I am very thankful that i have not had to be in the US for this entire presidential campaign season (yes, all two years of it).
Here's an article that neatly follows on from an earlier Rebecca Traister piece published on Salon (which you can read here).
Marie Cocco - Misogyny I Won't Miss - washingtonpost.com
(Via The Morning News)
One more reason to decry the misogyny that is Grand Theft Auto? Or just another opportunity to say, 'Meh, it's just a game.'?
McSweeney's Internet Tendency: Good Advice From a Grand Theft Auto Dating FAQ.
(Via The Morning News.)
So, like a lot of people i have been idly wondering (i say idly, because i'm not industrious enough to actually go and learn much about it) how this credit crisis thing happened. Why on earth would banks make such risky loans, and why should i care if some people with poor credit are suddenly having problems paying their mortgages (I mean, what did they expect, right?)?
Well, i just finished listening to the latest This American Life podcast, which actually spends a whole hour talking to people at a number of different levels of the issue: homeowners, mortgage brokers, Wall Street bankers, and a bunch of people in between. Now i understand. I understand why the banks made the risky loans, and i understand that fraudulent mortgage applications were made, and i understand that adjustable rate mortgages have priced people out of their own homes. This last point is made quickly and simply when the reporters are speaking to a homeowner who is having trouble making payments. His monthly mortgage payment increased $2000 over its starting rate. Imagine trying to come up with an extra $2000 a month.
Listen:
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Wow, i have had a really busy week; although looking back on it, it doesn't seem like i did much at all.
Monday: May Bank Holiday. I spent the day avoiding work and wandering in city center.
Tuesday: I met with my Latin professor to continue translating the Life of Ariald.
Wednesday: I went to Blair Castle (located in tiny Blair Atholl in Perthshire) with Scott and Helena. According to the woman who guards the front door of the castle (a stickler, if i have ever seen one) Blair is not a family name (hmmmm). It is rather an old Gaelic word meaning a flat area or plain. The family that owns the castle is named Murray, but i found it suspicious that they wore a tartan that strongly resembles the Blair tartan:
Anyway, it was a beautiful day, and we spent a lot of time roaming the grounds once we had done the tour through the castle itself. There is no photography allowed in the castle, which is a total bummer. It was full of weaponry and deer antlers, and the tour honestly seemed never-ending. There are a bunch of photos of the grounds on Flickr as usual.
Thursday: I spent most of the day with Debbie getting sunburnt in the Botanic Gardens. Yes, sunburnt in Glasgow! I tried to take a picture of my farmer tan, but it didn't come out well enough.
Friday: I worked at an actual job for 3.5 hours in the morning. That was tiring. I had to make a mail merge and stuff envelopes. Phew.
I have Debbie to thank for the job; her father's partner Linda works in Recruitment & Admissions at the university, and she desperately needed someone who could stick labels straightly and stuff envelopes correctly. You might be surprised at how difficult it is to find someone who meets those qualifications. It's a casual job; she'll call me when she needs me, but money's money.
After doing that, i met with my Latin professor again. Then i went home and went to sleep.
Depressing, isn't it? That number includes you.
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