What's the point of a Microsoft retail store?

After the recent announcement of the imminent arrival of Microsoft retail stores, I found myself wondering, why? Not to say that I think it's a bad idea... I just don't understand what they're going to do there. The Apple stores work because Apple makes the computers. Microsoft is just a software company. Sure they could sell Zunes and the MS Surface, but... well, I think we can all agree that they aren't going to take off any time soon.

The big thing is obviously going to be Windows and Office. But that doesn't really get people in the doors. People go to the Apple store to play with pretty computers and ipod and such. Hell, I've even done it, and I can't imagine ever buying an Apple product (other than my iphone). Microsoft needs to have computers and accessories for sale in the store, I think. But who's hardware? It would probably be a mistake to just go with one company. If they're smart, it will be a number of them. They just need to make sure someone is actually taking care of them. I can't count how many times Ive gone into a Best Buy and multiple computers have been either dead, or incorrectly set up. By contrast, the Apple store's computers are always working just as they should. This definitely adds to the perception that Macs just always work better.

The one thing that I think a Microsoft retail store absolutely must do, is allow customers to bring their computers in for help installing Windows 7. You should be able to bring in your PC or laptop, buy a copy of Windows 7, and have them install it right there on the spot. They could easily set some sort of arbitrary hardware requirements for the service, maybe require the PC already be running Vista. I mean lets face it, they can't spend all day dicking around with a computer with 6 year old hardware that doesn't work with 7.

My concern is that people won't understand what the Microsoft store is. A lot of people that aren't very tech-savvy probably don't understand that Microsoft doesn't actually make computers. If something breaks, they'll wander into the Microsoft store, and get all pissed when they get turned away. It's going to be... interesting.

So you don't like vaccines, eh?

There was some great news on the legal front today. A federal court ruled against three families that were seeking compensation from the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP). They claim that the MMR vaccine gave their children Autism. So, I (along with every legitimate Autism researcher) think this is bunk, but these people are fucking vehement that vaccination fucked up their kids.

I understand the desire to blame something for a mental disorder. But vaccination? This all started years ago when a study was published in The Lancet that purportedly showed a link between the MMR vaccination and Autism. Shoddy experimental design and data led The Lancet to retract the article. No (legitimate) study since has ever shown a relationship. However, that didn't stop the crazies from yelling and screaming about it ever since.

You always hear them complaining about mercury. Mercury this, mercury that. But guess what? There hasn't even been any Thimerosal(contains a small amount of mercury) in any childhood vaccine for a decade. Don't you think that if that were the cause of Autism, we'd have seen a reduction? In fact, the rates of Autism are the same as always. They appear to be going up because more effective screening has given more mildly Autistic kids the help and diagnosis they need.

Vaccination is one the the most incredible advances in modern medicine. These people that campaign against it are, quite frankly, idiots. They might bandy about their right to raise their children however they wish, but it's a public health issue. We rely on herd immunity. If enough people are vaccinated, it won't matter that a few aren't, or that a few vaccinations didn't take. The reduction of herd immunity is the reason for recent outbreaks of Measles and Mumps. Are we really at this point? Where we'll allow people to believe this sort of crap, and just shrug our shoulders and say, "Oh well, their call." We don't allow parents to withhold medical care in the event of an accident, why is this okay? Measles can be fatal and Mumps can cause sterility. These are serious diseases, people.

Above: This kid is screwed.

I really feel like this whole thing grew out of the alternative medicine scene that's become so trendy in the last number of years. I just can't stand hearing people complaining about things being "unnatural" or "toxic" without knowing anything about it. This is all closely connected with the baseless belief that anything "organic" is better for you by sheer virtue of being organic. Think about it. Can you come up with a rational for that? Why is "natural" or "organic" better for you? It makes no sense. Anti-vaccination and alternative medicine fall into the same category of pseudo-science bunk and nonsense.

Presidential Language

Obama wrote a book a number of years back called "Dreams of My Father". In the book he quotes a friend from his younger days that apparently had quite a vocabulary. When Obama recoded the audio version of the book, he read those lines. Taken out of context, it's really hilarious. If you've ever wanted to hear a president swear like a sailor (and who doesn't?), take a listen. Listen to some of it here. Thanks to that blogger for assembling the clips. They are clearly timeless.

Don't give her any money.

You may have heard about the woman from California that just had the Octuplets. You may also have heard about how she had them by in vitro fertilization (IVF). Weird? Yeah. Inadvisable? Well, at least somewhat. However, as it turns out (you may also have heard) she has 6 other kids... all by IVF. Oh, and she's divorced... and lives with her parents. When you lay it all out like that, it sounds really crazy, right? Are we all in agreement? Good. Henceforth, I shall refer to her as the crazy lady (or maybe 'bat-shit crazy lady').

Now, I have no problem with people conceiving in whatever way they see fit. So long as it's not putting the eventual baby at unnecessary risk. That is, if you're intending to bring a child to term, don't do stupid things that will mess the kid up. Hell, grow it in a test tube (when the technology exists) for all I care. What irks me here, is that she took unbelievable risks to carry 8 children to term. These kids are probably going to have long term medical issues because she's a selfish bitch that just wanted, "to have a large family, a huge family..." She tries to claim that it was because she was an only child, and just wanted the connection of a big family. Bunk. I'm an only child, and I don't even think I want kids at all. Those that do want a big family, they tend to stop at a more reasonable number; a number they can reasonably take care of.

It also makes you think about the doctor here. Who would implant 8 embryos? Sure she may claim that fewer were implanted, and there were multiple-multiple births. But that's bullshit (so says a doctor on NPR, I'm too lazy to look up the reference). This raises real ethical concerns, and I feel this doctor has some explaining to do. I understand the feeling that we can't interfere with reproductive freedom. The knife cuts both ways. If women want the right not to have babies, others get the right to have them. But most institutions will do basic ethical screenings before doing IVF. It's just common sense.

These kids are going to cost millions of dollars in just their first few years due to the medical costs. You can't really expect a cheap run with 8 premature infants. Who's going to pay for it? Well , I'd wager she's on medicaid or something. Now this bat-shit crazy lady is shopping around for book/movie deals. I have this to say (I know, sooooo many people listen to me after all), no one should reward her for this kind of asinine behavior. Maybe when she sees what it's like to raise 14 kids alone, she'll wise up and give them up for adoption.