Peoples Natural Gas, seriously?

I must be getting old, since I have not noticed the easily mocked name of my gas company. Yet, my office mate burst into laughter when she saw me writing the check to pay for this month's gas bill. When inquired she asked me "People's Natural Gas? Seriously?", which gave me the needed spark to wonder whether they actually collect people's natural gas to supply to western Pennsylvania. That would definitely be a very green move, and I support this idea in this country. So the message seems clear, Yinzers, you should start ramping up the beans and the chillies in order to secure future energy supplies.

(In)Appropriate Motel Façade

Today I went to check out my brother's new apartment in Porto Alegre, where I have been for the last week or so to do exams and see if I get a permanent position after I finish my post-doc. And lo-and-behold whilst driving to his new place, the façade in the picture above. On my way back I had to take this picture. And about the exam, well, the picture is also representative of my status in it. I got the shaft big time, no use going to them again, I reckon.

On public jobs in Brazil

This week I went to Brazil to do exams for the chance of getting what is almost the equivalent of a tenure in the near future. These exams comprise a written exam, a teaching exam, a CV check and a presentation of a research project. The written exam, for a "basic computer science" post seems awfully slanted to computer organization, which I nevertheless had to study on short notice. After a very tiresome week, I shall see if my having to fly to Brazil on such short notice without proper time to study will lead me to get this post, though I am not terribly confident in this, as successful candidates seem to need local provenance.