The Spam Thread!

[RAMChYLD]

I know how you feel Wade. My mom got diagnosed with colon cancer last year. Tho, she didn't go for radiotherapy. They put her on chemotherapy instead. She's seriously afraid of the idea of radiotherapy.

This whole week had been hell for me. Had to go into work ultra-early on Monday and attend no less than two meetings, was called to a clients' office on Tuesday, worried sick on Wednesday because I was summoned to the HQ alone on Thursday and I was worried that I'd be handed the pink slip (last time this happened, i got an earful from my HQ boss because I was typing too loudly when taking down notes. Why I use my cellphone or iPad's recording function nowadays), stayed back at work until Midnight yesterday, and stayed back until 9:30PM today.

Luckily, it's now the weekend. Time to catch come fresh air before Hectic Monday comes again.

[Blackberry Bun]

It's fall. The leaves are finally falling off the trees and the weather is turning cold.

Normally, this would be a happy time for me because for one, Christmas is ever getting closer, and secondly, I'm close to halfway through my college semester.

But, the next seven weeks are going to be rather lonesome.

You see, this past summer, we took my dad in to a specialist, and it turns out he had some cancer in some of his lymph nodes. They caught it early, and removed it. But just to be safe, starting next week, he will be away from home from Monday through Friday for seven full weeks of radiation treatments. We can't afford to drive back and forth to the doctor, which is a two hour drive away, and gas prices are through the roof.

So, my mom and dad are going to stay at a hospitality house near the hospital where the radiation treatments are going to take place. I wish I could go with them too, but I can't.

I have college classes on Tuesday and Thursdays, and I also have an internship at a radio station Monday and Wednesday. Because of these things, I am going to stay back home while my parents go to the radiation treatments during the week. The only time I am going to spend with my parents is the week of Thanksgiving. Yeah...they will be up there during Thanksgiving week. That will be a good time to spend with my parents on that day, as well as getting some shopping done too.

Before that happens though, I'm somehow going to have to live through seven full weeks of being truly home alone. (except on weekends when my parents will come back). I have been away from home by myself before, that's true, but still, I'm worried about what the radiation treatments may do to my dad in terms of side effects.

Living by yourself is sure a difficult thing. I've experienced it myself. I only can wish you luck for getting through all those, and wish your father a full recovery.

[Stella Grapes]

I'm sorry to hear about what's going on, Wade and David.

What about test.strawberryforum.org/board

Now that one worked.

It works for me, too.

[cpd2009]

Thanks for the kind words everyone!

I really do appreciate your kindness during this tough time for me.

Well, we went back to Mitchell, where my dad will get his treatments starting in about two weeks. I was able to get some shopping done, which made me happier, and it also took my mind off what my dad is going to go through.

I got some food for at least two five day weeks, as well as a couple things I wanted or needed, such as a neat speaker system for Lilly, replacing a cheap pair of USB powered speakers. For $40 and being a no-name brand, they do work well, and it has a USB/SD card input for playing MP3 files. The only downside is it just plays through the files on the card/USB drive from beginning to end. It's very basic.

I actually thought about hooking them up to Wendell (he already has my old 5.1 speaker system, but only operating in 2.1 since he lacks 5.1 outputs) since he is supposed to be my music PC. Perhaps I can use him for audio transfers...but for that I need a USB sound card with Line-In.

There are 7.1 USB external sound cards on eBay, but I wonder how good they are...

I won't get rid of Wendell....he is the least used of my computer systems, but I'll find a use for him.

[RAMChYLD]

It works for me, too.

So I guess it's Incapsula's fault after all. So not sure how Blake is going to settle this...

Thanks for the kind words everyone!
I actually thought about hooking them up to Wendell (he already has my old 5.1 speaker system, but only operating in 2.1 since he lacks 5.1 outputs) since he is supposed to be my music PC. Perhaps I can use him for audio transfers...but for that I need a USB sound card with Line-In.

Well, the SoundBlaster X-Fi 5.1 USB would be good for this I guess.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://asia.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=873&product=17751&nav=1&listby=usage">http://asia.creative.com/products/produ ... stby=usage</a><!-- m -->

There's also a pro version: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://asia.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=873&product=20055&listby=usage">http://asia.creative.com/products/produ ... stby=usage</a><!-- m -->

Just make sure you have USB 2.0 and are willing to dedicate the entirety of the USB 2.0 traffic to it.

[cpd2009]

Okay...rearranging my computers priorities...

Lilly will become the main music jukebox once again as I finally found a workable jukebox program....JaJuk.

Wendell will now need one of those 7.1 USB sound cards so I can record audio via Line-In. He already does CD ripping and encoding as it is.

And Greta will be....Greta.

Well, the SoundBlaster X-Fi 5.1 USB would be good for this I guess.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://asia.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=873&product=17751&nav=1&listby=usage">http://asia.creative.com/products/produ ... stby=usage</a><!-- m -->

There's also a pro version: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://asia.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=1&subcategory=873&product=20055&listby=usage">http://asia.creative.com/products/produ ... stby=usage</a><!-- m -->

Just make sure you have USB 2.0 and are willing to dedicate the entirety of the USB 2.0 traffic to it.

Wendell has USB 2.0 for sure, but for me, the SB X-Fi 5.1 USB would be somewhat overkill. I just need something that is basic without any frills.

I looked on eBay, and the only 2.0 sound cards I can find are those small ones shaped like USB drives, and they all appear to only have mic input. No line in. There was a OEM 7.1 external sound box and it appears to use a C-Media chip.

[RAMChYLD]

Ok, now Incapsula blocked iOS5 Safari from the main forum access page as well.

It definitely must go since it's unfriendly to WebKit devices.

[RAMChYLD]

Okay...rearranging my computers priorities...
I looked on eBay, and the only 2.0 sound cards I can find are those small ones shaped like USB drives, and they all appear to only have mic input.

Don't. Those are bull. They don't do 7.1 at all (think about it. Only one headphones out line. For 5.1, you need three audio out jacks).

Okay...rearranging my computers priorities...
There was a OEM 7.1 external sound box and it appears to use a C-Media chip.

As long as it has more than one line out jack and promises 7.1

Wendell has USB 2.0 for sure, but for me, the SB X-Fi 5.1 USB would be somewhat overkill. I just need something that is basic without any frills.

Nah, the 5.1 USB is just fine. Creative themselves are advertising it only for Mobile Movie and Music usage.

[cpd2009]

Don't. Those are bull. They don't do 7.1 at all (think about it. Only one headphones out line. For 5.1, you need three audio out jacks).

I noticed that. Those small USB sound cards only have "virtual" (read: fake) 7.1 surround sound via software, which would end up being CPU intensive.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://preview.tinyurl.com/9bzzmw7">http://preview.tinyurl.com/9bzzmw7</a><!-- m -->

This is a potential candidate for Wendell's external USB sound box. It does have outputs for six channel 5.1 audio as well as optical audio outputs and a line-in jack as well. It can also be configured for 2.1 audio as well if it's a CMedia powered box.

You did mention that if I got the SB X-Fi, I would have to give all USB 2.0 traffic to it. Wendell has two USB ports, and the USB sound box would use one. Does that mean I would have to give all the USB traffic to the sound card even if I had one USB port free?


I'm thinking about getting Wendell a different set of speakers. I may not though. The ones I got hooked up still work beautifully, but the volume and bass controls are on the back on of the subwoofer. Lilly's speaker controls are right in front. I also need to find the other three satellite speakers as well.

[cpd2009]

Paypal used to be nice...

until Federal regulations forced them to verify the IDs of their users. I have to either upload or fax in my photo ID, my SSN as well as my proof of address to PayPal because of these regulations.

And no, this is not a scam or phish attempt. I got the message as soon as I logged in to PayPal, and last night, I had to verify my information for the first time. They now want me to do the above.