If I get a new desktop computer, would my readers have any recommendations? I've been going with Dell for most of my life (since the choice has been mine), but in light of this perplexing failure that has affected both hardware and software, despite a fully reformatted hard drive, I'm open to suggestions.

I realize that one hardware problem is hardly indicative of a need to switch brands, especially since this is the 9th or 10th Dell computer I and my family have owned (and I ask a LOT of my machines). But still, I'm willing to consider other options if people have recommendations. That said, Dell's tremendous track record, excluding this failure which I'm only 90% convinced is a problem with the device itself, makes the company a front-runner.

Also, what do people think of Vista now that it's been put through its paces a bit and patches have been released? DeluxX seems to be having quite a good experience with his.

This is NOT an invitation to try to get me to switch to a Mac. I need my Excel, and Excel for Macs sucks (the new Excel doesn't even have VBA compatibility!).

Update: I reformatted my hard drive, reinstalled Windows XP from the CD, and I still get a blue screen of death every time I try to install my wireless internet card (it's a Linksys USB Wireless-G card). Does anyone have a wireless card I could borrow? Or some other way of figuring out if my computer's broken or if it's just my card?

My Cry for Computer Help

Sorry to use this generally scintillating blog for mundane personal reasons, but I'm using every avenue I can think of. My computer broke (I'm on my laptop). I left for work; it was fine. I come back to a blue screen that says "A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer." Every time I restart, I get that message on a blue screen with a 0x0000007E error (and some other text). I'm currently backing up my files through safe mode, but I'd really like to get my desktop working again without having to reformat the drive and start from scratch.

If you think you might be able to help, please contact me. Whoever fixes this gets some big prize (I haven't decided what yet; the winner can have some input).

[Editor's Addendum: An update and more details on the problem are in the comments, in response to a reader's suggestion, which didn't help but for which I thank him or her.]

My Boy John, and My New Boy Barack

John Edwards, whom this blog endorsed for President of the United States, has finally endorsed a candidate of his own after dropping out of the race in late January. He has endorsed Barack Obama for President, after voting for him last week in North Carolina's primary.

His endorsement is well timed--as super-delegates flock to the front runner and as this much anticipated announcement is sure to detract from Hillary Clinton's overwhelming victory in West Virginia, one of the three least interesting states in the union by far (I'd argue it's top 1 or 2, but definitely up there with North Dakota and Oklahoma).


Edwards is endorsing Obama for his progressive vision. This blog's editorial board, and ergo this blog, will also endorse Barack Obama for President, now that Edwards is out of the race and the time has come for a new endorsement. Though Edward's opinion factored in slightly given this blog's previous alignment, the reasoning for this endorsement is actually quite different from Edwards' own reasons. The president is our chief negotiator, and has tremendous impact on foreign policy. Obama has shown a willingness to engage other leaders that the other candidates have not, as they espouse a hybrid elitist/cowboy diplomacy that isn't sustainable. Their refusal to engage, their aloof, haughty, holier-than-thou approach to foreign relations would continue the international embarrassment brought upon us by our current president. Our relationship with emerging economic superpowers will define the 21st century (mostly China, but to a lesser extent Europe and later India), and we need an engaged leader who commands respect, who can bring people together, and who is always willing to negotiate in good faith.

Obama's willingness to receive input, and desire to build a consensus, also factored strongly into this endorsement. Where the other candidates are arrogant, Obama willingly concedes that there are many good ideas he hasn't thought of. I believe this to be a strength, especially given the complexity of the issues our next president will have to face (especially relating to appointments, privacy issues, foreign relations, the middle east, and of course, the economy). Obama's idea to appoint a Chief Technology Adviser is a great one. While McCain can't grasp the complexity of the new economy and the emerging and constantly-in-flux world order (to dramatize foreign affairs quite a bit), and while Hillary would rather give a long rambling nonsensical rant that more or less just proves she doesn't know what an interest rate is than admit she doesn't know the long term macroeconomic implications of a plan she stole from someone else and claimed as her own, Obama is seeking ways to get the best information as fast as possible, so that he might make better decisions. He's looking forward more than any other candidate, and liberal or conservative, the 21st century requires leaders like him.

So if you haven't yet voted in a primary, help Obama defeat Senator Clinton. And when the general election comes, it is the strongest recommendation of Nobody Doesn't Like Molten Boron that you help Barack Obama defeat John McCain, who has flip-flopped so many times in the past few years that he makes John Kerry look like...hm...who never flip flops...he makes John Kerry look like Charles Montgomery Burns.

Also, a special congratulations to John Edwards, my boy, for getting 7% of the vote in West Virginia, despite the notable handicap of not having campaigned there and not having been in the race for almost four months before the election!

I'm considering a return to politics, or rather, political commentary. I'm thinking about an editorial on John McCain. Meanwhile, amuse yourself with this link:

http://www.bush-mccainchallenge.com/

It makes the point that McCain isn't really what most people think he is, and does so in an amusing way.

PS - Thanks for the advice, everyone. Guess I'd better take the GREs or something.