Commentary

Windows 7 vs Vista

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As many of you know, the new version of Windows has come along to replace Vista, the much-maligned OS from Microsoft. Windows 7 is supposed to be this huge improvement on Vista. Now I don’t want to get into the many arguments one way or the other. Frankly, it doesn’t matter. New laptops will come with the new OS and have increased functionality as a result. At some point, upgrading will not be optional. It’s just the way it goes…

My complaint is this: I paid for Vista – it came with my Acer laptop. I also have TWO Vista install CDs, also paid for. One came with a new computer, and the other was purchased, retail. Every few days I get a notification that Vista needs to be verified. It is ridiculous that this continues to happen. But the annoying thing is, I have twice had to call Microsoft to have my software “approved.” When it happened the third time, I went and found a crack for it on youtube, and I’ve not had a nag note from Microsoft since.

Now I ask you – how is it that I’ve spent close to a thousand dollars for legitimate software, that MS acknowledges as legitimate, and yet, in order to use the software, I have to hack it? Does this make sense to anyone? Is it not an infringement on my rights that Microsoft continues to ASSUME I am guilty, without any evidence? A police officer could not check me out on the off chance I might be doing something illegal, unless he had some “reasonable cause.” How is Microsoft able to circumvent this principle cornerstone of our society?

Now I hear that Windows 7 has the same problem! People are complaining that they are being nagged to death about their legitimate software. CNET has posted a link to a youtube video on how to crack Windows 7.

Ironically, a Microsoft exec claimed that Windows 7 was based on Apple’s OS X. Of course, they are back tracking on that now, but clearly, any idiot with a quarter of a brain can see that 7 has similarities to X… Personally, I don’t care. BUT, it is astonishing to me how Microsoft works so hard to keep legitimate users from using their purchases, while picking and choosing cool tools from other people without paying or acknowledging their work.

Microsoft claims that they are only doing it to insure they are paid. Well I’ve paid. It’s time they did too. I should be paid each time they call me a thief and they are wrong. Clearly, they are defaming me and my reputation. This kind of needless and repeated intrusion into my privacy is unconscionable. Microsoft must stop.

Commentary, Something About Us

Returning a damaged camera

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We have had three different Olympus Underwater cameras. You’ve seen all the photos of fish on this site, 98% of which have been taken with one of those three cameras. When we were in Aruba the second camera sprung a leak, and we were “forced” to buy another on the island.

The camera has a one year warranty, and Pam realized that I would procrastinate until it was too late to get any kind of repair or replacement from them. So she took it upon herself to get it packed up and sent back to Olympus. In less time than it takes Anna to process an order, Olympus had the camera back to us! Yes, that’s right, in less that two weeks we had the camera BACK!

Now that’s service! It is nice to see a company concerned with what their customers think, providing prompt, professional service. It’s so refreshing! I can’t say enough about this kind of warranty repair service. It is definitely the best service we’ve ever experienced for this kind of problem (returning a defective product).

Just thought I’d give a company that cares a plug!

Something About Us

Remembrance Day

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Remembrance Day DisplayI can’t believe it is Remembrance Day already! This month has gone by so fast. I’ve been in and out of sorts, getting the flu and a cold and still just generally feeling crappy. Pam has avoided getting sick, I’m not sure how!

With this down time, I’ve been puttering around getting the Christmas decorations repaired and ready to go. Lots of blown lights, broken reindeer, damaged snowmen lol! If the rain every breaks, I’ll start putting some lights out.

This year, I’ve done something for Remembrance Day that I don’t usually do. In fact, this is the first time. The cross on the right has the first two lines of In Flanders Fields.

Let we Forget.I wanted the deer to have a scarf made from the cloth of the Black Watch, which was the regiment my grandfather volunteered into during the Second World War. But I couldn’t find one. Anyway, it’s the thought that counts this time of year,  right?

So let’s take a moment to give our thanks to our veterans, past and current who have put their lives on the line so we can be free. Wear your poppy proudly. Thanks Dad. Thanks Grandpa.

Holidays

Halloween frights

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Fright Night!

Well Halloween has come and gone. It was pretty special this year. We were worried about the weather, since it was very windy and rained all week, and the forecast was for more of the same. But the day started sunny and warm and kept that way all day. The evening came and it was clear and no wind. So that was very cool. It’s great when the kids can come out in their costumes without having to worry about rain gear.

Fiona and friend Mike and Fiona came out and helped with the festivities this year, too. Fiona got all done up in a witch’s outfit, and with Pam as a Ghoul, the kids had a double dose of fright! I tell you, Fiona had a great cackle, and the karaoke machine projected her voice – it was great!

Pam screams One lady told us that her daughter had been calling our house “the creepy house” all week and couldn’t wait to come and get some candy from us. But when she got to the house, and saw all the strobes flashing, the creepy red eyes gleaming, the smoke and the screaming, she couldn’t even look at Pam or Fiona! Her mother had to carry her down the driveway, but no way was she going to look! Pretty cute.

It was really nice to hear so many people thank us and compliment us. We have always done something around the place, but we really did do something different for this year. The graveyard theme was a big hit, and people loved walking through the headstones and reading all the goofy inscriptions. Next year I promise to do a better job of lighting the way!

Halloween 2009 We’ve also had some talk with the next door neighbours about doing a Haunted House or something like that. It’s an intriguing idea. We’ll have to take some time to consider how to do that. We watched a show called Extreme Halloween and one guy had a haunted house in his driveway. It was cool, but he figured he spends over $5000 a year on it! We ain’t going there!

I hope you enjoy the movies! It’s a little dark, but you get a sense of the place. You can hear them cackling and the scary music going!

Here is a shorter version of the mystery of the Great Pumpkin Head. Kids got to take a sucker from the Great Pumpkin Head, but if they took the wrong one, they got eaten! Apparently the younger ones are quite crunchy. If they picked the right one, Pam and Fiona begrudgingly gave them a bag of chips or nachos for it.

Holidays

The day before…

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October 30th Well it’s the day before Halloween. And we’ve pretty much got the yard completed now. A couple of my neighbours stopped by and had a big chuckle over some of the grave stone sayings. One that we added yesterday has the name “AL B. BACK” (say it with an Austrian Accent!) and then “Died” with four dates, with three crossed out, 1984, 1991, 2003 then 2009… (For the 4 Terminator movies!)

The ladies across the street brought their kids over and said it’s been so much fun to get up in the morning and wonder what else we’ve added today!

Halloween 2009It’s nice to hear that people like it. Cars have been stopping and kids have been getting out too… I tell them, wait til tomorrow and the music and fog and screaming will really add ambience! haha

We still have a few skeletons to put out, and a couple of ghouls. We’ve got a string or two of lights that go around the table we’ll put out for the candy dishes. We’ve also got a skeleton that is all in pieces – we’ve put it in a suitcase, and labelled it “Bone Voyage!”

Here is a quick movie of the yard at about 4 pm this afternoon.

All About Max, Canucks Hockey

Rambling…

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Neely jersey Pam and I went to the Canucks game against the Detroit Red Wings last night. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the Wings – an Original Six team, with lots of heart and character. Their jerseys are classic, simple and meaningful. Something the Canuck jerseys have NEVER been, despite dozens of re-designs.

Anyway – we had seats in the absolute LAST row of the house. We were three rows ABOVE the nosebleed seats! haha Still, it was fun to be at the game, even though the Canucks never showed up. My buddy Mike and I have complained about the lack of team toughness for years. And this team is once again a bunch of weak sisters. To be run out of the building by a team like Detroit is really disappointing.

The hardest working guyAlex Burrows is so lame this year. And Kesler looks lost. It’s time the coach realized that those two guys need each other to play well. Neither Burrows nor Kesler threw a check, which is something we have come to expect from them. But No Longer…  Thomas Holmstrom stands in front of the net, directly in front of Luongo and is unmolested. In the Detroit end, not a soul could even find the front of the net, let alone stand in front of either goalie the Wings used.

I’ve put a picture up of the hardest working guy on the ice last night… (The Zamboni driver, in case you missed my reference…)

Just a note about the vandalism of our Halloween display – the single grave marker that was removed from our yard has come back. In four pieces! I found it at the front of the property – I guess someone drove by and threw it back on the yard.

I appreciate you returning it, scumbag. I’ve smoothed over the ragged edges, re-touched the paint, and it is again featured on the yard. I’ve been working quite a bit on the display and it’s really getting cool.

Kinda morbid eh?I’ve been searching the net for funny grave sayings, and I’ve used the always familiar “I told you I was sick” already. But the one that caught my eye was “Bill Blake – Hanged my mistake” which I changed to “Billy Blake – Aged 5 – Hanged by Mistake!” haha

Funny story – one of my neighbours across the street, saw me out taking a picture last week, way before I had even put half our stuff out. He says to me, “wow, buddy, you must be finished now eh? That’s a lot of stuff you have there.” I said to him, “You new to the neighbourhood?” haha He gave me a funny look and walked into his house. Wait til he sees the smoke machine, the skeletons, the music, the karaoke machine, the strobes…

And when I start putting out the Christmas stuff… man – he’s in for a shock!

Max Update – He’s doing great. His left front paw is slightly weak, but he’s figured out how to do most everything without it working perfectly. He’s in better spirits lately, and much more playful.

We’ve been going on walks, instead of running for now. He wants to run, but the doctor advised against it, since the steroids can cause some swelling.

Commentary, Holidays

Halloween Vandalism

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Pam and I do a lot of exterior decorating, for lots of different holidays. Have done it since we’ve been married, and each year, we add a little to the display, make it a bit better. We do it for the kids, because we remember how cool it is to see someone get into the spirit. Pam asked me once what we’d do if someone vandalized our stuff. I said, “no worries, we’ll start over. Not going to be defeated by idiots and losers.”

Why am I saying that? Well, here’s a first! Someone stole one of the grave stones off our front yard. Only one marker was stolen – they left the cool skeletons, the fancy bats, the lights, the pumpkins, the blow ups – everything. Only the new grave stone we made this year with the name “Roberto 2009” on one side, and “Anna 2009” on the other side went missing. Interesting that only that one grave marker went missing. In fact, VERY interesting that it is only that one particular grave stone that went missing.

It’s amazing to me, how small some people are. Stealing a wooden grave stone? Wow. You must really be proud of yourself. A truly remarkable person. I bet your father, if you know who he is, must be really proud of you! And your mother, gosh, she must truly be a remarkable person too – instilling such values in you… She probably works down on Main and Hastings. I shouldn’t be too hard on the thief, though, they probably have residual childhood issues, like bedwetting, Mommy didn’t breastfeed them, or Daddy spent too much time with the hookers.

At any rate, I’ve got two more grave markers in production, and we’ll just replace the stolen grave marker. These small, pathetic people won’t deter us…

Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao