Archives for July 26, 2007

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NASA’s Bad Hair Day: Drinking, Sabotage, Theft

NASA is having a certified Bad Hair Day: Sabotage, Drunk Cosmonauts, Theft – what else should we expect?

Several sources reported that a computer that is supposed to fly aboard shuttle Endeavour in less than two weeks, was sabotaged.

A NASA panel reported that drunk astronauts were allowed to fly despite warnings about their alcohol consumption. I guess no cops can catch them for DUI up there.

Compared to this the loss of $94M in office equipment is just petty theft. Here’s my favorite explanation, this one referring to a missing laptop, valued $4,265:

This computer, although assigned to me, was being used on board the International Space Station. I was informed that it was tossed overboard to be burned up in the atmosphere when it failed.

Your tax money at work. smile_sarcastic

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Automated Mail Can Be Smart and Friendly, After All

I ranted against stupid, mindless mass-mail before – now Espen Antonsen brings us an example of doing it right. Here’s the full text of his shipping confirmation email, after purchasing a CD online:

Subject: Espen – Your CD Baby Order!
From: CD Baby loves Espen

Espen –

Thanks for your order with CD Baby!
Your CDs have been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.
A team of 50 employees inspected your CDs and polished them to make sure they were in the best possible condition before mailing.
Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CDs into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy.
We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved “Bon Voyage!” to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day, Wednesday, July 25th.
I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did. Your picture is on our wall as “Customer of the Year.” We’re all exhausted but can’t wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Sigh…

Derek Sivers, president, CD Baby
the little store with the best new independent music
http://cdbaby.com cdbaby@cdbaby.com (503)595-3000

Espen, you do have to go back and purchase again – if only to test what their second message is likesmile_wink

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