Time Waster

Here is the site
http://www.pedalmafia.com/mafid/mafia_id.html

F--k the Poor

Capitalism--JP Morgan Chase--TARP "Troubled Asset Relief Program" -October 28, 2008 U.S. Treasury Department transfers $25 billion to Chase.

Chase CEO James Dimon is a Democrat and worked in President Obama's town of Chicago

2006 Total compensation $41.2 million

Arrowhead 135

Less than a week away is the Arrowhead 135 offroad winter race. The race takes place up north in International Falls where temperatures will be in the range of -5 to -30. Weather conditions can be a big factor in this race. The course record is 21 hours, so riders will be experiencing extreme conditions as they fight through the cold and dark. Good luck to Dave Pramman, Josh Peterson, and all the other competitors. It looks like the event is starting to pickup momentum, as the fields are getting larger with a more international roster.
A link: http://www.arrowheadultra.com/

Rust Never Sleeps

This week has been a somber week. A friend whom I hadn't seen in awhile passed away. He was much too young to have passed. Seeing his pictures and water bottle brought a rush of feelings that I didn't even know existed. I am grateful to have known him and to have shared some memorable times together. I will miss him, as will many others. RIP Gianni.


My uncle passed away on Thursday. My mother's brother has been suffering from a disease that he didn't know of until late in its grips. He found out about the disease about 7 years before his death. He was 57 on Thursday when he died. He was suffering from Liver Cancer which was brought on by years of undiagnosed Hemachromatosis, which is a genetic disorder that gets passed down through the family genes. This disease collects iron in the body, unlike regular metabolism that rids itself of excess iron.


I wish that I could have spent some more time with him or seen him smile one last time. It had been years since I had seen him, but I can still remember his charismatic smile. It came on so fast in the end. May your family and your soul go on in peace. Ron I love you and because of what you endured, I will live a longer life knowing that my body carries the same genes.

Fundraiser

New EGR valve installed

The engine light came on again. I double checked the OBD codes and came up with the same Po404 and P0406 which both speak of EGR malfunction. Last time I cleaned it with carb cleaner. This time it didn't work. So it was time to purchase and replace. Rock Auto great service, great prices and quick. The link to the codes meanings http://www.allpar.com/fix/computer-codes.html. Installed and ready to go.


Refrigerator ice maker was next. Pulled the tubing out and found ice back up way inside. Jumped the ice harvester and presto we have ice again. Thats gotta be worth a day of work.


Damn this is supposed to be about bikes and all I've got in the ads space is computer stuff. Well it's winter, I guess I need to get some cross country ski action going.

Ghetto Cross Country Ski Wax Table

Here you go Matt.

1. Get yourself a 2*6 (the ski lays on it)
2. (2) 3/8 Carriage Head Bolts (or improvise some other bolts)
3. around 2 feet of 1*3 (for the clamps)

Thats it for materials (assuming you have an iron and some wax)

1. Lay your ski on the 2*6 and trace a pattern to be cutout
2. Use a jigsaw to cut the trace marks
3. Lay your ski in your newly cut 2*6 and determine where your clamps will go
4. Cut your 1*3 clamps
5. Place your 1*3 clamp piece(s) in location and drill through

Easy and Cheap

Screw You Chase Credit Cards

I tried to identify the date in the Star Tribune Newspaper as today's date January 13, 2010. Next to it is the computer screen showing a picture of the computer monitor at my Amazon site. Looks like I can still use my credit card that was cancelled in Fall of 2008.

Above is the original purchase. As a college student with little income I bought into the advertised "Use Amazon credit card and get $# credit on purchases above $#".

Sounded good I was going to purchase with a credit card anyway, why not save some cash. My plan was to purchase my college textbooks, then pay the full balance upon receipt of the books, and cancel the credit card immediately. I don't like having multiple cards. All within the guidelines of the promo offer.

That is exactly what I did. Upon receiving my books I called up Chase banks, asked what my bill was and paid it in full. Then I told the customer service rep to immediately cancel my account with them. I think the closure to that conversation was, "Is their anything else I can help you with today?" My response, "No".

In the meantime my account has mysteriously not been closed and has been enrolled in paperless billing. All without my consent or knowledge.

I will be getting further details posted, once I acquire and scan the limited documentation there is of these transactions.

Conveniently all the sales/payment history is gone from "paperless (online)" including the email dialogue I had with them regarding my account.

This is where it all went down hill. Somehow after paying off the balance and cancelling the credit card in 2008. A small balance remained and has acrued interest and fees ever since.

Documentation of my second attempt to cancel the account

Hyland XC skiing

I went to Hyland and Skiied three laps with Muyres and then ran into Jesse. Just wanted to try out the camera and see how it works with natural lighting and how easily it uploads etc. Wearing gloves and fumbling with the small buttons was not so easy, but it should work excellent on bike rides. Quick to turn on, compact size, and descent video will make it more likely to bring on those epic summer rides. The old mini-DV camcorder will probably not get much usage

RSS Feed Reader

I'm looking for a feed reader that will pick out particular sections of a blog/forum. How about a weather gizmo that shows current and forecast.

Another Page

The other page was getting to cluttered with junk.