no, I'm not going to watch "the game" today

But that's not what I want to discuss right now.

I was channel-surfing and I happened across "The Truth About Cats And Dogs." I've seen this movie once before, and it really bothered me when I first saw it (more about that later). I wasn't going to stay on that channel, but I got sucked into the story again.

To tell the truth, I've always been interested in Janeane Garafolo's work, ever since I first saw her on the Ben Stiller Show. Uma Thurman, on the other hand, has never done anything for me.

And now I will reveal why this movie bothers me so much: Janeane was so much better looking in this movie than Uma was. If I had met the two of them, Janeane's character is the one I would be interested in. She has it all - intelligence, wit and beauty. Uma's character is vaguely attractive but has nothing else to offer. She can't even understand the book that she receives as a gift, and has to give it back!

Ultimately the movie does have a moral (sort of) and a happy ending, but the deception that provides the basis of the story is entirely unnecessary. Of course without it, there would be no point in making the movie from a financial perspective.

and on the MyDoom virus front ...

I haven't been personally affected by the MyDoom virus, nor by any other virus or worm ... ever.

This can be attributed to many factors, which work well in combination with one another:

1. I do not check my email using Windows-based computers; I run Linux. Even when I used to use Windows for email, I didn't use Outlook or Outlook Express. I may be a bit unstable, but I'm not insane.
2. I run a multi-tiered firewalling system on my home network, which starts before the cables even reach my PCs.
3. I have spam filters at my ISP and also on my Linux box.
4. Something that all too many people ignore: I never open email attachments from anyone I don't know; and if it's a Windows-based executable attachment (as most viruses are), it wouldn't run on Linux anyway.
5. On my lone Windows PC, I have another firewall and constantly updated virus-scanning software.
6. I turn off my cable modem when I'm not on the internet! Just because the cable company touts their internet service as "always on" doesn't mean that you need to leave it on at all times.

Practice safe computing. Install Linux.