A dash of entomology

What is the only insect that can turn its head 360 degrees? Hint in the picture below.

The praying mantis.

North Korea's accelerated ROTC program

How do you become a four-star general overnight without having so much as a scintilla of military experience?

Live in North Korea and be directly related to none other than Kim Jong-Il, that's how. Talk about nepotism.

NBA camps open

NBA camps have opened and it will soon be time to see what the trio of Wade, James and Bosch will do. These three teaming up in the off-season was an incredible event. The hype was dizzying and while Heat fans are ecstatic many others have criticized the move. As always, here is the WSJ take on it. I think the haters are just envious. Go Heat. Let's bring home a championship.

Facebook manners and you...

Watch and apply...

What's wrong with a few Citi shares?

The Treasury is still having a tough time unloading Citi stock. It is now contemplating a share offering instead of stealthily selling it in small quantities on the market to an unsuspecting public. I looked under the cushions in my couch for some spare change and found a few quarters and dimes so perhaps I might buy some. Seriously, the Treasury still owns about 17 percent which is no small stake. Why doesn't Uncle Vik's enterprise look attractive to investors? The last time I looked it was trading at this price.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. This next specimen may or may not work in government circles, but he/she is definitely a liability in the private sector. Hopefully you have never worked for one.

MOTW: Diplomatic Manager

Agrees with everyone, offends no one, and does not have an original idea in his /her head. Nothing ever gets solved or done.

Weekend Haiku

Another year gone-
hat in my hand,
sandals on my feet.

Basho (1644-1694)

Ghost riders In The Sky

From the movie Ghost Rider, here is Spiderbait's version of Ghost Riders in the Sky. Enjoy and happy Friday.

The worst deal in the world

There can be tons of them, but when it comes to wine what do you think it is? In my opinion, and in the opinion of some wine experts at the WSJ it is the following.

We all do it at some point, but ordering wine by the glass has to be the worst idea, both from a value proposition as well as ensuring you have a good wine experience.

It has taken him 51 years...

But Fidel Castro finally admits the obvious. Recently when he was asked if Cuba's brand of socialism, created by himself after his 1959 revolution, could be of use in other countries Fidel gave the following answer, "The Cuban model doesn't even work for us anymore."

Fidel is finally owning up to his sad reality, much to the detriment and despair of a once proud, and vibrant populace. Because of him, the island is broke, decrepit and starving for another political / economic model which may yet save it from an inexorable, grim fate.

This article from reason.com gives a snapshot on the current state. The methodical and destructive erosion of a joyous, prosperous way of life which Castro and his ilk have perpetrated on this island nation is an obscene tragedy.

He Hate Me

Remember Rod Smart of XFL fame. He actually did make it into the NFL and played in the Super Bowl in 2004 as a kick-return man for the Charlotte Panthers in their loss to the New England Patriots. He is now trying his hand at acting as this Yahoo Sports article describes when they caught up with the self-proclaimed man everyone loved to hate.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. There is always at least one of these in any company and while we honor them for their service, they can sometimes be a bit exasperating with their penchant for unquestioning obedience.

Ex-Military Manager

A close cropped brush-cut and ramrod posture hint at this manager’s previous employer. Surprise cubicle inspections and barked out phrases such as, “We meet today at fifteen hundred hours, don’t be late,” or “X, you have to follow the chain of command,” round out the suspicions. You would like to suggest to this manager that it might be beneficial to give some tips to Combat Manager, but are afraid to do so lest you wind up having to drop and give Ex-Military Manager twenty.

Weekend Haiku

Flowers offered to the Buddha
come floating
down the winter river.

Buson (1716-1783)

Automotive X prize winner announced

The Edison2 team wins with a car that gets 102 miles to the gallon. They competed in the mainstream category. This means that the car has to hold four passengers, have air conditioning, heating, and be able to accelerate to highway speeds. And lo and behold, it's not electric. It has an internal combustion engine. To read more, check it out here.

De Musica Ligera

Soda Stereo, in their last concert, play De Musica Ligera. Look at that crowd!!! Enjoy and happy Friday.

If you like their sound check out this earlier post.

For any Learning professionals out there

This is a pretty cool site. If you ever want to introduce anyone to some key Learning language, try using this periodic table.

A quick check of your psyche

At her mother's funeral, a girl, the eldest of two siblings, espied a young man she did not know. He was the man of her dreams and she fell hopelessly in love with him at first sight. Days later, she murdered her younger sister.

Question: Why did she murder her sister?

Answer: She was hoping that the young man would once again show up, this time at her sister's funeral.

- If you answered correctly, you should think about where your mind takes you.

- If you answered something else, that's probably better for you.

- If any of your friends answered correctly, our recommendation is you keep them at a safe distance.

Football news

Some observations about Spanish, Italian and English football from Gabriele Marcotti at the WSJ.

Baby Jordan

As a Heat fan I often wondered whatever happened to Harold Miner after his stint in the league. He never lived up to his potential and was a disappointment during his 3 years with the Heat. This article talks about what he is doing these days after severe knee problems forced him to retire from the NBA at the tender age of 25.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. The old saying was that management called in a consultant on special projects so they would have someone to blame when things went awry, but someone came up with the idea that it would simply be easier to hire one and put him/her on the staff full time. Thus this next manager type was born.

MOTW: Consultant Manager

Hiring this manager is considered a feather in its cap by Senior Management because they have lured him/her away from a high-powered consulting firm to miraculously turn around an ailing business line. What soon becomes apparent is that consultant manager is excellent at asking questions, listening, doing analysis and writing beautifully crafted white papers recommending all sorts of esoteric solutions. However, he/she is woefully inept at leading the business or actually implementing any of these recommendations, let alone directing his/her staff to execute.

Weekend Haiku

Mother I never knew,
every time I see the ocean,
every time-

Issa (1763-1827)

Soft Room

From his 1996 release The Great Blondino, here is Stakka Bo's Soft Room. Enjoy and happy Friday!

Asian Carp Czar

Remember this post? In it I lamented the proliferation of Czar postings in the Obama administration and questioned what the titles really meant. Well, he has now named an Asian Carp Czar. All you carp out there, beware! A Czar is now on the case.

How do you study?

We all do it at some point in our lives, study for something. It may be an oral examination, an important written exam or a driving test, just to give a few examples. Whatever it may be that we study for, this NYT viewpoint article turns conventional wisdom about study habits on its head. What you will read may surprise you, or maybe not.

France's football problems continue

Les Bleus have not been able to shake off their post World Cup debacle hangover. They lost 1- 0 to Belarus at home in Euro 2012 Group D qualifying. Belarus, the former Soviet republic, is currently ranked 78th in the FIFA rankings, or 57 spots below the French.

It's Monday

And we all know what that means. Time for another MOTW, Manager of the Week. While there is no doubt that this next manager is in desperate need of therapy, working for one for an extended period of time is enough to send one running to the therapist's couch.

MOTW: Dichotomy Manager

A rare species, Dichotomy Manager is what is known in psychology circles as suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder. One day warm, receptive and supportive, the following day Dichotomy Manager morphs into a sarcastic, berating, stab you in the back type for no apparent reason.

Many theories abound for Dichotomy Manager’s wild swings in behavior, but none has been scientifically proven. The survival tactic here is to be away on business during the bad days and in the office for the good ones. The fact that these turnabouts follow no specific pattern makes this strategy somewhat difficult to follow. However, more often than not Mondays have been observed to be bad and Fridays good, leaving only Tuesday through Thursday for one to worry about.

Weekend Haiku

The snail gets up
and goes to bed
with very little fuss.

Issa (1763-1827)

White Flag

Surrender to queen Dido. Here she is performing White Flag on Letterman. What a great song, great voice, and great smile. The song is energetic yet soothing. Enjoy and happy Friday.

A bizarre golf episode

You thought you had a bad swing. This guy's golf swing started a fire in California which had to be put out by firefighting helicopters and ground crews. I wonder what his score was on that hole. I think I will stick to Disc Golf. I've never heard of a flying disc starting a fire yet although I'm not completely ruling it out.

News you can use

From Time magazine no less. This is news I can hang my hat on. Apparently heavy drinkers tend to outlive non-drinkers. So here's to you all you teetotalers out there as I kick back with my glass of wine. Cheers!