For companies, it has become common-sense to outsource part of their work to low-cost countries. So why, one Esquire journalist asked himself, can’t I do it, too? He had a Bangalore-based company provide him with two “remote executive assistants”. They did research work for him, wrote reminder e-mails to clients for him, even apologised to his wife on his behalf. His experiment is awkwardly entertaining to read and does not end well.

From Weekly Filet #36, in September 2011.