A Collection of Daily Wisdom by Dennis Sylvester Hurd since September 2003.

I'm off to teach this morning. It's my second weekend of classes at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. All intensive courses are tough but the weekend ones especially so. BCIT provides these Communication courses for adults who may be working full-time. The majority of my present class is made up of new Canadians who plan to enroll in future Institute programs. The 7-hour per day schedule seems grueling but it has proven successful for thousands of former students.



This is the first time, after eight years of experience at BCIT, I've ever taught on Saturdays and Sundays. This batch will run until July 3rd. I contracted to teach this single course and another weekend one which will end in August. So, although it's tiring, I have the entire week to recuperate. What a great way to spend the summer!

I've taught the same course in a different scheduled format, so I am finding that I need to spend a great deal of time planning, organizing, and correcting. Yesterday, in fact, I spent a majority of the day in the office.

Labels: BCIT (Page 1)

Okay, I'll admit to having been more of a pinball wizard than a financial one. I'll also acknowledge that I'm highly risk averse. I wanted to ensure a batch of money earn steady and stable interest. I divided the amount to five units. Then, I bought 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 year GICs. (Guaranteed Investment Certificate is Canadian banking jargon for a Time Deposit.) As they mature I'm rolling each into a 5-year. This way, I'll always be spreading interest rates across time and will have 20% of those funds coming up for renewal each year.

Yesterday, I called my main, toll-free banking number to set up instructions for this year's roll over. I talked to a customer support person who was in Ontario. Of course, he could only offer the 'listed' rates. I told him quite frankly that I wanted better. A competitor's rates on the Internet showed a better yield but he didn't have the power to negotiate.

So, I thanked him, and went uptown to a branch where I could speak to a person. "No, I don't want to consider a money market," I had to say. "I'm absolutely sure that I won't withdraw before maturity." "I know you can do better than that," I added. She disappeared and returned with the manager who immediately added 0.25% as a bonus. It put me over the rates posted at most other banks. Agreement came so quickly that I probably should have held out for more.

It just goes to show, which I didn't know before, a bank has plenty of room to negotiate rates. If you're a good customer, then leverage that fact. If you don't demand, they surely aren't going to offer.

Labels: money

There's gold in -- them -- thair -- hills. It's getting to be, if it was ever flickered on the tube, then you can now get it on disc ... for a price.



Thirty years ago, Lynda Carter, unassuming gal in the 'War Department,' used to twirl around and become the amazing Wonder Woman! I felt obligated to save this twenty-second video capture.

Labels: Mediaplayer, stars, television

Finally! I've been waiting for a smooth segue to add this graphic. It's been sitting on my hard drive for a while anticipating the chance to join this blog. In yesterday's entry there was an Acrobat file which showed the game copies I had in 1989. So, now I'm able to include these two screen captures.



Jay maintains this was the only fun computer game. It used to run on my original IBM XT clone's CGA card. He doesn't have much regard for up-to-date equipment because one can't play Moonbugs.

I never use my computer to play games nowadays. Hell, my XBOX sits in a cardboard BOX as I never even manage to fire it up. I would be able to blast people right out of the room with Dolby 5.1 though. It might be I was thinking of this topic because of last month's buzz about the XBOX 360.

Labels: computers, games, software

Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2005 05:20:11 -0700
From: Dennis Sylvester Hurd (Google Mail)
To: rick_kams@bcrtc.bc..ca
Subject: NOISE LEVELS from SKYTRAIN ANNOUNCEMENTS at COLUMBIA STATION
Cc: kcoueffin@city.new-westminster.bc.ca, custrel@translink.bc.ca, editorial@royalcityrecord.com, mike_richard@bcrtc.bc.ca, amelita_quizon@bcrtc.bc.ca

The last letter below was sent last fall. I have copied an entire history of complaints about the Skytrain system announcement VOLUME LEVELS. You will discover that this situation dates back to 2003.

I am writing this at 5:20 because I was rudely awoken this morning by an announcement at 5:00 am. Last weekend was an especially trying time as I was unable to get to sleep until after 2:00 am on Saturday morning. This was the same day that I started teaching day-long classes at BCIT beginning at eight. I know announcements will be necessary ... but there has to be control over the sound levels.

I demand that studies take place in order to get the announcements to acceptable decibel levels. If the Skytrain station were a neighbor, then municipal noise regulations would be preventing the headache that you are causing. I'd like to to be personally acknowledged as to the plans to prevent this constant interruption to my life.

==Dennis Hurd
#1001 420 Carnarvon Street
New Westminster, BC V3L 5P1
tel: 604.524-6197

==========

Dear Quizon Amelita,

As you will note on the previous correspondence, it has been about five months since I last wrote about excessive announcement noise from the Columbia Station Skytrain Station. However, I would like for you to keep a constant eye on the situation.

Last night between 12:45 and 1:45 am, I was again awoken from a sound sleep. Please bear in mind that I live on the tenth floor of the building behind the station. Announcements were made in both a female and male voice at the arrival of each train.

It goes without saying that I know the system will encounter times when announcements need to be made. Yet, they should not prevent sleep for neighbours of the stations. TURN THE VOLUME TO ACCEPTABLE LEVELS, PLEASE.

I will provide and early thank you for your understanding and action on this matter.

== Dennis Hurd


----- Original Message -----
From: Dennis Sylvester Hurd
To: QUIZON AMELITA ; Keith
Coueffin ; custrel@translink.bc.ca
Cc: KAMS RICK; editorial@royalcityrecord.com; RICHARD MIKE
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 3:33 PM
Subject: Re: Oct. 30 AM SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud

Dear madam,

I'd like to thank you very much for the prompt response to my email message. Unfortunately, I must have been unclear in the original as you were unable to address my major concern.

You told me the reason for the service interruption. I was well aware the reason. I wasn't able to avoid hearing the announcements repeated this morning while trying to get back to sleep. You continued by telling me that you needed to communicate with customers and I can certainly accept that without condition. I am sure the on a system as advanced as the SkyTrain that technical issues will occasionally develop and announcements will need to be made.

What I was trying to address was the extreme volume in which the message was broadcast. The subject line in my original message read, "AM SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud". I live on the 10th floor and my windows were tightly shut. I was sound asleep but the announcements forced me and my partner to awake.

That type of 'inconvenience' should have a solution and, unfortunately, you did not address that concern at all.

== Dennis Hurd

----- Original Message -----

From: QUIZON AMELITA
To: Keith Coueffin ; Dennis Sylvester Hurd ; custrel@translink.bc.ca
Cc: KAMS RICK ; editorial@royalcityrecord.com; RICHARD MIKE
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 11:50 AM
Subject: RE: Oct. 30 AM SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud

Dear Mr. Hurd:

The announcements that occurred this morning were required due a system failure to a major safety system which prevented our ability to begin revenue service at our normal time.

We apologize for the inconvenience you experienced this morning, but such cases we are required to communicate with our customers thus the announcements you heard. Be assured that every effort is made to minimize any inconveniences to our passengers and surrounding neighbours, but on occasions such as this it may not be possible.

Once again, we do apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for allowing us to address your concerns.

BCRTC: 2003-01493 TransLink: 25337

Amelita Quizon
Customer Service & Operations Support
SkyTrain-BC Rapid Transit Company Ltd.
6800 14th Avenue
Burnaby, BC V3N 4S7
Tel. (604) 520-3641
email: amelita_quizon@bcrtc.bc.ca


-----Original Message-----
From: Keith Coueffin [mailto:kcoueffin@city.new-westminster.bc.ca]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 9:57 AM
To: Dennis Sylvester Hurd; custrel@translink.bc.ca
Cc: KAMS RICK; editorial@royalcityrecord.com; RICHARD MIKE; QUIZON AMELITA
Subject: RE: Oct. 30 AM SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud

Mr Kams
(Rick),

Will you be able to investigate the concerns noted by Mr.Hurd?

kc Keith Coueffin
Assistant Director of Strategic Services
Phone 604-527-4645


-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Sylvester Hurd [mailto:DennisSylvesterHurd@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 9:29 AM
To: custrel@translink.bc.ca
Cc: rick_kams@bcrtc.bc.ca; Keith Coueffin; editorial@royalcityrecord.com; mike_richard@bcrtc.bc.ca; amelita_quizon@bcrtc.bc.ca
Subject: Oct. 30 AM
SkyTrain Announcements Too Loud

To: Translink, BCRTC
cc: FYI - K. Coueffin, New Westminster City Hall
Royal City Record -- Please consider for editorial page or as a topic assignment for an article.

==================================

A female voice advising a 'service disruption' blasted from the Columbia Street Skytrain station at 5:05 this morning and was repeated for about 10 minutes.

This was several hours before I had to be awake. Our building is directly in back of the station. Although most won't have time nor drive to complain, I am sure that all residents in the south-facing apartments were awoken. The volume of these announcements was inappropriately loud. Columbia station surely doesn't seem like a good neighbour this morning!

Unfortunately this is not a one-time occurrence. Over the years, even the city of New Westminster has been involved in requests for sound-level monitoring. It was six months ago, I wrote to complain about excessive speaker volume and the accompanying 'beep'.

We moved here well aware of the convenience and well as drawbacks of living so close to the station. Since that time, the Millennium Line has vastly increased the number of trains, announcements, and people through the Columbia Station.

The station's exposed roof opening is not very large. I would like to propose that Translink begin to study the cost of the installation of a glass-pyramid covering for it.

==Dennis Hurd

Labels: complaints, transit

Did you ever look at an old, group photograph and wonder what was going on in the minds of those whose image was being captured? Although the picture above looks like it was taken at the turn of the last century, it is really about sixteen years old. I'm the fourth from the right in the front row. This picture was taken at the Bahrain Defense Force in 1989. I was working for General Dynamics to help start a technical institute for the Bahraini Air Force.

I'll make it easy for you to find other times I've included information about Bahrain. If the name is followed by an *, a new browser window will open.

INTERNAL SITE LINKS

• Picture in BDFTI Classroom
• More Recent Photo of Colleague There
• An Apartment in Bahrain
• Another Apartment in Bahrain
• Dennis Hurd's eResume - Work Page
• Dennis Hurd's eResume - Travel Page
• PHOTO: Dennis & Jayantha, Bahrain *
• PHOTO: Bahraini Guys Juffair Apartment, Bahrain *
• PHOTO: Donkey in Hidd, Bahrain *
• PDF File of My Personal Software Game Listing *
  

Labels: Bahrain

Some movies are good because they were good; whilst, some are good because they were so very awful.

I got a kick out of an extremely poor quality, 1951 sci-fi flick called, Flight to Mars. The acting was nearly as poor as the special effects. There was no emotion when, upon landing on Mars, the crew encountered a civilization that appeared just like humans. The outside of the rocket ship looked like a cardboard-covered BIC lighter and the inside looked like an ordinary room with one round window. And to top it off, it had silly dialog and a terribly-unsatisfying conclusion but, hey ... it was in Supercinecolor! Here's my final observation:

It's perfectly okay to fall in love with a Martian gal as long as she's got an enormous t-square and legs that never end!

Labels: movies, sci-fi

There's recently been talk (and email) from the guys. We're all considering taking a trip for a few nights in mid-June. The Okanagan is one suggested destination. I love heading over the Coastal Mountains and seeing just how quickly we can go from the Lower Mainland's temperate rain forest to the semi-desert of that area. It's a leisurely, half-day drive. The particulars of a plan haven't been ironed out. Yet if it develops, I'm sure it'll make for a good time.


This is a digital picture taken on a 2002 trip when my camera
was nearly new.

Labels: British Columbia, digital camera, driving, Okanagan, road trip

I have found a temporary work-around to the problems I'm having with www.blogger.com. For some strange reason, after 91 weeks of success, the site will no longer connect to my server. I started writing Blogger support last Wednesday and have not received any response yet. I do have to admit that it is a long weekend in the US, and I doubt there's anyone working on Memorial Day.

I am now publishing to another server. Then, I log onto it with an FTP program and copy selected files to my hard disk. Lastly, I upload them manually to www.DennisSylvesterHurd.com/blog. It's all a bit awkward, but at least it works. Hopefully, I'll soon hear from the friendly blogger.com folks and this situation will be temporary!

It's nice to be back.

---

UPDATE (06/01/05)

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for setting up that test blog for me to test. This problem is being
caused by a networking issue on our servers which we are currently
investigating. We hope to get this resolved as soon as possible, but I'll
send you another email once it's working again. Thanks for your patience
while we work on this.

Sincerely, Graham
Blogger Support

---

Labels: software

This picture contained a bit too much information to fit on this page, but you can click the thumbnail version to open up a larger one.

I worked in Kuwait right out of college. After finishing, I went to Seattle to do some graduate work. I took TESL and Linguistic courses which would have led to a Masters Degree. I never did complete my program as I left for overseas work in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

While at the University of Washington, I also taught part-time at an Islamic School. So, this is a 20-year old, scanned, class photograph. I wonder what they're doing nowadays.

Labels: Seattle, students