The Reschedule Dance

Due to unseen circumstances our LAN party over the weekend is rescheduled for later in the month. We will still gather and have joyous nerd fun in a few weeks. Please contact me if interested in attending. We have the capability of a 20 user group so if you are a GuildWars gamer or just want to hang out with techno geekos let me know. A good time will be had by all!

"Now I got quarters in my loafers tryin to fight inflation
When it only used to take a cent
Sometimes I wish I was back in my crashpad days
fore I knew what cash flow meant"
-Jimmy Buffett

Holiday Approaching

Slow news day for tech stuff. Dictionary.com word of the day was interesting, explicate means 'to explain'. For sci-fi fans, it looks like Babylon 5 may return to TV. Peter Jackson is going to remake Dambusters. How about getting on with the Hobbit movie?

It's cool out and nice to experience the quiet sans air-conditioner. Sleep seems better too. We need rain. The ground is like a rock. Glad the weather has changed and the highs are now in the 80s.

Yes, quotes this week are from Jimmy Buffett tunes in honor of the holiday this weekend. Labor Day tends to indicate that outdoor activities will cease for the year or go inside. Buffett is ideal for cookout background music. Be sure and enjoy a 'Cheeseburger in Paradise' this weekend.

"got a head full of feelin higher
And an ear full of patsy cline
There is just no one who can touch her
Hell, Ill hang on every line
Oh, crazy how things happen, its incredible but true
The longer Im gone the closer I feel to you"
-Jimmy Buffett

Laptop Preview

Two of my favorite things about the internet are Google and free online literature, as in books. Now the two are combining. Read about it at BBCNews. Gosh, Google has been busy this week! Check out this article Google to target software market. It's also at BBCNews.

Interested in as great laptop buy? The HP dv5224nr, available through BestBuy, will be at the beach house over the weekend and it'll be reviewed next week. This unit is under the $1000.00 mark and has some NICE features. You can look it up on the HP site.

Got to hit the trail. Stay cool.

"People are movin' so quickly.
Humor's in need of repair.
Same occupations and same obligations,
they've really got nothing to share,
like drivin' around with no spare."
-Jimmy Buffett

Memory and Sleep Aid

Found an interesting article about swap files aka paging files aka virtual memory files. These are various names of hard disk space used for memory mimicry when your real memory has been consumed. Good answers are found in the comments after the article (scroll down). Go to Slashdot and read How Much Virtual Memory is Enough? With the trend to go 1GB and above for memory you might want to rethink old ratios used to answer this question. Yes, you can let Windows manage it. Some folks think that Windows manages too much. Confused? Okay, let me tell you about the latest possum activities around the beach house.

Arnold, opossumus germanicus austriabodicus, welcomed a new dog to the neighborhood last night. In the aftermath it became apparent he rushed down a tree and stopped the constant yapping of a small terrier by terrorizing it in a most efficient way. Rolling out of bed to see why all the barking I heard the yapping turn to yelping which then became more distant as the dog retreated down Water Street. Using my trusty flashlight I walked out on the veranda and saw Arnold scurrying back up the tree. Shining the light down the street I saw the little dog standing there trying to turn the yelps back into barks. After a few minutes back in bed all the noise stopped and the dreams returned. Nice to have a watch possum.

"Cause I'm livin' on things that excite me,
Be they pastries or lobsters or love;
I'm just tryin' to get by being quiet and shy,
In a world full of pushin' and shove."
-Jimmy Buffett

Changes in Attitudes n Latitudes

Just took a few days off to recover from some HBP problems and the world went crazy. There's only eight planets in the solar system now according to some nutjobs that need help with their slack time. These dingbats decided that Pluto is no longer a planet. Screw 'em. It is "grandfathered in" in my opinion . The Emmy Awards were televised last night and Conan O'Brien hosted. Didn't watch it, but it seems he had Bob Newhart in an airtight container. Scotland is all aflame because Keith Richards smoked a cigarette on stage last week during a concert. Seems the Scots take this public smoking ban seriously. C'mon! This is Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones. That's like asking one of the Manning boys not to touch a football. Speaking of the Manning boys, they will lineup against each other on September the 10th. Not a pro football fan, but this game will be watched at the beach house. Who am I pulling for? Well, Payton didn't go to Ole Miss and Eli did. Outta here. Cruise Monday and welcome Tuesday.

"Oh, yesterdays are over my shoulder,
So I can't look back for too long.
There's just too much to see waiting in front of me,
and I know that I just can't go wrong"
-Jimmy Buffett

And Now For Something Completely Insane

Scenario: You are away and a window is unlocked. A sleazy individual knows it's open and proceeds to come in and go through the house pilfering and gathering personal information about your bank account, finds out all about credit card transactions, goes through your personal belongings and places his mark of felony on your property. He leaves the window unlocked while leaving, but makes it appear secure. This is so he can return at any time and perform other unholy invasions. How would you feel?

The very sad thing is that you know this person. You have met him on several occasions and he discovered the open window because you let him. You think he's a swell guy and won't do harm. He may even seem helpful. His names are numerous. He's known as spyware, adware, thiefware, garbageware, badware, malware and his sole intent is to deceive and belittle you. Some of you even know he's bad and still let him enter and sift through your belongings.

Damn it folks, why are you using Yahoo? Claria, the jerks that bring us Weatherbug aka Weatherscope, Gator, and many other hideous forms of "adware" or whatever you call it, brags on their site about how Yahoo generates a large percentage of their revenue. 180Solutions partners with Yahoo as does eXact and several other "adware" companies. If I become Emporer of the Known Internet by some strange twist of fate today, Yahoo will cease to exist before nightfall. The "adware" companies will be shut down and I'll do my best to send all of them into the Sun.

Quit using this horrible site. Or if you like people browsing through your personal material by all means leave that window open. On occasion I've mentioned this in the past which has them visiting here every few days. They haven't confronted me so far because of their inherent nature that smells of sneakiness and cowardice. This much needed rant to open someone's eyes may change their wormy attitude.

Still not convinced? Take a look at these links:

Yahoo Called Spyware Pusher in Lawsuit

How Yahoo Funds Spyware

Yahoo Spyware Toolbar

Yahoo Plays Favorites with Spyware

Still blinded by the Yahoo light? As I Googled the phrase "Yahoo and Spyware" there were 32,500,000 hits listed. Don't like my selection? Pick out a few and gander at them. The above links were found on the first page of listings along with some links to Yahoo. Now if you keep using this junk and want me to work on your computer for $65.00 an hour please make note that removing this garbage is usually a process that requires several hours. Don't expect any mercy if your home page is My Yahoo. There is no quarter in this war against invasion of privacy. I'll keep you posted if the Yahoo or "adware" slobs harass me.

"Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. Most things are judged by their jackets."
-Gracian

New Small Country

Dizziness is down to a level where sight is functioning close to normal and even driving may be possible. My house has to be put in order, literally. It's never been this bad. It looks like Slobovia inside and out. There's the scrubbatubba wetlands region, stackodishes forest, vacuflooramora desert, takemoutgarbage mountains and this is being composed on the whinyboya coast. The national flag is a dirty sock; during the vote it barely beat out the dirty underwear.

There's a laptop on the bench and this has to be resolved today. Can't take it anymore. No one should work on a piece of equipment for months. At one time it seemed fine and was shelved as a repaired item. When the time came for customer pickup it completely laid down. No more laptops on the bench. That is over. FOREVER.

Since whine mode is prevalent it's time to stop posting. Really looking forward to tomorrow (it'll be Monday you know). Enjoy Sunday n stay outta da heat!

"It is easier to mend neglect than to quicken love."
-Saint Jerome

Blue Bell Banana Split Ice Cream Rocks!

After a mandatory slowdown and a change in meds it's hopeful speed will be back to normal next week. If this is an inconvenience please accept my MOST sincere apologies. I do NOT want to stroke out. Nor does my doctor desire such trauma and when he told me that yesterday he seemed concerned. I like the people at the Smithville clinic. Thank God I don't have to go to that sorry ass bunch in Memphis anymore. Have I mentioned lately that Memphis sucks?

Besides, I am looking forward to my new grandchild that is due to arrive next April. There will be pitter patter of little feet at both Beagle's and Verdana's house. My first one (Beagle n Mud's daughter - the Purple Giraffe) is such a joy and it thrills me to hear her say, "Big Daddy." She's pretty, smart and a happy child. When they smile and laugh a lot, the world is just right. She is a huge part of making the world spin round properly. Verdana, you take care and make sure Uncle Snake brings you all the pickles and Blue Bell Banana Split ice cream you need.

Well, must get busy and start the new exercise routine. I've lost 9 pounds, lol. Now for another 50! Maybe tomorrow the Saltillo Beach House will go back to posting about things computerese instead of personal things. Later.

"Any kid will run any errand for you if you ask at bedtime."
-Red Skelton

Whoa, Slow Down and Live

Thanks to those concerned about my recent absence. Your emails are most welcome. Nice to know that people care and are reading. There has been some health issues and trips to the doctor's office. It may be time to shift gears and lighten the workload as far as the extremely heavy stuff. I'll still pull cables, but may pass on extremely large jobs. The Home Theater installs are coming to a close. Finishing one now and hate it because the long days are taking a toll on my strength. A strict food regimen and daily exercise routine are sorely needed as is better time management.

Other circumstances have pulled me away as well and may continue to do so. Sometimes priorities need to be rearranged. Please pray for me to make good decisions.

"A man's gotta' know his limitations."
-Clint Eastwood

Good to Be Back

In the words of Jimmy Buffett, "I have dreamt some tremulous dreams." The venture to mow half the lawn at one time (the yard is a little over an acre) plus moving some stuff created a numbing backache that could receive the warp whine award of the year. Thank goodness there is Flexiril. Their motto should be 'it makes the pain go away and you lose a complete, whole day' or something like that. It also creates a hangover, but the pain no longer exists. So I had a day off, in bed, and I don't remember much except the dreams were about work, tremulous work.

It's time to get busy. Enjoy your weekend and pray for rain - we need it.

"One can write, think and pray exclusively of others; dreams are all egocentric."
-Waugh

Oh Hydrostatic Drive, Wherefore Art Thou?

Well the predicted temperature from yesterday was wrong. The National Weather Service at 2:53PM reported a scorching 105 degrees. Mowed half the lawn with a push mower today and hope to finish tomorrow. It rained while I was mowing. I have to repair the riding mower or a stroke or heart attack may cease my existence. Death will only ruin my already poor looks. Help me save the world from more ugliness. Donate a new John Deere, Cub Cadet, Craftsman, etc. today. Good night and good dreams...

"In summer, the song sings itself."
-William Carlos Williams (apparently never visited Mississippi in August)

Catfish are Jumpin' and the Cotton is High

There is a heat advisory for most of Mississippi today. The expected high is 101 degrees Fahrenheit and I have no idea what this is on that C scale and don't care. The humidity will be high and there ought to be a law to let people stay inside on days like today. If you don't have air conditioning, go somewhere that does. If you know of someone disabled or elderly do your duty as a human being and make sure they are not suffering.

Those that are working outside or in delivery vans that have no air conditioning have my sympathy. The people that own companies that buy non-air conditioned vehicles for commercial use in the Deep South should be shot. Let's see, we close down when it snows so why not when then temp is so high the asphalt boils!?!? Hardly ever hear of people freezing to death in this area, but odds are someone will die of heat stroke today. Hope not.

Sorry about not posting the past few days. Work has been hectic and bad lower back issues have had me wimpy. Everyone had a cool, comfortable day.

"Better a thousand times careful than once dead."
-Proverb

Stop Badware Coalition

Thank goodness there are people that are working in the right direction to cure the badware problem. Often folks have to be told that it is not financially feasible to remove badware, aka spyware, malware, thiefware, garbageware, dungware, etc. Sometimes PCs are infected so badly a registry hack and other voodoo rituals are needed to recover the PC.

By the time the computer is 'healed' the bench time is through the roof and the bill reflects it. Considering the current cost of PC systems many times it makes sense to replace a badly infected unit. Of course if you must have data recovered or own an expensive machine then paying for the time and research is worth it.

Some of the industry giants are making efforts to help solve such problems. Google, for instance, will start notification of potential problems on some websites. This is a VERY positive approach. Nice to see one of the tech giants recognize the WORST problem on the internet. Read more about it at Arstechnica.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity."
-Albert Einstein

Morning News Observation

I despise the RIAA. They are nothing more than a group of thugs that thrive on intimidation, outright bullying and terrorism. They know if artists will start selling their music in download form they will cease to exist. This group of ne'er do wells is in league with Satan. These dolts are holding back further advancement of technology and making YOU pay them homage financially. Send a message to musicians. Stop buying prerecorded CDs!!! Ask your favorite artist to make their material available on their website for download at a decent price. Why this rant? Read this article at Arstechnica. This is the organization that sued an 84 year old couple for music piracy back a few years ago. These poor people were distraught for no reason, fearing they might lose what precious little they had acquired in life. The judge actually had to order the RIAA observers in the courtroom to act like adults when they laughed aloud at the pleas of these poor people.

This is not an endorsement of piracy. It is only right that we pay the artist. Stealing music is theft. Will someone explain the difference between recording an album onto tape and recording an album onto a blank disk? Okay, I must go take my morning meds with a half-full glass of water. Later.

"We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it."
-William Faulkner

Black Hat Party

There's a hacker convention taking place in Las Vegas. It's called Defcon 14. Location is the Riviera Hotel and Casino. The cost is 100 bucks at the door. I'd tolerate Vegas to attend this gathering, lol. So anyway, they can't even get the doors open and the news is broadcast that the new version of Windows, called Vista, has been hacked and exploited. Microsoft actually supplied the operating system. You can read more about this at ZDNet.

Is the largest, most successful software company trying to commit financial suicide? Or do they think that we are so stupid and passive we will just stand in line and buy this weirdness? They should have learned from the XP experience that 2 different versions, a good one and a bad one, have wreaked havoc in the IT/IS industry. But nooooo! Vista will have 5 versions. My advice is stick with XP Pro (a good operating system) or upgrade your XP Home (a not so good operating system) to Pro. Don't rush out and buy Vista just yet.

That being said, most likely Microsoft will find a way to make you upgrade. There's the 64 versus 32 bit argument, the fact that Microsoft is stopping support on older operating systems at the speed of light, and many other issues. Know what? I still like the idea of actually OWNING something I purchase. Be wary, these wolves care nothing about sheep attire.

"Polished brass will pass upon more people than rough gold."
-Lord Chesterfield

Rain is Needed and Dirty Talk

Summertime in the Deep South, you gotta' love it. We hit 100 yesterday and the humidity is miserable. It's predicted to be in the high 90s today so another sweltering drive and rush to different businesses. Ahhh, air conditioning. The greatest invention of the 20th century.

Did you know that your cell phone harbors germs? Some study in England says it's dirtier than the loo. How did this info come about? Nevermind, that answer is not needed. Of course they encourage buying new phones more often. LOL. Read about it at MobileTracker. Here's yet another reason to use the wired ear pieces.

"It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark."
-Ruff

First There Were Bright Lights, Then Loud Noises

Ever wonder what you say to the anethesist and company as they role you into the operating room? Years ago wisdom teeth had to be extracted which was met with the need of being put under during the procedure. Later I was informed that I was in love with everything around me, "animate, inanimate it didn't matter." The dentist was an object of affection, the assistants were the epitome of Cupid's tricks, the person that drove me home considered going to the chapel, and I cried when I told Mother how much I loved her. It was a personal love-in (that's an old sixties term, uh...google it) inspired by some concoction prepared in an anesthesiologist's lair. K, I was bombed.

Many, many years ago Bernie Thibodeaux and I came home somewhere around the witching hour loaded to the gills and our excuse to our wives was that we had been apprehended by aliens. We actually cooked up this story on the way home and played it for real. Later it was revealed this was high drama at its best. Bless her heart, my ex got tickled so my shenanigans that night were forgiven. Thank God, I lived through my purple haze years. Don't want to go there again. Often I wonder, "Just what did I think I was doing when ingesting all that alcohol?" My philosophy now is that if you have lived through high school and especially college without drinking, don't start! Life is wayyyy more fun sober.

A good example of the need for sobriety is the recent Mel Gibson thangy. He was drunk, probably had no clue to his whereabouts and said some things he regrets deeply. Now Mel shouldn't have done all that for sure. But why the hell did the jerk policemen involved release this to the press. Like they'd never heard a drunk before? Go figure. It's amazing what some people will do for a little fame. Oh yeh, an alien in a space ship told me that...

"Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much."
-Oscar Wilde

Ernie Lujan, We DON'T Need You

My friend EdC, from Texas, sent this to me. I NEVER forward or pass things on, but occasionally mention some here. It is wonderful to have such friends as EdC, LawKim, the Laundry Witch, Christmas Marty, LisaPooh, the Irv Man, of course the Beagle and Mud and Verdana, Tyroneus, MJ, Red Dragon, Hoppa, Ashby, CCRyder, Ole Miss Melinda, Kentucky Mike, and many others who supply important information. Y'all are da bomb!


My wife, Rosemary, wrote a wonderful letter to the editor of the Orange
County Register which, of course, was not printed. So I decided to
"print" it myself by sending it out on the Internet. Please pass it
along if you feel so inclined.

Thank you.

(signed) Dave LaBonte

Written in response to a series of letters to the editor in the Orange
County Register:

Dear Editor:

So many letter writers have based their arguments on how this land is
made up of immigrants. Ernie Lujan for one, suggests we should tear down
the Statute of Liberty because the people now in question aren't being
treated the same as those who passed through Ellis Island and other ports of
entry. Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people
like Mr. Lujan why today's American is not willing to accept this new
kind of immigrant any longer.

Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to
the United States, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line
in New York and be documented. Some would even get down on their hands
and knees and kiss the ground. They made a pledge to uphold the laws and
support their new country in good and bad times. They made learning
English a primary rule in their new American households and some even
changed their names to blend in with their new home.

They had waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a
new life and did everything in their power to help their children
assimilate into one culture. Nothing was handed to them. No free
lunches, no welfare, no labor laws to protect them. All they had were
the skills and craftsmanship they had brought with them to trade for a
future of prosperity. Most of their children came of age when World War
II broke out. My father fought along side men whose parents had come
straight over from Germany, Italy, France and Japan. None of these 1st
generation Americans ever gave any thought about what country their
parents had come from.

They were Americans fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Emperor of Japan.
They were defending the United States of America as one people.
When we liberated France, no one in those villages was looking for
the French-American or the German-American or the Irish-American.
The people of France saw only Americans. And we carried one flag that
represented one country. Not one of those immigrant sons would have
thought about picking up another country's flag and waving it to
represent who they were. It would have been a disgrace to their
parents who had sacrificed so much to be here. These immigrants
truly knew what it meant to be an American. They stirred the
melting pot into one red, white and blue bowl.

And here we are in 2006 with a new kind of immigrant who wants
the same rights and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by
playing with a different set of rules, one that includes the
entitlement card and a guarantee of being faithful to
their mother country.

I'm sorry, that's not what being an American is all about.

I believe that the immigrants who landed on Ellis Island in the
early 1900s deserve better than that for the toil, hard work and
sacrifice in raising future generations to create a land that
has become a beacon for those legally searching for a better
life. I think they would be appalled that they are being used as
an example bythose waving foreign country flags.

And for that suggestion about taking down the Statute of Liberty,
it happens to mean a lot to the citizens who are voting on the
immigration bill. I wouldn't start talking about dismantling
the United States just yet.

(signed) Rosemary LaBonte

P.S. - I hope this letter gets read by millions of people all across
the nation!!


There's no need for a quote or a smiley today...

It's Hot and Witchdoctor Names

Was yesterday Monday or what!?!? After spending the day rushing around, trying to be several different places at once the veranda has never looked so good; well it is more functional when it's not summertime in the Deep South. Don't think the temp was that high, but the humidity is horrible. You can see the air you breathe. There was a frog and a catfish at the door wanting inside when I finally made it home. Well, that might be slightly exaggerated. But there was a dog at a client's yesterday that I let in by mistake while going in and out to check the outdoor speakers. After fussing profusely about him leaving, it was obvious he wanted no part of going back outside. A call was made to the owner and it was permitted that he stay inside. Ever seen a smug look on a dog's face?

After shopping around for an AMD CPU to upgrade my gaming machine, it boggles the mind about how they number things. Why can't a dual core 2.4 gigahertz processor be a DC2.4 instead of an Athlon 64 3800+-++ whammajamma mofine l1 l2, 512, 128, throw in the kitchen sink n imabettathanintel named thangy? Why do they do that? Is there any method or reason when it comes to to their numbering system? Okay, Intel has started the voodoo naming too. Maybe my Andy Rooneyish attitude is just not with the times. Besides , my next purchase will probably be another video card for this machine. Yep, two of 'em. Truly, I am the elder geek of my domain.

Time for my old geek butt to hit the trail. Don't let Monday creep into your Tuesday.

"The perfect summer day involves the sun shining, birds singing, a broken lawn mower, a mega horse power airconditioner and a refreshing beverage."
-Billy Wobblynife