The Ostrich Project

Collaborative Cursing SQL Style

2011-11-18T23:38:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week at work, I had some discretionary time. I'm not quite sure what inspired me but I decided I wanted to brush up on my SQL scripting skills. I'm not by any means a SQL scripting pro but I know how to find the data that I'm looking for. In my line of work, I'm generally just looking to verify that the data being written to the database is correct. Generally a simple query will do the trick but occasionally more complex scripts, like a cursor or a loop, make it easier. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember how to write a cursor. Oops. In fact, I couldn't even remember what they were called. Oops again. But that's why I wanted to practice so that when I actually need to write one, it'll be easy. I finally figured it out with the help of Google but I still ran into a couple of bumps in the road. The end result does work but I welcome tips for improvement.

Here's my cursor:

DECLARE @total int,
  @city varchar(64),
  @state varchar(16),
  @table char(64)

DECLARE city_cursor CURSOR FOR
 SELECT DISTINCT City, State FROM MyAddressTable
 ORDER BY City

SET NOCOUNT ON

CREATE TABLE #City_Count_Temp
 (
 City VARCHAR(64),
 State VARCHAR(16),
 Total INT
 )

OPEN city_cursor
FETCH NEXT FROM city_cursor INTO @city, @state

WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
 SELECT @total = (SELECT COUNT(City) FROM MyAddressTable WHERE City = @city and State = @state)
 
 --SELECT @city AS City, @state AS State, @Total AS Total

INSERT INTO #City_Count_Temp VALUES (@city, @state, @total)
 
 FETCH NEXT FROM city_cursor INTO @city, @state
 
END
CLOSE city_cursor
DEALLOCATE city_cursor

SET NOCOUNT OFF

SELECT * FROM #City_Count_Temp

DROP TABLE #City_Count_Temp

It's actually a pretty simple script. The purpose of the script is to count the occurrences of each city in the table and then output it into a nice pretty list. It accomplishes this by first querying the table for the unique list of City/State combinations. Then using this list it again curses through the table counts the number of occurrences of each and dumps the information to a temporary table. Finally, there's a simple query of the temporary table that produces the final list.

So the bumps in the road that I couldn't quite figure out... First, the only way I could get the script to make a pretty list was write the data to a temporary table. You might have noticed a commented out line in the middle. Originally, this was how the script provided the output without writing to the temp table. The problem was that SQL Management Studio displayed a separate result for each curse of the script. If there's another way to do this, I'd love to know!

Also, I tried to set the table name (MyAddressTable) as a variable but for some reason, it would error every time saying that I needed to declare the variable (even though I had declared the variable).

So that's my little cursor. I'm happy to answer any questions about it. I'm also happy to receive any suggestions about how to improve it

Rules for Driving in Chicago

2011-05-07T20:37:00.000-05:00

Watch out for the taxis - they are the absolute worst drivers there are
Watch out for the out-of-towners - possibly even worse than the taxi drivers, you know the taxi is going to cut you off but out-of-towners are just plain unpredictable
Watch out for the buses - they'll cut you off too so just stay out of the buss lane
Watch out for the bikers - they're incompetent when it comes to obeying the rules of the road
Know where you're going and how to get there
NO LOLLY-GAGING! Keep up with the traffic in front of you, if you're going to make a turn then TURN. To sum it up in one word: Commit
If you're not in the correct lane to make your turn, don't stop at the intersection and expect someone in the turn lane to let you in while you hold up everyone behind you - go around the block
Watch out for pedestrians
Watch out for bikers II - there are a lot of them, often they have their own lane so give them their space (don't cut them off when making a turn and look before you open your door when parking on the street)
Watch out for potholes - they're deep, jagged, and everywhere
Watch out for people double parked
When turning, get all the way over in the turn lane or to the edge of the street

What have I missed? Feel free to add more rules in the comments.

Sunday Morning Bible Study is Ruining Church

2011-04-06T22:29:00.000-05:00

Last summer, my church decided to go down from two Sunday morning services to just one. When we had the two-service schedule, communion was offered every week but it would alternate between the first and second services each week. When we went to one service, it was decided to offer the sacrament at every service except the fifth Sunday of the month. Naturally, attendance is much higher in the one service than it was in either of the two services before. That combined with having having the sacrament at just about every service has resulted in the service running consistently an hour and fifteen minutes long.

Guess what, people are complaining. It's not just that the service is running long, it's that it's causing the fellowship time and Bible study to start late.

Since when is the length of a service dictated by the start time of Bible study?

Since when is the length of a service restricted to an hour?

I ask that second question with a bit of jest. I think every church I've ever been at has had people that squeak about services longer than an hour. Oregon, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, they're all the same.

It wasn't always this way. I don't know when this change of attitude happened but it wouldn't surprise me if it is directly related to the advent of Sunday Morning Bible Study. I'm not knocking SMBS—certainly getting people more knowledgeable about their Bible is a good thing. However, I would bet a King Size Milky Way that SMBS is a product of the Church Growth Movement.

Think about it, the CGM is all about getting people in the door. Step 1, attract people with your ecumenical, message-less service. Step 2, keep them engaged by guilting them into Bible Study where they get to interact and make friends with other people. Now carefully orchestrate and direct everything to optimize the emotional experience.

The Western liturgical style common in Lutheran and Catholic churches has been carefully crafted over the last 1900 years. Every element has a purpose and it all works together to be spiritually enriching. Anyway, my point isn't to give an explanation of the liturgy. But, why should the service be hacked and mutilated to fit our schedules? Why is it so hard to accept that this is how we worship and sometimes it takes a little longer? Having a lot of people in church a cause for celebration rather than a catalyst for butchery.

Concerned About API Healthcare's Acquisition? What You Can Do

2011-04-04T18:44:00.001-05:00

I know I'm not the only one that hopes Kronos' acquisition of API Healthcare falls through. I also know that most people don't feel comfortable talking about it for fear of their jobs. THERE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO. Contact the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC, in conjunction with the Department of Justice, is the government agency that approves mergers and acquisitions and makes sure that antitrust laws aren't broken. If you think this is a bad idea, contact the FTC.

Here are your options:
By email: antitrust@ftc.gov
This method isn't considered confidential, so if that's a concern...

By mail:
Federal trade Commission
Bureau of Competition-H374,
Washington, D.C. 20580
If you mark the mail "Confidential" it will be treated as such.

By phone:
1–877–382–4357

As I understand it, the FTC has issued a second request for information. They don't always do this so hopefully it means they see a potential problem. It also means time is fleeting so ACT NOW.

For more information, visit ftc.gov or view this PDF from their website that gives a nice overview.

API Heathcare's Acquisition by Kronos Remains Unpopular

2011-04-03T22:00:00.000-05:00

My feelings about the pending sale of API Healthcare to Kronos is no secret. I think this is a horrible idea. As it turns out, I'm not the only one that thinks this. I have it on good authority that in addition to me, but the API employees AND customers are not in favor either!

Two and a half years ago when Francisco Partners bought API, there was a lot of uncertainty. The employees knew things were going to get shaken up. There was a shake up and really, I would say that the operation of the entire company changed. The balance between making money, providing a quality product, and treating employees fairly shifted dramatically. I hate to say it but employees were on the losing end of that switch. Nonetheless, the core focus of the company remained steadfast and probably even got more precise. Because of that focus, the vast majority of employees remained loyal to the company. There were only a handful of employees that left or were let go.

Fast forward to 2011. Employee retention has become a big problem. I don't have exact number of departures but I'll let you draw your own conclusions but it's pretty obvious that there's a problem when the company has to resort to bribery. If you were a customer right now, how would you feel knowing employees are jumping ship?

Rumor has it that the clients aren't any more excited about this either. Why would they be? There are two major competitors in the market. They chose API over Kronos for a reason and now they're potentially being forced into using a product they don't want or with a company they don't want to work with.

If ever there was a time for the regulators to step in and say, "NO!!!" this is it. Competition is good for the market and for consumers. There is nothing good that could come of this acquisition. All Kronos wants is to eliminate their biggest competitor because that will translate to more money for them AND they won't have to work as hard to try to maintain some sort of edge in the market.

Connecting the Old and New Testaments in Song

2011-03-29T19:09:00.000-05:00

In Christian worship, the canticles of the liturgy are musical settings of various songs found in the Bible. Two of the most common songs are based on songs of the angels. The Gloria in Excelsis is the song the angels sang at Jesus' birth (Luke 2:14). The Sanctus is the song of the angels as seen in a vision of heaven by Isaiah (Isaiah 6:3).

The Heritage Mass by Owen Alstott has done something really interesting setting these two texts to music. Check out the two snippets below.

Notice anything similar about the two settings? That's right, they're the same. They do have variations to fit their respective texts as each song progresses but the theme and flavor is the same. I think this is really interesting because it draws a musical connection between the two texts. This highlights the connection between the Old and New Testaments and it also highlights the connection between our song on Earth and the heavenly song of the saints and angels. Furthermore, it highlights the connection between the spoken absolution and the sacramental absolution. I don't know if the average church lady will pick up on all of that but it does provide interest for us students of liturgy and anyone that likes to be more fully aware of what's going on.

I'm not aware of any specific examples where this has been done before (though I wouldn't doubt that it has been - feel free to fill me in). In any case, I think it's pretty cool and it's certainly a technique I will keep in mind should I ever feel inspired to write a setting of the Mass. Maybe you could too.

Who's Your Tester?

2011-03-29T18:05:00.000-05:00

Check out my latest blog at Vodori.

Shrinking Screens

2011-03-07T22:31:00.002-06:00

About four months ago, I started thinking seriously about upgrading my laptop. Basically, all I use it for is surfing the internet and email but even that seems to take longer and longer than it should. For a while I contemplated going the table route but I really want a physical keyboard and I find the laptop configuration is easier to use when laying on the couch or in bed.

I won't indulge you with my list of "must haves" just yet but one thing I want is a high resolution screen. As I was looking around, I discovered two interesting trends. Most laptops now have a 16:9 aspect ratio. This makes sense since TV's are all 16:9 now however, it seems that the common aspect recently was 8:5. Personally, I like the 8:5 ratio.

The second observation I had is that screen resolution leaves much to be desired. Just about every model from every manufacturer I looked at only had displays at 1366x768 for sizes up to 15". That's not good enough for me. The manufactures like to "fancy it up" by calling it "720 HD" which is true but clearly a marketing ploy. I realize that full HD (1980x1080) will come at a premium and only be available on a small range of models. However, to not even be able to upgrade to something somewhere in between (around 1600x900) while not breaking the bank is disappointing. Even if I wanted a behemoth 17" laptop, the standard res is 1600x900 and it's next to impossible to find an upgrade. Is this just not important to enough people to warrant offering more upgrade options?

What I find particularly odd about this is that there is more and more buzz about the resolution of smart phones and tablets. My Evo is 800x480 for crying out loud and it's only 4.3"! Meanwhile complaints abound that the iPad 2 is still at 1024x768.

Are my expectations just too high? Should I just become a mac instead?

The Peaceful Transition of Power

2011-03-03T21:04:00.000-06:00

Something happens regularly in the United States that absolutely baffles the rest of the world (or at least most of it). We have elections and the ruling power peacefully passes from one person/party to another. Really though, the power doesn't really move because it is in the hands of the people. This has gone on for going on 250 years without incident. Until February of 2011.

When the Democratic Wisconsin State Senators hopped on the bus and ran out of the state, that record ended. The Republicans overwhelmingly won the November election. The Governor and both houses of the legislature changed from blue to red. Now that everyone has been sworn in and it's time to get to work, the Democrats are bucking the system. They've decided that since there's a piece of legislation that they don't like, they're going to completely shut down Wisconsin government.

It's not just that they've shut down the government but they've stolen everyone's vote. The majority spoke. They spoke for conservative ideals especially in the area of spending. But since the minority has decided to not even cast a vote, even to dissent, now nobody gets to vote.

What they're doing should sicken each one of us. We pride ourselves on our unique system of self government. It works and it works well but it requires that everyone plays by the rules. You don't get to complain about the rules after the fact. Unless the Democrats are truly ready to abandon our system of government, then it's high time they get back to Madison.

Personally, I think we've got a pretty awesome government. It's not perfect. Sometimes it takes longer for the gears to turn than we'd like. Sometimes the gears seem to turn a little backwards. Each one of us has a voice though and I'm not ready to give that up. Hopefully the Democrats soon realize that it's not fair to rob that voice from others either.

Why Catholics Can't Sing #1

2011-03-02T21:20:00.001-06:00

I have learned so much in my current music position and I'm grateful for the opportunity I have. That being said, there's a reason why the Lutheran church is known as the singing church and not the Catholic church. This starts what I think will be an ongoing series of why Catholics can't sing. There's a book by that same name. I haven't read it but honestly, I don't need to because just about every week, there's something that makes me think, "Oh my, that's not good!"

Below is the verse of the day from this last Sunday. Put on your music editor hat now. The situation is that a soloist will sing the verse. She has had the music ahead of time to practice but she's not a professional. You have about 15 minutes to work with her before the service. What about the verse makes it difficult to sing?

The range is fine. There aren't any tricky intervals. The melody is on the bland side but singable. So what's my beef? Compare line one against line two. Notice that line one uses a nice simple duple meter then line two switches to a triple. The result is a tricky piece to sing. Obviously, the composer was trying to pay attention to the accented syllables. This isn't a genius use of hemiola but it is confusing.

Hurray for paying attention to the accented syllables but boo for changing the expected rhythmic pattern. This should not have passed editorial review. The second line should have been rewritten to keep the beat pattern the same. I think the biggest rule broken here is that the music stops being predictable. Predictable does not mean uninteresting or unoriginal but it does make for accessibility among average church singers.

A Gay Opinion of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"

2011-02-27T22:32:00.000-06:00

I'm going to just skip the crap and be direct, I don't like it. Don't get me wrong, Born This Way has a catchy tune. It definitely has a "club" feel and I can picture people dancing and having a great time. I still don't like it though.

I think this song is overtly political--and don't confuse political with patriotic. Admittedly, it's a message that resonates deeply with me but this isn't what I want when I turn on the radio. If I want political commentary, I'll put on a talk radio station (which I do regularly). Moreover, I don't like being told what I'm supposed to like. I love suggestions but half the country, it seems, is going, um, gaga over this song and I'm not one of them. Frankly, I don't understand it. The song sounds like a theme song not a hit single. And while I'd rather see a more organically-originated theme song for "everyone that's different" I think it's great that there's a really popular tune for them/us to unite behind. That being said, this song just doesn't excite me and I'm not going to apologize for it.

A song is more effective when it tells a story. This song makes a statement. If you want to educate/evolve the listener, a story is the way to do it. Making a statement that directly conflicts with where the listener is at is going to instantly put them on the defensive. At that point, you've lost. Stories on the other hand are where it's at. We use them all the time to teach lessons--Jesus himself frequently used parables. Historical accounts have been handed down for centuries through historical narrative. Stories have gotten countless thousands of people out of speeding tickets.

I love Lady Gaga. She is a great musician. She's created a fascinating persona, with which she continually out-does herself, and which many others try [and fail] to copy. But I'm not willing to jump on the bandwagon. For the time being, I plan to keep listening to it when I hear it on the radio; I'm not sick of it, so take that however you want, but I'm not changing my ringtone to it.

API Healthcare Looks to the Future with Synergy

2011-02-26T21:51:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I wondered aloud about API Healthcare's vision for the future and whether they even have one. I'm happy to learn that they do. Historically, HIMSS has been API's marketing focus for the ear. As such, they usually have some big announcement for the convention to stir up some buzz for the company. From what I've heard, they didn't have any new announcements but they did focus on their new platform, Synergy.

API made it's official announcement about Synergy on February 1 so they let the cat out of the bag before the convention. But I'd concede that the announcement was recent enough for it to be still fresh and largely unknown at HIMSS. Synergy is a big deal though and it's an exciting advancement for the company because it takes their vast array of products and unifies them on a single platform. This project has been in the works for years and it lays the foundation for the future but I don't know how it fits in with Kronos.

Previously, all of API's products were independently developed and engineered using a variety of technologies. The single platform brings them together in one seamless integration. It makes the whole system more efficient, easier to troubleshoot, and easier to expand. Think of it this way, if you put a slice of lassagna, a scoop of German potato salad, and some pickled herring on a plate, you'd have a well rounded meal. They might even all be things that you like but they don't really go together even though they get the job done. On the other hand if you put a cheeseburger, fries, and fresh corn on the cob all on the same plate, you have a meal where each component enhances the others. The flavors don't compete with each other. It's a weak analogy but I think you get the picture.

So, API has finally perfected their menu (hopefully just as Ryan Braun's Graffito). They are definitely ready to charge ahead. But then there's this acquisition business. It sounds to me like all this work is not going to reap the rewards that it could or should because obviously Kronos' software doesn't run on API's platform.

I really hope API gets to continue to operate largely independent of Kronos. This company has been working so hard and they have real vision for the future. And since I say that, I need to give credit where credit is due and that's with the CEO, J.P. Fingado. It would be a real shame otherwise.

P.S. I just had this unrelated thought: I wonder if Luis would have bought the company back rather than let it go to the enemy if he had had the chance?

Prayer Preparation Before Worship

2011-02-26T12:04:00.001-06:00

Most organists I know, myself included, say a little silent prayer before the service starts. Some use a pre-written prayer; others are extemporaneous. Regardless, the prayer usually offers thanks for the talents being employed, a request for guidance as the music is played, and a request to allow the music to be a conduit to open the hearts of the listeners to be receptive to the Word of God. Always the purpose is to keep Christ at the center of worship-not the music, not the musician-Christ. I think most pastors do the same thing.

At the parish I currently serve, they do something a little different. I think it's pretty cool and I want to share. Before the service begins, everyone involved in the service in a leadership position gathers together in the vestry. This includes the priest, lectors, Eucharistic assistants, acolytes, and musicians.* They then join in prayer together. They use a pre-written prayer that has sections for each vocation to read.

What I like about this is that it includes everyone involved. It gives emphasis to the nature of their role in the service. Participating in a worship leadership role is not something that should be done lightly and this give some assurance that the responsibility is not shirked.

The takeaway from this that I offer is to think about doing something at your own congregation. If you are a lector or communion assistant, how do you prepare yourself for your job? Do you think it would be beneficial for you to join with your fellow servants before the service and have a dedicated time of preparation?

*For those of you curious, I choose not to participate for fellowship reasons.

Update: You can find the worship preparation prayer here. I don't know who wrote it.

Good News Remains Elusive for API Healthcare

2011-02-26T00:50:00.001-06:00

Kronos detailed some more of its plans regarding its acquisition of API Healthcare at the 2011 HIMSS conference. For those of you that don't know, HIMSS is probably the largest healthcare information technology organizations in the world. They have a conference each February and it is enormous. In fact, only a handful of cities can host it because it's so big.

If there's any good news, it's that API's current solutions will continue to be supported. Of course, there's no word about continuing to develop them or actively market them to new customers.

They're pretty clear that they plan to combine the best from each product line. To me this sounds like ransack and pillage.

I think what is most telling though is their overt excitement about obtaining the patient classification system (PCS). What that system does is it calculates staffing levels based on patient needs. So if you have a lot of critically sick patients, it will show you that you need more staff to come in and which staff members will best fill the need, and how you can do it for the lowest cost. This, too, is an area that is being increasingly regulated. To my knowledge, API's PCS is a revolutionary technology in the industry and Kronos had nothing to match it. Because of the regulation in states like California, Kronos couldn't put up much competition.

Since jobs are a hot topic, let's talk about that. Sales and training staff are no longer needed. Engineering staff can be cut down to a skeleton crew for support issues. Configuration analysts can be reduced soon since there won't be new implementations. Tech writers are no longer needed. HR? Goodbye. Management? Goodbye. About the only group things look okay for are the support personnel.

Again, I hope to be proven wrong. PLEASE, prove me wrong! But what good comes from eliminating the biggest competitor in the market with an exclusive cutting edge technology?

P.S. Historically, API has always had some big announcement to make at HIMSS. I haven't been able to find anything about one this year. This is yet another sign of what's to come. No news is bad news because it says that the company is does not have anything exciting to announce about its future.

Ode to Software Testing

2011-02-24T22:17:00.000-06:00

I also blog occasionally on my company blog. I wrote a song about software testing last week. You can check it out here and search for past articles I've posted there.

P.S. My company is hiring - click here to see the latest.

Kronos' Acquisition of API Healthcare Is Only Good for Kronos

2011-02-24T19:44:00.001-06:00

It was announced on February 7 that Kronos would acquire API Healthcare. This is not good news for anyone but Kronos. It is not good for API employees. It is not good for API customers. I suppose it may be good for Kronos customers in the short term but that remains to be seen.

Who Am I
Who am I to talk you ask? A former API Healthcare employee. I worked there for three years-two years under the original ownership and one year under Francisco Parterns' ownership. I liked working there. I had great coworkers. The management was professional. The company had drive. It was a trifecta for happy employees. The only reason I left was because after meeting my life partner, we decided to start a new life together in Chicago. Unfortunately, Francisco Partners has sold everyone out, in my opinion.

Why This Is Bad
So what's so bad about this? API Healthcare has had a laser focus on the healthcare industry. Everything they make is custom engineered for medical professionals. This means there are no half-ass solutions that try to maximize profits by stretching a single product across multiple industries. Don't get me wrong, the proverbial death of two birds with one stone is a good thing. Healthcare is such a unique industry though. The pay rules for nurses and other support staff can be so convoluted. Government regulation is extensive and it varies wildly from state to state. This is a 24/7/365. To be a leader in this field, you need a laser focus.

Kronos has been trying to acquire API for as long as I know and certainly longer. API has been Kronos' biggest competitor. Kronos has solutions for a multitude of industries. And of course, their healthcare division simply doesn't have the precision of API. Because of Kronos' size though, they have a respectable market share despite their inferior product.

I would bet money that API employees are going to lose their jobs. Once Kronos gets their hands on the software, they're going to rip it apart, reverse engineer it, and shove it into their own product. They'll only keep API employees around to execute the carnage.

I would also bet money that API customers aren't going to be happy with the results. Kronos still will not have the laser focus. The product is going to get dumbed down and exploited and it's not going to work as well or have the same drive for improvement. Additionally, nothing good ever comes when competition goes away. Sure, there are a handful of other companies in the market but they're peons compared to what's to come. But it's not like Kronos is adding new solution to their portfolio, they're just eliminating the chief competition. Competition has forced both API and Kronos to keep raising the bar. There's no need to do that anymore. Hospitals will be backed into a corner and forced into using a shoddy product because there will be no other choices.

Please Prove Me Wrong
I hope to be proven wrong but I just don't see any silver lining to this. There's one last thought that I want to express. When Francisco Partners bought API from Luis Garcia, they were quite vocal about how they bought companies as long-term investments. They've only had API for two years, which is not very long. I wonder how long Kronos and Francisco have been in negotiations...

Ostrich Project Reboot

2011-02-24T18:49:00.000-06:00

It's time for a change. It's not exactly a big change but a change nonetheless. I've decided to reboot my long-neglected blog and now I'm going to be focusing more on my professions-software testing & church music-and less on my opinions. They may still show up here and there and so I've left my old editorials up. To coincide with the reboot, I've also changed the template and given the blog a fresh new look.

Walker Overturns Prop 8

2010-08-05T18:26:00.004-05:00

Okay, I know it's been forever since I posted but I thought this was important. On my Facebook page, I posted a link to one of the stories about Prop 8 being overturned in California. I said that the headline should read, "Judge Upholds the Constitution" and one of my friends commented, "And ignores the law of God?"

He made a valid concern that many Christians as well as other faiths share. We need to remember that this is a civil decision. In which case, the buck stops at the Constitution. I realize this might be difficult to understand, but it's a GOOD thing that the Constitution is the ultimate rule of law in the United States.

One of our greatest principles is that you get to practice whatever religion you want. This protects you because it prevents anyone from imposing their religion on you. The religion of the ruling party does not have to be yours as it was in Europe in the 14 & 1500's. But this also means that you are NOT allowed to force your religion on others.

We as individuals are ultimately responsible to God and therefore we make individual decisions as we understand God's will for our lives. The country though CANNOT be an interpreter of God's will though because it likely will not mesh with your personal responsibility. Therefore, this is actually a VICTORY for the freedom of religion.

Another thing to keep in mind here is that the ruling isn't forcing anyone to do anything that is against their conscience. As Wanda Sykes puts it, "If you're not in favor of gay marriage, don't marry someone of the same sex."

Unfortunately, we now have people going off about "activist judges" and using buzzwords like that. It's funny how when someone disagrees with a ruling the judge becomes an activist. The Fourteenth Amendment clearly states, "[States shall not] eny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." This doesn't just apply to straight people.

I also heard a rumbling about the fact that Judge Walker is himself gay that he should have recused himself. Of course, this only comes up now after the decision has been handed down. If he had been straight and the law upheld, nothing would have been said about it. This insinuates that straight judges can fairly discern issues related to homosexuality whereas gay judges cannot. The sexual orientation of the judge has nothing to do with this.

Racists Come in All Colors

2010-06-04T20:12:00.006-05:00

Today I have two completely different stories about RACISTS.

Arizona Parents Show Their Kids How To Be Intolerant Bigots
Read the full story at the Huffington Post

In Prescott, AZ, there is a mural in the city showing a cross section of the students that attend the local elementary school. Prescott, like many of the cities in Arizona, is an ethnically diverse city. Naturally, the mural reflected this diversity. Sadly because of some narrow-minded people, the mural is being changed so that all the children look white.

Seattle Boy Beaten Up Because He's White
Read the full story at the Seattle Times

A 16-year-old boy in West Seattle was viciously (punched, robbed, urinated on, whipped) assaulted by a black man and a Filipino man. The boy did not provoke the attack. Rather, the men asked him for some help, he obliged, and then they jumped him. All this because he is white.

The Double Standards
The residents of Arizona are being labeled as a lot of racists because the have passed a state law, which mirrors federal law, so that local law enforcement is actually able to combat a real problem. The truth is, there are racists in Arizona, as clearly shown in the first story, but enforcing the law doesn't make you a racist. Meanwhile, there are countless stories from Los Angeles to New York of serious crimes that could have been prevented if only local law enforcement was allowed to verify immigration status.

On the other hand, white people are constantly typecast as being racists. Then when a white person is jacked simply for being white, it's almost as if it didn't happen and nobody will admit that people that aren't white could possibly by racist too. Furthermore, our country has legalized racism against white people through affirmative action and hate crimes. As long as these types of laws exist, we as a country will be unable to truly unite and embrace what makes us different. Instead, laws like this just create resentment.

We have a nation of law and order. Everyone must follow the rules and everyone should be treated equally.

The Irony of Reasonable Suspicion

2010-06-02T19:59:00.003-05:00

As I was pondering a reply to my previous post, Arizona! Arizona! Arizona!, a bit of irony occurred to me that I thought was worth its very own entry. I believe that the central controversy in Arizona's recent immigration law is truly reasonable suspicion guised as racial profiling. Anyway, my point is this, there are a lot of people upset about a police officer asking for identification during the course of an investigation based on some collection of evidence. However, nobody says a thing about police check points. If you want to make comparisons to Nazi Germany, this is where it should be made!

In this country, police check points are a regular occurrence. In movies and even occasionally on the news, we hear about check points that are set up when a convict escapes from a detention center or when an Amber Alert is issued. I am fine with them in those circumstances. However, I believe they are more common in the form of checking driver sobriety. THIS I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH. I don't think that the combination of 1. Driving and 2. 1:30 am amounts to reasonable suspicion. Even if you add in 3. January 1, XXXX, it's not reasonable suspicion. This is an invasion of privacy but it happens all the time. In the city where I conducted my first college internship, there was a random checkpoint set up every Saturday.

SO, if Arizona's law was to mandate, or even just suggest the use of checkpoints to check for immigration status, then I would have a B-I-G HUGE problem with the law. But of course, that's not the case. Law enforcement needs reasonable suspicion to as for identification in regards to immigration status. Why don't we just let the play out for a while--the law hasn't even gone into effect. Arizona is doing everything to PREVENT racial profiling. If there appears to be a problem, let's address it. I suspect that the problem, should there be one, will be with a few select individuals; not the law itself and therefore it should be handled on that level.

ARIZONA! ARIZONA! ARIZONA!

2010-06-01T21:59:00.004-05:00

Back on December 7, 1941, the USS Arizona was sunk in a catastrophic explosion as the result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 1,177 lives were lost. This was probably the most notable tragedy of the event and one might say that the sinking of the Arizona lead to the US entry into WWII. Interestingly now 68 years later, a law passed recently in the state of Arizona is now causing quite a stir. Arizona's new immigration law, S.B. 1070, may just be the catalyst that finally pulls this country into a war over immigration. Honestly, I hope it does, and I hope that the result is an increased respect for citizenship.

Being granted citizenship is a privilege, not a right. Back in the 1800's when immigrants boarded a boat and sailed across the ocean, they weren't guaranteed citizenship when they got to Ellis Island. Neither today should be guarantee citizenship just because you get here. We have established an orderly system to request citizenship. Everyone has to wait their turn. Waiting in line is something we all learned to do back in kindergarten. When I was in kindergarten, if someone skipped ahead in line, they got sent to the very back. So too, we should not tolerate people skipping the line and entering this country illegally. We have tolerated illegal aliens for too long! We don't need don't need reform, we need enforcement.

I, along with most of America, fully support Arizona. They have simply made their state law reflect federal law so that they as a state can do something about the problem because the federal government is obviously not interested. I don't think the boarders should be closed but they need to be regulated.

Read more at the Washington Post.

Louise Bourgeois, 1911-2010

2010-05-31T14:35:00.009-05:00

Today, as I was flipping through the news, I spotted a story about Louise Bourgeois. She died today. Honestly, I didn't know who she was but since there was a story about her, she must have made a big impact; so I read the story. Louise was an artist whose specialty was in sculpture. I was intrigued to see some of her pieces. Naturally, I went to Google Image Search and came across a site with a large display of feminist art. There I found two pieces, not by Louise, that struck a chord with me. And so, I share them with you, as well as an apparently well-known photograph of Louise. I offer no commentary on them but hope that you find something meaningful to garner from them as well.

Nan Goldin. Heart-Shaped Bruise.1980

Kim Dingle. Girls with Dress Pole. 2001

Robert Mapplethorpe. Portrait of Louise Bourgeois. 1982

Honoring Our Fallen Heros

2010-05-31T07:15:00.000-05:00

Today I honor all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. May you rest in peace.

Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun
From the lakes, from the hills, from the skies
All is well, safely rest;
God is nigh.

Then goodnight, peaceful night;
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright.
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, goodnight.

"Shutting down Mercury eliminates a distraction"

2010-05-27T21:38:00.003-05:00

The rumor mill is hard at work today; this time saying that Ford Motor Company is planning to drop the Mercury line. I've been wondering why they haven't done this sooner. Ford has done nothing to bolster Mercury for many years. It's like the crazy old (wo)man with one foot in the grave that JUST WON'T DIE.

Mercury autos have nothing that truly distinguishes them from their Ford counterparts. If you look at them side by side (Fusion and Milan, Escape and Mariner, Crown Vic and Grand Marquis), they look EXACTLY THE SAME, except for the emblem and grill. Mercuries don't offer any options you can't get on a Ford. There might be some adjustments in the suspension, transmission, and exhaust and that's it.

General Motors had this problem too. They discontinued Oldsmobile in 2004 and I think they realized their problem and tried to rejuvenate the remaining brand identities. Unfortunately, it was too late and ended up axing Pontiac and Saturn in 2009. Oh, by the way, remember Plymouth and Eagle?

For the sake of comparison though, think about Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. These cars are by and large the same but they have two distinct flavors. The 300 is tailored towards luxury and older buyers whereas the Charger is tailored towards younger, performance-oriented family buyers. They look different. Granted, their available options are pretty similar but they really do have their own personalities.

So, who cares? I don't. I guess I should confess that I'm not much of a Ford person, although they do get my vote for keeping on keeping on without federal funds. I think this is a good move for them and it's about time. Many auto makers have two brands and have been quite successful at it - Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infinity, Dodge/Chryser, Volks Wagen/Audi.

Okay, enough rambling about nothing.

Today in the News

2010-05-26T19:22:00.008-05:00

80-Year-Old Man Defends His Home

Today in Chicago, a WWII veteran protected his wife and great grandson as well as himself from an intruder in their home by shooting the intruder. Sadly, the intruder was killed but I applaud the man for protecting his family. While it is sad the mad died, he got what was coming to him. He rolled the dice and lost. See story.

McCain Is a Poopie-Head Over DADT Repeal

Admittedly, I don't know everything about the DADT Repeal "compromise" in the news right now. To me though, it sounds like a step in the right direction (meaning repeal). I'm not among the crowd that says DADT never should have been. I think it was as much as conservatives could tolerate at the time. It's time to move on though and make it okay for people to express openly who they are. Of course, John McCain, still bitter over his defeat, is making a stink again about this. Seriously, the only people that have their undies in a bunch over this are politicians and military brass. The military grunts don't have a problem with this and for the most part John and Jane American Citizen don't either. Let's just get this over with. See story.

Two Holes that Need Plugging

No references to any stories here but two bullet point comments regarding big GAPING holes:

SEAL THE HOLE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO SPEWING FORTH OIL! CLOSE IT NOW!
Secure our boarders!

What's wrong with cell phone contracts

2010-05-21T19:40:00.005-05:00

AT&T announced today their plans to significantly raise their early termination fees (ETF) on smart phones. Of course, this is messed up! Now they claim that they have these fees to recoup the cost they incur by subsidizing the cost of the phone to make them more affordable for consumers. The truth, of course, is that they're just money hungry and they prey on our insatiable need for the latest gadget. I don't begrudge them their right to make money but customers are supposed to come first.

There are two simple options the cell phone companies could employ to make the ETF more reasonable and fair to consumers.

Option 1

This option involves a bit of calculation. The cost of the subsidy plus a reasonable profit margin (10%) = the ETF. Furthermore, the ETF is then divided by the term of the contract and for each month completed, that amount is subtracted.

Here's an example
AT&T's Cost to Apple	$500
Phone's cost to Consmuer	$200
Subsidy paid by AT&T	$300
Reasonable Profit	$50
Total Subsidy/ETF	$350
Amount deducted each month of a 24 month contract	$14.58

So, let's say you complete 9 months of your contract and you've had enough. Your early termination fee would be $218.75

Option 2

This option is really an extension of the firstTake the phone back. AT&T can refurbish and resell that same phone for $150. It costs maybe $50 on average to refurb the phone. So, give the consumer a $50 credit for the phone, which comes off the top of the ETF. Additionally, the phone company gets to make another $50 on the phone.

This isn't rocket science.

Macs are no more secure than PCs

2010-03-25T19:40:00.003-05:00

In the news today is yet ANOTHER example that Macs are no more secure than PCs. It is just as easy for a Mac to be hacked as a PC. I admit, there is less risk of falling prey to a cyber attack on a Mac but Macs are not less vulnerable. There is nothing magical (or even scientific) about Macs or Safari that make them impervious to exploitation.

The difference between the two is market share. Apple has roughly an 8% market share in the US. That means 92% of computers ARE NOT Macs. In other words, the world runs on PC's. So, if you are a nefarious person wishing to profit either financially or through some sick pleasure by writing viruses and exploiting computers, who will you go after? PC's of course! You'll go after the biggest group to impact the most number of people possible.

So Mac people, you really ought to get off your high horse because one day, you're probably going to be sorry that you weren't more conscious about security than just playing the odds.

Overreaction to a Practical Joke in NJ

2010-03-20T22:00:00.003-05:00

In New Jersey, apparently a 16-year-old boy played a practical joke in a local Wal-Mart by making an announcement over the public address system asking all the black people to leave. At first, nobody knew who did it. They figured it out and now the suspect has been charged with "harassment and bias intimidation." I'll admit, I don't really know what that means in legal terms but it sounds like overkill. What he did was in poor taste for sure. Give him a ticket for disorderly conduct and get over it.

This is clearly a practical joke that was a little overboard. By no means should he be labeled a racist--it was a JOKE. Telling a blond joke doesn't make you sexist. Telling a gay joke doesn't make you a bigot. Telling a nerd joke doesn't make you a chauvinist.

Short Take: Prom Lawsuit

2010-03-19T22:45:00.002-05:00

Unless you live in a cave, you've heard about the story where a young woman in Mississippi wanted to bring her female partner to the prom. The school said no. The girl contacted the ACLU who sent a letter to the school encouraging them to change their mind. The school then "coincidentally" canceled the prom. Then the ACLU filed a lawsuit to force the school to have the prom.

As suspicious as the school district's motives may be, if they decide not to have a prom, I don't see how they can be forced to have one. As much as I feel for this girl, it is not the government's role to force the school to sponsor a prom.

Marriage Absurdity

2010-03-19T20:16:00.004-05:00

A few days ago, there was a story in the news about a South Korean man marrying his pillow. Mainly, the story shared to poke fun at this person that is apparently unbalanced and to have a little chuckle. Well, today, this story was used to spread a little hate and I'd like to set the record straight! I was listening to the radio today, as I often do, to listen to the news and commentary at 12:00 Noon. The station and newscaster shall remain anonymous but what he [the newscaster] had to say during his editorial was just ridiculous!

The newscaster took the position of being against same-sex marriage on the basis that it will [eventually] lead or contribute to bestiality. His evidence was this silly story. Essentially, if you let a man marry a man then you have to let a man marry a sheep and then you have to let a man marry a pillow. This is a classic "apples and oranges" comparison though. The difference between same-sex marriage and human-animal/human-inanimate object marriage should be obvious! A human is a HUMAN. Humans are DIFFERENT than animals and have DIFFERENT rights than animals.

Additionally, I read four or five versions of this news story and I couldn't find anything that said the marriage to the pillow was legally binding--I highly doubt it was. The stories all just said that they were married by a priest. Besides, don't both parties have to be able to consent to marriage?

Not a One-Issue Decision

2010-03-18T18:47:00.000-05:00

The healthcare reform debate is much like voting for an official. Saying "yea" or "nay" to this legislation for just one reason is boarderline STUPID. Case in point, the opinions coming out of the Roman Catholic church are quite different. The bishops have denounced the legislation because it has stipulations proving coverage for abortions. The nuns have come out in support of the legislation.

I do not support allocating my tax dollars for the funding of abortions, which I will expound upon at another time. Am I going to say no to the bill though for that one reason??? No! There's so much to the proposal. You have to look at all the different components and how they come together to form the big picture. When you go to a restaurant, do you not order the steak because it comes with broccoli? No. First you try compromise, "Can I get the steak without broccoli; possibly with a different side?" If that doesn't work, you still get the steak and you give the broccoli to your sexy man across the table.

Right now, there are a lot of Americans that can't even go out for a steak, let alone afford health insurance, so let's not be hasty in saying no. If you don't like the big picture, then so be it. Come up with something better.

Runaway Prius Was Possibly a Hoax

2010-03-15T18:02:00.003-05:00

So the news today showed us that Toyota's woes aren't quite as bad as we were led to believe - Toyota casts doubt on man's speeding Prius claim. I'm not surprised. Some Toyota cars have suffered from unexplained acceleration but none of them have been Priuses. It seems to me like someone saw an opportunity for a law suit and decided they wanted to cash in. Unfortunately, he didn't do his research. This type of fraud isn't new. Remember the syringe in the Pepsi that was never really there? Anyway, I drive a Honda... I'm just sayin'

The Antonio Treatment: A Review

2010-03-14T22:01:00.005-05:00

I've decided to depart from serious topics in order to offer my first impressions of the The Antonio Treatment. The Antonio Treatment airs on HGTV and the host/designer is Antonio Ballatore, season four winner of Design Star.

Alright, I just finished watching the season debut episode. He updated a living room for a couple that has been married 14 years. The guy is a deaf emerging comic strip writer and his wife is a sign language interpreter.

I am so disappointed!!! There was nothing original about his design. The room layout was exactly the way the homeowners had it. He didn't do anything to better utilize the space. The fireplace mantle looked just plain stupid. The mantle was an Italian-inspired design and it did not match anything else in the room. The overall design was was casual modern and while I understand his desire to bring in a bit of elegance, it just looked bad. On the opposite wall, he used a shelving unit that was obviously meant to house a TV but wasn't in his design. That looked pretty dumb too.

As for the show itself, it just went on and on and on. An hour was way too long. They spent 15 minutes on the design execution and 45 minutes on him screwing around. He brought his dog with him everywhere. In fact, the first time he came to his clients' home, he just came right in with his dog in tow without even asking if it was okay. Don't get me wrong, I am a dog owner and I like taking him with me everywhere but that was just rude. On HGTV, I don't want to see a reality show about a designer and his dog. The crew was interesting because it wasn't the typical lot of models-turned-designers but rather rockers-turned-designers. But they interacted with each other like a teenage garage band rather than professionals.

I like the idea. I voted for Antonio to win Design Star but the execution needs to be refined. Cut the show down to half an hour. As for the design work, I'll give Antonio a little more time to refine himself.

Why Conservatives Are Against Same-Sex Marriage

2010-03-14T15:53:00.003-05:00

The same-sex marriage debate has been steadily growing in intensity for several years. The argument, along with all it's supporting points for each side really hasn't changed or had anything "new" added. Today, I'd like to offer a little bit of insight into the conflict that would be created if same-sex marriage was legalized across the country.

First off, I really struggled titling this post. Not all conservatives are against same-sex marriage. Certainly not all Christians are against same-sex marriage (see Episcopalians, UCC, ELCA). Generally though, the anti-same-sex marriage people fall into the group of conservative Christians. And, it is the Christians of this group that I care to expose today. But let me emphasize, this doesn't apply to Christians as a group even though henceforth, I will label the group Christians.

It is important to understand how Christians understand marriage. Marriage is a legal arrangement. That means it is something of the government. The government defines the parameters and requirements. For this reason:

Civil marriages (those performed by a justice of the peace or similar office and not by a minister) are recognized by Christians as being valid
Marriages performed by a minister must meet all of the civil requirements and if they don't, they're not recognized as valid. So, for example, if you get married by a priest but never sign the marriage certificate, you're not exactly married. There is some fuzziness here but suffice it to say, you've crossed the point of no return.

SO, if the state legalizes same-sex marriage, the church just won't know how to handle it. Remember back to third grade math when you learned division, you were told you cannot divide a number by zero. In computer programming, if you write a program that doesn't know how to handle such a situation, it causes the program to stop working. Well, that's Christians. Same-sex marriage to them is dividing by zero.

If the state says same-sex marriage is okay, that means it is a VALID marriage. Now, when Simon and Diego get married and show up at their church door they have a huge conflict. They can't continue being married but they can't get divorced either. They may argue that the marriage was never recognized in God's eyes but that really doesn't make sense. A vow (or an oath) is a vow. Breaking your word is a sin and so since Simon and Diego have taken vows to forsake all others and spend the rest of their lives together, the church cannot in good conscience tell them to SIN by going back on their vows. And therein lies the problem.

Valuing Life

2010-03-03T21:57:00.003-06:00

I value the human life. I believe that every life is precious and that no one's life is more important than another. This includes unborn babies. They are amazing little people, but this post isn't about abortion. This post is about healthcare.

I value human life and I am here to declare to the world my repentance over the double standard that I harbored for most of my life. In the recent past, I have been highly critical among my friends about the healthcare debate going on in Washington but my tune has changed.

In the interest of full disclosure, I must explain what the catalyst was for this change. My wallet was sacked. A couple weeks ago, I was informed that my monthly insurance premium was going up 44%. I am among the fortunate few that has coverage for both myself and my partner. Anyway, the level of coverage that we're able to afford has a $2500 per person deductible. So basically, the way this works is I have to shell out about 12% of my gross income just to have insurance. THEN, I have to spend ANOTHER $2500 to $5000 each year before the insurance company even pays for anything. Does this make sense to you? It doesn't make sense to me! Well, this made me start thinking...

Healthcare is not a constitutional right. I believe (CHRISTIANS LISTEN UP) however, that healthcare for everyone is just the right thing to do! If we value the unborn's life so greatly, why don't we equally value those out of the womb? Everyone should be able to get medical treatment when they need it without having to worry about how to pay for it, especially when it comes to big things like surgery, cancer treatments, and organ transplants.

I won't proclaim that I know what the solution is but I'm also not on board with a federal insurance program (yet?!?!). I do think though that the insurance and healthcare industries need to be regulated concurrently. The cost of insurance needs to be controlled every bit as much as the cost of providing health services needs to be controlled. Everyone should be able to have affordable health insurance and health insurance should be affordable for everyone.

The country is not going to go bankrupt from getting healthcare under control but we do need to prioritize what we spend our money on. If everyone just pays their part, it'll all work out.