Random Thoughts 5/24/06

• Shannon fixed our washing machine the other day. It was leaking water all over the floor and so she took it apart, found the problem, looked up the part on the internet, ordered it, and then fixed the washer when the part arrived via UPS. Yeah, she's awesome.
• According to the news, 1-in-3 people discuss American Idol at work. As fun as that show is, I'll be happy to take a six month break from Paula Abdul's blathering, unwavering, and universal affirmations. She seems absolutely unable to bear a negative remark directed at anyone from anyone, no matter how true and deserving it may be. How insecure is that?
• Before you just assume that Global Warming is true and that people are causing it, read this brief article in the Opinion Journal. Just because it doesn't snow as much as when you were a kid doesn't mean it won't be like that again in 50 years. These things are probably cyclical as near as we can tell.
  
• Brennan and Tanner are playing Slap-Jack but it's not going so well. Brennan (almost 6) is too fast and too competitive. Tanner (4 and a half) isn't very competitive but hates losing 100% of the time. So Tanner cheats; he looks at his card first to see if it's a jack. But he has no poker face, so while he's looking at it, Brennan reads Tanner's reaction (picture squinty eyes and tongue sticking out the side of his mouth) and still beats him. A meltdown ensues. Brennan can't tolerate a loss and Tanner can't tolerate never winning, so they're at an impasse.
• The Iraqis, having recently formed an official, democratically elected government, have put out a schedule this week that calls for the takeover of security operations in Iraq within 18 months. That doesn't mean there won't be Americans there at all but it is another example of really good news that isn't getting reported on the evening news.
• When Vicente Fox, the President of Mexico, says that a border wall/fence won't help the problem, whose problem is he talking about? Not only does it help Mexico for it's poorest people to go across the border and send money back home, but Mexico as a nation is more "racist" and restrictive in its own immigration laws than the USA could ever be. What a hypocrite Fox is! Mexico is institutionally corrupt, xenophobic, and deaf to the needs of its own citizens. Take the log out of your own eye, Vicente.