Dan from Madison

HP Simple Save

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L. C. Rees provided us a fantastic resource in his post Crap Cleaner. I thought I would provide probably the only thing I can contribute to helping anyone with computer woes.

Below is a photo of my desk at work. On top of the giant PC is an HP Simple Save. You should get this, or something like it using the amazon link at the header of this blog.

No matter what you do or how diligent you are, eventually things break. I am very sensitive with my spam filters, anti-virus and all the rest, but six months or so ago my PC just plain ‘ol died. And I mean dead. Wouldn’t turn on.

The HP Simple Save runs silently in the background, basically making a copy of your hard drive every five minutes or so (or however you have it set). It is so easy to set up, even I could do it.

Well the real test was when my PC died. I have several hundred spreadsheets, pricers and technical documents on it, as well as photos, video, email contacts and all the rest. I just took the Simple Save, plugged it in to my new PC and BOOM everything was instantly installed on my new PC. It wasn’t perfect, I will admit, but with a few adjustments, everything was back to normal by the end of the afternoon. I would have thrown myself off of a tall building if I didn’t have the backup and had to re-create those spreadsheets.

And the 40 oz. isn’t my lunch, it is evidence for a recent crime in my parking lot. People partying and littering out there are going to get caught with my new security cams.

Chickens Coming Home to Roost

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One of my daughters is almost 12 now. She is active in gymnastics and has been on and off for many years.

When she was much smaller, I would say five or six years ago, she was in a gymnastics “show”. It was basically a prelude to real competitions, where the children do simple techniques in front of an audience – moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas.

At the end of that show every child was allowed to step atop the podium and receive a first place medal. This could be a Madison thing to make kids feel good (we are just a bit liberal here from what I have heard) but I have no idea if they do this elsewhere.

I told my wife at that time the following:

“This sets up unrealistic expectations for the future. Most of those kids sucked and they still got a first place photo and medal, and have a great feeling. The kids that worked harder were screwed.”

Fast forward to today. My daughter made nationals for gymnastics, fortunately hosted here in Madison. She only had to beat one other kid to qualify to the national meet. She has been getting absolutely dusted this week in every event by kids from all around the nation. Of course we are dealing with a very browbeaten kid.

I told her that I didn’t feel sorry for her. I said that she clearly needs to work harder and doesn’t deserve to be the champion if she doesn’t have the skills. I also told her that it was great that she was able to qualify for nationals and have the privilege to compete – many kids didn’t stick with it.

I think that this will be good for her in the future.

It is my personal opinion that children are far too coddled. Maybe I am an asshole of a father. I don’t think I am.

Waving Guy

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Yesterday on my drive from work to the gym there were people on overpasses, kids on corners, and others – mostly with Barrett signs. It is Madison, after all. Today is the big day of the recall election. I expect my drive home today to be nuts.

Speaking of nuts, there are a certain segment of people who will lose their minds if Walker wins. Like this guy below.

I pulled up to an intersection and this guy was standing there, holding a Barrett sign, waving non stop at every car that went by. Some honked, some gave him the finger. He never flinched, never stopped waving.

I thought about this for a second and remembered something I think Shannon Love mentioned in these pages. The left take this stuff SO seriously it is like religion to them. The right and folks like myself just want to get it over with, and find something better to do, like go to work and all that.

Anyways, I will be glad when this is all over. And then we get to vote again in August for the fall primaries. That will be the seventh time in less than a year I have voted. It has been a non stop blizzard of TV and radio ads, lawn signs, “protests”, marches, hand shakes, robocalls, and all the rest. What a nightmare. I don’t wish this on any of you in other states.