"We’ve always thought that monkeys – with their cheeky nature, cunning, willingness to work for peanuts, and ability to whizz wherever they like – are the perfect emblem of Light Reading’s editorial standards."

So said Light Reading Inc. President and CEO Stephen "Steve" Saunders to the assembled gathering of grizzled industry executives at the recent Links 2004 Executive Summit (for more on the gala event, see Links 2004 in Pictures (& Words)). "Steve" was introducing the latest, crucial upgrade to the Light Reading Web empire: the new, improved Larry the Light Reading Attack Monkey© logo.

Timed to anticipate Light Reading's approaching fifth anniversary,* the Larry the Light Reading Attack Monkey© logo redesign took a team of monkey/design experts literally months to execute. Well. Not literally. More like... ah... Nowhere near, I think, would be the expression we want here.

Nevertheless, we're all mighty darned proud of the result! But before unveiling it for your delectation, let's briefly recap our Larry the Light Reading Attack Monkey© history.

It's a little known factoid that the original Larry was closely modeled on Light Reading Founding Editor Peter "Peter" Heywood:

"Both cuddly, white haired... and, frankly, a bit dim," Saunders told his enraptured audience.

Cuddly, though, is sooooooo 20th C. The Light Reading team felt it needed a more aggressive, action oriented, screeching edge, shall we say, spokesmonkey to carry the publication forward into the World of Tomorrow...

A few preliminary designs didn't make it:

Too violent

Too creepy

Way too creepy

Too much like George Gilder

And so it is, we are proud to present the new 21st Century Larry the Light Reading Attack Monkey© logo:Exuberant, yet tastefully rendered, we think you'll agree. And, as an added bonus, here's Larry (actual size) in his natural habitat:

We thank you for your kind attention and forebearance and hope you'll welcome Larry the Light Reading Attack Monkey© – a.k.a. "me" – as we here at Light Reading usher in another five years of perspicacious, pugnacious, and prehensile telecom industry coverage. With bananas.

— Larry the Light Reading Attack Monkey©, Light Reading

* Traditionally the "wood" anniversary. Gifts should, ideally, be boat-shaped and at least 40' long.