Subj : Do Not Call To : Nancy Backus From : Barry Martin Date : Sun Nov 17 2019 11:10:00 Hi Nancy! NB>> Never did get into hauling a computer with me when waiting in a NB>> doctor's office waiting room... did sometimes bring along some NB>> easily packed project or other, though.... Now I tend to not NB>> bring anything, unless I anticipate a long wait... BM> In these couple of times the wait was going to be sufficiently long BM> for me to haul along the laptop. Plus was before having a cell phone BM> with entertainment built-in. OK, my old flip-phone did have some games BM> built-in, I'm talking watching videos, etc. NB> I've not been that into electronics for wait time.... and NB> generally, if I'm accompanying someone, I'll spend the time NB> visiting with them... and usually end up going into the exam room NB> with them as well... While waiting for the appointment with the other person I won't isolate myself but rather keep them company/alleviate fears/sometimes assist with paperwork. If they want me to present during the appointment it has usually been requested ahead of time and I'll bring paper and pen to take notes. BM>> LIS in an earlier message it snowed overnight; haven't checked to see BM>> if that triggered the change. Still flurrying, almost lunch now. BM>> Gained a whopping two degrees since my earlier report several hours BM>> ago: now 29ø! NB>> We've got that weather today.... so far no accumulation to speak NB>> of... and the temps are still in the 30s, but there is definitely NB>> snow in the air.... ah, well... it is November, after all.... BM> The local meteorologists have been stating the current weather is more BM> like what we'd be getting in February. NB> Yup, as I was saying in a recent message, here, too... In a word: "Brrrr"!! BM> And they haven't mentioned but there does seem to be a cycle as to BM> warm winters and cold ones -- last several years have been warmer; BM> last year and so far this one are colder. NB> That's true, too... I wouldn't minmd, though if it broke out of NB> the colder pattern... as long as it didn't get into a NB> rollercoaster pattern... If I had been the journaling type it would have been interesting (maybe!) to be able to look back to see if there was cyclic pattern locally/regionally. Suppose could look up on the official weather sites but that doesn't seem like as much fun. Right now more remembering where there were two or three or four winters in a row where it was freezing-cold, needed the boots to go anywhere, etc., and another series of winters where cold, just needed shoes with good traction soles. BM>> ...Checked the area Trick-or-Treat times; about half on the Illinois BM>> side have been postponed while none on the Iowa side have been altered. NB>> You have posted times for when kids can trick or treat...? Or NB>> are those at businesses....? BM> City and town Trick-or-Treat times. Bettendorf's was 5-7:30. Some BM> businesses/organizations will also do Trick-or-Treats on days/time BM> other than the city's times. Bettendorf also had a parade. The mall BM> in Davenport had one where the kids went from store to store a night or BM> two prior. Couple of the smaller towns had store-to-store BM> Trick-or-Treating in their downtowns. NB> Sounds like you have more civic organization and orchestration of NB> things... ;) Haven't heard of that happening here... Might have been started by one indvidual and blossomed into a neighourhood then city event. BM>> Yes - earlier this summer I needed to dial into the hospital's phone BM>> system: "please continue to hold - you're call is BM>> number one in line". That went on for BM>> close to ten minutes. Thought to myself this doesn't seem right, even BM>> if a big emergency going on and several 'yakkers' have called in ahead BM>> of me. Hung up, redialed, got one iteration of the phone queue and then BM>> answered. Did inquire (nicely) about being busy -- they were having BM>> issues with the telephones. NB>> That makes sense... issues with the phones certainly is a good NB>> explanation... ;) BM> And from what I could tell during my original call the 'phone BM> problems' was a real and not handy excuse. NB> Yes, it did seem to be valid that time... :) True. And I do sort of have the habit of inquiring if something is wrong/doesn't seem right: have had too many experiences where something is wrong but no one has said anything. Also checks to see where the problem might be ==> everyone, then the problem isn't on my side; just me, problem is probably on my side.. BM>>> Sounds just as valid. I think the tone generated by the 'Tele-Zapper' BM>>> might be the SIT - forgot what it stands for but is the "doo-Doo-DOOO" BM>>> tone one sometimes hears followed by "the number you have dialed is BM>>> out of order or no longer in service". Supposedly tells the other BM>>> computer to mark that number as having a problem or is no longer valid. NB>>> No, actually it's just a single beep... and it is generated when any NB>>> one of the handsets in the circuit is picked up... but is supposed to NB>>> tell the other computer that it isn't a valid number, at least in NB>>> theory... BM>> Hmm: hadn't heard of the single tone one. NB>> It's been around for quite a long time.... We must have gotten that NB>> phone a couple of decades ago, and it was old technology then, just NB>> not been incorporated into consumer phones before BM> Huh, OK. Googling did (easily) find multiple Tele-zapper type BM> devices; appears they issued the three tone SIT. What may be occurring BM> is on your phone the sound you hear was a less annoying single tone. BM> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TeleZapper BM> Not saying there isn't or wasn't a single tone -- things do change -- BM> and 'new stuff' would tend to bury 'old stuff' in the Google listings. NB> I'd guess that latter.... and wikis do tend to get updated NB> without holding onto more historic stuff.... Depending. :) I have seen a lot of computer stuff where the article has as section "for version 12.10 and earlier". Of course that's a bit of a targeted example. BM>> My Mother recognizes the "American ring" from the various "European BM>> rings" when she dials Switzerland and Austria. Oddly (to me) she BM>> doesn't pay attention to the slow busy vs. the fast busy signals. NB>> Maybe in her case, the bottom line is just that she can't get NB>> through right now, and will have to try again.... the distinction NB>> is more in how long one might probably have to wait to get NB>> connected... and even that might not be all that different... BM> Yes, all sorts of possibilities. She also tends to 'bulldog' her BM> thinking at times: "I'm right and anything else is wrong" or "well it BM> always used to be this way so it has be be this way still". Not BM> intending to be rude, etc., to her as I do agree there are various BM> ringing tones in use -- dial into a small phone company and they BM> sometimes have a dull-sounding ring. NB> And it's not like it's really a big deal here, either.... AFAICT, no, it is not. Too me would be something to note if there is a problem but otherwise as long as the call goes through. BM>> Trees here have turned white - oh, that's snow! Also was paying a BM>> little more attention: there has been snow on Halloween but only trace BM>> amounts. Today's 3" locally and more north and east blew those out! BM>> Also the record low high temperature was 34ø; they're predicting a BM>> high of only 33ø for today so may break that record also. ...Beginning BM>> of October was in the upper 80's (he gave the exact temp; I wasn't BM>> paying attention). NB>> It's been a record breaking year, on all sorts of fronts... and NB>> wide swings in temps... ;) BM> It's been interesting! LIS we've had some rather cold and snowy BM> winters since I moved out here in 1975. The past several winters have BM> been relatively warm and snow-free. IIRC last year's started out very BM> snowy as there was some concern as to "where ar ewe going to put all of BM> it?!" but didn't continue with the heavier snows. Lots of little BM> snows, but not the heavy ones. NB> Who knows... this could turn out similar.... or be like other NB> years.... or..... Stay tuned! Right now sort of a drizzle-rain: to my thinking more than a drizzle but not enough to be considered raining. ...38ø, so the residual snow might melt off but could also become icy patches -- be cautious! BM>> ...Upcoming project -- the computer/data-based weather as the ones BM>> using the wireless sensor don't work up here. NB>> So you are giving up on those sensors.... BM> Yup. They do work in other parts of the house, but that doesn't do me BM> any good up here. Right now just a general concept; probably separate BM> monitor -- half-thinking combine with the outdoor cameras. Maybe run BM> the software off a Raspberry Pi. We'll see. NB> You'll figure out something... :) BM> Eventually. :) Something to keep me busy and in mischief! NB> Right... And now a sub-consideration! Think I told you we had to purchase new cell phones because needs the VoLTE thing. Half-thinking my old cell phone might have a sufficiently sized screen to use for the basic weather information. Right now not sure if will update automatically or need to find another method. And right now low priority: can do manually but that's no fun! ¯ ® ¯ Barry_Martin_3@ ® ¯ @Q.COM ® ¯ ® .... One rotten egg doesn't spoil a dozen -- only when scrambled. --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.47 þ wcECHO 4.2 ÷ ILink: The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA --- QScan/PCB v1.20a / 01-0462 * Origin: ILink: CFBBS | cfbbs.no-ip.com | 856-933-7096 (454:1/1) .