work. sex. death. um. like. whatever.

no-fail marketing for the future.  from the lincoln journal star.

"Fifteen days after a teenaged gunman killed eight people and then himself inside Von Maur at Westroads Mall, the store re-opened to streams of shoppers eager to support Omaha and each other, eager to take the next small step in healing from the deadliest mall shooting in U.S. history.

Some shoppers came to look for gifts for loved ones. Some came to treat themselves.

Most, it seemed, came to open their wallets in a show of support for Von Maur’s re-opening. Just about everyone exiting the store carried one — or two, or more — of Von Maur’s trademark red holiday bags.

Omaha stay-at-home mom Justine Tevis wasn’t looking for anything specific. She simply wanted to feel a part of her community.

“We just knew we wanted to come in and buy something,” Tevis said, clothes shopping with a friend on the third floor, where three people were killed.  Of the crowds, Tevis said: “This shows what Omaha is made of.”

“I thanked everybody in there, just for being Von Maur,” said Tony Erspamer of Omaha, who was Christmas shopping for his wife.

And nearby, American Red Cross volunteers stood ready with three therapy dogs, a popular attraction for children and adults alike."

"why are you doing this to me"? who says that to a salesman?

So, mixed feelings about I Am Legend.  There were some nice ideas.  The post-human New York was nice; I see "zombies" have now established (romantic?) relationships, a hierarchy, and trap-learning capacities.  But this was Hollywood does 28 Days Later, and Boyle's version is better.  From the poor lovable German shepherd to the God-fearing Red Cross woman, this was trademark Hollywood with rubber-stamped emotion.  Not even getting into the problems with the cinematography (if your zombies look like Diablo monsters when you see them in good light... first, fire your special effects company, and second, never show them) and plot (save for the almost cute development of zombie boyfriends/girlfriends - and not of the absolutely hilarious Return of the Living Dead 3 variety)...

Will Smith's a good actor.  But this had the philosophical depth of Men in Black, without the funny bits.  Only Hollywood can make a movie about the last man on Earth and have the extent of his mental development be: 1. I have no hope!  Life sucks!  to  2. omg God still loves me.

My poor mother brought up a good point though: what happened to the internet?  We post-apocalyptics are obsessed with the HAM radio and repeated broadcast signals crossing oceans, but that was a Cold War-inspired trend.  Maybe we need an update?

edit:  The Signal's getting a wide release in February just in time for Valentine's, and the trailer does justice!  Everybody see it for some superior post-apocalyptica.  Peace.

( surveys from kim. )