Nation of Fear

Everything in the economy is turning into complete chaos in an interlinked chain of misery. I do wonder though how much the media is at fault sometimes. Since 9-11 the news has shifted from neutral to opinion based and with it the fight for ratings. All it takes is spending an hour reading Drudge report, Watching MSNBC, CNN, and Fox and you feel that the world is over. Obviously our Country has been mismanaged by possibly the worst president in our history, but the Media is creating this culture of fear. If everyone shut off their TV's and rode their bikes to the park we might see that everything isn't totally doomed. The coverage of doom is effecting the stock market which effects everything. (I think :(

The Internet is forever

Great post here on applying a Social Computing Strategy to the entire Lifecycle of a Product. It's heady stuff, but really interesting. I agree that as companies want and expect their communication to go viral their biggest asset is talking to the community. I have tried in the past to get clients to join the discussion online, but there is a real fear among them to be the mouthpiece for their brand. The companies that are able to embrace this new openness are the ones who will be most successful.

Where's the Beef?

I think it's amazing how much advertising you can recall from certain periods of your life. The Monchichi song, Smurfberry Crunch, Time to make the donuts, and is next Swim Wear...I always think of Herb the Burger Man for some reason. It was a contest where if you spotted Herb at a Burger King you'd win $1000 dollars or something. I also vividly remember that he made an appearance at Wrestlemania 3. The mind is an amazing thing when I can remember that, but I still always forget my parent's birthdays...

Generation Nothing

I follow gossip and honestly I hate myself for doing it. I read Perez,WWTDD, Egotastic, The Superficial, you name it. It's amazing how they all just copy each other and comment on the same stalkeratzi photos. The sad part about today is the people they cover. We have made household names out of people with zero to minimal talent. (If talent is being able to suck start a Harley Davidson)

In the Eighties we covered the Corey's and Kirk Cameron. You know people with lots of talent... Ok maybe my theory is wrong as its always been talentless people, but this new crop of Kim Kardasian, Tila Tequila, and Brooke Hogan is just painful. I wonder what the next generation of kids is going to aspire to when staring in a porn or being
the offspring of C-level talent can get you your own TV show.

Lively for no lifey

Google just launched its own version of an alternate reality platform like Second Life called Lively. I guess the benefits are that its completely free and tied into several applications like Facebook. It gives you the ability to create rooms and hang out with your friends. I have tried Second Life in the past or as I call it Sex Life since everyone is just trying to bang unicorns and rabbits in brothels. I'm definitely not drawn to these communities because I think its already sad enough that I keep up with my friends virtually through Facebook, Twitter, and IM. I'm just not ready to look at an animated version of my friends in virtual rooms. I think I'm going to call them and set up a dinner party although the virtual dinner party is a lot cheaper.

Break out the Brazillian Nuts

I always go through my crazy musical phases. One day I will listen to only french love songs, old country, or soul classics...In the end though I always just revert back to the stuff I listened to in that period from high school to when I started touring in The Sheila Divine. When music was my life and all that I cared about. Pavement is a perfect example of a band that every time I hear them it makes me remember why music was so important to me. The lazy lyrics that are so inspiring, the slacker attitude that made me feel like I too could get on stage. Pavement unlike some of my older music still feels vital, timeless, and important.

O-Tagine

Last night the wife and I headed to O-tagine for some Moroccan food. We ordered a traditional Chicken with preserved lemon and olives as well as a vegetarian one. Both were insanely hot temperature not spice wise and really comforting. It was my first experience at a Moroccan Restaurant and definitely not the last. I really like the flavors and the warmness of the dish really make it a cuisine worth trying.