No Hello

Someone has made a single-serving site called No Hello explaining how you should not say Hello when texting.

As someone who runs a business relies on text messages, Please, just ask your question!


Seat-Slashing Scam

I found this story rather interesting. In the 80s, gangs of vandals were paid by an upholstery company to slash the seats on BART (San Francisco's rapid transit). The vandals had signature slashes so the company knew who to pay. This went on for years, with the contract price growing every year.

The little-told story about the BART seat-slashing gang that was part of an upholstery racket
Here’s the outlandish story of how a BART contractor was arrested on felony vandalism and…

The Amazing Fact Generator

I love random facts. For instance:

Robert Duvall, Dustin Hoffman, and Gene Hackman were roommates while trying to make it as actors.

Martin Scorsese and Robbie Robertson were also roommates — after they'd found success. They just liked each other.

The Nike Swoosh logo was created by a student. She was paid $35 for her work.

John Cazale was only in five feature films: The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Deer Hunter, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Conversation. Every one of them was nominated for best picture.

In some tropical countries, people put coasters on top of their drinks to prevent wall-climbing lizards from pooping in them from ceiling.

The shark in Jaws was named Bruce. It was named after Spielberg's lawyer.

There is no such thing as a Gin Martini. There is a Martini, which is made with gin, and a Vodka Martini, which isn't.

Those random facts are all off the top of my head. Many more random facts can be found with The Amazing Fact Generator.


Guillaume Simoneau — Between Glass and Steel

"Over almost a decade, Guillaume Simoneau has documented high school students from Lévis, Quebec, on graduation night, resulting in a series of formally posed portraits that belie the emotional and alcohol-fuelled chaos of the actual “bush party” event."

More on Simoneau's site.

I first saw Guillaume Simoneau's work yesterday: Untitled (Kanazawa 02), Ishikawa prefecture, Japan at the Bulger Gallery in Toronto. Stunning piece, which you can see below.

Untitled (Kanazawa 02), Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, 2017

People, Places, Things — Bulger Gallery

Lake Erie / Sarnia #2, Robert Burley,2022

Yesterday, after injuring my toe yet again, I hobbled over to the exhibit, People, Places, Things — Part II at the Stephen Bulger Gallery in Toronto. It was recommended to me by David Liss and it was great. There's a wonderful variety of work. Well worth a visit.

Portrait of Neil Young, circa 1969. Photographer Unknown
Motorcyclists at Lake Balaton, Gabor Szilasi, 1954.
[Manhattan Skyline], Nathaniel Lieberman, 1982-1986

Nicholas Kristof's Gift Guide


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