Have you ever wondered what happens when you press the “Search” button on a Google query? Well, the mystery is now solved (and I was relieved there were no hamsters involved…) Watch the clip below and enjoy, you never knew it was so complicated, did you? Humor aside, it also shows dramatically the productivity improvements over doing things the manual way.

Update: Apparently the video has been taken down – I’ll see if I can find it at a different source. I can’t imagine that there was a copyright violation – but that could be it.

Hadn’t thought about cassette tapes in years. Remember making mix tapes from albums and other tapes? iTunes makes it so much easier to create a mix and take it on the run with an iPod or burned on a CD for the car…If you’re yearning for an iconic cassette tape dispenser, you can get yours at J-Me.

One question I get consistently about this blog is “Why don’t you write more about personal things, like your family life?” There are many questions submitted, but they mostly fit into this category.

Answer: what could be more personal than discussing politics and religion in front of the world? An uncensored world at that (I do moderate comments, but for spam, I let through some bruising personal attacks for those who wish to unleash the dogs (read the first one…).)

I’d guess they’re talking about my beloved wife and cherished daughter. The answer my friends, is simple. My wife feels that blogs are “like wearing your underwear on the outside of your clothes” and thus wants nothing to do with them, especially my blog. I love her and choose to respect her wishes. Not only that, being a techie at heart, I know what is possible simply by having a name – that’s why my wife remains “my wife” and my daughter remains “my daughter” – it’s not that determined criminals couldn’t find this information, but why make it easy?

With my daughter it’s even easier, she’s a child. She has no understanding about what it means to have things written about her on the internet. While I attempt to deal with our father/daughter outings in a pretty factual way, I hope it’s clear I love her and hugely enjoy the times we have together. When she’s mature enough to make her own decisions about how she wants to be known (unknown) on the ‘net, I’ll respect her decision as well. In the meantime, I’ll make the assumption she doesn’t want to be known and keep to that until/unless she tells me otherwise.

That leaves Gracie, our dear (seven! year old) labrador retriever. I asked her what if she minded if I wrote about her on the internet and she didn’t even stir. Thus, I take that in the positive and say that Gracie is the best dog ever. She cheers you up when you’re down, always has the right perspective (can we go to the beach? can we go on a walk?) and has the added benefit of being pet-able in all situations (except post-skunk confrontation.)

So, that brings us full-circle. What is personal? You’re getting my unadulterated views on everything but that which is most precious to me, my relationships with my wife and daughter. To me, that constitutes personal information. I write it myself, I’m responsible for my ignorance and for whatever insight might appear. I know I’m not perfect, but I am constantly striving to improve myself. That’s it, in a nut shell, that’s what you see here, what interests me, an exposure or myself less the bits I’ve disclosed constitute an honest attempt at expression.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming of politics, technology, business, sports, and humor.

Following on from the post yesterday about the differences between religious and secular faith, Greta Christina has another excellent post that addresses this issue. I’m not quite in agreement with the mainstream atheist crowd on much of the dogma of not believing (frankly, because I don’t think there should be a dogma – it’s more about being able to separate reality from myth, but I digress.)

The thing I appreciate about Greta’s take on this issue is: whatever conclusion you draw about religious faith, people aren’t consistent in their day-to-day lives and everyone, I mean everyone, has at least one area of irrational belief. So, to borrow a phrase from the Bronze Age myth book “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.”

Watch this short video:


After my hilarious and rousing rendition of Pastors Gone Wild, the NY Times has chosen to weigh in on the matter. And, as I indicated, McCain is getting a free pass from seeking out the endorsement of John Hagee, right-wingnut preacher from Texas. Admittedly, he’s not nearly as engaging as Jeremiah Wright nor does his invective stir the emotions as effectively, but his message is every bit as hateful and off-the-wall as Wright’s.

Why then, does McCain get a pass? Read the NY Times OpEd piece, it’s very enlightening. And NY Times, how about a back link to Pastors Gone Wild?