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Name that product
Recent bulletins from the world of commerce: cricket chips, bed-hair mousse. Cricket chips. From the 5/25/14 New Scientist (p. 14), “More legs, more flavour” by Hal Hodson, about crickets: These are...
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More holidays and anniversaries
Here in the U.S., it’s July 4th: Independence Day. So yesterday was, I suppose, Independence Eve. The 2nd was a notable anniversary, of the signing of the (U.S.) Civil Rights Act (of 1964, so that’s a...
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Today’s phallicity find
Seen on the streets of Palo Alto this afternoon, a van with this logo on the side: The company’s slogan is To Pour is Human, to Spritz, Divine From the company website: Since 1983 the Seltzer Sisters...
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Hybrid dishes and foodmanteaus
From the 7/12/14 Economist, this feature: “Matches made in heaven—and hell: What do you get if you cross a waffle with a doughnut? It’s no joke”, beginning: Not all marriages are happy, but Alex...
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Dubious disavowals?
It originally came to me through Chris Hansen on Facebook, in this remarkable two-part image: (#1) along with this story (by “Happy Gilmore”) from August 12th, reporting: Welsh Fried Chicken Brand...
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Blowout, sleaze
(Warning: This posting discusses gay sex in very plain terms and has images that are right on the X line — between X-rated and nominally for general consumption — but in recompense, there is some...
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Commercial playful morphology
In television commercials that recently came past me: yummify (and more) in a 5-hour ENERGY commercial; and waffulicious in an IHOP commercial. yummify etc. On this site, a commercial exhorting us to...
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Two from The Advocate
In the latest (Oct./Nov. 2014) issue of The Advocate (the glossy newsmagazine targeting an lgbt audience), two items with some linguistic interest: an ad campaign from Burger King choosing wording to...
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Bad to the Bone
Today’s Zits: Ah the young, failing to appreciate musical history! The video, with George Thorogood and the Destroyers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7VsoxT_FUY And the background, from Wikipedia:...
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Puns and their allies
It starts with today’s Zippy, with a punning title; continues with a Discover Card tv commercial for fraud protection (or frog protection); and ends with some bilingual play involving Nadia Boulanger....
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Slush Puppies
In the NYT on the 23rd, an obit by Paul Vitello, “Will Radcliff, 74, Creator of the Slush Puppie, Dies”, beginning: Flavored ice drinks had been around since the Romans, and machines had been churning...
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The plural of Miss Subways
In the current (10/27/14) New Yorker, an entertaining “Where Are They Now Dept.” feature by Michael Schulman, “Underground Beauties”, beginning: Long before Dr. Zizmor and Poetry in Motion, beauty on...
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Familiarity
Yesterday’s One Big Happy, in which Ruthie goes (as usual) with the familiar over the novel: (#1) Stovepipe hat (an unfamiliar expression for Ruthie) is transformed in Ruthie’s ears into Stove Top...
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Jeff Goldblum
(Not a death notice, but an appreciation.) An old Law & Order: Criminal Intent went by me this morning, with the tall (6′ 4″) and versatile actor Jeff Goldblum in the role of Detective Zach...
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Kicked in the mascot
Today’s Mother Goose & Grimm: The Mascots — Ronald McDonald, Colonel Sanders, Tony the Tiger, Yellow the M&M, and Cap’n Crunch — view their fallen teammate, Mr. Peanut, with dismay. On the...
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Burger King phallicity
From Jeff Shaumeyer, a picture taken at his local Burger King: Jeff writes: I’m not sure what they intended should ignite my tastebuds, but I am disinclined to believe that I am the ONLY guy who will...
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Lapkins
Thanks to Victor Steinbok, I know that there’s a Hater’s Guide to the Williams-Sonoma Catalog, 2014 edition by Drew Magary here. The company is an “Upscale chain offering high-end cookware, house-label...
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Telezippic communication
Today’s Zippy, in which our Pinhead fails at telepathic communication: (#1) And the diner is: the Main Street Diner in Plainville CT. Photo by Dave Williams on Flickr: (#2) From their website, complete...
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Audio-lingual meatballs
From dinner at Reposado (‘quiet, restful’) — an upscale and elegant Mexican restaurant in Palo Alto — on the 14th, albondigas (‘meatballs’): From the menu: Pork and beef meatballs, root vegetable...
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noseblind
A continuing ad campaign for Febreze air freshener and odor eliminator products warns us about noseblindness, The gradual acclimation to the smells of one’s home, car, or belongings, in which the...
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