I forgot to announce our back patio has been poured. We did this like almost a week ago. It's real nice out there now. We just need to get started on the garage and patio area buildings. I can't wait to get a garage finished up. It's going to be real nice to work on my rig inside. Plus all the space to put my tools and such. Anyway, that's what was going on last week.

Well, I guess it's official. BMG50 is completely sold. The tower came down today.

I found out from the new owners that they don't want the tower after all. So I'm going to keep it.

I think I'm going to just put up half of it. 25'. Then put my current link on that. It should only be about 6-8' above the top of the roof. Not too bad. I can set that up by myself easily.

Anyway, I guess I'll get back to work. My deadline was three weeks ago.

I have learned my lesson for the week.

1) Unplug the network from the PC.
2) Install a hardware firewall.
3) Format and install MS Windows XP.
4) Install from CD, anti-virus, anti-malware programs.
5) Run a virus scan and malware scan:
(note, I found two adware installed on the system from Microsoft)
6) Plug in network cable into firewall.
7) Update Virus and malware programs.
8) Install MS Windows Updates.
9) Keep installing updates until they are done.
10) cross your fingers that you don't get a nasty virus while installing updates.

I just installed a copy of XP on my test system because I need to test my latest web application on that platform.

Before I was even finished installing the software I had pornographic pop-up messages and some popup-blocker on that system.

I wasn't even totally finished installing yet.

MS Windows is pure garbage.

Update:
I had to unplug the network cable because it was going crazy. I had to use my Mac and download the Spyware tools and antivirus programs and put them on CD.

When I ran Ad-Aware the system went nuts. So far I have over 300 new critical objects found. This is just nuts. How can anyone use MS Windows?

Update 2:
Found 520 spyware and 17 viruses from a default install of Windows XP with the network connected for just one hour.

Unbelievable. What complete trash.

Welp, I've switched back to Safari for my browsing needs. I'm a huge fan of Omniweb, but it just isn't stable or fast enough for me. The slowness wouldn't be so bad, but the constant crashing is driving me nuts. I'm a web site programmer you know, and lately I've been doing a lot of AJAX programming. The Javascript is just crashing OW over and over. Even simple things like having a submit button in a iframe will crash OW.

Anyway, Safari is much more stable. It only crashes once or twice a week as opposed to twice a day or more.

Also, with Safari Stand's new mini-preview tabs and Pith Helmet's ad blocking, who needs OW anyway...

Went camping last weekend in the American River Canyon. The hike kicked my butt. I'm still sore from it. But I did have a great time. It was really fun to hang out with everyone again.

On the last night we were there, we seen a meteor burn out in the sky. It was crazy cool. I believe it was the largest that I've ever seen.

The mosquitoes were crazy thick there. I don't think you could stop for more then 2 minutes without having them covering your arms, legs, and neck. It just about made the whole trip not worth it.

I don't know if we will go again because of the mosquitoes being so bad. Personally, I don't think I could handle it. Next time we will go somewhere else to hike.

Anyway, I've been recovering now and trying to finish up my current work project. I guess I should get back to it.

So I called Cingular last week to complain about our phones always dropping calls. It was getting to the point that we could not talk on our phones longer than 10 minutes without having to redial.

Their usual response is to turn the phone off, remove the battery, remove the SIM card, then put it back together.

That does not work. In fact, I did that before calling them and I was cut off twice. I finally talked to someone that told me that if I switch to the Cingular phones and calling plans that I would not be cut off anymore.

So I ordered three new phones and made the switch. Jane and Cyndie have real nice camera phones now. I chose the free one. On one hand I like the phone, but on the other hand I don't. It's just a bit bigger than my old phone and it feels cheap. It does have the LED panel on the outside that I really like. It also has a USB port and my Mac will sync my Address book and Calendar to it. That makes it really nice.

But anyway, while I was talking to someone the other day I was cut off three times. I'm not sure if it was because of the wind or the hurricane back east, but it was really making me mad. Again today I was cut off while talking.

I don't think the switch did anything for keeping me talking.

It's not just this area either. My dad has the same phones and it drops calls all over the USA. He has been from Modesto/Turlock all the way to Florida and the phone acts the same. It drops calls after about 10 minutes of talking.

I'm going to give it another week, then I'm going to call Cingular and let them have it... as if that will change anything.

Life is real good right now. You've all heard that I sold my WISP and quit my partnership with CDC by now. That has giving me lots of free time to do, well, whatever I want.

I took on a contract last month and now I'm just about finished with it. It's nice to be able to actually finish things. It's also nice to be paid what I'm worth.

Since I'm working for myself, I've been able to take the whole weekends off and also only work eight hours a day. It makes my life much better. I'm actually getting a lot more done this way.

This month has been packed with Wheeling and Camping trips, and it really feels good to get out and do stuff. I should have done this years ago.

I really need need to spend more time away from my computer screen. Keeping things to eight hours is really helping out. I was just about burned out on computers before I quit my other jobs.

Actually, for the past two weeks I've been falling back into my old rut, so I need to back away a bit and get my priorities straight again. I just need to keep reminding myself that eight hours is all I'm going to work each day. That way I can get more stuff done.

I was unsure of how I was going to pay the bills when I quit, but now I'm not worried anymore. I have contract work lined up past October already and more on the horizon.

Anyway, everything is going well and I feel great!

Wheeling last yesterday was awesome! We all went up to the Fordyce trail and tried our hardest to wreck our rigs. Some of us were successful and others were not.

On the top of the list is Craig. He was the most successful by falling over on the trail. Then next was Randy who broke his steering linkage. Lower on the list is Tim who's ARB air compressor went on the fritz and Dave who just was nuts.

I however only suffered a small dent in my rocker and a few scratches from tree limbs. I did however get my feet wet while crossing the river.

All in all it was a blast and I had tons of fun. I can't wait to try out the Rubicon next weekend.

Yesterday I received my knuckle over steering and today I received my new tires.

I installed my knuckle over last night and it works great. I just need to get the grease in them and I'm ready to go.

Tonight I'm going to get the rims ready for putting my new tires on. I just need to get them mounted on the rims and I'm ready to go. I was going to use Steve's tire machine but he's always busy. So I guess I'll just get the hammer and pry bars out and do it myself.

I hope that by tomorrow I'll be set and ready to go.