Editorial
Simple but smart promo
In a world of continuous advertising and marketing promotions, it is difficult to grab our attention. Non-stop we receive countless promotional pitches, discounts and gimmicks. 20%, 50%, even 90% off the retail price, they promise. We get points and miles just for opening the door or filling out a raffle. I just received a promotional email from Dunkin’…
Read MoreInternational Museum Day
Tomorrow is International Museum Day. This got me thinking about how detached we have become from our past, from our friends and from our community. In days of yore, pre-internet, Sunday was often a day for going out with the family in search of some hidden city gem. We might go to the zoo or to…
Read MorePerception slump
How is the planet feeling? Are we in a good mood? Do we see a bright future filled with joyous harmony? I fear that humanity has never felt this way. Obviously, through our darkest hours, we have felt despair. But have we felt satisfied during our enlightened times? Did Florence and Venice rejoice during the…
Read MoreBlankness
Sometimes you take a break. You don’t do something for a while. Then, when it’s time to get back in the saddle you hesitate. You’re not sure what to do. You go blank. I feel as though we’ve taken too long a break since we, the collective we, decided to act on something. I do…
Read MoreLet's go to war!
I’ve just realized that basically half of the US budget is somehow devoted to defense. As for citizens, we own about 200,000,000 guns. We are ready for war, unfortunately, the wrong war(s). Maybe we should take a cue from one of the most famous recent wars: the War on Terror. It is an armed conflict…
Read MoreInnocent times
Statistics matter. They bring you far closer to the truth than supposition or deduction. This said, consequence is also a good measure of reality. How things are, just are, is a good thermometer of our times. Well, I grew up in a period where going to the stadium was as easy as getting there, finding…
Read MoreInsufficient messaging
I’m sitting at my desk, typing away, wrapping up the first draft to my book The Critical Century. I have my TV on, as usual. I’m watching news, as usual. Yesterday I had it on too. I watched news, a couple of documentaries and a variety show; while I was writing, of course. Something struck…
Read MoreTerrorism
I’ve been wanting to write about this for a while but have held off believing I would not bring anything new to the discussion. It feels as though everything that has to be said about it has been said. The reason I’ve decided to finally say something is because I think that I’ve finally accepted…
Read MoreCar free?
Today is World Car Free Day. Admittedly, it’s idealistic to think that we could get rid of cars. However, is it utopic to think that we might be able to reduce the number of cars on the road? Could we reduce by 10%? How about by half? The problem is, you might be willing to…
Read MoreA new language
It took time but it’s here, but mainstream advertisements are finally speaking a modern language. They are speaking to their demographic in the language of that demographic, no matter how much it might offend the fringes of the demographic. I am speaking of this Scope advertisement that shows us why youth would want to use…
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