So it goes

I used to have some intellectual respect for Kurt Vonnegut. I started with "Jailbird", then went back and read all the earlier stuff and eagerly awaited new releases. You never used to know what was coming next in his books, such as the * he'd put next to characters' names in "Galapagos" so you'd know they'd be dead soon. Hi ho.

But alas, the craziness has escaped his books. Now he has made the news for saying something too far out for even a Kilgore Trout book. That's too bad for *his reputation.

I've got it. Have you read "Mother Night"?. He's playing the "hero", a broadcaster who ostensibly is a propagandist like Lord Haw-haw or Peter Arnett, but who is actually sending coded information to the Allies in his announcements.

Or maybe he's just senile.

Yeah, he's always been a liberal, but he used to have some sense. I'll submit this as evidence.

At least they don't like ties

I'm not a big fan of ties. It turns out that it puts me in some swell company.

And this just in about neckties: (1) Our friends the Saudis ban them in Saudi Arabia as symbols of Zoroastrianism, a religion originating in the Persia that is today's Iran; (2) Iran bans them as symbols of the cross.

That and other wisdom found right here.

Adolescent doll

No, this isn't about some Lolita I met. I've just seen too many toy ads for this Christmas, and the latest was a doll that burps.

But it was just another baby doll. Yawn - how about something different? Of course adult dolls (inflatable or otherwise (NSFW)) have a bad rep, but why not adolescent dolls? Now that we have burping technology, let's use it.

And while we're at it, what else would an adolescent doll do? Pout? Slouch? Whine?

And what would it say? "You never let me do that!" "All my friends are going!" "You never make him/her do that!"

Suggestions?

List of CDs affected by Sony rootkit folly

Right here.

I haven't bought a CD from *any* publisher since this hit the fan. Do you suppose that the next time we hear the big music companies complain about declining sales, they'll attribute any of it to stunts like this?