Thanks to O'Reilly Radar, I just read a snippet of a post about one of my phobias: law.

...the hoary distinction in jurisprudence between "rules" and "principles."

A first approximation for the non-lawyers here: the tax code is full of
RULES: Take this number, divide it by that number, place the result on
line 17 if it's greater than $57,206 and on line 19 if it's less.  Etc.
RULES are intended to direct or forbid very specific behaviors.

PRINCIPLES, on the other hand, are more general.  When driving you are
required to use "reasonable care."  If you don't, then you are negligent
and can be held liable, in a tort case, for the damages you cause.  And
though there are plenty of rules about driving, tort liability is based
on the PRINCIPLE of reasonable care, and is assessed on a case-by-case
basis.

...An excellent point, of which I was not aware.

I hate--and have a deep-seated fear of--rules.

I appreciate principles.

IMHO, all rules must have an underlying principle. In fact, I would prefer that rules, as such were nothing more than guidelines for principles.

Food for thought.

Training at the VA

I have a certificate in "Knock Your Socks Off Service Recovery".

No joke. It was manditory VA training.

[sigh]

These things are well-meaning... but they're just wrong in so many ways.

The Lonely Road of Electronic Music

I'm just now finishing up a listen of Shpongle's latest album, and thinking, "ahh, yes. That was beautiful. What a wonderful thing."

I want to share the moment.

...But there is noone around with whom I can.

Electronic music, perhaps like playing the banjo, can--at times--be a lonely road.

Killer Caught in the Act

Coming home from work, I was fortunate enough (at the cost of jumping about a foot) to see a cricket-killer on the path to my front door... with a cricket.

So, like any red-blooded American, I shot it. Multiple times.

(And like any blue-blooded Vulcan, I mean with a camera.)