ASSP Spam in Commission. A Search Open.

Some queries that I'm using to parse ASSP spam directory, just in case I need to look it up again:

grep "email@address" * | cut -d: -f1 | xargs grep "content"
Result: in all the spam emails that contain the email address, get the filename and in those files, look for "content"

ls -l | grep "Oct 10" | cut -c57-80 | xargs grep "email@address"
Result: for a specific day (or range of days/month), get the appropriate file names and in those files, search for email (or other criteria)

The War on Christmas. The mortal/Christian battle continues.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

In case people can't read English, this means that Congress can't a) Establish a religion or b) prevent religion from being Established. Established means to bring about or make firm. People, what part of MAKE NO LAW do you not understand?

Governments who make decisions based upon [their perceived notion of their own] fear do not need to be in power, and we as constituents should be mindful of this reaction when the next election cycle comes. If it is important to you, the citizen, that x occurs and y does not, then make your vote count and vote out the people who are not representing your interests. If you are unable to make an effective statement and make effective change, you either need to bulk up your voting base or accept that you are a minority [or that your base didn't have enough votes] in your opinion. Nonetheless, the ability that some minority groups have to bypass legislation to enact their own agendas means that somebody is asleep at the wheel.

It's time for fearless ability of the Executive Branch to recall judge appointments.

In any case, it's not time to enact legislation to force or remove displays of any religious observation. By the way, Christians, where *is* your base?

Don't forget that Christians do not have a lock on religious symbology. They will not be the only ones who will be allowed to display religious icons. However, be prepared to DEMAND that Christian displays will be allowed when Muslim displays occupy the place formally taken by the Nativity.

What if...

Baseball outfielders had baseball bats?

Infield hit is an out (or a base hit?), foul is a double, outfield hit is a triple, and a strike is a home run.

Open Invitation to provide ACS/Parent Pager/Church Assistance

Our church uses ACS as its church management software. This week, we had the pleasure of having one of ACS Technologies' authorized third party consultants come to our church to provide onsite training for our users.

The trainer presented clear information to our users and provided some insight into enabling us to better manage our data.

As we talked, I was heartened to know that the trainer had recommended me to other churches for assistance in networking and general get-it-togetherness. Heartened, tempered with the realization that the churches haven't contacted me.

While I'm busy on one front, I'm also interested on providing my findings and some thoughts for churches who may seem to be in a rut -- stuck and not moving.

God is alive. He cares about you. Don't freak out about being stuck with "the way we have always done things around here." One of the best things about the place I work is that I am able to work with such wonderful people who really want to get this church thing right. That includes being receptive to kind direction toward optimizing our database. If you have access to the services offered by your application provider, let them help you. They do know their own product.

Fisher-Price Little Mommy

Fisher-Price Little Mommy
Taking a step out of ... my usual things for a bit. This robotdoll is the next big thing from Fisher Price.

Girls can choose and record a name for their very own Real Loving Baby and the doll will actually recognize and respond to her name

I was chatting with a friend, and we have agreed that this is ripe for misuse. Well, we'll see.

There's a saying regarding hosting a session -- Don't ever ask a question you don't already know the answer to [sic]. Any ability to record free form information is an opportunity to fill that vacancy with any nonsense at all. In some cases, that even includes buffer overflow vulnerabilities for your favorite Operating System and Office Suite.

In the case of this robotdoll, I'd consider the ramifications of populating the name variable with any value.

Nonetheless, the concept of this robotdoll gives me the creeps. At $60 MSRP, it's a slight discount from the $99 MSRP of Microsoft's ActiMates, but it uses the same concepts of social dynamics; almost as if it came from a textbook. In fact, if you really want to see the truth of art imitating art, check out this article from 1999:

"When I hear Barney say, 'You're my special friend' -- that's a disingenuous statement," said Allen Cypher, a founder of Stagecast Software, which designs children's programs. "It's a fraudulent claim. It deceives kids into believing that Barney has some emotional attachment to them, and that's not true." Other panelists worried about Barney's "authoritarian tone," or that he discouraged imaginative play. And some said that, while Barney himself was basically harmless, he may be a harbinger of worse to come: an interactive Cartman from "South Park," perhaps, spewing expletives and insulting his owner.

And one member of the audience asked if a child could take Barney apart and "reprogram him to say, 'Please slap me.' "

"These products are designed to prevent that," Strommen said.

When will "These products" no longer be designed to prevent that? It may be sooner than you think. It probably is on your local toy shelf today.

Human Nature Makes People [Jerks]; Not the Internet · Violent Acres

Human Nature Makes People [Jerks]; Not the Internet · Violent Acres

"The people that buy into this theory are the same simple-minded retards that also buy into the theory that human beings are innately good people. They are not. They are whiny, manipulative, greedy, stupid, jealous, vengeful, selfish cows. Very few people in the history of the world were genuinely kind people."

While I may disagree with the method in which it is expressed (warning: NSFC language), I whole-heartedly agree with the premise.

Thank you. I just can't seem to get past that, sometimes. It also brings me back to my other musings about why be good? It's not in human nature to be good.

I think I'll digest this, and my dinner some more, while I go tend to my son, who wants to play games with his father.

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