Coyote ugly

Our hero rips down the road at blinding speed, kicking up a vapor trail of sand that lingers in the hot heavy air of the Nevada desert.  He’s running for his life you know… being chased by a relentless predator who wants to eat him for lunch.  He suddenly stops on a dime in front of a…

Can’t make this stuff up #2

Just wanted to share some more random and entertaining stuff overheard on the ACE train.  All of these actual comments were collected from one continuous 20-minute conversation between 2 guys sitting behind me.  To the best of my knowledge, there were no drugs involved. You know the name of the company Google? It’s not an…

Encounter bats

No… it’s not an episode of “When Animals Attack.”  I’m talking about a confrontational therapy tool from the 70’s.  These cloth-covered foam encounter bats were used for anger and aggression release, allowing two people to have a “safe and fair fight”. They could also be used to hit pillows, chairs and in my case… little…

Talk to me

Marketing is about show business.  You spend time and money to put on a show that will hopefully lead to business.  But is your company really welcoming customers with open arms when they arrive? In his blog post on the “Death of Retail”, Stephen Richardson makes the point that big retail chains are trying to…

The secret ingredient

Coca-Cola has its closely guarded classic formula.  KFC has its 11 herbs and spices.  My Grandma’s famous noodles are made without a written recipe.  Each one has created a long-lasting legacy based on “the secret ingredient.”  The magic that holds it together… the one thing you can’t do without.  But what’s the secret ingredient that…

The endangered cup of coffee

What’s the difference between a non-fat vanilla latte with a sprinkle of cinnamon at most coffee shops, and the same drink at the Pacific Coast Café?  It’s the secret ingredient – Donna.  She’s in her mid to late 30’s, with dark brown hair neatly tucked under her cap, and glasses that slightly magnify her smiling…

Your favorite martian?

I was talking recently with a friend of mine who considers himself a real man’s man.  He made a sweeping, but interesting, generalization about women.  He said “most women just expect a man to be strong…showing too much emotion is a weakness.”  Is there some truth in that statement?   In his book, Men are…