Today is World Toilet Day, a day of awareness so people can reflect on their less fortunate counterparts who do not have access to proper sanitation facilities. I think it was invented by people who like to make bad puns. The organizers hope that this will lead many developing countries to make sanitation infrastructure their top priority, but I and many others would settle for it being number two [/rimshot]. People who visit the web site are encouraged to twitter their thoughts on the event, but frankly I don’t think that’s such a good idea. So if you’re having a party tonight and there’s an awkward pause just connect your laptop to your TV and celebrate with a mass viewing of 2G1C.
I really need to take up cycling. In Sweden.
From the “things you don’t hear about every day” dept. — a 50 year-old Swedish man has reportedly complained that while he was out biking he was pulled of his bike by a lady with tattoos on her arms who then proceeded to have her way with him. He also reports that the same unspeakable crime was committed again when he rode in the exact same spot the next day. And the day after that. And the day after that. In fact he’s so upset that if these incidents don’t stop within 6 months he’ll be forced to consider maybe changing his route.
Second Strike.
So, how do you repair your public image after an interview in which you praise Hitler? You blame the Jews for the financial crisis, that’s how. At least that’s how it works in Bernie Ecclestone’s mind. Seriously, this guy just doesn’t get it. But there’s a chance that something positive will fall out from this — I don’t see how he’s going to be able to remain at the head of the FIA for very long if he keeps up the Prince Philip act. Even now he’s had to cancel his personal appearance at the formal opening of this weekend’s German Grand Prix and who knows how many other races he won’t be welcome at.
Rules.
There aren’t many absolute rules to life; to each rule there seems to be an exception, with the notable exception of this one: if you’re a controversial public figure and an associate of Max Mosley, and you’re talking with reporters, you should never, ever say anything that even sounds like “Hitler was a man who could get things done.” In fact unless you’re a historian any discussion involving Hitler probably doesn’t belong in an interview. Can we at least agree on this?
Words fail me…
Maybe I wasn’t following the news at the time because I really would have remembered this, but earlier in the 2000s it seems that German industrial giant Siemens had plans to use the name “Zyklon” for a range of products that was slated to include gas ovens, which is incredibly tasteless considering the history of the company. Think about that for a moment. Were they going to use the swastika as a logo for this brand?..
How NOT to do public relations.
First, spot a blogger who finds a relatively minor, non-critical bug in your web site. Second, make sure some of your staff insult him personally and call him a liar, and make sure they do so from their office computers (read the comments on that first link). Third, have your PR department make a statement that bloggers are idiots and lunatics. Fourth… profit?
Ryanair seems like one place left in this world where PR men still enjoy their three-martini lunch!
A way to find Osama bin Laden
- Post simulated video of Osama bin Laden abusing a cat
- …
- Profit!
Weird videos file, continued.
To keep the streak of weird videos going, here’s one entitled Dancing Man Wearing a Horse Mask Cooks Wild Mushrooms. And you know what? It delivers on that title.
This is the weirdest video I’ve seen in at least a couple of days.
Unfortunately, no one can be told what this video is. You have to see it for yourself.
Some things you just can’t buy. For everything else there’s Amazon.com.
Amazon.com — the US version, not the scaled-down imitation you get in other parts of the world including Canada — is a pretty wonderful store, and although they’re famous as booksellers they’ll sell most anything. Including, and I did a double-take when I saw it, an artificial insemination kit for your pet. Now I’m not a pet owner or a pet expert, but really, shouldn’t you go to your veterinarian for this sort of thing?!?