Two And A Half Amends

Two And A Half Amends

Hi, my name is Steve, and I’m a compulsive overthinker. Well, I’ve never quite said that publicly, but I have attended my share of 12-step meetings along the way where I’ve owned up to a few of my shortcomings and addictions.  When I first moved to Los Angeles, I had gained more than a few … Read more

Wording Aside, Elon’s Negotiating Strategy Gets An Eff

Wording Aside, Elon’s Negotiating Strategy Gets An Eff

SPOILER ALERT:  This post may contain the use of language that you may find objectionable.   So a “media” mogul who’s not getting positive responses to his “strategy” expressed his frustration by uttering a “naughty” word a few times–once, specifically, at another. Big fucking deal. Yes, I used THAT word.  I probably do more often than … Read more

The End Of The Back End?

The End Of The Back End?

There was once a time when the phrasing “the most wonderful time of the year” meant something more than the reappearing of Christmas lights and specials.  For media researchers and salespeople, the post-Thanksgiving/pre-Christmas rush period meant the kickoff to many long hours of poring through ratings books and massive floppy disks to develop pitches for … Read more

Give This Cuban A Cigar.  And Your Attention

Give This Cuban A Cigar. And Your Attention

I don’t profess to have personal knowledge of how many moguls act and think, but one I have had candid and detailed discussions with is Mark Cuban.  Cuban is the rare example of someone with immense wealth and relative accessibility, and has never lost the traits of his relatively humble upbringing in western Pennsylvania while … Read more

Is Right Wrong?  Is Wrong Right?

Is Right Wrong? Is Wrong Right?

I’ve spent a great deal of my professional career utilizing a skill set where I am able to synthesize and process information and opinions from hundreds, sometimes thousands of people, and dispassionately distill the material takeaways to invested parties.  I’m even able to do that when I have a room full of a dozen or … Read more

A Love Lettah To Barbra.  And Barbara.

A Love Lettah To Barbra. And Barbara.

Dear Ms. Streisand, My humblest apologies. I initially had no intention of reading your recently released autobiography MY NAME IS BARBRA.  I had gotten some tepid feedback from friends who lamented plunking down $47 for nearly 1000 pages of your stories, many of which they found to be written from the perspective of someone who … Read more

Artificial Intelligence.  Very Human Greed.

Artificial Intelligence. Very Human Greed.

It’s been one heckuva yAIr–er, year, if you’re in any world that’s impacted by tech.  Which, means, of course, if you’re currently a citizen of Earth, and are an actual human being. If references to those kind of qualifiers seem either alarmist or simplistic, well, chalk it up to my relative naivity in all manners … Read more

So What AM I Thankful For?  You Might Be Surprised.

So What AM I Thankful For? You Might Be Surprised.

It’s Thanksgiving morning, and somehow, against increasingly escalating odds per actuarial tables that factor in exponential increases in stress and trauma into their equations along with mere aging, I’ve made it to another chance to wake up with the Macy’s parade, use football as white noise or distraction for the balance of the day and … Read more