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Category: Tech Diary

July 29, 2018

Why are Amtrak Trains at Grand Central?

Do you ever feel like you’re in a science fiction movie? When I saw this at Grand Central Terminal, I felt like I had entered another dimension…

Last week, I felt like I had entered an alternate reality. It could have been a scene from the TV series, “Fringe.” Or maybe “The Twilight Zone.” Here’s what happened…

I was traveling into New York City on my Metro-North commuter train. Upon our arrival, I stepped onto the platform at Grand Central Terminal and began walking to the track entrance with the crowd. Everyone else was oblivious to ‘it,’ but I clearly spotted an Amtrak train in the station, seemingly tucked away on track 24.

 

 

 

 

 

Something was very wrong with this image.

Why?
Because all Amtrak trains go through Penn Station… not Grand Central. That’s the way it’s always been.

I felt the need to rush upstairs to see if Zeppelins were flying overhead.

Science Fiction or Reality?
Everything else appeared normal. So, I went about my day.

Upon my return, I took a detour back to track 24. Yep, my alternate-reality Amtrak train was still there. But this time, there was more activity around it…I spotted two conductors and an engineer.

 

 

 

 

 

I had to ask. So, I walked up to the engineer.

He looked at me and said, “Are you here for Amtrak?”

I peered back. He seemed normal… human…of this temporal dimension.
So I asked him why this Amtrak train was messing with my reality…

And so he explained…

The Facts
In fact, Amtrak is running some of its trains this summer out of Grand Central due to track maintenance at Penn Station. This particular train was going to Albany.

I thanked the helpful engineer for his explanation and went home… eager to do a fact check on his explanation to confirm he wasn’t from a different universe.
(He wasn’t.)

I did some Googling and (of course) found the story, which reported that this is actually the 2nd summer that Amtrak trains have been diverted to Grand Central (Empire, Ethan Allen Express and Maple Leaf trains).

Huh.

And this type of anomaly also occurred back in 1991.

Good to know.

Pay Attention
It all checked out. There’s no temporal rift. No disturbance of the Force. Everything was as it should be. How silly of me to question the world around me.

So, I turned off my AI…walked downstairs to bed… and lowered the shade. I needed my sleep.

Both moons were full.

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July 22, 2018

One Los Angeles Trip in Photos Through My Child’s Eyes

This wasn’t exactly a traditional vacation, but when my son and I flew to Los Angeles to meet up with my wife, I took notes on which family activities my boy found especially appealing. Here are my findings…

I recently took my 8-year-old son to California to hang out in Los Angeles for a few days. And while there are a countless number of ways to enjoy the City of Angels, we hit a few of the more obvious landmarks and experiences. But when you’re traveling with children, you may be surprised which moments resonate and which ones fall flat.

Of course, I snapped a bunch of photos. I think the eight below capture our winning moments (some unintended) and those which unexpectedly underperformed.
(Disclaimer: Individual experiences will absolutely vary!)

Window Washer ‘Wake Up-Call’

We woke up one morning to a window washer outside our 43rd story hotel window at 6AM. My son’s response: Curiosity and delight

A Movie Theater in the Hotel Elevator

There were short, ‘experimental’ movies showing on vertical LED screens in the elevators. (They weren’t ads.) My son’s response: Intrigued with this unusual opportunity to experience micro ‘screen time.’ No popcorn, though…

Summer Solstice Sunset

We went to the Griffith Observatory to watch the summer solstice sunset along with dozens of excited people from around the world. It was incredible!

My son’s response: It’s just another sunset. (Let’s give him time.)

Kidspace Children’s Museum

It’s a great ‘play center’ that should capture the imaginations of most kids with both indoor and outdoor activities. My son’s response: Great climbing opportunities!

King Tut Exhibit

We visited the “King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh” exhibit at the California Science Center. My son’s response: Awesome! (His interest was especially piqued because he’s been reading Rick Riordon’s “The Kane Chronicles” series.)

Space Shuttle Endeavor

This retired orbiter is also at the California Science Center. I have to admit that when we arrived, I could barely contain myself at the prospect of seeing an actual Space Shuttle. So, I made a beeline to the Endeavor first. My son’s response: “It’s okay, but when are we going to see King Tut?!”

Swimming in the Pacific Ocean

We had the opportunity to hang out with friends at the beach near the Santa Monica Pier and take a dip in the Pacific Ocean. My son’s response: Home run!

Enjoy La-La Land
If you’re looking for battle-tested ideas on what do in L.A. as a tourist with your family, this is certainly not the definitive ‘list.’ It’s just one family’s experience. That said, if you found any of this helpful… I’m happy to have been of assistance!

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July 15, 2018

Don’t Forget These 5 Pieces of Tech on Your Vacation

If you’re staring at your suitcase, it’s probably time for your next vacation. Here are my packing tips to help maintain your tech Zen…

If your next vacation is coming up, you might be thinking about what to pack. Some would say that you should leave the shackles of your technology behind to truly liberate yourself. Only then can you truly recharge and ‘vacate’ from your day-to-day existence.

I say… “No way!”

Now’s the time to have some real fun with all of your home tech!
Here are my top five pieces of gear to bring along…

1.
Portable Bluetooth Speaker
You can’t pack your entire home audio system, but you do have access to many of your tunes via your smartphone… So, taking a portable Bluetooth speaker that can pair with your smartphone will quickly enable you to generate your happy sound bubble wherever you are.

2.
Apple TV
It’s super simple to pop your Apple TV in your bag and then activate it using the Wi-Fi of your vacation location.
(Don’t forget the remote… like I did last year.)

Who cares if your hotel room has ‘HBO?’ You’ve got instant access to all of the content that you’re used to at home. And now, you’ll have a little more time to enjoy it!

Some hotel rooms even have their own Apple TVs these days. All you have to do is log into your account.
(Just don’t forget to log out when you check out.)

3.
HDMI iPhone Adapter
Your iPhone and iPad can actually do the same trick as your Apple TV as long as you bring along an Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter to connect your mobile device to your hotel room TV via the HDMI cable.

4.
Beach-Proof Camera
Water can certainly damage a typical camera, but the hidden danger at the beach is all of the sand blowing about. Even if one grain gets stuck in your retractable lens on your point-and-shoot camera, your lens mechanism could jam.

A smartphone isn’t going to have that problem, but you still want to be careful.
(Dropping it on a rock is a great way to crack the screen.)

A GoPro is made for the kind of punishment beach time can serve up.

A less expensive, waterproof ‘family’ camera like a Nikon COOLPIX W100 ($156.95 on Amazon) is another worry-free solution to taking your action pics at the beach…

5.
Portable Power Stick
Even if you’re not ‘roughing it,’ you might find your smartphone or camera low on power by the afternoon. It’s always smart to carry along a little power stick to help your gear make it through the day.

I’m partial to Anker power sticks.

3 Bonus Ideas
If you have extra packing space and if your vacation activity planning allows, you should consider taking…

Time to Party!
If using your tech on vacation is a stressor, leave it behind. For everyone else in the vacation party, let’s power up and bathe in pixels and bytes by the shore!

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