One thing that really bugs me is the way people who don’t live in the Valley love to say we’re all a bunch of arrogant egomaniacal uncultured overpaid idiots who have some kind of incredibly narrow worldview and think the entire world revolves around our computers and software and chips and spend all our time windsurfing and mountain biking and don’t know anything about art or literature or music or politics or world affairs. The truth is the Bay Area in general and the Valley in particular are full of probably the most interesting and super intelligent people with super interesting interests and incredibly diverse backgrounds.

As if to make this point, here comes our dear friend, Java Gal, the Sun Microsystems marketing person, expounding upon the work of Robert Frost. Or, as she puts it, “There’s this poet? His name is Robert Frost. I don’t actually really like him all that much.” She goes on to describe this really super obscure poem by Robert Frost which she says is called “a walk by the woods, or the woods on a snowy evening? I forget what it’s called.” Anyway she really seems to understand the poem because she says there’s this line about “miles to go before I sleep” and she says she can totally relate to that, because it’s Friday evening and instead of relaxing and watching a movie, she has to work on her super important Sun Microsystems marketing stuff, which is like totally what Robert Frost was writing about, so even though she doesn’t think Robert Frost is all that good, in this case she would have to say that this poem is actually pretty good, because it is really exactly what her own life is like at this moment, and that’s what really good poems do, they remind you of your actual life, but in words that rhyme.

Personally I am not familiar with this Frost poet, but I think it’s really cool that people here read so much literature and are able to integrate it into their daily lives and create this wonderful interface between art and science. So I may have to check this Frost guy out, though probably not, because I’m always super busy, plus I’m more of a Khalil Gibran fan myself.

This time she’s super excited about getting on a plane and flying to … California! Gosh! For a big historic event! Right up there with VE Day. She even does her patented eye roll. Hey does anyone remember when Sun employed engineers?

I have never in my life seen anyone so excited about the opportunity to go to New York. Lady, it’s a city. Okay? That’s it. You’re not going to meet the Wizard of Oz or anything. You can leave your ruby slippers in Santa Clara. I’m just trying to imagine this gormless dame riding in a New York cab. Or the subway. Or just walking down the street. Or at Starbucks, ordering a coffee. Question: What medication is she on and where can I get some?

Why? Because you have people like this working for you and you give them titles like “Distinguished Marketing Director.” And you let them make videos raving about how excited they are to be giving away Sun’s intellectual property and to be getting a merit badge from Richard Stallman. For those of us who remember what a great company Sun once was, this video is painfully sad. Hello? Berkeley Software Distribution? Ever heard of it? Guy named Bill Joy? I feel gross putting Bill Joy’s name in the same blog post as Richard Stallman.

Another thing: Even the Microtards have a rule about employees blogging and vlogging: “Don’t be stupid.” Take note, Sun.