Wednesday, October 16, 2002

You heard it here first: Press are sharpening their knives to skewer Krispy Kreme It's an American tradition. The press props up a company with unlimited buzz and complimentary articles, then when the company starts to attain a level of success and ubiquity, the press try to take it out at the knees. Remember how the press turned on Starbucks after propping it up? Mark my words -- Krispy Kreme is next. Right now the press is treating a new Krispy Kreme store opening like as if it were a visit from the Pope. In a year you'll see investigative pieces that bemoan the unhealthy level of fat in Krispy Kreme doughnuts or that its workers are treated unfairly. 5:47:21 PM

Another nugget from The Onion Always poticially incorrect and always funny, The Onion does a dead-on satirical piece entitled "Goodwill Toy Section Most Depressing Thing Ever". My favorite passage from the piece: "The toy area has its own distinct odor: sort of a musty, mildewy, plastic, sour-milk, baby-vomit, metallic, rotting-cloth smell," Robichaud said. "It isn't quite the smell of evil[~]just despair." Scanning the shelves of misfit games and books, Robichaud sighed deeply. "I need to go wash my hands," Robichaud said. "I really shouldn't have touched that leaky Magic 8-Ball." 5:38:04 PM

The antidote to vapid reality TV shows and boring baseball playoffs If you haven't been watching the "American Experience" series on PBS, you've been missing some of the most interesting TV in years. Ken Burns documents everything under the sun that contributes to the sense of American-ness (from the history of Coney Island to spell binding Presidential biographies). The recent show on Frank Lloyd Wright was unbelievable. Skip the SF - Anaheim world series -- which sounds like a real yawner -- and watch "American Experience" exposes on Jimmy Carter, Three Mile Island and Ronald Reagan. 5:20:46 PM