edward fox's reality

Rated TV-14 for Mature Language.

[Random Thought: When are they coming out with a "Chicken Soup for the Profane Soul"? That would be killer in sales, I think. Moving on...]

If you want to know what actually happened to 183 and don’t care to read my humorous introduction, find the “Start Editorial” mark.

Check out these numbers (in no particular order):

• 86
• 183
• 114
• 482
• 1382
• 12
• 30
• 75
• 356
• 35
• 348
• 354
• 635
• 33
• 289

What am I talking about? The latest combos at McDonald’s? The number of tracks I have from each of my favorite artists? None of the above. I was on every one of these highways today, and it was hell–even more than usual, but there’s an explanation for that. Half of them have alternate names.

Highways are hell, regardless of when over-sized and wide loads run into them. Some of them change names multiple times… Some of them are confusing as hell. For example, E. Northwest Hwy. Well, good luck trying to figure out which direction that fucking thing runs. Belt Line Rd. Oh goodness, the ever-prevalent Belt Line Rd. This bitch runs in every possible direction, and with aliases at its most southern point! This thing is east, west, north (with a different name), south, north, south (yes, twice), and then a four-digit road, then west. What the hell? Then I saw, “482: Storey Ln.” I thought, well, I only know of Story Rd., here in Irving, but 482 sounds familiar… Why didn’t they just say “Spur 482″ like they do on the other side, coming from 183 or Loop 12? No, the name is changed, and for about 30 feet, there’s a road called Storey Ln., made just to disorient you. Some highways are just in rush hour mode from sunrise to sunset. I-35. Need I say more?

I could go on and on about how much longer it took me to drive to meet up with my friend Kathryn for lunch (she works at Firewheel Shopping Center) and get back home than it did for me to actually find a good suit, a few good shirts, and some gorgeous ties. I could also go on by saying I had to pay a toll, three times, and the third time, I had thrown my change and it said I still owed 10 cents, and I reached down and found all I had–besides pennies– a quarter! Oh, what luck, I am saved! Right as I threw the quarter in, it said I already had enough money inserted and the light turned green and turned red before I entirely made it through. The car behind me just tailed my ass and didn’t pay at all. Irony, Irony, Irony. Everywhere.

I feel deep sympathy for this highway. All the shit that’s been exploded onto it, placed on it, run into it, time after time… Not to mention cars falling off of this highway in front of me, too. All of these things lead me to believe two things: 1) God hates Highway 183 (aka Airport Freeway, then Highway 10 if you’re heading West on it towards Euless), and 2) it’s time for an editorial since a majority of us didn’t seem to know why traffic was so painfully slow today, and heavy wherever it wasn’t necessarily moving at the rate of a tortoise.

—Start Editorial—

360 DEGREES OF CHAOS ON 183
By: Frederick Szczepanski

“One lane is now open…heading eastbound on the 183,” was the last I heard of the catastrophic blow to a bridge of 183, the most recent report on the radio station KRLD 1080, on a story which I was following since noon today. It was 7PM and I was just making it home. I was on my way to South Irving, near I-30 territory, coming from Fire Wheel Shopping Center.

WFAA’s reported stated “Highway 183 was closed in both directions near Texas Stadium Thursday afternoon after a truck carrying oil well drilling equipment struck an overpass over Loop 12.” Loop 12 North was closed off at this point.

Making the way around the metroplex, particularly through Irving, Dallas, and surrounding locales was quite challenging for many commuters. The Texas Dept. of Transportation, or TxDOT, urged commuters to avoid the area if at all possible.

A definite date and time for repair of the bridge, entirely, was unknown, but sources indicate that 183 should be open for business, but only at 66% capacity eastbound at last check. All roadways should be cleared and accessible by midnight.

Star-Telegram indicated, “Texas 183, or the Airport Freeway, was closed at two spots — eastbound at Carl Road and westbound at the 183/114 split — to allow TxDOT crews to work on the bridge. The eastbound frontage road of Texas 183 was still passable.”

The main cause for delay, aside from visible structural damage to multiple rungs beneath the bridge, was also the incredible amount of debris the collision caused.

Highway 183 has been involved in the press multiple times this past year in relation to accidents.

In May 2006, a gas tanker collided with the highway’s bridge while heading Northbound on MacArthur and exploded, killing the driver. A $636,000 emergency contract with Gibson & Associates emergency repair contract was drawn up shortly after. The bridge was fixed within days of the May 28th contract and accident. Parts of the bridge which were not damaged physically can still be seen covered with black smoke that originally came from the tanker’s gas contents.

In early August this year, a car made a sharp turn and lane change and ended up upside down on the southbound side of Story Rd., having fallen off from Highway 183. Paramedics and fire trucks were called to the scene for injuries, but all parties involved survived. The vehicle did not.
—End Editorial—

This is pretty unrelated, but I just had to throw this in. Seems like an old grandmother (is there any other kind?) decided to divert attention away, briefly, from the 183 mess to herself as she drove into a Post Office in Duncanville a few hours after the spotlight roadway event of the day.

Lesson of the day? Sometimes, Sprint’s location service doesn’t always work, and sometimes, roads are just plain vicious. And so are the drivers.

No, I’m not trying to do a play on words or anything. However, my college (North Lake, in Irving, TX) is going to be doing a Healthy Halloween event, sponsored by various clubs (despite what the DCCCD memo says). It’s mainly for kids, but I’m sure people will just show up for the hell of it. I’ll be there the entire time, from 4-9pm. There’s more information available through my calendar, which you can view here. If you click today’s event, it also has a link to the DCCCD’s web site. Oh. It’s FREE, and open to the public, and anyone and everyone is welcome. They are also providing flu shots for $30, and have information on much more stuff. I’m supposedly going to be in a costume, so we’ll see if that happens… (:

On a more serious (and personal) note, I apologize for the random bouts of weirdness you may have been getting from me. I have been severely exhausted lately, and hopefully that will fade away soon. I’ve also been a big more irritable than normal, but I can already tell that one is fading away. Again, I apologize for not being my usual self. We can’t all have great days, but each day is good nonetheless.

Edit: Link is fixed. The old link, /calendar/, instead of /bl0g/calendar/, now redirects to it anyway.

 Rated TV-MA for Mature Language, Graphic Violence, Reality.

Editor’s Note: This blog entry represents a breaking news story. This information is for your personal use only, and by reading it, you agree to not hold me liable for inaccuracies you derive from it.

Today feels really fucking off, for some reason. For some reason, I had a strong urge to use the word “fuck” to describe it.

It’s amazing how one day can be so amazingly different from the next…

This moment is not one I want to be in, period. For a large portion of students and adults in Orlando, FL., however, they wish that Life had a Rewind button. This is what I mean:

“A 15-year-old male student died after being stabbed at a bus stop at a central Florida high school as classes let out Thursday, authorities said.

Authorities have a 17-year-old suspect in custody in connection with the stabbing, which took place at University High School in east Orange County.

An argument between the two students began during lunchtime, and then continued after school at the bus stop when the suspect stabbed the victim with a roughly 3-inch serrated pocket knife, Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary said.” (click here for full article – includes pictures and slideshow of the crime scene)

I received more information from my ex who lives in Florida, James. He went to the school this happened at, University High School, a part of Orange County Public Schools. He was at school at the time of the stabbing, around 2:10PM Eastern Time, but was not present at the scene, though several of his friends were.

—Begin Editorial—
Mature audiences only, please.

Editorial by Frederick Szczepanski — ORLANDO, FL: James’ friends were waiting for their school bus[es] to arrive in the bus circle. A conflict between the two students, starting around lunch, surrounded the issue of a girl, and a possible relationship with one girl in particular that both students were interested in (italicized sections are parts I assume to be true).

After school let out, James’ friends, the victim, and the suspect, were together at the bus circle on campus when the 17-year-old suspect approached the victim. He appeared to be making amends with the student as he hugged the 15-year-old.

Moments later, fellow students and friends of the victim saw blood gushing from the three stab wounds he inflicted upon the victim just seconds earlier. He bled out as students around him screamed.

The blood stain could be seen from aerial photos taken by the helicopter.

The suspect fled the scene and attempted to change clothing. He was caught by a school officer after students identified the suspect by pointing him out.

The faculty and students were equally hysterical with no restraints on their words. “Everyone was cussing, yelling, screaming”, according to James’ friend, who was standing just a few feet away from the crime as it happened. “There was blood everywhere, just gushing everywhere. It was horrible.”

James knew the victim since second grade. “I played baseball with him in 6th. I just can’t believe it.” He also knew the 17-year-old suspect, and went on to say, “I had a class with him over the summer. I fucking sat right next to him… just goes to show how much someone is truly capable of, the potential to kill and corrupt.”

—End Editorial—Â

Though it’s been just an hour, reality has been setting in since the second this vicious crime occurred on campus. His friends are torn to pieces, and could not believe something like this could happen over something so simple. Regardless, a crime of this nature should never occur, no matter what is involved or at stake. Never.

Imagine if this was at your school. Imagine if this was your friend. This is horrible. Things like this make you scared for your life. Things like this run the inevitable “why” question through your head twenty times.

There is so much violence, everywhere. Is there any safe place to be? Tall buildings? No. School? No. Subways? No. Buses? No. Cars? No. Homes?… I don’t know. I’m running out of options here.

However, we should all be thankful that we are still here. It’s just moments like this that make you wonder… what’s really going on with the world?

—Now, a Personal Reaction—

My heart goes out to the family of the victim, and to all those involved, on any level, big or small, even though there is no truly ‘small’ level of involvement. Time will heal your hearts, and those wounded are now free of pain. You will all, always, have your memories, and no one can take your memories away from you.

On top of all that I just said, there are a few other things I’m dealing with. Sometimes, I just feel off, and that made it worse. However, I believe one of my parakeets injured itself last night and it is acting really weird today. I hope she gets better soon.

Today is a sad, sad day. Time will improve all, but we can do our part… If only everyone else will do theirs as well.

According to a recent blog entry I randomly read on some website I’m not citing, having a specific title about what is in the entry is best so that people don’t have to read your entire long entry to figure out what’s really in it…

P.S. My favorite rule is listed last (:

So why are my blogs so abstract? I guess because I want you to find what interests you in them, but I’m sure everyone will enjoy this blog entry because it relates to something everyone over the age of 18 probably does. My ‘theories for the road’ have been reinforced time and time again, but tonight truly proved it. Now presenting, The Unwritten Rules of the Road!

If you feel the urge to be an ass among for your fellow drivers, remember who may be around you–that’s right, someone who can give you a ticket worth a few hundred dollars, or worse. One ticket, topped at almost $300, was enough for me, and gave me a great wake-up call to respect the road. Of course, all laws have slack in them, so you have to find that slack, and find it appropriately.

The Unbreakables – Do NOT break these rules. Doing so will cause you to be considered an idiot by 100% of the people around you, and is just downright dangerous. Please avoid the following:

1. Crossing a double solid yellow line. You’re just asking for an accident, or much worse.
2. Rapidly/randomly/excessively changing lanes during heavy traffic loads. This goes without saying, but many people with cars that they think are invincible try this all the time.
3. Speed excessively, or speed in general, with children or others [you care about] in the car. Drive as recklessly as you want when no one else is in the car, and when there are no cars or people around. However, when can you be completely certain of this? You are in control of every one’s life when you are on the road, so be sensible. You never know what’s around the corner, or over the hill (if you know me well enough, you know what significance that has for me).
4. Making left turns or going straight through a yellow/red light while all lanes are not occupied. I’m not advocating the use of the yellow light to mean go faster but if you are going to run a light, please make sure that all lanes are occupied, as in, there is someone sitting in each lane on both sides of the road. Not checking this will most likely cause an accident, because if someone sees green, they aren’t going to slow down and come to a complete stop, then go with everyone else… just something to think about.
5. Don’t be in a dangerous rush. Not thinking about crossing four lanes to the other side (or any other brainless maneuver) is just as dumb as the chicken that tried to cross the road, with the keyword being “tried.”
6. Stay within your lane of traffic. I see people weaving around all the time. That’s a quick way to get pulled over (or worse, again) as cops are more concerned with getting dangerous people such as those drunk, high, or unlicensed, off the road, faster than those who are simply trying to shave a few minutes off of their commute.

So, now that I’ve told you what you really shouldn’t do, here’s what you can do!

If you feel like speeding, go ahead. I recommend a radar detector if you frequently go more than 6+ mph over a posted Speed Limit of 55mph or under, or 10+ mph over a posted Speed Limit of 60mph or over on the highway. I personally use the Escort X50 8500. It’s definitely worth the money (: Moving right along, now that I’ve mentioned that, here are ….

The Breakables – The Unwritten Rules of the Road!

1. In a rich city? If you don’t have an expensive car (before after-market accessories, silly racers), use your signal always. Rich people don’t care about tickets, and cops know this. Be on the lookout!
2. If a cop is near you, show respect. This is what they care about more than you actually following the laws of transportation. This means: signal when you are near a cop; slow down to the speed that the officer is doing. If they are doing exactly the speed limit, hmm, I wonder what kind of enforcement they are working on today… Don’t be dumb.
3. In front of a cop? Do 5 over to show you aren’t a criminal and totally intimidated by the police, and if possible, use your signal and switch lanes. This will show you respect the law and your moderate speeding shows you have nothing to hide.
4. Is it the 17th of the month? Be careful, because you have the greatest chance of any day in the D/FW Metroplex to get busted on this day of the month than any other day. Four people busted within five minutes in front of me tonight. This number is actually below average of what I usually see on the 16th and especially the 17th of each month and is something I always look forward to and laugh at, thinking, how could these people not see it coming?

Be Safe, and Don’t be Stupid. Also, care for the environment!

If you see crappy, old (or new) vehicles that are shoving black smoke into the air, that means that you paid $80 for an inspection that they either didn’t go to, or had their friend at the auto shop fake. So, go ahead and learn from the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality!

“ To Report a Smoking Vehicle

(1) Upon observing a smoking vehicle, please make note of the following information:

• Texas license plate number
• Date observed
• Time (AM/PM)
• City
• Location observed

(2) Report the information to the TCEQ, within 30 days, by one of the following methods:

• Report a smoking vehicle online(in English)
• Report a smoking vehicle online(in Spanish)
• Call 1-800-453-SMOG (7664)
• Send a fax to 512/239-1500
• Mail the information to:

Smoking Vehicle Program, MC-164
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, Texas 78711-3087″

I woke up pretty late, and slept most of the day, but during those brief periods that I stuffed my face with food and that I checked my e-mail, I was flooded with Breaking News. I saw “plane” and “crash” and thought the worst, as most New Yorkers did, and as some news articles discussed (such as MSNBC’s video feed), though we already knew this ‘panic state’ would happen.

So, there you have it. 5 Years and 1 Month + -5,-1Month = 0. Better protection? It sure didn’t feel like any of us had it.

 The way the city scrambled numerous gurneys showed disorganization. The way the federal government scrambled together fighter jets was appropriate, and I applaud their actions and speed to the fullest. Now, I feel safer. +1.

Click for a description, and larger version (with a second click)

About the title… The reason I chose it was because there are a few more blog entries to follow this one. They are all short, so you’ll enjoy them. Not saying my long articles are boring… Credibility Meter: Heading south… Done with this post.

I was trying to link my online Time-Warner (Cable) account to LowerMyBills, the portion of the site that offers free notification when you receive your bill and a reminder to pay before it’s due. Sounds convenient and all, except they haven’t listed Dallas, or anywhere in North Texas for that matter, on their own site. We’re still dead to them, it seems. What’s even more disturbing is there’s this “unavoidable” object called the sun, and it’s going to bother us for the rest of the week. I saw this on TWC-NT’s homepage:

“Please be advised that due to the position of the sun on October 5th, 6th and 7th, there may be a brief interference in your cable service. This interruption is a natural phenomenon and is unavoidable. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

The interruption is a natural phenomenon? How often are you going to use this one on me, guys? All right, I kid.

I decided to see this natural phenomenon and how widespread it is. Apparently, the sun is highly biased. I visited pages from other parts of Texas, including San Antonio, as well as cities in Oklahoma (they only serve two). None of these locations are going to be receiving a natural phenomenon. Maybe a higher power just doesn’t like our cities and it’s a sign. A sign to stop giving our money to TWC! Let’s all get FIOS! =)

If you don’t qualify for Verizon’s cream-of-the-crop high-speed data and TV service yet, you won’t have to wait too long. The entire Dallas area should be covered by the end of February, if not sooner.

Normally, I wouldn’t divulge my secrets of how to put such coooool things on a site, but I guess since I didn’t figure it out on my own, I’ll let you know how I did it.

In case you haven’t figured out what I’m referring to, go to my blog updates page here.

Now, on with the ‘lesson.’ Check out this site first: http://www.seekcodes.com/myspace_aim_status.php?aim=yourSN. It shows you a pretty easy way to slap up a pre-made icon, and it will switch from ON to OFF … line, depending on which one you are. But, if you are savvy enough to make your own icons, and enjoy dabbling with photo-editing, feel free to use this simple code to put your own image up:

< "img src=http://big.oscar.aol.com/YOUR-AOL-SN-HERE?
on_url=http://www.seekcodes.com/aim/online.gif&
off_url=http://www.seekcodes.com/aim/offline.gif>

As we can see, ?on_url= needs to be modified, so simply paste the new URL of wherever you put your file into this and it will display when you are signed on to AOL. off_url needs to be replaced, too, so change that. And once you put that code on your page, you will be all set… until AOL changes their code again. If you’re wondering how I made mine so you can click on it and it loads my AIM window, check out this page: http://www.tech-recipes.com/instant_messaging_tips500.html. They will fill you in on those details. I had enough trouble making the little greater- and less-than symbols display without having to do little A HREF links. You should know that by now. (;

Mobile Note: I’m not sure how this works with AOL Mobile, so when you find out, let me know! This is my first tip on my blog… and I will hopefully make more. It has its own category now, under news.

Note: WS means web site, MS means MySpace, and X means Xanga. I wanted to condense.

JOSE IS AWESOME!

Another one of those memos… I’m thinking to make a category for these memos…. *DONE!*

Memoes edited to remove the business/economic factor from them. After all, they are sent from my boss…

What is the origin of true ambition? There exists really only one place to find true ambition and that is within you – in every thought, in every movement, in every motivation. Your ambition is an expression of who you truly are, your own self-expression.

Self-expression. Isn’t self-expression really self-direction? How you think, how you move, how you motivate yourself. Ambition is a result of self-direction and self-direction is one of the six key principles necessary for building ambition. Positive self-direction says, “I know who I am and I know where I want to go. I’m accumulating knowledge and experiences and feelings and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I know will show up without notice or any help on my part.” Because you know where you want to go, you have already been working on the parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on your attitude, working on your health, working on your time management skills. Putting it all down on paper. And you constantly see yourself in the place you want to be, going in the direction you want to go.

Direction determines destination. So here is a question you must ask yourself, “Are all the disciplines that I’m currently engaged in taking me where I want to go?” What an important question to ask yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week, the beginning of the day. Because here is what you don’t ever want to do – kid yourself. Kid your neighbor, kid me and everyone else, but don’t kid yourself – fingers crossed – hoping you will arrive at a good destination when you’re not even headed that way. You have to ask yourself often, Am I? Am I doing the disciplines that are taking me in the direction I want to go? Don’t neglect to ask these important questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of your sail, your destination.

—

Very interesting message this time around. Direction determines destination… There is a common thread, it seems, in all of any motivational messages, as I like to label these as well. It’s one of those things where you are in control of yourself. Sounds pretty sweet– you can pave your own roads, make your own maps, and choose your own route. However, again, we’re in a vast world, only a small piece in all of it. We can only do so much on our own… The world has to cooperate, otherwise we won’t get anywhere.

This sounds confusing, because we all think we are in control of ourselves… But I wonder. What if we take ourselves out of the situation, and look in through the window, into the conflict, the argument, the problem? Is there even one, or are we just idling on a stone in the road that we can step over, or a bigger object on the road that we can drive around?

Yeah, the path is ours, but others may travel down it, too, and if we aren’t all willing to get to where we want to go, we might as well tear up the maps now, as we’re all lost in our own world, without seeing what’s around us.

It’s spring, so things are a little brighter. Yay. Today isn’t my day. Maybe later…

Edit: It’s later, so, yeah, things are much better now.

Dear visitors of DRNx.net,

I feel that it is important for me to say that I have enjoyed working on my websites, all of them. From the early TTL, The Tech Link, to what has become of years of projects now, thefoxbox, and drnx, among many other sub-sites, I feel that it may be time to close one chapter of drnism [pronounced "dee-are-enn-iz-um"] and open a new one. What exactly does this mean?

Some of DRNx will be trashed, if not most of it. I realize that although this represents years of projects, work, unfinished ideas, and many memories, I think it’s time to make a new NEW DRNx. For the longest time, I was completely unsure as to what DRNx Nettwerk was still around for. If it weren’t for the fact that I don’t pay for the server space or bandwidth [and believe me, there's PLENTY of both], it would be long gone.

I will sort of make a “drnx museum”, in which the old site will be moved to its own section. Here’s what I plan on doing:

• Current drnx.net site, poof! gone!, shoved into a shiny, cool folder
• The new drnx will be a nice location to discover new music, regardless of what genre it is. It will be more biased towards electronica, dance, rock, alternative, punk, and other things that make cool sounds. Just an idea I’m tossing around…

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated… or you can just sit there, and see what happens with www.drnx.net …

Sincerely,
F.S.