Beauty of Open Source

What are you surfing the web on right now? No, not the brand of PC, not the connection...the browser, what are you using? I'd lay 10-1 odds that you're running Microsoft Internet Explorer. 90% of all PC users run Internet Explorer. Everyone knows it...and hackers certainly know it. IE has been the target of every hacker under the sun. There have been options though; Netscape and Mozilla to name a couple. Now another option has been released...Firefox by Mozilla. It promises to rock the web browsing world. How? Well I'm glad you asked. First off, it's infinitely customizeable (I think that's a word). You can change the theme of your browser as you would a media player, there are multiple skins just waiting for download. You can add multiple extentions (such as the FoxyTunes utility, which allows you to control all of your media players from your browser, no more minimizing and maximizing to change the volume or song). Not to mention the fact that it runs faster than IE or Netscape. These are just a few examples, there are many that I haven't had the opportunity to delve into. So, lets break it down...limited hackability, infinite options, and faster speed...any questions? Good. Now, get out your wallet and be prepared to pay the monumental cost of $0.00. Thats right, it's free. All of it. The plug-ins, extentions, themes, all of it. So now you have no excuse, just go and get it. You'll be downloading the bare-bones version of Firefox, but you can add any of the goodies through Firefox's website or by searching the net. Since it's an Open Source program, there will be hundreds and hundreds of new add-ons flooding the web, so if you get bored with it, change it. Just go get it, you know you want to.

http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

Duh, what's an election?

In watching the news over the weekend I couldn't help but hear underhanded comments and excuses. The comments mostly centered around how different the "Red States" were. That everyone in the Red shopped at Wal-Mart, toted a firearm in one hand and a Bible in the other, and didn't understand the in's and out's of politics. There were even comments about the Blue states leaving the union. I'm amazed at the loads of media dung being unloaded on the nation. I live in Texas. I own several guns. I go to Church. I even shop at Wal-Mart. Amazingly enough I have the common sense to put on a coat when its cold, and take it off when it's warm. Contrary to popular [yankee] belief, not everyone living in the south is a "redneck", not everyone carrys a weapon, not everyone goes to Church, not everyone shops at.....ok, scratch that, everyone shops at Wal-Mart. It just makes sense, but that's another story. If the liberal media wants to believe that everyone in the south is out of touch, that everyone here disregards fact in favor of faith, that we're all inferior to the mighty blue states.....let them. The left speaks of faith as if it were a virus, yet it's that faith that built the foundation of our country. They attack the right to bear arms, but fervently defend the first amendment (An idiot with a podium and an audience is just as dangerous, if not more so, than and idiot with a firearm). They view our bargain shopping as low class, yet how could anyone pass up 500 Q-Tips for 99 cents? They couldn't. The saddest part of all of this is that they honestly believe all of these things...and they wonder why they lost this election? All the excuses amount to this...they lost, but they won't admit that they lost this election because their views are not that of the majority of America. Try as they might, they just couldn't convince the slow "rednecks" that their plan (or lack thereof) was better. To be honest, I don't want to worry about politics for another three years. It's just such a beating. I just want to go fishing, shoot my guns wildly in the air, drink moonshine, go to church, and go buy discount socks at Wal-Mart....is that too much to ask?

Then there was......

Nothing. Well, not necessarily nothing, but nothing of political importance to expound on (though the whines of the left are still very audible...that too will pass soon enough). It does seem that some of the main stream media outlets have softened on the political scene. Yesterday while listening to the news it actually sound like the reporter was happy Bush was re-elected...unfortunately that came a little too late. The media's very obvious left wing slant during the election has all but dashed the Red state's (Republican majority) confidence in them, all the brown nosing in the world can't change that. I'd like to think that this may cause the MSM to return to the middle of the road, and I believe that if we only had ABC/NBC/CBS to choose from (no internet, no CNN/FOXNEWS/MSNBC) they would return to the middle, only because America would require it. It's obvious now that conservatism isn't limited to the south, and the numbers are rising. Media is a business, and if they don't start selling what everyones buying they'll be out of business. At least we have several different media flavors to choose from (I still haven't decided whether that's good or bad, as the news should be un-biased either way), if you lean left, watch CNN. Like right? Fox News for you. Either way, we'll get to see it play out over the next four years. So the political scene is slowing down...what's left to rant about? NHL Lockout anyone? Have a great weekend--

A Nation Divided? Here's a map of counties that had a Bush vote majority. Have a look for yourself. 

BUSH WINS!

Well after a long (and often virulent) election, there is now a clear cut winner. Miraculously there will be no re-counts, no lawsuits, no "riots"...just a beautifully simple answer to the question that has had America on edge for months. During the early hours of the election coverage most of the major media outlet's began showing "Exit Polls" reflecting Kerry as the winner of all the swing states by no less than 5%. However, as the actual votes began to be tabulated the outcome was much different. The race was tight throughout the swing states, but President Bush came out ahead in Ohio, a lynch-pin swing state needed for his re-election. As of right now, Presidential hopeful John Kerry is starting his concession speech. Soon President Bush will make his acceptance speech. In a government who's senate and house are in Republican majority we can all expect to see much cooperation with the President, the benefits of which will be long reaching. A better outcome of this years election could not be imagined. Through the media bias, the negative campaigns, and hours of uncertainty America has it's President...and the victory couldn't be sweeter.

Liberal Extremists threaten to Leave Country if Bush Wins

As in 2000, some of the radical Liberals from Hollywood are threatening to leave the country if Bush is re-elected...and as in 2000 these people are blowing smoke. We aren't that lucky. Click the link for the full story from LGF.

Open Forum (Post at Will)

Here's an open forum for any random thoughts--

Vote (or don't complain about who wins)

Well today is November 2nd. I have my voter registration card, know which precinct I'm voting in, all I need to do now is go to the polls. I couldn't be happier that today is the end of the presidential race. If anyone else out there is like me, you've decided who you're voting for months before the actual election. So you have to sit for months listening to the other candidate talk about why he's better, what he'd do differently, and which rock star will join him on stage at a rally. It's a circus. I'm growing weary of the constant beating that the national media doles out. I'm a Republican, or Conservative, and anyone else associated with our party should be outraged at the level of media bias in this years election. Forged documents, phantom missing explosives, and amazingly enough, everyone saying that the race is a "dead heat". Does anyone wonder if it would actually be close if ABC/NBC/CNN/FOX would quit saying it was? I never noticed before I graduated, but almost all of the media directed at the youth has a liberal angle. The Mtv crowd will almost assuredly vote democratic. Why? Because for their whole lives they've depended on TV and movies. If an actor/entertainer is for Kerry, why shouldn't I be? This election has left me jaded to no end. All I can hope for is that there will be enough people with the common sense and moral stability to vote their conscience. If I've learned anything through my time studying politics it's this: Every polititian, no matter what seat they're running for, will stretch the truth. They'll promise you things that can't possibly happen, they'll all tell you that voting for them will lead your town/county/state/nation to the promised land. Our job, as Americans, is to vote for the PERSON more than the promises. That's why I'm voting Bush. Not because he says the economy will get better, not because he says education will get better, not even because he says that he'll track down any person or country looking to do our great Nation harm, but because I believe he's the better man. He speaks his heart, a rare attribute in polititians today. Good or bad, you'll know what he's thinking. You don't have to agree with everything he says, that's the beauty of living in America, but I ask that you don't vote Kerry just to vote against Bush. Think about it. Are we safer now than we were four years ago? I believe so. Is the economy on the rise? I believe so. So what else is there to question? Either way, everyone who's REGISTERED, everyone who's A LEGAL CITIZEN, everyone WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW TO USE THE BALLOT should vote...ONCE. So, that's my rant for the morning, let all two people who read it take it to heart. Tomorrow mornings post will be either a celebration, or a piece on how idiots continue to multiply in America. Have a great day...GO VOTE.

Inaugural Steaming Post

Well here is the first (and quite possibly the only) post at The Steaming Blog. The purpose, if any, of this blog is for the open discussion of all topics. Politics, sports....hmmm...and any other topics you can think of. I'll be posting some of my MANY opinions from time to time. If you don't agree with me, post it. If you agree with me, post it. If you disagree with me, post it, but be sure you have some sort of argument stating your case (i.e. don't just post "You suck", as that would not be an argument, it would be an opinion...albeit a solid one). So, for those of you who've accidently stumbled across this blog, I apoligize in advance. Maybe someone smarter than I will post something worthwhile here...heavy emphasis on the maybe. Enjoy the Steaming bLog.