justxploring's Blog

With all the loss of lives in Iraq and the suffering of both humans and animals all over the world, it's nice to know not all hope is lost.  This was a very good move!  I thank you and so do all the animals who are bred to suffer tortuous lives and painful deaths.

http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/federal_legislation/cruelty_issues/animal_fighting_law_signed.html

My laptop is booting up in red instead of black and the display has lots of red and pink lines.  Some pages are very difficult to view. 

I've researched this online and the only news I've been getting is bad news.  My Toshiba Satellite is only about 18 months old.  Although it sold for $899, I got a big rebate.  Still, any computer should last for a few years.  My HP desktop with a 266mhz Celeron processor that came with Win95 never had any problems.  Like me, it just got too slow to be very useful.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.  By the way, this has happened before except the lines usually disappeared after a while.  When I saw the lines in the past, it was always after removing or installing the battery.  Toshiba told me to make sure I never keep my battery in the laptop when I'm plugged into an electrical outlet, which is why I kept removing it, although many experts disagree. Their manual for the A80/A85 says that this will overcharge the battery.  I know a lot of people who never remove the battery.  I wonder if dust got on the terminals, but at this point I have no idea what went wrong.  Maybe it's totally unrelated to this LCD problem.

First my teeth, then my car, now my computer.  Whoever said money isn't important in life obviously had way too much of it!! 

I have a terrible, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that a red boot is a very bad sign.  I have to use my computer every day and night for work and a laptop is highly recommended.  I got the name of a computer repair shop from a friend, but if it will cost a lot, I'd rather invest in a new one.  I also would rather buy a desktop and a monitor.  I hope this keeps running for a few weeks.  After I reach a certain level at the new company I signed up with, I'll get a laptop from them.  If all goes well, that should take about 2 to 3 months. 

I met with the shop foreman at the Toyota dealership today.  He was extremely pleasant and offered to take my car on a test drive.  He explained how the tires are balanced and their high tech 4-wheel alignment process.  They've already balanced my tired and performed the alignment. 

Without even asking me, he knew right away that the tires had come from Tire Kingdom. I suppose it's because he's in the business and recognized the name.  The front 2 tires on my 2006 Camry are Tire Kingdom's generic brand and, according to the Toyota shop foreman, the cheapest as well (for my car)  He never criticized Enterprise (where I bought the car) or Tire Kingdom, but said that his shop had purchased the same tires but had too many complaints about the ride and returned the shipment. 

He wasn't trying to get more money out of me (if that's what you're thinking) because he suggested we go out on a test drive together in another Camry to compare. He also said he wouldn't guarantee that new tires would be a major improvement.  So I guess, although my 2001 Hyundai Sonata had numerous problems and needed service every other week, the ride was very smooth!  Who knows?  I've never felt the road so much as I do with this car which is shocking to me. (no pun intended)  I owned my 94 Olds Achieva that only cost $13,500 for 6 years and never complained about the ride. 

I also noticed that the Camry is very noisy.  However, a complete diagnostic checkup reported no defects in the car, so I guess it's just a personal preference or I'm too sensitive.  Still, it seemed much better when I bought the car as if something has changed in the past few months.  I think getting high performance tires might make a big difference, but it would be a risk.  So maybe in another year I'll get 4 new tires.  Right now driving this for a year seems like an eternity.

I'm honestly not being a big baby here, since my sciatica has been driving me crazy and the bumpy ride irritates it.  I've also been turning the radio up so I don't hear all the road noise. Maybe it is the tires, because I've read that high performance tires can reduce vibrations and road noise considerably.  These tires aren't grabbing the road well, but as long as he said they look safe and I'm not in any danger, I will have to put up with the discomfort. I cannot possibly afford new tires at this time.

He mentioned one thing I didn't think about at the time of purchase. I was too stressed out back then, but any reasonable person should have wondered why a 2006 car with 18,000 miles needed new tires.  Still, there is nothing physically wrong with the car so I'm not going to start guessing, since it's possible someone drove over a nail, which is very common around here.

I don't know why I wrote this today.  Just had it on my mind I suppose.  I'm sure I'll adapt and everything will be just fine.  At least I hope so.  Life goes on and it's a beautiful sunny day.

I've spent most of the day completing some mandatory courses on anti-laundering.  I just don't get it.  I mean, what's wrong with freshening up your bills or putting a sparkle on those dull looking quarters? 

Did you know it's estimated that as much as $2 trillion is illegally laundered in the United States and that a large percentage is from purchasing various insurance products?

Next time I put my jeans in the washer I'm going to make darn sure there ain't any dollar bills in the pockets.  Who knew?

As some of you know, in Nov my Hyundai died and I had to rent a car. Although I had lots of problems with my Sonata, which was always breaking down, the ride was always very smooth.  It was also under warranty during most of the problems, although I got sick & tired of living at the Hyundai dealership.

So I finally found a pre-owned 2006 Camry with about 18,000 miles on it.  It's been running okay, but it never felt very comfortable to me.  So in Jan I decided to take it to my local Toyota dealer for the 25,000 service (it had 21,000) and they changed the oil and rotated the wheels, and whatever cost me $69 plus.  I noticed a slight vibration when driving and they said I needed a wheel balance.  One person said that perhaps the car was out of alignment and that didn't show up until the tires were rotated. Anyway, I made the mistake of taking the car to Walmart to save a little money.  At least they didn't charge me, since the mechanic couldn't seem to balance the wheels correctly and suggested I take the car back to the dealer.

About 2 weeks ago I had a 4 wheel balance for $39.95 and was told I needed an alignment because the car was pulling to the right.  I didn't notice it too much before the tires were balanced, but I also didn't want to take a chance on wearing them out, so last week I took the car back for an alignment. I figured this would be my last visit to the service department for a long time.

Well I'm trying not to go crazy from the pain the vibrations are causing in my back which is setting off my sciatica, but I feel as if someone just plugged me into an electrical socket.  After the alignment, I felt as if the car was pulling to the left!  When I drive, even at 20 mph, it feels as if I am driving on a dirt road with lots of bumps and the vibes transfer from the gas pedal through my leg.  The steering wheel is not shimmering at all, fast speeds don't make it any worse, and the car seems to drive straight except for the slight left pull.

What could be causing this?  I bought the Camry because everyone I know told me it's the best car made and I'll be driving it for the next 10 years.  Now I wish I had bought the Malibu that was $4,000 less.  I'll never be able to suffer like this for the next 5 years or at least until I pay down the loan at little.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.  I'm wondering if there is something wrong with the front end.

I just tried to answer a blog entry, but it's locked.  Oh, well. 

Anyway, there is a difference between Global Warming and Climate Change.  Don't ask me why, but some of the comments about the weather remind me of a date I once had.  I had a gift certificate to a fine restaurant (a gift from work) and invited a friend to join me.  He ordered a glass of White Zinfandel and when the server presented his glass, he called her back.  "Miss, this isn't what I ordered.  I ordered a white wine and this is pink."

When I learned of your passing today, I felt very sad.  I never even met you, but I remember that day in 1978 when all of us in Boston anxiously sat in front of our TV sets, praying you'd walk out of that hospital.  You never did. 

I can't imagine being one of the best NFL receivers one day and waking up the next paralyzed.  I think I'd be depressed, bitter and lose all faith in God.  But you used your faith to heal your spirit and help others.

When I see strong young men like you and Christopher Reeves sustain injuries that take away their hopes and dreams rise up and refuse to be defeated by such a cruel twist of fate, I wonder why life for the rest of us often seems so hopeless. We have legs that walk and arms that lift, yet we are stuck in the same place for years.

So it's time to bid you farewell and say a prayer for your family & friends.  I admit I was never much of a football fan, but if I get to Heaven, I'm buying a ticket for a Pats game. 

Maybe it's stress and worry, but lately I've been doing some really "blonde" things. Today I got home and placed my groceries in the freezer. Yes, all of them, including the cottage cheese.  I apparently then put 1/2 gallon of milk in the cabinet with the canned goods.

Well I know I have to throw away the milk, but what about the cottage cheese?  Will it be okay to eat when it defrosts?  I bought Breakstone's Cottage Doubles which is a serving of cottage cheese and a side of fruit topping you mix before eating.  One of them makes a good, quick breakfast with 11 grams of protein and, obviously, I need all the brain food I can get. 

I wish someone would invent a "stupid alarm" a person could wear inconspicuously. This device would go off like a smoke detector whenever a totally stupid act was about to take place. 

I don't have time to write anything now, but in case the pet lovers on this site missed this yesterday, I wanted to post it. 

http://www.purina.com/

This is really funny.  I somehow came across it when googling for lottery information.  You might need to scroll up or down to his story on "my biggest fear."  Actually, I find the entire web site amusing.  (Checkout the personal hygiene items in his Feb archives! This is a joke, right?) I once had a manager who was obsessed with Hello Kitty.  She was in her early 30s and decorated her office in pink with Hello Kitty items.  That's why I found this site to be so hysterical, since this supervisor was really the devil in disguise! 

http://www.hellokittyhell.com/2006/09/05/my-biggest-fear/#comments

By now most of you have read about the 101 year old woman who was attacked while reaching for the keys to her apartment.  Then the same man beat up an 85 year old woman with Parkinson's Disease and took her engagement ring, a precious gift from her late husband.

I heard a lawyer on TV say "this man is obviously mentally ill."  Sure he is.  Just the way a man who rapes a little girl and buries her alive is crazy.  So what?  Should I feel sorry for him?  I don't care about his IQ or if he had a troublesome childhood...this man is evil.

The mugging was caught on tape because her building has a surveillance camera.  He followed her home, pretended to help her and then punched her in the face twice, breaking her cheekbone, and then threw her walker to the floor as she struggled.  This feisty woman fought back!  He got $33 dollars. 

When I saw the video on the news, I began to yell at my TV set, "Give him the Death Penalty!"

After the recent deaths of over 100 dogs, please be aware that you should never force your pet to eat if he suddenly finds his favorite meal unsavory.  Animals have natural instincts that tell them something isn't quite right. 

Unfortunately, many people who love their pets just assume the animal is being fussy and have added gravy or something tasty to lure the animal back to the food bowl.  Not eating might be an indication that an animal isn't well, but it also might be because the food is toxic.  This has also affected some cats.

By the way, this isn't one of those silly internet rumors.  Here is an article posted by Cornell University.

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Jan06/dogs.dying.ssl.html

If you are driving on the Florida interstates today, you might think you've had too much of that green beer last night.  There are strange looking creatures dressed in green suits & hats, white knickers and standing next to a pot of gold, dancing on the side of the highway and waving as you whizz by.

Are these the real Leprechauns of Irish folklore coming to FL for the sunshine and the sandy beaches?  Nah, they're police deputies trying to take your pot of gold away, and they've been doing it at an average of a ticket a minute!

Never drink and drive, but if you see an odd looking fellow in green dancing by the side of the road this St. Patrick's Day weekend, it's best to check your speedometer instead of your sanity, because that's no mythological camera he's pointing...it's a laser gun!   

I am not a traitor - honestly!  However, I was channel surfing on Sunday and found a real gem.  It's called the 1/2 hour News Hour.  Even the most liberal Democrat can't deny it's very funny and well-written.  I laughed out loud during the entire show. I loved the ACLU ads. Really a riot.  You can view a portion of the show on. 

http://www.foxnews.com/specials/

(high speed internet is recommended)

Too bad Bill O'Reilly was on later, but that's why we have remote controls!