Life On the Wicked Stage: Act 2

United Breaks Guitars: Striking Back at Customer Service with Music

Ah, if only we all had the time and creativity to strike back at companies who tread all over us when it comes to getting satisfaction. Dave Carroll and the band Sons of Maxwell have pulled out their best weapon and posted United Breaks Guitars. The musical saga of a tussle with United Airlines over a broken guitar that went on for over a year before the final "no" came down. Apparently this is the first of a three part series.

I'm sure United can't wait for parts 2 and 3. So much so that they have responded.

"This has struck a chord with us, and we've contacted him directly to make it right," said Robin Urbanski, a spokeswoman for United. (Urbanski also said she "loved" the video.)

Urbanski said a phone meeting had been scheduled for Wednesday, and that before the airline decides exactly what to do for Carroll, "we need to have that conversation with him directly."

Via The J-Walk Blog

Sunday Morning Reading

It has been awhile, but here is some Sunday morning reading to share.

David Olive of the Star.com takes on the great journalism debate and says the problem with newspapers and newsrooms is that today’s journalism is boring. I couldn’t agree more. As everyone focuses on the Internet’s impact, I think it might have some value to focus a bit on all of the consultants that called in who basically succeeded in making everything the same. What was it Sarah Palin said? Only dead fish go with the flow? Worth a read.

A group of leading clerics in Iran question the ruler’s decisions and the election. This is probably big news in the middle of that still fomenting struggle. We’ll hear more about it after Michael Jackson is finally buried.

Twitter, Facebook, (and other social media) and organized religion. Good thing? Bad thing? Or is it just another facet of the complexity that already exists within the makeup of a religious community.

Sarah Palin decides to step down with a bizarre speech. Is there another shoe to drop? Is she positioning herself for the big run in 2012? Is it family issues out of control? There is a lot of focus on trying to analyze what I think defies analysis. Maybe someone should analyze the throngs that still worship at her feet. Just as hard to do, but in the end scarier than she could ever be.

Trouble on the iPhone 3GS front with battery life? What else is knew except that the article makes huge mistakes like the size is different between the 3G and the 3GS. And what were we saying about dead fish?

Stephen Fry on America's Place in the World

Classically Fry. A must read. Here's an excerpt:

So what is quintessentially American ? Apple pie or Apple computers? Walmart or Wall Street? Trump Towers or Twin Towers? Jimmi Hendrix or Jimmy Stewart? Opportunity or opportunism? Small town courtesy or small-minded bigotry. Hearty milk and cookies or Harvey Milk and hookers. Blue collars, red necks, white supremacy or black power? The Simpsons or The Waltons, Family values or Family Guy, Holly Golightly or Hollywood, Penn State or the State Pen or Sean Penn, the right to life or the right to electrocute, capitalism or capital crimes, poncey dreams or Ponzi schemes, Nobel prize winners or ignoble price fixers, a country that can land men on the moon and yet has a majority who believe that angels walk amongst us – I suppose we could play this game of opposites for ever for I do not know a single thing that can be said about America whose reverse is not also true.

Here's the link.

Have a Safe and Happy 4th of July

If you’re in the USA and celebrating the 4th of July may you have a happy and safe celebration. We’ll be offering the two final performances of Man of La Mancha at Wayside Theatre today, and in between, my lovely wife and I will be announcing the Middletown 4th of July parade, something we have been doing for six or seven years now. Later tonight, yep, you guessed it. Fireworks.

Have a great Independence Day!

How's This for a Marriage Proposal

Call it over the top, call it Disney like fun, (it takes place at Disney World), but this is one heckuva a marriage proposal.

I can't imagine what the wedding rehearsal will be like after this.

Via jkOnTheRun

Fireworks Symbolize So Much about the USA on July 4th

Fireworks are such a huge part of the 4th of July in the USA. Towns and cities sponsor displays and events, orchestras play, folks turn out in droves. Or some folks just set them off in their backyard and enjoy their own private show (along with their neighbors.) But this year a number of towns are canceling fireworks displays because of budgetary concerns. The same happened last year because of raging gas prices.

What's interesting about this is that a number of towns, states, and localities actually have ordinances prohibiting individuals from using fireworks. But does that ever stop anyone? I doubt it. I'm sure calls are made to local police departments but you never hear of any arrests or issues with this. In many ways it shows just how American this uniquely American tradition really is.

One of the many myths that we wrap ourselves in is that we are a nation of laws. But when it comes to the 4th of July, whatever ordinances exist are largely ignored. Because this holiday celebrates our Independence. It is in fact called Independence Day. And what better way to strut our Independence than to do so by breaking some of those laws. It is very American.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against fireworks at all, in any form. I actually enjoy them and look forward to them. But I find the scenario quite intriguing. Think about all those states that have laws against fireworks. Now think about all those businesses that exist selling them that are just across the border from those states. Some exist year round, some pop up just prior to the 4th of July holiday and you have another great example of that can do spirit of capitalism we cherish so much in this country.

We as a country are so full of paradoxes and dichotomies. While the large sponsored fireworks displays offer us a community wide celebration, the individual backyard celebrations prove, in some circumstances, just how much of an independent streak we have.

Web Site Story: Yet Another Internet Musical

I love it when two of the worlds I fly through, Theatre and the Internet collide. Check out College Humor’s Web Site Story. Yep, its all about the Internet a la West Side Story. Poor Leonard Bernstein.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Via Neatorama

Thoughts on Iran, Sanford, Bachmann, Health Care, Lying, and Other Things

Been a crazy and stressful few days and it seems like a lot has been going on that I haven’t been commenting on. I’m sure no one has missed my commenting. But hey, I have, so here goes.

The regime in Iran took the path of tyranny and bloodshed and have proven once again that humans have an amazing propensity for cruelty, especially when doing so in the name of God, and trying to protect their power. From what little we are hearing it sounds like the horrible violence is keeping pace with the insanely idiotic lying and debunked propaganda that is going on. The Nazi’s had nothing on these guys as they’ve apparently thrown Neda’s family out of their home.

Don’t cry for me Argentina. SC Governor Mark Sanford got caught and had to admit he was having an affair while on a trip to Argentina. His disappearance sparked curiosity and then the story about hiking along the Appalachian Trail didn’t have an ounce of creditability to it. This story isn’t over, and the hypocrisy (from all sides) continues unabated. Something about throwing stones while living in glass houses comes to mind.

There’s now a comic book about Michelle Bachmann. Somehow that just seems redundant.

The Health Care debate is in full swing. The lying machines are in full swing as the debate inside the beltway has shifted away from health care to who is going to win. Yeah, our leaders’ priorities suck, just like always. With what little I’ve seen of this debate recently, I’m amazed that no one in the media isn’t smart enough to call everybody out on this. The hyperbole is excessive and the amount of money spent rallying either side must be astronomical. Meanwhile, it doesn’t look much will change in the end. Hope I’m wrong.

Goldman Sachs is on pace to issue largest bonuses on record. I’ll accept a thank you letter any day.

Steve Jobs did indeed have a liver transplant and it was in Memphis. Beyond wishing him well, now the talk is about Apple’s secrecy and what money can by. Hint, the secrecy thing is working as they are laughing all the way to the bank.

All of the above have something in common. It has become so common place to accept lying from CEOs, corporations, politicians, the media, and ourselves that I’m wondering if we shouldn’t stop teaching public relations and start teaching the next generation classes on how to lie better and how to do a cover-up. I mean we certainly don’t have great role models for them to follow as near as I can see.

iPhone 3.0 Bugs Discovered

OK, this is a link to a parody post. If you haven’t gotten your fill of iPhone 3.0 stuff today (or maybe you’ve had too much) then you can sit back and laugh at this silly bugs in the new OS by the folks at the woot! blog.

I like numbers 3, 8, 10, and 12.

Enjoy

Tale of the Snail

This greeted me as I left the house this morning.