September, 2015 archive
And Now Your Moment of Zen 0
The Art of Appeal 0
Keith Larson thinks he has uncovered the secret of Donald Trump’s success and sums it up in two words.
“Churls” 0
Gin and Tacos points out that the term, “churls,” is not just about classy (or not). It’s also about class.
Follow the link and read the post.
Business as Usual 0
Volkswagen, BP, Enron, Wall Street–Why all the cheating?
David Steinberg points to the MBA culture. A nugget:
At the heart of these scandals is an unchallenged attitude of “business as usual” that privileges financial metrics of success over all else and assumes that maximizing shareholder returns is the raison d’être of a corporation.
Papal Divestments 0
Funny or Die takes a look at right-wing reaction to Pope Francis. It’s too true to be funny.
Here’s a bit:
Make TWUUG Your LUG 0
Learn about the wonderful world of free and open source. Learn how to use computers to do what you want, not what someone else wants you to do.
It’s not hard; it’s just different.
What: Monthly TWUUG Meeting.
Who: Everyone in TideWater/Hampton Roads with interest in any/all flavors of Unix/Linux. There are no dues or signup requirements. All are welcome.
Where: Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk Training Room. See directions below. (Wireless and wired internet connection available.) Turn right upon entering, then left at the last corridor and look for the open meeting room.
When: 7:30 PM till whenever (usually 9:30ish) on Thursday, October 1.
Directions:
Lake Taylor Hospital
1309 Kempsville Road
Norfolk, Va. 23502 (Map)
Pre-Meeting Dinner at 6:00 PM (separate checks)
Uno Chicago Grill
Virginia Beach Blvd. & Military Highway (Janaf Shopping Center). (Map)
Join the forums.
Facebook Frolics 0
No, you cannot frolic in private and all the gobbledygook in the world won’t change that.
The Invisible Man 0
I usually avoid stories about celebrities (and especially those odious bits of click-bait with come-ons like “17 Worst Plastic Surgeries; the Tenth Will Really Shock!” which seem to be all the rage with the advertisers now), but this caught my eye and I’m glad it did.
“Suffer the Children” 0
In Florida, that’s a statement of policy:
For nearly 10 years, the state denied, finagled and fought. Yet when the ruling finally came down last December, the judge was emphatic: Florida’s neediest children were in danger, and the state was in violation of federal laws.
That was it. Victory. Salvation. Hope. Except the state refused to give in. It sought nearly $3 million in additional funding to appeal and continue fighting the ruling.
Follow the link for details.
More Football Fail 0
Another example of why I am so done with big-time football.
The parents are blaming to the local high school officials, but the NCAA, which has raised arbitrary impenetrability, nitpicking, and selective enforcement to a fine art, is ultimately responsible.
Test Fail 0
I must ask again whether there is a special intelligence test persons must fail in order to become school administrators.
If you’re an employee of Montgomery County (Va.–ed.) Public Schools, no imagination is necessary. Because that’s precisely what the school system was asking its workers to do.
Thanks to the inquiries of the reporter, the form is being revised. Follow the link for more.
The Last CSI 0
We DVRed the last CSI and watched it last night.
It ripped and snorted, but not necessarily in all the right places. Halfway through, I turned to my friend and said, “CSI meets Nightmare on Elm Street.”
The actress who played Lady Heather had obviously had her lips botoxed since her previous appearances on the show. Lesson learned: Don’t Botox, detox.
For a science fiction show (you don’t really believe that forensics labs have those resources and that kind of dedication, do you? If you do, I have this bridge . . .), it had a good run. Even in the middle years, when it was “sexual perversion of the week” (like the David Vitter Memorial Episode), it was fun to watch.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
The hunt for politeness continues.
Upton, 28, was taken to an Arkansas hospital, where he died from his injuries.
I’m sure he looked just a bear or a rabbit or whatever the other fellow was hunting.
The Rich Are Different from You and Me 0
. . . and they have a card that proves it.
So even though the settlement itself blames individuals for the problems at GM, there will be no trials or jail time for those who knowingly concealed information from the government about the deadly ignition switches for years. While the settlement celebrates GM for “terminating” the wrongdoers, in reality the guilty profited during a decade of delaying the recall, then left the company with golden parachutes.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said that his hands were tied because, unlike other industries, the auto industry is not breaking any law by putting a potentially deadly product (GM’s faulty ignition switches–ed.) on the market.