My Dedicated Server Provider Makes My Life Very Difficult

By Ricardo d Argence

Apparently the only thing that concerns Dedicated servers is support. I was waiting to explain my problems to my dedicated service provider; I was elated that he actually called me.

Subject: Message from your dedicated server provider. ID# 1066019. From: Michael Leven.

Hello. I was just contacting you today to see how things are going for you all at Liquidweb. Please don't hesitate to ask if there is anything I can help with, and also, I would appreciate any updates as far as how things are going for you here. I know your time is important, so I would like to thank you ahead of time for taking time for me.

Regards, Michael. Technical Sales Engineer.

Subject: Re: this message is being provided by your dedicated server provider. ID# 1463021. From: Ricardo d Argence.

Hi, Mike! I'm grateful you contacted me. Sorry to say, I've had nothing but trouble with Liquidweb. Let me explain some of my problems.

Earlier, one of my servers required a RAM upgrade. After turning in my ticket, it took one hour for the ram to be installed. Sixty minutes! I had to sit there all day, staring at my computer screen, not doing anything! A customer's site was inadvertently deleted by one of the techs, and support had it back, up, and running in no time. The customer hadn't even been aware of it! What's the hurry? Where are in such a rush to get to?

I am becoming boring! All my friends talk about their daily problems at their jobs with clients and providers. When they ask me how my work goes, all I can say is a timid "err, fine. Nothing has happened since I switched to liquidweb". I think I am starting to annoy them. You have to give me some problems to talk about!

My girlfriend is amazed how much time I'm able to spend with her, and loves soaking up the attention. I used to be able to hide, now I can't. No more saying "My server crashed and I will have to work on it." She no longer believes me. I am falling short of movies to watch and locations to take her to dine. What is she giving you?

I need the extra adrenaline high so I have taken up car racing, boxing and rock climbing just to avoid flat lining! I have so little stress that I'm running the risk of becoming a Tibetan monk! Hopefully, you can help me before things grow dire. Now, please accept my excuses as I have to catch a plane. My life has been pretty boring lately, so I think I'll try jumping from a perfectly good airplane.

Sincerely, Ricardo.

About the Author:

The people of The Bored IT suffer a lot from lack of adrenaline because of our Dedicated Server Provider. Do you want to know why? Visit our site.

Alojate.com is the best web hosting company in Mexico.

The Internet Revolution: 1969-Present

By Rick London

Needless to say, we have just gotten past, successfully, without destroying our country, with north and south against each other, as we did in the Civil War, another "Industrial Revolution". No, not exactly like the experience of our forefathers and mothers, but we have gotten through and are right "in the thick" of the Technology (Especially IT...Internet Technology) Revolution. Remember, that paper thing thrown at your door? Oh, sure. It was called a newspaper. Some people still read that bulky item known as a newspaper. I suppose it is out of habit and loyalty.

I sometimes wonder what happened to the ol' boy network that divided towns into the rich and the poor, popular and unpopular? They dictated with whom we should do business, and who not? I guess they are still around but went from being James Bonds to Austin Powers. I remember how important they all used to be. Now, if they frown upon your business idea, big deal. You put it on the Internet. The power structure has changed 360 degrees, and the social structure as well thanks to this tool called The Internet. We may not have all realized it, but that was the *real* paradigm shift of our generation if there ever was one. And it happened quietly and peacefully, unlike the Industrial Revolution, an impetus for the Civil War. The ol boy network knew its time had reached its peak. Some of them bowed out gracefully, some are still slugging it out thinking they can "pray away the Internet". Kind of like The Unibomber (remember Ted Kazinski?). He was that hot-shot Berkeley professor who knew what technology would do to him so he sent out (more than threatening) letters. Technology happens! They just wish it would have never happened. Sure, some hurt feelings and egos, but that is life. Now pertinent information is available to all and it is up to all of us to use it in a fashion that serves both us and others.

As a cartoonist, who uses the Internet for most of my business (I also manufacture licensed gifts and collectibles bearing my cartoon images), I have had the opportunity to have some "unique doors" opened to me that would have, otherwise stayed tightly locked.

The Father Of The Internet, Dr. Vinton Cerf was behind one of the more memorable doors. He also happens to be a fan of my cartoons. We got to know each other via the Internet about eight years ago and he is a very smart and genuine man. He invented a protocol called TCP-IP in 1969 while at Stanford University. This hardware later became the driving force behind what became known as Arapnet. But only those in high positions at federal governmental organizations and The White House could use Arapnet. It was not available to the general public, even though Dr. Cerf, knew it could be expanded in that direction. Enter Al Gore...yes he really did have much to do with the invention of the net. Cerf, who had finished his studies and was now a PhD, approached him. That was around 1974. Gore was still a young congressman (not yet even a senator) from Tn and asked him if he felt it could be brought public. There was much controversy and much of Congress felt it was just "too much information for the general public to be privy to. Gore worked hard on it and it finally passed. The Internet was came into fruition. Gore, in fact, also (according to Dr. Cerf) came up with the idea of domain parking, and coined the net "The Information Superhighway" So the "Al Gore Internet joke, is really no joke at all". Like him or hate him, he actually did just what he said, "I created the incentive to invent the Internet". Passing a bill, in political jargon often means "creating the incentive".

Dr. Cerf was very kind to me, and generous with his knowledge of the net. He was, at the time, a senior executive at MCI surburban Va, and now heads the creative department at Google. Though we've lost touch, I'll never forget some of the incredible thoughts he shared. He was barely an adult when he invented it; I believe a sophomore, and of course an idealist visionary. He imagined information, especially important business information that was for so long held close to the chest by the large captains of business and industry, to be available to all, in other words, a more democratic society. He had no idea what his invention would become. He seemed a bit in shock every time I spoke with him about it, that it had grown so large.

The most dramatic development occurred in 1984, when an MIT professor named Tim Berners-Lee in 1984, invented a software called the World Wide Web which made the Internet a household word (not to mention necessity).

I grew up in a small southern town, and was considered a "slow learner", a middle child of two very good students, and, as often happens in small towns, I fell through the cracks, and stayed there for many years. I took odd jobs, saved, and left that hamlet as soon as I could. I took odd jobs in New York, Miami, Washington, and Los Angeles. During that tenure of stumbling around, I did manage to learn a few "street smarts" and landed some nice paying jobs with impressive-sounding positions. But I was not happy with them. I sought information, and, ultimately education. It was not until I was 43 years old that I returned to college to learn Internet technology and online business.

Now, Londons Times Cartoons has grown into the largest and most visited offbeat humor site on the Internet. My creative team and I have produced 8500 plus cartoons and lured over three million yearly surfers. This is mentioned not to boast, but to explain what someone can do on a shoestring, hell, I had half a shoestring, but with a dial up phone line, a beat up computer, and a little space to work (I started in an abandoned rural warehouse). My intelligence level is fairly average. My emotional intelligence, is way above average, but that can be learned, regular IQ has more to do with genes, etc. When I started the Internet was Google-less, Social Network-less, Blog-less, Bookmark-less, and looking back, it was a bit more than archaic. It was just a bit better than telephones only because Yahoo!, and several other name brands and a few banner-exchanges and web-rings. I mainly marketed by phone the first few years.

I finally was educated from an accredited school on the Internet. The power-structure of my old home town, really didn't matter anymore now. Today, I own 8 Internet niche shops with over 100,000 products. My cartoons even appear on over 20 real U.S. postage stamps. Can you see what a few hundred dollars and the Internet can do for the average joe?

With social networks now available, that I have joined, I have ventured into some completely new businesses, with a phenomenal Florida associate and we did it through the leverage of the Internet, article marketing, blogging, PPC advertising, focus, and finally branding. Yet another venture that could not have been done by either of us without the fascinating equal-opportunity of the Internet. These are several ventures that I can already see are going to be profitable, and they cost us virtually nothing but time and knowledge. Could I have done that without the Internet and willingness to learn? I think not. I'd be working a menial job for one of the good ol' boys. That appeals to some, and God bless you if it makes you happy. I hope I am always young enough to learn. At 53, I am just beginning to really learn.

About Internet gurus: There are a lot of people out there who have good information, and bill themselves as gurus, and sell you their e-books or build-your-own turnkey websites, etc. They make it look enticing. My suggestion: Look at it as the flock of locusts that it is. The information may be good, but it is ALL available free, and even more is free, with a bit of research and persistence. I started this business, now worth way into the millions with less than $300 and was virtually homeless. I studied. I asked questions of those who had done similar things successfully before me, I made calls, I got rejected, I tried again, more rejection, and finally some breaks. Persistence is the key. Sure talent and some intelligence is great, but persistence and a positive frame of mind wins at the end of the day. Keep your mind, body, and soul healthy. Sleep, eat healthily, exercise, and work. And work harder. And then harder. You will make mistakes. You will discover talents you never knew existed.

About the Author:

To see a plethora of funny cartoon gifts by Londons Times Cartoons, CLICK HERE

My Brush With The Late Great Roy Orbison

By Rick London

Not yet 365 days had gone by yet when I started my Londons Times Cartoons project in rural Ms. I was still living in an abandoned rural Mississippi warehouse. Nobody would rent to me as they, I am certain, felt this former 9-5 business executive had lost his mind for launching a cartoon at age forty three. I would live there for almost 18 months. I was a year into the project. It was a very bumpy start. I had no capital and no investors on the horizon. It soon became clear this was just a hobby, and I would eventually need to take some kind of job in sales, but for now, I was obsessed with seeing it through. Then a marketing idea hit me, which, at the time, I thought was quite smart (at least for me). I would create another series of cartoons called "Panel Hollywood" and feature real life celebrity caricatures and then mail signed copies directly to them or to their agent to forward. Out of the two hundred or so that we created and mailed, about twelve responded, and even offered reviews, which was my strategy. Those celebrity reviews, of their own image on a cartoon, are still posted a decade later on my main cartoon website. That is how we "became discovered".

An email arrived one sweltering south Mississippi afternoon shortly after noon. It was from the estate of the late, great Roy Orbison. It was from his widow Barbara's assistant, who wanted to know if they could purchase the rights to a Roy Orbison cartoon on my website. Ms. Orbison loved the cartoon so much, she wanted to make custom greetings for her friends and Roy Orbison fans. They had seen it on my website. I had not mailed a copy of it to them yet, as I'd not located the estate yet, or its representatives. Naturally, I offered it gratis, letting her know that he (Roy) had brought me so much pleasure throughout the years, and so many others, I need to sleep at night, and there would be no charge. She thanked me profusely, and used the card which was later revealed to be big hit.

During my tenure as a cartoon creator, I have received several dozen threatening letters from the lawyers representing celebrities of which I have used their likeness in parody. At first this frightened me, so I consulted with major cartoonists way above my league, who assured me most of the best cartoonists receive at least one per month, and many of them frame them. I talked to an attorney who taught me about "The Fair Use Act" in the U.S. Constitution, and how it protects such parody. My otld me this trade secret. Those greedy attorneys (he called them something else), simply spend all day surfing the web, in hopes of finding someone who were not aware of their rights as a parody creator) and "wished to settle" . I was told this works quite often (even though the attorneys do not have a case and they know it). So I started framing the threatening letters like all the rest. Even the late Charles Schulz, whom I highly respected and made himself available to me when starting, had received them and he said they gave him a "good chuckle".

Half a decade after Ms.Orbison and I did our pleasant business came a shock to me. I received a letter from a large Houston law firm representing the Orbison estate demanding cease and desist, not only to take down all the images, but to provide an accounting of what had been sold, and "they would probably settle rather than take this to court". Not that this makes me an authority by any means, but my maternal direct ancestry includes former Supreme Court Judge Benjamin Cardozo. His name might not mean much to many, but his words do to many attorneys. His books, his writings, until this day, are generally the "final word" in interpretation of Constitutional Law and most lawyers studied at least one of his books regarding the subject. Ashame they did not decide to practice it.

As I said, this does not make me an expert on law (or anything else for that matter) but, more than Disney movies and tonight's homework were discussed at our dinner table. Human rights was often the "topic du jour", and rights of expression were instilled before I was even a teen. Before I was 18, I knew the difference between parody and copyright infringement. Parody is protected by the Fair Use Act. Infringement is not. Our work is total parody. We make it very clear in both the artwork and text. It is that simple. I then remembered that attorney I had spoken with, and it all made sense. A lot of these celebrity lawyers claim to be working on their client's behalf, but sadly, the celebrity (or estate executor...in this case Ms. Orbison) was not aware they were coming after me, someone with whom they'd already had an enjoyable business relationship regarding the image in question. I was being threatened for something she already had in her possession, and grateful to have worked with me (and vice versa).

Then I remembered a story Charles Schulz told me. Mad Magazine ran a hilarious parody of Peanuts. The day it hit the stands, Schulz's attorneys shot out a gruesome letter of what would happen to "Mad" if they did not remove all copies and pay their client for damages. What the lawyers did not know what that Mr. Schulz had also seen that Mad issue, and loved the parody so much, he sent them a congratulatory note telling them how brilliant it was. His book he penned on his life story before he died mentions this experience.

If you are an artist, and create images of real celebrities in parody form, it is a very good idea to Google and learn about "The Fair Use Act". This is important, not only because it educates the creator to know his/her rights, but keeps that element who has entered the world of law to erode our precious Constitution and this great country, any more than they already have. Freedom of speech (and expression) is one of the major differences in our Constitution, and say the one of the former Soviet Union, or Iraq, or Iran. When a good attorney does his/her job in a fair manner, and many do, believe it or not, that is, finding real copyright infringement con-artists and making them pay, they are doing a positive thing, and actually strengthening our Constitution. When they go after humor producers of parody, especially without even contacting their own client first, they are showing a real sense of irresponsibility and this reflects on their own incompetence at real law, but twisting it to make it "their law" no matter how much it hurts our great nation.

About the Author:

To See These Rare Roy Orbison Pretty Woman Gifts & Collectibles CLICK HERE

Probably The World's Only Roy Orbison Cartoon

By Rick London

Not yet 365 days had gone by yet when I started my Londons Times Cartoons project in rural Ms. I was still living in an abandoned rural Mississippi warehouse. Nobody would rent to me as they, I am certain, felt this former 9-5 business executive had lost his mind for launching a cartoon at age forty three. I would live there for almost 18 months. I was a year into the project. It was a very bumpy start. I had no capital and no investors on the horizon. It soon became clear this was just a hobby, and I would eventually need to take some kind of job in sales, but for now, I was obsessed with seeing it through. Then a marketing idea hit me, which, at the time, I thought was quite smart (at least for me). I would create another series of cartoons called "Panel Hollywood" and feature real life celebrity caricatures and then mail signed copies directly to them or to their agent to forward. Out of the two hundred or so that we created and mailed, about twelve responded, and even offered reviews, which was my strategy. Those celebrity reviews, of their own image on a cartoon, are still posted a decade later on my main cartoon website. That is how we "became discovered".

One day, while toiling away on a hot summer afternoon, an email arrived. It was from the estate of the late, great Roy Orbison. It was from his widow Barbara's assistant, who wanted to know if they could purchase the rights to a Roy Orbison cartoon on my website. Ms. Orbison loved the cartoon so much, she wanted to make custom greeting cards for her friends and Roy Orbison fans. They had seen it on my website. I had not mailed a copy of it to them yet, as I'd not located the estate, or its representatives. Naturally, I offered it gratis, letting her know that he (Roy) had brought me so much pleasure throughout the years, and so many others, I need to sleep at night, and there would be no charge. She thanked me profusely, and used the card which was later revealed to be a wonderful success.

During my tenure as a cartoon creator, I have received several dozen threatening letters from the lawyers representing celebrities of which I have used their likeness in parody. At first this frightened me, so I consulted with major cartoonists way above my league, who assured me most of the best cartoonists receive at least one per month, and many of them frame them. I talked to an attorney who taught me about "The Fair Use Act" in the U.S. Constitution, and how it protects such parody. My otld me this trade secret. Those greedy attorneys (he called them something else), simply spend all day surfing the web, in hopes of finding someone who were not aware of their rights as a parody creator) and "wished to settle" . I was told this works quite often (even though the attorneys do not have a case and they know it). So I started framing the threatening letters like all the rest. Even the late Charles Schulz, whom I highly respected and made himself available to me when starting, had received them and he said they gave him a "good chuckle".

Half a decade after Ms.Orbison and I did our pleasant business came a shock to me. I received a letter from a large Houston law firm representing the Orbison estate demanding cease and desist, not only to take down all the images, but to provide an accounting of what had been sold, and "they would probably settle rather than take this to court". Not that this makes me an authority by any means, but my maternal direct ancestry includes former Supreme Court Judge Benjamin Cardozo. His name might not mean much to many, but his words do to many attorneys. His books, his writings, until this day, are generally the "final word" in interpretation of Constitutional Law and most lawyers studied at least one of his books regarding the subject. Ashame they did not decide to practice it.

As I said, this does not make me an expert on law (or anything else for that matter) but, more than Disney movies and tonight's homework were discussed at our dinner table. Human rights was often the "topic du jour", and rights of expression were instilled before I was even a teen. Before I was 18, I knew the difference between parody and copyright infringement. Parody is protected by the Fair Use Act. Infringement is not. Our work is total parody. We make it very clear in both the artwork and text. It is that simple. I then remembered that attorney I had spoken with, and it all made sense. A lot of these celebrity lawyers claim to be working on their client's behalf, but sadly, the celebrity (or estate executor...in this case Ms. Orbison) was not aware they were coming after me, someone with whom they'd already had an enjoyable business relationship regarding the image in question. I was being threatened for something she already had in her possession, and grateful to have worked with me (and vice versa).

Then I remembered a story Charles Schulz told me. Mad Magazine ran a hilarious parody of Peanuts. The day it hit the stands, Schulz's attorneys shot out a gruesome letter of what would happen to "Mad" if they did not remove all copies and pay their client for damages. What the lawyers did not know what that Mr. Schulz had also seen that Mad issue, and loved the parody so much, he sent them a congratulatory note telling them how brilliant it was. His book he penned on his life story before he died mentions this experience.

If you are a person who works in the arts, and creates images of real celebrities in parody form, it is a very good idea to Google and learn about "The Fair Use Act". This is important, not only because it educates the creator to know his/her rights, but keeps that element who has entered the world of law to erode our precious Constitution and this great country, any more than they already have. Freedom of speech (and expression) is one of the major differences in our Constitution, and say the one of the former Soviet Union, or Iraq, or Iran. When attorneys do their job correctly, and many do, that is, finding real copyright infringement criminals and making them pay, they are doing a great thing. When they go after humor producers of parody, especially without even contacting their own client first, they are showing a real sense of irresponsibility and limited capabilities of practicing the law the way our Founding Fathers had in mind.

About the Author:

To See These Rare Roy Orbison Pretty Woman Gifts & Collectibles CLICK HERE

My Pet Calls Me By My Name - Does Yours?

By Carla Hinsey

Do you know what an African Grey Parrot is? African Grey Parrots are becoming one of the all time favorites of bird lovers. These strikingly beautiful birds, that can out talk any four year old child, have charmed their way into many a household across the globe.

The African Grey is truly one of Gods' special creatures. The Grey's have the ability to express themselves in human language and emotion. Whatever language you speak, they can learn and communicate with you.

Skeptics argue that parrots can only mimic back what they have heard believing that even the most highly trained parrot doesn't really understand what it is doing or saying. It's possible that may be true for some species of parrots, but if you live with an African Grey you know deep in your heart that this argument is not a true at all. The African Grey, being a highly intelligent, deeply emotional, and hysterically witty bird would challenge even the hard-line skeptic.

Living with an African Grey takes a great commitment. They have a life span much like a human. If you are going to adopt a Grey into your life, you have to commit to it. As with any intelligent and emotional life form, you have to be prepared to except the ups and the downs that go along with it. We have both a male and a female living in our home.

There are times when it is a huge challenge. They can be demanding and insistent. If they don't get what they want, they can be total brats. Their ear-piercing screams and demanding behavior will surly test even the most patient of persons. This is the most negative of their traits. Their positive traits far out weight their negative ones. On their positive side, I can't say enough about them. The Grey knows when you are sad or upset. They will do everything in their power to make you laugh or change your mood. From their class clown antics to all their hugs and kisses, they will completely wash away a bad day.

The African Grey is best known for their talking and reasoning ability. Some are better talkers than others. Some can imitate sounds so real you can't tell the difference between the actual sound and the bird.

My female is the sound maker. She can talk, but not as well as the male. She is a sweet and loving bird. Her sounds are amazing. I can't tell you how many times I have answered a phone that never rang or opened a door when a doorbell never chimed. I have heard my dog bark when she was soundly asleep in her bed. I've heard doors squeak open that were shut, a microwave oven peep that was never turned on, a police siren and a trash truck backup peeper that was never there. These are only a few examples from a long list.

My male is the talker. So far his vocabulary is around one hundred words. He makes up his own sentences from the words he knows. Studies have shown, that Greys can develop a fifteen hundred to three thousand word vocabulary. When the male can't see me but can hear me, he calls out my name and asks, "Carla, You alright?" I answer, "I'm alright," he says, "Ok." Sometimes, when he starts screaming his head off and the female screams back, he tells her, "That's too loud, stop being a brat." He tells me, "Gonna go night night," when he wants to take a nap. He tells me, "I'm hungry," when he wants something to eat, then tells me what he wants to eat. He makes up things I can't understand and laughs hysterically.

My birds have not been officially trained. Everything they do and say is a direct result of living in the same household with my family. They are members of our family, and as with any other family member they need love and understanding. They need quality time inside the family circle, but also some quiet time to themselves. Do not stick them in a room away from the family hub. It will make them feel isolated and lonely. You will be setting the stage for an unhappy bird. Greys are very sensitive and you can easily upset their emotional well being. This can result in behavioral problems in the future.

Greys are full of life and love to play. If you have to be away from home during the day, make sure you supply them with plenty of toys. In the wild they forage for food about eighty percent of their time. Greys get bored easily, so try to keep a verity of toys around so that they can occupy their time alone. Interchange their toys regularly.

In closing, I highly recommend African Grey Parrots as pets. The only thing I would ask of you before going out and bringing one home, is to do some research on their needs. Make sure you have a full understanding of their housing and diet needs. You also need to make sure your house is bird safe. With all of this in mind, if you can provide for their most basic needs, the African Grey Parrot will reward you with a life time of devotion, affection, and love.

About the Author:

For Other Articles Written By Carla, Visit CarlaHinsey.com. Save Up To 90% Off Retail On Pet Supplies and 1000s of Brand Name Household Products at TraderBobs.com.