Random Thoughts About  Life   Net  Stuff

April 8, 2000 - Battling motivational problems today. I have an idea and a plan for a whole new section at Internet Brothers, but I also have a case of the lazies. I know this will require several weeks of design and content development, so getting started is a bear. Maybe in order to understand procrastination, I have to look at the word itself: "Procrastination". Basically, it's made up of two separate words — "procras" and "tination". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why I can't seem to get started.

April 6, 2000 - Quite a day. While long overdue, the company I work for came through with a nearly $5000/year raise. Great timing too, what with the impending merger and the two weddings this year. Nice to carry that forward into the new company.

On the IB front, the interview I posted with Joe Jenett yesterday garnered some very nice attention. Joe truly did a super job on this. I'm thrilled people liked what he had to say and that I had the chance to put it out there. Thanks again Joe. Yep, quite a day.

April 5, 2000 - It isn't Microsoft's fault. Say what you will about Bill Gates' strong-arm tactics, he is still one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century. Microsoft may not always have ideas first, but they do a better job than anyone of making technology accessible to the masses.

I blame the market crisis of the past two days on the Clinton Administration and on the greedy, litigious trial lawyer associations. Their zealous pursuit of the tobacco industry, gun manufacturers, and now technological leadership decries a jealousy at not fulfilling their agenda with the American people. In a recent poll, 84% of Americans said, "Leave Microsoft alone!"

If Microsoft were indeed hurting competition, the stocks of their competitors should be skyrocketing following the recent circuit court decision. Instead, the entire industry is in free fall, further indication that the wishes of the intelligent American people are not being heard. I openly urge President Clinton and the State's Attorneys General to settle with Microsoft on rules of law. You can't even run a government right — you certainly have no business trying to run technology.

April 4, 2000 - I mentioned last weekend I was in the running for the New York Times NCAA basketball tournament contest. Things continued well through the weekend until my pick, the Florida Gators, took it on the chin in the championship game. Heartiest congratulations to the Michigan State Spartans. I didn't need that home entertainment system anyway.

April 3, 2000 - A long-time Net friend surprised me today with a very kind remembrance of my continuous web evolution. It is hard to believe it's been a year now since I interviewed Mark. That all started an adventure that has introduced me to some of the most creative individuals on-line. I get to celebrate the anniversary later this week by exposing some of the mystery behind this webthing.

April 2, 2000 - Today's entry comes from the other Netbro, Dave. We at VPOS have been doing our part to help the US Mint get dollar coins into circulation. Customer comments are generally about 80% favorable. 10% seem to really hate the new coins, I don't know why, and the other 10% are kind of indifferent, acting like they'd rather get bills, but they don't complain. Most comments are, "Oh wow, aren't these fun" or "Neat, this is the first time I've gotten one of these."

Today, I made a cash sale to a woman who called and just had to get a receipt book even though we're closed. She received two dollar coins in change and said, "Hmm, this is the first time I've gotten these in change. What do you think, are they a good idea?" I said, "Yes, I think it's about time, since dollar bills wear out so fast, it saves us all money." Then she said, "But bills are easier to carry around; these get kind of heavy. Gee, what am supposed to do with these?" I said, "Spend them." (This was a woman who took time to look in her purse to see if she had 58 cents before I gave her $2.42 in change. Go figure.)

It has been kind of fun distributing the new coins, but I wonder how many man-hours we've wasted talking about them. How much work could I have done if I hadn't stopped to write this?

April 1, 2000 - If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose. But, if Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over. So which is it? If we accept the postulate given to me by Ms. Megan Carter in 1974, "That it will be a cold night in Hell before I sleep with you," and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in having sexual relations with her, then Hell must be exothermic. Just thought you might want to know.

March 30, 2000 - I've been feeling a tremendous sense of loss at my job this week. It started Tuesday when the mainframe systems that comprised a ten year portion of my career were shutdown for the last time. With the end of that era, so too came the end of the decommissioning project that temporarily employed about a dozen consultants who have been with us for two years. Yesterday we said our farewells to them. Today was the true downer. Another co-worker, who had to leave us a couple of months ago following complications from bi-polar disorder, was found dead this morning from a possible suicide. Rest comfortably dear.

March 28, 2000 - The enthusiams took me through the action, not the measuring of it or the reasonableness. Learned a good lesson about speaking up when necessary. Fortunately the guy on the other end did. As a result, things will work out a lot better for both of us. It's all about communication.

March 27, 2000 - I strangely find myself tied for 2nd place out of 6500 entries in the New York Times pick the NCAA basketball brackets contest. With two of my picks still alive, one in each bracket, I actually have a shot at winning this thing. It's certainly been a wacky tournament with two #8 seeds and a #5 making it to the Final Four. I will definitely be rooting for Florida and Michigan State next weekend, sorry Kitty. So who is my pick for champion? Well, if those two win next Saturday, I'll let you in on it then.

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Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and, you have their shoes.

Taxation WITH representation isn't so hot, either!

Ambition is like a frog sitting on a Venus Flytrap. The flytrap can bite and bite, but it won't bother the frog because it only has little tiny plant teeth. But some other stuff could happen and it could be like ambition.