Archive for August, 2009

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Online MS in Information Security

Sunday, August 30th, 2009

With all the weird threats out there on the internet, I’m almost too nervous to surf to a new site like I used to. What if it downloads a hideous virus to my computer that sucks 10 years worth of baby pictures down the toilet? I’ve only printed some of those up but even if I’d printed them all I don’t want to have to scan them back in — what a waste of time. I’d probably be willing to pay somebody to give me piece of mind. Somebody should really make a job of that.

Oh yeah, they already did. And you can get an online degree in that field too. Like an online MS in Information Security from Lewis University. They have two different concentrations (Management or Technical) and cover topics ranging from Computer Forensics to Security Assurance Principles (names of just 2 of their courses). You could end up working for a large corporation or starting your own business going door to door protecting computers like mine.

And when will your job security disappear? When utopia arrives and no one want to have power over other people’s information. In other words – never.

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Game of Thrones casting

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Even more news has broken about HBO’s upcoming series, “A Game of Thrones”. The news keeps getting more and more exciting as more and more characters are cast. Since there are absolutely so many characters in the book, there will be news breaking about casting in this series for a while to come. Here are some of the highlights so far.

Sean Bean – Eddard Stark (so very exciting, go Boromir!)
Peter Dinklage – Tyrion Lannister (everybody’s first choice; awesome)
Jennifer Ehle – Catelyn Stark (from Pride & Prejudice; solid actress)
Mark Addy – Robert Baratheon (from Still Standing; perfect choice)
Harry Lloyd – Viserys Targaryen
Kit Harrington – Jon Snow (looks perfect)
Jack Gleeson – Joffrey Baratheon
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – Jaime Lannister (absolutely perfect choice; getting more excited)
Alfie Allen – Theon Greyjoy (exactly what an Iron Prince should look like)
Sophie Turner – Sansa Stark
Maisie Williams – Arya Stark (oh yes! perfect choice)
Richard Madden – Robb Stark (can’t believe how perfect he looks for the role)
Tamzin Merchant – Daenerys Targaryen (they did it again, can’t imagine better)
Iain Glen – Jorah Mormont

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Aerating a Pond

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

If you have a pond as a water feature you know that perfectly murky pond water doesn’t come by just letting it sit there. You have to care for your pond especially if you intend it to include fish. Just like when you have them in a tank at home, the water has to be aerated. You might do this with a fountain or you could get your hands on a couple pond aerators specifically designed for the job. These things don’t have to be unsightly – some even just float on the water.

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Why Are There Four Seasons

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

I tried to explain seasons to my kids the other day. I got out the globe and asked who wanted the role of the sun and no one wanted it (who knew that was the dud role in this play) so I assigned my older daughter who can stay pretty still.

I glossed over (actually I totally omitted) the part about the sun rotating. Just seemed easier. I assigned the role of Earth to one of my sons and the role of the moon to the other. Then I attempted to get one to constantly face the second while the second turned in circles while going around my daughter and leaning slightly askew.

You can imagine how well that worked.

Then I tried to show them how the rays of the sun would be more direct at one time of the year than at another in out part of the world but the awe of knowing WHY winter is colder than summer didn’t light up their little eyes like I thought it would. I can’t imagine why.

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Fat Burners or Fat Burning

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

So many fat burners so little time. Just kidding. I actually feel like I’m doing pretty well with my latest diet. It’s called the DDR Diet. You just buy a playstation and a variety of DDR games, set yourself up in workout mode and get to it.

It bothers me a little when the announcer/motivational guy comes on and tells me “You’re no ordinary fella” but I manage to deal with it. It REALLY annoys me when the song is too slow for me to keep time with the beat. If you want me to jump don’t expect me to wait 5 seconds between jumps and still keep hitting my spot perfectly every time.

The most annoying thing about my particular version is that Cindy Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” ends about half way through. Grrrr Argh!

Posted in Health | 1 Comment »

NCIS-LA

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

With the fall season fast approaching, I wait in anticipation of the newest spinoff at CBS, NCIS-LA. Naval Criminal Investigative Service – Los Angeles. The show with more abbreviations than any other in history. Heck, if you include that Los Angeles is even a shortened form of the full name of that city then you have abbreviations of abbreviations. (El Pueblo de la Reina de los Ángeles is an unwieldy name for such a large city.)

But no amount of abbreviating can quell my excitement for another spinoff crime drama starring a rapper-turned-actor. Ice-T made SVU a hit. LL Cool J can do the same over at CBS. Look, he even has more abbreviations than Ice-T.

I’ll let you know what I think of the show once it airs.

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BOING! Look at That Check Bounce

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

I bounced a check. It’s embarrassing to admit since I had the money in my savings account. I’m also quite willing to blame them since they took over a month to deposit the check. But still….

So now I’ve decided everything costs to much and I’m cutting costs. I’m getting a couple insurance quotes and I’ve resolved for the millionth time to drink more water (free at my local drinking fountain).

Don’t worry, I don’t think it’s so bad that I’ll have to stop going to movies and returning with my witting and sarcastic remarks about them (or maybe you wish I would?)

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Invasion

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

My nemesis has returned. That dreaded creature that has turned many a blissful night into a nightmare of stinging pain. The ANT!!

We’ve been invaded. We threw a 409 volley (the all purpose cleaner) across their bow to dissuade their presence but they kept coming.

We startegically littered our counters and floors with land mines of ant bait, but they seem to have access to our mine maps. Every time we redeploy, their tactics change. It’s as if they’re reading our minds (or this blog post).

We planted and dusted the exterior of this domicile with a variety of chemical weapons to no avail.

Just a few days ago we feigned surrender by putting a cup of jelly laced juice outside to attract them and have them give away their supply line. It worked and we traced them back to HQ where we used weapons of mass destruction (a shovel and more poison) to annihilate them. For two glorious days we believed victory was ours.

And then, today, our hopes were dashed. Like a swarm of locusts (except no flying thankfully) they have regrouped and returned. Our kitchen sink seems to be their main objective. I’m seriously considering giving it over to them. Maybe we can hold the line at the kitchen but I don’t know if it’s realistic to try to defend the whole house talking.

I know it’s un-American to think in such a way but when you’ve been in the trenches like I have you start to think a little differently. You start to feel sorry for them. You start to scratch at any little thing. And you long for things to go back to the way they used to be when the kitchen didn’t crawl and an itch was just an itch.

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More Brains Than I’ve Got

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

My husband takes care of making sure our computer has enough memory. I imagine I could do it myself – it’s not like I’d be looking for mac memory or anything strange like that but he REALLY has it well in hand. Despite my taking an endless string of string of 1MB pictures, we aren’t even close to running out. I don’t know that we’re at the point yet that our computer has more memory space than my own brain, but somewhere down the road I see the day when I’m going to lose that competition.

That’s a little sad to think about.

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Creepy Sleep Gene

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

They’ve discovered a gene that makes it possible for a person to get by with less sleep. (You know them – the big THEY that is THEY). Apparently there are a couple people out there who have an actual mutation that makes it possible to feel fully rested after only 6 or so hours of sleep. They wake up without alarm clocks at 4:30 in the morning after having gone to bed at 10 or 10:30. I call that impressive.

But what do THEY think this discovery is useful for? Why, for people who want extra time in the day to get things done without adverse effects on their health. Sounds reasonable.

For about a second. And then you think that a person would need to alter themselves at a fundamental level physically to attain this goal. That’s a bit creepy.

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Torn Up Over Torn Fabric

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

I can’t believe it but our patio furniture is already starting to wear out. Two of our chairs have holes in the fabric. Although I thought it might be local wildlife getting at them, my husband suspects the vicious sunny climate here. We thought about investing in an umbrella to go with the table and chairs but decided not to because of cost. Looking back I guess it would have protected the chairs. But then the umbrella itself would be a victim to the sun by now. You’d think it would be ok to put patio furniture on the patio.

Posted in Randomness | Comments Off

A Day Trip

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

If you are in the area, now is a lovely time to visit Flagstaff and the surrounding area. They have frequent afternoon showers and the temperatures are usually in the mid 80s. If you want to visit the Grand Canyon, this is a good place to spend the night. You are also very close to Williams from where you can take a train ride to the Canyon (pretty fun). If you want to go some other time of year, they have snow in the winter. On the other hand Flagstaff is close to Sedona where a visit to see the trees change color in the fall is VERY worth it. Red rocks and red leaves make for a beautiful combination.

I’m making myself jealous thinking about cooler temperatures.

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Somewhere East of Here

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Relatives recently moved to North Carolina. Actually they may still be in transit. It’s about as far east of here as a person can get without actually reaching the Outer Banks. As a going away gift I thought of giving them an emergency hurricane kit but let’s face it – I live in a land locked state and it’s so dry here I don’t have the foggiest clue what to put in one. Ponchos aren’t going to cut the mustard in a storm of that size and I don’t think I could afford real heavy duty, high quality rain coats for the whole family. I’d probably end up just putting in a couple flashlights and some life jackets. And that would be too morbid so I nixed the idea and pitched in on a gift card instead. Some of my best ideas are just too cynical for public consumption.

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GI Joe Review

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

GI Joe.
hmmmmmm
What to say about GI Joe…..

Did I like it? I don’t know.
Would I recommend it? I don’t know.
Did I watch it? Yes, of course I did or why would I be asking those other questions of myself.

Many people want to compare GI Joe and Transformers but they’re really two different animals. GI Joe is all about reality (I’m sure the government has those pulse cannons hidden away somewhere) but Transformers are about unrealistic things. I could believe aliens, but alien robots are obviously a stretch.

I could try to compare them but really all I can come up with is that Transformers is better because things blow up. In GI Joe, they just break. They must have gone through 80 million tons of glass. Car windows and building windows and some places were decorated with glass that broke as well. Magically, no one is seriously injured by the stuff but let’s ignore that for a moment.

Let’s focus on the fact that I think I didn’t like the movie because of all that breaking glass. I got sick of seeing it. And there were no shards or dagger shaped pieces. It all broke into really tiny pieces. What happened to go ol’ fashioned impaling on a piece of glass – if it happened I missed it.

I guess I must ruefully admit that no I didn’t like it and that no, I wouldn’t reccommend it and it’s all because of the glass.

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AED first aid

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

One of the most important modern devices for any office or school first aid kit is an Automated External Defibrillator. This amazing device is saving lives all over the country when properly used. The best part is how absolutely easy it is to use. If someone is having a heart attack, the device will sense the problem and automatically give the correct jolt to save the person’s life. Shop around for a Philips AED to have on hand wherever you have a first aid kit. You may save someone’s life.

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De J’a Vous

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

I just got to go back to work today and they started us out with our annual, “Don’t do this, report that” meeting. It’s totally dull but also totally informative and necessary. I know when I needed this information during the middle of last year, all I could think was, “What did they say I’m supposed to do now?” So this time I took notes. If what happened last year happens again, I’m ready. It would be a good thing if there was no repeat though.

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Time for Insurance

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

Even in these down times the need for insurance is still important and necessary. With term life insurance you can be sure that your family and loved ones will be taken care of after you’re gone. Shopping around for all types of insurance including term life ins is easier than ever nowadays with the internet available to evaluate all types of insurance. Shop around, find the best one available, and make sure that you are properly insured.

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True Neutral

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

In my latest and most recent entry into examples of the classic Dungeons and Dragons alignments, I bring you true neutral.

These are the types of characters that will give you a definite maybe. Although some may adopt a “I’ll leave you alone if you leave me alone” attitude, others are just above the arguments of lesser beings. See you next, maybe.

Switzerland – If you won’t fight against Nazis, you won’t fight against anybody.
Doctor Manhattan – Truly does not care, not even about wearing clothes.
Kaminoans – Cloning is cool; everything else, meh.
Treebeard – “I am not altogether on anybody’s side.”
Rick Blaine – “I stick out my neck for nobody.”
Jet – “I don’t know, and I have no opinion.”
Neutral President – “If I don’t make it, tell my wife ‘Hello’.”

Posted in Board Games, Geekery | Comments Off

Orange Dentist

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

There’s nothing that brightens a room like a great smile. And if you’re in need of almost any dental work in the New Jersey area, then you may want to look up the people at the Yogi Dental Center. They over many services including dental exams, x-rays, dentures, root canals and more. So if you need some sort of orange nj cosmetic dentist, then make sure you visit their site and look up what they can offer for you.

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A Game of Thrones HBO update

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

With the entire world waiting anxiously for the next year’s hit HBO series “A Game of Thrones” to be released. (well, me and lots of people anyway), news has come down to some of the initial casting. With such amazing source material, this series should become one of the most successful shows for HBO ever.

The first casting news that came down was that Peter Dinklage would play one of the key characters, Tyrion. Dinklage should do a great job and the cast should be strong with him at the head.

Next, and most exciting, is that the King in the North, Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark would be played by Sean Bean. Boromir himself as Ned Stark. This is most exciting because it means that HBO is serious about making “A Game of Thrones” into a key franchise for the network. You don’t typically get someone like Sean Bean to be in your series if you’re not serious about making it, and making it good.

Some of the other characters have also been cast and filming should begin in a couple of months for the first episode. Can’t wait to sign up for HBO next fall.

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