Thomas Edison Plays Basketball (or could have)

Tough week, four basketball games in five days, ice skating, late nights, wild NonValentines Party going on here at Nora as I write this. Our team has had a tough season, but they keep playing hard and consistently display great sportsmanship. Courtney has done a great job keeping enthusiasm high even as three players went down to injury this week. Patrick's first aid kit has come in handy as well. Scott stepped in today to help Eric coach, and Mara, Chris, Norman, Hedy and many other teachers have made it to games this winter. Today is the birthday of Thomas Edison, who once said that "genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." Especially true for those who struggle in the face of daunting odds... Edison held over 1,200 patents when he died. He once said that he hadn't failed in 10,000 attempts to create an incandescent bulb, but had successfully found 10,000 ways that didn't work. Good things to think about in a time of adversity.

How to get your teenager's attention

If you like this graph, you'll love the "My Parents Joined Facebook" website. A sign of our times, alas, and as with so many things, can be used for good or ill.

Are things turning around?

Hopefully this means that our Great Recession is coming to an end. Conventional wisdom that employment is a lagging indicator, nonetheless the turnaround beginning with Obama's inauguration and the passing of the first stimulus would seem to be reflected in this chart. It will be nice when the highs soar as high as the lows of Dec08/Jan09 dip.