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Controversial Report on Graphic Design

Perhaps truer words in my field have not been spoken. Too bad John Stossel is actually a total cocksucker.

UPDATE: More on the scourge of Comic Sans, though the article mistakenly says Vincent Connare apologizes for Comic Sans.

Still Looking for Writers...

There's still room in my new website project.  if you're interested.

OPEN THREAD THURSDAY

On time, for once.

SOS' S.O.S.

Theodore Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in mediating the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War. As any barely literate consumer of popular biographies who has read Edmund Morris' Theodore Rex knows, this mediation was successful because Teddy did a positively bang-up job in remaining completely fucking neutral. In years gone by, some American Presidents have been successful beyond all expectation in presenting themselves as neutral arbiters of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (remarkable because they were never neutral). Now, of course, there isn't even the slightest snowflake's chance in hell that America can play any role in the current Israeli/Hezbollah/Lebanon rocket-pong-match other than as Israel's sugardaddy/muscle. So why is does anyone listen to what Condi Rice has to say on the subject? All the cameras and scribblers should head on over to where the real decisions are being made: The Pentagon.

Did Condi Rice do anything as Bush's foreign policy advisor? Of course not. She was AWOL during the run-up to our idiotic invasion of Iraq. Or rather, she was a consummate quacking yes-broad (Colin Powell redefined the job description during his appearance at the U.N.). What has been her legacy so far as Secretary of State? Squat. It's devolved into a useless office that holds no sway over any power whatsoever – foreign or domestic. In fact, the office of Secretary of State has become as irrelevant to America and the world as the right-wing lunatics believe the U.N. has become (or perhaps always was). Maybe if they outsourced public education to The Pentagon too they could finally do away with the much reviled Department of Education. Or the EPA. Or every other coddling little Marxist freebee atheistic secular shitpile giveaway.

The demise of American diplomacy is a fait accompli. Just ask little Ricky Santorum:

Santorum is a cosponsor of the Iran Freedom and Support Act, which would support pro-democracy groups in Iran and punish countries that contribute to that nation's nuclear program. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice opposes the legislation because it would hamper her ability to negotiate alongside U.S. allies.

"I think the diplomats have it wrong," Santorum said.

Eventually, the United States will have to "ramp up" actions against Iran because negotiations will not be fruitful, he said.

How can little Ricky so brazenly dismiss the Secretary of State? Well, because she abdicated her office a long, long time ago.

ADDENDUM: More of what I'm talking about here and here.

OPEN THREAD THURSDAY

Sorry, kids.

Since Kelly is turning this into a website for videos for some reason...

Here's Ze Frank showing you exactly why I, Arlo Guthrie, refuse to have a page on MySpace:



the show with zefrank

Rare Video of Arlo's Childhood Discovered

Pay No Attention

From assrocket over at Powerline: "...a cease-fire seems premature, as Hezbollah's capabilities are not yet sufficiently degraded." Who the fuck do you think you are? Capabilities to do what? How the fuck would you know how "degraded" they are? What are your "capabilities" as a judge of what is "sufficient" when it comes to blowing shit up? Warmonger. Lover of death. Pretentious asshole.

Dance Like You Mean It

Weee!!!

There Will Be No Joking Allowed

Opening ceremonies for the Gay Games commence tomorrow night at Soldier Field in Chicago. It's vital that the city extend a warm welcome to all the gay, lesbian and bi-curious athletes. Although Chicago is, to put it mildly, a city that loves sports, the coming week will be an opportunity for Chicago to show the world that sometimes it's not who wins or loses, or even how the game is played, but rather who is playing the game that makes all the difference. Or not. I don't know. What's the point of the Gay Games? Are they just another amorphous "celebration" of gayishness? Does anybody care who wins the sporting competitions, or is this just political theatre? I'm a little confused about the whole thing.

OPEN THREAD THURSDAY

Enjoy.

Wow, I Totally Know a Guy who was On that Train!

My friend Jeremy was on the car that derailed on the Blue Line yesterday. Read his journal entry about the ordeal.

Thank God you're okay, Jeremy.

Syd Barrett 1946–2006

Shine on, you crazy diamond. Moment of silence for Syd Barrett.





























(The discussion started here.)

I'm Still Here

Don't click on this.

New Website Project with a Place for You!

I'm developing a new web project with a tentative launch date of January 1, 2007. The idea is still in its infancy, but I'm at a point where I get it and am ready to take the plunge.

If you're half-way intelligent, think you write fairly decently, and are willing to commit to writing at least one 1,000-word piece at least once per month, email me. Let me know what topic(s) you would be interested in writing about. If you have a writing sample, send it along.

This project will be advertising and merchanidse supported, so there may even be some pocket money for you. 

OPEN THREAD THURSDAY

Time flies when you're working hard.

Kenneth Lay 1942–2006

No moment of silence. Just, y'know, whoa.

Three Centuries of Ephemera

To wish our grand country a happy birthday (and to satisfy my lust for typography) I present the Library of Congress' An American Time Capsule: Three Centuries of Broadsides and Other Printed Ephemera. (Via Coudal.)