Quick correction, Google's are: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/

More likely is that you're nearing peak in the selected region when unessential or even unimportant jobs begin to balloon (and isn't balloon the precursor to burst bubbles?)

Corporations may not be individuals, but they are run by a board of directors that is ultimately responsible for the actions of the company. If individual wrongdoers within the corporate 'body' are not handed over to the authorities, then the board would be held responsible. If this were the case, you'd see a lot less evil in the business world. If generals are held responsible for the actions of their troops during wartime, then surely we can hold the leadership of a corporation responsible for the actions of the corporation. Maybe not, but it makes me feel better to think so.

I suggest it be called: The Nobel (We Hope You Support) Peace Prize. ...or at least don't start any new wars for the next couple of weeks, if you don't mind.

With this nomination, it will be interesting to see how this plays out. With some US congressmen calling WikiLeaks a treasonous organization and with the tangential evidence that WikiLeaks was a large contributor to the political changes ongoing throughout the Middle East. This could be an interesting situation.

VBS2 has this feature ... The OP obviously was trying to be cute about the very real life and death roles our uniformed citizens face, but the truth is that with proper use the virtual combat arena the soldier increases his situational awareness by between 8 to 14% (Paul Roman, Associate Professor, Royal Military College of Canada). By training his "mental muscle memory" to be aware of sounds and reactions, his chance survival in a very hostile world increases measurably. Studies have shown substantial improvement in pass rates and higher standards throughout the organization. Not only do the teams learn to work together, but many of the usual variables that increase cost and create delays, are removed. Live exercises are expensive, difficult to coordinate and dependent upon weather, time of year and other external variables. The lesson is not to save half the training time in an evolution, it is to take that time to improve the overall standards of your force. http://appliedstudiesgroup.com/ shows some numbers on training. Also look at http://battlegroundsims.com/ for some interesting information from various sources.

The pharmacy is a good one, but the jewelry counter (unless it is right out in the open) or automotive center is also good.

--The location of the pharmacy for one, usually in a less traveled section of the store.
--Less people check out there for two, so there are fewer eyes on you as you are getting your stuff checked out.
--It usually has at least some soft cover or concealment for three.
--Also, it is an unexpected location to be checking out (never take the same route twice).

I read a few books on his theories many years ago, the thing that stuck with me the most was his concept on the transmission frequency. He postulated that it would actually be healthful. I don't that frequency was ever mentioned, but I also recall that it was supposedly at the "resonant frequency of the earth." His concept was to give out free electrical power, that had health benefits. Most importantly, to me, is that he honestly believed he could do it. A recent History Channel show mentioned that his lab was still intact, used as a storage facility and that the tower was gone, destroyed by the people who owned the property at one time or another, although, the foundation of the tower was still intact.

Or China, it would seem ... http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdot/~3/15 1897110/article.pl