I took a leap of faith and installed the new Service Pack 2 for Windows XP Pro. No GUI change at all, save for a new Wireless Networks icon. No instability. One minor bug – one of the XP PowerToys that I installed (Image Resizer) doesn’t work now, but I’ll try to re-install it.

One good thing that came of SP2 installation: Centrino stays logged on!

Centrino and XP SP1 had an awful time – in fact, many newspaper articles were written about how Microsoft screwed up drivers for Centrino wireless, causing good, solid network connection to just die – sudden deaths – with no logic. This happened to me at least 3-4 times per day since January. I had to turn off “Wireless Zero” service just to get the connection to stay live – but even that was feeble. Anyway, with SP2, my connection is live and good – no dropped connection, no psychotic switching over to non-preferred networks, etc. Thanks SP2 authors!

Here are a few screen shots. I’ll post more on my SP2 findings in the next day or two.

Codi, Laura, Josh and I went to the Columbia River Gorge today to check out the waterfalls, go hiking, swimming, etc. Latourelle falls was very nice, although the water was cold. I dislocated my shoulder a little bit when I slipped on some algae-covered rocks, but the view was worth the inconvenience. Wahkeena falls was nice, too. Multnomah falls was assaulted with hundreds tourists, so we skipped that spot. Our final stop was Oneonta Gorge, where we climbed, hiked and waded all the way back to the punchbowl falls that feeds the lower waterway. I went swimming under the falls. The water was very, very cold. The lighting was poor (it was nearly 7pm) and some funny pics resulted.

MSNBC – $60 million to say ‘I do’

What an idiot! Exactly how irresponsible and stupid can one man actually be with his money? I’d be mortified to have my picture or my name listed in connection with something so asinine and absurd. The caption should have said “Indian steel tycoon signals the beginning of the end of his empire by flushing millions down toilet”.

“A fool and his money are soon parted.”

Here’s a little video clip from a Support the Troops rally Codi and I went to some time ago. I like all the American flags together! (Quicktime 10.3MB)