After reading a number of the comments, a couple points seem to be missed:

- There are large hybrid cars like the full size SUVs from Lexus, large sedans like Accords and Camrys, and CUVs like Ford Escape. If weight is the enemy, these "efficient" vehicles are doing more road damage than the Fiat 500, Subarau BRZ, or even a non-hybrid Accord or Camry.
- While big rigs do a majority of the damage on major roads, road repairs also need to be done on the multitudes of residential and side streets that big rigs don't drive upon. That damage is almost exclusively environment and personal vehicles.

Speaking as an Oregonian, I think this is a decent stop gap. Not a final answer, but an interim solution to deal with the continuing evolution of the personal auto. It doesn't penalize hybrid owners, it decreases the discount that the state is already giving hybrid buyers for purchasing the car. It also goes after cars, like hybrids and EVs, that are paying less in road repairs but are creating more damage compared to like cars due to their increased weight (e.g. Volt vs. Cruze, Accord/Civic/Camry hybrids vs. non-hybrids of the same cars).

Wanxiang has submitted the highest bid, but it has not been approved by the bankruptcy courts. There are a number of senators who are trying to have the buyout blocked because of A123's relationship with the Dept. of Defense. So while it's looking like our tech is heading East, it's not a forgone conclusion.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121209/AUTO01/212090327/1148/rss25

This risky barcode is only impacting passengers who have enrolled in Pre-Check. Pre-Check is an optional program that people can pay to join and try to expedite security screening. When enrolling in the program, background checks are completed which give the security goons some level of comfort that you are not a subversive, anti-American terrorist who's going to try to carry a 4oz bottle of liquid on the plane (http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-pre%E2%9C%93%E2%84%A2).

For the rest of us (e.g. the majority), our barcodes are used strictly by the airlines to board the plane. We are subjected to the "rigorous", non-barcode, security review of visually checking the printed information on our boarding pass like name, date, flight number, and gate accompanied by a trip through the privacy rights inhibitor machine. So while the barcodes could be modified, as the blogger pointed out, it would only be a potential risk to people who have already had a deeper dive on their background and history.

IMHO, the bigger risk seems to be the HTML delivery of a boarding pass that is printed at home. With limited HTML knowledge (or a simple web search), someone could modify the data points that security is visually checking prior to printing the boarding pass. Buy a ticket with one name. Pass through security with another.

The assumption your post (and DotCom) make is that the artists want to be separated from their labels. Smaller artists who haven't/can't break through, they'll try it. Long time established artists who feel controlled by their label, may embrace it. But for the many artists who have groomed and marketed by their label because they are marketable, they'll stay put to have their albums pushed on the radio stations, their images splattered all over various media, and their various merchandising adventures hyped (e.g. clothes, pet project record labels, alcohol, bobble heads, etc.). For many of the artists today, it's not about the music. It's about the cash. The cash is in proper branding and marketing.

As a nerd who is a consultant in the fashion industry, I find myself walking into new situations and having to prove myself to people at all levels of a company (analyst programmers to CIOs) where how people look is their business. It's human nature to make snap judgements on initial appearances, so boldly wearing your favorite Shroedinger's cat joke T is probably not the best move. However, I believe there's a way to continue to show your nerd pride and keep your personal sense of style while continuing to fit in. A couple thoughts (not knowing whether the OP is male or female): - Present yourself the way you want to be received. Look at the other directors and their attire. You don't have to dress as they do, but you do have to fit in somewhat. Their attire will give you the range you can work within. If they wear anything from business formal (suits and ties) to NY business casual (suit, no tie), you should work within that. Same is true if they're wearing anything from sweats to jeans. That's the range to work within. - After determining the range, add your flair. If everyone's wearing black suits and white shirts and you don't dig the mortician look, buy a black suit with some texture or pinstripes. Add some color to the outfit with a shirt or tie or both. Get a different cut suit (e.g. English vs. Italian vs. American). Be careful not to stray too far, but find something that's more your style within the range set by your peers. You can show some nerd pride at this point too, but don't go crazy. If you're wearing a polo-style shirt, wear one with a TARDIS or alien head on the chest instead of a pony. Accessories can be playful like a a good, nerdy bracelet or watch (I wore a Disney Goofy watch that ran backwards for the first half of the 90s). Have fun with ties/scarves. There are ties that can fit in "the range" while being quite geek (no, fish or keyboard ties don't qualify here). In the end, if done right, your fellow geeks will notice. The nons won't. They'll think you're one of them. - Dress for the day. Directors and managers are both leaders and doers. Some days, you'll be running with your staff. Some days, you'll be running with management. Know "the range" for each of these groups and dress to it. More often than not, you'll be running with both. In that case, dress to the management style. - Alexander_686 is right. Clothes should be neat and well-fitting. Even the generic, business casual khakis and a button up look bad if they're unpressed, worn out, and hanging off you. Just because an office may be casual, doesn't mean you should be sloppy. Sloppy dressers aren't taken seriously by management. Don't show up in wrinkled clothing. Match your leathers (Whoever said "belts are always black" is wrong. Belts and shoes match. Generally handbags and small leather goods match your shoes too.). Shine your shoes, if they're supposed to be shined. Get a good haircut (not saying it has to be short or conservative). - Feel good in what you wear. You may not be dressing entirely like you want because you're "playing the game" a little, but make it yours. There will be times you'll have to leave all the nerd at home and dress straight (e.g. interviews, meetings with your bosses boss, etc.). In those cases, a nice little tip I read years ago: Wear the wildest underwear under the most conservative outfit. You'll smile each time your reminded of your little secret. One final thought: The good news is that the initial impression is just that. It's fleeting and only serves to give you the opportunity to prove yourself. Once you've proved yourself to the people around you, which you have since you're being promoted, it becomes less important what you wear (Keyword being *less*. Don't get sloppy!).