Ugh... computer problems

Stuff happens.  I've had intermittent slowness with my HP Pavillion Elite which is probably just under 2 years old. This is my workhorse (1TB of hard drive and 8 GB RAM).  I need to have some time home and call in for more serious diagnostics than I can do on my own.  I keep getting a failure in the "SMART short self test".  From all that I've read this may be an early indicator that my hard drive could fail.  I usually get the extended warranty, so when I'm home for a few hours, I'll make contact with HP and see if they will send me a new hard drive, if that is the problem. 

I use Carbonite backup, so I'm not worried about losing data.  I also bought Acronis True Image about 6 months ago when I thought something was up and pretty much cloned my hard drive, so I have my valuable stuff backed up.  

I'm hoping the problem will go into remission long enough for me to finish some processing I'm doing on some photos.  If the hard drive crashes, I won't lose it, but it is just creating a delay. 

At the moment, it seems to be working fine.  I hope that is the case when I sit down tomorrow to resume my editing. 

I hope to be back blogging soon. 

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Blogger is back....

For the better part of two days, I couldn't get into Blogger.  If you follow me on Twitter, or Facebook, you may have seen my posts there relaying this, and you will have seen the many interesting news items I was passing along.  I didn't miss the news; I just didn't get to blog it.

You were able to see most Blogger blogs because Google engineers put them into "read-only" mode. 

I read accounts of people moving to WordPress or other service because of this incident.  My attitude: Hey, it's a free service and the world doesn't start or stop because I can't blog.  I think in the nearly 5 years that I've been using Blogger, I can count on one hand how many times I was prevented from blogging for an extended period of time. Stuff happens on my home computer; it happens on my work computer.  Power goes out, internet goes out... yada, yada.  In time, you just learn to sit back and let the codies do their stuff and, like any Catholic should, offer it up!  

All kidding aside, I'd like to hear from others who switched to Word Press. What are the differences?  I might be too comfortable with Blogger.  What do I get in WP that I don't in Blogger?

I'll make a post to tomorrow to pass some things along in case you missed them.   Right now, my eyes tell me it's time for bed.  Good night!

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

New Blog Theme for the Season of Advent

No, it's not your imagination.  The theme for this blog has changed.  The full change may not be visible if you are viewing on a more narrow screen or mobile device. Therefore, I have taken a snapshot of what you would see on wider screens

I have wanted to change the theme with the change of seasons and thought it would be appropriate to comprehend the liturgical seasons. 

I will try to do this several times yearly. 




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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Blogger problems?

Is anyone else in blogger finding life "difficult"? 

I've been unable to upload images for a couple of days.  It tries to get me to log in, and even if I manage to actually get to tsee the window for logging in, I get nowhere.  It loads really slow. 

I've been having problems with staying signed in, as well.  It makes me repeatedly sign in for every little thing.  I'm all for added security, but this is ridiculous. 

I'm wondering if I have to change a setting. 

Ideas?


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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Sitemeter causing blog and website crashes

Example: Error you will see on the blog of Fr. Z using Internet Explorer until he removes Sitemeter code or it is fixed by the company responsible.

Any website or blog containing code for Sitemeter is likely resulting in the above error for those using Internet Explorer. It happeend to me last night upon attempting to get to my own blog. When the error occurred at Sitemeter, as well, I figured the two were connected. Sure enough, I found that many others with Sitemeter were experiencing the same and had removed the code with success.

I have removed the code from my site for the time being and hopefully, the folks at Sitemeter will figure out what happened. If you have Firefox or another browser, you would be unaware of the problem. It appears limited with Internet Explorer.


Here is the latest google news search on the topic this morning. Refresh it a little later and I think this will be the internet news of the day with perhaps tens, if not hundreds of thousands of sites being inaccessible via Internet Explorer.




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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Comment Box Problems

I am getting some emails indicating there are problems with the comment box. If you are trying to comment and don't see it going up, please send me an email at TeDeumBlog@gmail.com and let me know. I have heard other people on blogger complaining of the same problem of things not posting to the combox. Hopefully, it will get fixed soon.

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

New Comment Box Policy at Te Deum Laudamus!

I am going to follow a host of other bloggers who do not permit the "anonymous" name to be used by commentors. Over 90% of those leaving comments without any other name or pseudoname are not only negative, but typically rude or obnoxious. Setting that aside, it is difficult to respond to "anonymous" when there are several in the same combox, and all may be different people.

Therefore, I am requiring the use of a name or pseudoname. The comment tool allows you to list a name among other options.

Other combox policies already discussed:

• Be charitable. If you can't present your objection or comment in a manner that respects the dignity of other readers, then feel free to get your own blog where you can be as rude and obnoxious as you choose.



• No promotion of or links to websites promoting private revelations not yet approved by the Catholic Church. There is a difference between cautiously awaiting the Church's decision on something and full blown endorsements which may mislead people into believing something is authentic and approved.



• No promotion of or links to websites belonging to schismatic groups, or groups in an irregular status with the Catholic Church. An example of a group with an irregular status, is the SSPX or Society of St. Pius X.



• Anything resembling gossip or personal attacks on others will not be posted, particularly where there is no public knowledge as it can fall under the sins of rash judgment, detraction, or calumny.

For a review of the above, for the uncatechized - the Cathechism of the Catholic Church...

2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury.278 He becomes guilty:

• - of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;



• - of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them;279



• - of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

2478 To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor's thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way:

Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another's statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved.280

2479 Detraction and calumny destroy the reputation and honor of one's neighbor. Honor is the social witness given to human dignity, and everyone enjoys a natural right to the honor of his name and reputation and to respect. Thus, detraction and calumny offend against the virtues of justice and charity.

2480 Every word or attitude is forbidden which by flattery, adulation, or complaisance encourages and confirms another in malicious acts and perverse conduct. Adulation is a grave fault if it makes one an accomplice in another's vices or grave sins. Neither the desire to be of service nor friendship justifies duplicitous speech. Adulation is a venial sin when it only seeks to be agreeable, to avoid evil, to meet a need, or to obtain legitimate advantages.

Yeah - blogging does not give anyone an exemption from following the 8th Commandment.

COMMENT MODERATION IS ON

I hope you will participate here. I have comment moderation turned on. If after 24 hours you do not see your comment posted and feel you did not violate any of the above, pleae contact me and I'll look into it or provide an explanation.

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Administrative Notes

You may notice some changes taking place in the sidebar again as I add new things and shuffle some other things.

Take note that I have added a section called Upcoming Events at Grotto (scroll down below blog archive). This is not meant to cover every single thing forthcoming, but primarily major events that others who do not regularly come to Grotto, may find of interest. I have added the May Calendar to the list which should reveal other things, and of course, there is the Assumption Grotto homepage which should be consulted first. The webmaster there also includes the bulletin in PDF form when it is sent to him so do visit the Assumption Grotto parish website.

I will soon be adding a section for Catholic Investing and Financial Resources, as well.

Since blogs are not true websites (but web logs), we have to be creative in how we structure it to work kind of like a website. Therefore, consider scrolling and clicking through the vast amount of resources I have here. Please contact me at TeDeumBlog@gmail.com if you find something not working. Links have to be fixed now and then, but only if I know they are broken.


OPUS ANGELORUM UPDATE
I want to use this as an opportunity to point out that Opus Angelorum is in the midst of a major reconstruction of their website. God bless the webmaster who carefully maintained page addresses. When I learned the new site had been released, I was concerned that every link I had made in the past, embedded in many blogposts, would have to be remade. Not the case at all. However, if you do find one broken, please bring it to my attention.

It is still a work in progress, but I'm sure they won't mind you taking a poke around. It is one of the greatest spiritual watering holes on the web.


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Read the Te Deum blog in 18 Languages!

As you can see, this blog is undergoing some restructuring. As I have noted below, I am deeply desiring to give this cookie-cutter template a distinctly "Grotto" look, which will take time. You will begin to see some of the benefits of my having switched templates in order to take advantage of the simple functionality of Blogger enhancements. This post is about one of those enhancements.

Te Deum Laudamus! has readers from around the world. That is what makes the internet so fascinating is that I write something today, and tonight someone in the Philippines, Norway, Italy, Dubai, China, Nigeria or some other distant land can read it. I have seen hits from every continent, including distant islands and the most interesting of places.

While some people are one-time visitors, finding a particular topic through Google or other search engine, we have regular visitors from many foreign countries. Having made my Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary in 2005 not long before I started this work, I pray for my readers by entrusting them to her care.

I ask all of you to keep Catholics and Christians in countries hostile to our faith in your prayers. Some may be reading this blog at great risk to themselves. We should never take for granted the freedom with which we may worship or live our faith. When it seems difficult to get up and go to Mass, we need to ponder those souls who risk their very lives still today for a chance to meet Our Lord in the Eucharist. These people would be overjoyed to freely pack Assumption Grotto, in the cold, at the closing ceremony of the 40 Hours Devotion.

Thanks to Google Translator, this blog can now be translated in to 18 languages. You will see a "widget" in the sidebar under my profile. It seems to be taking a little longer to load upon first getting to this site.

However, Google Translator is not perfect. But, it will give foreign readers some help if they need it. Click on the drop down list and look at the list of languages. Click one of them and see what it does.

Here is another snapshot from the other night.

NEWS & BLOGGER FEEDS

Take some time to scroll through the sidebar and take note of what is there. I have added a feed which is linked directly to the blog of Fr. Z, revealing some of his latest headlines. I will be adding other news feeds from CWNews and Zenit. Unfortunately, my first attempt went bust.

NEW SECTIONS PLANNED FOR SIDEBAR

I am also going to begin a new section which will carry profiles of secular orders, apostolates, and confraternities. Catholics are increasingly becoming interested in these things - surely prompted by the Holy Spirit. There are some really fantastic, solidly Catholic secular orders and apostolates out there and I hope to make them visible should God be calling you to one or more of them.

I am also going to create a sidebar section for series, for which I have started, and not finished, many. This will keep them in the forefront as a reminder to me and give new readers a chance to see them.

Keep in mind that this is a blog - or web log, not a web site. Information is not laid out in compact horizontal ways, but in a long vertical way. There is nothing that can be done about this. But, it comes free so we can't complain. My suggestion is that when I am not posting or you see nothing new, take some time to scroll the sidebar and see what is available. Explore these sites and links.

I am reconsidering how I might be able to construct a more comprehensive site out of AdOrientem.com to collect certain things in a way that is easier to see. First, I need to make time, which seems quite scarce. I had a different vision for the site when I first put that temporary park-page up. I suspended it when news of the motu proprio broke because some of what I wanted to do would be moot. Thus, God takes it in a different direction than I had thought.

Deo Gratias!


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New Email Address for the Te Deum blog

I do not have my regular email address - one that I have had for nearly 15 years, displayed publicly for obvious reasons. Many of you have that and may continue to use it. For those who want to contact me and don't have that email address, please do so at:

TeDeumBlog@gmail.com

I will be closing the AOL account soon, so please update your address book on this if you were using that AOL address. It was the same as the one I now have listed at gmail, except it was @aol.com

I will update my profile accordingly. You can always click my profile in the sidebar to find my contact email address.


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Creative Commons License - a simple way to copyright

I have finally taken the plunge and will be adding this symbol to my sidebar. It is a very simple way for bloggers and web-owners to protect things like photos and works, while allowing others to freely copy and distribute. There are several varieties of these licenses and they are free. It is simply making a statement about what you can or cannot do with content found here.

This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

My license works this way (indented text is from the Creative Commons website)

The first symbol stands for Creative Commons.

The second symbol means:

The licensor permits others to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work. In return, licensees may not use the work for commercial purposes — unless they get the licensor's permission.

In other words, it's ok to show my photos on your blog, for example, but if someone wants to use them for commercial purposes they need to contact me. Professionals already know this and I have been contacted several times for permission to use the photos in various mediums. If photos other than mine are sought, which are posted, I will offer to put those seeking their use in touch with the respective parties. I can be reached at TeDeumBlog@aol.com .

To use any of my content on your blog or website, kindly provide a link back to the post it came from or the homepage of my blog. The link may be found by clicking the timestamp at the bottom of the respective post.


The last symbol means:

No Derivative Works. The licensor permits others to copy, distribute, display and perform only unaltered copies of the work — not derivative works based on it.

In plain English, you can't morph or tinker with my photos, put someone else's head on another person's body, and then re-use them elsewhere. However, you can ask me for permission to do these things, within reason.

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COMMENT MODERATION EXPLAINED

I continue to get duplicate comments from people unaware of how Comment Moderation works. After you hit the "send" button, be sure to look at the top to see if it says, "comment awaiting moderation" or something to that effect.

I have received some biteback on this from people who think I am involved in a conspiracy to filter out any comment different from my own. Let me explain....

Comment moderation remains on to filter out comments leading people to things I have had to delete. For example, someone recently tried promoting their "alien" website in one of my comboxes. I have deleted highly lewd advertisements, detraction (revealing the moral fault of another to those who do not know), and links to websites which I prefer not to promote via my blog.

I typically like links which are green in the site reviews of Catholic Culture. I have to use my conscience in making these determinations for those not rated. If you don't like comment moderation, which many Catholic blogs now use, you are free to create your own blog where you can post whatever you want.

I personally like Fr. Tim Finigan's explanation of this subject. For those who would like to understand it better, he'll be glad to clear it up for you.

Fr. Tim Finigan on Comments on Blogs in General

Fr. Tim Finigan on Posting Comments (good comprehensive list of why comments are accepted or rejected)

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Comments Moderated Prior to Posting

I just wanted to re-iterate for those leaving comments that I have turned "Comment Moderation" to "on". This can be confusing when you first encounter it at a blog because it seems as if your comment didn't go anwhere after you send it.

With this feature checked on, when you leave a comment it goes into a cue and awaits my review and approval for publishing. You can tell when a blog has comment moderation turned on because it will often say it at the top of the comment section when you are writing your comment. The other way to tell is immediately after you post a comment. You will see a message that says that the comment is awaiting moderation.

Many bloggers I know have gone to this to prevent spamming. The "verification word" helps with computers trying to leave comments in my blog, but it does not prevent the individual who is going around posting advertisements and what not.

Aside from that, it enables me to keep out those things which I believe could lead others to scandal and prevents things like detraction being spread through my comboxes. Sometimes I'll see something that is inappropriate and I will be stuck at work unable to do anything about it.

I have no intention of censoring information out. That is, those who disagree with my opinion. However, there are certain things I will not post and I have outlined them previously.

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Email for Te Deum is turned back on

Evidently, when I switched to the new blogger system, I must not have checked on the feature which shows the email address.

I suppose this explains nearly zero emails in all these weeks, in contrast to several weekly. I'm starting to get some real "junk" email in there, but I just delete those. When robots do the work, it is all too obvious.

The email address is found in my profile which is under the pic of the Blessed Mother in the left hand sidebar.

Sorry for any inconvenience. Thanks to BK for the heads-up.