Mass Media

Sometimes, a banner ad manages to catch my eye. This time, it was one from EnergyStar, the energy-efficient appliance certification people. Their ad features a “summer energy saving tip”, specifically to wash your clothes in cold water. I’ve seen this advice before and it always irks the hell out of me, because it’s an example of trying to reduce energy by not actually accomplishing the task you set out to do. Cold water simply does not dissolve soap as well as hot, or at least warm, water. Go grab a bar of soap and check out the difference in washing … Continue reading Temperature Matters

I also rewatched Big Trouble in Little China with some friends over the weekend, and it remains one of the funniest bad movies I’ve ever seen. It’s got some great dialogue, and beautifully cheesy effects. If you’re already a fan of this movie, check out the fan site The Wing Kong Exchange, particularly the huge sound files area. We also watched The Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, which is supposed to be funny in a similiarly bad way, and also has a strong cult following (see the Banzai Institute), but which I didn’t enjoy nearly as much. Sure, it’s … Continue reading Not Big Enough Funny