Random

...I'm still waiting for Microsoft to send me a free laptop so I can mention Vista on my blog. Sometimes the mail service to the Western Pacific is a little slower than to the mainland. So, just to cover my bases (and demonstrate good faith) I'd like to say that I think Vista is a wonderful long-awaited improvement over XP and that I haven't seen any system glitches whatsoever. Of course, I haven't seen Vista or my free computer, yet, either.

...I tried to install Ubuntu on one of the dying campus computers this evening. Apparently the hard-drive was deader than I thought. I'll have to dig another box out of the trash and hopefully we'll have something fun for the students to play with once they get back to campus in a few weeks.

I wonder if Ubuntu would like to send me a free laptop for a mere mention of their OS on my blog. It doesn't even have to be a $2,200 Acer.

...The Internet in much of Asia is still down.

...File under "truly senseless" -- Lutheran pastor commits fiery suicide to protest growing influence of Islam in Germany. I suppose the very fact that I've linked to the story about him grants him a measure of success. The emergence of Islam in Europe is a matter of concern. Obviously, some are more concerned than others.

...I'm assuming that Stan Friedman and Marcia Ryan went through with it on December 23rd. I haven't heard a word from Stan since then. The honeymoon must be keeping them busy.

...Great Britain is making the final payment to the US for money loaned at the end of WWII. Of course, if they had been defeated-enemies of the US, instead of allies, we would have simply donated the money. That's been a bit of a sore spot.

...Rumor has it that Guam is going to begin construction next month to fix one of the world's worst roads. I've lived on Guam for merely five months and already I've become a jaded skeptic about such things. However, we can always hope that it might be true.