Where, oh where, has credibility gone?!?

I apologize off the bat for the extraneous punctuation in the above sentence, but I'm trying to express my absolute disillusionment with...how shall I put this?

I'm disillusioned with the people in my workplace whose role it is to guide me...the people who are paid the big bucks to know more than I do. Do I covet their jobs? Good question. Up until today, not really. Oh, down the road maybe, but I'm happy with my responsibility load.

After today, I know I'll be applying to join their ranks the first chance I get.

"But," I hear you ask, "What happened today that changed your mind?"

One word, a neologism of this new Internet age actually, tucked glaringly in a sentence of official government guidance for me to refer to in my day-to-day work: "According to Wikipedia..."

Wikipedia!?!

Since when does a person who is paid to be a credible source of government policy guidance turn to Wikipedia for a definition of a word?

This is wrong in so many ways, I don't know where to begin...except to want to shout "Buy a dictionary!"

In frustration,

Lori

Cancer + Gambling = Feel Good Story

Okay, this does not happen every day:

A Buckinghamshire man diagnosed with terminal cancer is to collect a second winning payout of £5,000 after betting he would stay alive. (BBC News)

I don't really approve of gambling...and I sure as shootin' don't believe in cancer, but the two combined can make a great story.

As the spokesperson from the betting agents points out: "Never in 30 years in the business have I been so pleased to pay a winning client £10,000."

Jon, I hope you make it to next year, and your £100,000 payout.

Lori

Ah, the movies...

I follow a really great online comic strip, Multiplex -- about a group of people who work at a, you guessed it, Multiplex theatre. It's part geek tribute to great films, part on-going 20-something soap opera...usually amusing.

Today's strip just made me laugh aloud. Back story -- the characters always dress up as the characters of newly-opened, big films, like Watchmen.

(Click on the image to see it better.)

I love the look on the long-suffering supervisor's face. Take a look at the previous strip to understand just why he's so long-suffering this week.

And if you haven't seen Watchmen, go watch it. Yes, the book is better, as it always is, but the director was slavishly devoted to the look, the tone and the feel of the source material.

Ask me nice, I may lend you the graphic novel.

Lori

Book Mayhem

I'm torn...I'm appalled to see this happen to books, but also envious, wishing I could stop by for a rummage:

Thousands in scramble for free books after Amazon supplier abandons warehouse

The warehouse, whose lease recently ran out, once contained as many as five million books destined to be sold online.

After the lease expired, he firm running the secondhand book business moved out, leaving it full of books.

Managers of the industrial estate invited people to help themselves so they can free up space at the site.

Do I wish I could be involved in this feeding frenzy? Of course. Would I still be appalled at the cavalier treatment of the books if I were there? Probably not. I'd be hunting for my own treasures.

Ah well. It's too bad I can't join the madness, but I'm sure my husband is pleased!

Lori

Social Media Cat

more animals

This is how I feel sometimes when I'm on Twitter or Facebook.

That's when I know I need to go for a walk.

Lori

Periodic Table of Geek Awesomeness

From Geekologie -- the Periodic Table of Awesoments (as seen by geeks, of which I do claim some allegiance):
(Click on the link above for the full-sized version...and enjoy!)

You'll note that pretty much everything that is great is on the table, with spaces of course for the elements that are yet to be (or be recognized!).

Yours in geekdom,

Lori

You Can Shave the Baby

I wish I could un-see this:

(Source)

Sorry to do that to you.

Lori