Learning Python

OK So I have decide to learn Python so I'm going to start posting my journey into this.
I have written programs in the past but that was a long time ago so I'm going to start off being a novice just starting out.

So here are the links to get me started

Python 3.5.2 I figure I'll start with the latest version https://www.python.org/

I like using an IDE for writing so I found a free version PyCharm https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/

I'm using Windows 10 but there are Python version for Mac and Linux too

I'll try and do some video of installing and setting them up next time.

Bald Eagle Rescue

First a little background. I volunteer for http://www.owlcanada.org/ so whenever there is a raptor to be rescued in my area they start calling volunteers.

So my wife who goes with me got the call an we headed out to separate 2 Bald Eagles that were fighting and had got locked together in someones back yard.

So first some background on Bald Eagles, these are average for around my area:

• The weight is about 8-10 pounds
• The length is about 30-36 inches
• The wingspan is about 6 feet
• They have a beak that can take fingers off
• The talons can puncture human bones and have an incredible strong grip

So anyway off we go to the Eagles, now the sun is just going down so it's getting dark.

We get to the house and are shown the 2 Eagles that are locked together.

Normally when you go to rescue an Eagle you are able to cover the head with a towel so it can't see you or bite you and then you can grab the feet so the talons will not grab you.

In this case 1 Eagle had a hold of the others legs, so now we have 2 beaks and 4 feet we have to worry about. Remember I said they have a strong grip, also when they have grabbed something they don't usually like to let go.

So we cover the heads so they can't see what we are doing and I grab the feet of the one that is being grabbed while my wife try to get the other's talon off the one I'm holding.

I read somewhere that Eagle can grip with 350 pounds per inch at each of the talons.

Now the one I have is trying to get free, the other one is trying to get my wife by biting her. Also remember the sun was going down before we got there. The family that called us was very helpful by holding flashlights so we could see what we were doing.

After about 1/2 an hour we finally manage to get the talons off the bird and separate them. Now my wife has one Eagle and I have the other.

To stop them trying to attack each other we release them 1 at a time. My wife moves to an area in the open on the grass and removes the cover freeing the first eagle at which point it decides that it wants to attack her. She knows that this is what it is going to do so she is prepared. It finally gets on top of a fence and fly's off.

Now I get to release the one I'm holding and yes it try's to go for me too. it gets on a fence and fly's off in a different direction.

This was the hardest rescue we have done to date as we had to deal with 2 Eagle that were right together.

One word of warning never approach any wild animals, I have been trained and know what to expect, but on occasion I have been hurt due to my own stupidity. These birds are very strong, fast and can hurt you. They are not mean they just don't understand that we are trying to help them. If you see an injured animal call an animal rescue facility to assist.

Automatic update to Windows 10

So Microsoft has been offering a free upgrade to Windows 10.

For those of you that have not upgrade for various reasons you need to check that notification.

It seems Microsoft has now changed the options you could Upgrade now or wait till later.

Microsoft has been quietly changing this to We will upgrade your computer on <Date><Time> and giving you the option to cancel.

So if you don't want to upgrade and are not paying attention, you might wake up one day and find you computer has suddenly upgrade to Windows 10 while you were sleeping.

VTRiClear30S review

Innokin SVD review

OK here is my review on the Innokin SVD http://www.innokin.com/itaste-svd-express-kit.html

I found this to be a very good device except for the power button which seems to have issues.

EVOD USB review

You Tube Channel

Well I decide to make some videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/MegaCyberworm

Here is my channel for the Videos

Stopped Smoking

After 40 years of being a 2 pack a day smoker I finally quit and started Vaping.

E-Cigarettes 133 days smoke free.

I love my new sense of smell and taste that have now come back.

I'm going to do some reviews from the point of view as a user of these devices.

It will only be ones that I have actually bought myself so I will bring an honest viewpoint.

Long time absent

Well I have been away for a while had some personal life problem that decided to crop up.

I have decided to install Mint 13 on my laptop.

So far so good, everything installed and I'll put my views on the Cinnamon as I start using it

World of Warplanes

Got a beta key so I get to play for a bit. Nice game looks promising. Have to see what happens when they release it.

World of Warplanes

I have been playing World of Tanks too. I like free game that keep you entertained.

World of Tanks

Customer service?

So trying to be green I got an electric lawn mover from Canadian Tire.

Yardworks is the brand, so here is the tale of trying to get a replacement battery charger.

#1 Canadian Tire does not carry replacement battery chargers. They can't get them and can't tell you where to get them from.

Did a web search and it point you right back to Canadian Tire.

WOW big help since they don't have what you need and will not help you get it.

#2 I called the toll free number on the battery to see where to get a replacement, big shock Yardworks are back east and they don't even carry the product there so they transfer you to the company that has them. They don't give you a number to call and don't give you a company name so you can't find it except going back through the Yardworks number. Big shock again they are only open 8:30 - 4:30 Monday to Friday Eastern Time.

#3 I finally got through to the company that has the battery charger and they asked for the product number. On the battery I have is a part number for the battery and a part number for the charger. Now if you think that either one of these numbers will get you the product you want, think again. What they really want is the product number of the lawn mower. It took me 5 minutes of explaining that I did not have the product number and I was not going to call back and wait another 20 minutes on hold to get through again. Finally he agreed to ship me the battery charger which I had the part number for. I only hope that when it gets here it is the correct one.

Is this is what companies call customer service?

Next day

A long depressing day in the life of a computer nerd.

One bright thought was I was introduced to a puzzle game.

Manufactoria very interesting game to challenge your mind. Will let you know if I ever finish it.

Monday again

Recovering from a weekend of gardening and painting. Now I get to go back to work and deal with strange questions. At least I'm sitting down and not getting sore from all the work.

People who don't work in IT will not understand how frustrating it can be dealing with computer novices. Note is use nice terms here rather than the one I would really like to say, but I digress.

I was talking to a user who was having trouble getting his e-mail. Since I'm doing this all remotely and over the phone this leads to challenging situations. I could not access his network as the internet was down. For the next 5 minutes I tried to explain that since his internet was down he would not be able to get any e-mails. He keep saying that his computer was connected by wireless.  I finally convinced him that he need internet to get his mail but was still confused as to why his wireless network could not get his mail.

I'm in the process of developing the serenity prayer of system administrators since we really need it some days. So here is my first stab at it.

The Serenity Prayer for System Administrators

 God grant me the serenity to accept the stupidity of users I cannot change; the courage to change my mind when I want to delete their access and files; and the wisdom to not actually kill them.

Missed a day

Well it's the weekend and I missed a day in the life.

Got busy with work and traffic was a pain.

Thanks to Diablo 3 I'm keeping my sanity. Lucky for me I can kill stuff and not go to jail ;)

Will review the game in a later post once I have played more.

Will also post some games that are free to play for people like me who are cheap.

Installing Vista

Well I started doing an install on Vista, good thing I have the driver for the network card.

First round of updates 105, been going for a while. You think that Microsoft  would do a roll up and let you install the latest service pack first.

Well a few more hours of updates then I should be finished.

Just starting

Going to start creating a blog about general computer stuff i.e. a day in the life of a computer geek.

I hope to update this blog every day and include smart phone, computers, software etc.