State of Doh!

In my job, I've learned that it sometimes takes drastic measures or a disaster on any scale to really implement change. With gas prices way above and beyond what we should be paying, I hope automobile makers really wake up and get production moving to make better mileage vehicles – and I'm not implying better mileage Hummers. I'm happy to see SUV and large truck sales plummet....and I hope they continue to do so. They are impracticable for a large number of drivers who own them and I say tax the hell out of the people that own them on grounds for impracticality. I recently went to Ireland and drove a better part of the country and was amazed at how few SUV's were on the roads. The cars were small, and took you where you needed to go. Why can't we do the same here? I also quickly realized that America is a super-sized country. Everything has to big and obnoxious. These things include cars, homes, and even the food on your plate. Note Americas growing obesity rate and obsession with weight loss.

Your computer is getting fat.

Hmm..where is all of your hard drive space going?? Anyone, Anyone?? Bueller? Don't be surprised, your computer is a safe haven for all sorts of junk that clutters up your hard drive space and ultimately slows things D - - O - - W - - N.... I know, it sucks. But, Dell and and other companies must love it because typically when these things start to happen, people start to think "my computer is dying", spend a lot of money trying to get it fixed, or ultimately go out and purchase a new one. Well, you don't have to be one of these people. There are many things that you can do to help your computer lose weight...

Here is my disclaimer - your actions as a result of this blog cannot hold me responsible for anything you screw up.

For Windows XP

Windows Updates -
We love Microsoft right?? Well, every time Windows Updates run, depending on how many updates get applied to your computer, all of these files get archive and saved on your hard disk. Now, it's generally best practice to allow your newly updated computer to run for a few days/weeks, whatever your preference is to ensure the updates do not affect your other programs. The files (for XP) are located at C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download. If your confident that your computer is running fine since the updates have been applied and do not plan on uninstalling any updates, you can remove the files located in that folder. You can also delete the $NTUninstallKB files located at C:\WINDOWS. Please note you may have to stop the Automatic Updates service before doing so.

Temp Folders -
The folder TEMP, located in the C:\WINDOWS folder contains all sorts of junk. The files normally evolve as a result of other programs accessing and using files that get stored in this folder. Overtime, this folder can get quite large. So..the contents of this folder can go to. If there are files that cannot be deleted, it's because they are most likely in use by another program that is currently running. This is normal.

Recycle Bin -
Empty your recycle bin...come on, it's trash - delete the crap already!

Temporary Internet Files -
Depending on the browser you use, IE, Firefox..etc. Websites you visit will also store files onto your computer. These files are used so that the same pages can load faster. The official word from Microsoft can be found here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260897.

Disk Cleanup -
For XP users, there is a program called Disk Cleanup that will safely scan your computer for files that can be deleted. The program is located in the Start\All Programs\Accessories\System Tools folder.

Add/Remove Programs -
If you stop using a program that is installed on your computer, it will not uninstall itself. It waits for you to do so. If your not using a program any longer and have no plans on doing so...Remove it. It's always a good idea or so to go through Add/Remove Programs and do a quick audit to clean things up. It's common for me at least to install an app for testing purposes and sometimes forget that it's still there months after I'm finished with it.

When everything is all set and done and you've deleted the contents of your entire C:\ (just kidding), run a Disk Defrag. It too is also located in the Start\All Programs\Accessories\System Tools folder. Disk Defrag will organize your hard drive in way so that files can be accessed quicker, now that you have some free space. It could take a while to run so be patient.

So there you go, summer is quickly approaching and your iTunes need a place to be stored on your hard drive.

Return from Ireland

Well, were home from Ireland. I wish we could have stayed longer. Ireland is a beautiful country. No, I didn't see Bono or The Edge.
We started in Dublin, South to Waterford, West through Cork and Killarney, North to Ballynahinch and Galway then across the middle back to Dublin. I wish we would have had some more time to go through Northern Ireland. Any picture of the landscape makes for a perfect postcard. The people were very kind and the weather turned out to be pretty good.

Driving in Ireland took a day to get use to. Everything is opposite. The cars are tiny as well. I managed to take out a pillar and the side mirror. Anyone going to see SpeedRacer? We stopped at the Cliffs of Moher, Killarney National Park, Tork Waterfall, Rock of Cashel, Blarney Castle, Waterford Crystal Factory..some great places. Our last night, we stayed in Clontarf castle located in Dublin. Having a car and just driving through was great. It made it a bit more personable.

One of the first things you realize is how bad the dollar is over there. Something that would cost 3 Euro is about $5-6 US. It cost about $70 US to fill up the gas tank. If you like to shop, there are plenty of places to do that as well. Plenty of Pubs, lot's of Guinness and Irish musicians playing nightly wherever you go.

The weather this time of year was in the mid 50s. For the most part we had sun throughout the week with a little rain on and off. I think we had one day where it rained the majority of the day. With the exceptions on the first and last nights, we stayed in Bed and Breakfasts through the week.

The pictures were taken with a Nikon D40x and resized for the web.