Welcome HP Customers

If you're reaching this blog from a link I posted last year regarding HP's failure to cover the cost of replacing defective Nvidia chips in all of their laptop models, click here

http://southernbreezes.blogspot.com/2008/11/hewlett-packard-nvidia-partners-in.html

Good luck with your quest for justice.

Happy Holidays!

Christmas gift suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect."
~ Oren Arnold

Christmas Secrets

The Ice Returns

Winter's bare limbs

against a grey sky stand

in stillness waiting.

The rush of Autumn's wind

through firey leaves

silent now and sleeping.

Canada's geese part the

sky with victorious grace

while frost covered roses

shiver in diamonds.

Hewlett-Packard & Nvidia: Partners in Crime

In October of 2007, I purchased a beautiful new HP Pavilion Laptop DV9535nr with Nvidia Geforce graphics card from my local Best Buy. After all was said and done, the purchase totaled over $2,400.

I began to notice that the laptop would get very, very hot (like cook an egg hot) whenever I used it for more than an hour or so. (bad sign #1) In early June of this year, the laptop began to shut itself off without warning and upon restart, would display strange colored lines on the screen. (bad sign #2) In July, it died. The laptop would turn on, but there was no video, at all, nothing, just a backlit black screen.

I returned the laptop to Best Buy, who sent it off to HP. Almost a month later, I received the laptop with the simple explanation that my "motherboard had been replaced." (bad sign #3)

A few weeks ago, and exactly one week after the one-year warranty had expired, the motherboard failed again, completely. This time, I got no warning first, it just died. So, I returned the laptop to Best Buy, who sent it back to HP.

Two weeks later, I received an email from Best Buy that my laptop was ready to be picked up (yippee!). Once I arrived, I was informed that HP "was not able to reach me by phone, so they shipped the laptop back unrepaired." When I inquired as to why HP was trying to reach me by phone (and P.S. I am registered as a customer on their website) I was told that the cost to replace the motherboard was going to be $1,003.00. (Let me repeat that) $1,003.00!!!!!

The Geek Squad employee asked me to authorized the charge and she would ship it back to HP for the repair. "Hang on!" I said, gritting my teeth. "I just had the motherboard replaced three months ago. Are you telling me that HP is going to charge me for a new motherboard that is only 90 days old??" I was then informed that "yes" HP was going to charge me if I wanted the laptop repaired.

I snatched up the dead computer and left in a mighty huff, certain that the I.T. guys in my office would save the day. (Wishful thinking on my part)

Now here's the really bad news: For months and months, Nvidia (the maker of the graphics card in my laptop) has been aware of a design defect in some of their chips attached to motherboards. These chips overheat and basically fry the motherboard (hence the scalding hot lap top issue). This defect has affected millions of Apple MacBook Pro, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell laptops.

Nvidia has delayed recalling this part, giving their business partners (Dell, HP, Apple) time to push these chips past the one-year warranty period, which prevents these companies from having to pay for the repair. Unfortunately, the problem has become so enormous that Dell and Apple have finally agreed to replace the faulty motherboards free of charge for up to two years from date of purchase. HP has offered this on a limited number of their models, but is refusing to cover every model that is affected with this issue.

There is a huge raping of consumers going on with HP. If you read the complaints on HP's forum pages, the number is astounding (I have made about 6 posts, three of which HP has promptly removed. They are censoring the forum, but not responding to the issue). The bigger shock is that HP is refusing to budge. I guess they'd rather piss of their customers than ask Nvidia to pay for the replacement parts.

If HP doesn't want to pay for the repairs, then they should sue Nvidia for providing them with faulty hardware, not pass the cost on to consumers. HP should also extend the warranty (like Dell and Apple have done) for ALL affected models, not just a select few.

In the meantime, Nvidia should do the right thing and issue a major recall of these defective chips, instead of allowing their business partners to take the heat for their own blunder. I won't be buying another laptop with Nvidia graphics. ATI, here I come.

Here are some interesting articles on the subject for all my techy friends:

Nvidia Sued by Shareholders for Faulty GPU Coverup

The Technical Reason the GPUs are Failing

More Bad News for Nvidia

How Dell is Handling It

How Apple is Handling It

How HP is Handling It (oh wait, they're not) DUH!

Remembering Your Life

On this day, you would have been 43 years old.

So today, I will remember the joy and love that you brought to our lives,

and the years I was honored to be your wife.

No matter how our story ended,

I thank you for loving me.

Happy Birthday, sweet, gentle giant.

We miss you.

Destiny's End

You raise your sword and

the sun glints off the razor-sharp edge,

reflecting upon the rivers of tears on my cheeks.

I will not struggle against the ties

that bind me to this time and place,

but lift my face to the sun

and wait for the fatal blow

to a heart that beats for the one

who will slay it.

I breathe and become the air,

the trees,

the ground below.

The dark birds circle, waiting

to pick the flesh of your soul's mate.

For a moment, time stops as you search

my face for forgiveness.

A final chance to change the world passes,

and you let loose your poison death

upon the only one who could ever

save

you.

The dark birds circle but find only

a garden of thornless blood roses

and glistening dew.

Where Have all the Poets Gone?

I was happily surprised recently to meet someone who is familiar with the works of Pablo Neruda. In this prosaic world, it is rare to meet poetic spirits. During our discussion, I discovered that a documentary film is currently being produced on the life of Neruda. The film will be narrated by the Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega and directed by the Oscar-nominated Carlos Bolado. I'm looking forward to its release and would like to share one of my favorite Neruda poems. Enjoy.

Leaning in to the Evenings (translated from the original Spanish)

Leaning into the evenings I throw my sad nets

to your ocean eyes

There my lonliness stretches and burns in the tallest bonfire,

arms twisting like a drowning man's.

I cast red signals over your absent eyes

which lap like the sea at the lighthouse shore.

You guard only darkness, my distant female,

sometimes the coast of dread emerges from your stare.

Leaning into the evenings I toss my sad nets

to that sea which stirs your ocean eyes.

The night birds peck at the first stars

that twinkle like my soul as I love you.

Night gallops on her shadowy mare

scattering blue wheat stalks over the fiields.

The Guardian

From beyond the

deep shadow-years

a slant of light reaches the

dusty corners of the dream

and stirs the sleeping guardian

of the future

who is so lost

in his task

that he has become

the very walls that

surround the treasure

he protects, though he can

barely remember why

until

the light reminds him.

The Best Job Ever

My daughter graduates from college in December. She's been a little distraught about being uncertain about her chosen career (she's still undecided) and if/when she should go to law school/grad. school, etc. I can relate.

Knowing that I am unhappy at work, a good friend asked me recently what I "really wanted to do" if I could do anything for work. I found myself unable to give an answer. It has bothered me every since. I have never been in a position (financially) to do whatever I wanted to do and so I have never allowed myself to dream of such a thing. I've been the "breadwinner" of the family since 1986, and most recently of course, a single income family with a daughter in college and two mortgage payments.

So now, I spend time wondering...what would I do? If I could do anything? It seems like the only answer is nothing. And I wonder if I've killed any chance of ever really being able to answer that question. Maybe I'm just so burned out, that part of my brain is goulash. I hate to say that my "dream ability" has been completely killed off, but I'm thinking it has. The years of stress have finally beaten the hope out of me. Not even Calgon can take me away, anymore.

But forget about me, this is about my daughter. I want her to feel as though she has the time to figure this thing out, find her passion, and then find a way to make it her life's work.

In the end, that will make me happier than finding my own "perfect job" because being her mother truly is the joy that sustains me.

Summer's End

Summer curls and yawns and stretches the days.

Nearing the end of her time she colors the landscape

with zinnias and roses

and paints the moon with golden light.

Waiting for Autumn to take her place,

she gives her best in butterfly wings

and the tall fields of grass, rolling gently to the sky.

Long Overdue

I'm headed to Rosemary Beach for a long overdue vacation. I'll be back after the 18th, hopefully with a nice tan and well-rested.

http://www.rosemarybeach.com/

see you soon!

Storm

The tall grass

bends

rolling in waves of green

as the sky

rumbles and covers the sun

in grey paint

swirled together

in an ominous show of

nature's humbling canvas

Dating 101 in 2008

Ok, so after months of prodding and pushing and coaching, my therapist has convinced me to try online dating - seriously. So, I recently signed up for a Match.com and eHarmony account. I'm a little embarrassed admitting to this - but honestly - I've come to the conclusion that this is the way people meet each other in this day and age (gawd, I just sounded like a senior citizen).

For the past 23 years of my life, I've been someones wife and/or mother, so it has been a LONG time since I have found myself single and available for dating. (I find this thought terrifying). Back in college, in my dating hay day, you met people at discos and bars (I'm laughing at the absurdity of this - although it's true). I suppose I could meet someone by chance at an airport, or coffee shop, or hit him with my car, but in this new world of technology, romance is now found online. Everyone is doing it. I am a sceptic, but we'll see.

Anyway, part of my "assignment" before my next counseling session, is to come back with a list of qualities I would seek in the "perfect man" for me. I thought it would be fun to invite my blog readers to give me some help here, and make some suggestions. What do you think? Especially if you know me, let's hear it!

Note to pervy friends: keep it clean!

Perdido Key

Summer's golden light
washes us in shimmery warmth
as the sun slowly sinks
below the ocean
and the earth sighs softly....
the day is done

Happy Independence Day!

Dragonfly

I've seen several dragonflies lately. When I went out to the mailbox a few days ago, a dragonfly escorted me, landing briefly before zig-zagging away. Then yesterday, I went out in to the courtyard to water my flowers, and saw two dragonflies, one of which almost collided with my nose. Today I received a "thinking of you" card with, you guessed it, a dragonfly on the front.

So I Googled "symbolism of dragonfly" and was amazed at the information on the internet. Seems the dragonfly is a powerful totem in Native American, Celtic, and Japanese culture.

Inhabiting the two worlds of water and air, the dragonfly goes through quite a metamorphosis. Born in lakes, ponds, and swamps, it actually spends most of its life underwater, only to shed its old skin after several years and live a few short weeks, flying along the water on luminous wings.

Dragonflies represent the powers of light and transformation, and the ability to see through illusion. They bring prosperity and harmony. The dragonfly, as a totem, teaches skillful action while maintaining a free and joyful sense of being.

Dragonflies symbolize illusion, dreams, change, enlightenment, swiftness, dreams and seeing the truth. They are messengers of the elemental world. They are connected to Summer. Dragonfly is the essence of the winds of change. Dragonfly medicine always beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits which you need to change.

The Dragonfly by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Today I saw the dragon-fly

come from the wells where he did lie.

An inner impulse rent the veil

of his old husk:

from head to tail

came out clear plates of sapphire mail.

He dried his wings:

like gauze they grew;

thro' crofts and pastures wet with dew

a living flash of light he flew.

Yesterday

I thought about you on the way home from work yesterday

I had something to tell you, something I needed to share with you

and for a split second, my mind forgot, that you were gone

for that fraction of time,

the world was right

two years vanished,

like a nightmare in the light of day

and I was happy,

truly,

for a moment.

When You Only Have 100 Years to Live

I'm 15 for a moment

Caught in between 10 and 20

And I'm just dreaming

Counting the ways to where you are

I'm 22 for a moment

She feels better than ever

And we're on fire

Making our way back from Mars

15 there's still time for you

Time to buy and time to lose 15,

there's never a wish better than this

When you only got 100 years to live

I'm 33 for a moment

Still the man, but you see

I'm a they

A kid on the way

A family on my mind

I'm 45 for a moment

The sea is high

And I'm heading into a crisis

Chasing the years of my life

Within a morning star 15

I'm all right with you 15,

there's never a wish better than this

When you only got 100 years to live

Half time goes by

Suddenly you're wise

Another blink of an eye

67 is gone

The sun is getting high

We're moving on...

I'm 99 for a moment

Dying for just another moment

And I'm just dreaming

Counting the ways to where you are 15

there's still time for you

22 I feel her too

33 you're on your way

Every day's a new day... 15

there's still time for you

Time to buy and time to choose

Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this

When you only got 100 years to live

-Five for Fighting

Savannah

I'm in Savannah, vacationing with my little sister. Savannah is beautiful, historic, gracious, inspiring and sultry. Our hotel is wonderful. We're having a blast :-)
http://www.mansiononforsythpark.com/