Excellent article about PR and its rather … unwholesome relationship with news organizations. Not like anything else is more wholesome, really. I mean, I was at a conference today where our raffle prize was stolen within fifteen minutes of opening. And tonight, I am having beer and peanut M&Ms for dinner.
I am now trying to determine if they can be reimbursed through the standard expense program.
The other day I went to my local independent coffee retailer where I found a booklet on how to order coffee. It even has a little space for you to enter in your drink choices in advance so you don’t panic when you get to the front of the line and forget what you wanted. My favorite, however, is the descriptions of syrup flavors. Vanilla is described as not needing an introduction. Does raspberry or almond? Apparently so.
I wondered, who was it that wrote this? Who fought hard to get this printed, decided on the number of pages they could spend on it, picked the paper weight and layout? Who decided on two pages for syrup coverage and then left it to the copywriter to fill two pages with syrup descriptions? Did someone’s job depend on making the brochure a success? How do you measure the success of a brochure like that?
It reminded me of Dilbert’s marketing plan: he has no marketing budget, so they giving free product samples to people who look like celebrities. The campaign turns out to be successful, and Dilbert’s estimation of humanity drops yet further.
In short, I feel bad for talking down to my audience from time to time, but the fact is that most of them are stupid. Some of them are smart– many of the important ones, in fact– and resent it. But they know it’s necessary, because they are surrounded by idiots.
Goodbye to latest Siebel exec, and IMHO, this can’t hurt; maybe the new guy will address the fact that their client interface is basically dependent on the disastrously insecure and single-platform combination of Internet Explorer and ActiveX controls, and start building a proper cross-platform interface. Sticking it to customers with nonstandard platforms is hardly the way to build a multibillion-dollar business, as we all know.
Why did nobody tell me that Ducati released new versions of its classic cafe racers from the 70s? They started doing this like a year ago– new engines (larger, of course and somewhat unfortunately, in my opinion) and new technologies, but the same classic styling of the old bikes. Way out of my price and power range, but sweet bikes nonetheless.
I like World of Warcraft as much as the next geek, but writing to a limited platform is a real test of creativity and I’m glad to see it in place. A lot of people have lamented the end of the gaming industry, death by expensive art and expensive graphics– but there’s no reason you can’t write a good game with yesterday’s technology. It might well be better. (And if it’s brilliant, then the big studios can pick it up and flesh it out for mass distribution in a high-polygon-count edition).
My guess is it’ll be a lot like independent movies or bands getting signed by major studios: do an album or a movie or a game on a budget with limited equipment, sell out some shows, get a few hundred thousand downloads, and someone in A&R will come over and offer to help you sell your soul. Not easy, not simple, not direct, but not the death of gaming by any means.
The novel “A Carnivore’s Inquiry” is an acceptable mystery with a dirty, violent bent. The twsit ending isn’t one I saw coming, but should have.
“The Great Mortality,” a history of the black plague, occasionally repeats itself– but then, the plague repeated itself several times. The book is readable and informative, while providing macabre entertainment and a reminder than none of my troubles are really all that bad.
“Veritas” 2003 Claret, Monticello Vineyards: Like many high-end Virginia wines, this is quite good, but probably not an excellent value. Not aggressive or tannic, but much deeper and more complex than I’m used to. It was better after being left out for half an hour while I packed.
Know how on roller coasters, you get closer and closer to the top of that first hill, and you think, here it comes! Here it comes! Closer! Closer! A little bit more! And you anticipate the feeling in your gut, and it seems endless?
I’m watching people do this who think that drop isn’t coming at all. And it might not come any time soon. But I think it’s soon.
Even the normally cheery New York Times sounds gloomy, and this week I read an article in the Wall Street Journal which pointed out that influential investors such as CALPERS (the California state retirement fund, one of the country’s largest institutional investors) are selling off significant amounts of stock in REITs and home-builders, as well as dumping a lot of their direct real estate holdings.
Closer! Closer! Here we go! Not quite yet! Almost!
I found these two articles from SFGate and the LA Times on how real estate is even more insane, via Dan Gillmor, courtesy of John Fleck.
My favorite comment: “Everyone who looks at the market says the price acceleration can’t last, but real estate agents and other experts said they expect a gradual leveling rather than a bubble bursting.” This is the ultimate last justification for people when they knowingly pay for an over valued asset. “Yeah, I don’t expect those returns anymore, but it will probably just level off.”
Secretly Ironic 
