there is no SATA Clause…

New copy of Disk Warrior that can’t repair failing directory because of hardware error: $100

Testing by Apple technicians, who did the same Google search I did to assume it’s a failing drive, but ascertained it was not a bad logic board: free at store

Instructions on how to pry open “no user-serviceable parts inside” iMac: free online

New hard drive to replace drive reported as “failing” by hardware test: $85

SATA drive dock to replicate old drive to new, but still doesn’t work because new drive reports same bus error: $20

New SATA cable, which should have been the first thing checked/replaced but which turns out really isn’t the cause anyway: $4

New Mac, with the new OS and Intel chip that I really wanted/needed anyway, which is still cheaper that most other hardware fixes: about $1,000

Being able to field strip a “non-user serviceable” iMac blindfolded from taking it apart so many times and knowing more about error messages and SATA drive replacement than most technicians, instead of just buying a new machine and being done with it: two weeks of my life I won’t get back.

McCain thinks he deserves health care but you don’t

stop by and tell your representatives how you feel

clipped from www.americansunitedforchange.org Watch Video

Get around to celebrating National Procrastination Week

I heard about it this morning, and am just now getting around to posting it, so while you’ve got a day or two left, you might as well make the most of waiting ’til the last minute.

Because I know you were waiting almost all week to have a reason to put off everything you have to do.

(via Lifehacker) [http://www.brownielocks.com/march.html]

Springtime for Winter (and Canada)

You know that part of The Producers (and I’m referencing the original, Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder version) when the opening sequence of “Springtime for Hitler” starts? And the audience sits there, staring, slackjawed, as the parade of grotesque stereotypes of German “culture” are paraded past?

Well, that was my impression of the Olympic closing ceremonies.

They’re not called, “Friendly, Snuggly Whales”

Just what part of “killer” in “killer whale” do people fail to grasp?

Yes, other cultures call them things like “orcas,” but someone at some point thought of calling them, not “spotted whales,” not “cow whales,” “Oreo whales” or even “penguin whales,” but saw sufficient reason to give them the name, “killer.”

I just heard that this is the third time this particular whale was involved in a human death.

Now, I would not advocate that any particular intelligent mammal’s life is more sacred than any other, nor would I necessarily mock the death of an intelligent mammal (or its trainer), but at some point you have to recognize the natural order of things.

Roy Horn and I both have cats in our homes. The difference is, I’m not terribly worried if mine is having a bad day. Something with sharp teeth doesn’t have to be much bigger than a cat for me to keep my distance. Bigger than me with sharp teeth? I’m staying over here.

Some people believe they’ve got a sacred book that gives them dominion over all life on this planet. Most of the other life on this planet hasn’t read that book–they’re watching YouTube clips of “When Animals Attack.”

Best. Gay Marriage. Quote. Evar.

“One woman and one man might have been OK in your grandmother’s day,
but who wants to marry your grandmother? Not even your grandfather!”

Groucho Marx in Animal Crackers

Oh, the Terror(ism)!

What follows is a reply to another blog post here. This reply was posted in the comments.
———-

Should we argue semantics? Get all hung up on the “true” meanings of words? Yes. It’s why we have them.

It’s why Charles Manson was a mass-murderer. Son of Sam a serial killer. Why guys who get tired of delivering the mail “go postal.”

We have so many words to describe things, you really need to look at why.

There are definitely double standards, which I think was the point of this post.

When the Ft. Hood shootings happened, when it became public knowledge that the shooter’s last name was Hassan, immediately the media was filled with “was this an act of terrorism?” His shouting, “glory to god” (I believe the translation of Allah Akbar) didn’t help matters.

Did anyone call the VA Tech shooter a terrorist? He wasn’t white. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t born here, either.

There have been other school shootings, since Columbine, and since 9-11 – they are sadly almost cliche. How many of them were labeled “terrorism?”

I’ll also point out that when that small private plane crashed into an apartment building in Manhattan (it killed a baseball player – I’m too lazy to look up details), “terrorism” was the initial, unqualified, panicked response, as people there are still a bit edgy about planes flying into buildings. (turned out someone just fucked up)

People who protested the last presidential administration were labeled “terrorists,” or at the very least terrorist sympathizers. What terror did they instill – in anyone other than elected officials?

The riots in LA after the Rodney King verdict – terrorism? Or rioting?

We have violence. We have crime. We have violent crime. We also, now, have legally defined “hate crimes.” Beating up someone for being gay – terrorism? I know for a fact a lot of homosexuals who might otherwise come out to their communities don’t for fear of physical assault, among other things. They live in constant fear.

All bigots are terrorists? The KKK certainly did a lot to instill fear in black communities. There are, sadly, very many white-supremacist groups. They are organized. They have a political and social agenda. They use violence and fear of more violence to convey their message. Perhaps their time has come to be labeled appropriately?

Violence directed (rightly or no) against a government office – terrorism? With what message? “We’re going to resist paying more taxes!” or was it, “I’m destroying everything and I’m taking you with me!”

At risk of going off on a tangent, do I think taxes are fair? The way they’re currently levied, no. The tax burden is ridiculously upside down in this country. But I do believe in taxation. We all live in a community, a society, and derive a benefit from that, and we all need to contribute to that to make it work for all of us. I like roads. I like schools. I like police and fire departments. I believe those who derive the largest benefit should contribute the largest amount. That would be the corporations that have judicial and legislative systems that create and enforce laws for their benefit.

The clerk, who wanted a secure job with a pension, checking to see if your returns were filled out properly, is not evil incarnate (typically) and does not deserve to be murdered.

If you attend an organized protest of the wars in Afghanistan, you can, under the PATRIOT act, be grabbed up off the street, held as an “enemy combatant,” without bail, without advice of an attorney, subjected to “enhanced interrogation” such as water boarding, even though you’re a US citizen, all without being charged with anything other than being a suspected “terrorist.”

A guy flying a plane into an IRS building in a fit of destructive, violent, homicidal rage? I wouldn’t be too quick to apply the term “terrorist” to him. Throwing labels around like that and some of them might bounce back and stick.

Walmart’s raping of the disadvantaged continues

For those of you who haven’t seen the TV ads yet (which curiously show a nebulously interracial couple), Walmart is getting into the check cashing business.

Don’t have check cashing establishments around your home? You probably live in an area that’s doing OK. They’re a staple of neighborhoods that aren’t doing so well, financially, along with stores that sell liquor, menthol cigarettes and cheap comestibles barely deserving the term “food.”

If you have a check that’s made out to you, say, your paycheck, they’ll cash it–for a fee. Seems reasonable enough. Walmart offers a “discount” service of “only” $3 for a check up to $1000; $6 for checks up to $5000.

But why would you need to cash it? Why couldn’t you just deposit it into your bank account? Banks cash checks for free–assuming you’ve got cash in your account to cover it. Assuming you’ve got a bank account.

It’s yet another instance of being charged a fee for not having enough money.

Most banks expect a minimum deposit–they charge fees if you fall below the minimum. If those fees are higher than the $3/check, or up to $12/month (or more) Walmart is charging, then saving money means, well, not saving your money.

Not that saving your money is Walmart’s aim–the ad shows you all the things you can buy, like mp3 players and computers, presumingly from them, with the “up to $200 per year” you could “save.”

And who are these people, the ones who cannot afford to stockpile even one paycheck in a bank? I was one of them. Not for financial reasons, though–I didn’t have any ID–I couldn’t prove, to the satisfaction of a bank, who I was. Curiously, the rules at the check cashing stores were different. Mediocre, even questionable identification was sufficient to turn a check into cash, but insufficient for saving it in your own name.

These are also Walmart’s own employees, most of whom are part-time, at their management’s preference.

Assuming a biweekly paycheck at double minimum wage, full-time, after taxes you’re still likely to come in under the $1,000 check to meet the $3 price. To restate that, after two weeks of full-time work, you’re taking home less than $1000, which is a crime in itself. After 26 paychecks, throw in your tax refund check and you’re paying $85. If you work for Walmart, that’s paying your money back to your employer for the privilege of them paying you.

That’s assuming you don’t get an employee discount.

Father/Son Valentines are just Icky

OK, first, let’s dispense with the tired stereotype of the absent-minded, romantically clueless male, running to the card shop at the last minute to load up on armfulls of roses and chocolates and find that perfect paper sentiment that expresses his undying love in a way he never could. Or diamonds, when he comes to understand that isn’t enough. Shall we? There were two other people buying cards with me today, and neither of them were male.

I’d rather not buy into the whole, “if you love me, you’ll cut down those living flowers so I can watch them die in front of me, then I want you to exploit children and poor people at the behest of an African warlord so I can have a rare, shiny rock, and make sure you purchase someone else’s measured sentiments from the industry responsible for making you feel worthless for not participating,” thing.

The chocolates are tasty, though.

I have memories of being in grammar school, and cutting and gluing the same manufactured sentiments for my classmates they were compositing for me. Many of the 3-4-year-olds in my son’s class worked on similar sentiments. Admittedly, there’s a big, “aww” moment when your preschooler throws his arms out and yells, “happy valentime’s [sic] day!”

Call me a purist, but the purpose of the day honoring St. Valentine is to celebrate romantic love. Not, “I love you, man,” love. I’m not any more comfortable with my 3-yr-old son expressing romantic feelings for the girls in his preschool than for the boys. It’s just not appropriate.

I love my family. I love my son. My wife gets Valentine’s Day cards.

Yeah, I know a lot of people use the occasion to express their, shall we say, less romantic feelings for the people close to them. But I’m not eager to meet the father who’s expecting the, “Be my Valentine, Dad” card that I saw today from his son.

You heard me, I called you an Asshole

You may have already heard about this poll. It’s making its way through the “liberal media.”

There is no doubt that  Daily Kos leans to the left. Leans, like a three-legged table with two of its legs removed.

Anyway, the poll was conducted by a third party, one that actually conducts research. It was asked of people who self-identify as Republicans. This is what they think.

It is Truly. Fucking. Scary.

Anyone who thinks Palin running for President in 2012 would be nothing more than comical farce, needs to realize that there are aparently enough lunatics out there to actually get her into office.

To wit:

QUESTION: Do you believe Sarah Palin is more qualified to be President than Barack Obama?

Yes: 53% No: 14%  Not Sure: 33%

Sarah said in her recent speech, “we need a commander-in-chief not a law professor.” Many, aparently, believe hockey mom to be sufficent qualification. A third aren’t convinced studying law is better.

QUESTION: Do you believe your state should secede from the United States?

Yes: 23% No: 58%   Not Sure: 19%

So almost a quarter of Republicans want to break away from the Union. Only half of them think it’s a bad idea. Who “hates America” again?

QUESTION: Should Congress make it easier for workers to form and join labor unions?

Yes: 7%  No: 68% Not Sure: 25%

It’s easier for me to believe that people will continue to vote against their own best interests, because those who would strip them of those interests tell them it’s a bad idea, than it is for me to believe that all Republicans (93%) are corporate stock holders, and less than one in ten of them actually labor for a living.

QUESTION: Should openly gay men and women be allowed to serve in the military?

Yes: 25% No: 55%  Not Sure: 19%

A slight, very slight margin of hope.

And then…

QUESTION: Should same sex couples be allowed to marry?

Yes: 7%  No: 77% Not Sure: 16%

Nothing new here.

QUESTION: Should gay couples receive any state or federal benefits?

Yes: 11%  No: 68% Not Sure: 21%

Like collecting pensions? Or being able to visit them in the hospital? Define “benefit.”

QUESTION: Should openly gay men and women be allowed to teach in public schools?

Yes: 8%  No: 73% Not Sure: 19%

Yeah, because only gay teachers have sex with their students… (You certainly wouldn’t want any of them teaching your kids it was OK.)

Here’s where it goes wonky:

QUESTION: Should public school students be taught that the book of Genesis in the Bible explains how God created the world?

Yes: 77% No: 15%  Not Sure: 8%

QUESTION: Should contraceptive use be outlawed?

Yes: 31% No: 56%  Not Sure: 13%

Not just locked up so teenagers will be too embarassed to ask for it—outlawed. When contraceptives are outlawed only outlaws won’t have unwanted pregnancies.

Clown car indeed

And for the ultimate hypocracy:

QUESTION: Do you consider abortion to be murder?

Yes: 76% No: 8%  Not Sure: 16%

QUESTION: Do you support the death penalty?

Yes: 91% No: 4%  Not Sure: 5%

I can’t add to that.

Oh, and in case you were wondering who’s “Not Sure:”

Not Sure