Bucket Joke I learned something the other day about homeless people. They’re not afraid to laugh. I was hurrying back to work after lunch. While crossing a Portland street I met a downtrodden man with a blooming, cauliflowery beard who stopped in the middle of the intersection and stammered out a few words in my […]
Read More »Archive for communication
Les Overhead Public Service Message
Memorial Day Driving Tips As a public service, Les Overhead provides the following message and song – by band Public Service Broadcasting. Drive safely this Memorial Day weekend. And watch out for morons who are driving recklessly. This video shows how to do it. Be careful out there.
Read More »Random Uncounters
Every once in awhile I write short, true accounts of encounters with random homeless folks in downtown Portland. The following is one such account. No Hand Out I first noticed him as I was heading into a convenience store. He was sitting on the sidewalk in a gray hoodie with one leg splayed out. He […]
Read More »Enough said
No copy needed.
Read More »Last message of ’13
It’s the thought that counts. On this, the last day of a year ending in 13, it seems fitting to end with a message of hope and good luck. The above message was written years ago by my daughter, Ruby. I couldn’t have said it, or written it, any better. From the entire staff […]
Read More »Best website on Earth – or worst?
Normally, I HATE websites that are so jammed and cluttered with content your eyeballs burst before you can figure out what the hell they sell and how to buy it. One of the worst I’ve ever seen is SO BAD that it’s actually good. Not just good, but (in my addled mind) GREAT. It’s absolutely […]
Read More »Greatest 273 words ever?
And such fine penmanship In my mind, these are the greatest 273 words ever written. If you have better ones, let’s see them. Gettysburg Address 273 words 10 sentences 2 minutes 51,112 American deaths over 3 days (almost as many as the entire Vietnam war) “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth […]
Read More »We’re all gonna die
There’s no denying it, our time on the rock is short. So don’t waste it with verbose, yawn-inspiring writing and dense, thick-as-sludge blocks of copy. Cut it to the bone and use a sledgehammer to break it up. Get to the point and keep it punchy. Especially in writing for the web. Short sentences and […]
Read More »The fine art of communication
Creatures respond to stimuli in different ways. You need to know your audience. Then find the right mix of image, language, tone, and content. It’s not just what you say, but how you say it. A great image (whether in an ad or Facebook post) draws attention and gets people to read the headline. And […]
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