Let It Snow...

I hate people in SUVs. I know some of my friends, and even family, drive them, but they are a pox on humanity. I live in the Chicago area and today it starting snowing overnight and was a very hard drive to work today. The roads were so bad, my normal 25-30 minute drive took over an hour and a half.

I don't mind driving in bad weather...when I got my car back in 2002, it was in December, in a snow storm. My first week driving it, I saw three people spin out in front of me. The weather doesn't bother me. What bothers me is when a 200 ton piece of crap SUV gets behind me at a red light and honks at me when I don't start moving right away because of all the slush and ice on the street. Then, once I get moving, he blows past me with all his four wheel drive and glares at me. This is all in the RIGHT LANE. Sorry, buddy, some of us don't have a SUV that makes us feel that we can go 45mph in the slush and ice.

Now that I got that out of my system, I have to get back to work. Anyone caught in the storms, take it easy and if you drive a big car, watch out for those little guys...they need to take their time.

Latest "Parenting Terror"

So I was browsing through the web comics I read and I found a link to this news story:

Nintendo Hand-Held Child Molester Target

The story is about the Nintendo DS and its ability to do short range wireless gaming and chat. The "official" range of the wireless antenna of the DS, according to Nintendo, is about 65 feet.

Anyone who has worked with any type of wireless device knows that a lot of things can hinder your signal. These are not limited to physical obstruction, other wireless signals in the area or interference (electrical, environmental, etc). The folks at FOX Channel 6 Milwaukee took two DS units and went to the local shopping center and were able to connect across the food court (about 200 feet) with no problems.

This wasn't to show how powerful the device is, but how a child molester can use a DS to lure your kids into giving away personal information. They actually come up with a scenario where while you are driving and your child is playing with a DS in the back seat, a child molester can be driving next to you and chatting with your child. Let's ignore the facts that:

1. If they wanted to find out where you lived that badly, they could follow you home and
2. They are driving AND writing on a the DS with a stylus at the same time and not crashing into other things in the road.

The story then shifts to some parents whose children have the DS and were shown how easy it is for someone with another DS to start a chat with their child. Of course, this person would have to be within 65-200 feet of them, and the further they are away, the fewer obstructions there have to be. The parents are outraged that this can happen and wonder why Nintendo did not inform them of this feature. The sad part is, the ability to chat is right in the manual and on the information page for the DS.

In both the manual and on the website, Nintendo recommends talking with your children (imagine that, talking to them...) about the dangers of chatting with someone they don't know and about the dangers of giving ANY personal information away. But, why should the parent be expected to parent? Isn't that everyone else's job? Maybe if parents were smart consumers and looked into what they are buying and not just bending to the pressure their child is applying they could avoid looking like idiots.

Have a good weekend, true believers.

Back From The Dead...Yet Again

Well,

Looking at the last entry I did, it's been about three months I've been away. It's also a new year...I'm going to try and update more often...yet again.

I can't believe it's 2007. When I bought my car back in 2002 and the last payment was listed in the fall of 2007 that felt like forever. Where has forever gone? The past few months have been filled with some bad, but mostly good.

- Kathy had her purse stolen back in December (part of what lead to me not posting consistently). It was hard for her and she had much trouble with some of her cards giving her a run around on things. It's all sorted out now, but it was not a fun two or three weeks right before Christmas.

- Christmas itself was great. This was the first year Kathy and I tried to spend time with both sides of the family. Christmas Eve was at the condo with Kathy's family for dinner. Christmas Day was spent at my folks' place with my side of the family. It worked out pretty well, but we were both burned out after that.

- Da Bears. What else can I say? Over the past three seasons to go from a 5-11 team one year, to playing in the Divisional Playoffs the next, to winning the NFC championship the next is something special. Do I wish they had gone all the way? Yes. Am I any less proud for the team and for being a loyal fan all these years? NO. Sure you have a lot of people bad mouthing the team, but the sad part about the playoffs is someone has to lose and someone has to go home disappointed. So, congrats to the folks in IN. The Bears will be back next year and be they 13-3 or 3-13, I'll be there to cheer them on.

- I turned 29 just a little over a week ago. The people around me make a bigger deal of my birthday than I do. It's just another day for me. Thanks to everyone for the wishes, all the same.

- Jib is back! Jib is our friend who went to Dominican with Kathy and me years ago. She moved back to Thailand a while back and has just moved back to the US full time. I'm looking forward to seeing her in a few weeks for a welcome home party.

Time to get back to work...