I'm fairly good at technical support...put's bread on my table, but occasionally I get really pissed off. This is what I just did to a laptop that wouldn't behave.

I gassed it, and fired it (up).

It is no longer a problem. It is no longer...period.

If I can't fix a problem...I make it go away.

When driving my iMac, I keep a virtual weather radar widget on my desktop. Yesterday, about dusk, I saw a deep red band heading right for me. We got slammed...it was blowing the squirrels out of the trees. It didn't last too long, but it was intense. My Woman and Stretch did the "Pogo". I thought we were under attack. I'm talking loud...and I'm talking power.

Have a look at this and this

Snapped that damn tree like it was Balsa wood.

Today is a beautiful day.

It's all about Networking

I don't care what anyone says...this is one bad-ass ride.

The average distance from the equator of Earth to the equator of the Moon is 238,857 miles, depending on the season. That's a long ride. Forty years ago we did a little less than a half a million miles, round trip, to walk on the first space beach and return to splash down in the Pacific Ocean. Amazing, since most of the math was done with a slide rule.

Anyway, I salute everyone involved.

For you Firefox users..the next time you accidentally close a tab and you want it back, simply hit Command-Shift-T (for a Mac, or Shift+Ctrl+T for a PC) and the tab will reappear again. Pretty cool.

Also, for Safari users...the "Show Top Sites" button is pretty cool as well. Play with it, and of course you can edit it.

This dog will hunt.

Lots of stuff, but Voice Memos is way to cool...trust me on this.

Awesome technology back in the day...still is as far as I'm concerned.

I was fortunate enough to see many Saturn V rockets blast off. Most were topped with an Apollo capsule.

Still makes me weak in the knees. When they lighted those puppies up...you could feel it miles away...and we got as close as we could.

I loves me a good launch...especially at night.

You've gotta check this out

This will be my next coffee table.

I just heard that NASA has put the odds for having to launch another shuttle to rescue the crew of Atlantis at 1 in 229. I don't like those odds at all.

Here's a link if you enjoy watching this kind of stuff.

In response to my previous post...my friend Teresa passed this along in the comments.

If it wasn't true, it'd be funny.

Anyway, here in the Brier Patch, we have a commercial shredder we use for all mail, etc.... shredded "paper compost" makes a great fire-starter. We burn everything.

I understand that some U.S. computer systems, in particular, systems that control the national electric / power grid, have been hacked by Russia and China, and left code behind that would allow control of these systems, at will. Russia and China...who knows...anyone can spoof an IP.

This is not good. Can you imagine the chaos if the power was turned off partially or totally nationwide? What if they gained access to a nuclear reactor?

The scariest part is our inability to detect the intrusions until after the damage has been done. There is no telling what has gone undetected. This is definitely a huge national security risk. The fact that something as important as the electrical infrastructure can be hacked is pretty pathetic on our part. As technologically advanced as we are, I would expect there would be a better infrastructure to ensure this cannot happen. Apparently not.

The Internet represents a border just as ports, airports, and physical borders do. We need to secure all of 'em.

We need stronger firewalls.

I'm looking to do some computer support. I can solve any and all problems.

Problem number one about three years ago.

Problem number one about three years later.

It stays as it lays.

I'm just about ready to stake another one. After all, horseshoe season is right around the corner.

Here's the original

...and I'm not talking about the good thing.

In the past, I've run from the law on several occasions. I was successful, but I wasn't being chased by one of these.

Once, I was in the passenger seat of a 911 and we saw the blue lights approaching (fast) behind us. My buddy who was driving...could drive...I mean, he was one with the machine. After a long chase down straightaways, curvy roads, and hairpin turns...we escaped...we thought.

A Porsche 911 is a formidable opponent if you know how to drive it. They have a tendency to over steer, and that can get your ass killed real fast.

Anyway, the law showed up at the my buddy's house several days later and arrested him. They had contacted every Porsche dealership in town to get the information on every silver 911 they'd sold. They thought my friend fit the profile, which he did, I guess. He would not say a word until he had some legal representation. Smart...the charges were dropped because the cop chasing us could never get close enough to get the tag.

Funny thing is, we did it for the thrill of the chase. We weren't drinking...no drugs...no weapons...no nothing. We thought of it as a game.

All's well that ends well!

I've got to get one of these.

I'm sure you'll find this interesting. *NIX database engines and how they relate to Bobobama.

Damn...shared memory and Bobobama.

"Systems that allow concurrent access to shared memory resources require ways to synchronize that access and avoid corruption. The server uses locks, known as mutexes, to coordinate threads as they modify data in shared memory. Every shared memory resource that can be changed has an associated mutex. Mutexes are implemented from within the server, not the operating system.

A mutex is a mechanism that does what its name denotes; namely, MUTual EXclusion. A thread must acquire the mutex associated with a shared memory resource before it can be modified. Once a thread has completed its work, the thread releases the mutex. If the mutex associated with a shared memory resource is not available (it is held by another thread), the thread must wait for the mutex to be released."

This used to be referred to as latches. The term latch is now synonymous with mutex.

I can't wait to be released. We are technically, fucked!

Read into it what you want.

...one of these motherfuckers idiots

I have, and it wasn't pretty.

I believe it should be mandatory that every American household have one of these. The ultimate power tool.

I do loves me some three inch double ought.

I would say... I would to drive one of these.

Someone once told me "what you can't see you can't block". I would say these boys would be on you before you knew it started.

Pretty Damn Low

I just upgraded my not so old 8 GB iPhone to a 16 GB 3G. Sweet. It is fast...just sayin'. My woman got my 8 gigger, and she loves it. They should call it an iDevice, not an iPhone, because the phone is only a small percentage of it's capability. I've used Crackberrys since they came out, and I'm telling you that these iPhones are the Catdaddy. They blow the Blackberry away. No comparison.

I guess from the top down the most efficient feature is that there is no keyboard...just a 3.5 in screen, and you can make it do whatever you want. The GPS is also very cool. Pinch in and out is also pretty slick. What I have enjoyed lately, for example, is that I can enter the address of the house where I grew up...and drive to anywhere using my finger. Follow the road.

Movies...photos...sound...satellite images...etc...no problem.

Anyway, I highly recommend them, and I've only talked about 2% of what they can do.

Just FYI.

One way to save gas is if employers allowed their employees, who can, to telecommute. It would also save money on office space among other things. I've worked virtual for well over a decade, and I can say for certain I'm more productive.

This is not really the same thing, but it is a close parallel. If you call a US company for say "customer service", the chances are you're going to get someone in India answering your call. If you send an email...no telling where it will be received. Do you know why this is? I'll tell you why. During the dot com bubble from 1997 - 2001, the US wired the whole damn planet with fiber optic networks, then most of the dot com companies went belly up. At about the same time, India decided to open up it's economy and, as a result of their change in thinking, bought all of these networks for ten cents on the dollar. For example, if a computer programmer in the US earns 100K annually...the same programmer in India will earn 5k or 10k, and will be just as productive as their counterpart in the US. Sad but true.

Back to telecommuting...if you make an airline reservation by voice...you're speaking to someone in a home office or their kitchen...the airlines have been doing this for many years...it works, and saves them a pile of money.

Telecommuting is the future, and companies who don't realize it, or are too damn plain ass backwards...are going to suffer the most. The US must adapt, period.

This is not good

At any rate, I recommend reading this book. He gets a little political toward the end, but all in all he nails it.

I do loves me a nice operating system. I'm going to fire this up in a few days, and you will, no doubt, be hearing more about how and why I think Windows sucks.

I've had some time to play with, and get under the hood, with my new iMac today, and I must say...it is a whole different ballgame. The Mac operating system is basically the Catdaddy GUI built on top of *NIX. How much can you do at once? All you want or could ever need is there. Kind of like a good woman.

vi is there. As most of you know, no vi...no deal.

While I was at it, I snagged a 850 GB external backup hard drive...only for backup...to use with Apple Time Machine. Snapshots on the fly. Why not? CD's and Memory Sticks are good for the small stuff (like moving stuff to a laptop for travel), but if you have to depend on 'em for a restore...you're fucked. I know, I know, I know,,,you can FTP or SFTP all that data between machines, but that is a pain in the ass, and the times they are a changing.

I never thought I would say this...but I'm down with Apple. The connectivity to remote *NIX databases is slick.

MAC OS is so far superior to Windows...it ain't even funny. Plus, the damn thing boots in 15 seconds. I kid you not. You can also run Windows inside OS X...virtual machine...no dual boot nonsense...SWEET!

I'm telling you, this iMac stuff is pretty cool.

Dashboard Widgets make life easier...

Awhile back I mentioned I terminated 7 of my 13 computers. Downsizing. My home office here in The Brier Patch looked like NORAD.

Well this morning, I took 10 hard drives I'd removed from said machines, and beat the shit out of 'em with a sledge hammer. Man, that felt good.

I did it in the front yard because I didn't want to contaminate the Stretchengeti

Anyway, my neighbor saw me and came running over to ask if I was OK. I said, "I've never been better, but I can't say the same for them"

He said, "You're crazy"

I'll leave it at that.

Got myself a shortwave radio. This ought to be interesting...someone told me I needed to climb a fucking tree to take full advantage of it. Is this guy a fiend or enemy?

Damn!!!

I know one other person who has a Harrier Jump Jet in their kitchen.

That would be Dash Riprock

We are the club...plain and simple. It is one bad-ass ride...and loud.

All I can say is "one taste of the bait is worth the pain of the hook."

Bwahahahahahah!!!!

Can you imagine if IBM didn't abandon the development of OS/2? One of the biggest mistakes IBM ever made. I used OS/2 in a professional and personal environment beginning in 1988 all the way through Merlin, or Warp, in 1994. As a matter of fact, Windows was more stable running under OS/2 than standalone.

I needed the ability to make at least 8 simultaneous remote connections...on demand and on autopilot. DOS and Windows...no way. UNIX and OS/2...no problem. Obviously, I would've chosen UNIX, but I was employed in a 100% IBM shop and the powers that be thought UNIX was just another four letter word.

I know I often slam Windows, but someone has to stir the pot. Fact of the matter is; I like all operating systems. The newer versions of Windows make great clients, but I would crawl miles over broken glass before I'd ever use if for anything mission critical. I'm not a fan of check box operating systems.

Comparing Windows to OS/2 is like comparing DOS to UNIX.

A brief history of OS/2 can be found here, and the Wiki is here.

I now have systems I support in all time zones in the continental United States. Obviously, I can look at my watch and do the math in my head, but there is something efficient about seeing the different time zones at a glance. In my office, I just installed four wall clocks...Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific) from west to east by time zone. I synced them to the minute, but the seconds are just a hair off, so, instead of one click per second, it's 4 unsynchronized clicks per second (and a half). I'm going to have to replace them with clocks with silent sweep second hands of I'll be in the fucking nut-house soon.

I liken this to Chinese Water Torture

For the hell of it.

I just slapped Parallels on my new iMac. Why, you might ask...I need the ODBC drivers that connect my database with Access...easy way out. I don't have the time to slow dance...I need to glide one in right now.

I need quick solutions...no time to fuck around...no time to fuck around with anything. The shit has to work from the get-go. No time to tune.

I installed the latest and greatest version of Microshit Vista and a full clip of latest and greatest Office. I need Access to move data into Excel. I know I know...I really don't care, but I don't have time to fuck with it.

Bottom Line: This new Windows piece of shit Operating System is more stable running under a Virtual machine under MAC/OS, than it is running standalone on an Intel box.

I'm just sayin'

I swear to the Maker...*NIX rocks...Fuck Windows.

I love an adrenalin rush. I've done many things in my life that have given me one. Bungee jumping...Sailing in really really strong winds and (cold) raining so hard you couldn't see the bow from the stern (in both day and night)...running from the cops in a 911 Porsche, or a Lotus Turbo...I've been shot at...I've had someone try try to stab me...I've even had some crazy fucker take his bow and try to shoot me with a fucking arrow. Don't forget about the crazy fucking women I have known. They're as dangerous as anything. I have, seriously, had to run for my life. I kid you not.

By the grace of the Maker, I'm still here.

One thing I have always wanted to do is land a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier, at night, in bad weather.

This guy missed the ball

I'm sure I did might have done this before, but not under these circumstances.

That thing has some motor, ya think?

Actually, I have a friend who has his name painted on the side of an FA-18. He never could get me a ride though...

One morning, after a really really long night, I went to see him off. There is no way he didn't feel like shit. He fired that puppy up,,,floored it, and went vertical 10 feet off the runway.

It was amazing...and loud.

Anyway, he's always been a Showoff.

As most of you know...I fucking hate Microsoft Windows. Anyone ready to slow dance with that statement...I'm ready.

All of my Grandparents are dead...may the Maker bless their souls and comfort them, but I inherited some useful stuff from them. Cast Iron skillets and crowbars. I do loves me some cornbread, and everyone needs a nice crowbar...or two...or three. I have three in different sizes and weights.

Anyway, I've been whooieing with this particular laptop for some time now. This bitch will not behave. I have built hundreds of machines in the past...I have installed operating systems hundreds, if not thousands, of times...this bitch will not mind...so I crowbarred her ass...Man, that felt good.

Ding Dong the Bitch is dead.

Now, I realize I could have set her straight, but it was more fun to stake her.

Machines should not fuck with me.

I am the Saminator.

Bwahahahahahahahah!!!

I'd pick you up in one of these You will need a passport.

Bwahahahahahah!!!

Super Rubber

Firewalls are MOST important. I'm not talking about virus protection, and I'm damn sure not talking about that lame firewall shit that comes with Windows. I'm talking about real major protection...among other things. Configuration protection is easier than you might think.

For all you folks out there who don't want to donate your old obsolete PC to a Church, etc., and want a real Linux Firewall / Router, but don't want to, or can't write the scripts...here's my recommendation.

Tom Eastep dreams in binary, and provides this for free. Shorewall is free but if you try it and find it useful, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer's Association or to the Starlight Children's Foundation. You can find the links on his site. I don't know him, and I'm not plugging him, except for...he can write some top-of-the-line scripts.

Anyway, a properly configured Linux Firewall is like the Energizer Bunny...it just keeps running and running and running. Mine has been running since 1999 without an involuntary reboot, and I don't run Shorewall. That's what I would call "running underwater."

Rule of thumb...only allow inbound traffic from an established or related outbound connection. Turn EVERYTHING off, including Ping. Look at the logs...you will be amazed at how many attempts are made to hack your system. Amazed.

Also, turn that Windows auto-update shit OFF.

I'm just sayin'

...or more on my new iMAC.

I can't break this fucker...it just runs. Like that damn bunny...it just keeps going and going and going. I've tried hard, but I can't bust it. After all, it is based on UNIX.

This ain't no Windows, this ain't no fooling around.

Spotlight could be is your best friend. Spotlight is bright.

Anyway, I'm not going to review a MAC operating system, or Linux, or Windows, but I am saying Tiger is well thought out. I'm really impressed. Blows the doors off Windows.

Aside from the stability, connectivity, speed, graphics and sound, I don't know why anyone would want one.

The monitor is too big, or I need longer arms. You've got to back way off this fucker...

Seriously, Apple is some pretty cool Juju. As I said before...the graphics are incredible. The "built in" speakers are great, but I'm gonna do some surround sound anyway.

The damn thing is stable...real stable. Runs like a scalded dog.

It could be worse.

Holy Shit....just fired up my new iMac with a 24 inch display...I'm talking cooking with gas. Sweet. Damn thing boots in...like 18 seconds...graphics are quite impressive. vi is available...OS is built on top of UNIX...this thing is the catdaddy macdaddy. DVD movies are increadible. The "remote" is pretty cool as well. Network connectivity is so easy my great great grandmother could do it.

More later: excuse me while I go beat off.

The Saturn V is one of the most impressive machines in human history. The most powerful engine ever built. Without knowing the exact measurement technique and mathematical method used to determine thrust for each different rocket, comparisons are often inexact.

No Shit...

I've seen several of these launch...they will shake the earth...I kid you not.

Everybody has passwords...probably several. I do. Actually, I've got more than I can "almost" remember.

Here's the deal:

Never use your dogs name, or your birthday, or a combination of birth dates, or anything stupid like that...or any word that is in any language in any dictionary. Never. Never. Never.

Create a phrase that has meaning to you and pick the first letter of each word, or take out all the vowels. Even better, don't use an actual word. Use at least 8 characters, and use upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Mix 'em up.

For example:

Il2s4sitS would translate to: I love to shop for sandals in the Spring.

Iwrk8hrsdy: I work 8 hours a day.

M$8ni3y0tmd@: My son Aiden is three years older than my daughter Alice.

The bottom line is that if someone gets your stuff...you might be fucked.

This has been a public service announcement from The Brier Patch.

Also, write 'em down and put 'em in a safe place...unless you have a memory like mine.

Do you believe I know someone who named their kid Aiden? WTF is going on with that?

...how to configure a Linux firewall protecting a publicly-accessible (boundary, DMZ) network to detect worms' and attackers' scanning activity and react in real time to block and interfere with that scanning activity. A discussion of reporting tools and possible extensions is also included, with details for setting up an SMTP-only tarpit...

You need to skip on over here

My friend John D. Hardin needs his own blog.

Good Stuff!!!

The Fortune Cookie on my right sidebar is working fine. Every time you hit refresh, it changes...as it should.. The problem is, I lost my real deal file...so, this is some test shit behind it. If anyone wants to donate some (fortune cookies), I'll eat 'em. Actually, it would be interesting if I only did submitted ones.

Still testing!@#$%^&

:%s:[ ]\{33\}:Shortcut to replace your Dumb-Ass

Works every time...no matter where you are...

"double quote"

'single quote'

... periods

Some people are just too FUCKING STUPID to have a computer.

I have been thinking about Vertical Takeoff and Landing Technology.

Interesting technology, but I think it is all about supply, or re-supply. Look at a military application.

What good is the ability to land a fighter or bomber behind enemy lines if you cannot refuel or rearm it? Maintenance?

If you try to take off from the woods, the engines will suck up everything in sight. Not good.

It is all about the gas.

Just thinking.

Nothing personal, but this .mu.nu bullshit just ain't stable. I have no idea why someone would use it. No idea.

I have many good friends who are attracted to this shit, and I do not, for the life of me, understand why.

Free? I guess you get what you pay for.

It goes down all the time...

I’m under attack again. I’ve had so many comment and ping spams in the last several hours…I’m wondering if it’s worth it. Shit, this site doesn’t even get much traffic. I can’t handle 9,000 emails, period. Especially in a couple of hours.

If I ever catch one of you spamming motherfuckers….I WILL KILL YOU!

I swear on everything I hold sacred…your ass is dead. DEAD. And it will be a slow and painful death…I promise you.

If I nuked an innocent…I’m sorry…

I do understand the technology this blog sits on, and that’s why I’m reluctant to change,,,but.

We need a Bounty Hunter, or Hunters.

I’m in. Bring me one.

Bullshit!

...a re-entry capsule and an orbiter that will stay aloft after they land...

What do you think is in the orbiter they're leaving up there?

You can bet it ain't space junk.

Have you ever wondered what a strike fighter pilot is thinking the first time he or she releases a weapon in combat?

If so, go read this and this and this.

Last night, I received thousands of comment and ping spams. I went into NUKE mode. Kind of like Chemotherapy.

I killed the good with the bad.

Sorry about that.

Well...everyone has an opinion.

...handgun stopping power is too important a subject to be left to urban legend. I swear...I'm not laughing!!!

What is advanced stopping power all about?

Occasionally, it gets a little cramped here in the Brier Patch. I have five laptops, five desktops (all of various flavors…Linux, Unix, Mac, and fucking Windows) and all of the associated peripherals. Fact of the matter is: I’ve got a lot of shit. I need want all of this stuff?

I just bought the top of the line HP all in one’er. Color photo printer, color copier, color faxer, color flatbed scanner, color everything. Everything is in living color. No shit. Anyway, this “unit” takes up about 10 % of the space that all of my other junk did. Very cool.

While I was at it, I snagged a new cell phone. Hell, if you try to look at it sideways…you can’t even see it. Too thin. I can’t go anywhere without a laptop, so a Blackberry is overkill. Too big, and no bang. Way overrated.

I’m reconfiguring my office, after all, Stretch needs his own chair.

I’m just saying.

What would you do if your blog host went into a directory on your site and renamed a script to, effectively, disable trackback pings? And did not tell you…did not notify you. At all. It took me awhile to figure it out…I would have never thought that my host would’ve hacked my blog. That’s what happened, right? I know they can do it, but can they do that? This is my stuff.

Damn!!!

I need some pity pings to ensure I’ve got this shit fixed.

Thanks…

The Windows Operating System is a piece of shit!!!

MS SQL Server is a joke.

IIS is a joke.

I'm just saying!

*UPDATE* I was unaware of this when I put this post up.

Do you know what happens when you spill a full glass of wine on your laptop?

I hate it when that happens.

I just got back to the Brier Patch from some emergency air tripping. That little problem, along with another one, have left me just plain dog-ass tired. More on those later.

I need sleep...bad.

After that, I need to clean up the 8227 emails I've received in the last four days. I suspect all but 1% are comment and ping spam...too tired to care now...

Good Night!

I've just cleaned 2798 comment and ping spam(s) I received in the last 12 hours. One asshole sent me almost all of 'em. If our paths ever cross...you are dead.

If I nuked some legitimate comments, sorry. If I ever catch one of you…I will kill you, but not before I’ve shared you with my buddies on my Blogroll. They’re pretty creative, and I can assure you…your death will be….shall I say…painful.

I’ve said it before, and I’m saying it again…American vehicles SUCK!!!

My wife has a Chevrolet Blazer with about 70K, and it is a PIECE OF SHIT.

PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT. PIECE OF SHIT.

Do I feel better now? NO!!!! Original post? NO!!!

Instead of trading it in, I think I'll just blow the f***er up. I will film it.

I posted a comment on some assholes blog informing him he was stealing my bandwidth by direct linking images from this blog. Following is a comment posted in response to a smart-ass comment posted by the blog admin.

Bwahahahah

Hmmm,

So I think you should be carefull here Fatislav, you never know what these people are thinking.

I've been under attack again, and if I deleted a legitimate comment, it was unintentional.

Sorry

Walmart, for example, utilizes the Just-In-Time model for automatic inventory replenishment. JIT is the catdaddy, but leaves little room for the fudge. The models for stock must be accurate, not only by season, but by nature. They must adapt in real time. You’ve got to sync the tables in real time…no batch stuff…no down time…always up…all the time. 24-7-365.

With current database technology sitting on top of a *NIX database engine, it is not a problem.

Walmart has several Meteorologists on staff full time, and, basically, all they do is communicate with the staff in charge of auto-replenishment.

For example:

Since they know that people drink more beer just prior to a hurricane coming ashore, and that more people eat Pop-Tarts after it makes landfall, they adjust the models to reflect this, on the fly. Bottom line, they sell more beer and more Pop-tarts than they would using a conventional method of replenishment like First-In-First-Out or Last-In-First-Out.

Technology…you’ve got to love it, or hate it, but it will not go away. The only choice you have is to ignore it and lose, or embrace it and win.

Today, I can do with two people, what it took ten people to do ten years ago.

Pretty soon we won’t need people to run and manage all of these sophisticated systems; we’ll just need more hardware and software.

The machines are doing the thinking.

This is scary.

I’m just saying.

It�s been brought to my attention that I�ve inadvertently deleted some legitimate comments over the last several days. My fault, it was not intentional. I�ve had so much comment and trackback Spam over the last few days, I got a little carried away. Please let me know if you have a problem in the future.

I would love to capture one of these dirtbags, and haul them in chains to The Georgia Writers Workshop. Can you imagine showing up with Bob, for example?

I've been tuning and backing up all the boxes in my home network, and realized I've got about 800 GIGABYTES of storage.

Why do I need all of this? Hell if I know, but it does make things easier.

I’m major league paranoid.

I experienced a catastrophic, unrecoverable, loss once, and learned my lesson.

I experienced a catastrophic, unrecoverable, loss once, and learned my lesson.

I script this shit, and do it in the middle of the night, every night, but I still get confused with where I put everything. I try to keep a copy of all my systems on at least two boxes, and spin the important stuff off to a CD, or a tape. God loves LINUX. Trust me, he does. Repeat after me: GOD LOVES LINUX

Anyway, my new project will be fine-tuning the tune, because

I experienced a catastrophic, unrecoverable, loss once, and learned my lesson.

I experienced a catastrophic, unrecoverable, loss once, and learned my lesson.

I’m serious…back your stuff up, or you will get screwed!!!!

A brief History of the Internet, and Al Gore isn't mentioned once.

I'm not sure what I think of this.

I’m only talking about the absorbed fuel models.

I've used a ZIPPO for as long as I can remember. By the time I could ride a bike I had one. All the kids in my pack had ‘em. Back in my sailboat racing days, I found it was the only lighter that would light in the wind. Everybody had one, regardless of whether they smoked or not. Portable fire is a must, as you never know when you might need it.

ZIPPO is a great American company, who wouldn't sell out to the Japanese. They are the Harley-Davidson of lighters, and they take the "lifetime warranty" serious.

If you ever have a problem with one, or just need a "tune up", just send it back to Bradford, PA, and they'll fix it, or tune it for free. They'll send it back to you with some fresh flints and a small can of fluid. Everything you need to get it fired up again. I know, because I've done it many times. It's usually just the hinge that needs adjusting.

Anyway, some guy (a couple of years ago) with a metal detector found someone’s ZIPPO, who died on June 6th, 1944 on the beach in Normandy, France. There were initials engraved on it, and he sent it to Bradford, where Zippo repaired it, tuned it, incurred the expense of finding the owner, and sent it to his family. How cool is that.

I would hate to see federal regulations hurt this company, and I don’t think a ZIPPO could bring down an airliner. How easy is it to fly with a book of paper matches? It is the same thing in my opinion. The wind doesn’t blow inside an airplane.

I’ve been questioned about mine many times while clearing security in airports; so, I guess I should’ve seen it coming.

The times are changing. Damn.

In 1614, John Napier discovered the logarithm, which made it possible to perform multiplications and divisions by addition and subtraction. (ie: a*b = 10^(log(a)+log(b)) and a/b = 10^(log(a)-log(b)).)

And so it began:

When I was a young boy, at about the time my father was teaching me to play Chess, I took up the Slide Rule. I was curious as to what my father was doing with this strange looking instrument, and I was determined to learn to play it, and I did. Before calculators were invented, and I could afford one, I used my slide rule every day of my life.

When my father died, I inherited his, and every time I slide it out of the case, it brings back fond memories.

I’ve been dated by technology.

Actually, it's much more, and makes Windows much less boring.

There is some cool stuff for Windows, and it is here.

I've been using Object Desktop, and playing Galactic Civilizations since they only developed for OS/2.

Cool stuff, if you understand Windows is not good for anything mission critical.

Yeap...that's right...ODBC drivers suck. Been debugging 'em all day and half the night. I do this often, and it changes every time.

I'll be back later, I hope.

Have you ever noticed that most critics of *NIX or MAC/OS have never used ‘em?

Hypocrites.

Since I’ve used ‘em all, I’m entitled to my opinion.

Right?

I’m just saying.

One time, I got so sick of dealing with a piece-of-shit Windows PC, I just threw the whole lot out of a third story window and watched it explode in the parking lot.

CPU, monitor, keyboard, printer, and even the mouse. The only hardware I kept were the speakers.

I then went downstairs and pissed on it.

Man, that felt good.

Unfortunately, I need some new tires.

I have a car that’s fun to drive, especially with soft sticky tires. The problem is, Gumby tires only last about 12,000 miles, and they are pricey. You pay at least twice as much, for about a quarter of the mileage. Do the math...it is a self-indulgent luxury necessity.

Sometimes I'm decadent, and I realize you have to pay to play.

WTH, I’m going for it…the stickier the better. I'll worry about it again in 12k miles.

I like doing corners at maximum velocity, if need be.

Makes me feel safe...and it is fun!!!

Better to be prepared, right?

It doesn't matter what language you speak, Windows still sucks.

I watched Bullitt (1968) last night, and the famous automobile chases made me remember some of the badass rides I’ve been fortunate enough to drive or own.

I can’t decide which one, was number one. If point A to point B is a straight line, that’s one thing, but if it isn’t, that’s another. Two choices.

Question for y’all.

What are your choices?

East Coast - West Coast

I don't know what to say. That is reality.

Home PC Security 101

Who loves Windows?

The bad guys: the virus writers, the hackers, the crackers, and the black hats.

Why?

Because Windows is so full of holes they can easily break in to an unsecured Windows based PC. In fact, there are so many ways in; Microsoft continuously issues multiple security updates, which should probably be a new release of the operating system, not a patch. Also, be aware that sometimes, these patches break more than they fix.

Since about 99% percent of desktop users run Windows, it makes sense that 99% of the bad guys write exploits for that platform. Windows is not going to go away anytime soon, so you must deal with it.

An “always on” Internet connection is the only way to go, but there are bad things out there. Patiently waiting and listening.

An unprotected Windows based PC brought online (broadband) is generally compromised within 10 minutes, and the majority of people are unaware that an attack has occurred.

There are a few things you can must do.

1. Firewall
2. Antivirus Software
3. Spyware Detection Software

I use a dedicated PC running Linux for a firewall because I’m serious about this shit, but if you are going to use a software firewall that is not part of your virus protection, I recommend downloading it to another machine.

I also recommend downloading whatever virus protection you choose to another machine.

Do the same for spyware detection programs.

Save these, and install them on the machine before you bring it online.

Boot the machine with an online connection, and immediately update your antivirus software. Chances are, you have enough protection for a few minutes. Do the same for spyware, and then scan for viruses and spyware. Next, download and apply all the Windows security patches.

Remember, antivirus software is only effective with the latest pattern files, so whatever flavor you choose; ensure that it supports automatic updates. Depending on how active the bad guys are you might receive updates multiple times a day.

Once you are up and running with a clean machine, there is no reason to ever turn it off. Leave it on and let all the antivirus automatic updates run behind the scenes. I do not recommend allowing Windows patches to update automatically; this can be a problem. If your spyware detection is not part of your antivirus program, update it frequently.

Check the logs generated by these programs, and you will be amazed how many people are trying to hack your machine. Amazed.

Jack talks about it here and here.

I�m all about passwords. How many do I have? I really don�t know; I�d say between 30 & 40. Do I remember them all? Yes. Are they written down anywhere? No. Could someone guess them? No. Could a cracker program find them? No, doubtful. I�ve tried �em before. My memory works best with patterns. None of my passwords are in any dictionary, in any language, anywhere.

Do I change them often? Yes. Do I remember them when I change them? No, just that I�ve changed them. I remember patterns, and I change patterns.. Does this make sense? No. Does it work? Yes.

That�s the point.

What happens if something happens to me? Well, if it�s the passwords you�re after�you are fucked.

I should probably commit �em to paper, and put �em in the safe.

Oh well.

** Update **

Phone numbers for example...I don't remember the actual numbers...I remember the pattern from the key pad. Wierd!!! I know, but it works for me.

I just love it when I type a command at the prompt, and it returns:

Job: "whatever" successfully killed

Of course, I don't know how to unsuccessfully kill anything.

U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman, however, did not give the Minnesota teen the maximum 37-month sentence, saying Parson wrote malicious software and used it to attack other computers partly because of neglectful upbringing and supervision.

Neglectful upbringing and supervision?

Give my a break!

This guy got off too easy.

Y'all don't take this the wrong way....but,

I've been bitching lately about this MUNU Blog Bullshit. Fact: the comments have no memory. Bad, but insignificant. I also understand that you have to be invited and approved for membership "under their umbrella?" Fuck That! I also understand that you have to include their blogroll on your site. Fuck that.

Would someone please provide me the details, on why this is a good thing? I’m missing something.

I also understand this MUNU is run off some server in Australia. Now, one of my best friends is from Canberra, and I have nothing but nice things to say about Australians, but why in the fuck would you run your blog on a machine half way around the world? Makes no sense to me.

Sometimes you must pay to play.

Am I off base?

My MT-Blacklist went belly-up yesterday, and by the time I had detected the problem and fixed it, I had been comment spammed 1,122 times.

These people need to die a slow and painful death.

The only fix was to uninstall, reinstall, import a new Blacklist, and despam my whole damn site.

What a pain in the ass.

What has changed your life more, the cell phone, or a broadband connection?

Just curious.

Today, I decided to reconfigure my home office. I disconnected everything, and moved it to the dining room. Hosed out my office. I mean OUT.

Reconnected:

1. Dedicated Firewall PC – Linux – tweaked the scripts.
2. Backup Box / Server – Linux, 400 GB
3. SCO UNIX box
4. Workstation – Dual Boot Linux / Windows XP
5. Laptop Windows 2000 Professional
6. Laptop – Dual Boot Linux / Windows XP
7. 4 Printers
8. 3 pairs of speakers
9. A Bunch of Miscellaneous stuff

After I tied all the cables, I stood back and laughed. Italian Feast I say. Too much spaghetti

I booted my firewall…OK

I booted everything else…OK

I can’t believe it…everything came up OK on the first boot. All this shit is talking just fine. I should’ve had a couple mort shots of tequila.

Anyway, that’s how I spent my day.

The only real Operating System was named after a bunch of guys with no nuts.

Sometimes, having no balls is a good thing.

Remember, the Mac OS was built on UNIX.

I don't care what anyone says...LINUX is the catdaddy.

Genetically modified Smallpox could kill 50 million people in 20 weeks.

This is scary.

...named after a bunch of guys with no nuts...is really the only way to go.

Linux was born of UNIX (Eunuchs)

Fuck Windows...says The Smoking Toaster.

Right on brother, I feel your pain...Windows Sucks.

vi (pronounced: ``vee eye'', not ``six'', not ``vye'') is an editor. An editor is a program to edit files, and it has saved my ass on many occasions.

Very Powerful.

I'm just saying...

I'm really not that sick, but it is a pretty picture.

This, my friends, is a Saturn V rocket that was used throughout the NASA Apollo program. It enabled the US to win a decisive victory in the space race with the USSR.

I’ve witnessed, first hand, many of the Apollo launches, both day and night, and I’m here to tell you…when they light this puppy up, it is a sight to behold. Standing on a concrete overpass several miles away, I was almost knocked over.

I have felt the Earth move.

Windows does it again.

I've never been a huge fan of Windows, except on a personal computer where losing your data is not the end of the world. As far as I'm concerned, the Brits asked for it. Anyone who uses Windows for the backbone of any type of network, or for any mission critical application, is just plain crazy.

There are so many better options.

With every new Windows operating system release, there are so many bugs that Microsoft must release "Service Packs". These service packs, when applied, generally break more than they fix. What's going on with that?

As Windows evolves, so must your pocketbook; it's got to get bigger. Windows is such a resource hog, that more often than not, to retain the same power you had before you were forced to upgrade, you'll need to upgrade your hardware. You'll also need to upgrade the office suite or applications to take advantage of the benefits, most of which you don't need, of the latest Microsoft products.

Once you commit to Microsoft products, they've got you. Get out the checkbook, and be prepared for some major headaches. That's just the way it is.

Some free advice for Windows surfers: Lose Internet Explorer, and get Firefox...right now...it's free. Ask any "power surfer", or "blogger", or anyone who works for a company that utilizes an "Intranet" for inter-company communications.

I put bread on my table by administering a *NIX network with a *NIX relational database and a *NIX based Intranet. This would not be possible using Windows. Why do you think that 99% of world-wide internet connectivity does NOT use Windows? Because it is NOT stable, that's why.

IMHO, the major problem with Windows is that the Graphical User Interface (GUI) is part of the Kernel (Operating System Core), so when there is a problem and the machine freezes hard, you have to reboot or power off. AKA, the blue screen of death. With a more well thought out and advanced operating system, the GUI is only an application running on top of the OS. If you have a problem, you just kill the misbehaving application, and be done with it. You should NEVER have to reboot or power off a computer to clear a "software" problem. NEVER, EVER.

I say Windows is a "checkbox" OS, which gives the user no control. I know it scares most people, but the "command line" is your best friend, and I don't mean a DOS command line. Kill -1-9 works EVERYTIME. No exceptions.

My shit runs underwater.

I'm just saying.

Since Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon in 1969, there has been a great deal of discussion about what really happened.

So here, for the first time, is the unedited NASA film from the triumphant Apollo 11 mission.

Hat Tip: Dog Snot Diaries

It was 29 degrees this morning, so I guess fall is finally here. My new ride has seat heaters, or heated seats…whatever…I can get used to it…that’s for certain. Although I haven’t tried it yet, supposedly there is another function that will re-circulate air through the motor, and keep the interior warm without the engine running. The owners’ manual book says it lasts for about an hour, or until the battery drops to nine volts. I haven’t really thought about it, but it’s probably good for a little grocery shopping, or a couple of beers on the way home.

Trust me, I will make an excuse to find out. It will be shopping though, because I don’t drink and drive. Seriously.

Very cool, but you've got to think 'em through.

I'm just saying.

I wonder what these boys did last night.

Echo Echo Echo!!!

You know…being a bits and bytes type of guy; I’ve got to reiterate how much Windows sucks. All versions suck…plain and simple. It doesn’t matter which version you’re running…they all suck.

If you want stability…use Linux.

I’m just saying!!!

We run a tight ship here in the Brier Patch. With the arrival of our new puppy Stretch, we've been forced to protect our assets. Depending on who is home at any given time, we've developed and tested the following configurations.

Configuration #1:

Stretch has access to his room only.

Configuration #2:

Stretch has access to his room, the kitchen, and the dining room.

Configuration # 3:

Stretch has access to his room, the kitchen, the dining room, and my office.

Configuration # 4:

Stretch has access to his room, the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room.

Configuration # 5:

Stretch has access to his room, the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, and our bedroom.

Configuration # 6:

Stretch has access to his room, the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, and my office.

Configuration # 7:

Stretch has access to his room, the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, my office, and our bedroom.

We have from time to time had to modify these configurations, but he will never have access to the glass room or the guest bedroom.

How long is a puppy, a puppy?

He can move through these five phases in the blink of an eye, in no certain order.

1. Asleep
2. Charming Romeo
3. Terrorist
4. Bulletproof
5. Invisible

He is something else.

In 1972 people used typewriters. But now, the Democrats have uncovered release 0.0001 of Microsoft Word. Seems they didn't think this one through.

A few facts.

On August 12, 1981, IBM released their new computer, named the IBM PC. The "PC" stood for "personal computer" making IBM responsible for popularizing the term "PC".

The "Microsoft Disk Operating System" or MS-DOS was based on QDOS, the "Quick and Dirty Operating System" written by Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products, for their prototype Intel 8086 based computer. In July 1981, Microsoft purchased all rights to this operating system for $50,000.

To put this in perspective, Windows was not available for about 10 more years.

Also, the documents in question were not printed on paper with a "letterhead" ...just plain white paper with a very small "top" margin. Very strange.

I think the Democrats are so desparate, they will attempt anything to save their party.

They are done.

***UPDATE***

More Here

Just wait one darn minute.

This is all wrong.

Everyone knows Al Gore invented the Internet.

...28 years ago today (August 23rd) in 1966, the Lunar Orbiter 1 takes the 1st photograph of Earth from Moon.

*NIX will run underwater. This is a step in the right direction.

Been there, done that, and everything else.

Again...Windows Sucks!!!

If you have a Blog, go here and enter your URL.

Internet Explorer just plain sucks.

Why You Should Switch to Firefox

Many great features, but Tab-Browsing is downtown.

I salute this project.

Excerpt:

...Microsoft co-founder turned investor and philanthropist, Paul Allen is bankrolling the project, joining forces with aviation designer, Burt Rutan, chief of Scaled Composites...

It's the ONLY nice thing I've said about anything Microsoft has done in a long time.

So, I want to thank Microsoft for giving Mr. Allen the cash to pull this off. Aside from that, Microsoft sucks...

Do you ever wonder where the space station is?

I do, all the time. Hehheh.

Anyway, this is a cool link.

It updates every 60 seconds, and it is interesting to see how far it travels in such a short time.

Two words.

Install It!

Here it is.

...is FOLDING money...

...Google, which prides itself on its quirky and secretive corporate culture...

Fox News is reporting that First Data has double or triple billed 800,000 credit card transactions in the last week. First Data said it was a caused by a hardware problem.

Hold it just one damn minute...Hardware problem? I don't think so.

Hardware is hardware. The Operating System (software) runs on the hardware, and integrates with the Application (software - (CC authorization and verification)) that allows the application to interface with the hardware.

How in the hell can this be a hardware problem? It can't be.

Hardware is hardware, and software is human. Some software people are covering their asses.

I realize that humans create the hardware, but that is not what we're talking about here.

Someone really screwed up on this one!!!

...well actually it's not, but it is the future. If it would just fold 'em, I'd be onboard.

No more need for buzzers or a watch.

Check it out.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to drive a high performance German sports car to the coast and back… about six hours total.

This car is tight, feels like it is glued to the road, and the engine doesn’t purr, it pleasantly growls. The Bose CD with eight speakers wasn’t bad either. The only way to do the speed limit is using cruise control because this ride is as stable at 110 MPH as anything I’ve ever driven at 60 MPH. I really had to concentrate to keep it at the limit. It was definitely designed for the Autobahn, and I’ll bet you could do 130 MPH safely and comfortably all day long.

It had every bell and whistle imaginable, and then some.

It was a good trip.

Amazing machine.

War of the worms escalates.

...and the systax...

My wife is out shopping today. No big deal.

I'm logged into my bank, and can watch her purchases in real time.

Cool!

She knows this, so when I ask - "Baby, how much money did you spend?" - I always get an accurate answer to the penny.

Not that it matters; she can spend whatever she wants. She is a 10.

Gotta love Technology...

Your mouse has moved. Your Windows Operating System must be relicensed due to this hardware change. Please contact Microsoft to obtain a new license key. If this hardware change results in added functionality you may be subject to additional license fees. Your system will now shut down. Thank you for choosing Microsoft.
--
John Hardin KA7OHZ

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon, but they had to find a way to prevent them from rolling about the deck. The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem...how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others.

The solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations. But, if this plate was made of iron, the iron balls quickly would rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys." Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.

Thus, it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey"

Hat tip to Jack.

Here we go again, and this one could be bad. If it logs keystrokes, as some suspect, you know what that could mean.

Here's the deal.

*UPDATE*

My virus pattern file and damage cleanup pattern file, for Windows, have been updated 5 times since 12:49 PM on MON 01/26.

I've received about three hundred so far.

Some of them are .zip attachments.

This is just one reason I believe Linux is the only way to go for networked systems.

Internet Security and "Root Servers".

Go here to learn all about it.

In a small small nutshell, for end-users:

People often ask me what is the difference between Windows and Linux?

I say, what is the difference between night and day?

They ask, why do people say Linux is more stable?

I say, in Windows - the GUI is part of the kernel (linked with no way to separate - unless you use bullshit safe mode which is limited because the operating system hasn't fully loaded ), so when a misbehaving application crashes or hangs, it freezes (possibly the blue screen of death) the GUI AND the kernel, so you have to reboot or turn the damn thing off to get up and running again. You can't have one without the other.

I say, in Linux - the GUI is not part of the kernel (operating system), so you can run whatever GUI you want. If the GUI seizes up, it doesn’t bring the kernel down. You just kill the misbehaving application - be it the GUI or not - and be on your merry way.

It's really not that complicated - my wife loves Linux. It's kind of like that damn energizer bunny - it just keeps running and running and running.

Cool Stuff!

You never have to reboot.

Anyway, this is the two cent response.

I feel obligated to give a short review of M$ Windows XP Operating System.

It SUCKS!!!!!!!

If you must use Windows - use 2000 Professional.

XP is a POS, and I don't mean Point-of-Sale.

Hats off to the navigators who put us exactly where we wanted to be on the surface of Mars. Everyone gets an extra bowl of ice cream tonight. Well done, and I salute you!!!

It's all about the Math.

Well Done!

Go here, and you'll see what I mean.

12/17/1903: TELEGRAM READ: SUCCESS FOUR FLIGHTS THURSDAY MONING ALL AGAINST TWENTYONE MILE WIND STARTED FROM LEVEL WITH ENGINEPOWER ALONE AVERAGE SPEED THROUGH AIR THIRTYONE MILES LONGEST FIFTYSEVEN SECONDS INFORM PRESS HOME CHRISTMAS...

Micro$oft Sucks.

That is all.

The Brier Patch is 3D, and it ain't cleaned up.

Kelly showed her back-end. The Discount Blogger showed his as well. DAX showed his Client.

This is the inside of a trashed Brier Patch.

FRONT

BACK

OTHER SIDE

There goes the Automobile Industry.

Does anyone like my countdown script? It's on the left sidebar. And, if so, I'm open for suggestions. Please comment.

This is interesting.

In the beginning, a long long time ago, there was UNIX and there was DOS. In the great Technological Evolution, DOS became extinct, and UNIX evolved into the most powerful operating system ever. It is the plumbing of all telecommunitations and the Internet. Linux, son of UNIX, is not doing badly either.

As I said, DOS is extinct, but the idea evolved into Windows. So, Windows is a monkey, and Linux is human.

Now, my question is this.

Why would anyone name such a powerful operating system after a bunch of guys with no nuts?

Yesterday, I got a new Laptop, and it is a piece of shit! Hardware is the latest greatest IBM ThinkPad, but the "pre-loaded operating system" is Microsoft XP (eXtreme Problems).

If you want to be stable - the ONLY solution is to nuke it (format everything and start from scratch) and install Linux.

There are so many "preinstalled applications phoning home", it is a joke.

Beware, I'm telling you the truth.

FYI - Linux is perfect for blogging!, except MT does not support Mozilla very well, or vice versa.

Microsoft Sucks...

This is ass backwards. We should give this guy a medal.

People often ask me what I use for protection. I tell them, "I personally like a 12 gauge pump shotgun with a short barrel and no plug." Then they say, "no, no - I mean for a virus". I say, "really, what kind of virus?" That's as far as I'm going with that. They say, "a computer virus". OK - now we're getting somewhere.

This is what I use:

1. My Firewall is a dedicated Linux box (separate computer) running iptables with a 2.4.xx Kernel.

2. My antivirus software scans all inbound network activity in real time. This means Web, email, etc.

3. I run a "Spyware sniffer in real time."

The above is in a nutshell.

Since Broadband is now the Norm for home computer users, the following, at a minimum, is what everyone should do. 1 and 2 are of equal importance.

1. You must have a Firewall, and keep it current.

2. You must use antivirus software, and it must be automatically updated by the vendor when a new virus is discovered. Remember, antivirus software is reactive, not proactive.

3. It is not necessary to scan in real time for Spyware (although I do), but you should at least scan and remove these pests often. You would not believe how many computers are "phoning home."

4. You must download software patches from your operating-system vendor (most likely Microsoft) as soon as they are announced. If you are using an older version of Windows, that means checking the Web site for updates. Windows is the most insecure Operating System EVER!

5. Back up your system / files regularly.

I hope this is helpful.

Apparently, the Russian Space Program doesn’t have much confidence in their re-entry guidance systems. After a Soyuz space craft landed about 2000 miles off course in the midst of a pack of hungry wolves, SOP necessitated packing a sawed off shotgun in each capsule.

The first thing I think of when I wake up every morning is Polling. What’s wrong with that?

In my business, in a nutshell, “Polling occurs when one computer contacts another, they swap data, then disconnect.” Very natural.

I was once troubleshooting an unsuccessful “poll”, and I called the guy on the receiving end (target) and said – “Man, I missed you last night – I need to poll you right now”

He said – “Lovely, I get off at five”

Hell, I didn’t know he was a homo.

Just Damn!

Special thanks to the girl who can read my mind. She knows who she is!

From CBC News: GENEVA - Researchers have more than doubled the world speed record for internet data transfer.

Scientists at the CERN particle physics laboratory in Switzerland sent the equivalent of a full-length DVD movie in about seven seconds.

Colleagues at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) received the data.

The land record was set on Oct. 1 by transferring 1.1 terabytes of data over a 7,000-kilometre link in less than 30 minutes, the team said.

I say: Al Gore will be holding a press conference soon.