A running commentary on the media world-at-large.
The HOF Digs Clean Cy Winners
Congratulations to Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux for being voted into Cooperstown. Both were virtual shoe-ins to be inducted as their respective records, primarily as part of a legendary three-headed pitching monster (along with Tom Smoltz) down in Atlanta, were pretty much impeccable. …
Munger on Misjudgment
Seminal talk given by a very smart fellow on the work of another very smart fellow. Should be requred listening for anyone over the age of 7. Well worth the time.
Why Lean In When You Can Build a Whole New Table?
Somewhere Larry Summers is snorting and turning arrogantly away.
So, this video is the latest to capitalize on the Rube Goldberg machine structure, and it's maybe the most appropriate to do so given that the product at hand is a set of little Tinkertoy-ish building blocks aimed at girls instead of at boys. …
Reflections on the Bloodsport
"Draw from your models the proof that they exist with their oddities and engimas." - Robert Bresson
If you're anywhere near my age and have distinct memories of your movie-going experience as a kid, I'd guess that there are certain action movie milestone moments that we share in common. …
The Uncharitable Critic
As someone who's at times had to produce media and marketing assets for companies and institutions that I personally might not freely endorse off the record, I'd love to believe that Dan Pallotta is onto something.
In this popular TED Talk, Pallotta's basic stance is that the non-profit sector addresses societal needs that the business sector and even social enterprise realms don't simply because there's no market there for them to engage in. …
21st Century Determinism
I recently switched from DirecTV to cable television, and so even though I'm not a middle-aged white guy, I do mostly fall into the demographic described in these spots, and I can personally vouch for the big pain the ass that cable can be as far as television content delivery goes. …
Life or Meth. Any Questions?
We've come a long way from fried egg anaologies.
Darren Aronofsky's anti-meth ads. If the goal here was to scare the living shit out of anyone who might consider trying crystal meth, mission accomplished. These PSAs are as terrifying as anything Lionsgate has produced over the last decade, and it's mostly because DA and the producers were willing to push the limit of how dark the spots would go. …
Apple and The Burden of Social Proof
It's no secret that the cultural rebellion and anti-authority activism born in the '60s have long since been co-opted by corporate America, in particular the marketing wings of such, in an effort to sell more product by pandering to the consumer's sense of his or her own idealism and individualism. …
America's Most Wanted: A Face That Doesn't Terrify the Neighbor's Kids
On the whole, Dove's decision to question the notion of beauty that is marketed to women is, of course, admirable. Such a campaign dove-tails (sorry) nicely with the brand attributes (purity, simplicity, truth), but regardless, to commit to a strategy that declines the use of the most powerful weapons in a beauty marketer's arsenal is bold and worthy of praise. …
Mission Statement
So the idea with this part of the site is to have a place where I can post some thoughts on things that are interesting, whether they be from TV or movies or shows at MoMA or plays Off-Broadway--really anything media-related that maybe warrants a bit of attention. I know if you're here to look over my work, this isn't likely to be of a whole lot of interest to you, plus it's doubtful you have the spare minutes to spend reading through any of this stuff, so feel free to navigate elsewhere, but on my end, it's a good way to chronicle the ideas that bubble up.