X-Evolutionist.com

Rufus, an African Grey Parrot, talks a lot, but only when he is in a room by himself, for the most part. In order to get this recording, I set up our portable phone to “Intercom” and went into another room. Then, I held up my cell phone to the house phone and set it to record:

My African Grey Parrot, Rufus, talking to himself

Rufus is a character. He’s very good company when I’m the only human in the house all day, which is most of the time. I also have other birds: Cockatiels Penny and Jonah, Lovebird Candy, and Parakeets Beady, Gumby, Shelly, Oscar and Ginger. Having a houseful of birds makes it noisy, but I like it. I like hearing God’s creatures.

My parakeet’s especially, make a lot of noise. But, the noisier the get, the happier they sound — The parakeets just sound happy to be alive. They make the most noise at sunrise. The rest of the birds were napping when I got this recording of Rufus. Here is the one and only time I have caught Rufus talking on video once, and only two words at that:

He said “What’s up” right at the beginning. Then, the naughty bird decided to get on the parakeet cage. I know from (many) past experiences that Rufus is going to lift up the wire holding the parakeet’s water bottle. He loves to watch things fall…. He will also pull a parakeet’s tail if one is sticking out of the cage. That’s me scolding him…

At the end, I have to stop the video to put Rufus back on his Boing-Boing and coil it up shorter so he can’t reach next time.

So there you have it – another peak into my boring life… Don’t worry, I like my boring life just the way it is.

X

<rant>

Internet Explorer 9 Beta looks and acts a lot like Google Chrome. The thing is, I liked Internet Explorer 8. If I liked Google Chrome then I would use Google Chrome.

I expected that IE9 Beta would be like IE8, except better. But, as far as I can see so far, it is not better than IE8, in my humble opinion.

I will try IE9 a few more days, but then I am tempted to go back to IE8.

</rant>

X

I joined MSN Spaces, later Windows Live Spaces, in 2005. My Windows Live Space was my little slice of the web. I had it all set up the way I wanted.

For a couple of years it was very nice. I learned a lot about customizing my space and enjoyed helping others do the same. I spent so much time telling others how to do it that eventually I earned the honor of Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP).

Then the garbage started showing up. Many Spaces set as mail order stores for Viagra and drugs started showing up everywhere. Then, my beloved Windows Live Spaces was overrun by spam comments. It was an epidemic of garbage in Windows Live Spaces Town

I organized a one-woman crusade called “Windows Live Spaces Spam Central Reporting Service” I reported each user, and kept track of whether their accounts were closed.  It did not take long to realize that spam in our spaces was not a priority with the powers that be.

Eventually, we got the announcement that Spaces was closing and our spaces would be transferred to WordPress.com.

I am now happily a resident of a community that keeps the garbage out. When my Space was transferred over to WordPress.com, the automatic spam-catcher called Akismet caught thousands of spam comments.

Keeping  WordPress.com Town clean is a priority to the powers that be, while sadly it was not a priority for the powers that be to keep Windows Live Spaces Town Clean.

Bye bye Windows Live Spaces. It was nice while it lasted.

Edited to add: I came across a post from two years ago this month. I was ranting about how the link to Spaces was missing from the new Windows Live menu. Spaces was being treated like “The Professor and Mary Ann” on “Gilligan’s Island”. Check it out:

  … and the rest, here on Gilligan’s Island.

X

My new “Windows Live Space“:

http://xevolutionistspace.wordpress.com/

Stop! Do not forward that fascinating email to me before finding out if it is true!

I continually get emails that are hoaxes or just plain not true. Too many people don’t bother to check them out or just don’t care if it is true or not.

It is so easy to check these on out on Snopes.com. Just put a few key words in Google with site:snopes.com and you will probably find out the true story.

For instance, I just received a forwarded email with beautiful photographs purported to be a sunset reflected in a waterfall making it look like cascading fire:

The following pictures were taken of what is known as the “Fire Waterfall” on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park .

I put in these few key words in a Google search:

“Fire Waterfall” “El Capitan” site:snopes.com

The Snopes.com page about these photographs came up immediately:

Fire Waterfall

They are not pictures of a reflected sunset, they are pictures of real fire, burning embers, being pushed over the side of a cliff!

If that story or photograph sounds too good (or too bad) to be true, please check it out on Snopes.com before forwarding it to me!

Thanks bunches!

X: Chairman of the Committee to Keep Junk Email out of my Inbox

In December TV ads for diamond jewelry say variations of the same thing:

Men: Your woman  will only know you love her if you buy her diamonds.

At the same time, they are hoping the women will think:

I will only know my man loves me if he buys me diamonds.

My husband does not need to, or feel the need to, prove he loves me — he shows me in many ways each day. I feel sorry for husbands and wives who think that proof is required.

X