Duality

Here at the beach house there was a love hate relationship concerning Apple in the early years of this blog. Then Apple changed in a positive fashion to their latest operating system based on FreeBSD. Shortly thereafter they switched to Intel processors. Their market share has more than doubled since making these wise changes. It's really not about the hardware though. They have always manufactured great products. Jobs finally decided to enter the mainstream of computerism.

The very first job I had in the industry was a salesman/tech for Apple. My disdain with things orchard started years ago when Steve Jobs made the claim that Apple was faster than PCs. Absurd and very undignified. This was during the Power PC chipset incarnation and hyper threading or dual core were not terms familiar to fanboys. Shucks, multi-tasking plumb evaded them. Now this is not to say that Apple computers weren't nice products. They were and are to this day. But fast as a PC?

Today the market has changed. No doubt a business can run on Apple networks, but it is far more cost effective to use the PC format. Heck, the cost of software alone is a huge savings. So, as technology evolves it'll be fun to watch this healthy competition. In the meantime, something new is learned every day about the iPad. An iPhone is a dream. Hope it comes true one day. But trade my Toshiba Qosmio laptop for a MacBook? That won't happen. I leave every morning armed with a PC and an iPad. You don't have to pick sides in this age old debate. It's okay to like both!

Random Thursday, 12th of July

Guess that makes tomorrow the 13th.

Yet to Come Part 2

Anyone can make predictions. The internet is informative and that's with a huge wow factor. But beware, not all info is correct. That said, let's look at some of the hubbub around the web;

TABLETS
Tablets are here to stay. For a while. The variety grows, hence competition boosts the quality and power factors through the roof.

No doubt Apple led the the way with the iPad. I own one. It was a gift last Christmas that rarely leaves my eyesight. Kudos to Apple marketing and their manufacturers. Nice delivery on the retail side and an excellent product. At Christmas Flash based media was a slight problem with Apple. Today, a shift has occurred and playing media problems are virtually history.

Apple has a few minor drawbacks. Why won't they let us replace the batteries? Price is somewhat a factor. Their proprietary interface cable could use some upgrading, like maybe a standard USB 3.0 which blows everything, including Firewire, away. I do like the current trend that the orchard seems to be moving away from Big Brother type control. A few days ago Apple made Chrome available for iPad. Haven't used Safari since, lol.

Android based tablets are on fire. A huge part of the cause is the Kindle Fire. This is a great tablet. At 200 bucks it's a steal. They will offer some new models before year's end hopefully reflecting their decent price marketing strategy. I know several techies that use the Toshiba tablets and hear nothing but praises of these devices. And Windows is busy taking things off the back burner of their tablet stove. Just wait, they won't be left out of this market.

SSDs

Solid State Drive. Say it with me and remember it, "Solid State Drive." They are not coming...they are here. There are two in this laptop. More about that later. One advantage to these drives really stands out. Can we say, "Screaming yellow zonkers fast?"

The next evolution in hard drive technology has many positive features. They have no moving parts so the heat factor is all but negated. You don't defragment SSDs. Very quiet devices that take up minimal space in a case. The market has grown competitive so prices are becoming more realistic. Many more features exist. Here is an idea of size difference.

That's a standard hard drive on the left and the SSD on the right. Quite a difference, huh? Also, the SSDs will fit most laptops that use SATA interfaces.

Why 2 SSDs in my laptop? One is a boot drive that runs Windows 7 Pro and essential software. The other is for downloads and MMO files. Also there is a 500GB 7200rpm external drive for data. The primary drive is a Plextor 128gb. The secondary is an Intel 120gb. The Intel drive was a gift several years ago and has performed perfectly. But, the Plextor was brought online a few months ago. Wow, fast? Please click on the Plextor link above.

The software that cloned the drive (Acronis) was easy to use and transferred everything is less than 15 minutes. That's right in 15 minutes, operating system and data! After fine tuning a few days, this laptop actually booted in 7-9 seconds! Since then I've changed the MBR and it boots in 20 seconds. Hey, toys? lol.

Just look at the specs in the two above links and it will help clear up doubts about speed and reliability. Here are some more links concerning SSDs:

Oops. No care about a deep gash in my leg? Oh well, more links tomorrow, stay casual. (Am I milking this or what?) Comments please.

Yet to Come Part 1

Several major changes will happen during the next 300-400 days. Well, this is all possible if the Mayans are/were wrong about December 21, 2012.

Windows 8 will be available at retailers in October.

The highly anticipated (for years now) Guild Wars 2 will crank up late August.

For some goofy reason beyond my power of understanding, Google will pull the plug on the iGoogle homepage November 1, 2013.

Flash will be out of the mobile business in a few months.

There will be 3 new models of the Kindle Fire arriving before the holiday sales.

A 7" iPad is now being developed in Brazil for some reason. It should be available before the end of year. Hey Tim Cook! Give those jobs to the legal citizens of the USA!

Mozilla has announced no further support of Thunderbird, a great email client. Simple solution - use GMail.

Hopefully, we will once again become a nation united. Sad that the socialist leaning incumbent is uniting the country under a banner of hate and disappointment - for him.

Tomorrow's Post: A few personal predictions about hardware trending in the near future. Be sure and catch my take on SSDs. Don't know about SSDs? Links will be there for your enjoyment and pleasure.

Music Monday - One of the Top 5

There are several live versions of this song on YouTube. Sometimes it's better to listen to the original and enjoy the wells of quality that always exist around some performers. Mr. Hall and Mr. Oates possess such talent. This is an all time favorite. Pretty, well recorded, beautiful lyrics, important message and really over the top. Take a few minutes and hear a classic:

Fallen and Almost Didn't Get Up

After a round of back problems and making a decision that I WOULD NOT have back surgery without a second opinion (that probably won't make any difference) several weeks have passed in a muscle relaxer stupor. After staying off the meds for a few days I was busy moving equipment around and tripped over an open computer case. If not squeamish the picture below shows the results. It starts at the bottom of my kneecap and continues down for about 9-10 inches. Pretty huh? Eat your heart out Gwyneth Paltrow, Mila Kunis, Naomi Watts and Kate Beckinsale! After tearing it open at the top again on Saturday, I am off my feet for a few days to let this knit back together.

Most of my life I've been a blessed man and not suffered a great deal physically. Of course some that know me seem to think the same is not true when applied to the mental aspect. On occasion I am bothered by an old wound that hinders walking a bit, but other than the blood pressure/stroke problems down through the years that have been controlled by meds most of the time, it hasn't been that bad. That said, the last few years have been hell.

One malady after another. Yes I am familiar with whine mode, turbo whine mode, and warp whine mode. Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, let me tell ya that warp whine can be found at the beach house most any time of the day or night. If you drive by don't think those horrible sounds you hear are the neighborhood possum, Sid, whuppin' up on a cat or dog. Just might be me trying to stand up, roll over in bed or tie my shoes.

K, dropping out of warp back to normal. Hey, it's not all bad. I have lost over 50 pounds! You know, sometimes you just have to accentuate the positive...

TS, n Hey it's Good News

Ashy has put up a K Dragons server for TS. Please do a search on the server list and you can sign in with no problem. It's awesome. TY for the help!

Teamspeak Trauma

K, the mobo, video card, another NIC plus the 2nd SCSI card are toast. Working on bringing the back up server online. It'll be assembled and brought online AFTER bills are paid. Also, it's time someone else spent money for high speed broadband and do the maintenance. I don't want it at the beach house anymore.

Maybe I'm Amazed

He's 70 years old today.

Up

The Teamspeak Server is online. Parts arrived late from Memphis and cured the problem.

TS Parts are Ordered

Parts have been shipped and should arrive tomorrow. Will keep you posted. My cry yesterday for relief from the anxiety revolving around this crisis has been ignored. Fighting to overcome a bad case of food poisoning stacked on top of broken lawn mowers, a severe case of lackodefundsitis, the damned VA Administration, two servers that are benched and not cooperating, a cell phone that is still not quite up to par, plus phone calls about Teamspeak are all combining to send my blood pressure through the roof. Will take an additional dose of Clonidine midday and if my sight does not improve, it's time for hospital.

Yes, I am grouchy. I don't feel good. Again, I truly think prayer helps. Hope everyone has "a better than expected day" (one of my favorite quotes from EdC).

Your Attention is Noted

Believe me, I am sooooo aware the TS server is down. I have been working on it since the lightning strike/power outage yesterday. Running out of replacement parts and really, really frustrated. Please quit calling me!!!!!!!! I am disgusted with myself, my life, the weather, etc. Don't call and don't come here. Let me rest for a while then regroup. Your good intentions are noted, but it's my problem and I am just before blowing a fuse. Remember all the BP and stroke problems I've experienced in the past 18 months? Don't add to it. Instead, pray for me.

Disappearing Numeric Keypad

Need some help folks. Using a Dell keyboard (KB212B) with Vostros 230s and 260s. Intermittently, the numeric keypad fails. Then, just as mysteriously it starts working. This is on multiple machines. All these PCs are under a year old. I have literally spent hours scouring Google and Dell. All I get is positive reviews about this keyboard. No one even mentions this problem. Well, I haven't found it referenced, yet. Any insight will be most welcome. May end up having to contact Dell directly. C'mon, help my hair stylist or barber if you prefer. At this rate she won't see me show up because I am busy pulling all my hair out.

Music Monday - Love it

Bear with it. The music is awesome. You'll be glad you tuned in...

If it's Not Too Dear

Made it. Actually got up at 7:30AM and mowed about 2/3 an acre with push mower. LOL, chest pains were anxiety stuff. Thanks for concern. Phone is working, but battery life short. Gmail (aka email), Google Talk, TS, etc.

It is GREAT to be alive and in Mississippi!!! Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes n stuff.

Phone Stuff

K, phone is working. Sorta', kinda'. It's a V5 (maybe even V3) Razr that had the dust blown off it. Have jiggled the iPad charge cord enough to get about half a charge. So some things are better. I think.

Just to mention in passing, chest pains are bothering me. Hope it's anxiety from all the recent frustration. Really want to make it alive until at least 4:40AM tomorrow. That way Music Monday has meaning, lol.

Phone and iPad

Latest cell phone has been a Samsung. I really like it. It was a gift and had some really nice features, accessories, etc. Well, yesterday as equipment was being carried in from the truck I dropped it. Didn't realize this had happened until a few hours later. It was in a case, but moisture does strange things to electronics. Wiped off, shaken and put back together it worked until late last night. It quit suddenly. Makes me sick. Blackberry style phone that was pristine. No scratches, all buttons worked and the range was great. Now I am desperately trying to find an old phone to replace it.

Anyway, please contact me by email and I will update here when phone connectivity is back in working order. Sheesh! When does it stop? Just found out the charging cord for my iPad is kinked and it won't charge. Guess saying 'when it rains it pours' is redundant at this time. Hope the Walmart sells replacements...

EDIT: Folks, I have around 4% charge on my iPad and am having a hard time finding that Apple charge cable at a decent price. If it's a TRUE emergency I can use the iPad to talk briefly. Every time I receive a call that app is a pig. Please email, am trying to check it every hour.

EDIT2: Teamspeak is online.

Monday Music - Relevant the 10th

Concerning Antivirus and PDF

Are you aware that McAfee was arrested? No, not for writing the most overated antivirus program. Seems the local political machine in Belize, where he now resides and works, was mad because he wouldn't give up the cash to their henchmen. It's all vague at this time. One nice thing about this article is that it not only explains the McAfee antivirus history; it also will relieve you to know that Intel bought the company several years ago. Maybe it will go back to being a worthwhile investment. John McAfee opted out it several years ago after selling the company to Network General in 1997.

IMHO, McAfee and Reader (Acrobat), written by Adobe, are the most overated software offerings in history. Drop Reader and go Nitro PDF. Yes it's a freebie and no I am not responsible if you download it and trash your machine. Adobe Reader seems to be gradually pulling back their funtionality which indicates it may end up off the freeware lists. We shall see...

Random Thursday - Utility Tablet

She: Papa, I meant to ask you .. how are you getting along with the new iPad we gave you for your birthday?
He: Good!
She: And you're clear about all the apps?
He: Excuse me ...
He: ... What's wrong?



ROFL!

Hope to start back with a Random Thursday post. We shall see...

Slowhand? LOL

Sith Academy of Medicine

Welcome is a lie!

Sorry about the temporary disappearance. I should resume normal ramblings next week. A new feature will be a daily update about Veterans Administration health care. Problems seem never ending. At this point in time I am ready to believe they are trying to kill me. Their ongoing policy of hatefulness, lies, deceit and general ineptitude is enough to frustrate the most laid back individuals on this planet. I loathe and abhor VA Memphis. They are the rudest, crudest non-professionals ever encountered. Hitler and his henchmen may still be alive and doing well with their headquarters at VA Hospital Memphis.

This has been an ongoing battle for years. For the 4th time I got up and walked out. Well, there won't be a 5th time. Rudeness shall be dealt with appropriately and I am going to return insult for insult. Don't you find it amazing that veterans are treated so shabbily? God help the returning veterans that have to endure this bunch of fools. VA Memphis should be closed and everyone re-routed to other facilities. They are the despot of health care.

My last week of posts were prescheduled to launch so you can imagine the time spent trying to obtain decent health care. It's a crying damn shame my life is at the edge of psychotic breakdown because I served in the military. This included 2 years in Vietnam. It sucked. It still sucks. And I have had enough!!

The Lion Awakes

Finally a movie about C.S. Lewis that gets it right.

Random Thursday - For Lily

Today's video is rather unique. It was written for the actress that is Snow White in the soon to be released movie Mirror, Mirror. It is performed and penned by her father. This tune was part of the feature animated Disney film, Tarzan. It's possibly my favorite Phil Collins offering. Fathers and Mothers everywhere give a listen:



"Come stop your crying
It will be all right
Just take my hand
Hold it tight

I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry

For one so small,
You seem so strong
My arms will hold you
Keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry

[Chorus]
'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more

You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart, always

Why can't they understand
The way we feel?
They just don't trust
What they can't explain
I know we're different but,
Deep inside us
We're not that different at all

[Repeat Chorus]

Don't listen to them
'Cause what do they know?
We need each other
To have, to hold
They'll see in time
I know

When destiny calls you
You must be strong
I may not be with you
But you've got to hold on
They'll see in time
I know
We'll show them together

[Repeat Chorus]

Oh, you'll be in my heart (You'll be here in my heart)
No matter what they say (I'll be with you)
You'll be here in my heart,
I'll be there always
Always

I'll be with you
I'll be there for you always
Always and always
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
I'll be there always"
~Phil Collins

Rurik's Sword

Good news for Guild Wars fans. The long awaited Guild Wars 2 is near. Check out this offer on the official Guild Wars 2 site: Collector's Edition. This will be made available on April 10th and is a pre-order. Still, the official site is showing us pictures of game media and containers. Here's more info about the latest offering - GuildWars2PC. Fingers crossed.



"The only nice thing about being imperfect is the joy it brings to others."
Doug Larson

It's Spring!

Vernal equinox. The daylight equals the same amount of hours as the nightime. Flowers bloom, weather warms and you might hear the crack of a bat at the local baseball diamond. Enjoy the mild temperatures. Summer is just around the corner.

"A little Madness in the Spring
Is wholesome even for the King."
~Emily Dickinson

Music Monday - Phil and Company

Up tempo, makes you wanna boogie.



Soft, complex and so soulful.



“Music has the power to move a person between different realities: from a broken body into a soaring spirit, from a broken heart into the connection of shared love, from death into the memory and movement of life. Music has the power to touch the heart of a child with God."
~Lane

Beach House Update

I am a whiner. Health issues turn me into a complete nuisance and utter bore. After several weeks of misery and anxiety attacks it looks like life may be returning to its sub-normal state. One issue that has bothered me is eyesight. It's hard to be happy plagued with multiple problems, but there is light at the end of the tunnel presently and I can see it.

Thanks out to everyone for their prayers and well wishes. Thanks to all for their patience with me. My major goal is finishing several projects in the coming week. Diligence is in play. No matter the obstacles, 2012 has to be a better year. God help me with health and age issues. Voters please help me with stress issues by voting NObama out of office come November.

"I asked my doctors if I'd be able to play singles tennis and they said I could. That made me very happy since I haven't played in five years."
~Walter Cronkite

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

"I think it frets the saints in heaven to see
How many desolate creatures on the earth
Have learnt the simple dues of fellowship
And social comfort, in a hospital."
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Random Thursday - Cowboys...Still Kewl

My Dad loved westerns. He could talk to you about Shakespeare and loved the Histories. The tragic and comedic were okay. But, he loved the factual. I remember he laughed at me because I liked Star Trek. Card board sets and all. The question from me was, "Dad, is the story really that different?"



"But each day brings its petty dust our soon-choked souls to fill, and we forget because we must, and not because we will."
~Matthew Arnold

It has been an interesting week. Health issues, life, the universe and everything have taken a small toll. Things are better and I hope to resume my standard anything but normal approach. Bear with me folks, I haven't given up hope. In the meantime, stay casual. Oh yes, please vote today. NObama must go in November.

Music Monday - Shekinah Glory

Rock! Love! Listen! Celebrate!

GW2 Warior

Looked at Your Desktop Lately?

Owning a computer has many benefits. It helps you organize. It informs you. It creates structure that helps accomplish goals. It remembers things. This list can continue extensively. Healthy computers do a better job. Got your attention? Okay, huge secret about to be revealed -> Healthy computing is mandatory. Yes mandatory. Nothing about this is optional.

You are using your computer to help organize vital work. Don't do it sloppily. Put things in order. A cluttered desktop is chaotic and somewhat disturbing. Well, to me, anyway. Don't put executable (.exe) files on your desktop. Instead make a shortcut to the file and let it do its job from the "home" file.

Don't save to the desktop. Let me repeat. Don't save to the desktop. Create a download file or shortcut to the resident Windows download file and save downloaded stuff there. If working on a project create a work folder and then put a shortcut on the desktop, NOT the folder.

Using massive amounts of documents? Save them in your documents folder. I will include a documents folder inside a project sometimes. A name like 'Mike's PDF' helps me remember where info is stored. This not only unclutters a desktop, but prevents accidental deletions.

Try the Quick Launch taskbar for standard functions used often like web browsers, VOIP, web cams, etc. The included screen shot is my Qosmio laptop. This machine is a constant companion and must stay organized. Many times network problems need quick resolution. Can't afford time to sit and wonder, "Where did I put that voodoo network thangy I downloaded?" I know where it is located.

Even though multitasking is entirely possible I try to keep the amount of Windows opened at one time to a minimum. If you want to check email often use a gadget that tells you when you have mail. Don't leave the Window open. It's eating resources. Memory is tasked and this slows down a machine in a huge way. So get in the habit of opening and closing items as you need them. Trust me, this will make you and your computer happy.

Desktops have been touched briefly here today. It's your machine. If you choose to live in a chaotic world so be it. Just remember that with the advent of Vista and Windows 7 computer problems have been easier to control and not that prevalent anymore. Yes, I know there are times when you want to pull your hair out and blame the machine or Windows. Calm down, look at your desktop chaos storm and remember you are in charge. The machine has no AI capability...yet. Oh yes, please restart your machine at least once a day. More on that later.

This is so brief and barely skims the surface. If anyone has input please click on the word comments below and let us know. This is what works for me and many people I know. You may have another way or a better way to organize a desktop. Inquiring minds n all that!

"Every man has a right to be wrong in his opinions. But no man has a right to be wrong in his facts."
~Baruch

Music Monday - Billy Shears

Selfish post today. Take a moment and listen to part of an album that changed music. This is awesome on sooooo many levels!!



"It was twenty years ago today,
Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play
They've been going in and out of style
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile.
So may I introduce to you
The act you've known for all these years,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,
We hope you will enjoy the show,
We're Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,
Sit back and let the evening go.
Sgt. Pepper's lonely, Sgt. Pepper's lonely,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
It's wonderful to be here,
It's certainly a thrill.
You're such a lovely audience,
We'd like to take you home with us,
We'd love to take you home.
I don't really want to stop the show,
But I thought that you might like to know,
That the singer's going to sing a song,
And he wants you all to sing along.
So let me introduce to you
The one and only Billy Shears
And Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
~The Beatles

GW2 Chatter

Since this was made available for embedding, you'll be able to watch it unless the owner wants it taken down. This is very well done and, believe me, I have spent some time reviewing Guild Wars 2 related YouTube videos. No doubt there will be a Mesmer character at the beach house. One will be created immediately after my Necromancer. It is a bit lengthy, but so much info!!! Really kewl work. Awesome stuff all the way to the end. Check it out:



Will give more info and subscription data after I obtain a real permission (and if one is secured). Okay, I am excited and think it will go retail soon.

"Quality is not expensive, it's priceless."
~Billy Wobblynife

Random Thursday - Shekinah

Last month the Hard Rock Cafe in Memphis stepped out of the norm and featured a Christian Rock group. This is the first song of the set titled 'Til Then. Shall we play a game? My brother Dan is in this video. Can you find him? Comments can be made by clicking on the word comments just below this post.



"The Christian is not one who has gone all the way with Christ. None of us has. The Christian is one who has found the right road."
~Charles L. Allen

Happy Leap Day!

"Never underestimate your problem or your ability to deal with it."
~Robert H. Schuller

iPad 2 Update

Apple iPad 2 is a favorite trade item online. Seems everyone is getting ready for the iPad 3 release next week. Not me. Sticking with the iPad 2 at the beach house. Received this nice tablet for Christmas and have spent two months exploring the world of computer tablets.

This is a wonderful device. It has many apps and more become available daily. I can monitor networks, make free phone calls, surf the web, watch videos, securely store passwords, listen to music, check GMail, even post here. This list goes on and on. There's even a dB meter that will test the surrounding noise levels. The reminder app has helped me regain a hold on tasks and accomplishments.

It feels good in your hands. It's light, thin and proving to be durable. After learning the basics of iPad usage the navigation is a snap. The virtual keyboard is still a slight problem, but it's apparent my clumsiness has a chance of disappearing. Besides, it's much larger than any cell phone keyboard.

Once again all my PC friends can make 'fanboy' jokes. Let me be the first to say that having a tablet of any kind is a bonus. Folks that use Kindle and Android report positive experiences. Thank goodness my friends chose to bless me with an iPad 2. I've learned more than how to use a tablet.

"Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything."
~Wyatt Earp

Music Monday - Riley B

Bruce seems laid back in the presence of legends. Don't be fooled. Mr. Willis can wear a mouth harp (aka harmonica) out! Take a few minutes and listen to BB and Billy (aka the 5th Beatle, no kidding!) Both may have a little bit of age, but you sure can't tell it in their playing and vocal skills.



"A talent somewhat above mediocrity, shrewd and not too sensitive, is more likely to rise in the world than genius."
~Charles Horton Cooley

Bug Squashing

SuperAntiSpyware has been running on the beach house laptop for several weeks. Manual settings are in use so a closer eye can be kept on updates, scans, results, healing, etc. So far it's all good. It is finding some tracking infections that Malwarebytes and SpyBot S&D either missed or chose to ignore.

During the rebuild of the desktop Microsoft Security Essentials will be used. Lot of chatter around the net about this protection suite. Most of it is positive. Windows Defender will be used as well and a report at a later date will show up. Opinions? If you like or dislike this software please clue me in by clicking on comments below. Need your input.

"A problem clearly stated is a problem half solved."
~Dorothea Brande

GW2 Beta Test

Today seven members of the Kudzu Dragons Guild qualified for the Guild Wars 2 beta test. Congrats out to Penitendagon, Forest, Laxen, Apoc, Eli, Ashy plus Maskull. Now, if there are any other KD members that have gotten an acknowledgement from NCSoft please step forward and let us know. Rob n JK - bet y'all are there too! Wouldn't it be nice if we could all participate in the same instances as a team? If you receive an invitation and are allied or a member of the Kudzu Dragons Guild please indicate in the brief questionnaire that you are a PvE player. That will stop PvP invitations. Personally, they'd wear me out in Player versus Player.

Guild Wars 2 has been many years in development. Several Guild members have left to play World of Warcraft (WoW), which I've tried, and Star Wars The Old Republic (SWTOR), which I haven't tried. Some will return. One great attraction of Guild Wars and GW2 is that you purchase the game and then play. There are no monthly fees. Most of the popular MMORPG games, including the two mentioned above, cost 15 bucks per month to play. That's $180.00 annually. Shucks, that much money will buy a lotta' groceries.

For further info please visit the following sites:

Guild Wars

Guild Wars 2

"It is the child in man that is the source of his uniqueness and creativeness, and the playground is the optimal milieu for the unfolding of his capacities and talents."
~Eric Hoffer

Fat Tuesday

Ever wonder about this Mardi Gras thing? It's a let your hair down party that is a last day of indulgence before the start of Lent. Lent? A period of penance and prayer before Easter. Among other activities King Cakes are part of this annual celebration. Talk about a sugar coma! Grand dessert that traditionally had a baby Jesus figurine in it and the person that finds it supposedly is blessed with luck for a year. To learn more about King Cakes visit NOLA.com

With the advent of the ridiculous dumbasses suing McDonalds because the coffee they clumsily spilled was hot (can i get a big well, DUH right here?), the figurine is now packaged separately in most cakes. You know the person that sued Mickey Ds with the coffee spill is a village idiot, but the damn judge and lawyer should be tarred and feathered then shot into the sun on a rocket or, at the very least, sacrificed to a volcano. Back to the subject, King Cakes come in many flavors. I favor...hmmmm....all of them! Blueberry may be the best, but raspberry is also tasty. Wait, the apple rocks too. So does the lemon. And the strawberry. Just try one, you'll like it!

Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday. The celebration goes back to the time when the Romans embraced Christianity and incorporated a pagan festival into the Roman Catholic rites. Mardi Gras came to America in 1699 with the French explorer Iberville. Mardi Gras had been celebrated in Paris since the Middle Ages, where it was a major holiday. Iberville sailed into the Gulf of Mexico, from where he launched an expedition up the Mississippi River. On March 3 of 1699, Iberville had set up camp on the west bank of the river 60 miles south of where New Orleans is today. This was the day Mardi Gras was being celebrated in France. In honor of this important day, Iberville named the site Point du Mardi Gras.

The center of activities is New Orleans. Needless to say the town is jumping with a Carnival atmosphere. Used to love going, but that was in my younger days. BTW, a word to the wise: If you think you can attend and drink like a fish or act like a pagan please stay home. The NOPD will put your silly butt in jail if you don't obey the law. That said, if you have never been it is interesting. Not for the prudish though.

Mardi Gras is followed by Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of Lent. Holy Saturday is April the 7th this year and will conclude the fasting period. The huge festivity that takes place in New Orleans every year has garnered world wide acclaim. Gambinos is the baker's standard when it comes to King Cakes. They ship overnight and I can certainly testify their product holds up during the trip to your table. The cake pictured at the very beginning of this post is a Gambinos. If in North Mississippi, Kroger supermarkets usually stock these goodies this time of year. Hurry though, they sell out!

Wow, now I must go have another cup of Mello Joy coffee and finish my breakfast grilled cheese sandwich. Shucks, I might even have two.

"Never celebrate until you are really out of the woods. They might be behind the last tree."
~Billy Wobblynife

Music Monday - Tishomingo County Native

Home will always be Tishomingo County. While I have many friends here, something there calls to me. There's a need for Iuka Mineral Springs, Belmont, Woodall Mountain, Bear Creek (great canoeing), Burnsville, Paden, the Big Ditch, Haynes Lake, Cripple Deer Creek (where I saw my first snake ever - a cottonmouth), Coleman State Park, Pickwick Lake, etc. Always good to remember all the old joys. Being able to visit my Father's grave and make sure it is in good shape will ease my Mother's mind. There are times I visit the cemetery and talk to him.

But the huge draw is the people. You step back and remember the laughter of good friends sitting on the veranda or a dinner on the ground after church on Sunday. There's a different attitude in this quiet NE corner of Mississippi. People are genuine. Today's music is an example of all these things mentioned. Big Mac is a state treasure for sure.. He comes from Belmont and is said by many to be the nicest guy in Nashville. Relax a few minutes and listen to the short funny story then crank it up and listen to guitar work that will astound you.



The originator of the You Tube post misspelled the song's title. The correct spelling is Little Martha. Thanks Mac for sharing the joy. Thanks David Neal for the tremendous link. Love you brother. N you too CC!

"None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson



NOTE: Please keep Ashy (Jim) in your prayers. His recent hospital stay helped, but he is still visiting the emergency room and has made several trips to the doctor.

Saturday at the Beach House

Spent the better part of today replacing a router at the beach house. At first it seemed that a quick swap had worked. Due to port forwarding and triggering a second router was used. Not a waste of money though. The router used in the first attempt will be converted into a needed access point repeater.

The use of a second and different router was necessary due to intricate settings for the VOIP known as Teamspeak. Recently, a power surge destroyed a very solid server that has been the home of this great communications platform. After much girlyman crying and whining the service has returned. It was all good then the router started to slowly die. At the end I was restarting it every 10 minutes or so. This is a 24/7 service and is physically hosted in our computer lab by the new and improved server. Restarting a router every few minutes is not an option.

It has been replaced with a DD-WRT router gifted to the cause by Ashy. Another great rescue. TYVM Ashy. The beach house intranet has a few glitches, but further calibration should tweak it to maximum. The Teamspeak system is gosh darn awesome. Oh yes, if you are a member of our Teamspeak family please upgrade your client software to the latest version. If you are considering using a DD-WRT modified router being strong willed, having the ability to read and maybe some Xanax all help. This is not for the faint of heart.

Life is full of mysteries. One that never ceases to amaze me is how I can plan a little 'me' time and the world will just not tolerate it, lol.

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
~Thoreau

Luddite at the Beach House?

Texting is a way of life and many folks embrace it. Luddite here. Some phones need to have a huge magnifying glass shipped with them. Okay, if you intend a phone keyboard for usage as a means of data input then why make it so small? Two fingers can cover my WHOLE keyboard. I mean literally. God blessed me with large hands and I like them, yes I do. My present Samsung phone is super otherwise. Great battery, range and clarity. Thank you MJ. The iPad virtual keyboard is much easier but still no substitute for a full size QWERTY board. Okay, getting off on a tangent. Back to a phone's primary purpose.

If you think you are too busy or too good to hold a conversation on the phone with me then why even consider my resources? I spend more time answering text messages by email every day, because people won't answer phone calls. Returned a call one day and instead of answering the phone, they sent a text -> 'Wht u need?' This time I did text back -> 'Absolutely nothing.' Then I enjoyed the rest of the day listening to and singing along with an Edwin Starr hit from the 70s. Say it again y'all! (insert evil grin here)

Yes, there are times when text messages are needed. If I am under a desk or in an attic pulling cable my phone is usually left with my tools. This is a habit I acquired that prevents wasted hours trying to find a cell phone in an attic full of insulation. Did it twice. And contrary to what some folks have posted here, I do answer phone calls. If you call from an unidentified number I won't answer. But I will call back. It's a phone spam thangy. On the rare occasion I don't call back to an unknown number leave a text that helps with identity. In other words mention your name.

Other day a local number flashed on caller ID. It hadn't been identified. I was extremely busy working and ignored it. Then a text came in -> 'Dude, this is Josh (aka Joss) Whedon and buying laptop for the Firefly biz office. Need ur help.' Picked up the phone, saved his info and returned the call. Handy usage. He bought a really nice Toshiba BTW.

We all get busy. There is definitely a need for texting. Then there is a need to interact with voice communication at times. C'mon folks. Do you really think I can cure a computer problem by texting back and forth from a keyboard that was intended for fingers smaller than those of a large germ?

Please, can't we just all get along? Text me when you have to...call me when you need detailed info. K, I probably just wasted valuable time even writing this post. But, I feel better. My calm doesn't seem nearly as damaged.

"There is a limit at which forbearance ceases to be a virtue."
~Edmund Burke

Random Thursday - Ashy and a Tune

Ashy, glad your are home! Hope you feel better. Sounds like the brief hospital stay was a positive one! Nice to know you are laughing again. Besides, the Kudzu Dragons and others needed their proper Server Admin around to counteract my feeble attempt to TCB concerning Teamspeak.

If the song in this video sounds familiar then you probably watch Will, Stephanie and crew. They are part of a reality show on Discovery channel --> Sons of Guns. This is Tab Benoit performing their theme song:



"Quemadmodum gladius neminem occidit, occidentis telum est."
Translation: A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand.
~Seneca

Super Chrome Extension + Green Pig Nemesis

For the past two weeks I've used a utility (extension) that stops sites from tracking and gleaning personal info. This is a non obtrusive utility that sits in the top right corner of Chrome, the preferred browser of the beach house. It keeps track of who and what is invading privacy. At this moment it has liberated me from 1,902 attempts to track. Easy to use, informative tool. It is Do Not Track Plus. There are also versions for Safari, Internet Explorer, etc.

Please beware that you download at your own risk. Take care and make sure you READ and follow directions. Always read the privacy terms. Also, there is a free Chrome extension for Angry Birds. Have fun bombing green pigs (very addictive game). Love the sound.

"Did St Francis preach to the birds? Whatever for? If he really liked birds he would have done better to preach to the cats."
~Rebecca West

Here's another classic love song. If you feel these lyrics touch your heart about somebody, please, count yourself fortunate. And don't screw it up. Get that big box of chocolates.



LYRICS:
Changing my life, with your love, Has been so easy for you,
And I'm amazed, every day, and I'll need you.
'Til all the mountains are valleys, And every ocean is dry, my love.

I'll be yours until the sun doesn't shine, 'Til time stands still
Until the winds don't blow, When today is just a memory to me, I know.
I'll still be lovin, I'll still be lovin you. I'll still be lovin you.

Never before did I know, How lovin someone could be,
Now I can see, you and me, for a lifetime.
Until the last moon is rising, You'll see the love in my eyes, my love.

I'll be yours until the sun doesn't shine, 'Til time stands still,
Until the winds don't blow. When today is just a memory to me, I know.
I'll still be lovin, I'll still be lovin you.

I'll be yours until the sun doesn't shine, 'Til time stands still.
Until the winds don't blow. When today is just a memory to me, I know.
I'll still be lovin, I'll still be lovin you. I'll still be lovin you.

I'll still be lovin...I'll still be lovin'...I'll still be lovin you
I'll still be lovin...I'll still be lovin'...I'll still be lovin you....

"There are four basic food groups, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles."
~Billy Wobblynife

Music Monday - Hal Ketchum

Tomorrow is St. Valentine's Day. The following is a You Tube love letter. It incorporates a great romantic song. The video treatment is nice and the lyrics are shown. If your heart can be soft even for a moment lending an ear here might be a soulful experience.



"Love doesn't make the world go 'round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile."
~Franklin P. Jones

Sunday Afternoon Thoughts

K, with a mobo change plus other hardware replacement, the Teamspeak server is back online. Thanks to Elvis the Butler an Asus server motherboard was found. Still in need of an OS for the backup server and it will be finished. Presently, finishing the application and file server that was scheduled for December is the prime focus. Mr. Butler delivered a second motherboard that should finish this project. TYVM Elvis and you too Mrs. Elvis. There's also a network traffic shaping problem that should be resolved tomorrow evening. Rob, I haven't forgotten you either. Beach house stress level should be livable by week's end!

Several ppl have asked why don't I play WoW or SWTOR. Well, they both cost money. And at this moment I don't have any extra time. Besides, I am a guild leader in Guild Wars. It has been a somewhat rough ride, but I'm sticking. When Guild Wars 2 goes retail later this year, work and personal goals should be stable. So thank you for the offers. As work stabilizes Cybersouth should see some changes and then we'll spend some time gaming. A man's gotta' know his limitations. A man's gotta' know his priorities.

Ashy has a stress test and some sort of heart scan scheduled tomorrow. He's in a better mood since the heart cath was moved to the back burner. I am praying for him. Hope you are too. Nice to hear concerned folks care. TY Kristi, Felecia, David, Chris, Tina, Maryke, Dean, and others for your prayers. He's a good guy and needs our support.

"When life knocks you to your knees, and it will, why, get up! If it knocks you to your knees again, as it will, well, isn't that the best position from which to pray?"
~Ethel Barrymore

Letters, We Get Letters

Received a blasting email about yesterday's post. If you are a liberal and have thin skin it's probably a good idea not to visit here. If you have thick skin and understand all here is written with IMHO taken for granted then suit yourself. Oh yes, one other item; don't bother sending anonymous email. If you want to thrash me at least "man up" and use a name. Make one up, I don't care. Anonymous is now permanently deleted in GMail. A simple filter is used.

Several people have inquired about this site being rebuilt. When the beach house web server crashed it carried with it previous site templates. Chyna Moon gifted me with several banners or headers. The last one was favored by readers. They were all great. Chyna is one of the most talented people I know. The template can be re-constructed, but I am trying to find a backup of those headers. Have the original, seen above, and know that the others exist. May be on my Linux machine. Hope the massive links list is there too. People have asked that it be brought back. Working on it.

Current projects will be finished and then time will be spent on constructing 'CySo' again. Please put our friend Ashy in your prayers. He is hospitalized. Looks like a heart cath is on order for Monday. Please join me in asking God to watch over him. He's a super friend to many techs and others in North Mississippi. Have a great Saturday and if you are local stay warm!

"Opinions alter, manners change, creeds rise and fall, but the moral laws are written on the table of eternity."
~Lord (John Emerich Edward Dalberg) Acton

Baboons or Weasels? Or Both?

Harry Reid

We all know that idiots exist. You know the people that elected NObama. They can elevate their sub-standard mental profile by voting Republican in November and ousting this non-American, Muslim, teleprompter dependent that will climb a tree and lie when standing on the ground and telling the truth serves him better.

Nancy Pelosi

Why this renewed distress? Please go read an important article at The New American. Harry Reid is a baboon's ass. Two states I'll never visit again are Nevada and California. These are the citizens that elected Reid and Pelosi. Just plain nuts. And they probably have no shame. Most NObama people do not know the meaning of the word shame.

Don't like my attitude or what you read here? Then you have no business on this site. Take your liberal baboon worshiping goofball miserable self elsewhere. Oh yes, Nancy Pelosi is the stuff that Reid and his fellow apes fling on others.

God Bless America and all the God fearing Republicans. God help the dumbasses that support NObama.

"The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object."
~Thomas Jefferson
3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)

Random Thursday - Star Wars Revisited

Obiwan Kitten-nobe and Darth Furball.




Don't you pity the poor muggle mice in the surrounding area?



No Star Wars for a week?!?!?!?! Cruel Sith Lord!


"Cats don't like change without their consent."
-Roger Caras

Apps to PC, Over?

Ever wanted to run Android apps on your PC? PCWorld tells you about a new program that makes this possible. The software can be downloaded at the parent website which is BlueStacks. Simple, straightforward and is getting rave reviews. There is a huge caution. This program may still be in Alpha testing mode. There's some fog there. The Beta will be released soon. So download at your own risk. Works fine at the beach house.

EDIT: Dad gum it all. When this article was first drafted the Alpha was available. It's not now. While visiting the BlueStreak site it might behoove you to sign up for the Beta, especially if you are an avid Android user. Decided to leave this post up due to the interest in running Android apps on PCs.

Alas, there is no equal software for the iApple family of devices; iPhone, iPad, iPod, iDog, iCat, iBall, iHop (Wait, does this one belong in the list?), etc. Hey, this is meant with good humor. The beach house is very proud to own an uber iPad2. Yes, there is some good natured ribbing and teasing from my fellow PC users. Super Christmas gift and now a part of my daily life. Shucks, there has been a Mac running OSX on my network for almost 6 years. Loving some iPad!

Actually the iApple apps can be run on a PC using PieceableViewer. IMHO, it's too expensive and the web page is a bit confusing to me. Creating a virtual machine inside Windows 7 has possibilities using iOS, but the beach house is emulating a laid back status and such an effort might bruise the calm.

If you can add info or insight please feel free to post comments. Just click on the word comments below and speak your piece. This is Dock the pseudo fanboy signing out. Hope this helps!

"Part of the inhumanity of the computer is that, once it is competently programmed and working smoothly, it is completely honest."
-Isaac Asimov

WiFi

Everyone is doing wifi nowadays. With the proliferation of laptops, tablets, smart phones and other wireless devices, the need for a good signal is important. There is an abundance of great routers out there. If your budget can handle it the Cisco E4200 is a really slick piece of equipment. Have one on the bench testing it and like this machine. The N300 and N450 Belkin units are by far the easiest to install and great buys with bargain prices.

The offerings are vast and prices vary. A very informative article can be found at PCMag. This is a top 10 wireless router picks post. While I don't agree with a few of their choices, this is an excellent place to start research on your wifi purchase. Hope this helps.

"During my eighty-seven years I have witnessed a whole succession of technological revolutions. But none of them have done away with the need for character in the individual or the ability to think."
~Bernard M. Baruch (1870 - 1965

Music Monday - Same Song Different Version

Soft, Silky, Warm and Dreamlike:



Souful, Raw and at the Rock/Blues Edge:



Country, can you feel the pain? Still a good version:



Opinions? I like 'em all.

"Music is a discipline, and a mistress of order and good manners, she makes the people milder and gentler, more moral and more reasonable."
~Martin Luther (1483 - 1546)

Pirillo the Thrillo

One of my favorite sites is Lockergnome. It has been around for a long, long time. This is an in depth, informative, easy to navigate page. It is Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, etc., friendly. This awesome site is a brainchild of Mr. Chris Pirillo. Chris was the host of Tech TV's Call for Help for a while. He's a wild man. Dude has an enormous amount of energy. Search you tube for videos and find out why I mention this fact.

He has a gadget for iGoogle and probably many other web portals. This site is an every day stop. Lockergnome is legend. Massive amount of data concerning an eclectic feast of things techno. Recently he posted a very good article about backing up your data. It's a what, where and why type of post. Check it out at Lockergnome back up article. Or check out another great article -> Teamspeak 3 Tips.

"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man."
~Elbert Hubbard, The Roycroft Dictionary and Book of Epigrams, 1923

Inspirational Christian Music, Heathens are Welcome

Another repeat post worthy of being heard the second time. Life has been beset with burdens that have seemed daunting for a few years now. Believe me folks hearing this powerful music is inspirational:



I think that on April, 22, 2011, God looked down on His child, smiled, and knew He'd blessed this troubled world through her talent.

"A man with God is always in the majority."
~John Knox

Small Light at Tunnel's End?

Yes, there's a nerd inhabiting the beach house. Multiple computers online, iPad at the ready, jump drive on a lanyard around my neck, a mega hacked wifi router, shirt pocket protector with backups at the ready, closet and clothes hamper full of geek t-shirts, lotsa' cargo shorts and sneakers, no cable TV, but the highest tier of cable internet service. The Big Bang Theory on CBS, Thursday night, 7:00pm Central time via off-air antenna is a favorite at the beach house. Watching this show provokes LOL, ROFL and ROFLMAO.

Hope no one ever looks through the window and finds a fat old geek laughing heartily and no one else is in the room. Can we say Funny Farm? Think about it. When was the last time you were alone and actually laughed out loud? A current project is cleaning up the computer graveyard that has taken over my home. It's slow, but progress is being made. All that can be done at times is laugh about how and why this happened: A mind is a terrible thing...to waste.

There's a bandwidth allocation problem with a local client that seems to be grasping at resolution possibly even as early as next week. This has been a long tedious battle, but nice folks get the uber effort. After this is accomplished work begins on rebuilding their Blade 2900 dual Xeon server and bringing it online within the existing network. This machine can walk the dog, compact the trash, and vacuum the floor simultaneously.

I've had a friend's backup gaming machine for a year and have had it ready to go twice. My obsessive compulsive nature freaked it out because the cable routing inside the case didn't suit me and the correction effort took out a hard drive, etc. Another time my window air conditioner went ka-blamm and blew grease everywhere including all over the case of this machine. Have new case and hope to finish it in the next few days. Please pray for me.

There is a file server still being tuned for delivery. It was supposed to be online in December of last year. It will be benched again tomorrow. This Server will go on the network of one of my great friends. All the delays make me feel like a geek failure. But, I will finish it. It will also run like a dream machine. There is the constant problem with Murphy's Law when it comes to the Teamspeak Server. Again, on the bench tomorrow.

All these tasks shall be completed unless death takes me. Speaking of that, last week saw major stress. My blood pressure gave way to the craziness. No more out of control like that - really don't need to stroke out again. Slap me around, kick my fat butt, but please don't try the guilt trip thangy. My aversion to coercion is notorious. And please vote Nobama out of office come November.

On top of all this, trying to get my truck repaired and running is akin to making peace between Israel and Palestine. Not having wheels sucks! K, enough of the warp whine. It's time to take medication and look at pretty lights on the battery powered whirligig I carry in my laptop backpack. This one is green in color. Don't believe me? If I have my laptop with me, and most of the time I do, it is easy to put it on display. And no, you can't have it. My toy!

Peace out.

"I look to the future because that's where I'm going to spend the rest of my life."
~George Burns

Random Thursday - Shawn Sings

Long time Shawn Colvin fan here. Haunting. It is an interesting observation:



"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins."
~Benjamin Franklin

Beach House Needed Item

Does anyone know where these can be purchased?

"If it weren't for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn't get any exercise at all."
~Joey Adams