Kinetic Loop

For Laura Albert, life without JT LeRoy
“Milch was stern. Shut your mouth, he told Albert. Quit this sick behavior. Disengage. Forget the press. Go home. Be still. Get healthy. Raise your child. And pray that you can write. He then reached in his pocket and gave Albert five crisp hundred-dollar bills.” Just when you thought you couldn’t love Milch any more than you already do…

Japanese Packaging Design #3: Gifted With Beauty
These examples (including business trip souvenirs) of Japanese packaging make you wonder (yet again) why Western packaging still sucks so much in comparison. Consider the opening process: “The transition from one mood into another - from attraction to anticipation to surprise to delight - is handled with attentive care.” And the writer throws in a relevant Barthes quote.

Dunkin’ plans aggressive expansion
To spur their plan, the donut chain will exercise eminent domain, as delegated by various states, to run so-called “donut lines, integral to the security and infrastructure of the country,” throughout the western U.S.

Adverbs are on the retreat in Modern English. The band has been swearing off adverbs for almost two months now, and intend to use gerunds as frequently as possible until they can get another gig.

A hotel alarm clock that works? What a concept
Wherein the article writer and her husband are flummoxed by the alarm clock in their room at the Palmer House Hilton.

Minks freed from cages, farmers give chase
“Farmers and other locals were chasing thousands of minks let out of their cages at a fur farm in western Finland early on Friday by suspected animal rights activists.”

Shaolin monks deny online tale of ninja that bested them, demand apology
“China’s Shaolin Temple has demanded a public apology from an Internet user who claimed a Japanese ninja beat its kung fu-practicing monks in a showdown, a lawyer said Friday.”

From the immensely amusing Uncle Fun:

It’s off the ground (on Wacker):

From the brown line train:

Bucking a trend, Netflix adopts personal touch in U.S. call center
“Netflix set up shop [in Portland] a year ago, avoiding other lower-cost places in the United States and overseas, because it believed that the Oregonians would present a friendlier voice to its customers. Then last month, Netflix took an unusual step for a Web-based company: it eliminated e-mail based customer service inquiries.” And “Some people do not own a computer and call on a regular basis to have a call center employee rearrange their waiting titles.” Sheesh, really? Considering how obsessive I am about our Netflix queue (I am the keymaster), I would probably drive someone insane if I had them do it over the phone.

New boss at Eddie Bauer lays out a turn-around strategy
“Fiske also said the company needs to do a better job of merchandising its products in stores by having better displays that draw shoppers to higher-end products.” Some unsolicited advice, Fiske: candy and monkeys.

The Near-Fame Experience
“With shows like Project Runway and Top Chef, the Bravo cable channel skillfully packages the fantasy that gifted amateurs can break into the big time. But make no mistake: It is a fantasy.”

Blows Against the Empire: The return of Philip K. Dick
“The SF writer sees not just possibilities but wild possibilities. It’s not just ‘What if’—it’s ‘My God; what if’—in frenzy and hysteria”

Elizabeth Murray, 1940-2007
“Murray would turn out to be a brilliant synthesizer, blending influences from Stuart Davis, from Picasso and Miro, and from the comic strips she loved as a kid. She didn’t care if her inspirations were high or low, so long as they got her where she wanted to go.”

Vending machines of Japan
via Coudal Partners

Lifelounge has updated their 22 Flavours project, and the release date for the tees is, um, nigh. Nigh-ish. Not to be confused with Bill Nighy. Via Juxtapoz.

Biting monkey ordered out of city
Suri, a 1-year-old capuchin monkey, gained a lot of attention last Wednesday after he bit a 21-year-old woman on the thumb around 1 a.m. at the State Street Brats beer garden. It took police until 2 p.m. Wednesday to corral the animal.

Monkey makes second escape from Miss. zoo
“This is Oliver’s third escape. His first was about six years ago.”

Will No Cage Hold Him? Monkey Again Escapes Zoo
“Usually he will come to you. We tried chips, candy, Froot Loops, anything. He wasn’t ready to give up.”

Monkey in Russian zoo refuses to pose, snatches phone cameras
“A Japanese macaque monkey in a Volga Region zoo insists on protecting its “family” from nuisance visitors by snatching away their cell phone cameras, a deputy zoo owner said Thursday.”

Welcome to Tomorrowland! (The lobby of the Hyatt Regency):

The bar area. I’m sure that huge martini draws them in (no, really), and I’m sure that at least one conference-goer ends up on top of it every night:

This hallway, lined with various tourist destination window dressings, reminded me of The Shining:

Try our new oatmeal pizza: