Sure, I can do that too...

Well peeled

YouTube Contest Challenges Users To Make A 'Good' Video

A smaller Kingdom?

A smaller kingdom is a good idea. Yea... perhaps that's it! There will be fewer servants, but we'll not have generals or even an army.

"Quality Go"

My obligatory political comment (I've refrained so far) is as follows:

It's clear that Barack Obama ran an effective campaign. How different from campaigning is actually being the President? The skills are similar, but not the same. Now that he has the job, can he stop pandering (a necessary task when campaigning - no criticism intended) and start managing? He might act as if he were getting an early start on the 2012 campaign. It would be easy for him to continue to play this part. He surely has the selling skills - now let's see an effective executive. My guess is that he'll drop his poetry and get to business. We'll give him time - at least four years - not to simply stir emotions, but to get to work and do a terrific job. I think he'll have a quality go at it.

Sports / Entertainment product

Commercially, sports are entertainment products. Businesses need attendance, and a loyal fan base willing to spend time and money on the product. A costumed mascot and related interaction with those in attendance, fan contests and other antics - all attempt to add interest (to entertain). The business of providing entertainment - especially for offerings struggling to win attention, can move in some wild directions. I'm not saying it's a bad thing - but it is an emerging aspect of sports with commercial objectives.

We might note that in this example, attendance appears to be weak.

How about painting? Have I said bad things?

Here again, it seems like a straightforward thing - maybe even stress-free, or possibly stress relieving. No! The new rule is: "If it is going to require more than one gallon of paint, or more than three hours - think about getting someone else to to do it". You'll scoff at my discovery and my new rules, but in the end - you'll see that I am correct.

Have I ever said anything bad about drywall?

If you need drywall hung etc., hire someone. There you have it. The final word on drywall.

Any particular kind of berry?

I wonder if these guys are buddies and went one after the other in the uniform number assignment line. I mean 92 and then sitting right next to him - 93. Quite a coincidence.

Maybe

Never do drywall - ever again

Remind me never to do a drywall project ever again. Anything - other than a small patch job - is not allowed.

931 Ocean

One of my favorite restaurants just closed. It wasn't a big place - maybe it sat 50 people plus a another seven or eight at the bar. The food was quite good and the service was also good. They sure seemed to try hard. It always seemed busy, but it could be that I showed up when everyone else did. Maybe it just wasn't big enough. Maybe it was something else. It seems like this restaurant thing is much harder than it looks.

Cuppla Quotes

The man who says he is willing to meet you halfway is usually a poor judge of distance.

It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions.

A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist.

Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does.

The Lion Tamer

In this painting by W.A. Rogers, 1904 - the lion tamer stands with confidence and commands the lion's attention. Of course, he knows that should the lions collectively decide to attack, he'll be eaten.

Habanero Peppers - home grown and fresh

You see those little peppers on the counter. Apparently, they were grown in the garden and recently harvested. Together with the tomatoes, this should be quite nice. So - you decide that maybe all this stuff can go in the stir fry. Yes indeed, this will be quite nice.


Make sure you use a cutting board. Don't scratch the counter top. Dice those tomatoes, but not too much - they'll lose their substance. Onions too. Now cut open those little garden peppers and pull out the seeds. I'm not sure if you're supposed to pull the seeds, but I'll do it anyway. Then slice those peppers up into thin strips and chop them up good. Use the tips of your fingers to guide the knife blade and really chop those little peppers into tiny tiny bits. Scrap everything off the cutting board and into the frying pan and we're off and running. This is going to be quite nice.


It's good to clean as you go. Wipe down your counter top and clean the cutting board. Wipe your eye lid, your upper lip and the side of your nose with your fingers. Make sure your fingers still have the oils from the little home grown peppers on them. Now that you feel a bit of a tingle on your eye lid, go ahead and rub your eye in order to make that tingle go away. Rub it a lot.


Turn off the cook top and consider taking a freezing cold shower. Wash wash wash wash scrub, wash wash scrub, wash wash - and repeat. You may just want to rip your eye out or maybe tear your face off and look for a new one later. Nice peppers.

Differentiation

Do the same thing as everyone else and you'll get the same thing as everyone else. If that's what you want - swell. If you dare to be different, go for "better". Figure out what better means and make sure you're a lot better. Being marginally better isn't going to matter. You might as well be worse. It's hard to tell the difference between a little worse, the same, and a little better. Nope - you have to go with significantly better if you want to stand out. Chances are you'll give up something (could be margin, could be control, could be sleep), but you have to do it. Make sure you're right about what better means. Being boldly better wins attention.

Onion News - so good, so bad, so funny

John McCain Accidentally Left On Campaign Bus Overnight

Who said it?

It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words: "And this, too, shall pass away."

I believe this was Abraham Lincoln.


By the way Abraham; what's with the "oln"?

A familiar smell?

This is where folks say "the next time things are up I'm selling". Since a lot of equities are held in mutual funds, and the sell activity gets executed the day following the instruction to sell, we see the consequences of those who can't take the risk or maybe the heat - a day or two later.

Or not.

A sigh and a beverage are in order

Yes indeed, we are pleased with the market's big up move on Monday. It was definitely good news. It's not time to celebrate just yet. However, a brief sigh of relief and a beverage are in order.

Heavy Lifting - % Ups and Downs

If something (let's say... the stock market) falls 20%. It has to then gain 25% to get back where it started.

10,000 down 20% is 8,000
8,000 up 20% is only 9,600
8,000 up 25% brings us back to 10,000

I hate that.

I love her expressions after she finds her fries