Topic Tuesday #124 2014/12/02 - "Headline News"

I read the news today, oh boy...

No wars won, just some continuing perpetually.

Madonna's breasts are holding up so nicely at 65 that she did a photo shoot to show them off and make some probably needed social commentary on aging, body image, and sexual repression among other things on her mind...

Female Genital Mutilation numbers are going down, but the practice continues... If you don't know what FGM is, look it up, but have some booze handy to take the edge off the outrage.

Ukraine has a new government voted in, but that may not mean ceasefire.

Bluefin tuna is threatened and there are new sanctions to save the species.

Relations between China and India are leading to a military build up and India modernizing it's fleet. I was unaware that China and India had submarines. India has 13 of them in fact. I am more surprised I hadn't thought about it before, but there ya go.

Microsoft has decided to no longer provide clip art, so hone your google image search skills.

The Girl Scouts of America will allow troops to use the web and phone apps to sell the famous cookies, and even to have them delivered directly yo you. Oh yes!

Google's Chromecast streaming stick is getting better and better, so you might consider it as a stocking stuffer at $35 or less.

Things are tough everywhere but hopefully you didn't get set ablaze in Ferguson MO, or have to push your own plane on a runway in Russia, it was -51 C (-61F).

Topic Tuesday #123 2014/11/25 - "The Hero"

It was like any Tuesday in memory. The man jumped in his car and drove to work. He clocked in just seconds before the hour. So far, so good. The coffee bar was in disarray and the pot was empty. The dulldrum of the morning was going to require coffee so he broke down the coffee maker and got a pot brewing. He cleaned the area while he waited and then poured 2 cups the way he liked them. Off to the cube farm.

Almost at once he was confronted with his supervisor, who looked like hell. "Here, chief." And he handed the second cup to him, "looks like you are about a quart low."

The supervisor, was stunned and the scowl he wore fell away and a seldom seen grin spread wide. Whatever was on his mind was long gone as the cup immediately went to his lips. "Thanks Joe, you've saved the day again!"

Often, we do not realize how egocentric we are. We forget that other people even have their own thoughts and desires. There are times when these microcosims collide and we touch the person behind the mindless drones that inhabit our own worlds. We are all the hero of our own stories, while the others are the Non Player Characters (NPC) that have missions for the hero. Your best friends have personality. Perhaps they are just written better than the other NPCs, or maybe you are all part of a pick up group, about to go off and do something darring.

Or maybe they are just like you, their own hero, saving the day, one cup of coffee at a time.