MARCH 2003

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2003 - International Trade

International boycotts on goods and services never work, especially if sactioned by governments, because they invite swift and retaliatory measures. If Americans start boycotting French products, the French will, in turn, do the same.

Contrary to our belief, in the long run, we need the rest of the global economy more than it needs us. Tens of thousands of American jobs are at stake in an already flacid economy.

On and on the cycle of resentment builds.

MONDAY, MAR 17, 2003 - The games we play

I have never been superstitious. On Friday, we got together with our friends for Phase 10, and despite all the trash-talking, Jen won. Saturday, Team Choi captured all six Trivial Pursuit pieces with panache and flair. But at Sunday Trivia at a new Brookline pub, I opened my big, fat trap about going for the hat trick. We blew it with one question to go after leading most of the night.

To make a short story short, we finished an embarrassing fourth place. The losing question: What Irish holiday -- other than Christmas -- do pubs in Ireland close their doors for out of respect? After a bit of good-natured disagreement, we submitted our answer: St. Patrick's Day.

I voted for Good Friday, thankyouverymuch. I should've followed the policy outlined by our President tonight-- if you can't coax your friends, go it alone with a hammer.

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Is it me, or does Tariq Aziz have the beadiest little fascist eyes you've ever seen?

THURSDAY, MAR 13, 2003 - Triumphant return

Dooce returns with a fresh spin on her old format, including a much-appreciated musical selection. That's good news for me because I've been so out of the loop that the new generation of indie cool kids would totally snort with disdain at this geezer.

Little fuckers.

MONDAY, MAR 3, 2003 - Soap Box Mike

Can I tell you something? I have never watched one of those prime time reality show do-hickies? I have no idea what people are talking about, so at lunch, it pretty much excludes me from conversations with middle-aged white ladies.

Even so, there are smart people out there that get sucked into these things, so I can only assume that diabolical network execs spend countless hours twisting their mustacios, trying to tap the livewire that plugs into our basest desires.

All that so we'll buy more tampons, Jettas, and beer. Pfff... I'm soooo above this consumer culture.

Remind me to note that nugget in my Palm to email to your smart phone.

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Funny story: I'm on-site several days a week on a college campus. The school newspaper reports that the Nihilist Club decided to disband because of the group's own recognition of a president. That's rich.