Not my first choice of bands, but tonight we went to see the "Indigo Girls". My GF picked up the tickets, and no she's not a lesbian, although her gay friend from college also went along.

You may be asking "Jeff, were there a lot of lesbians there". My answer to you would be a resounding "Yes!" All of the lesbians for a 10 mile radius around Reading PA were probably there. There was a pair of cute ones sitting in front of me. There were also a lot of scary scary ones with short spiky bleached blond hair.

The Indigo Girls put on a pretty good show. Next up for me, John Mayer next week. I am going to see The Alarm the week after that. I saw The Alarm on VH1s Bands Reunited and I'm not sure if those are the guys who are touring.

I've just started playing around with the world of RSS and I found this fun little test.

Here it is the Libertarian Purity Test.

I'll post my score below in the comments.

I have had some good luck submitting stories to the main page. Out of 34 submissions, 3 have been accepted. There are two more accepted prior to that I think they were removed from my history in a /. database crash prior to August 2001.

I found this article on quieting your PC and I've determined to do something about my noisy home desktop. I'm gonna order some fans and a new heatsink this week then I found this article. I have to check the case when I get home tonight before I order.

Here is what I submitted.

Information Week has a very informative article on cooling your PC quietly. Some interesting points of this article are that two fans can be quieter than one, bigger fans are better, and that most BIOS features to cut noise have sound tradeoffs of their own. There's some free tools listed in the article to monitor your sytem temperatures as well. The article is in two parts, part 1 and part 2.

Update: Wow, that was quick. Rejected within about 5 minutes.

I'm sad. The lump they removed from my grandmother's breast on Tuesday turned out to be cancerous. They are doing a mastsecomy, removing the lymph nodes and then sending her to an oncologist for follow-up.

The Dr. said it is stage one and hasn't spread. The oncologist will determine if she needs chemo or radiation.

It brings back memories of my grandfather and his death from lung cancer in 1995.

My company has a slew of job openings in the Southeastern PA area, specifically Exton. Here is a bunch of the non-aerospace ones. They also have many openings for people with Aerospace skills. I make a referal fee on these, my email is in my profile.

---------------------------------
System/Network Administrator -TS7
The System/Network Administrator will administer the company systems, networks, and related hardware and software systems in a Windows environment. This person must be a self-starter and possess competitive technical and communication skills to carry out his/her job assignments. The successful candidate is expected to have at least three (3) years of solid working experience in the networking related field. The essential job duties of this position are:

To set up, configure, maintain & troubleshoot new and existing system/network environment.
To support internal and external user community for resolving computer S/W, H/W, and LAN/WAN related issues
To audit system/network security.
To monitor and fine tune performance at all system/network levels.
Occasional travel may be required
Required Skills:
Solid working experience in administering Microsoft Windows based systems, DHCP, DNS, E-mail service, and Networking.
Competitive knowledge and practices of routing, server, and network security principles.
Familiar with network protocols, technologies, and services.
Hands-on experience with LAN/WAN designs and implementations.
Required Certifications:
Cisco CCNP or CCIE
Desirable Certifications:
Microsoft MCP, MCSE
Cisco CCSP
ISC CISSP
All other certifications pertaining to system & network and recognized by the industry.

---------------------------------------
Sr. Business Analyst - BA1
Work with all business departments and team members to analyze, design, document and implement solutions to business challenges. Strengths include communication, organization and cross-functional business and application knowledge.

Core Responsiblities:

Interface with business stakeholders to determine needs, define objectives, gain acceptance and assist in the implementation of systems.
Document business requirements and translate requirements into detailed functional specifications.
Research and document both current and future business processes (workflows).
Identify areas of the client organization that will become more efficient through re-engineering.
Evaluate, recommend and implement strategies for process re-engineering.
Assist with the determination of project scope, objectives, risks, cost/benefit and documentation.
Assist with the management of the scope throughout the project and identify, report, and manage any issues that might impact the plan.
Identify issues and alternative solutions for planned projects to avoid negative impact to the business.
Required Skills:
Minimum of 5 years business analysis experience.
Solid understanding of all phases of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) and software development methodology(s).
Demonstrated programming and system analysis ability, data gathering techniques, management information systems design
Ability to interact with all levels of technical and non-technical personnel.
Ability to meet deadlines while managing multiple priorities and complex projects.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Experience with CRM systems. ONYX experience a plus.
Knowledge of software language and software tools a plus.
Must be able to work independently with minimal supervision and work under tight deadlines.
Requires a high level of analytical ability - financial or statistical analysis background required.
MS Office, and project planning tools (i.e. MS Project) is preferred.
EOE

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

Jr. DBA/Developer - BA2
Location: Exton, PA Responsibilities of the position are to support several systems managed by the Business Applications Department, with an emphasis on development of the corporate CRM system, Onyx. The candidate must have good communications skills, be self-motivated and enjoy a small-team environment. Core Responsiblities: Development of application based on user-defined requirements. Interview, analyze workflow and user requirements, identify and create specifications, code, test and document. Troubleshoot and resolve application issues. Knowledge and experience with TSQL. Create/manage system tables, views, stored procedures, and triggers. Manage application permissions and security. Build Excel spreadsheets that contain live links to SQL Server data. Report progress and status of assigned tasks to project teams and manager. Stay current and knowledgeable with technical tools, methodologies and techniques. Required Skills: 4-year college degree in Computer Science. Minimum 2 years experience application development Detail-oriented, results-driven and possess strong communication skills. Experience developing WEB based applications using Microsoft technology. Required skills include HTML, JavaScript, VBScript, XML, COM, ASP, Stylesheets, Cold Fusion. Onyx or Cognos experience a plus. EOE

------------------------------------
Senior Software Engineer - DV7
The senior software engineer will be involved in the engineering design and development of our suite of software products, including unit testing and system integration testing, playing a key role in the Product Development team.

Role/Responsibilities

Design, document and implement functional requirements for the relevant project/product.
Unit testing of the implemented functionality, automating any/all of it if possible, for future regression testing needs.
Mentor/guide junior engineers and help create a strong product development team.
Qualifications
5+ years experience in engineering design and development. Work experience in a product environment a plus.
Database experience, specifically database design and integrating products with databases.
Experience with socket protocols (TCP/IP), real-time data processing, etc. a plus
Expert level competence in C in and/or C++ (or other OO languages); knowledge of MFC; OO design using UML a plus.
An engineering degree with computer science experience preferred.
Motivated and energetic; team player.
US citizen

----------------------------------
Software Engineer - DV9
The software engineer will be involved in the development of our suite of software products, including unit testing and system integration testing, playing a key role in the Product Development team.

Role/Responsibilities

Implement functional requirements for the relevant project/product. Documenting said functionality.
Unit testing of the implemented functionality, automating any/all of it if possible, for future regression testing needs.
Being an active team member and to ensure the success of projects will be one of the fundamental responsibilities.
Qualifications
0-5 years experience in engineering development, specifically in C and/or C++ (or any other OO language)
Knowledge of MFC, HTML & Scripting (JavaScript, VBScript) a plus.
Experience with socket protocols (TCP/IP), real-time data processing, etc. a plus
An engineering degree with computer science experience preferred; recent college graduates are welcome to apply.
Motivated and energetic; team player.
US citizen

--------------------------------------
3D Programmer-DV14
Responsibilities: Provide 3D programming and product development support to our line of products. Work closely with product development teams in integrating and developing state-of-the-art 3D capabilities.

Qualifications

BS Computer Science or equivalent required
OpenGL programming
Clearances required
C/C++ programming
Familiar with Component Object Model (COM) objects with Visual C++ and the Microsoft
Foundation Class Library (MFC).
Math oriented including matrix manipulation and quaternions
Familiar with general and OpenGL code optimization
Familiar with 3D terrain algorithms
Familiar with current video game rendering techniques
Familiar with OpenGL 2.0, Cg, vertex shaders, pixel shaders, vertex arrays with AGP EOE
US citizen

------------------------------------------
Web Developer - MK1
This highly organized individual will be required to use problem-solving and computer science skills to perform day-to-day web site updates and develop new web applications to improve existing business processes through the use of Web technology. You must demonstrate an active understanding of Web site form and function, combining strong technical skills with an emphasis on user-friendliness and accessibility. You will need to ensure consistency in templates and graphical elements and utilize site-wide color and typeface standards. You will be required to stay up-to-date on standards and best practices of Web site development, and research new products and determine which tools and utilities are most applicable to the Web management environment.

Specific Qualifications include:

3-5 years of work experience performing Web application development using ColdFusion and SQL
Strong Web development skills and demonstrated proficiency in ColdFusion 5/MX, Javascript, MS SQL 2000, HTML, DHTML, XML technologies
Understanding of Web site file organization, Web site performance issues, Web site construction tools (HomeSite, Dreamweaver, ColdFusion Studio), Web servers, and integration concepts.
Strong work ethic, positive attitude, and a desire to work in a challenging position within a team atmosphere
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to work on multiple projects essential
Ancillary requirements include:

Experience with Adobe Photoshop and Flash
Knowledge of Web trending and reporting
Education:

Bachelor's Degree in CS (preferred)
EOE

So Tuesday morning a coworker of mine comes up and asks me if I've seen the new job postings on our company's web site. "No, I haven't what are they?" I say. "Well, there's a ton of them, one of them looks like your job", he says. "WTF", I say. I have 3 hours to get ready for a presentation, and now I am pissed off.

So I go to my boss, he has no idea that this stuff is posted. Hours later he gets to talk to the dept. head about this. I'm told not to worry, they are hiring 50 new people throughout the company and need to grow the IS department to support them. These postings were supposed to take at least a week to get posted and instead went through immediately. Dept. head claims he was gonna tell us about this.

This new hire would have a technical level equal to mine and take some tasks off my hands. OK, great, but what about hiring some junior guys to handle the menial tasks? What about the two guys under me, this kills their chances of moving up.

We talk to the dept. head, and he is very dismissive of our concerns. I ask about what this does to my possible ever advancing, I've been stagnant for the last 3 years. He complains that he has no chance for advancement, WTF! You're a CIO, you make three times my salary.

We have too many chiefs now, I'm beginning to wonder if we are growing in a smart way. Although we have been making decent profits for a non-public company.

Anyway, for my future plans. I like it here, it is a good company overall. But, I'm gonna check how my parachute is packed. My GF is giving me her company's access to a whole slew of CBT courses. Certifications never meant anything here, I had my MCSE when I started and no one cared. Well now I'm going to start getting some more of my certs back up to date. I'm not too worried because the IT job market appears to be picking up in my area.

I'll post some of the job listings in a follow up JE...I forget you owns the jobcenter alias, but a referral is worth some $$$ to me.

I am at work and laughing out loud to the list of 213 Things Skippy is No Longer Allowed to Do in the U.S. Army

Not allowed to watch Southpark when I'm supposed to be working.

My proper military title is 'Specialist Schwarz' not 'Princess Anastasia'.

Not allowed to threaten anyone with black magic.

Not allowed to challenge anyone's disbelief of black magic by asking for hair.

Not allowed to get silicone breast implants.

Not allowed to play 'Pulp Fiction' with a suction-cup dart pistol and any officer.

Not allowed to add 'In accordance with the prophesy' to the end of answers I give to a question an officer asks me.

Not allowed to add pictures of officers I don't like to War Criminal posters.

Not allowed to title any product 'Get Over it'.

Not allowed to purchase anyone's soul on Government time.

Not allowed to join the communist party.

Not allowed to join any militia.

Not allowed to form any militia.

Not allowed out of my office when the president visited Sarajevo.

Not allowed to train adopted stray dogs to 'Sic Brass!'

Must get a haircut even if it tampers with my 'Sampson like powers'.

God may not contradict any of my orders.

May no longer perform my now (in)famous 'Barbie Girl Dance' while on duty.

May not call any officers immoral, untrustworthy, lying, slime, even if I'm right.

Must not taunt the French any more.

Must attempt to not antagonize SAS.

Must never call an SAS a 'Wanker'.

Must never ask anyone who outranks me if they've been smoking crack.

Must not tell any officer that I am smarter than they are, especially if it's true.

Never confuse a Dutch soldier for a French one.

Never tell a German soldier that 'We kicked your ass in World War 2!'

Don't tell Princess Di jokes in front of the paras (British Airborne).

Don't take the batteries out of the other soldiers alarm clocks (Even if they do hit snooze about forty times).

The Irish MPs are not after 'Me frosted lucky charms'.

Not allowed to wake an Non-Commissioned Officer by repeatedly banging on the head with a bag of trash.

Not allowed to let sock puppets take responsibility for any of my actions.

Not allowed to let sock puppets take command of my post.

Not allowed to chew gum at formation, unless I brought enough for everybody.

(Next day) Not allowed to chew gum at formation even if I *did* bring enough for everybody.

Not allowed to sing 'High Speed Dirt' by Megadeth during airborne operations. ('See the earth below/Soon to make a crater/Blue sky, black death, I'm off to meet my maker')

Can't have flashbacks to wars I was not in. (The Spanish-American War isn't over).

Our medic is called 'Sgt Larwasa', not 'Dr. Feelgood'.

Our supply Sgt is 'Sgt Watkins' not 'Sugar Daddy'.

Not allowed to ask for the day off due to religious purposes, on the basis that the world is going to end, more than once.

I do not have super-powers.

'Keep on Trucking' is *not* a psychological warfare message.

Not allowed to attempt to appeal to mankind's baser instincts in recruitment posters.

Camouflage body paint is not a uniform.

I am not the atheist chaplain.

I am not allowed to 'Go to Bragg boulevard and shake daddies little money maker for twenties stuffed into my undies'.

I am not authorized to fire officers.

I am not a citizen of Texas, and those other, forty-nine, lesser states.

I may not use public masturbation as a tool to demonstrate a flaw in a command decision.

Not allowed to trade military equipment for 'magic beans'.

Not allowed to sell magic beans during duty hours.

Not allowed to quote 'Dr Seuss' on military operations.

Not allowed to yell 'Take that Cobra' at the rifle range.

Not allowed to quote 'Full Metal Jacket ' at the rifle range.

'Napalm sticks to kids' is *not* a motivational phrase.

An order to 'Put Kiwi on my boots' does *not* involve fruit.

An order to 'Make my Boots black and shiny' does not involve electrical tape.

The proper response to a lawful order is not 'Why?'

The following words and phrases may not be used in a cadence- Budding sexuality, necrophilia, I hate everyone in this formation and wish they were dead, sexual lubrication, black earth mother, all Marines are latent homosexuals, Tantric yoga, Gotterdammerung, Korean hooker, Eskimo Nell, we've all got jackboots now, slut puppy, or any references to squid.

May not make posters depicting the leadership failings of my chain of command.

'The Giant Space Ants' are not at the top of my chain of command.

If one soldier has a 2nd Lt bar on his uniform, and I have an E-4 on mine It means he outranks me. It does not mean 'I have been promoted three more times than you'.

It is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission, no longer applies to Specialist Schwarz.

Command decisions do *not* need to be ratified by a 2/3 majority.

Inflatable novelties do *not* entitle me to BAQ or Separation pay.

There are no evil clowns living under my bed.

There is no 'Anti-Mime' campaign in Bosnia.

I am not the Psychological Warfare Mascot.

I may not line my helmet with tin foil to 'Block out the space mind control lasers'.

May not pretend to be a facist stormtrooper, while on duty.

I am not authorized to prescribe any form of medication.

I must not flaunt my deviances in front of my chain of command.

May not wear gimp mask while on duty.

No military functions are to be performed 'Skyclad'.

Woad is not camouflage makeup.

May not conduct psychological experiments on my chain of command.

"Teddy Bear, Teddy bear, turn around" is *not* a cadence.

The MP checkpoint is not an Imperial Stormtrooper roadblock, so I should not tell them "You don't need to see my identification, these are not the droids you are looking for."

I may not call block my chain of command.

I am neither the king nor queen of cheese.

Not allowed to wear a dress to any army functions.

May not bring a drag queen to the battalion formal dance.

May not form any press gangs.

Must not start any SITREP (Situation Report) with "I recently had an experience I just had to write you about...."

Must not use military vehicles to 'Squish' things.

Not allowed to make any Psychological Warfare products depicting the infamous Ft. Bragg sniper incident.

May not challenge anyone in my chain of command to the 'field of honor'.

If the thought of something makes me giggle for longer than 15 seconds, I am to assume that I am not allowed to do it.

Must not refer to 1st Sgt as 'Mom'.

Must not refer to the Commander as 'Dad'.

Inflatable sheep do *not* need to be displayed during a room inspection.

I am not authorized to initiate Jihad.

When asked to give a few words at a military ceremony 'Romper Bomper Stomper Boo' is probably not appropriate.

Nerve gas is not funny.

Crucifixes do not ward off officers, and I should not test that.

I am not in need of a more suitable host body.

'Redneck Zombies' is not a military training aid.

Gozer does not dwell in my refrigerator.

The proper response to a chemical weapon attack is not 'Tell my chain of command what I really think about them, and then poke holes in their masks.'

A smiley face is not used to mark a minefield.

Claymore mines are not filled with yummy candy, and it is wrong to tell new soldiers that they are.

I am not allowed to mount a bayonet on a crew-served weapon.

Rodents are not entitled to burial with full military honors, even if they are "casualties of war".

My commander is not old enough to have fought in the civil war, and I should stop implying that he did.

Vodka, green food coloring, and a 'Cool Mint' Listerine® bottle is not a good combination.

I am not allowed to bum cigarettes off of anyone under twelve.

I may not trade my rifle for any of the following: Cigarettes, booze, sexual favors, Kalishnikovs, Soviet Armored vehicles, small children, or bootleg CD's.

Must not mock command decisions in front of the press.

Should not taunt members of the press, even if they are really fat, exceptionally stupid, and working for UPI.

I am not authorized to change national policy in Eastern Europe.

Never, ever, attempt to correct a Green Beret officer about anything.

I am not qualified to operate any US, German, Polish, or Russian Armored vehicles.

When saluting a 'leg' officer, an appropriate greeting is not "Airborne leads the wa- oh...sorry sir".

There is absolutely no need to emulate the people from 'Full Monty' every time I hear the song "Hot Stuff".

I cannot trade my CO to the Russians.

I should not speculate on the penis size of anyone who outranks me.

Crucifying mice - bad idea.

Must not use government equipment to bootleg pornography.

Burn pits for classified material are not revel fires - therefore it is wrong to dance naked around them.

I cannot arrest children for being rude.

An EO briefing is probably not the best place to unveil my newest off color joke.

I should not use government resources to 'waterproof' dirty magazines.

Radioactive material should not be stored in the barracks.

I should not teach other soldiers to say offensive and crude things in Albanian, under the guise of teaching them how to say potentially useful phrases.

Two drink limit does not mean first and last.

Two drink limit does not mean two kinds of drinks.

Two drink limit does not mean the drinks can be as large as I like.

'No Drinking Of Alcoholic Beverages' does not imply that a Jack Daniel's ® IV is acceptable.

"Shpadoinkle" is not a real word.

The Microsoft ® 'Dancing Paperclip' is not authorized to countermand any orders.

'I'm drunk' is a bad answer to any question posed by my commander.

No dancing in the turret. This especially applies in conjunction with rule #113.

The loudspeaker system is not a forum to voice my ideas.

The loudspeaker system is not to be used to replace the radio.

The loudspeaker system is not to be used to broadcast the soundtrack to a porno movie.

An order to put polish on my boots means the whole boot.

Shouting 'Let's do the village! Let's do the whole fucking village!' while out on a mission is bad.

Should not show up at the front gate wearing part of a Russian uniform, messily drunk.

Even if my commander did it.

Must not teach interpreters how to make "MRE" bombs.

I am not authorized to sell mineral rights.

Not allowed to use a broadsword to disprove 'The Pen is Mightier than the sword'.

'Calvin-Ball' is not authorized PT.

I do not need to keep a 'range card' by my window.

'K-Pot, LBE, and a thin coat of Break-free' is not an authorized uniform.

I should not drink three quarts of blue food coloring before a urine test.

Nor should I drink three quarts of red food coloring, and scream during the same.

I should not threaten suicide with pop rocks and Coke ®.

Putting red 'Mike and Ike's' ® into a prescription medicine bottle, and then eating them all in a formation is not funny.

Must not create new DOD forms, then insist they be filled out.

On Sports Day PT, a wedgie is not considered a legal tackle.

The proper way to report to my Commander is 'Specialist Schwarz, reporting as ordered, Sir' not 'You can't prove a thing!'

The following items do not exist: Keys to the Drop Zone, A box of grid squares, blinker fluid, winter air for tires, canopy lights, or Chem-Light ® batteries.

I should not assign new privates to 'guard the flight line'.

Shouldn't treat 'piss-bottles' with extra-strength icy hot.

Teaching Albanian children to taunt other soldiers is not nice.

I will no longer perform 'lap-dances' while in uniform.

If I take the uniform off, in the course of the lap-dance, it still counts.

The revolution is not now.

When detained by MP's, I do not have a right to a strip search.

No part of the military uniform is edible.

Bodychecking General officers is not a good idea.

Past lives have absolutely no effect on the chain of command.

Take that hat off.

There is no such thing as a were-virgin.

I do not get 'that time of month'.

No, the pants are not optional.

Not allowed to operate a business out of the barracks.

Especially not a pornographic movie studio.

Not even if they *are* 'especially patriotic films'

Not allowed to 'defect' to OPFOR during training missions.

On training missions, try not to shoot down the General's helicopter.

'A full magazine and some privacy' is not the way to help a potential suicide.

I am not allowed to create new levels of security clearance.

Furby ® is not allowed into classified areas. (I swear to the gods, I did not make that up, it's actually DOD policy).

We do not 'charge into battle, naked, like the Celts'.

Any device that can crawl across the table on medium, does not need to be brought into the office.

I am not to refer to a formation as 'the boxy rectangle thingie'.

I am not 'A lesbian trapped in a man's body'.

On Army documents, my race is not 'Other'.

Nor is it 'Secretariat, in the third'.

Pokémon® trainer is not an MOS.

There is no FM for 'wall-to-wall counseling'.

My chain of command has neither the time, nor the inclination to hear about what I did with six boxes of Fruit Roll-Ups. ®

When operating a military vehicle I may *not* attempt something 'I saw in a cartoon'.

My name is not a killing word.

I am not the Emperor of anything.

Must not taunt officers in the throes of nicotine withdrawal, with cigarettes.

May not challenge officers to 'Meet me on the field of honor, at dawn'.

Do not dare SERE graduates to eat bugs. They will always do it.

Must not make s'mores while on guard duty.

Our Humvees cannot be assembled into a giant battle-robot.

The proper response to a briefing is not 'That's what you think'.

The Masons, and Gray Aliens are not in our chain of command.

Shouldn't take incriminating photos of my chain of command.

Shouldn't use Photoshop ® to create incriminating photos of my chain of command.

I am not allowed to give tattoos.

I am not allowed to sing 'Henry the VIII I am' until verse 68 ever again.

Not allowed to lead a 'Coup' during training missions.

I should not confess to crimes that took place before I was born.

My chain of command is not interested in why I 'just happen' to have a kilt, an inflatable sheep, and a box of rubber bands in the back of my car.

Must not valiantly push officers onto hand grenades to save the squad.

Despite the confusing similarity in the names, the "Safety Dance" and the "Safety Briefing" are never to be combined.

'To conquer the earth with an army of flying monkeys" is a bad long term goal to give the re-enlistment NCO.

NEVER nail a stuffed bunny to a cross and put it up in front of the Battalion Headquarters sign as an "Easter Desecration."

Don't write up false gigs on a HMMWV PMCS. ("Broken clutch pedal", "Number three turbine has frequent flame-outs", "flux capacitor emits loud whine when engaged")

Not allowed to get shot.

The Chicken and Rice MRE is *not* a personal lubricant. (Skippy wanted this noted for the record that this is not something he has ever attempted or considered! It was something we heard at dinner on 22 September 2001 and it was just so obscene it had to go here.)

Not allowed to play into the deluded fantasies of the civlians who are "hearing conversations" from the NSA, FBI, CIA and KGB due to the microchip the aliens implanted in their brain.

An airsickness bag is to be used for airsickness *only*. (Also not a Skippy-ism...this was the same dinner.)

Must not make T-shirts up depciting a pig with the writing "Eat Pork or Die" in Arabic to bring as civilian attire when preparing to deploy to a primarily Muslim country.

Don't ask LTC Steele to sign my copy of Blackhawk Down.

Must not go on nine deployments in six years that require a security clearance that I don't have, even if the Army tells me repeatedly that I have one and I have no reason to question them.

Do not convince NCO's that their razorbumps are the result of microscopic parasites.

...it'll cost you money

I bought that "beater" car a while back. It is affectionately known as my Babe-Magnet. No women can resist a guy in a '94 Subaru Imprezza Wagon with 100,000 miles. They threw in a free stick when I bought it to keep all of the women back.

Got the Babe-Magnet because I have a 30 mile commute each way and it is great in bad weather. It has all wheel drive and anti-lock brakes.

It started giving me problems Friday morning. The brakes got really soft, the pedal goes to the floor. Brake fluid level looks good. I had the front calipers replaced in December (they were sticking), and new brakes all around. I'm hoping its not the master cylinder. Maybe it is something covered until the earlier repair's warranty (fingers crossed). I'm wondering if it could be caused by hitting one of the craters that opened up in the last few weeks.

My other car, the Altima, has a remote starter in it. I ran the car for the first time in two weeks today and the remote starter doesn't work. It starts and runs for about 3 seconds, then shuts down. It works fine with the key. I hope that is still covered under warranty at Circuit City.

I hope this link works, here is a link to pictures that I just had taken for Emily's 3rd birthday. I'm in one of them if anyone cares.

Yep, it happened. Things are going pretty well for me right now. The date that I thought was a dismal failure about 2 months ago...it wasn't. I think my nervousness and self-doubt made me feel that way. I'm usually a pretty self-confident person, but a little gun shy about relationships, can you blame me?

Anyway, I finally know what a healthy, adult relationship is like. I usually just got stupid and let my hormones take over with relationships. I could overlook character flaws for a good body and pretty face. Oh, you're a physcho lunatic but good in bed, no problem...Jeff will rescue you. That's how my past love relationships were.

This girl can take care of herself, and we both contribute equally to the relationship. She is intelligent and we both have the exact same sense of humour. Similar values, the only thing different is our political views, not a big deal in a relationship. She's a liberal arts major, but she is growing up :)

She doesn't have any kids, but her and my daughter Emily get along well. She used to work at a daycare and does great with kids. We are both being cautious around Emily, we want to spare her if things don't work out. No jealousy at my strong relationship with my daughter, and my refusal to be an every other weekend father is one of the things she appreciates in me.

I'm not going to go on and on about how wonderful this relationship is and create a series of them (hi Technolust!), but I thought I should mention this in a JE for everyone to see. I'm not the hurt angry person I was a few months ago.

Someone just wrote a JE about that last week and I can't remember who.

I have an application (Blackberry Desktop) that always goes offscreen. I can't move it and see it.

Can someone remember who wrote up the JE or point me to it?

Turn them off. I don't care that joeblow@yourdomain got a virus that seems to come from postmaster@mydomain. I have been getting tons of email telling me that postmaster@mydomain has sent them a virus.

Great, thanks, but I'm not infected. Nobody at my company is either. I'll fix this when we hunt down all of the morons who left their machines get infected.

Turn off the auto responders because the people who legimately get them are too clueless to act on them (why did they get infected in the first place), or alternately they are not really the people with the problem.

Update: about ten minutes after I posted this, Fark posts this link.

I took this Electability Whack-a-Pol. According to this and what I think is important, John Edwards is the Dem who stands the best chance.

I haven't followed Edwards much. I have almost no idea what he stands for, other than reading his own propaganda pages. Anyone got a read on this guy?

Now I have to add that lacking any chance of getting a good candidate from the Libertarian party I am a registered Republican. I know where my vote is going in November.

Here is the part that will probably get me some flames
Character is important. I think both Clark and Dean should not be elected and do not stand a chance in the general election. They both have huge character flaws that would be torn apart if they got the nomination.
I guess that's not a bad thing. GO DEAN! I can't wait to see your rant in the Bush commercials.

Pretty funny stuff. Here is Escape from Neverland

Hilarious...this guy I sit next to. He is very fussy and he has a quick Italian temper.

I had to order a Dell Inspiron 8600 for him. He really wanted a Red Lava cover for it. Warning: Sunglasses may be required for this link He was insistent on it.

Anyway today he brings it to help diagnose a problem in the board room. All the senior guys are in there. They start giving him a hard time about the red cover. One VP says "Looks like someone is a little light in the loafers".

We get back to our desks and he starts ranting about the flack he got. I start cracking up, that didn't help. He rips the cover off and throws it. I realized he was serious about it.

Priceless.