It's actually hilarious that you should say that, Rob ... 'cause I think you could be right. So did this guy who wrote an article to that very effect, a few months ago ... I honestly didn't pay it much attention, but it was something about mergers and oil companies and the military and the Bush family.

See? You're starting to get the hang of this. [Big Grin]

Dave: Y'know, I've had my disagreements with what Unocal said to the House of Representatives, too. But y'know what? The fact that they're morons doesn't mean that they don't still think what they think. I'm not at all surprised to discover that these guys are totally flawed and had other, better options. Nevertheless, I think the horse's mouth is a pretty reasonable source, y'know?

It's like Doomsday Prophecy and all these nuts running around thinking that the world is going to end. Personally, I don't believe any such thing. Rather, I don't think that the world has to end. What I do believe is that I'm stuck on a planet with a bunch of snapperheads who do think the world is going to end any minute now, and might even decide to help the process along.

Sound stupid, doesn't it? And yet, why don't you go ask all these fundamentalist Christians and Jews and Muslims what they believe? Just 'cause the idea of a cleansing, world-wide Holy War is stupid beyond belief doesn't mean that these people, who are also stupid beyond belief, won't believe in it, prepare for it, and even take steps to ensure it.

Seriously, I'm running out of better ideas for why these people are such monumental fuck-ups. Religious zealotry on all sides might be the answer, I dunno.