Teamspeak Temporary Outage

Over the next few days the Teamspeak Server will be undergoing major changes as will the beach house network. Sorry for the inconvenience, but these efforts are being made to improve connectivity and security. If someone in our Teamspeak group has the bandwidth and wants to set up a temporary server it certainly won't hurt my feelings. Many changes are overdue and it is time to stop the small children that think they know how to hack from bombarding this network. As soon as we are back online it will be announced. You patience will certainly be appreciated.

"I don't mind coming to work, but that eight hour wait to go home is a bitch."
-Gray

Site n Life Update

Due to changes in medication and various other little goodies taking place my ability and desire to post have been lax. This should change in the next few days. If things go okay on Wednesday my next scheduled doctor's appointment will be in about 6 weeks.

Finally got all my VA stuff online done and some meds ordered again. I'll refrain from further comment at this time. Just glad it can be done online instead of that crazy telephone thing. My fingertips are just too fat, lol.

Please bear with me. I am behind on everything. Efforts are being made to arrive at my normal level of abnormal-ness. Hey, say a prayer for me. Heck, make it for all Veterans.

"Diseases of the soul are more dangerous and more numerous than those of the body."
-Cicero

Z Your Board

A ZBoard has been in use at the beach house for several months. This is a keyboard that accents gaming. My love of Guild Wars inspired me to buy this product. Since I have never played any other game online this is a somewhat biased review.

Zboard makes a full Zboard that has modules (called keysets) for different games. They also make one that can be programmed from software downloaded off the internet called the MERC. There's a "pad"version of this called the FANG. I purchased the MERC. It's the unit being used now. Several gaming sites and software companies endorse them.

Being lefthanded, it is nice to have many of the game function keys on the left side of the keyboard. I was not able to pull it out of the box, download the software and start using it. It took several weeks of practice to make my left hand use the appropriate keys. I am still learning. The buttons are strategically located, clearly marked, and a good size for most fingers. The keyboard proper is pretty much standard and does include Windows keys.

At first the feel was weird. Hey, a pre-windows user here so I learned on the old "clicker" keyboards. This keyboard has a softer touch, but after some use the speed is up to normal. It is a decent feel and I like the layout. Wish they had key overlays available, but you get used to 'what key does what' after a few days. The left keypad is offset in an ergonomic fashion and even though I dislike those keyboards this slanting is quite comfortable.

I recommend this product, especially to gamers. As a matter of fact the purchase of the full version for Guild Wars is on my list of things to buy. Hope this helps.

"They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom."
-Confucius

Learning Aid

Got an email asking if the Video Professor is legit. Here's one opinion, Epinions. Here's another, Video Professor Scam. In all fairness I have personally talked to several people that have ordered tutorials from this company and they had a pleasant encounter and good results from the content. The Microsoft Office tutorials (Excel in particular) comes highly recommended. Apparently, if you get by the infomercial hype about being free and realize that you will pay for it then you may benefit from this software. This is neither an endorsement nor a criticism.

Hope this helps.

"Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold."
-Leo Tolstoy

Stingray?

Wow, Steve Irwin is dead. He was killed by a stingray not a crocodile as one might suspect. Internationally known as the 'Crocodile Hunter' he was always a hoot to watch on TV. He is survived by his Wife Terri and two children, Bindi and Bob. Seems that Mr. Irwin was a super family dude. Read more at New.com.au. Please pray for the family.

Enjoy a Monday off on this Labor Day. Getting ready to go bring a server online. Later.

"Those that matter don't mind; those that mind don't matter."
Dr. Seuss (via Red Dragon)

Never Moon a Werewolf

We are finally going back to the moon. Yessir-ree Bob! It'll be year 2014, but plans are being made as we speak. NASA just awarded Lockheed the contract to build a vehicle for said trip. Now folks, we all know we've been there, but there are some that seem to make that trip more often than others. Who you say? Let's see there's Al Gore, you know the dude from Tennessee that "invented" the internet. He was vice president during the Clinton years. There's also the Hillarybeast. Anyway, check the BBC article, Lockheed to build NASA 'Moonship'.

"Desdemonas building a rocket ship
Desdemonas going away
Desdemonas building a rocket ship
Blasting off today
Shes got a passion for cookies
A crew full of rookies
Its going to be a hell of a blow
Desdemonas building a rocket ship
And Ive got to go"
-Jimmy Buffett

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

Now the Day is Over

Finally downloaded the newest version of the Flock browser. It is based on Firefox and has a very nice looking interface. The group of people involved with this project seem to be having fun. Their emails reflect a sense of humor. The world can use more of this attitude.

It's been a long, busy day surfing the internet about the SSO problem and trying to update some software on my remote clients. Where did July go?

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."
-Casey

Geek Lazy

It's raining. Not the torrential downpour we badly need, but small light showers that pop up every time I have touched the pushmower (3 so far). May be that mowing the rest of the yard will happen tomorrow after morning church services. The riding lawnmower must be repaired soon. So now I am inside working on my latest, greatest project of how to do an auto login with XP Home and keep the mapping of the W2K Server - server shared drives upon reboot. Woot! Well, there has been some Guild Wars and a stab at repairing the last laptop I'll ever permit on my bench.

In just a few minutes I can relax and have a refreshing beverage. My retail clients are all closed by 3:00pm on Saturday. Marinara sauce is on the low burn and will be ready in a few hours. Pasta is ready for cooking. The coffee was possibly the best ever this morning (thanks JK n Jay) and hunger pains have subsided. After the laptop from hell it will be time to restructure the network physically and incorporate a print server. Then it will be time to start the remote maintenance for my clients. Great geek weekend.

Nice to be here with my machines. Nice to have the Kudzu Dragons and others for adventure in the lands of Tyria and Cantha.

"The best kind of rain, of course, is a cozy rain. This is the kind the anonymous medieval poet makes me remember, the rain that falls on a day when you'd just as soon stay in bed a little longer, write letters or read a good book by the fire, take early tea with hot scones and jam and look out the streaked window with complacency."
-Toth

Run the Spam Away

The spam problem was mentioned in conversation today. My spam problem has been reduced to less than 20 in the past 2 years. That's right 10 a year. I don't have to filter through all the sex organ related ads, buying a condo on a sea front beach in Kansas, or any of that garbage. Someone asked the other day about how to change something in Outlook Express and it took some research to find the answer since Outlook in any form is not necessary. Why? I use GMail. You first have to create a Google Account. Then you can enter the wonderful world of Google.

GMail is easy to install, easy to use, and secure. You create your username and that becomes your GMail identity. My home page is Google with a variety of add-ins. In the center of the page is Gmail and the latest messages received. Around that are various links and previews to news, weather, movies, etc. This is so convenient and let's me decide if I need to check mail now or do it later. You have 2gigs, yes that's right 2 GIGs, of storage so you never have to delete a message. Here's another nice thing about GMail. Of everyone I know that has switched to it, 100% endorse it. They are all amazed at how Google filters spam too.

Hope this helps.

“Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Know what I mean?”
-Monty Python

Delirium Grassicus

Thanks goes out to everyone who has gotten onboard to help resolve the network problem that has been eating my lunch and drinking my coffee. After much research it seems that the server client relationship is working properly. Now on to creating something to force the auto login. Hey, no one said life would be easy. Bondo, Skillet, Beagle, Mudslingr, Red Dragon n Ashby y'all are the bomb. Nice to have friends in tech places.

The riding lawn mower is ailing. Oh Lordy, this is not a good thing at all. The front yard and part of the back has been mowed with a push mower and my overweight frame was suffering each time I came inside to cool off and catch a breath. This is a repair that MUST be done soon. I'm too young to die! Can you see that epitaph?
'His fat ass was found layin' on the lawn,
poor old scoundrel now he's dead and gone.
The grass is still growing in that yard still,
we buried the lardbucket up on the hill.'

Later y'all.

"Chop your own wood, and it will warm you twice."
-Henry Ford

Strange Pairing

My time and mind are occupied with a network problem. Anyone interested in helping please see yesterday's post at SouthernPhried. After spending hours scouring the web for answers it may be time to accept the fact that wheels may be spinning about something that is impossible. Any help will be appreciated.

Well, well. Here's an interesting partnership: Yahoo and Symantec. The latter is known for their Norton's Internet Security software. Read about it at Arstechnica. Yahoo is in cahoots with Claria and 180Solutions which means if you 'Yahoo' then there is a good chance your machine is being flooded with all their garbage. Norton's Interenet Security? Last week several hours were spent trying to map a dot matrix printer in a new network. After uninstalling Norton's Internet Security everything worked fine. This software came bundled with the new PCs and just would not stop pestering until you finally installed it. That is not a good initial indication. This is certainly not the first time such a problem has arisen. Stay away from this junk. It's horrible. Besides, there are much better tools free to download that are very user friendly and don't grab resources in the background.

Hey if you live and die by Norton's Antivirus, go for it. While you're busy doing live updates and have all that memory usage in the background, my free AVG will happily update in the background and not take the machine to task while doing it. To each his own, but I still think these two companies deserve each other. When your tech charges several hours of bench time every other month after all your yahooing to remove the adware/spyware/thiefware/etcware, don't bitch. That's my story n Ima stickin' to it.

"All of us are experts at practicing virtue at a distance."
-Hesburgh

April Fool's Day in July?

Many beliefs pass through the beach house. We have presbyterians, methodists, baptists, catholics, believers in judaism, frisbeeites, selfites, and foamingatthemouthites that occasionally visit. Most of these folks believe in good and evil. Most claim to be good and abhor evil. Seems they all agree on one thing: People that write hoaxes are as evil as people in the spyware business and virus writers. Check out one that has raised its ugly head again at Snopes. Thanks for the heads up LW!

I made it home early today to mow the yard. After a few rounds behind the push mower the task has been abandoned for a few more hours. It's hot.

"People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them."
-Dave Barry

Gettin' It All in One Sock

The last few days have been weird. Health issues plus some projects came together and it was time to take a break. Thanks for the emails showing concern, but things are pretty much normal at the beach house. Computer parts are scattered everywhere and a machete is needed to attack the jungle growing around the domicile. The network is being restructured and machines are sitting all about the house. Ahhhhhhh the sound of SCSI drives in the format stage, it's like music. Have a casual Monday.

"No man should go through life without once experiencing healthy, even bored solitude in the wilderness, finding himself depending solely on himself and thereby learning his true and hidden strength."
-Jack Kerouac

Upon a Midnight Dreary

Tis nearly the very witching hour and my mind is occupied with a problem about networking. My tolerance is being pushed to the limit and it seems max voodoo/witchdoctor chants while no one is looking will not suffice. Even called on my competition to see if they could help and they are, likewise, puzzled. This may take an act of personal and private interaction mucho like Robert Duvall's soliloquy as Harry Hogge in Days of Thunder. You know, the one where he is alone with the frame of the car and explains what he is about to do? Not even a NASCAR fan here, but this was a good movie. What a great actor. Did you know he is a descendant of Robert E. Lee? Read about it at Wikipedia. Sorry, my tired mind is meandering...

Time to sleep on it. It'll all be okay...everything's good.

"Impartial observers from other planets would consider ours an utterly bizarre enclave if it were populated by birds, defined as flying animals, that nevertheless rarely or never actually flew. They would also be perplexed if they encountered in our seas, lakes, rivers, and ponds, creatures defined as swimmers that never did any swimming. But they would be even more surprised to encounter a species defined as a thinking animal if, in fact, the creature very rarely indulged in actual thinking."
-Steve Allen

Kubuntu? Kasual!

Kubuntu is installed and running on the beach house network. This is the Linux flavor Ubuntu with the KDE desktop, which is pretty dang awesome. Being opensource it is free to download and you are encouraged to copy and distribute it. The machine is a 400 Celeron, 512megs of SDRAM, with a 10gig hard drive. Beyond any doubt this installation was the easiest EVER done at the beach house.

A few simple questions have to be answered (time zone, name, etc.) and then in less than 30 minutes it asks you to remove the disk and reboot. It comes with the Amarok audio player which rocks! OpenOffice is also installed as part of the default package. After opening the web browser it was apparent the network settings were configured properly by the OS during setup since it jumped right on the internet without a bit of tweaking. If this is a sign of things to come from the Kubuntu people all I cay say is - Windows watch out!

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older."
-Larry McMurtry

Eyelids are Getting Heavy...

Nice to know that sleep is not far away. Just checked this machine to see if running Teamspeak in the background and downloading the latest version of Linux Kubuntu is a strain. It's not. Dual processors rock! Kubuntu is the Ubuntu flavor of Linux with the KDE interface. Have a machine ready for this program. Thanks goes out to Beagle and her cohorts at RedMagnet for the tip about Ubuntu.

"Advice to children crossing the street: damn the lights. Watch the cars. The lights ain't never killed nobody."
-Moms Mabley

Big Brother is Watching, Cantonese Style

There are sick people in this world. The Chinese government should be held accountable for their recent action concerning the Boy Scouts. Read more at Techdirt. Are they taking lessons from that idiot North Korean despot? This is really pathetic. And so are some of the poor slobs making comments about it.

"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action."
-Goethe

Pass the Kleenex

It's been a long day. Headway is being made on the mega problem with my recent server issue. Word to the wise; don't try to run W2K server on a dual Pentium Pro machine. It was not a happy experience. After several days of teeth gnashing, hairpulling, downright crying and tettering on the brink of despair, all is good in the world. It will take most of the night to setup the software, etc., but it's nice to see that light at the end of the tunnel. Back to the bench. Stay casual. (Edit: It's 5:30 in the morning. Just finished the Server build and am dog tired. Have to spend the day installing proprietary software. Am I still whining? Shucks no! But the Monday post will be later today.)

"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties."
-Harry Truman

Yo ho ho

Talked to Ashby Rhett Culpepper III, Esq. He had attended the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie with his daughter earlier this evening. They liked the movie. Ashby said it's good and worth seeing, but it doesn't have the sizzle of the first one. He agrees with critics that say this is a Johnny Depp vehicle. Kewl, Depp is a good actor. He cracked me up as Hunter Thompson. His selection of scripts is eccentric, but dude knows how to do the camera, action thangy.

It's late, Guild Wars crew is shutting down for the night and I have to face the server from hell problem again tomorrow. Later.

"Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theater."
-Roman Polanski

Beach House Belive It or Not?

As mentioned here many times before it is amazing that McAfee is still in business. What do they do? C'mon, no one really believes that their antivirus software works, do they? Okay, if you leave your home via a long tunnel in the rocks and have bat problems then you might think they actually have a purpose. If, in fact, you dwell in a cave or not please read the article that contains this sentence: "We didn't really realize we fixed the problem," Viega said. "We fixed one, but it was by accident.". MercuryNews.com is the source of this little ditty. The belief is they won't lose customers. ROFLMAO!! Hopefully, they'll cease to exist and customers will no longer be prey to them. This is beyond absurd and ridiculous. It's a mad, mad, mad world out there...

"If we weren't all crazy we would go insane."
-Jimmy Buffett

Good, Bad, and the Smoochy

Keep an eye open for GDrive. Google is not releasing details, but if the report from GEEKNESS - WITH FRESH AND CLEAN AIR is correct, this will be awesome. Can you imagine synced email across different operating systems in one machine? How about an almost fool proof backup system? It'll be interesting to see how much space will be allowed. This is another step towards online computing. Is this good or bad? Let me hear from you.

Microsoft and Yahoo are kissing. Read about it at PCMagazine. Isn't this wonderful? Microsoft was caught just a few weeks ago putting spyware on our computers and now they are giving Yahoo a further opportunity to force Claria and 180Solutions on your machine. Microsoft IM is annoying enough by NOT going away when you install Windows. Yahoo is, well, HORRIBLE! If I ever become Emporer of the Known Universe it is my solemn promise to shut them down right after I ship all the spyware creeps and terrorists to another planet or into the sun.

But hey, better a Windows/Gates world than an Apple/Darth Jobs one.

"The next best thing to knowing something is knowing where to find it."
-Samuel Johnson

Come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine.

Syd Barrett has passed away at the age of 60. Please indulge me. Down through the years Pink Floyd has been that soothing, sometimes stormy, music that you have heard at the beach house. Yes, still a Parrothead and love Buffett, but it was good fortune to discover this legendary group back in the late sixties. Can't remember the exact date but I was in Vietnam. Their music was refreshing. It was different.

Syd Barrett was one of the founders. His creativity sparked others to shine as well. Contrary to popular belief, David Gilmour was not one of the original members. When Barrett finally lost control and broke down, David was brought in to take up the slack. The Gilmour library of music speaks for his genius and the good insight of other Floyd members. Syd dropped out, literally. He lived off royalties residing in a hotel until 1981 when the money ran out. Then he moved home with Mum. He was still using that address when he passed away.

If you are thinking about using drugs, don't. If you are an abuser of drugs or any substance please get help. We have become a compulsive, obsessive, addictive society. Those that have passed through life clean I applaud you. Thank you, God, for permitting me the opportunity to survive my purple haze years. That was a long time ago and my immediate thought is that prayer truly works wonders. How nice it is to get through a day knowing there will be no DUIs or fits of extreme paranoia.

Mr. Barrett, thanks for the music. May God grant you peace. You can read more at the IndependentOnline. (very good article)

"Remember when you were young
You shone like the sun.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Now there's a look in your eyes
Like black holes in the sky.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
You were caught on the crossfire
Of childhood and stardom
Blown on the steel breeze.
Come on you target for faraway laughter
Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr and shine."
-Roger Waters

Take Out the Trash

On occasion I am asked about what protection software is used at the beach house. There are 5 programs that are the foundation of ongoing maintenance for Windows PCs. This quintet works to keep the network creep free. They are:

AVG Free Edition

SpyBot Search & Destroy

AdAware SE Personal

SpywareBlaster

CCleaner

Another program that is extremely important is the web browser. Internet Explorer is not favored here in the land of flipflops and Hawaiian shirts. Too many popups and their popup killer is as annoying as the actual garbage they "control." Several browsers used in the past, Opera, Flock, Sea Monkey, etc., are good. This said, go download Firefox. After installing it go ahead and let it install the needed plugins when they show up. Usually, there are only 3 or 4 needed and they install quickly and it's pain free. These are utilities that take the place of Microsoft's ActiveX which is the root of a lot of browser security problems. Is this my favorite web browser? No, but it is my favorite browser that works inside Windows. Linux and FreeBSD using the KDE platform are awesome. Anyway, use Firefox. It's quick, user friendly and has a ton of addons that can be fun.

The above listed software is free to download. The links are all to a great download site, MajorGeeks. The individual companies will take donations or have upgrades that are affordable. Don't go fooling around with just any spyware protection. Nowadays most of it IS spyware. But, it's your computer so if you want to junk it up with a "rocket science" mentality, by all means go ahead. This combination of tools and routine maintenance will keep most machines in good running condition. Don't shrew at me about Norton Antivirus. It's a waste of money. If you use McAfee you probably won't be able to find your way back to this page. McAfee sucks. If AVG upsets you for some weird reason then try TRENDMicro.

I will recommend one more tool and have saved it until last because you may want to purchase the full version. They have a free version, but it is like the above software, you have to manually update it. It's EWIDO. There is a 14 day trial period that permits full usage. Please update before scanning anything. Ewido has saved several machines in the past year due to its ability to find deeply embedded nasties. BTW, Grisoft, the parent company of AVG Antivirus, recently purchased Ewido. Please remember you download at your own risk.

If you have a problem and can't seem to make it go away, there are other sites listed in the Cybersouth Links List. It is up there at the top of this site right under the picture. If all else fails or you have questions concerning proper installation of this software, email me.

Hope this helps. IMHO, anyone caught writing spyware or virus garbage should be hung by the neck until dead. Let 'em drop to a quick stop.

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

Patches n Boards

Tomorrow is Patch Tuesday. Microsoft will issue 11 "fixes" for Windows and Office. You can read all about it at the alter of Microsoft updates - Microsoft TechNet. Hmmmmmmm, okay, I'll be quiet.

Question came up over the weekend about my recent purchase of a Zboard, MERC. It's an awesome aid for gaming, but it is taking some time to adjust to the left concentric keypad. Being left handed one would think this would be an easy adjustment. As said before the panic button is worth the money. BestBuy has them locally for 40 bucks or so.

Have a safe and casual Monday.

"God brings men into deep waters, not to drown them, but to cleanse them."
-Aughey

Smoke and Mirrors

Hey Microsoft!! Here's a solution to your nonsupport/support problem with opensource documents. Lower your prices to affordable with Windows and Office and watch as we rush to the counter with our multicolored boxes full of your product. You could put aside your fears of this fast growing community that includes FreeBSD and Linux. While you're at it, do away with the WGA spyware that invades our privacy. You won't need it anymore because people will stop pirating a product that can be purchased at a reasonable price. C'mon Ozzie. I know it seems too easy, especially in the wake of Ballmer, but it just might work.

In the meantime, I won't hold my breath. Read more about this at FoxNews.com

"Madness is rare in individuals - but in groups, political parties, nations, and eras it's the rule."
-Nietzsche

Unbridled Anger

First they should round up ALL employees of this company, sequester them on some Dry Tortuga like island without water or means of escape, and then burn to the ground the building in which they were found. Unless you are a blithering idiot this article will probably make you mad - Spyware developers net huge profits, outrage. The horrible people at Direct Revenue are laughing at our inability to stop their evil tampering with our computers. Why are we letting them exist!?!

"Let advertisers spend the same amount of money improving their product that they do on advertising and they wouldn't have to advertise it."
-Will Rogers

Communicator Positive, Captain

Yesterday I was asked about my Sony Z520A cell phone. It rocks. This device feels good in the hand, is compact and user friendly. It has LONG battery life, is bluetooth, you can do neat ringtones, the buttons are just big enough for my fat fingers, and the reception is pretty darn good. Mudslingr and Beagle were over for the LAN party the other night and showed off their new kewl cases, I still use the blue one that comes with the phone. The only negative so far is the headset, charger, etc. connector. It is funky negative with small pins and a weird attaching thangy. Since I use a wired earbud this is important to me. So far this is my favorite cell phone. No root kit has been discovered either (lol). Forgot to mention it has a built in camera too.

Time to Hiho hiho. Many stops before I sleep and am looking forward to a working weekend. Have a casual Friday.

"Even a fish wouldn't get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut."
-Billy Wobblynife

Go Figure

It looks like Sophos, an antivirus company based in England, is trying to commit suicide. They have recommended home users should switch to Macs (ROFLMAO!!!). An article over at ArsTechnica by Jeremy Reimer tries to explain it all and flops around trying to justify such a move. Hey dude, you are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. It's no secret that I like this site and am in agreement with most of their findings. Not this time. It's all very simple. The more marketshare that Apple Macs obtain there is little doubt that virus infections and other nasties will grow for that platform. Evil does not care about brands. The answer? Use the more affordable Windows PCs and switch to the Firefox web browser instead of Internet Explorer. Also, install the software that I have recommended down through the ages to protect your PC. Then UPDATE. The software is useless without the updates. And don't forget to scan.

Had an email (name not used per request) asking which version of GuildWars should be purchased first. There are two - Guild Wars and Factions. They are both stand alone. The answer here is, hands down, Guild Wars. While Factions is a wonderful part of the game, Guild Wars was first and outlines the "history" of the game. They are based on two different continents, but when Factions is added characters can sail between both continents. It's my opinion that anyone running just Factions is missing out.

"Walking isn't a lost art - one must, by some means, get to the garage."
-Esar

Thoughts on the 4th

Today we celebrate the birth of the USA. Our faith, strength, fortitude and belief in the American way makes us the strongest nation and a decent nation with respect for the human race. It saddens me that non-english speaking people are too lazy, yes too lazy, to learn the native language of our people. To know the real blessings of being a citizen of this great country you have to embrace the culture instead of trying to change it. And for God's sake, don't start your American experience with an illegal act like sneaking across the border. March right up and apply for citizenship. You are an embarassment to those immigrants that have come before you and proceeded in a proper manner. They are truly great Americans and some I count as friends.

Mark Twain once said, "Vow to not let tolerance become indifference." We are there folks. In order to survive we must constantly embrace our founding principles and border on cautious when accepting major changes. Terrorists abound and are nothing more than no-good idiots that need killing. If you don't like my country and think it is the great Satan then stay away. Who in his right mind wants to hang out with the devil anyway? Exist in your miserable world of inequality and human suffering. Don't try to bring us down to your sewer existence. If you attack in a terrorist fashion then you will die and go straight to hell. Now, you can flame all you want in the comments, but it will not change what is right. Mark my word, if we don't shore up our nation it will fall. Please remember this is not a forum. If this attitude offends let me just say the world wide web has many choices. God Bless America!

"America is much more than a geographical fact. It is a political and moral fact - the first community in which men set out in principle to institutionalize freedom, responsible government, and human equality."
-Stevenson

A Few Moments Not Working

Sitting here watching my fellow geeks enjoy game play. Listening to them and people that have remoted in from various locations across the country is a real treat. The ribs are a 100% hit. Some have even said the best ever. Beagle and Mudslingr brought the best cole slaw I've ever eaten and the fudge and cupcakes are awesome. Forest Whistler brought Firehouse potato salad and it's awesome too. We made nuclear meltdown garlic bread and had a variety or refreshing beverages. Shucks, seems the corn on the cob was even a notch above normal. Something learned over the past few years - Southern geeks know how to eat!

Several folks have remoted in and are chatting away on the Teamspeak server. Laxen Firethrow (hoppa to some) has had us laughing all night. Arya (aka Verdana) is busy chatting with sister Beagle about the hot, hot weather in Louisiana and Mississippi. Cronos is seated center ring and playing the game like crazy with a most kewl glowing axe. Mud n Forest are set up on the bar with their uber machines and LCD monitors. Everyone is wondering if Ashby Rhett Culpepper, III, Esq., will phone for a few minutes and keep us laughing. Honorary geeks Lisa and the Laundry Witch are sipping their Beach House Margaritas with smiles on their faces. And the Purple Giraffe is nodding out for the evening. Yes, this is a good night. Blessed I am.

"In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved."
-Franklin D. Roosevelt

Now, Which Receipt Do I Send?

When shopping for things computerese my first stops will be OfficeMax and BestBuy. They have stopped those annoying , irritating mail-in rebates. Dude that came up with this mail-in idea is probably in hiding and needs to stay there!! Hats off to these two companies for addressing consumer needs and wants. Read about it at CNETNews.com.

It is summer in the Deep South. This time of year the cotton is high and the humidity higher. Even though it's Sunday afternoon yard work is calling me. A dream of mine is to one day hire this done and quit worrying about it. The whining needs to stop and it's time to get busy. Later.

"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability."
-Keen

Ironic?

This was inevitable - W32.Cuebot-K spreads via through AIM and disguises itself as Windows Genuine Advantage on infected PCs.. PCWorld calls it ironic, but some hacker had this plotted and launched at either an appropriate or inappropriate time depending on how you want to call it. Spyware sucks! So do virus infections.

Ubuntu, a flavor of Linux, is an alternative to Windows. It uses the GNOME graphic user interface and has some neat features. Note to KDE users; you need Kubuntu. Install was simple, it had no problems with older hardware and found the network and internet smoothly. Will keep you updated about it's use at the beach house.

"Vow to not let tolerance become indifference."
-Mark Twain