New reader

I've got a new reader. Her name is Josie. She works at the co-op. That's her picture, albeit fuzzy. I must have moved when I took it. Maybe I'll get a clearer one, later.
I now have 3 laptops ready to give away. An ac adapter came in the mail, and I had the battery fixed for one of the others. I'm waiting for a cd player and another ac adapter and I'll have 2 more, ready to go. I just have to track down the people that I'm giving them to.
I'm quite happy with Suse Linux. It has everything to get these old laptops working. The only problems that I'm having is with the sound. I need faster processors to run the audio and video programs at all well. That's why I'm switching to buying faster machines on Ebay. I think I'll concentrate on Thinkpad A31's and later. I should still be able to get them fairly cheaply and yet, they will do the sound and video. At least, I hope they do. We'll see.
I'm at the co-op, using one of the old Thinkpad 390's. I was hoping to run into Jennell. I'm going to give her this one so she doesn't have to fight the desktops at the library. They are too slow. One of the problems is that they have about 20 or 30 networked together. Another problem is their restrictions on use. They have to be so carefull about pornography that they cripple all of their machines. Jennell also said that she is concerned about viruses on the keyboards.
The market didn't make much of a move today. It went up 25 points, on the Dow Jones Industrials. I'm kind of glad that we aren't getting the massive moves that we used to get. Maybe things are getting better. I'm sticking to bonds for the next 5 years or so. When Geitner says that we are coming out of the recession I don't believe him. I just see what is happening as a result of sending our money to Saudi Arabia and China, and sending our jobs to China as well. I doubt that anything will get better. The rich will just line their pockets at the expense of the poor, like they've always have done.
I am happy that the markets seem to have settled down, however.
I'm just not inspired to write much more, today. Maybe I'll continue when I come back to town for the free coffee at the co-op, after 7:00.

I'm running low on photos. I know that I ran this picture of Trout Run Creek before. The batteries are low on my camera, so until I buy some more batteries I'll have to repeat the pictures. This one is probably my favorite of Trout Run Creek, anyway.
I was watching the "Dave Ramsey Show" the other night. In it he had a woman who called an complained about how she was limited by being on welfare. If she got a job and increased her income she wouldn't be eligible to live in her rent-assisted apartment.
Dave told her to break out of welfare and get a job that pays something.
This isn't bad advice for someone who (has it together). What about the people who don't? What if you keep losing your jobs due to the voices in your head, or the conversations you have with the president?
How do you tell if you are disabled enough to be on Social Security.
I don't know. For some people it might be obvious. If you are blind or lost your limbs it is apparent that you are disabled.
For people who have less apparent problems the question is trickier.
Only you and your doctor can make that judgment.
I think it is made easier if you find yourself working one minimum wage job after another. After all, as poor as disability is, it still tends to pay more that minimum wage.
And keep in mind, that if it takes years for you to get Social Security, you will get all that back pay. This could easily be the largest sum of money that you will ever acquire.
Maybe the best bet is to keep your options open and keep your appeal going while you look for a good job.
Its true that disability is limiting but it may be your best bet.

I'm just hanging out at the co-op, swatting flies and bidding on computer parts on Ebay.
This morning I finished adding updates to a couple of Thinkpad 390s. They both had small hard drives, under 3 gig. I took some programs off of them so that they would load. It took about 4 hours at Magpies.
Magpie did a good business, today. Most of the time it was crowded. They only serve breakfast on Sundays, but that looked good. I'm trying to lose weight so I only had coffee. I'm also trying to get more of my money into Delphi bonds so I'm skimping on everything else. Right now I'm at the co-op with a 33 cent banana. I do have to get serious about saving money and losing weight.
I'm thinking about going swimming at the pool at Luther College, tomorrow morning. I'll have to get up early, and I'm thinking about taking a bicycle to Luther.
It would be a good habit to get into. The use of the pool at Luther only costs $15/year. I've already paid it. That and the bicycling would be a significant increase in activity for me. I think that would really kick my weight loss in gear.
That reminds me, I was going to mention some money saving ideas for people waiting for their disability to come through, or anyone who is really broke:
1. Buy off the dollar menu at McDonalds. Its cheaper than what you can cook at home.
2. Collect beer cans for redemption, if you live in a state that pays you back for beer cans.
3. If you still drink coffee at restaurants, go to places that have free newspapers.
4. Cancel your internet service and use a cheap laptop at coffee shops, with free newspapers.
5. Go to auctions for cheap furniture.
6. Go to Goodwill and such places for cheap clothes and general stuff. They even have cheap laptops.
7. I've already mentioned food stamps and food pantries in previous posts
Well I've got to go to Ebay and see if I bought anything.

Getting old laptops to work

It's a lazy Saturday, downloading updates, at Bookends and Beans.
I got two Thinkpads working last night. I've been loading Suse Linux and then downloading updates at my favorite coffee shop.
Alice was here and we talked about reading another book, together. We are both into spiritual books. She, more than I am. I've been drifting away from spirituality. I'm beginning to think that religion really is the opiate of the masses. You see it abused in Iran and the U.S. as well.
I pretty much decided to quit dowsing for the lottery number. Alice pointed out to me that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, is a sign of insanity. I think she quoted Einstein. She has a point. Since she was the only person I know, who reads my blog, I had to listen to her.
I think I'll cut it a little short today. Bookends is getting ready to close and I haven't downloaded my email yet.
I uploaded a picture of the Upper Iowa River from Phelphs Park.

Day off at the fair

I went to the fair, today, thinking that I had committed to manning the booth for the Democrats. It turned out that I should have been there yesterday. I just left because I had laptops to work on.
I got 2 thinkpad 390x's in the mail. I'm trying to load Mandriva 2009 on one. It's doing strange things. Maybe they are just too old for a modern Linux. If so, I'll use an older form of Linux. I may have troubles with the wifi card, though. If I can get them to take ndiswrapper, I'll be ok. That is a program which enables a person to use Windows wifi card drivers in Linux. It even works with old computers.
I got 2 hard drives working with the Gateway Solo 9300. One of the laptops is pretty fast at 750 Megherz. I loaded the hard drives, one at a time, on that machine, and they both work. When I get a CMOS battery for the other Gateway, I'll put the hard drive into it. The other Gateway has an intermittent problem that is probably the CPU. It warms up and goes flaky. Maybe I can get all three to work.
Dave at WRAP said that his wife is looking into getting on the TAA program. That pays people unemployment to go to college if they lost their job due to foreign competition. Her job went to Mexico, so she qualifies. I'm going to see if she can use one of the laptops. The fast Gateway would be good for her. I think I'll ask for some money. I can use that to put together other computers.
The TAA program will extend your unemployment for up to 2 years if you are going to school. She is going to become a dietitian. I wish her well.
I uploaded a picture of the fireplace, at Bookends and Beans. It's such a nice place to download updates and all the other computing that I do. There are convenient ac outlets so you can always keep your battery charged up.

Troubles with the camera

I'm having trouble getting my camera to work with Linux. I won't upload a picture today.
I got a new, old laptop in the mail today. 2 of my hard drives won't work with it. I got a hard drive with Ubuntu Linux working. I think I'll give it to Dave's wife. She's going to school, this fall. She'll need a good computer, but I think this one will do the job.
I went to see Patty Judge, yesterday. I didn't get to talk with her and I left my camera at home.
I did get to talk with Mary Jo Wilhelm. She's a state representative. I told her that we should legalize marijuana. I'm for the recreational use. It's still cheaper than beer. It would be an important cash crop for a lot of people in this state.
John Franzen butted in and came out for industrial hemp. I guess it has a lot of uses, none of which will get you high.
Well they are about ready to close up Bookends and Beans. I'll have to get going. Maybe I can go to the co-op and upload some pictures.
I never did get the camera to work with Linux but I uploaded a picture of Bookends and Beans. It's where I drink a lot of coffee.
On the disability front. If you are disabled, have you gone to support groups. I've been to many.
When I was in college I had a drinking problem so I joined AA. It was a lot of fun. The people attending participated a lot. Everybody had a lot to say about whatever the topic was.
I developed a gambling problem with commodities. I went to those meetings for a couple of years and it was similar to AA.
I feel that the 12 step programs spend too much time on guilt trips. I never harmed anyone other than myself so I don't know why it was so important for me to take an inventory. It was good to talk with people who had similar problems, though.
I tried starting a Schizophrenics Anonymous group. I ran it for a couple of years but the other people were so (out of it) that I didn't feel that I was accomplishing anything.
Something I found interesting was how many Gamblers Anonymous people were also schizophrenic. A Gamblers group I attended had 10 regular attendees. Out of those 10, 4 of them told me that they were also schizophrenic.
I now attend a group called WRAP. That stands for Wellness, Recovery, Action, Plan. It's attended mostly by mentally ill people. I kind of like it. Sometimes it turns into a pity-party. Sometimes people go on and on about their troubles.
I think self-help groups are a good thing but nothing replaces just taking charge of your life.
Personal responsibility is one of the main tenants of WRAP.
The market didn't seem to do much today. Tomorrow there will be news about the GM bankruptcy.
See you then.

Patty Judge at the Fair Today

I'm going back to the fair,today. Patty Judge, the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa will be at the fair.
I messed up one of my Gateway computers, yesterday. I knew that the bad one had a bad battery. So I removed the battery from the good one to put into the bad one. In the process I messed up the plug of the good battery. I couldn't get the battery into the bad one. Now I have two bad laptops. I tried running the good one, with no battery to see if it would have the same symptoms as the bad one. It didn't, so I still have one that is not fixable. I'll use it for parts. I think it's a bad processor, but it could be one of the memory chips that is soldered in.
I uploaded a picture of Caroline. She works at Bookends and Beans. She is usually here in the afternoon.
I decided against posting or even picking lottery numbers. For me, that is a dead horse. I was hoping that dowsing was the solution to the lottery problem. It wasn't meant to be. School funding is safe, for now. I was just spending, around $18/month. It was a complete waste. I might try continuing to dowse, but I won't buy tickets or post my numbers.
I'm reading a book named (Work the System). It is geared up more for people who are working. I think he has some good point though. People's lives can be broken down into a variety of systems which can be tweaked. I think the author would approve of my cutting out trying to bring down the
lottery by winning consistently. It might be that dowsing is just another form of delusion.
I think this book will get me thinking about how I spend my time and money, and it will help me to optimize both.
Well, I think I'll have a lemon bar and get over to the fair.
Later