Random notes from the front end of 35:

• The availability of unsecured wireless networks in the Birmingham, AL, area is astonishing. I’ve managed to find four separate connections at my apartment, and ten at my current location in Southside. Now, granted, most people using these connections (me, for instance) aren’t doing anything more than checking email, surfing random sites, or blogging, but there’s plenty of malicious work that I could be doing right now using this other person’s connection. Why is it, again, that people are so clueless about the Internet and security related topics? I’m not even talking about in-depth information, but simple things like not responding to phishing emails, not opening random attachments in email, and not securing your connection — the one that is attached to your name and through which people like the RIAA track you?
• The new job goes (over)whel(ming), thanks for asking. I suspect that once I’m in the thick of things, later this week, I’m going to realize that this isn’t a complex or as intimidating as I feel like it is now, but tell that to my subconscious.It is, however, a great environment, as far as the people that I work with go and the general vibe in the office. So far, so good.
• As much as I’m not an emo kinda guy (which is funny, since — although the music mostly hits me as dull and listless heavy whiny pop — I was pretty much the definition of emo as a teenager and twenty-something), the new My Chemical Romance disc is quite possibly the best new disc of 2006. Keep in mind that I’m saying that in a year that has included a new release from bands like Strapping Young Lad, The Decemberists, Lindsey Buckingham, the Exhibit(s) (!), and Devin Townsend — The Black Parade blows them away. Keeping in mind, of course, that this is heavy rock meets Broadway; the ultimate rock opera. And depressing, at that. If they had only included a cover of Devin Townsend’s Colonial Boy on there, it would be perfect.I still have hopes that Tencious D’s disc next week will surpass them all.
• Whassisname — the guy in the Denver church — all but admitted that he got squirrelly with his meth dealer, and the congregation forgave him. Which is commendable and good and all — remarkably progressive, one might say — except that these same parishioners are the same people that would probably disown and disavow their own children for the same behavior.Anyone that thinks the Democrats taking control of the Houses is going to change anything is as foolish as people that still support Bush and back his claims of no regrets.