Under Construction: A New Computer

The old Gateway we bought in 2000 has served us quite well. But let's face it - she's starting to show signs of becoming obsolete. Just for fun I went to Gateway's site to see what the trade-in value would be. Zero.

Over the years, I've done some modifications to the old machine. I've added RAM, an Ethernet card, and some USB ports and I've had to replace a DVD-ROM drive. Recently, as I was replacing the power supply (the fan had become excruciatingly loud), it hit me. Why don't I build my next PC? I could put in whatever components I want, make it as fast and powerful as necessary, build it in stages over time as my budget allows, and build it for less money than I could for a pre-built model that wasn't as nice.

I did some research over the web and found a wonderful guide to building your own computer.

At this point I've started gathering the components for my new computer. And just for fun, I've added a "progress report" in the side bar of this blog showing where I'm at. I think this shall be fun.

9/11: Retrospective

Today’s date will no doubt will strike horror in the annuls of history. I've just come in after seeing our "guardian angels" flying overhead. They are a pair of F-16's and a KC-135 Tanker, very high up in the sky. They are the only aircraft in the sky tonight, patrolling over the greater Phoenix area. The F-16's appear to be doing a figure-8... The tanker flies in a wide circle around the Valley. It is a very eerie evening. - journal entry, 11 September 2001

It was six years ago tonight that I wrote those words. It was a very eerie evening indeed. We live under the air traffic pattern for Sky Harbor airport, and the sound of jet engines is nearly constant. But not that night - or for several nights. The skies were nearly silent except for the sound of the combat air patrol circling our city.

It's hard to believe that it was six years ago today that we experienced the most fearful moment my generation has witnessed. It's even harder to believe that our collective memory of that horrific day is fading away just as the smoke did over Ground Zero.

There was a lot of uncertainty on that day, and in the weeks to follow. Six years later, now embroiled in an unpopular war, I dare say we live in a time that is just as uncertain. As we debate on whether or not we should bring the troops home, we seem more concerned about the antics of Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Paris Hilton (all whom in my opinion have overstayed their fifteen minutes of fame).

Meanwhile, al-Queda and other extremist Muslims are hell-bent on destroying our way of life. They care not whether we are Christian or not - hell, they won't hesitate to kill other Muslims to impose their narrow-minded will upon the world.

Wake up people. And keep watch, my brethren. Be vigilant.

Dog Days of Summer

It certainly feels like we're in the doldrums here. I haven't even felt like blogging. This has been the hottest summer I can remember. Phoenix has had a record 29 days with temperatures hitting 110° or more. The monsoon was rather interesting, too, with a couple days in a row where storms sprang up and hit the area. We've also had the remnants of two hurricanes reach us (Dean and Henriette), but they didn't do much.