Zonie Zambonie's profileAnother hole in the wall...PhotosBlogListsMore  |  Tools Help |
|
12/19/2007 My Adventures in 2007Well, here we are near the close of 2007 and I have not really posted much on my Spaces blog. Not that I am avoiding it, I have just been a bit busy around here.
The JOB (Just Over Broke) has been taking more of my time than I would like and what little time there is remaining in the day is spent trying to relax and recover.
I bought a webcam earlier this year (sometime in the spring) with the full intentions of installing it and streaming the weather along with the National Weather Service local radio on Weather Underground. The webcam went online last week -albeit not pointed at what I wanted to show - and the radio is still pending. That is an example of the fine mess work has me in. Another example is that the website that I was fully intending on getting accomplished in Feb or Mar still has yet to come to fruition.
It just really sucks that my full-time employment has yet to realize that I DO have a life away from plumbing and that I have dreams and aspirations of owning my own business outside of the trade. Oh, well. I guess I need to set some limits on them and tell them that I work certain days and times at their place and work somewhere else at other times.
I was forced to move the photo portion of my main blog and went to Flickr. I have been happy with that change and have even had photos published. Wow - who would have thought. Later this fall, I was forced to move the main blog also, and went to blogspot. I want to keep my Spaces Live for more technical things, so it remains. All others are KIA.
That about sums it up for me. Hope all are doing well.
Zonie. 4/19/2007 How To Really Get Me Thoroughly 100% Ticked OffImagine the irony of this. I am going to flame Microsoft, using my Live Writer Beta, on my computer that is using Vista Ultimate Beta and posting it on my MSN Live Spaces. Using Microsoft products to bash Microsoft - this ought to be interesting. FLASHBACK - May 2, 2006: I saw a Microsoft ad on MSN that was touting the Office Live Beta (I am really into Beta testing, if you couldn't already tell that) and after looking at the information, I signed up. It offered a free domain registration so I jumped onboard with keycityservices.net and started creating a site for my business. Nothing fancy, just something for a couple of us to use for document storage and possible communication about things pertaining to business. FLASHFORWARD - April 19, 2007: Looking over my records, I notice the domain name for keycityservices.net is coming up for renewal in less than a month, and I wanted to know what I needed to do to either renew the name or transfer to my registrar. I log into my Office Live Suite and notice that not only can I not find any information about renewing or transferring away from Microsoft's registrar, but that my Office Live Suite has been upgraded today. Since I didn't upgrade, I contact Microsoft Office Live to find out what is going on. While speaking to Ed at Microsoft Office Live, it is discovered that he cannot pull up my information using my email address. When he pulls up the information using my Live ID, he discovers that the reason my account is upgraded is because the Beta has expired. No warning, nothing - just 'POP!' Beta done we will now rape you for $39.95 and continue raping you for $39.95 each month until you cancel your service. Well, I am thoroughly P*^^%@ OFF at this point, but keeping my composure, I explain that I do not understand why I was not notified of this prior to my being charged - mind you, the charge is still in their computer, not sent out yet and not at my bank - and what we have to do to get this charge stopped prior to it being sent to the bank. Ed tells me that I can cancel today and within 30 days I will receive a refund. Sorry, that is not good enough for me. Every Beta that I have performed, for every company (including Microsoft) has sent me a notification that the Beta was about to expire and I would have to do yada, yada. Notification prior to expiration! So, can this be blamed on being sent to the old email address that is listed AS my MSN Live ID Handle? Not hardly. On June 2, 2006, I made sure that my email address (GMail address) was current. Last Fall, I went through all of my registered domain names and verified that the Administrative Contact Information was current, reflected my business mailing address, phone number and email address - again to my GMail address. Also, I have been receiving a lot of correspondence at my GMail address from Microsoft since June 2006 that is tied to my GMail address and my MSN Live ID. Therefore, it is feasibly impossible for me to NOT receive any email notifications from Microsoft. Before anyone touts that it probably went to the spam folder in error, you would be wrong with that assumption, because Microsoft.com is a trusted domain - nothing from them hits the spam box. Another reason I cannot understand why I wouldn't receive any email regarding my Office Live is because at some point after June 1, 2006, I updated my credit card information with my current card number - issued by a bank that I was not affiliated with prior to moving to Dubuque. So, where are the problems with this? How can this be rectified?
I also do not understand why a supervisor is not available at all hours that the CSR's are. Again, my other web host has a supervisor available 24/7/365, why can't Microsoft? I would love to hear from anyone within the Microsoft organization as to why this is happening and what is being done to rectify the situation. Should I bog down the legal system with this or can it be rectified immediately? I am looking for an answer here! 4/9/2007 When Antispyware Is Really SpywareHow to protect yourself while protecting yourselfWe have all heard that we need to protect our computers from hackers. We use Antivirus programs, Antispyware, Spam filters, popup blockers and Phish filters just to name a few of the items to try and maintain our system and keep us safe online, keep our data secured and our ID our own. However, there is another threat that is even larger and harder to protect against. I have said it for quite a number of years and, since it is worth repeating over and over, I will put it here too. The most effective virus out there will be the one that comes disguised as a protection, shuts off legitimate protection and can protect itself from being eradicated. This is something that is not too far fetched and is being used today (and for several months past). I was chatting by IM with a family member this afternoon and discovered that their computer was reporting a virus discovery. The issue is that they couldn't get the virus cleaned and the warning keeps popping up. Via Remote Assistance, I was able to track it down and fix the problem for now and I will detail the issue here for all the world to see. To protect the confidentiality of the client, I will not reveal the name. Several months ago, client is surfing the internet and gets a popup web window announcing an AntiSpyware program. Knowing that there is a lot of hub-bub about spyware, the client installs the program and thinks nothing of it. Now, we are several months down the road and the computer has gotten slower and some program - client cannot figure out which - keeps warning that there is a virus on the computer. That virus is a Trojan. When the client clicks on the taskbar notification, they are taken to a site that proposes that the spyware program be updated (for a cost, naturally) to eradicate the Trojan. This is what is referred to as either Rougeware or Ransomware. Because the warning comes from a trusted program on the computer - or at least a program that hasn't given problems yet, it is felt that the site pointed to for a fix is also trusted. Then the program holds your computer hostage unless you do what it wants while it is doing God only knows what with your information. Is My Computer Infected?While new viruses come out each day, it is hard to say with certainty whether or not your computer is infected. Even having an up-to-date antivirus program is not always a surefire cure for an infection as virus definitions are always one step behind the release of the virus. Now that I have dispensed with that, I can tell you that if any of the following symptoms or program names are on your computer, then chances are good that your computer may be infected:
How Do I Get Rid Of This Malware/Rogueware/Virus?While it is perfectly normal to now think that no program is safe for protecting your computer, there are actually legitimate programs out there. First thing that we must do is clean up the stuff off of the computer and then we can protect. Before proceding, ensure that your operating system (Microsoft Windows, etc.) is up to date and current, by visiting http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. As I stated earlier, virus definitions are always one step behind the virus creators, you should do at least one online scan - two is the best. Some malware will disable your antivirus program or stealth from it, but an online scan is able to see these files because of the fact they are on a remote system. While I am not directly endorsing any of these programs, I will say that they are at least safe and legitimate:
Next thing that you would do is to use those same online tools to get rid of the malware or seek help from a professional. Rogueware is sometimes difficult to locate and remove and with the possibility of the malware mutating, the difficulty level rises. There are also some online resources to remove the virus automatically, but I warn you that you really need to read the directions at least twice before using them. Antispyware 101 (http://www.anti-spyware-101.com) has some great tips and removal advice / programs. As with all virus removal, re-run the online scan after you remove the virus to ensure that all of the viruses are gone. Last thing that you need to do is learn how to keep yourself from being re-infected. How Can I Protect My Computer?Once you have gone through the process of cleaning up your computer you should be ready to protect your data by keeping your operating system and virus files up to date. Additionally, you can install a legitimate anti-spyware program such as Spybot Search and Destroy or the The most important thing that anyone can do to protect themselves from infections is to stop and think it all through. Stop pushing the "OK" button at every opportunity. Learn to click the X in the upper right of the window, right click the item in the task bar or learn to use the keyboard command of ALT + F4 to close those pesky popups and popunders. Don't believe everything that you see on the computer, it may be lurking to pounce on your computer and make your computer vulnerable. 2/25/2007 Snow, Ice and Blizzard Warnings Hit DubuqueAfter a week of almost springtime conditions, Eastern and Northeastern Iowa is once again digging out from what is being billed as a 25-year storm that blanketed the area with ice and snow. The storm arrived Friday afternoon with light snow flurries followed by a wave of intense snow dropping upwards of three inches of wet snow within a couple hours that hit in the evening. Saturday saw freezing rain and about one-half inch of ice early in the day that gave way to snow that is expected to leave accumulations of up to 15 inches in some parts of Northeast Iowa and Southwest Wisconsin. In addition to that, steady winds of 10-20 mph and gusts of up to 35 mph could cause drifts as high as 3 feet in some areas. According to the National Weather Service, the storm is a combination of two storms - one from the West and one from the Gulf of Mexico that have stalled over the upper Midwest. Because of the high winds, the National Weather Service issued a Blizzard Warning for the area that lasts until 6:00am CST on Sunday morning. A Winter Storm Warning will continue through 6:00pm CST on Sunday. The storm brought on slippery roads that kept the plow trucks busy laying down salt and brine and plowing the blowing and falling snow from the roadways. The ice and snow also caused at least 187,000 people to be without power at one point. Alliant Energy reported on the television news that it could take several days for power to be restored in some areas because of the power lines that came down from the ice and wind. Coming from Central Arizona and this being my first "Blizzard", I have learned a few things that I never knew. First of all, I learned that it is possible to have rain falling out of the sky when the temps are down in the mid 20's. I knew from my high school physics classes that it was possible to have water both below the freezing point and above the boiling point, I just never expected to have rain showers happen. The second thing that I learned is closely related to the first, and that is that an ice storm is hell. I came home from work this afternoon to what appeared to be a freshly shoveled sidewalk. As I was walking across it to the front porch, I realized rather quickly that there was a half inch of clear ice on top of the concrete. I know for a fact that it was a half inch because, while it was impossible to determine with my eyes a approximately 6 foot when standing, it was rather easy to see the depth with my eyes a few inches above where my feet were a second earlier. Since I was already in a position to determine the ice depth in one spot, why not get a feel for how deep the ice was over a section of the sidewalk - like the full 10 foot section that I was sliding down in front of the house. I was there, might as check it out too. Another thing that I have learned is that there is a such thing as a Thunder snow. Think of it as a thunderstorm only think of snow instead of rain. It was pretty spooky to experience it firsthand. Third thing that I have learned is that the plow trucks cannot always keep up with the snow. I know this because we live really close both of the local hospitals and thus, the first streets that get plowed are the ones leading to the hospital. Because of our proximity, our street usually gets plowed in the process of the trucks turning around to make second and third passes. You can usually count on the truck making two passes on this street every hour, however, it has now been close to 4 hours since I have heard the last pass through here. Either they are turning around elsewhere, or they are stuck someplace. If they are stuck, I hope the drivers are keeping warm. Last thing I learned is that church is canceled for tomorrow. While some may worship and have devotions at home, I can't help but to wonder how many little boys will actually be thanking the Lord for a snow day from church because they will be able to get another hour or two of riding their sleds down the hills. Then again, they could be shoveling snow at home and therefore a little upset at God for the snow. I wonder. As for me, I will stay inside as much as possible and just ride this one out. Depending on conditions tomorrow, I could end up learning something else new - what it is like to get a snow day from work. 2/19/2007 Microsoft's Answer to Google and YouTube
Well, Microsoft has released their version of a video player that it hopes to be as successful as Google Video and YouTube. It is called Soapbox and can be found at http://soapbox.msn.com/video.aspx
Here is a cute video cultivated from the site. 2/18/2007 The Year of the Fire Pig
For those of you that know me personally, you know that I am not really all that big into astrology. However, I find that astrology can be fun to read and am especially fond of Chinese astrology. So, on the eve of the Chinese New Year, I thought that I would share some of my insights on Chinese astrology and this article from MSN. For those that do not know the history of the Chinese Zodiac, I have to ask where the heck you have been for the last several thousand years? For those that are interested in learning the origin of Chinese astrology, I highly recommend reading the Wiki on it. For those of you that are interested, I am an Earth Rooster and what I find interesting is that there are some really neat people that are also Earth Roosters to keep me company:
So, if you are interested in astrology, Chinese astrology or just looking for something interesting to look into, check it out. 12/31/2006 Looking ahead to 2007Well, in just a few hours, we will bid adieu to 2006 and start with a fresh calendar (BTW thx to my In-Laws for the Bald Eagle calendar that is soon to adorn the wall in the office). Most of us will set "resolutions" of what we want to accomplish in 2007 and, while some of those resolutions will soon be forgotten, others will succeed. As for me, I stopped doing the "resolution" thing a number of years ago and set goals instead. As for goals, one of the ways that you can help to succeed in meeting your goals is to write them down and place them where you can see them. Placing them where others can see them is also a bonus because then you are accountable to them. I would suggest getting together with a friend of loved one and plan your goals together so that you are accountable to someone else and they to you. Also, make your goals realistic - you can have a dream of being a millionaire, but set a goal to hit double your income first, then when you hit that goal, set another to double that, etc. Here are my goals for 2007:
Some simple, some hard. There are other things that I would really love to put on this list right now, things like travel and adventure, finish writing one of my books or curbing my language, but for right now these 10 items are what I am most committed to. When I attain one of my goals then I can add another, but for right now I am only going to look at these. I did hit my goal weight in 2006 and at one point did better (goal weight was 180# and I actually got down to 172# at one point, though I am back up to 188 at the moment). Another goal was to move back to Dubuque and attend college, and while we did move back to Dubuque, I was not able to go back to school as my work schedule is wierd and I never can plan anything in advance like a class schedule. I am hoping that each and every one of you have a better 2007 and that you attain your goals in this new year. 12/29/2006 Reflections on 2006
2006. The year is quickly coming to a close and it is time that I look back on it and see what has happened this year. How close did I come to attaining my goals for this year? Am I better off now than the same time last year? What am I going to do for next year? First and foremost, 2006 was a great year and undoubtedly a memorable one. Time now to look back. A look back - January through AprilJanuary 1, 2006 and we were in Mesa, Arizona where the high on Jan 1 was 68 and the low was 44. We were busy listening to the Mesa Police and Maricopa County Sheriff's helicopters (aka "ghetto birds") flying over head as the clock ticked off the new year. We made concrete decisions that we would fulfill our dream of once again living in Iowa and having that peace and happiness that was quickly approaching 11 years in the past. February rolled in with what I can only describe as Occupational Hazards as Sulis and I both found out that our services were no longer needed for the rental company. Funny how we both not only knew it was coming but that it also would spell the demise of the rental company. At that point, I was focused on moving to Iowa and could care less, other than I hoped that it would not jeapordize where Sulis was living and I wanted to get paid for all the work that I did. March found me with the rebirth of my blog. I had started the !Yahoo 360 Blog in August 2005 and then because of financial issues as well as work, there was no way that I could keep it up. I had made a goal on New Year Day to get into at least a weekly blog entry, but didn't really get started until March. Funny to look back on the first entry in March and see where I have come. March also brought snow to the deserts of Arizona - a rare occurance indeed - the the end of 140 days without precipitation. April finally arrived and we had still yet to leave Arizona - hell, we are nowhere near ready to leave and we are over a month behind when I originally planned on leaving Arizona. May through AugustMay 7 finally arrives and we finally hit the road for Iowa. Truck problems along the way helped to slow us down, but in the wee hours of the morning of May 11, we finally saw through the rain the beautiful State of Iowa greeting us. Later that morning we were looking at the Mississippi River and our home of Dubuque. June arrived and so did the work. I landed a job with a plumbing company where I started working in new home construction. The guy that I am usually teamed up with is about 10 years my junior and even though he is younger, he is quite good at plumbing in the new houses - something that has been too many years ago for me. The plumbing codes are a bit different here and the names for different fittings, but I am really starting to adjust to the "Iowa" way of plumbing. July and August brought on the humidity and even I was surprised that I was able to handle it as well as I did. July 19 saw me dancing with lighting and along with the summer warmth came the fishing and the drives. Lisi and I went to Wisconsin on one occasion and to the Field of Dreams on another. Word also came that we will be playing host to some out of town guests at the end of August and first part of September. True to their word, Dave and Sue flew into town and learned first hand why this is our "home town." September through DecemberWith September came the departure of our guests. It would have been nice to have had some time off so that I could have taken them to some of the places a bit further out of town, but at least we went to the Field of Dreams and to Rockford, Ill. They also traveled to Davenport and Moline on a solo adventure to see one of Sue's cousins. October arrived with cooler temps and the need to start buying my cold weather work clothes. How odd it was to remember last winter and the nice warm Arizona weather and be thinking that in a couple short months, I would be frozen. The holidays were soon upon us and we enjoyed our first "home alone" Thanksgiving. For Christmas, we went over to our dear friends' house and had dinner with them. Car repairs also plagued us and I was forced to plug another $300 into the car. I guess that a car that has been in Arizona since it was brand new is not adapted to the cold either. In SummaryIt has indeed been a busy and memorable year. We have lived, loved, grown, changed and become better for it. I attained most of the goals that I set out to get done and those that did not get done this year will probably come to be in the next. I cannot wait to see what the new year holds for us, but for that, we will have to come back to the blog on the first.
Hope yall had as great a year as we did.
MIKEY 12/20/2006 I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas1987. 1992. 1994. 1996. Those are the years that I have actually had a White Christmas (there are a few prior to 1987, but what years is beyond my recollection.) Lisi and I were hoping to add this year to that list, but it doesn't appear to be in the works. Christmas of 1987, I was in Globe, Arizona and we had about an inch or less of snow. 1992 found me a bit further east in Arizona with about a foot. Christmas 1994 was here in Dubuque and we had about a foot. 1996 was at the Grand Canyon and there was about 4 or 5 inches on the ground. Interim years were in Santa Barbara (1988), Globe (1989-1991) or the Phoenix area (1995, 1997-2005). Outside of the years in Globe, there was not much of a chance of snow covered Christmas due to the local climate where I was. Climactically speaking, we should have about a foot of snow on the ground here for Christmas, but that doesn't appear to be in the works for this year. According to the National Weather Service, we may get some flurries on Friday, but looks to just be unseasonably warm and dry. They are calling for highs from the mid 30's to the mid 40's through Christmas and lows from the lower 20's to the mid 30's. Still quite a bit better than the last few years at this time. I think it is funny when I tell people that last Christmas, the high was 71 in Phoenix. The looks I get are funny, anyway. I guess it isn't all bad though. I was fully expecting the winter to be brutal for me and while it is not all that cold here by local climatology, I am weathering it well so far. A couple of weeks ago, we were down to highs in the teens and, even though I was frozen to the bone, I am starting to dress like the natives and only feel as cold as they are instead of how I envisioned it (I figured that once it got down to highs in the 50's, I was gonna be crying "uncle.") I know, winter isn't over yet - barely arriving for that matter - and there are sure to be days that the high is near zero, but I am really thinking that I am going to weather it pretty well (pun intended). So, while some of you are basking in the warmth and sunshine back in Phoenix, you can sleep a little better knowing that I am going to be having the same thing at Christmas that you are - a brown Christmas. 8/7/2006 News From the Testing Ground - Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft is currently in the Beta Testing stage of their new operating system for the home and office, Microsoft Vista. There are a lot of feature upgrades and changes from their last OS, which was XP Home and XP Professional, which came out in 2001. Overview It appears that Microsoft has finally started listening to not only the IT crowd, but also to the home user. With security upgrades, better encryption and parental controls, this seems to be a much better product and a bit more secure. The graphics are much more clean and crisp. Be forewarned that if your computer is more than a couple years old, there is a chance that your computer will really run a lot slower under Vista. Additionally, be prepared to give up a lot of valuable hard drive space to this OS. Vista comes on a DVD -ROM instead of the standard CD-ROM (though it may be released as multiple CD-ROMs) and that should be the telltale sign that this product offering is huge. If you do not have a DVD drive on your computer, you will need it. There are a number of annoyances with this product, but for the most part, the benefits outweigh them. Log In and Desktop Incorporating the login screen that was introduced to the home user with Windows XP, Vista continues the tradition. Each login allows users separate settings, preferences and file settings. Utilizing the new Encrypted File System that is more secure than NTFS, users can rest assured that their files will be out of sight from all but administrator accounts. Vista comes standard with a new feature called, appropriately, Windows Sidebar. While on one hand, the sidebar is handy in that you can place different gadgets (available from Microsoft) on there such as an analog clock or a calendar, to me it is more of an annoyance and a memory waste than a benefit. However, if you are a fan of either the Google sidebar or the similar product from !Yahoo, then you will feel right at home. As a fan of an uncluttered desktop, I really like the fact that the only thing on my desktop is the Recycle Bin (after removing the shortcut to the Vista Tutorial “Getting Started” and the sidebar. For wallpaper, Vista offers a new smacking of choices all laid out in options that are not only easy to navigate, but less cluttered and more straightforward. There is even a link built in that shows the contents of your Pictures folder so you don’t have to go browsing for that picture of your pet if you wanted it for a wallpaper. The control for changing your desktop preferences is no longer a menu box with tabs, but is now a box with links, which makes it easier to understand. All new icons for both the desktop and the taskbar add for a richer environment.
Start Menu and Task Bar While some GUI environments (ie. Gnome, KDE, etc.) have opted for the taskbar on the top of the screen by default, Microsoft Windows Vista still has it in it’s familiar territory at the bottom of the screen. Clicking on the newly revised Start Button, which is a circle instead of the somewhat square one we have grown accustomed to, reveals a somewhat familiar start menu. The only obvious changes here are that some of the program files are moved from where they were traditionally. The games have all been revamped, including Minesweeper which includes sound and a more up to date color scheme. Speaking of games, Microsoft has added Titan Chess and Titan Mahjong just to name a couple.
Old Program With A New Face and New Ones Too In addition to adding a few new games and updating the old standbys, Microsoft has also updated Internet Explorer 7. Microsoft has once again shown that they are playing catch up to the offerings from Mozilla by instituting tabbed browsing. Also gone is the old familiar menu bar that is hidden by default but only an Alt key away.
For those that want safer surfing, Microsoft has listened in that category too. With the likes of Bit Defender (antispam) and an updated Windows firewall, you are sure to FEEL more secure. Additionally, there are new Parental Controls that allow you to control when your kids can use the computer, what they can access on the internet and what programs they can use. There is also a feature that will allow you to get an activity report that shows when and what your kids did on the computer.
Other additions include Bit Locker (more encryption to keep your files safe), Avalon Graphics (graphics engine for developers) and Instant Search (find all those files easier).
Conclusion It is no surprise that this is a better and safer operating system than the previous offerings from Microsoft. That in itself is saying a lot about the fact that Microsoft is paying attention to some of what consumers have been crying for since Windows 95 came out. The down side is that this product has been in development far longer than consumers wanted and it has yet to hit the shelves, which is now pushed back to January 2007. With the approaching Christmas season, the general public is going to be out in force snatching up pc’s with the new 64-bit processors, only to turn around in January to purchase, some for the first time, a boxed set of the latest offering from Microsoft. The shear fact that the boxed set of the OS is usually around $100 for the upgrade and $200 for the full version, there is bound to be some sticker shock from those that just spent $600+ on a new computer. The features and upgrades in Vista, while new to Microsoft, are actually old news for Linux and some Mac users. For a Linux user like myself, it is good to see that Microsoft has decided to come up to speed on these features but Microsoft still has a long road to travel if they want to swing users of other operating systems to their fold and security is probably the longest and roughest stretch of that road given Microsoft’s track record. I would say that if you are looking to get the latest from Microsoft, then go ahead and do it. Just wait to buy that new computer until after Vista hits the shelves and buy a PC that has Vista pre-installed. If you absolutely have to have a new computer before then, prepare to shell out twice for your operating system.
Microsoft, Windows Vista, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, Windows 95 and Bit Defender are trademarks or tradenames of The Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, USA The author of this review is not an employee of the Microsoft Corporation, it’s subsidiaries or holdings. 6/11/2006 What Has Technology Done For You Today?Technology is such an amazing concept. With each technological advancement that happens along, we lose that which we knew and acepted as "the way it is" and we give in to the new. After World War II, the television proliferated our lives and changed us from the family that ate dinner in the dining room to the family that ate in the living room. At first there were 3 channels, then 4 - now, only God and the cable company know as there are too many to count. Used to be that you could only listen to music that either you or someone else you knew createdwhile sitting in the drawing room, in front of the piano or on the porch with a harmonica. Then came the Victrola and records were a hit. Tape emerged too on the market, with the big and bulky reel to reel and then the 8-track, the cassette and then DAT. Records died out and now we have cd's. Communication was an artform at one time. One would sit down at the table, pull a couple sheetsof paper out along with an inkwell and pen. Writing implements changed over time and eventually man created a self contained pen that would write upside down. I am told it would be the best thing for space travel. But it was all pretty much the same. Not only did we communicate by writing, but also by telegram. Then came the telephone, but not everyone had one nor did every phone have a seperate line - hey I remember party lines. Then there were pagers for those that were important, like doctors and lawyers. Now it seems that everyone has a cell phone. Just look at what happens when you are at the airport - one phone rings and 10 people grab at their pocket. "Can you hear me now?" In this day and age most communication is handled by email, instant messaging or text messaging. Sure, there are those that use telephones for more than just a recepticle for text messages and actually talk with their neighbor or loved one, but emails are so much quicker and easier. With the ability of the computer to store everything, it is just a lot easier to just jot a quick note to someone and shoot it out electronically. Like a lot of people, I have one of those "Wall-mounted-mini-rubbish-bins-on-the-wall-for-bills-and-slow-spam" doohickeys. Mine is white and has a flap on the top so the contents do not blow away in the wind and it is quite obvious that this box makes a great home for a spider, as I have one living in there that I have named Wally. Each day, Monday through Saturday, a wonderfully friendly and very athletic guy happens to my house, no matter how inclimate the weather. He then looks through a bag that he carries with him to see if there is any rubbish that he wants to deposit and sometimes he will leave something in there to occupy Wally. See, I take pity on the fact that Wally has nothing other than what goes into the box. To circumvent the chance that there will never be any toys for Wally, I will give out my street address to someone so they can send me something, anything to entertain Wally. He particularly likes the different smells that come off of the toys and the thought that I can provide some quality entertainment to a spider is very fulfilling. So it was yesterday. Wally was given a new toy that was red in color and had some black writing on it. It had my name on it, so Wally kindly gave it to me when he was done playing with it. When I examined it closer, I saw that it was a handwritten envelope, which is not normal. I have not seen one of these in a long time, so it was really wierd to see my name in handwriting. I hurridly opened it up and was even more shocked - there it was, so carefully handwritten as only he could do it:
The letter is from my youngest nephew, Hunter, and it goes on to tell me of all the wonderful things that he has done in the few weeks since the start of summer vacation. He asks me, "What fun things have you done?" And, in closing, he says "PS I love you." Now I vaguely remember when I wrote my first letter. It was a project in school and it was to my grandparents. It was a treasure that they kept and after they passed on from this world, I regained possession of that letter. Other than the sentimental reasons, I never fully understood why this letter was important to them. Now, I know exactly why and that letter, as well as this one from Hunter, are true keepsakes. See, in this day and age, when we live in the rat race of life, we send our emails and don't really understand that emails are so cold and unemotional. Don't get me wrong, you can write an emotional email, but it isn't the same. To actually sit down and, with pen or pencil in hand and a blank sheet in front of us, that is to give a part of ourself to the intended receiver. We toil over the act of the writing and create something to give away. It is more than a communique, it is a part of us - a true work of art. I can see my sister telling him to slow down so it is legible. I can see his true interest in the move and in what I do to have fun. I can see the joy and exhileration of his swimming and Karate classes, and IKEA trip and more swimming. It is right there, before my eyes and in vibrant marks on paper. It is there, if you know how to read it. It is not easy for me to write letters to a youth. I tend to use large words that are sure to leave him wondering what I am saying. This I know because of my conversations with the children of a dear friend of mine - though her kids are a little older - but if you are standing there, eye-to-eye, they get the drift or you see they don't understand and you break it down for them. But I have to answer. I know that Hunter is waiting as patiently as he can, asking mom each day if there is any mail for him and feeling heartbroken that there isn't a reply yet. I know as I have been there. Even though I am tempted to do so, I will not sit down and follow the normal course of action by typing up a letter on the computer, printing it and the envelope up and then putting postage on it. No, I will sit right down as that little boy did, with a pencil and a sheet of blank paper and create a masterpiece of love back to him. I will even if it seems so difficult and I make a few mispellings. Who cares more than that little boy, who is waiting to see what I can send him back. Now, I just need to figure out where that pad of paper is. Where did I pack the envelopes? Can someone tell me what it costs to send a letter these days? 6/5/2006 Is Microsoft Trustworthy?Well, here I am. I am sitting here, with two computers in front of me. A Linux Box that is upgrading to Fedora Core 5 and this Microsoft Box with a new blogging / personal webspace that is blank. I have decided that it should be blank no more so here I write.
As I log into my site, I notice that I get an information bar advising me that the site wants to run an Active X script. Now, here is where it gets funny.
See, I am logged in with my Microsoft Passport. Logged into a Microsoft site and using Microsoft products (Win XP Home and my Beta version of IE7. I get this information bar that says that the ActiveX script is from Microsoft, and - well, let me quote the warning exactly
Now, I can understand that the program is wanting me to decide if I trust the script (and of course, I do not trust anything that is MS, but oh well), but I do not get why Microsoft has determined that Microsoft is an 'unverified publisher.' Looks like they do not trust themselves and if that is the case, then who am I to argue with that?
Another thing. As you can see in the pic (and as I have stated earlier) I am taking advantage of the IE7 Public Beta. Mostly I am pulling my hair out with it, but I guess that is what I get for playing with fire. I have learned something though:
If you use the Google Desktop program (which I love dearly since I have over 750GB of data on my system) do not use IE7.
See, I have been using Mozilla's Firefox for years. Love the program and especiall the ability to open pages in their own tabs. Due to the fact that I tend to have several pages open at the same time, only having one program on the taskbar but several pages open is a plus.
Now Microsoft has decided that Mozilla was right with the tabbed browsing and they have integrated that into IE7. Great feature that works well - that is if you are not using the Google Desktop. When I tried to open a new tab, IE would crash. Microsoft's tech support and I worked for almost an hour before we found out that it was the fact that Google Desktop and IE7 do not get along. When I asked if this was an issue that was being looked into, I got the reply that it was. Little did I know how.
Seems that I find out later that evening that Microsoft has also decided that Google was doing the right thing with the Desktop Search - so they have their own that is in the works. Fat chance for Google Desktop to work with IE7.
Now that I have said that, you may ask "Why the Hell have you not uninstalled IE if you have a far superior web browser?" Well, I tried to uninstall IE. Win XP Home ran far faster without it and frankly, I feel it was a safer and far more stable OS without it, until I tried to update the OS.
See, MS was sued in Federal court over the fact the the web browser is an integral part of the OS and therefore Netscape felt, as did the US District Attorney, that there was a violation of the anti-trust laws. Microsoft lost and was supposed to make the OS and the web browser two independant entities. That would mean that you could take IE off the puter, put Mozilla or any other browser in it's place and all would be well and good. Obviously that did not happen as the only way to update the OS is to use IE (because of the ActiveX support, I assume. BTW, ActiveX - for all my non-IT readers- is still not an approved extension of the World Wide Web Consortium, which is the group that acts as the governing body of all the standards on the WWW).
The reason that ActiveX is not an adopted standard is because it is not a secure way to communicate and opens the door wide open to intruders. Which brings us back to where this all started: ie. that even Microsoft thinks that Microsoft is not trustworthy.
I ask you again, who am I to argue that?
|
|
|
