At what point in our world did the words “need” and “want” become interchangeable. I need that phone, I need to watch that, etc. The continual emphasis that these orders and rules are placed on ourselves is stressful and overwhelming. Who is this unnamed, invisible voice creating all these walls around our freedom?

You don’t need to study for a test. You choose to study for this test because you want to do well on it so you’ll eventually graduate and get a job you want. Will your life end if you fail the test? Don’t be dramatic and say yes, figuratively, because it will not.

My definition of necessity in an action is the direct correlation between the ending of existence. Only at that point is it a necessity because if the correct choice isn’t made, there are no additional choices following it. Eating, sleeping, breathing, all necessities of life. Even shelter, to boost the quality of your life is an essential want of the human race but without a roof it does not mean the immediate end of your survival. If you’re homeless, yes, it will slowly deteriorate your chances of survival and will present you with choices that may eventually reach a “need” status but housing is still a luxury that you should be grateful for every single day you have.

When a person puts these needs and have-to’s on their back, its a weight they shouldn’t have to carry. They have to be honest with themselves and ask “What do I want?” If they want to play video games instead of study, they need to understand the consequences that come with that choice. If they only make “want” choices in the short term they may not reach the point they want to be. Keep perspective that life is a marathon (as cliche as that is) and if you sprint ahead in the first mile, you may not be there in the end. Pace yourself.

Next time you’re in a tough situation or are faced with an overwhelming task, remember you’re in control of yourself and your own actions. What do you want out of that situation and out of life? Look big picture. You may not enjoy doing dishes, but you want to live in a clean and healthy environment. You may not feel motivated to go to work, but you want to earn a living to achieve other desires in your life.

If your wants take you down a path where you’re unsuccessful and harmful to yourself and others, that’s the type of person you truly are. You have to look at yourself in the mirror and have nobody else to blame but yourself. Take responsibility. Most “good” people want to be around other “good” people. People whose ‘wants’ take into account other people’s ‘wants’ as well. Those who don’t fit that category will quickly be on the outside and decide to prioritize their desires in life to not be as self fulfilling or they will remain happy and isolated.

All we need in life is to do what we want. Once you know what that is.

All day I was excited for one of my favorite shows, LOST, to air tonight. Come 9PM, I found myself doing something else and chose to not watch. Was this disheartening? Stressful? No, on the contrary, it’s the norm nowadays. Rather then an entire hour sitting on the couch, I can wait until the show is online for viewing and view from my laptop, while doing other things, with only a few 30 second commercial breaks. It’ll save 15 minutes, and I can watch on the same screen as I write, e-mail, chat, surf, etc.

Even more common, people are simply using their DVRs or “Tivoing” (much how Googling is synonymous with Searching) to fast forward through commercials and just watch the show. With shows and television stations dependent on an advertising income, there still isn’t a solid solution to reach audiences with these products and services. As more people fast forward through shows, or are only subject to a few short commercials online (which can easily be minimized/muted) how do companies/agencies reach their audiences?

I think a trend that is increasing exponentially is in-show product placement. Rather then your favorite show detective answering his cell phone, he is now answering a Verizon Palm Pre Pro. Instead of a group of friends discussing their dramatic lives at a generic coffee shop, they’re sipping Frappachinos at Starbucks.

It requires a high wire act of writing and commercialism. You want to have the product presented positively to the audience, but you don’t want it to be so blatant that the viewer is taken out of the story or supersedes the realistic dialogue. For example, the NBC show Heroes had short scenes from a side-story during broadcasts where the primary focus was the use of a Sprint Phone. I felt it was over the top and embarrassing to watch. It created a negative feeling towards the product and the show.

Another suggestion with advertisements is to shorten the commercial breaks during shows. We all know the attention span of people are very short, which is why individual commercials are only 30 seconds or so long. However, on any given break you view 3-5 spots that just meld together to one large delay of your entertainment. Often times people use these moments to leave the room to get a beverage, or use the restroom. So the viewers aren’t even there. A better method would be to have shorter full-screen breaks (only 1 or 2 spots) at the current “hot times” (:15, :30, :45, :60 etc) and then during the show have relevant advertising at the bottom of the screen. Noticeable but not invasive.  Combine that with the product placement and your Tivo (which already requires an internet connection) and you could see your favorite character on screen, pause the show and be able to immediately go online with your remote to purchase their outfit, cell phone, car, etc.

Go further and you can post/discuss these products on your favorite Twitter, Facebook, Digg, social sharing website. Still, all from your couch, from your remote (or an advanced option with keyboard), and it will be mutually beneficial to the company.

Instant access, encourage spontaneous purchases and with the cutting down of commercial breaks you will have more airtime on networks to fill with additional shows, more local programming, or any other revenue creating streams they can think of.

We live in an “everything, all the time, instantly” type world now. The idea of interrupting entertainment to suggest products is an old and clunky method. It must evolve to work as a team with network programming rather then just the bumbling sidekick.

I’m not an economist. I took one economy class with a great professor named Mookerjee at Penn State but I’d be lying if I said his lectures weren’t like a warm blanket lulling me to the dream market. One thing that most people know about economics is that there are two key features: supply and demand. When supply is high, demand tends to slip. When demand is high, the supply often times struggles to keep up. It’s about creating that balance of consumer urgency but still having the inventory to meet purchasing demands.

The same science could be said for social networking. I can post my thoughts, as I am now, on my own personal web space. It will automatically also post onto my Facebook wall using my subscribed RSS feed. I can also advertise it using my Twitter account, messaging my friends (on Google Chat, AIM, Facebook Chat, ICQ, MSN Messenger, Yahoo, or Skype just to name a few) or a mass text message from my smart phone.

My point is, with so many ways to be connected, is the supply flooding the market? I suppose it depends on the product. Myself, while I am confident in who I am and what I can offer, I hold no realistic feelings that my thoughts are desired to be heard, let alone DEMANDED by very many people. (Although you are reading this right now…) Celebrity Twitter users are now commonplace and the novelty may has worn off, it’s reported that Twitter’s user growth seems to have plateaued. Defying all, however, Facebook has continued it’s mind-blowing growth.

The latest trend Foursquare, which allows people to check-in at locations using the GPS on their cell phones, may be over before it even reached its full potential with rumors swirling that Facebook could be working on a “check-in” system of their own.

How far away are we from a push of the button on your phone letting all your friends know your location, mood, and thoughts instantly? And then the next day, the big innovation will be that they take away the hassle of pressing the button.

Let’s just keep piling on Tiger Woods. A news report from Wisconsin has a middle school band blaming Tiger Woods for only 80% of their students being able to afford a trip to Disney World. Their “top” fundraising/auction item was an autographed picture of Mr. Woods. Expected to raise $1,500, it only made $300. They’re saying his recent indiscretions caused the price to plummet.

I don’t blame Woods, I blame the school and the children for an awful fundraising strategy. Never put that many eggs in one basket, especially when it’s simply an autographed picture. Autographed pictures are like collecting baseball cards, there’s no real value in them except for reselling. They should’ve sold hoagies or candy bars, which is a proven fundraising tactic.

Now if they had a picture of Tiger Woods and one of his mistresses then those pictures could’ve sold to the highest bidding tabloid and then the band would be taking stretch Hummers to Disney World. Think out of the box kids.

I was reluctant at first. Didn’t understand, didn’t have a need, but since I decided to jump in with both feet I’ve been hooked. Talking, of course, about Twitter.

Most people who haven’t taken the time to look at the service see it as the negative stereotype of self-important nobodies that update with useless information about what they ate for lunch and their disdain for the weather. While those types of things do exist, the entire process is far more revolutionary.

Imagine being alone in your car and seeing something of interest, to you. A car wreck, an interesting looking animal, a UFO. You may make a mental note to tell friend/family member X later that day, but as time passes so does your memory. If you had someway to immediately share with everyone you know quickly and easily, would you hesitate?

Don’t get me wrong, Twitter isn’t inventing the wheel. There are several dozen ways to get messages out to people. Text messages, Facebook status, your own blog, etc. What makes Twitter so appealing is in its simplicity. There arn’t other things to do on Twitter, it’s just that. A way to find out what your friends are doing, and let them know what you are doing.

There are several other side benefits that I enjoy:

* A catalog of my past, history, and creative thoughts. If I think of a writing sample, or an opinion I can quickly tweet it and have it saved indefinitely. Like having a personal assistant following me around taking notes on whatever I want to say.
* News and updates. Much like how RSS feeds allow news sources to pull in from several different other websites, Twitter allows companies, products, news sources to consolidate and simplify the topics of today in less then 140 characters. A quick scroll and you have  a general idea of whats been happening today.
* Cut out the middle man. As much as I love public relations and marketing, celebrities can now bypass all of those filters and have direct access to their fans and followers. Wouldn’t you like to have a celebrity you really like respond directly to you by name (or by twitter alias)?

While it still is in its infancy, Twitter is one of the great innovations of the ’00s. It’s changed the way the world works and people communicate. I’d put it as the biggest thing since text messaging.

Now, Twitter just needs to figure out how they can make money from it.

I have recently found myself in the good fortune of having the excessive funds required to purchase a new cell phone. Nothing was particularly wrong with my old one it was just the thrill of having something new. A new piece of technology to sink my nerd teeth into. I decided on getting the new, and heavily hyped, Motorola DROID. Now despite the commercials indicating its arrival as the impending apocalypse raining from the sky, it was nothing but rejoicing for me. I now had everything I could ever need in my pocket.

Not sure what’d you’d call it but I have the desire to remain “connected” always. Whether its through text messages or instant messanger the thought of someone out there attempting to reach me and not having a way is concerning. Therefore, my first purchase with my first full time job paycheck was a laptop. No longer did I require to sit at a desk all day worried I might miss something if I wander away. Now I can sit on the couch instead.

But with my new DROID I have all the social networking capabilities in my hand wherever I go. Got a poke? Right back atcha. Tweet tweet my way? Twat’d right back. There are several dozen ways to reach out to me and for me to return the favor. To emphasize the point, this entire post is being written from my phone itself. Sure the laptop is right in front of me and I type much faster on there but you’re missing the point. You see these conspiracy nut movies about people trying to get “off the grid”… I’m trying to market the grid to pay more attention.

There are several directions I could go next: why the desire for attention? Is too much exposure devalue the product (e.g. me)? Does technologic advancements designed to keep us connected really just distance us as a community? All great questions which will make excellent future posts but I think I learned one thing today and that is less is more… and also I need to practice my text typing.

Anybody who has worked in a service industry has a story. Probably several. People who through the veil of anonymity they throw civil manners and courtesy out the window. Clearly we are all just varying levels of dependents in this situation: the consumer dependent upon the service and all the variables that come with it (quality, cost, reliability, etc.) and the employee dependent upon improving those variables in exchange for financial compensation to afford their own services for themselves and their families.

If people would look more in that perspective, a discourse of “This is the problem. What can you do?” could be done more efficiently and effectively. In my experience, there have been several times where the solution is often easy and quick but the conclusion is dragged out because of the consumer’s insistence to “tell their tale.”

Perhaps we should expand the term “customer service” to more then just that specific industry’s promised product. We also provide the no consequence venting venue for their lives. Is that customer truly shouting at the top of their lungs because of an extra two dollars on their most recent bill? Some, sure, but my guess is the majority have deeper issues in their lives and want to let it out. They want to do the socially unacceptable thing of shouting, swearing, getting angry and letting their emotions take over. If they allow this to boil over in their workplace, family, or friends then there would be a lingering effect which wouldn’t improve their situation and most likely negatively impact someone else.

The stranger on the other end of the line, the spokesman for this latest inconvenience in their lives, allows the perfect outlet. They will never meet, they will never share an awkward silence and with the simple press of a button the entire encounter is over. The power the consumer has in this situation is intoxicating then the rest of their day spirals out of control, it’d be against human nature to not take advantage of such a beneficial release with little or no risk.

From the employee standpoint, perhaps it is time that we don’t look at this angry customers in disdain but instead be glad we allowed them to let a little rage, little anger, little frustration out of their systems. If this allows them to be calm in another situation with a friend or family member, isn’t it better that we take it in the chin? We are patient, we are strong, and we are improving the lives of others even if in the most minuscule way.

Sometimes the smallest pebbles can make the largest ripples.

Decided to give the new Late Night with Jimmy Fallon a chance…. mixed reaction so far.

The monologue had the obvious jokes: economy is bad, government does things, random news stories, etc. However the crowd would shout out too often it seemed. Like, don’t they have security? It was almost to the point of disruption.

They then did a skit with the premise of NBC wants them to focus on “target demographics” for the new show. Tonight’s was Blonde Mothers. They showed a short picture montage with a voice over making a few obvious jokes. Not a lot of audible laughs with the crowd.

After that they did probably one of the more stupid things called “Lick it for Ten”. It’s exactly how it sounds. They had three people from the audience come up and lick a lawn mower and a fish bowl. Pretty amateur.

Watching Jimmy’s “interview” with Robert DeNiro right now. So far, DeNiro has said maybe five words. Jimmy needs to CALM DOWN. He’s already told two stories of his life without really learning anything about him. He’s obviously nervous, he is stumbling over his words and stuttering the end of his questions. Also interrupting DeNiro and talking over him.

I can tell DeNiro seems like he’s doing him a favor and is bored of the whole thing. Now Jimmy is doing impression of DeNiro… he wants the focus to be entirely on him. I hope he gets better because so far it’s been a train wreck.

Just saw a commercial for a Comedy Central roast of Larry the Cable Guy. I think that’s awful. I’ve always enjoyed these Roasts, very funny. However they should be to people who deserve some type of “lifetime achievement” type recognition. Bob Saget, Hugh Hefner, Jeff Foxworthy have paid their dues. Drew Carey, Dennis Leary, Flava Flav were a bit of a stretch but still funny and still pretty long careers.

Larry the Cable Guy has had awful movies and does the same shtick over and over. He’s been popular the last several years, but he’s only famous because Jeff Foxworthy gave him a shot on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour (which I don’t find funny by the way).

I’ll give it a chance, tivo it, but there’s only so many redneck jokes you can make and I think they did them all at Foxworthy’s roast already.

An amazing blog, sent to me by Carl. 98% of the stuff on here is disgusting but a few delicious posts.

“Coach, How do you ‘leave it all on the floor every night’? If you left it all on the floor the previous game, you have nothing left to leave. Therefore, if you are saying that your team regenerates this metaphorical ‘it’ then why is it such a compliment to ‘leave it all on the floor’ since it is a renewable resource?”

WOW. Alex Rodriguez, arguably the best player in the game today, apparently tested positive for steroids back in 2003. He won the AL MVP that year as a shortstop for the Texas Rangers.

For how much horrible press Major League Baseball has gotten in the past several years, I don’t understand how they could have zero turnover in the front office. You telling me that all the blame has to be put on the players? If a team goes 0-16, who gets canned? The head coach and the general manager.  Bud Selig should absolutely step down as commissioner and bring in fresh blood.

He needs to take responsibility that all of this happened on his watch and it was his fault for not having a stronger drug testing program until all the information started to come out. I don’t know how much worse things can get for MLB. Every player from the past several years has to be questioned and now Rodriguez, who is on pace to be your all-time home run leader, will be scrutinized and jeered as much as your current one. Tough tough situation.

Just a couple quick thoughts on the Super Bowl in no particular order:

- I have several witnesses that had me accurately predicting the Super Bowl an hour before kickoff as follows, “The Steelers will dominate the entire game, the Cardinals will get a late score but the Steelers will win in the final minute 27-23.”

- There were several bad calls against Arizona, there were a couple should’ve been calls against Pittsburgh. None of these decided the game one way or another. Chances are there were plays and/or penalties all season that could’ve been or shouldn’t have been called and if those changed you may not be here. You take the good with the bad.

- The holding in the endzone was absolutely the right call and rightfully called.

- If James Harrison didn’t have that personal foul penalty he would’ve been a great choice for MVP. He destroyed Arizona offensive lineman Mike Gandy all night. The stupid penalty negated a dozen good plays he had and it was right to go to Santonio Holmes in the end.

- The final play of the game should’ve been reviewed. Kurt Warner’s arm, very well, might’ve been going forward. There is still a 99% chance that the game would’ve ended the same, but it would’ve been concluded with zero doubt.

- I rooted for the Cardinals until they took a 23-20 lead with 2 and a half minutes to play, and then I rooted for Pittsburgh on their final drive. I wanted my prediction (see above) to come true. I am selfish.

- I think Arizona will be a sexy pick next year to return to the Super Bowl and they will disappoint everyone by missing the playoffs.

- A couple strange “malfunction” moments in the half-time show… Bruce Springsteen, prior to the first song, stradling his microphone stand and holding it in a “That’s What She Said” position. Also, when he slid across the stage and his crotch flew into America’s living room in 3D.

- Speaking of 3D, I’m not into it. Has any technology not been advanced more then 3D glasses in the past 50 years? Seriously. People are wearing the same paper, cheap specs they wore in Grease.

- Best commercial, McGruger Pepsi commercials. They played a ton of them last night during Saturday Night Live and only one this evening. Definitely worth looking at. Too tired to look for the link myself, probably on Hulu. No commercials were outstanding, unbelievable SUPER BOWL type commercials. All of them seemed like they could air any other time and wouldn’t think twice about them.

- The First Prediction For Next Year’s Super Bowl Based On Absolutely Nothing: New England Patriots vs Dallas Cowboys

The Repulican National Committee has elected a new chairman. Michael Steele is their first African-American chairman in its history. I suppose Obama did only have 96% of the black vote.

However, his first day on the job does seem more of the same. In a time of national struggles that need the government to be working soundly, his quote of “Bipartisanship is overrated” has to make people nervous.

Really, Democrats hold almost an unstoppable power in Washington so to say they’re going to be gnats trying to thwart action is just snivilng and unproductive. Now would be a great time for the few remaining Republicans to get in strong with the Democrats as much as they can so they can boast about it come reelection in a few years.

This is a BIG DEAL. By increasing the life of a new strain of rice by almost 500% it can save millions from hunger during times of flooding. Let’s hope this doesn’t get delayed in studies and follow up experiements for years, we need this out in 3rd world nations and villages quickly.