When you thought that we are moving rapidly away from paper products and paper in all its incarnations including the papier mache dolls (whatever that is - but seem to be in all ethnic stores in some shape and form) we are harshly reminded about much work still being done or wanting to be done with paper.
Take for example the subject of Obama's birth. Republicans are up in arms (another blog on what that exactly means especially since normally arms are 'up' and legs are down - not sure what the heck someone is trying to say - whose arms are we talking? wives, cousins never mind) in trying to verify over and over that he indeed is he and confirm he was a citizen by birth and not naturalized (like say yours truly) or pasteurized.
To prove said postulate there was a need for the original (you guessed it) paper certificate showing the place of Obama's birth. This document was tantamount to proving that there was a declaration of independence because without it there would not be an independent USA and no el presidente.
Then the dems did a one up. They too asked for paper. Romney's tax returns. Ah ha! Not electronic mumbo jumbo but show me the paper...with the signature and all that. Romney denied and the Dems got mad. Return your returns they insisted countering that he had avoided doing the right thing and scammed the citizenry whom he chose to represent as a leader.
This paper fiasco continues to unravel as they prepare for the presidential election whence suddenly there is talk of a cliffhanger in congress. Not a Sly Stallone kind although if viewed as a comedy it comes close. While neither party seems to acknowledge that we are broke and going broker (not unlike the wall street kind) some wiseass threw a new fangled politispeak term out there. Whether Obama gets a second term or not new terms are always getting coined - Fiscal Cliff being the latest.
What is this you ask? It is an imaginary line drawn outside the White House that stretches to the Capitol at a 45 degree angle to the Mall as laid out by L'Enfant - who is credited as the architect of Washington DC. There is even a train station by his name. But I digress off the rails so to speak.
I made that up. Fiscal cliff is an even more abstract idea of what might happen to the US economy in the absence of tax breaks to the masses. If there is no tax break then the country will break. Something like that. But the country needs revenue to pay for all the lines and cliffs and it needs it yesterday. Because remember we are broke.
Hence it sounds more like a Catch 22 that would make Obama crazy although he is not.
Cool cat the Japanese are Tokyo at dusk My second visit to this land of the rising sun after almost a decade. Back then clearly I was wet behind the ears product manager and likely didn’t pay attention to all (efficient) things Japanese. But today I did and of course continue to be impressed. It is as much the obvious stuff like on time travel that is both clean and comfortable and all that which makes it possible. The impressive landmark and landscapes that these humans have put together despite their cramped (or because of it) surroundings and precarious geological conditions could amaze a novice architect among us. But it’s also the little things that someone had to think about which have a phenomenal impact on day to day lives that make the Japanese stand apart. Below are few random examples- 1. Providing a very fine machined wooden toothpick in every packet of wooden chopsticks. The said chapsticks are simply set on the To Go counter of any food vendor/ convenience store wher...
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