the sad state of address search in maps
Something I started doing about 16 years ago in the late-2000s is using direct GPS coordinates to get to places. Why? Address search sucked. It's not that the address couldn't be located, but rather the place I was directed to was incorrect.
Sometimes the destination was a little incorrect by putting me on the wrong side of the street. Other times it was really wrong by putting me over a block away from where I wanted to be. For example, in large shopping mall areas that take up acres of space, I don't want to be directed to the mall entrance. Rather, I want to be sent directly to the store entrance. Big difference.
I learned early on that the only thing that really works 100% of the time is using coordinates, so that's what I've been using for over 15 years. However, the way I do it these days has changed slightly.
Punching in GPS coordinates to my Garmin DriveSmart 66 isn't all that different from how it used to be done years ago.
Old school way from the late 2000s: Go to Google Maps, bring up satellite view, search for where I want to go, right-click the map, get coordinates, punch that into the Garmin, go. This old school way can still be used.
Modern way: Use the phone, load up Google Maps, bring up satellite view, search for where I want to go, long press to get coordinates, punch that into the Garmin, go.
I do not use my phone to navigate with because I don't want to deal with "GPS signal lost" with a phone - which happens a lot.
What's the sad part?
You would think that all these years later that address search would be totally fixed and perfected. I'm not talking about the Garmin but rather online address searching. There should be no such thing as incorrect address listings with online maps.
Well, that's not the case.
I am still using GPS coordinates to get exactly where I want to go because online address search is still bad.
If there's a brand new apartment building that was just opened fewer than 90 days ago, sure, I can understand that not being listed in the maps yet. But if it's existed longer than 90 days, units have been rented out and there are people living there, there's no excuse for that building not to be listed in the online address database. None whatsoever.
For business listings (and those usually take priority over residential listings), yeah I've encountered some from online address search where the entrance is in the completely wrong spot. I have to check, double check, use satellite view, use Street Views, use alternate map sites and so on just to get the right place so I can get those coordinates.
Why do coordinates always work?
Coordinates are an absolute, and that's why they work. A set of coordinates is an exact position. I can use coordinates so precise that it could lead me directly to a parking space. Yes, it's that accurate.
If you're sick of online address search getting it wrong, use GPS coordinates and it will be right. It takes extra effort, but it's totally worth it. Better to put in the effort instead of being led around in circles trying to find a location.
how to cool down a car without air conditioning
I thought this was common knowledge, but I guess it isn't, so I'm stepping up to the plate to tell you how it's done.
Like many other people, I drive a car with four doors and power windows. But even if you don't have power windows, this can still be done.
A bit of advice before giving these instructions. You should be spraying your window tracks with WD-40 Specialist Water Resistant Silicone Lubricant twice a year. NOT regular WD-40. NOT white lithium grease. The silicone lubricant specifically. Roll down the window, spray inside the window track on both sides, then roll up and down the window 10 times and you're done.
There is not a single car made that doesn't need its window tracks lubricated periodically. Over time, dirt gets in the tracks, that creates more friction, and the electric motor has to work harder to roll up/down the windows. Worst case scenario is you end up with a window that won't roll or a dead electric window motor. LUBRICATE THOSE TRACKS.
Moving on...
"Free A/C" is achieved with a four-door car by rolling down the driver's side window halfway and the passenger side rear window down 1/4 to 1/2 way. What this does is make a directed tunnel of air through the car while it's moving. Air comes in the driver's side window, over you, then out the passenger side rear window.
This can be combined with running the fans pointed at you. The air from there will go where the air tunnel goes (more or less) since the tunnel has higher velocity.
Why not roll the driver's side and rear passenger side window all the way down? That works, but makes the tunnel "dirty". The goal is to make a smooth stream of air. Also, having the windows rolled all the way down can create what's known as buffeting, as in loud air noises from the stream breaking up.
Does the passenger benefit from this stream of air? No. Just you for the most part. And screw the passenger, because it's your car anyway.
Does this negatively affect mileage range? Not all that much. Whether you're in a gas-powered car or EV, if the air stream is smooth and not buffeting all over the place, the knock against mileage range is negligible. Yes, there will be increased wind resistance. If you're watching your range, you'll have to do some math and compare driving with A/C vs. driving with a tunnel of air going through the car.
Does this work on two-door pickup trucks? Only the kind that have rear glass that opens, and only somewhat. You roll down the driver's window by 1/4 or 1/2, then take your best guess how much to open the rear glass. I would start with 1/2 and see if that works.
And now The Big Question: Does this really work?
Yes.
For a long time now, whenever summer comes I only turn on the A/C when I absolutely have to while driving. Even on the hottest summer days, as long as the car is moving, I've got the driver and rear passenger side windows rolled down a certain amount to get that air streaming through the car.
Yes, this does mean I turn the A/C on when I come to a stop at a traffic light since that's when the natural air stops. But when I start moving again, the A/C is turned off.
Otherwise, the only time the A/C comes on while driving is during oppressively hot days. And by that I mean days hot enough for local weather services to post warnings saying to stay out of the sun for extended periods.
press CTRL+F5 to pay respects
Yes, I redesigned my site. Don't freak out about it.
This is the first redesign I've done in a while. A long while, actually. Years, in fact. I have regular readers, so yeah I had to write about this. When a site has a specific design that it carries for a long time and then changes, the regulars get alarmed by that.
So what prompted the change?
I've been wanting to make this place both big-monitor and smartphone friendly for some time now, and finally got around to doing it.
Let's step back to 2004 for a moment
I started blogging in '04, which means I've been blogging for 20 years (and yes, I get that feel-old moment from saying that). In those days there were no smartphones, but also no widescreen monitors. Or to be more accurate, few people at home were using a widescreen computer monitor.
To put this in perspective, the Apple iMac G5 15" version had a native 1440x900 resolution, and that was new in '04. On the PC side of things, yeah the widescreen monitor existed, but hardly anybody had one. Everybody was still using 4:3 monitors, with a fair amount of people still using CRTs!
Fast-forward to present
Now, 20 years later, there are smartphones and ultra wide monitors. And you'd be surprised how cheap an ultra wide is now. It's not a grand to get one anymore. Not even close. Try about 82% less.
I had to punch up the fonts for the bigger PC monitors. But I also had to redesign for phone screens.
This site now has a sidebar. That sidebar auto-stacks itself for tall/skinny displays like a phone has. If you load this on your phone, you'll see it. Or rather not see it until you scroll down, then you'll see this part you're reading right now is on top, then the sidebar moved underneath.
I very specifically had to put in some code so the site only widens out to a specific length and then stops. If I didn't, anybody using a browser maximized on an ultra wide would see the text go way too wide to be read comfortably.
No, you don't need another computer just to view this site.
If you're a regular reader, thanks for coming back. If for some strange reason the site looks messed up on your end, just reload it with CTRL+F5, which should fix everything up.
a list of brown and khaki casio watches
While it's really easy to find a black Casio (I wear a black W735H daily), there are brown and khaki color models that are definitely worth a look. In fact, I own one that I'll talk about in a moment.
An earth tone color watch is a feelgood thing, and said honestly, it fits most men's daily wear better. Lots of guys wear earth tones, be it with brown shoes, brown boots, maybe a brown hunter's cap, and so on. Earth tone also works with anything camouflage, like a hunter's jacket.
There's another perk to a brown or khaki Casio. It looks good both when new and when beat up. A black Casio looks like trash when beat up, but not the brown or khaki.
Okay, let's get to the list.
One last note before beginning the list: I'm not listing any of the negative display models, because I would never recommend a watch that's difficult to read.
Casio AE1500WH-5AVThis is the one most guys go for because it's cheap, highly legible and can take a beating. It's a lighter khaki that leans more towards a sand look.
Casio AW80V-5BVI own this one. Fabric strap with Velcro fastener, ana-digi and looks nice for what it is.
G-SHOCK GD120CM-5This one is actually camouflaged. Not my style, but it's technically brown and khaki, so I'm including it.
Casio W737HX-5AVAgain, a lighter khaki leaning towards a sand look. Smaller than the AE1500WH but still has a large time display.
Casio WS1500H-5AVThis one is a true brown, and has extra fancy features like moon phase graph and a fishing mode (which I've heard actually does work). I like that the top left digital subdial is also brown. Nice touch.
Casio WV200R-5AWe have a khaki-ish look here because it also has silver surrounding the bezel. It does have atomic timekeeping which is its best selling point.
Casio W219HB-5AVBasic watch with F-91W type features, but larger with fabric strap and Velcro fastener. Highly legible, great night light.
Casio W800H-5AVDefinitely an older model, but in a true brown offering. This one displays everything you need to know right on the home screen. Weekday, time, month, day and even year.
G-SHOCK GAB2100CT-5ADare I say, this is the most elegant brown watch Casio makes. Brown case complemented with a khaki fabric strap. It's a tough G-SHOCK all the way through but looks fantastic in earth tones.
Casio W217H-5AVThis is like the W219HB-5AV but in a squared-off flavor. The dial is black but everything else has the leans-towards-sand appearance. Very nice basic watch with high legibility. And cheap.
Casio Pro Trek PRG340SC-5This one is best described as a "light camouflage" look. Very outdoorsy type of timepiece, and has features that hikers like as it is a true ABC (altimeter-barometer-compass) watch. And it's solar.
Which is the best?
I actually like the Casio AE1500WH-5AV best, even though it's one of the cheapest on the list. For a brief period I did own the big AE1500 (a black one), and it actually fit my small wrist. It's a big watch that can basically fit anybody, and that's good. I like the 10-year battery life, the features, the price, it's all great...
...but I could totally understand if you went for that brown G-SHOCK, because wow, that thing looks nice.
shoutout to dave
This is Dave's Ferd Exploder. How do I know? His name is on it. Dave announces himself wherever he goes because darn it, he's just that important.
Dave's truck smokes like an incinerator. You might think that's because the engine is on its last leg. No. Dave did that on purpose to keep people from tailgating him. Safety first.
Dave always keeps Black Ice inside, because Dave keeps it fresh.
Dave has the coolest steering wheel cover you've ever seen.
Dave wears nothing but cool guy t-shirts and awesome pants, because Dave knows fashion.
See that American flag sticker on the back? That's because Dave eats nothing but raw meat on a stick and washes it down with whiskey.
What's Dave's job? Looking better than you.
All women love Dave, and all men want to be Dave.
Keep on Dave'n, Dave.