Bad Listener.

So besides being really bad at consistently updating my site, I'm apparently also terrible at reading what people think of my posts. To your left you'll see the links for what's been written recently, and among them is something about Playboy's Miss July 2004: Stephanie Glasson. If you click on it and read the comments, you'll notice that Ms. Glasson took the time to respond, which I mention here for three reasons. First, she googled her name and AJ4A was one of the sites that came up, so that's a good sign for AJ4A.
Second, she asked if I was a fan of Tool. That would be yes, Stephanie, as my friends, family, and, sadly, really anyone I've ever met can tell you. They've always been my very favorite band. It's just one of those things- their stuff spoke to me when I was in middle school and the music has just had an effect ever since. What can I say? I'm a total geek when it comes to them and there's nothing I can do about it. Anyway, I've added a link to their homepage to the list on the left.
Third, and absolutely foremost, she's a playmate so of course I'm going to publicize the fact that we had an exchange, albeit brief and electronic. I may prefer music about biomechanics and Jungian theory, but I'm still a guy, and for the most part I'm just like all the rest of them. Thanks for writing Stephanie, if you get to meet Adam Jones before I do please don't tell me.

Finally, a new advertising low

I'm catching up on all the ad news this week, as I've been out of the loop for the last little bit. I'm not crazy about anything that's out there right now, that is until I came across a blurb about the advertising being done for Elle MacPherson's Intimates line of lingerie. What is the lowest, most base, most egregious over-stepping of moral boundaries you could think of for a TV commercial? Would it be, say, two lingerie models having a knife fight? Because that's what Elle's ad agency The Glue Society has brought us. You can't see the full spot at Elle's site, but you get the idea. Click here and get ready to be appalled. Or delighted? I really can't make up my mind. At first I'm repulsed because, surprisingly, I actually do not enjoy graphic, realistic violence in film. But what I do enjoy- perhaps my guiltiest of pleasures- is advertising that I know other people think is evil and completely misguided. I need to meet these creatives. What are they trying to communicate? How did they get Elle to agree to align her product with gratuitous, obviously offensive violence? I think what I like best is that despite the offensive content, online critics are being drawn in because of the exceptional filmmaking that went into the spot. I think that's my favorite sort of television commercial: completely offensive but so well made that you just can't help yourself. So well made you forget that you're being pandered to. This one isn't that clandestined, but it's a good example of art that hurts. Hey how about I post some pictures from my trip? You'd like that, wouldn't you.

Live from Amsterdam

Just got into Amsterdam; layover from Geneva on my way back home. Pictures and some interesting stuff from trip coming soon. Anyway, just wanted to announce that this airport is the best on the planet. Every kind of shop you can imagine, tons of mcdonald's, bars, computer centers, duty-free shops, massage parlours, and a casino. Once again, we are proud to announce that the Amsterdam airport has GAMBLING. I'm going to try and pretend I hadn't just discovered this. Also, I'm sleepy.