Machines are human, after all...

Prepare yourself for a way spooky read - this might as well have appeared in any given "New Age" gazette or publications of that nature. But it's a true account of one thing that's happened to me lately and to be honest, I don't have a good nor logical explanation for this:

Not too long ago, the DVD drive in my MacBook Pro reported that I have exhausted the maximum five times I can switch the region code for DVDs around. This is a standard procedure, by which Apple comply to MPAA copyright regulations. So far, so good.

As I prepare myself to setting the region code for the last time, after which it will remain permanently set to whatever region I choose, I get an error message informing me of a failed procedure. In other terms: The region code was not set. I tried repeatedly, but to no avail. The only reasonable conclusion I could come up with was to suspect the drive having locked in the region code prematurely. So I call the service-authorized dealer, who - there's my luck! - informs me that he has no other way, but to order a new drive and replace the preinstalled one. Mind you: Apple's one-year-warranty has just run out on me about a month ago, so I'm faced with about 500$ repair expense - of all things, pretty much the last one I'd need right now...

Regular visitors to my stream will already see me foaming with rage, jumping from my chair, screaming bloody murder across the little open space in front of my terrace - and rightly so. I couldn't believe it! WHAT-THE-FUCK-ELSE? I know, it's just things 'n all, but mind you: That Apple shit is really expensive! And their support services fall by far short of their excellence in industrial design. But what can I do? Nothing, exactly.

From mere exhaustion over adverse conditions over the past few weeks, I decided to let this issue sit for a while. After another few days, I called my insurance to find out, whether I'd be covered, if I should have to take this thing to legal measures. And again, my luck: No, it wouldn't be covered. BUT - I receive a free-of-charge consultation about this issue and believe-you-me, I was "draining" that lawyer on the other end and wouldn't rest until I had the whole thing down to a T.

So... another few days come and go, and I'm pondering this thing back and forth. I finally decided, I was gonna take it all the way, if I had to.

Now - today, out of the blue, I went for another try. I remembered an incident a few years back, where - believe it or not - a machine had blue-/blackscreened on me save any prior notification. At that time, I had been similarly frustrated and was about to snap on the fucking thing. That's the exact moment, when the computer shut down in an instant - while all other electrical gagdets in the house kept running flawlessly...

So... I sit myself down today and reach for a region code 2 (Europe) DVD. Here's the spooky part: Before inserting the DVD, I consciously concentrated on "a good thought", then slid the DVD in. Like before, the message comes up, prompting me to choose a DVD region for good. I unlock the function by entering my administrator's password... and ... it worked... IT WORKED!!!

Let me tell you: I would never believe anything like this, if it had not happened to my very self this very minute... (and I'm certain, I have NOT done anything to change the machine's condition in any relevant way, e.g. change access permissions or such a sort of thing...)

Spooky, ey?