Ayer Elementary Festival.

Today was the annual festival for Ayer Elementary. There were games and things for the kids. Lots of things to eat with all that sugary goodness. I think the kids there today ate so much sugar that half were about to fall into a diabetic coma. It lasted 4 hours.

There was a big raffle too. All kinds of things were given away. The one thing I wanted to get was a private tour of WLWT studios for 10 people. That would have been great. But I didn't win it. That is OK. Some kid with a big smile did.

Apparently the volunteer base was way down this year. There were more teachers doing things than I have seen before. Personally, that is why I go. I like to meet all the teachers and see how they interact with the kids. Mainly because I do not have the patience that most of them have. I am really glad that they do.

That was about it for that event. All in all, it was a real good time and if we are still here next year, I know we will be back and play the same games again. We will just be saying hello to new teachers.

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Marriage means squat after today - Rev1

OK, now that I have had to look at the picture of Rosie O'Donnell kissing her new wife? / husband? / whatever, I have to say one thing right off the bat. I can't believe that the same marriage I have to my wife, is anything like what they appear to want to have. One of the main problems with the reappearance of their picture, is that most of the major news and portal websites have the picture plastered on their front page so I have no choice but to see it over, and over, and over, and over (etc) again.

As of today, and right now, I offically consider the whole marriage thing crap. Not just for gays and lesbians, but for hetros too. If you want to get "married", (in this case) it no longer anything more than a sex license. Nothing more. Once you get a "marriage license", you can then legally commit (in the privacy of your own home, currently) illegal acts of sodomy.

Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines "sodomy as:

Sodomy: Middle English, from Old French sodomie, from Late Latin Sodoma Sodom; from the homosexual proclivities of the men of the city in Gen 19:1-11   1 : copulation with a member of the same sex or with an animal,   2 : noncoital and especially anal or oral copulation with a member of the opposite sex,

So, in my way of thinking, you can no longer arrest individuals who are (theoretically) "legally married", because you would be infringing on their rights. The Fourth Amendment protects private citizens from unnecessary search and seizure, and that means you can't peek in the window of a (theoretically) "legally married" couple to charge them with doing what they are licensed to do.

The beginning of the second paragraph of the Decleration of Independence states: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Not that I think we should impose on anyone's happiness, but lets get real.

IMHO, means breeding no longer can be associated with marriage, but sodomy can. From this point forward, I will have to consider anyone who are not capable of producing a child (without outside intervetion or the help of a friend) as not married. It will not matter (in my eyes) if they are married in a courthouse, a church, a ship at sea, or anywhere else.

IMHO, the term "marriage" is no longer valid. It no longer means (in this country) what is originally intended. A dyad or breeding couple.

Sorry folks, Melissa Etherridge and her wife? / husband? / whatever, does not count. I can pretty much guarantee that those two women did not naturally produce one single sperm to fertilize that egg. It was in the news. They had a "friend" do it. Isn't that sweet of him to do that for them?

What this really means when you burrow down through the apparent garbage that clouds most peoples minds, is that the tax laws need to change. Specifically to remove any involvement between two legally "married" people. This would require everyone has to pay the same amount of taxes, whether your "married" or not. Wouldn't that be a hoot?

Taxes are a whole-nother issue. (Hey, It is my article, so I make up the words I want as I go)

On top of that, think of the enormous amount of tax dollars that would be saved in removing the marriage licensing, blood tests, paperwork and all the other assorted red-tape the government has it's nose into. Just this cost savings alone could justify the disillusion of "legal marriage" in the US. I wrote about this back on Friday, August 15, 2003, and no one bothered to comment then (and I was really hoping for someone to comment).

One of the mistakes people are making is that this is not 'gay-bashing'. Matter of fact, it is only about marriage and how I feel it is unfair that an institution as old as written history is being erased. I just am seeing this as taking away what my parents and grandparents thought was a serious part of life. Now liberal society is turning it into a farce or an excuse to get laid.

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Finally, a paycheck

Today I finally received a paycheck for the work I have been performing. This was great, but it was not the monumental occasion I had expected. I believe that after it all comes down to the end, I will not be doing anything with this except the "extreme measure" results.

This paycheck will be dived up by percentage. Lets see...

33% has to be held for taxes which were not taken out,

10% will end up going to my lawyer to decipher what my legal responsibilities will be,

05% will go to the garbage man,

03% will go to my internet service provider,

03% to the local public school for fees,         (IMHO, this is extortion and complete bull)

10% to the,

23% goes to the State of Florida,         (I will not say anything about this. If you don't know, don't ask)

04% to fill up the van, the truck and the gas can,

01% to buy a new horn and signal lights for my pickup,         (the horn gave out after only 14 years. Can you believe that?)

01% for the kids to do the annual festival at school,         (for the last 3 years, they have went so it is an event for us)

10% goes to JCPennys for pants I needed to work at this job,

and other items. Just these items add up to over 103% so I am already screwed.

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Hearing Aid day is tomorrow.

Tomorrow, Bridget picks up her new hearing aid. I hope this helps. I imagine that there will be a period of adjustment and such. But at least she should be able to hear everything at a "close to normal" level. Or at least that is what is supposed to happen.

She is getting an "over the ear" model with the thing in the back. she has such small ears, I hope is does not bother her much. More on this after I see her tomorrow night.

The insurance will only pay for about 5% of the damn thing so we have to pay most out of pocket. At least I sorta have a job. The people I applied with two weeks ago have not contacted me about the position. Matter of fact, they have not responded to the e-mail I sent. I will have to talk to them tomorrow. But that is another matter altogether.

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Stupid online billing

I always look at my checking statements online at least once every week. I am glad I did. The electric company automatically debited my account without my permission. I called the company and spoke with someone who had about 3 pots of coffee too many. On top of that, the woman at the utility said she could not see where I signed up for any "auto-payment" options either. I can see that things are going down the tube when even the customer service rep is confused about what is going on with your bill.

To nip that problem in the butt, I have thus removed all account information from the account and will only submit information in real time from now on.

Unless I am mistaken, they can't take money out of accounts without an account number.

To err is human. To really screw things up takes a computer.

People I know are always asking me why I do not like working on computers when I am very good at it. This is just another example of why I see things in the future are going to be so difficult to manage. The difficulty in just paying your phone bill (and don't get me started on the phone company) is going to be just as hard as trying to figure out the B.O.H.I.C.A. effect of doing your taxes. You will never get a straight answer on how to do it. Plus, no one will ever be able to help you without a law degree (and a bill for $347.00 for services rendered).

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Confusing Tax Cut Causing Problems. (Well DUH)

I really don't care if the problem "is not" the IRS, I really don't see why the public is getting screwed. It's not like the damn tax system is easy to figure out in the first friggin' place. I don't see why it is not manditory that politicians do not have term limits. The longer they stay in, the more stupid and corrupt they become. It is not their fault. the 800 pound gorilla is to blame for this one. Just read the next two paragraphs and be amazed that your getting the B.O.H.I.C.A. treatment again from your elected officials.

A new tax cut is causing tax problems for many people. Last May, Washington cut the top tax rate on dividends from about 39% to 15%. Not all dividends qualify for the lower rate, though. Even professionals at brokerage firms are having a hard time figuring out which dividends get the tax break and which don’t. And that means the 1099 forms sent to investors are more likely to be wrong. The companies will send you a revised 1099 form if they find they’ve made a mistake. If you’ve already filed, you’ll have to send an amended return.

The IRS has given companies an extra month until February 28 to send you their 1099 forms. Some tax professionals are suggesting that you wait as long as you can before filing your return in the hopes that any corrections will arrive before then.

Want to read the article "Confusing Tax Cut Causing Problems."? Find it here

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Feelings on a funeral for a friends family member.

Be on the watch out for yourself now. The thing that mainly goes on during times like your having is everyone expects an outpouring of empathy and sympathy for themselves and their problems. Not necessarily for the deceased whom they have gathered to remember.

II have seen it too many times in gatherings I have attended for various people I have known.

One reason I do not ever want a funeral for myself. My kids (all 4 of them) and Bridget are the only ones who should even be aware that something happened to me. Everyone I know now did not know me at the time of my birth, so they do not need to know if I die. Hopefully that will not be for a very long time.

Referring to bad feelings at or after a funeral. My Step-Uncle and (sort of) Aunt on my mother’s side were money worshipers. They put my parents through a lot of grief for the all-mighty dollar. I am not saying my Uncle was a bad man. Matter of fact, I like him a lot even though I was not ever close to him. To my knowledge, he was a good man. He loved his kids, and he loved his parents. He had his own problems and beliefs of what was happening in his life and others lives. The bad part was that for no good reason just took matters out on my Mom. In my opinion, I think it was just spite. She just was a scapegoat for his misunderstanding of my grandfather’s life. Life is what we make of it. My Uncle smoked heavily all the time I knew him. That was what finally provided a slow and painful death from lung cancer and various other things, which I would never wish upon anyone.

You have enough of your own. You do not need to start taking on the problems of your family. Beware of people asking for things and the like. Even though this is a time of remembrance, just remember #1. That should be your main goal. Remember, in your life, the #1 person is Barb. I don’t think you do enough for that person because you don’t realize that is the most important person in your life.

I am not sure how I want to end this. I will have to think about it for a while when I have time.

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Bird Flu Found in Cats in Asia; Canada on Alert? REV2

As Bridget (and most of the people at the CDC) had predicted, the latest big bird-flu virus has jumped species. I would like to know why there is not an Alert in the US? We eat enough fowl here to feed most of the rest of the world.

REV 1 - 19:32 AM 2/21/2004 - The scary part is that I saw an article which indicated it was in Texas. It was removed after about 2 hours. I imagine they don't want the public to panic about the report so I bet the 800 pound gorilla had them pull it.

REV2 - 12:32 PM 2/21/2004 - I didn't know that U.S. chicken production in 2002 was 2.88 billion pounds (1.3 billion kg). That is a lot of chicken.

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Ohio Lawmaker Wants Prescription Prices Posted

There are big differences in what pharmacies charge for different prescriptions and you can't rely on just one to always have the best prices.

A bill introduced by Ohio Senator Lou Blessing of Colerain Township looks to help remedy that by requiring pharmacies to post the prices of their 100 best selling prescriptions.

Blessing says the competition would bring prices down and says he introduced a similar bill 10 years ago that was shot down by the pharmacy industry. Under federal law, pharmacies must tell the prescription prices over the phone.

To read more about this (If it is still up), just click here!. LAST UPDATE: 2/13/2004 5:10:28 PM

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Microsoft on the offensive

This entry is currently being revised. Please check back in a little while. This thought is not yet complete!

Today I read that Microsoft is on the offensive to get people who are distributing the Windows source code. For once, I agree with what Microsoft is doing. They did create the thing, and have every right to it. I started to look into it but who has the time anyway?!?

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Time to roast some ferrets

For all you PETA readers, I just want to invite you over to a ferret roast.

For everyone out there who does not have a sense of humor, it is a joke. If you do not listen to Glenn Beck, you won't understand this one so don't try. Just listen to Glenn and you will get it.

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Today's gem of the day

Things are going to get a lot worse before they get worse.

- Lily Tomlin

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How true it is...

A male gynecologist is like an auto mechanic who never owned a car.

Carrie Snow

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There goes my wireless.

The news that Cingular is attempting to buy AT&T wireless just makes me cringe. I am not sure if it was the 24 paragraphs spouting the benefits of this merger, or the one paragraph that spoke the truth about the deal.

ATLANTA - Cingular Wireless agreed to pay nearly $41 billion in cash to buy AT&T Wireless Services to create the nation’s largest mobile phone company, raising concern among consumer advocates that it may hurt competition and impede lower prices.

I guess that only time will tell if your bill will stay the same or jump to some enormous rate. I expect nothing but grief, higher bills and eventually to have my service turned off. And I thought I finally got a good deal on wireless. Go figure!

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SETI.org

The mission of the SETI Institute is to explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe.

There will be more posted soon about SETI. For now, I just wanted to get the graphics and links uploaded to my blog so I can work with them later on (when I am not at home).

If you would like to see where the Arecibo antenna is pointing right now, click here

SETICam

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Network security.

I am rather concerned at not receiving any information or guidance IRT the network I am currently working on. If I was the manager (which I am not), I would have every employee here sign a non-disclosure form at a minimum. The form I created was pretty good for 45 minutes work. It was created without any guidelines or references too. So understandably, I am fairly impressed with myself at the moment. (send me an e-mail, I will send it to you) The part I took when I initially signed on was that I created a network access form to protect me.

For some strange reason, I have an administrator ID on the main domain. It is also not that I am not trustworthy (I have a government T.S. for a reason), but when someone one saunters in to do a bit of html, you do not hand them the keys to the kingdom with which to do it. Seriously, I would not even have an ID if it was up to me, but it is not up to me so I just continue on.....

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Secure IM communications?

iGo Incognito.

Where I am currently working, there are no instant messengers. Even though several of the ports associated with IMs are blocked, I have not received, (and I believe I will never receive) a security statement from the company so I am not sure what "is" and "is not" allowed. I can not even get a dresscode guideline for that matter. I am rather apprehensive in logging on to this network anyway with the way it was handled. Anyway, the reason I started this entry is to say that the IM I am using is the one that works nearly every time, and in nearly every instance.

The only one that works is iGo Incognito. This little app works where most do not and each and every message (and attachment) is encrypted. On top of all that, it is free! You just need to download the client (which I have used for over 2 years now) and make an account.

So, if you want to talk to me while I am reworking PowerPoint presentations, you will have to use this. Just remember that my account ID is "Todd" and that is it. Say hello if you like. I will be here. (Barb and "D", send me a message to see if this thing is working.)

If you want to know what I am doing, just go to my work log. It covers everything. It will not make any sense to you, but it does to me.

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labeled with ICRA

Why are they doing the hiring?

Have you ever considered the idea that a Human Resources (HR) person hiring for a "Senior level" computer job, is like a receptionist hiring a Senior Surgeon for a medical practice. It just does not work!

Personally, I have done hiring and I would not like to be an HR person. They are expected to pick the best person for a position they might have zero experience with. That has got to be one of the toughest jobs around. Considering the fact that their decision could make or break a company. Now that is pressure.

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Just hanging around a while longer.

If nothing else, I was just told that I have another weeks worth of work. Same seat, same pay, different task. THis time it is working several hundred PowerPoint presentations.

This means I need to contact my lawyer (again). Then never responded to my last e-mail. I will send them a letter tomorrow.

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Labelled with ICRA

Yep, we need to get a new Doctor.

I just received a call from Bridget. She had tried get a new prescription for motrin called in but the bitch at the doctors office gave her the run around and was her usual pisant self. I guess that once I get better medical that will have to be one of the first things I do.

When we first started going to Mike, I told him that the specific office person was a bitch. Well, he still has her and today was the last time I will put up with it. If anyone has a GP they like in my area, please say so. We are shopping around.

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labeled with ICRA

rest did not help

I really did try and lay off any keyboard work this weekend. It didn't seem to help much. This morning the pain in my hand is right there, where I expected it. One positive thing is that the anti-inflamatory meds I have seem to help. Or, maybe I should say they have helped. I imagine that by the C.O.B. today, the situation will be rather unbearable.

I would go see my GP but he really does not have a clue on what to do. but that is another story.

I really need to start putting graphics back into my posts. they look rather bland this way.

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Labelled with ICRA.Michael"Miserable Failure" Moore

The carpal-tunnel is acting up.

Since I do not have a proper desk at the place where I sit and type. The numbness and pain are returning to my left hand. Actually, it is really much worse that I expected. It kinda feels like when your hand falls asleep and tingles at every move. If you have not felt that sensation before, let me tell you, it stinks. The only difference between my problem and the tingle of your hand falling asleep is mine does not stop tingling. It just goes on and on and on.....

One of the things I have tried to do in combating this problem is using my own mouse and my ergonomic keyboard. These things help in slowing the progression of the problem, but it is not correcting the problem. I am going to have get a different workspace to continue.

For the rest of the weekend, I will not type anything much. That should take the inflammation down a bit. I can do all the mouse clicking I want, since I use the mouse with my right hand. I hope there is some motrin down in the basement I can take also. That always seems to help it feel better.

I have been chatting with my friend with the instant messenger and all that typing really makes it throb. So, that is it for the weekend. I have several posts I never put in so I can copy and paste those in tomorrow. At least this thing will have some more information.

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labeled with ICRA

No further need to leave a message...

If you call the house, you won't get Bridget to answer. Since the ENT Doctor tried to reposition the tube in her ear, her hearing has dimished about 35%. It was already bad, so now it is worse.

I was correct in the diagnosis of the problem. The tube was more like a soda straw in design (of what you can see on the outside). It had moved from its initial position of pointing to the the center of the ear canal, to its current position of resting on the side of the ear canal wall. The movement placed it in an area where when ever she turns her head, makes a strong facial expression, or an extreme movement (like a sneeze) the wall of the ear canal pushes on the tube, which is anchored into her ear drum. I can't imagine the pain this causes.

What happened on Thursday to stay off some of the pain, was that the doctor placed a piece of sponge (or it might be gauze) to push the tube back to it's original position. I am not sure if it will do the job but I don't like the solution.

If you have been lucky enough to never have an ear ache, count yourself among the blessed of the world. The pain of an ear ache is one of the worst there is. It ranks up there or above even a toothache in how it can debilitate you. I hope she can make t through this without too much anguish. She is pretty tough but it does hurt all the time.

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Labelled with ICRA.

archives added to google searchs

I added my June, July, and August 2003 archives to Google's search.

Still need to add up to date information to get the rest into the search.

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Labelled with ICRA

Time sheet update.

At the request of Mr. Manning, I have completed a time sheet update.

As of the COB on 013 FEB 2004, below are listed the total hours worked on this project. FYI: I was instructed to estimate todays hours at this time.

03 Feb, Tuesday - 10.00 hours

04 Feb, Wednesday - 09.25 hours

05 Feb, Thursday - 10.25 hours

06 Feb, Friday - 08.00 hours (updated after COB that day)

Total for week 1 = 36.50 hours

09 Feb, Monday - 08.50 hours

10 Feb, Tuesday - 08.50 hours

11 Feb, Wednesday - 06.50 hours

12 Feb, Thursday - 08.25 hours

13 Feb, Friday - 07.00 hours

Total for week 2 = 38.75 hours

For a total for the two week period of 76.25 hours

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Labelled with ICRA

The job situation looks, well promising!

Today I spoke to my VA Rep. and he has already called the company I just interviewed with about incentives for hiring me.

OK, why him? The reason, is that the VA has incentives to get disabled veterans (which I am) reemployed.

The incentives are rather good and help to get vets reemployed in a field that they have either upgraded or replaced their skill set.

In other words, my outlook is much better than it was previously or even two days ago. I hope this one works out since I will be back into what I enjoyed (or at least what I thought I enjoyed.

The main reason is that I would really like to work there. Everyone seems focused and happy. It also appears that no one is micro-managed, but part of a team. Yeah, that is new for a company with an IT department. More as it becomes available.

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Labelled with ICRA

a new set of single sites.

Well, technically Bride.ru is a pay site and you have to arrange a meeting. But most of the singles sites are pay sites in one form or another. There are a few more in the listing (near the bottom of the left frame so send me some feedback if you like or dislike any of them.

The on thing about the Russian site is that you need to choose an age group. The 30+ group is not much above that. Our friend who is mid 30s was rather upset that there were not more "older" women on the site. But he won't pay to go over there anyway.

When I had just gotten divorced, I thought about that one. I figured that it would be easier to get a wife that way. Then Bree turned up and that thought quickly evaporated. It would have been interesting to try though.

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Labelled with ICRA

More hate mail

Why is it, that the only people who send me hate mail are people who are either; very far left liberals, ignorant, or not very worldly? The last one I received said I needed to learn how to spell. So I double checked everything again (since I always check before I send things out) so it must be them. I even looked everything up with Merriam-Webster OnLine and it was all spelled correctly and in the correct context.

I guess I just need to be more witty or something like that. Oh well, I guess it is just another person to block inbound mail heading for my domain(s).

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labeled with ICRA

More job sites listed

I just added 5 more job search sites to the left frame. Go take a look and see if you find something you like!

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Labelled with ICRA

Can't blog right now!

Sorry, but I can not update anything much for the next week or two. I will try and do more later on this weekend. right now I am way to busy.

More as it becomes available.

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Labelled with ICRA

today is a little different than yesterday.

I am starting to get a better grip on getting the idea of working at an office again. This is close to an IT position without the neverending furstration of everyone wanting something NOW!

I won't really have time to get anything else input into the blog tonight so I am doing it on lunch break.

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Labelled with ICRA

Proscan time log - 02/03/2004.

This post has been moved to the Proscan blog.

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Labelled with ICRA

Good encryption?

This is a quick and dirty entry. You want easy to use encryption? Get PowerCrypt2000. It is free, easy to use and works very well. You don't even need a degree in computer science to get it to work. just go to their site and read up, then download it and send me an encrypted e-mail. YOu can do it right from their client.

OVSoft PowerCrypt 2000 is the innovative and powerful file encoder. Make sure your files safe with a 100% secure encryption algorithm. This encryption is unbreakable. Encode multiple files at a time, manage your archives, compress data for better disk space usage and create packages with multiple encrypted files. LAN shared folders are supported as local directories. New versions offer advanced features as fast MD5 checksum performing and filename encoding.

Secure your communications with encrypted messages and attachments. Get the capability to send email with no more dangers from other buggy email clients like Outlook or Eudora. Get three goals at a time: maximum security, easy usage and fast encryption.

Bottom-line... I figure that if you need to know why you should use encryption on the internet, you probably should just send me all your credit card numbers now. They will probably be posted on the net (for everyone else to use) in the next few years anyway. Don't believe me? Fine, I can wait. Questions? Just ask.

PowerCrypt2000 home page

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Labelled with ICRA