In something between one and two generations we’ve gone from the single income family being the standard to the two income family. You might think this would result in an increase in average family financial security. It’s not true. You might also think that the fact that this isn’t true is because of overspending and consumption on the part of… Read more →
Year: 2006
A few words about headlines.
My evil genius pal Alex points out this headline. It took me an embarrassingly long moment to realize just how funny it was, but then it clicked and I realized the thing was worthy of Fletch. The Daily Mail has a headline that’s just as funny, but for different reasons. (Be warned: the page linked to there includes a picture… Read more →
Minor cosmetic changes
After losing almost all of last night to a hot problem at workWhere “hot problem” can be read as “Mr. Thinks-He’s-A-Bloody-Genius McLaren made a really stupid, and avoidable, mistake that could have cascading impact on schedules”. I managed to find a bit of time to make some minor cosmetic changes to the site. These things have been bothering me for… Read more →
Patience is rewarded, at least sometimes.
I see from John Crowley‘s Livejournal that the 25th anniversay edition of Little, Big is a go. I’ve been waiting to hear that for something like a year and a half. Originally the go-no-go decision was supposed to be made in March of this year, but the subscription period was extended, and then in July the limitation was reduced (and… Read more →
From the Pizza Road
So, a while back I alluded to my last decade’s employment in what is essentially the same “white collar”Actually, I normally wear a t-shirt and jeans (when I even bother to wear pants!), I just mean “as opposed to really working for a living”. job. However, this doesn’t mean I can’t understand people with different types of jobs–as I commented… Read more →
Awwwwww yeah!
Bring on the brand new renaissance ’cause I think I’m ready I’ve been shaking all night long But my hands are steady. Read more →
Who has left this hole in the ground?
If I ever meet Keith Olbermann, I am going to buy him a beer. An expensive, fancy beer. This snippet is just an excerpt from one of the reasons why. Keith Olbermann’s Special Comment on Bush, September 11, 2006 Terrorists did not come and steal our newly-regained sense of being American first, and political, fiftieth. Nor did the Democrats. Nor… Read more →
Saturday Link-blogging
I wish more North Americans had travelled enough to have a picture of how the world really is, outside of North America. Watching the miniature earth movie is a good way to start getting the idea, without spending years travelling. Think that the $8.3 trillion dollar national debt that Bush reports is a sign of absolute unmitigated fiscal disaster? What… Read more →
Blowing my own horn
I don’t do this often, but I feel a fever coming on and I’m hoping a little ego self-gratification will make me feel better. Please allow me to quote from Joel Spolsky’s article “Finding Great Developers“: …you can go through thousands of job applications and quite frankly never see a great software developer. Not a one. Here is why this… Read more →
Head Explodey, Part 3
The lede on this Reuters story seem relatively harmless, or maybe even positive: Americans who question evolution are testing a new tactic in Ohio, arguing that schools should be required to discuss all controversial issues from creation to stem cell research and global warming. In what critics on Wednesday called a new attempt to bring religion into the classroom, the… Read more →
Head-explodes, part 2
Those poll results were the first part of today’s cornucopia of things that make my head explode. You’d think an article entitled “Southern women breaking up with Bush” would be something I’d enjoy reading. But then you hit this section: Still, some Southern women remain stalwart supporters of the president and the Republican Party. At a watermelon festival in Chickamauga,… Read more →
Canada, I am so disappointed in you
It would not be unfair to say that it physically sickens me that there are 15000+ people reading the Globe who think secret prisons are a good and necessary idea. Read more →
A Thursday Miscellany
Wow. Moore wasn’t kidding. LOST GIRLS is really, really, dirty. You know what really gets me about this story: people were complaining! Who seriously feels threatened on an airplane because someone is praying–regardless of what language they are doing it in? I thought this kind of madness was American-only, but I guess we’re just as bad. My home office is… Read more →
Religion and Pornography
Let’s do some embedded YouTube videos quick, before someone notices that YouTube has no business model! I do love the Daily Show. I think this clip nicely captures the beauty of trying to debate the essentially arational. Or, as Paul Myers puts it “This is exactly what I hear when someone tries to promote their favorite cult.” Now, that’s not… Read more →
Something to look forward to in 2007
I was quite pleased to see this: July 2007 Territory by Emma Bull (new hardcover) On PNH’s list of stuff he (and Teresa) have edited. I’ve been patiently waiting for Emma’s next book since 1997 (or 1994, if you want to get picky about the possessive). It was harder to be patient after I heard her read from (what must… Read more →
