Posts from — March 2014

Since I left California in the early 1990s I have avoided the ‘leading edge’ in technology. It was interesting when people were paying me to evaluate new equipment and software, but I wanted reliability when I moved to Florida, because the computer resources needed to try new things weren’t available on the Panhandle. That is behind my reluctance to send text messages from my cell phone, but circumstances changed.

I sent my first text message today. I did it in spite of the ‘assistance’ of ‘predictive typing’. T9 is even more annoying than Clippy. I’m still trying to figure out how to disable it. I can’t decide whether the individual who was responsible for the word list was a pervert, or just clueless. In a bit of a coincidence, a nephew mentioned that the version on his iPhone substituted ‘okey-dokey’ for OK, which led to a problem with the last text he had sent. My problem was trying to enter my first name and ending up with ‘Bran’, and insisting I meant ‘mistress’ when I mistyped ‘mattress’ with a single ‘t’. I bought the phone I currently have in part because it has a slide out QWERTY keyboard. but that isn’t helping to defeat the tyranny of T9.

Help me – don’t help me.

In addition to everything else I’m changing ISPs. I made that decision after telling my DSL provider that I was thinking about doing it, and they offered me absolutely nothing to stay. When I have talked to them before they wanted to upgrade the features on my landline phone that I don’t use, but they insist I have to get DSL.

The new modem and router will be paid for in two months based on the price of the service I’m getting. They want me to ‘bundle’, which would bring the price back up to were the DSL is currently, but I don’t want another phone or television. The fact that they finally unbundled from requiring the television made their service reasonable. They also wanted me to ‘rent’ a modem from them, but I’m not going to do that. A number of their modems are ‘refurbished’, not new, and the lease rate would buy a new modem every six to nine months.

If I disappear for awhile don’t think the worse, is will probably be start-up problems.

Éireann go Brách!

Well everyone agrees that he died on March 17^th, but the year is subject to debate. This is his feast day on the Catholic calendar. Enjoy as you are wont.

Wikipedia has more on Saint Patrick’s Day, if you need more.

I have become what is generally referred to as a ‘care-giver’. That is the vital password to get anyone to explain to you what in hell is going on.

It is an interesting field. On Saturday I was at what amounted to a graduate seminar on bowel movements. I now know more about them than Thomas Crapper did when he was installing his new and improved ‘water closet’ for London’s elite during the reign of Queen Victoria. His plumbing fixtures were actually a status symbol, and people would mention that they had a ‘Crapper’, the best that money could buy.

Next up is properly describing urine, so I don’t sound like a rookie. Apparently quantity, color, clarity, and ‘bouquet’ are all important to know. Not much different than wine, when you think about it, which I really don’t want to do.

I already hired two people, but everyone says I need to get a third. We’ll see.

This is going to be a long-term operation, but things will reach a level of normalcy, as everyone keeps telling me.

Today is when you see how crummy the coverage of the back of the pack and weekends really is by the Iditarod Trail Committee et al. The only real source of information is the GPS tracking system, which I ‘beta-tested’ when it was first introduced, but now is part of their ‘corporate strategy’. Both the ITC and the Anchorage Daily News are nickel and dime-ing fans to death, by requiring everyone involved to sign non-disclosure agreements and limiting all media access, and then charging for access.

Elliot has probably been in White Mountain for hours, but I won’t give the ITC their 30 pieces of silver to find out. I gave them more than that as a donation when it was voluntary, but no longer.

Update: Elliot scratched at Elim, probably as a result of ‘Rule 36’ pressure, so Marcelle Fressineau is the new Red Lantern.

Update: Marcelle blew through Safety with only a brief stop so Monica is carrying the tail light.

It’s over. Marcelle ended up with the Red Lantern by arriving less than a minute after Lisbet at 7:42PM AKDT [10:42PM CDT]

Finished at Nome
41 Charley Bejna (26)^R
42 Robert Bundtzen (64)
43 Newton Marshall (9)
44 Tommy Jordbrudal (12)^R
45 Yvonne Dabakk (8)^R
46 Alex Buetow (60)^R
47 Monica Zappa (18)^R
48 Lisbet Norris (41)^R
49 Marcelle Fressineau (50)^Q Φ

The Mushers in bold are former winners of the Iditarod, while italics indicates Yukon Quest winners. The numbers in parentheses are their Bib numbers. The small “R” indicates a total rookie, while the small “Q” indicates an Iditarod rookie who has completed a Yukon Quest.

These are the official standings. That means they are official, not that they are correct. Things jump around a lot as people decide to update the standings. This problem is especially bad in the back of the pack, as no one bothers to update those standings when the lead is changing.

This post will be updated during the day, and the map changed on all posts to reflect the current situation.
All posts on the Iditarod can be seen by selecting “Iditarod” from the Category box on the right sidebar.

All of the money has been awarded, so now it is about finishing to get the belt buckle. Elliot Anderson will take the Red Lantern if he can finish. He left Elim at Noon CDT, 6 hours behind Monica Zappa. He still has 15 puppies on his team.

Finished at Nome
31 Dan Kaduce (5)
32 Katherine Keith (63)^R
33 Justin Savidis (34)
34 Jason Mackey (39)
35 Danny Seavey (62)
36 Karin Hendrickson (33)
37 Travis Beals (48)
38 Christian Turner (21)^R
39 Anna Berington (52)
40 Mike Ellis (66)
41 Charley Bejna (26)^R
42 Robert Bundtzen (64)
43 Newton Marshall (9)

The Mushers in bold are former winners of the Iditarod, while italics indicates Yukon Quest winners. The numbers in parentheses are their Bib numbers. The small “R” indicates a total rookie, while the small “Q” indicates an Iditarod rookie who has completed a Yukon Quest.

These are the official standings. That means they are official, not that they are correct. Things jump around a lot as people decide to update the standings. This problem is especially bad in the back of the pack, as no one bothers to update those standings when the lead is changing.

This post will be updated during the day, and the map changed on all posts to reflect the current situation.
All posts on the Iditarod can be seen by selecting “Iditarod” from the Category box on the right sidebar.

Mini-Sox’s Milieu

Nom, nom, nom, nom…

[Editor: Mini-Sox doing what she does best – eating. She doesn’t want it on the plate, she wants in that place on the concrete step.]

Friday Ark

The first 30 teams get some of their money back, so there is still a cash incentive in operation, as well as the fame/infamy of the Red Lantern.

Rule 36 that allows ‘uncompetitive’ teams to be withdrawn had better be ignored this year. The teams still on the trail have survived the Steps, the Gorge, and the Burn. They are facing miles of glare ice on Golovin Bay, so if they want to finish, they had better be permitted to do it. There should be a combat star added to the belt buckle given to finishers this year.

Finished at Nome
20 Michelle Phillips (15)
21 Robert Sørlie (22)
22 Ralph Johannessen (54)^R
23 Curt Perano (2)
24 Cim Smyth (28)
25 Paige Drobny (3)
26 Rick Casillo (30)
27 Allen Moore (19)
28 Paul Gebhardt (35)
29 Mats Pettersson (44)^R
30 Kristy Berington (56)
31 Dan Kaduce (5)
32 Katherine Keith (63)^R
33 Justin Savidis (34)
34 Jason Mackey (39)
35 Danny Seavey (62)
36 Karin Hendrickson (33)
37 Travis Beals (48)
38 Christian Turner (21)^R

The Mushers in bold are former winners of the Iditarod, while italics indicates Yukon Quest winners. The numbers in parentheses are their Bib numbers. The small “R” indicates a total rookie, while the small “Q” indicates an Iditarod rookie who has completed a Yukon Quest.

These are the official standings. That means they are official, not that they are correct. Things jump around a lot as people decide to update the standings. This problem is especially bad in the back of the pack, as no one bothers to update those standings when the lead is changing.

This post will be updated during the day, and the map changed on all posts to reflect the current situation.
All posts on the Iditarod can be seen by selecting “Iditarod” from the Category box on the right sidebar.

I am AFTK almost totally. I have managed to maintain the Iditarod posts, but I don’t have the time to look at news sites or much of anything else because of a family emergency.

I’m hoping that we can develop a schedule with a little cooperation from the outside agencies involved, but they are also swamped.

I will get to responding when I can and I do read comments when I get to either of the computers I have been using, but it won’t be quickly except by coincidence.

In addition to all of that I have a switch of ISPs scheduled because it will cost me $60 less than my current provider who wasn’t interested in dealing.

I’ll keep annoying people until the Red Lantern is handed out. Mushers really messed up yesterday by forgetting to pack the ice skates for the dogs so they could get across the glare ice on Golovin Bay with 25 to 35 mph crosswinds blowing them all over. 😈

Nathan managed to overtake Abbie and win Rookie of the Year by 6 minutes.

Finished at Nome
10 Aaron Burmeister (23)
11 Michael Williams, Jr. (7)
12 Ken Anderson (65)
13 Peter Kaiser (43)
14 Richie Diehl (11)
15 Matt Failor (57)
16 Wade Marrs (67)
17 Nathan Schroeder (25)^R
18 Abbie West (69)^Q
19 John Baker (53)
20 Michelle Phillips (15)
21 Robert Sørlie (22)
22 Ralph Johannessen (54)^R

The Mushers in bold are former winners of the Iditarod, while italics indicates Yukon Quest winners. The numbers in parentheses are their Bib numbers. The small “R” indicates a total rookie, while the small “Q” indicates an Iditarod rookie who has completed a Yukon Quest.

These are the official standings. That means they are official, not that they are correct. Things jump around a lot as people decide to update the standings. This problem is especially bad in the back of the pack, as no one bothers to update those standings when the lead is changing.

This post will be updated during the day, and the map changed on all posts to reflect the current situation.
All posts on the Iditarod can be seen by selecting “Iditarod” from the Category box on the right sidebar.

I’m going to let Craig Medred explain how Dallas Seavey won his second Iditarod in record time while Aliy Zirkle is second for the third year in a row – it’s complicated. Jeff King scratched, as did Kelly Maixner.
Update: Now Hugh Neff has scratched. It must be something with the puppies, because he will usually continue when personally injured, but not if the puppies are unhappy.

Finished at Nome
1 Dallas Seavey (14)
2 Aliy Zirkle (10)
3 Mitch Seavey (6)
4 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (47)
5 Sonny Lindner (70)
6 Martin Buser (36)
7 Jessie Royer (27)
8 Ray Redington Jr (51)
9 Hans Gatt (58)
Beyond White Mountain
10 Aaron Burmeister (23)
11 Michael Williams, Jr. (7)
12 Ken Anderson (65)
At White Mountain
13 Peter Kaiser (43)
14 Richie Diehl (11)
15 Matt Failor (57)
16 John Baker (53)
17 Wade Marrs (67)
18 Nathan Schroeder (25)^R
19 Abbie West (69)^Q
20 Michelle Phillips (15)

The Mushers in bold are former winners of the Iditarod, while italics indicates Yukon Quest winners. The numbers in parentheses are their Bib numbers. The small “R” indicates a total rookie, while the small “Q” indicates an Iditarod rookie who has completed a Yukon Quest.

These are the official standings. That means they are official, not that they are correct. Things jump around a lot as people decide to update the standings. This problem is especially bad in the back of the pack, as no one bothers to update those standings when the lead is changing.

This post will be updated during the day, and the map changed on all posts to reflect the current situation.
All posts on the Iditarod can be seen by selecting “Iditarod” from the Category box on the right sidebar.

Jeff has a 20 minute lead on Aliy, so it is going to be a sprint to the finish. Quest veteran Abbie West is looking good for the rookie honors.
Update:Jeff has a 57 minute lead over Aliy at White Mountain

Beyond White Mountain
1 Jeff King (17)
2 Aliy Zirkle (10)
At White Mountain
3 Dallas Seavey (14)
4 Mitch Seavey (6)
5 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (47)
6 Sonny Lindner (70)
Beyond Elim
7 Martin Buser (36)
8 Aaron Burmeister (23)
9 Kelly Maixner (13)
10 Jessie Royer (27)
11 Ray Redington Jr (51)
12 Hans Gatt (58)
At Elim
13 Hugh Neff (61)
14 John Baker (53)
Beyond Koyuk
15 Robert Sørlie (22)
16 Peter Kaiser (43)
17 Richie Diehl (11)
18 Wade Marrs (67)
19 Michelle Phillips (15)
20 Ken Anderson (65)
21 Abbie West (69)^Q

The Mushers in bold are former winners of the Iditarod, while italics indicates Yukon Quest winners. The numbers in parentheses are their Bib numbers. The small “R” indicates a total rookie, while the small “Q” indicates an Iditarod rookie who has completed a Yukon Quest.

These are the official standings. That means they are official, not that they are correct. Things jump around a lot as people decide to update the standings. This problem is especially bad in the back of the pack, as no one bothers to update those standings when the lead is changing.

This post will be updated during the day, and the map changed on all posts to reflect the current situation.
All posts on the Iditarod can be seen by selecting “Iditarod” from the Category box on the right sidebar.

Nicholas Petit has scratched at Unalakleet, ending a very strong race. He felt his team was too tired to continue. Aliy is still leading, but her lead is diminishing. Update: Jeff is only one minute behind Aliy at Koyuk.
Update: Jeff is a minute ahead out of Koyuk.

Beyond Koyuk
1 Jeff King (17)
2 Aliy Zirkle (10)
At Koyuk
3 Martin Buser (36)
4 Dallas Seavey (14)
5 Sonny Lindner (70)
6 Mitch Seavey (6)
7 Aaron Burmeister (23)
Beyond Shaktoolik
8 Joar Leifseth Ulsom (47)
9 Hugh Neff (61)
10 Kelly Maixner (13)
11 Ray Redington Jr (51)
12 Hans Gatt (58)
13 Robert Sørlie (22)
14 Jessie Royer (27)
At Shaktoolik
15 John Baker (53)
Beyond Unalakleet
16 Wade Marrs (67)
17 Michelle Phillips (15)
18 Peter Kaiser (43)
19 Richie Diehl (11)
20 Abbie West (69)^Q

The Mushers in bold are former winners of the Iditarod, while italics indicates Yukon Quest winners. The numbers in parentheses are their Bib numbers. The small “R” indicates a total rookie, while the small “Q” indicates an Iditarod rookie who has completed a Yukon Quest.

These are the official standings. That means they are official, not that they are correct. Things jump around a lot as people decide to update the standings. This problem is especially bad in the back of the pack, as no one bothers to update those standings when the lead is changing.

This post will be updated during the day, and the map changed on all posts to reflect the current situation.
All posts on the Iditarod can be seen by selecting “Iditarod” from the Category box on the right sidebar.

Don’t forget to “Spring Ahead” as they steal an hour from your life by eliminating 2AM Sunday morning.

This really screws up the time keeping on the Iditarod, and makes the cats less than happy.