The Real Katie Couric?: On the eve of Halloween, Time Out New York has selected Today show cohost Katie Couric (America's Sweetheart) as one of it's 13 Creepiest People.
"But something about Katie Couric's perky mien makes us uncomfortable -- as if at any moment, she might take an ice pick to the affable Matt Lauer. And no one extracts a $60 million contract from NBC by just being cute. Fueling our Three Faces of Eve theory are innumberable rumors about how Couric is a behind-the-scenes menace who terrorizes innocent Today show staffers."
Thursday, October 30, 2003
Your Chance Of Dying: The National Safety Council offers a morbidly fascinating list of causes of death and the odds that one of them will result in you taking that dirt nap we're all trying to avoid.
For example, the odds of dying from contact with hot tap-water in 2000 were 1 in 5,005,564. (via Popbitch)
For example, the odds of dying from contact with hot tap-water in 2000 were 1 in 5,005,564. (via Popbitch)
Kosher Dog Food: Increased interest in healthy eating is stoking demand for kosher food among two and four-legged consumers.
"Among the displays (at the Kosherfest trade show) of kosher baked goods, wines from six continents and dairy products, some exhibitors offered samples of foods that once seemed impossible to find as kosher: bison burgers, goat cheese, enchiladas, paella, Moroccan-style merguez sausages, beer, Irish whiskey and, yes, gourmet cat and dog food." (Newsday)
"Among the displays (at the Kosherfest trade show) of kosher baked goods, wines from six continents and dairy products, some exhibitors offered samples of foods that once seemed impossible to find as kosher: bison burgers, goat cheese, enchiladas, paella, Moroccan-style merguez sausages, beer, Irish whiskey and, yes, gourmet cat and dog food." (Newsday)
Honesty Is The Best Policy: It's kind of nice to have a mayor who doesn't spend every waking moment trying to cover his ass.
"The move was unusual, from a political point of view. Mayor Bloomberg was widely praised after the blackout for the city's performance, and his poll ratings rose, with voters saying their assessment of him had improved because of the way he handled things during the crisis. Nonetheless, he ordered a warts-and-all review of what had worked and what had not, and made it public." (NYT)
"The move was unusual, from a political point of view. Mayor Bloomberg was widely praised after the blackout for the city's performance, and his poll ratings rose, with voters saying their assessment of him had improved because of the way he handled things during the crisis. Nonetheless, he ordered a warts-and-all review of what had worked and what had not, and made it public." (NYT)
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Street Art: New Yorkers look down or straight ahead when they walk. The tourists are the pedestrians peering into the heavens.
There's a reason we look at our feet: To make sure the manolo blahnik's don't get scuffed. While we're looking down, though, we can also spot some interesting street art.
Rachelle Bowden has photographed an impressive collection of street writing. (via 601am)
There's also the Wooster Collective, which features stickers, posters, stencils and graffiti.
And because people's fascination with street art seems to know no bounds, there's Tagmobiles, a site with photos of trucks that have been tagged by graffiti artists.
There's a reason we look at our feet: To make sure the manolo blahnik's don't get scuffed. While we're looking down, though, we can also spot some interesting street art.
Rachelle Bowden has photographed an impressive collection of street writing. (via 601am)
There's also the Wooster Collective, which features stickers, posters, stencils and graffiti.
And because people's fascination with street art seems to know no bounds, there's Tagmobiles, a site with photos of trucks that have been tagged by graffiti artists.
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Regional Cell Phone Etiquette: If you believe this survey, where you live has a lot to say about how you handle your cell phone.
"A new survey from Cingular Wireless reveals striking regional differences in what Americans believe is the proper and courteous use of cellular phones in public areas. Southerners are most likely to disable their ringers when entering a church while Westerners are most likely to turn off their ringers before entering libraries, theatres, restaurants, and schools. Midwesterners are most likely to silence their phones when going into retail stores."
"New Yorkers disable their ringers most in libraries and hospitals."
Apparently, New Yorkers are also getting really good at hiding behind our cell phones when we're late for appointments. This is true. We have a lot to learn.
"A new survey from Cingular Wireless reveals striking regional differences in what Americans believe is the proper and courteous use of cellular phones in public areas. Southerners are most likely to disable their ringers when entering a church while Westerners are most likely to turn off their ringers before entering libraries, theatres, restaurants, and schools. Midwesterners are most likely to silence their phones when going into retail stores."
"New Yorkers disable their ringers most in libraries and hospitals."
Apparently, New Yorkers are also getting really good at hiding behind our cell phones when we're late for appointments. This is true. We have a lot to learn.
The New Heroes: Librarians are my new heroes.
"The Patriot Act has generated protests from the left and the right since it passed, almost unanimously, six weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But few critics are more stubborn than the librarians, who see it as an assault on such basic civil liberties as reading privacy and intellectual freedom."
"Library associations in most states have passed resolutions against the Patriot Act's Section 215, which gives the FBI broader access to the "business records" of people who aren't suspected of any crime. Speaking to Congress this past June, Attorney General John Ashcroft said that could include educational records and genetic data -- and information gathered in libraries." (WSJ subscription required)
Librarians are one the last lines of defense against the erosion of privacy threatened by the Patriot Act. As the new heroes, it is only fitting that they have an action figure.
"The Patriot Act has generated protests from the left and the right since it passed, almost unanimously, six weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But few critics are more stubborn than the librarians, who see it as an assault on such basic civil liberties as reading privacy and intellectual freedom."
"Library associations in most states have passed resolutions against the Patriot Act's Section 215, which gives the FBI broader access to the "business records" of people who aren't suspected of any crime. Speaking to Congress this past June, Attorney General John Ashcroft said that could include educational records and genetic data -- and information gathered in libraries." (WSJ subscription required)
Librarians are one the last lines of defense against the erosion of privacy threatened by the Patriot Act. As the new heroes, it is only fitting that they have an action figure.
Monday, October 27, 2003
Sunday, October 26, 2003
The Sexiest Subway Line: Time Out New York's annual sex issue contains a survey which -- among other things -- polled New Yorkers on the subway line they thought had "the hottest" straphangers - the N,R; the 1,9; the L or the 4,5,6. And the winners are...
Lexington Ave. line was tops among straight men (45%). Is this an uptown or downtown thing?
Straight women prefer the Lex and the N/R (32% and 30%). The men of Astoria.
Lesbians couldn't get enough of the L (100%). So much for Park Slope.
Bi and gay men fell for the 1/9 (67% and 47%). Next stop Christopher Street.
Bi women got hot and bothered on the N/R (40%). Transfer to the L at 14th Street.
What's the least sexy line? Hard to tell but the fact that the train with the longest route wasn't even mentioned makes me think that size, in fact, doesn't matter.
Lexington Ave. line was tops among straight men (45%). Is this an uptown or downtown thing?
Straight women prefer the Lex and the N/R (32% and 30%). The men of Astoria.
Lesbians couldn't get enough of the L (100%). So much for Park Slope.
Bi and gay men fell for the 1/9 (67% and 47%). Next stop Christopher Street.
Bi women got hot and bothered on the N/R (40%). Transfer to the L at 14th Street.
What's the least sexy line? Hard to tell but the fact that the train with the longest route wasn't even mentioned makes me think that size, in fact, doesn't matter.
Saturday, October 25, 2003
Knee Defender: I fly a lot and I'm getting tired of wiping spilled beverages off my pants or pushing a folding tray table out of my gut because some inconsiderate lout in the seat infront of me leaned back without looking over his shoulder first.
Those days are over.
"Every cramped air traveler may have the right to lean his seat back, but Ira Goldman sees airplane justice from another perspective — that of the person behind — and he's found a way to even the score. "
"Goldman invented the Knee Defender, a beeper-sized block of plastic that lets passengers prevent the seat in front of them from reclining."
The FAA says this little gizmo ($9.95) doesn't violate any FAA regulations and is leaving it up to the airlines to decide if they'll prohibit its use.
I'm not sure I'd snap it on unless provoked but it will be nice to know that I can. (MSNBC)
via MSNBC
Those days are over.
"Every cramped air traveler may have the right to lean his seat back, but Ira Goldman sees airplane justice from another perspective — that of the person behind — and he's found a way to even the score. "
"Goldman invented the Knee Defender, a beeper-sized block of plastic that lets passengers prevent the seat in front of them from reclining."
The FAA says this little gizmo ($9.95) doesn't violate any FAA regulations and is leaving it up to the airlines to decide if they'll prohibit its use.
I'm not sure I'd snap it on unless provoked but it will be nice to know that I can. (MSNBC)
via MSNBC
Friday, October 24, 2003
An Old-Fashioned Ass-Whipper: Next time you need to kick someone's butt, use this device and you won't even break a sweat.
U.S. Patent #6,293,874: "User-operated amusement apparatus for kicking the user's buttocks."
"An amusement apparatus including a user-operated and controlled apparatus for self-infliction of repetitive blows to the user's buttocks by a plurality of elongated arms bearing flexible extensions that rotate under the user's control. The apparatus includes a platform foldable at a mid-section, having first post and second upstanding posts detachably mounted thereon." (via Collision Detection)
U.S. Patent #6,293,874: "User-operated amusement apparatus for kicking the user's buttocks."
"An amusement apparatus including a user-operated and controlled apparatus for self-infliction of repetitive blows to the user's buttocks by a plurality of elongated arms bearing flexible extensions that rotate under the user's control. The apparatus includes a platform foldable at a mid-section, having first post and second upstanding posts detachably mounted thereon." (via Collision Detection)
Time Isn't Money: Some people just can't have too much money.
"The American Express/Roper ASW Global Affluent study, the results of which were released today, is part of a new survey gauging the habits and values of more than 11,000 high-income consumers in 11 countries."
"When asked if they'd rather have more time or money, 49 percent of those questioned chose more money, while 46 percent chose more time, American Express said." (via Newsday)
"The American Express/Roper ASW Global Affluent study, the results of which were released today, is part of a new survey gauging the habits and values of more than 11,000 high-income consumers in 11 countries."
"When asked if they'd rather have more time or money, 49 percent of those questioned chose more money, while 46 percent chose more time, American Express said." (via Newsday)
Things I Just Don't Need (Part 4): Here's the fourth in an occasional series of things companies try to sell me that I just don't need.
The TailGator® Classic -- Gas-Powered Blender
"At only 10 lbs., the Totally Portable TailGator® sports a 24cc 2-stroke engine which generates enough torque to whip up a pitcher of your favorite frozen beverage in just about 15 seconds. Its 60 oz. plastic pitcher is light-weight and detachable for easy pouring and clean-up. Now, could making girlie drinks be any more manly?" $369.95 (With carrying case)
I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to get a load on just before paddling down class five rapids or repelling over a rock cliff. Now, like the guys in the photo below, I can do just that.
© 2002-2003 TailGator®
The TailGator® Classic -- Gas-Powered Blender
"At only 10 lbs., the Totally Portable TailGator® sports a 24cc 2-stroke engine which generates enough torque to whip up a pitcher of your favorite frozen beverage in just about 15 seconds. Its 60 oz. plastic pitcher is light-weight and detachable for easy pouring and clean-up. Now, could making girlie drinks be any more manly?" $369.95 (With carrying case)
I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to get a load on just before paddling down class five rapids or repelling over a rock cliff. Now, like the guys in the photo below, I can do just that.
© 2002-2003 TailGator®
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Hermitary: Have you ever asked yourself: Why does someone become a hermit?
Ask no more.
"In every religious tradition, the individual has been advised to withdraw within the self, separate from the world, in order to achieve inner peace, if not insight. What has differed among these religious cultures is the degree to which this inwardness is permitted, even cultivated. Eastern cultures have encouraged, respected, even admired the decision to become a hermit. In the West, the primacy of social and external life has often opposed or put strictures and sanctions on hermits."
To find out more, check out Hermitary and the Hermitary blog.
Ask no more.
"In every religious tradition, the individual has been advised to withdraw within the self, separate from the world, in order to achieve inner peace, if not insight. What has differed among these religious cultures is the degree to which this inwardness is permitted, even cultivated. Eastern cultures have encouraged, respected, even admired the decision to become a hermit. In the West, the primacy of social and external life has often opposed or put strictures and sanctions on hermits."
To find out more, check out Hermitary and the Hermitary blog.
Outrage Radio: Here's an early attempt to push liberal issues on the radio - albeit Internet radio.
"OutrageRadio, a Manhattan-based liberal talk-show program created as an answer to the plethora of right-wing radio talk shows, will debut on the Internet next month." (via Crains).
Doesn't look like the heavy guns are being rolled out yet but a national liberal radio network is in the works.
"OutrageRadio, a Manhattan-based liberal talk-show program created as an answer to the plethora of right-wing radio talk shows, will debut on the Internet next month." (via Crains).
Doesn't look like the heavy guns are being rolled out yet but a national liberal radio network is in the works.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Uninvited Guest: Even if I wanted to, I couldn't make up this crap.
"Producer David Gest sued Liza Minnelli for $10 million Tuesday, accusing his estranged wife of alcohol-fueled violence that caused neurological damage and headaches." (CNN)
"According to Gest...he became a 'victim of domestic violence' who, as a result of Minnelli's beatings, now lives in 'virtually constant, unrelenting pain' that requires '11 prescription medications per day, some more than once.'" (via The Smoking Gun)
"Producer David Gest sued Liza Minnelli for $10 million Tuesday, accusing his estranged wife of alcohol-fueled violence that caused neurological damage and headaches." (CNN)
"According to Gest...he became a 'victim of domestic violence' who, as a result of Minnelli's beatings, now lives in 'virtually constant, unrelenting pain' that requires '11 prescription medications per day, some more than once.'" (via The Smoking Gun)
Men Will Be Boys: My wife is a power shopper. I'm not talking about frivolous personal buying sprees. It's an important part of her job and she navigates a store aisle with the laser light intensity of a smart bomb headed for Baghdad.
We actually love to shop together for clothes and household items but when I try to keep up, I'm just no match. Thank goodness for the "husband's chair" tucked into the corner of most women's departments.
An enterprising bar in Germany has come up with a way to placate those men who don't even want to give shopping a try.
"German men dropped off at an experimental 'kindergarten for men' by their wives say they were happy to avoid the tortuous boredom of shopping by spending Saturdays playing with mates instead."
"Dozens of men left by their partners at the Nox Bar in the port city of Hamburg told Reuters they loved the 'Men's creche,' where for 10 euros ($12) they got a hot meal, two bottles of beer, a name tag and free games." (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Gents. You're missing a great opportunity to bond with the little lady. I can help you through this and you don't even have to be a metrosexual.
Here's what you'll need:
*List of clean public restrooms
*A sturdy water bottle
*Comfortable shoes: low end or high end
*Something to eat
*Reading material
*Your cell phone (Thanks Matt)
Good luck.
We actually love to shop together for clothes and household items but when I try to keep up, I'm just no match. Thank goodness for the "husband's chair" tucked into the corner of most women's departments.
An enterprising bar in Germany has come up with a way to placate those men who don't even want to give shopping a try.
"German men dropped off at an experimental 'kindergarten for men' by their wives say they were happy to avoid the tortuous boredom of shopping by spending Saturdays playing with mates instead."
"Dozens of men left by their partners at the Nox Bar in the port city of Hamburg told Reuters they loved the 'Men's creche,' where for 10 euros ($12) they got a hot meal, two bottles of beer, a name tag and free games." (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Gents. You're missing a great opportunity to bond with the little lady. I can help you through this and you don't even have to be a metrosexual.
Here's what you'll need:
*List of clean public restrooms
*A sturdy water bottle
*Comfortable shoes: low end or high end
*Something to eat
*Reading material
*Your cell phone (Thanks Matt)
Good luck.
The Five Second Rule: "Researchers at the University of Illinois say the so-called '5-Second Rule' isn't a myth. They say when you drop food on the floor, it's still safe to eat if you pick it up within five seconds." (WAFF via TMN)
© 2003, WorldNow and WAFF
© 2003, WorldNow and WAFF
Monday, October 20, 2003
Brooklyn Bound: My wife and I gave a friend a tour of Brooklyn yesterday. We wanted to hit the obvious spots but also set out to show him a bit of Brooklyn that's off the beaten path.
If you'd like to try this trip, the tour is best done if you have a car, about 6 hours, good weather, a love of city neighborhoods and a passion for exploring nooks and crannies.
Use this map to follow along.
*Stop 1: Coney Island (#13 on map): Obvious. To get there, however, drive south on Ocean Parkway - a former bridal path that's now popular with bicyclists and is a straight shot from Church Avenue to Neptune Avenue in C.I.
Have a Nathan's hot dog, stroll the boardwalk, visit the aquarium.
Stop 2: Brighton Beach (#13 on map): Aka "little Odessa," you'll hear more Russian than English spoken on Brighton Beach Avenue, the main drag.
Parking on the street is impossible so pull into the municipal parking lot off Brighton 4th Street. Grab a glass of tea and a snack at Primorski. Browse the Russian supermarkets for a glimpse of products from the motherland - like Russian salsa. You might even be able to find a good deal on a fur hat if you're a shrewd negotiator.
Stop 3: Sheepshead Bay (#15 on map): What's left of Brooklyn's fishing fleet operates out of the piers along Emmons Avenue. People travel from across the city (you can get there by the Q train - Sheepshead Bay stop) to hop on the party boats that leave at night to chase blues, fluke and other fish off the Rockaways.
Sheepshead Bay is also the site of one of the oldest comedy clubs in NYC - Pips. Woody Allen, Rodney Dangerfield, Billy Crystal, Richard Belzer and Andrew Dice Clay (glad his career is over) are just a few of the well-known comics who have appeared on stage.
Stop 4: Midwood (#14 on map): This neighborhood of giant tudor homes and broad tree-lined streets is the place where the movie Sophie's Choice was filmed. Just off Ocean Avenue near Avenue H is Brooklyn College a division of CUNY that was "the first public coeducational liberal arts college in the City of New York." It is spread out on a suburban-style campus that looks like you'd find it anywhere but Brooklyn.
Among its graduates: "Barbara Levy Boxer, '62, United States Senator from California; Shirley Chisholm, '46, former Congresswoman; Bruce Chizen, '78, president and chief executive officer, Adobe Systems; Stanley Cohen, '43, biochemist and winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; Alan Dershowitz, '59, attorney and Harvard University professor of law; Frank Field, '47, meteorologist; Michael Lynne, '61, cochairman and CEO, New Line Cinema, Paul Mazursky, '51, film director; Frank McCourt, M.A., '67, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Angela's Ashes and 'Tis; Neil Meron, '76, executive producer of Chicago, winner of thirteen Academy Awards in 2003 and Jimmy Smits, '80, Emmy Award-winning actor."
Stop 5: Borough Park (#12 on map): This spot is home to the Bobov Hasidim and a neighborhood thought by some to "rival Williamsburg as the center of Hasidic life in America." Drive through this area and you'll see men in long silk coats, round fur-covered hats and white stockings making a beeline to the synagogue for evening prayer services.
Stop 6: Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights (#10 on map): You can see the Verranzano Bridge poking up over the trees that surround one of the city's most picturesque golf courses - Dyker Beach. If you're looking for places that dish up Southern Italian red sauce food, you've also come to the right place. Nearby Bay Ridge is also home to the mecca of all discount shopping (Century 21 Department Store) which got its start in this neighborhood on 86th Street.
Stop 7: Sunset Park-Windsor Terrace (#7 on map): This neighborhood has one of the largest Chinese populations in the city and includes Greenwood Cemetery -- acres of rolling hills, ponds, winding roads and snippets of NYC history. You can enter the cemetery off 5th Avenue and 25th Street and pick up a map that will guide you to the graves of the famous (conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein) and the infamous (mobster Albert Anastasia).
Stop 8: Boreum Hill (#2 on map): By now you're tired and really hungry so find a place to eat and drink on Smith Street. If you're looking for a place to have a beer and listen to some music, you might want to visit Halycon. For a full meal, there's no shortage of spots on Smith Street, including Patois which led the way for top flight Smith Street restaurants with good food at less than Manhattan prices. There are loads more places to dine including the Grocery which just wound up near the top of Zagat's best restaurant list - a matter of some dispute.
© DesignMaps, Inc. 2002
If you'd like to try this trip, the tour is best done if you have a car, about 6 hours, good weather, a love of city neighborhoods and a passion for exploring nooks and crannies.
Use this map to follow along.
*Stop 1: Coney Island (#13 on map): Obvious. To get there, however, drive south on Ocean Parkway - a former bridal path that's now popular with bicyclists and is a straight shot from Church Avenue to Neptune Avenue in C.I.
Have a Nathan's hot dog, stroll the boardwalk, visit the aquarium.
Stop 2: Brighton Beach (#13 on map): Aka "little Odessa," you'll hear more Russian than English spoken on Brighton Beach Avenue, the main drag.
Parking on the street is impossible so pull into the municipal parking lot off Brighton 4th Street. Grab a glass of tea and a snack at Primorski. Browse the Russian supermarkets for a glimpse of products from the motherland - like Russian salsa. You might even be able to find a good deal on a fur hat if you're a shrewd negotiator.
Stop 3: Sheepshead Bay (#15 on map): What's left of Brooklyn's fishing fleet operates out of the piers along Emmons Avenue. People travel from across the city (you can get there by the Q train - Sheepshead Bay stop) to hop on the party boats that leave at night to chase blues, fluke and other fish off the Rockaways.
Sheepshead Bay is also the site of one of the oldest comedy clubs in NYC - Pips. Woody Allen, Rodney Dangerfield, Billy Crystal, Richard Belzer and Andrew Dice Clay (glad his career is over) are just a few of the well-known comics who have appeared on stage.
Stop 4: Midwood (#14 on map): This neighborhood of giant tudor homes and broad tree-lined streets is the place where the movie Sophie's Choice was filmed. Just off Ocean Avenue near Avenue H is Brooklyn College a division of CUNY that was "the first public coeducational liberal arts college in the City of New York." It is spread out on a suburban-style campus that looks like you'd find it anywhere but Brooklyn.
Among its graduates: "Barbara Levy Boxer, '62, United States Senator from California; Shirley Chisholm, '46, former Congresswoman; Bruce Chizen, '78, president and chief executive officer, Adobe Systems; Stanley Cohen, '43, biochemist and winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine; Alan Dershowitz, '59, attorney and Harvard University professor of law; Frank Field, '47, meteorologist; Michael Lynne, '61, cochairman and CEO, New Line Cinema, Paul Mazursky, '51, film director; Frank McCourt, M.A., '67, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Angela's Ashes and 'Tis; Neil Meron, '76, executive producer of Chicago, winner of thirteen Academy Awards in 2003 and Jimmy Smits, '80, Emmy Award-winning actor."
Stop 5: Borough Park (#12 on map): This spot is home to the Bobov Hasidim and a neighborhood thought by some to "rival Williamsburg as the center of Hasidic life in America." Drive through this area and you'll see men in long silk coats, round fur-covered hats and white stockings making a beeline to the synagogue for evening prayer services.
Stop 6: Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights (#10 on map): You can see the Verranzano Bridge poking up over the trees that surround one of the city's most picturesque golf courses - Dyker Beach. If you're looking for places that dish up Southern Italian red sauce food, you've also come to the right place. Nearby Bay Ridge is also home to the mecca of all discount shopping (Century 21 Department Store) which got its start in this neighborhood on 86th Street.
Stop 7: Sunset Park-Windsor Terrace (#7 on map): This neighborhood has one of the largest Chinese populations in the city and includes Greenwood Cemetery -- acres of rolling hills, ponds, winding roads and snippets of NYC history. You can enter the cemetery off 5th Avenue and 25th Street and pick up a map that will guide you to the graves of the famous (conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein) and the infamous (mobster Albert Anastasia).
Stop 8: Boreum Hill (#2 on map): By now you're tired and really hungry so find a place to eat and drink on Smith Street. If you're looking for a place to have a beer and listen to some music, you might want to visit Halycon. For a full meal, there's no shortage of spots on Smith Street, including Patois which led the way for top flight Smith Street restaurants with good food at less than Manhattan prices. There are loads more places to dine including the Grocery which just wound up near the top of Zagat's best restaurant list - a matter of some dispute.
© DesignMaps, Inc. 2002
Saturday, October 18, 2003
Standing Tall: "Tall people earn considerably more money throughout their lives than their shorter co-workers, with each inch adding about $789 a year in pay, according to a new study." (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
But short people shouldn't fret. There's hope.
Photodisc via Asiaweek
But short people shouldn't fret. There's hope.
Photodisc via Asiaweek
Friday, October 17, 2003
Oops: "When it comes to major league baseball and curses, the latter is best left alone - or so it would seem for the New York Post, which today ran an editorial congratulating the Boston Red Sox for beating the New York Yankees and advancing to the World Series. (AJC)
Did I ever tell you how much I love The Smoking Gun?
Did I ever tell you how much I love The Smoking Gun?
Not Buying What He's Selling: Daniel Henninger of the WSJ's editorial page makes a though-provoking observation (Did I just say that about the WSJ opinion page?) that the culture war between Republicans and Democrats is not fueled by political tension but by a more basic difference between those who believe in God and those who don't.
"...recent research suggests that the evangelical Christians' religiosity alone almost entirely explains why the "religious right" remains a phrase of political division."
"All this calls to mind the severe criticism George Bush received early in his presidency when he proposed "faith-based initiatives." The hyper-heated reaction seemed startling at the time, but in retrospect one has to wonder if it didn't indeed reflect that for increasing numbers of the Democratic faithful, the one faith-based initiative they believe in above all today is that they don't believe." (via WSJ Opinion Page)
I don't buy the argument since I know my share of religious Democrats (Jews and Christians) and non-believers whose real problem is not that the religious right has strong beliefs but that they seek to impose them on the rest of us.
"...recent research suggests that the evangelical Christians' religiosity alone almost entirely explains why the "religious right" remains a phrase of political division."
"All this calls to mind the severe criticism George Bush received early in his presidency when he proposed "faith-based initiatives." The hyper-heated reaction seemed startling at the time, but in retrospect one has to wonder if it didn't indeed reflect that for increasing numbers of the Democratic faithful, the one faith-based initiative they believe in above all today is that they don't believe." (via WSJ Opinion Page)
I don't buy the argument since I know my share of religious Democrats (Jews and Christians) and non-believers whose real problem is not that the religious right has strong beliefs but that they seek to impose them on the rest of us.
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
Tollbooth Terrors: Guess if I spent the day jammed into a metal box sucking up exhaust fumes I'd be a bit testy myself but these NYS toll takers bring new meaning to the term "nasty."
The Smoking Gun has compiled "an amusing collection of letters by motorists who complained of an assortment of run-ins with booth inhabitants, ranging from verbal harassment to getting ripped off by nasty state employees..." (The Smoking Gun)
Get a load of this complaint from one driver: "I approached booth to pay toll. Gave attendent(sic) $20. He asked if I had a $1 bill. I said no: 'How much is the toll?' He said: 'What are you fucking brain dead - $6.' I said: 'No. I'm not, as a matter of fact.'" (more)
The Smoking Gun has compiled "an amusing collection of letters by motorists who complained of an assortment of run-ins with booth inhabitants, ranging from verbal harassment to getting ripped off by nasty state employees..." (The Smoking Gun)
Get a load of this complaint from one driver: "I approached booth to pay toll. Gave attendent(sic) $20. He asked if I had a $1 bill. I said no: 'How much is the toll?' He said: 'What are you fucking brain dead - $6.' I said: 'No. I'm not, as a matter of fact.'" (more)
Heard It Through The Grapevine: More proof that things aren't always as they seem.
"Many bosses underestimate the power of the grapevine, according to Randstad’s 2003 Employee Review, a national survey of employees and employers conducted by RoperASW. While nearly half of all employees (46 percent) say they first hear about major changes at work from the grapevine, only 17 percent of employers think that’s where their workers get information. What both employees and management agree on is the detrimental impact of the grapevine."
"Nearly three-quarters of employees (72 percent) and 66 percent of employers say the grapevine is more likely to spread negative information. Forty-six percent of employees and 59% of employers say the grapevine spreads information that turns out to be wrong, and two-thirds agree that it’s a distraction (64 percent of employees and 71 percent of employers)." (Randstad)
"Many bosses underestimate the power of the grapevine, according to Randstad’s 2003 Employee Review, a national survey of employees and employers conducted by RoperASW. While nearly half of all employees (46 percent) say they first hear about major changes at work from the grapevine, only 17 percent of employers think that’s where their workers get information. What both employees and management agree on is the detrimental impact of the grapevine."
"Nearly three-quarters of employees (72 percent) and 66 percent of employers say the grapevine is more likely to spread negative information. Forty-six percent of employees and 59% of employers say the grapevine spreads information that turns out to be wrong, and two-thirds agree that it’s a distraction (64 percent of employees and 71 percent of employers)." (Randstad)
The Dream Of Home Ownership: At this rate, all many New Yorkers with the dream of home ownership will be able to afford is a cardboard box.
"The average price for an apartment in Manhattan was $919,959 in the third quarter of this year — another record high — according to the Douglas Elliman Manhattan Market Report, one of the most comprehensive real estate surveys."
"The median price of an apartment in Manhattan for the third quarter of 2003, the exact middle of all the sales, was $575,000, the Elliman survey found — still no bargain for the typical American family." (via NYT)
Some resources for real people:
NYC Affordable Homes
NYS Affordable Rental Housing
You could probably buy this home for less
than $919,959.
"The average price for an apartment in Manhattan was $919,959 in the third quarter of this year — another record high — according to the Douglas Elliman Manhattan Market Report, one of the most comprehensive real estate surveys."
"The median price of an apartment in Manhattan for the third quarter of 2003, the exact middle of all the sales, was $575,000, the Elliman survey found — still no bargain for the typical American family." (via NYT)
Some resources for real people:
NYC Affordable Homes
NYS Affordable Rental Housing
You could probably buy this home for less
than $919,959.
Oh Danny Boy: If Daniel Libeskind is burning a hole in his slide rule redesigning the WTC, how can he possibly have enough time to write his memoirs?
"World Trade Center master planner Daniel Libeskind is shopping a book proposal for his memoirs - and he promises to donate a portion of the proceeds to the children of 9/11 victims." (NYP via Gothamist)
Hasn't there been enough self-promotion?
"World Trade Center master planner Daniel Libeskind is shopping a book proposal for his memoirs - and he promises to donate a portion of the proceeds to the children of 9/11 victims." (NYP via Gothamist)
Hasn't there been enough self-promotion?
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Martial Arts Robots: Ok, so I'm a geek at heart.
"Humanoid robots capable of performing somersaults and complex martial arts moves were demonstrated at Asia's largest electronics and computing fair in Tokyo on Saturday." (New Scientist via Slashdot).
CEATEC via Reed Business Information
"Humanoid robots capable of performing somersaults and complex martial arts moves were demonstrated at Asia's largest electronics and computing fair in Tokyo on Saturday." (New Scientist via Slashdot).
CEATEC via Reed Business Information
Monday, October 13, 2003
Irish Slanguage (Part 5): Here's the next installment in a weekly feature on Nuggets (for as long as my attention span allows) highlighting a bit of colloquial English spoken by the Irish. I'll be picking a word or phrase from a wonderful book entitled "Slanguage: A dictionary of Irish slang."
My thanks to its author Bernard Share.
"Hobby-horse manure": "Very scarce."
Suggested Usage: Good news about the Bush Administration's efforts to rebuild Iraq arrived about as often as hobby-horse manure.
My thanks to its author Bernard Share.
"Hobby-horse manure": "Very scarce."
Suggested Usage: Good news about the Bush Administration's efforts to rebuild Iraq arrived about as often as hobby-horse manure.
Sunday, October 12, 2003
The Basement Tapes: Here's a wonderful segment from WNYC's The Next Big Thing that winds up being an hysterical parody of VH1's Behind the Music.
"Not long ago Joel Topcik discovered a stash of his never-released recordings in a Converse shoe box in the basement. The tapes span nearly a decade and a half, dating as far back as 1979, when Joel was – well, 9 years old. He’s thinking the discovery might merit the release of a boxed set." (The Next Big Thing - 5th Item)
Hear the segment
"Not long ago Joel Topcik discovered a stash of his never-released recordings in a Converse shoe box in the basement. The tapes span nearly a decade and a half, dating as far back as 1979, when Joel was – well, 9 years old. He’s thinking the discovery might merit the release of a boxed set." (The Next Big Thing - 5th Item)
Hear the segment
Things I Just Don't Need (Part 3): Here's the third in an occasional series of things companies try to sell me that I just don't need.
DaisyLift
"Don't touch that toilet seat! DaisyLift is an attractive, sanitary toilet seat handle that's made of bacteria-resistant porcelain. As bathroom fixture manufacturers have known for over 100 years, germs do not grow and multiply on porcelain. DaisyLift installs easily with its peel & stick installation process, and can even extend the life of your toilet seat. Make DaisyLift your sanitary choice today!" $15.99
Unless you happen to live in the Port Authority Bus Terminal, why would you need to buy one of these gadgets for your home toilet?
© 2003 SkyMall, Inc
DaisyLift
"Don't touch that toilet seat! DaisyLift is an attractive, sanitary toilet seat handle that's made of bacteria-resistant porcelain. As bathroom fixture manufacturers have known for over 100 years, germs do not grow and multiply on porcelain. DaisyLift installs easily with its peel & stick installation process, and can even extend the life of your toilet seat. Make DaisyLift your sanitary choice today!" $15.99
Unless you happen to live in the Port Authority Bus Terminal, why would you need to buy one of these gadgets for your home toilet?
© 2003 SkyMall, Inc
Mystic River: Just saw the movie Mystic River, a screen adaptation of Dennis Lehane's powerful book in which he depicts a blue collar South Boston where the cycle of hopelessness ruins lives.
Say what you want about the politics of Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, they can act.
Say what you want about the politics of Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, they can act.
Even Hipsters Have Parents: Spotted on the street yesterday:
*One hipster with muttonchops, brown hooded sweatshirt, earring and dishelved hair. He had that faraway look in his eye.
*Two middle-aged companions - the female had well-coffied blue-gray hair and was dressed in a pants suit while the male wore a yellow golf shirt, tan pants and a scowl.
*One hipster with muttonchops, brown hooded sweatshirt, earring and dishelved hair. He had that faraway look in his eye.
*Two middle-aged companions - the female had well-coffied blue-gray hair and was dressed in a pants suit while the male wore a yellow golf shirt, tan pants and a scowl.
You've Got To Spend $ To Make $: Saw a report on CBS Sunday Morning about the introduction of the new twenty dollar bill.
One thing that struck me as odd was the comment that the U.S. government was spending $30 million to show Americans how to use the new bill.
Last time I checked, all you had to do was pull the piece of paper with the picture of Andrew Jackson out of your wallet and hand it to the person behind the cash register.
Am I missing something?
via Gothamist
One thing that struck me as odd was the comment that the U.S. government was spending $30 million to show Americans how to use the new bill.
Last time I checked, all you had to do was pull the piece of paper with the picture of Andrew Jackson out of your wallet and hand it to the person behind the cash register.
Am I missing something?
via Gothamist
Saturday, October 11, 2003
May The Best Shirt Win: If there's an urban microeconomist in the house, please tell me how four laundries can exist within one city block of each other on 17th Street?
*Chips: 53 Irving Place (Corner of 17th Street). "Shirts Laundered. Same Day Service."
*Jan Sun: 123 East 17th Street. "Laundry and Dry Cleaning."
*New Cleaners: 134 East 17th Street. "Tailoring, Shirt Hand Ironed."
*Young's Cleaners: 188 3rd Avenue (Corner of 17th Street). "Plant On Premises."
*Chips: 53 Irving Place (Corner of 17th Street). "Shirts Laundered. Same Day Service."
*Jan Sun: 123 East 17th Street. "Laundry and Dry Cleaning."
*New Cleaners: 134 East 17th Street. "Tailoring, Shirt Hand Ironed."
*Young's Cleaners: 188 3rd Avenue (Corner of 17th Street). "Plant On Premises."
Thursday, October 09, 2003
Consumerism Run Amok: I suppose these parents thought they were being creative but what knucklehead names their kid after a sports car or bottle of perfume?
"...353 girls were named Lexus in 2000, according to baby names on social security applications."
"Among the other popular names in the United States in 2000 -- Chanel (269 girls), Timberland (six boys), Porsche (24 girls) and Armani (273 boys and 298 girls).
"Parents named their children after everything from bottled water (Evian) and soft drinks (Fanta) to Western hats and cologne (Stetson), wine (Chardonnay) and beer (Guinness)." (National Post via Popbitch)
"...353 girls were named Lexus in 2000, according to baby names on social security applications."
"Among the other popular names in the United States in 2000 -- Chanel (269 girls), Timberland (six boys), Porsche (24 girls) and Armani (273 boys and 298 girls).
"Parents named their children after everything from bottled water (Evian) and soft drinks (Fanta) to Western hats and cologne (Stetson), wine (Chardonnay) and beer (Guinness)." (National Post via Popbitch)
The Worst Jobs In Science: Here are some of "the most torturous ways to make a living in science." (Popular Science via Popbitch)
Jobs include:
Flatus Odor Judge
Brazil Mosquito Researcher
Carcass Cleaner
Isolation Chamber Tester
If you can believe it, these aren't even the worst.
Jobs include:
Flatus Odor Judge
Brazil Mosquito Researcher
Carcass Cleaner
Isolation Chamber Tester
If you can believe it, these aren't even the worst.
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
Maui Wowi: Tired of the Internet grind? A friend of mine decided to chuck it all and get about as far away from dotcoms as you can. He left the publishing biz and bought a Maui Wowi franchise in New York. He now sells fruit smoothies at a number of locations, including Yankee Stadium. I'm hoping the Yankees have a long post season run.
"(Mitchell) York bought the Maui Wowi franchises after doing some research and seeing the same smoothie phenomenon Haith did - in York's case while working behind a friend's stand at a local concert."
"'I put on a Maui Wowi shirt (with colorful Hawaiian prints), and I was laughing,' he said. 'I hadn't laughed in a while.'" (via Denver Post)
"(Mitchell) York bought the Maui Wowi franchises after doing some research and seeing the same smoothie phenomenon Haith did - in York's case while working behind a friend's stand at a local concert."
"'I put on a Maui Wowi shirt (with colorful Hawaiian prints), and I was laughing,' he said. 'I hadn't laughed in a while.'" (via Denver Post)
Baseball Dreams: I'm a Yankee fan but anyone who really loves baseball wants to see the Cubs vs the Red Sox in the World Series. Of course, I'd be rooting for the Cubs.
Writes the NYT editorial board: "With all due respect to our New York readership — Yankee fans among them — to George Steinbrenner and to the Yankees themselves, we find it hard to resist the emotional tug and symmetrical possibilities of a series between teams that seem to have been put on earth to tantalize and then crush their zealous fans. Together they account for 180 years of futility." (NYT)
Gawker takes offense: "I declare a post-season jihad against Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and his editorial staff. If I wanted to read the fucking Boston Globe, I'd move up there -- pausing only to purchase a Kia-full of LL Bean shirts and a lobotomy." (Gawker)
Ever the pol, Mayor Mike (born in Massachussets) is making it quite clear where his allegiance lies:
'"I share a bond with Yankees past and present who have left Boston to find success in the greatest city in the world, which will make me especially proud to watch the Bombers send the boys from Beantown home empty-handed, the mayor said." (via NYP)
Writes the NYT editorial board: "With all due respect to our New York readership — Yankee fans among them — to George Steinbrenner and to the Yankees themselves, we find it hard to resist the emotional tug and symmetrical possibilities of a series between teams that seem to have been put on earth to tantalize and then crush their zealous fans. Together they account for 180 years of futility." (NYT)
Gawker takes offense: "I declare a post-season jihad against Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and his editorial staff. If I wanted to read the fucking Boston Globe, I'd move up there -- pausing only to purchase a Kia-full of LL Bean shirts and a lobotomy." (Gawker)
Ever the pol, Mayor Mike (born in Massachussets) is making it quite clear where his allegiance lies:
'"I share a bond with Yankees past and present who have left Boston to find success in the greatest city in the world, which will make me especially proud to watch the Bombers send the boys from Beantown home empty-handed, the mayor said." (via NYP)
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
The Bayonne Open: What's wrong with this picture?
"The first salt-air golf course of its kind for the city - Scottish-style links with steep dunes and ocean breezes - is being built from scratch on an abandoned shore of New York Harbor, overlooking the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street and Midtown's skyscraper vista."
"Global business people, local titans and billionaire golf aficionados are signing up for Bayonne Golf Club by invitation only, with memberships starting at around $100,000." (via NYP)
I've spent my share of time in Bayonne. It's got a lovely bridge, great residents and a sense of community that is to be admired. There's just something about plunking down $100,000 to play golf a stone's throw from a working container port and an international airport that seems less than idyllic.
What happens to the big spenders when the wind shifts and they get a blast of the Fresh Kills landfill?
Then again, I never quite understood golf's allure no matter where it's played.
"The first salt-air golf course of its kind for the city - Scottish-style links with steep dunes and ocean breezes - is being built from scratch on an abandoned shore of New York Harbor, overlooking the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street and Midtown's skyscraper vista."
"Global business people, local titans and billionaire golf aficionados are signing up for Bayonne Golf Club by invitation only, with memberships starting at around $100,000." (via NYP)
I've spent my share of time in Bayonne. It's got a lovely bridge, great residents and a sense of community that is to be admired. There's just something about plunking down $100,000 to play golf a stone's throw from a working container port and an international airport that seems less than idyllic.
What happens to the big spenders when the wind shifts and they get a blast of the Fresh Kills landfill?
Then again, I never quite understood golf's allure no matter where it's played.
Monday, October 06, 2003
Irish Slanguage (Part 4): Here's the next installment in a weekly feature on Nuggets (for as long as my attention span allows) highlighting a bit of colloquial English spoken by the Irish. I'll be picking a word or phrase from a wonderful book entitled Slanguage: A dictionary of Irish slang."
My thanks to its author Bernard Share.
"Fur Coat and No Knickers": "Descriptive of someone with delusions of granduer"
Suggested Usage: If we're lucky, we'll wake up on Wednesday morning and realize that Arnold Schwarzenegger was just a guy with a fur coat and no knickers.
My thanks to its author Bernard Share.
"Fur Coat and No Knickers": "Descriptive of someone with delusions of granduer"
Suggested Usage: If we're lucky, we'll wake up on Wednesday morning and realize that Arnold Schwarzenegger was just a guy with a fur coat and no knickers.
Lazlo's Letters: Don Novello (Father Guido Sarducci) is back with a new installment of the letters he writes to the famous and infamous as ficticious American patriot Lazlo Toth. I remember reading the first book and being amazed at who Novello got to actually write back to him -- Richard Nixon, Spiro Agnew and Gen. Francisco Franco, to name a few.
The new book is called: "From Bush to Bush: The Lazlo Toth Letters." Here's an excerpt:
'"Dear General Myers," Lazlo writes to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard B. Myers. 'My new dentist went to dental school in Kabul, and still has relatives living in Afghanistan, and they wrote him that one thing that has changed since the war started, is that meat is much more plentiful.'"
"'But his Aunt is a little worried, and I told him I'd write to you to try to help him answer her question: Is it safe to eat goats, or other animals, that were killed in air strikes? Does it make any difference if they were killed by a bomb or by a missile?"'
"On his personal stationery, Gen. Myers wrote back, 'Dear Mr. Toth: Thank you for the letter regarding conditions in Afghanistan. It is good to know that the situation has improved somewhat. Since the first of the year, food distribution has resumed and more and more people have been returning to their homes. Please pardon the delay in answering ... Best wishes, Richard B. Myers.' The general skirted the query on ordnance-killed goats." (via The Washington Times)
The new book is called: "From Bush to Bush: The Lazlo Toth Letters." Here's an excerpt:
'"Dear General Myers," Lazlo writes to Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard B. Myers. 'My new dentist went to dental school in Kabul, and still has relatives living in Afghanistan, and they wrote him that one thing that has changed since the war started, is that meat is much more plentiful.'"
"'But his Aunt is a little worried, and I told him I'd write to you to try to help him answer her question: Is it safe to eat goats, or other animals, that were killed in air strikes? Does it make any difference if they were killed by a bomb or by a missile?"'
"On his personal stationery, Gen. Myers wrote back, 'Dear Mr. Toth: Thank you for the letter regarding conditions in Afghanistan. It is good to know that the situation has improved somewhat. Since the first of the year, food distribution has resumed and more and more people have been returning to their homes. Please pardon the delay in answering ... Best wishes, Richard B. Myers.' The general skirted the query on ordnance-killed goats." (via The Washington Times)
Caring For Big & Small Cats: Unless you've had your head in the sand, you no doubt know by now that NYC police Saturday had to subdue a 400 pound Bengal-Siberian tiger who was living in a Harlem apartment. Gothamist has all the info you'll ever need about this strange tale.
What you may not have seen, however, is this helpful information from Mahattan User's Guide about what creatures you can and can't board in NYC apartments.
Among the verboten species: hyaena, dingo, jackal, aardwolf, leopard, ocelot, jaguar, puma, weasel, marten, mink, badger, all elephants, all bats...you get the point.
If you've got a conventional cat, though, you may be interested in these tips for toilet training your cat from departed Jazz bassist Charles Mingus. Unfortunately, this would not have come in handy for the tiger in question. (via TMN)
©2003 Jazz Workshop Inc.
What you may not have seen, however, is this helpful information from Mahattan User's Guide about what creatures you can and can't board in NYC apartments.
Among the verboten species: hyaena, dingo, jackal, aardwolf, leopard, ocelot, jaguar, puma, weasel, marten, mink, badger, all elephants, all bats...you get the point.
If you've got a conventional cat, though, you may be interested in these tips for toilet training your cat from departed Jazz bassist Charles Mingus. Unfortunately, this would not have come in handy for the tiger in question. (via TMN)
©2003 Jazz Workshop Inc.
Saturday, October 04, 2003
Prison Pruno: The Black Table offers a step-by-step guide to making a toxic concoction that has kept inmates in the California prison system loaded for quite some time.
*10 oranges
*1 eight ounce can of fruit cocktail
*40-60 sugar cubes
*16 ounces of water
*1 plastic bag
*6 packets of ketchup
*1 towel
Eric Gillin of The Black Table writes: "By most accounts, pruno isn't something a normal human would want to drink, so potent that two gallons is said to be 'a virtual liquor store,' enough to get a dozen people mindblowingly wasted. And while it tastes so putrid that even hardened prisoners gulp it down while holding their noses, they'll go to incredible lengths to make it, whipping up batches from frosting, yams, raisins and damn near everything." (via Clive Thompson)
If these guys put this kind of ingenuity and resourcefulness to work in some legit business, they'd make millions.
(c) The Black Table
*10 oranges
*1 eight ounce can of fruit cocktail
*40-60 sugar cubes
*16 ounces of water
*1 plastic bag
*6 packets of ketchup
*1 towel
Eric Gillin of The Black Table writes: "By most accounts, pruno isn't something a normal human would want to drink, so potent that two gallons is said to be 'a virtual liquor store,' enough to get a dozen people mindblowingly wasted. And while it tastes so putrid that even hardened prisoners gulp it down while holding their noses, they'll go to incredible lengths to make it, whipping up batches from frosting, yams, raisins and damn near everything." (via Clive Thompson)
If these guys put this kind of ingenuity and resourcefulness to work in some legit business, they'd make millions.
(c) The Black Table
Beware Of Broken Parking Meters: If you're crazy enough to drive a car in NYC, I guess you'll want to pay attention to this bit of info: Just because a meter is broken, doesn't mean you have carte blanche to park in front of it all day.
This morning a city parking meter repairman showed me how people jam the meters with little slips of paper in an effort to break the contraption and get what they think will be a day of free parking. He travels around the city with a pair of needle nose pliers removing pieces of pulp with a surgeon's steady hand.
Not only are these parking desperados breaking the law, but they're not even entitled to much free parking. According to the Web site Parking Pal:
"If the meter is broken you can only park for a period of one hour."
This morning a city parking meter repairman showed me how people jam the meters with little slips of paper in an effort to break the contraption and get what they think will be a day of free parking. He travels around the city with a pair of needle nose pliers removing pieces of pulp with a surgeon's steady hand.
Not only are these parking desperados breaking the law, but they're not even entitled to much free parking. According to the Web site Parking Pal:
"If the meter is broken you can only park for a period of one hour."
Friday, October 03, 2003
Only In NYC: This morning on the B train I saw the following collection of people crammed into a corner of my subway car. On one side of the aisle, a Buddhist monk and a Muslim woman wearing a head scarf. On the other side, an Orthodox Jew.
Although I couldn't tell from the look of it, I'm sure the place was crawling with Christians, the stray Unitarian Universalist and a Druid or two.
Although I couldn't tell from the look of it, I'm sure the place was crawling with Christians, the stray Unitarian Universalist and a Druid or two.
Live By The Sword...: "Officials in Palm Beach have launched a probe of (Rush)Limbaugh's alleged illegal use of prescription drugs, including the heroin-like OxyContin, sources said yesterday." (via NYP)
New Yorkers Behind The Smoking Ban: "The state's ban on smoking in restaurants and bars is supported by 59% of registered voters in New York, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday." (via NYDN)
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Stuck In Traffic: This is why I don't miss having a car.
"The average Los Angeles driver wasted 90 hours -- nearly four days -- in traffic in 2001, according to the annual report released Tuesday by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University. Nationally, the average driver spent 51 hours in traffic -- four hours more than five years ago."
"After Los Angeles, the San Francisco-Oakland area was next at 68 hours, followed by Denver (64), Miami (63) and Chicago and Phoenix, which tied for fifth (61)." (via Newsday)
NYC-Northeastern NJ actually did better than I would have expected, ranking 27th out of 75 areas with 43 hours stuck in traffic. Looking at California's numbers, though, reminds me why it's the epicenter of road rage.
"The average Los Angeles driver wasted 90 hours -- nearly four days -- in traffic in 2001, according to the annual report released Tuesday by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University. Nationally, the average driver spent 51 hours in traffic -- four hours more than five years ago."
"After Los Angeles, the San Francisco-Oakland area was next at 68 hours, followed by Denver (64), Miami (63) and Chicago and Phoenix, which tied for fifth (61)." (via Newsday)
NYC-Northeastern NJ actually did better than I would have expected, ranking 27th out of 75 areas with 43 hours stuck in traffic. Looking at California's numbers, though, reminds me why it's the epicenter of road rage.
This Is Broken: A site that focuses on what's wrong with products in hopes of making the people who produce them more sensitive to customers' needs.
(c) 2003, Good Experience, Inc.
(c) 2003, Good Experience, Inc.
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