I'm old enough to remember seeing Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker during the PTL heyday and subsequent downfall, and I remember watching them on occasion and thinking what an overdramatic phony that crazy lady with the clown makeup must be. The husband seemed like a used car salesman (like many televangelists of the day), but the wife was just too over-the-top to be real.
Turns out I couldn't have been further from the truth. As Tammy Faye went on to prove in her after-PTL life, she was the real deal. As goofy and dramatic and prudish as she was, she was every bit true to herself, and she was consistently so.
I learned to appreciate Tammy Faye during her appearance on the 2004 season of The Surreal Life on VH1, and I'm probably not the only one. She demonstrated time and again her compassion, love, and unwavering principles. While I may not share them, I respect them.
And while it wasn't the case while she was on the air with her ministry, she's probably one of the only televangelists that I can ever say that ended up being someone that I admired.
So, Thank you, Tammy Faye...I hope you find the afterlife you dedicated your life to promoting.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
I have a blog, but nothing to say
It's been a while since I've posted, and with good reason.
As you may have noticed from previous posts, I'm a big-time Mac fan (and well, a fan of Apple Computer in general). I've worked with them for many years, and like many Mac users, I'm a loyal customer and very enthusiastic about Apple's products. So like many Mac fans, I've been posting about Apple stuff here in my blog.
Well, I can't do that any more. I work for Apple now (1).
Don't get me wrong...it's great to actually work for the company I've admired from the outside for so many years (well, at least it is so far...I've only been here a couple of weeks now), but part of the tradeoff of working for "the mothership" is that I'm strongly discouraged from talking about Apple anywhere publicly (2). Since a blog is about as public as it gets, and I'd like to keep my job, that means mum's the word.
I hope that discussing non-Apple stuff will still be OK...I've also been a fan of MacZOT!, and I hope that I'll be able to keep posting about those guys, since I really like what they're doing on the shareware publishing/distributing front.
Just to clarify, this blog is mine and mine alone, and doesn't reflect the opinions or views of anyone but me, ckm.
So, having cleared that up, I'm hoping to start getting back in touch with my more creative side now that my Mac geek side has a compensated outlet.
On the Chaos front, I've been in a hotel for over a week now. While I'm working most of the day, I still haven't trashed my room, and I've been pretty good about not leaving a trail behind me wherever I go. I've not been away from home for this long before, so I was a bit worried that I would discover I had been relying too much on my wife for domestic support. I'm happy to report that I've been somewhat pleasantly surprised by the fact my room doesn't look like a disaster zone. And as a bonus, I haven't even turned on the TV since I left home (although I did watch a couple of shows on my iPod on the plane to kill some time).
(1) That's as specific as I'm going to get; please don't email me asking about anything related to Apple -- you will get no reply.
(2) We all know Apple's a secretive company, so whether this is my own personal policy, Apple's, or just good advice from coworkers, it stands. Again, I know nothing, and even if I did, I couldn't/wouldn't tell you.
As you may have noticed from previous posts, I'm a big-time Mac fan (and well, a fan of Apple Computer in general). I've worked with them for many years, and like many Mac users, I'm a loyal customer and very enthusiastic about Apple's products. So like many Mac fans, I've been posting about Apple stuff here in my blog.
Well, I can't do that any more. I work for Apple now (1).
Don't get me wrong...it's great to actually work for the company I've admired from the outside for so many years (well, at least it is so far...I've only been here a couple of weeks now), but part of the tradeoff of working for "the mothership" is that I'm strongly discouraged from talking about Apple anywhere publicly (2). Since a blog is about as public as it gets, and I'd like to keep my job, that means mum's the word.
I hope that discussing non-Apple stuff will still be OK...I've also been a fan of MacZOT!, and I hope that I'll be able to keep posting about those guys, since I really like what they're doing on the shareware publishing/distributing front.
Just to clarify, this blog is mine and mine alone, and doesn't reflect the opinions or views of anyone but me, ckm.
So, having cleared that up, I'm hoping to start getting back in touch with my more creative side now that my Mac geek side has a compensated outlet.
On the Chaos front, I've been in a hotel for over a week now. While I'm working most of the day, I still haven't trashed my room, and I've been pretty good about not leaving a trail behind me wherever I go. I've not been away from home for this long before, so I was a bit worried that I would discover I had been relying too much on my wife for domestic support. I'm happy to report that I've been somewhat pleasantly surprised by the fact my room doesn't look like a disaster zone. And as a bonus, I haven't even turned on the TV since I left home (although I did watch a couple of shows on my iPod on the plane to kill some time).
(1) That's as specific as I'm going to get; please don't email me asking about anything related to Apple -- you will get no reply.
(2) We all know Apple's a secretive company, so whether this is my own personal policy, Apple's, or just good advice from coworkers, it stands. Again, I know nothing, and even if I did, I couldn't/wouldn't tell you.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
To Sleep -- Perchance, To Dream...(for free, maybe!)
I'm starting to feel like a marketing service for MacZOT!
But they're just doing some really cool things for the Mac shareware scene, it's hard not to want to chip in and play when they ask.
This time, it's CollaboZOT....or is it BlogZOT? I dunno -- it's confusing. All I know is that if I mention the latest MacZOT promo on this blog, I have a good shot at getting the Pzizz Sleep Module as part of the latest MegaMyzteryZOT bundle. I got the Pzizz Power Nap Module as part of an earlier MyzteryZOT, and I was surprised at how well it worked. I've been wanting the Sleep Module for a while now; I'm hoping this is the chance to get it.
Now, the obligatory copy/paste bit from the promotion:
MacZOT.com Fans want Pzizz because 'According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation and its effect on work performance may be costing U.S. employers some $18 billion each year in lost productivity. Another study pushes this cost to over $100 billion.' - link to full article
OK, now that I've done my end of the deal, I do have some friendly comments /suggestions for the good folks at MacZOT!:
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to catch up on my CollaboZOT scavenger hunt....
But they're just doing some really cool things for the Mac shareware scene, it's hard not to want to chip in and play when they ask.
This time, it's CollaboZOT....or is it BlogZOT? I dunno -- it's confusing. All I know is that if I mention the latest MacZOT promo on this blog, I have a good shot at getting the Pzizz Sleep Module as part of the latest MegaMyzteryZOT bundle. I got the Pzizz Power Nap Module as part of an earlier MyzteryZOT, and I was surprised at how well it worked. I've been wanting the Sleep Module for a while now; I'm hoping this is the chance to get it.
Now, the obligatory copy/paste bit from the promotion:
MacZOT.com Fans want Pzizz because 'According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation and its effect on work performance may be costing U.S. employers some $18 billion each year in lost productivity. Another study pushes this cost to over $100 billion.' - link to full article
OK, now that I've done my end of the deal, I do have some friendly comments /suggestions for the good folks at MacZOT!:
- Your business model is fun; your promotions are catchy.
- You provide a valuable service to the Mac community.
- Your promotions, while fun, lack organization on the front-end.
- Don't try to do too much at once: currently, there's a MegaMyzteryZOT, a CollaboZOT, and a BlogZOT all going at the same time, tied to the same promotional bundle. That can get a bit confusing for all the new folks we're referring to the site.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to catch up on my CollaboZOT scavenger hunt....
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
The Gloves are Off!
Apple has come out with a new Mac ad campaign, and they've come out swinging this time.
The "Get a Mac" campaign features six television spots that are playful, but notable. But the real blows are being delivered on the "Get a Mac" website. Here are a few excerpts:
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/works.html
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/stuff.html
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/viruses.html
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/macosx.html
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/photos.html
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/websites.html
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/movies.html
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/drivers.html
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/awesome.html
Those are only the most aggressive snippets I found, but there's plenty more where that came from. Personally, I'm happy to see Apple do this. Sure, it's a little candy-coated in places (what marketing isn't?), but it really targets people where it counts: our time is valuable, and we're wasting a lot of it using PCs.
I think it's a strong message; I hope it can sustain for a while.
Apple has gotten rather balls-y since they pulled the Intel ad stunt on the same stage as Paul Otellini during MWSF'06, don'tcha think?
The "Get a Mac" campaign features six television spots that are playful, but notable. But the real blows are being delivered on the "Get a Mac" website. Here are a few excerpts:
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/
- All those reasons you never bought a Mac? Not true anymore.
- How much time have you spent troubleshooting your PC? ... Get a Mac and get your life back.
- Mac OS X was designed with security in mind. Windows just wasn't built to bear the onslaught of attacks it suffers every day.
- Since Mac OS X engineers aren't busy damming a flood of viruses, they have the time to think up amazing new technology.
- Other computers include software, it's true. But once you start using that software, you find that you're hobbled in some way or another.
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/works.html
- Your toaster doesn't crash. Your kitchen sink doesn't crash. Why should your computer? Think of the countless hours you would save if our PC worked on your time -- not the other way around. Then think about a Mac.
- If you spend more of your precious time figuring out why your PC crashes than you spend taking out the garbage every week, you need a Mac.
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/stuff.html
- You can purchase lots of separate programs from different PC developers, and any one of them may have similar features to those you'll find in one of the iLife applications. But how many of those applications work hand in glove together?
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/viruses.html
- By the end of 2005, there were 114,000 known viruses for PCs. In March 2006 alone, there were 850 new threats detected against Windows. Zero for Mac.
- When you get a Mac, only your enthusiasm is contagious.
- To get a sense of just how big the virus problem is, search for "virus" at both Apple and Microsoft. Compare the number of results.
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/macosx.html
- Mac OS X, the most advanced operating system in the world today, delivers a platform of features designed to make the time you spend on your computer a wholly pleasant and entirely productive experience.
Can you say that about your computing life in Windows? - Built into the very fabric of Mac OS X, Spotlight puts lightning-fast search capabilities right at your fingertips, quickly showing search results as you type. And Spotlight searches most of the file types...you have on your drive. ...David Pogue says it's "like Google for your hard drive."
Has Microsoft delivered such functionality yet?
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/photos.html
- Sure, you can create a photo book using a PC. If, that is, you can juggle.
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/websites.html
- With a Mac, you can create your very own website -- complete with video, podcasts, and photo galleries -- in the time it takes a PC to churn out a single text-only blog entry.
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/movies.html
- Any computer can play movies. But only one comes with all the software you need (to) make blockbusters. Every new Mac features iMovie HD, iDVD, and iWeb -- three easy-to-use essentials for importing, editing, and sharing mouth-watering masterpieces. Part of the iLife '06 software suite, these applications work seamlessly together. Try finding that on a PC.
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/drivers.html
- When you bring home a new hard drive, printer, or gamepad, it's probably because you have something you'd actually like to do. Back up your photos. Print the proposal you just finished. Play a few games.
You shouldn't have to waste your time trying to banish a nasty error message from your screen. You shouldn't have to restart your computer simply because you connected a new printer. And you shouldn't have to go off on a scavenger hunt, searching doggedly for device drivers, so that your computer can see and get along with that shiny new peripheral.
You should simply be able to connect that camera, printer, gamepad, camcorder, or phone to your computer and use it. That's certainly the experience you'll enjoy on a Mac. Millions do now. And you can join them.
SOURCE: http://www.apple.com/getamac/awesome.html
- Sure a new PC comes with software. It's just not software you'd ever want to use. A new Mac, on the other hand, comes with lots of really great stuff. So you can make lots of really great stuff.
- Unpack your new PC and you'll be amazed at what it offers. A bundle of mismatched software and that nagging feeling that your desktop has just been sold to the highest bidder. Of course, it does have that cool calculator. Oh, and a clock. That'll come in handy when you're ticking off the hours it takes you to uninstall all the software you don't want and buy all the software you do.
- So forget the fine print. With a Mac, fun is not sold separately.
Those are only the most aggressive snippets I found, but there's plenty more where that came from. Personally, I'm happy to see Apple do this. Sure, it's a little candy-coated in places (what marketing isn't?), but it really targets people where it counts: our time is valuable, and we're wasting a lot of it using PCs.
I think it's a strong message; I hope it can sustain for a while.
Apple has gotten rather balls-y since they pulled the Intel ad stunt on the same stage as Paul Otellini during MWSF'06, don'tcha think?
Monday, May 01, 2006
Apple: Back in Mac
On Monday night, May 1, two new Apple commercials debuted on prime time network television. The big surprise? They weren't iPod or iTunes ads, they were Mac ads. And they were actually pretty good.
Both ads feature two actors: one is the "stuffy" type -- clean-shaven, bespectacled, in a business suit -- playing the part of a PC, and one is more casual -- unshaven in t-shirt and jeans -- playing the part of a Mac (I believe the actor portraying the Mac is Justin Long; it was pointed out that the actor playing the PC is John Hodgman*).
The first ad focuses on viruses and touts the Mac's "resistance" to the thousands of viruses plaguing "PCs" (the word "Windows" is never used in either ad). The PC is sneezing uncontrollably, lamenting his viral infection, when the Mac offers the PC a handkerchief (nice touch), which the PC then uses to wipe and blow his nose repeatedly in between whining about viruses. He warns the Mac to stay away, but Mac says, "I'll be fine." PC then rattles off big-number statistics about viruses affecting PCs, and Mac says, "...PCs, not Macs." He assists with the handkerchief to demonstrate his resistance, then puts it back in his pocket, while the PC "crashes" (falls down backward out of frame).
The second ad is a bit more reserved, and starts off with Mac reading a paper, when PC asks him what he's reading. When Mac states it's the Wall Street Journal, PC snatches it from his hands and starts reading a Walt Mossberg review of the Mac, proclaiming it to be the "finest desktop PC on the market at any price." PC smirks in envy as he hands the paper back to Mac, and snaps, "very nice," to which Mac modestly responds, "It's just one man's opinion" (as if to cushion the blow). PC then proceeds to crow about his own glowing reviews, and when Mac asks for the source, PC unconvincingly makes up a name on the fly.
There is no direct mention of operating system (either Windows or Mac OS X) in either ad, and in the WSJ ad, the review implies the Mac is the finest PC available anywhere, suggesting the Mac is just as capable as a PC, if not more so. Nearly a month ago, Apple released Boot Camp, which as you know (unless you've been in a vacuum for the past month) allows Intel-based Macs to install and boot Windows XP with Service Pack 2. While I don't think Apple would go as far as to advertise a beta product like Boot Camp, I can certainly see this campaign continuing into the fall and winter, with a future ad featuring either dual booting or a virtualized solution for running Windows XP inside Mac OS X, and touting it as the "safe way to run Windows."
I didn't think Apple would have been so bold as to drop the gauntlet on the virus issue. They have to know that touting virus invulnerability is essentially a challenge to malware coders everywhere to start their engines and aim for Mac OS X, so Apple must be very confident in their system security at this point. The only other reason I could see Apple playing the virus card would be in an act of desperation, but today's Apple is the strongest ever (well, strongest in about fifteen years, anyhow), so I don't see grasping for straws as the game plan here. I'm surprised to see this bold move by Apple, but at the same time, I'm quite relieved they did it; it's time to stop playing it safe in their advertising.
By not mentioning Windows specifically, Apple is essentially baiting Microsoft to go on the defensive...but as soon as Microsoft does that, they tacitly acknowledge their own OS's security nightmares. By referring to the Mac as "the finest PC," Apple is also suggesting that a Mac is the smart choice for the consumer. When this message blends with the viral buzz surrounding Boot Camp, it's sure to attract a notable number of first-time Mac buyers eager to see what Macs are all about, since they know they'll have their Windows "safety net" available (although we all know in short order it'll be more of a chore than a safety net).
Another notable issue Apple is tackling in these ads is the perception of the typical Mac user. We are stereotyped as being the weird cult-like followers or snooty prima donnas of the computing world. We're typically smug about security and snobby about interface design. The Mac in the ad is a modest, helpful, concerned acquaintance. A friend, even. He looks on the PC with pity and compassion, not arrogance or self-righteousness.
I think Apple has come up with a good mix in these ads. It's certainly refreshing to see Apple pushing the Mac again, and I'm looking forward to seeing this campaign develop.
UPDATE: Well, I didn't have to wait very long...there are currently six commercials, and they can be found on Apple's website. I'll post my thoughts on the remaining four ads in my next entry.
UPDATE 2: * thanks to "Surfungus" on MacAddict Forums for identifying the PC actor.
Both ads feature two actors: one is the "stuffy" type -- clean-shaven, bespectacled, in a business suit -- playing the part of a PC, and one is more casual -- unshaven in t-shirt and jeans -- playing the part of a Mac (I believe the actor portraying the Mac is Justin Long; it was pointed out that the actor playing the PC is John Hodgman*).
The first ad focuses on viruses and touts the Mac's "resistance" to the thousands of viruses plaguing "PCs" (the word "Windows" is never used in either ad). The PC is sneezing uncontrollably, lamenting his viral infection, when the Mac offers the PC a handkerchief (nice touch), which the PC then uses to wipe and blow his nose repeatedly in between whining about viruses. He warns the Mac to stay away, but Mac says, "I'll be fine." PC then rattles off big-number statistics about viruses affecting PCs, and Mac says, "...PCs, not Macs." He assists with the handkerchief to demonstrate his resistance, then puts it back in his pocket, while the PC "crashes" (falls down backward out of frame).
The second ad is a bit more reserved, and starts off with Mac reading a paper, when PC asks him what he's reading. When Mac states it's the Wall Street Journal, PC snatches it from his hands and starts reading a Walt Mossberg review of the Mac, proclaiming it to be the "finest desktop PC on the market at any price." PC smirks in envy as he hands the paper back to Mac, and snaps, "very nice," to which Mac modestly responds, "It's just one man's opinion" (as if to cushion the blow). PC then proceeds to crow about his own glowing reviews, and when Mac asks for the source, PC unconvincingly makes up a name on the fly.There is no direct mention of operating system (either Windows or Mac OS X) in either ad, and in the WSJ ad, the review implies the Mac is the finest PC available anywhere, suggesting the Mac is just as capable as a PC, if not more so. Nearly a month ago, Apple released Boot Camp, which as you know (unless you've been in a vacuum for the past month) allows Intel-based Macs to install and boot Windows XP with Service Pack 2. While I don't think Apple would go as far as to advertise a beta product like Boot Camp, I can certainly see this campaign continuing into the fall and winter, with a future ad featuring either dual booting or a virtualized solution for running Windows XP inside Mac OS X, and touting it as the "safe way to run Windows."
I didn't think Apple would have been so bold as to drop the gauntlet on the virus issue. They have to know that touting virus invulnerability is essentially a challenge to malware coders everywhere to start their engines and aim for Mac OS X, so Apple must be very confident in their system security at this point. The only other reason I could see Apple playing the virus card would be in an act of desperation, but today's Apple is the strongest ever (well, strongest in about fifteen years, anyhow), so I don't see grasping for straws as the game plan here. I'm surprised to see this bold move by Apple, but at the same time, I'm quite relieved they did it; it's time to stop playing it safe in their advertising.
By not mentioning Windows specifically, Apple is essentially baiting Microsoft to go on the defensive...but as soon as Microsoft does that, they tacitly acknowledge their own OS's security nightmares. By referring to the Mac as "the finest PC," Apple is also suggesting that a Mac is the smart choice for the consumer. When this message blends with the viral buzz surrounding Boot Camp, it's sure to attract a notable number of first-time Mac buyers eager to see what Macs are all about, since they know they'll have their Windows "safety net" available (although we all know in short order it'll be more of a chore than a safety net).
Another notable issue Apple is tackling in these ads is the perception of the typical Mac user. We are stereotyped as being the weird cult-like followers or snooty prima donnas of the computing world. We're typically smug about security and snobby about interface design. The Mac in the ad is a modest, helpful, concerned acquaintance. A friend, even. He looks on the PC with pity and compassion, not arrogance or self-righteousness.
I think Apple has come up with a good mix in these ads. It's certainly refreshing to see Apple pushing the Mac again, and I'm looking forward to seeing this campaign develop.
UPDATE: Well, I didn't have to wait very long...there are currently six commercials, and they can be found on Apple's website. I'll post my thoughts on the remaining four ads in my next entry.
UPDATE 2: * thanks to "Surfungus" on MacAddict Forums for identifying the PC actor.
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