http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/ New York to Michoacán and somewhere in between en-US Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:28:31 -0600 http://www.typepad.com/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/9bpxi6LxFXs/everyone-needs-a-velvet-apron.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/11/everyone-needs-a-velvet-apron.html As we sat over breakfast on the day before the Day of the Dead at La Surtidora, overlooking Patzcuaro’s Plaza Grande, I thought aloud “I get to wake up in Michoacán 365 days a year, and I’m thankful for that. Look at these tourists, the poor souls, who only get to do so a few days here and there.” Telling myself that I wasn’t going to buy any artesania this year, partly because I’ve collected enough and mostly because money is in short supply, in less than thirty minutes, I broke my pledge in the Ocumicho aisle where an embroidered velvet apron just had my name on it. Deploying my new routine of offering 60% of the asked price and just once, I let the fates decide whether it would go home with me or not. Within minutes, the vendor found me and accepted my price. No, I’m not going... jennifer j rose Mexico Staring at Strangers Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:28:31 -0600 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/11/everyone-needs-a-velvet-apron.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/Tt_TXSutKz4/the-right-to-life-rages-on.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/the-right-to-life-rages-on.html Mexico is at war with more than just the narcos. It’s not a real good idea for women in nearly half the country to become pregnant against their will. Technorati Tags: abortion, pregnancy termination, Mexico, right to life Current Affairs jennifer j rose Mexico Staring at Strangers Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:54:38 -0600 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/the-right-to-life-rages-on.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/deoiTb_UTDY/journey-to-astoria-a-lesson-for-the-world.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/journey-to-astoria-a-lesson-for-the-world.html Last Sunday was a beautiful. No rain, moderate temperatures, and a sun shining benevolently down from the heavens. So, while I was first planning to go to my office to do some work, I decided instead to ride my bike, which I hadn’t ridden since coming to Astoria. My bike had sat in my apartment with two flat tires for weeks until I got these CO2 cartridges which filled them up in seconds. So I was ready to go, just waiting for the right day. Sunday was that day. Off I went down Ditmars Boulevard, with my helmet on and the wind in my face. I had gone about 6 blocks when one of those private car service cabs turned right in front of me, causing me to slam on my brakes and collide with the rear end of the cab. A hissing noise rose up above the traffic sounds... Astoria David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:00:12 -0600 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/journey-to-astoria-a-lesson-for-the-world.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/7SpbRFYgk_o/windows-7-release-cripples-worldwide-economic-recovery.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/windows-7-release-cripples-worldwide-economic-recovery.html With the world economy just beginning to recover from the worst downturn since the 1929 depression, Microsoft’s release of Windows 7 has dealt a crippling blow to its nascent recovery. Nations were caught unaware as millions of buyers of this latest upgrade of Microsoft’s operating system took days at their offices and homes to struggle with the installation of Windows 7 onto their computers, thereby causing a major disruption of large segments of the economy, including the restaurant, film, theater and travel industries as people cancelled plans because they were drawn away to resolve all of the issues which have arisen with this operating system upgrade. “I thought it would take an hour, maybe two, to get this up and running, but I’m into my second day of this and still haven’t gotten all of the kinks out of it,” said Robert Morrison, a New York lawyer. “So I had... David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:57:31 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/windows-7-release-cripples-worldwide-economic-recovery.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/ZDgoEsXBEeI/the-villa-montaa-and-salad-dressing.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/the-villa-montaa-and-salad-dressing.html All over the world, foodies are wringing their hands over the demise of Gourmet magazine. They apparently forgot the day when Connoisseur folded itself into Gourmet, more than a decade and a half or ago. Some probably don’t even remember Laurie Colwin’s column in Gourmet. Frankly, I’m tired of food magazines. In the bodega are several boxes filled with old Gourmet magazines, and they read not much differently than last month’s. I’m tired of hearing people wax on about slow food, eating locally, politically correct food, and molecular gastronomy. Just don’t get me started on the vegans, or I may write something I’ll regret later. I’d much rather read food literature, about culinary disasters, and food science and throw a piece of meat on the fire. And then I finally came across a recipe that I’d been searching for, well, for a long time. I knew that it had appeared... Food and Drink jennifer j rose Mexico Staring at Strangers Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:46:33 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/the-villa-montaa-and-salad-dressing.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/Ts481-iR3KY/invasion-of-manhattan.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/invasion-of-manhattan.html Little bottles are showing up in Manhattan office buildings. The oddest appearance which I saw was in an office building on Seventh Avenue, where there was a bottle on a stand in each of the elevators. And finally it has appeared in my office building. I walked in this morning and there it was by the guard station - the bottle on the stand which served as a silent reminder of a city’s fear. Fear of what, you ask? Fear of the swine flu, of course. Someone thought that placing little bottles of hand sanitizers all over Manhattan will slow the spread of the H1N1 swine flu. So I am seeing bottles of Purell in more and more office buildings. My cynical mind thinks that this scheme was dreamed up by the company which makes Purell. But there is logic to the plan, because the major entryway for germs into... David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:05:31 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/10/invasion-of-manhattan.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/Cj--ANV0E2o/healthy-values.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/healthy-values.html Here’s a critical contribution to the health care debate from Rob Kutner, our favorite writer for The Tonight Show (well, the only writer for The Tonight Show that I happen to know): We value humor far more than health care, any day of the week. Technorati Tags: Rob Kutner, The Tonight Show, health care Current Affairs jennifer j rose Staring at Strangers Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:06:49 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/healthy-values.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/Aa6nFhPyy9g/journey-to-astoria-culture-shock.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-culture-shock.html I keep finding examples of how Astoria is very different than my former home of Manhattan. There’s the obvious of a less frenetic pace and a more neighborhood feel. But then there are the other, smaller differences. Walking out of Astoria Park today after enjoying some of the beautiful weather we’ve been getting (okay, I’m sure that they had beautiful weather in Manhattan today as well), a small boy of maybe 10 years old and four feet high walked up to me and said, “Can I use your cell phone?” The little alarms which I’ve developed as a city dweller for all these years went off inside of me, conjuring up all kinds of troubling possibilities. Could he be a runner for some illegal activity, and wanted to use my phone to make an untraceable call? If it wasn’t related to something illegal, then what about the recipient of this... Astoria David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:35:40 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-culture-shock.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/tAZABPjfKdA/journey-to-astoria-a-return-to-the-moons-of-jupiter.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-a-return-to-the-moons-of-jupiter.html This past week while in Manhattan at work, I stopped at a drugstore to buy a replacement 9 volt battery for my apartment’s smoke alarm detector. I was a bit annoyed that the drugstore only sold 9 volt batteries in two packs since I only needed one, which would probably last for about 6 months to a year, but I decided to buy the two pack anyway instead of having to spend more time finding a store that sold 9 volt batteries individually. On my way home that night I saw Patrick whom I described in an earlier post. Patrick is a local resident of Astoria who plants his telescope out on a sidewalk on Ditmars Boulevard and invites nighttime strollers to take a look at the brightest things in the sky that night. I have stopped several times to take a look at his telescope, including a couple of... Astoria David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:37:49 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-a-return-to-the-moons-of-jupiter.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/6ECUhCs5hDw/journey-to-astoria-my-night-at-mccanns-pub-grill.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-my-night-at-mccanns-pub-grill.html Astoria is chock full of neighborhood places where good friends get together to hang out and enjoy an evening. McCann’s on Ditmars Boulevard is just such a place, and this past weekend I decided to pay it a visit. Originally I was going to go on a pub crawl organized by a group on Why Leave Astoria?, the social networking site you want to join if you’ve moved to Astoria and have a pulse. Unfortunately the pub crawl event fell thru, but I wasn’t going to let that ruin a night of drinking, so I had heard about McCann’s and decided that this would be a perfect time to visit, especially since it’s only 10 blocks away from where I live. There are plenty of great reviews of McCann’s on the web, and the place doesn’t disappoint (at least not the night I went). It’s a fabulous Irish bar with... Astoria David Leffler Food and Drink New York Staring at Strangers Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:18:08 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-my-night-at-mccanns-pub-grill.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/aNgXF8Gt3jE/viva-mexico.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/viva-mexico.html There’s no holiday season anywhere quite like Mes de la Patria. On September 16, we celebrate the Mexican Day of Independence. Cinco de Mayo isn’t our independence day. We are celebrating our independence from Spain on that day—not our independence from the United States. Please, dear gringo friends, learn this much. Don’t make me explain it to you over and over again. It’s really more than just a celebration of independence. Think instead of the Estadounidense 4th of July, Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve all rolled into one. Even though Costco’s Christmas merchandise has been out on its shelves since the first week of August, the red, white and green decorations you see everywhere are not in celebration of Christmas. Those happen to be the national colors of Mexico, and bunting festoons practically every street and store. While chiles en nogada is the dish most associated with the... jennifer j rose Mexico Staring at Strangers Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:11:21 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/viva-mexico.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/QgsZmdfiMPc/journey-to-astoria-the-evening-of-the-same-day.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-the-evening-of-the-same-day.html The stories about Astoria keep piling up, so I’m attempting here to catch up a bit. The evening of the same Saturday that I attended synagogue in the morning, I found myself walking down Steinway Street thru the section that is filled with hookah bars, with men sitting on the sidewalks around small tables, and I felt as though I had wandered into some Middle Eastern country. I was hungry and so was looking for some place to eat, and while I would have enjoyed some Middle Eastern food, most of the restaurants had music blasting out of them and I would have preferred something quieter. Finally, I came near the end of the street where there were no more hookah bars, but there was one small restaurant which had no music, so I stepped inside. The place was completely empty, save a woman sitting at a table watching a... Astoria David Leffler Food and Drink New York Staring at Strangers Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:59:07 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-the-evening-of-the-same-day.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/e0vxXNmtTYQ/journey-to-astoria-the-present-becomes-the-past-becomes-the-future.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-the-present-becomes-the-past-becomes-the-future.html On Saturday I decided to attend services at the local synagogue. I figured that this would be a good way to get familiar with another part of the local Astoria community. I found a conservative synagogue which was about a 15 minute walk from my home and set off late in the morning dressed in a nice shirt, pants and shoes. No sneakers and t-shirt for a house of worship. My timing was a bit calculated. Jewish Saturday morning services usually go for 2-3 hours, starting at 9:30 am. My late morning departure resulted in me arriving considerably later than 9:30 am. I arrived at the synagogue, opened the door and walked across an entrance hall to the door of the main sanctuary. It’s at this point in my story that I must inform you, dear reader, that it had been a while since I had been in a synagogue,... Astoria David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:46:43 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-the-present-becomes-the-past-becomes-the-future.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/KcPqJtsMG08/journey-to-astoria-meet-the-neighbors.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-meet-the-neighbors.html A few nights ago I was coming home late to my new home in Astoria. I was walking down Ditmars Boulevard from the train station, and a couple blocks down the street I saw a crowd on the corner. As I got closer I could see that there was a telescope set up on a tripod, one of those thick, short round ones that are used to view the night sky, and there was a guy giving people a look at the heavens above Astoria. I love astronomy. It was the first thing I remember wanting to do as a young child, look at the stars in the sky. It seemed to me to be the most wonderful way to spend my time, and I believed then that this was how you decided what you wanted to do when you grew up. As I approached, one of the "audience members"... Astoria David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:30:01 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria-meet-the-neighbors.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/fXycLMP8gnA/journey-to-astoria.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria.html Two weeks ago I moved to Astoria, located in the borough of Queens, NY, after living on the island of Manhattan for 27 years. I’ve always enjoy the convenience of living in Manhattan, but the move out to Astoria was not a big deal for me, notwithstanding the bit of Manhattan snobbery I possessed like most of my fellow island dwellers. I’m embarrassed to say that whenever I boarded a subway train pulling in from one of the outer boroughs I used to look at the people on the train and think, “What losers, they don’t live in Manhattan.” Now I am one of those people riding on that train, and my thinking is entirely different. Instead of considering myself and my new neighbors from Astoria as losers, when the train pulls into Manhattan I look at the people boarding the train and think, “Ha, these people have no idea... Astoria David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:42:25 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/09/journey-to-astoria.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/579AwoK-X9A/wi-fi-signals-as-prostitutes-spoof.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/wi-fi-signals-as-prostitutes-spoof.html Watch this one all the way thru - it's got a very cute ending. Technorati Tags: Wi-Fi, prostitutes, humor David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:39:06 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/wi-fi-signals-as-prostitutes-spoof.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/4KmG1sP_Yr8/close-encounters-of-the-cell-phone-kind.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/close-encounters-of-the-cell-phone-kind.html A powerful PSA produced in the UK demonstrating the dangers of texting while driving. Heck, having phone conversations while driving is a distraction and dangerous as well. I think that every driver should watch this, notwithstanding how disturbing it is. Technorati Tags: texting, drving, PSA, UK, danger David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:51:10 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/close-encounters-of-the-cell-phone-kind.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/6pcQwvKdZ7E/why-is-the-aba-selling-skateboards.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/why-is-the-aba-selling-skateboards.html It’s yesterday’s news that membership in the American Bar Association has fallen. Maybe lawyers no longer find it relevant, maybe they can no longer afford to belong, or maybe they’re really don’t fully appreciate the importance of bringing law to Borneo. There are mutterings and mumblings, sotto voce, here and there, about positions eliminated, hiring freezes, and belt-tightening measures in America’s august legal association, but that’s nothing new. But that hasn’t stopped the tide of meetings in exotic off-shore venues that many members can’t afford to travel to, even if the travel just might be tax-deductible, black-tie events, and initiatives less relevant to the everyday lawyer than Sarah Silverman’s Jesus is Magic. But why is the American Bar Association now peddling skateboards? Oh, I get it now. It’s a ploy by the the ABA’s magazine to develop some stories and recruit readers. Technorati Tags: lawyer, American Bar Association, Legal Rebels,... jennifer j rose Practicing Law Staring at Strangers Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:20:10 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/why-is-the-aba-selling-skateboards.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/Y0q-D-dwt_4/rip-the-billable-hour.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/rip-the-billable-hour.html The front page of today's Wall Street Journal reports on how large law firms are being pressured into flat fee arrangements by companies that have the muscle to "lay down the law," so to speak, on law firm billing arrangements. Most of this article is behind a subscription wall, but you can view the full video below, in which Amy Schulman, Pfizer's general counsel, describes the flat fee arrangements she requires from each of Pfizer's 16 law firms. The scariest phrase used in this interview is not "flat fee" but "metrics." For those unfamiliar with metrics, it involves the measuring of the success of a particular program. Ms. Schulman describes a system whereby each law firm rates the other law firms in the "Pfizer Legal Alliance" as to their ability to work collaboratively with the others. Can you imagine the partner meetings where a law firm decides how to rate... David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:47:15 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/rip-the-billable-hour.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/hdhrtcd3TkU/no-dog-left-behind.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/no-dog-left-behind.html You are ready for the Rapture. All of your affairs are in order; you’ve been preparing for this big event ever since your first conscious moment. But what about your Best Friends Left Behind? The folks at Eternal Earth-Bound Pets are there to help. Credit goes to IncaKolaNews for this one. Technorati Tags: rapture, IKN, pets Current Affairs jennifer j rose Staring at Strangers Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:22:06 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/no-dog-left-behind.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/9q-rw0WP6MQ/comparing-obama-to-hitler.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/comparing-obama-to-hitler.html This is a perfect example of what has been taking over U.S. politics for sometime, leading to more confrontations and less real solutions that might actually do some good. See my original post, How to Destroy the United States of America. And yes, I'm willing to post an example of a Democrat making an asshole out of himself or herself. You think that there is any shortage of these jerks from either of the two major political parties? From the Youtube post: At a Barney Frank town hall meeting in Dartmouth, MA, a constituent asks, "Why are you supporting this Nazi policy?" Frank responds: "On what planet do you spend most of your time?" He then calls her approach "vile, contemptible nonsense." He closes by saying: "Trying to have a conversation with you would be like arguing with a dining room table." Technorati Tags: politics David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:36:05 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/comparing-obama-to-hitler.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/EB50MEzTeDA/coke-is-1-for-lawyers.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/coke-is-1-for-lawyers.html You went to college. You did drugs. Which did you prefer—pot or coke? If you became a lawyer, the odds overwhelmingly indicated that you preferred Bolivian marching powder over Acapulco Gold. So reveals a series of studies Richard Florida analyzes in The Atlantic. Credt goes to Robert Ambrogi at Law.com for giving us this lead on the obligatory law-related post. Technorati Tags: cocaine, marijuana, legal profession Current Affairs jennifer j rose Practicing Law Staring at Strangers Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:38:25 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/coke-is-1-for-lawyers.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/bi0iFQP8jeI/how-to-destroy-the-united-states-of-america.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/how-to-destroy-the-united-states-of-america.html For me the recent appearances of "angry citizens" at town hall meetings demonstrate what is worst about the current U.S. political process, and something that I believe could destroy this country. When a strategy is formulated whereby disruptive participants in town hall meetings get the media attention they desire, thereby dominating the public discourse on important issues, they may be helping their cause, but they are not helping this country. Energy that could be used to solve problems is being directed to derailing the other side's agenda. When both sides employ the same tactic you are guaranteed that no useful solution will be achieved, only more turf wars, as the waters slowly rise and the ship eventually sinks. Let me be clear, I don't care how valid your position may be or which side you are on, employing adversarial techniques, whether in town hall meetings or in the U.S. Congress,... David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:01:49 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/how-to-destroy-the-united-states-of-america.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/9mc9E8smjI4/the-best-diner-in-the-world.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/the-best-diner-in-the-world.html Joe Jr's Restaurant was my NYC diner. During law school I often had breakfast there. The food was cheap and good. Located at the corner of Sixth Avenue and 12th Street in Greenwich Village, this small establishment had lots of character, and they would greet me as a decades younger law student with the nickname "professor." "Hey professor, how ya doing?" I almost always sat at the counter and not at the tables. Within minutes of my butt hitting the stool, a plate with two eggs scrambled and home fries would clatter down in front of me. After law school I wasn't in the neighborhood as much, and I lost touch with Joe Jr's and it's unique style of NYC charm. Then one evening about a month ago I was watching the local news on television, and there was Joe Jr's again, except this was a story about how it... David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Sun, 09 Aug 2009 15:59:21 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/the-best-diner-in-the-world.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/vpmaYf_2jhw/portuguese-not-necessary.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/portuguese-not-necessary.html Thanks to The Grande Enchilada for the Department of Newfangled Etiquette. (I’m just happy when others flush paper instead of thinking they’re being polite by putting it in the bote—and when the other half of the species puts the seat and lid down.) Technorati Tags: shower, micturation, green, water conservation Current Affairs jennifer j rose Mexico Staring at Strangers Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:50:03 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/portuguese-not-necessary.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/4yLUQFT6hYs/no-worries-no-worries-no-worries.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/no-worries-no-worries-no-worries.html Let me state for the record that I am sick of hearing the phrase "No worries!" The first time I heard it was from my daughter. Then my law partner said it. And now it's everywhere. I was on the phone the other day with a friend, thanking her for a favor, and she replied, "No worries!" But then it got worse when I thanked her a second time. "No worries, no worries, no worries" she chirped like some out of control alarm clock. I almost screamed, "Stop it! Stop it with that stupid phrase already!" Of course, being the calm, even tempered person that I am, I contained my annoyance. What does "no worries" mean anyway? I shouldn't worry about it? I'm not worried about it. Thanking someone for something is not an expression of being worried, it is showing appreciation for their generous act. Saying "no worries" almost... David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:37:02 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/no-worries-no-worries-no-worries.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/WHg4EhiN4yQ/another-czar-bites-the-dust.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/another-czar-bites-the-dust.html The Wall Street Journal reports today that Melissa Hathaway, the White House's acting cybersecurity czar (or "czarina" if you prefer) announced her resignation. Gee, even the "acting" czars don't stay very long in this administration. Her reason for leaving? "It's time to pass the torch." I thought I smelled something burning. In the past few months several people have turned down the job. Perhaps it has something to do with National Economic Adviser Larry Summers' view that whomever fills this position should report to two "bosses," the National Security Council and the National Economic Counsel. What's that quote about having too many masters? Technorati Tags: cybersecurity, Melissa Hathaway, White House David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:52:17 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/08/another-czar-bites-the-dust.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/ULLtIo8eHno/thats-a-lot-of-marijuana.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/07/thats-a-lot-of-marijuana.html According to a recent article on the CNN website, states, hit with ever widening budget gaps, are looking for new places to slap on more taxes. They are considering everything from strip clubs to marijuana. Of course, non-medical marijuana use would have to be legalized before it could be taxed. A number that really blew my mind was the estimate that if California taxed marijuana at $50 an ounce, the State would bring in $1 billion in additional tax revenue. Wow, there's a lot of smokin' going on in the Golden State! I'd say that it's no coincidence that this also is where the movie industry is based. Technorati Tags: marijuana, California, taxi, budget gap, strip clubs David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:18:45 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/07/thats-a-lot-of-marijuana.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/hRs5ATGziNI/recession-nope-heres-how-to-make-41-billion-in-10-months.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/07/recession-nope-heres-how-to-make-41-billion-in-10-months.html According to an article in yesterday's New York Times, the $5 billion investment in Goldman Sachs made by Warren Buffett in September 2008 has grown to $9.1 billion today. That's $4.1 billion dollars made in 10 months. "Yes," you say, "but is he really happy?" I don't care! Have you got any idea how much money that is? That's $11,232,876 a day, $468,036 an hour, $7,800 a minute, and $130 a second. Do you remember the 15 minutes you wasted on Facebook the other day? If you were Warren Buffett you would have made $117,000 in those 15 minutes! And he makes this money whether he is awake or asleep. So if he goes to sleep at 10 pm and wakes up at 6 am, he's $3,744,288 richer when he opens his eyes in the morning! Oh by the way, Mr. Buffett current return on an annualized basis is 111%,... David Leffler New York Staring at Strangers Sat, 25 Jul 2009 13:51:36 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/07/recession-nope-heres-how-to-make-41-billion-in-10-months.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/YqhW/~3/X_sfzLskSfw/mexico-builds-border-wall-to-keep-out-us-assholes-.html http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/07/mexico-builds-border-wall-to-keep-out-us-assholes-.html Mexico Builds Border Wall To Keep Out US Assholes David Leffler Mexico New York Staring at Strangers Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:14:32 -0500 http://staringatstrangers.typepad.com/staring_at_strangers/2009/07/mexico-builds-border-wall-to-keep-out-us-assholes-.html