Thursday was a big day

When you see this on your flist, quote some Shakespeare.

An he had been a dog that should have howled thus, they'd have hanged him.

No house report yesterday by the time I left, but fortunately it came later, and it's a doozy.

( I is for insulation and insurance )

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In the morning, once I've fought my way out of bed, I trundle down the stairs, lock my front door, and pick up the paper. It's a four-block walk to the coffee shop where crankygrrl and I meet to fuel up for the day ahead, and I don't have a whole lot of self-control, so block two normally finds me strolling along flipping through the front pages of the various sections. Today most of the Globe's front page was taken up by a snarky article about gas prices and "panic buying" and long lineups at the pump, and what I want to know is, why when it's the stock market is high-volume trading a completely normal and expected response to a shift in information about a stock, but when it's ordinary consumers they're just ignorant and irrational? Why is nobody in the business section ever quoted as saying "It's crazy. It's just a lot of fear, panic and rumours going on"? OK, for all I know people say that all the time, but I guess the point I'm trying to make is that a market is a market is a market. Markets are all about group behaviour. I thought the whole foundation of free-market capitalism was the belief that supply and demand will balance out and prices will find their correct level, and the level of knowledge in the system doesn't actually matter.

Yesterday's RoB had a rockin' map with this article. Sadly, I can't find the map online, but it showed the refineries and oil drilling platforms in the Gulf and the path of Katrina and the projected path of Rita, and my take on the whole thing? Forget the fetuses. It's totally obvious that God hates oil. Texas people, stay safe, OK?

Toronto Unlocked's last broadcast was today. Sniff. I want my CBC back.

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Good article in the Star today which covers a lot of issues I've been getting more interested in during my time at this job. Prisoners of fear: Real or imagined, our anxieties have conspired to drive kids indoors, but we're sacrificing health for safety

They focus more on the physical-health aspects up top, but get more into psychosocial development further down. This is the kind of thing I would really like to write more of, and am not very good at. I'm great at the didactic, fairly dry, just-the-facts stuff. I'm not so great at finding the telling detail that makes the story come alive.

House report: Friday

My aunt writes:

Today, we had for lunch hamburgers, split pea soup (there's the last of the brunch ham gone--a real loaves and fishes-er) and Sonia's white chocolate, cranberry and pistachio bars.

Stuart nobly stayed behind, and waited for the Direct Energy person (you are important to him) and worked on the windows.

Also coming is Keith the Duct.

Most of the drywall in Jen's bedroom is gone. 3rd floor bits of extra insulation gone. There has been a lot of bagging the insulation bats.

I am not going to sand. Three excuses--eagerly leapt upon: Bender is a little disconsolate; brother Mike will be calling me about powers of attorney; I don't have any more sandpaper.

Cheers all, Helen

I thought the Enbridge person was coming too?

Jen and I are discussing our weekend plans. These may involve Ikea, Sears, and drywall.

Important advice

If you work in public affairs, public relations, public health, public safety, a public library, or any other field containing the word "public", then for the love of God, always do a global search for the word "pubic" before sending any document to the outside world.

I am telling you this for your own good, so that you may avoid the unfortunate fate faced by a certain Emergency Preparedness Specialist, Ottawa Pubic Health (i.e., sympathy and/or mockery and derision from all the recipients of this particular e-mail bulletin). Although her workshop actually sounds pretty interesting.

via rolypolypony

I can't believe they made me choose between ideas and facts! That's not fair!

Your Personality Is

Rational (NT) You are both logical and creative. You are full of ideas. You are so rational that you analyze everything. This drives people a little crazy! Intelligence is important to you. You always like to be around smart people. In fact, you're often a little short with people who don't impress you mentally. You seem distant to some - but it's usually because you're deep in thought. Those who understand you best are fellow Rationals. In love, you tend to approach things with logic. You seek a compatible mate - who is also very intelligent. At work, you tend to gravitate toward idea building careers - like programming, medicine, or academia. With others, you are very honest and direct. People often can't take your criticism well. As far as your looks go, you're coasting on what you were born with. You think fashion is silly. On weekends, you spend most of your time thinking, experimenting with new ideas, or learning new things.

The Three Question Personality Test

I'm torn between thinking this is so vague it could apply to anyone, and nodding in agreement with some of the less vague bits. Like *cough* that bit about people who don't impress me mentally? Look, I'm working on that little personality flaw, OK?