http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder Moments in an imaginary age Sun, 05 Feb 2006 01:42:09 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Last time I checked, Western Union was still delivering telegrams, albeit with the distinct air of just going through the motions. But no more: The final telegrams were dispatched on Jan. 27, 2006. “Discontinuing this service completes our transformation into a financial services company.” Those are the words of Victor Chayet. Mr. Chayet, ... http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2006/02/04/western-union-sends-its-regrets/ I took some test/ Says I’m an Existentialist Sometimes considered a negative and depressing world view, your optimism towards human accomplishment is immense. What humans could accomplish. http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2005/10/16/humanity-sure/ The new search engine Rollyo allows you to search your own hand-picked list of reliable sites (or unreliable sites, if you’re a deadbeat in search of community). I’ve wanted just this sort of filtering tool—a “trusted sources” search—for a very long time. I can hardly wait for the promised bookmark-import feature. First ... http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2005/09/29/narrow-your-search/ Letting go is hard. On the web site of Target Corp.—the former Dayton-Hudson Corp.—you can still find a Flash presentation promoting Marshall Field’s flagship on Chicago’s State Street. (One year and two owners ago, Field’s was owned by Target Corp.) http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2005/09/20/target-retains-last-vestige-of-department-store-heritage/ The Marshall Field’s brand name will be thrown in the trash, as new owner Federated Department Stores announced today that the stores will take the Macy’s name. Shoppers “will continue to benefit from regional buying that remains attuned to local preferences and lifestyles, plus enjoy the distinctive merchandise and shopping ... http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2005/09/20/shop-at-behemoths/ When people fall in love, they should tell the world. When two cartoonists fall in love, they should tell the world in their own way. (Via waxy.org) http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2005/09/19/comic-book-romance/ What does Katrina, and its aftermath, look like from South Africa? Horror travels surprisingly well, it seems. People here are stunned by it, of course, as they are everywhere, and far too many South Africans remain, even today, conversant with despair; though this tongue, they would have thought, is but ... http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2005/09/07/after-katrina-a-very-dark-time-and-then/ Ira Glass of public radio’s This American Life hangs up on reporters. But only, in this Columbia Journalism Review interview, to parody Robert Novak—and it’s all in fun, fun of the sincere kind that we’ve come to expect of Glass. Glass fascinates at least three separate times in this piece. ... http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2005/08/27/ira-glass-explicates-empathy-then-hangs-up-on-you/ An insomniac obsessive goes in search of the perfect mattress-flipping algorithm. If you’re just counting sheep, you’re not thinking hard enough. http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2005/08/19/flipping-a-mattress-but-leaving-nothing-to-chance/ Ice cream for dogs is now the most profitable product line for America’s biggest ice cream company. Q. When my society becomes decadent, how will I know? A. People will keep saying things like: “We did some studies and found that all dogs love peanut butter;” and, furthermore, will regard such utterances ... http://stevensande.com/habitofwonder/2005/08/18/ice-cream-for-dogs-a-warning-sign/