McMurphy Couldn’t Sell Hydrogen Cars
More words for this later today, but two words for now: “Total Confirmation”
Archive for July, 2008
Pinballing Wizardry - One Flip
Pinballing Wizardry is a not so brilliant way of saying, quick collection of links. Every now and then, perhaps about twice a month I’ll be throwing together links that are not only interesting to me but might seem useful or interesting to others, as well.
Fun. Useful. Strange. Educational. They store up sometimes and they need a release - AKA - Pinball!
I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WILL FIND AT LEAST ONE INTERESTING THING IN THE LIST, NO MATTER HOW SHORT.
PROMPTuesday 15 - Deception, Never Enough
UPDATED - At end, link to others who participated.
PROMPTuesday#15. Write about deception. Whatever that means to you. Can be fact or fiction.
He blinked. He’d heard that, right?
Tom, tired of waiting had gone across the street. At the counter now under the too-bright lights he endured the ghastly smile of the guy behind the counter. He dropped his drinks, chips, cookies, gum, energy pills, eggs (on a regretful whim), brake fluid, shriveled hot dogs, newspapers, magazines and Spanish-language CD.
The Sobe bottle clunked, which roused him out of his reverie. Self-reflective to a fault he knew he’d dropped it all absent-mindedly still thinking about the man and the woman in the cooler door corner. “I recognize him,” Tom thought. “It’s gonna bug the fuck out of me now.”
But sure as shit he wasn’t going to go over and ask him, how.
Tom turned as he fished for his wallet and the two were gone. He struggled with whether to tell the cashier but the guy gave off such an air of not giving a flying fuck, he didn’t think it would do any good. Besides, he couldn’t really afford to answer too many questions, either.
The bus stop, which had seemed the most boring place on earth to Tom’s restless mind now seemed a safe haven. He knew he had about 30 minutes. He’d blown half of that and two bags hanging from his right hand, he put his left over his belly button, his index finger stroking it though he was unaware. It was a sight spot, a way to get his bearings.
He opened his eyes deliberately wider so his eyes could adjust more quickly. He thought about the assassination plot he’d heard, and smiled. Is that the latest hot place to plan murder, because he’d never been made aware. “Assassination,” he whispered and laughed. “Who am I, Ghandi?”
Because Ghandi was killed by someone like him, a fanatic, though colder and less compassionate. “Is there someone less compassionate than me?” It was not a pointless question. Whim was not the same as whimsy and passion was not the same as compassion.”
So feeling he was facing amateurs he walked casually, looking, knowing the two would be there and wondering how they’d step into it. More importantly, when.
Read the rest of this entry »
Quoticonic: The Family Arsenal
Currently reading “The Family Arsenal” by Paul Theroux. It’s a 1978 Penguin paperback of a book first published in 1976. The author is not famous, but he does paint fairly descriptive scenes of real places. I’m less than halfway through a book that is blurbed as “A novel of violence in the tradition of Brighton Rock, set in the grimy decay of South-east London.” It’s original purchase price was £1.95. I’m enjoying it so far.
While somehow inspiring me to create the word Quoticonic, here a few excerpts which caught my ear and filled my mind with a clear picture. I’ve lived in London so perhaps that helped?
“… public houses; they were dirty and uncongenial, the haunts of resignation, attracting men whose loneliness was not improved by their meeting one another. They talked inaccurately about the world, swapping cheerless opinions.” pg. 29
“In winter it was tolerable; it had a bleakness Mr Gawber liked. The cold rain composed it, blew the newspapers into corners, restored the black shine to the street and kept the limpers indoors. Rain tidied it and gave London back some of her glamour, even some of her youth: the city was designed for grim weather, not crowds.” pg. 37
“It rained the next day, a heavy downpour ending a week of sun and dropping autumn on to that part of London, chilling the trees and darkening the brickwork of the angular terraces and washing all the traces of summer away. Where there was green, as in the park on Brookmill Road, it was sodden and depleted; and the city looked smaller and fragmented in the mist - it was a sea of sinking islands.” pg. 103
OH Really: Knit-Gnats
“It ain’t your grandma’s knitting anymore! Punk, geek, alternative and guerrilla knitting (e.g. cozies on parking meters). Fun!” - RogueTess
The Observer: Quantum Physical, Memorable Sex
Whew. Wow. Mind Blowing. I Want To Do That Again And Again And Again.
Revolver.
Evolver.
Problem Solver?
People, we all have questions. Many. Thousands. The protein strands of the chain of life aren’t as connected as the string of questions that can lead from a simple “Y”, ah “why?”
“If a particle does not have a defined location until it is observed, does that mean there is nothing if nobody’s looking? Anyone?”
Those type of questions come bubbling to the service. It’s not either / or. It’s not multiple choice. It’s the type of question that can’t help but lead to more. Definitions, sure, but also the pandemic application into every area of life.
The late evening musing pushes areas of your brain that remain lax during the daily routine of survival. But for those who also think, these types of questions are also an important par of survival, or at least of retaining sanity. The expansion into the brain, at least, proves there is MORE than the daily routine and that’s why they’re important. In essence, too, these type of questions are open to interpretation and so are the basis of creativity.
And then there’s sex. Remember that for later.
So if you pondered that blocked quote up there for a while you are repeating what went on last night. And what did you come up with? Let me attempt a re-creation where you can see three basic ideas rising to the surface. With three people replying back and forth, here’s what followed at the time:
Read the rest of this entry »
Simple - Like Your Clients
I don’t see the tagline “Simple - Like Your Clients” anywhere on the Web site for Cushy CMS but it struck me as hilarious. Since it was an add on a Mac Twitter desktop application - Twitterrific, I have to assume the advertiser believed that their target marketing was for those creative “Web design” types.
The site’s Content Management Services service itself DOES seems deceptively simple. I must investigate further.
No, You Don’t Want A Journalist
This ad asks for “Journalist.” As a journalist for 12 years I can honestly say I used very few of the following job duties. The only connections, as described, are “writing” and “talking.”
“The Journalist is responsible for the creation and management of web-based content and links. The Journalist is a key member of the account team and will take direction from the Optimization Engineer.
Responsibilities
• Research and document the linguistic patterns expressed through search query data
• Create new and original content (i.e. copy) for the Client’s website. This may include writing on-page copy, press releases or articles
• Actively participate in and contribute to social media-based conversations. This may include posting to forums, commenting on blogs, writing content for social networks or submitting links to news aggregator sites like De.licio.us or Digg
• Distribute approved press releases and articles to their respective distribution channels
• Monitor the performance of created and optimized content and provide written reports on progress
• Monitor and manage the acquisition and optimization of inbound links to the Client’s domain. This will involve tracking all link requests and providing a written report showing progress.” [... etc ...]
I sent the following e-mail to the company because I felt personally offended, and I do think they are doing a serious disservice to both professions:
Dear Ms. XXXXXXXX,
I would just like to say your Craigslist ad is a serious abuse of the word journalist, and does a disservice to both your Marketing / SEO profession as well as journalism. I might have actually beeen interested in this job, but I felt making the first point was much more important.
Again, what you ask for and what you want is not a journalist or journalism position whatsoever.Sincerely
Temple Stark
Eve of X-Files: I Want To Believe
Since I first saw it in a catalog I’ve wanted the DVD collection of the 9 years of of the X-Files, 1994-2002. There’s even a special set organized that focuses only on the conspiracy for aand against the alien invasion of Earth.
The pacing, the characters and the dark chimera cleverness of the stories (and what they hint at - earth care - on the way to the end), as well as the moments of humor that act as a safety valve to some of the intensity; it’s just one of the greatest shows ever, in line and at the level of The Twilight Zone (the original) The way the cinematography makes large statements by saying nothing is effective, as well. A forest, clouds breaking up among the fir boughs; the characters walking behind a huge stump of a tree to show you the immensity of old-growth forest. There’s a lot of thought going into the episodic nature.
And last year when I was asked my favorite film, I went through the usual, I don’t know, too hard to pick language. But a few hours later after my subconscious worked on it I came up with X-Files, The Movie. My reasoning at the time was that it had truly lived up to the hype, had answered questions of the series, and made connections that went into the rest of the series.
Read the rest of this entry »
Big Stingray - AP PHOTO
There are a lot of things in the world that are just amazingly beautiful and awe-inspiring to look at. Sting rays fly through the water like the albatross of the ocean.
This one’s big. (And yes, if asked I will admit I’m stealing this photo for my blog.)
This photo released by the University of Nevada-Reno, shows American biologist Zeb Hogan posing with a giant stingray in the Mekong River after it was captured by a Cambodian fisherman near Kratie, Cambodia in April. Hogan, 34, who is also on a worldwide quest to find the largest freshwater fish, believes there is one out there that could take the title from the Mekong Giant Catfish, which currently holds the world record at 293 kilograms.
Link to where I found it, Eloy Enterprise / AP
The article at the aforementioned University of Nevada-Reno about Hogan. It’s a freshwater stingray, aka Himantura chaophraya.
Another article (PDF) about the search for the largest freshwater fish.
My First Craigslist Work Wanted Ad
It is what it is. Better than a lot of them who just say “I want a job.” In other words even though I am about as desperate I don’t sound that bad. And I have big skills to offer, even though they’re considered “junior” positions just for limited 18-months experience.
Have slight doubt about throwing my info out there, but how else?
Thank you for clicking on my post. I would love to make your company or department even better with my creative skills, good humor and pristine professionalism.
I am focused on client customer service to make them comfortable and overjoyed to work with me and you. My skills center around print-based graphic production and design abilities. I have my own Adobe CS software, as well.
Strictly because of budget cuts, I’ve been unemployed except for enjoyable freelance work for too long - five months - and would like to work my butt off for your company as soon as practical.
Please call or e-mail me with … any … full-time offer - no healthcare spam would be nice. I would be open to part-time work as well.
Go to http://templestark.com/portfolio for my work samples and my resume.
Thank you
Temple Stark
Talking My Next Cellphone
I’m trying to get a decent deal. I don’t really care about the latest and greatest. Sure, if I could afford it I’d probably go the iPhone route (though maybe not as AT&T is one of those companies that went merrily along in giving up its use records to the government, just because).
A deal, of course, is having someone else buy one for you and luckily my birthday is coming up. Having offered to buy me a present, I quickly settled it down to - a flat-screen monitor or a cellphone. Since the monitor would be a useful luxury - I’m doing layout on a 14″ ibook screen - frustrating as hell but livable - I fell on the side of the cellphone.
I want something that will give me unlimited text capabilities - because of Twitter and possible other applications and unlimited anytime calling. Anything else, bonus, but those two are very important.
Cricket! is the obvious solution in the Phoenix-area.
Carmen, my ex-girlfriend, has a Cricket phone and plan which I’ve been able to see in action and it’s given her no trouble. There’s been a happy lack of suddenly appearing charges.
The phone has coverage limitations but those aren’t a concern. Here’s what I found out, and this post is as much for my records as anything else: Read the rest of this entry »
Source Material: It’s All Cake
Ninth birthday. Party in the park. Mom baked cake with cream cheese icing. Cake stored for later. Dog came and licked off icing. Made it more memorable. Still don’t like dogs, not really.
Fed on blackberries all over the park instead.
And homemade ice-cream.
Step It Up
“Exploration is the first step to discovery, which usually starts at the second step.”
- Temple Stark, three minutes ago
A Tipping Point of Melancholy - Sweet Cello
I appear to have a long-standing fascination with the cello, and for some reason it re-established itself very recently - in just the past week.
Long-standing in the sense that about the first music I bought after we moved to England was Julian Lloyd Webber’s Variations on a Theme by Paganini - for violin (24th Caprice). (Written by his more famous brother). I have NO idea why. An excerpt of it was the music to The South Bank Show with Melvin Bragg. But I’m not sure I was into that program as a 12-year-old.
Even if that’s where I heard it I really have no idea what motivated me to actually walk down to the music store, next to the small store in East Croydon where they sold Cadbury’s Creme Eggs, something else I had just discovered, and buy it. Since I was new in England pretty much everything was a discovery.
I played that tape to death for a good solid month at least. I have it still, though haven’t played it in years, In fact I’d completely forgotten about it. Until earlier this week. On July 9 I started an article here contemplating a cello suite prelude.
And I found that piece because I remembered, though I’ve never sought to listen to classical music, I loved the sound of the cello. In searching, I found that prelude.
MELANCHOLY TIPS ITS HAT
The cello to me has warmth, and a deep bravado of listening purpose. The vibrations of its large strings resonate through each other and bring forward a sound that welcomes engagement.
With that same welcoming gesture of sound comes, too, a simultaneous push away. Read the rest of this entry »
