Astrogirl

I found a terrific smart-ass piece on what the dismal science refers to as “The Employment Situation” at PrudentBear.com. It’s a contrarian site, if you’re interested in that sort of thing, as I am.

If you dig deeply into the government’s own data put together by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”), it strongly suggests that many Americans must be far too rich to work. For example, there are 4.8 million slackers who claim they would like a job but haven’t bothered to look for one in the past four weeks (if you don’t look for work, you are not in the labor force). If these same Americans had only looked, the unemployment rate would have been 8.8%. Obviously, they aren’t looking for work because they are rich Americans who don’t really need the money to pay the bills.

People aren’t looking because there is NO point. There are positions advertised, but in the Washington area, this is mostly statutory. What I mean by that is the company (or the contract) has some stipulation that they must advertise outside to fill a position…even if they have every intention of moving an insider into the position. Added to that fun is the fact that most of the (technical) jobs being offered here require security clearances, and this narrows the field a good deal. In the boom years, most of the clever people were earning big money in the private sector, not working for the government, earning 2/3s of what they could earn at some internet start-up or mature telecommunications company.

Anyway, it gets even more satirical, but his math is solid. This deviation in the labor statistics has been noted all over the place, and there is also a thread about it on Plastic.

The Post ran an article today about how Fairfax County cancelled a survey of teens in regards to sex and drugs. The company conducting the survey feared liability suits.

The primary purpose of this survey is to find a problem that needs solving, and the net result is more funding. Think about it; there’s no way that they’ll accept any drug taking by kids, so we can be sure they’ll find something amiss that can be repaired by the county spending more money.

If I were the parents, I wouldn’t want the school screwing around with this since it would ultimately result in my property taxes going up yet again, but somehow, I don’t think that’s what the potential lawsuits are about.

4/19/2003 ~ 19.9 miles hiked

Even more miles today.

It was very foggy for most of the day. Finding one’s way through picnic areas at BRP crossings in the fog is a real bitch. I probably walked around even more looking for the trail.

Part of the reason I was able to do this much mileage is that I hid my backpack near a road crossing and continued with only essentials. This really helps the miles go by, obviously.

There was a lot of up and down, but only a few views, due to the fog. I could see across the meadow on Apple Orchard, but not beyond it. I could see across things that could properly be called canyons (part of the James River Face Wilderness), but only late in the day when I was heading towards Matt’s Creek Shelter. Just before the shelter, the trail descends to the creek, and then that’s all you can see. It’s a nice creek and a good setting for a shelter, but it’s far too easy of a hike from the parking lot, IMHO, so maybe not the best place to camp. At least for me.

Note: I wrote all these trip entries well after the fact. I seem to have lost my notes, but reviewing maps and guides has refreshed my memory. I’ve lost the names to disorganization, unfortunately.

4/18/2003 ~ 18.3 miles

Yeah, long way.

Bryant Ridge Shelter was inhabited by a group of guys that were too creepy for me to share a shelter with them. They weren’t *that* bad, but bad enough that I moved on. It was only 3:30 anyway.

The solo woman and late guy from last night are here. They are both quite nice, but the late guy is a through hiker and will be out of here early.

Cornelius Creek is very pretty, and there are rhododendrons all around the campsites.

Note: I wrote all these trip entries well after the fact. I seem to have lost my notes, but reviewing maps and guides has refreshed my memory. I’ve lost the names to disorganization, unfortunately.

4/17/2003 ~ 5 miles hiked

I just made it in here by dark, and I thought I was the last hiker in. Del dropped me off at about 5:30, which was reasonably on time. Del is a sweet guy, but he’s not always on time. Another guy came even later than me, as it turns out. He had felt unwelcome at the previous shelter, Wilson Creek, I think, and had hiked here in the dark.

There is a crew of four here, plus one woman and the late guy. That’s the six for the shelter, which works out well for everyone, since I pitch my tent. Oddly, the only surface that’s flat is actually pea gravel.

Everyone here is very friendly.

It was more comfortable than you would think, the pea gravel, but Jeebus, was I cold.

Note: I wrote all these trip entries well after the fact. I seem to have lost my notes, but reviewing maps and guides has refreshed my memory. I’ve lost the names to disorganization, unfortunately.

The whole tenor of the junk mail is different, now that we live in “the country.” This gem was way too good not to share.

Looks like Saddam and Osama are about to get burninated! Apparently, Mugabe doesn’t have the true mark, as they had to double up on these guys. This though, this is even better:

Watch out! Trogdor is coming! With winged cats! I have no idea what the buffalo and three-headed winged cats are supposed to represent, and I surely don’t know what’s in that bear’s mouth, but the good news is that this guy is coming to town and he’ll explain it all to me at his tent revival..uh..lecture series! Whew!
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