- www.JoeThielen.com - www.JoeThielen.com
This compliments a piece I wrote last week regarding Microsoft, and our rights as software users. It should
really make you think. I am a VERY STRONG supporter of Free Software. In tradition with this, my both of
my Phantom software packages (GNU Phantom.Home & GNU Phantom.Security) are released under the GNU GPL. As
is my Freemed-YiRC software packages.
In fact, so is the Linux kernel, as is the rest of the
GNU/Linux operating system and utilities! YOU
have the FREEDOM to use, modify, and distribute these software packages. Most are free of
charge (as in $$$), too! But even if you have to pay a small fee for the software, you still have the
FREEDOM that comes along with the GNU General Public License (GPL).
For more information on the GNU and the GNU GPL, please see the GNU Website!
And remember... YOU are the ONLY person who can make sure that YOUR FREEDOMS are not taken
away from you!
On Saturday night I attended a College Graduation Party for a friend. At one moment, I remember being
at the party. The next moment, it was 7AM and I was at home in my bed. I have a 'black area' where
I was at the party, when I came home, and when I barfed my nuts off. Holy Crap!
I can remember bits and pieces, but that's it. According to several people, I drank MANY MANY MANY
cups from the keg. Holy crap!
It's been a while since I've had a drink, but I've NEVER done anything like this. Wow! I hope I never
do that again. I'm sure I lost A LOT of brain cells this weekend. Holy crap!
I'm so tired of hearing about Microsoft it's not funny. But I am glad to hear that wireless ethernet
technology is finally coming to the point where even PDAs get to join in on the fun. Check out my
Casio E-125 page for more info on what I'm talking about. This could have some
awesome consequences with my GNU Phantom software!
I've been TOO LAZY to update my webcam pic lately. Many apologies! I know I can't stand it when others
don't update their pics, and here I am doing the same thing. Don't take it from me, try it yourself!!!
For instance, why the fuck did we resume surveillance flights near China when
we don't have our plane back. Are we totally sure we're not gonna give it
back??? WTF? Did some time limit for the planes return vaporize, and
now we just say fuck it, and start listening again? Like we really
stopped! All we stopped was the costal fly-bys. Like we really stopped
satellite lookups and shit like that. Yeah, right.
I got a postcard in the mail yesterday from the U.S. Army Recruiters. On
the front it featured a pair of cammo boxers featuring the fucked up slogan
"An Army Of One". WTF??? What? Why??? So I turned it over. It
appears that if I went in there... just to talk... they'd gimme a pair.
Wow! I'm gonna go and talk to the Army because they're gonna gimme some
shorts, ma! What a bargain. You know, I'm from the East Side and all, and
even I have some dignity here. And the card said if I brought a friend, he'd
get a pair, too.
Did I miss something? Are they now encouraging homosexuality??? What??? Let
me get this straight. I walk in their with a friend, and we walk out with
a pair of boxers (they promise to keep the talk to a minimum). What
do they think I'm gonna do now??? Go home, with my friend, and demo my boxers?
WTF???
Do American's truly fall for this shit??? I imagine that the Army has a vast
advertising section, and that they have amassed great amounts of knowledge
about American profiling, and how we act to different types of advertising.
Does this shit really work? Are we, as American's, that fucking stupid
that we'd risk our lives in the Army FOR A PAIR OF BOXER SHORTS???
Damn, I can't get over that. I mean, yeah, the Army is a good way to pay off
those friggin' college loans and all, and it's a great way to make it through
college, if you don't have any other choice, but holy shit! BOXER SHORTS??
Damn! To hell in our underwear!
In other news, we've (the good ole' USA) have lost not one, but TWO seats
on two U.N. Committees. Holy shit! You know, I read this article yesterday
about how some Asia countries are quietly 'lauding' Bush for taking a firm
stance with China. They're too afraid to do it, so they're glad that Bush
is doing it (not that I agree, but this is what I read). I'm frantically
searching for the URL, but can't find it at the moment... In any case,
I'm sitting here thinking. If Asia is over there lauding us, then who the
fuck is conspiring against us to take away our seats??? Damn! This is some
messed up stuff right here.
OK, enough world politics. Let's head for the domestic side of things.
Microsoft sure can't make up it's fucking mind! At first, they were
gonna develop an ASP suite to take over Office. You'd have to go to some
Office website to work on your own private documents. And YOUR
DOCUMENTS would be stored on MICROSOFT SERVERS, not your home
computer! Ha! So if you forgot to may your monthly Microsoft bill, then
you would not have access to your own information! And, of course, don't
forget, the Microsoft thought police would be upon your information. And
if you think for one moment that your data would be secure in that type
of setting and that Microsoft would not touch your data, then you, sir, are
A FUCKING MORON. I don't have to back my shit up with evidence,
Microsoft provides all of that. Look it up!
Then they got worried that Office XP would loose money, with this scheme, so
they said screw it, and put it off. But then they wanted to revisit the
idea of a monthly paycheck from all of us, so then they were
gonna turn Windows XP (and Office XP) into a subscription based service.
It wouldn't be hosted on their servers, but you'd still have to pay monthly
(or yearly). Then they changed their minds once again, and decided to just
shrink-wrap the damned thing like ususal.
Now I read that once again their thinking about the subscription side of
things. They now want to license XP products for 3 years. After that time,
your software will stop working, and your data will be USELESS unless you
pay again. For software that you already own, on your own computer! Ha!
What the fuck is this??? When is America going to WAKE THE FUCK UP,
and realize that Microsoft is going to fuck each and every one of us if
we don't stop it??? Damn!
I'm so tired of dumb shit right now that I can't even see straight.
I encourage each and everyone of you. Please think about the way we as a
people are, and think about the way our country is being run, and what our
own (supposedly appointed) executive administrators think about us. Just
think about it. How does your president think of you as a stastic? How
about those advertising people behind the boxer short postcard. And don't
forgot the staticians in China betting on how apathetic we are.
Something for you to think about when you're reading the sports section
this morning.
Along the same lines, we went out and bought some bikes yesterday. It's been
years since I've ridden a bike. And it's funny to see my fat ass riding one!
Ha! In any case, on top of all that exercise we got on Saturday, we ended up
riding for at least 7 miles yesterday.
And I'm paying for it today boy! My legs HURT. If it weren't for
a scalding hot bath this morning... I would have never have made it to work!
Well... the outlook for the next couple of days is GREAT. High 70s to low
80s! Killer! Hope you can get out some!
You want to know what I think is the most amazing violation of human rights
in recent months???
THIS IS FUCKING INSANE. This is so absolutely FUCKED UP that I can't even believe I'm proud to be an American.
What is the problem? Let's say you don't have your seatbelt on (which I do at all times, and I recommend all others do the same), and you get pulled over. This ruling allows a Police officer to pull you out of your car, handcuff you, take you downtown, and have your fucking car towed!
Am I the only one that thinks this if FUCKED UP????
You know what this means? You get to sit in a holding tank with people who could possibly rape you up the ass. I'm not fucking joking! And just when do you get a trial, eh? How long will it take for you to see the judge? An hour? A day? Yeah! A day! You'll have to go to work and explain to your Human Resources manager that you couldn't make it to work because you were in JAIL. What's that going to do to your work record/repuation, eh?
"So Bob, where were you yesterday?"
"Oh, I got pulled over for speeding and they arrested me."
Yeah right! You're an instant drug smuggler now. Or a baby raper. You're certainly not a virgin citizen anymore. Now you're a fucking convict!
This is for MINOR traffic offenses! Like speeding! Let's say you're in a hurry to get somewhere, and you're pulled over. OK officer, give me a ticket and let me be on my way. NOT ANYMORE! Now your ass is gonna be REAL FUCKING LATE. You may never even get there! You may die in the holding tank! You'll probably be pissed or puked on.
You want to know my paranoid opinion???? I think they're doing this so they can add everyones DNA to a BIG FUCKING DATABASE. Yeah! I'm fucking serious! I'm so serious I'll say it again: "I'M FUCKING SERIOUS"
I think there is a big fat database out there in which the police, FBI, CIA, NSA, etc... uses to "solve crimes".
But what does "solving crimes" entail??? Why, tapping your phone and reading your e-mail, of course!
Remember last night when you were looking at all of that midget porn??? Guess what, I'm sure it was logged on a bunch of servers.... The next time you go to apply for a credit card, OR EVEN A JOB, you'll be rejected. They won't tell you why, but some computer out there has a profile on you, and you're now labled as a pervert! OKAY, I'm getting off the point.
I think the real reason this is happening is so that these motherfuckers can fingerprint you and somehow get a DNA sample. Hair, skin... whatever. That gets sent to forensics, where it's put into a big huge govermnent database.
This is truly fucked up. Watch out the next time the BLUE AND REDS are flashing boy... you might be the next statistic!
If I thought that writing my congressmen or protesting would help, I would be doing it right now! But I know it won't help! I know that the only way laws get made or repealed in the country is with money! You think I believe in the American democratic system? Hell fucking no!
I BELIEVE IN THE THEORY. But the PRACTICE of that theory in this country is FUCKED UP. In America we're concerned about the ALMIGHTY DOLLAR, and our favoriate pastime -- Capitalism.
I'm so pissed off I can't type straight right now. Read the news articles I linked to above. I'm not lying!
<$rant_mode=1>
So I called my paging service last night to deactivate my girlfriends pager,
which she never manages to keep in her pocket. My paging service is Arch
Wireless... that's A-R-C-H W-I-R-E-L-E-S-S. I get put on hold. And I wait.
And I wait. And I wait.
Finally I started watching a movie and just put the damned phone on speakerphone.
It wasn't until 45 minutes later that someone answered. At least they spoke
english, and I could understand them.
So I say I want one of my pagers turned off because I'm not useing it. She
asks for the pager number, wants to verify my name and billing address. No
problem. The more security the better.
Then she asks why I want it turned off. Because I'm not using it. I've
got short term memory problems, too. So I'll give her a break.
Then she informs me that they require a 30 day notice in order to turn a pager
off. WHAT THE FUCK? I have to let THEM know 30 days IN ADVANCE
before I want my pager turned off? WHAT THE FUCK?
I'm not gonna argue with this person. It's not this persons policy, it's the
company. She tells me that I can keep the pager on for 30 days, I'm gonna
get fucking billed for it anyway. I say no, just turn it off now.
Jesus Christ. What the hell is up with THAT? 30 day notice??
Those fuckers are going to send me an invoice for a full month that I'm
not going to use. Is it me or is this fucked up?
So, in conclusion, if you ever consider a pager, I would recommend that you
DO NOT buy it from ARCH WIRELESS. That's A-R-C-H W-I-R-E-L-E-S-S.
Again, DO NOT EVER BUY A PAGER, OR PAGING SERVICE, from Arch Wireless.
<$rant_mode=0>
So China is warning us about our arms sale to Taiwan. FUCK YOU CHINA!
Kiss My Ass baby! No, don't just kiss my ass, suck it! Yeah! And when you're
done, get the fuck out of MY HOUSE, here's a dollar. Call a fucking
cab.
Bitch.
Linux 2.4 has many many many improved features, a couple of major ones are
more USB support and improved support for multi-processor machines.
If you're a Linux fan, go get it! If you're not, get it anyway! Get it.
Use it. Learn it. Tired of paying for Microsoft bullshit? Me too! I've
been using Linux at work for a few years now, and it occupies 95% or more of
my network. We have only a few Windows machines. At home I've got a Linux
server that, of course, does my home automation as well as acts as a music
server.
I've been contacted by a person from the Toledo Metroparks... they're considering endorsing GeoCaching! That'd be so cool! I'll let you know how this progresses...
I sure don't know what I'd do without my Casio E-125 PocketPC. I use it to remember SOOOO many things it's not funny. I recently learned that this company was offering upgrades from 32MB to 64MB for iPaq owners, and they were working on the Casio. Well this morning I read on their website that they can't right now due to a technical problem. Damn! That would be great. Oh well, have to wait :)
Well, our guys and gals are back from China... and they've confirmed that it was that stupid ass Chinese pilot hot-dogging. It's time to get our plane back and start to close our relations with them bastards. If they can't abide by International law, then they sure as hell shouldn't be able to enter the World Trade Organization (WTO)! Screw that!
Maybe. As long as you don't live on the East Side, Northwood, Oregon, or Rossford :)
A friend called to tell me that he saw an ad for DSL in Toledo. I told him it
was bullshit. I told him that DSL was dead in Toledo.
I may have been wrong. Check out Internet Direct Incorporated.
They're based out of Bowling Green, and have been offering DSL via Verizon in that area.
Now they're claiming to offer DSL in Toledo via Ameritech/SBC. I wasn't convinced,
so I e-mailed them. I got an e-mail back, and ended up calling them voice to
confirm it. The person I spoke to was very intelligent and I asked him a large
variety of questions. I asked him what separated them from all the DSL carriers
that were going down in flames. I asked him about their web hosting stuff.
I asked lots of technical questions. And I seemed to get all the right answers!
In fact, we even talked at length about Linux, and their use of it. They've
got a domain hosting plan for only $20! Wow. 20MB of space, and no allotted
traffic ceiling. Sounds pretty nice. They're using Cobalt Linux servers.
The only thing I didn't like was that they're not fully supporting PHP yet.
The person I spoke to said they were working on this. Sounds good to me!
So, if you're here in Toledo, are starving for Internet Access, and don't
want to contribute to the Blade Bloc, then this may sound like it's for you!
Granted, I have not tested their services. I don't know how their tech
support is if you've got a problem. So I'm recommending them from 2
points of view:
More than likely, I'll have a chance to test out their services sometime here.
When I have a chance to do that, I will certainly let you all know how it
goes!
But the biggest suprise of all was that all of these things are FREE.
We walked through the Whitehouse. Free (you just have to get there EARLY and wait
in a LONG LINE). The Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the Lincoln
Memorial, all free (and VERY nice places to visit and take pictures!!!). And
then there is the Smithsonian. A group of like 12 museums or something (we
didn't get to visit them all ;) ). All free! And the DC Zoo (also owned by
the Smithsonian) was free, too! Just a subway trip away. The subway was
great. Was only like $1.10 to go nearly anywhere the subway could take you.
I couldn't believe it. We even had to catch a taxi once because we were too
tired to walk to the nearest subway station, it was $6.50. A lot cheaper
than I would have though.
The only downside is the cost of a downtown hotel. That's expensive! And
food is also very expensive (however, there are MANY MANY MANY street side
hot dog/pretzel vendors). But if you want a grand meal in a grand city,
bring the credit card... you're gonna need it!
I'd definately recommend to anyone to visit DC. It's possible to see most of
the big stuff in one day. We spent two. But if you want to visit (I should
say, make a worthwhile visit) to the Smithsonian museums, then 3 or 4 days
would be much better. But be prepared to do A LOT OF WALKING. Wear
comfortable shoes, too ;).
One thing of note, the DC subway system is pretty big. It stretches out from DC into Maryland (Shady Grove on I-270) and Virginia (Arlington). If you want to avoid DC gridlock (something I missed the first day, but I experienced when I left! Do yourself a favor and avoid it at all costs!), park in Shady Grove off of I-270 at the Metro station and take the subway in!
I'm not even gonna comment on China right now. It's so fucked up. Our
people are over there and it's not funny. Let's get them home!!!
I will write a much more detailed note a little later. Also, look at my campic. It's the Cray-1 Supercomputer that's in the
Smithsonian. I'm just kidding... it's not in my basement. But that'd be cool, eh? Then again, my PocketPC may have enough
power to outdo that...
Actually, we've been planning this trip for a while, just couldn't manage to fit it in. Well, things seemed to fall into place to make it happen this weekend! The weather is supposed to be GREAT, too. Around 65 on Saturday, and 72 on Sunday. I can't wait. It's supposed to be nice here temperature-wise, but from looking at the current forecasts, it's supposed to rain all weekend! Screw that. I hope the weather holds up in DC. I'm really looking forward to checking out the great memorials and HUGE buildings out there. Hopefully I'll be able to get a tour of the White House and Capitol buildings. Apparently they fill up early. I'll take plenty of pictures, trust me!!! :)
Maybe I'll get a chance to meet Bush and pip 'em upside his fucking head. I'll say "Hey Bush, WTF? You trying to turn the US into a backside parking lot or what mofo?!" hehehe.
In any case, I will let you know how things turn out!!!
First it was was with Russia. I'm not even going to go there...
Then we park a nuclear sub in Japan, without telling them.
I'm not even going to begin on how Bush is pissing off the citizens of this country. His stance on the world enviornment issue is as plain as day. He doesn't give a fuck. The entire world is pissed at us for this. Thanks, Bush! You fuckhead!
Somewhere I read that the US has passed some kind of price fixing law against OPEC, forbidding them to fix prices. Did I miss something? Since when do we have anything to do with OPEC? The US isn't a member of OPEC. The OPEC doesn't operate in the US. What the fuck is going on here? Now, I understand if this is confusing. I'm complaining about our country trying to do something about lowering gas prices. I'm complaining about their means to their end. Who the fuck are we to do this???
And then, there's China. Now this situation is so fucked up right now, it's got me scared shitless. As if another Cold War wasn't already looming off of Rusia, now we have to deal with the fucked up Chinese. The entire world is watching this, minute by minute.
I read a REAL good article here that claims that it was the Chinese pilot's fault he crashed, due to the fact that the jets couldn't fly as low as our plane was flying. It also says that our plane was in international waters, and tried to head back to Japan (where it took off from), when Chinese Jet Pilots FORCED IT TO LAND IN CHINA (by means of GUNFIRE). I've only seen this in one article. What the fuck? Those motherfuckers are shooting at us in INTERNATIONAL WATERS? WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON????
And only now, two days later, are they allowing us to even speak with the crew? What the fuck is that? many countries are claiming that China should follow INTERNATIONAL LAW, and return our crew and equipment. But you know what them motherfuckers did? They boarded the plain, and on some accounts, they've gutted it!
Even the EU and UN are claiming that China is fucked up. Why aren't they following the policies of INTERNATIONAL LAW?
It's my opinion that this SHOULD END ALL TIES WITH CHINA. Fuck them. It's apparent that their entire culture is so fucking stuck in the past, that they don't wish any outside influence. They built a big wall once, why can't they build a bigger one? They should do the world a favor and build a giant dome and lock themselves in. Inbreeding will take its course over due time!
And they're trying to tie this in with Taiwan, over our possible sale of military items to that country. Well, China, if you weren't so fucked up in the first place, your own people wouldn't have fled and created Taiwan! You fucked up! Now fuck off! If they want to protect themselves against communist fuckheads, then let them!
Jesus Christ this has got me SO fucking pissed off. What the fuck is the deal here? Follow INTERNATIONAL LAW and return our people and equipment!
In other news, more earthquakes are hitting Japan. This was only 100 miles away from Tokyo!
And that's not to mention the stock market. God damn! Look at all that fucking RED!!!
It's truly a tense time here. I think America made a huge fucking mistake in electing Bush.
Oh.. wait, WE DIDN'T ELECT BUSH. WHAT THE FUCK???
I wanted to get a nice video editing package, but didn't want to pay too much. I found a pacakge at Best Buy - Sonic Foundry Video Factory for $50! But as I was looking at the package, I noticed it required Win98SE and 128MB of RAM. Shit, I thought.
My PC at home is currently a 500Mhz Celeron w/64MB of RAM and I'm still running Win95 (OSR2 with the USB upgrade). Well, I guess it's time for an upgrade.
So along with Video Factory I picked up a 128MB DIMM (133Mhz) for $50! And it's got a $10 mail-in rebate. Assuming I actually get the rebate back (I'm not counting on it), that's only $40+tax for 128MB of RAM! WOW! I know I say this a lot (probably not much here on the web site, but other places), I remember first getting into computers when 1MB of RAM was $30 a pop! Holy shit!
In any case, I went home, popped the RAM in, made a list of all the IMPORTANT software I use at home, and did the unmentionable... I fdisk'd my hard drive ;). It probably took me 4 to 5 hours to load Win98SE, and re-load all of my hardware drivers and software. But it seems to be working pretty well. My USB devices work WAY better than in Win95, that's for sure. And now I can finally hook up my USB HP Scanjet instead of using it with my laptop (which has has Win98SE on it since I got it).
So, after a good number of years with Win95, I've parted with it :(. Now, I still have one or two machines here at work that use Win95, so I guess I can just come here for the nostalgia. But I tell you what, I was over at a friends yesterday, and he had a computer loaded with Windows for Workgroups (Win 3.11)... Ho-Lee-Shit :).
Does it disturb anyone else that 'Good Friday' also happens to be 'Friday the 13th'??? Happy Easter! *grin*
Is Easter going to be a traditionally bad time for the US people? Last year it was Elian, now we've got some China troubles. Sheet!
I've clipped this page again because it's been gettin' too big! :)