A directory of top level domain country codes is easy to find, but I just hadn’t bothered looking before. Now I can dream up domain names like um.er, ie.eg or eg.ie, and ego.id. And take little meanders into wondering when someone can actually register foo.bar and cdr.car.

I think the only solution to making sure I get to bed at a reasonable hour may be to cut off all electricity at 12am. Of course then I would probably just read with a flashlight for another two hours. Under the covers for nostalgic authenticity.

I have no spare time this week. So of course my Palm Vx arrived. But it’s waiting patiently for me (it has to; it can’t do much on its own without its initial 4 hour battery charge).

Autumn is a difficult season for me to spend in California. I miss New England in a painful way when my body senses that the seasonal changes are not happening the way it is still accustomed to, even after nine years. I wish I had appreciated the beautiful colors of the trees more when I had been there. I do remember a wonderful train ride from Boston, MA to Stamford, CT around this time of year (probably this exact past weekend, going home for a Columbus Day weekend) where my eyes were often glued to the windows, watching the brilliant oranges, yellows, and reds trundle by. Now I have to content myself with leaves sent over by my mom and web sites with photos. There is color in certain places around California. Sometimes I see a glimmer.

It’s a good thing the 49ers were playing the Raiders because that was a win-win solution for a sad day in Bay Area sports. Both the Giants and A’s were eliminated. But now I get to seriously consider the reality of a Subway Series. And root for the underdog Mets, as always (forgetting that everyone I know is on the Yankees now).

Fleet Week activities were fun. As usual, the Blue Angels were a thrill to watch. We toured the USS Boxer which was filled with knowledgeable Marines and topped off with helicopters.

The deep discounts we are accustomed to seeing from Amazon, and, subsequently, their competitors, are quietly going away, according to a NY Times article. Many books are still selling at some discount, but Amazon’s prices are 10% higher than before. 50% bestseller discounts are now 40%. Paperbacks formerly at 20% off are now 10%. Other stores, brick and mortar included, are following suit. It’s a relief for investors hoping to see profits. But if customers were looking to save money by ordering online, they now have to order more to justify the shipping and handling costs, unless the convenience is calculated in.

Someone in the press did notice that Netcom went away. Thank goodness; now I have actual newsprint for my scrapbook. “Having a Netcom e-mail address had a certain amount of geek cachet–in the early days, some say, a list of Netcom subscribers could’ve made up a veritable Who’s Who of the technology industry.” sigh.

Today I’m headed up to San Francisco for Fleet Week. It’s a terrible day to get up to the city. Not only are the 49ers playing, they’re playing the Oakland Raiders. And the A’s are back in town after routing the Yankees (OK, that is on the other side of the bay, at least). There’s a parade and regular Fleet Week activities (Blue Angels, ship tours). If the Giants were back in town, I think I’d skip the crowds and stay at home. But they’re trying to keep it alive at Shea. Ahhh Shea Stadium…the memories.

American citizens, over 18, please remember to register to vote. If you’ve moved and forget to re-register on time, go to your old polling place (if that’s possible). Don’t you dare take this right for granted.