Month: July 2002

Brian’s Funeral

Ashley BischoffLeave a comment

I talked with Roxanne on Friday, and she tells me that Brian’s funeral is being held sometime on Tuesday in his hometown of Hershey, PA. I’ll be flying into Pittsburgh, and driving to Hershey from there. That way, I’ll be able to see my folks for a few days as well.

My flights are:

Sun July 28: 12:25pm - 6:10pm, Dallas to Pittsburgh, on Vanguard Airlines via Kansas City (flight numbers 404 and 508).

Sat Aug 2: 7:00pm - 11:15pm, Pittsburgh to Dallas, on Vanguard Airlines via Kansas City (flight numbers 777 and 259).

If you’re also attending the funeral, or if you need to contact me while I’m gone, my cell number is 469-569-7421. Of course, I’ll also be checking e-mail through Sunday morning.

Brian Wagner

Ashley Bischoff5 Comments

I’ve just learned that one of my college buddies, Brian Wagner, took his life yesterday. He cites depression, though I was not aware of that. I feel sadness, but I feel confusion even more.

Brian was “thoughtful” enough to write his suicide note as a Word file. I’m not about to post it here. But, if you’re also a close friend of Brian’s, just e-mail me (link is on the right) and I can get it to you.

“As American as Curry Pie”

Ashley BischoffLeave a comment

It appears that several companies are opening call centers in India, where the labor is cheap, but them tutoring them for an American accent to complete the illusion:

“Hi, this is Betty Coulter and I am calling because I have a great deal for you today. I am going to offer you a credit card at a low 2.9 percent with a whole bunch of free gifts.”

Yeah, yeah, you’ve heard it all before. You try to get off the phone, but Betty just drones on and, amazingly, never takes a breath. You try to place the accent. Iowa maybe? No, the “a” sound is too flat. California? Maybe it’s a crowded call center in some business park in Kansas City.

But Betty is actually calling from Bangalore, and her real name is Savita Balasubramanyam. And she is indeed in a crowded office, but it's not dinner time, it’s the middle of the night. And her perfect American accent is the result of rigorous training and an employer-encouraged addiction to Ally McBeal. […]

“Big Brother 3” Booze Bust

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As uncovered by The Smoking Gun, one of the Big Brother 3 contestants was apparently busted for drunk driving in early-May, but still made it onto the show:

[Chiara] Berti was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers at 2:40 AM on Sunday, May 26. She spent about five hours in custody at the Van Nuys jail before being released on $2500 bail. On June 11, Berti was formally charged with three misdemeanors: driving under the influence, driving with a blood alcohol content above California's .08 limit, and driving without a license. Her attorney, Sherman Ellison, told TSG that Berti's case was “very likely to settle,” lawyerspeak for “she’ll probably take a plea.” […]

“irrational depression”

Ashley BischoffLeave a comment

From Logophilia, today’s coined-word of the day (or, coined phrase, in this case) is “irrational depression”:

Investors have coined a new phrase for the relentless declines: “irrational depression,” a play on the famous phrase “irrational exuberance” uttered by Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan to describe the stock-market surge of the late 1990s.

“Whereas two years ago, it was get me in at any price, now it's get me out at any price,” said Alfred Goldman, chief market strategist at A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. in St. Louis. “Unfortunately, investors are thinking with their emotions and not their minds.”
— Amen Sachdev, “Dow slides below 8,000 to ’98 level,” Chicago Tribune, July 23, 2002

Hmm, yeah, I can relate to that one :-/.