Linkee-poo, hot enough for you?

It makes me wonder just what is going through the minds of all those who say (both on TV and not), "It's a snowstorm, were's the global warming? Oh those silly Goreists," are thinking right now. If they had any logic consistency it would be "OMFG! We're boned!" You know, right before their heads exploded.

A post of creativity for designers with an interesting chart most of the way down. That chart is really over how "creative design gets done" (not my process, but okay, I've witnessed it in others). But what really struck was it's practically an exact chart of the writing (a novel) process. Like it, get excited, okay middle shit here, ZOMG! this is the worst writing ever, I suck!, okay, we're getting to the good part, Zoom! done and I love it.

A little more on the "our brave job creators." Profits are up, and being banked. But not only are they not hiring, some are laying people off. Again, this isn't my first time on this merry-go-round. Lots of newly minted managers don't understand what they're doing. Say, maybe you all ought to look at China and the fun and wonderful time they're having with their employees. Nah, that could never happen here.

Want one legit reason newspapers are dying? Another in the "stories we tell ourselves" (and how they aren't true), corporate non-bravery, and "profits? What profits." Or, in other words, that vicious cycle of diminishing returns. What could be bad with firing people, working the rest into the ground, and not having any principles? Hey, want to know why Fox is doing so well? It's because they have an agenda and don't give a crap if you don't share it (okay, they do, they'll just call you "unpatriotic", "a loser" or "pin-head"). With the lack of leadership, people will drink the sand because they don't know any better. Dear CNN, want to grab your spot back? Relearn that lesson of speaking truth to power. (Grokked from Vince)

And just in case anybody is still laboring under the principle that conservatives care for them. You know how in the 90s the Republicans bemoaned and wailed against being labeled as the party of the rich and big business. They were a big tent, after all. Well, looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks it's probably at least in bed with a duck.

Speaking of caring, Erich knocks another one out of the park with his take on the Heritage Foundation's selfishness propaganda report on poverty in the US. So, before I call bullshit on the report (and its summary is a steaming load of crap that only works if you start vivisecting out a small portions of the population, and then mash them together to give a distorted sense of what is happening, and buy into the resurgent "welfare queen" mentality), I'll let you read Eric's commentary on it. In case you don't, I'll also point to Scalzi's post on being poor just in case.

On meeting Ayn Rand's editor. (Grokked from Roger Ebert)

The Clarion blog with just how strange our universe is.

Tobia Buckell on our culture of TEST TEST TEST. Versus, you know, actually educating people. (Just a note, Finland has some advantages over us to begin with, 1) small, 2) homogenous 3) they have a culture that respects education, instead of sneering at it).

It just never gets old that candidates who like to tout their "business" and "job creator" credentials just seem to have no fargin' clue as to how businesses actually work or the reality of any business situation they like to roll out as an example. If that's the only credential you want to run on, it would be nice if you could demonstrate your actual capability.

Tweet of my heart:
@JohnFugelsang: The fact that unelected Grover Norquist controls an entire political party proves the benefits of a Slytherin education. (retweeted by CarolElaine and 24 others)
Also, winner of best Harry Potter comment tie-in.