This Dream Would Make More Sense If I Watched More TV
Nov 25, 2004
I am on the starship Enterprise, from the Next Generation TV show (a fine show, even if certain people think it’s boring). We find a spaceship (is it an alternative Enterprise? I’m not sure) stuck in between two dimensions, partially in ours and partially in another. This ship moves close to us to transfer its crew over; “it must be so horrible to be trapped between dimensions, they’ll try anything,” says Captain Picard.
Their ship touches ours, at the bottom Read on…
The 15-Point Solution
Nov 23, 2004
As I mentioned, my fantasy football season has included a lot more getting my butt kicked than I had anticipated. Well, it’s one thing to lose, and it’s another thing to lose without a plan. And that’s what I was doing: losing without a plan! At least with a plan I’d have, ya know, at a minimum the plan itself.
So, what plan could I possibly have? Well, of the five games I lost, four were lost by more than 10 but less than 15 points (the other was lost by Read on…
If Life Is Like A Box Of Chocolates, Then Business School Is Like A Portfolio Of Risky Securities
Nov 22, 2004
On one level, it’s a little disturbing that my high-effort, high-stress business school experience can be reduced to such a simple, clear, and exactly descriptive metaphor. On the other hand, it’s convenient, and we’re all about efficacy and efficiency at b-school. So, here it is. Businees school really is like a portfolio of risky securities!
In a major exception from my usual practice, I’m actually going to try and explain what it is that all this means. What, 2/3 of my readers are asking, is a portfolio Read on…
Tivo Owners: Relax Please
Nov 20, 2004
So TiVo recently announced that they’re going to run banner ads when you fast forward through ads. The blogosphere went wild, not least becase of the LA Times’ inflammatory headline, “TiVo Will No Longer Skip Past Advertisers”.
Read on…A Mentor? For Me?
Nov 18, 2004
The Marshall Career Development Office has a program in which, every year, they match a small number of students with volunteer alumni mentors. About a month ago, on somwhat of a lark, I applied.
It was a lark because I didn’t really think I’d get it. There are a ton of qualified, ultra-competitive people in my class, and I figured they’d be right on the ball; there are also a number of really bright career-switchers who could use a push in the right direction. Between those two groups, what kind of a chance does a middle-of-the Read on…
Arafatrospective
Nov 13, 2004
I can understand a lot of the choices that Yasser Arafat made during his lifetime. He probably understood quite early on how his people were being used by both the Arabs and the Israelis to justify various political policies, and that none of these policies would improve the lot of his people. Why not choose, under these circumstances, to try and take over first Jordan and then Lebanon? Of course, as with his stewardship of the Palestinian Authority, it all came to pieces in the end.
So what will Arafat be remembered for? For leading Read on…
You Say Finance, I Say Finance
Nov 11, 2004
Finance scares the stuffing out of me. Not only is it hard and often non-intuitive, it’s also something I’d like to be good at. Budgeting, planning, starting and buying companies — all of these are applications of Finance. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I had any idea what I was doing in the class? I’ve got a midterm tomorrow and I haven’t a clue as to what grade I might get.
Now, there’s plenty of other liberal arts majors at Marshall, so that at least gives me hope that there’s a bunch of Read on…
At This Point, The Only Fantasy Left Is Winning
Nov 8, 2004
There’s two minutes to go, the evil Colts have the ball, and my only hope for a win is that the Vikings’ tight end Jermaine Wiggins scores two touchdowns. My fantasy Fantasy season has turned into a weekly sob story.
It’s not that I drafted badly; and given that I only had five minutes to prepare for my draft, that’s quite a surprise. It’s that I bench the wrong players. After a four-game winning streak, I’ve now lost five in a row. Four out of those five games, including this week’s, I’ve Read on…
Partypoker And All Those Damn Comment Spammers Got Me Down
Nov 7, 2004
If you look down at the bottom of the page you’ll see a new form for posting comments. That’s because, today, I spent three hours of my time trying to save this blog from comment spammers.
I realized the problem was out of hand when four things happened:
- MT-Blacklist was catching about 7 attempted comment spammings a day
- MT-Blacklist was letting about 3 attempted comment spammings a day get past, requiring me to check new comments daily and try to both delete spam and add new spam terms to the blacklist Read on… (plus 3 Comments)
- In the past, non-voters have been overwhelmingly working-class and minorities, both of whom skew very Democratic
- Who schleps out to the polling place Read on… (plus 5 Comments)
Oh I Love The Electoral College, Yes I Do
Nov 2, 2004
(Note: as of this hour, the election has not yet been called for anyone.)
I’m all for the Electoral College. Bush may end up in the White House, but I’ll still love the Electoral College. The Electoral College is a good, Federal institution. It’s one of those things that makes us the United States of America, not just the Large Country Dominating The Continent Of (North) America.
Electing a President is, ideally, about putting someone in office with some kind of a mandate. Someone who a lot of Americans will Read on…
The White House Won't Take My Official Concession Phone Call
Nov 3, 2004
Well, the apparently oft-underestimated Mr. Bush has done it again. And this time, better, which is actually a good thing because, well, if Bush can learn to get elected better maybe he can learn to fight world terrorism and fix the economy better too.
All yesterday everyone had heard all about the big turnout, which would usually be a bad thing for Bush because: