Tuesday, June 10, 2008

With commentary


Marvelous, eh? I have lost myself in exploring on many levels but I just felt the sharp, harsh, stinging slap of reality.

Wrap your mind around the fact it is all waste. Man sure is a sorry lot.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Story

They are replacing the siding on the almost 100 apartments in this complex. Being a guy, I had to 'supervise' the project.

When it came time to do my unit, my attention level rose. I watched as I a worker arbitarily whacked off a length of the vinyl siding and banged a nail through it at a point in the approximate middle of a span and then attached additional slabs on either side of that. Befuddled, I told my neighbor, who had joined my vigil, that I could not understand... the panels being attached were random in length, were placed vertically when all other siding was running horizontally and in what appeared to be a haphazard manner.


The worker, a 'brassaro' if you must know, then brought the whole process into clarity. He took a tap measure and marked the distance from right to left. I started chuckling and when 'Juan' looked at me I smiled, held up my finger and nodded my head...

"I get it now... Those first panels were just to allow you to get an accurate measure without any 'bowing' of the tape.' He smiled and said, 'You smart'.

Who was I to argue?

Mixed media

This is an interesting merger of data and images from a rather remarkable source.

Running the numbers
Photographer Chris Jordan turns cold hard stats into provocative statements on economics, culture and the American way of life.
Link

Words, words, words

morass \muh-RASS\ noun
1 : marsh, swamp
2 a : a situation that traps, confuses, or impedes
*b : an overwhelming or confusing mass or mixture

shebeen (shuh-BEEN) noun
An unlicensed drinking establishment.

supererogatory \soo-puhr-ih-ROG-uh-tor-ee\ (adjective) -
1 : Going beyond what is required or expected.
2 : Superfluous; unnecessary.

Back in action

This is the 'cause de jour' and worthy of comment. Great map at the link.

The Varying Impact of Gas Prices

Gas prices are high throughout the country, but how hard they hit individual families depends on income levels, which vary widely.

Link