On the verge of a Mexican collapse. With the death toll in Juarez rising, could a collapse of the Mexican government be imminent?
Tracking US Airways Flight 1549
Great New York Times interactive graphic on US Airways flight 1549. I could see the commotion in the Hudson as we landed at Newark International Airport. I had no idea what was going on until I made it inside.
Home From the Road
I arrived back in Houston from Amsterdam last night after one of the longest travel days I have ever experienced. Originally, six of us planned to fly from Brussels to Newark and go our separate ways from there but Continental decided that was not going to happen.
The plane from Newark to Brussels was delayed for a few hours due to mechanical problems and then ran into weather issues at Newark, delaying the arrival of the plane in Brussels for approximately six hours. My friend and I called Continental and had ourselves rebooked through Amsterdam and then on to Houston. The good news is, we all made it home safely.
The trip was fantastic and Belgium is at the top of my list for another visit. The weather did not cooperate nearly as well as I had hoped but I managed to stay warm most of the time.
Brussels is a very interesting city with a very easily spotted contrast in old and new, classic and modern. The beers are some of the best I have ever had and were dirt cheap compared to their cousins here in the States.
I will be posting pictures from the trip later today and this evening and will hopefully do a full recap at some point this evening.
Brussels Here I Come
Today I start a short trip to Paris and Brussels. This trip has been a long time in planning and came together only a few weeks ago. Some friends and I will be meeting up in Brussels and doing a short beer tasting around the city with a side trip to Brugge.
We started planning this in the middle of last year and the fares at the time were completely unreasonable but over time the prices have nose-dived and I was able to find a cheap ticket to Paris and connect to Brussels via the Thalys train.
I will be flying back to the States on Monday, January 19. The flights to and from Paris and Brussels are completely empty. I should have a whole row to sleep in.
Australia Offers ‘Best Job in the World’: Relax in Paradise for $100,000
Australia offers up ‘best job in the world’: Relax in paradise for $100,000. Sounds like some resumes will be going out today. Of course, there is a little work involved, you have to actually write something every week. I think I could handle this assignment.
Fannie Mae’s Patron Saint
Fannie Mae’s Patron Saint. A somewhat damning article about Barney Frank by the Wall Street Journal. Frank has been under fire for his unfettered support of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
G Commercials
If you have spent any time watching college football, especially the bowls, then you have seen the commercials that show a panning shot of a host of different athletes and celebrities and ends with a giant “G” showing up on the screen. Don’t know what it is about?
After researching some context clues, I’ve figured it out. At the bottom of the commercial you will notice a copyright for S-VC, which, if I did my homework correctly, stands for Stokely-Van Camp, the owner of the Gatorade brand. My guess is that the commercial is for Gatorade G2.
Just in case that commercial was bugging anyone as much as it does me.
L.A. May Restrict Outdoor Smoking
Los Angeles may restrict outdoor smoking. The city is essentially broke and they are worried about outdoor smoking. Wow.
Obama Predicts Years of Deficits Over $1 Trillion
Obama predicts years of deficits over $1 trillion. Slowing tax revenues usually have to do with overtaxation of your highest earners. More on this later.
This is the Fun Stuff
Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo, TX, originally uploaded by Stephan Segraves.
Jessica spent a portion of her break from work hanging pictures around our home. Even though this picture was not one chosen to be put on the wall it is a great representation of what we love doing together.
Cadillac Ranch is one of those “off-the-beaten-path” tourist attractions that is just fun to walk around and take pictures of. On this particular day there was a family at the sculpture and they were all carrying spray paint, part of the tradition behind this place. They were running around, painting their names and messages on cars and just having a good time.
As we walked around, I realized that it was quiet for being so close to the highway. I started reading the messages that people had left on the cars and saw plenty of hearts and peace signs.
So, if you get the chance, head to Amarillo, put the windows down, and just enjoy the fun stuff.