For those alarmed at the news that we’ve cut 12% of our workforce, fear not. That’s the other AMD. We’re far too busy to let 1,400 employees go.

New York City in the 1950s.

Resourceful scientists have figured out how to use lasers to verify the quality of your Scotch—which is a good thing, considering that we likely can’t tell for ourselves.

Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

If you’ve traveled in the last few years, then you’ve probably completely ignored this illustration. It’s always included in the seat pocket right in front of you, in what’s called the Aircraft Safety Information Tri-Fold (maybe you ought to read it next time). This particular illustration is brought to you by Alaska Airlines. On a recent trip, I couldn’t help but notice a very subtle shoe embellishment (the guy third from the right in the bottom half of the image above). Clearly, one can’t say casual running shoe without a swoosh! Now that’s the power of a well-known brand.

posted by: CK Anderson  |  category: the design life  |  comments(1)

In a piece about the future of punctuation, Henry Hitchings mentions the unmentionable: that graphic designers might be at least partly responsible for our downward spiral.

I think he may be on to something. The graphic designers I’ve known don’t much care for hyphens, dashes, and semicolons—even apostrophes—all of which are employed by writers for clarity. You see, those ugly little symbols tend to muck up an otherwise pretty headline or logo.

When the designers win, the rest of us lose, as evidenced by the inability of most American adults to know how and when to use an apostrophe. Just think of all the possessive business names that lack one: Walgreens, Albertsons, Starbucks…the list goes on.

But then, without graphic design, nobody would read anything anyway. So I guess we’re going to just have to learn how to get along.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the writing life  |  make a comment

We don’t do a lot of movie reviews here at the last word. Unless, of course, they happen to be extraordinary. Such is the case with Never Let Me Go, a 2010 film based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Great acting and direction, gorgeous cinematography, and an understated yet supremely effective score by Rachel Portman—it all comes together to tell a story that’s both horrifying and achingly tender.

And somehow, Never Let Me Go manages to refrain from descending into the smug self-righteousness that’s so characteristic of recent Hollywood dystopian tales.

Be sure to give it a look-see. You’ll be thinking about it long after the credits roll.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  comments(2)

Here’s the list. Pretty basic stuff, really, but it’s surprising how many times I come across both the loose/lose and lead/led errors from folks who really ought to know better.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

It’s not often that our work is blessed by a priest. But recently, thanks to a project for Sacred Heart Medical Center, we enjoyed such an occasion. While we’re not sure of the Father’s exact words, we thought we heard him quote Ezekiel: “they have made thy beauty perfect.”

posted by: CK Anderson  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

J. Maureen Henderson offers up some thoughtful advice on the nuts and bolts of writing, a counter to the typical approach that, as she explains, is “like an article on getting rich that only tells you how to order champagne with élan, but doesn’t mention anything about how to make money in the first place.”

For what it’s worth, I’d be even more direct: Read. A lot.

It’s like jazz. It doesn’t matter how many theory books you consume, how many improvisation lessons you take, or that you’ve started referring to your friends as “hep cats”—if you don’t listen all the time to swing, bop, cool, and even fusion, you’ll never be a pro.

So. My advice to aspiring writers? Pick up a book. And when you’re done with that one, pick up another.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the writing life  |  make a comment