hurricane rant

Quote from the Boston Globe: "From North Carolina to Pennsylvania, Hurricane Irene appeared to have fallen short of the doomsday predictions."

Yeah, well stop scaring the shite out of everybody then! We've become a nation of ninnies thanks to the news. Even the stupid government, telling people to stay off the roads. They're just afraid of lawsuits, because we have so many idiots in this country who feel the need to blame someone and get some money out it.

poor Jamie

I never watched Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution program, but feel a bit guilty that it has been canceled.

I admit that I'd rather watch Biggest Loser while munching junk food than think about how to solve America's obesity problem.

Is it just laziness? An unwillingness to be lectured? A junk food addiction so strong that it mutes any good nutrition guidance?

I'm sure it doesn't help that he's European and a bit of a geek. I hope he's welcomed back home in Britain.

which group is it?

This NYT article does not bode well for me. It suggests that Groupon’s success is down to how engaging the text is—i.e., if the copy is great, you’ll buy the deal even if it’s literally a bag of shit.

I’ve been a Groupon subscriber since March and have bought 4 deals completely based on the product/service being offered.

So if this article is accurate, it either means that I’m a jaded writer/editor/marketer, who sees through what is supposed to be clever copy. Or it means I’m a jaded writer/editor/marketer, who can’t hold a candle to a 23-year-old who is “in touch” with today’s buying psyche.

in the re-zone

Ok, Cambridge City Council, time to help my property value rise. Let's push this through.

mbta hates east cambridge

Flipping bastards. They never have enough trains going to Lechmere, and now NO trains to Lechmere for 6 months.

the stink of guilt

Love this quote from Silvio Berlusconi, as he was charged today for his sexcapades: "I shall attempt to sue the state. I'm not worried about myself. I'm a rich gentleman who can go on to setting up hospitals for children around the world, as I have always wanted to."

for the sake of goodness

Parking on our street is limited. We live in one of those rare Cambridge neighborhoods where street parking is only at a premium during the day, thanks to the trial courts. By 6pm, you typically have no problem finding a spot.

So when Dumpstorm Blizzard of Christmas 2010 arrived, there were few cars on my street. Hence, snow has instead parked itself in any available parking spots. The few of us who need our cars have shoveled out and are placing bins or chairs or other markers to save our clean spots.

Thinking I'd do the neighborly thing, I decided to clean out one of the snowed-in spaces, freeing a new spot. Lots of passers-by, including my next-door neighbors, were shocked that I would do such a thing. I caught those looks in their eyes like I was crazy.

Have we lost all sense of doing good for our fellow man? OK, a parking spot is not like giving food to the hungry, or shelter to the homeless. But as George on Seinfeld once said: "We live in a society." We each need to do our part, no matter how small or how grand the act.

swimming with books

I'm a reader. Love books.

And I'm always interested in book services -- like Good Reads, where you can keep a list of books that you've read or want to read; Swap Tree, where you can trade books you've read for ones you want to read for the cost of postage; and of course, there's my favorite: the library, where you can "rent" books for free.

I'm using dickquotes because I'm rounding up to make a point, obviously.

Because I'm interested in book services, I was initially intrigued by a new one called BookSwim. Until I looked at the site.

It's billing itself as the Netflix for books. Request, Read, Return. "A library at your door with unlimited book rental."

So you know what's coming now, don't you? Yes, my eye-rolling rant.

Now I know not many people have a library at their door. I don't. I don't even have one in my home!

And let's suppose you don't have a library in your town. I'd be willing to guess that the price of gas or bus fare to get to the library once a month is less than the cost of this service -- which is $23.95 a month for a "light" reader of 3 books a month (not so "unlimited" right?).

And to take books out of the library: free. And I know you can take out at least 3 books at a time. So let's say you keep those 3 books for 60 days past their due date (the first 3 weeks are free). You've had the books for nearly 3 months and you'd owe $18 (a dime a day per book).

I'm not very good with math, but I think BookSwim costs more than that. 

Here's the thing. My problem with this service isn't really about the money. Although, the people who think BookSwim is great economic value, they're probably the same ones swimming in credit card debt.

To me, this about our culture. No one can be bothered to go to libraries anymore and I'm not sure why. Is being a library card holder equated with being a low life? Or a snooty "intellectual commie"? Are we that busy that we can stop and buy a latte, or take our clothes to the dry cleaner, or watch Dancing with the Stars, or go out to dinner, but there is no time for the library?

whine whine whine

Good rant from Louis CK. I especially like the line "you non-contributing zero." I've come across quite a few of those in my life.

taph!

In true "that's a peach, hon" fashion, the Browns beat the Patriots today. Everything about the game was fantastic!