http://danm5.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Dan Merritt en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 07:30:11 GMT 2010-01-02T07:30:11Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977245363 The problem with politics, at least in this country, is not so much that "Nice guys finish last" as it is that "Nice guys seldom even get into the race." Wouldn't it be nice, just . . . Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:46:51 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977245363 Dan Merritt 2008-01-31T13:46:51Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977198191 Below copied from an article 'House Tries to Make the Internet SAFE' by Frederick Lane, of newsfactor.com By an overwhelming margin -- 409 to 2 -- the U.S. House of Representatives . . . Sat, 08 Dec 2007 20:28:00 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977198191 Dan Merritt 2007-12-08T20:28:00Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977112892 The U.S. Department of Justice is not neutral about network neutrality. !!!! Whoa what a shocker! A Justice department, fashioned for nearly 8 years to 'Bush's bosses' desires, does not think . . . Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:00:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977112892 Dan Merritt 2007-09-10T21:00:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977111041 RFID chips for pets have been touted (and used) quite a lot by now. And some people have been 'chipped' also. They have been suggested and/or used in humans for security ( key you can't lose . . . Sun, 09 Sep 2007 01:29:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977111041 Dan Merritt 2007-09-09T01:29:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977104733 Isn't it a little strange that the 4th larget religion in the U.S and the 5th or 6th largest in the world seems to boil down to one simple , obvious, if somewhat meaningless statement. to whit.. "To . . . Sun, 02 Sep 2007 22:12:41 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977104733 Dan Merritt 2007-09-02T22:12:41Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977095527 The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution reads: 'A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be . . . Fri, 24 Aug 2007 02:12:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977095527 Dan Merritt 2007-08-24T02:12:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977095260 I downloaded my second attempt at Linux. This time Ubuntu, touted as the one that might actually be the Linux for real people. And it had exacatly the same problem as the Fedora version I installed before. . . . Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:21:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977095260 Dan Merritt 2007-08-23T21:21:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977016764 We hear tons of talk of terrorism these days; The War on Terror, Homeland Security, we must be ever vigilante and give up our freedom to protect ourselves from Islamic Fundalmentalist. Well lets look at . . . Fri, 01 Jun 2007 03:39:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977016764 Dan Merritt 2007-06-01T03:39:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976966131 The article you will find here is about a case of 'speech' in schools and the discussion gets into what schools should and should not allow/promote in terms of socio/politico activism during school. . . . Tue, 24 Apr 2007 01:05:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976966131 Dan Merritt 2007-04-24T01:05:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976963502 Chinese couple sues Yahoo for man's imprisonment This is an interesting development and frankly I certainly hope the complainants win. While I understand that Yahoo probably acted in compliance . . . Fri, 20 Apr 2007 01:23:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976963502 Dan Merritt 2007-04-20T01:23:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976945383   The beloved Department of Homeland Suppression has handed down their new proposals for the Domestic Identity Papers they have been mandated to force upon us. They have greatly watered down their . . . Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:58:34 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976945383 Dan Merritt 2007-03-29T20:58:34Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976944804 An Article by Bert B entitled “Citizen Children of Illegal Immigrants “ indicates that the 14th Amendment is the basis for the children of illegal immigrants becoming citizens. In the article . . . Thu, 29 Mar 2007 05:54:00 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976944804 Dan Merritt 2007-03-29T05:54:00Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976943042 Dale Coparanis posted the following as a comment on my article Creationist Truth Dan - what are we going to evolve into? Since evolution is always happening, what's the next step for humans? . . . Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:44:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976943042 Dan Merritt 2007-03-27T13:44:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976942671 A comment by Ruth MacGillon Bert B's article entitled “About Faith and Doubt“ put me in mind of another common place 'creationist' argument. The one that says “Clearly, God . . . Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:10:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976942671 Dan Merritt 2007-03-27T01:10:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976938994 "Trickle down economics stems from the early 1950's when we were the only Western country whose industrial infrastructure had not been smashed and it was accurate to say that whatever was good . . . Thu, 22 Mar 2007 22:07:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976938994 Dan Merritt 2007-03-22T22:07:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976937265 What Do You Know? What a loaded question. It leads, however to some pretty profound insights. (Maybe!) David Hume in his Treatise On Human Nature put forward a proposal that I find compelling because . . . Wed, 21 Mar 2007 02:21:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976937265 Dan Merritt 2007-03-21T02:21:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976930833 Another beautiful headline. “Homeland Security Creates National Computer Forensics Institute” I suppose it too much to hope that we will ever be rid of this new layer of government 'rights . . . Tue, 13 Mar 2007 22:24:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976930833 Dan Merritt 2007-03-13T22:24:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976929424 Finally someone has recognized the hazard! China, that bastion of progressive correct think, is leading the way again. There can be no doubt that internet addiction is a major human problem. Communication . . . Mon, 12 Mar 2007 09:50:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976929424 Dan Merritt 2007-03-12T09:50:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976928541 I wanted to see where things might possibly go if worst came to worst. I mean how deep would the water get? I think we can all agree that the “Water World” scenario is total trash for a number . . . Sun, 11 Mar 2007 01:16:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976928541 Dan Merritt 2007-03-11T01:16:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976927930 A wise man once said....... “Never try to teach a pig to sing. It just wastes your time and annoys the pig.”   However the only way we have to separate the 'pigs' from the 'sopranos' . . . Sat, 10 Mar 2007 02:31:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976927930 Dan Merritt 2007-03-10T02:31:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976924704 Ignorance and witchcraft has reared its ugly head again! The next thing we will be told, I suppose, is that we should kill all identical twins (or horor of horrors, triplets) because they are, after all, . . . Tue, 06 Mar 2007 11:35:54 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976924704 Dan Merritt 2007-03-06T11:35:54Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976917940 I bought a $10 digital camera yesterday and wanted to see what it could do. I can't figure out how to get images into my articles here so you can see a sample of the result at Variations On a Theme. . . . Sun, 25 Feb 2007 04:13:12 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976917940 Dan Merritt 2007-02-25T04:13:12Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976917561 Do I qualify for Jerry Springer now? Well I suppose since it is just prescription shots of cortisone, maybe not. She probably won't bulk up like Barry Bond because I am pretty sure she won't be . . . Sat, 24 Feb 2007 15:45:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976917561 Dan Merritt 2007-02-24T15:45:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976912747 I have free blogs at blogspot and Live journal. I am testing cross linking and it is very easy to link a Live journal entry to either a Gather article or a Blogspot article But not quite as easy I think . . . Sun, 18 Feb 2007 00:00:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976912747 Dan Merritt 2007-02-18T00:00:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976909157 I was reading an article called Murphy Laws of Computing ("http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976909007") and came across this one: 9. A complex system that doesn't work . . . Tue, 13 Feb 2007 01:29:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976909157 Dan Merritt 2007-02-13T01:29:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976907395 New York Senator Carl Kruger (D) wants to ban the use of any sort of portable information/entertainment device by pedestrians while crossing streets. I guess he compares it to seatbelt laws or helmet laws. . . . Sat, 10 Feb 2007 15:09:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976907395 Dan Merritt 2007-02-10T15:09:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976895058 This is an interesting article on the Diebold Voting machines. http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20070126/tc_cmp/197000676 Just to be cynical.... I suppose security is bound to be hard when part of the contract . . . Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:56:31 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976895058 Dan Merritt 2007-01-26T14:56:31Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976893573 A friend sent me these and I thought they were interesting. TEN THINGS TO PONDER FOR 2007             10   Life is sexually transmitted.   . . . Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:32:24 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976893573 Dan Merritt 2007-01-24T16:32:24Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976875759 The Grand and Glorious Protector of the Artiste has done it again. They have moved on from suing teenagers and grandmothers to suing Russian companies. Of course they sued the Russian company in a New . . . Wed, 03 Jan 2007 21:42:49 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976875759 Dan Merritt 2007-01-03T21:42:49Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976875131 Tryingto get things doneis strangely compelling.Getting them done is even better!Don’t you just love the phrase “strangely compelling”? It is so self-referential! Way better than “self-referential” . . . Wed, 03 Jan 2007 02:21:23 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474976875131 Dan Merritt 2007-01-03T02:21:23Z