Archive for October 19th, 2012

The Al Smith dinner … funny stuff.

October 19, 2012

Dennis Miller has been on the campaign trail with Romney this week.  I’m betting that he wrote much of Mitt’s Al Smith roast material … it’s pretty funny with a bit of edge.

Here’s the video … worth watching.  My fav punch lines are below.

  • “Usually I get invited to events like this to be the designated driver.”
  • “This show is brought to you by the letter O and the number 16 trillion”
  • Re: debate prep: “I just abstain from alcohol for 65 years.”
  • Re: debate: “Big Bird never saw it coming.”
  • Overheard Pres. Obama: “So little time, so much to redistribute”.
  • “Polls are now showing Obama leading from behind”
  • Obama to the Pope: “Just blame everything on John Paul II”
  • Obama to voters: “Are you better off now than you were 4 weeks ago”
  • Tomorrow’s headline: “Obama engages Catholics, Romney dines with rich people.”
  • “There’ more to life …”

 

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Mixed signals from Gallup …

October 19, 2012

OK, we know I’m rooting for Mitt … so I like the “horse race” reporting that he leads Obama by 7 points and has a majority.

But … and it’s a big but … that measure doesn’t seem to sync with Gallup’s daily Presidential Approval survey … which has Obama at 50% approval.

So, 50% approve of the job he’s doing, but only 44% are going to vote for him?

Can be rationalized that some folks think Obama is doing a good job but that Mitt would do a better job … but that’s a stretch.

Gallup changed its approval methodology when they got poked by Axlerod and threatened by Holder & the DOJ … immediately after the methodology changed, Obama’s approval numbers improved.

I can’t decode whether Gallup changed the horse race survey methods, too.

Bottom line: results are very curious.

I’d be feeling more relaxed if the approval and election numbers were in sync.

 

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A post-debate head scratcher..

October 19, 2012

As we predicted, Libya monopolized the airwaves yesterday.

Most of the chatter had to do with whether Crowley was proper injecting herself into the debate as an arbiter of fact … and whether she had the facts right.

With regards to the latter point, it was widely reported that Pres. Obama approached the town hall questioner and fessed up that he hadn’t called it a terrorist attack.

According to the Washington Post:

“After the debate, the president came over  and spent about two minutes with me privately,” says 61-year-old Kelly Ladka.

According to Ladka, Obama gave him ”more information about why he delayed calling the attack a terorist attack.”

For background, Obama did apparently lump Benghazi into a reference to “acts of terror” in a Sept. 12 Rose Garden address. However, he spent about two weeks holding off on using the full “terrorist” designation.

The rationale for the delay, Obama explained to Ladka, was to make sure that the “intelligence he was acting on was real intelligence and not disinformation,” recalls Ladka.

Mr. Ladka popped up on most cable networks yesterday repeating the story.

One anchor pumped Mr. Ladka re: who he was going to vote for.

Ladka described the anxiety he faced as an undecided voter – he wasn’t sure – and, he knew it was an important election.

Then it dawned on me … the dude lives in New York.

His vote doesn’t matter one iota since Obama will landslide New York.

Which raises another question: why the heck was the town hall of undecided voters held in New York, instead of Ohio or another swing state?

Maybe it’s more evidence that the questioners were mere props for the event.

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Stainless steel is so yesterday …

October 19, 2012

According to the WSJ …

This may be the end of a 25-year run for stainless steel kitchen appliances.

Stainless has been the big word in kitchen appliances for years … in part because it’s durable and versatile.

But, there is a growing sense that stainless steel’s popularity is running into overtime … that it  has outworn its welcome

What’s next?

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Major manufacturers are placing bets on different potential successors to the shiny, upscale appliance finish

Whirlpool — the world’s largest home-appliance maker — says “White is the new stainless.”

Upscale Wolf Appliance says “Black is the new stainless steel.”

GE is betting on a metallic matte finish it calls “slate.”

Figuring that cost-conscious consumers aren’t likely to replace all their appliances at once, GE’s  new finish complements the stainless steel, white or black appliances already found in consumers’ kitchens.

“Not every consumer is ready to completely change out their kitchen appliances … They don’t see the need to swap that expensive range they bought a year ago.”

Ken’s Take:  I’ve oft told Mrs. H. that if we waited long enough, our appliances would be back “in” … I feel vindicated.

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The business of business books … for the author.

October 19, 2012

Punch line: “Books aren’t designed for you, the customer. Today, non-fiction books are business cards–for speaking, consulting, and deals.”

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Excerpted from Fast Company …

Books are no longer simply books, they are branding devices and credibility signals — not to mention the reason their authors command large speaking or consulting fees.

“Books aren’t designed for you, the customer. Today, non-fiction books are business cards–for speaking, consulting, and deals.”

Faced with declining sales and the disappearance of book retailers like Borders, authors have diversified their income streams, and many make substantially more money through new business generated by a book, rather than from it.

Today, authors are in the idea-making business, not the book business.

In short, this means that publishing a book is less about sales and much more about creating a brand.

The real customers of books are no longer just readers but now include speaking agents, CEOs, investors, and startups.

One author: “I’ve been successful in the speaking market, which is much more lucrative than writing.”

Conferences look to authors with interesting ideas to spice up their events.

“We love to invite writers because they are born storytellers … you get a great show.”

* * * * *
Factoids

A figure commonly thrown around in publishing is that close to half of all books are ghostwritten.

If that seems high to you, consider that a recent survey found that 42% of academic medical papers are ghostwritten.

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