Okay folks this one is really for everyone and I must say that most of you people are rude. I do understand that you are frustrated and confused when your computer has issues and some nasty virus or something especially when it's involved with your business but, there really is no need to take that to the level of rude when someone is trying to assist you in your plight.

It is quite understandable that you could be a bit upset and even angry about a charge for servicing your computer but, is that really that much of a shock to you? Did you think I should fix it for free? hahahahahaha. You're so funny.

Come back to planet earth and let me explain a few things for you so we are both clear on what you will be experiencing.

1. It's not my computer so, no I wont be servicing it for free

2. You called me for assistance so, let me help before it gets worse

3. You messed it up in the first place (yes you did, and I know you did, I can tell because I'm smart like that)

4. It takes money to have and to keep a computer up and running well. Get over it, it doesn't get better from here.

5. A virus can and probably will get worse and then you WILL loose your computer, infect your friends, your business, loose your ISP, crash your drive, etc etc etc. You should fix that before it gets worse because, it will.

6. So, you have some sort of virus protection service and that should have helped you? Yeah, okay - it does for the most part. However, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• a. If your computer is infected with a virus you may not be able to either get rid of it or even have that protection find it. It's a virus people, they are WAY smarter than you.
• b. You dont have any virus software and want to know if you buy it now you will be able to get rid of it. See above. Most likely you won't be able to install it. Deal with the problem then, find a solution.
• c. With virus protection you actually need to keep your virus definitions up to date. That means scanning and downloading them on a regular basis. A regular basis is not going to be one a month, or even once a week. It's going to be whenever the little buggers decide to launch them. That would be AT ANY TIME. In the meantime, if you get the virus you may not be protected. Hello...reality check. Why don't you understand that?
• d. You go to the internet, you read email, you download music, you swap files, etc etc. Guess what...you are at risk. It's not just the geeks, it's not just opening email attachments, it's not anything in particular it's everything so - BEWARE. CLEAR enough for you?

Here's just some basic info to assist you and some links to things you might want to read up on, stay up to date on, could maybe help you out, etc. If you don't listen to all of this (and even if you do really) you will be calling me and I will be telling you that it's going to cost you to fix it. Get over it now and be pleasant because you're not the first person to have this happen to them, you won't be the last and I would be much more willing to give you the information you need if you at least work with me here.

#1. Don't go to porn sites. REALLY. The most infections come from those sites, links to porn, FREE porn, etc. Just don't do it.

#2. Supervise your children. REALLY - all the time. Kids download free music, IM with friends and foes, open stupid email, etc etc.

#3. Don't open emails with attachments. Even from someone you trust, a business, a friend, whatever. If it's important you can always call customer service for a business and find ot if you should open it before you do. One of your friends could have been stupid enough to open an email and guess what, the nasty people are hoping you are stupid too.

#4. Don't go to websites you don't know and trust.

#5. Don't download free software, free songs, click links for free money, etc. Yeah, it's a ploy and you're going to fall for it. Not that you aren't going to find good free stuff out there but, get it from a reputable source, research it first, etc.

#6. Don't click on that Active X link if you don't know what it's for. Etc etc etc

#7. Don't use a link in an email. Even if you think you know who it's from. Especially places like your bank, paypal, etc. Go to the internet and connect as you usually do, log into your account as you usually do and take the time to make sure you have put in the right address, the screen looks like it always has, etc etc. Or, just call customer service again.

Okay folks now, for the links and the info on what I am dealing with every minute of everyday currently:

UPS Virus

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/news/service_updates/virus_us.html

http://www.itdoescompute.com/2008/07/22/ups-virus/

Win32 XP Virus  "XP Anti virus 2008/2009, etc"

http://onecare.live.com/standard/en-us/virusenc/VirusEncInfo.htm?VirusName=Program:Win32/XPAntiVirus

Security Info places like Norton/Microsoft

http://www.symantec.com/norton/security_response/index.jsp

http://www.symantec.com/norton/theme.jsp?themeid=mislead

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/default.aspx

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/default.mspx

YouTube Videos with info

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPyGikZ1UzE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxLCtuUcvig

Great General Virus/Malware/SPyware & Safe computing Info:

http://www.viruslist.com/en/viruses/encyclopedia?chapter=153280800

**As a note I am calling everything a virus here so that those of you with little computer knowledge can get the jist of it. They are not all "viruses" some is Spyware, some is Malware, some are Phishing, etc etc. I don't think you need to get the name exactly right but, you do need to know that it is something dangerous to your system so, I believe the best way to describe that to you is "VIRUS" so you understand.

In addition please be aware that yes, I am an american and I am here to assist you however, I am neither technically savvy enough nor being paid enough to actually remote in and fix your computer. Like every other American I am greedy and would like to be paid adequately for the job I do. I do no more. I will be connecting you to someone else. That person most likely will not be an American and 95% will not even be in North America. Get over it. Work on your communication skills or call your local guy who will charge you hourly, keep your computer for days/weeks, and then probably tell you that you have to dump your disk. fa la la la. Your choice.

 

Along the same lines as Shadow Ads/Fading Ads there's architectural decay and forgotten places photography. Photographers are very passionate people who have a desire to capture something for posterity. I think that those of us who share a passion for things gone by or forgotten have a great desire to make sure a record is kept before it is gone. As America grows and develops we now have a history that we are wiping away or forgetting exists that sits for a time undisturbed or unwanted.

Thanks to Anand I have yet another gallery to share with you from a local who has been shooting these types of things for quite a long time. He has also been doing it on film (love to fellow film peeps!) and hand scanning and putting up on his site. It is just filled to the brim with images and I can't even imagine the time and patience it has taken to get it to this point now that I know all of that. I spent a couple hours the other night going through it all and enjoyed it a great deal.

His passion is decay. Mainly architectural decay. He has gone to great lengths to preserve images of these places. I don't suggest others doing the same thing but, I give him a good nod of appreciation for what he has done and as well, how he has done it. I know that many times when I was younger I would pass by that great peice of land for the old hospital with all the great buildings just sitting up there and wondered and wished I could get a peek. Seeing them overgrown and abandoned gave them an air of mystery and desire to know "what happened?". Well, someone out there took it all the way and he continues to do it today. He also travels to other places to be able to record those as well. Inside info says another Psychiatric Hospital was just visited in NJ so in time we'll have some more to look at as well.

I remember Dan having an interest at one point in those types of things and sharing a link and I don't know if this is the same one but it's similar if it isnt. Maybe Dan will share his link again as well. Glad to have the time now to explore more and delve deeper into sites to find such glorious images.

http://www.massdecay.com/

Enjoy!

Dan & Jen's Engagement Party

The festivities were simply fabulous.

I think everyone enjoyed themselves a great deal.

The weather even held out until we were on our way home so, it made for a perfect day all around.

It was great to be with good friends for the day, see people I haven't seen in a while and even meet some new ones. The food was really great and the view was just perfect. Years ago I did a wedding or two at the Danversport Yacht Club but I had never been to anything down back under a tent so that was a great new experience for me for the place. It brought back a lot of great memories of living up in that area and college and all of that so, that was nice as well.

So folks, I spent my evening off scanning and uploading these for you all since I really won't have time until next week. Some of them certainly could have used fill flash but, for the most part they worked out great. Remember these are printed at CVS and hand scanned so, they are no way the same as the originals. They work though.

I mixed up the color and black & white just for variety. The Ilford B&W C-41 I still have a great passion for since no one really does B&W processing anymore (well, anyone convenient anyway). Heck, very few people do film either. I'm so old fashioned - LOL. Anyway - Enjoy!

http://pandafan.tabulas.com/gallery/a@62849

 

 

Adding some pics to the gallery of little Miss Amelia Rose hangin at Wollaston Beach and enjoying the shaved ice. It was a nice day to go and stroll along the new pathways enjoying the treats and sharing the goodness of shaved ice in the summer as well as stopping into Tony's and having a hot dog and fries with the little one. Heather was able to keep her happy until we were leaving. I think she just wanted to stay. Okay, maybe she needed a nap. Anyhow it was great to get that perfect timing and a nice day to take some shots of the wee one. Hope to do some more before she gets flown half way across the world.

Some misc shots as well of the crane that shall soon be gone. Hoping to get better shot of that as well before it comes tumbling all the way down. And a weekend of reminiscing about high school days and people that have passed on and pictures of them just to have and keep the memories alive. A Schmorgishborg of things added to the gallery really.

Enjoy!

http://pandafan.tabulas.com/gallery/aug-2008/zuntitled-1-copy.jpg/