Amtrack
Despite being concentrated on giving rich people more riches this week, the Bush Administration did something that I actually agree with – $13 billion in funding for Amtrak.
Obama iPhone app
Grassroots organizing at it’s geekiest. McCain is supposedly releasing his campaign’s custom application on VHS.
Charlie
My second-cousin-once-removed’s trained parrot (named Charlie), who can sing “Jesus Loves Me,” all by itself, is clearly smarter than Sarah Palin.
Update:
My impression of Palin – blah blah blah blah Regan, Russia, blah blah blah blah, John McCain, hockey mom, blah blah blah.
Update2: This flowchart gives us some insight into the high-end decision making processes involved in the debate.
Update3: For those of you that noticed the typo on ‘parrot,’ thank you. Sadly, my cousin does not have a singing-fortune-telling card (although that would be cool). I apologize for the error – I was at the bar, using my phone to post and more concerned about shouting at the television than correct spelling.
Ageism
There was an interesting bit on NPR this morning about a 70-year-old retiree who wants to return to teaching high school because his home equity loan has tanked and the hemorrhaging stock market has nose-dived his income.
Ok fine. I’m not opposed to this – in fact I think we should be working towards 100% employment in this country – give everybody who wants to work education and a job. But what’s that means for the current working generation, in a tight job-market (the one who’s keeping his social security fund afloat no less)? This guy probably knows less than me about computer-related issues, but he’s got experience I can never catch up with. We’re potentially equally employable. If there’s to be a mass return of seniors to the workplace, a decent wage for those of us who’ve only been working for five to ten years could be harder to come by.
To top it off the government will nail an employers ass for perceived age discrimination – So if me and the 70-year-old retiree happen to look the same on paper, chances are he’s going to get the job.
What interesting and mildly horrifying times we live in.
Yo Santa…
Remote Control Helicopter that shoots BB’s. Need I say more? (I also can’t believe this is legal).