As reported by KFYR-TV in Bismark:

Former NFL star running back and one-time murder suspect O.J. Simpson is visiting the Fargo area. Simpson says he`s visiting friends and playing golf, and also hopes to catch his first walleye during his five-day stay. Simpson drew a crowd at a Fargo bar Tuesday night, as word spread that he was in the city.

The Fargo Forum website also picked up the major event:

O.J. Simpson spent Tuesday night in Fargo sitting behind a table at JT Cigarro surrounded by interested onlookers and at least one burly bodyguard…. Simpson was seated behind a table in the rear corner of the room. Typically he was surrounded by at least 15 people, just soaking in the moment. A massive bodyguard created with chairs a perimeter around the area and stood guard to allow people in or out. Simpson, donning his trademark white golf visor, seemed to enjoy the spectacle, often smiling, high-fiving people and posing for photos cheek to cheek. Some in the bar said Simpson arrived around 8 p.m. Though the reason is not perfectly clear as to why he was in Fargo on Tuesday night, one witness said his girlfriend is from the area. It was also unclear who was part of Simpson’s entourage.

A couple items to mention…

Well, duh, they found him in a bar… That’s what you do in Fargo.

I once saw Rick Springfield in Valentino’s Ristaurante, where I worked, across from the shopping mall, West Acres.  He was a vegetarian.  Luckily, we had a vegetarian pizza on the menu.  I don’t think the Juice is a vegan… not after he’s tasted blood.

It’s hard to believe he went there for the golf.  REALLY hard to believe that.  The fishing, sure.  Really, he should have just stuck with a “getting a drink” story.

I buy the fact that his girlfriend is from there.  Hot women from North Dakota generally move away.  I’m assuming he has a hot girlfriend.

I love how they always vaguely describe him as a “retired football player” and mostly describe his “alleged” murder of his ex and her boyfriend.  They NEVER mention Naked Gun!  That’s just sad.

This seems like a really big alliby.  Has anyone seen his kids lately?

I know… the lyrics are different. It’s an attempt to take a comical statement and apply an alternate meaning. See, I didn’t sleep through all of my college literary courses.

So here’s the point. I’m tired of everyone complaining about killing trees when they print hard copies of something. No one whines when they go into a library or book store or pick up their Entertainment Weekly. I was reading a literary agent’s blog recently and she made a passing comment on modern historians’ concern over the lack of physical letters written between people. In the past, these provided great insight into the personal lives and inside stories of historic events. With the advent of email, it’s just too easy for people to simply delete these correspondents. And before you say it, these people aren’t necessarily blogging. Further, don’t forget that jobs in the timber industry, while significantly declining over the past several decades due to increased automation, environmentalist pressures and foreign competition (damn those canucks), are still US jobs that people depend on. They aren’t high paying and regularly labeled some of the worst jobs, but they are still jobs critical some a subset of our society. (more…)

Someone created a powerpoint presentation with stickfigures explaining how the entire subprime issues came to be.  From the people in the industry I talk to who know, they say it’s pretty much spot on.  Kinda makes you sick all the way around.

The file was safe when I uploaded it… http://conleyworld.com/Files/Presentation1.pps

I’m heading to India for a couple of weeks for work.  In the odd way life works, a few people I used to work with at the old place will be there the same time/same city (Bangalore).  It looks like Ning’s old man and I will hook up for some beers and wild time.

The trip is starting out awesome already and I haven’t left Columbus.  My flight into O’Hare is canceled and they put me on one leaving 2 hours later.  The vague voice on my voicemail reassured me there was plenty of time to make my connecting flight out of O’Hare to Heathrow.  I hate O’Hare.  These things always happen there.  They’ve pissed off some Norse God fursure.

So, I really like reading timetravel or alternate history stories.  You know, like the ones with premises that start out…

What if the city of Nantucket was sent back thousands of years ago…?
What if the South didn’t lose the Civil War…?
What if Lou Ferigno didn’t play the Hulk…?
What if you discovered time travel, but could only go forward in time… how would you get “home”?
What if you suffered from Chrono-Displacement and your wife met you in a field when she was 6…?

Well… I can go on and on.  I really love this stuff.  So, now, I have a place to shop so that I’m prepared if I’m ever thrust back in time and splinter reality into another parrallel reality!  Time Travel Market

Obviously, they will do well there.  They already did in the future.

Business First recently put out their top places to work in Columbus, OH. In their Nov. 16 edition, they announced the top ranking companies. I wasn’t able to find the actual list online, so here you go. I’ll be adding applicable ones (with a somewhat ‘tech’ bent) to my list of Columbus Companies. I suggest you get the back issue because there are some good summaries of the top companies, employee count, revenue, etc.: (more…)