tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-353965552024-02-03T02:34:19.772-05:00Maul of Americamaul [mawl] -noun 1. a heavy hammer, as for driving stakes or wedges. 2. Archaic. a heavy club or mace. –verb (used with object) 3. to handle or use roughly: 4. to injure by a rough beating, shoving, or the like; Also, mall.Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.comBlogger930125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-63668043581610261352012-11-04T16:30:00.000-05:002012-11-04T16:43:45.150-05:00New Home!Maul of America has moved! The new address is http://maulofamerica.com.Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-33545129656997803272012-11-04T15:30:00.000-05:002012-11-05T23:27:02.567-05:00Smartsourcing - Event Management SoftwareThe term “outsourcing” has taken on a negative connotation which often evokes images of domestic jobs being shipped to other countries. BUT, this is can be a misplaced pejorative if used as a broad brush to painting across a wide spectrum of business activities. In fact, it often makes sense for companies to outsource some initiatives when that company is not set up to effectively andMatt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-40779268805474419292012-04-22T16:30:00.000-04:002012-04-26T20:52:23.485-04:00SEO Toronto: The Face of Change
On 9th Sphere's blog (SEO Toronto), there’s an interesting posting by Lorne Fade about Facebook's much discussed (and debated) "Timeline" format. Since the day news of the new format was announced, I've heard a variety of emotions expressed by the Facebook user community. Many users jumped at the chance to update the “look” of their profile. Others took time to updateMatt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-80683895271870085962011-08-30T10:41:00.002-04:002011-08-30T10:44:19.183-04:00A Swing and a MissOnce again, I struck out in The New Yorker's 298th "Cartoon Caption Contest."
But I still like mine best:
"François, we're going to need another one of your fabulous sacrifice bundts."
The finalists:
"O.K., we learned a lot this game, including you can't rush a soufflé." - I don't really see the baseball connection
"First base wants to know if you have anything gluten-free." - Meh.
Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-85352580127732772782011-07-01T11:17:00.004-04:002011-07-01T11:22:50.470-04:00Drinking Problem
An Open Letter to the Production Staff at Red Eye:
Hey Greg (and Friends),
I have no doubt that the bean counters at Fox News bean are reluctant to spend a lot on your excellent show because it's broadcast at 3:00 a.m. So, it's understandable (even admirable) that the RedEye production staff takes it upon themselves to purchase set props, such as the plastic water cups, at local retailers Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-56821256099127546502011-06-27T09:43:00.012-04:002011-06-27T11:40:47.155-04:00You Can't Please EveryoneWow. I received a scathing comment from a guy named Benjamin in Florida (according to the New Yorker website) to something I posted OVER A YEAR AGO who must be suffering from membrana (that's Latin for "thin skin")!
A finalist for the 192nd New Yorker "Cartoon Caption" contest from May 2009 (YES, fucking May 2009), Benjamin took issue with the fact that I didn't LOVE his entry (Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-72730122805570046342011-05-09T12:10:00.007-04:002011-05-10T07:39:31.703-04:00The Politics of ChotskyAlmost predictably, whenever news of major import breaks, ancillary stories about entrepreneurs cashing in with t-shirts seems to follow close behind. Such was the case of Maurice Harary, a 23 year old business student out of New York, who reportedly sold 120 thousand dollars (or more) worth of "Osama is dead" themed apparel (at Osamadeadtees.com). He struck while the Internet iron Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-17761987895658338942011-05-06T06:29:00.001-04:002011-05-06T06:30:27.345-04:00It Depends On What Your Definition of "Is" IsFun with Google Autocomplete. Typing in "is" generated this roster of eclectic choices.
Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-39345931311072662482011-05-05T23:49:00.005-04:002011-05-06T09:58:53.783-04:00Tense SituationIn case anyone is curious about what the people in the now famous Situation Room photo were REALLY thinking:
Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-84223287473788099822011-04-25T03:29:00.001-04:002011-04-25T08:25:07.902-04:00First Impressions: 1,001 Online Dates
As someone who hasn’t been on a “first date” in over a quarter of a century, I’m well out of the loop in understanding how people currently engage in this age-old social ritual. So, my excessive display of surprise when recently told by an old high school friend that he met his wife through a web dating service was borne out of honest ignorance. In fact, Online Dating Magazine estimates that 20 Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-60965670812447693262011-04-24T07:30:00.001-04:002011-04-24T07:30:00.766-04:00Special Easter Movie Review: The Good, The Bad, and the UglyI've always had a genuine interest in ostensibly "non-religious" films that evoke Christian imagery and yet tell a conventional story. Often, these are more insightful and less melodramatic than movies specifically about Jesus.
One of the most obvious examples is The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). Klautu, the alien visitor with an important message for humanity, takes on the name of "Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-28191722382457348772011-04-18T09:34:00.000-04:002011-04-18T09:34:11.243-04:00Cold Calling: A Single Man2009's A Single Man depicts the pivotal events that take place in the life of the title character on November 30, 1962. Colin Firth is excellent as an English professor, George Falconer, who is going through a severe depression after the death of his partner, Jim (Matthew Goode), eight months previously.
Through Falconer, the film explores the depths of emotions faced by individuals who Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-62629861704516283432010-11-05T11:42:00.001-04:002010-11-05T14:34:43.008-04:00Brick, Click and MortarCasey Chan at Gizmodo describes a curious practice in New York that manages to infuse viral networking with the nervous anticipation of glory holes. ("glory hubs?")Why Is There a USB Drive Sticking Out of This Wall?Across New York, there are USB drives embedded in walls, buildings and curbs. The idea is to create an anonymous, offline file-sharing network in public space. The drives are Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-19877741926064052992010-11-05T00:09:00.003-04:002010-11-05T00:13:43.211-04:00Peace Rally?Question: Which Washington, D.C. rally featured a religious extremist who once advocated the murder of an author and acts of violence against women?a) Glenn Beck's "Rally to Restore America"b) Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert's "Rally to Restore Sanity and/ or Fear"Answer: b. Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) supported the fatwa against Salmon Rusdie and defended the practice of stoning women for adultry.Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-2085819054281698542010-11-04T17:58:00.002-04:002010-11-04T18:02:49.876-04:00Shark JumpingIn a Sept. 3 Los Angeles Times article, Fred Fox Jr., the writer of the infamous Happy Days episode where Fonzie jumps over a netted section of ocean containing a shark and inspired the "jump the shark" meme, addresses his dubious claim to fame in pop culture history.Was the "Hollywood 3" episode of Happy Days deserving of its fate?No, it wasn't. All successful shows eventually start to decline, Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-48764899258277786822010-11-02T11:55:00.005-04:002010-11-02T12:02:11.770-04:00Vox PopInteresting polling analysis from James Pethokouk at Reuters.It's certainly fair game to argue about which economic and tax policy approaches work best. But those who would characterize the people currently disenchanted with the president and Congress as simply angry and self-deluded seem, to me, mostly angry and self-deluded.A "few observations" from Pethokouk:Americans don’t blame Obama for theMatt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-48561433083286390342010-10-19T14:15:00.001-04:002010-10-19T14:15:00.145-04:00Natural Selection (Mad Men 413)A scene about half-way through "Tommorrowland," Mad Men's Season 4 finale, pointedly shows Bobby and Sally, on their California trip, having a heated "debate" in a restaurant about evolution. As with most spats between young siblings, things get heated and Sally knocks over her milkshake. At that moment, observing her calm response to the strawberry mess, Don seems to cement his choice of Megan Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-84975978066315185352010-10-17T09:49:00.004-04:002010-10-17T09:54:06.319-04:00A New Way For Apps to CrashOh yeah, this is a great idea. In fact, they should just project the driver's Facebook page RIGHT on their windsheild.From The Detroit News: GM moves on with in-car Facebook appFeds slam driving distraction, but firms say technology is legal, safeGeneral Motors Co. still plans to roll out its new OnStar feature that allows drivers to listen to Facebook messages and update their status, despite Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-85895788931945398372010-10-15T17:02:00.004-04:002010-10-15T17:10:52.191-04:00New Brand FAILThe "Screenshot of the Week" is of Kieth Olbermann leaning backward in one of MSNBC's "Lean Forward" ads. The perennial cable news ratings loser calls their new re-branding effort the "biggest campaign in network history". (h/t Jon Stewart @The Daily Show)Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-73109677325186022992010-10-12T12:02:00.000-04:002010-10-12T12:04:00.233-04:00Potpourri (Mad Men 412)I had planned to post about the plethora of numbers which were thrown into "Blowing Smoke." But as that's already been discussed in the comments for Deb's post from yesterday, I decided to change directions a bit. The result is this collection of eclectic observations.Full Post at Basket of Kisses...Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-11627366922598653092010-10-11T16:11:00.003-04:002010-10-11T16:19:57.259-04:00Binary Day: Part 000010Today's date is 101110 (binary for 46). Yesterday's date was 101010 (binary for 42). Coincidentally, 42 years ago saw the release of 2001: A Space Odyssey.So, to honor an event that won't happen for another 100 years, here's the scene from that film where Dave turns the HAL 9000 computer OFF (another great "binary" moment).Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-14500137243014696202010-10-08T12:17:00.004-04:002010-10-08T12:26:57.640-04:00A Taxing ProspectThe "Screenshot of the Week" comes from an October 7th Wall St. Journal article titled: "Delays to Tax Tables May Dent Paychecks." Basically, even though Congress could take time to hear Steven Colbert's "testimony" on illegal workers, the whistle blew before a vote on extending tax cuts could happpen. As the article points outs, this affects MORE than just the "rich."Treasury officials' most Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-50120382956104843472010-10-08T11:55:00.002-04:002010-10-08T11:55:00.526-04:00Latex Free (Mad Men 411)Peggy's relationship with Abe Drexler marks a point of personal growth on her part which is conveyed through her work on the Playtex account. Whether it be Pete Campbell, Duck Phillips, or Mark Kerney, Peggy's past involvement with men has been characterized by a noticeable level of detachment on her part. For a variety of reasons, something has always kept her from being, as Megan might say, Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-17197873842902851092010-10-07T09:15:00.004-04:002010-10-07T09:23:00.579-04:00Original G: (Spartacus)Today marks the 50th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus. The 1960 epic set in ancient Rome boasts an all-star cast led by Kirk Douglas and includes: Tony Curtis, Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, Jean Simmons and John Gavin. Kubrick was called in to direct replacing Anthony Mann when creative differences with Douglas (who also was producing) caused him to be removed from Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35396555.post-22674947684102000952010-10-05T15:00:00.003-04:002010-10-05T15:16:00.412-04:00Closing Time (Mad Men 411)Because I teach business courses part-time, I often watch Mad Men and imagine how I'd apply marketing concepts discussed in class to a particular episode. It's been difficult to do this in Season 4. At the risk of splitting hairs, Mad Men takes place in an ad agency, but it's not necessarily about an ad agency. Certainly, the writers do their homework and Men Men gets the advertising stuff more Matt Maulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12786715057322458327noreply@blogger.com0