Random Web Theft

From my lazy Saturday surfing the web, I bring you some highlights:

**For those of you who saw both The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Forrest Gump, you will love this video parody of their uncanny similarities. Spot on!

The Curious Case of Forrest Gump - watch more funny videos

**And now for something completely different. I found this video from a link on Andrew Sullivan's blog. It does a great job of explaining the current financial crisis.


The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

**Also from Sullivan's blog, but originally from here.

I love this! (In case you didn't realize - that's Darwin).

**This article on happiness comes from Slate.com. It's not exactly neoteric and looks rather banal but I thought it was helpful - especially since work hasn't made me the happiest person in the world of late. The bullet pointed version is below:

9 Ways to Be Happier

1. Boost your energy.

2. Reach out to friends.

3. Rid yourself of a nagging task.

4. Create a calmer environment.

5. Lay the groundwork for some future fun.

6. Do a good deed.

7. Act happy.

8. Count your blessings.

9. Perform an action that reflects your values.

**Lastly, for those of you who, like me, enjoy Sudoku. Enjoy the newest puzzle craze out of Japan: Kenken. I like it even better.

Complaints

As a public service I will tell you how horrible Internet Explorer, Net10 Phone, and the Westin LAX are. Really, I'm just looking out for your best interests. :-)

1. Internet Explorer
It started with IE refusing to open certain websites (get your mind out of the gutter - it was innocuous sites like the Cleveland Jewish News). Then it refused to play certain video (again - mind out of the gutter - it was video from sites like Slate.com). Finally, it started crashing on a regular basis. I would guess that I could have found some technical fix but I decided instead to just switch to Mozilla Firefox instead. So far it has been a dream - absolutely no problems whatsoever. A bit of research indicated that I am on the cusp of a wave. Join me.


2. Net10 Phone
Our relationship started off a bit shaky but then we had a good run; in the end it just wasn't going to work out. Net10 is a pay-as-you-go phone service. They wouldn't let me purchase a phone or service from Japan but we got past it and my sister was kind enough to buy it for me. Yumi and I used it in Hawaii during our wedding and honeymoon and it worked out great. It was $30-35 for the phone and service. The problem was when I tried to recharge the credit when I was in Cleveland in December. I called and bought credit but 24 hours later it still wasn't working. I called again, typed in about twenty-seven 19-digit codes and was told to wait another 24 hours. Again it didn't work. Finally, I called back and spent about 2 hours on the phone just to get my $30 back. Their customer service was horrible and ridiculously scripted. Never again.

3. Westin LAX
The price guide for the room said that local calls are $1.75. Pricey, but easier than running down to the lobby. Imagine my surprise when I went to check out and was charged $23 for a local phone call. In my lifetime of making phone calls, I've always understood "local" to mean nearby area codes to which long distance charges do not apply. Apparently the Westin LAX has a different definition, namely, locations within 3 miles of the hotel! Talking to the receptionist did nothing. She spoke to the manager who did nothing. I later talked to Mr. Cliff Sunajo in person and he did nothing. I can't believe they can be so stupid. $23 is nothing to them and surely is not the real cost of the phone call. Is it really in their best interest to antagonize or alienate customers with ridiculous charges and lose their future business? Oh, and just for icing on the cake, the room in this supposed 4-star hotel had a horrible view, the settee was grungy and the carpet was stained. While the Internet Explorer situation resolved itself with Firefox and Net10 did eventually give me my money back, the Westin LAX is far from over. They will be getting a tersely worded letter sometime soon.

Competing Interests

I have an admission to make: I really like reading advice columns. I only end up reading Dear Prudence in Slate.com but I do enjoy others when I come across them (Dear Abby, Ann Landers, Judith Martin, etc.).
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At first it seemed sort of weird to me -- advice columns seem closer to gossip in People Magazine than politics on NPR, but then it hit me: they are very similar in one important aspect -- both are about competing interests. I also enjoy the insights they give into human nature and and the human condition (which also explains my love of This American Life and PostSecret.com).

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Think about it: these columns offer advice on dilemmas someone is having, usually with a spouse, sibling, parent, friend, co-worker, etc. and these usually come down to "I want this and he wants that." Politics is not dissimilar. To wit:

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From Dear Prudence -

A mom who wants her daughter to do more housework vs. the girl who thinks it's ruining her childhood.

A woman who is ready for marriage vs. a man who wants to wait.

A guy who wants to spend more time on the phone when his girlfriend is away vs. the woman who hates talking on the phone.

A woman who wants massages vs. her husband who thinks they can't afford them.

A man who wants to go on a family cruise and leave their infant behind vs. his wife who can't imagine doing so.

A woman who wants her boyfriend to groom more often vs. the boyfriend who's content as he is.

And so on.

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From Politics -

People who think abortion is murder vs. people who think it's not and banning it violates women's rights.

People who want to keep more of their salaries vs. people who think that tax money funds important programs which help people in need.

People who value protecting the environment vs. people who think protecting the environment will cost the economy jobs.

People who want more religion in schools and public life vs. those who find it oppressive and unconstitutional.

People who believe gay people should be entitled to marry vs. those who find homosexuality an abomination and don't want the government to condone it.

And so on.

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Where we come down on these issues illuminates who we are, our politics, values, and ethics. We'd be better off if we realized that these issues are tough and that there are usually legitimate competing interests on both sides and that once a decision comes down, some people will be unhappy and feel that their rights have been infringed upon. Maybe we'd be more compassionate and understanding if we remembered that more often (myself included).