Actually, I'd rather have a racist president than one ignorant of technology. At least, if he was racist, nothing he could possibly do in that regard would get through congress. Of course, I am white (I believe the technical term is pasty), so from where I stand, controlling and restricting the use and freedoms of the internet and other devices seems like a far bigger deal. I happen to feel that, these days, those that are racist are in the minority and often come off looking worse, because of it. But yes, a lot about him bothers me. I'm with you in hoping for some truly solid republican candidate. Sadly, they've chased away two of my three preferred runners. Ron Paul is all that's left-- and he's greatly considered a 'nutjob'.

When Gingrich dove head first into the presidential race, my dad was all aglow about him. "Finally, a president that knows how to work the system to get stuff done!" And I looked into it, and he was absolutely right. And thus, I won't be voting for Gingrich. It's not that he's not a good politician-- he's a very good politician. But that's what's bad about him. I don't want another system president. The problem with our government (and country) are the systems, and until they're broken and remade/reworked, we're going to continue to spiral downward. The fact that the democrats are doing this shows just how retarded and corrupt that system has become. It also shows how ignorant Gingrich is to technology. If he was serious about his presidency he would have at least reserved that domain-- though I don't just blame him, but his campaign manager. Gingrich does show that he has a 'good ole boy' mentality in this fail, however. Still, any manager these days should know how important the internet is to gathering any data about a candidate. There's really no excuse-- the second I was brought in to consider managing a campaign I would have locked up every newt/gangrich/dot/whatever domain I could find.

Look up the Celebration to Mithras, and Saturnalia. Christmas Trees were brought into the house and set up with baubles and lights to attract the faery and other kin folk so they'd have a nice warm place to reside during the bitter winter months. Candles and fires were lit as a symbolic gesture to entice the sun to return back to the world. December 25th was used because it coinsided with so many pagan traditions around that time-- but it was not the equinox. Christianity could not kill enough pagans to force people to cease their pagan rites. So they did what almost every conquering society did since the beginning of time-- they took in some traditions and made them theirs, and called it theirs, and after a couple generations people didn't know that they weren't. Usurping traditions and beliefs was very much easier when people didn't know how to read or write.

Maybe they're not afraid, or changing tactics, or gonna lay low for a while then rise up again. Maybe, if they are leaving, they just got bored? Trolling is only fun for a small while, and, then, only when you're the one doing the trolling. Once people bigger and stronger than you start to push their weight, it quickly becomes tedious and boring. They had their 15 minutes. They were, at their pinnacle, one of the most popular "organizations" in the world-- for months. Now they're bored. Their need for popularity has been satiated. Time to go. They'll still be there. They'll still hack. I doubt this is the end. In a year they'll start remembering all the shit they caused and get to wondering if they could do it again. It's possible that some of them won't want to come back cause they'll have moved on, and that's probably when they'll turn the others in. Boredom is a powerful motivator.

While I did graduate from High School, I didn't get through college. The university I was going to (UTSA) decided to cancel the program I was just about to head into right before my Junior year. I came home intending to spend a semester working and gathering myself before heading back to school. While home, I got a job entering legal information for an Oil and Gas Contracting company-- easy and simple. Yet that job soon ended, and I tagged on with the next, where I got to start working more in depth with leases. Didn't have enough experience, so I got on as a scanner where I'm currently employed (and typing). It didn't require much technical experience, but I still learned. A year later I was promoted to a Lease Specialist. Four years later, I'm still working for that same company. I have a job, and it pays pretty well. I have full benefits. Never graduated from school-- Why would I quit a good job to go to school for the chance to get a good job? They've since hired two college grads that at the time made more than me, straight out of school. I've gotten promoted since, however, where they are waiting for their experience to equal their titles.. But given the economy, and some problems with other workers, we haven't hired anyone with less than 10 years experience, full time, in 3 years. I've since spoken with numerous other Managers who said they'd hire me on the spot. I have 5 years of experience in a field, where there's a fairly steep learning curve (not that most people here couldn't do it). But it's been my experience that experience > college. I've had several friends get college degrees, and they're working at best buy, and at starbucks-- one at an Old Navy. A couple of them try to get into other businesses, but no one will hire them. While the degree thing may have been important a few years ago, I believe, these days, its importance has been dramatically reduced. People would hire someone with 4 years technical experience, than someone with a bachlors degree and none. And if you have 8-10 years experience, that looks pretty good when compared to a candedate with a graduates degree. And saves you the paying back of the loans.