Perscription Medication Reform?

If we want real prescription medication reform, just like if we wanted real political reform, I think it's time to slap the drug industry in the face, grab their collective chins, and say "FOCUS on what you're supposed to be doing!" Which is creating medications that help people.

NOT running half a BILLION dollar ad campaigns, or more.

The top 10 drug firms invest $42 billion a year on research, 14 percent of sales -- yet they plow more than twice that much into marketing and administration

Same thing goes to the political parties.

Personally, I think that all medical advertising, and political advertising should be relegated to a couple of their own channels, and those should be public service channels. No buying of ad time for those two vital industries.

It would change the political, and the medical industries, for the better I think.

United 93

I had the pleasure of attending a PGA screening last night (my PGA membership was finally approved this week, YAY!), of "United 93."

The best thing I can say about the film?

Go See It.

Think About It.

Then ask yourself what in the hell we're doing in this world? Not only, "Why are we in Iraq?" but the deeper question is:

What is right and wrong?

I ask that, because this movie clearly depicts wrong. The taking of innocent lives.

It also depicts those people who did the wrong, as people. Most likely, as they clearly are.

And when I see that, I look at our country, and see a country that preaches tolerance to a fault. There IS an objective right, and an objective wrong. We've spent too long saying "it's all grey," and it's had consequences that go far beyond 9/11.

The Constitution of the United States provides for the Freedom of Religion, but it also, and notably FIRST, provides that all men are equal, and have a right to LIFE, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I would argue that the right to Life and Liberty, is a paramount importance, and indeed MORE important than the right to free religion. Especially if that religion encourages and honors taking the lives of other people for believing something else.

That is not a judgement against Islam. Extremism (that is, religion or a sect of religion that actively encourages the murder of others), should be condemned in all flavors, whether it is Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, or otherwise.

Flight 93, in it's own right, is an important, and excellently told story. It is not a story of manipulation. The events are not played out melodramatically nor in any way disrespectful, and I applaud the filmmakers for the clear sense of purpose, and love they put into this film.

Bye Bye Physical Media

Want to see record and movie companies RUN, not walk, away from physical media like CD's and DVD's to digital downloads?

Do THIS. (if you have an invite - it's in beta until July).

What is LaLa? And the host of other sites like it popping up?

They are sites that allow users to trade physical media like cd's and movies, for very little money, if not free.

You sign up with LaLa, they send you a bunch of postage PAID envelopes, and then you list your cd (or on other services, you can list movies too) collection, then look at other people's collections, and trade what you want. With LaLa, each trade costs a dollar.

One Dollar.

This service rocks.

How can they do this legally and not pay the artists or record labels anything? Simple. The nice big BOLD statement in the user agreement that says you cannot keep a copy of a CD you trade. This absolves LaLa of the fact that many people are most likely trading CD's just long enough to rip them to their collection, then trading them to somebody else.

Without real probable cause, it's very difficult for the RIAA or anyone else to start litigating on the idea that you *might* have a copy of a CD or movie on your hard drives.

Trading like this can, and I think WILL kick the wobbly legs of physical distribution out from under it, hopefully for the final time.

'Nothin like another nail in the coffin.

(PS. Media companies, how about making pricing and download options that make sense and make users feel like they're getting their money's worth? Instead of charging more for a King Kong digital download, with NO bonus features, that it costs to go to the store and buy the DVD with tons of features? Duh. Dumbest. Move. Ever. Stuff like that just begs users to rip off the publishers just out of contempt for them.)

American Made - Starbucks

Just saw an excellent interview with Charles Schultz, CEO and founder of Starbucks. What a brilliant, and honest company. I used to be a Starbucks basher for a long time, especially living in Seattle for a while. However, after years of living in California, and a lot of travelling, I find that what he says about the "Starbucks" experience, and who important their employees are really resonates with me. I have a friend who owns a local coffeeshop, and I love going there. But I have to say, that I still frequent Starbucks quite often. The reason? Because I know they provide some of the best health coverage for employees in the entire country. I go there just to support that policy.

Favorite quote (paraphrased.. and/or slightly misquoted)?

He says something about the need for the soul of the company, the values of the company, have to be bigger than the product.

In essence, he says, WHO we are, as employees, and the WORK we do (and how we do it) as human beings, and the VALUE we all receive as either consumers or employees MUST be more important than whatever it is we make.

And the reality is, you cannot make this policy in a company, you can only make this happen by how your leadership decides to lead, and how they chose to value their people.

I will happily keep going to Starbucks.

What a fantastic statement.

Doing it Right

I have waited, a long, long time to say this.

I Love My Job.

After my first two days at Endemol USA, I am excited, challenged and very impressed by the company, the people, the ideas & creativity, and the reality of the business.

My job, starting off as their Interactive Producer, encompasses a huge range of projects that run from mobile media packaging, delivery, branding and development, as it does production management, and budgeting.

There are some really innovative ideas being not just floated, but presented, collaborated on, and being turned into things that are very cool.

Here's what I mean when I say doing things right though.

Within my first 4 hours (HOURS) of my first day, I was presented with all the necessary HR paperwork (in a *very* well put together binder), along with restroom access keys, garage & building access cards, given directions for ordering office supplies, spec'd out the first edit system and had it ordered, had a phone extension assigned and voicemail box setup, and my email address was active.

Comparitively at CBS, after 4 MONTHS, I had no parking access badge, no access card, and stuff that had been ordered still hadn't even arrived, or if it had, it had been sent to the wrong place. It took 1 month to set up my first email address, 5 WEEKS to get a phone, 8 WEEKS to get office supplies (a pen, a pad of paper, anything).

At Endemol, a "welcome" email went out letting everyone know I was starting, and in what position and where I'd come from. On top of that, my direct boss spent close to an hour with me at the end of the day, actually walking me around and introducing me to everyone.

At CBS, there was no welcome email, no introductions, and when I left, no one was told I was leaving unless I had told them.

Totally different companies, and obviously, totally different priorities.

Also of interest to note is that it took a month of discussions with Endemol to get the job, and jumping through a number of (fair) hoops. Totally worth it.

By contrast, it took like, a day, to get the job at CBS.

The question is, which set of priorities results in a happier, healthier workplace, lower employee turnover (and therefore lower costs), and real innovation and follow through?

I think the answer is clear... and boy I Love My Job.

(One other note, I must give many thanks to my immediate boss at CBS, for all the things he did try to do, and for the excellent reference he provided, thank you sir.)

Wireless Politico's

Was reading this morning's MocoNews, a newsletter about the mobile video business, and came across a quote that just rubbed me *wrong.*

Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt gave a speech at CTIA called "Consumer is Really King" and in that speech said the following:

"You can call it time shifting or you can simply call it choice, call it convenience, call it control. ... That's the way our people refer to 'when I want where I want television.'"

and as rebutted by MocoNews:
No small irony that control doesn't extend to fast-forward, which Britt and TWC agreed to keep out of any DVR or DVR-like offerings several years ago, in deference to corporate siblings Turner, Warner Bros. and other programmers.

and then, Mr. Britt wrapped up with this:

"...at the end, it's the consumer who is really king. Those who focus on understanding real consumer needs will win. That's the business we're in. We're in the business of using technology to meet real consumer needs."

Uh huh, as long as those "real consumer needs" are exactly what you TELL the consumer those needs are. And as long as those needs Do Not include skipping commercials. I think these statements are classics, and Mr. Britt, have you ever considered running for office?

I still do not buy the exclusivity of ad-supported vs. non-ad-supported content models. Offer your product both ways. Consumers willing to pay for the clip, get it ad-free. Consumers who want it for "free" get the clip with ads, and by choosing to get a "free" clip, that is made clear it is an "opt in" to that advertising, and in *that* context, you may disable fast-forwarding of advertising.

Be clear to the consumer what they are getting, and give them a choice to "opt out" by purchasing programming without ads in it.

Fair enough?

Finding New Music

While I haven't concerned myself too much with finding new music lately, since my iTunes library still shows almost 7,000 songs that I haven't yet listened to even *once* since adding them to my catalog, I just came across a really neat tool online from the folks who started the Music Genome Project.

The tool is called Pandora.

A perfect example of an elegant interface, simple concept, and complex deep interaction.

Tell it what kind of bands you like, and it will find, present, and queue up a playlist of similiar artists, many of whom are new, or upcoming artists.

Very, very cool. Enjoy:)