Courtesy of my brother, of our roots:
Good Morning, I hate this town.
And I still romanticize Ohio.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
050
FROM RUSSIA WITH FLUFF
From the country that gave us t.A.T.u, Kira Plastinina may crank the Mother Country’s girly volume to 11.
Designed by the 15-year-old, Kira’s collection mixes and matches at will. Her designs span the gamut from mod-simple to outlandish. A boatneck tunic and bubble dresses mix with a sequin suspender dress and the requisite military-style jacket—for girls, of course.
Six new bright boutiques are opening this spring in L.A., including on swanky Robertson Boulevard, the mall-swanky Beverly Center, Beverly Drive, Topanga Canyon, and the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Others are slated to open in Las Vegas, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
But it’s not all an explosion of id. The boutiques are carefully joyous so as not to overwhelm their clientele’s arm candy. And though the shops are bathed in pink and white [and pink], there is something girls and guys alike can appreciate: the clothes and accessories won't break the bank.
http://www.kiraplastinina.com.
From the country that gave us t.A.T.u, Kira Plastinina may crank the Mother Country’s girly volume to 11.
Designed by the 15-year-old, Kira’s collection mixes and matches at will. Her designs span the gamut from mod-simple to outlandish. A boatneck tunic and bubble dresses mix with a sequin suspender dress and the requisite military-style jacket—for girls, of course.
Six new bright boutiques are opening this spring in L.A., including on swanky Robertson Boulevard, the mall-swanky Beverly Center, Beverly Drive, Topanga Canyon, and the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Others are slated to open in Las Vegas, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
But it’s not all an explosion of id. The boutiques are carefully joyous so as not to overwhelm their clientele’s arm candy. And though the shops are bathed in pink and white [and pink], there is something girls and guys alike can appreciate: the clothes and accessories won't break the bank.
http://www.kiraplastinina.com.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
048
From the Men.Style.com newsletter:
Richard Branson's new Swiss digs.
The nine-bedroom chalet now offers guests access to 250 miles' worth of ski runs, chauffeur service, and even a private ice-skating rink, as well as the usual amenities (fireplaces, Jacuzzis, 50-inch plasmas).
If I'm paying to stay at Richard Branson's Swiss chalet (and I'm not), the last thing I want in my room is a television of any kind. At 35,250 euros per week, I don't care if the chauffeur walks out of the picture to cater to you; no one should think about television in this kind of place, be it in southwestern Switzerland or West Virginia.
Richard Branson's new Swiss digs.
The nine-bedroom chalet now offers guests access to 250 miles' worth of ski runs, chauffeur service, and even a private ice-skating rink, as well as the usual amenities (fireplaces, Jacuzzis, 50-inch plasmas).
If I'm paying to stay at Richard Branson's Swiss chalet (and I'm not), the last thing I want in my room is a television of any kind. At 35,250 euros per week, I don't care if the chauffeur walks out of the picture to cater to you; no one should think about television in this kind of place, be it in southwestern Switzerland or West Virginia.
Friday, December 28, 2007
047
Bad Ads
A short, pleasantly biased review of four pervasive advertising campaigns
BoConcept
The ads: BoConcept adorns their advertisements with phrases ending in "don't blame us."
An example: "If you think a chair can't turn heads, don't blame us."
The desired effect: Those in charge at BoConcept probably think that these ads exude confidence in their products' quality and affordability, that the air of confidence is sexy and alluring.
The problem: It makes the store sound like a bitchy absentee parent, which is not the vibe anyone wants in their home.
Washington Mutual
The ads: WaMu was ranked highest in the West and Midwest regions for customer satisfaction in retail banking by J.D. Power and Associates.
The desired effect: WaMu is proud of this honor, and they want to uphold the standard they have set for themselves. Customers can also expect great service from a company when their customer service award is plastered everywhere.
The problem: While thanking their customers for making them number one, WaMu pimps this award like they're Archbishop Don "Magic" Juan. Show more, tell less.
Dolce and Gabbana
The ads: Find the print ones yourself; it's more fun that way. Or check http://eng.dolcegabbana.it for the English-language version of their web site.
The desired effect: Glossy homo-erotic intrigue? I don't even know.
The problem: See above.
Jared, the Galleria of Tewlery
The ads: A string of creepy and/or pompous motherfuckers gasping to each other "He went to Jared!" "He went to Jared!" "He went to Jared!"
The desired effect: Everyone will want to bone the guy who went to Jared for his wife/fiancé/whatever's ring. Everyone will then wish that they/their husband/fiancée/whatever had the same elegant idea to go to Jared.
An example, which is also the problem: The settings are very formal events, things like galas, receptions, upscale cocktail parties. All of the characters place different emphasis on the line they deliver in series, like they're playing telephone with something shoved up their asses, and the whole thing makes you want to pee in their drinks Fight Club-style.
These companies are their best when they keep things simple:
. WaMu's customer service really is excellent, with friendly associates who have been cool to me from day one and no stewpid extraneous charges.
. D&G's products speak for themselves. I can't afford them, but they're cool, mostly, I think.
. And BoConcept's approach of customization and tailoring your purchase to your needs is exactly what design should be: individual.
. Jared, as you may guess, can totally blow himself. This company is putrid.
A short, pleasantly biased review of four pervasive advertising campaigns
BoConcept
The ads: BoConcept adorns their advertisements with phrases ending in "don't blame us."
An example: "If you think a chair can't turn heads, don't blame us."
The desired effect: Those in charge at BoConcept probably think that these ads exude confidence in their products' quality and affordability, that the air of confidence is sexy and alluring.
The problem: It makes the store sound like a bitchy absentee parent, which is not the vibe anyone wants in their home.
Washington Mutual
The ads: WaMu was ranked highest in the West and Midwest regions for customer satisfaction in retail banking by J.D. Power and Associates.
The desired effect: WaMu is proud of this honor, and they want to uphold the standard they have set for themselves. Customers can also expect great service from a company when their customer service award is plastered everywhere.
The problem: While thanking their customers for making them number one, WaMu pimps this award like they're Archbishop Don "Magic" Juan. Show more, tell less.
Dolce and Gabbana
The ads: Find the print ones yourself; it's more fun that way. Or check http://eng.dolcegabbana.it for the English-language version of their web site.
The desired effect: Glossy homo-erotic intrigue? I don't even know.
The problem: See above.
Jared, the Galleria of Tewlery
The ads: A string of creepy and/or pompous motherfuckers gasping to each other "He went to Jared!" "He went to Jared!" "He went to Jared!"
The desired effect: Everyone will want to bone the guy who went to Jared for his wife/fiancé/whatever's ring. Everyone will then wish that they/their husband/fiancée/whatever had the same elegant idea to go to Jared.
An example, which is also the problem: The settings are very formal events, things like galas, receptions, upscale cocktail parties. All of the characters place different emphasis on the line they deliver in series, like they're playing telephone with something shoved up their asses, and the whole thing makes you want to pee in their drinks Fight Club-style.
These companies are their best when they keep things simple:
. WaMu's customer service really is excellent, with friendly associates who have been cool to me from day one and no stewpid extraneous charges.
. D&G's products speak for themselves. I can't afford them, but they're cool, mostly, I think.
. And BoConcept's approach of customization and tailoring your purchase to your needs is exactly what design should be: individual.
. Jared, as you may guess, can totally blow himself. This company is putrid.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
046
$2.5 million per day
the approximate cost to operate the USS Ronald Reagan, which carries as many as 6,000 crew members, while not in port
Damn, that's an expensive boat...
Source:
Navy saves teen whose appendix burst on cruise.
the approximate cost to operate the USS Ronald Reagan, which carries as many as 6,000 crew members, while not in port
Damn, that's an expensive boat...
Source:
Navy saves teen whose appendix burst on cruise.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
045
James Blunt's song "You're Beautiful," that is supposedly sweet mom-rock, came on a radio station at work (I didn't pick it). The lyrics are not only poor, with forced rhymes in his wheezing choking-on-painkillers voice ("My life is brilliant / My love is pure / I saw an angel / Of that I'm sure."), but they're also pretty damn creepy:
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that
'cause I've got a plan.
You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'cause I'll never be with you.
So you have a plan but you don't know what to do? That doesn't even make sense, dickhead.
Here's what you should do: You leave this poor woman alone before her much more deserving boyfriend/husband beats the piss out of you. In public.
You're obsessing over someone you saw in the subway once? This dude must not see attractive women very often. I can understand remembering her, but this piece of voyeurism is kinda trashy and very alarming.
Sorry, moms [and daughters]; holiday-themed fabric-painted sweatshirts are one thing, but if you actually like this sugary turd, your crappy taste is also really uncomfortable. So stop it. Unless you really want to patronize inept perverts everywhere.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won't lose no sleep on that
'cause I've got a plan.
You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'cause I'll never be with you.
So you have a plan but you don't know what to do? That doesn't even make sense, dickhead.
Here's what you should do: You leave this poor woman alone before her much more deserving boyfriend/husband beats the piss out of you. In public.
You're obsessing over someone you saw in the subway once? This dude must not see attractive women very often. I can understand remembering her, but this piece of voyeurism is kinda trashy and very alarming.
Sorry, moms [and daughters]; holiday-themed fabric-painted sweatshirts are one thing, but if you actually like this sugary turd, your crappy taste is also really uncomfortable. So stop it. Unless you really want to patronize inept perverts everywhere.
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