I happen to stop by SF last Saturday afternoon to have lunch and I was stuck in traffic for about 45 minutes after exiting the freeway. What was going on? After lunch, I had some spare time on the parking meter, I checked out the area where the crowd was gathered. It turned out to be the Love Parade. It was interesting. It looks like an outdoor rave during the day. There was no cover charge too. I also wanted to stop by Market St. to check out the anit-war protest and see all the Bush haters but I missed that due to heavy traffic in the area.

I was at Marvin's mom's place and her cat was one of the most visious domesticated animal I have ever seen. This thing attacks at will.

mov00006.mov (624.6 KB)

Fuku Shushi in Japan town San Francisco.

Last Wednesday I got to see The Bravery at the Fillmore in San Francisco. They sounded great and there were many stage dives. Not me of course. Too old for that stuff now.

This is a simple mod if you want addition storage.

01. You can purchase the net from your local BMW dealer.The cost is about $30.00 US.
Fixing Element #: 51 47 2 263 062 (x4)
Pacel Net: # 51 47 2 261 407


02. Line up the net on the right side of the passenger footwell console. Use a small screw driver smaller in diameter than the plastic carpet screw. Insert the screwdriver into the carpet so you have a pilot hole.


03. Start with the left screw and work your way clounter clockwise and snap the frame of the pacel net on as you go.

I finally believe the rumor after receiving the e-mail from CEO George Shaheen that Oracle will acquire Siebel Systems for $5.85B this morning. Over the past two years, I hear too many rumors about the buy out but today was the last rumor at Siebel. This will be the second aquisition of the companies I work for. First it was UpShot and now Siebel Systems. Now BridgePointe campus will have a big Oracle sign.
I think this is a good thing because Siebel has a kick ass CRM OnDemand service that is far superior than SFDC.

During a live television fund raising program on 9/3/2005, Kanye West went off script and ripped into W. Bush's action on the Katrina hurricane relief effort by declaring "George Bush doesn't care about black people". It is so true.

It also runs in the family. Here's what the old bitch mama Bush has to say about the underpriviledge.
"What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them."

What can I say... too many press conferences and not bother sending help to New Orleans the day after, the second day after, the third day after and the fourth day after.

I happen to be around San Jose yesterday and remembered that The Lovemakers were performing at Rasputin on Bascom to celebrate their record release. So I stopped by to see them live. They were great and the music was good and enjoyable. They are a local band from Oakland and I hope they make it bigger because they are that good at what they do.

Live shot:

Record signing. I got to meet them and they are very nice people.

Tonight I saw this local San Jose 3 piece band that rocks. I really enjoy watching them perform. I also remember seeing them before on Tech TV, The ScreenSavers. Their three track demo CD is really good too. The songs are the ones on their web site.
Blood on the Tracks
Check them out and support local bands.

Other local bands worth mentioning which my buddies are part of:

Marvin's band - Hi*Lo Souls

Rob's band - Parting Glance

You may use this information as reference for hard wiring your remote garage door opener to an additional rocker switch. This works only if you don't have the heated seat option. Even though this is not a major modification, you are doing it at your own risk. I will not be responsible for your action. Make sure you know what you are doing or else consult your Porsche dealer.
PURPOSE:
Integrate your remote garage door opener to an additional rocker switch. This will eliminate the pressing of the garage door opener by hard wiring it to the rocker switch. The remote garage door opener still uses battery and tucked underneathe the console. The new rocker switch will be illuminated by sharing power from the left window rocker switch. Overall, the look is aesthetic.
TOOLS:

Screw driver (standard/philips)

Soldering Iron / Solder

Electrical Tape

Digital Multimeter

3' of 22 AWG Wire

Wire Stripper

A Brand New Battery For Garage Opener

Window Rocker Switch ($26.00 from Porsche dealer)

01. This is what my console looks like. I'm going to replace the top dummy rocker switch with my garage opener switch.


02. I bought a window rocker switch from a Porsche dealership. It cost about $26.00 +tax. The reason I chose the window rocker swtich is that the image on it resembles a garage door opening and closing.


03. Start by removing the ash tray from the console and unscrew the two plastic torque screw with an "L" torque wrench. Mine came with the car bra I bought.


04. Once the screws are removed, pull the console out. Disconnect the light wire for the ash tray light.


05. Unlodge the top dummy rocker switch. This may require a flat head screw driver.


06. Pop the new rocker switch in the location of the dummy switch. The orientation of the switch should be the same as the window rocker switches. Click to zoom in.


07. It should look like this after the new rocker switch is popped in.


08. Disconnect the white window switch connector. The power for the new rocker switch light will be shared with this.


09. Solder two wires to the terminals one at each end of the white connector. This is the power source for the light. Left terminal of window connector to left terminal of new rocker switch. Same for the right side. Re-connect the white connector. See zoom image above for detail.


10. Take apart your garage opener and locate the contact switch. Use the digital multimeter to find out which legs of the contact switch provide the contact when the button of the garage open is pressed (sorry you have to be a little technical here). Solder a 1 foot wire to each leg.


11. For my garage opener I found the two legs that provide the contact to open the garage when the button is pressed. Click to zoom in so you'll have an idea of what its like.


12. Make a hole through the casing and run the wires thru it. Repackage the garage opener with the new battery.


13. Solder the other ends of the two wires from the garage open to the new rocker switch. The wires can be vice versa. As long one is tied together at the terminal. This way the garage will activate when the rocker switch is pressed in either direction. Click on the zoom picture above for detail.


14. Dress up the wires with electrical tape and cover all exspose terminals. To prevent the garage opener from making rattling noise, I stuffed it in a sock. Put the garage opener in first. Push it all the way inside the console, and make sure that it does not obstruct anything like the emergency brake mechanism. Re-connect the ash tray light connector.


15. Re-install the console by screwing in the two plastic torque screw and drop in the ash tray. Voila! Done! Complete. The switch works like a charm. It even lights up when the light is turned on. Now I don't have to mess with a garage opener that I always misplace. Good luck! Send me an e-mail if you have questions regarding this procedure.


16. Credit to my cat Slinky for helping out.

01. Gold and gaurds red model paint and two fine paint brushes can be purchase at your local hobby shop or hobby section of your local store for less than $10.00.


02. Remove the crests from the wheels and clean the surface thuroughly.


03. Start by painting the red area first. Mask one section out.


04. Shake the paint well. Lightly dip the brush into the paint and paint away. Don't use too much paint or else there'll be a blob of paint on that section of the crest. Let it sit for 15 minutes.


05. When the paint is dry, slowly peel off the masking tape.


06. Do the same for the rest of the three red sections.


07. Now we start painting the gold color. This is a little tricky. There is no need for masking. All you need is a calm and gentle hand. Use the other brush and lightly dip into the gold paint and start painting the gold sections. Take your time here.


08. This is result when you are done. Repeat the process for the other three crests.


09. What a difference and you just saved $150.00

After spending the entire weekend researching on how to open up the HMO feature and install backdoor on Tivo version 6.2, I completed with success. If you are interested in modding your 6.2 Tivo to unlock the HMO feature and install backdoor, check out this guide. The only part I was frustrated most about this hack was the Linux commands. I'm a Windows person and I know the OS in and out but I hate Linux.
To share your music and photos with Tivo, you must install the Desktop media server downloaded at Tivo.com.
A shot of the Music & Photos Tivo menu.

This is a little hack sequence I always tend to forget everytime the Tivo is reboot. Enter this request in your Tivo remote and you can forward 30 seconds with each click.

My Tivo just got updated to version 6.2 and my previous Tivoscript mod does not work anymore. I wish DTV hurry and realease the HMO feature. The only improvment in this update is the folder grouping of the recorded shows and faster guide search.

01. This harness allows you to operate your spoiler up or down while you are driving. The rocker switch seemlessly integrates into one of your dummy switch location. You can order the Plug and Play harness kit from www.boxsey.com . The harness kit comes pre-assembled so you just need to drop it into your Boxster. You also need a philips screwdriver. *The 996 spoiler switch comes in gloss and matte finish.


02. Remove the left switch panel. The piece is a snap on held down by two prongs that is part of the panel. . Get a hold of the lip and gently pull it straight out. Use a butter knife if you don't have long finger nails.


03. Drop one wire into the opening one at a time or else they won't fit. The wire should fall straight down and through the bottom.






04. Remove one of the three dummies switch or what ever is available to be replaced from the switch panel. Push the new rocker switch into the newly vacant switch slot until you hear a snap.


05. Snap the switch panel back into the dashboard.This is what mine looks like after the installation of the spoiler rocker switch.


06. Now remove the fuse panel on the bottom left of the driver's foot.


07. Use a philips screwdriver to remove the four screws that is holding down the carpeted panel.


08. Once the screws are removed, pull out the carpeted panel.


09. Where the wires were dropped down, run them across the vent tube and ty-wrap them to the existing cable strap.


10. Run the wires along the vent tube towards the relay panel and ty-wrap them to the bundle of harnessed.


11. Remove the connector that is being plugged into the existing spoiler switch. Gently wiggle it out.


12. Plug the bypass lugs into the connector you just pulled out accordingly.


13. Plug the three blue main lugs into the original spoiler switch accordingly.


14. Ty-wrap the connector to the bundle of harness to secure it down. Strap down any exceeded harnesses. Reinstall the carpeted panel and the fuse panel.
*More precise instruction comes with the kit*