You Have Got to Be Kidding Me

Wal-mart was was selling the long-dismissed as hoax anti-Semetic tract The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

Wal-mart.

F'ing Wal-mart. F'ing Middle-America Wal-mart. And not as some document of historical interest, but as "this might be true".

I weep for this nation. It turns my stomach. I mean, I first heard of the Protocols from playing Illuminati: New World Order, a tounge-in-cheek trading card game spoof of conspiracy theory and paranoia from Steve Jackson games.

And people are taking this seriously? Does Wal-mart know they now have something in common with Islamic extremists?

And Wal-mart doesn't even seem to care what immoral morons they've been; only that they're taking flak. Sad. Just sad.

Wow

I think most people were alerted by email, but here goes anyway:

I sent my dissertation to my committee yesterday. I defend on Oct. 5, 2004, at 2:30 p.m. CDT.

Brian Wilhite defended yesterday , and that coupled with the finale of The Amazing Race made it a momentous occasion for beer consumption. I'm proud to report that beat Wilhite back to the blogging world, but then again he had to drive to scenic Champaign-Urbana today.

Hopefully all will be well. I don't anticipate trouble writing the defense talk, but I anticipate all kinds of trouble actually defending the thesis, which everyone assures me is crazy and paranoid. But I find a healthy dose of paranoia about these things makes one more prepared for what does come. Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get me.

Take a good look to the right...

I'll have to change it soon, as I am no longer "Jackass Firstbaseman." My softball team, "A Bunch of Jackasses", lost out of the playoffs today. And with many of us graduating, it's quite the passage. Like the Cubs, 5 outs to go was the point we didn't get through. But it was a much better bouncing than last year, although it was the last swings and the last slides and the last post-game "spread" at Jimmy's and the last Washington Park dirt to be washed off in the shower. Wilhite's blog may eventually have more details when he's done with thesis draft and moving. I should mention that Will and Jon sacrificed hamstring and knee, respectively, for this game. I salute both of you!

This may not seem like too big a deal, but softbal really has been a (too) big part of my time here in grad school. I'll definitely miss playing with everyone. Thanks to all of you.

More Hockey Lockout Coverage

No movement. The Players Association is supposed to make a counterproposal soon; I can't see NHL hockey be played in calendar year 2004 at all now, and only optimism that both sides aren't this stupid would lead me to suspect a January start date.

Shane passes along this article speculating that a pan-European league could spring up if the NHL shoots itself in the foot with a hard salary cap. It would be closer to home for the European players, played on bigger rinks where obstruction is actually called, and that could be a draw even for North American natives.

One Weight Lifted

I just talked to my surprisingly cool landlord, and acquired a month-to-month lease for once my original lease runs out at the end of the month. This is good in that it's one weight that's lifted as it becomes less likely I won't finish by the end of this month. On the other hand, it's one less thing kicking me in the butt to finish.

Overall, I think I'll take the lifting of the pressure. I don't want to (and indeed can't , since I soon need to give a start date for the postdoc) let this get pushed back indefinitely, so I'm sure I won't. Even if I end up paying a month's rent where I leave a week into the month, it will be worth it for the lack of time pressure hassle. I don't function well with medium-time-frame crises--long term I can plan for, and short-term (e.g., stranded and car broke, or presentation in two days) I can just suck it up and go. But something looming in the not too distant future* can paralyze me if I'm not careful.

Stevis

*such as next Sunday, A.D.

TenMillionVoters.com

Remember when the American Family Association's poll on gay marriage got hijacked by the online liberal community? Time to do it
again, as they're taking a presidential poll.

Actually Hired!

The formal job offer has finally come through. Officially, I'll be a self-employed person who sorta happens to work at the U.S. Naval Research Lab. Once I get the paperwork turned around, which might wait until the long weekend as I get my head wrapped around the paperwork I need to do here in Chicago. Maybe I can get a thesis date soon. Maybe I can also get a real date soon. One thing at a time.

Steve

P.S. My grandmother is doing much better already than when I first got home, which apparently was already much better than the few days before I got home. I'm sure my good mood will be cut by something tomorrow, but for tonight it's great.