Fallen Into Knowledge

I just got back from working at starbucks. It was a bummer night; we were way under-staffed. Consequently we were harried, customers did not receive the attention they deserved (or the attention we are required to give them), and we stayed an hour past when we were supposed to leave.
While I was cleaning an analogy occurred to me. Corporate America is like medieval Europe (or any other time when monarchy was the dominant form of government); many monarchies occupying the same continent, all of whom being somewhat uneasy with each other. It is not, however, the relations of nation-states that interests me, but how monarchs relate to their subjects, and how that relating affects the health and longengevity of that state. Those monarchs who served their own ends often did so at the expense of their people - they are remembered as despotic, and, more often than not, the country’s glory was lessened because of their leadership. Further, as a result of the oppression, corruption increases dramatically, and dissent threatens to tear the society to pieces.
Monarchs, on the other hand, who invest inwardly; who invest in the arts, in commerce, and in an infrastructure that frees the monarchy’s subjects, these monarchs are remembered for their greatness. In a country where the citizens are free to protest, dissent is diffused and does not damage the country, but, in fact, strengthens it. The glory of that country increases under the leadership of this monarch, not to mention the glory of that monarch.
The relationship between this and corporations should be obvious: corporations that place profitability as the ultimate priority (that is, the leaders act for their own interests) tend to restrict, or control, their employees: they profit at the expense of the health of their employees. This is not a sustainable situation for a corporation: employees will revolt.
The corporation, on the other hand, that makes investing in the health of their employees: giving them freedom to innovate, and an infrastructure that supplies them with needs, and trust to act significantly within the corporation - these create healthy situations for the employees, glory for the corporation itself as well as glory (and wealth) for the leadership.
well - there is my 2c. I do not expect much to change; but I have my doubt about the future health of Starbucks.

As many of you know I have been thinking alot about social justice issues as well as ecological issues. It looks like I will be sharing (teaching) some of those thoughts for Imago Dei as a part of their School of Theology. If you want information on the Class go here: christian ecology

The class is Monday nights from 7-9 starting Jan 24. and its free.
come one, come all!

So your canidate lost, as mine did. And you’re really upset. So upset, in fact, that you intend to expatriate. Here is your guiide: Electing to Leave (Harpers.org) Turns out that its not all that easy.

I know what I want for christmas! Click Here
or, if you are worried about bandwidth, Click Here
The other two films were, in my humble opinion, better in Extended Edition, I expect this one will be also.

Jacques Derrida, the emminent French philosopher and critic, died Friday at the age of 74. He was credited with fathering deconstruction, that difficult theory that posits that all texts internally inconsistant due to the vaguaries of language itself, thus robbing texts of meaning and permanence. Though we struggle with his thought, his was surely a signifigant voice in the twentieth century.

Salon.com | G.I. Joe is a fake
hot on the heels of the exoneration of the A-Teamcontroversy erupts! Was G.I. Joe not all he was cracked up to be? The G.I. Joe Veterens for Truth think not.
It is not suprising to see satire in the onion; that is what it does. It is more suprising to see satire like this in Salon.

I went to the street of dreams (and, yes, dreamed) today, and found that the houses all (with the exception of the house pictured above) of the houses occupied a fairly narrow design niche: NW. Hmm. I wonder why this is.

Ah, yes; Let the madness officially begin: the Title of the sixth Harry Potter book was released today by J.K. Rowling, though no word yet as to when to expect publication. I, personally was a late-comer to the Harry Potter madness; but I did read the fifth book (Order of Phoenix) in one sitting on the day it was released, so I guess you could say I have caught the bug. Oh, by the way the title is “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” Any speculation on who this “Half Blood Prince” is?The Next Harry Potter Book

Check this out! somebody with far too much time on their hands constructed a map of springfield (not oregon) by watching episodes of the simpsons and noting geographical markers. Ever wondered what streets Homer uses to get to work? Neither have I, but now you can know anyway! Guide to Springfield USA