Yes, I realize that this is the fourth Ramblings post in a row. The thing is, I have (and have had) a few things I wanted to jot down, but none of them warranted a full post of their own. When something warrants a full-blown post, it gets it. Otherwise, it just gets stuck here. I guess that Ramblings of an Idiot is just my version of Quickies . A few random, meaningless blurbs, strung together for no particular reason. Understand what I'm doing now? Honestly, neither do I.

• India and Pakistan: It's not looking to good over there. Tensions continue to mount between the two nations over the disputed area of Kashmir. Pakistani militants have been making attacks into the Indian-held Kashmir (God, I gotta stop thinking of Led Zeppelin every time I type Kashmir). There's cross-border fire almost every day between the two sides. Each sides is lining up soldiers along the borders. And, as we all know, both nations have nuclear capabilities. Needless to say (I'll say it anyway), a full-scale war between two nuclear powers would be a bad thing©. Today, the State department advised the approximately 60,000 Americans in India to leave if possible. They avoided making it an order, because the move could be seen as an admission of the inevitability of a war between the two nations. That's the way it looks, though. That sucks.
• Mozilla: In the month and a half that I've been using Mozilla (RC1 - RC3), I never really tried the tabbed browsing. I just started using it today, and I must admit it really comes in handy. Unfortunately, I still go to the Windows task bar, forgetting that I'm using the tabs. Oh, well, it's just something I'll have to get used to. Comes in handy.
• World Trade Center: The clean-up of the WTC site just concluded yesterday. The last steel beam was taken out, covered in a black cloth and the American flag. It was taken to a hangar at Kennedy airport for storage, as it will likely be included in some future memorial. There is still some work to be done, mostly in finding body parts among the debris that has been taken to Staten Island.
• World Cup: In lighter news, congratulations to Senegal, which in its first ever World Cup match defeated defending champion France, 1 - 0.

  Speaking of the World Cup, while I am not much of a soccer fan, I will be keeping track of it (I may not watch many games, but I will certainly know who won). I would like to see the US squad make a good showing this time around. The 1998 World Cup wasn't too good for the US, finishing dead last, scoring only one goal in three games. I have no illusions about the US winning it all, but I would like the US to make a strong showing this time around.

Me go now. No more post. Bye.

Well, the Ramblings of an Idiot series goes right on rambling. I had a few ideas yesterday that I didn't get the opportunity to jot down here, so I'm going to do so now, along with some new, fresh stupidity.

• Intelligent Design: A few years ago, I had some thoughts along these lines (although I had never heard of ID until a year ago). The idea that humans had evolved, under the direction of God, had begun to make sense to me. But then, I found a problem with it: dinosaurs. I couldn't find a reasonable way for dinosaurs to fit into my ID-ish theory. I began thinking: What, were they a screw-up? What, did God decide that they weren't going anywhere, so he threw a cosmic fastball at them? That didn't make sense, on a couple of levels: First, if God were guiding the process, then they wouldn't have been a dead end. Second, if he wasn't actively guiding the process, then well, there's no ID then. The concept of them existing simply "for us to find" never hit me then (it's something I've encountered in the occasional creationist/evolutionist debate here on /.). Still, even that doesn't make sense to me. There are plenty of things in the universe to be found, without some stupid dinosaur bones. So, long story short, I left the concept of ID behind a long time ago.
• The Moon: During the same discussion that got me thinking about ID ( Milky Way Inhospitable?, May 28, 2002), I ran across this link: The Moon And Plate Tectonics: Why We Are Alone. It's an interesting article, and makes you wonder. It asserts that what allows us to be here is plate tectonics, and what allows plate tectonics is the existence of the Moon. The crux of the argument is that if the Moon had not been created, removing some seventy percent of the Earth's crust, plate tectonics, and therefore continents, would not be possible. And without landmasses, technology-creating creatures (like ourselves) are not possible. Given the rarity of such an event as the one that created the Moon (an appropriately-sized object hitting a forming planet within the habitable zone of its star at just the right angle to eject enough crust material to kick-start plate tectonics) we may be unique in the Galaxy. This is not to say there is no life elsewhere in the Galaxy, just to say there are no other technologically advanced cultures. The article argues that most habitable worlds would be water-worlds, global oceans. Therefore, it would be near impossible for a species on one of these planets to develop the technology to explore beyond their planet. For example: on Earth, dolphins are highly intelligent creatures. Even if they had a language and culture of similar sophistication to ours, they would not be able to advance technologically because of their aquatic environment and adaptation to it.
• Are We Alone?: While I'm on the subject of our uniqueness, I just thought I'd mention another thing I'd thought of. There is the distinct possibility that we are the most advanced culture in the Galaxy. Somehow, that just doesn't feel right. There is also the possibility that we are the least advanced. Which makes more sense.
• Universal Translator: DARPA Project Babylon: Universal Translator (today): Interesting idea, but I don't think they're going to be able to do anything serious with it for quite a while. Even if it were possible to get a word-to-word translation from one language to another, you would then have to take into account idioms and different meanings. Not to mention that a single language may have dozens of dialects. Take English, for example. Some words and meanings are specific to England, or the Southern US, or Western US, or Midwestern US, or Northeast US. Within the same language, you have a multitude of meanings. Hell, there must be fifty ways to refer to a certain type of sandwich: hoagie, sub, grinder, hero to name a few. Reminds me of a scene in Die Hard: With a Vengeance. The scene in the NY Federal Reserve Bank, where Willis rides the elevator down with the disguised Germans. The use of dogs and cats instead of cats and dogs, and lift instead of elevator tip him off that they weren't local. They spoke perfect English, but it's the little things that count. Try that with a machine.
• Movies: It seems George Lucas plans to keep right on working after finishing the new Star Wars trilogy. Indiana Jones IV is set for a July 4, 2005 release.
  Note to Mozilla users: This page may not render correctly. To read anything, highlight the entire page. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

  And from the "what-the-hell-are-they-thinking department:" Jackass: The Movie . Hollywood at its best!

• E-Mail: I set up a new e-mail account yesterday. Switched over to Yahoo! Mail. Updated the Slashdot account (this, duh). Goodbye and good riddance, Hotmail.

Well, that's all for this installment of Ramblings of an Idiot. So, goodbye and good riddance to all you loyal readers who have permanently damaged your brains by reading my journal.

Well, what do you know. I've reached double digits in the Ramblings of an Idiot series. This one will be short, I don't feel like a long list of stupid crap today (ie, Rambings of an Idiot 1 - 9). Just a couple of things worth mentioning:

1. XP Service Pack: Along with the usual bug fixes, this service pack includes an interface to override the default applications. Doesn't remove them, just hides them. Just Microsoft trying to wiggle around the legal system again.
2. SimCity 4: Cool! I've always loved the SimCity series, and a new installment is welcome news. The screen shots look awesome, and the game looks to have some cool new features. Can't wait to try it out.
3. Mozilla 1.0 Release Candidate 3: What the hell, I decided to download it. Therefore, I will have downloaded all three of the release candidates, and of course will download the final Mozilla 1.0 whenever it becomes available.

Well, that's it for today. Like I said, I'm keeping it short.

Well, I've got a little bit of time on my hands, and I've got a few ideas floating around in my head. Yes, it's that time again . . . time for the occasionally insightful, sometimes funny, always moronic Ramblings of an Idiot!

1. You're a moderator with 5 points (expire after 2002-05-25). Please read the Moderator Guidelines before you do any moderation.

   This is the fourth time I've been a moderator in the past two months. For the first ten months that I read Slashdot, I waited for that first chance to moderate. Lately, I've been getting a few of them. Cool. I like to moderate, it makes me feel like I'm contributing to the discussions even if I don't post. I haven't posted as much recently, because I wait until I actually have something to say before posting. When I have something stupid, or completely off-topic to say, I do it here in the journal.

2. The remains of Chandra Levy were found yesterday in Rock Creek Park, in Washington. Although the Washington police searched the area last summer (during the height of the coverage), nothing was found until now. Perhaps the remains were missed, or perhaps they were put there later. Anyway, the investigation into her death is set to begin. With only skeletal remains to go on, it will be difficult to definitively determine the cause.

   The Levy family must be dealing with a lot of mixed emotions right now: relieved to know; devastated to know. Not knowing must have been torturous, but at least there was always the hope that she would be found alive. Now they know there is no chance of her coming home, but at least they can finally start to move on.

3. President George W. Bush is in Europe this week (Germany today). He delivered a speech to the German parliament, touching on the expansion of NATO, United States ties with Russia and the prospects of peace in the Middle East. He also talked about the danger presented by Saddam Hussein of Iraq. However, he stated that he had "no war plans on [his] desk." They'll be there soon, I'm sure. He and the other hawks have been itching to go after Iraq, and the "War on Terror" gives them the leeway to do so.

   President Bush isn't exactly very popular in Europe. I wonder why? Maybe his decision to out of hand dismiss the Kyoto Protocol, slap tariffs on foreign steel, withdraw American support from the International Criminal Court, and actively pursue a war against Iraq. That and the unilateral manner in which his administration has acted. Hmmm . . .

4. After I downloaded and installed Mozilla 1.0 Release Candidate 2, I never bothered to check on plug-ins (I don't use them all that often). Anyway, plug-ins that wouldn't work before (RealAudio, Media Player) are working now. Adobe Acrobat still doesn't work (it crashes Mozilla), but at least now the plug-in is installed (it wouldn't before). One step at a time, I guess. Speaking of Acrobat crashing Mozilla, this is the third time I've typed in this text, because of the previous crashes. Oh, well, maybe it came out better the third time around.
5. Another suicide bomber in Israel, this time in Rishon le Zion (just southeast of Tel Aviv). Two killed, twenty-seven injured. Second attack in Rishon le Zion in two weeks (the first cut short Ariel Sharon's Washington trip). It just never ends, does it?
6. I'm getting hungry now, so I'm going to make myself some lunch now (11:34 AM). Just put my lunch in the oven (11:42 AM). Needs twenty-five minutes to cook. So, it'll be ready to eat at 12:07 PM. During that time, I'll add a little bit to this post.
7. Man, my feet have been killing me lately. My job at Wal-Mart lies in retrieving the carriages, so I'm constantly walking around the parking lot. Lately, I've been getting this thing where if I'm idle for a little while, when I get up, my legs hurt like hell for a moment. All this damned walking is really getting to me. Oh, well, at least I'm getting paid. Need money . . . must work.

   Speaking of Wal-Mart, on the day fifteen new Wal-Mart stores opened (May 15, 2002), a former New York Jets player named Sam Walton died. Weird . . .

8. With the SD journal suddenly screwing up with links, I decided to pull links out of the old posts. I should probably keep the URLs somewhere for safekeeping. There, done. All the links are out (excluding the ones in Ramblings of an Idiot (5th Installment), which still work). I've also been getting the same problem with the ampersand, so I'll avoid using that. Oh well, what ya gonna do?
9. Well, it's 12:06 PM, which means its just about time for me to eat. I'll finish up this worthless post after I've eaten.
10. All fueled up and ready to go. While I was eating, I caught an old The Twilight Zone on the Sci-Fi channel. It's the one with William Shatner and the gremlin on the wing. So, back to the post (12:28 PM).
11. The new season of Farscape will be staring in two weeks (June 7). It'll be followed by a new season of Stargate [SG-1], which may be its last. I can't wait.
12. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan will be released on DVD on August 6, 2002. Cool.
13. The 2002 - 2003 primetime schedule for FOX was released on Monday. The Simpsons are still there. I have mixed feelings about that, I love the show but it's been slipping. New The Simpsons episodes are always great, but I'd also like to see it retire with something left. I don't want to see it turn to crap and end up being cancelled. Futurama is still stuck in the timeslot from hell (7:00 Sunday), and will therefore won't debut until after the NFL season. Dark Angel is gone; I'm gonna miss seeing Jessica Alba once a week.
14. While I'm going into the Fall Schedule, I might as well do the other networks.
    • NBC: Just Shoot Me is being moved off Must See TV, to Tuesday. Replacing it will be a new show, Good Morning Miami. Also, Scrubs is moving to Must See TV, after Friends. Weakest Link is gone, and I for one will not miss it.
    • ABC: Spin City has come to and end (inevitable after Michael J. Fox left), as has Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (guess the game-show thing is over). Also coming out with a new Dragnet.

    • CBS: CSI gets a spin-off: CSI: Miami. Survivor returns with Survivor: Thailand. And The Amazing Race returns for a third installment. Monday stays pretty much the same, except Becker moves to Sunday.

15. WB: Don't watch it, don't care.
16. UPN: With the exception of Enterprise, don't watch, don't care.
17. Minority Report with Tom Cruise looks interesting. I just might go out and see it.
18. I've only downloaded two songs since Morpheus Preview Edition was released. I hate it. It won't stay frellin' connected, and gives less information about the files you want than the older version. Plus it's been harder to find quality files (it don't give me that damn bit rate). Screw it. Plus, with the damned dial-up connection I've got, downloading songs takes forever. However, I did download quite a few before the release of Morpheus Preview Edition. I got what I wanted. There are only a few more songs that I want, and I ain't in the mood to go chasing them down, especially with Morpheus Preview Edition. From what I've heard of KaZaA, I'm stayin' the hell away from it. Don't know what made me think of this right now, but I did.

You know what? This is enough for now. I'm kind of getting sick of doing this, so I'm going to do something else. I've typed in enough random garbage, it's time to move on to some other stupid thing. Like look at porn.

So, yesterday I went out and saw Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones. A big improvement over Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace, but not as good as Spider-Man (which to be honest, doesn't mean much, as Spider-Man is absolutely incredible)

I'm not really going to do much of a review, I'm just going to go into some of the things that struck me about the movie:

• Anakin's "Dark Side:" There are a few times in the movie where the anger building in Anakin come through really well. There are other times where he comes off as whiny. Overall, it works well though. You can see the struggle in him, between his duties in the Jedi Order to what he really wants; between responsibility and raw passion.
• Clone Army, aka Storm Troopers: It's interesting to see the origins of the Storm Troopers from the original trilogy. It's also odd to see them fighting alongside the Jedi. The scenes with Yoda and other Jedi commanding the clone troops are odd, knowing what comes later.
• The Jedi: It's just plain cool to see a big Jedi battle. Mmmmm . . . lightsabers. And it's also very cool to see Yoda in a fight scene. Pretty spry for 870 years old.
• Jango and Boba Fett: So, Boba's a clone of his pop.
• Jar Jar Binks: He wasn't annoying in this movie, but I cringed by reflex the first time I saw him. It is appropriate, I guess, that it is Jar Jar who gullibly kick starts the whole process (by giving Palpatine emergency powers).
• Senator Amidala: Wow!
• Death Star: Seemed a bit contrived to me; what being about twenty years before Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope and all. Oh, well, maybe it took a while to bid out the contractors. You know how governments are . . .

------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, that's about all I want to say about Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Now, some thoughts about Star Wars: Episode III (as of yet unnamed):

• Fight scenes: Seems to me that Episode III will have some kick-ass fight scenes in it. In Episode III, we'll get to see Anakin and Obi-Wan fight (which I heard somewhere takes place over a volcano). That should make for one awesome sequence. Also, Anakin will probably fight Count Dooku. He'll have to knock off Dooku to become Palpatine's new apprentice, and it will probably be the sequence in which he turns completely to the dark side. Again, a good fight sequence.
• The return of Vader: With Anakin turning to the dark side, it'll be time for the return (or rather, introduction) of the famous suit from the original trilogy. James Earl Jones to the rescue!
• The Empire: Probably going to see a decent amount of space battles, as the Galactic Republic becomes the Galactic Empire. Crushing the separatists, and establishing control over the Galaxy. Could be some big ass space battles.
• The Dark Side: Episode III should be the darkest of the new trilogy. The dark side will be coming out in full force this time. No longer hiding in the shadows, manipulating in the background, the dark side just comes right out and kicks ass. Chancellor Palpatine / Darth Sidius becomes Emperor Palaptine, and kills a few people (a few Jedi, too).
• Luke and Leia: May make an appearance as infants in Episode III. Probably a brief appearance, just long enough to be introduced and then sent their respective ways.
• I gotta wait three years for Episode III?!?! Goddamn it! Where's a time machine when you need one? I'm already pretty excited about Episode III, because of the kick-ass possibilities listed above. Episode III should be awesome. It should, hands down, be the best of the prequel trilogy, and hopefully will give Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back a run for its money. I think it'll be that good.

------------------------------------------------------------------

I also saw, here on Slashdot, that there's a possibility of a third trilogy (Episodes VII - IX). Thoughts about the third trilogy:

• Major points: The third trilogy would probably center around the recreation of the Galactic Republic. It would also likely include the rebuilding of the Jedi Order, possibly with Luke returning as an old Jedi Master, heading and training the new Jedi. Thus, Luke could fully realize the prophecy of restoring balance to the force. Leia could possibly be the first Chancellor of the restored Republic.
• Villains: The villains of Episodes VII - IX would likely be the remnants of the Empire. The power structure of the Empire would likely fight the recreation of the Republic. Perhaps there will be a new Sith Lord, hoping to prevent the recreation of the Jedi Order (makes sense).
• Timeline: Obviously, most of the stars of Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi would return (perhaps for small roles, but certainly needed). Thus, the trilogy would have to be set at least twenty years after Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the actors are getting old. Thus the mention of Luke as a Jedi Master, the head of the new Jedi Order; and Leia as Chancellor of the Republic.

Well, that's enough Star Wars for now. I need to get going.

New this week, numbers instead of bullets! (So I can keep track of my stupidity)

1. Friday was hell. I had a seven hour shift at Wal-Mart (that's not it, getting to it), and the whole time I had Tommy Tutone's 867-5309/Jenny stuck in my head. Seven hours, same song. Playing over and over again in random fragments. By the end of the shift, I swear I was half insane.

   Jenny Jenny, who can I turn to?
   You give me something I can hold on to
   I know you think I'm like the others before
   We saw your name and number on the wall

   Jenny, I got your number
   I need to make you mine
   Jenny, don't change your number
   867-5309 (867-5309)
   867-5309 (867-5309)

   Jenny Jenny, you're the girl for me
   You don't know me but you make me so happy
   I tried to call you before, but I lost my nerve
   I tried my imagination, but I was disturbed

   Jenny, I got your number
   I need to make you mine
   Jenny, don't change your number
   867-5309 (867-5309)
   867-5309 (867-5309)

   I got it (I got it)
   I got it
   I got your number on the wall
   I got it (I got it)
   I got it
   For a good time, for a good time call

   Jenny, don't change your number
   I need to make you mine
   Jenny, I got your number
   867-5309 (867-5309)
   867-5309 (867-5309)

   Jenny Jenny, who can I turn to? (867-5309)
   For the price of a dime, I can always turn to you (867-5309)
   867-5309 (867-5309)
   867-5309 (867-5309)
   867-5309 (867-5309)

2. Was surprised to find a response to my Goodbye, Hotmail post. Hadn't realized anyone else had been reading.
3. Speaking of the journal, it's screwed up today. Most of the text from my Mozilla 1.0 Release Candidate 2 post isn't being displayed, and the Goodbye, Hotmail post is screwed up, too. Turned the last third of the post into one big ass link (to an M$ site, no less). Seems to have cut out the middle, and left the two ends. It's interesting, the part of that post that was cut was the part I pasted from Hotmail. Is Micro$oft screwing with my journal?

   I just realized something about the screwed up posts. In both cases, the screw-ups occurred after a link. I went back and checked another post with links in it (The End Days of the RIAA), and it too was screwed up. Yet, the Ramblings of an Idiot (6th Installment) post, which has 12 links in it, is perfectly fine. Wait, I just realized one difference between Ramblings of an Idiot (6th Installment) and the other posts. Ramblings of an Idiot (6th Installment) was posted with IE (5.5), the others with Mozilla (1.0 RC1 and RC2). But why the hell would that make a difference? Certainly Slashdot doesn't have anything against Mozilla (M$, certainly, but not SD).

   This is getting on my nerves. I could be looking at porn right now, but this damn journal bug is bugging the hell out of me. I keep bouncing around between windows, between Mozilla and IE (6). I've been on a few Slashdot pages, checking links. I don't see problems anywhere else. Every other frellin' link seems fine.

   Screw this, time for porn. I'll finish the damned post later.

4. There, that's better. Feel much calmer now. Porn does a body good . . .
5. Day off today, so I can chill and post here. Was going to go see Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones today, but I'm not in the mood right now. My ass always gets sore in theater seats, and today I'm just not in the mood for three hours with my ass hurting. Maybe Thursday (my next day off). It's not that I don't want to see it, of course I do; It's just that I don't want to see it today.
6. Taking finals this week. Two down, one waived, and one to go. Took my CIS 273 (Computer Organization and Design) final Friday; did pretty good on it. Today, at 8:30, I took the MTH 182 (Discrete Structures II) final. Not that hard. And the skipped final was for CIS 280 (Software Analysis and Design). One to go, on Wednesday: PHL 235 (Symbolic Logic). Then the semester's over.
7. Maybe I was a little too optimistic before about the Middle East. Things ain't changing. Another suicide bombing Sunday. Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) claimed responsibility. Had never even heard of the PLFP before.
8. The Cuban embargo is weird. Hasn't even come close to working in the forty years its been in effect. So Bush wants to expand it. Yeah, that makes sense (well, it does if your looking for that Florida Cuban-American vote in 2004). Dat's da vey it iz . . .
9. This stuff about "What Bush knew; when he knew it" is weird. I'm not a big fan of Bush, but I can't point to anything he did wrong with this. In August 2001, no one knew that hijackers would fly planes into buildings. Never been done; never been thought of by anyone outside Al-Qaeda. From what I've heard, it was a generalized type of information. The "something's gonna happen" type of information. Not much to go on; and with no history of attacks on US soil. Knowing what we know now, it's easy to say the info should have come out. Hindsight is 20 - 20.

   However, this whole deal does remind me of Pearl Harbor and FDR. There were questions about when he knew. There were rumors that he let Pearl Harbor get attacked, so the US could get into the war. He wanted the US to fight Hitler's Germany so badly, so the theory goes, he let the Japanese attack happen to pull the US into WWII (When the US declared war on Japan, its ally Germany immediately declared war on the US).

10. Speaking of GWB, ever since the 2000 election began, I've had in the back of my mind the twenty-year curse. Presidents elected in years ending in 0:

    1840: William Henry Harrison: First President to die in office. Died of pneumonia on April 4, 1841, after thirty-one days in office.

    1860: Abraham Lincoln: First President to be assassinated. John Wilkes Booth. April 14, 1865. If you're an American and don't know this, you're an idiot.

    1880: James Garfield: Shot by an attorney who had been turned down for a consular post. Died September 19, 1881.

    1900: William McKinley: Shot in a receiving line at the Buffalo Pan-American Exposition by an anarchist in September, 1901.

    1920: Warren G. Harding: Died of a heart attack in August of 1923. It has been theorized that he was poisoned by his wife.

    1940: Franklin D. Roosevelt: Died of a cerebral hemorrhage on April 12, 1945 at Warm Springs, Georgia.

    1960: John F. Kennedy: November 22, 1963. Dallas, Texas. Lee Harvey Oswald. Need not say more.

    1980: Ronald Reagan: Survived assassination attempt; became first President since 1820 to survive twenty-year curse.

    2000: George W. Bush: Hopefully nothing. But considering history () and current world events, it's certainly possible. I sincerely hope nothing happens.

    The only other President to die in office was Zachary Taylor, in July of 1850.

11. Since I brought up the 2000 election, I wanted to mention something that struck me back in November of 2000: Ever notice how similar the 2000 election map (scroll down a little) is to the map (click to toggle between before/after) after the Kansas-Nebraska Act? You'll notice that the slave states and the popular sovereignty territories correlate to George Bush; and the free states correlate to Al Gore. It's not perfect, but there certainly is a correlation. Anyone who thinks the effects of the Civil War are over is deluding themselves . . .

That's enough rambling for now. I'm getting hungry, and tired. Plus, I can only spout so much stupidity per day; and I've reached my quota.

Update: 11:13 AM -- Tuesday June 04 2002

Links added for Presidents listed (biographies from Whitehouse.gov), and links added for the maps mentioned. Why? Because I figured links might be helpful, and because I'm also bored. So there.

Well, it looks like I'll be ditching my Hotmail account. I was already getting sick of it, what with the constant "Your account is almost full, upgrade to MSN Extra Storage now!" messages. Like I'm gonna pay $19.95 / year for the 10 MB I used to get for free and never used in the first place. And the buttloads of spam. Everything I hate about hotmail, right here:

You are using 20% of your storage.
Get Extra Storage

Message Summary
Inbox 1 (1 new)
Junk Mail 92 (92 new)

Then this today: Microsoft Opts-In Hotmail Users

So, I headed over to Hotmail to check. I went to Options -> Personal Profile to make sure the new boxes were unchecked. However, instead of the Personal Profile page, I got this:

Browser Not Supported
Microsoft® .NET Passport no longer supports the Web browser version you are using. Please upgrade to a current Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 or later, or Netscape Navigator version 4.08 or later.
Member Services | Terms of Use | Privacy Statement
Some elements © 1999 - 2001 Microsoft® Corporation. All rights reserved.

As if Mozilla 1.0 RC2 isn't a current browser. It's only a week old! It's interesting though, of the entire Hotmail site, only two links produced this page when clicked. Personal Profiles and Change Password. Everything else worked just fine.

No matter, I still have IE 6 (I just don't use it). So I went to Options -> Personal Profile with IE, and to be sure, the boxes were checked. Here's the section:

You can speed registration and get personalized services at participating sites by sharing your .NET Passport information with them when you sign in.

Choose how much of your .NET Passport information Microsoft can share with other companies' .NET Passport sites at sign-in:

_Share my e-mail address.
_Share my first and last names.
_Share my other registration information.

Tell me more about .NET Passport, privacy, and security.

The first and third boxes were checked (and nobody told me). I unchecked them, and left. It'll be the last time I use the Hotmail account. Fuck Hotmail, and Fuck Micro$oft.

--Pagsz, World's Angriest Moron, that's me

I got this message when I started up Mozilla today:

Warning! Your copy of Mozilla is vulnerable to a security bug. You should upgrade to Mozilla 1.0 Release Candidate 2 to fix this problem.

So, I did. I didn't even know it had been released (it was released May 10). There wasn't a thing about it on Slashdot. I guess there won't be anything until Mozilla 1.0 comes out for real.

So, why am I posting about this? 'Cause I feel like it. OK, so I'm really killing time while RC2 is downloading (damn you, dial-up!). Twenty-three percent done so far (at 2:02 PM). Says that I have forty-five minutes to go for the rest.

Well, since RC2 will take three quarters of an hour to finish, I'm going to take this opportunity to take a shower (I'm smelly). I'm going to leave this window open, and finish off the post later. I think I'll copy it to a MS Word file just to be safe. There, it's done. Time for my shower (2:05 PM).

---------------------------------

My shower ended at 2:18 PM, but I couldn't get back on until 2:23 PM because my brother was using it (AIM). What ya gonna do. Anyway, RC2 is up to sixty-two percent now (twenty-two minutes to go). I may not be able to install it today. I have to leave at three, and I don't know if I'll have time to run the install. The file will be saved, I'm sure of that; I just don't think I'll have time to actually install RC2. That's all I have to say about that.

Update: 09:12 AM -- Friday May 17 2002

Just installed Mozilla 1.0 Release Candidate 2. Can't wait for 1.0.

Conference Semi-Final Results:

Eastern Conference:

• Carolina Hurricanes def. Montreal Canadiens; 4 - 2
• Toronto Maple Leafs def. Ottawa Senators; 4 - 3

Western Conference:

• Detroit Red Wings def. St. Louis Blues; 4 - 1
• Colorado Avalanche def. San Jose Sharks; 4 - 3

Conference Final Match-ups:

Eastern Conference:

• Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Western Conference:

• Colorado Avalanche vs. Detroit Red Wings

bold: Team with home ice advantage
italics: Team that I'm rootin' for

There's the breakdown in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The only reason I want Toronto to win is to see a Canadian team in the finals. Otherwise, I would root for Carolina. Out west, I'd rather see Hasek get another shot at a cup than see Roy and the Avalanche get a chance to defend. If the pattern from the past couple years holds, though, the Avalanche will lose in the finals:

1999: Dallas Stars def. Buffalo Sabres
2000: New Jersey Devils def. Dallas Stars
2001: Colorado Avalanche def. New Jersey Devils
2002: ?

--Pagsz, World's Smartest Moron

Conference Semi-Final Results:

Eastern Conference:

• New Jersey Nets def. Charlotte Hornets; 4 - 1
• Boston Celtics def. Detroit Pistons; 4 - 1 (Woo-hoo!!)

Western Conference:

• Sacramento Kings def. Dallas Mavericks; 4 - 1
• Los Angeles Lakers def. San Antonio Spurs; 4 - 1

Conference Final Match-ups:

Eastern Conference:

• Boston Celtics vs. New Jersey Nets

Western Conference:

• Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings

bold: Team with home court advantage
italics: Team that I'm rootin' for

So that's the playoff breakdown. It's cool to see the Celtics back in the Eastern Conference finals (first time since 1988). The Nets on the other hand, have never been before.

I wouldn't mind seeing a Lakers-Celtics match-up in the finals (wouldn't that be cool), but I can't bring myself to root for the Lakers.

Go Celtics!!

--Pagsz, World's Smartest Moron

Well, it's that time again. Time to ramble on about nothing, nothing, and yes, more nothing (how you can have more of nothing is beyond me, but . . ). So, here I go . . .

• Just realized during my last journal post (American Imperialism: A History of Hypocrisy) that I could use the paragraph tag instead of two line breaks. Took me, what, three months to figure that out? Talk about slow . . .
• I've got a cut on the middle finger of my left hand. Makes it a bit difficult to type with my little home-made bandage (toilet paper and Scotch tape) on it. Keep hitting the wrong keys, then having to backspace and fix it. Oh, well.
• The news out of the Middle East has been a bit more hopeful in the past few days. Looks like Arafat is finally condemning the suicide attacks against Israelis (civilians, anyway). It also looks like he may begin enacting some reforms within the Palestinian Authority, including elections.

  Here's my take on Arafat: he does whatever is necessary to survive. When it suits him, he supports attacks. Having come under intense international pressure, and having Israel refuse to deal with him, he has been forced to change his position to retain his position. Elections are not dangerous to him now, after the siege at Ramallah; he's more popular than ever. Luckily, it seems that what he needs to do to survive and what needs to be done to move towards peace are the same (or at least similar). If that situation holds, we may finally be able to get something going over there.

  But, of course, there is still Hamas, the leader of which has declared the bombings will continue until the Israeli occupation ends. However, as I understand it, when most people refer to the Israeli occupation, they mean the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Hamas means those areas plus Israel proper.

• Couple of things that I've decided:
  1. Marriage is not sacred. Love is. The place I see the "marriage is sacred" argument most is when it comes to same-sex marriages. Opponents of it always point to the "sanctity of marriage" in their opposition. Bull. Marriage is a social contract, not a sacred bond. The actual sacred bond is love. Remember, marriage for love is a relatively new concept. Back in the olden days, marriages were arranged; mostly for social reasons. Very often marriages were set up to improve a family's social standing. This is not to say marriage is not important in a social sense. As a social institution, marriage is a necessity. It helps to promote stable relationships, and allows the couple to be treated as such on a government level (it allows a person to legally be a part of the spouse's family, whereas otherwise direct blood ties are needed). But it is not sacred.

     As well as being a social contract, it is a social statement. It is a declaration before man and God of the love that the couple shares. This in itself is important, but not sacred.

     Love is love, whether it be between a man and a woman, two men, or two women. The marriage is not what's important, the love is.

  2. One of the weirder things that I've heard in the recent Middle East mess is the position of the religious right. Some in this camp support Israel not because they have any real care for the people thereof; instead because they believe that a free and secure Israel (including ancient Judea) is necessary for the Second Coming of Christ. When the Mid-East crisis is settled, Christ can come back and bring Armageddon. Strange, but true.

     Here's my position on all of this: He ain't coming back any time soon. According to the Book of Revelations (if I'm not mistaken) after the end will come the redemption of mankind, and the world of plenty; with plenty for all and scarcity for none, or something like that. Even if you believe this, I submit this idea: We are not ready for such a world. Think about it. Say the world ends tomorrow, and the day after paradise is created. What then? Will there still be psychopaths? Yes, because many mental disorders are genetically based. Will there still be pedophiles? Yes, because this too, is rooted in genetics. Will there still be greed? Will people still steal? Will husbands still cheat on wives (and vice versa)? Will there still be murder? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Why? Because it's basic human nature. Nothing will change. So, we start over. New nations will form. New wars will be fought. New legends made. New prophecies foretold. New world, same problems. We are who we are; we are what we are. That ain't changing anytime soon.

     Say He does come back. Say, He was born yesterday, somewhere in war-torn Bethlehem. And a Christian (odd when you think about it, He would be raised to worship Himself). Thirty years later, in 2032, He begins His ministry. Will Christians take notice? Will they flock to Him, to be reminded of what we have forgotten over the years? Or will He be ignored by the majority, thought a crackpot or a lunatic? Will the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, or any Protestant Church accept these new teachings? Or see them as a threat to their entrenched power? Will our expectations of what He is supposed to bring get in the way of our acceptance of Him? In other words, if He doesn't live up to our expectations, will he be rebuffed?

     A little history lesson. First-century, AD. The Jews are awaiting their Messiah; to come and save them. They expect that the Messiah will come, defeat God's enemies, and bring God's Kingdom to Earth (sound familiar?). Along comes Jesus. The details of His birth fit the prophecies. Is He the Messiah? He, at age thirty, begins his ministry. He begins teaching; along with a small band of followers. But He does not fit expectations. He is not a warrior king, as most expected. He comes not to smite God's enemies, but to remind God's children of the basic truths that they have forgotten. His teachings threaten the entrenched power base, and He is rejected my most. To protect themselves, Jewish leaders hand him over to the Romans . . .

     Get my point?

  3. I'm going to go have lunch right now

See you later,
--Pagsz, World's Smartest Moron

Well, it's two and a half hours later (11:30 for the addition-impaired), and again, I don't really have anything to do. My first class of the day (Discrete Structures II, MTH 182) ended about 40 minutes ago. My second class (Software Organization & Design, CIS 280) doesn't start until 2:00. So, I headed directly to the computer lab, and, lacking something to do, decided to post a journal entry. Why the hell not?

So, on to the bulleted list of moronic crap!

• Seems a little weird now that the semester is winding down (I mentioned this before, in RoaI(3I)). Had gotten used to the rhythm of the semester, and things are now changing. Only one week of classes left. Then finals.
  
  Schedule works out great, though. I'm going to a Boston Red Sox game on Thursday, May 16, which happens to be the day off between the end of classes and the beginning of finals. Just luck.
• Just had to switch browsers in the middle of the post. I'd been using the back button a bit, going back and checking things. For some reason Netscape 6.1 would give me a blank page every time I used it. It was beginning to get annoying, so I switched over to IE 5.5. I try to use IE as little as possible, but Netscape was pissing me off. Thank God for cut-and-paste.
• The state of Massachusetts. I'm beginning to find out how screwed up things are in this state. Here's why:
  1. Taxation vs. Spending: Massachusetts is well known for having some of the highest tax rates in the nation (that's why it's often referred to as Taxachusetts). And yet, this same state is near the bottom in spending on higher education. As of 1999, 45th out of 50 in higher education spending. Similar ranking on a per-student basis. And dead last in the nation for increase in higher education spending for the next fiscal year (a 6.2% cut). The secondary schools (Elementary: K - 5; Junior: 6 - 8; High: 9 - 12) aren't exactly getting top notch funding, either. Some memories from my high school (Case High, Swansea): Half the lockers didn't open. Luckily, there were enough for twice the student population. One bank of lockers was beginning to fall out of the wall. Half the lights were left off to conserve energy. Plus other things I can't think of right now. Then there's Durfee, in Fall River. At the beginning of this year, there were three bathrooms open for a population of three thousand students. One for boys, two for girls. Couldn't afford to watch and clean the other seventeen (students were smokin' in 'em). Getting away from schools, roads: If I'm not mistaken, Massachusetts is ranked near the bottom in this category as well (no better than 40th, I believe). I still remember the Fall River Government Center / Route 79 debacle. See, the Fall River Government Center is built over an interstate highway (I - 195). Last year, a few cement tiles from the bottom of the GC fell onto the roadway below. Shortly later, a few pieces of concrete fell onto the Rte. 79 roadway (from a different overhead bridge, but nearby). Thankfully, there were no major injuries. Well taken care of roads, to be sure. So where's all this money going? The Big Dig can't be taking up that much damn money.
  2. The Governor and the Stock Market: A few years ago, in 1998, the governor of Massachusetts put money that was earmarked for a bridge project into the stock market. The market was going strong, and as of yet the bridge project was stalled. So he put some of the money into the stock market (I forget how much). Well, it was found out a few months later, and pulled out of the stock market. There was a newspaper article on in, but that's about it. As for the bridge, construction began in the summer of 2001, and is expected to be complete by 2006.
  3. Late Night at the Statehouse: I remember about a year back, there was a resolution passed in the Massachusetts state legislature banning sessions from going all night. You see, the legislature of the state had gotten a reputation for pulling all-nighters in the statehouse, and not always to pass legislation if you get my drift. Parties at the statehouse on taxpayer dollars. Here, and I thought Ted Kennedy served the state from Washington.
  4. . . . and this is what's known . . .

  And people think Rhode Island politics are screwed up, what with the Plunderdome thing and all (For those that don't know: Providence, RI mayor Buddy Cianci on trial on federal racketeering charges. Eighteen charges for him personally; and already a few arrests from within the statehouse). Politics are fun!

• Enough politics for now . . . Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones is released a week from tomorrow (May 16, 2002 for idiots). I'll probably see it the following Monday (May 20, 2002). I can't get there the 16th (going to a ball game), and don't want to. I'd rather go a couple of days after, when the initial rush is over. I'll just have to make sure to ignore any reviews on Slashdot those couple of days.
• IE 5.5 just crashed. I had two windows open, one for this and one for my Hotmail account. The latter crashed. Never mind. Just slow as hell.
• Started a diet. Been on it for two weeks now. Trying that Atkins diet (you now, all the fat you want but no carbohydrates). Figured I'd try it. Lost a little weight already. Trying to get my bulbous ass down below 300. Why am I writing this here? Because I know no one will read it. And any that might don't know me. So, what the hell.
• Been at this for about an hour and a half already (it's now 12:53). What, you thought these winding, rambling, idiotic posts just showed up at the time listed below the subject? Silly puppy, it takes a little bit of time to cram all this stupidity into a little text box. Never mind the necessary speel chocking. I've also been doing other things; checking e-mail (Hotmail and University Mail), and crud like that. Don't pressure me!
• You know, I should download that spell-checking plug-in for Mozilla. Would be a lot easier than pasting back and forth with MS Word to use its spell checker. Maybe the EnigMail plug-in as well. I'm getting tired of doing it that way. Especially when these dumb-ass posts start to get a little long.
• And now, for no reason, ten random links:
  1. Coffe Break Arcade
  2. Coming Attractions by Corona
  3. Mozilla
  4. The Evil Empire
  5. Red Hat
  6. Pagsz's [lame] Website
  7. Think Geek
  8. CmdrTaco's Site
  9. Star Wars
  10. For the Love of God DO NOT CLICK THIS LINK!

  There you go. Another complete waste of time. That last one is not a joke. Don't click it. Trust me.

• Hey, look! Now it's 1:23 (I love that). Only another half hour to kill!
• This is beginning to get boring. However, I still have nothing better to do. So, stupidity ho! Wait, check that. I just figured out something else I can do to kill time. Go to the bathroom (No. 2)!

Well, that's it. Nature calls. I've emptied by brain of crap, now it's time to do the same with my colon. Bathroom ho!
--Pagsz, World's Most Constipated (Mentally) Moron

Got a little bit of time this morning, and have some ideas I want "written down." So, here I go:

• Spider-Man sequels. I saw a mention of this in the discussion of CmdrTaco's review of Spider-Man. Venom was mentioned. While Venom would make for a great movie villain, he couldn't appear until Spider-Man 3 at the earliest. Spider-Man 2 would set up Spider-Man 3 by including the alien suit. In addition, you would have one of Spidey's villains making merry. It would make a great plot-line, watching Spidey dealing with both the alien suit and the villain (let's say, for the "sake of argument," Doc Oc. There could be a scene where he comes to the brink of killing him, and has to hold himself back from the suit's influence. Perhaps a minor villain would be more appropriate, giving more time and credence to the alien suit angle. It would be a little difficult to set up, but it should make for an excellent Spider-Man 2, and then a great Spider-Man 3 featuring Venom as the villain. That would make for one kick-ass Spider-Man trilogy.
• Got a job at Wal-Mart this week. Need money. Must . . . work! Oh, well, I've held out this long, I guess I gotta buckle down and join the workforce (shudder).
• Had a little trouble with my car yesterday. Overheated on my way to get gas. Radiator was almost empty, and the fan belt is going. Man, I gotta pay attention to these things. Anyway, my car is out of commission for the day.
• I never thought I'd say this about a man of God, but Bernard Cardinal Law (of Boston) is one slimy bastard. Refusing to step down, after years of complicity. Acting like he's part of the solution, when he was the problem for years. Blaming the victims (his defense in court). What an ass.
• How 'bout those mailbox pipe-bombs? Just heard someone was arrested on it (just now on MSNBC). 21-year old, a student at U. of Wisconsin. Arrested in Nevada.
• Two more suicide bombings in Israel yesterday. One killed 16, the other went off early and hurt only the bomber (so I've heard). Sharon is headed back to Israel early. Looks like Arafat may be expelled from the West Bank, and / or the Gaza strip will be invaded. Plus, there was a suicide bombing outside a hotel in Pakistan. Pakistan. Ay caramba! Will this madness ever end?

Well, that's all I have time for right now. My half-hour is up. Gotta go take a shower, get ready for my first class at 10:00. I said pretty much everything I want to say, so see you later.

--Pagsz, World's Smartest Moron

Update: 11:52 AM -- Friday May 10 2002

About Luke Helder, the mailbox pipe-bomber. He has already admitted to placing the bombs, and from what I've heard, he was trying to make a smiley-face pattern with the bombs. That's why you had the two circles in Iowa and Nebraska (the eyes). He was just starting on the smile when he got caught. Weird stuff, to be sure.

--Pagsz, World's Smartest Moron

[Disclaimer: To be perfectly honest, I've never actually read the Spider-Man comics. But the story has become a part of the American Lexicon, and I saw every episode of the cartoon that Fox ran on Saturday mornings a few years back (the theme still in my head as I walked into the theater). Just thought I should be up-front about it.]

Just saw Spider-Man tonight (left the theater only a half-hour ago, in fact), and I must say, it is a great movie. Spider-Man done right. What impresses me most is that now, shortly after seeing the movie, I remember the plot more than the action sequences. That's not to say the action wasn't good, because it was very good. But it didn't dominate. It didn't carry the film. The story could do that on its own. OK, I admit, part of the reason the plot stands out in my mind more than the action is because I already knew the first half of the movie. But here's the real point: I didn't walk out of the theater with the action scenes in my mind. I walked out thinking: "They got it right ." That's what impressed me the most.

Toby Maguire was perfect in the role as Peter Parker, and equally up to the task as the webslinger himself. He captures the surprise as he discovers his powers; Peter's love for Mary Jane (the girl, not the drug), and the smart-ass nature of Spider-Man perfectly.

The sequence where he's mastering his powers is cool, especially his first awkward websling. The sequence in which Uncle Ben is killed (before and after) is done perfectly, including that first awkward websling. The "under-appreciated hero" angle is played just right, beginning to end.

Another thought: Although admittedly I haven't been to the theaters much lately, I'd venture to say that this is the first film to use The Matrix-style slowdowns right (since The Matrix, naturally, and not in parody). It was perfect for showing off his "Spider-Sense," allowing you to get a sense of that ultra-fast reaction time.

There were a couple of times during the movie that Superman came to mind. One, of course, was intrinsic to the story: the death of Ben Parker. I couldn't help but think back to the death of Clark's father in Superman. The whole "death of a loved one turned inspiration" angle. In Spider-Man it was an essential part of the character and the comic, in Superman it was thrown in for dramatic effect (Never read Superman, either, but the movie was the only adaptation I'd seen where his father died). The other thing was the way the plot was laid out. Couldn't be helped, in both cases, the back-story had to be handled first. In both films, the costumed hero didn't show up into halfway through, and then they dealt with the villain. Speaking of Superman comparisons, Maguire was better suited to the "regular guy" roles than Christopher Reeve. Reeve made for an awfully big and chiseled nerd. As Superman, he was perfectly suited. Maguire provided a better balance (helped by the fact that Spidey wears a mask).

To sum it up: I loved the movie, want to see it again, will buy it on DVD, am already looking forward to a sequel, and will probably start buying the comics.

Random theater thoughts:

1. My one problem with the movie: Sitting in a theater seat for two hours. My ass always gets sore in those seats, without fail. Oh, well, the movie was good enough that I didn't really care until it was time to get up anyway.
2. I mentioned in my Ramblings of an Idiot (3rd Installment) (scroll down, asshole, you don't need a link) that I didn't want to see anything that had to do with Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones before seeing the actual movie. Well, unfortunately a trailer for Episode II played before Spider-Man. Suddenly became harder to avoid. Anyway, it looks like it's gonna kick ass. It looks like it will have that darker edge to it, more like Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Plus action and Jedis up the wazoo (Not a good place to store your Jedis, is it?).
3. I've never seen a movie in the theater more than once (like I said in RoaI(3I), I don't go much at all), but this movie is good enough that I want to go back. I thought I would feel like this three years ago when Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace was released. I didn't. It wasn't worth paying the admission price twice. I knew I'd watch it again, but not in a theater. I'm gonna see Spider-Man in the theater again.
4. The theater I went to misprinted the tickets. The ticket said "Spider-Man 3", meaning on screen three. It was for the 5:30 show. I walked in at 5:15, and immediately noticed that this showing was already in progress. I left, noticed the times posted outside the door, and realized it should have said "Spider-Man 1", because the 5:30 showing was there, on screen one. Luckily, the mix-up didn't spoil anything for me (I didn't see or hear enough).
5. The theater was only half full today. Just goes to show you. Don't go opening day. Go opening day + three.
6. $4.75 ticket. I love matinees.
7. Hulk: Summer, 2003. Suddenly seems like I'm going to be going to the theater more.

Well, that's all I really have to say. In case anyone who hasn't seen the movie is reading this (about the same chance as Bill Gates releasing the Longhorn source code under the GPL), I avoided spoilers. This is a review; not a summary.

Goodnight!
--Pagsz, World's Smartest Moron

Hmmmm . . . two Ramblings of an Idiot installments in a row? Something must be wrong with me . . .

• Semester's winding down. Only two weeks of classes left, and then finals (Gaaaaaah!). Then a summer of fun, frolic, and other such nonsense. Ah, to be young (and stupid).
• Made a decision regarding Slashdot subscriptions. As George H.W. Bush once said: "Naa gonna do it." To be perfectly honest, the ads don't bother me. They aren't intrusive, and aren't all flashy, and aren't so ugly as to make me puke. In short, I can live with them.
• How 'bout the stuff going on in the Catholic Church? Hoo boy, they in a crapload of trouble. The biggest problem with the CC that I see (as a non-Catholic) is the "traditional" nature of the church. It is very much still a medieval institution: secretive, strictly hierarchical, and dogmatic. It seems to me that the church needs to make a distinction between traditions and anachronisms. Celibate priests, male-only clergy, and the secretive, protective nature of the clergy are practices that seem to me to be squarely in the second category. But, then, that's just my opinion. What do I know?
• Watched Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi on Fox last night. Goddamn commercials! I hate thee so! Oh, well, I'll just buy the trilogy.
• Speaking of commercials, was quote by Turner's CEO ridiculous or what? That you are somehow contractually obligated to watch commercials, and using a PVR that skips them is stealing? Have you ever heard something so ridiculous. As Mike Tyson once said "This is ludicrous." What a load of bull. Such is the corporate world . . .
• "Wasted away in Margaritaville; searching for my lost shaker of salt"
• I was going to do a May Day post (on May 1st, for those who don't know), but I don't really know enough about it to put together anything of consequence (I could have researched it a little, but there's TV to watch! Ah, maybe next year).
• I mentioned in the last Ramblings of an Idiot installment that I may only see one movie (in a theater) this year (Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones). Forgot about Spider-Man. Gotta see that too. These are two movies that have to be seen in a theater. Other summer movies are that way too, but most of them are crap I'm not interested in.
• How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
  As much wood as a woodchuck could if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
  Obvious, really.
• Thank God it's Friday. Really looking forward to the weekend. Just feel like kicking back and relaxing. Just three more hours on campus (as of this sentence, 12:04:15 Post-Meridian), and then my weekend begins. As Homer Simpson once said: "Woo-hoo!"
• So, you're probably wondering, what's with all the pointless quotes? That's just the mood I'm in. Get used to it.
• Might as well mention The X-Files. Only three (?) episodes left now. I didn't really watch the beginning of this season, I had started to lose interest in the series late in Season 8. Well, I'm watching again . . . "I try to get out, but they keep pulling me back in" (Don't remember where that one comes from. I'm sure it's from one of Al Pacino's movies, but I can't remember which one. Could it be from one of the Godfather movies? I don't remember hearing it, but then again I never saw The Godfather, Part III). Anyway, it'll probably be the last three times I watch The X-Files. I never really liked watching it in reruns, and after these last three, that's all there will be.
• Speaking of Fox shows, it looks like The Simpsons will wrap up soon. It's lost a little bit lately, but that's to be expected. You can't keep a show at the level The Simpsons hit forever. There have been some hints dropped into a couple of the episodes this season, so it seems that Season 12 will be the last. Maybe with The Simpsons out of the way, Futurama will get its chance. Yeah, right. As if the execs at Fox would think that clearly ("No Simpsons? How about When Goldfish Attack?").
• Hombre, necesito pensar en una manera mejor de matar a tiempo. . .
• So, how 'bout the NBA playoffs? Good game last night between the Indiana Pacers and the New Jersey Nets. Could not believe that Reggie Miller hit that three at the buzzer (actually, after, but . . .). Double overtime. Nets move on.
  
  First Round Results (as of 1:00 PM, May 3, 2002):
  
  Eastern Conference:
  • New Jersey Nets def. Indiana Pacers; 3 - 2
  • Detroit Pistons def. Toronto Raptors; 3 - 2
  • Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers; 2 - 2
  • Charlotte Hornets def. Orlando Magic; 3 - 1

  
  Western Conference:

  • Sacramento Kings def. Utah Jazz, 3 - 1
  • San Antonio Spurs vs. Seattle Sonics; 2 - 2
  • Los Angeles Lakers def. Portland Trail Blazers; 3 - 0
  • Dallas Mavericks def. Minnesota Timberwolves; 3 - 0

  Conference Semi-Final Match-ups:
  
  Eastern Conference:

  • Charlotte Hornets vs. New Jersey Nets
  • Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers vs. Detroit Pistons

  
  Western Conference:

  • Dallas Mavericks vs. Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs or Seattle Supersonics vs. Los Angeles Lakers

  Original Seeding:
  
  Eastern Conference:

  1. New Jersey Nets
  2. Detroit Pistons
  3. Boston Celtics
  4. Charlotte Hornets
  5. Orlando Magic
  6. Philadelphia 76ers
  7. Toronto Raptors
  8. Indiana Pacers

  Western Conference:

  1. Sacramento Kings
  2. San Antonio Spurs
  3. Los Angeles Lakers
  4. Dallas Mavericks
  5. Minnesota Timberwolves
  6. Portland Trail Blazers
  7. Seattle Supersonics
  8. Utah Jazz
• One complaint with the NBA playoffs: the length of the first round is just ridiculous. It'll take thirteen days to complete. Thirteen. The Winter Olympics took sixteen. All to stretch out that TV dollar.
• On to the NHL . . .
  
  First Round Results:
  
  Eastern Confernece:
  • Montreal Canadiens def. Boston Bruins; 4 - 2 (Damn!)
  • Ottawa Senators def. Philadelphia Flyers; 4 - 1
  • Carolina Hurricanes def. New Jersey Devils; 4 - 2
  • Toronto Maple Leafs def. New York Islanders; 4 - 3

  
  Western Conference:

  • Detroit Red Wings def. Vancouver Canucks, 4 - 2
  • Colorado Avalanche def. Los Angeles Kings; 4 - 3
  • San Jose Sharks def. Phoenix Coyotes; 4 - 1
  • St. Louis Blues def. Chicago Blackhawks; 4 - 1

  Conference Semi-Final Match-ups:
  
  Eastern Conference:

  • Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
  • Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs;

  Western Conference:

  • St. Louis Blues vs. Detroit Red Wings
  • San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche

  Original Seeding:
  
  Eastern Conference:

  1. Boston Bruins
  2. Philadelphia Flyers
  3. Carolina Hurricanes
  4. Toronto Maple Leafs
  5. New York Islanders
  6. New Jersey Devils
  7. Ottawa Senators
  8. Montreal Canadiens

  Western Conference:

  1. Detroit Red Wings
  2. Colorado Avalanche
  3. San Jose Sharks
  4. St. Louis Blues
  5. Chicago Blackhawks
  6. Phoenix Coyotes
  7. Los Angeles Kings
  8. Vancouver Canucks
• Don't like sports? I don't care! Its my journal and I'll post what I want to . . .

Well, that's it for this installment of Ramblings of an Idiot (I've accomplished my purpose, I've killed enough time to get to my last class of the day). See you later!

--Pagsz, World's Smartest Moron

Update: 09:21 AM -- Saturday May 04 2002

Friday's NBA Playoffs Results:

• Boston Celtics def Philadelphia 76ers, 120 - 87; win series 3 - 2.
• San Antonio Spurs def. Seattle Supersonics 101 - 78; win series 3 - 2.

Completed Conference Semi-Final Match-ups:

Eastern Conference:

• Charlotte Hornets vs. New Jersey Nets
• Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons

Western Conference:

• Dallas Mavericks vs. Sacremento Kings
• Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs

Enjoy the Conference Semi-Finals. Go Celtics!

--Pagsz, World's Smartest Moron