RANT: Rape victim didn’t want to be “raped” agin by TSA; arrested

Sunday, December 26, 2010

http://www.kvue.com/news/local/Woman-arrested-at-ABIA-after-refusing-enhanced-pat-down-112354199.html

by JIM BERGAMO / KVUE News
Posted on December 22, 2010 at 9:38 PM
Updated yesterday at 9:39 AM

*** begin quote ***

Early Wednesday morning, a computer glitch shut down a security checkpoint for a couple of hours at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The line snaked out the door as many travelers waited for more than an hour and some missed their flights. One of the first people in line after that shutdown never made it through. She was arrested and banned from the airport.

Claire Hirschkind, 56, who says she is a rape victim and who has a pacemaker-type device implanted in her chest, says her constitutional rights were violated. She says she never broke any laws. But the Transportation Security Administration disagrees.

*** and ***

When Hirschkind refused, she says that “the police actually pushed me to the floor, (and) handcuffed me. I was crying by then. They drug me 25 yards across the floor in front of the whole security.”

An ABIA spokesman says it is TSA policy that anyone activating a security alarm has two options. One is to opt out and not fly, and the other option is to subject themselves to an enhanced pat down. Hirschkind refused both and was arrested.

*** end quote ***

Just saw this one.

Just wave goodbye to your Fourth Amendment rights.

“… to be secure in your person …”

Unbelievable.

Wish I could get on that jury!

Stand up, “We, The Sheeple”!

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RANT: NFL may not play due to snow?

Sunday, December 26, 2010

It’s a real statement about American exceptionalism and toughness!

# # # # # posted 2010-12-26 11:19


SOFTWARE: Created a list of anti-malware site for an e-friend

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Here’s a list of FREE anti-malware sites. You may need them all.

Microsoft http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.aspx

Spybot-S&D http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd/index.html

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Avira AntiVir http://www.avira.com/en/free-download-avira-antivir-personal

avast! http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?part=dl-85737&subj=dl&tag=button

Panda Cloud Antivirus http://acs.pandasoftware.com/cloud/PandaCloudAntivirus.exe

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NEWJERSEY: The pension mess

Saturday, December 25, 2010

http://channel-surfing.blogspot.com/2010/12/tell-me-again-whos-at-fault-for-pension.html

Thursday, December 23, 2010
Tell me again who’s at fault for the pension mess

*** begin quote ***

The state treasurer announced today that the state pension shortfall is at an all-time high.

*** end quote ***

>It’s the shock doctrine or disaster capitalism at its best.

Be nice if these two terms were defined? Or, perhaps, these are terms d’art of the Liberal media. You can’t seriously define what has been going on in the USA since say about WW2, (although some little L libertarians woud argue the “turning point” was 1913 with the income tax, the FED, and the Seventeenth!), as “capitalism”! Maybe “mercantilism”, “federal socialism”, or “empirical nationalism”?

> We have a huge Great Recession, the worst in more than 70 years

I’d call it a depression. But then I’m out of work. So I guess since you’re drawing a check, it’s only a recessions.

>what a great opportunity to kill off public sector unions and all
>their pensions and benefits. Private sector wages have been falling or
>stagnant for years, private sector benefits and pensions have been hallowed >out or become extinct.

But weren’t public sector pensions raised when private pensions were supposedly higher? So it’s logical, that, when private pensions become “cash basis defined contribution plans”, public pensions change as well.

(Note for those that don’t read my blog, I thought that CTW’s failure to make pension contributions or address the problem was terrible. “Pensions and benefits” are a FRAUD perpetrated on the working class. Without getting into yucky details, a business can pay $X for a certain unit of work. Now out of that $X, if the business “pays” $Y for “benefits”, then the worker gets X-Y. But, their “benefits” are tied to their job. So, let’s use life insurance as a concrete example. And, let’s keep it simple, life insurance costs either the company or the employee X$. Why don’t we just let the employee buy hi s or her own Damn insurance? Cause the Gooferment, the Company, the Politicians and Bureaucrats all have a vested interest in screwing the worker. And, everyone plays along with the fiction that some how this is “better”. Not better for the worker when he or she gets laid off, downsized, or whatever euphemism for fired you want to use.)

> race to the bottom in which American workers must compete with Chinese
> or Indian workers who earn a few dollars a day and have absolutely no
> protections or benefits.

So, instead of moaning and groaning, we have to learn to compete by moving up the value chain. We have to clear the road blocks to successful competition: taxes, regulation, education, paradigms / memes, and energy.

>Teachers and other public sector workers did not cause the Great Recession

Well, maybe they did. They have permitted the dumbing down of society. And, their union is absolutely out of control in the incestuous relationship with the professional politicians. Finally, as voters, they participated in a process that was designed and accomplished the destruction of the USA.

>they will be made to pay the price for the crimes of the
> Wall Street criminals.

As we all are!

> Katrina was the disaster

of Gooferment!

>

We have to separate the Gooferment from “Education”. If we are to have any hope of saving “the American Experiment”.

# # # # #


QUOTE: Answers not in sequence?

Saturday, December 25, 2010

2010-12-18

“God gives you an answer for every test you’ll ever have, but just to make sure your paying attention to the lesson, he doesn’t give them to you in the order that they appear” – Lane Cavalier, some years ago

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INSPIRATIONAL: Flash mob choral

Friday, December 24, 2010

A SPAM FOREWARDED BY AN OLD HIGH SCHOOL BUD

>This is why I avoid malls

>Just click and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&vq=medium#t=49

FOUNTAIN SQUARE FLASH MOB

# – # – #

Interesting that everyone forgets why we “celebrate”.

Just the other day, I was asked “Why are you a Scrooge?”

My quick one word answer was “Commercialization”.

The questioner agreed sadly.

I continued: “And, it the time of year when every parent LIES to their children. Children should KNOW that their parent is the ONE person in the world that always tells them the truth. Santa Claus exists as the famous editorial response tells us. Just that parents can’t EVER lie to their children. That’s the death of innocence and the beginning of cynicism. People wonder why youth rebel. THey’ve been lied to.

Any way, Season Greetings.

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INSPIRATIONAL: The military at Christmas

Friday, December 24, 2010

http://www.wxpnews.com/LEM1E6/101221-Military

They SHOULD be home!

Donna Nobis Pacem!

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GUNS: Proprietor shot and killed three alleged armed robbers

Friday, December 24, 2010

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/12/17/Store-owner-shot-3-times-kills-robbers/UPI-80031292634288/

U.S. News
Store owner shot 3 times kills robbers
Published: Dec. 17, 2010 at 8:04 PM

*** begin quote ***

HOUSTON, Dec. 17 (UPI) — A Houston jewelry and pawn shop proprietor shot and killed three alleged armed robbers despite having been bound and shot multiple times himself, police say.

*** end quote ***

Good “gun control” by the proprietor. (Gun control is hitting what you aim at safely.) Sad that death comes at this Holy Day Season. But you have to recognize that, if we have to choose who lives and who dies, and choose we must, it’s nice to see the “good guy” win.

Now put them in NYC, and the “bad guys” win!

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RANT: Regulate the inet when no one is watching

Thursday, December 23, 2010

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/20/nothing-neutral-about-this-unholy-scheme/

PRUDEN: Nothing neutral about this unholy scheme
By Wesley Pruden-The Washington Times6:06 p.m., Monday, December 20, 2010

OPINION/ANALYSIS:

*** begin quote ***

The new “net-neutrality” regulations here, which will have the force of law though Congress need have nothing to do with writing them, will be considered for a vote by the FCC on Tuesday. The rules being considered for the Tuesday vote are technical and complicated, and the timing of the vote clearly was arranged for Christmas week, when most people are delighted not to have to think about Washington and the trouble it makes for the rest of us.

*** and ***

One of those liberal Democrats is Al Franken, proving that even a blind pig can find an occasional acorn. He’s unhappy mostly that the FCC is moving toward approving a merger of Comcast, the ubiquitous cable provider, and NBC-Universal and enabling big corporations to pay extra for Internet “toll lanes,” which would speed transmission of messages with a higher priority over the rest of us.

*** and ***

Even now some of the busybody countries at the United Nations are working on setting up “a working group” to “harmonize” global efforts to regulate the Internet. Alas, this is scariest of all. “Harmony” suggests everyone singing together to a tune written to U.N. satisfaction. Nothing is broken about the Internet that needs fixing, which is why certain cunning saboteurs are so eager to “fix” it.

*** end quote ***

Amazing how the bureaucrats pick this time of year to do their mischief!

As a little L libertarian, I don’t see ANY need for the FCC.

For example, how’s that junk phone rule working out for you. I still get them. Don’t you? I’ve complained. Hasn’t worked out to well for me.

For example, junk faxes. Should have been an easy one. My docs turn OFF their fax machines at night to prevent getting them. I find that annoying when I want to communicate with them. (“Federal Law” prevents them from doing email! But that’s another topic.)

SO when all the other bureaucrats are home on their Winter Solstice vacation (Their WHOLE lives are vacations!), these bureaucrats are using the holiday inattention of “We, The Sheeple” to steal “OUR” internet.

Argh!

Pitchforks and torches! Pitchfork and torches time.

# # # # #


TECHNOLOGY: Questions about hardware / software engineering

Thursday, December 23, 2010

http://www.itnews.com.au/News/241265,techies-revenge-lands-her-in-jail.aspx

Techie’s revenge lands her in jail
By Liam Tung on Dec 10, 2010 9:25 AM

*** begin quote ***

Four days after being fired from the Suncoast Community Health Centers’ for insubordination, Patricia Marie Fowler exacter her revenge by hacking the centre’s systems, deleting files, changing passwords, removing access to infrastructure systems, and tampering with pay and accrued leave rates of staff.

*** end quote ***

This story begs a number of questions about hardware / software engineering.

(1) Firewalls, hardware, and software are NOT designed to avoid the “King” effect. One example. The SWIFT funds transfer network in the 80’s had the concept of split authentication. The contract with SWIFT and the institution REQUIRED two separate “supervisors of an administrator” and “technology administrators”. There had to be collusion between FOUR people to subvert the security system. Bosses were NOT permitted to access the system but did receive the couriered envelop with their half of the institution’s code. They gave it to their administrator. Once the two haves were used, a new pair was generated and sent to the bosses. Either “administrator” could lock the “kingdom”. (I forget how long the “keys” were, but I remember typing it in was a giant pain.) Surprisingly, even honchos, who were openly hostile to “security”, meekly went along with this kabuki.

(2) It seems like there was very little separation of duties. The IT administrator apparently has access to the firewalls, other platforms, and data tables in applications. Seems like the place was an accident set up to happen. Where were the internal and external auditors? At the very least, with suitable automation, rebuilding components of the infrastructure should be near trivial. You wonder where was their disaster recovery plan; probably locked up in the head of the rogue administrator.

(3) “Passwords” in and around a serious “security” situation. Guess they never heard of two factor authentication?

Nice to know we don’t need no stinkin’ security!

Seasonal Greetings,
fjohn

# # # # #


INTERESTING: The President missed an opportunity

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/12/obama-reads-to-kids-including-his-own-book/1

Dec 17, 2010
Obama reads to kids, including his own book

*** begin quote ***

Another asked for an autograph.

POTUS: “If I sign autographs, then I’d have to sign for everybody.”

“Yay,” the students responded.

POTUS said he signed his book for the whole school and it’s in the library.

Another student asked how he wrote the book, since he’s so busy.

*** end quote ***

Ahh, using children as props!

I think I’d have “found” time to sign an autograph personally for every child in that room. It’d have made them feel “special”. Who knows maybe saved a suicide, prevented an alcoholic, or even just inspired that one kid!

A missed opportunity.

And, you have to love how the kid went for the jugular. Writing is hard time-consuming work. Think maybe it was ghost written? Like all the “Presidential” books?

Argh!

# # # # #


IPAD: LASTPASS works differently on IPAD

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Unfortunately, LASTPASS is installed that appears to be a front end to SAFARI. On the NETBOOK and MACBOOKAIR1, it integrates with all browsers. Not sure I like the result.

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INTERESTING: Forecasting intelligent cars and roads in the future

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

http://www.techmynd.com/the-future-cars-and-roads/#ixzz18TcSTw1G

The Future Cars and Roads
by Hiroshi on 18-12-2010

*** begin quote ***

According to Dr. Michio Kaku, next 10 years will bring us intelligent cars and roads. Future car fuels will be hydrogen, electricity, rechargeable batteries or solar energy. The future cars will help stop accidents and suggest alternative routs if road is blocked ahead. There will be almost no traffic jams, no road accidents. Scientists will install chips in the roads which will communicate with your car to tell if there is any problem ahead. Road will sense your car speed as well.

This predicts that instead of police officers, roads would be able to calculate your car speed and issue you a speeding ticket through your car’s computer. Cars will consume less fuel and will be light in weight. GPS systems would guide your car computer in the direction you would like to go. Even these cars can drive you automatically to point a to b without any driver.

*** end quote ***

Interesting, but not the way things are organized now.

The Gooferment controls the roads; that’s why they are a disaster. Look at Disney World for how private roads are and could be.

And, notice that the predictor falls into the current meme of “Gooferment roads”? The “road” gives out traffic tickets. ROFL! Like the “road” can go into a court and testify. And, we all KNOW machines never make a mistake. Like that Brit speed camera that would randomly report motorists breaking the speed of sound on a back road quarter mile stretch that was in bad shape. Never make mistakes.

And, we’d miss the pleasure of sitting at a long red light late at night with no traffic anywhere in sight (even in the most densely populated state)! You think the Gooferment, politicians, and bureaucrats will make this better?

And, of course, we all want cars that “automatically” drive us. Argh!

Sorry, I think the technology could do it, but not the people.

# # # # #


LUGGABLE: Ready to put Linux on LUGGABLE

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Backed up and away we go.

UBUNTU10

# # # # # posted 2010-12-21 20:13


POLITICAL: Affords passengers the right to request a pat-down search (from Tweedle dee Lautenberg)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

FROM A BLISTERING EMAIL ABOUT THE TSA AND THE FOURTH

*** begin quote ***

Dear Mr. Reinke:    Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about Transportation Security Administration (TSA) aircraft passenger screening procedure. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun using advanced imaging technology (AIT) at 70 airports across the country. This technology allows screeners to take a snapshot of passengers without any physical contact to determine if there are dangerous weapons or other contraband hidden under a passenger’s clothes. TSA maintains that passenger privacy is protected by separating the officer attending the passenger from the officer viewing the image and blurring the face of the passenger. The viewing officer is remotely located and images cannot be stored, transmitted, or printed, and they are deleted immediately after viewing. In addition, passengers who do not wish to receive AIT screening can opt out for a physical pat-down.      During consideration of the “Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act” (H.R. 2200) in the House of Representatives, an amendment was considered that would prohibit TSA from using AIT machines for primary screening, require TSA to give passengers a choice of a pat-down search instead of a body scan, and prohibit TSA from storing, transferring, or copying any images. This amendment was included in the final version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives. The “Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act” has been referred to the Senate and is currently pending before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, on which I serve.    In addition, the “American Traveler Dignity Act of 2010” (H.R. 6416) has been introduced in the House of Representatives. This legislation would clarify that TSA and its employees can be sued for subjecting airline passengers to advanced imaging technology or physical contact. This bill is currently pending before the House Judiciary Committee, and similar legislation has not been introduced in the Senate. Please be assured that I will continue to monitor the progress of this legislation and will keep your views in mind should it come for a vote before a Committee on which I serve or the full Senate. Thank you again for contacting me. FRL: mts
Sincerely, Senator Lautenberg
*** end quote ***

SO why do I need TWO US Senators? I get the same response from both of them. So let’s just cut staff and save a lot of money. Argh!

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ISP: Verizon / Yahoo email is insecure

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

verizon.net
incoming.yahoo.verizon.net (No SSL, port: 110)
outgoing.yahoo.verizon.net (No SSL, port: 25 or 587, use authentication)
Your Verizon Yahoo! Mail ID (your email address without the “@verizon.net”)
Email Address: Your Verizon Yahoo! Mail address (e.g., user@verizon.net)
Your Verizon Yahoo! Mail password

# # # # #


CORRUPTION: BoA and USA with US Treasury incest

Monday, December 20, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/73468.html

December 18, 2010
RE: Bank of America Cuts Off WikiLeaks

*** begin quote ***

“How many times and for how long can an ostensibly private organization behave like an adjunct of the state before it ceases to be private?” Bank of America is a corrupt, bloated, and poorly run organization. They’d be out of business now if not for their easy access to the US Treasury and for their untrammeled access to favors from the Fed and from people like Geithner.

*** end quote ***

Corporations are a creation of the Gooferment.

Politicians and bureaucrats use their “creation” (i.e., corporations) to bribe themselves in exchange for favorable tax, regulatory, or franchise benefits.

Politicians and bureaucrats also use “corporations” as tax collectors. Only real people pay taxes. Corporate taxes are really just pass throughs to real people. Makes the calculation of how much you are really paying in “taxes” incalculable.

For example, on that can of beans you have in your hand, (pretend you can actually afford beans), how much of the purchase price is taxes? How much did Campbells or BushBeans pay in taxes? And, how much tax is in every component of that can and contents? And don’t forget the gas tax to deliver the components and the can of beans itself to where ever! It’s incalculable!!!

Finally, don’t forget what passes for “money” in this country. There’s a hidden tax in that as well. Every paper dollar is backed by the “full faith and credit of the United States”. We know what that is worth. There’s no limit on the number of dollars that the Gooferment via its enabler the Federal Reserve Bank, which itself is a corrupt banking cartel for the benefit of the elite bankers, can print.

So, “We, The Sheeple” are fooled by the meme of “government” and “corporations”. These are just “costumes” worn by men to oppress other men. The “Gooferment” is like your thumb and “corporations” are the fingers. How can you say they are not workign together.

To all our detriment!

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RANT: How can you exclude energy and food?

Monday, December 20, 2010

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704828104576021262542609064.html?mod=djemalertNEWS

*** begin quote ***

News Alert from The Wall Street Journal

U.S. consumer prices barely gained in November, rising just 0.1% from the prior month, as energy prices saw their smallest increase in five months. So-called core inflation, which excludes energy and food prices and is closely watched by the Fed, inched ahead by 0.1%, the first move after three flat months.

The annual underlying inflation rate was 0.8%, well below the Fed’s informal target of between 1.7% and 2%. The central bank’s policy-making committee Tuesday signaled that it thinks core inflation remains too low–a key factor in last month’s decision to start buying $600 billion in Treasury bonds.

*** end quote ***

How can you exclude energy and food? Planing to stop eating any time soon? And, “energy” is in EVERYTHING that moves. Just between you and me, and the Western World, my gasoline price has gone up a dime in the last few weeks!

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POLITICAL: Affords passengers the right to request a pat-down search

Sunday, December 19, 2010

FROM A BLISTERING EMAIL ABOUT THE TSA AND THE FOURTH

*** begin quote ***

Dear Mr. Reinke:

Thank you for contacting me to express your concern regarding the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) use of whole-body imaging. Your opinion is very important to me, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you on this vital issue.

The failed Christmas Day 2009 bombing on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 brought renewed attention to airport security. One specific concern has been the possible increased implementation of whole-body imaging (WBI) technology to screen airline passengers. As you know, WBI is currently being used in major airports across the country to screen passengers, and in some cases it is being used in place of metal detectors. TSA is using this new technology to conduct full-body searches without physical contact between a TSA representative and a passenger, allowing screeners to detect prohibited items, such as weapons, explosives and other metallic and non-metallic threat items concealed under layers of clothing. However, there have been a number of legitimate concerns regarding health implications of WBI technology, as well as privacy concerns due to the details of the images.

You may be happy to know that the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 2200, the TSA Authorization Act, which included an amendment prohibiting TSA from utilizing whole-body imaging as the first-screening device at airports. Accordingly, TSA would only be allowed to use this technology for secondary searches of individuals who have already triggered primary metal detector alarms. Further, the amendment requires that screeners disclose that millimeter wave imaging could allow a TSA worker in a remote room to see through their clothes, and affords passengers the right to request a pat-down search in lieu of full-body imaging.

As your United States Senator, my top priority is protecting the safety of the American people. While it is essential that security officials have the necessary tools to screen and identify terrorists attempting to commandeer aircraft, it is also important to uphold the civil liberties of law-abiding citizens traveling through our skies. While the TSA Authorization Act has not yet been considered in the Senate, I will certainly keep your views in mind when considering this issue. Please rest assured that I will work hard to keep our nation safe and our individual freedoms intact when considering any legislation.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of concern. I invite you to visit my website (http://menendez.senate.gov) to learn of other important issues to New Jersey.

Senator Menendez

*** end quote ***

Obviously, my email wasn’t read. THis is a canned response. You can hear them saying: “TSA crank; send him the T letter”! Argh!!!

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POLITICAL: Not “birther”; “proof-er”

Sunday, December 19, 2010

http://www.keywestlou.com/2010/12/i-lay-by-pool-yesterday-working-on-my.html

My Life in Key West
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Other topics include the military officer who refuses another deployment to Afghanistan because he is a birther

*** end quote ***

May I suggest that you update your ‘lingo’ about the Army Officer, who’s refusing deployment?

You called him a “birther”. Which means that he disputes that Obama was born in the USA.

Now, while that is a perfectly good concern, (as a lawyer, you must know about “evidence”), it doesn’t accurately describe the fellow’s position.

He’s a “proof-er”.

He, like I, have not seen “evidence” that Obama satisfies the Constitutional criteria to be President.

Sure, we’ve heard a lot of lips move, and websites pontificate. But evidence?? Hardly.

See, imho, the most telling fact in this whole debate is that Obama and his supported have spent literally millions to prevent any disclosure of his “paper trail”.

Why is that?

So, us, “proof-ers”, say we just don’t know.

Perhaps a small distinction, but we want Key West Lou to be “hip”.

LOL,
fjohn68

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ASUSNETBOOK: The saga continues; why I hate WINDOZE

Saturday, December 18, 2010

FROM A WINDOWS7 SUPPORT FORUM

>reinkefj; Hello and welcome to the forums.

thanks

>type ping 192.168.2.102 (that’s you)

times out (?)

>ping 192.168.2.1 (that’s your default gateway / inside edge of your router)

first ping works and the rest time out (?)

>ping 64.233.169.99 (that’s google’s ip)

time out

Additional facts:

(1) Thru up another wifi with some spare hardware to the same fios gateway. With a different wifi “name”, works fine.

(2) ASUS support says to “recover” (i.e., wipe the machine and start over). Seems like burning the bard to get rid of the mouse.

(3) Have a MACBOOKAIR that just came back from being fixed. It works fine on both wifis.

So I’m “working”, but befuddled?

Perhaps the “security fixes” that came down automagically from Microsoft, triggered a “Home Networking” setting, that then WINDOWS7STARTER could not fix.

I guess the smartest thing is to “burn the barn” and start over.

Luckily there’s NOTHING valuable on the machine.

Your thoughts?

And, thanks for the response. You beat the ASUS support person’s canned reply.

fjohn

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MONEY: Sorting out “real money”!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

http://woodpilereport.com/html/index-194.htm

*** begin quote ***

Oh, you do know that only dimes (originally dismes), quarters, halves and dollars (originally eagles) minted in 1964 or before are silver, don’t you? Those made in 1965 and after are not junk silver, they’re junk junk, they’re money only because “they” say they are and people have to pretend to believe them. They’re of no intrinsic value, or near enough, unless you need to shim a table leg.

Nickels dated 2010 and before are an alloy containing 25% nickel, currently valued at 6¢. They may be the small change of the future. Pennies dated 1982 and before contain 95% copper, they’re going for around 2.5¢ at present. Now for the dreaded minutia. Nickels (originally half-dismes, silver, then debased) made from 1942 through 1945 are 35% silver, currently fetching about a buck and a half. Eisenhower collector grade silver dollars are 40% silver, the ones made for circulation are worth about 25¢. 1965 through 1970 Kennedy half dollars are 40% silver. Naturally there is even more minute minutia, there always is, but none of this is going to mean much in a post-cataclysm world so it isn’t worth remembering unless you’re planning to go into the metal separation trade, post-doomsday.

*** end quote ***

Check your change for “real money”!

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POLITICAL: The START Treaty — just say no!

Friday, December 17, 2010

http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/stop-the-start-treaty-and-senatorial-pork/

*** begin quote ***

The treaty limits the US missile defenses and the preamble suggests that we would not engage in any new military technologies to thwart nuclear weapons! It also says we cannot convert any of our rockets into interceptors and it locks in about a ten thousand Russian edge in tactical nuclear warheads. It reduces strategic warheads — where there is now rough parity — but not tactical ones where Russia has a huge advantage.

*** end quote ***

Why would any American support such a treaty?

The Russians are not our friends, not peaceful, and not wealthy enough to compete. But they are chess players. And, if they can get us to forgo our advantage or ignore their strength, they win and we lose.

# # # # #

http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/which-republicans-sold-out/

*** begin quote ***

So who sold out?

Thad Cochran, Mississippi

Bob Corker, Tennessee

Mike Crapo, Idaho

Tom Coburn, Oklahoma

Lamar Alexander, Tennessee

Johnny Isakson, Georgia

Let’s remember.

*** end quote ***

# # # # # posted 2010-12-22 17:42


MACBOOKAIR: OSX10.6.3 UPGRADE wiped VZACCESSMANAGER

Friday, December 17, 2010

Last night’s upgrade to OSX 10.6.3 took about an hour, give or take. And, everything looks OK. Sort of.

(The only thing I noticed at the time was that (a) the application icon and huge NBD and that (b) IPHOTO is still broken. (Argh!)

But today, I noticed that VZAccess Manager v7.0.5 (2424j) for the Verizon Wireless USB720 is GONE!

Argh!

Another download!

Sigh!

But, now I wonder what else was nuked?

Sure “Quality is Job#1”!

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Not without difficulty, VZACCESSMANAGER downloaded, installed, and a required reboot … (Why?) …

VZAccess Manager v7.0.5 (2424j) for your Verizon Wireless USB720

And, it’s different.

Argh!

Change control and version control and the vendors do what they want!

# # # # # posted 2010-12-17 09:07


ASUSNETBOOK: Still broken

Friday, December 17, 2010

• Found a site that told me how to edit the “<space>2” out of the Home Network name. (You know, that thing you can’t create without a more expensive version of WINDOZE7!)

• ASUSNETBOOK connected just fine to the SPUHIL wireless guest wifi. (Argh! So it’s only the definition of my main home wifi network, that is screwed up.)

• NO reply to the post I left on http://windows7forums.com/windows-7-networking/

• NO reply on the ASUS support board http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techmailstatus.aspx?ID=WTM20101217034352241&SID=

Argh!

# # # # # posted 2010-12-17 08:20


SERVICE: Google Bookmarks and Google Toolbar

Friday, December 17, 2010

In my new burst of “religion” … … I always “worshiped” at the “Church of Murphy” … as in “Murphy’s Law” … … (no disrespect intended; I let you know when I intend to be disrespectful. I usually “slouch”. That’s an inside joke with my fellow Prepsters.) … anyway, after the recent failure of my (NOTRECOMMENDED) Mac Book Air Version 1.1, I have been improving upon my paradigms, memes, as well as procedures and practices.

• Backing up bookmarks. Used to use XMARKS, but they went broke. Came back to life under LASTPASS, but the old free data was nuked. (Argh!) So, I pick GMARKS add in to FIREFOX3 which uses the GOOGLE_BOOKMARKS service, (no need to have too many moving parts and Google will always be my free friend. Won’t they?) But, I’m moving to CHROME from Firefox (It “swallowed the pig” too many times. Hogged memory. And THUNDERBIRD is on probation.) And I can figure out how to move my CHROME bookmarks into GOOGLE_BOOKMARKS. I’ve got the html export file but where’s the insert button. Help says to use the GOOGLE_TOOLBAR button. But that’s not on CHROME?

• GOOGLE_TOOLBAR is only for FIREFOX and INTERNETEXPLORER?

Ahh, such is life on the “bleeding edge”. Unfortunately, I did not think I was on that edge but six months back.

Argh!

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Update: So being the smart fat old white guy injineer, I figured I’d just bring up FIREFOX, install the GOOGLE_TOOLBAR, and import the the file. Problem solved. And, I’d call it a “work around”. You know the joke about Omar the fat man’s tailor! “Just walk this way”. So, quick like a bunny, up goes FIREFOX, download the GOOGLE_TOOLBAR, install, restart. And SHAZAAM! No toolbar? Argh!

So I’m off to find another solution. Argh! I hate technology.

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