Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day found me in the inner courtyard of the library this morning. I was extremely fatigued. I have not slept well in days because of the onslaught of absurd dreams. My tooth (i.e., rear left molar) has also giving me grief. I lapsed in and out of a coma between sporadic readings of various Linux books. I walked to the gym at the usual time. I performed my usual workout. I returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 5pm. The buses were extremely crowded today. No doubt, the bailout plan by the Fed and the Treasury is bringing new hope for the so-called "American Dream" to the masses.
Well, so far I have been extremely satisfied with Ubuntu Linux v8.04.1 LTS (aka "Hardy Heron"). The new version named "Intrepid Ibex" will be released next month. However, I will not upgrade until I receive the "Live CD." I must test the new verison first. Well, all that I have left to do with "Hardy" is to completely configure the firewall and to fix the headphone problem. I will never be returning to that "other" hideous operating system. I also have no intention of acquiring another Apple® computer either.
To Ben Bernanke and Hank Paulson: Can you bail me out of a $500 dental bill?
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Blood in the Streets
I was on my way to Hawai'i Kai at 8:30am this morning. Moms was home when I arrived. To my surprise, moms indicated that she had to pick up her hearing aid this morning. Apparently, moms had called yesterday and left a message on my voicemail. However, I had turned off my cell phone indefinitely over two weeks ago. Moms and I departed immediately in my Nissan® Frontier truck. We battled heavy rain for most of the journey to Queen's Hospital. Once there, I found parking. Moms and I weaved our way to the doctor's office. Moms retrieved the hearing aid from the front desk. Then, we headed back to Hawai'i Kai. In actuality, the whole trip was ridiculous. Why didn't the office just send moms the hearing aid in the mail?
On the way back, we stopped at Ross® in the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center. Moms wanted to look for a new frying pan. Finding a suitable one, moms purchased it. Our last stop was at Koko Marina. Moms shopped for groceries at Foodland. Then, we ordered take-out plate lunches from Yummy's. After lunch, moms served up Foremost® vanilla and coffee ice cream. I helped moms harvest the 12-pound bittermelon squash from the back yard. Moms weighed the squash to find the exact weight. It was huge. Then, I cut it up into four pieces. Moms gave away three pieces to the neighbors. I drove moms to her friend's place to deliver the last piece. Moms also gave away a few home-grown papayas. I finally departed at 1:30pm.
I had to make a quick stop at my local bank in Kuapa Kai. Then, I drove back to Koko Marina. I was able to find shaded parking, although the sky was still overcast. I walked to the gym and performed my usual workout. Afterward, I purchased a couple of packs of sushi for dinner from Kozo Sushi. I also shopped for my own groceries at Foodland. I was back at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4:30pm. Unfortunately, I had to perform the dreaded laundry chores. With that task completed, I was able to relegate myself to the usual routine.
Well, the roller coaster ride in the financial markets culminated with "good news" for everyone. The Fed and the Treasury will now be amassing all of the toxic debt garbage that was accumulated by the commercial and investment banks. Prior to the "good news," the total amount of the government bailouts was $900 billion. The new plan will add on billions more. Where exactly is the money coming from? The Federal government is completely in debt. There's still a huge trade deficit. And, the two conflagrations in Iraq and Afghanistan are still being funded. I assume that the money is both being "printed" (by the Fed) and borrowed (from China, Japan, and Russia). That is "good news"? For the moneychangers and powers-that-be, the answer is a resounding, "Yes!" For the rest of us, we will be looking at a nightmare. In the end, our tax dollars will be funding a revolving government credit line that will surpass our lifetime and the lifetimes of future generations. I can also assume that unfunded liabilities such as Social Security and Medicare will finally be "privatized" or eliminated.
The fun part is that the typical troubled homeowner will be abandoned. Foreclosures will continue. The properties will be repossessed and put back on the market as a new "housing bubble" inflates. Since the toxic debt instruments will have been removed from the banks' balance sheets, the sale of the distressed properties will result in pure profit. The poor will become poorer and homeless. The precedent has been set. The sordid scenario that lead up to the current crash can be repeated again and again with no repercussions. No one will be arrested. No one will go to jail. And, the government is guaranteed to provide bailouts when the new "bubble" bursts.
I received another e-mail from my investment bank once again making assurances that all money market accounts are safe. Specifically, there are no toxic "paper" from Lehman Bros in its portfolios. I suspect that there is a major run on deposits going down as we speak. I have made no effort to move any of my own money. Where will I put it? And, at this point, can I actually beat the herd to the punch? I seriously doubt it. Several other money market funds have already shut down. Another great wealth transfer has begun. As I predicted a long time ago, the cycles will become shorter and more erratic. Unfettered greed has a way of consuming itself as well as destroying anything in its path. The crisis is not over. With each effort to "tame the savage beast," there will even more furious rampages. It needs to be put down now, but the moneychangers and the powers-that-be won't let that happen. When the "beast" finally breaks out of its cage, there will be real blood in the streets.
On the way back, we stopped at Ross® in the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center. Moms wanted to look for a new frying pan. Finding a suitable one, moms purchased it. Our last stop was at Koko Marina. Moms shopped for groceries at Foodland. Then, we ordered take-out plate lunches from Yummy's. After lunch, moms served up Foremost® vanilla and coffee ice cream. I helped moms harvest the 12-pound bittermelon squash from the back yard. Moms weighed the squash to find the exact weight. It was huge. Then, I cut it up into four pieces. Moms gave away three pieces to the neighbors. I drove moms to her friend's place to deliver the last piece. Moms also gave away a few home-grown papayas. I finally departed at 1:30pm.
I had to make a quick stop at my local bank in Kuapa Kai. Then, I drove back to Koko Marina. I was able to find shaded parking, although the sky was still overcast. I walked to the gym and performed my usual workout. Afterward, I purchased a couple of packs of sushi for dinner from Kozo Sushi. I also shopped for my own groceries at Foodland. I was back at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4:30pm. Unfortunately, I had to perform the dreaded laundry chores. With that task completed, I was able to relegate myself to the usual routine.
Well, the roller coaster ride in the financial markets culminated with "good news" for everyone. The Fed and the Treasury will now be amassing all of the toxic debt garbage that was accumulated by the commercial and investment banks. Prior to the "good news," the total amount of the government bailouts was $900 billion. The new plan will add on billions more. Where exactly is the money coming from? The Federal government is completely in debt. There's still a huge trade deficit. And, the two conflagrations in Iraq and Afghanistan are still being funded. I assume that the money is both being "printed" (by the Fed) and borrowed (from China, Japan, and Russia). That is "good news"? For the moneychangers and powers-that-be, the answer is a resounding, "Yes!" For the rest of us, we will be looking at a nightmare. In the end, our tax dollars will be funding a revolving government credit line that will surpass our lifetime and the lifetimes of future generations. I can also assume that unfunded liabilities such as Social Security and Medicare will finally be "privatized" or eliminated.
The fun part is that the typical troubled homeowner will be abandoned. Foreclosures will continue. The properties will be repossessed and put back on the market as a new "housing bubble" inflates. Since the toxic debt instruments will have been removed from the banks' balance sheets, the sale of the distressed properties will result in pure profit. The poor will become poorer and homeless. The precedent has been set. The sordid scenario that lead up to the current crash can be repeated again and again with no repercussions. No one will be arrested. No one will go to jail. And, the government is guaranteed to provide bailouts when the new "bubble" bursts.
I received another e-mail from my investment bank once again making assurances that all money market accounts are safe. Specifically, there are no toxic "paper" from Lehman Bros in its portfolios. I suspect that there is a major run on deposits going down as we speak. I have made no effort to move any of my own money. Where will I put it? And, at this point, can I actually beat the herd to the punch? I seriously doubt it. Several other money market funds have already shut down. Another great wealth transfer has begun. As I predicted a long time ago, the cycles will become shorter and more erratic. Unfettered greed has a way of consuming itself as well as destroying anything in its path. The crisis is not over. With each effort to "tame the savage beast," there will even more furious rampages. It needs to be put down now, but the moneychangers and the powers-that-be won't let that happen. When the "beast" finally breaks out of its cage, there will be real blood in the streets.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Command Line
Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has been entered on the command line. I spent 2.5 hours in the inner courtyard of the library. I continued to peruse various Linux books. I made an interesting discovery. I can use the key combination Ctrl-Alt-F1 to put the Gnome® desktop in background mode. The whole screen then essentially becomes a command line terminal. To restore the desktop, I use the Ctrl-Alt-F7 key combination. The procedure is important in the situation when the Gnome desktop freezes. I had previously performed a forced power down to solve the problem. With the latter knowledge, I can kill the offending process that is affecting the desktop through the command line without shutting down.
At 12:30pm, I walked to the gym to drop off my gym bag. Then, I sashayed over to the Institute of Hair Design to restore my monk haircut. Sadly, the haircut was not up to the usual standard. I performed my usual workout at the gym. Then, I rode a fairly crowded bus back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). The two young Diploma Mill hotties were also on the bus. I was back in my squalid room by 5pm.
I have not made a decision about the pathetic offer for the "condotel" unit. Many moons ago in the "blog," I discussed that I would have to pay a price for my "freedom," as it were. Obviously, I am not so willing to pay over $50,000 for my supposed emancipation. In fact, making such a drastic concession during the current financial crisis will only intensify my enslavement. I would be forced to return to wage slavery immediately, that is, if there are any jobs available. What has become very clear to me is how the moneychangers and powers-that-be (read: ruling elite) are exploiting the masses and stealing what little wealth they have.
At 12:30pm, I walked to the gym to drop off my gym bag. Then, I sashayed over to the Institute of Hair Design to restore my monk haircut. Sadly, the haircut was not up to the usual standard. I performed my usual workout at the gym. Then, I rode a fairly crowded bus back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). The two young Diploma Mill hotties were also on the bus. I was back in my squalid room by 5pm.
I have not made a decision about the pathetic offer for the "condotel" unit. Many moons ago in the "blog," I discussed that I would have to pay a price for my "freedom," as it were. Obviously, I am not so willing to pay over $50,000 for my supposed emancipation. In fact, making such a drastic concession during the current financial crisis will only intensify my enslavement. I would be forced to return to wage slavery immediately, that is, if there are any jobs available. What has become very clear to me is how the moneychangers and powers-that-be (read: ruling elite) are exploiting the masses and stealing what little wealth they have.
One way or the other, the ruling elite must re-inflate the so-called "housing bubble." The "fixes" that have been applied (i.e., bailing out or subsidizing failing investment banks and insurance companies) were to placate the other nations who finance the empire's debt (i.e., China, Japan, and Russia). The whole financial "system" runs on debt and debt alone. The only speculative "wealth" that the common rank-and-file peon has access to is real estate through debt instruments. Thus, the only solution to the economic crisis is the hyperinflation of assets and the locking in of the peons into mortgage slavery. If the "bubble" cannot be re-inflated, the entire financial "system" will eventually collapse. That is the axiom of compound interest.
On a side note, I finally terminated my eBay® account. I will no longer need it as I will not be acquiring any more useless possessions that will need to be divested.
On a side note, I finally terminated my eBay® account. I will no longer need it as I will not be acquiring any more useless possessions that will need to be divested.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
So Strange
"These are the people who sang, 'There's no money for Social Security. We're going to have to privatize it. We're going to have to turn over your Social Security to Bear Stearns, to AIG' — to the very people who have shown how they're mismanaging money. Imagine if the Republican program had gone through and Social Security had been privatized and these were the jokers who were managing your Social Security. They'd stick you with the losses." -- Michael Hudson, in an interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day, practically the same as last Wednesday, has gone bankrupt. Yes, I ended up at the Aina Haina library, then I returned to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) at noon. I finally washed my Nissan® Frontier truck before driving to Hawai'i Kai. I spent only 40 minutes at Koko Head Park. However, my time there seemed eternal. I was essentially the only person in the main portion of the park. At 2:15pm, I reluctantly drove to Koko Marina. I found shaded parking and walked to the gym. I performed my usual workout. I ate an early dinner at Taco Bell®, opting for three Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos. I made one final stop at Foodland to purchase groceries. I was back at Slob Manor by 5pm.
The Reserve Primary Fund is the first money market fund to "break the buck" during the current financial crisis, that is, its net asset value (NAV) has gone under one dollar (last quoted at 97 cents) per share. The firm invoked a time window of seven days for redemptions, which is most likely aimed at curbing a run on deposits. Only yesterday I received an e-mail from my investment bank assuring account holders that everything is fine. That's when I began to worry. All of my liquid assets are deposited with the latter, of which 95 percent resides in three money market funds.
I have received an extremely low offer for the "condotel" unit as relayed to me by e-mail from Debbie, my realtor. Should I accept the offer, I would lose $50,000 off the top. As much as I want to sell the dump, I cannot sustain that kind of a loss right now. With looming losses yet to be incurred from my investment accounts, I am even more wary to make such a move. I have not proffered a response yet.
Perhaps my good fortune is coming to an abrupt end soon. I have no idea how the masses are coping. The failure of the financial "system" is a boon to the moneychangers and powers-that-be. There will be tremendous profits made as wealth is once again transferred from the bottom to the top. Pension funds, retirement accounts, and ordinary investment accounts are going to be sucked dry when all of the toxic debt instruments and associated fodder become "write downs" as losses. With home prices continuing to drop, the net worth of most of the home-owning masses has been depleted. Yet, there's not even a peep heard from the masses. So strange.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Keep Fiddling, My Friends
Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has been leveraged to the hilt. I spent 3.5 hours in the inner courtyard of the library. I perused more Linux books. Then, I performed my usual workout at the gym. I rode the bus back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing) at the usual time. Only one of the two young Diploma Mill hotties was on the bus as well. I was back in my squalid room by 5pm.
I have been reflecting on and off for the last few days about my life, specifically how I have been able to skirt tragedy for so long. In the journal, I have alluded to being "saved" in the eleventh hour. And, such was the case many times over. Even in the last year or so, I have survived unscathed from the ravages of wage slavery and financial meltdown. I was able to amass adequate resources just before empire's economy tanked. Although I am now entering a period of hardship now, I will be able to maintain my low standard-of-living. I have also been fortunate insofar as my health is concerned. After years of alcohol and substance abuse, I have not yet suffered from the deleterious effects of either. I have had numerous flashbacks of my foolishness over the years, including conduct unbecoming, debauchery, and general stupidity. How did I end up not paying the price for such acts?
I will again spend the evening "fiddling while Rome burns." The Fed surprisingly did not lower short-term interest rates. Don't worry, it will probably do so after the next bank failure. The Fed did manage to give a huge $80 billion loan to troubled AIG. Say what? An insurance company? Something is really "fishy," if you know what I mean. And what about Morgan Stanley and WaMu? The financial "system" is collapsing. What else can I do except piddle around with Ubuntu Linux?
I should mention that I finally unclogged the drain in the bathroom basin. It has been plugged for over two weeks. I used the filthy toilet bowl plunger (which was probably more sanitary than the sink). After plunging away furiously, what looked like a small black scouring pad vomited out of the overflow outlet. Upon closer scrutiny, I discovered that the "scouring pad" was composed of hair and skin shards tightly knitted together. Yuck! Another day at Slob Manor.
I have been reflecting on and off for the last few days about my life, specifically how I have been able to skirt tragedy for so long. In the journal, I have alluded to being "saved" in the eleventh hour. And, such was the case many times over. Even in the last year or so, I have survived unscathed from the ravages of wage slavery and financial meltdown. I was able to amass adequate resources just before empire's economy tanked. Although I am now entering a period of hardship now, I will be able to maintain my low standard-of-living. I have also been fortunate insofar as my health is concerned. After years of alcohol and substance abuse, I have not yet suffered from the deleterious effects of either. I have had numerous flashbacks of my foolishness over the years, including conduct unbecoming, debauchery, and general stupidity. How did I end up not paying the price for such acts?
I will again spend the evening "fiddling while Rome burns." The Fed surprisingly did not lower short-term interest rates. Don't worry, it will probably do so after the next bank failure. The Fed did manage to give a huge $80 billion loan to troubled AIG. Say what? An insurance company? Something is really "fishy," if you know what I mean. And what about Morgan Stanley and WaMu? The financial "system" is collapsing. What else can I do except piddle around with Ubuntu Linux?
I should mention that I finally unclogged the drain in the bathroom basin. It has been plugged for over two weeks. I used the filthy toilet bowl plunger (which was probably more sanitary than the sink). After plunging away furiously, what looked like a small black scouring pad vomited out of the overflow outlet. Upon closer scrutiny, I discovered that the "scouring pad" was composed of hair and skin shards tightly knitted together. Yuck! Another day at Slob Manor.
Monday, September 15, 2008
While Rome Burns
Moms had a dentist appointment at Ala Moana Center, so we were on our way there by 9am this morning. Moms shopped at Sears® and Longs® with the hour of time before her appointment. Subsequently, moms and I ate bento lunches at Shirokiya. Then, we made one last stop at Foodland so that moms could shop for groceries. We were on our way back to Hawai'i by 12:45pm. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. I also helped moms bring in the laundry. The two o'clock hour came about very quickly.
I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Marina and found shaded parking. I walked to the gym and performed my usual cardio workout. After a shower, I shopped for two days' supply of groceries. On my way out, I noticed that I was charged for a box of couscous that I did not purchase. Although I was able to correct the transaction, I was somewhat perturbed. I found myself back in my squalid room at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4:30pm. I performed the dreaded laundry chores, albeit reluctantly. Then, I prepared for another evening with Ubuntu Linux on my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer.
The empire's banking system is on the verge of collapse, but I was hard-pressed to see any concern anywhere. At the mall, the satanic gargoyles were spending money like there's no tomorrow. All of the food places were full. Petrol is down to $4.18 per gallon, so the number of 4000-pound motorized chairs (read: automobiles) on the streets has increased. It is as if everyone is certain that $2 per gallon petrol is right around the corner. In fact, I fully expect the Fed to lower short-term interest rates between 0.5 and 1.0 percent very soon. And, as we speak, AIG is in the crosshairs. As for the ol' lavahead, he fears that he will wake up one morning to discover that his investment accounts have vanished into thin air.
With nothing left but to "fiddle while Rome burns," the ol' lavahead placated himself with another evening of Ubuntu Linux fun. I have not attempted to resolve the headphone sound issue yet. So far, I have been tweaking my computer to my liking. Everything about Linux is impressive. It just works.
I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Marina and found shaded parking. I walked to the gym and performed my usual cardio workout. After a shower, I shopped for two days' supply of groceries. On my way out, I noticed that I was charged for a box of couscous that I did not purchase. Although I was able to correct the transaction, I was somewhat perturbed. I found myself back in my squalid room at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4:30pm. I performed the dreaded laundry chores, albeit reluctantly. Then, I prepared for another evening with Ubuntu Linux on my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer.
The empire's banking system is on the verge of collapse, but I was hard-pressed to see any concern anywhere. At the mall, the satanic gargoyles were spending money like there's no tomorrow. All of the food places were full. Petrol is down to $4.18 per gallon, so the number of 4000-pound motorized chairs (read: automobiles) on the streets has increased. It is as if everyone is certain that $2 per gallon petrol is right around the corner. In fact, I fully expect the Fed to lower short-term interest rates between 0.5 and 1.0 percent very soon. And, as we speak, AIG is in the crosshairs. As for the ol' lavahead, he fears that he will wake up one morning to discover that his investment accounts have vanished into thin air.
With nothing left but to "fiddle while Rome burns," the ol' lavahead placated himself with another evening of Ubuntu Linux fun. I have not attempted to resolve the headphone sound issue yet. So far, I have been tweaking my computer to my liking. Everything about Linux is impressive. It just works.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Call of the Mundane
Another urban nomad kind-of-a-Sunday ... what can I say? I checked my mail, sat outside on one of the benches along Fort Street Mall, and performed my usual workout at the gym. I rode the bus to the Aina Haina Shopping Center. I shopped for a couple of grocery items at Foodland. Then, I rode the next bus back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). I was back in my squalid room by 3:45pm.
I received the requested healthcare plan(s) information from AARP®. I am considering a new and inexpensive healthcare plan that provides very minimal coverage. The cost? A whopping $39 per month. There are more expensive plans which provide more cash benefits and other options (e.g., prescription drug allowance). At this time, I do not anticipate that I will require extensive medical attention. I have gone almost three years without any healthcare coverage. I am making the broad assumption that I am relatively healthy, even though I am a senior citizen. Yet, what will I do in he event of an unforeseen catastrophe?
I finally converted my credit card account to a "paperless" one. I have also set up electronic payments without using my local bank's bill payment service. I assume that I will still have to pay my bills even when Lehman Bros and Merrill Lynch both get flushed down the urinal. Are we close to the secular Apocalypse? Well, the evening will be more of the same. Can you say, "Ubuntu Linux"?
I received the requested healthcare plan(s) information from AARP®. I am considering a new and inexpensive healthcare plan that provides very minimal coverage. The cost? A whopping $39 per month. There are more expensive plans which provide more cash benefits and other options (e.g., prescription drug allowance). At this time, I do not anticipate that I will require extensive medical attention. I have gone almost three years without any healthcare coverage. I am making the broad assumption that I am relatively healthy, even though I am a senior citizen. Yet, what will I do in he event of an unforeseen catastrophe?
I finally converted my credit card account to a "paperless" one. I have also set up electronic payments without using my local bank's bill payment service. I assume that I will still have to pay my bills even when Lehman Bros and Merrill Lynch both get flushed down the urinal. Are we close to the secular Apocalypse? Well, the evening will be more of the same. Can you say, "Ubuntu Linux"?
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Computer Nerd Fun
I spent all of last night in front of my Ubuntu-enabled Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer. I have managed to tweak the operating system to my preferences, although I have avoided any superficial "eye candy." I have been able to set the font smoothing, install more fonts, install codecs, and more ... all without using the command line. The Ubuntu Documentation has been an excellent resource. Currently, I have only two issues outstanding:
Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has been "put out to pasture." I spent 3.5 hours in the inner courtyard of the library. I completed Christiane Bird's book, "Neither East Nor West." The last chapter was most enjoyable. Bird's introspection and reflection had me reassessing my own values. I also spent some time perusing a few Linux books. Then, I walked to the gym to perform my usual workout. After a grueling bus ride with many idiots, I found myself back in my squalid room at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4:30pm. After an early dinner consisting of veggie "rations," I was ready to embark on my evening ritual. Yes, I will be spending more time with Ubuntu Linux, of course. Well, Hey! I'm a computer nerd!
- No sound from headphones
- Plug-ins in Firefox® browser causes Gnome® desktop to freeze
Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has been "put out to pasture." I spent 3.5 hours in the inner courtyard of the library. I completed Christiane Bird's book, "Neither East Nor West." The last chapter was most enjoyable. Bird's introspection and reflection had me reassessing my own values. I also spent some time perusing a few Linux books. Then, I walked to the gym to perform my usual workout. After a grueling bus ride with many idiots, I found myself back in my squalid room at Slob Manor (read: rental housing) by 4:30pm. After an early dinner consisting of veggie "rations," I was ready to embark on my evening ritual. Yes, I will be spending more time with Ubuntu Linux, of course. Well, Hey! I'm a computer nerd!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Welcome, Ubuntu!
I woke up early this morning. I piddled around with my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer for an hour. I have been uninstalling a lot of applications. In actuality, Ubuntu Linux has been fairly easy to use. While the user interface appears to be "cartoon-ish," the whole operating system is solid. I decided to discard the System Restore CDs that were bundled with the computer. I won't them need them anymore.
I departed for Hawai'i Kai at 8:30am. Moms and I only made the rounds in Koko Marina this morning. Lunch was at Zippy's. Then, moms shopped for groceries at Foodland. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. Moms and I ended up chatting until 1pm.
I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Head Park. I spent and hour there, although the experience less than enjoyable. I had to combat the myriad flies and ants. I drove to Koko Marina at 2:15pm. I was able to find shaded parking. I walked to the gym, did my usual workout, shopped for groceries at Foodland, and drove back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). I performed the dreaded laundry chores before settling in for the evening routine. Of course, I will be spending more time with my computer. Although it is fully operational, I must find solutions to the minor problems that I described yesterday.
Finding and installing applications are both quite different on Linux-based systems. I am able to get by fine with the various "package" managers. However, some of the applications may not be readily available from certain repositories. What it all boils down to is mastering the command line. Hence, I will be doing a lot of reading, especially on-line. Thank goodness the Firefox® browser has miraculously stabilized. Sheesh!
I departed for Hawai'i Kai at 8:30am. Moms and I only made the rounds in Koko Marina this morning. Lunch was at Zippy's. Then, moms shopped for groceries at Foodland. Later, moms served Foremost® coffee ice cream for dessert. Moms and I ended up chatting until 1pm.
I drove my Nissan® Frontier truck to Koko Head Park. I spent and hour there, although the experience less than enjoyable. I had to combat the myriad flies and ants. I drove to Koko Marina at 2:15pm. I was able to find shaded parking. I walked to the gym, did my usual workout, shopped for groceries at Foodland, and drove back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). I performed the dreaded laundry chores before settling in for the evening routine. Of course, I will be spending more time with my computer. Although it is fully operational, I must find solutions to the minor problems that I described yesterday.
Finding and installing applications are both quite different on Linux-based systems. I am able to get by fine with the various "package" managers. However, some of the applications may not be readily available from certain repositories. What it all boils down to is mastering the command line. Hence, I will be doing a lot of reading, especially on-line. Thank goodness the Firefox® browser has miraculously stabilized. Sheesh!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Windows® Vista Implosion
Another urban nomad kind-of-a-day has been ... BSOD! Last night, my Toshiba® Satellite notebook computer was "taken through the wringer" by the Windows® Vista SP-1 update. The infamous blue screen (read: BSOD) was popping up randomly, requiring me to restart the computer each time. I shut down the computer with the hope that all would be fine the next day.
This morning, I attempted to boot Windows® and was greeted by the blue screen. In fact, I was not able to go further than that. The computer was essentially "hosed." From what I could decipher off of the blue screen, the registry was corrupted. I was not really upset. After all, what could I expect from Microsoft®? At that point, I vowed that I would not go through another multi-hour process of installing Vista® and its updates ever again. I reached for the Ubuntu Linux CD that I received a few days ago. I popped it into the optical drive of my notebook computer. I then ran it in "Live CD" mode. To my surprise, everything including sound was operational. My decision was made.
I left for town at 9:15am. So, I was not able to install Ubuntu Linux on my computer. I spent 3.5 hours in the library. I spent most of that time reading Linux books. Then, I walked to the gym. I was preoccupied during most of my usual workout. I rode a very crowded bus back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). The two young Diploma Mill hotties were also on the bus. When I set foot in my squalid room, I immediately began the installation of Ubuntu onto my computer. I was done within half-an-hour.
There are problems with Ubuntu. Although I have sound, the headphone jack is no longer active. The crappy Firefox® browser crashes every few minutes. And, the look and feel of Ubuntu is rough and very unrefined. I had a very difficult time composing the "blog" because Firefox® just wasn't stable enough. Oh well. Can you guess what I will be doing all evening? Baha! Ha! Ha! Haaa!
This morning, I attempted to boot Windows® and was greeted by the blue screen. In fact, I was not able to go further than that. The computer was essentially "hosed." From what I could decipher off of the blue screen, the registry was corrupted. I was not really upset. After all, what could I expect from Microsoft®? At that point, I vowed that I would not go through another multi-hour process of installing Vista® and its updates ever again. I reached for the Ubuntu Linux CD that I received a few days ago. I popped it into the optical drive of my notebook computer. I then ran it in "Live CD" mode. To my surprise, everything including sound was operational. My decision was made.
I left for town at 9:15am. So, I was not able to install Ubuntu Linux on my computer. I spent 3.5 hours in the library. I spent most of that time reading Linux books. Then, I walked to the gym. I was preoccupied during most of my usual workout. I rode a very crowded bus back to Slob Manor (read: rental housing). The two young Diploma Mill hotties were also on the bus. When I set foot in my squalid room, I immediately began the installation of Ubuntu onto my computer. I was done within half-an-hour.
There are problems with Ubuntu. Although I have sound, the headphone jack is no longer active. The crappy Firefox® browser crashes every few minutes. And, the look and feel of Ubuntu is rough and very unrefined. I had a very difficult time composing the "blog" because Firefox® just wasn't stable enough. Oh well. Can you guess what I will be doing all evening? Baha! Ha! Ha! Haaa!
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