House of the rising Moonglum

Ugh. I spent an hour today trying to convince a programmer that version control is a good idea. He had a number of counter arguments, and has me somewhat convinced that he actually is using a version control system. One that involves filename changing and copying files individually from one computer to another. It is unclear to me that he ever understood the advantages of automating that all. But at least he left saying he’ll “think about it”.

Accountability. Trivial change lists. Trivial distribution. Rollback. Remote backup. Remove the fear of rapid development.

What am I forgetting?

I found myself wandering State street this evening (as I seem to often lately) when I passed a street-corner preacher. I was engaged at the time, so couldn’t pick up any tracts nor hear what he was preaching about. For some reason this week I have had a number of discussions about religion so I actually was a little interested when I went back by him stopped for a moment to listen. “And if you are gay you can not get into heaven and will go to hell.”

Talk about blood pressure rising and anger surfacing. I’m not sure what made me, but since I already was heading over to hear what he was saying and maybe chat with him, it just came out. I had to quote some Matthew 19:19 at him, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

His response was very interesting. At first he smiled as he caught bible being quoted, then frowned as he realized what part. Then he went back to “fear the lord” and just ignored me. It probably didn’t do anything, but I like to think that it made him think, even if just for a second.

If I could have done anything different it would have been to remember the Romans quote rather than the Gospel: “Love thy neighbor as thyself. Love does no harm to its neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:9-10) But I only know like three bible verses, so I’m pretty surprised that one came unbidden at all.

On the Colbert Report, Colbert showed Fox complaining about Obama saying that their family prays in private and won’t do a big spectacle. Gretchen Carlson: “This was an interfaith recognition day, why would you [pray] behind closed doors?” Colbert: “Exactly! By closing the doors on his prayers, Obama is letting us down almost as much as Jesus did when he said in the Gospel of Matthew, ‘Whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door.’”