How will you dream if you don’t sleep?
How will you hear yourself?
–Michael Dorris
a lot of honchos i’ve known run around like little maniacs forcing, pushing. occassionaly they hold a “strategy session” where they brainstorm and reflect on the business. but on a daily basis, not a whole lot of free-form creative thinking occurs. consequently most honchos in the same industry, being of reasonably equal rational intelligence and resources, come to the same conclusions at the same time. wouldn’t it be cool to create an environment where true creativity and curiosity were embraced and rewarded rather than being seen as a threat? ahh, utopia.
the year is 1992. jon secada’s “just another day” is at the top of the charts. people are rioting in los angeles. william jefferson clinton is campaigning for president. Bosnia and Herzegovina has seceded from Yugoslavia (yes, it’s ONE country — who knew?). and the “Teflon Don” has just been convicted of 13 crimes. i actually LIKE how i look in my prom pictures, except i’m not thrilled with my date. but i do adore that hunky tom cruise, star of “a few good men” and “far and away.”
I just came upon this quote: “Other people have a nationality. The Irish and the Jews have a psychosis.” — Brendan Behan
As a third-generation Irish-American, I have always felt very close to my Jewish brothers and sisters. There’s a shared sensibility, no doubt because our ancestors had to deal with similar bullshit in America around the same time. Value of family, value of hard work, cynicism and humor. Big hearts, enduring souls, seekers of truth and justice. And with all that good stuff comes some baggage: we’re also guilt-laden and highly skeptical (often pathologically so) of authority. Basically, we are nuts in the same way. Irish & Jews: perfect together.
the idea of creating a $7 billion loss for one’s employer, and having an impact on world financial markets blows my mind.
Though his former boss called him a “terrorist,” Mr. Kerviel told French investigators that all he wanted was to be respected, and to earn a big bonus.
It seems to me that this guy would have to be a mad genius to pull it off on his own. Either that or they are the dumbest bank in the history of banks. There’s speculation that he’s a scapegoat.
“The bank would rather charge some poor guy than own up to their own failings,” read a commentary in Le Figaro by the hugely respected economic professor Elie Cohen, of the prestigious Sciences Po research centre in Paris.
The paper made it clear that even Bank of France governor Christian Noyer called the case “unbelievable”.
do you remember the richard bey show? it was a nationally syndicated talk show in the mid nineties that competed with jerry springer. Says Wikipedia:
The Richard Bey Show, which began in 1990 and was produced from WWOR-TV in Secaucus, New Jersey, featured such competitive events as the ‘Miss Big Butt’ contest, ‘The Mr. Puniverse Contest’, ‘Dysfunctional Family Feud’ and ‘Blacks who think OJ is guilty vs Whites who think he is innocent’. Bey’s show made frequent use of sound effects like ‘uh-Duh’ for an inane response, ‘I’ve been framed’ for a guest proclaiming innocence and ‘You’re busted!’ for one accused of wrongdoing. Bey would often exclaim “Where do they find these people?!”
you will be shocked to know that i was a fan, as were my college roommates. during our Fall break sophomore year Beth and I dressed up like Guidettes and participated in the live studio audience in Secaucus. i don’t remember the topic of the show but they DID have a close up on us a few times and i DO have it on VHS at my Mom’s house. some day i will have it converted for friends of colsblog’s viewing pleasure. in the meantime, here’s some photo documentation:
and here’s a clip of the show to give you a taste for what it was all about:
this is from john. super fun and playful — “Lollipop” by Mika. love the art. very yellow submarine. and good advice, too, as we start off the week: don’t suck too hard, suckas!
i came across a treasure trove of old stuff at my mom’s house today. for starters, a poem i wrote in the fifth grade. click on it to see it in context. what a suck up — that yuka. for the record, miss suss was cross-eyed and not all that attractive. i recall making up a little chant about her: “she wiggles when she walks, she walks when she wiggles.” we sang it quietly to the shake of her ass as she led us down the hall in a long straight line.
the scanner’s temperamental tonight so that’s all for now.
a lot of honchos i’ve known run around like little maniacs forcing, pushing. occassionaly they hold a “strategy session” where they brainstorm and reflect on the business. but on a daily basis, not a whole lot of free-form creative thinking occurs. consequently most honchos in the same industry, being of reasonably equal rational intelligence and resources, come to the same conclusions at the same time. wouldn’t it be cool to create an environment where true creativity and curiosity were embraced and rewarded rather than being seen as a threat? ahh, utopia.
the idea of creating a $7 billion loss for one’s employer, and having an impact on world financial markets blows my mind.
