The next morning, (e:uchina) took us on a auto-based tour de Rochester (or Crotchfester as I learned (e:flacidness) calls it). Maybe it's being in a different city and the grass is always greener - but it seems like an awesome place to live.

First we went to breakfast at a Ayn Rand themed(?!) restaurant called Atlas Eats. The kimchi pancakes were amazing and I drank too much coffee.

We then headed over to the High Street bridge, which seemed to be like a Canalside type district with actual old buildings. It overlooks the Genesee Rivers waterfall and also gives scenic vistas of both a Kodak and Genesee beer factory. I couldn't decide which one was responsible for more toxic products.



I love being in a city that isn't flat. Here is a 360 degree photo sphere I took on the bridge. I want to try it out on (e:paul)'s VR headset. The disembodied butt of (e:terry) and the floating Masumi head make you feel like you're really there.







A Christmas tree of beer.


The most ridiculous thing I have ever seen was this Pepsi machine, hooked up to a generator at the end of the bridge. How could this even make any money? Do people get so exhausted crossing the bridge that they need a cup full of sugar to make it back? Crazy.



I rediscovered some of the fun lens modes on the Note. Mostly useless but kind of cool

We went out to a rave in Rochester called "Dawn of the Plurbotz" with (e:uchina) and (e:yesthatcasey).

(e:paul) and I went full on 90's with his self-made furry track pants, and me wearing his 1991 Kikwear pants. I could have smuggled several people in with the giant legs.



We stopped at Masumi's before the rave. (e:uchina) has upgraded her life in so many ways. Music was played with non-mechanical media!! CRT's had disappeared! There was a laptop! I was excited for her.

The rave was at Tilt, a gay nightclub outside of downtown. While the rave happened in the outdoor courtyard and sideroom, Marcella's style gay club was going on in the main room. It was kind of funny to see the primped up gay dudes walk into rave full of candy clad nerds. Dancing outside put me a little on edge because these massive electric heaters blasted us - what a waste of energy. I have to say I loved the last rave in Rochester but this location was not the best - not enough dancing room. Give me dive-y mexican restaurant any day (e:joe,59583). The difference in intoxication may have been a factor too.


Casey in his happy place - inside a bear


Making moves with the bot



Paul's friend Greg always raves with a CRT on his head. That's a real 90's throwback.


I kind of love the Rochester people that attend these raves. Not just because there are a few cute boys.

I don't know why I usally did not before but on (e:tinypliny)'s suggestion I started hanging clothes to dry. It really is a waste of gas and electric to run a clothes dryer when with a little more time they could dry themselves. Especially when it makes clothes last longer. I guess I've always had access to one, even a "free" dryer in college, so I took it for granted.

I think I'm going to need to string more line up. I can't wait until summer and it'll be even easier.

In other news of my energy kick I took a look at the hot water heater efficiency. According to the energy star label it seems it was mid grade for when it was built but I need to find out when that was. The label's benchmark is for 1994, so maybe then. I wonder what advances have been made since then.

In my dream world it would be a green powered tankless electric water heater. I'm not sure the capacity of of solar here would support that, but even a gas model would be so much more efficient than maintaing a hot tank of water all day.

After going without a personal computer for two weeks, I'm finally back up and running. I really miss not having a computer - work ones don't feel like home.

I replaced my LCD screen in my 5 year old Dell when it got cracked in November. Unfortunately it started to flicker and die in the two weeks ago.

So I returned the old one, and tried to order a new one from Amazon reseller Techorbits. I wanted to upgrade from 1600p to 1080, and one with a better color gamut, contrast and brightness. The screen I ordered was this - - pretty much the highest quality 17.3 display my video card could support (only a 40pin connector)

Despite paying for the better screen, they sent me a terrible Chi Mei panel with even worse viewing angles and colors than I had before. The resolution is better but that is all. I called the company, and their rep insisted the panel was just as good and that's why they could send it. Nowhere was this mentionedd and it's obviously not true just looking at the spec sheets.

Resolution | Response Time | Contrast | Brightness | VIewing Angles | NTSC Color Gamut | Backlight
AUOptronics
B173HW01 V4
1920x1080    8ms    600:1    300    140/120    262k (6-bit)    90%    B+RG LED

Chi Mei
N173FGE-L21
1600x900    8ms    650:1    220    90/65    262k (6-bit)        W-LED

I'm using it for the time being and not reassembling the computer because I want to this up with Amazon - completely false advertising. Techorbits of Aliso Viejo, CA, what a shitty way to run a business.



In the mean time, I also needed to replace my wifi card, as it had died, and the LCD LVDS cable as it was starting to lose contact. So now everything works fine again, besides the old battery. Maybe one day I'll buy a new computer but with an SSD this does everything I need.

I also finally got around to upgrading to Fedora 21 via FedUp- look, transparent terminal windows!! I never knew how much I needed them. Not too many obvious changes but I haven't poked around too much.

Paul and I were at lunch and picked up a copy of the Allentown Association newsletter - it was all about the Allen Street reconstruction meetings. Apparently the assocation, city engineer, and design consultant all voted to remove parking for a pedestrian friendly and better streetscape (versus widening the road and removing feet from the sidewalk). Despite this fact their going to back to the design phase - more money spent on consulting, less on the actual construction :(

It turns out I was semi-anonymously quoted in the article about the debate as a Roswell employee!

Anyway if you believe at all in a sustainable future for Buffalo and making Allentown a nice place for people, not cars - write Peter Merlo, City Engineer at pmerlo@city-buffalo.com, and Stephen Stepniak, DPW Commissioner at sstepniak@city-buffalo.com and let them know what you think

Allentown Association doesn't put out an electronic version of this :( So i took a picture.




Joe Herzig said...

A Roswell Park employee also said a walkable, attractive Allen Street was essential for merchants to gain customers from the BNMC. He reminded the crowd that they could potentially get a lot of patronage from students, staff and visitors to the new UB Medical School and the new Children's Hospital now under construction. ...
Another suggested shuttles from BNMC lots at night when they are underutilized

Just to be clear I never actually said anyone needed a shuttle from BNMC to Allentown (unless you're disabled). Not sure where that came from. Walk your butts a block or two!