I recently found out that I am living with a disease (more on that later). Maybe it is the disease, maybe it is the medication, or maybe I am using it as a scapegoat, but I am definitely on edge this morning. As such, I figured what better way to vent then to the world of MahiX2.com?

Here is a short and incomplete list of the things that irk me the most.

• –Country Music - hate it, always will, there is a reason they stick that damn concert out in Florence… for hope that none of you hicks will ever come back.
• –People getting onto an elevator before all elevator riders have the chance to get off. From here on out I deem (and encourage) a parting punch to the gut fair game for anyone who encounters this blatant selfishness.
• –Ignorant Republicans… I can accept that not everyone is going to see eye to eye with me, but if you’re going to be a Republican at least act like you are informed.
• –The Getting Started pane in Word 2003(solution)
• –SPAM - whether it be e-mail or comment spam here on my website… INCLUDING: forwarded e-mails which have not had the formatting removed from the prior umpteen times it has been forwarded… EVEN if they are from you mom.

There are many more, but at this point I feel a little relieved. Thanks for listening sweet internet.

For all of my high school readers, or any of my readers who would like a little extra security on the internet from time to time, I introduce you to Virtual Browser.

Virtual Browser allows you to browse the internet from behind their proxy. What does that mean? Well, it means that your high school’s internet filter won’t have a clue if you decide to use the corner computer in the library (don’t act like you never did it). It also means that if you are feeling like you want to check out the domain that keeps sending you those sketchy spam emails that your virus scanner loves to pick fights with, you can.

Just so no one thinks that I was trying to look up porn on campus, I came across this website while browsing Firefox extensions.

Does anyone remember the old version of this idea? While I was a Jr. in high school I remember finding out about a very similar idea… www.tridium.com? If I remember correctly it was made for the sole purpose of allowing Chinese citizens the ability to surf the web free from government tracking. Then the Chinese government bought the website out and shut it down.

Mac finally roped me in today. On a mission at Best Buy to pick up a new alarm clock (which was of course sold out) I found myself with $75 in gift cards burning a whole in my wallet. I dabbled with the idea of a computer component, a memory card for my Treo, and a new PS2 game before deciding to head for the door empty handed. Ah, but those pesky marketers were up to no good and plopped the mp3 player kiosk right near the door.

Trying hard to maintain face in front of a known Mac user friend of mine, I looked over all of the portable media devices like the Rio, and the Nomad. I was convinced by said friend that I didn’t want an MP3 player that I would have to buy batteries for every other day. With that in mind, my skeptical outlook on the need to have any more than 512mb memory, and my even more skeptical outlook on the price/value of the device, I was pointed directly at the iPod Shuffle.

Impressions thus far:

• Impressed at the quality of the included headphones and the power put out by the .8oz item.
• Angry at the inability to add/remove songs via Windows Explorer.
• Thus, angry that Mac’s proprietary iTunes software was a required install.
• Even more angry that the iTunes software come bundled with the dogpoop of a programm QuickTime
• Inspired by the Shuffle’s simplicity; ie: no lcd, simple user interface, and unobtrusive branding to name a few examples.
• Intrigued by Mac as a brand a little more than yesterday when I was a little more intrigued by Mac than the day before.

Now, maybe I will be able to put it to good use, while working out on a regular basis for example. In other news, I need to win at poker this week to recover the lost cash cost spent on the damn thing.

Editor’s Note: This post was written months ago, but never published. There is no recent meaning or tie in to the fact that it is being published now, just a coincidence.

According to Red Herring, the earliest forms of written “text” was not used for recording historical events, poetry, or fiction, but for keeping inventory and facilitating in commerce. Clearly, written communication has come a long way, but has it been for the better? Has it made our society more efficient? Has it made the business world more efficient?

While there is no question that without text the world would come to a halt as we know it. Further, I would be comfortable in saying that society rightly relies on written communication more and more every day. However, an imbalance is at the same time being created.
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I have praised the qualities of Firefox for some time now, but in all honesty I can pretty safely say that I regularly think back on those praises that they are all in comparison to IE. So I guess the question begs, if Microsoft makes significant improvements to IE like it says it is going to this summer would I go back?

At this point I personally am not sure either way. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business analyze the second round of browser wars in this week’s Knowledge @ Wharton.
Also check out the most recent WebSideStory internet traffic analysis especially the commentary by WebSideStory CEO Jeff Lunsford in the column on the right.

Now, after tossing the idea of going back to a new and improved IE around in my head for the last few minutes, I have to admit, I would probably give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt. My guess is that Gates and his crew are not taking Firefox lightly and would love to throw a bagillion dollars at an IE improvement that would make tabbed-browsing (and all of my favorite FF features/benefits) feel like eating dirt. So then, I guess the real question is how is Mozilla going to keep Firefox on the front edge and ahead of those suirrely Washingtonians?