Author: Aaron Weber

Firefox is Popular

A propos Luis mentioning his sister’s browser preference: Christine and Pete and Lucia and I were in a conference room thinking of personas for NLD 10 and the thermostat was broken and it was like 80 in there. So the maintenance and HVAC guys came in and fixed it, and said they hoped we weren’t bothering us, and we said, no, no problem, we’re just thinking up imaginary people to sell software to. And they said, what kind of software? Do you guys use Mozilla Firefox? I’m telling you, get rid of Internet Explorer, I won’t touch it.

We were greatly pleased.

Comments back on

Comments are now working on the blog. Chatter away. Today’s topic of discussion:

Telling children that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, etc. exist sets them up for an ultimately disappointing revelation that their parents have lied to them, and their universe is not as safe and comforting as they once believed. Some argue that children may come to the conclusion that their parents have lied to them about the existence of God as well.

If this is true, should parents:

  • Tell their kids that Santa exists, in order to teach them the hard lesson that adults are not to be trusted and God does not exist?
  • Not mention Santa or treat Santa as a fairy tale, assuming that the kids will learn eventually that adults are merely human in some other way.
  • Tell their kids that Santa exists, because it’s fucking hilarious to play that kind of trick on people, nobody but your own kids are gullible enough to fall for it.

Handbasket

I was surprised to see the Vatican offering new courses on demonic posession, since it’s a topic that’s more traditionally associated with the days when the line between spiritual ecstasies and demonic horror was unblurred by talk of schizophrenia, brain tumors, or whether women should be allowed to read.

Then again, when your art supply store will sell you squirrel feet by the half-dozen you may feel that there’s plenty of room for a little concern about the arcane inquiries of your young.

News Quiz: Bad Reviews vs. Bad Economic News

Which of the following comes from Pulitzer-prize winning automotive critic Dan Niel’s incredibly vicious review of the Mercury Montego, and which one comes from Slate columnist Timothy Noah’s coverage of Bush economic policy:

a) “… like feeling the icy hand of death upon you.”
b) “… like a weatherman covering a blizzard and never once mentioning the word snow.”
c) “on paper, [this] has much to recommend it, which would be fine if [it] were made of paper.”
d) “Can [these guys] get the notes from someone else in the class? … Over and over, [it] fumbles the fundamentals.”

Captain of Consciousness

I helped my friend Lucia write a statement to read at the Melrose School Committee and we got quoted in the Globe. I feel like I’m contributing to shaping society in a way that I want even though I have no actual connection to Melrose.

The strength of my convictions is not what it was when I was a self-righteous little brat. But still, it feels good to do something to contribute to civil discourse.

Plus those kids better be well-educated, they’re going to be paying for my social security check!