Scraping the ideals off

Even here in Seattle I used to see Bush/Cheney stickers on a regular basis. You'd see them on SUVs and trucks, big-ass Mercedes and soccer mom mini-vans. I always thought they stood out because of the liberal slant here.

This week, stuck in traffic, I realized that I don't see them much anymore. Once in a long while I see a still-bright "W '04" sticker. They really stand out now because one can't help but wonder how they continue to support the chief emblem of stupidity, corruption, and deriliction of duty.

It made me wonder, also, about the crushing individual moments so many people had to go through when they thought, "I gotta scrape that sticker off my car." Finding a razor blade. Going out to the car in front of their house. Spending five minutes scraping off the emblem they held up for all their neighbors to see. Admitting they backed what appeared to be a strong horse - but it turned out to have whatever the horse equivalent of mad cow disease is.

My redneck neighbor around the corner - about 45, with a small construction company - used to have Bush/Cheney stickers on his three company pickups, along with his NRA and "my company is drug free!" stickers. But the republican stickers are gone - replaced with a "Stop Hilary NOW" decal.

There are other things we need to work on stopping right now, neighbor.

Were they just bored at the NYT?

The New York Times has gone to a totally new look on their web site. New layout, new organization, new colors, new font.

It all adds up to a site that looks smooth. And is, IMHO, a disaster.

They must have spent real money on this for many months. Un-creative creative meetings. Bickering about art. Grumblings of the loss of integrity in the news business.

Monica: "Jerrod's the best web designer in the business, bar none. A genius."

Tom: "But I can't read it."

Monica: "Jerrod says this font is his favorite though."

Katherine: "I can't read it."

Monica: "You're all totally missing the point. This font is hot. You're all just blind to aesthetics."

Jim: "I can't read it."

Monica: "Whatever. We're going with this. Punch says this one's my decision. You guys just don't get it." She closes her pad. "Oh - and guys? Three button blue blazers?" She rolls her eyes. "So 2005. You should pick up a GQ now and then. Seven button...pastel. Timeless."

New York Times

The Rump Tells All

This is not a hoax. This person is serious. She is insane. She is also probably making money.

"Jacqueline Stallone has revived the ancient art of Rumpology. Just as a print of your fingers, palms, soles and ears tells a story, so does a print of your rump."

It goes on: "send a close up picture of your rear-end...Jacqueline will read your image, and you will receive..."

Jackie's Ass Reading site