tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65061032009-02-21T01:01:32.849-06:00My take on Software, Technology, Politics, and anything else I feel like talking about.Nicknoreply@blogger.comBlogger1541125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1148214600538034192006-05-21T07:28:00.000-05:002006-05-21T07:30:00.613-05:00

You should be automatically forwarded to my new URL in a couple seconds, but in case you happen to read my blog using an RSS Reader, my blog has moved. You can now find me at http://www.nickschweitzer.net

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1148066584761620962006-05-19T14:14:00.000-05:002006-05-19T14:23:04.870-05:00

So I was having a bit of a sugar craving, and went down to the vending machines to get my fix. After a bit of thinking, I finally decided on some Reeses's Peanut Butter Cups with Caramel. Peanut butter, chocolate, caramel, how could you go wrong? I opened up the package, and on the inside of the wrapper, there was a code for a contest they're running. So I read through the little spiel on how

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1148063314543249312006-05-19T13:28:00.000-05:002006-05-19T13:31:43.883-05:00

I just had the following conversation via instant messaging with a coworker:Coworker says:I concede defeat. I'll start working on changing the algorithmNick says:HA HA! Victory is mine!Coworker says:relish it while you can - I'm sure it will be short-lived.Why would I want to relish victory? I really don't like sweet pickles at all, and like them even less chopped up and served on my victory

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1148056965564695252006-05-19T12:55:00.000-05:002006-05-19T13:11:00.923-05:00

I've noticed lately that campaign workers are failing to realize a very simple truth. They are marketing their candidate to people, and need to realize that when they talk to people about their candidate. Perhaps it's because people think I'm a Republican (I'm not), or because they think I'm an influential blogger (I'm not), or because the moons have aligned with the proper stars (I wouldn't

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1148058743032674582006-05-19T12:12:00.000-05:002006-05-19T12:12:50.393-05:00

I think this is the wrong message to be giving illegal immigrants (emphasis mine):The world's busiest border crossing reopened early Friday following a nine-hour closure that occurred after federal authorities shot and killed the driver of a sport utility vehicle headed for Mexico, officials said....U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents began following the black SUV after somebody reported

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147984150240283202006-05-18T15:29:00.000-05:002006-05-18T15:51:52.876-05:00

Every now and then I perform the masochistic ritual of reading the Spivak & Bice Weblog. Today I was treated with this gem:The changes did reduce welfare rolls by putting more single parents in jobs, but the programs came up short in helping the neediest of the needy. It also found that a large number of welfare applicants, particularly in Milwaukee, ended up being investigated for abusing or

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147974830148293812006-05-18T12:43:00.000-05:002006-05-18T12:53:50.200-05:00

Via Ann Althouse comes this perfect little sound bite:"I don't need to be lectured by you. You are no more a protector of the Constitution than am I," Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., shouted after Sen. Russ Feingold declared his opposition to the amendment, his affinity for the Constitution and his intention to leave the meeting.Wouldn't it be nice if all our Senators were

Nicknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147972104466953752006-05-18T12:02:00.000-05:002006-05-18T12:09:16.436-05:00

I happened to read this little piece on MSNBC about what a Democratically controlled House might look like:With expectations of success in the Nov. 7 congressional elections building among Democrats, let’s consider the size and composition of a House Democratic majority -- and what kind of leverage that majority would have. If Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi gets at least 218 seats to win a

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147894556324283002006-05-17T14:30:00.000-05:002006-05-17T14:35:56.373-05:00

I have gotten a volunteer... but really I think it's too late in the day to do a decent one given that there are very few submissions in the Inbox. So I'm going to make the decision and say there is no Carnival of the Badger this week. It's going on hiatus for one week.But next week, we'll be back on track, and I'm going to host. Not only that, but I'll be hosting from my brand new blog home,

Nicknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147879690557708502006-05-17T10:28:00.000-05:002006-05-17T10:33:29.080-05:00

The barbershop is on the comeback!For decades, barbershops were a safe, dependable and consistently profitable business. "You didn't have to worry about the plant closing, you didn't have to worry about a bad crop," says Charles Kirkpatrick, executive officer of the National Association of Barber Boards of America (NABBA) and also a practicing barber in Little Rock, Ark., since 1958. "The barber

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147809062118240032006-05-16T14:49:00.000-05:002006-05-16T14:51:26.376-05:00

Your guess is as good as mine. Would you mind if it crashes at your blog for a week? I promise it won't eat that much, and it doesn't stay up real late.

Nicknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147802118209784162006-05-16T12:40:00.000-05:002006-05-17T09:13:57.783-05:00

Right on the heels of this controversy, a number of smaller special interest groups have come out in favor of removing certain programming from Sesame Street, saying that it has continued the culture of divisiveness in this country.CTW - Several influential groups held a joint press conference today on Sesame Street, demanding that certain items be removed from their programming rotation. First

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147792321240200302006-05-16T10:05:00.000-05:002006-05-16T15:37:08.056-05:00

... I just don't see the National Guard at the border doing much good. I think this is especially true given that they won't be doing any actual guarding, just providing surveillance and technical assistance to the Border Patrol. I'm sure there are very good reasons for doing this having to do with the Posse Comitatus Act, but still... it will make them less effective.Frankly, I waffle back and

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147720582353675092006-05-15T14:16:00.000-05:002006-05-15T14:19:27.353-05:00

Instapundit has another interesting take on the NSA phone number database:YES, THE NSA NUMBER-TRACKING PROGRAM isn't really "eavesdropping" on calls. But as reader Liz Mauran notes, the misleading press coverage probably doesn't matter: "It seems to me, judging from the number of people in airports, restaurants, and other public venues talking on their cell phones, that it's just fine to have a

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147709399126597982006-05-15T11:03:00.000-05:002006-05-15T11:09:59.210-05:00

So I was listening to "Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones on my MP3 player while I was driving into work this morning (I have very eclectic music tastes), and I was struck by a thought. Is this song about her not going to see someone when she should have, or about her being "unsatisfied" by the man she's with at the moment?

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147706816384062972006-05-15T10:25:00.000-05:002006-05-15T10:26:56.386-05:00

Kinda defeats one of the purposes if you buy them used doesn't it? Say it with me... Ewwwwwwwww.

Nicknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147706162045172812006-05-15T10:08:00.000-05:002006-05-15T10:16:02.120-05:00

More evidence of the overuse of SWAT Teams in our country:Some 20 police officers, many of them members of the city's SWAT Team decked out in full battle dress, raided 61 Liberty St. yesterday afternoon in the Washington Heights neighborhood.The police were executing a search warrant on the house, where undercover police had made marijuana purchases in recent weeks.They weren't expecting armed

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147624917195366112006-05-14T11:34:00.000-05:002006-05-14T11:41:57.250-05:00

I was reading my copy of Mountain Bike, which comes as part of my Bicycling subscription, and saw the following in a section called "Philosophical Q&A":Don't you get tired of smashing your nuts when you fall?Assuming your question has nothing to do with how much I like peanut butter (which I don't), I'd say absolutely not. Pulverizing one's testicles is always memorable, even if you've done it a

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147574179100900072006-05-13T21:29:00.000-05:002006-05-13T21:36:19.156-05:00

Tonight while I was out and about, I happened to see a Wauwatosa cop driving, with his cell phone to his ear. In fact, I often times have seen Wauwatosa cops driving around in their squad cars talking on their cell phones. Two comments on this.First, I don't want to hear any more cops on TV talking about how talking on your cell phone while driving is a bad thing to do. If it's so bad, then

Nicknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1132084244868455282006-05-12T14:32:00.000-05:002006-05-12T14:36:03.716-05:00

Part of a new conceptual series entitled "Being Controversial Gets You Noticed".Anyone who writes a blog and cares about getting traffic directed to it knows how hard it is. I'm often times frustrated by the lack of traffic coming my way. Based on purely anecdotal evidence, I've come to the conclusion that women have a much easier time starting blogs and getting traffic than men. The reasons

Nicknoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1138207396429354902006-05-12T13:22:00.000-05:002006-05-12T13:29:00.076-05:00

Earlier this year, a group of scientists did a brain pattern study on people from both sides of the ideological divide, and found one thing they both have in common:Democrats and Republicans alike are adept at making decisions without letting the facts get in the way, a new study shows.And they get quite a rush from ignoring information that's contrary to their point of view.Researchers asked

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1127416590789595412006-05-12T12:12:00.000-05:002006-05-12T12:16:45.490-05:00

Part of a new conceptual series entitled "Being Controversial Gets You Noticed".I fully realize that this post will probably get me in trouble with the fairer sex. But like many men, I still choose to say things I know will get me in trouble. Every now and then I read a post by someone, and instead of feeling the need to respond directly to it, it brings up all sorts of related thoughts that

Nicknoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1132083153756131282006-05-12T10:41:00.000-05:002006-05-12T10:45:23.620-05:00

Part of a new conceptual series entitled "Being Controversial Gets You Noticed".I live in the suburbs and I work downtown. In order to get from where I live to where I work and back, I have two basic choices. Choice one is take the freeway which is overcrowded, plagued with construction (thanks to the Marquette Interchange Project), and has enough bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic to remind

Nicknoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147447972285441942006-05-12T10:24:00.000-05:002006-05-12T10:42:15.206-05:00

Today is the day you've all been waiting for... and by "all"... I mean the 7 people who actually read my blog. I was just going to post the few drafts that were voted on without comment, but then I realized I need to do a bit of explaining.First of all, as it turns out, several of the posts you chose were part of a conceptual series I put together a while ago, but then decided not to publish.

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6506103.post-1147382188927004352006-05-11T16:15:00.000-05:002006-05-11T16:16:28.930-05:00

I've decided that tomorrow will be Draft Day at The World According to Nick. So if you haven't voted on which drafts you'd like to see published, now is your last chance! Vote by commenting on this post.

Nicknoreply@blogger.com0