Vehicular Audiocide

A story about a terribly difficult to access car audio system in the modern age.

Let me start by saying that this information is the epitome of first-world problems.  I have a "new" 2016 Mini Cooper (R60) Countryman with the John Cooper Works (JCW) trim.  It's a thing of style and beauty...everything my 2010 Subaru Outback was not.  The Mini is loaded with luxury items frequently found in parent company BMWs: heated leatherette seats, double moon/sun roof, auto-sensing wipers, and real controls for sport driving with buttons to tighten the suspension, and to turn off traction control.

It also has a premium sound system: Harman Kardon, attached to a mostly outdated head unit which allows for bluetooth telephony but not for audio transmission from a smart device.  OK.  This isn't a huge issue.  Anyone who knows me knows that I value audio quality over convenience.  And, even in my wife's 2016 Nissan Rogue, there is a sharp drop-off (including volume) between broadcasting music via bluetooth and using a USB MFi (Made for iPhone/iPad) lightning cable that plugs directly into the car.  So, I should be able to just do that in the Mini, right?  Wrong.  While the Mini Cooper (and many BMWs) offer a USB port, when you plug in a lightning cable, your phone merely charges.  For steering wheel controls to work as well as audio transmission, you need to use a BMW Y Cable.  And, when you buy a Mini, what you get is one of these:

Right, for a 2016 vehicle, Mini Cooper (and some BMWs I'm assuming) hand you an adapter that plugs into the AUX port and USB port in the car simultaneously, as well as your discontinued-as-of-2014-and-the-iPhone 4s 30-pin dock connector (for those playing the home-game, lightning became the standard for Apple in September of 2012 with the launch of iPhone 5).  The small piece of paper in the ziplocked Y Cable baggie advises you to spend your own money on a 30-pin to lightning adapter in order to use the car stereo with "newer" phones.  What to do?

To listen to your iPhone in the car, there really are only three choices: 1) suck it up, purchase the adapter, take off your phone case, plug it in and rest the phone between the seats under the arm-rest, making using the phone for anything other than audio (read: maps) impossible;  2) buy a non MFi lightning extension so that you can reach either a CD mount or suction-cup mount iPhone holder on or near the dashboard, however, now you've got feet of cable that you need to contend with regardless of the vehicle's transmission (manual/automatic); or 3) do an eBay special and find a 30-pin bluetooth adapter for the end of the dreaded Y Cable so that you can wirelessly transmit an inferior sounding feed to the superior stereo while also losing steering wheel controls.

For the moment, I've gone with 3.  The car is a manual transmission which makes extra wires that cross from the back of the stick-shift to the front of the dashboard cumbersome.  It's perfect for streaming news where audio quality is somewhat less important than when listening to music.  My hope is that I can discover/jury-rig a middle ground compromise by snaking said wire under carpet or trim to keep everything tidy.  Until then, thank god Trump is president because there's no shortage of news to distract me from how crappy it sounds.

In light of recent events, an update.

An update to what I wrote earlier in the week:

Many independent news sources have reported that an arrest has been made in Israel of a 19 year old US/Israeli citizen who is believed to be responsible for the coordinated bomb-threat attacks in the United States and the World.  I am relieved that this nightmare may be coming to a close.  However, I have deeper concerns about growing anti-semitic acts and general overall bigotry.

While this may stop the empty threats, it can be argued that this does more to trigger hate and distrust against Jews than any other outcome. Several Alt-Right individuals AND our President suggested that this was just an elaborate inside hoax meant to draw up sympathy for Jews. If the reports are true, and this is the guy, I would expect the number of "real" attacks on Jews, similar to the up-turned graves in St. Louis and Philadelphia, to increase. We need to be more vigilant now than before.

I've said before that I don't believe that there are any more racists, bigots, xenophobes, anti-semites than before Trump was elected.  However, his following has demonstrated that they believe it's OK to loudly express their intolerant opinions.  Their agenda has infiltrated the highest office in our Country and possibly the world.  Similarly intolerant regimes are closer to power in major strongholds in Europe including England, France and the Netherlands.  The Philippines leadership is a surrealistic disaster, and North Korea, despite their failures, is growing stronger.  

As a people, Jew and non-Jew alike, it is our responsibility to put tolerance and science first.  Rational thought and compassion must prevail.  Ultimately, I'm asking you all to not let your guard down.  Continue to fight for your beliefs, but not from a position of superiority...but from a position of proof, knowledge and understanding.  We are not out of this fight yet, by a longshot.

Mr. Booker, please help us.

Dear Senator Booker,

I really don't know what it takes anymore to have peace of mind in our communities.  It seems that we are under a constant invisible assault, with no end in sight.  No, I'm not speaking about Republicans or Democrats, because, ultimately, both are affected.  I'm speaking about the frequent bomb threats being made across the United States to Jewish institutions, and I'm sick from it.

On January 9, as I am sure you're aware, New Jersey Jewish Community Centers were part of a targeted terror attack, as the JCC in Tenafly was among 16 institutions nationwide to receive bomb threats.  Credible?  Does it matter?  The fact remains that every one of these threats needed to be treated like the emergency it was.  Get people out of the building.  Get the pre-K school children out of the building.  Bring in law-enforcement, secure the building, and denounce the attack.  It was amazing to me that 16 at once were attacked!  How could this happen.  Surely the State of New Jersey as well as Federal agencies would make this a priority and it would stop.

Then it was our turn.  The JCC I belong to in Scotch Plains was similarly attacked, and in a similar fashion, on January 18.  This time, 27 Jewish organizations and schools were targeted across 17 states.  And, yet again, besides the local disruption of hundreds of Jewish families like my own, the attacks were under-reported by the media, and the authorities were conspicuously silent.

January 31, another wave of bomb threats were made.  In New Jersey, JCCs in West Orange, and again in Tenafly were targeted.  Again, it was part of a national campaign impacting 15 centers in 10 states.  Again, gross under-reporting by the media, and barely a response from our representatives and law enforcement.

Just two weeks later, the White House (not the President), released a statement that this was "unacceptable."  And that was that.  When confronted by an international reporter at a press conference, our Commander in Chief got caught up in an answer that had nothing to do with the question.  Our safety went unaddressed.

On February 18 and 19, grave stones were overturned at Jewish Cemeteries.  On February 20, a fourth wave of terror threats were made.  Finally, after pleading for some kind of national response by the Anti-Defamation League, the President denounced the acts.  Your colleagues in the House, 150 representatives strong, including 10 from New Jersey, implored the President to make this issue a priority.  Problem solved, right?

On February 26, more grave stones were upturned, this time closer to home, in Philadelphia.  On February 27, yet another wave of bomb threat attacks was carried out to 13 Jewish institutions in 12 states...including New Jersey with Tenafly receiving yet another threat, as well as Cherry Hill.

The White House denounced.  The Presidential Press Secretary Denounced.  The President made it part of his speech when addressing Congress.  Grants were promised to aid Jewish centers and synagogues in improving security.  All was great, until...

Today, in Livingston, another bomb threat was made to a local synagogue and pre-K school, forcing everyone to evacuate.

Senator, as the terror attacks continue, it's clear that not enough is being done.  Grants to beef up security isn't going to stop a phone call from coming in.  The Governor of NJ is promising aid, but, like many social diseases, these offerings of help are no better than a band aid on a gunshot wound. My fear is that, the longer this does not get addressed, the more open the door is for copy-cat attacks...ones that inflict more than just psychological pain.  And, while I don't believe that there are more racists, bigots and anti-Semites since the President took office, I do feel as if they are emboldened.  Somebody is going to act, and people are going to die...children are going to die...children that are newborns all the way to age 4 and 5.  My babies and the babies of my friends and families.

And this is why I'm writing you: it's time to press this on a national front.  We, the Jewish People of the United States are living a nightmare.  It's time to engage your colleagues in the Senate to press Homeland Security and the FBI to act more quickly to bring the perpetrators to justice.  My hope is that all of the attacks in the past will shed light so that the Authorities can do their jobs, and make us feel safe again.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Herbert Scott August
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076

Shamrocks to Bees

Not a long post today.  It's exhausting reacting to everything stupid our president and his cronies do.  So, instead, I'd like to focus on two things, St. Patrick's Day and Spring.

First, for those who celebrate and have Irish lineage, I wish you a happy St. Patrick's day.  Certainly, many of us celebrate and use the holiday as an excuse to have a pint.  But, before you do, here are some facts:

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.  Why?  Born to a rich family, Patrick was captured and sold to slavers where he became a shepherd. It's during that time that he found god, escaped and took up a new mission in the name of the Church.  Because, he was able to expand the church in Ireland by converting the pagans to Christianity and chasing out the druids.  This expulsion of the former religious majority has been told and retold as an allegory whereby St. Patrick drove the "snakes" out of Ireland.

The reason for the Shamrock also stems from St. Patrick's use of the plant to educate the pagans on the Holy Trinity.

To best honor St. Patrick while you're drinking a beer, tradition calls for a shamrock to be placed at the bottom of the glass, and once the drink is consumed, one is supposed to either swallow the shamrock or take it and throw it over your shoulder for good luck.

Behind Dublin Castle is a garden with an ornate circular stone pattern worked into the lawn, which represents snakes.

Tradition dictates that, to celebrate this holiday properly, you are to drink Irish Whiskey, Irish Beer or Irish Cider.  If going with the latter, may I suggest Bulmers or Magners (outside of Ireland).  While I understand that other American "beer" makers advertise hard for this holiday, let me be the first to tell you that if your drink happens to be Amstel, Miller, Bud or Coors...it's best to order a water instead as, if given those options, it's the only thing a self-respecting Irishman would drink.  If you're not going to drink real beer, go with water.

Onto spring.  I came across this and think you all should do it.  Finally a company putting their money to where our mouths are.  Learn about Cheerio's seed initiative, order some seeds, and learn some facts on bee habitats.

http://www.cheerios.com/BringBackTheBees.aspx

And, one more link which combines St. Patrick's Day with honey.  Enjoy!

http://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/other/irish-honey-mead
'Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!'

  

The Honey Badger

There's just too much happening in Washington to pick a satisfying subject to write about this week.  You can't ignore Pruitt's declaration that human's aren't the leading cause for global warming.  You also can't ignore the train-wreck which is Paul Ryan's healthcare catastrophe...and the "fixes" that conservatives and ultra-conservatives are suggesting.  Specifically, ultra conservatives don't want the inclusion of prenatal care to influence insurance premiums for insured males.  Apparently, those idiots didn't slide out of their mother's wombs and instead were hatched from eggs that weren't fertilized, but instead, blessed by the virgin mother.  I so wish these conservatives would start listening to the Pope and act upon traditional Christian values...the way Christ intended!

But I digress.

No, today I wanted to bring to your attention the fact that my son and I are actively competing in/following on twitter #2017MMM: Mammal March Madness.  Every year, for the last five years, expert scientists from Ivy League institutions of higher education have a little fun right around the time of the NCAA tournament.  Instead of basketball teams (which is sooooo played out), you fill out a bracket, designed by the experts, of which mammal will conquer, survive, outsmart, which other mammal.  It's fairly simple.  And then, each night, the experts tweet the results, round by round.

Which brings me to the Honey Badger.  This year, in the 16 teams of the Desert Mammal conference, the Honey Badger has, rightfully so, succeeded at netting the first seed.  Why?  Because, if you don't know, the honey badger don't give a shit.  My son came to this conclusion on his own (without expletives) as he and I watched the YouTube video of two badgers taking on and surviving a small pride of lionesses, 6 in all.  And, while gashed pretty badly, it limped away before it became a meal.  My son, rightfully, chose this one to go all the way, and time will tell if the scientific experts agree.  Results are regularly posted to the tournament's home-page alone with a schedule of when the "battles" take place.

I can't help but think that, we, you and I, need to be more like the Honey Badger through this administration.  We need to take what we want.  Are the Feds and the cheeto-in-chief taking away programs that we deem valuable?  We need to lick our wounds, and pony up so that those less fortunate than us, can still be able to get the care and support they need.  My hope is that, in addition to cutting programs, Agent Orange also cuts my taxes enough that I can throw those reclaimed funds back into those institutions that need it most.  Hell, why wait.  Here's a couple of non-profits I believe in that aren't on the radar, but need the funding in order to either preserve the environment, or preserve our humanity.  Check out their pages on giving and share this post in hopes that others believe what you and I do, that as proverbial honey badgers, we need to give a shit.

http://theraptortrust.org/

http://aidsresource.org/

http://jakesride.org/