Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy

Antivirus software is generally crud. I say this as a computer programmer with a degree, and over a decade’s worth of experience in cleaning viruses off computers. I would never pay for antivirus software for my home computer (at work, possibly). In fact, I haven’t had to pay for AV software yet. I became jaded years ago while reading VMyths by Rob R. He confirmed what I suspected - that the AV update system model is broken, and not the best that programmers can offer customers.

Here are some free AV products (that aren’t always easy for novices to find):

• AVG Free - and yes it’s still free past May 2008, using their free Version 8.0. You just have to look past the Trial version.
• Avira AntiVir is also free.
• ClamWin is based on ClamAV for Linux.

Also required when using a free AV product, is a free Spyware detector/remover. Spyware is a mean (malicious) bit of softWARE that may not spread like a virus, but ruins your computer at least as well as a virus. Antivirus companies tend to charge for spyware detection (which is stupid, since spyware breaks a computer just as well as a virus, and it can be detected in much the same way as viruses are), and it’s how they convince more people to pay for “premium” products. Why bother? There are volunteers out there who don’t charge anything, and ask only for what you can afford to pay them at your discretion.

I’ve only had one virus infect any of my own computers or disks since I started back in 1984. (It’s possible some got through, and were never detected, but that’s VERY unlikely because they are usually easy to spot due to poor programming or intentional destruction/extortion/bragging caused by the well written ones). I’ve downloaded music and TV since the late 1990s using a variety of services, mostly P2P. And the only time a virus infected my computer, it was from surfing to a malicious webpage with an insecure version of Java installed on my computer. AVG detected it in an automated daily scan, and I was back to normal, feeling slightly more vulnerable, but in reality unscathed.

/End bragging

(more…)

I got some free potting soil, so I refreshed some of my indoor plants, and put some pots on the balcony to get them ready for some tiny veggies or herbs. I tried planning a couple radishes, and a couple yellow peppers, so hopefully they sprout. There is plenty of rain forecast for this week. I still need to get out to my garden and plant some things. They didn’t turn the water on a few days ago, because of freezing nights.

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On Saturday I dropped my crippled bike off at Dutch Cycle. Even though I got there at about 2 minutes past closing time at 4PM, they were nice and let me in the door. The missing wheel can apparently be repaired for about $35 (used), and I’m hoping they throw in a speedometer magnet with that too. I can possibly get it on Tuesday, but I bet it will turn into Saturday or Wednesday if I’m lucky.

Saturday evening I dragged two friends out, to Bushwakker’s, and I had potato skins. I cut off a bite, and when it touched my lip, it burned it. Then I was in that awkward situation I hate, where you know if you finish putting the food into your mouth you’re going to burn it, but if you spit it out, you’re going to look rude. I went with the pull the food out of my mouth with my fingers technique.

Sometime shortly before or after that I was bugged for swirling my water glass around the top of the table whilst making a “wooo” sound. So I proceeded to prove that I was still sober by stacking a salt shaker on top of two glasses, then a pepper shaker on top of the salt, then a menu, and then tenting two coasters on top of it all. I threatened to balance a full water glass on top of the menu, to cries of objection. I wouldn’t have really done it (because I couldn’t have).

These police officers are nuts. If they can’t at least understand the optics of what they did, they are idiots too. I think it’s the quote he accuses them of, which cinches the deal: those officers made the wrong choice due to impatience. Old people who are that sick can easily become confused. Until police use TASERS only in cases where they have exhausted other means, and see an immediate threat to life, they will be abusing their power.

This is just too cool. If you have one of these Canon cameras, and ever do more than just point-and-shoot, you’ll want to get this free enhancement. My 6 year old Canon is too old, but I may be replacing it this year… most certainly with one of these models.

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Hat tip to Photojojo

I was considering leaving this mostly unfounded jab fall by the wayside, but I see Dr. Dawg has responded eloquently to it already. I just would like to point out though, that one week we’re “self-centered bigots” for not knowing something took place, and the next week we’re supporters of “fringe anarchists” and “paranoid fabulists” because what we should have known according to Robert, actually didn’t happen (again according to Robert) because the person who recently pointed it out is Mr. Annett, “and we can’t let him make a mockery of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”

So Robert, which is it? You can’t cut both ways, just to suck up to Kate’s crowd. Because that’s how this comes across, at least as much as your probably sincere worry that further investigations will somehow delay the compensation already settled upon. Seems easy enough to pay the settlements due, and if there’s further injury proved, then to pay again to the families further injured. Bring on an investigation.

This story almost stunned me, and what’s even more surprising is that it’s about 150 years old!
Imaging a solar flare so bright, that you could SEE the sun getting brighter. Would you be a little concerned? Well, how about if your [telegraph] started to power itself?! These are things that happened in 1859, and could happen again at any time [assuming you have a telegraph or enjoy cell phones, TV, radio, computers…], with as little predictability as an earthquake. Quebec Hydro got a taste of what could happen in 1989.

And how would you like to lose 8 LINES of pixels on your digital camera? Imagine if it’s in space and there’s no way to fix it except with fancy image editing? Not many weeks after that happened, these aurora were photographed by me. Imagine most of the world’s satellites being disabled in a day?

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Now, on to something NotSafeForWork fun(ny). Imagine designing a logo, and not having someone giving you a hand with it? OGC in the UK did that apparently, and almost copied the ‘hand not connected, yet still phallic’ OGC in B.C.
If you don’t get it, turn your head to the side when viewing the logo, and pretend you see a penis somewhere.

The jokes about government employees being wankers, are perhaps appropriate at least in this case.

==

And did you know cavemen used Powerpoint? Me neither. How me plug in projector? Me not know F7 + Fn keys.

My friend Robert finished his thesis defense on Monday, so a group of us went out to celebrate. We started out at an empty Habanos for pool, and played for an hour. Next we hit Dairy Queen, and I cashed in my “free small Blizzard” card on an Oreo fudge earthquake sundae. It wasn’t too sweet which surprised me in a good way; Blizzards sometimes give me a sugar headache. Then we drove up to Galaxy cinema to see the new movie “Iron Man” [8/10]. As I turned into the cursed parking lot, my power steering started to groan. Oh oh. I pulled into the closest parking stall available, right beside a CIBC (which I was going to head to later that night anyway — more good fortune) and popped the hood. There was a fluid leak all over the passenger side. In the growing darkness I couldn’t tell the colour, but it looked like orange coolant had sprayed onto the accessory belt, and I reasoned that it was due to the coolant work done last week at RMP. So we walked across the parking lot to the theatre, and enjoyed the very good movie.

Returning to the car a couple hours later though, there was a bit of a puddle under the car, and the power steering was not working. Getting a better look at the fluid, I saw that it was more like oil, and realized it wasn’t coolant, and a power steering fluid leak had started (finishing my car off). So I phoned CAA and the tow truck arrived within half an hour as promised. It was now after midnight though, and we thought we’d call a cab from Brewsters but they were locking up, and so were all of the other places within sight.

We saw a city bus, one that would go right by my place as luck would have it! Except it was the last bus of the night, and wasn’t going the other direction! Darn, eh?

Walking across the street to a pay phone to get a number of a cab company turned out to be in vain as well. The Yellow Pages where “Taxi” was, had half of the page ripped out! The only number completely intact was for “Premiere” which sounded expensive, and besides they were the company with the driver that tried to intimidate friends of mine in the UofR strike in November. I then remembered I had a number for Capital Cabs in my wallet (from a job last year with the Gov’t that used them) and gave them a call. The cab took almost 30 minutes to arrive, and we killed time talking at a bus stop beside a different Dairy Queen. As model citizens, we didn’t pee in the bushes of the Dairy Queen. I just thought I’d mention that.

So to recap:
Bike front wheel: stolen
Car coolant: repaired at $1150 + damage to power steering???
Car steering: disabled + $untold cost EDIT: fixed for $147 power steering line with hole from belt rubbing + $16 cab ride

Vehicles suck.

UPDATE: RMP refunded me both the repair that Capital did, and my $16 cab ride. Thank goodness finally something went right.

Pat Martin got burrrrned.

What’s up with that title though? “NDPers are wimps”? The lesson didn’t last past Robert noticing Martin’s swampy high ground. I’m not saying Robert’s a wimp, but wouldn’t it be amusing if now someone discovered an instance of Robert acting like one? Perhaps he’ll be a good sport and offer up an example to complete the joke.