Blogmalion

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Aurora spyware killer a bust

Crap. Still getting popups. So much for miracle cures.

Heads up: Aurora spyware killer

Just recently I've been plagued by pop-up banners from something called Aurora. Apparently this is a new and particularly irritating form of spyware as it gets into your registry and keeps disguising itself so that when you think you've erased it it comes right back.

The following is an address for what claims to be a cure: a tiny program that can eliminate the bug completely. I've already tried it and it seems to work. At least, I've seen no more Aurora banners since I installed it, and as far as I can tell it hasn't replaced it with anything worse. So if you're having Aurora trouble, you might want to try it yourself:

http://www.noidea.us/easyfile/file.php?show=20050515010747824

Friday, May 13, 2005

I'm already queueing to buy the popcorn

Headline in today's London Daily Mirror Entertainment supplement: "Episode III: The Sith hits the fans". Sadly not 100% original (Google returns 64 hits for the phrase) but it gave me a chuckle anyway.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Weren't you listening to FDR?

On May 11 a small aircraft strayed into the security zone over Washington DC. Fighter planes were deployed and Federal offices emptied amid fears of a new 9/11 style attack.

Fortunately it was only a small Cessna that had apparently strayed into restricted airspace by mistake. News pundits will probably spend a few days arguing about whether the evacuation was necessary or orderly, but they'll all breathe a sigh of relief that at least it wasn't a terrorist attack this time.

Well, no, but it was a terrorist victory.

What do I mean by that exactly?

Even though nobody was killed or injured, even though no property was destroyed, this incident did exactly what the terrorist wanted. IT SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF PEOPLE. The evacuated people's faces on TV looked almost as shocked and horrified as if they'd been in a real attack.

I'm quite sure that when OBL heard about the incident he had a damn good laugh over it. And why not?

Look, they call these people terrorists, right? Not murderists or destructionists, because murder and destruction are only means to achieve their goal. And that goal is to create a climate of fear and confusion amongst their enemies which will eventually lead to their enemies weakening.

So, if you were afraid or terrified in Washington yesterday, too bad. You played right into their hands.

Unfortunately some people are all too willing to buy into the paranoid hysteria whipped up by politicians and journalists in the wake of terrorist outrages. Franklin D. Roosevelt said the only thing to fear is fear itself, and that was back in the days when there were some really scary people around.

Just try to remember his advice next time, OK?

Friday, May 06, 2005

In other news...

There was an election. Somebody won it.

Monday, May 02, 2005

Grabbed by the Nuts

No, that's not a political headline.

There's a commercial currently running on British TV that qualifies for the so-stupid-it's-brilliant category.

Three guys walking down the street happen to see a poster which reads "NIBBLE NOBBY'S NUTS". They go into a pub where they are amazed to see former Slade frontman Noddy Holder reading a paper. Misinterpreting the poster's instructions the make a dive for Noddy's groin and he has to fight them off. "NOT NODDY," he roars in his trademark Slade style, "NOBBY! CAN'T ANY OF YOU PEOPLE READ?" Their misunderstanding thus cleared up, out heroes settle down to nibble some Nobby's (pea)Nuts.

The commercial hasn't encouraged me to nibble anybody's nuts, but I have dug out my old Slade albums from the 1970s. And it is kinda nice to see the old fart back on the telly again.