The Robot's Thoughts

I've never been angrier at someone besides myself until now.

Its presents a literal interpretation of the Bible and argues that believing otherwise leads to moral relativism and the destruction of social values.

Creationism is a theory not supported by most mainstream Christian churches.

Lisa Park of the University of Akron cried at one point as she walked a hallway full of flashing images of war, famine and natural disasters which the museum blames on belief in evolution.

"I think it's very bad science and even worse theology -- and the theology is far more offensive to me," said Park, a professor of paleontology who is an elder in the Presbyterian Church.

"I think there's a lot of focus on fear, and I don't think that's a very Christian message... I find it a malicious manipulation of the public."

This article leaves me with some questions: How the hell did people stupid enough to believe the modern creationist message (the modern day flat earth theory) actually get $27 million to build their "museum". Second, how many of its 715,000 visitors were scientists going there to piss themselves? Third, if the T-Rex was vegetarian, why'd its need so many razor sharp teeth?

Labels: crazy people, links, pop culture, Reddit

The accepted political guidelines for jilted wives (see: wives, jilted) have always decreed that the wounded ones be seen, but stay silent. They are the suffering partners willing to literally remain in the picture out of political necessity. Their very presence helps to suggest that this love is worth saving, because this man is so special -- to all of us.

Well, forget it.

In just one week, Jenny Sanford has shifted the paradigm of the political wife.

Good for her.

Labels: links

Here's the rant. I disagree and think it was a great popcorn movie. It was what I was expecting. I just felt I'd link to this because it sums up people's grips.

The best quote in the article is:

When you’ve made Bad Boys 2, Armageddon and Pearl Harbor and this movie is considered to be your worst to date, you know you’ve done something wrong. That’s like being Hitler and doing something worse than the holocaust.

Its a sequel to a movie about a cheesy cartoon/toy line meant to bankrupt the parents of children of my generation. It doesn't even follow cannon. Its beyond hyperbole to do a Hitler comparison.

Labels: links, movies, Reddit

Today while commuting to work, listening to the radio, I was informed that more West Virginians died from "drug overdoses and/or accidental poisonings" than from Motor Vehicle Accidents. Something like 470+ died from Overdosing/Poisoning in 2007 vs. 438 for motor vehicle accidents.

There must really be some terminally bored people in this state. Or meth really lives up to the hype. Either way...Jesus.

I'm just glad nobody I know has a drug problem (that I'm aware of).

Labels: personal, WV

Rands In Repose has a great blog post on "Toxic Assets". These are the people who go ALL CAPS on your ass. People avoid this team member. He doesn't get the memo. He's defining someone as "Toxic" when despite Management's best efforts, people can't work with him and he might have to be let go. He closes with this:

The history of the Silicon Valley is full of stories of toxic people who were, well, right. These people were physically removed from their respective companies, but their agenda, their ideas, however unpalatable to the existing cultural regime, were actually the right thing to do for that particular company.

The paradox is we often need these toxic people. We need these self-centered assholes to totally ignore cultural conventions and to mix things up beyond recognition. They don’t need social grace and they don’t need charisma. Both help, but their value lies in their intense belief in their own culture.

I have an intense belief in my own culture. I've had debates where the other person has left the room because they felt they weren't being heard. They probably feel I was going ALL CAPS on them. I was just bypassing the part of the argument where they talk. This might sound arrogant, but I've heard it before.

You don't grow up poor, punk, educated, atheist, and liberal in central PA without facing intense cultural scrutiny. You're an outsider. People you've never met know things about you before you even start the conversation.

Anyway, the article and its simple model of relationships provoked thought in me, and I thought it was a good read. So I thought I'd share.

Labels: corporate culture, goals, links, personal, ramblings, thoughts

http://www.shadowrun4.com/

I used to play Shadowrun religiously with friends during middle school. Good times. Aside from some really well written science fiction, nothing provided such a feeling of immersion.

I would be interested in trying the new edition, but would need to find people in the area interested in playing.

Maybe if I get bored I'll hit up craigslist.

Labels: personal, ramblings

Professional Windows Shill, Technology Know-Nothing, John C. Dvorak, stated in 2007 that Apple should "unplug" the iPhone. Fast forward to now, where Apple has announced it sold six million iPhone 3GS units in the first week.

The problem here is that while Apple can play the fashion game as well as any company, there is no evidence that it can play it fast enough. These phones go in and out of style so fast that unless Apple has half a dozen variants in the pipeline, its phone, even if immediately successful, will be passé within 3 months.

There is no likelihood that Apple can be successful in a business this competitive. Even in the business where it is a clear pioneer, the personal computer, it had to compete with Microsoft and can only sustain a 5% market share.

And its survival in the computer business relies on good margins. Those margins cannot exist in the mobile handset business for more than 15 minutes.

This is why people don't listen to you, idiot. Apple did it their way, and easily has 10% (worldwide) market share in under a year. Motorola is looking at failing out of the phone business, and Verizon has nothing but blackberries, sad imitations, and paying lobbyists to talk up anti-trust claims.

Got any predictions for Bing.com, John?

Labels: 2007 Predictions, apple, crazy people, links, Mac OS X

Here's a yarn for everyone.

A Russian girl who's undergone "re-virgining" SIX TIMES is now in an intensive care unit, due to complications of having the procedure performed once a year as a "gift" for her husband.

Original story is here.

Yay for stupidity and meaningless social constructs, I guess. Hats off.

Labels: crazy people, links, ramblings

I thought this happened in WV. Instead, it was Oregon. A woman attacked a pregnant woman, killed her, and cut the baby out. Then, called 911 and claimed that she had just given birth and her baby wasn't breathing. The picture of her on CNN conveys just how crazy this woman is.

They found the real mother dead, stashed in the crawl space.

Freaky Deaky.

Labels: crazy people

On Michael Moore's Weblog there's a scathing and yet accurate take on the GM bankruptcy. Money spent saving a company with management that can only be described as "inept and stupid" is money wasted. Money spent saving GM's workforce to build American light-rail and green technology is money well spent.

Only time will tell what GM will become. As it enters Chapter 11, it will continue to operate. But does this mean it will still focus on developing next-gen cars such as the Chevy Volt? Will it become our industrial backbone and build the components needed for a more competitive infrastructure? Or will see an H4 and a convertible Chevy Cobalt? More "more of the same" badge engineering?

One major indicator to me will be who becomes the new CEO after the company emerges from Chapter 11. Every single foreign car company's C-level management has engineering, math, or physics degrees. These people grasp and understand the technical problems of manufacturing, global supply chains, automation, waste recycling, etc. Its no surprise these companies emerged as better built and efficiency oriented. When it comes from the top, it becomes part of the culture.

Former GM CEO Rick Wagoneer, on the other hand, spent 26 years as president of the Marketing Department. As UAW obligations rose over the past 25 years, and revenues shrunk, he merely engaged in too little, too late. He denied climate change. He over committed to SUVs and trucks.

I, for one, would like to see an automotive engineering company actually run by engineers. Its too bad I feel GM's culture is incapable of transforming itself in such a way that it could lure consumers such as myself (that only by foreign-branded cars) back to the fold.

Labels: cars, links, money, politics