It is now 2012 and one piece of equipment regularly lies to me. Your $300 smartphone will tell you where you are, it has a compass, a GPS and all sorts of fancy sensors. Yet your $40,000 automobile lies in your face. The speedometer never, ever shows your actual speed. Most people… Continue reading Why Greeks evade tax and my car lies to me
Category: Society
On Germans and Other Greeks
“There was a time when Richard Wagner wrote no music for almost six years. He was thirty-six, and had completed three of his ten major operas. The Flying Dutchman and Tannhiiuser had been launched, with varying degrees of success, in Dresden, but Lohengrin had not yet found its way to any stage. There was a price on Wagner’s head. He… Continue reading On Germans and Other Greeks
The Greek crisis produces media stars of disinformation
For more than two years now international attention has been on and off. George Papandreou milked it as much as he could. Having the potential to blow up Europe or even the world economy according to others is a feat unmatched even by Bin Laden. Unfortunately nothing constructive has been done with this… Continue reading The Greek crisis produces media stars of disinformation
Kakapo: Greek journalism goes to the dogs over a non existent fascist threat
The kakapo is a bird that forgot how to fly. It landed on an island with no predators. Over many years its meals got bigger, its flights shorter. Wings weaker. Now when a cat chases a kakapo, the flightless bird will climb up a tree and jump down to its death. It… Continue reading Kakapo: Greek journalism goes to the dogs over a non existent fascist threat
Surprise developments in the 2012 Greek elections
I love political communication. It appeals to the idealist in me. The social engineering part of me thrives on twisting messages to fit into mediums that will best influence people. And right now, Greece is the place to be. The old media is crumbling. Based on funding from business people that… Continue reading Surprise developments in the 2012 Greek elections
The painless way to disappear and reappear on Facebook at will
After much ballyhoo in the past, Facebook made it easy to deactivate your account….and reactivate it! In fact when deactivating one of the choices in the multiple available is “This is temporary. I’ll be back.” It is so easy and fast that you could well use it instead of logging out. There… Continue reading The painless way to disappear and reappear on Facebook at will
Germanic revenge: Greece and it’s Allies get what we deserve
Even if you haven’t read Churchill’s account, there is no way in avoiding the conclusion that it was the way the Allies handled victory in the first world war that pushed Germany into the second one. We took their pride, divided their land and burdened them financially to an inconceivable level. Hitler’s words… Continue reading Germanic revenge: Greece and it’s Allies get what we deserve
How to make a film like Theo Angelopoulos
Ingredients: 1. A CD with music by Eleni Karaindrou. 2. A photo album, the kind you find in the lounge usually with scenery or black and white pictures. Instructions: 1. Play the music. 2. Flick through the photos. Really slowly. 1-5 minutes on each usually is OK. 3. You can (slowly!) move your… Continue reading How to make a film like Theo Angelopoulos
Goebbels needed in Brussels to change the flag
“The European flag consists of 12 golden stars in a circle on a blue background. The stars symbolise the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe. The number of stars has nothing to do with the number of member countries, though the circle is a symbol of unity.” That is all… Continue reading Goebbels needed in Brussels to change the flag
The planet is lucky Steve Jobs stuck to making gadgets
I think everyone in branding envies Steve Jobs. Some turn it into adulation, others into hate. He was the ultimate spin doctor. From “we burn Pentiums to the ground” to “we love Intel” in the space of a few months. Or “we will never use Adobe Flash” to “OK, we will implement it in… Continue reading The planet is lucky Steve Jobs stuck to making gadgets