(no subject)

As I went past an intersection on my way home last night, there was a truck stopped by the side of the road going the perpendicular direction to where I was. I stopped for awhile at the intersection and so I got to watch the traffic light do its cycle. When I first stopped to watch, the truck was an eerie chromey green that still looked surprisingly natural and in-step with the trees and bushes behind it, yet disconnected entirely from the moving lights and urban reflections of the roadway. I got a nice contrast a minute or so later as it switched to a yellow color, which gave it a surprisingly active, ready look as though it were just about to accelerate and blow through the intersection. And I hadn't realized how much a shiny object under a diffuse red light looks abandoned until the light finished changing in the truck's direction. It's such a visual cliche -- a modern, shiny object lit by red neon. It wasn't neon, it was the now-standard traffic light LEDs, but you know the look I mean. It's a very sad, lonely, lost look.

And then I went home. I had stuff to do.

(no subject)

I was reminded of this by my visit to Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) yesterday. It was even the same store, the one on Charleston in Mountain View.

( A parking lot story... )

(no subject)

Ah, Brezsny. So here's the new horoscope:

"Even if you are an elite member of the cognoscenti or a pampered celebrity who hasn't made your own toast in ten years, I suggest you try on the virtues of the working class approach to life. That means thinking with your body, being willing to get your hands dirty, and striving to create useful things. Coming at the world from this angle will ensure that your fine mind won't lead you astray with sterile theories in the week ahead. If you want to know the bottom-line truth, listen to your physical feelings."

Does this sound like dangerous advice to everybody, or just people who've actually met me? My physical feelings make some interesting decisions.

I've been doing a bit more resembling "real" work lately between motorcycle maintenance, mopping the kitchen, the stuff with the air conditioner and putting together a little silver six-in-one chainmail. I could finally get that mead bottled for more of the same effect, I guess. I'm never sure what's proper work.

(no subject)

Initial defensive disclaimer: hey, I am getting stuff done today. I am!

Okay, with that out of the way.

I collect stories of advertising that's just A Bad Idea (tm). My favorite involves Arby's and the slogan "Arby's Macht Fries", which either doesn't mean much to you or immediately convinces you that they should never, never have put that on a billboard.

Recently Cadbury made a new addition to its "too good to share" line of commercials. Specifically, one in India. Specifically, one about the province of Kashmir, which has been fought over by India and Pakistan for a very long time. The Indians (and presumably the Pakistanis, but the ad was run in India) were absolutely livid.