Chitlins, Whisky and Skirt

I want you to take one hand and cover your genitals because I'm going to be throwing a lot of stuff out there in this post and I don't want anyone getting hurt.   When you're ready, use your free hand to scroll down and view my latest notes:

• Always keep a notebook and a pen beside your bed.  I'm often amazed at how many thoughts come rushing to mind the moment after I put my head on the pillow.  Usually these thoughts are of things I should do tomorrow morning or should have done that day.

  
  

  Right now I'm using about two dozen blank index cards stapled together at one end with a BIC ball point pen clipped to them as my bedside notebook.  Not classy I realize but moleskins are expensive.

  

  The vertical lines are supposed to be staples

  The horizontal thing is supposed to be pen clipped to the index cards

  If I enrolled, I might be the first person in history to fail out of art school.

  
  

  Oh, and if you're going to have a notebook next to your bed you need to have a lamp that you can turn on and off while in bed so that you can see the notes you're taking.   

• The Hermes website is incredibly well done. Their site is rich in content, impressively animated and, in short, is a fantastic example of the type of user experience that all brands should strive for.  You can spend time "traveling the world of Hermes", as they say..

  
  

  

  Might there be a phallic symbol at work here?

  
  
• Computer Magic: If you happen to be running Windows XP, you might  try: CTRL + ALT + (arrow keys) for fun.  Heed Douglas Adam's advice: Don't Panic.  I'm sure you're smart enough to realize that CTRL + ALT + Up Arrow will get things back to normal.
• Wall outlets with built-in USB plugs make me happy.  I hope to see more of them.

  
  

  

  I'd put it in there.

  
  

• “Sectec Astronomy” is the name of the phony business that turns out to be an anagram for “Too Many Secrets” also “My Socrates Notes” and “Monterrey Bay” in the movie Sneakers.  This would be a clever reference to toss into future fiction writing
  
  
  

  

  Look Bob, we really can find semen everywhere in your house!

  
  
• Sounds like Nostalgia: “Chitlins, Whisky and Skirt” is the name of the band that originally performed “Increased Chances”, the haunting tune with twisted lyrics that plays in the famed Full Throttle game from Lucas Arts.  Here is the song on YouTube:

I imagine that the genre of this song could, perhaps, be described as Serial Killer Country.  

• Adding metal/ wire mesh to make opaque doors on the front of a bookcase or cabinet might look good

• Fundraising for the National Monuments in Washington, DC is interesting, e.g. the fact that the WWII Memorial was a joint effort of Senator Dole and Fred Smith, CEO and founder of FedEx (and a military supporter by all  accounts) is interesting to me.

Transportation money can buy a lot of fountains

• Quote I saw recently: “If you are not seated at the table, you're on the menu.”  

Seed of an Idea: Websites could provide a rating system on the home page to describe the level of objectionable material in their content.

The rating system I propose could be humorous, i.e. this site is not suitable for your Mother, anyone over the age of 18 (or something actually funny) or it could be done in a more serious way with just a breakdown of the ages the material would be appropriate for.  

If you're going to create a rating system for comedic effect, be specific.  A number of websites have already adopted the Not Safe for Work (NSRW) label but this only lumps all objectionable content into one great big pile.  As anyone that has been online for any length of time knows, the depth of images, text and video depicting porn and gore stretches downward from bare butts and paper cuts near the surface to the most depraved things imaginable waiting at the depths of a massive underground cavern that is constantly being filled with this material like the nuclear waste storage facility America keeps putting off building.  I'd suggest that trying to more accurate in labeling content.  For example, NSFW Unless Your Co-workers are:

• Appreciative of the female body

• Stoners

• Known for their wandering eyes when joining others using the urinals

• Not squeamish at the sight of blood

• Also into animal sacrifice

If someone is going to be serious about setting up such as system, the rating systems used on video games and films could be used as a starting point.  Also, there are already a number of different services out there that keep children from visiting sites with objectionable content which would be good to research.

Here in America I've heard some radio stations bleep out the word "sex" in Rhianna's "S&M" song.  While visiting Europe, I saw full front nudity during a TV commercial.  Working out a serious international content rating system that takes into account the widely varying mores around the world would take some effort.   

If you happen to be the one that nurtures this seed of an idea and comes up with a globally recognized standard for rating content based on reading this post, be sure to send me a check or at least give me an honorary position on your Board of Directors.

TL;DR: It's tough for me to summarize random thoughts.  You might try skimming the words in bold.


You may now safely continue to browse the internet with both hands.