Archive for December, 2006
This is not the normal New Year’s Eve for me at all. I chose not to go out and do the usual celebrating, as I have other things on my mind. I’m spending the evening brainstorming, brushing up on a few concepts, outlining, and trying out some open source eLearning applications.
I’m researching and analyzing country data for Zambia, and looking for possibilities. I have come upon a challenge that has me inside on New Year’s Eve working on a business model, pondering economics, considering cultural communication issues, and living economy principles instead of out partying as I might normally do.
Continue Reading December 31, 2006
Recently, the Ayles ice shelf near Ellesmere Island in Canada broke away in what has been called the largest event of its kind in the past three decades. One of six remaining ice shelves in Canada, the event was of such epic proportions that it apparently registered on earthquake detection equipment more than 150 miles away.
That’s pretty alarming. What’s more, you don’t really need to look to the far, not-so-frozen-anymore north to see that global warming is a reality. Those of us who haven’t had our heads in the sand (or, up our butts like most self-serving politicians and greedy corporations) have been aware of what’s been going on for some time.
Continue Reading December 30, 2006
The former Iraqi dictator has been hanged. It’s coming in over the wires and websites are posting the news. Saddam Hussein, Barzan Hassan, and Awad Bandar have all met justice in an Iraq they terrorized before that brutal regime was overthrown. Perhaps now, this is some small measure of justice and comfort to those many Iraqis who lost family members under Saddam’s brutal rule.
This is the second birthday memory I have now to associate with Iraq. The first was turning 21 while deployed overseas during Operation Desert Shield back in 1990. Now, 16 years later, the dictator that we sought to expel for his brutal invasion of Kuwait is adding himself to my memories once again on my birthday. This time with his death.
Continue Reading December 29, 2006
Today’s my birthday. I should be ready to go out and have some fun—and I am—but I’m also a bit apprehensive. According to statistics, I’m about halfway through life. I hate averages.
Sometimes they’re useful. Othertimes, not very helpful at all. I mean, you can have one foot in a bucket of ice water, and the other in a bucket full of hot coals. On average, you’re probably just a bit warm. In reality, you’re screwed.
Continue Reading December 29, 2006
It’s like I have this gift for shopping or something.
Now, I have a marketing degree and I know well the dark magik that merchandisers practice. But I am lucky, my friends—my degree is like PromotionalEndPiecebane, and keeps my wallet safe. So I KNOW with absolute certainty that fate meant me to have one of those remaining three bit kits.
I wonder if any woman out there would have been so in tune with life and aware as to see the deeper meaning in such a seemingly small thing? Would she have fathomed out the omens, like the really huge red-tailed hawk on the side of the highway eating something that we saw? Would she have been in-tune to her surroundings enough to seize the moment and take advantage of the opportunity that had been presented in the form of a bit kit hiding—nondescriptly—near the checkout counter?
I have my doubts.
As I said, it’s like I have this gift for shopping…
Continue Reading December 29, 2006
Thanks to the Ethiopian government, there are fewer radical Islamists in the world today. My Christmas wish came true. Thanks Santa.
Continue Reading December 26, 2006
It’s Christmas morning, and soon, family will be crawling all over the place. And there will be lots of home cooked food, laughter, and smiles and stories told and news caught-up on.
Continue Reading December 25, 2006
I wonder what kind of ERP Santa is using in this day and age to get toys to their destinations on time and to keep the toy factories at the top of their game? Perhaps elf magic still manages to meet his needs and there’s no reason the North Pole needs new technology to keep pace with the changing world? We should all be so lucky.
Continue Reading December 25, 2006
Sure, there are monsters that kill you or eat you but there aren’t many that will drag your boat or submarine down into the dark depths of the abyssal unknown never to be seen again. I mean, that’s really scary. So, if Sasquatch snatched you up in your sleeping bag and smashed you against a Giant Sequoia, that would be terrible and all but your friends could look at the giant footprints and your pulp-filled bag and make some smarmy comment like: “He should have been packing a .44 man…”
Not so with Architeuthis. I mean, imagine your horror if you were an ancient Phoenecian or Minoan sailor, sailing at the edge of the world hoping to discover new and amazing lands and you’ve weathered the worst tempests the gods could throw at you. Then, suddenly, giant tentacles swarm over the side of your ship, and drag you and everyone with you down into a watery grave. That would suck. And no one is likely to find your remains, cheating skeptics and friends out of a chance at a smarmy comment.
Continue Reading December 22, 2006
William Perry—one of the most negligent Defense Secretaries the U.S. has ever had—gave this week’s radio address for the Democratic Party. He warned of a “quagmire” in Iraq. Wow. Did you figure out that things haven’t been going well in Iraq all by yourself, Mr. Perry? I’m surpised you even have the audacity to open your mouth now when we as a nation are paying the price for your lack of foresight, character, incompetence, and all-around poor leadership.
But then, poor leaders who aren’t at the top of the pecking order most often work for other poor leaders. The general thinking is that it helps hide flaws and deficiencies and there’s always someone else’s ass to paint a target on who can draw fire away from you. Between Perry and President Bill Clinton, the two of them managed to dismantle the American military with the huge post-Gulf War drawdown of forces that has put us in our current situation.
Continue Reading December 16, 2006
Layla McCarter certainly earned a new fan last night. I’ll be following her career after seeing her performance—which won her yet another title. [She already has featherweight and junior welterweight titles to her credit!]
That fight also made history. It was the first one with 3 minute rounds for women fighters. I’m sure there were some who wondered if they could keep it up, but to give credit to both Layla and Belinda, they poured it on and left no doubt that the ladies can handle the longer rounds. It was the best fight I’ve seen in the last couple of weeks…and that includes some title fights among some highly talked about guys. Forget it, the ladies put on a better show.
Continue Reading December 14, 2006
Pop diva Mariah Carey is suing porn-star/politician Mary Carey over her name. Mariah thinks people can’t speak or spell and will confuse a hot porn star with her average looking, screeching self. If anything, the punk band Screeching Weasel ought to be suing Mariah for infringement, claiming there’s only room for one screeching weasel in America. The band is actually pretty good, unlike Mariah Carey.
Continue Reading December 13, 2006
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