@NITEN I agree. There's just a huge pile of data, which is difficult to summarize with clarity.

Below is a link to the actual BLS report. Well worth digging into if you want to see what the real numbers look like.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.toc.htm

The only figure I found really surprising was the drop in YOY ag performance. With all the talk about corn and commodities of late, you'd think jobs in that sector would look better.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t10.htm

@strider_my2k yeah, I'm thinking that it will be a nice touch in my next steampunk story. :)

Link below has a good interview with Takayuki Furuta (d00d who wants to build the 60ft Gundam). Very interesting fellow.

http://make.pingmag.jp/2008/02/12/furuta/

When I was a child (age 2 to 8) I lived in India, and at that time a Japanese monk who had been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize taught me the philosophy, “The real essentials are not something you can see with your eyes.” Speaking broadly, what I want to do is create people, things, events, and worlds. What I’m doing now is using robotics as a platform to achieve that.

It would be cool if the gears still churned (they don't according to the Etsy page). I suspect they'd have to be under glass though or else they'd chew up your clothes.

Hey! That's my office chair! Pedal, code monkey!

What's up with the subtitles on the Kissinger video?

Kinda scary when he's talking about the imminent collapse of the free world unless we are allowed to engage in "limited war" - sounds like he could be on Meet the Press today.

I just knew BeautifulSoup had to be put together by a writer! Just too much sweetness in the doco.

http://www.crummy.com/software/BeautifulSoup/

There is a guy in my town with one of these... He rides it in the 4th of July parade. Looks really fun! All the kids want to ride it, including me.

I have a friend doing a startup in Beijing. He says the roads change so fast that maps are useless. People just stop in the middle of the freeway and get out of their cars to see where they need to go.

Totally wild.

Sweet! Break out the Purple Pants!

Don't forget Hank Williams. His site is "Why Does Everything Suck"

http://whydoeseverythingsuck.com

I agree with Jeff. Just finished Halting State on cross-country flight. My head is still spinning. Just a wall of ideas, crashing against the insides of my skull. Wow.

@JENNFRANK

It should make you think of Lethem. 826 Valencia is a neat organization that helps kids learn to write.

http://www.826valencia.org/

Cory, thanks for posting the update from Neil's comments. I think the Guardian interview referenced in NG's post is worth a read too.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,2255877,00.html

Jane Friedman, CEO of Harpers Worldwide, is quoted:

"The advantage of our digital warehouse is that we can securely, quickly and easily change what content is available," she said, "whether it is to meet an author's request, to preview a title before it is on sale, or to promote backlist books. And we believe it's the role of the publisher to develop tools to easily allow authors to promote their work to their communities online."

The word "preview" is telling but it seems like the lizard logic of most publishers is starting to ebb away. In the end, they will do what moves books and if they don't new publishers will.

Dang, yo! Pre-teen zombies always be gettin in mah utube!

I'm mean, what's up with those veins on her face anyway? yikes.

The end of the article says that police would still like to identify the man... Why? If he was just carrying a tripod then who cares? Get the prof a tinfoil hat and move on.

Lingonberries = Cranberries for MEN!

Congratulations! This will change your life in so many ways, Cory. Best wishes for all three of you!!! :)

The Germans have a better way of dealing with this kind of thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvvPFu3aibU

Bid is up to $676, so Donnie has made at least $426 after using $250 worth of photoshop. Profit!

INSTANT NINJA!