February 7, 2012
HAVE YOU NOTICED how many firms are changing their identities lately? JCPenney is now known as JCP. Qwest is calling itself "CenturyLink." And Comcast has morphed into "Xfinity." Personally, I don't care for this trend. For one thing, it boggles my brain. Secondarily, some alterations don't make anything clearer; to the contrary, they tend to confuse -- i.e.: "Xfinity" sounds like a division of Victoria's Secret, not a communications conglomerate. Thirdly, some modifications flat out are for the worse, e.g.: It's no longer, "I'm going to J.C. Penney's." Now it's, "I'm headed to JC Pee!" Call me old-fashioned, but I preferred the original signage...
THE "NYMWARS" BETWEEN FACEBOOK & GOOGLE + is the subject of an engrossing article in ADWEEK Magazine. Author Ki Mae Heussner, who once worked for ABC News, says that to use or not to use a real name is not always a user's prerogative but that maybe it should be. She mentioned a study which sustains that “identity is prismatic. There are many lenses through which people view you. Google + and Facebook would have you believe that you’re a mirror, but in fact, we’re more like diamonds." Incidentally, the world's #1 search engine was created in 1996 under the name "BackRub." Larry Brin and Serge Page's technology went on to revolutionize the search industry, renaming their business and technology "Google" in 1998....” OUR EGALITARIAN EMPRESARIO 'Clark Williams,' is back from the U.S. Virgin Islands. We crossed paths at Van Mall the other day. He said it was 78 degrees under mostly clear skies in St. Thomas on Feb. 2. He showed me a two-for-one voucher for lunch at HomeTown Buffet. He got it after complaining about a takeaway container which burst open on Thanksgiving. So over some Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken he called my attention to an article detailing the testimony of Cindy Zapotcky [Executive Director of the Washington Conservative Coalition] before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco regarding Washington State Proposition 8 (the same-sex bill) which was in his E-mail when he returned: "For us Christians, this is a Jonah Moment," he intoned. "The truth is, if you vote for this measure, you will be endorsing unhealthy sexual practices that are an abomination. Just as President Bill Clinton gave permission to an entire generation for oral sex by his actions, as leaders of this state, you will be approving of homosexual sex by voting for this bill." As I savored some German Boiled Cabbage, he continued reading the message: "Don't do it, please. The repercussions of such a vote will be catastrophic for our children. I am submitting four items: A letter from 39 religious leaders asking you not to do it, and a treatise by Dr. John Diggs regarding the graphic dangers of gay-type sexual practices for homosexuals as well as heterosexuals. I am also submitting an article from the Spokane Spokesman-Review regarding oral cancers linked to the HPV epidemic. Lastly, I am submitting into testimony the Book of Genesis, which defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman." We had some Butterscotch Brownies for dessert. I also reminded him that the bill in point passed by a vote of 28-21 in the State Senate. He nevertheless maintained that "Marriage Licenses" are inappropriate. In his opinion, the GLBT community ought to be issued "Same Sex Permits." He looked ahead to a referendum on the matter. I squeezed some trans-fat free creamer into my coffee as I thanked him for the postcard from St. Croix...
