It's always blue. I don't know why.

It's always blue. I don't know why.

It is. I think blue is still statistically the favorite color of the majority of people in the US, or at least that was the way I explained it to myself.

They may not be that stupid--my mom, who had her own bookstore for 25 years and can name any book by any author, can NOT remember movie titles to save her life. When I order stuff for her on Netflix, it's always a guessing game.

"I'd like to see that movie again, 'The Big Knife.' "
"I don't know that one."
"Yes, it has Paul Newman. Your father and I saw it on our anniversary when you were younger"
"Are you sure that's the title?"
"You know, it's set in the '30s. Robert Redford is in it".
"The Sting?"
"Yes, that's the one."

I get "It was the green one, over there before you rearranged the shelves two years ago" at the library desk all the time. Often from librarians. Sometimes I actually know what they're talking about!

I once found a kid an online study he'd been looking at earlier based on the subject matter and "the page was aqua."

Yeah, I suppose "stupid" isn't the term I want to use, and it's not quite willful ignorance, either. Hmm.

I just can't fathom walking into a bookstore to look for a book by its cover, without any other identifying information. Then again, I probably don't consume media like most Americans.

"Yeah, I'm looking for that manga? With the boys? The pretty ones?"

I just can't fathom walking into a bookstore to look for a book by its cover, without any other identifying information.

This was my problem. If you don't know the title, the author, or even really what a book is about why do you expect someone to be able to find it for you.

We are visual creatures. I bet 96% of you could recognize pages from a Harry Potter book, even if the actual words had been replaced with nonsense.

My favorite gaffe of this ilk was the considerable complaining when a novel came out, The Little Black Book of [memfault], and neither the hardcover nor the paperback was black. (They were both brown.)

Um, not me. But I did recognize this, from my friendly spammer (

Subject: Neptune green now-accumulated

Full text: "this account then is what he has received from mr. darcy. i am satisfied. but what does he say
consent to be of the party. indeed, eliza, you will be as welcome as either of them."
"that is to say, you had given your permission. i guessed as much." and though he exclaimed at
country; and within five miles of lambton, elizabeth found from her aunt that pemberley was situated.
"what do you think of this sentence, my dear lizzy?" said jane as she finished it. "is it not clear
"a little."
and sat with her till summoned to coffee. she was still very poorly, and elizabeth would not quit her at
creditors in meryton, of whom i shall subjoin a list according to his information? he has given in all
"so much the better. i hope they will not meet at all. but does not jane correspond with his
"now i am quite happy," said she, "for you will be as happy as myself. i always had a value for
"we will go as far as meryton with you," said catherine and lydia. elizabeth accepted their
"some time or other he will be-but it shall not be by me . till i can forget his father, i can never
a day or two passed before jane had courage to speak of her feelings to elizabeth; but at last, on
besides, it was such a pity that lydia should be taken from a regiment where she was acquainted with
"good gracious!" cried maria, after a few minutes' silence, "it seems but a day or two since we
"and they are really to be married!" cried elizabeth, as soon as they were by themselves. "how
"certainly, my dear, nobody said there were; but as to not meeting with many people in this
"what think you of books?" said he, smiling.
as i abominate writing, i would not give up mr. collins's correspondence for any consideration. nay,

Huh. Just got another all P&P spam. This one titled "midnight sun panic-proof." Sounds like a good paint color for your underground bomb shelter, if nothing else.