So you think British Petroleum’s outgoing CEO Tony Hayward is getting a sweet deal in his retirement package? $One year’s salary ($1.6 million) and a $930,000 per year pension seems outrageous, doesn’t it?

Well, he’s a piker compared to these guys.

CEO payouts: Golden parachutes | The Economist.

For example, when Lee Raymond left Exxon Mobil, he got $400,000,000 as well as a $98,000,000 lump sum pension and use of the company jet.

I’ll bet Tony feels ripped off to only be getting a measly mill a year. If he had any self-respect he would just throw it back in their faces until he’s recognized for the value he brought to the company.

*cough*

The purpose of this blog, in its original incarnation 10 years ago, was to make a list of cool stuff I found on the net and provide it to my friends.

Working in database support means that I have a few minutes between issues here and there to surf the web, and I have a good list of sites that I look at regularly. When I find something interesting or funny, I try to make a note of it.

That original blog was a hand-coded page called “Small Shiny Objects, or Things That Fascinate Kirby”. Since I started Doodads and Gimcracks I haven’t been posting much of that sort of thing and I want to start again.

So, those of you who see the blog, and those of you who follow me on facebook will start to see more links and interesting things being posted. Let me know what you like and don’t like. If you want to comment, come over to the blog and let me know what you think. There’s no point in my doing this if it’s just going to annoy people. Let me know.

Attention Kirby! You have a comment awaiting approval!

Comment by: “paintball luvr”
Submitted on: 2010/07/11 at 11:07pm
Comment on: “The Basement Workshop” post.
Comment Text:

You know an odd feeling?
Sitting on the toilet eating a chocolate candy bar.

[ACCEPT] [DELETE] [SPAM]

Uh…. yeah.

And so goes yet another Winnipeg bookstore. Beatnik Village Books and Discs in Osbourne Village is closing.

Quote from the owner:

Selling books in Winnipeg is like selling leprosy on The Shopping Channel.

I love how language can affect the world around us. Examples like the crazy mess that happens whenever they try to create the question for Quebec to answer to see if they want to separate. (“Don’t you not not not not want to remain part of Canada? Yes/No”)

Here’s another good example of the power of simple words:

According to this New York Times article:

70% of people polled supported allowing “gay men and lesbians” to serve openly in the US armed forces.

But only 44% percent supported allowing “homosexuals” to serve openly.

So which words will be used by which side of the debate, do you think? Look for it…