Unexpected Competition

The Independent: Gingers face extinction due to climate change, scientists warn

Washington Post: No, climate change is not driving redheads to extinction [1]

I imagine that The Onion never expected competition from mainstream news sources.

[1] If there were any justice in the world, this headline would end "... you idiots."

Boundaries, Fences and Teh Intarwebs

Infidelity in 2014: How Modern Life Lets Us Cheat

When I got my first cellphone in 2004, I immediately noticed something. “These things are designed to help people cheat,” I pointed out to my then-husband. They really were: you could delete sent texts one by one or erase a whole thread, you could save someone’s number as something totally innocuous (“Chimney Guy”), you could even change the date or time on outgoing and incoming messages. You could send pictures. This was before smartphones, so the cameras were terrible, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to see the inherent potential for someone who likes sneaking around. 

Now that technology has basically infested every aspect of our social interactions—do you even remember anybody’s phone number anymore? Because I sure don’t—we spend a lot of time communicating with people we may not exactly know very well, using tiny powerful computers that we carry in our pockets. And, just as in 2004, the possibilities for cheating seem endless. From flirting through repeated “likes” of someone’s posted Facebook photos or commenting on their every status update, to setting up surreptitious OKCupid or Ashley Madison accounts, cheating looks very different in 2014 than it did ten years ago.

Three personal commitments of mine:

1. In any private online conversations with a member of the opposite sex outside of work, I try to ensure that they're always between "wife & I" and the other person.  If that's not possible, I do my best to keep the Lovely Mrs. Robb updated on the conversation.
2. In offline conversations between myself and a member of the opposite sex, I make sure to mention my wife & kids.  Fortunately, I rarely have to make an effort at this - I enjoy talking about my family.
3. I have a PIN on my iPhone so I can leave it on my desk at work without tempting my fun-loving colleagues.  The Lovely Mrs. Robb knows the PIN, as do the kids.  I have no problem handing my phone off to any & all of them for whatever reason, and I will keep it that way.

There are other personal boundaries I have set for myself in this area.  Not because I imagine that I am an irresistible stud-muffin who has to carry a stick to drive off the hordes of slavering women after my hotness, but because I know that I am a sinful man living in a sinful world, and it is far, far, far easier to bear a burden if you never pick it up in the first place.

Nice Charity You Have There...

Despite the fact that Open Source Software foundations have existed for years, the IRS has apparently just decided that they are not allowed to be non-profits.

In a disturbing precedent, the Yorba Foundation, which makes apps for GNU/Linux, has had its nonprofit status application rejected by the IRS because some of projects may benefit for-profit entities.

Here's the thing: I do not think that this has anything to do with OSS, specifically.  I think that OSS just happens to be a nice starting point for the IRS to test out a nice, new, shiny +5 Phrase of Vaugeness against a soft target that has little or no capability of fighting back.

"May benefit for-profit entities."

Think about it.  There is a lot - an awful lot - of potential tax money there for the taking, after all. They just need to come up with a way to justify it, and get a few examples on the books to establish a precedent.  With this phrase, they do not even need to show that a non-profit is actually doing anything in particular.  Just suggesting that they might do an unquantifiable something for an unidentified someone at an undisclosed sometime is enough to yank their 501(c)(3) status.

Anyone want to lay odds that some of those annoyingly conservative non-profits are going to be hearing this phrase in the near future?

Is it Monday already?

Woke up this morning with a cold.  Lost a temporary crown and had to schedule an emergency dentist appointment.  Couldn't find my coffee mug.  Oh, and my shoulder hurts for some reason. [1]

Yeah, yeah, I know.  First world problems.

Still stinks.

[1] Not because I'm getting old.  Nope, must be something else.

GO USA!

Apparently, according to my office mates, some fellows from the US are not sporting as hard as the fellows from another country. So... y'know, folks, SPORT HARDER!

Or whatever it is you need to do, I mean. At this point, the extent of my knowledge about things is that they should avoid biting anything on the playing field. Since they are presumably adults, and capable of not gnawing on random objects and/or persons, I kind of figure that there is something else they may need to be doing.

Maybe try more of that?  Whatever it is?

GO USA!

"Home"

Just thought I would share this, since is has been running through my head more or less constantly for the past two months.

Hold on, to me as we go

As we roll down this unfamiliar road

And although this wave is stringing us along

Just know you're not alone

Cause I'm gonna make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear

Don't pay no mind to the demons

They fill you with fear

The trouble it might drag you down

You get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone

Cause I'm gonna make this place your home

La maison est morte, vive la maison!

Our former house went BOOM! this morning.

Well, less of a "boom", and more of a "crunch" with a bit of a "crumble"...

Bittersweet time.  It is nice to be making progress towards rebuilding, but we have many, many, many memories that tie back to our former home.  It may have just been an old, box style farmhouse, but it was a fine place to live and raise kids for the past 15 years.

Hugo Voter Packet!

Got the email today about the Hugo Voter Packet for 2014, and just finished downloading everything.

Hoo boy.

Nearly one and a half gigabytes of data.  Sixty-four pdfs, 71 jpegs, plus a bunch of stuff in multiple formats.  Baen was generous - they didn't just include Larry Correia's nominated novel (Warbound), but also tossed the first two novels in the series (Hard Magic and Spellbound) into the packet as well.  Not to be outdone, Tor decided to include the Wheel of Time.

Not the last book.  Not even the last couple of books.

The. Whole.  Fraking.  Wheel.  Of.  Time.  Series.

Yowza.

BY my count, there's 20+ novels, plus novellas, plus novelettes, plus short stories, plus artwork, plus... who knows what else is in this electronic goodie bag?

In terms of book-related purchases, this is by far the best value I've ever gotten for my money.  Plus, you know, I get to read all that and then vote for the Hugos.  Score!

Amused

Earlier today, Michael Z. Williamson put up a Facebopok post, looking for someone "... well versed in Christian theology..." to help with some story research.

Apparently, he's got quite a few readers - and FB followers - who are preachers, teachers, or what-have-you across a number of different denominations.  More than a few mentioned time in seminary or spent pursuing a theology degree.  We all chimed in and offered whatever assistance he might need.

Imagine that.  All us religious folks reading Mad Mike.  Which obviously goes to prove how stupid we are.  Because there is no other explanation for why such unbelievably homophobic, racist, sexist, classist, extremist, bitter clingers would read fiction from a such a libertarian author, right?

Because everyone knows that we're just plain ignorant and intolerant.

Meanwhile, ask your favorite progressive if they've ever read anything from Mr. Williamson, or Larry Correia, or Sarah Hoyt.  Be prepared for a lecture on why they would never sully their eyes with their right-wing filth.

What was that phrase again?  Ah, yes... "just plain ignorant and intolerant."

They're Baaaaack!

Sorry for the temporary interruption from the ice cream machine.  It's amazing how much time and effort goes into recovering from even a simple little thing like your house burning down.

So, what have you guys been up to in the meantime?  Let's see...

Huh.  Donald Sterling?  Miley Cyrus?  A wave of graduation speaker disinvitations?  What's this mess over here... OK, who's the idiot who let the "white privilege" folks out of their pens?  Trigger warnings all over the place, ugh.  They're finally investigating Benghazi, but it's awash in accusations of racism.  Gotcha.  Obamacare is still a train wreck, progressives are still whining about racism and sexism.  Larry Correia and Sad Puppies puts the beat down on the Hugo nomination process, good.  Oh, they fired the editor of the NYT because a woman was pushy and wanted paid as much as a man?  Très surprenant.

Sheesh... the VA is killing people?  We're fighting Boko Haram with hahstags?  At least that whole Crimea thing is settled... whaddya mean, no?  More hashtags?

Wait, what?  Hillary Clinton in 2016?

Sweet mother Mary on a pogo stick, I can't leave you people alone for a minute, can I?