truetech

Anybody else tired of seeing these “confidentiality” messages at the bottoms of people’s emails? Here’s a typical one. Let’s look at it.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, this message (and any attachment(s)
thereto) is confidential and may be privileged.

Already, things are falling apart. Email is technologically public in nature. If the information is that sensitive that you feel a disclaimer is warranted, you may want to think about a different transport, or at least using PGP.

It is intended for the addressee(s) only.

No kidding, Sherlock. The ironic part is that this particular message was lifted from a message to a mailing list!

If you are not an addressee, any disclosure or copying of the contents of this e-mail or any action taken (or not taken) in reliance on it is strictly prohibited.

So, if you screw up, I have to cover your butt? I would, because I’m a nice person, but don’t tell me I’m strictly prohibited from doing something with this message.

If you are not an addressee, please inform sender immediately and delete this message from your system.

Uh, yeah, I’ll get right on that.

OK, time to dig through some links I’ve been meaning to post. The True Story of Emma will have to wait until tomorrow night.

Some hoser wants Oreos to be banned because they’re not good for you. Here’s a clue, fella: don’t eat ’em. Problem solved.

The perfect formula for box office success has allegedly been discovered. Read more here. Related Slashdot discussion (always enlightening) here.

Eminem is following in Coolio’s footsteps by stifling Weird Al’s creativity: You’ll just have to listen to the song and close your eyes and imagine what might have been. If I were an accomplished musician, I would consider it an honor to be parodied by Al Yankovic. Strangely, we were discussing “Amish Paradise” at last Tuesday’s Elder Meeting.

Tom Yager, who has made the switch to Apple, talks about UNIX: I get the irony that the free software movement came into being largely because of onerous Unix licensing terms.

Ever heard of the SWAG algorithm? I hadn’t either, until I looked it up here.

Daring Fireball: As it stands, Apple’s application design remains very good, but it used to be impeccable.

Well, store everyone I work with now thinks I am an idiot because I thought butterflies ate grass and leaves. If you, like me, are ignorant about this, please educate yourself here before broaching the subject with my co-workers.

Mmmmmmmm. In a few weeks I’ll be relaxing here. I may or may not come back. 😉

Grace has a new friend. The chrysalis we’ve had in our home for past month or so opened up today. Mrs. Butterfly isn’t faring well, though. At least one wing is broken, and she can’t fly. She’s trying, but she can’t get off the ground.

So Grace took her with us everywhere today, except church. Mrs. Butterfly came along to Jen’s parents’ for lunch and to my sister’s for dinner.

This morning, Grace looked at me and said, “What do butterflies eat?” Now, I’m no expert on bugs, but I like to have an answer when my daughter needs one, even if it means making it up (yes, I realize the trouble this could cause later; in fact, she already told her preschool teacher that I’m Batman, but that’s another story). I said, “Probably grass and leaves.” So she grabs a handful of grass and offers it to the butterfly, saying, “Here you go, little guy.”

She’s so sweet that it almost breaks my heart sometimes. I think she would given anything to see Mrs. Butterfly able to fly off on her own.

And of course, come back to live in Grace’s room.

I really like my church. It was very humid this morning, and I was thankful to attend a church where I can wear shorts, a polo, and my sandals without anyone complaining about how I look or dress. And I’m one of the worship leaders!

The first church I was heavily involved in was very much into appearances. One morning I conducted the congregation in singing hymns and I got in trouble because I didn’t have socks on. I was wearing a suit and tie, and standing behind a podium, and somehow one of the elders noticed I didn’t have socks on. Of course, as was the custom at that church, no one came to me directly and asked me to wear socks in the future. It was just a lot of whispering and silent judging.

We had an interesting visitor in church today, too. My pastor told me ahead of time that there would be a snake in the service. He’s been preaching on Genesis, and today was Genesis 3, with the serpent trying to deceive Eve. And succeeding. He wanted a snake to use as a visual aid. No problem, I thought, expecting maybe a garter snake or a black snake.

Nope. In walk two guys from the local pet store with a freakin’ twelve foot, eighty pound, albino Burmese Python.

I stayed behind the snack table in the back of the room.

Just for Dave, help the 12 dumbest American comic book covers ever.

Oh, order yeah, and Frequency 1.1 is out. Woohoo! Time for a nap tonight!

John Perry Barlow: Cyberspace, in its present condition, has a lot in common with the 19th Century West. It is vast, unmapped, culturally and legally ambiguous, verbally terse (unless you happen to be a court stenographer), hard to get around in, and up for grabs. Large institutions already claim to own the place, but most of the actual natives are solitary and independent, sometimes to the point of sociopathy. It is, of course, a perfect breeding ground for both outlaws and new ideas about liberty.

But the Internet does apparently have a patron saint. Or will soon.

These people need to stop whining. I’ve done it, if only for a little while. It’s not so bad.

How to Make a Telemarketer Cry. I could get behind that.

Tom Yager of InfoWorld has completely made the switch. Very cool. John Moltz suspects his motives.