14 DEC 04: FULL STRENGTH

"It is ready," declared the owner of the computer shop when I called him around 4:15 p.m. Monday. After 16 days of troubles with my machine, this statement did not impress me. Ready for the junkpile, maybe?

"Is it calling up web pages?" I asked, reminding the computer shop of the problem which started all this. Even web pages stored in my computer were in "Garden of Eden" shape - as in "neither shall ye touch it, lest it die."

The computer seemed to be doing all right, but the computer shop owner agreed to go online and test the web page matter. But of course, that would take awhile. For one thing, he said he needed my Internet dial-up disc - the very one I drove home and brought him last week, which he still had. I'm thankful he doesn't change tires for a living.

The computer shop owner had me call back several times to see how things were going. Finally at 5:15 p.m., he said: "Come get it!" Yes, the machine was ready - and he wasn't tired of my persistent calling.

"Is this what you wanted to see?" asked the computer shop owner when I arrived. Sure enough, the CNN home page was on the screen. I didn't really want to see a big picture of death-row inmate Scott Peterson on it, but that's another matter....

(Which reminds me: I hereby invite all the reporters who covered the Scott Peterson trial to come to Columbus, and cover the Kenneth Walker civil suit. This especially goes for the good-looking ones, like Jennifer London of MSNBC.)

"Start saving your shekels," the computer shop owner told me as he unplugged the newly-restored computer. Start?! Shouldn't he have told me this before all these repairs started?

"In a year or two," he continued, "you won't be able to call up anything they'll be sending." The broadband wave of the Internet is going to make dial-up people like me look old-fashioned. Either I'll need a fancier computer, or keep settling for video from my broadcast-only TV.

Then came the moment of truth at the cash register - and the bill for all this effort was only 30 dollars! Well, the name IS Computer Discounters -- but how are they making money? Selling leftover computer parts at flea markets?

The 30-dollar bill was stunning to me, especially considering what I thought I was getting. "Only 30 dollars for a new hard drive...."

"It's a NEW hard drive?!?!" The computer shop owner was stunned by this. And in the true tradition of a repairman, he went straight for his screwdriver.

It turned out I misunderstood what the computer shop did. Instead of giving me a new hard drive, this business merely restored my old one. Uh-oh. Instesd of doing an "Extreme Makeover" on the most critical part of my computer, they simply rearranged and dusted it.

I'm pleased to report I could go online from home Monday night, so my computer seems to be back to normal after 16 days. And much to my surprise, the computer shop added Microsoft Word and Excel - showing they're really puppets of Bill Gates.

Now some quick notes from a Monday which didn't seem to have much news:

+ Which local TV reporter disclosed on the air he took an AIDS test last week - but never mentioned what the result was? Doesn't he realize how many rumors this will start?

+ Belated congratulations to WRCG's Robbie Watson - who I found out only Monday has a new baby boy. Once again, that other blog beats me to a big story....

+ Instant Message to WHAL-AM "Hallelujah 1460": I'm not complaining at all about this - but doesn't it seem strange that Sunny 100-FM is playing all that holiday music, and your "gospel" station is hardly playing any?

THE NEW BIG BLOG QUESTION is one we've been meaning to ask for a few days, but couldn't due to our computer problems. Did AFLAC make the right decision, by changing corporate logos to add the duck? Or do you think this is a first step toward an AFLAC amusement park?

COMING WEDNESDAY: If all keeps working, we'll finally catch up on your e-mail....

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