Lee Wochner: Writer. Director. Writing instructor. Thinker about things.


Blog

Fitting, or tasteless, or iconic?

October 7th, 2011

Is it fitting that St. Croix is running a promotion that enables you to wear Steve Jobs’ favorite style of mock turtleneck, and will donate $20 to cancer research? Or is it tasteless? Or, hang on, is it… ironic? Given that Jobs never asked the personal permission of Einstein or Lennon or Warhol or Gandhi or anyone else to promote the “Think Different” campaign, and now his spirit finds himself in the same boat.

Perhaps, ultimately, we’re all commodities.

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“Lee Back”

October 7th, 2011

The front page of the LA Times website says that it’s time for “Lee Back” to step down. They say this right beneath a photo of LEE BACA. So, question of the day:  Are there ANY copy editors left at the LA Times? I mean, Lee Baca is only the sheriff protecting just shy of TEN MILLION PEOPLE. (Kinda well-known, right?)

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Steve Jobs, R.I.P.

October 5th, 2011

I’m sad to learn that Steve Jobs has died.

For more than 30 years, he’s been America’s contemporary Edison, revolutionizing the delivery of computing, music, and movies, and putting all of them more readily into the hands of people around the globe. That you now carry the Internet on your hip is greatly due to Steve Jobs.

I saw him in person only once, many years ago, in San Francisco at the rollout of the second-generation iMac. But he’s been a daily part of my life for a long time.

Fallen apple

October 4th, 2011

How much demand is there for the new iPhone 4S, announced today?

Apple’s site crashed.

That’s how much demand.

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Now that’s scary

October 4th, 2011

The hot costume this Halloween? Disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner.

(I wouldn’t want him hanging around.)

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Friendly finale

October 4th, 2011

Why the potential closing of the Friendly’s chain might put a damper on Nicholson Baker’s output. (It’s where he does his rewriting.)

Why the GOP resents Obama

September 27th, 2011

Here’s the answer, staring us right in the face.

(No wonder he’s resistant to further cuts!)

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Who’s most likely to buy the iPhone 5?

September 25th, 2011

This infographic shows who is most likely to buy the iPhone 5,  now expected to be released on October 5, and why. I looked hard and couldn’t find my picture in there. (I’ll definitely be upgrading.) Given that I have a 3G (yikes!) and corresponding account, I’m wondering if I have the grandfathered-in unlimited data plan. Hope so.

Today’s… somekinda… video

September 24th, 2011

Is this a music video or a commercial? (Cue the Razzles commercial:  “Is it a candy or a gum?”) Both. (Like Razzles, because if you swallowed them, they had better not be purely gum.) But either way, I love this because it’s fun. With this spot — a promo for season two of a not-terribly-inspired HBO “comedy” — they’re turning Luis Guzman, an actor I’ve always enjoyed, into a cult celebrity. If only the show were ever this clever. But I’m glad to have this.

Today’s video link

September 22nd, 2011

Elizabeth Warren, candidate for Senate in Massachusetts.