Computer Bios Script (bios.vbs)

Here is a quick little script that will display both the manufacturer and serial of your computer. You can easily add in a variable to create a list of ALL of the machines in your environment. Say... from AD.... :P

On Error Resume Next
strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colItems = objWMIService.ExecQuery("Select * from Win32_BIOS",,48)
For Each objItem in colItems
Wscript.Echo "Manufacturer: " & objItem.Manufacturer
Wscript.Echo "SerialNumber: " & objItem.SerialNumber

Next

Auto Accept Agent for Exchange

Here is a neat thing that you can implement for your resource mailboxes. This service will create an Auto Accept Agent on your Exchange Server. This service can send an email to your end user as a confirmation of the acceptance or denial of the booking of the resource.

Once you setup the Auto Except Service on your Exchange Server, here is the script that you will need to use in order to register your resource.

cscript RegisterMailbox.vbs {/m:mailbox@domain.com | /f:file.txt} [/t:domain\AgentAccountName] [/u] [/DEBUG]

Where:
/m
The primary SMTP address of the mailbox that you want to register. Use this switch when registering or unregistering a single mailbox.
/f
The name of the text file that contains the primary SMTP addresses of the mailboxes that you want to register. Use this switch when registering or unregistering multiple mailboxes. You must create the text file before using this script. This switch cannot be used with the /m switch.

Note
If the text file is not located in the same folder as the RegisterMailbox.vbs script, you must provide the full path to the location of your text file.

/t
Specifies the account that will be granted full mailbox access. This is typically the domain account that the Auto Accept Agent is running as on the local server. The account must be provided as domain\accountname. If Auto Accept Agent is running as Local System, you do not need to specify this switch unless you want to grant permissions to a domain account that you can use to monitor the resource mailboxes, which is necessary for the MailboxStatus.vbs script described later in this chapter.
/u
Attempts to remove the mailbox binding. Additionally, this switch also attempts to remove full mailbox access for the Auto Accept Agent account specified in the /t switch.
/DEBUG
Outputs verbose debug information you can use to diagnose issues.

For example, if you were using a file named Mailboxes.txt to register multiple mailboxes, where the Agent's security context is example\AgentAccount, you might type the following at the command prompt:
C:\>cscript RegisterMailbox.vbs /f:Mailboxes.txt /t:example\AgentAccount

For more information see: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124104.aspx

Cisco IOS Commands

Recently I have been working on some Cisco equipment. Here are some commands that I found to be really useful.


Find the MAC from an IP address
Show ip arp (ip address)

Find the port number associated with the MAC address:
Show mac-address-table address (MAC Address)

Adding a Virtual LAN (VLAN) or Changing the VLAN on a port:
Once you are in configuration mode and set your interface or range of interfaces – All you have to do is..
Switchport access vlan (number)

But, My most used command is:
Show interface status – This will give you a summary of all the ports, descriptions (if present), connected/notconnected, and speed…



I think that I will need to start studying for that CCNA…

Files that are older than 45 days old.

Here is a script for all those file server administrators. This script will find all files that are "created" more than 45 days ago and then delete them. I generally export the results to a text file for review, but that is totally up to you.

'This script is to find and then delete any files that are older than 45 days old
'Version 1.0

Set fso = CreateObject ("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

If WScript.Arguments.Count = 0 then
RecurseDirectory "."
Else
RecurseDirectory WScript.Arguments.Item(0)
End If

Sub Recursedirectory(strDir)
Set refFolder = fso.GetFolder(strDir)


'Process files in directory
For Each refFile in refFolder.Files
if cDate(refFile.DateCreated) <= now()-45 then
refFile.Delete


end if
Next

Then Recurse down directory tree
For Each refSubFolder in refFolder.SubFolders
RecurseDirectory refSubFolder.Path
if refSubFolder.Files.Count = 0 then
refSubFolder.Delete
End If
Next
end sub


'cscript //nologo 45days.vbs >> 45day.csv

It's A Sin!

Cruxshadows Remix

Words to live by...

Tao of S

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me the hell alone.
2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.
3. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.
5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.
6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.
8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.
10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.
14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.
16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.
17. Duct tape is like 'The Force'. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.
20. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.
22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night

Here comes the rain again - the cruxshadows

Just for you Trav...

Cruxshadows singing "Here comes the rain again" by the
Euthrymics

Enjoy!

Hemophage, Vampirism, Folklore

Vampires have always been a common theme in society. We see it in our movies, books, and even in games.

Movies:
We all should remember a movie with Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves called Bram Stroker’s Dracula. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103874/) I absolutely love this movie (and book). For those who have not seen it, I would highly recommend renting it or even buying it. You should be able to find it in the bargain bin, it is that old. But, very very good. Another movie that I saw that had its roots in Vampirism was called Ultraviolet (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103874/), with the yummy Milla Jovovich. Let’s just say that she was the only reason for me to continue watching this poorly directed waste of film.

Games:
Two games that I really enjoy playing is Bloodlines for the PC (obviously a Vampire game) and Oblivion for the X360. I have posted on Bloodlines before, so I will not go into it again. (http://steves-rant.blogspot.com/2006/03/vampire-bloodlines.html) In the game Oblivion, you can contract a disease called Hemophage. Basically, it turns you into a Vampire. Which I do have to say has some very cool benefits. Increase in strength, agility, and the ability to disappear (once per day), just to name a few. However, there is a couple of drawbacks. Sunlight is an issue, but there is a way around that. AND Every couple of days, you have to feed. This proves to be more difficult as time goes on. Oh.. And the Vampire Hunters kind of get in the way.

Music:
As you have previously read, I found a group that I really enjoy called Cruxshadows. Well, I found another group that is “almost” as good, Blutengel. As I was listening to several of their songs, I found a common theme – Vampirism. When I watched a couple of videos, it all make sense – look at the teeth… So, here is one of their songs… Not the best, but themed well.

At least these people don't walk among us any more!!!

I received this from a co-worker this morning and had to post... I nearly fell out of my chair..as tears run down my face...




EIGHTH PLACE:

In Detroit , a 41-year-old man got stuck and drowned in two feet of water after squeezing head first through an 18-inch-wide sewer grate to retrieve his car keys.



SEVENTH PLACE

49-year-old San Francisco stockbroker, who "totally zoned when he ran," accidentally jogged off a 100-foot high cliff on his daily run.



SIXTH PLACE :

Buxton , NC : A man died on a beach when an 8-foot-deep hole he had dug into the sand caved in as he sat inside it. Beach-goers said Daniel Jones,
21, dug the hole for fun, or protection from the wind, and had been sitting in a beach chair at the bottom Thursday afternoon when it collapsed, burying him beneath 5 feet of sand. People on the beach, on the outer banks, used their hands and shovels, trying to claw their way to Jones, a resident of Woodbridge, VA, but could not reach him. It took rescue workers using heavy equipment almost an hour to free him while about 200 people looked on. Jones was pronounced dead at a hospital.



FIFTH Place :

Santiago Alvarado, 24, was killed in Lompoc, as he fell face-first through the ceiling of a bicycle shop he was burglarizing. Death was caused when the long flashlight he had placed in his mouth (to keep his hands free) rammed into the base of his skull as he hit the floor.



FOURTH Place :

Sylvester Briddell, Jr., 26, was killed in Selbyville , Del , as he won a bet with friends who said he would not put a revolver loaded with four bullets into his mouth and pull the trigger. As Ron White often says: " You can't fix stupid." These people prove it is a terminal condition. As always, competition this year has been keen.



THIRD PLACE :

The following mind-boggling attempt at a crime spree in Washington , DC appeared to be the robber's first (and last), due to his lack of a previous record of violence, and his terminally stupid choices:1. His target was H&J Leather &Firearms; A gun shop specializing in handguns.2. The shop was full of customers - firearms customers.3. To enter the shop, the robber had to step around a marked police patrol car parked at the front door.4. A uniformed officer was standing at the counter, having coffee before work.



Upon seeing the officer, the would-be robber announced a hold-up, and fired a few wild shots from a target pistol. The officer and a clerk promptly returned fire, the police officer with a 9mm GLOCK 17, the clerk with a 50 DESERT EAGLE, assisted by several customers who also drew their guns, several of whom also drew and fired. The robber was pronounced dead at the scene by Paramedics. Crime scene investigators located 47 expended cartridge cases in the shop. The subsequent autopsy revealed 23 gunshot wounds. Ballistics identified rounds from 7 different weapons. No one else was hurt in the exchange of fire.



HONORABLE MENTION:

Paul Stiller, 47, was hospitalized in Andover township, NJ, and his wife Bonnie was also injured, when a quarter-stick of dynamite blew up in their car. While driving around at 2 AM, the bored couple lit the dynamite and tried to toss it out the window to see what would happen, but apparently failed to notice the window was closed.



RUNNER UP:

TACOMA , WA . Kerry Bingham had been drinking with several friends when one of them said they knew a person who had bungee-jumped from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in the middle of traffic. The conversation grew more heated and at least 10 men trooped along the walkway of the bridge at 4:30 AM. Upon arrival at the midpoint of the bridge they discovered that no one had brought a bungee rope. Bingham, who had continued drinking, volunteered and pointed out that a coil of lineman's cable lay near by. One end of the cable was secured around Bingham's leg and the other end was tied to the bridge. His fall lasted 40 feet before the cable tightened and tore his foot off at the ankle. He miraculously survived his fall into the icy salt water and was rescued by two nearby fishermen. "All I can say" said Bingham, "is that God was watching out for me on that night. There's just no other explanation for it." Bingham' s foot was never located.



AND THE WINNER..

Overzealous zookeeper Friedrich Riesfeldt (Paderborn, Germany) fed his constipated elephant Stefan 22 doses of animal laxative and more than a bushel of berries, figs and prunes before the plugged- up pachyderm finally let it fly, and suffocated the keeper under 200 pounds of poop!



Investigators say ill-fated Friedrich, 46, was attempting to give the ailing elephant an olive oil enema when the relieved beast unloaded on him. "The sheer force of the elephant's unexpected defecation knocked Mr. Riesfeldt to the ground where he struck his head on a rock and lay unconscious as the elephant continued to evacuate his bowels on top of him" said flabbergasted Paderborn police detective Erik Dern. With no one there to help him, he lay under all that dung for at least an hour before a watchman came along, and during that time he suffocated. It seems to be just one of those freak accidents that proves...



YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID...

Cruxshadows

I was in the car with a friend going to lunch and heard this song on the player... Caught my interest, so I had to ask. "Dude, who are we listening to?" Cruxshadows was the reply...

Interesting... A blend of new wave, gothic and electronica. Check them out.. Here is their "Official Website" http://www.cruxshadows.com/frame.html

Or my favorite video... Winterborn - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVNjx4k8mWk

Managing Your Email

I was talking with a friend this weekend about email and how people use it. Yes, I was bitching… So, here are a few tips that he and I came up with for people to manage their email.

Touch Each Message Only Once
Begin by instantly turning every message into an action. Drag the message either to the To-Do Bar or to the Calendar to make it part of your work. Dragging messages to either place creates a new item containing the text of the e-mail.

Second, delete it! Remove processed items from your Inbox after they're in the To-Do Bar or the Calendar. The best choice is to delete items. If you can't give up your attachment to past messages, move them to an archive folder where they won't distract you.

Need More Than 2 Minutes? Drag The Message To The To-Do Bar
If you have a group or various groups of people who may need to see and act on messages, keep track of them using contact categories. When you need to delegate tasks, you can address a single e-mail to all of the contacts in a single category by dragging that category to the Inbox

Automate Repetitive Tasks
In striving to touch each message only once, you may become aware that you send the same message repeatedly to many different people. The Quick Parts feature can help in that quest. Just select the text you want to use as a Quick Part, click the Quick Parts button under the Insert tab and choose Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery. To use a Quick Part, simply choose Quick Part and pick your message from the Gallery.

Don't Repeat Yourself; Address Everyone At Once
Organize your actions each day by dragging items from the To-Do Bar to the bottom of your daily calendar. This allows you to achieve balance between scheduled appointments and ongoing work. If you can do what a message requires in less than 2 minutes, just do it.

Try not to use BCC
If you are going to blind carbon copy someone, Don’t! After you send the original email to the person, use Forward to send the information to the other individual. This will also allow you to put in additional comments.

Do you really need to Reply to All
I don’t know how many times I have seen this. A message goes out to everyone one in the company or building about something important, like “your lights are on”. And someone hits the “reply to all”… Then the flood gates are open. So, ask yourself this question, Does all these people care about what I am about to send?

How would you like to see this…

I was looking at the headlines this morning and saw “80-core Processor”…???....??? After wiping the drool from my chin, I read further.

"Intel has built its 80-core processor as part of a research project, but don't expect it on your desktop any time soon. The company's CTO, Justin Rattner, held a demonstration of the chip for a group of reports last week. Intel will be presenting a paper on the project at the International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco this week. 'The chip is capable of producing 1 trillion floating-point operations per second, known as a teraflop. That's a level of performance that required 2,500 square feet of large computers a decade ago. Intel first disclosed it had built a prototype 80-core processor during last fall's Intel Developer Forum, when CEO Paul Otellini promised to deliver the chip within five years.'" -slashdot

Now, I just have to wait 5 years for it… That is okay though, it would probably take me 5 years of saving my pennies to afford this beefy of a machine.

Something that we all need for the office

I was looking at the headlines on my Google homepage and noticed this one.. “USB AirSoft turret mows down unsuspecting office mates” Well, I had to read that…

“Where else but the good ole US of A would we revel in crafting items that not only utilized that oh-so-lonely USB port on the rear of your leased laptop, but had the potential to "deliver welts" to unsuspecting co-workers? While the pre-packaged USB missile launchers are quite the novel desk adornment, this DIY job seriously brings the heat (and the pain). While the modder responsible here envisions a more robust, costly, and dangerous version in the future, his 1.0 edition features a $19 electronic AirSoft gun, the turret base from an aforementioned USB missile launcher, super glue, and the usual compliment of assembly tools. After disassembling the launcher and tapping into its base, a bit of fancy wire work is required to affix the more powerful AirSoft gun to the rotating turret. A few more screws and finagling, and you're all set to demolish the fun at your annual holiday bash, all for just around $70 and a few hours of your time. So if you couldn't handle boot camp, but still have a passion for mechanical sentries, be sure to hit the read link for the full skinny.” http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/11/usb-airsoft-turret-mows-down-unsuspecting-office-mates/


Another More Powerfull turret.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/16/airsoft-project-2-0-touts-four-times-the-firepower/

I have two computers to hook up that would me more than able to use this kind of firepower.

Do you want to steal my lunch?

Do you feel lucky?

Well, Do ya'...

Annoucements

It looks like Halo 3 has a firm release date – September 25th. Could be a GOOD Birthday Present … Collectors Edition - Please!

Corillian is now CheckFree. I will have to see what happened to my stock.

Microsoft announced that Vista will be the last 32-bit operating system that Microsoft will be shipping. The end of an era…

Google searching just got that much better. Google has expanded its search capabilities to more than just WebPages. “The change means users will also get results from news sites, blogs, video services and other relevant places.”

How To: Find a Users Memberships

Ever get those questions from people - "What groups does Jane belong to?" or "We have a new person to our group. Can you set them up the same way as Jane?"

Well, here is a quick way to get a list of memberships for a specific user.

dsget user "CN=Smith\, Jane,OU=Users,OU=Domain,DC=Company,DC=com" -memberof >>c:\temp\users.txt

I am sure that you can do this for a lot of people, but I will let you figure that part out. :P

Game Review: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

A friend at work started talking to me about this game, so I had to try it out. So, I went on Ebay and managed to pick it up for $30 bucks. Even though it is an older game, it is still $60 dollars at Best Buy. So, I thought that thirty was a good deal.


Step into the most richly detailed and vibrant game world ever created. The Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion™ is the latest chapter in the epic and highly successful saga from Bethesda Softworks.
Oblivion is the sequel to the best-selling, award-winning role-playing game (RPG) The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind®, named 2002 RPG and Game of the Year for Xbox®. Oblivion is another leap forward in role-playing with its combination of freeform gameplay and cutting-edge graphics. - XBox

I found it a little difficult to change my mind set from my days of D&D rules (yes, I played D&D) to the way Oblivion manages classes, races and experience. Well, there is no experience points, like you would remember from D&D. It is all done by skills and the use of those skills. For example, If you want to increase your strength, you can use hand-to-hand combat or another skill to increase this attribute. Plus, there are bonuses that you can acquire. If you use a minor skill, like hand-to-hand (for my character it is a minor skill) and increase that skill 10 times, you will get a +5 bonus to strength when you level up. Remember, the more strength you have, the more you can carry. Classes don’t really exist. You can favor one skill more than another, but you can be an Archer, Fighter, Mage, Thief, Assassin, Conjurer, illusionist, etc, as long as you increase those skills. There are several races that you can be, each with their own special abilities. There is also birth signs that may give you pluses in your abilities or even a special skill, like invisibility.

The only thing that I do not like about the game is that it scales based on your level. So, if you are 5th level all opponents that you come across are scaled down or up based on your character. I would like to see things a bit more static, like in D&D. There are just some places that you just do go to, otherwise you are going to be handed your head on a platter. This also means that as you get higher in level, a bandit may have leather armor (when you are at a low level) to a bandit with iron platemail and a bad-ass enchanted sword.

There is a main quest, that you can choose to do or not. There are also many many many side quests. The game is totally open ended and you can check anything out, especially in a marketplace store, just don’t get caught.

I am really enjoying the game……

…as an assassin

HIPAA / HIPAA Penalties

I was asked a couple of questions regarding my post Security - Making information secure. What is HIPAA? And Is a HIPAA violation that serious?

So, here is a good definition of what HIPA.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1996. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) website,
Title II of HIPAA, the Administrative Simplification (AS) provisions, requires the establishment of national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans, and employers.
The provision also address the security and privacy of health data. The standards are meant to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's health care system by encouraging the widespread use of electronic data interchange in the US health care system. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIPAA)

violation penalties (HIPAA)
42 USC 1320d-6 (HIPAA Sec. 1177) contains the criminal penalties for violating the HIPAA privacy standards. It states:
"a. Offense.—
A person who is in violation of this part—
1. uses or causes to be used a unique health identifier;
2. obtains individually identifiable health information relating to an individual; or
3. discloses individually identifiable health information to another person,
shall be punished as provided in subsection (b).
b. Penalties.—
A person described in subsection (a) shall—
1. be fined not more than $50,000, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both;
2. if the offense is committed under false pretenses, be fined not more than $100,000, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both; and
3. if the offense is committed with intent to sell, transfer, or use individually identifiable health information for commercial advantage, personal gain, or malicious harm, be fined not more than $250,000, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both."

So… Do you think that they are serious??? By the way, that is per incident – 2.9 million incidents.

By Request: alt codes

I recieve a blog request for alt codes. So, here you go...

For those who do not know what alt codes are, they are additional characters or symbols that you can utilize in passwords or keys. They also can be used if you are in an application like Word and need to insert a copyright or restricted symbol or if you need to use British Pounds, instead of Dollars. You use alt codes by holding down the Alt key and typing in a four digit combination. Below are a few that you can try:

Alt-0163 £
Alt-0169 ©
Alt-0165 ¥
Alt-0187 »
For a full list, I found this website that had a good character map. http://www.frontpagewizard.com/use_alt_keys.asp

Happy Alt Coding…
-Thanks for the request

Security - Making information secure

Working in the Information Technology field, I believe that security should be a primary concern. Unfortunately, from previous experience, this is a secondary or byproduct for most of the management staff and bean-counters. (Security costs Money!) Here is a prime example of why security should be a concern for any company.

On April 10th, “A disk containing the names, birth dates and Social Security numbers of 2.9 million Medicaid and children's health care recipients is missing, Georgia health officials said Tuesday. The state said the security breach was reported by Affiliated Computer Services, a private vendor. ACS did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. The Georgia Department of Community Health said it was requiring the Dallas-based company to notify everyone affected and to offer free credit reports. The children's health care program involved in the data loss is called PeachCare. Officials said the information, also including addresses, went back four years and included some people who are no longer on the rolls. State officials said they had notified the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs and the state Attorney General.”
http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20070410/D8ODQBSG0.html

They better hope that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or Health Care Financial Administration (HCFA) does not show up on your doorstep because of a HIPAA violation OR ACS may cease to exist. These people will personally take your birthday away, financially bankrupt you, and then throw you into jail – just to add insult to injury.

Disneyland !!!

This past week Liz and I took the girls (and Nai Nai) to Disneyland. We stayed off-site at a Disney Good Neighbor hotel, the Carousel. It was nice, free breakfast, which the girls enjoyed. They had a pool on the roof, which the girls liked to use after a long day of play at the park. And it had the added bonus of being across the street from Disneyland, literally. It was very convenient to go back to the hotel during the day to drop off packages or if the girls needed a nap.

Disneyland was lots of fun! The first day we arrived, we spent most of the time in fantasyland. The Carousel was the first ride the girls wanted to start the adventure. Zuzu attached herself to daddy for most of the trip and her and I were a team. Mommy and Allie were another team, with Nai Nai going between the two of us. Most of the time, the girls were wanting to do the same thing, but there were times that we had to split. We hit Dumbo, Peter Pan, Cassie’s train ride, and the carousel (over and over). While we were there we all did most of kiddy rides in both parks. Once Allie discovered the Buzz Lightyear ride in Tommorowland, that was her favorite. While Zuzu’s was Monster’s Inc, which was in California Adventure. We tried to split the time evenly, but I think that we spent most of our time in Disneyland. But, Zuzu did get to ride her ride 5 or 6 times. (Always Watching...) The one ride that I did not think that the girls would like was Haunted Manson. Allie liked it, but does not want to go on it again. (It was pretend, Dad!) Zuzu did not like it at all, but held it together really well. I, personally, did not want her to go on it, but she was pitching a fit that her sister was going on it. So, we went… I told her “no cry” and she did not. They were all really good kids. They tried everything, even if they did not like it, they did not act out or cry.

If you ever go, with girls, you have to go to Ariel’s Grotto. This is a restaurant inside California Adventure where you get to have 1:1 time with all of the princesses. Not bad food. And the girls LOVED IT!!! We met my sister and her husband there, so we all got to hang out, eat, and enjoy the girls. I think that this was the highlight for Allie, she got to meet Ariel. It is all about that mermaid… They got to take pictures with most of the normal characters, sign autographs, give hugs..etc..

After the girls went to bed, Liz and I went out and played. We did Pirates (twice), which they changed – very cool, Indiana Jones, Star Tours, Big Thunder Railroad, and the Matterhorn. Space Mountain was closed when we wanted to go on it. But, I heard that they changed it also, so no great loss there. The Matterhorn was really bumpy and jerky for being on a metal track. Plus, I swear, they slowed it down. It really was not very fun at all. I love pirates and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Pirates was changed, but still a great ride and the changes were really well done. Jack Sparrow was his flamboyant self and looked really good. It still is very P.C. with the whole Bride Auction and the women chasing the pirates with rolling pins and stuff. Not as I remember it when I was younger.

Getting home was kind of a cluster. We spent about 3 hours on the ground in Orange County due to a problem with the airplane. Of course we were already boarded, cant discover these things at the gate, what are you thinking. So, we had to get on to another plane, by this time the girls were not happy. Allie did not go to sleep at all on the plane, she was too amped up. So, we did not get home until about midnight. (And no.. the girls did not sleep in – 6:30am)

All in all, good trip and we all had a good time.