Sela Francis's Barbarian Blog

Sometimes advertising works.

sfrancis@barbariangroup.com(Sela Francis) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:41:34 -0400

National insecurity

sfrancis@barbariangroup.com(Sela Francis) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:52:08 -0400

It’s not the actual rant that’s so interesting, it’s that this guy (a colonel!) got booted out of a NATO force for it. I think he should have been promoted to a 3-star general.

Ticket Wish - Facebook Vigilantes

sfrancis@barbariangroup.com(Sela Francis) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:59:06 -0400

Using Facebook to Catch Scofflaw Drivers:
Creepy big brother vibe aside, this FB page sure is fun to read. People seem particularly incensed by other drivers eating.

Delhi Traffic Police

And a NYT article about it.

Formal Friday Feline

sfrancis@barbariangroup.com(Sela Francis) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:34:19 -0400

No one dressed formally today. Not a single person. So here’s a picture of my cat -a TUXEDO cat. Sorry Kevin, it’s the best we could do.

How to write good.

sfrancis@barbariangroup.com(Sela Francis) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:47:40 -0400

Writing well is simple, but simplicity is difficult. There’s help. This Orwell piece is perhaps the best thing ever written about writing. It’s as valid today as it was in 1946. Read it; it’s better than 6 writing courses at the New School. (I speak from experience)

Politics and the English Language

If you don’t have time, these are the main points. Read them over and over, until they are irrevocably lodged in your psyche. Love them, live them, obey them.

Never us a long word where a short one will do.

If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.

Never use the passive where you can use the active.

Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.

Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.

Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Fuck yeah!