Traveling with computers

I'm working in North Carolina for a while. I've been here two weeks and will probably be here for three more. It's a pretty part of the country. This picture of the building where I'm working was taken in the fall. It's considerably more bare now.

The building is very nice. If I have to work in an office (cubicle) at least it's in a nice environment. Of course tearing down and installing new labs doesn't give me a chance to enjoy it much.

I'm working in Cary, a suburb of Raleigh. I brought my bike, my dogs, and three computers. I'm actually getting more exercise here than in frigid Illinois. I pedal to work and back from the hotel each day and take the dogs for a ride mornings.

My reading time is suffering though. What I'd give for a comfortable chair to sink into with a book in the evenings. I miss my La-Z-Boy :( On the other hand every restaurant I've been to serves sweet tea. Yahoo!

Infinity's Shore - David Brin

This is book two in the uplift trilogy based on the planet Jijo. The first is Brightness Reef. This is another fascinating story. More questions are answered and more raised. I look forward to book three. We're up to nine sooner races on Jijo now and things are really getting interesting. Highly recommended.

By Order of the President - W. E. B. Griffin

This is the first in a new Griffin series dealing with today's issues of terrorism and homeland security. It is Griffin, so the story is still centered on the military and the role it plays and could play. The terrorist plot is certainly different from most books I've read along this line. The solution is also unique but effective. I hope our president, and future presidents, can be as effective as the fictional president in this novel. I can't see a democrat having that much courage or sense. Vote Republican! Very highly recommended.

If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans - Ann Coulter

I have to admit I bought the book for the cover. Ann Coulter is Hot. Just kidding! About why I bought the book I mean. Coulter is just as smart and on the money as ever. I wish some of the conservatives in government had half the balls she does. I'd vote for her for just about any office. I'm not sure she'd make a good ambassador though. I don't think diplomatic is in her repertoire :) However, I don't want her to change. She's pretty close to perfect as is. Highly recommended.

Carrie Vaughn - Kitty and the Silver Bullet

This is the next installment in the Kitty of the Midnight Hour series. There are plenty of vampires and werewolves to go around. Too many actually. At least the supernaturals are out now so the cops are slowly learning to deal with the really bad guys. Highly recommended.

New Moon - Stephenie Meyer

This is the sequel to Twilight. The story continues with some unpredictable twists. There are more supernatural characters and there is way more teenage angst :)

This novel is PG at worst. I really like Meyer's willingness to avoid the easy clichés of bad language and sex. The book does have some violence, but it's about monsters so you have to expect a little. However, this is still a teen friendly book. Highly recommended.

An Ice Cold Grave - Charlaine Harris

This is the third book in the Harper Connelly series. Harper and her non-brother Tolliver find more than they bargained for this time when they're called in to find some missing boys. This story has its share of close calls and close contact. It keeps you guessing right up to the end. Very highly recommended.

The Wheel of Darkness - Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

This is another Agent Pendergast novel, and as always a good one. From the mountains of Tibet to the deck of an ocean liner, the adventure never stops. In this story Constance Greene moves out of the shadows again and contributes much to the tale. The twist at the very end comes from way out in left field. Highly recommended.

The Society - Michael Palmer

This book explores the US health care industry in the context of a very good murder mystery. The story grabbed my interest and I found myself following it when I should have been doing other things. Sleeping mainly. Highly recommended with the caveats below.

There are always some things that drive me nuts. One is authors trying to make themselves sound more knowledgeable than they are. For the record Glocks don't have cylinders, hammers you can cock, or safeties you can check to make sure they're off.

I really enjoyed this story right up to the end when the author got on his political soap box and began to daydream about universal health care in this country. When he actually indicated that someday our country may enjoy universal heath care as good as Canada I was tempted to burn the book. Idiots can be authors too.

T is for Trespass - Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone is one of my favorite characters. This is another Millhone tale that weaves multiple threads into a very compelling story. Kinsey survives but it's a close at times. Grafton can't kill her off yet. We have U through Z to go! T was well worth the read. Highly recommended.

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Darwinism and Intelligent Design - Jonathan Wells

This is a scholarly defense of Intelligent Design (ID) with all the foot notes and references you could want. The book is obviously pro-ID and anti-Darwinism, but it does an excellent job of clearly explaining both sides of an issue that shouldn't really have sides in the first place. If you need ammunition for your next impromptu debate on ID look no further. Highly recommended.

The Quickie - James Patterson

This story has more twists than a mountain road in West Virginia. Just when you think you have it figured out you have to brake for another curve. You don't know whether to have sympathy or outrage for the protagonist, if you can call her that. It sure keeps you turning the pages though. Highly recommended.

Bond of Blood - Diane Whiteside

This novel adds new levels of complexity to vampire society. The author effectively uses flashbacks to build an understanding of the history behind the characters in her story, but there's not enough detail on her unique vampire society for my taste. Too many questions were left unanswered. Also, the story was liberally sprinkled with Spanish words and phrases. If you don't speak Spanish have a dictionary handy because otherwise you'll miss important nuances. That was a real annoyance. In spite of all this I enjoyed the book. The story was interesting and the two main characters were well developed.

Just a warning, there's a lot of sex in this novel. I would contrast Bond of Blood with Twilight by Meyer. I enjoyed that novel also, but there were no steamy erotic scenes to distract from the storyline. It's sad when authors resort to sex instead of words. Worth reading.

Brightness Reef - David Brin

This novel is my first uplift experience. It's an interesting take on how humans, and other sapients of course, got to where they are. I wonder if we'll ever see the uplift books in a museum dedicated to intelligent design?

As I got closer to the end I realized I wasn't going to find a conclusion in this book. Duh! What did I think trilogy meant? I have the other two books in the trilogy ordered now and they're in my to-read queue. Highly recommended.

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

There are vampires and then there are vampires. This novel is a love story with a twist. How would you handle it if your lab partner in high school biology was a vampire? What would you do if you fell in love with this vampire? How would you introduce a vampire to your parents? What do you wear to meet a vampire's family? What happens when some other vampires decide you're snackable? All good questions and all covered in this novel. I'm looking forward to reading the two other books in this series. Highly recommended.

This novel is suitable for teens. There's no sex and no bad language, but it does get scary at times. However, younger kids probably won't sympathize with this much teenage angst. One reason I read this book was to see if it would make a good Christmas present for my grandkids. I'll let them get a little older before I give them this book, but it's on the list.

A Lick of Frost - Laurell Hamilton

This is the sixth book in the Meredith Gentry series. If you've been following this series you know what she's been trying for and you have to read this novel. Now I have to wait for the next book! Highly recommended.

Drop Dead Gorgeous - Linda Howard

This is the sequel to To Die For. Blair is back in danger again. Wyatt is busy protecting her. The question is will they make it to their wedding or not. Highly recommended.

Cryptonomicon - Neal Stephenson

This book took me a long time to read. I read the paperback, which has small print and 1,139 pages, including the appendix. It's long and seems convoluted at times but it finishes strong. If you're math challenged you can skip all the interesting problems. If you have any interest in cryptography and early computers this book is for you. If you're a WWII buff, you'll find this book fascinating. If you always wondered how global finance and corporate piracy worked, there's something in this book for you too. When I first started reading, I brooded that I wasn't getting very far. In the end, I was disappointed when I ran out of words. Very highly recommended.

SPAM - way too much

How many of us lose email we want because we have spam filters that accidentally throw it away? I've had an email address since the 70's when I dialed into compuserve with a terminal and a 300 baud modem. I've had a domain since the 80's when I had a UNIX box on my desk at home. That means a lot of people have been able to scam my email address over the years and I get a ton of SPAM. What can you do?

I have a friend who's almost computer illiterate, but I got him on the web with his business back in the 90's and he's got the same SPAM problem I do. I don't recommend this as an experiment, but it sure shed some light on his SPAM problem.

He managed to click on the wrong thing a couple of weeks ago and got a virus. A nasty one that required he have XP reinstalled on the computer. We saved most of his data, but he was off the net for almost a whole week. When we got his email client reinstalled and back online there was an interesting result.

He has one email address that he's had for almost 10 years. He has three other email addresses that I setup for him in the last year for other activities like communicating with students (he's a teacher) and special projects. After a week of not checking, these three email addresses had 24 email messages combined waiting to be downloaded. The 10 year old email address had over 3,000 messages waiting to clog his inbox.

For me the lesson is, if you want to ditch spam change your email address. I know that's not possible in some cases because it's a business address with lots of clients. However, if you get yourself another email address or two, and slowly start weaning your clients and friends over to these new addresses, eventually you can slam the door on the SPAM and free your inbox. You'll have to keep the new addresses close to the vest, and clients will leak them, but it will provide some relief for some period of time.

To Die For - Linda Howard

This book made me laugh out loud a bunch of times. I have a friend who owns a fitness facility and I'll be giving her this book for Christmas. This is a hilarious tale of a southern gal who owns a gym and the police detective who is bound and determined to capture her heart. Along the way there's murder and attempted murder, and (yes it is Linda Howard!) lots of steamy sex. Sorry this is not for kids. I finished this one while I was out of town last weekend and I've already started the sequel. Highly recommended.