Wonders of Technology

As you may recall, I absent-mindedly went for a soak in the hotel hot tub a few days ago while still wearing my pedometer. Not surprisingly, when I realized this, there was nothing on the display. I decided to give the thing a chance, removed and discarded the battery, dried off the pedometer, and left it to dry for several days. This afternoon after work, I went and picked up a new battery and installed it. Lo and behold, it works!

I should celebrate by going and walking a mile on the treadmill in the hotel gym, but I've been up since 4:45 AM having not got to sleep until about 12:45 AM, so I think maybe tomorrow.

Frog Boiling Continues

I continue to follow the comments about the Peter Watts incident at the Port Huron Times-Herald, and one particularly commenter, an anonymous coward hiding behind the handle "freak10," has managed to hit a whole lot of my hot buttons. Here's what he wrote, and my analysis of what it means:

No it doesn't make him a terrorist it just means that he has issues with authority. They stop you ask some questions and check your things. If you have nothing to hide just follow directions and be on your way.

Who needs silly things like the Fourth Amendment? Warrentless searches Make This Country Great!

If you don't follow directions and want to challenge them, then they will do what is neccesary. Searches are random things. People shouldn't feel like they are targets or terrorist unless there is a reason to feel that way.

In other words, shut up and do what the nice man in the brown shirt tells you to do, citizen. How dare you question authority? The Government Always Knows Best!

As for all the name calling and things, sounds as if you have some anger issues also.

His feelings are hurt because I'm calling him an anonymous coward. He's shown no reason to be anonymous other than it's easier to make baseless accusations that way.

stop living in the fantasy world and look at what is going on in the world, if a search of your vehicle for a couple minutes is too much to handle then stay home.

In other words, sit up, shut down, and hand over your civil rights, so you can Stay Safe!

You have no idea what happens on the border or what is dealt with on a daily basis because it is a national security issue that is not disclosed to the public.

Remember, The Government Always Knows Best! And the Lurkers Support Me In E-mail, too!

Yes, I'm angry at this bozo, and at anyone else who thinks like him. If this is what most people think in the USA, then there's no hope left. I know I'm not the only person who reads history, but I doubt this idiot does so. No doubt he really believes that we can be much safer by giving away all of our civil rights.

Look, I'm not a radical libertarian, nor a extreme socialist nor a crazy right-winger. I just hate seeing my country inch slowly down a path of taking it for granted that the Government is our superiors, and that of course we must always defer to the Government. I only exaggerate to make it clearer what a slippery slope it is. And what's the point of engaging in "anti-terrorism" activities that effectively say, "The terrorists won" anyway?