A blogger's worst nightmare

Epic FAIL.

I mean, we're talking about massive, multisystem failure. And I don't mean the huge clusterfuck getting out of Invesco last night.

Have you had that dream where you study and study for a test, you spend hours and days and weeks and months preparing for it, and when the test comes, you blank out completely? That's kind of what I'm feeling like right now.

I'd been having problems with my PDA all week -- indeed, since long before I came to Denver. But my laptop was doing fine. That is, until last night, just when I needed it most.

Man, I was ready. I had two full laptop batteries, I had my aircard, I had my camera, and I was pumped. Psyched, even. I found a spot behind a concession stand, near a smoking area (although no one was smoking) with a spectacular view of the Denver skyline, and I set up shop. I got about two sentences written when BOOM -- the laptop just stopped. I tried recovery, rebooting, everything ... no luck. And my PDA was no help at all.

So, I missed liveblogging the biggest event of the Democratic National Convention. I got a zero on the big test. And I'm sorry.

I have plenty of pictures and thoughts and observations that may take me a few days to put out there, but I apologize for disappearing last night ... I'm embarrassed and frustrated and, well, pissed.

But life goes on ... and my flight back home is boarding. Thanks for your interest and support. Sorry I couldn't come through for the Big Moment. Bye for now from Denver.

Big Brother is watching you ... or maybe it's your mother

Electronic surveillance is moving from the broad scope of the Bush crime syndicate down to the micro level, as the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is offering parents a new computer program that will allow them to monitor their children's Internet activity.

The agency is giving away 25,000 copies of computer monitoring programs at schools, libraries and sheriff district offices for parents to gain control of their children's online activities.

The sheriff's office bought the discs for $7 apiece using forfeiture money.

Lt. Mike Reardon said some parents don't understand how a computer works and they don't realize how often children are victimized online.

"This is very simple. No stress," Reardon said. The CD, called ComputerCOP, can easily be installed on a home computer and scans for words such as porn and marijuana, reviews pictures and videos and saves emails and chats.

The software doesn't block any of the content from the computer. It simply finds it so that parents can review what their child saw, and report any potentially illegal communication to a law enforcement agency.

What a great idea, right? I mean, what parent doesn't want to make sure children are safe from Internet stalkers and such?

There is another possible application for the software, though:

It also can be used to spy on a spouse or roommate, the sheriff's office said. However, that is not the intended use.

Well, wiping the president's ass is not the intended use for the U.S. Constitution, but Drunky McStagger went ahead and did it anyway. Repeatedly. With relish.

I'm just saying, just because a method of use isn't "intended" doesn't mean it won't be utilized that way. Forget spouses or roommates ... how about employees? Or neighbors? Or anyone with access to someone else's computer?

Or maybe I'm just paranoid. But seven and a half years under the thumb of the Bush crime syndicate's watchful, intrusive eye justifies a little paranoia, no?