09.28.06

Something I’ve Learned

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When pricing a home computer repair gig, it’s sometimes worthwhile to use a sliding scale based on what the client is able to afford. In doing so, however, I’ve learned the following: rich people ask for a printed bill, and then write a check for exactly what you ask. Poor people pay cash, and they tip.

Also: I’ve had this ravenous craving for spinach ever since I learned I couldn’t buy any. Now I hear it’s gradually making its way back onto the shelves. Welcome back, spinach! Let’s get together soon, OK?

03.07.06

A Reminder

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Now that we know you can be investigated by Homeland Security for paying off debts, this might be a good time to read up on your rights.

02.16.06

Scary Link of the Day

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Preparing for pandemic: know how to bury your dead. From Reuters.

I say bring it on. We need something to knock property values down a notch around here.

09.03.05

When We Talk About Looting

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... most of us picture people running off with TVs during a riot. We don’t think of an eighteen-year-old finding an abandoned bus, rounding up a hundred strangers, and driving them seven hours to shelter in the Astrodome. Jabbor Gibson “could find himself in a world of trouble for stealing the school bus,” according to the news report.

02.24.05

News from The Associated Press

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For those who like to get their news straight from the source, The Associated Press has just added consumer-accessible RSS feeds.

01.18.05

The Last Democrat

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Feinstein tends to get all the press for some reason, but Senator Barbara Boxer is the one politician in office today for whom I’m truly proud to have voted (especially now that State Assemblyman Darryl Steinberg has been ousted by term limits). Why? Check out her recent exchange with Condoleeza Rice. An excerpt:

Here’s the point. You and I could sit here and go back and forth and present our arguments, and maybe somebody watching a debate would pick one or the other, depending on their own views. But I’m not interested in that. I’m interested in the facts. So when I ask you these questions, I’m going to show you your words, not my words.

And, if I might say, again you said you’re aware of the stakes in Iraq; we sent our beautiful people—and thank you, thank you so much for your comments about them—to defend freedom. You sent them in there because of weapons of mass destruction. Later, the mission changed when there were none. I have your quotes on it. I have the president’s quotes on it.

And everybody admits it but you that that was the reason for the war. And then, once we’re in there, now it moves to a different mission, which is great. We all want to give democracy and freedom everywhere we can possibly do it. But let’s not rewrite history. It’s too soon to do that.

If what Boxer says makes sense to you, she’s got a petition you can sign and a PAC you can donate to. Will it make a difference? Directly, probably not. Rice will be appointed Secretary of State regardless. In the long run, however, it might just help reduce the number of invertebrate Democrats crawling through Congress, and that’s a worthwhile goal as far as I’m concerned.

(Via Metafilter.)