The Milkman Gets his Due...

Bernie Ebbers has been found GUILTY, but apparently his legal team believe they can overturn THE VERDICT on appeal. The missus showed lotsa emotion but Bernie just sat and played with his fingers as the verdict was read.
Many stockholders and employees who suffered from the catastrophic accountancy fraud are glad of the resolution in this case, and WALL STREET breathed a sigh of relief at the outcome, too.
If the ENRON trial has a similar outcome, the markets will feel justice has been served and reward itself. OTOH, if Skilling & Co. get off scotfree, there will be HELL to pay.
Some blue paint wonks feel if there was any real justice in this world, the Bush Family's own financial shenanigans would finally be EXPOSED TO THE LIGHT OF DAY , scrutinized and they would receive their own just reward, too ....
Methinks, though, this will not be the last the business world will hear of Bernie Ebbers, he may just yet escape his punishment and appear again with bigger and even more grandiose schemes.
The ol' Ebbers charm can go a long way, there are markets in South Africa, Jakarta, Brisbane and even mainland China could be next taken in by this rascal.

Newsmashing

Another brave new world is upon us, please check out the possibilities of a new blogging technique called NEWSMASHING at Slate news site.
Instead of paste and and cut techniques currently in vogue on the blogosphere, using software or as yet un-invented HTML tools that allows you to HIGHLIGHT, CIRCLE, post notes, in general, just mark up a web page, and put it on your WEBLOG creates a new avenue of expression on the internet, while treading ever so heavily on the toes of current Copyright laws & rights of current Copyright holders.

A quick rundown on The Norm, a comic by Michael Jantze

IN SEPTEMBER, of last year, Michael Jantze decided not to renew his syndication deal for his comic strip, "The Norm".

1. As the strip winds down,, the character Norm discovers his on the go wife, Reine is pregnant
2. After an unsuccessful attempt with his long time buddy Ford to buy out his old company BBB Publishing, Norm considers several career options.
3. After the strip concluded in the papers, reruns were published online at The Norm's website.
4. Solicitations were made to the fanbase, to keep the strip going online, while Michael pursued other options himself, (screen plays, books, teleplays, etc.)
5. After the first week of the new year, new episodes of The Norm are published five days a week online (no Sunday colour, awwwwwwww)
6. UNlike other comics which are usually written and drawn three to six weeks in advance of publication, The Norm is written and published online Daily, having that fresh zing and the ability to comment on the current hot button issues at hand that are relevant to the Norm, its creator and its fanatical grass roots readership.*
7. In the diary section for those who suscribe to The Norm, there is a musical "link" to a pertinent song or musical piece which is on Amazon.com's music store website (is Amazon.com sponsoring the upkeep of The Norm?) There is now also a link to iTunes iMix playlist for January and February for the Norm.com
   

*Case in point, on the yahoogroups discussion for theNorm, there was a point raised recently about whatever happened to the "baby", that is Reine got pregnant last September, tho' comics ever rarely follow real time, by February, it was never ever discussed in the strip what ever happened to the main impetus that made The Norm take a new turn in life, that is, maturing, growing up a little, and leaving the less responsible Norm behind and now, here is Reine, several months later, looking like she wasn't being a mom anytime soon.

In his own inimitable way, Michael Jantze addressed the concern of his readers, while taking a stab and a good natured poke at other syndicated comics' touchy feely politically correct approach to touchy subjects. Apparently Reine had a miscarriage, probably in the interim months before the strip began anew in January online, andNorm and Reine had gotten on with their lives. Ford spoke to Norm's boss about it, and she got a little carried away trying to show support for Norm "in his time of grief". See you on Friday, when we see how this winds up.

FORTY TWO YEARS TODAY

Happy Birthday ! Whoopty doo! 42 ... Let the strange commence !

A BURP AWAY FROM DISASTER

LAST DECEMBER, THE EARTH WAS SINGED SLIGHTLY BY GAMMA RAYS FROM A HUGE BURP FROM A MAGNETAR TWENTY THOUSAND LIGHT YEARS AWAY. SO IMAGINE THIS, AT THE DAWN OF HUMAN CIVILISATION, A DEADLY BURST OF GAMMA RAYS WAS RELEASED AND ARRIVED TWENTY THOUSAND YEARS LATER, ITS POWER GREATLY DIMISHED BY DISTANCE BUT STILL POTENT ENOUGH TO CAUSE DISRUPTIONS IN ATMOSPHERE, COMMUNICATION SATELLITES, ETCETERA. IF THIS MAGNETAR WAS ONLY FIVE LIGHT YEARS AWAY, AND THIS BURP HAPPENED ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, BY THE TIME THIS BURP WOULD GHAVE ARRIVED, ITS POWER WOULD HAVE BEEN SUCH THAT OUR ATMOSHERE WOULD HAVE BEEN USELESS TO PROTECT US AND ALL LIFE ON EARTH WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, OR AT THE LEAST, SIMPLER FORMS WOULD HAVE BEEN HEAVILY MUTATED HAD THEY SURVIVED.
MAKES YA' THINK DOESN'T IT?