Use The Right Tool For The Job

by Wulfgar on March 10, 2010

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It’s taken me a long time to learn some of the common-sense ideas that most people pick up in kindergarten. I was reminded recently of the wisdom in the idea “Use the right tool for the job.”

A customer contacted me and asked me to look at a heavily-modified spreadsheet. Up front, I have to give props to the programmer. It was a piece of art. It pulled in data from different sources, used advanced queries to manipulate and sort, and did quite a bit of complicated filtering and reporting.

The customer wanted to step up to the next level, and tackle some very difficult data from a source that wasn’t friendly towards the methods used in the code. The customer’s programmer wasn’t real sure which direction he should go in order to accomplish the request, so I was called in.

After reviewing everything, and understanding the customer’s request, and the programmer’s methods, I came to the conclusion that I simply couldn’t help the customer.

The problem wasn’t that we didn’t have the skill. The problem was that Excel simply couldn’t represent the data any better than what was already being done. The programmer had extracted every last bit of programming mojo out of the spreadsheet. Excel simply couldn’t represent the data in the multi-dimensional fashion that the customer wanted.

Clearly, the data should have been data based long ago. A database solution would have made the customer’s request a mildly complex query. Instead, a lone programmer resource had devoted several day’s worth of FTE hours towards forcing Excel do the job.

It demonstrated to me that when all you have is a hammer, every problem tends to look like a nail. The customer insisted on Excel, because that’s what she was familiar with. The programmer was focused solely on making it work within the boundaries of the customer’s limited perceptions, instead of what the best tool for the job was.

This lesson in wasted time and jury-rigged solutions has resonated with me since then. I told myself to be aware of the limitations of the tools in my toolbox. When the capabilities of a certain tool are outstripped, it’s time to man-up and tell the customer what needs to happen to protect their data and bring the project in under deadline.

Other lessons? How about telling the customer what’s best for their project, instead of what they want to hear? Or, knowing the capabilities and limitations of your tools? Or, thinking of the goal of the project, instead of the method that the customer thinks they want?

What do you think of this? Do you have a similar experience where the tool being used on the job was clearly not the right one? How would you have handled this differently? Have you ever tried to make a certain tool work, even after the project had clearly outpaced it’s capabilities? Sound off in the comments please!

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

p.s. I REALLY like getting and responding to comments. Please click the {comments} link below this post to leave me some!

photo by casers jean

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Trader Joe’s Is Impressive For People With Dietary Restrictions

by Wulfgar on March 9, 2010

345852737_573d631aba_o I recently visited a Trader Joe’s in Maple Grove, MN, and I’m very impressed.

I originally wanted to go because I’ve been told that they’re very friendly towards those of us with alternative eating requirements. When I started to look around though, I discovered a lot more.

The product selection is excellent, with several variations of each item. They don’t just carry a
photo by Velo Steve couple examples of  freeze-dried fruit, they

carry freeze-dried mangoes, and strawberries, and blueberries, and raspberries, and blackberries, and gooseberries. They have many types of cheese. They have many types of soup.

The produce section is phenomenal. It was washed and cleaned and ready to go. It was packaged in both 1-2 people sizes, and also family sizes. We saw packages of 5 apples, for instance. A week’s worth of apples for lunch, I guessed. Blackie thought that the prices were 10-15% less than our local grocery store produce.

The meat section had a really good variety. Lots of versions of sausage, for instance. Lots of versions of fish. Everything looked clean and clearly frozen, instead of the questionable, caked-with-frost meats we can get locally. There was also a sign posted that said if you had any questions regarding allergies, please contact a staff person and they’d be glad to help you shop. That’s going above and beyond.

Most items in the store were under the Trader Joe’s label. One of the cashier’s explained it to us; if Trader Joe’s likes a product, and they want to carry it, Trader Joe’s asks the manufacturers to reformulate their recipes to the Trader Joe’s standard. Their standard for most products is;

  • no preservatives
  • no MSG
  • no partially hydrogenated oil
  • no growth hormones in the dairy products
  • almost no High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
  • many items gluten-free
  • many items vegetarian-friendly

Once the manufacturer has met the standard, Trader Joe’s then repackages the items under their own brand, saving a TON of money in the process.

What kinds of savings can you expect? We saw some items that were 200% lower priced than our local stores, with a much wider variety. We easily made up our gas money for the trip down there. It was well worth the trip.

The cashier further explained that there are no sales, no coupons, and no membership cards. Trader Joe’s does very little advertising, and you can’t purchase from them online. This translates into significantly–and surprisingly–lower prices than we’re used to.

All in all, we were very surprised at the low prices, the selection, the very clean nature of the ingredient lists of the food labels, and the friendly staff.

I will continue to shop at Trader Joe’s, even driving the 2 hours to my closest store.

What are your experiences with Trader Joe’s? Do you like other stores better? Please click the {comments} button below and tell me!

Monthly grocery run, anyone?

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

p.s. You simply MUST check out the Trader Joe’s website. Very fun. Lots of lists for people with food restrictions, lots of information about their products, recipes centered around many of their products, and the coolest looking newsletter I’ve seen in a long time. www.TraderJoes.com

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Cullman Liquidation

by Wulfgar on March 8, 2010

This is, without a doubt, the coolest commercial I’ve ever seen. It’s like a Trojan Horse of AWESOME!

Thanks Li Li!

 

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

p.s. Do you have any good videos you’d like to point me towards? Let me know by clicking the {comments} button below. If it meets the demanding and exacting standards of The Chronicles Of Wulfgarnia, I can post it for all to see!

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My Secret Memory Technique, Part 2

by Wulfgar on March 5, 2010

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Yesterday, I shared my Secret Memory Technique called “peg words”. I use this technique to remember lots of different lists of items.

One of those is the list of items I need to bring with me when I leave the house every morning to go to work. I don’t want to forget my;

  1. squirt gun
  2. wallet
  3. cell phone
  4. keyring
  5. sunglasses
  6. pocketknife and Leatherman tool
  7. flashlight
  8. ipod
  9. access badge for the building I work in
  10. my lunch and thermos of tea

Using the method I described yesterday, I’m able to remember that list every day, without fail. I can recall the list any time I want, and verify that I have all that stuff in 20-30 seconds. The only time I forget something is when I don’t run through my list before I sprint out the door!

"Well that’s great for you Wulfgar, but what about when I REALLY need it, like remembering a grocery list that my wife told me over the phone?" Easy! Just use the same method.

Let’s say you were asked to bring home milk, eggs, bread, soda pop, and bananas. There are 5 things on your list, so use the first 5 items on your peg list.

  • "One gun". Imagine slowly and menacingly reaching into your pocket to pull out a gun, and…you pull out a banana!
  • "Two shoe". You know what the floor of a movie theatre feels like? It’s sticky, from all the pop spilled on it. Your shoes stick to the floor because of the soda pop!
  • "Three tree". Look at that tree with all the chickens nesting in it! Chickens don’t live in trees! Wait, I need eggs…
  • "Four door". When we open the door to the fridge, what do most of us grab? The milk. See yourself opening the door, and grabbing the milk.
  • "Five hive". Hives house bees, and bees make honey, and honey goes on toast, and to make toast you need bread!

And there you have it; you can think of these examples as fast as they’re being told to you on the phone. That’s why you memorize the original 10 peg word list. As you’re chatting with the person giving you the list, keep focusing on each word association until the next one is given to you.

Now you can remember your grocery list. Or your errand list. Or your homework assignments list. Or anything you want! The point is to make it YOUR list, and associate words that mean something to you.

Make them memorable by thinking of funny, or dramatic, or disturbing images, and you’ll remember them as long as you need. All you have to do is replay your peg words, and the mental pictures will come back to you!

Wulfgar signature 

p.s. I would LOVE to hear stories about how you are using this technique! Please leave me comments and tell me all about it! You can leave comments by clicking on the {comment} link below this post.

photo by Sashala

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My Secret Memory Technique

by Wulfgar on March 4, 2010

Do people say you have a poor memory?

Do you have a difficult time remembering things? Do you forget a list of 3 items that was told to you 2 minutes ago? Do you go to the grocery store, and then forget why? Do people say that you have a “poor memory”?

 colored brain
photo by lapolab

I used to be the same way. I would forget 2-5 item lists almost as soon as they were told to me. Any list over 5 items was hopeless, I thought there was no way I could possibly remember it. I accepted the fact that I had a bad memory, and I would just have to live with it.

I have a GREAT memory now!

Not any more! I’ve found a little trick that’s cured all of that. It’s called “peg words”; and the idea is that you imagine hanging items from your list onto “pegs” that you’ve previously memorized. It’s much easier to use than it is to describe, so keep reading!

I don’t recall where I picked it up, but I’ve been using it for years, and it’s really amazing. It’s also very easy to do. Anyone can do it.

Here’s how you can have a great memory too.

How? You simply memorize the 10 “peg words”, such as the list below. This list is ALL you need. You DON’T need to memorize a separate list each time you want to remember something. Memorize the list below, and it will serve for most situations. You need not memorize anything beyond the peg word list in order to use this technique.

You don’t have to use MY words if you don’t want to, you can use any words you’re comfortable with, as long as the word rhymes with it’s number; GUN rhymes with ONE, SHOE rhymes with TWO, TREE rhymes with THREE, and so on.

The peg word list that I’ve developed is;

  1. gun
  2. shoe
  3. tree
  4. door
  5. hive
  6. sticks
  7. heaven
  8. gate
  9. wine
  10. hen

Again, memorize this list one time only. You don’t need a separate list for separate situations.

What good is this list?

How do you use this list? When you want to remember a list of items, spend a couple of minutes visualizing your item as somehow related to your peg word.

Make the visualizations silly, or dramatic, or disgusting, or disturbing. They are easier to remember if you attach humor or controversy to them.

For example; I use #9 to help me to remember my access badge to get into the secured building where I work.

To relate my badge and “9. wine”, I imagine pouring red, sticky wine all over my badge and the table it’s resting on, really making a mess of the white tablecloth.

Now that image is burned into my brain, because it’s so dramatic and silly.

Here’s an example.

How can we use these words to keep from forgetting a list? I’m glad you asked!

Let’s take an example. One of the ways I use the list is to remember all of the things I need to take with me when I leave the house for work in the morning.

  • I start by saying “one gun”. Well, that one’s very obvious, I don’t even need to relate anything to it. I make sure my squirt gun is in my pocket. ;)
  • Next, I say “two shoe”. I visualize shoes being made of leather, and my wallet is made of leather. I check my back pocket for my wallet.
  • “Three tree” gives me an image of a tree, with a giant cell phone as the trunk. The tree is using it’s branches to dial a number on itself. A very silly image, but it reminds me to check my pocket for my cell phone.
  • Then I say “four door”. Doors are opened with keys. Is my keyring in my pocket?
  • After that is “five hive”. I see an image of a beehive, bursting at the seams with honey. As the sun shines on the honey, the reflection becomes so bright, I need to wear sunglasses. I make sure my sunglasses are packed in my murse.
  • “Six sticks”. Sticks can be tools. I need tools to get through my day. Is my pocket knife in my pocket, and my Leatherman tool in my bag?
  • Next comes “seven Heaven”. I envision a single ray of light bursting through the clouds from Heaven. That ray of light reminds me to check my bag for my flashlight.
  • After that is “eight gate”. I think of my ipod as a gate to peace, when I’m feeling stressed. I put my iPod into my bag.
  • Then comes “nine wine”. I’ve already told you that one! Is my access badge on my belt? If not, I’d better run and find it.
  • Finally, I say “ten hen”. I see a mother hen running after me, nagging me to not forget my lunch, and my Thermos of tea. If they’re not in my bag, I grab them from the fridge.

I NEVER forget any of this stuff anymore!

And that’s it! The entire list takes me 20-30 seconds to run through in my head, but it ensures that I never forget anything I need to start my day.

Tomorrow, I’ll show you how you can use this same technique to memorize ANY list of 10 or less items. No more forgotten grocery lists!

Wulfgar signature

p.s. I would LOVE to hear your methods of remembering lists like this. Please leave me a comment by clicking on the {comments} link below this post.

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I Just Had A Nerdgasm

by Wulfgar on March 3, 2010

Fans of The Guild!

 

Check it out! Codex, from The Guild, is auctioning off her staff for donations to the Red Cross to help Haiti!

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Link To Other Profiles In Facebook Status

by Wulfgar on March 2, 2010

AT symbol Did you know that you can link to your friends or fan pages in Facebook when you’re writing a status message?

Simply enter an “@” symbol, and then begin typing the name of the person you’d like to link to, like so;
   

Facebook1

Facebook will autocomplete the name based on what you typed.

Finish the status message, and it turns in to a clickable link!

Facebook2

How cool is that?!?

Give it a try! Link to your friends, ‘cause that’s what this crazy technology is all about.

Regards,

Wulfgar signature 

p.s. Do you have any cool Facebook tricks you’d like to share? How about anything you’ve seen but don’t know how to do? Share ‘em in the comments, and I’ll show you!

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This Is My 50th Post!

by Wulfgar on March 1, 2010

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photo by Bern@t

I’ve posted 50 times, and I’m just getting started

This is my 50th blog post! Woo hoo! I thought I’d “pull back the curtain” for a bit, and use this occasion to give folks some behind-the-scenes thoughts.

I’m very proud of getting to 50 posts. It’s taken a lot of work, and a good bit if discipline, and several late nights when I really wanted to go to bed.

Looking back, it was certainly worth it to me. I’ve blogged every day for the past 39 days (I had 11 posts in my blog already before I started going every day).

Now that may not seem like a lot, but it’s enough to ingrain the habit into my head, and that was the whole point.

This blog was started with no plan, really

I really didn’t have anything in particular on my mind when I started, I only knew that I wanted to become a blogger. I decided one day that I had to train myself to think as a blogger, so I set a goal of blogging daily for 100 days. My only purpose was to write every day.

I’m almost half way there, and it looks like I’m well on my way. Blogging every day has already become a habit, and from here on out, it will only get stronger. Going forward, I may not post every day, but I will certainly write every day.

The blogging bug has bit me, and I want to make this blog useful

I’m really enjoying writing every day. It’s a way for me to stretch my brain and give it a bit of a work out. And, it’s just plain fun! I like writing posts that are read by other people. I’m getting a real kick out of it.

I want to improve my blog though, and make it more useful. I’d like more people, giving me a wider range of posting topics, and a broader range of comments.

I’m going to be experimenting in the next several weeks with methods of gaining additional readers, and optimizing my blog. One of my plans is to perhaps adjust my posting frequency. Again, I’ll write every day, but I’m thinking I may only post Monday thru Friday. What do you think? Please leave me a comment.

This blog’s focus hasn’t always been very solid

I’ve touched a bit on the focus of my blog in previous posts. I’ve taken a shotgun approach to topics on this blog. Some folks have told me to just write what I want, others have told me to that the blog’s focus should be on me, and therefore a broad topic that isn’t easily categorized. Both of these ideas are wise, and very good.

To improve my writing though, I’m still wanting to get a bit more specific in my focus. I’m not totally sure where I’m going with that yet, but I have some ideas I’d like to work on.

I’d really like to explore how to help people solve their problems

One of the things I enjoy most is figuring things out. I’ve been told for years that I naturally fall into a teacher role when I’m solving problems for others.

I’m going to see where my blog takes me along those lines. The internet is a big, scary, confusing place. It’s filled with tons of crap, and a few gems. I want to help people navigate through the chaos, and solve their own problems. My blog is going to help me do that.

There are big plans in the future for TCOW

I’ll make several changes in the near future. All of them will be with the goal of improving my blog, and helping my people.

Recently, I’ve created a Facebook group centered on The Chronicles Of Wulfgarnia. It will be open very soon, after I clear out a few lingering bugs.

People have asked about behind-the-scenes topics like this post. They’ve also asked me to perhaps go into greater detail on some of my posts. To address both of those ideas, I’m going to experiment with a video newsletter, perhaps once a month, perhaps once a week. It will be separate from the daily posts, but will also enhance them. I’ll experiment with it and see what people like.

Another item that people have asked for is themed-guides on a specific topic. Like my recent post about virus hoaxes, but in greater detail. I’m looking into just how I can get that moving as well. Look for those to be coming soon.

You can help

I need problems to solve. I need questions, and comments, and suggestions for issues to cover. And I need them from you! Please comment!

I’ve been doing technology for so long, I very wrongfully assume that some things are just basic knowledge. Folks need help with some things though, and so I don’t know what I don’t know. I hope that didn’t sound too conceited!

What are some of the things that you’d like to know more about? What things would you like to see me write about and explain? No subject is too simple, or too small. If you’d rather not comment, feel free to email me directly, and I’ll state the question generically when I answer it.

I’m excited about the future of The Chronicles Of Wulfgarnia

I’m really becoming fond of my blog! I want to continue writing as much as I can. And I’m looking forward to the interaction and discussions with my readers.

So, let’s get started!

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

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How I Figure Things Out

by Wulfgar on February 28, 2010

3320303076_0f350439bd_b I like to figure stuff out. I mean, I REALLY LIKE to figure stuff out. I think it’s the thrill of the hunt, ya know? I know the solution is out there somewhere. If I can just piece together
photo by Mrs Logic enough clues, if I can just get a push in

the right direction, if I just get the first step, I can usually make the rest of it fall into place.

I’m not saying this to brag, this is just the way it usually happens for me. That first step, though, is usually the most elusive. So, I’ve developed a toolbox of places that I return to, time and again, to get answers.

These places are where I’ve found the most correct solutions to problems. I can be assured that when I have something to figure out, most of the time, these URLs provide a very handy jumping off point.

I’d like to share them with YOU, so maybe you can get some similar results with them.

Snopes.com

People come to me with questions about virii and hoaxes all the time. When I suspect that something is a hoax, my first stop is Snopes. Usually, all it takes is grabbing some text from the hoax email, and plugging it into Snope’s search engine.

Even better, they track issues that people have claimed are hoaxes, but instead turn out to be real issues. This helps prevent false positives, and tells me I need to do some further digging.

Chip Pearson’s page

I also get a lot of Excel questions, as I know a good bit about it. When ever I have a doozy, I head straight to Chip Pearson’s page. The level of knowledge there is second-to-none.

One of the best part’s about Chip’s page is that he gives solutions for both formulae, and also VBA. I like having that flexibility when I need to implement a solution.

Also, lots of problems are broken up into specific pages covering a narrow topic. That way, you don’t have to comb through question forums and hope you hit on the correct search term. A premium website filled with good stuff.

MakeUseOf

If my question is a bit broader, or I need more of a workaround instead of a solution, I almost always go to MakeUseOf.com. They have several writers at that site, and they cover a broad range of topics that pertain to software or hardware use. Typing a keyword or two into their search engine will almost always give me some good results.

Another cool thing about MakeUseOf is that you can just browse the articles. I often find solutions for problems I don’t even know I have. Their information is always of the highest quality, and they do their homework. An awesome site.

Instructables

Sometimes, I like to get all DIY up in here. And there’s no better place for Do-It-Yourself-ers than Instructables.com. Their information is project-based, and comes straight from the hardware hacker side of the internet.

You can often find a unique and home-brewed solution, as long as you approach it with an open mind. My philosophy is “Any landing you walk away from is a good one”, so I really appreciate the creative ways of dealing with things. And if you’re looking for a weekend project, there’s no better place to find one, on any subject you can imagine.

AllFacebook

Finally, when I need to get something done on Facebook, I always visit AllFacebook.com. They often have FB news and updates before anyone else, and they have a wide range of articles that explain many facets of our beloved black-hole-of-free-time. Check ‘em out for the latest Facebook news.

So, those are my go-to sites when I need a solution to a problem. With those 5, I can usually cover most situations that come up.

What are YOUR favorite problem-solving sites?

I’d love to hear the sites that YOU use to solve issues. Give ‘em up, whatta ya got? Don’t be shy if it’s a different topic.

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

p.s. Tomorrow will be my 50TH BLOG POST! Woo hoo! Make sure to stop by for something special!

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Big Splash!

by Wulfgar on February 27, 2010

After the tsunami news today, I thought we all could use some FUN flood video.

This is Buenos Aires. Flood, you betta recognize!!

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

p.s. I’m very grateful that the tsunami that hit HI and CA was extremely low in strength. This is definitely one of those cases where it was better to be safe than sorry.

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5 Fun Facebook Games

by Wulfgar on February 26, 2010

Here are 5 Facebook games that I keep coming back to, even after I’ve told myself to stop.

They’re a lot of fun, and I think you’ll like them too!

Rippers – This game is based on the Savage Worlds Role Playing game of the same name, and it’s a blast! The missions get progressively harder, and you need to fortify your home base (Lodge) at every opportunity.

Mafia Wars – This is one of the most popular games that I play. Folks spend CRAZY amounts of time in this game. You build your mafia family by working jobs like stealing and assassination. You can purchase different properties to generate wealth, and you purchase many different types of weapons and goodies to help you in your missions.

Vampire Wars – I think it was designed for the Twilight crowd, but it’s still fun. Again, you’re working missions and growing your vampire clan.

Age Of Castles – Very similar to Mafia Wars, but with a fantasy twist. Grow your castle and army by running adventures, and purchasing magic weapons and properties like taverns and smithy’s. The player vs player combat in this game is fun, and you can steal a lot of money from other players too.

Cthulhu: Rise Of The Great Old Ones – A LOT of social networking. Players are very friendly, and talk to each other on forums. Also, this game doesn’t take up as much time as the other games. It actually runs your missions in the background, and then reports the results to you. Same with combat. A very different twist, but a great game.

Check out these games! But be careful, I find that I spend far too much time on them. I have to clear them out and take a break every now and then.

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

p.s. What games are on your short list? I’m always looking for new ones. Let me know in the comments!

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Don’t Fall For This, It’s A Hoax

by Wulfgar on February 25, 2010

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photo by Olivander

One of my coworkers sent me an email today, and asked my opinion about the following;

My computer guys (A Plus Computer Service) called me this morning to report an issue with our home basement computer.  Bob (husband) had brought it in to be fixed.  They said we had picked up the newest most dangerous virus and it was going to take quite a bit to fix it.  This type of virus has been around for awhile but this was the newest version of it and it recycles around your computer and you cannot get rid of it and it eventually shuts down your windows system.

He recommended I tell as many people as possible about this new virus.

If at ANYTIME a popup window comes on your screen and says something like” “Warning, you have been infected with 230+ viruses, spyware or Trojans”.  DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING ON YOUR SCREEN!!!  Do NOT try to close the window, do NOT click on anything!!  NOT even the red “X”.  Simply hit the power button and shut off your computer.

If you click on anything in that window it will infect your computer.  Again, DO NOT CLICK ON ANY PART OF THAT “AD WINDOW”

Once computer is shut down or restarted, scan your computer with Malwarbytes and then Microsoft Security Essentials.  Both are free programs.

I honestly thought I had our computers in the house well protected however this new threat is even more sneaky.  My guess is a window popped up and our 9 year old tried to close it out with the “red X”

IS IT A HOAX?

My first thought when I receive items like this, is that it’s a hoax. These things tend to float around, and they feed on hysteria. You may also remember the “pay to use Facebook” hoax? Same thing.

Usually, you can simply take some of the unique text, and paste it into the search engine at Snopes.com or into Google, and there will be something written on it. Most of them are hoaxes.

This particular email though, I couldn’t find anything on it. Believe it or not, NOT finding anything tends to lend a bit of credibility to it.

IT IS A HOAX, BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY

So, let’s assume it’s not a hoax. Virii like this are called “ransomware”. That means that they take control of your pc, and then demand money to release it. Usually, this takes the form of “Buy our antivirus software for $59.99, and it will remove the virus that’s just attacked you.” True ransomware is rare, though.

Most often, there simply is no virus. The window that pops up looks like an official MS Windows warning window. It looks very official and scary. And that’s how the scammers make their money. They count on uninformed users having a knee-jerk reaction. I know I certainly did the first few times before I figured it out.

IT’S ILLOGICAL

Stop and think for a minute. How could Windows know you have a virus, if you don’t have any antivirus software installed? How could Windows know that you’ve been infected by “230+ viruses, spyware or Trojans”? And if you DO have antivirus software installed (as you should), doesn’t the notification window look different than the scary, dramatic window you see in front of you?

So, we have a logical fallacy there. Windows either can’t know, or if does, it certainly wouldn’t report it like that.

It’s not a Windows warning window, it’s simply a pop-up advertisement made to look like a Windows warning window.

THEY WANT YOU TO PEE YOUR PANTS

Again, the whole point is to get you peeing your pants and pulling out your credit card.

That being said, I do take exception to the first paragraph.

They said we had picked up the newest most dangerous virus and it was going to take quite a bit to fix it.

Really? Quite a bit to fix it, ya say? At the standard hourly rate, ya say? Oh, you’ll give me a deal? Well then, how can I pass that up?

DON’T PAY FOR WHAT YOU CAN DO YOURSELF FOR FREE

It’s another scam folks. If your antivirus software is up-to-date, there is nothing that your local computer geek can do, that the antivirus software CAN’T DO BETTER AND FASTER. In fact, that’s WHY it’s installed.

The AV software can detect, isolate, and neutralize any actual virus code that the paid geek can do, and a hundred times faster and more accurately.

Computer geeks don’t have any kind of specialized knowledge in this area. Take it from me, I’m one of them; an alpha-geek. How would I solve this problem? I would install AV software, and let it do it’s thing.

And that’s all the “technician” is going to do. And you’re going to pay $50 an hour, for 2+hours of work, to have him do something that you can do yourself for free, something that your AV software should have ALREADY done.

Don’t pay for this kind of service folks. It’s like telling your teenager to hire someone to mow your lawn. I hope you can see the parallels between the scary windows message, and the fear-mongering tactics that the “computer guy” is spouting.

It’s the same thing. They’re counting on—and preying on—your emotions and lack of knowledge.

SO WHAT DOES THE CHRONICLES OF WULFGARNIA RECOMMEND?

Install some good AV software; AVG, Clamwin, and ZoneAlarm are all free, and have success rates even better than the paid packages like McAfee. Set your software to automatically update via the internet, and you won’t have any problems like this.

DON’T DO THE POWER BUTTON THING

By the way, hitting the power button as recommended above, while Windows is running, is a sure way to damage your system. This is perhaps where the “shuts down your windows system” symptom comes from. It’s not the virus, it’s the “fix” for the “virus”.

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

p.s. If you need any help with choosing, installing, or using AV software, please contact me.

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Heavy Metal Curling

by Wulfgar on February 24, 2010

Heavy metal curling with the Swedish Olympic Curling Team and Swedish heavy metal group Hammerfall.

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

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I Just Had A Mental Hissy Fit Over My New Diet

by Wulfgar on February 23, 2010

Maybe it’s just because I’m home sick today, but I’ve had a mental hissy fit over my new dietary restrictions. I kid thee not, I was trying to figure out how to get away with driving fast to Perkins, and ordering 3 grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, a mountain of French fries, and a big frosty Coke. Orangutan eating a carrot

It would have made me so sick…

 photo by Ruth Flickr

It would have made me so sick that I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed for a day, and so guilty that I would have considered ending it all by forcing down 6 grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, and telling myself I just didn’t want it bad enough.

“I miss bread so much I could spit”

“I miss bread so much I could spit”. This thought runs through my head about 30 times a day. Then I start thinking about how I’m never going to be able to enjoy bread again. Then I remember that I have to add pizza to that list. Usually, this is the part where I flip out and start frantically looking for a Pizza Hut.

This happened to me when I stopped drinking Mountain Dew

This happened to me when I stopped drinking Mountain Dew several years ago. I was losing my mind, and I would catch myself cheating almost unconsciously. My body was tipping the quarters into the machine or ordering a glass in a restaurant even before I realized what I was doing.

Eventually though, it got better. I got to a place where I could beat the cravings back down, and I wasn’t cheating anymore. Then even later I was able to decline a glass of Mountain Dew when it was offered to me. These days, the thought of drinking a glass of it actually kinda grosses me out. I’ve tried tasting it once or twice just to see, and it tastes fairly bad to me now. The pendulum has swung the other way, and I don’t even really want one any more.

I hope I can get to that same place

I hope I can get to that same place with my current diet. But it’s very difficult, because my new diet is extremely restrictive. I’m not on this special diet for just my weight anymore. I’m now battling for my general health and well being. The stakes are a lot higher, and cheating has much further-reaching implications.

What makes it so difficult is that a lot of the foods that I’ve grown used to, even the ones that I ate regularly as “healthy food”, are now on the no-go list. Common items, like bananas and potatoes and onions and cinnamon and vanilla. And about 30 others.

Eating out is pretty much an exercise in frustration

Eating out is pretty much an exercise in frustration these days. I’ll cover that in a future post. For now let’s just say that waitpersons clench when they see me walking through the door because I’m the customer from Hell who thinks he’s a special little snowflake.

So, I ate my dinner and dreamed about bread and beer. My doc-who’s a genius by the way-tells me that there’s a good chance some of these dietary issues will heal themselves if I’m diligent. There might come a time when I can enjoy a few of the foods that I’m missing right now. I don’t think I want to count on that though.

Perhaps it’s the self-destructive inner-child Wulfgar talking, but I sometimes think I’m doing penance for 40 years of neglecting my body. I’ve had my cake, and ate it too. Many times over.

I want to kick my inner-child’s ass.

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

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Google Buzz Can Be Dangerous

by Wulfgar on February 22, 2010

GoogBuzz The Big G wants to make your email socialable with their new product, Google Buzz. It appears that they’re going after their own piece of the Twitter and Facebook pies.

Google Buzz isn’t a stand-alone application like Twitter or

Facebook however; it’s attached to your Gmail account by default, via your address book. And that’s the dangerous part.

Our address books contain contacts that we may not want our Buzz updates to go to; that one stranger you dealt with on Craigslist that one time, crazy relatives, even crazier ex-significant others, your landlord, your “serious friends”, your pastor, etc.

Buzz connects to many of our personal places on the web; email addresses, Blogger accounts, or Picasa photo sharing accounts.

Google has released some privacy fixes to address this, but they’re not default. You have to go find and configure them. Google has given you the option to opt-out. Most people won’t know to change the default settings. Instead, Google Buzz should give you the option to opt-in if you choose.

For these reasons, Google Buzz can be dangerous. Please be careful.

Do you have any questions about Google Buzz? Any tips on how to improve it’s use? Please comment!

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

p.s. I use Google Buzz, and will likely continue to do so. It’s still fun, you just need to be aware of the privacy implications!

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Please Vote In My Poll

by Wulfgar on February 21, 2010

Wulfgar's avatar I want this to be YOUR blog, so please contribute! This is a collaborative community, and you’re giving me your time. I want you to get what you want out of the deal. What is helpful to you? What do you want to see? What do you want to hear me talk about? MAKE IT YOUR BLOG.

I want to know what you want! I’ve set up a poll on the right side of my blog, right over there underneath the red “RSS subscribers” box.

PLEASE fill out my poll by putting a checkmark next to the top 3 things that I’ve written about, and that you’d like to see more of.

If you want to suggest a NEW topic (PLEASE DO!), then leave it the comments of this post, or any other.

Let’s get some poll results going!

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

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Polar Plunge 2010 Videos!

by Wulfgar on February 20, 2010

I haven’t edited them for the good bits yet, but here is the raw footage from today’s Polar Plunge in Duluth!

UHC folks-See if you can pick out the UHC VIPs!

Polar Plunge 2010, video 1

Polar Plunge 2010, video 2

Polar Plunge 2010, video 4

Polar Plunge 2010, video 5

Polar Plunge 2010, video 6

Polar Plunge 2010, video 7

Polar Plunge 2010, video 8

This was a great event, and we raised a TON of money for Special Olympics Minnesota. Thanks to all the folks who donated, you are very much appreciated.

I also want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to Jill and her staff for giving this cause such support. We wouldn’t have had nearly such an amazing response if you hadn’t been behind it. You were great sports, and truly team players. THANK YOU.

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

p.s. These are just the raw videos. I’ll try to stitch them together into some sort of master video, and then post it here.

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What Is A Service Dog?

by Wulfgar on February 19, 2010

Service Dog

I went out to eat tonight, and as I was waiting for my table, a couple sat down next to me to wait. The gentleman was being led by a large dog wearing a vest, and sporting a funky handle.

I haven’t seen one in a while, as I don’t think we have many in town. But I realized that this was a service dog.

Service dogs assist people with disabilities. They may help detect seizures, or assist the hard of hearing, or–the most common experience most of us have had with them–help the blind navigate through obstacles. Sometimes they’re called “seeing eye dogs”.

You see them in public places because we now have laws that guarantee access in public places for guide dogs. These laws supersede the health code laws governing restaurants, for example. So, Paris Hilton can’t bring her toy poodle to Applebees, but the gentleman I saw tonight was well within the law by bringing his dog with him.

Unfortunately, some folks don’t know the etiquette regarding service dogs. I saw lots of children petting the dog tonight, as it was a very charismatic-looking dog, and people were naturally drawn to it.

Service dog etiquette has some very good reasons behind it, though. You should never pet, or feed, or whistle to any service dog. It tends to distract them, when they should be focused 100% on their owner. They go through extensive training to develop this focus; watching out for potentially harmful situations that their owner may accidentally become a part of, for example.

By distracting the dog, it takes time to regain it’s focus, and get back on track. This is potentially dangerous for the owner, and very upsetting for the dog.

If in doubt, simply ask permission. Most service dog owners are very proud of their dogs, and will talk about them at length. There’s a very good chance the owner will be happy to give you permission to pet the dog, but it should be the owner’s choice.

Don’t be offended or put-off is the owner declines your request. Service dogs get a lot of attention wherever they go. You’re very likely the 17th person that day to ask about the dog, or ask for permission to pet the dog. I know I would certainly be cranky after a day like that!

A service dog is just as important to a blind person as a wheelchair is to a paraplegic. The dog means mobility, freedom, independence, and confidence in interacting with a chaotic and scary world.

So, please do the dog and it’s owner a favor; don’t pet them, don’t call or whistle to them, don’t stare at them in a restaurant-no matter how pretty the dog is-and be respectful of the owner’s choices about the dog.

Regards,

Wulfgar signature

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