David is right. The payroll arm of the Fed is kind of the funniest thing I've heard all day.

I can't believe that I will be moved in less than two weeks after seeing the place. Crazy.

I was!

And Teppy, I don't believe the nonsense about the Fed Reserve holding yo money hostage.

That doesn't make sense. The Federal Reserve loans money to other banks. They wouldn't have anything to do with your payroll account. I suppose it could have something to do with your company's bank being insolvent, but the Fed wouldn't intercede like that.

Yeah, that's what I was getting at there.

Awesome t-shirt! I shall be certain to wear this shirt in NY

I just got my very own I [squid] NY shirt, which prompts a few questions. When are we going to get a squid html entity, like ♥? I'm sure it would be used heavily. How would New Yorkers interpret this shirt, anyway (I know, New Yorkers see enough weirdness that they don't care)?

More PZ:

I have a t-shirt with those words on it; it's from the Museum of Jurassic Technology exhibit of letters to Mount Wilson Observatory, a fascinating collection of crackpot letters written to astronomers between 1915 and 1935, containing the astounding theories created by people around the world, who all thought they could revolutionize science with their insights. It's an exhibit well worth browsing—here's one sample letter.

To whom it may concern:

This is to certify, That I have found the Key To all Existance. And all I ask of any one Is for them to read What I am about to say. Because it is not my purpose to tell What you already know. And consequently the proof Shall follow and establish My work to make it law.

For the key to all existance Is the key to the Law By which all things Come into existance and therefore my word Is the key to that law to be verified by proof Listen therefore to what I say As follows:

The Moon Is practically all Water frozen or Ice It was formed By water evaporating From the earth Which arose and gathered Between the Earth and Sun It is hollow Like a pumpkin The inside is composed of that part of the air known as Nitrogen And very very cold Consequently its water is frozen.

If the crust of the moon Was removed, it would be a Sun bright enough To destroy the earth. There is no life upon the moon, but Without the moon There would be no life upon the earth.

And it goes on, at length.

No One May Ever Have the Same Knowledge Again

And office manager-type employee said that, according to the payroll service, the paychecks were NOT being held up for insufficient funds, only that "the Federal Reserve won't release the funds."

That doesn't make sense. The Federal Reserve loans money to other banks. They wouldn't have anything to do with your payroll account. I suppose it could have something to do with your company's bank being insolvent, but the Fed wouldn't intercede like that.

I poked around online, and the company's bank is fine.

There's the possibility that (1) office manager-type employee is lying; (2) payroll company is lying; or (3) office manager-type employee misunderstood what payroll company said.

#3 might be the real answer, because office manager-type employee is not the brightest porch light on the block.

Zipper dress

Designer Sebastian Errazuriz created this dress out of 120 zippers. I dig the idea of reconfigurable clothing that isn't ugly.

Even if the bank were insolvent, it wouldn't matter. The bank could still go on doing business until a receiver is appointed. There might -- MIGHT -- be a problem in accessing accounts for a day or two after the receiver is appointed, but that's why receivership appointments usually happen on Fridays -- so the transition can happen over the weekend, and any bugs are worked out by Monday morning.

(Note: By "insolvent," I mean equity insolvent, where liabilities are greater than assets. But if a bank is in danger of being liquidity insolvent, or not having enough cash to meet obligations as they come due, the government steps in fast.)

Oh, forgot one thing on my weekend plans...

Start divorce paperwork. I printed out all the forms. Yikes.

weekend- read books about tenure decisions and the law. Maybe go to aunt's for dinner on Sunday.