A Trini's View of the World!

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

IT tidbits - Oh yeah, I love being right.

Oh LB? Did I not say that Rogers would be the preferred carrier of the exclusive and elusive iPhone? Let the mantra flow freely.

Anyhow, ribbing my brother aside, I was up on the Apple website (which only exists in the US version and not the Canadian side). I have to say that if Apple can a) get Outlook/Notes/other useful product synching in place, b) lower the damn price and c) install a slot to be used with SDHC cards for expanison purposes, I would buy one immediately. This unit is off the hook amazing and I really, REALLY want one but my geek side says that this will be version 1.0 and they need to step up and come correct with the features people are telling them right now are wanted. We will not be iPodded to death with models (i.e. new release with the damn features it should have started out with but the bastards just want your very last red cent).

Come on Steve, do the right thing. Otherwise, when Rogers rolls out this near-complete model, and the salesperson asks me, "Deal or No Deal?" I am going to have to answer, "No Deal!"

Ciao.

Note: Ok, that admittedly was a shameless plug at the new Canadian edition being shown next week. Howie Mandel rules! And DW and I will be fortunate enough to see him live tomorrow night.

DailyTech - Rogers to Be Exclusive Apple iPhone Provider in Canada

Everyone has strong opinions about the show.

So, the world we live in today is definitely and officially different than the one I grew up in. Sure, there is heightened security, but we had that with any major foreign dignitary or royal visit. We have distrust (cold war) and disagreements (Cuba) and ignorance (Iran-Contra). This is something new and different and scary now. How does an ad company run a campaign if the very real threat of the unknown works against any campaign that would be sent out into the public? Think about that for a second.

An ad company cannot drop leaflets on a crowd without being told they are littering and killing trees. Then, they cannot drop anything else for fear that fear will cause a panic. Imagine seeing some kind of food item drop out of the sky, or a liquid without description in a tube or worse yet, a powdery white substance that the CDC eventually identifies as the new Tide(tm)?

These are sad and disturbing times folks. I for one weep at the loss of innocence.

Peace.

Ad campaign triggers bomb scare in Boston - CNN.com

Friday, January 26, 2007

IT tidbits: Play your home computer music where ever you have an Internet connection.

This is something new I recently came across and it is intriguing; if it works as advertised. I will let you know later how well it works as my work environment is a perfect testbed for this: secured, heavily firewalled, monitored and remote. I was able to use another company's product once (Slimserver) but with varying degrees of success. As this uses a browser as the foundation of the transmission, it may be able to jump the hurdles of the past more easily. Stay tuned and I will update this post with how well it works.

AVVENU: Free remote access and sharing service for your PC and cell phone.

IT tidbits: Let me hear the mantra please.

I told LB that Rogers would be the first Canadian company to deal with Apple and the new iPhone. I based this on the fact that Rogers is currently the largest provider in Canada AND the fact that Bell in all of its backward glory still does not supply phones with SIM cards. Anyhow, I understand the pricing of the phone more now and that is all nice and good. I still say that unless Apple gets more features that at least match current offerings (i.e. sync with Outlook and Lotus Notes, etc.), they are doomed to a niche market share.

C'mon Steve, you can do better than that.

Mac Rumors: Cingular/Rogers Not Subsidizing iPhone Cost?

I'll tell you what.

If you recognized that quote, you are obviously a fan of "King of the Hill". This animated series is the second longest one to be running behind perennial favourite "The Simpsons". While the latter is over the top and relies on in-jokes, jabs, impossible situations and a twisted imagination at times (just check the Hallowe'en specials to see what I mean), KOTH is more of an everyday story of the everyman, his job, his family and his friends.

In the incredible eleven years it has been on TV, there is nearly a storyline or situation that has not been or could not be duplicated in real life. About the only standout thing is that Dale, no matter how stupid a redneck, could not possible have not figured out by now that John Redcorn diddled his wife and that his son Joesph was not his as a result. Everything else from the mower races (they have them), to the weirdo army dude (they have them), to the misguided substitute teacher who does not really know how to speak Spanish (they have them), to the buxom blond with a somewhat clueless outlook on life (they've got the market cornered), to the obsession with lawn care, to the drinking in the alley to just about everything that has been shown in all the episodes.

If you have not really watched the show, give it a chance with the new season. If it catches on with you, the first few seasons are out on DVD and you can always catch reruns several times a day in syndication (but they won't be in seasonal order).

Ciao.

CANOE -- JAM! Television: 'King of the Hill' returns

Thursday, January 25, 2007

IT tidbits

iPods are Apple's saving grace and cash cow. They are also the universal choice of MP3 if you ask most people that can afford one. The fact that Apple owns anywhere from 60 to 80 percent of the world's portable player market supports this. Part of the reason for this, right or wrong, is their very locked down Digital Rights Management (DRM). This dreaded term is what the movie and music industry tries to use to say they are helping consumers ad their clients by keeping costs down for everybody. Not necessarily the whole truth but we'll let that slide for now.

What is true is that DRM is a pain in the ass when it comes to you the consumer trying to ensure your hard earned cash used to build your library does not go up in smoke when your library does. You see, you are not able to simple copy your music to any medium and to any machine as you can with your store bought CD (and not even then , see Sony and the disaster they caused with the rootkit they installed without your knowledge). Instead, the music you buy at the iTunes store is locked to a maximum five machines "authorized" to play and if you lose your license to the song you bought, TS; you cannot download it again for free indefinitely.

So, what happens when you buy a new computer and now want to sync your iPod to that machine? Previously, you were SOL and had to buy third-party software, or work a set of cheats, in order to get the music you paid for onto the machine you paid for. Apple finally got a clue and now provides a method to do this within Apple iTunes version 7.x onwards. The links below shows you two different ways to accomplish this.

How to use your iPod to move your music to a new computer

How to back up your media in iTunes

It simply makes sense.

Sure, one can use religion and moral backing to argue as to why legal brothels in Canada is a bad thing. Then, with everyone else, you can turn a blind eye to it happening right in your back yard because it is not YOUR child in immediate danger at the time. As much as the legal system tries to combat it, prostitution has found a way to continue and thrive. Hell, there are a row of dive hotels and motels along Kingston Road in Scarborough that you know most sane human beings would not stay in so how do they stay in business? Oh yeah, you know what goes on there. The same thing that went on in the forest near City Hall in Scarborough, the parks in Etobicoke, the forest behind the police college, the beach downtown... it's everywhere.

So, since we cannot get rid of it, I say go ahead and regulate and tax the damn thing. They get medical benefits, a safe place to work, health inspections and are not prowling the streets showing their wares in the middle of winter. The lure of a half naked body will not be enticing your man to go get some. Rather, he will have to consciously make the effort to go get some; he will have no excuse as to how he ended up there after that so don't blame the workers.

Stop debating this people. Legalize brothels now! Do so before another sick person decides they have a better plan, a similar one to Robert Picton's, on how to clean up the streets.

Ciao.

edmontonsun.com - Kerry Diotte - Time for legal brothels

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

The "how would I have known?" defence. Pathetic.

I am not about to pretend that TC has been an absolute angel and has never attempted (and succeeded to some extent) to pull the proverbial wool over our eyes. The difference between us and this story is that it eventually catches up with everyone. We may have been distracted but it only takes one thing out of place to refocus our eyes on the issue at hand (think Sauron in Lord of the Rings as he gaze out over all the orcs). Once refocussed, we are like bloodhounds and all secrets are soon revealed on a time-line of out choosing. Simply put, there was no way a gun was going to be in our house for any extended period of time without us knowing about it. Further, unlike these gonad-less excuse of parents, we would be sure to march her ass right into the police station with it. There is always a line where you stop protecting your child and ours would be if someone else's child was in danger. We would stupidly hope that their parents would do the same but we are not that naive. Anyhow, she may not have known the friend had a gun on him but working multiple jobs is a lousy excuse for not knowing what he has been up to. no one talks in those neighbourhoods; I know because I grew up in one at Victoria Park and Finch. Fear is what rules the place. BUT, when you have the eyes on your community and the police force in droves to help protect it, that is when you take advantage and strike at those causing the fear.

Unless, of course, you are benefiting too greatly from the status quo to want change. Think about it.

Ciao.

TheStar.com - News - Evictions target families of gang members

Today's Funny

Submitted by Redsometimes.

Your morning chuckle to start the day

NEW DRUGS FOR WOMEN

DAMMITOL
Take 2 and the rest of the world can go to hell for up to 8 full hours.

EMPTYNESTROGEN
Suppository that eliminates melancholy and loneliness by reminding you of how awful they were as teenagers and how you couldn't wait till they moved out!

ST. MOMMA'S WORT
Plant extract that treats mom's depression by rendering preschoolers unconscious for up to two days.

PEPTOBIMBO
Liquid silicone drink for single women. Two full cups swallowed before an evening out increases breast size, decreases intelligence, and prevents conception.

DUMMEROL

When taken with Peptobimbo, can cause dangerously low IQ, resulting in enjoyment of country music and pickup trucks.

FLIPITOR
Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge to flip off other drivers.

MENICILLIN
Potent anti-boy-otic for older women. Increases resistance to such lethal lines as, "You make me want to be a better person. "

BUYAGRA
Injectable stimulant taken prior to shopping. Increases potency, duration, and credit limit of spending spree.

JACKASSPIRIN
Relieves headache caused by a man who can't remember your birthday, anniversary, phone number, or to lift the toilet seat.

ANTI-TALKSIDENT
A spray carried in a purse or wallet to be used on anyone too eager to share their life stories with total strangers in elevators.

NAGAMENT
When administered to a boyfriend or husband, provides the same irritation level as nagging him, without opening your mouth.

And this is why there are two school boards in Toronto.

The Toronto District Catholic School Board did not need some halfwit minister to tell them that cell phones do not belong in the classroom and its use to be regulated in the school. TC's schools, elementary and high, both would confiscate phones that went off during class time. They absolutely were not to be open during tests and exams. Personally, I think it should be strictly enforced that they are not to be used during normal school hours on school grounds period. The office is there for a reason; it always has been and suits its purpose well. If you need to get a non-urgent message to a student, you left one and the student would be called down between periods so as to not disrupt the class. In an emergency, the student would naturally be taken out of class immediately.

Why is it in this modern age that common sense has to be mandated to the masses? People complain about living with Big Brother but we make the need for that Orwellian world necessary when we simply cannot be trusted to do the right thing on our own accord. In many instances, I would rather be safe than private. Put cameras all over the city like they have in London. If I do something stupid on the road that could harm someone else (excluding speeding on an open, empty roadway), then by all means come and nab me. Make surer to capture the bloke breaking into TR as well. Want to watch me go to the mall to shop? Have at it but know there will be hours of footage with me drooling in the Sony Store, Bay Bloor Radio, Future Shop and Best Buy. Want to run facial recognition software at the airport? Have at it but don't pull me out of the line because I "fit the profile"; been there, done that, not a happy camper. You better have a damn good reason for delaying my getting my drink on.

Are there chances of abuse? Absolutely. I do not want Revenue Canada adding up how much I spent and determining that I must have work for an extra $100 under the table because my purchases outweigh my income. I do not want my workplace firing me because they "perceive" me hanging out with a competitor far too often at the sports bar. I don't want me put on a watch list for possible diseases because a known carrier is amongst my group of friends. With great power comes great responsibility and any such measures will have to be properly utilized and then those people policed, and the watchers must also be watched. How ever many levels it takes to ensure the people are protected from abuse.

But with more and more reports of these damn sick people walking into our schools and interfering with innocent children, it is time we stop waiting on these idiot ministers and push for common sense to be acted upon now, NOT when the next convenient election rolls around.

Peace.

Ontario's education minister says students shouldn't have cellphones on in class - Yahoo! Canada News

Jack Bauer fun facts

some old some new... enjoy (NOTE: Submitted by LB and posted here in case he really knows Jack Bauer)

6.2 billion
Chinese vs. Jack Bauer... sounds like a fair fight."

Jack Bauer could get
off the Lost island in 24 hours.

After running out of ammo, Jack stood in
the line of fire, took 3 shots

to the chest, and used them to
reload.

Jack Bauer has been to Mars. That's why there's no life on
Mars.

Jack Bauer is the reason Waldo is hiding.

When a
convicted terrorist was sentenced to face Jack Bauer, he appealed

to have the
sentence reduced to death.

When bad things happen to good people, its
probably fate. When bad

things happen to bad people, it's probably Jack
Bauer.

The city of Los Angeles once named a street after Jack Bauer
in

gratitude for his saving the city several times. They had to rename
it

after people kept dying when they tried to cross the street. No
one

crosses Jack Bauer and lives.

The 2007 budget for the US
Military covers Jack Bauer, two pistols and

four billion rounds of
ammunition.

Passed out, surrounded by terrorists and nerve gas, and
handcuffed to a

table leg, Jack Bauer laughed to himself and said, "I have
them right

where I want them."

Once, someone tried to tell Jack
Bauer a "knock knock" joke. Jack Bauer

found out who was there, who they
worked for, and where the goddamned

bomb was.

If everyone on "24"
followed Jack Bauer's instructions, it would be

called "12".

Jack
Bauer doesn't need to eat, sleep, or use the bathroom because his

organs are
afraid of making him angry.

Jack Bauer's calendar goes from March
31st to April 2nd, no one fools

Jack Bauer.

....and on the seventh
day Jack Bauer said, "I'll take it from here."

When Jack Bauer plays
dodge ball, the ball dodges Jack Bauer.

Jack Bauer sleeps with a
pillow under his gun.

When life gave Jack Bauer lemons, he used them
to kill terrorists. Jack

Bauer friggin' hates lemonade.

Jack Bauer
is the only human in the world with the ability to make

Chloe O'Brien drop
the personality disorder and patch him through.

If it tastes like
chicken, looks like chicken, and feels like chicken,

but Jack Bauer says its
beef. Then it's friggin' beef.

If Jack Bauer gives you his word,
return it immediately and run.

Teri Bauer had her tubes tied years
ago. That still didn't stop Jack.

Jack Bauer was never addicted to
heroin. Heroin was addicted to Jack

Bauer.

When someone asks him
how his day is going, Jack replies, "Previously,

on 24..."

Jack
Bauer set an ordinary flash memory card to self-destruct. Don't

ask how he
did it, he's friggin' Jack Bauer

I left the following comment on a PETA supporter's website.

I don't know if they will allow it to remain posted or how they will react to it so I am posting what I originally posted on her comment section and I linked to the original post on her site. Basically, when you get two idiots going at it on either side of an argument, all you end up with is two idiots and the message of each side is lost in the exchange. I respect PETA's right to say their message and to recruit people to their point fo view but their tactics have much to be desired and it is a shame that their message gets lost in the revulsion of those tactics (i.e. throwing paint or blood on fur wearers, etc.).

And, for any PETA supporters reading this blog, my personal opinion is that using tits and ass to get your point across is pointless because all I get is the tits and ass. I'm a guy, my focus is shallow, narrow and short. You would have had me at cruelty. You would have had me at deplorable conditions. You throw naked Pam Anderson on a car or the bikini beauties and I start wondering who PETA is and how they can get me that chick's number.

Try another tactic folks.

Here is my posted comment:

I find it interesting that instead of coming up with something intelligent to say, you people defending Nicole resort to the same juvenile behaviour that Jeff H. used. How exactly is that being better than him? How is threatening and insulting him any better than his misguided comment?

While I am sure Nicole is a nice person and believes in what she is doing, I will go so far as to point out that she is a little naive if she thinks some of those guys in the pictures with her with the goofy smiles on their faces are absorbing her message rather than ogling her goodies.

The problem I have always had with a lot of PETA folks is the same ones I have with you here: you insult and demean those who do not have the same opinion as you. Unfortunately, in many people's eyes, that greatly diminishes the message you are trying to put forth.

While I paused to think about what you were saying about KFC, it quickly was replaced with the appalling gall that your organization had with respect to Steve Irwin and his family by basically spitting on the man's grave. How is spouting all that rhetoric, which amounted to a message of "serves him right", ever expected to sway people to listen to you?

I believe that you have a right to say what you are saying and to believe what you are believing. I do not agree with Nicole or Pam or any of the ladies using sex to get that point across. I also do not believe that either side has the right to insult, harass, assault (i.e. throwing paint, etc.) or demean the other side.

The Western world is supposed to be the height of democracy and fairness but we all do a piss-poor job of demonstrating that to the rest of the world. I hope PETA, and those of an opposing view, can do a better job of disagreeing with each other in a civilized world.

Peace.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Tough fence to be on.

If you have seen the movie "So, I Married An Axe Murderer" (one of the few movies LB and I used to agree on), then you will not understand the quote" "The colonel is evil. He puts chemicals in his chicken to make you crave it fortnightly!"

We grew up on KFC as it was better than greasy McD's (who STILL make the best fries of the franchises) and it was near enough for us kids to ride to and come back. One time, AL and I went out for the chicken and some pop. Riding a ten speed with bags of chicken, fresh bread (no longer on the menu and should be brought back, dammit), and sides, plus bottles of pop, was a recipe for disaster. Well, this one time it finally happened as I was wobbling beside the gas station driveway and moved right to avoid the vehicle coming up behind me when I hit the grate and went over the front handlebars, spreadeagled with all the stuff hitting the road. Thankfully the bottles did not burst open and AL had the chicken so we were safe. We get home and mysteriously my family had left to go God knows where. So, AL and I are sitting on the stoop having just ridden with all this stuff back from Birchmount and Sheppard area. The smell is on our noses, our bellies are grumbling and I am tired from the spill. At a half hour, we decided to eat our share; well, we would start with a "taste" of one piece. By the time my family returned, we had finished the bread except for four pieces, went through half a bucket, downed a 2L of pop, dusted half the large fries and was looking for a way to scoop sides out. They simply went out to get more as we were going to finish what we started anyhow.

So, with that in mind, I really am tired of Ms. Anderson and all these celebs who have sudden enlightenment on the intelligence of the things we eat. If fish were smarter, they would not eat a thing dangling from a plastic thread. If animals that can eat us choose not to and get eaten themselves, well T S! And yes, I know the ones we breed are essentially slaves to our bellies but there has to be a reason that God made us learn how to use fire and make Webbers and make tools to rotisserie on said BBQs. Can the chickens be more humanly killed? Geez, uhm, sure. How humane would you like to die unexpectedly to be eaten? I don't bloody think they care and neither do I. I am not saying to injure the things on purpose and let them suffer. I am saying that dead is dead and as long as it is quick and relatively painless, I am good with that. I am not about to give up my sirloin, my breast or my pork chop to satisfy these nutters (Pink, BEP, tell me it aint so) but I will concede better conditions.

After all, the better shape these animals are in when slaughtered, the better presentation on my plate and taste in my mouth on the way to my belly. Thank PETA for making my food taste better. Much appreciated. Oh yes, I also appreciate the bikinis and naked women that you exploit to garner my attention. PLEASE keep up the good work in showing someone's daughter goodies to me for free while getting your message out. I will absolutely think of that shapely one when eating my breast, that red head when I am chowing down on that thigh and that blond when I am eating pie for dessert.

You know, I don't go around yelling that these folks should slap a ham bone in their mouth every thanksgiving and Christmas, why should I be inundated with their message NOT to do so?

Thoughts?

Moi

Editor's NOTE: Unbelievable but true. I just looked on another page of the site where they had the babes in the bikinis and they actually have a blond, brunette and redhead who match up to my post. Check it out here.

KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) Does Chickens Wrong

I know it is a toy but, damn!

OK, as my profile suggests, we are geeks. That said, this is really cool now that we finally got it working. By "it" I am referring to Microsoft Windows Media Center. Ok, get back on your chair, those of you that fell off. Yes, I am going to praise Microsoft for doing what no one else has done properly. In the living room, attached to the big screen, is the Xbox 360 my loving wife sacrificed to get me for Christmas (still loving you hon!).

In the bedroom-office sits her desktop that I recently rebuilt with Microsoft Windows XP - Media Center Edition 2005 with Service Pack 2 and Rollup 2. Both of those service packs are necessary before the Xbox 360 media extender software can even be installed. For those of you with, ahem, suspect Windows XP installations or simply refuse to buy into the whole "genuine validation" bullshit that Microsoft pushes, you may want to look at this wonderful site that I found. Autopatcher (http://www.autopatcher.com) is a great site as it has a single file plus some updates that will install ALL, yes ALL, the security, hotfixes, patches and upgrades that one would normally go through Windows Updates website to get.

This is especially essential for those of us that need to go through a clean install (I have about three more to perform here at home) as you do not have to wait for hours and hours through tens of reboots to get the system up to snuff. At the moment, the full install of updates from November plus two updates from December and January will supply your nice new system with everything it needs and a lot of extras you would not get unless you validated (i.e. Windows Defender).

Anyhow, now that it is setup, we can record TV shows on her machine off of Rogers cable and play them back on the big screen through the Xbox 360. It is a bit of a pain to control at the moment as we only have the wireless controllers and not a Xbox360 compatible remote. Once you get the hang of it though, it is not too bad. And now that means we can record shows she may like to watch but I don't and she can watch it at her leisure while I may be doing something else on her machine.

Also in the "toy" department is our recent purchase do the HD-PVR. While we would have not normally gotten this unit, especially with everything else going on with us, this was something we simply could not pass up. As the story goes, Best Buy and Future Shop royally f**ked up! The unit, which is basically a high-definition digital box with a digital video recorder built into it, is normally a $600 piece of hardware. Rogers often puts it on sale for $499 or even $399 with programming credits that come off each month for ten months (though you cough up the whole coin upfront). Well, for some reason, Future Shop had it on sale last week for $299 still with the $100 programming credit!! That means the box is basically $199, two-thirds off the normal retail price! You cannot by a standalone PVR with hard drive that records HD programming for that price. So, after DW MSN'd me this info, I told her to go get it. Sure, we cannot buy bread till Thursday but this was an amazing deal. More amazing is that Best Buy had to match it with ten percent off the difference so she got it for even less.

Now, how do we know this was a major f**k up on their part (Best Buy owns Future Shop, btw)? Because Future Shop pulled the sale off the shelves and Best Buy refuses to honour it any longer (as the unit is $499 at their branded stores). So, we saved over two hundred bucks, and we can carry the rented unit back so we do not have that cost each month anymore either. SCORE!!

For any of you with Xbox 360s, you may want to check the Future Shop flyer as there is a two in a pack for one price sale going on and these are not shit titles either. Gears of War is in there! Super sweet game. I need to get good on it so I can finally regain the Ass-kicking crown back from our nephew.

Ciao.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Quick post from the Raptors game

If you are ever in the ACC, there is a free hotspot named MLSEL that is available to all wireless devices. That is what I am connected to with my laptop to write this from the skybox #6. Yes, it was a special group outing that we participated in that included ticket, unlimited soft drinks, pizza, popcorn, hot dogs, cookies, pretzels and chips. All of this for $68 per person. Not a bad deal, considering.

Anyhow, the Raptors are mounting a comeback. I'll update this later with the final score.

Ciao.

NOTE: Damn Raptors lost to Utah. We need some serious defense lessons!

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Yutes!

Hmm. The child has done this before. And the child does not like where they have moved. And the police of local DCF has not stepped in to do anything.

And then to top it off, the child exposes an obvious hole in simple airport security that can (and will) be exploited by someone bad looking to harm innocent people.

Well, I say give the kid a parade. Sheesh.

9-year-old runaway leads police on high-speed chase, sneaks on flight to Texas

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

What a tangled web in the Anatomy.

You know, people who are allowed to speak will undoubtedly say stupid things from time to time; I say stupid shit daily if I am allowed to. The more that people listen though is the more one should really either shut the hell up or be ready to stand behind what you say.

Now, Isaiah is in a bit of a pickle. Either he really did not call sweet "George" a faggot (apparently the homosexual equivalent of a black person being called a nigger) and the cast is after his hide for no good reason. Or, and it is very likely as the black community is not at all embracing of homosexuals as it challenges the manly-man image of Mandingo, he really did say it, realized that it should not have been uttered amongst his cast-mates much less in public and is now trying to spin doctor the whole thing to make it go away.

It's not going away Isaiah. Either get the cast together into a powwow and settle the issue once and for all, or, salvage some intestinal fortitude and fess up. Either way, it is hurting the show, your credibility and your working future in Hollywood. This is simply not going away, my "brother". Fix it! Now!

Peace.

NOTE: With reference to Mandingo, rumour has it that my father stopped going to the movies with my mother because of this movie. Unconfirmed reports had her standing up in the movie theatre and yelling at the scream during a particular heated exchange in which Mandingo was coming out on top finally (see the movie for further details). That kind of behaviour plays well in Compton but not so much in Toronto in the 70's. :)

CANOE -- JAM! - 'Grey's' Heigl fumes over comments

Sanctum Sanctorum Defiled!.

I've been good. I've been accommodating. I've been patient. I've even educated. All, it seems to no avail. I now have to resort to this, a public outing, to help restore that which is rightfully mine by nature's decree. I must reclaim the sanctity, the peace and especially the privacy and seclusion that is the lavatory!

As the title of this posts suggests, the lavatory (i.e. toilet, office, lounge, sanctum sanctorum, etc.) is a special place. It is where most men go to not only do their business but also to read up on business. It is where we get to read the papers without someone in the family looking to extract as of yet unread sections from you. It is where single thoughts may be carried out without interruption of another's thoughts, actions, sounds. It is where those magazines that have been piling up can get a proper going through (i.e. I can read MaxmiumPC cover to cover without disruption). It is where all bad habits may be exercised in their entirety without an audience (unless that is the sort of thing that you are into).

I used to basically have all that when we were in the old house. Once in a while, a needed interruption would happen to solve, sort or choose where DW and/or TC was stumped. Lately, however, it has been a free for all and I need to put a stop to it. Now having an ensuite in the master bedroom, I admittedly am more apt to leave the door open since the bedroom door is closed. DW somehow believes that this is an invitation to come speak to me. Uhm, how about, hell no?

Is the house on fire? No. Did someone get grievously hurt? No. Was the vehicle stolen? No. Is someone trying to break in? No. So, what you are saying is that you had nothing to do and this could have waited till I was out? Pretty much.

Oh, but it gets better still. Not only does DW decide that my private time is the best time to speak to me, TC seems to have developed the same lost of direction in the matter. The door is closed for a reason, child. It means that what is on one side of the door is not to disturb what is on the other side of the door unless there is a specific emergency (see examples above). DW also expands the issue from the use of the facilities to also include now the soaking in the tub, and my personal favourite (grrrrrrrr), the taking of the shower.

Now men and women will agree with me here. When one is in the shower, decent water pressure beating down on you, temperature close to unbearable but soothing to your aching soul, lost in a myriad maze of thoughts about the day and what still is left to do before sleep is allowed to overtake you, the last thing you want is to have that interrupted. Well, imagine then that I am the one in that blissful state (HEY, imaginations above the waistline section please) and it is abruptly disrupted by a semi-yelling woman, bursting into the bathroom, bitching and moaning about this idiot ADT saleswoman who seemingly has trouble hearing and understanding the English language when it is saying to "go away" (DW can post her lovely experiences with this woman and several other salespeople). Naturally, quite perturbed, I yell back exactly what I am expected to do in the current state of undress that I am. DW's response that she was not yelling AND that she was simply telling me about it gets me even more upset because my thoughts had reached what was the blissful equivalent of running across the fields to join your lost love while sappy music is playing in the background.

LB will tell you that there was little in life that could piss off our father faster than our mother bothering him to speak to someone on the phone while he was preoccupied. And he also smoked at the time so you know how well that went. Many an argument was started due to that defective female gene that has women disturb men in the office.

So, let's review life as it will be going forward. Unless there is a dire emergency, limbs or lives are at stake, an important decision has to be made due to time constraints, or American Idol is about to start, the inner circle, the sanctum sanctorum, the private office, is off limits while it is in use. Do not disturb my shower. Do not disturb my bubble bath (yes, I enjoy them... smartasses). And for the love of monkeys DO NOT disturb me while I am posting a letter, planting a tree, pinching a loaf, floating a log, spraying the field and/or enriching my mind with deep thought, reading and learning.

OK, I think I have some deep thought to go and "process" now. Ciao.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

IT Tidbits

So, you want to know what the little rascals are up to on the Internet eh? Well, here is a simple solution for you. First, dump Microsoft. Yeah, I know but it really does suck for doing anything truly useful when you want to do it and not have to pay ridiculous amounts of money to get it accomplished. Next, run Ubuntu or Suse or Fedora or Mepis or any number of consumer-oriented desktop replacements out there (check http://www.linuxiso.org for more). Next, make sure that the latest necessary apps are installed for their surfing pleasure. This may or may not include Openoffice, some type of media player, Firefox 2.0 or Opera 9.0. Next, LOCK IT DOWN. Take away all permissions except the ability to run the program and to save and modify their own files. That'll insure the little bastards don't f**k up the installation again. Finally, go to the link below and run this to lock down and lock out what they actually have access to on the Net.

Sure, you can buy various programs out there that does this on Windows, but don't you want to have some fun and learning and a sense of accomplishment in wrecking the little whippersnappers' fun? I know you do. Enjoy.

DansGuardian - True Web Content Filtering for All

Milestones

Down honey, I am not talking about the restaurant chain.

While responding to comments of a recent post I did on DW's blog (see sidebar), I happened to go up to my profile to see what I had written there before. Interestingly, almost eighteen hundred views of my profile have occurred since I started blogging in 2004. Also, this post you are reading is my 1230th one, which I am proud of as I did not think I would stick with it this long.

I think I envisioned a specific focus at one point but then found that finding regular things to say was much harder than it seemed. The thing about a blog is that while to strangers it offers anonymity, it is you personally right out there amongst friends and family. This means that there are topics you cannot or will not touch lest sensibilities and feelings come into play. You also cannot bitch and moan about anyone in your inner circle because nothing travels faster than word on the Internet.

The strange thing about blogging is that you are alone in a crowd. Where in person, I can instigate (read shit disturb) to my hearts content and watch the results wobble over like falling dominoes, I cannot do that here. Sink or swim, laugh or cry, titillate or irritate, it is all on me. There is a pressure and stress to be good, entertaining, thought provoking and/or informative in every single post. Sometimes you succeed and most times you throw up yawners that you wish you could take back. And I know I can take it back simply by deleting the post but then it is no longer a conversation with you the reader. I cannot take something back once uttered in personal, face to face conversation, so why should I have that ability to do so now?

I think I like to treat this the same way I do a conversation. If I write a post and the thought is not write, I will rewrite it or delete it entirely. The point is, it is never posted to the actual blog so no one ever sees and reads it. That is much like the conversations I have in my head prior to uttering the things I say. Once I say them, then they arer "posted" into the current conversation I am having and anything that falls from that will ave to be dealt with as it comes. That is indeed an off-putting position to take in a blog but I am proud that I do it that way. My integrity is intact because what you read here is what you will get in person.

Just a lot quieter.

Peace.