CAP Economic Snapshot for September 2008 - OH FUCK
Topic: Current Events
5:56 pm EDT, Sep 10, 2008
The labor market recession is deepening and continues to threaten economic growth. Eight months of job losses were paired this month with an increase in the unemployment rate to its highest level in five years. This year’s job losses follow a very weak labor market that has left families woefully and inadequately prepared for the current crisis. Employment growth has been the weakest since the Great Depression, wages have been flat, and benefits have been declining since this business cycle started in March 2001.
At the same time, prices have risen for many items. This combination of higher prices and less income has driven families deeper into debt. As the labor market slump heightens, more and more families are succumbing to the pressures, declaring bankruptcy, and defaulting on their loans. Yet easing the burden on families will not be easy, since massive trade deficits are draining our national resources and budget deficits due to tax cuts for the rich are posing obstacles to real solutions for America’s families.
Rick Davis, campaign manager for John McCain's presidential bid, insisted that the presidential race will be decided more over personalities than issues during an interview with Post editors this morning.
"This election is not about issues," said Davis. "This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates."
Getting Real: What is Getting Real? (by 37signals)
Topic: Technology
3:39 am EDT, Sep 10, 2008
Want to build a successful web app? Then it's time to Get Real. Getting Real is a smaller, faster, better way to build software.
* Getting Real is about skipping all the stuff that represents real (charts, graphs, boxes, arrows, schematics, wireframes, etc.) and actually building the real thing.
It seems that while the Wii's boxing game isn't vigorous enough to provide a comprehensive cardiovascular workout, it can play a role in maintaining or losing body weight, especially for someone starting from a lower level of fitness.
"If they're looking for cardiovascular fitness, I'd advise them to do something else because it's really not intense enough," White said. "But if they're just looking to lose weight, it's a good way to get started. It can also be a gateway to other things, and may get people interested in the actual sports themselves too." Boxercise
The most energetic workout of the three trials was the boxercise video, while walking provided less exercise than the Wii.
But White's report, which he's considering submitting for publishing, noted something interesting: study participants who were gamers to begin with had a lower level of perceived exertion playing Wii boxing. In other words, it felt less like exercise because they were enjoying it more.
I guess I need a HR monitor to know how many calories I am burning during a 2 hour Wii boxing marathon.
Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home - washingtonpost.com
Topic: Current Events
12:50 am EDT, Sep 9, 2008
ANCHORAGE, Sept. 8 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business. nullnull
Behind the Dude: Steve Buscemi on "The Big Lebowski" : Rolling Stone
Topic: Arts
9:59 pm EDT, Sep 8, 2008
I don't know how big this is but there's this new theory that Donny is just a figment of Walter's imagination. Like he's an old army buddy that had died or something. It almost works. There's the "your phone is ringin', Dude" "thanks, Donny?" [exchange]. But that's the only acknowledgement that the Dude makes of Donny. If you watch those scenes, it's like Donny would come in, Walter gets so upset and it's like the Dude never hears it.
