This is such a great contest: The Diagram Prize‘s Oddest Book Title of the Year. Its 2009 winner is The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-miligram Containers of Fromage Frais. I’m sure you are wondering, how could that possibly have beat out Baboon Metaphysics (#2) and Curbside Consultation of the Colon (#3)? Such is the nature [...]
Monthly Archives: March 2009
More expressive language
Writing in an interesting, funny, thoughtful, expressive way is always worth a try. Here are some recent examples I’ve run across: “By yearend, investors of all stripes were bloodied and confused, much as if they were small birds that had strayed into a badminton game.” – Warren Buffet in his 2008 annual report message for [...]
Earth Hour boosts awareness
There is still debate about whether turning out the lights for Earth Hour makes a difference, but I think there’s no question. It’s done an amazing job of showing the power of individuals to make a difference. Nearly 4,000 cities were involved this year, up from 400 last year. (See a video of scenes from [...]
Everyone’s trying to be Twitter
Everyone is trying to be like the shiny new toy, Twitter. My Internet service provider, Bell Mail, has launched their new “enhanced” mail service, and it wants me to invite people to join my network and update them on what I’m doing. LinkedIn and Facebook want me to invite people to join my network and [...]
Weasel words in auto sales
Car sales representatives have a reputation that’s hard to shake. There are exceptions, of course, but would you generally link them with words like “honest,” “trustworthy” and “working for me”? I didn’t think so. They also bring to mind the words “high-pressure sales” and “let me talk to the manager.” My car is 10 years [...]
Your Monday smile
Here’s a rare sight: a television ad that makes you smile, and you don’t even mind when it repeats several times during the show you’re watching. I’m talking about the Discovery Channel‘s “I love the world” ad, sometimes known as “Boom dee yada.” You know the one. It starts with two astronauts in space, looking [...]
Let’s kick-start the economy!
Tired of reading/hearing about all the layoffs, bankruptcies and other bad news filling the media these days? Do something! Here’s Michael Katz’s suggestion: spend your way to an economic boost for your own town. Michael is “Chief Penguin” (aka president) of Blue Penguin Development and author of the e-newsletter that’s at the top of my [...]
It’s cheating to set the bar low
Have you noticed that companies seem to be deliberately managing our expectations downwards? I’ve run across this a couple of times lately : When I traded in loyalty points for lift tickets for a recent ski trip, the web site said it would take about two weeks to get the reward certificate by mail. The [...]
Dream toys
Happy birthday to Barbie, who turned 50 today. Talk about a toy with legs! Whether 50 is the new 40 or 50 is the new 30, she sure looks good. And she’s got all kinds of “dream” things — dream bedroom, dream dining room, dream kitchen, dream game room and more, much of it pink, [...]
Words matter
“There are huge problems in this world, and then there are problems that can be solved by everyday people with red pens and a little moxie.” So says the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar, which (along with MSN Encarta) has proclaimed today National Grammar Day. Not coincidentally, it is smack in the middle [...]
