The Apprentice

Breast for Success

I don’t know if anyone is catching this latest “reality” TV show but I think in terms of “reality” it has much more of it than the others. Before I left, I caught the one episode where they were dressed in airline stewardess uniforms and kicked the mens’ ass with it. Yeah, sure, sex sells.

The telling statement is this: “These guys have nothing—not power, not sex.” It’s even more true when you consider women make up more than half the work force and the mid-level managers are also probably staffed at that level. Anecdotally, of the people who are out of work, here in Silicon Valley, it’s the men who are out of work and falling back on their wive’s job.

On a side note, my Taiwan trip hit a glitch. I ate a really bad (super hot) chili at a Thai place in 101 Taipei Center and it knocked me out for a whole day. Slowly recovering….

=YC

Cell phones and stereotypes

Some interesting bits and pieces:

Sometimes, one wonders if cell phones are too prized, and if they are, what does that say about the person prizing the cell phone? Consider the recent news, wherein a teenager allegedly jumped into the subway tunnel to fetch a cell phone she had dropped, only to be subsequently crushed to death by an oncoming train. We seem to feel sorry for the family, but the reality is that perhaps people are getting too foolhardy? As the article noted, not too long ago, a man on the Metro North trains reached into the toilet for his cell phone, which accidentally fell in; and then his arm stuck, requiring the firefighters to bring in the jaws of life to get him out; and delaying Metro North for hours (people definitely loved that guy).

Nicholas D. Kristof has an interesting op-ed about improving education of the prospective workforce, highlighting the Asian example. He points out that the cheap, but well-educated workers of India; the Chinese population’s high GRE scores; etc. Innovations and higher standards in education in America may be due, but will Americans accept it? As much as I don’t want to wonder (since Kristof is knowledgeable of Asian issues, since he and his wife were the Times’ correspondents in Asia for awhile), sometimes such discussions about the Asian advances in educational standards make me feel squeemish, because they feel like a touch on the stereotype of Asians good at math and other academics.

Speaking of stereotypes, there’s the Alessandra Stanley review of the upcoming PBS documentary on the Medicis, Renaissance Italy’s rulers and promoters. She highlights that the documentary seems accurate, but makes odd references or descriptions, as if Lorenzo the Magnificent and the rest of the Medicis were comparable to the Sopranos. Apparently, the producers were aiming for a humorous style, not intending offense, but, again, I do wonder what stereotypes mean – Italians, after all, aren’t all mobsters and so not all powerful, political Italians aren’t “mafia” (I mean, these are the Medicis, the sponsors of artists and artisans and makers of popes; they made history, not to say that the mob don’t make history, but, come on – Renaissance Italy isn’t exactly comparable to prohibition era America with Al Capone et al; they didn’t even have an Eliot Ness or FBI). Not sure if I’ll end up watching the series, but it doesn’t sound too terrible.

Taiwan Day 5

The city is finally catching up to me…..

Full day of walking and taking public transportation. My feet are killing me like I’d just walked 5 miles over speed bumps. The nice day really helped and got to see parts of “old Taipei”, a place called Xinzhuang which is the first stop/city over the river from “new” Taipei. This is really a suburb of the city itself.

Crossing the bridge, you were immediately confronted with the sights and sounds of a very busy city remaking itself. Lots of construction and in particular a city-intersection where a new subway stop is being built. This of course just really aggravated the traffic situation. Still, it cool to see a city in action. I met up with a friend and we immediately hit the market area and had some great noodles and side dishes, Taiwan style. THen we walked around the market some more, which is a typical “night market” feel but in the day time. Hawkers of all types. Predominant though is food which naturally appealed greatly to my gastronomic senses. So, in terms of “eye candy” there is definitely quite a bit of the usual suspects but also of the food variety. My eyes being bigger than my stomach can handle.

Nevertheless, I attacked the issue head…er stomach on this evening, having Taiwan style hot-pot. I ate so much it hurt. Walked around some and then hit a dessert place on the corner in another market area to have some hot red bean soup with taro style gelatin. All in all, great stuff. Blew out my diet and hurt my feet with all the walking. But it was worth it.

Let’s see what’s in store for tomorrow….

=YC