'Bred Crumbs
02.24.05
States of Excitement
09:52 PMA woman on BART was reading a book with a chuckle-inducing title:
WISCONSIN!
Subsequent research shows that Wisconsin! is part of a series by one Dana Fuller Harris (not his real name) called Wagons West. The series comprises* 24 novels.
It all began with Independence!, a source of understandable exclamation. But next was Nebraska! – already, the excitement seems more than a little forced. On the saga roamed, through Utah! and Mississippi!, which is kind of pushing the "West" bit. Wisconsin! clocks in at Book 19, followed immediately by Kentucky!, which I can personally assure you: nuh-uh. Finally, the series ends, which is cause for Celebration!
Not to say the books are bad; I have no idea, and probably never will, having little interest in Westerns. The woman on BART wasn't making any faces while she read, and – well, holy crap, she's on Book 19! It's possible she's reading it stand-alone, but let's imagine she's not. It's more impressive.
Later, the author would revisit the sprawling family at the heart of these novels, the Holts, in another series, this one a mere trilogy: Westward!, Expedition! and Outpost! Yet, there's something more potential alarming in this massive oeuvre** than all those exclamation points: the hero of the first several Wagons West books is named Whip Holt. And, says a description that must come from a publisher's blurb, he's "never been bested by man or beast."
"Whip Holt"? "Never been bested by man"? Now that's the kind of talk that'll give you an exclamation point.
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* Not "is comprised of." Ninety-nine percent of newspaper writers and editors would flunk this usage test.
** A word from France!
02.22.05
Deja VieW
10:12 PM
By now you're familiar with our little film CrossWalk. (If not, go watch it. C'mon. It only takes eight minutes.)
So now have a gander at this new Volkswagen commercial (Windows Media file; link via the excellent Slate feature Ad Report Card).
Hmmmmmmm.
02.21.05
Opposite-of-hyper Links
10:34 PMWhile others wring their hands over the subject matter of last night's gay-marriage Simpsons, here's my beef: why is the website mentioned in the episode – springfieldisforgayloversofmarriage.com – so lame? (That's a rhetorical question, since the answer is, of course, that it's by Fox.) It has nothing but a Springfield gay-marriage poster and three "photos." Sorry, but when it comes to fake websites mentioned in cartoons, I have higher standards.
Tired, Dead
07:53 PMOK, here's what I don't get about the human body. So, Sunday night comes, and I'm not tired or sleepy. Even though I stay up later than I should, I still can't get to sleep even when I do force myself to go to bed. But I finally do get a few hours of sleep. Logic suggests that this should be enough to maintain an already not-tired me.
Instead, the next morning, I'm way more tired than I was before sleeping. As if sleep subtracted rest. Apparently, sleep does not reduce the need for sleep; instead, sleep is weighed against an expectation of sleep, and if the balance is found wanting, the difference is deducted from your energy level.
It's the worst battery design ever.
It's nearly as bad an idea as President's Day, a "holiday" so useless that no one (outside of car dealerships and department stores, which don't count) ever has plans for it; yet, it's sufficiently official that a fair chunk of folks get it off – not enough to tip the balance so we all get it off, but just enough to inconvenience those of us who don't get it off.
And it's hard enough to keep up with the birthdays of the living; who cares about ancient presidents' birthdays? Especially when they've been squashed into one for commercial expediency?
See? I wasn't this cranky at 1 o'clock last night.
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[Insert obligatory apology for lack of posting/barely credible promise to post more]
But while I've been lax, my friend Kris has been pumping out the content, with much useful and interesting stuff, if you're into web communication, design and culture. Which you are. And it's all on his first home-grown design.
So go there while I get my index cards in order.
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