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Click on any of the topics below to expand/collapse their respective notes.
Pet Ramblings
Ginger CGC Howard
Ginger, my Australian Kelpie, who proudly carries the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) title,
suffered around Feb 2006 what appears to be Old Dog Vestibular
Syndrome. Pretty scary,
as it can seem like a seizure, heart attack, stroke, or some other nasty incident.
Needless to say, she was terrified that everything was moving erratically, and up/down
could not be determined well.
One week later: Antibiotics are done. Ginger has regained a lot of motor control. She certainly
has recovered her old jovial self, which causes her to fall some as her body doesn't function the same as before.
She's relearned to crawl onto a couch, and plays with her toys again. That is a heartwarming blessing to see.
Beyond: Ginger recovered nicely from that incident, and lived to be 17. Her final earthly voyage
was on February 22, 2010. Quite emotional when Stairway to Heaven came on the radio during the car ride,
followed by Peaceful, Easy Feeling.
I hope I can learn from her life. She went through some tough challenges, and just accepted and embraced them.
A prime example of unconditional love.
Tax Info
Sales Tax
A seller is not required to collect Sales Tax
from buyers located in states where the seller does not have physical representation.
Great deal for buying stuff from other states over the internet? A boon for national
commerce, but a bum deal for the states?
One might think so, but check out The Mystery of Use Tax below.
The Mystery of Use Tax - Are you breaking the law?
In many states, the law requires you to pay Use Tax
if you purchase an item from out of state and bring the item, or have the item delivered, to your state for personal use.
It's scary to think how many people are probably unaware that they are scofflaws.
Ignorance makes us all criminals!
Personal Online Number:
A number any person in the world can call, for $30 per year (when combined with the subscription, otherwise $60/yr).
Thus, for only $56.55 per year, I can call to, and receive calls from, any landline/mobile phone in the world.
Calls within the US and Canada are included, and the Skype rate to Germany is currently only 2.1 cents/minute.
This is over 80% less than other widely advertised digital phone services (charging more than $300 per year).
To paraphrase a certain TV commercial: "Don't listen to Vonage!"
Call quality? In my experience: Excellent! I've logged many hours with friends and family in the US and Europe,
even from my laptop, via wired and wireless home networks.
There are also some intriguing handsets that include Skype software and appear to
enable true mobility by linking into WiFi networks. My inner nomad wants to know more!
Save - Free 411 information calls on your cell phone.
The company Jingle Networks has launched
a service allowing cell phone users to call an 800 number to get 411 information without
paying their provider high per-call charges.
Call 1-800-FREE-411 (1-800-373-3411), listen to an ad, get your 411 information.
This appears to be a legitimate service. Even
Snopes
has a writeup.
Advantages: Only uses normal usage cost of the cell phone, instead of the
high cost by your provider (e.g. Verizon Wireless charged me $1.49 for a 411 call).
Disadvantages: There may be concerns about cell phone number privacy. I guess
you just have to gauge whether the cost savings justify letting someone collect your
mobile phone number, possibly connecting it to ads.
Talk about branching out! Apparently, you can now choose from 10's of thousands of non-perishable items,
and have them shipped right to your door. Are we migrating to a society that never leaves the house?
I'll let you be the judge:
A few tech items
Windows Event: "Unable to open shim database version registry key..."
Upon reviewing my Windows XP Event log, I found numerous occurrences of this .NET Runtime event:
The description for Event ID ( 0 ) in Source ( .NET Runtime ) cannot be found.
The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message
DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use
the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for
details. The following information is part of the event: Unable to open shim
database version registry key - v2.0.50727.00000.
I finally traced the event to the following factors:
I usually do my work on Windows XP from a limited user
(aka 'restricted user') account.
The limited user account is for security purposes. Should any rogue programs
ever make it onto my computer (none have so far - EVER!),
my operating system files cannot be trashed.
Process Explorer detects my .NET installation and uses
the .NET API to report on any existing .NET processes.
Unfortunately, the .NET API appears to want
read/write privileged access to a HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry key
- a No-No for limited account users!
This results in the above Event Log entry.
The only solutions found so far:
Run Process Explorer with Administrator privilege
Make a shortcut to Process Explorer on your Desktop.
Right-click the shortcut, select Properties,
press the Advanced button,
checkmark Run with different credentials,
then OK, and OK again.
Now you can choose the user to RunAs when activating the shortcut.
It's a bit awkward, mainly due to the given Windows user interface, but the most secure.
Give limited user read/write privilege to the proper registry key.
Be aware that this method defeats the purpose of restricting a limited user from
modifying possibly sensitive registry information.
To do this, run the following from a command prompt:
runas /user:administrator regedit
Type in your administrator password
(you do have password on your Administrator account,
don't you?).
Right-click on the key,
select Permissions...,
press the Add button,
type in your limited user name,
press the Check Names button, then OK,
checkmark Full Control, then OK.
Done! It won't happen again (until Microsoft messes it up again...)
Portable Apps - XAMPP "Directory Mismatch"
If you have installed the XAMPP portable web server
on Microsoft Windows without using the installer (perhaps for use on a USB drive),
you may get the following message in the XAMPP Control Panel:
Don't Panic!
This simply means XAMPP could not find the following Windows registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\xampp\Install_Dir
You can safely ignore this message, as long as the Current Directory,
also displayed in the panel, is correct.
If you insist on eliminating this message, create the following Windows registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\xampp
Now add a new String Value called Install_Dir to that key.
Finally, make that value be the same as the Current Directory displayed in the XAMPP Control Panel.
USB Boot Disk on Windows XP - with FreeDOS
I'll tell you right up front: The FreeDOS method I have is not perfect. It appears to work better
for smaller drives (e.g. 256MB). For larger drives, I know of an alternate solution that unfortunately
requires a licensed version of Windows 95, 98, or ME.
However, the goal here was to use free software, so let's get to it!
makebootfat utilitymakebootfat-1.4-windows-pentium.zip
The associated
documentation is not a beginner's tutorial by any means, but does mention all the features,
and some examples you can experiment with. And let me stress experiment!
If you are very daring, you can branch out and also add a Linux system to your USB drive. However,
not in this little article.
USB Flash drive (aka USB Stick)
I'm pretty sure this procedure will not work with all drive sizes. It was successful for
a SanDisk 256MB Cruzer Mini.
The same method, when applied to an
EP Memory 1GB drive,
showed some issues. During boot, there were partition warnings. The 1GB drive itself appears
to work fine, in spite of the warnings. Nonetheless, use with caution!
Now we'll do a step-by-step creation of the bootable USB drive.
Make a working folder - I'll call it <work>.
This folder will contain all necessary utilities and files to build your bootable USB drive.
Make a subfolder underneath <work> - I'll call it <sub>
This folder will represent the root directory of your bootable USB drive.
Using your favorite ZIP archiving utility, extract
the following files from kernels.zip into <work>:
fat12.bin
fat16.bin
fat32lba.bin
Extract the following from sysx.zip into <work>\<sub>:
kernel.sys
Extract the following from commandx.zip into <work>\<sub>:
command.com
Extract the following files from makebootfat-1.4-windows-pentium.zip into <work>:
makebootfat.exe
mbrfat.bin
Format your USB drive.
Either one of the following methods should work:
Open "My Computer" and right-click on the USB drive icon, select Format...,
choose FAT32.
Open a Command Prompt, and use the following command:
format driveletter: /fs:fat32
The driveletter is the one Windows assigned to your USB drive
when you plugged it in.
Open a Command Prompt, and change to your <work> folder.
Make sure this is the only USB drive plugged in! You cannot specify a drive letter
with makebootfat.exe!
From the <work> folder, run the following command (all in one line):
Sweet Blossom, torn by the winds, How soft is your touch, a wonder as gold.
Sweet Blossom, a jewel in bitter lands, A beauty so pleasant to behold.
Storms shatter all in their path, The Earth shudders in tumultuous shake,
Alone in the chaos, A tear passes gently through terror's wake.
Sweet Blossom, still you stand, The birth of inspiration's goal.
Sweet Blossom, center of radiance, Always there to illuminate my soul.
Cuando Estoy Contigo
Cuando estoy contigo, Me siento libre de peso, Siento aire fresco debajo de mis alas. Mi respirar es frecuente y lleno del perfúme de tu ser. No pienso en otras cosas, Solo en lo que soy cuando a tu lado.
Cuando estoy contigo, Un mundo ideal, verde y claro. Todo fuera de nuestro realizmo, Exuberante y tranquilo a lo mismo.
Cuando estoy contigo, No soy otra, soy yo, Tuya.
A Glance
A life, a moment, a universe in an occasional glance A soul, a heart, beating heavy when our eyes meet by chance A life, an existence, immersed in your passion and radiance My love, my desire, fulfillment of dreams with exuberance
A life, captivated by the vast embrace of your soul Incessant excitement permeates my senses whole An oasis you have given me, a place for my heart's content Mirage become reality, a blessing each moment we can spend
A moment of touch, floods of sensation resound, our souls converge Power of devotion, intesity of passion, arching sparks, our bodies merge Our sensuous touch glides over our beings in crescendo of emotion An intimate fusion to transform a universe in romatic explosion
Your affection stimulates, your passion mesmerizes, I am yours without condition Beyond doubt, you are the keys to my soul, bearing absolute admission Another life to seek, the thought slices like a cold steel blade For your love alone I exist, culmination of a long yearning crusade
Countless ways you provide nourishment to my mind Beautiful voice in song and laugh, always of a generous kind No measure can begin to compare, you are so special to my heart Always will I be yours, this is my dedication, whether close or apart
All I am, and will ever be, is what I place in your hands Even that is humble against this oasis amid desert sands How wondrous a miracle to be allowed to be your friend Please accept my love from afar, a love that will never end.
Circling
A pond lies smug in midst of tranquility.
Silence, peace.
The swan floats toward shore on a well-known course, for it has circled the edge countless times.
Quiet, lonesome.
The breeze picks up a bit, rustling through nearby thickets of reeds. Stretching its neck to peer through the blades, a cry is released, a question.
Was there someone? Finally?
No answer, just the air closing the gash cut by the sound of anticipation.
Continue, round and round. Past the patch of oaks and sycamores, another start, another call escapes its beak.
Merely a few acorns had bounced off the roots into the water, leaving expanding circlets.
A short stretch of warm sand invites to a brief landing and rest in the sun. The sand is undisturbed, save for its own all too familiar tracks.
Another cry into space. Silence, peace, alone, despair.
Round and round, it continues, slow neverending circles.
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
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