Monthly Archives: January 2010

The 52nd Annual Grammy Popularity Contest

It’s been several years since I went on a rant about the Grammy awards, given out by the NARAS.  Normally I ignore the annual spectacle and go on with life.  But something this year clued me in that there was a painful moment or two, namely, the fact that something (or someone) named Taylor Swift won a Grammy for “Album Of The Year”.  And that it had performed live.

That something: social media.  Facebook.  “Trending topic” indeed.  One of my good friends wrote, “After seeing Taylor Swift win the Album Of The Year Grammy, I think they should give Milli Vanilli their Grammy back!”  Another friend, the wife of a well-known jazz musician, wrote that Swift’s performance reminded her of an old phonograph winding down in speed.  So, why the rant?

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Epic FAIL: apple’s new ipad

So, now apple has released yet another overpriced “something you don’t need, but you look cool owning it” product.   A limited-storage touchscreen computer.  The tree-hugging hipster crowd and apple fanboys will love this one, but the rest of us in I.T. are stifling our collective yawns.  Deduct $300, and you can actually get a real portable computer with a keyboard.  Hmmm.  Fail.

So why is it an epic fail? Can you say, “Epic marketing fail?” What company, with a single ounce of common sense, would name a product an “iPad”? Within minutes of announcement, the name was being compared to feminine hygiene products. No pun intended, it’ll now be the butt of jokes for years to come. Good going, apple.