Linuxers for Obama

Linuxers for Obama – LinuxersForObama is a campaign for all Free and Open Source Software advocates to contribute to the Obama campaign. Sorry for the shorthand “LinuxForObama”, I know it should have been “FLOSSGNUX11BSDApacheMySQLForObama”, but I went for short and simple.

Hopefully team LinuxForObama can do some nice fund raising for Obama and we can settle once and for all the argument about which operat … ⌘ Read more

Only in Russia

Drunk Russian sleeps off knifing – A Russian man trying to sleep off a night of after-work drinking failed to notice a six inch (15 cm) knife in his back - until his wife woke him up.

Yuri Lyalin, 53, took a bus home, ate breakfast and apparently slept like a baby before his spouse noticed a handle sticking out of his back.

He was rushed to casualty but doctors found no vital organs damaged.

Amazing, isn’t it? ⌘ Read more

Olympics for sports
Olympics Games relate to sport. The Olympic Games is where the World most accomplished athletes and teams compete for medals, for the win. Making the Olympics Games a political chess board goes against what Olympic Games are all about. And it is a nasty thing to do.

We—as in the U.S.A.—are not being fair with China. Our government and our politicians (including Presidential aspirants) are all playing politics with the Olympics for their own political advantage. And they are all wrong, … ⌘ Read more

Chinese products are cheap
Not anymore.

The era of cheap Chinese consumer goods may finally be ending, thanks to irrepressible inflation. Now when the Chinese present their lists, some American importers are conceding higher prices, meaning that American shoppers, for the first time in years, are starting to pick up the tab for rising costs in China. Some Chinese factories are now asking their American customers for price increases of as much as 20 p … ⌘ Read more

Talk radio after 3PM
I used to listen to talk radio after 3PM. I listened at the Sean Hannity show, on WDBO 580AM. I just realized yesterday his ‘show’ is a radio political –and biased– version of “The Jerry Springer” show. Full of junk, inaccuracies, lies sprinkled with some trues, repetitive. I should have stopped at junk.

And I listened for the entertainment, for the laugh it gives every once in a while, and as a background noise on my way home. But still, garbage. I will not more listen to i … ⌘ Read more

Vicepresident? No, thank you
Obama spurns double ticket hints

“I don’t know how somebody who is in second place is offering the vice presidency to somebody who is in first place,” he told a rally in Columbus, Mississippi.

“I don’t want anybody here thinking that somehow ‘well, you know, maybe I can get both.’ Don’t think that way. You have to make a choice in this election.”

“I’m not running for vice president. … ⌘ Read more

Overturning the unconstitutional
Overturning nightmares

As president, he said he would ask his attorney general “to review every executive order” of the Bush administration. “We are going to overturn those that were unconstitutional. We are going to overturn those that are unnecessary.”

I don’t think it is a slogan, I don’t think they are empty words. Yes, we can! ⌘ Read more

That 3:00AM call
Comment posted on Larry David: On the Red Phone

“It’s 3AM and your children are sleeping. But the phone is ringing. It’s your mortgage lender, calling to let you know that you are 180 days late on your payment for that crazy mortgage you agreed to. It doesn’t matter, because your phone was disconnected a long time ago. But no worries, Hillary Clinton is working late, at some desk somewhere, doing a Sudoku puzzle … ⌘ Read more

John McCain on religion
John McCain on religion.

“I just have to say in all candor that since this nation was founded primarily on Christian principles…personally, I prefer someone who I know who has a solid grounding in my faith…I think the number one issue people should make [in the] selection of the President of the United States is, ‘Will this person carry on in the Judeo Christian principled tradition that … ⌘ Read more

Bush endorses McCain
Bush endorses McCain in US race

US President George W Bush has endorsed John McCain’s White House bid after the Vietnam veteran sealed the Republican nomination on Tuesday.

Mr Bush said his one-time rival would be a president with the “determination to defeat an enemy and a heart big enough to love those who hurt”.

Now you know who not to vote for. Clear, right? Any questions? ⌘ Read more

The $2 Trillion Nightmare
The $2 Trillion Nightmare

“Normally, when America goes to war, nonessential spending programs are reduced to make room in the budget for the higher costs of the war. Individual programs that benefit specific constituencies are sacrificed for the common good … And taxes have never been cut during a major American war. For example, President Eisenho … ⌘ Read more

I just hope…
I just hope she doesn’t win. I am talking about politics, if you are following the news, you know who I am talking about. Hard not to follow politics these days, but you never know.

Yes, I hope she looses.

Update 06 March 2008

She didn’t loose. She won three states. Obama still leads on delegates. There is still hope. ⌘ Read more

The day Santa died
Kim and I have always told Kent Santa exists. Almost every kid is told the same, and get presents delivered by the fat, white bearded guy each year. He gets all the credits, but kids are happy.

With Kent getting into first grade, he has been hearing things from his peers. Things like, “Santa doesn’t exist”, “Santa isn’t real”, so he began asking about it. About a month ago I told him his pee … ⌘ Read more

Within ten days!

Thank you for submitting your registration to Microsoft Heroes Happen Here: 2008 Launch Events.

You can print this page for your records using the “Print” button at right. Please expect to receive a confirmation email from [long email] within ten business days.

The key words here are “within ten business days”. Ten “business” days. A confirmation email! Do you find that as crazy as I do? What in the world!? If there are using Exchange, and Microsoft web technologies to … ⌘ Read more

After Super Tuesday
Barack Obama’s Super Tuesday speech.

A rather lengthy, yet inspiring speech. This man has charisma, something I have not seeing on the rest. I like him. I think he would do a good President. ⌘ Read more

Yahoo! and the future of the Internet
Official Google Blog: Yahoo! and the future of the Internet

Could the acquisition of Yahoo! allow Microsoft – despite its legacy of serious legal and regulatory offenses – to extend unfair practices from browsers and operating systems to the Internet? In addition, Microsoft plus Yahoo! equals an overwhelming share of instant messaging and web email accounts. And between the … ⌘ Read more

What counts as an issue…
George Lakoff: What Counts as an “Issue” In the Clinton-Obama Race?

There is a reason that Obama recently spoke of Reagan. Reagan understood that you win elections by drawing support from independents and the opposite side. He understood what unified the country so that he could lead it according to his vision. His vision was a radical conservative one, a vision d … ⌘ Read more

I will vote
I will vote today, on Florida’s primary elections. I am registered republican and, hence, I can only vote for a running republican. As such, I will vote for Ron Paul. On the elections day, I shall vote for Barack Obama (I know this implies that he will win the nomination for the Democratic Party. I hope — and wish — he does) for President, Democrat.

Please, whatever State you are in, vote as well. ⌘ Read more

The truth is useless
On Digg, someone submitted, Jeb Bush, the truth is useless, to which a reader commented:

Digg - Jeb Bush: ‘The truth is useless’

[…] This is not just the Bushes, though. This is human nature. This sort of thing develops when you elevate yourself to stratospheric heights and start to believe your own hype. It happens to Ho … ⌘ Read more

Don’t step in the lines
The child inside of us lives, I am a living proof. That, or I have some autistic tendencies. Or both. Having a child, I unintentionally behave like a child when I am with him but, also, when I am alone.

I have found myself avoiding to step on cracks on the floor, or on lines. When challenged with floors with multiple lines together, which are difficult or impossible to avoid, I either find and alternative route, or simply enlarge my pattern of what I consider lined space, like line … ⌘ Read more

Happy 2008!
Hello everyone out there! Please, love one another. Be safe. Happy New Year! ⌘ Read more

Lets us make sure
Comes v. Microsoft – Plaintiff’s Exhibit 2991 – (PDF)

From:     Bill Gates
Sent:     Saturday, December 05, 1998 9:44 AM
To:       Bob Muglia; Jon DeVaan; Steven Sinofsky
Cc:       Paul Maritz
Subject:  Office rendering

One thing we have got to change in our strategy - allowing Office documents to be rendered very well by other peoples browsers is one of the most de … ⌘ Read more

SCO Receives Nasdaq Notice Letter
This doesn’t surprise me. What surprises me is that they are still on business.

SCO Receives Nasdaq Notice Letter — Yahoo! Finance

The SCO Group, Inc. (“SCO”) (Nasdaq: SCOX - News), a leading provider of UNIX™ software technology and mobile services, today announced that it received a Nasdaq Staff Determination letter on December 21, 2007 indicating that as a result of having filed for … ⌘ Read more

You are a prisoner, keep quiet!
U.S. Seeks Silence on CIA Prisons

The Bush administration has told a federal judge that terrorism suspects held in secret CIA prisons should not be allowed to reveal details of the “alternative interrogation methods” that their captors used to get them to talk.

The government says in new court filings that those interrogation methods are now among the nation’s most … ⌘ Read more

Christmas is gone, or is it?
The long whole year wait, for many, comes to an end quite fast. It seems it takes a long time until Christmas arrives, but when it does, it goes away very quickly. “It’s not fair”, Kim says. Well, I am that type of crazy individual that sings Christmas Carols, listen to Christmas music and lives the “Christmas spirit” pretty much all year round. I have my ups and downs like everyone else, but I refuse to let Christmas be a one day celebration. Give it a try! ⌘ Read more

Santa gets the extra love
KM believes in Santa. It is that childish fantasy we do not want to spoil quite yet. But the fat guy, with red cheeks, who pilots a sleigh pulled by reindeers, gets all the extra love –and credits– for the job we, as parents, do during Christmas time. I challenge Santa to come up with a Wii! ⌘ Read more

Want the darn thing?
Beta of XP update made public, A blog by Ina Fried, CNET News.com

Microsoft issued a release candidate version of XP SP3 in November and expanded its testing earlier this month, promising the public test version would come at some later date.

For anyone who still wants to try the darn thing, Microsoft says, the beta should be up on Microsoft’s Web site later Tuesday and ready in final for … ⌘ Read more

Honeymoon’s are over, honey
FL woman has 10 husbands, charges say - Yahoo News

Eunice Lopez has been charged with bigamy, accused of marrying 10 men between 2002 and 2006 without divorcing any of them, federal immigration authorities say. The Miami Herald reported Saturday that a records search by the newspaper found seven additional marriages under the bride’s name and birth date.

Lopez arrived in South Florida from Cuba … ⌘ Read more

Ron Paul on War and Foreign Policy
Ron Paul: War and Foreign Policy

We can continue to fund and fight no-win police actions around the globe, or we can refocus on securing America and bring the troops home. No war should ever be fought without a declaration of war voted upon by the Congress, as required by the Constitution.

Under no circumstances should the U.S. again go to war as the result of a resolution that comes from … ⌘ Read more

Another Dell
Almost four years ago I bought our first Dell machine. And almost four year after, that machine died. Not a really long life.

Since we need a computer, we acquired another Dell… again. This time it is a refurbished Precision 390. For the first time ever, I haven’t rebuilt that machine yet. I am using Dell’s factory install, … ⌘ Read more

I had to have them
I found this weblog, via
Kottke, and in it, this post
I like: So long\
Flight of the Conchords. And I loved it. I had to have the list of
videos on that log here1, to show wife, to play them at a later time.
Simply awesome. And here they come (links go to Youtube):

• The most\
 beautiful girl in the room - “you could be a par … ⌘ Read more

Programmers != Antisocials
BBC NEWS: Business: Bill Gates: The skills you need to succeed

A lot of people assume that creating software is purely a solitary activity where you sit in an office with the door closed all day and write lots of code.

This isn’t true at all.

Software innovation, like almost every other kind of innovation, requires the ability to collaborate and share ideas with other people, and to sit down and talk with cu … ⌘ Read more

Primary elections
It is my desire that the U.S. primary elections were available to everyone, to vote for anyone, regardless of the political part affiliation 1. In fact, I would not make a requirement to affiliate to a specific party at all.

Why? If I am registered, for example, democrat, but I see that the choices of the Democratic Party are not “presidential” material, then I would like to be able to vote (even at the primaries) for the best of the other party. Am I making any sense?

The u … ⌘ Read more

I hate school
When your, almost seven years old, son tells you he hates going to school you worry. It is not the first time that KM tells me he doesn’t like going to school. He goes to a private, Christian school, and his main complain has always being that he doesn’t like to memorize the weekly versicle. I have noticed that this “disliking” normally comes after a weekend, holiday, or similar ‘time off school’ occasion.

I have talked to him, trying to find out if there are other reasons, but haven’t … ⌘ Read more

Yes, they sold it
A while ago, I wrote about the closing of the C3 School, previously known as Parkway Preparatory School. As many other parents and staff, I was sad to see the school my kid attended to disappearing. And there were rumors, so I asked a senior Pastor (do not remember his name now) about them. I was told the Church wasn’t going anywhere, that the rumors about selling the Church were unfounded. I told him I was going to be very disappo … ⌘ Read more

SuperGenPass update
SuperGenPass: A Free Bookmarklet Password Generator

Chris Zarate has updated his SuperGenPass bookmarlet, which now has it’s own dedicated domain. Version 1.1 comes with (from the website):

• Moveable window: The SuperGenPass window can be moved by dragging the title bar.
  
• Smarter password capturing: When multiple master passwords are found, the conflict must be resolved by double-clicking the desired field.
  
• Smarter autopopulate: Autopopulate is o … ⌘ Read more

What a load of crock!
If it weren’t enough that you have to go through airport hell every time you must take an airplane, some people is trying to cash in, and they are using terrorism to their advantage. Enter Clear card.

From their CEO (read while playing patriotic music on the background, waving an American flag) :

“I started Verified Identity Pass with a simple idea: In the post 9-11 era we have to take new measures to protect ourselves yet not destroy our way of life by strangling the free f … ⌘ Read more

When you thought you hear it all
BBC NEWS: Toilet conference opens in Delhi

A World Toilet Summit has opened in the Indian capital, Delhi, with more than 40 countries taking part.

The four-day meeting will examine solutions and technologies that can be used to provide a basic need for nearly half the worlds population.

According to estimates, 2.6bn people around the world lack access to a hygienic toilet. The United Nations h … ⌘ Read more

The slashes
Lots of people do not get it. Lots of businesses and governmental institutions do not get it. Yesterday my call to the Federal Reserve Complain line (I called to complain about them, and their delay on ACH transfers, but there was no option to complain about them, yet, many to complain about others) had it wrong too:

The symbol “/” (without quotes, of course) is a “slash” or “stroke.” The symbol “\” is a “backslash”. Please do not invert the names or simply call a slash, backslash. I … ⌘ Read more

We remember: Six years ago

Image

Today, six years ago, a group of animals belonging to the human race decided to take away thousands of innocent lives by destroying the Twin Towers (see World Trade Center). Let us not to forget how stupid they were, how criminal th … ⌘ Read more

Farewell Maestro
Luciano Pavarotti has died. “… One of the most popular contemporary vocal performers in the world of opera and across multiple musical genres..” The world grieves. ⌘ Read more

First day at school
Today is Kent’s first day at school, after the long –although it did not seemed that long– summer vacation. It is his first grade, on a new school and I have “the jitters.” I worry for my son, all the time. I enjoyed this summer with him more than anything in the world. You can’t stop them from growing up, you can’t be with them all the time. But it is so hard not to…

It is an adaptation that will take time. ⌘ Read more

Write Articles, Not Blog Postings
Write Articles, Not Blog Postings – Jakob Nielsens Alertbox

Boy, do I agree with Nielsen on this one. I have been guilty of many of the things he points out. That is why I am scribbling less lately. And it will be much less in the future. Totally dislike the “tumbler” generation. Junk. ⌘ Read more

Ebay feedback blackmail
If you do business on Ebay, whether you are power seller with your own store there or simply a John Doe such as myself, please follow the following etiquette:

• If you are selling, and the item(s) you sold get paid (right away or in a timely manner), leave your feedback right away. No need to wait till the buyer leaves his. Doing so is bad, really bad.
  
• If you are buying, wait till the item arrives and then leave a feedback accordingly. Consider communication with the seller, q … ⌘ Read more

Kent on elderly and fitness
Having seeing an elder man jogging, Kent asked me why was he running. I told him that he probably wanted to be fit, to keep healthy to which he, in a very surprised voice, replied:

“What’s the fun on being healthy, when you are about to die?!” – kids, they say the ‘darnest’ things. ⌘ Read more

I shall not censure
From today on, I shall not censure on this weblog. Any comment left (no spam comments, of course. Who needs those?) will be shown uncensored. I will only mask foul words (just because of my ICRA rating, safe for children), and correct capitalization as needed, but nothing else. I don’t remember ever censuring –I don’t write enough, really. But now I have taken that idea, if ever was, away from my mind. ⌘ Read more

C3 is no more
I am sad, I am mad and I am pissed. We got a letter today from Kent’s school –was Parkway Preparatory School, later changed to C3 School– stating that the school is closing its doors.

Unfortunately, our continuing analysis and review of the Church’s financial obligations has led us to the conclusion that continued operation of the school is not the best use of Church resources. Our decision is also based in part on the projected enrollment for next school year. After much thought and prayer … ⌘ Read more

Made in China
I don’t have a particular problem with China. I admire its very old culture, its people resourcefulness and their resilience, among other things. But when I see everything I buy here in the U.S. made in China, I feel uncomfortable. It tells me something is wrong with the way we are doing business.

It isn’t the “Made in China” the thing that bugs me. It’s the everything “Made in China” that does. And the quality of it, which is bad overall. It is the sense of dependency. We have beco … ⌘ Read more

Microsoft is a crying baby
What does Microsoft do when they don’t get it their way? They cry like babies, they snitch and they try to use their mu$cle to get things their way.

Microsoft Urges Review of Google-DoubleClick Deal – Microsoft, a veteran defendant of epic antitrust battles in the United States and Europe, is urging regulators to consider scuttling Google’s plan to buy DoubleClick, an online advertising company.

Microsoft contends that the $3.1 billion deal, announced on … ⌘ Read more

Women of color?
That term, women of color, emphasized by me below has always puzzled me. Aren’t all women and, as a matter of fact, all of us “of color”? What kind of silly (avoiding the use of a stronger word) terminology is that? And, why aren’t those “people of goodwill” asking for the same treatment to be given to rappers, comedians, writers, etc? Utterly stupid.

CBS chairman, Leslie Moonves – “Those who have spoken with us the last few days represent people of goodwill from all segments … ⌘ Read more