Spy Journal 3.0 Filtering the web for you

I have finally got around to installing Firefox 3 on all our computers. That’s 6 PCs 2 laptops and 1 server that need to be upgraded. The other 2 servers don’t have browsers being used. However I found the process very simple. Naturally I sat at my desk and used remote desktop connections to all the PCs to do the installs. Unlike previous versions of Firefox this upgrade was very clean and simple. All the users settings were maintained, all extensions were upgraded automatically where possible, where new versions existed the opportunity to download and install was there and those that were not available were gracefully disabled. I had waited until Session Manager was available before doing the upgrade, and it upgraded fine. All the open tabs in the saved session were restored in Firefox 3.

I am noting some problems with rendering – my banking website does not quite display correctly with some layout issues. However most sites seem to be fine.

I’ll report back any issues later on if I come across them.

My recommendation: Upgrade unless you have burning need to stay with Firefox 2. If you are using Internet Explorer still, then consider the move to Firefox 3.

I have finally transferred my novel “in progress” from my blogger site to this Drupal site.

You can read the book at http://www.spyjournal.biz/urban_space and there is also a RSS feed at http://www.spyjournal.biz/urban_space/feed.xml.

I am not sure when I will write more on this book though. Maybe for this years NaNoWriMo I will get stuck back into it again.

I do have a couple of requests. If there are any artists or illustrators who can draw scifi / fantasy who would like to illustrate this book please contact me. Cover art and also line illustrations would be great. Also if there are any publishers out there who would like to contact me feel free to do so! Advance cheques are welcome!

Chris's parents Andre and Marilyn arrived home separately but within a few minutes of each other. Forced to park on the street due to the barricades erected by the enforcers, they were also forced to provide ID. Once they had established their identities Andre demanded to see the officer in charge.
The detective was used to dealing with people in stressful situations and immediately he was introduced was able to provide calm and concise replies to the frantic parent's questions.
"Let me assure you that your son is fine. "I will take you to him in just a minute. One of his friends is also assisting us with our inquiries, and there are two more of his friends waiting for him." He waved a hand in the general direction of a communications van bristling with antennas.
"I need to ask some questions first to establish your alibis and then I can brief you on the situation here."
"First, can both please talk loudly and clearly into this device and answer a few simple questions."
He thrust a hand held recorder in front of them and began to ask questions.
After establishing that Andre and Marilyn both had alibis that could be verified, the officer agreed to allow them to see Chris.
As they were walking to the command vehicle its door opened and Chris and Simon came out with another officer. Marilyn ran to her son and hugged him. He briefly hugged her back before his adolescent embarrassment showed and he wriggled free. Andre clasped his hand and grabbed him for a brief hug also. Simon stood quietly nearby and as Marilyn pestered Chris with questions of the details of what happened Andre spoke to him.
They quickly learnt the situation from the boys' perspective and then Andre remembered that Chris's other two mates Barry and Philip were being held outside the perimeter. He turned and asked the officer who had remained standing there if they could be brought in, and he agreed there was no reason they couldn't come in. Simon went with him down the street to where the two boys were sitting on the curb.
The head detective came back to where Andre and Marilyn remained in conversation with Chris and asked them if they would like to have a tour inside now.
Marilyn responded "Tour? What do you mean? We can't go inside our own house?"
Her voice rose to s shriek as she finished causing some nearby technicians to look over. Fearful of her causing a scene, Andre took her arm and calmed her down. "This is a crime scene now, and the evidence will not be able to be disturbed. We will need to stay in a hotel tonight." Suddenly remembering his daughter Kat he turned to the officer. "Has anybody called my daughter?" The officer responded and told them that she was on her way home. She had been offered an escort but had declined and was driving herself. Andre looked relieved and commented back to Marilyn. "When she gets here we will book a hotel and stay away for a couple of days. We could all do with a break anyway."
The detective turned away to take some information over his comms unit. When he turned back he was serious again. "OK we can go in now, but family only please. We have had initial evidence from our field lab that there was definitely human remains in the burnt patch. DNA analysis from some of the burnt material should help us identify the victim but in the meantime we will put out an APB on your cleaner Amy. Chris said he identified the body as hers. There is no evidence now to suggest that, but that's as good a place as any to start the investigation. If she turns up before the DNA analysis gives us a positive ID then we will widen our search, but for now we will assume that she is the victim. More importantly we are looking for evidence of the perpetrators."
Marilyn looked puzzled. "Perpetrators?" she raised her voice on the last syllable. "Chris said there was only one."
"Chris only saw one. There may have been more and the evidence gathered so far indicates that."
Andre butted in. "The gardener was to be here today. He may be able to help you."
"We are already tracking him down. He is considered a suspect, in fact the prime suspect at this time."
By this stage the foursome had reached the front door. The detective indicated the damaged door, and said that his department's insurance would pay for that damage as it had been inflicted when the enforcers opened the door.
A strand of tape had been run across the entrance to the kitchen and here the detective stood by the tape and stopped them from proceeding.
"We have already analysed the kitchen area as this was where your son Chris was attacked as he called emergency. However the rest of the house will take some time. The attack appears to have been made in the laundry area and there is a lot of blood in there. I am not going to take you in there." They went back to the foyer and round the other way to the family room and out to the patio. Between the end of the patio and the lawn was more tape, but this time he did not lift the tape. He indicated the teams of technicians working on the lawn. Some were setting up a tarpaulin in case of rain and lights so they could work through the night. "We are hoping to get plenty of evidence from the grass." The black burned out circle looked out of place on the lawn. Technicians continued to measure, sample and analyse it while others used special vacuum type instruments to search the lawn for other evidence.
The detective led them back through the house, avoiding the kitchen again,
Marilyn asked, "Are we able to collect personal items to take with us?"
"Sorry ma'am. We will reimburse any expenses incurred as a result. I will introduce you to our crime victims' liaison officer shortly. She will coordinate your accommodation and other requirements while we conduct the investigation."
He went on. "An officer will accompany you at all times, and you will be guarded while you are in the hotel. At this stage we have to take the precaution that you were being targeted and the cleaner just got in the way. No one will care about the death of a tribesperson but the attempted murder or murder of one of the city's finest lawyers is not something I want on my record because I failed to provide adequate protection."
Andre murmured something conciliatory and took his wife's arm again. "It's OK dear, we will be fine. Once Kat gets here we will go. In fact she should be here by now - where was she when you called?" This last was directed to the officer.
He looked at his timepiece and then responded slowly. "She was at the surf club, and said she would leave immediately. She should be here by now. I will get a tech to locate her." He turned away, thumbed his comms unit and began to speak urgently into it.
He turned back to the family "I am sure she will be here soon. Come and meet Chris's friends and sit and relax til she gets here. She is not answering her communicator. We have officers now looking for her on all the possible routes from the surf club to here, including any fuel stations or shops she may have stopped. We know what sort of car she has, so she should be located shortly."
By now the party had come back out the gates onto the street. It was starting to get dark, but not so dark that Chris couldn't recognise his mates. He left his parents and went to join them and there was much back slapping and giving of high fives as the other 2 lads were regaled with Chris and Simon's exploits.
Andre and Marilyn stood alone in the deepening darkness, surrounded by busy technicians yet isolated and alone. Marilyn clung to Andre for support as the reality of a murder in her home finally impacted her.
They waited in silent comforting each other by their physical closeness.

Drenched in sunlight the afternoon slipped away for Kat and Robin. The sound of the crashing surf was lulling and the gentle breeze whistling in the dunes was intermittent. Occasionally the girls would roll over and reapply their lotion. Both were content to lie lazily around with out having to focus on their studies or other cares. At around quarter to four they rose, dusted errant grains of sand from their bronzed limbs, packed up their belongings and sauntered back to the surf club.

There were plenty of people now sitting around on the balcony under sun umbrellas drinking and watching the surfers and swimmers. As they stepped into the cool clubroom the girls had to pause to flip their sunnies up onto the top of their heads and let their eyes adjust to the light.

Greg was still behind the bar serving customers. There were now a good number of people sitting around and standing at the bar. Greg was kept busy serving for the next 5 minutes until he could sneak away, hang up his apron and come round the front of the bar.

"Whew" he gasped in mock distress and pretended to mop his brow. "That's busy today. Care to join me for a drink?" he asked.

Robin agreed instantly and Kat nodded also.

"What'll it be ladies, drinks are on me."

Robin and Kat made their requests and Greg ordered the drinks and then turned to the girls. "What's the plan for tonight?"

Robin answered first with a laugh, "Nothing planned, let's just take it as it comes. Are there any live bands on here tonight?"

"Not here," Greg replied. "But the tavern up the road does. Do you want to go there?" The surf club tended to attract regulars, while the tavern was more of a tourist trap and was unpredictable.

Kat opened her mouth to comment but in that instant her communicator beeped loudly using its most strident tone. Kat looked alarmed as she thumbed the head set in her sunglasses frames, and her friends watched in shock as the alarmed look on her face grew.

Kat turned away from the noisy bar and walked out into the foyer so she could hear better. Robin and Greg followed a pace behind, Robin clutching Greg's arm. "Something's obviously wrong" she said.

Greg nodded. "Look's that way. Let's just wait and find out. We may have to put those ideas for tonight on hold."

Robin was talking now, asking a couple of questions and then listening. Her friends saw the initial look of alarm had been replaced with a less serious worried look, but were still concerned for her.

As she disconnected the call Robin immediately took her friend by the arm.

"What's wrong?" she inquired with a concerned tone.

"Amy, our tribe cleaner is dead," Robin answered flatly. "Chris found her, he was attacked by the same person but escaped. Mum and Dad have been called home but haven't arrived yet. That was the detective. The enforcers have been there all afternoon, but he hasn't been able to call me before now. I am going to have to go home sorry guys."

"Hey nothing to be sorry for," Robin replied. "I will come with you if you'd like."

Greg chimed in. "Do you want me to drive you?"

"No, thanks for the offer though. No look, you two go and have fun tonight. It sounds like it is all under control. I will miss Amy though, she was fun."

Greg looked relieved but Robin still looked dubiously at her friend. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Kat made an attempt to brighten up her smile and look less worried, but it wasn't very convincing. "Yes I am fine. I can drive home by myself and my parents will be there by then. You two head on out and enjoy being on your own."

Robin still didn't look convinced. Greg downed the remainder of the drink he was holding and left it on a table in the foyer. "Someone else can pick that up. Lets go." He shouldered his bag and started walking to the door. Kat and Robin followed his lead and the trio stepped out into the carpark and the bright sunlight once more. Greg and Robin walked Kat to her car and watched as she put in her bag, lowered the top and drove off.

"It just goes to show you can't trust those tribies." Greg proclaimed.

"What makes you think it was a tribesperson?" asked Robin.

"Who else would want to kill one? Certainly none of our people would. They have nothing we want." Greg's understanding of human nature was shallow and at times Robin was frustrated with her boyfriends rather bigoted views. She tried to make light of it now as she didn't want to cause an argument. "I am sure the enforcers will work it out in due course."

"You watch and see, they will find the varmint quick enough. It's just a pity they won't execute them, but waste money locking them up."

Robin did not want to talk about it so she turned her pretty face up to Greg's as they walked to his car. "Let's not worry about it eh, we have all night to ourselves now."

"You're right." Greg was distracted from his line of thought as she had intended and instead bent down to kiss her full lips. Robin pressed her body into his and all thoughts of murdering tribesmen vanished from his mind as she returned the kiss with passion.

Eventually they broke the kiss, but remained embraced. They resumed walking arm in arm to the car.

"Let's give the tavern a miss. I feel like going out for a nice meal instead. Lets head back to our place for a shower and then I will take you out and treat you!"

"You’re on!" Robin acquiesced as the two lovers reached the vehicle. They separated briefly to enter from opposite sides and then as Greg started the car up, she resumed the contact with a hand resting on his leg.

"Let's have a great night and not worry about Kat. She will be fine."

"Agreed." and with that Greg slipped the car into gear and they headed off.