Is Anybody Really Stupid Enough To Open A Suspicious-Looking* Email Attachment on April Fools Day?

It was ALL OVER THE NEWS last night:  "Tomorrow is going to be another computer virus doomsday." 

But honestly, [read the title of today's post].  *and the suspicious ones are not that difficult to identify.  For FUCKsake.  How stupid are people?  I mean, we've all had it happen (at least I did, once), but that was in the Paleozoic Era of the internet, before we all knew better.  BUT EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW BETTER NOW.  And/or is this just made-up news?  Srsly. Just don't.

Speaking of viruses, mine of the rhino variety is getting better.  I did have a fever of 101F, as confirmed by a highly accurate thermometer, but I didn't have other influenza-like symptoms of the old "seems like you've been hit by a truck" description.  It just seemed like I'd been hit by a smaller vehicle, like maybe a family sedan.  My neti pot is my best friend, and I made generous use of all the other parts of my anti-virus arsenal -- steam and throat spray and chicken soup and zinc and tea and myrrh capsules and salt-water gargles, and like that.  I bundled up in my polarfleece robe, got under the covers and sweated it out when I was shifting back and forth from shivering to HOT.  I've still got little remnants of crud-production in my head, but I'm doing much better, and actually feel mostly like a person again.  The main aim in these situations (well, in addition to just plain getting over it as fast as possible) is to try to avoid letting it go to my chest and becoming bronchitis, which used to happen every spring before I learned how to stop it.  Thanks for the well wishes!  They helped!

The brown sweater project continues apace, if by "apace" you mean I screwed up the waist decreases and had to rip back 8 rows.  No big deal, really.  The yarn is such a pleasure to knit that I might just purposely knit 8 rows, rip 'em back, knit 'em again, rip 'em back, knit 'em again, and on into the next decade or until I wear out the yarn, whichever comes first.

 

Just in case I ever do continue beyond that phase, I went to the shop yesterday and bought two more skeins of the luscious Rambouillet yarn so I'd have enough to complete the jacket.  While there, I saw that there is another color that I had not noticed the first time there -- a lighter brown/gray natural color.  (OMG.) I didn't buy any, but I might just have to go back and get some.  Then again, I also saw more colors of Kathmandu tweed DK, which is the same yarn, under a different name, as the blue Jo Sharp yarn used in the gift sweater I made earlier this year, and I'm spurred on to stop just knitting the same 8 rows of the brown over and over again so I can get on to some of that. 

This is the shop we hate to love, because the owner is rather cantankerous at times, but man, does she have some great stuff. I picked up some special locally made buttons that just shouted out someone's name to me, and that someone (who reads this blog) will be receiving a package in the mail soon.  And that's all I'm going to say about that.

Comments

[Kristen]

OK, OK, you win. Never heard of a fever with chills being possible for a rhino, but apparently so it is! (Mayo Clinic confirms it. Yes, I'm a stubborn wench.) You may line those of us in the "you've got the flu" camp up and say, "HA!" May that nasty virus go away soon!

[Sarah]

Yep. Our news was worthless tonight, too.

[Cindy (maxfun)]

One of our local stations had a computer security "expert" on who even SAID that the danger from this worm (technically not a virus, but I digress) isn't nearly as bad as the media would like. Then they ended the story with the newscaster (honestly, I refuse to call any of them journalists or even reporters anymore) saying again how scary the "threat" of this worm is. It was like she didn't even listen to the "expert." I guess maybe he didn't say what they wanted him to.

[Jennifer]

Hope you're feeling better soon.

[Ally]

If you don't feel well enough to come to class today, don't worry about it! Just let me know. Seriously. Wouldn't want you keeling over in the middle of the discussion ;-)

[Nora]

Stacey gave me some of that Kathmandu, and I pick it up and pet it every now and again.

As to the computer virus, I have great faith in the stupidity of humanity.

[margene]

Evidently we're already infected with the virus so who knows. It could be the end of the world as we know it. If I wasn't saving for a wheel I'd call the shop and buy the brown/gray right from under you! lol

[Manise]

I'm safe from the worm (hehe). I've got a Mac. It's always something isn't it?

[naomi]

I was about to comment that I must've lucked out by dissecting through the news last night, and then a story about the (computer) virus came on the radio.

[marianne]

WHA???? Macs are 'safe'? and yeah, what Margene wrote, except re: the.yarn. I'm not saving for a wheel so watch out. :^) Glad you're feeling better, I knew you'd bring out your arsenal. So... the lys owner is a COB?:^)

[Kate]

Oh, my rhinovirus went from rhino to hippo very quickly... I'm dealing with pneumonia and bronchitis now. Ugh.

The only viruses we're worried about are the ones in my lungs.

[(formerly) no-blog-rachel]

That shop DOES have nice stuff! I assume the owner wasn't there? Or was the woman who waited on me the owner having an off day and was accidentally nice? :)

I'm glad you're feeling better!

[Vicki]

I'm glad you're feeling better!!!

[Marcia]

I had that same virus two weeks ago: thought I would die the first two days (unbelievable chills, no fever, all the rest of the symptoms) but by day four I was nearly over it. Taking to one's bed for a few days is the way to go. And chicken soup. I won't steal your yarn (I'm saving for the same wheel as Margene!) but only because I have two pounds of roving coming from Foxfire Fiber in the near future, and it's almost the same color!

[Jennifer]

I lurve the Kathmandu Aran yarn - it's such a pleasure to work with that I didn't actually resent the mind-numbing repetitiveness of an 18" x 76" scarf done in moss stitch. At least, not until the very end. :)

[Mercuria]

Believe me, there are plenty of people out there who will still open suspicious email, click on flashing banners or pop-ups saying either "You've won!" or "You're infected! Click to scan!" and just generally do not-so-smart things. They kept me employed when I was in college.

[Carole]

My husband is one of those idiots who opens every email attachment he gets. "It said it was from BOB," says he. "Why would BOB send me something malicious?"
He's also stooopid enough to click those pop up ads that ask if you want to block pop up ads. I spend more time removing crap from his computer, I tell you. I don't let him touch my lap top.
Just thinking about the neti pot makes my eyes water. I tried but I just couldn't get used to it.

[Cookie]

I'm so glad you're feeling and enjoying your knitting.

Btw, since when is being cantankerous a bad thing? :p

[Judy]

I'm with Manise... Thank God for Macs. gotta love em!!

[Dave Daniels]

Oh, come on, you know how many stupid people are out there.
G'head, pull my finger.

[Andi]

They make you tough in your part of the country, don't they? I had a migraine on Monday, and was worthless until about 2:00pm! No knitting was accomplished that day...