Timex and tomhudson have been talking ad nauseum about the whole "national language" movement in the United States.

I think it's a goos idea to have one, largely because it means that the government can restrict having to print ballots and such to the specified language(s). That's a money saver, right there.

English should be a no-brainer in the United States. Regardless of what the locals speak, the traffic signs here are *all* in English. There isn't one in any other language that might be construed as a local "favorite".

In the end, what is the point of a language? Communication. A common national language means that the nation's citizens will be able to understand each other. (Agreeing with each other is something else altogether, as one may have noticed from the way the politicos are always at each others' throats.) Specifying a national language should make things easier for the citizens to understand what their government is doing, too.

There you have it: my opinion.

I was reading a site (not Slashdot) that was talking about the way some people in positions of authority cannot accept the possiblity that they are wrong. Someone posted this link, and I had to stop what I was doing. I had to scream, but I didn't want to disturb those around me when I did it.

What was this guy thinking?

I've been in classes before, where a classmate pointed out an error to the teacher. The teacher thought about it a few minutes, thanked the student for catching the error, made a note, and moved on.

You get a series of them, because they're all short:

• A horse walks into a bar. The bartender looks at him and says, "So. Why the long face?"
• A piece of rope walks into a bar. The bartender looks at him and says, "Hey! Get out! We don't serve your kind here!" Dejected, the rope leaves.

    He goes down the road a bit and spies a dark ally. He goes in, twists himself up, and beats his head against a wal for a few moments. Satisfied, he returns to the bar.

    The bartender sees the rope and says, "Didn't I just tell you to leave?"

    The rope replies, "I'm a frayed knot."

• Two penguins are walking down the sidewalk, when one of them turns into a bar.

    It's a shame, really-- he should have seen it coming.

• What did the man say when he walked into the bar? "Ow."

Bad jokes. Got to love 'em. :)

I'm not complaining, but I've somehow managed to get 15 Moderator points over the last two months, but I haven't *done* anything... I haven't Meta-Moderated, I haven't been terribly active posting... I've just read Journal Entries and the occasional front page story.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I just thought I'd share.

I played Palladium more often than not, mostly because I liked the way the characters rolled in the first edition. That said, here is how I ended up:

I Am A: Neutral Good Elf Ranger Druid

Alignment:
  Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.

Race:
  Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently concern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.

Primary Class:
  Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.

Secondary Class:
  Druids are a special variety of Cleric who serves the Earth, and can call upon the power in the earth to accomplish their goals. They tend to be somewhat fanatical about defending natural settings.

Deity:
  Mielikki is the Neutral Good goddess of the forest and autumn. She is also known as the Lady of the Forest, and is the Patron of Rangers. Her followers are devoted to nature, and believe in the positive and outreaching elements of it. They use light armor, and a variety of weapons suitable for hunting, which they are quite skilled at. Mielikki's symbol is a unicorn head.

Find out What D&D Character Are You?, courtesy of NeppyMan (e-mail)
 

I came across this on Deviant Art (it was posted just recently), and thought it was too funny not to share. :)

http://www.deviantart.com/view/37266852/

I was listening to the radio recently, and I just realized that the station has been classifying as "oldies" the music that was new as I was growing up.

That's just so wrong.

In a few weeks, I will be going camping for the first time in a couple years.

I actually like camping-- setting up the tent, sleeping in a bag on the ground... It really helps me appreciate my bed at home. :)

Seriously though, I like camping. It gives me time away from Life's problems, even if it's only for a little while.

I'll be gone the first week in August, so don't worry if I don't reply to anything in that period. (I really don't think anyone would really notice, but I would like to think there are a few that would.)

When one makes a decision about someone based on their appearance, is the person passing judgement justified in doing so?

If someone looks like a member of a gang, should one take action?

Answer first (to yourselves, if you don't mind) then read this. Do you come out of that story with the same opinion?

I think that profiling is an ugly thing, but sometimes it's all one has to go on. If deciding to profile or not makes the difference in the safety of the populace, then I am all for it.

In the case of this story, I'm concerned that things will eventually escalate, if the police are not able to do something about it.

The code inserted into the ruling of Judge Smith has been cracked. In a Reuters article, we learn that the code, broken by Dan Tench, works out to "Jackie Fisher, who are you? Dreadnought". True to form, the judge emailed Tench to confirm the finding. The key to the puzzle was the Fibonacci sequence.

Yesterday, President Bush announced that he was temporarily stopping additions to the national strategic reserves. The idea is that oil would instead be put to the market, thereby increasing supply (and hopefully decreasing the price).

My question is this: How does the strategic reserve work? Is Bush's announcement actually useful, or is it only the sort of thing that sounds good?

Helicobacter has a meme that Shadow Wrought brought to my attention. Here's what happened on my birthday:

Some events:
* 1610 - Henry Hudson sails into what it is now known as Hudson Bay, thinking he had made it through the Northwest Passage and reached the Pacific Ocean.

* 1776 - Delegates to the Continental Congress begin signing the United States Declaration of Independence.

* 1990 - Iraq invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War.

A couple births:
* 1905 - Myrna Loy, American actress (d. 1993)

* 1924 - Carroll O'Connor, American actor (d. 2001)

A death:
* 1998 - Shari Lewis, American puppeteer (b. 1933)

Does Hanoi Jane have a new face?

Only time will tell.

Update:

Now that she's out of Iraq, this bird has changed her song.
Links:

An article from MyWay News

Her statement

I don't know how many people are expecting regular posts in my Journal.

I've never been one to talk about myself very much, and when I am asked personal questions (especially ones I don't care to answer), I try to shift the subject to something else as quickly as possible.

Since I came onto Slashdot, I've been spending some time reading what others have to say. I don't have a lot to contribute, largely because I don't know many people here all that well, and that leaves me feeling a little shy. Bear with me, and I will warm up. :)

I saw this in Bethanie's Journal. You can take the quiz, too!

you chose CY - your Enneagram type is SIX.

"I am affectionate and skeptical"

Questioners are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.

How to Get Along with Me

• Be direct and clear.
• Listen to me carefully.
• Don't judge me for my anxiety.
• Work things through with me.
• Reassure me that everything is OK between us.
• Laugh and make jokes with me.
• Gently push me toward new experiences.
• Try not to overreact to my overreacting.

What I Like About Being a Six

• being committed and faithful to family and friends
• being responsible and hardworking
• being compassionate toward others
• having intellect and wit
• being a nonconformist
• confronting danger bravely
• being direct and assertive

What's Hard About Being a Six

• the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind
• procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself
• fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of
• exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger
• wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right
• being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations

Sixes as Children Often

• are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn
• are anxious and hypervigilant; anticipate danger
• form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parent
• look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel
• are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent

Sixes as Parents

• are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty
• are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence
• worry more than most that their children will get hurt
• sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries