Are we this good or is Time just that predictable? On October 9, the day Google announced its acquisition of YouTube, we wrote:
[I]t’s only been about 10 months since Time Magazine declined to choose an individual for its much-devalued Person of the Year award, so it only stands to reason they’re back in the hunt. It’s also been nearly a decade since Time named someone (or thing) from the tech industry — Jeff Bezos in 1999 — and more than 20 years since they named the PC its “Machine of the Year.” Also, it’s not an election year, so it won’t be the winner of the presidential election. It’s time for another gimmick!
At left, our Photoshopped prediction from two months ago. At right, Time Warner’s actual latest cover, announced this weekend:
Although Blog P.I. doesn’t make prognostications a regular part of what we do, we have made a few good calls — Not Paul Begala told you here first that Jon Tester wasn’t getting an Appropriations seat, and again relying upon this year’s breakout phenomenon, we did start talking about the “YouTube election” well ahead of most.
But if we can’t even pick a fantasy football team that makes the playoffs, we’re not going to stake our rep on predicting the future. So the answer is yes, they really are that predictable.
At least they spelled my name right.
The MSM is getting very desparate. Examples: TIME and others have been starting unordered mailings of their magazines and then sending an invoice. Last nite (Saturday 12.16) a student appeared at our door selling subscriptions to the Minneapolis Star Tribune to raise money. Same day our property tax statement arrived noting an increase to pay for new education programs. The Star Tribune supports ANY tax increase but obviously knows little about marketing or timing.
Then there is cable TV…ever notice that the liberal “news” channels (e.g. CNN) are included in the basic charge for cable but you pay extra for extended service to include FOX News…and yet, FOX has a larger audience.
When do I get to give my acceptance speech?
Can “Carbon Rod” be far behind?
Well, fantasy football is based in reality, so it will always be hard to predict. You done good defining the formulaic Time Magazine, which is rooted in pop-culture more than hard news anymore. Which means next year’s winner is likely to be some goofy celebrity’s mouse-catcher peeking out to the delight of the paparazzi and the 13 year old boys running the rightwing blogosphere.
It’s about Time. :-)
This blog posting proves what an anachronistic dinosaur that TIME Magazine really is.
The best part is that your version of the TIME cover is so much better than the actual cover!
And I wonder how many expensive man-hours they wasted to think up that lame cover?
So it really is all about me. I mean, us.
Well done! Prepare to be rewarded with digg traffic! ;-)
Any predictions for who will win the Superbowl this year? If you can add the coin-toss into the parlay… it would really be worth something. cheers!
You, of course, being anyone who can afford the bucks for the equipment, OS, broadband and an ISP.
I like your cover better.
But, that doesn’t surprise me as we are talking about Time magazine. How sad.
This is plaigiarism, plain and simple. They stole your idea, and owe you at least to give you credit for it. It’s what today’s journalism requires.
Frank Siegler:
“Then there is cable TV…ever notice that the liberal “news” channels (e.g. CNN) are included in the basic charge for cable but you pay extra for extended service to include FOX News…and yet, FOX has a larger audience”
Huh? Where I live (Chicago) Fox News has been part of basic cable for years now. I think that’s true in most cities.
But go ahead, Frank: live in your fantasy world where it’s always 2003 and Bush’s popularity ratings are 70 percent, and Democrats never can win an election, and there is no Daily Show, and the blogs are all right-wing and are conquering the “librul media” etc.
That’s INANTIMATE Carbon Rod to you, bub.
Mr. Beutler:
You’re really not that good. You told me I’d meet a handsome stranger and the guy that mugged me was butt-ugly.
So there.
Hello,
Just wanted to let you know I linked to your blog in my column on CBSNews.com today. Thanks!
If you want to take a look, here’s the link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/12/19/blogophile/main2280226.shtml
Thanks,
Melissa
Your cover is a lot better than the ‘real’ one as well!