Fun with old slang

wwnorton:

Browse through this most amazing 1823 tome Grose’s Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue and report back your best linguistic find. Bonus points if you use it in a sentence.

Are content management systems the mainframes of mobile? →

Ode to AS-400.

"There is no such thing as information overload, just bad design. If something is cluttered and/or confusing, fix your design."

Edward Tufte (via crankyangela)

W. W. Norton: Why do you think “consumed” is an ugly term? →

wwnorton:

I think it’s an ugly term when applied to information. When you talk about consuming information you are talking about information as a commodity, rather than information as the substance of our thoughts and our communications with other people. To talk about consuming it, I think you lose a…

(Source: thebrowser.com)

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laphamsquarterly:

I remember a lot more “Open the door, Gregor” than this.

irisblasi:

20% disgust, 12% hiding under the couch.

The contents of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis.

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housingworksbookstore:

I made this Pinterest board just for y’all, dear Bookternet. Got any more to add?

linkoteca:

18 practical content strategy tips in 8 minutes.

(Source: fionacullinan.com)

Writing device: illogical comparisons and lists

Set it up so the last item breaks the pattern. Could be in the similarity and difference of the items themselves:

Careening over the sidewalk, Pinkie drove round the corner, hitting cars, fire hydrants and inspirational quote playing cards.

Or, in the underlying structure:

The omelet opened slightly from the side. Hoop earrings, sea shells and hotel guest hand soap peered out.

Most confusing when there’s nothing holding it together. But could you make it count as engaging?

"I’m a magpie for weird words."

Cathy Park Hong, quoted in The Paris Review (via wwnorton)

Creating Valuable Content →

Behold: The step-by-step checklist from Ahava Leibtag.