Pony Outlook Fine, Say Wu and Holden

There's been some reportage about the presence of Congressman David Wu at DjangoCon this year (to which the most I could do yesterday was briefly allude). After my Labor Day post I think I can safely say that Chairman Wu's presence was reassuring to the many at DjangoCon who might have been seriously inconvenienced by the pony shortage, which has been discussed in panels at the conference.

Of course it would have been terribly unfair to the Congressman to have asked public questions, and as he is in a busy campaign I know you would not have wanted me to delay him in your name. After a breakfast meeting this morning I am happy to be able to tell you, though, that his staff have convinced me there really is no sign of a pony shortage (and I doubt many reading this will have bought more ponies than I of late). In fact, had I known that I could have procured the ponies locally (Oregon price: 50c less than manufacturer's) I might have saved the cost of carriage, too. Next time I'll just call the store in advance.

If further reassurance is needed, I would like to note that after a third meeting with Congressman Wu I am happy to endorse him as a two-pony family man. Those ponies will be in safe hands, and the people of the First District of Oregon would be ably represented by a Congressman of such integrity.

Open Source and Politics Mix

Kirby Urner has written this great summary of the events of late Wednesday (DjangoCon time).

DjangoCon Triggers National Pony Shortage?

Hasbro Toys today took the unprecedented step of insisting that pony supplies were "absolutely not a concern" in response to persistent rumors that a foreign national had cornered the market  in ponies. A spokesman said "while it is true that there has been an unusual demand for ponies in the Portland area our normal stocking policies were quite adequate to meet demand. Anyone who wants a pony can have one".

The House Committee on Science and Technology is rumored to have directed its Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation to investigate this potential shortage of a strategically important resource in the creation of critical national web site infrastructure. The chairman of the Subcommittee, congressman David Wu of Oregon's first district, was not available for comment. Hasbro could not explain why American pony manufacturing facilities had opened on Labor Day, normally a national holiday.