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Today I found the website trendwatching.com, which is basically a marketing company that keeps an eye on major consumer trends. The site was linked to through a news article talking about how, as technology moves forward, it simultaneously moves backward. While it is hip to have all of the latest technology- iPhones and iPods and iEverythingElses- it is also hip to have an Atari and a record player.

In fact, just last week I went to a fashion show at a skatepark in which the models wore old flannels shirts or linen dresses with cassette tapes, headphones, and film strips painted on them. It was almost a requiem for the forgotten technologies of the eighties. And it was really cool. Trendwatching.com really got the right line there.

The other trend that the website featured, they called "Female Fever." Evidently, over 80% of consumer purchasing decisions belong to females, and therefore it seems very logical that businesses should start marketing more heavily to females. Some of the items that caught my eye were cutely packaged car survival kits and a swiss army knife designed for women. This knife includes blade, key chain, corkscrew, etc. But it also has a tiny perfume bottle and a mirror, among other features. And you can get it in a variety of colors! Despite my sorry financial state, I almost bought myself a pretty one. I decided, though, just to wait for Chanukah when I can ask the 'rents for it.


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Also of interest in today's blog reading, I came across this post featuring a video of Jack Kerouac reading his masterpiece while Allen Ginsberg accompanies him on piano. Talk about awesome.