Friday, October 30, 2009

Setting up Google Analytics

I'm trying to load Google's Analytics to my blog. I wasn't getting any hits on Site Meter so I was wondering if Google will find my readers. I know that some people are going to my blog because they tell me so. They aren't showing up on Site Meter, however. According to Site Meter, I've never had a reader at all.
I loaded a picture of some of the flowers that the "Flower lady" leaves at the Co-op. These will probably be the last for the season.
Blogger, once again, lost my writings. I have to use a word proccessor and transfer it to Blogger. I keep using the word proccesser that comes with Blogger and it loses what I'm working on.
Before the interuption, I was talking about getting a computer back from Darla. She gave me back her Gateway 9300. I'll check it out and sell it to someone. I'm too strapped financially, from the move, to just give them away. I now have 4 computers that I hope to get $50 each for.
The sale of my house fell through. A law had been passed making my place too small to build on. I'm hoping to get a variance in December.
But for now I'm strapped, financially. I'm moved into the apartment, so I have an extra $410 expense each month. I'm going to stick with the apartment in spite of the expense.
Well I've got to make a couple of phone calls and the minutes are out in my phone.
Later.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Made the move

Well, I made the move from Decorah to Calmar. I have everything in boxes so I haven't been able to find my camera cable, yet. Sorry about that.
I didn't sell the house yet. There is a problem about the size of my lot. A recent law change makes my lot too small to build on. That would mess me up to sell to anyone except for one of my neighbours. He wants to build a garage. I think a person could simply replace the old mobile home with a new one as well.
I was in such a panic during the move. I thought that I had to be out by yesterday. I was counting on Gary to help me move stuff with his pick up. I couldn't find him.
Nick helped me get the seats out by using a jack. That and Jim's two wheel cart made all of the difference. I had almost everything hauled by the van before I got a hold of Gary. We only loaded the sofa into his pick up. The move went well.
Now I have to worry about getting the money together for the security deposit and the rent. I'll also have to pay the satellite television company, as well. It'll work out. I have a little extra income from traveling to Iowa City for my counseling with the psychologist. I may have to borrow some money for the move.
I have no hope of getting the house sold until December.
I have to get into the habit of staying at Calmar for my computing needs. I checked out the school for Internet access and they are just fine. I can compute, there, between 7 A.M. and 8 P.M. I've got to stop coming to Decorah so much. It costs too much. But I'll miss all of my friends at Java Johns and Bookends and Beans.
Later

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Using Windows 2000


I'm using Windows 2000 on a Gateway 9300 that I just got from Ebay. I had a wi fi card that I can't get Linux to see. It doesn't have a driver that is uncompressed on it's setup CD. I can only use it with Windows. This machine came with a working Windows 2000 loaded on it. I'm really disappointed with it. I couldn't get the pictures to work with it and it's just too slow. I may load Linux on it as well. I can get Mint Linux to work as a dual boot system. I'll probably do that tonight.
I did well with my gold option. I sold at a $50 gain. I figured that I had to sell because I need more money for my move than I expected.
I don't know if I mentioned it but I sold my house and now I'm moving into an apartment in Calmar. Everything is falling into place. It turned out that I can get an apartment that is three times the size of my home for $410/month. After I'm there for a while I can apply for assistance with the rent that would bring the price down
I'm looking forward to moving since I've been crowded into my house for the last 10 years.
I fixed another of my Gateway 9500's. It had a bad monitor cable and I got one from Ebay, today. It also shuts down when booting up. I tried replacing the AC adapter and that seemed to fix that problem. Only time will tell if that is the fix for the booting problem since it is an intermittent problem. Well, I'll probably go home and load a picture with another machine.
The Gateway still has a problem with booting up. I have to boot three times before it takes, but at least the monitor problem is fixed.
Later.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Bought gold options

Well, I'm back to gambling. I bought an option on a gold ETF. It's letters are GLD. It tracks the price of gold. Gold went up for three days straight but the minute I bought the option, it went down. I'm still doing alright, however. It didn't move very much, yet. It has 2 1/2 months to make it's move so I'm not worried yet.
I also had offers on the house. It's at $18,000, now. I countered with $22,000. I hope it moves. I'll have to find a place to stay until a vacancy opens up in the apartment on Washington Street. I might just get an apartment, downtown. I don't like being very far from the action.
Darla is going to give me back the laptop I gave her. She isn't getting any use out of it and I might be able to find someone who really needs it. I might give it to Janelle. She might not need it but we'll see.
I paid for 3 more Gateway 9500's. Two are parts machines and one is already working with Windows on it. With the parts that I have at home I should be able to get 3 good machines out of these. I'm afraid, though, that they all might have troubles with the monitor cables. It looks like they were a design failure. If that is the case, they all might have troubles with that cable. Only time will tell.
I had my furnace worked on, yesterday. It turned out that it was just a loose wire. Today the gas people changed out the meter and messed up the pilot light. I'll have to try to get it lit when I go home. I think the problem is just air in the gas line.
I just sold my house. I got $20,000. The buyer will let me stay at the house until I get an apartment, uptown. I just hope that I don't loose it all trading options or bonds. I need to find something safe, to keep it in.
Well, later.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Calling for the Democrats


I spent a couple of hours last night making phone calls to promote a meeting, next Saturday, that the county Democrats are having to promote the Health Care Reform bill. I'll finish it up, tonight.
I don't know how I get roped into these things. John also wants me to be the web master for the Democrat site. I'll have to learn a lot about setting up web sites but I could make a business out of it. Troy at the Co-op wants me to set up a site for him, as well.
I guess I have a small business going. I think I'll do it. Tomorrow I'll run by Vocational Rehab and see if I can get a small business grant. I think I'll have to make myself a business. Things, kind of, open up when you put yourself out there. Everyone thinks I'm a computer whiz just because I fix up old laptops and hang out at Internet Cafes.
On another topic, I called the investment contact at Delphi, today. He said that the most that I can hope to get from the bonds is $.32 on the dollar invested. That still is a major profit for me since I bought most of the bonds for $.01 on the dollar. I don't know how soon I'll see the money. They have to pay off their "bridge" lenders first. Those are the people who loaned them $7 billion to come out of bankruptcy. The bonds are still cheap so I guess nothing will happen very soon.
I'm running out of excuses. I'll have to mow the lawn. It's sunny now and tomorrow it's supposed to rain, again.
Later.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Delphi is coming out of bankruptcy

I uploaded a picture of one of the flower arrangements that you can find at the Co-op. A lady, who I call the "Flower Lady", leaves flower arrangements at all the tables. I appreciate them. They add a lot to the ambiance.
Well, there was an article in Yahoo about Delphi coming out of bankruptcy, today. Apparently, it will happen in the next 2 days. I hope that they decide to start paying the coupon on their bonds. Good things can happen.
Gold went up, today. If that had happened 2 weeks ago, I would have doubled my money. Oh well, you live and learn.
I asked Troy about working at the Co-op as the IT man. I don't know enough about spreadsheets to run their Point of Sales software. He told me that they are looking for someone to set up their web page. I think I could do it. I would just enroll on all the cheap or free services and use their simplest things. I'll ask Jason Trout if he thinks an ordinary person could set up a Web site.
The Democrats want me to set up a web site as well. Maybe I could teach myself to do that. It could be another source of income.
Talking about sources of income, I don't know if I mentioned that a psychologist in Iowa City wants me to go to weekly meetings for my gambling addiction. Since the VA would pay for my mileage, I would pick up an extra $500/month.
That leads me to talking about a way to make money while you are on disability. Going to meetings and having food and board and mileage paid. I have a friend who goes to a lot of meetings where she represents disabled people. She gets paid for mileage and food and board. The trouble is that your expenses will go up at the same time. She found that it wasn't worth it. The wear and tear on the car and the expense of eating out all the time diminished the profit from traveling all over the place.
The reason that I think I'll do well with the VA is that they pay $.41/mile. That is considerably more than other outfits. I'll try to get rides with other people, whose cars are nicer than mine. That should help my car last longer.
Later.