I often see clients struggling with trackpads on their laptops, and it gets me every time.

Why not get a small mouse to go with it, instead of contorting your hands with those trackpads?

OK, so maybe lugging a mouse with you doesn’t appeal to you, since a laptop is portable and it’s more weight and bulk. But really, have you SEEN how small the travel mice are these dasy?

I’ve got a Logitech one I wouldn’t be caught without!

I was even at a customer’s house when his cordless mouse gave out, and using keyboard shortcuts gets real old, real fast. So I got my little mouse out of my car, and was good to go in a few minutes!

Check out mine:

It’s about the size of the palm of my hand.

I’ve been meaning to write this one for quite some time.

What’s on YOUR keychain?

I’ve had useful stuff on mine for a long time now. I only keep two keys on there (car and apartment), so it’s way too small and I’d lose it unless I had something weighty on there.

For a few years I had a mini Maglite torch

But then I got a cell phone with a flashlight, so I removed it and put a mini leatherman knockoff on there.

Then i lost that one, and had a regular pocket knife for a while.

Finally I switched cell phones (anyone else get tired of using the same for more than a year?), and once again needed a flashlight handy.

This time I find a mini leatherman knockoff locally, with a mini led torch hidden in one of the handles. It’s slightly larger than I like, and comes in a small pouch, but I’d rather be caught WITH a Phillips screwdriver and a torch, than without…

So, what’s on your keychain?

And since so many geeks would say: USB thumbdrive, I’ve included a link to a discussion about what geeks keep on it:
What’s on your USB drive
The main link there is to a list that’s wonderful for IT support people. It’s just amazing how poor shape regular users leave their computers in, and I think I need a larger thumbdrive in order to be able to fit all this stuff:
http://www.miketechshow.com/2005/09/mike-tech-show-podcast-30-09-24-05.html

Finally, I think the time for me to only have a USB thumbdrive is over (or even worse, I usually only have an MP3 player filled with music).

I think I need to get my boss to shell out for one of these:
eMagic hard drive enclosure

Some people check Alexa ratings to see how much traffic a site has.

Well, as one who has a a few sites, I can tell you they’re totally unreliable.

One site is currently ranking 560,204. It has 7 times the traffic the site that’s ranking 322,578 has.

But they’re in different segments. One appeals to geeks and SEO’s. And as we know, the SEO’s are more likely to use the Alexa toolbar. The other site probably has a bigger percentage of housewives than any other group. That doesn’t exactly translate to all that good Alexa rankings…

Pusur caught and killed a bird and a mouse during the night. He ate the mice, and left the bird a little messed up (doesn’t like the taste apparently). Even so, he was ravenous when he pounded on the door this morning at 6 AM.

But today he can hardly keep his eyes open, he’s so pooped…

There’s an ant problem here. I find them crawling all over me, and over and into the computer.

Last night the DVD burner started producing coasters. I was burning CD’s at the time, and not the highest quality either. So I can’t be sure of any conclusions.

I did check the underside of the discs before burning though.

One of the discs had some sort of smearing on the underside.

I just wonder…

Fried ant?

I haven’t commented on Michael Jackson’s acquittal before. Probably most bloggers have by now.

We don’t know for sure what happened. The case was complicated enough, we couldn’t have known unless we were present at the alleged molestations. So I’m not getting into if he was guilty of what he was accused of.

What I am going to address, is his behavior.

He knew well before the incidents he was accused of, that the world was looking at him for child molestation. He kept on doing what he’d done, and has been argumenting that it’s innocent and good.

I can’t see any advisors saying that was a good idea. So it had to have been his idea. Or he can’t help himself. Either way, it might indicate a persona that is incapable of taking good advice. A persona that thinks he knows best, that won’t be denied. Or who doesn’t have the good sense to attract good advisors, only yes people.

That’s a recipe for disaster.

I’m not a shrink, I can’t say exactly what is wrong. But for my untrained eye, something is wrong.

There are so many people walking around, with serious emotional dysfunction. Personality disorders of various kinds. It’s nothing new. Chances are most of us will encounter at least one or two we recognize as having problems, and many we never suspect.

They’re high functioning, in that they’re not raving lunatics that must be kept locked up. But they’re still damaging others. And usually the damage is emotional or psychological. Some go off the deep end now and then, and become physically threatening.

My point being, there are many shades of emotional and psychological problems around us.

Michael Jackson displays what I’d consider odd behavior, judging from TV programs I’ve seen. I hope he gets help. I think he needs someone around him who says no to him, sets boundaries. But, considering his popularity and former wealth, I can’t see that happening. I’m not sure he’d allow it. Sadly.

I’m sure he thinks his behavior is not only perfectly justifiable, but something more people should do. Those were his sentiments a while ago, at least.

You know, when I saw him on TV, I felt that he truly believed what he was saying. That doesn’t mean what he was saying is the absolute truth, but it does mean that it’s HIS reality. Make of that what you will.

Most of us use the keyboard that came with our computers. I did that too for a few years.

But then I saw and fell in love with Microsoft Natural Keyboard. Naturally, I had to have it. After all, I did write touch, and the old keyboards aren’t too comfortable.

Then a few years passed, and I saw a keyboard on sale, with a really nice mouse that I’d already tried an loved. Hmmm… So I bought it. That was the Logitech Y-SD5. It’s a clone of the Microsoft keyboard, except smaller and flatter. And it became my new favorite. I’ve been using it for years.

And recently I thought, hey, what if I wear it out? How will I get a new one? So I went looking. The only model I found currently in production was the

Logitech Cordless Comfort Duo

It’s a similar package to the one I bought. If it feels the same way mine does, GET IT!!!

I was about to say I’m not getting any percentages. But then I realized, hey, they sell them on Amazon! So up the affiliate link goes. Amazon also has a nice display of similar keyboards, if this one doesn’t look right to you. Oh, but if you’re in Norway, remember not to buy US keyboard. Go to Logitech Norway instead.

I just think it could help people who have carpal tunnel syndrome, or other ergonomical problems. And it’s a really good keyboard to boot. The mouse in my package was the M-BA47, which is a wonderful mouse. Built to the contours of my hand. Not sure the new one is that good?

Well, if you don’t write touch, you’ll hate it, of course…

A while ago, my car wouldn’t start. Not enough juice.

I had to have start help from Falken. The guy tested the battery and said it was fine. But if the car was left standing for maybe a day or two, it wouldn’t start. There was some juice on it, but not enough to start.

We did various tests. The first prevailing theory was that something in the car was leaking electricity. So I took the lead off the positive pool when I left the car. Still, the car wouldn’t start.

Turns out one cell had died. Which means that there wasn’t enough to start the car unless I had help or it had run recently. But once the car was moving, it was working fine.

So I bought a new battery. One of those who won’t leak even if you turn it over (not that you would, of course). And there’s a big difference to how the car starts now compared to before, even before the old battery went bad. True, the new battery is stronger by type, but even so…

Just thought I’d put it out there. There are several ways a battery can turn bad. Of course, mine had been drained recently by the lights being left on by a thief who tried to steal the car and failed. I’m guessing that may have contributed to it going bad.

Today is Norway’s independence day. Independence from… that’s right - Sweden.

But Norway and Sweden will always be brothers. Sibling love and rivalry included.

Decades ago a lot of people moved to Sweden because there was work there, and little in Norway in their fields. Today a lot of young Swedes come to Norway to get jobs.

I know quite a few, and I was talking to one girl right after she came. I told her there was a lot of cultural difference, especially when it came to food. She almost got angry with me. Granted, Swedish culture has changed a lot over the years, and I know a lot about the culture from a ways back. But guess who had the last laugh. They complain bitterly about Norwegians not eating warm lunch! That’s just not a custom here. We eat our brødskive (almost like sandwich) instead. Many Swedes will make lunch late the day before and take it to work, cold. I just shake my head.

The language is pretty similar, and almost all Norwegians understand Swedish. But the reverse is not true. I’ve heard quite a few amusing stories, when one of the girls has been working in cafe’s and similar. She’s misunderstood SOOO many terms. It’s quite
funny.

You see, us Norwegians have watched Swedish television forever, but the reverse is not true!

My cousin is considering getting a toy dog or a cat (hopefully two cats). I’m trying to talk her into getting a cat instead of a dog, because I know an indoors cat will fit better into her life.

I’ve been sending her links whenever I find them, but it’s probably a better idea to gather the links here, and then let her (and others) find them instead of sending several e-mails a day…

I’ll add more links here as I come across them.

Cats and spending wisely

I found some really nice cats here:
Dyrenett. A bengal and a Birma up for adoption, for free!

Couz, this is how good cats do NOT behave:
Pusur/Garfield comic of the day

Blogs and sites by pets

New Speck’s little blog A very technology oriented cat. I guess he’s learning from his pet.

This link was a gift from a friend. A bit of humor:
Handles on kittens