When is a church not a church?

"A religion is any systematic approach to living that involves beliefs about one's origins, one's place in the world, or a responsibility to live and act in the world in particular ways."

A friend of mine posted a Tweet the other day quoting from a blog of the Avangelism Project [a group that thoughtfully feels the need to debunk organized religion, faith and belief in God]:

• "Unlike Santa, parents won't admit Jesus is imaginary when the gig is up and friends don't encourage you to outgrow it."

Then it struck me: They too are a religion and therefore their website is in reality a church, albeit online. Quite the oxymoron.

After sifting through some of the articles on Avangelism's site it becomes readily apparent their staff writers, though intelligent and well spoken, are not knowledgeable or learned about faiths, religion or middle eastern history. Most of their articles target and attempt to debunk the Christian faith as well as the "myth" of God or any deity. Like most arguments against God, faith, Jesus or Christianity, they use no relevant facts or truth to dignify their viewpoint.

Conversely, they do a great job of taking quotes out of context, making assumptions, embellishing the truth and telling outright lies. Though, to be fair, these same characteristics can be used to describe many Christians and church leaders, too. The difference lies in the admission of sin, plea for redemption and gift of grace by God.

Separate But Equal: A Lesson in Consociationalism

"We must scrupulously guard the civil rights and civil liberties of all our citizens, whatever their background. We must remember that any oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization."
~Franklin Delano Roosevelt, January, 1940

"They (who) seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by a handful of individual rulers... call this a new order. It is not new and it is not order."
~Franklin Delano Roosevelt, March, 1941

In my lifetime I've seen our country slip away from long standing roots of being a Democratic nation. Our country has stood tall and proud as a Democratic nation for over 200 years. We stood united and existed as the United States. In the last 30 years that has all but unraveled. Though we still call ourselves the United States we hardly stand united.

A more accurate description of who we are is best described as a Separate-But-Equal nation. We've become a nation of Consociationalism where everyone is accommodated. Whereas our nation stood for what was best for the majority, we now are a nation of Least Common Denominator. Our policies and practices have boiled down to being non offensive, non abrasive and all accommodating to all demographics regardless of prevalence. If it offends any ONE then it offends us all.

To put this tongue-in-cheek...

Company Memo:
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: October 1, 2008
RE: Gala Christmas Party

I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23rd, starting at noon in the private function room at the Grill House. There will be a cash bar and plenty of drinks! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols... feel free to sing along. And don't be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus! A Christmas tree will be lit at 1:00 PM. Exchanges of gifts among employees can be done at that time; however, no gift should be over $10.00 to make the giving of gifts easy for everyone's pockets. This gathering is only for employees!

Our CEO will make a special announcement at that time!

Merry Christmas to you and your family,
~Patty


***********************************************

Company Memo:
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: October 2, 2008
RE: Gala Holiday Party

In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Hanukkah is an important holiday, which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year. However, from now on, we're calling it our "Holiday Party." The same policy applies to any other employees who are not Christians and to those still celebrating Reconciliation Day. There will be no Christmas tree and no Christmas carols will be sung. We will have other types of music for your enjoyment. Happy now?

Happy Holidays to you and your family,
~Patty

***********************************************

Company Memo:
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All Employees
DATE: October 3, 2008
RE: Holiday Party

Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table, you didn't sign your name. I'm happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads, "AA Only", you wouldn't be anonymous anymore. How am I supposed to handle this? Somebody?

And sorry, but forget about the gift exchange, no gifts are allowed since the union members feel that $10.00 is too much money and the executives believe $10.00 is a little chintzy.

REMEMBER: NO GIFTS EXCHANGE WILL BE ALLOWED.

***********************************************

Company Memo:
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
To: All Employees
DATE: October 4, 2008
RE: Generic Holiday Party

What a diverse group we are! I had no idea that December 20th begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating and drinking during daylight hours. There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon at this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs. Perhaps the Grill House can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party or else package everything for you to take it home in little foil doggy baggy. Will that work?

Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Weight Watchers to sit farthest from the dessert buffet, and pregnant women will get the table closest to the restrooms.

Gays are allowed to sit with each other. Lesbians do not have to sit with Gay men, each group will have their own table.

Yes, there will be flower arrangement for the Gay men's table.

To the person asking permission to cross dress, the Grill House asks that no cross-dressing be allowed, apparently because of concerns about confusion in the restrooms. Sorry.

We will have booster seats for short people.

Low-fat food will be available for those on a diet.

I am sorry to report that we cannot control the amount of salt used in the food . The Grill House suggests that people with high blood pressure taste a bite first.

There will be fresh "low sugar" fruits as dessert for diabetics, but the restaurant cannot supply "no sugar" desserts. Sorry!

Did I miss anything?!?!?

~Patty

***********************************************

Company Memo:
FROM: Patty Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: All F*%^ing Employees
DATE: October 5, 2008
RE: The F*%^ing Holiday Party

I've had it with you vegetarian pricks!!! We're going to keep this party at the Grill House whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death," as you so quaintly put it, and you'll get your f*%^ing salad bar, including organic tomatoes. But you know, tomatoes have feelings, too. They scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them scream right NOW!

The rest of you f*%^ing wierdos can kiss my *ss. I hope you all have a rotten holiday!

Drive drunk and die,

~The B*tch from H*ll!!!

***********************************************

Company Memo:
FROM: Joan Bishop, Acting Human Resources Director
DATE: October 6, 2008
RE: Patty Lewis and Holiday Party

I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Patty Lewis a speedy recovery and I'll continue to forward your cards to her.

In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rdoff with full pay.

Happy Holidays!

~Joan


I truly believe the only way our country will return to the greatness we once knew is to become United once again. Though we will never have all 300,000,000 citizens in unanimous agreement on any issue. What we can do is realize that while we are all unique (education, gender, sexual orientation, background, heritage, native language and faith, along with different views on foreign policy, finance and health care, military and government), we still share many commonalities and goals.

We all share the goal of wanting to do better for ourselves and our children. We all want to worship how and when we choose. We all wish to enjoy the freedoms and rights ensured by our Constitution and Bill of Rights. We want to earn a good living and live in a nice home. We want peace. We want health. We want equality. We want respect. We want justice. Sometimes we want to be left alone and other times we want to be included and have a voice.

Diversity is a good thing. It helps us see the world in unique and relevant ways. We all matter and our opinions count but we must realize that everyone can't win everything all the time. We cannot keep accepting that no one will win if everyone can't win. That makes us all losers.

We need to accommodate as many as we can in every decision that we make; as a family, school, church, temple, community, county, state, nation and world. Rather than abandoning any benefit for anyone when everyone cannot benefit we should get back to making decisions that benefit the majority. Even if we all don't win, we all benefit from being one, United.

United We Stood

Eight years ago today something terrible happened in America. Three thousand lives were innocently snuffed out at the hands of those who wished to send a message. It was a moment in time that changed the way we live our lives; changed how we saw ourselves; changed our motivations; changed our focus. Countless tens of thousands since have suffered a multitude of health and mental issues related to that day in the aftermath. May we never forget those who fell and were injured at the hands of the 9/11 terrorists.

On that day, the lawmakers and representatives of our country stood united. UNITED! Every one of the men and women of Congress stood together and vowed to work tirelessly to seek out those responsible for the deaths and massive suffering and fix the cracks in the armor.




On that day the leaders of both political houses pledged to stand united in ending the root cause of so much suffering. There were no partisan messages, no arguing, no shouting, no name calling and no hidden agendas. They even sang a round of God Bless America together on the steps of the Capitol Building. What's more, in the weeks following 9/11 our Congress worked quickly and swiftly in unison with the President to enact the necessary funding and a plan. Not a perfect plan, but a plan to get this country and her resources mobilized.

As a citizen who remembers that day, and the days following, I don't think anyone thought the plan and funding was the perfect solution. But we all knew we needed to act quickly in order to ensure no American citizen would suffer similar circumstance. We needed to hit the ground fast and, if necessary, sharpen and refocus the plan as we went in order to be most decisive and effective. We Americans are pretty nimble in that respect.

Eight years later we face eerily similar circumstances, only from an enemy within. Our country is no longer united. Nor is our Congress. No one stands on the steps of the Capitol Building singing in unison. No one is shelving their political agendas in order to rescue their constituents from suffering and needless death. The leaders of the two major parties would just as soon tear their opponents arms off and beat them with it than sit in the same room and work out a plan for the betterment of most American citizens.

Conservative estimates indicate that approximately 25,000 American citizens die yearly from lack of health care or lack of affordable health care. Hundreds of thousands more suffer daily, weekly and yearly for the same reasons. We stand at the precipice of ending all the suffering if only we can come together united. Our country has the world's finest health care minds and scientists. We have the solutions at our disposal.

If we could throw the same personnel and money resources at a Health Care plan that we've thrown at the War on Terror I'm confident that needless medical suffering and death would be wiped away. I'm also confident that we won't get it right the first time. But again, we are a nimble and resilient country. We persevere. We overcome. We succeed.

Revamping the health care behemoth we have in our country today can overcome the seemingly insurmountable cost and access restrictions standing in the way of proper and decent medical services for the majority of American citizens. It won't be easy or quick but we can do it. That is as long as we all stand united and come together to solve instead of divide.

Why the Kindle Must Succeed

We've all heard about Amazon's Kindle. They are currently shipping the 2nd generation model that's slimmer, lighter, has more memory and a larger screen. The 3rd gen Kindle is already in pre-production and looks to improve yet again upon the original.

The latest Kindle looks to have an amazing, albeit gray-scale only, screen. The use of "E-ink" is the difference between reading a digital file on your laptop and a "print on paper" like reading experience of the Kindle. There are rumors of a color Kindle coming next.

The Kindle isn't alone on the market either. There are a few competitors on the market and it appears more on the horizon. Sony already has their PRS700 and Cybook is coming out with their own 3rd gen Opus. Both use "E-ink" displays for extended reading without the eye strain of digital mediums. Of course, every SmartPhone has some kind of "e-book" reader application though none of them are as easy to use, navigate or read.

I'm not going to discuss the differences or pros / cons of each. What intrigues me more is how important these devices are to the evolution of information distribution...i.e. printed medium.

We, as an internet connected, always on society need a digital information distribution system to work and work well. In order for it to work well it has to satisfactorily suit the majority of printed material needs. This includes not only news and periodicals but also text books, manuals, business cards, credit cards and a whole host of information that we all carry and take for granted on a daily basis.

The Kindle (and it's brethren) are step one. The great thing about the Kindle is Amazon is paving the necessary infrastructure for digital delivery and usage, albeit in the commercial world. We need the public and private sectors to take the baton and go the next lap. This means college, school and business campuses need to adopt the same technology and infrastructure. This not only eases the burden of text book heft and cost but also aligns them to deliver notes, study guides, memos (all the myriad print items created and distributed on campuses and in classes) and emergency alerts. Think how fast a college campus could deliver news alerts about a campus safety incident if all students and staff members carried an always-on, wireless connected information device.

The second step will involve the smaller items we carry and count on every day. Driver's licenses, credit/debit cards, library cards, coupons, airline boarding passes and more. We need a smaller version of the Kindle to replace all the items that represent our personal information. A "digital wallet" so to speak. The technology is available, it just needs refined. The use of OLED screens (small, light, flexible digital displays) will greatly help.

So many newspapers are going out of business. Partly do the economy bust but greatly in part to the shifting of information to a digital medium. People, businesses and educators are realizing that printed material is heavier, more costly, more harmful to the environment and more difficult to share. We must go digital but without sacrificing the quality, variety and availability of information. Furthermore we must protect integrity and propriety, which can all be handled with ease in the digital medium.

What are your thoughts?

Unfacebooked

OK, I admit it. I've spend WAY too much time on social networks...especially Facebook. Don't get me wrong; I think Facebook is a GREAT way to get in touch, keep in touch and stay in touch with friends, family, loved ones, work mates, social connections and so many more. But it can be addicting.

As I write this, I can think of five social networks where I keep active profiles (not counting this blog). That's pared down from ~10 this time last year. I'm wondering if I really need five!

I currently have active profiles on...
MySpace.com - Can't remember the last time I logged on. But it's my only tie to a few of my nephews. I'd like to be able to maintain some degree of contact with them.

OKCupid.com - A "dating" site as well as social portal. I write journals there and keep up with friends across the country. We share dating stories and have a sort of middle-life/divorced-parents support community. There are also tons of personality tests that can teach you a lot about yourself...and others.

Facebook.com - Of course. This is my main social portal and where I spend the most time, of all social portals. I'm officially going on a FB diet. That said, I've tied my Tweets to my FB Status Updates. So it may look like I'm constantly updating FB but in reality I'm Tweeting on my phone which auto-updates my FB status. That's killing two social birds with one geeky stone.

Twitter.com - Quite possibly my favorite of all social tools. I love to Tweet little tidbits about my life. It's easy and quick to "thumb out" Tweets with the ÜberTwitter utility on my BlackBerry.

LinkedIn.com - Designed for professional contacts and networking, I maintain a profile there for obvious reasons. I don't do much with the site other than check updates once in a while. I find it a useful tool for maintaining what I like to call a list of available resume contacts...should I need them. :)

Follow me on Twitter!

This may seem like overkill, given that I'm publishing my Tweets here on Blogger as well as Facebook. But I'm inviting any and all who care to follow my follies on Twitter. I've been reluctant to use Twitter for my own personal updates. So far I've just been using it to track companies and sites that I find interesting. But I'm going to commit to using the social aspect of Twitter as it was intended; for social reasons. Come follow along.

Why they invented texting

I love to text. I think it's an awesome way to send a short little "I'm thinking of you" note or quick exchange of thoughts when calls may be inappropriate (read: "school choir event" or "staff meeting"). My mom, son and many friends are all very text savvy and it works great! But I've often wondered: "Who came up with the idea first?" Today I found out. The hard way.

I visited the Men's room this morning. Normally our restrooms are kept very clean and well stocked. Until today. Maybe there was a strike I hadn't heard about. No signs on the doors to eluded to lurking danger. So I stepped in, dropped trau and did my business. And then I discovered why texting was invented.

The text conversation went something like this...

me: "HLP!!"

Don: "WU"

me: "I'm stuck in a bathroom stall, no TP!"

Don: "LOL"

me: "Rescue me!"

Don: "On my way...wait til this comes up in staff today"

me: "FU"

Moments later he sticks his hand over the stall door with PRINTER paper...bastard!

Cellphone explosion kills man - 9th reported case since 2002

A recent report of another man being killed from his cellphone exploding leads me to the need to remind people about cellphone safety.

Without going into technical details, just know that a battery is designed to store and release energy. When energy is released in a slow, controlled way = good. When released too rapidly and uncontrolled = bad.

The technology that goes into high-capacity, low density batteries is very cutting edge and not cheap. When parts are made with sub-par materials the battery integrity is GREATLY diminished and potentially volatile. The battery charger has equal design consideration and importance. Cheap, replacement chargers can break down the internal materials of good batteries. All of these tragedies stemmed from cheap, knock-off parts and accessories from China. [China has no laws forcing any kind of quality assurance or company liability.]

Important things to know!!

• Deaths were due to the phone being used or kept near vital parts of the body. e.g. Head, organs &/or arteries.



• When your cellphone is NOT in use make sure you keep it away from vital parts of the body; e.g. shirt pockets or front pants pockets (near the femoral artery). It's best to keep your cellphone in a bag, tote, backpack or briefcase that shields your body and could contain any explosion. IF YOU MUST wear a cellphone on a belt holster then be sure to keep it battery side OUT!



• The part that explodes is the battery. In this recent case the victim had just replaced his cellphone battery with a new, cheap, no-name battery.



• At all times you should use a wired or wireless headset to talk on your cellphone. It's not only a good idea when driving (walking, biking, etc), and in many states it's become LAW, but it allows you to keep the phone a safe distance from your body.
  



• If you buy a new battery make sure you purchase an OEM battery, preferably from your wireless carrier's store or direct from a mfrs store. Buying a battery that's labeled "Meets or exceeds OEM specification" isn't the same. Most mfrs have a holographic logo or official seal of authenticity they put on genuine merchandise. Look for it.
  



• Same goes for wall or car chargers! Make sure you are buying a charger made by the mfrs or your cellphone carrier. Look for an authentic logo. Buying a cheap, knock-off charger can deteriorate &/or weaken the linings inside a cellphone battery, turning your cellphone into a time bomb! [I've seen car chargers for cellphones in the Dollar Store. I think your life and health are worth more than $1.]
  



• TEACH YOUR CHILDREN HOW TO PROPERLY USE AND CARRY A CELLPHONE. I can't stress this enough. Obtain for them and teach them how to use a headset. Train them to carry unused cellphones in their backpack or bag. Make sure your child does NOT hold the cellphone next to their head for long periods of time, even when the phone is off. How many times have you seen a toddler pretending to talk on mommy's or daddy's cellphone?
  

A few last comments:
Before you think that it's OK to ignore these common sense tips because you use name brand batteries and accessories, remember there have been dozens and dozens of reported fires and explosions from laptop batteries. Almost every major mfrs has had one OR MORE laptop battery recall campaigns. I mention this to reinforce the fact that battery technology is a) Not perfect, and b) Even when the best materials from top name mfrs are used there still exists a risk from devices designed to store and retain a lot of energy.

That said: Keep in mind the wave of "Green" technology sweeping the country. Many people think it's best to buy a new Hybrid car...which has a HUGE battery on board, made of similar technology as cellphones and laptops. Ask yourself if it's worth an extra $5,000-$10,000 in added cost just to get an extra 2-10 MPG given that you are driving around with a potential bomb on board. And remember I mentioned above that you should never carry your cellphone near vital organs or body parts. The huge battery in hybrid cars is almost always next to the gas tank. Food for thought.

Stay healthy!

Engineers Explained

An explanation of how engineers live, think, and act:

People who work in the fields of science and technology are not like other people. This can be frustrating to the nontechnical people who have to deal with them. The secret to coping with technology-oriented people is to understand their motivations. This chapter will teach you everything you need to know. I learned their customs and mannerisms by observing them, much the way Jane Goodall learned about the great apes, but without the hassle of grooming.

Engineering is so trendy these days that everybody wants to be one. The word "engineer" is greatly overused. If there's somebody in your life who you think is trying to pass as an engineer, give him this test to discern the truth.

ENGINEER IDENTIFICATION TEST
You walk into a room and notice that a picture is hanging crooked. You...

A. Straighten it.
B. Ignore it.
C. Buy a CAD system and spend the next six months designing a solar-powered, self-adjusting picture frame while often stating aloud your belief that the inventor of the nail was a total moron.

The correct answer is "C" but partial credit can be given to anybody who writes "It depends" in the margin of the test or simply blames the whole stupid thing on "Marketing."

Q. How can you tell if an engineer is an extrovert?
A. During a conversation, he stares at your shoes instead of his.

SOCIAL SKILLS

Engineers have different objectives when it comes to social interaction.

"Normal" people expect to accomplish several unrealistic things from social interaction:

*Stimulating and thought-provoking conversation
*Important social contacts
*A feeling of connectedness with other humans

In contrast to "normal" people, engineers have rational objectives for social interactions:

*Get it over with as soon as possible.
*Avoid getting invited to something unpleasant.
*Demonstrate mental superiority and mastery of all subjects.

FASCINATION WITH GADGETS

To the engineer, all matter in the universe can be placed into one of two categories:

(1)things that need to be fixed,
and
(2) things that will need to be fixed after you've had a few minutes to play with them.

Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems. Normal people don't understand this concept; they believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

No engineer looks at a television remote control without wondering what it would take to turn it into a stun gun. No engineer can take a shower without wondering if some sort of Teflon coating would make showering unnecessary. To the engineer, the world is a toy box full of sub-optimized and feature-poor toys.

FASHION AND APPEARANCE

Clothes are the lowest priority for an engineer, assuming the basic thresholds for temperature and decency have been satisfied. If no appendages are freezing or sticking together, and if no genitalia or mammary glands are swinging around in plain view, then the objective of clothing has been met. Anything else is a waste.

LOVE OF "STAR TREK"

Engineers love all of the "Star Trek" television shows and movies. It's a small wonder, since the engineers on the starship Enterprise are portrayed as heroes, occasionally even having sex with aliens. This is much more glamorous than the real life of an engineer, which consists of hiding from the universe and having sex without the participation of other life forms.

DATING AND SOCIAL LIFE

Dating is never easy for engineers. A normal person will employ various indirect and duplicitous methods to create a false impression of attractiveness. Engineers are incapable of placing appearance above function.

Fortunately, engineers have an ace in the hole. They are widely recognized as superior marriage material: intelligent, dependable, employed, honest, and handy around the house. While it's true that many normal people would prefer not to date an engineer, most normal people harbor an intense desire to mate with them, thus producing engineer-like children who will have high-paying jobs long before losing their virginity.

Male engineers reach their peak of sexual attractiveness later than normal men, becoming irresistible erotic dynamos in their mid thirties to late forties. Just look at these examples of sexually irresistible men in technical professions:

* Bill Gates.
* MacGyver.
* Etcetera.

Female engineers become irresistible at the age of consent and remain that way until about thirty minutes after their clinical death. Longer if it's a warm day.

HONESTY

Engineers are always honest in matters of technology and human relationships. That's why it's a good idea to keep engineers away from customers, romantic interests, and other people who can't handle the truth.

Engineers sometimes bend the truth to avoid work. They say things that sound like lies but technically are not because nobody could be expected to believe them. The complete list of engineer lies is listed below.

"I won't change anything without asking you first."
"I'll return your hard-to-find cable tomorrow."
"I have to have new equipment to do my job."
"I'm not jealous of your new computer."

FRUGALITY

Engineers are notoriously frugal. This is not because of cheapness or mean spirit; it is simply because every spending situation is simply a problem in optimization, that is, "How can I escape this situation while retaining the greatest amount of cash?"

POWERS OF CONCENTRATION

If there is one trait that best defines an engineer it is the ability to concentrate on one subject to the complete exclusion of everything else in the environment. This sometimes causes engineers to be pronounced dead prematurely. Some funeral homes in high-tech areas have started checking resumes before processing the bodies. Anybody with a degree in electrical engineering or experience in computer programming is propped up in the lounge for a few days just to see if he or she snaps out of it.

RISK

Engineers hate risk. They try to eliminate it whenever they can. This is understandable, given that when an engineer makes one little mistake, the media will treat it like it's a big deal or something.

EXAMPLES OF BAD PRESS FOR ENGINEERS

* Hindenberg.
* Space Shuttle Challenger.
* SPANet(tm)
* Hubble space telescope.
* Apollo 3.
* Titanic.
* Ford Pinto.
* Corvair.

The risk/reward calculation for engineers looks something like this:

RISK: Public humiliation and the death of thousands of innocent people.
REWARD: A certificate of appreciation in a handsome plastic frame.

Being practical people, engineers evaluate this balance of risks and rewards and decide that risk is not a good thing. The best way to avoid risk is by advising that any activity is technically impossible for reasons that are far too complicated to explain.

If that approach is not sufficient to halt a project, then the engineer will fall back to a second line of defense: "It's technically possible but it will cost too much."

EGO

Ego-wise, two things are important to engineers:
* How smart they are.
* How many cool devices they own.

The fastest way to get an engineer to solve a problem is to declare that the problem is unsolvable. No engineer can walk away from an unsolvable problem until it's solved. No illness or distraction is sufficient to get the engineer off the case. These types of challenges quickly become personal -- a battle between the engineer and the laws of nature.

Engineers will go without food and hygiene for days to solve a problem. (Other times just because they forgot.) And when they succeed in solving the problem they will experience an ego rush that is better than sex--and I'm including the kind of sex where other people are involved.

Nothing is more threatening to the engineer than the suggestion that somebody has more technical skill. Normal people sometimes use that knowledge as a lever to extract more work from the engineer. When an engineer says that something can't be done (a code phrase that means it's not fun to do), some clever normal people have learned to glance at the engineer with a look of compassion and pity and say something along these lines: "I'll ask Bob to figure it out. He knows how to solve difficult technical problems."

At that point it is a good idea for the normal person to not stand between the engineer and the problem. The engineer will set upon the problem like a starved Chihuahua on a pork chop.