Worst Slide Story

In these tough economic times, it helps to laugh. (Well, it just helps to laugh period.) Here's an animated parody, courtesy of Walt Handelsman at Newsday. Click here and feel free to sing along.

Bird Watching: Robins in January

Maybe it's the incessant cold. Maybe it's the dreary economy. Maybe it's global warming.

Maybe it's the food. That's the most logical explanation, according to avian experts. (I just had to throw in the cold, even though I am boring even myself complaining about it. And I had to throw in the economy because, well, did you notice, every conversation or news item, no matter the subject, includes at least one reference?)

So, what am I talking about? Robins. Apparently, they're all over the place. When I was in Canada over the weekend I happened to catch a fluffy feature piece on the local news one day about the unusual number of robin sightings in Ontario. And then this morning, there it was in the Boston Globe--a blurb from their environmental blog about the number of sightings here.

But for those who are looking for an early end to this wearying winter or just a sign in general that spring is on its way, forget about it. For the birds, winter hasn't even really started. The robins aren't returning early, they never left. There is still food to be had, so they are sticking around. Either that or the birds that we are seeing here, according to local experts, could be Canadian ones on their way south, stopping by for a nosh before continuing their trip. (Although, from what the Canadians are saying, there's plenty more up there that still haven't packed their bags.)

Either way, foreign or domestic, if you're seeing robins, don't get too excited. But in these tough economic times (I had to throw it in one more time), it's good to have something else to talk about.

"No Banker Left Behind": Bailout protest on Wall Street

Yesterday I was in New York and went downtown with my friends in the UAW to take part in the rally to protest the government bailout of Wall Street:

Story from Reuters

Some photos:
WCBS NEWSRADIO 880 - Photo Gallery: Bailout Protested on Wall Street

You can tell a lot about an area by its ancillary businesses. There it was sushi restaurants and health clubs. In parts of Florida it's gun shops and pawn stores. In the Tremont St./Mass Ave. area it's check cashing stores and nail salons. (I don't think there's been an actual study done, but I think that the poorer a neighborhood, the more nail salons it has.) So, of course, I'm thinking the next time I'm in the market for fake nails, I'll head down to Wall Street.

Times are tough, we *all* have to economize

The Wall Street Journal today had a sad story about what the economy is doing to New York's well-to-do. Apparently, they are feeling the pinch along with the rest of us. Poor Brittany almost had to go back to school this year with last year's nose. (Luckily, Mom figured out that if they forewent the private nurse and overnight hospital stay, they could squeeze by.) And then, even if they can afford it, they are passing up caviar on the party menus, because, well, that would just be too showy.

I can relate.

Well, no, I really can't.