Repurposing the Blog

I think that I'm going to repurpose this Web log. I mean, I just can't inform people about my goings on in the dead of night. Mostly when there's a related investigation to a particular crime I'm involved in bollixing. So, from now on, I'm going to talk about my other love. Computers and their trappings.

So, I am the first to admit that it's a Microsoft World out there. Which really sucks because it stifles innovation. Microsoft doesn't innovate, they steal and reverse engineer. Even Windows Vista/Windows 7 is riding the coattails of MacOS X. They haven't come up with anything original...ever. Even their first OS, MS-DOS was a redesign of PC-DOS which was ripped off of CPM which was ripped off of UNIX. Geez, everybody was stealing from everybody else.

The reason I bring this up is that since it's a firmly entrenched MS world, you need to adapt to it. One of Microsoft's biggest issues is cruft. When a hard drive writes a files, it doesn't write out that file in a single straight piece from beginning to end. Of course not. That would actually make sense. What it does instead is break up the file into tiny bits and writes it all over the drive in between bits from other files. The end result? After a while of use, your computer starts to slow down because it has to spend most of its time hunting for file pieces to put back together.

Well, I have the perfect solution for you. Defragmenting the drive. Now, Windows comes with a built-in defragmenting program. It's okay, but you have to either religiously run the program manually, or schedule it to run when you are not using the computer. I don't know about you, but if I'm not using the computer, then the computer is usually off. Those electric bills add up, you know.

Now, there are many other defrag programs out there that you can use. A number of them are free. But the one I want to talk about is JKDefrag. JK are the initials of the programmer Jeroen Kessels. He has a few other useful little do-dads on his site, but JKDefrag is far and away the best. I use this on my Windows based Acer Extensa. As with most defragging programs, you can run it manually, but this baby has one ace up its sleeve that the others don't. You can set JKDefrag as your screen saver. You heard right. When your computer times out to the screen saver, it starts defragging. You have this running on a daily basis, and your disk will be regularly defragged. The speed improvements have been stellar since I started using this software.

I'll probably be back later and review other software I like. If you can't tell, I have a soft spot for FOSS (free open source software). I mean, com'on. Nothing says welfare of the commonweal like free software that any programmer with the right skills can update or improve without taking credit for the program other than the changes made. I call that community oriented, and that's what I'm all about. :-)

Catch Up Thoughts

Well, I really called it on the Windows Vista. Bloatware first class. On top of that, they went to far to the right in terms of security. Security isn't much good when it reduces the system's functionality. So, now they're coming up with Windows 7, which is getting warm reviews even from the anti-Microsoft crowd. That's pretty impressive. I may in fact get a Windows 7 machine in the future. I seriously doubt it will work on my current hardware. For right now, Windows XP is fine for what I use it for.

On a related note, I've been bitten by the Ubuntu bug. I used to enjoy Linspire (formerly Lindows until MS got bug up their shorts and decided to sue over the name. They lost the suit in the US, so they took their act on the road and won the suit on the Netherlands). Anyway, the head of Linspire Michael Robertson sold Linspire to Xandros without informing investors. So, Linspire no longer exists. Click N Run, the software download system for Linspire is also pretty much dead too. Which is a shame.

I needed to find another Linux distro to champion, so I decided to check out Ubuntu as I've been hearing loads of great things about it. I must say I am thoroughly impressed. It helps that, though I tried Intrepid Ibex (v8.10), my working system is using Jaunty Jackalope (v9.04). Everything just worked right off the bat. Not like Linspire where there was no WiFi support.

On another related note, you might call it a segue, I bought myself a netbook. Partly to say, I have one, and partly to use while I travel for vacations and the like. I got an Acer Aspire One, primarily because I have been having great luck with Acer portables lately. It has 1GB of RAM and an 8GB solid state drive. It originally came with Windows XP installed, and as much as I like WinXP, it's not exactly the best OS for a solid state drive. There are a limited number of writes on an SSD, and Windows writes constantly, even when you're not using the thing. So, I went to the Canonical site and downloaded Ubuntu Netbook Remix, a version of Ubuntu that designed for the small form factor of a netbook computer. Then, I handily "burned" the image to a 2GB USB drive and booted the netbook from the USB. It installed very easily after that. I used a non-journaling file system for Ubuntu Netbook Remix so that the OS isn't constantly writing to the SSD.

This baby runs much faster and smoother with UNR than it did with Windows XP, and outside of high level gaming, this system does just about anything that my full sized WinXP notebook (also an Acer). So, I am happy doing the Ubuntu thing, plus there is a version update coming soon (Karmic Koala; don't you just love those kitschy names?).

So...that's what I've been up to. Sorry it's a bit geeky, but hey, I'm a network admin, what do you expect. :)

Blows Dust off the Table

Wow. Been a while, hasn't it? What can I say? With all the things going on in my life between work and...extracurricular pursuits. It doesn't help that R'y'sha got me hooked on World of Warcraft. Whenever I can get a chance to play it. If you're ever running about and come across a female Tauren named Angulabova, well, that's yours truly. I love those cow girl warriors. I could see myself as a Tauren. :)

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my birthday. I'm another year closer to the big Four-Oh. Strangely enough, I don't feel any older. No wrinkles. No crow's feet. No bags under the eyes. Not even so much as a gray hair. It feels kinda weird, but I guess I shouldn't complain. Anyway, the girls all took me out to lunch, and later that evening Kevin had special plans for us. Heheh. ^_^ Here's to another year!

Vista - Just Another Cry for Attention

So, Micro$oft has finally release it's latest version of its bloatware OS, named Windows Vista. The question still remains...why? No one really needs the thing. I mean, XP was good enough. It solved all of the peccadilloes of the Windows 9x series and then some. Security was higher. Programs no longer crashed the entire system.

This new monster, however, is a resource hog all around. You need a minimum of 1 GB of RAM and 15 GB of free space for the OS. 15 GB? It's an operating system for cryin' out loud? It's primary job is system functionality and system security. What the heck takes 15 GB? All those damned graphics, that's what. Wasted space. I think I'll stick with Linux for work and XP SP2 for gaming. Soon, XP SP3 will be available. After that...I think Windows is dead after that.

The wave of the future, folks. It's either gonna be Apple or Linux (and Apple isn't much better than Micro$oft).

Happy Belated New Year

Oh my. Christmas has come and gone. So has New Year's. It's been an interesting year. One can only hope that things get better. For me personally, it's been pretty uneventful. I do have a new Yahoo 360 page, though. You can check it out at http://360.yahoo.com/trisha.fate

I'll try to keep in touch, but you know how it is. How does Batman keep this pace up anyway?

DrewsArt

Hi there! It's been a while, hasn't it? The life of a crime fighting IT specialist saxophone player is never dull. :)

Another fantastic artist by the name of Drew Gardner has decided to do some of his work here on Blogger. Please view his art at DrewsArt. It's quite impressive.

No minors allowed, please.

Artist Extraordinaire

There's an artist I've met on deviantART who also has a blog here on Blogger. Check him out at Wagner's Gallery. Be warned, a lot of his work is "mature" in nature. No minors allowed.

If I Can Just Keep Laughing

Hey there! Long time no blog. As you know, life for me can get pretty hectic. So, I don't get to type in here as often as I like. Sometimes I completely forget about this thing altogether; and when you have computer wetware in your head, that's really saying something.

Anyway, a very good friend of mine has a blog that you may find of interest. She is a person of strong wit and intelligence; always a dangerous combination. Go ahead and check her out. At the very least she'll make you laugh.

If I Can Just Keep Laughing

Batman Begins

So, I went to see the film Batman Begins. All I can say is...wow. I was really blown away by the amount of depth they poured into the Bruce Wayne character. The actor who played Alfred was a bit off, but he was a very good catalyst for the story.

The choices for the villains were truly inspired. No, disfigured creatures, or people with uncanny abilities. Just a man with a well designed plan, and a doctor with a potent drug. A very effective, potent drug. Makes me glad my system is immune to most foreign substances.

The effects were toned down, which was an improvement. And man, I love that Batmobile. Where can I get one of those babies? LOL

Or course, even if the movie had tanked, it would have been worth it just to see Morgan Freeman on the big screen. Heh, the man can even make a boring documentary fun. Actually, he has. Enter the film March of the Penguins. I may have to see that, too. If I have the time.

Recreational Reading

The interesting thing about being involved in all things computerized is that you begin to replace the things that you used to do in the physical world with digital facsimiles. Take comics, for example. I used to grab the paper at breakfast time and pull out the Style section and read my favorite comics. Not any more. Now, I subscribe to the Monument City Post online and read the day's comics there.

But, I don't just limit myself to newspaper comics. There is a booming industry in online comic strips out there. Some of them are really fantastic. One I recently found is called Girl Genius by Phil and Kaja Foglio. It was originally done in print, but they decided to go online. This is a fantastic comic, and you really would do yourself a service to catch up on it. The main character, Agatha, reminds me of Star Child sometimes. Heheh.

Check it out at http://www.girlgeniusonline.com. Be sure to start out with Girl Genius 101 so you can catch up with the story thus far.

Portable Digital Music

Today I decided to get one of those portable MP3 players. I have such a huge jazz collection on my home computer, and I'd love to listen to music at work, so I thought it would be a good idea. Little did I know the kind of hell I'd go through just to find one. There are practically hundreds of these things out there!

Now, I know what you're thinking, why don't I just get an Apple iPod and be done with it. Well, there's a little quirk about me you need to know. I hate bandwagons. Oh, I'm sure the iPod is a fine device, well worthy of the praise it receives, but I like to flaunt my individuality. So, I went to my favorite tech site ZDNet, and did some comparison shopping.

I finally, decided on the Creative Zen Micro. It's as well designed as the iPod Mini, plus it has some features that the Mini doesn't, like 5 GB of storage as opposed to the Mini's 4 GB, a digital FM tuner to pick up my favorite Smooth Jazz station, and PIM synch software for MS Outlook. Well, actually, I don't use Microsoft software. I'm into the Open Source scene, but that's just me. ^_^

I thought about getting my Zen Micro in my signature color of dark blue, but I figured that might be telling. ~_^ So, I am getting it in black. Besides, I think the black offsets the blue LED lighting rather nicely.

Anyway, if you see me walking and I look like I'm ignoring you, don't take offense. I'm just jazzin'.

Not Again!

Can you believe this? It's been eight months since I posted here. Maybe I should give up this whole blog thing. I mean, I'm really too busy to do it. Ah well.

What's happened in eight months, let's see. We learned that hindsight is 20/20. The purported reason for attacking Iraq was because we were under threat from their weapons of mass destruction, or WMD's. God, why do people have to make an acronym out of everything? Would is kill them just to say "weapons of mass destruction"? I think a lot of the reasons we have peoblems today is poor communication. Stop being lazy people and speak fluent English. No more acronyms or slang terms, please. But, I digress.

Anyway, no weapons of mass destruction were found. So what, we went through all that crap and got some good soldiers killed for nothing? Au contraire, mon frere. The whole point of this little escapade was oil rights. Our president and his cronies are oil barons. Ergo, they stand to make a lot of cash if Iraq became a bona fide ally in democracy. So, go in and attack, blow off European allies like so much dandruff, capture the curent head of government, place a strategically hand-picked replacement and instill democratic practices. Then, schmooze with the the previously rebuffed European heads and all is gravy. After all, it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?

Very clever, but morally bankrupt. Who the hell are we to force our values on another culture? It's the rape of Africa all over again.

What else....oh, I made a new friend. A Jamaican woman who, through a freakish set of circumstances, developed the physical attributes of an ant. She calls herself Red Formica. She rather nice, actually. She has this really spunky roomate named Ari who reminds me so much of my friend Lisa Harrigan. I came to find out later that they truly did know each other. Heh, what are the odds?

Anyway, I recently helped Red Formica and Ari out of a tricky legal jam, not to mention I saved Red Formica's life, and bagged the nut job who turned her into a human ant in the first place. Quite a busy night that was. You can read all about it here.

Good Grief!

Yikes! It's been over two months since I last posted here. Well, you know how busy I get. Never a dull moment in Monument City. I think that it's nice I can communcate with people on the Internet. Folks have been known to say some strange things about me. To be honest, truth can be stranger than fiction (Heh-heh). This blog allows me to set the record straight. For instance, there are some people who think I'm a visitor from another planet. Com'on, people. Sure, I can do stuff far beyond the abilities of mortal men, but I'm no alien. I was born right here in the good ol' U.S. of A. When I come up with something better to talk about, I'll pop back in.

Meantime, if you'd like to look at some compromising pictures of me, check out the Afrodisium Exhibit at the Afrodiseum Web site. I'm sure it'll be worth your while. ~_^

Happy Easter

Okay, I'm a day late, but can you blame me? With all the preparations for Easter dinner to take care of, I just don't have the time to stop and add to my Blog. I went to church yesterday, of course. I know I should go more often, but what's a super heroine to do. To make up, I often meditate with Aquilia. I know she's not a real angel, but you never can be too sure. ^_^

The girls came over for dinner, and even Trevor was able to pop in for a bit. Unfortunately, he didn't get a chance to meet Kevin. One of these days I'll get the two most important men in my life together. Happy Easter, everyone.

Happy New Year

Well, Christmas was pretty nice. I got Kevin a couple of things. First, I got him a personal gun cleaning kit. He ususally just cleans it at the department, but I think he should show his independence. ^_^

The second thing I got him was...come to think of it, the second thing I got him is none of your business. But, I'll give you a hint, It's the same gift I got him on his birthday. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

The girls all chipped in and gave me a present I truly did not expect. They customized my car. I'm not talking detailing, either. It's really impressive. Apparently, R'y'sha had been planning this one for years and only recently included the rest of the Black Pack on the deal. My FMW Ibex is now a hovercar. You heard right. I've got a flying, crime fighting vehicle. It kind of puts the coffee and chocolate gift baskets I gave them to shame.

But enough about Christmas, It's a brand new year. 2004. It's funny, you know. I don't appear to be showing any signs of aging. I mean about this time I should be seeing the odd strand of grey, a wrinkle or two here and there. But nope, nothing. Nadda. Zip. I often wonder if there's more to my genetic enhancements than superhuman abilities. Guess I'll find out the hard way.

The girls, Kevin and I spent the night counting down New Year's on the roof of the John J. Chambers Commerce Building. It's the tallest spot in Monument City, and we got a real eyeful of the fireworks display from Central Plaza. Mayor Jareau really outdid himself this year.

So, Happy New Year to you and yours. Hopefully, there will be wonderful surprises in store for us in the coming year.

Happy Holidays

Hey, everyone! I just wanted to wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season, no matter which holiday that may be. Now, all I have to do is figure out what to get Kevin for Christmas this year. Last year, I got him a bath set. I think he genuinely liked it. He certainly loved the aftershave. This year, I want to think of something a little more intimate. He's not interested in fancy things. In fact, he's quite the average guy. Anybody have any suggestions out there?

Noir's End

I just finished watching the final volume of one of my all time favorite anime series. It's kind of sad to see it go, but they do leave behind a few unanswered clues. Who knows, maybe in a few years, they'll make another one.

I do have to admit, though. I was rather disappointed to see Chloe die. I rather liked her. Still, it was kind of inevitable. Altena, on the other hand, we finally get to see her for who she truly is. She seemed to be the kind of person who'd get jackets with the arms tied around the back and rubber wallpaper for Christmas. I mean a serious mental case. The religiously obsessive generally are. Oh, well. Now I can go back to the first episode and pick up on the things I missed the first time around. See ya later.

The MJ Problem

I just wanted to chime in on this Michael Jackson thing. I've been a fan since the Jackson 5 days, and I love his music. His current troubles have nothing to do with him as an artist. Still, I'm tired of going into chat rooms and having to put up with MJ jokes running rampant online. People have tried and convicted him without due process. It's unfair, and it's unconstitutional. It's also another day in the life of us Black folk. His guilt or innocence should be decided by jurisprudence and not public opinion. Personally, I believe it's all a misunderstanding, or worse, somebody trying to cash in on his wealth. Just thought I'd put my two cents in.

Thank You Lady Sax

Hey! I got e-mail! I guess that means someone is actually reading my blog. How about that. The message was from someone called Lady Sax. She is apparently trying to gather together a group of female saxists. I truly applaud her efforts. She had asked me to join, but I had to decline. Between crime fighting at night and network administration during the day, I'm swamped.

Besides, I'm already involved in a band made up of my home girls. It's called Rainbow. I play tenor sax (obviously), Azura is on percussion, Iris plays clarinet, Star Child plays bass guitar and does vocals, and Obsidian plays keyboard (she's a regular Stevie Wonder). Hellspawn, bless her, can't play an instrument to save her life. She has a killer voice, though, so we put her on lead vocals. Star Child was a little disappointed because that was her position. Emilia, in her true graceful style, was able to convince Star Child that she could sing counterpoint on many of the songs. They also do a mean duet.

So, thanks for the invite, Lady Sax, but as you can see, I'm pretty well covered. I wish you good fortune in all your endeavors, and let me know how things turn out, okay?