Corporate future Oct 18, 2005
Kottke wrote about this Time article that mentions how JetBlue and Southwest Airlines have really improved travel in recent years by offering low fares.  That brought up my feelings on the topic:  I applaud companies like this who offer cheaper fares for the same dumb service.  I don't care if the big old companies like Delta and American Airlines go out of business.  It's their own fault.  That's what happens when you can't adapt to new and changing environments.  I feel the same way about GM and Chrysler or whoever in the car industry is filing for bankruptcy protection.  I can't wait for the newest, cheapest line of cars to come out from some no-name brand that spends all their money on engineering and no money on advertising.  I'll be the first one in line to buy their product.  I'll applaud them for putting a bunch of big, clumsy companies out of business by offering the same stupid product at a better price.  Capitalism.  Jerks. #business
Bald Oct 18, 2005
Sometime I (and we) refer to people as "the bald guy".  I feel bad about doing this, but sometimes it's completely appropriate.  Some people are just bald; there's no question about it.  But unfortunately, the term is often used negatively.  This doesn't quite make sense to me.  If a guy is bald, he's bald.  The sky is blue and the grass is green.  These are all descriptive adjectives.  You can't refute them.  But I guess I can understand if the person isn't completely bald.  Maybe they're thinning.  That gets a little tricky.  A little hairy, if you will (zing!).

But I feel I'm justified in calling somebody bald, seeing that sometime in the next ten years, I will undoubtedly go bald.  I think I'm already thinning.  Wendy says she doesn't see it, but I think she's lying.  I only really notice it when my hair is short.  That's why it's a little long right now.  But it'll probably be short again sometime soon when I get tired of having too much of it. 

When baldness actually sets in, I plan to fully embrace it.  Why not?  What should I do, cover it up?  Take drugs to make my hair grow back?  No way!  I'll completely shave my head or at least make my hair really short, so it doesn't look like I'm trying to hide anything.  People with comb overs or long hair are wasting their time.  Baldness, I say to you:  I'm ready. #lifestyle
Evil Oct 18, 2005
I'd like to take a minute to discuss the nature of evil.  This post is based largely on this link.  A lot of people think of evil as something that has horns and carries a pitchfork.  I think this is wrong.  Maybe it'll take that form someday, but I think it takes a different form in everyday life:  something beautiful or normal, but with a little twist.  In the Passion of the Christ, evil is represented by several things.  There's that woman-looking person with no eyebrows.  She represents evil because she's simple, somewhat beautiful, and symmetric.  But up close, you realize she has no eyebrows and doesn't blink.  It's taking a good thing and twisting it.  Then there's that hairy baby-like thing.  From far away, it's a beautiful picture:  a woman holding a baby.  But up close, you notice that the baby is gross and hairy and isn't really a baby.  Something beautiful, twisted. 

I can think of a bunch of examples in real life, but I'll offend people if I post them.  So I'll try to word them in an inoffensive way.  Marriage is a beautiful thing.  But joining two like things (physically) or two unlike things (spiritually) is taking something good and twisting it.  Sex is a good thing.  But taking it out of it's proper environment is taking a good thing and twisting it.  Anger can be a good thing.  But if it's acted out the wrong way, it's not good.  These things seem small.  Some say, "At least it's not murder."  True, but small things multiply, and they desensitize us.  We'll allow small things today, but big things tomorrow. #religion
Domestication Oct 18, 2005
Lessons learned from being married, or maybe just from being domesticated:  Folding fitted bed sheets is absolutely impossible, and anyone who can successfully do so is a super-mega genius.  As I tried to do this last night, I quickly gave up, seeing that I'm not really into folding things in the first place.  Plus, this is the thing that goes directly on your mattress, later to be covered by any of several other sheets and blankets.  In other words, no one ever sees this thing; henceforth it's useless to spend time trying to fold it. 

Google to the rescue!  I found a solution to all my problems at Google Answers, Target, HGTV, and Better Homes and Gardens.  Isn't the internet a wonderful thing?  This one quote from Target fulfilled my dreams and made me nauseous at the same time:  "Making the bed is so much more pleasurable when your sheets have been folded properly -- and not only do they take up a lot less space, they look great in your linen cupboard too! Follow our easy step-by-step guide on how to fold a fitted sheet, so it looks just like it came out of the packet."  Isn't it everyone's dream to have your fitted sheets look like they came right out of the packet?  Heck yeah. #psychology