EasyLinuxGuide Blog

Something I have been contemplating for quite a while is getting rid of my home phone (old school touch tone, not voip). I have also had a cell phone for several years at this point (going on 7 years including one number change due to changing service providers). There are several reasons why getting rid of this roughly $30 per month expense would be a good idea.

PROS

* Save money each month and as a bonus, I can justify adding more features to the cell if I like
* This line is almost never used
* Cell phones by default offer a great deal more features and technology
* Cell phones offer the convenience of mobility
* All calls can be centralized to one device
* Cell phones scarcely get telemarketer calls
* Cell phones tend not to have listed numbers unlike generic phone book listings (to get an unlisted number requires a fee with the local phone company)
* There are outrageous fees to changing numbers or setting up lines if one moves

Of course, there are always drawbacks, but I can only think of a few:

CONS

* I’ve had this same home number for 12 years so it is the one registered with anyone who has asked for a phone number
* Long distance charges tend to be less expensive by default (a special service may be used with cell phones perhaps to enable a discount)
* The cell phone number could be only given out to people you would be willing to take calls from as a secondary line, where if only one line is used then it could mean that even people or businesses you would rather not hear from may still call (different ring styles for groups of people may help distinguish)
* Cell phones sometimes can be regarded as less reliable as home phones if there are issues with the battery or the cell phone provider

I have been doing an experiment for the last month or two to see what it would be like not to use the home phone at all. I wanted to see if my monthly cell phone bill would increase exponentially. The only thing I found which is completely unrelated is that my text messaging increased. I ended up adding more texting to my plan. What it comes down to is the nagging feeling that once I would call and cancel then suddenly something would occur to me that hadn’t before and I would regret such a cancellation. In two months I haven’t been able to find any monumental reasons to keep the line. What I may end up doing is calling the home phone provider to see if they have any other options other than a cancellation. To be continued…

After many long years, I finally get to experience what everyone is going on about! Last week, my throat felt rather sore and it was painful to swallow but I had been drinking a great deal of pop (soda to my U.S. friends). I was able to just bear with it and then when I felt lumps there, I decided it might be good to get it checked out. Of course, on a Sunday, urgent care clinics are not exactly the most accommodating, however; I did find one location open until 5pm that was completely vacant. I have to admit, that having a throat infection is rather unpleasant but more of an annoyance than anything else. Swallowing no longer causes any pain, however; my throat feels as if someone has taken bootswings at various angles. Checking one’s blindspot when driving is somewhat uncomfortable. Overall, the pain really isn’t that bad and I get these fancy pills to take until they are finished (yes, I was reminded to take them until they are gone, even if the symptoms disappear). I decided to look up some information on sore throats which is posted below and taken from this site:

“Allergy: The same pollens and molds that irritate the nose when they are inhaled also may irritate the throat. Cat and dog danders and house dust are common causes of sore throats for people with allergies to them.

Irritation: During the cold winter months, dry heat may create a recurring, mild sore throat with a parched feeling, especially in the mornings. This often responds to humidification of bedroom air and increased liquid intake. Patients with a chronic stuffy nose, causing mouth breathing, also suffer with a dry throat. They need examination and treatment of the nose.

Pollutants and chemicals in the air can irritate the nose and throat, but the most common air pollutant is tobacco smoke. Other irritants include smokeless tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and spicy foods.

A person who strains his or her voice (yelling at a sports event, for example) gets a sore throat not only from muscle strain but also from the rough treatment of his or her throat membranes.

Reflux: An occasional cause of morning sore throat is regurgitation of stomach acids up into the back of the throat. To avoid reflux, tilt your bedframe so that the head is elevated four- to six-inches higher than the foot of the bed. You might find antacids helpful. You should also avoid eating within three hours of bedtime, and eliminate caffeine and alcohol. If these tips fail, see your doctor.

Tumors: Tumors of the throat, tongue, and larynx (voice box) are usually (but not always) associated with long-time use of tobacco and alcohol. Sore throat and difficulty swallowing, sometimes with pain radiating to the ear, may be symptoms of such a tumor. More often the sore throat is so mild or so chronic that it is hardly noticed. Other important symptoms include hoarseness, a lump in the neck, unexplained weight loss, and/or spitting up blood in the saliva or phlegm.

When Should I See a Doctor For A Sore Throat?

Whenever a sore throat is severe, persists longer than the usual five- to seven- day duration of a cold or flu, and is not associated with an avoidable allergy or irritation, you should seek medical attention. The following signs and symptoms should alert you to see your physician:

* Severe and prolonged sore throat
* Difficulty breathing
* Difficulty swallowing
* Difficulty opening the mouth
* Joint pain
* Earache
* Rash
* Fever (over 101°)
* Blood in saliva or phlegm
* Frequently recurring sore throat
* Lump in neck
* Hoarseness lasting over two weeks

When Should I Take Antibiotics For A Sore Throat?

Antibiotics are drugs that kill or impair bacteria. Penicillin or erythromycin (well-known antibiotics) are prescribed when the physician suspects streptococcal or another bacterial infection that responds to them. However, a number of bacterial throat infections require other antibiotics instead. Antibiotics do not cure viral infections, but viruses do lower the patient’s resistance to bacterial infections. When such a combined infection occurs, antibiotics may be recommended. When an antibiotic is prescribed, it should be taken as the physician directs for the full course (usually 10 days). Otherwise the infection will probably be suppressed rather than eliminated, and it can return. Some children will experience recurrent infection despite antibiotic treatment. When some of these are strep infections or are severe, your child may require a tonsillectomy.

Should Other Family Members be Treated or Cultured?

When a strep test is positive, many experts recommend treatment or culturing of other family members. Practice good sanitary habits; avoid close physical contact; and sharing of napkins, towels, and utensils with the infected person. Handwashing makes good sense.

What If My Throat Culture Is Negative?

A strep culture tests only for the presence of streptococcal infections. Many other infections, both bacterial and viral, will yield negative cultures and sometimes so does a streptococcal infection. Therefore, when your culture is negative, your physician will base his/her decision for treatment on the severity of your symptoms and the appearance of your throat on examination.

How Can I Treat My Sore Throat?

A mild sore throat associated with cold or flu symptoms can be made more comfortable with the following remedies:

* Increase your liquid intake.
* Warm tea with honey is a favorite home remedy.
* Use a steamer or humidifier in your bedroom.
* Gargle with warm salt water several times daily: ¼ tsp. salt to ½ cup water.
* Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol Sore Throat®, Tempra®) or ibuprofen (Motrin IB®, Advil®).”

As I do not smoke, I still suspect mine was caused from an unusually excessive intake of pop and incidently, some Crown Royal may have slipped into some of those glasses.

Lately I’ve been watching a lot of The Ultimate Figher TV Series. Yes, this is a reality TV show, however; it is the authenticity that lends itself to being credible. The premise is that you start the season with 16 or 18 guys all vying to be rewarded with a 6 figure, 3 year UFC contract. In the first season, it is Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture that are elected the coaches of two teams as the guys are divided evenly into two teams using the grade six schoolyard baseball method. What makes it more interesting is that all of these guys have to live in the same house (more like a mansion) and if they are caught fighting, they are instantly eliminated. Also, they are given a state of the art training facility in which to train. They participate in challenges (a la Survivor) and the winning team gets to pick one representative from their team to fight any member of the opposing team in hopes of weakening the other team. As the season goes on, there is one fight at the end of each show with the loser leaving the facilities immediately. The training is gruelling and demanding and reveals the fortitude of each of the combatants. Definitely worth checking out for anyone who is interested in competition, fitness or even the mold of this type of reality tv product.

Lately I’ve been listening to the newest Seether release which is a compilation of some of their best known tracks and they’ve mixed in a cover or two as well. They do Peal Jam’s immortality which actually lends itself well to the acoustic sound creating a new dimension to the atmosphere of the song. This is a solid release for sure, not all tracks are stellar in my opinion but 7 or 8 are rock solid making this well worth the listen.

Keane has released a new cd called “Under the Iron Sea” which is a follow to their critically acclaimed successful release “Hopes and Fears”. Keane delivers exactly what one of their fans have grown to expect: feel good sombre, occasionally thought provoking tracks with some definite standouts in: “A Bad Dream”, “Crystal Ball”, “Is it Any Wonder” and the melancholy “Hamburg Song”. I would say this new release may not have any likely chart entries like the previous “Everybody’s Changing” or “Somewhere Only We Know”, but it has its merits is putting together a more solid collection woven throughout the track listing. If you liked the last Keane cd, check this one out.

A quick note on Mudvayne – There is a collection of approximately 1 hour horror films called “The Masters of Horror” and an accompanying soundtrack. Mudvayne’s music has been a pre-occupation of mine for quite a while so whenever I see something I don’t have, I ensure I check it out. Mudvayne offers “Small Silhouette” to this soundtrack which seems to follow suit more with the sound of “L.D. 50″ rather than “Lost and Found”. One track, but worth listening to for any Mudvayne fan.

On the same one track note, Killswitch Engage has a song on the WWE’s wreckless intent CD called “This Fire Burns”. This is pure bliss, reminiscent of “When Darkness Falls”. If you like Killswitch at all or like heavy music in general, check out this one!

So me and a couple of other guys are going to do this really geeky thing – pick out one Xbox game per month and play it at the same time. Each of us has a ridiculous amount of titles and not enough time to play all of them. This of course means, that I don’t end up playing any of them because the thought of venturing into the myriad titles is just too overwhelming. Plus the idea of the same game alongside some other people that I know gives the experience a sense of purpose above and beyond the intrinsic progression through just another game. If you want to know more about the premise of the game itself, click on the image above which will open a link explaining the game.

Here is the plan. We use this walkthrough to pace ourselves so that one person doesn’t get too far ahead of the other. This way we can really ‘geek out’ about the same levels and such when we talk about the game. I have divided it into three areas using the table of contents. 1-13, then 14- 26 and 27-35. These will be done over the last 3 weeks of June. We are already done week 1 as of Sunday, June 11, 2006.

Synopsis so far.. in the beginning part of the game there are a lot of trainings and tutorials. Some of the useful things are the map which shows you exactly where you are and where your next destination should be (Start > scroll to the right to view the map). Also, there are numerous items you can go back and pick up to enhance your abilities and help to complete the game and these can be revisited without any penalty which gives the game more playability. The only thing I have found a bit unenjoyable was the repetitiveness of the last few levels of this section. You need to do what’s called a “Brain Tumbler Experiment” in order to earn a certain certificate. This is all well and good but you end up repeating the same type of level 3 or 4 times. You then need to face the boss which proves to be quite easy if you take the right strategy. So far the game is fairly easy but that’s what I want this to be. I don’t want anything overly challenging that requires a lot of replaying levels because this demands time that I do not have.

The next post will discuss the following section which begins with the Errands.