To update the previous posting, I found more reactions to the election of “the Alpha and the Obama” that deserve a little more attention. (Truth be told, I’ve been meaning to post this for over a week now.)
Remember the ‘Wassup Guys’ from 1999-2002? Well, turns out their lives have persisted over the past 6 years. Let’s check in with them:
In Antiqua, the Prime Minister hopes to rename its highest peak 'Mount Obama'. Yes Antiqua, an Island so important it was actually mentioned in that Beach Boys song about the Caribbean. Can you imagine?
There is actually a campaign to make this happen. Sorry Reaganites, I guess you’ll have to settle for the x note (ahem, I mean the coin)
On a more serious note, the day after the election gun sales soared throughout the US, especially in gun stores selling assault weapons. These ‘Obama Gun Sales’ may have been intended urge licensed citizens to buy a gun before the Democrat takes away their right, but had the added effect of linking people with shooting the newly elected President. When will people learn? When reached for comment about sales, Jody White, a gun shop employee, remarked, “Sales are ok, we’d be doing better if we sold the assault riffles.”
Finally, the time-honored tradition after every election: moving to Canada.
Your Words Thomas L. Friedman:
"In China today, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America today, Britney Spears is Britney Spears - and that is our problem...the world is flat."
"Remember, what was Detroit’s plan two years ago when they, when they confronted this problem? It was to subsidize gasoline at a $1.99 a gallon if you bought a Hummer or Suburban or a big truck–that was their idea of innovation. So, you know, it was like a crack dealer offering subsidized crack rather than, you know, going to a clinic to get–to get off the drug...Where was [Congress'] outrage two years ago, OK, about getting them to be more innovative, to getting them on top of the energy efficiency question? They have been enabling the destruction of this industry. So show me a plan. Show me a plan that says if we give you this $25 billion you’re actually going to change. Absent that–remember, Tom [Brokaw], we’re going to charge this $25 billion on our kids’ Visa cards. This goes on our kids’ Visa cards, and we have a moral obligation to make sure this is spent wisely." On Meet the Press, 16 Nov
A lot of youts wonder what it is I do to earn my daily bread. In time, I hope to answer these questions. Today, I received a package in the mail at work shipped from London. In it, contained 5 copies of the 17-November issue of TIME magazine. One of our ads if featured in this issue and TIME was kind enough to ship me a few copies for my records. It is common practice for a paid advertiser to have copies of the magazine given to them by the publisher.
Right now you are saying to yourself, “Billy’s company paid for an ad in TIME magazine right after the US election. That’s swell.” Well, you are right to a degree but you neglect the full story:
I struck a deal with TIME magazine to allow us to advertise in their publication and online in exchange for brand exposure at our event in February. In order to meet a certain deadline, I needed our ad to run in mid-November for maximum effect. I chose this particular issue because it was the first worldwide issue released after the US election – I had a feeling this issue would sell well for its historical implications. Indeed, it was a ‘Commemorative Issue’:
Moreover, we were GIVEN one of the premium positions in the issue, the inside back cover. Only Andre Agassi, Breguet (expensive watch company), and Chevron received a better placement – suckers had to pay.
To recap, I received an inside back cover placement of my company’s ad in the worldwide issue commemorating Barack Obama as the first African-American elected to the President of the United States all for free.
This reflects only a small, but important, portion of my job. More will be explained in future posts. Note: I cannot confirm if our ad ran in the US versions of TIME, but it did run throughout Europe, Asia, and South Africa.
Your Words Studs Terkel (1912-2008):
"You know, 'power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely'? It's the same with powerlessness. Absolute powerlessness corrupts absolutely. Einstein said everything had changed since the atom was split, except the way we think. We have to think anew."
"I like quoting Einstein. Know why? Because nobody dares contradict you."
"I was born in the year the Titanic sank. The Titanic went down, and I came up. That tells you a little about the fairness of life."
Tuesday, 4 November 2008, became one of the most historic nights in American history especially pertaining to equality in America (Proposition 8 not included). One Philly man notes, “Rosa sat so Martin could walk so Barack could run.” While Jon Stewart on election night succinctly said “there are few countries that live up to their creed…that all men are created equal and tonight America has proven itself on a world stage as a show country not a tell country.”
I received congratulatory messages from friends and colleagues in Germany, Spain, Hong Kong, Ireland, and the UK. Clearly, the world has rediscovered its love for America.
Considering the flood of worldwide reaction and bold campaign promises, a lot is expected of Obama. In this spirit, I have wrangled some of the odd responses from around the world and across the country:
Kenya: More than half of the babies born on 5 November were given the names of either Barack or Michelle
"There were times when I thought I couldn't last for long But now I think I'm able to carry on It's been a long, been a long time coming But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will"
