Crazed Teacups

The Cost of Care

This is an extraordinary graphic from National Geographic, showing the cost of healthcare vs life expectancy in North American and European countries.  For some analysis, go to the NG blog.  (Thanks to kottke.org for the graphic.)

Best Book Design 2009

    

The Book Design Review has offered up their top book designs of the year, which you can even vote on on their website.  The front runner, and my favorite, is Columbine, which has a desolate, 28 Days Later feel and gives off an austere, unsentimental, Scandinavian vibe. 

At the same time, due to its light color scheme and its abundance of sky, there's something dimly hopeful about the cover to me.  There's an ambiguity that tells me this is not going to be an ordinary, sentimental true-crime book, and when you stop to think about the subject matter, that's no small feat on the part of its designer, Henry Sene Yee.  If the many stellar reviews it has garnered are correct, this is one book you can judge from its cover.

(Thanks, David.)

Sports Salaries

Oh, my.  Here's a list of the highest-paid athletes of 2009, according to Sports Business Daily:

RK	ATHLETE	SALARY
1	Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez	$33.0M
2	Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger	$27.7M
3	Celtics F Kevin Garnett	$24.8M
4	Dodgers OF Manny Ramirez	$23.9M
5	Yankees SS Derek Jeter	$21.6M
6	Mavericks PG Jason Kidd	$21.4M
7	Raptors F Jermaine O'Neal	$21.4M
8	Lakers G Kobe Bryant	$21.3M
9	Vikings DE Jared Allen	$21.1M
10	Pistons G Allen Iverson	$20.8M
NOTE: NBA salaries are for '08-09 season. All salaries exclude endorsement deal income.

I'm no Kobe fan, but I do appreciate his abilities and effort... and you're telling me A-Rod gets $12 million more a year?  And Jermaine O'Neal at #7?  Where's LeBron?  And Ivey... I'm not even going to go there.

Bowel of Laughter

  

I'm not much for potty humor, but this seems noteworthy to me.  It has recently come to my attention that Catalonians seem to enjoy something called el caganer, which is a small statue that, ahem, shows someone pooping.  What's more: this tradition is steeped specifically in traditional nativity scenes.  

I didn't believe it myself when I first read it, or even when I followed the links from that page, but then I checked wikipedia, which verifies the story.  They even say that when Barcelona officials tried to eliminate the caganer from its nativity scene in 2005, there was "widespread media criticism."  

The subject was even discussed on Stephen Fry's genius series QI. Scat-illogical, perhaps?

More Favorite Tweets

In August, I posted a list of some of my favorite tweets.  Since I don't seem to be generating much of my own content, I've decided to post some more....

andyroddick - was at target this morning, and the only shirt on the clearance rack was one that i had bought 3 months ago.... how do i take this? [I just love the fact that Andy Roddick bought a shirt at Target.]

TheOnion - BREAKING: Democrats Hoping To Take Control Of Congress From Republican Minority In 2010

ereillypdx - Polar Express is the creepiest film ever. It's like watching a film acted by CPR dummies.

JElvisWeinstein - I didn't think Jordan's HOF speech was petty until he pulled out the list of license plate #'s that have cut him off in traffic

TheOnion - New Study Reveals Most Children Unrepentant Sociopaths

davidschneider - Jack Bauer time. Got 24 hrs to save the world. If by "save the world" you understand "decide the font for my website"

pdxtrailblazers - Blazers trail Suns 55-48, not 28. Sorry for the heart attack

simonpegg - Love that parts of London still feel Dickensian. Dark little alleyways lit by festive cheer. You can almost smell the tuberculosis.

TheOnion - Rod Stewart Mistaken For Elderly Aunt

DougCoupland - Once people begin to buy their first adult permanent furniture, that’s when they’ve locked into their final personality.

stephenfry - America should be awake now. Hope you're enjoying your holiday. There's still time to reconsider: Britain will have you back, if you behave.

SaraLibby - Oh good, there's a March 2006 copy of Child magazine in my doctor's office. Consider me entertained.

TheOnion - In Focus: 26-Year-Old To See Every Asshole He Ever Went To High School With On Night Before Thanksgiving

andyroddick - watching soccer highlights. wouldnt it be great if whenever u did something good at your job u could run around screaming without a shirt?

brianlibby - It's 34 degrees and an ice cream truck has briskly pulled up outside, right over the edge of the curb, as if someone needs a cone like CPR.

TheOnion - In Focus: Fritolaysia Cuts Off Chiplomatic Relations With Snakistan

tonyfaulkner - Dear outgoing HR person, as you were non-ridiculous, I should not be surprised to hear you're leaving.

brianlibby RT @mattdavis999 @EricDSnider: Anyway, my point is, Tommy Lee Jones looks like a shar pei.

TheOnion - Unstoppable Killing Machine Out Of Toner

davidschneider - Us Brits will be drifting to bed soon. Americans, please leave Twitter in the state you'd like to find it.

Dschrempf - Why am I always the freak in every company picture?

TheOnion Obama Tells Nation He's Going Out For Cigarettes

JElvisWeinstein The two Koreas are resuming border traffic. I'm looking at you, Oasis.

Eric Idle's Season's Greetings

I realize I haven't posted in a while, but I hope to make up for that with this holiday ditty from Monty Python's Eric Idle, called Fuck Christmas.