Exploring the Art & Science of Marketing
Archive for August, 2007
Flight of the Conchords – A Texan Odyssey
Aug 14th
Flight of the Conchords.
1) My new favorite television show… called . . . drum roll . . . Flight of the Conchords.
2) Formerly New Zealand’s fourth most popular folk parody duo (that’s their tagline).
3) Funny documentarians (see below).
4) Two guys that have a product that markets itself.
I just realized this video has an “adults only” disclaimer at the beginning. I think it’s part of the humor because . . . there’s not “adults only” stuff in it.
Dems take on the mortgage industry
Aug 13th
In the wake of the subprime mess, Democratic presidential candidates are grabbing hold of the issue and offering their own solutions. And the problem, according to many of them, lies with the mortgage broker.
– via CNN.
1) If you want to see a real mess, get the government involved in regulating an already heavily regulated industry.
2) If you want to see a real mess, place all the blame on mortgage brokers.
3) If you want to see a real mess, stifle one of the most central markets in the U.S. economy.
Think for a minute what happens when politics stems the deal flow in the mortgage industry. Less loans. Less money loaned. Less deals done with banks. Less work for construction. Less materials sold for construction. Less machines used for construction. Less construction work. Less real estate sold. There’s a reason that land, labor and capital are the three scarce resources discussed in economics 101. In my opinion, the Dems should leave this one alone. Legislation is often so myopic that it throws any sense of the unintended consequences out the window.
On the flip side . . . you may well see the same results with no legislation because banks will no longer offer such risky loans. The benefit is that change is placed square on the shoulders of the individual business owners and Americans. Human ingenuity goes to work, and people figure out how to make it work.
1) If you want to fix the mess, let the subprime mortgage “crisis” fix itself.
There is no way lenders will continue doing what they are doing in light of the bankruptcy problems that are happening with some of the country’s biggest mortgage brokers. Why force it with legislation? … because it’s good politics. Makes sense doesn’t it.
Eminent domain: Utah may appeal verdict to pay $5.5 million for a piece of land
Aug 13th
The State of Utah is thinking about appealing a jury verdict that will award a Woods Cross family $5.5 million for a 230-acre parcel of land needed to build the Legacy Highway. via KSL.com
Why this is a BIG deal
UDOT offered a measly $2 million for the land, which appraised for $5.5 million in July. So why is the State appealing? Because it can.
If this is the only land that can be used the highway, shouldn’t it be worth even more than $5.5 million? Do free market economics not apply? Ah, the dangers of eminent domain.
Read a few examples of how eminent domain has been used in this country, and I think it will make you sick to your stomach.
Republican Tommy Thompson drops out of the race for president
Aug 12th
Former governor of Wisconsin Tommy Thompson just dropped out of the race for U.S. president.
Thompson, who also served in the Bush cabinet, did not meet the expectations he set for himself in the Ames Republican straw poll held Saturday.
via CNN
Thompson was regularly showing support of 1-2 percent in the polls.
Barry Bonds*
Aug 8th
I’m sure all the Bonds haters out there will love this. It is quite ironic. If you go to MLB.com and look up the stats for the top players, you’ll notice that they put an * next to the names of the players who are currently still active. As a result, Major League Baseball lists Barry Bonds as player with the most home runs, and he has an * next to his name. Oh the irony.
Clayton Blackham and I just had a lengthy discussion about Babe Ruth being the best home run hitter of all time. We looked at ball park size, at-bats, years played and a host of other elements. I think the Babe may well have been the best hitter of all time, although I’m still a big fan of Ted Williams.
Mets fan from Queens catches Barry Bonds 756th Home Run
Aug 8th
This guy was wearing a Jose Reyes Mets jersey when he got Barry Bonds’ 756th home run ball. He’s from Queens and stopped in S.F. on his way to Australia. How funny is that?
I have a couple of PR posts coming in relation to this whole he rocks, he’s a cheat saga . . .
7 reasons Barry Bonds deserves accolades
Aug 7th
I’ve never been a huge critic of Barry Bonds. But, I think some people have already noticed. The thing is, he’s one of the best hitters in baseball history (home runs aside).
7 – Barry Bonds has walked more times than any other player in the history of Major League Baseball. Yes, some of those were intentional, but it also points to his ability to pick pitches, swing at the good ones and leave the bad ones alone. Bonds has walked a full 400 more times than the player with the second most bases reached on balls – Ricky Henderson.
Hank Aaron had 2400 more at bats than Bonds currently has and he walked more than 1,000 less times. That is no insignificant number.
6 – Swing mechanics – Muscle and power are important, but time and time again, the guys that hit the consistent home runs have a fundamentally sound swing. Barry Bonds has one of the best swings in baseball.
5 – Level swing? That’s a misnomer. Ted Williams would have told you a level swing is baloney. Bonds does not swing level. He swings in a manner that his bat is on an upward plane when he hits the ball out front.
4 – Ted Williams would have also told you (In his book The Science of Hitting) that flipping your wrists over is also baloney. You want to have your wrists square and out front when you make contact. (See photo of Barry for how to do it).
3 – Incredible trunk rotation. Again, this goes back to his swing, but if you watch him when he hits the ball, right as he hits it, he knows how to use the rotation of his body to put power and distance on the ball when he hits it. Go back and watch home run 756. He turned on that ball so fast and quick he could have had toothpicks for arms and still hit it out.
2 – Have you ever tried to hit a baseball? Have you ever tried hitting a 90 mph fastball? Have you ever had a 2-2 count after two 90 mph fastballs and then been thrown a sweeping 75 mph curve ball? I rest my case.
1 – You’ve got to hit the ball first. Hitting it out of the park is another story (see No. 2).
Congrats to Barry Bonds and props to Hank Aaron who said “I step aside.” A-Rod is going to pass you both anyway.
APX Alarm shows how to manage Public Relations
Aug 2nd
Provo, Utah’s own Apx Alarm had some interesting press coverage in Indiana recently, and I have to say they did an amazing job responding and taking care of the customer. Companies could take a lesson in media relations here. Watch and see what they did to respond.
Apx Alarm Video 1
Apx Alarm Reponse in Video 2
