Tag: Washington Post

Unsung heroes

I channel surfed last night. C-SPAN 3 covered the Memorial in PA for flight 93, those unsung heroes who diverted terrorist plot 9 years ago.

The uncut shot kept panning the vast expanse of Pennsylvanian field, future home of Flight 93 Memorial.

Graphically speaking, it was boring. MOS (mid out sound) since the mike did not reach far enough to hear the VIP conversation (First Lady and former FL were among them).

In contrast, we could see and hear Terry Jones, instant celebrity for his threat and now recanted threat, just fine.

His Campbell-soup-like-15 minutes of fame.

An article in the Washington Post says it all “tyranny of the moment”.

The Web democratizes so much that the Gainesville pastor gains a PR upper hand (which makes Kansas pastor who has protested at military funerals envy).

He even grew his signature mustache to come across as credible (it’s a step up from preaching just to his extended families).

I am sure he will have fans and followers if opened a facebook page.

Meanwhile, real heroes who took action and paid the price with their lives barely got their names on the marble.

Such is the state of the world as we are living it.

Imagine flight 93 heroes debating the consequences of their action. No, there weren’t any time. They just went ahead and did the right thing.

Brought to mind my favorite quote: “he is no fool to lose that which he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose”.  American martyrs don’t get noticed,

since it’s not in the US culture to condone and celebrate such an act. But it did happen, on that fateful day, which we often forget due to tyranny of the moment.

 

I am “FONT” of you

The New Zealand health-care admin lady wanted to go for broke with her emphatic mode (ALL CAPS).

She got what she had wanted: people’s and the court’s attention. Fired, compensated but out of a job.

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/148175

To make sure forms were filled correctly, she applied a new tactic, ALL CAPS, and perhaps not without a dose of her own rudeness. People were made to feel “small” , their intelligence insulted. It’s her cheap “high” at the expense of  co-workers. It’s like the Bad Behavior Brigade who try to patrol the Parisian streets for Urine Sauvage where it says:

“DO NOT URINATE HERE”.

The court sided with her, not her employer.

It’s all in the font.

IKEA changed its font on the “I” and got complaint mail.

This reminds me of Readers Digest, especially the large print issues, which has just filed for bankruptcy and will be available only 10 times a year (down from 12).

Not sure their font size will shrink or not, but readership certainly has. Remember the Saturday Evening Post?

There is no reason to apply all CAPS (only when your key board got stuck, or it’s a life-threatening situation e.g. SOS!).

It’s an equivalent of shouting and screaming.

The co-workers were offended. The boss was offended, and felt that sacking her for the sake of many was worthwhile .

Either way, the culprit got her day in court, but did not learn her lesson. In fact, she will when looking for a job and found that everywhere else, HR have revised their workplace Netiquette, and while at it, they use her for a case study. GOTCHA!