Contrary to arguments that television is detrimental to democracy, Entertaining Politics explores the role of new political television in shaping a changing civic culture. Jeffrey P. Jones shows how viewers understand and make use of the increasingly blurred lines between 'serious' and 'entertainment' programming and argues that alarmist critics who predict the end of politics in the age of television have misconstrued the role of the medium and the commitment of audiences to both TV and public life.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Entertaining Politics
Remember how I always say that politics should be boring? That the real nuts and bolts of government are so serious and detailed that any excitement is nothing more than subtle or overt propaganda? Well, here's a book I'm going to add to my summer reading...
Contrary to arguments that television is detrimental to democracy, Entertaining Politics explores the role of new political television in shaping a changing civic culture. Jeffrey P. Jones shows how viewers understand and make use of the increasingly blurred lines between 'serious' and 'entertainment' programming and argues that alarmist critics who predict the end of politics in the age of television have misconstrued the role of the medium and the commitment of audiences to both TV and public life.
Contrary to arguments that television is detrimental to democracy, Entertaining Politics explores the role of new political television in shaping a changing civic culture. Jeffrey P. Jones shows how viewers understand and make use of the increasingly blurred lines between 'serious' and 'entertainment' programming and argues that alarmist critics who predict the end of politics in the age of television have misconstrued the role of the medium and the commitment of audiences to both TV and public life.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
The Greatest Typo Ever
Got this from a client this morning, and I've been laughing about it ever since. See if you can catch it.
"See Brands feedback below on next round of changes, I have enclosed both pdf as you can see by input we are now creating a high-bread from both. Let me know on timing."
"See Brands feedback below on next round of changes, I have enclosed both pdf as you can see by input we are now creating a high-bread from both. Let me know on timing."
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Real West Wing
This is from the Bush administration, but it's still cool to see how it's laid out. Scott McClellan was asked to compare the real West Wing with the show. He said the TV show had more foot traffic and bigger rooms.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
John Lennon
I recently finished the latest John Lennon biography, which my parents got me for Hanukkah. It was good. Not the greatest book, but I did read it in record time and am sad that it's over, so I think I liked it A LOT more than I realize. Overall thoughts:
1. It's good to be a millionaire. Actually, it's GREAT to be a millionaire. He did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted to.
2. The whole story makes me so sad. His parents made him pick between mom and dad. His dad leaves him after that. His uncle, one of the only men who showed him any love, dies when he's young. His mom dies. Then his best friend dies. He never gets to see his sons grow up. so sad.
3. Part of what is so sad is that he himself caused so much sadness. He basically abandons Julian at a young age just like his own father did to him. He's unbelievably cruel to his ex-wife and dissolves friendships that had lasted for years. No warning, no looking back, see ya.
4. John talks about his time during Sgt. Pepper's recording as his 'fat Elvis' period. He lived in the suburbs, left in the afternoon to got to work, getting stoned on the way. He'd make music all night, then come home to his wife and child. Get up the next day and do it all again. Sounds like heaven.
5. After everything I've read, I have a much greater respect for Yoko. John broke up the Beatles to dedicate his energies to her. In turn, he took over her creativity. Almost everything they did together started off as her idea, though she never gets credit. She loses all credibility in the art world and become a world-wide object of hatred. Any work she has done since she met John has been forgotten, all because she fell in love with a guy she didn't even know was famous.
6. In the early 70's, John was paranoid. He was getting sued by his former best friend Paul, undergoing therapy to deal with his childhood, and hooked on methadone (after getting off heroin, which he convinced Yoko to do with him after she had already quit). He even threatened his father's life, when he said he wanted to write a book. It was after this period that he became a target of the Nixon administration. Just because you're paranoid don't mean they're not after you.
7. John used to wonder why more people covered Paul's songs than his own. I think it's because John's are more personal; not many people can do them justice. Also, the recordings are kind of sloppy. He never wanted to spend too much time on any song, anxious to move on to the next. Paul, on the other hand, was a perfectionist and made sure each note was right.
8. John loved cats and always had a bunch where ever he lived. He never wore shoes, maybe flip flops. The book says that he would stand in his NYC kitchen and all the cats would come up to him and rub against his feet. He called his Aunt Mimi, who had raised him. They say he started to look and act just like her.
9. Sean wrote that in the end, he and Yoko had very few friends. As Sean, wrote in the book, they burned a lot of bridges. There was them, and everyone else was an employee.
1. It's good to be a millionaire. Actually, it's GREAT to be a millionaire. He did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted to.
2. The whole story makes me so sad. His parents made him pick between mom and dad. His dad leaves him after that. His uncle, one of the only men who showed him any love, dies when he's young. His mom dies. Then his best friend dies. He never gets to see his sons grow up. so sad.
3. Part of what is so sad is that he himself caused so much sadness. He basically abandons Julian at a young age just like his own father did to him. He's unbelievably cruel to his ex-wife and dissolves friendships that had lasted for years. No warning, no looking back, see ya.
4. John talks about his time during Sgt. Pepper's recording as his 'fat Elvis' period. He lived in the suburbs, left in the afternoon to got to work, getting stoned on the way. He'd make music all night, then come home to his wife and child. Get up the next day and do it all again. Sounds like heaven.
5. After everything I've read, I have a much greater respect for Yoko. John broke up the Beatles to dedicate his energies to her. In turn, he took over her creativity. Almost everything they did together started off as her idea, though she never gets credit. She loses all credibility in the art world and become a world-wide object of hatred. Any work she has done since she met John has been forgotten, all because she fell in love with a guy she didn't even know was famous.
6. In the early 70's, John was paranoid. He was getting sued by his former best friend Paul, undergoing therapy to deal with his childhood, and hooked on methadone (after getting off heroin, which he convinced Yoko to do with him after she had already quit). He even threatened his father's life, when he said he wanted to write a book. It was after this period that he became a target of the Nixon administration. Just because you're paranoid don't mean they're not after you.
7. John used to wonder why more people covered Paul's songs than his own. I think it's because John's are more personal; not many people can do them justice. Also, the recordings are kind of sloppy. He never wanted to spend too much time on any song, anxious to move on to the next. Paul, on the other hand, was a perfectionist and made sure each note was right.
8. John loved cats and always had a bunch where ever he lived. He never wore shoes, maybe flip flops. The book says that he would stand in his NYC kitchen and all the cats would come up to him and rub against his feet. He called his Aunt Mimi, who had raised him. They say he started to look and act just like her.
9. Sean wrote that in the end, he and Yoko had very few friends. As Sean, wrote in the book, they burned a lot of bridges. There was them, and everyone else was an employee.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Giants Fans are the Worst
Giants fans are the worst. They respond to an Eagle's loss with laughter. No respect, no class, no sportsmanship.
Jets fans, on the other hand, are great. They know how it feels to lose and have compassion. Giants fans forget how losing feels (though they should know) and are (fort he most part) dicks.
Sorry to all who are offended by this, but I'm not really sorry. It's true.
Jets fans, on the other hand, are great. They know how it feels to lose and have compassion. Giants fans forget how losing feels (though they should know) and are (fort he most part) dicks.
Sorry to all who are offended by this, but I'm not really sorry. It's true.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Those Dreaded Words
During dinner, Lilah said a phrase Mommy has been dreading:
"More chicken."
Harley was very good, though clearly disappointed.
"More chicken."
Harley was very good, though clearly disappointed.
More Pepsi/Obama Connections
Leave it to TMZ to show the connection between Obama and Pepsico. Check out this add for Tropicana, anothe rhuge Pepsi brand that has just been redesigned:
They are utilizing Obama imagery to communicate hope and sell more product. Pepsi says it was unintentional, but come on! It's overt and creepy.
Think it's a coincidence? You tell me:
They are utilizing Obama imagery to communicate hope and sell more product. Pepsi says it was unintentional, but come on! It's overt and creepy.
Think it's a coincidence? You tell me:
What Hope Looks Like
Does anyone else think the new Pepsi logo looks surprisingly like the Obama campaign logo? Both are about hope and optimism. Both are red, blue and white. And both are the choice of a new generation. HA!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Presents!!
I traveled twice this week. First on Tuesday, when I went to Cleveland. This was the second day I had been at work since a week and half off on vacation. During that time, Lilah got spoiled with having Daddy around everyday. Daddy got spoiled, too. I missed being home terribly.
Harley was sick and needed medicine but was too unwell to go out. So she had to wait till I got home. Lilah had been asking for me all day ("daddy come home"), but I was stuck in snowy Ohio. After a 30 minute wait to take off, a holding pattern over NJ, and a 30 minute problem with the jetway, I get finally get home at 10:30pm. Harley was trying to get Lilah to bed, but they both heard me come in. I hear "Daddy!" and take my cue to enter the bedroom. I got there just in time for her to fall asleep in my arms. An awesome end to an awful day.
Friday, I went to Boston. I was supposed to get home around 9pm, but my meeting got pushed earlier and got home before 6pm. Early enough to go out for Friday Family Night Sushi! When I open the door, I get the usual "daddy home!" which is the best part of my day. That's followed by "presents?" Not so much a question as a request.
I did not get her a present. I didn't yet realize that we're at the point that when I go away I have to bring back presents. I was the same way and can deal. But I had nothing. I take the bottle of water (Dasani, my preferred brand) and say, "here, daddy got you a bottle of water!"
Expecting to be laughed at, I get, "I got a bottle!" She takes the half-empty bottle and shakes it, laughing, squeezing the plastic. It's the best gift ever! I go to the bedroom to take off my shows. She comes back a few minutes later with more plastic water bottles than she can carry. Don't ask where they came from.
Despite this warm reception, this bottle may go down as "lamest gift ever," on par with the pen she got for the second night of Hanukkah. Go me!!
Harley was sick and needed medicine but was too unwell to go out. So she had to wait till I got home. Lilah had been asking for me all day ("daddy come home"), but I was stuck in snowy Ohio. After a 30 minute wait to take off, a holding pattern over NJ, and a 30 minute problem with the jetway, I get finally get home at 10:30pm. Harley was trying to get Lilah to bed, but they both heard me come in. I hear "Daddy!" and take my cue to enter the bedroom. I got there just in time for her to fall asleep in my arms. An awesome end to an awful day.
Friday, I went to Boston. I was supposed to get home around 9pm, but my meeting got pushed earlier and got home before 6pm. Early enough to go out for Friday Family Night Sushi! When I open the door, I get the usual "daddy home!" which is the best part of my day. That's followed by "presents?" Not so much a question as a request.
I did not get her a present. I didn't yet realize that we're at the point that when I go away I have to bring back presents. I was the same way and can deal. But I had nothing. I take the bottle of water (Dasani, my preferred brand) and say, "here, daddy got you a bottle of water!"
Expecting to be laughed at, I get, "I got a bottle!" She takes the half-empty bottle and shakes it, laughing, squeezing the plastic. It's the best gift ever! I go to the bedroom to take off my shows. She comes back a few minutes later with more plastic water bottles than she can carry. Don't ask where they came from.
Despite this warm reception, this bottle may go down as "lamest gift ever," on par with the pen she got for the second night of Hanukkah. Go me!!
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Monday, January 05, 2009
Here's the new Pepsi packaging. I saw this coming weeks before it hit the shelf. There were renderings of it all over the internet, and I hated it. Now that I've seen it in store, I can't decide if I like it or I love it.
I think I love it. It's clean, cool, and stands out. They've gotten ride of all the shit and it's calmer than it's ever been but still feels fresh. I'm not crazy about the odd-shaped stripes with the lump in the middle, but whatever.
The label on the 2 liter bottles, which is hard to see here, has a small gradations from blue/white/silver (depending on the variant) to a cola color. This makes a smooth transition from the liquid to the label. It's a subtle touch but makes a huge difference. I love those little details.
Glad to see that Pepsico isn't f*cking everything up! Speaking of which, here's the new Tropicana in action. It still sucks ass.
I think I love it. It's clean, cool, and stands out. They've gotten ride of all the shit and it's calmer than it's ever been but still feels fresh. I'm not crazy about the odd-shaped stripes with the lump in the middle, but whatever.
The label on the 2 liter bottles, which is hard to see here, has a small gradations from blue/white/silver (depending on the variant) to a cola color. This makes a smooth transition from the liquid to the label. It's a subtle touch but makes a huge difference. I love those little details.
Glad to see that Pepsico isn't f*cking everything up! Speaking of which, here's the new Tropicana in action. It still sucks ass.
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