WE ARE BROKEN

Archive for December, 2009

If you have a damaged Laptop and are prepared to do a little research then you could get that part from another laptop where that part is working and use it to get yours going again. Or you could buy 2 or more laptops and with the right selection get one working laptop on the cheap. It may seem like a daunting task if you have no expertise in this area but if you know someone who is handy around a computer then you do not have to know much yourself. Simply get them to do the work for you. If you do have the skills to basically replace parts then you could even consider starting up a business restoring laptop computers.

Just think you have had your laptop for less than a year when the Hard Driver stops working. You have 2 choices either to send it away to cost you an arm and a leg or try searching for someone with the same or similar scrap laptop with a working Hard Drive then buy it and replace it. The reason I said similar Laptop is that you may find that there is a range of laptops that use the part(s) that could replace your damaged item, so it does not have to be exactly the same part. I have used a hard drive in this example, but this could be done with parts such as CD?DVD drive or even the battery.

Just think if you do not have a laptop at all but find two laptops that are the same but have different problems, one could have a faulty screen the other could have a faulty mother board. If you could buy the two of them and change the necessary parts then you could end up with a fully functioning laptop at a fraction of it’s original cost.

If you work at it you may find you get what you need without paying a penny simply because someone might be just getting rid of their laptop.

Depending on how serious you are about obtaining a broken laptop will determine where and how you do your searching. Below is a list of options you will have to find what you are looking for.

Car boot, garage sales or swap meets could prove a cheap even free way of getting your hands on a laptop. These can be a little hit and miss. You could be looking at some expensive rubbish or a very good bit of kit for nothing or almost nothing. You could try searching the Internet using sites like eBay and Amazon to name just 2, they offer spares or repairs type of auctions. Classified Ads can be a good place to search for laptop spares or repairs it maybe best to stick with your local area to save on delivery. If you are more serious about doing this you could place a wanted ad in your local paper classified section. Where you will get calls from people trying to sell there laptops. You must be sure about exactly what you want and what you are willing to pay for these bits.

All in all there are a lot more ways you could advertise the fact that you are willing to pay for broken laptops. If you put your mind to it a lot of them will be free. Try advertising in your local shop window.

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123 – REVIEW

8.5 out of 10

The Taking of Pelham 123 is a slick, reimagining of the 1974 original that is filled to the brim with suspense, action and the one thing that is missing from many big budget spectacles, good old fashioned character development.  Director Tony Scott has crafted a tension filled thriller with both John Travolta and Denzel Washington sharing a chemistry that propels the film to its rocketing conclusion.

Scott wastes no time on set up; Travolta hijacks the train before the beginning credits are done rolling and the film continues at a breathless pace until the satisfying conclusion.  The plot goes basically like this; Travolta’s Ryder (his alias) hijacks the Pelham 123 at 2:13 PM and demands a ransom of $10 million dollars be delivered to him within an hour or else he will start killing off hostages.  Ryder refuses to speak with the police and Washington as train dispatcher Walter Garber is forced to serve as negotiator.  Scott keeps the film at high suspense and brings a kinetic feel to the action sequences and chase scenes that will keep your eyes glued to the screen.  Writer Brian Helgeland best known for L.A. Confidential, has written an intelligent script with great dialogue, that is fast paced and exciting all the while developing the characters way beyond what could’ve been the stereotypical psycho versus the reluctant hero.

Denzel Washington is terrific as everyman Walter Garber bringing gravity and a quiet dignity to his performance, keeping Walter grounded in reality, never once allowing the character to slip into clichéd action hero mode.  Garber is the heart and soul of the film and you will find yourself pulling for him from the very first time Washington opens his mouth to the very last scene of the film.  Washington is an amazing actor at the top of his craft and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

What can you say about John Travolta?  The man plays terrific psychos and his performance in Pelham 123 is no exception to the rule.  With his handle bar mustache, neck tattoo and menacing glare, he is one badass you don’t want to mess with.  He puts a delightful psycho spin on every line of dialogue and is gleeful in his madness.  I’ve always liked Travolta as a villain, but in films like Face/Off and Broken Arrow, he goes over the top with his performances.  That is not the case here.  Travolta masterfully takes the character right to the brink, but never crosses the line.  Travolta gives a truly chilling and riveting performance that you won’t want to end. 

The supporting cast all give superb performances as well, especially John Turturro and James Gandolfini.  Turturro plays a hostage negotiator for the NYPD and although he is forced to take second chair to Washington’s Garber, Turturro never once allows the character to become a clichéd pain in the ass, egomaniac.  Instead he infuses the character with a humanity that makes him endearing and real and helps keep the film grounded.  James Gandolfini plays the fictional mayor of New York as a combination of Mike Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani and pulls it off fabulously.  Gandolfini gives the mayor a quiet strength while also giving him a no nonsense attitude that is quite fitting for the Big Apple.

To sum it up, The Taking of Pelham 123 is an electrifying thrill ride that is made even better by the shared chemistry and the power-house acting of Washington and Travolta. Pelham 123 is one ride that shouldn’t be missed.

Impossible does not exist

Everyone, at some point of their life, has dreamed of being somebody exceptional, somebody great. Who hasn’t fantasized about being the one who scored the goal that saved the game? Who hasn’t dreamed of being the one everybody looked up to? And how many times have you dreamed of being rich,and successful, happy just being alive?

Often, we dream big dreams and have great ambitions. Regrettably, our dreams persist on being just – dreams. And our aspirations well collect dust in our attic.

This is an unhappy turn of events in our life. Rather than going through exciting adventures in self realisation, we get involved in the dull routine of living from day-to-day.

But you know what? Life can be much better, if only we learned to aim higher.The most common problem to fixing goals is saying it’s impossible. Almost everybody get’s hung up believing “I can’t do this”, “It’s too difficult”,”It’s too impossible” or “Nobody can do this”.

If everyone believed that, there would be no inventions, no creations, and no discoveries or human accomplishment.

Remember that men of science were amazed when they took a close look at the modest bumblebee. In theory, they aknoleged, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Regrettably for the bumblebee no one had told her she could not fly, so. So it flies.

Then again, some people suffer from dreaming completely outrageous dreams and not following up on them. The consequence? Broken dreams, and shattered aspirations.

If you confine yourself in self-doubt, and limiting assumptions, you’ll never be capable of breaking past what you think is impossible. If you reach out too far in the universe without working toward your goal, you’ll see yourself holding on to the impossible dream.

Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and scrible down a few of your goals. Under one colomb, write down things ‘you know you are able to do’. Under another colomb, list the things ‘you may be able to do.’ And under an other, list the things that are ‘impossible for you to do.’

Now take a look at all the headers make an effort every day to reach the goals that are under things ‘you know you are able to do’. Cross them out when you are able to accomplish them. Once you checked all of your objectives under that heading, try realizing the goals under the other header the one that reads ‘you may be able to do.’

As the points you wrote under the header things I can do are achieved, you can move the goals that are under things that are ‘impossible for you to do’ under the list of things ‘you may be able to do.’

As you go through this process, you will find that the goals you believed were impossible get easier to achieve. And the impossible begins to be possible after all.

Do you see, the process here isn’t to confine your imagination. It’s to aim high, and start moving towards that imposible goal a little at a time. However, it’s foolish to set a goal that is really unrealistic.

Those who just dream of a goal without working hard at it, finish up by being disappointed and disillusioned.

Then again, if you had told someone a hundred years ago that it was conceivable for man to get on the moon, they would of laughed at you. If you had assured them that you could send mail from here to the other face of the world in a few moments, they would of said you were out of your mind. But, by desire and tenacity, these impossible dreams are now for real. And some have become normal daily activities.

It was Thomas Edison that stated  “genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”. Nothing could be truer. For one to carry out his or her dreams, there must to be hard work and discipline. But note that that 1% has to be a think big dream, and not some easy to complete ones.

Ask any gym addict and he or she will confirm that there can be no success

unless you step out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “No pain, no gain”? That’s as true as it can be.

So dream on, my friend! Don’t get overtaken by your perceived limits. Think big and work hard to accomplish those dreams. As you escalate the ladder of progress, you will find out that the impossible has just become very much possible.