2009/07/15

The recognition of diversity is the path to happiness



If you watch this, please stick with it to the end; it's one of those things that seems very scattered and unrelated, but actually ties together in the most wonderful way. The conclusion is... sublime.

2009/07/09

Romancing the Road



540,000 miles from one car, one owner. And they are both pretty cool! The owner is 89 and the car is a 1964 Mercury Comet. She aways gets lifetime warranty replacement parts (16 free batteries so far) and carries a pistol (licensed) for protection on the long trips. Really worth watching.

These are the people and cars that made America great. I guaranty this car has done less damage to the environment for all those miles of travel than the average Prius owner does today. Why? Because once it was built, it was never discarded. If you really want to help the earth, rescue an old classic from the junkyard and pay a local hard working mechanic to restore it.

2009/07/07

MS ActiveX Video Security Vulnerability 972890

My boss handed me the local paper today with an item marked mentioning that M$ is asking people to disable activex video in web content until they can fix a bug that allows hackers to walk right in and take over your PC. I was amazed that I hadn't read about it in the geek news that I typically follow and that it was so hard to find the information on the net. Searching "bing" or MSN for "microsoft security vulnerabilities" shure as heck doesn't get you to it. You have to google those keywords to find "Microsoft Security Advisory (972890): Vulnerability in Microsoft Video ActiveX Control Could Allow Remote Code Execution" and the patch for it at:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972890

I would STRONGLY recommend that anyone with an XP or 2003 Server go to that page and click on the "Microsoft Fix It" button under "Enable workaround" Follow the prompts to run the program.

More information on the M$ support page and on the main stream news:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=8015442

2009/07/04

A (very) dark poem

This is the darkest thing I've ever written. 

Like everything written, it’s a lie (I didn’t see that in Iraq, I was in the gulf, not in the country, but I’ve seen it in through others eyes and in pictures online) and it is inspired by another poem from a dear friend which has been eating at me (in a good way) for years.

It's about MY war guilt. If you are a veteran or show it to one, keep in mind this is MY war guilt, not anyone else. Don't cry that I'm saying anything about the service, 'cause I'm not.

This also isn't about politics, so don't say that this party did that or that president did this. The consumers did it; the consumers elected the leaders; the lobbyists paid off the leaders with money they got from consumers purchasing corporate products.

It's about MY consumer guilt. If you’re a consumer, then yes; it’s also about YOU. Take 5 seconds to think about what you’re grown in oil, plastic packaged; transported 'round the world, life is doing to other people.

There are a lot of references to things I guess some people might not recognize. If it doesn’t make sense, click on the stars. If there are too many of those, I guess it won’t reach people.

Thank you for reading this… what I would really like is harsh, honest, painful feedback on whether or not it reached you at all and how it could be changed to reach more people, and in a better way. Please tell me what parts had an impact and what parts left you cold or confused. 

And most of all, now that I’m holding this foul little thing, what do I do with it?


GODLESS BABY KILLER

I lost my God outside Iraq
She walked away from me
A beautiful little Arab girl
with half a face I see*

Amazing grace how sweet that sounds
B’what saves that wretch from me?
My own little girl has both her eyes
god help her eyes to see.*

Did we pray "rain!" for our crop was dry
and curse our neighbors yield?
For he had watered all along...
and can't eat a rotting field.*

Today her neighbor is next door
and half, the wide world ‘round
and how she prays for cheaper gas
says where the guns are bound

There are too many of us now
for just one god to know.
I’m scared to pick a god to fear
if again, this gun must go.*

If I could ever sleep again
and never see that eye*
and only see my daughters face
and never wonder why…

the butterfly flapped it's lovely wings*
around the fuel pump fill 'er
And told the lords of war that I
must be a godless baby killer