Ginger, my Australian Kelpie, who proudly carries the CGC (Canine Good Citizen) title, suffered around Feb 2006 what appears to be Old Dog Vestibular Syndrome. Pretty scary, as it can seem like a seizure, heart attack, stroke, or some other nasty incident. Needless to say, she was terrified that everything was moving erratically, and up/down could not be determined well.

Her bloodworkClick here for Ginger's bloodwork test results. Not too bad for the ol' lass.

Tip: Many newer browsers use the middle-mouse button to open windows in a new Tab. turned out excellent, especially for her advanced age (13-14 at the time). Brain tumor, organ failure, and other major serious causes were reasoned out. The hope was for it to be merely a middle ear issue, and to be resolved with antibiotics.

One week later: Antibiotics are done. Ginger has regained a lot of motor control. She certainly has recovered her old jovial self, which causes her to fall some as her body doesn't function the same as before. She's relearned to crawl onto a couch, and plays with her toys again. That is a heartwarming blessing to see.

Beyond: Ginger recovered nicely from that incident, and lived to be 17. Her final earthly voyage was on February 22, 2010. Quite emotional when Stairway to Heaven came on the radio during the car ride, followed by Peaceful, Easy Feeling.

I hope I can learn from her life. She went through some tough challenges, and just accepted and embraced them. A prime example of unconditional love.

A seller is not required to collect Sales Tax from buyers located in states where the seller does not have physical representation.

Great deal for buying stuff from other states over the internet? A boon for national commerce, but a bum deal for the states?

One might think so, but check out The Mystery of Use Tax below.

In many states, the law requires you to pay Use Tax if you purchase an item from out of state and bring the item, or have the item delivered, to your state for personal use.

It's scary to think how many people are probably unaware that they are scofflaws. Ignorance makes us all criminals!

To remit this tax in Texas, there is the form 01-156 Texas Occasional Use Tax Return

Upon reviewing my Windows XP Event log, I found numerous occurrences of this .NET Runtime event:

I finally traced the event to the following factors:

• I usually do my work on Windows XP from a limited user (aka 'restricted user') account.
• I have .NET Framework 2.0 installed.
• I use SysInternals Process Explorer

The limited user account is for security purposes. Should any rogue programs ever make it onto my computer (none have so far - EVER!), my operating system files cannot be trashed.

Process Explorer detects my .NET installation and uses the .NET API to report on any existing .NET processes. Unfortunately, the .NET API appears to want read/write privileged access to a HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry key - a No-No for limited account users!

This results in the above Event Log entry.

The only solutions found so far:

• Run Process Explorer with Administrator privilege
  
  Make a shortcut to Process Explorer on your Desktop.
  Right-click the shortcut, select Properties, press the Advanced button, checkmark Run with different credentials, then OK, and OK again.
  
  Now you can choose the user to RunAs when activating the shortcut.
  
  It's a bit awkward, mainly due to the given Windows user interface, but the most secure.
• Give limited user read/write privilege to the proper registry key.
  
  Be aware that this method defeats the purpose of restricting a limited user from modifying possibly sensitive registry information.
  
  To do this, run the following from a command prompt:
  
  runas /user:administrator regedit
  
  
  Type in your administrator password (you do have password on your Administrator account, don't you?).
  
  Find the following registry key:
  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\.NETFramework\
  Policy\AppPatch\v2.0.50727.00000
  
  Right-click on the key, select Permissions..., press the Add button, type in your limited user name, press the Check Names button, then OK, checkmark Full Control, then OK.
  
  Done! It won't happen again (until Microsoft messes it up again...)

If you have installed the XAMPP portable web server on Microsoft Windows without using the installer (perhaps for use on a USB drive), you may get the following message in the XAMPP Control Panel:
Don't Panic! This simply means XAMPP could not find the following Windows registry key:
You can safely ignore this message, as long as the Current Directory, also displayed in the panel, is correct.

If you insist on eliminating this message, create the following Windows registry key:
Now add a new String Value called Install_Dir to that key. Finally, make that value be the same as the Current Directory displayed in the XAMPP Control Panel.

I'll tell you right up front: The FreeDOS method I have is not perfect. It appears to work better for smaller drives (e.g. 256MB). For larger drives, I know of an alternate solution that unfortunately requires a licensed version of Windows 95, 98, or ME.

However, the goal here was to use free software, so let's get to it!

Items and (free) software you will need:

• FreeDOS Kernel package kernels.zip
  
• FreeDOS SYS package sysx.zip
  
• FreeDOS COMMAND package commandx.zip
  
• makebootfat utility makebootfat-1.4-windows-pentium.zip
  The associated documentation is not a beginner's tutorial by any means, but does mention all the features, and some examples you can experiment with. And let me stress experiment!
  If you are very daring, you can branch out and also add a Linux system to your USB drive. However, not in this little article.
• USB Flash drive (aka USB Stick)
  I'm pretty sure this procedure will not work with all drive sizes. It was successful for a SanDisk 256MB Cruzer Mini.
  
  The same method, when applied to an EP Memory 1GB drive, showed some issues. During boot, there were partition warnings. The 1GB drive itself appears to work fine, in spite of the warnings. Nonetheless, use with caution!

Now we'll do a step-by-step creation of the bootable USB drive.

1. Make a working folder - I'll call it <work>.
   This folder will contain all necessary utilities and files to build your bootable USB drive.
2. Make a subfolder underneath <work> - I'll call it <sub>
   This folder will represent the root directory of your bootable USB drive.
3. Using your favorite ZIP archiving utility, extract the following files from kernels.zip into <work>:
   
   fat12.bin
   fat16.bin
   fat32lba.bin
4. Extract the following from sysx.zip into <work>\<sub>:
   
   kernel.sys
5. Extract the following from commandx.zip into <work>\<sub>:
   
   command.com
6. Extract the following files from makebootfat-1.4-windows-pentium.zip into <work>:
   
   makebootfat.exe
   mbrfat.bin
7. Format your USB drive.
   Either one of the following methods should work:
   
   • Open "My Computer" and right-click on the USB drive icon, select Format..., choose FAT32.
   • Open a Command Prompt, and use the following command:
     format driveletter: /fs:fat32
     The driveletter is the one Windows assigned to your USB drive when you plugged it in.
8. Open a Command Prompt, and change to your <work> folder.
   
   Make sure this is the only USB drive plugged in! You cannot specify a drive letter with makebootfat.exe!
   From the <work> folder, run the following command (all in one line):
   makebootfat -v -o usb -E 255 -1 fat12.bin -2 fat16.bin -3 fat32lba.bin -m mbrfat.bin <sub>
   
   On my machine, I saw the following report:
   device_start 0 [sectors]
   device_size 2048000 [sectors], 1000 [MB]
   device_geometry 127/255/63 [cylinders/heads/sectors]
   bios_drive HDD
   fat_start 63 [sectors]
   fat_size 2047937 [sectors]
   fat_bit 32
   fat_sectorpercluster 8
   write 2048 [sectors], 1 [MB]

Now all you need are CONFIG.SYS, AUTOEXEC.BAT, some FreeDOS files, and you are all set!

I've used my drive to carry special software tools around to fix other computers. Of course, it only can work on computers with a modern BIOS.

Even the smaller 256MB drives are useful to carry email, browser, and a number of utilities around - all with your own personal settings!

For example, check out the Portable Apps website.

A pond lies smug in midst of tranquility.

Silence, peace.

The swan floats toward shore on a well-known course, for it has circled the edge countless times.

Quiet, lonesome.

The breeze picks up a bit, rustling through nearby thickets of reeds. Stretching its
neck to peer through the blades, a cry is released, a question.

Was there someone? Finally?

No answer, just the air closing the gash cut by the sound of anticipation.

Continue, round and round. Past the patch of oaks and sycamores, another start,
another call escapes its beak.

Merely a few acorns had bounced off the roots into the water, leaving expanding circlets.

A short stretch of warm sand invites to a brief landing and rest in the sun. The sand
is undisturbed, save for its own all too familiar tracks.

Another cry into space. Silence, peace, alone, despair.

Round and round, it continues, slow neverending circles.

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.