Thoughts

OSCAR RATINGS

The best since 2000, so we can't evaluate the show on a quality level. That's the modern world, if it sells, if it makes money, if it gets good ratings, it's review proof.

But that is not benefiting our society. Without honest evaluation our culture suffers. Do we really want to make the bankers king and be beholden to the almighty dollar?

PUTIN

It's complicated, and it's scary, and it's so different from the U.S. because all these countries are right up next to each other and interdependent. I saw the wall fall, I saw Communism replaced by capitalism, but now it's kind of like that Talking Heads song, same as it ever was... Or is it "Life During Wartime"?

OUT OF THE LOOP

Once upon a time I knew everything. Now today I'm unaware what's number one, I don't watch every TV show and I feel out of the loop. On one hand it's age, I don't care anymore. On another, it's the lack of having children, who tend to keep us informed, but now everything is fodder, grist for the mill, you're somebody today and nobody tomorrow, our culture is no longer cohesive. Used to be a pop star would come along and cement us all together, but that won't be Bruno Mars, he's good but he doesn't stand for anything. And it won't be Rick Ross, because at this late date a whole swath of Americans have decided they don't like the decades old hip-hop and can't be reached with it, and it won't be white college kids staring at their shoes warbling with bad voices. The only people hewing to the basics are the Top Forty acts employing the hit songwriters, who are old men providing a service as opposed to delivering something to stand for.

WHATSAPP

Last week's news. Or was it the week before? Used to be hits lasted for months. Oh, they do on radio, which is all about advertising and afraid to take a risk, but if you believe radio is driving our culture you probably don't use a smartphone.

OBAMA

If he's the leader of the free world, why doesn't he lead?

What a disappointment.

HEALTH CARE

It's happening, get over it.

JERRY BROWN

Experience counts. Which is why Max Martin and Dr. Luke write the hits and the youngsters don't. Experience teaches you the landscape, develops your instincts and intuition, which is why outsiders never make it in the music business, from Andy Lack to Roger Faxon to Steven Cooper, because they can't feel a hit. It's a dirty business, and if you can't feel it between your legs, if you don't need it, you're not gonna last.

iTUNES RADIO

Single-handedly proved that Apple no longer controls the future of music distribution. Will they buy BeatsMusic to get a leg up? (That's Jimmy's only play, he can't beat Spotify the same way your Tumblr can't beat the "New York Times." Oh, let me make it simple... Spotify is willing to lose more money to make it. And success on a big level is all about deficit financing. He who can spend to achieve his long term goal will most likely achieve it.)

TELEVISION

We're addicted to story. YouTube doesn't deliver this. Whoever does wins. Forever.

TIME WARNER/COMCAST

Just like American Airlines/US Airways. They'll divest until the government is happy, then the merger will go through.

BOOK OF MORMON

What kind of crazy world do we live in where a static play lasts longer than any record. One in which the creators take chances and blow an audience away that can't stop talking about it. Furthermore, did you notice the winner of the Best Original Song Oscar for "Frozen" got his start with "Avenue Q"? Could we be seeing a renaissance of musical theatre? No, because it's too expensive and investors only want sure shots, just like in the movie business. But we did get "Book Of Mormon." If only it had a hit song...

SOCIAL SECURITY

The story isn't how it's gonna run out, but that you just can't live on it. Too many baby boomers never saved for a rainy day and they're gonna be shocked to find out they can't even afford the five o'clock special.

MOBILE

The future is phablets.

Bottom line, you need access. A traditional smartphone screen is too small and anything larger than an iPad Mini is too big. We want to be connected all the time, we want utility in this experience all the time. Women and nerds are leading the charge. Women because they can carry their devices in purses and nerds because they're unafraid of looking...nerdy, carrying around large screens. Large screens are de rigueur amongst business titans...they want their whole world at their fingertips, so do you. In other words, we live in a mobile world, the big screen is fading...

JOHN MAYER

You fired your manager because you wanted a hit and then you two-timed America's sweetheart, at least that's what the gossip pages say. You probably can never have another hit single anyway, but if you want one...rehabilitate your image, either keep it in your pants or settle down with one woman and do some charity work while you're at it.

STATUS

Means less the older you get. But it's everything to the youngster. If you can sell status, you'll make a mint.

THE PHOTO

Has replaced the t-shirt. Once upon a time you evidenced your loyalty by wearing a band's t-shirt, now you just post a pic of yourself, hopefully with the act, at the gig. Could merch go the way of the ringtone?

CARS

Baby boomers care, their children do not. They don't know what the horsepower is and don't need to know. Hell, many don't need a car at all. I guess that's the exponent of being able to connect with others without leaving the house.

FOOD

It's cheap and it's easy, as Foghat so eloquently sang. But did you ever notice it's all about the best in food, but it's rarely about the best in music? We're just not shooting high enough.

TASTEMAKERS

Howard Stern testified about Verizon Wireless today, and he's just a user, not an endorser. Tastemakers are more important than ever, since we live in a world of cacophony and want others to make sense of it for us. He who has credibility is king. In other words, all this hogwash about selling out...dollars are exchanged, but it doesn't move the needle, it doesn't change people's perceptions.

LANDLINES

Suffer from lack of investment. The owners are pushing us to mobile and Internet telephony the same way Detroit killed the trolleys.

CUTTING THE CORD

A delusion. Internet access will go up in price while TV channels will go down. Your provider has got you by the balls. Your only option is competition. May Google Fiber come to your town.

EDUCATION

It's about learning a state of mind, how to analyze problems, not memorizing facts and acing tests.

MOOCS

Dead, because no one not in college wants to put in the time to learn, other than a handful of people who've already graduated from college.

NETFLIX

The king of curation. They feature that which everybody has agreed you want to see. It's the blockbuster principle in action. With everything available, we gravitate to the best, and more and more we gravitate to the same stuff. This week's tip? "Chasing Ice." The images alone will make you a believer in climate change.


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