I learned something funny today, from Gunny P, who spent a couple of years being the boss of Marine Security Guard details, the Marines that protect American embassies. (I'm going to loan Gunny P some Retief novels when I get a chance.)

Any embassy have an Economics Officer and a Political Officer, and bigger embassies have several. Both are civilians, working for the State Department. The Political guy talks to the local govermental types, and the Economics guy talks to businessmen and keeps track of trade, tarrifs, that sort of thing.

The funny bit is, all the Economics Officers that Gunny P met had political science degrees. And most of the Political Officers had economics degrees. Gunny's theory, which I subscribe to, is thus: Poly Sci types that join the State Department tend to be idealists, looking forward to international harmony and cooperation when diplomats of good will get together. Those guys get torn apart by the corrupt sharks that provide the upper-level bureucracy of the typical corrupt nation. But they do fine talking to businessmen in international trade, who have to face facts on the bottom line. So the idealistic types end up in the Economics branch.

Meanwhile, the graduates with economics degrees join the State Department with the knowledge that international trade is ruthless and nasty- the weak die, the wounded are eaten. So they're all suspicious, constantly on the lookout for ultior motives and double-dealing. That makes them well prepared to deal with the nasty corrupt governments that control most non-first world nations.

This came up, incidentally, because while Gunny P would like me to stay a Marine, if he can't get that he wants me to join the State Department. I like Gunny P, and I trust his judgement, so I've been considering his opinions. Despite what I've learned from reading the Retief novels.

Posted by: Boviate at 05:07 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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A nice office prank- cover the cubicle in rats. Dozens and dozens of rats.

Found via Neatorama.

Posted by: Boviate at 07:54 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The author of one of my new favorite webcomics (Dresden Codak) has proposed "Pretend To Be a Time Traveller Day". Hmmm... I'll still be in the military on the proposed date, which is too bad. Otherwise I'd love to take part.

Posted by: Boviate at 06:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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When I was younger, I was intrigued by logic puzzles of the "one always lies, one always tells the truth" variety. There's a nice comic strip on the concept.

(Via Language Log.)

Posted by: Boviate at 01:21 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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All right, this is complicated. It's a dance, performed for a Japanese television channel's 24 hour telethon. From what I understand, it's a troupe of deaf Chinese dancers, with choreography based on a Tibetan Buddist goddess.

Posted by: Boviate at 04:56 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Someone made a factory to make Lego cars. You get to pick the car color. What makes it boggle my mind is that the whole factory is made out of… Legos.

Someone's got a bright future as an industrial engineer.

Posted by: Boviate at 07:33 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Heh. I was wondering how long it would take for someone to upload this. These are my officers, or at least a few of them. They had lots of time to play Halo 2 in their staterooms on the last float. One pilot in particular developed a reputation as a poor loser. Normally, no one wants to play with a complainer… but this guy is so funny that they set up a hidden camera to get the footage seen here.

WARNING: Contains foul language. Lots of foul language. Also moaning, complaining, unfounded accusations of cheating, self-hatred, other-hatred, and controller-tossing.

Posted by: Boviate at 05:32 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I hope I'm the first one to think of this. I'm going to offer charter flights. We fly people down to the South Pole, the customer puts their left hand on the pole that marks the Pole. The customer walks in a counter-clockwise circle 365 times. Having crossed the International Date Line 365 times, I declare the person a year younger. Target customers: actresses, victims of mid-life crises, and Jack Benny.

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These gents in Australia have a TV show. They decided to see if people learn the lessons of the past. The trial: a Trojan Horse.

Posted by: Boviate at 03:00 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Here's how the Lord of the Rings should have happened, if the people involved were reasonable.

Hat tip to Boing Boing.

Posted by: Boviate at 05:27 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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