We saw Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre in London, 29 May 2006. If you like the movie, you will like this play. If you love the movie, you will like this play. If you hate the movie, you will absolutely despise this play with a passion. In true Disney fashion, they've taken the movie, put it on stage, added a few songs (and removed a few) and coupled it with a Production Number to move you.
Mary was fantastic -- and a great voice. And they way she walked up stairs was so cool I can't describe it. However, all in all, I was underwhelmed. I don't have much to say, really, besides the quick summary above. This one is not like Lion King, destined for a full multi-year run. It lacks that little spark that makes it magical -- and Mary Poppins needs to be magical. This is just another entertaining fluff-filled musical.
The next night we saw Billy Elliot (Previous Blog Entry) a much better play. See that instead.
Monday, May 29, 2006
Friday, May 26, 2006
Eric Rambles About Keywords and Revenue Stream
My rather old and dated blog entry Crazy Frog or Coldplay? continues to draw thousands of visitors a week to my site. It's given me over 70,000 hits to my blog -- nearly 16% by keyword. Here are my historical most popular keywords as reported by Extreme Tracking as of today:
But that doesn't tell the real story. If you look at referrers by actual website, it's ugly:
Yeah, 69% of my traffic is from the Crazy Frog crowd. Sadly, they're visitors I don't want. They hang around for 10 or 20 seconds and leave -- I have another tracking program that lets me see how long they stay. Even so, I suppose I should be thankful in a way because it did put my blog on the map. But Crazy Frog is not what I'd like to be known for. Sometimes I'm insightful, intelligent, funny, and sometimes I'm just a smart-ass. I'd gladly be known for any of those things, but I don't want to be known as the first place on the web to go looking for Crazy Frog.
I was surprised, too, at what didn't work in an effort to attract visitors. I made some deliberate posts to get people over by including words like Masturbation, after all the Internet is famous for porn, but those people didn't come here (pardon the pun). I also tried discussing topics related to popular searches such as the pluma-pluma (aka numa-numa guy) but those didn't help either. Even non-deliberate posts referring to my other Deliberate Posts didn't work, though I suppose self-referential posts will never help.
On the other hand, Why Led Zeppelin Sucks, brings a fair number of quality visitors (at 8% it's right behind that damnable Crazy Frog) but these folks stay and sometimes even post intelligent things. Their average visit exceeds 10 minutes, most of which, I suspect are spent reading all those comments. Too bad they all come to pick a fight, and they all react to the title without reading what I have to say. So few of the posts miss my actual point.
I'm trying to figure a way to turn those 70,000 visitors into a revenue stream of some-sort, but this Google Ad-Sense thing isn't working well. Or at least people aren't clicking through to the ads. I'd love suggestions.
Oh, and unrelated to this post, please visit my brand new photo gallery hosted on Flickr.
| 1817 | 8.03% | crazy |
| 1788 | 7.90% | frog |
| 912 | 4.03% | led |
| 895 | 3.95% | zeppelin |
But that doesn't tell the real story. If you look at referrers by actual website, it's ugly:
| 2544 | 42.67% | http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/view |
| 851 | 14.27% | http://busca.uol.com.br/video/index.html |
| 363 | 6.09% | http://cade.search.yahoo.com/video/view |
| 359 | 6.02% | http://br.altavista.com/video/results |
Yeah, 69% of my traffic is from the Crazy Frog crowd. Sadly, they're visitors I don't want. They hang around for 10 or 20 seconds and leave -- I have another tracking program that lets me see how long they stay. Even so, I suppose I should be thankful in a way because it did put my blog on the map. But Crazy Frog is not what I'd like to be known for. Sometimes I'm insightful, intelligent, funny, and sometimes I'm just a smart-ass. I'd gladly be known for any of those things, but I don't want to be known as the first place on the web to go looking for Crazy Frog.
I was surprised, too, at what didn't work in an effort to attract visitors. I made some deliberate posts to get people over by including words like Masturbation, after all the Internet is famous for porn, but those people didn't come here (pardon the pun). I also tried discussing topics related to popular searches such as the pluma-pluma (aka numa-numa guy) but those didn't help either. Even non-deliberate posts referring to my other Deliberate Posts didn't work, though I suppose self-referential posts will never help.
On the other hand, Why Led Zeppelin Sucks, brings a fair number of quality visitors (at 8% it's right behind that damnable Crazy Frog) but these folks stay and sometimes even post intelligent things. Their average visit exceeds 10 minutes, most of which, I suspect are spent reading all those comments. Too bad they all come to pick a fight, and they all react to the title without reading what I have to say. So few of the posts miss my actual point.
I'm trying to figure a way to turn those 70,000 visitors into a revenue stream of some-sort, but this Google Ad-Sense thing isn't working well. Or at least people aren't clicking through to the ads. I'd love suggestions.
Oh, and unrelated to this post, please visit my brand new photo gallery hosted on Flickr.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
ACLU Launches Nationwide Action Against NSA Snooping on Americans’ Phone Calls
Don't Spy On Me is the message from the ACLU. Follow this link, read the article, and then click the big telephone icon and add your name to the list of pissed-off people who don't think our government should be spying on us. It's illegal, yes, but more importantly it's immoral. Frankly, my phone conversations could be posted to the web and nobody would give a flying shit. However, I resent the fact my phone company has given the information out to begin with. Everyone's pissed off except, apparently, our elected officials who are supposed to do something about it. Don't stand for it. Speak up. Just send an e-mail already.
I don't always agree with the ACLU but this time I do. The Bush administration has been out of line for ages, but now they're just paranoid. If you believe they're just looking for terrorist, you're deluded. They're just like our beloved Mr. Nixon who compiled records on people who disagreed with him. In short, they're looking for us.
I don't always agree with the ACLU but this time I do. The Bush administration has been out of line for ages, but now they're just paranoid. If you believe they're just looking for terrorist, you're deluded. They're just like our beloved Mr. Nixon who compiled records on people who disagreed with him. In short, they're looking for us.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Guy Kawasaki
Hey, I just wanted to give you all a smile and a laugh and a good life lesson. Guy Kawasaki (he the evangelizing author of Macintosh Way) has this on his site. It's his speech to a graduating high school class. It should be required reading. Not only is it amusing, it's damned fine. Have at it.
Guy's a great writer, a brilliant mind, and he deserves all the kudos he gets. And, the best part is he's a Machead just like me. I bet he sometimes secretly gets pissed off at Apple's stupidity just like me too :)
Guy's a great writer, a brilliant mind, and he deserves all the kudos he gets. And, the best part is he's a Machead just like me. I bet he sometimes secretly gets pissed off at Apple's stupidity just like me too :)
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Miami Tops Auto Club List for Rude Drivers
Well I know this will come as a surprise to absolutely nobody who has ever been to Miami, but we're now famous for drivers worse than New York and Boston. Worse? That doesn't even seem possible.
Excerpted from BETH RUCKER of Associated Press on May 16, 2006 3:53 PM EDT
Stressed Miami drivers speed, tailgate and cut off other drivers so frequently that the city earned the title of worst road rage in a survey released Tuesday. Also listed were Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles and Boston among the top five cities for rude driving.
Minneapolis, Nashville, St. Louis, Seattle and Atlanta were rated as the cities with the most courteous drivers, who were less likely to change lanes without signaling or swear at other motorists. No distinct differences were found between male and female drivers.
So, I will not even bother to draw a conclusion from this. These truths are self-evident.Sunday, May 14, 2006
Wow, OJ really didn't do it.
Well, we'll never know for sure. But here's the case:
First, the Dallas Observer, has an article on 4-12-01 explaining some troubling inconsistencies with the case. They've checked all the facts but have not made a formal accusation. Then, over at NNDB they've got a few more details which you should also read.
It make sense that Jason Simpson did it, and the only reason OJ didn't pursue the real killer is that it was his son. It's pretty convincing stuff, especially when you read the 'facts' that aren't all facts. I can't believe I think OJ might be innocent. Ugh.
First, the Dallas Observer, has an article on 4-12-01 explaining some troubling inconsistencies with the case. They've checked all the facts but have not made a formal accusation. Then, over at NNDB they've got a few more details which you should also read.
It make sense that Jason Simpson did it, and the only reason OJ didn't pursue the real killer is that it was his son. It's pretty convincing stuff, especially when you read the 'facts' that aren't all facts. I can't believe I think OJ might be innocent. Ugh.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Avenue "Q" The Review (5-9-06 Wynn Las Vegas)
I've wanted to see Avenue Q since I saw the poster hanging up in New York City. Until now I haven't managed to see it, but I finally got the chance whilst attending the National Hardware Show. Seats were easy to get which explains why it's closing in two weeks. I loved the play, but I agree it's not a "Vegas" play and I'm not sure what they were thinking. This play is too clever and intelligent for Vegas. It is definitely a New York play.
How to describe this show? Dirty Sesame Street. That doesn't quite do it, but I've pointed you in the right direction. You have actors walking around with their hands in a puppet. The puppet sings and talks and as the show goes on, you forget there is a human there in front of your face.
Q has heart. Q has soul. Q has wit. Q has humour. Q is unapologetically tasteless -- if you have ever watched Mind of Mencia, you get the idea. There are a number of strong, show-stopping songs, of which two are stand-outs. Everbody's a Little Bit Racist is not only funny, it's commentary at the same time. And The Internet is For Porn is so funny you will not be able to breathe. There is also the show-stopping It sucks to be Me I think the problem with "Q" is that the weakest song is the one that closes the show. I think that's a real audience turn-off. You want to leave with a strong emotion and not a sense of "oh, that's it?" But despite that it's just a great piece of entertainment and/or satire.
In an odd twist of fate, the lady behind me was born in the same hospital I was. The guy sitting two seats to my left was a doctor from the hospital where I was born. None of us had ever met until we sat down in the theatre. That's just scary.
I highly recommend this play. If you've got a sense of humour, you'll love this play.
You can learn more about "Avenue Q" at their main website at: http://www.avenueq.com/
How to describe this show? Dirty Sesame Street. That doesn't quite do it, but I've pointed you in the right direction. You have actors walking around with their hands in a puppet. The puppet sings and talks and as the show goes on, you forget there is a human there in front of your face.
Q has heart. Q has soul. Q has wit. Q has humour. Q is unapologetically tasteless -- if you have ever watched Mind of Mencia, you get the idea. There are a number of strong, show-stopping songs, of which two are stand-outs. Everbody's a Little Bit Racist is not only funny, it's commentary at the same time. And The Internet is For Porn is so funny you will not be able to breathe. There is also the show-stopping It sucks to be Me I think the problem with "Q" is that the weakest song is the one that closes the show. I think that's a real audience turn-off. You want to leave with a strong emotion and not a sense of "oh, that's it?" But despite that it's just a great piece of entertainment and/or satire.
In an odd twist of fate, the lady behind me was born in the same hospital I was. The guy sitting two seats to my left was a doctor from the hospital where I was born. None of us had ever met until we sat down in the theatre. That's just scary.
I highly recommend this play. If you've got a sense of humour, you'll love this play.
You can learn more about "Avenue Q" at their main website at: http://www.avenueq.com/
Monday, May 1, 2006
Reasons some friends suck
This is, in theory, a follow up to an old post: Lost Friends*
Someone asked me what exactly I meant. So let me explain it here. This is probably far too personal to post on-line, but what the fuck. I'm in a mood right now. Maybe I'll delete this after a few days. We'll see.
One day, for whatever reason, you become friends with someone. I don't mean acquaintance, nor do I mean a typical casual friend. I'm talking a full a deep friendship with someone you care about and assumedly cares about you back. Most you probably know what I'm talking about. If you don't, the rest of this post will be pointless to you.
As with all good friends you share all your most intimate details -- both ways, of course: that's what share means in this context. You do things together, you talk, you go places, all the things friends do with each other alone and in groups. And then, suddenly, you never hear from that person again without warning. There are no calls, no e-mails, no IMs, nothing. You call, mail cards via snail-mail, letters (e-mail and snail mail), send IMs, anything in an effort get a reply but nothing. Maybe you get a "I'll call soon when I have time" or some platitude if you're lucky, and because you're a sucker you believe it.
But it's a lie and it stabs you in the heart like a knife. It kills you inside slowly. Years later you still look at the person's website just to get a little taste of his/her life that you are no longer a part of -- and you don't even know why or what happened or anything at all. There, now you can all laugh at some aspect of my life that is truly pathetic. Have fun.
(*In deference to this person I will leave his/her name off this post. Their name is not included in the original post either because even I am not that brave. Maybe I should be.)
Someone asked me what exactly I meant. So let me explain it here. This is probably far too personal to post on-line, but what the fuck. I'm in a mood right now. Maybe I'll delete this after a few days. We'll see.
One day, for whatever reason, you become friends with someone. I don't mean acquaintance, nor do I mean a typical casual friend. I'm talking a full a deep friendship with someone you care about and assumedly cares about you back. Most you probably know what I'm talking about. If you don't, the rest of this post will be pointless to you.
As with all good friends you share all your most intimate details -- both ways, of course: that's what share means in this context. You do things together, you talk, you go places, all the things friends do with each other alone and in groups. And then, suddenly, you never hear from that person again without warning. There are no calls, no e-mails, no IMs, nothing. You call, mail cards via snail-mail, letters (e-mail and snail mail), send IMs, anything in an effort get a reply but nothing. Maybe you get a "I'll call soon when I have time" or some platitude if you're lucky, and because you're a sucker you believe it.
But it's a lie and it stabs you in the heart like a knife. It kills you inside slowly. Years later you still look at the person's website just to get a little taste of his/her life that you are no longer a part of -- and you don't even know why or what happened or anything at all. There, now you can all laugh at some aspect of my life that is truly pathetic. Have fun.
(*In deference to this person I will leave his/her name off this post. Their name is not included in the original post either because even I am not that brave. Maybe I should be.)
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