livingbrands

The wisdom of age

 

When it comes to the digital space, you can never be sure people are who they say they are. But let's take Margaret and Helen at face value, and accept that they are two American ladies in their 80's (as their blog FAQs say: Are you for real? Why is that so hard to believe? Now I know what Santa Claus must feel like). In which case, they have one of the must-read blogs when it comes to comment on the US election, coming as it does from such an unexpected source.

Here's a recent post on That Woman, repeated in all its glory (and there's more, so much more)...

I am surprised that some of you are up in arms about my calling Sarah Palin a bitch, or John McCain an ass or even George Bush a jackass. I read your comments about how I should be more respectable and not call Sarah Palin a bitch. Some of you are actually praying for me because I called John McCain an ass. In particular I am struck by the comments that suggest the problem with our country is that we can’t have an intelligent conversation to solve our problems without resorting to name calling like when I called George Bush a jackass.

Well this old broad is hurt. Clearly I didn’t start this blog to call Sarah Palin a bitch…or John McCain an ass… or even George Bush a jackass. I am so sorry if I have offended any of you. What was I thinking when I called Sarah Palin a bitch?

New rules:

I will stop calling George Bush a jackass when he stops calling me a terrorist: Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.

I will stop calling John McCain an ass when he stops calling Barack Obama a socialist at every dog and pony show on the Straight Talk Express tour.

I will stop calling Sarah Palin a bitch when she stops calling Obama a terrorist sympathizer. And I will stop calling Sarah Palin a bitch when she stops calling the parts of the country where I don’t live more Pro-American than the part of the country where I do live. And I will definitely stop calling Sarah Palin a bitch when she stops acting like a bitch.

I’m old enough to remember the Republican party of Barry Goldwater - when the party stood for fiscal responsibility, small government and personal freedoms. I remember when I could talk with friends about politics and just agree to disagree. And then religious nut cases decided that if you didn’t agree with them you were immoral. So they went and elected George Bush President so he could take the Republican Party from being a party full of respectable people to a party filled with asses, jackasses and yes - bitches like Sarah Palin.

I am tired of Rush Limbaugh suggesting that feminism is a dirty word. How hard did he fight to gain the right to vote? Or own property in his own name? Or get equal pay for equal work?

And I am tired of Sean Hannity suggesting I am un-American because I don’t think that war is the answer to everything. How many bullets has he taken defending his country in battle?

And I am tired that Sarah Palin can decide what she wants to do with her body but other women can’t make that decision for themselves.

NEW, New Rules:

If you are not for me, you are against me. I’ll get over it. Now kindly return the favor.

Oh…and one last thing. Elisabeth Hasselbeck is still a moron. There is just no way around that, Folks.

Thanks for stopping by everyone. I am doing fine. Thanks for asking. I mean it.

Snow in October

I know we Brits get a bit over excited by a spot of snow, but we had over 2 inches yesterday where I live…the first time the South East has had settling snow in October for 35 years. And though it didn't settle, the first time snow has fallen this early in London for 75 years!

Read into that what you will - more evidence of climate change, a symptom of the financial crisis, another reason why the US should vote for Obahma, or maybe the end of the world is just round the corner!

FutureScoping 79

Just to let you know, the latest edition of my trends newsletter is now out: "emerging trends, new ideas and general thought stimulation"...or so it says on the cover.

FutureScoping is now also available as an effective workshop technique, designed to maximise the number of great ideas generated with the minimum use of your valuable time.

The future: same as it ever was

Came across this when doing some research on trends. It's a documentary made in 1972, based around Alvin Toffler's Future Shock book, presented by Orson Welles, and handily split into 5 parts for Youtube consumption. This is part one...

The production values are obviously dated, as is the tone of Cold War era paranoia. But what's interesting are the points being made.

In the first part alone, we have the following: challenges of choice explosion and media/information overload (all those books, so little time - how quaint!), the impact of 'digital', the rise of impermanence/transience, the pressures to consume, the over-heating pace of life, the increase in mobility and lack of rootedness that comes with this, and the fact that children born into this world will know no different.

Sound familiar? The future - it's happened before.

Wassup? Change!

How to do engaging, culturally relevant political comment...

Fingers crossed for change on the 4th.

(Thanks to Amelia for the heads up)

10 things we didn't know before the 43rd week of 2008

1. Stars make noise.
2. Fast eaters are more likely to be obese.
3. 'Stink bomb' gas can control blood pressure.
4. Alan Bennett does not own a computer.
5. Peeling sticky tape emits X-rays.
6. Gay couples can't commit adultery.
7. Kate Moss's favourite drink is a vodka tonic.
8. Robin Gibb has never watched Saturday Night Fever all the way through.
9. Warm drinks aid friendship.
10. The Smurfs have sold more than 10 million albums in the last three years.

(Borrowed from the BBC)

Hello Dave

And while we're on the subject of Dave saying Hello, this always cracks me up...

A rather scary hello

There's absolutely no reason for this post, other than the fact someone sent me this.

It manages to take what was always creepy (teacher stalking a blind girl - what were they thinking!!), and make it even creepier...yet very funny at the same time.

Alternatively, it will completely pass you by (it certainly split the jury here - must be a good 'type of sense of humour' test).

So here we have Lionel Richie's Hello as sung by (what seem like) the League of Gentlemen's Papa Lazerou (it sags a bit in the middle, but stick with it to the end)...

Red Stripe bREDren

 

Just realised I forgot to mentioned the first fruits of our relationship with Diageo is out and about - a new campaign for Red Stripe back in it's Jamaican homeland...

As part of the campaign, we also produced the first advertising I can say I genuinely don't understand (much to everyone's amusement): a patois heavy radio campaign, which works very well apparently. Here's an example for you enjoyment. If you can get further than it being about dominoes, let me know.

10 things we didn't know before the 42nd week of 2008

1. Pets don't like divorces.
2. More than one in four commuters has bacteria from faeces on their hands.
3. The Queen has a gold Blue Peter badge.
4. Val Singleton not only had a fling with Peter Purves, but fancied John Noakes.
5. Prince Charles could have had a cameo in Doctor Who.
6. Men are most romantic aged 53.
7. The world's longest insect is 56cm long.
8. Sugar makes you a nicer person. But artificial sweetener does not have the same effect.
9. A spurtle is a spatula-like tool traditionally used to stir porridge.
10. The brains of obese people find eating less rewarding than brains belonging to other people.

(Borrowed from the BBC)