I just learned from co-worker that I missed a reading by Douglas Coupland over at B&N in Union Square. He signed books and everything! Dang. How I wish Barnes and Noble had an rss feed of all the Meet the Writers events in Manhattan stores.

Anyway, heads up - Coupland is on his way to Atlanta, SF, Berkley, Portland, Seattle, etc.

I am surprised Kurt Vonnegut did not think of this first: "hand chewed" book sculptures. I wonder what inspired Coupland - the Spanish Inquisition that forced heretics to eat their books?

"Generation X"
Paper and magnolia branch
First edition English language version of Generation X
hand chewed by the artist and then formed into a nest
2004

From The Daily Free Press:
"... Okemos-based Weyco Inc., instituted a no-smoking policy in 2003, purportedly to save on the cost of health care benefits for its employees. The policy forbids employees from smoking both in the workplace, and at home. Weyco offered help to employees trying to quit and has said that 14 of its estimated 20 employees who smoked kicked the habit before the policy went into effect."

Somehow I imagine the "help" that this company provided exactly as described in Stephen King's short story "Quitters Inc." that later became a part of the movie "Cat's Eye":

First offense - your wife gets some electric shock treatment. Second offense - you get one. Third offense - you get it together. Fourth - your kid gets beaten. And so forth.

And after you stop smoking you get the bill for 5000.50.

Quitters Inc is conviniently located right next to the United Nations at 237 East 46th Street, by the way. Don't forget to ask them about their weight loss plan.

I bet once Weyco is done with the smokers they'll go after the fat people.

A slightly non-standard conductor's announcement:
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a red signal against us" (instead of the usual "ahead of us").

Fellow passengers use slang from a certain industry:
"West 4th is the money stop" (because so many people get off there. Budum-pum.)