[geeks] FYI: CompUSA is offering OS X 10.5 for $99 (after rebate)

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Tue, 30 Oct 2007, der Mouse wrote:

>> Or, of course, we could quit "wetting our pants over te'rists" (and
>> everything else)[0] and start working on just plain general emergency
>> preparedness that's applicable to ANY kind of emergency.
>
> It might also help if you were to stop being such an A-hole to the rest
> of the world as to generate te'rist-producing sentiment to begin with.

Well, yes, that was implied.  This nonsense of "delivering Democracy[0]"
far and wide has to stop.  I really do feel for people that live in
despotic regimes, but things are rough all over, and this isn't the way
to fix them.  We have neither the right nor the godlike level of clarity
to pick and choose who gets to "progress" to whatever misguided next
level of societal evolution we see as best for another sovereign nation,
especially at the point of a gun.

> And yes, I'm talking about the country in general; I feel quite sure
> that all, or at least almost all, of the Murrikans on this list are not
> part of the precipitate.

<rant>
Our country, in general, has a problem that hasn't yet hit Canada nearly
as hard.  We're stupid.

No, scratch that, we're not just stupid.  We're absolutely and willingly
clueless.  A large swath of my generation and nearly all of the
generation after mine can't manage money or other resources, doesn't
know how to plan for the next week--let alone the next 5 years, can't
find most of our allies on a map[1], can't define "agriculture"[2] or
"economy" or "technology" or "culture, and really and truly believes
that universal rights ought to be doled out by the government for the
sake of "safety".

They can't think for themselves, they can't produce anything of value,
they don't pay attention, and they damned proud that they don't "have
to".  But they have an opinion on everything.  The notion that a fellow
might need to be informed before forming an opinion is just unheard of
around here.  If you try to keep an open mind, you're a flip-flopper,
wishy-washy, etc.  No, you have to shoot from the hip, and DAMN anyone
who shows you information to the contrary; he's just a dirty
liberal/conservative.

But, then, what can you expect from two generations of kids who were sat
in front of televisions for hours at a time, starting at a very young
age, and then pushed through schools too weak-willed to correct and
hold-back because it would damage some poor kid's self-esteem.  At least
when I was in school, we still had "gifted and talented" programs.
Friends of mine who are teachers tell me those are going away because
their exclusive nature also damages self-esteem.

Mix all that together, and you get a clueless populace who believe they
are never wrong and have been told that they and their country "am de
best".  So, of COURSE we have to help the rest of the world crawl up to
our level.  It's just the NICE (read as: "christian") thing to do!
</rant>



[0] hint to Americans:  look for the word "Democracy" in the
     Constitution.  Ah couldn't find it?
[1] Some poll I read said that 20% of current US high-school students
     can't find the US on an unlabeled globe.
[2] Oh boy do I have a fun side-story about that.
-- 
Jonathan Patschke     )  "So far, 99% of illegal activity has been caused
Elgin, TX            (    by criminals."
USA                   )                                    --David Willis