Tuesday Open Thread
It’s Tuesday of the seemingly longest week of the year (the week before a 2 week vacation). Let’s open this open thread.
Please, if you get a chance, read this fascinating article by James Chartrand. James Chartrand writes about her struggles getting by as writer, until she adopted a man’s pseudonym.
I struggled to get gigs — there was tough competition from more experienced hustlers. When I did manage to grab a job before someone else could, I worked hard and wrote well. I wanted to do my best.
I earned $1.50 an article. I averaged $8 a week.
I was treated like crap, too. Bossed around, degraded, condescended to, with jibes made about my having to work from home. I quickly learned not to mention I had kids. I quickly learned not to mention I worked from my kitchen table.
I quickly learned that this sucked.
The writer struggled to make ends meet, until she stumbled upon a great idea!
One day, I tossed out a pen name, because I didn’t want to be associated with my current business, the one that was still struggling to grow. I picked a name that sounded to me like it might convey a good business image. Like it might command respect.
My life changed that day
Instantly, jobs became easier to get.
There was no haggling. There were compliments, there was respect. Clients hired me quickly, and when they received their work, they liked it just as quickly. There were fewer requests for revisions — often none at all.
Customer satisfaction shot through the roof. So did my pay rate.
Tags: Open Thread
Going after Hadassah Lieberman – http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/14/hadassah-lieberman-under-attack-over-industry-ties/.
Considering what her husband is doing to health care reform, you might want to consider other breast cancer chairities when making a donation.
Seems I’m the only one commenting on here today. Oh well. The DC Council has just given final approval to a bill to legalize same-sex marriage. Mayor Adrian Fenty has said he will sign the bill. barring Congressional interference (and I’ll bet my house that Congress will not block the bill), it will become law in a few months.
Here’s a link to the Washington Post article – http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2009/12/dc_council_approves_same-sex_m.html?hpid=breakingnews. Marriage equality in the Nation’s Capital. A very nice Chanukah (and Christmas) gift.
“December 14, 2009
DOE Litigation Hold Notice
DOE-SR has received a “Litigation Hold Notice” from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) General Council and the DOE Office of Inspector General regarding the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in England. Accordingly, they are requesting that SRNS, SRR and other Site contractors locate and preserve all documents, records, data, correspondence, notes, and other materials, whether official or unofficial, original or duplicative, drafts or final versions, partial or complete that may relate to the global warming, including, but not limited to, the contract files, any related correspondence files, and any records, including emails or other correspondence, notes, documents, or other material related to this contract, regardless of its location or medium on which it is stored. In other words, please preserve any and all documents relevant to “global warming, the Climate Research Unit at he University of East Anglia In England, and/or climate change science.”
Maybe the anole could explain to all of us non-lawyers how the US Department of Energy is going to enforce a “litigation hold order” on a lab in England.
Here comes the army of trial lawyers from the right. If they work for rightwing causes are they called “patriot lawyers” instead.
BTW, congratulations Washington D.C.!
Evangelist Oral Roberts has died at the age of 91. Roberts will be remembered for his “G-D will call me home” comment during a fundraising drive in 1987. He told his followers that he would die (“be called home”) if he didn’t raise $8 million by that March.
So is anybody following this fiasco over at Balloon Juice?
Apparently this conservative media site published this service that somehow puts a GOP brand on a website whose URL that you’ve just shortened. John Cole published a couple of the ones created and apparently they worked at besting each other until it got taken down.
Reminds me of the Sloganator.
oops — apparently someone still has a way to make it work. (NSFW)
I love it! Especially the “tighter the better” and “wetsuit” websites. too too funny.
I have to sign off for the day. You guys have me exhausted. I’ll be back tomorrow.