• Tag Archives computers

  • No Joy

    Posted on by Charles Comment

    Imbolc                                                       Waxing Bridgit Moon

    Hmmm.  Spent an hour + last night with the network guy.  He took over my PC through a remote connection, a free app called showmypc.com, fished through my network settings, my printer settings and did a number of things I’d never imagined doing.  In the end though we still had no more luck than I’d already had.  None.  This cheered me up since I didn’t feel quite so inept afterward.

    Heading over to Radio Shack for another try on the printer parallel to usb cable.  I avoided buying the Radio Shack cable because it was more expensive, but I’ll try it now anyhow.  As soon as I get this one set up, I’ll put the new printer online, too.  I’m not expecting trouble with it since it’s plug-n-play.  Each problem is a learning opportunity and I say that with no tongue in cheek.  If you pay attention to the problem solving, it’s true.

    So, among other things on external Saturday, I’m headed for every geeks favorite store, Radio Shack.  Always good to have an excuse to go there.  At some point today or tomorrow it looks like the temps will rise above freezing, so I will have a chance to check on the bees.  Bee season has begun in active way, as has the growing season.  I have a few other things to accomplish over the weekend, get a system repair disc made for each of the new gateways, crank up the chainsaw and get my Titian tour together since I have my first tour on Thursday, the 17th.


    📂This entry was posted in GeekWorld 📎and tagged

  • A Purple, No, A Cyberhaze

    Posted on by Charles Comment

    Imbolc                                                  Waxing Bridgit Moon

    I have all my files from 3 computers backed up.  Only problem?  I don’t understand the back-up software.  I wish it would just let me call up the files in the same way I do on this machine.  I’m in a cyberhaze right now, machines too complicated for this guy’s savvy.  I may have to call in some help.  Hell, I can’t even get my computers to talk to my printers.  Ah, well.  It’s important to know when to say uncle byte me.  Not quite there yet, but I’m close.

    This stuff bothers me.  Why?  I guess it’s like the guy who fixes his own car, but suddenly faces something he knows is beyond his skill level.  Seems like he oughta be able to do it, but he can’t.


    📂This entry was posted in GeekWorld 📎and tagged

  • Bee Diary: Supplemental

    Posted on by Charles Comment

    Lughnasa                            Waning Artemis Moon

    The varroa mite count is in and my bees had–1.  That’s one mite for the sample of some 225 bees.  I didn’t get the optimal 300, see the business about the bees not volunteering for freezing to death, but finding only 1 mite makes me feel pretty comfortable.  Wednesday I’ll check the divide and see  how it’s doing mite wise.

    I’ll have to become more facile with this procedure since I need it to do at least twice a year, more if the counts begin to go high.

    We had a thunderstorm that knocked out the power and turned on our generator earlier tonight.  My computers were not unplugged, but they seem to have survived.


    📂This entry was posted in Bees GeekWorld 📎and tagged

  • The Common Experience

    Posted on by Charles Comment

    Imbolc                                                  Waning Wild Moon

    “The one common experience of all humanity is the challenge of problems.” – R. Buckminster Fuller

    I’ve had a lot of our common experience today.  Both of my computers have gone mute.  The Gateway, on which I’m writing my novel and doing art history research, I don’t mind.  This one, though, on which I listen to music from Folk Alley, Skype with the grandkids and watch videos on many websites, well, I do mind.

    I spent several hours today under the hood of this device, trying this, trying that.  I don’t know.  My main speaker doesn’t show any electricity getting to it, but I’ve checked all the connections.  Frak, as they would say on Galactica.  Part way Geek but not far enough.  But enough about my common experience, Bucky.

    We’ve had a run of weather that has not suggested much in the way of commentary for my weatherblog on the Star-Trib weatherwatcher site.  High pressure has kept us stable and reasonably warm.  Not a bad thing, even, perhaps, a good thing, since evaporation without rapid melting reduces the chance of flooding in the Red River Valley.

    Kate has got her sewing machine humming, churning out princess regalia for the soon-to-be 4 queen in waiting of Pontiac Street.  She bought 4, 4, tiara’s for Ruth today.  A couple of cute outfits for the Gabester’s 2nd birthday, they’re both April babies, and a new shower head completed her longest shopping excursion since her back surgery.  She’s feeling a lot better, more stamina.  More sass.


    📂This entry was posted in Family GeekWorld Weather +Climate 📎and tagged

  • We’re Baaaack!

    Posted on by Charles Comment

    Summer                                Waxing Green Corn Moon

    Some new html code somehow turned all the type on some computers black.  Why this happened is not clear, since it never showed up on this computer or friend Bill Schmidt’s.  A long time back it became clear that the last thing done before a problem occurs probably screwed things up.  Yup.

    A.T. will go to sleep for now, but the blog will be, as much as possible, in the third person, with no I.  This is an exercise in discipline for a writer.

    The netaphim, shredded by Vega, now connects from one end to the other.  The reason for the fence, to allow it to stay that way, now comes into play.

    The irrigation clock received new instructions based on something heard at Seed Saver’s over last weekend.  Water once a week, a lot.  Stop.  This encourages plants to grow deeper roots, following the water down.  This is an experiment, we’ll see how it works.  This new setup will eliminate, too, a frustrating situation in which two zones ran at the same time, reducing the flow to both.  At least clearing the computer of all its programming and starting over should fix that.

    It’s surprising how many everyday items now rely on computer code.  The irrigation clock.  The weather station.  The blackberry.  Microwave.  TV.  Automobile.  Some experience with computers and with code, even if limited, can make navigating this electronic minefield easier.


    📂This entry was posted in Garden GeekWorld 📎and tagged

  • Liberalism on the Rise

    Posted on by Charles Comment

    Double tree has computers, but they come out in this really big font and I can’t figure out how to decrease the size.  So, I’ll. just. shout. it.  out.  o. k. ?

    When I left Jon and Jen’s last night, Barb was still at the ER at University Hospital.  I’m headed over there now to help with housecleaning, so I’ll find out what  happened.

    There’s a line now at the computers.  That’s what comes with socialism, when everything’s free.  Or, at least when the cost is hidden.  Gal just stood, drinking coffee, looking at me.  Passive aggressive.

    Read the newspaper this morning about the economy.  Bad news.  Which is  good news for Democrats.   Also, an interesting article by somebody named Jonathan Goldberg.  He’s an editor of the National Review and author of a book, Liberal Fascism. 

    His perspective is that conservativism will rise again.  He said over and over that Republican does not equal conservatism.  The current administration spent like “a pimp with a week to live.”  A colorful metaphor.  I suspect the gut of his argument is correct, however, and that is that conservatism is a part of the American ethos and will only be challenged by a liberal ascendancy, not obliterated. 

    We can only  hope that first, the ascendancy will happen, and that it will produce affects that have a long shelf life, like Social Security and Medicare.  Which do need to get fixed.  Amen.

    OK.  Out for now.  See you on the flipside of the bris.


    📂This entry was posted in Family GeekWorld Politics 📎and tagged