Life Can Be Lonely by Colin Kelly

[Bruin Fisher]

Plausibleize may be real, but like the victims of Doctor Moreau I think it should be put out of its misery!

[Camy]

So excited! Only two days to go!

[colinian]

Sorry, work intervened. Doug keeps reminding me, "Someone's got to pay the mortgage!" Whatever.

Anyway, I've been spending time in Portland, Oregon and just turned the job over to one of my staff.

Then a client in Susanville, California had their servers and desktop computers stolen. We're helping them install and configure the new hardware, then restore their backups. I just got back. BTW, Susanville is next to Lassen National Park and the Mt. Lassen volcano.

I will post chapter 16 of Life Can Be Lonely on Wednesday. I'll post chapter 17 next week. And so on....

Colin

[Rutabaga]

14 hours ago, colinian said:

Then a client in Susanville, California had their servers and desktop computers stolen. We're helping them install and configure the new hardware, then restore their backups.

I can’t believe stolen computers, unless they were practically brand new, would have any significant resale value, and even less so a server.  Brand new legal hardware is not that expensive.  I wonder if the software companies can send some kind of silver bullet to revoke the licensed software installations?

R

[Camy]

15 hours ago, Rutabaga said:

I can’t believe stolen computers, unless they were practically brand new, would have any significant resale value, and even less so a server.  Brand new legal hardware is not that expensive.  I wonder if the software companies can send some kind of silver bullet to revoke the licensed software installations?

R

Doesn't it depend on what Colin's clients do, and the computers' spec?

A Cray is still quite expensive - though where you'd sell one I have no idea... Cray's list? 😎

 

[Cole Parker]

Ouch!

C

[colinian]

Chapter 16 of Life Can Be Lonely was posted last night, Wednesday, 9/4/2019.

Chapter 17of Life Can Be Lonely will be posted next Tuesday night, 9/10/2019.

Colin

[colinian]

On 9/3/2019 at 2:31 PM, Rutabaga said:

I can’t believe stolen computers, unless they were practically brand new, would have any significant resale value, and even less so a server.  Brand new legal hardware is not that expensive.  I wonder if the software companies can send some kind of silver bullet to revoke the licensed software installations?

R

The client told us that the sheriff thinks it was kids. Everything was encrypted (including whole drive encryption) so they don't have to be concerned about data theft.  They were told the thieves will probably strip the hard drives. Won't do much good: the client has CMOS boot passwords on all their servers and PCs. It might be a PITA but it provides hardware theft protection. Unless a user writes the password for their PC on a post-it note and sticks it on their desk.

Colin

[Rutabaga]

3 hours ago, colinian said:

Won't do much good: the client has CMOS boot passwords on all their servers and PCs. 

Unless the thieves take out the CMOS battery and empty the memory. 

But i agree it’s probably kids, who will discover that “removed from service” computers are nearly impossible to fence.   

R

[Cole Parker]

Or maybe they took them simply because they were kids.  Kids do things that can't be rationally explained.  What do they say: the brain is still growing and changing up till your 25, and you can't expect real mature, adult thinking until then.

C

[Rutabaga]

On 9/5/2019 at 3:48 PM, Cole Parker said:

What do they say: the brain is still growing and changing up till your 25, and you can't expect real mature, adult thinking until then.

42 years later I’m still working on that.

R

[Cole Parker]

I know what you mean.  But with me, I guess I learned too much, as stuff I used to know is leaking out now as new stuff enters.  Alzheimer's?  Dementia?  Isn't it fun waiting to see?

 

C

[Rutabaga]

Meanwhile, the story has taken on somewhat of a Godot-like quality as we wait for something to actually happen . . .

R

[Camy]

39 minutes ago, Rutabaga said:

Meanwhile, the story has taken on somewhat of a Godot-like quality as we wait for something to actually happen . . .

R

I have faith that something will happen at some point.

 

[Camy]

Chapter 18 and only two weeks until the meeting!

[Camy]

On 9/7/2019 at 2:28 AM, Cole Parker said:

...stuff I used to know is leaking out now as new stuff enters. Alzheimer's?  Dementia?  Isn't it fun waiting to see?

No!

Sorry, who are you?

 

[Cole Parker]

That's funny!  Nice one, Camy!

C

[Rutabaga]

Next you’ll be talking about the ability to hide your own Easter eggs. 

R

[Camy]

Chapter 19: I'm beginning to see the trees and the wood (but no Easter eggs).

[Rutabaga]

I think it should be titled, “Life Can Be Lonely — A Shaggy Dog Story.”

R

[Camy]

On 9/26/2019 at 1:37 AM, Rutabaga said:

I think it should be titled, “Life Can Be Lonely — A Shaggy Dog Story.”

R

Woof.

I'm sure it'll all come right in the end, pooch.

Grrrrrrrr.

No, really it will.

Woof woof woof, hooooowwwwl!!!

Have faith. I do.

 

[Rutabaga]

I hope Colin is OK. 

 

R

[Camy]

Me too.

[Cole Parker]

He is.  He's just terribly busy, his job throwing him this way and that.  I just hope the big bucks are rolling in.  

 

C

[Rutabaga]

Well, while we wait for another chapter where Kevin aces his makeup tests, reads The Dream Weaver, fixes meals for himself and friends, and plans his upcoming activities in detail, we should consider some of these questions:

1.  How is it that the intruders happened to pick a night that he was gone to invade the house?

2.  Why isn't Kevin still in danger?  

3.  Why isn't there police surveillance, etc.?  Suppose the bad guys come back?

4.  Why would the authorities be so casual about all this as to set up a meeting several weeks out?  What sense does that make?

5.  Why didn't the home invaders at least make a pretense of stealing stuff from the house?

6.  Why would the district attorney's office want plans for the house?  

Everything about this continues to seem quite surreal.

R