Will someone please make XP go away?

TG Daily - Microsoft quietly extends Windows XP lifecycle, again

Why??

Will someone please make XP go away?

TG Daily - Microsoft quietly extends Windows XP lifecycle, again

Why??

The passing of Hansel

Hansel passed away yesterday afternoon about 12:15pm on the 7th of December. He was a beautiful blond, Lab- Shepherd mix and was the brother of Gretel, my female dog, whom just passed away on the evening of February 27th of this year. They spent all of their roughly 10 years of life together. I think that's the gift I was able to provide them. To say it has been a hard year is an understatement. Those two were brought home as pups the size barely larger than my hands, and grew to 100lbs. each, and all of it love.

I miss him terribly, and while I realize that people all over, have dogs/cats put to sleep every day for multiples of reasons, it is simply something that is too heart wrenching to describe , as well to go through. Twice in one year is enough. Hansel and Gretel spent their 10 years with Tami and I and will always be a part of our family. They guarded us and loved us in a way that no one else could. There is too much to say here other than to explain that this is just a way of dealing with the grief. I feel a little better with every passing hour, but the hours are passing too slow.

Hansel's gift to me, was one that calls for looking within oneself to find happiness. I've had it here all along. I am glad I was so fortunate to have an additional 9+ months with him after his sister passed. He knew me better than I knew myself. He taught me to see the importance of what I have. I hope that I am able to be a better person for it. Can people learn from animals.
If we pay real close attention. Absolutely.

Hansel, we miss you.

Moments of confirmation

Apple: Apple's Customer Service Kick Dell's Ass, Empirical Evidence Shows

The story simply tells me again why I moved from PC's and DELL to Apple, and that DELL is everything  I believe their customer service to be.  Second rate.

The DELL train keeps on chugging

Macenstein | Buying Dell is bad for your career and professional reputation

It is good to see more people that have had the same if not worse problems than I with DELL, voicing them. I am embarrassed that I had reccomended DELL to my father. He has had two major issues in less than 4 months ownership with his DELL, and countless hours of his life wasted. I am so glad I'd left the PC world behind for MAC, and wish I could convince my father to as well. This article simply echos my feelings.

Friends in Life, and on the net

Techdirt: The Impact Of Having Friends Never Fade Away

Social networks are really a burgeoning part of today's world while most people over the ages of 35 tend to disregard this phenomenon, it exists, and is becoming, a standard way of learning, and communicating. It is still viewed as odd and not normal to most, again this is usually the over 35 crowd. That too however, is changing.

A good observation of Apple

Apple Won't Get Crushed By Recession

This article is so true

Complex Blog » How To Make Microsoft Cool Again

Microsoft has some excellent products, and are truly making a comeback, both in the cloud with Mesh and Live, as well the Zune, and of course the 360. Vista too is proving to be pretty damn good. I have been running it flawlessly on both my Macs for a year now with no real bad problems to speak of.

Ballmer is the Anchor that keeps this company beached in the sand! I.E. Whale.

Another PC to Mac story

David Alison's Blog: A hardcore Windows guy gets a Mac

I can concur, being a longtime Windows user, I switched more than 3 years ago now, before the Intel ramp up, and have been over all very pleased as a Mac user.

Restling with my Iphone

Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows: Apple iPhone 3G Review

I always enjoy Paul Thurrotts unbiased style of reviews. He is spot on with this one. I am still a 1.0 Iphone owner and have been suffering with it for the past few months. I love this phone, and know I never would have put up with my past phones with the number of nuisances that have almost become normal on this one. I so much want to see Apple get through this, cause they took a good 1.0 Iphone and wrecked it with the 2.0 upgrade and the firmware updates seem to do little to fix them. Missing my first 9 months of ownership.

It was these kind of moments

Dell: Don't Ask Dell To Replace Your Broken DVD Drive Because It's Simply Not Possible

The things that steered me from DELL more than 2 years ago are moments like this. Amazing that this still goes on. The customer is the customer, and regardless of their ability or not, a request like this should not be treated the way DELL treated it. UNREAL!

This has been going on since I was a kid!

Teen Drug Use Linked to 'Problem Parents'

Way back in the 70's this was happening, and I'd think has been the case for many years. What not an easier cop than your own parents med cabinet?? How is this just now being reported on??

Finally

Bowie resident offers shuttle service to prevent drunken driving

Every now and then, we come up with a real smart idea. This should have started years ago. Kudos to it's creator, right here in good ole Bowie, MD!!

Benefits from others anguish

The Associated Press: Report: Edwards' wife in anguish after affair

The above link points to the recent Edwards scandal, and my growing distain for the number of people out to benefit financially from two peoples dumb mistakes (that the majority of us all have made in our lives) and their inability to see what real damage it does long term to all immediate people involved. This is america at it's worst.

Going to see old friends

I am going out tonight to meet a few old friends, that I have not seen in a little while. We worked together both recently and many years ago. Alot of time has gone by and much has changed, and these two guys helped shape some of my career. Sushi for dinner!

Colorado

I think the drives in will be what I miss most about Dawson, in CO. I was informed this past month that I will no longer be needed to oversee the Longmont location for SAGE. To date it has by far been my most favorite of all locations I have had as a DM. I hired the manager and opened this unit, and have a great relationship with the people there. I will miss them and that area more than anything I can remember.

Mornings in Longmont

My work travels, these days finds me in Colorado about once a month. I have a good crew of people out here, and am a little sad that there will come a day soon when I will likely not be able to see them again, due to the fact that I live on the east coast, and it only makes sense to have someone out here full time, when the business warrants this.

That said, the mornings, and the crisp air here are great. I wish we had the mountain air where I live in MD. It's simply like a different world here. I will miss this place when I am re routed. What's worse is I know that this is coming soon, and cannot inform the folks out here for a little while yet. It makes it hard to face them. They have all been so good to me. They are special, and I will miss them.

Vacationing in March

I took a week off in March this year. A bit unusual, I usually don't do so until April, because it falls on my birthday, my sisters birthday and my wedding anniversary. So, that week is usually set aside for personal things. This week however is set aside for a breath of no company stuff, and a bit of cleaning and updating of the outside of the home. Floral's, basic sewing of the yard and prepping for the warmer months. Something I have neglected for several years now.

The loss of a Dog

This past week, I had to put down one of my dogs. They are both of the same litter. In fact were the last 2 of a very large litter. Gretel, lived barely 10 years and her last year of life was difficult for her to say the least. Taking her to the emergency room this past Wednesday (the 27th of February) evening, and knowing full well it could be the last trip we'd ever take together was somewhat surreal.

As it turned out she had alot of internal bleeding problems and a tumor that was quickly developing near her spleen, as well urinary tract problems. Even surgery would likely have only provided a few more months of life, however comfortable they might have been would be anyones guess. Making the decision to put her down was both easy and awful at the same time. My last minutes with her, were peaceful, and as emotionally heart wrenching is anything I can remember in recent memory.

Saying goodbye to an animal, and realizing that "yes" it is not human, makes no difference. They are close to you and a part of your life. Gretel, represented one of the components of coming home for Tami and I. Her Brother Hansel will now garner all of the attention that the dogs recieve. He needs it, as he has spent many a year now battling with Discoid Lupus. Gretel, was the only female, in a family of male dominated animals. She took care of many of our cats. Mothered some of them, and was ultimately Hansel's rock for many years of his life. She took on the burden of probably being the one that recieved the least of attention yet always provided the most love when it was garnered to her. I will miss this dog much more than I had ever imagined. I wish the task of having to put down a loved animal on no one.

It is as difficult a thing as I have ever had to do or can remember. I miss Gretel tremendously, and at least know she is no longer suffering.

The story of the insane florist

So there I am in Denver this past January, and I want to do something nice for my wonderful wife of more than 13 years of marriage to date. Lately she has hit a rough spot in the job market and I though it would be nice to send her flowers using an internet related service 1-800 flowers.com. I had never used a service like this to date, which is odd, because I do make many online purchases.

At any rate, I'd requested a specific date for the delivery to my home and directly to her be made, and this was to happen when I was still in Denver on the 25th of January. I returned early in the morning of the 26th only to find that this had never occurred. I promptly called 800 flowers that afternoon, to state my case. They of course agreed and offered to send them the following day or Monday, and I'd said, thanks but no thanks, I mean it did not happen when I needed it to, so why extend this another day? Refund my money, and life goes on. They did so with apologies and extended a 20% off offer in the event I wanted to try this again? Hmm,,.

Sunday afternoon, almost 24 hours later a guy rolls up to my house with some flowers, huh? He says these flowers are for you, with a smile. I thanked him, signed nothing, and he went on his way. That same afternoon I'd received an email and voice message from 800 flowers stating that I in fact did receive my flowers on the date requested as the florist confirmed I personally accepted the delivery from him?? Huh? Those comments were completed with a tone of "your charges will be reinstated due to this error. Thus stating that I'd lied about the whole thing.

After calling 800 *&^%$$.com back, I was now pissed off, being called a liar, I really have a problem with all of this. I even offered to pay for the flowers, even though reluctant at this point, it was in fact the point that they had not been delivered when I'd requested that was the problem with this now "MESS" that was happening. Again, they had my call 24 hours ago on record, and confirmed this, and they said for me to keep my money with their apologies, and in fact they were likely not going to use this florist again.
My comment was in fact this,, I'll happily pay for the flowers, I have them, but this florist has lied to you (800 flowers) in order to be paid. He has stated that the client in this case "me" received this order on time, which in this case was physically impossible. I was not in Maryland when they were scheduled to be delivered. And regardless, they were to be delivered to my wife!! So, anyways the credit to my account stuck. I did in fact get the flowers free for my troubles and a credit percentage in the event I ever wanted to go through this mess again.. Uhh yeah.

A week passed, when I'd received a call from this same local florist threatening me over the phone, claiming that he was the owner of that shop and he lived close by and was in fact coming by my house to get his flowers, cause I never paid for them. HUH? Now , it is a week later, the flowers for the most part are dead, and this guy is claiming that I got the flowers and now I owe him. In which I stated, buddy, your problem is with 1-800 flowers, not me. You delivered them late, and 24hours after I'd cancelled the order with them, in which he kept yammering on about the fact that he was coming over to get his flowers back no matter what! Thus threatening me.

Order flowers online at your own risk.

Looking for new

After 10 years with my current employer I have started looking into what my value on the market may be. I am sorry to say that simply finding employers that are willing to return your responses are few and far in between.

With todays job search engines, monster.com etc.. the chances of actually finding what you want are numerous, however the chances you will even be called is a needle in a haystack. Employers are flooded with applications and resumes, to the point that many good ones likely do not even get read. It is quite a few hoops one has to jump through just to submit a resume. Most everyone has one written, and saved. You update it periodically in hopes that when you need it, it is ready to go.

However, these resumes prove almost worthless due to how the online sites work. The in fact make you do all of the work from scratch. In many cases at best you may be able to cut and paste components, but it is not by any stretch simple and fast. It is cumbersome. This has to improve.

Employment is hard enough to find as it is, but when you are unemployed, spending days plowing through this mess is a loss of time, and simply wasted time spent. Period.

People, Life and the unexpected

I don't know what to make of people sometimes. Now I am admitedly a bit of a recluse. I generally enjoy my solitude and time spent with my thoughts. I have few friends and for the most part have lived this way for most of my adult life.

Friends,,, that is a word I am wrestling with these days. I had one whom I felt I was very close to and we talked about seemingly everything for many years. About 15 to be exact. Recently in the past year we have talked maybe about a dozen times or more. This compaired to the daily conversations we used to have is simply astounding. I was told by another long time and close friend, that this so called frined of mine has what he wants and needs now, and either because of guilt or simply does not care, he simply does not need me anymore. That I find pretty amazing, to have known someone for so many years, and have supported them through so many personal and professional issues, to be dropped like this is the pill I am swallowing, and cannot understand. Time may tell if it is all true.