Am I the only one offended by this Washington Post story about Hillary Clinton's "cleavage"?
From the Post story:
She was talking on the Senate floor about the burdensome cost of higher education. She was wearing a rose-colored blazer over a black top. The neckline sat low on her chest and had a subtle V-shape. The cleavage registered after only a quick glance. No scrunch-faced scrutiny was necessary. There wasn't an unseemly amount of cleavage showing, but there it was. Undeniable.
This is incredible. It's not like Clinton is wearing something that could be considered slinky. It is as prim and proper as it gets.
Is the Post realizing for the first time that Hillary Clinton is a woman and like all women she does have breasts and there's no getting away from that?
And I find it unbeleivable that even when you are a Senator running for President, there are journalists out there looking to see if you can see a "hint" of cleavage. Gosh!
The story is by one of my favorite Post writers, fashion and style correspondent, Robin Givhan. But this is a total mis-step.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Stop The Ka-Ching!
CNBC is driving me nuts with the use of "Ka-Ching". Clearly their favorite word, it features in their On the Money show every day! Ka-Ching for Apple, Ka-Ching for Facebook, Ka-Ching for Research in Motion. ..
Please, please find some other way to say 'money'. Ka-Ching is cute. Ka-Ching is adorable. Ka-Ching is fun. But saying Ka-Ching everyday for some story or the other needs to stop!
May I suggest alternatives? "Set the registers ringing" or "More Money" or even "Cha-Ching." But please enough with the "Ka-Ching."
We have three monitors at the office running CNBC all day. Maybe that's what is really bothering me.
Please, please find some other way to say 'money'. Ka-Ching is cute. Ka-Ching is adorable. Ka-Ching is fun. But saying Ka-Ching everyday for some story or the other needs to stop!
May I suggest alternatives? "Set the registers ringing" or "More Money" or even "Cha-Ching." But please enough with the "Ka-Ching."
We have three monitors at the office running CNBC all day. Maybe that's what is really bothering me.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Ask The Pilot
One of my favorite columns on the Internet is Ask The Pilot in Salon, which deal with myriad traveler related issues.
Today they talk about the "world's worst airport." Their choice: Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport, in Dakar, Senegal.
There is nowhere to sit, no seats. Which really is all right because the worst thing you can do is cease moving. The approximately 5-to-1 scoundrel-to-passenger ratio ensures you'll never remain unmolested for more than a few seconds. The moment you stop, somebody is hovering over your shoulder, mumbling incoherently. Brush him away, and he is instantly replaced by a man asking if you'd like to buy a plastic watch or a counterfeit phone card.
Cyrus, who has been to Senegal recently, agrees.
I have added Senegal to my list to places I want to travel to in this lifetime.
Today they talk about the "world's worst airport." Their choice: Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport, in Dakar, Senegal.
There is nowhere to sit, no seats. Which really is all right because the worst thing you can do is cease moving. The approximately 5-to-1 scoundrel-to-passenger ratio ensures you'll never remain unmolested for more than a few seconds. The moment you stop, somebody is hovering over your shoulder, mumbling incoherently. Brush him away, and he is instantly replaced by a man asking if you'd like to buy a plastic watch or a counterfeit phone card.
Cyrus, who has been to Senegal recently, agrees.
I have added Senegal to my list to places I want to travel to in this lifetime.
TheFind.com
After reading the news today that comparison shopping engine, TheFind.com bagged $15 million in series C funding I decided to check the site out.
I remember meeting Siva Kumar, the CEO of TheFind.com at a party last year. Siva and I were scheduled to have a greater discussion at the Red Herring office but I moved to TheStreet.com before we could make it happen.
I wish now that I had a chance to chat with him. I loved the site today when I tried it out. I use Google product search regularly but it is so bad I have almost given up on it. It amazes me that Google, which can do a pretty good job with web search, can't handle vertical search at all.
On TheFind.com I first searched for "quilt covers" and "gym bag", both products I am looking to buy. The results were great, neatly categorized by brand, price, and with excellent pictures.
Google's product search results for the same terms is terrible.
Meanwhile, Like.com, a "visual search" engine is going from bad to worse. I can never seem to find anything I want on it and I think it is just not an effective product.
It's an interesting comparison between TheFind.com and Like.com. The former is a low-profile company with a very exciting and effective technology while the latter was at one point a big Silicon Valley blogger favorite that I think just doesn't deliver the goods.
Google better watch out. In TheFind.com it has some real competition.
I remember meeting Siva Kumar, the CEO of TheFind.com at a party last year. Siva and I were scheduled to have a greater discussion at the Red Herring office but I moved to TheStreet.com before we could make it happen.
I wish now that I had a chance to chat with him. I loved the site today when I tried it out. I use Google product search regularly but it is so bad I have almost given up on it. It amazes me that Google, which can do a pretty good job with web search, can't handle vertical search at all.
On TheFind.com I first searched for "quilt covers" and "gym bag", both products I am looking to buy. The results were great, neatly categorized by brand, price, and with excellent pictures.
Google's product search results for the same terms is terrible.
Meanwhile, Like.com, a "visual search" engine is going from bad to worse. I can never seem to find anything I want on it and I think it is just not an effective product.
It's an interesting comparison between TheFind.com and Like.com. The former is a low-profile company with a very exciting and effective technology while the latter was at one point a big Silicon Valley blogger favorite that I think just doesn't deliver the goods.
Google better watch out. In TheFind.com it has some real competition.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Fake Steve Cracks Me Up
In just about a year, the Fake Steve blog has become one of the must-reads in Silicon Valley. I love the blog--it is funny, biting, self deprecating and most of the times it says the truth as it is.
Guessing the identity of Fake Steve has become a past time for many tech reporters I know. Yesterday, I read this hilarious, and a masterpiece of an interview that Fake Steve granted to an Indian web site.
It is so funny--I just love it.
A must read if you want a good laugh. It's even better if you understand if you understand some of the inside jokes that Fake Steve has made.
Here's the interview.
Guessing the identity of Fake Steve has become a past time for many tech reporters I know. Yesterday, I read this hilarious, and a masterpiece of an interview that Fake Steve granted to an Indian web site.
It is so funny--I just love it.
A must read if you want a good laugh. It's even better if you understand if you understand some of the inside jokes that Fake Steve has made.
Here's the interview.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Next On My Reading List
The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty. Even someone not very familiar with wines probably recognizes the Mondavi brand and I have bought a few bottles myself (though I wasn't very impressed with it).
I saw the reviews of this book and it didn't compel me to add it to my reading list. But this back story about author, Julia Flynn Siler, and how the book finally happened has me excited.
Seven months after signing a book contract, Julia Flynn Siler found herself wondering about the viability of a nonfiction business book in which the author could not convince a single principal player in a legendary story to sit down for an interview.
I can't wait to read the book now. But first I need to finish James Stewart's Disney Wars.
I saw the reviews of this book and it didn't compel me to add it to my reading list. But this back story about author, Julia Flynn Siler, and how the book finally happened has me excited.
Seven months after signing a book contract, Julia Flynn Siler found herself wondering about the viability of a nonfiction business book in which the author could not convince a single principal player in a legendary story to sit down for an interview.
I can't wait to read the book now. But first I need to finish James Stewart's Disney Wars.
The Lines Between Old and New Media are Blurring
Jim Louderback, the editor-in-chief of PC Magazine (which I think is as tech "old media" as it can get) will be the new CEO of Revision 3, reports my former colleague Liz Gannes at NewTeeVee.
At the same time, Veronica Belmont, who does video for CNET and who has made some recent appearances on CNET will be going to Jason Calacanis' Mahalo, says NewTeeVee.
With the lines between old and new media blurring, I wonder how long the blogosphere will hold on this demarcation of media.
Meanwhile, I am wondering is the use of a blogging software platform such as Wordpress or Typepad the only distinguishing characteristic of the blogosphere?
At the same time, Veronica Belmont, who does video for CNET and who has made some recent appearances on CNET will be going to Jason Calacanis' Mahalo, says NewTeeVee.
With the lines between old and new media blurring, I wonder how long the blogosphere will hold on this demarcation of media.
Meanwhile, I am wondering is the use of a blogging software platform such as Wordpress or Typepad the only distinguishing characteristic of the blogosphere?
Monday, July 09, 2007
Corporate Doublespeak (Or When Companies Lie)
I sometimes wonder if I am being excessively critical or cynical when companies issue statements or answer questions.
But in the last few days I have seen some blatant examples of corporate "doubespeak". First, Sony and the PlayStation 3 price cut.
When fliers from Circuit City's upcoming sales ad surfaced on the Internet Thursday, they showed a $100 price-cut on the PS3. I reached out to a Sony spokesperson who said the company doesn't want to comment on "unsubstantiated claims."
The next day, Sony President Ryoji Chubachi told Reuters in an interview that Sony has no plans to cut price of the console "at present."
Sorry, if I am being dense, but I would think that means Sony is not planning a price-cut at least in the next few days, if not weeks.
Turns out "at present" is literally that. For three days later, Sony announced the price cut.
I am not sure what kind of credibility the company has if its senior executives lie outright to the media. Mr. Chubachi doesn't need to talk to the press if he isn't aware of what the management is really thinking or what its moves will be. But I am positive his interviews with Reuters was with the blessing of other Sony higher-ups.
The right thing for Sony to have done here is accept that there was a leak and immediately announce the price cut. Sure they would have had to advance their intended announcement by four days but that's a small price to pay.
My next example: Microsoft. For months and months Microsoft denied it had a problem with the Xbox 360. In February when I reached out to the company about increasing reports of hardware failure with the Xbox 360, Microsoft PR dismissed my concern. Their response? The failure rate was within "normal range" for electronic devices.
So why did Microsoft say Thursday it will take a charge of $1.05 billion to $1.15 billion in additional warranties for the Xbox 360? Microsoft admitted it was receiving a lot of complaints about the console's problems from its users.
There's a chance that Microsoft didn't know the complete extent of the problems in February when I reached out to them but I find that hard to believe. I think Microsoft knew it had an issue but didn't want to admit it. They wanted to see if it would go away quietly.
When it didn't, or maybe got worse, they spun the story as one where the company was concerned about the users and so offering extended warrantly.
Not surprisingly, Microsoft gets so much flak from the media.
That brings me to the question of the day: When being less than truthful is not okay in personal life, how do executives go to work and think it is fine to do so? Don't professional standards come from an individual's personal ethics? Or do you need a split personality to survive in the corporate world?
To me it is shocking that a company's senior management would not place integrity and credibility on top of its must-have professional values.
Sigh.
But in the last few days I have seen some blatant examples of corporate "doubespeak". First, Sony and the PlayStation 3 price cut.
When fliers from Circuit City's upcoming sales ad surfaced on the Internet Thursday, they showed a $100 price-cut on the PS3. I reached out to a Sony spokesperson who said the company doesn't want to comment on "unsubstantiated claims."
The next day, Sony President Ryoji Chubachi told Reuters in an interview that Sony has no plans to cut price of the console "at present."
Sorry, if I am being dense, but I would think that means Sony is not planning a price-cut at least in the next few days, if not weeks.
Turns out "at present" is literally that. For three days later, Sony announced the price cut.
I am not sure what kind of credibility the company has if its senior executives lie outright to the media. Mr. Chubachi doesn't need to talk to the press if he isn't aware of what the management is really thinking or what its moves will be. But I am positive his interviews with Reuters was with the blessing of other Sony higher-ups.
The right thing for Sony to have done here is accept that there was a leak and immediately announce the price cut. Sure they would have had to advance their intended announcement by four days but that's a small price to pay.
My next example: Microsoft. For months and months Microsoft denied it had a problem with the Xbox 360. In February when I reached out to the company about increasing reports of hardware failure with the Xbox 360, Microsoft PR dismissed my concern. Their response? The failure rate was within "normal range" for electronic devices.
So why did Microsoft say Thursday it will take a charge of $1.05 billion to $1.15 billion in additional warranties for the Xbox 360? Microsoft admitted it was receiving a lot of complaints about the console's problems from its users.
There's a chance that Microsoft didn't know the complete extent of the problems in February when I reached out to them but I find that hard to believe. I think Microsoft knew it had an issue but didn't want to admit it. They wanted to see if it would go away quietly.
When it didn't, or maybe got worse, they spun the story as one where the company was concerned about the users and so offering extended warrantly.
Not surprisingly, Microsoft gets so much flak from the media.
That brings me to the question of the day: When being less than truthful is not okay in personal life, how do executives go to work and think it is fine to do so? Don't professional standards come from an individual's personal ethics? Or do you need a split personality to survive in the corporate world?
To me it is shocking that a company's senior management would not place integrity and credibility on top of its must-have professional values.
Sigh.
Back After A Break
It's been a few weeks since I updated my blog. I am back now after a vacation from Hawaii. I should be posting more often and regularly in the days ahead.
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