An imagined conversation.

Rick Wagoner, CEO of GM: Hello?
Barack Obama, POTUS: Hello, Rick, this is Barack Obama.
RW: Yes, Mr. President! How are you?
POTUS: Well, Rick, not so good, actually.
RW: Really, Mr. President? Why?
POTUS: Well, Rick -- I'm sorry it's come down to this.
RW: Uh oh...
POTUS: Yup, I'm sorry, Rick. We, as an organization, have decided to move in a different direction...
RW: Yes?
POTUS (hurried): So, we're going to have to let you go.
RW: Well, I think we all knew it was going to happen sometime...
POTUS: But I'm sure that you'll receive a nice severance package. We've worked it out -- 2 weeks pay for every year you've worked at GM, so... that makes it somewhere around $500,000. Hey -- that's not too bad...
RW: Well, I guess I'm not buying that cottage in Maine this summer.
POTUS: Well, no, probably not. Well, Rick, you're a nice guy and I'm sure you can get a job somewhere.
RW: Uh, thanks, Mr. President. I think I'll take a couple of months off, you know, hang out with the kids, breathe a little bit.
POTUS: Hey, Rick?
RW: Yeah?
POTUS: How does it feel to have destroyed 90% of shareholder value in ten years?
RW: (silence)
POTUS: Well, Rick -- there will be a couple of guys to uh, help you pack up in a couple of hours... do leave the keys to the executive washroom in the center drawer of your desk, okay?
RW: (silence)
POTUS: Good luck -- I gotta go talk to Geithner -- that scamp, he's always in deep.

Bailout: South Park Edition

Why the heck not?

From an article in the Politico about Obama's PR troubles:

But the aide added that Obama is not going to whip out a PowerPoint presentation for a seminarlike explanation of what went wrong. “That’s not how this president communicates,” the aide said.

Why the heck not? Frankly, that's how information-dense summaries get presented in the real world. Is there something undignified and unpresidential about PP? Sure, it's clunky and maybe uncool (use KeyNote? avoid those stupid swishing sounds ?)

President Obama, the American people (or at least the voting public) aren't stupid. Try us.

Enough Politics!

I will break the trend of political banter with a disturbing/hilarious story of an Indiana woman who doesn't know that dropping a file in the recycling bin doesn't permanently delete it!

Also, if anyone wants to hear Bill-O read excerpts from his gripping mystery novel, Those Who Trespass, just click the link.

Obama: Future Rating.

Bush approval history.

Obama approval history, not really a history....

Assuming the economy turns around Obama may keep his high numbers, but my guess is he like Bush will slide over the next 8 years.

My prediction is he will fall to 38% by the end of his term. This economy isn't going to help him.

Your thoughts?

When will it END?

So we're 15-months into a recession... My question to everyone is when do you think we will emerge from this "crisis" (Two straight quarters of GDP growth) and which industry is going to be the leader in the recovery? I will post my thoughts tomorrow.

Oh Snap...(no not synaptosome-associated protein)

This Order is an important step in advancing the cause of science in America. But let’s be clear: promoting science isn’t just about providing resources – it is also about protecting free and open inquiry. It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it’s inconvenient – especially when it’s inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda – and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology.

pl pll pir pscale ppf page

As a part of my new job, we (some of my colleagues and I) were sent over to the University of Illinois to train on their NMRs as backup instruments. You all will be pleased to know that we were asked to 1) describe the effect of line-broadening on signal-to-noise ratios, 2) talk about resolution, 3) perform a simulated homodecoupling experiment and 4) discuss d1 time as it related to finding the 13C frequency of quaternary carbons.*

They also do their own shimming, which is something I haven't done in 2 years. All Varian instruments, as opposed to the Bruker robotland that was my previous place of employment.

* I still remember Conrad's mini-lecture on d1 time clear as day.

Palin back on top?

Old School Conan

I am going to miss the edgy Conan when he moves to 11:30

Dear Joe: please do not smoke while pumping gas.

Jim's desire for Biden in August: "I would like to see Biden, because he is most likely to provide the best quips and gaffes. The man is a walking mouth w/o ears -- that would be awesome."

Joe Biden, this past week: "If we do everything right, if we do it with absolute certainty, there’s still a 30 percent chance we’ll get it wrong."

Good God! Biden's mouth will walk him outside of the inner circle, I'll bet.

Signs you may be near a golf tournament.

Multiple huge yellow and black placards, on Torrey Pines Road near the Buick Invitational:

"TOMMY BAHAMA SAMPLE SALE"

Now that's change I can believe in!

President Obama should crisscross the country atop a magical redistributionist ponycorn that will crap infrastructure projects here, there, and everywhere, while rejiggering the tax code by whinnying its sweet ponycorn breath on recalcitrant legislators. The president and his ponycorn’s every move should be documented by a team of the nation’s finest photographers and memorialized by collectives of state-sponsored folk singers and playwrights. And in their wake should come a phalanx of America’s youth, scattering seeds for grand forests that will provide shade for future generations of Democratic voters. Also, beer should be free.

original quote here.

WTF is wrong with these people?

As one leading Democrat put it: "Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter."

That Democrat was then-Sen. Tom Daschle in 1998. The same Tom Daschle, we've since learned, who failed to pay more than $100,000 in back taxes for perks he received as one of Washington's most relentless influence-peddlers -- that is, until he realized he might receive a job in the Obama administration spending the money most Americans conscientiously send to Washington.

Article

Needed debate topic.

Resolved: Barack Obama is no better in verbally dealing with the press than George W. Bush.

Discuss.

Superbowl

Predictions in the comments. No predictions on the number of references to the Steelers 6 (!!!!one!OMG!) Superbowl appearances, please.

Thanks, Mr. President!

Thanks, Mr. President!

Tomorrow, I will post my responses to two questions -- I encourage all of you to do the same, if so interested.

1. What do you want President Obama to accomplish?
2. What do you think President Obama will be able to accomplish?

Victory in Pittsburgh

Championship Weekend

PHI @ ARI (that's just weird to write)
BAL @ PIT

Change you can believe in.

Well, I don't know if I believe it, but I like what I'm hearing.

"Science -- $3 billion for the National Science Foundation, $2 billion more for the NIH, hundreds of millions for high energy physics, satellite development, construction grants, the U.S. geological survey, NASA climate change programs and more."

More for NSF than NIH -- someone recognizes that the funding priorities haven't been quite right for a while.