Hello HAL, do you read me, HAL?......

Yesterday we were without Internet for an entire 24 hour period.  It was panic time for Retired Mountain Man.  He does not do well without access to the Internet.  He really doesn't like technology all that much, meaning he really doesn't care how it works or how much it costs for it to work, he just wants it to work.

So...... it was a very very very long 24 hours until it was back up.

If you are a movie fan, you might remember HAL, the computer from the movie, 2001, A Space Odyssey.  This line from the movie, fits here:

HAL: Look Dave or  (Retired Mtn. Man),    I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.

The problem with the Internet was due to a malfunction of the Telesat Satellite, Anvik2.  For some reason at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, it went into safe mode, and turned away from earth toward the sun.   It affected about 1/3 of Wildblue Satellite customers, plus TV, phone, ATM's and Internet in Canada.  All I can say is it was pretty stressful here on Cougar Creek Road.  It was a wet, rainy day with nothing to do......There was a lot of moaning and whining and crying.....


And later in the day.... we were lucky enough to be harassed by an automated calling system run amuck.  HAL kept dialing our number and as soon as we answered, the line went dead.  This happened every hour all evening.  By 2:00 a.m. it was a nightmare. When the phone rang, it was the part where Dr. Bowman said, "Open the pod bay doors,Hal", or "Don't call this number again", and HAL would say, "I'm afraid I can't do that Dave, Retired Mtn. Man"... or something like that.

And at 3:00 a.m. -  it rang again....
In the movie, Dave Bowman gets back into the spaceship and begins to disable HAL.... 
HAL I'm afraid. I'm afraid, Retired Mtn Man. My mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I can feel it. I'm a... fraid.

And at 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.

HAL Good afternoon. I am a HAL 9000 computer. I became operational at the H.A.L. plant in Urbana, Illinois on the 12th of January 1992. My instructor was Mr. Langley, and he taught me to sing a song. If you'd like to hear it I can sing it for you.
Retired Mtn Man: Yes, I'd like to hear it, HAL. Sing it for me.
HAL: It's called "Daisy."

[sings while slowing down]
HAL: Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do. I'm half crazy all for the love of you. It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage. But you'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.

Yes, at 8:00 a.m. HAL was finally disabled, stopped singing and dialing...  and yes, I think Retired Mtn. Man is going to be OK but he's been humming the melody to the Blue Danube Waltz all day.