Now that I've actually had to try and work with it, I have to say that Vista is certainly the most annoying operating system I've ever had to deal with. Especially if you ever have to (gak) edit system configuration files or something like that.

Somebody wishes to change a system file. Is that OK with you? Well, yeah, that would be me that's doing it you dumbass. I'm sorry, but you don't have the requisite privilege to tweak that file. Would you like me to give you the necessary privilege? Well, yeah that would be nice. Somebody on the system is trying to elevate their privilege. Is this OK? That would be me again, dumbass. Somebody is trying to change a system file. Is this OK? Didn't you already ask me this? Oh but now I'm somebody else so you have to ask again. And then finally I get to edit the file. When I finish, it's another round of idiocy. Somebody just changed a system file, is this OK? (Sigh...) 

I remember Apple had a pretty funny commercial about this recently, but it's the first time I've had to deal with it firsthand. But once again it shows how completely full of holes this system is. This is all to prevent bad guys from doing bad things to your machine.

But they put the 'triggers' in the wrong place - when the questionable action is being done. You wouldn't need to ask these questions if instead you were to trigger on the source of the action, how is it being invoked? Who is doing this? If a script that got downloaded from a web page wants to mess with system files, you should definitely ask what the heck is going on. But if the source of this was somebody sitting at the keyboard clicking on a file, this isn't something you need to verify. And if it is, the machine owner has more serious problems than viruses. But then if you could trigger on the source of the action, it wouldn't be all that hard to prevent it from happening at all, now would it?

Somebody named 'mike' is about to save a blog post. Is this OK.... mike?

Down to the final count now. Unless one of my neighbors was stupid enough to leave their wi-fi channel unprotected, I'll likely wake up with nothing but 'Destination Unreachable' messages. There's always metro-fi, but it really sucks rocks. I'd probably prefer to do without.

I'll be too busy to write anyway.  

But you probably realize it's not going to be that easy to get rid of me. I'll still be here, except I won't really be here, I'll be there, or maybe someplace in between.  

Time now for a last beer or three. Oh what the heck. I've got to finish everything that's in the fridge anyways. If you think I'm going to throw away any perfectly good beer, you obviously don't know me very well. So I propose a toast. Here's to the good ol' U.S. of A. It's been good. Well at least before George, anyway.

And another toast to everybody here in the valley that still has dreams. Stop dreaming. Live those dreams. Just do it.

So until next time....

Hasta la vista, babee.

Later, dudes.

Nice warm spring day. For me, it's gonna' have to do for summer because I won't get a summer this year.  

Today was the official first of the last days. It could be the last time that I'll do many things. Last trip to the stables. Last trip to the local music store. And it goes on and on. 

After leaving the stables, I had to buy a new pair of shoes. Toss the old ones. The old ones have been near livestock, and this causes fumigation and perhaps quarantine issues. So I went through Target for the last time. I remember going through Target at the peak of the Silicon Valley recession in 2002. I think there were three people in the entire football-field size store. Today was a sharp contrast. It was bustling. Good to see the valley alive again. It's been a long recovery.

Then over to the music store. I picked up a Blueridge and serenaded the Washburns and Martins with it. Used to sell Blueridge. This turned out to be the finest sounding guitar in the entire store, very pleasant. Said goodbye to the clerks who all know me by name. Even a former customer of mine out shopping for Strats wished me well.

Some of the last times have already happened. But today was the first day that I've started to take notice.