This graph plots the amount spent on the war in Iraq versus different types of energy R&D (coal, nuclear, etc.). Methinks that maybe, just maybe, the financial calculus of the war doesn't add up? Makes you wonder what's the real reason we invaded...
From The Week:
Good week for speaking up, after passengers aboard a Sri Lankan Airlines flight
from London to Colombo rebelled and refused to let the plane take off because it
was missing a jagged, 5-foot section of one wing, sheared off in an accident the
previous day. Sri Lankan Airlines insists the plane could have flown safely,
explaining that the tips of the wings "are purely for aerodynamics."
[Italics mine]
Jim Cramer, host of "Mad Money," had commented on the news that Giselle demanded payment recently in Euros, and Jay-Z can be seen flashing 500 Euro notes in his latest video, saying they were partially responsible for the drop in the Dow. Speaking to the Boston Herald about it later, he had this to say:
"I write a column that is tongue and cheek. Is Gisele really to blame? No,” Cramer told the Track. “But when things have gotten to the point that even people like Gisele and Jay-Z realize the dollar is too weak, things have gotten out of control. (Italics mine).
As part of my job search, I signed up for this service called www.theladders.com, which is a pretty good job searching/networking/recruiting website. Part of the service consists of a weekly newsletter, ostensibly written by Marc Cenedella, the CEO, about how to improve your resume, find a job, network effectively, whatever. The letter this week is just crazy, though:
Man, I hate American Airlines
A grumbly Monday morning to you. Folks, other people’s travel hell stories are about as interesting as other people’s "kids" or "new exercise regimen" stories, so I’m not going to bore you with one of those. And as a matter of fact, my recent flight on American wasn’t uniquely miserable. It was just run-of-the-mill lousy.
But what really got me bummed out was my flight attendant’s outfit. Katherine had gone to the trouble of wearing buttons with all sorts of sayings on her uniform [...] And so as Katherine approached me I strained to get my work weary eyes to read the fine print on her button. It was a light blue button with dark blue writing, and I could just about make out the words:
"I"
"Have"
"No"
"Idea"
"Why"
"I"
"Work"
"Here"
And you know, Katherine and her type stand for everything that’s bad in the world. For every one of us trying to achieve great things, there’s a Katherine standing nearby ready to tear it down. For each of us trying to make the world a better place today, this hour, this minute, there’s a Katherine in the wings sticking her tongue out. And not only is there a Katherine, but there’s a company willing to hire her. Like American Airlines. And while Mom said if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all, I wish the Katherines and the American Airlines of the world nothing but failure. Failure in their campaign to pull down the productive people, failure in their efforts to keep winners from winning, and failure in the marketplace so that better people and companies can serve American Airlines customers. (Italics mine).
Back from hiatus. Now that I have nothing to do at work for the next 3 weeks, I'll be posting a lot more. Also, setting up my web site. But no, I'm not going to link to it since the whole point of this blog is that we're anonymous...
Recently I was rereading Dave Eggers's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, his memoir about raising his brother in San Francisco in the early 1990s. I remember thinking it was a good read when I read it around 2001-2002. Now it seems quaint and nostalgic, a vivid portrait of a time that I lived through semi-sentiently and to which I can relate at least some of my formative experiences. I mean, he and his friends don't use either email or cellphones. It was practically the Dark Ages, and I remember it. At one point Dave talks about robots doing work for us; Now, in the future, Mr. Boo just had our Roomba vacuum our apartment!
In regard to other prescient observations, Dave describes Clinton in 1993-1994 thus:
He [Clinton] speaks like a president, not always authoritatively or anything but he can form sentences, complex sentences with beginnigs and ends, subordinate clauses - you can hear his semicolons! He knows the answers to questions. He knows acronyms and the names of foreign leaders, their deputies. It is heartening, it makes our country look smart, and this is an important thing, something we have too long been without. (paperback edition, p. 288. Italics in original.)Dave has unwittingly hit upon a crucial trait in an American president: She should at least seem smart, even if she isn't. Better yet, she should actually be smart. Currently we have a president that makes us, as a nation, look stupid. Gentle voters: we must consider our public image! It is time to elect someone who makes us look smart, at the very least...maybe Barack Obama?
Andre's favorite thing to do is stand on the printer tower next to the computer desk while I'm working at the computer. This picture is pretty much typical from my point of view. We have this sort of master-slave relationship, where he cries and bumps his head against me until I pet him, and then when he's ready for me to stop he lets me know by either backing away or smacking my hand. Needless to say, Ms. Boo finds this endlessly amusing to watch.
