Back a couple of years ago, anger at the terrorist attacks bordered on racism and/or religious persecution. Generally, people talked down about muslims and made reference to their traditional clothing and such. Then, when we moved into Iraq and France wouldn't help, those same people talked down about the french people and government. Well, It's ironic to see that those people who talked bad about both have something in common with the french:
Chirac Seeks Law Banning Head Scarves.

Apparently, the french are afraid that traditional muslim clothing has no place in the public schools. They're afraid that it symbolizes muslim militancy and fear that muslim fundamentalists are getting too commonplace in France. I can hear it now... some folks saying "Well, France finally got something right!" I'm sure some people agree with this... until they find out that the ban covers jewish skullcaps and large crucifixes as well.

This points out a fundamental reason difference between the U.S. and other places of the world. In some places (such as Iran) usually one religion dominates the government, and that leads to persecution (or at least suppression) of people who believe differently. Some places (such as France) suppress all religions equally, trying to stamp out strong believers so they won't cause trouble. In the U.S., our forefathers thought ahead, and although many of them believed in the christian way, they realized that the government shouldn't interfere with peoples' beliefs. In the U.S. you are free to believe what you want, wear what you want, and say what you want - so long as it doesn't hurt or endanger others.

I find this article quite interesting. I think I agree with Steven Lewis who is quoted in the article as saying: "Nerds are highly intelligent but they have no social skills whatsoever. ... Geeks are intelligent too, but a geek can hold a conversation, and have a girlfriend and an active social life." So next time my girlfriend calls me a nerd I'll have to correct her.

WOOT! I just got some phat lewt from a class action settlement from MBNA! (Broder vs. MBNA - misleading cash promotional APR practices)

So, credit cards are evil, eh? Well, I don't really think so. The corporations certainly are, but a tool isn't evil in and of itself, it can always be used for good or evil. For instance, blaming the rampant overextension of credit by Americans on the credit cards themselves is wrong. It's our propensity to spend, spend, spend that is the problem. People need to learn how to manage their money wisely, and also to learn how to curb their spending. A new stereo or blouse are not necessities, food and shelter are the only two necessities.

The handyman's dream site: ThisToThat

Just added comments... got any?

The perfect weekend: good champagne, a bed and breakfast with a view, dinner, a show, and the love of my life.

My girlfriend and I enjoyed a beautiful weekend together. We stayed at the Father Ryan House, which is considered one of the best B&B's on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The room we got had a scenic view of the beach where you could just sit in bed and enjoy some fine champagne while taking in the view. After enjoying the champagne and view, we enjoyed some of the finest dining available on the coast at Mary Mahoney's Ole French House. Delicious! Then, it was off to see the Moscow Ballet's performance of the nutcracker at Grand Casino. The show was quite nice, but the weekend was spectacular.

According to this web page, all good christian men should have short hair. I really don't think God cares what I wear or how I cut my hair, as long as I believe in him and act accordingly. But then again, we all know that long hair eventually leads to womanizing, drug use, and satan worship... right? j/k

I had a conversation about the Patriot Act a while back with a friend. I was worried that the government was going in the wrong way, that over time they would continue to erode the laws that protect U.S. citizens from unreasonable search and seizure. He adamantly maintained that it was nothing like that, that the immediate need overrode any concern about loss of privacy, and that nothing would come of it... and who would be worried besides a terrorist? Well, it is getting worse. Congress just approved a bill that broadened the "financial institutions" that the FBI could subpoena business documents from without judicial review. And what's worse, is that they did it in secret.

Yahoo! News - Dearborn, Mich., Arabs Cited More Often Yes, that's right... rampant discrimination going on under our very noses! Ye gods, what made the percentage of middle easterners being prosecuted jump from a measly 32 percent to a staggering 36 percent in a short three year period???? I thought that past statistics were a sure-fire prediction of future happenings! Never mind the fact that an ethnic type that accounts for a third of the population has about a third of the prosecutions... they're getting prosecuted a whole 4 percent more from September 2002 through 2003 than in the year prior to September 11, 2001. Wait... er... what happened from September 11, 2001 through 2002? Hmmm... apparently those statistics don't matter. Oh well, what a travesty for them to be prosecuted a whole 4 percent more than a year in the past, there's no reasoning in a statistic changing at all!

I hereby establish The Center for Statistical Normality to rally against statistics ever changing! We will petition God to prevent such abnormalities as the number of people struck by lightning in Florida from ever rising above their average per year. I'm sure we can get funding from insurance companies, who would just love to make statistics a sure prediction of the future.

'Spyware' steps out of the shadows | CNET News.com Quote: "We have vendors waiting in wings to see what we come up with. They want to see what's ethical." That's the business world these days for you... the corporations with all of their top brass who have business degrees and lawyers backing them up still can't decide for themselves what's ethical and what's not. Here's a simple guideline: if you wouldn't want it done to your daughter, son, wife, husband, siblings, or parents, then it's probably not ethical.

Hawaiians-only policy at school upheld. That's right... a federal judge ruled that a school could base admissions on race. Here's the ruling. Part of the reasoning for the ruling is the historical nature of the school, and the fact that the school receives no federal funding. So? I do believe that in the past there have been rulings against private schools, and against private clubs when it comes to civil rights. But I'm no judge.

My girlfriend and I were snuggled up watching that most romantic of shows The O'Reilly Factor a few nights ago, and the topic of the night was "Is Gangsta Rap Hurting America's Children? On the show, they had a principal of a Philadelphia elementary school, a rapper (Cam'ron), and a rap producer (Damon Dash.)

During the introductions, the principal said he was a fan of hip-hop and how he spoke to students about his being on the show and that they were excited about how he would be "conversating with you guys". At this point my girlfriend and I just looked at each other and burst out laughing. The principal had just used a non-word. Maybe he picked it up from the song "Conversate" by Case.

I don't feel like writing much, so I'll just give a link and make a couple of short points: Wired News: Post Office Gets Pressured to Pry.

1) Do you have any idea how much it would cost to mail a letter should this get implemented?

2) Our privacy is being chipped away at, little by little, year by year.

I'm one of those people that likes to dream. I view it as the ultimate movie, that sometimes, no matter how outrageous the dream gets, it's still better than the best movie in that it seems so real and you usually don't have a clue that it's just a dream. And I've been dreaming a lot lately, don't really know why except that I'm working a lot and trying to find time to spend with my girlfriend.

Anyway... so I'm going to tell you about my weirdest dream ever now, which I just had a couple of nights ago.

Setting: a random living room, with more than it's share of couches, at least five random people discussing a serious problem after dinner, the dishes still littering the coffee and end tables.

Joemoab (me): We really must find a solution to the inter-dimensional being who is taking human souls and torturing them! It's just not right! [said while grabbing a last tidbit of chicken left on an otherwise empty plate.]

Others: Yea verily, yon foul creature must be stopped!

Enter: Two misfigured creatures, obviously once human but now so devoid of human characteristics as to be disgusting. Their entrance came through a large shimmering gateway that suddenly opened behind the couch. They terrorize everyone in the room, and try to capture some in order to drag them back into their dimension.

Others: Aaaaahhhh! [screaming with frightened look on their faces]

Joemoab: Back you foul fiends! Back to the dimension you came from, and tell your master that we'll have no more of his designs. We will put an end to his reign of terror this day! [grabs two forks from a couple of used plates and brandishes them threateningly at the creatures]

Exit: The two creatures, looking like whipped dogs.

Others: Yeah!

Enter: One large, leathery looking humanoid creature with every horrible feature you've ever been repulsed at in a horror movie... including large teeth and razor blades.

Leatherface: WHO DARED THREATEN ME AND INSTILL DOUBT AMONG MY SOULLESS MINIONS? I WILL DAMN YOU TO AN ETERNITY OF WATCHING RERUNS OF FULL HOUSE AND BARNEY! [in large booming terrible voice]

Others: He did it! [everyone points at Joemoab and cowers, I suspect some even peed on themselves at the threat of watching Full House]

Joemoab: Er... look here now... I didn't mean for you to come calling so quickly... I mean... appointments should be made and kept to!

Leatherface: YOU SHALL PAY FOR YOUR INSOLENCE! [advances upon me, large teeth chattering threateningly, arms outstretched to crush me, ominous foul odor emitting from somewhere]

Joemoab: BACK YOU FOUL CREATURE! YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER US, WE ARE ALL POWERFUL IN THIS DIMENSION AND YOU SHALL TREMBLE BEFORE OUR MIGHTY TOOLS! [brandishing one salad fork and one dinner fork in a menacing manner while knees tremble slightly]

Leatherface: Oh, pardon me. [instantly transforms into a small grey aliean with big head, big eyes, and small lithe body. He then drapes himself gaily across the back of the couch and smiles.]

Joemoab: WHERE ART THOU FROM, AND FOR WHAT REASON ARE YOU TORTURING HUMAN SOULS YOU FOUL CREATURE YOU? [still brandishing the silverware menacingly]

Leatherface: [silence, but with a more sinister smile]

Joemoab: I SAY, SPEAK YOU MISCREANT, AND TELL US OF YOUR EVIL INTENTIONS AT ONCE! [losing confidence quickly, but still trying to be as threatening as possible while he notices that one fork still has a bit of lettuce on it]

Leatherface: No, I will only tell my story in a theatrical production. [in a very calm and calculating voice]

Joemoab: Er... what? [with rapidly degrading confidence, and with terror in his eyes]

Leatherface: A musical. Which I will produce for you to watch, which you must watch to learn my devious plan. I will produce a musical. [said with a widening smile, and obvious malice in his eyes]

At this point I woke up in a sweat. Thank God I didn't make it through to the musical.

A friend recently told me of Rolling Stone's article about the top 100 guitarists of all time. Of course, I had to go look for myself to see what they had to say. I have no problem with Hendrix, Clapton, Robert Johnson, Vaughan, and Page being in the top 10, but where are Steve Vai and Joe Satriani? I think someone's been smoking crack.

Where "Do Not Call" Does Not Count The old addage holds true... if it's too good to be true it probably is.

The Man In Black passed away today. "I hear the train a comin'; it's rollin' 'round the bend"

United we stand.

This is what I fear. National ID cards, at first glance, seem to be a good idea. Until you start throwing out what ifs.

What if it gets stolen? "Sir, our records show you entered LAX at 9:05 pm last night. At 9:06 a deadly nerve toxin was released into the air conditioning duct from a locked access panel in a security closet... a security closet next to the terminal your ID was used at."

What if the military overthrows the government and places the last election's losing party in power? "Our records show you voted Republican last year Mr. Smith. Please come outside with us."

What if the system gets hacked? "Well Mr. Jones, I pulled you over for a broken taillight, but I see here that you have numerous warrants out for your arrest. How do you explain that?"

This is surreal.