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Peer Review
Fri Feb 10 10:29:28 Are you an aspiring writer who wants a review of a chapter/idea/query letter, but lacking heartless honest friends or family up to the task? Try the Crapometer, if you dare.

Via the fabulous Miss Snark who will spare no feelings in advising you on all matters related to finding and keeping an agent.

Drawing Conclusions
Thu Feb 16 08:47:10 Seventh-graders draw and write about scientist, visit Fermilab, then repeat. Result? Scientists have a lot less hair sticking out of the sides of their heads, and apparantly all buy their clothes at Sears.

Discussion here and here.

Roses of the Prophet Muhammad
Fri Feb 17 08:55:11 When you are deep in the process of hating a country, even the mere mention of their name in an entirely different context can cause the insecure great unrest. Behold the power of words!

Thus, Republican lawmakers decree that French Fries shall be known as Freedom Fries. In Iran, Danish Pastries become Roses of the Prophet Muhammad.

Who knew they would have so much in common?

Meanwhile, regular people just want to eat:

"I just want the sweet pastries. I have nothing to do with the name," homemaker Zohreh Masoumi told the sales clerk taking her order.

Could you serve an entire meal made up of such name-changed food? Roses, Freedom Fries, Victory Cabbage... what else?

Hidden Apple Poetry
Fri Feb 17 09:09:31 Apple hid this bit of poetry inside OS X: 

Your karma check for today:

There once was a user that whined
his existing OS was so blind,
he'd do better to pirate
an OS that ran great
but found his hardware declined.

Please don't steal Mac OS!
Really, that's way uncool.
(C) Apple Computer, Inc.

Score: 10 out of 10 for style, minus several million for thinking you can rhyme "great" with "pirate".

Are You a Biting Koala?
Fri Feb 17 11:47:46

Or perhaps a Cliffhanger? Evany Thomas deciphers The Secret Language of Sleep. As seen in the NY Post.

As someone who provides both Bubble Tea and Noodle readings, I demand my book deal :)

Pop Media
Tue Feb 21 20:53:28 If traditional publication channels are not your thing, get in on publishing via the vastly superior beverage distribution network. I foreshadow all types of synergy ahead, very little of it good.

Curious George
Wed Feb 22 15:31:58 If there was a rating system for adapting a beloved children's story into a movie, Curious George would be at the high end of the scale (with Cat in the Hat occupying the very lowest point).

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see Curious George become common slang to describe an adaptation done extremely well ("See that new movie? Totally CG'd it").

As if sensing the extreme skepticism towards messing with the classics, the first three minutes of the film dedicates itself to setting your mind at ease. It sets the tone for the movie while sending the message "we know what we're doing this time. relax. we brought it special Delightful Consultants." Once that is done you can sit back and enjoy the rest of the movie.

It is a children's movie that doesn't worry about the adults who may be watching. However there are a few bits and pieces that fly by that most kids won't appreciate (some dialogue, I suspect, ad-libbed by David Cross & Will Ferrell; an animal control yellow pages ad that includes "salmon" in the list of pests it handles). And Jack Johnson's music is a nice match. Funny, though, that for so many people, this is the first they have heard of him!

If I had to complain about something it would be that the Dole product placement was very un-artfully handled (in return, you'll find Curious George stickers on bananas). I've been impressed with the Dole Product Placement Team ever since they got high-visibility placement in SEGA's Super Monkey Ball. There was also product placement from Volkswagen, but it was a bit less in-your-face.

Go see it! Bring a kid! You'll have a good time.

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