Words, words, words

Opposites are linguistically interesting.

pantagruelian (pan-tuh-groo-EL-ee-uhn) adjective

1. Enormous.
2. Displaying extravagant and coarse humor.

lilliputian (lil-i-PYOO-shuhn) adjective

Very small.
noun
A very small person.

spall (spal) verb tr., intr.

To break into small pieces; to splinter.
noun
A chip or splinter, especially of stone.

Time Waster

I wasted a good bit of this morning learning how to adjust for the wind direction. Have fun.

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Serious stuff

We like to live with the fiction we are masters of our own ship. It seems the extent of our control depends on making a conscious effort. Link courtesy of chat friend Benedict.
Multinationals make billions in profit out of growing global food crisis
Speculators blamed for driving up price of basic foods as 100 million face severe hunger

Giant agribusinesses are enjoying soaring earnings and profits out of the world food crisis which is driving millions of people towards starvation, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. And speculation is helping to drive the prices of basic foodstuffs out of the reach of the hungry.

The prices of wheat, corn and rice have soared over the past year driving the world's poor – who already spend about 80 per cent of their income on food – into hunger and destitution.

The World Bank says that 100 million more people are facing severe hunger. Yet some of the world's richest food companies are making record profits. Monsanto last month reported that its net income for the three months up to the end of February this year had more than doubled over the same period in 2007, from $543m (£275m) to $1.12bn. Its profits increased from $1.44bn to $2.22bn.

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Sign of the times

We try to go through life and make decisions with our eyes open. This gives cause for concern and contemplation.
30 of the fastest declining occupations
Worried that technology improvements or the struggling economy might soon cost you your job? While a prediction isn't a guarantee, employment predictions from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show that some occupations are expected to decline in the near future.The projections, which are updated every two years, show that the total number of people employed in the United States will have increased 10 percent — by 15. 6 million — between 2006 and 2016. Not all jobs, however, are on the rise. Check out this list of 30 jobs expected to be among the fastest declining.
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