Don’t ever let anyone tell you that Microsoft lacks support for its products.

The Microsoft Knowledge Base, a searchable database of problems and solutions in Microsoft products, can help you with even the most complex issues that may arise while using Microsoft software.

Meanwhile, the automated service known as Windows Update keeps your computer running in top condition by installing important software updates for issues found in your version of Windows.

Yea Microsoft!

It’s a Friday night and I’m home alone with nothing to do.

So… inspired by Traci, because I was bored but wanted to get out of the house, I randomly drove up PCH to Huntington Harbor, and then I drove back on MacFadden. It was aimless. Then I decided to go looking for treasures at TJ Maxx & More here in Costa Mesa, so I spent about an hour browsing there. The clothing there isn’t very exciting, but they have a huge section of “Home Fashion” which is a bunch of large, gawdy, tacky knick-knacks, like ship helms, cow figurines, frog statues, boxes that look like books, African masks, etc. It would be a fun place to get a really useless gift.

Then I went home, and Traci called, and we talked for a few minutes. And then Stephanie, finally back from visiting her sugar-daddy– er, I mean, her friend– in Venice, came over and we went to Regatta for dinner. My friend Amy Rose (who’s in Pirates with me) was working, and it was fun talking to her and watching her sing.

After that Steph and I were supposed to go to Ruby’s to visit Amie and get dessert, but Steph decided she had too much homework to do, so she went straight home.

So now I’m home alone again, but Amie gets off work at 11pm and then she and I are planning to go cause mischief in West Orange County. We bought a rosary-shaped air freshener the other night (it’s seriously an air freshener cross on a string of air freshener beads), and we’re going to go hang it in Jonathan’s car.

Apparently hundreds of protestors complained that the new line of Asian-themed shirts from Abercrombie & Fitch were racist and offensive.

You can check out this news story to learn more about both sides of the issue before reading on, and you can see the whole line on this site if you’d like to judge them for yourself.

Last week, before the controversy erupted, I purchased a “Buddah Bash” shirt from the local Abercrombie & Fitch store. I didn’t buy it because I wanted to “perpetuate racist stereotypes of Asian-Americans,” but rather because I thought it was funny and cute. I like Buddah. I like Buddah imagery. And I like the pun of saying “Get your Buddah on the floor” instead of “Get your booty on the floor.”

Of course, immediately after they were pulled off the shelves, people started selling the banned shirts on eBay. Then eBay decided to cancel all auctions of these shirts. The auctions aren’t illegal, but eBay prohibits auctions that “promote or glorify hatred, violence, or racial intolerance.”

Okay, I’m not Asian-American, so I’d prob’ly feel differently if, for instance, they sold shirts with big-nosed Jews hoarding money. Therefore, I’m not angry at the protestors. They have every right to feel offended and to demand action from the retailer. And I’m not angry at Abercrombie & Fitch either. They didn’t mean to offend anyone, so when they did offend someone, they took corrective action. That was nice of them.

However, I am angry at eBay. If the company who made the shirts doesn’t want to sell them in light of protests, that’s their choice. But eBay didn’t make the shirts, and eBay doesn’t sell the shirts. And if eBay is going to stop these auctions because they are “racist,” shouldn’t they also stop auctions of, for instance, The Sopranos merchandise and videos, which portray Italian-Americans as gun-toting mafiosos? Shouldn’t they stop auctions of the book Huckleberry Finn because of its obvious racist content?

I think eBay is dealing with some freedom-of-speech issues here. And in the process, they’re only driving up the value of these banned shirts. Frankly, now I wish I’d bought more of them. Does anyone else agree that eBay crossed the line here? If I don’t think the shirts are offensive, is it still a hate crime if I try to buy or sell one?

It’s a creepy day.

When I arrived at work this morning, the parking lot was half empty (usually I have to park in one of the last few spots). I checked the clock in my car to see if maybe I had accidentally arrived an hour early or something like that, but it was really nine o’clock.

Then I walked into the office, and as the half-empty (or half-full, for you optimists) parking lot suggested, the office was like a ghost town. In my own department, not a single co-worker was present. Kevin had scheduled a vacation day, and both Ken and Steve had called in sick.

So I’m all alone, and it’s really eerie.