Holy crap this is funny...

So yeah. I saw this referenced in an article today about Zach Braff's movies, and how he uses music to rachet up the emotional intensity of a scene in a slightly cheesy way. In any case, everyone remembers "Garden State" and the whole Shins name dropping debacle. Well, here's how it would have played with a slightly different musical choice...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRH4gG5LmZ0

F**K this guy..

From Slate...

The below quote is an excerpt from this dickhead's article about running a marathon. What a total jackass. Finishing a marathon is not easy. Even WALKING 26 miles is a pain in the ass. This guy is bemoaning how it's not 'elite' any more, and I think that's ridiculous. It's GREAT that so many people try marathons, and it is still a real test of endurance, training, and dedication. The furthest I've ever run is 9 miles. And that's probably more than the vast majority of Americans.

Anyway, to all my marathoning friends, good luck coming up, keep up your training, and go throw a brick through this asshole's window when you get the chance...

"In many ways, the slow marathon is the perfect event for the American athletic sensibility. Just finishing a marathon is akin to joining a gym and then putzing around on the stationary bike. We feel good about creating the appearance of accomplishment, yet aren't willing to sacrifice for true gains. It's clear now that anyone can finish a marathon. Maybe it's time we raise our standards to see who can run one."

Swiss Vote to Raise Barriers for Asylum Seekers

From Reuters...

The Swiss don't like foreigners. It's official. Also, it just got harder for people like me to get here, as they keep reducing the quota for non-EU passport holders. Bummer.

As the years go by, the US passport becomes far less valuable than the EU one. Wish I could get me one of those...

YR + Oktoberfest

YR + Oktoberfest = ROKTOBERFEST!! WHOO!!!

Wow. Last minute trip to Munich for work, and my company's Germany office scored us a bunch of tickets to Oktoberfest!! I kind of thought it wouldn't be that fun, as it seems sort of touristy, but I think they stuck us in the more German tent! Our German colleagues had reserved about four tables or so and it was just a riot. A really fun and convivial atmosphere, and not at all full of drunken frat boys (again, at least not our tent). everyone was super friendly and the music was fantastic. Imagine 8000 Germans screaming "Country Roads" while standing on tables. Quite fun. And usually, in the states, you don't, like, party too much with your colleagues (at least in more 'traditional' jobs) so i thought it would be weird, but it was totally fun.

I give to you now the best picture. Ever. In the history of pictures. I rock so hard I amaze myself. Good night.

Kyle's socialist rant...which I happen to agree with, btw...

Thought I'd dig this out of the 'comments' section, and throw it up for some perusal. There have been two horrible decisions in post-war america relating to the role of the private sector in the health and well being of Americans. The first is the decision to have company-sponsored, rather than state-sponsored, pensions. The second is also having companies be responsible for health care. Yes, there is the argument that well insured workers are happier and more productive workers, and so it's in globalcom's best interest to insure its workesrs to the hilt blah, blah, blah ,but I'm not entirely sold on that little argument. Because, obviously, it's not working. Companies have shown that they will cut healthcare/stop subsidizing so much of it in order to maintain profit levels. This is why unless you work in a 'professional' industry, your odds of a decent health care program are not good.

And while Mr. Kyle is clearly a raging commie bastard, I do agree that it would be pretty hard to fuck up the health care situation in the U.S. anymore. Or the pension system, while we're at it. Dude. You should all retire in switzerland. it's MONAAAAYYYY...MOONNNAAAAAYYYYY. I'd be rich, biatch!

_________________________________________________________________
so here it is:americans love to speak of "market demands" as some grand absolution for any changes that happen economically (and thus politically) in this country, as if we have ever had a "free market" (and not the government sponsored coporate structure that we actually have). anyone in business, large or small, will tell you that the biggest threat to growth in this country is health care. It increases at an exponential, unpredictable rate, strangling small and large business alike. Most corporations today seem to think that there is no conceivable way for them to offer large-scale health care to the majority of their workers in the forseeable future, and single-payer insurance remains prohibitavely expensive for nearly everyone.So what happens when "market forces" demand unviversal health care, administrated by the government, to relieve the burden of employer-governed health-care by business? Personally, I see this as the only possible outcome with the way things are happening in this country today.So, why not levy a per-person tax on all corporations, administrated by the government, which will provide healthcare to all workers in a corporation? This would be adjusted for interest for each year, maybe average increased every 5 to 10 years for increases in healthcare cost, but would provide a stable prediction for healthcare costs per year for each corporation based upon the number of employees. There would probably have to be a few percent tax also across all tax brackets, but in turn, all full-time employed citizens in this country would receive healthcare.The way I see it, this would do 2 things: 1) encourage people to get fucking JOBS, because they would have their health care taken care of, and 2) allow business to acurately predict budgets, knowing that their health care costs will not increase year to year because they are fixed. There would also have to be limits on malpractice payouts (which are out of fucking control anyway), and naturally, insurance companies and HMO's would be dead set against this. But fuck it, their time has come; administrative and waste costs in managed health care are LEGENDARY, and it would be difficult for the government to do a worse job in this respect. So that's a rough outline, tell me what you capatalist bastards think.....

ALLEZ LES GIANTS!!

Dude. DUDE. Giants OT win over the Eagles. In philly. Does it get any sweeter? 17 point comeback in the fourth quarter. Wow. BEST part of all is that I got to watch it. Live. Usually, sky tv (which a lot of people have) will show one or two games per week, but it's random, and the announcers are british. blah. Sky tv also has a network called NASN (north american sports network) that shows 4 live games a week, and two taped the next day. They actually play the game feed, but don't show commercials or halftime shows. The problem with the latter is that, again, you don't get to choose the games, and, for right now, NASN is in negotiations with SKY with the end result being no football. This sucks. So, best case scenario, 2 games a week.

But. YAHOO TO THE RESCUE! They actually now have, for any place outside of the US, their NFL game day pack. It's fantastic! You get your choice of any game, plus all are archived for a few days. Kurt deserves special thanks for not only purchasing this service and having the hardware to run it (my 2001 laptop isn't up to the shallange) BUT also hooking it up to a big screen tv. So, ladies and gents, while you were watching the game all snug in NYC, we too were camped out, beers in hand, watching the giants dismantle the hated eagles. God bless the internet, and america.

I miss watching football with the gang, but this really comes the closest i could imagine. Live football!! Oh. But euros are right. American commercials and tv shows are becoming ridiculous-looking. Or is that just because I was watching FOX?

Later.

Oh my god...

So. I never thought I'd say this. Assuming one has health insurance in the United States (a big 'if', i realize), it blows Swiss health coverage out of the water. USA: 1 - Switzerland -100...Swiss medical care is NOT socialized and it is verrrry expensive. I pay way more for insurance here than I did in the states, and still have to cover a ridiculous amount.

So, as you may recall, I was feeling a bit under the weather a few weeks ago. I visited the doctor twice, had a number of fun tests, including x-rays, am INSURED, btw, and just got two bills for...900 francs (750 bucks). Can you BELIEVE THAT SHIT??? Now, insurance will cover anything over 500 CHF (they like the deductables over here) but dude. HOLY LIVING MOTHER OF GOD. That is RIDONCULOUS. In the US, this whole little shebang would have cost me about 50 bucks. You stupid rich swiss bastards...I'll get you for this.

Now I'm going to go to the Doctor 3x a week for the remainder of '06 just so I can pay these jokers back. I'll be like, "oh, yeah, sorry doc. my toenail is getting a bit long. Can you clip it for me? Bill my insurance, 'yatch." "Hey doc, yesterday I started crying while cutting onions. I think something is wrong. Bill those insurance bitches. Enjoy yourself"...

YR

Wellity, Wellity, Wellity

KAW, or Mr. Kyle, has single-handedly, with the below comment to my posting on foglights of a few weeks ago, obliterated with extreme prejudice any other comments thus far posted on this blog. Kudos to you, sir, and I congratulate you. You win my undying admiration...


kAw said...
I can remain silent no longer. FOG LIGHTS?!?!FOOOOOOG LIGHTS!?MOTHER FUCKING FOOOOOG LIGHTS?!?!I drive a bombed out '97 Jetta (once capriciously described by Pawel as a "chevy") . It makes numerous horrible noises, and recently started HONKING REPEATEDLY EVERY TIME I HIT THE TURN SIGNAL. I am thankful everyday that it takes me where i need to go without viciously deploying the airbag in my face while I'm on the highway.and you bourgeoisie bastards debate the legality of REAR MOTHER F#(*&@^ing FOG LIGHTS?!?! I DON'T HAVE A JOB. I DON'T HAVE A JOB!!! I am coming to your houses to rob you of your slippers and smoking jackets. And then I expect you to offer me a job.

On a more serious note...

Slate has been hosting, as some of you may already know, a 'graphic novel' based on the 9/11 commission reports and conclusions. Definitely worth a read. Very well done overall, I think.

http://www.slate.com/id/2147309/

Five years. Hard to believe. This week's Economist has an excellent Leader on September 11 and, perhaps even more importantly, the reaction to it (both pros and cons). You should check it out. Basically the conclusion is one that I'm sure most people already support, namely that we have just made a disgraceful mess of the last five years.

The Swiss are ok, but every time, without fail, that I'm in another country, I'm put in a position where I have to answer for U.S. foreign policy. Seriously. I'll be, like, eating dinner and three french people (just happened last week) will corner me. They are, contrary to what you may hear, very polite about it. I've not had anyone be obnoxious. But it does get very tiring to be put in a position where you sound like you don't support your country (even though you do, just not the dickheads in charge). I look at it as an opportunity, though. One thing I've learned since living here is that the Euros really do not fully comprehend the SIZE and SCOPE of America, and that regional differences, and those between the states, can be quite big. But then you feel like an America basher... I just walk the line between defending all the good things (and there are great things that the euros will NEVER have) and being logical in my arguments. But it can get tiresome. Thank you, GWB, for making the shining beacon of democracy, economics, and, (yes) culture, into what looks to the world to be a repressive and utterly illogical country...All in five years. Amazing. Worst Administration EVER...

Happy Labor day, commies. Get back to work.

Steps to embracing your eurotrashiness...

See below. Key elements? Man purse, general disdain for appointments, gauche glasses, and open collar. Whoo...
I know you all want to be me...