White representative Jul 6, 2009
I'd like to nominate myself for the position of Representative of All White People, equivalent to Al Sharpton's role for black people.  I would give generic public commentary on the actions and deaths of famous white people while incessantly pushing my own tired pet projects.  I think I could be good at that. #politics
Amazon categorization Jul 6, 2009
One of my few complaints regarding Amazon.com is their categorization system (or maybe it's their search function).  I was searching for a dehumidifier and I got several results that were humidifiers.  They're similar machines but they perform the complete opposite function. 

A similar problem is when you can filter search results down to a very specific category, like camera lenses.  When I'm looking in the camera lenses category, I don't want to see cleaning kits and tripods, especially since there's a separate category for camera accessories, and there's even a category specifically for tripods. #technology
Affording healthcare (5) Jul 6, 2009
There's always at least a little mumble in the news about the cost of healthcare and the idea of nationalizing it so everyone can afford it or whatever (I don't really care enough to actually look into what they're talking about).  A thought came to me while listening to some talk radio drivel one day -- the idea that many people feel entitled to be healthy, like it's their right as an American and as a human.  I would agree that it's good for certain basic medical services to be provided to everyone, even if they can't afford it.  Things like vaccinations and physicals and the like.  But I think that in general, we're ignoring the fact that health is a privilege, not a right, and that just like it's been since the beginning of the universe, the people with the money get the best stuff, or in this case, the best medicine and healthcare.  At some point we need to make the decision to not let that poor person get a liver transplant, even if it means they'll surely die.  This is a sensitive topic, and I'm speaking from a very limited, if not ignorant, perspective as a young, healthy, relatively rich (i.e. job-holding, debt-reducing) person.  I would love to hear other points of view on this. #health
Flat tire Jul 6, 2009
This past Friday morning, I was with Wendy, sitting on the front step of a friend's house, waiting for them to come home so we could start the weekend's festivities.  Thankfully this friend was late, because as we sat there, I noticed my tire was low on air.  We drove to a nearby gas station and filled up the semi-flat tire, at which point I could actually hear the tire hissing.  We drove to the nearest deli to get some lunch -- because let's face it, nothing is worth doing on an empty stomach -- and by that point my tire was completely flat.  I've never changed a flat tire before, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn how.  We weren't in a rush to get somewhere, we were parked in a safe parking lot, the weather was clear, and there was a deli nearby.  Wendy had changed a few tires in her day, but I asked her to let me do it from beginning to end so I could learn.  She found my owner's manual and guided me through the relatively simple process, and 20 minutes later, we were on our way with my full-sized spare.  Mission accomplished. 

Two things of note: 
  1. Why don't all cars come with a full-sized spare?  I mean what expense are we really saving by carrying around a stupid little donut?
  2. Changing a flat tire is something that should be taught in driver's ed in high school, as well as jump-starting a dead battery.  These are two activities that 98% of car drivers are likely to face at some point in their lives, and it's something that can be easily taught in a hands-on, practical way.  Instead, we read it in a book.
#travel
No tissues Jul 6, 2009
Some people don't have tissues in their house.  This puzzles me.  Tissues are typically used for nose-blowing.  Are there people out there who don't blow their noses?  I mean, for me, it's at least a daily activity.  Daily activities necessitate specialized tools.  Toilet paper is a decent tool for the job, but you always have to fold it into a usable size, which suggests once again that a proper tissue is the proper tool.  I realize some people are ridiculously cheap, and they'd rather blow their money on HBO than on things like tissues and garbage cans.  But as for me and my house, we will always have tissues. #products