malada

When the pandemic started there was a big push in my tech channels to get involved in Folding@Home - a distributed computing set up to run protein folding simulations. Life on earth depends on *how* proteins fold when activated and they added COVID-19 to the usual list of important projects (like finding a cure for cancer). You could download work units - have your computer work on them in the background - then upload them back up to the source. Supercomputers are nice but expensive and millions of gaming computers are sitting idle from 9-5. I downloaded and starting folding on my main system - pausing it when I needed to do other stuff my system. However, the next update had a glitch in it and it no longer functioned properly on my system.

Since I've retired my old main system I decided put it to work and check out the software again. After a few missteps on my end - my motherboard *really* needed a BIOS update - I was able to download and successful run Folding@Home.

Pro tip for all you Linux users: before downloading the software from the Folding@Home website, check your repositories first. Ubuntu has it in their repositories which is good because the Debian/Ubuntu software on the website is outdated.

Pro tip for everyone: if you're running with a stock cooler for your CPU - rip it out and install the biggest, baddest cooler you can fit in your case. Using the defaults Folding will run the CPU (and some GPUS) really really hard. I'm using an Arctic Freezer 12 and it's just barely doing the job. Although I have a 4 core 8 thread Xeon I backed it off to just run 4 threads.

I'm not running it 24/7 yet. I want to tweak things then move the system into the basement where it's cooler.

-m

Co-worker: Ack! I have COVID! My wife and baby are okay but I'm working remotely... when I can.

Boss (to coworker): Please take care of yourselfT

Boss (to me): Are you working at home today?

Me: I'm already in the office.

Boss: You should go home and work there.

Me: Since I'm already here I'll do what I can then go home. Is this a 'work a few days at home' or a full 'bug-out until the Plague is gone'?

Boss: Let's try a week and see how that goes.


So I'll be working from home again... where the coffee is better and naps are allowed.

I'm not too worried - everyone at work is masked, socially distanced and vaccinated. Most have had booster shots. Okay, I'm a little worried as all the hospitals locally are full.

-m

There's a scene in the anti-war movie "Harold and Maude" where the odd couple are picnicking. The shot starts with the two of them and then pulls out to reveal a cemetery; Golden Gate National Cemetery - an army cemetery established at the beginning of World War 2. The shot just goes on and on and on as it reveals the huge amount of graves just in that one corner of that cemetery. For me, it was the most striking and stunning scene in the movie. The cost of war laid bare.

According to their website, the cemetery has over 137,000 people buried there.

Arlington National Cemetery has over 400,000

The number of deaths due to COVID - greater than both cemeteries combined by *over* 100,000.

-m

I do recommend the movie.

I'm not a really big meat eater but right now, I want a burger.

Not McDonalds. Not Burger King. A sit down meal. A quarter pound of prime hamburger done to a light char over a grill. With a nice bun. With a slice of gooey cheese and crisp lettuce. Ketchup with fries or chips on the side. Denny's is acceptable. But we're just turned into a highly contagious area. Just a week ago we weren't. So an indoor dining experience ain't likely to be happening.

I'm tired of the maskless and the vaccine avoiders whining about their freedom to be Typhoid Karens and Chads. I'm done with them. If everyone took a *little* care we won't be having this surge. I could go dine out and enjoy my burger. But no. They spread their disinformation and their disease and more people are going to die.

I'm lost for words.

-m

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and super-spreader event is happening again! Get your local ER stocked up and your EMTs well rested because sure as gasoline makes motorcycles run they bikers will be bringing home Delta brand COVID home with them.

Fun times, is it not?

( Yeah, it's not. )

Also... lots of yard work leaves me with aching arms, shoulder and elbows.

-m

So... Turning Point USA is having a big party down in Palm Beach Florida for all it's young supporters.

No masks, no social distancing, SAS - the Student Action Summit is all ready to party like it's 1899 and the COVID-19 virus isn't really a problem because they're young.

Yeah, right. Another super spreader event with the young ones acting as drug mules for the virus. They *might* get the mild version but they could easily pass the virus to their parents, grandparents or any random someone else.

What was that story called? Mask of the Red Death?

I'm old enough to remember conservative like William F. Buckley who gave the movement at least a veneer of intellect. Now... it's stupid and lizard brain all the way down.

-m

...so the Bungler in Chief got sick with the 'fake news' virus....

...what isn't so bad...

...that will go away like a miracle...

...that have killed (at this point) over 200,000 Americans...

...so how do I feel about this?

Let me tell you what's going on in our area: we've had a spike in cases - mostly from churches, restaurants and bars.

My housemate works at a school and was feeling poorly Friday - probably from lack of sleep and allergies: tired, runny nose - no fever or coughing, and took a sick day.

The school officials want her to take a COVID test. Fair enough, caution is good.

With the spike in cases it's going to be a FEW DAYS before she gets tested and ANOTHER FEW DAYS before we get the results.

So we're sitting around AT HOME both WEARING MASKS out of abundance of caution.

So how do you think I feel?

-m

When I first set up my 'home office' it was basically sharing a small desk with the computer I use to do some audio work and to edit my youtube videos. I've used this set up before when large winter storms threatened to close the roads - so I'd pack up the laptop that I use at work and carry it home for a few days.

It's been a couple of months now.

I still had an old graphic equalizer and cassette deck parked to one side of the desk. Sometimes I'm asked to dub old cassettes into a digital format and the tape deck gets jacked into my computer audio ports. With a recent purchase of a printer it was getting a little hard to fit everything in and around the desk. The printer I placed on a rather wobbly cardboard box and it was hard to get at the paper tray.

Although I moved the editing computer into my bedroom several months ago I still had it in the back of my mind that this 'home office' thing was going to blow over. Nope. It's not. COVID 19 has settled into the land and I'll be working from home for some time to come. My boss and I totally agree that working from home is the safest option right now. To be honest, I'm *more* productive at home than at work.

The bathroom's closer and the coffee is better.

Tonight, removed the audio equipment and actually set the printer safely on the desk. Any creative audio/video work will be done in my bedroom. I really don't want my work office to be my bedroom - I have enough trouble sleeping as is!

For the record, my 'office' consists of a Mac Book Pro, Monoprice keyboard, a generic wireless mouse - all the usual stuff I use at work. I'm using my own 24 inch Dell monitor via a mini display port to VGA adapter which makes my work *much* easier. The printer is a Brother 2550 which both the Mac Book and my Linux box saw immediately. Haven't connected it to any Windoze boxen yet. Although it's only black and white it's fine for 99% of what I need it for.

Welcome to the new normal.

-m

I've noticed several things about the people protesting the shut down of businesses to decrease the spread of COVID-19:

They're white

They're armed

They're NOT employed in the service industry.

Basically, they're miffed that their SERVANTS aren't there the SERVE them. I swear, it's the slave owner mentality where they get to be waiting on hand and foot and bitch about how THEY are the ones suffering.

I'd wish a plague on their houses but the way reality works is the plague spreads without indiscriminately and those who would end up risking their lives to serve their masters are the ones most likely to sicken, and possibly die.

Of course, our FREE-DUM lovers don't care. Surplus population and all that.

-m

I've heard that the Republicans plan on having a full bore, 4 day convention in August.

What a time to be in the casket making business.

-m