Whine Time - Ozzfest 2007 Ticking Sux

Just in case you have been living in a hole (or don't like Metal for some reason), this year's Ozzfest is a free deal.  About a month ago, you went and got your code, and now today you get to turn them in to get two free tickets.  The problem is that the servers they have set up just are not enough to deal with the load.  I eventually managed to redeem my code during an extended lunch today.  Essentially, the meant waiting in a virtual line for 30 minutes, getting an error message, and then having to start over, several times.  On the plus side, I was actually able to work and do this at the same time.

My daughter was not so lucky.  Now I am trying to redeem her code for her since I am such a nice guy.

All things being equal, I would rather just pay for the damn tickets like I have in the past.  That is just so much easier.

B-I-M-B-O, and Bimbo Was Her Name-o

Up until now, I have been ignoring this Paris Hilton thing, because I just really don't care much about the exploits of such an amazingly unimportant, talentless person who is famous just because she is famous (and a bit of a skanky ho).  However, when I heard about this little nugget on the TV news this morning while working out, I just couldn't resist a couple of comments.

God has given her a new chance and she plans to stop acting dumb and put her influence to good use.

Yes, God is very good at giving people second chances.  Let's hope she actually makes the most of it.  I truly do pray that she does.

That said, I cannot help commenting on her plans to "stop acting dumb."  So, now she is no longer going to act dumb?  What? Is she just going to be dumb now?  No more acting?  Just real stupidity from now on?

On one last note, the media appears to be inflating what she is actually going through just a bit.

Walters said Hilton told her she had not been wailing, sobbing or screaming during her first three days in prison, as had been reported.

Prison?  Sorry, she is not in prison, she is in the County Jail.  There is quite a difference.

Surfin' Safari (Sorry, Couldn't Resist...)

Really bad puns aside, Apple has released a public Beta of it's web browser (Safari) for both Windows XP / Vista and Mac OS X.  I have tried the Windows XP version out at work, and I have the Mac OS X version installed on both of my Macs at home.  So far, I love it.

Up until now, I have been using Firefox on my Macs because the previous version of Safari was not properly supported by the Blogspot editor, the Gmail editor, and a few other things.  Those problems, however, have been fixed with the version 3 Beta.  There have been a few other improvements as well, but the editor thing was a biggie for me.

I'll still keep Firefox around, as some things (like MLB Gameday Audio) still work better with it than with Safari.  However, I am glad to see that I can finally switch back to Safari as my day-to-day browser now that some of the more important web apps are supported properly.

Update: Macworld has a nice First Look article on the new Safari version...

Hell Must Have Frozen Over

It is not often that I find myself agreeing with Jimmy Carter.  Normally, that would be a big red flag that one is absolutely on the wrong side of the issue.  However, when it comes to the case of Genarlow Wilson, Jimmy Carter is on the correct side.

The fact of the matter is that Mr. Wilson is no angel, and what he did was absolutely wrong, and he should be punished for it.  For that matter, why should the girls get off (pun intended), without any culpability?  These were consensual acts after all.  The 15 year old girl who was giving him a hummer should have been punished for her actions as should have the 17 year old girl who essentially allowed herself to passed around in a gang-bang.  That said, however, none of them should be put away for 10 years and certainly none of them should be labeled as "sexual predators".  Mr. Wilson may be an immoral person who was caught doing immoral things, with immoral people but he certainly is not a "predator."

Sexual predator laws are generally good laws and sexual predator lists are generally good tools that are used to protect people, especially children, from sick, twisted predators who would abuse, rape, and possibly even kill them.  However, when we lump the non-predatory people in with the actual predators, the effectiveness of these laws and tools is lost, and we lend credence to the whack jobs in our society who try and claim that such things are unfair.

Biofuels May Make Petroleum More Expensive...

OPEC is warning that investment in biofuels could send the price of petroleum through the roof. Obviously, they are just trying to protect their position in the fuel market by protecting petroleum as king. Still, this is yet another reason why using our food as fuel is an amazingly stupid idea.

The beauty of petroleum is that it is a relatively efficient fuel, that is efficient to harvest (that is, it takes very little fuel consumption to get more fuel), and its one major use is fuel (there are other uses, but mostly it is used for fuel).

The problem with biofuels right now is that they are not as efficient as petroleum based fuels (as anyone who lives in a area where they put ethanol in the fuel already knows all too well), and they are very inefficient to harvest (that is, according to many reports I have seen, it takes close a gallon of fuel to grow and process enough corn (or other source) to make a gallon of fuel).

However, the real kick in the pants with biofuels is that we are already using food as food. Even if you switch to a non-food crop, you end up taking land out of food production and into fuel production. Thus, unlike petroleum, we already have a major primary use for our crops. This does nothing but drive up the cost of food, putting tremendous pressure on everyone, especially poor people. And if OPEC has any say, which they do, it will also drive up the cost of petroleum. Nice double whammy there...

Now, if we could find a way to use our garbage for food, I would be all for that. After all, that would be perfect. There is a lot of it, and all we do with it right now is bury it in the ground.

99 Words for Boobs...

A tip o' the hat to richmanwisco for this one. This one should probably be considered NSFW...

You Go, Fred...

All I can say is that it sure is nice to see a potential Republican candidate who will actually sling it back at pathetic idiots like Micheal Moore. I wish more Republicans (including our current president) would stand up for themselves like this...

Pathetic Business Practices...

It is really hard for me to determine which is more pathetic, SCO's inane lawsuits against Linux vendors, or Media Rights Technologies deplorable attempt at drumming up business.

There is really only one word that describes the practices of either of these companies: pathetic!

Stupid Quiz Time

The sad thing is that a measly 86% puts me in a category above most actual High School students. This sort of harkens back to my Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader post... With this much stupidity in the world, is it any wonder Democrats exist?

You paid attention during 86% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
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It is May, and the Brewers are at the Top

It is May 2nd, and with last nights victory over the despised Cardinals (if you wonder why the Cardinals are despised in these here parts, think 1982 World Series), the Brewers now have the best record in the major leagues. Enjoy it while it last, folks...

While we are on the subject of the Cardinals, while it is true that we hate your team almost as much as we hate the Cubs, we are also saddened by your loss, and pray for your healing.

Now, with that out of the way, let's sweep these stupid red birds out of town, boys!!