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I See
Speak Coffee to Me‘s most recent “ad of the week” is this glittering little diamond, a brief film (directed by Azazel Jacobs) “about looking at art.” A nice little fable for those who just don’t get the point of so-called non-representational art, it’s from the Web site of New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
Bars on Every Corner
I worked for AT&T, late 1970s through sometime in the early 1990s (depending on where you want to place the marker). And I was a loyal customer, too. When less costly competing services came along, from MCI and Sprint, I never gave them a glance. I never considered buying a phone or answering machine that [...]
It’s Gnawing at Me
[Click Play button to begin. While audio is playing, volume control appears at left -- row of little vertical bars.] [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Help me out with something here: What, exactly — even approximately — is the deal with mice? meaning, specifically, mice as humans? (I do recognize there are many [...]
The Teachable Moment
I don’t usually just post a link to someplace else, without using it as a springboard for my own ramblings. (Indeed, one of those ramblings is forthcoming.) But this slice of life would be ruined by elaboration: “Choose your own adventure at Lee NAILS” (Deb on the Rocks, via Maggie). Highly recommended reading for parents [...]
No Wonder Johnny Grew Up So… Troubled
You may have imagined that until the Internet, parents didn’t need to worry that technology might endanger their children. If so, you were wrong. Photo below the fold. Found it at the wonderful Found in Mom’s Basement site: “Vintage advertising — found in my mother’s basement, flea markets and various corners of the Internet — [...]
When Appliances Weep
In his standup-comedy days, forty-plus years ago, Woody Allen did a routine called “Mechanical Objects.” It was a narrative about the highly mixed blessings of living at the tail end of the Machine Age, at the start of The Age of Electronicus. I found the following transcript of the routine on the Web; I can’t [...]
The Difference between Men & Women, Chap. XXIV
Guys: Think. Just… think. (Okay, it’s a commercial. But you won’t see it on TV — it’s too long.)
Momentary Semantic Vertigo
Please forgive an extended excerpt from a favorite scene in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. Humpty Dumpty is here the initial speaker, and he is discussing birthdays vs. un-birthdays: “…There”s glory for you!” “I don”t know what you mean by ‘glory’,” Alice said. Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. “Of course you don’t — till I [...]
Democracy 101: Great Apolitical PSA
Courtesy of Steven Spielberg and, well, pretty much everybody.
The Hurricane Phone
Back in the day — you know, the day — you could say (as I used to) “I work for the phone company” and no one would doubt which phone company paid your salary. That’s why Lily Tomlin’s old “Ernestine the telephone operator” could say, without ambiguity, “We’re the phone company. We don’t have to [...]
