Just another part of The 0’s “jobs strategy”–plenty of trash to ensure adequate “work” for government workers. The more messes leftards can create, the more “workers” they need to clean the messes up (and I don’t just mean messes like that featured in the video)… and make more messes for more “workers” to clean up (while making more messes… )
For XP Die-Hards
For Windows XP Luddites who are simply unwilling or “unable” because of feared incompatibility with a cherished–or even essential–piece of software, to change to a more modern OS (whether it be a ‘nix OS or Windows 7), there are alternatives to sticking with XP or, worse, downgrading a new computer from Windows 7 to XP (so many opportunities for a fail there that it puts $$ signs in my eyes *heh*).
One decent option: Windows XP Mode, available in Win7 Professional and above. (Caveat: the video uses the common pejorative vulgarity, “loud and clear” where “loudly and clearly” is more appropriate *heh*) While I’m not a big fan of Windows XP Mode, I can see where it would be very, very useful in the case of people attempting to run a program that simply refuses to run in anything but XP. It’s easy-peasy to install and run, too. I recommend it for folks stuck with, say, an edition of QuickBooks that they really, really don’t want to be forced to pay the “upgrade tax” to Quicken for, just to continue using the thing.
Another option would be to install XP in a third-party virtual machine and install one’s essential apps that won’t run on one’s chosen OS–‘nix or a more modern Windows–in that VM. Of the options available for such implementation today, I prefer Virtualbox, now from Oracle. While it’s just as easy to download and install, and works on many more OSes than Windows XP Mode, which is available ONLY for Win7 Pro and above, there are a couple of small “gotchas” for some folks. First, with a Virtualbox installation, you really MUST have a licensed copy of XP to install that is NOT in use on another computer in order to legally install XP on a Virtualbox machine. And then there’s the fact that Virtualbox is kind of “fiddly”. It does take more work getting it configured for comfortable use.
Either way, only Luddites (or, I’ll grant you, those who simply cannot afford to purchase a new, Win7-capable machine and are too timid or stubborn to install another modern OS that their older hardware can handle) have any reason to avoid ditching XP.
Note: I’ll admit bias. I have never liked XP, for myriad reasons. Heck, were I offered gift of a computer with a choice between an XP computer and a Mac OS straitjacket, I’d probably elect the straitjacket. *shudder*
Another “Authority” Weighs In on AGW
Add to the weight of opinion expressed by the Lemming Herd composed of Anthropogenic Climate Change Fanboiz calling themselves scientists, Vacuum-Headed Celebrities and politicians *spit* who are crying “The ski is falling! The sky is falling!” the views now expressed by…
Now, don’t take me wrong, but I actually have more respect for bin Laden’s point of view than for any from the other groups I cited above. That’s not to say I respect his views at all, only to indicate what sort of respect I give the views of the aforementioned groups of cretinous workers of iniquity.
Reprise: Funniest site I’ve seen in a looooong time
A post from June 12th, 2007, and still the best side-splitter I’ve seen in a long time.
Any of y’all who’ve owned a (older) Jag or other Brit car that used Lucas electric parts will LOL at this site. I did. Over and over and…
Sample:
Back in the 70’s, Lucas decided to diversify its product line and began manufacturing vacuum cleaners. It was the only product they offered which did not suck.
Q: Why do the British drink warm beer? A: Because Lucas makes their refrigerators
Alexander Graham Bell invented the Telephone.Thomas Edison invented the Light Bulb. Joseph Lucas invented the Short Circuit.
My mind blanks on the number of times I disassembled and completely rebuilt, using off-the-shelf electrical parts, the Lucas electrical components on a ’72 XJ12 as they failed one by two by three by… *heh* (Well, Jags are Fords now. Strangely, that’s an improvement in many ways.. But I’m still not buying another one.)
UPDATE: for those who’ve been driven batsh*t by their Haynes manual (yeh, I’m a serial masochist: I have a collection of the things) this is a must-read. A collection of LOL hilarious, “I only laugh cos it hurts so much,” info on the (in)famous series of car manuals.
Sample:
HAYNES GUIDE TO TOOLS OF THE TRADE
HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer is nowadays used as a kind of divining rod to locate expensive parts not far from the object we are trying to hit.
A Little Healthy Skepticism
Now, understand that I know the following is just one data point, and anecdotal at that, but nevertheless, for reasons that will become apparent, I view it as an important data point. And yes, I promise I will wander far afield from that data point before the post is over. Deal with it. 🙂
How many years now have we heard the litany that
- cholesterol-clogged arteries lead to atherosclerosis and that leads to heart attacks and strokes AND that
- ingesting cholesterol-rich foods leads to cholesterol-clogged arteries, etc.
Well, I’m not sure how many years that’s been, but I’m pretty sure it’s on the close order of four decades.
Now, here’s the anecdote.
40 years or so ago, I received an invitation in the mail from a county health department to be part of a cholesterol survey. Note: this was not a scientific study, but simply an epidemiological survey. Big difference between the two, although many conflate them. I dutifully responded, went in and had blood drawn and filled out a survey that detailed my diet.
I got called back to have my whole thing done all over again because, it turned out, my results did not match up with the expected results. Why? I’m not sure, but I have some ideas. You see, my diet was laden with butter, red meats, whole Guernsey milk (with at least a quart of cream per gallon), etc.–all the things that did not match up with the expected model, since my blood cholesterol levels were very low.
Now, I have no idea what they finally did with my data, even though in the retest my results on blood cholesterol levels were the same as before, but I have my suspicions. *heh*
My ideas on why my data did not match their expected outcomes are many, but a significant factor could well have been my age (early 20s) and activity levels (a couple of miles running and over 10 miles biking per day–minimum–in addition to a WSI class, working 30+ hours a week and full time school and social life).
But no. All the survey was interested in was cholesterol intake and lipid blood levels.
Even now, though, at a more *cough* advanced age, with a sedentary life style and food intake that wouldn’t satisfy the normal cardiologist, my cholesterol levels are only very, very slightly above the even more restricted levels sought today (yes, they do keep moving the goal posts, although doing so has demonstrated no significant effect on heart attack and stroke occurrences), well within the modern medical industry’s “OK” levels.
I suspect that, in addition to the activity levels and age I believe played some part in baffling the study’s sponsors ~40 years ago, some genetic component may also be at play. It’s interesting that my doctor asked, on initial survey, only whether my parents or grandparents had had heart trouble, NOT when. When I noted that half my grandparents had had heart trouble, I qualified it with, “One grandfather developed heart issues in his early 80s and the other, after 40 years of diabetes, eventually died of a heart attack at 88.”
A different spin on things once the conditions were defined more clearly.
Of course, my dad has had heart/circulatory issues for the past ten years. He’s 87, now. My mom’s had electrical issues with her heart for years, but since I’ve never shown any signs of similar issues, that’s a non-issue as well.
If I do develop issues when I’m in my 70s or 80s, so what? It’s called old age.
This one size fits all approach to health issues based mostly on epidemiological studies is simply stupid. But guess what? The “feddel gummint”–the same folks who apparently believe that the U.S. is Lake Woebegon and all children can be above average–wants to force folks into the world of Harrison Bergeron, where some sort of statistical average is all that’s allowed. Watch out for “Height Panels” to come along after Death Panels are well established, in order to literally reduce everone to the lowest common denominator…
Meatloaf?
No, not this one:
[audio:morning-mystery-clip.mp3]*heh*
An almost, sort of recipe.
A pound of ground beef
2 eggs
S&P to taste (but at least grind ’em fresh, ‘K?)
a couple cloves of garlic, pressed
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
a dash or five of Worcestershire sauce
a few dashes of liquid smoke and teriyaki sauce
Mix that all together and press into a loaf pan.
Top it with tomato paste
Cover and bake for 3/4 hour at 350° Fahrenheit
Uncover and continue baking for another 1/4 hour
Veggie will be french cut green beans with almonds. Nuked from frozen. Maybe some bacon salt on ’em. 🙂
Oh, and I took some dried potatoes out of a scalloped potato mix* and put in the bottom of the pan. We’ll just have to see how it all turns out, eh?
A better use for ’em than using the mix itself, IMO.
Even Though This Is Very Early, It’s Still Too Late for This Year…
*sigh*
I hate doing “Christmas” posts this early, but I used to have to start preparing for Christmas about March (long story), and since I have to start preparing for doing something like this NEXT year NOW (IF I actually end up doing it next year–may take longer*), I suppose this is OK…
See what I mean? and the “*” above? Well, I threw a bunch of bottles out recently *sigh* and I also brew about as much as I buy, so getting enough bottles–especially green ones–may take me a while. Especially since I only manage 1-2 beers/day.
But since I must start really early preparing for this, I may as well post the intention now as well, eh?
I guess it popped into my head to look for something like this since today starts another brew season for me. First up? Three brews: a “Vienna lager” style, a wheat beer and some “Georgy-Porgy Molasses Beer” (with fewer cloves and more orange zest this year). If I get them all started today, then in a couple of weeks I may be able to start bottle conditioning enough to last me past New Year’s Day, though, of course, I’ll probably start another few batches as soon as these come out of the primary fermentation “bottles”. (I have several different primary fermentation tubs of different food grade plastics for primary fermentation. Why food grade plastics? Cheaper and easier to store, just as easy to keep clean and lighter when I have to move them. Oh, and a couple of them are from unusual *cough* sources, so cheaper still. Yeh, I’m cheap. Wanna make something of it? ;-))
Update:
Here ya go: I could fit the last 4 levels of something like this in our bay window this Xmas…
Office Apps
Although I have Microsoft Office (2003, 2007 and 2010) installed on various physical and virtual machines, it’s mostly for use as a reference when someone has questions or problems, as I standardized my personal office application use several years ago on the free, cross platform OpenOffice.
Now, since Oracle bought Sun, the original source of Star Office and OpenOffice, the folks developing OpenOffice have forked the code off and formed The Document Foundation and are offering LibreOffice, which is readily recognizable as OpenOffice.
Nice that they’re attempting to keep Oracle’s hands out of the pie. Actually, when I said I’d standardized on OpenOffice, earlier, I slightly misspoke. About a year ago, I switched to another fork (or is it just a patched version with more compatibility with M$Office, etc.? The two “sides” are argued with equal vigor by people whose arguments I just don’t care about *heh*), Go-OO, a patched and slightly slicker Novell offering. Still free and still uses all the same OO interfaces and file structures, etc. There has been some friction between Go-OO developers and OO developers, but none of that matters to me. I will take a look to see if there are differences that make a difference for me in the LibreOffice offering, though.
This May Be an Important Tip
Whatever you do, if you visit a fast food joint, do NOT order a Number 2. Seriously. Just think about it.
Day-um!
*heh*