Spinetingling

Please look closely at this photo. What I want you to realize is the height of the wave compared to the height of the buildings. Also, please note that there are cars on the seaside drive. Prayer and donations are in order in spite of the leaders with agendas. Neal Boortz was right; the small minded idiots have tried to find the USA at fault concerning this horrific tragedy. Red Dragon and I are both Vietnam Veterans and are amazed at this NewsMax story from Tuesday. Look, I know these people need help, but their leaders need to be exposed for such politics. In such a regime, our efforts will never be recognized and the despots will take credit while our troops are put in jeopardy. Where and when does all this stop? Ever heard of the Monroe Doctrine?

Please pray for these folks and pray for some sanity on the planet. Thank you Jackie for the pix. Thank you RD for your sacrifices in Nam.

"When one's expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything one does have."
-Stephen Hawking

Testing 1,2

After trying to post 4 times today this is simply a test to see if problems have been corrected. All day I've heard people talk about how slow the internet has been and was in such a rush to complete tasks that I didn't have time to stop and check it out thoroughly. Seemed okay to me though. Have a great weekend.

"The problem with disrespecting web engineers is that they will come after you with dull blades and hammers."
-Billy Wobblynife

Short whine

Sorry about being out of commission today. The Flexiril helps an aching back, but also makes one sleep deeply. Since I am able to stand upright once again things will be back snafu tomorrow. Getting older sometimes sucks, but it still beats the alternative. Time to go back to sleep. Later...

"Old age is no place for sissies."
-Bette Davis

And now a few words about passwords

Passwords. You need them. They need to be secure. Even Microsoft agrees. Here's a great article about it -> Creating Stronger Passwords. The Advanced Laboratory Workstation System site is all about Unix, but the policy concerning passwords is good -> Selecting Good Passwords. This is actually a user friendly article written by Unix people! Don't let this title mislead you -> Why you shouldn't be using passwords of any kind on your Windows network.

Can passwords be cracked? Yes. I've never met a Windows machine that was secure from a full frontal password shredding attack. On occasion, I use a Linux program to undo nefarious passwording or just to open a machine where someone has simply forgotten the worded key. No, I will not give you this program. Don't ask, it's not for sale and if you are tech savvy enough to do such things then you have this tool in your possession. Please remember that Windows 98 and 95 have no real password security.

Hope this helps you secure your PC. If you connect to the internet, you need a GOOD password. If you are on a network, you need a GOOD password. If you often visit speakeasies and other such joints, please realize that prohibition has been repealed. That last is a joke... get it? No? Nevermind. Guess I watch too many old movies.

"If you have any trouble sounding condescending, find a Unix user to show you how it's done."
-Scott Adams

iosdt.exe mui malo!

Ryan from Mexico emailed asking about a Trojan. It's iosdt.exe. This can be deleted while in safe mode after turning off restore before you reboot. After deleting everything named iosdt in safe mode, reboot in normal mode and turn restore back on if you like restore running in the background. Some folks turn it off and leave it off. This Trojan doesn't seem to drop hacks in the registry, yet. That can change at any time. Hope this helps , mi hermano!

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
-Mark Twain

Book banned and browsing

CNN is at it again. They are breaking a story about two Mississippi libraries banning John Stewart's book, America (The Book). What they failed to bring out in the headlines of this smear is that Wal-Mart banned it a while ago. It is a humor book and has some nudity in it and the libraries policies are to open all volumes to the public. This is stupid to make such a fuss over an irreverent dude like Stewart. Just don't read it. I won't. And by the way, CNN please keep finding all the horrible things about Mississippi. Maybe it'll help some liberal demon to stay out of our state. We're doing just fine and certainly don't need the Turner/Fonda bunch meddling in our affairs.

If you still use Microsoft's Internet Explorer as your browser please read this article about the three security holes. There is even a link to a test that can determine if you have problems. Can someone tell me why these problems keep showing up almost on a daily basis? It worries me because the AOHell/Netscape people will find a way to sell us "opensource" Firefox and Mozilla. I think Netscape continues to exist just to do that! Sour grapes even after winning the lawsuit.

"But I am far from presuming to direct the reading of my fellow citizens, who are good enough judges themselves of what is worthy their reading."
-Thomas Jefferson

Twisted

Well, I've slipped. One of America's worst enemies is the damned liberal news media. Let's see, an enlisted man received 6 months in the brig (that's jail to civilian types) and a reduction in paygrade because an Iraqi 'said' he threw his cousin off a 10 foot bridge. Doesn't matter that there was no body and others testified that they saw the guy swim ashore. Let's punish someone serving his country under conditions of war because he was trying to kill the enemy? What the hell is wrong with people? Oh, that's right - Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt broke up after 7 years of marriage and that probably is most distracting. Yep, a soldier gets undue punishment and two Hollywood halfwits break up with great fanfare. Where is that next newsjunkies anonymous meeting?

"The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his."
-George Patton

What if Hitler and a vampire had children?

Do you own a small business? Do you use computers in this business? Then you need to read the rest of this article and realize the potential of your business being closed down because there are some nazi like organizations after you. Shades of Big Brother? This is not paranoia, just information that you need.

Enter the BSA. The Business Software Alliance is a group that randomly goes around checking to see if your software is licensed properly. What provoked this expose is an article over at ArsTechnica by Caesar Fisher. Okay, this article won't scare you that much. Just plain to the point reporting as Caesar and the ArsTechnica people always do when informing us of important issues. Good site. But the next piece of info should scare the holy s--- out of ANY person in business that has not addressed this issue before now.

First published in August of 2003 this tells about the grim adventures of a business owner and his unfortunate dance with the BSA. Check out Rockin' on without Microsoft. Ahhhhh, you're back after reading that little ditty and possibly quivering because you don't exactly know what you have in the way of Windows and other software? My money says this has now become ULTRA important on your list of things to do - find out if all your software is straight up and not hinky in any way. Remember this, you are to have an individual licensed piece of software for each and every computer unless otherwise specified and that doesn't mean just hiding in a drawer or filing cabinet. It better be on its respective computer. Yes, you can buy extended license privileges from people like Microsoft so on and so forth.

Frightening? Hope so. Personally, I think ALL software should be open source and not for sale. But, this is the real world and that just won't happen. In the mean time keep these Hitlerites out of your business and away from the door by being legal. Then consider alternative Operating Systems and platforms. Why do you think my links list is all about freeware? Going to find out about your PCs? Good. Now if we can just find a way to rid society of all these pigs like the BSA, RIAA, spyware jerks, and other terrorists...

"The weak are the most treacherous of us all. They come to the strong and drain them. They are bottomless. They are insatiable. They are always parched and always bitter. They are everyone's concern and like vampires they suck our life's blood."
-Bette Davis

Hep me! Hep me! Am lost in the orchard

Anytime someone wants to compare the sound of an Apple iPod to a Creative Labs Zen Xtra please contact me. Having done this with several different types of music my faith in the Zen is unflappable. TechTV even admitted that the Zen sounds better and there is a plethora of iPods on that set. Here's another interesting article about Apple iTunes. Why the dislike of iPod? Same Apple tune over and over again. It's not really that bad a product. It's just plain mid-fi. Also, way overpriced and wait until you have the joy of shelling out for that battery replacement. Click on the link above and maybe it will help you understand.

I'd like to personally thank the crew at MJR & Co. for their assistance in helping me shed the Whiny Boy sub-superhero costume earlier this week. Y'all is de bomb! The coffee is perked so I'm outta here and headed to Tishomingo county to aid and abet my Paden buddies.

"Man always travels along precipices... His truest obligation is to keep his balance."
-Pope John Paul II

Dark side of the Force

U.S. citizens have won another round against a group of Satan's minions known as the RIAA. Red Dragon sent an article from PCWORLD that tells how the courts have once again rejected an appeal to force an ISP to turn over their customer lists to these evil creeps. If you purchase recorded music then you are putting money in the RIAA coffer. Stop it! And don't pirate music! Send emails to your favorite artists and encourage them to sell their stuff on their own web sites. Let's choke the very life out of the music nazis that keep prices up and are busy terrorizing people. Remember, they prosecuted a 12 year old girl. They tormented an 80 year old couple and laughed about it in the courtroom. These folks are as low as the spyware people and that is LOW. Thanks RD for a great heads up from a good publication.

Darth Jobs is at it again. Apple is suing website ThinkSecret for leaking info about their upcoming under-$500.00 Mac slated to arrive at your local orchard in the near future. Reuters has a good article about it. People, who really cares about Apple? This is just another goofy antic from Steve Jobs. Keep this in mind, Apple makes it almost impossible to replace a battery in the wayyyyyy overated iPods and then charges $100.00 when you send it back to them for the new battery. But hey, if you want 2 year old technology on a slow machine from a company that can only penetrate 3% of the market because they are so overpriced, by all means go buy an Apple computer. At least Jobs had the good sense to finally "steal" a decent operating system (new Apple OS's are based on FreeBSD). Good luck to the folks at ThinkSecret.

"He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils."
-Francis Bacon

The cape and tights are on

Yesterday was frustrating. Arose at 1:45am and started work. Returned 3 PCs to a network and one decided to go fubar concerning the video after sitting on the bench purring like a kitten for hours. Then the car loaned to me by a very gracious friend decided to rebel. After an extended period of crippling down the side of the road and much consulting it was determined that there was water in the gas. In the process of moving 4 workstations around my back decided to go tarfu. There's a laptop on my bench that is in pieces for the 4th time and it is laughing at me. Finally received a message from IBM after the 3rd email that told me to call them about an allinone Netvista PC and, from the signature, it is indicated my use of the English language will be to no avail. Had to cancel several appointments which means the workload today will be heavy.

On top of all this people kept calling running up my cell phone bill with chitchat and other things that can be resolved by email - cybersouth@gmail.com. Folks, it's the first of the month after Christmas holiday and the inevitable struggle with receivables and payables is upon the beach house. My ability to walk upright and stress from the vehicle problem are non-relenting factors that hinder my usual cheery "can do" attitude. Wish things would return to a snafu state. Please don't make me take the phone off hook again. Today I am WHINY BOY...sub-superhero fighting depression, chaos, a bad back, high blood pressure, age and high phone bills. This is a plea for prayer, extreme weight loss (the bad back/hbp thang), and phone calls 9-11pm. Now the question of the day -> Do you think strong coffee will overcome the drowsiness brought on by Flexiril?

"The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation."
-Bertrand Russell

Sometimes it feels like my head is banging against the desk...

Want to install Ad-aware, but afraid you might not do it correctly? Would a step by step, easy to read online tutorial help? Think screen shots of each step with actual pictures of each step will make things easier? Then go to Bleeping Computer and use this awesome utility to help install a great protection program that is a free download!

Installing Spybot Search & Destroy scare you? Not sure on just how to accomplish such an installation? Try going to Bleeping Computer. Great info on a great download that's free (donate something - even 20 bucks will help keep them around to continue helping all of us!) Once again, this is a super tutorial with pictures and step by step instructions.

This site is performing a great service in posting easy to read instructions on how to use many resources available. So check out http://www.bleepingcomputer.com. BTW, if you decide to create an account BE SURE and read their privacy policy. I chose not to create an account at this time. Still, there's great info here.

If you are not running and updating a good anti-virus scan EVERY DAY, please seek help. If you are here without some type of virus protection then you are crazy. Please remember, running McAfee antivirus is the same as NOT running an antivirus program. Download the free version of AVG antivirus. Here's the installation guide in Adobe Reader PDF format -> Reference Guide. Okay, okay here is where you can download a free version of Adobe Reader which will enable you to view this PDF tutorial.

IMHO, most folks are too lazy to download such tools. Most folks don't even bother to update. If you don't update then malware will infest your machine. Frankly, there are more important things that need attention than fighting the creeps that clutter machines with this trash. Help out your tech, guru, IT/IS, sysadmin, etc. by updating and running these programs. Please.

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."
-William Faulkner

Super fun thing and sobering glimpse at security

Was just over at Beagle's live journal and took this quiz. It's a hoot! Try it, you'll like it! (Post your score in the comments section)




Think my rant yesterday about parachuting terrorists is just a case of extreme paranoia? Read what the CEO of VeriSign has to say about the matter at CNET News. Charles Cooper wrote the article and it tends to make one shudder. What's that motto? Be prepared?

"The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible."
-Arthur C Clarke

Satan and wimps are for gun control

Back a few years ago in mid September some fanatics took control of several aircraft in the name of Allah, and proceeded to crash into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field. This group of terrorist bastards are burning in the deepest bowels of hell and I wish we could reincarnate these criminals and slowly kill them again and again day after day. They killed more people than the Japanese did at Pearl Harbor in WWII. Now all the sissy liberals in San Francisco want to ban handguns. Idiots! Read about it over at Fox News. Radical Muslim terrorists may parachute into your neighborhood at any moment trying kill YOU in the name of Allah. Are you prepared?

I will pray to my merciful, loving God to give me the strength to stop reading news other than technical. Now it's time to make sure rounds are chambered in the weaponry.

"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
-Ghandi.
"He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."
-Luke 22:36

2005 and still alive

Truly, there is no rest for the weary. I have to find a nice cave or a small parcel of land somewhere in deepest, remote Tishomingo County. After refraining from drink and trying to find peace with a good book, it's next to impossible because the fireworks bozos are at it full strength. Solitude and quiet are out of the question. Trying to read Jimmy Buffett's new novel, A Salty Piece of Land, within this melee is absurd.

Guess I'll fade into the night eventually. Happy 2005 everyone, except the spyware people and other terrorists.

"If you are a terror to many, then beware of many."
-Ausonius

Hide that bottle Daisy, he's found the keys!

It is New Year's Eve day. If you are going to party and use alcohol in excess tonight please make prior arrangements that will keep you away from the steering wheel of an automobile. Nothing in this world is more stupid than an intelligent human being taking my life in their hands through drinking and driving. If you hit me while driving drunk, you better hope it kills you as well because I will haunt your ass with a vengance if you survive. The Good Lord knows that my shenanigans of the far past qualify me to make such statements. Deal with it. Be a grown up. Be responsible. Drive sober.

Here's an interesting article about New Year's celebrating -> The Loneliest Night of the Year. Sad, so very sad. Being happily single for a long time it must be said that this article has been read with some amazement. My traditional New Year's eve celebration consists of turning in early with a good book and hoping the fireworks don't awaken me. Hopefully, no one will get 'black cord fever' and call at midnight in a drunken stupor to sing Auld Lang Syne. It is the end of the month and I need rest after the holidays. Next year will be different. BTW, am looking for a nice cave to rent. Need to book it 12/24/2005 thru 01/02/2006.

"If you drink don't drive. Don't even putt."
-Dean Martin

Browsing and phone calls

Interesting article about the browser war can be found at the Seattle Times. Will Internet Explorer 7.0 resolve all the security leaks? Will Firefox/Mozilla/Netscape start advertising or charging for their product? Don't let that opensource moniker mislead you. Trust NOTHING that comes out of the AOL/Netscape arena.

Wired News has a post about Xcelis. Don't know about Xcelis or Pantheon? Does $10.00 per month for unlimited calling to anywhere from your cell phone or landline phone interest you? I thought so. Check out Cheap Cell Calls Have a Price. Love this idea. You can dial within your existing provider and obtain this new service. Related observation -> Cingular sucks. Worst customer support on the planet...well...there is Dell, which is a major problem for the English speaking people of the world.

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us."
-Western Union memo, 1876

AVG 7.0 & biz

With the advent of AVG 7.0 several people have emailed and wanted to know the 'ins and outs' of installing and setting up this great antivirus program. There's also been several requests to update the 8 simple rules of computing (see archive August 4, 2004) since rule number 1 is about AVG 6.0 and other anti-virus programs. It's all in the mill.

Several projects are overwhelming at this time -> upgrading a network, resolving an issue concerning AVG 7.0 antivirus and proprietary software (believe me, the proprietary software sucks!), repairing a very very sticky problem with a laptop that requires delicate soldering, finding a decent generator for the backup system, aligning all the hardware for the backup system, installing my brand new dual layer DVD burner (thanks MJ & CO!!), finding the right STK chips to correct a convergence problem in a Pioneer rear projector TV, repairing PCs and doing service calls. So please bear with me. A slip on the ice during the holidays has me running in low gear as well. Problems? Yep, n glad to have MOST them!

Here are some reviews of AVG 7.0:

Virus Bulletin

Southernphried, 11/19/2004 post by Grasshoppa

CNET User Opinions

Must Have Software

"If you don't want to work you have to work to earn enough money so that you won't have to work."
-Ogden Nash

New site and trip report

Got a new site for you. It's Cleansoftware.org. Overall concept? "CleanSoftware.org is a resource to help Windows users find the best free daily-use software, free from nasties: adware, spyware, harmful/intrusive components, and threats to privacy." The FAQ is a very good primer on staving off malware in general. Neat, clean interface that is easily navigated. Look forward to added content and improvement. Nice to know there are good guys.

Trip to Walls, MS was great! Good to see the family and catch up on what is happening with them. We even watched old home movies; glimpses of childhood. Yes, they did make movie cameras back in the day. No, there are no dinosaurs lurking in the background. A chance to eat at Mom's is well worth such a trip and the ritual exchange of gifts was fun. Uncle Snake drove there and back. Everybody smiled. Nice. Need more of the same type input. Happy Birthday Verdana!

"The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life."
-Bach

Nice Boxing Day

Christmas at the Beach House happened last night. Turkey was moist, dressing had just enough sage, the Purple Giraffe was all smiles and DVD Trivial Pursuit rocks! The board was not even used, we just pulled up questions on the TV and had a blast answering them. Finally fell asleep and was delighted when I awoke because someone had done the dishes!

Destination of the day is Walls, MS, to visit family and further partake in the holiday ritual of exchanging gifts. Verdana and Uncle Snake are driving. This will be a nice time to reflect and rest. Upon returning there are machines ready for healing. My neighbors are watching the house closely due to a current rash of theft in the area. Has to be some fool outsider. Everyone here knows our Police Force has excellent marksmen that WILL shoot.

Today is a great day to upgrade your AVG from version 6.0 to version 7.0. Remember to update immediately.

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder."
-George Washington

Google versus Microsoft?

It's no secret that I like Google. If you are using a search engine other than Google all I can do is wish you luck. Charles Ferguson has a very informative article at Technology Review titled What's Next for Google. The author owns stock in Microsoft and this article is about the Google vs. Microsoft war that is welling up. All in all, it's a middle of the road look at what possibly will happen over the next few years. If you're a weak geak (sic), don't bother. It's nine pages long. Even though Mr. Ferguson has a financial interest in Microsoft he admits that most things touched by Google seem to improve. I agree. Look at Blogger and Picasa for example. Check it out and see why so many laud and applaud the Googlemeisters.

"Quality is not expensive, it's priceless."
-Greg O'Guinn

Merry Christmas, thanks Google for the anti-Incredifind, & Excalibur rocks

As usual, the guy in the red suit has passed by. He did stop at the purple giraffe's house so everything is casual on this beautiful and chilly Christmas morning. Goals of the day are to not answer the phone, have no conversations and get some work done on the PCs that have to be returned after this wonderful holiday to various networks and individuals. Guess I'll have to speak to someone when I return the movies rented. This should be a nice, easy day spent alone with my machines. Christmas with my family begins Monday so it's not too dreary to have a deserved day of solitude at the beach house.

After checking the Google links to Cybersouth - from the Saltillo Beach House it is apparent the Incredifind nasties planted there by the dungware creeps have been removed. Thanks Google. If the spyware idiots follow their normal mode of operation this will not be the last attack. Merijn.org experienced some of the same problems and then they bombed his email. The Incredifind fools are pathetic; a disease that is forever trying to grow and devour innocent, unaware people.

While a good movie well worth watching King Arthur is a little unsettling to someone that has grown up with visions of Camelot and Merlin the Mage. The special effects and cinematography are awesome. The new slant to "humanize" this tale of wizards, magical swords and a holy goblet is just not my cup of tea. Malory and Tennyson are probably rolling in their graves. Maybe the next attempt will lean more towards telling the tale with magical beings and carrying-ons. The concept of Arthur being half-Italian and not a true Britainer just doesn't work. Still, this is a good movie and I highly recommend it. Sure beats that silly thing that Connery and Gere did a few years ago. It didn't even include Merlin as a character.

"The tale of King Arthur without Merlin is like making ice cream without cream."
-Billy Wobblynife

Quote the Yahoo? Nevermore!

Search engine? Instant Messenger? Portal? Webmail? Yahoo has all of these implements. Yahoo also supplies Gator, Claria, Gain, CMESII, Whatever They Are Called Today with 31% of their market!!!!! This is not rocket science. Don't want adware/spyware? Stop using Yahoo. Am I getting through to you? No? Well, let me ask you this; how are the rest of the ostriches?

I know how hard it is to shake off Yahooitis. Still residing on my machine is their instant messenger service. If a suitable alternative can be found then the beach house will de-Yahooize immediately. After the first of the new year it looks like I'll switch to that horrible Microsoft IM if no alternative is found. At least there is no adware/spyware involved.

My ability to communicate will be lessened with some folks, but the peace of mind knowing I do not support a site that blatantly uses spyware will be enhanced. Yahoo even has the nerve to promote an anti-adware/spyware program that forgives the Gator/Weatherbug/scope-whatever people!

Get your head out of the sand and go read these links:

eWeek Yahoo Plays Favorites with Some Adware

PCPitStop Yahoo and Claria

SpywareInfo Yahoo playing both sides of the spyware issue

SearchEngine Forums Does Yahoo support thiefware?

It will be hard for some folks to accept the fact that Yahoo is promoting bad juju. They've been around a long time and this is not the first time they've danced with the devil. Being old as dirt helps me recall this problem in the ancient past of the 1990s. Anyway, come January 1, 2005, Yahoo IM will be dropped and some other IM will be used. Just can't support a site that embeds spyware/adware/thiefware/malware/dungware in their site.

"Integrity can be neither lost nor concealed nor faked nor quenched nor artificially come by nor outlived, nor, I believe, in the long run, denied."
-Eudora Welty

Laptop under $500.00 and spyware still sucks

Are you believing a new laptop for under $500.00? Check it out at Walmart.com. Beware. Evil children reside in the aisles. Interesting that this device is running Linux, oops meant Lindows, uh , uh, no it's Linspire - that's the ticket. This does include a Microsoft Office file-compatible office suite. First they pressure the music mobsters to come down in price on CDs and now a Linux based laptop for this price? What gives? Next thing you know they'll throw out the evil children and their evil parents for not having manners! Sheesh, never thought I'd be a big Whalemart supporter. Status is; watching.

On my bench there sits a record breaking PC. It's a P4 Hewlett Packard XP Home machine that has survived a spyware infection of 3701 instances. Yes, that's right, 3701. 106 Trojan horses and virii were also removed. The home page was hijacked in a major way. This is absolutely mind boggling. Wish I could get my hands on the horses' asses that write this garbage and literally kick their butts around a small island before throwing them into a live volcano. Homesearch is part of the horrible filthy coolwwwsearch BS. These jerks pose as spyware removers, but they are actually generating the spyware!! They also hijack your homepage. What foolish weak people are these that plague the innocent with such garbage. Do you have any idea as to how hard it is to remove malware? Take a look at this super site -> Silentrunners.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines."
-Emerson, Self-Reliance

Fading quickly into the evening

It's been a long day and many stops were made along the way. Still have work to do, but I've got to rest for a few hours. When Christmas rolls around in 2005 and if God allows me to exist at that time, things will be different. Amazes me how people do not keep their word anymore and that intentionally perverting the truth is acceptable. Think I like my old world better. We were a far more polite society. K, going back to the NOVA special on string theories to learn or sleep. Peace out.

"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."
-Einstein

Please read Satuday's post first

Things became extremely busy yesterday and since the post Saturday about Incredifind was important, it seemed befitting to let it head the list for another day. My research into this Intermix Media, eUniverse, Keenvalue, Incredifind, etc., trash is overwhelming. These people blatantly endorse their activities on their website. It is frightening that this company even exists. On top of all this they pay some stooge to scout around and mess with simple sites like this blog. Why would ANYONE do business with these creeps? There's more coming; you can bank that.

Gotta run. Pre holiday traumas are prevelant. Today is a good day to check your Spybot S & D and Ad-aware programs for updates. Be sure to immunize in Spybot. A prayer of gratitude for these programmers might be nice.

"You can fool all the people all the time if the advertising is right and the budget is big enough."
-Joseph E. Levine

Incredifind circus is a dung exposition

Every week or so Google and several other search engines are used to find links to this site. Nice to see who is talking about the beach house. Well, my efforts to have all the spyware people destroyed seems to be working. Incredifind has dropped several links about Cybersouth - from the Saltillo Beach House onto the Google search engine that make you link to their nasty, smelly dungware site. All I can say is HA! HA! HA!

Since they are being such bastards and bitches I'll try to mention them and their ugly families more often. My ever building list of Incredifind removal tools shall keep growing. The creeps know their days are numbered. Thieves are never welcome in a decent society. Again, HA! HA! HA! A pox on these dungware fools!

It's just so sad that duelling has been outlawed.

"Be careful out there. There are things that go bump in the night. Actually, there are things that go 'Give me your wallet or I'll kill you' in the night."
- John Larroquette

New virus threat

Channel Times reports that the ZAFI-D Virus poses as a Norton's update file. This one is a nasty. Isn't hanging too fast a death for the creeps that write this stuff? I still think the spyware people are worse.

Microsoft has acquired a spyware removal company. This news is all over the net, but BBC Technology News has a most insightful article. Sorry Windows 98 users, this is for Windows 2000 and XP only. The beach house will keep running Ad-aware and Spybot S & D. These sights are in the links list and there are buttons below the list for each program. Both are free for personal use although Ad-aware does have an upgrade and Spybot will accept donations.

Anyone had any luck running XP Pro on a 466 Celeron with 64 megs o' SDRAM? Methinks 'tis time for more RAM. Thank goodness the people still have a copy of Windows 2000. Formatting will also rid this poor machine of the spyware infections that have made a simple first child window opening something like a 5 minute task.

Have a casual Friday. Update your spyware protection programs today.


"Don't compromise yourself. It's all you've got."
-Janis Joplin

dot gov in Charlotte

Thinking about hacking some company? Planning a little war driving soon? You might want to take a look at the article over at ABC News. Nine years is a long time to spend in jail thinking about stupidity. Of course nine years is NOT enough time for the malware people. People that are involved with spyware at any level should be sent to Antartica for life -> wearing beach attire.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
-Albert Einstein

It's cold

Viewing the meteor showers has not been uber fun. Did see a few on Monday night, but when the alarm went off last night the temperature was noted and the bedcover went back in place. In the words of W.C. Fields, "Weather's not fit for man nor beast."

Speaking of beasts, news is slow when a Florida man biting his dog is receiving headlines. See The Ledger. Let's see, does he put up fences to mark his territory?

Thank goodness today will be busy. It is such a pleasure to get up, have great coffee, check the weather and plan an eventful day. There is an article in the making about the new free version of AVG antivirus. Soon...

"Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind,
As man's ingratitude."
-Shakespeare

The medicine chest of the soul (inscription at the Library of Thebes)

Have you heard the talk about Google digitizing the Harvard library? It's not just Harvard. Also included are Oxford University in England, Stanford University, University of Michigan and the New York Public Library. Read Fred "zAmboni" Locklear's report over at ArsTechnica. Interesting about the time involved. Big project doesn't even begin to describe this grand idea.

While on the subject, have you been to your local library lately? We are proud to have a really forward thinking, progressive library system here in northeast Mississippi. Lee-Itawamba Library System has a wonderful site and great facilities. Computers exist for patrons to use and their IT/IS department is top notch. Visit a nice informative site, put it in your favorites or bookmarks, then go by and take a look. Get in touch with your Mississippi Senator or Representative and tell them about these neat fountains of knowledge.

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
-Groucho Marx

Searching, cleaning and star gazing

Margaret emailed and wants to know about desktop search. This is a relatively new tool that comes to us from the folks at Google that enables one to search their PC with the Google search engine. Why? It's quicker. Is it used at the beach house? Not yet. Security issues are always mentioned when talking about desktop search and this is a "test" version. Since Google took the lead and this has been downloaded by the masses now the competitors want in on the deal. Read more about it at PCWorld. Hope this helps, Margaret from Mississippi.

Now I must go vacuum before starting my rounds. Have a safe day.

"Nature abhors a vacuum. And so do I."
-Anne Gibbons

Edit: Don't forget the Geminid Meteor Shower. Best viewing for this area is around 1-2am, but it can be seen all night. Look above and to the left of Orion. Tonight and tomorrow night are peak viewing times. Find me in the hammock - with a warm beverage.

Saturday morning geek observations

Interesting that Linus Torvalds, the father of Linux, received more votes than anyone in the Top 20 software people in the world poll at JDJ. This article is for the serious geek or geek wannabe; it's 41 pages long. Thanks Slashdot for the heads up on a very interesting article.

Cringely has a different slant on the IBM/Lenovo transaction that still lingers in the news. Check out his view of this merger/sale/venture/world domination move by reading The China Syndrome. Written for the bizgeek AND consuming public at large.

Keeping up with the latest shenanigans of the present Hitler and Nazi incarnates? Read about the RIAA and company over at File Sharing Goes to High Court. These scumbags are almost as low as the spyware jerks. At the very least sterilize them so they cannot procreate. So simple; sell music online at a fair price and quit favoring Darth Jobs and iTunes.

Now is the time for all good hair dryers to come to the aid of their computers. The flood last week has had a lingering effect.

"Save quickly, save many."
Billy Wobblynife (and anyone else that uses Word Perfect)

Reading for power

Tis the season to be jolly and avoid the evil children that live at Wal-mart. Hopefully, my shopping this weekend will include the purchase of two books; Jolly Mon and Trouble Dolls. Also on the agenda is a Parakeet Album purchase. Yes, this is breaking my ban on purchasing prerecorded music that has been tainted by the RIAA, but I know a purple giraffe that will absolutely love these items. And purple giraffes are special, deserving better than average treatment. Nothing like the band of evil children that live at Wal-mart.

Another book purchase will be Mind Hacks. Need a copy for the Saltillo Beach House Library and this may end up a popular gift item. Any exercises to improve the use of one's mind are desirable. Mine needs an anchor to stop the drift away syndrome. This is an O'Reilly publication and that is a plus.

Must go deal with the aftermath of flooding in this area. Please remember, a wet computer is a dangerous computer.

"Properly, we should read for power. Man reading should be man intensely alive. The book should be a ball of light in one's hand."
-Ezra Pound

Geeks hanging their stockings

Trying to find gifts for the geeks and geekettes in your life? Arstechnica has a really nice guide that is several pages deep and gives many neat links and descriptions. Prices vary from a few dollars to mega bucks. Nice roundup and they have some things that are NOT game related.

PC Magazine has a thorough roundup on various techno gifts. Just remember they are influenced by their advertising clients. This is still a nice site that will help guide you in purchasing just the right gadget for your geekster. My personal favorite is (click here).

Anyone that has good shopping sites please comment or email. That dude in the sleigh is almost ready to crank up those 8 reindeer. Shop smart and shop safe.

"What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus? Claustrophobic."
-H.D. Murphy

Big Blue changing colors

It's official. The Chinese now own IBM's PC Group division. Read about it at Cnet news. If they maintain the quality product standard that IBM has obtained over the past years and ask reasonable prices success should happen. China has not been all embracing of technology. Recently, it was discovered that the Chinese government censures Google, editing out things they think unfit for their citizens. Big Oriental Brother? Wonder if this merger is a world domination ploy or just 'bidness' as usual? We'll see, we'll see...

"Computers are magnificent tools for the realization of our dreams, but no machine can replace the human spark of spirit, compassion, love, and understanding."
- Louis Gerstner, CEO, IBM

You backup? Yes? No? Maybe?

Something that has always fascinated me is how people don't backup their valuable data and then become upset with the computer techs because the techs didn't stand over them 24-7 like nazis, assuring this procedure happened. What gives with that? Most newer PCs now have CDR/CDRW recording devices and blank CDRs are very inexpensive. CD burning software is manufactured by many companies and easy to use. You select the files, put them in the burn list, make sure you are slightly under 700megs (that's almost 3/4 of a gig!) and hit record. Walk away and a few minutes later the disk is done. Not enough room? Do it again. Simple, easy. Don't have a CDR/CDRW recording device? Nice low cost Christmas present. Hey, ask Santa for one.

The University of Alabama has an excellent tutorial on CD burning.

"Those parts of the computer that you can hit with a ball-peen hammer are called hardware; the program instructions that you can only cuss are called software."
-Billy Wobblynife

T-Bone, Arlen and Bubba weather tunes

It's raining. Still, the day has to be embraced with the gusto of a hounddawg and, umbrella in hand, it's almost time to flee out that front door. Aaron Thibeaux Walker penned a song titled Stormy Monday. Ella, Billie, Frank and many more recorded Stormy Weather. Tunes that reflect the sorrow of a loved one being gone and the loneliness that ensues. Hey if you're a depression 'wallower', don't even try to Google for the lyrics or find an audio snippet.

Yes, tech news is slow today. Get out your raincoat, put up the umbrella, avoid the deep end and don't wear sandals.


"We can go hiking on Tuesday,
With you I'd walk anywhere."
-Jimmy Buffett, Come Monday

Contemplating life, the universe and boxcars

While looking out the window it comes to me not to dread the forecast rain. Need to put my sorry butt in church this morning, but probably won't make it. Now the train is rolling by and they always bless us with extra pulls on the horn when the sun is not up.

Saltillo has to be an important rail hub because every train that comes through either stops or slows down with the whistles blowing in the background. Or foreground. Well, they shake the ground. Funny, this is apparent when computing, but it never wakes me. Talk about mental rejection....

Time to go to church, get busy or take a short nap. Options are nice.

"Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet, Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God’s great Judgment Seat."
-Rudyard Kipling

Indy 4 is a go and IBM is bowing out

All the Indiana Jones fans get ready, Episode IV will be made according to Harrison Ford. Harrison said, "Lucas is happy with the script." Of course this is Mr. George Lucas of Star Wars fame. Read the article over at The Indy Experience. You gotta love some geek movies!

IBM fans may be in for a rude awakening. The company is thinking about getting out of the computer business. Even though my field PC is a newer Toshiba, my old ThinkPad laptop is a cherished relic that's still fun to use. Back in the day when IBM still made hard drives, these units were the only storage devices permitted in my PCs, IDE or SCSI. Almost bulletproof. Eric Bangeman has great post -> arstechnica. Also, read more info at CNET News. This may be a bit scary for American capitalists.

Had an early morning bout with a SCSI Linux PC and actually laid down and returned to the arms of Morpheus for a bit. After such a refreshing nap and some awesome Odyssey coffee (see the link on this page) it's time to "turn to" and swab the decks. Arrgghhh, matey!

"Yes I am a pirate, two hundred years too late
The cannons don't thunder, there's nothin' to plunder
I'm an over-forty victim of fate"
-Jimmy Buffett, A Pirate Looks at Forty

That dirty old snake tempted Eve with an apple

Thinking about a new MP3 portable? Taken by the cool styling of the Apple iPod? Don't spend those bucks with Darth Jobs too quickly. PCWorld just reviewed the IRiver H320 and Archos Gmini XS200. Both are great alternatives. Remember, Apple sealed the batteries in the first iPods and then charged 100 bucks for replacements. You had to send the device to them too. Don't know if they changed this policy, but my Creative Zen Extra even has a button that makes battery swap easy as pie.

The Creative Nomad Zen Xtra greatest fault is having a long name. There's a review at Dukebox.com. Yes, prejudice here. I've been using this device for many months now and it has performed flawlessly. The 30 gig version holds an enormous amount and they offer a 60 gig as well. Everyone that has listened to this device loves the sound and people that have listened to both say it sounds better than an iPod. It does. Also, it's not fussy about what you put on it. I've carried many large data files on it as well as music. It's the same size as a standard iPod and they do make smaller versions with less capacity in the Zen Xtra line. Highly recommended. Click on the links. Use Google and research. Don't be taken in by Apple's marketing tactics. Too expensive for a mid-fi product. And they beat you up when it comes to repairs.

"What would you do if I sang out of key, would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song, and I'll try not to sing out of key."
-John Lennon and Paul McCartney

News media dance from afar

Recently, VistaIIIMedia added several channels to their line up. Thank you! One channel of note is WMCT-TV, Channel 5, out of Memphis, TN. This is one of the oldest NBC affiliates in the South. I would like to thank the news department of this channel for helping with a decision. Their constant ranting and raving about all the crime in the Memphis area has impact. There will be no Saltillo Beach House Christmas shopping in Memphis. As a matter of fact, I hope to never go to Memphis again. They won't miss me.

One of the dismal feature stories on WMCT-TV early this morning aside from the normal mayhem and murder mumbo-jumbo was about people stealing Christmas decorations out of yards. This is pathetic. If they would enforce laws and empower authorities to do their jobs such idiocy would stop. Also, the 911 people of this urban area would not respond to a Nashville ambulance stranded on the side of the road. They had a patient dependent on oxygen for life support and the supply was low. The local 911 lady said she couldn't respond because her job description said they couldn't help someone not in an emergency situation. What the hell do you call this lady? A stroll in the park? DON'T, I say again, DON'T take me to Memphis in an ambulance under ANY circumstances! This is beyond ridiculous, it's absurd. On Tuesday the muckity mucks of Mayor Willie Herrington's backwards sliding crew decided that paddlings in schools should cease. Instead of spending money on such stupid ideas, buy handguns for all the teachers! A Glock in every classroom might not make the lazy study, but it could help a teacher walk (or run) safely to their car.

So, while I am loyal to the local NBC affiliate for what little programming that interests me, occasionally the Memphis NBC news will be watched. I said occasionally; no one can stand that much depression.

"All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth."
-Aristotle

Favorite food? Not Spam!

Refreshing article at Reuters explaining the details of how Ohio legislators have passed a law making life miserable for spammers. Violators could face a minimum of six months in jail as well as fines of $25,000 per violation, or $2 to $8 per violating e-mail. Their computer equipment could be confiscated, and Internet providers could sue for damages. Love it! Now, Mississippi and other states should follow this example. Actually, I want the death penalty for spammers and malware/spyware people.

Interesting item over at Geek.com about Lycos battle against spammers in Europe. Be sure and read the comments. Cybersouth agrees with Christopher about spammers being bullies. Nice precise news reporting. Good site.

For all The Lord of the Rings fans go see the clip promoting the Special Extended Edition of The Return of the King . Just click on the link and if you have downloaded the free Quicktime player the video will open automatically. Over 50 minutes of footage has been added to the original. It's kewl.

It's lunchtime and work calls. Think there's a hamburger in my immediate future since turkey has been on the menu wayyyy too long. Ahhh, the art of driving and eating.

"You can find your way across this country using burger joints the way a navigator uses stars."
-Charles Kuralt

Reply to a vulgar email

Due to being on the planet for a while some things inflame me that may seem minor to others. Yes, I think EVERYONE that lives in this country should learn the English language, natives included. Children graduating high school should earn their diplomas through hard work and study. Politeness ought to be a way of life. Those living a self imposed dark age in this world of technology need to give up the cave. Someone needs to round up the evil children that "live" at Wal-Mart, find their parents and spank ALL of them. This list can go on and on. Our world is being taken over by thugs, liberals and simians. Apathy is the cause. Yesterday's post has been edited to remove profanity, but it stays up.

In the words of that great Texas philosopher Ed Coffin, "Have a better than expected day."

"A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones who need the advice."
-Bill Cosby

The Circus of Chaos continues...

The baboons at COMCAST that are in charge of programming over at G4TechTV, are blithering idiots. Brian Roberts, head monkey at COMCAST, you are a sick mind that needs to be locked up and forgotten. It amazes me that these BOZOS can take a perfectly good TV show, The Screensavers, that had changed down through the years for the better and ruin it completely in just a few months. Books are a much more dependable medium, well at least until Roberts and company find a way to alter them and make them worse. They've turned an informative, entertaining channel into a kiddies' game show with punk, foul mouth hosts and no one involved is intelligent enough to use sentences with more than 3 or 4 words. Seems I am being sent a message. It's time to give up the boob tube. With Kevin Rose no longer host this is a cyber debauchery. Now I am depressed and must go eat the last of the turkey and dressing.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance

Do Not Call list is being threatened

What in the hell are our government officials thinking?!? The following was sent to the FTC in order to protest the current proposal permitting telemarketers to harass us once again:

Telemarketers and anyone associated with this business should be locked up for life. Have you considered doing something about the people that write spyware/adware/malware? Seems they all work hand in hand to make our lives miserable. Please don't open any doors for these creeps!

Please go to the FTC site, fill in the simple form, and protest this ridiculous idea. Further info can be found at the Chicago Sun-Times. Thanks Slashdot for the heads up on something that concerns ALL of us.

"To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man."
-William Shakespeare, Hamlet

No dark sarcasm in the classroom

Saturday morning. It's raining, Pink Floyd is playing in the background, the coffee is perfecto mundo, the smell of country bacon is in the air and life is most casual. Many things on the plate and must be addressed before the weekend ends, but for now, Shine on You Crazy Diamond is chambering the Dock bullet into the Beach House magazine. Man, do I love this music or what? I asked Verdana and Beagle if they'd play the Joe Tex song Ain't Gonna' Bump no Mo' at my funeral and they were vehement in their refusal so maybe some Pink Floyd? C'mon, it'll lift everyone's spirit. There is the faction that will be happy that I'm gone, but if they attend great music will depress them so it'll all work. Uncle Snake! Hep me! Hep me! You know in your heart that Pink Floyd will help rest a weary soul!

Links to Floyd:

Pink Floyd Online, great site - check the lyrics section.

Pink Floyd & Co., kewl English site. Navigation is SUPERIOR!

PinkFloydFan.Net has mega info - read the Pink Floyd Story here.

"Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I"
-Pink Floyd, Learning to Fly

In an unfair fight my money is on the Wookie

Would you like to read a spoiler for the newest Star Wars movie, Revenge of the Sith? Don't know how official this is and it may be from the mind of a super Vader geek, but it's fun. This is supposedly a script synopsis by George Lucas, Plot Summary Starwars 3. Comes to us courtesy of SuperShadow. This is a really in depth Star Wars site full of information (plot summaries for 7,8, and 9?). All you Obiwanners and Sith wannabes! Let me know what you think - is it real or not?

Still haven't seen the trailer? It can be viewed here.

"Luke's just not a farmer, Owen. He's got too much of his father in him."
-Aunt Beru