And since then there has been a lot of discussion on the bloggers tribe at Ryze about blogs as corporate marketing tools. Many question about the dos or don'ts about using a blog as a corporate communication or marketing tool. And while I could espouse about this minutiae, I'd rather offer some thoughts on how this technology could be embraced.
[...] But isn't blogging's secret sauce and traffic nitroglycerin in the blogroll and the human voice? Blogging's human2human networking will hard to replicate for any corporation other than a small company with an evangelist CEO. No-one is going to read or blogroll a PR person blogging for Bill Gates, right? [...]
While Henry makes an excellent point here, I must emphasize that my post indicated the need for companies to embrace "weblog technologies". To be sure, I'm confident that most CEO's either have no interest or time to write a daily weblog. They would see this as a task best handled by marketing communications. However, the visionary CEO would better serve his internal and external audiences through leveraging what makes blogs so tasty and addictive -- the human element and the regular updating. Top that off with two-way feedback mechanism (commenting, trackbacking etc.). The result is a tool that strengthens relationships, fosters communication and creates a kind of bond that solid brands need to succeed.
In responding to Henry I wrote:
[...] First, I think that blogs in the current form may work for business, but to your point Henry, in other forms they'll work better. That is, you're right. Nobody is going to read a blogroll that contains Bill Gates. Who'd believe it? But Think of a Blog as an alternative to the lackluster and under performing intranets employed by companies big and large. There are certain functions of these intranets that won't change. Such as ability to review pay, benefits and the like. But where is the voice of the Human Resource Department, Finance, Manufacturing? If companies could embrace and communicate in a voice that isn't staid and sterile, they may have more loyalty and encourage open communication. [...]
Henry responded accordingly:
[...] Yes, agree strongly that blogs and twikis work well as intranets and other forms of internal communications. (I talked recently to one corporate communications consultant who says he's got blogs cooking inside 10 of the Fortune 500.) The hot button for convincing EVERYONE this stuff is real corporate gold? Perhaps when Forbes quotes Sergey Brin saying that the secret of Google's success was its inhouse blogs rather than those patented algorithms. [...]
Adoption of blogs by corporate communications and marketing must start internally. Like any branding or communications initiative, a company must have buy in by all of its stakeholders. That includes employees, suppliers and management. How can a company have a blog that is supposed to represent it's "voice" if it hasn't gone through the internal work to find it.
Dina has some interesting thoughts on how blogs might be adopted for internal and external communication:
[...] Blogs - K-Logs, project blogs, customer targeted blogs, may be an effective way of simplifying this process, with:
shorter decision making cycles
higher levels of sharing across offices situated in different locations
greater responsiveness to and from employees, associates and customers
threaded commentary and documentation
better archiving
Perhaps less tangible yet as critical are these benefits creating value to employee and employer :
building up of tacit knowledge channels and flows
a space to be 'heard' - a 'company that cares' whether its the customer, employee or business partner
an environment that fosters exchange and conversation - a space for creative friction
a greater sense of 'ownership' and trust
I've been beating the blogging drum surely with clients for the last 7 months or so. I just hope that we don't see a trend of soul-less and slick marketing blogs that serve no purpose other than to justify someone's job while diluting the company's message and underpinning the core benefits corporate blogs could ultimately serve.
About a month ago when I returned from one of my recent journeys I was happy to hear the sweet droning and cooing sound of a pair of doves out my window. I'd look out and find them perched eloquently as only birds on a wire can be. For me, it was a sure sign of spring.
Then a few days later when I aggressively stormed out of the house across the patio to my office and studio I realized I startled one of the doves. Wings flapping and making noise, confused and briefly direction less the dove scattered away from my studio. I looked up at the room line of the house to watch him/her fly away. That's when I saw the next. Right there behind one of the speakers that fills my patio with music. Later I watched the doves bring twigs and leaves as they continued to build the nest.
I wondered that since the doves seemed to have complete the bulk of their busy work while I was out of town, that the presence of this loud human walking across the patio several times a day would cause the birds to rethink their domain for offspring. The nest remained. But I really hadn't seem much of the doves in the past few days. Then last night I heard what I realized was a bird flying into the glass of the French doors that open from my studio to the patio. Then I heard a lot of rustling. Next a flash of orange whisks by the door. The orange of the neighbor's cat. I run out and find the cat has cornered the bird. The bird is startled, scared and frozen. But after a few seconds gains strength and confidence and flies away. Neighbor's cat bolts.
I thought I saved the bird's life.
Today as I returned from a meeting I notice the nest seemed rustled. Then below the nest I saw the baby. The tiny little dove. The symbol of love that had yet to open its eyes. Less than 3 inches long and barely any feathers but with a cute yellow beak. Unfortunately, the life of this newborn was robbed right from the nest. And the symbol lay peacefully to rest on my patio.
I looked at the nest. Barely held together and precariously teetering on the speaker. I started to life the nest away when I noticed the little feet. Tiny little bird feet. There were still baby doves in the nest. Two. Wow. So I tried to put the nest back together. As my hand worked the branches into my pseudo best weave attempt the little head of one of the doves perched up and with open beak in a moan or cry like pose, called for mom. But no sound came out of the little bird. I folded my ladder and returned to work. I'm sure the parent doves were watching me from somewhere nearby.
The cycle of life. Love. Drama. Partnership. Birth. Beauty. Struggle. Relief. Chase. Family tragedy. Death. Sorrow. And life again. All from the window of my office. Who needs TV?
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One of the most fascinating and exciting things about life's mysteries is chance. This post isn't going to be a deep excavation into philosophical matters of freedom, determinism and spirit. Rather, just life's unexpected twists, turns and discoveries. You know the kind I'm talking about. Like the time you decided to take a walk down a empty corridor in a New York Airport on a one stop flight at nearly 3am and the echoes of your shoes and only one other shout loud and sure at each other. The only other person besides you is Johnny Cash. Dressed in black. The same Johnny Cash you saw just a few months ago at The Crazy Horse Saloon.
Or standing in a retail store 3,000 miles away and 20 years later from the street you grew up when after 15 minutes of conversation with a stranger he asks you where did you grow up. And when you tell him, he presses for more. When you finally tell him the name of the small town in Connecticut he asks, "Did you live on Abbey Road?"
Or how about the time you're driving home late at night and stop for gas before coming home. When you get down the road a big racoon runs out in front of you and you send him sailing while he leaves your bumper mangled. Poor guy.
Or how about when you meet someone by chance and shrug off the idea that you may never see that person again and yet by some twist of fate you run into that person two days in a row just a week or so later. You make a connection. But just not sure how or why. Nor what's next.
Or miss a flight. Pissed and angry at yourself you wait hours in an airport for the next. On the flight you sit next to someone who turns out to become a great friend, client or mentor.
There are times that cause and effect may lead you to ends that you question wouldn't have happened had you only made a different choice. Yet choices are made and we all, in varying degrees, hold ourselves accountable for these choices. And sometimes this can take a toll on the mind. But this is the stuff great lives and experiences are made of.
Two mantras I try to live by are as follows (and by the way, my apologies for the original authors) 1) at the end of the day the only things you tend to regret are those things you didn't do; and 2) if you choose not to decide, you've still made a choice.
So live. Experience. And enjoy. This is not a dress rehearsal.
Photo note:I'm going to start to include more of my photography on the posts and pages of The Digital Tavern. While many of the photos that have appeared here in the past have been mine, I've used photos from a number of sources. In the future, I'll do my best to attribute the sources when known, or otherwise indicate that the photo was not taken by me. I took the photo that graces the top of this post in 2001 in Napa Valley on the property of Francis Ford Coppola's Neibaum-Coppola Estate Winery.
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Memorial Weekend. If you've been wondering why blogging has been void this week, you should know that I got a vacation. That is, after one year of blogging the good people here at The Digital Tavern granted me my ubiquitous one week vacation. Thanks for your patience. Back later tonight.
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After an extended period without a television in my home, I'm pleased to finally feel as if I can monitor American pop culture a bit more closely now that I have television. (thanks Amar) Think of all I've missed. The latest Bachelor. Joe Millionaire. Endless episodes of Leno, Conan and Letterman. Even Connie Chung's last days at CNN. Or Geraldo's major faux pas in Iraq. Oh. The war. Yeah. Missed that too.
Well, I'm back. But my driver has been the ability to stream iTunes playlists and songs to a Home Media equipped TiVO series two. Not that I have this new toy. But I plan to. Not only can I listen to music from my computer through my home theatre, but I can share my photography through streaming photo albums from iPhoto.
But check it out. I learned today that songs purchased from iTunes Music Store or any other music or audio content that is encoded in AAC will not stream to TiVO. This is truly sad. What good is TiVO, Rendezvous and iTunes Music if you can't realize the true promise of Apple's Digital Hub technology. I guess I gotta go to Border's, buy from Amazon or, god help me, download tunes from another source in order to listen to my digital music over iTunes and my home entertainment system.
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I read with interest Peter Marsh's story in yesterday's Financial Times titled "In search of the world's hotbeds of innovation". It discusses the methodologies used by CHI Research, a New Jersey-based consultancy that for more than 30 years has tracked technological breakthroughs (patents) and recently has correlated them to commercial success. It's latest figures and published findings show that the United States ranks first in innovation with Japan coming in a close second place. Ironically enough, according to its methodology, CHI finds that most Western European companies have fallen in innovation while Taiwan and South Korea have passed Britain, France and Italy.
[...] CHI's techniques are based around counting not just patents but also the value that can be ascribed to them. This vital additional piece of information separates those patents that will lead nowhere from those involving blockbuster discoveries. CHI's work centres on the fact that when the US Patent Office publishes patents, each one includes a list of other patents from which it is derived. These citations set out the "prior art" from which the new discoveries have evolved.
What's interesting about the findings is that countries like Taiwan and South Korea have typically been accused of either bootlegging technology or simply acting as a low cost production resource for companies in those countries that continue to innovate. But one has to wonder based on CHI's innovation scores, if simply manufacturing and testing breakthroughs have catapulted these countries past our European brethren.
I've long been outspoken about the need for companies to innovate. Not only in technology, but in areas that are less quantifiable than via "patent tracking" including customer service, distribution, marketing and promotion. To innovate in these areas a company must take risks. Too often fantastic products or even art, gets swept under the carpet with barely a chance of success because companies are afraid to put muscle behind a product that might be innovative - yet it also might "not be ready for prime time."
To be sure, companies must be fiscally responsible but when it falls victim to self-induced analysis paralysis. And while CHI's methodology tries to correlate patent activity to fiscal success, it still may miss the boat. Market research, focus groups and test marketing can ultimately spell doom for a great product, movie, music etc.
So I'd like to see an alternative -- or at least an addendum -- to CHI's innovation index. That is, let's create an innovation index that considers companies that take risks by inventing new categories of products, move in the opposite direction of its competition or simply stepping out and doing something that is not proven. It's no secret that I'm a fan of Apple's products. But rather than just rant and rave like a fanatical evangelists, I applaud Apple for its innovation. And it has failed inasmuch as it has succeeded. There's no question that its G4 Cube product released in 1999 was innovative, unique and solid. But it missed the boat in terms of price and market demand. Indicators may have told Apple that the Cube was a risk. It developed and marketed the Cube anyway. And while its short less than two year lifespan certainly cost Apple, the result is technology that ultimately paved the path for its latest success: the flat panel iMac.
Even a statistical and analytically driven product company like Proctor & Gamble innovates. The Cincinnatti-based consumer giant created a new category of what else? Something that cleans your home -- the Swifter. Aimed right at the old stalwart of home cleanliness, the broom, the Swifter became such a success that other companies soon copied P&G. Why? Because P&G proved successful.
I could go on with lists of companies that have stepped out. And while I'm sure many of these companies introduced products that were patent-driven. It's those that embrace innovation that can't be measured that truly are hotbeds of innovation.
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Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Slow to blog. Working on a bunch of deadlines and recovering from midnight riding I did this weekend. Ended up playing basketball in the blazing Northern California sunday sun. A bit of lobster head. No hat. No sunscreen. Makes for a ripe couple days. I'm working on a post about innovation. Will be posted later tonight.
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Ok. Maybe you're just dating. Friends? How about a business associate? Read on for the latest in mainstream press on blogging.
Me? Today blogging from a friend's wireless hot spot her in Northern California. Decided to make a road trip for this Napa excursion. Cruising the infamous 5 freeway yesterday I kept myself entertained with great music, watching the other drivers with their hands out the window playing with the wind and smelling the wafts of onion and other aroma from the endless convoy of agricultural transports trucks.
Many bloggers have used their blogs to open up to the vast internet audience aspects of their lives that perhaps should be kept private. Do they do this simply because they're exhibitionists, want to be the center of attention, build traffic or simply bored? Just more proof that blogs are getting more and more ink in the 'traditional' media all the time. And if you end up dating a blogger, you may want to draft a letter of agreement defining just what aspects of the relationship should remain intimate and which should be open for the world and your 'closest' friends who typically are invited to comment. Ah. The life of a blogger.
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Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, shared ideas and thoughts. I look forward to another great blogging year.
I'm off to Napa Valley for a special event happening tomorrow. Blogging will be a bit light, but I'll check in from the road and wherever I find a wireless hot spot.
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Prayers and great memories for June Carter Cash who died today after complications relating to heart surgery earlier this week. Here's Johnny on what she meant to him and their lives together. I'll never forget seeing Johnny play at the old Crazy Horse Saloon in Santa Ana with June and their daughter Roseanne. You could see the love in this family. Especially in Johnny and June. They had a connection.
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Amazing lunar eclipse tonight. Standing in line to watch the 10 o'clock showing of The Matrix: Reloaded I watched the moon slowly lose face while showing dynamic changes of color. A beautiful night. And to walk out of the nearly 3 hour episode and find what must be a full moon. Nice evening. Matrix? Entertaining. It is what it is.
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If you haven't read this story yet, go check out the serious blunder made by the RIAA (Record Industry Association of America). I guess if you pay dues in this organization you are supporting computer development efforts aimed to crawl through internet servers scouring them for music mp3s.
[...] Last Thursday, the RIAA sent a stiff copyright warning to Penn State's department of astronomy and astrophysics. Department officials at first were puzzled, because the notification invoked the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and alleged that one of its FTP sites was unlawfully distributing songs by the musician Usher. The letter demanded that the department "remove the site" and delete the infringing sound files.
But there weren't any files on the Penn State server.
[...] Except, that is, when Soccio realized two things. The department has on its faculty a professor emeritus named Peter Usher whose work on radio-selected quasars the FTP site hosted. The site also had a copy of an a capella song performed by astronomers about the Swift gamma ray satellite, which Penn State helped to design. The combination of the word "Usher" and the suffix ".mp3" had triggered the RIAA's automated copyright crawlers [...]
Another tactic the RIAA is exploring would send offending code to the servers or the computers of those downloading illegal files. Though this approach might have serious consequences for the record companies.
[...] A more malicious program, dubbed "freeze," locks up a computer system for a certain duration ? minutes or possibly even hours ? risking the loss of data that was unsaved if the computer is restarted. It also displays a warning about downloading pirated music. Another program under development, called "silence," scans a computer's hard drive for pirated music files and attempts to delete them. One of the executives briefed on the silence program said that it did not work properly and was being reworked because it was deleting legitimate music files, too [...]
An organization that is expending its resources on this type of effort amazes me. Why won't the RIAA wake up and work with its members to develop and support an online digital music policy that flanks the moves of offenders and offers a better alternative. For example, the Apple developed iTunes Music Store. Who was the initiator in this effort? Apple. Do you think the RIAA is knocking on doors of companies that would have the ability to develop a service that would not offend those with an affinity to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act?
I guess this must be the American Way. If you can't come to terms with your customers -- sue them.
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When I first started my advertising agency in the late 80's I had an opportunity to develop a number of corporate publications for emerging technology companies, among others. Some were true custom magazines, others were traditional newsletters. My team and I worked hard to forge a strategic approach to this extremely tactical vehicle. Whereas our clients were bent on utilizing the vehicle as a mouthpiece that would have been self-aggrandizing, boasty and blatantly promotional, we fought hard to encourage them to let it be a voice of objectivity that provided additional value while reinforcing our clients brand or core message. Many of our clients bought into the concept. We worked hard to find information that would be of interest to our clients' customers while at the same time related to our clients' products and/or services. These were in affect, analog blogs. Or, as I refer to them today, anablogs. That is, they were not marketing vehicles in the traditional sense that products were discussed, new products were promoted or case studies of customers' using our clients products. Rather, they discussed issues related to technologies our clients were involved in.
I remember an article I wrote on HDTV in 1989. The title was "HDTV: Consortium or Confusion". At the time the major television equipment manufacturers were battling over a number of standards that would ultimately pave the way so that the world could ultimately realize the promise of HDTV. A consortium of manufacturers was attempted. And then failed. Funny. And as a side note, look at consumer electronics today. We still have divergent standards and products on the market are far from mature. The article I wrote discussed non of the clients' products. Our client, a major distributor of electrical components including Intel, Motorola, Texas Instruments, Siemens, Fujitsu and others.
I watched the custom publishing market rise and then fall. American Express split off a business unit dedicated to developing corporate publications for itself and other companies. Others followed suit.
Today, we have weblogs. And while considered primarily a personal, non-promotional and egalitarian "tool", you can be assured that corporate America has its eyes focused closely on what has become a pop-culture trend that crosses a number of demo-graphical boundaries. Talking to a close friend who worked with me when I was running an office of a nationally ranked web-development/interactive advertising business, asked me well isn't this really a website? Hesitating to get into the whole "what is a weblog?" conversation, I replied, "it's what all websites wanted to be." I meant that they'd be updated on a regular basis, contain content that was of interest to a select or targeted audience, and were easy to update and change.
So when I followed Docs link courtesy of David Weinberger, I read with interest the article with, that had as Doc put, "a title so blah you'd think Microsoft's product namers had coined it", Adapting Blog Technologies to Corporate e-Newsletters . Key to note in the title here is "Blog Technologies". And if I quickly run through the subheads of Todd Brehe's article, you'll find that the benefits he espouses are those benefits we used to tout to our customers in the 90's trying to convince them to allocate budget and resources to internet initiatives:
Blogs Are The "Real Voice"
Blogs Are Simple
Blogs Empower The Individual
Blogs Empower The Enterprise
In my conversation with my associate, I eventually had to sum it up in the simplest format possible while trying to explain blogs and blog technologies. I said, "Content Management Made Simple." I went on to discuss RSS, XML-RPC and the weblog options available.
Point is, Weblogs may have succeeded where corporate marketing websites have failed. That is to communicate a voice that is focused, clear and representative of the organization, to establish a relationship with customers that goes beyond the traditional buyer-seller transaction, to consistently update and provide content that is interesting and provides incentives to customers to return on a regular basis and provides added value through a feedback system that is open and unedited where ideas, concepts and opinions are discussed openly and freely.
I welcome and encourage corporate and consumer marketing companies to embrace weblog technologies and concepts.
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Ok. Well, I really mean News Is Crappy. Have you checked out this news portal? Their tagline is "Policitcally Correct Is For Politicians." Very cool, fun and worth checking out on a weekly or more frequent basis. If you use an RSS news reader, here's the RSS feed. [thanks to Brent Simmons]
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I've anxiously been testing and reading about the quality, performance and size compromises when switching from MP3 to AAC for encoding CDs. Apple's new iTunes Music Store has set a 128k bit rate standard using AAC. Some reports I've read claim that the music downloaded from the iTunes site seem to have been encoded using a higher quality AAC encoder than the one provided with iTunes 4.0 or QuickTime 6.2. I'm anxious to do some simple testing at this end.
But a great, yet simple and easy to understand review by Gunnar Van Vliet
reveals some interesting notes about the differences between encoders. Especially interesting to me was the fact that Gunnar finds that at higher bit rate the 128, the MP3 actually sounds better than AAC. Yet, at the 128 standard of the iTunes Music Store, the AAC is head and shoulders above MP3.
For me, I've been encoding MP3s at 256 VBR using the iTunes encoder at highest quality. This yields significantly larger file sizes, but at least they're playable on my iPod. Gunnar suggests that the file sizes may be comparable to AIFF (CD-quality) are similar and that anyone encoding at this right may as well simply save at AIFF. But this is a moot point since I don't believe the iPod will play AIFF files.
I'd be interested in hearing any readers' experience with the AAC, MP3 and other encoders and would like to post a follow up review here sometime later in May. Reply on the comments section at the bottom of this post or to my email here.
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In what looks like a brilliant move for both TiVO and consumer electronics device manufacturers, TiVO today announced a stripped down version of its service. TiVO is licensing technology that can be embedded into devices such as DVD players, televisions, cable boxes and other devices that connect to televisions. The technology will enable consumers to pause live TV and record up to three days of programming instead of the 14 days that its full service allows. Additionally, the basic service will not offer a search capability as well as other programmable features available in its full service.
What's smart about this move, provided TiVO can persuade more than just the two consumer electronics companies that have signed on to date (Toshiba and a yet unannounced company), is that TiVO becomes a value-add for devices that offer the service. And from what I can tell, this service will be free. That is, the cost will be built into the price of the device. Even better, the service is upgradeable. It's like offering a trial or demo version of the product but getting manufacturers to ante up for the ability to differentiate or add value to its products.
This is also a defensive move as it helps position TiVO as the leader in PVR (personal video recorder) services. Replay TV (now SonicBLUE) which has had its own issues and problems over the years still has not been a formidable competitor.
TiVO's popularity continues to boost its revenues. This licensing move will help the company increase margin while continue to minimize its dependency on lower margin hardware sales. To be sure, TiVO has licensed its technology to Sony who offers a Sony Brand of the TiVO box as well as a Sony Satellite REceiver with an integrated TiVO device.
Considering TiVO introduced its home media option last month, and the convergence of home computer networks and television and entertainment systems, I'm anxious to play. With Apple's Rendezvous technology rumoured to appear in future TiVO hardware sharing music and video with the non-computer users or visitors to your household gets easier and more likely a realistic option.
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Did you see that Dell is changing its name to better reflect its brand image? True. As a marketing strategist specializing in brand development and reinforcement I was eager to learn from this mega-successful giant's latest move. The new name? Dell, Inc.
This is fascinating.
Changing the name "represents Dell's evolution from strictly a computer hardware company to a diverse supplier of technology products and services... recognition of the Dell brand has grown so that the company is commonly known simply as Dell. The change of the name to Dell Inc. more closely aligns our formal corporate name with our brand."
Ok. So its real name, Dell Computer Corp., will be buried and the new brand will emerge. Dell, Inc. But what's odd about this move is the amount of money expended to make a change that largely won't change anything. The company has issued a proxy to its shareholders and will hold a vote at its annual meeting next month.
But it still doesn't make sense. Dell had secured long ago "DELL" as its NADSDAQ symbol. It's computers simply use the "Dell" logo and most people I know refer to the company as Dell. Yet it wants to drop the word "computer" from its name. The result of this change will likely be limited to corporate letterhead, SEC papers and contracts and agreements with suppliers, customers, employees and investors.
I wonder if IBM(International Business Machines, Inc.) should drop "machines" from its corporate name? You know. To better reflect its brand. (they haven't and won't), Or how about the Coca-Cola Bottling company changing its name to COKE, Inc.? (doesn't it sell more than just Cola?) Or, do you think Apple Computer Inc. should change its name. I mean they sell servers, software (Dell doesn't even sell software), MP3 music players and now they even have a music store.
Then Why must Dell spend time spinning its wheels to pump this silly PR out into the marketplace when it seems it would be more productive trying to innovate for a change. Oh wait. Innovation is certainly not one of Dell's brand characteristics. Sorry. With Dell it seems like a whole lotta hub bub to me. Sure, the company now sells servers, switches and even Apple Computer Inc.'s iPods. But does that mean it has to expend potentially millions of dollars on proxies, SEC filings, PR and investor relations? What could Michael Dell be thinking? Oh wait a minute. Dell. Michael Dell. Now the picture comes clearer. Ego is a wonderfully thing ain't it.
To be sure, sometimes it's important to change names to better reflect a brand and perhaps even more so, customer perception. Take a look at Federal Express, Inc. Oh. Never heard of them. Sure, you remember. Everybody called it FedEx. In this case it was a case of if you can't beat them, join them. FedEx went through the same process Dell plans to. Except in the case of FedEx, the company changes its name from Federal Express to FedEx Corporation. This was a smart move. The company invested heavily in delivering on its brand promise: When it absolutely has to be there overnight. And FedEx lived up to its promise. They did in fact invent the express delivery category. But its customers ran away with its brand name. And rather than trying to wrestle it back, it gave in. Today nobody else comes close to the brand recognition and loyalty that FedEx has earned.
Dell? What have they earned? Perhaps status as one of the only brands that successfully built its franchise on price. But no brand can last forever with price as its primary attribute. Sure, it can live up to ugly and poorly designed hardware and a difficult to navigate and understand online store. Hey. But its computers are cheap. And that's a brand promise Dell will always live up to -- name change or not.
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Stuartnotes that Blogging Artistry yields nothing when googled. Though I see a comment on Noah Grey's old blog mentions the artistry of blogging. Not sure if I'd categorize Noah's new site as a blog. But who says a blog must contain words?
About a year ago Stavroswrote this about his blog, his writing:
[...] I'll fight to the fucking death arguing that the defining aspects of my writing here (or Golby's or AKMA's or Shelley's or Jonathon's or Eeksy's or that of multitudes of others) are not Time Stamps or Permalinks . Lead, damn it, or get out of the way. [...]
[...] I see now that Stavros is suggesting an alternative blogging paradigm: blogging as art, rather than blogging as reportage. [...]
In January, Reverse Cowgirlposted an open call to find perhaps what Stavros referred to as the New Tribes (as opposed to the "Old Blog Guard", or "A-Listers" for the event she inspired "Live From the Blogosphere" held in LA's Chinatown in February.
Look closely at the above pull-quote. At the time, Suzannah (Reverse Cowgirl) had no reference or link for "blogging-as-art". Would it make sense to categorize [insert any blogger's name here] as art, reporting, science or other? Or would this be too constrictive -- for the blogger as well as the reader in search of something specific? I noticed that Blogshares has added a feature that indexes or categorizes blogs listed on its fantasy blog-as-equity stock game. Currently there are 9 blogs listed under the Art Category which has 19 subcategories. At the time of this writing the Politics category contains the most blogs [24] listed with Pets and Animals [21] running a close second. I'm sure only a fraction of the blogs listed have been categorized. But it seems those passionate about politics and pets are the most eager to categorize their blogs. Interesting. Yet, to my earlier post, categorizing (and adherence to that category) would bring clarity and focus to some blogs. But is that the goal? The point?
Do I dare break my blog roll into two or three categories? I think not -- for now. Because in many ways I believe a Blog is organic. Living. Taking on life. Emerging. Blogs grow as their authors' grow to learn to leverage, explore and discover the medium. And while blogging shouldn't be about the tools used, it's the authors' discovery, experimentation and implementation of tools that help refine or develop his/her art -- or craft.
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I've been doing a lot of thinking about my weblog lately. As the first anniversary of writing for the sake of clarity -- The Digital Tavern approaches, I've been reflective. But rather than to communicate my reflections for public view, I've decided to keep them close. Personal and internal rather than external or freely associated. Thank you, I'll keep my own critical, self-loathing or aggrandizing diablogical thoughts to myself. At least until now.
Tonight I spent some time on Jonathan Dealcour's weblog(thanks Liz). As i read his post on Art's Emotional Charge, I couldn't help thinking about Tony Pierce and his up front, black and white statement "Nothing here is true." And when I read Jonathan's "Wife" (what a great) post, I wondered whether his story was real or not. True or false. Here or there. Fact or fiction. As if it mattered.
Yet on the heels of my post about Jayson Blair, I remind myself of the not so realization that all of us need to approach what we read and see with truly an open mind. Unlike a blogger, Blair had a responsibility to his readers and employer. He breached this. In his body of work for the New York Times, I think he breached this 50 or more times. Now, does this mean we have to approach reading the New York Times differently than before? Probably not. But with anything you read you need to be aware. That doesn't necessarily mean you should approach these things with a critical eye, skepticism or distrust. Rather, I think it's important to approach these things from the point of view of experience. What did that experience do for you and how did it affect you?
And to Jonathan's point that blogs are dynamic bodies of art. That is, by isolating a single post or piece you are essentially taking that piece out of context and therefore the potential to misread or misunderstanding is greater than if you were to absorb the entire body. This sounds good and is likely true. But frankly, this works in theory better than practice. Unless you're a committed regular reader of any number of the million or more blogs available to us, you're going to take a number of pieces/posts out of context. Ideally, if you find a piece/post that inspires or intrigues you, the tendency should be to dig deeper and enjoy a whole body experience -- rather than taste a single piece. But even this idea may be too optimistic given the amount of information and the decreasing amount of time any of us have to spend on any single thing.
But too often all of us, bloggers or not, will dig deep into our consciousness and pull from memory or dreams possible facts, blog posts, anecdotes or other "sound or word bytes" for the purpose of making a point, validating a position in an argument or other proof. Certainly this is normal. After all, this is how we're taught to write -- essays, criticism or even thesis. In science we rely on empirical data to support claims. In blogs, we may stand on soap boxes, report, fill space, create, patronize, offend, praise, self-indulge or simply sit on the sidelines. All of this is Ok. As long as it works for you -- and your reader if you're so concerned. Unlike Blair, in blogs there are no rules. And the only responsibility you have is to yourself and/or to your collective collaborators, sponsors or anyone/thing of your choosing.
And for me the irony of my blog title for the sake of clarity is a good start to describe the body of work herein. But then again, this is the Digital Tavern. And topics, conversations, arguments, games and emotions fly in such a random order there is anything but clarity here. And anyone who knows me will attest to my mantra of "focusing". And through focusing you can attain clarity. Yet maybe the digital tavern is my place to let the thoughts fly free but somehow keep them strung together with a very thin thread. Keeping me together are some specific and some gaping holes of vacuities -- my categories give me direction while allowing me freedom and a creativity in my posts.
So as I wind down the end of year one of The Digital Tavern, I am excited about how this body of work will grow, become more focused and provide interesting experiences to all of those who want to join the party. After all, there are no strangers here. Only friends you haven't met.
Come on in. Join me.
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Scott Andrew reports on another ClearChannel development: its public statement that it's severing ties with independent "payola" promoters.
[...] I don't think this change is going to help indie artists much. ClearChannel stations are not exactly known for diversity of programming, and I suspect that there'll be even more homogenization once the Big Labels and Big Radio start working together. Let a thousand Plasticine-faced kewpie doll R&B pop idols bloom [...]
I couldn't have said it better. Thanks Andrew. My previous reports on ClearChannel here, here and here.
--------- Later: Another Scott Andrew tip: Paste. Looks like a great magazine and website to source and find music ClearChannel would unlikely play. Another source is Performing Songwriter. Check them out.
11:44:50 PM permalink | | trackback disabled due to spam
Now I have seen everything. For the city with more parades and "cultural events" than nearly any other in the US - perhaps the world, this has to rank as one of the most curious since the S&M parade.
[...] "This is an effort to counter centuries of censure, to make masturbation more fun and to make it more accessible," said Thomas W. Laqueur, a professor of history at the University of California at Berkeley and author of the recent "Solitary Sex: A Cultural History of Masturbation," in a telephone interview before the event. [...]
So there you have it. Just another social event to put on your calendar. But I think I'll sit this one out. Yet for those who do attend, have fun at this group genitalia fondling Wack Fest San Francisco SOMA happening.
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This blows me away. Journalists are slowly but surely going the way of snake oil peddlers, car salesman and even advertising people. Critics of bloggers have been quick to point out that unlike "true" journalists, bloggers don't follow the ethics and standards that journalists adhere to. Things like verifying a story, corroborating witness or interview claims and the like. But this guy working on arguably one of the best newspapers in the world rips portions of a story off a small Texas newspaper. And who's watching him? And this isn't the first time.
[...] Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Horan Jr. criticized a Blair story in the Times that quoted unnamed sources as saying teenage suspect Lee Boyd Malvo was responsible for most or all of the 13 shootings that left 10 people dead. [...] Horan said much of the story was "dead wrong." [...] Blair wrote a story charging that Kent State University was miscounting its football attendance, university officials accused him of lying. The piece included quotes from Pete Mahoney, the school's associate athletic director, but Mahoney told the Daily Kent Stater that Blair had never contacted him [...] In October 2001, the Times carried two corrections on a Blair story about a Madison Square Garden benefit concert for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. The first one said he had misstated the price of the top tickets -- they were $10,000, not $1,000 -- and misquoted former president Bill Clinton. The second one said he had improperly described a Woody Allen film and that "the article also included two performers erroneously among the participants. Bono and the Edge, of the band U2, were scheduled to appear but canceled before the concert." [...]
So this reporter, Blair, decides to quit amidst an investigation conducted by his bosses. Sure, one reporter's actions doesn't mean all reporters are alike. But this bozo got caught. And it's a running joke amongst anyone who has been misquoted by the press: "What do you expect?".
It's sad because I can see the next chapter in this story. The reporter finds hot shot lawyer. Lawyer and reporter sue the New York Times for inflicting emotional stress, libel and wrongful dismissal. Reporter goes on to get book contract that exposes the dirty underpinnings of the newspaper business. Book gets turned into movie. Reporter appears on Letterman, Leno and Larry King. Journalism schools across the nation enter a bidding war to get him to speak or issue honorary degrees.
Ah. Am I cynical? You betcha. But it does make a good story.
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According to this bulletin at Billboard, Apple's iTunes Music Store sold 275,000 songs in its first 18 hours of operation. That's over 250 songs per minute. I can imagine the server horsepower and bandwidth they've got to handle this kind of volume. Looks like Ming's wife, Joi and Denise joined me in contributing to the first successful day of the service. Others are upset that it requires a credit card with a US billing address.
Perhaps even more notable is that these are Mac users only and currently there is a limited selection of music - only 200,000 songs.
[...] the feat is especially remarkable when considering that the offering is available only to the limited universe of users of Apple computers. The launch thereby sets the stage for a race between a host of media and technology companies to create and effectively promote similar services for the much bigger Microsoft-equipped PC market [...]
Apple knows that it must broaden the base of its customers in order to get a return on its iTunes Music Store investment. That must be why it is reportedly developing a Windows version of its iTunes Software.
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I did a very stupid thing here. Last night I wrote a piece that commented on Joi's and Marc's posts regarding Geisha's and Marc's conviction that the Japanese, through it's Geisha history, had elevated prostitution to a new art. Unfortunately, I accidentally pasted over the post in my zeal to get a new article posted to the blog. And without a backup of that post, I'm lost here to recreate it in the spirit of my idea and thoughts last night.
I won't try to recreate it. But I will highlight a few things that I do remember.
If he hasn't read it, Marc should read Golden's classic book
Memoirs of a Geisha. This book is amazing in the fact that is not only written by an American -- it's written by a man. I'd like to hear Joi's comments, if he's read it. I few Japanese friends have said good things about it. There are a couple good reviews here and here.
The other thing I said that while the international sex trade has fair or unfair spawned a reputation for many Asian countries. This may have contributed to Marc's perception of Geisha as prostitute. And as Joi duly notes, the definition and those acting under such a Geisha guise certainly may lead to lack of understanding and ignorance. But when approached from a historical point of view, and Golden's book traces the life of a Geisha from the point she is "sold" by her parents in the early 20's to the American occupation after WWII and beyond. By reading the book a reader will certainly see an intimate picture of a Geisha and most assuredly that picture won't look anything like a prostitute -- specially if you accept the commonly held definition as noted here.
But if there is interest in prostitution rather than history, I suggest you might find this years "Sex Worker Film & Video Festival" more stimulating than Golden's "Memoirs of a Geisha."
In what looks like a brilliant move for both 
players and now they even have a music store. 
But does that mean it has to expend potentially millions of dollars on proxies, SEC filings, PR and investor relations? What could Michael Dell be thinking? Oh wait a minute. Dell. Michael Dell. Now the picture comes clearer. Ego is a wonderfully thing ain't it.
FedEx went through the same process Dell plans to. Except in the case of FedEx, the company changes its name from Federal Express to FedEx Corporation. This was a smart move. The company invested heavily in delivering on its brand promise: When it absolutely has to be there overnight. And FedEx lived up to its promise. They did in fact invent the express delivery category. But its customers ran away with its brand name. And rather than trying to wrestle it back, it gave in. Today nobody else comes close to the brand recognition and loyalty that FedEx has earned. 
Now I have seen everything. For the city with more parades and "cultural events" than nearly any other in the US - perhaps the world, 
Did you hear about the 
This blows me away. Journalists are slowly but surely going the way of snake oil peddlers, car salesman and even advertising people. Critics of bloggers have been quick to point out that unlike "true" journalists, bloggers don't follow the ethics and standards that journalists adhere to. Things like verifying a story, corroborating witness or interview claims and the like. But this guy working on arguably one of the best newspapers in the world rips portions of a story off a small Texas newspaper. And who's watching him? And this isn't the first time. 
I did a very stupid thing here. Last night I wrote a piece that commented on 
If he hasn't read it, Marc should read Golden's classic book 