As per the request of one of the DanceNet readers, here are copies of the past ramblings of the DanceNet Webmaster.
Just heard that the deadline for the discount for Beantown Lindy Hop Camp is coming up! What are you waiting for? A local lindy hop camp that you can drive to? Less than an hour from Boston?
I've always liked this event because the event encourages people to mingle and talk off the dance floor so you don't feel like being rushed into a three-minute dance and then good-bye. I tried to sit at different tables for the meals so I would meet different people.
I don't go to many dance weekends much these days, but I definitely make it a point to get to this one. I'll probably also pop in during the week's events just to remind people that I'm alive. I hope to see everyone there.
While I was in line, someone accidentally cut in ahead of me, but I wasn't in the mood to make a big deal out of it. When it was my turn at the counter, the cashier had to run around trying to find a MOD (manager on duty) and took a long time to get around to helping me. When she was able to finally help me, she apologized for the delay.
I told her that I had much better things to be grumpy about and that she shouldn't worry about it.
I must have made her day because she gave me the biggest smile after I said that.
Some of you who own cars that have been paid off (no more car loans) will see that you're getting a "free" car as long as you keep using that paid off car.
Likewise, I can see how many of you keep using your older computers because you haven't been brainwashed into updating your computer with every new generation and you've saved a lot of money by not buying all the latest stuff.
Well, I applaud this sort of self-control (which I don't necessarily have). However, at some point, like an old car, your computer will go beyond obsolete. At some point, it's going to be more costly to maintain it; it's going to be harder to find upgrades to those computers (try upgrading your 8Meg SIMMs). A lot of software won't run on those old computers (and old operating systems). For many of my friends, it's a lot of my time for *me* to fix those old computers (and I might just start charging for it, too).
With the money not spent for upgrades over the years, it seems to be a bargain to go out and buy a new computer *now*. Faster CPU's and memory have made an incredible improvement. Boxes have become smaller with more things crammed into them. I remember my original 486DX33 box with 8Meg of RAM cost me about $2400 back in 1992. I just helped a friend buy a Pentium 4 2.66GHz machine for $500 and that included 512Meg of RAM, WinXP *Pro*, and shipping. It's almost painful to see what I had back then compared to what I have now and what else I *could* have.
I recognize that some of you don't need more than basic email and web browsing, which is one of the reasons why I haven't moved much beyond the HTML 2.0 standard. And while some of you might be better off not being able to get HTML mail, many websites will not work with the older webbrowsers. At some point, you'll have to come to grips with the fact that your computer has outlived its useful life. Your time is too important and life is too short to have to sit around while your computer churns its way through trivial tasks. Get a newer computer and get on with your life.
As a naturalized US citizen I was appalled at this. I try to get to every election since I was old enough to vote, only missing one local election because I was away.
My friend commented on the number of people who voted one way and are now regretting their choices made in 2000 [having made what they felt was the wrong choice anyways]. She also commented on how her one vote wouldn't really matter.
Considering how many votes disallowed due to dubious accusations of impropriety, I indicated that the election of 2000 demonstrated how one person's vote *does* matter. I told her that I felt that everyone needed to let the government know how the people felt and she did that with her vote. Each vote is needed to let the elected officials know whether the people had given them a mandate or if plenty of the voters were equally divided on the many important issues.
I think that every US citizen has a *duty* to go forth on Election Day and cast their vote and their voice into the political process. Voting is serious way used to indicate satisfaction or disastifaction with the previous four years. Voting tells our elected officials know what we, the people, want them to do. Many people living here don't have that voice in our political system because they not citizens.
However, noting that I'm writing this on Memorial Day, May 31, 2004, I can't help but reflect on the millions of soldiers from the United States and other countries who died 60 years ago to ensure that we, as Americans, had the freedom and right to vote for our choices to lead this country. If all those people hadn't made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, their people, and their principles, we might never have had the freedom to choose this country's destiny.
In this light, I think that each and everyone of you has a *responsibility* to vote in November, and in every election in which you are qualified to vote in. Let us remember these fallen heroes and make sure their sacrifices were not in vain.