March 1, 2008
1)How bad is morale at my company when I’m one of the happy ones? Or am I just a better liar?
Ben Stein, in a speech on NPR’s Word for Word, makes an excellent point that Kurt Vonnegut used to make-50 or 60 years ago, it was routine to have segregated facilities across much of America. As much as anything, that shows we have progressed in some small way. It was an outstanding speech as well.
Ah, Canan.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Liar, liar
"Now, let me talk about the phone companies. You cannot expect phone companies to participate if they feel like they're going to be sued. I mean, it is — these people are responsible for shareholders. They're private companies.
The government said to those who have alleged to have helped us that it is in our national interests and it's legal. It's in our national interest because we want to know who's calling who from overseas into America. We need to know in order to protect the people.
It was legal. And now all of a sudden plaintiffs attorneys, class-action plaintiffs attorneys, you know — I don't want to try to get inside their head; I suspect they see, you know, a financial gravy train — are trying to sue these companies. It's unfair. It is patently unfair.
And, secondly, these lawsuits create doubts amongst those who will — whose help we need."
-George W. Bush
Uh..........no.
Phone companies HAVE to participate if they are given a court order, no matter how they feel about it.
And it was NOT FUCKING LEGAL. Never, ever, ever.
This presidency is a disaster.
The government said to those who have alleged to have helped us that it is in our national interests and it's legal. It's in our national interest because we want to know who's calling who from overseas into America. We need to know in order to protect the people.
It was legal. And now all of a sudden plaintiffs attorneys, class-action plaintiffs attorneys, you know — I don't want to try to get inside their head; I suspect they see, you know, a financial gravy train — are trying to sue these companies. It's unfair. It is patently unfair.
And, secondly, these lawsuits create doubts amongst those who will — whose help we need."
-George W. Bush
Uh..........no.
Phone companies HAVE to participate if they are given a court order, no matter how they feel about it.
And it was NOT FUCKING LEGAL. Never, ever, ever.
This presidency is a disaster.
Gobsmacked
I heard the most amazing thing on the radio Thursday morning.
Listening to a standard NPR report about the Texas presidential primary, a woman was interviewed from a Texas megachurch. Not being born yesterday, I was not shocked that the woman was conservative, but the thing that shocked me was her reason why:
“...as a woman I have great respect for men and for their leadership and the submission of women to men which would come from my foundational beliefs of growing up in the church and a Christian home and that I think a man should lead our country.”
(http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=86994288)
Wow.
I had a few thoughts about this.
1) Wow.
2) I don't think I know a single person, and furthermore, I don't think I have ever met a single person who actually feels that way. I probably have. I have just never heard someone admit it.
3) There is some misogyny in the Bible, to be sure-I'm sure she can find support for her view in there. Fundamentalists always accuse others of picking and choosing from the Bible, though-I sure hope she follows her Bible to the letter, especially the part about not coming in the house when she is menstruating and stuff like that.
4) You have respect for the leadership of men? Really? Well, with the bang up job we've done running the place, it's no wonder.
Wow.
Listening to a standard NPR report about the Texas presidential primary, a woman was interviewed from a Texas megachurch. Not being born yesterday, I was not shocked that the woman was conservative, but the thing that shocked me was her reason why:
“...as a woman I have great respect for men and for their leadership and the submission of women to men which would come from my foundational beliefs of growing up in the church and a Christian home and that I think a man should lead our country.”
(http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=86994288)
Wow.
I had a few thoughts about this.
1) Wow.
2) I don't think I know a single person, and furthermore, I don't think I have ever met a single person who actually feels that way. I probably have. I have just never heard someone admit it.
3) There is some misogyny in the Bible, to be sure-I'm sure she can find support for her view in there. Fundamentalists always accuse others of picking and choosing from the Bible, though-I sure hope she follows her Bible to the letter, especially the part about not coming in the house when she is menstruating and stuff like that.
4) You have respect for the leadership of men? Really? Well, with the bang up job we've done running the place, it's no wonder.
Wow.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Sanctity of Marriage
http://television.aol.com/news/story/_a/anderson-wants-brief-nuptials-annuled/20080227065109990001
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Clueless
Great TWIT this week (http://twit.tv/twit) with singer Jonathan Coulton, talking about the new media and marketing to niches.
Made me think about the media and media figures that I adore-Kevin Smith, Dan Carlin, Baseball Prospectus, TPN's Napoleon 101-and how the one thing that knits them together is their respect for me AS A CUSTOMER. They don't treat me like a commodity, and they don't demand my money at every turn, and when I email them or contact them, they actually get back to me.
This is the wave of the future, and if I had more energy, I would talk about it at length.
But that's the gist of it. Win customers by treating them like friends. Is that so freakin' hard?
Made me think about the media and media figures that I adore-Kevin Smith, Dan Carlin, Baseball Prospectus, TPN's Napoleon 101-and how the one thing that knits them together is their respect for me AS A CUSTOMER. They don't treat me like a commodity, and they don't demand my money at every turn, and when I email them or contact them, they actually get back to me.
This is the wave of the future, and if I had more energy, I would talk about it at length.
But that's the gist of it. Win customers by treating them like friends. Is that so freakin' hard?
Joke of the day
The Declaration of Independence was adopted July 4, 1776.
You would think they would have taken the holiday off.
You would think they would have taken the holiday off.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Best Picture I Never Saw
I was stunned by the number of "Best Picture" winners I have never seen, at least not seen all the way through.
I've seen "My Fair Lady", "The Sting", "Cuckoo's Nest", "Rocky", "Ordinary People", "Platoon", "Rain Man", "Silence of the Lambs", "Unforgiven", "Forrest Gump", "American Beauty", "Gladiator", "A Beautiful Mind", and "Chicago". 14 out of 80.
How many have you seen?
I've seen "My Fair Lady", "The Sting", "Cuckoo's Nest", "Rocky", "Ordinary People", "Platoon", "Rain Man", "Silence of the Lambs", "Unforgiven", "Forrest Gump", "American Beauty", "Gladiator", "A Beautiful Mind", and "Chicago". 14 out of 80.
How many have you seen?
McCain to blame the rain?
I feel duty bound to comment on the NYT-McCain story, if only to figure out just what the hell I think about it.
First of all, it is rather rank to hint about an affair without some evidence to back it up. They didn't say he was having an affair, only that some people on the campaign were concerned that he might be. That's hard to prove, and hard to deny.
But primarily, the thrust of the piece is that Mr. Straight Talk Express, Mr. Muck Out The Stables, Mr. Clean Up Washington, is buddy buddy with a lobbyist, and has pretty clearly done favors for that lobbyist. Now, the favors he did he may have done anyway-it may just be the right thing for him to do.
But it bears investigation.
First of all, it is rather rank to hint about an affair without some evidence to back it up. They didn't say he was having an affair, only that some people on the campaign were concerned that he might be. That's hard to prove, and hard to deny.
But primarily, the thrust of the piece is that Mr. Straight Talk Express, Mr. Muck Out The Stables, Mr. Clean Up Washington, is buddy buddy with a lobbyist, and has pretty clearly done favors for that lobbyist. Now, the favors he did he may have done anyway-it may just be the right thing for him to do.
But it bears investigation.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Big Ups
http://www.oscar.com/nominees/?pn=detail&nominee=Ratatouille%20-%20Music%20Original%20Score%20Nominee
Big Ups to New Jersey's own Michael Giacchino, nominated for an Oscar for Best Score.
Big Ups to New Jersey's own Michael Giacchino, nominated for an Oscar for Best Score.
Welcome, big guy
http://blog.masslive.com/redsoxmonster/2008/02/from_the_go_corpulent_or_go_ho.html
Because, to borrow a phrase from Baseball Prospectus, sure, it's not 2005 right now, but who knows what tomorrow will bring?
Seriously, Bartolo Colon is on the wrong side of 30 and the wrong side of 200 pounds (then again, so am I). But it's worth a try. The guy has been above average for most of the past decade, and if he's in shape and able to recapture some of that, it's a clear win for Boston.
Because, to borrow a phrase from Baseball Prospectus, sure, it's not 2005 right now, but who knows what tomorrow will bring?
Seriously, Bartolo Colon is on the wrong side of 30 and the wrong side of 200 pounds (then again, so am I). But it's worth a try. The guy has been above average for most of the past decade, and if he's in shape and able to recapture some of that, it's a clear win for Boston.
Welcome back....
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jqK0Z6MsewgunhW6WAsUvyNakDdgD8V0VQN80
Thank goodness. Terry Francona may be the only guy who can manage this team at this point. Of course, every manager always wears out his welcome, but this one hasn't as of yet.
Thank goodness. Terry Francona may be the only guy who can manage this team at this point. Of course, every manager always wears out his welcome, but this one hasn't as of yet.
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