A stark contrast

The following two stories appeared today on my Google News page separated only by a story on Iran's nuclear ambitions.

The first story came out of the U.S. and bore this headline:

4 police officers shot dead at Wash. coffeehouse

The other described how a very controversial issue is threatening to tear Switzerland apart:

Swiss Vote to Ban New Minarets

Now, if you're unaware or unsure of what a minaret is, let me let you in on this explosive controversy. A minaret is a slender tower attached to a mosque that traditionally is used as a "call to prayer" for Muslims, but in modern times and modern countries, including Switzerland, minarets are not used for anything other than traditional "window dressing".

While I am sympathetic to Muslims, and appreciate the affront on the sensibilities of some of them (the 10% of Swiss Muslims that actually adhere to traditional Muslim codes), quite frankly, the contrast between these two stories was very vivid to me. Four people dedicated to serving the public and upholding the laws of the land were brutally attacked and savagely murdered in broad daylight is something I think all would agree is far more egregious than offending anyone's sensibilities.

Let's face it, the social issues that face America are and have always been far more grave than those of most countries, especially when you exclude third word countries whose extreme poverty is usually the cause of their problems. Such attacks as described in this story are not isolated but can be considered a way of life for Americans. My take is that when you treat people with less than the dignity human beings deserve, you should expect them to act in ways only subhumans would. Providing basic health care to all is a good step in the right direction.

From the aforementioned story...

Last month, Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton was shot and killed Halloween night as he was sitting in a cruiser with trainee Britt Sweeney. Sweeney was grazed in the neck.

The U.S. is the serial killer and mass murder capital of the world. This is no accident. You reap what you sow. My heart goes out to the families of the victims, but until Americans realize that it is their politics that drive people to such depths, they should expect the carnage to continue. No amount of cops and super prisons will fix this problem. Wake up, America.

And to Switzerland...Don't go spoiling the fine reputation you have spent more than half a century cultivating. It doesn't look good on you.


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Poker room chat

Three guys (Sweet Elias is a male) vying for the affections of a young woman (Alma) in a play money poker room...

Sean Stevens: hi sweetheart love u so much
Vinny Marino: I must have come to the dating site by mistake.
Sweet elias A: hi
C Alma Zaldivar: hi sweety
Sweet elias A: h r u ?
C Alma Zaldivar: im f9 and u
Sweet elias A: me to thax
C Alma Zaldivar: ty fot the comments u send me
Sweet elias A: always welcome
Sweet elias A: ty
Sean Stevens: flower for my lovely woman
Sweet elias A: nice
Jimmy Clarck: hi babe
Sean Stevens: back off clarck
Jimmy Clarck: our dog is here
Jimmy Clarck: hi Sean
Jimmy Clarck: plz Sean
Jimmy Clarck: can you bark little
Sean Stevens: now ur the dog who follow us
C Alma Zaldivar: shut up both of u
Jimmy Clarck: follow us?
Jimmy Clarck: ****
Sean Stevens: as u say sweetheart
Jimmy Clarck: she will not answer you
Jimmy Clarck: she ignore you
Jimmy Clarck: hunnie
Sean Stevens: she ask me not to talk to u bastered
Jimmy Clarck: is it right babe???
Jimmy Clarck: answer this shi t dog
C Alma Zaldivar: i said stop fighting like animals infront of others
Jimmy Clarck: is it right?
Jimmy Clarck: did you say this?
C Alma Zaldivar: i said to shut up both of u


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Home alone kitty

Being a cat lover, I had to share this...

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Michael Jackson stunt?

I have no idea whether this is a doctored image or not, but either way, it's spectacular--either for the extraordinary circumstances and moment captured, or for the amazing skill in photoshopping.





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Sign of the times

Today, on one of Canada's largest communications services company's web site, an item read "...click on it's corresponding button". Of course, "it's" should not have an apostrophe. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who can't write basic English is not to be trusted with anything more than taking out the garbage. If your web designer can't write in the English language, what makes you think he can competently write in computer languages which are orders of magnitude more complex? This might explain why so many programs don't work correctly.

If your developer's first language is not English, he may very well be a great programmer, but for darn sake, have someone check their English. In any case, it's very clear from the way the stench of bad code permeates throughout the web, that good developers are as rare as good writers of English.

Back in the day, to be a programmer, you needed a degree in computer science, a good score on an I.Q. test, to be personable, have good hygiene, own a blue suit and know someone. Today, you need...to know someone.