[ale] taking over the world!

[Glenn R. Stone]

jester1 at mindspring.com wrote:

> Bill Gates wasn't killed in this animation.  He was taught to fear
> Linux.

I have to agree.  The idea was that the UberGeekAgent showed pity... 
He allowed the GatesMonster (c'mon, GREEN blood?) to live... while
making sure everyone knew that he would be the last of his kind,
and why.  
 
> And the whole Colorado thing could have been prevented if some parents
> would take notice of what their kids are doing and give them a smack
> upside the head when they saw them being stupid.  More people in this
> country could stand to have some sense knocked into them.  Bill Gates
> included.  I think this was the point of this animation.

Here I object, partly.  These kids weren't stupid.  They were probably 
smarter than most of us.  V excepted. :)  They were, however, showing 
a total lack of common horse sense, and _therein_ deserved the LART.  

Suicide at that age is the ultimate cry for help.  These kids were being
ignored by their elders, parents and teachers alike, and tortured by their
peers.  I don't have to ask, I've been there.  Most of us (meaning probably
most of the people reading this) have too; we just managed to keep our
sanity intact until we got to college, with the help of some subset of
parents, teachers, other positive outside influences.  Littleton is what
happens when that help is totally absent.  

(Just for completeness, I agree that a goodly majority of folks could use
a Clue-By-Heavy, Herr Gates included.  From my point of view, this society
seems to be deliberately selecting for the shallow end of the gene pool...
a move which in itself is suicidal.  I'll leave the rest of this rant as
an exercise... you guys are smart; you'll get it.)

Meanwhile back at the ranch, it's pretty much up to us geeks to try to counter
such cluelessness, to make sure the species doesn't die off due to
overwhelming
stupidity.  As for me, I don't have kids yet, but I've made my own commitment
of time and energy to try to help the situation.  Watch this space for an 
announcement Real Soon Now.  

Enough rant for a Sunday morning.  Besides, y'all are smart.  I'm just going
to go do my thing now....

-- Glenn