Catching Up

My computer decided to stop letting the internet work, so I haven't been able to post in several days. It has now magically recovered, so I figure I ought to post while I have the chance.

Nothing monumental has occured, but I thought I could follow up on a few topics:

1) Received TV 5 on Saturday. This time I bought an entirely different TV. Things I have discovered since receiving El Cinco:

34">30">13"
Sony>Philips
HDTV>Standard Definition

I have no idea how I have ghetto A/B analog cable yet still receive HD channels. This TV reads channels with decimal places, so all the HD channels are things like "59.3" or "61.2". I will not complain of this unexplained cable/TV miracle, as it allowed me to feel fulfilled by my investment in HDTV which really is clearly better than standard.

Meanwhile, I wrote a letter to Philips purely to make me feel better after getting 4 piece of crap TVs. Ostensibly the letter was "to inform [them] of [their] incompetence," but we really know it was to vent to them. I mean, otherwise I doubt I would have called them incompetent. Is there a greater insult than incompetence? I welcome all comments on that subject. If it's good enough, perhaps I will send angry but calm letter #2 to Philips. Perhaps I will send 4 letters total, once for each broken TV.

2) The Dallas Stars will play the Colorado Avalanche during the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Go Stars. A friend of mine has put together the most elaborate interactive bracket I've ever seen. Check it out and be amazed. My favorite detail is the link to each team's website via their logo. [FYI: The bracket is for a pool. Let me know if you want info, and it's before Friday afternoon. To Homeland Security/other gov't agencies who may be monitoring me: No, of course we are not gambling. That would be wrong. And Un-American.]

3) Food for thought on executive compensation. "If salaries of the average worker had kept up with that of a CEO [from 1990-2005], he or she would be making $110,136. Had the minimum wage risen at the same pace as CEO compensation, it would stand today at $23.01." The article provides some fascinating statistics even if it doesn't really offer any ideas for solutions to this problem (if you agree that it's a problem, because there are arguments to be made that it is not).

4) I'm currently reading a biography of Joseph Smith, the "Mormon Prophet", who wrote/discovered (depending on your religious leanings) the book of Mormon. (My friend John the religious studies major lent it to me when I lent him Saturday.) Not being Mormon, I, like the author, think that Smith wrote rather than discovered the "Golden Bible." While I expected to find the story interesting, I did not expect to find it so disturbing. I had not really thought of the implications of an individual founding a religion that becomes established. It's easy to dismiss the Branch Davidians, the Heaven's Gate followers, and other flash-in-the-pan cults. But something as permanent, respected, and widespread as Mormonism that also formed around a single, charismatic, autocratic leader is something of an anomaly and in many ways is more troubling even if the members aren't wearing matching Nikes and drinking poisoned Kool-Aid. The big question: is it all that different from being a Christian and following the teachings of Jesus? I would say yes because of my personal faith, but it's interesting to ponder how one might feel differently if one were separated from Jesus by the less than 200 years we are separated from Smith.

That's pretty much everything interesting (or not interesting) in my life. I'll try to post more often, not that it really matters, just that I figure I should post semi-regularly if I've committed myself to maintaining a blog.