Posted on by Larry Jones

Zeroes and Ones

Dear Blog Diary,

I’m sorry I haven’t been posting lately.

It’s not that I don’t love you anymore, really. You see, what happened is that my computer sort of died. When I turned it off on Saturday night, it was working fine. But when I tried to start it on Sunday morning, nothing happened. Oh, there were a few whirring sounds, but none of the reassuring beeps it usually makes as it’s booting. So I switched to a different computer, but had a hard time finding you on the internet, Blog Diary. My other computer (the one that died) knew exactly where everything is, and it even remembered all my secret passwords and stuff. Without it, I had to figure out how to get my email, how to get my work stuff done and how to log onto you, dear Blog Diary.

And all the while I was distraught about my dead computer.

I figured out that my computer was dead because the motherboard broke. When something that cost $150 and contains 10,000 teeny tiny little components breaks, I have found that it’s best not to try and fix it, but to get a new one. But I had a little hitch in that plan: It seems that in the three short years since I built the computer, technology has advanced far into the future and all the motherboards that are currently available to buy won’t work with all the rest of the stuff in my dead computer, like my memory and my video card. It took an extra day to find a store that still had a replacement motherboard that wouldn’t force me to buy $1.6 million dollars worth of new peripherals.

Even then, I had to buy a new processor. Can you believe it Blog Diary, the guy in the store laughed at my “old” 2.8 Ghz Pentium 4. “A Socket 478,” he said. “Hey, guys, come look at this old thing!”

To avoid further embarrassment, I immediately purchased a Pentium D chip to go with my new motherboard. It is much faster, plus it is “dual core,” which is the modern, high-tech way to say there are actually two processors in it.

So now I have to put all this together and get it talking to the RAM and the AGP card and the modem and ethernet port and all the drives. Remember, Blog Diary, when I was a computer geek? Those were the days, eh? I carried a screwdriver in my pocket protector at all times, and I could assemble a P3 in the dark with one hand. Well, the computer world has passed me by, and I must now struggle with this thicket of cables and parts and arcane terminology like a newbie.

So that’s why I haven’t been writing, Blog Diary, and if I don’t write much for the rest of the week – same reason.

But at least I’ve found most of the blogs I like to read, and I’m keeping up with them. Talk to ya soon!

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5 Replies to “Zeroes and Ones”

  3. Hey Larry, Am glad Tigger is doing okay, I also just read your British Bobbies post, I see Ben is still ranting and raving.

    Of course these febrile jihadists are mighty frightening and destructive with their brainwashed ways, and foiled plots are A VERY GOOD THING, but I’m afraid we are a teeny bit cynical over here about the whole affair. Obviously, we have to be extra vigilant in these scary times, but we can’t help feeling that the imminence of an alleged terrorist plot was a ‘welcome’ diversion from Lebanon. Sadly, we no longer trust our government and can’t be sure where the truth lies. Twenty-four people have been arrested and houses searched, but we have not been told anything yet except that ‘material of a substantial nature’ has been found. Meanwhile, a transatlantic flight was forced to land in Boston today after a claustrophobic woman had a panic attack. Earlier reports suggested she had been carrying a screwdriver, and a note mentioning al-Qaeda. So while I am glad that you are appreciative of our British Bobbies (the Pakistani Government played a part too), don’t believe everything you read!

  4. nmj is enamored of me, I see. Well, here’s more, from LTC Randolph C. White Jr. to get your knickers in a bunch:

    For my money, there are two kinds of men who walk the earth: there are men of action, and all others.

    [ . . . ]

    The best and the brightest are not necessarily on campus or in the corporate board room right now. The best and the brightest are you out there in the parade field. Men, don’t ever think for one minute that the kids running around on some university campus protesting, breaking things or whining about this, that and the other, have anything on you. You are privileged to have the one advantage that they all covet. You will know–you will have facts–about the goings on in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, the Philippines, the Balkins and many other places. Your head will not be filled with the empty theory of those, who in actuality know very little because they lack the intestinal fortitude to commit to anything that requires risk. I’m speaking of the snide, arrogant sort who spend the day blaming America for every wrong in the world before going home to sleep at night under that blanket of freedom provided by better men, better men just like you.

    Don’t let the pessimist television talking heads, the highbrow newspaper writers, Hollywood idiots or any other faction of the “Blame America First” crowd, get you down. I’m speaking of the “latte biscotti” crowd. They are simple background chatter, men, and they will always exist on the periphery of any endeavor that requires selfless service or loyalty. They are not worthy of your concern. And truth be told, in the pit of their fickle, cowardly hearts, they wish they could be just like you. The intestinal fortitude that is a part of your fabric is something that they covet but will never know.

    I, for one will never, ever apologize for being an American. And don’t you ever feel that you have to. We’re not perfect, but I can think of no better place on earth. We didn’t become the great country we are by accident. We earned it. And while we were at it, we kept and continue to keep a large portion of the world free. Just ask the veterans that are here today. American blood and sacrifice is an indisputable part of the world equation. We keep a large part of the world free. And no matter what disaster strikes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, we are the ones who show up first to help. American aircraft carriers. American soldiers. American marines. Air Force transport planes flying in supplies. And even local American church groups. More people in this world are trying to come to our shores than any other country. We remain the beacon of hope for many, and God willing, it will always be so.

    We’re number one. Don’t apologize for it. Be damn proud of it!

    Video can be viewed here:

    http://tinyurl.com/qhgtb

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