Some advertisements speak volumes about the quality and suitability of their product.
Others don’t … and don’t try this at home, kids 🙂
Note: link above requires Windows Media or some other suitable and properly configured MPEG player. If you click the link and don’t see a video, you don’t have what you need

President George W. Bush Jr. is now pushing for a new manned space program.

This really puts me in a bind. My feelings about Bush (“Dubblya” to his friends) are akin to those I had regarding Reagan in the early years. Fear, anger, frustration and amazement. Warfare, “evil empire” type hawkish statements, and huge growth in military spending…where could this all lead.

Yet, ultimately, my feelings about Ronald Reagan changed. He became chummy with the then-USSR. The Berlin wall fell. The Cold War ended peacefully. And arguably, at least some of that result can be attributed to President Reagan.

And now Bush wants to put people back in space in a big way….
Continue reading Is it possible for Bush to do something right? →

I’m 40 years old today. Its just a date on the calendar, like any other. But this particular period of life, two score years since birth, is often freighted with meaning by people. Lordy lordy, look who’s forty…mid-life…over the hill… Continue reading The glass is half… →

I was reading a story the other day about how Apple’s $600 iPod is actually a disposable music player. Basically, its rechargable battery isn’t replacable. And, at least initially, Apple’s policy was to charge for $300 for full refurbishment when the battery inevitably died. Continue reading Disposable $600 iPods… →

I was reading a story today about France outlawing headscarves and other religious symbols in their schools. The stance being taken is that these types of symbols divide people and, instead of teaching tolerance, encourage cultural isolation. Continue reading Quebec can learn from France… →

My reaction when I read about Saddam Hussein being captured was to say “about bloody time”.

Continue reading Saddam captured! →

My wife’s (Irene) parents came over from Victoria to visit this past weekend. Irene’s Aunt from Zimbabwe was also here, staying at Judith’s (Irene’s *other* aunt) home. Simultaneously, friends from Edmonton (Hi, Janet and Gord!) were in town.

Right off the bat, anyone who really knows me will realize that all these people, despite the fact I love them all, are a problem for me. You see, I’m anti-social…

I’ve trained myself through years of practice to not visibly panic when faced with a social situation. Now I safely internalize all of that uncertainty and fear. Well, more or less safely…
Continue reading On being anti-social… →

I’ve got to tell you…I am getting a little sick and tired of spam email. You know, all that “V!agra c.heap!”, “E.n.large your m&anhood”, and “E.xxtreme h&amster S.E.X.X!” crap that clutters your inbox.

 I have two different spam filters, and receive an average of 80 email messages a day…of which six pass through my filters, and four are legitimate email messages. The pathetic lowlifes who send this barrage of crap into my life are beneath any contempt. Lengthy sessions in jail with V!agra overdosed E.n.Larged cellmates would be appropriate. I also think there should be a special hell reserved for the businesses that fund these spammers, and the ISPs that turn a blind eye to their activities.

 But I think it is possible to go too far …
Continue reading Spam rage… →