Spark of Inspiration
Looking for a logo? Here's a great way to gain some inspiration. The people at SimpleSpark created a video showing the logos of 5.000 companies. Here's the link to the video.
« July 2007 | Main | September 2007 »
August 31, 2007
August 30, 2007
Blogger Payola
Well, here’s something interesting, PayPerPost is paying bloggers for mentioning certain products in their blogs. Yup, it’s come down to that.
I want you to know that I am NOT getting any money to write the words Coca Cola, McDonalds or even Botox. Nope, I am a free agent, folks. You can go to PayPerPost and take a look at who’s on payroll if you’re interested.
I guess that paying bloggers to placement had to happen sometime. It’s just a little disconcerting, isn’t it?
August 29, 2007
American Flab
We're back from Europe and still marveling at the state of the American waistland -- it's huge. No one on the planet looks like us...really.
And with our disjointed health system, all this flab can't be good. Obesity causes chronic, preventable health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and joint and bone problems.
Want more bad news? Today's American children may be the first generation NOT to live longer than their parents. Where did we go wrong? Does it all come down to detouring the fast food every night. Or maybe it's the way we position kids with fast food all so readily. I'm thinking of that particular commercial where the mom says, "I'm concerned what goes in her tummy" and then allows the kid to dumb a pound of McNuggets down her gullet.
How about fewer images of kids and crappy foods? Maybe it's worth a try....
August 27, 2007
Tired Tourists
We are home – exhausted and penniless – but home. Europe takes a huge bite out of the American pocket these days. However, it is wonderful to take in – gastronomically and otherwise. The kids are clamoring for Africa now. I prefer something that doesn’t involve traveling 15 hours in a stuffy metal tube. Maybe that’s just me…
August 25, 2007
Indulging Our Inner Picassos
Barcleona is a nice break from Europe’s monumental cities. The grand boulevards here are not as grand and the museums are intimate, not overblown.
Barcelona is also clearly an artist’s city. It’s easy to see why so many of our friends spent a while studying here in college…and then took a longer time than usual to return home. You could get lost here for a very long time.
Unfortunately, we return home tomorrow. Such is the life of middle-age travelers with work and family obligations. Ahh, to be young, a student and believe you have all the talents of Picasso wrapped up in your little finger.
August 24, 2007
Hola Barcelona
We have left the patisseries of France to savor the next course – the flavors of Barcelona.
This is our second visit to Barcelona and it never fails to please. Whereas Paris was gloomy, Spain is colorful and all about the sun. There is even an afternoon poolside planned for us.
But before the relaxation of the pool, we must explore. Barcelona is an artist’s city. We plan to take in the spirit of Picasso and Dali. More to come…
August 23, 2007
If Only I Could Bring These Back...
Things that you could make a mint on importing to the U.S.:
- Pariesienne macaroons – outrageous taste in variety of flavors, but I am partial to the chocolate with chocolate filling
- Fresh vegetables – tomatoes that actually taste like something! Can you imagine how many people would swarm for a try?
- Scarves – Parisienne women know how to wear them and how to tie them – the rest of us just look like pikers
- Aesthetics – buildings look as if they were artfully constructed, not slapped together in monolithic slabs
- Meals – fast food is very rare; people enjoy real meals
August 22, 2007
Weighty Issue
It used to be that you could spot Americans in Europe by their shoes. Whereas Europeans went for leather and more formal wear, we would bounce through the continent on Reebocks or Nikes.Today, you no longer have to look as far as the shoes. Americans are easily identifiable by one troubling feature – our weight. Collectively, we are far larger than any other nation, and that’s not good. Yup, bulging thighs and skinfolds are our hallmark.
I have no idea when and if we will ever change. Maybe when we all start dropping like over-indulged flies, we’ll realize that something’s not right with the American diet. Hopefully, we can alter our ways before that, though. It starts with passing up the fast food – for ourselves and our kids.
August 21, 2007
Parisienne Mob Scene
If you go to Paris, you must go to the Louvre. It's required, we all know that. However, if you go to the Louvre, take a large club or baton to beat back the crowds. Sacre bleu! The Louvre has become a 21st century Woodstock, filled with folks pushing and shoving to see "La Jaconde" et. al. My daughter was shoved so hard in front of the painting, she was in tears -- not over the magnificence of it all, but in pure fright.
With such huge crowds, there is little appreciation for fine art. We were just gulping for air after an hour or so. Thank you, Dan Brown, for making one of the world's finest museums into friggin' Disneyland. (And, yes, I realize the irony of the photo below from yesterday's entry. Ok, ok ...)
Otherwise, all is grand in the City of Lights...
August 20, 2007
Smiling Pretty in Paris
We are in Paris this week, doing lots of touristy things (note daughter a la Mona). Beautiful city. What more can one say? Makes you realize all we don't have in the U.S. -- like vegetables that TASTE like something.
August 16, 2007
The Corners of Your Mind
Love these ads from BBC World on the corners of city streets. A while ago, I posted BBC's thought-provoking billboards. Good for them for using advertising to make us think. Wish more of this type of promotion existed.
Novel Idea
I am deep into writing my second novel and having a blast every
minute. Just had a long, long talk with my "writing coach" who
actually likes what's been churned out. Frankly, I have no idea where
my silly characters are going as the story unfolds. That's all part of the fun of fiction, I suppose.
Hmm, suffice it to say, the book's a bit different from what those who
know me would expect. Shocking.
minute. Just had a long, long talk with my "writing coach" who
actually likes what's been churned out. Frankly, I have no idea where
my silly characters are going as the story unfolds. That's all part of the fun of fiction, I suppose.
Hmm, suffice it to say, the book's a bit different from what those who
know me would expect. Shocking.
August 15, 2007
Is There a "Fake Maven" Blogging About?
“I love beautiful objects. I love creating them. Negative people upset me.” Who wrote this drivel? Why, it’s “Fake Steve,” the author of a great blog that’s supposedly authored by Steve Jobs (it’s clearly not and that’s what makes it a kick).“The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs” pokes fun at CEOs who blog and pretend to reveal all while giving up absolutely nothing, of course. He delights in readers who send him pictures of iPhone users in the most remote areas (says Fake Steve, “Dude, I invented the friggin iPhone. Have you heard of it?”) And when posting a picture of a night spot named “Club Bill Gates,” he ponders whether or not this is actually a command. Funny.
August 14, 2007
We're (Finally) in the Money
Our daughters’ worlds are going to be something else! According to The New York Times, young women in urban areas are out-earning their male peers. It seems that with more women graduating from college than men, their paychecks are fatter.
Women of all educational levels from 21 to 30 living in New York City and working full time make 117% of men’s wages, and 120% in Dallas. Nationwide, however, women don’t fare as well. They’re still playing catch-up. But I don’t think it will take very long. Women have tremendous workforce power. Who knows? Someday—as in 525 days according to my “Bush count down calendar” -- a woman could be president.
August 13, 2007
Does This Mean I Have to Read Martha Stewart On LIne at the Grocery Store?
I had no idea that World Weekly News was going away. Sigh. Where are we going to learn about the bat child raised in a cave? Or what about “12 U.S. Citizens Are Space Aliens?” Or, as pictured at left, the man who loved his pig so much he miniaturized it and brought the tiny sculpture to life? Now that's news...WWN was always a favorite when the other “supermarket rags” seemed a bit too tame. They knew who the aliens among us were and weren’t afraid to let us know (or who was adopted as a space alien baby…).
I’ll miss their “who cares about the facts” reporting. Dang. Journalism will never be the same.
August 10, 2007
Powerful Point at Univ. of Chicago
They’ll be yawning widely at the University of Chicago admissions office. Seems that someone had the brilliant idea of requiring applicants to the business school to submit a PowerPoint slide show.According to the story, “By adding PowerPoint to its application, Chicago thinks it might attract more students who have the kind of cleverness that can really pay off in business, and fewer of the technocrat types who sometimes give the program a bad name.”
Huh? Seems to me most PowerPoints are decidedly unclever and full of technocrat-type babble.
The problem is PowerPoint is too often used as an electronic teleprompter. As a result, presentations become positively deadly.
Unfortunately – and as Univ. of Chicago correctly foresees-- PowerPoint isn’t going away. It’s become a requirement of doing business and, at this school, a requirement of getting a business education.
Just promise me this…six lines, six words per line for each slide. Ok? That’s not TOO much to ask!
August 09, 2007
Virgin Offers Something Extra in the Skies
Again from boingboing.net -- a sneak preview of Virgin America's bells and whistles. Apparently, passnegers -- even in coach -- can "chat" with each other on the plane. That's pretty cool.
Virgin is offering $44 flights from LA to SF and, yes, I have bought a ticket for the end of Sept. Can't wait to experience it all, including the "mood lighting" for take offs and landings.
Whether or not Virgin will continue to generate buzz remains to be seen. However, after years of flying on the old, dirty airplaines owned by the conventional carriers, I know that I will be relieved to finally ride in comfort. Thanks, Virgin, for reminding us that airplane travel doesn't have to be a nightmare.
August 08, 2007
The Brain-Wrapped Generations
Adfreak.com tells us that a new study says that preschoolers have been influenced by advertising to prefer the taste of food wrapped in McDonald’s packaging. Chicken nuggets, milk and even carrots tasted better to the children if they were accompanied by the Golden Arches, when compared to the same food in unmarked wrappers. Well, there’s no accounting for taste in the little buggers, is there? The article also suggests parents should “print a McDonald's logo onto some wax paper and use it to wrap up a salad, a few broccoli florets and an herb-roasted chicken breast.”
Ha, what if that preference lasts until later-in-life? Can you imagine bringing your Lean Cuisine to the office only if it’s labeled “Happy Meal?” Fortunately, by that time, I’ll be long-retired and not have to deal with a generation of hamburger-heads. I’m from the generation that’s convinced water in a plastic bottle is better for you than water from the sink. Yesiree, we’re all geniuses.
August 07, 2007
The Stars Just Weren't Alligned
I like this article by Elaine Fogel about five-star service. It puts all those five-star restaurants, hotels and what-nots on notice. You see, once you get a five-star ranking, you have to maintain it.How do you retain five-star service? It’s really not that hard, but many service organizations lose their edge. The problems start when they begin to differentiate between important customers and not-so-important folk. It’s very subtle, but when you’re in the not-so, not-so category, you know it.
This weekend, I was in a San Francisco hotel and treated in this not-so-great category. It sucked, to be frank. We were treated like pesky moths who would eventually leave. I checked the hotel’s ratings. Yup, it was a five-star establishment, but not in my book.
Attention, five-star places – everyone is an important customer. Remember it. Live by it. You can’t go wrong.
August 06, 2007
iPhone You iPhoning Me
I just came back from San Francisco, where everybody has an iPhone. Really. And the favorite past time is taking videos of one another over dinner. In one case, two guys were videoing each other videoing each other (you get what I mean). I’m sure that eventually the cool San Franciscans will tire of their toys. But for now it’s kind of amusing to see everyone so enamored with the latest from Cupertino.August 03, 2007
On the Streets Where You Live
Have you seen Google Street View? It allows you to take a virtual walk around city streets. There aren’t too many streets to view right now, mostly areas of San Francisco, New York, South Beach and Las Vegas. It’s cool, though. You can zoom in fairly close and get a 360-view.So, what comes next? Virtual ads on the billboards of Times Square and Las Vegas? Seems a likely possibility, huh? I can see it now – a virtual billboard on Las Vegas Blvd. for the Marcom Maven blog. Hey, it’s possible – virtually.
August 02, 2007
Familiar Faces
In college, my friends and I became quite familiar with the label on those huge jugs of Almaden wine (sort of the precursor to “wine in a box”). I seem to recall – and my memory is hazy if you can appreciate where I’m going with this – a happy fish doing a jig. At least, late at night the fish appeared to be moving and I remember having a very lively discussion about that darn fish.Ahh college.
Anyway, you may have your own hazy memories of liquor icons. Take a look at Modern Drunkard magazine’s “Ten Greatest Alcohol Icons.” There are some familiar faces who may have been smiling back at you during your best – or worst – times.
August 01, 2007
Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah
My youngest is away at camp, but I am getting photos of her every day over the Internet. There’s a “camp photographer” snapping photos of the kids and several dozen are uploaded every night. In the morning, I scroll through, looking for signs that my daughter is happy, uninjured and making friends.It’s not the same as when I went away to Camp Blue Bay Girl Scout Camp. Back then, my parents couldn’t see that my hair was a mess and I hadn’t eaten anything more than a dozen some-mores at a campfire. Now, parents can see all – which means I write back messages like, “Did you lose your comb, dear?” Ah. The freedom of summer camp – curtailed by modern technology!
