Television has gotten much better in the 00s. Take tonight’s offering, American Inventor. They wrest that same level of pathos out of winning, acceptance and the joy of being picked that American Idol does. But these are inventors, each with their own idea that they fervently believe will change the […]

Gail Schiller writes in the Hollywood Reporter about product placement in news programs. “With TV stations facing increased and pressure on advertising revenue, the barriers that shielded news programing from such deals are falling. Product placement, media and branded entertainment agencies say they are increasingly being pitched opportunities from local […]

The insurance industry doesn’t share our President’s skepticism about global warming. A column in today’s Boston Globe by Derrick Z. Jackson quotes Munich Re, the world’s largest re-insurance firm, that the insurance business overall had the worst record of losses in their history in 2004: $210 billion in losses. Now […]

Bought the NY Times last night. I still wonder why I do that. When am I gonna read all of these sections? One story was about the division down on the Gulf coast over a new bridge to replace a four-lane structure between Ocean Springs and Biloxi. The chamber of […]

“Preach to the choir,” my wonderful girlfriend Cindy always says. “Don’t bother with those who don’t support you, or criticize or suspect you…talk and focus on the ones who understand you, want to help you succeed, and believe that you can help them.” I love her succinct approach and her […]

Reading Poynter.org today a story linked to this ad for a new website in LA, looking for writers, who want the experience of writing, with a blog-like attitude. “You’re a journalist. You write about Los Angeles – the live, crackling energy of its politics and people and media and neighborhoods. […]

A drizzly, rainy day in South Deerfield, and not many folks are coming in for coffee today. Funny you would think they would need the caffeine more on a day like this, but even the women at the bank said that nobody was coming in and they felt like taking […]

Today’s NY Times included this passage about how the food tasters at Trader Joe’s decide on what to buy for the store. “The pasta buyer had boiled up six different Italian brands of whole-grain pasta and tossed them in plain olive oil. The group fell silent and began chewing intently. […]