Monday, June 30, 2008

Must See TV

I love this time of year. I love it not only because I enjoy running outside in the Kansas heat and humidity, but I love being inside too, watching some of my favorite events on TV. Let's start with the Cubs.

With the hottest record in baseball heading into June, the Cubs have one of the best home field advantages in all of sports. Taking in a game at Wrigley Field is a singular experience any time, but in the summer, with a hot dog and an Old Style, there's no better place to be. Especially this summer. After all, it's been exactly 100 years since the Cubs last won it all. It's been 10 years since I lived in Chicago, but- as it turns out- they sell hot dogs and Old Style in Lawrence, Kansas! And thanks to WGN, I can enjoy the friendly confines from my family room. Go Cubs Go!

Meanwhile, heading into the 4th of July weekend, we're also right smack in the middle of Wimbledon. Now, I'm no tennis player, and I'm not even much of a tennis fan 11 months out of the year, but when Wimbledon rolls around, I watch every match- and I mean every match I can. I don't know if it's the all-white rule at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, the strawberries and cream, or maybe its just Maria Sharipova. Whatever it is, Wimbledon is a classic- and a tradition that is not to be missed.

Finally, to top it all off, this is an Olympic year- something I look forward to four years in advance, when sign at the closing ceremonies reads "See you in Beijing!" Currently, the U.S. Olympic Trials are taking place in Eugene, Oregon, the Mecca of running, also known as "track town USA." Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, is the sport's cathedral, so anytime the trials come to Eugene, it's a special event. And by the time 08.08.08 rolls around, I'll be ready to watch the Opening Ceremonies- for the first time in HD.

Throw in the Tour de France plus new episodes of My Boys and Burn Notice, and you can bet I'll be glued to my TV all summer. That is, when I'm not out running... fueled, of course, by hot dogs and Old Style. Ah, summer.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Girl Effect

Last month, the Nike Foundation and Peter and Jennifer Buffett announced a $100 million investment in, well, girls. They call it “the girl effect”: the ability of adolescent girls in developing countries to bring unprecedented social and economic change to their families, communities and countries.

As the father of 2 girls, I can assure you there's no more powerful force in the world than the potential of a girl when given a chance. There are a lot of causes out there, approaching the world's challenges from many different angles. This one that makes a heck of a lot of sense to me. Check it out.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Stretching the Brand

This week, the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and Demand Media announced the launch of LIVESTRONG.com, an online community dedicated to healthy living, built on the brand essence of LIVESTRONG (e.g. health, fitness, nutrition, balance), a brand Nike created and nurtured for the LAF in 2003.

Containing more than 600,000 pages of content, LIVESTRONG.com includes more than 15,000 videos and articles, 50,000 questions and answers, plus personal profiles, photo galleries, discussion groups, personal action plans, recipes, interactive tools and calculators... (whew) let's face it, it's a behemoth. More to the point, it's a stretch.

I get the strategy- it's an evolution of the brand, leveraging it's key attributes. I'm just not sure I buy it. Where does it leave the foundation? I'm looking at my little yellow LIVESTRONG wrist band today, and I'm not sure what to make of it. Yesterday it said I was united in the fight against cancer. Today, however, I think it says a lot more ...and means a lot less. Let's watch- I could always be wrong.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Faster. Cheaper. Better?

Faster? Yes, please.
Cheaper? Thank you.
Better? Are you kidding?
Apple's announcement yesterday that the revolutionary iPhone would be getting an upgrade surprised few people. Rumors abounded that the new versions would take advantage of the faster 3G (third generation) network with speeds approaching broadband. And while most early iPhone adopters were willing to sacrifice speed for mobility, those days are dwindling. Meanwhile, the biggest obstacle to iPhone purchases, not surprisingly, was price. So Apple announced significant cuts, dropping the 8GB iPhone from $399 to $199. Meaning, you'll start seeing a lot more of them.

But the real surprise (to me anyway) was the announcement of iPhone 2.0. Apple had already revolutionized "smart" phones with a new touch interface and multiple applications that take advantage of OS X's advanced graphical user interface, as well as features like multi-touch, built-in GPS and accelerometer. Developers–like kids in a candy store–are already producing amazing apps, soon to be available at the new "App Store." Apple also threw in support for Microsoft Exchange, catering to enterprise users demanding push email, calendar and contacts, enabling the iPhone to take on (and overtake) the industry leader, Blackberry.

Apple didn't have to make it better. Faster? Yes, please. Cheaper? Thank you. But better? Once again, Apple sets the standard for innovation, while their competitors can barely keep up. Not only will the iPhone become a new standard, much like iPod became the brand standard mp3 player, iPhone 2.0–in my opinion–will become the third major computing platform. Effectively there is now Mac OS X, Windows, and iPhone. And pretty soon, your Blackberry with QWERTY keyboard will be as outdated as a rotary-dial phone.

Friday, June 6, 2008

Have you ever...

Heard of Brandi Carlile? She was the opening act at last night's Sheryl Crow concert in Kansas City, and she absolutely blew me away. That's why I love opening acts. I love the discovery. And while Carlile is definitely a fresh face, she's hardly new.

She described herself in a 2005 Rolling Stones profile (10 Artists to Watch) saying, "I get all sorts of comparisons but never to one person. It's more like, 'Sheryl Crow meets Patsy Cline,' which makes me feel good. At least there's some originality there."

Carlile skyrocketed to fame last year when the title track of her new album, The Story, was featured on TV's highest rated show, Grey's Anatomy (if you missed it, please watch below). Compilation soundtracks, like those from Grey's, Scrubs or other shows, are a terrific launching pad for many up and coming artists. It seems like I've found most of my favorite artists this way, including Carlile.

The pint-sized country rocker is small, but packs a voice that is, in a single breath, both beautifully melodic and explosive. NPR did a nice interview with her a year ago that showcases her voice, and her Web site offers tracks that are definitely worth hearing, such as Have You Ever, reminiscent of Patsy Cline, or Sarah Mclauchlin singing with Texas crooner Robert Earl Keen. Also check out Turpentine and Until I Die to get a sense of her vocal presence and control. She also does a cover of Radiohead's Creep that'll give you chills.

Last night I watched her cover Patsy Cline and sing on stage with Sheryl Crow, so I can tell you the comparisons are not merely earned. Brandi Carlile stole the show.*



*And I'm not just saying that because Sheryl Crow is a missouri grad.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Chicago: Candidate City

With yesterday's selection by the IOC, Chicago went from being an "applicant" city to becoming a candidate city for the 2016 games. Chicago will join Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro as the final four host city candidates and observe the Beijing Olympic Games this summer. A year from now, IOC officials will visit each city, and the final selection will be made October 2, 2009.

Congratulations to one of America's greatest cities and one of the world's greatest sports destinations. As a former Chicago resident, I'm thrilled to see the city get the chance to share its charm with the world. I blogged about Chicago's bid a year ago and will keep you posted on the bid process. And in 2016, you can bet I'll be there.

LIVESTRONG Day 2008

LIVESTRONG Day 2008 was a huge success, thanks to many of you in the KU community. LIVESTRONG KU hosted a Campus Walk for KU faculty, staff, students and Lawrence community members. Meanwhile, Oread Books held a sale in honor of LIVESTRONG Day, and several sororities purchased LIVESTRONG wristbands for members to wear, in addition to all of you who chose to wear yellow on May 13th in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF).

KU came out in force to support the fight against cancer, and we'll be doing even more in the months ahead. We've already established a local LIVESTRONG Army recognized by the LAF, and Rueben Perez and I have been selected as delegates to the LIVESTRONG Summit in July. Our goal is to position KU as a national leader in the fight against cancer, and for that, we'll need your help. But for now, enjoy this look back at the Lance Armstrong Foundation's LIVESTRONG Day 2008.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Historic Milestone

Last night marked a milestone in this year's presidential election as well as in our nation's history. Barack Obama earned enough delegates to become the presumptive democratic nominee, becoming this country's first black candidate for president representing a major party.

Either way, we knew this would be a historic race, pitting the first black man who would be president against the first woman, but what is most satisfying to me, is how race and gender became secondary. Even though votes seemed separated as much by demography as ideology, the campaigns were primarily issue based.

Race and gender became the focus only for fleeting moments. Obama's association (and disassociation) with an outspoken pastor seemed to indicate more of a cultural divide than a political one. And Hillary's gender only seemed to be an issue when her husband (and his potential impact on her presidency) came into the picture. Despite these instances, both candidates held their own, and proved they were ready for the office. And Americans proved they were ready too.

Hillary will leave a tremendous mark in American politics. Although I would never have voted for her or her policies, she showed an unrelenting commitment to issues and prepared this nation for the inevitability of a truly capable female commander-in-chief. As for Obama, his legacy continues to be his transformational leadership and the movement he started that has swept the country. Could you describe it in one word? Can we elect Barack Obama? By now, I think you know the answers.