Topic of the Day: Sabaka's a good boy!!!
He is really learning to listen well....even though he still barks a lot when he hears a car outside or other dogs, he does lower it and stop when I tell him to be quiet. He normally whines because he wants to play ball. But if I tell him to go lay down and be quiet, he will.
He's been very funny this week too....he runs and jumps on me and then licks my face, so he's become very affectionate! Now, if only we could do something about the shedding...but that's not his fault. He's still a very good boy. And Pepe is too - and even a little cuter, in my opinion : - )
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesday, 2/11/2009
Topic of the Day: Why do men use urinals?
So I was using the ladies room today and it dawned it me: why do men use urinals? Or the converse, why do women have little walls and doors every time they go to the bathroom?
Men just go to the bathroom, whip it out, socialize while they're doing it, and there's no shame. But women....we need the walls and the door. We even have spatial issues - we try to avoid going in the stalls next to other women. We try to space a stall in between because it just seems weird to be that close. But while in the midst of this existential stream (as well as a literal one), I realized that we women have these issues because we were raised to have them. If we had been taught to go up to a bunch of toilets in the middle of the room, drop our pants, sit down and piss in the open while socializing, we'd feel fine doing that too.
So when and where was it decided that men could do that and women could not?
So I was using the ladies room today and it dawned it me: why do men use urinals? Or the converse, why do women have little walls and doors every time they go to the bathroom?
Men just go to the bathroom, whip it out, socialize while they're doing it, and there's no shame. But women....we need the walls and the door. We even have spatial issues - we try to avoid going in the stalls next to other women. We try to space a stall in between because it just seems weird to be that close. But while in the midst of this existential stream (as well as a literal one), I realized that we women have these issues because we were raised to have them. If we had been taught to go up to a bunch of toilets in the middle of the room, drop our pants, sit down and piss in the open while socializing, we'd feel fine doing that too.
So when and where was it decided that men could do that and women could not?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Monday, 2/9/2009
Today's Topic: Being sick sucks...just ask the poodle.
I've been out of commission for a few days with a cold! It came upon me suddenly, and you can always tell when I'm really not feeling well, because that is the only time I actually allow Andre to cook something. So he cooked for 3 days in a row, so you can imagine how crappy I have felt!
But perhaps the funniest part of this whole illness is the behavior of the poodle. First of all, I've been sleeping in the guest room with the poodle so that I can try to prevent spreading the germs to Andre. So the poodle has been sticking with me, since he's my BFF. Well, at about 3:45 this morning, the poodle wakes me up crying. He is coughing, and he doesn't feel well. So I give him a baby aspirin and lay back in bed with him, and he wants to cuddle and he's shaking and crying.
Well I woke up this morning, I decided that I'd work from home so as not to spread my illness to other people at work. The poodle is still trying to cuddle with me, as I'm working on the laptop and he's crying and coughing. So, I told him "Pepe, you're sick, you need to go to bed and rest." I meant for him to go to his dog bed, which was just across the room from where I was working with the laptop. Instead, he went into the guest bedroom and climbed into the bed, laid his head on the pillow that I was using and his body in the bed, as if he were a human. He laid there and slept for 4 hours, and then came running into the TV room with his bone, obviously seeming to feel better.
I just found it hysterical that he has come to regard the guest bed as the place where sick people (and poodles always think of themselves as people) sleep.
I've been out of commission for a few days with a cold! It came upon me suddenly, and you can always tell when I'm really not feeling well, because that is the only time I actually allow Andre to cook something. So he cooked for 3 days in a row, so you can imagine how crappy I have felt!
But perhaps the funniest part of this whole illness is the behavior of the poodle. First of all, I've been sleeping in the guest room with the poodle so that I can try to prevent spreading the germs to Andre. So the poodle has been sticking with me, since he's my BFF. Well, at about 3:45 this morning, the poodle wakes me up crying. He is coughing, and he doesn't feel well. So I give him a baby aspirin and lay back in bed with him, and he wants to cuddle and he's shaking and crying.
Well I woke up this morning, I decided that I'd work from home so as not to spread my illness to other people at work. The poodle is still trying to cuddle with me, as I'm working on the laptop and he's crying and coughing. So, I told him "Pepe, you're sick, you need to go to bed and rest." I meant for him to go to his dog bed, which was just across the room from where I was working with the laptop. Instead, he went into the guest bedroom and climbed into the bed, laid his head on the pillow that I was using and his body in the bed, as if he were a human. He laid there and slept for 4 hours, and then came running into the TV room with his bone, obviously seeming to feel better.
I just found it hysterical that he has come to regard the guest bed as the place where sick people (and poodles always think of themselves as people) sleep.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thursday, 2/5/2009
Today's Topic: That annoying little red-headed girl getting rewarded for her 5th place mediocrity in karate in the Stouffer's commercial
Have you seen this commercial? It's a little red-headed girl in a karate uniform putting a 5th place trophy on the mantle and it says that "Children who eat dinner with their parents tend to feel that they are more proud of them..."
First of all: Trophies should not be given out for 5th place finishes....1st through 3rd is okay, but come on...5th place?
Second of all: The mother is serving her kid a frozen, processed meal that is high in salt and fat...she shouldn't be very proud of herself! It's not like you need all day to cook...I work all day and I come home from work and cook a homemade meal in about 30 minutes....and I'm not alone. Rachael Ray can show you plenty of 30 minute meals, lady. Give your child a real one, along with a dose of realism that 5th place is just mediocre. Tell her to either get serious and bring home the 1st place next time or to quit karate and focus her time perfecting her skills at something she's good at.
But encouraging your child to be proud of a 5th place trophy is pathetic, and so is serving her frozen, processed, fattening crap.
Have you seen this commercial? It's a little red-headed girl in a karate uniform putting a 5th place trophy on the mantle and it says that "Children who eat dinner with their parents tend to feel that they are more proud of them..."
First of all: Trophies should not be given out for 5th place finishes....1st through 3rd is okay, but come on...5th place?
Second of all: The mother is serving her kid a frozen, processed meal that is high in salt and fat...she shouldn't be very proud of herself! It's not like you need all day to cook...I work all day and I come home from work and cook a homemade meal in about 30 minutes....and I'm not alone. Rachael Ray can show you plenty of 30 minute meals, lady. Give your child a real one, along with a dose of realism that 5th place is just mediocre. Tell her to either get serious and bring home the 1st place next time or to quit karate and focus her time perfecting her skills at something she's good at.
But encouraging your child to be proud of a 5th place trophy is pathetic, and so is serving her frozen, processed, fattening crap.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Wednesday, 2/4/2009
My favorite quote of the day: "You couldn't find your backside with two hands if the lights were on!"
This quote was by Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) to the SEC panel that was there to get drubbed for not realizing sooner that Madoff was committing fraud. He was especially incensed because the first witness in the hearing was Harry Markopoulos, a whistleblower who contacted the SEC several times over the past 9 years letting them know that Madoff was committing fraud. Markopoulos provided them with all sorts of numbers, and statements showing how he knew that Madoff was lying. But they never listened. Markopoulos himself was quite entertaining to watch testify...full of witty repartee!
This quote was by Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) to the SEC panel that was there to get drubbed for not realizing sooner that Madoff was committing fraud. He was especially incensed because the first witness in the hearing was Harry Markopoulos, a whistleblower who contacted the SEC several times over the past 9 years letting them know that Madoff was committing fraud. Markopoulos provided them with all sorts of numbers, and statements showing how he knew that Madoff was lying. But they never listened. Markopoulos himself was quite entertaining to watch testify...full of witty repartee!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tuesday, 2/3/2009
Today's Topic: Daschle....shouldn't he know that consulting fees are taxable income?
I do believe Tom Daschle did the honorable thing by taking himself out of contention for the Health Secretary today. I can get that he didn't realize the use of a car and driver was taxable income, but what about the $80,000 in consulting fees? When you receive money in exchange for a service, should it not dawn on you that you're getting paid? And when you're getting paid, shouldn't you realize that you need to pay taxes on the income?
Worse yet, after you spent as many years in the Senate as Daschle did, writing tax laws, shouldn't it be no surprise to you that money you received in payment for services is taxable?
This whole situation just smacks of tax evasion. I can't believe that Daschle could be that stupid, so the only thing that I can conclude was that he was just trying to get something over on the government - the government that provides him free health care for life, as a former U.S. Senator.
I do believe Tom Daschle did the honorable thing by taking himself out of contention for the Health Secretary today. I can get that he didn't realize the use of a car and driver was taxable income, but what about the $80,000 in consulting fees? When you receive money in exchange for a service, should it not dawn on you that you're getting paid? And when you're getting paid, shouldn't you realize that you need to pay taxes on the income?
Worse yet, after you spent as many years in the Senate as Daschle did, writing tax laws, shouldn't it be no surprise to you that money you received in payment for services is taxable?
This whole situation just smacks of tax evasion. I can't believe that Daschle could be that stupid, so the only thing that I can conclude was that he was just trying to get something over on the government - the government that provides him free health care for life, as a former U.S. Senator.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Monday, 2/2/2009
Today's Topic: Neil deGrasse Tyson
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100145890
I was listening to NPR this afternoon on the drive home and heard an interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson, who is the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. I've seen, heard, and read many interviews with Neil deGrasse Tyson over the years and I've always been fascinated by what he has to say.
But today was the first time that I realized just how funny Tyson is. I guess I noticed before that he was funny, but this was the first time that I realized that someone this intelligent and this technical usually isn't THIS funny.
So hats off to Neil deGrasse Tyson for showing that intelligent people can not only relate to "mere mortals" but can also be extremely charming and humorous!
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100145890
I was listening to NPR this afternoon on the drive home and heard an interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson, who is the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. I've seen, heard, and read many interviews with Neil deGrasse Tyson over the years and I've always been fascinated by what he has to say.
But today was the first time that I realized just how funny Tyson is. I guess I noticed before that he was funny, but this was the first time that I realized that someone this intelligent and this technical usually isn't THIS funny.
So hats off to Neil deGrasse Tyson for showing that intelligent people can not only relate to "mere mortals" but can also be extremely charming and humorous!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Sunday, 2/1/2009
Today's Topic: The Superbowl!
The Superbowl just began about 4 minutes ago, but I will take the opportunity to root through the blog for the Arizona Cardinals. I'm not from Arizona, but I love Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner is a great guy as well. They both are just solid guys who do a lot for their community, their teams, and are not troublemakers like Plaxico Burress, Terrell Owens, Pacman Jones, etc.
I also love the "Cinderella Story" angle as well. The Cards have not been in a championship since 1947, so they're way overdue!
GO CARDS!
The Superbowl just began about 4 minutes ago, but I will take the opportunity to root through the blog for the Arizona Cardinals. I'm not from Arizona, but I love Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner is a great guy as well. They both are just solid guys who do a lot for their community, their teams, and are not troublemakers like Plaxico Burress, Terrell Owens, Pacman Jones, etc.
I also love the "Cinderella Story" angle as well. The Cards have not been in a championship since 1947, so they're way overdue!
GO CARDS!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Saturday, 1/31/2009
Today's Topic: Dual Action Cleanse with Klee Irwin Infomercial
http://www.infomercial-hell.com/dual-action-cleanse/
So, Mr. Osbourne won a mustache contest at work yesterday, and this struck me as odd, because he doesn't have a mustache. Apparently, he drew a mustache on his face and he told me that it was inspired by Klee Irwin in the Dual Action Cleanse Infomercial. I thought it had been inspired by a child molester or a porn star, but after checking out the picture of Klee at the website above, it could have been inspired by Klee, a child molester or a porn star. They all seem to be the same thing.
The description of the infomercial is hysterical...I especially love Klee's description of seeing his child's poop....
http://www.infomercial-hell.com/dual-action-cleanse/
So, Mr. Osbourne won a mustache contest at work yesterday, and this struck me as odd, because he doesn't have a mustache. Apparently, he drew a mustache on his face and he told me that it was inspired by Klee Irwin in the Dual Action Cleanse Infomercial. I thought it had been inspired by a child molester or a porn star, but after checking out the picture of Klee at the website above, it could have been inspired by Klee, a child molester or a porn star. They all seem to be the same thing.
The description of the infomercial is hysterical...I especially love Klee's description of seeing his child's poop....
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday, 1/30/2009
Today's Topic: Stephen Colbert is also a god...
Last night, I proclaimed endlessly that I have always thought Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, to be a god. And then I got an e-mail from Stephen Colbert reminding me that I used to say the same of him, and he wanted to know what he did to lose my idolatry.
So, this blog is to make amends. Stephen, like the ancient Greeks, I worship many gods...Jeff Bezos is the god of commerce, Jon Stewart is the god of shixas, and you Stephen, are the god of sarcasm!
If any of you doubt that Stephen is the god of sarcasm, you should look at the video from January 29, 2009 called "The Word - the Audacity of Nope." I'm not telling you anything about it - just watch it:
http://www.colbertnation.com/home
Last night, I proclaimed endlessly that I have always thought Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, to be a god. And then I got an e-mail from Stephen Colbert reminding me that I used to say the same of him, and he wanted to know what he did to lose my idolatry.
So, this blog is to make amends. Stephen, like the ancient Greeks, I worship many gods...Jeff Bezos is the god of commerce, Jon Stewart is the god of shixas, and you Stephen, are the god of sarcasm!
If any of you doubt that Stephen is the god of sarcasm, you should look at the video from January 29, 2009 called "The Word - the Audacity of Nope." I'm not telling you anything about it - just watch it:
http://www.colbertnation.com/home
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Thursday, 1/29/2009
Today's Topic: Amazon.com's Earnings Report
Stimulating stuff, I know....but I can be kind of a geek with my stocks. And AMZN was one of the first stocks I had ever bought, and luckily sold back in 2001 at a large profit. I have been known to utter "Jeff Bezos is a god" on several occasions, and I utter it yet again today.
AMZN crushed the earnings estimates and in a time period where even Wal-Mart is facing a slowdown, AMZN was able to see a stunning increase in revenue. What shocked me, though, is why. According to the earnings report, the sales of Kindle fueled a good percentage of revenue. When AMZN first released Kindle, the hand held electronic book reader, I thought "Boy, even though Jeff Bezos is a god, this is one dumb idea." Why would one want to read a book using an electronic device. If I'm going to go through the work of reading, why wouldn't I just use the book. Wouldn't it be difficult to read "War and Peace" on a handheld electronic screen?
I still feel the same way about Kindle, and I still feel the same way about Jeff Bezos. He is a god - he is making a boat load of profits off of a product that an avid reader and lover of books just cannot understand. And that perhaps is the biggest reason why Jeff Bezos is a god...because he figured out a way to sell books to non-afficionados.
Stimulating stuff, I know....but I can be kind of a geek with my stocks. And AMZN was one of the first stocks I had ever bought, and luckily sold back in 2001 at a large profit. I have been known to utter "Jeff Bezos is a god" on several occasions, and I utter it yet again today.
AMZN crushed the earnings estimates and in a time period where even Wal-Mart is facing a slowdown, AMZN was able to see a stunning increase in revenue. What shocked me, though, is why. According to the earnings report, the sales of Kindle fueled a good percentage of revenue. When AMZN first released Kindle, the hand held electronic book reader, I thought "Boy, even though Jeff Bezos is a god, this is one dumb idea." Why would one want to read a book using an electronic device. If I'm going to go through the work of reading, why wouldn't I just use the book. Wouldn't it be difficult to read "War and Peace" on a handheld electronic screen?
I still feel the same way about Kindle, and I still feel the same way about Jeff Bezos. He is a god - he is making a boat load of profits off of a product that an avid reader and lover of books just cannot understand. And that perhaps is the biggest reason why Jeff Bezos is a god...because he figured out a way to sell books to non-afficionados.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Wednesday, 1/28/2009
Today's Topic: Let's Boycott Girl Scout Cookies this Year
It's not that I don't like the Girl Scouts. I was one, and I used to sell cookies. But the prices for the cookies are beyond ridiculous (come on, $4.25/box?!?) AND this year, the girls are putting fewer cookies in the box to make up for increased raw material and transportation costs.
I don't want to penalize the girls themselves for the idiocy of the adults that run the program, so here's a better idea that won't penalize the girls: calculate the amount of money you would have spent on the cookies, and just write a check to the local Girl Scouts council for the same amount. Your check will be tax-deductible in its entirety, whereas the money you spend on the cookies is not at all tax-deductible since you received goods in exchange for the money. More money will go directly to your local girls - on average, about 80 cents for every dollar you give as a straight donation will go directly to providing programs for local girls. However, when you buy the cookies, most of the money goes to the baker, the advertising companies, and the national organization and your local girls get back maybe 5 cents per box.
So don't buy the cookies - but still help the scouts! Let's send the organization a message that charging ridiculous prices for their cookies is not in line with being a role model for these girls. If you want to teach them how to be entrepreneurs, teach them how to organize a spaghetti dinner and have them cook it all. The local girls will still get more money to use for programs than the cookie sales, and it will be with an alternative that promotes family dinners!
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/28/girl.scout.cookies/index.html
It's not that I don't like the Girl Scouts. I was one, and I used to sell cookies. But the prices for the cookies are beyond ridiculous (come on, $4.25/box?!?) AND this year, the girls are putting fewer cookies in the box to make up for increased raw material and transportation costs.
I don't want to penalize the girls themselves for the idiocy of the adults that run the program, so here's a better idea that won't penalize the girls: calculate the amount of money you would have spent on the cookies, and just write a check to the local Girl Scouts council for the same amount. Your check will be tax-deductible in its entirety, whereas the money you spend on the cookies is not at all tax-deductible since you received goods in exchange for the money. More money will go directly to your local girls - on average, about 80 cents for every dollar you give as a straight donation will go directly to providing programs for local girls. However, when you buy the cookies, most of the money goes to the baker, the advertising companies, and the national organization and your local girls get back maybe 5 cents per box.
So don't buy the cookies - but still help the scouts! Let's send the organization a message that charging ridiculous prices for their cookies is not in line with being a role model for these girls. If you want to teach them how to be entrepreneurs, teach them how to organize a spaghetti dinner and have them cook it all. The local girls will still get more money to use for programs than the cookie sales, and it will be with an alternative that promotes family dinners!
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/28/girl.scout.cookies/index.html
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, 1/27/2009
Today's Topic: Eskimo Barbie, Sarah Palin
You can imagine my horror to learn this morning that #1: Sarah is still in the news (when are her 15 minutes of fame going to be over?!?!) and #2: She is starting her own political action committee.
The article states that SarahPAC will support "local and national candidates who share Governor Palin's ideas and goals for our country." Thankfully, the article further explains that Sarah will be an advocate for energy independence and reform. Without that further explanation, I was shaking in my shoes that people who shared her ideas and goals would actually consider running for any office. I was dismayed enough that she was actually recruited to run for office herself, and the last thing I would want is more where that came from...and I'm not talking about Alaska...I'm talking about some other planet where people think it's okay to have leaders that do not seem to be aware of current events, foreign countries, or the names of newspapers.
The last things we need are more leaders like Sarah. They can keep her in Alaska. The mainland has many better options, like my poodle!
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/01/27/palin-launches-political-action-committee/
You can imagine my horror to learn this morning that #1: Sarah is still in the news (when are her 15 minutes of fame going to be over?!?!) and #2: She is starting her own political action committee.
The article states that SarahPAC will support "local and national candidates who share Governor Palin's ideas and goals for our country." Thankfully, the article further explains that Sarah will be an advocate for energy independence and reform. Without that further explanation, I was shaking in my shoes that people who shared her ideas and goals would actually consider running for any office. I was dismayed enough that she was actually recruited to run for office herself, and the last thing I would want is more where that came from...and I'm not talking about Alaska...I'm talking about some other planet where people think it's okay to have leaders that do not seem to be aware of current events, foreign countries, or the names of newspapers.
The last things we need are more leaders like Sarah. They can keep her in Alaska. The mainland has many better options, like my poodle!
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/01/27/palin-launches-political-action-committee/
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday, 1/26/2009
Today's Topic: Loonie Rod Blagojevich...not to be confused with a Canadian Loonie, which is not actually crazy like Rod is
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/26/blagojevich.tv/index.html
Like Sarah Palin, I'm wondering why the media is still covering this guy. Instead of actually going to his impeachment trial today, and I dunno...mounting a defense if you insist that you're innocent...he's instead mounting a media blitz. I do hope his lawyer strongly advised him against this media blitz, because the things that are coming out of his mouth are INSANE!!! He claims that there was this bi-partisan conspiracy to indict him because he fights for the common person, rather than the political machine. In another interview, he claimed that the snippets being attributed to him are being taken out of context and being made into something more than they were. And my personal favorite, he claims that he even considered Oprah Winfrey for the Senate seat...like her popularity is going to help him convince people that he was fighting for them.
But forgive me...Rod is such a populist that he was only looking for a high paid board position for his wife so that they could donate all of the money to charity, right?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/26/blagojevich.tv/index.html
Like Sarah Palin, I'm wondering why the media is still covering this guy. Instead of actually going to his impeachment trial today, and I dunno...mounting a defense if you insist that you're innocent...he's instead mounting a media blitz. I do hope his lawyer strongly advised him against this media blitz, because the things that are coming out of his mouth are INSANE!!! He claims that there was this bi-partisan conspiracy to indict him because he fights for the common person, rather than the political machine. In another interview, he claimed that the snippets being attributed to him are being taken out of context and being made into something more than they were. And my personal favorite, he claims that he even considered Oprah Winfrey for the Senate seat...like her popularity is going to help him convince people that he was fighting for them.
But forgive me...Rod is such a populist that he was only looking for a high paid board position for his wife so that they could donate all of the money to charity, right?
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Sunday, 1/25/2009
Today's Topic: Arsons in Coatesville, PA
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090126/ap_on_re_us/coatesville_arsons
I used to live in a small town called Thorndale that bordered Coatesville - literally 2 miles down the road. The long and short of the story is that more than 30 arsons have been started in this small city in decline since the beginning of last year. More than half of them have occurred just in the past 3 weeks, and last night's fire spread down a block of rowhomes to claim 15.
Coatesville used to be home to a steel mill that built up the city. The small town where I lived and the small town on the other side, Downingtown, were little towns built up as employees of the steel mill prospered and were able to afford homes. Since the steel mill closed in the '80s, the town of Coatesville had been in decline. But it was starting to look up shortly before I moved a year ago, since it had received some community redevelopment grants. This situation however, will put it back into decline, as millions will be needed to clear up the burnt residences and rebuild.
It's a sad statement on society that first of all, people would do something like this and be so cavalier about the lives of people they never met. And second of all, that a city that worked so hard to pull itself out of decline could be forced back into it by such disrespectful individuals.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090126/ap_on_re_us/coatesville_arsons
I used to live in a small town called Thorndale that bordered Coatesville - literally 2 miles down the road. The long and short of the story is that more than 30 arsons have been started in this small city in decline since the beginning of last year. More than half of them have occurred just in the past 3 weeks, and last night's fire spread down a block of rowhomes to claim 15.
Coatesville used to be home to a steel mill that built up the city. The small town where I lived and the small town on the other side, Downingtown, were little towns built up as employees of the steel mill prospered and were able to afford homes. Since the steel mill closed in the '80s, the town of Coatesville had been in decline. But it was starting to look up shortly before I moved a year ago, since it had received some community redevelopment grants. This situation however, will put it back into decline, as millions will be needed to clear up the burnt residences and rebuild.
It's a sad statement on society that first of all, people would do something like this and be so cavalier about the lives of people they never met. And second of all, that a city that worked so hard to pull itself out of decline could be forced back into it by such disrespectful individuals.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Saturday, 1/24/2009
Today's Topic: Great Expectations....and we're not talking about the book by Charles Dickens!
On CNBC yesterday, I was stuck by the following headline: "Obama's First 100 Days: What He's Done So Far." I suppose I shouldn't be shocked that there are already articles breaking down what the new President has done on the Friday of the week of the inauguration, but nonetheless, I was a little amazed that they had such high expectations. But what totally made the article for me, was the day by day breakdown of what he has accomplished each day. My personal favorite is Tuesday, the day of the inauguration, where 2 accomplishments are listed. The first accomplishment: "The first African-American U.S. president swore to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution against a backdrop of a deep economic downturn, a trillion dollar federal deficit, and fears of more bank losses." The second accomplishment is even better: The stock market had a record inauguration day loss.
Is it really necessary to break down the guys accomplishments day by day, especially when he's only on day 3 of the job? And if it is necessary to put this much pressure on him to have a magic and quick fix to the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, do we really need to include as an accomplishment that he took the oath of office?
Here's the article:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/28812755
On CNBC yesterday, I was stuck by the following headline: "Obama's First 100 Days: What He's Done So Far." I suppose I shouldn't be shocked that there are already articles breaking down what the new President has done on the Friday of the week of the inauguration, but nonetheless, I was a little amazed that they had such high expectations. But what totally made the article for me, was the day by day breakdown of what he has accomplished each day. My personal favorite is Tuesday, the day of the inauguration, where 2 accomplishments are listed. The first accomplishment: "The first African-American U.S. president swore to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution against a backdrop of a deep economic downturn, a trillion dollar federal deficit, and fears of more bank losses." The second accomplishment is even better: The stock market had a record inauguration day loss.
Is it really necessary to break down the guys accomplishments day by day, especially when he's only on day 3 of the job? And if it is necessary to put this much pressure on him to have a magic and quick fix to the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, do we really need to include as an accomplishment that he took the oath of office?
Here's the article:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/28812755
Friday, January 23, 2009
Friday, 1/23/2009
Today's Topic: Tropic Thunder
Andre and I just finished watching this movie on DVD...LMAO. My favorite exchange:
Ben Stiller's character: "You must tell people what happened here today."
Robert Downey Jr's character: "What happened here today?"
Ben Stiller: "I don't know, but you must tell them."
I won't say anything more about the movie because I don't want to ruin it, but it was hysterical!
Andre and I just finished watching this movie on DVD...LMAO. My favorite exchange:
Ben Stiller's character: "You must tell people what happened here today."
Robert Downey Jr's character: "What happened here today?"
Ben Stiller: "I don't know, but you must tell them."
I won't say anything more about the movie because I don't want to ruin it, but it was hysterical!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Thursday, 1/22/2009
Today's Topic: My new career path of executive waste can designer
John Thain was asked to resign from Bank of America today, only 22 days after the Merrill Lynch merger went through and Thain became the head of its global banking unit. Part of the egregious executive behavior that came to light in the aftermath was that Thain spent $1.22 million to redecorate his office when he took the job as CEO of Merrill Lynch early in 2008. Keep in mind that he got the job after the guy before him was fired because of risky mortgage investments that were causing huge write-offs for Merrill, so Merrill was already in financial trouble when he took over and decided to spend $1.22 million on his redecoration.
But, I digress. There is a list of some of the expenditures Thain made, and I've attached it below. When I saw that a "Parchment Waste Can" cost him $1,405, I immediately knew what my new career path had to be! I could make really upscale designer waste cans for executives!!! I'm very crafty and creative and I'm good with both wood and paint. I know what type of trash executives throw out since I have spent 11 years in financial services management, so I am uniquely in tune with their requirements for trash cans.
I must begin designing and constructing some sample products post haste so that I can begin taking orders before the spring cleaning season begins.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/28793892
John Thain was asked to resign from Bank of America today, only 22 days after the Merrill Lynch merger went through and Thain became the head of its global banking unit. Part of the egregious executive behavior that came to light in the aftermath was that Thain spent $1.22 million to redecorate his office when he took the job as CEO of Merrill Lynch early in 2008. Keep in mind that he got the job after the guy before him was fired because of risky mortgage investments that were causing huge write-offs for Merrill, so Merrill was already in financial trouble when he took over and decided to spend $1.22 million on his redecoration.
But, I digress. There is a list of some of the expenditures Thain made, and I've attached it below. When I saw that a "Parchment Waste Can" cost him $1,405, I immediately knew what my new career path had to be! I could make really upscale designer waste cans for executives!!! I'm very crafty and creative and I'm good with both wood and paint. I know what type of trash executives throw out since I have spent 11 years in financial services management, so I am uniquely in tune with their requirements for trash cans.
I must begin designing and constructing some sample products post haste so that I can begin taking orders before the spring cleaning season begins.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/28793892
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, 1/21/2009
Topic of the Day: Upstairs Water, or the Audacity of Dogs
Andre and I have noticed a bizarre trend with the d-o-g-g-i-e-s over the past couple of weeks. We have a few bowls of water for the boys downstairs and then a bowl of water upstairs. Our bedroom is downstairs, but we tend to hang out and watch TV, use the computer, etc upstairs. So most of our waking hours at home are spent upstairs and then we go downstairs at bedtime...I know, I know, this is opposite of most people who spend most of them time downstairs and then go upstairs at bedtime, but this post isn't about me...it's about the upstairs water.
So, we've noticed that the dogs will sit in front of the upstairs water bowl and wait for someone to refill it, rather than going downstairs and drinking water. All of the water bowls are filled each day so it's not as if any water bowl is more fresh than the other. But they have a definite preference for the upstairs bowl and I have even observed them go upstairs to drink water when we are downstairs. I do not pretend to understand the root cause of this trend, but it is interesting and amusing.
If you have any thoughts on the audacity of the dogs for loving the upstairs water, please feel free to share.
Andre and I have noticed a bizarre trend with the d-o-g-g-i-e-s over the past couple of weeks. We have a few bowls of water for the boys downstairs and then a bowl of water upstairs. Our bedroom is downstairs, but we tend to hang out and watch TV, use the computer, etc upstairs. So most of our waking hours at home are spent upstairs and then we go downstairs at bedtime...I know, I know, this is opposite of most people who spend most of them time downstairs and then go upstairs at bedtime, but this post isn't about me...it's about the upstairs water.
So, we've noticed that the dogs will sit in front of the upstairs water bowl and wait for someone to refill it, rather than going downstairs and drinking water. All of the water bowls are filled each day so it's not as if any water bowl is more fresh than the other. But they have a definite preference for the upstairs bowl and I have even observed them go upstairs to drink water when we are downstairs. I do not pretend to understand the root cause of this trend, but it is interesting and amusing.
If you have any thoughts on the audacity of the dogs for loving the upstairs water, please feel free to share.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Tuesday, 1/20/2009
Today's Topic: The Audacity of Hops...yes, HOPS!
I wanted to honor the new President on Inauguration Day, but I also wanted to lighten the mood a bit since his message was so heavy...so I figured I would share this story on a special beer made to represent Barack Obama. It is aptly named "The Audacity of Hops", and here's a website with more information on it:
http://humblegourmand.com/features/episode-08-audacity-hops/
I must admit that I am awestruck by the amount of thought the humble gourmand put into the ingredients of this beer, and my only regret is that I cannot get my hands on it here in Charlotte. I would love to put a 6 pack of it in the special fridge filled with beer so that my Canadian boys can sample it. I consider it my life's work to constantly stimulate their tastebuds with new and unusual brews!
May God Bless America, the new administration, the Democratic Party....and if you have some time, God - please bless the stock market! I miss the Clinton years and I think Obama needs all the help he can get to restore them!
I wanted to honor the new President on Inauguration Day, but I also wanted to lighten the mood a bit since his message was so heavy...so I figured I would share this story on a special beer made to represent Barack Obama. It is aptly named "The Audacity of Hops", and here's a website with more information on it:
http://humblegourmand.com/features/episode-08-audacity-hops/
I must admit that I am awestruck by the amount of thought the humble gourmand put into the ingredients of this beer, and my only regret is that I cannot get my hands on it here in Charlotte. I would love to put a 6 pack of it in the special fridge filled with beer so that my Canadian boys can sample it. I consider it my life's work to constantly stimulate their tastebuds with new and unusual brews!
May God Bless America, the new administration, the Democratic Party....and if you have some time, God - please bless the stock market! I miss the Clinton years and I think Obama needs all the help he can get to restore them!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Monday, 1/19/2009
Topic of the Day: the HOA Gun Club
Let me start this post by saying that I do not believe in guns in the home, and I think guns should be left to law enforcement officials. I get that this Yankee living in the south has to tolerate being a minority in this viewpoint (except when I am around other Yankees or Canadians, which is more often than not). However, I must say that I was appalled when I received an e-mail from our HOA this morning advertising the HOA gun club meeting. Apparently, a group of neighbors in my yuppie neighborhood has formed a gun club that meets every so often to go shooting. This is disturbing to me, especially because the people in this community are so anti-immigrant. You would not believe the number of e-mails I get on a daily basis from the HOA with e-mails warning residents to be on the lookout for a hispanic person that might have been observed wandering around the community. The implications of these e-mails is usually that this person, although no crime has been committed or any problems reported, somehow does not seem to belong in our community so we should all be watching him/her for evidence of criminal activity. And we don't live in a gated community...and our roads are maintained by the city...so I don't know who doesn't technically "belong" in our community since the roads and sidewalks are public.
The last thing this world needs are for these racists to have guns in their homes. Let's hope that the real estate market will look up soon, so that I can move into one that does not have a gun club!
Let me start this post by saying that I do not believe in guns in the home, and I think guns should be left to law enforcement officials. I get that this Yankee living in the south has to tolerate being a minority in this viewpoint (except when I am around other Yankees or Canadians, which is more often than not). However, I must say that I was appalled when I received an e-mail from our HOA this morning advertising the HOA gun club meeting. Apparently, a group of neighbors in my yuppie neighborhood has formed a gun club that meets every so often to go shooting. This is disturbing to me, especially because the people in this community are so anti-immigrant. You would not believe the number of e-mails I get on a daily basis from the HOA with e-mails warning residents to be on the lookout for a hispanic person that might have been observed wandering around the community. The implications of these e-mails is usually that this person, although no crime has been committed or any problems reported, somehow does not seem to belong in our community so we should all be watching him/her for evidence of criminal activity. And we don't live in a gated community...and our roads are maintained by the city...so I don't know who doesn't technically "belong" in our community since the roads and sidewalks are public.
The last thing this world needs are for these racists to have guns in their homes. Let's hope that the real estate market will look up soon, so that I can move into one that does not have a gun club!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sunday, 1/18/2009
Today's Topic: "And now President Obama is using the chief executive washroom for the first time..."
The inauguration is not even occurring until Tuesday, but it has been 24 hour inauguration coverage since Saturday morning. At least today's coverage of a concert on the National Mall was probably more interesting than yesterday's coverage of the train ride from Philly to Washington DC. I myself have made this train commute on several occasions and it normally takes about an hour and a half. Despite the slow roll in Claymont, DE (where I went to elementary school) and the stop and speech in Wilmington, DE (where I grew up) and the slow roll through Edgemont, MD (which I've driven through) and another speech in Baltimore, MD (where I used to go to party during the summers!), I still think the actual coverage of the ride was only an hour and a half. The other three hours of TV coverage in between was a bunch of anchors and commentators talking about what a historic moment that is.
So I began to wonder, is the first time that Obama goes to the bathroom in the White House just as historic? And what will the coverage around that be like? My goodness, the first African American butt to hit the executive toilet off the Oval Office...the anticipation is palpable!!! I hope CNN scores an exclusive with the president so that we can all share in the historic gravitas of the occasion together.
Seriously, now, I voted for the guy and I'm a lifelong democrat, so I can appreciate how exciting this time is for the country. But we all just need to remember that he puts his pants on one leg at a time, and he's a person. This constant coverage of every move makes it even more difficult for the guy to help right this shipwrecked boat. Let's all just chill out and let him do his job.
The inauguration is not even occurring until Tuesday, but it has been 24 hour inauguration coverage since Saturday morning. At least today's coverage of a concert on the National Mall was probably more interesting than yesterday's coverage of the train ride from Philly to Washington DC. I myself have made this train commute on several occasions and it normally takes about an hour and a half. Despite the slow roll in Claymont, DE (where I went to elementary school) and the stop and speech in Wilmington, DE (where I grew up) and the slow roll through Edgemont, MD (which I've driven through) and another speech in Baltimore, MD (where I used to go to party during the summers!), I still think the actual coverage of the ride was only an hour and a half. The other three hours of TV coverage in between was a bunch of anchors and commentators talking about what a historic moment that is.
So I began to wonder, is the first time that Obama goes to the bathroom in the White House just as historic? And what will the coverage around that be like? My goodness, the first African American butt to hit the executive toilet off the Oval Office...the anticipation is palpable!!! I hope CNN scores an exclusive with the president so that we can all share in the historic gravitas of the occasion together.
Seriously, now, I voted for the guy and I'm a lifelong democrat, so I can appreciate how exciting this time is for the country. But we all just need to remember that he puts his pants on one leg at a time, and he's a person. This constant coverage of every move makes it even more difficult for the guy to help right this shipwrecked boat. Let's all just chill out and let him do his job.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Saturday, 1/17/2009
Today's Topic: Baggers in Grocery Stores
I wish grocery stores did not have baggers. I like to bag my own stuff so that I can organize the items the way I want. But what really frosts me about baggers is their persistent need to put everything in 2 plastic bags!
I bring cloth bags grocery shopping with me, because I hate plastic bags and I would have reuseable cloth bags that are better for the environment. So today, I bring my 4 cloth bags with me. I watch the bagger packing the cloth bags and then I watch him put the eggs in a plastic bag, only to put them at the top of a cloth bag. And then he puts the bread in a plastic bag, only to put it at the top of a cloth bag. Then he doubles up 2 plastic bags and puts a 6 pack of Molson Canadian in it, and he repeats this heinous environmental act for the 2 other 6 packs of beer I bought. Why a little "Paid" sticker wouldn't be good enough for the 6 packs is beyond me, and when I tried to tell him that I didn't want them in a bag, he kept bagging them until I just said "nevermind".
I wish grocery stores did not have baggers. I like to bag my own stuff so that I can organize the items the way I want. But what really frosts me about baggers is their persistent need to put everything in 2 plastic bags!
I bring cloth bags grocery shopping with me, because I hate plastic bags and I would have reuseable cloth bags that are better for the environment. So today, I bring my 4 cloth bags with me. I watch the bagger packing the cloth bags and then I watch him put the eggs in a plastic bag, only to put them at the top of a cloth bag. And then he puts the bread in a plastic bag, only to put it at the top of a cloth bag. Then he doubles up 2 plastic bags and puts a 6 pack of Molson Canadian in it, and he repeats this heinous environmental act for the 2 other 6 packs of beer I bought. Why a little "Paid" sticker wouldn't be good enough for the 6 packs is beyond me, and when I tried to tell him that I didn't want them in a bag, he kept bagging them until I just said "nevermind".
Friday, 1/16/2009
OK, so I forgot to put the post up on Friday, but I knew exactly what I was going to blog about so I'm still keeping it with Friday's date.
Topic of the Day: Merkins
So I was listening to "Fresh Air" on NPR and they were replaying an interview they did with the comedian Robert Schimmel, who had survived cancer. During the interview, he discussed the need for a wig...both for his head and his pubes. Apparently, wigs for the pubes have been around for centuries and they're called merkins. I had never heard of any such thing, so I immediately had to do some research on the topic when I got home because I thought it was the funniest thing.
So, if you want to learn more about the history of the merkin, here you go:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin
Topic of the Day: Merkins
So I was listening to "Fresh Air" on NPR and they were replaying an interview they did with the comedian Robert Schimmel, who had survived cancer. During the interview, he discussed the need for a wig...both for his head and his pubes. Apparently, wigs for the pubes have been around for centuries and they're called merkins. I had never heard of any such thing, so I immediately had to do some research on the topic when I got home because I thought it was the funniest thing.
So, if you want to learn more about the history of the merkin, here you go:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Thursday, 1/15/2009
Today's Topic: The Charlotte Soft Pretzel Shortage (OH MY!)
Being someone from the Philadelphia area originally, I love my soft pretzels. And they sell them in the corporate cafe here in Charlotte, but there seems to be some of sort of third world country rationing of them, as if we Philly people won't share them with the South.
First of all, the corporate cafe will not put pretzels out until 11:20 am. And at that point, only 8 pretzels will get put out...and that's only on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Monday and Friday seem to be remarkably devoid of pretzel supplies. Because only 8 pretzels are made a day, they are usually sold out by noon.
Here's the thing I don't get: why only 8/day? And why only 3 days/week? They have never thrown out a pretzel. I often hear others asking "Do you have any more pretzels?" and others cursing "Dammit! They're out of pretzels already!!!" Would it kill them to make 10/day? Even if they tried it just for a week to see if they wasted any, would it be so hard?
WHY OH WHY CAN'T I GET A SOFT PRETZEL IN CHARLOTTE?!?!?
Being someone from the Philadelphia area originally, I love my soft pretzels. And they sell them in the corporate cafe here in Charlotte, but there seems to be some of sort of third world country rationing of them, as if we Philly people won't share them with the South.
First of all, the corporate cafe will not put pretzels out until 11:20 am. And at that point, only 8 pretzels will get put out...and that's only on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Monday and Friday seem to be remarkably devoid of pretzel supplies. Because only 8 pretzels are made a day, they are usually sold out by noon.
Here's the thing I don't get: why only 8/day? And why only 3 days/week? They have never thrown out a pretzel. I often hear others asking "Do you have any more pretzels?" and others cursing "Dammit! They're out of pretzels already!!!" Would it kill them to make 10/day? Even if they tried it just for a week to see if they wasted any, would it be so hard?
WHY OH WHY CAN'T I GET A SOFT PRETZEL IN CHARLOTTE?!?!?
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday, 1/14/2009
Today's Topic: Morrissey!
Boy did I love Morrissey when I was in college....The Smiths...and then Morrissey. I used to have a gigantic poster of him hanging in my dorm room, and I would get so annoyed when the idiotic fluff of Villanova would look at the poster and think he was Vanilla Ice...Like as if!!!
Anyway, I happened to be trolling around on Ticketmaster (not something I do often) and I saw that Morrissey was coming to Myrtle Beach in March, and I was thinking that I should convince Andre (and maybe Mr. Osborne and his Belle) that we should do a weekend in Myrtle Beach in March and go see Morrissey. When I clicked on the link, I saw this new picture....Morrissey with a baby....boy, the thrill is gone now! If he was holding a puppy, I would have bought those tickets right now, but a baby.....uuuggghhh....did even Morrissey trade in his Gen-X angst to join the ranks of breeders everywhere?!?!?! I sure hope he didn't release a kiddie album like another former fave group, They Might be Giants. I can't listen to them now that I know that they sold out.
BREEDERS~!!!!!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tuesday, 1/13/2009
Today's topic: When yellow Jell-O doesn't taste like yellow Jell-O...
You might wonder why I bother eating in the corporate cafe (especially since the green beans post last week), but today I went there again and I had some yellow Jell-O for dessert with my lunch. The reason behind my selection was that no one can mess up Jell-O...you just put water in with a boxed mix and stick it in the fridge....it doesn't take Emeril Lagasse to make it.
I should have known that people that can mess up green beans can probably also mess up Jell-O. It should have tasted nice and lemony, but instead it tasted like Ajax. Andre says that it was probably bad water quality...sure, I'll take that excuse....it's better than the alternative.
You might wonder why I bother eating in the corporate cafe (especially since the green beans post last week), but today I went there again and I had some yellow Jell-O for dessert with my lunch. The reason behind my selection was that no one can mess up Jell-O...you just put water in with a boxed mix and stick it in the fridge....it doesn't take Emeril Lagasse to make it.
I should have known that people that can mess up green beans can probably also mess up Jell-O. It should have tasted nice and lemony, but instead it tasted like Ajax. Andre says that it was probably bad water quality...sure, I'll take that excuse....it's better than the alternative.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Monday, 1/12/2009
Wasn't feeling so hot yesterday, so missed the opportunity to post....BUT as I worked at home today to recuperate, I got the opportunity to listen to W's final press conference of his presidential career. I can't resist this opportunity to have my final critique of W...
Today's topic: "A lot of times I felt the press misunderestimated me."
You know, W, for the first time in my life, I think you and I agree. I think the press did MISUNDERESTIMATE you. Although we do seem to disagree on what this made-up word (otherwise known as a "Bushism") means. I've read from a 2003 article (link below) when you've used this word before, that you think it means "seriously underestimate." Although it is a made-up word, I would define it more literally as the combination of "mis" (which seems to indicate a failure of some sort, like "mistake" or "mismatch") and "underestimate" (which indicates that someone thinks less of a person's capability than they ought to.) So in my literal definition, misunderestimate means to fail to think as poorly of a person's capability as one ought to. In other words, W, they gave you too much credit considering your true capability for intelligent thought.
They put you on the "buffoon" level of intelligence, whereas you really belong on the "idiot savant" level. My apologies to any idiot savants whose savante is about politics and find it offended that I would put Bush on their level. They probably would put him on the "stool pigeon" level of the intelligence scale, which basically means that he can eat and then poop all over everything....
Click here for more fun W foibles: http://edition.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/01/15/offbeat.bushisms.reut/
And don't forget - English IS his native language, despite his continual inability to speak it!
Today's topic: "A lot of times I felt the press misunderestimated me."
You know, W, for the first time in my life, I think you and I agree. I think the press did MISUNDERESTIMATE you. Although we do seem to disagree on what this made-up word (otherwise known as a "Bushism") means. I've read from a 2003 article (link below) when you've used this word before, that you think it means "seriously underestimate." Although it is a made-up word, I would define it more literally as the combination of "mis" (which seems to indicate a failure of some sort, like "mistake" or "mismatch") and "underestimate" (which indicates that someone thinks less of a person's capability than they ought to.) So in my literal definition, misunderestimate means to fail to think as poorly of a person's capability as one ought to. In other words, W, they gave you too much credit considering your true capability for intelligent thought.
They put you on the "buffoon" level of intelligence, whereas you really belong on the "idiot savant" level. My apologies to any idiot savants whose savante is about politics and find it offended that I would put Bush on their level. They probably would put him on the "stool pigeon" level of the intelligence scale, which basically means that he can eat and then poop all over everything....
Click here for more fun W foibles: http://edition.cnn.com/2003/EDUCATION/01/15/offbeat.bushisms.reut/
And don't forget - English IS his native language, despite his continual inability to speak it!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Saturday, 1/10/2009
Today's topic:
Grown woman that parade around in clothes that would look stupid even on a 5 year old
There was this grown woman walking her dog in my neighborhood today and I was waiting for her to pass behind my car before I backed out of the driveway. As she drew closer, I noticed that she had on what was the dumbest looking hat. I've searched the internet to find this hat with the hopes of posting a picture here to go with the blog, so that you could see just how stupid this woman looked. But to no avail, the hat is so stupid that no one in the entire world wants to even post a picture of it on the internet.
What makes this hat so stupid? It had ears, eyes and a tail, and then this ladie's face was right there, presumably where this poor animal's mouth and stomach would be. On a 5 year old, this hat would look stupid. You would look at a 5 year old prancing around in this hat and think (even though I really hate children): "Poor kid - he/she has the parent with the poorest taste in the world and he/she is stuck running around in this dopey hat, and he/she will be tortured by pictures of running around in this dopey hat at age 5 when he/she gets married and his/her poor taste parent finds it necessary to show these pictures around at the reception."
But when you see a grown woman prancing around in this hat, you just think "Was there an escape from a nearby mental hospital?!?!" Or better yet, you think "Call the fashion police - someone has stolen this woman's taste!"
Grown woman that parade around in clothes that would look stupid even on a 5 year old
There was this grown woman walking her dog in my neighborhood today and I was waiting for her to pass behind my car before I backed out of the driveway. As she drew closer, I noticed that she had on what was the dumbest looking hat. I've searched the internet to find this hat with the hopes of posting a picture here to go with the blog, so that you could see just how stupid this woman looked. But to no avail, the hat is so stupid that no one in the entire world wants to even post a picture of it on the internet.
What makes this hat so stupid? It had ears, eyes and a tail, and then this ladie's face was right there, presumably where this poor animal's mouth and stomach would be. On a 5 year old, this hat would look stupid. You would look at a 5 year old prancing around in this hat and think (even though I really hate children): "Poor kid - he/she has the parent with the poorest taste in the world and he/she is stuck running around in this dopey hat, and he/she will be tortured by pictures of running around in this dopey hat at age 5 when he/she gets married and his/her poor taste parent finds it necessary to show these pictures around at the reception."
But when you see a grown woman prancing around in this hat, you just think "Was there an escape from a nearby mental hospital?!?!" Or better yet, you think "Call the fashion police - someone has stolen this woman's taste!"
Friday, January 9, 2009
Friday, 1/9/2009
Blog topic of the day: Madoff Watch
I bet everyone was wondering how long it was going to take before I had some sort of daily muse about Bernie Madoff!
What the man did was outrageous and he should be in jail instead of under house arrest in a posh Park Avenue condo. But, I read an article today that really annoyed me...it was about the author Alexandra Penney who has announced that she is one of his victims. Apparently, she lost everything to Madoff. The article said "everything".
The guy was scum for sure, and there was no way that his victims could have known what was going on unless they were investment advisors. But you should never have all of your money invested in one fund. Even among reputable investment houses, like Vanguard, you wouldn't want to have all of your money in one fund. It's not diversified and does not adequately protect you from risk. So, why would you invest every bit of your money in the same hedge fund? Why wouldn't you put a portion in the hedge fund and the rest of it in some other funds? And if you didn't understand what you were doing when you were investing, and you're as rich as you would have to be to invest in a hedge fund (let's face it - ordinary people don't have access to them), why wouldn't you pay someone for investment advice to help you determine which investments to select and what amounts to put in each investment?
Some people ask for their own misfortune, and unfortunately, Ms. Penney is one of them.
I bet everyone was wondering how long it was going to take before I had some sort of daily muse about Bernie Madoff!
What the man did was outrageous and he should be in jail instead of under house arrest in a posh Park Avenue condo. But, I read an article today that really annoyed me...it was about the author Alexandra Penney who has announced that she is one of his victims. Apparently, she lost everything to Madoff. The article said "everything".
The guy was scum for sure, and there was no way that his victims could have known what was going on unless they were investment advisors. But you should never have all of your money invested in one fund. Even among reputable investment houses, like Vanguard, you wouldn't want to have all of your money in one fund. It's not diversified and does not adequately protect you from risk. So, why would you invest every bit of your money in the same hedge fund? Why wouldn't you put a portion in the hedge fund and the rest of it in some other funds? And if you didn't understand what you were doing when you were investing, and you're as rich as you would have to be to invest in a hedge fund (let's face it - ordinary people don't have access to them), why wouldn't you pay someone for investment advice to help you determine which investments to select and what amounts to put in each investment?
Some people ask for their own misfortune, and unfortunately, Ms. Penney is one of them.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Thursday, 1/8/2009
The topic of today's blog: Green Beans.
Fascinating stuff, I know, but I feel compelled to write about them today. You see, it was turkey day in the corporate cafeteria today, where you get a serving of roast turkey breast with two sides and a 24 oz fountain drink for $5. So one of the two sides that I got with my turkey was green beans. I like green beans, and they're not anything that someone can mess up...until I tasted these green beans. A funny flavor that was kind of gross made me look at them closely and I realized that they had been seasoned with Montreal Steak Seasoning. Who the heck ever thought of that seasoning idea for green beans?!?!?
Fresh green beans need nothing but a little bit of salt and pepper to taste fantastic to begin with, and even canned/frozen green beans (these were canned) taste pretty decent with just a little bit of salt and pepper. There's no need to go wild in order to make these things taste good, but Montreal Steak Seasoning?!?!? Someone needs to be arrested for committing assault and battery on a vegetable for that flavor combination.
Fascinating stuff, I know, but I feel compelled to write about them today. You see, it was turkey day in the corporate cafeteria today, where you get a serving of roast turkey breast with two sides and a 24 oz fountain drink for $5. So one of the two sides that I got with my turkey was green beans. I like green beans, and they're not anything that someone can mess up...until I tasted these green beans. A funny flavor that was kind of gross made me look at them closely and I realized that they had been seasoned with Montreal Steak Seasoning. Who the heck ever thought of that seasoning idea for green beans?!?!?
Fresh green beans need nothing but a little bit of salt and pepper to taste fantastic to begin with, and even canned/frozen green beans (these were canned) taste pretty decent with just a little bit of salt and pepper. There's no need to go wild in order to make these things taste good, but Montreal Steak Seasoning?!?!? Someone needs to be arrested for committing assault and battery on a vegetable for that flavor combination.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Wednesday, 1/7/2009
My husband told me that he wanted me to blog about him tonight...so let's try a social experiment in giving him what he wants to see if he'll ever want to be blogged about again.
So, can you imagine being married to a guy who looks himself in the mirror every morning when getting out of the shower and says "Andre, you're awesome!" and then when he's shaving, calls me in the bathroom to tell me that I'm lucky that he married me because he's awesome. And if that's not enough self-love for one man on a daily basis, he asks me if he is the most awesome person I know at least 4 times a day. So, I normally answer him "No, you're just the biggest egotistical a**hole that I know." And he's not really, he's a good guy and I love him, but come on, Andre - MAN UP! Stop needing so much validation....like wanting to be the subject of my daily musing so that you can feel like you've arrived. : - )
AND YES ANDRE - Mr. Osborne is the first person that I will make sure reads this blog!!!
So, can you imagine being married to a guy who looks himself in the mirror every morning when getting out of the shower and says "Andre, you're awesome!" and then when he's shaving, calls me in the bathroom to tell me that I'm lucky that he married me because he's awesome. And if that's not enough self-love for one man on a daily basis, he asks me if he is the most awesome person I know at least 4 times a day. So, I normally answer him "No, you're just the biggest egotistical a**hole that I know." And he's not really, he's a good guy and I love him, but come on, Andre - MAN UP! Stop needing so much validation....like wanting to be the subject of my daily musing so that you can feel like you've arrived. : - )
AND YES ANDRE - Mr. Osborne is the first person that I will make sure reads this blog!!!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Tuesday, 1/6/2009
So how stupid am I?!?! I say on Saturday that I'm going to blog for a year to see how long I can keep it up and then I forget on Day 3. Boy, it usually takes me at least a week to blow a New Year's resolution that I never intended to do (like exercise), but something that I enjoy doing (writing) gets broken on Day 3.
Oh well, let me try to resuscitate this resolution and keep it going.
So, on the topic of non-events, an appeals court upheld former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling's conviction on fraud. This story will get filed in my "Rod Blogodevich" folder for defendants that are clearly guilty to everyone but themselves.
Oh well, let me try to resuscitate this resolution and keep it going.
So, on the topic of non-events, an appeals court upheld former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling's conviction on fraud. This story will get filed in my "Rod Blogodevich" folder for defendants that are clearly guilty to everyone but themselves.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Sunday, 1/4/2009
OK, so it was yesterday's news but I can't NOT muse on this one....
Colts lost to the Chargers in OT mostly because the Colts defense got a couple of really stupid and really egregious penalties on the first possession that put the Chargers firmly in the red zone. At what really grinded my gears up was that the Chargers were 3rd and 10 on their own 48 yard line when the first penalty occurred. Holding...only 5 yards, which is not so bad, BUT it was an automatic first down. NOT GOOD! So then, on the next play, the most egregious facemask I've ever seen. And we all know that any facemask infraction is 15 yards, don't we? (Seems like the player didn't, or alternatively, is too dumb to realize that it's really STUPID to intentionally facemask and incur a 15 yard penalty when the opponent is on the 47th yard line in your own territory during sudden death overtime.)
And to borrow a phrase from my dear friend Peter Griffin (aka Family Guy), "That's what really grinds my gears!"
Colts lost to the Chargers in OT mostly because the Colts defense got a couple of really stupid and really egregious penalties on the first possession that put the Chargers firmly in the red zone. At what really grinded my gears up was that the Chargers were 3rd and 10 on their own 48 yard line when the first penalty occurred. Holding...only 5 yards, which is not so bad, BUT it was an automatic first down. NOT GOOD! So then, on the next play, the most egregious facemask I've ever seen. And we all know that any facemask infraction is 15 yards, don't we? (Seems like the player didn't, or alternatively, is too dumb to realize that it's really STUPID to intentionally facemask and incur a 15 yard penalty when the opponent is on the 47th yard line in your own territory during sudden death overtime.)
And to borrow a phrase from my dear friend Peter Griffin (aka Family Guy), "That's what really grinds my gears!"
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Saturday 1/3/2009
I have a friend who started doing a daily blog on his 42nd birthday and committed to do it for a year just to see if he could, and even though I'm not nearly as old as he is (Hi Kevie!), it did sound like a cool idea.
So, I decided to start a blog with the new year and we'll see if I can keep blogging for a full year. I do like to write and I always have something to muse about, so I'm looking forward to a daily blog. It might be a form of relaxation and meditation for me!
My first musing occurred to me while watching the first game of the NFL Playoffs: Arizona vs. Atlanta (Go Cardinals!). Matt Millen is now a sportscaster helping to analyze the playoff games for NBC....come on, seriously?!?!?! This is the GM that was fired from the Detroit Lions about a month and a half ago because he was seen as the person whose fault it was that the team set football history by going 0-16 in regular season. So he makes a good candidate for a sportscaster? And do people really want to see him and listen to him? I personally don't. What was NBC thinking? It's sort of like hiring OJ Simpson as a reporter for CourtTV on the assumption that his opinion matters simply because he has a lot of experience being in court.
So, I decided to start a blog with the new year and we'll see if I can keep blogging for a full year. I do like to write and I always have something to muse about, so I'm looking forward to a daily blog. It might be a form of relaxation and meditation for me!
My first musing occurred to me while watching the first game of the NFL Playoffs: Arizona vs. Atlanta (Go Cardinals!). Matt Millen is now a sportscaster helping to analyze the playoff games for NBC....come on, seriously?!?!?! This is the GM that was fired from the Detroit Lions about a month and a half ago because he was seen as the person whose fault it was that the team set football history by going 0-16 in regular season. So he makes a good candidate for a sportscaster? And do people really want to see him and listen to him? I personally don't. What was NBC thinking? It's sort of like hiring OJ Simpson as a reporter for CourtTV on the assumption that his opinion matters simply because he has a lot of experience being in court.
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