June is an odd time of year to start the TV season, but .. one of the items on my TiVo Season Pass came to life: the [30 Days] season opener. This episode, Morgan Spurlock personally explored the life of a West Virginia coal miner (most of the time he acts as director, but this time he was in front of the camera).
As usual with Morgan's documentaries, I learned many things, but was left with more questions unanswered; this episode could easily have been two hours instead of one.
Several of the scenes had to be subtitled, due to the miner's mumbling. With that in mind, I was amused to see The Onion delivering this audio item: West Virginia Holds Its First Pronunciation Bee.
Also, none of the miners were minorities; perhaps that's why Clinton did so well there .. one of the few places in the US where it's nearly impossible to find someone who isn't white. West Virginians are clearly terrified of half-black people! I suspect the same is true for all other minorities, too. Worth noting that John Denver's epic song about the state doesn't mention anything about "darkies, Jews, gays, Asians, Latinos ...", none of which apparently exist Up In The Hills.
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Monday, June 9
Friday, August 31
Sunday, March 25
playing with DICE
After mowing the grass yesterday morning ("there's no local storage on a lawnmower") I decided to push (!) the car out of the garage and install The iPod Connector. This will only be the second (probably last) modification I make to the car. Soon after I bought it in 2001, I installed a factory alarm system (mostly plugging into the existing wiring), although much disassembly/reassembly was required. This time would prove similar.
(rewind about 4 weeks)
Most of the iPod<->CarAudio devices use a weak FM transmitter, but I wanted one that integrated well with the steering-wheel controls, so this meant stringing cables. I looked around at the local retailers, but only found übercheap stuff - few of them stock anything of quality since Most Americans Only Want Cheap, Not Good.
After asking around (the local car club was useful, as always), I opted for the iPod Car Integration Kit from DICE Electronics. A few weeks ago I bought the stuff from Bavarian Soundwerks in Atlanta, and it's been sitting on my kitchen table waiting for an opportunity.
Their 15-step instructions were mostly helpful, and I had everything done in an hour or so .. although I had to cheat a bit since the last step involved testing my iPod (which has local storage) with the stereo.
Next, it was time to install the spec.dock (from a company called 2point5™); this mostly low-tech gadget allows me to dock my iPod into the ashtray space, rather than leave the iPod inside the glove compartment, or (worse) dangling from a cable. The instructions from 2point5 weren't as good as for the DICE module, and this resulted in the twoBand-Aids adhesive bandages now on my fingers. Once I began interpreting the directions instead of following them, things became much easier.
This morning, I made the Annual Pilgrimmage to Carl's Jr. (a west-coast QSR chain that is replicated at the Love's Truck Stops here in Texas) and played with my new toy en route. It sounds great, absent a few odd clicking sounds that may be part of The Learning Curve. Since it ties into the CD changer/amplifier in the trunk, it requires pressing [CD] twice to activate it, then the radio buttons [1-6] to do things like "select next album" (button 3) or "select next playlist" (button 2).
(rewind about 4 weeks)
Most of the iPod<->CarAudio devices use a weak FM transmitter, but I wanted one that integrated well with the steering-wheel controls, so this meant stringing cables. I looked around at the local retailers, but only found übercheap stuff - few of them stock anything of quality since Most Americans Only Want Cheap, Not Good.
After asking around (the local car club was useful, as always), I opted for the iPod Car Integration Kit from DICE Electronics. A few weeks ago I bought the stuff from Bavarian Soundwerks in Atlanta, and it's been sitting on my kitchen table waiting for an opportunity.
Their 15-step instructions were mostly helpful, and I had everything done in an hour or so .. although I had to cheat a bit since the last step involved testing my iPod (which has local storage) with the stereo.
Next, it was time to install the spec.dock (from a company called 2point5™); this mostly low-tech gadget allows me to dock my iPod into the ashtray space, rather than leave the iPod inside the glove compartment, or (worse) dangling from a cable. The instructions from 2point5 weren't as good as for the DICE module, and this resulted in the two
This morning, I made the Annual Pilgrimmage to Carl's Jr. (a west-coast QSR chain that is replicated at the Love's Truck Stops here in Texas) and played with my new toy en route. It sounds great, absent a few odd clicking sounds that may be part of The Learning Curve. Since it ties into the CD changer/amplifier in the trunk, it requires pressing [CD] twice to activate it, then the radio buttons [1-6] to do things like "select next album" (button 3) or "select next playlist" (button 2).
Friday, February 2
an observation
just when I start to think there may be some hope for the world, I stop to read the Dallas Managed News' Letters To The Editor, or even Fundies Say The Darndest Things.
I then reallize that, indeed, There Is No Hope, put my headphones back on, and continue along my way.
I then reallize that, indeed, There Is No Hope, put my headphones back on, and continue along my way.
Saturday, January 13
Yet Another Big Project Weekend
It seems like I have a Big Project every weekend. This one's going much slower than most, although I'm getting work done concurrently.
What's up? Well, I finally cracked open the "USB turntable" I bought a few months ago .. the iTTUSB from Ion Audio. Turns out thismay will be significantly more tedious than when I dumped all my CDs to iTunes (last month). In the case of the CD media, I was able to read at speeds up to 20x (mostly were half that). As I'm moving the LPs (remember the 12" vinyl discs?) to my PowerBook, the speed's more 1:1 although the manual does explain how I can record at 45rpm and playback at 33-1/3 (likewise if I stumble across any of my dad's old 78rpm music).
This process also requires more BabySitting, due to dealing with aging vinyl media. Stuff about vinyl that I'd forgotten:
Granted, I could just Cough Up The Cash and buy most of these albums off the web (some never made it to CD), but I'm enjoying listening to albums I haven't heard in 20+ years, so I'm okay with it, up to a point. There will also be some amount of post-processing, involving track separation and labeling (ID3 tags) which wasn't required with CD-ROM.
Seated next to the slowly-moving stack of albums is a stack of magazines (and eventually books) that have been in my [To Read] pile for much too long, so it'll work out well. That said, I suspect it'll take much longer to dump fewer albums than it took for my 500 or so CDs. Odds are this will turn into a multi-week effort, as I have a few hundred LPs to migrate, and am moving 4 albums every 3 hours.
The WeatherGuy is still predicting plenty (defined as 1/2" inch+) of ice during the current WinterWeatherEvent here. We'll see if the DallasHeatIsland allows the bulk of it to skip over the city and paralyze the nearby rural areas instead of us CityFolk.
What's up? Well, I finally cracked open the "USB turntable" I bought a few months ago .. the iTTUSB from Ion Audio. Turns out this
This process also requires more BabySitting, due to dealing with aging vinyl media. Stuff about vinyl that I'd forgotten:
- records skip when there's an imperfection - when it happens the whole track's useless - if I really want it, I'll buy that song from iTunes for 99c each;
- setting up a turntable means having to deal with counterweights;
- it's truly a balancing act -- the iTTUSB stylus wants 4 grams of pressure (± 1 gram);
- most LPs hold about 22 minutes of music per side, so I can't stray far;
- bits of dust, lint, etc. contribute to snaps, crackles and pops;
- vinyl has what Trish-Bob calls a "richer sound" - no doubt;
- a Discwasher is very useful, removing Stuff from the LP itself, although I could stand some new solution - now D4+;
- vibration near the turntable is a problem - I can't toss stuff around during the recording process, like I do with an iPod or even CD media;
- unlike (most?) CDs, LPs usually are two-sided! the 2nd side is often called the "flip side" because you have to manually turn it over when the first side has finished playing: wow.
Granted, I could just Cough Up The Cash and buy most of these albums off the web (some never made it to CD), but I'm enjoying listening to albums I haven't heard in 20+ years, so I'm okay with it, up to a point. There will also be some amount of post-processing, involving track separation and labeling (ID3 tags) which wasn't required with CD-ROM.
Seated next to the slowly-moving stack of albums is a stack of magazines (and eventually books) that have been in my [To Read] pile for much too long, so it'll work out well. That said, I suspect it'll take much longer to dump fewer albums than it took for my 500 or so CDs. Odds are this will turn into a multi-week effort, as I have a few hundred LPs to migrate, and am moving 4 albums every 3 hours.
The WeatherGuy is still predicting plenty (defined as 1/2" inch+) of ice during the current WinterWeatherEvent here. We'll see if the DallasHeatIsland allows the bulk of it to skip over the city and paralyze the nearby rural areas instead of us CityFolk.
Friday, January 5
demonizing children
As I left a meeting in Fort Worth yesterday, I flipped on the AM radio to check the traffic report. Instead, I heard Rush Limbaugh talking about how the Democrats were using children as pawns. Not having a clue what he was talking about (and since traffic was moving) I tuned him out, and listened to a CD [Six Feet Under] instead.
I would've listened to Air America for The Opposing View, but they've disappeared from the Dallas airwaves (910AM is now a religious station - the 923rd in Dallas). For now, I'd have to subscribe to XM Satellite Radio, or find a way to get an Internet connection in my car.
Later, when I watched the evening news on the TiVo, I saw what he meant : all the children who were present at the Changing Of The Guard as Nancy Pelosi was sworn in as #3 in our government. Hmm .. have they finally found a focal point for their passion? -- versus the Republicans' focal point of Christian religion. Time will tell (naturally) if this "do it for our children's sake" campaign will work.
I suppose you could foam-at-the-mouth like Rush was doing yesterday, crying foul and spewing "oh how could they?" .. which all leads me to believe the Democrats may be onto something here. Demonizing children is a tricky road, indeed.
I would've listened to Air America for The Opposing View, but they've disappeared from the Dallas airwaves (910AM is now a religious station - the 923rd in Dallas). For now, I'd have to subscribe to XM Satellite Radio, or find a way to get an Internet connection in my car.
Later, when I watched the evening news on the TiVo, I saw what he meant : all the children who were present at the Changing Of The Guard as Nancy Pelosi was sworn in as #3 in our government. Hmm .. have they finally found a focal point for their passion? -- versus the Republicans' focal point of Christian religion. Time will tell (naturally) if this "do it for our children's sake" campaign will work.
I suppose you could foam-at-the-mouth like Rush was doing yesterday, crying foul and spewing "oh how could they?" .. which all leads me to believe the Democrats may be onto something here. Demonizing children is a tricky road, indeed.
Sunday, December 31
The Genre Committee
who sits on the "Genre Committee" that decides what music is part of what genre?
As I spent the better part of the last 4 days uploading the bulk of my CD collection to iTunes, to dump to my iPod, I noted that some of the genres chosen were laughable.
Actually, They* do an adequate job most of the time. iTunes' alternative is what you see when no Internet connection is available; the songs are imported with generic names: Track 01; Track 02 and so forth. (Advanced/Get CD Track Names will fetch the CDDB info after the fact, as needed)
Other examples: my Reggae CDs became [International] .. distinct from [World], mind you! Clannad's music became [Folk] (versus Celtic). Apparently They were trying to keep it down to 20 genres, worldwide. Oh, please.
And don't even get me started on the "Soundtrack" category. Most of the songs are compiliations, so labeling an album as one genre when the individual songs are quite different just .. well .. befuddles me.
As I spent the better part of the last 4 days uploading the bulk of my CD collection to iTunes, to dump to my iPod, I noted that some of the genres chosen were laughable.(metrics: 474 CDs equalled 5470 songs; 14.5 days; 19.34 GB) Once on my Mac, the download to the iPod took 60 minutes.My biggest peeve is with the [World] genre; this should be abolished (it's very US-centric). At minimum I'd replace it with the country of the musicians. Seeing [Haiti] and [Senegal] means much more to me than (Rest Of) "World" - permanently relegating any non-US music as Second Class. Bah.
Actually, They* do an adequate job most of the time. iTunes' alternative is what you see when no Internet connection is available; the songs are imported with generic names: Track 01; Track 02 and so forth. (Advanced/Get CD Track Names will fetch the CDDB info after the fact, as needed)
*"They" is in flux, apparently; given the history behind the CDDB (and freedb), it's amazing this continues to work at all. iTunes is using Gracenote; there's no (obvious) way to change that provider.While it was amusing to see "Weird Al" Yankovic put into the [Books & Spoken] genre, it was downright irritating to find no consistency among my American Indian selections .. listed randomnly as [World], [Folk], or [Unclassifiable].
Other examples: my Reggae CDs became [International] .. distinct from [World], mind you! Clannad's music became [Folk] (versus Celtic). Apparently They were trying to keep it down to 20 genres, worldwide. Oh, please.
And don't even get me started on the "Soundtrack" category. Most of the songs are compiliations, so labeling an album as one genre when the individual songs are quite different just .. well .. befuddles me.
Thursday, December 28
Hoosier Translator
Jill's only been gone a few days, and already I'm having trouble understanding her new* dialect. She asked:
Turns out she just hasn't configured her mail client for the new ISP, but can read/reply to the Gmail account from any browser. I attribute the miscommunication to a Hoosier:Texan malprocessing error.
Noteworthy: Google currently has "about 4,670,000" references to [Hoosier] in its database, but NONE include the phrase [Hoosier Translator]. Until they reindex this blog!
Meanwhile, I'm dumping my 471 CDs to iTunes (long overdue project). Some of the CDs read at 20x or higher, while others are more like 2x (if the CD is either old+scratched, or used a high sampling rate). While I'm doing it "in background," it's still gonna take at least 3 days. Happy happy joy joy.
"can yew not send to the fastmail account anymore?"I initially read that to mean "why can't you send stuff to fastmail?!?" as opposed to what she meant, namely: "please use the Gmail account, moron"
Turns out she just hasn't configured her mail client for the new ISP, but can read/reply to the Gmail account from any browser. I attribute the miscommunication to a Hoosier:Texan malprocessing error.
Noteworthy: Google currently has "about 4,670,000" references to [Hoosier] in its database, but NONE include the phrase [Hoosier Translator]. Until they reindex this blog!
Meanwhile, I'm dumping my 471 CDs to iTunes (long overdue project). Some of the CDs read at 20x or higher, while others are more like 2x (if the CD is either old+scratched, or used a high sampling rate). While I'm doing it "in background," it's still gonna take at least 3 days. Happy happy joy joy.
*actually, Hoosier is Jill's native tongue. She apparently went to a TSL (Texan as a Second Language) class years ago.
Saturday, December 2
the anti-shopping list
I've been spending more time with my Mac (PowerBook-G4) lately, partly due to the convenience offered by its built-in WiFi. One of my long-overdue projects at home has been to slap my DVDs, videotapes and (gasp!) books into a database, and it's much easier schlepping my laptop from room to room, than any of the 3 alternatives:
I expect my ASL to become more handy as I continue to age, and can no longer distinguish between the things I want and the things I already have.
I've been a fan of Instant Messaging for eons, but never liked needing client software for each protocol (AIM, YIM, ICQ, etc.) .. I've used Trillian on my Windows box for years, and now found a Quite Good One for my Mac: Adium. The interface is clean, flexible and works while I'm WiFi'ing my way around the globe. I tried one called [Fire] but it had a nasty habit of locking up, needed a [Force Quit] to return the system to normal. YMMV.
- writing stuff down on paper, then transcribing;
- entering stuff directly into my PDA, which lacks a fullsize keyboard;
- bringing the stuff-to-be-catalogued to the PC, then taking them back
* anti-shopping list [ASL] -- a list of stuff I already own. If something's on that list, it means I shouldn't buy it again.An ASL would've saved me several times over the years, when I spotted something in the store which intrigued me, and I didn't remember if I'd already ordered it online (hence, in transit) or if I'd simply added it to an online Wish List somewhere.
I expect my ASL to become more handy as I continue to age, and can no longer distinguish between the things I want and the things I already have.
I've been a fan of Instant Messaging for eons, but never liked needing client software for each protocol (AIM, YIM, ICQ, etc.) .. I've used Trillian on my Windows box for years, and now found a Quite Good One for my Mac: Adium. The interface is clean, flexible and works while I'm WiFi'ing my way around the globe. I tried one called [Fire] but it had a nasty habit of locking up, needed a [Force Quit] to return the system to normal. YMMV.
Saturday, December 17
snug as a bug in a rug
Earlier this week, I mentioned that I returned the PalmOne hard case for my shiny new* Tungsten|T5. Yesterday, the replacement (from RhinoSkin) arrived and I'm giddy!
I also acquired a "Multi-Function Cradle" (charging base - model TT5-FC) made by Insten which appears more durable than the one sold by PalmOne. I wonder how many other people are so displeased with the (relative poor quality) peripherals from PalmOne, that they buy third party ones, like I did?
Unrelated #aleph_π: HayJax and I moseyed to the Magnolia for the 5pm showing of [Good Night and Good Luck], the story of how Edward R. Murrow and CBS battled "commie hunter" Senator Joe McCarthy. The timing of this movie cannot be a coincidence, in that the FCRP is acting much like McCarthy did in the 1950s, using their USA PATRIOT Act as a way to suspend Habeas Corpus, convict people without a trial, torture people in secret gulags, and so forth. Also, if David Strathairn doesn't get an Oscar for his portrayal of Murrow, you'll know the vote was rigged. HayJax says she remembers Murrow's live broadcasts, from the time she was 7, until 17 .. and confirms that Strathairn's performance was perfect.
Amusing sidenote: the parking structure at the Magnolia was full .. all 6 levels (including the roof). We overheard most people buying tickets for Brokeback Mountain (GN&GL is nearing the end of its run, and only a dozen or so people were in our theatre).
Unrelated #4: My DSL provider contacted me via email, and said (as I predicted) that there is nothing wrong with my broadband connection, and that I'm imagining it all. Meanwhile, I have resorted to started a download (file, email, whatever) then going to another room to watch a 30-minute episode of something on TiVo. When I'm done, I now come back in to see if the task has been completed. Sometimes, to avoid monotony, I go take a nap instead. At least I'm catching up on my sleep.
* well, okay .. I got it from The Big O and it was listed as being "blemished" but I'll be hornswaggled if I can tell the differenceNot only does the PDA not rattle in the RhinoSkin case ("Palm Tungsten TX/T5 Aluminum Hardcase") but there are openings for:
1- the charger/HotSync cable (argh! did they have to change the connector from the Tungsten|T ?);The PalmOne hard case had no openings of any kind. Did I mention the PDA rattled when inside the case? Conversely, the RhinoSkin case has slots for two SD cards, and holes in the rear to provide speaker access (although the quality ain't great .. good MP3 earbuds are better for audio than the built-in speakers)
2- the stylus;
3- the power switch;
4- the audio (MP3) connector;
5- the SD card slot;
6- the reset button.
I also acquired a "Multi-Function Cradle" (charging base - model TT5-FC) made by Insten which appears more durable than the one sold by PalmOne. I wonder how many other people are so displeased with the (relative poor quality) peripherals from PalmOne, that they buy third party ones, like I did?
Unrelated #aleph_π: HayJax and I moseyed to the Magnolia for the 5pm showing of [Good Night and Good Luck], the story of how Edward R. Murrow and CBS battled "commie hunter" Senator Joe McCarthy. The timing of this movie cannot be a coincidence, in that the FCRP is acting much like McCarthy did in the 1950s, using their USA PATRIOT Act as a way to suspend Habeas Corpus, convict people without a trial, torture people in secret gulags, and so forth. Also, if David Strathairn doesn't get an Oscar for his portrayal of Murrow, you'll know the vote was rigged. HayJax says she remembers Murrow's live broadcasts, from the time she was 7, until 17 .. and confirms that Strathairn's performance was perfect.
Amusing sidenote: the parking structure at the Magnolia was full .. all 6 levels (including the roof). We overheard most people buying tickets for Brokeback Mountain (GN&GL is nearing the end of its run, and only a dozen or so people were in our theatre).
Unrelated #4: My DSL provider contacted me via email, and said (as I predicted) that there is nothing wrong with my broadband connection, and that I'm imagining it all. Meanwhile, I have resorted to started a download (file, email, whatever) then going to another room to watch a 30-minute episode of something on TiVo. When I'm done, I now come back in to see if the task has been completed. Sometimes, to avoid monotony, I go take a nap instead. At least I'm catching up on my sleep.
Thursday, June 10
Underground Dallas
There's something about rain that makes me go underground. When I explored Inner Space Cavern (a cave complex near Austin) last year, it was pouring. Yesterday wasn't as rainy, but I decided to keep my promise to myself, and explore Underground Dallas [UD] when it rained.
UD is the de facto community of office dwellers which developed as a result of tunnels below the city streets, connecting many downtown skyscrapers. Recently, Dallas Mayor Laura Miller suggested that the UD shops move to the street level, so as to make downtown more vibrant. Here, I have to agree with The Barking Dog : the mayor has become completely out of touch with reality. Instead of condemning Underground Dallas, she should embrace it as a unique differentiator.
UD is more than the "food court in the basement" and includes florists; banks; car rental; office supplies; art studios; jewelers; sunglass merchants and even a Cookie Bouquet! In the past 5 years, there have been two articles in the Dallas Managed News [DMN] about UD; as my guide, I used a map they provided a few weeks ago.
But first, I had to get there, and I decided to try thetrain light rail (part of DART). I drove to the station, found the one remaining parking space (this should have clued me into the fact that, even in midday, the train would be busy), took the elevator to the boarding level, and bought a day ticket for $2.50 using the automated ticket machine (getting a Sacagawea dollar coin in change).
The trains are quick (it felt like 55mph on some stretches) and on time (they run every 20 minutes, I think). My train contained 6 cars; I understand this varies depending on the time of day. Each car appeared to seat 25 people.
Heeding the "keep away from rail" signs, I only waited about 5 minutes before it arrived. I took a seat (facing backward) and relaxed to watch the trees and greenbelt along the route. At some stations, the doors on the left opened. At others, they opened on the right. There were many elevation changes, and I passed about 7 stations (one underground, at Cityplace) before arriving at my stop (on the Red Line), and then I walked a block to the nearest tall building, and took the escalator down .. to Underground Dallas .. and began exploring.
Most of the people appeared fit and healthy (this could be due to the lack of traditional fast food; I spotted a Blimpies and a Quiznos - both sub shops - but nary a KFC, McDonalds or Taco Bell). There were many non-chain places to eat. There were many people walking rapidly in pairs, taking in an aerobic workout in UD, where there were no diesel fumes to breathe, no traffic signals to obey, no homeless drunks begging for change, like there are Up Above.
Signs advise that the tunnels are open from 6a-6p daily. I never felt threatened. Most tunnels are wide and carpeted; others are narrow and tiled.
There was lots of activity: food courts, ATMs, shopping ... but I needed a compass underground! Getting lost in the labyrinth was easy, even with a map. I only resorted to asking directions once, and I sheepishly had to go aboveground once when I couldn't find the tunnel connecting 2 buildings. Once I found the other side, I figured out my mistake, and moved on. I explored the Renaissance Tower, Bank of America, the Elm Street Mall, the Metropolitan Mall (1310 Elm), Thanks Giving Square (aboveground) and others.
I concluded that, alongside the racks with free copies of Quick and The Observer, there should be maps of UD. The convenience stores could package a map and a compass!
After exploring, I was ready to return, but not before making some mistakes. The Blue Line train had left (en route Garland), and the jackhammers and car alarms were apparent, so rather than sit downwind of the outdoor smokers (ah, life in the city!) I grabbed a quick bite to eat. I'd noticed that the trains sit for 30-60 seconds to allow boarding, and figured I could mosey over and board when it arrived.
After finishing lunch at the Original Italian Cafe (a big slice of pizza and water was only $2.70), I walked between the north- and south-bound trains, in the middle of Bryan Street. That's not a good practice. Then, the "push to open" button didn't work, so I had to wait 20 minutes for the next train. The time wasn't wasted; I corrected the Graffiti for this blog!
Since I had a day pass to the train, I was tempted to exit at Mockingbird Station and take in a movie at The Angelika, but I hadn't done my homework and didn't know what was playing. I spotted Jack's Pub & Volleyball Club (there's a combo!), and an ad on the news marquee (sponsored by Baylor Health Care) for LaughingPlace.com. The message board also conveyed the news that GWB wants to increase the number of troops in Iraq to 145,000 troops because he now thinks giving up power will require more troops (there's gotta be logic there somewhere)
Random musings: yes, there is a human driver, who announces the stops. I couldn't understand the announcements for the inbound trip, but the outbound was much better. Beware of sleeping passengers; a woman next to me was soundly asleep when I left. She may still be riding the train, as far as I know. For a few moments, I watched a 14-year old air guitarist with a stud in his lip, MP3 player at his side. The only DART policeman took a seat amongst the rest of us, never challenging us to "show our tickets". I noticed that many of those exiting the train with me didn't go to the parking lot; rather, they went down to street level to connect with a DART bus. Hmm.
I returned home, where Beta the Wonder Dog was ready with her impression of Dino.
UD is the de facto community of office dwellers which developed as a result of tunnels below the city streets, connecting many downtown skyscrapers. Recently, Dallas Mayor Laura Miller suggested that the UD shops move to the street level, so as to make downtown more vibrant. Here, I have to agree with The Barking Dog : the mayor has become completely out of touch with reality. Instead of condemning Underground Dallas, she should embrace it as a unique differentiator.
UD is more than the "food court in the basement" and includes florists; banks; car rental; office supplies; art studios; jewelers; sunglass merchants and even a Cookie Bouquet! In the past 5 years, there have been two articles in the Dallas Managed News [DMN] about UD; as my guide, I used a map they provided a few weeks ago.
But first, I had to get there, and I decided to try the
The trains are quick (it felt like 55mph on some stretches) and on time (they run every 20 minutes, I think). My train contained 6 cars; I understand this varies depending on the time of day. Each car appeared to seat 25 people.
Heeding the "keep away from rail" signs, I only waited about 5 minutes before it arrived. I took a seat (facing backward) and relaxed to watch the trees and greenbelt along the route. At some stations, the doors on the left opened. At others, they opened on the right. There were many elevation changes, and I passed about 7 stations (one underground, at Cityplace) before arriving at my stop (on the Red Line), and then I walked a block to the nearest tall building, and took the escalator down .. to Underground Dallas .. and began exploring.
Most of the people appeared fit and healthy (this could be due to the lack of traditional fast food; I spotted a Blimpies and a Quiznos - both sub shops - but nary a KFC, McDonalds or Taco Bell). There were many non-chain places to eat. There were many people walking rapidly in pairs, taking in an aerobic workout in UD, where there were no diesel fumes to breathe, no traffic signals to obey, no homeless drunks begging for change, like there are Up Above.
Signs advise that the tunnels are open from 6a-6p daily. I never felt threatened. Most tunnels are wide and carpeted; others are narrow and tiled.
There was lots of activity: food courts, ATMs, shopping ... but I needed a compass underground! Getting lost in the labyrinth was easy, even with a map. I only resorted to asking directions once, and I sheepishly had to go aboveground once when I couldn't find the tunnel connecting 2 buildings. Once I found the other side, I figured out my mistake, and moved on. I explored the Renaissance Tower, Bank of America, the Elm Street Mall, the Metropolitan Mall (1310 Elm), Thanks Giving Square (aboveground) and others.
I concluded that, alongside the racks with free copies of Quick and The Observer, there should be maps of UD. The convenience stores could package a map and a compass!
After exploring, I was ready to return, but not before making some mistakes. The Blue Line train had left (en route Garland), and the jackhammers and car alarms were apparent, so rather than sit downwind of the outdoor smokers (ah, life in the city!) I grabbed a quick bite to eat. I'd noticed that the trains sit for 30-60 seconds to allow boarding, and figured I could mosey over and board when it arrived.
After finishing lunch at the Original Italian Cafe (a big slice of pizza and water was only $2.70), I walked between the north- and south-bound trains, in the middle of Bryan Street. That's not a good practice. Then, the "push to open" button didn't work, so I had to wait 20 minutes for the next train. The time wasn't wasted; I corrected the Graffiti for this blog!
Since I had a day pass to the train, I was tempted to exit at Mockingbird Station and take in a movie at The Angelika, but I hadn't done my homework and didn't know what was playing. I spotted Jack's Pub & Volleyball Club (there's a combo!), and an ad on the news marquee (sponsored by Baylor Health Care) for LaughingPlace.com. The message board also conveyed the news that GWB wants to increase the number of troops in Iraq to 145,000 troops because he now thinks giving up power will require more troops (there's gotta be logic there somewhere)
Random musings: yes, there is a human driver, who announces the stops. I couldn't understand the announcements for the inbound trip, but the outbound was much better. Beware of sleeping passengers; a woman next to me was soundly asleep when I left. She may still be riding the train, as far as I know. For a few moments, I watched a 14-year old air guitarist with a stud in his lip, MP3 player at his side. The only DART policeman took a seat amongst the rest of us, never challenging us to "show our tickets". I noticed that many of those exiting the train with me didn't go to the parking lot; rather, they went down to street level to connect with a DART bus. Hmm.
I returned home, where Beta the Wonder Dog was ready with her impression of Dino.
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