Same Song Second Day

Okay, I've received numerous emails about things said here before, but yesterday's post prompted even phone calls. Why? The questions are: Upgrade to what? Should I wait on Windows new operating system (it's officially called Vista now)? Is it true I have to buy a copy for each computer? Do I use XP Home or Pro? Is Windows 2000 still supported? Why did that sorry bas---- Gates do this to his customers?

Let's start by saying that the COMMENTS line at the bottom of each post are there for a reason. Certainly don't mind phone calls and really encourage emails, but use that which is handy and EASY. Just click on it, type in a name if you like (have fun, make one up!), make your comment, and hit the publish button at the bottom. Painless, I must say. I do reserve the right to edit comments, but so far have not used that right. It is VERY desirable that the comment have something to do with the post. Again, this is NOT a forum. If edited it will say so and hey, we live in a world that is ate up with some silly political correctness thangys.

Upgrade to what? Most likely Windows. There are viable alternatives such as several flavors of Linux. FreeBSD for the average office may be a bit too much although they seem to be headed towards an easier GUI installation program. Apple's OSX might be considered if the rumors are true about it being made compatible with PC machines. Don't hold your breath. I certainly wouldn't buy Apple machines for an office environment. Anyway, most likely Windows. Should you wait on Vista? This is a roll of the dice since they are not due for retail sale until the fourth quarter. Also, it's rumored that Windows Vista is going to require some pretty beefed up hardware. Upgrading from many Windows 98 PCs to even Windows XP will be hardware constrained.

XP Home Edition or Pro? Spend the money. I don't care if Pro is twice the price, it's a better operating system. If you are a user that just checks email, files recipes, writes letters, etc., Home Edition may suffice, but I wish the Redmond bunch had never created it. That simple. You think the 2 choices of XP are confusing, try 7 or 8 varieties of Vista when it arrives! Seems people smart enough to write code for OS stuff would learn from their mistakes, but apparently Microsoft hasn't a clue. Yes, you do have to buy a copy for each computer. It's the law. First, make sure you have ample hardware and then look into buying a package deal that includes multiple license. Yo yo yo, good rule of thumb about hardware; if you have less than 512megs of RAM in your present PC, consider upgrading your machine.

Windows 2000? Still my favorite because it actually worked when it first sold. 2000 had stability not seen in previous versions. And hey, it followed that horrible ME disaster. NOTE: Windows 2000 and XP share the same kernel - NT5. Support life expectancy? I am working on an answer. The net is very vague. Why is Gates and company constantly upgrading? Think Detroit and you'll have your answer.

Whew! Tired now and must go work. Hope this helps.

"Consider the postage stamp, my son. It secures success through its ability to stick to one thing till it gets there."
-Billings

Microsoft Support of Windows 98, 98SE, ME

Anyone using Windows 98, Windows 98SE, or Window ME please stop reading this and click on Geek.com. Please read the whole article including Matthew's Opinion. Support stops July the 11th. Last Thursday PCWorld ran an article about the support ending as well. The first link is concise, informative and brief. The second link is a bit more detailed. With the advent of Windows Vista upon us I think it's time to put away these older operating systems and upgrade. Yes, I know it hurts the pocket book.

A possible scenario: You still run 98 later this year, it gets infected, the computer geek of your choice tries to cure the damaged registry, but cannot due to lack of support. You have to pay the tech and pay for the upgrade. Save some money. Be wise. Upgrade before July.

My guess is that this article will be one of the most viewed on this site before the year ends. We'll see...

"Never miss a good chance to shut up."
-Will Rogers

My Computer's Fallen and It Can't Get Up!

Best backup system to use? This question is heard a lot. One answer is external hard drives. If you don't have a lot of data then save some money and use a jump drive (AKA travel drive, thumb drive, pocket drive, etc.). These are small in form, plug into the USB port and usually come with a lanyard so it can be worn around the neck. Nice jump drives can be found for under $100.00 all day long. Wally-World even carries them. I'd try OfficeMax first due to selection and they usually have great prices.

If you have a lot of data then consider buying two, yes that's right, TWO full size external hard drives. This will give you the ability to tell everyone that you have ascended in the techno realm and become a walking RAID 1 array. ROFL! Okay joke's over, back to the serious. Be sure and purchase external hard drives that are intended for backup use. They will include the needed software. The reason for two is that if your data is extremely important then you will always have a backup on site and off site. That makes sense, doesn't it? Like in case of fire?

Shop around for these items. Most of the jump drives are reliable and I have several clients that use these devices for backup, moving files, etc. As far as the external hard drive backups I like the Maxtor. May cost a few dollars more, but the software is very user friendly.

If you are adventerous and lean towards geekness you may want to try a RAID array using the SATA hard drives. Really geeked? Then you probably have found SCSI by now. Old technology that is still super fast and very dependable. It costs though.

If you have a CD or DVD burner in your machine there are several software companies that make it easy to use these devices for backup. The best? Go with the latest version of Nero. They rock.

"Why don't they make the whole plane out of that black box stuff."
-Steven Wright

And a Small Child Will Lead Them

Today, God has blessed me. Oh it's certainly not the first time. Through His Grace I have led a blessed life. Today is special though. It's no secret that I am a geeky, techno kind of person. Years ago I started piecing together an ample home theater system. Just a while ago I realized why this has been important to me.

All my life I've been connected to C.S. Lewis and John Tolkien (they were close friends). My father was such a fan of Mr. Lewis, especially his works concerning Christianity. Fortunately, he also wrote three interconnected Sci-Fi pieces sometimes referred to as the Ransom Trilogy. This introduced me to a world of people believing in right is might and that going towards the dark side is bad juju. But, back to today.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the first of the seven chronicles of Narnia. This is a fantasy world that has fawns, talking beavers, centaurs, meanass wolves, orcish bad guys and one very evil witch. Four children enter this world and their attitudes and family bonds are tied to the realm of good and evil. If you read these books when younger you might want to get them out again.

The movie is well, AWESOME!!!! Truly there is magic here. It's almost certain Clive Staples would be very proud of this rendering of his story. The complete aura of the whole tale is well represented and the special effects are gorgeous. This is NOT a movie for very small children. There are battles, war, and death so use the noodle and review the movie before you introduce it to your children. I just thank the Good Lord that both of my daughters were turned on to Narnia. Their lives have been touched by Aslan, Peter, Mr. Tumnus and the rest.

My emotional makeup was thoroughly tested. Yes, it is allegory. Yes it is about sacrifice and grace. As I watched my heart laughed, I wept and was chilled right to the marrow. If you are Christian it will suprise me if you don't like this masterpiece. What a wonderful way to spend Easter afternoon. I've come away a better man. Daughters of mine, your spirits soar like little Lucy. Thank you God, for everything.

"Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning."
C. S. Lewis
-

Truth is Beauty?

Today I have realized some important things:

1. Never again shall the tires go completely flat on the riding lawn mower.

2. The name of the Daddy of the young bicycle rider that keeps flying by while I am attempting yard work and screams "lardass" at the top of his voice will be mine. Daddy and I will have a chat. He will be reminded that the Chief of Police is my neighbor.

3. Somehow I will find a way to lose weight because young cycle rider screams by bearing the truth. Number 2 may take some rethinking as a matter of fact. This may actually be a good thing.

4. Never again will I attempt to mow the front yard with my push mower. I vaguely remember the last few rows of the 5 that were done and looking out the window you'd think I'd reverted to my Purple Haze years.

5. My next major purchase after replacing a network computer will be an automatic dishwasher that'll be turbocharged and require dylithium crystals (see www.startrek.com).

6. My bathroom shall never revert to its present state. Mr. Clean shall become a daily operative in that conquest.

7. Double 'A' batteries will always be purchased in a minimum of 6 packs.

8. After some thought strike number 2 from the list.

This is lardass saying, "Outta here n Diet Sierra Mist rules!"

"I dream for a living."
-Steven Spielberg

Whaat's Up, Dock?

It's Good Friday. That means there are only two more days to work this week. Hey if you see that silly rabbit with the eggs go ahead and hide them without me. I think he hangs out with the old dude in the red suit. They just don't find time to stop at the beach house. Think the 'Scrooge Lives Here and Elmer Fudd Visits' doormat has anything to do with all this? Okay the whine stops now; it's time to think positive about a holiday weekend.

Think I'll barbeque some bologna for Easter dinner, better yet mebbe some fried rabbit! Let's see what goes good with bologna grill? How about parsnips? Perhaps a beige wine? Yes a sandwich even, with horseradish, onion and mucho tomato topped off with one of my favorite health foods - Blue Plate Mayo. Large cheese slice of the yellow extra sharp cheddar variety, another favorite health food. How about a real honest to goodness Coke, in a tall glass with crushed ice? Yes oh yes! Okay, let's forget about the parsnips. Shoot, forget the bologna and substitue country ham. Then chocolate ice cream smothered in strawberries and whipped cream with 3 cherries on top! Then another real Coke! Please excuse me now. I have wortked up the nerve to tackle that thing that lives in my fridge. This has become a mission.

If Christian, celebrate the ascension of Christ this weekend. Call it Easter, Passover or whatever. Hide the eggs and watch the gleeful faces as they enjoy finding goodies. Pray prayers of gratitude while watching the small ones. Spend some money on an Easter basket. Your child/children deserve it. After all they have to tolerate you. While your at it get the spousal unit a LARGE chocolate bunny. And hey, if you believe all that malarky about Easter egg hunting being bad because it has pagan roots then don't put up a Christmas tree this year either. And I'll loan you my doormat.

"The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances."
-Flatt (Amen, my brother, amen)

It Glows, Purrs, n' Sometimes Roars

Always love to see good computer builds. Yes, there are some people still willing to pay for the quality and detail found in custom built PCs. This one is a screamer built by mudslingr Note: even the power supply is clear. This is pure, raw power utilizing an Asus motherboard, blistering Intel P4 CPU and mega RAM. The hard drive is a Maxtor SATA and all the other drive components are Sony. One sweet machine. Want one of these? I do. Next project for a Beach House resident machine will involve such style and grace. Congrats out to the mud man and the new owners for a sweet build!

Put together a good looking machine lately? Send pixs. Have a safe, enjoyable Thursday. Weekend starts tomorrow and April 15th ends at midnight Saturday!

"They've finally come up with the perfect office computer. If it makes a mistake, it blames another computer."
-Milton Berle

Even With Their Evil Root Kit Fiasco, I am Still Going Sony

After some study and good input it looks like the next cellphone will be a Sony z520a. Good reports about battery life and range. My poor beat up Nokia is almost dead and the phone is critical to business. The Nokia has been replaced which was a slight hassle due to Cingular's attitude towards customers. They are jerks. Thanks for the tip MJR on the store out west on Main St. And thanks for steering me away from the Razor. My ears ring 24/7 so another buzzing I don't need in life.

Time to work. Don't let things get you down, the weekend is just two days away.

"The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat."
-Lily Tomlin

Let's Boogie

New Orleans came up in conversation this past weekend. I care not that Mayor Nagan is a racist, such people tend to fade away nowadays and that's good. I do care about this city full of tradition and wonderful people. The Jazzfest is just around the corner and here's a partial lineup:


Fri Apr 28: Cowboy Mouth
Sat Apr 29: Galatic & Dave Matthews
Fri May 5: Little Feat
Sat May 6: Buckwheat Zyedco, Jimmy Buffett
Sun May 7: Paul Simon, Fats Domino

Wow, wow, wow! To see Little Feat and Buffett in the same weekend is marvelous! Throw in Pink Floyd and a life long dream will be realized! You can read more about it at NOLA.com.

"Alas for those that never sing,
But die with all their music in them!"
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

Can We Say Navin Johnson?

Relief at last! The cell phone will be replaced this weekend! If you have a cingular phone that you like please comment and give a model number. I really like the black razor, but it might be too delicate. The Nokia 3595 I've carried has been replaced once and it has NOT been reliable. Battery life is good though and that's important. Help me! Comment!

"The new phone books are here!"
-Steve Martin, The Jerk

Lord forgive me, I gotta work.

I procrastinated(see yesterday's post). Now I am up and running to get two days work done in one. Contrary to the belief of some lunatic fringe religions, my work day is not 24/7 and sometimes it is just good to slow down. Please, my cell phone is on its last leg so bear with me if trying to call. Complain to Cingular. It has decided to turn off at random, so spending extra time checking to see if it is on frustrates me to no end. The backlog of work due to recent crisis should end in a few days. Thanks to those that have been supportive of my efforts to regain control. Y'all da bomb!

Red Dragon and I will look at lead sleds late today. Got two 75s in mind that are 'build from the ground up' material. The Dragon can do it! Great reward at the end of the day. Thanks to Forest Whistler for the great help in the continuing GW saga. The Teamspeak server is once again back up and bear with me if I don't answer during the game. Most likely I am on the junky phone or at the door dealing with the fringe. Have a glorious Sunday and please remember me in your prayers.

It'"s a shame that the only thing a man can do for eight hours a day is work. He can't eat for eight hours; he can't drink for eight hours; he can't make love for eight hours. The only thing a man can do for eight hours is work."
-William Faulkner

Stormhouse Gathering

Last night the weather outside was frightful. As I saw the internet go down while shouting hello into the cell phone with no answer it was decided a planned night of Guild Wars would not transpire. Being in a rush all week meds have been forgotten twice and the container of emergency dosage went with the stolen lead sled. Must remember to put some in the latest ride. Anyway, taking meds at 6:00pm or so after a long day made for a nice extended nap on the couch. After the internet returned a bit ago my latest quandary is whether to work today or procrastinate and do it all tomorrow. Hmmmm, will make that decision this afternoon.

Teamspeak is back up and running. Sorry about last night, my weather controlling technology lacks perfection. If it rains today, grill out on the veranda I say. Later, y'all.

"Doing nothing is very hard to do...you never know when you're finished."
-Leslie Nielsen

Orchard Invasion

Yes it's true. The rumors about running Windows on Apple machines has come to light. Read about it at PCWorld's Techlog. My question is , "Why?!?!?!" This seems backwards to me. I want Apple's OSX operating system to run on PC machines. That would make more sense. OSX is based on FreeBSD and might be a viable option to the ever dominating Windows family. BTW, the most popular software for OSX is Microsoft Office. Next thing you know Mr. Gates and Darth Jobs will be seen on the golf course together, probably taking lessons from Tiger.

Have a casual Thursday. Eat an apple today. . .okay, make it apple pie.

"Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."
-Dale Carnegie

Music Truly Moves the Soul

Works days are still long and fun. Playing catch up is surely coming to a close. The past few months have been difficult and getting through all of it has been very tough at times. God in Heaven has blessed me with friends that have such great timing. An injection of hope here, a bright light there, constant encouragement, a continuing bolster of the ego and patience in listening are such great things to have and experience. Truly, I am a blessed man with many friends and a great family. No man on earth could ever have felt the joy and delight of my two daughters, IMHO, the best ever! My heart sings happy melodies.

Why so melancholy and reflective? I've been listening to Todd Rundgren and Warren Zevon. Ever heard Tenderness on the Block? Mr. Zevon, I'd like to think, wrote this song for me. If you love your daughter/daughters and listen to this song without a tear then please seek therapy. And hey, what can I say about Todd? A Wizard a True Star is in the all time top five of Dock's favorite's. His Something/Anything album has one of the most moving ballads I've ever heard - It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference. It's all about forlorn love and recovery. No, she doesn't read this page. Don't let the dates fool you. This is some of the best engineering ever! Interesting note; Mr. Rundgren plays all the instruments and sings all the vocals. Awesome.

Have a most casual day and listen to a great old favorite today. Or try one of the above. Outta' here and loving my job!

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all art and science."
-Albert Einstein

Email Early Sunday Morning

One of my best buddies sent this to me and I thought why email it, post it!

Answer the following in your own thoughts

1. What time is it? 6:35AM

2. What is your full given name? Let's leave it at Mike West or Dock or Big Daddy or ole Lard Butt

3. What are you most afraid of? The smelly thing that lives in the SW corner of my garage.

4. What is the most recent movie that you have seen in a theatre? LOTR III, yeh, I should get out more

5. Place of birth? Memphis, TN and shortly thereafter returned to Mississippi thank the Good Lord (the dinosaurs attacked us on the way back, Mom said)

6. Favorite new food? All except stuff with curry powder - that stuff sucks!

7. What's your natural hair color? Various shades of gray with highlights of brown and scalp

8. Ever been to Alaska ? Do they have beaches, palm trees and boat drinks? If so then yes I've been there...

9. Ever been toilet papering rolling? Not in 6 or 8 years - thought about it as a profession

10. Love someone so much it made you cry? oh Lordy yes.

11. Been in a car accident? yes - thought about it as a second profession

12. Croutons or bacon bits? Pork Fat rules!

13. Favorite day of the week? If I ever get another day off I'll enjoy that one (hope it's a Sunday)

14. Favorite Restaurant? Automatic Slims, possibly the only attractive thing in Memphis - well there is the Peabody for dessert after eating just across the street at Automatic Slims

15. Favorite Flower? Dutch Iris

16. Favorite sport to watch? Ole MIss Football, you can have the rest of it

17. Favorite Drink? Real Coke w/rum or sans rum

18. Favorite ice cream? Breyer's Mint Chocolate Chip

19. Disney or Warner Brothers? Gimme the Mouse House although I aspire to be Yosemite Sam or that fat pig

20. Favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Smell! Weak right now for a bean burrito

21. What color is your bedroom carpet? Builders' grade tan, it sucks

22. How many times have you failed your driver's test? Never, but I am permanently banned from a certain go cart track

23. Before this one, from whom did you get your last email? PNY trying to sell me memory

24. What do you most often do when you are bored? Start with Homestar Runner on the internet then Guild Wars!

25. Bedtime? Determined by supply and demand

26. Who will respond to this e-mail the quickest? Only Kim, doing this to blow her mind!

27. Who is the person you sent this to that is least likely to respond? George W.? Osama? The Donald? Kathy Lee Gifford? Oprah?

28. Who is the person that you are most curious to see their responses? Oprah, of course!

29. Favorite TV shows? Friday night Sci-Fi channel, love Firefly (of course it's been cancelled for 4 years now)

30. What is your most cherished possession? Used to be my lead sled el camino until it was stolen...uh uh I must shut up now - promised not to warp whine anymore.

31. Ford or Chevy? Chevy of course

32. What are you listening to right now? Mindi Abair, awesome soft jazz with a rock flavoring

33. If money and time was not a barrier where would you go on vacation? To Alaska silly looking for palm trees n boat drinks - that way I know if I'd been there before.

34. How many tattoos do you have? None, almost got the Grade 'A' Prime USDA seal on my butt when in Nam

35. How many pets do you have? None, but I do create these nasty little bone horror thingys in Guild Wars. Hey, I like 'em

36. Which came first the chicken or the egg? Have no idea but I bet Colonel Sanders was lurking in the background when this event took place


37. What would you like to accomplish before you die? To see those Alaskan palm trees


38. How many people are you sending this e-mail to? lol

On occasion I will return some email thangys. I liked this one! Thinking about retiring to Alaska now. Can't wait to laze under the palms!

Later ya'll, must get ready for work.

"A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking."
-Earl Wilson

Ready for Uber Cute?

When the article read like this:

ToeSocks06 writes "The cutest site i've ever or youve ever seen is this one CLICK IT NOW LOL!!! because they have the cutest pictures you will ever see :) :) :) Like hamsters wearing SO CUTE hats and so many kittens zomg i love kitties especially that brown one i hope they show him with hats to LOLOLOLOLOL!!! Ok I gottta go now bye!!!"

it was impossible for me NOT to click on it. Try it out! Stolen from Slashdot. Thanks to Toesocks06 for the link!

I've always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, "Ain't that the truth."
-Quincy Jones

Almost the Weekend

The weather is overcast, the humidity is up and it feels like rain. The birds are singing even under heavy cloud coverage. A good rain on Friday will make for a great weekend. The ugliest fence is Lee County may be in its last year of life. The wisteria usually covers it in summer, but Morticia, Cousin It, Lurch and Gomez have nothing on me during the winter months.

Some time this weekend battle will be done with the smelly thing that lives in the SW corner of the garage. Since re-integration of the PDA (Palm Tungsten) a few days ago my desire to organize has increased. The patio needs work and the plants go back on the veranda this weekend. Springtime is casual.

Enjoy the weekend. Go for a walk. Ride a horse. Visit the zoo. Fire up the grill. Use that front porch swing. Plant some flowers. Just get outside. It'll boost that morale.

"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn."
Lewis Grizzard, Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You

It's Just a Game, a Great Game Though

Just over at Slashdot and found an article that all my GuildWars compadres should read. The titles is How to Help a MMORPG Addict. LOL! Wish I had more time to spend in the world of Tyria. BTW, Slashdot is still the best blog on the planet.

Did you update your anti-spyware programs today? Do it! Don't let these creeps have their way with your PC and personal information.

"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Orchard Litigation, OS Rivalry and Rambling

Looks like the Beatles are going to put Darth Jobs and Apple in their place. You can start reading about it at BusinessWeekOnline. Very deserving for an arrogant, ill-mannered liar and not nearly soon enough. Yes, Apple is trying to catch up to modern technology as is proven through their recent agreement with Intel. Yes, I do like Appple OSX and whatever has superceded it. Yes, I do hope it is made available for Wiindows PCs at a REASONABLE price.

At least they have one version and it is based on the super opensourced FreeBSD. Again, why didn't Windows learn from XP and the confusion about two different versions? Now I hear they will have EIGHT versions when Windows Vista finally hits the market. Rumors of pricing are indicating a horror story in the making. Hope such gossip is not true. Sheesh! Greed does funny things, huh?

Work will be late and long for the next several days. You have no idea how good that sounds. Most of the time will be spent around people that I really like and that helps. Lot of tasks ahead, but it's the best scenario possible for someone that is trying to stop engaging warpwhine. There's also the added bonus of dancing with UPS for supplies, tools, etc. Gotta' love 'em.

Due to the good heart of a friend there is a PDA back in my life: Lobotomy city without one. It'll take a few days to import data, but the prospect of hearing that alarm and checking notes makes even the first day of use a relief. What wonderful devices. They've come a long way since the days of Palm 3s and 5s. The Palm desktop is a great utility that is easy to use. Tried the Outlook sync thangy and that marriage won't work for me.

Time to get bizzy. Weather outside the beach house is beautiful. Get casual and enjoy the day.

"I can't complain, but sometimes I still do."
-Joe Walsh (uber guitarist for the Eagles)

New Approach

This past few months have not been easy. It's been tough trying to put stuff back together. Worry has stifled good thought process and getting to work will help alleviate a lot of problems. My anger is based on self disappointment and a few days were needed to align some goals. Thanks to all my friends and family for help during this time. Encouraging words mean a lot. I shall try to return to my sub or ab normal mode.

"The only correct actions are those that demand no explanation and no apology."
-Red Auerbach

I Don't Want a Pickle

It's good to have friends that look out for you. Someone advised me after having the truck stolen not to broadcast when I'd be out of town. There were many things that referenced this site in the El Camino and one of the cretins might actually have a smattering of brains and check it out. My Palm PDA has been sorely missed since it was the viable part of my brain, lol. It contained a huge amount of data and will definitely have to be replaced.

I'd just like to inform everyone there are people watching the house and they own large caliber weapons. I have the best neighbors in the world! Also, you can stand on the veranda and see City Hall. The police station is located in that building. Why mention all this data? Call it a dare. Nothing would suit me better than for the creepy little thieves to show up and die. After all, this is Mississippi and we do have 'gunslinger laws' that allow us to carry weapons. One of these days I'll try to let this go...

Congrats out to Murf from Kentucky on the new Harley Heritage.

What a nice way to travel. Yes, it's likely I'll die dreaming of owning one of these darlings. Title to today's post? Think Arlo Guthrie.

"The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship."
-William Blake

To Schedule on Not to Schedule

Mozilla is talking about their new calendar program. Slashdot linked to them this morning and the working name of the project is Lightning. This means hope for small businesses everywhere that need a networkable calendar that can track events. Don't be too hasty about downloading and implementing this software. They say on their front page that there are known bugs in the program. Just watch. The Mozilla folks have been good about letting people know when their products are stable. The beach house will keep you posted.

"Time is the longest distance between two places."
-Tennessee Williams

Rain, It's a Good Thing

It's early, I am running late, the coffee is cold, it's raining outside, my aching back is activating the warp whine machine, but somehow I am going to get thru a bad start. Waiting for another PC to start up and thought it'd be a good idea to look around the web for tech news. No earth shaking revelations this morning so far. Mebbe a good thing, huh?

If you are local wear a raincoat or carry your umbrella. Look forward to tomorrow! Hang in there. Don't let a 'rainy day n Monday get you down.'

"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Green Friday

The luck o' the Irish to ya! The Celtic Woman CD is filling the house with Gaelic sounds. Suil A Run is currently making my ears very happy. This CD has been #1 on the international charts for 52 weeks! I love the new tunes, but the traditionals have such a haunting presence, conjuring images of Leprechauns and Druidic Mages meeting on green rolling fields under the full moon. And no, I haven't had a toast to Eire this morning.

This is a traditional day of festivity with good food and drink of all sorts abounding. Keep it festive - DON'T DRIVE DRUNK. Call a cab, or a friend, even walk. Just remember; the life you save may be my own.

"Humans are amphibians--half spirit and half animal. . . . As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time."
-C.S. Lewis

Laugh and Lighten Up

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

These tests crack me up. I am addicted. Took one the other day: Which classic movie are you? It said Easy Rider! LOL! Sometimes it's good to laugh. Thanks Beagle, your the best!

Speaking of laughing, have you heard Cheney's Got a Gun. This is hilarious and I am a Republican! Everyone enjoy Thursday.

"Never say uh-oh, just say interesting."
-Billy Wobblynife

McAfee Users Beware, Googleites Rest Easy

Running the so called McAfee Antivirus? You best quit reading this now and go check out REALTECHNEWS. How do these people stay in business?!?!?! If you have heeded my warnings down through the years then this won't be a problem.

Google has some really neat pixs of Mars if you click on their titlebar today. Anytime the letters are altered it's a good idea to take a look at what they are highlighting for the day. You can look for another on the 17th. Bet it has something to do with green.

Heard about the online web word processor named Writely? It's now a Google property. Read more about it at BusinessWeekOnline. This is worth watching. For years it's been predicted that a lot of our applications would be web based. Well, the times, they are a changin'.

"To weep is to make less the depth of grief."
-William Shakespeare, King Henry VI

Off With Their Heads

In the process of answering an email question let me say - no I am not abandoning this site. Having a vehicle stolen that contained 95% of the tools I used in work is a BITCH from which to rebound. Now there is the added worry of restocking the tools and repaying a loan. This is not my idea of fun and if I ever find the sorry creep/creeps that have devestated my life I will probably not prosecute. I just want their addresses so I can find them and kill them.

Now, please find something constructive to do instead trying to piss me off. I'll start posting again when the worry stops taking up most of my day. Go ahead, do idiot comments. It's expected. Now it's time to clean weapons. Later...

30 Days Hath September n' Pass the Cool Whip

For years the search has been on for a decent calendar program. A scheduling program that can be used over a network for small businesses is just hard to find in the freeware arena. Well, it looks like Google is coming to the rescue. Read about it at CNet's Blogma. Hate we had to find out when the Googlemeisters were trying to keep it on the down-low, but nice to know it's in the mill.

Fasting Lab day is approaching. We'll see if the med is unclogging the arteries and I am sure something will be said about my inability to lose poundage. It's been hard to diet the past few months. I must get right down to it and push my lard butt away from the table and EXERCISE! Thinking about a serving of Breyer's Vanilla with chocolate syrup and strawberries makes me weak. Excuse me while I lapse into a sugar coma.

As that Texas philosopher Ed Coffin would say, "Have a better than expected day."

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."
-Jim Davis, (from the comic strip Garfield)

Grand Music

Yesterday was David Gilmour's birthday. He's 60 years young. The new album is going to go thru the roof. The new album? On an Island. Who is David Gilmour you ask? Ever listen to Pink Floyd? How about Dark Side of the Moon or Wish You Were Here? Graham Nash and David Crosby sing on some tracks. Wow! How's that for backup singers?!?!




This album was recorded in his Thames River houseboat/studio and the orchestra tracks were laid down at Abbey Roads. Thinking back, I have been listening to Mr. Gilmour and the other Floydites all of my adult life. What tremendous musicians. Alas, never seen any of them in concert. I hope that changes.

Check out the neat video on David's site. Hats off to a major influence in modern music!

"A painter paints pictures on canvas, but musicians paint their pictures on silence."
-Leopold Stokowski

Saturday AM Ramblings

It's Saturday morning and task of the day is to clean up around the pigsty, uh, beach house. The weather should be in the 60s today and the sky is clear and beautiful. Time to try and put everything back on schedule which will be hard to do without the Palm PDA. I REALLY miss it. Guess the car thief creep is using it to schedule his next theft or some other abuse. Sorry, I regress.

Think we will have another freeze? Be nice to get the plants back on the veranda. Enjoy this awesome day.

"Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'"
-Robin Williams

Karma Can Be A Bitch

Usually, the Chip Foose gang at Overhaulin' contact their car makeover owners on the seventh day. No one called or showed up to take me to my remade El Camino. So now it's time to put aside the notion that it might show up. The creeps that stole it probably cut it up that very morning. I hope the fools are infected with some horrible STD and die slowly. Please pray for me to survive this horrible setback. Please pray for me to find forgiveness in my heart.


"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."
-Mahatma Gandhi

Quote is Funny

Never did see my oldest daughter while she was visiting Mother. At least she's (oldest daughter) home safe after flying half the day. Had transportation problems Saturday and am running a fever with this horrible case of the flu. I was ordered not to go up there around her (Mother) since she had bypass surgery less than two weeks ago and is still recovering at an almost miracle pace. Anyway, half full glass is at best diluted by melted ice tonight. Wimpy boy is outta here and back to bed.

"After two days in the hospital, I took a turn for the nurse."
-W.C. Fields

With a Little Help From My Friends

As can be seen from the comments in recent posts I am a blessed man. Wow, such a great family and friends response. Good to be mobile again. Thanks to everyone for your support and prayers. Having to buy even an inexpensive vehicle is a big 'hit' for me. My time spent posting will be minimal at best for a few days. The most important matter is Mother revcovering from bypass surgery. They are running some tests to find out why she is short of breath. Gotta' run and do business. Later.

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

Update on Recent Dilemna

Mother is doing super! How am I doing? Things have been rosier at the beach house. It will be hard to recover from the recent theft of my automobile. My business is built around prompt mobile response. That mobility hit a screeching halt due to some sorry no good bas--- that will rot in the bowels of hell stealing my all time favorite automobile.

I know a lot of people made fun of it, but this old truck was a salvation to someone that had survived a divorce after being married for 22 years and then experienced health problems. It's hard to let it go. The creep that stole it better pray to God I don't spot him before the police find him. The Vietnam nightmares have returned.

I am desparately trying to acquire transportation in order to return to work. The phone is still with me so please call if you need service. If I cannot respond promptly my friends at Red Magnet are available. Just last week I was discussing a new venture with some local people which involves pulling and routing cable on a regular basis. This is now on the back-burner since several thousand dollars of test equipment are in the hands of a thief.

Thanks to everyone for their support. Beagle posted about the theft in the Memphis Live Journal Community and several other areas. I appreciate all of you.

Mike

There's Just No Title Appropriate

Thank the Good Lord Mother is home and doing great. My oldest daughter flew in from Baton Rouge and is with her for a week. Brother Dan, his family, Aunt Judy, our friends and others have been such a blessing. What great family/friend response. Everything is so great about her recovery and I thank you all for the prayers and well wishes. Now on to another matter.

I know we are supposed to be positive, but if anyone wants to pray for a pox and horrible damage on the sorry --- that stole my 27 year old El Camino Saturday night after I drove in the rain and sleet Saturday to help get her home I certainly DON'T have any problems with it. Yes, the lead sled was stolen sometime Saturday night and recovery looks dismal. Thanks to Em, my youngest daughter, and Charlie for the quick response to a sorely needed ride home.

God help me bolster enough strength to stay positive. Due to my scheduling a service call on the way back, most all my tools and some expensive equipment were in the back interior compartment. Needless to say disappointment in my fellow man is at an all time high. Distressed? Yes. I will refrain from profanity by not going further with this post. Please pray for me...God knows I will need it.

Mike

Weather Outside Will Be Frightful

There is a chance of freezing rain overnight. Local weather forecasters are vague about just how bad the weather may get. Probably a good idea to make a trip to the local grocer and prepare for a weekend inside. Visit the local library and check out a good book. Plan on a family Scrabble party. Lord knows that one shouldn't drive in this area during bad weather. Local drivers are bad enough without frozen overpasses and bridges.

Mom Update (Brother Dan reporting): She is up and walking. All the tubes and IVs have been removed. The pain seems under control and if this current trend continues she should be home in a few days. My oldest daughter is flying in Sunday amd will stay a week. This should be really kewl since they are big buddies and talk hours on the phone each week. As my youngest daughter mentioned in a Live Journal post, we are a blessed family. (EDIT: Just got word that she may be discharged tomorrow! Wow, 4 bypasses on Tuesday and home on Saturday. Awesome.)

Hang in there, the chilly weekend is just hours away.

"A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water."
-Carl Reiner

Work and Recovery

Things are hectic at the beach house. Not out of control, I must say, just hectic. Trying to get a grip on the "schedule" and perform service calls so my return to Baptist Desoto Hospital will happen in a timely fashion. Please contact me if you have pending tasks that need to be addressed. The new theme for a few days is 'around the clock' so don't worry about putting anything off. Let's get stuff done. Again, do not hesitate to call. Even if my presence is needed at the hospital there are very capable techs standing by that will help.

Mom Update (via brother Dan): Mother sat in a chair and ate breakfast this morning. She is very alert and acts like someone that had heart surgery yesterday. There is some pain, but this is to be expected. They are working on alleviating the pain which will work to accelerate the speedy recovery we desire. The ICU nurses are just awesome. I know I am waxing mushy towards gratitude, but your well wishes and encouragement mean so much to the whole family. Everyone has been super and understanding in our time of need. These have been blessed days.

"Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon."
-Dag Hammarskjold

Mom Update

Mother had a quadruple bypass and was lucid and drinking water at 9:30PM. We had a United Methodist Minister (Brother Don) and a Baptist Minister (Brother Joe) in attendance most of the day. She is one tough lady. The reports are positive and they are expecting her to actually walk and sit up tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for the prayers and positive attitudes. Y'all are all da bomb!

Mike

Surgery has been scheduled

Just received word that Mother will undergo bypass surgery in the morning. We expected this to occur within the next few weeks, but the timetable has been moved up. If you need to contact me please do so by cell phone. There will be technicians standing by for everyone that does business with me. Your prayers and patience will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike,

It's More Than a Game

After being in and out for a few weeks, then enduring a flexiril state of mind due to moving furniture things should return to normal for a few days. Running in overdrive is the theme this week. When it rains, it pours, etc. The backlog that has developed must be overcome. It is cold this morning. Temperature is in the 20s, but by Thursday or Friday it may be in the 70s.

Recent conversation with a fellow tech turned to sports. I am not a huge sports fan. My Dad was a baseball/sports fanatic. My brother coaches a baseball team. He has one son that still knocks the ball out of the park. The oldest son now spends a lot of time on the golf course and is quite a duffer. Sorry, if Ole Miss isn't playing football (and they didn't play much last year) my interest is not sports.

All this said, my hat is off to Anne Abernathy, luge competitor in the Winter Olympics. She has suffered injuries that will keep her from competing in the games. This happened while training. What's amazing about this woman? A LOT is an understatement. She's 52 years young, the oldest woman to compete in the games for starters. She has overcome cancer and is just downright awe inspiring. Read further at NBC Olympics. And I worry about a sore back and the sniffles. Can we say wimpy?

That said, it's time to turn and burn! Have a casual Monday.

"The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball."
-Doug Larson

Songs in the Air

Lazy Sunday afternoons are the best. It's cold outside and the overcast sky might make one dreary. Not today at the beach house. CMT just aired a show called Crossroads. Today's segment featured Bonnie Raitt and Lyle Lovett singing together onstage live. It will air again tonight at 9:00PM, CST. Surely they will repeat all the episodes occasionally.

Seems I've been listening to Ms. Raitt all my life. What can I say? She's just awesome. Don't always agree with her politics, but she is a 9 Grammy winning songstress that has deep, musical soul. And if you don't like Lyle Lovett, give this show a chance. His Joshua, Judges Ruth CD recorded in 1992 caught my attention because of the sheer engineering expertise if nothing else. Happens that the whole album is nothing but super tunes and talented renditions of those tunes.

Tune in and check it out . Go to the website and take a look at upcoming episodes. Brad Paisley/John Mayer will be interseting. So will Wynonna/Heart. Even though I like James Taylor I'll purposely miss his hour with the Dixie Chicks. Hate to even mention their sorry, un-American name. Wish they'd move to France.

"He who sings scares away his woes."
-Cervantes

Southern Vines and Dragons

It's late so this will be brief. We have formed the guild for our players in the online game, Guild Wars. The name is Kudzu Dragons. The tag that follows our name while in the game is YALL. Is that kewl or what? Everyone seems to like the cape and emblem we put together. Of course it's a green dragon with some kudzu lookin' stuff as a border. Hey, we are having a load of fun! Just wish there was more time to play.

"The world is full of people looking for spectacular happiness while they snub contentment."
-Doug Larson

Unencumbered Yahoo Instant Messenger (IM)

Yahoo, IMHO, tries to hide the ability to use Yahoo Instant Messenger as a solo entity. It seems they MUST install that horrible, horrible toolbar and a mail client that is not needed. So, here's a step by step guide how to use their messenger service without getting Claria and 180solutions all over your computer. You may want to print this post before starting.

First Step: Update Lavasoft AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy. Run scans with both programs. Then run CCleaner. This will help rid your PC of the bad guys. Don't have these utilities? See last Sunday's post.

Second Step: Open your browser, preferably Firefox, and go to Yahoo. Towards the top of the page in the right corner you will find the Messenger icon. It's a smiley with a telephone receiver stuck in his/her ear. Open this by clicking on it. Download the Yahoo Instant Messenger install program by clicking on the Get It Now bar.

Step Three: Here's the tricky part. Open up the program. On the first page unclick the two check boxes towards the bottom and go to the top and click on ONLY Custom Install (it's probably in blue letters). On this Choose the Products to Install page make ABSOLUTELY SURE all boxes are UNCHECKED except the Desktop shortcut box. That's right, leave the Desktop shortcut box checked. Then read their very wordy, vague license agreement and check the yes box. Download the program.

Step Four: When the program download stops click the finish box. You now have the Yahoo IM program installed and running. If you have a Yahoo identity use it. If not create one. I always make sure it starts ONLY when it is told to start. Poor ole' Windows has enough problems starting up without dealing with this resource hog messenging program. Also, stop that ugly thangy that pops up everytime you use the IM by going to the Messenger tab at the top and then clicking on preferences (BTW I certainly don't let this program search my computer for users, etc.). Oh yeah, that ugly thangy that pops up is Inside Yahoo. It's in the preferences under the General tab. Just uncheck the first two boxes on this page.

I do not like this program, but do use it. Most of the time it is launched thru a third party client called GAIM. GoogleTalk is a far better IM client. Its only drawback is that it will not conference voice calls. Hopefully this will change in the near future.

Hope this helps. Please remember, you are installing at your own risk. Don't whine if you screw things up.

"I can live with doubt and uncertainty. I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong."
-Richard P. Feynman

Update and Gratitude

It is so nice to know that I've friends. Mother had the heart cath today and is home feeling okay. She's a bit tired, but Lord knows that's understandable. It does look like bypass surgery will occur in the next few weeks. I cannot say enough good about the staff of Baptist South in Desoto County. These people act and react the way one desires from professional medical people. On top of that they were extremely polite and informative. Hats off to 'em!

Thank you to all that have sent well wishes and it tickles Mother that such a response has happened. Yes, it is NICE to have friends.

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."
-Washington Irving

Observations from the Veranda

This has been a wacky week and it's just Wednesday. Since I am trying to prepare for a short trip appointments are being moved around. Yes, aligning things in an orderly fashion, that's it! That's the ticket! If the mysterious creature that lives in the southwest corner of my garage could read this post it would be ROFLMAO. Just came from out there and it is worse than a wreck. This weekend I will get up at dawn and start the battle of the beach house garage. A grown man shouldn't be in such a state of disarray.

We've had a cold spell sweep through the area. There was rumbling on the porch last night around 3:00AM. Arnold, opossumus germanicus austriabodicus , was seen waddling down the steps. The grill wasn't turned over so he may have been in 'stealth' mode on a recon mission. There was a howling later on. May be that Arnold was staging an attack mission on the neighbor's cat from the veranda. Ole' Arnold seems to be into the high drama thangy. Flipper, Mr. Ed, Mickey, Bugs, y'all beware. Shoot even Chuck, Steven, Rock, Clint and the other Arnold better watch out!

"Efficiency is intelligent laziness."
-David Dunham


Volunteer help on the garage cleaning will not be rejected if you are of a mind. Enjoy a chilly, beautiful day.

Tastes Like Chicken

It's another gray rainy day. Good day to sleep. Hope everyone enjoyed the Superbowl. I slept, due to a nagging flu-like cold that decided to revisit. Feeling better, but still running a slight fever. Thanks goes out to everyone for putting up with all the recent rescheduling. I have to play catch up since Mother is going to have the 'cath' procedure Thursday. Talked to brother Dan this morning and he says she's in good spirits. We are both Momma's boys.

Are you believing the people that play GuildWars with me online don't like my suggested names for the guild being formed? What's wrong with Gun Toten' Muthas or Phried Phrog Legs? You have to use an abbreviation that follows your name in the game. For the first guild name I wanted BANG and the second YUM. Hey, if there is a Guild named Alcoholic Muppets then why not Phried Phrog Legs? It'd look real snazzy on a T-Shirt. You'd think friends of mine would have to have a sense of humor to put up with me! Go figure.

Molly from Florida GMailed and suggested making a links list to all the posts that deal with spyware prevention and computer safety. This is a great idea. Index the really important stuff. It's under consideration. For 2.5 years I've procrastinated about developing a help section here with screen shots, step by step tweaks, etc., for my favorite software. It is still in the works, just have to find time. Ashby Rhett Culpepper, III, Esq., made a very good point in the comments yesterday. An appropriate edit has been added.

If you need a GMail invitation, please email me. I'll gladly pass on this wonderful email service. It is the best, bar none.

"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not; a sense of humor to console him for what he is."
-Francis Bacon

In My NOT So Humble Opinion

You have all your defensive tools in place right? Your anti-virus program is up to date? Remember, McAfee does not count as an anti-virus program because it doesn't work. Norton, Symantec (why won't they use just one name?) seems to work most of the time, but it is an expensive resource hog that slows down machines that do not have ample memory (1gig or more). AVG works fine and is free for use on your persoanl PC. The upgrade is really awesome for a nominal price. If you have read this far then you are probably wondering why there are no links yet. They'll be listed at the bottom in neat order so you can go to one place to download instead of picking thru paragraphs. Now on to the number one problem in online computing.

Spyware just sucks. This includes all adware, thiefware, malware, dungware, garbageware, badware, etc. ALL the people that write spyware suck. C'mon folks, get a real job not working for Satan! If you Yahoo there's a great chance you have adware/spyware on your computer. Again: IF YOU YAHOO THERE'S A GREAT CHANCE YOU HAVE ADWARE/SPYWARE ON YOUR COMPUTER. Stop it! They call it "adware" and sue people that call it spyware. But hey, it invades my computer and seeks personal information so that, in my opinion, qualifies it as spyware. Besides, you can't get blood from a turnip. Claria and 180solutions are all over Yahoo and Claria says on their website that 30 something percent of their revenue comes from Yahoo. There is a way to use the Yahoo Instant Messenger without the rest of that horrible stuff. Email me and I'll reply with the procedure. BTW, it is very likely that Yahoo is watching this site. There are tell-tale signs. Creeps!

You have to be very careful about anti-spyware programs. Several contain spyware. Yes, that's right - many anti-spyware utilities are, indeed, spyware. Some anti-spyware companies are scared of rat companies like Claria and permit garbage to slip thru their software. A good examplle is Microsoft. Last I heard Microsoft was letting Claria pass through their scan. If this has changed please let me know. Anyway, you have to use more than one program. The beach house network swears by Lavasoft AdAware, Spybot Search & Destroy, JavaCoolSoftware's SpywareBlaster, and CCleaner. CCleaner is not anti-spuyware, but it goes a long way to remove useless files that may harbor the possible return of spyware. Don't use any other programs. If these are installed and tweaked properly, they will prevent the bad guys from making your life miserable. If you need help installing, please contact me; cybersouth@gmail.com. You won't be successful in your defense if you do not set up these programs properly. Also, update.

Here are the links to the programs used at the beach house. All are found at MajorGeeks, which is the best download site on the web! They also have an uber selection of things geek - like, really kewl T-Shirts. If you download these programs please consider donating or using their upgrades. These people work long and hard to provide us these awesome tools.

AVG Free Edition

SpyBot Search & Destroy

AdAware SE Personal

SpywareBlaster

CCleaner

"Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another."
-Homer

EDIT:Ashby Rhett Culpepper, III, ESQ., brought an important matter up in the comments. All the programs listed above are free downloads. Some companies accept donations (I donate!) and others have upgrades for minimal fees. This post was written to show everyone how you can keep your PC safe without spending money. I apologize for the oversight.
Dock

Ghost in the Machine

The original post had to be deleted since someone decided it should be on the page 5 times in a row. It has been noticed that errors have occured when publishing, but the procedure that has been used for almost three years has not changed. At least not at the beach house. So it's bye-bye post and sub with this message. Sorry. It was just a rant about Tupelo drivers, anyway

Friday Night Rain

Sorry about missing for a few days. Trying to catch up on everything and Mom is scheduled to have cath procedure next Thursday. Everyone feels positive n that's good. It's raining and the temp is dropping. Moved some PCs around today on the beach house network and it makes for smoother flow when benching a machine. Still need to get field work caught up, especially since I'll be gone again next week.

Everyone enjoy the weekend and stay casual thru the Superbowl.

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

Mom Report and Gaelic Vocals

Nice to be back in the swing of things, sorta'. Mother is calm and we are all feeling better about her heart. Still don't know what and when will be done, but the doctor seems to be cautious which is good. We should know more today. Anyway, her spirit is tremendous and she is a pillar of strength and faith.

If you've been here frequently then you know that I am a huge fan of Celtic Woman. They will be in Memphis on April the 17th at the Orpheum, 8:00PM. That's good news, but the bad news is that tickets may be sold out. Have an 'insider' checking for me. Will keep you posted. They've added another singer too. Her name is Deidre Shannon.

Hi ho, hi ho. Everyone hang in there. Just a little over two days until the weekend!

"My mother had a slender, small body, but a large heart - a heart so large that everybody's joys found welcome in it, and hospitable accommodation."
-Mark Twain