Goodbye, Internet Explorer!

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Written on 6:14 PM by Jack B.

In the 2+ years I’ve had my current Dell desktop computer I’ve removed almost none of the programs it came pre-installed with. I’ve never felt the need to.
But the other day I deleted Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7 from my computer. I had already made the switch to Firefox as my main internet browser some time ago but kept IE because a back-up browser is always useful – and besides, Firefox is ridiculously slow to load up (at least on my computer).

About a year ago I tried Opera but it pretty much froze every time I tried I used it so promptly uninstalled it. But on a whim I downloaded Opera’s newest version a couple of weeks ago and low and behold – it worked fine. At the same time, IE 7 despite the fact its supposed to be better than its previous version gave me all kind of “script error” headaches and in comparison to Firefox and Opera is bland and no-frills. So I got rid of it, and all of a sudden my computer is running faster (Opera opens up faster than IE ever did as well). Microsoft has more money and manpower than either Mozilla (Firefox) or Opera and they have the leg up on their competitors because IE is installed on every PC in the world (right?). It was one thing when MS put Netscape basically out of business with its monopolistic ways but as the rise of Google and the re-birth of Apple has shown, Bill Gates & Co. seem to be resting on their laurels and letting the innovations come from somewhere else.

So goodbye for now Internet Explorer, let me know when you put out something I can’t get somewhere else (and for free and faster, to boot).

Dreaming of a Green St. Patrick's Day

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Written on 9:10 PM by Jack B.

(With apologies to Irving Berlin)

I’m dreaming of a green St. Patrick’s
Just like they used to have in Ireland
Where shamrocks have four-leaf clovers
And to the pubs we’ll go over
Then look for gold across the rainbow’s span

a-n-d

I’m dreaming of a green St. Patrick’s
With every bite of freshly cooked corn beef
May you sing a chorus of “Danny’s Boy” and “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen”
And may all your St. Paddy’s Days be green



HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Haiku #236

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Written on 12:39 PM by Jack B.

Nerves are on fire
Rubber bands between my teeth
Aspirin needed