Telegram is still a thing, and it's an interesting holdover

I recently made a Facebook post about the pager network.  I pointed out that the Flex and reFlex protocols used by the pager network will still be running long after 2G, 3G and 4G are gone. (See below for the sunset schedule.)  It's weird that this old 90's tech will still be in operation after several generations of the cellular network are gone.  (See Old School: Pager Code for look-a-like codes and Beep Codes list for common standard 3 digit codes.)

What's weirder than that?  Telegraph networks are still operating.  That means a system originally started in 1840's will outlast several generations of the cellular network!  Wow!

Now, I must admit that I recently discovered telegrams are still a thing in the 21st Century from a Youtube video.

So, you know what I did?  I sent a xmas message via telegram to my friend.  And, I learned a few things about the process along the way.  Despite operating completely through a website (as all things must), it appears the process still has manual nuances.  For example, any type of special instructions must be typed into the either the address field or other special field, in specific ways.  There's no website checkboxes for many types of instructions, such as stating a delivery date or specifying to only deliver to the addressee.

My friend's telegram was sent by me in November, and slated for delivery yesterday.  However, it appears to have been delivered a day late.  I guess there's numerous possible reasons for the one day delay.  Either way, my friend is very delighted by this unique gift (well, unique for the 21st Century).  

Now, I didn't use iTelegram, which apparently is the successor to Western Union's telegraph service.  I think if I need to send a telegram as a legal document in the future, I would use iTelegram since they provide substantial proof of delivery.

In other news,

Upcoming cellular network sunsets from T-Mobile (some of these services have already been shut down by other carriers): [Edit: this schedule is outdated, as end dates have been pushed out.]

• 2G was already dropped most major services some time ago, but still hangs on with T-Mobile.  They'll be shutting it down in 2023.
• 3G is actually getting shut down before 2G, at the end of 2021.
• 4G is also getting shut down before 4G, sometime during 2022.

For Elite Dangerous, see inside carrier interiors, including sounds that are already working!

You can see your own carrier's interior, but it's not easy. Here's a tour, including sounds such as corridor announcements and pilot welcomes!

Ten Commandments are not so simple - several traditions, and the actual list which is often sidestepped

It's just ironic how adamant people can be about putting up monuments to these things, and it's not even clear what they are talking about.  Even more ironic is that all these traditions ignore or sidestep the actual 10 commandments that was placed within the Art of the Covenant, found at Exodus 34 (shown in last column in the table above).  [Originally created by me and posted on Reddit.]

UPDATE: I've updated the Ten Commandments spreadsheet based on corrected information provided by this video, 7 Secrets of The Hebrew Ten Commandments.  From here on, the Ten Commandments table will be provided on a Google Sheets spreadsheet.  I haven't updated the image above, so the Google Sheets spreadsheet should now be used as the primary reference.

This will soon be the closest I've ever lived to an In-N-Out Burger location

 Coming soon to Thornton, CO:

Look who's moving to the neighborhood!  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CW1ibS9lRPN/?hl=en

Trail 2 - City Park in Lakewood

Belmar Park is listed in the book 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Denver and Boulder as Trail #2.  However, this park is really just a well designed city park around Kountze Lake in Lakewood, CO.  There is a paved trail and several dirty offshoots with varying sizes.  A combination of paths allow you to walk around the lake.  The various dirt trail widths allow for simple walks (narrow), walking your dogs (two-way), and riding your horse (wide).

 

On this day, the lake served as a respite for a bunch of geese as they head South for Winter.  Even though this is late Fall, the afternoon was warm and pleasant.  

My dog, Toebzilla, typically barks at everything.  However, on this nice afternoon, we passed by cackling children, several big dogs, geese and even horses (which he particularly hates when they show up on TV).  He didn't bark or even look as though he wanted to bark.  He was very interested in the horses and their smells, but he wasn't nervous by their presence. 

Much of the park's trail network runs through other areas, including a significant section that traces a nearby stream called Weir Gulch. 

The park is surrounded by homes and businesses, and this fact is obvious as you peruse around.  As mentioned above, this is a city park.  There are other trails in the Denver Metro Area that would be much closer to what one might call "trails".  I enjoyed walking here.  My dog also seemed at ease.  However, it's a bit of a stretch to call this a location for hiking.

One added word of caution about the name of the park.  The name of the park is Belmar Park.  However, the name of the neighborhood around the park is also called Belmar Park.  If you look this place up in your navigation app, make sure it's taking you to the park and not to the center of the neighborhood.

The patient's condition has been upgraded from animal to human! (Oct '14)

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVI8jLnlEFN/