Power to the People

My Morning Jacket, has a great video on their website. I’m not a huge Jacket fan but I’ve been hearing more about them lately and decided I wanted to see and hear more. I’m glad I did. The video did more than just give me a feeling for the band in concert; it again revealed to me the power of our new technology in the hands of the ‘average guy.’ If Karl Marx could only see today how the Internet is changing the world he’d have to completely rethink Das Kapital.

The video on the MMJ website was shot entirely by people in the audience at the Lollapaloza Festival in Chicago in 2007. Attendees were asked at the start of the set to take out their video cams and phones and shoot the performance and, I assume they were given a web address where they could send their clips. The whole thing is a mishmash of shots, of varying quality, of My Morning Jacket backed by an orchestra and was cut together by Current Fix. Names of those who shot the clips like Betsy from Glen Ellyn, IL, are supered on the screen with their home towns.

I watched this while working on a spot I am creating  for a company called True Healthy Products. My friend, Jan Hrkach, president of THP, asked for my help, as this would be his first foray into TV after creating an amazing start up primarily through the power of the Internet. The problem is that there is no budget for production so we are doing it down and dirty. When I say down and dirty, I mean we are bringing a new meaning to the term ‘guerrilla production.’ The problem I’ve been having is that I’ve been trying to put my ‘old school’ thinking into this and it’s not been working. This morning, after my third cup of Joe, I turned on the MMJ video and I realized that I hadn’t been reading my own words on my blog – I had to start thinking in a totally new way if I am to make this spot succeed.

So, now I’m pumped and it’s not the coffee (I only drink decaf). I got the message loud and clear and today I’m going to break down the spot and completely redo the edit till it makes sense and I know that it will want to make people check this product out.

By the way, here’s a plug for the product here and now: I’ve been using Stemulite for about 3 weeks and it definitely helps me get a better night’s sleep. I can’t stand by any of the other product claims but the sleep benefit is real. Stemulite, which is primarily taken by athletes to enhance their workouts, is all natural and, so far, hasn’t conflicted with my blood pressure meds or other supplements I take. So, if that’s not a ringing endorsement, I definitely would encourage anyone with sleep issues to check it out at www.truehealthyproducts.com.

But back to the point, which is simply that, once again, new technology and creative minds are changing the way in which we see the world. The MMJ video wasn’t brilliant art or even a great recording but it was fascinating to watch and it was stimulating to think that “the revolution” is upon us now.

Big News From Loxahatchee

Some great news for a change.

Strike one for the human beings on the planet for a change. The State of Florida, known more for hanging chads and college football than for environmental sense, has announced that it is buying back 187,000 acres of the Everglades from the United States Sugar Company, a concern that has been, with State aid, polluting and choking off the world’s largest and one of its most important rivers for decades.

Note I said largest, not longest. The Everglades, long considered just a great big swamp, is actually a slow-moving river, 60 miles wide and over 100 miles long, flowing southward from Lake Okeechobee, across a limestone shelf, to Florida Bay at the southern end of the state. 60 miles covers a lot of area and “the Glades” is home to amazing wildlife, unique flora and spectacular natural vistas. Since the first time I visited in 1969 I have been fascinated by the beauty and the significance of the Everglades.

By significance I refer to the fact that this area affects things like migratory patterns of hundreds of species and also global weather patterns. It has been an issue for Florida politicians ever since Governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward vowed to “drain that abominable pestilence-ridden swamp” to create a “Empire of the Everglades” and the government and business community have been screwing it up ever since.

The announcement from Republican Governor (and rumored potential McCain running mate) Charlie Crist is a welcome change in direction, not just for environmentalists but for anyone concerned with the quality of the air and water in the country. As a resident of this state I can tell you that I am doing cartwheels over this announcement. Finally, someone is doing something right.

I know that there is politics behind this move. I am sure it is not wholly altruistic and I am sure that someone is making out like a bandit somehow on this deal. They say that the state is overpaying United States Sugar and the employees are rightly concerned about what will happen to them when they close the mills. And though their concerns are valid, in the long run what is most important is that this will be the biggest ecological restoration in history. With the problems facing us in this state, namely clean potable water and breathable air starting to make a serious dent on the public’s consciousness, this move makes a wonderful statement to everyone that the big picture can and will be considered before political action.

I often drive back and forth across Route 60, past the Kissimmee River and on my way to and from Anna Maria Island. I love to take the occasional detour or just stop to observe the nature that is all around. I enjoy the trails and the endless miles of sawgrass. If you love the outdoors, the Everglades is a uniquely spiritual place.

There is a long way to go before the restoration begins but this is such a positive step it is amazing to think that it can happen at all. Kudos to Governor Crist. He can now go run for Vice President knowing that, unlike his predecessor, he left Florida in better shape than when he found it.

Art by request

Thanks to everyone who commented on the blog or privately that they enjoyed my drawings. I’ve had a few requests to post more so I guess I will add a few new drawings every so often. Lately, I have been facinated by a photograph I had seen a few months ago of Jesse Helms. I have started a whole series of drawings of him that I hope will lead to a series of larger paintings. I call them the “Bigot Drawings.” I include one or two of them in this grouping with a few other pieces. There is also one I call the “Scream” in homage to Edvard Munch. Hope you enjoy these too.

George Carlin – A Great American

He broke all the rules and he was funny. Very funny. His bit about baseball vs football is one of my favorite comedic riffs of all time. Right up there with “Who’s On First.” He’s the man who made us think while our sides were splitting. Who else could make ’shit’ sound so damn hysterical.

 

More evidence that the world exists only on your iPod

Seems Nokia, the Finish maker of sleek mobile phones, has decided to get into the entertainment business by making exclusive deals to deliver content on its phones. In fact, they are making phones specifically for music and video delivery with the phone part of the equation just a small part of the attraction. More and more, the blending of news, entertainment and technology takes us into new territory as big media companies struggle with emerging technology companies in an attempt to capture and dominate consumer interest. Nokia’s Tero Ojanpera is quoted in the NY Times predicting that in the next 5 years, mobile phone users will create 25% of the entertainment watched on the so-called smartphones, like iPhones and Blackberries. Janpera asks:”Are you willing to play by the new rules?” well, sure we are but the question really is:”What are the new rules and who makes these rules anyway?”

Well, today the rules change every couple of days. The only real rule is that there are no rules. Those making the rules are the consumers who do it solely with their purchasing power. The iPhone’s success is not attributable to Apples genius, Steve Jobs marketing prowess or the fact that the technology is so amazing. It is a hit because people decided it was cool and they wanted it and they went out and bought it. Believe me, corporate America is littered with the trash of products brought to the market that, no matter how well marketed or ingeniously innovative, people just didn’t choose to buy.

TV on your phone, nobody watches NBC or goes to the record store anymore (in fact, I can’t find a record store anywhere) and my buddy’s 9 year old has his own blog. It’s a new world. I remember the first time I heard the term ‘rotoscope’ and I was fascinated by the concept. It’s the same with me now; I’m fascinated by the movement, the energy and the dynamics of the marketplace.

I have a great Minolta camera but I haven’t picked it up in an age. Why? It’s easy to take pictures with my cell phone and it clips to the belt on my pants. My phone looks alot like the gizmo that Scotty used to beam up Kirk.

And the great part is that there are no limits – on technology, on availability, on imagination. From now on all, when I deal with clients, I will be thinking not of where they are today but where they want to be tomorrow and which technology will get them there sooner.

This is exciting stuff. We have to all start thinking in new ways. And then, we will have to start thinking in new ways again. And as soon as we think of that we’ll have to start thinking in new ways again… get it?

Faces

I love to draw and everyday at some point I take out my pad and start to sketch. I love to draw faces and it’s great if I am on a bus or at the airport and I see an interesting face to just capture the image in a quick sketch. Sometimes I take a photo I see in the news and try to grab the thing I find most interesting, like the eyes of a politician. I try to capture a moment that allows me to imagine what they must be thinking in the moment.

Lately I’ve been getting into color. Oil pastels are my medium of choice. Here are a few faces i’ve seen lately.

Every day heroes

I am often reminded that no matter how bleak life can look to me at times, I really do have it good. I am blessed with a good woman, good friends, good family, good health and an overall damn good life. I may get stressed from time to time and my checkbook may not balance at the end of the month, but by and large I have few complaints. So, of course, as I was writing my last diatribe about my minor financial muddle, I was brought back to reality when I received an email from my dear, dear friend Heidi Gottlieb. Anyone interested in reading a story of true guts and everyday heroism, Heidi’s blog can be read at www.myedgewalkerblog.com.

Here’s a person who tells it like it is. Heidi has lived for years with a brain tumor the size of a golf ball. She is about to go for something called Proton Therapy up in Boston and when I read about her set up date at the hospital it sent chills down my spine. Heidi has two great kids, a devoted hubby and (at least until recently) a thriving business to run. She was one of the best production managers I ever worked with and always a delight to be around. Now she is in the battle of her life but has not lost her sense of humor or her sense of proportion. To me, she is truly a hero in the battle of everyday life.

There are all sorts of heroes out there battling brain tumors, cancer, and paralysis, and all sorts of scary stuff, not to mention battling the lame excuse for a health care system we have in this country. They are just people pitching in, doing what they can, trying to get by and not complaining about their lot in life. They persevere and in doing so they touch the lives of the people they come into contact with every day. They may not be rock stars but they are shining stars and I tip my hat to them all.

Heidi, if you are reading this, I send my love and good vibes your way every day. Thanks for being in my life.

A fiscal crisis at home.

I haven’t been able to get any writing done for over a week. I’ve been practically strapped to my desk pouring over papers, bank statements and personal documents. I’ve been totally immersed for days in trying to straighten out my finances. See, I’m one of those guys who are great at organization, understands the importance of paying attention to detail and always stays a step ahead in the game. Except when it comes to my own finances.

Years ago when I ran a production department for a company in Boston, I also was assigned to take over the finance department for a time and took a crash course in basic corporate finance. Prior to that I had never even balanced my own checkbook. Maybe that had to do with the fact that there was never enough to money in the account to worry about. Now I was going to be responsible for the bookkeeping of what amount to a small business and the education was invaluable. When I opened my own business a number of years later I was able to take all that knowledge and put it to work for me. Of course I had a bookkeeper and accountant to handle the day to day and the tax prep but I had a pretty good handle on things.  When I closed the doors and came down here to Florida I had simplified my life to one checking account, one savings account and 2 credit cards. So what went wrong?

Well, it seems that if you don’t watch out, life has a way of screwing with you and I definitely let it screw with me. I started to make investments that were questionable, I started a couple of companies as tax shelters (let’s call them strategies) that I didn’t need to have and wound up with 9 separate checking accounts. Now that is the condensed version of what I did the last 3 years so let’s just say that I managed to complicate my simple life and I should have known better. To make matters worse, I was so busy running someone else’s marketing department, travelling around the country, trying to jam in time in my studio that I felt I didn’t have time to handle all the accounting. I then I made a very stupid mistake. I didn’t listen to Patricia. She kept saying that I should hire a bookkeeper to handle my stuff and not worry about it. But I felt that I could get it together if I just made some time for it. I never did and before I knew it my desk was buried in paper, I lost track of where I was with important deadlines and frustration began to set in. And still I didn’t pay attention.

Now at this point you are probably saying to yourself “what a moron” and you wouldn’t be far off in your assessment.  Even my accountant was flabbergasted and warned me several times to get back to minding the store.

The ironic thing is that one of the projects I was so intently working on to the detriment of all my personal dealings was helping Bob Whitaker and Drew Miles develop an incredible financial product called the Tax Mini Miser System. The Tax Mini Miser is the best expense tracking system on the planet and makes tax time a lot simpler. So while I was helping people with their finances I was screwing up my own by doing exactly the opposite of what I was telling others to do.

Why did I let that happen? Why was I so reckless with my own money? Why didn’t I follow the advice of my friends, accountant and financial experts? Why didn’t I follow my own advice? Honestly, I cannot give a reasonable answer. All I know is that a combination of arrogance, ignorance and a little tinge of fear led me down a path of near destruction. Well, I am exaggerating a bit. I was never near destruction but I was really screwed up and finally I woke up determined to never be so irresponsible again. It took me a week to clean up the mess but now I know where things are at and have my house in order again.

It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day and over look what is really important. It’s sometimes easier to ignore uncomfortable situations than face them head on. It’s always easier to put off until tomorrow what you should be doing right now.  The classic lessons need to be relearned from time to time.

 The new bookkeeper starts next week.

No Laughing Matter

Did you hear the one about the comedian who got thrown into jail for trying to deliver some non-comic relief? Ba-Da-Bump!

Today’s NY Times reports that the Burmese comedian, U Maung Thura, aka ‘Tweezers’, was arrested by the military thugs in Yangon for attempting to deliver supplies of food and medicine to victims of the cyclone. What a joke! So, if you are a Burmese who wants to help other Burmese, the message is “we’re gonna put your scrawny ass in jail, no matter how funny you think you are!”

By the way, I see no reason for U Maung Thura to change his name to Tweezers when U is a pretty great stage name to have. It must be a Burma thing…

More importantly, the Burmese government isn’t interested in helping its own people. Its only interest is to keep tight control and keep foreigners out no matter what the cost. That way they can reap the benefits from the sale of their rubies and sapphires and laugh all the way to the bank. I’d like to see them try that kind of baloney with Don Rickles!

That’s it! Eureka! What we need are the comedians of the world to stand up and be counted. They should unite and invade Yangon in masse wielding microphones, cream pies and whoopee cushions. If enough comic’s band together they’ll over take that decidedly unfunny régime in the time it takes to watch a rerun of Laugh-In. Imagine General Robin Williams dressed as Teddy Roosevelt, leading the charge at the battle of Mandalay (the town – not the resort). Penn and Teller making their weapons magically disappear, Sarah Silverman whining them to death, George Carlin totally baffling their leaders with stories about ‘shit’! Paula Poundstone pounding on the head of some little General while Chris Rock “fucks him up”. Cedric the Entertainer and Bernie Mac together kicking some Burmese butt! Even the old timers can get in the act. Imagine when they see Woody Allen and Joan Rivers leading the charge. That’s got to scare the shit out of them.

And image how they’ll flee in horror when they see the United Nations of Comedy led by Yakov Smirnov coming over the rise. Only the German comedians are missing – actually they couldn’t find anyone funny in that country.

The thing about comedy is that you have to have an intellect and a heart to be truly funny.
Obviously the SPDC, the military led government has neither. While the people starve, their leaders are having a few good yucks and a scotch. Their claim to legitimacy is as real as Broadway Danny Rose.
Hopefully Tweezers will live long enough to deliver his people a really good laugh very soon.

Idols

Tonight at Yankee Stadium, in the Bronx, Derek Jeter had a base hit and passed my boyhood idol, Mickey Mantle, as the 3^rd most prolific hitter in Yankee history with 2,416 hits to his credit. This is no small task and Jeter, not only a terrific player but a fabulous product endorser as well, is a perfect guy to pass the torch of Yankee icon to. Next up in Jeter’s sights is none other than the Babe himself. It did get me to thinking about Mantle, who’s black and white photographs adorned my bedroom walls and who’s baseball card was my prized possession (until my mom tossed that shoebox into the trash – we’ll save that for another time!). In fact I had all the Yankees faces on my wall: Richardson, Skowron, Ford and Maris. But the place of honor was reserved for Mantle, he of the huge neck and forearms and the prodigious shots to the upper deck.

Mantle, as is well documented today, was a heavy drinker and carouser. He died from liver cancer after having a liver transplant, necessitated by years of alcoholic abuse. Perhaps his most famous quote was: “If I’d known I was gonna live this long, I’d have taken a lot better care of myself.”

In those days you didn’t read about that sort of thing in the sports pages. If he were playing today Mantle would be a prime candidate for a stint in rehab and a teary, apologetic turn on Oprah, the Today Show and the Budweiser Hot Seat. I can picture it now: The Mick sitting on the couch sobbing and pleading for fan forgiveness “I didn’t mean to run over that little Mexican feller outside the bar at 4 AM, really… I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to punch out the other feller at the Copa… Oh Oprah, I’m so ashamed…”  Nah… couldn’t happen! But those were the days when ballplayers made thousands, not millions a year and reporters actually were dependent on their relationships with the players to get stories. And they spent more time writing about the game than about the players’ salaries and foibles. Yesterday’s idols just would not be able to stand up under today’s scrutiny.

I like Jeter a lot. He plays the game the ‘right way’ and he seems to love what he does. I do not object one bit to the fact that he makes more money in a season than all the teachers in America make in a year combined (well, I may be exaggerating but it’s close). But I don’t see Jeter as an idol. In my day, we worshipped Mantle and Maris and Mays and Koufax and Drysdale from afar. We wanted to be those guys because we wanted to be that good. I felt about them as I did President Kennedy or Alan Shepard. They were my heroes. They were the truly American Idols. Nowadays it must be hard for kids to have any sort of hero worship at all, especially in sports where you have clowns like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens and jerks like Raphael Palmeiro and Curt Schilling lying and/or preening on national TV in front of Congressional committees.

Maybe that’s why I like Jeter. No bad stuff, no DUI’s and tell-all sessions before Congress. Just good baseball and a few TV commercials. He doesn’t have to be an idol for anyone, just be a good guy.