I’ve written 1,009 posts including this one. I don’t know if my Mom has read all of them — suspect she took a pass on my tirade about the city of Middleton’s proclamation of “Mustard Day” — but she’s been an avid reader of the blog. She claims that the blog is an extension of …more
I wrote about Zappos using levity as the killer app in its communications a few years ago. Before going further, it’s worth noting that levity has a lower bar than humor. We’re not trying to channel Jon Stewart or Conan O’Brian. Levity delivers a smile, a grin (bigger smile) or, at its best, a low-decibel …more
The San Francisco Giants paid tribute to the Beatles a few weeks ago. It reminded me that deciphering the inner meaning of Beatles lyrics was a public sport during the band’s heyday. Those over 50 will remember playing the White Album backward and supposedly hearing “Paul is dead.” Rather than play all the albums backward, …more
Between the internet, social media and human beings’ proclivity for talking, transparency is the rage. Companies figure that even sensitive information — especially sensitive information — eventually finds its way to the outside world, so they’re better off sharing their perspective before the grapevine kicks into gear. Yet, there’s zero transparency in the letters that …more
As a form of self-torture, I cruised through the 800+ posts I’ve written since the blog went live July 10, 2008. Dipping into my Yiddish vocabulary, “Oy vey.” I’ve reflected on the blog’s 10-year anniversary and stuck a microphone in front of 10 suspecting individuals for their takes on the state of storytelling. Now, I’m …more
Our daily online feeds deliver tips on everything from losing weight to creating a koi pond in your bathtub. Like most, I tend to tune these out. But a Bloomberg story on Richard Jenrette, an investment banker who passed away in April and his beliefs on how to succeed in business and live a happy …more
There’s no reason to rehash USA’s disastrous trip to Trinidad and Tobago and getting bounced from the 2018 World Cup. Taking that very American mentality of making lemonade out of lemons, I suggest that all of America rally behind Team Iceland at the World Cup. At this point you might be thinking, “Why the hell …more
The Hill, the beltway publication on politics and other sundry occurrences in D.C., was one of the first to report on then-candidate Trump’s comparison to Ernest Hemingway. Covering a Trump rally in South Carolina on Nov. 20, 2015, the publication captured this soundbite from Mr. Trump: “Somebody said I’m the Ernest Hemingway of 140 characters.” One …more
The grab bag post makes its 2018 debut. For new readers, this is where I take three shards of content that by themselves can’t carry a story and bundle them together in one post. Here goes. Can a HK Daily Become an International Read? When Jack Ma and Alibaba plucked down $266M at the …more
