It's Sad Because It's True...

You Are Candy Corn

Your Halloween personality is whimsical, colorful, and creative. You see Halloween as a time to get your creative juices flowing. Each year, Halloween can't start soon enough for you. You tend to go all out for Halloween. You decorate like crazy and always dress up.

What Halloween Treat Are You?

The first candy I brought in to work this year was candy corn. One of my co-workers was trying to have a semi-serious meeting with my while I was trying to wear the candy corn as multi-colored vampire teeth and other silliness. I know that Lewis Black thinks that candy corn is pretty much from the devil, but that's ok, he can give his to me. You can read Lew's opinion here, watch it here, or watch the animated version here. Streeter Seidell rebuts Lew under #7 of his article Burning Halloween Questions UNMASKED! from Mental Floss (on CNN).

The Jungle

...the watchdog group [Project on Government Oversight] said oversight offices throughout the government have been underfunded and co-opted by political appointees with a partisan agenda. The report recommended that all organizations with oversight responsibilities--from inspectors general offices to the Defense Contract Audit Agency--be "afforded the resources, authority and incentives" to complete their missions... ~ Government Executive

No surprises there for anyone who has been paying attention. We've already seen the some "results" of this in finance. The issues with our financial systems are deeply unpleasant, but we will most likely recover from them. My fear is the long-lasting impact of the lessening of regulation and oversight in the food and drug industries and the irrevocable impact of our irresponsible environmental stewardship.

It's a Dog's Life

James Lileks, the author who brings us entertaining nostalgia books like "The Gallery of Regrettable Food," has a gallery of newspaper dog photos Dateline:Kennel (They Gave Their Dignity So That Others Might Laugh).

All Hallows Eve Reminder

Don't forget to get your Halloween costume, crank up some Halloween music, and stock up plenty of Halloween treats for Friday.

What Is Wrong With People?

I was blown away by the findings from this Chicago Tribune investigation, inspired by the Stolen Valor Act (2006).

Scores of Americans, from clergymen to lawyers to CEOs, are claiming medals of valor they never earned.

A Tribune investigation has found that the fabrication of heroic war records is far more extensive than you might think.

Take the online edition of Who's Who, long the nation's premier biographical reference. Of the 333 people whose profiles state they earned one of the nation's most esteemed military medals, fully a third of those claims cannot be supported by military records. ~ Claims of Medals Amount to Stolen Valor, John Crewdson, Tribune correspondent

Seriously, what is wrong with these people? Are they that insecure?

Now in Seven Designer Colors!

During my teen years I was seriously into design and one of my favorite jokes was hoping that in the future "everything will come in seven designer colors." Well, it looks like I'm starting to get my wish. Lately, everything including coffeemakers is embracing color and design. And now I see you can get a Dell Studio 15 Laptop in precisely seven colors - and with a name like Studio 15 you just know those are designer colors, don't you? You know you do. Personally I would go for "Plum." I don't usually like pink and orange, but I would take "Flamingo" or "Tangerine." Such is the power of designer colors. They also come in four different designs, but if you want it in "Bunch O Surfers" that's going to cost you some time, baby, because those things are on backorder.

Hmmm... This New Management Fad is Crazy Enough That it Just Might Work

I've been searching the intertubes looking for the cartoonist who drew this delightful cartoon about the "Just Do Your Fricking Job" management methodology. I love this cartoon and it captures a phrase that I have used often at work. (Wouldn't the whole world just run better if everyone would do their frickin' jobs?) Some have accused me of drawing it myself, but if I had I definitely wouldn't have signed it "Nick."

So where are you, Nick? Soogle must find you. At the very least you deserve credit and praise. And perhaps you have drawn other witty cartoons for me to frame and hang at my desk.

10/24/08 Update: Winterwolf has beat Soogle at her own game and found Nick's website! You can find more Nick Kim goodness at Lab initio. Does this mean that Winterwolf can now be called Woogle?

Welcome to the Crew

You Scored as Babylon 5 (Babylon 5)
The universe is erupting into war and your government picks the wrong side. How much worse could things get? It doesn't matter, because no matter what you have your friends and you'll do the right thing. In the end that will be all that matters. Now if only the Psi Cops would leave you alone.

And I married:


You Scored as SG-1 (Stargate)

You are versatile and diverse in your thinking. You have an open mind to that which seems highly unlikely and accept it with a bit of humor. Now if only aliens would stop trying to take over your body.

Fred's Bank

I've noticed that since the banking "issues" have started, and especially since the mention of the bailout, quite a few people have come to the Thoughts looking for Steve Martin's bit about "Fred's Bank." I used the title for a post about missing federal funds back in 2005, and later updated it with links to Steve's site* and some other fun things.

What I'm not sure of is: Are the people who are searching for that comedy bit going to use it lambaste the banking industry? Or are they seriously hopeful that Fred has opened a bank because, quite honestly, the "right coat pocket" way of doing business actually seems a bit safer than what else is going on these days...

*Oddly, when I checked the link before posting this it said the account was suspended. Come back to us, Steve!!