I found it appropriate that

I found it appropriate that this entry was on Roger Ebert's site today when I read it, since it's my last full-time day in this job:

Ebert's little movie glossary

Solo Cardboard Box Rule: When movie characters are fired or quit their jobs, they must walk out with all of their belongings stuffed into a single cardboard box, regardless of how long they've been working there. See Kevin Kline in "The Emperors Club" or Cuba Gooding Jr. in "The Fighting Temptations."

-Alex MacDoNnell, Toronto

Alas, all of my stuff doesn't fit in one box.

But, he's not a racist.

But, he's not a racist. Okay, now as a registered Democrat, who thinks Rush is full of crap, I'm going to give him a pass on this one. He didn't say anything racist, and anyone who thinks what he did say was racist is out looking for something to be angry about. What Rush said is that McNabb frankly isn't as good of a quarterback as the media hype around him suggests he is. Because he's black, and black quarterbacks are something of a rarity, the media pays more attention to him than they would to a white quarterback of equal prowess.

"I don't think he's been that good from the get-go," Limbaugh said. "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team."

Apparently, Rush isn't supposed to notice that McNabb is, in fact, Black. That's like asking us not to notice that Eminem is white. Both of them are somewhat unusual, given the normal racial makeup of their profession, and to pretend that the media or popular opinion isn't cognizant of that fact is ludicrous.

I've got a week left

I've got a week left in this position, well, not really. My current department talked to my new department, and came up with this dubious scheme wherein I'll come over and work 2 hours every day for my old department, until they're able to hire someone to replace me. That sort of schedule doesn't really fit the kind of work I do, and the University hiring process takes at least a month and a half, so I'm a bit disgruntled, but what can you do? I told my supervisors when I applied for the job two months ago, this wasn't just dropped on them this week, and they wouldn't be able to do this if I'd taken a job off-campus, obviously. But, since I'm getting my new pay rate for the whole thing, I guess I can't complain too much. If you'd like my old job, start getting your resume ready. :)

Great deal here on a

Great deal here on a very basic system for home users, only $349 for a new Dell computer, complete with monitor. Since it has only integrated graphics, and no AGP slot, it's not good if you're a 3D Gamer, but if you're not, it's a cheap way to get a fast new system.

I'm a bit worried that

I'm a bit worried that my favorite TV show, The West Wing, has jumped the shark. Since writer/creator Aaron Sorkin and producer Thomas Schlamme have left the show for this season, the look and the feel of the show has changed, at least in the first episode, which seemed to be overly melodramatic, in my opinion. Damn it, why do the Republicans have to mess everything up? I'm sure this was done because NBC felt the show was too liberal in its politics with Sorkin at the helm. I'm reminded again why I really despise much of network TV, there's a reason HBO's shows are almost universally acclaimed, they don't pander to sponsors.