2010 will be a year of insane change in the media world. If you're reading this in the greater Twin Cities area I'll venture out on a limb here and say that the once-venerable Star-Tribune will suffer more than it did in the previous year. There will be a few more layoffs but the big news will be the sale of their print operations. Yes, there will still be a printed newspaper but they will be able to save a few bucks by outsourcing their printing. Look for Media News Group/Pioneer Press, Gannett or - and this one is a longshot - Forum Communications to further consolidate and shuffle operations to absorb the printing of the Star-Tribune.
Even with the glut of changes I see ahead in 2010 this one will be the biggest. It will also mark the beginning of the rise of smaller operators with little to no debt load cautiously taking on larger ventures and finding success. They are used to operating with almost microscopic staffing and making relative miracles happen so this sort of change is a logical happening.
Being a bit of a media junkie, I also see a bunch of other changes including further gutting of Clear Channel radio stations (locally Kool 108, K102, KDWB, Cities 97, KTLK, KFAN and The Score 690) and maybe even an outright sale because, as things are now, they are on the brink of bankruptcy and are one of those companies who are too large to survive as opposed to banks who were billed as too large to fail. But if Clear Channel sells some, plenty or all of its radio stations who's buying? Radio does still work but it needs an immense rethinking to survive. Of course AM radio was written off a couple decades back but it survives today with sports and political talk so radio's future may not be so bleak after all. Their biggest problem is debt. Buyers need to remember they are buying some equipment, an antenna and a license - the revenue is not part of the package.
One last local media change is a certain bastard TV station being sold or vanishing all together. Really, how many people watch WUCW (CW-23)? Outside of a few thousand people watching their 2-hour primetime network offerings, the station's programming is garbage and based on their advertisers I fail to see how they can pay any sort of staff. I realize that any money is better than none but I think that there will be some sort of consolidation here. Shuttering the WB & UPN and rolling them together was the dumbest idea since New Coke because the sum of two zeroes is still zero which is a close approximation to how many viewers the CW has. Now the "network" isn't a complete loss - they occasionally beat "The Jay Leno Show" in the ratings so why wouldn't some other network see some value in a few of the shows the network broadcasts and offer to buy the network at a fire sale price (which I'm sure would work) and use the better programs to beef up their own schedule? Even less-than-stellar new scripted episodes are better than repeats and America is slowly catching on to the fact that nearly everything that could be done in the reality arena has been done.
If even one of these predictions comes true I'll be shocked - and scared. What do you see on the horizon? Is it the grim reaper or the angel of hope? Or is it finally success for MinnPics? Let's hope for the latter because I'd like that one.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Be thankful for the end of the year
This time of year is the time when we pause to give thanks. Often times with the hectic pace of our daily lives we take what we have for granted and the ever-extending Christmas shopping season doesn't do much to aid us in appreciating what we have. Instead, we are fixated on what we want/"need" but that rabid consumerism is what makes the world go round and what lines my pockets so who am I to complain?
Instead, I have actually taken time to think about what we have and how lucky we are to have the things we need. This is especially important given the events of yesterday but we've always had a certain amount of luck on our side.
To illustrate that luck, here are some examples. When my old lady was pregnant we were told that the level of fluid in our daughter's kidneys was low (or high, I don't even remember now) and that we needed to head to the Mayo Clinic for a more involved ultrasound. As I assumed, it was just overly cautious medicine at work and nothing was wrong. Another fine example was my old lady falling in to a job just after graduating college. Sure, it has absolutely nothing to do with her degree but it has provided for her and us and her boss greatly appreciates her work. It's more than many people can say.
But back to appreciating what we have. We are both gainfully employed. Sure, I've suffered a setback or two in the past year or so and my old lady is facing some uncertainties but we're proactive and we've survived. We have made it through another year and while every day has had some sort of challenge lurking around the corner we've paid most of our bills, done some small improvements around the homestead and even managed to buy a new ride so we can more easily wrangle the toddler in and out of the back seat. I have long been anti-SUV but this is a crossover so don't call me a hypocrite.
We know that things are looking up. Every job seems to be facing a certain amount of uncertainty but if you add value to what you do by doing more and teaching yourself valuable lessons and skills that can bring more to your duties then you are being proactive and that alone should give you a certain amount of comfort. So, in the final days of the year, pause for a moment and take stock. Be thankful if you have a roof over your head, warm clothes and a full stomach. And now for the part that makes me a hypocrite, be thankful if you have a job that pays your bills. Be thankful for family and friends and be thankful that this sappiness is done.
And don't forget to show some appreciation for the gift that is MinnPics. I do the work to find you amazing photos from across Minnesota and all you ahve to do is pause to look at them. What a deal!
Instead, I have actually taken time to think about what we have and how lucky we are to have the things we need. This is especially important given the events of yesterday but we've always had a certain amount of luck on our side.
To illustrate that luck, here are some examples. When my old lady was pregnant we were told that the level of fluid in our daughter's kidneys was low (or high, I don't even remember now) and that we needed to head to the Mayo Clinic for a more involved ultrasound. As I assumed, it was just overly cautious medicine at work and nothing was wrong. Another fine example was my old lady falling in to a job just after graduating college. Sure, it has absolutely nothing to do with her degree but it has provided for her and us and her boss greatly appreciates her work. It's more than many people can say.
But back to appreciating what we have. We are both gainfully employed. Sure, I've suffered a setback or two in the past year or so and my old lady is facing some uncertainties but we're proactive and we've survived. We have made it through another year and while every day has had some sort of challenge lurking around the corner we've paid most of our bills, done some small improvements around the homestead and even managed to buy a new ride so we can more easily wrangle the toddler in and out of the back seat. I have long been anti-SUV but this is a crossover so don't call me a hypocrite.
We know that things are looking up. Every job seems to be facing a certain amount of uncertainty but if you add value to what you do by doing more and teaching yourself valuable lessons and skills that can bring more to your duties then you are being proactive and that alone should give you a certain amount of comfort. So, in the final days of the year, pause for a moment and take stock. Be thankful if you have a roof over your head, warm clothes and a full stomach. And now for the part that makes me a hypocrite, be thankful if you have a job that pays your bills. Be thankful for family and friends and be thankful that this sappiness is done.
And don't forget to show some appreciation for the gift that is MinnPics. I do the work to find you amazing photos from across Minnesota and all you ahve to do is pause to look at them. What a deal!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
A Christmas Eve McMeal
Hot damn, I made it through Christmas. Actually it was Christmas Eve that had more stress to it than the rest of the weekend put together. After a crazy dream concerning current happenings at my job in the early morning hours of Christmas Eve that left me mainly sleepless for my half-day of work, I knew that Christmas Eve would be the toughest day of the long weekend.
Factor in that the day began with having to shovel my 120 foot-long driveway so I could get to my office and it was beginning to slide down. Toss in having to scoop out what the snow plow left at the end of my driveway, shuffling vehicles in and out of the garage and a 50 minute commute and that day just kept getting better.
Once at work it was almost relaxing. A mostly-empty office and some note-comparing about Christmas plans and the two hours actually flew by as I tied up loose ends while my old lady and the toddler wrapped up some grocery shopping around the south metro and I waited for them to return to pick me up.
The biggest highlight was the toddler's very first McDonald's Happy Meal. She, of course, was giggly as hell which got her plenty of attention with one McWorker asking if that was her Christmas smile. I replied that it was simply her everyday smile and her Christmas smile would freeze people's faces it's so cute. Yep, the little lady thoroughly enjoyed her very first cheeseburger and I hope that this doesn't become a regular occurrence because I don't want to be the parent to some fat, lazy McKid.
On the flip side, I just spent quite a chunk of time updating MinnPics with photos of Minnesota's Christmas "blizzard" so go check 'em out.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Christmas cancelled due to snowmageddon
Click to make the snowfall map bigger but the snowphoon, snowmageddon, jesusblizzard, snownami, snownado, hohosnow or whatever else people are tagging it as on Twitter is apparently coming just in time to fuck up your Christmas plans from Wisconsin west through the Dakotas. Of particular interest is Minnesota because that's where I live and even though I have to travel the whopping sum of ten miles on Christmas day I still have to make it in to my office tomorrow (Christmas Eve) and do what amounts to a ton of shopping - even if the Target in Brainerd is out of milk.
Supposedly I'll be shoveling 15-20 inches out here in the southwest Twin Cities but, like every other forecasted storm, I'll believe it when I'm shoveling my driveway and die of a massive heart attack from heaving piles of heavy, wet snow over the already too-tall piles lining my driveway and sidewalks.
Call it stubbornness but I have no desire to own a snowblower. Those things are like the anti-snow - a lot like owning a snowmobile and unlike a snowblower, my snow shovel has never had any issues starting in cold weather. Owning a snowblower pretty much insures that it won't snow and while for plenty that would be pretty awesome I like to see snow falling. Hey, if it's going to be ass-freezing cold it might as well snow to complete the winter experience because it is Minnesota after all.
So when you're housebound for the next few days under a thick blanket of snow, check out the year-end retrospective at MinnPics. The best of the best of 2009 in photographs.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Songs of the year - part two
Yesterday I rattled off a few of the best songs of 2009 in video form - a sort of doudle-edged sword of success for a musician. Today I'll wrap things up with a few more songs that were huge and songs that should have been epic.
Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
Sure, KOL made it huge with mainstream success this year for "Use Somebody" but anyone who follows the roots of their music in the alternative scene would tell you that these southern boys are definitely not newcomers. I remember hearing them locally with "The Bucket" about four or five years ago. Sex on Fire, while it dind't achieve even a shred of pop success this year was most definitely a hit in certain corners during the summer of 2008 and I think that, based on this year's pop success, KOL can again hit it big if "Sex on Fire" is re-released. It deserves to be the soundtrack to half-naked people on beaches everywhere.
Ida Maria - I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked
Who? Ida Maria could very well fall in to the one-hit-wonder chasm but this song is catchy as hell and the accompanying video is compelling simply because it's different. The lyrics, while simple, are certainly not throw-away crap like for too many songs released this year but the straigh-forward approach of them makes the song that much more appealing. The lyrics can only be interpreted one way.
Airborne Toxic Event - Wishing Well
The instrumental opening of nearly a minute long is so epic that it's hard not to be a fan of this song. The style that the video is edited feels fast, jittery and choppy and matches the underlying, steady kick drum beat that's present throughout the four minutes of the song. In short, even though this is a fan-produced video, it's as good as many bands turn out.
I think I'll stop here but I could go on forever. Sure, this year wasn't as ripe with favorites to me as years past but it's been a blast putting this together. And for the five or six people reading this, I'm toying around with a video site dedicated to Minnesota music - both from here and appearing here - check back from time to time to see if it happens.
But don't forget about MinnPics - it's like a reliable old friend if that friend captured kick ass photographic moments across Minnesota to share with the world.
Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
Sure, KOL made it huge with mainstream success this year for "Use Somebody" but anyone who follows the roots of their music in the alternative scene would tell you that these southern boys are definitely not newcomers. I remember hearing them locally with "The Bucket" about four or five years ago. Sex on Fire, while it dind't achieve even a shred of pop success this year was most definitely a hit in certain corners during the summer of 2008 and I think that, based on this year's pop success, KOL can again hit it big if "Sex on Fire" is re-released. It deserves to be the soundtrack to half-naked people on beaches everywhere.
Ida Maria - I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked
Who? Ida Maria could very well fall in to the one-hit-wonder chasm but this song is catchy as hell and the accompanying video is compelling simply because it's different. The lyrics, while simple, are certainly not throw-away crap like for too many songs released this year but the straigh-forward approach of them makes the song that much more appealing. The lyrics can only be interpreted one way.
Airborne Toxic Event - Wishing Well
The instrumental opening of nearly a minute long is so epic that it's hard not to be a fan of this song. The style that the video is edited feels fast, jittery and choppy and matches the underlying, steady kick drum beat that's present throughout the four minutes of the song. In short, even though this is a fan-produced video, it's as good as many bands turn out.
I think I'll stop here but I could go on forever. Sure, this year wasn't as ripe with favorites to me as years past but it's been a blast putting this together. And for the five or six people reading this, I'm toying around with a video site dedicated to Minnesota music - both from here and appearing here - check back from time to time to see if it happens.
But don't forget about MinnPics - it's like a reliable old friend if that friend captured kick ass photographic moments across Minnesota to share with the world.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Songs of the year
Everyone and their mother seems to be releasing rather pointless and tired year-end or decade's-end lists ranging from sports moments to fails. But this one is different. This one was created by me...
Without further ado, 2009's songs of the year - in video format because I hear that video is catching on.
Phoenix - 1901
I had never heard of Phoenix until they were the featured musical act on an SNL episode early in the year. I was happy I was watching SNL because they were the only bright spot in that wretched Seth Rogen episode.
Metric - Help, I'm Alive
I had heard so much of this band as 2009 came into being and I simply fell in love with this song. Metric, hailing from Canada, makes exquisite poppy tunes and I think that they have even more mass appeal being a female-fronted band. The vocals of Emily Haines are mind blowing in my opinion. Sadly, no ture official video exists outside of this short film produced for the song.
The band's latest song, "Sick Muse", is equally as satisfying both aurally and visually. It already stands an excellent chance of making my list for 2010.
Green Day - 21 Guns
Green Day, after their "American Idiot" album, found themselves all grown up. They wrote more melodic music and while they still appeal greatly to teens their music is more all-encompassing. "21st Century Breakdown" isn't chock full of hits in my book but it's hard to be fair when "American Idiot" had a hit in nearly every track. The music of "21st Century Breakdown" has far less of an obvious political message and stance but is far more powerful. "21 Guns" is the purest definition of power pop that I heard all year long.
Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
It took me all year to warm up to Lady Gaga. Her first single, "Just Dance", was just annoying. The more I heard it the more I hated it. But then came "Poker Face". I was becoming a fan of Gaga. When "Paparazzi" hit the airwaves I was indifferent - until the MTV VMA performance. She is a true talent when it comes to her live performances - they aren't just music, they are art and that's what her persona as Lady Gaga is. The first time I saw the video for "Bad Romance", off her "Fame Monster" disc, I loved it. It was a turn in a new direction for me because rarely do I like a pop song on the first listen. I predicted on Twitter that by Thanksgiving week it would be played 80 times/week locally on KDWB - that prediction was off by about two or three weeks but this song is huge and amazing in so many ways - plus it sounds great at any volume.
Jay-Z - Empire State of Mind
No, it's not so much Jigga-man's rapping that sold me on this song being one of the year's best, it's his decision to team up with Alicia Keys who makes playing the piano cool. This song and its accompanying video almost make me want to live in NYC.
Carolina Liar - Show Me What I'm Looking For
This is another example of power pop - the only difference is that this song deserved so much more exposure than it received. Carolina Liar is a fairly straight-forward rock band that wrote a ballad of sorts that seemed custom-tailored for touching TV montages and commercials. I know that at one point SoapNet used it but these guys deserve so much more.
In the interest of keeping this as succinct as possible, I'm breaking this in to a two-parter. Check back tomorrow for the reast of my humble list and don't forget to spend a few more minutes of your time at MinnPics because who doesn't like photos?!?
Without further ado, 2009's songs of the year - in video format because I hear that video is catching on.
Phoenix - 1901
I had never heard of Phoenix until they were the featured musical act on an SNL episode early in the year. I was happy I was watching SNL because they were the only bright spot in that wretched Seth Rogen episode.
Metric - Help, I'm Alive
I had heard so much of this band as 2009 came into being and I simply fell in love with this song. Metric, hailing from Canada, makes exquisite poppy tunes and I think that they have even more mass appeal being a female-fronted band. The vocals of Emily Haines are mind blowing in my opinion. Sadly, no ture official video exists outside of this short film produced for the song.
The band's latest song, "Sick Muse", is equally as satisfying both aurally and visually. It already stands an excellent chance of making my list for 2010.
Green Day - 21 Guns
Green Day, after their "American Idiot" album, found themselves all grown up. They wrote more melodic music and while they still appeal greatly to teens their music is more all-encompassing. "21st Century Breakdown" isn't chock full of hits in my book but it's hard to be fair when "American Idiot" had a hit in nearly every track. The music of "21st Century Breakdown" has far less of an obvious political message and stance but is far more powerful. "21 Guns" is the purest definition of power pop that I heard all year long.
Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
It took me all year to warm up to Lady Gaga. Her first single, "Just Dance", was just annoying. The more I heard it the more I hated it. But then came "Poker Face". I was becoming a fan of Gaga. When "Paparazzi" hit the airwaves I was indifferent - until the MTV VMA performance. She is a true talent when it comes to her live performances - they aren't just music, they are art and that's what her persona as Lady Gaga is. The first time I saw the video for "Bad Romance", off her "Fame Monster" disc, I loved it. It was a turn in a new direction for me because rarely do I like a pop song on the first listen. I predicted on Twitter that by Thanksgiving week it would be played 80 times/week locally on KDWB - that prediction was off by about two or three weeks but this song is huge and amazing in so many ways - plus it sounds great at any volume.
Jay-Z - Empire State of Mind
No, it's not so much Jigga-man's rapping that sold me on this song being one of the year's best, it's his decision to team up with Alicia Keys who makes playing the piano cool. This song and its accompanying video almost make me want to live in NYC.
Carolina Liar - Show Me What I'm Looking For
This is another example of power pop - the only difference is that this song deserved so much more exposure than it received. Carolina Liar is a fairly straight-forward rock band that wrote a ballad of sorts that seemed custom-tailored for touching TV montages and commercials. I know that at one point SoapNet used it but these guys deserve so much more.
In the interest of keeping this as succinct as possible, I'm breaking this in to a two-parter. Check back tomorrow for the reast of my humble list and don't forget to spend a few more minutes of your time at MinnPics because who doesn't like photos?!?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
$854 Million?!?
It's old news that the Minnesota Vikings want a new stadium. It's also old news that the Metrodome - where the Vikings currently play - is stale and outdated. So it makes sense that with a somewhat useable building already in place the Vikes make use of the Dome. But the newest plan, costing $854 million, is downright nauseating.
At least this newest stadium proposal makes use of the current Metrodome site in eastern downtown Minneapolis but that price tag is hard to fathom. That number alone is close to what the current budget deficit is for the state of Minnesota and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission wants to erect a building with that sort of price tag. That is what's wrong with professional sports.
Now I don't expect the Vikings to play on a glorified high school football field complete with portable metal bleachers but let's get real here. The Metrodome cost a mere $68 million to build in the early 1980s and to expect tax payers to foot the bill for a stadium costing around 15 times as much as the one currently occupying the space doesn't add up. Have your wages increased 15-fold in the past 28 years? Has the minimum wage increased at that same rate in the past 28 years?
Maybe the Vikings need to take a different approach here. If the Vikings are such a Minnesota treasure that we couldn't bear to go on with our lives without them in Minnesota than maybe it's time for the Vikings to become a publicly owned and traded company. Take the model used in Green Bay by the Packers and use it here. The fans there own the team. The stadium underwent a massive overhaul recently and they play in a historical venue. Maybe now is the time to make that change and allow those with the interest and passion for the team to foot the bill for their stadium. Maybe even some sort of reverse revenue sharing. Maybe Zygi Wilf could still somehow maintain a majority share of ownership and make his dream of developing all around a Vikings stadium a reality. Maybe it would actually work or maybe my idea is so off base that I should be locked away forever. Thoughts?
Or maybe you should just head over to MinnPics as I begin looking back on the year that was.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Do you get personal at the office?
Here's a serious question. What kind of value, outside of your described duties, do you add to your job? If you are an administrative assistant have you stepped up and taken on additional duties - without being asked - such as shoveling the sidewalk in front of your office? What as the reaction of others at your office?
I ask because in times like these when we're all supposed to just be happy we have a job it seems that behavior is scrutinized - perhaps too much in some instances. For some it is a privacy issue with a work computer or work phone, for others it is internet usage on company time. But what about some fuzzy lines we all encounter? It's nearly impossible to schedule a doctor's appointment on your own time because a doctor, or some reason, has the same office hours as the rest of the universe. So it essentially boils down to taking care of something personal on company time. But does it effect your performance? I remember one episode of "The Office" when Jim called out Dwight as being hypocritical about the whole personal business/company time conundrum. Try it for a day - see if you can go an entire day without doing anything deemed as personal on company time. Then see if you were any more productive than you usually are.
I would venture a guess that you end your day without personal tasks feeling more exhausted. But you also end it having done about the same amount of work, if not less, than you would accomplish with taking some personal time during the course of your work day. Whether you check your personal web e-mail on your office computer, update your Facebook status or blog for a few minutes it gives you a break - outside of your normal break time(s) - from the daily grind and you are more refreshed and focused.
So, what has the situation been? Do you take personal breaks for those little tasks?
Or do you hop on over to MinnPics to see what kind of photographic gems I've dug up?
Friday, December 11, 2009
Shopping and the weather in Minnesota
Sadly, my weekend plans involve shopping at some point. And by shopping, I mean sitting in the car while my old lady meanders through a variety of stores that hold absolutely no interest to yours truly. I don't mind shopping - if I'm by myself but if it's my old lady stopping every twelve feet to him and haw over something that's the polar opposite of what we set out to purchase - then we have a problem.
As of this past week, the weather, too, threw a bit of a wrench in to the relative ease of shopping. It's to be expected, each year the sudden change (read: snow) in the weather catches us off guard. I was hoping to push through to late January with a snowless winter so I wouldn't have to buy new tires for the car I inherited from my old lady. That didn't pan out with the somewhat unexpected showfall that blanketed the state earlier this week. With that came cold weather. Weather cold enough that stepping outside and trudging through a packed parking lot while dodging inconsiderate assholes who can't even be troubled to crane their necks backward before backing out of their parking spot at Mach 5 speed is a pain to say the least.
Factor in me pushing a stroller complete with a little girl who's still screaming because she is paying me back for strapping her in to her car seat through those earlier-mentioned parking lots which I forgot to mention are half-plowed at best and you can see why I have opted more and more to, like my dad, sit in the car while either waiting impatiently and scanning the radio dial or napping. More and more in this area I am turning in to my dad - bushy gray sideburns and bi-focals can't be far off now.
But what really chaps my ass is the fact that the closest reprieve from this fabulous, toe-numbing weather is about four months off. Throw in the forecast that I noticed for Saturday and
you have a recipe rife for my head blowing completely off. See that shit?!? A LOW of 15 degrees - not entirely intolerable as I'm beginning to adjust to having permanently cold feet but that precipitation - a WINTRY MIX. How is that even possible? It's going to be a whopping fifteen degrees. That's an entire 17 degrees below freezing. A wintry mix? What? That's the kind of crap that makes me want to move to either Arizona or Canada. On one hand, you'd never have to deal with that crap - on the other hand the drivers in Canadia are so used to it that it wouldn't even phase them. But in the end I'll stick it out because I really don't plan on pushing a stroller through an asshole-filled parking lot anytime soon and with my new tires getting to work suddenly got a bit easier.
Now if only we can dodge that chance of a wintry mix on Saturday night. Oh, did I mention that it's a whoppingly-huge 20% chance? Which means that there's an 80% chance it WON'T happen? Why even mention it? Hell, on any given day there's a 20% chance I'll accidentally put on my old lady's panties while getting dressed but I don't post that prediction on a website - well until now.
Rather than complain about the weather constantly, I also, at time, revel in it. Check out the latest photos of Minnesota at MinnPics.
As of this past week, the weather, too, threw a bit of a wrench in to the relative ease of shopping. It's to be expected, each year the sudden change (read: snow) in the weather catches us off guard. I was hoping to push through to late January with a snowless winter so I wouldn't have to buy new tires for the car I inherited from my old lady. That didn't pan out with the somewhat unexpected showfall that blanketed the state earlier this week. With that came cold weather. Weather cold enough that stepping outside and trudging through a packed parking lot while dodging inconsiderate assholes who can't even be troubled to crane their necks backward before backing out of their parking spot at Mach 5 speed is a pain to say the least.
Factor in me pushing a stroller complete with a little girl who's still screaming because she is paying me back for strapping her in to her car seat through those earlier-mentioned parking lots which I forgot to mention are half-plowed at best and you can see why I have opted more and more to, like my dad, sit in the car while either waiting impatiently and scanning the radio dial or napping. More and more in this area I am turning in to my dad - bushy gray sideburns and bi-focals can't be far off now.
But what really chaps my ass is the fact that the closest reprieve from this fabulous, toe-numbing weather is about four months off. Throw in the forecast that I noticed for Saturday and
you have a recipe rife for my head blowing completely off. See that shit?!? A LOW of 15 degrees - not entirely intolerable as I'm beginning to adjust to having permanently cold feet but that precipitation - a WINTRY MIX. How is that even possible? It's going to be a whopping fifteen degrees. That's an entire 17 degrees below freezing. A wintry mix? What? That's the kind of crap that makes me want to move to either Arizona or Canada. On one hand, you'd never have to deal with that crap - on the other hand the drivers in Canadia are so used to it that it wouldn't even phase them. But in the end I'll stick it out because I really don't plan on pushing a stroller through an asshole-filled parking lot anytime soon and with my new tires getting to work suddenly got a bit easier.Now if only we can dodge that chance of a wintry mix on Saturday night. Oh, did I mention that it's a whoppingly-huge 20% chance? Which means that there's an 80% chance it WON'T happen? Why even mention it? Hell, on any given day there's a 20% chance I'll accidentally put on my old lady's panties while getting dressed but I don't post that prediction on a website - well until now.
Rather than complain about the weather constantly, I also, at time, revel in it. Check out the latest photos of Minnesota at MinnPics.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
I watch too much TV
Momentum. It's all about forward progress, right? Well, what happens when you break that momentum?
The best people to ask would be the television executives of America. In some of my daily reading I do to prep for my TV blog I came across the story about "Fringe" on Fox airing its final episode of the year tonight. The show will then return January 14 for four episodes then go on hiatus again until April 1. Factor in, too, that "Fringe" took a three or so week break back in October for baseball coverage and that adds up to three rather lengthy hiatus periods.
The model of stretching 20-24 episodes from mid-September to mid-May doesn't work. My math says that adds up to about 36-37 weeks of the calendar year - leaving 12-17 weeks open. At the large end of that spectrum, that leaves enough weeks to air a full (but somewhat short) season of a second entirely different series. Sure, it would cost a fair amount of money to do so but wouldn't well-written, well-acted, original (and hopefully scripted) programming play out better than repeats and wouldn't airing all of the episodes of any given show in succession better satisfy fans and lead to a more intense fan base?
While "Lost" on ABC may not be the best example, the producers and executives finally figured out that a somewhat shorter season and a definitive endpoint to the series would satisfy fans and only serve to intensify the fandom of the series. "Lost" airs its episodes in succession without repeats or breaks and it works because it builds momentum and excitement. Viewers and their short attention spans don't forget about the plot because the show airs every week at the same time with no breaks for viewers to forget the plot. It also frees up half of the year in that particular timeslot for ABC to air other programming. It allows ABC to experiment to a certain degree with what may or may not work in terms of programming and scheduling. It's partly the reason why ABC has experienced a rebirth of sorts in the past decade.
The exact opposite reason is why NBC has fallen deep in to the shitter. They routinely have shows on hiatus for weeks at time - and viewers not only forget the storyline of the show but also forget that it even exists. That forgetfulness shows, too. The only shows I religiously tune in to on NBC are their Thursday comedies. They've improved this year over last year and it's become appointment viewing for me. But that's the exception for me.
I prefer the continuous scheduling model but I'm curious what others think. Do you care or have you given up and switched what TV watching you do to cable channels?
If you want visual stimulation, check out the killer photos of Minnesota on MinnPics.
The best people to ask would be the television executives of America. In some of my daily reading I do to prep for my TV blog I came across the story about "Fringe" on Fox airing its final episode of the year tonight. The show will then return January 14 for four episodes then go on hiatus again until April 1. Factor in, too, that "Fringe" took a three or so week break back in October for baseball coverage and that adds up to three rather lengthy hiatus periods.
The model of stretching 20-24 episodes from mid-September to mid-May doesn't work. My math says that adds up to about 36-37 weeks of the calendar year - leaving 12-17 weeks open. At the large end of that spectrum, that leaves enough weeks to air a full (but somewhat short) season of a second entirely different series. Sure, it would cost a fair amount of money to do so but wouldn't well-written, well-acted, original (and hopefully scripted) programming play out better than repeats and wouldn't airing all of the episodes of any given show in succession better satisfy fans and lead to a more intense fan base?
While "Lost" on ABC may not be the best example, the producers and executives finally figured out that a somewhat shorter season and a definitive endpoint to the series would satisfy fans and only serve to intensify the fandom of the series. "Lost" airs its episodes in succession without repeats or breaks and it works because it builds momentum and excitement. Viewers and their short attention spans don't forget about the plot because the show airs every week at the same time with no breaks for viewers to forget the plot. It also frees up half of the year in that particular timeslot for ABC to air other programming. It allows ABC to experiment to a certain degree with what may or may not work in terms of programming and scheduling. It's partly the reason why ABC has experienced a rebirth of sorts in the past decade.
The exact opposite reason is why NBC has fallen deep in to the shitter. They routinely have shows on hiatus for weeks at time - and viewers not only forget the storyline of the show but also forget that it even exists. That forgetfulness shows, too. The only shows I religiously tune in to on NBC are their Thursday comedies. They've improved this year over last year and it's become appointment viewing for me. But that's the exception for me.
I prefer the continuous scheduling model but I'm curious what others think. Do you care or have you given up and switched what TV watching you do to cable channels?
If you want visual stimulation, check out the killer photos of Minnesota on MinnPics.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
It cures heartburn or ass pain?
Last night I saw a commercial for a poorly named product. It was called Aciphex. Say that in your head a couple times then say it aloud. Aciphex. Now think to yourself what this product would be used for.
My question to marketers is this: When you develop a name for a product, do you do some research about how people perceive the potential name(s) of said product?
Of course, my immediate reaction to the product Aciphex was boisterous laughter. It sounded too much like "Asseffects" to me from the living room-adjacent dining room and that is not good marketing but it's good for a laugh.
See how one could become confused with an utterly ridiculous product name like Aciphex (Asseffects)? My suggestion for anyone - cottage industries to Fortune 500 conglomerates - is to rigorously evaluate product names with a wide swath of the population because based on the YouTube comments for this commercial I am definitely not alone in finding the name both hilarious and tragic. Sure, when it's neatly spelled out it becomes clear that Aciphex is for relief of acid reflux or indigestion but when the name is just spoken it sounds like just another solution for ass-related problems.
And if you like bad products - check out some of my own real-life variations from last year.
Yep, while things here take a dive towards juvenile humor, MinnPics keeps it classy with a wide variety of Minnesota photos updated daily - check it out now!
My question to marketers is this: When you develop a name for a product, do you do some research about how people perceive the potential name(s) of said product?
Of course, my immediate reaction to the product Aciphex was boisterous laughter. It sounded too much like "Asseffects" to me from the living room-adjacent dining room and that is not good marketing but it's good for a laugh.
See how one could become confused with an utterly ridiculous product name like Aciphex (Asseffects)? My suggestion for anyone - cottage industries to Fortune 500 conglomerates - is to rigorously evaluate product names with a wide swath of the population because based on the YouTube comments for this commercial I am definitely not alone in finding the name both hilarious and tragic. Sure, when it's neatly spelled out it becomes clear that Aciphex is for relief of acid reflux or indigestion but when the name is just spoken it sounds like just another solution for ass-related problems.
And if you like bad products - check out some of my own real-life variations from last year.
Yep, while things here take a dive towards juvenile humor, MinnPics keeps it classy with a wide variety of Minnesota photos updated daily - check it out now!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The art of winter driving
Face it - winter driving isn't easy. Especially if you're a Minnesotan. The crippling fear. The clenched white knuckles. The tense arms straining to hold the wheel steady. The soiled underwear from even the slightest unpredicted movement of your car as snow flakes wander aimlessly across the highway. The headache from seeing an endless stream of brake lights. It makes for a universally shitty day.
But why does it make for such a craptastic day? Why do even a few flurries turn us all into crippled invalids unable to drive even half of the speed limit?
It all boils down to varying levels of stupidity. There is the stupid driver creeping along at 25 miles per hour on the freeway. Then there's the stupid driver screaming like a bullet at 70 miles per hour on a two lane county road. There has to be some sort of happy medium between those two extremes. If not, I suppose that there's always the possibility that one (or both) will receive the Darwin Award.
But now that the snow seems to have ended outside my window, we've been given a reprieve. But we all know that there's a day coming - a perfect storm - when it will be snowing at 3 PM and just keep on snowing through the afternoon rush hour - making it last until 8 PM. It's coming and we all know it. I only hope that those unskilled drivers prepare. I hope that the stupid drivers up their intelligence. I hope that I get my front tires replaced.
I also hope that you'll check out MinnPics. A home for all things photographic about Minnesota that likes when you check it out.
But why does it make for such a craptastic day? Why do even a few flurries turn us all into crippled invalids unable to drive even half of the speed limit?
It all boils down to varying levels of stupidity. There is the stupid driver creeping along at 25 miles per hour on the freeway. Then there's the stupid driver screaming like a bullet at 70 miles per hour on a two lane county road. There has to be some sort of happy medium between those two extremes. If not, I suppose that there's always the possibility that one (or both) will receive the Darwin Award.
But now that the snow seems to have ended outside my window, we've been given a reprieve. But we all know that there's a day coming - a perfect storm - when it will be snowing at 3 PM and just keep on snowing through the afternoon rush hour - making it last until 8 PM. It's coming and we all know it. I only hope that those unskilled drivers prepare. I hope that the stupid drivers up their intelligence. I hope that I get my front tires replaced.
I also hope that you'll check out MinnPics. A home for all things photographic about Minnesota that likes when you check it out.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
We're done as a society - and Tiger Woods is to blame
How worthless are we as Americans when we obviously over-obsess over pop culture? The top news stories locally on Sunday night were the Minnesota Vikings win and the Tiger Woods car crash. I'm sure there was probably something fluffy about how retailers fared over the long shopping weekend as people pissed away a month's salary on a 94" LCD TV for themselves.
A few days later we are still overly obsessed about Tiger Woods. Wow, a sports star nailed a couple of blonde sluts on the side while his old lady was at home with their kid. He got busted. While it won't end his career or even effect any of his huge endorsement deals, it will be remembered. But it's not like he killed somebody. By doing some quick math, I have figured out that 43% of professional athletes eventually have extra-marital affairs. Some get found out, others keep hittin' that every time they visit that particular city. It's just an extrapolation of why half of all marriages end in divorce. I blame breast implants and arguments over who's going to do the dishes.
I wrote this for two reasons: I am sick and damn tired of hearing about Tiger Woods - I get it, he's a phenomenol golfer who totally fucked up and I am blown away at how stupid Americans must be that they have to Google the word "transgressions". The majority of Americans must be 6th grade dropouts or have been raised my a steady diet of Nickelodeon and video games because for "transgressions" to be the second-most searched-for-term is just sad.
As further proof, below is the top 25 Google Trends (current as 3 PM today)
1.tiger woods affair
2.transgressions
3.jaimee grubbs pics
4.kalika moquin pictures
5.jamie grubbs pictures
6.transgressions definition
7.meredith baxter
8.nancy locke
9.tiger woods text messages
10.tiger woods official website
11.tool academy jaimee grubbs
12.standing with hope
13.us weekly tiger woods
14.enneagon
15.mary dell abate
16.family ties
17.nancy locke meredith baxter
18.wtoc
19.tiger woods cheated on wife
20.michelle obama ape
21.chris matthews enemy camp
22.pacquiao vs mayweather
23.tool academy season 1
24.willie martinez fired
25.david birney
And if you're in a clicking mood and are also tired of all things Tiger Woods and Meredith Baxter, check out the fabulous photos at MinnPics.
Scott County to give property owners a "shocker"
Normally I wouldn't participate in pointing out unfortunate phrases which, when read by me, have an entirely different meaning but a story about property taxes in the rather cash-rich Twin Cities county escalating for "fake" farm owners caught my eye.
So, you can see my confusion. Are some land owners going to be penetrated or receive a tax hike. Yeah, I know that the answer is clearly spelled out in the story but it's more fun to let the imagination run wild.
In one extreme case -- a "shocker," in the words of County Auditor Cindy Geis --See, right there, the County Auditor plans on delivering a shocker. If you're unfamiliar with the definition, here it is.
annual property taxes will skyrocket from about $5,000 to nearly $40,000.
The act of inserting 2 fingers into the vaginal opening (normally the index and
middle fingers), and 1 into the anus (normally the "pinky" finger). This is
usually performed when she is laying back, in the "deep thrust" postion (see
"deep thrust" for more hardcore info). Commonly described a numerous number of
ways, e. g. 2 in the pink, 1 in the stink; two in the grass one in the ass; two
in the slut one in the butt; two in the koot, one in the boot; goin to town with
one in the brown; and many more, this method of sexual gratification is one
sought out by people of all levels.
So, you can see my confusion. Are some land owners going to be penetrated or receive a tax hike. Yeah, I know that the answer is clearly spelled out in the story but it's more fun to let the imagination run wild.
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