Honeymoon Over Already?

I was reading the comments on yesterday's Obama post at MamaPop: http://www.mamapop.com/mamapop/2009/03/it-took-us-a-co.html

I was expecting fawning devotion and was surprised to see dissenting opinions of our POTUS. Where is all the pre-election love? I can't wait to see the reaction to his announcement to send 4000 new troops to Afghanistan.

Nicholas D. Kristof

Excellent opinion piece on the hazard of being narrow-minded.

Death Spiral?

In business there is a phenomenon known as the death spiral, in which the measures intended to rescue a company or industry not only fail to stem the losses, they actually accelerate the decline. In the case of newspapers, the loss of readers and advertisers led to cuts in content and features and greater irrelevancy, which led to more lost readers and advertisers, which led to still more cuts, which led to ...

Which leads to the present, potentially fatal predicament for newspapers, or at least the one you're reading now.

What is the lesson for the rest of the business world?

No business or industry is exempt from challenges and competitive threats (what business hasn't been upended by the Internet, or the economy, or both?). None is promised, much less guaranteed, perpetual survival. What matters is not the nature or severity of those challenges, but how well prepared the company or industry is to evade, counter or adapt to those threats. Newspapers weren't; now they're facing the consequences.

By Bill Virgin, Seattle PI columnist. Full article: http://www.seattlepi.com/virgin/403824_virgin17.html?source=mypi

Just got a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach that the above could be applied to the United States and our economic situation. Is China going to own us before this is over?

Dangerous Breeds

IMPORTANT

If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a 'dangerous breed' category and you also have a small child please take this as a warning. Don't leave your dog with the child unattended under any circumstances.

Only a moment was enough for this to happen.

Legalizing Marijuana in California

In response, retired Orange County Superior Court Judge James Gray, a longtime proponent of legalization, estimates that legalizing pot and thus ceasing to arrest, prosecute and imprison non-violent offenders could save the state an additional $1 billion a year. "We couldn't make this drug any more available if we tried," he says. "Not only do we have those problems, along with glamorizing it by making it illegal, but we also have the crime and corruption that go along with it." He adds, "Unfortunately, every society in the history of mankind has had some form of mind-altering, sometimes addictive substances to use, to misuse, abuse or get addicted to. Get used to it. They're here to stay. So, let's try to reduce those harms and right now we couldn't do it worse if we tried."

Complete article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090313/us_time/08599188495600

Okay, dude. Forget about right and wrong. We're losing the battle so let's just throw in the towel. What a selfish, ignorant response this is. Thank God he's retired.

I'm Not Old. Just Mature

Today at the drugstore, the clerk was a gent.
From my purchase this chap took off ten percent.
I asked for the cause of a lesser amount;
And he answered, Because of the Seniors Discount.

I went to McDonald's for a burger and fries;
And there, once again, got quite a surprise.
The clerk poured some coffee which he handed to me.
He said, For you, Seniors, the coffee is free.

Understand---I'm not old---I'm merely mature;
But some things are changing, temporarily, I'm sure.
The newspaper print gets smaller each day,
And people speak softer---can't hear what they say.

My teeth are my own (I have the receipt.),
And my glasses identify people I meet.
Oh, I've slowed down a bit...not a lot, I am sure.
You see, I'm not old...I'm only mature.

The gold in my hair has been bleached by the sun.
You should see all the damage that chlorine has done.
Washing my hair has turned it all white,
But don't call it gray...saying blonde is just right.

My car is all paid for...not a nickel is owed.
Yet a kid yells, "Old duffer...get off of the road!"
My car has no scratches...not even a dent.
Still I get all that guff from a punk who's hell bent.

My friends all get older...much faster than me.
They seem much more wrinkled, from what I can see.
I've got character lines, not wrinkles...for sure,
But don't call me old...just call me mature.

The steps in the houses they're building today
Are so high that they take...your breath all away;
And the streets are much steeper than ten years ago.
That should explain why my walking is slow.

But I'm keeping up on what's hip and what's new (Thanks MamaPop)
And I think I can still dance a mean boogaloo.
I'm still in the running...in this I'm secure,
I'm not really old...I'm only mature