I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...
... if you really don't like people, please get a job somewhere other than a public museum!
One of the nephews came with other relatives to town yesterday for a last supper in Chicago before heading off to basic training and all things Air Force, and we spent the afternoon at the Field Museum. (Which, by the way, will supply the next six days of posts in a long overdue return of one of my occasional Theme Weeks - this one called Museum Musings.)
Included in our admission was the 3D movie "Awakening Sue" (a feature on the famous tyrannosaurus rex that is celebrating her 10 year anniversary this year), and we had pre-arranged ticket times for the 3:20 showing. We all headed over to the theater after exiting the climate change exhibit (which concluded with an interactive feature where museum-goers could add their conservation tips to a display by writing on an index card -- said one non-team-player, "feed Al Gore to Sue") and an angry child employee (who was on her cell phone) huffily told us that we could not line up outside the door until 10 minutes before the show.
I asked her what time it was and, when she replied "3:08", I responded: "Would you like to discuss that policy for the next 120 seconds or could my group just be first in line?" She walked away, only to be seen again when she threatened the whole crowd that the 3D glasses she passed out had a security device in them so that she would know if we tried to steal them.
What I really learned from that experience -- she should get a new job, and I should see if I can start a consulting company where I go around and test the limits of the patience of people who must deal with the public. That would be a win-win!
ALL ABOUT SUE:
http://www.fieldmuseum.org/sue/#index
EIGHT JOBS THAT REQUIRE NO EXPERIENCE:
http://www.suite101.com/content/eight-jobs-that-require-no-experience-a83405
AS ALWAYS, THERE's A GROUP FOR EVERYONE ON FB:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2375846781
November 6, 2010
Random Posting for Penn State 11/6/10
According to the all-powerful Wikipedia, 400 is (among other things) ...
... an oligarchy of ancient Athens; an HTTP status code for a bad client request; a phrase meaning the wealthiest, most famous or most powerful social group; an Atari home computer; a Lebanese card game and a Chicago and NorthWestern Railway passenger train that traveled 400 miles between the Twin Cities and Chicago in 400 minutes.
If Northwestern remains distracted by their upcoming game at Wrigley Field in two weeks (in the last 3 games, they've lost 2.5 times [come on -- last week was almost a loss!]) ... and even though Joe Pa says he's not focused on the milestone ... someone should get the chance to edit the people's encyclopedia today to mention Paterno's record.
[And let's hope that next week's game against Ohio State creates the need to immediately move any added reference to the page for the number 401!]
THE PEOPLE's ENCYCLOPEDIA SPEAKS TO THE NUMBER 400:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/400_(number)
IT's NOT ABOUT ME, SAYS JOE:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5757154
WRIGLEY GAME IS SOLD OUT! BUT DONATE TO NU ANYWAY?!:
http://giving.northwestern.edu/WrigleyTickets
... an oligarchy of ancient Athens; an HTTP status code for a bad client request; a phrase meaning the wealthiest, most famous or most powerful social group; an Atari home computer; a Lebanese card game and a Chicago and NorthWestern Railway passenger train that traveled 400 miles between the Twin Cities and Chicago in 400 minutes.
If Northwestern remains distracted by their upcoming game at Wrigley Field in two weeks (in the last 3 games, they've lost 2.5 times [come on -- last week was almost a loss!]) ... and even though Joe Pa says he's not focused on the milestone ... someone should get the chance to edit the people's encyclopedia today to mention Paterno's record.
[And let's hope that next week's game against Ohio State creates the need to immediately move any added reference to the page for the number 401!]
THE PEOPLE's ENCYCLOPEDIA SPEAKS TO THE NUMBER 400:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/400_(number)
IT's NOT ABOUT ME, SAYS JOE:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5757154
WRIGLEY GAME IS SOLD OUT! BUT DONATE TO NU ANYWAY?!:
http://giving.northwestern.edu/WrigleyTickets
November 5, 2010
Random Flashback for Friday 11/5/10
For my semester abroad 20 years ago, we lived in Koln, but the West German capital of Bonn was just "eine hop, ein uberspringen und ein sprung" away, so when I heard that Gorbachev was coming to town to visit Helmut Kohl, I skipped school and went to stand outside the gates to catch a glimpse of him. You can barely make out the limo speeding past at the very right of the photo, but it still felt historic.
Amazing Race Aside: I would much rather have preferred to have babushka'd women cheering Gorby on that day much like in the St. Petersburg potato challenge last week. Instead, it was just a handful of celebrity seekers and the odd paparazzi or two joining me along the fence!
November 4, 2010
Random Thought for Thursday 11/4/10
So I saw a map recently of levees that FEMA had just declared "unaccredited" -- and I wasn't surprised to see that many of them were in CA ... or AZ ... or LA ... or York, PA. Wait a minute -- York, PA? I grew up near there and once worked really near to there and I would never have expected it to be at risk.
So to those of you who live near the White Rose city -- now would be a good time to make sure you know how to swim, to store your most valuable posessions in the attic and to think about installing a (multi-purpose) sand box in the back yard!
HUNDREDS OF LEVEES NO LONGER RELIABLE:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-09-09-levees_N.htm
FEMA SAYS --> PROTECTION COMES WITH RISKS:
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=51891
LEFT BANK CODURUS CREEK LEVEE SYSTEM:
http://www.r3levees.org/wiki/images/f/fe/30-Day_Reminder_Letter_LeftBankCodorus.pdf
So to those of you who live near the White Rose city -- now would be a good time to make sure you know how to swim, to store your most valuable posessions in the attic and to think about installing a (multi-purpose) sand box in the back yard!
HUNDREDS OF LEVEES NO LONGER RELIABLE:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-09-09-levees_N.htm
FEMA SAYS --> PROTECTION COMES WITH RISKS:
http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=51891
LEFT BANK CODURUS CREEK LEVEE SYSTEM:
http://www.r3levees.org/wiki/images/f/fe/30-Day_Reminder_Letter_LeftBankCodorus.pdf
November 3, 2010
Random Wordplay for Wednesday 11/3/10
Emergency Bra (now available commercially):
Used in a sentence: The Emergency Bra is now available commercially!
[OK, let's first address the giant pink (or purple, since that is really red and blue mixed together) elephant (and donkey and snake-that-is-not-tread-upon) in the room. I very easily could have used "GRIDLOCK is not a synonym for CHECKS and BALANCES" as my wordplay today -- but, come on, it's been an exhausting electioneering season. All I have to say is that leadership is about taking action and building consensus and not campaigning already to keep your seat at the next election, so let's see some of that make some press. The Constitution has been bandied about quite a bit of late, so how about we use it to get something done and not sit out the next two years in a partisan squabble-fest.]
So, having gotten that off my chest, I turn to something much more entertaining to get off a chest for today's willful respite from political overload -- the inventor of the Emergency Bra has now made it commercially available. If you haven't heard, in case of terrorist attack or nuclear catastrophe (don't mock -- she made it after witnessing Chernobyl's after effects), simply unhitch and separate into two face masks to increase your chances of survival.
To quote the inventress herself: "Ladies and gentlemen, isn't that wonderful that women have two breasts, not just one? We can save not only our own life, but also the life of a man of our choice next to us."
Unless, of course, he's wearing next season's emergency jockstrap!
$29.99 ALLOWS YOU TO FEEL EXTRA SECURE:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27083_3-20017344-247.html
AND HERE's HOW YOU MAKE YOUR PURCHASE:
http://ebbra.bigcartel.com/
TO BE CLEAR, CHERNOBYL's NOT FUNNY:
http://www.chernobyl-international.com/
Used in a sentence: The Emergency Bra is now available commercially!
[OK, let's first address the giant pink (or purple, since that is really red and blue mixed together) elephant (and donkey and snake-that-is-not-tread-upon) in the room. I very easily could have used "GRIDLOCK is not a synonym for CHECKS and BALANCES" as my wordplay today -- but, come on, it's been an exhausting electioneering season. All I have to say is that leadership is about taking action and building consensus and not campaigning already to keep your seat at the next election, so let's see some of that make some press. The Constitution has been bandied about quite a bit of late, so how about we use it to get something done and not sit out the next two years in a partisan squabble-fest.]
So, having gotten that off my chest, I turn to something much more entertaining to get off a chest for today's willful respite from political overload -- the inventor of the Emergency Bra has now made it commercially available. If you haven't heard, in case of terrorist attack or nuclear catastrophe (don't mock -- she made it after witnessing Chernobyl's after effects), simply unhitch and separate into two face masks to increase your chances of survival.
To quote the inventress herself: "Ladies and gentlemen, isn't that wonderful that women have two breasts, not just one? We can save not only our own life, but also the life of a man of our choice next to us."
Unless, of course, he's wearing next season's emergency jockstrap!
$29.99 ALLOWS YOU TO FEEL EXTRA SECURE:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27083_3-20017344-247.html
AND HERE's HOW YOU MAKE YOUR PURCHASE:
http://ebbra.bigcartel.com/
TO BE CLEAR, CHERNOBYL's NOT FUNNY:
http://www.chernobyl-international.com/
November 2, 2010
Random Tune(s) for Tuesday 11/2/10
So, on this, the last day of my work in my current role (tomorrow starts a new position), I pulled the evening shift. (Poetic, eh -- I get to student advise for my last hours in the old Kap-world!) That means I am off to vote and then off to work (where I can monitor election returns).
In that spirit, I'll provide links to the tune of your choice to play depending on how your local races end up. And remember, no bitching about the outcome if you yourself didn't vote today!
GLEE KIDS PERFORMING "LOSER":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnfwqLunvf8
GREEN DAY COVERING "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnfwqLunvf8
In that spirit, I'll provide links to the tune of your choice to play depending on how your local races end up. And remember, no bitching about the outcome if you yourself didn't vote today!
GLEE KIDS PERFORMING "LOSER":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnfwqLunvf8
GREEN DAY COVERING "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnfwqLunvf8
November 1, 2010
Random Memorial for Monday 11/1/10
Gone but not forgotten: Kyle's wait for the return of the McRib.
He used words like "stoked" while he waited and "glorious" when he finally had it in his hands. He said it had been 16 years since he last tasted the pork patty with the barbecue sauce. I wanted to support him (he's been one of my best friends for over two decades) ... so I decided not to tell him that I've had access to the McRib every other year here in Chicago (apparently it sells super-well in the midwest -- go figure!) No knocking my central PA upbringings, but there are many exciting things about the big city Chicago life (and now I can add more McRibs to that list).
Mind you, we all worked at McDonalds together in East Lebanon back in the day -- and we had the freedom to play with our food while we created our crew meals. I still think I was one of the first ones to make a double quarter pounder (back before it was a regular item), and I preferred my McRibs without the bbq sauce and covered in cheese back then. What I miss most is the McDLT (the cool stays cool and the hot stays hot) ...
By the way, when we will get something new and exotic added to the national menu? Why don't we get to try the McKiwiburger (beef patty, egg, beetroot, tomato, lettuce, cheese, onions, tomato sauce, and mustard on a toasted bun from New Zealand -- or McOz if served without the egg in Australia)?
Kyle's longing to reconnect with his youth through Mickey D's menu choices, you are (no longer) missed.
THE McKIWIBURGER RETURNS TO NEW ZEALAND:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0705/S00017.htm
THE McRIB CAMPAIGN:
http://adage.com/article?article_id=146811
ONCE AGAIN, FB FOR EVERYTHING -- THIS IS 1 OF MANY PAGES (CALL TO ACTION):
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-Back-the-McRib/332826208449
He used words like "stoked" while he waited and "glorious" when he finally had it in his hands. He said it had been 16 years since he last tasted the pork patty with the barbecue sauce. I wanted to support him (he's been one of my best friends for over two decades) ... so I decided not to tell him that I've had access to the McRib every other year here in Chicago (apparently it sells super-well in the midwest -- go figure!) No knocking my central PA upbringings, but there are many exciting things about the big city Chicago life (and now I can add more McRibs to that list).
Mind you, we all worked at McDonalds together in East Lebanon back in the day -- and we had the freedom to play with our food while we created our crew meals. I still think I was one of the first ones to make a double quarter pounder (back before it was a regular item), and I preferred my McRibs without the bbq sauce and covered in cheese back then. What I miss most is the McDLT (the cool stays cool and the hot stays hot) ...
By the way, when we will get something new and exotic added to the national menu? Why don't we get to try the McKiwiburger (beef patty, egg, beetroot, tomato, lettuce, cheese, onions, tomato sauce, and mustard on a toasted bun from New Zealand -- or McOz if served without the egg in Australia)?
Kyle's longing to reconnect with his youth through Mickey D's menu choices, you are (no longer) missed.
THE McKIWIBURGER RETURNS TO NEW ZEALAND:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0705/S00017.htm
THE McRIB CAMPAIGN:
http://adage.com/article?article_id=146811
ONCE AGAIN, FB FOR EVERYTHING -- THIS IS 1 OF MANY PAGES (CALL TO ACTION):
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-Back-the-McRib/332826208449
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