This message was broadcast to all our North America offices yesterday:

> Hello,
>
> Server CHIP will be taken off line this evening at
> approximately 7:00 PM
>
> Server CHIP will be available for use 1/2 hour later.
>
> Files should not be left open this evening.
>
> Sorry for any incontinence this may cause.
>
> Thanks

I could see how not being able to use a server for 30 minutes might be an irritant, but I don’t think it’s going to make you THAT tense!

One of our customers made a decision at some point that their production system was all about performance, and anything that impacted performance was secondary. Sounds like a good idea, until you find out that they placed virus scanning software in that “secondary” category.

So, with no scanning software, and their production network talking freely with their business network (where all those happy little clerical types busily click away on what-ever appears in their inboxes), a recipe for disaster was created. Someone launched a file that was infected with the [W32.funlove.4099] virus, and the fun began (you really should click that link, what it does is rather interesting, if you’re a geek!).

So now, my company doing all of their processing, 24/7, while they attempt to get a grip on their systems. I don’t know exactly what their stratigic plan for cleaning their network up is, but I do know this… it’s not working (every time they are convinced they have it… the virus comes raging back in). We’ve been providing disaster recovery for them since friday, and there currently is no firm date for switching the system back.

In this day when it seems that many technology companies are trimming the fat (Cisco cutting 16% of its work force, Motorola cuts 7000 jobs), I guess I should be happy that I have safe, stable employment. Of course, when you’re working two 8 hour shifts a day with 4 hours off between them…. you start do lose focus on the fact that you’re one of the “lucky” ones.

I saw him first in Spokane, November 13, 1998.
Then I saw him next in [Reno], June 28, 1999.
It wasn’t until, March 3, 2000 that I saw him next in Seattle.

I’ll see him again, May 8, 2001 four years later in Spokane.

Frank Black. I’ve been waiting too long.

Mr. Tone will be happy to see the news [here]

Soon after March 19th. Looks like they’re serious this time.

I saw the kids from the previous post today, walking down the street.

They’re still together it appears. Yay.

I was out on a smoke break, when I overheard a young couple breaking up. It didn’t matter that she was all gothed out and he had a 4-inch spiked Mohawk. The vile feelings that breakups give off are pretty much universal.
As they walked by me I overheard a little more of their conversation.

“Can’t we at least be friends? Can you at least handle that?”

She just gave him an exasperated look and started walking a little faster.

She spun around and asked me for a cigarette. I told her I wasn’t bumming out this close to the high school. She understood. I think she really needed it though. My heart goes out to them. I’ve been there. It’s fairly rough. It generally seems like the world is ending.

I wanted to tell them to hold on to each other, because once they get out of High School, it only gets rougher, and it would help if they held on to each other.

Of course, I don’t know the whole story, so I kept my mouth shut. He could be a verbally (or physically) abusive asshole. She could just be trying to flee a bad situation.

Poor messed up kids.

Oh man….. jet packin’ over the hills, capin’ the flag, and a big jucy mortar in yo’ ass!

That’s what [Tribes2] is all about, baby!