My daughter told me a joke the other day:

“Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“To.”
“To who?”
“To whom.”

Pretty good, right? Of course, you have to actually care about the distinction between who and whom to think it’s funny. Which brings us to this post over at The Economist‘s website, one of the points of which is that “[t]he unease over whom just makes people avoid it more.”

For you geeks out there, it’s who for subjects, whom for objects. But most of us don’t want to get all that involved with determining subjects and objects—including me. So I just stick to a rule I first learned from William F. Buckley, Jr.: follow a preposition with whom (to whom, by whom, for whom, et al.). Use who everywhere else. Seems to work.

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

One more post about Facebook, then I’m done. For reals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AkH2coBaQUQ

Try to watch this without laughing. Go on—I dare you. It’s a bit cheeky coming from a company that lost $50 billion in share value in a little over three months, don’t you think?

But what’s worse is the grandiosity of it all. Does Facebook really think it’s the only thing that stands between us and a “vast” and “dark” universe? “We make the tools and services that allow people to feel human, get together, open up,” explains head of consumer marketing Rebecca Van Dyck. C’mon. Who honestly believes that? (Besides Wieden & Kennedy, the ad agency that foisted this bombastic load of navel-gazing codswallop on us.)

The seriousness with which this company takes itself is mind-boggling. But I think it’s really just a larger symptom of the way in which agencies and design firms—and their clients—have come to fetishize brand. It’s not enough to have a billion people actively using your product (which in and of itself is a truly remarkable feat); no, you’ve got to get all metaphysical on us. Hey Facebook: You’re a social networking site. That’s all. Now, go earn your shareholders some money.

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

Should dictionaries tell you how language should be used? Or should they simply report on language as it’s actually being used?

While in general I prefer a prescriptivist (the “how” party) approach, it seems that there’s certainly room for compromise. Over at The Weekly Standard—in an article chock full of awesome word geekery—David Skinnner agrees, and reveals the “spirited prejudices” of both sides.

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

In a letter to his mother, T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) extolled the virtues of a good book:

“…if you can get the right book at the right time you taste joys—not only bodily, physical, but spiritual also, which pass one out above and beyond one’s miserable self, as it were through a huge air, following the light of another man’s thought. And you can never be quite the old self again.”

Hard to imagine him waxing so passionate about a Kindle.

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

Turns out eunuchs live longer than, um…non-eunuchs. Nineteen years, on average. Given that folks seem to have no problem whatsoever going under the knife to look younger—often with disastrous results—we wonder whether some men might choose a much simpler procedure to actually extend their lives.

And if it does catch on, a word of warning: you might want to avoid places like these.

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

It took Homo sapiens 200,000 years, but we’ve finally perfected breakfast: a cup of Cravens coffee and a still-warm flatliner from Donut Parade.

What’s the occasion? It’s Haley “The Hammer” Anderson‘s last day as AMD intern.

Normally, when someone like Haley leaves, you do something nice for her. Like buy her lunch or something. But The Hammer isn’t normal. No, she brought everyone treats this morning. And when you consider all she did over the summer—including yeoman’s work on our upcoming MAC exhibit—well…I’m not ashamed to admit that I get a little misty at the thought of her bidding adieu.

Farewell, Hammer. If my heart stops beating this morning, don’t you worry. It was totally worth it.

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

This is the most beautifully designed site I have ever seen. A fitting tribute to the 2,983 men, women, and children killed in the attacks of September 11, 2001—and the six victims of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

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

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