8 Ball

I wish I had the ability to predict the future by asking the right questions.

Hot off the Presses

Courtesy of TheHill.com tipsheet

The silent treatment

Now that a majority of the Senate went on record supporting the federal assault weapons ban, the focus turns to what House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will do.

So far, the Speaker has punted to President Bush, who supports extending the ban, but has not publicly called on Congress to act. Hastert aides have suggested that unless Bush does so, there will be no vote on the floor before the 10-year ban expires in September.

Bush is seeking the coveted endorsement of the National Rifle Association (NRA), which declined to endorse then-GOP presidential hopeful Bob Dole in 1996. The NRA stayed neutral in 1996 because of Dole’s shifting stance on the assault weapons ban. Extending the ban may work politically with independent voters, but Bush seems more interested in keeping his conservative base intact.

Look for Bush to secure the NRA’s endorsement by remaining silent on the assault weapons ban.

Luck of the Irish

What is it about emails that promise financial windfalls that convert reasonable people into morons?

The Irish Friendship Wish has been forwarded to me 11 times already today. And out of those 11 people, only one is an idiot. Truly.

How do these messages permeate cyberspace? WHY do people insist on forwarding these messages? It's a nightmare.

I remember the microsoft email hoax... and the Disneyworld win-a-free-trip message .... and countless others.

Please stop forwarding these chain letters. At the rate I'm going, I'm already guaranteed bad luck for the next 11 years.

Like a kid in a candy store

I was up til 1:00 a.m. playing with my new toy... ahem, I mean laptop. I downloaded songs off of my favorite albums and burned a few CDs.

I know how I'll be spending most of my time this weekend.

This is going to seem like a really stupid question but:
Why can I listen to the music off my Cd-rom at work, but it won't play on my Discman?

I know there's an obvious answer to this question - either I'm saving the music files with the wrong program or bought the wrong type of CD-R.... but if someone can help, I'll be eternally grateful.

The other day, Jules wrote the greatest post about music. How true she is....

There are specific tunes that cause physical reactions in the listener. And sometimes it isn't a hip song, or a cool band, but something like "Buffalo Stance" by Neneh Cherry.

Who needs a photo album or image gallery when you can have a song?

Word of the day

Apocryphal adj. 1. Of doubtful authorship or authenticity 2. not genuine; spurious; counterfeit.

I've been under the misconception that the word apocryphal had something to do with the apocalypse (noun: any of Jewish and Christian pseudonymous writings depicting symbolically the ultimate destruction of evil and triumph of good; Specifically the Book of Revelation.) Don't know why aside from the "apoc" start.

These last few days especially, I've felt like a poor imitation of... well.... something... can't quite put my finger on it, but apocryphal seems fitting.

Isn't it funny how, when you're desperately searching for a way to describe something, the perfect word will pop up out of the blue?

My love affair with words began when I heard apropos (adv: at the right time; by the way; used to introduce a remark OR adj: fitting the occasion; relevant; apt) for the first time. The silent "S" thrilled me (yes, I was, and to some extent still am, a geek!). Could any other word ever be as fun to say? Would any other look as lovely?

I've since been enamored by many others. Another favorite is the Portuguese word "saudade" - a word without an exact English translation, but could mean to miss; to pine for; to be sentimental or nostalgic; fate.

Saudade - a beautiful word... such a puny group of letters to embrace a world of meaning.

What's your word-of-the-day? Do you have a favorite word - either because of its meaning or sound?

Cable vs. DSL

So I finally stepped into the 21st century. I bought a new laptop and am ready to go wireless.

So here's the big question - do I order Cable Hi-Speed Internet OR DSL?

What do you use? Which do you prefer? What do you recommend?