Harry's Ruminations

The Car Connection [ The Web's Automotive Authority ] : Consumer confidence dropped in February, as persistent worries about jobs undercut optimism about future prospects, according to the Conference Board, which reported its consumer confidence index dropped more than nine points to 87.3, following a rise in January to a revised reading of 96.4. "Consumers began the year on a high note, but their optimism has quickly given way to caution," said Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board's Consumer Research Center. "Consumers remain disheartened with current economic conditions, and at the core of their disenchantment is the labor market." The lack of confidence also appears to have helped slow car sales, which fell below expectations in January and are sluggish again in February. Gary Lapidus, Goldman Sachs analyst, said in a note the shortfall in sales is pushing up both incentives and inventories sitting unsold on dealer lots. -Joe Szczesny Umm.....

There's nothing wrong with being at work at 5 o'clock in the morning, per se. However, it does feel a bit weird: It's 4pm in India It's 5 hours before most of the othe programmers on this floor arrive It's 7 hours until lunch. Robin asked me if I could get her to the airport for her 6:15 flight, so that req'd me picking-her-up at 4:15am. I'm usually not through my first REM cycle by 4:15 am. So, on the bright side, at least I have a pleasant, other-worldy feeling. * * * Random observation: How annoying is it for people to talk on a cellphone in the supermarket? Situation: I'm shopping for meager supplies the other day in Kroger (beans, oatmeal, salt pork, etc.), and come across a mother/daughter pair. The mom looked to be about 40: Squat, overdone, over-coiffed, overtan. The jailbait looked about 15, apparently in love with whatever it took to get her hair that unnatural blonde color. Now, we've all done that thing whe...

Folks, here's an example of how not to be: I beat myself up when I don't know something at work. No matter how obscure, minute, weird, odd, or undocumented a factoid there is, I feel like I should know it. It's just frickin' impossible. Just as an architect need not know every bolt in the building, I don't need to know every line of my server. I realize that on an intellectual level. Just can't internalize it at all.... Link to my product: MarkVision Professional We lovingly call it MVP :)

Now, we all know that basketball is a religion in this state, but it would seem Centre College, that bastion of endowment and imbibing from Danville, has confirmed it via its curriculum.

In deference to someone very close to me, I'm moved to speak again on the Special Election: I was flip before. I apologize. I am not glad that Chandler won. In the grand scheme of things, Forgy-Kerr's platform suits my political leanings closely, and it would've been better had she won. THAT BEING SAID, if political candidates continue to treat their potential constituents as imbeciles, running negative campaign ad after campaign ad, the process is going to grind to a screeching halt. Given the tenor of the ads, I'm surprised that Ben Chandler's penis size wasn't called into question. (Though, generally, I'd argue Alice Forgey-Kerr has bigger balls, regardless). I'm normally immune to the mud slung betwixt the aisles, but in this instance, it got to me, mainly because I realized how much of it was coming from the Washington Political Machines of both parties. Call me old-fashioned, but House races are all about constituents and issues close...

Blog topics this morning: Disney buys Muppets As they say, resistence is futile My cameras 'n' stuff Not much to say about Mickey's hostile takeover of Kermit, really. I just hope that Miss Piggy isn't starstruck with affection for that uber-powerful mouse. Dang mice, taking all our good, decent pigs! * * * Cameras. Photography. I guess you could say I've got a fetish here more than a hobby. I love photography, but I'm one of those photogs who's pretty-much as into his photo equipment as his pictures. I've got several lenses that exist just b/c I though they were neat. I have two basic systems: One uses a lensmount from the 1960's, the other from the 1930's. Yes, I'm a luddite when it comes to equipment. My SLR (Single Lens Reflex) system is based around good, old Pentax glass, made by Ashai optics in Japan. Back in the day, Pentax was THE hobby brand to have, but the auto-focus, auto-everything revoluti...

On the special Election: Looks like Ben Chandler won the special election for the 6th Distict Congressional seat. I'm a Republican, but I'm glad Chandler won. Forgy-Kerr ran a negative, despicable campaign that reeked of Washington influence, particularly that of Rich Mitch McConnell. Didn't distinguish herself as a candidate, nor did she deem it necessary to show up for the only formal debate on the issues. BTW, I voted Libertarian, a vote in protest of both of these losers.