A Zen Koan for the Financial Crisis

Will Dana, editor of Rolling Stone, encouraged blogger Douglas Rushkoff "to come up with one-liners that tell the truth about the economic/banking fiasco - but that do it in almost zen-koan fashion."

   Debt is not a good product

And, like I'm arguing in my book, this whole scheme [finance] was arranged by 14th Century monarchs as a way of making money by having money, rather than providing value. So "Debt is not a good product" helps encourage that line of thinking, sound-byte style.

The Clayton iHouse

This may be the coolest thing I've ever seen in the realm of affordable housing - to say nothing of it being manufactured housing as well:

the Clayton iHouse

There's also a good article about it on Yahoo! News and a blog devoted to it as well. And guess who thinks it's such a good idea that he bought the parent company ? Warren Buffet.

I want one out in the Hill Country on the West side of Austin :)

You May Live in Texas If...

Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about folks from Texas . . .

• If you find 60 degrees "a little chilly," you may live in Texas.
  
• If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Texas.
  
• If "Vacation" means going anywhere south of Dallas for the weekend, you may live in Texas
  
• If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Texas.
  
• If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Texas.
  
• If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Texas.
  
• If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you may live in Texas.
  
• If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Texas.
  
• If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Texas.
  
• If someone in a Lowe's store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you may live in Texas.
  
• If you actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your Texas friends & others, you definitely live in Texas.
  

QotD for 4 May, 2009

I submit to you that cynics are critical to society's function. You see, cynics rarely start wars, we leave that to religion. Cynics end wars. Cynics are all around you, challenging society, the church and the powers that be. Cynics do what idealists talk about doing. --- Trevor Buvyer

Shamelessly stolen from the delightful Stephanie Hill Drury. Her blog Stuff Christian Culture Likes is endlessly amusing and insightful.