...the BBC provides coverage of the now nearly-famous sign painted on a road in North Carolina.
Makes OS just wanna stand up and cheer for Congress, as they helicopter drop 26 billion more dollars onto the education establishment in the states.
Never in history have we paid so much, and received so little. Even more wasteful than war, where at least our military blows the things up they aim at.
Life in the third world.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Sometimes, Only Laughter Will Do: Greg Gutfeld's Gay Bar for Moslems
Sometimes, the only effective response to evil stupidity is laughter.
Greg Gutfeld, instead of railing at the construction of a mosque at Ground Zero in York, has come up with a creative response.
I’m announcing tonight, that I am planning to build and open the first gay bar that caters not only to the west, but also Islamic gay men. To best express my sincere desire for dialogue, the bar will be situated next to the mosque Park51, in an available commercial space.
Of course, the proposed names have come pouring in. A sampling of the choice ones includes:
30. Honor Drillings
29. Jihard
28. Filthy Omar’s Rusty Trombone
27. The Arabian Queen
26. Dune Biters
25. Goat's Night Off
24. The Pink Prophet
23. The Leather Burqa
22. Git Mo
21. Pig in a Poke
20. Sheiks & Freaks
19. Sodom and Gonorrhea
18. Osama Bin Dover
17. The Exploding Goat
16. Weapons of Ass Destruction
15. Alla Assbar
14. Anderson Cooper's Apartment
13. The Sticky Prophet
12. The Sphinxter
11. Grind Zero
10. Nuclear Fuel Rods
9. Hassan's TestostoRoom
8. Turbuns
7. Bunker Busters
6. The Tali-bone
5. Al-Jizzera
4. The Gaza Stripper
3. The Sandy Gerbil
2. The Camel’s Hump
1. Hide the Minaret
Numbers 14, 11, 8, 4 and 1 especially draw a giggle.
Greg Gutfeld, instead of railing at the construction of a mosque at Ground Zero in York, has come up with a creative response.
I’m announcing tonight, that I am planning to build and open the first gay bar that caters not only to the west, but also Islamic gay men. To best express my sincere desire for dialogue, the bar will be situated next to the mosque Park51, in an available commercial space.
Of course, the proposed names have come pouring in. A sampling of the choice ones includes:
30. Honor Drillings
29. Jihard
28. Filthy Omar’s Rusty Trombone
27. The Arabian Queen
26. Dune Biters
25. Goat's Night Off
24. The Pink Prophet
23. The Leather Burqa
22. Git Mo
21. Pig in a Poke
20. Sheiks & Freaks
19. Sodom and Gonorrhea
18. Osama Bin Dover
17. The Exploding Goat
16. Weapons of Ass Destruction
15. Alla Assbar
14. Anderson Cooper's Apartment
13. The Sticky Prophet
12. The Sphinxter
11. Grind Zero
10. Nuclear Fuel Rods
9. Hassan's TestostoRoom
8. Turbuns
7. Bunker Busters
6. The Tali-bone
5. Al-Jizzera
4. The Gaza Stripper
3. The Sandy Gerbil
2. The Camel’s Hump
1. Hide the Minaret
Numbers 14, 11, 8, 4 and 1 especially draw a giggle.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Four Envelopes: Obama Still Running Against George Bush
Honest, can't make this stuff up.
There is an old joke about Nikita Kruschev, the Soviet leader of the 50's and 60's.
Stalin is on his deathbed, and writes four letters, seals each into its own envelope, labeled 1-2-3-4. He then writes a separate note, and seals it inside a large envelope along with the four letters. He gives it to Molotov, and says: 'Give this package to my eventual successor, and tell him to read the note as soon as he takes office.' That done, he dies.
Kruschev ascends to power, and is given the envelope. The note reads: Comrade! Crises are an inevitability of history. When you have a major crisis, open each letter in order, one letter per crisis. Good luck, comrade!
Kruschev stuffs the envelope in the drawer for safe-keeping. The wheat crop fails--a crisis. He opens the first envelope, and the letter says: Blame me!
The de-Stalinization campaign begins, and it works!
Next crisis arrives--next envelope: Blame the Chinese! Damn, it works!
Next crisis--envelope #3: Blame the Americans! Hot-damn, it really works! He goes to the UN, bangs the podium with his shoe, makes the cover of Time!
(By this time, Nikita's feeling pretty good about his job. It's a good gig, screwing up and getting to blame everybody else!)
Next crisis--envelope #4: Prepare four envelopes.
There is an old joke about Nikita Kruschev, the Soviet leader of the 50's and 60's.
Stalin is on his deathbed, and writes four letters, seals each into its own envelope, labeled 1-2-3-4. He then writes a separate note, and seals it inside a large envelope along with the four letters. He gives it to Molotov, and says: 'Give this package to my eventual successor, and tell him to read the note as soon as he takes office.' That done, he dies.
Kruschev ascends to power, and is given the envelope. The note reads: Comrade! Crises are an inevitability of history. When you have a major crisis, open each letter in order, one letter per crisis. Good luck, comrade!
Kruschev stuffs the envelope in the drawer for safe-keeping. The wheat crop fails--a crisis. He opens the first envelope, and the letter says: Blame me!
The de-Stalinization campaign begins, and it works!
Next crisis arrives--next envelope: Blame the Chinese! Damn, it works!
Next crisis--envelope #3: Blame the Americans! Hot-damn, it really works! He goes to the UN, bangs the podium with his shoe, makes the cover of Time!
(By this time, Nikita's feeling pretty good about his job. It's a good gig, screwing up and getting to blame everybody else!)
Next crisis--envelope #4: Prepare four envelopes.
James Corum On The Obama Defense Cuts
Quietly, the announcement was made. Secretary Gates announces, in time of war, that the US will be making deep cuts in defense spending.
OS keeps encountering articles from time to time, where people claim that Obama has an active agenda to kick the legs our from under the country. In general, OS dismissed that as tin-foil-hat chatter.
It is now time to rethink, in the wake of Obama's war on the Gulf Coast economy, and now upon the military.
James Corum, as always, has cogent words to share, from long experience.
There is no military rationale for major cuts – this is 100 per cent politically driven cutting. The President wants to use the massive deficit he has created as an excuse to cut the vital infrastructure of US defense. He has endorsed a stimulus package that is really about bailing out bankrupt states and preserving state worker union jobs. So it’s not about saving money—it’s about cutting defence.
Given the international situation – a violent and volatile North Korea, trouble in Afghanistan, an Iran well on the way to nuclear weapons, the continued threat of Islamic radicalism – cutting some of the essential military infrastructure needed for training and preparedness is irresponsible.
There's a pattern here since the 70's. Carter enters office, slashes the military he so despises(the one that gave him his first career leg up, by the way), and very soon we are in a world of trouble. Reagan comes in, and restores it. The Soviet Union collapses, and the US kicks Hussein out of Kuwait. Clinton comes in, and the slashing begins. He bombs the Balkans from 20,000 feet, not willing to risk any casualties. By 2001, when we really need it, Bush finds himself hamstrung with a much reduced military, which he sends to war without a major expansion.
Now, Obama slashes further, while the dangers grow.
Gotta go. That tin-foil-hat in the back of OS's closet is stored behind the work boots, last he saw it.
OS keeps encountering articles from time to time, where people claim that Obama has an active agenda to kick the legs our from under the country. In general, OS dismissed that as tin-foil-hat chatter.
It is now time to rethink, in the wake of Obama's war on the Gulf Coast economy, and now upon the military.
James Corum, as always, has cogent words to share, from long experience.
There is no military rationale for major cuts – this is 100 per cent politically driven cutting. The President wants to use the massive deficit he has created as an excuse to cut the vital infrastructure of US defense. He has endorsed a stimulus package that is really about bailing out bankrupt states and preserving state worker union jobs. So it’s not about saving money—it’s about cutting defence.
Given the international situation – a violent and volatile North Korea, trouble in Afghanistan, an Iran well on the way to nuclear weapons, the continued threat of Islamic radicalism – cutting some of the essential military infrastructure needed for training and preparedness is irresponsible.
There's a pattern here since the 70's. Carter enters office, slashes the military he so despises(the one that gave him his first career leg up, by the way), and very soon we are in a world of trouble. Reagan comes in, and restores it. The Soviet Union collapses, and the US kicks Hussein out of Kuwait. Clinton comes in, and the slashing begins. He bombs the Balkans from 20,000 feet, not willing to risk any casualties. By 2001, when we really need it, Bush finds himself hamstrung with a much reduced military, which he sends to war without a major expansion.
Now, Obama slashes further, while the dangers grow.
Gotta go. That tin-foil-hat in the back of OS's closet is stored behind the work boots, last he saw it.
Planet Knucklehead
OS was visited by an insight sometime in the wee hours this morning. It came about as a result of a near-death experience the day previous.
The sainted Mrs. OS owns a Volvo station wagon, bought in the wake of her previous Volvo station wagon being used by a despairing nine-point buck who decided to end it all by walking in front her vehicle on the highway one late night. The buck died, and the occupants of the car walked away. World's best advertisement--survival.
Mrs. OS drives to Louisville about two weeks ago, and on the way discovers a major oil leak in the engine. Off to the mechanic it goes, only to find out that the problem is not desperate (like a head gasket job), and can be repaired. So, OS sez--repair it, we'll go up when it's finished, and I'll drive it back. No biggie.
OS drives said Volvo home, and 100 yards from the house, the car dies. Oil pressure light comes on, car will start, but car won't go past about 10 mph. He raises the hood, and there is oil everywhere in the engine compartment. He limps it home, calls his trusty local mechanic. Tow truck takes car, and the local mechanic looks it over.
One person who worked on it in Louisville had checked one hose leading to the turbo, perhaps to see if it was the source of the leak. Problem is, he didn't remember to tighten the clamp that held the hose in place. Hose pops off 100 yards from home, car dies. Home mechanic clamps hose in place, test drives it, charges $53 for his troubles, which OS gladly pays.
Had said hose popped off twenty minutes earlier, Mrs. OS would now be finalizing funeral plans for her husband, and no one would have ever known why that Volvo wagon suddenly stalled in front of that semi going 75 mph.
It was a near-death experience. OS nearly died because one knucklehead did not take the time to tighten one clamp. He's alive because a Volvo line worker did take the time to make sure the airbags were hooked up properly in 1992, on the previous Volvo.
Planet Knucklehead.
The second insight was: 'This feels familiar, this grinding sense of what's-going-to-fall-apart-next'. Last time he had it, he was living in a third world country. He coped with it, knowing he had his passport to a first-world country.
He doesn't have a passport out of the third-world country in which he now lives.
The sainted Mrs. OS owns a Volvo station wagon, bought in the wake of her previous Volvo station wagon being used by a despairing nine-point buck who decided to end it all by walking in front her vehicle on the highway one late night. The buck died, and the occupants of the car walked away. World's best advertisement--survival.
Mrs. OS drives to Louisville about two weeks ago, and on the way discovers a major oil leak in the engine. Off to the mechanic it goes, only to find out that the problem is not desperate (like a head gasket job), and can be repaired. So, OS sez--repair it, we'll go up when it's finished, and I'll drive it back. No biggie.
OS drives said Volvo home, and 100 yards from the house, the car dies. Oil pressure light comes on, car will start, but car won't go past about 10 mph. He raises the hood, and there is oil everywhere in the engine compartment. He limps it home, calls his trusty local mechanic. Tow truck takes car, and the local mechanic looks it over.
One person who worked on it in Louisville had checked one hose leading to the turbo, perhaps to see if it was the source of the leak. Problem is, he didn't remember to tighten the clamp that held the hose in place. Hose pops off 100 yards from home, car dies. Home mechanic clamps hose in place, test drives it, charges $53 for his troubles, which OS gladly pays.
Had said hose popped off twenty minutes earlier, Mrs. OS would now be finalizing funeral plans for her husband, and no one would have ever known why that Volvo wagon suddenly stalled in front of that semi going 75 mph.
It was a near-death experience. OS nearly died because one knucklehead did not take the time to tighten one clamp. He's alive because a Volvo line worker did take the time to make sure the airbags were hooked up properly in 1992, on the previous Volvo.
Planet Knucklehead.
The second insight was: 'This feels familiar, this grinding sense of what's-going-to-fall-apart-next'. Last time he had it, he was living in a third world country. He coped with it, knowing he had his passport to a first-world country.
He doesn't have a passport out of the third-world country in which he now lives.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Nashville, TN Market Home Sales Drop By 21% In July
15,172 homes on the market in July.
This in a region not nearly so badly affected by the downturn as many others.
Hand out the rally hats, ya'll. We gots us a recovery underway!
This in a region not nearly so badly affected by the downturn as many others.
Hand out the rally hats, ya'll. We gots us a recovery underway!
Thanks, Ya'll
Just passed 4K visits, 75 countries, 1848 cities.
It's an enjoyable hobby, especially knowing OS's screed actually is read from time to time.
It's an enjoyable hobby, especially knowing OS's screed actually is read from time to time.
JDA's Exactly On Point: Racing To The Bottom, Spending Like Madmen, No Teaching Or Learning
JDA does have a way with words.
Oh well, I say let them ruin the school system for cash, it's not like it could get any worse than it already is. American kids are lazy, fat and completely stupid. This is nothing new, I deal with college-educated people on a daily basis who cannot handle even the simplest task such as operating a telephone or writing an email that uses complete, coherent sentences.
In other words, we're doomed.
Of course, as a parent I realize that it is not up to my child's school to teach him but instead know that is my responsibility and school is little more than a playground for his social skills and preparation for a 9 - 5 when he gets older. It's free daycare for Mommy while she's out being a good little capitalist and every now and then he learns something useful to supplement what I've taught him. Too many parents are just as if not more lazy than their lazy ass idiot kids and assume it's up to the schools to do the educating. I guess in order to educate your children you have to have half a brain yourself so there goes that.
Oh well, I say let them ruin the school system for cash, it's not like it could get any worse than it already is. American kids are lazy, fat and completely stupid. This is nothing new, I deal with college-educated people on a daily basis who cannot handle even the simplest task such as operating a telephone or writing an email that uses complete, coherent sentences.
In other words, we're doomed.
Of course, as a parent I realize that it is not up to my child's school to teach him but instead know that is my responsibility and school is little more than a playground for his social skills and preparation for a 9 - 5 when he gets older. It's free daycare for Mommy while she's out being a good little capitalist and every now and then he learns something useful to supplement what I've taught him. Too many parents are just as if not more lazy than their lazy ass idiot kids and assume it's up to the schools to do the educating. I guess in order to educate your children you have to have half a brain yourself so there goes that.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
The Lessons Of Pixar
This from the HBR blogs, always a wealth of insight.
Quote of the day from this article:
"Success hides problems."
Of course. How obvious. Why don't more of us see those obvious things in front of us?
OS's first job out of college was with a successful small business, family owned, recently moved into a lovely building custom-built for them. Creative on top floor one side, admin top floor the other, production on the ground floor, and warehouse round back. It was cool to be there, and success was in the air.
Now the building stands empty. The company was bought for pennies just before bankruptcy.
A member of the family told OS the crucial anecdote:
On the day we dedicated that building, our CPA quietly told us that this building is not a monument to what we have achieved, but to what we would have to achieve going forward.
They were so happy about being successful, they never saw or dealt with the problems.
The next time OS had dealings with them, some ten years later, they were in total chaos, in the death spiral, never to recover.
Success hides problems.
Quote of the day from this article:
"Success hides problems."
Of course. How obvious. Why don't more of us see those obvious things in front of us?
OS's first job out of college was with a successful small business, family owned, recently moved into a lovely building custom-built for them. Creative on top floor one side, admin top floor the other, production on the ground floor, and warehouse round back. It was cool to be there, and success was in the air.
Now the building stands empty. The company was bought for pennies just before bankruptcy.
A member of the family told OS the crucial anecdote:
On the day we dedicated that building, our CPA quietly told us that this building is not a monument to what we have achieved, but to what we would have to achieve going forward.
They were so happy about being successful, they never saw or dealt with the problems.
The next time OS had dealings with them, some ten years later, they were in total chaos, in the death spiral, never to recover.
Success hides problems.
Lessons From The BP Oil Spill: The Rickover Lesson, And The Pitino Lesson
Some reasoned thoughts on the BP spill, and what can be learned from the experience.
James Hamilton, UC San Diego, shares the thoughts of Steven R. Kopits, an oil industry specialist. One of the points (all are cogent) is most interesting:
Do Send Field Managers to the 'Rickover School'. In an aggressive corporate culture seen in many oil majors, the ability of field managers to push back is critical. In such a situation, the most dangerous manager is one trying to dutifully comply with the mandates passed down from above. All field managers in the oil business (frankly, in the energy business) responsible for major at-risk activities, for example, the management of a refinery or an offshore drilling rig, need to know how to push back against management. The best I have ever met in this respect have been alumna of the nuclear fleet under Admiral Hyman Rickover. Rickover, considered the father of the US nuclear navy, left a legacy of technical achievements including the United States Navy's continuing record of zero reactor accidents. A key component of this legacy was the empowerment of subordinate officers and enlisted personnel to resist the unreasonable requests of senior officers. I don't know if this program is available commercially, but it wouldn't be too difficult to set up a school. Attendance should be mandatory.
Another lesson that can be taken away could be summarized by a quote recently attributed to Rick Pitino of the University of Louisville: 'If you tell the truth, your problems will become a part of the past. If you lie, they are a part of your future.' Rick should know, as he sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind in these past few years. Look it up, if you wish. Warning given, however: It is a seriously, seriously ugly and disturbing cautionary tale.
Kids, choose your heroes wisely. Rick shouldn't be on the list, at least not for a long time to come.
As ugly as it was, BP did the right thing by letting the world view that oil gushing from its well for all those weeks. It was bad news, but it was the truth. When they finally did cap it, after showing their failures in live video, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that they had achieved the goal, ahead of the stated time-line. And now, the press is covering the clean-up, not the cover-up.
One of OS's acquaintances works in corporate PR. He's The Grim Reaper. If he shows up in your boardroom, your corporation is in very deep doo-doo. He gets called out 'when the knives are pulled', as he laconically says, with a quiet grin. OS calls upon his wisdom if he suspects things may go pear-shaped, before the knives come out.
Given what he's learned from The Grim Reaper over the years, BP made some very correct decisions in the midst of their deeply bone-headed ones.
James Hamilton, UC San Diego, shares the thoughts of Steven R. Kopits, an oil industry specialist. One of the points (all are cogent) is most interesting:
Do Send Field Managers to the 'Rickover School'. In an aggressive corporate culture seen in many oil majors, the ability of field managers to push back is critical. In such a situation, the most dangerous manager is one trying to dutifully comply with the mandates passed down from above. All field managers in the oil business (frankly, in the energy business) responsible for major at-risk activities, for example, the management of a refinery or an offshore drilling rig, need to know how to push back against management. The best I have ever met in this respect have been alumna of the nuclear fleet under Admiral Hyman Rickover. Rickover, considered the father of the US nuclear navy, left a legacy of technical achievements including the United States Navy's continuing record of zero reactor accidents. A key component of this legacy was the empowerment of subordinate officers and enlisted personnel to resist the unreasonable requests of senior officers. I don't know if this program is available commercially, but it wouldn't be too difficult to set up a school. Attendance should be mandatory.
Another lesson that can be taken away could be summarized by a quote recently attributed to Rick Pitino of the University of Louisville: 'If you tell the truth, your problems will become a part of the past. If you lie, they are a part of your future.' Rick should know, as he sowed the wind and reaped the whirlwind in these past few years. Look it up, if you wish. Warning given, however: It is a seriously, seriously ugly and disturbing cautionary tale.
Kids, choose your heroes wisely. Rick shouldn't be on the list, at least not for a long time to come.
As ugly as it was, BP did the right thing by letting the world view that oil gushing from its well for all those weeks. It was bad news, but it was the truth. When they finally did cap it, after showing their failures in live video, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that they had achieved the goal, ahead of the stated time-line. And now, the press is covering the clean-up, not the cover-up.
One of OS's acquaintances works in corporate PR. He's The Grim Reaper. If he shows up in your boardroom, your corporation is in very deep doo-doo. He gets called out 'when the knives are pulled', as he laconically says, with a quiet grin. OS calls upon his wisdom if he suspects things may go pear-shaped, before the knives come out.
Given what he's learned from The Grim Reaper over the years, BP made some very correct decisions in the midst of their deeply bone-headed ones.
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