The Pope considers the morality of murdering one’s spouse
Here's a breathtaking article regarding what passes for moral thinking at the Vatican.
"Blessed are the Condoms"The Pope is actually thinking that it's not OK to give your spouse HIV. Isn't that big of him?
Over Christmas I went to church with my in-laws to see my niece perform "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." I sat there in that nondenominational church thinking, "Beth, you really do need to get over the resentment you feel every time you attend a church service. Time to move on, hmmm?"
But then I read this article.
Breth continued
You know, it just occurred to me that Microsoft STILL hasn't answered the original question:
How did you update my computer when automatic updates were turned off?
Sigh...
It's hard to fight da man.
Breth? Breth who?
Here's the reply I got from Microsoft (my thoughts follow in square brackets, and the reply I made in an email is in curly brackets):
Hello Breth,
Thank you for contacting Microsoft Online Customer Service.
I understand that you wish to know how the automatic update was installed on your computer, without prior notification. I realize the importance of your concern and would be glad to assist you.
[Hello, Breth: I am an automaton programmed to use nineteenth-century English. Or else I went to a public school in India dating to the British colonial era.]
As a Customer Service Representative, I would like you to know that if the automatic (recommended) has been selected in automatic updates tab, then it will download and install them on your computers automatically. Some updates require you to accept an End User License Agreement (EULA), answer a question about the installation process, or restart your computer before you can install them.
[Breth, a lot of stupid people use the Internet. Most of them don't know how to manage their security settings.]
{Dear Naveen,
I do understand that if I had Automatic Updates checked, then the updates would install.
In fact, I had another option checked--the one in which Windows is supposed to notify me of the update and give me a chance to install it. Therefore, I was surprised when I noticed my computer restarting--the updates had been installed automatically, even though that was not what I wanted.
Beth}[Subtle, wasn't it? Hey, Naveen, BETH is my real name!]
For more information on automatic updates, please visit the following link:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/downloadinstall.mspx
I hope the above information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for using Microsoft products and services.
Naveen
Microsoft Online Customer Service Representative
If you have any feedback about your Online Customer Service experience, please e-mail my manager, Abhijit Rao, at
ocsmgrs@microsoft.com [That would be mean, wouldn't it? Besides, Naveen didn't reply to my second email. Niyas did. What's with all these employees with N-names?]
I just went and followed the directions Niyas sent me. Nothing new there, except that I learned to get to the Control Panel by typing "sysdm.cpl" in the Run box.
Aw, gee, ain't computers wonderful!
Microsoft, my brother? Or my bother?
I’m creeped out.
The other day I changed the updates on my computer so that I would be notified of updates but not subjected to automatic installs.
This morning, I find my computer restarting. Why? Because Microsoft installed some patch it considered more important than my preferences.
Which leads me to two conclusions: either Microsoft can override my preferences any time it wants, or somehow the preferences under “Updates” don’t stick.
Blogger comments!!??*#!!
Hey, Jer, I'd be happy to send you some stories. I tried to send you my email, but I couldn't manage to post a comment on your blog. It didn't like my Blogger username and password. Then I tried posting an anonymous comment, but it didn't like that either. If you're willing, could you leave your email address in a comment?
Or you could wait for me to post the stories on the web. That will probably take a couple of months. Up to you.
