Note: <888> 07/31/03  Thursday  11:55 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative after the last message.  I had the same summer salad that I have been eating recently with a can of solid white albacore tuna fish along with a glass of ice tea.  The charging lamp started blinking after an hour, and the instructions said to turn the unit off and disconnect the battery and restart it with the battery connected.  The charging light is staying on.  It has about fifteen minutes to go in the charge cycle of two hours.  The charging light is suppose to turn off first.  The Sony Handycam can connect to the television with a double pair of RCA cables.  I took a set of RCA cables off the Technics turntable connected to the amplifier.  I have RCA input jacks on the Orion television in the living room and the Panasonic kitchen television.  I think one has to use the remote control menu to select RCA input for those two televisions.  I will wait for the charging light to go out.  I could go out and get the Lithium CR2025 battery at CVS in Old Greenwich for $3.99, or I could wait until tomorrow and pay $1.99 at Home Depot in Port Chester, New York. The Lithium battery saves the time and calendar functions, and I suppose some other settings.  I will wait until the charging light goes out, and then I will test the HandyCam and also test it inputting into the television.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/31/03  Thursday  10:00 P.M.:  The original 1 hour nickel cadmium battery does not seem to hold a charge, on the Sony Handycam, but I will try to recharge it later a few times, which might get it working.  I am now charging up for the first time the Philips  nickel cadmium SBV1551S01 rechargeable battery back, which since it is a 2 hour battery pack will take two hours.  Hopefully, since it was unopened and never used, it will hold a charge.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/31/03  Thursday  9:45 P.M.:  I was up at 1 P.M. today.  I had a telephone call then from someone that told me that a person named "Peter" had died from a heart attack.  Since I have a former in-law named Peter, I thought it was his current wife calling, so I expressed my sympathies to their family and hung up.  Then I checked with another relative, and they told me that person had not died.  I then dialed "*69", and I got the number of the caller, and I called them back.  Somebody named "Peter Sullivan" had died in Hingham, Massachusetts.  I do not believe I know that person.  However, they did have a house in Miacomet on Nantucket, so maybe it was somebody I only knew by first name.  There use to be fishermen named Sullivan in Nantucket who died on the fishing boat in the novel "The Perfect Storm".  However, I know and know of quite a few Sullivans, so it is hard to tell whom it was.  I did not want to bother their grieving.  Perhaps, they were trying to contact another Michael Scott.  Anyway, I called back my relative to let them know it was probably a mistake.  I then had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I then made my 3 P.M. appointment.  I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift Shop.  I went by the ATM machine at Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift shop, and I bought for $10 a Sony Handycam Video Camera Recorder 8 CCD-TR6 which came with all of its accessories.  It included the original nickel cadmium rechargeable battery pack, and a new unopened double size two hour Philips  nickel cadmium SBV1551S01 rechargeable battery back, two type 8 videotapes, the charging stand with DC power adaptor, camera case, strap, and television input adaptor.  It was made in 1991, so it was probably sold in 1992, so it is probably 11 years old.  I then went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I then went by the waterfront.  I next went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times.  I then went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought two packages of Nabisco wheatsworth crackers for $1.79 each, Marie Callender beef tips dinner for $2.50, a 32 ounce jar of Hellmann's Just-2-Good low fat mayonnaise for $1.89, a 16 ounce package of baby carrots for $1.69, and a 16 ounce bar of S&S Swiss cheese for $2.99 for $12.65 total.  I then returned home.  I put away my purchases, and I had a glass of ice tea.  I chatted briefly with a relative.  I then tested the Sony Handycam.  It looks like brand new, and it does not look like it has hardly ever been used.  I tested it with the DC adaptor, and it seems to work just fine.  It has a black and white viewfinder, but I assume it will play on the television in color.  I am not sure.  I just finished charging up the original rechargeable battery pack.  I will now test it to see how long it holds a charge. I also need to replace its small lithium CR2025 battery.  I chatted again with a relative.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/31/03  Thursday  12:25 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer.  I will watch some television before I try to go to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/31/03  Thursday  12:05 A.M.:  For dinner, I had the same summer salad with spinach instead of red lettuce along with a 6 ounce can of tiny shrimp.  I had the salad with  a glass of ice tea.  I also talked with a relative again.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  10:30 P.M.:  I chatted with two relatives.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  9:15 P.M.:  I watched part of President Bush's press conference this morning.  I had ten Nabisco Wheatsworth crackers, and I went to bed about noon.  I had to reset a few clocks and the air conditioner, since it looks like the electricity was off briefly.  I was up at 6 P.M. this evening.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange and pineapple juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I then went to the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times and part of Smart Computing.  I did not walk downtown this evening, since I walked early this morning.  I had some ice tea when I returned.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  9:50 A.M.:  I picked up my mail.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  9:10 A.M.:  While I was in Greece in 1972, I learned a little British intelligence.  Apparently the Greeks would like the British to return Lord Elgin's marble statues which were part of a freize on the Parthenon.  This has been the constant thorn in Greek - British relations for about 150 years.  The British constantly refuse, and I guess at the moment since Prince Philip was a Danish prince whom happened to have been born in Greece, where his family was living, in much the same way northern people in North America live in Florida, when they can afford it.  Thus the British do have fairly good relations with the Greeks, and I have read that the exiled King Constantine of Greece even lives in London occasionally.  However, Constantine is a very common name in Greece, and I once knew somebody by the same name in Manhattan that had a large loft with a gourmet kitchen on the west side near the piers on the West Side Highway down in the West Village, so he could entertain the sailors when they came off the cruise ships for brief ports of call in Manhattan.  Unfortunately in this area, most of the sailors seem to be able to fend for themselves, so we only have a Greek Diner on the Boston Post Road or East Putnam Avenue across from the YMCA, which serves their guests basic home cooking.  They just remodeled it last year, and they renamed it the "Glory Days", so perhaps the Greeks whom run the diner 24 hours a day have seen many visitors to this area at night, whom the daytime people never seem to see.  Their prices are a bit high by my standards, so I do not patronize their place anymore.  I did use to go in there late at night occasionally after researching adjacent night time activity in this area, and I am sure they still have a late night crowd, for those of you whom want to see whom is up late at night.  In the old days when it was called the White Diner, the police station use to order their meals from there for any overnight guests.  Whatever the case, I have seen a number of people visiting from down south.  As an average weight person for this area, I can assure you there are substantially heavier people in this area whom do not waste their time exercise walking.  When I first bought a computer, I knew a computer engineer whom weighed over 800 pounds whom was a former resident of Greenwich and knew all the established people, so if any skinny people in this area feel insecure, they could call him up or email him.  However, it might cost quite a bit of money to feed him, if one were trying to employ him for a large person presence.  Also late at night when the grocery stores are not to busy, I see some very large people shopping in the grocery stores.  Whatever, the case I intend to still try to lose weight.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  8:40 A.M.:  I went back out, and I  drove down by the waterfront.  I then walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I then went by the Stop and Shop.  They had various watches for sale for $19.99 that were previously priced up to $125.  I bought a Galaxie watch by Elgin quality since 1867 with Japanese quartz movement and case made in China which previously had been $125.  It has a brown leather alligator band with a rectangular case in gold finish and sweep hands.  I bought it for $19.99 plus $1.20 tax for $21.19 total.  I also bought a container of Athena garlic and herb feta cheese for $3.12, a Marie Callender beef tips dinner in mushroom sauce $2.50 and Marie Calendar turkey breast dinner for $2.50 and two boxes of Nabisco Wheatsworth crackers for $1.79 each box and a bulb of garlic at $2.69 a pound for .43 plus $1.20 tax for $33.32 total.  I had to use the Electronic Data Systems http://www.eds.com/ ATM at the Stop and Shop for a $1.50 charge, so I helped Ross Perot earn a $1.50.  I then returned home, and I had a glass of ice tea.  Our building custodian has returned from a trip abroad which was followed by surgery, so we are happy to see him back.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  5:10 A.M.:  I finished going through my email.  Apparently Queen Victoria left enough money to some of her relatives, so they can afford their own web sites http://www.royal.gov.uk/ and http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/ .  Of course here in the United States we elect our own representative every four years www.whitehouse.gov , so they do not always have the historical longevity and financing that the various royal families around the world seem to be able to maintain.  I have heard rumors that Queen Elizabeth II walks around Buckingham Palace at night turning off the lights to save money on electricity.  However as a night person, I prefer to work with a few of Thomas Edison's inventions working.  Well, I was up late this evening at 9 P.M., so I guess I will go out at first light to hear the birds twittering away at sunrise.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  4:45 A.M.:  I put away my laundry.  I went to http://www.realage.com and I filled out the forms for information on rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, and I printed out the results.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  3:00 A.M.:  I just put two loads of laundry in the dryer.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  2:50 A.M.:  I had the same summer salad I have been making all month.  This time I used spinach instead of red lettuce.  I also did not put in a can of fish or other seafood.  I am on the wash cycle of two loads of laundry.  I put clean linens on the bed.  There was not much going on tonight, but I suppose by the third week of August most of the people whom are on vacation will be back.  Still, I see a large number of visitors traveling whom come through town.  Usually since we have longer winters and periods of colder weather in this area, I generally tend to spend a bit of time during the warmer weather getting ready for the periods of colder weather, when do to the nature of colder weather, one can spend a little bit more time inside relaxing.  I have noticed a lot more tropical bugs and insects outside, so maybe we also have tropical allergies still in the area.  Frequently a bug bite or other tropical allergies can cause symptoms that one might not normally encounter in this area.  I have noticed over the years where I sit out at one location downtown at the veterans monument downtown, there are a large number of black Korean wasps and the regular domestic variety of wasps.  If one looks at a warm light lit up at night, one can generally see a variety of bugs and insects that one normally might not encounter.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/30/03  Wednesday  1:10 A.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out at various locations.  I drove down by the waterfront.  I then stopped by the Food Emporium, and I bought three Edy's sorbets for $1.76 each, one in Mandarin orange, one in Tropical, and one in Raspberry for a total price of $5.22.  I then returned home, and I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/29/03  Tuesday  10:15 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  I will now have two scoops Edy's mandarin orange sorbet, and then I will clean up, and I will go out for some errands.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/29/03  Tuesday  9:45 P.M.:  I watched television, and I did not fall sleep until about 6 A.M. this morning.  I did have four scoops of Edy's Mandarin orange ice cream.  I was up at 5 P.M., and I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange and pineapple juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I fell back to sleep until about 9 P.M..  I was awaken by a call from Lake Forest College www.lfc.edu trying to solicit funds from alumni.  I told them that I could not afford to give to the college.  I also explained that over all the years that I job hunted distributing thousands of resumes the college would never release my transcript which made it hard to get a job.  I did graduated from the college, and I have a diploma.  In my college career, I had flunked two courses in advanced calculus which I took twice and a third course, which were one three course semester of credit.  However during my last summer between my junior and senior years, I worked at Polaroid doing Cobol computer programming, and I was able to obtain three course credits for the project, which the college accepted, and gave me enough credits to graduate.  However, after leaving the area, and years later, I learned the college was never sending out my transcript whenever I applied for jobs, since they had expected me to pay a term's tuition for the three independent study course credits.  Thus all the years I job hunted my college transcript was never available, and they would not release it to employers.  Since I will not be job hunting anymore, I will be able to live without my college transcript.  Thus if possibly the college had been willing to send out my transcript, I would have been able to get a job, and possibly would have been able to give them money.  As it is I will not be giving them any money, not that I have any to give anyway.  Still I did graduate, and I do have the diploma to show that I graduated.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/29/03  Tuesday  1:00 A.M.:  I did a little bit of regular computer work.  I finished off my supply of Carr's crackers eating about ten of them.  I will now shut down the computer.  I will watch a bit of television before going to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  11:15 P.M.:  I chatted with two relatives.  I forgot to return a videotape today, so I will have to pay a dollar fine, when I return it tomorrow.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  9:50 P.M.:  I had the same summer salad that I have been eating most of July this time with a can of solid white albacore tuna fish along with a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  8:45 P.M.:  I fell to sleep about 8 A.M. this morning after talking with a friend.  I was up at 2 P.M. this afternoon.  I saw the sad news that Bob Hope http://www.bobhope.com/ had passed away.  I guess he is now walking the eternal fairways of heather that Scottish golfers and possibly a few English golfers are welcome to in the after life.  Back in July of 1972, I followed a charity professional amateur golf tournament at the Onwensia Country Club in Lake Forest, Illinois where Bob Hope was playing, and I followed him the entire round, and halfway through after the ninth hole, I went into the Men's Bar to use the bathroom, and while I was relieving myself, in walked Bob Hope telling jokes.  I do not recall what I said that time, but having enjoyed his comedy for many years, it was most enjoyable to see him.  A lot of the early actors and performers for the media networks were paid in stock, and since he had a long term affiliation with the NBC the National Broadcasting Company which was acquired by the General Electric corporation, more than likely he was a large stockholder in General Electric.  I had breakfast of pineapple orange juice, toast with strawberry jam, oatmeal, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I went downtown for my 4 P.M. appointment.  I then walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I stopped by CVS, and I bought two 4.5 ounce tubes of Crest Multicare Whitening toothpaste fresh mint flower for $1.49 each, and a 7 ounce containers of Gillette Series gel clean skin for $1.88 less .55 for the discount sticker on the can plus .26 tax for $4.57 total.  I then drove down by the waterfront.  I then went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times.  I next went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought two dry weight cans of California small pitted olives for .99, a 16 ounce bottle of Monari balsamic vinegar for $1.99, a quart of plum tomatoes for $2.99, two red Bermuda onions at $1.49 a pound for $2.10, a 10 ounce bag of fresh spinach for $1.50 for $10.56 total.  I then returned home, and I put away my purchases, and I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO    

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  7:25 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will try to go to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  6:55 A.M.:  I relaxed a bit.  I had ten Carr's crackers and ice tea.  I found this web site of the Tibet government in exile http://www.tibet.com/ with this information about the His Holiness the Dalai Lama http://www.tibet.com/DL/ with list of people whom he has met http://www.tibet.com/DL/leaders.html and this list of places where he has been http://www.tibet.com/DL/country.html , so thus he seems to be a world traveler and well known individual.  I have not read too much about him.  I know he use to have a lot of followers in Santa Cruz, California when I visited out there in 1978 to 1980 to see a neighbor of Richard Nixon's.  I also once read that when he was visiting Manhattan at one time, everyone thought he was a vegetarian, and he actually enjoyed having a steak occasionally.  I suppose since a lot of this computer technology came out of the area around Santa Cruz, California; some of his followers are heavily involved in the computer industry, and possibly they have earned a little money to host him should he ever encounter them.  Whatever the case, when I use to visit a half block from the United Nations in the 1970s more than likely a lot of different people from around the world were in that neighborhood and more than likely a great many people visited during that period.  We should always remember that in a United Nations area, when one is thinking about one country or individual, frequently someone equally important can show up in their travels.  Basically since I am frequently on a night schedule, I tend to miss the more important daily events going on in this area.  Whatever, the case I would imagine that since Tibet is a cold country, if the Dalai Lama ever showed up in this area in the summer, he more than likely would enjoy an air conditioner.  Well whenever I do occasionally make it outside in this warm weather,  I will try to be more observant of visitors from the warmer regions of the world.  However, the summer here comes and goes so fast, we frequently never get a chance to observe our warmer weather visitors, since we are frequently getting ready for another long winter.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  4:00 A.M.:  I did some regular computer work.  I had a bowl of cherry Jell-O and fruit cocktail along with some ice tea.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  2:45 A.M.:  I moved the bottle of French white wine in the sterling silver stag bottle holder on the Danish bar, and I replaced it with a Perrier bottle, which because of the neighborhood business we have an ample supply.  Thus I do not have any liquor displayed when one enters the apartment.  However, I do keep an open bottle of French white wine in the refrigerator for cooking purposes, and I also keep other alcoholic beverages around the apartment for emergency entertainment or disaster purposes, such as if we have a blizzard and a freezing traveler shows up which does happen in the north country.  By the time I get around to consuming most of it, it will probably be older than I am now.  My body metabolism does not digest liquor properly, and all it does for me is make me tired and want to go to bed.  Of course in my younger days, I did occasionally have a drink, but I actually spent more time watching other people drink.  I have explained many times before, when one smokes tobacco, and when one is on a limited income, one frequently has to make a choice between tobacco and liquor, and obviously since one is addicted to tobacco, one ends up spending the money on tobacco instead of liquor.  Anyway at the present, I still am keeping some stores, so in case some old guard type wants to have a cocktail in moderation it will be available.  I am well aware a great many people enjoy having a cocktail and relaxing in their homes.  I once knew Lyndon Johnson's heart surgeon who had designed Georgetown Medical center and whom had done thousands of heart operations, and he explained to me after all the thousands of autopsies he had done, smoking and cholesterol were not the biggest causes of heart disease, but it was mostly caused by stress.  Thus if a drink helps people to relax and live longer providing they do not try to drive, I will not begrudge them the luxury of relaxing.  Moreover in the travel and tourist activity in this area, we have an ample supply of livery vehicles.  I once went into Manhattan late at night to observe what the urban people do late at night as I did many times, and once I noticed about a thousand long stretch limousines parked outside the Chippendale's Night Club on First Avenue, so obviously their clientele could afford safe travel.   Of course with all the world's problems, it is hard to believe that many urban people could afford to waste that much money on livery vehicles for vicarious pleasure.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  2:15 A.M.:  This article reports that the state of Maine has a yearly increase of arrests and imprisonment of 11.5% ABCNEWS.com : States Face Growing Prison Population .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  2:05 A.M.:  Traffic accident report for this area MERRITT PARKWAY TRAFFIC ACCIDENT ANALYSIS from this web site Connecticut General Assembly .  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  1:50 A.M.:  For those of you thinking of traveling overseas and driving a vehicle, this page has some useful information http://www.drive-alive.co.uk/ and http://driving.drive-alive.co.uk/ .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  1:25 A.M.:  Of course Norwegians occasionally enjoy drinking a Ringness Beer, which I have only seen sold in America in Oyster Bay, Long Island.  I can not exactly recall where I saw it sold out there around 1982.  I also saw it sold about ten years ago at the delicatessen near North Salem, New York near I-684 around exit 6 on the south side of the road near the Horse and Hounds pub, where there is a sons of Oslo society.  They also sell a Swedish beer called Nordic Wolf.  Of course they also sell Ringness in Norway, and I had a glass of it in the old church pub behind the palace while I was there.  However, be forewarned in Norway there is a 15 year jail penalty for drinking and driving, so I guess Norwegians walk a lot when they have an alcoholic beverage.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/28/03  Monday  12:55 A.M.:  I made up a new batch of homemade hummus http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm with chic peas and a can of 6 ounce dry large black pitted olives and this time to the recipe I also added a 1/8th of a teaspoon of cayenne red pepper which helps reduce stomach gas from the chick peas which are garbanzo beans which are prone to give one a bit of stomach gas.  I then made my usual super summer salad this time adding a tin of King Oscar http://www.kingoscar.no/ sardines.  Besides being a food company, there once was a real King Oscar of Norway, who I guess was the grandfather of the current monarch of Norway http://www.kongehuset.no/ .  I have read that the Norwegian Royal family tend to be very private, and they shun publicity, so their web site is all that is really know about them.  I remember seeing King Olaf walking around the palace grounds when I was up there in the winter of 1983, but I guess I missed the rest of his family.  King Olaf had a very imposing presence and looked like the King.  I guess his son King Harald V takes after his father.  I suppose Norwegians would be a little warm around here this time of year, so more than likely they are up north in Norway.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  11:25 P.M.:  I went back out again, and I bought two more bottles of Filippo Berio http://www.filippoberio.com/  extra virgin olive oil in 17 ounce bottles produced in Italy which is a $1.80 off on sale for $3.69 a bottle for $7.38 total.  I bought the last two bottles on display, so hopefully they will put more out more tomorrow.  I then drove down by the waterfront, and all the weekend revelers had disappeared.  I then walked the upper section of Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out at various locations.  I then stopped by the Stop and Shop again just before closing at 11 P.M., and I bought a 16 ounce bottle of Italian Monari balsamic vinegar also produced in Italy that was $1.99 off.  I thus have about 24 ounces of the Carapelli extra virgin olive oil that I bought last October and four new 17 ounce bottles of the Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil and two 16 ounce bottles of the Monari balsamic vinegar, so I am thus stocked up on salad and cooking provisions.  It is important to keep the olive oil in a cool dark place, so I put it on the kitchen shelf to the left of the counter area, and I put the vinegar in a hanging wire basket over the microwave oven that I keep my onions and garlic in.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  9:20 P.M.:  I went out, and I stopped by the Food Emporium, and I browsed the olive oil selections.  I then went across the street to the Stop and Shop, and I browsed the olive oil selection.  This week Filippo Berio http://www.filippoberio.com/  extra virgin olive oil in 17 ounce bottles produced in Itay is a $1.80 off on sale for $3.69 a bottle.  I bought two for $7.38 total.  I next went by the Exxon station, and I bought $5.50 of regular unleaded gasoline at $1.759 a gallon for about 27 miles per gallon this week.  I then went downtown, and I walked lower Greenwich Avenue briefly before it started sprinkling.  I noticed at the veterans monument across the street from the senior and arts center that today they laid a wreath of flowers and placed a large POW-MIA banner on top of the wreath at that location.  I just now returned home.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  6:45 P.M.:  I went through my email.  I chatted with a friend's relative, and I chatted with a relative.  I guess I will now clean up, and I will go out.  It is 88 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but I have the air conditioner set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is presently 72 degrees Fahrenheit in the apartment.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  5:30 P.M.:  Greenwich Times story on the neighborhood shooting this past Friday Greenwich Time - Byram man kills wife, self .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  5:10 P.M.:  I have been watching Simon Winchester on Book TV channel 66 lecturing on his book "Krakatoa, the Day the World Exploded August 27, 1883" Krakatoa, Simon Winchester - HarperCollins .  What got me interested again in volcanology when I got on the internet nine years ago was that whenever we had cold winters in this area, it was because of volcanic activity worldwide.  During one cold winter in February 1975, I was chatting with a friend of mine's godmother who was a neighbor of the Roosevelt family in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York and active in St. Bartholomew's Church in Manhattan.  From what I can tell, since the lady was a scholar was that being a neighbor of the Roosevelts, she had contacts at the Natural History museum in Manhattan, and being a member of St. Bartholomew's church in Manhattan next to the Waldorf Astoria, she also dealt with visitors whom had traveled and reported on a number of different events.  That day when I was chatting with her, she happened to mention that after Krakatoa erupted New York had ten feet of snow one of the following winters.  Her godson had a Renoir painting of Vesuvius erupting in Italy in his apartment, so I guess since he spoke 12 different languages, he or she might have been involved in collecting reports on some of these different events when we did not have the internet.  Whatever, the case back then I was so busy dealing with the cold weather, I did not have much chance to pay attention to the worldwide volcanic activity at the time, but once I got a chance to collect my thoughts in my different travels, it began to seem relevant.  I was up at 3 P.M. today, and I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I think some of these regular wharf watchers on the waterfront are relatives of a local whom I have not seen in a while who was a Comanche Indian whom use to work as a security guard.  Thus they may not be Hispanic or Latin American but native American Comanches whom return every year to their Happy Hunting Grounds.  One can figure with all the retired people going to New Mexico in the winter that maybe a few Comanches might return here on the rebound during our warmer months. 

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  4:20 A.M.:  Well, if you want to know something of the history of the development of the hinterlands, one might look at http://www.railfan.net .  Of course for armchair travelers like myself, the subject of travel by rail to far way locations is beyond my present budget.  I do have a friend who is related to someone that supposedly knows something about railroads and transport, but I would generally assume that my paternal grandfather knew much the same stuff.  So meanwhile back east while we are working on the railroad, I will try to keep an eye on our local railroad when I can occasionally make it downtown to walk Greenwich Avenue.  I only go into the railroad station about once a week, but after 19.5 years on Greenwich Avenue, I am quite use to seeing visitors come and go out of our local railroad facility.  We have several veteran railroad retirees who also try to keep an eye on the activity.  I have not been going downtown as much at night, since I have been spending more time downtown in the afternoons and early evenings.  Basically, some of the newer downtown residents are not use to seeing me as much compared to some of the veteran downtown residents.  Meanwhile on the southwestern reaches of Connecticut as it abuts to New York State, we seem to be getting about the same level of traffic as in past years at a slightly slower pace.  I suppose one's perspective changes with the time of day.  Whatever, the case I read in the local paper that the airport traffic has not changed.  It is just that since former President Clinton is no longer president, they returned to the normal flight patterns routing the regular air traffic over the traditional flight path which comes in and out from the northeast as opposed from the southeast.  Thus for all I know the air traffic is much the same, it is just at this point, we no longer hear and see it.  I suppose it will remain this way for a while.  As far as automobile traffic, it seems just about the same depending on the time of day.  Of course all activity in this area tends to come and go in waves depending on the season, time of day, weather, and I suppose economic activity.  From my viewpoint, the town is pretty much the same as always, but at a slightly slower pace.  After all we are only about 25 miles from the center of Manhattan, so obviously there are still quite a lot of people still out there in the wood work.  I did read in the local paper that the Federal Government has approved an evacuation plan for Indian Point Nuclear power plant, but another group of activists want it decommissioned.  There is also some talk about building a new bridge or tunnel to replace the Tappan Zee bridge, and it might have a light railroad line for commuters, which because of the topography might not be able to go into Tarrytown, but would have to come out at Irvington.  All of these matters are still up in the air.  Basically knowing New York State's finances, I figure they will probably keep the current Tappan Zee Bridge until it falls down in which case the Bear Mountain Bridge would be a slower alternative or the George Washington Bridge down the Hudson.  I still remember when the Tappan Zee Bridge was fairly new, and I have not looked at it in about five years, so I would assume it is all right.  Of course the George Washington Bridge is much older.  Since I am not considered part of the New York team, I do not worry about such matters beyond my local hometown.  Well, I am a bit tired, so I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.   CIO 

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  3:45 A.M.:  I just noticed there is an old label on the backside of the headboard of the pineapple post daybed from the Star Furniture Company in Jamestown, New York.

It says No. 2B 3/3 Mahog. Dept. 71, No. B00005, and it was shipped to the Shepard Stores, King Terminal, 44 Kay St., So. Boston, Mass..  Thus it a genuine New York state day bed, probably 50 to a 100 years old that spent a bit of time up in Boston before it moved back down to Greenwich, Connecticut.  The pineapple posts are the old Boston symbol of hospitality derived from the Christian missionaries when they first went to Hawaii preaching the gospel, not to be confused with the United States Military version of a similar product.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  3:05 A.M.:  I am down to about 24 ounces of Carapelli http://www.carapelli.com/  extra virgin olive oil which comes from Florence, Italy.  The last three liter container I bought last October 2002 cost me about $7.99 at the Food Emporium when it was on sale then down from $27.99.  I will have to keep an eye out to see if they have a similar sale soon.  When I was in Florence, Italy during the first three months of 1972, I stayed at the Pensione Adria when I was not traveling.  During my travels in Italy, France, Spain, Greece, and Turkey in that period I enjoyed the taste of fresh olive oil, which seemed to have a more nutty almond like taste compared to what we get in the new world.  Thus I guess it is hard to get fresh olive oil at a reasonable price from the old country.  I guess I could try to email Cosmo Di Medici and see if he could help out.  I have not seen him around recently.  I know in the summer in front of the Pitti Palace Piazza, they have some sort of festival.  Since the Italians like hot weather, there is still probably not much air conditioning in Italy, except in the winter.  Since Florence, Italy was the first city I ever lived in, and since the previous three and half years I had been in college north of Chicago at Lake Forest College www.lfc.edu and lived in Boston, both of which have colder climates than the Greenwich and New York areas, I was use to colder weather.  The winter of 1972 was very cold in Europe, and a great many people migrated further south, since there was also a coal workers' strike in England.  To me the weather was similar in Florence, Italy to New York, New York which was warmer than what I was use to.  Thus when everyone else was rather cold at night, I use to walk around late at night when it was colder enjoying the sights of the city, when there was no traffic, and when only the street cleaning machines were out hosing down the streets with their water cannons.  It was a very beautiful city to walk around in the winter late at night.  However, in the day time since Florence is in the Arno River valley, and since there were quite a lot of automobiles on old narrow streets and roads, there was a lot of automobile pollution settling in the valley and quite a bit of traffic noise.  I had an inside room at the Pensione Adria which was quiet in the daytime when I slept.  Well, I suppose it has not changed much.  I once read the area around the Piazza Michelangelo up on the hill behind the di Medici palace is some of the most expensive real estate in Europe, which it well might be.  Thus as Europe on $5 a day tourist, I was bit overwhelmed by the potential expenses of the area.  I believe I paid about $45 a week for my single inside room at the Pensione Adria which came with a continental breakfast which I never had and dinner which I always enjoyed.  One did have to insert 100 lire coins into the gas water heater for the bathtub shower ever three minutes.  Back in 1972, there were 565 lire to a dollar.  I believe at that time a package of Marlboros in Italy was about 2,600 lire or close to $5, so I use to smoke the less expensive European cigarettes like Gauloise, Du Maurier, Astor, Dunhill, and at the moment I can not remember the name of a common Italian cigarette, except for maybe "MS" which are my initials.  I do recall walking quite a bit in Europe during that trip, until I bought a car in Greece in April.  Thus it was an enjoyable experience.  However, since I was on a limited budget, I ate at a lot of the laboring working class restaurants in the city, which had most excellent meals.  We always had wine and Peregrino Italian bubbling water with our meals.  Thus I learned a bit about Etruscan cooking which is basically sautéing with olive oil, butter, lemon juice, and garlic.  Well, from what I can tell, the Italians have been enjoying La Dolce Vita, the Good Life for thousands of years, thus when people visit Italy on holiday, they tend to have an enjoyable visit.  Still, if one is not use to walking a lot, one will have the extra expense of hiring a vehicle.  The Italians in the city in Florence were thin and cosmopolitan, unlike their more heavy American cousins.  Thus the old suburban expression that the Italians get "Fatter and Fatter" the further they move out from Manhattan truly applies, and as they get older, they begin to enjoy the health benefits of lowering their cholesterol with olive oil and garlic.  Thus those stories about 100 year old men working in the fields in Italy growing and harvesting olives is part of their historical tradition.  However, Florence, Italy is a bit like Texas in that area they also raise a lot of beef, so there are a lot of leather products and biftek a la Florentine, which is a thin beef steak cooked Etruscan style.  I do not recall seeing a lot of Italian cowboys, but I suppose one would have to realize they were more than likely wearing Gucci when they came into the city from their country villas.  I do recall enjoying drinking Galliano which is an Italian liquor which comes in tall bottles which has a licorice flavor and is yellow in color.  I also enjoyed raisin liquors many of which were aged many years.  Of course they also had their own brandies and other deluxe wines.  Thus if one has alcoholic drinking problems or one is a member of Alcoholic's Anonymous, one should probably avoid Italy.  It would be your down fall.  Basically like France, there is cafe bar on every corner.  Well, I just had two scoops of Edy's raspberry sorbet, which sort of tastes like Italian Ice.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  1:20 A.M.:  I chatted with a couple today from southern Europe, and they told me that one can buy "Cold Pressed" Olive Oil in Astoria Queens, New York.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  12:40 A.M.:  Another news story on the shooting on Friday in my neighborhood http://www.msnbc.com/local/NTCT/57619.asp?0LA=aer9n .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/27/03  Sunday  12:20 A.M.:  I finished going through my email.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/26/03  Saturday  11:25 P.M.:  I found this interesting site about Oslo, Norway which I visited during the end of February 1983 and the first part of March of that year Forbes Virtual Guide, Oslo, Norway .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/26/03  Saturday  10:45 P.M.:  I had the same Greek Style summer salad that I have been eating all month, and this time I added a can of flaked sold white albacore tuna fish with it along with a glass of ice tea.  The Greek salad is not too expensive.  Basically five large leaves of Red lettuce cost about .25, two plum tomatoes cost about .50, 20 baby carrots cost about .25, a half of red Bermuda onion costs about .35, 15 large black pitted olives cost about .35, five double tablespoon dabs of homemade hummus costs about .35, 20 croutons costs about .20, 1/8 of a cup of grated parmesan cheese costs about .20, 2 ounces of Monari Balsamic vinegar costs about .40 and two ounces of Italian extra virgin olive oil costs about .50, and 2 ounces of feta cheese costs about .75, and a can of solid white albacore tuna or crab meat or tiny shrimp or canned salmon or sardines costs about $1 to $2.50, so the approximate cost of a large summer style Greek salad is $5.10 to $6.60 at current prices.  It is a bit more than I have been use to spending regularly for dinner over the years, but I have been trying to eat healthier and lose weight this month.  I figure Greece is not too wealthy of a country, and if the Greeks can afford a similar diet, we more modest people in America can also afford it, while the produce is in season, which it generally is year round because of California and Florida.  I noticed a local Connecticut farm stand across the street today by the Chinese laundry with fresh picked sweet corn.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/26/03  Saturday  9:25 P.M.:  I was up at 1 P.M. today.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, pineapple orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I vacuumed the apartment.  I cleaned up, and I went out.  I drove over to Tod's Point, and I took the 2.5 mile walk around Tod's Point.  If anyone has lost a black domestic rabbit with two small tan spots on the right side, I saw it hopping around the area of the Holly Grove.  I next went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I noticed a black squirrel at the veterans monument too.  They normally come from further north.  I stopped by CVS, and I bought the last two packages of www.greatcleaners.com containing Orange Eliminator instant spot remover, Orange Glo Wood and Cleaner and Polish, Oxi Clean , and Orange Clean tough acting degreaser and multi-purpose cleaner for 75% off the whole box of cleaners for $2.50 each box plus .30 tax for $5.30 total.  I then completed my walk.  I then drove down by the waterfront, and there was no parking because the area was full of wharf rats.  I then went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought four cans of California jumbo and large pitted black olives 6 ounces dry weight for .99 each, a 8 ounce package of Athena made in Wisconsin feta cheese with garlic and herbs for $3.20, two 28 ounce cans of Goya chick peas .99 each, two red Bermuda onions at .99 a pound for $1.54, a 16 ounce bag of baby carrots for $1.69, and a head of red leaf lettuce for .79 for $13.16 total.  I then returned home, and I brought up my purchases with my cart, which I keep behind my apartment door. CIO

Note: <888> 07/26/03  Saturday  4:40 A.M.:  Stamford Advocate story on the neighborhood tragedy yesterday The Advocate - Greenwich man kills wife, self .  I will head off to sleep.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/26/03  Saturday  2:40 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer.  I will go to bed soon.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/26/03  Saturday  2:10 A.M.:  I installed some Windows Updates on my Windows XP system.  I am about to have a bowl of cherry Jell-O with fruit cocktail.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/26/03  Saturday  1:05 A.M.:  This is a link to the shooting story in my neighborhood http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=1375907&nav=3YeXH6pr .  The Greenwich Time http://www.greenwichtime.com/ should have the story later on today.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/26/03  Saturday  12:50 A.M.:  I finished cleaning the apartment and watering the plants.  I will do the vacuuming later on today, when I wake up.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/25/03  Friday  11:05 P.M.:  I had the same summer salad for dinner this time with King Oscar sardines, and I also added the sardine olive oil.  I took five leaves of chilled red lettuce, and I removed the stalks, and I broke them into two to three inch pieces, and I put them in a lettuce spinner, and I rinsed them underneath cold water.  I put them on a dinner plate.  I then spread 20 chilled baby carrots over the dinner plate on top of the red leaf lettuce.  I then sliced two chilled plum tomatoes into 3/16 inch thick slices, and I put them on the plate.  I next put five chilled heaping double tablespoons of homemade hummus www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm evenly spaced on the salad. I next spread 15 chilled large pitted black olives on the salad including one in each dab of hummus.  I the put one half of a chilled diced red Bermuda onion on the salad.  I then spread 20 Pepperidge Farm generous cut low fat Caesar croutons on the salad.  I added the container of King Oscar sardines and the sardine olive oil.  I then spread 2 ounces of the chilled garlic and herbal feta cheese over the salad.  I then spread about an eighth of a cup of chilled grated parmesan cheese over the salad.  I then spread about an eighth of a cup of room temperature Monari Italian balsamic vinegar and a eighth of a cup of room temperature Italian extra virgin olive oil over the salad.  I seasoned it with ground black pepper and salt.  I had the salad for dinner with a glass of ice tea.  I chatted with a friend and a relative.  I will now do my house cleaning and watering the plants instead of waiting until tomorrow.  I will hold off on the vacuuming, until I wake up tomorrow.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/25/03  Friday  8:50 P.M.:  I went out after 4:45 P.M..  As I was exiting the complex, I noticed about six police cars and a police investigation van along with a couple of tow trucks at the family residential units that line the road coming into the public housing McKinney Terrace residential complex here in Byram a part of Greenwich, Connecticut where I live in the elderly and disabled building at the end of the road.  I chatted with two of my neighbors, and they told me a long time resident here who was a town employee in the family apartments had shot his wife and then committed suicide.  Thus the police were investigating the crime scene.  Apparently the channel 8 and channel 3 local television news stations covered the story.  I have not seen or read any news stories on the subject.  When I left here, I went over to Smokes for Less in Byram, and I bought a carton of Seneca Ultra Lights 100s for $31 total.  I then stopped by the Arnold Bread outlet, and I bought two 5.5 ounce boxes of Arnold Home-style croutons garlic and herb flavor larger size for .99 each box and two loaves of Arnold Brannola nutty grain bread for .99 each less 10% senior discount of .40 for $3.56 total.  I then drove down by the waterfront, and some of the local wharf rats were there.  I then went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I stopped by CVS, and I bought the last box of www.greatcleaners.com containing Orange Eliminator instant spot remover, Orange Glo Wood and Cleaner and Polish, Oxi Clean , and Orange Clean tough acting degreaser and multi-purpose cleaner for 75% off the whole box of cleaners for $2.50 plus .15 tax for $2.65 total.  I then completed my walk, and I returned home.  The police were just departing the crime scene.  One of my neighbors told me the perpetrator had been out watching the baseball game last night with hundreds of other people.  I had a glass of ice tea, and I will now put away my purchases.  I chatted with a friend's relative, and I chatted with a relative.  CIO

End of Scott's Notes week of 07/25/03:

Note: <888> 07/25/03  Friday  4:05 P.M.:  I was up at 2:30 P.M..  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I will now send out my weekly notes.  It is 91 degrees Fahrenheit outside right now, so I guess it has warmed up locally.  I have my General Electric Profile 15,500 BTU air conditioner with remote control set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is about 72 degrees Fahrenheit in the apartment presently.  After I send out my weekly notes, I will clean up, and I will go out for some day time activity.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/25/03  Friday  3:05 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/25/03  Friday  2:50 A.M.:  I dusted of the items on top of the long mahogany bureau in the living room.  I keep a number of candle sticks in case we ever run short of electricity.  I also have a number of candles in the left hallway bookcase.  I generally do not watch too much television, so when I am not busy on the internet, I just do some normal maintenance routines.  I could consider throwing out all the empty boxes I have stored in the closet and the television chest, but I have kept them in case I need to package up the items again that came in them.  They do take up quite a bit of storage space, but that will have to wait for another time.  I also have quite a few pairs of old shoes that I have not got donated, since I have kept them in case I need to have old shoes for some type of more industrial work in case it is ever muddy here.  Still, I have lots of good pairs of shoes too.  I have also kept all my clothes from when I weighed 135 pound up to my present weight of 208 pounds, so in case I manage to lose weight I will have an even better wardrobe.  Thus one's own apartment is the best thrift shop, if it is properly managed.  In the second hamper I have by the end of the day bed, I have stored lots of pairs of pants that are waist 32 inches to 34 inches, which at my present waist 40 inches do not fit me.  I have about 6 humidifiers stored in the false ceiling above the bedroom bed in case the government pays for our electricity again, and I keep the apartment warmer in the winter, which also makes it drier in the winter.  With the cooler temperatures in the apartment in the recent winters, it is plenty damp, so I do not need to use the humidifiers.  I also have three sit on the ground blue and white beach chairs stored there too, besides the two long beach chairs in the back of the car.  I have my computer shipping box stored there, and a number of throw pillows that I am not using.  Above the area above the Danish bar in the living room, I have stored my pine cone Christmas wreath and a small two foot tall artificial Christmas tree.  I have a lot of paper goods stored in the right side of the bedroom closet shelf, and basically the apartment has evolved to its present state, since I paid for all the items, I do not feel like getting rid of them.  I also have a rug shampooer stored underneath the day bed with its attachments.  I have not cleaned the rug in two years, but since I never wear my shoes in the apartment, and since I vacuum once a week, the rugs are in pretty good shape.  I have so much furniture in the apartment, I was thinking of taking the day bed up to a relative's in Maine in September if a friend can get away in his station wagon.  I paid $70 for the antique pineapple day bed at the Merry Go Round Mews thrift shop, and it is about 2.5 feet wide by about 6 feet long with pineapple posts.  It came with a custom size box spring and mattress which are in very good shape.  I use it for guests, but since I rarely have guests, it is just taking up a lot of space.  I could have a guest sleep on the long couch which has a new olive color corduroy slip cover on it.  Since I have been smoking by the kitchen stove fan, the apartment does not have the intense smell of smoke anymore.  If I moved the day bed out of the apartment, I could move the long mahogany bureau underneath the mirror on the far living room wall, and I could put the two Danish end tables that I have stacked into a bar on either side of it.  I then could slide the blue love seat couch out further away from the long green couch which are only presently separated by about three feet, and there would be about five feet between them.  I then could use the large brass and glass coffee table I have on the bedroom Danish desk as a bigger coffee table in the living room, with the two brass and glass end tables, I have together between the present couch setup as end tables on the blue couch.  Of course it is nice have a comfortable day bed for guests too.  Whatever the case, it depends on weather the friend can transport it to Maine.  I would also have a storage problem with all the glassware on the Danish bar setup and its other items.  Also the old backup IBM Cyrix computer and other items are on the brass and glass coffee table in the bedroom above the desk giving the desk a working area.  Thus my apartment is like a Rubik's cube, when you move one item, one has to move a whole lot of other items.  I would also have to store the items I have stored underneath the day bed.  Thus after 14.5 years in this apartment, I have accumulated quite a few personal belongings.  Still, in its present layout the apartment is workable and orderly.  I have been told by a friend that the apartment looks like the interior of one of the private Vanderbilt railroad cars in Shelburn, Vermont.  Well, anyway that is the state of my own pied a terre in the Greenwich, Connecticut area.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/25/03  Friday  1:50 A.M.:  I washed and dried and polished all the cocktail, bar, and other glassware on the Danish bar, which are over a 100 items.  I dusted the Danish bar, and its other items beside the glassware.  Underneath the Danish bar, I have a number of mixers which are probably about 5 years old, but I would imagine they are still good.  The water in the three seltzer bottles is about two years old, maybe three.  Thus although it is still set up the same, it looks a lot more sparkling and clean than it did before with a couple of years of dust on it.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  11:50 P.M.:  I had four Danish cookies.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  11:35 P.M.:  I watched some television.  I chatted with a relative.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  10:05 P.M.:  I chatted with two relatives.  I went through my email.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  8:15 P.M.:  I had the same super summer salad that I have been eating regularly recently, but this time I made it with a six ounce can of solid white albacore tuna fish.  I had the salad with a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  7:20 P.M.:  I had 15 Breton wheat crackers for a snack while I was first trying to sleep.  I was up at 1 P.M., and I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I cleaned up, and I went out.  I made my 3 P.M. appointment.  I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift shop.  I bought for $15 an antique mirror about 50 years old with a maple wood finish about 30 inches by 19 inches with the mirror part 23 inches by 15 inches.  It has a curved top with rounded edge and a grove in the wood.  The mirror glass in it seems to be newer, since it is not spotted like many old mirrors.  I then went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I then went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times and P.C. Magazine.  I then returned home.  I hung the antique mirror on the hallway side of the bathroom door, so it looks roomier in the hallway, since I keep the bathroom door closed most of the time.  I took the Ducks Unlimited pictures of wild ducks off the bathroom door, and I hung it behind the bedroom desk behind the large Long Island light bulb.  I took the antique mahogany frame mirror from behind the bedroom desk, and I hung it above the clothes hooks on the right side of the bedroom entrance, so it looks more spacious.  I put the picture of the Great Blue Heron that was there on the lower left side wall at the bathroom door entrance beneath the French picture of the Moulin Rouge.  I thus was able to do something a little bit more creative today.  I have a total of 14 mirrors of various sizes that help make my smaller apartment look a little bit more spacious.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  4:15 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer.  I will go to bed soon.  I have a 3 P.M. appointment later on today.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  4:05 A.M.:  A neighbor inquired today, if I had a General Electric reader light, and I checked my inventory of bulbs, and I have a 170 watt General Electric reader light along with a 3 way bulb.  I do not have a fixture I read around that can fit the larger General Electric reader light, since one need a larger floor lamp to hold it.  I gave my large standing reading lamp with a Victorian type lamp shade to a friend in Irvington, New York whom did not have adequate light along with the collected series of novels by Washington Irving, which I bought for about $5 at the Tarrytown, New York Episcopal church tag sale about 10 years ago.  I hope he got a chance to read a lot like his father always does.  I do not think it is safe to put in a hotter light bulb in a smaller lamp fixture. I did put in a 100 watt bulb in the brass and marble small lamp with orange glass glove that I have on the Danish bar for brighter reading if one sits in the yellow French antique style chair or the blue corduroy love seat.  I also have two Cole Porter lamps on either side of the day bed, which I leave off.  The one by the head of the bed with the pillows has a 100 watt bulb in it with a hand turn rheostat to dim it.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  3:35 A.M.:  I put the ice tea in the refrigerator.  I went through my email earlier.  Volcano information from http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/ follows:

KLIUCHEVSKOI  Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 56.06°N, 160.64°E; summit elev. 4,835
m

Seismicity was above background levels at Kliuchevskoi during 11-18 July.
Several earthquakes occurred each day with magnitudes of 1.3-2.2 at depths
around 30 km and at shallower levels. Explosions sent ash clouds to a height of
~1 km above the volcano and during 12-16 July ash clouds reached ~2 km above
the volcano. Kliuchevskoi remained at Concern Color Code Orange
<http://www.avo.alaska.edu/avo4/updates/color_code.html>.  CIO

Generally when  the Volcanoes erupt in Northeastern Russia or Western Alaska, it can make for cooler rainy weather in the summer, and much colder northwestern winter weather in the winter as the volcanic winds circle around the artic circle blocking what remain of the sunlight in the Nordic nights of winter.  Thus since we live in an area that gets weather from further north, it is relevant to the people whom live in the New York area on a four seasons basis, since the Nordic winds can come spinning down from the north country with gusts of much colder air in the winter.  Of course it effects other people around the world in northern locations too.  CIO
 

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  3:00 A.M.:  Back in the early and mid 1970s when I helped a friend run a rent controlled apartment in Manhattan near the United Nations, since we had no oil out in the suburbs, it was important to the friend to always use Twinings tea or other teas available at http://www.mcnultys.com/ along with coffees.  Since presently we have energy in the suburbs, and we can afford to be frugal gourmets, I enjoy adding a variety of teas to my ice tea mixture.  Since Greenwich, Connecticut is on Long Island Sound which is on the Atlantic seaboard, we tend to have a larger variety of imported products here at reasonable prices than one might find in the hinterlands of America.  However, I recently noticed that Costco in Port Chester, New York sells Twinings Earl Grey tea in bulk quantities at very reasonable prices along with a number of other popular items if one can afford the yearly fee of a Costco card of $45.  Also one needs room to store bulk items in their residents, which in my 450 square foot apartment, I do not always have.  The last time I saw the friend that lived near the United Nations he had moved uptown five blocks in the same neighborhood to a swankier apartment on a higher floor that was more private.  I preferred the ground floor rent controlled apartment, since when one was doing many errands, it was easier to run out at a moments notice on an errand without the hassle of an elevator and a doorman.  The friend was somewhat of a scholar speaking a dozen different languages, and at that time about 11 years ago, the friend had a Chinese helper who was attending Columbia University, and the friend was reading 600 year old books about five inches thick in some dialect of Chinese that I did not recognize.  Thus although the friend is suppose to be pushing up tulips according the American press, since the friend had lived all over the world, the friend whom was Nordic but preferred warmer weather could be living on a tea plantation in China trying to figure out how he arrived there, and if possibly was kidnapped by extraterrestrials in the process of trying to run an orderly environment in Manhattan near the United Nations.  I have seen that friend here a number of times, and he still prefers to ride a bicycle like in Peking, and for a long time there was a youngster here that I have not seen in two years that looked like the friend's son or relative.  Thus the friend has look-alikes or he is pursuing other more advanced academic matters, and does not want to be bothered in the current environment he may have settled in.  That was the same friend that kept the Friedrich http://www.friedrich.com/ air conditioner going in his apartment all winter in Manhattan during some very cold winters, and the same friend was a neighbor in Nantucket.  Thus Nordic people have a large area to hide out in, where ever they may chose to go after Manhattan.  The last time I saw that friend about 11 years ago, I suggested to the friend to visit Norway.  I once saw the same friend's image on a Royal Viking cruise brochure after he supposedly started pushing up tulips.  I do know the King of Sweden likes collecting Chinese Art, so maybe the friend was dispatched to China to collect art for the King of Sweden.  Whatever the case, it is not my inclination to interfere with other people's sovereign affairs, since I tend to lead a very simple of life myself.  Basically to get all my chores done, I can not spend too much time on dwelling on other major world affairs in the media, since I am attempting to run my version of that friend's apartment based on about 1/20th of the annual budget compared to what the friend spent in those rather harsh financial times.  Thus by working for people whom are better financed, one learns some upscale shopping habits, which the simpler people in the hinterlands, may not appreciate.  Anyway, when one writes, one is suppose to write from experience.  Thus in my web log, I am writing from experience.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  2:25 A.M.:  Weather story CNN.com - As world swelters, some rare cool spots - Jul. 23, 2003 .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  1:45 A.M.:  While on the subject of tea, I am making up a new batch of www.geocities.com/mikelscott/icetea.htm .  I changed the recipe which I have been using for the last six months to reflect my inventory of currently available teas that I am using in the mixture.  I am down to my last box Bigelow 100 count tea bags, since I gave away about two thirds of the 35 boxes of 100 count that I bought about 18 months ago for a dollar apiece at Staples in Port Chester, New York from their clearance section.  Of course Bigelow in America is known as a Boston tea company, but the last time I looked there were no tea plantations in Boston.  I think Bigelow tea might come from China, since it has China black pekoe tea in it along with orange pekoe tea.  I gave away a lot of the tea, since I knew it would spoil before I used it all up.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  1:05 A.M.:  I had a bowl of cheery Jell-O with fruit cocktail mixed into it.  Well, not much is happening in Greenwich, since people whom seem to be able to afford to live here, also seemed to be able to afford to take vacations in the summer.  Thus more than likely other people whom have not seen or traveled to Greenwich, Connecticut obviously might venture here in their travels too.  Having lived in a number of resort communities, I have a different viewpoint of Greenwich than some of the real estate agents whom think this is a strictly private town.  With up to a million vehicles traveling through this town every week on two major highways, I would say it would be safe to say that the downtown area reflects a cross section of traveling America.  No one ever asks me anything with all my experience, but how to get to Interstate 95, which if one is downtown is right at the train station, left at the first light.  I found it unique today that somebody walking up Greenwich Avenue whom looked familiar asked me how to get to the Stop and Shop.  I had to figure out to alternative paths, the shortest one or the scenic one.  I suppose it was somebody off of a boat, since frequently people off boats do not have cars, and they have to come ashore to gather provisions, which having lived in Nantucket, Key West, Manhattan and other nautical locations such as Fort Lauderdale and other parts of both the Atlantic and Pacific shores of America and around the world, I am use to seeing.  Of course a lot of people around here wear topsiders boat shoes, so it does not mean they are all experienced around the waterfront though.  I told the visitor that the Stop and Shop was a Dutch supermarket and opposed to the Food Emporium which is a German supermarket or as opposed to the Food Mart which is an Italian supermarket.  I do not know the ownership of the organic food supermarket on the Post Road just east of Greenwich Avenue, but all the employees of the various supermarkets reflect the cultural diversity of the food industry as we know it in America.  I chatted with one store employee from Burma today, and since Burma use to be a British colony more than likely there are still large tea plantations in Burma.  I asked if the movie "Bridge on the River Kwai" took place in Burma, and I was told it took place in Thailand.  I remembered in the movie that the bridge on the River Kwai was on the Rangoon, Burma railroad line which went to China.  I told him I knew about Burma tigers, and that Thailand was one of the most alligator and crocodile infested areas in Asia.  I asked if the river scene in the end of the movie "Romancing the Stone" with all the crocodiles was filmed in Burma, and he told me probably Thailand.  Still the Food Emporium is owned by the A&P company which started in 1859 selling tea and coffee, thus over the years a lot of people have had to deal with a lot of tropical nature to get a good cup of tea back in the northern countries.  My father knew a British general whom had served in Burma, and the British general gave my father the first Beatles albums to come to the Americas at least a year before they were on Ed Sullivan, and we use to lend them out to the local radio station here in Greenwich, since all the older teenagers enjoyed the music.  That was in the good old days when a Dutch family owned the Greenwich radio station.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/24/03  Thursday  12:25 A.M.:  For information on Mental Health http://www.mentalhealth.com/ , however I have not had time to search the site for "Internet Addiction", however "Internet Addiction" could be just considered reading, which a great many literate people do, depending on what content one looks at.  I suppose reading documents in *.pdf format on the computer has the advantage that one can enlarge the type on the monitor to a readable format.  One document I looked at had 1/32nd of inch size type when printed out, so despite all the profits in the pharmaceutical industry, they are still trying to save paper by printing in extremely small type.  I suppose it is because pills come in small bottles, so the instructions that come on small slips with the bottles have to be in small type.  I guess a lot of Doctors have to use magnifying reading glasses.  Of course the medical profession can afford larger high resolution color LCD monitors, which some of the other laymen can not.  I compose my web pages in fairly large type, so people using laptop computers with smaller screens can ready the pages more easily.  Being Scottish frugal, I use red letters and a white back ground, because they stand out on a color monitor.  Also when one prints out red letters on a black ink printer or black and white laser printer, it is like grey thus consuming less ink.  However, if one printed out my notes in color, it would consume up one's red ink cartridge much faster than normal.  Also Red and White are the colors of Switzerland, the International Red Cross, and the American Red Cross, Canada, Denmark, and a few other lesser known groups.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/23/03  Wednesday  10:25 P.M.:  Food for thought http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov/ .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/23/03  Wednesday  9:55 P.M.:  I got a post card today from http://www.visitbritain.com/ .  They apparently have a lot of travel bargains to the United Kingdom right now.  American Airlines Vacations 1-800-321-2121 air and hotel package 4 days / 3 nights from $589, 7 days / 6 nights from $685 at the Thistle Euston, London with a free English breakfast daily.  One can also stay until September 30, 2003 at any of 11 Marriott Hotels in and around London for the special rate of $110, $141, or $189 per room for two with an English breakfast included call 1-800-228-9290 and mention reference code "LYJG", and of course the web site www.visitbritain.com/2003 or http://www.travelbritain.org/ has other travel bargains.  With so many Yanks going over there, I will have to keep a keen eye out for visiting Limeys, since the first thing they teach one in travel and tourism is that the road runs two ways.  On the front of the post card from Visit Britain, it says, "Only in Britain Can You See Crown Jewels Without Spending the Family Fortune."  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/23/03  Wednesday  9:35 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/23/03  Wednesday  9:00 P.M.:  I installed a Windows XP security update from Windows Update.  I took five leaves of chilled red lettuce, and I removed the stalks, and I broke them into two to three inch pieces, and I put them in a lettuce spinner, and I rinsed them underneath cold water.  I put them on a dinner plate.  I then spread 20 chilled baby carrots over the dinner plate on top of the red leaf lettuce.  There was an article on ABC news web site last night that mentioned baby carrots http://www.grimmway.com/baby.htm , but I can not find it now in their search engine.  I then sliced two chilled plum tomatoes into 3/16 inch thick slices, and I put them on the plate.  I next put five chilled heaping double tablespoons of homemade hummus www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm evenly spaced on the salad. I next spread 15 chilled large pitted black olives on the salad including one in each dab of hummus.  I the put one half of a chilled diced red Bermuda onion on the salad.  I then spread 20 Pepperidge Farm generous cut low fat Caesar croutons on the salad.  I then opened a 7.9 ounce can of ICY point canned salmon from Alaska, and I rinsed it with its lid on underneath cold water a half dozen times squeezing out the water.  I flaked the salmon in a bowl, and I looked for any small bones that can be in canned salmon.  I then spread it over the salad.  I then spread 2 ounces of the chilled garlic and herbal feta cheese over the salad.  I then spread about an eighth of a cup of chilled grated parmesan cheese over the salad.  I then spread about an eighth of a cup of room temperature Monari Italian balsamic vinegar and a eighth of a cup of room temperature Italian extra virgin olive oil over the salad.  I seasoned it with ground black pepper and salt.  I had the salad for dinner with a glass of ice tea.  CIO      

Note: <888> 07/23/03  Wednesday  7:40 P.M.:  I had five Breton wheat crackers before going to bed.  I was up at 1 P.M..  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I cleaned up, and I went out.  I went by Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then returned home briefly to avoid rain.  I then went back downtown, and I stopped by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift shop.  I then went down by the waterfront.  I then walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I stopped by CVS, and I bought buy one get one free of packages of CVS 50 count legal plain white envelopes for $1.39 both boxes and two 12 ounce containers of CVS Aroma Therapy air freshener and odor eliminator Potpourri fragrance for .60 each plus .16 tax for $2.75 total.  I then went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times and the Wall Street Journal.  The Wall Street Journal has a front page article about Microsoft.  I then went by the Food Emporium, and I bought two half gallons of Tropicana orange and pineapple juice with calcium for $2.50 each.  I then went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought a 10 quart box of 10 dry packages of S&S powdered milk for $6.99, four Jell-O no sugar 2 sparkling wild berry, one sparkling white grape, and one sparkling mandarin orange for .75 each, and a 8 ounce container of Wisconsin made Athenos garlic and herbs feta cheese made from goats milk which is low cholesterol for $3 for $12.99 total.  I then returned home, and I had a glass of ice tea, and I put away my purchases.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/23/03  Wednesday  1:50 A.M.:  I went through most of www.geocities.com/mikelscott/scotwork.htm.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/23/03  Wednesday  1:00 A.M.:  I installed the final version of Microsoft Messenger 6.0 http://messenger.msn.com/Download/ .  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  11:40 P.M.:  Currently I have three televisions in the apartment.  I usually watch one of them when I wake up, and I have breakfast which could be at any time of the day.  Once or twice a week, I might watch the evening news.  I then occasionally watch television after 2 A.M. before going to bed.  Thus I do not really watch that much television, except occasionally when the weather is inhospitable, which in this area can be frequent particularly during the winter.  Of the three televisions I have in the apartment, I have the new Panasonic 13 inch color television in the kitchen, the two year old Orion 25 inch color television in the living room, and the six year old Proscan 20 inch color television in the bedroom.  Since I do not watch that much television overall, they are all in good working order.  Whatever, the case when the weather is nice, I prefer to get outside and enjoy the day.  Still, since I spend so much time on the internet, I do not have that much time to watch television.  I have noticed that when occasionally I have guests, they seem to watch more television than I normally do.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  11:25 P.M.:  Television listings http://entertainment.msn.com/TV/Guide/ .  Apparently Cablevision www.cablevision.com has Digital television service http://www.io.tv/index.jhtml  in this area which would be about $85 a month.  Since I already am paying $48 a month for Optimum Cablevision and another $45 of Optimum Online Cable Modem service, I can not afford digital service which I might not watch anyway, since I am always zooming out on the internet.  However, my roots in communications go way back, since I lived in Decatur, Alabama and I learned how to take two Dixie cups and to run a knotted thread from the bottom of each, and it worked for communications.  I believe in Decatur, Alabama we had one local television with a lot of country music and farm reports along with two big city television stations from Birmingham, Alabama.  When we moved up north to Connecticut in 1961, we had channels 1 - 13 and a couple of UHF stations.  However, there were only about 7 channels on 1-13.  When I lived in Greenville, South Carolina for six months in 1976 before the bicentennial in New York harbor, I lived next to one of the first cablevision systems coming from Atlanta, but my building central antenna only had a couple of channels which always showed "I Love Lucy" and local news.  When I lived in New York on and off from 1973 to 1983, nobody seemed to have television.  I figured nobody kept televisions in Manhattan since they were likely to be stolen.  I recall a couple of people did have televisions, but with small built in antennas, they had poor reception in the city.  There were a number of professional video bars, where people would gather to watch video.  In Nantucket, the last year in 1983, I had a television in the basement bunk room with two channels which always seemed to show "Our Miss Brooks" and "No Time for Sergeants".  When I came off Nantucket in 1983 about 20 years ago, I got a television and watched the local airwaves in Greenwich for about five years consisting of about seven channels out of New York.  When I moved to my present building about 15 years ago, I had cablevision initially, but I could not afford it, so I dropped it from about 1990 to 1995, and used the rabbit ears on some vintage thrift shop televisions with the same seven channels.  From about 1995 I had basic cablevision again, and  I have been on the internet for nine years, and upgraded from basic Cablevision to Optimum online about four years when I got the cable modem.  Thus although, I worked briefly at the Columbia Broadcasting Network CBS in Manhattan in the summer of 1973, I never have been much of a television watcher.  Since I am frequently on a night schedule in my normal activity and internet activity, I do turn on the television occasionally after 2 A.M. in the morning, when not much is on but news feeds and old movies.  Thus I have missed most of the prime time television over the years.  Still I do watch enough television to get a general viewpoint on what they are broadcasting.  It seems mostly geared towards children's entertainment in the morning, with casual entertainment in the afternoon, before the prime time in the evening.  I have never been able to afford the premium channels, so I am not able to watch the reruns of newer movies.  I also have only been to about a half dozen movies in theaters, since I graduated from college, so my primary movie viewing experience is from videotapes and DVD disks from the Greenwich Library.  I never have rented a DVD or videotape from a rental store.  Thus like many Manhattanites, I am mainly orientated towards observing real activity instead of entertainment.  I have noticed that once one gets out into the suburbs where people watch more television, people seem less adept at holding conversations unlike big city people.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  10:15 P.M.:  I rested a bit.  I had two scoops of Edy's raspberry sorbet ice cream with four Danish cookies.  I watched the Bob Dole 80th birthday special on CNN.  I turned the air conditioner up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  It is now 73 degrees outside right now.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  7:20 P.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will rest for a while.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  7:00 P.M.:  I watched the ABC evening news.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  6:30 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  I put an 1/8th of a teaspoon of Red Cayenne pepper in the fresh batch of homemade hummus http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm that I made two days ago, and I mixed it in.  I then took five chilled leaves of Red lettuce, and I removed the stalks, and I broke them in to two to three inch pieces which I put in the lettuce spinner, and I rinsed underneath cold running water.  I then spread them across a dinner plate.  I put 20 chilled baby carrots on the plate.  I next sliced in 3/16 inch thick slices of three chilled plum tomatoes which I spread across the plate.  I then put five large heaping tablespoons of the chilled homemade hummus evenly spaced across the plate.  I then put 15 chilled large pitted black olive across the plate including one in each dab of hummus.  I then diced a half of a chilled red Bermuda onion, and I spread it across the plate.  I then spread 20 Pepperidge Farm generous cut low fat Caesar croutons across the plate.  I then opened a chilled six ounce can of solid white albacore tuna, and I left the lid on it, and I rinsed it underneath cold water squeezing the water out with the lid about a half dozen times.  I then flakes it in a bowl, and I spread it across the salad.  I then spread about an eighth of a cup of grated parmesan cheese across the salad.  I then spread across about an eighth of a cup of room temperature Monari Italian balsamic vinegar and an eighth of a cup of room temperature Italian extra virgin olive oil across the salad.  I seasoned it with ground black pepper and salt.  I had the salad for dinner with a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  5:00 P.M.:  If one is stuck inside on a rainy day, one can look at http://www.coverups.com/ .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  4:40 P.M.:  I listened to  the www.kenradio.com broadcast.  I turned off the Andrea Electronics microphone on the Dell backup computer with the Speaker icon, so it is not on when the computer boots  a Windows partition.  NOAA weather radio continues to go off.  Well, we needed a bit of rain in this area.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  4:05 P.M.:  L.L.Bean: Adirondack Barn Coat, Flannel-Lined .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  4:00 P.M.:  I went through my email.  From a food site, I received a message that using a little red pepper in one's food helps prevent stomach gas.  There is still a NOAA thunderstorm watch for this area with the potential for heavy showers http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/okx/ .  I will continue to remain inside doing regular computer work.  The outside temperature is down to 79 degrees Fahrenheit, so it has cooled off a bit.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  2:30 P.M.:  I received a White House www.whitehouse.gov email from their new form email submission http://www.whitehouse.gov/webmail .  The email from the White House is a form letter in *.pdf format.  I printed out two copies, and I posted one copy on the bulletin board in the laundry room.  NOAA weather radio is going off for impending thunder storms.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  1:50 P.M.:  I had eight Breton wheat crackers before going to bed.  I was up at 11 A.M..  I watched some television.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I was able to get the blinking red light to go off of my Columbia 2.4 gigahertz cordless phone by using the procedure for turning it off which did not work, but I then cycled through the CB button, and it went off.  It was something in the phone.  It was not a phone company problem.  I straightened up the Dutch flag in my living room which was slightly off center.  I have it centered in the living room with the large USA flag on the left and the large British Union Jack on the right.  I still have a Saudi Arabian flag, but with the middle east problems, I am not flying it at the moment.  However, I might be tempted to fly it in the winter, when we are freezing here for lack of energy.  I noticed while I was in Home Depot in Port Chester, New York yesterday, they have Fedders 5,000 BTU air conditioners for $135 and the Fedders 8,000 BTU air conditioner is $188.  Of course one would have to lift them and install them oneself.  They also have a stand alone upright Maytag 8,000 BTU air conditioner for more.  I think the Maytag model is made for people whom have odd side windows, and it sits on the inside of the room with a small duct going outside.  It is 88 degrees Fahrenheit outside right now, and it is very humid, so I am staying inside right now.  I have my General Electric Profile 15,500 BTU air conditioner with remote control set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit at the moment, and it is 73 degrees Fahrenheit in the apartment.  Since I have a large network of friends and associates, I am always surprised no one calls me up, but I was on a night time schedule for so many years, I guess people assume I am still on a night schedule, so they do not want to bother me in the daytime.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  2:20 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/22/03  Tuesday  1:55 A.M.:  I finally got the US Robotics sportster external voice fax modem model #1784 working on my backup IBM Cyrix computer connecting to the local numbers for Juno www.juno.com .  It was bit tricky.  I downloaded this set of drivers from http://www.usr.com/support/product-template.asp?prod=5685 , and I installed the specific US Robotics Sportster 56,000 Voice Fax external modem driver, which was a 1997 driver.  I then ran update from the same directory containing the drivers, and I got the same driver in a April 1998 version.  I then selected in the properties option for the modem for 56,000 baud, and software flow control instead of hardware flow control, and I also used the Init String "AT&F1&K0&I0S15=128S27=64S32=34S33=32". The string "S32=34" disables X2, which I did since all of Juno's modems are V90 and V92.  I have local numbers for Juno Free dialup in Greenwich, Stamford, Port Chester, and Armonk.  Of course the system is my third backup system after the primary system, but it kept me busy working on it.  Still in the old days, I worked on systems at its speed all the time.  How times have changed.  Working on older systems with older parts is sort of a pain, but I am use to it after all these years.  The newer systems and newer parts and operating systems and software are not as much of a problem.  I did not have a manual for the external modem, and there was not one posted on the internet.  I guess it is about 5 years old or so, but it works very well.  I am confused why my Columbia 2.4 gigahertz cordless phone keeps flashing a small red light with "MSG" written above it, which I assume stands for Message.  I do not have any sort of messaging service.  I will have to look at the manual to see what it is about.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/21/03  Monday  9:40 P.M.:  I have the IBM Cyrix backup computer recognizing the US Robotics sportster external modem, and I have the Juno dialer installed on it.  However, it will not dial, and the Juno dialer gives a modem configuration error.  I am reinstalling the Dial Up Networking.  I am in the process microwaving a Stouffer's 20 ounce lasagna which I will have for dinner with ice tea.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/21/03  Monday  7:20 P.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I stopped by Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift Shop.  I bought for a dollar a U.S. Robotics 56K X2 Sportster external Voice Faxmodem model #1784.  I then went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I went by the Greenwich Hardware store and CVS.  I then drove down by the waterfront.  I next went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Wall Street Journal and the Greenwich Times.  I returned a DVD video disk, and I checked out a videotape.  I then went by Home Depot in Port Chester, New York.  I bought two Leviton 6 outlet power strips with 3 foot cords for $2.97 each, a Electricord 6 outlet power strip with 8 foot cord for $4.98, a OOK deluxe plate hanger set for $2.19, and a two pack of Eveready Krypton KPR102 flash light bulbs for $1.94 plus $1.05 tax for $16.10 total.  I then returned home, and I had a glass of ice tea.  I next used the OOK plate hanger to hang the plate with the picture of St. Paul's Church Trinity Parish in downtown Manhattan on the left side of the bedroom door entrance with some other church pictures.  I had been using it to hold an assortment of items next to the computer.  I replaced it with another plate the Putnam Lodge No. 338 F.&A.M. Masonic plate which I had on the bedroom desk, which is now on the dining room table next to the primary computer.  I then took one of the Leviton 3 foot cord power strips, and I installed it next to the other power strip on the white bedroom bureau plugging in the other cords in that area.  I took the other Leviton 3 foot power strip, and I secured it with wall anchors to the kitchen wall to the left of the kitchen sink.  I plugged it into the six outlet IBM plug adaptor.  I now have extra outlets in the center kitchen counter working area.  I put the flashlight bulbs in the batteries in the second down left blue bureau drawer in the kitchen.  I am saving the 6 outlet power strip with 8 foot cord for future use.  I have it stored underneath the right side of the day bed.  I had the larger serial adaptor and the serial cable to connect the US Robotics Sportster external modem to the IBM Cyrix backup computer in the bedroom.  I connected a telephone cable to it and the wall jack.  I plugged the power supply to it, and it seems to work, but plug and play does not recognize it.  I did not get the CDrom with the modem, but I will now download the drivers from www.usr.com.  We have a severe thunderstorm warning for this area from 6:30 P.M. to 11 P.M..  CIO

Note: <888> 07/21/03  Monday  12:15 P.M.:  It is suppose to overcast and rainy for most of the rest of the week.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go out, and I will pursue an overcast rainy day schedule.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/21/03  Monday  11:55 A.M.:  Before going to bed last night, I had a bowl of Cherry Jell-o with fruit cocktail.  I also had eight Breton wheat crackers.  I also moved the second Rubbermaid hamper from in the bedroom between the mahogany bureau and the desk to the end of the day bed in the hallway.  I moved the hat rack with the hats from the end of the day bed to the left side of the bedroom entrance blocking the bedroom door from closing.  Still it is light, and it would be easy to move to close the bedroom door.   I was up at 9 A.M. this morning.  On Cspan, I watched the opening of the Rober J. Dole Institute of Politics http://www.doleinstitute.org/ .  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I sorted out the periodicals on my magazine rack at the end of the day bed.  I threw out back issues from mid January 2003 of the Greenwich Post and the Greenwich Citizen.  Thus overall the apartment is a little bit better organized.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/21/03  Monday  2:05 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer.  I will go to bed soon.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/21/03  Monday  1:30 A.M.:  I straightened up and reorganized the bedroom a bit.  I took the new power strip with the three foot cord, and I put it behind the living room sofa to use for connecting a couple of electric clocks.  I took the power strip with the six foot cord that was behind the living room sofa, and I plugged it into the live non switchable plug behind the left bedroom night stand.  I then cleared off the brass and glass table on top of the Danish desk, and I cleaned it.  I then put the backup NEC 17 inch monitor on top of it on top of a cutting board.  I put the IBM Cyrix 233 computer with 128 megs of memory and a 6 gigabyte hard drive and a LAN card to the left of it.  I connected the Microsoft ergonomic keyboard that I found today to it along with a Microsoft serial mouse.  I put the power strip on the right side of the Danish desk.  I also connected to the IBM Cyrix computer the HP LaserJet IIP laser printer.  I connected the computer, monitor, and laser printer to the power strip.  I have it, so when one turns on the power strip with the red switch all three devices come on.  The computer does not have a modem, and it is not connected to the cable modem router, since it would take a 50 foot LAN cord to connect it.   Still, it is a much more professional looking setup on top of the brass and glass coffee table on top of the Danish desk in the bedroom.  I put the large Long Island electric light bulb on top of the NEC monitor.  I put the ACER 486 laptop computer with color LCD and 4 megs of memory on the Danish end table on the left side of the Danish desk.  I put my recent mail and paper work on the Danish end table on top of some old place mats.  I rearranged the bric a brac in that area.  I put away some receipts in the file cabinet.  Thus the working area on the Danish desk is straightened up.  I put the large pile of scratch paper in the bedroom window sill with the spare light bulbs and photography equipment.  I put the two DeLonghi oil filled radiators underneath the oak side board.  I put the garbage can between the Rubbermaid laundry hamper and the sideboard.  I have the high frequency insect noise device disconnected and lying next to the power strip on the white bureau.  I also have the Panasonic typewriter disconnected.  I will have to get another power strip for the white bureau.  Thus, I improved the general appearance of the bedroom, although it is still cluttered, it is a little bit more presentable.  I also replaced the far left day bed wall 15 watt frosted candelabra sconce bulb with a spare used one.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  11:10 P.M.:  I have a First Alert Rechargeable flashlight and a First Alert Rechargeable lantern that need new rechargeable batteries.  This page shows their prices http://www.firstalert.com/customer_service/replacement_parts.htm .  They use to have them at the Port Chester True Value hardware store, and they might have them at the Greenwich or Old Greenwich hardware stores.  However, the last time I put new rechargeable batteries in them, I hardly ever used them.  Since I have a number of other flashlights, I am not sure it is worth getting the batteries for them or not.  I recall paying about $7 per rechargeable battery.  I have them underneath the backup computer desk in the living room.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  10:15 P.M.:  I made up a fresh batch of homemade hummus http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm using a can of black pitted olives with the chick peas.  I put it in a Rubbermaid container in the refrigerator to refrigerate.  I slightly modified the homemade hummus recipe increasing the amount of parsley from a teaspoon to a tablespoon.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  9:35 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  I had two ice cream scoops of Edy's Mandarin orange sorbet ice cream.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  8:40 P.M.:  Good reason never to buy a used SUV that has been on Nantucket 4-Wheelers Threaten Nantucket's Open Beaches .  I believe that once one drives SUVs on the beach, so much sand gets into all the gears and mechanics of the vehicle, it becomes a maintenance nightmare in the long run.  To view vacationers on Nantucket try http://www.nantucket.net/live/index.html? and of course www.nantucket.net seems to have information on the Island.  Of all the different jobs I had on Nantucket, I worked the most at  Le Languedoc http://www.lelanguedoc.com/ for about two entire summers in 1978 and 1983 and a few other times.  I worked in the kitchen scrubbing pots and washing dishes.  When I retired from the Le Languedoc in 1983, I had worked my way up to being the head dishwasher.   I did not care to work anymore in restaurants after so many years on the job.  It was quite a hard job.  I was making about $8 an hour in 1983.  Anyway life goes on.  Living on Nantucket without a car and working was actually a bit of fun to get away from it all, and I was fortunate enough not to be in Greenwich when the bridge fell down.  I lived on both India and adjacent Hussey streets downtown, so I was in the center of all the action.  Of course, I had to walk to the beach.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  7:40 P.M.:  I finished off the second half of the summer salad along with a glass of ice tea.  I am listening to the http://news.bbc.co.uk/ BBC World News.  This story is about Yahoo! News - 'Popo' Volcano Coats Mexico City in White Ash .  I suppose if one is interested in volcanoes, one could look at my old volcano list http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/volcanoe01.htm which I have not worked on much in the last two years for lack of interest.  However, http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/ generally provides up to date information.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  7:05 P.M.:  I went downtown after the last message. While dumping out my garbage, I found a Microsoft ergonomic keyboard in the dumpster.  I put it with my IBM Cyrix backup computer.  The Microsoft keyboard as a PS2 connector, so I would need a generic adaptor which I have to use with the IBM Cyrix backup computer.  I do not have the IBM Cyrix backup computer plugged in and setup, since I already have three computers setup.  I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue including the train station area.  I sat out at various locations.  I stopped by CVS during the walk, and I bought a 12 ounce container of CVS Aroma Therapy air freshener and odor eliminator in the Potpourri scent  for .60 and .04 tax for .64 total.  I will put it with the other air fresheners on the rack by the front entrance door.  I drove down by the waterfront, and the Steamboat Road pier was crowded with the usual cross section of wharf rats.  It takes time every time I go down there, and thus in the summer when so many people are down there, there is not usually parking, not to mention a lot of the wharf rats are not friendly to the Greenwich residents.  Thus when it gets less crowded and at other times of the day, I might check it out.  Next I went to the Stop and Shop, and I bought two 29 ounce cans of Goya chick peas for .99, two cans of 6 dry ounces of California large pitted olives for .99 each, a box of Pepperidge Farm low fat generous cut Caesar croutons for $1.49,  a pint bottle of Monari Italian balsamic vinegar for $1.99, a quart of plum tomatoes $2.99, a 16 ounce bag of baby carrots $1.69, two red Bermuda onions at .99 a pound for $1.20, a head of Red leaf lettuce for .79, and a bulb of garlic at $2.69 a pound for .43 for $18.13 total.  I returned home, and I put away my purchases.  I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  3:05 P.M.:  I finished running Norton Antivirus.  I made the heaping summer salad, the same as yesterday.  I was only able to eat half, so I saved the other half in the refrigerator for eating later today.  I will now clean up, and I will go out.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  2:10 P.M.:  I will start running Norton antivirus, which will take a while.  I will probably go out after I have my meal.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  2:05 P.M.:  I will now make up the same summer salad as yesterday to have for my primary meal of the day.  I will have it with a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  2:00 P.M.:  I put a "Sounds and Audio Devices" icon on the desktop, so it is easily available for switching from the Plantronics DSP 500 headset to the computer stereo speaker system depending on what one's listening preferences are.  I generally leave it setup for the Plantronics DSP 500 headset, since I frequently chat with others on the internet using Net2Phone.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  1:25 P.M.:  I had a call from a friend about 7:30 A.M. this morning.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  At 8 A.M. I watched Robert Schuler www.hourofpower.org which is now on the Lifetime Channel 45 on our local Cablevision system.  I chatted with a relative.  I fell back to sleep until just now.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/20/03  Sunday  1:35 A.M.:  I finished running the utilities and the C: drive to D: drive backup.  I also ran Norton SpeedDisk on the C: drive.  I had a bowl of two scoops of Mandarin orange ice cream and five Breton wheat crackers.  I will now shut down the computer.  I will go to bed soon.  I have been watching television.  CIO   

Note: <888> 07/19/03  Saturday  11:10 P.M.:  I will now do a system restore backup, I will then run Disk Cleanup on the C: drive, Norton CleanSweep on the C: drive, Norton Update, Norton Disk Doctor, Norton WinDoctor, and then I will do a C: drive to D: drive backup.  This will all take about 1.5 hours while, I will be off line.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/19/03  Saturday  11:10 P.M.:  I finished off the raspberry Jell-o with California strawberries along with some ice tea.  I boiled two cups of water.  I put in two packages of regular Cherry Jell-o in a six cup Pyrex bowl, and I added the two cups of boiling water, and I stirred it for two minutes.  I opened a chilled 15.25 ounce can of DelMonte fruit cocktail in heavy syrup, and I drained the syrup out into a separate two cup measuring cup with a wire strainer or about 4 ounces of syrup.  I added about 12 ounces of fresh orange juice to the two cup measuring cup for 16 ounces total orange juice and syrup mixture, and I added it to the Pyrex bowl with the Cherry Jell-o mixture.  I mixed it , and then I added the DelMonte fruit cocktail, and I mixed it in with the liquid ingredients.  I then covered the Pyrex bowl with its lid, and I put it in the refrigerator to chill.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/19/03  Saturday  10:40 P.M.:  I put the package of OOK hooks in the right top mahogany bureau drawer in the bedroom.  I put the Duracell 303/357 battery in the top left living room desk drawer.  I put the power strip along side the other power strip on the white bureau in the bedroom to have more power sockets in that location.  I also put the Coleman emergency light back in that power strip, so if the power goes off at night, I will have light initially in the bedroom, which would be very dark without power.  Of course, I have multiple flash lights and lanterns in the apartment and a few small oil lamps, candles, transistor radios, and a cranks radio,  so I am prepared for a power outage.  I put the Cobra low voltage adaptor behind the bedroom television.  I had taken the top shelf brackets from the sweater closet in the hallway out, to use them to repair the bedroom closet shelf assembly when it collapsed during the third week of June of this year.  So I used the pair of brackets that I bought which are similar to repair the top sweater shelf.  I had to drill new holes, and the new brackets anchors pound in, instead of screwing in.  It is now back into position.  I put the Frost King air conditioner filter on the left side of the shelf in the right living room closet.  I have a new one in the air conditioner right now that is about two months old.  I should wash it soon.  I put the extension cords and cablevision cords that were in the bottom of the hallway sweater closet in the underneath the right side of the day bed.  Earlier today, when I was doing house cleaning, I took the blue coral and the white coral that I bought at the ELDC thrift shop about 12 years ago, and I moved it from behind the backup computer to on top of the left hallway bookcase.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/19/03  Saturday  9:40 P.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I stopped by the Greenwich Hardware store.  They have shelf supports there, but I was looking for a different type.  I then went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I then drove down by the waterfront.  I then went by Exxon, and I bought $5 of regular unleaded gasoline at $1.759 a gallon for about 26 miles per gallon.  I then drove over to Home Depot in Port Chester, New York, and I bought a pair of ClosetMaid #6620 wall shelf brackets with anchors similar to the ones at the Greenwich Hardware store for $1.97 for the pair, a valu-pak of OOK professional picture hangers containing three 20 pound hooks, four 5 to 10 pound hooks, three 30 pound hooks, one 50 pound hook, and one 100 pound hook plus about 20 carbide steel nails for $8.98 for the package, a Leviton power center 6 outlet power strip with three foot cord $2.97, a Duracell 303/357 1.5 volt silver oxide battery which is the same as SR44, 303, SR47, A, J, for $1.97, and Frost King air conditioner filter for .97 plus $1.18 tax for $18.04 total.  I got the battery to have in reserve for my car interior LCD clock, which does not work in hot weather when the inside of the car gets too hot, it quits, and then resets itself to noon.  The current battery in it is good, as far as I know.  I then drove back to downtown Greenwich, and I walked lower Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out briefly.  I then went by the Stop and Shop, but orange juice was $3 a half gallon there, so I went to the Food Emporium, and I bought two half gallons of Tropicana orange with pineapple juice with calcium for $2.50 each for $5 total.  I then returned home, and I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/19/03  Saturday  3:50 P.M.:  I finished off the bag of Lays onion and sour cream potato chips before going to bed yesterday, and I also had ten croutons.  I was up at 8 A.M., and I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I fell back to sleep until 1 P.M..  I did my house cleaning and watering the plants.  I just had the same salad as yesterday, except with a 6 ounce can of crab instead of small shrimp along with a glass of ice tea.  I have noticed in this area amongst a certain select few whom are not on the internet, they seem to suffer from a condition called "New York Times Syndrome", "Wall Street Journal Syndrome", or "Greenwich Times Syndrome", since their viewpoint is limited to those publications.  Thus I guess from the internet, I have "Yahoo Reuters, Associated Press Syndrome" along with an over indulged "Technology Syndrome".  However, having a "Technology Syndrome" can be a benefit, since when one is on the computer all the time, knowing how to repair and maintain one's computer can save considerable expense, since the professional computer technology people charge from $50 to $120 an hour, and I have heard rumors that IBM even charges over $200 an hour.  Of course with top notch lawyers today getting $500 an hour, I guess their office expenses are a considerable part of what they charge.  I guess much the same could be said for the medical profession.  Thus dealing with the professionals in this area could be quite expensive, since they can afford to live here, they must have some sort of level of professional experience.  I wander how much a qualified Economist earns today.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will clean up, and I will go out.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/18/03  Friday  10:10 P.M.:  I will now shut down the computer.  I will watch a bit of television before going to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/18/03  Friday  10:00 P.M.:  List of acquisitions by Microsoft http://www.gamectr.com/articles.asp?articleid=731 .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/18/03  Friday  9:55 P.M.:  The White House in Washington D.C. as opposed to the place in Russia has a new message contact web page that is a more specific 6  web page process for mailing messages to the White House.  The link is http://www.whitehouse.gov/webmail , and it seems to work. Since they get 15,000 email messages a day, I guess a lot of their email gets lost in the shuffle.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/18/03  Friday  9:05 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/18/03  Friday  7:45 P.M.:  I cleared of the old mail and paper work from the right side of the sideboard in the bedroom, and I put it beneath on top of a rail.  I took out the black IBM 50th Anniversary Selectric typewriter from beneath the day bed.  It works, but the back space function does not work, and I can not fix it.  I will put it out on the ground by the dumpster shortly in case anyone wants to claim it for the IBM Armonk museum.  I took out the Panasonic KX-E708 typewriter from beneath the day bed, and I put it on the left side of the sideboard in the bedroom.  It seems to work fine, but the ribbon might be a bit dried out, and it needs a correcting tape.  I have a cover for the Blue IBM selectric III typewriter that is on the left side of the bedroom side board.  I took the Coleman emergency light from the bedroom, and I put it in the kitchen right side socket, and I remove the old First Alert rechargeable flash light that does not work.  I might put the Coleman emergency light back in the bedroom, once I have another power strip.  I will now take out the black IBM 50th Anniversary Selectric typewriter to dispose by the dumpster.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/18/03  Friday  5:45 P.M.:  If one looks at this page Reconditioned IBM Selectric Typewriters , I got a good deal on the IBM Selectric III self correcting typewriter.  However, I see them all the time in thrift shops for $5.  I guess with light weight laptop computers, nobody feels like hoisting a 50 pound typewriter.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/18/03  Friday  4:55 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  I put away the laundry.  I took five chilled large leaves of red lettuce, and I removed the stalks.  I broke them into two to three inch pieces, and I put them in the lettuce spinner, and I rinsed them underneath cold water.  I spread the pieces over a large dinner plate.  I rinsed off two chilled plum tomatoes, and I cut them across about 3/16 inch thick, and I spread them over the plate.  I put 20 chilled baby carrots on the plate.  I then put five chilled large double tablespoons of the homemade hummus on the plate evenly spaced.   I put 15 chilled large black pitted olives on the plate including one in each dab of hummus.  I peeled and diced a half of a Bermuda onion, and I spread it over the salad.  I then put 20 Pepperidge Farm low fat generous cut Caesar croutons on the salad.  I next opened a package of chilled Cracker Barrel New York aged reserve cheddar cheese, and I cut five 3/8 inch thick slices, and I cut each of those slices into five strips, and I spread them over the salad.  I next opened a 6 ounce can of small shrimp, and I left the lid on, and I rinsed it a half dozen times in cold water squeezing the water out.  I flaked it in a bowl.  I spread it over the salad.  I then spread on a generous amount about a 1/4 of a cup of chilled grated parmesan cheese.  I then spread on the salad about an eighth of a cup of Monari Italian balsamic vinegar with about an eighth of a cup of Italian extra virgin olive oil, and I seasoned the salad with ground black pepper and salt.  I will now have the salad with a glass of ice tea.  I will also take three CVS enzyme tablets, so I do not get stomach gas.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/18/03  Friday  3:40 P.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I stopped by Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift Shop.  I next drove down by the waterfront.  I then walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  At Marx's Brothers outdoors display, I bought a blue IBM Selectric III typewriter slightly used, but in very good condition for $10.  I walked down the Avenue after buying it, and I got my car, and I picked up the IBM Selectric III typewriter.  I then spent some more time downtown.  I spent $1 on parking.  I then returned home.  I used a luggage cart to bring up the IBM Selectric typewriter to my apartment.  I moved the backup 17 inch monitor off the sideboard in the bedroom to the window sill.  I put the backup computer underneath the sideboard.  I put the blue IBM Selectric III typewriter on the left side of the sideboard with my paper work on the right side.  The blue IBM Selectric typewriter works just fine.  I also have a black 50th Anniversary IBM Selectric II typewriter underneath the day bed in the living room with a large Panasonic one too.  Thus I have quite a bit of office equipment in my apartment.  I am on the dry cycle on two loads of laundry.  I have 55 minutes to go.  I put clean linens on the bed.  I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO

End of Scott's Notes week of 07/18/03:

Note: <888> 07/18/03  Friday  9:35 A.M.:  I went to bed about 10 P.M. last night after watching television.  I was up at 8 A.M. this morning.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, and supplements.  I watched the CNBC morning news.   Apparently AOL is not doing as well as expected.  Microsoft is doing just fine.  There was a report that beer sales in the northeast are down with the rainy weather this summer.  Apparently Budweiser is going to make a premium style import beer along with their Michelob low carb beer.  Locally we have two beer discount outlets in Port Chester, New York.  The Port Chester beer distributor is near the Port Chester police station.  Also just west of Cumberland Farms on U.S. 1 is another wholesale beer outlet.  I do not drink alcohol much myself.  I keep it around for hospitality purposes, because some of my friends use to drink alcohol.  I have a basic hard liquor bar setup, which I never touch.  I also have a 12 pack of Kennebunkport ales the Shipyard, the Captain's Collection which I have kept at room temperature since last August when I bought it.  In the refrigerator, I have a 12 pack of St. Pauli Girl dark beer, and a six pack of Lindener Special beer.  They have been in the refrigerator for about a year.  Thus my beer might be getting a bit old, since I do not know how well it ages.  I keep a few bottles of wine around too along with the hard liquor and the basic mixers which are about five years old.  Thus I could throw a cocktail party, but my apartment is a bit cramped, and since it has been so long since I threw a cocktail party, I am not sure I would know how to do it.  Still, it is handy to keep emergency entertainment supplies around should anyone stop by and need a refreshment.  However, here in Greenwich, Connecticut and in the neighboring areas, we have very strict drinking and driving laws, so more than likely no one wants to risk taking the chance having a drink, unless they can afford a taxi or other liveried vehicle.  I guess that is why a lot of New York City people and other urban people stay in the downtown areas, so they can have their alcoholic beverages and walk home.  Anyway, I am prepared for entertainment, but the apartment is very cramped full of furniture.   I will now send out my weekly notes.  I will then go out for some daytime activity.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  7:45 P.M.:  I will now shut down the computer.  I will watch a bit of television before going to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  7:10 P.M.:  I had three Danish cookies.  I watched the ABC evening news.  I went through my email.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  6:25 P.M.:  Windows Messenger 6.0 is available http://messenger.msn.com/ .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  6:15 P.M.:  I had five Pepperidge Farm low fat large cut Caesar style croutons.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  6:10 P.M.:  I had two ice cream scoops of Edy's Mandarin orange sorbet.  I noticed in this story that the British Prime Minister Tony Blair addressed Congress today Yahoo! News - Blair, Bush Defend War in Iraq .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  5:55 P.M.:  I had 10 Breton wheat crackers with homemade hummus.  I forgot to put in the six gloves of garlic this time when I made up the hummus.  I also had a bowl of raspberry Jell-o with California strawberries.  I also had ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  5:35 P.M.:  I went back out after the last message.  I drove downtown through the masses of Greenwich Sidewalk Sale Shopper.  More stores had merchandise out.  I guess the merchants are not as up early as I was.  I drove down by the waterfront.  I then made my 3 P.M. appointment.  I went back downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue through the multitudes of shoppers.  I sat out at various locations.   Today, was an expensive day parking.  I spent $1.25 parking.  I noticed Bakers Furniture had a $500 beige queen size comforter for $75.  Marx Brothers had a $250 steel desk for $55.  Saks had lots of other items in front of their store.  Eurochase had fly rods for $25.  Of course it all depends on what one can afford.  I just now returned home.  I had a glass of ice tea.  It is 87 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but it is a dry heat, so it feels comfortable.  I have my General Electric Profile 15,500 BTU air conditioner set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is 72 degrees Fahrenheit in the apartment.  I suppose I had a busy day.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  1:35 P.M.:  Scotch Whiskey: A Rugged Drink for a Rugged Land .  I will now go back out in the warmer weather.  I have a 3 P.M. appointment.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  1:05 P.M.:   I took three CVS enzyme tablets before eating the salad, so I would not get stomach gas.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  12:45 P.M.:  I made up a batch of the home hummus with olives and chick peas http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm .  I took five chilled large leaves of red lettuce, and I removed the stalks.  I broke them into two to three inch pieces, and I put them in the lettuce spinner, and I rinsed them underneath cold water.  I spread the pieces over a large dinner plate.  I rinsed off two chilled plum tomatoes, and I cut them across about 3/16 inch thick, and I spread them over the plate.  I put 20 chilled baby carrots on the plate.  I then put five chilled large double tablespoons of the homemade hummus on the plate evenly spaced.   I put 15 chilled large black pitted olives on the plate including one in each dab of hummus.  I peeled and diced a half of a Bermuda onion, and I spread it over the salad.  I then put 20 Pepperidge Farm low fat generous cut Caesar croutons on the salad.  I next opened a package of chilled Cracker Barrel New York aged reserve cheddar cheese, and I cut five 3/8 inch thick slices, and I cut each of those slices into five strips, and I spread them over the salad.  I next opened a 6 ounce can of crab meat, and I left the lid on, and I rinsed it a half dozen times in cold water squeezing the water out.  I flaked it in a bowl.  I spread it over the salad.  I then spread on a generous amount about a 1/4 of a cup of chilled grated parmesan cheese.  I then spread on the salad about an eighth of a cup of Monari Italian balsamic vinegar with about an eighth of a cup of Italian extra virgin olive oil, and I seasoned the salad with ground black pepper and salt.  I will now have the salad with a glass of ice tea.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/17/03  Thursday  11:45 A.M.:  I was up at 7 A.M. this morning.  For breakfast  I had oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I cleaned up, and I went out.  I went by Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift Shop.  I drove downtown, and they were setting up for the annual Greenwich sidewalk sales.  There are not as many merchants participating this year as in years past.  I drove down by the waterfront.  I then parked downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  Euro Chase on the west side of Greenwich Avenue at the bottom has Swiss Army watches and knifes for 50% off, and they have waxed Wellington type jackets for $85.  Saks Fifth Avenue has Lily Pulitzer dresses on sale in front.  The Candy Nichol's Children's shop next to the Complete Kitchen has lots of children's item as well as the other children's shops.  There is a small mixture of items up and down the Avenue.  Mitchell's has buy three get the fourth free on various items.  I next went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times.  The Greenwich Library security team is out in force to prevent non library patrons from parking in their parking lot.  I noticed Traine air conditioning was there to fix the library air conditioning system.  I next went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought  a box of Pepperidge Farm large cut low fat Caesar croutons for $1.49, a quart of plum tomatoes for $2.99, a head of Red leaf lettuce for $1.49, a pound of baby carrots for $1.50, and a Bermuda onion at $1.49 a pound for $1.25 for $8.72 total.  I then went by Smokes for Less in Byram, and I bought a carton of Seneca Ultra Lights 100s for $31 total.  I next returned home, and I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  10:30 P.M.:  I went through my email.  I will now shut down the computer.  I will watch some television before going to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  9:50 P.M.:  The fact that it rained heavily, the tropical allergies should be down a bit in this area.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  9:45 P.M.:  The Microsoft Security update mentioned below was available in Windows Update.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  9:35 P.M.:  Microsoft TechNet Security Bulletin . CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  9:15 P.M.:  Microsoft Insider - Trials & downloads .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  8:55 P.M.:  I had five Breton wheat crackers.  I chatted with a friend.  I had a Stouffer's 16 ounce chicken pot pie dinner with ice tea for dinner.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  7:15 P.M.:  I just got up from my nap.  I had a phone call from a friend.  I woke up during the nap, and I had 10 Breton wheat crackers.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  1:50 P.M.:  I cleaned up.  I went out, and I chatted briefly with a neighbor.  I think I will now take a nap.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  1:10 P.M.:  The hurricane weather brings up the ragweed and golden rod pollen from the south, which my allergies can detect.  I also took another Niacinamide 500 mg. pill in case there is a bit of ergot poisoning the area.  I normally take two a day to help lower my cholesterol, so I am now taking three.  I am having two tuna fish sandwiches with ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  12:45 P.M.:  I am now playing the RCA telehouse 2 CD set, I copied of the "Greatest Hits of the War Years".  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  12:35 P.M.:  I took another Benadryl www.benadryl.com since in this current tropical weather my allergies are being activated.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  12:20 P.M.:   I was about a minute late starting the record, since the Technics record turntable had not been used in a while, and I had to clean off the needle, and had to adjust the turntable mat, so the record played properly.  It pretty much sounds the way it is suppose to sound.  However, I do not expect people to wear their woolen kilts on a hot day.  Well by Scottish weather standards, it would be a warm day here today.  The temperature in Edinburgh, Scotland right now is Weather Underground: Edinburgh, United Kingdom, Edinburgh, Scotland Forecast is 68 degrees Fahrenheit, just about the temperature in my apartment.  I recall the Duke of Windsor used to like to drink his Bell's whisky with Perrier bubbling water, and if he did not have Perrier, he used fresh storm water.  Scotland the Brave just played, and the second side of the record starts with the Russian Imperial anthem, because when the Czar of Russia was in the United Kingdom during Queen Victoria's time his grandmother, he was the head of the Royal Scots Guards.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  11:55 A.M.:  Since I think a little bit like the Pasteur research laboratory, I still have hurricane water which I saved from several years ago, when a tropical storm came up north.  I think I have it in the seltzer bottles and in a Coleman gallon container and in another water container.  Hurricane water tends to be very pure for research  purposes, it is sort of like distilled water.  I remembered that Wallace Simpson left the Duke of Windsor's entire fortune of $2.5 million dollars to the Pasteur institute in France.  I believe the Duke of Windsor was born on June 23, 1894.  On June 23 this year, I was getting ready to go up to Kennebunkport, Maine where a girl friend of the Duke Windsor's lives whom he knew before he met Wallace Simpson.  Thus there is a bit of Anglophile heritage up in Kennebunkport, Maine since it is closer to England than Greenwich, Connecticut.  I was once awakened there by a bag piper across the street which is somewhat traditional.  With my rather elaborate stereo system, I could play a bagpipe record I have, but I do not have it on CD, but I guess I could check out a bagpipe record from the Greenwich Library, and I could make a copy of it.  The bagpipe record that I am now and am about to play is "Amazing Grace, the Pipes and Drums and Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards by RCA Victor. It says the Royal Scots Greys disappeared from the Order of Battle in the British Army on July 2nd, 1971, and the Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) is amalgamating with the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales Dragoon Guards) to form Scotland's new armoured Regiment, THE ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS (Carabiniers and Grey).  I will start playing it exactly at noon.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  11:30 A.M.:  The NOAA weather radio alarm system broadcast test went off at 11:24 A.M. EDT.  It is the weekly broadcast from Brookhaven National laboratory south across Long Island sound from Greenwich, Connecticut in Upton, New York near Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, New York which is an artist colony which people sometimes visit.  It is 74 degrees Fahrenheit outside right now.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  11:20 A.M.:  Frequently when I am awake on Wednesday morning, I make sure I am in the apartment between 11 A.M. and noon, so I can hear the weekly NOAA weather radio test which they broadcast weekly at that time.  Of course, it is the nature of the system, it some times does not work, and it sometimes does not go off when it is suppose to.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  10:35 A.M.:  If one wants more information on air conditioners, this GE web sight  www.geappliances.com is working just fine now, I guess my unit is similar to the GE model number of AGM14AB or AGM14AA, but now it is only 13,800 BTUs in 115 volts instead of 15,500, and they are $569 and $549 respectively.  I guess Partridge and Rockwell would carry them still, and they will install them for about $85, if one has a window big enough for them to fit into. One has to make sure one has a large enough window or opening to fit in an air conditioner  I think I have a better quality GE air conditioner than the newer models at Wal-Mart, since GE makes a wide variety of different models.  Of course if one were in the big bucks league, one could try a Frederick air conditioner, which I believe is sold at the Cos Cob TV appliance shop in Cos Cob next to the Greenwich Food Mart or at County Appliances in Stamford, Connecticut.  Friedrich air conditioners http://www.friedrich.com/  are suppose to be the Rolls Royce of air conditioners.  The Friedrich Air Conditioner the Quietmaster Electronic has remote controls with some models, and they have it in a 14,000 BTU model for 115 voltage which would cool about 500 square feet.  I would imagine it would be $700 to $800.  I use to have a friend that used his Freidrich air conditioner all winter in Manhattan during very cold winters to keep fresh air in the apartment and to eliminate the tobacco smoke.  Curiously enough his name was similar to the name of the air conditioner, so maybe he sold air conditioners on the side.  I have seen a Panasonic model www.panasonic.com that supposedly is also available at Costco and Cos Cob TV.  This model will work with 115 voltage which is more commonly available and will cool about 500 square feet Learn about the features of Panasonic's CW-XC143HU - 13800 Btu/h Air Conditioner with Compact Remote Control and 4-Way Air Deflection System .  Also at Home Depot, they carry the less expensive Hampton air conditioners for about $350 for a 15,000 BTU model, and I have mentioned many times before Wal-Mart in Norwalk, Connecticut has a GE 10,000 BTU model for about $239, and I believe the 5,000 BTU model would be about $100 less.  I think Wal-Mart also carries similar priced and size models in Fedders, and their web site show a Fedders 17,300 BTU for 115 volt with remote control for $425 Walmart.com - Fedders 17,300 BTU Energy Star Air Conditioner With Remote and these other units Walmart.com - Air Conditioners & Fans . I do not know if they are available in the Norwalk store.  Thus in America, one has a wide variety of choices in air conditioners.  I know one old guard type in Greenwich use to sit in the Greenwich Library on hot days in his silk underwear to cool off.  I suppose it really gets down to what one is use to.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  9:45 A.M.:  On my Radio Shack NOAA weather radio which I keep on top of my Dell backup computer in the living room, I put some aluminum foil on the antenna, so it has better reception.  I do not have the newer Radio Shack NOAA weather radio turned on in the bedroom, since although it works fine, and it has a volume control, the Warning alarm is just too loud for comfortable use at the moment, since it sounds extremely loud, and it can not have its alarm level adjusted.  I suppose if one used it in a larger facility, one would want the louder alarm sound, so that one could here it at a distance.  It is cool and comfortable in the apartment.  It seems to be a slow day, since when we have overcast days with impending rain, more people tend to do work and other activity inside.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  9:25 A.M.:  I am not sure the Uniden cordless phone EXS9110 battery is non functional or not.  It seems to work fine initially.  It might have been receiving interference from the computer.  However, they are suppose to be replaced every 2 years or so, and I believe I have had it for 2.5 years.  It is $15.99 at RadioShack  www.radioshack.com .  However, I will lose all my memory presets if I disconnect the battery, and I will have to reprogram the phone.  At the moment, I would rather leave it as is, since I have plenty of other phones in the apartment.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  9:05 A.M.:  I charged up the Slaymaker 1,000,000 watt rechargeable lantern.  I have received all my computer rebates, except I still think I have a $20 rebate due from Symantec.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  8:55 A.M.:  Since the Uniden 900 MHz cordless phone, I had on the left side of the primary computer seems to need to have its rechargeable battery replaced soon, I put it on the Danish bar next to the AT&T corded phone, and I moved the Columbia 2.4 gigahertz cordless telephone to the left of the primary computer, with easy access for answering the phone while on the computer.  I have it sitting on a book "Call Alice in Wonderland" which was supposedly about Queen Victoria, whom as a matter of fact was only 4 foot 11 inches tall, but she did have some taller grandchildren.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  8:30 A.M.:  I was up at 6:30 A.M..  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I set the air conditioner at 68 degrees Fahrenheit.  It is interesting to note with these people traveling north to avoid tropical weather, they also bring into this area, their regional viewpoints.  I suppose some of the old southern families coming north are still fighting the Civil War.  Since so many northern people live down south in retirement, they also create a huge economic base down south of considerable influence.  With a local political family having relatives in Texas whom are also in politics, I have also learned that there are other political families in this area with equal amounts if not more experience depending on the longevity of their families in this area and in this country.  Much could be said for many of the various military families whom travel through this area.  Having dealt with them all in the past, it is always fun to see them again.  I try to be hospitable since I have occasionally traveled, and when I do travel I like to have an enjoyable time too.  I do know because of the Texas political connections in this area, this area like every state in the nation has a Texas Ranger and his deputies.  I saw the head Texas ranger for Connecticut downtown the other day, so I would imagine he would be aware of any Texas matters going on in this area. However, be forewarned we are also have a great many influential northern families too.  I do not want to bother those other northern families, but even further north because we are a northern state, we are also use to being friendly with Royal Canadian Mounted police, whom even though they are not out with their sled dogs this time of year, and they more than likely are still in the air conditioning.  Most the Royal Canadian Mounted police I have dealt with over the years are very cold weather people, so unlike their southern cousins whom do not drink alcohol, they tend to drink alcohol to cool off in the summer and to stay warm in the winter.  Thus this area tends to change with the four seasons.  If one wants to learn more amount the Royal Canadian Mounted police they have a barracks on Mount Royal in Montreal.  However, any United States citizens trying to exercise authority in Canada would not legally have any authority.  The Canadians are very hospitable on their own turf, however physically they are a very tall group of people in some aspects compared to their southern cousins.  For close to 400 years, the Canadians have been eating a diet richer in grain as opposed to corn, so over the generations as they have grown taller, as their southern cousins remained shorter.  Much could be said for the Europeans whom seem to have remained shorter until recently.  People like Prince William of England is suppose to be 6 foot 3 inches tall, and his brother Harry 6 foot 2 inches tall.  Bill Gates is suppose to be 5 foot 8 inches tall.  President Bush is around 6 foot tall, but having viewed some of the people around the republican party network, there are also quite a few taller people too.  Thus depending on the height of the viewer and the eyesight when one goes down to Washington D.C., one might recognize certain political people, whom one has seen on television.  However, a great many people one seems think are taller are not, for example Queen Elizabeth II is five foot three inches tall.  Whatever, the case despite the travelers in this area, I tend to go about my ordinary business, since I have an apartment and lifestyle to maintain.  Since I have very good communications, I tend not to rely on randomly running into people.  If someone wants to contact me, I have a telephone with an answering machine, and I also have email and postal mail.  Thus if someone comes into this area and does not contact me, they are not interested in contacting me.  Since, I am not wealthy, more than likely, they do not contact me, since they are afraid, I am going to shake them down for money.  However, since there are supposedly a lot of people here whom supposedly have money, more than likely they have been contacted by their poorer cousins, when they come into this area.   Generally when people take off traveling they have funds, so in this area, we try to keep an eye on the traveling public to make sure they are secure in their travels.  Whatever, the case I am just going about my normal business.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  12:50 A.M.:  I think I will now rest a while.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/16/03  Wednesday  12:35 A.M.:  I took a Benadryl http://www.benadryl.com/ .  I have felt like I have had an allergy recently, so I guess it is allergies from the tropical winds.  Also, if one has forgotten, the beginning of the hurricane season brings up all the winds from the south and the tropics and the accompanying allergies.  So if one is not feeling well, it might be more than likely from tropical allergies.  Thus one might try taking Benadryl or some other similar allergy medicine.  With all the rain we have had, I think we could be getting Ergot PP-551 Ergot  poisoning or swamp fever, that usually happens in wet periods.  Of course if one had Ergot poisoning, I think taking Niacinamide or Niacin which makes one flush red is the usual cure, and I think nicotine which has nicotinic acid as in what one gets from tobacco smoking has a similar effect.  Ergot poisoning is what apparently caused the dementia that caused the Salem Witch trials when Europeans first arrived in America.  I have a friend who has a PHD from Yale University in such matters whom might know more.  I could post a picture of him on the internet, but I am trying to respect his privacy, since the only picture I have of him is with a better known person.  I have been taking Niacinamide for 28 years plus I smoke tobacco, so I do not think I am feeling the effects of Ergot poisoning.  Most bakeries include Niacin in their flour mixtures to prevent Ergot poisoning.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  11:05 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  I have noticed dragon flies in this area, so that it is a good indicator that the hurricane season has started.  I suppose a lot of people in these northern areas have not experienced the hot sultry weather that accompanies hurricane activity.  I raised my air conditioner temperature to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  10:55 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  I had a Boston Market chicken with noodles dinner along with ice tea.  I noticed tonight in the Greenwich Library, the acoustics are such that it tends to be a bit noisy.  I generally try to tune out the sound.  It is so quiet where I live, I can generally hear a pin drop.  I also have stereo sound in my apartment, which I can listen to if I chose to relax.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  10:05 P.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I stopped by the Greenwich Library, and I read part of P.C. Magazine.  The air conditioning is not working on the lower level on the Greenwich Library, but upstairs on the second floor, it is plenty cool enough.  One has to remember for those of you whom are infirm that climbing the steps to the second floor of the Greenwich Library can be dangerous, so it is safer to take the elevator.  The Asian Institute in Manhattan, the Greenwich Library, and the Mitchell's Department store on Greenwich Avenue all have long sweeping stairways which can be dangerous, if one trips on them and fell down the long length of stairs.  I returned home, and I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  5:45 P.M.:  For local Greenwich, Connecticut, Steamboat Road, Indian Harbor Yacht Club real time weather try Greenwich, Connecticut, Indian Harbor Yacht Club, Steamboat Road, Real-Time Weather .  I will now shut down the computer, and I will clean up.  I guess I will then go out for some evening activity.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  5:30 P.M.:  I printed out two sets of tide charts from July 2003 through December 2003 for Greenwich, Connecticut.  The tide chart information for the Northeastern United States is available from www.maineharbors.com .  I will put one set in the back seat of my Hyundai, and I will leave another set on the HP LaserJet IID printer on the dining room table in my apartment.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  4:55 P.M.:  For anyone interested in Tropical Weather down south, such as what is happening on the east coast of Texas right now, they can try www.geocities.com/mikelscott/weather.htm .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  4:45 P.M.:  I set my General Electric Profile 15,500 BTU air conditioner with remote control at 68 degrees Fahrenheit earlier this morning, so it is now 73 degrees Fahrenheit in the apartment.  It is 86 degrees Fahrenheit outside right now.  I noticed this GE www.ge.com web site http://products.geappliances.com/ is very slow working, so with the increased heat down south, GE's web site seems to be working slowly.  I am not sure whether the air conditioning is working at the Greenwich Library or not.  They had problems last week.  When I worked at Fluor Daniel construction company, I used to spend quite a bit of time trying to expedite building air conditioning units from Carrier air conditioning http://www.global.carrier.com/ , which I believe is owned by United Technologies www.utc.com .  Those were the large roof top units that have to be hoisted on top of the roof by large crane.  Last summer, or maybe it was this past winter, they hoisted a large roof top unit on top of the Uniever building http://www.unilever.com/ across from the Greenwich Library.  It took quite a sizeable crane to hoist the unit.  I would imagine the air conditioning is working in the Peterson Wing of the Greenwich Library, but it might not be working in the old section.  I had two tuna fish sandwiches with ice tea.  CIO   

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  3:05 P.M.:  I fell back to sleep until now.  I put away the ice tea in the refrigerator.  Earlier I had five Danish cookies after breakfast.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  8:15 A.M.:  I am making up a batch of www.geocities.com/mikelscott/icetea.htm .  I was told that yesterday, it was 105 degrees Fahrenheit in Texas, so maybe warmer weather is headed our way soon.  For the next eight days, it is suppose to alternate with thunderstorms starting on this Wednesday and on alternate days with overcast days.  Thus one should keep their umbrella handy.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  8:10 A.M.:  I noticed yesterday at the Greenwich Library http://www.greenwich.lib.ct.us/ that the Cole Auditorium and the old wing that is now being faced with Indiana Lime stone has the Cole family name engraved on it now.  The Cole family is involved with Reader's Digest  http://www.rd.com/ .  The Greenwich Times reported about 20 years ago, they had moved out of Greenwich to Virginia, but the last I heard Reader's Digest was up in Pleasantville, New York.  I believe Richard Nixon was strongly backed by the Wallace family that founded Reader's Digest.  Thus being one of the world's major publications, they more than likely have some sort of network. Of course by the time somebody writes a story, and it is distributed in their publication, it takes a few months time lag.  Of course their web site probably might carry some current information, if one took the time to look at it.  Of course Reader's Digest worldwide has over 60 million readers, so more than likely before they print something, they do a rigorous investigation.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  7:25 A.M.:  According to this story, the American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ is down from its normal reserve of $56 million to $1.5 million http://www.cnn.com/2003/WEATHER/07/15/claudette/index.html , so with minimal funds, they are limited to what they can do in the upcoming hurricane season.  I suppose with the tighter economy, and with all the recent disaster activity, there has not been as many donations.  I also read in the local Greenwich Times that the blood supply is at an all time low, and they have had to cancel elective surgeries.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  6:35 A.M.:  When I first got on the internet about eight years ago or so, this web site was one of the more comprehensive web sites on Disaster and other information about the larger world as it was collected by a group of volunteers www.vita.org .  However, it tends to get depressing after a while, so I quit looking at it regularly.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/15/03  Tuesday  5:20 A.M.:  I was up at 4 A.M..  I watched a bit of television.  I decided to report on an odd event which seemed a bit odd yesterday.  When I was down at the waterfront dropping off the tide charts, while I was parking on the end of Steamboat Road, there were what sounded like three shots coming from the direction of the old Benedict house.  I noticed the regular fishermen did not seem nervous, so they had heard them before.  From my experience the shots did not echo, so they were not a rifle or gun fire.  Thus more than likely since no one seemed nervous, it was someone duck hunting on the waterfront, someone using a nail gun, a kid on a skate board, an automobile back firing, a sound recording, someone using fireworks, or more than likely which I have heard before much to the annoyance of their neighbors, someone is using one of those gas fired cannons that make a shooting sound to scare away Canadian Geese off their lawn.  Basically they are gas canister driven, and they make a shooting sound every few minutes to scare away the geese.  Someone on the other side of the harbor had one a couple of years ago. This site shows alternative products http://birdbgone.com/ .  I have seen the web site for another local Canadian Goose removal service, but I can not find it on the search engines.  The local Canadian goose population tends to foul the environment.  This site has a pricey item for getting rid of geese http://www.pestproducts.com/goose_buster.htm .  I think an effective way to get rid of them would be to have a dog such as a black Labrador chase them away.  Of course dogs do not work 24 hours.  I will now have breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/14/03  Monday  10:05 P.M.:  I had a Stouffer's Lean Cuisine chicken with mushrooms and a glass of ice tea.  I chatted with two relatives.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/14/03  Monday  9:10 P.M.:  I went back out, and I went downtown.  I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I drove down by the waterfront, and I dropped off a set of tide charts with a former neighbor's wife.  I stopped by the Greenwich Library, and I returned a DVD video disk, and I checked out another DVD video disk.  I then returned home.  I had a glass of ice tea.  I then chatted with a friend.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/14/03  Monday  5:10 P.M.:  I have a DVD video disk that is due.  I will go out shortly and return it to the Greenwich Library.  It seems there is a tropical storm down around Texas, so one can look at this link for information http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/weather.htm .  I remembered, when former President Bush got Ronald Regean's vice presidential nomination back around July 1980, I stopped by Maui after leaving Kennebunkport, and the American Bar Association and the American Judicial Association were having a meeting there in nice weather in August, and I recall seeing a news report that Houston, Texas was hit by a hurricane.  Of course, back then we did not have all this advanced media, so it was just a small story in the news in Hawaii.  Since my family and myself are long term residents in this area, I do not travel much anymore, since with over a million people traveling through this area weekly, we see a lot of visitors.  Thus I am always on the lookout for distant relatives or friends, however since so many people look the same in America, and since I have been looking at a computer monitor for close to 12 years, I tend to be more myopic like Mr. McGoo, and however as an economist, I tend to be more like Uncle Scrooge.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/14/03  Monday  4:30 P.M.:  I put in a new CVS Clorox toilet bowl cleaner in the bathroom toilet.  I relaxed a while, but I did not fall asleep.  I finished off the dried apricots by eating five dried apricots.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/14/03  Monday  3:05 P.M.:  I watched a bit of television.  Although it is a nice day and slightly overcast, I am a bit tired, since I did not get a full night's sleep last night.  I will thus now take a nap.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/14/03  Monday  2:15 P.M.:  I had the same salad as yesterday, but I had it with a six ounce can of shrimp instead of crab along with a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/14/03  Monday  1:15 P.M.:  I stuffed in two orange hand towels into the half inch space between my two window top and bottom halves in my air conditioning window opening, so that the air does not leak into the apartment.  I had a piece of foam installed, but over time, it deteriorated.  I then went downtown.  I walked lower Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out for a while.  I then went by Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I next went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift shop, and I bought a 10 inch diameter glass crystal style bowl with a silver type metal rim for $5.  I then went back downtown, and I stopped by the Greenwich Post Office.  I obtained a money order for $73.09 for the cost of .90 for $73.99 total.  I used the postal money order to pay my General Electric Service Protection contract through September 11, 2004.  The contract is on my General Electric Profile 15,500 BTU air conditioner with remote control which I bought three years ago for about $600 from Partridge and Rockwell on West Putnam Avenue.  I was told that I should not pay a service contract, but just to buy a new one if it should break, but it is a good unit, which should last eight to ten years, and since it weighs 85 pounds, if I had to pay someone to move it for me, it would cost $85 from the dealer, and under the contract they will take care of installation and repair should I need it.  I have thus paid two yearly contracts of $53 and now one of $73 for $179 total maintenance contract on the unit so far.  I then walked upper Greenwich Avenue.  I stopped by Charles Stuttig's lock smith shop, and I had two keys cut for my apartment entrance door for $5.30 total.  I put one with a lobster key chain set, and another with the building entrance key.  I then completed my walk on Greenwich Avenue.  I next went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times.  I then returned home.  I had a glass of ice tea.  I put the glass bowl underneath the left miniature potted palm on the window ledge.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/14/03  Monday  6:25 A.M.:  I chatted with a friend from 9 P.M. to 10 P.M. last night.  I was up at 5 A.M. this morning.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I will now clean up, and I will go out.  I enjoy the early morning activity, since it is not too busy, and it is cooler.  CIO   

Note: <888> 07/13/03  Sunday 7:05 P.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed shortly.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/13/03  Sunday 6:35 P.M.:  I chatted with two relatives.  I will now have a bowl of raspberry Jell-o with California strawberries and ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/13/03  Sunday 5:55 P.M.:  I went out with my guest, and I saw his 1993 SAAB convertible in mint condition with 45,000 miles on it in a citron color that he paid $8,500 for.  My guest is in the real estate business up in Wilton, Connecticut at www.country-living.com , so he can afford a more expensive car like the used SAAB convertible to show real estate in Wilton, Connecticut.  We put the top down, and we went for a drive downtown.  We drove down by the waterfront in two locations.  I had not been down by the waterfront in central Greenwich since about a week before I went to Kennebunkport, Maine or about four weeks ago.  Also the usual interlopers were gone, and there was a diverse crowd there, which after 20 years of experience down there is the way I like to see it.  After spending some time at the two locations, we went for a drive in back country driving up North Street and then across Clapboard Ridge Road to Lake Avenue and back down into town and back over to my place in Byram.  We chatted for a while.  I had a message on the answering machine.  My guest just left.  My guest's SAAB has a Swiss emblem on it with the Swiss race car driver's name Gaston Andre on it.  Well, my guest just left.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/13/03  Sunday 1:25 P.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I went downtown, and I sat out briefly.  I then drove over to Tod's Point, and I took the 2.5 mile walk around Tod's Point.  I saw one of the regular fishermen at the southwest picnic area catch a blue fish.  It was the first fish I have seen caught this season.  I have heard that the fishing is not as good this year for some reason.  I sat out for a while after my walk at the southeast beach area, and I used the restroom and water fountain.  I then stopped by the ATM machine at Putnam Trust Bank of New York in downtown Old Greenwich.  I then went by the Express car wash in Old Greenwich, and I got the $5 car wash.  I then towel dried my car, and I shook out the driver's side floor mat.  I then drove back to downtown Greenwich.  I sat out for a while.  I then walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue including the train station area, and I sat out at various locations.  I noticed on the south side of Railroad Avenue in front of the movie theatre, they have put in diagonal parking like on Greenwich Avenue.  During my walk, I also stopped by CVS, and I bought two packages of cherry Jell-o for .79 each, two 16 ounce cans of Ocean Spray whole berry cranberry sauce from the discount shelf for .60 each, two cans of DelMonte lite sliced peaches 15 ounces .77 each, two cans of DelMonte lite fruit cocktail 15.25 ounces .77 each, five cans of StarKist solid white albacore tuna in water .99 each, two jars of Gold Emblem parsley .77 each, a jar of Gold Emblem cinnamon .77 for $13.12 total.  I then returned home.  I am about to put away my purchases.  A friend just stopped by to show me his new used SAAB convertible.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/13/03  Sunday 8:15 A.M.:  I watched the two hour program on Cspan of the commissioning of the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan, which being an old salty dog myself was enjoyable to watch.  I think they still call them tin cans, because all of the food comes out of a tin can.  Anyway, Nancy Reagan still looks like she does not eat very much.  I guess it goes to say, one can not be too rich or too thin.  Myself on the other hand, I have to try to keep up my body weight, so I can get a little exercise.  I prepared another salad.  I took five chilled large leaves of red lettuce, and I broke off the stalks.  I then broke them into two to three inch pieces which I put in the lettuce spinner, and I rinsed off underneath cold water.  I spread them over a large dinner plate.  I then put 20 chilled small two inch long by 3/8 inch diameter carrots which I spread over the plate.  I then put five chilled large tablespoon dabs of the homemade hummus with olives in it http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm , and I spread the dabs in five even places on the salad.  I then took 16 large chilled pitted black olives, and I spread them across the plate including placing one in each of the five dabs of hummus.  I then diced a half of a red Bermuda onion, and I spread it over the salad.  I then spread 20 Pepperidge Farm fat free Caesar generous cut croutons on the salad evenly spaced.  I then opened a chilled six ounce can of crab, and I left the lid on it, and I rinsed it underneath cold water a half dozen times squeezing out the water.  I flaked the crab in a bowl, and I spread it over the salad.  I then opened a chilled six ounce jar of Spanish Cento sectioned artichoke hearts, and I spread them over the salad saving the olive oil in the jar.  I then put on a generous amount of chilled grated parmesan cheese about an eighth of a cup on the salad.  I then put on about an eighth of a cup of Monari Italian balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy on the salad.  I then spread on the chilled Cento artichoke olive oil remaining in the jar.  I then put on a little less than an eighth of a cup of Italian extra virgin olive oil on the salad.  I seasoned it with ground black pepper and salt.  I had the salad with ice tea.  Earlier I went through www.geocities.com/mikelscott/icetea.htm.  I will now shut down the computer.  I will clean up, and I will go out for some daytime activity.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/13/03  Sunday 5:05 A.M.:  There is a tropical storm headed towards the mouth of the Rio Grande on the Texas Mexican border www.geocities.com/mikelscott/weather.htm .  That is about where the large King and Kennedy ranches are.  I remember one tropical storm that hit there about five years ago, and there were lots of dead cows, and with all the flooding, there was an increase of venomous snakes coming out of the ground.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/13/03  Sunday 4:15 A.M.:  I had six dried apricots.  I watched a bit of television, and as usual, there is nothing worth watching.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/13/03  Sunday 3:30 A.M.:  I was up at 1 A.M..  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I sent out an email.  I sifted through my email.  Another Gates story http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/13/national/13GATE.html?th . CIO 

Note: <888> 07/12/03  Saturday 3:35 P.M.:  I will now shut down the computer.  I will relax a bit before going to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/12/03  Saturday 3:25 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/12/03  Saturday 2:20 P.M.:  I had a bowl of raspberry orange jell-o with fresh California strawberries and a glass of ice tea.  I took the two AAA rechargeable batteries out of the  charging contacts, and I left them in the charger.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/12/03  Saturday 1:55 P.M.:  I had six dried apricots with ice tea.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/12/03  Saturday 1:40 P.M.:  The following is Hoover's overview of the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc

London: RBOS

36 St. Andrew Square

Edinburgh

EH2 2YB, United Kingdom

Phone: +44-131-556-8555

Fax: +44-131-557-6565

http://www.royalbankscot.co.uk/

Primary U.S. Office

1 Citizen Plaza

Providence, R.I. 02903

Phone: 401-456-7000

Fax: 401-456-7819

Overview:

It only seems like most banks print their own money: Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) really does.

It prints it own banknotes and coins, a right dating back some 300 years.  With more than 2,200

locations, RBS provides services such as savings accounts, credit cards, and mortgages

to commercial and personal clients in Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland.  The bank also

sells insurance and investment products over the telephone through its Direct Line subsidiary.

In the U.S. it owns Citizens Financial, one of the largest bank holding companies in New England,

with some 850 branches in seven East Coast states.

RBS's acquisition and successful integration of London's NatWest has allowed it to capitalize

on NatWest's brand recognition and gives RBS take a more commanding role in banking in the

British Isles.  The move makes RBS the #2 U.K. bank after HSBC.  Citizens Financial is continuing

it penetration of the American market with the acquisitions of Massachusetts' Medford Bancorp

and Pennsylvania-based Commonwealth Bancorp.  It also has arranged to buy Boston-area

Port Financial.

RBS has a longstanding alliance with leading Spanish bank Santander Central Hispano,

which owns almost 10% of RBS.  Together the two banks participate in joint venture

partnerships throughout Europe.

If you have overdraft protection for your checking account, you can thank RBS, which

invented the service in 1728.

History:

Royal Bank of Scotland was founded in 1727, but its roots go back to the Darien Company,

a merchant expedition that was established to set up a Scottish trading colony in Panama.

The Darien expedition ended disastrously in 1699.  In 1707 England voted to compensate

Scottish creditors for the colony's failure (in part because England had promised support,

then reneged, contributing to the collapse), and a small industry sprang up around paying

creditors and loaning them money.  In 1727 the Equivalent Company, the combined entity

of these organizations, was granted a banking charter and became Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

In 1826 the Parliament voted to take away Scottish banks' right to issue banknotes for less

than five pounds, which would have required banks to use gold or silver.  Few banks had such

reserves, and the move sparked an outcry.  Novelist Sir Walter Scott's The Letters of Malachi

Malagrowther, which defended the Scottish one-pound note, helped shoot down the proposal.

RBS expanded throughout Scotland over the next 50 years.  It opened a London branch in 1874;

it didn't establish a branch outside London until it bought Williams Deacon's Bank, which had

a branch network in North England.  RBS continued to use the Williams Deacon's name, as

it did with Gly, Mills & Co., which it purchased in 1939.

In 1968 RBS took on its modern persona as a public company when it merged with National

Commercial Bank.  The company moved overseas during the 1970s, establishing offices

in Hong Kong and major U.S. cities.

RBS spent the next 20 years trying to achieve another merger of the same scale as National

Commercial.  In 1981 the bank was wooed by Standard Chartered Bank and Hongkong and

Shanghai Bank (now part of HSBC Holdings), but British regulators denied both suitors.

The bank moved into telephone operations in 1985, when it set up Direct Line for selling

car insurance.  In 1988 RBS bought New England bank Citizens Financial.  In 1989 the company

entered into an alliance with Banco Santander (now Santander Central Hispano), Spain's

largest banking group.  The alliance created a cross-population of ideas and strategies

that boosted both banks' operations.  The first fruit of the alliance came in 1991 with the

launch of Interbank On-line Systems (IBOS), which connected several European banks and

allowed for instantaneous money transfers.

In the 1990s RBS was linked with a variety of partners.  It even made a bid for the much larger

bank Barclays, in a move regarded as cheeky, but was rebuffed.  In 1997 it announced a joint

venture with Richard Branson's Virgin Group called Virgin Direct to offer personal banking.

The company also bought Angel Trains Contract, a rolling stock leasing company, and established

a transatlantic banking transfer system (similar to IBOS) with U.S. bank CoreStates (now

owned by First Union).

In 1999 RBS opened a branch in Frankfurt as a base for European activities.  The next year

Citizens Financial bought UST Corp., making it the #2 bank in New England next to FleetBoston.

The next year RBS acquired NatWest after a prolonged takeover battle with rival Bank of Scotland

(now part of HBOS plc).  The bank sold Gartmore Investment Management, its fund management

unit, to Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.  Royal Bank also sold the assets of NatWest's

Equity Partners unit and launched NatWest Private Banking to target wealthy investors.

Note: <888> 07/12/03  Saturday 12:35 P.M.:  I cleaned up, and I went out after the last message.  I went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I then went by Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I next went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift shop, and I bought a pink and white rose flower design Chinese bowl about 12 inches in diameter and about 5 inches high for $5.  I next went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times.  I printed out the Hoovers report from the internet on the Royal Bank of Scotland.  I then by Exxon, and I bought $4 of regular unleaded gasoline at $1.739 a gallon for about 24 miles per gallon.  I then went by Pickwick shoe repair, and I picked up my left white Ecco walking shoe that I had the heel wear preventer tap put on.  I then went by the Arnold bread outlet, and I bought two loaves of Arnold Natural 100% whole wheat nine grain bread for .99 each less 10% senior discount twice of .19 for $1.69 total.  I then went by Smokes for Less in Byram, and I bought a carton of Seneca Ultra Lights 100s for $31 total.  I then returned home, and I put the Chinese bowl underneath the right miniature potted palm on the window ledge in my apartment, and I put a Pyrex bowl underneath the miniature palm to the left of it.  I vacuumed the apartment.  I had a glass of ice tea.  I received in the mail my General Electric service contract on my General Electric Profile 15,500 BTU air conditioner with remote control, and the current contract expires on September 11, 2003, and it will cost me $73.09 to renew it for a year.  I will probably pay the bill on the first of August.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/12/03  Saturday 7:00 A.M.:  I was also told by a local that Greenwich Capital which is now owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland had over recent years sold over two trillion dollars of United States government dept mostly to the Japanese.  Thus, I am most curious as to whom owns the Royal Bank of Scotland.  On a lesser note, I took five chilled large red leaf lettuce leaves, and I broke off the stalks.  I then broke them into two to three inch pieces, and I put them in a lettuce spinner, and I rinsed them underneath cold water.  I spread them over a large dinner plate.  I next rinsed in cold water three chilled plum tomatoes, and I cut them across in quarter inch sections.  I spread them over the lettuce.  I then put 20 chilled small carrots about two inches long and a third of an inch in diameter, and I spread them over the plate.  I then put five large heaping tablespoons of the chilled homemade hummus with olives www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm , and I spread them in five dabs evenly over the plate.  I then put fifteen chilled large pitted black olives on the plate with five in the five dabs of hummus.  I diced a half of a Vidalia onion, and I spread it over the plate.  I next put 25 chilled pieces of Swiss cheese about .25 inch thick by 1.5 inch long by .50 inch wide on the plate.  I next opened a chilled six ounce can of small shrimp, and I left the lid on it, and I rinsed it about a half dozen times underneath cold water squeezing out the water with the lid.  I separated the small shrimp in a bowl, and I spread them over the salad.  I then put on a generous amount about four tablespoons of chilled grated parmesan cheese.  I next put on generous amounts about an eighth of a cup each of Italian balsamic vinegar and Italian extra virgin olive oil.  I then seasoned the salad with ground black pepper and salt.  I took three CVS enzyme tablets before eating the salad which I had with ice tea.  Despite the fact the salad gives me gas, I think it is a most healthful salad this time of year when produce in fresh, so hopefully the CVS enzyme tablets will help reduce the gas in my system which the salad seems to produce.  I just got an email from a friend whom says my intestinal gas is like when horses get colic, and the best thing to do is walk.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will clean up, and I will go out for some daytime activity.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/12/03  Saturday 5:45 A.M.:  I chatted with a relative after the last message.  The 12 year old sick poodle is back from the veterinarian, and it is doing better.  I went to bed, and I chatted with the same relative about 9 P.M..  I called back the relative again.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I went back to bed, and I was up at 2:30 A.M..  I had two popcorn cakes with four dried apricots and some ice tea.  I just finished my house cleaning and watering the plants.  I still have to vacuum which I will do later, when I will not disturb my neighbors.  I listened to the radio while doing house cleaning with my Emerson wireless headphones.  I just put in fully charged rechargeable AAA batteries, and I am charging up the other set of batteries, which should be fully charged at 2 P.M..  This service from D&B is available in the Greenwich Library for free http://mddi.dnb.com/mddi/ .  I have to use it in the library to see whom is involved in owning the Royal Bank of Scotland http://www.royalbankscot.co.uk/ .  I drive by their Greenwich office http://www.gcm.com/ all the time on Steamboat Road.  The Forbes International 500 list http://www.forbes.com/2003/07/07/internationaland.html says it is the 60th largest international company.  I am curious since their original security guards down on Steamboat Road were Sudanese security guards whom had worked for the Royal Saudi family.  I was wondering if the Saudis had invested in RBS.  I was also told by a local that RBS is able to barrow money from the Japanese financial institutions for about 1 percent interest, and then they relend it at 7 to 8 percent interest.  Thus maybe the Japanese are involved in RBS.  Thus they are a profitable operation.  I would assume some of their assets are North Sea oil income.  Thus, I am curious as to what the actual breakup of the institutional ownership of RBS is.  I do know that their building at 600 Steamboat Road use to house General Reinsurance which was owned by the Gulf Oil company at one time.  I do know the Gulf Oil tanks in Greenwich use to be at the same location on the waterfront.  Thus by Sherlock Holmes deductive reasoning, I was wandering if RBS ownership is possibly controlled by the Melon family of Gulf oil.  It seems curious why and Irish American family would invest in a Scottish bank.  There use to be another Scottish bank called Scottish Widows and Orphans bank too.  Whatever the case when the Greenwich Library http://www.greenwich.lib.ct.us/ is open, I will continue my research at D&B.  I guess I could try to call them up or email them, but I think it would be more practical to look at the D&B report on the RBS ownership.  Of course for all I know it might lead into other offshore shell companies in the Cayman Islands or other such off shore places.  It has me curious.  What originally peaked my interest was the security guards thought I owned RBS, so maybe the individual that owns RBS looks a bit like me, which is not unlikely since I am half Scottish.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 4:00 P.M.:  I am a little bit tired, so I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 3:40 P.M.:  I went out, and I went by Pickwick shoe repair at the Stop and Shop plaza, and I left my left white SAS shoe to have the heel wear preventer tap put on it.  I paid $2.50 to have it done.   I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift Shop.  I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Dental Clinic, and I had my teeth checked.  I will have to go to another dentist to get some dental work done.  The National Geographic at the Dental clinic had a list of over 700 World Heritage sights.  I then went back by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift Shop.  I next went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I used the bathroom at the senior center which is open in the day time.  I then went by the Greenwich Library.  I got reference desk help from the library Dun and Brad Street data base trying to find out whom owns the Royal Bank of Scotland, but the site with the information would not come up, so I will have to check out some other time in the future.  Since they have an office here in Greenwich, it would be interesting to know what parties are involved in the ownership.  It probably reflects the wealth of North Sea oil money.  Since the Scottish are a formidable conservative people financially, I would assume its ownership might reflect some of the old guard Scottish funds, and not just some old hermit sitting next to his whiskey distillery.  I then returned home.  I chatted with a relative.  I had a bowl of the raspberry orange Jell-O with strawberries.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 8:45 A.M.:   I had two low fat popcorn cakes with two dried apricots and ice tea.  I will now shut down the computer.  I will clean up, and I will go out.  I have a 10:30 A.M. dental appointment.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 7:50 A.M.:  I relaxed a bit and watched a bit of television.  I chatted with a friend.  I had five dried apricots.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 6:15 A.M.:  I went through www.geocities.com/mikelscott/scotwork.htm .  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 5:45 A.M.:  I had two tuna fish sandwiches and ice tea.  I went outside, and I chatted with a neighbor.  CIO

End of Scott's Notes week of 07/11/03:

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 4:05 A.M.:  I will now send out my weekly notes.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 4:00 A.M.:  I had ten croutons and two dried apricots.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 3:35 A.M.:  Tomorrow is the 313th anniversary of the Battle of Boyne http://nyny.essortment.com/battleofthebo_rrzj.htm and http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-741932,00.html , and they're still feuding over here and there.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 3:15 A.M.:  In the good old days, when I was surrounded by neighbors whom slept soundly, I use to listen to Broadway show tunes all night long while, I worked on the computer.  However, my current neighbors are light sleepers.  I do have a number of Broadway tunes on CD and stored on my hard drive, so I could try listening to some of them with my new Plantronics DSP 500 headset to see how they sound.  The Plantronics  Persono program which loads with the computer has a setting to change the fidelity of the headset from Voice to Classical, Jazz, R&B, Rock, Games and None.  I suppose one would use Jazz or Classical for Broadway show tunes.  I also have another headphones set next to the computer connected by wire to my stereo system, another Emerson wireless headset underneath the Orion television connected to the stereo system, and the Panasonic headset connected to the computer, if one changes to the sound card settings in "Control Panel" "Sounds and Audio Devices", and I have another headset that can be plugged into the stereo system on the Queen Anne chair underneath the stereo system.  I also have some low cost headsets for Walkman or computer speakers.  Thus should, I ever decide to listen to music, I am truly wired.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 2:55 A.M.:  I had two dried apricots.  It says here that Joe Allen has a new restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/09/dining/09JOEA.html .  When I worked at CBS, a lot of my fellow employees used to go to his restaurant in Manhattan.  I myself use to patronize P.J. Clarke's when I could afford it.  A restaurant that looks like P.J. Clarke's is the Landmark Tavern on 10th Avenue around 54th street on the west side of Manhattan.  Although a lot of the old guard still go to http://www.21club.com/index-flash.html, and it is near to Black Rock CBS's corporate headquarters, when I was earning $85 a week take home pay at CBS in 1973, I could not afford 21.  I think I may have been to 21 once with my parents.  I found a "21" mustard jar in the thrift shop in Southport, Connecticut behind the Congregational Church.  I gave it to a relative in Texas.  For years when ever I heard people talking about going to Joe Allen's restaurant, I thought it was owned by the astronaut of the same name.  I had a hard time figuring out why an astronaut would own a restaurant in New York.  About five years ago, I saw the fourth Longest Running Broadway Show http://www.geocities.com/auzziek/broadway_list.html "A Chorus Line" at the theatre http://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org/  in Ogunquit, Maine.  I believe there is also a summer playhouse in Westport, Connecticut http://www.ohwy.com/ct/w/wescoupl.htm where I use to have a cocktail on warm summer evenings after the show.  Of course since I am not a good actor, the theatre crowd never really appreciated me.  A friend of a friend of a friend of mine once knew a Broadway Play Write who also wrote, "You Can Always Tell a Harvard Man", and he had the same name as a former head of the CIA.  Thus when there are so many people with similar names, one frequently gets confused with different people.  The lights have been blinking ever so slightly a few times.  I hope the electricity does not go off.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 2:00 A.M.:  I went through my email.  I had a half of a 2.5 ounce bag of Glenny's sour cream and onion soy crisps.  I replaced the four General Electric 15 watt frosted candelabra bulbs in the pair of sconces above the dining room table with new bulbs, since one of them had burned out.  I now have three used ones for backup.  I believe the Stop and Shop carries them, and the Greenwich Hardware store and the Fashion light center.  They are hard to find.  They provide a lower more even light than the brighter ones that are more commonly available.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 1:20 A.M.:  I sent out an email.  I had a bowl of the raspberry orange Jell-O with strawberries and a glass of ice tea.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/11/03  Friday 12:45 A.M.:  I had two popcorn cakes before going to bed.  I had a call from a friend at 3 P.M., when I was suppose to make my 3 P.M. appointment.  I had so much stomach gas, it was just as well, I did not make my 3 P.M. appointment.  I guess, I will  have to have smaller salads, so I do not get stomach gas from so much roughage.  I chatted with my friend.  I fell back to sleep until 6:30 P.M..  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I fell back to sleep until 11 P.M..  I had five dried apricots.  I looked at a bit of television.  I just had a Swanson's 16 ounce turkey breast dinner along with a glass of ice tea.  I have a 10:30 A.M. dental appointment today, so I should go easy on the garlic and olive oil products.  I guess my stomach is not use to digesting the amount of roughage I got in the large Greek salads.  I will have to have other entrees with smaller salads.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 8:30 A.M.:  I chatted with a friend on Net2Phone, and the new Plantronics DSP 500 headset is working just fine.  Of course occasionally with the speed of the internet, it can be a factor using Net2Phone, since the call goes through the Cablevision system to Norwalk and then it goes through the internet to Newark, New Jersey where it goes into Net2Phone's telephone gateway.  However, at 2 cents a minute, it is a lot cheaper once one pays for the computer setup and the internet access.  Well, I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 7:25 A.M.:  Of course on July 5, 1976, I recall being a day late and a dollar short that day after the Tall Ships in New York Harbor for the bicentennial of the USA, I went back into Manhattan that evening after viewing the tall ships on the fourth of July, and I wore a dark suit into the city to tour the ships moored up and down the Hudson River and to see the fireworks.  I stayed up all night, and the following day, I was walking up Third Avenue, and some policemen were standing around barricades at Bloomingdales, and they waved me on through.  I walked into Bloomingdales and stood where the other people were standing in line, and about fifteen minutes later in walked Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip to tour the store.  When they left, they got into a gold Rolls Royce and drove up Third Avenue waving to crowds through the sunroof.  They were going on to their next stop at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I had actually spent quite a lot of time over they years, so if I had passed them buy on Third Avenue, I might have caught up to them at the Metropolitan Museum that day.  I was later told at the same time King Olaf of Norway was touring the F.A.O. Schwartz toy store on Fifth Avenue.  The following day in Greenwich, I walk downtown, about 2 P.M. in the afternoon, and I walked down to the waterfront, and I walked the entire distance, and there was not a sole person downtown and no cars either, except the Golden Retriever Honey that use to always lie on the sidewalk downtown.  Anyway, I later learned that the Royal British party at the time were passing by Greenwich on the Britannia on their way to an appearance in New Haven, Connecticut, so I guess between being in Manhattan the day before and heading along the sound to New Haven that day, all the Anglophile community here in town were dispersed following them, and it was just me and the golden retriever downtown.  I believe the golden retriever was a neighbor's dog.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 6:55 A.M.:  It says here that the Prince of Wales is going to visit St. Petersburg, Russia http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/ .  I am not sure if I have ever seen him or not, unless he was one of the many people roaming around Manhattan incognito in the old days.  I recall a benefit at Lincoln Center around the summer of 1981, before he was married, and he was suppose to be showing up.  I scanned the arriving VIPs in the limousines to see him, and a face moving along the sidewalk with all the other pedestrians caught my eye, and it looked to be him arriving on foot.  It was a very hot day, and the fellow that looked like him was very hot, so maybe he will be cooler in Russia this summer.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 6:40 A.M.:  I ran Windows update, and I installed three updates.  I have not been going by the waterfront recently, since I have been busier.  I have been trying to use the library more, so I am not spending any time down around the waterfront.  There are enough local waterfront users this time of year that my presence is not really needed.  I will still try to make it over to Tod's Point a couple of times a week during the summer.  I might change this though, since I have spent so much time around the waterfront in my life, I am naturally drawn to it.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 6:15 A.M.:  I went outside briefly.  I filled out a Forbes Gartner survey earlier.  I updated my Microsoft profile.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 5:25 A.M.:  I went through my email.  I had two low fat popcorn cakes, a dried apricot, and ice tea.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 4:20 A.M.:  I had five dried apricots and 11 Breton wheat crackers with homemade hummus and ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 4:05 A.M.:  I went out after the last message.  I went by CVS in Old Greenwich, and I bought for $10.99 a 100 tablet bottle of CVS Food Enzyme tablets which is their store brand of Beano. A similar jar of Beano is $14.99.  I took two of the tablets while at the store.  I then went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out at various locations.  Some person or persons unknown trashed the two potted evergreens in front of the Saks Fifth Avenue store.  They are lying on their sides part way out of their pots.  It is troubling to see that, when you consider how hard people work to maintain the town.  I even dispose of my cigarettes butts safely in waste receptacles after extinguishing the butts or storm drains.  I had a drink of water from the park fountain to wash down the tablets.  It says to take three, but I will only take two to be more economical.  I next returned home.  When I go out for a short period of time, I put my computer on Standby.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 1:50 A.M.:  Well, I guess I will go over to CVS in Old Greenwich, which is open all night and buy some http://www.beano.net/ .  I did not have this problem, when I ate simpler foods like rice.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 1:30 A.M.:  I had the same dinner salad as last night, but I put in a six ounce can of crab instead of small shrimp.  I had the salad with ice tea.  I tested the Microsoft Word dictation with the new headset, and it seems to work just fine.  I have recently had a bit of stomach gas from my new diet, but it could be from the chick peas, the olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar or some other mixture in my ingredients.  It comes and goes with a particular ferocity, so it is hard to tell.  I do not recall having such problems, when I was on a similar diet in Greece in the spring of 1972.  Whatever, the case, it makes it hard to be around the general public when gas attacks occur.  It sure is a good natural defense system.  Well, maybe I should try Beano, but at the moment, I can not afford it.  I guess chick peas are garbanzo beans, and we all know beans give people gas.  Well, if I say it is pretty bad, it is pretty bad.  Now I know how a skunk feels.  Perhaps, once I use up my current stock of groceries, I should consider a less smelly diet, but at the moment, I still consider it a healthful diet.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/10/03  Thursday 12:10 A.M.:  I went out after the last message, and I stopped by the ATM machine at the Bank of New York in Port Chester, New York.  I then went by the http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/ at the A&P shopping center in Port Chester, New York.  I bought a bottle of 300 tablets of MSM 1000 mg. for $32.36, a bottle of 90 tablets of Coral Calcium Plus for $14.48, and a bottle of 100 capsules of Niacimide 500 mg. for $4.76 less a $10 off discount coupon for $41.60 total.  I then went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times.  I next went downtown, and I walked lower Greenwich Avenue.  There were a lot of Power Ball people at Zen stationary lined up.  I next went by the Food Emporium, and I bought buy one get one free of Edy's pints of sorbet ice cream, one raspberry and one mandarin orange for $3.49 both, a head of red leaf lettuce at $2.49 a pound for $1.71, and two Bermuda onions at $1.29 a pound for $1.66 for $6.89.  I then returned home.  I had a lot of calls from a relative.  Apparently the relative has a sick 12 year old poodle that we are all suppose to pray for.  Also the relative was installing a new 17 inch LCD monitor from Costco, and it did not work properly.  The relative raises canaries, and apparently there was a bird feather in the plug for the monitor which was preventing it from working properly.  Remember to pray for the sick poodle.  I next tried tweaking my Plantronics DSP 500 headset.  I decided it works better in the regular USB port on the back of the computer instead of the USB 2.0 port on the front of the computer.  I downloaded and installed a software upgrade for it too.  I adjusted the settings, and I tested it by calling up myself, and listening to myself on the speaker phone.  It seems to work well enough.  I chatted with a friend, and I also chatted with two relatives.  I will have to check out the Plantronics DSP 500 headset over the internet, once I have time to call people when they are awake.  Still, it seems to be working fine enough, but I will have to wait until, I get feedback from people I call with Net2Phone.  There are so many settings to adjust, it takes a bit of time, adjusting the Multimedia settings, the Plantronics Persono application, and Net2Phone application.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 6:40 P.M.:  I rested for a while.  I chatted with a relative.  I called two different relatives through the computer to try out my new Plantronics DSP 500 headset.  They thought it sounded very clear.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will clean up, and then I will go out.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 4:25 P.M.:  I had two popcorn cakes and four dried apricots before going to bed.  I was up at 3 P.M..  The Plantronics DSP  500 headset from www.jab-tech.com was outside my door delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.  I installed the software first, and then installed the headset into the front USB 2.0 port.  The headset works just fine.  However, it overrides the soundcard in its installation, so it one wants to use the computer speakers, one has to change it to the sound card in the sounds and device settings.  Still the voice quality and the audio on the headset seem far superior.  Since I do not use the speakers much, I will leave the sound and device settings on the Plantronics DSP 500 headset.  I called myself to test the headset, but I can not find anyone else available to chat with at the moment to test it.  Thus the computer is set up for chatting and listening with the Plantronics DSP 500 headset.  I moved the old Andrea electronic headset to the Dell backup computer.  The Plantronics DSP 500 headset did not come with the other audio programs it was suppose to, maybe that is why it was less expensive.  Still, I am most pleased with the overall setup.  I tweaked it for Net2Phone.  I will now have breakfast of oatmeal, toast, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 5:45 A.M.:  I went through www.geocities.com/mikelscott/scotwork.htm .  I sat outside briefly.  I had four dried apricots.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will watch a bit of television before going to bed.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 4:55 A.M.:  I had two low fat buttered popcorn cakes and some ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 4:40 A.M.:  I went through my email.  I received notice from www.jab-tech.com that the Plantronics DSP 500 headset has been shipped, and I received a tracking number for the United States postal service priority mail, which does not tell me anything yet.  It is hard to tell whether it will arrive today or tomorrow.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 4:20 A.M.:  Forbes article on lean Greek diet http://www.forbes.com/2003/07/08/cx_kf_0708htow.html .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 4:15 A.M.:  I took a chilled fresh quart of California strawberries, and I rinsed them in cold water.  I plucked off the stems.  I then quartered them lengthwise.  I boiled two cups of water.  In a six cup Pyrex bowl, I put in two packages of Stop and Shop raspberry sugar free gelatin, and I added the two cups of boiling water.  I stirred it with a wisk for two minutes until dissolved.  I then added two cups of cold orange juice.  I stirred it.  I then without splashing added the quart of quartered fresh strawberries.  I mixed it slightly, and the strawberries floated to the top.  I then put on the glass lid, and I placed the mixture in the refrigerator to chill.  Later on today, there should raspberry Jell-O with orange flavor with fresh strawberries ready.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 3:25 A.M.:  I had three dried apricots and three croutons.  I watched a little bit of television, but as usual, there was not much of substance on.  I think I have to pay for Cablevision to have Optimum Online.  Since, I am usually on the computer, I do not have much time to watch the constant violence on cablevision.  It would seem to me, there would be more educational television on cablevision, which would put it to a better use.  I guess Norwalk, Connecticut where Cablevision supposedly comes from in the cable network system is more prone towards violence.  Still, having watched bit of American television for over 50 years, it seems there is always quite a bit of violence on television.  Since I tend to be in central locations when I go out for walks, it tends to be a more peaceful environment.  Whatever the case, the Cablevision System would not provide such entertainment, unless those whom watch television are prone towards violence and are willing to pay for the viewing experience.  I did hear one term used on the television that might be relevant.  "Nobody loves a fat man, except his grocer." CIO 

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 2:00 A.M.:  Dinner was delicious.  I will now do some regular computer work.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 1:35 A.M.:  I put away the laundry.  When I brought up the laundry there was one of those annoying fax noise messages on my answering machine at 1:03 A.M..  While, I was waiting for the laundry, I made up another summer salad.  I took five large leaves of chilled red lettuce, and I broke off the stalks and discarded them.  I then broke them in two to three inch pieces, and I rinsed them off in cold water in the lettuce spinner, and I spread them over a large dinner plate.  I then took two large chilled plum tomatoes, and I rinsed them in cold water, and I cut them across in quarter inch sections, and I spread them across the plate.  I then put 20 chilled small carrots on the plate.  I next put on 25 chilled large black pitted olives.  I then put on five chilled heaping tablespoons of the homemade hummus evenly spaced.  I put one of the olives in each dab of hummus.  I then put on 20 Pepperidge Farm fat free Caesar generous cut croutons.  I next peeled and diced a half of a chilled Vidalia onion, and I spread it over the salad.  I then cut five 2 inch by 1.5 inch by .25 inch sections of Swiss cheese, and I cut each piece into five parts, for 25 pieces of Swiss cheese, which I spread over the salad.  I then opened a chilled 6 ounce can of small shrimp, and I left the lid on, and I rinsed it underneath cold water a half dozen times squeezing out the water.  I then separated the shrimp in a bowl, and I spread them over the salad.  I then put on a generous portion of grated parmesan cheese.  I next added generous amounts of Italian balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy and Italian extra virgin olive oil over the salad.  I finally seasoned it with ground black pepper and salt.  I will now have the salad for dinner with ice tea.  It is a large heaping salad, but it is like Chinese food in being so many small pieces that one feels hungry after about two hours.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/09/03  Wednesday 12:25 A.M.:  I made up another batch of homemade hummus http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm not using Tabasco sauce or Red Cayenne pepper, but to the basic recipe, I added a can of large black pitted olives along with the chic peas.  I have 25 minutes, until the dry cycle on the laundry is done.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/08/03  Tuesday 11:50 P.M.:  I had two popcorn cakes and four slices of Swiss cheese about .25 inch by 1.5 inch by 1.5 inch before going to bed about 7 A.M. after watching television.  I was up at 6 P.M., and I had breakfast of oatmeal, with toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I cleaned up, and I went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times, the Wall Street Journal, and P.C. Magazine.  The compressor on the roof of the old section of the  Greenwich Library in undergoing repairs, so the air conditioning is not to cool in the library.  I then walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out at various locations.  I next went by the ATM machine at Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought a Swanson's hungryman 16 ounce turkey dinner for $2.99, a 16 ounce container of Homa dried apricots for $3.49, a Twinings box of five blends of five each of tea for 25 total bags for $3.19, a box of Pepperidge Farm low fat croutons $1.49, a package of Quaker popcorn cakes $2.19, a 48 ounce container of Quaker old fashioned oats $3.99, a loaf of Arnold 12 grain bread $1.99, a five pound bag of S&S sugar $2.39, two boxes of S&S low calorie raspberry gelatin .67 each, a can of Roland Hearts of Palm $2.39, a pound of fresh California strawberries $1.99, a 2.5 ounce bag of onion soy chips $1.99 for $29.43 total.  I then returned home, and I put away my purchases.  I started two loads of laundry, and I put $20 on my MacRay laundry card.  I will have $23.95 left on it, once I finish the laundry.  I put clean linens on the bed, and I am just about ready to start the dry cycle on the laundry.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/08/03  Tuesday 5:50 A.M.:  If one needs an inexpensive computer without the operating system or monitor or keyboard or mouse, just the CPU for $285 plus $15 shipping, this is a most excellent value Accessmicro Computers Motherboards and Laptops .  I had three Quaker popcorn cakes.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon after watching a brief bit of morning television.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/08/03  Tuesday 5:10 A.M.:  I went through the past month's volcano reports.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/08/03  Tuesday 4:10 A.M.: United States Air Force public weather site https://afweather.afwa.af.mil/ .  Also, there is the potential for tropical weather activity around Barbados http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/weather.htm .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/08/03  Tuesday 3:50 A.M.:  I went through www.geocities.com/mikelscott/scotwork.htm .  Well, it seems slow around here, so I guess with the more relaxed economy and with the warmer weather, people are working a bit more at home, and maybe taking time off from their hectic offices.  Realistically the office environment is not the only environment in the world.  One of the definitions of "Economics" is how one manages one's home.  Basically in maintaining my rather simple environment, I perform a number of tasks by routine.  Since my apartment is only 450 square feet, I do not have to do too much walking.  Whenever, I visit someone whom lives in a larger home, it seems like in a regular size to larger home, one does a lot of walking.  My family has had a lot of larger homes, and it is always a lot of maintenance to live in a larger home not to mention the expense.  When, I visited with many New York City people over the years, I noticed they had a lot more free time, since they lived in smaller apartments, which did not require as much time to maintain.  I save money by never eating out at restaurants.  Having worked in restaurants, I know how to cook, and I enjoy cooking.  Basically, people once they move out to the suburbs, tend to refocus their routines, since usually when they move out here from the City, they have to get use to maintaining a larger environment.  Thus, one learns to appreciate our various maintenance personnel in the area, whom help keep this area going.  One has to realize after 11 years on personal computers, I have a certain level of experience in maintaining personal computers, but all the knowledge I use to have in maintaining a suburban home is a bit out of date, since many new types of home improvements have been made in the same years, I have been working on the computers.  Thus, one can not be an expert in all fields.  Thus as I have said many times, I am a "Jack of All Trades, Master of None."  Well, from what I can tell, not many people read my internet information too much, since I do not get much communications back for all my input.  Basically, I guess the user public on the internet is respectful of people's privacy.  Still, the internet is like leading a horse to water, but one can not make it drink.  Over all the years in Greenwich and other similar suburbs, I do not think all the various visitors really realize how much time it takes to maintain lifestyles here on a four seasons basis.  Thus like computers, the agony is in the details in maintaining one's lifestyle in the suburbs.  I suppose those whom are wealthy enough to have people maintain their lifestyles for them really do not have the experience it takes from doing it oneself.  The Old Guard American families from having grown up in the pioneering environment tend to know how to maintain their own environments.  It is rather strange all the out of town workers do not give me credit for the 20 years, I have recently spent downtown keeping an eye on the environment, although I do not do any of the work myself.  Still, it takes quite a bit of walking in the downtown environment to get a larger perspective.  Thus the older people whom I am gradually becoming do not necessarily have the energy to walk as much, but I dare say in their younger days, they have done quite a bit of walking, since this town alone has about a dozen golf courses, so one knows people here know how to walk besides all of the running around in cars we also do.  Thus in a town the size of Greenwich, Connecticut, which is the size of Washington D.C. area wise, there are always a lot of people on their feet all the time, so one does not need to go into Manhattan just to do more walking around there.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/08/03  Tuesday 2:45 A.M.:  I updated my Michael Scott Resumee page with three links to pictures of myself about ten years ago http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/resumee.htm .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/08/03  Tuesday 2:05 A.M.:  I turned on ClearType for Windows XP http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cleartype/default.htm .  It makes the screen a bit clearer.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/08/03  Tuesday 1:45 A.M.:  I rested until 1 A.M..  I had 12 Carr's crackers with slices of Swiss cheese and a glass of ice tea.  I put the new batch of ice tea in the refrigerator.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 9:45 P.M.:  I am making up a batch of www.geocities.com/mikelscott/icetea.htm .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 9:10 P.M.:  I finished off the bag of soy chips.  I chatted with a relative.  I completed two Microsoft surveys.  I sifted through my email.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 8:25 P.M.:  I had the same salad as last night, but instead of putting a six ounce can of small shrimp on it, I put on a 6 ounce can of crab, and I used three halved artichoke hearts instead of two.  I had the salad with ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 7:10 P.M.:  I had 20 soy taco chips and 5 cholesterol free Danish cookies before going to bed about 6 A.M. this morning after watching a bit of television.  I noticed from watching television that Don Imus on morning television looks like Thomas Jefferson.  I was up at 2 P.M. this afternoon.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I made my 4 P.M. appointment.  I then walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I next went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Wall Street Journal and the Greenwich Times.  I checked out a DVD video disk.  I returned home, and I had a glass of ice tea.  I chatted with a friend, whom I will call back shortly.  It is raining heavily northeast of here.  I received a email that my order from www.jab-tech.com for the Plantronics DSP 500 headset has been processed, so it should be here tomorrow or the next day.  Remember when looking at used car values Kelly Blue Book http://www.kbb.com/ has all the value listings.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 4:55 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  I have a 4 P.M. appointment today.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 4:50 A.M.:  Recently in order to lead a more relaxed lifestyle, I have only been drinking one cup of coffee in the daytime when I first wake up.  I am using Food Emporium or A&P Eight O'clock Hazelnut coffee beans, which I buy in quantity or about five 13 ounce bags when  they are on sale.  I keep them once the bag is open in a sealed jar and in my Braun coffee grinder.  I have it set on the third finest grind.  I fill up the espresso cup on a Krups espresso cappuccino machine with the ground coffee, I then run a cup of regular water through the machine for a cup of full flavored coffee that I mix with sugar and milk.  I also have a Gaggia coffee grinder with espresso beans in it, two Braun espresso cappuccino machines, a Krups espresso, cappuccino, coffee machine, a Royal drip coffee maker, a quart and a 8 ounce Bodum coffee makers, a Salton single cup coffee maker, and many types of coffee cups.  Thus should I decide to wire myself out on coffee again and spend more time on the internet, I am prepared.  I also have a pound of Italian espresso coffee beans too, which are about six months old.  I also keep a jar of Folgers' instant and Folgers' instant decaffeinated coffee too.  Since I usually use the same coffee cup, all my other coffee cups and bar glassware are a bit dusty.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 4:25 A.M.:  Back in the early 1970s when we had an oil embargo in this area, I helped a friend whom had a steam heated apartment in Manhattan near the United Nations run his apartment.  The friend enjoyed a good cup of coffee, and he frequently sent me out to http://www.mcnultys.com/ down in Greenwich Village to get fresh Viennese blend coffee beans which he made into coffee with a Danish Bodum coffee maker.  It was a most delicious cup of coffee with honey and cream.  I was looking at this web story about coffee http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/07/nyregion/07COFF.html?th , and they list these three gourmet coffee links http://wholelattelove.com/ , http://coffeegeek.com , and http://coffeekid.com/ .  It just goes to show how advanced we have become looking for a good cup of coffee or other java beverage.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 4:00 A.M.:  I had 8 soy taco chips with homemade hummus.  If one wants to know how cold it can get in the good old United States of America, one can check out this web page http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wcstates.htm .  CIO   

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 3:35 A.M.:  One of my first web sites was at a Ohio State mirror for the Antarctic Scott Amudsen research station.  I thought my directory would be useful for searching out information on the internet.  Although, it is hot here in Greenwich, Connecticut USA, one has to remember in Antarctica, it is the middle of winter, and those working at the various polar research stations are frozen in for the winter.  This web page has some useful Antarctic information http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/antarct/start.htm , as well as http://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/ and http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/ .  To preserve baud usage, logging on directly to Antarctic, I believe is restricted, but this page has information about how cold it tends to get down there http://www.nerc-bas.ac.uk/icd/gjma/pole.temps.html#data .  At the moment it is 76 degrees Fahrenheit outside in Greenwich, Connecticut, and the air conditioner in my apartment is set at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and it is 74 degrees Fahrenheit in my apartment right now, so it is cooling it off for a warmer period today.  I have finished updating the Dell backup computer on both partitions.  I suppose if one does not like sitting inside a cooler apartment working on computers in the summer, one could go native amongst the natives.  However, it might be like the story of the ants and the grasshopper, so I will try to continue working on the computer and the internet.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 2:40 A.M.:  I watched a little bit of television.  I had a scoop of Edy's low fat raspberry vanilla swirl ice cream.  I am updating the Red Hat Linux 9.0 partition on the Dell backup computer.  I guess I have not been too focused on my computer activity recently.  However, with the warmer weather, I have been trying to enjoy a bit more of outside activity before it gets colder again.  I suppose with so much happening in the computer area in this area being so close to IBM Armonk not to mention the great metropolis of Manhattan, that for volunteers like myself, we have to try to keep up to pace with the growing computer technology.  I read in P.C. Magazine last week that the United States of America disposes of 60 million personal computers in land fills each year.  Still, I prefer to keep my four older computers for backup, since I would rather not see them trashed after going through the effort to configure them.  I guess it comes from my thrifty Scottish background.  Well, the new Plantronics DSP 500 headset was a major expense at $82.05, but it will be useful for better quality internet telephony.  Once I receive it in two to three days, I will put the old Andrea electronic headset on the Dell backup.  The Andrea electronics headset is very good, and it cost about $40 six years ago.  However, it uses a half inch diameter adaptor to plug into the sound card microphone jack, which with the two  half inch diameter Y adaptors I have on the speaker outputs was a bit cramped.  The Andrea electronics headset was always getting static because it could not get a proper connection frequently.  That will not be a problem on the Dell backup, since I do not use Y adaptors on it.  The Plantronics DSP 500 headset I ordered for my primary computer works through the USB port, so it should be faster and much better quality for communications.  It also comes with a voice recognition program for dictation and speech commands.  I am ever the optimist, and I some times I hope my internet activity will increase, so the expense I have spent on the more advanced equipment will hopefully be useful.  I do spend a lot of time on the computer, and the Optimum online connection expense tends to also add to expense.  However, after certain periods I time, I tend to zonk out from information overdose.  Thus, diversions like watching television help me relax.  Since I do not communicate much to other individuals in the technology field, I am sort of out there on my own.  However, by reading the technology I news, I keep abreast of technology events.  I recall when I first got on the internet about eight years ago, I remember one internet site in the Galapagos Islands using a 1200 baud radio modem.  It really goes to show how fast the technology has advanced that we are all connected, but being so connected, we have become somewhat apathetic.  Still, since we have so much information, it is important to read it, and to gradually digest it, and utilize it to our own benefits and technological advancement.  It may not make sense to individuals whom have never been on the internet, but still over the years, I have been on the internet, I have broadened my knowledge of events beyond the local periodical press.  In my writings in my notes, I have tried to limit my writing to my own experience and familiarity, instead of trying to make it too complex.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/07/03  Monday 12:05 A.M.:  I did some regular computer work.  I had twenty soy taco chips with homemade hummus.  I watched a bit of television.  It seems like everyone is away on vacation, so not much is happening on television or on the internet.  I suppose, I could go out for a moon walk on Greenwich Avenue, but it has been 22 months mostly since I have quit walking around at night, so I am not as use to it, as I was in the past.  I guess I could always check out a book from the library, and try my hand at reading some more literature.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 10:40 P.M.:  I chatted with another relative.  With all these people whom have cell phones and regular phones, frequently they have to pick up on two connections at the same time.  I was talking earlier with a friend on the internet, and two different relatives called on the regular phone while chatting online. Thus today, one has to juggle communications frequently on weekends when cell phone rates are free.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 10:05 P.M.:  Dinner was delicious.  If one is wandering where to get the Roland 13.75 ounce wet 8.5 ounce dry cans 5 to 7 count artichoke hearts cans of artichoke heats, they had them about a month ago at Odd Job in Port Chester, New York for $1.99 each can.  If is hot up in Maine, a relative just bought a General Electric 10,000 BTU air conditioner with remote control for their house in Maine for $238 at Wal-Mart in South Portland, Maine.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 9:40 P.M.:  I took five large leaves of chilled red lettuce, and I tore off the stalks, and I discarded the stalks.  I broke the leaves into two to three inch pieces, and I rinsed them off in the lettuce spinner underneath cold water.  I then put them on a large dinner plate.  I rinsed two chilled plum tomatoes, and I cut them in quarter inch thick slices, and I spread them over the lettuce.  I then put 20 small chilled carrots on the plate.  I next added 16 chilled large black pitted olives.  I then open a can of chilled Roland artichoke hearts, and I sectioned into quarters two artichoke hearts, and I added them to the plate.  I put on five large evenly spaced heaping tablespoons of the chilled homemade hummus which includes black olives http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm .  I peeled and diced a half of a chilled Vidalia onion, and I spread the onion pieces over the plate.  I then opened the lid on a six ounce can of chilled Chicken of the Sea small shrimp, and I left the lid on, and I rinsed it a half dozen times underneath cold water, squeezing the water out to rinse the shrimp.  I separated the shrimp in a bowl, and I spread them over the salad.  I then put a generous layer of chilled grated parmesan cheese on the salad, and then I seasoned it with generous amounts of room temperature Italian Balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy and room temperature extra virgin olive oil.  I then seasoned it with ground black pepper and salt.  I will have the salad for dinner with ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 9:00 P.M.:  I chatted with a friend.  I chatted with two relatives.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 7:45 P.M.:  Before going to bed last night, I had a third of a bag of Lays onion and sour cream potato chips and seven Carr's crackers with homemade hummus along with a glass of ice tea.  I went to bed about 6 A.M. this morning after watching some television.  I was up at 4 P.M., and I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with strawberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I cleaned up, and I went out.  I went by CVS on Greenwich Avenue, and I bought 3.5 ounce tube of Old Spice high endurance deodorant for $2.29, a CVS drop in bleach toilet bowl cleaner $1.99, and a Glade plug-in scented oil refill Hawaiian breeze for $2.99 plus .44 tax for $7.71 total.  I then walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  It is 90 degrees Fahrenheit outside right now.  I then returned home, and I put away my purchases, and I had a glass of ice tea.  I installed the new Glade plug in Hawaiian breeze scent in the kitchen.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 4:10 A.M.:  I did some regular computer work.  I will now shut down the computer.  I will watch a bit of television before going to bed.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 3:35 A.M.:  I have been just surfing the net a bit.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 1:50 A.M.:  I had two popcorn cakes with ice tea.  The popcorn cakes taste so much like regular popcorn, they can be a bit addictive.  I also went through my email, and I am doing some other regular computer work.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 1:15 A.M.:  I had two scoops of Edy's low fat raspberry vanilla swirl ice cream.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/06/03  Sunday 1:00 A.M.:  I sent President Bush a birthday greetings letter via email.  I had two Quaker popcorn cakes.  They are easier to eat than regular popcorn, since they are softer and do not have the hulls which can be hard on the teeth.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/05/03  Saturday 11:30 P.M.:  I set my General Electric Profile 15,500 BTU air conditioner with remote control at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, low fan, energy saver, since it was a bit cool in the apartment.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/05/03  Saturday 11:25 P.M.:  I had a popcorn cake.  I am cooking a Stouffer's lean cuisine 12.5 ounce chicken with mushrooms dinner with two vegetables, which I will have with ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/05/03  Saturday 10:55 P.M.:  According to Yahoo news, Sunday July 6, 2003 is President Bush's www.whitehouse.gov 57th birthday. One can wish him Happy Birthday at mailto:president@whitehouse.gov , but one should wait until midnight Eastern Daylight Time.  I guess that is why his hair is greyer than mine at age 53.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/05/03  Saturday 10:50 P.M.:  I went out, and I went by the Exxon gasoline station next to the Greenwich Library.  I bought $5.55 of regular unleaded gasoline at $1.739 a gallon for about 30 miles per gallon.  I then returned a DVD video disk at the library video drop.   I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I then went by the Food Emporium, and I bought two half gallons of Tropicana pure premium orange juice with calcium for $2.50 each half gallon, buy on pint get one free of Edy's sorbet one of raspberry and one of Mandarin orange for $3.49 both, Quaker popcorn and butter cakes $2.19, a six ounce bag of Carbsense soy chips $3.99, two 8 ounce boxes of Breton wafer wheat crackers $2 each, a quart jar of Smucker's strawberry jam for $4.29 less .55 can refund for $22.41 total.  I then returned home, and I put away my purchases.  I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/05/03  Saturday 8:00 P.M.:  I took a six ounce can of solid white albacore tuna fish, and I opened the lid.  I left the lid on, and I ran it underneath cold water squeezing the water out a half dozen times.  I then flaked the tuna fish in a large bowl, and I added two tablespoons of Hellmann's Just2Good low fat mayonnaise, and I made two sandwiches out of it with Arnold's soft 12 grain bread.  I cut the sandwiches in half lengthwise.  I had them with ice tea.  I set the General Electric Profile 15,500 BTU air conditioner with remote control at 68 degrees Fahrenheit.  Right now outside, it is 89 degrees Fahrenheit, and in my apartment, it is 76 degrees Fahrenheit.  I guess I should leave the air conditioner on a cooler setting, so when it warms up during they day, it will be cooler inside.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will clean up, and I will go downtown.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/05/03  Saturday 7:20 P.M.:  I finished the house cleaning and watering the plants.  A friend called up, and the friend might be coming down tomorrow afternoon.  I also checked the wires on the amplifier since the speakers on the far side in the bedroom were not working with a internet feed, but the speakers work with the amplifier tuner, so it is just the internet feed does not input into the amplifier with stereo.  I have a cable to the right of the main computer hanging over the gold and orange trim mirror, which when one connects the two separate pieces of the cable together, and one put the amplifier on CD, on can listen to the internet feed input into the apartment stereo system.  I will now dump out the garbage.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/05/03  Saturday 5:00 P.M.:  I watched television until 5 A.M..  I had ten Carr's crackers with homemade hummus.  I was up at 2:30 P.M..  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I went out to Smokes for Less in Byram, and I bought a carton of Seneca Ultra Lights 100s for $31 total.  I will now do my house cleaning and watering the plants.  I will listen to some oldies at www.warx.com .  It is 94 degrees Fahrenheit outside right now.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/05/03  Saturday 1:45 A.M.:  I finished watching the DVD video disk.  While watching the movie, I have two scoops of Edy's low fat raspberry vanilla swirl ice cream and eight low cholesterol Danish cookies.  I will now shut down the computer, and I guess I will watch a bit of television before going to bed.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/04/03  Friday 10:55 P.M.:  I will now watch a DVD video disk.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/04/03  Friday 10:15 P.M.:  I took six to seven leaves of red leaf lettuce, and I broke of the stalks and discarded them, and I ripped them into two to three inch pieces, and I rinsed them off in the lettuce spinner underneath cold water.  I put the lettuce on a large dinner plate.  I then rinsed off three plum tomatoes, and I cut them across about a quarter inch thick, and I spread them across the lettuce.  I then rinsed off 22 small carrots and I spread them across the plate.  I then rinsed and put 19 large pitted black olives on the plate.  I next peeled and diced a half of a red Bermuda onion, and I spread it across the plate.  I then put five large tablespoons of the homemade chick pea and black olive hummus http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm in five evenly spaced spots on the plates.  I then opened the lid on a six ounce can of crab meat, and I left the lid on, and I rinsed it underneath cold water for about five times squeezing the lid down to remove the water each time.  I then flaked the crab in a bowl.  I spread it evenly over the salad.  I then spread a generous portion of grated parmesan cheese over the salad.  I then added generous amounts of Italian balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy and extra virgin olive oil over the salad.  I added ground black pepper and salt, and I had the large heaping healthful seasonal salad for dinner with ice tea.  It fills one up, and except for the grated parmesan cheese, it should not be too fattening.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/04/03  Friday 9:25 P.M.:  Before going to bed this past morning, I had about a third of a bag of Lays sour cream and onion potato chips.  I was up at 2 P.M. this afternoon.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with raspberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I cleaned up, and I went by Smokes for Less in Byram, and they were closed today.  They are open until 5 P.M. on Saturday and 2 P.M. on Sunday, and 7 P.M. on weekdays.  I then drove over to Tod's Point.  I walked the entire 2.5 mile walk around Tod's Point.  It was a bit cooler down by the waterfront.  There were a number of holiday picnickers at the southwest picnic area.  I then went to downtown Greenwich, and I walked lower Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  Starbucks was out of ice, so they could not serve chilled drinks, but their manager had gone out for ice.  I noticed the Exxon gasoline station next to the Greenwich Library sells ice along with the grocery stores.  Cumberland Farms might have it too.  I went by the ATM machine at Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought two 29 ounce can of Goya chick peas for $1.09 each can, four cans, two medium size olives and two large size olives of Black Pearl olives for .99 a can, a pint bottle of Monari Italian balsamic vinegar $5.59, two bags of baby carrots $1.50 each, a quart box of plum tomatoes $2.99, and two Vidalia onions at $1.49 a pound for $1.67, and a head of red leaf lettuce for $1.67 for $20.88 total.  I then returned home, and I put away my purchases.  I updated my homemade hummus recipe http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm .  I made up a batch of hummus using the recipe also adding to a can of Black Pearl olives with the other ingredients, and I did not add the McIlhenny Tabasco sauce and the ground Cayenne red pepper.  I am just finishing up watching a Capitol Fourth fourth of July celebration on television.  I can hear the fireworks from Port Chester, New York, which one can see from the back of my building by the skating rink usually.  CIO

End of Scott's Notes week of 07/04/03:

Note: <888> 07/04/03  Friday 2:00 A.M.:  I will now send out my weekly notes.  I will then shut down the computer, and I will get a bit of shut eye.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/04/03  Friday 1:50 A.M.:  Now for the fairly literate in the business community in Fairfield County, Connecticut, what business might have working relationships with Boeing besides IBM or Pan AM.  I will give you a hint.  The company in question also makes light bulbs.  Thus if you guessed the General Electric company, which makes aircraft engines such as jet engines, you can go out and treat yourself to a package of four General Electric 40 watt light bulbs which when they are not on sale cost about $2.99 for a four pack.  With the money you save on using 40 watt light bulbs, you too might some day be able to travel to the west coast of America and sleep outside in the great outdoors like a pioneer in the wilderness with your Coleman camping supplies.  I have a theory that some Californians are like me, and they take cheap vacations and visit the campgrounds on Route 7 north of Danbury, Connecticut, and they camp out in the Connecticut wilderness.  Since Greenwich, Connecticut is a busy expensive area, they are always passing us by, but much the same happens to us, when we venture west.  Last time, I was at Odd Job in Port Chester, New York a couple of weeks ago, they were selling Coleman camping supplies.  Connecticut Yankees tend to be a bit more frugal than their Big City Manhattan cousins, so more than likely unless one is adept at picking apples or cutting grass or raking leaves or painting in season, there is not a lot of seasonal work, since with the long winters, the locals tend to get out and do much of the work themselves.  My friend whom bought the 1993 SAAB convertible with 45,000 miles in mint condition was able to obtain it for $8,000 down from the asking price of $10,500, so if one looks at www.bargainnews.com   , one might be able to find a bargain car to take back to the west coast on one's return trip.  Generally one should take European cars to the west coast of America, since they are more valuable further away from Europe, and one should not take Asian cars back to the west coast of America, since they are more valuable on the east coast.  Of course the 3,500 mile trip back and forth between the coasts might cause a little wear and tear on the cars.  Since American cars are made all over America, they tend to be worth the same price most everywhere in America.  I remember when I was cruising the west coast in 1978 to 1980, I saw a lot of deluxe black Volvo sedans with black vinyl roofs and tinted windows.  Here on the east coast we have lots of Asian cars, so the road seems to have run out here for people traveling east.  I suppose one could try taking a Mini-Cooper west http://www.miniusa.com/ or http://www.mini.com/ , and although there is a Mini dealership, the last time I looked on US 1 on the Stamford Darien border, and their dealership has a web address, I can find it when I search for it.  Of course driving across country in a Mini would be for a smaller person, and one would feel somewhat intimidated by triple tandem semi trailers along the highway.  Now in the old days of the movie called the Cannon Ball run, about a race to California, it took off from a garage in a building on East 54th Street where a number of my friends lived, and it was later moved to the Lock, Stock and Barrel restaurant parking lot in Darien, Connecticut racing to the Malibu, California pier.  Probably Getty's way of making money.  In the movie, the code word for starting the race was "Gum Ball", but by Sherlock Holmes deductive reasoning, I would bet the real code word was "Jelly Bean".  Well, I am mostly an armchair traveler, so I do not fell up to such a long trip, but I have a feeling a few other people are emulating that movie, and the west coast back east version of the same event that leaves from around Carmel or Monterey, California, and I never figured out where it ended up on the east coast.  So much for holiday trivia writing.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/04/03  Friday 12:20 A.M.:  Happy Fourth of July http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/usa.gif .  If one should feel the need to travel to Redmond, Washington to explore the Microsoft hype on the area, one could always investigate the area by reading other web sites such as http://www.psnews.com/ .  I believe the Cowles family of Vanity Fair fame also live in that area, so I suppose they have ample press coverage.  I remember, when I use to go over to White Plains, New York at night to have a beer to see what IBM might be up to, a friend met a representative from the Seattle, Washington chamber of commerce and was given a videotape on the Seattle area about 12 years ago, and that was my first inclination that Microsoft was arriving in this area.  Of course having grown up around the Pan American Airlines flight network in this area for many years, we already had some sort of contacts with Boeing, since you can not have much of an airline without an airplane.  Still, with the heightened security in this area, it is hard to hang out at the airport anymore watching the planes come and go, so I am left watching the automobile traffic and the railway traffic coming and going along with a few buses.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 11:55 P.M.:  On the microeconomic front, I can not still figure out why in Greenwich, Connecticut a men's hair cut costs $18, when a 10 pound bag of Carolina rice in the Stop and Shop costs $3 to $5, unless the people growing rice in the Carolinas all have long hair.  The cost of living and doing business or just surviving in this area is significantly higher than other areas in the Unites States of America.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 11:45 P.M.:  If any Microsoft employees do not feel like moving to India for a cheaper worker environment, they can always email Bill Gates at his official web address at BillGates@chairman.microsoft.com , however I still email him at billg@microsoft.com , and he use to respond to my email the first year I was on the internet about ten years ago, until he got rich, and began to think I might be after his money.  Actually, I only received two emails back from that address, which I did not save, and the second one used PGP encryption, which I did not know how to decipher.  I emailed him those two times when I first got on the internet, with nothing to do with Microsoft, it was to let him know that NASA had launched the Radar Imaging satellite, and more than likely they would be able to analyze the volcanoes in the Cascades Range including Mount Rainier which is near Redmond, Washington.  I dare say enough time has evolved over ten years, that many people are more aware of volcanoes, and with the internet technology, more people can study them.  I figure with all the volcano experts on the internet, there is no need for me to spend so much time reading all the reports and researching the sites, so I have not been doing much volcano research in the last couple of years, but I still keep a weather eye.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 11:35 P.M.:  Of course for anyone starving from California, I noticed this week that cans of California almonds at CVS this week were buy one get one free for about $3.29 both cans.  Also CVS at the Riverside shopping plaza is opened all night, and the sale would be through Saturday.  However, since my teeth seem to be more fragile recently, I can not eat nuts anymore.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 11:20 P.M.:  If one is skinny and in a mood for a steak, one can buy some beef at this web site http://www.harrisranch.com/ .  As for myself, on my low fat diet, I had two scoops of Edy's low fat raspberry vanilla swirl ice cream.  I sifted through my email.  I recall, when I was in Carmel, California twice in the summer and fall of 1980, I stayed a couple of nights at the http://www.normandyinncarmel.com/ , and I recall across the street was a very good restaurant in traditional Spanish style that served most excellent tornadoes of beef with a roaring fire place.  That was one of the four restaurants that I had dined in during my five trips to California over three year's time lasting about eight month's total duration.  The other was across from the Laguna Hotel, another at another hotel in Laguna, and I believe I also had lunch once with the head of  Xerox Parc in Dana Point, California around September 1980.  He kept a beach house on the beach in Laguna Beach, California where I stayed a number of times, since everyone seemed to ignore me besides him.  He seemed to know whom I was and what my family position was back east.  Maybe he was one of my father's employees.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 9:25 P.M.:  I went back out after the last message.  I walked lower Greenwich Avenue and the train station area.  I came back earlier, since I had to go to the bathroom, since I probably put too much olive oil on my salad.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 8:15 P.M.:  I chatted with a relative.  Since it is a holiday evening, I might go out and enjoy the holiday evening ambience.  Unfortunately, I did not read the Greenwich Times yesterday and the day before, so I did not know that the Greenwich Fireworks were last night, so I missed them.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 7:55 P.M.:  I had the same dinner as last night, but in the salad, I put a six ounce can of small shrimp instead of crab.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 6:50 P.M.:  I went to bed about 3 A.M. this morning.  I had ten low cholesterol Danish cookies before going to bed.  I was up at 1 A.M., and I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with raspberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I cleaned up, and I went downtown to the central Greenwich Post Office.  There was a long line at the post office, and I was in a rush, so I went by Zyn stationary, and I bought two Western Union money orders for .79 each cost to pay my Verizon telephone bill, and I also obtained a money order for $82.05 to pay Jab Computers http://www.jab-tech.com/customer/product.php?productid=1789&cat=101&page=1  for my Plantronics DSP 500 headset Plantronics | Browse Computer Products DSP 500 headset.  The cost of the Plantronics DSP 500 headset at Plantronics if $109 plus shipping.  However, at www.jab-tech.com , it was $74.95 plus $7.10 for United States Post Service priority mail shipping with insurance for $82.05 total.  I did not have it sent UPS, since I am usually around when the United States postal delivery person shows up, and UPS tends to come later in the day.  I mailed both checks at the central Greenwich Post Office.  I then made my 3 P.M. appointment.  I next went downtown, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue, and I sat out at various locations.  I then went by the Greenwich Library, and I read the Greenwich Times, the Economist magazine, P.C. Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal.  I just returned home about fifteen minutes ago, and I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 1:20 A.M.:  I made up an envelope for the Jab-Tech payment.  I went out, and I sat out briefly downtown.  I then went by the ATM machine at Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then went by Cumberland Farms on U.S. 1 on the Greenwich - Port Chester border.  I had called them up, and they told me that they sold money orders.  However, their money order machine does not work after 12:30 A.M. at night.  I then went by the Food Emporium, and they do not sell money orders.  I returned home.  I will obtain the money order later on today when I wake up.  I will now shut down the computer, and I will go to bed soon.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/03/03  Thursday 12:15 A.M.:  I order the Pantronics DSP 500 headset from www.jab-tech.com to be paid for by money order.  However, I had to email them whether I give the deliverer the money order upon delivery, or if I send it to them.  I just heard from them.  I have to send them the money order first.  I was sent this festive Fourth of July link http://www.inlibertyandfreedom.com/ilaf.htm .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/02/03  Wednesday 11:35 P.M.:  I am considering ordering this Plantronics DSP 500 headset from Jab-Tech http://www.jab-tech.com/customer/product.php?productid=1789&cat=101&page=1 .  It would increase my Internet Telephony quality of sound.  However, I might want to eat for the rest of the month too, so I have to think about it.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/02/03  Wednesday 11:20 P.M.:  I had ten Carr's pepper crackers.  I went through my email.  I went through www.geocities.com/mikelscott/scotwork.htm .  I downloaded some free Ebooks from http://www.mslit.com/ .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/02/03  Wednesday 7:50 P.M.:  I figured out early this morning that the Michelin tire rotation calculator was in error, and since they sent me the email to rotate after 10 months at 700 miles per month, the must want people to rotate their tires every 7,000 miles, so I still have a bit of time before rotating my tires.  I was up at 1 P.M. today.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with raspberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I cleaned up, and I went out.  I found a heel wear preventer from my white Ecco shoes on the floor of the Hyundai, so I guess it came off when I was shifting my clutch.  I will have to get it put back on.  I went downtown, and I went by Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then went by the Greenwich Hospital Thrift shop.  I next went by the central Greenwich Post Office, and I obtained two United States postal money orders for a cost of .90 each to pay my cablevision and my Optimum online.  I do not have a checking account, so I can not overdraw my account funds.  Thus I have to obtain money orders, and the United States post office tends to be a secure location to obtain them.   I figure the United States government can use the float on the checks, until they are cashed.  I next walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  The Greenwich Hardware store also has two Kitchen Aid toasters on their 70% off rack.  I went by CVS, and I bought a large white Djeep butane lighter for $1.89 plus .11 tax for $2 total.  I next went by the Greenwich Library, and I read P.C. World magazine.  The Greenwich Times has not been there for the last two days.  I then returned home, since it was warmer outside, and it is air conditioned at home.  I took six red lettuce leaves, and I removed the stalks, and I broke them up in two to three inch pieces.  I rinsed them under water in the lettuce spinner, and I put them on a large dinner plate.  I then rinsed three plum tomatoes, and I cut them across about a quarter inch thick, and I put them on the plate.  I then spread around 20 small carrots.  I then put five large tablespoons of the homemade hummus on the plate.  I then put 29 black pearl large pitted olives on the plate.  I next diced a half of a red Bermuda onion, and I put it on the plate.  I then opened a six ounce can of crab meat, and I left the lid on, and I rinsed it in cold water and squeezed out the water with the lid about five times.  I flaked the crab in a bowl, and I then spread it over the salad plate.  I then spread a generous portion of grated parmesan cheese on the plate.  I next put a generous amount of Italian Balsamic vinegar and Italian extra virgin olive oil on the plate, and I seasoned it with ground black pepper and salt.  I then had this heaping seasonal salad for dinner with ice tea.  I have not been going down by the waterfront recently, since we seem to have a lot of expert observers from the Spanish Armada working the waterfront.  I guess they are trying to keep a close eye on Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay, Long Island in case the republican Roosevelts are planning to invade Cuba again.  It is my perspective that the Oyster Bay, Long Island police department is a quite formidable group of individuals having visited out there a number of times, so I would imagine they keep a close eye on the goings on from the south shore of Connecticut.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/02/03  Wednesday 2:10 A.M.:  I received email from http://www.michelinman.com/ that it is time to rotate my tires, since in my profile I entered that I drive about 700 miles per month.  However, since September 2, 2002 when I bought the tires on Labor Day at Sears in White Plains, New York, I have only driven about 4,400 miles in ten months or about 440 miles per month.  I changed my profile to 450 miles per month.  The Michelin site says that one should rotate one's tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, so it is not time to rotate my tires.  However, the Michelin site says I should rotate my tires immediately based on 10 months and 450 miles per month.  Thus I guess when I have the time, I should drive over to Sears in White Plains, New York and get it done for free, since free rotation is included in my tire service purchase.  I have been to White Plains about once, since I bought the tires on Labor Day in 2002.  White Plains, New York is always an adventure, since it seems like a busy city.  Also it can be interesting browsing CompUSA, which I think I did around last Christmas.  It is really not that far, but since I am not that familiar with White Plains, New York, one has to be careful not to spend too much money and mess up one's budget.  Since the Hyundai is a little over four years old, I might also consider obtaining a new battery before this winter.  Sears www.sears.com shows one for $60, but I am not sure if their top level battery for $80 is available for my Hyundai.  I can get the top level battery at AutoZone in Stamford www.autozone.com for $70, but then I would have to install it myself.  Well, I am tired, so I will go to bed soon.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/02/03  Wednesday 1:15 A.M.:  Interesting historical reading FBI - Freedom of Information Act - Barker-Karpis Gang .  CIO

Note: <888> 07/02/03  Tuesday 12:40 A.M.: Use this site to register at the Do Not Call to stop telemarketing calls http://donotcall.gov/ . CIO

Note: <888> 07/02/03  Wednesday 12:20 A.M.:  I had 11 Carr's crackers with homemade hummus and ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/02/03  Wednesday 12:05 A.M.:  I finished going through my email.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/01/03  Tuesday 11:30 P.M.:  I chatted with a friend for a while.  I was searching the D terms in my Google list of search terms, and I was told that I spelled Dengue fever wrong.  This page has information on Dengue fever CDC Dengue Fever Home Page - CDC Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases (DVBID) which might be relevant with the increased mosquito population in this area with all the continual rain we have had.  I once wandered in my notes if Angostura bitters might not be a natural tropical herbal recipe to help prevent Dengue fever, since it comes from Trinidad and Tobago.  Still, since Washington D.C. was classified as a tropical zone in the British Foreign Office until World War II with the advent of air conditioning, I guess it is safe to assume we are still considered to be living in the tropics despite the fact it goes down to below zero degrees Fahrenheit occasionally in the winter.  Well, if I see people walking around in Bombay, India khakis and pith helmets, I will know the tropical weather has arrived.  Having visited and lived in tropical areas, I enjoy the warmer weather when it arrives.  It is also easier on the arthritis.  I was told by one fellow arthritis sufferer today whom had tried all the usual remedies that one can take a large box of yellow raisins and put them in a jar and fill it up with gin and let them soak a few days.  Then one takes a spoonful of the gin and yellow raisins every day to help relieve arthritis pain.  I was told by an arthritis sufferer from the Midwest of America that alfalfa works well too.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/01/03  Tuesday 9:15 P.M.:  I chatted with a friend.  I took six leaves of red leaf lettuce, and I removed the stalk ends, and then I broke them up into two to three inch pieces, and I put them in the lettuce spinner.  I spun the lettuce spinner underneath cold water rinsing off the leaves.  I put them on a large dinner plate.  I then took a six ounce can of Bumble Bee tiny shrimp, and I opened the lid.  I left the lid on, and I rinsed them underneath cold water squeezing out the cold water a half dozen times.  I then put them in a bowl, and I separated them with a fork, and I added them to the lettuce on the plate.  I then rinsed off three plum tomatoes, and I cut off their tops. I cut them across about a quarter inch thick, and I spread them on the plate on top of the red leaf lettuce and  tiny shrimp.   I then added about a half of a can of drained black pearl large pitted olives or about 20 olives.  I then added about 20 tiny carrots which I rinsed off.  I next peel and diced a half of a Bermuda red onion, and I added it.  I then put five large tablespoons of the homemade hummus http://www.geocities.com/mikelscott/hummus.htm evenly about the plate.  I next sprinkled the salad with grated parmesan cheese.  I next added Italian Balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.  I then seasoned it with ground black pepper and salt.  I had this large seasonal salad for dinner with ice tea.  CIO  

Note: <888> 07/01/03  Tuesday 7:55 P.M.:  I was up at 1 P.M. today.  I had breakfast of oatmeal, toast with raspberry jam, orange juice, vitamins, supplements, and coffee.  I cleaned up, and I went out.  I stopped by Putnam Trust Bank of New York on Mason Street.  I then went by the First Union Bank of Connecticut on Havemeyer Place, and I paid my rent.  I then went by the Greenwich Post Office, and I obtained a money order for .90 cost of the money order to pay my GEICO automobile insurance.  I then went by the Greenwich Town Hall, and I paid the property tax of $33.31 on my 1999 Hyundai Accent.  I then drove over to Old Greenwich to Off Center Hair Stylists, and I got my hair cut for $18 plus $5 tip for $23 total.  I then drove out to Tod's Point, and I sat out at the southwest parking area.  I also sat out at the southeast parking area, and I used the water fountain and restroom.  I then returned to downtown Greenwich, and I walked the entire length of Greenwich Avenue.  I sat out at various locations.  I stopped by CVS, and I picked up some prescriptions for $2 cost.  I then went by the Greenwich Library.  I next went by the Stop and Shop, and I bought a head of red leaf lettuce for $1.49, seven cans of Musco family Black Pearls large pitted olives for .99 each, two Bermuda onions for .99 a pound for $.98 both, a quart box of plum tomatoes $2.99, and a 16 ounce bag of tiny baby carrots for $2.49 for $14.88 total.  I then returned home, and I put away my purchases.  I had a glass of ice tea.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/01/03  Tuesday 4:10 A.M.:  I will now shut down the computer.  I will go to bed soon.  CIO

Note: <888> 07/01/03  Tuesday 3:55 A.M.:  I finished my email.  I installed the Microsoft Money Synchronization upgrade.  I synchronized my MSN Money portfolio with Microsoft Money 2002.  About 3:10 A.M. the electricity went off for ten minutes.  I checked outside.  I reset my VCR and Microwave oven, and I turned back on the air conditioner, and I turned off the DVD player which came on.  I mailed a letter to a relative downstairs.  CIO 

Note: <888> 07/01/03  Tuesday 1:25 A.M.:  I am just about finished going through my last week's email.  I found these two volcano links http://www.wovo.org and http://www.wovo.org/dir-contents.htm .  CIO