Crazy Rubes' Elsewhere Log

I have to find a job in this corrupt and money-driven world? I have other callings, Mr. Patent Clerk. Problem is I don't know what I'm good at. Never did. I know what I'd like to do but not whether I'd succeed at it. And of course, I always have my doubts as a pessimist. The ghost of a writer blocks your path shoving a manuscript in your facing yelling "Read this!"

What are the figures like, 50% of American citizens don't vote? These same people complain about our inept politicians. Not voting does not work as form of protest unless no one votes. I do not see that happening. If even 30% of our population votes, a president will still be elected. Why don't you simply try to vote for one of the other candidates, not Republican nor Democrat? Who cares if you win or lose? By not voting, your are taking a defeatist attitude which will not change anything. The elected officials will consider your population to not matter if you do not vote. You will simply be overlooked.

Where are the time capsule hieroglyphics of our century? What will 33rd century archaeologists find that remains from our time? The Internet is fragile in terms of long periods of time like millenia. That 33rd century archaeologist may find a data crystal intact, but he will have no way to read it. Will there be no Rosetta Stone of the future to translate our language into something they understand? "We don't know much about the 20th and the 21st centuries but we speculate that the 20th was a tulmultous time, judging by the amount of radioactive materials found in a great many projectile weapons of the era." The Dark Ages had the monasteries to maintani knowledge. What will be our "Foundation"?

Evolution vs design. Raises an interesting issue for the open source movement. How does a non-expert user benefit directly from open source software? If you don't know what open source software is go to http://www.opensource.org. There is not enough pressure on the majority of computer users from software vendors to use open source software. Microsoft has been very cautious to not push too hard. Some think that Microsoft pushed too hard with the leasing of software licensing. I have not seen any evidence of the leasing being anything more than a sign of what's to come. The restrictions that are to come will change people's minds, maybe.