In Italy, a group of scientists was found guilty of manslaughter for failing to predict a devastating earthquake. I’m sorry. I must have missed the major headline. Since when did earthquake-prediction become an exact science? In this case, following some preliminary tremors, an Italian scientist was asked if said tremors were the prelude to a much bigger quake. He said it seemed unlikely. And so, because an earthquake DID strike and he was proven (sort of) wrong, he and his team were found guilty of manslaughter. Conversely, if he had answered: “It seemed likely.” and an earthquake DIDN’T strike, would he have been charged for inciting panic and charged the costs of the evacuation? From Galileo to the L’Aquila earthquake: Italian science on trial
You’re alone at night, closing up shop, when some armed men burst into your place of work. You have an opportunity to escape out an open window. What do you do? Save your life? Apparently, that sort of behavior if frowned upon at Arby’s. Arby’s Employee Fired After Fleeing Armed Robbery: ‘I’m Not Going to Die in Arby’s Tonight’
Robo-squirrels, Moroccan pottery classes, and talking urinal cakes. Your tax dollars at work: Wastebook
One more reason real books are better than digital books: Woman’s Kindle account closed Apparently, even though you’re paying full price for the digital version, you don’t own it. You’re only renting.
For real? The 10 Worst Facebook Fails
Today’s entry is dedicated to blog regular, Debra. Condolences on your loss.
“Wut?……WUT!”
……(picks up life preserver that says TITANIC)………”whut!?”
I’m sorry….this world is just stupid and crazy…..Of course I’m gonna run from an armed rober if I get the chance! after all…..”Today is not a good day to die at Arby’s!” (since when is it a good day to die at a resturant?)
Superman’s quitting the old media and becoming a blogger!
http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/24/showbiz/superman-quits-job/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
Any advice for him?
Oh, and holy Tarsus that frame from a comic…Wha? Don’t answer that.
The world is crazy.
@Debra: My condolences to you and your niece. You and your family are in my prayers.
Deepest sympathies to Debra and her family. Words cannot ease the loss, but I hope you can take some comfort in knowing others understand your loss.
As far as Italy goes, i’ve crossed it off my places to go(back to). Trumped up charges on an American tourist, slow motion action on the Concordia sinking. Now they are pushing scientists out of the country. My feeling is that Italy will do well relying on the mediums, astrologers, dowsers, and feng shei experts for warnings and advise.
And of course I have to cross Arby’s off my list of places to eat. Any company that puts the safety of their workers behind their SOPs don’t deserve the business.
Lastly, the wasteful spending reminds me of Steve Rogers in the Avengers. Nothing can surprise me any war. Thanks for sharing..
that first one is an example of damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
@Debra:
My condolences about your sister’s passing. (hugs)
It is mind boggling at times. What will Italy do next? Throw weather forecasters in jail when someone is struck by lightning, or someone is caught in an avalanche or a storm? Maybe they will execute firemen if they fail to save a person’s life in a fire they respond to? 😮
Arby’s: I’ll send them an email now announcing our boycotting them. 🙂
Wastebook: There’s a whole lot more waste going on than just those things. However I do really like RoboSquirrel and can’t wait for version 2.0, hoping the new version will come with a bobble-head.
Think I read that a U.S. court (maybe it’s the “supreme court”) is going to decide whether or not people own downloaded songs that they purchase and/or can they re-sell them, or something like that, LoL.
Arby’s has a statement on their website here:
http://www.myarbys.com/ge/Guest1/welcome.aspx
about 3/4’s down the page. I’m sending my notice of boycotting them until they rehire her & give her a promotion. Won’t hold my breath that they will comply, but there’s lots of other places to eat at. 🙂
I would not let the threat of being fired from Arby’s deter me from running. I’m oppositional like that.
more facebook craziness (and why i want no part of it) warning for strong language & stupidity;
http://www.happyplace.com/3511/the7-best-examples-of-horrific-and-embarrassing-parenting-on-facebook
http://www.happyplace.com/4281/terrifying-examples-of-why-you-should-always-remember-to-log-out-of-facebook
I see that SGU’s Ming-Na was selected for one of the leads in the ABC drama Marvel’s S.H.I.E.L.D.
Glad to see she’s got some steady work again. I thought she was pretty good in SGU.
Everything I start thinking about buying digital books an article like yours reminds me of why I will stick with the printed word. They can’t remotely destroy a book that imprinted on wood pulp!
Sorry to hear about Baby. My code lense to your family.
I think the first one is an example of stupid. I thought the article I read about the deaf kid named Hunter being asked by his school to sign his name differently because it looked to much like a gun was the stupidest thing I had ever read on the internet, but I think Italy now has the lead.
Has somebody been reading Fark? Sorry Joe, but Arby’s made the right call on this one – there’s no problem there. You’re missing the reason she was fired – it wasn’t for running. If she had stood her ground and was still fired then there would have been an uproar over that too. She was fired because she had broken store policy before, by being alone in the store. And then she did it again, putting herself in a dangerous position, and then opening the door to a robber. You can’t fault Arby’s for that one.
hmm… I wonder if it’ll take another 500 years before the Italian PTB figure it out..?
“Hey, Guys… The DARK AGES just called, They’d like Their IGNORANCE back..?”
Yeah, about that earthquake trial. Weather still can’t be perfectly predicted. So how can geologists be jailed for not accurately predicting a fault rupture which was hundreds of years in the making, and miles below the surface of the earth where you can’t study it? The only winner in this court decision is ignorance.
@Debra: I’m so very sorry and sad to hear about the passing of your beloved sister. I can’t imagine your sorrow. My thoughts and many {{HUGS}} are with you and your family during this most difficult time.
Thank you Joe and everyone. I am still reeling, have spent much of 2 days on the phone calling relatives. I am hoarse, but the love for my sister from so many helps. We should really all hope to be so loved.
I had read the earthquake thing and thought it was so bizarre it should be an Onion piece!
It seems the employee was fired to being alone, not fleeing– nor it is a company owned but private one, though perhaps boycotting all of Arbys might get them to press for a change. That said, someone is there 23 YEARS and let go over that? Shakes head.
Re Wastebook– as long as politicians in this country are allowed to porkbarrel pet projects before voting on the real issue, it will continue. We should have a law making each bill only about the one topic. But no– health bill and they pork barrel in an alien landing strip (just kidding, but equally stupid) onto it, can’t get it passed without the porkbarrel inserter’s vote, so it stays. We need to either stop those additions (best idea) or have line item vetoes.
I thought that too. It’s taking scapegoats to a whole new level.
So…if the world is starting to take that line how does it go with politicians? If the PM or President don’t follow through on their promises, do they get sent to the pokey? Erm…come to think of it, I like that idea!
It’s absolutely crazy that those scientists were found guilty. That sets a dangerous precedent. What’s next? Weather forecasters held accountable for outdoor weddings that were rained out?
I’m torn about the Kindle thing. I LOVE my Kindle. And to be quite honest, I’m looking to get rid of the hundreds of books that I have, and not acquire more hard books. So Kindle is my accepted option. I would be pissed if they removed my account. I would be even more pissed if they refused to tell me why. Maybe even pissed enough to drive to the local distribution center over in PA and demand an explanation. Right before I spent the next few months in jail.
Cher Joe,
tout le monde se moque de l’inquisition au moyen-âge quand l’Église condamnait Galilée ou Copernic pour leur système héliocentrique.
Aujourd’hui l’homme moderne fait la même chose !!!
Comment peut-on prédire un tremblement de terre dans l’état actuel des connaissances scientifiques
“nihil novo sub sole”
@Debra: I completely agree with you on the stupidity of a government system that allows our officials in Congress and the House to tack anything they please onto a bill in return for their vote. It is just wrong!
Didn’t we get line item vetoes? No? Why don’t we have them?
You can’t annotate a Kindle. Real books must never die!
Hugs Debra….
I heard about the earthquake but didn’t know about the scientist. After the whole Amanda Knox trial, I suppose we should be too surprised by how a biased, hysterical group can push something stupid through. I bet that decision will be appealed also, when cooler minds prevail. Italy and Belfast…two places that seem to be governed by extremely literal minded people with no common sense.
I saw the headlines for the Arby’s story but didn’t read it. The TPB in that company should start working in government insurance or some other bureaucratic agency (immigration perhaps?). It reminds me of the deaf kid getting in trouble at school for signing his name (it looked like a gun finger). http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/29/nebraska-school-district-says-deaf-student-not-required-to-change-sign-language/
JeffW: The cheesecake went over well. I can put the recipe up for your wife in a few days. I wanted to do a raspberry sauce for it (per your recipe) but organic raspberries are rare around here. The Mississippi/Memphis area are not health food conscious bunch, as of yet 😉 .
Mr. M.: How is your mom doing after her loss? I hope she decides to get another kitty. It’s probably too soon to think of but she gave Baby such a great home. There is another kitty waiting for such a wonderful loving experience. A new kitten will breathe new life into the house and give her something new to focus on. Maybe she will be ready near the holidays. Some people never get another pet but I find I get depressed without one.
😳 My html sucked 🙁 . Sorry.
I know you are busy but I forgot to comment on the kindle. Amazon has pulled books from accounts before over publisher contract problems. So losing paid books is not a new story. Amazon has a great customer service (my experience), so I’m sure this story will just be a temporary setback until they straighten it out. All forms of publication will have advantages/drawbacks. If you buy paper books and your house burns down…then you have lost everything! If they are all on an online cloud and your house burns down…buy another device and download purchased books again. Same for losing a book . I prefer some books in paper (children’s books) but most of them I like in eBook form. It keeps down my clutter and I can carry more books/magazines with me at a time (conveniently). The median you choose is just preference. I’m excited about the new Windows Tablet coming out. I like my iPad but it’s difficult to read my Sony books on it. The new Windows Tablet will have a Sony app (per Sony store) and a Kindle app too! I may “gift” my iPad to family if the Windows Tablet works out well. http://surface.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/Content/pbpage.Surface?ESICaching=off
My sympathy to @Debra and her family. I am sorry it took me so long time to reply