Michael Louis Scott June 1997 to Date

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 10:45 A.M.:  Well, the system seems to be running fine again.  I can not figure out if it is system incompatibilities, buggy hardware, or some sort of hacker or intrusion.  However, since I have excellent firewall protection, I doubt if it is a hacker or intruder, since there would be no logical reason for someone to waste their time bothering me, since there are a lot more lucrative targets.  Since the system seems to run flawlessly most of time, I tend to think that is not the problem.  Possibly it is just that my 20 month old hardware is not as compatible with the newer system.  Anyway on my budget, I will have to live with it as is, and it seems fine for now.  The virus might have come on the DVD software disk, and the new Norton AntiVirus 2004 update detected it.  There does not seem to be any system damage from the deleted virus.  The fact that ActiveX can lead to problems, my only option would be to restore the Internet Explorer settings to Default, but I have not changed them unless some other program changed them.  I am tired, so I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 10:10 A.M.:  I restored my Microsoft Money 2002 backup file which was three days old, and I updated the most recent entries, and the Microsoft Money 2002 backup to floppy disk now works.  I went outside before I did that.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 9:20 A.M.: I ran Symantec Security Check .  I passed the test perfectly.  The test installed another ActiveX control.  I then ran Norton WinDoctor 2003 by running all but the first two tests, then the second test, and then the first test, and it fixed all of the problems.  However, if one tries to run all of the tests at the same time, the system freezes.  The test alerted Norton AntiVirus 2004 that I had the "Hope.860" virus in my Power DVD "updateipr.exe" file, but when I scanned with Norton AntiVirus 2004, it did not find it.  I uninstalled Power DVD which is the DVD program that came with the DVD drive, since I do not use it.  I then ran Ad-aware 6.0, but the system froze on the cookies scan, so I deleted my cookies, and I ran Ad-ware 6.0 and it did a complete scan without finding any problems.  Possibly the problem that I have had with the Norton Win Doctor 2003 and Norton AntiVirus 2004 might be caused by the fact that I have UDMA enabled on my IDE 1 controller in the device manager.  Still, the system seems be running fine without any problems.  I guess basically one can check out the system indefinitely, but one of these days, I will have to get back to reading the tech news, however during the vacation time, there is really not that much tech news at the moment.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 7:25 A.M.:  Symantec Support XP SP2 FAQ .  CIO

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 7:20 A.M.:  I tried doing a Norton Win Doctor 2003 scan, and the first option Windows Registry Active X agents caused my system to crash, so I disabled the first option.  It has worked before, so possibly the recent Symantec update caused it to crash.  The alarm bell went off at 6:55 A.M., but it was reset shortly there after.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 6:35 A.M.:  I ran the Symantec Update, and the Norton Internet Security 2004 firewall was updated.  However, it recommended and turned off the Windows XP firewall, so possibly when I had the XP firewall enabled, it might have disabled the Norton firewall.  I will leave it with the Norton firewall enabled which is the recommended settings by Norton Internet Security 2004.  Possibly, one can only have one firewall enabled.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 5:35 A.M.:  I mention in my notes about 20 months ago that in times of war in the United States of America that espionage and other similar endeavors are considered a Capitol Felony Text of Texas Penal Code Sec. 12.31. , and one can be tried and convicted to the fullest extent of the law under those statutes.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 5:10 A.M.:  I had a technical problem after the last message.  I entered my $5 donation to the American Red Cross disaster relief fund in my Microsoft Money 2002 program, and when I was closing it, it went to save the backup file to floppy disks which it does once a week.  While it was saving it to the first of five floppy disks since it is a large file, the system froze.  When I rebooted the computer, it would not start.  I tried booting it a few more times to no avail. The system however would boot in Safe Mode, so I did a system restore to two days ago.  When I booted after the system restore, the computer would not boot, so I booted to Safe Mode again, and the system booted in Safe Mode and completed the System restore process.  I then booted the computer regularly with the cable modem turned off without any problems.  I tried closing the Microsoft Money 2002 program again, and it froze at saving it to the first floppy disk again.  I went through the same procedure again to get the computer going again.  I noticed my router lights were blinking steadily, so I call Optimum Online tech support at 1-203-348-9211.  However, I remembered that the Siemens router blinks constantly when the three networks are bridged together, so I determined that I did not have a DNS attack going on.  I chatted with the tech support representative about what I had been doing for the last month and a half.  He said I would probably have a more reliable system if I did not use the USB networks, but I explained that for now it worked just fine.  I could always take out the USB card and install the network card again, but I think it is less drain on the motherboard resources having the USB card than using the motherboard USB ports.  The system is running fine, but I have not gotten much work done tonight at all.  I turned off the weekly backup to floppy disks option in the Microsoft Money 2002 program.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 2:35 A.M.:  I made a $5 online donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund https://www.redcross.org/ .  CIO

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 2:20 A.M.:  I made and ate my usual salad www.geocities.com/mikelscott/salad.htm .  I used all of the regular ingredients.  For the cheddar cheese portion, I used a Heluva A Good muenster cheese.  I had the salad with a glass of iced tea.  CIO 

Note: <888> 08/17/04  Tuesday 12:55 A.M.:  I had a telephone call from a relative about 10 A.M. yesterday morning.  I got up about 2:30 P.M. yesterday afternoon, and I ate breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I went outside briefly and I picked up my mail.  I then went back to bed until 6 P.M..  I filled out a form for the Social Security service.  I cleaned up, and I went out.  I went by the Greenwich Library about 8 P.M., and I read Smart Computing magazine.  I toured some of the other parts of the library to see what was going on in other sections besides the periodical section.  I then went downtown, and I mailed the Social Security form at the central Greenwich Post Office, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out at various locations.  I chatted with another night time person.  I drove down by the waterfront.  I then went by the Food Emporium, and I checked out their sales brochure.  Everything is expensive there.  I guess it is because the price of oil recently has risen from $30 a barrel to $46 a barrel which tends to drive up the price of other items particularly those items dependent on transportation.  I chatted with the same individual that I had chatted with downtown.  I then returned home, and I drank some iced tea.  CIO 

Note: <888> 08/16/04  Monday 1:25 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/16/04  Monday 1:00 A.M.:  I relaxed a bit.  I ate a bowl of peanuts finishing off the jar.  I had the peanuts with a glass of iced tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/15/04  Sunday 11:35 P.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I went by CVS on Greenwich Avenue, and I picked up a prescription.  I also bought buy one get one free or two boxes of CVS thirty bags of 13 gallon kitchen plastic garbage bags for $3.69 plus .22 tax for $3.91 total.  I then drove down by the waterfront.  I next drove over to Staples in Old Greenwich, and I bought a box of 100 slim CD jewel cases 50 clear and 50 translucent for $12.44 and two packages of 50 TDK CD/R disks for $9.94 a package plus $1.94 tax for $34.26 total.  I then went out to Tod's Point.  I drove around the point, and I parked at the southeast parking area.  I chatted with a resident.  The resident's car battery had run down, so I jump started it with cables that I have in the back of my Hyundai.  I had to pull close to the other car for the cables to reach.  I have a Slaymaker jump start system in my apartment, but I do not keep it in the car because it gets too hot and cold in the car depending on the season.  I noticed on the positive poll on my Sears battery that the connector was lose, so I used a wrench that I keep in the back of my car, and I loosened it, and I pushed it down all the way, and I tightened it securely.  I also checked the negative terminal.  I can not imagine why it was lose, but I suppose it has been that way for some time.  I then chatted with another visitor.  I next drove back to downtown Greenwich, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out at various locations.  I used the bathroom at Starbucks.  I next drove down by the waterfront.  I then returned home.  I put the two TDK CD/R bundles on the floor to the rear and right of the computer.  I put the box of CD jewel cases on the left living room closet floor.  I made and ate my usual salad www.geocities.com/mikelscott/salad.htm .  I used all of the regular ingredients except, instead of tuna fish, I used a 6 ounce can of flaked crab that I rinsed and drained, and for the cheddar cheese portion, I used Heluva A Good Muenster cheese.  I had the salad with a glass of iced tea.  I keep my spare plastic garbage bags above the stove.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/15/04  Sunday 3:10 P.M.:  I was up at 10 A.M., and I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry preserves, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I went back to bed until 2 P.M..  I chatted with the relative that received the day bed, and they are trying to improve and clean the finish on the day bed.  I suggested using lemon oil, which I have always found to be an easy way to brighten up old wood furniture.  I went outside, and I chatted with a neighbor, and I threw out some garbage.  If one looks at NRL Monterey Satellite Photos , one can see two clearly defined hurricanes out in the Atlantic ocean which are the ones that I was worried about last Sunday.  Hurricane Danielle is suppose to track north in the Atlantic and avoid land fall DANIELLE and Hurricane Earl is headed towards the Yucatan and possibly Texas EARL .  One has to remember this is just the beginning of the tropical storm season, so one should regularly check www.geocities.com/mikelscott/weather.htm .  I will now shut down the computer, and I will clean up, and I will go out.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/15/04  Sunday 4:30 A.M.:  French information List of French monarchs - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  I guess any republicans left in the area should try to save their money until the end of the month, so they can try to look presentable during the nearby Republican convention in case any big wigs venture out this far.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/15/04  Sunday 2:50 A.M.:  I went through my email earlier.  Basically from what I know not much is happening locally, since during this time of year people tend to be on vacation.  Still, since we are near a major metropolitan area, there tends to be people in this area most of the time.  Of course a lot of people from the neighboring communities work here, so they tend to keep an eye on the place, when some of the locals are busy with other matters.  From what I know from studying and observing the weather locally this past summer, it looks like it might be a colder winter, so more than likely those areas to the north of us will be even colder this winter.  Generally in this area when we have colder winters, the people from the warmer countries tend to go back down south, and we tend to get people from the areas north of us living here during the winter.  In other words, there tends to be a lot of French speaking Canadians whom seem to work their way down here treating this area like a spring day during the winter.  Whatever, the case we will have to wait and see to see how the winter develops.  However, for those people whom like to plan their budgets ahead, more than likely they will be spending more money on heating utility bills than in past winters.  Since I tend to acclimated to the colder temperatures of this area already, more than likely my upcoming heating electricity bills for this upcoming winter will probably tend to be the same as in past winters.  One energy saving tip, is one can go to Models sporting goods at the Port Chester, New York shopping center, and four about $8 top or bottom one can buy cotton sweat pants of tops which tend to be warmer for lounging around one's home in the winter, so one does not need to keep the thermostat as high.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/15/04  Sunday 2:25 A.M.:  This page Belgium Population and CIA - The World Factbook -- Belgium says the Netherlands has a higher population than Belgium, so I guess with all of the over crowding in Belgium, some of the Belgium population has moved to the Netherlands CIA - The World Factbook -- Netherlands to make it the highest population density in Europe.  Basically one could figure it out oneself by dividing the number of square miles or kilometers into the population of the country.  Both of them are on the north sea, so they might also have a lot of bog people whom tend not to mingle to well with their urban cousins and might not be counted.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/15/04  Sunday 2:00 A.M.:  The country with the highest population density in the world is the country of Belgium.  Although, it is only about the size of Fairfield County, Connecticut, this person must be surrounded by a lot of people Albert II of Belgium - encyclopedia article about Albert II of Belgium. Free access, no registration needed. What does Albert II of Belgium mean? What is Albert II of Belgium? Provided by the Free Online Encyclopedia. .  Of all the European monarchies the Belgium Royal family is suppose to be the most old world and staid of the group.  Since it is not a very large country, the Belgium people are not use to traveling very much, since they risk leaving their country if they travel too far in any direction.  However, they tend to be cousins of both the French and Dutch which I also am, so I feel comfortable around the Belgium people, but I do not speak Flemish or Dutch, but I have studied four years of French.  My father lived a good deal of his working career in Belgium, so I know a little bit about it.  Also since my mother is Holland Dutch American, she also knows something about the area.  Whatever, the case Belgium is also suppose to have fine dining.  I suppose since Belgium was once part of Flanders before it sank under water 50,000 years ago, some of the Flemish still are in Belgium, and since the Ghost of Flanders has appeared in this apartment, I call my Greenwich Housing Authority public housing building at 71 Vinci Drive, "Flanders's Farm" , since possibly the Flemish when their country sank under water 50,000 years ago might have sailed away and established colonies elsewhere.  I call the pier on the end of Steamboat Road Flanders Pier.  Thus since more than likely there are other Flemish people around the waterfronts around the world, they like to keep in touch about Flemish life in various other parts of the world.  However, since I do not know Flemish or Dutch, I would have only have spoken to Belgium people that I have met in English or poorly spoken French.  The Belgium royal family are not known for very much, other than the fact that Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert was King Leopold of Belgium's nephew, so King Leopold helped finance his nephew's family, and so they became more prominent in the English language.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/14/04  Saturday 11:15 P.M.:  I went out after the last message, and I went by the Greenwich Library.  I chatted with another local library user for a while.  We walked across the street to Kinko's twice.  The other library user reported that he was walking at the top of Greenwich Avenue on Thursday when a man hole exploded, and I told the other library user that on previous occasions it was just squirrels or rats gnawing on the cables.  When we departed company, I noticed that the reason the subject matter came up, was that there was another man hole explosion on East Elm Street across from the Greenwich Time he must have seen before he started talking to me, and the electric company had their trucks there to fix the problem.  Since it was about to rain anyway, and I did not know if there were any other problems downtown, I did not walk Greenwich Avenue, and I did drive down by the waterfront.  I then returned home.  I made and ate my usual salad www.geocities.com/mikelscott/salad.htm .  I used a tin of chopped sardines instead of tuna fish.  For the cheddar cheese portion, I use Heluva A Good Muenster cheese.  I used all of the other regular ingredients.  I had the salad with a glass of iced tea.  I relaxed a bit.  I went outside, and I chatted with a neighbor.  I chatted with a relative.  I am working on my email.  I ate a bowl of peanuts with some iced tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/14/04  Saturday 3:25 P.M.:  I moved the Lindbergh radio to the right side of the mahogany bureau in the bedroom, and I put it on the green leather box.  I moved the metal file folder holder from the right monitor on the bedroom side board to the left side of the mahogany bureau.  I removed the spare Seneca cigarettes from their box, and I put them on the bedroom closet shelf on the right side.  I collapsed the box, and I put it underneath the bed.  Thus the two monitors on the side board in the bedroom connected to the HP backup computers do not have anything on top of them, so they are ready for use.  I also have two LAN cables connected to each of the living room and the bedroom hubs, so one could use laptop computers off of them, and I also have all of the other spare cables underneath the living desk.  I ate a peanut butter sandwich a glass of iced tea.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will clean up, and I will go out.  CIO

End of Scott's Notes week of 08/14/04:

Note: <888> 08/14/04  Saturday 2:05 P.M.:  I tried calling a relative.  I will now send out my weekly notes.  

Note: <888> 08/14/04  Saturday 2:00 P.M.:  Happy Birthday to a relative.  I was up at 8 A.M., and I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I moved the Abraham Lincoln portrait to the left side  of the left sconce, and I put the family grouping of pictures in the dark green and golf leaf design frame to the lower left of the right sconce.  I went back to bed until 1:30 P.M..  I replaced the bulb in the lamp on the oak bookcase on top of the mahogany bureau in the bedroom with a 100 watt bulb.  To reach it I used the folding chair that I keep in the bathroom.  I went outside, and I picked up the mail downstairs.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/14/04  Saturday 12:30 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  I ate a bowl of peanuts with iced tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 08/14/04  Saturday 12:15 A.M.:  I finished watching the opening ceremonies of the Athens Olympics 2004 on http://www.nbcolympics.com/ .  CIO

Note: <888> 08/13/04  Friday 10:15 P.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I stopped by CVS during the walk, and I bought a box of 80 Hefty Easy Flaps 13 gallon tall kitchen bags for $5.99 and a 22 ounce spray can of CVS foaming carpet cleaner which is good for upholstery too for $3.99 plus .60 tax for $10.58 total.   I next used the ATM machine at the Greenwich Avenue branch of Putnam Trust Bank of New York.  I then completed my walk.  I next drove down by the waterfront.  I then went by the Exxon gasoline station next to the Greenwich Library, and I bought $6.40 of regular unleaded gasoline for $2.259 a gallon for about 28 miles per gallon usage.  I then went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought a 10 ounce box of mushrooms for $2.29, fresh broccoli crowns at $1.69 a gallon for $1.64, a 10 ounce bag of fresh spinach $1.99, a 42 ounce container of Quaker Old Fashioned oat meal for $3.99, a 24 ounce bar of Stop and Shop extra sharp cheddar cheese for $4.99, two Maria Callender 16 ounce bread chicken parmegiana dinners for $2.29 each, and a Maria Callender breaded chicken 16 ounce dinner for $2.29 for $21.77 total.  I then returned home.  I turned on the Summer Olympics, and I am still watching the parade of nations http://www.athens2004.com/ .  I microwaved and ate a Maria Callender 16 ounce breaded chicken parmegiana dinner, which I ate with iced tea.  I also put grated parmesan cheese on the chicken parmegiana.  CIO