Of course we all know Microsoft wants to control the desktop. Now their icons are loose to fight for themselves. [via Grapefeed]

Somehow as I saw the price at my corner gas station jump to $2.24 per gallon for the cheapest unleaded last night, I never expected this morning’s headline to read

Economic growth revised upwards

I guess it’s the whole “revised” thing that has me suspicious.

On a related note: more than 5500 consumers will be leaving San Diego next Monday for the Persian Gulf onboard the U.S.S. Nimitz. I’ll bet that will push us into a flat-out boom economy. Woohoo!

Blogwhore‘s winding down, with the final two contestants being announced today and voting by the deleteds (myself included) to select the second ultimate Blogwhore taking place today and Friday.

Please drop by the site and have a big thanks to Shel for this huge undertaking. Even getting tossed half-way through the game it was still a great time. If you want to try to influence my voting, post comments here or at the game site, and credit card bribes gifts are graciously accepted via the office site.

Two more members of the terrorist class responsible for widespread destruction throughout the American economy were indicted today. No word from the White House on when President Bush will direct the B-2s to obliterate their hometowns in an effort to show that all terrorists will be subject to equal justice under the law.
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Despite the obscene cost of living (Related issue: consumer confidence) I endure to guarantee that nothing resembling winter weather enters my field of view, rain is here. Representations have been breached and damages are being incurred. Rain’s been pouring since early this morning. And of course, many out-of-apartment and -office things are on today’s calendar. Can’t just stay in and watch Buffy reruns; must hunt billables (the only good unbillable hours are here) . Be baywy baywy qwiet. We’re hunting biwwables. Oh well, maybe the rain will flush them out of their holes.

Life is starting to get back to normal. Went swimming for the first time in a few weeks this morning, and even though I had to take it easy on the distance it felt real good. Had the pool to myself and for the first time in a while letting my mind go blank and wander a bit didn’t bother me; I guess the darts therapy of the last week has paid off. I guess a Pongo analogy is in order: running free is normally very good, but sometimes a tight leash is safer for everyone involved. Life is about balance, yin and yang, light grey and dark grey, night and day, etc. Transactional and drafting work has fought its way back onto my calendar, so my ability to make plans and commitments is back. Feeling nice not to be jerked around blindly by others for a while. Maybe I’ll even start posting a bit more regularly.

The ancient mystics, sages, and all-knowing busboys at the chinese restaurant graced me with the following wisdom Saturday night:

You will have no problems in your home.

Cool. Hope they’re right.

California lost more than twice as many jobs than official statistics show during the recent economic downturn, many of them in the ailing technology sector, according to confidential state data obtained by The Chronicle.
…
Official EDD statistics show 14,658,900 jobs in California outside the farm sector as of June 2002, a relatively mild loss of 99,000 jobs from the peak registered in January 2001. The unemployment insurance tax filing data indicate that the job loss was 205,000, or more than two times larger.

And no, EDD had no conflict in keeping this information confidential during the recent elections and there should be no correction of a flawed system that makes politicians look competent when they aren’t. Because otherwise the economy is just f#$ing fabulous. I should feel glad that I only pay $2.05 a gallon for gasoline and that my home gas and electric have only gone up 40% to pay for California’s power mess of 1990-91. Government priorities should absolutely rest with establishing new security color schemes rather than fixing the economy. And while I’m on the rant, when are Martha Stewart et al going to be shipped off to Guantanamo for their acts of pillage and terror against the American people?

Chuck’s been real busy with work and some real-life stuff I don’t understand. For those of you who’ve never met Chuck, he has a big thing about ‘faces first.’ It’s something he learned while working in the library about prioritization of contacts. Real faces will not be put on hold when there’s an electronic connection that can be. Since normally I’m the nearest face and the biggest beneficiary of this, I’m not complaining now, just passing it along. I’m sure he misses you all almost as much as he says he misses me. And since you’re here, leave him messages telling him I deserve more milkbones and to remember to leave Discovery Channel on while he’s out. Woof.

Maybe I should slow down the posting more often. Apparantly more visitors come when I’m not posting then when I am. *snif*