The Collar Stay

You know what I really, really dislike? Collar stays for dress shirts. Don't get me wrong, they serve a very important purpose in life. They make my collar stay relatively firm instead of bowing or curling. But, man, are they a pain in the butt.

I really can't tell you how many collar stays have been washed and dried. And once that happens, they are ruined. There's no going back. So, you have to go out and buy additional collar stays. And they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. So you have to find one to find the shirt you are currently getting ready to wear. If you go to short, it gets loss in the collar stay abyss. If you go too long...well, it just doesn't work out well because the collar will never go down properly.

The other problem is that I have a cup of collar stays. And, of course, only a few are marked with a brandname so I have to search through a cup of collar stays to try to find the one that matches the shirt I am attempting to wear. Again, I have to find the right size and a matching pair. It is just insane. There has to be an easier way...

Of course, the shirts that come with the permanent, built-in collar stays are even worse because, eventually, they kinda stop working. But that's another story. I just don't like collar stays much...give me the button down any day of the week over the collar stay.

Pre-Season Rankings = Waste of Time

In the pre-season AP poll, USC is ranked #1 and WVU is ranked #3...in the Coaches' Poll, USC is #1 and WVU is #6. But does it really matter? What impact does that have on the season? None.

The fact is pre-season rankings are a complete joke. Steve Spurrier always ranks Duke as #25 in the pre-season polls despite the fact they are more likely to not win a game than finish in the Top 25. And some people get mad about his loyalty vote. But it's not like it matters.

In my opinion there should be no ranking out until at least week 5 of the college football season. Until you actually see USC or WVU or Michigan perform, how can you rate them? Obviously, there are expectations. But generally expectations hurt teams more than anything. I just don't like the pre-season hype.

It is nice for WVU to get this recognition and honor of sitting at #3 and #6 in pre-season polls. But the fact is that is doesn't mean a thing to anyone at the end of the season. It's that final record that matters and I'm not getting caught up in the pre-season hype. I want to see the Mountaineers perform before I crown them one of the best 5 or 6 teams in the nation. Until then, they're just another one of the I-A teams that remain undefeated and are looking for a BCS berth.

Slow Down...It's the 5-0

Aside from talking on the elevator, few things annoy me more than people slamming on their brakes every time they see a police vehicle. Today I am driving into work on beautiful I-79, crusing around 72 MPH. Out my rearview mirror, I see a State Trooper driving along in the passing lane, gaining ground. No big deal to me...I pull over into the slower lane to allow him to pass...it's just the right thing to do.

Well, anyway, the guy in the slow lane in front of me apparently saw the police vehicle about that time and decided to slow down a bit. He went from 72 MPH to 70...then to 68...64...62...60. He finally felt comfortable at about 58 MPH. Needless to say, I was not very pleased. Of course I couldn't just whip around him as much as I wanted to because I had a State Trooper now racing towards us since 76 or so is much, much faster than the whopping 58 I am currently traveling. Obviously, as soon as the trooper passed, I went to pass the slow offender only to have him speed back up to 75 or so...basically stranding me in the passing lane beside him. However, I did angrily complete the pass and obviously the trooper never paid any attention as I sped to 78+.

But I digress. I don't understand why this moron in the car in front of me felt it necessary to travel 12 miles per hour below the speed limit because a trooper was going to pass us. If he was going 90 I would understand why he needed to slow down...but going 72 isn't much and I would say "cool" if he just slowed to 70 or even 68. But 58? Come on. Give me a break. Had the trooper wanted to bust him, or I, for going 72, he would have done so. Slowing down to 58 doesn't cancel out the previous disregard for the speed limit. So why slow so much? It doesn't make it better.

Secondly, why speed back up just because the trooper has completed the pass? If you're that nervous, then continue traveling at 70. I don't want to have to speed to pass you but you were cruising at 58 MPH...stay there. Why speed up to 75 now? It was...and is...absolutely ridiculous. Some people...well, most people...should not be allowed to drive. Seriously.

Football Season Approaches

Well, must be about that time of year again. Football season is rapidly approaching and I couldn't be happier. First, West Virginia should be stout. If they don't win 10+ games, something bad happened. Really, they should be in the running for another Big East title and a shot at a national championship. Obviously, Louisville and Rutgers will have other ideas. Full breakdown coming next week.

On a more local level, East Fairmont will be looking to backup their first playoff appearance in 30 years with another successful season. Should be an interesting season. First game is next Thursday against Elkins. I can't really say too much until I actually see them play...I am hopeful however.

Steelers will be playing under a new coach. Some reports say Tomlin can right the ship...others are a little more skeptical. I will be anxious to see what Big Ben can do. Obviously, the NFL has been overshadowed by the dog-loving Michael Vick. I am sure Roger Goodell can't wait for actual games that count to distract from Vick's impending plea bargain or trial and jail time. I believe Vick will never play in the NFL again.

In other sporting news, Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's record...which sucks. I think Aaron's congratulatory message was forced at best. Aaron was very careful with his words and obviously wasn't overly pleased with Bonds using steroid assistance to break the homerun record. Aaron's didn't even bother to stay up to watch the game...I think that says a lot.

I guess that's about it. Oh, lastly, Elvis died 30 years ago today. For those who don't know, apparently Elvis was pretty popular back in his day. Elvis had a whopping 18 Number One Hits in the '50s and '60s and many remain popular today. He was truly an amazing musical figure...and he might still be alive according to some accounts.

And I think that's about enough for today...

A Nation on the Brink

Do you ever get the feeling we're one bad day away from major, major troubles? That the economy could plummet like a stone through a lake tomorrow or that the United States could be dragged into a war that will destroy the country in a matter of weeks? Do you feel like the Earth is dying because of Americans and that global warming...or cooling...or whatever could destroy us in a matter of months? Do you fear uncontrolled inflation or maybe a food shortage because corn is being turned into ethanol? If you do, welcome to today's America: A Nation on the Brink.

Personally, I'm not that pessimistic. There have been a few instances, especially in recent history, that I worry about all these things that I have no control over. What if the economy collapses under its own weight? What if a nuclear device goes off in DC or New York? But it's usually a fleeting moment that I won't...and can't...devote too much time. I don't like to think that way. And I won't. The only time I think that way is when I watch the so-called news...and they have made their living recently preaching doom and gloom twenty-four/seven.

Despite what the media might have you believe, America is still a great country and is not as fragile as some might think...or wish. Health care is not in a crisis state. While the military is stretched thin in an admittedly ill-managed fight in Iraq, the country remains secure. Obviously Iran remains a huge threat...and China a growing one...but, for the most part, we continue to handle those situations through diplomatic means and, hopefully, a full-scale war will not ensue. And should it, I believe our troops are prepared to handle the task in a professional manner as we always have.

Let's face it, it's not as bad as many have predicted. For six years now, forecasters have been predicting a complete recession, a housing market collapse, uncontrollable inflation, etc. But it hasn't happened and that's because people smarter than Katie Couric or Matt Laurer handle the economy. And despite the repeated warning that attacks are imminent, there have been no terrorist attacks on American soil since 9/11. Personally, I think that's pretty good.

What I am getting at is that I am sick of the completely pessimism that dominates today's media and the people who buy in 100% to that outlook. What made America great was the optimism of its people to look beyond today's troubles and forward to tomorrow's solutions. It would be easy to give up and sit back and let world events dictate your life...but I don't think that's the right ticket. I would prefer to stay positive and look forward to tomorrow...and if that means I can't watch the news, even more the better.

Your PCs May Be Damaged

First of all, I'm not blaming anyone for what you are about to see below. We had to ship out computers for someone to do some work on and the guy who shipped them (who no longer works here) did a very poor job in packing the PCs. He wanted to put all four computers in one box...luckily, he decided two to a box would work. Not a great idea.

So, they warned me that when they received the PCs, they were a little banged up. When I received them back, they looked like this:

When you see boxes like that, you know there can't be anything real good inside. Also, let me reiterate that these boxes came from a vendor, not CDW. I have never received anything from CDW in this bad of condition.

And, as for the Vista readiness, some of the machines were ready to go...a few they had concerns with. And a couple they didn't even try because they didn't have DVD-ROMs...but they never contacted me with any of these issues. I am a bit infuriated today. That's really all I have to say about it.

Celebrities are a Mess

Not that I pay attention...but last night I happened to have Entertainment Tonight or Access Hollywood...or one of those odd-ball celebrity chasing shows on and, man, there are some messed up people out there. That Lohan girl is getting busted for drunk driving and cocaine possession...nice. Britney still can't care for her babies...and somehow makes ex-husband K-Fed look half way normal. Two more people have claimed to be James Brown's children (brining the total to 5,438 now). Eddie Murphy may or may not have had a scary baby with Scary Spice of Spice Girl fame. Ving Rhames' dogs may or may not have killed some guy on his property.

It just goes on and on. I really don't know how many people keep track of this garbage but, considering the longevity of Entertainment Tonight, I'm guessing it's a lot. I'm not sure I get the fascination. I really didn't care about any of that stuff...I was just amazed by the fact ET had some many people on staff to track down information on all this stuff while we can't get good reporters to cover real news in this country.

Anyway, it's about 5,000-degrees outside and I think I am going to attempt to walk out there. Hopefully I won't combust immeditately when I do so. If I do combust, this will likely be my last entry. If I don't...well, I'll make sure everyone knows.

Upgrade Update

Well, I guess I should give an upgrade update. First of all, things have been absolutely crazy, which is why I haven't been updating. From the moment I walk in the door to the moment I leave, I don't have time to do anything but work. I suppose that is the way it should be but I haven't even had time for lunch. I will get to that in a minute...

Anyway, the earliest I have gotten home this week is 9:30 p.m. except for today. We have had integrators on-site all week. They left today at 11:00 a.m. and then I caught up on all my regular work once they left. So far we have placed domain controllers in three of six sites...which is a start. They are up and running and are working with one another. Switches have been upgraded in three of six sites as well. We have imaged all 27 servers and sent them to their destination sites.

On a software side, our Document Management System ("DMS") is being tested on the new SQL server with test libraries. So far it does not work with Office 2007 and Vista...yet. But there is hope we will have a breakthrough next week. We still plan to upgrade our workstations to Vista.

Next week our desktop deployment integrator will be on-site. So, that leads to a quick story. Beginning last week, I had asked our reseller for quotes for our new imaging software. In an effort to help us, he setup a conference call, etc., to discuss our needs and software. I e-mailed him earlier this week and said I appreciated his offers but regardless of my personal opinion of the software we would need to purchase it this week and I would need a quote. Well, today rolled around and still no software. So, at 4:15 this afternoon, I received an e-mail from the project manager of our integrators asking me to confirm the purchase of the imaging software. Oops.

So, I immediately got on the phone with the reseller and he got the imaging company on the phone and in a matter of minutes we hashed our a quote and order. And I was able to confirm to the project manager that indeed the software had been purchased. Whew. I can honestly say I was a bit panicked because I had been persistent about our need to get the software but I wasn't making headway. I was afraid that the failure to procure this software by Monday could delay the entire project. And that would be horrible considering we're currently 4 days ahead of schedule on infrastructure. If applications slowed it down, I would never hear the end of it. Luckily, we made it work...at least for today.

As for lunch, it's been at weird times all week. Today, I finally went to get lunch at 2:30 p.m. with a co-worker. We both got 2 slices of pizza to bring back to the office so the shop put the pizza in a regular pizza box. So, I set the pizza box on a table in my co-workers office while I answered an e-mail. About that time someone from upstairs showed up in my office to relay some information. During the course of his talk, he mentioned the pizza and I told him where we got it. Next thing I know, he was eating a piece.

Well, I let him go...thinking "man, there goes a piece of my pizza...at least I have one left." I didn't mind...but then he proceeded to eat another piece. So, he ate my lunch and I just watched. He offered to pay but I told him we'd square up later. It really wasn't his fault because he assumed we had ordered a whole pizza and ate it around lunch time. But, that wasn't the case. But, that's about par for the course really. No pizza for me...

So, anyway, that's the update on the upgrade. Week 2 of 34 is now complete and no one has been shot yet. But there were a few evenings I was starting to wonder. Should remain interesting...can't wait to see what our desktop deployment guy has up his sleeve. And hopefully the software will arrive. I'll keep everyone up-to-date as much as possible...

It Is Raining...It Is Pouring

Well, to say a monsoon passed through Fairmont today would not be an over-exaggeration in any way. The rains came quick to Kingmont and literally flooded some of the roadways. Thunder and lightning were plentiful and hail fell at one point. It was quite a storm. See for yourself:

It was a lot of rain. Kingmont wasn't the only place hit. Dairy Creme Corner also took it on the chin today with some high waters forcing them to close.

So, as you can see, the Fairmont area received a lot of rain Sunday. We've come quite a distance from the drought we saw in June. It feels like it has rained nearly everyday in July (obviously, not true...but close). And temperatures haven't been overly scorching. I predict we pay dearly in August. Only time will tell...

Barry Bonds - One Away

Barry Bonds is now just one homerun away from tying Hank Aaron's hallowed record. And I couldn't be more sick about it. Let's set aside the steroid talk for just a moment. The fact of the matter is that most people could overlook the overwhelming circumstancial evidence that links Bonds to steroids if he were simply a decent human being. But history has shown repeatedly that Bonds cares more about Bonds than anyone else, including the game of baseball that has made him a household name.

People have an amazing ability to forgive when others ask for forgiveness. That's where Bonds falls short. He won't admit that he has made mistakes and won't ask for forgiveness because he doesn't care if people like him or not. It's all about Barry...no one else matters. It's really quite a shame. Breaking the all-time homerun mark should be a celebrated moment for baseball, increasing fan interest. But, from what I can tell, more people have been turning off the tube because they don't want to see Bonds break a mark they feel he has achieved through false means.

Personally, I know I can't stand watching SportsCenter because I don't want the Bonds update. I don't want to watch Bonds standing at home plate, admiring another homerun. I can only hope the tying and record-setting homeruns occur on the road so Bonds can hear the chorus of boos from fans that he has turned against him over these many years because he has never shown any respect for fans across the country.

I guess the good news is that Bonds probably won't hold the record very long. Alex Rodriguez appears to be in great position, barring injury, to catch and surpass Bonds in years to come. If not, surely someone else will be able to step up and wrestle the record away from Bonds. If not, baseball will have to continue on with an alleged cheater and a most unlikeable man holding its most celebrated record.

Tensions are High

Tensions are running a bit high here as we start Week One of having the integrators on-site. Last night we switched out most of our switches here in the mothership. And they are also working on our Active Directory build-out. There's a bit of stress circulating around...a few conflicts of interest and a lot of stepping on toes. Should be interesting the rest of the week....it's probably too late to just call this whole thing off. Picture this weekend probably...

In other news, how about that NBA ref getting busted for betting on games? How huge is that? Seriously. That casts a shadow over all sports, not just the NBA. What's the potential that this has been going on for years and years and involves more than just one NBA referee?

Another question is this: would the NBA ever have come forward if the feds weren't involved? Would the NBA just have expelled the corrupt official or would they have made the scandal public knowledge? Has this happened in the past?

Should be very interesting to see how this plays out and how other sports respond. Could be scary though...for a lot of people.

Elevator Exchages - Part Two

Well, as I have said before, I despise idle chat in the elevator. I try my best to time my arrival so that I can ride solo in an elevator. It's really my first goal of the morning because I'm tired and I really don't want to have a mundane conversation about the weather. Monday's are always bad because you definitely don't want to be at work. And the person on the elevator is sure to point that out. So, I provide you with this morning's exchange on the elevator...

I enter the elevator with two other ladies...we'll call them Lady 1 and Lady 2. Here goes:

Lady 1: Isn't everyone glad to be back?
Me: Uh-huh.
Lady 2: Hahahahaha
Me: Ha
Lady 1: Those weekends just go by too fast.
Me: Uh-huh
Lady 2: Hahahahaha
Lady 1: I tell you, if paychecks came like Mondays that would be good.
Me: Oh yeah
Lady 2: Hahahahaha
Lady 1: It would change our entire outlook on Mondays.
Me: Yeah...well, have a good day.
Lady 2: Hahahahaha...you too.
Lady 1: Have a good Monday.
Me: Uh-huh.

If paychecks came like Mondays we would all have a different outlook on Mondays. I'm not sure what that means...does she mean if we got paid on Monday we would look at it differently? We do sometimes...we get paid on the 15th and 30th. Or maybe she meant if we got paid every Monday. I have no idea.

If paychecks came like Mondays, we would have a whole different outlook on Mondays. I wanted to say that wasn't true...we like paychecks, we still wouldn't like Monday. But, that would have prolonged the conversation and created bad blood too early for me. I just let it go and hope to not ride the elevator on another Monday with her because I have a feeling she uses that same line every Monday. And, eventually, I would have to challenge it.

Upgrade Update

Well, for those who seem to want to know, I give you an update on our upgrade. I may get a little repetitive because I can't remember what happened this week and what happened last week and I don't feel like going to my notes. The days just kinda run together...so, forgive me.

Anyway, last Friday ended with one of our folks in Clarksburg turning in their two week notice...which really has the potential to put us in a pinch considering we feel short-handed already. So I figured I better come in on Saturday and at least begin trying to get things organized and "cleaned" before others start coming in. So, I spent about 5 hours on Saturday cleaning our server room...not working on wiring...just cleaning:

Our wiring is still pretty messy but nothing compared to what it was a few years back. As we replace switches this coming week, we're hoping that we can get a good cable management solution in place. Or at least rid ourselves of the 20-foot NIC cables that need to run 3 feet. Every little bit helps.

Luckily I cleaned up because Tuesday had a few people in and out of our server rooms throughout the day. First, electricians came to run power for the new servers. And then, due to weight concerns, we had to have two additional pieces of plywood added to our flooring in Server Room 1 to help distribute the weight. We didn't figure the folks on the floors below would appreciate a giant rack of servers coming throught the floor. But I think we could have made the news...

We started preparing our new rack on Thursday, adding server rails and cable management devices but we haven't put any servers in yet. But we did start unloading them...and now we can at least walk through the room we were storing them in. We unloaded 13, left 14 in boxes and still may need to order a few more before the end of the August.

So, that was last week...there was a lot of stuff going on. The integrators will be on-site beginning Monday with the first goal being the upgrade of switches on all the floors. That should be very interesting. There will be network downtime in the evenings while they make the changes. At this point, I don't plan on staying in the evenings unless it becomes absolutely necessary.

Oh, lastly, because of all the stupid conference calls and whatnot, I broke down and bought a bluetooth, wireless headset for my phone. I feel like an idiot with it on...but it works well. And, who knows...I might be a telemarketer when this is all done and this is great practice.

That's about it from the big upgrade. I'm trying my best not to go to work today...and I'm being successful so far!

Michelle Michael Trial

I don't recall a trial in West Virginia that has drawn as much attention recently as the Michelle Michael murder trial in Charleston. For those not in the know, Michael is accused of murdering her husband for the insurance money and then burning down their home to cover up her crime. Adding to the intrigue, Michelle Michael was having an affair and, obviously, was having some marital issues. And the deceased was drugged before being burned. And Michael worked at a hospital.

Sounds like a great "Murder, She Wrote" or "Law & Order" episode. Except it's real. And when something is this sensational, people sometimes forget that real lives are being affected. The Michaels had children. Michelle has parents and relatives and friends. Same for James, the deceased. People forget their lives have been turned upside down by these events and view the trial as shear entertainment. But it's not entertainment in the least. It's a sad event that has left one person dead and destoryed the lives of so many others.

Hopefully justice will be done and, if Michelle Michael is guilty, she will spend the rest of her life behind bars. And, if she is innocent, hopefully she walks free. Regardless of the outcome, we need to remember that many lives have been forever altered negatively and not look at this trial as entertainment but rather the result of tragic events that could have been avoided.

Vick Indicted

In one of the better developments of today, Michael Vick was indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges related to illegal dogfighting. He initially proclaimed his innocence (or ignorance) and has since grown silent on the subject. The evidence of dog fighting on Vick's property is overwhelming. If you read the article above, be aware that the accounts of the dog fighting are a pretty disturbing.

If Vick was involved or knowingly allowed these events to occur, he deserves to spend some serious time in a federal prison. And I would expect Commission Roger Goodell to step up and do something immediately regarding Vick. He suspended Pac Man Jones for a full NFL season before Jones was even indicted. Vick has now been indicted for federal crimes...action by the NFL should follow.

Harrison County Bond Fails

In a decision that will surely shake the Marion County Board of Education, Harrison County residents emphatically rejected a 20-year school bond for $60 million that would have built 3 new schools and renovated 11 others throughout the county. When all 93 precincts were counted...4,454 voters were against the proposal and only 2,874 voted "yes".

I would venture to say a Marion County bond would face the same defeat if put before Marion County residents today. And, keep in mind, Marion County wants to attempt an $80 million bond, not a mere $60 million.

The Marion County bond proposal needs to be tweaked and sold immensely for it to even stand a chance. The recent admission by the board that consolidation would cost as much as building new schools needs to be emphasized greatly because most are under the impression that consolidation would solve all the school issues in Marion County. Unfortunately, only one news article was published about this recent discovery and the local paper has refused to back-off their insistence that the schools be consolidated.

Despite the fact I work in Clarksburg, I saw very little selling of the bond in Harrison County. Once Marion County has a definitive bond proposal on the table, they need to learn from Harrison County's mistakes and really emphasize the importance of this bond to the future of education in Marion County. I will be very interested to see what the Harrison defeat does to our local board.

Waterpark Update

First of all, let me say that I attended a wedding last night and it was just terrific. I was able to catch up with a lot of people I hadn't seen in a long time and that was pretty nice. And I got to see two of my friends wed and that was very special. I must admit that I felt a little ashamed when I saw some of the people at the wedding because I haven't seen or talked to them in such a long time. I am very bad at staying in touch with people and that's really sad. Some people say that you can see people that you haven't seen in years and it's like time hasn't passed. I don't think that's true at all. You can't make up for the all the missed events in people's lives and that's just reality.

I can say that I would try to do better and stay in touch with all those people but I know that it just won't happen. I can try but, truth be known, I hate the telephone and I'm not a person who tries to contact people without a purchase. I am better speaking in front of a group of strangers than small talk with people I know. That's weird but that's the facts...at least when I'm speaking before a group, I'm adequately prepared.

Anyway, just had to put that out there for whatever reason...it felt necessary. Hopefully it's the first step to being a better friend to all those who I've lost track of.

So, without further adieu, my Fairmont Waterpark update:

That is all.

Storm of the Century

I think I was caught in the storm of the century last night while sitting in the parking lot at Meadowbrook Mall. Well, not really but it was a heckuva storm, let me tell you.

I pulled into a nice parking place...maybe 150-200 feet or so from the entrance of the mall. Well, just about that time it began to rain pretty heavily. I don't mind getting wet but this was some heavy rain and I knew I would be soaked if I were to step out in it for even a moment. So, I decided I would wait for the rain to subside.

So, I sat in my car talking on the cellphone when, suddenly, the storm worsened. Thunder and lightening all around me...things were looking bleak. It was heavy, heavy rain. The parking lot was a virtual river. Small children were being swept away...I was afraid my car would begin to float down the parking in the rising tide.

And then the heavens truly opened and hail began pouring from the sky. Big hail too...not some little ice chucks...we're talking hail of monumental proportions. It sounded as though God himself were dumping bags of ice onto my car (my new car, by the way). I was frozen...couldn't drive away because I would never be able to see. Couldn't leave the car because I would be swept away by the flowing river.

Suddenly, a great lightening bolt emitted from the sky and cell service was lost. The mall lost power and all seemed to be lost. Hail continued to rain down and the water was actually coming down sideways. All was wrong in the world. Then, without warning, the rain lessened. Didn't stop...just lessened. At least enough from me to make a run for it.

Poor idea on my part...it was still raining pretty heavily and I got drenched. (Oh, I didn't have an umbrella.) Upon entering the mall, several people saw that I was soaked. Someone even dared ask me if I got wet in the rain. I nearly exploded. So, soak and wet, I carried on and did the duties I had to do at the mall this evening. Before I left, I decided I should buy an umbrella since I was nearly dry by this point and didn't want to become soaked again. So, I purchased a $15.00 umbrella from Target and, feeling assured I would be adequately protected from the elements, I proceeded back towards the food court area and my awaiting vehicle.

Upon entering the doorway to exit the mall, I raised my umbrella as a defiant gesture toward Mother Nature and the fury she had released upon me. Only, the rain had stopped. Not a drop. But I left my umbrella held high as a signal to all that I will not be caught like this again. Oh no, my friends...it will not happen again.

Upgrade Update

Well, I guess it's time to get everyone up to date on what is going on at work. We have spent the week upgrading the RAM in 420+ PCs and laptops. Surprisingly, this has gone very, very smoothly. No major issues whatsoever. We had a few PCs that got upset and we'd just reseat the RAM and it would take off. The number of calls the next morning after the upgrade have been minimal. Most of the time it is people who have forgotten their login name (since we logged in as an administrator). That was about it. Did hear a few people comment that their PCs had sped up since the upgrade.

Anyway, while that was going on, 35 new PCs arrived at the office that I had ordered. Unfortunately, due to no one's fault but my own, the PCs were incorrect. I had accidentally ordered towers and we prefer small form factors. So, I had to do an RMA on those last night and we're shipping them back tomorrow. Ooops... Also arriving were 35 20" LCD monitors, 18 laptops, 18 docking stations, 18 monitor stands and 18 laptop bags. That takes a little storage room.

Also arriving this week were 27 servers (25 DL380s and 2 DL360s). That takes a little more storage room. Add in 2 UPSs and 2 racks. Also arriving this week were new switches for all the offices. Needless to say, the office is overrun with boxes. The SAN should be arriving tomorrow or Monday...we found out it was somehow shipped to DC instead of Clarksburg. Innocent mistake...I guess.

As for the upgrade itself, I am invovled in a little of the switch infrastructure (trying to stay out of that as much as possible, really) and heavily involved in the Active Directory build and deployment, Exchange build and deployment, Citrix setup and deployment, Neverfail, Document Management System and SharePoint. In addition to that, I have to test all our software apps to see if their are Vista ready (along with our hardware) and order any upgrades should they be needed. If any of our specialty apps will not run in a Vista environment, we are hoping Citrix can provide our solution. And, in the middle of all this rollout, we have another major software rollout and are going to attempt to implement desktop faxing/routing towards the middle of the rollout. We also have another Application Review Group that I'm part of to determine if all our current templates, etc., need to be migrated. And we have to schedule the training with all this too.

I'm already sick of conference calls and meetings. We constantly are rehashing the same points over and over. I spent at least 6 hours this week on conference calls when I could have actually been accomplishing something. I guess they are vital but it gets annoying. I will be on at least two conference calls a week...that are scheduled. I'm sure there will be more as time goes on.

I could go on, but I won't. I'm sure you are bored already hearing about how busy I am. But this is why I haven't been updating as frequently as I had been. I barely have time to watch the news...let alone form an opinion on anything. I haven't watched baseball much and I'm afraid the first few weeks of Mountaineer football season are going to be lost on me.

Our test rollout begins in mid-September and general rollout should start in early October so, after that, I should have a little more freedom since a majority of the builds will be done and our image can be pushed. The entire project is expected to last until January or February. And then it is on to Phase II. Whew boy...

Fairmont - Your Vacation Destination

I'm not going to number this as part of the series because it's not necessarily a reason to come to Fairmont but more like something you can listen to while you're visiting Fairmont. I'm a bit of a sucker for nostalgia so I was pretty happy when I heard the call letters WFGM recently. For those who don't remember, WFGM used to be the Great 98 in Fairmont. 97.9 has gone through a few incarnations since then and is now WKKW. WFGM disappeared from the dial and was just a bit of memory...my favorite radio station of yesterday. Think of it as the WVAQ of its time.

Anyway, recently I became aware of a new radio station in the area called SAM (Simply About Music, or something like that). It was 93.1 and played an eclectic mix of music. Sometimes I turned it on and hear something I liked. Sometimes I'd turn it on and immediately change the station. Well, shortly after I found SAM, the format changed to a Classic Top 40 mix. And the call letters were WFGM (Fairmont's Greatest Music).

So, this new station on 93.1 combined a piece of history with some of my favorite music. I can turn it on and hear the Beatles or Eagles...maybe Elton John or Billy Joel. Seals and Croft. Donovan. David Bowie. Earth, Wind and Fire. Bruce Springsteen. Bad Company. Etc., etc.

I like it a lot better than classic rock because I really like all those groups mentioned above. Then, if the music wasn't enough, they brought back the voice of the morning, Kevin Nicholas. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy Eric McGuire in the morning on my way to work. But it's nice to hear the fimiliar tenor of Kevin Nicholas on the radio doing something besides announcing the traffic patterns on Mountaineer Gameday.

Anyway, what I am getting at is that if you enjoy popular music from the '60s, '70s and '80s, you should probably give WFGM, 93.1 FM, a listen. It's really a very nice station and the music is non-offensive because it's all classic. WVAQ gets boring to me and I can only listen to talk radio for about 2-3 hours a day. WFGM has saved the radio dial for me. It's now officially my favorite station after 10:00 a.m.

So, if you visit Fairmont for your vacation this summer, just turn the dial to 93.1 and enjoy your travels around the Friendly City. You won't regret it.

Random Junk

I've been busy lately with work. We are beginning our major upgrades and, well, that's going to take some time. Next week I get to make the statewide trip...Wheeling, Morgantown, Clarksburg, Charleston and Huntington in five days or less. Went to Martinsburg this past week to get it out of the way.

Anyway, here's just some random thoughts to fill some time:

• I don't know about you but I definitely feel cooler today thanks to the Live Earth concerts. Great idea...
• How did Al Gore's son get a Prius up to 100 MPH? If I were Al, I'd be happy and tout the Prius as a high performance vehicle.
• Are Pirates fans finally getting to a breaking point? Trying to organize a walkout is difficult and it didn't work. The Pirates are only 8 games under .500. And they're not in last in the Central. But they're not good either.
• Michael Vick might not be indicted for dogfighting. That's pretty disappointing to me.
• John McCain's presidential campaign is falling apart. That's not very disappointing to me.
• I was actually happy for the grass on Wednesday and Thursday when it rained. Seriously, I felt very happy for the grass because it really needed that rain and I know it appreciated it. Al Gore would be proud.
• If the Al-Quaida/Iran alleged ties prove to be true, things are going to get real ugly real quick out that way. Can't believe more isn't being made of that story.

And that's about it for now. Nothing to really eloborate on...if you want more information, turn on the news or read...or, better yet, get outside and enjoy yourself some global warming.

Global Warming

I got up this morning and got the Al Gore treatment on the Today Show. It always annoys me to listen to Gore blame me, and a few others, for this alleged global warming. I'm not going to get into an argument over whether the earth is warming. Let's say I concede that there is evidence the earth is warming. What I will not concede is that this warming is solely caused by humans...I just won't.

The earth has warmed and cooled many, many times throughout it's long history. The earth has been here longer than you and me...and longer than Al Gore. It has gone through Ice Ages, including a Little Ice Age, possibly as recently as 1850. And it would turn out that Little Ice Age followed a period of warming. And humans were not emitting nearly the gasses in 1650 or 1850 that we are now. And yet climates changed.

Some scientists have claimed the CO2 that humans emit has actually staved off more drastic climate change by cooling the earth. Can't say I agree with them. It's a theory just like humans being the sole cause for global warming. I don't agree with that either. We emit much CO2, true. But over 66% of the CO2 in the atmosphere is released naturally...which means it would be there whether we existed or not. Granted, we've released our fair share but nature takes care of a lot of CO2 too.

Regardless, I am not convinced that we have the ability to control nature and I do not believe humans are soley responsible for climate change. The earth is far more powerful than us...whether we drive a Hummer or Prius. Whether we use a roll of toilet paper or one square. Don't get me wrong...I am in favor of conservation. I believe we should try to keep our planet clean and habitable for the next generation. I support clean air acts, within reason. But I will not believe that humans are solely responsible for climate changes on this earth.

If you want to participate in green earth initiative, great. If it makes you feel good, that's fine. But don't try to make others feel bad because they don't hold the same beliefs. I don't chide people who believe they can make a difference...until they start telling me how to live my life. And nothing is worse than hypocrites like Al Gore who tell people to live without while he lives the big life on the back of his "believers." And don't get me started on carbon credits...that's a whole other article.

Anyway, to sum up my beliefs on global warming: Nature controls the climate. We can't control nature. If you want to cut back on your emission of gas, I am in full favor. Leave me alone.

Happy 4th of July

Hope everyone is having a great 4th of July. As with most patriotic holidays, it's a good time to remember all the people who have made sacrifices to keep America free and give everyone the independence to express their beliefs without fear of reprisal. And at this tumultuous time, that's a freedom we should cherish because there is a movement brewing around this world attempting to deprive us of those freedoms.

Regardless of your beliefs, remember that there is a group of extremists who believe it is their destiny to create a global Islamic state. That is the prime objective of the Islamic fanatics who continue to terrorize anyone who does not hold their extreme ideology.

We must stay vigilent and continue to fight for those freedoms that so many have given their lives for in past generations. Otherwise we will find ourselves, and our children, stripped of those freedoms and living in repression...don't believe for one minute that such an outcome isn't possible.

Terror Attacks in Britain

It took me a few days to figure out how I wanted to tackle the recent terror attacks in the UK. I'm still not sure how I'm going to go about it so pardon me if I ramble. Hopefully I am coherent enough to make sense to you, my loyal readers.

The recent car bomb attempts and attack on Glasgow Airport shows that terrorist activities have not subsided and Al-Qaida remains alive, even in a diminished capacity. The terrorist continue to look for targets and have apparently started looking towards smaller attacks instead of another 9/11 of 7/7 attack. That doesn't mean that a major attack somewhere in the world isn't in the works.

Obviously the United States remains a target for these terrorists. The fact that attacks haven't taken place on US soil is partly a credit to our intelligence agencies and our law enforcement. They have publicly thwarted several attack attempts and have probably stopped many more privately. But most of the credit belongs to American society for making it difficult for the citizens of this country to want to see its demise.

The United States has done a better job than any country in the world at assimilating Arab people into our society. We have welcomed Asians, Arabs, Europeans and Mexicans into this country with open arms. And by that fact, it has been more difficult for Al-Qaida to recruit on US soil. By contrast, countries in Europe have isolated the Arab society which has caused resentment in those countries. That resentment has boiled over with animostiy such as the Arab riots in France last summer. For as much as some hold Europe as the utopian society, the underlying divides are ripping the continent apart from the inside. Racism and bigotry rage in Europe to a far greater extent than it has ever raged in America, even in the most tumultuous times.

Some people like to describe Americans as xenophobic because they don't support the recent immigration bill that provides amnesty to 12 million illegal aliens in this country. I don't see how that is even remotely true. Americans have done more for immigrants to this country than any society in the history of the world. And that is something to be proud of.

Anyway, back to my point...Al-Qaida does want to attack the American homeland. There is no doubt about that. And I feel those attacks will come, in some form...small or large, they will try something. That is why it remains important to fight these terrorists everywhere in the world. We must continue to take the fight to them and not let them bring that fight here. We must continue to fight...not just for Americans but for our British counterparts. And we must continue to try to teach Europe how to assimilate their Arab population into society.

This is a two part fight...destroy the terrorists and create a better society for the world in general. It's not something that can be done in a day or year. It's a never ending battle and we must continue to fight the good fight. Or we will pay dearly down the road...

Fairmont - Your Vacation Destination

Well, it's time for part eight of the many part mini-series of why Fairmont should be your vacation destination this summer. First, let me reiterate that I have researched the story that accompanies each attraction as best I could...some of my facts might be off a little.

Just outside Fairmont you will find some waterfalls that have been dubbed "Valley Falls." Valley Falls includes trails, picnic areas, pavillions and a small park for the kids. It is would be easy to waste a full day out at Valley Falls. Let me take you there:

The rocks at Valley Falls are indeed slippery. Several people have slid off the rocks and to their ultimate demise. So...I guess you should probably be somewhat cautious.

Swimming and alcohol are prohibited at Valley Falls. Apparently several thousand Fairmontians perished at the falls during the '70s and '80s. The ragings rapids were too much for the drunk people wading in the water. Oh, and there's a stone from the Grist Mill that used to operate there. It's not there anymore.

Here are a couple of the things in the park to keep the kids busy. A swing that may or may not snap when someone sits on it. And a slide. An awesome swirly slide at that. I would not recommend going down this slide in temperatures above 80-degrees if you like the skin on your legs. Seriously...it hurts. Oh, and larger people might get stuck on the slide too...

A couple shots of the falls. You can see how dangerous they could be to drunk swimmers. I believe the man in the bottom picture is actually escorting his wife out to the edge of the rocks to throw her into the rapids. I can't confirm that though because he chased me away before I could witness the event. Very sad...very, very sad. Valley Falls should not be used for the disposing of loved ones. Please keep that in mind should you visit the falls this summer.

That is one of the many pavillions for rent at the falls. The one above is being set up for a birthday party that no one came to. That has to really hurt someones feelings. They really enjoyed me walking around and taking pictures of their sadness.

And, lastly, the happy wildlife of Valley Falls. You can tell it's a good place because the wildlife are clearly happy. The chipmunk told me that visitors leave lots of food behind for them to eat and he particularly enjoys Lays Potato Chips. So, if you visit, take some Lays for the chipmunk.

Anyway, Valley Falls is yet another reason to visit the Fairmont area. If you're stuck in the city all the time, Vally Falls will seem like a nature getaway. If you're from the mountains, Valley Falls will seem like home...I guess. Anyway, it's a nice place to spend a day in the shade. Just be careful on the rocks...they're slippery.