Simon Johnson in the New York Times today:
Our leading bankers looted the state, plunged the world into deep recession and cost the United States eight million jobs. Now many of them stand by with sharpened knives and enhanced bonuses – willing to suggest how the salaries and jobs of others can be further cut. Consider the morality of that.
I hate that question. What it’s meant to mean is, “What is your Social Security Number?” That is. that number which was supposed to be a secret; that number that is now univerally used as an national identification number; that number which is now so easily used to steal your identity. That number.
So please, don’t call it “your social”. My “social” is an ice-cream social at the 2nd Methodist Church.
This article is terrific outline of what needs to be done, and how.
If you are not familiar with Simon and Kwak, you should subscribe to The Baseline Scenario.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/picture-galleries/7924099/Creepy-crawlies-Amazing-Scanning-Electron-Microscope-pictures-of-insects-and-spiders.html?image=20
Who in the world decided it was a good idea for mattresses to be one-sided? [a mattress manufacuter, I suspect]. There used to be a good living to be made (maybe still is in some areas) by young men in turning mattresses–that is, flipping the mattess so as to re-distribute wear, somehting beyond the ability of many elderly widows. Now, mattresses are sold for the quality of the padding on top, with no regard at all to the bottom of the mattress, which could as well be a top, if only it were padded, too.
At first the telephone had no bell. “The only way to know if someone was trying to get through to you was to pick up the telephone from time to time and see if anyone was there”. (bryson, “At Home”, p. 228
This is much like Skype today; you have to make an appointment to talk with someone, or else check every once in a while to see if anyone you know is on-line.