"The connection to the Exchange server has been lost."
I am heartbroken.

"The connection to the Exchange server has been restored."
uh.. OK thanks... should I feel better now?

Up, down, back and forth... each time a new notification balloon appears above the system tray icon for Outlook. Since I positioned my command window just above the system tray, these little things cover the text I am trying to type... OK, I get that there are some problems with connectivity to my Exchange 14 dogfood server... FINE. I accepted that risk when I agreed to sign up for dogfood. The on and off again notifications are KILLING ME though and interrupting my work on the command line...

I have found a way to turn these off!
First for some flavorful keywords so your favorite search engine picks up this article...

outlook 2007 notification balloon system tray icon exchange server connection lost restored
also outlook 2003 in case you haven't joined the last half of this decade yet.

In the registry there are some keys to create that will disable these notification balloons for this specific problem of connectivity to the Exchange server.

Open registry editor and find this path:

2007: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0
2003: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0

under this path, find this sub key:
\Outlook\Display Types\Balloons

there, create three DWORD values:
Exchange: DWORD (0)
NetConn: DWORD (0)
NetWarn: DWORD (0)

that's it! restart Outlook and you're FREE from the nuisance of notifications!
there are other notifications you can turn off as well, perhaps someday I will research them and post the list (don't hold your breath.)

Peace!

Simpler is better I think. Here is a simple but tasty recipe I whipped up for pork stew. Prep + cooking time is about 20 minutes total. Start the rice ahead of time.

1/2 serrano chili pepper, diced very fine
2 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled, diced very fine
1-2 potatoes
3-5 carrots
1-2 c thin sliced pork (or chicken, etc.) cut in bite sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup white wine (any type)
1 c water

Combine meat, olive oil, pepper and garlic in frying pan (or pot). Cook until meat begins to brown, then add wine and cook down until meat is fully cooked. I cook on high, and stir continuously. Add carrots and water. Boil the mix for about 5 minutes, then add potatoes. Cook down to reduce water content until it becomes a stew.

Serve over brown rice.

Yum!

    John is no longer friends with [Facebook User].

OK, it doesn't really say that. But, it probably should...

Dear [ex-friend]... So thanks for being my Facebook Friend for the past few weeks. I've read your statuses (sorry you are feeling so sick - TMI BTW), and looked at your profile. I've looked at all your pictures of vacations, relatives, and your dog. I've taken your quizzes and licked your lollipop. I've been hit by your virtual food fight, drunk your virtual drinks, and your virtual coffees. It's all good. I mean - it's not you, it's me... and I am pretty sure you're just not that into me either. After all, we really don't know each other. We've never met and live thousands of miles apart... I am pretty sure the only things we have in common are Facebook, and the fact that I once saw a dog like yours. So, don't take this the wrong way, but you're clogging up my friends list and my status feed and I think its time we broke it off. You're just not adding any value to my FB experience. We're both adults (if your age on your profile is actually true) so I think we can safely move on with our digital lives now.

It's been fun, so have a nice life. And, if you really really need to be my friend, you know where to find me. Right here, trapped - in Facebook.

OK so there is a 78% chance that Facebook may actually be evil. Since I discovered it last fall, it has been consuming a lot of my free time... The games that integrate into the platform are engineered in such a way that they compel people to hit the 'book frequently, and invite others to do the same. It's kind of like Second Life, only in First Life. I gave up on L2 because it just didn't have any *real* attraction. Everything was phony and left solely to the author's imagination. I just think real life is so much more interesting... With my friends and family, coworkers, people I used to know, and the odd folks around the world who play the online games with me on my profile, there is a never-ending stream of useless, but interesting commentary and (sometimes personal) information. FB is a soap opera of epic proportions. Hence, returning back to my original statement, evil... Not that soap operas are evil. With the amount of social engineering that has gone into the development of FB, who is to say how the company or the developers or (someone else) may be able to subvert it for nefarious purposes... Subtle changes may go largely unnoticed by the sheepish masses who comment on my photos, send me virtual drinks, and click on my lollipop. What then will we do when faced with an evil empire we actually helped to build? This may be just another instance of SOCIETY ADAPTS TO TECHNOLOGY: FAIL. Your mileage may vary: [YMMV].

This afternoon my son spotted another bobcat in the back yard, at the edge of the 10 acre wood behind our house. He is standing to the left of the log, in case you are having trouble spotting him... he blends in pretty well. We have seen these before, but it's fairly rare, and tough to get a decent photo. My wife did manage to take a few today though. He looks to be about 18" tall and about 26" long, by comparison to the log he's standing beside. Not even sure if it's a he really... We get all kinds of critters here in the suburban outback of Redmond. Haven't seen a bear or a cougar yet, but I think we got pretty much everything else.

I wonder if I got him a hammer if he'd finish the treehouse for me...

1lb chicken, skin, bone, and fat removed
1 1/2 c sliced carrots (or more)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2 c rice wine
3 c water (or vegetable broth)
21-spice top secret seasoning mix (Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute)
1/4 c Yoshida's gourmet sauce (or just soy sauce and 1 tsp sugar)
1/8 c sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in deep pan and cook on high heat until all liquid has evaporated and chicken is cooked and golden brown. Stir almost continuously. Serve with rice. Chicken frozen? no problem... just add another cup of water.

NOTE: Kids WILL eat this! (at least my picky 5-year-old will...)

I am vista.
Watch me die.
In shades of blue and white,
what you were doing -
is no more.

BLARGH.