Dumb product of the week

I finally got around to clipping coupons and throwing out the remaining ad inserts. So I just saw the ad for Kraft's new product, Bagel-fuls. This is in the frozen food aisle and they are advertising it as "toasty warm bagel and creamy Philadelphia cream cheese all in one!"

Because, you know, it is just too hard to toast a bagel and shmear cream cheese on it yourself.

Talking about our government - part 1

The sesquicentennial of the Civil War is approaching. And Congress is establishing a commission to commemorate that event.

Which is all well and good. Three years seems like a reasonable amount of lead time for such a commemoration.

What I don't understand is why the commission is being chartered by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Talking about our government - part 2

The background on this is that I've been part of a team working on a highly visible project for the past couple of months. The report out to senior leadership will be in a couple of weeks. Today, I was talking to another person about how we prepare our seniors for the meeting. Most of this
discussion consisted of each of us explaining why the other one's boss should go to the meeting, since the two people above them both have conflicts.

But this little tidbit came up.

The man who is heading up the project is scheduled to testify to Congress next week. He will be asked some things about this project.

I said, "It's simple. He'll say the Department is still finalizing the way ahead and we will be happy to report the results to Congress when the results are finalized."

My colleague said, "Hmm, I have his written statement and that's exactly what he says. Are you sure you didn't read his testimony?"

Obviously, I've been in this game too long.