino American Alligator? Me neither, but they have four!

Also, they have a real "Croc Hunter". This nut got into a pen with at least 30 alligators (two of them over 13 feet long) and fed them by hand.

He never really stayed in one place and was always looking over his shoulder. I wonder why..... <g>

Now, lets see if my star-crossed van can get us home. <fingers crossed>

[Judy G. Russell]

Good luck, Mike! Drive verrrrrrry carefully in South Carolina!

[Lindsey]

Good luck, Mike! Drive verrrrrrry carefully in South Carolina!
And if he gets lost, he can always type "XYZZY" on his cell phone.

--Lindsey

[Mike Landi]

Cruise at 80 and never stopped in Columbia. <g>

(Actually, whatever they did, the van seems to have more torque in the engine. A/C on, heading up hills, no sweat holding 80mph...and getting 25mpg to boot. It was not that good before.)

[Mike Landi]

Hopefully.... nothing will happen here! <g>

[Judy G. Russell]

Geez... you don't think they... they ... they (gasp) fixed it?!?!

[Mike Landi]

Well, I got home, through a nasty rain storm. No issues.

Maybe I'm good until next year.

Maybe.

[Judy G. Russell]

Maybe.That's such a nasty word...

[Mike Landi]

Speaking of nasty...

How's the neck and other pains from your little nasty?

[Judy G. Russell]

How's the neck and other pains from your little nasty?Neck and back are still a problem -- seeing an orthopedist on Friday. The car is in being repaired now. I still have an issue with the repair authorization; a noise that suddenly appeared immediately after the accident is being written off as an unrelated AC compressor failure. Funny how it worked perfectly before the accident and isn't working now. I suspect something broke loose and damaged it (or it came loose itself and was damaged). But I can't prove it and I'm tired of fighting the point at the moment. I just want to get the car repaired and then I'll decide what, whether and who to fight.

[Mike Landi]

I hear you about being tired of fighting over car repairs.

Since I got back, people keep telling me what they would have done if they had my van and it died in SC. I think they are all talk.

Take care of YOU. The stupid car can be fixed. You're the one with the pain in the neck...and back...

the car is just a PITA! <g>

[ndebord]

I hear you about being tired of fighting over car repairs.

Since I got back, people keep telling me what they would have done if they had my van and it died in SC. I think they are all talk.

Take care of YOU. The stupid car can be fixed. You're the one with the pain in the neck...and back...

the car is just a PITA! <g>


Mike,

We, unlike all those other kibbitzers, know precisely what happened to you and that van of yours in SC. The dealer is a known practioner of Voodoo and you and your van were under a hoodoo.

(If only you had paid him the extra 500 smackers up front, your van would have run just fine)!

;-)

[Judy G. Russell]

Take care of YOU. The stupid car can be fixed. You're the one with the pain in the neck...and back...Thanks, pal. I really don't think anything is going to be a long-term problem, but I sure did pull the heck out of some muscles.

[Judy G. Russell]

We, unlike all those other kibbitzers, know precisely what happened to you and that van of yours in SC. The dealer is a known practioner of Voodoo and you and your van were under a hoodoo.Nah. It's just that the van is allergic to South Carolina!

[ndebord]

Nah. It's just that the van is allergic to South Carolina!

Judy,

LOL! Yes, Mike shudda, coulda gone to South Dakota instead!

<g>

[Judy G. Russell]

Mike shudda, coulda gone to South Dakota instead! <g>Errr.. I don't think there are any beaches on the other side of South Dakota!

[Mike Landi]

Errr.. I don't think there are any beaches on the other side of South Dakota!

No beaches, no family, and my van would have probably taken the opportunity to strand us somewhere in the middle of nowhere. <g>

[Judy G. Russell]

my van would have probably taken the opportunity to strand us somewhere in the middle of nowhere. <g>You mean South Carolina isn't the middle of nowhere?

[Mike Landi]

You mean South Carolina isn't the middle of nowhere?

Not exactly. Although there are sections that are very close. <g>

[Karl Semper]

Hey now watch it now, some of us choose to live in the middle of nowhere... <g>

[Mike Landi]

That can be a good thing! <g>

[Judy G. Russell]

Hey now watch it now, some of us choose to live in the middle of nowhere... <g>Sure! But having your van break down there is a whole 'nother story!

[ndebord]

Errr.. I don't think there are any beaches on the other side of South Dakota!

Judy,

Sure there are. Just keep driving due North and eventually you'll find Lake Winnipeg!

[Mike Landi]

Speaking of the albino alligators, check this one out.

http://www.pbase.com/landi/image/59297255.jpg

[Lindsey]

Ugh!! That is positively creepy!!!

--Lindsey

[Judy G. Russell]

Just keep driving due North and eventually you'll find Lake Winnipeg!Or due west and he'd have hit the Pacific. Eventually!

[Judy G. Russell]

Ewwwww... is that think alive???

[Mike Landi]

Ewwwww... is that think alive???

Sure is!

Check these other pics.

http://www.pbase.com/landi/image/59297256.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/landi/image/59297257.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/landi/image/59297258.jpg

[Judy G. Russell]

Good grief. I sure as #$%@# would not want to meet up with that thing in the wild. Or even behind glass!

[Dan in Saint Louis]

Good grief. I sure as #$%@# would not want to meet up with that thing
Aw, just wrap it in purple saran wrap.............

[ndebord]

Or due west and he'd have hit the Pacific. Eventually!

Judy,

Sure, you could go to the Pacific or the Atlantic or even the Gulf Coast from South Dakota...two, maybe three day drive.

However to go from Fargo, South Dakota to Lake Winnpeg is definitely a lot easier, say an easy 4-5 hour drive! (And no alligators or sharks!)

[Mike Landi]

They just do not look real, even when you are two feet from them (behind glass.)

I've never seen anything like that before. I had to get pictures.

The zoo keeps them in a special pool, under a protective roof. These aligators cannot handle direct sunlight. They would get sunburn! But, since they are reptiles and hence, cold blooded, the roof they are under has heat lamps aiming down at them.

Very interesting. These alligators are perfectly normal, except for a few things. The albino trait, which leads to sun sensitivity and poor eyesight. Since there is no melanin, their eyes' retina do not contain the normal light absorbing pigments. Due to that, they do not see very well since their retina do not absorb light very well.

However, they are as strong, as hungry, and have just as good a sense of smell, so they are plenty dangerous!

[Judy G. Russell]

The zoo keeps them in a special pool, under a protective roof. These aligators cannot handle direct sunlight. They would get sunburn!Whew... at least we're not likely to encounter them very often out in the wild!

[Judy G. Russell]

And seeing Mike's pictures of alligators, a place without them is sounding better and better all the time!

[Judy G. Russell]

Aw, just wrap it in purple saran wrap.............Mauve, Dan. Mauve. And then I'd feet it to the Dragon...

[ndebord]

And seeing Mike's pictures of alligators, a place without them is sounding better and better all the time!

Judy,

Ah, that would be... Lake Winnipeg (the thirteenth largest lake in the world), no?

<VBG>

[Dan in Saint Louis]

I'd feed it to the Dragon...My dragon prefers chocolate chip cookies.

[Mike Landi]

In the wild, these critters would never have survived. As little babies, their bright white color would have been an easy give away for predators.

How an adult would do in the wild now, that's a good question.

[Judy G. Russell]

Ah, that would be... Lake Winnipeg (the thirteenth largest lake in the world), no? <VBG>To the best of my knowledge, there are no alligators on the California beaches either!

[Judy G. Russell]

My dragon prefers chocolate chip cookies.Well, the alligator bones would be crunchy like cookies and we could always paint the #$%# thing with chocolate!

[Judy G. Russell]

In the wild, these critters would never have survived. As little babies, their bright white color would have been an easy give away for predators.You will forgive me for thinking that that's a good thing.

How an adult would do in the wild now, that's a good question.I'll let someone else do the research!!

[ndebord]

To the best of my knowledge, there are no alligators on the California beaches either!

Judy,

Nope, no alligators, just Great Whites.

;-)

(After a fatiguing two or three day drive there from Fargo, nothing beats jumping into the surf and coming face to face with jaws to wake you up quick!)

[Mike Landi]

LOL!

[Judy G. Russell]

Nope, no alligators, just Great Whites. ;-) (After a fatiguing two or three day drive there from Fargo, nothing beats jumping into the surf and coming face to face with jaws to wake you up quick!)When was the last time there was a shark attack reported in California?

[ndebord]

When was the last time there was a shark attack reported in California?

Judy,

Surely you jest. California is one of the Great White's favorite hunting grounds.


http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/GAttack/mapCA.htm

http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~bz050/HomePage.gwsattack.html

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/20/SHARK.TMP