Author: Aaron Weber

Beverly Package

I’ve gotten to know Montserrat station and Beverley, MA pretty well over the past few days, going out to Motorcycle Riding School to take the state-approved safety class. I failed it, which means I have to schlep my ass out there again some time in the next 14 days, pay an extra fifty bucks, and pass it this time, dammit, or else. The station is near a liquor store called Beverley Package, which I think would make a good name for a transsexual porn star.

I’m buying a 1991 Kawasaki Zephyr, which is a standard bike they don’t make any more. Smaller and sportier than the Vulcans and not as absurd as the Ninjas. Still a little larger than I need, but I’ll grow into it or die trying.

Why we need gay marriage now

Here’s my current theory: gay marriage can save the economy.

The average wedding in the US is well into the $20k range, before you start counting the gifts. If spending is good for the economy, weddings are good for the economy, and we should have more of them. However, the wedding industry is in stasis: people are getting married later, and more reluctantly.

Some in the industry blame low-cost competition but that’s not the heart of the problem. The real blocker on demand for weddings is over-regulation.

Oh neoliberals, where are you now? There’s a whole class of citizenry with oceans of pent-up demand just waiting to spend spend spend, and here are unnecessary, intrusive laws blocking the unfettered commerce of the American wedding industry. The engine of economic growth is firmly in our grasp: we have only to open the throttle!

On the other hand, maybe we need to legalize gay sex before we get to recognizing unions.

Say it with Cement

Cemex has been advertising an awful lot in The Economist. It’s funny to me to see companies that advertise there. Their classified ads tend to be of two sorts: official announcements of things like job openings at the World Institue of Econometrics, or privatizations of Rwandan banks, and then ads for “wealth preservation” with “privacy” through “offshore investments.” And of course the other ads are for luxury items and for companies that want people to invest in them and boost their share prices.

Three totally random links:
Rumors in Fargo and a woman whose death was apparently, but not actually, related to the movie.

The bared navel, much analyzed. You know, dude, I was totally all about navels before they were cool.

101 stupid business moves of the past year. Including one item that just reads “Martha, Martha, Martha.”

Postcard

I just got a card postmarked Provo, UT, with a picture of Arches National Park. It says:

Hi Aaron and Diane, Having a fabulous time. The red stone here is incredible, particularly in late afternoon… lots of lizards! v. hot- in the 90’s. On to Zion/Bryce Canyon Natl park today. See you soon, Linda.

I don’t know Linda or Diane. The card is addressed to me at my old address, sans apartment number– perhaps a different person of the same name? Perhaps a prank? We’ll see.