Random annoyances for today

  • “Let us condemn to hellfire all those who disagree with us.” — militant religionists everywhere. Got this quote from the bottom of /. today but it fits in with recent conversations and observations. Indicted bomber Eric Rudolph, illegal Israeli settlers, a resurgent Taliban. All this little invisible man in the sky crapola is bugging the hell out of me, though the Aussie Bible sounds good for a laugh.
  • Just watched Howard Dean’s interview from last night’s Charlie Rose Show, very illuminating and would have been more so if Rose would (could?) shut up for three consecutive seconds! Dean sounds interesting and, of course, pretty much anybody but George W. is welcome to win next year–I just hope Dean isn’t this year’s Eugene McCarthy.
  • Our federal government appears to be paranoid beyond reason. TS1 and I went to the San Jose Social Security office this morning to file her name change paperwork but to get into the building, we had to pass through security more serious than at a freaking airport. 10 people were in line ahead of us and we waited literally took 10 minutes for our turn. Viv went before me and the guards, even after passing her bag through an x-ray machine, were suspicious so they made her reach in and show them that her iPaq wasn’t a threatening device.