Driving in Nashville: Tips for Out of Towners

On June 16, 2013June 13, 2013 By R. PettyIn Opinions2 Comments

Tuesday morning as I drove to work, a car with Kentucky tags merged over in front of me and slowed down. The speed limit was 70, and Kentucky drove a whopping 60. Inspiration hit me. Out-of-state drivers may need a little help before heading to Music City, unless they want an ugly experience. Here are 10 rules to help tourists drive in Nashville.

Average interstate traffic in Nashville. Photo from news.tn.gov.

1. On a four-lane interstate, the left two lanes are called fast lanes. If the speed limit is 70, you should go 75 in the third and 80 in the fourth. These lanes are also passing lanes, and people use them to pass. Most times, we’re pretty good at this, so just let us do our thing and everyone wins.

2. Unless you are in a school zone, always go 5 miles over the speed limit. Nashvillians like to drive fast, so it’s necessary to keep up with the natural traffic flow. If you refuse, be prepared for hand gestures and horns.

3. Pay attention. Interstates 65, 40, and 24 run throughout the city and change and split along the way. Read signs and make sure you are on the right one.

4. Use your blinkers. If you’re changing lanes or turning, use your blinker and let others know which way you are going.

5. Get over immediately. When you see a lane end sign, try to get over. Do not drive to the end of the lane and expect people to let you over. They won’t. In fact, sometimes we enjoy making you wait. Southern hospitality does not exist when we’re in the car.

6. Be prepared to wait. You will come to long lines of traffic at red lights, off ramps, and on the interstate. Take a deep breath and relax. You’re going to be there awhile, and your plans are not more important than ours.

7. Avoid rush hour. Rush hour is Monday-Friday from 7-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m., and most everyone commutes to work. Thousands of people live in surrounding counties and work in Nashville and vise versa, so rush hour can be painful. For example, I live in Nashville but work in Franklin (22 miles one way), so my average time to work is 35 minutes, and my average time home is 50 minutes.

8. Do a little research. Old Hickory Blvd. is so confusing it has its own Wikipedia entry. There are several sections of this road, and they do not connect. Know where you are, and pay attention to maps because several roads turn into something else. E.g. Nolensville Rd. turns into 4th Ave.

9. Know where to park and bring cash. Check your apps and ask for recommendations. And listen to them. Residents know the best places to park and the quickest walking routes, and not all lots are safe.

10. Follow the rules. Navigating Nashville isn’t too hard, but there are a few basics to keep in mind:

— Red means stop, green means go.

— Yield means stop when there is oncoming traffic.

— No right on red means exactly that.

Check out our Worst Drivers in Nashville list!

Historical Shorts: Napoleon

On June 12, 2013June 11, 2013 By James CastroIn History, ProjectsLeave a comment

I’ve found that people hate history. I’m not sure why, but nearly everyone I know hates reading it, hearing about it, and thinking about it. I personally blame the way history is taught rather than the subject itself. I’ve found far too many history instructors spend too much time on minutia and specifics rather than informing students on the STORY part of history and allowing them to hear the interesting tales that make up the rich tapestry of human experience.

I love history and have spent years of my life studying it. I think of most people could hear some of the stories I’ve heard, they might change their opinions on it and maybe even spark an interest in studying history on their own. It’s more than just kings and battles, names and dates!

In this series I’ll share some brief bullet points the average person may not know about a specific historical concept, and one of my favorite stories. I’ll cover historical figures, events, eras, and even a few historical movies (those will be fun…)

I hope it inspires people to maybe be more open-minded about history and find it more a fascinating journey into our shared past than a boring slog through dreary timelines.

I’ll start with one of my favorites: Napoleon Bonaparte.

Historical Shorts: Napoleon

Napoleon wasn’t French but a Corsican, born Napoleone Buonaparte in 1769, the same year the island was conquered by France. He spoke French with an accent throughout his life. He despised the French (and his father for his complacency with the French government) until he was rejected by Corsican patriot Pasquale Paoli and driven from his home island.
Napoleon was trained in artillery and put cannon to good use during his many campaigns. During his earliest battles the young general won the respect of his men by sighting and positioning cannons with their crews. This was the duty of a corporal and no other officer would have done such a menial task. It earned him the nickname “The Little Corporal.”
Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt 1798-1799, though strategically unimpressive, laid the foundations for the modern study of Egyptology and his army was accompanied by scholars, scientists, engineers, and architects. The most important discovery on this expedition was the Rosetta Stone, which became the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics.
He was wildly popular amongst his own men and used his popularity and charisma to good effect. He often awarded medals himself (taking the medal off of his own uniform and pinning it on “the bravest man of the unit”) and is quoted as saying, “A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.”
He was often noted as being personally courageous in battle, having no fewer than 10 horses shot from under him while on campaign.

The Return from Elba

Following the disastrous campaign in Russia, Napoleon returned to France to find the greatest powers of Europe arrayed against him. Despite fighting one of the most remarkable campaigns in military history, the overwhelming odds eventually took their toll and the Emperor was defeated. The Coalition powers removed Napoleon from power and reinstated the Bourbon monarchy (which had been violently overthrown by the French Revolution prior to Napoleon’s rise to power) under Louis XVI and banished Napoleon to the island of Elba. He was named the ruler of the tiny island, but he soon became bored with his new life and managed to get himself smuggled back to France in February of 1815. News of Napoleon’s return from Elba spread quickly and Louis XVI immediately took action, sending his new royal army, many veterans from Napoleon’s campaigns, to intercept and arrest the upstart. Bonaparte’s growing army met the King’s army at Lyon and rather than engage them in combat, Bonaparte stepped forward to meet them and shouted, “If any of you wishes to shoot your emperor, you may shoot him now!” The King’s troops erupted in a cheer of Vive l’Empreur hoisted Bonaparte up on their shoulders and immediately joined his cause. Upon hearing this Louis XVI fled Paris and Napoleon once again took control of the nation.

To his credit, he immediately sued for peace with England, Prussia, Austria, and Russia (his greatest enemies) but this was rejected without contemplation. His return to France after exile in Elba is known as “The Hundred Days” and ended with Bonaparte’s defeat at Waterloo. Despite fighting reluctantly in a campaign he never wanted he very nearly even pulled off a victory over the combined British-Prussian armies. Archduke Wellington, commander of the British army, citing it as “the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.”

Napoleon was sent to, St. Helena, a volcanic rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, circled by ships of the Royal Navy to ensure he never again could escape.

The Emperor died in exile in 1821, leaving behind a legacy, both positive and negative that has few comparisons in history.

When to Use Was and Were

On June 9, 2013July 13, 2013 By R. PettyIn Grammar and Punctuation, Writing for Web and TipsLeave a comment

You may not think about it, but do you know when to use was and were? Believe it or not, most native English speakers use these intuitively. However, if someone asks us why or when to use them, we stutter and can’t explain it.

Common terms used in this post:

Subject: What is doing the action.

Verb: The action that is performed.

There are only two rules to remember:

1. Subject-verb agreement. If the subject is just one person or thing, use was. If the subject is more than one person or thing, use were.

a. I was going to wash my car, but it rained.

b. The dog was barking, so I couldn’t sleep.

c. He was my favorite speaker.

a. We were going to the zoo, but our car broke down.

b. The kittens were playing all day.

c. James and I were going to play Smallworld, but we played Zombiecide instead.

2. If I and I wish statements. When you say, “I wish…” or “If I…,” use were.

When talking about someone else, were signifies something that will more than likely not happen, and was suggests it is a possibility.

a. I wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener.

b. If I were president, I would increase minimum wage.

c. I wish he was on the football team. (it’s a possibility, so use was).

My personal tricks to remember these rules: one equals was and the Oscar Meyer wiener song. If you have any fun tips about was and were, feel free to share them below!

References: Grammar Girl, grammar video

Advice for Idiots…Using “Reply All”

On June 5, 2013June 5, 2013 By James CastroIn Opinions, Random FunLeave a comment

I’ve been working in an office environment for about a decade now. I know that’s not long by some standards, but I have been around to watch several trends expand and evolve as time progresses and more and more people realize what they can do with the tools provided. Email isn’t a new feature, but for some reason people don’t seem to understand certain etiquette or common-sense approaches to using it. That being the case I thought I’d offer some advice for idiots starting with the “reply all” feature.

Reply all is very useful when talking with a group about a single issue, even if some are included just to “stay in the loop” as it were. It becomes a nuisance when people misuse the feature or don’t follow basic practices for use. Here are some things that would make life easier when dealing with reply all:

1.) Ask yourself: Is this an appropriate response for all to see? A lot of emails go out something like, “What does everyone think about X?” A slew of responses come back voicing their opinions on “X.” This is fine. But if you have a closer friend amongst the recipients of the email and want them to see that you think “X” is silly or make some inside joke about how “X” reminds you of “what she said” then you probably shouldn’t “reply all” that response…how about just reply to the individual you’re talking to…

2.) If the conversation continues in a more focused manner does everyone need to continue to be included in the string? I have found typically the answer to be no. Almost all the time. The argument is that it’s “informational” so everyone knows what’s going on. I’ve found that when most people are “reply all’d” unless they are directly involved they mostly ignore the email. They think, “if it’s not directly to me, this might as well be spam.”

3.) If you’re added to an email string late, PLEASE read the entire string before weighing in. This one seems to be a no-brainer to me, but often I’ve been involved with a string that starts: “Hey I wanted to remind everyone ‘Y’ is still a problem. ‘X’ seems to be ok but I’ll need to change it to make it work with the new system.” Ten emails later a new person is added to a continuing conversation and is asked to weigh in on how to fix “Y.” Their response includes, “I’ll look at ‘Y,’ a reminder though that ‘X’ looks fine but it will need to be changed to make sure it’ll work within the new system.” Really!? Does it!? Was that not present in the original statement? Before you respond read the entire string so you know what needs to be said and what HAS been said.

4.) Does the email string need a response at all or was it informational, if it DID need a response, did we all need to be copied? Someone sends an email, “Wanted to let everyone know mail pickup is an hour early today.” It goes to 30 people. In response you, and EVERYONE in the original string, gets a reply all from 21 people that reads an insightful “ok.” In the case of strictly informational emails needing no reply, senders please consider BCC as an option…

5.) Don’t use an email that has a many individuals included to continue a private conversation, if you DO don’t Reply All. Though it’s related to the first complaint I’ve seen this one specifically and frequently. A genuine “reply all” string is resolved and begins to have a private conversation but continues to reply all. Once the string is resolved, the rest of us don’t need to know where a group of you are going to lunch, or what you are doing over the weekend.

So what can you do?

First only send an email string with many recipients if it’s necessary. Second, only reply to those who NEED the response. Third, private conversations should be kept private amongst the appropriate respondents. Fourth, pay attention to long strings. If you’re included assume it’s for a reason and your advice should be included only after previous comments have been reviewed. Fifth, if you’re a sender consider whether BCC accomplishes the same thing!

Should We Listen to Music at Work?

On June 2, 2013June 1, 2013 By R. PettyIn OpinionsLeave a comment

I was desperate. All week I racked my brain trying to come up with a topic that inspired me. I’m the type of writer who must feel everything I creatively write about. Friday evening as I talked with my lovely co-worker, Emily, the light bulb came on. Music.

How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!

Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music

Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night

Become the touches of sweet harmony.

(Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, 5.1.63-66)

I once spoke about the importance of music at work in college. In 2004, when I gave that speech, most arguments supported music in the workplace. As I cruised through Google this weekend, I noticed that opinions are now split 50/50. WebMD says music is distracting. The NY Times says music increases productivity. So, what should we do?

Do whatever works for you.

I grew up with music playing all around me. I had a favorite song at 2 or 3 years old, and at 9, I fell in love with U2. Music is important to my soul, and I usually have something playing while I’m doing anything. When writing, I pop in classical, jazz, or metal instrumental. In fact, as I write this I am enjoying a Soul Radics playlist. If I am cleaning up photos, going through data, or working on something mindless, I find something fast and peppy such as Godsmack, Greenday, or Pendulum.

At the store I worked in, there was always music. It made sense because we were usually involved in physical labor and needed the boost. We’d sing, sometimes dance, and worked faster than without music. Our longest nights were when storms knocked out the satellite.

There are a few times when music is distracting. If I’m proofreading, I don’t have music playing because I am internally listening to myself read. I can hear my own voice, and I have a tendency to sing, so it’s not a good mix. Also, if my office is chatty – we’re all guilty of causing that – I’ll take my earbud out because it’s too much noise.

So, be smart about it.

Music almost always evokes an emotion or a memory, so you should also consider how the song or playlist will affect your mood. For example, I can’t listen to techno while proofreading because it makes me fidget. I don’t listen to sad love songs because they depress me. The point of music at work is to keep you energized while you perform workload tasks.

If you listen to music at work, what are your favorite bands or genres? Do you think it increases your productivity or makes work more tolerable?

Off the Edge #4: Issues with Next Gen Gaming

On May 29, 2013May 29, 2013 By James CastroIn Games, OpinionsLeave a comment

I’ve maintained a console through every generation of gaming, NES, Genesis, Saturn, Playstation, Dreamcast, Playstation 2, XBOX, Gamecube, Playstation 3, Wii, XBOX 360. I’ve owned (or still own) all of these at one point or another and I just assumed I would always have a console. I have to say the recent pre-launches of the upcoming PS4 and especially the XBOX One have kind of put me off buying either next gen system.

The first question I have is, “why?” Though I jettisoned my 360, I have to say the PS3 and 360 are still both strong systems. They can get loads of life out of them and provide years of games with the “current” gen technology. I know there are loads of gamers out there who always want more and more in terms of graphical capabilities but they can squeeze so much out of the hardware it seems unnecessary that new hardware is needed to make games look better.

The second objection is the threat of DRM control. Most of us are familiar with the gaming industry in general and have heard that, despite shaky economic conditions and various natural disasters, the game divisions of most of these companies are turning profits, and in some cases are helping keep the rest of the company afloat. So why are game companies so concerned about “piracy” or the used game industry? It isn’t about their economic viability at this point it’s just greed. As a cartridge-gaming kid I never had more than a handful of games. My friends were in a similar situation. So we borrowed and traded with each other. Broke kids could play lots of games that way. When your friends wanted it back you had to either do without or, more often, sell some of your old ones and buy the new one you wanted. Buying used and trading has always been a dynamic part of the culture. The new plan is to DRM all games. To borrow a game from a friend you still have to pay for a game. This makes trading useless. All so companies already turning profits can make more money.

Even worse is the method in which they verify the DRM, specifically the XBOX One seems to have adopted the atrocious method used for Diablo III and the latest Sim City, always-on online server verification. It reminds me of the first time I put in my copy of Empire Total War and it made me install Steam. At that time Steam had to connect to the internet. I had a dodgy wi-fi connection. I couldn’t play it. A similar problem occurred when Diablo III came out, despite all the server preparation they didn’t have enough to allow the first-wave rush and people who pre-ordered the game couldn’t play it. The same happened with Sim City. Companies are now forcing you to be online even when you just want to play single-player games. I exclusively play one player so this is a barrier; as they focus on their marketing on online gamers and ignore what I’m guessing companies feel is a less-valuable customer. Microsoft can tout the number of servers they have ready for launch. There will be people who can’t get on. They will crash, and those gamers who want to just basically play a game won’t be able to.

They’re watching us…but they aren’t paying any attention to what WE want…

And my third major objection, can we have a game machine that really just plays games? Both Sony and Microsoft seem to be obsessed with all the other stuff their dream machines can do. It can connect to their proprietary networks to play proprietary movies! It can constantly keep connected to social media! It can control your TV! It watches you while you sleep and checks your vitals like HAL from 2001! Ok. All well and good…and well-and-creepy, but does it play games? Are the games any good? Do they do anything new and worthwhile? It doesn’t seem to be the case just yet. They look slightly better from what I can tell. The question really is do they look good for what they NEED to do? Sonic the Hedgehog and Double Dragon II still look amazing for what they need to do. Make it HD and it doesn’t add much more. Make it 3D and it doesn’t make it better. Add motion control and it generally gets in the way… Do they do anything worthwhile and new? Or is it just “here’s the single player game (with maybe some motion control stuff) and here’s the multiplayer game.” At this point I’m not sure how much innovation can be put into games, but typically the innovation comes from designers and writers not the hardware. Get some good, creative ideas and you can make 8-bits look amazing.

I once read a book called The Pentagon Wars by Air Force Colonel James Burton. In the book he describes the major issue with weapons development in the Pentagon (in the 80s and it’s probably still true) is that weapons manufacturers use military funding to create new technology that was ridiculously overpriced and entirely unnecessary. The developers and consequently the Pentagon top-brass, made the weapons they wanted to see using the new technology they wanted to play with. In doing so they totally ignored what the soldiers and pilots wanted and needed. He discovered pilots mostly dog fight with enemy planes via sight…in response the Pentagon and weapons industry produced a missile that can fire from miles away and missed far more often than it hit. A troop transport vehicle was requested to carry troops and instead it was outfitted with so much hardware it doesn’t carry enough troops and can’t do anything well, it just does them “good enough.” While reading about next-gen consoles I thought of this book. The console manufacturers are spending WAY too much time trying to shoe horn the newest technology into their latest plastic box. All the cameras, TV-internet connectivity, social media functionality, 3D gimmicks, motion control, and voice activation won’t be worth anything if the newest, fanciest game machine doesn’t have good games or play let you play them easily. There will be decent games on it, but to me, it won’t be worth what we’ll be paying for all the technology I don’t want or need.

The only way to send a message to the gaming industry would be to NOT buy their latest over-engineered next-gen system or let them know NOW what we really want in a new system. The economic system is all on its head; it should be what the market desires not what the industry mandates we will have. I won’t be getting one any time soon after launch. But I have a feeling the market will buy it. They’ll buy it, complain about it, and continue to support an industry that cares more about doing what they can do rather than doing what’s needed; and increasing profits via absurd protection methods rather than simply making products their market wants to buy.

I’ll have fun with Mega Man 2 and Streets of Rage 3 in the meantime…