I got this in an email this morning:

REDNECK VACATION

Billy Bob and Luther were talking one afternoon when Billy Bob tells Luther, “Ya know, I reckon I’m ‘bout ready for a vacation. Only this year I’m gonna do it a little different.

The last few years, I took your advice about where to go.  Three years ago you said to go to Hawaii. I went to Hawaii and Earline got pregnant.

Then two years ago, you told me to go to the Bahamas, and Earline got pregnant again.

Last year you suggested Tahiti and darned if Earline didn’t get pregnant again.”

Luther asks Billy Bob, “So, what you gonna do this year that’s different?”

Billy Bob says, “This year I’m taking Earline with me.”

On the way to work this morning I noticed that the train was stopped across a couple of the side streets in Argyle.  As I approached the intersection of 407 and 377 I noticed a lot of police and fire activity.  A large commercial lime carrier (18-wheeler) had been hit by the train and dragged about 100 feet south of the intersection.  Fortunately, from the condition of the cab, it looked like the driver got out.

I’m still amazed that people will risk their lives to get ahead of a train.  In any contest with a train, the train always wins.  Unless his truck stalled on the tracks, the truck driver had to have known that the train was coming.  This intersection has warning signals with automatic arms.

Update:  It appears that the driver wasn’t negligent.  He just couldn’t make it across the tracks because of the slick (and oil-covered) pavement.  That must have sucked—to be sitting there knowing that the train is coming and you can’t get across (although I guess you could fault him for not backing up, since gravity should have carried him back down the hill to 377).

I had a few things I wanted to post about last night, but my cable internet service was down.  It’s been flaky for the past couple of days, with intermittent outages (usually at the moment I was ready to post something 🙁 ).  I’ve also been hammered at work for the past few days.  However, I may have a few minutes this morning to catch up on things.

On my way out of work this afternoon I came across three women dealing with a flat tire in the parking lot.  They looked somewhat puzzled by the jack so I stopped to offer my assistance.  As I was helping them change the tire, I thought the topic of their conversation was interesting.  One of them commented to the others about how someone from their company had just driven by and didn’t stop or offer to help.  One of the others said that there didn’t seem to be any “real guys” in their company any more. 

I guess I was a bit heartened by that.  It means that there is still a place for guys who take the time to lend a hand when a woman needs it, and there are still women who appreciate it.  Or maybe I’m reading too much into things. 

A man who carries a cat by the tail is getting experience that will always be helpful.  He isn’t likely to grow dim or doubtful.  Chances are, he isn’t likely to carry the cat that way again, either.  But if he wants to, I say let him!
    —Mark Twain

The saga continues.  The last problem was they were missing more files, which didn’t show up until they restarted the server.  When they looked in the directory, there weren’t any files when there should be 10 XML files that are used for configuration purposes.  What really chaps my ass is that there’s a step in the installation instructions that explicitly tells them to extract those files into that directory.  The installation should have been a pretty simple five or six step affair.

So far, it’s gone like this:
Installer: Server’s restarted.  Try it now.
Me: Not working, giving an error.
Installer  Getting an error in the logs.  <error text>
Me:  You’re missing some files.
Installer:  Checking…  Yep, there are no files there. 
Me:  Section 4.2 of the install instructions says to extract those files into that directory.
Installer: The files are extracted.  I’ll recycle the server.
   …ten minute pause while servers restart…
Installer: Servers are up.  Try it again.
Me:  Still no go.  Same error.
Installer: Getting a different error in the logs..
Me:  Looks like the proxy server isn’t running now.
Installer: The proxy server has this error in the logs…  <error text>
Me:  It’s missing its properties file.
Installer:  I’ll check…..  I added the file.
  Later… Rinse… Repeat…

I’m still bored, I’ve read all the blogs in my blogroll, and everyone I wanted to call seems to be out (actually doing stuff as opposed to sitting around at home).  So, to pass the time I thought I’d do the Saturday Scruples.

1. Your minister is forced to retire because he’s been convicted of committing rape 26 years ago. You’re invited to the retirement party. Do you go?

   Being an agnostic, I don’t have a minister.  And I would think if someone is being forced to retire because of previous misdeeds that there wouldn’t be a party (i.e. everything would be handled pretty quietly).  Besides, it seems in poor taste.  So, all things considered, if I were in that situation, I don’t think I would go.

2. You’re a clerical worker. A new employee, a single mother, reads poorly and needs your help to do her job. Do you continue helping?

   That depends on how much it impacts my own job performance.  It’s unfortunate that she’s a single mother, but she was hired to do a job and was expected to have certain skills to succeed in that job.  I’d be inclined to give her plenty of chances to learn the job, but ultimately I can’t help her forever, since the employer expects me to do my own job.  I might try to give her information on local literacy programs so she could help herself.

3. You hit it off with someone in a dark lounge and make a date. Before leaving, s/he asks for help getting into a wheelchair. Do you pursue the relationship?

   Yes.

I noticed a little while ago that I passed 20,000 hits.  When I started this it was more or less just for me to vent about things that were pissing me off, and my audience was limited to just a few friends and family.  I’m pleased to see that people are taking time out of their day to visit my site and read my rantings.

A final post before I go to bed (hopefully to sleep for a change).

Jeff, at Caerdroia, has a good (albeit technical) explanation for understanding men.

Men are heirarchichal.

We are object oriented.

We define our schema in a file, whose syntax is very simple, but which requires several reboots and much swearing before it will really take full effect – little bits of old schema definitions end up cached somewhere in memory, and only come out when the right branch of a particular algorithm are triggered.

This definitely appealed to my inner geek.  And like computers, fiendish complexity is a function of utter simplicity.

I guess high schoolers are just as randy as ever, but now they’re getting it on tape.

Eight Duncanville band students have been suspended for allegedly participating in a lewd video in which girls showed their breasts.

Duncanville Independent School District says the high school juniors and seniors—7 girls and 1 boy—were suspended even though administrators didn’t see the tape in question.

The band was in Corpus Christi May 3, when a chaperone saw some female band members reviewing a video playback on a camera.

Some of the students admitted participating in the video.

The school superintendent says a chaperone destroyed the tape.

I guess this will teach them to be more discreet if they want to get away with something like this in the future.