False Advertising
While I was sipping my, um, afternoon coffee and reading my new book today I saw a sign on the neighboring Wendy's restaurant promoting their Homestyle Chicken Strips. The image was obviously crafted by a gifted food designer: golden brown, lovingly placed next to the available dipping sauces. Nice little Photoshop glow around the food with the following tag:

Pure Chicken Satisfaction

From this we can reasonably assume one of the following:

A) Wendy's marketing crew is full of shit and there are actually a lot of chickens out there who are pretty pissed off over the whole situation.

-or-

B) Wendy's has found an enclave of seriously unhappy chickens that enjoy, and feel they deserve, this kind of abuse.

The omnipresence of the Foster Imposters on the California airwaves justs helps to muddy the situation.

Just who are these enigmatic chickens and what kind of sick and twisted darkness lurks behind their happy clucking?

No Call List
Telemarketers should be considered weapons of mass destruction.

Dormant
If you have ever been to my website you will know that I have been reading Manufacturing Consent for an unreasonably long time.

Well, today I finally finished it. A fascinating, albeit not terribly fun, read, the book has left me with thoughts to chew on that are strangely appropriate for the times considering our war in Iraq and the threat of continued media consolidation. An excerpt:

"In essence, the private media are major corporations selling a product (readers and audiences) to other businesses (advertisers). The national media typically target and serve elite opinion, groups that, on the one hand, provide an optimal "profile" for advertising purposes, and, on the other, play a role in decision-making in the private and public spheres. The national media would be failing to meet their audience's needs if they did not present a tolerably realistic portrayal of the world. But their "societal purpose" also requires that the media's interpretation of the world reflect the interests and concerns of the sellers, the buyers, and the governmental and private institutions dominated by these groups."

"The media are indeed free—for those who adopt the principles required for their "societal purpose."

I am finally starting in on a new book, one that would please BitterTree to no end I'm sure: The Death and Life of Great American Cities.

If I can find my way out of a persistant malaise that seems to be going around then I may put all this information to good use. I simply don't have the energy or desire for new creative endeavors at this point.

"Plastic asks nothing else of you except pretense. It is what all true art is--pure surface. It has no depths and it wants none. Nor is it pretentious in any manner. It never asks for sacrifice. In fact, it never asks for anything. Thus, it has integrity."

---John Fahey (via Trevor Dunn)

Kablooey!
After remaining dormant for over a month (a kindred spirit I think), Sam over at explodingdog has posted another chapter in his series of amusing, and often brilliant, drawings.

I encourage you to Send him an email or even just
buy something from him. The site is a treasure.

Other inspired animations...
Slow Wave and Gaping Void

A Message From MoveOn.org

Dear friend,

If you're concerned about a few big companies controlling our country's
access to news, information, and entertainment, please join me in
letting Congress know now.

Later this week or early next week, the Senate will likely take up its
last major vote on media reform, and it'll be very close. After a
grassroots groundswell tipped the balance toward rolling back the FCC
rule change that would allow greater media concentration, lobbyists
from big media conglomerates have been working around the clock to tip
it back.

On Wednesday, MoveOn.org will be holding a crucial press conference
with Senator Dorgan (D-ND) and Senator Snowe (R-ME) and groups across the political spectrum to highlight the broad opposition to the FCC rule change. MoveOn needs to show that over 100,000 people have voiced their demand that the Senate vote to roll back the rule change. Please help us reach 100,000 signers by this Wednesday -- you can join me in signing at:

http://www.moveon.org/stopthefcc/

Together, we can make sure that America's media is diverse,
competitive, and balanced.

Thanks.

Burning With Optimism's Flames

XTC thought of that line before me, but I guess that's why people really like XTC. They found a way to make art that was relevant to people they have never known. It's relevant to me and I've never even listened to them. But it captures the way I am seeing the world lately.

Lately I have been astounded by people's creativity...by the unique and unrepeatable details that make each day unlike the ones that preceded it. Things like freestyle walking...or weird flash movies.

I've been seeing it in blogs. I saw it in a movie last week.

I heard it in one of the most remarkable stories I've run across in some time.

I see it in the strangest man I have ever met.

I continue to see it in Tony who sees it all around him every day.

Xeni helped me see it at Burningman.

This guy must be seeing it pretty damn good...in fact, maybe even better than he used to, despite the circumstances.

And amidst all of this wonder came the news that a close friend's dad has prostate cancer.

And I'm hoping that all of optimism's flames can burn it all away.