I have asked this question before and I will ask it again: Is Barack Obama "black" enough to win the support of black "leaders"? The reason I ask this question again is due to the recent comments by Al Sharpton who accused Obama of trying to "grandstand in front of white people." And you can't overlook the recent comments by Barack's former minister, Jeremiah Wright, that seemed to suggest the U.S. government might be responsible for the spread of AIDS in the black community and his equation of some American wartime efforts with terrorism.
On one hand you have Sharpton who is basically accusing Obama of selling out his race to try to become president. That is to be expected. I will followup on this one at the end. On the other hand you have a deranged lunatic in Wright who is using Obama's celebrity to try to further a crazy agenda that has long been spread by conspiracy theorists. Long have people been attempting to accuse the American government for drugs/AIDS/poverty, etc., as a means of genocide. Obama has rightfully attempted to distance himself from these divisive comments but I think the damage has been done. Wright has been on a non-stop media crusade to sell his brand of crazy and some can't help but think Obama may agree with some of these views. Not I, but some.
While Wright's comments may scare away the white populace, Sharpton's comments dig at the heart of Obama's campaign by scaring black voters. As is typical for the Sharpton's, Jackson's, Farakhan's, etc., of the world, they most maintain the status quo of American racism. If there is ever the belief that a majority of Americans are not racist, then the Sharpon's become irrelevant. If minority Americans ever believe they can play on the same level playing field as white Americans, then there is no need for Sharpton to spew forth his hate-filled rhetoric.
I am not blind. Yes, there remains some forms of racism in America. But the fact is that most Americans no longer look to color first and foremost. Some of the most powerful people in the world (Condoleeza Rice, Clarence Thomas, Colin Powell) are of African descent and no one bats an eye at that. But because these people aren't "black" enough for Sharpton their success is ignored. Barack Obama is perhaps a month from becoming the nominee for the President of the United States. A black president would most assuredly undermine Sharpton's goals of keeping racism in American viable so he begins tearing down Obama's "blackness" for his own personal ambitions.
It's really a shame because there truly are opportunities to continue the bridging of racial divides in this country thanks to Obama's historic run. But the likes of Sharpton cannot let there be any reconciliation less they become mere asides in today's world. Look for Sharpton to quickly embrace Obama should he lose either the Democratic primary or general election because it will become yet another chapter in America holding down the black man. But should Obama win this presidency, expect Sharpton to categorize him in the same manner as Rice, Powell and Thomas because the success of blacks in today's society cannot be tolerated. Not by a majority of Americans but by those who claims to stand for black America. Those like Sharpton.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Oh My Vista
From comical to frustrating to infuriating back to comical. Moving to Vista has turned into a mighty fiasco that continues everyday, without end. Products work one minute, not the next. I'm trying to work with an application right now that is supposedly Vista-compliant and yet it will only run as the Domain Administrator. And even though the user who installed it is an administrator with administrative privileges on the local PC, she receives debugging errors on every attempt to run the program. I have installed, reinstalled, uninstalled, installed agian all with the same results. And yet this same program will work on another machine without problem.
That is a mere microcosm of the daily frustrations Vista is giving us. One day everything seems to run pretty smoothly. The next day everything falls apart. An application works seamlessly today...throws errors tomorrow. And there's no rhyme or reason to these problems. They mysteriously appear...and, just as mysteriously, disappear. At least when you have consistent issues, you can troubleshoot. These phantom issues are the worst.
Oh well...only another week of rollouts at the home base and then it's off to Martinsburg or Wheeling for some rollouts there. Five more weeks and we'll have 450 unsatisfied uses on Microsoft's debacle of an operating system. Some will work without problems, some will work around their problems and some will just blow up. My concerns until June is that they have a machine that turns on and logs in to the domain. Once June rolls around though, a whole new set of issues will fall into my lap as we try to figure out what we have done and try to actually make it work correctly. Oh, and that should be fun too...
That is a mere microcosm of the daily frustrations Vista is giving us. One day everything seems to run pretty smoothly. The next day everything falls apart. An application works seamlessly today...throws errors tomorrow. And there's no rhyme or reason to these problems. They mysteriously appear...and, just as mysteriously, disappear. At least when you have consistent issues, you can troubleshoot. These phantom issues are the worst.
Oh well...only another week of rollouts at the home base and then it's off to Martinsburg or Wheeling for some rollouts there. Five more weeks and we'll have 450 unsatisfied uses on Microsoft's debacle of an operating system. Some will work without problems, some will work around their problems and some will just blow up. My concerns until June is that they have a machine that turns on and logs in to the domain. Once June rolls around though, a whole new set of issues will fall into my lap as we try to figure out what we have done and try to actually make it work correctly. Oh, and that should be fun too...
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Fight Continues
I said at the beginning that I thought Hillary Clinton would be the Democratic nominee for President. I have hedged since that but I'm starting to come back around to Clinton. Slowly, but surely, she has clawed her way back into the race. Sure, she's behind in delegates but the media has been turning on Obama and Hillary is starting to rack up some wins. If Clinton can win Indiana, keep North Carolina relatively close and have a blowout win in Kentucky, she could take over the lead in the popular vote. Throw in the "disenfranchised" Florida and Michigan, and Hillary could have quite an argument for the Superdelegates.
I msut admit that I'm starting to actually root for Hillary. She will never, ever get my vote but her tenacity has been nothing short of remarkable. She is Rocky, taking the fight to everyone who will spar with her. Obama is the exact opposite, running from any confrontation in hopes of keeping his "nice guy" label. Well, if Obama doesn't take off the gloves soon and deliver a knockout blow to the Clinton campaign, he may end up laying on the canvas in the most stunning collapse in politics I can remember. The next month should be amazing. Oh, and John McCain has to be loving this...
In case you don't get the Times-West Virginian, the Marion County BOE is making their push to get their school bond passed. Everyday there is another front page article about what this bond is going to give to every segment of the Marion County population. I haven't seen any polling data yet (because I don't really read the paper...) but, just from my gut feeling, I don't see this bond passing. I hope I'm wrong but this is probably too much to ask for considering the state of the current economy. And, given the penchant of Marion County to fail bonds, getting this bond passed is a major uphill battle.
Lastly, why is this Rich Rodriguez stuff still going on? It's amazing to read or listen to Rich whine about West Virginia and the problems he is having. If he would have just paid the $4 million that he agreed to pay if he left WVU before his contract expired, everyone could have moved on. But now he continues to cry and whine about everying, including a booster to whom he may or may not have offered a job. Yes, WVU is taking a hit for this but I have to believe that Rodriguez's reputation is taking a bigger hit. I really, really hope he finishes 0-12 this year at Michigan. Beilein was close to that...
I msut admit that I'm starting to actually root for Hillary. She will never, ever get my vote but her tenacity has been nothing short of remarkable. She is Rocky, taking the fight to everyone who will spar with her. Obama is the exact opposite, running from any confrontation in hopes of keeping his "nice guy" label. Well, if Obama doesn't take off the gloves soon and deliver a knockout blow to the Clinton campaign, he may end up laying on the canvas in the most stunning collapse in politics I can remember. The next month should be amazing. Oh, and John McCain has to be loving this...
In case you don't get the Times-West Virginian, the Marion County BOE is making their push to get their school bond passed. Everyday there is another front page article about what this bond is going to give to every segment of the Marion County population. I haven't seen any polling data yet (because I don't really read the paper...) but, just from my gut feeling, I don't see this bond passing. I hope I'm wrong but this is probably too much to ask for considering the state of the current economy. And, given the penchant of Marion County to fail bonds, getting this bond passed is a major uphill battle.
Lastly, why is this Rich Rodriguez stuff still going on? It's amazing to read or listen to Rich whine about West Virginia and the problems he is having. If he would have just paid the $4 million that he agreed to pay if he left WVU before his contract expired, everyone could have moved on. But now he continues to cry and whine about everying, including a booster to whom he may or may not have offered a job. Yes, WVU is taking a hit for this but I have to believe that Rodriguez's reputation is taking a bigger hit. I really, really hope he finishes 0-12 this year at Michigan. Beilein was close to that...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Food Shortages?
Is America going to run out of food? Is Japan already running out of food? There's an increasing alarm in the media that the world faces food shortages due to increased population, decreased production and increase in food for other uses, such as biofuels. Countries in Southeast Asia are quickly stopping rice exports due to shortages. Food prices are quickly rising as a result of shortages. And it appears many are not necessarily addressing the problem.
There aren't many things that will scare people like food shortages. Haiti, Bangladesh and Egypt have already reportedly had food riots. And there's a feeling that the riots may expand if food prices continue to soar. Obviously, the fuel v. food argument is rearing it's head since nearly one-third of all corn production in America is going to go to ethanol. Something to keep an eye on this summer...especially if there's a major drought or other natural phenomenon that could hamper food production.
On another note, I was watching the Today Show this morning and Ann Curry never ceases to amaze me with her interviews of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. She is probably the worst interviewer ever. She literally sits there in awe when these people talk. I'm not sure she's paying attention really...she just sits there slack-jawed and throws softball questions. She needs to stick behind the news desk and report the news and not try to perform hard-hitting interview...because she really can't. It is painful to watch every single time.
Lastly, just want to mention that Jimmy Carter has once again proved himself as the worst president ever as he once again shows his anti-American favor by meeting with America's enemies abroad. Despite State Department pleas, Carter decided to visit Hamas leaders to sell-out Israel. Way to go, Jimmy. Way to go.
There aren't many things that will scare people like food shortages. Haiti, Bangladesh and Egypt have already reportedly had food riots. And there's a feeling that the riots may expand if food prices continue to soar. Obviously, the fuel v. food argument is rearing it's head since nearly one-third of all corn production in America is going to go to ethanol. Something to keep an eye on this summer...especially if there's a major drought or other natural phenomenon that could hamper food production.
On another note, I was watching the Today Show this morning and Ann Curry never ceases to amaze me with her interviews of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. She is probably the worst interviewer ever. She literally sits there in awe when these people talk. I'm not sure she's paying attention really...she just sits there slack-jawed and throws softball questions. She needs to stick behind the news desk and report the news and not try to perform hard-hitting interview...because she really can't. It is painful to watch every single time.
Lastly, just want to mention that Jimmy Carter has once again proved himself as the worst president ever as he once again shows his anti-American favor by meeting with America's enemies abroad. Despite State Department pleas, Carter decided to visit Hamas leaders to sell-out Israel. Way to go, Jimmy. Way to go.
Gold/Blue Game
Went up and saw the Gold - Blue Game on Saturday anticipating something at least somewhat entertaining. Unfortunately, I was mighty disappointed in expecting something entertaining because the Gold - Blue Game was anything but.
First, there was not even a mention of the Fiesta Bowl victory. At least in the past they would show a highlight video of the previous year's achievements. But not even a highlight from 2007 or the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. The game started with little fanfare as the Blue and Gold teams took the field and just started. No attempt to explain the rules...not attempt to educate the fans. They just started. Sometimes the offense would start at the 20. Sometimes at midefield. Sometimes at the 3 yard line. No rhyme or reason...that's just how it was.
Before you knew it, the offensive team had some huge, insurmountable lead and it appeared completely unfair to the defense. The final score was 65-15. Does that sound fair? It shouldn't because it wasn't.
And it was rather warm. And the concessions were not prepared for the 18,000+ in attendance. The lines for the concession ran from the stand all the way to the seating. You couldn't even get in line...that's how long the lines were. Did I mention the game wasn't entertaining? The best thing I saw was a lone Event Staffer attempting to single-handedly keep the crowd from going to the non-press box side of the field. She made a valient effort...chasing people, yelling at people, gesturing to people but to no success. Eventually, everyone just ignored her and she completely gave up. But bravo to her on her attempt. She was truly heroic.
I understand that it was just another practice for the team but considering the amount that showed up, you think they would try to do something to entertain the crowd. I mean, come on, even Dwight Yoakam would have been better than what I saw. And, for the record, I have no idea how good the team is going to be because what I saw out there was more confusing than educational. But, hey, the season starts in just a few short months. Let's Go Mountaineers.
First, there was not even a mention of the Fiesta Bowl victory. At least in the past they would show a highlight video of the previous year's achievements. But not even a highlight from 2007 or the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. The game started with little fanfare as the Blue and Gold teams took the field and just started. No attempt to explain the rules...not attempt to educate the fans. They just started. Sometimes the offense would start at the 20. Sometimes at midefield. Sometimes at the 3 yard line. No rhyme or reason...that's just how it was.
Before you knew it, the offensive team had some huge, insurmountable lead and it appeared completely unfair to the defense. The final score was 65-15. Does that sound fair? It shouldn't because it wasn't.
And it was rather warm. And the concessions were not prepared for the 18,000+ in attendance. The lines for the concession ran from the stand all the way to the seating. You couldn't even get in line...that's how long the lines were. Did I mention the game wasn't entertaining? The best thing I saw was a lone Event Staffer attempting to single-handedly keep the crowd from going to the non-press box side of the field. She made a valient effort...chasing people, yelling at people, gesturing to people but to no success. Eventually, everyone just ignored her and she completely gave up. But bravo to her on her attempt. She was truly heroic.
I understand that it was just another practice for the team but considering the amount that showed up, you think they would try to do something to entertain the crowd. I mean, come on, even Dwight Yoakam would have been better than what I saw. And, for the record, I have no idea how good the team is going to be because what I saw out there was more confusing than educational. But, hey, the season starts in just a few short months. Let's Go Mountaineers.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
It's the Pope
In case you didn't hear, Pope Benedict XVI showed up in Washington today. Judging from the reception, it looks as though it wasn't a surprise visit but rather expected. President Bush even gave him an airport pickup, the first time he has done so since becoming President. This is only the 2nd visit for a Pope to the White House, which is kinda remarkable really. The Pope is going to hang around the states for a few days before heading back to the Vatican to do Pope-like things.
Want to hear something scary: Vitamins may shorten your life. The study says that vitamin supplements may not actually do any good at all. And that they may actually do harm. Obviously the vitamin supplement lobby will be busy at work to discredit this report. If more study proves this to be true...well, I can only imagine the lawsuits.
I'm going to start sanding and painting the front porch. That should be very interesting. I'm not the most handy person in the world so I will be counting the days until I lose a finger or toe. Probably start on Saturday or Sunday so we'll start the disfiguring injury count at that time.
Six weeks of deployments remaining at weeks. Or maybe it's seven weeks. Either way, there is light at the end of the tunnel. But, again, I have to take over because, again, our help deployed over a machine that we did not have a backup of and I had repeatedly requested them not deploy. Things occassionally get ugly...
And that's about it for an update. Gold-blue/Blue-gold game this weekend. Pat White for Heisman, anyone? Other than that, not too much going on other than work.
Want to hear something scary: Vitamins may shorten your life. The study says that vitamin supplements may not actually do any good at all. And that they may actually do harm. Obviously the vitamin supplement lobby will be busy at work to discredit this report. If more study proves this to be true...well, I can only imagine the lawsuits.
I'm going to start sanding and painting the front porch. That should be very interesting. I'm not the most handy person in the world so I will be counting the days until I lose a finger or toe. Probably start on Saturday or Sunday so we'll start the disfiguring injury count at that time.
Six weeks of deployments remaining at weeks. Or maybe it's seven weeks. Either way, there is light at the end of the tunnel. But, again, I have to take over because, again, our help deployed over a machine that we did not have a backup of and I had repeatedly requested them not deploy. Things occassionally get ugly...
And that's about it for an update. Gold-blue/Blue-gold game this weekend. Pat White for Heisman, anyone? Other than that, not too much going on other than work.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
There's Still An Election?
Wow...I was amazed this morning to find out that the Democratic primary continues. Clinton still has conceded defeat and Obama won't agree to be her vice presidential running mate. And it appears there's a big vote coming up in Pennsylvania in a week. If Clinton wins by 20-points, the campaigns continue. If Clinton wins by 5-points, well, I'm guessing the campaign will still continue. Clinton can't concede defeat at this point. And you have the feeling the momentum of the Obama camp has died a bit. But, really, is anyone even paying attention at this point?
Food prices are rising at a dramatic pace. This is true. Population boom and increased standards of living around the world have put a strain on farmers to produce enough food. And the increased use of ethanol (which is not a viable alternative to oil) has really put a pinch on the world's food production. Throw in the record prices for oil and gas and you have a real recipe for some serious disaster. Does anyone really want to be president at this point?
Speaking of gas, John McCain wants a summer "gas tax holiday." Essentially, the federal government would drop tax on gas for the summer months. That would save just about 20-cents per gallon. I guess the question is whether a 20-cent saving per gallon would really help people or if it would just increase the amount of gas consumption and therefore raise the price of gas to cover that 20-cents and then, after the holiday is over, raise the price of gas even more because of the over-consumption. Something to think about...
Lastly, the push to pass the bond in Marion County has picked up steam finally. The BOE is making an all-out push in the local paper to try to get people on-board with this $60 million bond. I'm afraid it could be too late though. Given the current economic climate, it will be very, very difficult to get people to pass such a large bond. I would be very surprised if this vote is even close. I hope it passes...but I just don't see it.
Food prices are rising at a dramatic pace. This is true. Population boom and increased standards of living around the world have put a strain on farmers to produce enough food. And the increased use of ethanol (which is not a viable alternative to oil) has really put a pinch on the world's food production. Throw in the record prices for oil and gas and you have a real recipe for some serious disaster. Does anyone really want to be president at this point?
Speaking of gas, John McCain wants a summer "gas tax holiday." Essentially, the federal government would drop tax on gas for the summer months. That would save just about 20-cents per gallon. I guess the question is whether a 20-cent saving per gallon would really help people or if it would just increase the amount of gas consumption and therefore raise the price of gas to cover that 20-cents and then, after the holiday is over, raise the price of gas even more because of the over-consumption. Something to think about...
Lastly, the push to pass the bond in Marion County has picked up steam finally. The BOE is making an all-out push in the local paper to try to get people on-board with this $60 million bond. I'm afraid it could be too late though. Given the current economic climate, it will be very, very difficult to get people to pass such a large bond. I would be very surprised if this vote is even close. I hope it passes...but I just don't see it.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
A Night at the Old Ballgame
Headed up Pittsburgh way last evening to check out the 2008 edition of the Pittsburgh Pirates. And, believe it or not, they won the game. By sweeping the Reds on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Pirates are at .500 a full 12-games into the season. I'm not sure that sets any records but that's not bad considering it is, you know, the Pirates. And the Pirates have, to put it nicely, struggled in recent years. Matter of fact, if the Bucs are not able to put together a winning season this year, they will tie the Philadelphia Phillies for the longest streak of losing seasons in Major League Baseball at 16. Not a record you really want to tie or surpass.
Anyway, I digress. Other than the cold weather, the game was entertaining. The heart attack special at Primanti's was excellent, as always. Despite the fact I forgot the tickets in the car and we had to make a quick trek back there, we actually made it to the game still in the first inning. I also had to stop and give money to a few street beggars. Just can't help it. We missed the top of the 1st but that was because of a sweatshirt purchase due to the cold weather that prevailed Saturday evening.
The crowd was small (18,000+) and not all that enthusiastic. One gentleman behind us was pretty adamant about how the Pirates should handle every situation and he wasn't overly pleased when they didn't follow his advice. Despite all this, the Pirates eeked out a 4-3 win over the Reds. No homeruns...nothing overly spectacular. Ken Griffey, Jr. did make a pretty impressive catch that I thought broke him but he continued on through the pain. Overall, a decent evening.
I have not written about nor do I intend to discuss the NCAA tournament from this point forward. Let me just say things didn't work out the way I had hoped and we can just leave it at that. Seriously...I don't want to talk about it.
Lastly, I will try to update. I think we have a system now at work that will allow this deployment to proceed in a fashion that won't require me to live at work. I've essentially taken over the deployment process for our office which means I can handle it however I want and I believe I can knock out machines at a good enough pace to allow a little free time. And that would include a few minutes to write something here. Maybe. We'll see how it goes Monday...
Anyway, I digress. Other than the cold weather, the game was entertaining. The heart attack special at Primanti's was excellent, as always. Despite the fact I forgot the tickets in the car and we had to make a quick trek back there, we actually made it to the game still in the first inning. I also had to stop and give money to a few street beggars. Just can't help it. We missed the top of the 1st but that was because of a sweatshirt purchase due to the cold weather that prevailed Saturday evening.
The crowd was small (18,000+) and not all that enthusiastic. One gentleman behind us was pretty adamant about how the Pirates should handle every situation and he wasn't overly pleased when they didn't follow his advice. Despite all this, the Pirates eeked out a 4-3 win over the Reds. No homeruns...nothing overly spectacular. Ken Griffey, Jr. did make a pretty impressive catch that I thought broke him but he continued on through the pain. Overall, a decent evening.
I have not written about nor do I intend to discuss the NCAA tournament from this point forward. Let me just say things didn't work out the way I had hoped and we can just leave it at that. Seriously...I don't want to talk about it.
Lastly, I will try to update. I think we have a system now at work that will allow this deployment to proceed in a fashion that won't require me to live at work. I've essentially taken over the deployment process for our office which means I can handle it however I want and I believe I can knock out machines at a good enough pace to allow a little free time. And that would include a few minutes to write something here. Maybe. We'll see how it goes Monday...
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Been A Little Busy
Yes, it has been over a week since I last updated. I don't recall the last time I went 10 days without at least checking in. Don't feel bad...I haven't read e-mail, haven't been online at all...I am so far behind on the news that it isn't even funny. Shoot, gas shot up 27-cents and I still have no idea why. It has been that busy...
Obviously, the nuisance is mostly work. So, where to begin? The deployment of Vista throughout the firm has been a bit rocky. The applications are working for the most part...the support calls are slowly becoming manageable. But the actual deployment and migration of PCs turned ugly about Thursday of last week. And I mean really, really ugly.
We have a third-party company who was handling deployments. Which, to us, meant THEY were handling deployments. It was taking them until 1:00 a.m. or 2:00 a.m. in the morning to complete a 6-8 user deployment in Clarksburg but that wasn't my problem as long as they were done. The problem begins with the company only sending one deployment guy who works from them and sub-contracting the other two deployers. And the other two turned out to be bums.
On Wednesday, our Charleston office was scheduled to move over 7 users. The deployment "expert" (sub-contractor) was on-site and did the deployment. On Thursday morning everything hit the fan. The migrated Charleston users were in various states...none of them complete. Despite the fact the deployer signed off that the migration was complete most Charleston users were nowhere close to done. At a minimum, printers weren't installed, applications weren't installed and the users were unable to work. There was even at least one machine that was not even finished deploying the OS. It was ridiculous. I spent my entire Thursday morning remoted into different Charleston machines attempting to complete the deployment.
Then, Thursday afternoon rolled around. I received an e-mail from the deployer in Clarksburg stating that he forgot to save a laptop user's settings. So, I said no problem...I would go back to the user's original harddrive and pull the settings (My Documents, Internet Favorites, etc.) from the original drive. He brought me the laptop and another harddrive with it. I booted from the harddrive and got Vista. So, I swapped harddrives and got Vista. Ummm...well, that's bad because his laptop had XP. So, after a brief investigation, I determined that Vista was deployed over his original harddrive without any backup whatsoever. He lost everything. Case information. Personal information. Gone. No backup. Bad news.
That obviously caused a lost of heat on Friday. I made the decision to perform backups on all laptops (like we're doing with desktops) in addition to pulling the original harddrive. The fight continued through the weekend and on Monday I went down to visit with the president of the company we hired. That meeting went well and we came up with a new strategy that involved more of our employees taking control of the deployment and using the third-party as additional resources instead of vice-versa. That has worked well this week. Instead of being there until 2:00 in the morning, I was able to complete by myself an entire day worth of deployments by 1:00 p.m. this afternoon. The deployment help arrived at 11:00 a.m. and I sent her home. And I have been out of the office by 7:30 every evening this week which is very nice. I actually was out by 6:00 yesterday which is amazing.
So, after a very, very busy and heated week, this week looks more promising. The users are optimistic about the new system and like some of the features. Once the IT staff is more comfortable and the deployment is under control, I think we'll be ok. I know after performing 2-days worth of deployments solo, I feel better about the process because I believe we can handle the full deployment without additional resources but we can use them because of the amount of support we still have to do. The next couple weeks will really tell the tale but, if I survive them, it's all downhill after that. By the end of April, we will be slowing down the number of workstations we are moving over every week. The next 3 weeks are the busiest. Should be interesting.
But, anyway, that's why I haven't updated. I didn't kill anyone...and, surprisingly, no one killed me but I wouldn't have blamed a couple people if they had. It's a good thing Bill Gates hasn't been around because I don't think he would have survived. Matter of fact, I guarantee he wouldn't have...
Obviously, the nuisance is mostly work. So, where to begin? The deployment of Vista throughout the firm has been a bit rocky. The applications are working for the most part...the support calls are slowly becoming manageable. But the actual deployment and migration of PCs turned ugly about Thursday of last week. And I mean really, really ugly.
We have a third-party company who was handling deployments. Which, to us, meant THEY were handling deployments. It was taking them until 1:00 a.m. or 2:00 a.m. in the morning to complete a 6-8 user deployment in Clarksburg but that wasn't my problem as long as they were done. The problem begins with the company only sending one deployment guy who works from them and sub-contracting the other two deployers. And the other two turned out to be bums.
On Wednesday, our Charleston office was scheduled to move over 7 users. The deployment "expert" (sub-contractor) was on-site and did the deployment. On Thursday morning everything hit the fan. The migrated Charleston users were in various states...none of them complete. Despite the fact the deployer signed off that the migration was complete most Charleston users were nowhere close to done. At a minimum, printers weren't installed, applications weren't installed and the users were unable to work. There was even at least one machine that was not even finished deploying the OS. It was ridiculous. I spent my entire Thursday morning remoted into different Charleston machines attempting to complete the deployment.
Then, Thursday afternoon rolled around. I received an e-mail from the deployer in Clarksburg stating that he forgot to save a laptop user's settings. So, I said no problem...I would go back to the user's original harddrive and pull the settings (My Documents, Internet Favorites, etc.) from the original drive. He brought me the laptop and another harddrive with it. I booted from the harddrive and got Vista. So, I swapped harddrives and got Vista. Ummm...well, that's bad because his laptop had XP. So, after a brief investigation, I determined that Vista was deployed over his original harddrive without any backup whatsoever. He lost everything. Case information. Personal information. Gone. No backup. Bad news.
That obviously caused a lost of heat on Friday. I made the decision to perform backups on all laptops (like we're doing with desktops) in addition to pulling the original harddrive. The fight continued through the weekend and on Monday I went down to visit with the president of the company we hired. That meeting went well and we came up with a new strategy that involved more of our employees taking control of the deployment and using the third-party as additional resources instead of vice-versa. That has worked well this week. Instead of being there until 2:00 in the morning, I was able to complete by myself an entire day worth of deployments by 1:00 p.m. this afternoon. The deployment help arrived at 11:00 a.m. and I sent her home. And I have been out of the office by 7:30 every evening this week which is very nice. I actually was out by 6:00 yesterday which is amazing.
So, after a very, very busy and heated week, this week looks more promising. The users are optimistic about the new system and like some of the features. Once the IT staff is more comfortable and the deployment is under control, I think we'll be ok. I know after performing 2-days worth of deployments solo, I feel better about the process because I believe we can handle the full deployment without additional resources but we can use them because of the amount of support we still have to do. The next couple weeks will really tell the tale but, if I survive them, it's all downhill after that. By the end of April, we will be slowing down the number of workstations we are moving over every week. The next 3 weeks are the busiest. Should be interesting.
But, anyway, that's why I haven't updated. I didn't kill anyone...and, surprisingly, no one killed me but I wouldn't have blamed a couple people if they had. It's a good thing Bill Gates hasn't been around because I don't think he would have survived. Matter of fact, I guarantee he wouldn't have...
Monday, March 31, 2008
Hillary Can't Surrender
Oh, the humanity. The Democratic Party is breaking apart before our eyes and Hillary is running the sledgehammer. The in-fighting is starting to get a little bitter as the pressure increases for Hillary to give up. Clinton grows more and more defiant as Obama takes a larger lead nationally. And all indications are that it will drag on even longer since Hillary should win Pennsylvania on April 22nd which will give her campaign more reason to fight on.
As this race grows more heated, each side will have a more difficult time embracing the other. Are Clinton supporters really going to be able to vote for Obama if he wins the nomination? And are Obama supporters going to support Clinton if she is successful in counting the votes of Michigan and Florida? I don't think so. These voters will either stay at home on Election Night or they will throw their support behind John McCain.
At this point, Clinton is in too deep to just give up. She's promised her supporters a fight to the convention and that's probably what she will deliver if she wins Pennsylvania. If she steals the nomination somehow there is no chance she can win the presidency. If she fights to the convention, she will pretty much rob any chance of Obama winning the presidency. Oh, the folly of it all...
Lastly today, I bring you Tina Turner and "Proud Mary". I have always wondered how in the world Ike Turner got his name before Tina. As you can see from this video, Tina definitely does all the work...
As this race grows more heated, each side will have a more difficult time embracing the other. Are Clinton supporters really going to be able to vote for Obama if he wins the nomination? And are Obama supporters going to support Clinton if she is successful in counting the votes of Michigan and Florida? I don't think so. These voters will either stay at home on Election Night or they will throw their support behind John McCain.
At this point, Clinton is in too deep to just give up. She's promised her supporters a fight to the convention and that's probably what she will deliver if she wins Pennsylvania. If she steals the nomination somehow there is no chance she can win the presidency. If she fights to the convention, she will pretty much rob any chance of Obama winning the presidency. Oh, the folly of it all...
Lastly today, I bring you Tina Turner and "Proud Mary". I have always wondered how in the world Ike Turner got his name before Tina. As you can see from this video, Tina definitely does all the work...
Friday, March 28, 2008
Don't Leave That Guy Open
WVU should have beaten Xavier. A Joe Alexander free throw away from an Elite Eight appearance. But instead, the game goes into overtime and someone leaves BJ Raymond open for a game-ending 3-pointer. Sound familiar?
If Alexander doesn't foul out, maybe WVU wins. If West Virginia makes some free throws, maybe WVU wins. The Mountaineers had many chances to win the game but just couldn't finish the job. Yes, it's very disappointing but who would have guessed WVU would be in the Sweet 16. I was going to be happy with any post-season play this year. And instead of sitting in the NIT or worse, Bobby Huggins led his team to the Sweet 16 on the strong play of Alexander and Mazzula.
So, what does the future for Mountaineer basketball hold? Probably not many more players like Ruoff or Alexander. Probably not many more players like Smalligan either. Instead we'll get some questionable characters that are going to be a little harder to cheer for but, as long as they win, we'll find a way. Is that right? Probably not but everyone likes winning. But I think we'll still miss the days of the Beilein players who were just plain likeable. Gansey, Beilein, Herber and, to a lesser extent, Pittsnogle seemed to be good people on and off the court. Traditionally Huggins' players haven't necessarily been that way.
Maybe Huggins has changed a bit and will look for players that can play basketball and also have a higher moral fiber. I don't think that will happen but I can hope. In the meantime, I can enjoy this Sweet 16 run and think about what might have been if only a free throw or two had fallen. And there's always North Carolina remaining...so all can't be bad. Right?
If Alexander doesn't foul out, maybe WVU wins. If West Virginia makes some free throws, maybe WVU wins. The Mountaineers had many chances to win the game but just couldn't finish the job. Yes, it's very disappointing but who would have guessed WVU would be in the Sweet 16. I was going to be happy with any post-season play this year. And instead of sitting in the NIT or worse, Bobby Huggins led his team to the Sweet 16 on the strong play of Alexander and Mazzula.
So, what does the future for Mountaineer basketball hold? Probably not many more players like Ruoff or Alexander. Probably not many more players like Smalligan either. Instead we'll get some questionable characters that are going to be a little harder to cheer for but, as long as they win, we'll find a way. Is that right? Probably not but everyone likes winning. But I think we'll still miss the days of the Beilein players who were just plain likeable. Gansey, Beilein, Herber and, to a lesser extent, Pittsnogle seemed to be good people on and off the court. Traditionally Huggins' players haven't necessarily been that way.
Maybe Huggins has changed a bit and will look for players that can play basketball and also have a higher moral fiber. I don't think that will happen but I can hope. In the meantime, I can enjoy this Sweet 16 run and think about what might have been if only a free throw or two had fallen. And there's always North Carolina remaining...so all can't be bad. Right?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Bridge to Something
Oh, that City of Fairmont is a smart one. As part of the Riverfront Development Project, the City is going to build a pedestrian bridge on what used to be the Low Level Bridge. The project will accomodate walkers and bikers who would like to cross the Monongahela River. Five years after the plan was initially hatched, a $200,000 West Virginia Transporation grant was awarded to the city to begin the project.
Not to knock the idea, but wouldn't it be great if there was actually a reason to cross the bridge? Wouldn't it be nice to have something near the river the east and west side of the river that would make people want to get to the other side? Is this another "if you build it, they will come" project? I'm not sure that building a bridge is going to motivate anyone to build near the river. I just think the money would be more wisely spent developing the riverfront first and then worrying about a new bridge. There is already ways to cross the river...there's just no reason to cross it. But, hey, once that waterpark is open and the minor league baseball team starts play, we may need that pedestrian bridge.
Not to knock the idea, but wouldn't it be great if there was actually a reason to cross the bridge? Wouldn't it be nice to have something near the river the east and west side of the river that would make people want to get to the other side? Is this another "if you build it, they will come" project? I'm not sure that building a bridge is going to motivate anyone to build near the river. I just think the money would be more wisely spent developing the riverfront first and then worrying about a new bridge. There is already ways to cross the river...there's just no reason to cross it. But, hey, once that waterpark is open and the minor league baseball team starts play, we may need that pedestrian bridge.
Monday, March 24, 2008
WVU, Bracket, Losing
First, the good news. West Virginia defeated Duke and goes to the Sweet 16 for the 3rd time in 4 years. That is pretty remarkable. There aren’t many teams outside of the "blue bloods" that can boast 3 Sweet 16 visits in 4 years. We come to expect those things out of UNC, Texas, Louisville and even Duke but WVU isn’t supposed to be traveling this deep in the tournament on a regular basis. It’s pretty nice. Add in the football success, soccer success, women’s basketball, rifle, wrestling, etc. and you have a small sports dynasty occuring in Morgantown.
I’m really not sure that most younger fans appreciate how unusual this success has been. Prior to Beilein and Rodriguez, WVU fans were just happy to make it to a bowl game every other year. The occassional appearance in the NCAA tournament was something to celebrate and an NIT bid was just fine. To make the NCAA tourney and be eliminated in the first or second round was to be expected. Now, anything less than a BCS bowl bid or a Sweet 16 run is disappointing. The last 4-5 years have been unbelievable. The question is whether this run can continue for years to come or not. I hope so but the odds are long. West Virginia still is West Virginia. But it sure has been a sweet run.
Not so sweet is my bracket. Oh, Oklahoma and Butler...how thou hath foresaken me. It’s definitely not a banner year for my predictions. I didn’t have WVU in the Sweet 16, I didn’t have Tennessee advancing. I guess a positive is that there is no way I’m coming in last place. But it looks just as unlikely that I will win our bracket. At least UNC is still out there dominating opponents. If they win the championship, I will gladly toss my bracket out the window and be happy. Ditto for West Virginia (and, given a choice, I would prefer WVU for the simple fact that it has never happened before...)
And, to close out today, a song that you probably forgot about (or tried to forget about), I bring you Inner Circle and Sweat:
I’m really not sure that most younger fans appreciate how unusual this success has been. Prior to Beilein and Rodriguez, WVU fans were just happy to make it to a bowl game every other year. The occassional appearance in the NCAA tournament was something to celebrate and an NIT bid was just fine. To make the NCAA tourney and be eliminated in the first or second round was to be expected. Now, anything less than a BCS bowl bid or a Sweet 16 run is disappointing. The last 4-5 years have been unbelievable. The question is whether this run can continue for years to come or not. I hope so but the odds are long. West Virginia still is West Virginia. But it sure has been a sweet run.
Not so sweet is my bracket. Oh, Oklahoma and Butler...how thou hath foresaken me. It’s definitely not a banner year for my predictions. I didn’t have WVU in the Sweet 16, I didn’t have Tennessee advancing. I guess a positive is that there is no way I’m coming in last place. But it looks just as unlikely that I will win our bracket. At least UNC is still out there dominating opponents. If they win the championship, I will gladly toss my bracket out the window and be happy. Ditto for West Virginia (and, given a choice, I would prefer WVU for the simple fact that it has never happened before...)
And, to close out today, a song that you probably forgot about (or tried to forget about), I bring you Inner Circle and Sweat:
Friday, March 21, 2008
Work Update
Well, we have deployed the first week of computers and things are definitely interesting. For the most part our users are able to accomplish work without too much hassle. But this isn't to say that it works flawlessly. Obviously there are some issues that remain outstanding. Following a successful deployment of a Vista image we still must address a lot of extras on some applications. That's not a problem when you're deploying 8 machines in a week. But in 4 weeks we will be deploying 72 machines in one week. That should be interesting...
Other news, my bracket is suffering. I'm currently in 9th in a 14-person bracket. I take solace in the fact that I remain ahead of Jake and Steele. But the fact I'm losing to Stanley cuts me deeply. But I still believe Carolina will pull me through with a stirring comeback victory...similar to Duke's win over Belmont. (Trust me, I would gladly see my bracket fall to last if Belmont had beaten Duke).
Other than that, not much going on. Just trying to clean off my desk...which is easier said than done. And resolving issues at work non-stop. Should be an interesting next couple weeks...busy busy.
Other news, my bracket is suffering. I'm currently in 9th in a 14-person bracket. I take solace in the fact that I remain ahead of Jake and Steele. But the fact I'm losing to Stanley cuts me deeply. But I still believe Carolina will pull me through with a stirring comeback victory...similar to Duke's win over Belmont. (Trust me, I would gladly see my bracket fall to last if Belmont had beaten Duke).
Other than that, not much going on. Just trying to clean off my desk...which is easier said than done. And resolving issues at work non-stop. Should be an interesting next couple weeks...busy busy.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Osama Speaks
Osama Bin Laden speaks out and the world listens...as he rants about cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad. He even accused to Pope of being part of a new crusade to mock the Prophet. The world waits for him to speak again and all he can come up with is a complaint about cartoons? Almost laughable...almost.
The problem is that there is a segment of our world that actually gets worked up about this complaint. There are people is this world ready to kill and be killed because someone attempted to draw a picture of the Prophet. There are people in this world who are determined that the rest of us believe what they believe or else we should die. There is no middle ground. There is no negotiation. Bin Laden and his believers cannot be reasoned with. There is only one way to live life and that is through Islam.
The world needs to wake up and realize that there is no way we can continue down this path. You cannot reason with a group of people who so strongly believe they are the only chosen people and the rest of us are but merely in the way. For Bin Laden and those who follow his message, the world must either convert to their way of life or perish for their sins. There is no middle ground and there is no negotiation.
Bin Laden's rant about cartoons and conspiracy could be funny. But not when so many people are willing to put their lives on the line for such beliefs. Therefore, Bin Laden's comments aren't funny but merely another reminder of how out of touch these people are. Bin Laden's comments are just plain scary.
The problem is that there is a segment of our world that actually gets worked up about this complaint. There are people is this world ready to kill and be killed because someone attempted to draw a picture of the Prophet. There are people in this world who are determined that the rest of us believe what they believe or else we should die. There is no middle ground. There is no negotiation. Bin Laden and his believers cannot be reasoned with. There is only one way to live life and that is through Islam.
The world needs to wake up and realize that there is no way we can continue down this path. You cannot reason with a group of people who so strongly believe they are the only chosen people and the rest of us are but merely in the way. For Bin Laden and those who follow his message, the world must either convert to their way of life or perish for their sins. There is no middle ground and there is no negotiation.
Bin Laden's rant about cartoons and conspiracy could be funny. But not when so many people are willing to put their lives on the line for such beliefs. Therefore, Bin Laden's comments aren't funny but merely another reminder of how out of touch these people are. Bin Laden's comments are just plain scary.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
March Madness
Oh, tis the time when all eyes fall upon the brackets of the NCAA tournament for what one calls March Madness. Productivity comes to a screeching halt as everyone tries desperately to pick the winning teams and advance in office pools. It's an enjoyable time for most...a little stressful for some. Bragging rights will be earned by some while others suffer the agony of losing their Final Four in the second round. Always a good time...
I won't go into my picks because some people would steal them and that would be wrong. But I can tell you that a majority of my Final Four consists of #1 seeds. I just don't see anyone knocking off UNC or Kansas before then. UCLA could easily blow a game somewhere and Memphis really doesn't stand a chance. West Virginia could get hot and get past Arizona but I just don't see Huggins beating Duke (which is unfortunate).
As always, it will be an interesting tournament. Maybe there will be some major upsets but I'm not seeing any quite yet. I'll post results as they come...as long as they look good for my bracket. Otherwise, I'll just ignore the tournament completely and hope it goes away.
With that, I will leave you with a picture of where I spent the last few days and wish I were today...because, it's rollout time here at work and that's not going to be fun...
I won't go into my picks because some people would steal them and that would be wrong. But I can tell you that a majority of my Final Four consists of #1 seeds. I just don't see anyone knocking off UNC or Kansas before then. UCLA could easily blow a game somewhere and Memphis really doesn't stand a chance. West Virginia could get hot and get past Arizona but I just don't see Huggins beating Duke (which is unfortunate).
As always, it will be an interesting tournament. Maybe there will be some major upsets but I'm not seeing any quite yet. I'll post results as they come...as long as they look good for my bracket. Otherwise, I'll just ignore the tournament completely and hope it goes away.
With that, I will leave you with a picture of where I spent the last few days and wish I were today...because, it's rollout time here at work and that's not going to be fun...
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Ferraro: Obama Where He Is Because He's Black
Jake Tapper had an interesting little tidbit on ABC today regarding recent comments from Clinton campaign finance committee member, former vice presidential candidate, and former Rep. Geraldine Ferraro. Ferraro said "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."
Maybe there is a little truth in that. If Obama were a white man without an agenda and without a real platform, perhaps he wouldn't have the same free pass that he currently enjoys. And, without question, he wouldn't command the amount of black support throughout the country that he currently has. But who's to say that for sure?
First, it's a pretty nasty comment by Ferraro. Geraldine took advantage of her gender and race when she ran as vice president with Walter Mondale. Had she not been a white woman, I very seriously doubt she would have ever been selected as Mondale's running mate. Making her the VP candidate was all about press coverage and hoping to steal the woman vote from Ronald Reagan. Obviously, we all know where the Mondale campaign headed...
Second, where would Hillary Clinton be if she wasn't a woman? And where would Hillary Clinton be if she wasn't the wife of Bill Clinton? I don't believe she would ever be in a position to even sniff a nomination for President if it weren't for her gender and husband. Hillary's entire campaign is about getting the woman vote and riding the coattails of her "work" with Slick.
And yet here's Ferraro, working for the Clinton campaign, attempting to undermine the work of Barrack Obama by declaring him the "black candidate." It's very much like the way Bill Clinton tried to dismiss him as a Jesse Jackson-wannabe. Despite years of pretending to be the "progressive" party in race relations, many Democrat operatives can't help but show their true colors as this race gets more and more desperate. And they are revealing they are uglier than anyone could have imagined...
Maybe there is a little truth in that. If Obama were a white man without an agenda and without a real platform, perhaps he wouldn't have the same free pass that he currently enjoys. And, without question, he wouldn't command the amount of black support throughout the country that he currently has. But who's to say that for sure?
First, it's a pretty nasty comment by Ferraro. Geraldine took advantage of her gender and race when she ran as vice president with Walter Mondale. Had she not been a white woman, I very seriously doubt she would have ever been selected as Mondale's running mate. Making her the VP candidate was all about press coverage and hoping to steal the woman vote from Ronald Reagan. Obviously, we all know where the Mondale campaign headed...
Second, where would Hillary Clinton be if she wasn't a woman? And where would Hillary Clinton be if she wasn't the wife of Bill Clinton? I don't believe she would ever be in a position to even sniff a nomination for President if it weren't for her gender and husband. Hillary's entire campaign is about getting the woman vote and riding the coattails of her "work" with Slick.
And yet here's Ferraro, working for the Clinton campaign, attempting to undermine the work of Barrack Obama by declaring him the "black candidate." It's very much like the way Bill Clinton tried to dismiss him as a Jesse Jackson-wannabe. Despite years of pretending to be the "progressive" party in race relations, many Democrat operatives can't help but show their true colors as this race gets more and more desperate. And they are revealing they are uglier than anyone could have imagined...
Monday, March 10, 2008
Country Roads Can Kill You
I'm not really sure there's anything else to say:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/08/wbangkok108.xml
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/08/wbangkok108.xml
Friday, March 07, 2008
Gridiron Bash
In case you haven't heard, WVU is participating in the Gridiron Bash this spring. The Gridiron Bash is a live concert that will be held the night before the Blue-Gold game at Milan Puskar Stadium. The Bash is really a fan contest and the school that has the largest attendance will win $1 million dollars for their general scholarship fund. They're trying to turn the spring game into a "Midnight Madness" type event. This will also be the first time the Milan Puskar Stadium has ever held a concert.
So, you might be asking yourself, what big name performer is WVU having for this Gridiron Bash? Before I tell you, let me go through some of the other participants: Alabama gets Alan Jackson...sounds about right. Colorado gets the Counting Crows. I would definitely go see that. Arizona State - 3 Doors Down. Kansas State - Goo Goo Dolls. LSU gets Kid Rock (I'll pass) and Rutgers gets Fall Out Boy (ummm...not completely horrible I guess). South Carolina gets the Black Crowes...would go for that. Texas A&M gets ZZ Top...yes, indeed, I would be there.
Yeah...there's some stinkers in there...but I would probably accept any of those acts performing for the first ever concert on Mountaineer Field. Maryland gets Good Charlotte, Utah gets Maroon 5, Penn State gets Fergie. All relatively acceptable, I suppose. Iowa gets Kelly Clarkson and Kentucky gets Wynona and Dierks Bentley. Yeah...ok, I'll accept that.
So, what big act does WVU get to host? How about Dwight "Freakin'" Yoakam. Yes, you heard me correct...Dwight Yoakam. Now, I'm going to say this...he probably isn't the worst act in the list I just presented...but it's still Dwight Yoakam. And, not only is it Dwight Yoakim, but you get to pay $48.50 to see Dwight Yoakam. Is this really the best they could do? Why not get like Brad Paisley? I would consider Brad Paisley...I just don't know about Dwight Yoakam.
Maybe I'm being too hard on Dwight or thinking the other acts are really better when they're not. I mean, I would definitely go see Counting Crows and ZZ Top. Maroon 5 is cool and I could handle Alan Jackson. But, Dwight Yoakam? I liked Streets of Bakersfield...and he's done a lot of covers and has had a lot of hits...but it's still Dwight Yoakam. I just have a feeling the Gridiron Bash is going to be a huge bust at WVU...because, well, it's Dwight "Freakin'" Yoakam and that's really all it is.
So, you might be asking yourself, what big name performer is WVU having for this Gridiron Bash? Before I tell you, let me go through some of the other participants: Alabama gets Alan Jackson...sounds about right. Colorado gets the Counting Crows. I would definitely go see that. Arizona State - 3 Doors Down. Kansas State - Goo Goo Dolls. LSU gets Kid Rock (I'll pass) and Rutgers gets Fall Out Boy (ummm...not completely horrible I guess). South Carolina gets the Black Crowes...would go for that. Texas A&M gets ZZ Top...yes, indeed, I would be there.
Yeah...there's some stinkers in there...but I would probably accept any of those acts performing for the first ever concert on Mountaineer Field. Maryland gets Good Charlotte, Utah gets Maroon 5, Penn State gets Fergie. All relatively acceptable, I suppose. Iowa gets Kelly Clarkson and Kentucky gets Wynona and Dierks Bentley. Yeah...ok, I'll accept that.
So, what big act does WVU get to host? How about Dwight "Freakin'" Yoakam. Yes, you heard me correct...Dwight Yoakam. Now, I'm going to say this...he probably isn't the worst act in the list I just presented...but it's still Dwight Yoakam. And, not only is it Dwight Yoakim, but you get to pay $48.50 to see Dwight Yoakam. Is this really the best they could do? Why not get like Brad Paisley? I would consider Brad Paisley...I just don't know about Dwight Yoakam.
Maybe I'm being too hard on Dwight or thinking the other acts are really better when they're not. I mean, I would definitely go see Counting Crows and ZZ Top. Maroon 5 is cool and I could handle Alan Jackson. But, Dwight Yoakam? I liked Streets of Bakersfield...and he's done a lot of covers and has had a lot of hits...but it's still Dwight Yoakam. I just have a feeling the Gridiron Bash is going to be a huge bust at WVU...because, well, it's Dwight "Freakin'" Yoakam and that's really all it is.
Upgrade Update
Well, the pilot users have been working for nearly two weeks. Yes, there have been complaints but, surprisingly, they are actually be productive and work product is leaving the building. The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of changes for our image and we were able to get two more programs in the core image which greatly reduced our manual installs at each machine. As of today, I can think of only 2 core applications that are going to require a manual installation and those are both relatively small and quick.
As I have said before, Vista has presented several unique issues to our vendors and it has become obvious they were not prepared. Yes, their products work with Vista but actually getting them to deploy via a central solution...well, that was a different story. Rights issues still abound...Vista really, really doesn't want any user writing to the Program Files directory which greatly hampers a lot of older applications.
On my side, I finally allowed my e-mail account to be moved from Novell to Exchange...and that was a very, very poor decision on my part. As for 3:30 p.m. yesterday, I am no longer receiving any e-mail at all. Despite correctly setting up all the correct aliases in Exchange, my account is still unknown for some reason. I do have all my old e-mails...or at least it appears they are all there. But anyone who e-mails me now receives a kickback that the user is unknown. Everyone is going to think I left...which might not be a bad thing. I'm guessing we will have to completely blow away my account and recreate it...I might as well start archiving my e-mails now. Other than that...well, I guess that's a pretty big deal.
Lastly, I guess I have to say again that Brett Favre was a good quarterback...maybe a great quarterback...but I still think he whined a bit too much towards the end of his career. Yes, it was fun to watch him throwing all those interceptions (and touchdowns). That's not my problem with him. My problem was his last few years when he continually threw the Packers' organization under the bus without accepting any blame for poor play himself. No one in the Packers' front office was out there throwing interceptions at the rate Favre was and yet Favre accepted no blame for his poor play. I will admit that he wasn't necessarily surrounded by the most talented folks in the world. But, hey, if people want to keep the hatemail coming, feel free. I'm not sure which is worse...Brett Favre fans or Michael Vick fans...they're both coming up with about the same crap...
As I have said before, Vista has presented several unique issues to our vendors and it has become obvious they were not prepared. Yes, their products work with Vista but actually getting them to deploy via a central solution...well, that was a different story. Rights issues still abound...Vista really, really doesn't want any user writing to the Program Files directory which greatly hampers a lot of older applications.
On my side, I finally allowed my e-mail account to be moved from Novell to Exchange...and that was a very, very poor decision on my part. As for 3:30 p.m. yesterday, I am no longer receiving any e-mail at all. Despite correctly setting up all the correct aliases in Exchange, my account is still unknown for some reason. I do have all my old e-mails...or at least it appears they are all there. But anyone who e-mails me now receives a kickback that the user is unknown. Everyone is going to think I left...which might not be a bad thing. I'm guessing we will have to completely blow away my account and recreate it...I might as well start archiving my e-mails now. Other than that...well, I guess that's a pretty big deal.
Lastly, I guess I have to say again that Brett Favre was a good quarterback...maybe a great quarterback...but I still think he whined a bit too much towards the end of his career. Yes, it was fun to watch him throwing all those interceptions (and touchdowns). That's not my problem with him. My problem was his last few years when he continually threw the Packers' organization under the bus without accepting any blame for poor play himself. No one in the Packers' front office was out there throwing interceptions at the rate Favre was and yet Favre accepted no blame for his poor play. I will admit that he wasn't necessarily surrounded by the most talented folks in the world. But, hey, if people want to keep the hatemail coming, feel free. I'm not sure which is worse...Brett Favre fans or Michael Vick fans...they're both coming up with about the same crap...
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Kyle Korver Plays Defense
This is an amazing picture of Utah's Kyle Korver playing defense against former UNC player, Rashad McCants. That's some great defense:
(Photo Credit: David Sherman/NBAE/Getty Images)
Hillary Wins, Hillary Wins
Hillary Clinton finally put a stop to the Obama Express by winning Texas, Ohio and the Great State of Rhode Island. A 10-point margin of victory in Ohio probably gives her some hope of winning several more states down the road. But can she actually win the nomination? That's the question everyone is going to be asking this morning. It appears highly unlikely that Hillary can win a majority of the elected delegates. Obama's campaign would have to fall completely on its face for him to lose the rest of the states by a large enough margin for her to lead in elected delegates. That leaves the unrestricted "Super Delegates" to determine the Democrat nominee.
By all accounts, it appears Hillary is calling in all the favors her and Bill have lined up over the years to try to get these Super Delegates to throw their support behind the Clinton Attack Machine. Hillary is also attempting to get the results of Michigan and Florida included in the race even though it was clear at the start of the Democrat primaries that both states would be excluded for failing to follow party rules. Now the Clinton campaign wants to change the rules again...not surprising though.
Clinton hinted this morning on the Early Show that she and Obama could appear on the same ticket. She wouldn't get into who would be Top Dog but I would assume it would have to be her. I can't imagine that Obama would allow this to happen at this point considering he is most likely going to have the most elected delegates and a majority of voters. If the Super Delegates overturn the will of the Democrat voters and make Hillary the nominee, expect a battle in the Democrat party unlike anything ever seen before. I can't wait...
Anyway, with that all said, I bring you Aretha Franklin:
By all accounts, it appears Hillary is calling in all the favors her and Bill have lined up over the years to try to get these Super Delegates to throw their support behind the Clinton Attack Machine. Hillary is also attempting to get the results of Michigan and Florida included in the race even though it was clear at the start of the Democrat primaries that both states would be excluded for failing to follow party rules. Now the Clinton campaign wants to change the rules again...not surprising though.
Clinton hinted this morning on the Early Show that she and Obama could appear on the same ticket. She wouldn't get into who would be Top Dog but I would assume it would have to be her. I can't imagine that Obama would allow this to happen at this point considering he is most likely going to have the most elected delegates and a majority of voters. If the Super Delegates overturn the will of the Democrat voters and make Hillary the nominee, expect a battle in the Democrat party unlike anything ever seen before. I can't wait...
Anyway, with that all said, I bring you Aretha Franklin:
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Goodbye, Brett Favre. Maybe?
There are two stories I have written that continue to receive comments and hate mail so many months later. One is about Brett Favre being a princess. The other is about Michael Vick, you know, killing dogs. Michael Vick did kill some dogs. The jury is still out on whether Favre is a princess. And the jury is still out on whether Favre truly is retiring. Rumors are flying that perhaps Favre won't retire after all...or maybe he's looking at other teams. Or maybe this is just another story that proves my earlier point that Favre is a prima donna princess who has misplaced his tiara.
In defense of my position, I bring you the comments of Brett Favre's agent, Bus Cook, courtesy of ProFootballTalk.com:
"I know he wants to play one more year," Cook said. "I do not know much conversation there was and I don't think anyone forced him to make that decision. But I don't know that anyone tried to talk him out of it."
"I think he wanted to play," Cook said. " I think he's still got it. He knows he's still got it. I think he felt he could play one more year. I don't know if they told him they really wanted him to play. That's just the feeling I got."
Asked whether Favre could be talked into returning, Cook said, "I don't know."
Sounds a whole lot like a couple years ago when Favre complained about the commitment of the Packers organization to...him. Sounds like last year when Favre cried about the Packers not agressively pursuing Randy Moss. I don't know if Favre is really retiring or not...this could turn into another instance of him attempting to hold the Packers organization hostage. And the words of his agent will anger Packers fans and probably cost some front-office people their jobs.
Listen, I know I'm hard on Princess Favre but that's only because he has played this game for too many years now. Yes, he was a great quarterback and, yes, he had a great resurgence last year but his public complaints about the organization that pays him good money hurts everyone. Yes, he deserves to be surrounded by talent but, let's face it, there's only so much money around for the Packers to spend. I honestly believe that no move by the Packers would be greeted warmly by Favre and he always wanted to be the guy who fought the "man" no matter how much the Packers gave him.
Obviously, there's two sides to every story. Unfortunately, no one will ever care what the Packers side of the story is because everyone will be too busy bowing to the alter that is Brett Favre. I, for one, cannot and will not follow that crowd.
In defense of my position, I bring you the comments of Brett Favre's agent, Bus Cook, courtesy of ProFootballTalk.com:
"I know he wants to play one more year," Cook said. "I do not know much conversation there was and I don't think anyone forced him to make that decision. But I don't know that anyone tried to talk him out of it."
"I think he wanted to play," Cook said. " I think he's still got it. He knows he's still got it. I think he felt he could play one more year. I don't know if they told him they really wanted him to play. That's just the feeling I got."
Asked whether Favre could be talked into returning, Cook said, "I don't know."
Sounds a whole lot like a couple years ago when Favre complained about the commitment of the Packers organization to...him. Sounds like last year when Favre cried about the Packers not agressively pursuing Randy Moss. I don't know if Favre is really retiring or not...this could turn into another instance of him attempting to hold the Packers organization hostage. And the words of his agent will anger Packers fans and probably cost some front-office people their jobs.
Listen, I know I'm hard on Princess Favre but that's only because he has played this game for too many years now. Yes, he was a great quarterback and, yes, he had a great resurgence last year but his public complaints about the organization that pays him good money hurts everyone. Yes, he deserves to be surrounded by talent but, let's face it, there's only so much money around for the Packers to spend. I honestly believe that no move by the Packers would be greeted warmly by Favre and he always wanted to be the guy who fought the "man" no matter how much the Packers gave him.
Obviously, there's two sides to every story. Unfortunately, no one will ever care what the Packers side of the story is because everyone will be too busy bowing to the alter that is Brett Favre. I, for one, cannot and will not follow that crowd.
Backyard Brawl: Basketball Style
Attended last night's version of the "Backyard Brawl" at the WVU Coliseum and, well, it wasn't nearly as competitive as I had envisioned it being. Apparently some tickets had been returned by someone or something and I was able to snag a couple from the ticket office, which were waiting at will call. Arrived about 30 minutes before tip and was actually able to find a parking space at one of the nearby churches. After a quick journey and a tour for Stanley and I around the perimeter of the Coliseum to find the Red Gate, we finally had tickets and headed into a pretty rowdy atmosphere.
The tickets were obviously not great. Sitting in the Jerry West section sounds good...until you actually get in the Jerry West section and realize you are actually on top of the Coliseum. But, I could see the court without my glasses and I could definitely see the horrendous officiating of the dynamic duo: Tim Higgins and Jim Burr. A classic, hideous combination.
Other than the classic chant for Pittsburgh to dine on....ummmm, not such good stuff, the only good cheer the student section had going was for #2 Levance Fields. Every time Fields touched the ball, shouts of "Taser" filled the Coliseum. Apparently Fields had been involved in an incident in Pittsburgh that involved him being, you know, tasered. Some bright individual even made a cardboard cutout of a giant taser to attempt to rattle Fields. It didn't seem to work as Fields as Pitt's leading scorer. But it was funny nonetheless.
But Levance Fields and the rest of his Pitt brethren had no answer for Joe Alexander, Darris Nichols and the rest of the Mountaineers on Senior Night in Morgantown. WVU took control of the game early and just pounded on the Panthers all night long. WVU won the game by 14-points but it really wasn't even that close. WVU dominated every aspect of the game, including out-rebounding Pitt 35-30.
Following the performance, Stanley and I headed over to Damon's to get, you know, food and watch a little basketball there. Then, without warning, the room burst into applause as senior guard and all-time starts leader for the Mountainners, Darris Nichols, came in to also, you know, eat. Stanley congratulated him and that was about it I guess. Nichols has definitely had a solid and stellar career as a Mountaineer and is probably very under-appreciated for all his efforts.
At the end of the day, it was a good day for the Mountaineers. This win, coupled with a win at St. John's on March 8th, should assure WVU a spot in the NCAA Tournament. If, for some reason, the Mountaineers collapse against St. John's, they'll probably need at least one win the Big East Tournament. But an 11-7 record in the Big East is pretty solid and should get them in...big, big win on Monday night. And on national television at that. Great day...
The tickets were obviously not great. Sitting in the Jerry West section sounds good...until you actually get in the Jerry West section and realize you are actually on top of the Coliseum. But, I could see the court without my glasses and I could definitely see the horrendous officiating of the dynamic duo: Tim Higgins and Jim Burr. A classic, hideous combination.
Other than the classic chant for Pittsburgh to dine on....ummmm, not such good stuff, the only good cheer the student section had going was for #2 Levance Fields. Every time Fields touched the ball, shouts of "Taser" filled the Coliseum. Apparently Fields had been involved in an incident in Pittsburgh that involved him being, you know, tasered. Some bright individual even made a cardboard cutout of a giant taser to attempt to rattle Fields. It didn't seem to work as Fields as Pitt's leading scorer. But it was funny nonetheless.
But Levance Fields and the rest of his Pitt brethren had no answer for Joe Alexander, Darris Nichols and the rest of the Mountaineers on Senior Night in Morgantown. WVU took control of the game early and just pounded on the Panthers all night long. WVU won the game by 14-points but it really wasn't even that close. WVU dominated every aspect of the game, including out-rebounding Pitt 35-30.
Following the performance, Stanley and I headed over to Damon's to get, you know, food and watch a little basketball there. Then, without warning, the room burst into applause as senior guard and all-time starts leader for the Mountainners, Darris Nichols, came in to also, you know, eat. Stanley congratulated him and that was about it I guess. Nichols has definitely had a solid and stellar career as a Mountaineer and is probably very under-appreciated for all his efforts.
At the end of the day, it was a good day for the Mountaineers. This win, coupled with a win at St. John's on March 8th, should assure WVU a spot in the NCAA Tournament. If, for some reason, the Mountaineers collapse against St. John's, they'll probably need at least one win the Big East Tournament. But an 11-7 record in the Big East is pretty solid and should get them in...big, big win on Monday night. And on national television at that. Great day...
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