It gripes me when some people complain that the US government’s space program is a waste of money, as if the funds themselves were being launched off-planet.
The current issue of The Erickson Tribune, a newsletter for Boomers and people of retirement age, includes the results of a reader poll conducted by researcher Jered Rasmussen.
I was pleasantly surprised by the majority opinion.
Month: February 2004
Retreat in India
Because I have a company website, I receive solicitations from time to time from overseas outsourcing companies, mostly from India and Russia.
One particularly assertive individual has emailed me several times, asking if I have an assignment which I’d consider throwing in his direction.
Out of curiosity, I started corresponding with him, starting with a few generic questions about the type of projects he’s worked on, and ending with a serious request for proposal.
The results were interesting.
The Cost of Citizenship: Time
The mainstream media, which had given Bush (“I’m a war president”) a pass for three long years seems – finally – to be crawling out of its communal spider hole.
Thanks to Vietnam vet John Kerry, who has been through one or two political fights in his long career, the media now can focus on a candidate from the loyal opposition who is not afraid of the Rove/Bush smear machine.
Perhaps smelling blood, or maybe just hedging their bets in case of a Democratic victory this fall, the press has been giving its attention to the deficit; intelligence failures; and corruption in the military/industrial complex.
Friday Five
TGIF and a happy President’s Day weekend:
1. Are you superstitious?
Ayup, I own this one.
2. What extremes have you heard of someone going to in the name of superstition?
Human sacrifice would be right up there.
3. Believer or not, what’s your favorite superstition?
Making a wish when a digital clock shows all the same numerals, like 11:11. Must be a modern superstition, huh?
4. Do you believe in luck? If yes, do you have a lucky number/article of clothing/ritual?
Sure do. I make a wish when I enter a new church, which happens oh, probably not often enough for someone who’s superstitious.
5. Do you believe in astrology? Why or why not?
Nope. From the small amount of training I have in Probability & Statistics, it doesn’t seem possible that 1/12 of the world would have the same events, concerns, shots at romance or the lottery on any given day.
Another Reason for Off-shoring
Actually, this one makes a whole lot of sense.
Sounds about right
One million dollars bail.
Unlike the great state of Massachusetts, where this week, legislators are in a twit over the granting of marriage licenses to any couple who doesn’t look like Trista and Ryan, they don’t cotton much to child abuse in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
And more power to ’em.
On the Eve of “Meet the Press”
Franklin (Lyn) Nofziger, who heads Nofziger Communications, a consulting and government relations firm, is a long-time Reagan insider and served as press secretary and later assistant to the president for political affairs during the Reagan administration.
His words have particular meaning this election year.
Weathering
This witty poem was awarded third place in the Cape Cod Times Primetime 2003 Poetry & Prose Contest.
The author, Kate Connolly lives in Centerville, MA.
The Boobs of CBS
I’ve been confused by the amount of Victorian era swooning on the part of corporate executives and Bush administration officials alike on the half-time antics at this year’s Super Bowl.
Viacom, the owner of CBS and MTV, can hardly lay claim to good taste or restraint. Flooding the airwaves with misogyny and adolescent sexual fantasies is nothing new. Even the Bible thumpers on Pennsylvania Avenue have shown little interest up to now in reining in giggle, jiggle or wiggle.
Happy Days Ain’t Here Again
From the Economic Policy Institute:
JobWatch Bulletin, February 6, 2004
www.jobwatch.org
Continued high unemployment and the lack of meaningful job growth made 2003 the worst year for weekly wage growth for the typical worker since 1996 (see EPI Issue Brief Weak Recovery Claims New Victim: Workers’ Wages ). This clearly indicates that the weak labor market is now hurting employed workers as well as those looking for work.