Stuck in my craw...
I have a folder called "rant" I keep items that I feel like complaining about but lately I can't be bothered. So I am dumping that folder out here so you can see. I'll give you a little about each item so you have an idea of what it is about each bit that burns me, but I'm not going off on a full rant on each one.
OpenSSL is Written by Monkeys: I don't have a lot to add to this guy's rant except to say "Amen, Brother." I've run into just about each of this guy's snags.
Brain Shuts Off in Response to Healer's Prayer: Part of this I understand. Prayer is unable to do all the heavy lifting of healing and I would never realy on it as the sole means of healing. However, the brain can be easily convinced of things if you bypass the concious and go straight to the subconcious. It is the same thing that makes affirmations so powerful. This effect detailed here is sort of the same thing except it is a pronounced and measurable shutdown of the concious mind. Does it work? <shrugs>
California School District Bans Dictionary: This is the silliest thing I've ever heard. And who doesn't remember looking up all those supposedly "forbidden" words in the dictionary and the encyclopedia when they were kids? It is how you LEARN people! Sticking your head in the sand over things you dislike does not make those things go away!
Lawsuit Says Hot Dogs Need A Warning Label: I'll tell you what...if I can put a warning label on the "Cancer Project" letterhead, website and business cards that reads "Warning: Advocacy groups have been known to press ludicrous agendas in order to get free press." then, sure, you can label my hot dogs.
Has NBC given up on Sci-Fi?: I bookmarked this almost a year ago and I still miss Kings. Sci-Fi TV is in a bad way right now, and shows no signs of getting better. There are still a few gems but they are mostly on cable networks (AMC, SyFy, Starz and BBC America) but the big four -- NBC, ABC, Fox and CBS -- have yet to come through with a home-run sci-fi hit in the last few years.
Fake Gold Bars in Bank of England and Fort Knox: Admitedly this is fringe press but nobody has picked up, investigated, debunked, denied or even poo-pooed this that I can find. Frankly the idea of it scares the shit out of me.
Pakistani Lawyer Petitions for Death of Mark Zuckerberg: Dude, why not just get some Imam to declare a fatwa? It'll have about the same effect (ask Salman Rushdie). There are a lot of reasons to want Mark Zuckerberg dead, but this has to be the lamest. And the whole "drawing of Mohamed" thing? You have a right to your beliefs and you can take them as seriously as you want. I respect that you take it seriously. I would never force you to see, make or publish a drawing of Mohammed. However, you do not have a right to not be offended by my actions. I am not bound by your taboos. I will do what I like as long as it does you no harm. And offending you is not harm. It would be different if you and I worked in the same workplace or lived in the same building...there are laws concerning harrassment. But in a public arena it is a matter of tolorance. You need to let it go just like I let some of your beliefs which offend me go unaddressed.
Judge Bans 'Rye' Sequel: And the oldest item in my 'rant folder'. Copyright law is getting out of hand. This ruling basically states that a work that was published in 1951 - almost 60 years ago and which should have dropped into public domain next year but thanks to Sonny Bono will remain in copyright until 2046 (95 years from publication) -- has effectively protected all of the characters from that book. Actions like these stifle creativity and progress.
Okay, I've deleted all those bookmarks and I'll start accumulating them again.
