I've had a busy day, went grocery shopping, then back home to ride the bike this afternoon. It was sunny, windy and cold...but I didn't even wear a jacket, and made it fine. It's always more difficult when I'm fighting the wind; yet I did have a great ride.

I knew it was too good to be true -- that my PC was going to work smoothly now. Actually, most everything is working okay...except last night I discovered the CDRW software program is missing! I can't burn CDs. I don't use that much, but I don't like the fact that the software has disappeared and could be expensive to replace. Not to mention the compatibility problems. At any rate, I called the shop this morning and the lady asked the tech why the program was missing. He said it should be on the hard-drive, but I can't find it if it is. I even ran the 'Find' search in Windows and it didn't come up. Perhaps it's zipped, and I don't recognize the program file name? Anyhow, after talking to her, I looked through Windows again and DID find AOL V.4...which is what was working before. I installed it, and presto!, I can use JUNO without AOL trying to take it over. So that one problem is solved. I also just now emailed Compaq support and will see what they suggest.

Now for the news, here's some excerpts:

CIA: Bin Laden Escaped Afghanistan

In a major setback to the war on terrorism, CIA analysts have concluded bin Laden escaped from the Tora Bora cave complex in eastern Afghanistan and into Pakistan around the first week of December, intelligence officials said.
The officials also told ABCNEWS that one captured al Qaeda fighter claims to have witnessed, in one of the Tora Bora hiding places, bin Laden turning over operational control to one of his deputies.

"I think that most intelligence analysts are absolutely convinced at this point that bin Laden has slipped the noose and has left Afghanistan and Pakistan," said Vince Cannistraro, an ABCNEWS analyst and former CIA counterterrorism chief.

As they say: "ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!"

~~~~~

Better Safe than Sorry

Experts Suggest Bush Receive Additional
Tests to Rule Out Heart Problems

Moss explains that while vasovagal syncope is a reasonable explanation for Bush's episode, there are other more serious considerations, such as heart rhythm diseases, that should be evaluated with additional testing.

"Abrupt un-witnessed syncope in a 55-year-old male is a potentially serious problem that is surely being given more attention than the causal response reported to the press," Moss says.

I think Bush should have a thorough checkup; we'd sure be in trouble if something happened to him, since Cheney is certainly in precarious health with his advanced heart troubles.

And that's it for today.