y2k, where art thou?

Almost 10 years ago, I was a consultant for a health care consulting company. This particular company was prettymuch feeding off the paranoia. I mean, what hospital would want machines double-injecting patients with morphine at midnight? Or not at all? What bank would want ATMs to stop working--or better yet, chucking out yuppie coupons like a drunk 50cent at da club? No one. No one in deed.

So many people at the church we were going to thought the world was going to end. That's the thing about Christians. Not only are we single-issue voters, but we're also looking for the doomsday in everything. y2k was the best thing to happen to churchgoers in ages--spread a bunch of fear that the end of the world was upon us.

As a computer guy, I knew it wasn't the case from the technological perspective. I mean, it wasn't going to be "Rise of the Machines" any more than it was going to be the end of electricity, but a lot of my friends got roped into it. But then again, how could you be exactly sure?

I digress. I'm kinda sad that I didn't party like it was 1999. I hadn't yet discovered the joy of the margarita, or the simple pleasure of a quality scotch.

But now I have.

A lot of people think this election cycle is going to be the next end of the world. I'm not exactly sure. Maybe soon I'll have a post on it. Hopefully soon, because it's in like 4 days or something.

I think I'm voting for Obama. While John McCain does have the oldness, I'm not exactly thrilled with the tone of his campaign. W campaigned on the "Compassionate Conservatism" theme; McCain is more of a "kill 'em all and let God sort them out--and oh, yeah, I'm pro-life" kind of guy.

Again with Christians and the single-issue voting. Yes, I know that a candidate's stance on this issue supposedly will color his decisions on everything; but seriously, what side of the fence does being Pro-Life put you on when it comes to welfare reform? Medicare/medicaid? 401K and IRA contribution limits? Tax abatements for businesses? Gun control? Illegal aliens and undocumented immigrants? Seriously.

According to Consumer Reports, I'll benefit more under Obama's tax plan, but McCain's health care plan works out better for me. Thanks for making it clear as mud. I'm sort of a pocketbook voter, like a lot of people. I look in there and see how full it is compared to this time 4 and 8 years ago. We're doing OK personally, but I see a lot of folks going jobless and the unemployment rate in Michigan is reaching 10%. Wow.

Anyway, it's time to flip off the puter and go watch The Office. I'm feeling old, tired, and maybe like I need another beer.