Slow Motion Accident

An ousted CEO and his successor

2008-01-29T18:19:00.000-05:00

Take from this what you will, because what I'm about to say is by no means conclusive or authoritative. It's just one example that supports what I believe to be common sense, which is "history is written by the victor", and the victor is the one in power.

I'm sure you will recall Apple computer in the late 90's. Michael Dell famously advised that Apple sell its assets and give what it could back to its investors and shut its doors. The CEO at the time was a man by the name of Gil Amelio.

I remember Amelio talking up his book (http://www.amazon.com/Firing-Line-500-Days-Apple/dp/0887309194/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201646112&sr=1-1) by taking credit for any future success that Apple may have ("Here's Amelio's version of events: "Early in my time at Apple, I identified what I called `the five crises.' By the time I left, we had resolved the most pressing of the five: liquidity, product quality, the future of the Macintosh operating system software, and the severe fragmentation of the company's organizational structure. ... Even more important, although people outside the company had not yet recognized it, we had set a course for taking Apple into the next generation of personal computing." from http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/1997/12/01/editorial2.html). Admittedly, and obviously, people who weren't Amelio also speculated that any future such success could be attributed to Amelio ("Although Amelio may one day get credit as the set-up man--should Jobs return Apple to prosperity--his legacy hardly stacks up with his paycheck." from http://www.businessweek.com/1998/18/b3576047.htm and "When Gil Amelio opted for NeXT instead of BeOS insiders said Steve Jobs would “F--- Gil so hard his eardrums will pop.” Those who are not privy to the sexual predilections of Cupertino denizens might wonder just what part of the anatomy those folks are interested in, but that is a topic for independent research. In any event, though he doesn’t get nearly enough credit, Gil Amelio put Apple back on track by raising scads of cash, cutting Apple programs deeply, and killing off the Performa line." from http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/comments/10-best-apple-decisions-of-the-last-decade/).

But the questions now are, "Who does Apple celebrate? Who is responsible for Apple's turnaround? Who will Apple celebrate 5, 10, 20, 50 years from now?" Did Amelio have a key role in Apple's current state? I would say undeniably. But popularly, historically, and also undeniably, I think it is Jobs that will take the lion's share of the credit and Jobs that will be remembered instead of Amelio. Personally, I'd say Jobs did do a lot to get Apple to where it is today, which has more to do with image, interface, consumer electronics (ipod, etc...), than was Amelio's focus (which apparently was uninnovatively business oriented).

Sad but true

2007-01-18T07:41:00.000-05:00

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

A few things currently going on make me feel this way.

Warning label generator

2007-01-01T15:59:00.000-05:00

Fark posted this site a while back. I made this important message with it:

And then there's Chucky...

2006-12-31T08:55:00.000-05:00

Go for Monk!

2006-12-31T08:45:00.000-05:00

Old Monk 10000 Super Beer!

Blue October

2006-12-24T17:31:00.000-05:00

Blue October is my newest musical addiction. If you haven't heard the newest album, you should give it a shot. I listened to their music on repeat for almost the whole drive from DC to Pittsburgh.

Hope it snows after christmas so I can get some use out of my new skis :-)

Ho Ho Ho,
Merry Christmas

Quote of the...

2006-12-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

I've been reading the ain't it cool interviews with Sylvester Stallone for the past week or so. Hearing him speak and and reading his words are two entirely different experiences. He's got a lot of good stories and insights, so it's definitely worth reading. One thing he said was a quote by La Bruyere, "Life is a tragedy for those who feel, and a comedy for those who think." Although, he inverted the clauses, changing the meaning somewhat.

Wizard of Oz

2006-12-12T17:28:00.000-05:00

So I was watching the Wizard of Oz the other night and it has some great quotes. And no I wasn't watching it with Pink Floyd playing. Anyhow here's some:

Wizard:
"As for you, my galvanized friend, you want a heart! You don't know how lucky you are not to have one. Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable. I could have been a world figure, a power among men, a - a successful wizard, had I not been obstructed by a heart."
"And remember, my sentimental friend....that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others."

Scarecrow:
"If I only had a brain."

Quote of the Week

2006-12-09T09:32:00.000-05:00

"But do you LOVE it?" - guy following girl remarking to guy in similar position

Last night I was out with my roommate Alison looking for a tree in Eastern Market. We're taking a look at this one, and at that one, and, honestly, it really isn't up to me (the guy) to pick out a tree. What's it matter what I think anyway? It always comes down to the girl, right?

So, we're checking things out, and she comes across one that she likes, and asks me what I think. I said "eh". Then she goes, "Do you LOVE it? You don't LOVE it, do you?" So, that tree's gone. Eventually we find a tree to take home, which, feel free to stop over anytime to check it out. It's a tree.

Anyway, so about 2 minutes after Alison's remark this guy is following his girl, pretty much doing the same thing I am doing. And as they walk by, he goes to me "But do you LOVE it?!" HAHA!! I was cracking up. I was cracking up even this morning just thinking about it! Women ...

BUT DO YOU LOVE IT?!

Dear Santa ...

2006-12-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

I was checking out the news on CNN.com this morning and came across an article about letters to Santa and what actually happens to all of those letters addressed simply to "Santa" or the "North Pole".

Ahhhhhh, Christmastime ...

Santa bar crawl

2006-12-06T00:19:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday was quite interesting as I participated in my first ever Santa bar crawl. I drove with Brian to Josh's, where we met Josh and Derrick (the organizer of said crawl). From there, we walked to the Metro, all in our Santa suits. Right from the beginning it was interesting as we got waves, honks, pictures, and comments. I'm not sure that there was anything particularly interesting about the bar crawling itself, suffice it to say it was fun and alcholic. Walking outside in packs of Santas was definitely the highlight (and the point, I supppose).

We started at 2pm, and at around 11:30pm, I had decided that I should probably head on home. Brian wanted to stay longer, tho, but he said that he could take care of himself, so I headed on back.

So, now I'm trying to find the Metro by myself, still dressed in the Santa suit. A few people asked for presents, to which I responded they'd be under their trees. I ran into a group of guys (who although not flaming, still struck me as gay) that I asked for directions. As a result, they figured out they were headed the wrong way, so they walked with me until we parted ways a short while later.

As I walked down the steps to the platform of the Metro, I heard, "Santa!" I didn't see where it was coming from, but I just waved blindly. Eventually, a group of girls asked to have their photo taken with me. As I got on a train after switching lines, one girl hurriedly whipped out her camera to take my picture through the door before the train pulled away. Walking back from the Metro, I ran into a group of girls (with reindeer antlers) as they were getting into their taxis. A few yelled "Santa!" and one started singing "Santa Baby". I smiled and waved.

It's really kind of amazing the level of good will that people show towards Santa.

PS, I was going to include a pic of Brian all Santa'd up, but Blogger's being uncooperative...

Dupont Moose

2006-12-04T23:00:00.000-05:00

honestly, what does this look like to you?

Quote of the Week

2006-12-04T22:49:00.000-05:00

"Paul's like that favorite fishing lure. You just troll him around the bar and see what he picks up." -MM

Barely Legal

2006-11-30T22:26:00.000-05:00

Okay, it really seems like someone's gonna get killed playing with this thing. But seriously though, I can't believe it only costs twenty bucks. Maybe I'll be the guy that gets killed.

Tough guy manifesto

2006-11-30T10:57:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I think some people get a little pantywaisted about America and our Rights. I think this is particularly true about Amendments 1 and 2. Regardless of why it was brought up for discussion, I think I agree with this "tough guy" interpretation:

Actually, one could view the Bill of Rights as our own "Tough Guy Manifesto", thus:

1) You can't tell me what to believe, or make me go home and shut up.

2) I'll go armed and defend myself, thank you.

3) You can't make me let someone else live in my house.

4) This is MY house; if you can't demonstrate a compelling need to snoop, stay the fuck out.

5) This is MY shit; keep your greedy hands off it. And don't go accusing me of Evil without evidence.

6) If you've got evidence, lay it on the table. And no fair getting a confession by pitchforking me in the ass.

7) I ain't guilty just on YOUR say-so.

8) You can't keep me in jail just because you want to.

9) As to the rest of my life, you can't tell me what to do or not do.

10) And neither can your big fat uncle in Washington.

Yeah, the Founding Fathers framed it in far more polite language, but the intent is the same. They understood standing up for yourself and not letting the gov't push you around -- your own or anyone else's. That was, after all, what the War for Independence was all about.

post more pictures?!

2006-11-28T00:57:00.000-05:00

that's a nice picture of central park you posted there, gabe. here's a little picture addition -- the thanksgiving turkey that we had at my aunt's house last thursday (which i am probably still digesting, along with the mashed potatoes, gravy, spinach casserole, salad, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, assortment of breads, apple pie, fruit, and pecan pie):

I think we should post more pictures

2006-11-27T20:15:00.000-05:00

Whee!

2006-11-27T00:23:00.000-05:00

I got a Wii! It's actually more fun than I thought it'd be, but has crappier graphics than I thought it'd have.

After a night of heavy drinking, I somehow woke up at 9a to get to Best Buy at 10a to try to get another Wii controller (as a Best Buy employee said they'd have some). When I arrived, the line was ridiculous again, but I eventually got in only to learn that they never got any to begin with!

Those bastards!

Mmmm...turkey

2006-11-24T19:28:00.000-05:00

So, I figured I could at least add my two cents about Thanksgiving. In fact the first Thanksgiving I've not gone home for mom's cooking. And while mom's cooking was still missed, I must thank HP for softening the blow considerably. For those of you that missed out, and missed out is accurate, even with a grand total of 14 people crammed into her oh-so-roomy abode, there were still leftovers. But not for lack of effort or lack of quality cooking. The food was excellent. I believe the only item not left over was the wine. And, let me say, that was a feat. I suppose that's what happens when you have 13 other people over and tell them to bring wine/beer. I personally took two bottles of wine, plus a bottle of scotch and left empty handed. Yet somehow no one was really drunk that I could tell. Highlights:

- An interesting discussion of loyalty. If numerous friends ask you to stop what's in general a futile effort, and you refuse, what does that say about you? Maybe my view of loyalty to friends is completely off from other people's. I know I'd quit.

- Mashed potatoes. I love mashed potatoes. I never think of this until events like turkey day, because I almost never eat them. What a great food.

- I took a shot of liquid turkey fat for $5. And yes, it was mildly disgusting. But well worth $5. Apparently no one else thought as I did. But, seriously, it's no different from what everyone was eating on their turkey and potatoes, they just added some extra ingredients and called it gravy. I think people seriously undervalue $5. Just think what Sally Struthers could do with that $5. Or, in reality, I could give that $5 to Julie at Horton's Kids and I'm sure they could find some use for it. And all I had to do was swallow an ounce and a half of turkey fat. I know back when I was working for minimum wage (when I was 15 that wage was $5.15 - and I walked uphill to school both ways...blah blah blah) I would have gladly taken eight shots of that crap and called it a day. Anyway, that's neither here nor there....

Hope all had a happy holiday. I enjoyed it. Now I'm back in my torture cell (though unlike Paul mine has only three sterile walls plus one large, drafty window - woohoo!). Same time, same place tomorrow? You bet...

A gas pump....

2006-11-23T09:54:00.000-05:00

So... Someone at work drives a Ferrari?

2006-11-23T09:51:00.000-05:00

Who the hell is this asshole and how can I get him to be my new best friend?

My Grandmother's Recipe for Italian Wedding Soup

2006-11-21T23:23:00.000-05:00

Italian Wedding Soup

Parts of a chicken - back, neck, wings, breast (heart and stomach if you like these pieces). After cleaning chicken pieces rinse chicken in salt water. Put these pieces of chicken into hot boiling water. When the chicken is half cooked put parsley and salt to taste. Cook until chicken is done. Meanwhile, get 1 pkg of cut spinach or 2 packages. Depending on how much soup you are making and cook into boiling water until it is soft and done. Drain the spinach. Take the cooked chicken from the pot and add the spinach into soup. When this is very hot, get 2 or 3 or 4 eggs and scramble them. Add italian cheese to eggs. When soup of very hot dribble the eggs stirring until you have all the egg mixture into the spinach soup. Taste it to see if you need more salt.

Hope you enjoy this and can understand my writing.

I forgot to tell you to take the cooked chicken from soup before putting spinach and egg into soup. Good luck with this recipe!

That's pretty much how she wrote it down. Here's the meatball part:

Meatballs

Ingredients 1 lb ground beef 92% lean beef. Bread crumbs (garlic salt, parsley, and salt to taste). 1 or 2 eggs. mix all together. if a little dry, get a couple slices of bread and soak in water, squeeze dry, and add to mixture. then throw them in the oven. freeze for later.

It's good stuff, once you get the hang of cooking like an Italian grandmother.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-21T22:53:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving's a couple days away. Mmmm, such good food. What an excuse to stuff yourself. Mashed potatos, lots of turkey and gravy. Pumpkin pie with whipped cream! Oh yeah. Stuffing. From in the turkey. Pies galore. Family. Friends. Good stuff. Then crazy shopping the day after.

I'll be heading back to Philly tomorrow night, taking the train to relax while too many others are out on the road. Meeting up with an old friend for dinner and some drinks. Thursday I'll help the mom cook a bit before heading over my aunt's for a good family gathering. Friday will be a day to get up early and shop a bit, then relax a lot. Maybe there'll be a Bond marathon on. Usually is. (Go see the new one, if you can. It's a lot like the older ones a la Sean Connery.) Maybe hit up the town Friday night. Then nothing much for Saturday. Heading back to DC for the night.

Once Thanksgiving is over you know what that means. More holiday stuff. Sunday is "couples Christmas tree shopping" day. Fun fun. Holiday parties and decorations and more food. What a great time of the year.

I can't wait til it starts to snow ...

peace

Body English was Totally Mediocre

2006-11-21T14:53:00.000-05:00

So I went out to Body English, a club in Hard Rock, on Friday night. For as much trouble as it took to get in, I was surprised at how mediocre it was. The inside was nice, but nothing special. I think we could've danced anywhere and had just as much fun.

VEGAS BABY!!!

2006-11-20T23:01:00.000-05:00

So we just got back from Las Vegas yesterday. Well, some of us yesterday, and some of us today. Was a great Wednesday-Sunday experience overall. A bit of gambling, a bit of ogling, a wee bit of sleep, and a good bit of food and walking. Oh, and much drinking as well. Good times had by all, I would say. Now back to reality, stuck between four sterile walls, too bright of a flourescent ceiling, and on top of a rug with pistachio shells strewn about. At least we were able to escape if only for a handful of hours.

What happened in Vegas, you may ask? Well, there's the whole "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" cliche. I don't think there was too much that went on that can't be talked about. Except maybe the huge incidence of crack at JET nightclub or the exhorbant amounts of distilled Russian moonshine at Red Square. But I suppose others can fill in what I left out.

Enough for me tonight. Let's add some stories, shall we? And pics from those that have them.

First Post

2006-11-14T22:00:00.000-05:00

I am not one to blog much, but I figured that with the help of some friends, we could get a good thing going. So enjoy!