XP = Extra Problems?

Upgrade=CHANGE!

No troubles with XP SP3 or Vista SP1 on my machines.

What the heck happened to Microsoft?

Guess I'll start this off...

I own a Dell, and I'm okay with it.

;)

re: #1 guzziguy

XP = Extra Problems?

EXperience the Pain.

If an upgrade isn't an improvement, it shouldn't be called an upgrade.

re: #4 Cognito

What the heck happened to Microsoft?

Never let the engineers read the press releases.

Downloaded and installed service pack 3 about ten days ago... no problems to report so far.

This won't be the most popular thread today. Too many painful memories, dating back quite a few years.

From the family of operating systems featuring

CE ME NT

and
...

Vista

Did they find a workaround for the spontaneous rebooting problem?

re: #12 NotThatGordo

From the family of operating systems featuring

CE ME NT

and
...

Vista

Don't forget.....
BOB

re: #13 joncelli

Did they find a workaround for the spontaneous rebooting problem?

Buy a Mac.

*ducks and runs*

Microsoft could F up a wet dream. Sorry.

it's no surprise that they can't get an OS correct that's been in development and the market for over 10 years.

This means that inevitably, someone at at least one of the 37 locations I manage will have downloaded service pack 3, killing the productivity of the rest of my job and subsequent week that's not even supposed to include I.T. work.

re: #14 jcm

The really funny thing is that Gates' wife was associated with the Bob project -- that's how they met.

re: #15 jcm

Heh. I already have one! But I run XP SP2 under VMWare Fusion.

re: #14 jcm

Don't forget.....
BOB

What? : )

How else will Balmer and Gates get folks to move to Vista?

re: #19 joncelli

Same here. As long as we are on the topic of XP, the best machine to run it in my experience, seems to be a Mac. Vista, too.

Of course a mac with OSX blows it away in efficiency and stability... hands down.

I installed the other fixes, but I tried SP3 on a sacrificial system. It was slow to begin with, but seems even slower.
I'll get back to the system to see if it is usable, or back out SP3 or just wipe and reinstall.
Meanwhile, the other 4 Windows machines at home are not getting SP3. (One is XP on a Mac under Parallels)

re: #22 karmic_inquisitor

How else will Balmer and Gates get folks to move to Vista?

LOL

That's it! Make XP worse than Vista, and people will finally switch. Brilliant!

(and they'll still charge for tech support... from India)

re: #21 savage_nation

Really:

Melinda French Gates (born Melinda Ann French on August 15, 1964)[1] is a former unit manager for several Microsoft products: Publisher, Microsoft Bob, Encarta, and Expedia. In 1994, she married Bill Gates, founder, chairman, and former chief software architect of Microsoft.

Good Evening all! It's currently raining in the Very Far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland.

My laptop is still sitting. I don't know what I am waiting for. I just wish the Microsoft/Acer Genie would show-up and fix it. Wish I hadn't just bought it. Guess, I'll have to pay for it's repair and start saving for a Macbook.

How are you-all this evening?

re: #28 ggt

Running two macbooks. You won't regret it (:

re: #4 Cognito

What the heck happened to Microsoft?

Like IBM in the 1980s. Big-n-bloated.

Charles, you have to realize, you can't just upgrade as much as you want, and then just expect that other countries are going to say "okay".

re: #19 joncelli

Heh. I already have one! But I run XP SP2 under VMWare Fusion.

I run Vista on Bootcamp. I've got a MacBook Pro Core Duo which only supports 2GB Ram, trying to run both on 2GB with Parallels or VMWare ain't happening.

I've had OSX, Vista and Ubuntu all running at the same time... but not useable.

re: #28 ggt

Good Evening all! It's currently raining in the Very Far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland.

My laptop is still sitting. I don't know what I am waiting for. I just wish the Microsoft/Acer Genie would show-up and fix it. Wish I hadn't just bought it. Guess, I'll have to pay for it's repair and start saving for a Macbook.

How are you-all this evening?

Cubs up 7-2 in the top of the ninth! Aramis Ramirez just hit a 2 run dinger.

re: #28 ggt

Good Evening all! It's currently raining in the Very Far Western Suburbs of Chicagoland.

My laptop is still sitting. I don't know what I am waiting for. I just wish the Microsoft/Acer Genie would show-up and fix it. Wish I hadn't just bought it. Guess, I'll have to pay for it's repair and start saving for a Macbook.

How are you-all this evening?

Were you able to score any of those Oreos that spilled out of that tractor trailer rig that overturned today on I80?

I sit too early to go OT? Where I am it is after 9pm.

While watching the season finale of House, I notice a Obama endorsement. One of the characters was sitting in a bathroom stall leaning to the left of the screen. On the wall behind her, to the right and slanting upwards was a bumper sticker that said VOTE FOR CHANGE 08 --and the rest of it the bumper sticker dissappeared into the next stall.

re: #30 BuddyG

Like IBM in the 1980s. Big-n-bloated.

That also perfectly describes Algore these days.

re: #34 Intrepid

No, unfortunately. I've been hibernating, sharing the family PC, and generally feeling cut-off from the world. I didn't hear about it.

re: #33 Bob in Breckenridge

That I do know about--while the rest of the family is not using the family PC, they are watching baseball on TV.

re: #37 ggt

No, unfortunately. I've been hibernating, sharing the family PC, and generally feeling cut-off from the world. I didn't hear about it.

Plus they were double-stuffed Oreos!

I have Vista with 2 gig RAM....I'm a happy camper.

re: #38 ggt

That I do know about--while the rest of the family is not using the family PC, they are watching baseball on TV.

Fortunately, the game is on ESPN here, and tomorrow night's game is on WGN, so I'll be able to watch it also.

re: #40 DesertSage

I have Vista with 2 gig RAM....I'm a happy camper.

Minimum for Vista.
The other thing that kills Vista is not having a big enough graphics card.

No problems for me, 3 machines with TinyXP Rev 08 (with SP3) running beautifully. My poor iMac? Still unbootbale. No way to repair the lovely journaling filesystem.

re: #3 jcm

It has gone from a 10K person company to a 70K person company and have not scaled well (the curse of middle management, politcal correctness, a huge weight of backward compatability and a shotgun approach to prioritization). They want to be all things to all people.

Bill should have taken my advice and split MS into 5-8 companies when the FTC started talking monopoly...

re: #31 Occasional Reader

Charles, you have to realize, you can't just upgrade as much as you want, and then just expect that other countries are going to say "okay".

Frankly my laptop is being a little cranky lately. At first I thought it my be my fault -- a few months ago I spilled some Coke into the keyboard -- but it has become clear to me now that my unhappiness is due to Charles's continual and indifferent improvement of his machine.

Imperialist upgrader.

re: #40 DesertSage

I have Vista with 2 gig RAM....I'm a happy camper.

Sorry.. I prefer operating systems that don't require much ram to run. I like applications... this things that computers were invented for (:

re: #13 joncelli

Did they find a workaround for the spontaneous rebooting problem?

Ubuntu.

If you notice at the end of the article it says the problem is on some HP computers. I'm not surprised. Whenever a client calls me and tells me they are having problems with updating their computer (hardware or software) and I find out it's an HP or Compaq I know it's going to cost them a lot more to have me work on it because HP systems are non-standard for hardware and they have some really goofy proprietary OS extensions that makes it almost impossible to upgrade or port onto another system.

I really don't like HP computers!

Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester threw a no hitter tonight. He's the guy who had cancer a few years ago.

I've heard nothing but SP3 is a nightmare.

/for a huge software company, I'm not quite sure what Microsoft is trying to accomplish with this obvious downgrade

re: #22 karmic_inquisitor

How else will Balmer and Gates get folks to move to Vista?

Agreed.

re: #37 ggt

No, unfortunately. I've been hibernating, sharing the family PC, and generally feeling cut-off from the world. I didn't hear about it.

Here ya go - [Link: cbs2chicago.com...]

I'm breaking all the rules tonite.

I just posted this in the linkys. Michael Moore rips-off Michael Yon.

Got to bid you all good night, lizards. Take care.

re: #52 Intrepid

Thanks!

re: #53 ggt

That sounds like it was in my neck of the woods. Wonder how many geese got cookies?

re: #35 ggt

I sit too early to go OT? Where I am it is after 9pm.

While watching the season finale of House, I notice a Obama endorsement. One of the characters was sitting in a bathroom stall leaning to the left of the screen. On the wall behind her, to the right and slanting upwards was a bumper sticker that said VOTE FOR CHANGE 08 --and the rest of it the bumper sticker dissappeared into the next stall.

Yeah, well House would be all about Democrats. It features a Mediacl Doctor who doesn't like people and writes himself prescriptions for the narcotic of his choice.
Sounds like the Democrat health care plan to me.

re: #57 haakondahl

LOL!

re: #28 ggt

Enjoy it! We "broke the ice on the Santa Cruz" today here in Tucson--went over 100°.

Microsoft has offered to buy this thread....

re: #59 song_and_dance_man

It's my fault, I apologize.

re: #53 ggt

I'm breaking all the rules tonite.

I just posted this in the linkys. Michael Moore rips-off Michael Yon.

Excellent I emailed Yon's copyright contact last week and got a response thanking me.

Good work all who brought it to Yon's attention.

Go suck eggs Moore.

re: #54 goddessoftheclassroom

Got to bid you all good night, lizards. Take care.

Weet dreams!

Congrats Detroit RedWings. Beat Stars 4-1 to win the Western Conf and advance. Painful for Dallas fans to watch.

re: #60 Sarge1984

Enjoy it! We "broke the ice on the Santa Cruz" today here in Tucson--went over 100°.

I think we are both past the ice stage and right into boiling

Microsoft could not be immediately reached for comment on Monday.

/you'd think they'd at least test their major releases, it's telling that SP3 isn't an automatic update

re: #65 song_and_dance_man

Momma's diggin' it; I could deal with 80's-90's a little longer...

re: #68 Killian Bundy

/you'd think they'd at least test their major releases, it's telling that SP3 isn't an automatic update

Actually, they wanted to respond, but their phone system runs on Vista and XP SP3 and it kept crashing.....

re: #67 Desert Dog

You folks hit it last week in Phoenix, didn't you?

I installed XP SP3 on this machine last week.

For about an hour. Then i had to rip it out, put a stake through its heart, and bury it at the crossroads to get my machine working properly again.

I'm sure it will annoy some people, but I've been running a laptop with 2 gigs ram, vista, and a bottom of the line pre-installed video card and haven't had any problems to speak of. I've been able to run every program I wanted except for having an inferior video card. Vista has been much better than I expected.

re: #48 Frank Veracity

Well,I've had an HP Pavillion for about a year and a half with XP and just installed the SP3 about a week ago....I may not be typical but I have yet to have any problems with my HP or any applications or programs I run on it....

re: #70 song_and_dance_man

hmmmm--drunks on banjos . . .
?

Actually, I think that might be a fun thread.

How many drunks on banjos does it take . . .

re: #70 song_and_dance_man

Apologize? Talking about Microsoft is equal to talking about drunks on banjos.

Woo-hoo! Drunks on banjos!

You'll get my copy of Win XP Pro (SP2) when you pry it from my cold, dead hand!

/cling!

re: #72 Sarge1984

It was 100 something a few times last week....almost 110 today....but, this is the "nice" heat....I can take this stuff...when the humidity creeps in and the "low" is 90 something, that is when it starts getting old.....

108° in El Mirage this weekend.

You know what they say...

The day Microsoft makes a product that doesn't suck is the day they start selling vacuum cleaners.

re: #77 Sarge1984

Oh, that is awful!

If Windows XP Pro with Service Pack 2 is working well for you, you may want to think twice before doing the SP3 “upgrade:” Users Report More Trouble With Windows XP SP3.

This will be the upgrade that srews your pc, so that you *have* to get vista, because that particular evil (read: selfish...brazenly trying to monopolize you where they can)empire doesn't want to deal with paying for support anymore...eventuallly, they'll *hide* the upgrade/service pack/code library...forcing you to go to some off-brand website, sign up and get 5 downloads free kinda site...in seven years, your perfectly fine audio hardware on that laptop will become a bitch to get the driver for....

...and hackers keep IT guys supporting their eating habit...

Did I mention I am sick of computers? They're so damn compelling too...

8)

Don't do the update 'till they fix the update, let someone else be the lab rat.

re: #79 Desert Dog

re: #80 DesertSage

Hopefully, monsoon season will come a little early this year, too.

re: #82 ggt

It's the price you pay for maybe 5 days with frost all year. And just a dusting of snow that doesn't really stick maybe once a year. We'll talk smack during the winter, but pay for it in the summer!

Just went to Windows update.

/SP3 not offered, hmm . . .

re: #76 ggt

Paddle faster! I hear banjos!

re: #85 Sarge1984

I don't mind the rain, it helps keep the pollen down. But then, it causes the mold to grow. It's been like "Dorothy in the Poppy Fields" here the last few days. Everyone is sooooo sleepy.

So the options are you can be sleepy with allergy symtoms or take an antihistime and just be sleepy from the antihistime. Unless you can tolerate one of those new fangled non-drowsy antihistime, which I can't.

Desert Dog, Desert Sage and other desert denizens,

I drove from Flagstaff to Carefree around noon, today, and watched the temp guage in my car go from 82 to 110.

Now I'm ready to leave.

Love the Hayseed Dixie!

Why did they name the town Carefree?

There's a joke in there.

re: #86 song_and_dance_man

I don't know...haven't seen a cover of Psycho Killer by Hayseed Dixie yet...but I bet it would be great fun!

re: #66 snowcrash

Congrats Detroit RedWings. Beat Stars 4-1 to win the Western Conf and advance. Painful for Dallas fans to watch.

For non-Dallas fans too, Go Pens!

re: #90 hermeneutics

Desert Dog, Desert Sage and other desert denizens,

I drove from Flagstaff to Carefree around noon, today, and watched the temp guage in my car go from 82 to 110.

Now I'm ready to leave.

Stick around for the real heat!

re: #92 ggt

Carefree is a retiree heaven -- with that much money, they're all carefree.

re: #90 hermeneutics

Yeah, but it snowed in Flagstaff this month...

re: #96 hermeneutics

ah.

I was thinking it was so hot, everyone there was a nudist.

re: #95 Desert Dog

No way -- Going to Angel Fire NM tomorrow.

re: #98 ggt

Oh ... my eyes! Yuck.

re: #98 ggt

Nudist retirement community...thanks for the visual, ggt.

I just hope this doesn't turn into a boob thread on that comment...

UK version of I'm a Mac re: #87 Killian Bundy

Just went to Windows update.

/SP3 not offered, hmm . . .

Start here. Download the image, burn to disk and install, seems to give better results.

re: #97 Sarge1984

Sarge, it snowed in Flagstaff less than a week ago. Stunningly beautiful, really. I rode my bike in the snow for the first time.

re: #101 Sarge1984

re: #100 hermeneutics

sorry, sorry, sorry.

I could start talking Microsoft. . .

Great! I just got my poor Dell, running XP Pro with SP2, restored to health and now THIS....

/pssssst..... don't tell anyone, but....I went to the Apple store last week to buy a protective case for my new Nano (!) and I drooled all over the new MacBook Air. Oh, Baby! Hummmm.....

Oh, mama' I can hear you a'cryin'.

re: #102 jcm

Start here. Download the image, burn to disk and install, seems to give better results.

Very funny.

/do I at least get a blindfold?

re: #104 ggt

I'd rather talk politics.

So ... did you see the crowds that came to worship the obamessiah in Oregon? Scary. I'm comforted by the fact(?) that Obama attracted 30,000+ people in Pennsylvania ... and then went on to an electoral loss.

What is with Oregon?

re: #105 song_and_dance_man

I love the desert. So far my favorites are Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in spring, the Mojave Scenic area, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, RedRock and Canyonlands.

Redrock CA or Redrock NV?

re: #105 song_and_dance_man

Add Sedona to your "must see" list. Bring camera.

re: #109 hermeneutics

I'd rather talk politics.

So ... did you see the crowds that came to worship the obamessiah in Oregon? Scary. I'm comforted by the fact(?) that Obama attracted 30,000+ people in Pennsylvania ... and then went on to an electoral loss.

What is with Oregon?

Too much ganja bro! That is my theory, at least....

re: #43 morganm

No problems for me, 3 machines with TinyXP Rev 08 (with SP3) running beautifully. My poor iMac? Still unbootbale. No way to repair the lovely journaling filesystem.

This is the first I've heard of TinyXP. Is that a stripped down OS [like Damn Small Linux or Puppy Linux] and what's it come with? Any browser or media players?

re: #80 DesertSage

108° in El Mirage this weekend.

Getting down in the mid-30's here tonight.

re: #105 song_and_dance_man

I love the desert. So far my favorites are Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in spring, the Mojave Scenic area, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, RedRock and Canyonlands.

If God was gonna give the world an enema he'd stick it right in McGregor Range / Ft. Bliss......

Grandpa Cracker informs me that it is now time for bed. Okie Dokie! Bye-bye now!

Have a GREAT night, Lizards!

One of the problems is with AMD CPUs and the MS SP3 doing something that AMD doesn't need. The other issue is that before you do the SP3 upgrade, make a backup of your drive. DriveImage XML is a great little package for doing just that. Oh, and did I mention that it is free? I've got a Dell, installed SP3 and lost some parameters that allowed me to run some Siemens software (work) and some other specialized software. Reinstall the backup and all is well. Won't be attempting that any time soon.

re: #118 Grammy Cracker

Good night and sweet dreams

re: #103 hermeneutics

re: #104 ggt

It's a choice we make! I love my desert, and if I want me some snow, it's a 3-4 hour drive to the White Mountains, or 1 hour up Mount Lemmon right here outside town!

Personally, I'll take my midday tee-time in January over snow any day!

re: #105 song_and_dance_man

I love the desert. So far my favorites are Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in spring, the Mojave Scenic area, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, RedRock and Canyonlands.

I'm a big fan of that part of the country as well. Loved Joshua Tree, Red Rock country, Painted Desert, but we really love Zion and Bryce. I'd love to get out to Canyonlands and Arches. Maybe our next trip - hit Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, and Arches. Hmmm... /grabbing the idea book...

I tried looking into upgrading to SP3 from SP2, but wouldn't you know it - the upgrade started spinning its wheels and simply wouldn't even download.

Heh.

re: #96 hermeneutics

Carefree is a retiree heaven -- with that much money, they're all carefree.

Dick Van Dyke lives there.

re: #115 Bob in Breckenridge

i'm taking six teenage boys to Breckenridge, Bob. Camping. They're bringing their bikes and racing. The only problem is food -- they eat, on average, about 8000 calories a day! And when its cold, their calorie consumption goes up another 1000 or so.

re: #81 JamesTKirk

The day Microsoft makes a product that doesn't suck is the day they start selling vacuum cleaners.

Now that's funny. I'm sure you've heard about the "If microsoft made cars.." thingy.

/long time windows user here

re: #111 song_and_dance_man

I didn't see it on YouTube, but found their version of Black Dog. And Fat Bottomed Girls--you know, the Queen song?

Funny.

re: #86 song_and_dance_man sorry,off topic..just for the record song,the moron who posted the kos diary referred to in an earlier thread was One Citizen,NOT joecitizen as you stated in the monday open thread..I feel a bit slimed,I must tell ya'..

re: #116 song_and_dance_man

I've done those trails. Great fun.

re: #106 Grammy Cracker

Great! I just got my poor Dell, running XP Pro with SP2, restored to health and now THIS....

/pssssst..... don't tell anyone, but....I went to the Apple store last week to buy a protective case for my new Nano (!) and I drooled all over the new MacBook Air. Oh, Baby! Hummmm.....

It's slick. But it needs a external cd/dvd drive. If all you do is online, no heavy applications it's a nice little machine.

re: #121 Sarge1984

Where are you Sarge?

re: #118 Grammy Cracker

Grandpa Cracker informs me that it is now time for bed. Okie Dokie! Bye-bye now!

Have a GREAT night, Lizards!

/leave it alone, Noam.

re: #118 Grammy Cracker

Weet dreams, Granny!

re: #122 lawhawk

I'm a big fan of that part of the country as well. Loved Joshua Tree, Red Rock country, Painted Desert, but we really love Zion and Bryce. I'd love to get out to Canyonlands and Arches. Maybe our next trip - hit Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, and Arches. Hmmm... /grabbing the idea book...

If you like Mesa Verde, keeping driving into NM and hit Chaco Canyon..that is a really cool Anazasi ruin...not as "restored"

re: #124 Bob in Breckenridge

So do I. And I'm not nearly retired.

re: #109 hermeneutics

I don't get Oregon.

re: #122 lawhawk

I'm a big fan of that part of the country as well. Loved Joshua Tree, Red Rock country, Painted Desert, but we really love Zion and Bryce. I'd love to get out to Canyonlands and Arches. Maybe our next trip - hit Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, and Arches. Hmmm... /grabbing the idea book...

Mesa Verde alone is worth the trip. It's an amazing place, and Durango's a neat town in the summer/fall for a visit. Much nicer than Cortez, although it's farther away.

OT: Now this is funny: The National Director of the KKK attacks Ben Stein for historical revisionism....

The Trap is Set (warning KKK site)

Ben Stein (left) is a Jewish celebrity and actor of sorts and he has set a trap for Christians. It’s the old bait and switch scam.
...
Ben Stein takes this opportunity when Christian young people have lowered their defenses and begins to explain that evolution is the foundation of racism. They are told that Darwin’s theory of evolution is the foundation of racial hatred, segregation and prejudice. And as an example he uses Hitler and the National Socialist government of Germany as a perfect example of what can happen when racism gets out of control. According to Stein, Hitler embraced Darwinism and spread the teachings of evolution throughout Germany. Everyone has been taught to hate Hitler and now they are told that at the core of his teachings was white racism which came about through the teachings of Darwin. But just the opposite is true. The teachings of Darwin were rejected by Hitler and schools were not allowed to teach Darwinism or evolution. The teachings of Darwin were spreading in Germany (as they are in this country) but when Hitler was elected chancellor he encouraged the rejection of Darwinism and books which promoted evolution and Darwinism were destroyed.
...
The message of the movie is not about creationism but to trap Christians into accepting, tolerating, promoting and engaging in interracial relationships and marriage. After all as Christians we don’t want to promote the evils of Darwin - do we?
The trap has been set - don't get caught!

Heh.

re: #132 hermeneutics

Tucson.

re: #126 Slumbering Behemoth

Now that's funny. I'm sure you've heard about the "If microsoft made cars.." thingy.

/long time windows user here

Boeing was experimenting with Windows for a while.

re: #113 Desert Dog

Too much ganja bro! That is my theory, at least....

LOL, I was going to say good dope as soon as I saw the original post.

Hmmm. The Daily Mail [UK newspaper] revamped their homepage.

re: #137 ggt

I don't get Oregon.

I do. What has you confused?
/I just got here

re: #137 ggt

I don't get Oregon.

Think California Light.....it is a beautiful place with lots to do..but the people there are sorta like the typical N. Californian....so, think Marin County without the wealth

re: #131 song_and_dance_man

Telluride is great fun. Easy trails for walking and riding. The altitude will get you if you aren't prepared, though. Expensive food.

There's a nice camping ground ten to fifteen miles south of Telluride on Rt. 145 called "Matterhorn." Has showers.

re: #121 Sarge1984

Nah, I don't do heat. Anything over 80 and I'm ready for air conditioning.

re: #137 ggt

I don't get Oregon.

Half the people are from California. None will admit to it.

re: #145 Desert Dog

Think California Light.....it is a beautiful place with lots to do..but the people there are sorta like the typical N. Californian....so, think Marin County without the wealth

It's where the stoners move when they burn out, or can't afford to live in California anymore.

re: #139 Killgore Trout

Um, why are you browsing KKK sites?

/your favorites folder must be quite strange

re: #140 Sarge1984

Are there other lizards down there?

re: #128 joecitizen

sorry,off topic..just for the record song,the moron who posted the kos diary referred to in an earlier thread was One Citizen,NOT joecitizen as you stated in the monday open thread..I feel a bit slimed,I must tell ya'..

Idiot Wind

re: #113 Desert Dog

Could be.

Wasn't that part of the country very, very rough (people and landscape-wise) until just a few decades ago?

re: #84 Sarge1984

Was already humid enough that we had to turn off the evaporative cooler and turn on the real air conditioner. (Darn! I like the evap, you get fresh air with it, not canned).

On topic: MS hasn't exactly had stellar success with Vista SP 1 either. I'm still loving linux, but Mrs. Federalist's iMac died Friday and had to take it to the Apple store (only had it for a month) Saturday. They're quoting 5 days to repair. The thing is deader'n a a stone, screen went blank, computer went "click", no more joy. Suspect power supply problem. I really want to like the Mac, but it's not helping me here.

re: #147 ggt

That's why my great-grandmother was a snowbird in Scottsdale. She loved the mild winters here, and the (relatively) mild summers in New Jersey.

I've gotten to where I can tolerate the heat better than the cold. I used to love skiing in Colorado. Now if there's frost on the windshield I'm whining. Heck, the AC's set to 80 most of the summer now.

Windows XP. Still works for me. But my needs are simple.

re: #144 Killgore Trout

Everyone I've met from Oregan is just a little "off".

re: #145 Desert Dog

Think California Light.....it is a beautiful place with lots to do..but the people there are sorta like the typical N. Californian....so, think Marin County without the wealth

LOL!

re: #152 hermeneutics

I know of one for sure, but I think we have more. I just haven't identified them yet.

re: #154 ggt

It's part of the "Left Coast"....Calif., Oregon, Washington...at least the urban areas, are very left.....go out to the country and the people are waaay more conservative.....Lots of farm land in those states....

re: #95 Desert Dog

Yep, summer's coming.

re: #152 hermeneutics

Oh, yeah, and we have Gila monsters, too, if that counts! Gotta love a poisonous lizard, don't ya know!

re: #162 Desert Dog

It's part of the "Left Coast"....Calif., Oregon, Washington...at least the urban areas, are very left.....go out to the country and the people are waaay more conservative.....Lots of farm land in those states....

Which leads to a larger question ... WHY ARE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PLACES OVERRUN WITH LEFTISTS?

Yep.

I installed SP3 and it said I no longer have a valid copy of Windows. I uninstalled the service pack and had to do some surgery to remove the "Nag" alerts that remained.

Figures. . .

re: #164 Sarge1984

So, is that what we call Lizards that deserve when they get banned? Gilas?

re: #165 hermeneutics

Which leads to a larger question ... WHY ARE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PLACES OVERRUN WITH LEFTISTS?

Like New Jersey's a Republican stronghold?

re: #164 Sarge1984

I've seen FOUR gila monsters while hiking. I'm proud of this fact.

re: #167 ggt

Hadn't thought of it, but I second the idea!

re: #168 Sarge1984

Point taken. Think west.

re: #164 Sarge1984

Oh, yeah, and we have Gila monsters, too, if that counts! Gotta love a poisonous lizard, don't ya know!

Don't forget the scorpions, rattlers, coyotes and javalinas!

re: #165 hermeneutics

Which leads to a larger question ... WHY ARE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PLACES OVERRUN WITH LEFTISTS?

They thrive on collectivism, so they need the urban areas. See- their world view doesn't withstand logic, so they need each other to validate their belief system of leftism.

re: #168 Sarge1984

Because the self-proclaimed BEAUTIFUL peope think they deserve the BEAUTIFUL land. and that the rest of us should pay for them to make it beautiful and for them to live there.

re: #131 song_and_dance_man

I concur, having just been there two weeks ago. And bring extra memory for your camera (or film). Definitely take the pink jeep tours (any of 'em). Lots of fun and you get to see parts of Sedona you can't get to by car.

I did Capitol Reef when we hit Bryce and Zion's Kolob Canyon (the less traveled part) along with Cedar Breaks and Vermillion Cliffs

What's so impressive is that when you're up at Capitol Reef and driving down to each of the lower parks, you literally see the whole thing unfolding - the ground literally splitting and contorting into each of the national parks before you with the Grand Canyon at the low end.

re: #172 Desert Dog

Where are you, Desert Dog? What desert?

re: #21 savage_nation

You still in Fargo?

re: #169 hermeneutics

I haven't even seen a rattler, scorpion, or any other little nasty in the 18 months I've been here. But I haven't gone looking for them, either. Had a heard of javelinas surprise my dog and me during a walk around the apartments one evening, though. That'll put a little pep in your step.

re: #165 hermeneutics

Which leads to a larger question ... WHY ARE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PLACES OVERRUN WITH LEFTISTS?

Hell they want to form...
The Republic of Cascadia

re: #170 Sarge1984

I'm with you. Just had to get a dig in on Jersey.

re: #174 ggt

Because the self-proclaimed BEAUTIFUL peope think they deserve the BEAUTIFUL land. and that the rest of us should pay for them to make it beautiful and for them to live there.

Lefty Just Wants Free Stuff™!

re: #125 hermeneutics

i'm taking six teenage boys to Breckenridge, Bob. Camping. They're bringing their bikes and racing. The only problem is food -- they eat, on average, about 8000 calories a day! And when its cold, their calorie consumption goes up another 1000 or so.

When will you be here?

re: #151 Killian Bundy

Um, why are you browsing KKK sites?

I got the link from one of my science blogs but I didn't like their coverage so I just stole their link and made it my own.
/Shameless

Going to bed. Nice attempt to bring it out of nerd hell.

My Vista is humming along nicely, TYVM.

This is my visual of my Vista (not the chubby nerd on the Mac commercials).

re: #159 ggt

Yeah, that's about right.

re: #145 Desert Dog

Think California Light.....it is a beautiful place with lots to do..but the people there are sorta like the typical N. Californian....so, think Marin County without the wealth

Bocephus knows a little something about N. Cali.

re: #185 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Weet dreams, Veggie!

re: #117 paxnhymn

If God was gonna give the world an enema he'd stick it right in McGregor Range / Ft. Bliss......

You got that right.

I get to spend most of July and August at McGregor.

Bleh.

re: #186 Catttt

My Vista is humming along nicely, TYVM.

This is my visual of my Vista (not the chubby nerd on the Mac commercials).

The mac guy is a nerd also. Well, a geek.

re: #165 hermeneutics

Which leads to a larger question ... WHY ARE ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PLACES OVERRUN WITH LEFTISTS?

So little beauty inside their own hearts makes them pine for the outward kind...

/dunno?

re: #179 Sarge1984

You can smell javelinas before you see them, Sarge!

I have almost an acre enclosed with a ten foot stucco wall and much more property unenclosed. Strangely, the critters -- at least the small ones -- find their way inside my wall. I've killed rattlers every couple months and scorpions almost as frequently. Javelinas and coyotes stay outside the wall, though a bobcat once jumped the wall and drink from my pool! Another bobcat became a quasi-pet. We let him in the house, accidently, when he came through the screen door to eat cat food. After that, he'd come to the door and wait for food.

Oh, and a mountain lion came down my long driveway.

All so exciting.

ahhhh, we had a long discussion about javalinas a while back. I know what they are!

re: #183 Bob in Breckenridge

I got to look it up on my calendar ... just a sec.

Oh, Mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck with a computer with the reboot blues again.
/apologies to Bob Dylan

I gotta sleep Lizards.

Have a great evening.

re: #186 Catttt

My Vista's doing well, too.

Yep, had to reformat after SP3. Wasn't really surprised, though. Afterwards I downloaded 95 updates to get back to where I left off before the crash.

95.

the vista's fine from where I'm sittin

re: #164 Sarge1984

Oh yeah. My Monday started Friday night when the dog found a rattler in the back yard. Big sucker, about 30" with 2" rattles. Ticks me off because I thought I had the backyard snake-proofed. Dog's great, she has a distinctive bark so you know she's got one, problem is that she is getting way too brave and grabs the body and runs around with it, shaking it, after the head has been separated. I'm afraid she's going to try taking one on one of these days

Vista seems to work fine here except for how the Printer-Scanner is just a Printer now. And Word doesn't work. Not a big deal to me.

re: #176 hermeneutics

Upper Sonoran, by the Red Mountain where the Salt and Gila meet

re: #125 hermeneutics

i'm taking six teenage boys to Breckenridge, Bob. Camping. They're bringing their bikes and racing. The only problem is food -- they eat, on average, about 8000 calories a day! And when its cold, their calorie consumption goes up another 1000 or so.

I only asked so I could give you a few suggestions.

Anyway, quite a few restaurants have 2 for 1 meals during the spring/summer. Get a copy of the Summit Daily News, our free local paper, and look at the ads since most all restaurants with 2 for 1's advertise in it.
They're available all over the county, in the light blue newspaper boxes, or just ask in any business you walk into. They'll almost certainly have one.

Okay, for those who are interested ... USA cycling has cross country mountain bike races in all levels, in all age groups, at the following:

23-26 May -- Angel Fire NM
29 June -- Park City UT
11-13 Jul -- Snowmass CO
17-20 July - Mt Snow, VT
1-3 Aug -- Sol Vista CO
6 Sept -- Breckenridge CO

[Link: www.usacycling.org...]

The gravity calendar is a bit different.

Yep, endless reboot, like it says in the article. My shitty computer is part of the issue, though. I've never been able to get it to restore worth a damn.

re: #196 hermeneutics

I got to look it up on my calendar ... just a sec.

see my #206.

re: #171 hermeneutics

Yep. Examples:
Boulder, CO
Sedona, AZ -- it doesn't get any more moonbat than Sedona
Coast of California -- all of it

re: #205 Desert Dog

Nice!

Yeah, I had SP3 brick my PC. I had to boot with a Ubuntu disk and manually move a file (gdi32.dll) to unbrick it. I was very tempted to just wipe the damn thing and install Ubuntu on it. (I've got another machine running Ubuntu and it's been running continuously without a problem for over a year).

re: #210 AZfederalist

Santa Fe.

re: #203 AZfederalist

...problem is that she is getting way too brave and grabs the body and runs around with it, shaking it, after the head has been separated. I'm afraid she's going to try taking one on one of these days

How did the snake's head get separated?

re: #210 AZfederalist

Add Taos NM to the looney list.

re: #211 song_and_dance_man

WOW. A Lynx! Unreal.

re: #210 AZfederalist

Yep. Examples:
Boulder, CO
Sedona, AZ -- it doesn't get any more moonbat than Sedona
Coast of California -- all of it

One word. Vermont.

re: #194 hermeneutics

Great stuff, that. The mountain lion's a little on the scary side, though. They've been known to track and attack small children. There was a flurry of that at Mesa Verde back in the mid- to late-90's.

I really appreciate the wildlife, and have a healthy respect for it. Before we moved here, we heard horror stories about the bark scorpions, and I have a friend that was stung by one, but we haven't had any encounters like that yet. But we live in a pretty densely populated area, though. The javelinas live in a wash behind our complex, and used to come through every so often.

Damn, what gaffe will Obama make tomorrow?

/and how many will it take?

re: #198 ggt

Weet dreams, ggt!

I just bought a one terabyte "My Book" external hard drive for backup for both my comps, just in case. And I got three year full protection plan on my new laptop. Hope for the best - expect the worst.

Obama cupcakes for sale.

Obama cupcakes for sale.

They are very light and fluffy. There's nothing inside.

re: #203 AZfederalist

Oh yeah. My Monday started Friday night when the dog found a rattler in the back yard. Big sucker, about 30" with 2" rattles. Ticks me off because I thought I had the backyard snake-proofed. Dog's great, she has a distinctive bark so you know she's got one, problem is that she is getting way too brave and grabs the body and runs around with it, shaking it, after the head has been separated. I'm afraid she's going to try taking one on one of these days

Gosh, I hope not. I'm worried about that kind of thing with my pooch, too. She was a stray before we adopted her, and she has a thing for wildlife. She got a taste for doves, and is almost uncontrollable when she sees them on the ground. Hopefully I'll spot any rattlers before she does.

John Bolton: "Bush Hit the Nail on the Head-- Now the Nails Are Complaining" (Video)

re: #204 Mich-again

Vista seems to work fine here except for how the Printer-Scanner is just a Printer now. And Word doesn't work. Not a big deal to me.

My printer/scanner/copier thingy is doing well. I still cannot figure out how to store scanned images but, I've never known how to do so before now so it's my issue. Word works the same as before. I'm itching to install WP12 and the zip thingy from my last computer.

re: #220 Killian Bundy

Damn, what gaffe will Obama make tomorrow?

/and how many will it take?

Death by a thousand cuts seems the most likely route to Dukakisdum for the junior senator from Illinois, but you almost get the feeling that at some point, he'll pull a boner (dumb move...not that other thing...get out of the gutter) and to something galactically stupid.

We know he's capable of it. He married Michelle.

A lizard suggestion -- those of us with teenage daughters/sons may want to try these mountain bicycle races. Its good, clean fun. Just great for kids. There are races, too, for the very young as well as geriatric races for ... YOU.

Seriously, the race categories start at beginner, progress to sport, then expert. After that one is either semi-pro or pro. Kids can't get higher than expert.

Adults can race just for the fun of it. The age groups go by decade or sometimes in five year increments -- 40-45, women, for example.

Anyway, get out and try it with your kids!

re: #211 song_and_dance_man

According to the National Wildlife Federation the range of the Lynx does not include California or Arizona.

re: #215 Mich-again

How did the snake's head get separated?

I'm thinking machete...

US 'violated Venezuela airspace'

US officials admitted a naval plane on a counter-narcotics mission had "navigational problems" that led it to briefly enter Venezuelan airspace. Tension has been rising in the region with both the US and Colombia accusing Caracas of financing Colombian rebels.

Just testing out a few things. Nothing to worry about.

re: #231 Sarge1984

Oh gosh, Sarge. Forget the machete. Just kill them with a shovel. Or, if you're into torture, you can get the garden hose and squirt them. Rattlers HATE water and will slither to the nearest dark hole.

re: #223 faraway

Obama cupcakes for sale.

Obama cupcakes for sale.

Chocolate or vanilla? Or chocolate frosting over vanilla? Or the other way?

re: #229 hermeneutics

I posted this at #206. Not sure if you saw it-

I only asked so I could give you a few suggestions.

Anyway, quite a few restaurants have 2 for 1 meals during the spring/summer. Get a copy of the Summit Daily News, our free local paper, and look at the ads since most all restaurants with 2 for 1's advertise in it.
They're available all over the county, in the light blue newspaper boxes, or just ask in any business you walk into. They'll almost certainly have one.

re: #235 Bob in Breckenridge

I didn't see it -- THANKS. I'll look for the Summit Daily News.

re: #232 Racer X

Reports were that the Venezuelan Air Force tried to fly its bi-plane out to chase away the U.S. Navy plane, but the little hamsters inside the engine ran out of steam...

re: #232 Racer X

Purely an accident. If it was on purpose, you wouldn't see it, Hugo.

re: #234 Kosh's Shadow

Chocolate or vanilla? Or chocolate frosting over vanilla? Or the other way?

Pink inside...or should I say "pink-O"?

Looks like the error shouldn't affect XP Pro...

re: #233 hermeneutics

Shovel...after all the fighting positions I dug at the National Training Center, Fort Drum, and Fort Hood, why didn't I think of that?

Honestly, I probably would have been high-stepping away at a high rate of speed and a whole lotta noise.

That's a manly way of saying, "screaming like a little girl," you know...

re: #211 song_and_dance_man

Not as incredible, but as a teen a couple of friends and I were engaging in some recreational smoking near the rail-road tracks late one night when about six or seven VERY LARGE raccoons (single file) came out of a storm drain we were standing near.

Had anyone been nearby, the could have stared right at us for five minutes straight and sworn in court that they were looking a statues.

Farc captive calls for surrender

A top commander of the Farc rebels in Colombia has urged other rebels to follow her example and surrender.
Nelly Avila Moreno, known as Karina, handed herself in to soldiers over the weekend in the latest blow to Farc.
She said Farc was falling apart under pressure from the military and growing desertions. Several key leaders have been killed in recent months.

re: #232 Racer X

AFP has a few more details:
[Link: afp.google.com...]

re: #239 brainwizard73

Pink inside...or should I say "pink-O"?

The hammer and sickle decoration on the frosting is very nice.
But no middle class people can eat them.

re: #242 Sarge1984

Shovel...after all the fighting positions I dug at the National Training Center, Fort Drum, and Fort Hood, why didn't I think of that?

Honestly, I probably would have been high-stepping away at a high rate of speed and a whole lotta noise.

That's a manly way of saying, "screaming like a little girl," you know...

How about moving rapidly to issue a general warning?

re: #243 Slumbering Behemoth

Raccoons are some sneaky bastards. At Fort Drum, they knew how to get into MRE cases. They have a heavy-duty cardboard sleeve around a standard-type box. You have to slide the sleeve off to open the box. But those buggers could do it!

This sums up the UN

UNAMA condemned the unscrupulous attack on such life-saving food aid and demanded an immediate end to these attacks

re: #231 Sarge1984

I'm thinking machete...

That story was missing the key detail. Uh my dog found a snake in my snakeproof yard and barked at it and then ran around with the half of it that didn't have a head but I'm afraid the dog is going to be stupidly brave enough to confront a snake someday.
ROFL!

re: #247 Kosh's Shadow

The hammer and sickle decoration on the frosting is very nice.
But no middle class people can eat them.

/five links that will rock your Obama world

I spent a half hour once getting a blacksnake out of a piece of mesh he'd got caught in. He cooperated (pretended to be dead), then slinked off after I went off a ways.

Lots of wildlife in Maryland. No scorpions.

re: #236 hermeneutics

I didn't see it -- THANKS. I'll look for the Summit Daily News.

Also remember we're 9300 feet above sea level. So your appetites will be much greater than they would even in Denver, which is at 5000 feet, especially after bike racing, and try to get here a couple early to get acclimated to the altitude. Drink lots of water.

re: #253 Bob in Breckenridge

Also remember we're 9300 feet above sea level. So your appetites will be much greater than they would even in Denver, which is at 5000 feet, especially after bike racing, and try to get here a couple early to get acclimated to the altitude. Drink lots of water.

PIMF- a couple days.

re: #247 Kosh's Shadow

The hammer and sickle decoration on the frosting is very nice.
But no middle class people can eat them.

We'll all be standing outside the bakery with our noses pressed up against the glass, our mouths watering. We'll all be jealous of the rich liberals that will buy the cupcakes because they are chic and watch as they walk out carrying the cupcakes as they get in thier Prius Hybrids and listen to thier Sheryl "one-piece-wiper" Crow.

Then, we'll watch in horror as the cupcakes get tossed out into the street and destroyed because the rich liberals are really protesting "big food" and don't want to ingest the horrible chemicals that are used to create the hammer and sickle...

Then we'll look at each other and say to our selves..."we could have eaten those..."

Then we'll realize that around the world there ARE people not eating because of rich liberals screwing with our food supply.

I'm getting a little homesick for Colorado. Sigh.

re: #253 Bob in Breckenridge

Also remember we're 9300 feet above sea level. So your appetites will be much greater than they would even in Denver, which is at 5000 feet, especially after bike racing, and try to get here a couple early to get acclimated to the altitude. Drink lots of water.

Bob, have you heard of the cure of biting into a lemon to stop an altitude headache? My brother showed me in Leadville when I first went to Colorado. Had a mean headache when we got there after driving up from Indiana. He handed me a lemon wedge, told me to bite it. I about told him where to put it, but thought, what's the harm? It worked. Incredibly fast. Like, within (no exaggeration) 15-20 seconds.

re: #246 song_and_dance_man

And BTW, highway 39 is closed to traffic but is still accessible to bikers.

Yes, but down highway 40 I'm pretty sure you're still allowed to drive a big ol' pickup truck.

Soros warns global boom is over

Billionaire investor George Soros has given his gloomiest assessment of the state of the US and world economies.
He told BBC business editor Robert Peston that the "acute phase" of the credit crunch may be over but effects on the real economy are yet to be felt.
He warned the "financial bubble" of the last 25 years could be drawing to an end and the post World War II "super-boom" era could also be over.
He predicted a "more severe and longer" US slowdown than most people expect.

Soros predicts more doom and gloom. Gee, I wonder why he would do that?

re: #253 Bob in Breckenridge

Is is true that CoQ-10 helps one adjust to altitude?

re: #5 Noam Sayin'

Dell D3000 XP Pro SP2, thats my OS and I'm stickin' to it.

re: #256 Catttt

I'm getting a little homesick for Colorado. Sigh.

We'll let you back in.

Honest.

re: #255 brainwizard73

Then we'll realize that around the world there ARE people not eating because of rich liberals screwing with our food supply.

So people are starving in Sudan because anorexic druggies in Hollywood are screwing with the food supply?

re: #214 lobo91

Oh yeah, forgot about Sante Fe, the town where you can't find anything because the don't let businesses have signs any bigger than a sandwich board.

re: #215 Mich-again

Unfortunately, Mr. Snake had a fatal encounter with Mr. Shovel.

/not at all apologetic, I've got a son who likes to play in and around the yard, I'm not going to let something go that can be fatal to someone.

re: #225 Sarge1984

We did spring for the rattlesnake shots this year. It's supposed to minimize the damage of any bites. Still have to take them to the vet, but it makes it less life-threatening.

re: #255 brainwizard73

We'll all be standing outside the bakery with our noses pressed up against the glass, our mouths watering. We'll all be jealous of the rich liberals that will buy the cupcakes because they are chic and watch as they walk out carrying the cupcakes as they get in thier Prius Hybrids and listen to thier Sheryl "one-piece-wiper" Crow.

Then, we'll watch in horror as the cupcakes get tossed out into the street and destroyed because the rich liberals are really protesting "big food" and don't want to ingest the horrible chemicals that are used to create the hammer and sickle...

Then we'll look at each other and say to our selves..."we could have eaten those..."

Then we'll realize that around the world there ARE people not eating because of rich liberals screwing with our food supply.

/If it makes you happy

re: #259 Racer X

Given his history of making money shorting the dollar and investing in the mortgage industry/subprime loans before they went belly up, sounds like George is trying to gin up another "MAD MONEY" opportunity.

re: #264 AZfederalist

Thanks! I didn't know they existed!

re: #230 infidel Alan

According to the National Wildlife Federation the range of the Lynx does not include California or Arizona.

Bobcats out here......loads of them when the rains do not come....apparently, cats and dogs are very tasty to these predators....coyotes favor domesticated cats as well.....

re: #256 Catttt

You'll just be sick of Colorado when the riots at the demorat convention break out- lefty liberal loony toon land- so disappointed in that state.

re: #264 AZfederalist

Unfortunately, Mr. Snake had a fatal encounter with Mr. Shovel.

Oh hell yes I would do the same thing.

re: #257 Sarge1984

Bob, have you heard of the cure of biting into a lemon to stop an altitude headache? My brother showed me in Leadville when I first went to Colorado. Had a mean headache when we got there after driving up from Indiana. He handed me a lemon wedge, told me to bite it. I about told him where to put it, but thought, what's the harm? It worked. Incredibly fast. Like, within (no exaggeration) 15-20 seconds.

Really? I've never heard of that, but thanks for sharing. I had no problem adjusting to it even though I moved here from Chicago. Well, other than having to rest after walking up the two flights of stairs in my condo.

re: #264 AZfederalist

A curious cat of ours met a rattler ... and died.

Early one morning, when I lived next to woods in the suburbs, I counted 27 deer walking through my yard. They ate my hydrangeas.

re: #260 hermeneutics

Is is true that CoQ-10 helps one adjust to altitude?

What is CoQ-10? never heard of it.