He claims to know what’s happening on the terrorist front in great detail, but he has no clue that we’re facing $4/gallon gas prices.

From today’s press conference (in his how-can-you-people-be-so-stupid talking-while-laughing-at-you delivery):

I guess you could be relaxed about all this if you didn’t think there was a true threat to the country. I know there’s a threat to the country. And the American people expect our Congress to give the professionals the tools they need to listen to foreigners who may be calling in to the United States with information that could cause us great harm.
So on the one hand the civil liberties of our citizens are guaranteed by a lot of checks in the system, scrutinized by the United States Congress.

And, secondly, I cannot emphasize to you how important it is that the Congress solve this problem.

The Senate has solved the problem. And people say, “Would you ever compromise on the issue?” The Senate bill is a compromise. And there’s enough votes in the House of Representatives to pass the Senate bill. It’s a bipartisan bill. And the House leaders need to put it on the floor and let the will of the housework.

My judgment happens to be the will of the people, to give the professionals the tools they need to protect the country.

I just LOVE that last line – how arrogant can one be??

And yet, when asked about $4-a-gallon gas:

BUSH: Wait a minute. What did you just say? You’re predicting $4 a gallon gas?

QUESTION: A number of analysts are predicting $4 a gallon gasoline this spring when they reformulate.

BUSH: That’s interesting. I hadn’t heard that.

QUESTION: Yes, sir.

BUSH: Yes. I know it’s high now.

Oh. Gee, thanks.

Priceless – the gas, that is – NOT our president!

The Canadian Press: Christian rock pioneer Larry Norman dead at 60

When you’re paying your bills online through your bank’s Bill Pay tool and your bill is $32.62, don’t EVER leave that decimal point out.

That is all…carry on.

I’ve been asked what I’m going to do regarding the dearth of posts over the past year, not counting the few that made it into the archives.

It’s true that a lot of stuff happened over the last 11 months or so – in July I took a week-long vacation and went camping at Big Basin State Park up near Santa Cruz, at Christmas I took a part-time job at my local Apple Store that lasted about two weeks, I was responsible for shooting video at a wedding, I took a long drive and almost got stranded in ice and snow at Big Bear Lake, I visited the Huntington Library and Descanso Gardens in and around the Pasadena area, I’ve eaten at Pink’s Hot Dogs a number of times, I’ve visited the Farmer’s Market, and all kinds of other stuff I can’t even recall right now.

So what about all that stuff? I’m not going back to try to fill in the gaps – let’s just call it ‘The Lost Year’ and leave it at that.

Very interesting news coming out today regarding AT&T and Starbucks. In a press release, AT&T announces that over the next year it will begin offering free WiFi service in 7,000 (make that 7,001, uh, no, 7,002) Starbucks coffee dens. The interesting part is that T-Mobile already offers its Hotspot services in most Starbucks, although most decidedly NOT for free!

Starbucks Card holders will automatically get two hours of free WiFi access every day. In addition, current AT&T broadband and U-Verse customers get unlimited WiFi access (just use your current user ID and password), with that offer soon to be extended to AT&T Wireless (formally Cingular) customers . For the poor schmucks who don’t fit into any of those categories, two hours of service can be had for $4, and a full month of unlimited access for $20.

T-Mobile, on the other hand, offers its Hotspot service as a plan addon to its wireless customers. For instance, I pay $20 a month for unlimited mobile Internet access on my phone plus unlimited Hotspot access. Ala carte Hotspot rates are $6 for the first hour, $10 for 24 hours, and $40 (!) for a month of unlimited access.

Of course, this move by AT&T makes a lot of sense when viewed through the lens of their partnership with Apple, which has granted AT&T exclusive rights to sell its phenominal iPhone (no, I don’t have one), which works great over WiFi (including both AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s services). Not only that, but Apple’s partnership with Starbucks in giving free access to its iTunes Wireless Music Store sort of makes this all one big happy incestuous over-caffeinated family!

UPDATE: I did read that AT&T and T-Mobile have some kind of agreement wherein T-Mobile’s Hotspot customers will still have WiFi access at Starbucks. We’ll see!

Well, I think I’ll give the blog a little more of my time and see how it goes. I mean, it’s been almost a year since I lost interest, and despite a post of a political nature here and there, I note that no one comes here anymore. So it’ll be interesting to see if I can rebuild some traffic.

What shall we talk about? Comments are on, so feel free to post your own opinions, ideas, etc.