I'm going to Chicago for the weekend to visit a friend. Any suggestions on what I should be sure to do and see while I'm there?
November 2007 Archives
-
"It's tall, no doubt about that, rising 1,046ft above the delis, sex shops and chain cafes on the fast-paced sidewalks below." I thought Saint Rudy got rid of the sex shops?
For some reason, this photo of Cheney scares the heck of out of me.
-
Very interesting. Nixon proposed universal healthcare during his inaugural address.
I'm not a Biden fan, but I have to agree with Tim. This is really funny.
-
I don't think we have a similar law here in the US, but this is interesting anyway.
-
With some hospitals so profitable, why do places like Grady suffer? My guess is that private hospitals turn away unprofitable patients, but as a public hospital Grady must treat them.
Lucky me...I've got a bad case of bronchitis and am coughing up a storm over here.
-
I'm far from a trendsetter, but I successfully argued that oversight.house.gov should use the term "more search options" rather than "advanced search."
-
I love the nostalgic look of this...
-
That's a big difference in the number of stars and seems to be a huge break from tradition.
-
"Food safety, like toy safety, is part of a growing national concern that government agencies that are supposed to protect consumers have been whittled down to incompetence."
-
As usual, I think Ritholtz is right on track.
-
I think maybe Ben's just hanging out with the wrong crowd, no? And somehow he thinks it's young people who aren't working, though he cites all older "one-off" people as his examples.
-
Facebook's "Beacon" in action.
-
"More than 40% of the foreign fighters who entered Iraq to join the insurgency in the past year were citizens of Saudi Arabia, America's key partner in the Middle East."
-
Richard Perle at Costco = hilarious.
-
Hmmm saw this coming a mile away.
-
"There is a desperate need for government and corporate leaders to step in with a broad plan to modify existing loans and stave off foreclosure wherever possible. It is both the humane and the economically responsible thing to do."
-
"What a repugnant though vivid microcosm this is for how so many of our Beltway journalists function. They think that their only job is to write down faithfully what they are told by both sides (if we're lucky) and call it a day."
-
"“I want to get rid of the student loan companies,” Mrs. Clinton said at an event in Sioux City, as she laid out her college affordability plan." WHAT?? That's a really bold statement from Hillary.
-
"Yes, Bush, a leader with all the impulse control of a petulant three-year-old, "broke" Iraq. But we own it now. Time to get ready with the apology, the checkbook, and whatever else is required."
Not sure what to say about this, but it stuck with me:
-
Wow.
-
Thirty years ago, adjuncts accounted for 43 percent of professors; today, they account for 70 percent.
-
“One year the turkey took a long time to cook and I went to carve it after about 13 beers,” said Maurice Landry, who lives near Lake Charles, La.
-
I like it.
-
Not sure when I'll need this, but it looks useful.
-
This looks interesting.
This post about meeting Helen Thomas gave me a good laugh this morning, which was nice because I'm bored to death in my nearly-empty office...Congress empties out quickly.
I met Helen Thomas. Who’s that, right? Many know her as a recognizable face in the crowd of reporters at White House press conferences. I knew her from a cameo role in the movie Dave, where she played herself for about three seconds. I was out to lunch when I spotted her. Where I grew up (Florida), if you see someone famous, you approach them and ask for their autograph. You’re usually encountering a mouse (Mickey) or a duck (Donald) in costume in Orlando. Why change course now? I walked in Helen’s direction, but she was eating chicken wings like they were going on the endangered species list. I didn’t think it was appropriate to interrupt her with animal skin between her teeth and a bone hanging out of her mouth. Finally, she came up for air and shook my hand (which then became greasy, but no problem). She’s so small and very gracious – except with the chicken.
-
Put very nicely, and well understood. I'd like to write more about it, but I don't think I could do a nicer job than this...
-
I'm hoping Keystone Politics will be there!
-
John has a really cool job story.
-
"Issonoya, Tsukiji Fish Market: Bypass the frenetic bustle of Tokyo's famous fish market and head straight to a local sushi restaurant. Little more than a long, thin room with a counter..." I think we ate here last August. It was fantastic.
-
Heard of this a while ago. Must try.
I'm really glad that Adam is still committed to writing about our Japan trip earlier this year. My life has been a bit too nuts to focus on it, but it's something I wish I could do. Anyway, here's his take on Kanazawa: (Um, and look how sunburned I am!)
I remember the discrimination as well, though it was often tough to determine whether it was out of politeness or malice. In this particular restaurant, I seem to remember us being seated in this room because it had western-style chairs, so I think our hosts were trying to make us more comfortable.I find this happens a lot here. We visit "historical" places, however they are all replicas built to the original spec on top of where the original once stood. To me seems very fake and kind of sad. How would one like to goto the Colosseum in Rome and see a perfect replica of what once stood there? seems completely wrong and thats is what we saw today. Dinner was sushi which was very good even if we were not allowed to wit with the rest of the Japanese people, in our little section for "Americans" or "White people."
Over the next month, I'm transitioning back to managing Keystone Politics and writing about politics. I'm very excited about the prospect of writing about politics again; it's one of the things I've missed the most since finishing grad school and moving to Washington. Here's a post I wrote about taking out the trash:
One big question I have this week is whether we’ll see any disposal of the proverbial “trash” – news that no one wanted to release last week or next because it is embarrassing to them. In this business, one oft-used tool is to “throw out the trash” at a time when reporters and the public are paying the least attention. That generally happens in one of two ways. First, when the media and the public are too busy paying attention to something far more important than your garbage. Or, when they’re too busy worrying about themselves…a weekend or better yet, a holiday.
Last week I went hunting pheasant and quail outside of Baltimore. I wasn't sure I'd like it, but had a good time. Anyway, here are two good friends and I out in the hunting field:
-
"The so-called "60-vote requirement" applies only when it is time to do something to limit the Bush administration. It is merely the excuse Senate Democrats use to explain away their chronic failure/unwillingness to limit the President..."
-
Except that they will. Clearly. Like every other time.
-
Goldman Sachs' proposed new tagline: "Our bonus pool: Bigger than Bear Stearns' market capitalization"
-
Nice piece from my boss.
-
For a new project...
-
"I offered simple words: life is sweet. We survived. Everything else is gravy." Simple words, but things are far from that simple.
Two of my favorite blogs are Employee Evolution and Brazen Careerist. Folks who know me won't be surprised by my choice of reading; I'm a high-energy, high-pressure guy who (I've been told) works at a ridiculous pace and doesn't like hearing the word no. I also admire the heck out of those guys for starting a business (which I'm about to do next month!).
Anyway, after reading this morning's post I decided to take the Interaction Style quiz. Again, no surprise, but I'm an "Energizer":
Open, upbeat, and outgoing. Enjoy a fast-paced environment and having fun. Like to share all information, especially "good news." Can make quick decisions based on their "gut." Always able to see the potential in situations. Diffuse conflict with humor. See the "big picture" and share vision effectively with others. Like working in teams. Enjoy competition.Other than the gratuitous use of "quotes," which I'm heavily opposed to, that sounds spot on. Oh, and there's more on this results page, but you should take the test yourself. It'll only take 5 minutes...or maybe that's just me, since I make quick decisions based on my gut.
Losing your ATM card while out on Saturday night is not a good idea.
Citibank, however, is open 24/7 and will replace your card in a jiffy. Hopefully I'll get it sooner than the promised date of the 27th.
-
HAHAHAHA
-
“A meaningful estate tax is needed to prevent our democracy from becoming a dynastic plutocracy.”
-
"New research from the CBE shows that investing with a conscience isn’t a losing proposition." I've read research that said just the opposite...that investing with a social conscience is worse financially.
-
So far, Japanese officials are having a tough time understanding what makes New York and London tick.
-
"If [President] Bush changes the rhetoric and says the old [consuming countries] and the new [producers] should work jointly together to find a solution, then prices would fall $30" Except he's an oil man, so he won't.
-
This is fascinating. Porsche makes 3 times as much on options trading as it does on cars. So it's really a sort of hedge that happens to have a large garage.
-
"By ignoring valid Congressional subpoenas, Ms. Miers and Mr. Bolten are dangerously challenging Congress’s power — and the careful system of checks and balances established by the founders." I love how the Times is just realizing this?!?
-
from matt...good catch.
-
Every changing landscape panel should include a person whose job title requires definition, and this role was filled by Michael Rogers, “resident futurist of The New York Times.” Coolest. Title. Ever.
-
And yes, I am a whopping 6 days behind in my reading.
Sorry I've been away. Life's been throwing a lot my direction lately. I'll write more later, but here are the cliff's notes:
* I am leaving my government job in one month.
* I am moving to New York.
* I am founding a non-profit.
* I am looking for a job.
* I am launching new websites.
All of this and more! I'm working about 18-19 hour days at this point. And on that note, time for my few hours of sleep.
I'll catch up with y'all soon and try to write more later this week.
-
Good 10 point list of some good steps toward more robust online democracy.
-
Longer version
-
"Even in a growing economy, only about a third of Americans can be considered upwardly mobile...the rest are maintaining their standing or falling behind."
Hilarious:
-
Not. Surprised. At. All.
-
Great story!
-
This is on my to-do list.
-
"If I had listened better to my own vision for a career, I might have found a career that fit me better the first time around."
-
Cool wallet...
-
"This is how vaudevillians must have felt the first time they saw a silent movie; sitting there, suddenly realizing they just became extinct."
-
"Heavily promoted by those groups and by the commission’s Republican chairman, Kevin J. Martin, the decision would be a notable exception to the broad deregulatory policies of the Bush administration." This is really interesting for that precise reason.
-
SOME issuers of credit cards are “quietly collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in profits selling nearly worthless, predatory credit cards targeting vulnerable consumers, including those with bad credit,”
-
"In the six years of compromising our principles since 9/11, our democracy has so steadily been defined down that it now can resemble the supposedly aspiring democracies we’ve propped up in places like Islamabad."
-
This is cool, but I do think we can bring a fresh take on it next year.
-
Is this for real?
-
HAHAHAHA
-
Yup, I figured this was ridiculous from the beginning. Of course I'm in a better position to know, but can't really comment on those things.
-
I WANT THIS.
I'm spending a long weekend Baltimore to pretend I'm on The Wire. Actually, it will be my first non-working weekend/night/anytime in a while, so I'm looking forward to it. I won't have my Macbook or my Blackberry. YES. SERIOUSLY.
Here's what I've got on deck for next week:
*Suggestions for Gmail (because I shouldn't be so negative all the time)
* A Review of Mint (the financial tool, not the excellent webstats package)
Feel free to "pre-comment" on those posts. :-)
-
This was completely appropriate given the circumstances. Good for Foreign Affairs.
-
This is interesting.
-
Anyone ever use Shure products?
-
Perfect.
-
If I had some spare time, I'd provision some extra servers we have lying around and build a killer internal search tool with this.
-
I need this immediately.
-
I'm sure there's a good reason for this, but it looks ridiculous.
-
Yup, I know how this feels...
-
Ooooo very nice. I'm going to give this a try.
-
Via Rob. My response: We have one?
"Congratulations! You have successfully completed our on-line application process- the fastest method for applying for a job at NYU."
Fastest? Yeah right.
Job application software is terrible, terrible stuff. How does anyone manage to use it? As someone who's obsessed with user experience, my teeth grind every time I have to use it.
I loved our trip there earlier this year, but I didn't think I'd say a few months later that I miss it. But I do for some reason - it's a fantastic country.
-
Interesting musings from Tim O'Reilly on opening up our personal data on the web.
-
Fantastic article... (but I think subscribers only)
-
HAW has an op-ed
-
My job, since I'm leaving DC.
-
"Brown and all of Britain will be better off the sooner they figure this out: Giuliani is a dangerous man. George Bush with brains. Dick Cheney with better aim. Consider yourself warned."