Maybe I am Missing Something

So I was thinking back of one of the better movies I have seen in the last 10 year: Pirates of Silicon Valley. It is based on the novel "fire in the valley" and in essence chronicles the early days of the personal computer from the advent of the GUI(Graphic User Interphase which enabled the mouse) to the beginings of the microsoft conglomorate.

So the question I have is why is Mircosoft hated so much? Is it becuase they in many ways emerged victorious and there is a certain amount of jealousy? If you look at the last breakdown I saw, 97% of personal computers run some form of Windows, whereas 3% run some form of Apple's software. Is the hatred there because Microsoft essentially stole much of the early Windows OS from Apple? But then again, didn't Apple steal the GUI technology from Xerox in the first place?

Perhaps people do not like Bill Gates personally? But according to the movie(please correct me if I am wrong) Steve Jobs was not exactly a nice guy. He considered himself a pirate, had pirate flags all over his office, and expected employees to work long hard hours. In fact he came across as an asshole in the movie.

So why is it that people hate Bill Gates and Microsoft? I was wondering this question this morning, as I checked my email on my Firefox browser. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Fickle Boston Fans are Idiots

It has come to my attention that some people in Boston are dissapointed with some of Curt Schilling's recent actions. For those of you who do not know, Curt Schilling is a pitcher who decided to sign with the Red Sox last year for big money. He pitched a couple of games under less then ideal circumstances and was a hero in helping the Red Sox win the World Series. However, some of his recent actions have made some Bostonites wonder whether he is really one of them.

For instance days after winning the World Series, he publically supported George W. Bush in the election instead of Taxachustes's own John Kerry. The Red Sox owner and many players chose to back John Kerry. Looks like Schilling was on two winning teams in just a few weeks. That is considered one "crime" in the eyes of the Boston. They believe that Schilling did not support their candidate.

The next "crime" in the eyes of the Bostonites is that recently he was seen wearing a Colts and then later a Steelers jersey. The Boston fans are getting angry becuase he seems to not support the New England football team. These people seem to think he should blindly follow whatever the locals say. This is why the Boston fans are idiots.

Schilling has no reason to follow Kerry or the Patriots. He is from Alaska not Boston. He makes a lot of money and would like to keep more of it(hense he supports a candiate that allows him to keep more of his income). He has no alliegence to the city of Boston and nor should he. Schilling like most athletes today is a mercenary: he went to the place which paid him the most money. If another team agrees to pay him more money, think he will stick around in Boston? HA. Look at what happened to Pedro.

Schilling is able to support any political candiate he wants and cheer for any team he chooses. Boston fans who boo him for these choices are fickel morons becuase when he gets back on the mound, they will cheer him. Want more proof that Boston fans can be fickle dumbasses? Boston fans also boo and jeer the person who resurected Schiilling's career: Roger Clemens. Instead of booing Clemens, they should recognize him as one of the best pitching talents to ever grace the game and be thankful that he helped Schilling. Denouncing Clemens, simply denounces Schilling, and denouncing the person that got them to the World Series is even dumber. But then again, Red Sox fans cant differentiate between on the field and off the field, so what can you really expect from them?

Time For a Split?

So for those of you who have been following politics, there are two major stories coming out now. Of course the Second Inaguration of President Bush and the official begining of his second term is big news, but what has caught my eye is the race for the chairmen of the DNC. The DNC is of course the Democratic National Committee.

In many ways the democratic party has been in disarray for a few years. In 1996 they lost control of the House of Representatives. In 2000, they lost ontrol of the White House and in 2002 they lost control of the senate. Clearly this has been a party that has been backtracking in recent years. Look at the results of the last election, even with one of the highest turnouts in history, there was a clear and decisive majority of voters that voted against the Democrats.

So for the moment the Democrats have no central leadership. Their Chairmen resigned in disgrace following another loss and two democrats have stepped in to vie for that spot. Former Vermonet Governor Howard Dean and Former Texas Rep Martin Frost are seen as the two major candidates. It appears that the Democrats are leaning more towards Howard Dean, and I think thats a major mistake.

Howard Dean is an extremist liberal. He is so far left that he is way past Green and closer to being a Socialist. In today's political enviornment, there are simply not enough socilaists in America. If Dean becomes head of the DNC he will split the party. There are many democrats who think this guy is far too left. For example a democratic friend of mine who is a historical/political expert said,"He's off to Lenin's Left." Asked if he would follow Dean if he were the DNC Leader, he said, "probably not". This is not the statements that the democratic party wants to see. The democratic should be picking someone who is inpsiring to their party base.

Dean will split the party becuase he is out of touch. The recent election has shown that the American electorate has moved a little to the right. By taking the democratic party far left,how will that help? If anything they need to adopt a more centralized strategy that appeals to conservative democrats and independents. In fact of my friend even said that by 06 or 08, he was likely leaving the Democratic party and will become an independent. Why? " I am tired of the democrats refusing to reach out to conservative democrats and independent voters." This is a person who was a strong democrat when I first met him 6 years ago, but is now a weak democrat.

With Dean in the Chairmenship role and Hillary as the candidate, the democratic party will see its biggest split since the time of President Jackson. The conservative democrats and independents will never vote for either candiate, and so those people will form their own party. The modern democratic party will be split between socialists and moderates. The influence will dwindle and it will be years before they regain their previous level of influence. If the democrats really want to win elections they will come to their senses and not nominate Hillary or Dean. The problem is that the democrats are desperate, and when people are desperate they do not think clearly. We could be seeing the end of the modern democratic party before our eyes.

By Request

Here is the Mel Kiper Jr. first Mock NFL Draft(Round 1 only). I got a request to see it and after finding it, I have decided to post it, so here it is.


1. San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith (jr.), QB, Utah
A smart player who will pick up an NFL system quickly, Smith has good size, is mobile enough to hurt teams with his running ability and is also an efficient passer who can make all the necessary throws.

2. Miami Dolphins: Cedric Benson, RB, Texas
A strong, tough runner with good speed for his size, Benson would help fill the void left by the retirement of Ricky Williams. But there is speculation the Dolphins will attempt to fill their running back need through trade, perhaps for Buffalo's Travis Henry, so stay tuned.

3. Cleveland Browns: Aaron Rodgers (jr.), QB, California
Rodgers is a smart, accurate passer with a quick release. His arm strength is adequate and he is a better prospect at this point in his career than former Cal QB Kyle Boller, now the starter for the Baltimore Ravens.

4. Chicago Bears: Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn
Perhaps the most complete back in the draft, Brown can carry or catch the ball with equal skill. He has size, instincts and quickness that allowed him to put up excellent numbers at the college level.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Carnell Wiliams, RB, Auburn
A creative, deceptive runner with tremendous natural skills. Williams can get tough yards inside despite lacking ideal size, a point illustrated by his 29 rushing TDs over the last two years.

6. Tennessee Titans: Adam Jones, CB, West Virginia
A good cover man who will also contribute as a kick returner, Jones has very good closing speed and is a willing tackler in run support. That may be his most important quality with the NFL hurting pass defenses by focusing on downfield infractions by defensive backs.

7. Oakland Raiders: Dan Cody, DE, Oklahoma
A fiery, intense player who always goes all-out, Cody is similar to former NFL standout Kevin Greene in his ability to play on his feet as an outside linebacker, or in a three-point stance as a defensive end.

8. Arizona Cardinals: Travis Johnson, DT, Florida State
Johnson improved his stock immensely this year. He ties up offensive linemen and is able to gain penetration against the run as well as collapse the pocket in passing situations.

9. Washington Redskins: Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan
Edwards has the size, speed and athleticism to take over games, and he did that several times in 2004. He also significantly cut down on dropped passes and concentration lapses this past season, pushing his stock even higher.

10. Detroit Lions: Heath Miller (jr.), TE, Virginia
A tremendous pass receiver and a willing blocker along the line, Miller would give quarterback Joey Harrington another weapon to complement his wide receivers. He'll also be a help to running back Kevin Jones in the rushing attack.

11. Dallas Cowboys: Shawne Merriman (jr.), DE/OLB, Maryland
A workout warrior with incredible physical skills, Merriman would be an ideal end/linebacker combo in a 3-4 scheme.

12. San Diego Chargers (from NYG): Derrick Johnson, OLB, Texas
Has the speed and strength to chase ballcarriers from sideline to sideline and make things happen when he gets to the ball.

13. Houston Texans: Mike Williams (jr.), WR, USC
Williams did not play in 2004 but dominated the college game for two seasons while at USC. His 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame gives him a big advantage over defensive backs, and he would make a perfect complement to young standout receiver Andre Johnson.

14. Carolina Panthers: Jammal Brown, OT, Oklahoma
Brown's long arms, good feet and balance allow him to engage defenders easily and move them off the ball or away from the quarterback.

15. Kansas City Chiefs: Antrel Rolle, CB, Miami
The Chiefs likely will dedicate most of their draft to defense, and Rolle is a good start. He has the cover skills to shut down wide receivers and also gives up his body against the run.

16. New Orleans Saints: Thomas Davis (jr.), OLB, Georgia
A punishing tackler who played safety in college, Davis has the size and speed to move into the front seven and make an impact at the pro level.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin
A force along the line of scrimmage, James can play the run, rush the passer and command double-team blocks. There are some durability questions, though, after he missed parts of the last two seasons with injury.

18. Minnesota Vikings: Shaun Cody, DL, USC
A versatile lineman who can play end or tackle, Cody would be a great fit for a Vikings team that has struggled at times along the defensive front.

19. St. Louis Rams: David Pollack, DE, Georgia
Pollack plays with tremendous intensity and his motor does not stop. He makes up for a lack of size with good initial quickness and great closing speed.

20. Dallas Cowboys (from BUF): Troy Williamson (jr.), WR, South Carolina
The fastest wideout in the draft, Williamson would be a great help to a team that lacked a consistent vertical threat.

21. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alex Barron, OT, Florida State
Barron is equally adept in the passing and running games and has light feet for a player his size.

22. Baltimore Ravens: Roddy White, WR, UAB
White's 4.42 speed in the 40 gives him a size/speed combination in the elite category. He is a big-play wideout who averaged 20.0 yards per catch in 2004.

23. Seattle Seahawks: Darryl Blackstock (jr.), OLB, Virginia
Blackstock is a solid all-around talent who shows flashes of greatness and has tremendous natural physical skills.

24. Green Bay Packers: Channing Crowder (so.), MLB, Florida
A tremendously productive player who adapted quickly to the collegiate game, Crowder has the ideal physical skills for a man in the middle.

25. Denver Broncos: Matt Roth, DE, Iowa
Roth is similar to David Pollack: undersized with a great motor and intensity. Roth was productive during his senior year and has good physical ability.

26. New York Jets: Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn
A consistent, durable corner who can cover and support the run, Rogers has played against some of the best talent in the nation during his career.

27. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Browner (so.), CB, Oregon State
A consistent cover man with good size, Browner would make a nice complement to Atlanta's top pick last year, CB DeAngelo Hall.

28. San Diego Chargers: Roscoe Parrish (jr.), WR, Miami
Parrish has speed and would be a good option to round out a receiving corps bolstered by the addition of WR Keenan McCardell and the emergence of TE Antonio Gates.

29. Indianapolis Colts: Bryant McFadden, CB, Florida State
Did not intercept many passes, but that's because teams respected his ability and avoided his side of the field. McFadden has the size to match up with big receivers.

30. New England Patriots: Justin Miller (jr.), CB, Clemson
A good fit for a team thin in the secondary this season.

31. Philadelphia Eagles: Justin Tuck (jr.), DE, Notre Dame
Good size and strength. Would be an asset for a team that thrives on pressuring the quarterback.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alex Smith, TE, Stanford
An athletic pass receiver with great body control, Smith can stretch the deep middle and is a good hook-zone threat.

Reminicing

So I got an email today from a person I had not seen since the Summer of '99. I had taken a couple of classes at Cornell University that summer and I became a little close with some of the people there. As we march towards the summer of '05, I was pleased to see an email from this guy. But what this did is it made me think back on some of the people there and what they have done.

From the people I still keep in touch with : one graduates from U-Denver this year and one is at MIT. We have graduates from Cornell, NYU, Columbia, Trinity College, USC, Purdue, Johns Hopkins, and Georetown. We have one law school person(Hofstra), one financial anaylst(NYU Stern program), and three grad school people(Maryland Physics, Purdue Bio, and me!)

It is fun to sit back and think of sum of the fun times I had in the summer of '99. I was in many ways a different person back then then I am today. The collection of expierences that I have attained since then hve changed me from the young bright eyed boy to the older more expierenced man. But it is still fun to look back on those times and reminice. Do yall reminice too? If so, what about? Big Tex wants to know!

United We WOULD Stand, Divided, we ARE Falling

So I was sitting down speaking to a friend about the last two posts on this site. As the conversation evolved so did the topic. and i want to sahre with you the jist of that conversation.

Here is something interesing for you. When I voted in the last election my ballot was in English and Spanish. There was also an oppertunity to request the ballot in Vietnamaise. This is something that i do not understand. In order to vote a person must be an American citizen. If you are born an American you are a citizen, if not you must apply for citizenship. Part of the application is that you be able to speak a certain level of English. Some people take classes to get up to that level of English on the citizenship exam. In this way both types of Americans(immigrants and those born here)both speak english.

So that goes back to my previous question: why are the ballots in languages other then English? If we are saying that it is a requirement to know English why are we printing the ballot in other languages? Printing extra ballots costs money. Coding ballot machines in multiple languages also costs money. We should force all offical governmental and other important matters conducted in English only.

This is an example of something that DIVIDES Americans as a whole. I have always thought that one of our primary problems is that we spend too much time trying to define ourselves in exclusionary ways. We refer to ourselves as this type of an American or that type of an American. What we should be doing is refering to oursleves as Americans. By hypenating the type of American you are does nothing, NOTHING but further divide us as a people. However, that which makes us unique as a people is that which divides us as a people. Most other countries in the world are not made up the way we are. Most countries in the world have a majority of people seeing themselves in a certain way, and then perhaps a small minority that sees themselves in another. Here in the US, there is no real majority, only lots of little minorities. That is why we should have something that unites all of us. I propose that it should be the thing that all Americans are supposed to know: English.

And I would expand this English requirement to all public domains. All street signs would only be in English, all mailing addresses would be in English only, and all governmental facilities would be conducted only in English.

Now, some people claim that another language is part of their cultural heritage and they do not want to give it up. My response to that is: wonderful! I agree with you, you should not give up parts of your cultural heritage at all. You may speak whatever language you wish in your home and within a private institution. However in public areas, I think it is more important for everyone to speak English and English alone.

And furthermore I would not have bilingual public schools. Kids need to be able to speak english to function in society and thus bilingual education is reinforcing that it is ok if you don't speak english. That would save a lot of money which I would then put into an area of school that is lacking nationwide: Science Programs. It is pathetic to see Graduate schools having to fill lots of spaces in their classes with Non-Americans becuase Americans are not interested. By spending money on science early will get kids interested at an earlier age and thus will create more good American Scientists. We have a duty to spend on this very important and very neglected area of our education system.

I have said a lot of things here, and I am sure there are people out there that do not agree with me. If you do not, please voice your opinion in the comments section, I would love to sit down and discuss whatever it is you want to talk about. If you agree wit what I have said, I would also love to hear your opinions.

Big Tex wants to hear from ALL of yall, so get typing!

Go Somewhere Else Young Man/Woman

I am going to continue a thought I had in the last post. I think it is important that people get out there and see parts of the country which is not familiar to them. I have noticed that some people become familair with a specific area and never leave it. Allow me for a moment to give you an example. I was sitting in a computer lab in school the other day, and I was talking to this girl who is from Illinois. She went to college in Chicago as well as grad school. The farthest she has ever been is on a driving trip to Michigan. This would be similar to a person from Boston who has never left the Northeast.

When I heard this statement I was surprised. There is a whole country out there that is worth exploring. It is not very expensive to travel these days, what it takes is courage. Leaving that which is comfortable, is not easy. Having to move around in an unfamilar area is not easy, but that is part of the adventure of it! I am not suggesting you pick up and move to a different region, just get out there and explore it. Take a drive, a plane, or make Nate very happy by taking a train, to leave your region. When yall visit other parts of the country, be sure to wear your Gun Hat. (Thats for you Michele and Jude.)

This country has several different types of regions and many beautful areas that you will never see if you stick to one region. But by now you are probably saying, what about YOU Big Tex, where have you been? I will answer the question of where have I NOT been. The following states are ones that I have not yet visited: Kansas, Arkansas, South Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Idaho, and Hawaii. Thats 11 states. If you notice several of the states re near illinolis, so I hope to take a road trip there soon. However my point is this, I have traveled all over this beatuful country. I have lived in Texas, Connecticut, and Illinois. I have taken the oppertunity to see this great land of ours, and so should you.

Any person who sits in their little corner of the country should be ashamed of themselves. Your region is no more important then any other. Your section is no better (unless it is Texas of course!) then any other part of the country. You do yourself a diservice by refusing to see anybody or anything else. People say that we have too much prejudice in this country. Perhaps we do, but prejudice of other regions is as bad as any other type of rejudice. Before we can grow as a nation it is YOU people that need to step down from your santomonious high horse. You will not visit another region becuase it does not agree with you politcally?! it is people like YOU that are the problem, and it is people like me that are the solution.

Are you an Asshat?

So I have been away for a little while. I admit I did take a break from this blog, because I was feeling a little drained. In the last 4 months, I make approximatly 70 posts to this blog. That might not seem like much, but that translates to a post essentially every other day. That is a tough act to keep up and i needed a break to recharge my batteries. I am feeling more refreshed now, so I will try to keep this updated regularly(not neccesarily every other day, but perhaps 3 times weekly).

So here is my rant for the day. Have you noticed there is a word that gets used way to much and ends up being a word that everyone seems to use? Well according to my very unscientific poll the word of 2004 was: ASSHAT. Thats right, I heard people use this everywhere. I have heard some people refer to the Red Sox as ASSHATS. I have heard people call John Kerry an Asshat. I have heard people call "Taxachusetes" the "ASSHAT CAPITOL" whereas I have also heard some people refer to Ohio as a collective group of ASSHATS.

I think all of yall are wrong. Each and everyone of you. Ohio, Taxachestes, and the Red Sox are not asshats. I have had the oppertunity to visit Ohio, Taxachusetes, and have seen the Red Sox play and I can say none of them are asshats. I might not support the Red Sox(I dont), may not like Taxachestes(what I saw and expierenced I did not like), and may not want to move to Ohio(did not like Cleveland too much). However I have expierenced all of this, and becuase I have traveled and collected my own opinion on it, I reserve the right to refer to people as ASSHATS.

For example, when I visted Europe, I stopped by Paris. The Parisians were extremely rude to me and treated me badly becuase I did not speak their language. They rolled their eyes when I tried to pronounce their words and were visably disgusted when I pulled out a small French dictionary to try to determine what they just said. Therefore I say the Parisans are ASSHATS. This is a statement based on my expierences, not on something I have read or seen on the TV.

The people who are the REAL ASSHATS are those that sit in front of their computers, see something on TV that they don't like, and then condemn an entire group of people as ASSHATS. The United States is a vast a wonderful place to visit. If you cannot afford a plane trip, drive. Get out of your region and see somehting new. If you live in the North East, go to the Midwest or the South. If you live in the midwest visit the South . If you live in the West coast, visit the Midwest. My point is is simply this, if you comment on that which you dont know(such as saying that Ohio is a made up of a bunch of ASSHATS), then you have shown everyone that YOU are the REAL ASSHAT.