Extra Evil - The Ouroboros Diet

Today’s Fortune: Sell predictions to the gullible.

May 15, 2024

Newsreel

Trade war may join its more literal peers.

Wildfire season started. Get used to that.

Harvard tried words instead of batons.

Ukraine pledged to retake headlines.

An escaped French prisoner got six stars.

Google teased an AI trained on AI announcements.

Today's Mood

War Journal

Ah, Hades is back. There are many games where I die more. Hades let me take my Dad down with me every now and then. Whenever I’m not writing for you, I’ll be there.

I toned down the running last year, after some good advice from smart people. Not because of that advice, I haven’t learned anything about anything since 14. But they overlapped.

One of my old routes passed the MDC. A prison with optional heat. It’s a few blocks north of a hip mall with two quality comic shops—my favorite two, in fact. For a new flavor of guilt, find the oubliette next to your Wednesday haul. I saved some money on cape books: the MDC tells you the Flash should mind his business.

I had options, but I ran during vampire hours. My other route north tended to attract slow, pensive cop cars. Not every time, but once too often. Avoiding the MDC felt like the path to the MDC.

I still walk by. It reminds me of the score around here.

I’m flying away for a bachelor party. The content mill won’t stop, since I turn to stone without attention. But you might notice a dip in acrimony levels. Don’t worry, I’ll be nice and irate again in no time.

I did it! An entire journal without calling Shafik a punk. Except that sentence. And that one, by association. Just this paragraph. My next word on the topic will be more artful. In theory, that’s the job. I have at least two fun ideas.

Also, Shafik’s a punk.

The Present

Meet love’s commentary desk. [Exclusive Evil]

Praise IBM’s Thomas J. Watson, Lord of Treason. [1900HOTDOG]

I'm still convinced I dreamed this comic. [1900HOTDOG]

My Foamy recap has my favorite stinger image so far. [1900HOTDOG]

Everything Abridged has two perfect editions. [My Book]

The Past

I’m going to put out simple shorts like this more often.

The Future

Shooting a few arrows over the horizon. No idea if anyone will take them, but the experiment’s always worthwhile.

Not Brought to You By

I hear Bumble’s trying new ads. Since the love apps are all clones, I assume they copied the Match Group’s glurge.

They didn’t! They went for a fresh angle. Terrible idea.

Ah, op-ed bait. An American tradition. Just like telling people what to do naked.

Honestly, I see what they wanted. Bumble’s far enough behind that flipping the table makes sense. But edge should work with the pandering you’ve done for ten years, instead of daring your base to hit you. They might listen.

Or maybe a copywriter just heard “boysober” and felt old. Tracking trends can lead to insanity, and responding to them guarantees it.

Once, I wanted copy-led campaigns to make a comeback. I was very, very wrong. Most brands write with the clarity and grace of a presidential candidate.

Creativity: B-
Persuasion: D-
Sanity: D