I've decided (starting right now) that I will occasionally post some of (what I think) are some of the most fascinating news stories/media from the past few weeks/months/years. Here goes:


All the many parts: After a tragedy, can anything save Nichols Hardware? Washington Post Magazine, April 24, 2011

Excerpt:
    For generations, Nichols Hardware has been a seemingly immortal sanctuary, staying much     the same as it was when it opened 97 years ago. Many residents of Purcellville were aware         that there was no apparent fourth-generation heir who intended to take over the store, and this     was understood to be a sensitive topic that was best not to think about. But now, in the             aftermath of the accident, there was the unwelcome realization that Nichols Hardware might     already be running out of time.

 My Two Thoughts:
    1.    Despite its ever-decreasing size, the Washington Post Magazine still produces                          must-read long-form stories every single week.
    2.    I hope the Post runs a follow-up story on this in a year or two. I'm interested, as I'm sure           a lot of people are, to see what happens to the store moving forward.


On School Buses, Ad Space for Rent, The New York Times, April 15, 2011

Excerpt:
    Cash-hungry states and municipalities, in pursuit of even the smallest amounts of revenue,         have begun to exploit one market that they have exclusive control over: their own property.
    With the help of a few eager marketing consultants, many governments are peddling the             rights to place advertisements in public school cafeterias, on the sides of yellow school             buses, in prison holding areas and in the waiting rooms of welfare offices and the Department     of Motor Vehicles.

My Two Thoughts:
    1.    If you were in charge of a brand, why would you ever want to advertise on a school bus?            Sure, you might hit your target market, but the negative backlash you are sure to get will            more than wipe out any benefit you would receive from the placement.
    2.    I'm all for generating new revenue streams and new sources of advertising, but this goes            too far. From both a policy perspective and a ethical perspective, there has to be a line.


Slam and Jam, The Atlantic, October, 1997 (h/t Longform.org)

Excerpt:
THE real problem lies not in hardware but in human relations. To understand this one has to move beyond the public myth, and beyond even the operational reality of the business, into a murky inner world of pride and collective memory.

My One Thought:
    1.    I don't really know enough about the situation to comment, but I thought it was a                        fascinating article, especially considering the recent sleeping-on-the-job incidents.


In a Data-Heavy Society, Being Defined by the Numbers, New York Times, April 22, 2011

Excerpt:
    The trouble, though, is when we mindlessly and blindly rely on those numbers to tell us             everything, said Sherry Turkle, a professor of social studies of science and technology and         director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Initiative on Technology and Self.
    Numbers become not just part of the way we judge and assess, but the only way.

My Two Thoughts:
  1.    Fascinating article, but it doesn't really offer any solutions. Numbers and data serve as             easy heuristics for people to make decisions, and in today's fast-paced world, most people         don't have time to factor in other considerations. Part of this may be media driven, but I'd             be interested to learn more about how to change this mentality, besides applications in the         human resources arena.
  2.    I'd be interested to hear about the author's opinions on the polling industry and the media         narratives created from there.



Morgan Spurlock: The greatest TED Talk ever sold, Filmed March, 2011

I'll reserve comment until I see the movie.

And for good measure, check out the ad we launched starting last week for my Client. (Also check it out on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, FOX Business Channel, History, Travel, ESPN, ESPN2, and HGTV).