By the way, Amtrak has been posting its on-time service performance online for quite some time.
Update (10/3): Wachovia likes Wells Fargo more...and Citi is peeved.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
I Think I'll Postpone That Trip To Graz
Austria has gone to the polls this weekend.
It's a good thing that the Social Democrats have won, but the Austrian far-right is rather a disturbing crowd...and the amount of the vote they received is terrifying.
It's a good thing that the Social Democrats have won, but the Austrian far-right is rather a disturbing crowd...and the amount of the vote they received is terrifying.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
The September Video Log
This month's subjects: Mr. Nice has no manners at a debate...Chase will own all of us...Wisdom teeth...and the Brewers.
All from a slightly different location in the apartment, and presented (unintentionally) in silhouette and (intentionally) sepia.
I have no idea why I'm lisping as well, except that I stayed in Paul Lynde country too long.
RIP Paul Newman.
All from a slightly different location in the apartment, and presented (unintentionally) in silhouette and (intentionally) sepia.
I have no idea why I'm lisping as well, except that I stayed in Paul Lynde country too long.
RIP Paul Newman.
Friday, September 26, 2008
It's Not A Modern Day Sweeney Todd
American Psycho is being turned into a musical.
It will bomb.
Silliness of the idea aside, why are producers forgetting the differences between Broadway & Off-Broadway?
It will bomb.
Silliness of the idea aside, why are producers forgetting the differences between Broadway & Off-Broadway?
Goodbye Washington...Mutual
Another giant "topples," this time Washington Mutual.
And Delta-Northwest comes ever so closer to reality.
Our new world begins to take shape.
And Delta-Northwest comes ever so closer to reality.
Our new world begins to take shape.
Thursday Jukebox Is Not A Sampling Girl
It's a pissed off pussycat. In fact, it's several of them.
The evidence: the video for MEG's latest song Precious.
The English at the opening and refrain is--apparently--"I am not a sampling girl/And You are Naughty Boy."
Well, she may be right, I don't recognise any familiar songs underneath.
The evidence: the video for MEG's latest song Precious.
The English at the opening and refrain is--apparently--"I am not a sampling girl/And You are Naughty Boy."
Well, she may be right, I don't recognise any familiar songs underneath.
No Addio yet for Alitalia
Apparently miracles can happen...to Italian flag carriers.
My two euro-cents: divide it up like the UK used to do with BEA & BOAC.
Maybe it's me, but it does seem like the Alitalia crisis is likely to be repeated with several US companies. Jack Welch (Mr. General Electric/NBC himself) was on television a few days freaking out about the bailout not being passed.
GE going under? That would be a huge surprise.
My two euro-cents: divide it up like the UK used to do with BEA & BOAC.
Maybe it's me, but it does seem like the Alitalia crisis is likely to be repeated with several US companies. Jack Welch (Mr. General Electric/NBC himself) was on television a few days freaking out about the bailout not being passed.
GE going under? That would be a huge surprise.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
From the "The Times They Are A-Changin'" Department
Mr. Nice suspends his campaign to focus on the economic crisis, and asks Obama to do the same.
This is truly asinine...or just really dumb posturing.
For starters, he's known about this crisis for quite some time, and if he felt it needed that much focus, he would've asked for this suspension much earlier.
Secondly, there are people--on both sides of the aisle--working on this already.
Suck it up, Mister.
News coverage aside, I definitely have noticed the effect of the crisis here:
For the past few days, I have seen job fair lines stretch for nearly an entire Midtown block.
Today, I was on two packed PATH trains in the middle of the day. That is a first for me.
This is truly asinine...or just really dumb posturing.
For starters, he's known about this crisis for quite some time, and if he felt it needed that much focus, he would've asked for this suspension much earlier.
Secondly, there are people--on both sides of the aisle--working on this already.
Suck it up, Mister.
News coverage aside, I definitely have noticed the effect of the crisis here:
For the past few days, I have seen job fair lines stretch for nearly an entire Midtown block.
Today, I was on two packed PATH trains in the middle of the day. That is a first for me.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wednesday Jukebox Goes to "Africa"
via Europe.
Back in the early 1980s, Rose Laurens (French and English) and Ingrid Peters (German) had a hit with the song Africa. It apparently didn't cross the Atlantic (although I was only 4 years old when it was released), since I only heard it for the first time today.
Here's Rose Laurens performing the original French version:
and the video for the English version (remember it was 1982-3):
And Ingrid Peters's German cover, which I think has the most bite out of them all. (I believe the animation isn't the original video.):
Bonus: Yesterday, The Pussycat Dolls released their new album. On the deluxe version, you'll see that one of the Bratz--I mean Dolls--covered Jane Child's Don't Want To Fall In Love, one of my favourite songs (and personal mantras) of all time.
Shockingly, it's not that bad. That being said, it doesn't come close to Jane's original.
That New York, the one that led me to find my way here a decade later, is long dead. (Sigh)
Back in the early 1980s, Rose Laurens (French and English) and Ingrid Peters (German) had a hit with the song Africa. It apparently didn't cross the Atlantic (although I was only 4 years old when it was released), since I only heard it for the first time today.
Here's Rose Laurens performing the original French version:
and the video for the English version (remember it was 1982-3):
And Ingrid Peters's German cover, which I think has the most bite out of them all. (I believe the animation isn't the original video.):
Bonus: Yesterday, The Pussycat Dolls released their new album. On the deluxe version, you'll see that one of the Bratz--I mean Dolls--covered Jane Child's Don't Want To Fall In Love, one of my favourite songs (and personal mantras) of all time.
Shockingly, it's not that bad. That being said, it doesn't come close to Jane's original.
That New York, the one that led me to find my way here a decade later, is long dead. (Sigh)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Saga of Panair do Brasil
The read may be a bit of a slog, but Daniel Sasaki's excellent description on the death of Panair do Brasil might be a glimpse into what could be in store for future institutions taken over by the US government...at least under the current administration.
To put this in perspective, the Brazilian government that took over Panair (and the nation itself) was a right-wing military dictatorship.
To put this in perspective, the Brazilian government that took over Panair (and the nation itself) was a right-wing military dictatorship.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Monday Jukebox Says You Be The Judge
The Gods of the East have released the video to their new song Mirotic (Under My Skin). It's a catchy tune without a doubt.
It's also pretty familiar as well...to a song by "Sarah Connor" called (no surprise) "Under My Skin."
Some might call it a cover (and it probably is), but I also like to think of it as the same song from a female and male perspective. (Perhaps Teutonic Sarah gave the boys such a night to remember that months later they are left repeating her words...albeit in Korean.)
Judge for yourself, comrades.*
* Personally, I find this quasi-flame war between German & Korean fanatical fans hilarious.
Here's Sarah's summer 2008 hit Under My Skin
And the inevitable Autumn 2008 hit by the Eastern Gods, Mirotic (Under My Skin)
They do work as a call and response pair, don't they?
It's also pretty familiar as well...to a song by "Sarah Connor" called (no surprise) "Under My Skin."
Some might call it a cover (and it probably is), but I also like to think of it as the same song from a female and male perspective. (Perhaps Teutonic Sarah gave the boys such a night to remember that months later they are left repeating her words...albeit in Korean.)
Judge for yourself, comrades.*
* Personally, I find this quasi-flame war between German & Korean fanatical fans hilarious.
Here's Sarah's summer 2008 hit Under My Skin
And the inevitable Autumn 2008 hit by the Eastern Gods, Mirotic (Under My Skin)
They do work as a call and response pair, don't they?
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A Fool and His/Her Money...
Some daft idiot or cynical/savvy man from Ohio is bottling New York tap water and selling it for $1.50.*
In Manhattan.
The sad thing is that there are people who would fall for this foolishness...and line his pockets happily.
* If he ran it as a non-profit, then I'd let it slide, but since he's doing it as a for-profit (not to mention, anyone who enjoys NY tap water that much, would be wise--and eco-smart--enough to just buy a damn refillable water bottle.
In Manhattan.
The sad thing is that there are people who would fall for this foolishness...and line his pockets happily.
* If he ran it as a non-profit, then I'd let it slide, but since he's doing it as a for-profit (not to mention, anyone who enjoys NY tap water that much, would be wise--and eco-smart--enough to just buy a damn refillable water bottle.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Update: Alitalia
They dead.
Seems like Alitalia is joining the ranks of Sabena and Swissair. It will be very interesting to see how it could get saved from this point.
Seems like Alitalia is joining the ranks of Sabena and Swissair. It will be very interesting to see how it could get saved from this point.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Thursday Jukebox Is A Rising God From the East
This is a jukebox I have probably put off doing for quite sometime.
Why?
Well, once you start talking about boybands, particularly a certain Korean boyband who inspire "anti-fans" to poison members of it with super glue...I'm just saying this band taps into a certain level of obsessiveness. (And given the amount of hits this corner of the internet receives from people desperately trying to figure out whether Mike Woods is gay...)
Nonetheless, I'm going to bravely enter the world of Dong Bang Shin Ki. (SQUEEEEEE!!!!)
First off, Tri-Angle, which actually works even though it's a combination of the gods of the East, KPop princess BoA (who will be debuting in the US this year), and KRockers The Trax.
Skipping ahead to Rising Sun, which seems to me like the video is given more gravitas than is really needed.
However when it comes over-the-top self-importance, nothing compares to the lads' O Jung Ban Hap. I've never heard of an anti-war anthem having several dance breaks.
That same album about world peace and peaceful resistance featured the almost sickeningly sweet Balloons (which is an argument for us all developing Peter Pan Syndrome, in my view). The song is very catchy if you close your eyes, but the second you look at the video--BAM!--instant toothache.
Now the gods, being gods, figured that singing only in Korean could be limiting, so they branched out to Japan in 2005. Their original Japanese output is considered more "mature," but there's still all the SQUEEEEEEE!!! so who can tell? It is catchier and slicker I'd say. Here they are performing the songs ZION (a non-reggae reference to Zion, believe it or not) and Choosey Lover (sic) in 2007.
Being gods, they're also wise to go into full-tilt bubblegum pop sector of Japanese pop music as their smash Summer Dream proves.
This year, they began the year with the song Purple Line, which while catchy as hell, makes no sense in either Korean or Japanese. (Then again, neither does Fergie's London Bridge and that's all in English.)
Later this month, the gods release their 4th Korean language album entitled MIROTIC. I am dying to find out what the meaning behind that title is.
Why?
Well, once you start talking about boybands, particularly a certain Korean boyband who inspire "anti-fans" to poison members of it with super glue...I'm just saying this band taps into a certain level of obsessiveness. (And given the amount of hits this corner of the internet receives from people desperately trying to figure out whether Mike Woods is gay...)
Nonetheless, I'm going to bravely enter the world of Dong Bang Shin Ki. (SQUEEEEEE!!!!)
First off, Tri-Angle, which actually works even though it's a combination of the gods of the East, KPop princess BoA (who will be debuting in the US this year), and KRockers The Trax.
Skipping ahead to Rising Sun, which seems to me like the video is given more gravitas than is really needed.
However when it comes over-the-top self-importance, nothing compares to the lads' O Jung Ban Hap. I've never heard of an anti-war anthem having several dance breaks.
That same album about world peace and peaceful resistance featured the almost sickeningly sweet Balloons (which is an argument for us all developing Peter Pan Syndrome, in my view). The song is very catchy if you close your eyes, but the second you look at the video--BAM!--instant toothache.
Now the gods, being gods, figured that singing only in Korean could be limiting, so they branched out to Japan in 2005. Their original Japanese output is considered more "mature," but there's still all the SQUEEEEEEE!!! so who can tell? It is catchier and slicker I'd say. Here they are performing the songs ZION (a non-reggae reference to Zion, believe it or not) and Choosey Lover (sic) in 2007.
Being gods, they're also wise to go into full-tilt bubblegum pop sector of Japanese pop music as their smash Summer Dream proves.
This year, they began the year with the song Purple Line, which while catchy as hell, makes no sense in either Korean or Japanese. (Then again, neither does Fergie's London Bridge and that's all in English.)
Later this month, the gods release their 4th Korean language album entitled MIROTIC. I am dying to find out what the meaning behind that title is.
Did You Want An Insurance Company?
I didn't.
And it's interesting to note that AIG was considered "too big to fail."
Why not prevent a company from getting that big in the first place?
And it's interesting to note that AIG was considered "too big to fail."
Why not prevent a company from getting that big in the first place?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Will She Still Be Able To Do Today?
Rosanna Scotto is set to replace Jodi Applegate on Good Day New York, according to the Daily News.
This is probably the only sane decision made at WNYW for at least 2 years. (Seriously, Greg Kelly? If that wasn't a kiss-ass move...) Rumour mill has it that Scotto herself is the one who wanted the move. I wouldn't be surprised.
This is probably the only sane decision made at WNYW for at least 2 years. (Seriously, Greg Kelly? If that wasn't a kiss-ass move...) Rumour mill has it that Scotto herself is the one who wanted the move. I wouldn't be surprised.
Shocker! La Perry's formula revealed
The Daily News does pretty good job at pointing out the formula of La Perry's work.
The surprise isn't in content, but in the fact that a media outlet is pointing it out.
The surprise isn't in content, but in the fact that a media outlet is pointing it out.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Alitalia e America...or not
While our financial institutions here in the US prepare to write their own obituaries. The Italian government is busy trying make sure that their flag carrier's wings don't get clipped.
Richard Branson says that they shouldn't be bailed out, but flag carriers and their significance mean that you cannot make a decision on their welfare without bringing emotion into play.
Earlier this Spring, the Fiance stated to me--in a very blunt Australian way--that he made a concerted effort to fly Qantas from New York to Sydney, because "it was like coming home." It's the same reason why I try to fly the occasional Midwest Airlines* flight back to Milwaukee. (Hell, I'll likely fly a US carrier back to US from Australia as time goes on.) There is still that emotional aspect to air travel, and quite frankly, the industry needs to remember that.
*I don't even want to think about Midwest's woes at the moment.
Back to Alitalia.
The merger plan which involves merging it with Air One (the 2nd biggest carrier in Italy), seems like the lesser of two evils plan to me. For those who saw the absurd growth and then garroting of the venerable Eastern & Pan Am (mk.I)--not to mention the weird rise of US Airways (ne Allegheny/Piedmont/PSA), we know airline mergers are rarely smooth, and often not always entered into with long-term effects in mind.
Now, I don't know much about Air One from personal experience, but Skytrax reviewers (a curmudgeonly lot, I will say) paint a picture of a lean operation where flight attendants seem to double as food & goods sellers. It has been twentysome years since I've flown Alitalia, but when I was in Italy this past summer, Alitalia did the check-in for my flight and gave me a pass to their lounge. The check-in personnel were good, friendly, perhaps a bit blase about their jobs. The lounge, however, was woeful, especially since this was Rome Airport. It looked like someone took some 1960s suburban office, slapped in a few coffee makers and departure screens and left. That's faded glamour on a Norma Desmond scale.
So I don't think that the young cost cutter and the old diva with laryngitis are going to make a good couple, but it looks time isn't on anyone's side in this situation.
What exactly got Alitalia into this mess? A mishmash of peculiar regulations (including a bizarre "you must live in Rome" rule), union leaders being arrogant, and executives keen on avoiding any major decisions that might actually allow the airline to be competitive. If you think I'm drawing a comparison here between the woes of Alitalia and the woes of some major US firms (toot toot, beep beep), then you're spot on.
It's hard for any entity, particularly one--whether it was "private" like Pan Am or effectively state-owned like Alitalia--to adjust out of a "chosen instrument" status even in the face of impending corporate death or at least radical restructuring.
The harsh sunlight that the new Alitalia walks into, should be watched by every single CEO on the planet.
Richard Branson says that they shouldn't be bailed out, but flag carriers and their significance mean that you cannot make a decision on their welfare without bringing emotion into play.
Earlier this Spring, the Fiance stated to me--in a very blunt Australian way--that he made a concerted effort to fly Qantas from New York to Sydney, because "it was like coming home." It's the same reason why I try to fly the occasional Midwest Airlines* flight back to Milwaukee. (Hell, I'll likely fly a US carrier back to US from Australia as time goes on.) There is still that emotional aspect to air travel, and quite frankly, the industry needs to remember that.
*I don't even want to think about Midwest's woes at the moment.
Back to Alitalia.
The merger plan which involves merging it with Air One (the 2nd biggest carrier in Italy), seems like the lesser of two evils plan to me. For those who saw the absurd growth and then garroting of the venerable Eastern & Pan Am (mk.I)--not to mention the weird rise of US Airways (ne Allegheny/Piedmont/PSA), we know airline mergers are rarely smooth, and often not always entered into with long-term effects in mind.
Now, I don't know much about Air One from personal experience, but Skytrax reviewers (a curmudgeonly lot, I will say) paint a picture of a lean operation where flight attendants seem to double as food & goods sellers. It has been twentysome years since I've flown Alitalia, but when I was in Italy this past summer, Alitalia did the check-in for my flight and gave me a pass to their lounge. The check-in personnel were good, friendly, perhaps a bit blase about their jobs. The lounge, however, was woeful, especially since this was Rome Airport. It looked like someone took some 1960s suburban office, slapped in a few coffee makers and departure screens and left. That's faded glamour on a Norma Desmond scale.
So I don't think that the young cost cutter and the old diva with laryngitis are going to make a good couple, but it looks time isn't on anyone's side in this situation.
What exactly got Alitalia into this mess? A mishmash of peculiar regulations (including a bizarre "you must live in Rome" rule), union leaders being arrogant, and executives keen on avoiding any major decisions that might actually allow the airline to be competitive. If you think I'm drawing a comparison here between the woes of Alitalia and the woes of some major US firms (toot toot, beep beep), then you're spot on.
It's hard for any entity, particularly one--whether it was "private" like Pan Am or effectively state-owned like Alitalia--to adjust out of a "chosen instrument" status even in the face of impending corporate death or at least radical restructuring.
The harsh sunlight that the new Alitalia walks into, should be watched by every single CEO on the planet.
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