American Madness

News from the U.S. doesn’t reach me easily or often. Yes, I understand there is literally no excuse for that, given things like the “newspapers” and “the Internet,” but still, it’s surprising how easy it is to avoid all that business when you really try.

None the less, I’ve been hearing a lot about this horse called Big Brown, probably because he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes this month and could be first Triple Crown Winner in 30 years. Well, I did about five minutes of research on him; watched replays of the races on ESPN.com.

I was impressed with both races, but there is no way I’m buying into the whole, “This is the One” hype. It’s just a roller-coaster I don’t feel like riding right now. In my recent past as a Triple Crown vulture, I’ve ridden that roller-coaster with War Emblem, Funny Cide, Smarty Jones, even got my heart broken by Barbaro like so many others. Every time there was a Triple Crown at stake, I dutifully went to Belmont Park for the race and cheered my guts out.

So, because of all that, and because I’m out of the country, I’m just going to calmly register my prediction that this horse IS NOT GOING TO WIN THE TRIPLE CROWN. Not only because it just can’t happen, but because it can’t happen while I’m out of the country. I won’t allow it, by God!!

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Some of you may have heard that Kia released an ad in Europe on the internet a few days ago. The content of the ad came under fire and they decided to pull the ad so they wouldn’t have to deal with too much fallout. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the beast the ad is going around now on YouTube.

After watching I can see what the questionable content is… Though it is pretty tame.

[Video Pulled]

The New York Times really has some nerve writing such a weepy tome about Wall Street layoffs. The very idea to write Wall Street Exodus: Fear, Panic and Anger is tin-eared, only grasping for some moral relativity late into the piece, where one broker (here called an “advisor”) gets it right:

If you went to school and you studied this industry and you studied economic cycles, why are you now surprised that this is happening?” he said. “It’s like going into politics and saying, ‘I didn’t know I could be voted out of office.’

But the whole thrust of the story, its very existence, is predicated on the notion that fired Wall Streeters deserve some sympathy and understanding.

investment bankers, recruiters and psychologists say the current economic downturn, the cascade of layoffs and the steady beat of grim financial news have exacted an especially daunting psychic price.

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Coordinating the world’s visual data.

“In order for people to truly listen to what one is saying one has to wear a mask and not be recognized.”
-Banksy (via Wildman)

Exposed
Emily Gould narcissistically seeks attention by writing about the suffering she experienced from narcissistically seeking attention.

The New York Times: in a world of ideas, talent, improvement, crises, joy and suffering, we make time for the trivia, too. It’s in our magazine, along with fashion.

Yesterday’s Senate hearing on commodities (Real Player).

So we are going a little light with the art today:

First up we have Martin Beckett, I cam across his work right around the same time I found the superhero stuff last week, but it just didn’t fit nicely so I have been holding off on posting it. Beckett is a UK photographer with some decent stuff, but the stuff to really check out are his 360 degree panoramas. The rest of the stuff is nice, but nothing too outstanding.

Following up Beckett we have more of an art related post then actual art (though, looking at the images that is debatable): Crayola Crayons*. (more…)

I guess I first read about the Soda-Club seltzer maker on ApartmentTherapy: The Kitchn. I had seen similar products during a recent trip to Switzerland (back in November) and was intrigued. I am a big fan of seltzer, sparkling water, club soda…call it what you will, so I decided it was time to get one of these and write up a review for AM.

The first thing you are going to notice if you head to the Soda-Club website is that it ain’t that pretty. It is relatively basic and straightforward, and they clearly didn’t waste too many dollars on the site, which is fine by me.

That the soda maker is pretty nifty. Basically they created a housing for a large CO2 canister that allows you to attach a bottle and pump carbonation into it. The device is constructed out of plastic, which feels a little flimsy, but probably because a heavier casing, combined with the CO2 cannister would weigh a ton, and only contains a couple of moving parts. It is very easy to operate: screw the bottle (included) in place, pump and enjoy. This sounds like an infomercial, but making seltzer is really just that simple. (more…)

Grant Catton: Mucho Macho Hombre

Alright, enough with the Armchair Anthropology and attempts at serious cultural observation. I’ve been traveling in Argentina and Chile for nearly a month now, and the following are some of the funnier observations, situations, and actual conversations that I’ve encountered in that time.

* Below is an actual conversation between me and a Maitre d’ at a restaurant on Cerro Florida in Valparaiso, Chile (translated from Spanish).

Me: Hello.
Maitre d’: Hello.
Me: Is it possible to eat dinner here?
Maitre d’: No. I’m sorry. It is not possible.
Me: Oh. Okay. (Awkward pause) But I see other people eating inside.
Maitre d’: Yes.
Me: But you are not open for dinner?
Maitre d’: No.
Me: But it’s 6:00pm.
Maitre d’: Yes.
Me: And you’re telling me you are closed?
Maitre d’: No. We are open.
Me: So I can eat here.
Maitre d’: Of course. It is a restaurant.
Me: But I just asked you if I could eat here.
Maitre d’: You asked if you could eat dinner. We are only serving lunch now.
Me: May I eat lunch?
Maitre d’: Certainly. Right this way, sir.

(Moments later)

Waiter: You are here for lunch, yes?
Me: I just want to eat.

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Going on 3 weeks now, ZoomDoggle is a pretty new web-venture. To sum it up, you get the note from the editor from week-one:

“What are you waiting for?” It’s a question I’d never really asked. But once I said it out loud, I couldn’t stop saying it.

Like, “Oh, you’ve always wanted a dog; what are you waiting for?”, “You want to go to go skydiving; what are you waiting for?” or “You think it’d be fun to fill a subway car with foam? What are you waiting for?”

I started asking it of everyone I met, the one person I’d never asked was me. You see, while I’d decided that the rest of the world was waiting for tomorrow to start having fun, it didn’t occur to me that I was doing the same.

Then I met Aaron Dignan & Co. I told Diggy that adults had forgotten how to have fun (or “doggle” as we call it in the office), and he asked what I was waiting for. I suggested we build a magazine. He told me today was the day. Long story short? Week One was fun making. Hope it’s fun reading, too. Next week let’s all have fun together.

Like all good Magazines, ZoomDoggle has some weekly columns: (more…)