★ This story out of china really got my attention as it came across my RSS this morning.

A 14-year-old boy in China was killed when his chair exploded, sending chunks of metal into his rectum. The bleeding this caused killed him.

I’m writing this at my desk while sitting on a chair very similar to this. This is very disturbing to me.

You can see more about this at Gizmodo.

★ Seriously, how does this happen? This was the plot of two low-budget movies last year (Stuck and Hit and Run). Is this life imitating art?

A pedestrian was struck by a sport utility vehicle on a street in Corona, Queens, on Wednesday morning, then immediately struck again by a cargo van that dragged the victim 17 miles through a web of city highways and to Coney Island in Brooklyn, the police said. The pedestrian, apparently a male, was killed.

– The New York Times cityroom blog

★ From the opening line of the BBC show ‘Being Human’ (s01e03). I thought it sounded very poetic.

love should be the opposite of death. It should be our biggest reason for wanting to be here.

★ And the hits keep on coming with another CollegeHummor Original

★ ONN does it again. It’s gonna be Legend-wait for it-Dairy.

★ Mr. Chi-City AKA Mr. Goodbar

★ I love that blue/red Obama poster by street artist Shepard Fairey. Here’s my take on it. 

★ It was a historic day for the country.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths.

– President Barack Obama

I’ve heard that Obama writes his own speeches. Thats impressive, because I know that it’s his own words and his own feelings.

Full text of Obama’s speech

★ CH does it again.

★ Steve Jobs’ memo to his ‘Team’:

Team,

I am sure all of you saw my letter last week sharing something very personal with the Apple community. Unfortunately, the curiosity over my personal health continues to be a distraction not only for me and my family, but everyone else at Apple as well. In addition, during the past week I have learned that my health-related issues are more complex than I originally thought.

In order to take myself out of the limelight and focus on my health, and to allow everyone at Apple to focus on delivering extraordinary products, I have decided to take a medical leave of absence until the end of June.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for Apple’s day to day operations, and I know he and the rest of the executive management team will do a great job. As CEO, I plan to remain involved in major strategic decisions while I am out. Our board of directors fully supports this plan.

I look forward to seeing all of you this summer.

Steve

It’s unfortunate that his person business has to be so public like this. I hope everything works out for Steve.

★ Are we really surprised. This is just the natural progression in the “Rick-Rolling” phenomenon. If you pay attention you can see this trend all over the internets.

★ “Closure” defined.

★ A wise person once said

Low self-esteem is a gift that keeps on giving.

- Kevin Pereira

This is very true, as I experienced this phenomenon first hand during the great Oahu Blackout of ‘08.

★ Take what we’ve learned from the economy and apply it to other areas.

★ I’m clearly not patient enough to work with idiots.

That is all.

★ This is how my friday feels.

★ The perks of the job

★ I have had girlfriends in the past who seem to have open budgets for their makeup products. As a guy, I’ve accepted that I will never understand this. But how the hell do you spend that much on hair and makeup in 2 months on ONE person!.

The RNC paid $110,400 on hair and makeup artistry on Sarah Palin for her two months in the sun.

Plus $55,000 more for clothes.

(ed.note: Let me stipulate that the title refers very broadly to the insufficiency of expenditures on superficialities to compensate for Palin’s shortcomings as a candidate.)

TPM nailed it again.

★ It is deeply disturbing to me that a person like Sarah Palin, who didn’t know that Africa is a continent and not a country, got that close to the highest office of a global superpower. Clearly there is a problem with our government. I know that this is not news by any stretch of the imagination. But Sarah Palin has shown just how dangerous it is. To think that a person who doesn’t know the countries in NAFTA could’ve been our president is very disturbing. This got me thinking about how we got to this place in politics.

I’m gonna use an analogy. Lets say our government is a car. Every 4 years we get a chance to redesign this car however we want it. We can customize this car to best suit us for the road ahead. When the GOP designed their new concept car, lets call it the “Mavrick”, they slept on some critical engineering decisions. They decided to invest all of their resources in a really shiny bling’d out hood ornament. They were so proud of this shiny new hood ornament that represents their brand like a logo, but they forgot the engine. I’m sure they thought that it would be fine. They would just throw some leather and wood trim inside, cut the price, and America will buy it. If they want the car to move the Republican party will just push it.

I’m not picking on the GOP because they are not the only ones guilty of this in the past. But the days of thinking its okay to nominate bling over a high-tech electric engine are over.

★ A very good day. I’m proud of my country, especially my generation that saw this grass-roots movement through to the end.