Author Archives: MortarMark
June 3rd, 2008

This isn’t our intrepid LifeCyclers

The good news is that only one person was killed in this horrific accident (10 injured).

The bad news kinda’ speaks for itself.

Cyclistsmexico

Juan Campos, an American citizen living in Brownsville, TX, was charged with killing Alejandro Alvarez, 37, of Monterrey, Mexico.

Stay safe out there, people! And don’t freakin’ drink and drive!!!

No, not even a little.

June 2nd, 2008

And THAT’S Why You Always Use A Proofreader.

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This retraction brought to you by J. Walter Weatherman and the good folks at YesButNoButYes.

May 30th, 2008

Topless mermaid spreads tail fins to sell addictive substance – surprisingly few people offended.

Thanks to their company policy of ruthlessly buying out locally-owned coffee shops the world over, (RIP Caffe Espresso, 1993-2008,) Starbucks has a logo that everyone except, maybe, these guys, recognizes. So when they switched it up on us for a promotion, someone was bound to eventually make a comment of some kind, no matter what it was.

Of course it turned out to be the original Pike Place logo, slightly retouched to cover up the mermaid’s nipples. She was probably getting cold anyway. Despite Starbucks’ best efforts at modesty, some consumers couldn’t keep their perverted minds away from the fact that not only is she topless, but she seems to be holding her slimy tail fins wide open for whoever comes swimming by.

I actually thought I was the only pervert to notice… but as it turns out, a Christian group in San Diego called The Resistance (jerks. I wanted to use that one for something,) have also been unable to avert their gaze, and are causing a frothy stir in Starbucks’ new coffee promotion.

Not to defend Starbucks for anything, but after reading several articles mentioning The Resistance and their vendetta against a logo supposedly based on traditional Norse imagery, I went ahead and looked them up.  They have one of the worst websites I’ve ever seen in my life, and for all intents and purposes, seem to be no more than a thinly-veiled publicity scheme started by one guy to sell his book. I’m not even going to bother linking it… it’s so terrible. But I guess I have to give the dude some credit for managing to get his crappy book publicized by major news sources all over the world.

So excluding "The Resistance", I think the promotional logo seems to have gone over swimmingly. I prefer it.

Here’s some boobies:

Starbuckslogopre1987

Thanks BBC News, AdRants, and probably a couple other people I forgot.

May 29th, 2008

Brian Morel – Chemist, Copywriter, Bon-Vivant.

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Click the image for a peek at the answer key.

If this kid doesn’t pursue a career in chemistry, he may have one in copywriting.
School may be shaking his faith in humanity, but his answers to this exam – and the fact that his teacher gave him a 100 anyway – restores ours.
Anyone who can tie "kinetics" to "bow-chicka-wow-wow" is alright with us.
Pencils down!

Did we keep our eyes on our own paper? Yes But No But Yes. (But no.)

May 28th, 2008

In memoriam: Dunkin’ Donuts loses ad to fear of fear of terrorism.

That was not a typo. A recent Dunkin’ Donuts ad featuring Rachael Ray in a scarf that vaguely resembles a keffiyeh was pulled this week. Wacko – I mean – "conservative" commentators were criticizing the donut chain for… uh… somehow promoting terrorism.
I have three words:

W.      T.     F.

Dunkin052808

Check out the article in adage.