Category: Personal

Interesting that Microsoft seems ready to deliver a real firewall product as part of the OS just as CheckPoint acquires ZoneLabs, one of the leading makers of such software for home and small business users. LOL

Tommy Chong’s Next Movie: Lengthy interview and article on the Busted Bongman. Still hard to accept that he’s 65 already, not to mention serving nine months in jail.

Scientists need to be careful.

Some other opinions to get you over the top until you see the actual movie. We’re going tomorrow night!!!

• NY Times
• Washington Post
• SJ Mercury News
• SF Chronicle
• Ain’t It Cool News: can’t forget Harry!

Great achievement for the 100th anniversary of Orville and Wilbur: SpaceShipOne Rockets To 68,000 Feet

I’m cooking a brisket–are you???

Them French intellectuals have gone and done it again. While the new law may fight against certain visible symbols of religion-oriented politics, what about all the other symbols that will be outlawed as well? I can only imagine the reaction of a yarmulke-wearing Jew or cross-wearing Christian when they’re told to take them off or else don’t bother attending school or coming to a government office. Yeah, that’ll work real well.

Fuck you and your H2

Another absurd column by the Mercury News‘ voice of the illegal aliens prompted this response from me. Haven’t heard from them so I’m guessing it won’t get printed. I copied the author but not even a private email from him. Here we go:

Joe Rodriguez, giving his usual support for illegal immigrants, speculates with no basis that “the popular backlash against illegal immigration is less about… cost.. and more about fear…” Unlike Mr. Rodriguez I won’t attempt to speak for many but for myself I will say I’m not afraid of these people–American culture has proved itself strong and adaptable all over the world–but I am convinced the problem lies in fundamental fairness.

America, people say over and over, is a nation of laws, its one of our fundamental strengths, yet Rodriguez and others would have us ignore massive lawbreaking for this group of people yet still hold ourselves to legal standards. So what does it say to the rest of the people, the ones legally in this country, that we have eight or ten million criminals all around us yet instead of enforcing the law we should educate, medicate and license them to drive and even give them the vote?

The fact, constantly touted, that many illegal immigrants take jobs that citizens would never do is simply a non-issue. As with any other need, the market would find a way to fill the void. If these people want to come here, let them do so legally and in that case, regardless of their country of origin, I’ll give them my full and unqualified support.

So next time Joe, do a little homework with the people before tarring us with the old brush of racism.

Though the manufacturer claims it will only be sold to governments, New Gun Shoots Around Corners will turn into another case which gun owners and the NRA will push and push for their rights to bear one. As if we didn’t have enough problems, now people will literally be able to shoot other people without even the tiny bit of visibility even a sniper has to show. How thrilling!

Or at least blogs and blog-derived technology. Two new examples: Sony Studios has produced Blogger and LiveJournal templates based on the SpiderMan 2 graphics (seen in action, at least temporarily at Jason Shellen’s site) and Nokia, the Finnish phone phenom, is providing RSS feeds of their developer documentation, toolkits, and videos.

1. Salisbury Steak or Chopped Beef?
2. Half and Half or Skim Milk?
3. Screaming Eagles or Golden Eagles?
4. Broken Leg or Broken Shoulder?
5. Neck or Ear?
6. Southside Johnny or Miami Steve?
7. Britney Spears or Christina Agilera?
8. Uncle Junior or Heshy?
9. Omen or Exorcist?
10. The Shield or The Wire?

Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant. Romantic Comedy. Above average script, some good laughs and sweetness. 2002’s Two Weeks Notice. Marc Lawrence seems to be Bullock’s personal writer these days and gets his first directorial opportunity here too. A little incongruity the way Bullock’s activist lawyer just agrees to be chief counsel to Grant’s real estate developer or that he’d hire her even with a Harvard Law School degree but otherwise fine.

Recommended

What a great way to spend a Saturday! The extra scenes were like gems except for Faramir’s flashback to the day his father sent Boromir off to Elrond’s council. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition was a bargain at $9.50 compared to so many other films that come out these days. Peter Jackson just has the magic touch and might even convince me to see King Kong.

Can I wait for Thursday when we see Return of the King? Barely! I have a feeling it’ll put the battle scenes from Gladiator and Braveheart to shame.

Absolutely recommended

The Sweet One wrote her own version of A Few Of My Favorite Things today, she’s so wonderful, definitely my favorite thing.

I like this: Lauren Hill was at the Vatican to tape a Christmas concert for broadcast and instead of being a good girl she ripped the audience of Cardinals and Bishops a new one over their hypocrisy and corruption.

As it turns 100, why not have some fun yourself by building your own model in cardboard?

I’m sure you read it elsewhere but seems almost unbelievable after all this time, so I’ll repeat it here: they got Hussein hiding in a hole! And man does he look nasty.

I’ve been using Ian Mead’s UltaEdit text editor for several years now to take care of the various websites and other text files around here. But special thanks to Ian and his associate Troy for their help over the last few days, including late night and Saturday communications, trying and finally succeeding in solving a perplexing problem that popped out of nowhere. Very cool considering I’ve given them only about $30 in license fees over the years!

Nice to see someone say this in a thoughtful way: Discrimination is not always bad.