As someone whose been on an actual ghost hunt, this is a hilarious skit!

As someone who has spent a great deal of time working with people with disabilities, I can tell you that Ben Underwood’s mom has precisely the right attitude. Her son has an incredibly high quality of life as a result of his parent’s decisions. Bravo!

Doug

Last week, Novell and Microsoft announced a watershed moment for the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) movement. Today, Samba asked Novell to reconsider. Frankly, I think their argument is short-sighted and counter-productive.

With SLED as it’s flagship, Novell has been one of the few true corporate sponsors of FOSS. More than any team/company than perhaps Apple or Ubuntu, Novell/SUSE have helped move Linux to the mainstream. Rather than seeing this deal for the huge win it is … Microsoft is finally conceding they cannot beat Linux in the server market … the Samba team wants to throw stones.

The reality is broader adoption of Linux means more paid developers working on free software. These folks with further cross-platform communications and break down barriers between Linux, Windows and OSX/BSD. Ironically, this is one of the primary goals of the Samba project. Perhaps this is the true root of the problem.

Does Samba fear obsolescence if the Novell/Microsoft collaboration makes cross platform file sharing simpler to implement and use? Maybe. But they shouldn’t. Instead they should run towards this agreement and be part of the solution. Know one knows the issues better than the Samba team, which makes them more valuable … not less.

That said, I suspect most of their resistance is plain old anti-Microsoft sentiment. Redmond has long been the Death Star to the rebel pilots of the FOSS movement. I am no great fan of Windows or Microsoft. I think most of their products, though ubiquitous, are buggy and over-priced. In my experience, the only real exception this pattern has been the XBOX 360. For this reason, I’ve moved everything but my primary gaming machine to OSX or Linux.

And, I am not alone.

The revolution is well under way. Microsoft has lost the server skirmish. Companies like Apple and Novell are poised to win the desktop war as well. In ten years, the OS map will look very, very different. There will be no superpower. Microsoft dominance will be replaced by a nation of independent but loosely affiliates states, of which Redmond will be but one. To stay relevant in this new OS world order, Microsoft knows it needs to start speaking Linux now.

By teaching Microsoft to speak Linux, Novell in turn learns how to speak Microsoft. In turn, they will make their translators available to the countless sub-dialects of Linux beyond SUSE and, to some extend Unix and BSD as well. In doing so, Novell advances the cause of Linux and ensures it a place of prominence and power in the new order.

How is that a bad thing?

American commanders in Iraq have privately told the President that additional troops will be needed in Iraq to maintain the current policy.

Plans are secretly underway for a suprise new call up of National Guard and Reserves to be announced sometime after the election.

The Washington Post has now reported that plamning that is now classified, being kept secret from voters and military families until the election is over, could well include what the Post calls a policy change forcing a new wave of involuntary call ups.

Bush Has Secret Plans For Surprise Forced Call Up of National Guard and Reserves [Op Ed News]

As the situation on the ground worsens in Iraq each day, the Presdent plots. By now, no one should be surprised. Our troops continue to be hamstrung by an ineffective and callous administration whose only real goal is the continued consolidation of power.

Whether Republican or Democrat, it is time to understand the pressing need for policy change regarding Iraq. Support our troops. Vote to remove lock-step supporters of Bush from office this week and return checks and balances to our Democracy.

Wow. There are no words. Well .. there are some. Bigot. Homophobe. Small-minded. Oh, and .. American Taliban. The biggest irony of all .. this chump is black.

I’ve conciously elected not to mention this candidate by name. I don’t want to add fuel to his campaign by pumping up his Google stats. He is named in the video. If you live in his district, please don’t put this guy in office.