Paul Krugman writes in his blog that even that old conservative hope that lowered taxes increase government revenues and decrease deficit is not playing out well, now that corporate profits are on the downslide. But there is hope. For one thing there is the McDonald’s Dollar Millionaire effort (perhaps they mean the Canadian Dollar, or some such reference to the fact that the USD is sinking in value?), and then there is this great deal:

The Staples “Manager’s” chair, for a mere $70 (also available in brown). Make sure you can differentiate yourself from the clerical staff with this baby!

Every once in a while I take a peek at super-cheery and hyper-earnest überblog LifeHacker, mostly because they give me good tips on free software! Today they offer this bit of advice:

Learning how to initiate that first conversation can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. Break the ice with meaningful conversations instead. For example, if you’re meeting someone for the first time, don’t make a negative comment about the event that you’re both attending. Ask the right questions to indicate an interest in the person you’re speaking to. Find common ground with your peers. Say something smart or witty. It really doesn’t take much to kick things off, and it’s great for networking in just about any social situation.

I have always wanted to have meaningful conversations. If only I was cheery enough to try the above!