Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember those who served in the military. Traditionally it is observed on May 30th but is now "the last Monday in May."

Regardless, it is also the birthday of our Johnny Henderson Pruett and this is the first Memorial Day without him. He served in Korea and Viet Nam in the Air Force.

Upon his return from Viet Nam he was abused by so-called "hippie" demonstrators who were screaming at him and spitting upon him, called him "baby killer" and threw rocks at him at the airport in San Francisco upon his return though he arrived obviously wounded with two broken collar bones which he incurred as the result of his service to his country.

He never understood the immense hostility of these vicious American citizens toward another citizen engaged in their military duty. This misdirected rage was also obviously a painful memory to him as he related it to us — and knowing him like we do we know he did not deserve this treatment.

I hope that your family has never suffered the reprehensible abuse Johnny H Pruett endured as the result of his military service. He was first and foremost a family man, a patriot, and a man of honor.

Happy birtday Johnny Pruett and Happy Memorial Day. Freedom isn't free.

Returned from Aiken County.

Had a lovely meal at my sister's house.

I was able to burn all of the shred documents and my box is now empty after well over a year.

Went to my father's grave and paid my respects. Somebody had moved his wind chime. I placed it back where it was.

Took Mom to her house.

Returned to mine and fetched the robot which was left cleaning the floor. Took it outside with a can of air and blew out the dust bin, brushes, and roller assembly. It is now recharging.

Putting on a load of clothes and taking a little nap.

Ahhhhhhh !

Pat portrayed by Julia Sweeney

"Hey baby, how a bout a blow job. I know you've got one with you !"

It's far better to remain silent and be THOUGHT a fool,
than to speak and remove all doubt.

In a lovely article on the AP wire Microsoft claims that users can still opt out of Windows 10 upgrades.

As much as I hate to agree, I must because IMHO the issue lay in the confusion of users navigating the dialog; not that the opt out is unavailable ... or IS it ?

It's just a little camouflaged on a screen that doesn't specifically say "Opt Out Idiot" ...

Leave it to Redmond to belabor the point AND it should be noted that users are claiming that closure of the dialog via the normal control in the upper right hand corner of the dialog will result in a scheduled (and unwanted) upgrade to windows 10 anyway. Could it be ?
 

In a statement to the BBC, Microsoft INSISTS customers CAN choose to accept or decline the new operating system. Sounds like they want to fend off some EU fine or something to me. You know, nip it in the bud.

Hummmmmm. I don't know about you but a lot of my windows 10 stuff happens in the dead of night while I'm asleep. The perils of a 24/7 operation.

Then they were peer to peering my network to push updates to others near me WITHOUT my informed consent. I brought all of that to a screeching halt myself. I also make it a habit to keep several Unix boxes between Redmond and me.

I don't think they can be trusted. Not at all.

Among the rather unflattering definitions of geek include the act of engaging in and/or discussion of computer related ideas and implementations in great technical detail to the point of obsession. About that time I embarked on life's "Plan B" — which was the field of computers and networks — I was such a person ...

a "geek" if you will with all the oddity it entailed as I lived and breathed each and every technologically filled workday for many years.
 

Like so many other things which have passed before me, that was then and this is now. I presently lack the technological immersion I once pursued relentlessly and though I am fond of technological pursuits, they no longer course through my veins in the manner of that heyday of my time with Dr Stephen Lloyd, DUCHESS, and Darrell McDaniel.

I sometimes look back wistfully at that which was and wish for that burning fervor I felt once again. Then other times I'm happy those times came and even happier that they went.

Today is Geek Pride Day. Time to don your propellerhead and get in there and celebrate geekdom in all it's technical splendor. Time to engage code, build machines, reminisce, and plan for the many tomorrows of geekatude to come.

Regardless of how geeky you find yourself these days; were you ever one such as me with a penchant for hardware, software, media and everything that goes with it today is your day.

Happy Geek Pride Day to you !

You are a moron

Google has a "news near you" function on it's menu which allegedly is to provide information from your immediate area. In addition they push ads supposedly customized for your immediate area as well.

Fine and well and good ... only the geolocation they have for me is in another city a hundred ten miles away. THEREFORE, the "news near you" and "customized" advertising isn't really "near me" or "helpful" at all ... and subsequently about as useful as boobs on a beau hog.

I keep wondering just who is responsible for this stupidity and if indeed there will EVER be plans to fix the mess.

Attempts to contact ANYONE with Google regarding the situation is impossible and I'm close to firewalling them from my node in perpetuity just to be done with the low tech mendacity of it all. I don't give a rip if it DOES take me off all the android telephony which they obviously control to a level consistent with the third reich.

I even placed CORRECT geolocation tags in the head of the three web sites hosted at this IP address to no avail.

Surely Google isn't THIS stupid — but it's looking pretty bad presently.

My frustration level with Google is through the roof.

I awoke this morning fairly early to a much dryer living room.

It seems that the combination of dehumidifier and industrial fan is removing the water quickly. Yesterday I was sloshing. Today it's just a little damp with more dampness in spots.

I'll likely go one more session of towels for a little more wicking action and hope for the best.

The plumber will be here sometime this morning.

my broke water heater

I arrived home yesterday to a flooded utility room, kitchen, and living room courtesy of the piece of junk water heater sold to me by Franklin D plumbing who used to be on Alpine Road but left probably to avoid dissatisfied customers.

Anyway, the plumber tending to the thing said it appears to have rusted out at the top and this resulted in a steady leak which started sometime after I departed for work and continued all day because I was at work and unaware that there was a problem.

He asked me how old it was and I told him about 5 years old.

He said it should still be under warranty. Then he checked the manufacture date and it was 2001. No warranty. I was just sold an old piece of equipment.
 

Charlie Brown Frustration

Anyway I have spent the bulk of my time since my return from work yesterday drying out floors and furniture and carpet and this outrageous mess is going to pretty much deplete my working fundage given the fact that I bought a bunch of new computer hardware with what I had laying around.

So the plumber will return tomorrow since it was after five pm yesterday when we started the project so the vendors were all closed ...

and I'm going to zap my checking account shortly thereafter.

To make matters worse I'm not going to be able to work on the new server cluster because I'm tied up with those domestic mule duties which include fan and dehumidifier, towels to sop up the water, washing the towels, drying the towels, and repeating the mess. AAAAArrrrgh !