December 2003

Brooklyn-based Satan’s Laundromat is one of the best NYC photoblogs available; I try to check it weekly. On December 19, however, Mike told a story that’s both harrowing and poignant.

Duke University’s Ad*Access collection compiles images from over 7,000 ads published in newspapers and magazines between 1911 and 1955.

Also of note on this site are the brief but informative history pages for each industry.

Although the archive covers radio and television and personal-hygiene ads in addition to transportation ads, it’s the images of train and airline advertisements that most interest me.

[via muxway]

In October, the FCC ruled that Bono’s use of the phrase “this is really, really fucking brilliant” during the Golden Globe awards did not violate federal laws prohibiting indecent programming.

The FCC’s reasoning was that Bono’s remarks were “fleeting and isolated” and did not “describe or depict sexual or excretory actitivities and organs.”

According to this ruling, the FCC has previously allowed the use of such words, used as insults, to stand, which I suppose means that under the current FCC regime, one could get away with calling the president a “cocksucker” on national television.

Even a cursory Google search will turn up page after page by conservative and religious groups incensed by this ruling. Perhaps in response, California Republican Doug Ose and Texas Republican Lamar Smith introduced a
bill in the House banning the use of such words.

It’ll be interesting to see where this goes. I’m sure the debate on this bill will be the very first time ever that any Congressperson has uttered the words cunt or asshole, so I’m happy to have them guiding the ship of American morality.

[via Metafilter]

I know you think your tight black leather pants make you look hotttt, but your bigass shopping bag from American Girl Place begs to differ. I know it’s Christmas and all, but dude…

American Girl?

EverythingNY asks: Bars to Close at 1:00?

I have another great idea! To save money, the MTA can suspend subway service from midnight to 5am!

…I think Heavy Metal Umlaut would be a great band name.

[via Things]

An interesting thread has sprung up on Metafilter about buskers in the New York subways.

So, if Gawker has covered Santacon, does that mean that Santacon is now played out or do we have to wait for AM New York to show up?

my little chicken