Technology is opening up opportunities all around us, all the time.

it is possible to see these changes as doors closing (ask the music and print industries), but do not be fooled: doors are only opening.

Could an American been convinced in 1995 that Blockbuster would be challenged as the movie rental king, falling from the top of it’s market, to hardly relevant, to bankruptcy in the next 10-13 years?

It is amazing to think that not too long ago Netflix was it. Netflix was the top of the movie rental pyramid very recently – renting movies had been revolutionized, thanks to technology, Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings.

Mobile computing devices quickly made the web technology that made Netflix less relevant, and out of nowhere came Redbox.

It is difficult for most people to imagine what will come along next to dethrone Netflix and Redbox. It might be 15 years, or it might be 15 minutes.

The key is to understand new technologies and where they are going. Otherwise new ideas become another person’s catapult and all of the marketing dollars in your war chest cannot keep you from joining Blockbuster on the island of forgotten toys.

Ballard is one of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods. Built to capitalize on the coolest hood in Seattle, this monstrosity of a hotel is almost done. It looks cheap and it does not fit in with the historic buildings that line both sides of this part of Ballard. If those buildings could collapse from shame, they would.

Buildings may not be able to collapse from shame, but coolness can, and does.

24 months from now the developers who are currently trying to make the neigborhood more comfortable for visitors from Bellevue, Mercer Island and Redmond, will be standing around empty streets wondering where everyone went. Meanwhile, their protoges will be in the newest up and coming neighborhood building new hotels and toasting to the good life.

It seems like celebrities are almost anything but intereating these days. I know I can be a cynical old grump when it comes to most things (kids, get the F off my lawn!), but it is not just me. Hollywood is less relate-able/like-able/laugh-

able than ever.

Stars are not even hateable. They are just, “Meh.”

Does a giant billboard with positive messages have any affect at all? Does it make the people that see it change their lives, helping make communities better?

I do not know. But my hinch is, that like with most billboard messages, the only people that feel better are the ones who put it up and can say they accomplished something (anything).

How can you possibly get people to stop and pay attention to your thing?

There are so many other things out there. Should you yell? Should you be the most ridiculous? Should you trick people?

Actually, despite how much the world is supposedly changing, the answer is that same as it has ever been (and it is just as simple and just as singular): Make a dependable thing that people need.

There may be more stuff than ever, but how much of it has value to consumers?

The print industry is dying, if it is not already dead.

Everyone knows this. It is fact.

So, it will not surprise anyone when I point out that Newspapers are doomed. I am not looking for applause or an award with this post. But I do think that my reasoning here is a little bit different than what most folks expect.

Without further ado, let’s add one more item to add to the, “Well, shucks! Looking back on it, doing ________ wasn’t very smart, huh?!” list: Bungling of online Newspapers in their infancy.

Advertisements have been a huge part of Newspapers for years. People are used to seeing ads all over the place while they are trying to read their paper. Shoot, some people even look forward to the flood of ads (and coupons) that arrive with Sunday’s bulging paper.

The next logical step is to make ad revenue a cornerstone of the online paper business, right?

Well, maybe. But also, maybe not.

Print ads in the newspaper never flash, pop up, or get inadvertently clicked – taking you to another page entirely. Print ads might be stupid or pointless to some people, but if they are annoying at all it is a fraction of the amount that online ads test consumer’s patience.

I am tired of getting a pop-up every time I click a story. I am tired of having five ads on a page that get in the way of navigating it. I am tired of in-window pup-ups that come with music and video that ruin everything I was doing.

But most of all, I am tired of businesses (especially those that should have seen it coming and been at the top of the wave) not understanding the internet.

There are some good signs for online papers – The New York Times (which operates a site that is pretty clean and add-free) and other papers have had small successes with subscription systems, for example. But there are far more alarming signs than positive, comforting ones.

To the print industry’s credit, they have not sued their customers. Yet.

On the other hand, perhaps annoying, alienating, and just plane not understanding them (or even taking the time to try)  to the brink of trusting http://www.ihategov.net is crime enough.

What’s the best way to make someone feel special? Make them feel special.

Last summer I purchased the special edition CD of The Heist. Everything about it was for Macklemore’s die-hard fans. It was reading, interesting, and personal to receive and explore.

There are no short cuts. And that isn’t a bad thing.

And what’s one good fast way to make something special? Add the phrase, “Limited edition.”

Of course. Marketing is so easy!

…Pretty soon everything is limited and exclusive and special. And next thing you know, nothing is.

Yesterday at a local AMC theater, I saw this gem of an advertisement. $6 and up for a morning movie. People already think movies are overpriced.

Why would anyone think putting the words, “and up” on this poster was a good idea? How about, “Starting at $6″? Why include language that makes folks think about paying more money?

Come on guys, put a little thought into your marketing. Otherwise, why bother?

I’m usually the biggest hater on Microsoft and most things Windows (lack of innovation is my largest complaint), but I have to give this ad high-marks in the following categories:

Music – I do not know who is responsible for this, but the music in this ad is perfect. It comes on strong, rises when needed, and sets an evolving mood better than 99% off the other ads out there.

Timeliness- This spot fits the current vibe of a large segment of “the cool kids.” I am not one of these kids, but I see them around and they are going to love this ad.

Eye-Candy – This thing looks smooth, clean, and crisp. Microsoft is normally the opposite, so I am impressed doubly in this area.

We’ll see very soon if The Surface is a passable computing device pretty soon, but until then I am happy to applaud this commercial for being anti-Microsoft in all of the best ways.