I really don't want this to turn into a political blog, but I have been distracted from my mission (to examine the meaning of work in our lives) by events that cannot be ignored. A faithful reader has written an e-mail actually complimenting me on the previous entry. This is seductively encouraging for a writer. Lucky for the rest of you that I shot my wad on that piece so now I must go back to reading the paper for ideas.
I enjoyed this Opinion column by Joseph Epstein in the WSJ today .
Mr Epstein has the perfect way of keeping sane - trying to find literary parallels while trying to make sense of the sound and the fury of the political campaign. I hope he won't mind if I quote a few lines, (since you probably are to lazy to click on the link and actually read it without a tease).
"So enraptured have I become by the political morality play of the Democratic primaries that, with much shame, I have returned to watching the McLaughlin Group on PBS on Saturday nights. This shameful recidivism has occurred after a rigidly self-imposed, three-year absence from the cacophonous effusions of Eleanor Clift, Pat Buchanan, Mort Zuckerman and the rest.
"The barking of these dogs as the caravan passes should be beneath a man who prefers to think himself cultivated. What do I care what they think, especially when I already know what they think? Like so many of the punditi of our day, they are all, as E. M. Forster termed it in his "Aspects of the Novel," "flat characters," by which he meant characters utterly predictable in their opinions, behavior, character – characters from whom one should expect no surprises. "
I wish I'd said that.
4/28/2008
4/26/2008
No Country for Old Men
Why is every primary hyped by the media as "crucial"? Does anyone really think that the Indiana popularity contest between Obama and Clinton will settle anything?
The answer, of course, is: No.
The media creates issues to keep us interested, but, personally, I am zoning-out, the way you do when you have heard a radio commercial 100 times.
The conservative radio talk show guys are predictable and devious. They keep up their anti-Obama rants, hoping that Clinton will pull-off the nomination. They don't want to run against the Obama phenomena. They believe that Republicrat McCain - can beat Hillary in the general election.
Conservatives fear that Obama is "too liberal." Somehow, he will imperially decide to turn us all into godless communists or worse - to cancel the Bush tax cuts!
Maybe they are afraid that he is inclined to nominate Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton to the supreme court. Maybe Oprah as his Secretary of State. Mya Angelou as Poet Laureate and head of the CIA. Issue a presidential decree to guarantee reparations to all descendants of slaves... scary stuff, indeed.
This deeply rooted fear of the unknown scares the bejesus out of them. The TV guys keep running old clips of the pro-black pastor, as if he was running for office. Fact is, all three are unknowns: senators who don't have real jobs and who have never run anything.
The problem for the anti Obama republicans, is that they have a candidate who is said to be a nice guy (when he is not flying in a PTS rage), but who really cannot be counted upon to stick to any platform or agenda. Once a formidable man (who I voted for during the 2000 primaries), he is helpless without cue-cards and handlers these days. Watch him is one on one interviews, he is like a robot. He is being handled and managed by a team of lobbyists who make the trilateral commission look like a comic book invention. He gives me no confidence as a leader.
Undoubtedly, McCain will be swift-boated (remember the Keating 5?), skewered and battered. The Democrat nominee will destroy him in free for all debates. By the time we get to November, I think he would lose to either Hillary or Barak.
The presidency may be a power trip, but it sucks the life out of those who serve. Compare the pictures of past presidents on inauguration day and then a few years later, if you don't believe me.
At age 72, this guy is just too old and tired to be up to the job. John, we salute you for your service. Now it is time to get thee to the beach and stay there.
The only chance for Repubs to win in November is to have McCain bow-out for health reasons and for him to hand the torch to Romney.
The answer, of course, is: No.
The media creates issues to keep us interested, but, personally, I am zoning-out, the way you do when you have heard a radio commercial 100 times.
The conservative radio talk show guys are predictable and devious. They keep up their anti-Obama rants, hoping that Clinton will pull-off the nomination. They don't want to run against the Obama phenomena. They believe that Republicrat McCain - can beat Hillary in the general election.
Conservatives fear that Obama is "too liberal." Somehow, he will imperially decide to turn us all into godless communists or worse - to cancel the Bush tax cuts!
Maybe they are afraid that he is inclined to nominate Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton to the supreme court. Maybe Oprah as his Secretary of State. Mya Angelou as Poet Laureate and head of the CIA. Issue a presidential decree to guarantee reparations to all descendants of slaves... scary stuff, indeed.
This deeply rooted fear of the unknown scares the bejesus out of them. The TV guys keep running old clips of the pro-black pastor, as if he was running for office. Fact is, all three are unknowns: senators who don't have real jobs and who have never run anything.
The problem for the anti Obama republicans, is that they have a candidate who is said to be a nice guy (when he is not flying in a PTS rage), but who really cannot be counted upon to stick to any platform or agenda. Once a formidable man (who I voted for during the 2000 primaries), he is helpless without cue-cards and handlers these days. Watch him is one on one interviews, he is like a robot. He is being handled and managed by a team of lobbyists who make the trilateral commission look like a comic book invention. He gives me no confidence as a leader.
Undoubtedly, McCain will be swift-boated (remember the Keating 5?), skewered and battered. The Democrat nominee will destroy him in free for all debates. By the time we get to November, I think he would lose to either Hillary or Barak.
The presidency may be a power trip, but it sucks the life out of those who serve. Compare the pictures of past presidents on inauguration day and then a few years later, if you don't believe me.
At age 72, this guy is just too old and tired to be up to the job. John, we salute you for your service. Now it is time to get thee to the beach and stay there.
The only chance for Repubs to win in November is to have McCain bow-out for health reasons and for him to hand the torch to Romney.
4/08/2008
Let Them Eat Cake
It seems like I am not the only one who hates their air travel experience. Yesterday, the "news" was about how the dissatisfaction levels with air travelers as measured by complaints received by the FAA (not just random blog rants) had increased 60% over the previous year. Lost/pilfered bags, cramped seats, long lines, unconscionable delays were among the top complaints.
Three airlines went bankrupt last week.
Today, I'm reading about 9 skycaps who sued American Airlines at Logan airport to recover tips that the airline kept illegally. The skycaps - who are paid a sub-minimum wage of less than $6 because they are normally tipped - won their suit.
I mention this because this is one example of what is wrong with American business leadership. During the period when American Airlines is gouging the customer for $2 per bag, (which diminished the tips that the skycaps had enjoyed) the executives were pocketing that money in the form of multimillion dollar bonuses. This happened at the same time all AA employees were taking pay cuts. The executives were virtually stealing the money from the lowest paid employees and egregiously rewarding themselves.
It will be interesting to see how big the executive parachutes at the bankrupt airlines are... I'll bet none of them are standing in line for unemployment checks.
This is the same attitude that got the French aristocracy a free ticket to the Guillotine Express.
Three airlines went bankrupt last week.
Today, I'm reading about 9 skycaps who sued American Airlines at Logan airport to recover tips that the airline kept illegally. The skycaps - who are paid a sub-minimum wage of less than $6 because they are normally tipped - won their suit.
I mention this because this is one example of what is wrong with American business leadership. During the period when American Airlines is gouging the customer for $2 per bag, (which diminished the tips that the skycaps had enjoyed) the executives were pocketing that money in the form of multimillion dollar bonuses. This happened at the same time all AA employees were taking pay cuts. The executives were virtually stealing the money from the lowest paid employees and egregiously rewarding themselves.
It will be interesting to see how big the executive parachutes at the bankrupt airlines are... I'll bet none of them are standing in line for unemployment checks.
This is the same attitude that got the French aristocracy a free ticket to the Guillotine Express.
4/01/2008
Not April Fools
I hope you aren't expecting some lamo April Fool's joke entry today. Honestly, I think I'm getting too old and cranky for that sort of silliness. Too bad, I used to be a sketch.
We have returned from our glorious Hawaiian adventures. I always wanted to be one of those guys who you see in the airport at the arrival gate sporting a deep tan, wearing an Aloha shirt, shorts and sandals and a woven straw hat. But, noting the fact that I am still exceptionally pale, I decided that a travel ensemble of real shoes, socks, long pants and a muted colored shirt would look less goofy. I managed to elude autograph hounds and paparazzi.
Even with on-line check-in, it requires at least 15-20 hours of your life - waiting in the baggage check line, the security check line, at the departure gate, the line to get your seat, sitting while everyone boards, waiting for take-off, and then sitting cramped like a sardine for the 5 hour trip to LAX, then the waiting during the layover before boarding the crowded cramped 6 hour flight to Boston.
Everything about flying in coach is beyond suck. The airlines could care less if you are comfortable, or even happy. If you don't like it, maybe you should upgrade next time. If not, then tough darts. Someone else will be glad to take your place If you don't buy that cramped little seat with the blaring loudspeaker overhead and the reading light that doesn't work, and neither does the tray table...if fact the only thing that seems to work is the guy in front of you can recline his seat back to where you can stare at his bald spot...which you can see much better than the jumpy video of the in-flight movie - a remake of Bambi with claymation figures.
I'll bet none of those highly paid Airline execs has ever sat in coach on a four hour flight. Clearly, everything on the airplane is designed for people who are only 4 feet tall. No one could seriously expect real adults to fit in those tiny bathrooms. Every time you begin to dose off, some inane sadist interrupts you with a dumb message about some notable point of interest down on the ground which only a few people who are at the window seats on one side of the aircraft can see anyway.
What? You want food? Get your own! Earphones - Bring your own! Fresh air? Ha ha ha. They laugh at you.
It is hell, I tell you. Roasting for eternity in a fiery pit cannot be less pleasant than riding in coach in a modern aircraft. Except real Hell is forever, instead of only 15-20 hours.
Please do not tell me to "...just get over it, it is the price you have to pay to get somewhere." I say it is inhuman treatment and there ought to be a law against it.
Aside from the lack of bon in the voyage, we had a great vacation. More about which soon.
We have returned from our glorious Hawaiian adventures. I always wanted to be one of those guys who you see in the airport at the arrival gate sporting a deep tan, wearing an Aloha shirt, shorts and sandals and a woven straw hat. But, noting the fact that I am still exceptionally pale, I decided that a travel ensemble of real shoes, socks, long pants and a muted colored shirt would look less goofy. I managed to elude autograph hounds and paparazzi.
Even with on-line check-in, it requires at least 15-20 hours of your life - waiting in the baggage check line, the security check line, at the departure gate, the line to get your seat, sitting while everyone boards, waiting for take-off, and then sitting cramped like a sardine for the 5 hour trip to LAX, then the waiting during the layover before boarding the crowded cramped 6 hour flight to Boston.
Everything about flying in coach is beyond suck. The airlines could care less if you are comfortable, or even happy. If you don't like it, maybe you should upgrade next time. If not, then tough darts. Someone else will be glad to take your place If you don't buy that cramped little seat with the blaring loudspeaker overhead and the reading light that doesn't work, and neither does the tray table...if fact the only thing that seems to work is the guy in front of you can recline his seat back to where you can stare at his bald spot...which you can see much better than the jumpy video of the in-flight movie - a remake of Bambi with claymation figures.
I'll bet none of those highly paid Airline execs has ever sat in coach on a four hour flight. Clearly, everything on the airplane is designed for people who are only 4 feet tall. No one could seriously expect real adults to fit in those tiny bathrooms. Every time you begin to dose off, some inane sadist interrupts you with a dumb message about some notable point of interest down on the ground which only a few people who are at the window seats on one side of the aircraft can see anyway.
What? You want food? Get your own! Earphones - Bring your own! Fresh air? Ha ha ha. They laugh at you.
It is hell, I tell you. Roasting for eternity in a fiery pit cannot be less pleasant than riding in coach in a modern aircraft. Except real Hell is forever, instead of only 15-20 hours.
Please do not tell me to "...just get over it, it is the price you have to pay to get somewhere." I say it is inhuman treatment and there ought to be a law against it.
Aside from the lack of bon in the voyage, we had a great vacation. More about which soon.
3/27/2008
Decisions
Ok. Here it is Thursday. I'm on my way back from the beach. The tide was out and the winds were low today so the waves were gentle (less than 7 feet) and they let me swim in the ocean.
I could stay all day, except for the little detail about the blazing sun and my exceptionally pale complexion. Only a few more days here - we return to the mainland on Monday.
I seem to recall that my dermatologist firmly advised me to go and have a cold beer after spending 30 minutes in the bright light. But, I stopped in the library to get a new book - I have been reading too much fiction - I should check out the Mainland papers and see how my retirement fund is doing. Ah well what could go wrong?
Anyhow, I have an hour on this computer and I could spend it updating the blog... Or, I could go across the street to Pizzettas, where Happy Hour runs from noon to six o'clock, and I can get an icy pint of Kona Red Rock Pale Ale on draft there for $2.50. It's 86 degrees outside and the air conditioner here is not working too well. Hmmn what shall I do?
I could stay all day, except for the little detail about the blazing sun and my exceptionally pale complexion. Only a few more days here - we return to the mainland on Monday.
I seem to recall that my dermatologist firmly advised me to go and have a cold beer after spending 30 minutes in the bright light. But, I stopped in the library to get a new book - I have been reading too much fiction - I should check out the Mainland papers and see how my retirement fund is doing. Ah well what could go wrong?
Anyhow, I have an hour on this computer and I could spend it updating the blog... Or, I could go across the street to Pizzettas, where Happy Hour runs from noon to six o'clock, and I can get an icy pint of Kona Red Rock Pale Ale on draft there for $2.50. It's 86 degrees outside and the air conditioner here is not working too well. Hmmn what shall I do?
3/18/2008
They Don't Celebrate St. Paddy's Day in Paradise
Humph. Like I am the only guy on the Island wearing green socks yesterday, proudly displaying my Irish heritage and beer belly. The locals are not interested in St Patrick. There have never never been any serpents in this Garden Isle - hence the proliferation of wild chickens - and perhaps this fact leaves poor St Patrick as a non-hero in their eyes. I not see a shamrock or a touch o green anywhere. The bars we selling the same Mai Tai and Rum Runner specials, but no Harp or Guinness to be seen anywhere.
I did hear that there was an Irish Pub in Honolulu, but that's a long swim from here. Besides, my keeper only allows me to have 2 beers a day, so it's not like I can party with the other FFI's. (to use the acronym my friend George uses to refer to Fat-faced Irishmen). So I contented myself with a Sam Adams to wash down my Irish Mahimahi at dinner last night.
Today I am back to white socks, and I am not getting the same stares.
I did hear that there was an Irish Pub in Honolulu, but that's a long swim from here. Besides, my keeper only allows me to have 2 beers a day, so it's not like I can party with the other FFI's. (to use the acronym my friend George uses to refer to Fat-faced Irishmen). So I contented myself with a Sam Adams to wash down my Irish Mahimahi at dinner last night.
Today I am back to white socks, and I am not getting the same stares.
3/11/2008
Hot Enough for you?
Greetings from Kaua'i. We are taking refuge from the blasting sun in the Princeville Library, northern end of the island. We ate lunch at Hannalei Bay, the most beutiful beach I have ever seen - with a view of fabled Bali Hi from South Pacific. It is pronounced "Honalayee" - and is reputed to be the inspiration for the old Peter, Paul and Mary song called "Puff the Magic Dragon." The mountains lie like a sprawling dragon along to the west while you look out at 5 foot green rollers.
We are now 6 hours behind Boston. We are watching the closing stock market prices at breakfast.
The other day I was in the surf when the lifeguard whistled me in.
"There's a pretty strong rip in there." he said.
"Yah, I felt it. "
"So, you look like you are doing ok, but it would help if you moved over there..." he pointed to a part of the beach where the waves were less turbid, where the little kids were allowed to swim by themselves.
"Just so nobody sees you in there and thinks they can... you know, gets themselves in trouble..." he gives me a nice friendly grin.
I moved over and floated around in the 2 foot waves . I figured it was just his firendly way of telling me that he is tired of pulling blubbery drowning geezers out of the surf.
They are very worried about tourists drowning here. I guess they lose a few every month. It doesn't look good on their lifeguard resumes, I am sure.
We are having a great time. Stop hating us.
We are now 6 hours behind Boston. We are watching the closing stock market prices at breakfast.
The other day I was in the surf when the lifeguard whistled me in.
"There's a pretty strong rip in there." he said.
"Yah, I felt it. "
"So, you look like you are doing ok, but it would help if you moved over there..." he pointed to a part of the beach where the waves were less turbid, where the little kids were allowed to swim by themselves.
"Just so nobody sees you in there and thinks they can... you know, gets themselves in trouble..." he gives me a nice friendly grin.
I moved over and floated around in the 2 foot waves . I figured it was just his firendly way of telling me that he is tired of pulling blubbery drowning geezers out of the surf.
They are very worried about tourists drowning here. I guess they lose a few every month. It doesn't look good on their lifeguard resumes, I am sure.
We are having a great time. Stop hating us.
2/29/2008
Adventures in Paradise
So, I don't know when I will have access to a computer during the next several weeks, but in the event that you don't see any posts here for a while, I should explain.
We are off to Hawaii. It is a long and arduous trip from the east coast. 6 hrs to LAX, 2 hr layover, 6.5 hours to Lihue in Hawaii. The weather forecast calls for several inches of snow on the ground by tomorrow morning at Logan airport. We are nervous as cats and the cats are getting antsy wondering why we are so jumpy. We don't make eye contact with them because we feel guilty leaving them behind. They will be fine. Our neighbor is coming in daily to feed them.
Don't ask any more questions. I'll fill you in on everything when I get back
We are off to Hawaii. It is a long and arduous trip from the east coast. 6 hrs to LAX, 2 hr layover, 6.5 hours to Lihue in Hawaii. The weather forecast calls for several inches of snow on the ground by tomorrow morning at Logan airport. We are nervous as cats and the cats are getting antsy wondering why we are so jumpy. We don't make eye contact with them because we feel guilty leaving them behind. They will be fine. Our neighbor is coming in daily to feed them.
Don't ask any more questions. I'll fill you in on everything when I get back
2/25/2008
Digging in the Dirt for Truth
I got an email from one of my neocon fans yesterday that quoted another post on some arcane financial blog that hinted that Obama was a closet Muslim, Racist and a relative of bad boys in Africa. How many politicians would stand up to such scrutinty, I wonder. These are the same sources who were outraged at the innuendo of shady dealings with a lobbyist that were alleged in a NYT article about snow-white Juan McAmnesty.
It is difficult to vet every wild accusation, but the link
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/obama.asp#church has responses to some of the rumor and innuendo that is being run up the flagpole.
I find it interesting that the usual Anti-any-thing-democrat factions are targeting Obama, because they fear that he would kick McCain's proud posterior in the general election, but that is politics, eh? They would rather see Mrs. Clinton as the Dem nominee, since most national polls have Hillary being tromped by Juan McAmnesty.
I also find it interesting that we are getting detailed info on his cousins and brothers, but no hard evidence on his deeds, which are after all, the critical measure of performance. I personally do not subscribe to nor do I take credit/blame for the actions and beliefs of my siblings or cousins, do you?
Finally, I find it odd that anti-Obama forces are looking for skeletons in the family closet when the most effective counter to Obama is his own record - or lack of it. Like John Kerry - who spent 20-odd years in the senate without accomplishing anything - Obama has done nothing to qualify him as President of The United States.
In other words he is just as qualified as McCain and Clinton!
It will be fun to see what dirt is dug up on Ralph Nader.
It is difficult to vet every wild accusation, but the link
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/obama.asp#church has responses to some of the rumor and innuendo that is being run up the flagpole.
I find it interesting that the usual Anti-any-thing-democrat factions are targeting Obama, because they fear that he would kick McCain's proud posterior in the general election, but that is politics, eh? They would rather see Mrs. Clinton as the Dem nominee, since most national polls have Hillary being tromped by Juan McAmnesty.
I also find it interesting that we are getting detailed info on his cousins and brothers, but no hard evidence on his deeds, which are after all, the critical measure of performance. I personally do not subscribe to nor do I take credit/blame for the actions and beliefs of my siblings or cousins, do you?
Finally, I find it odd that anti-Obama forces are looking for skeletons in the family closet when the most effective counter to Obama is his own record - or lack of it. Like John Kerry - who spent 20-odd years in the senate without accomplishing anything - Obama has done nothing to qualify him as President of The United States.
In other words he is just as qualified as McCain and Clinton!
It will be fun to see what dirt is dug up on Ralph Nader.
2/21/2008
Your call is not that important to us
I am not anti-technology. However, I have always been critical of the world's worst application of digital technology: Interactive Voice Response (or IVR), which replaces phone-answering humans with automated voice messaging. The worst offender is Verizon - where you cannot talk to a human unless you spend at least ten minutes listening to your options as presented by a pleasant but digitally-mastered dominatrix.
Don't freaking lecture me about operational costs and efficiency. I am only interested in getting someone to give me some compensation for the hassles associated with my FIOS installation. And how come my Rebate Request is th only piece of mail that has been "lost" by USPS in my lifetime?
Your call is important to us, we apologize for the delay, but due to the heavy volume of calls we are making you wait - and possibly waste your valuable time - until for one of the few underpaid agents who probably don't speak your native tongue and who were not trained to handle your problem - can take your call. We apologize for the wait, but in truth, if we really cared, we would have hired more agents and trained them. This call may be monitored to check up on the agent to make sure they are not making personal calls to relatives in India. Thank you for your patience. [distorted Kenny G version of "Georgia on my Mind" plays in an endless loop]
I guess the attitude of management is "Outstanding Customer Service means making callers wait until they give-up in frustration. Hey the competition is just as bad, so, why should we give a crap? That's why we make the big bucks - we save money for the stockholders. Let the customers eat cake."
Thank you for your continued patience.
Don't freaking lecture me about operational costs and efficiency. I am only interested in getting someone to give me some compensation for the hassles associated with my FIOS installation. And how come my Rebate Request is th only piece of mail that has been "lost" by USPS in my lifetime?
Your call is important to us, we apologize for the delay, but due to the heavy volume of calls we are making you wait - and possibly waste your valuable time - until for one of the few underpaid agents who probably don't speak your native tongue and who were not trained to handle your problem - can take your call. We apologize for the wait, but in truth, if we really cared, we would have hired more agents and trained them. This call may be monitored to check up on the agent to make sure they are not making personal calls to relatives in India. Thank you for your patience. [distorted Kenny G version of "Georgia on my Mind" plays in an endless loop]
I guess the attitude of management is "Outstanding Customer Service means making callers wait until they give-up in frustration. Hey the competition is just as bad, so, why should we give a crap? That's why we make the big bucks - we save money for the stockholders. Let the customers eat cake."
Thank you for your continued patience.
2/20/2008
Quick, What's the Number for 9-1-1?
Today, local Boston talk show host Jay Severin 96.9FM was so excited about the swelling body of evidence that Hillary Clinton (Satan) was going to lose the Democratic party's nomination for President, that he expresssed his fear that he would need to call a doctor to treat a case of priapism, which he was certain would last for more than four hours.
2/18/2008
Fair, Balanced & Full of Crap
The latest example of breaking non-news Fox leads with this headline
"Lost JFK Assassination Documents Believed Found in Dallas Courthouse "
So were they found or weren't they? And who is it that believes that they were found?
You would think that reading a story with such a grammatically damaged lead might actually have some useful information. But let me save you from wasting your time - as I did.
They found a (bad) script from the files of a guy who wanted to write the screenplay for a movie. How is this news?
This is on the same day that another headline informs us:
"Gary Coleman Says He and Wife Have Not Yet Made Love"
Did you really need to know that? Doesn't it just drag your mind to places you really didn't want to go?
Ooh ooh wait! Another piece of Hard News demands our urgent attention:
"Father of Dodi al Fayed Blames Royals for Diana's Death at Inquest "
Again, nothing new. No evidence. Only accustations. Ten Years later, still nothing.
Fox is not alone. All the news networks have become so competitive that they rush to be out there with any scintilla of data that they can pump-up to fill the news programs, webpages, airwaves. We who watch TV news are pretty much wasting our time if we sit through all the teasers and commercials expecting facts when they finally get to the "breaking story."
They proudly declare "You saw it here first!"
Who gives a crap about first? We just want the facts, dude."
"Lost JFK Assassination Documents Believed Found in Dallas Courthouse "
So were they found or weren't they? And who is it that believes that they were found?
You would think that reading a story with such a grammatically damaged lead might actually have some useful information. But let me save you from wasting your time - as I did.
They found a (bad) script from the files of a guy who wanted to write the screenplay for a movie. How is this news?
This is on the same day that another headline informs us:
"Gary Coleman Says He and Wife Have Not Yet Made Love"
Did you really need to know that? Doesn't it just drag your mind to places you really didn't want to go?
Ooh ooh wait! Another piece of Hard News demands our urgent attention:
"Father of Dodi al Fayed Blames Royals for Diana's Death at Inquest "
Again, nothing new. No evidence. Only accustations. Ten Years later, still nothing.
Fox is not alone. All the news networks have become so competitive that they rush to be out there with any scintilla of data that they can pump-up to fill the news programs, webpages, airwaves. We who watch TV news are pretty much wasting our time if we sit through all the teasers and commercials expecting facts when they finally get to the "breaking story."
They proudly declare "You saw it here first!"
Who gives a crap about first? We just want the facts, dude."
2/11/2008
Sleeping with the Sharks
Roy Scheider, the hero cop in the monster movie Jaws has died at age 75.
Hmmn, the notice says he won an Oscer for his role in "All That Jazz." Really? I didn't see that one. Not really my kind of flick. About a dancer, I think. Somewhat less macho that the role of shark-killing lawman.
Jaws was an amazing movie on several levels. The screenplay and dialogue were expertly crafted. Virtually nothing in the movie was irrelevant to the story. The use of sound and symbol to get the viewers' hearts racing was scary in its manipulative genius. The lameness of the phony-looking shark head that they used as a prop was overshadowed by the tension of the moment. I recall seeing it in the theater and joining the audience in a audible GASP when the shark finally appears.
The images of that movie have stayed with me (and I suspect many others) ever since then. Even 33 years later, I remain leery when swimming in the ocean deep water. Try not to swim like a wounded fish, I tell myself. Don't go over your head. What's that shadow in the water?
The obit says, "In 2005, one of Scheider's most famous lines in the movie - ''You're gonna need a bigger boat'' - was voted No. 35 on the American Film Institute's list of best quotes from U.S. movies."
I have used that line repeatedly throughout my career as a Business Systems Analyst. During the planning phase of most projects, there comes the moment when you realize that the deadlines are unrealistic given the scope of the plan and the scarcity of resources.
I would use the "We need a bigger boat" line to dramatize the point to inform the boss that we did not have enough resources to do the job well. Usually the boss would look at me and ask "What the [expletive] are you talking about?"
(Ach! The wretchedness of a poet trying to earn a living in the business world.)
I would explain the metaphor to little avail. The project would go on, like the Pequod in "Moby Dick", to meet its fate.
We - the more poetic minded - were fond using shipwreck disaster analogies, like "...rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic" for the irrelevance of many of our meetings and activities in the face of certain doom. (The managers preferred sports imagery like "Winning is the only thing. Losing is not an option.")
Typically, 99 out of 100 corporate system development projects were conceived by upper management types, who were trying to show their superiors that they possessed magical abilities. Thus, they always initiated projects that were under-funded, understaffed, and called for unreasonable deadlines. Somehow, they believed that they could acheive impossible results by exhorting, threatening or seducing the development staff.
It never worked. Not one project in my experience was completed on-time and on-budget. A few were considered successes, but most of them were abandoned before we got to implementation. Strangely enough, only a few of these projects were considered failures.
The wonderful thing about the corporate business world is the short tenure of management. They were always moving-up and away. New guys were always showing-up to take over. The subtle benefit of this executive turnover to the working staff was that none of the new managers felt responsible for projects that they "inherited." They often pronounced the old project obsolete. And then they would started a new major project that had their personal ego stamp on it ...
Thus the life of a corporate systems guy was a constant iteration of beginnings and very few endings - be they triumphant or even quasi-failures.
I never claimed to be the most astute bulb in the drawer, but I realized early-on that in business and politics, no one gets fired for failure. It was not a bad life: The people I worked with were usually fun and our companies spent a lot of money sending us to nice places in the name of training.
...And every now and then, one signs-on to the Project Orca and ends-up swimming home with a pretty good story to tell.
Thanks for the memories, Roy.
Hmmn, the notice says he won an Oscer for his role in "All That Jazz." Really? I didn't see that one. Not really my kind of flick. About a dancer, I think. Somewhat less macho that the role of shark-killing lawman.
Jaws was an amazing movie on several levels. The screenplay and dialogue were expertly crafted. Virtually nothing in the movie was irrelevant to the story. The use of sound and symbol to get the viewers' hearts racing was scary in its manipulative genius. The lameness of the phony-looking shark head that they used as a prop was overshadowed by the tension of the moment. I recall seeing it in the theater and joining the audience in a audible GASP when the shark finally appears.
The images of that movie have stayed with me (and I suspect many others) ever since then. Even 33 years later, I remain leery when swimming in the ocean deep water. Try not to swim like a wounded fish, I tell myself. Don't go over your head. What's that shadow in the water?
The obit says, "In 2005, one of Scheider's most famous lines in the movie - ''You're gonna need a bigger boat'' - was voted No. 35 on the American Film Institute's list of best quotes from U.S. movies."
I have used that line repeatedly throughout my career as a Business Systems Analyst. During the planning phase of most projects, there comes the moment when you realize that the deadlines are unrealistic given the scope of the plan and the scarcity of resources.
I would use the "We need a bigger boat" line to dramatize the point to inform the boss that we did not have enough resources to do the job well. Usually the boss would look at me and ask "What the [expletive] are you talking about?"
(Ach! The wretchedness of a poet trying to earn a living in the business world.)
I would explain the metaphor to little avail. The project would go on, like the Pequod in "Moby Dick", to meet its fate.
We - the more poetic minded - were fond using shipwreck disaster analogies, like "...rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic" for the irrelevance of many of our meetings and activities in the face of certain doom. (The managers preferred sports imagery like "Winning is the only thing. Losing is not an option.")
Typically, 99 out of 100 corporate system development projects were conceived by upper management types, who were trying to show their superiors that they possessed magical abilities. Thus, they always initiated projects that were under-funded, understaffed, and called for unreasonable deadlines. Somehow, they believed that they could acheive impossible results by exhorting, threatening or seducing the development staff.
It never worked. Not one project in my experience was completed on-time and on-budget. A few were considered successes, but most of them were abandoned before we got to implementation. Strangely enough, only a few of these projects were considered failures.
The wonderful thing about the corporate business world is the short tenure of management. They were always moving-up and away. New guys were always showing-up to take over. The subtle benefit of this executive turnover to the working staff was that none of the new managers felt responsible for projects that they "inherited." They often pronounced the old project obsolete. And then they would started a new major project that had their personal ego stamp on it ...
Thus the life of a corporate systems guy was a constant iteration of beginnings and very few endings - be they triumphant or even quasi-failures.
I never claimed to be the most astute bulb in the drawer, but I realized early-on that in business and politics, no one gets fired for failure. It was not a bad life: The people I worked with were usually fun and our companies spent a lot of money sending us to nice places in the name of training.
...And every now and then, one signs-on to the Project Orca and ends-up swimming home with a pretty good story to tell.
Thanks for the memories, Roy.
2/08/2008
Another One Bites the Dust
Now Mitt Romney is out of it. I find this pretty annoying, because it means I wasted my vote last Tuesday. Very annoying. Mitt is doing the same thing with his campaign that he did for Massachusetts - abandoning it to improve his chances on the next election. He knows that McCain cannot beat the Democrat in November, so the Repubs will be looking for a rising star in 2012. (This also gives Mitt another four years to establish residency in a few more key delegate states :-)
The Caucus and Primary process clearly demonstrates that the public is an ignorant ass. As far as I can see, the main difference between Juan McAmnesty and [Obama/Clinton] is the fact that Juan supports US military presence in Iraq.
They are all equally soft on illegal immigration.
None of them think English should be the official language of the US.
None of them has any significant experience administering anything.
All of them are slippery Washington Politicians.
The list could go on, but you get the point. As Ross Perot used to remind us, there is not a whit of difference between the 2 main political parties - especially after they get elected.
If I had to vote today, I think I would seriously consider Obama. Not because I think he sucks less than the others, but electing a man of color would de facto prove that we are not a racist nation, and hopefully that will help put race-whores like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton out of "work". That might force them to get real jobs, so they could pay into the system for a change. Hey, there's a dream worth voting for....
The Caucus and Primary process clearly demonstrates that the public is an ignorant ass. As far as I can see, the main difference between Juan McAmnesty and [Obama/Clinton] is the fact that Juan supports US military presence in Iraq.
They are all equally soft on illegal immigration.
None of them think English should be the official language of the US.
None of them has any significant experience administering anything.
All of them are slippery Washington Politicians.
The list could go on, but you get the point. As Ross Perot used to remind us, there is not a whit of difference between the 2 main political parties - especially after they get elected.
If I had to vote today, I think I would seriously consider Obama. Not because I think he sucks less than the others, but electing a man of color would de facto prove that we are not a racist nation, and hopefully that will help put race-whores like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton out of "work". That might force them to get real jobs, so they could pay into the system for a change. Hey, there's a dream worth voting for....
2/04/2008
They Wanted it More
Today the awareness of what happened yesterday in Arizona begins to sink in on the New England faithful. The numbness of the unexpected defeat has worn off. And so has the magic aura of the unbeatable Patriots.
While most of the rest of the country occupies itself by watching re-runs of the Superbowl ads and voting on their popularity, New York becomes the gloating capital of the Earth and the pitiful New England fans must wallow in the empty tub of defeat.
They lost. How could this happen? Some may blame it on the jinx of Belichick's abandoning his traditional gray hoodie for that gay red sweatshirt. Some will say that the New York Giants "wanted it more." Some will blame the loss on the distractions of the two week pre-game hyporama. A few will blame it on Hillary Clinton.
The fact is, New York protected Eli Manning all day. They harried and hurried Tom Brady, got him out of his rhythm and made him throw some bad passes. "They scored more points" as one perceptive analyst noted.
Well, I am not going to kick any cats today. It would have been fun to see the Pats win again, but the truth is, next season will be more interesting now. Let's hope the coach stops wearing that unlucky sweatshirt. .
It wasn't a total loss - I won $50 in the game betting pool. And, now the cancelled Boston victory parade will not interfere with Super Tuesday primary voting.
I wonder what they will do with all the champagne they were going to squirt at each other....
Congratulations to the Giants and their fans. Go ahead and gloat!
While most of the rest of the country occupies itself by watching re-runs of the Superbowl ads and voting on their popularity, New York becomes the gloating capital of the Earth and the pitiful New England fans must wallow in the empty tub of defeat.
They lost. How could this happen? Some may blame it on the jinx of Belichick's abandoning his traditional gray hoodie for that gay red sweatshirt. Some will say that the New York Giants "wanted it more." Some will blame the loss on the distractions of the two week pre-game hyporama. A few will blame it on Hillary Clinton.
The fact is, New York protected Eli Manning all day. They harried and hurried Tom Brady, got him out of his rhythm and made him throw some bad passes. "They scored more points" as one perceptive analyst noted.
Well, I am not going to kick any cats today. It would have been fun to see the Pats win again, but the truth is, next season will be more interesting now. Let's hope the coach stops wearing that unlucky sweatshirt. .
It wasn't a total loss - I won $50 in the game betting pool. And, now the cancelled Boston victory parade will not interfere with Super Tuesday primary voting.
I wonder what they will do with all the champagne they were going to squirt at each other....
Congratulations to the Giants and their fans. Go ahead and gloat!
Lord knows, we would have
1/18/2008
Zoo Etiquette
"Never Taunt a Tiger" --- Dead Kid at San Francisco Zoo
In the news today, one of the survivors of the tiger attack in San Francisco Zoo has now admitted that he and two others had been drunk and disorderly, standing on the fence, taunting the tiger that killed one of them.
They apparently never read the gripping story "The Tiger's Revenge" by Claude Balls.
I am not alone in my sense that it was a tragic loss of an innocent life because the police shot and killed the tiger.
In the news today, one of the survivors of the tiger attack in San Francisco Zoo has now admitted that he and two others had been drunk and disorderly, standing on the fence, taunting the tiger that killed one of them.
They apparently never read the gripping story "The Tiger's Revenge" by Claude Balls.
I am not alone in my sense that it was a tragic loss of an innocent life because the police shot and killed the tiger.
1/05/2008
Skip this Post
This is not a political blog, but as I am not currently working , I do not have some hideous Hellhole or clueless, ego-driven management to rail about, I yield to the countless fans who have e-mailed me with requests to discuss my viewpoint on the current political scene. (Oh, and thanks to both of you for writing).
So, if you are not interested in yet another boring narrative, please skip this post.
I have not decided on my choice for President yet. I could vote for Obama if he promises to appoint Oprah as his UN Ambassador :-) . Maya Angelou has come out in favor of Hillary, which is another nail in the Clinton coffin, as far as I am concerned. I used to think Hillary was smart and competent, but the more I hear of her talking about experience, I am forced to ask myself, "What experience? What was accomplished?" Obama, same question. I would not vote for Edwards for dog catcher. I see him as another oily professional Pol who would sell his grandmother to get ahead. Besides, if he is right, the special interests will ruin him in an election, painting him as a philandering ambulance chaser
On the other side, I'm leaning toward Mitt. I am a pretty active flip-flopper myself, so it doesn't bother me that he has made a few adjustments in the way he thinks about some of the so-called core issues. Consistency is less important than thought process. (Consistency means being just as ignorant as you were last year). I think Mitt has the credentials to do the job, and dammit he looks and sounds like a President. Rudy Giuliani could get my vote too. I think he has the most experience of anyone running. McCain has too much baggage; he seems too old, and too compromised by his years as a Pol. (I did vote for him in the 2000 Primary, but back then, the competition was weaker).
As far as the debates are concerned, I am boycotting both of tonight's scheduled presentations, not that anyone will notice. My reasons for not watching are threefold: 1) I have already seen enough of the mainstream candidates. I know what they think about everything. 2) I decry the involuntary elimination of the Libertarian voices on both sides. Without the ideas expressed by these guys (Kucinich on the Dem side and Ron Paul on the GOP side) we get nothing interesting or new. For example, I want to hear Mitt and Rudy argue against Ron Paul's call to bring all our troops home from foreign bases. 3) One of my new years resolutions is to re-arrange my sock drawer. I think that will be more stimulating than listening to the mass-debators.
So, if you are not interested in yet another boring narrative, please skip this post.
I have not decided on my choice for President yet. I could vote for Obama if he promises to appoint Oprah as his UN Ambassador :-) . Maya Angelou has come out in favor of Hillary, which is another nail in the Clinton coffin, as far as I am concerned. I used to think Hillary was smart and competent, but the more I hear of her talking about experience, I am forced to ask myself, "What experience? What was accomplished?" Obama, same question. I would not vote for Edwards for dog catcher. I see him as another oily professional Pol who would sell his grandmother to get ahead. Besides, if he is right, the special interests will ruin him in an election, painting him as a philandering ambulance chaser
On the other side, I'm leaning toward Mitt. I am a pretty active flip-flopper myself, so it doesn't bother me that he has made a few adjustments in the way he thinks about some of the so-called core issues. Consistency is less important than thought process. (Consistency means being just as ignorant as you were last year). I think Mitt has the credentials to do the job, and dammit he looks and sounds like a President. Rudy Giuliani could get my vote too. I think he has the most experience of anyone running. McCain has too much baggage; he seems too old, and too compromised by his years as a Pol. (I did vote for him in the 2000 Primary, but back then, the competition was weaker).
As far as the debates are concerned, I am boycotting both of tonight's scheduled presentations, not that anyone will notice. My reasons for not watching are threefold: 1) I have already seen enough of the mainstream candidates. I know what they think about everything. 2) I decry the involuntary elimination of the Libertarian voices on both sides. Without the ideas expressed by these guys (Kucinich on the Dem side and Ron Paul on the GOP side) we get nothing interesting or new. For example, I want to hear Mitt and Rudy argue against Ron Paul's call to bring all our troops home from foreign bases. 3) One of my new years resolutions is to re-arrange my sock drawer. I think that will be more stimulating than listening to the mass-debators.
1/04/2008
Iowa? So What?
You cannot turn on your TV or radio without hearing the blather about the Iowa caucuses. Who, other than Iowans, gives a crap about what they think?
How many delegates to the party conventions were gained by the winners? Hmmn.
I think this is another example of the media masturbating and making us watch.
Nothing has been decided. The finish line is quite a way down the road.
Why did Dodd and Biden quit? It is bothersome that these guys waited until the poll of a meaningless gathering of farmers (who were never going to vote for either one anyhow) to decide their viability.
Go ahead, call me a dumbass. But I don't get it.
How many delegates to the party conventions were gained by the winners? Hmmn.
I think this is another example of the media masturbating and making us watch.
Nothing has been decided. The finish line is quite a way down the road.
Why did Dodd and Biden quit? It is bothersome that these guys waited until the poll of a meaningless gathering of farmers (who were never going to vote for either one anyhow) to decide their viability.
Go ahead, call me a dumbass. But I don't get it.
1/02/2008
The Truth about your phone
Ok now I'm really becoming disillusioned. Like most everyone, I have spent the past 60 odd years since I learned to read, believing that Alexander Graham Bell was the inventer of the telephone. There must be a dozen biographies and virtually every schoolboy history book that relate the story of how he called Mr Watson to come and help him using his new invention.
Now it seems this historical fact Americana must be tossed into the dumpster labeled FRAUDs. The latest story is that he copied someone else's design. See the story.
Bell is credited with saying " Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. " Who knew that what he really meant was "Steal the other guy's idea and beat him to the patent office and you will be rich!"
This is sad, because it reminds us that it is almost impossible for us to know the truth about anything. Those who feel secure that they know what happened in the past are kidding themselves.
The recent assassination of Mrs Bhutto is a case in point. Thousands of people were there. Camera's were rolling. Bang bang booom! Nearly a week later, we still do not know for sure whether she died of Bullets, bomb blast, head trauma from bumping into the moon-roof latch or heart attack.
Just as surely as there are doubts about whether we actually landed on the moon, or whether the government is hiding the truth about September 11th, and on and on; it seems we can never take any "fact" at face value.
Next thing we'll be hearing is that Al Gore didn't invent "Global Warming"
Now it seems this historical fact Americana must be tossed into the dumpster labeled FRAUDs. The latest story is that he copied someone else's design. See the story.
Bell is credited with saying " Before anything else, preparation is the key to success. " Who knew that what he really meant was "Steal the other guy's idea and beat him to the patent office and you will be rich!"
This is sad, because it reminds us that it is almost impossible for us to know the truth about anything. Those who feel secure that they know what happened in the past are kidding themselves.
The recent assassination of Mrs Bhutto is a case in point. Thousands of people were there. Camera's were rolling. Bang bang booom! Nearly a week later, we still do not know for sure whether she died of Bullets, bomb blast, head trauma from bumping into the moon-roof latch or heart attack.
Just as surely as there are doubts about whether we actually landed on the moon, or whether the government is hiding the truth about September 11th, and on and on; it seems we can never take any "fact" at face value.
Next thing we'll be hearing is that Al Gore didn't invent "Global Warming"
12/15/2007
Daemon in The House
It is that dreaded time of year again. Each year ,when December comes around, we get a reminder from the Animal Hospital that it is once again time for Angryclaws to go and get her rabies shot. Each year we put off the inevitable as long as we can, but as the days get shorter and shorter we face up.
It usually takes two or three tries to capture and cage her for the journey to the Vet's. You would be surprised how difficult it is to restrain a small un-sedated Siamese cat. The Vet is very reluctant to give us sleepy pills for the cat – I don’t know why.
My wife suspects that they regard us as perhaps unworthy of cat ownership since we seem to have so much trouble managing such a simple task as bringing a small cat to get her annual shots. They do not believe my daemonic possession theory, but I am sticking to it.
Naturally, after the trauma of being caught and caged – which always involves a chase and entrapment by a big guy with oven mitts for hands - she is eventually caged, then the car ride to the vet’s office, then is placed on that cold stainless steel examination table, Angryclaws is paralyzed by fear and seems like the most docile compliant little darling the Vet has ever encountered. She even lets the vet trim her talon-like claws. Nice little kitty, they say.
Last year, we almost had to face a judge to answer for our bad-owner crimes. We do not want that to happen again. So, this year we have promised ourselves to get her to the Vets early so she can get the multi year shot. My wife thinks the cats are clairvoyant. On the morning of the appointment with the vet, they are nowhere to be seen. They will not come out for food or other enticement. There have been no clues – the cage has not been brought up from the basement yet.
“Maybe they can read the calendar,” I suggest.
“No, they are the devil, " she says, while swabbing hydrogen peroxide on the deep scratch she received from Angry-Claws during this morning's struggle. With her good hand, she dials the vet to tell them that we can’t make our appointment again this year.
We imagine the staff at the Animal Hospital shaking their collective heads. They judge us to be incompetent. Maybe the feline social service agency will come and take the cats away. Please God!
It usually takes two or three tries to capture and cage her for the journey to the Vet's. You would be surprised how difficult it is to restrain a small un-sedated Siamese cat. The Vet is very reluctant to give us sleepy pills for the cat – I don’t know why.
My wife suspects that they regard us as perhaps unworthy of cat ownership since we seem to have so much trouble managing such a simple task as bringing a small cat to get her annual shots. They do not believe my daemonic possession theory, but I am sticking to it.
Naturally, after the trauma of being caught and caged – which always involves a chase and entrapment by a big guy with oven mitts for hands - she is eventually caged, then the car ride to the vet’s office, then is placed on that cold stainless steel examination table, Angryclaws is paralyzed by fear and seems like the most docile compliant little darling the Vet has ever encountered. She even lets the vet trim her talon-like claws. Nice little kitty, they say.
Last year, we almost had to face a judge to answer for our bad-owner crimes. We do not want that to happen again. So, this year we have promised ourselves to get her to the Vets early so she can get the multi year shot. My wife thinks the cats are clairvoyant. On the morning of the appointment with the vet, they are nowhere to be seen. They will not come out for food or other enticement. There have been no clues – the cage has not been brought up from the basement yet.
“Maybe they can read the calendar,” I suggest.
“No, they are the devil, " she says, while swabbing hydrogen peroxide on the deep scratch she received from Angry-Claws during this morning's struggle. With her good hand, she dials the vet to tell them that we can’t make our appointment again this year.
We imagine the staff at the Animal Hospital shaking their collective heads. They judge us to be incompetent. Maybe the feline social service agency will come and take the cats away. Please God!
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