I work in a building that has a nice cafeteria staffed by a caterer. The food there is quite good, and quite cheap. One of the cooks there is a Mexican fellow of pleasant disposition. This fellow and I were talking the other day while he was cooking my chiliquilas, and he revealed to me something I found interesting. First, let me state that I do not think this fellow is an illegal considering the security checks you have to go through just to get in our building. This was a pain in th...

"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian." - Dennis Wholey (1937-) "

Richard Riordan is California's State Education Secretary and former Los Angeles mayor. On July 1 Riordan was taped having a conversation with a 6-year-old girl named Isis D'Luciano. During the conversation Isis asked Riordan if he knew her name meant "Egyptian goddess." This man, who supposedly has been a strong supporter of education in California, replied, "It means stupid dirty girl." What an asshat. He claims he was just teasing the girl. Good to see that the State Educatio...

"A great many people think they are thinking when they are actually rearranging their prejudices." - William James (1842-1910) "

"Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions - it only guarantees equality of opportunity." - Irving Kristol (1920-) "

Many years ago, when I was in college, I had an experience that changed the way I look at the world. Several friends and I were gathered in one of our dorm rooms. We had a night of movie watching and drinking ahead of us, and one of my friends was cooking some Cajun food for us. This friend, Dom, was from New Orleans, where his parents owned a restaurant. His cooking was always sublime, even though he had but a single electric burner and a microwave. We were watching Blazing Saddles ...

“The opposite of a correct statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may well be another profound truth.” -Niels Bohr (1885-1962)

In an article recently, someone asked what I see first when I look at a woman. I replied “the neck.” Sir Peter then asked me if I were a vampire. The answer, it seems, is perhaps. Let’s break it down. I am a night person. I always have been. My mother was always amazed if I got out of bed before noon on the weekends. When I was a lecturer I made a deal with my boss not to schedule any of my classes before 10:00 AM. Over the years I have noticed a definite increase in energy, st...

A friend once told me about his experiences working in a bank, and the lesson about perception that he learned there. This bank employed several women as cashiers, and the bank manager would often offer these women “promotions” rather than raises. So a girl would get a title like “first assistant to the associate cashier” rather than a 3% pay increase for the year. And these women accepted this treatment. At work one day, a few years ago, the subject of whether I could make one of my c...

“Having children makes you no more a parent than having a piano makes you a pianist.” Michael Levine - Lessons at the Halfway Point

“I said that if people tell you your mother is not prime minister anymore, you just turn around and say, 'So what? How often has your mother been prime minister?'” Benazir Bhutto , Former Pakistani Prime Minister recounting advice she gave her children

"Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol or morphine or idealism." -Carl Gustav Jung "

If JoeUser has a FAQ anywhere, I haven't seen it. So there are a few technical issues that I haven't worked out. One of those is the use of the External URL. What is the purpose of this? Is there some format required (some particular domain, for example)? I've always left mine blank, but I have grown curious enough now to ask.

Back when I was a Lecturer at university, my boss and I would often tease each other about dogs. She was a fervent dog lover, and I do not like the slavishly moronic beasts. This one morning I arrived on campus and proceeded to the department office to check my mail. It was a beautiful spring day, and I was in a pretty good mood. So I enter the office as my boss is leaving. She sees a smile on my face and asks in a slightly sarcastic tone, “What’s got you in such a good mood?” I r...

“Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who would want to live in an institution.” Henry Louis Mencken (1880-1956)