Short Takes
January 14, 2011
The President Called For A New Civility, So I’m Canceling Sprint
You gotta start somewhere. I started here.
January 10, 2011
Dept. of Nepotism: Good news — she’s really talented
When my niece graduates from Stanford this spring, she knows exactly what she wants to do next: sustainable fashion. Huh? That doesn’t mean recycling potato sacks into evening dresses — Irys much prefers to use discarded scraps of fabric. May I brag: She was not only in a New York Times fashion spread over the weekend, she styled the photos of Stanford’s other cutting edge designers. She’s even got an agent — me.
January 10, 2011
Sign on to Head Butler’s weekend gig: ‘Sign Off’
New York is Media Central, and that’s the problem — we’re inundated with information. One solution: a curator (the Head Butler idea). Happily, some smart friends have created Sign Off (The Last Email of the Day). On weeknights, they give you short takes on 3 important news stories you may have missed, 3 biggies coming up tomorrow, and 3 suggestions for insomniacs. Weekends? These clever lads have engaged me to do a Friday night “weekend edition.” Useful? Fun? Surprising? All of the above. I’m psyched. Subscribe here.
January 10, 2011
You, the night, the music: Steinway for sale
Vertical walnut Steinway, model F, Louis XV style. Purchased at Steinway Hall NYC 1965, one loving owner in Teaneck, New Jersey. Written appraisal done by Steinway technician in July 2010 with today’s replacement value: $25,300. Our price: $3,500.00. Contact jdknyny@yahoo.com.January 2, 2011
If you’re an asshole, Sprint’s for you
I am a connoisseur of stupid commercials, but the holiday Sprint commercial stands knees and ankles below the dumbest. The set-up: two neighbors, one standing in front of his holiday-lit house, one — Mr. Asshole — standing in the street. Mr. A has just texted that his neighbor’s house is an eyesore. And he has just e-mailed that his neighbor’s holiday card is ho-ho-rendous. For the neighbor, what was said is all that matters. Mr. A only cares that Sprint gives him one low price for lots of features.
This ad tells us that Sprint cherishes customers who are socially inept and pathologically hostile — or, to put it simply, assholes. We currently use Sprint. But we get the message: our personalities are too good for this carrier. So…we’re outta there.What asshole approved this disaster?
