Saw this joke posted on an Asimovs.com forum.
A writer died and was given the option of going to heaven or hell. She decided to check out each place first. As the writer descended into the fiery pits, she saw row upon row of writers chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they were repeatedly whipped with thorny lashes.
“Oh my,” said the writer. “Let me see heaven now.”
A few moments later, as she ascended into heaven, she saw rows of writers, chained to their desks in a steaming sweatshop. As they worked, they, too, were whipped with thorny lashes.
“Wait a minute,” said the writer. “This is just as bad as hell!”
“Oh no, it’s not,” replied an unseen voice. “Here, your work gets published.”
…
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“If something happens to me,” Annie told me while pointing to the trunk, “the Christmas gifts are in here.”
If that’s not a complete commitment to the holiday season, I’m not sure what is….
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This is by far the coolest story I’ve read in the local paper in quite some time.
From the opening paragraph of the story in the Muncie Star Press:
MUNCIE — A Muncie man is in jail with samurai sword injuries after allegedly breaking into another man’s home to get his wife back.
It just gets better. Check out the mug shot of the guy in the middle. If I’m not mistaken, it looks like he’s been slashed across the face with a samurai sword. And people think that life in Indiana is boring….
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Joe the Plumber Lands Book Deal – When I started writing my book no one had ever heard of Joe the Plumber. Now, he signs a contract in November and is scheduled to release the book December 1. UGH!
Sarah Palin Signs $7 million Book Deal – Again, a few months ago no one had heard of her. I remember hearing people on the radio discussing how to pronounce her name after she was announced, “Palin…rhymes with nailin’.” Honestly, I heard someone say that.
Timmerman Cuts HBO Channels from Cable Bill to Make Way for Diaper Bill – Yeah, that’s not an actual headline and it doesn’t make me want to maim myself. Suffering the loss of True Blood and Entourage is a small price…
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Steve Almond wrote a very entertaining piece for Real Simple documenting his week of not spending a single cent.
As a fella that has been known to go to great lengths for a story (walked 20 miles to work, tubed down creeks that aren’t tubed down, went to Bangladesh because my underwear were made there, etc.) I related to Steve and his situation more than just a little. Especially these parts:
This wasn’t how I sold the plan to my wife, though. I assured her the point of the challenge was (at least partly) to help me come to terms with my superior attitude toward money. Confronting my reliance on currency might actually lead me to be less judgmental, I argued.
My wife sighed deeply. “Oh God,” she said….
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I’ve started to do some interviews, and I think I could benefit from a little practice. Because when you’re talking about issues such as globalization, outsourcing, child labor, and sweatshops, sometimes it can get a little dicey.
Let’s just say that I may have endorsed the widespread use of child labor yesterday, which, just to be clear, I don’t.
Anyhow, send me a question or two that you would ask so I can brush up on my answers.
Thanks….
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“I’m not asking,” I told Annie. “I’d feel stupid.”
We were in the business section of a local Barnes & Noble. Our extensive search didn’t turn up a single copy of WAIW? and according to their website they had it in stock.
“Okay,” she said, “I’ll ask.”
She approached the bookseller at the help desk. He looked it up on his computer and then headed for the business section.
“Wait, there it is.” Annie pointed to a pile of books on a trolley waiting to be shelved. The bookseller pulled it out, handed it to her, and then went about his business.
It wasn’t as cool as seeing it on the shelf. But holding my (our) book in a real-life bookstore was pretty cool. We scampered…
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This year for Halloween Annie and I sat on our front porch wearing masks. We stared straight ahead and didn’t move. (You’ve never seen a fiercer pregnant goblin than Annie, trust me.) Anyhow, we had a big ol’ dish of candy between us and we were enjoying the holiday, discussing how next year we’d have a little demon to dress up. More than one kid hesitated before approaching us. Some, in fact, skipped our house altogether, leaving more candy for us. Still, most came and took a couple of handfuls.
The evening was a success.
A couple of days later while making my internet rounds, I came across this post about fair trade chocolate. A lot of cocoa comes from Africa and is…
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