The only one of these that I may have misused in the past is “bemused.” The rest I already had down cold.
Category Archives: Popular Culture
A New Museum
Lileks does it again. Be sure to watch the intro.
[Update a couple minutes later]
Peripherally related: an ode to Mickey (among other things).
Indicting The Slimebag
While I stand second to none in my contempt for the odious and oleaginous John Edwards (and I have held him in such low esteem long before it became fashionable), I agree with Kevin Williamson that what he may be indicted for shouldn’t be illegal.
The Importance Of Ad Placement
Some unfortunate examples. May not be safe for work–they’re laugh out loud.
[Update a few minutes later]
Also, awesomely inappropriate test answers from kids.
[Both via Geek Press]
Praise Be To Jobs
I am completely unsurprised by this:
In a recently screened BBC documentary called ‘Secrets of the Superbrands’, UK neuroscientists found that the brains of Apple fans are stimulated by images of Apple products in the same areas as those triggered by religious imagery in a person of faith. According to the scientists, this suggests that the big tech brands have harnessed, or exploit, the brain areas that have evolved to process religion.
At least they’re not Scientologists. Well, OK, maybe some of them are.
Hey, I’m Curious Too
Pr0n stars want to know if bin Laden got off on them.
Things That Are Supposed To Make Me Feel Old
…but don’t. The problem is, I don’t even know who many of these people are, and I’ve never used most of the products. What this makes me feel is out of touch with popular culture. Not that I care.
[Update a few minutes later]
Analyzing the important thing: the physics of clown cars.
My question is, how many congresspeople can you fit into one?
[Both via Geek Press]
Answering The Important Questions
Behold: mermaid anatomy. There’s a very erudite discussion in comments over there.
Innie Or Outie?
Where should the commas and periods go?
I’ve been putting them outside for so long, it would be hard to change, but I agree that it’s not logical to do so (particularly as a sometime Unix programmer). As a colonial, though, I do resent doing it “British style.” Didn’t we fight a couple wars over that sort of thing? I think we even won at least one of them. Next they’ll demand that we add superfluous “u”s to words.
The Wichita Lineman
Who does the best cover?
Jimmy Webb was a great songwriter, but no one could ever do it better than Glenn Campbell. Though the James Taylor version is listenable.
What is really sad, is how unappreciated a guitar picker he was. Though you wouldn’t know it from the Wichita Lineman video.
And yes, the lyrics, can’t be beat: “And I need you more than want you…and I want you for all time…”
[Update a couple minutes later]
The genius of the Campbell arrangement was the morse code background in the chorus of the radio hit, though you won’t hear it in the linked video above. It’s sad and frightening how many memories listening to that song brings back. Reading the comments of people much younger at the video of the ’68 hit is even more poignant.