September 2012

And here’s David Sedaris in 2008:

I dont know that it was always this way, but, for as long as I can remember, just as we move into the final weeks of the Presidential campaign the focus shifts to the undecided voters. Who are they? the news anchors ask. And how might they determine the outcome of this election?

Then youll see this man or woman someone, I always think, who looks very happy to be on TV. Well, Charlie, they say, Ive gone back and forth on the issues and whatnot, but I just cant seem to make up my mind! Some insist that theres very little difference between candidate A and candidate B. Others claim that theyre with A on defense and health care but are leaning toward B when it comes to the economy.

I look at these people and cant quite believe that they exist. Are they professional actors? I wonder. Or are they simply laymen who want a lot of attention?

To put them in perspective, I think of being on an airplane. The flight attendant comes down the aisle with her food cart and, eventually, parks it beside my seat. Can I interest you in the chicken? she asks. Or would you prefer the platter of shit with bits of broken glass in it?

To be undecided in this election is to pause for a moment and then ask how the chicken is cooked.
I mean, really, whats to be confused about?

Undecided | New Yorker.com

September 27, 2012

A study from MIT found that small changes in the typeface design of in-car text (dashboard gauges, GPS screens, AC controls, etc.) could have actual consequences on the road.

How Better Typography Could Reduce Car Crashes

September 25, 2012

September 24, 2012

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The Lively Morgue

September 21, 2012

kottke.org

September 20, 2012

From Micael Lewis’s recent Obama profile in Vanity Fair:

“You’ll see I wear only gray or blue suits,” [President Obama] said. “I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.” He mentioned research that shows the simple act of making decisions degrades one’s ability to make further decisions. It’s why shopping is so exhausting. “You need to focus your decision-making energy. You need to routinize yourself. You cant be going through the day distracted by trivia.”

Vanity Fair: Obama’s Way

September 19, 2012

NYTimes.com: Neil Young Comes Clean

September 19, 2012

You gotta love Randy Newman.

September 18, 2012

The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

September 17, 2012

Use a lot of olive oil. Four tablespoons.

The Perfectly Fried Egg

September 12, 2012