This morning I walked into my building to find two of my co-workers and several of the other office dwellers staring intently at the elevators. Normally the lobby is empty at seven a.m., so a crowd made me curious. I asked one of my co-workers if something was wrong with the elevators. She turned to the security guard to ask him if there was something wrong with the elevators. While this mini drama was developing, I decided to push the UP button.
And the elevator door opened. Instead of trying the doors for themselves, my co-workers and the other office dwellers took the word of one woman who claimed to have called the elevators. She had. By holding down the Down button.
Because today was spent trying to write a training document, I had a little more down time than usual to catch up on news in the world. Not necessarily on the most important subjects, but entertaining nonetheless.
Topic 1: A, You Sexy Finn*, This One is For You
Because every time I hear news from/about Finland I think of my friend from graduate school, A.
From Finland, via CNET News, comes the report that Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, dubbed as "Finland's sexist man" by French President Jacques Chirac, dumped his girlfriend via text message.
Out of curiosity I checked Vanhanen's biography on Wikipedia. The photographs show a man who is cute in a Clark Kent sort of way and has terrible taste in ties. While reading, I came across this gem of a statement, under the section Personality: "Vanhanen has been characterized as uncharismatic and even boring..."
Are Jacques Chirac's standards really that low? Is uncharismatic, boring and reprehensible taste in ties** considered sexy in Finland?
*With apologies to the second-luckiest-woman in the world, A's wife, K.
**A really is one of the most adorable men (behind J) on the face of the planet. Especially when he wears his knit baby-blue ski cap with little white designs. A hat which screams for pom-poms on top.
Topic 2: File Under Greedy Bastards
As scholars begin debating the viability of the IRS taxing online gaming assets such as virtual loot.
Topic 3: Score One for the Democrats
John Bolton will be leaving his post as U.S. Envoy to the U.N at the expiration of his recess appointment. Even better, he resigned.
1) Oh, I dunno; I've seen and even worn far worse neckwear choices. (Mrs. Anonymous once told me, "Your taste is all in your mouth.")
ReplyDelete2) The Economist had a great article summarizing the breathtaking stupidity of forcing online gamblers underground. Can't link to the article; it's subscriber-only. Hit the liberry, look for "American attempts to ban online gambling are self-defeating and hypocritical" in the 7/20/06 ish.
3) Some more opinions on l'affaire Bolton, who seems rather unpopular in certain circles. Ahem.