Wired Gauge of the Economy

Don't judge this by its cover - judge it by its spine.

Back in the day - the last days of the last boom economy, we're talking mid 2000 or so, Wired magazines were FAT as all get out. Everyone was making money hand over fist, start-ups and venture money abounded - it was a great time, baby. I subscribed to Wired (still do) and the line of Wireds on my bookshelf - and their ever growing girth, was a reliable gauge of the economy. Though I didn't pay heed at the time, if I was savvy I would have seen the virtual Nostradamus on my shelf. As the economy fell through 2001 and went to rock bottom (or what we considered was rock bottom at the time - silly humans) the Wired magazines got progressively thinner.

I'm sorry to report that the Wired pictured above is the thinnest Wired I have ever seen. Looking at it from the outside I can't imagine that there is much in the way of advertising in this puppy. I'm almost loath to crack it, as even though I'm sure the contents will be as entertaining and informative as always, every turn of page sans ad will remind me of the state we are in. Let's hope that thicker Wireds are on the way - that we have reached the bottom of the trough.

Piece of advice, save your Wireds and put them on your shelf, in a few years you will have a graph of the economy, your bookshelf will be a predictor of economic prosperity and depression - heed the Wired oracle.

What's NEW You Say?

I've turned 43.

I've survived the holidays and the new year.

I made some homemade ravioli (see results evidenced above.)

I've been spending time on Facebook - apparantly I DO have friends, in bite-sized doses (yummy.)

My wife, knowing that this would be just my speed, bought me a "Book Of Ages" that tells who did what at what age - so I can look at people my age and older and realize that I still have a lot I can accomplish - or I can look at people younger and mourn my lack of accomplishment. (I always like the Tom Lehrer gag "When Motzart was my age he had been dead 8 years.")

I have been hosting regular movie nights - where I invite a few guys over and we cook and drink and watch a two hour movie in three hours (what with all the pauses for comments and asides and all.) These are particularly fun because we eat food related to the movie - the first film was Godfather, and we had my famous sausage and pepper sandwiches, the second film was The Quiet Man, and we had Irish Stew and Guinness. (Stew provided by one of the guests, the owner of Celtic Crossing, THE Irish Pub in Memphis TN.)


My wife and daughters make themselves scarce as apparently we are quite obnoxious, though I don't see what she's talking about.

OH - And someone sent me an email telling me what a self absorbed bastard I am (The quote was, referring to my political test below "Not Centrist, But Self Centered Egotist.")

Well, I'll have you know that I am an egoIST not and egoTIST my fine feathered friend.

Now off with you - the rest of you can stay. Come over and see a movie (still deciding on the next theme.)