Does it matter whether or not they were asleep? Regardless, they missed their destination and couldn’t be reached by air traffic controllers. It matters more what they weren’t doing than what they were doing.

Experts Puzzle Over How Flight Overshot Airport
Micheline Maynard and Matthew L. Wald, NY Times, October 23, 2009

Instead of landing the Airbus A320, with 144 passengers and three flight attendants aboard, the pilots flew past Minneapolis-St. Paul to the skies above Eau Claire, Wis., despite repeated radio calls from controllers and other pilots in the area as well as e-mail messages from the airline’s dispatchers. Finally, when the plane was 110 miles past the airport, they responded, according to a report from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Police Department. The plane turned around and returned for a safe landing.

WTF?!

Northwest Airlines Flight 188 details

Looked good until they overflew the destination

Oops! Was that our airport back there?

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While checking out Google Trends today I learned that Tiger Woods may have farted, Screech isn’t in People Magazine’s cover photo, Bill Clinton is in North Korea negotiating the release of two American journalists, and Ashton Kutcher posted to twitpic a photo of Demi Moore’s butt.

Google Trends: "tiger woods farts" is on fire

(more…)

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It was announced today at Monument Square in Portland that the Maine Red Claws NBA Development League basketball team will be affiliated with the mighty Boston Celtics! Woo hoo!

I’m excited to attend the games and cheer on the Red Claws.

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What is that guy doing with those pliars?

Tomas Munita for The New York Times

Keeping New of Kidnapping Off Wikipedia
Richard Pérez-Peña, NY Times, June 28, 2009

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Today, at age 50, Michael Jackson suffered a fatal heart attack. It’s surprising and a bit sad. I was hoping he’d have a successful comeback.

I’ve been a fan of Michael Jackson since I was nine and lived in Palmer, Alaska. I memorized the lyrics to all the songs on the Thriller album (including Vincent Price’s spoken portion at the end of Thriller) and practiced the moonwalk in my bedroom. Michael Jackson was unlike any other entertainer. When he danced on stage he was mesmerizing; I couldn’t take my eyes off him. We all anxiously awaited the release of every music video he created, because they set the bar for the medium.

Michael is the King of Pop.

More videos here.

Best…dancer…ever!

I just read this in Harper’s Magazine. Interesting.

Harper's Magazine, June 2009

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Health system discourages innovation
Andy Sullivan, Reuters, May 28, 2009

I’ve been talking about “job lock” since long before I knew there was a term for it. It is perhaps one of the most devastating consequences of our troubled health care system industry–and one that barely receives mention. Innovation and entrepreneurship are what made this country great. Our health care system is destroying far more than our health; it’s wrecking our economy and global dominance.

Economists call this phenomenon “job lock,” and studies suggest that it keeps between 20 percent and 50 percent of workers from leaving their current jobs.

Because health insurance is tied to employment in the United States, workers who leave their jobs can see health bills skyrocket if they strike out on their own or take a position with a company that offers fewer benefits. Workers who would like to retire early stay on, unable to qualify for the government’s Medicare program until they turn 65.

As head of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Todd Stottlemeyer frequently encountered would-be entrepreneurs who let their ideas go stale and their products languish on the workbench because they did not want to shoulder their own health care costs.

Troubling.

New Jersey saw a 14 to 20 percent rise in entrepreneurial activity due to a 1993 law making it easier for the self-employed to afford health insurance, a study by Philip DeCicca of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario found.

A major problem with most proposed solutions to rising health care costs and covering the uninsured is that there is little support for abandoning employer-based health insurance. The Democrats want to reduce costs and make insurance affordable for all. That’s great, but insurance companies ARE cost, and provide zero value. They make their money collecting premiums and denying care. Perhaps a public insurance option would give would-be entrepreneurs the security to leave their job and the health care benefits that went with it.

The Republicans have introduced a plan that would give each family a tax-credit to pay for insurance and remove incentives companies have had to provide health insurance to their workers. Perhaps these benefits could be converted to cash which would allow employees to shop around, thereby ending the problem of job lock.

Job lock is a real problem and should be a primary consideration in any health care discussion or proposal.

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All but the Ring: Why Some Couples Don’t Wed
Lisa Selin David, Time, May 25, 2009

A Gay-Marriage Solution: End Marriage?
Michael A. Lindenberger, Time, March 16, 2009

Is marriage on its way to becoming the relationship equivalent of our appendix (in that it’s no longer needed but can cause a lot of pain)?

I sure hope so. Marriage is an archaic institution that has a benign effect on a relationship, at best. The legal benefits of marriage, however, are significant. Committed Unmarrieds pay dearly for their decision to forgo government’s stamp of approval on their relationship. The same-sex marriage fight is primarily one of benefits and semantics. If government would get out of the business of marriage, these problems would disappear immediately. There would be no losers (except, perhaps, the wedding industry and divorce attorneys).

Thank you for directing my attention to these articles, Brian.

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Governor Signs LD 1020, An Act to End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom
Governor’s Office, Maine.gov, May 6, 2009

Today Governor John E. Baldacci signed into law LD 1020, An Act to End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom.

Just when I was beginning to think I couldn’t be any prouder to be a Mainer, this. Hooray for Maine!

In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of civil unions,” Governor Baldacci said. “I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage.
~Governor Baldacci

Bravo, Governor. Bravo!

Marriage is the legally recognized union of 2 people. Gender-specific terms relating to the marital relationship or familial relationships, including, but not limited to, “spouse,” “family,” “marriage,” “immediate family,” “dependent,” “next of kin,” “bride,” “groom,” “husband,” “wife,” “widow” and “widower,” must be construed to be gender-neutral for all purposes throughout the law, whether in the context of statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law.
~SP0384, LD 1020, § 650-A. Codification of marriage

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Guinness 250 Anniversary Stout

Old Friend, New Brew
Playboy, Mantrack, May 2009, pg. 24

Two hundred and fifty years ago an enterprising lad named Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on a Dublin brewery. He never recouped his security deposit, but his beer is still going strong. In celebration, Guinness is releasing a rare new offering, Anniversary Stout. Made with both stout and ale malts, it’s lighter, crisper and more carbonated than its venerable forebear. Get it now, though–its lease is up in October.

And from the Guinness website…

This is the year to celebrate! That’s why our Master Brewer has created the limited edition Guinness® 250 Anniversary Stout. We used a proprietary brewhouse process that combines the use of stout and ale malt for a distinctive carbonated stout with a clean, smooth finish. This is the first new Guinness® stout we’ve introduced to the US since we first started importing Guinness® Draught in 1967, but it’s only available for a limited time. So starting on April 24th, get out with some friends and try a pint of our brand new brew!

I’m off to the store…

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Stem cell scientists hail new era
Carolyn Y. Johnson, Boston Globe, March 10, 2009

Obama yesterday followed through on promises he made during his election campaign, signing an executive order allowing federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and directing the National Institutes of Health to write guidelines within 120 days for how the research should be conducted.

He also signed a memorandum to elevate science within his administration, clarify the responsibilities of the office of science and technology policy, and ensure that “we base our public policies on the soundest science . . . and that we are open and honest with the American people about the science behind our decisions.”

“President Obama’s new executive order on embryonic stem cell research is a sad victory of politics over science and ethics,” Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said in a statement.

That’s rich. It is the science community that has been hampered by W.’s anti-science policies and who are cheering this executive order. Furthermore, stem cell treatments and cures have the potential to help many millions of people live longer healthier lives. It is immoral to oppose this research.

My favorite part of this wonderful news may be the memorandum President Obama signed that elevates science within his administration by saying, “we base our public policies on the soundest science”. I think the American people deserve more than wishful prayers. This shift in public policy gives me great hope.

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