Stimulate Me Until I Come and Recover

Courtesy of solea

Yes I need to be stimulated until I come and recover. It’s not what you think though. Unless your a $1000 call girl named Juanita Epstein then it is exactly that.

Seriously though folks I have been incubating this one for a couple of weeks and I think I am ready to let it hatch and take flight. I know they have some major Brainiacs there in Washington D.C. working hard on solutions to rejuvenate this stalled economy. However I’d like to put my idea, as simplistic as it may be, out there for consideration. After I’m done then you guys can tell me what you think. OK? Alright here it is.

Since the government is in the mood to give money away and bail out every greedy bastard and their wayward industry why not try this stimulus plan and see if it helps.

1. F*** the banks! They’ll always find a way to make money. Instead why not do something worth while with that $80 billion dollars. Lets really stimulate the economy by paying 1/2 of all mortgages written in the last 10 years. Why? This way the banks get an infusion of cash, mortgage debt is lowered and home owners have more spendable cash.
2. F*** the auto manufacturers! Let them fail this way they can get rid of the unions. In this day of litigation the unions are not really necessary to protect the interests of the common laborer. Believe me, people know where to go when they feel their rights are being trampled upon. Also if step 1 were followed then people would have some money to purchase new automobiles. Hell they might even cost less now that the domestic auto manufacturers do not have pay those exorbitant hourly wages, pensions and medical benefits.
3. Legalize marijuana. Admit that you were wrong and start cashing in on Americas multi-billion dollar crop.

There you have it, 3 easy steps to stimulate the economy until it recovers. After it recovers let it bask in the warm after glow of triple digit profits and capitalist short sightedness for a while before you go and f*** it again.

Buckets, Ugly Sluts & Slip-on Uggs

Buckets

Buckets courtesy of Bo Mackinson

Why must we as a society label and categorize every aspect of our existence? Moderate, conservative, liberal, the left, the right, gay, straight, bi, black, white, and other.

We have created so many buckets to contain ourselves that we will eventually lose sight of what we were trying to set ourselves apart from. Dang it we even have buckets within buckets.

What’s wrong with just existing? Living each day to the full and accepting and if need be rejecting people as you encounter them? Life is for living not subdividing!

Ugly Sluts

Courtesy of gwalton1

Out and about this weekend I came across two young women. Probably in the their very early 20s. What caught my eye, from a distance, at night with very bad lighting, were curvy bodies, high heels and the chatter of young women. Like any male I had to investigate. So I did. I felt like a fish that swallowed a lure. So like most men that have been let down by their own foolishness I to had to blame the women.

Slip-On Uggs

Courtesy of Moodahocka's camera phone

Really what is the point of an Ugg slipper, slide, or mule? Isn’t the rationale behind Uggs is that it’s a very warm boot or shoe? If it’s cold enough outside to wear Uggs then wear Uggs. Does having your heel hang out really make that much of a difference?

Follow My Lead

Follow the Leader

This is the first time in my career where I have the opportunity to work with some one who has climbed up through the ranks and is willing to share their experience with those subordinate to them. However I must say  that not every manager is a leader, despite how well they manage their staff.

Leadership and management are not always synonymous. I guess when you really break down the definitions of each this becomes even more apparent. Would you agree with me in saying that leadership is about having vision and being able to work with a team to accomplish that vision? Whereas management would be more of keeping a team working but not necessarily working towards a greater purpose. I think leadership, at least good leadership, will encompass management skills. Management perhaps is a discipline that may not have leadership.

Leadership often involves taking risks. The willingness to go out on a limb to acheive an objective. Whereas management is more about keeping the status quo, making sure that things continue to run as smoothly as possible. That said I can see why CEOs and other high ranking executives are considered the leadership of an organization. The vision rests with them and they coordinate the efforts of the organization to realize that vision. They lead the organization to the vision. Much like a general will lead his troops to victory or defeat. The vision is either realized or not.

There are countless books on leadership and how to lead and strategies for leading. I think what it all really comes down to is having a vision and being willing to accept the risks, consequences and rewards of moving to fulfill that vision. Without that you are still following in the footsteps of others.

$1000 Sex vs. $100 Sex

Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts

Image courtesy of Seattlepi.com

Now that I have your attention, the real title of this entry is Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts.

I know you guys are smart enough to realize this is by no means a taste test comparison of two the nations leading coffee brands. This is more of a look at the mind set that often comes into play when discussing ones favorite brew. Just for full disclosure I prefer Starbucks.  I have tried the others, D&D, 7-11, various diners, break room and even instant coffee. It does not bother me that the majority of the folks do not like Starbucks. Is it not about choice? What does bother me though is that the non Sbux drinkers will deride us for spending more on something that we enjoy. As if all pallets were the same. Should that be the case why not a monochromatic world and season less food? There is no comparison, for better or worse, between the various brews.  Yes it is all coffee just like $100 sex and $1000 sex is still sex. But what do I get for the $1000 that I do not get for the $100.

• Environment – I can enjoy my cup of joe in an environment that suits my lifestyle.
• Choice – Sbux provides me with a constant variety of new flavors and blends to try.
• Class – This is not about the people per se but more about the experience. Sbux educates its customers. You either get it or you don’t.

You see my point. Although ultimately sex is sex and each provider will produce the same outcome (snicker snicker) but perhaps for the $1000 I am in a posh hotel and not in the back seat of a car. Perhaps for the $1000 I am with an educated, worldly and entertaining host. For the $1000 I had the chance to pick from a selection of the most beautiful and talented women for which to satisfy my carnal desires.

Continuing with my prostitution metaphor. Perhaps I tried the $100 street walker and by some good fortune also got to experience the $1000 call girl. Yes they both performed the same service but as I described above what made the difference was how it was offered. Maybe for some those differences are irrelevant but for others they are deal breakers.

I guess all I am saying is that there are choices out there.  The ones you choose are just that, the ones you chose. Let me enjoy my $2 cup of coffee and I’ll let you enjoy your $1 cup of coffee. After we are done with our hot aromatic beverage we can bask in the warm after glow of post consuption satisfaction.

With the tough economic times perhaps making it yourself is actually the best course of action. If you choose to do so why not learn a little bit about how to make a really good cup of coffee. Here is a good place to start…