Realistic, probably not. Needed, probably so.

The following has been floating around the internet for some time now. I submit it for your cogitation:


WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

"My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of the Iraq regime has been completed. Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete. This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains every one not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. THEN EVERY YEAR THERE AFTER IT'LL GO TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM SO IT WONT GO BROKE IN 20 YEARS.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hellholes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bonne chance, mez amies.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to beg in towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York!

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. Its president and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra thousand tanks and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put 'em? Yep, border security.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn tootin."

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America. Thank you and good night. "

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier.

Thanks out to EdC for recirculating these ideas. Another interesting piece of political literature that might be worth reading is the Monroe Doctrine. Wikipedia gives a variety of opinions concerning the Doctrine. Although not in full agreement with everything included in the document posted, the beach house position is that is thought provoking and bi-partisan. Severing ties completely with Russia and Germany doesn't attract me. Opinions? Comments have been unusually quiet. Tell me what you're thinking.

Net Trio

Okay! Okay! I like the cats n dogs pixs. They make me laugh. But this one is special. I actually KNOW this trio. Wanna guess who? Huh? Huh? No doubts, a cheezburger will be hasssed today!


moar funny pictures

Click on moar funny pictures at the bottom of the pix and it will link you to the site. The weekend is only 1 day away so there are only 3 more days to work this week! Ahhhhh, just a downhill slide into relief. Jimmy Buffett music is not far away...

"Lots of people talk to animals.... Not very many listen, though.... That's the problem."
~Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh

Browsers

Soon, like in the next two weeks, Firefox 3 Beta will be available. Firefox is definitely my favorite way to access the net. It is not the default browser. Several activities, i.e. - Windows Update, need Internet Explorer to function. Therefore, IE7 remains the default browser. If surfing the web Firefox is in the 100% usage category. It is predicted that Firefox 3 will be 10 times faster than IE7 in some areas of the web. We will see. Read more over at CyberNetNews.com. Firefox rocks! That said, please see the next paragraph.

After reading the linked article above (that's the bold type about CyberNetNews; just left click your mouse on the bold text and it takes you to the site) it was decided to visit an old friend in Norway, the Opera browser site. After a quick review of their EULA (End User License Agreement, you know, that thangy that pops up when you first install something where you have to check 'I Accept') and a short onsite read about their privacy policy, the Opera browser was downloaded and installed.

This post was constructed inside Opera. So far it seems very stable and fast. Will report more later. Stay casual.

"Handle your work, don't let your work handle you."
~Easley

Cheezeburger n Hotdog

Ever felt like this bulldog? This year the beach house has had several of these "bulldog" moments. This comes from a site named ihasahotdog. It cracks me up! Thanks Beagle. Think this site is equal to icanhascheezeburger? Nice to see folks that have a sense of humor and care about their animals. Cats and dogs are such great creatures and can be a source of entertainment and hilarity. Many years ago we had an English Bulldog name 'Lucy Mae' that had a gas problem. The only time she moved was when she farted. You knew if she got up and moved across the room that you probably needed to move too. Great animal. Stinky at times, but a gentle, kind pet. Beagle, Mudslingr and the Purple Giraffe have two great dogs and two kewl cats. Verdana, Uncle Snake and Mal are permitted to live with three cats that are a trip. Ellen, the beagle, (she permits the company of humans at Beagle's house) has to be one the best dogs I've ever met. Be kind to animals. And go visit the two sites linked. Funny, funny stuff. Some of it is borderline "cutsie." Hey, it's worth a few minutes of your day to have a laugh though!

"I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals."
~Winston Churchill

Searchin' for My Lost Shaker of Salt

Jimmy Buffett is not playing in the background, yet. After 10 hours on site and being up most of the wee morning hours, there was a momentary pause before departing the truck and prayers of gratitude spilled forth. It was good to be home. Then I proceeded to spend time with my daughter playing Guild Wars while monitoring my days work in the background. An occasional check told me that my efforts yesterday were not in vain. There is a huge shout out to two Alpha Geeks, Lin J the Trombone man, and Jim C (aka Ashby). Thanks for the superb support and aid!

This morning that server's diagnostics have been up on the screen and there are several client machines logged in and working. So far only a call about a printer problem that is not relevant. After while I'll log in and get the proprietary software boys n girls on the phone and, hopefully, stop another hiccup. Then it's time to return to the physical site and make sure everyone is happy. Another long day. There will be prayers of gratitude this evening. I am glad to be working. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Whoa! What's that? I can hear a far off voice singing about boat drinks, cheeseburgers in paradise and mother ocean.

Stay casual.

I've got my hush-puppies on,
I guess I never was meant for
glitter rock and roll.
~Buffett, Come Monday

My Name is Timmy (See Picture)

It's early. Trying to resolve some issues via remote. Will sleep for 2 hours then get up and drive 40 miles to check on my progress. Software can be frustrating. May be the problem or there may be a hardware glitch. Tests so far are indicating the hardware is healthy. Just need to go listen and hear the sound of SCSI drives doing their jet engine imitations. K, it's obvious there's a problem and it'll be solved. No more geekin speekin.

The rest of this day will be consumed with many tasks and efforts correcting several issues in 2 different locations. This has been the nature of things for several days. If you have a genuine emergency please call or email me. Throughout the day I'll break to check email. Time is of the essence and I think resolution is close at hand. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a Jimmy Buffett kinda' day. That's Jimmy; not Timmy. Now, my tired lardbutt has to rest. Stay casual out there.

"Studies indicate that the one quality all successful people have is persistence. They're willing to spend more time accomplishing a task and to perservere in the face of many difficult odds. There's a very positive relationship between people's ability to accomplish any task and the time they're willing to spend on it."
~Dr Joyce Brothers

SpyBot S&D Update n' Ramblings

On Wednesday, February 20, 2008, the post was about protecting your PC from the creeps of the internet. There has been an update concerning one function in the SpyBot Search & Destroy utility. It is a default setting in a firewall type part of the program called Tea Timer. Please take a look if you are using the newest version (1.5) of this application. Also, the author and owner of this program is a fellow named Patrick Kolla. If you use and like this program send the dude a donation. The instructions about how to donate are readily available in the software or on the site. Again, if you have any problems please email me - cybersouth@gmail.com. He has received several donations from the beach house.

Up early doing the remote thangy with several machines. Yesterday was extremely busy as will be the weekend. Somehow there's got to be a break so I can visit Mother at the hospital. She is recovering from knee surgery and the doctor is pleased. So is the family. Have an issue with print drivers on two Vista PCs concerning an older Minolta copier fax, model# Di 200. There seems to be a problem using one of the machines as a print server. VERY frustrating. We had it working and malware grabbed the computer acting as the print server so the investigation centers around discovering what has changed. Did I mention frustrating? It is a dedicated parallel port printer copier and has no USB options which does not make Vista happy. The computer has an add on parallel port card that I installed. If anyone has input my name is, "Johnny Five." Please let me know. The frustration is wearing me out! Pardon my redundancy.

Have a casual Saturday unless you are in the spyware business. If you are associated with these garbageheads then go straight to hell and worship your evil master. You are a burden to society. Guess it's apparent that my frustration level is up a bit?

"It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument."
~McAdoo

Trigger Pullin'

Here's a clip of the actual launch and missile strike on the satellite. Don't look for another post on the subject for the next 38 days unless something weird happens with a piece of the "football" size debris. This is becoming boring even to me, but the worry about stuff falling on us at a high rate of speed does provoke a bit of paranoia.



It's Friday!! Only two more days to work this week! Enjoy your weekend.

"For every fact there is an infinity of hypotheses."
~Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, 1974

Navy 1, Satellite 0

At 9:26PM CST, the USS LAKE ERIE, a guided missile destroyer class ship, launched a 10 million dollar missile. Three minutes later a satellite in a decaying orbit ceased to exist. The launch was tentatively scheduled for today. Now we watch for debris during the next two days. Then we repeat the watch again in about forty days. It has been speculated that if the device had not been destroyed it would have scattered remnants of the failing mechanism over hundreds of square miles. Makes good sense to me. So, dissenters of the world need to just shut up! China shot one down last year so they really need to give it a rest. There's a good article at Associated Press.

Space shuttle Atlantis landed safely yesterday. Always great to see them return as scheduled. The landing was at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Stay casual, the weekend is very close!

"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless."
~Watterson

Cleaning Windows: The Awesome Five Utilities Reviewed

The following list is protection software that can be found at various locations on the web. All of these links point towards MajorGeeks.com. If the following five applications are installed on a clean computer and the updates and scans are done on a regular basis, your PC should stay free of most infections and malware. Nothing in the world of computers is rock solid so this is not to be taken as a bulletproof defense. It's sure a great start though. Here are the links. A short explanation follows about each program.

AVG Antivirus Free Edition

SpyBot Search & Destroy

AdAware 2007 Free

SpywareBlaster

CCleaner (Slim)

Now let's take a look at each individual application and briefly explore its purpose and some details about updating and the way it scans.

AVG Antivirus Free Edition: AVG is usually seen in the free version although many folks will upgrade and pay their inexpensive fee in order to gain more flexibility and protection. They have very good tutorials on their site concerning the initial install and maintenance of the program. AVG is not only great protection for your PC, it's easy to use. If you boot your computer and the AVG four colored symbol that resides in the system tray (bottom right corner of the screen) is grayed out, open the program and do an update. This usually occurs when your PC has been off for an extended period of time (like several days). This seems to be more apparent on dial-up connections because the updates are usually through by the time a machine on broadband completes its boot process. Remember, your PC HAS to be online in order to update. Again, it HAS to be online to update. ALWAYS, ALWAYS let AVG finish updates. You can continue to work while this is being done, but the machine may slow down a bit. On rare occasion the updates can be lengthy; just let it work. Most of the time they finish within a minute or so, depending on the speed of your connection.

SpyBot Search & Destroy: This is a super program that is very powerful. Patrick Kolla has given us this nice utility that performs many functions. I encourage people to donate so the program can stay alive. Spybot has many uses and the initial setup is important. Read the tutorial about installing . It's located on their site. If you need help with the initial setup please email me. Due to the vast depth of this program an explanation will take several pages and the way it is installed varies according to individual needs. Most people can read the tutorial and decide how to initialize the program. Updating is simple. Hit the update button and then go to the top and click the 'download updates' bar. One thing to remember is to always immunize after receiving an update. Click on the immunize button in the column on the left. If you do have an update be sure to go to the top and click on the green immunize bar afterwards. It has a green + sign to the left. PC Magazine recently did a very negative review of SpyBot S&D so I now read their opinions with caution. This is still a great utility that has depth and functionality plus! The StartUp control under Advanced Tools is worth the download alone! UPDATE: The newest incarnation, version 1.5, will install the Tea Timer firewall by default. Although this is a great feature, most people will not need it on a machine running XP or Vista. It can be annoying and frustrating if you have never used a firewall. My suggestion is uncheck the box and/or email me - cybersouth@gmail.com.

AdAware 2007 Free: From Sweden comes a program that removes some malware from your PC. There has been some rumors that Ad-Aware is in bed with Claria and lets their garbage pass through the scans. Claria is the "wonderful" group of garbage purveyors that bring you Weatherbug, Precision Time, Gator, Gain, CME and other such invasion junk. Anyway, Spybot finds these horrible things so 'not to worry.' Ad-aware also finds MRUs that are being called on to report into their respective parent company. If you look at the details you'll find Microsoft is usually the major culprit in this arena. MRUs? Stands for Most Recently Used. It is usually Word, Excel, Access type documents. Now why does Bill Gates need this information? He really wants to know what I've written? Let me state that this is actually legal. Read the EULA that you agreed to when you installed Windows or Office. Updating Ad-Aware is simple. Just click on the 'check for updates' line on the initial page and follow directions. Since their last re-invention, this program has fallen out of favor with a lot of techs. They have limited use and options in the free version. I almost removed it from this list.

SpywareBlaster: Great program. Easy to use. Once or twice a week click on the desktop icon and do a check for updates. If it updates then click on 'enable all protection.' That's it. This program runs in the background and silently stops many types of malware from invading your privacy. 'Nuff said.

CCleaner: Great utility that cleans out cache, temp, and invalid registry files. If you install a program that requires a cookie to retain settings, be sure to go to 'options' then 'cookies' and move the cookie for that site from the left column to the right column. I always scan and delete files it finds and then perform the 'fix issues' function after backing up. I am disappointed in CCleaner though. They have started including the Yahoo Toolbar as default install and this sucks. Still a good program, but I am exploring other software that performs the same functions without dropping unwanted junk on your PC. Anyway, when installing be sure and uncheck the Yahoo Toolbar box. CCleaner will let you know when there is an update available. Update: you can now download CCleaner Slim which doesn't have that awful Yahoo toolbar option. Thanks out to MajorGeeks and CCleaner for listening to us!

Be very careful about what software you use. Some of the "protection" software is actually malware disguised as good guys. Again, nothing is bulletproof. Recent requests prompted me to respond once again with the above information. I also have to mention Spysweeper, which can be purchased locally, even at the Mal-Wart, uh, uh I mean Wal-Mart. It's 30 or 40 bucks a year and is a good program if you don't mind spending the money. Stay casual.

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."
~John Quincy Adams

Beach House Update

The search engine has been added back to Cybersouth. It may be moved or changed in the near future. This engine will search this site and make it easier to find posts about different subjects. Later it may expand to include the web as a search option. We are approaching our 5th anniversary in April and a new URL, http://www.cybersouth.us, will be utilized in the near future. Don't worry, this address will re-direct to the new one so you won't have to change anything.

The same format will be maintained, but there will be more depth, more pages. Shucks, I am thinking about giving Arnold, Opossumus Austriabodicus Germanicus, his own fan page. Sorry devil won't stand still long enough for a picture though. Would love to catch him in a rampage against the green garbage dumpster thangy. Anyway, we are working behind the scenes to make this move and incorporate improvements.

Thanks goes out to the fine folks that visit here. A very special thanks to the techs at Red Magnet for all the help and Chyna Moon for her wonderful Cybersouth Banner. Y'all are all the absolute bomb! Gosh, nearly 5 years we've been meeting like this...

"The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention."
~Oscar Wilde

More News From Space & Cowboys

The space shuttle will land on Wednesday, not Tuesday as reported yesterday. You can read about it at Space.com. The actual time of the satellite shooting is vague. How about High Noon? Yes! YES! And paint the name Gary Cooper on the missile! Nahh! Rocket Scientists don't have much sense of humor. Best I can tell the attempt will be made on Thursday. They will have a second chance if the attempt fails. There is a very toxic fuel onboard and it really doesn't need to crash in a populated area. Then there's the flying debris which will be like a huge mortar round from outer space.

Did you know that High Noon is rated as the best western ever made by some folks? It's worth watching just to see Grace Kelly. Wow! Was she a looker or what? Not to take anything away from Gary Cooper, but there's no John Wayne! My money on best western has to include the Duke! Any opinions?

"Ho MacLin! We go home now! No Whiskey!"
~Running Buffalo, McLintock (1963) (a GREAT John Wayne Western)

Safety First

Well, the target painted on the satellite is still there. It should receive death by missile in a few days. Seems they are worried that space debris left behind by the destroyed object can be a danger to the shuttle which is due to land on Tuesday. As information is made available it'll be reported. Hmmmm, does this mean they will launch a mission to clean up the mess? Or will it lose orbit and burn up in the atmosphere? These rocket scientists of the upper level seem to know about as much as their buddies spread throughout the computer industry. Later.

"Opportunity is a bird that never perches."
~Claude McDonald

Chicken Little Aquitted

Between 5:25PM and 5:30PM tomorrow (Sunday, Central Time Zone US) if you look to the southeast along the horizon you may catch a glimpse of a satellite being shot down with a missile. This will keep it from crashing in populated areas. Binoculars are recommended. We may be out of line of sight, but then maybe not. Anyway, it's nice to know that it won't drop on some random spot. Relieves my mind. In a fit of Cold War paranoia the Russians are saying it's a cover up for a missile defense test. Damn Ivan! Get a life and grow up. Do you think we really need a cover?

It's late and time to sleep. Have a pleasant night and safe tomorrow...unless you are a terrorist. War mongers, USA haters and terrorists of all types, I wish only the worst for you. Bible says we are not supposed to hate, but I never saw intense dislike mentioned.

"Every leader, and every regime, and every movement, and every organization that steps across the line to terrorism must be banished from the discourse of civilized human life."
~Alan Keyes

Okay Then! Fear the Reaper!

Over the past few weeks there has been a constant discussion about how you pronounce the word scythe. This talk has been very popular on one of the TeamSpeak channels. Since its first usage in the language it has always been pronounced sith with a long vowel i. Yes, the c is silent and always has been that way. The word has Indo-European roots and been around about as long as English. Check out TheFreeDictionary. There's a small speaker icon that will audibly reveal the word in its proper usage when clicked. So stop trying to force the 'c' when mangling this word that has been in existence for thousands of years.

What is a scythe? It's an instrument used to mow grass, cut hay, grimly reap death and put blisters on your hands. Now I know some of you have a problem with the concept of blisters, what they are and how they come into being, but that's a discussion for another time. Why all the hoopla about an obscure yard tool? Well, several people that visit the beach house site play an online game titled GuildWars. In this game there is a character/profession called a Dervish. They use sithes, oops I meant scythes, as the weapon of choice. They are great if you like your menfolk dressing in drag. They wear skirts. This is weird, but they can open a large tin of whupass so making fun of their clothing is not a good idea at all. They'll go ballistic on your ass with that scythe!

Enough. Mother is having knee surgery this morning and I must be a diligent son and show up. BTW, thanks out to Verdana for the great Dervish pix. It's two Kudzu Dragons in the Guild Hall. She's pretty and he's a bit sissy. Skirts for men! Humbug I say! Have a casual Friday.

"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character."
~Einstein

Indiana Jones 4 Trailer

Oh yes! Come May 22nd my butt will be in a theater to see this movie. Wow! Now if they can just work out the problems with The Hobbit.

Gosh, popcorn and one of my favorite all time movie series! Just a big kid here. Come on May 22nd!!

"A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theatre admission and the babysitter were worth it."
~Alfred Hitchcock

There's Voodoo in the Vibes

So I went to bed last night assured that Windows Update would take care of problems listed on Patch Tuesday. This morning I arose and checked to see if there were any leftovers and sure enough, there sat "important" update #KB937287. Forever curious about what Microsoft installs on my machine, I started an internet journey that became frustrating. First, I ALWAYS use Firefox and tried several times to reach Windows Update before switching to Internet Explorer 7. Well, DUH! I arrived at the site and it redirected me to the Control Panel entry on my machine. Not to be bamboozled by 'Nutjob Ballmer and the WGA gang' (sounds like a sissy punk rock group, don't ya think?) I persisted in finding an explanation as to what exactly this #KB937287 intended to do to my PC. Since Microsoft wouldn't give up the information readily I switched back to Firefox, Googled the number and found my answer at InfoWorld. It's some pre-Vista SP1 thing. No big deal. BTW, thanks InforWorld for the explanation.

Why has Microsoft started this mumbo jumbo about updates? Shucks, in the past all you had to do was click on the update number and an explanation showed up. Now it seems they are hiding something. Like we don't know they spy on us?!?!?!?? Hell, they even admit that in the EULA you accept when installing Windows. If you don't take measures to stop them, they will download almost every document you originate in Microsoft Office. They are called MRUs (Most Recently Used documents). Downright goofy I say. I really don't care if they see the whole content of my computer. There's nothing to hide because there's nothing important enough to hide. If I needed to hide stuff Windows would certainly NOT be the operating system of choice. Don't get me wrong, Windows is still great and Vista is improving all the time. Actually, if your hardware can stand it now is a good time to install Vista. Remember, Premium and above; Home Basic sucks. Anyway, this is a planet driven by computers running Windows. Ahem! We all check that box accepting the End User License Agreement and go about our business.

Please Windows Nazis, you really won't give me new information if you decide to "flame on." And Apple Users, don't sit with that smug look on your face. You need to look at the Windows Updates. Since Microsoft Office for Apple outsells all other Apple software combined, you might need to update that overpriced, slowass, 2 year old technology machine. K, my Lewis Black-like fit is over. Later.

"But I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
The world is in an uproar and I see no end in sight
But I won't let it bother me tonight!"
~Atlanta Rhythm Section

Patch Tuesday

Sleep is on the schedule. Another med change and stress from different areas has taken a toll. Hey, at least the whining is minimal. It's Patch Tuesday and Microsoft has issued info on 11 problems that address 17 issues. There are 5 considered critical. Some of these concern Microsoft Office so both Windows and Mac users are possible victims of internet trash trying to screw up machines. You know the little worms that come up with all this garbage continue to prove that slimy evil exists in the world. Yes, I can do the soap box thingy on malware, but it's time for bed -- after launching the update process. You can read about Patch Tuesday at InformationWeek.

"Leisure time is that five or six hours when you sleep at night."
~George Allen

I Love My Job

Busy busy weekend. Spent Sunday resolving issues with proprietary software and was somewhat successful. Finishing up on one more problem tonight. Actually the real server changeover was smooth for the most part. These things are rarely easy. Hey, I do love my job, but it's time to break for a few hours. Am regrouping to finish a few more projects. My lardbutt is draggin'! Later folks.

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."
~Milton Berle

We Don't Need No Stinkin' Badgers!

Finally found a good copy of this funny Super Bowl commercial. Toyota is a cool company and the humor in this Corolla commercial is indicative of their positive nature. Be glad to welcome them into the Tupelo area industrial family in the near future. They are building a small city out west of town and it is supposed to be max green - friendly to the environment. They happen to make awesome vehicles too.

Saw this repeated in Stargate Atlantis tonight just before dozing off. Later.

"Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritation and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place."
~Mark Twain

In the Vanilla Mood

This is stolen from Beagle's site with her permission. It is a quartet named Vanilla Mood. Let me forewarn you about a few things. If your interest is rap "music" you probably won't like this wonderful music. BTW, if your interest is rap "music" why are you even here? Huh? Huh? K, back to the subject matter. This is four Japanese women that play cello, violin, keyboards and flute. As my buddy Felecia would say, 'They are the absolute bombdiggity!' Folks this ain't rock n roll, which is also great in my opinion. This is classic Gershwin interpreted marvelously.

For this number they all wear kimonos. They vary their clothing as can be seen on youtube, but the pretty gowns seem apropo. This is a piece from Porgy and Bess titled Summertime. As with Celtic Women they are all very easy on the eye too!

BE SURE and watch the complete clip. The tempo has a drastic change at about the midway point.

Thanks so much Beagle! You constantly amaze me with your wonderful eclectic taste in music. You go, girl!

"Music is the universal language of mankind."
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

God Bless the Dawn

The southern storms have subsided for the moment. The wake of geological phenomena has left 30 people dead (note: number updated later that morning). Reuters has the story as does Weather.com. It's early February and storms of this magnitude used to be rare this time of year. Nowadays tornadoes strike at random and are not seasonal. We folks in northeast Mississippi are blessed with landscapes abounding with forests and wildlife, but the area is also a corridor for the whirling menaces and high winds.

It's early morning. I sit here in shorts and a T-shirt hoping that catastrophe has not touched family, friends, clients, clients' equipment nor anyone else for that matter. It is always a tragedy when nature takes life away. Think about that couple and their 11 year old daughter lost in Atkins, AR. This is a community of 3,000. So very sad. Instead of whining about weather inconvenience count your blessings. Go forth and enjoy the predicted sunny to partly cloudy weather today. If you are of a mind, please pray for those harshly touched by the storms.

"Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines."
~Satchel Paige, 1974

Thar She Blows!

Weather tonight is not the greatest. The northeast corner of Mississippi is under either a tornado watch or warning. Most gatherings, classes, etc., have been rescheduled or canceled. The winds gust and the rain varies intensity. This is a worst case scenario for things computerese. Unless you have an absolute need to keep a machine online, tonight is the night to give that power supply a rest. Best to physically detach the plug from the wall AFTER a normal shutdown. If you are networked (or connected by USB) to a cable or DSL modem detach that cable. If you are on dial up be sure and unplug the telephone connection. Telephone lines are notorious for being lightning conduits. When bringing your system back up reverse the procedure. Plug your internet source back in first, then the power and then turn on the PC. Be sure your monitor is switched ON. If your are using a substantial battery backup and have it installed correctly then your level of protection is elevated.

Please remember, the possible surge created when service returns after a power failure can be dangerous, especially for equipment. Stay safe in this not so great weather.

"Rain! whose soft architectural hands have power to cut stones, and chisel to shapes of grandeur the very mountains."
~Henry Ward Beecher

Oh, Woe is Me

I am selfish. The King Cake is gone. My lardass ate every last morsel. Even licked the box. This greed of such a delight makes me pause. Truly, I know why destiny has never let me reside in New Orleans. My shame is barely bearable. I was not a big caramel fan and this type of icing was all over it. Now my list of cravings includes caramel. Each King Cake has a small figurine of a baby that represents Jesus. The person that receives the piece with the baby is supposed to have good luck for the year. Does that mean my local search for King Cakes will pay off? Wait...greed and gluttony are overcoming shame again. Well, I ate the whole thing so I DID receive the piece with the baby. Okay my fat, stuffed pathetic, bigger than a house butt is outta here. Wonder if there's milk in the fridge?

"Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart."
~Erma Bombeck

Quarterbacks Not Quite Loud Enough

They did it! Against the odds the NY Giants won the Super Bowl. Since Eli was at Ole Miss a few years ago, the game was on part of the time. Being a geek, the SciFi channel was watched for an hour to catch an episode of Star Trek/Enterprise that had been missed when the series aired in prime time. Naturally this was during half-time and I missed all that hoopla. Anyway, that last touchdown pass was awesome. The Manning family has to be proud of their 2008 MVP winner.

Question: What's with all the pointing and stuff? You know where the quarterback comes out and starts pointing and shouting. Is he telling his team, "Hey, the camera's right there! Don't scratch yourself in the wrong place! Now Hut 1 Hut 2!?" What's up with all that? Eli and Brady both did it several times. Not being much of a pro football fan I'd never seen it before tonight.

Good night and have a pleasant Super Bowl evening.

"I have seen women walk right past a TV set with a football game on and - this always amazes me - not stop to watch, even if the TV is showing replays of what we call a "good hit," which is a tackle that causes at least one major internal organ to actually fly out of a player's body."
~Dave Barry

February and Football

It's February! It's February! Yes! Yes! January was survived! The Superbowl is Sunday and since Eli Manning is the quarterback for the NY Giants, the beach house will have the TV pointed towards the appropriate channel. Eli is a recent graduate of Ole Miss. His older brother Peyton, who DIDN'T go to Ole Miss like his father and two brothers, did win the game last year. Best I can tell the New England Patriots are favored heavily. Local news is on now and they are all about the game. Right now they are talking about food to put between you and the boobtube. Am just not a huge sports fan although I grew up playing baseball, football and was a distance runner on the track team. Held the state record for several years in the two mile relay. I remember having to avoid the herd of triceratops that wandered across the field during the race.

The King Cake is soooo good. Sure wish we could find such delights in this area. I love pralines and pecans. A cup of medium roast Mello Joy coffee is a perfect compliment to this slice of heaven. Before you try your local grocer, this brand is shipped to me from Louisiana as well. Thanks again Verdana and Dr. Uncle Snake. It is great! If you'd like to enjoy some wonderful coffee click on the Odyssey coffee ad at the bottom of the page. They actually roast the beans when they take your order so everything is always fresh.

Must work out kinks in back and try accomplishing some lingering bench work. This does involve moving some more heavy equipment so wish me luck! Better yet, say a prayer.

"Coffee, the finest organic suspension ever devised."
~Star Trek: Voyager