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Today, I came back from lunch, and noticed my “All Programs” was missing from my start menu. If you haven’t played with the new Windows  7, you might not know how the new start menu works. When you click on your start button, a menu pops up, that looks like a previous version of Windows start menu, but it has some “improvements” on it. You can now hover or click on “All Programs” allowing it to display the list of programs on your computer. This works nice and dandy, but if the “All Programs” option is removed, there is no way of accessing the programs in your start menu. You have to manually go to each one in Windows Explorer to run them.

If you have the problem where your “All Programs” option is missing, you can fix it by following the steps below.

1. Right click on the Start Button
2. Click Properties
3. In the Task Bar and Start Menu Properties window click “Customize”
4. Click on the “Use Default Settings” button
5. Click “OK”
6. Click “Apply”
7. Your Start Menu should now be back to normal.

I have also been told this will fix the problem with the Start Menu, and All Programs menu, if the icons disappear next to each program.

While driving down the road, sometimes things appear out of the ordinary. You back up and take a minute to process what is going on around you. You tell yourself there is something wrong with this picture and stumble to figure out what it could be. This happened to me while I was in Ohio last week. I passed this sign six times until I figured out what was wrong with the picture. After I figured it out, I just had to take a picture of it.

I don’t know if it is worse that it took me what long to figure it out, or the fact this sign has been up for over 10 years.

Today, Apple has announced a new mouse that comes standard with all new iMac computers. It is the first mouse that clicks, scrolls, and swipes all with the touch of your fingers. Best of all, there is no mouse ball to get gummed up.

Apple Magic Mouse

The Magic Mouse is completely compatible with any iMac that has bluetooth enabled. It works the same way as the iPhone and iPod does, flicking thru webpages and documents.

With all Apple products, the quality is top notch. The price is a little above average for your average wireless mouse, but at $69, you can not go wrong with the Apple brand name and quality you will be receiving.

I just ordered mine. It says it ships in 5-7 days. I will post more pictures once it comes in showing the new “Magic Mouse” in action.

Something to scratch your head over.

An interesting article in the Australian Shooter Magazine this week, which I quote: “If you consider that there has been an average of 160,000 troops in the Iraq theater of operations during the past 22 months, and a total of 2112 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of 60 per 100,000 soldiers.

The direarm death rate in Washington, DC is 80.6 per 100,000 for the same period. That means you are about 25 percent more likely to be shot and killed in the US capital, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the US, than you are in Iraq.

Conclusion: “The US should pull out of Washington, DC”

It is that time of year again, when you have the chance to win $1,000,000 from McDonalds monopoly game. This year I am late to join the game because of the wonderful health-food diet I am on.

McDonalds Monopoly

We all know you can find anything for sale on eBay. I came across an auction that was selling a list of rare pieces for the McDonalds monopoly game. Who would spend a buck $1 for such a list? Apparently no one because the seller hasn’t sold any lists. Anyhow, I decided I would post the list for everyone so they do not have to waste their time and money buying the list.

Golden Avenue, Water Works, Mediterranean Avenue, Vermont Avenue, Virginia Avenue, Tennessee Avenue, Kentucky Avenue, Ventnor Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, Boardwalk, Short Line Railroad.

After several days of taking the kids to McDonalds because “they” wanted to go, I only need a couple more pieces to claim a prize. I have already won several instant winners for food and drinks, some Coke Rewards points, and several other smaller prizes, but I want to win some $$$. So tomorrow we will stop again for some nice sweet tea, french fries and chicken nuggets. Yum!

A month ago, I wiped out one of my old computers that had Windows Vista on it. Since then I have been having a hard time installing Windows XP on it, so I decided I would try and install my Windows 7 Professional Upgrade on it. The computer has two hard drives wiped totally clean. The only thing I had was my Windows 7 Professional Upgrade DVD and needed to install it on my computer.

I was able to by doing the following steps:

Windows 7

I opened regedit and navigated to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/

Change MediaBootInstall from “1″ to “0″.

I went and typed cmd into the search bar and ran it as an administrator. I typed the following command “slmgr /rearm” (without quotes)

I rebooted my computer and went to activate Windows normally. It activated just fine. Of course, I had a copy of Windows XP that came on my Dell, so I was prepared to enter the serial key if needed. Fortunately, it was not needed and I was able to use the Upgrade DVD to complete a fresh install.

Thank you Microsoft!

Here is a riddle I came across the other day that I found rather interesting.

What nine letter word in the English language is still a word when each of the nine letters is removed one by one?

Take a few minutes to try and come up with a nine letter word that fits the bill, then watch the video.

Give up? Watch the video for the answer!

WordRiddle

Today Apple announced two new updates to their iPod line. The new iPod Touch and iPod Nano.

Apple has began marketing the iPod Touch as a “gaming device” and not just an iPod. With prices starting at just $199, it is a great device for those looking for an ipod, personal gaming device, and a handheld computer. Using the new iTunes 3.1, not only can you purchase mp3′s, but you have the ability to purchase movies to play on your iPod Touch.

iPod Touch

8GB $199 - 1,750 songs - 10 hours of video - 10,000 photos - Up to 30 hours of music playback - Up to 6 hours of video playback - iPod touch 3.1 software - Wi-Fi - Bluetooth - Nike + iPod support built in - Built-in speaker - Earphones

32GB $299 - 7,000 songs - 40 hours of video - 40,000 photos - Voice Control - Up to 30 hours of music playback - Up to 6 hours of video playback - iPod touch 3.1 software - Wi-Fi - Bluetooth - Nike + iPod support built in - Built-in speaker - Earphones with Remote and Mic

64GB $399 - 14,000 songs - 80 hours of video - 90,000 photos - Voice Control - Up to 30 hours of music playback - Up to 6 hours of video playback - iPod touch 3.1 software - Wi-Fi - Bluetooth - Nike + iPod support built in - Built-in speaker - Earphones with Remote and Mic

iPod Nano

Apple also announced the new iPod Nano today. The Nano has a new FM tuner that allows you to listen to live radio. The best part about it is that it works like a Tivo. You can pause live radio and rewind up to 15 minutes of saved radio. While listening to the radio, you have the ability to tag a song that later when synced with iTunes you can purchase the mp3 for that song.

Unlike the Touch, the Nano has a new movie camera incorporated into it. You can now take live video for later viewing. It would have been nice to incorporate a still camera into both devices instead of just a video camera.

When reading about the two new devices, I came across an article that when Steve Jobs was asked about why the iPod Touch was not given a still camera, he stated that the users wanted the iPod Touch as a gaming machine and not for a camera. This is why they included a faster processor and video display in the higher-end  32 and 64 GB models.

Personally, if the new iPod Touch had a decent camera (6.0 megapixel or more) and an FM tuner, I would have one sitting in my hands right now. Until then I will be sticking with my iPod classic.

Here is another amusing email I received today.

How do YOU pronounce Oklahoma?

Do you think it’s correct?

There is a right way and a wrong way to pronounce Oklahoma.

The proper way is: OKLA…HOMA

There is a gap between the “a” and the “h”

I can prove it.

I receive emails from time to time that stop and make me think. Here is one below.

A vehicle at 15 mpg and 12,000 miles per year uses 800 gallons a year of gasoline.

A vehicle at 25 mpg and 12,000 miles per year uses 480 gallons a year.

So, the average clunker transaction will reduce US gasoline consumption by 320 gallons per year.

They claim 700,000 vehicles – so that’s 224 million gallons / year.

That equates to a bit over 5 million barrels of oil.

5 million barrels of oil is about ¼ of one day’s US consumption.

And, 5 million barrels of oil costs about $350 million dollars at $75/bbl.

So, we all contributed to spending $3 billion to save $350 million?

How good a deal was that ???

They’ll probably do a great job with health care though!!!