Archive for the ‘media’ Category
some dude’s transit plan »
Thursday, February 3rd, 2011
I should have no influence in whom you vote for. In fact, most of you aren’t even in Chicago, so it won’t matter, right? Anyway, Rahm Emanuel recently released his transportation plans and it’s notable for a couple reasons.
First, because it’s amazing that anyone is putting any attention toward alternative forms of transportation. The Republicans are complete idiots on this. With the recent bailouts, cars are now patriotic—trains (or, shudder, bikes) are not.
It’s a bold move but the second reason is even broader. The parts specific to biking are sort of awesome. (more…)
Skins is MTV’s death rattle but it’s still an icon! »
Friday, January 21st, 2011
“At one point, MTV wasn’t terrible. It was a cultural icon, in fact,” I will tell my grandchildren. When did it first become the rotting pile of teenage flesh that made your childhood weep, they will inquire (they are smart, attractive)?
Most of you would reply with “Jersey Shore.” (Of those, ninety percent are probably avid viewers.) Reasonable.
Others point to when the “music” ratio dropped below .05 hours of music videos for every two of reality shame. That’s hard to pinpoint. (more…)
what will it be worth? »
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
My father’s habit of listening to Clark Howard convinced me to snag a few podcasts. The man isn’t so much a financial guru as a commonsense voice. (Things like avoiding pyramid schemes or not using a computer if you’re old.)
He does tend to be thorough, though. Unfortunately, one he breezed over was the oft-repeated tale of how only a few hundred dollars invested early will make you a millionaire.
It goes like this: investing $2k every year from 16 years old to 21, you’ll have a million when you retire even if you don’t invest more. After so much depth in other areas, why is this never expanded to what that million will buy you? (more…)
corporate disappointment »
Saturday, October 16th, 2010
Did you hear about the Gap logo? This is obviously rhetorical. While not the first, last or most ridiculous branding fail, it is the most recent and hilarious.
Gap (in a fit of desperation) tried to rebrand with the doodles of a nine-year-old (I’m not clear on the details). The results were horrendous and everyone was talking about it.
To tap into this “discussion” (read: almost universal loathing of their dismal offering), they tried crowd-sourcing a new logo. This, predictably, turned the “discussion” toward how a multi-national, multi-million-in-profits company wanted free work.
They relented and are back to the same logo they’ve had since before time. (more…)
chicago’s finest, critically »
Saturday, June 26th, 2010
Note: There’s inappropriate language within. I’m sort of annoyed. This never happens.
The fuck? (A video of Chicago police holding down [assaulting?] a man after he photographed another incident of excessive force.)
Dear cops: We’ve had encounters in varying forms and I know most of you are just “doing your jobs” but this sort of thing is abhorrent (sorry… it means, basically, “shitty”). (more…)