The Office and the Peter Principle
The Office has turned into a pretty great show, mostly thanks to the clever way they have developped the character of Michael Scott. Just when you think that they have pushed his incompetence and cluelessness to almost ridiculous levels, he goes and reminds everyone that there was a reason he was made manager of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin in the first place: The man knows how to sell paper.
I like the idea that Michael Scott is an idiot-savant; that he is generally mediocre and yet displays excellence in one very specific area.
Does that very specific skillset compensate for his gross incompetence as a manager? Of course not, but it at least gives him a somewhat believeable backstory and makes him more sympathetic. I think the Peter Principle is something most viewers of The Office can relate to. After all, how many of us have seen genuinely good workers turn into piss-poor leaders upon promotion? Heck, some corporate cultures seem hard-wired for that sort of thing.
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For no particular reason: A bit of culture
The first time I saw a Masaccio fresco, in the Brancacci Chapel, I actually experienced Stendhal syndrome (no fooling). It seems unreal that those six-hundred-year-old works, still so bright and vital, are considered the birth of Renaissance painting.
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I got a funny e-mail at work the other day...
Not the kind of funny that makes you laugh, though. Apparently, some of my older neighbours have been accosted by local members of the street community under the influence of controlled substances (a.k.a. drunks and crackheads), and are therefore warning everyone to be on the lookout for non-resident interlopers. There are a number of healthy younger guys on my block, and given the fact that there are also a few children around, I don't expect that many of us will be too concerned about the niceties if and when we have to see an unwelcome harm reduction advocate off.
Apparently Ottawa has one of the lowest serious crime rates in the country, but stuff like that makes me seriously consider moving my family away from the downtown very, very soon... before anything like this, anyway.
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A little late for Easter, but still worth a read:
Why was Jesus Crucified?
An enlightening historical examination of a particularly gruesome form of judicial execution. No wonder the early followers of Christ were not big on using the cross as their symbol!
Also worth a read: 101 Bible Secrets That Christians Don't Know
Some mind-blowers here. Among my faves:
Long-haired Jesus is a pagan god
Were Christians Communists?
Did Moses Stutter?
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In Honour of Alfie's Rapidly Diminishing Cup Hopes...
Ten Top Players Who Never Hoisted Lord Stanley's Mug
BONUS:
More fun with campus fascists
"He was not able to practice his hate speech," said Oakley. "You have to respect the right of people to assemble and collectively speak."
