OneFreeVoice

I recently returned from a trip to Japan. I thought one of the more challenging parts of the trip was going to be getting there. Instead, it was more of a challenge getting home.

In the past, I traveled to Japan with my wife, who is Japanese and speaks fluently (it’s her first language). This trip was different. She was already in the country on business, and I had to find my way off the plane, through customs, onto a bus, and checked into the Hotel. I was a bit nervous, but I was confident that I would be okay. There are an abundance of signs and such in alternative languages in Japan. In general, one could almost say the entire country comes subtitled in English. It turns out I was right… the trouble came on the way home. (more…)

Yesterday on All Things Considered (NPR), they aired a segment about the 50 year anniversary of the Roto Rooter jingle. The jingle, which was written and performed by Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers can be found here. The timing (50 years) seems about right. Back then radio jingles were popular, and most popular brands had them. It seems like almost a lost art. These days, corporations and advertising agencies seem content to just pull some old Led Zepplin tune that hasn’t been sold out in a while. Oh… Where have all the Jingles gone? (more…)