Research is broken — Research is broken. I shouldn’t complain too much, as it’s infinitely easier to find facts, data, studies, quotes, and other resources than pretty much ever before in history. When I read of how famed biographer Robert Caro researched his seminal works on Robert Moses and Lyndon B. Johnson, up to…

At least Pinterest says so — Over the past two weeks, we’ve witnessed a complete meltdown of one of the four biggest airlines in the United States. As Southwest Airlines coped with frigid temperatures and record-setting snowfall in large parts of the country, their internal systems effectively self-destructed. Other airlines took the weather shock on the…

Lots of good stuff out there — Inspired by the “media diets” curated by the great Jason Kottke, who just returned from a much-needed sabbatical, I’ve been taking some time over this past year to notice the things that made this year what is was. This is beyond the normal gratitudes of health, family, friends, etc. Instead…

Tech came, changed the landscape, and left — Like Johnny Appleseed transforming communities across the country by plopping down orchards along his path, technology swept through the media industry, changed everything about the landscape, and left. Fifteen years ago, Netflix as we know it came online. The company started a decade prior, shuttling DVDs across the country from…

Who knows what is happening, and what will happen with Twitter? — The advice I would give to young people looking to start a business for the past ten years is now probably wrong. This was it: The world doesn’t really need another photo app or social network. But it does need better software for medical imaging, or regulatory compliance, or managing…

“You will” but they didn’t — In 1993, telecom giant AT&T hit the airwaves with a branding campaign that predicted the next 30 years of progress — all set to some sweet 90s beats and the soothing sounds of Tom Selleck’s narration. In a series of commercials and other ads, company asked a bunch of hypothetical…

You simply can’t know everything about everything — This month, one by one, five of the world’s most prestigious prizes are being awarded. Established by the will of Alfred Nobel, the guilt-ridden inventor of dynamite and other military innovations, who instead wanted to leave a legacy advancing the “greatest benefit on mankind,” the Nobel prizes honor those who…

What gets made and what gets listened to? — If you haven’t done so recently, take a quick look at the top podcast charts. There are basically just three things that make up the first few dozen spots: Murder or other gruesome crimes Politics and news Guys talking After a few years of what felt like a constant stream…

Can you afford your payment to be zero? — As I’ve spoken to friends that have also run marketing agencies and development shops, or even law firms and lobbying groups, there is one tempting idea that everybody considers at some point in their journey: doing work for equity. Instead of charging a client $5,000 or $500,000, what if you…