R.A. Lafferty published the short story “Slow Tuesday Night” in 1965.  I first read it in the 1970s, and it came back to me as the Internet era unfolded, as it depicts a speeded-up world in which memes come and go in the space of an evening, and someone can conceive a product and make a fortune from it in an evening.  “Things that had once taken months and years now took only minutes and hours.”

I was reminded again of Lafferty yesterday.  Vice President Biden — reinforcing his role as our wacky uncle — said to Obama “This is a big f***ing deal!” near a microphone, on live TV.  It was of course picked up by Tweeters and bloggers instantly.

Within a couple of hours, one could already buy apparel, mugs, and many other products with the new catchphrase on sites like Zazzle.  Lafferty might be pleased.

(Image courtesy Whitehouse.gov)

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