Today is a day when you’re supposed to be extra careful!
After all, it IS Friday The 13th.
I know that 13 is supposed to be an unlucky number, but we have a 13th of the month 12 times a year. Why it is unlucky simply because it lands on a Friday (usually a good day, no?) is a mystery to me.
I searched YouTube for “Friday The 13th”—and as you might guess, all I got was clips from the horror flick of the same name. Next, I tried “Superstitions”, but all I got was Stevie Wonder singing his hit song.
Can’t call myself superstitious actually. Set up a ladder and I will sprint back and forth under it. Black cats? Bring ‘em on! And just how is it that a rabbit’s foot is “lucky”?
It sure wasn’t for the rabbit.
The problem is that superstitious people actually CREATE their bad luck by thinking about it---not that they WANT bad luck, but even in THINKING about avoiding bad events, the fact is that their focus is still on the bad occurrence. Since the mind cannot tell the difference between something desired and something not wanted—and since we attract both good and bad into our lives by merely THINKING, those trying to avoid the bad event are nonetheless attracting it into their lives by holding it in their conscious awareness.
These superstitious people are always full of stories of woe—their evidence that “bad luck” exists. And, of course it does, because they created it.
When I typed “unlucky people” into the YouTube search engine, I got a slew of videos of people engaged in stupid behaviors---that don’t end well. In what has become a favorite video category of the Tim Moore blog, here again we go---laughing at other people’s expense:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fKX4fucroM
OUCH!
Don’t try ANY of the above at home—and if you do, call 9-1-1 in advance---and for goodness sake, leave the video cameras OFF—otherwise, your unfortunate outcome may show up on a future blog!
If you’d like my weekday blog in your inbox, drop me a line-it’s FREE!!! Tim.moore@citcomm.com
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Pudge Heffelfinger-First Pro Football Player
Ask any boy what he wants to “be” when he grows up—and you’ll likely get a healthy dose of “pro ____ball player”. Whether it’s football, baseball, basketball or some other sport, the lure of multi-million dollar contracts in exchange for essentially PLAYING A GAME is irresistible even to many adults, who fantasize about sports glory. Girls, too, are often now setting their sights on a career in sports.
It was on this date in 1892 that William “Pudge” Heffelfinger became the very first “pro” football player. Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Athletic Association (AAA) paid him $500 to play as a “ringer” in a game against its rival Pittsburgh Athletic Club (PAC). Not exactly hitting the jackpot, but half a grand for ONE game in the late 1800’s had to be a spectacular amount of money!
Before Pudge ambled along, it was common for players to accept expense money, goods or services in payment for their participation, but this was the first outright cash outlay for a football player (that we know of anyway!) Baseball had been professional for over a quarter of a century by then, but the gridiron game was still in its infancy as far as the business model was concerned.
The two teams in combat had just played each other a month earlier. At the time, the PAC team had a mysterious young man on their squad. He called himself “Stayer”—and said he was a neighborhood kid who had never played football before.
Not quite.
The “kid” turned out to be A.C. Read, the captain of the Penn State football team! The AAA was justifiably upset—and even though the game was a tie (6-6), a rematch was insisted upon. Our hero, Pudge, who had been a football standout at Yale was apparently offered $250 to play for the PAC. Shortly thereafter, the AAA came calling and offered to double his pay to $500! Heffelfinger agreed, but decided to keep his new deal a secret from the PAC until he showed up for the game in a AAA uniform!
The PAC stormed off the field, refusing to play unless and until the AAA would agree that the game wouldn’t count. Consensus was reached—and Pudge turned out to be worth his paycheck, scoring the game’s only TD-and the AAA shut out the PAC.
Since no film exists of THAT game (or the era for that matter), here’s a short clip of early football games—at Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URfkVLCtn8k
By the way, Pudge Heffelfinger never acknowledged that he took payment for that game. He went on to become a prominent insurance executive and congressman from Minnesota.
Care to receive this blog in your weekday e-mail? Just let me know! Tim.moore@citcomm.com
It was on this date in 1892 that William “Pudge” Heffelfinger became the very first “pro” football player. Pittsburgh’s Allegheny Athletic Association (AAA) paid him $500 to play as a “ringer” in a game against its rival Pittsburgh Athletic Club (PAC). Not exactly hitting the jackpot, but half a grand for ONE game in the late 1800’s had to be a spectacular amount of money!
Before Pudge ambled along, it was common for players to accept expense money, goods or services in payment for their participation, but this was the first outright cash outlay for a football player (that we know of anyway!) Baseball had been professional for over a quarter of a century by then, but the gridiron game was still in its infancy as far as the business model was concerned.
The two teams in combat had just played each other a month earlier. At the time, the PAC team had a mysterious young man on their squad. He called himself “Stayer”—and said he was a neighborhood kid who had never played football before.
Not quite.
The “kid” turned out to be A.C. Read, the captain of the Penn State football team! The AAA was justifiably upset—and even though the game was a tie (6-6), a rematch was insisted upon. Our hero, Pudge, who had been a football standout at Yale was apparently offered $250 to play for the PAC. Shortly thereafter, the AAA came calling and offered to double his pay to $500! Heffelfinger agreed, but decided to keep his new deal a secret from the PAC until he showed up for the game in a AAA uniform!
The PAC stormed off the field, refusing to play unless and until the AAA would agree that the game wouldn’t count. Consensus was reached—and Pudge turned out to be worth his paycheck, scoring the game’s only TD-and the AAA shut out the PAC.
Since no film exists of THAT game (or the era for that matter), here’s a short clip of early football games—at Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URfkVLCtn8k
By the way, Pudge Heffelfinger never acknowledged that he took payment for that game. He went on to become a prominent insurance executive and congressman from Minnesota.
Care to receive this blog in your weekday e-mail? Just let me know! Tim.moore@citcomm.com
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veterans Teach-But Do We Listen?
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month: 11am on November 11, 1918.
World War I—the so-called “war to end all wars”—finally came to an end. Nine million soldiers killed and 21 million wounded. In addition, at least 5 million citizens died from disease, starvation or exposure.
As we honor veterans today, I wonder out loud what we have learned since that very first Armistice Day, later to be simply called Veterans Day.
My guess is—perhaps not much.
Power-hungry despots, dictators and psychopaths of all kinds still exercise aggression against their neighbors. Politicians in the world community in turn send young men (and now women) to their deaths in the name of securing and then preserving the peace.
In the history of war, kings used to actually lead their troops into battle. Now, political leaders make a decision from behind a mahogany desk. It’s a phone call or the wave of a pen. It is far removed from the front, from the trenches. Perhaps it is this “disconnect” that is most disturbing. If the same people making the call on the lives of millions were themselves compelled to lead the charge, we might see a marked increase in negotiation and a corresponding decline in shots fired.
Each soldier drawn into the conflict acts in patriotic fashion—obeying the orders of those above them without question. They are valiant, they are brave—they are heroes.
It is said that freedom isn’t free—and we owe an unpayable debt to those who have joined the fight. It is also said that “war is hell”. While the weapons of war have grown ever more sophisticated, the horrors of battle have been a constant from the start.
Check out the short video on World War I below—it’s called The Trenches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3QJRM7tCI0
We salute and honor veterans today—and should do so every day. Anyone who has served their country is worthy of our praise—and we can never forget that the greatest tribute to them would be to insure that their sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters—and ours as well—NEVER need to lose their lives to preserve the freedom that so many others have fought and died for.
God Bless The U.S.A!
If you’d like my weekday blog in your inbox, just let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com
World War I—the so-called “war to end all wars”—finally came to an end. Nine million soldiers killed and 21 million wounded. In addition, at least 5 million citizens died from disease, starvation or exposure.
As we honor veterans today, I wonder out loud what we have learned since that very first Armistice Day, later to be simply called Veterans Day.
My guess is—perhaps not much.
Power-hungry despots, dictators and psychopaths of all kinds still exercise aggression against their neighbors. Politicians in the world community in turn send young men (and now women) to their deaths in the name of securing and then preserving the peace.
In the history of war, kings used to actually lead their troops into battle. Now, political leaders make a decision from behind a mahogany desk. It’s a phone call or the wave of a pen. It is far removed from the front, from the trenches. Perhaps it is this “disconnect” that is most disturbing. If the same people making the call on the lives of millions were themselves compelled to lead the charge, we might see a marked increase in negotiation and a corresponding decline in shots fired.
Each soldier drawn into the conflict acts in patriotic fashion—obeying the orders of those above them without question. They are valiant, they are brave—they are heroes.
It is said that freedom isn’t free—and we owe an unpayable debt to those who have joined the fight. It is also said that “war is hell”. While the weapons of war have grown ever more sophisticated, the horrors of battle have been a constant from the start.
Check out the short video on World War I below—it’s called The Trenches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3QJRM7tCI0
We salute and honor veterans today—and should do so every day. Anyone who has served their country is worthy of our praise—and we can never forget that the greatest tribute to them would be to insure that their sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters—and ours as well—NEVER need to lose their lives to preserve the freedom that so many others have fought and died for.
God Bless The U.S.A!
If you’d like my weekday blog in your inbox, just let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Educational Muppets
I was impressed with the PBS TV show “Sesame Street” until I realized the format was modeled on the 1960’s hit “Laugh In”.
Really.
OK, I'm still impressed, but it's hard to draw the comparison until you think about it for a minute or two.
The fast-paced, bite-sized one-liners and quick skits featured on "Laugh In" were a bit revolutionary at the time—and the producers at the Children’s Television Workshop decided to transfer the same structure to the small screen for even smaller viewers.
Sesame Street celebrates its 40th birthday today, hitting the airwaves on this date in 1969. Among the innovations were an urban, inner-city setting and a racially diverse cast of characters.
I can’t claim fond memories of the show for myself—I’m too damn old. I grew up with Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Green Jeans (yuck) and even Mister Rogers (yuck to some exponential power). However, my kids all learned their letters and numbers from Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie.
Not without its controversies, Sesame Street has survived by doing most things right-despite criticism for everything from the aforementioned erratic format (blamed for contributing to children’s short attention spans) to Cookie Monster’s two-pronged faults:
a) overeating..and
b) using cookies as blackmail for learning
Now before you call me Oscar the Grouch, realize that I don’t agree with most of the attacks. Learning will always improve in an environment where the kids are engaged and entertained-just ask Walt Disney. Further, the show’s creator Joan Ganz Cooney realized that the combination of humor, celebrity guest stars and writing that appealed on both the child and adult levels would keep PARENTS tuned in (some of whom didn’t know their letters and numbers either) and would create adult advocates in the millions of homes where the target audience was located.
Contrast that to, say, Barney the Dinosaur or The Wiggles—either one of which if exposed to an adult human being for any length of time would cause them to contemplate suicide as a less painful alternative to continued viewing.
Jim Henson's creation of special muppets---to rival the already popular Kermit and Miss Piggy-was another stroke of genius.
Here’s a segment featuring Whoopi Goldberg and Elmo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce0yGNG_VEU
Since its inception, it is estimated that 73 million people have watched the show-and each day, about 8 million tune in to laugh….and learn.
My kids were the beneficiaries of Sesame Street—and I hope that it is still around when my grandchildren start learning their ABC’s
If you’d like my blog in your daily inbox, just let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com
Today’s blog was brought to you by the letter B.
Really.
OK, I'm still impressed, but it's hard to draw the comparison until you think about it for a minute or two.
The fast-paced, bite-sized one-liners and quick skits featured on "Laugh In" were a bit revolutionary at the time—and the producers at the Children’s Television Workshop decided to transfer the same structure to the small screen for even smaller viewers.
Sesame Street celebrates its 40th birthday today, hitting the airwaves on this date in 1969. Among the innovations were an urban, inner-city setting and a racially diverse cast of characters.
I can’t claim fond memories of the show for myself—I’m too damn old. I grew up with Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Green Jeans (yuck) and even Mister Rogers (yuck to some exponential power). However, my kids all learned their letters and numbers from Big Bird, Elmo, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie.
Not without its controversies, Sesame Street has survived by doing most things right-despite criticism for everything from the aforementioned erratic format (blamed for contributing to children’s short attention spans) to Cookie Monster’s two-pronged faults:
a) overeating..and
b) using cookies as blackmail for learning
Now before you call me Oscar the Grouch, realize that I don’t agree with most of the attacks. Learning will always improve in an environment where the kids are engaged and entertained-just ask Walt Disney. Further, the show’s creator Joan Ganz Cooney realized that the combination of humor, celebrity guest stars and writing that appealed on both the child and adult levels would keep PARENTS tuned in (some of whom didn’t know their letters and numbers either) and would create adult advocates in the millions of homes where the target audience was located.
Contrast that to, say, Barney the Dinosaur or The Wiggles—either one of which if exposed to an adult human being for any length of time would cause them to contemplate suicide as a less painful alternative to continued viewing.
Jim Henson's creation of special muppets---to rival the already popular Kermit and Miss Piggy-was another stroke of genius.
Here’s a segment featuring Whoopi Goldberg and Elmo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce0yGNG_VEU
Since its inception, it is estimated that 73 million people have watched the show-and each day, about 8 million tune in to laugh….and learn.
My kids were the beneficiaries of Sesame Street—and I hope that it is still around when my grandchildren start learning their ABC’s
If you’d like my blog in your daily inbox, just let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com
Today’s blog was brought to you by the letter B.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Cyber Terrorism
The CBS TV show “60 Minutes” has often been scary, but usually for me, it’s the recurring nightmare of opening my front door to discover Mike Wallace and a camera crew waiting to pounce. Whether I did anything wrong or not is immaterial. If you end up on “60 Minutes” you will always appear guilty under the barrage of accusations.
Last night, however, I was truly frightened at the report on Cyber Terrorism. Although I had heard the term, I hadn’t realized how far some countries and rogue organizations have gone already in infiltrating our banking, commerce and yes, even our military computer systems.
More fascinating is the thought that the next 9-11-type attack might be done SOLELY via the internet—terrorists operating computers from anywhere—tapping into our missile systems—or more likely, into the nation’s power grid.
It was on this date in 1965 that the Great Blackout of the Northeast happened, giving us our first glimpse over 40 years ago of the havoc to be dealt with in the event of a power failure of massive proportions. Today, with our dependence on computers and the web, it is fair to say that we are even MORE dependent on electricity and even more vulnerable to the aftermath of losing the juice.
A couple of videos today—first, here is the CBS News Report from the 1965 Blackout:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdF-CsxqDko
For those of us old enough to remember the 1965 event, it was unsettling to be sure. What would happen if the same thing occurred—only this time, it was a terrorist attack?
Here is the “60 Minutes” report from last night:
Watch CBS News Videos Online
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5578986n
In an age where “conventional” terrorist-attack prevention competes with restoring the economy, creating jobs and providing health care, we cannot lose sight that the spector of Cyber Terrorism is perhaps our greatest threat—but one that will not likely galvanize the nation into a response---UNTIL IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.
Well, if you believe the reported incidents outlined on CBS, it HAS already happened—and we as citizens need to keep the prevention of cyber terrorism a top priority in the hierarchy of problems jockeying for attention and funding.
Our very survival may depend on it.
If you’d like my blog in your daily weekday inbox, just let me know- tim.moore@citcomm.com
Last night, however, I was truly frightened at the report on Cyber Terrorism. Although I had heard the term, I hadn’t realized how far some countries and rogue organizations have gone already in infiltrating our banking, commerce and yes, even our military computer systems.
More fascinating is the thought that the next 9-11-type attack might be done SOLELY via the internet—terrorists operating computers from anywhere—tapping into our missile systems—or more likely, into the nation’s power grid.
It was on this date in 1965 that the Great Blackout of the Northeast happened, giving us our first glimpse over 40 years ago of the havoc to be dealt with in the event of a power failure of massive proportions. Today, with our dependence on computers and the web, it is fair to say that we are even MORE dependent on electricity and even more vulnerable to the aftermath of losing the juice.
A couple of videos today—first, here is the CBS News Report from the 1965 Blackout:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdF-CsxqDko
For those of us old enough to remember the 1965 event, it was unsettling to be sure. What would happen if the same thing occurred—only this time, it was a terrorist attack?
Here is the “60 Minutes” report from last night:
Watch CBS News Videos Online
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5578986n
In an age where “conventional” terrorist-attack prevention competes with restoring the economy, creating jobs and providing health care, we cannot lose sight that the spector of Cyber Terrorism is perhaps our greatest threat—but one that will not likely galvanize the nation into a response---UNTIL IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.
Well, if you believe the reported incidents outlined on CBS, it HAS already happened—and we as citizens need to keep the prevention of cyber terrorism a top priority in the hierarchy of problems jockeying for attention and funding.
Our very survival may depend on it.
If you’d like my blog in your daily weekday inbox, just let me know- tim.moore@citcomm.com
Friday, November 6, 2009
I'm A Bad Sport
I just couldn’t watch the end of the World Series the other night.
I have also successfully avoided ESPN so as not to be exposed to the Yankee’s celebration.
I admit it—when it comes to the Yankees, I’m a bad sport.
Yeah, yeah…I know…New York has won more championships than any other franchise in sports. Exposure to any Yankees fan for more than five minutes will have you well versed on the Bronx Bombers “dominance” over the years.
If I were a Kansas City fan, I could use the phrase “Best Team That Money Can Buy”—which of course is true, but since I am a Red Sox fan, I root for the “Second Best Team That Money Can Buy”-and that argument sounds feeble.
I harken back to the All Star break this season, where the Red Sox had a 3 game or so lead over New York and had beaten them 8 or 9 consecutive times.
What happened?
The Sox imploded and the Yankees exploded—it was truly both scenarios that created the situation that sent NY to the Series.
Funny thing is that I really don’t attribute it to “jealousy” of the Yankees. As a baseball fan, I totally respect the teams of old-and players like Ruth, Gehrig and DiMaggio, who were legends. Somewhere along the way-definitely in the Steinbrenner era—and probably when Reggie Jackson was on the team, there arose a kind of ARROGANCE—from the team and from its fans—that the Yankees were somehow a team bestowed with a divine RIGHT to be World Series Champs every year.
It was this sense of entitlement that causes fans of other teams to recoil.
Of course, no one can ever take away the Red Sox comeback in 2004, where the vaulted Yankees CHOKED!!!! A three games to none lead in the ALCS—and they blew it!! Let’s relive it, shall we?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrhNRkbs5N4
Do I hate ALL of the Yankees? Well, yes and no:
Derek Jeter: Great player-wish he was a Red Sox player (highest praise I can muster)
Alex Rodriquez: Loser, in almost every sense of the word
Johnny Damon: Traitor
Hideki Matsui: Great player-I HATE how he owns Pedro—would love it if Red Sox
Sign him if Yankees abandon their World Series MVP
Mark Teixera: Great player, but should be playing for Boston
CC Sabathia: I like his contract better than his talent
Andy Pettitte: Looks like an ex-con
Joe Girardi: OK, but is lucky the Yankees won-as his management of the pitching staff
was shaky at best---liked his predecessor much better.
I’m tired of listing more Yankees—and with their holier-than-thou attitude back, long suppressed by a few years of choking, we should make a point of making their mega-million off season signings last year a ONE-SEASON phenomenon.
Just WAIT until next year!!!
If you’d like my blog in your box, it is FREE to Yankee haters –for New York fans (of which there are now millions more today solely because they won), a subscription is only $27 million dollars a year ( one million for each of your rings) Visa and Mastercard accepted: tim.moore@citcomm.com
I have also successfully avoided ESPN so as not to be exposed to the Yankee’s celebration.
I admit it—when it comes to the Yankees, I’m a bad sport.
Yeah, yeah…I know…New York has won more championships than any other franchise in sports. Exposure to any Yankees fan for more than five minutes will have you well versed on the Bronx Bombers “dominance” over the years.
If I were a Kansas City fan, I could use the phrase “Best Team That Money Can Buy”—which of course is true, but since I am a Red Sox fan, I root for the “Second Best Team That Money Can Buy”-and that argument sounds feeble.
I harken back to the All Star break this season, where the Red Sox had a 3 game or so lead over New York and had beaten them 8 or 9 consecutive times.
What happened?
The Sox imploded and the Yankees exploded—it was truly both scenarios that created the situation that sent NY to the Series.
Funny thing is that I really don’t attribute it to “jealousy” of the Yankees. As a baseball fan, I totally respect the teams of old-and players like Ruth, Gehrig and DiMaggio, who were legends. Somewhere along the way-definitely in the Steinbrenner era—and probably when Reggie Jackson was on the team, there arose a kind of ARROGANCE—from the team and from its fans—that the Yankees were somehow a team bestowed with a divine RIGHT to be World Series Champs every year.
It was this sense of entitlement that causes fans of other teams to recoil.
Of course, no one can ever take away the Red Sox comeback in 2004, where the vaulted Yankees CHOKED!!!! A three games to none lead in the ALCS—and they blew it!! Let’s relive it, shall we?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrhNRkbs5N4
Do I hate ALL of the Yankees? Well, yes and no:
Derek Jeter: Great player-wish he was a Red Sox player (highest praise I can muster)
Alex Rodriquez: Loser, in almost every sense of the word
Johnny Damon: Traitor
Hideki Matsui: Great player-I HATE how he owns Pedro—would love it if Red Sox
Sign him if Yankees abandon their World Series MVP
Mark Teixera: Great player, but should be playing for Boston
CC Sabathia: I like his contract better than his talent
Andy Pettitte: Looks like an ex-con
Joe Girardi: OK, but is lucky the Yankees won-as his management of the pitching staff
was shaky at best---liked his predecessor much better.
I’m tired of listing more Yankees—and with their holier-than-thou attitude back, long suppressed by a few years of choking, we should make a point of making their mega-million off season signings last year a ONE-SEASON phenomenon.
Just WAIT until next year!!!
If you’d like my blog in your box, it is FREE to Yankee haters –for New York fans (of which there are now millions more today solely because they won), a subscription is only $27 million dollars a year ( one million for each of your rings) Visa and Mastercard accepted: tim.moore@citcomm.com
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Fast Forward Through The Ads?
Since the arrival of DVR’s ,TIVO, digital cable and TV-to-PC recording, it’s now become ultra-easy to record and playback your favorite TV shows. The downside for advertisers, of course, is that this time-shift viewing means that millions of Americans are fast forwarding through the messages---commercials for which companies are shelling out millions to produce and air.
Since the advertisers make the programs possible, this is ultimately not good news for the consumer.
Why?
Well, as companies see the results of their advertising decline (as people stop watching), they‘ll scale back or drop TV advertising from their marketing budgets. En masse, this is bad news for the high production cost TV shows we’ve grown accustomed to enjoying. The diminished dollars will force the production of lower-cost (and lower quality) shows.
The technology is advancing faster than advertisers can counter-act consumer behavior. There are actually efforts to “embed” a phantom commercial within a regular one. If the viewer chooses not to skip through the spots, he or she will see the full ad. If, however, the FAST-FORWARD button is pressed, instead of seeing a high speed, unintelligible version, there will be a visual-only message that is fully understandable---only at that high speed.
Impressive, but not enough to compensate—since production costs for the commercial have thus risen…again.
Call me crazy, but aside from the screaming car dealer ads, much of what is nationally produced is highly entertaining—and sometimes funnier than the show it surrounds. Check out this hilarious spot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmSCh5ZkMqk
Now, THAT’S funny—and smart marketers have been long clued into the fact that particularly funny commercials become an ATTRACTION rather than a distraction. They are treated as 30 second or 60 second dramas or comedies that indirectly feature the product or service.
The attention given to Super Bowl ads (often better than the game) attest to the fact that well written, acted and produced spots are actually part of the entertainment equation.
If you fast-forward through them, though…you’ll never know.
If you’d like my blog in your daily inbox (MOSTLY commercial free), send me an e-mail: tim.moore@citcomm.com
Since the advertisers make the programs possible, this is ultimately not good news for the consumer.
Why?
Well, as companies see the results of their advertising decline (as people stop watching), they‘ll scale back or drop TV advertising from their marketing budgets. En masse, this is bad news for the high production cost TV shows we’ve grown accustomed to enjoying. The diminished dollars will force the production of lower-cost (and lower quality) shows.
The technology is advancing faster than advertisers can counter-act consumer behavior. There are actually efforts to “embed” a phantom commercial within a regular one. If the viewer chooses not to skip through the spots, he or she will see the full ad. If, however, the FAST-FORWARD button is pressed, instead of seeing a high speed, unintelligible version, there will be a visual-only message that is fully understandable---only at that high speed.
Impressive, but not enough to compensate—since production costs for the commercial have thus risen…again.
Call me crazy, but aside from the screaming car dealer ads, much of what is nationally produced is highly entertaining—and sometimes funnier than the show it surrounds. Check out this hilarious spot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmSCh5ZkMqk
Now, THAT’S funny—and smart marketers have been long clued into the fact that particularly funny commercials become an ATTRACTION rather than a distraction. They are treated as 30 second or 60 second dramas or comedies that indirectly feature the product or service.
The attention given to Super Bowl ads (often better than the game) attest to the fact that well written, acted and produced spots are actually part of the entertainment equation.
If you fast-forward through them, though…you’ll never know.
If you’d like my blog in your daily inbox (MOSTLY commercial free), send me an e-mail: tim.moore@citcomm.com
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
King Tut's Tomb Discovered!
Imagine your excitement at discovering an intact Egyptian tomb!
On this date in 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter got that thrill as his workmen discovered a step in the Valley of Kings—leading down to the tomb of King Tutankhamen.
Carter arrived in Egypt over 30 years earlier—and most of the ancient tombs had been discovered. However, the little-known King Tut was still unaccounted for. This king rose to the Egyptian throne as a child—and died at the age of 18.
After World War I, Carter set out in earnest to find the mysterious King’s remains. After exhaustive excavation—and close to calling it quits, one of the workers discovered the first step to the tomb—close to the final resting place of King Ramses VI.
Here’s a short video that chronicles the discovery:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZWB5-aXMXQ
When Carter and fellow archaeologist Lord Carnarvon entered the tomb on November 26th, they discovered a treasure-trove of several thousand objects! The four-room tomb was explored fully over the next few years, revealing an incredible array of artifacts. The most stunning of all was the stone sarcophagus containing three coffins nested within each other. Inside the last one---made of solid gold—was the mummy of the boy-king Tutankhamen, preserved for more than 3,000 years!
Most of the treasures are now housed in the Cairo Museum.
For an archaeologist, this was the equivalent of hitting the Lottery, winning the Super Bowl and World Series and striking oil—all rolled into one!
What else is out there? There surely must be hidden worlds yet undiscovered—and that fact is likely the motivation that drives scientists to dig---how else could you stand sifting through tons of dirt?
If you’d like my blog in your weekday inbox, just let me know—you won’t have to “dig” for it—and it’s free! Tim.moore@citcomm.com
On this date in 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter got that thrill as his workmen discovered a step in the Valley of Kings—leading down to the tomb of King Tutankhamen.
Carter arrived in Egypt over 30 years earlier—and most of the ancient tombs had been discovered. However, the little-known King Tut was still unaccounted for. This king rose to the Egyptian throne as a child—and died at the age of 18.
After World War I, Carter set out in earnest to find the mysterious King’s remains. After exhaustive excavation—and close to calling it quits, one of the workers discovered the first step to the tomb—close to the final resting place of King Ramses VI.
Here’s a short video that chronicles the discovery:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZWB5-aXMXQ
When Carter and fellow archaeologist Lord Carnarvon entered the tomb on November 26th, they discovered a treasure-trove of several thousand objects! The four-room tomb was explored fully over the next few years, revealing an incredible array of artifacts. The most stunning of all was the stone sarcophagus containing three coffins nested within each other. Inside the last one---made of solid gold—was the mummy of the boy-king Tutankhamen, preserved for more than 3,000 years!
Most of the treasures are now housed in the Cairo Museum.
For an archaeologist, this was the equivalent of hitting the Lottery, winning the Super Bowl and World Series and striking oil—all rolled into one!
What else is out there? There surely must be hidden worlds yet undiscovered—and that fact is likely the motivation that drives scientists to dig---how else could you stand sifting through tons of dirt?
If you’d like my blog in your weekday inbox, just let me know—you won’t have to “dig” for it—and it’s free! Tim.moore@citcomm.com
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Electoral Irony
On this Election Day, here’s a quick trivia question:
Who did Washington, D.C. residents vote for in 1960-Kennedy or Nixon?
The answer is…..NEITHER!
Hard to believe, but in our Nation’s Capital, the seat of democracy and the epicenter of all things political, residents of the city were not eligible to vote until the passage of the 23rd Amendment in 1961.
Talk about irony—in a town where the votes of Congress affect us all, the residents there were not granted the basic right to determine their future!
The history of this intentional slight is murky, but comes down to the competition between states for the honor of having the nation’s capitol within their boundaries. As a solution, the tract of land between Maryland and Virginia that is now the city of Washington –The District of Columbia-was placed under the control of Congress, which suspended resident’s right to vote in 1801.
Therefore, D.C. residents have not voted for ANYONE from 1801 until 1964.
So, the very first presidential election that Washington residents voted in was the 1964 contest between Democratic President Lyndon Johnson and Republican challenger Barry Goldwater.
Here is an extended LBJ campaign ad from ’64:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XVmdkUrQUU
It’s safe to say that D.C. residents went the way of the country in re-electing LBJ.
Lest you believe that all electoral injustices for Washington have been resolved, it should be noted that the District still has no representative in Congress-as all efforts at D.C. statehood have failed.
So…perhaps you voted today. Perhaps you stayed away. Cherish the fact that you at least had the choice—the right—to cast your ballot.
If you’d like my blog in your weekday box, just let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com
Who did Washington, D.C. residents vote for in 1960-Kennedy or Nixon?
The answer is…..NEITHER!
Hard to believe, but in our Nation’s Capital, the seat of democracy and the epicenter of all things political, residents of the city were not eligible to vote until the passage of the 23rd Amendment in 1961.
Talk about irony—in a town where the votes of Congress affect us all, the residents there were not granted the basic right to determine their future!
The history of this intentional slight is murky, but comes down to the competition between states for the honor of having the nation’s capitol within their boundaries. As a solution, the tract of land between Maryland and Virginia that is now the city of Washington –The District of Columbia-was placed under the control of Congress, which suspended resident’s right to vote in 1801.
Therefore, D.C. residents have not voted for ANYONE from 1801 until 1964.
So, the very first presidential election that Washington residents voted in was the 1964 contest between Democratic President Lyndon Johnson and Republican challenger Barry Goldwater.
Here is an extended LBJ campaign ad from ’64:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XVmdkUrQUU
It’s safe to say that D.C. residents went the way of the country in re-electing LBJ.
Lest you believe that all electoral injustices for Washington have been resolved, it should be noted that the District still has no representative in Congress-as all efforts at D.C. statehood have failed.
So…perhaps you voted today. Perhaps you stayed away. Cherish the fact that you at least had the choice—the right—to cast your ballot.
If you’d like my blog in your weekday box, just let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com
Monday, November 2, 2009
My Hero Is Gone
Apologies to those who actually look forward to my daily blog (both of you!) I have been “off-line” for a few days since the death of my beloved mother, Anita Grant Moore.
She was my hero.
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., she lived her entire life in and around our nation’s capitol. She grew up during the Depression, but if you asked her, it was an extremely happy childhood. The youngest of seven children born to Michael and Anastasia Grant, some of my mother’s siblings were so much older that my mom became an aunt at the tender age of 11!
After graduating from St. Patrick’s High School, she took a job at a Washington lobbying firm—where she met my father. Marriage and children followed-and Mom left the business world to become a homemaker.
Like so many of her generation, she might today be ridiculed for not having a “career”. But to her, having a family WAS her career. Taking care of us became the sole focus of her life, to the exclusion of many things that she declined to do or have for herself---because of us.
She was a wonderful mother to my sister Claire and I.
Always smiling, always ready for a laugh, Mom had a terrific sense of humor—and was quick to make herself the butt of the joke in order to elicit the same reaction from all around her.
A fantastic cook, she had a special love of all holidays, especially Halloween (where the costumes she would don would break you up) and Christmas, where the treats would be piled high-and the house decorated, as my father would say to “within an inch of its life”.
She passed on that fun spirit to us—and I think that Claire and I each inherited her sense of humor. My Dad could also be brutally funny, but in our family, he was the “serious” one and Mom was the comic relief.
I won’t bore you with the hundreds of family trips, special occasions, birthdays, holidays and excursions. What’s important to note is that through it all, Mom never failed to show her love and affection for her kids, her grandkids (who of course could do no wrong), her family and friends. There was no denying that “Neeters” (one of her more prominent nicknames) was there for you.
She cared—and it showed.
Life marches on-and things change. After my father began to fail and his Parkinson’s disease began to become noticeable, we convinced Mom and Dad that they should sell the house we grew up in and lived in for more than 40 years.
It was off to Leisure World in Silver Spring, Maryland—a place even my Mom called “Seizure World” or “Geezer World”---a black humor reference to the average age of the community’s population. After the initial adjustment period, it was clear that this was a good move. No more mowing the lawn, getting ripped off by unscrupulous contractors and climbing up and down stairs.
All this time, my father became more and more difficult to take care of---but Mom suffered silently—and kept the details of her daily struggles a secret from my sister and myself. Refusing to hire a maid or caregiver, she always minimized her assessment of the duties that befell her every day.
Then, five years ago, everything changed.
On Sunday, November 28, 2004, while getting ready for church, my mother suffered a severe stroke, collapsing on the kitchen floor. My father, barely able to walk unassisted by this time, nearly crawled to a neighbor’s apartment down the hall to summon help. I had just arrived back in Portland with my family after visiting D.C. for Thanksgiving. Without a doubt, the most devastating phone call of my life from my sobbing sister told me that life would never be the same. Both of us are convinced that the strain of taking care of Dad finally took its toll.
Mom’s stroke left her completely paralyzed on her right side-and unable to speak. From healthy, active and vibrant to completely incapacitated in the blink of an eye.
Now, my sister and I needed to find around-the-clock care for both Mom and Dad. We were fortunate to find a top-notch facility near my sister in Springfield, Virginia.
My mother’s woes were far from over, however. Eventually, her right leg had to be amputated, she was dropped a couple of times in the nursing home (needing hospitalization) and then she (and we) suffered the loss of Dad in 2007.
After a relatively short period of what could only be described as depression following the initial stroke, she came to some sort of peace that radiated from her entire being. Even during her period of sadness, she was careful to keep those emotions hidden from Claire and I whenever we would visit.
Despite her body’s attack on itself, she was FULLY aware of everything that went on around her and she was able to understand everything said to her. Her frustration (and ours) was that this once funny and interesting person was largely unable to communicate with us.
She could summon up certain words and phrases like “thank you” and “I love you”—and we cherished these expressions from her.
She was unfailingly polite and grateful to the caregivers at Renaissance Gardens at Greenspring-all of them loved her dearly.
For years, I have asked God the unanswerable question” “WHY HER?” She was so loving and giving-from her family responsibilities to her countless hours of volunteer work at the Christ Child Society. Why would He make her suffer so?
Had she been taken quickly, all of us would have been deprived of her loving presence, but she would have been spared years of agony, indignities and profound sadness and loneliness.
So…why?
Maybe there was a plan, a reason for all that she went through.
Maybe she was there to teach US how to accept whatever came our way with grace and dignity—and a grateful smile.
As much as Mom taught me in those first 46 years of my life, it is perhaps in the last 5 years that she taught me the most----all of it without being able to say a word.
At the funeral on Friday, Mom was eulogized by our dear cousin Beth Callanan, who also did a magnificent job remembering my father nearly three years ago. At the conclusion of her remarkable observations about Mom, she called upon all of us in the congregation to remember Mom’s fun-loving spirit and abandon our inhibitions in order to bring a smile to others.
She then pulled out a pair of those funny nose-and-glasses contraptions and put them on, declaring, “Craze (another one of my mother’s nicknames), this is for you!”
If we didn’t get the point, dozens of pairs of these funny and goofy glasses were passed out at the reception following the Mass. I thought the priest might also pass out, but he didn’t. Mom would have LOVED IT.
When leaving her after every visit during the last five years, I would always say “You’re my hero”. She, of course, would smile and say the word “hero” back to me.
My hero is gone.
But she has gone------to a better place.
I love you Mom.
She was my hero.
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., she lived her entire life in and around our nation’s capitol. She grew up during the Depression, but if you asked her, it was an extremely happy childhood. The youngest of seven children born to Michael and Anastasia Grant, some of my mother’s siblings were so much older that my mom became an aunt at the tender age of 11!
After graduating from St. Patrick’s High School, she took a job at a Washington lobbying firm—where she met my father. Marriage and children followed-and Mom left the business world to become a homemaker.
Like so many of her generation, she might today be ridiculed for not having a “career”. But to her, having a family WAS her career. Taking care of us became the sole focus of her life, to the exclusion of many things that she declined to do or have for herself---because of us.
She was a wonderful mother to my sister Claire and I.
Always smiling, always ready for a laugh, Mom had a terrific sense of humor—and was quick to make herself the butt of the joke in order to elicit the same reaction from all around her.
A fantastic cook, she had a special love of all holidays, especially Halloween (where the costumes she would don would break you up) and Christmas, where the treats would be piled high-and the house decorated, as my father would say to “within an inch of its life”.
She passed on that fun spirit to us—and I think that Claire and I each inherited her sense of humor. My Dad could also be brutally funny, but in our family, he was the “serious” one and Mom was the comic relief.
I won’t bore you with the hundreds of family trips, special occasions, birthdays, holidays and excursions. What’s important to note is that through it all, Mom never failed to show her love and affection for her kids, her grandkids (who of course could do no wrong), her family and friends. There was no denying that “Neeters” (one of her more prominent nicknames) was there for you.
She cared—and it showed.
Life marches on-and things change. After my father began to fail and his Parkinson’s disease began to become noticeable, we convinced Mom and Dad that they should sell the house we grew up in and lived in for more than 40 years.
It was off to Leisure World in Silver Spring, Maryland—a place even my Mom called “Seizure World” or “Geezer World”---a black humor reference to the average age of the community’s population. After the initial adjustment period, it was clear that this was a good move. No more mowing the lawn, getting ripped off by unscrupulous contractors and climbing up and down stairs.
All this time, my father became more and more difficult to take care of---but Mom suffered silently—and kept the details of her daily struggles a secret from my sister and myself. Refusing to hire a maid or caregiver, she always minimized her assessment of the duties that befell her every day.
Then, five years ago, everything changed.
On Sunday, November 28, 2004, while getting ready for church, my mother suffered a severe stroke, collapsing on the kitchen floor. My father, barely able to walk unassisted by this time, nearly crawled to a neighbor’s apartment down the hall to summon help. I had just arrived back in Portland with my family after visiting D.C. for Thanksgiving. Without a doubt, the most devastating phone call of my life from my sobbing sister told me that life would never be the same. Both of us are convinced that the strain of taking care of Dad finally took its toll.
Mom’s stroke left her completely paralyzed on her right side-and unable to speak. From healthy, active and vibrant to completely incapacitated in the blink of an eye.
Now, my sister and I needed to find around-the-clock care for both Mom and Dad. We were fortunate to find a top-notch facility near my sister in Springfield, Virginia.
My mother’s woes were far from over, however. Eventually, her right leg had to be amputated, she was dropped a couple of times in the nursing home (needing hospitalization) and then she (and we) suffered the loss of Dad in 2007.
After a relatively short period of what could only be described as depression following the initial stroke, she came to some sort of peace that radiated from her entire being. Even during her period of sadness, she was careful to keep those emotions hidden from Claire and I whenever we would visit.
Despite her body’s attack on itself, she was FULLY aware of everything that went on around her and she was able to understand everything said to her. Her frustration (and ours) was that this once funny and interesting person was largely unable to communicate with us.
She could summon up certain words and phrases like “thank you” and “I love you”—and we cherished these expressions from her.
She was unfailingly polite and grateful to the caregivers at Renaissance Gardens at Greenspring-all of them loved her dearly.
For years, I have asked God the unanswerable question” “WHY HER?” She was so loving and giving-from her family responsibilities to her countless hours of volunteer work at the Christ Child Society. Why would He make her suffer so?
Had she been taken quickly, all of us would have been deprived of her loving presence, but she would have been spared years of agony, indignities and profound sadness and loneliness.
So…why?
Maybe there was a plan, a reason for all that she went through.
Maybe she was there to teach US how to accept whatever came our way with grace and dignity—and a grateful smile.
As much as Mom taught me in those first 46 years of my life, it is perhaps in the last 5 years that she taught me the most----all of it without being able to say a word.
At the funeral on Friday, Mom was eulogized by our dear cousin Beth Callanan, who also did a magnificent job remembering my father nearly three years ago. At the conclusion of her remarkable observations about Mom, she called upon all of us in the congregation to remember Mom’s fun-loving spirit and abandon our inhibitions in order to bring a smile to others.
She then pulled out a pair of those funny nose-and-glasses contraptions and put them on, declaring, “Craze (another one of my mother’s nicknames), this is for you!”
If we didn’t get the point, dozens of pairs of these funny and goofy glasses were passed out at the reception following the Mass. I thought the priest might also pass out, but he didn’t. Mom would have LOVED IT.
When leaving her after every visit during the last five years, I would always say “You’re my hero”. She, of course, would smile and say the word “hero” back to me.
My hero is gone.
But she has gone------to a better place.
I love you Mom.
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