Is It Me?: May 2007

Pull Up! ... Pull Up! ... We're Going To Crash!!!

Sometimes, you need the subtle reminder of how dependent you have become on technology to realize how much you really don't need it at all. Two weeks ago (without any warning whatsoever) my hard drive died. Smoked, kicked the bucket, &%$# the bed. Emails, work files, personal files, electronic banking receipts, family pictures ... all gone. So I did what any other guy would do ... found something else to do, another hobby. But don't think I'm not like all the other guys out there ... I poked my nose into endless microchips, ribbon wires, and flashing little light thingies thinking I could fix this overpriced jukebox. The result? Good thing for friends who work in IT departments that know how to not only fix computers normal issues, but man made ones as well ... yes, I learned that wiring harnesses (no matter how easily they may appear to go on) are designed to only fit on their receiver a certain direction, period! Needless to say, the last two weeks of digital downtime left me to find a family fun hobby that we all enjoy together. Which will ultimately leave me less time to complain here but afford me more time with my family, I'm sure I'll find a happy balance between the two. And for those who may be wondering ... yes, as I sit here typing I am still feeding disks into this machine (two weeks later) trying to regain some sort of normal PC operation and functionality.

A Platoon Of Six???... Even David Koresh Did Better Than That!

Topping the national headlines today, six individuals were arrested for plotting an alleged attack on Fort Dix, New Jersey. Although these people had stockpiled heavy armament and had also done an extensive amount of reconnaissance (according to media sources), I really think that the American public is so caught up in the post 9/11 media hype, their losing basic common sense and obvious rationality. Fort Dix ... full of soldiers ... soldiers trained to use weapons efficiently and effectively ... the same soldiers that are currently occupying Iraq and Afghanistan ... right, like these guys even stood a chance. "Please keep in mind, terror attacks are about terror. These attacks on military bases would have created terror nationwide," said U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie. Terror nationwide??? Come on, seriously ... maybe a slight overstatement? I have yet to see the bug beat the windshield.

What The Market Will Bear ... I Guess

While cruising through the internet news outlets, I came across a story on CNN.com in which a man had offered to sell his wife on an online auction for about fifty bucks. This got me thinking about what other crazy things have been auctioned off over the years, so I put in a few search queries. Although I didn't come across the infamous eBay wedding dress or food that unmistakably resembled Jesus, I did find some sites that offer a good laugh and proof positive that people really will buy anything ... including a pet fart. Try verystrangeauctions.com, whowouldbuythat.com and weird-websites.com. Years ago, I said I was going to auction off air in Ziploc bags for fun, but never did ... I honestly think I missed out on my ticket to entrepreneurial bliss.