My favorite candidate for City Council is making aliyah (moving to Israel) before the school year starts. So now who to vote for?
I am actually surprised he hasn't announced anything on his website - does that mean he is still going to run and hold the position from Israel? He may be as effective doing that as some of the current Baltimore City Council members are now!
So this morning I was actually being productive and had a number of spreadsheets and Word documents open. I also had 3 or 4 emails that I was in the middle of writing open as well. I needed to check the MARC train schedule so I opened it up from their website and it's in PDF format. As soon as I opened it, Adobe prompted me that there was an update available for download (6.01 --> 6.02) and that I could continue working while it downloaded in the background. "Sure, why not" I think to myself (or maybe even said out loud - working from home in your basement all by yourself can lead to talking to yourself without even realizing it - I know, I need to get out more!). So I finish looking at the schedule and then close the web page.
A minute later I get a prompt to install the update and that I can still continue working as long as I close Acrobat - still going well. But then I get a message that says the update has finished and would I like to reboot now or reboot later. I have 8 or 9 windows of work open so I figure I'll just reboot later and not use Acrobat for a while. The second I click on "Reboot Later" everything starts closing and the PC shuts down - without prompting me to save anything! (And yes I am sure I clicked reboot later) So not only did it force a shutdown but it basically "end task"'d all my programs losing everything I was in the middle of.
What is so frustrating is that the software company gives you the illusion of free choice - sure, choose whichever option you want - we don't really care because we are going to do what we want to your computer anyway! It sounds so Microsoftian (a new word I just made up!). So do you think I can sue Adobe for lost work and pain and suffering from when I hit my hand really hard on my desk in a fit of rage?
I was on a flight today that landed at 12:20 so I missed most of the Reagan funeral. By the time I got to my car and turned on the radio they were already up to Amazing Grace and then bringing the coffin out. Why do reporters insist on talking when they should just shut up? Instead of a solemn quiet, I had to listen to comments like "the pallbearers are gathering and now putting their hands on the coffin to pick it up and now taking a step and now another one...." and "they are carrying out a man who holds no evil toward anyone" (can ANYONE explain that one?) and then as they were walking toward the hearse one reporter made this intelligent remark - "many have tried to detract from the former presidents legacy during the past week but I think this moment detracts them" - HUH?
Reagan was the first president that I can remember. Honestly, I was never old enough during that time to understand his poilitics and frankly I don't care. He was the leader of the free world at the time and we owe him the dignity, honor, and respect due to any of our elders who pass on. If only the reporters understood that sometimes silence is golden.
The death of anyone is a very sad occasion, but this paragraph in the story on Yahoo today about former President Reagan made me smile:
Seventeen years ago, he compared Democratic lawmakers to the "screeching" periodic cicadas that then — and again this spring — have infested the city.
I, and I think along with everyone else who reads his blog, am fascinated with the abilities of Dabretman to express his truest feelings without fear of the repercussions. Part of what enables him to do it is the anonymity of it all, although having met him I guess that is partially shattered. I guess that makes it all the more impressive. Many times I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly with him and wishing I had the ability to put it all down in writing too - it would definitely be better than keeping it cooped up in my head!
If these words bring up memories of absolute hilarity then you probably want to check out here where the complete 15 DVD set of The Muppet Show is on sale for $60 (and use NMV23G to get free shipping on orders over $50).
Where else but Israel would you have a Cabinet Minister go on the run to avoid being fired before a critical vote that he opposes?