I discovered this quite by accident yesterday. The biggest threat to your computer's security is Microsoft itself! This is probably not a surprise to any IT professionals.
My work PC was upgraded to Windows XP Professional last year. (Whoo Hoo!)Our IT department usually works under the premise of You can be secure or you can get work done. Actually, I'm just kidding. We do normally get work done and are reasonably secure, but as a user, I can't do much to personalize my desktop or computing environment.
After the new "deploy", I could no longer put my cheerful seasonal pictures on my desktop as a background. For example, one that I posted in my blog in November 2006 http://creative-wryting.blogspot.com/2006_11_01_archive.html. You can guess the symbolism!
While I was rummaging around Microsoft Office 2003 Tools and the Microsoft Office Picture Manager, I came across this and a number of other photos I had used before. If you right-click on an image in the Picture Manage, once of the options is to Set as Desktop Background.
Clicking on this, and, lo and behold, my favourite picture now appeared on my desktop!
Therefore despite the best efforts of our IT, Microsoft over-rode their restrictions!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Let's Not Meet By Accident! (My top complaints about Ottawa drivers)
So far this winter, it has been a challenging time for drivers in Ottawa, what with the increased volume on the road as a result of the transit strike and bone-chilling temperatures and black ice.
I list here my biggest complaints about Ottawa drivers.
Clean the snow off your car!
I don't just mean your front windshield! I mean your entire car; roof, hood, trunk, all windows, front bumper and especially all your lights. How many times have you seen a car with just the front window cleared off with the windshield wipers? You'd think it would be obvious that clearing it all off increases how well you can see around you. Cleaning off your roof ensures you don't create a mini blizzard for cars behind you. Also have you ever had a big slab of ice come off a car in front of you? I have. A couple of years ago on the 417, a slab of ice came off a delivery truck, right at my windshield. Fortunately, the only damage was a broken windshield wiper. Scared the crap out of me because I could do nothing to avoid it with the traffic on the road. It was one of those slo-motion moments...Ooooohhhh cccrrraaapppp!!!!!
I should also mention this is a all-season rule because spring and fall frosts and heavy dews can block your vision and can be just as difficult to clear off. Not only that, but unless your windows are warm, they seem to recondense on your windows so a block later you can't see again, sort of a wind chill kind of effect.
Stop on the friggin' stop line!
The stop line. You know, that white line painted on the road at an intersection? It is set back from the intersection to allow pedestrians to cross. With winter snow banks, I know it can be hard to see if you stop at the stop line, but try stopping there and then creeping forward. Also a good idea when intersections are icy as they have been recently to not go racing up to the stop line and expect that your all-season tires will stop you on a dime.
Frankly, I've been scared too many times by cars careening into the road from side streets when they ignore this rule. Last year I almost hit a car that slid into the road from a side street. The only saving grace was no traffic in the lane beside me. Same last night for a car in front of me.
Don't confuse the adequate space between me and the car ahead of me as an invitation to change into my lane!
My driver ed instructor Mr. Panter, taught me to respect the 3 second rule, and leave lots of space between me and the car in front of me, so don't confuse that with an opening for a lane change. When you do, neither of us is respecting the 3 second rule.
Not so close, I hardly know you.
I always thought this bumper sticker was cute. That and "If you can read this bumper sticker, you are too close". See the previous comment for more explanation.
Get off your cell phone and drive!
How many times have you seen cars turning at intersections, making lane changes or even more concentration-demanding driving maneuvres and the driver is on a cell phone?
Pilots have a saying about what takes precedence while flying: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. If you recently heard the cockpit communications from US Air pilot Chesley (Sully) Sullenburger, you would see this in action. He was busy flying a plane with no engines instead of giving blow-by-blow accounts to the tower or passengers.
So be a "Sully" and put away that cell phone for those moments when you aren't flying or navigating and can safely communicate.
I list here my biggest complaints about Ottawa drivers.
Clean the snow off your car!
I don't just mean your front windshield! I mean your entire car; roof, hood, trunk, all windows, front bumper and especially all your lights. How many times have you seen a car with just the front window cleared off with the windshield wipers? You'd think it would be obvious that clearing it all off increases how well you can see around you. Cleaning off your roof ensures you don't create a mini blizzard for cars behind you. Also have you ever had a big slab of ice come off a car in front of you? I have. A couple of years ago on the 417, a slab of ice came off a delivery truck, right at my windshield. Fortunately, the only damage was a broken windshield wiper. Scared the crap out of me because I could do nothing to avoid it with the traffic on the road. It was one of those slo-motion moments...Ooooohhhh cccrrraaapppp!!!!!
I should also mention this is a all-season rule because spring and fall frosts and heavy dews can block your vision and can be just as difficult to clear off. Not only that, but unless your windows are warm, they seem to recondense on your windows so a block later you can't see again, sort of a wind chill kind of effect.
Stop on the friggin' stop line!
The stop line. You know, that white line painted on the road at an intersection? It is set back from the intersection to allow pedestrians to cross. With winter snow banks, I know it can be hard to see if you stop at the stop line, but try stopping there and then creeping forward. Also a good idea when intersections are icy as they have been recently to not go racing up to the stop line and expect that your all-season tires will stop you on a dime.
Frankly, I've been scared too many times by cars careening into the road from side streets when they ignore this rule. Last year I almost hit a car that slid into the road from a side street. The only saving grace was no traffic in the lane beside me. Same last night for a car in front of me.
Don't confuse the adequate space between me and the car ahead of me as an invitation to change into my lane!
My driver ed instructor Mr. Panter, taught me to respect the 3 second rule, and leave lots of space between me and the car in front of me, so don't confuse that with an opening for a lane change. When you do, neither of us is respecting the 3 second rule.
Not so close, I hardly know you.
I always thought this bumper sticker was cute. That and "If you can read this bumper sticker, you are too close". See the previous comment for more explanation.
Get off your cell phone and drive!
How many times have you seen cars turning at intersections, making lane changes or even more concentration-demanding driving maneuvres and the driver is on a cell phone?
Pilots have a saying about what takes precedence while flying: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. If you recently heard the cockpit communications from US Air pilot Chesley (Sully) Sullenburger, you would see this in action. He was busy flying a plane with no engines instead of giving blow-by-blow accounts to the tower or passengers.
So be a "Sully" and put away that cell phone for those moments when you aren't flying or navigating and can safely communicate.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Quote of the Day
My quote of the day for yesterday, January 5th, was:
This, of course, does not apply to Auto-wa (Ottawa), still under the grips of a transit strike, where buses have not been seen on the roads since December 9th!
George Courtauld
This, of course, does not apply to Auto-wa (Ottawa), still under the grips of a transit strike, where buses have not been seen on the roads since December 9th!
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