power of a brand - grey goose

are you paying the premium for a particular vodka?

Of course, when I suggest to an SFIC vice-president that vodka is by definition odorless and tasteless, and thus one vodka couldn’t be much better than the next, his face goes tight. “That is a dinosaur statement,” he says, speaking slowly, then lectures me on water- filtration processes and Champagne limestone and special grains and such.

“Yes, some people may taste a difference,” says Wright of Liquid Intelligence. “But you’re talking about a grain-neutral spirit. The FDA definition is pretty narrow. At an elemental level, there is no difference. And anyway, you can’t possibly taste it when it’s in a Cosmopolitan."

no difference, yet we still pay. a nice story attached the brand, better margins, and a $2 billion dollar payday for its creator. amazing.

the all star antics you prob didn't see

puzzles

rubik's cube. 6 sides, 9 squares a side. life's puzzle. infinitely more. i hope to solve it one day.

saint valentine

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

life...

has a way of teaching us.
has a way of confusing us.
has a way of changing us.
has a way of surprising us.
has a way of hurting us.
has a way of healing us.
has a way of inspiring us.

how true it is.

baby bear

anecdote of saturday night:

location: hollywood canteen (21+ over bar)

2 girls: hey, can we ask how old you are?
me: what's the consensus right now?
girl: eighteen
me: no, i'm nineteen
one girl to the other girl: i TOLD you!
me: that's just great. i'm actually 26.
girl: shut up

at least i look old enough to buy lotto tickets now.

i want to be a...