iTunes? Sure.

I've got no problems admitting it: the Apple folks make solid products. I downloaded, installed and purchased music with iTunes in only a few minutes. It's easy and very functional. Good one, Apple. To my parents and friends who might be reading this: give it a shot. It's worth the trouble, and free to start. http://www.itunes.com

Now if only they'd put in a proper electronica/trance bend to their catalog. At least they redeemed themselves by having a handful of Yello tunes. :)

(no subject)

Right now I have many friends, co-workers and online folks in various states of protest about the Defense of Marriage week. The arguments tend to center around morality imposed by one or more religions vs. human rights and equal treatment. Reading through the many opinions on these issues (including well written ones like Reality_Fox posted) has been educational. There are many points I could make, most of them already said before by people far better written/spoken than I.

Instead, I will simply say: I have faith. In this case, faith in societal change and progress.

As a society we've created a lot of change in the last few hundred years. Painful, sure. Time-consuming, martyr-creating and life-destroying for the activists who heralded the changes, definitely. What matters is that in the end we changed. Inter-racial marriage, women's voting rights, freedom of religion... the list goes on. Even if only in limited ways in limited parts of the world, they have happened and will continue to happen on a broader scale.

I see how many people of my generation are responding to these issues. I see how they are teaching their kids to be more tolerant and more willing to question doctrine, be it of religious or government origin. The previous generations fight, squabble and lash out to maintain their version of How Things Are. Their only hope is convincing the children Their Ways, and as always, that's not happening as much as they wished it was. Just like every generation before them, they'll eventually lose. That's just the way of things, even if it takes a long time.

So take heart, those of you fighting for your rights and the desire to be accepted. You will be allowed to live and love as you wish. It will happen, and you are helping it along. Even if it doesn't happen for you in your lifetime... it'll happen for those that come after.

Just keep this in mind: Like many things in life, this will go full-circle. Someday we'll be the Old Guard. The generation below us is going to want and create change that we don't agree with. We will find it morally bankrupt and Just Wrong. Nonetheless, with time, they will get it. Things just work that way.

I think I'm going to be okay with that. That's what having faith is all about.