The Nerd's Eye View

Interestingly enough I've been thinking about this same issue for a while now, and was surprised when it was on the news this morning in the car. While most folks think of China as either blindly rapacious, or overall ungainly and not accustomed to it's place in the world, that is untrue. Frankly, the Chinese are extremely savvy players on the world stage and their recent successes have not come overnight, but have been the result of years of diplomacy and thoughtful strategy. Their current influence in Africa (particularly where there are natural resources to be had) is based in work done throughout the 70's, or rather, they plan for the far future instead of just the near term. Have a listen to NPR's analysis or read it if you can't listen.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I had heard of this W movie, but thought it was still in the conceptual stages till I saw the trailer. I have to say I'm surprised, not least of which because the whole thing is happening so quickly and is apparently timed for release near election time. Does anyone think it will affect the course of events? Also, why couldn't this have come out before the previous election? What conspiracy is responsible for that I ask you? Heck, I don't know, and I don't know if this movie will be any "good" either for entertainment or commentary.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 3:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Have you guys heard about the plan to put solar power stations in space and beam the energy back to Earth? Sounds kooky but intriguing.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I went to my semiannual dental check up yesterday and it turns out I needed x-rays done. The hygienist came in and took the images which showed up on a computer screen at the foot of the dentist chair. I pulled my glasses out to put them on so I could see the images and, as I swung my arm up, got it all the way up the front of his scrubs. I immediately pulled my arm back out but as I you can imagine it was extremely awkward. I apologized in a rush of words, and at the back of my mind I asked the question every man asks himself after an incident like this: "does this make me gay?" I quickly answered in the negative and wondered if it'd be less awkward if it were a girl. Nope. Probably not.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I do.

Nerd friends, the Watchmen has been adapted into a movie and I for one am going to be first in line to see it. It's a great graphic novel, and probably one of the first to question the whole "superhero" genre and find it wanting. Check out the trailer here and don't bother telling me I am a dork - I already know.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 4:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I'm not one to talk politics on this blog, as I'm sure you know. But occasionally I see something pretty outrageous and feel compelled to share it with the wide world. Just over at BBC this morning and saw an article about the interrogation video of a Canadian 16 year old being held at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. It's pretty harrowing and frankly seems cruelly indifferent to the suffering of someone who is basically a kid, any way you slice it. In short not for the faint of heart.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 9:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Apparently the commoditization of simply everything has finally been completed. Now you can get your ideas out of a vending machine just like anything else. I talked to Pedro and Iain and now, it seems the only thing we need to get into the idea game is ideas for local fun. Any ideas?

courtesy of Iain

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 8:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

You may live under a rock (or in Canada or some god-awful place like that) and not know that there are tons of forest fires raging around the American West. I'm not saying it because it's important (unlike most people out West I am not convinced that I live at the omphalos of the world), but because it's pretty hard to miss that much fire. Luckily, I am not in the path of the blaze and can go about my bland life, carting myself back and forth to work etc. - except. Except, that there is a haze hanging over the area whose sole purpose seems to be making our sunsets look spectacular every night. The only downfall is that every time I see that beautiful sunset I'm faintly aware of my lungs blackening, and the fact that nuclear winter would kind of look like this except darker and colder ... and with more cannibalism.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Mike Birbiglia might be the funniest new comedian I've heard in a long time. Check out his take on - well I'll let you figure out what he's talking about, but it's so on.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 1:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Is it bad that I want my kids to be like this?

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

It's been a while since I used this forum for it's original purpose which is to kvetch - but it's about that time again and here I am. If you know me, you know that I am a big fan (cf obsessed with) thematic unity. For example, let's just say you own a bar called the 21st Amendment (the amendment that repealed the alcohol Prohibition that was in effect post WWI). Now let's say that you have this business and you want it to be successful. Let's also say that Repeal Day rolls around, which is to say, the day that your name and concept is based on. What do you do? If I ran the place, I'd try to educate my underachieving staff and maybe have a drink special or two. Heck, if ANYone ran this place it'd be the case. Yet the under-educated chumps that run that place had nothing planned, the staff looked at me like I had a hand sticking out of my forehead, and the night was a disappointment.

I had the chance to go back there again on Friday after doing some awareness stuff for Save the Bay (check them out, they're good kids) involving kayaking behind the ballpark. Afterward, everyone was hungry except me and Dr Germ (since we came prepared) so we went to the 21st Amendment. It's always awkward to sit in a restaurant with a bunch of people who are eating and not join in. So I decided to share a plate of wings with Dr Germ (what's the harm in that? Not a lot of food and it's social). Scanning down the menu, I find that the wings are $9 a plate - well ok, I guess, I mean it's not that big of a deal, right? Out comes the plate with - not six - but five (5) wings. Five wings. So we're talking almost $2 a wing. Not so bad if you're eating the goose that laid the golden eggs but otherwise usurious.

I'm not a total cheapskate but that's just a slap in the face. For $10 I could have had a sandwich with fries or a salad, but just a dollar less and I'm off the cliff edge, with only five wings and not even a celery stick to keep it company. Ladies and gentlemen, the wing is the cheapest part of the bird. Wings were invented to make a use of this part of the chicken that was heretofore tossed out with the wilted lettuce! Hence, my outrage. So I did the best I could, which is to talk to the manager as we were leaving and give him the skinny on both these topics. Yes, I sounded like a kook, but what else am I to do in a situation like this? I made my stand and I will check back on these folks soon to see if they've taken my suggestions.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I'd just like to take a moment to recognize my brother, who just got promoted out of the basement at his job with the Phoenix Suns. In the image above he's in the "war room" during the NBA draft this year, and apparently all his ostentatious dress (along with long looooong hours and hard work) have finally paid off. Well done!

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 10:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just a quick note on the 4th to say Happy Birthday, kiddo. You're another year older and we are quite proud of you for getting this far in one piece. There have been some hard times (remember the 60's? You were so wasted!) and good times but we've been together through some of them. For your birthday I went out on the bay in San Francisco in a kayak and raised awareness of it and managed to pick up some trash too. Good stuff...

Listen, just so's you know. I've been talking to some of the other citizens and the neighbors and we're hoping you do something good come November time ok? You've been backsliding and we're really hoping you can get it together.

Ok. Good talk, let's talk again later ok?

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 9:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

In reference to my previous post - it all changes and it changes quickly at that. My business unit had it's final hurrah party yesterday ("Doing the impossible for 25 years!") and many of us planned to attend with the sort of irony usually reserved by hipsters. It was to be a day of goodbyes and cheesy music when suddenly -

I got an email telling me that those of us who had gotten jobs with NewCo were to skip the first hour and show up at the cafeteria for a special guest and an announcement. The special guest turned out to be the chairman of the Faceless Corporation board who told us in a very roundabout way that the factory was not closing -

cue Kool and the Gang's "Celebrate" -

Apparently at the literal 11th hour, the nameless bean counters who only rival our lawyers for control of the direction of the company discovered a massive demand for one of our old products. Guess who gets to stay open to satisfy that demand ... that's right! So the factory stays open minus its star technicians (who got poached so fast it gave them whiplash), most of it's engineers, and some of the equipment which has already been dismantled. 10 points for giving hope to those who hadn't got new positions, subtract 9000 for timing and any kind of foresight.

Unfortunately for me, Fat'n'Happy is still leaving, as is Biggles, Hatchet Face, and many more for whom this is the last day. Against that backdrop I'm packing up my cubicle to move to another one on the third floor. This is like the season finale of The Office.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's been a tough couple of weeks for me, leading up to this week. Things are changing pretty fast at NewCo which is no less inscrutable than it has been in the past. Most of the changes are minor like moving cubicles or some talk of new projects etc, but there are more concerning ones. For example there was a recent email about tightening our belts. Mainly it involved not traveling unless entirely necessary, and of course doing so in "economy or economy premium" where possible. I'm surprised that anyone was allowed to travel at a higher level than that initially considering the company was created with an inbuilt cost consciousness. Two days later we got an email that there was a problem with the payroll system that would lead to our pay getting in on time but our pay stubs being delayed. I'm glad that they let us know, but it is worrying on the heels of the "cheapness initiative" as I like to call it.

Outside of NewCo, there's the issue of the impending end of our old business unit. There's a feeling like a mixture of last day of high school and the funeral of a close friend haunting the halls. Every day, it seems, there is a luncheon to say goodbye to someone, who's moving on to a new job or something. It's been toughest with Becklesworth (who is still around) and Fat'n'Happy and his little family to whom I've grown quite attached. I had dinner with them on Monday and when I was dropped off at the train station had to fight against a surprising wave of emotion. Curse this all too human heart that beats in my breast!

Still got some more time with Becklesworth, who underscored his overall value to the team by organizing a brewery tour at the Anchor Steam brewery. It was a nice way to spend the afternoon, plus the company was good (Dr Germ, The Married Guy [hey, you said they called you that!], Flanders and one other for whom I have no current nickname) so it all worked out. For such a small operation it was amazing to see how much they could make and distribute! I looked for Oompa Loompa's but couldn't really find any - must be part of the development plan though.

Posted by Lo Fat Mo at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)