nVerse

AC Transit Bus Throwdown - Bus Fight!!!

Apparently, riding public transit in the Bay Area is perhaps the most dangerous way to spend your time.  I’m referring to the string of totally random stabbings on the muni light rail last year, and the various fights caught on videophones over the past 12 months (hooray for consumer accessible technology!) like the infamous bart-cop shooting incident and the crazy chinatown bus ride fight.  This one, the latest to become a youtube populario, is post-worthy - primarily for two reasons:

1) a dude in his 70s unleashes with a vicious beat down

2) towards the end, the camerawoman nicely frames blood on the seat - poetic! nice composition! way to capture the moment! Brava!

People Work Harder in Times Of Recession…BUT

The alliteratively titled article “Painful Productivity Pickup Promises Payoff” in the WSJ yesterday, forecasts that the Labor Department will report an annualized 7% gain in business productivity for the 4th quarter and yet a rise in the unemployment rate to over 10% in December.
ooooook.

See, this number is almost triple the average 2.5% growth from 2000 to 2008 AND last year the 2nd and 3rd quarters saw a 6.9% gain and a 8.1% gain, respectively.  So we see here some form of a productivity paradox - where despite the workforce level declining, output is increasing - in times of recession where people are freaked out about losing their jobs and companies are squeezing as much productivity as they can out of their workforce (to protect their bottom lines), people apparently become more efficient workers.

Ok, this is not that new.

But what does this mean in real terms?  Are people lazier in good times?  Is there a natural propensity to slack off at the job when getting canned isn’t a risk?  Will this lead to burn out?  Will this have a permanent impact on wage-to-expected output?

Methinks a likely outcome is that when prosperity is restored and the unemployment rate declines, the folks on the front line that are squeezing out this extra bit of output today may expect higher wages or look for greener pastures.  The smart money is on Monster.com or CareerBuilder … then again, this paradox may continue for a while…perhaps it is best to invest in a stamp or comic book collection.

[wsj article]

Big Az Meatloaf

And while the topic is still fresh about Big Az products, I would like to bring another pre-packaged Big Az Meat product to your attention - Ladies and gentlemen, may i present to you, the Big Az Meatloaf Sandwich!

The best part?

is that this deliciousness is served WITH catsup!   not ketchup, but catsup!  mmm!

Big Az Burger Anyone?

ooooh … Tough choice!

Do i reach for the “DOUBLE BEEF STACKER” or the “BIG AZ” burger???

…both are such delicious examples of prepackaged- good-for-you-beef-products

But really, “Big az???”  Is that describing the product or what it does to you?  Truly, an awful name.

The double beef stacker burger does have a new package - but same great taste, it is 40 cents cheaper than the $2.89 beef charbroil BigAz…

These may _just_ be a delicious choice to serve at your superbowl party.  And in case you too were wondering when & what time the superbowl kickoff is, you can go here.

KFC World Map

So there i was, in Nairobi airport, faced with the choice of sketchy-vegetable filled paninis, indian hot plate buffet or the “special” beef tips…

I chose the beef tips.

But lo, i had found myself in a unique moment of need.  I lamented the absence of Americana “safe” and over-cooked and over processed fast food.  Where was the colonel’s chicken chain when i needed it?  WHERE???

Never again! Here’s the world map of KFC locactions, in case you are curious.

Glad to know that they are populating the African continent, one nation at a time…is that little dot east of Madagascar a KFC in Mauritius???

Zounds!