Tangents

I'm all over the place today so bear with me.  Anything and everything that struck a cord with me today is getting some face time on the blog.  

First and foremost, this morning I found out that a very wonderful person has passed away:  Bruce Wilhlem.  I interned under him at Bassett and after my college graduation was offered a temp position within his department.  I learned a lot from him and laughed a lot with him.  He made work fun.  He was an excellent reference provider for me and continued to check in on me with each job I've held.  Bruce, hands down, was the best boss I've ever worked for and is someone I aspire to be like.  My condolences go to his family and his colleagues at Bassett. 

Next on the agenda, relationship drama.  Fortunately not mine.  Without naming names, let me give you a hypothetical situation.  A friend of someone close to you tells you that the person you are close with is being cheated on and lied to.  This friend should have said something sooner and directly to the person impacted, however, concerns about maintaining the friendship kept he/she from doing so.  He/she wants your help breaking the news.  What do you do?  (Note: this person acting as an informant is not part of the cheating.)

Karzai.  What does that mean to you?  To me it meant nothing until I read in the news today that Karzai is the President of Afghanistan who expects to receive $2 Billion a year from the USA following our troops withdrawal.  What for?  Security personnel.  Apparently the USA says they can provide upwards of $4 Billion a year to help fund Afghan forces as a strategic pact.  What I want to know is where this money is supposed to come from?  Our country is in a recession.  An economic downturn.  So much so that our great states like New York and California are having trouble balancing budgets.  This is resulting in the furloughing of employees and increased taxes to cover moronic government spending (ex. billions of dollars to Karzai.)  Just had to say my piece.

Lastly, being tube-fed which was once associated with hospital stays and illness is now being associated with weight loss and matrimony.  You can't make this stuff up.  For $1500 a tube can be inserted into your nose, down your throat, and into your stomach for 10 days.  You'll be restricted to 800 calories a day and presumably lose 5-10 pounds before your big day.  All I can think of is Kate Hudson in Bride Wars screaming "You do not alter a Vera to fit you, you alter yourself to fit Vera."  Uggh.  This is what little girls aspire to now?  A little drastic if you ask me.