Archive for the 'about this blog' Category

Giving thanks to Artists and Organizations

Published on November 21, 2012 in about this blog, business, design and film. 2 Comments

So many artists and organizations are out there doing interesting things, but it takes more than a cursory glance at their work to appreciate fully what they have to contribute. In today’s busy world, not everyone has time to do that on their own, and thus many artists and innovators go unappreciated. Fortunately for you, noble reader, the nsavides blog is here to help.

Below are links to a few of the artists and organizations I’ve profiled on the nsavides blog, arranged from newest to oldest. I hope you’ll find something of interest, someone for whom you can give thanks. On that note, I wish you and your loved ones a warm and festive Thanksgiving. Cheers!

 

1. Martin Scorsese

The iconic NY director is known for his gangster films, but he also has a spiritual side that you might have missed: http://blog.nsavides.com/2012/11/02/scorsese-new-yorker-cinemas-dostoyevsky

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2. Zappos

This online shoe company has developed a legendary service reputation. Here’s what happened when I decided to find out for myself if their service lives up to the hype:

http://blog.nsavides.com/2012/06/06/zappos-happiness-in-a-hopeless-place-a-love-story

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3. John Ford

The man who turned the Western into a well respected art form around the world was also a great American. Here’s why: http://blog.nsavides.com/2012/03/04/john-ford-tough-guy-filmmaker-american

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4. Will Eisner

The godfather of today’s graphic novels showed us that comic books can be more than children’s books: http://blog.nsavides.com/2011/12/01/will-eisner-graphic-novel-godfather-dreamer

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5. J.K. Rowling

Why the Harry Potter series is better and has more depth than “adult” novels from critically acclaimed writers like Philip Roth: http://blog.nsavides.com/2011/10/29/spooky-goodness-of-harry-potter

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6. George Stevens

This director of classic films like Swing Time, Shane, Giant, A Place in the Sun, and The Greatest Story Ever Told is not widely considered to be one of the world’s greatest directors. Here’s why he should be:

http://blog.nsavides.com/2011/05/03/the-fight-to-canonize-director-george-stevens

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7. Cameron Crowe
This esteemed director behind films like Say Anything, Almost Famous, and Jerry Maguire makes being optimistic look cool again: http://blog.nsavides.com/2010/12/23/rock__roll_warrior_for_optimism

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8.  Small Giants

In this seminal business book, Inc. editor Bo Burlingham makes the case that successful businesses can also be soulful and considerate: http://blog.nsavides.com/2010/07/06/small-giants

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9. Pixar

Pixar is the only movie studio in the United States that has a 100% track record of producing hits. This might have something to do with it:

http://blog.nsavides.com/2010/04/11/an-ode-to-the-super-genius-of-pixar

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10. Target

The company shows us how to have good taste without being snobby about it: http://blog.nsavides.com/2008/11/08/why-target-doesnt-feel-corporate

The nsavides Blog: The Year that was 2011

Published on December 29, 2011 in about this blog. 2 Comments Tags: , .

 

Photo credit: ewpn2000

 

Hi everyone, I hope you all are enjoying the holidays with friends and family. I’m excited about some of the stories I have planned for 2012, but before the New Year comes, I thought I’d take a moment to highlight the stories I wrote this past year.

I spend a little longer writing each post than the typical blogger, so there aren’t as many posts, but I am proud of the ground I covered. Maybe you missed a story or maybe you just want to revisit a story that you enjoyed. In any case, I hope you’ll find something of interest in the list below.

 

Starting in January, these are the stories I wrote in 2011:

What’s the *#@#*$! big deal about $%*@#*! swearing?: Some people get upset even by the mildest forms of profanity. Others swear all the time. Is there a reason to be more mindful about the things we say?

Culture Mini: Stranger than Fiction : A quick write-up on the under-appreciated Will Ferrell film Stranger than Fiction.

Music Videos and Other Miscellaneous Matters: The story behind the “Alone in Space” music video I directed for the band Long Division.

(Mostly) Modest Thoughts on Modern Art: Sometimes a squiggle means so much more. Sometimes it doesn’t.

The Fight to Canonize Director George Stevens: Why the director behind films like Giant, Shane, A Place in the Sun, and Greatest Story Ever Told deserves the recognition of a world-class filmmaker.

Revisiting Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot : Why the classic album from the Flaming Lips is so great.

Renewing our Cities by Renewing Each Other : A series of videos I did about how various creative types in Hampton Roads, Virginia revitalize their communities.

Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged: A Tribute: Literature that showcases positive business characters is so rare. Here’s why we need more of those kinds of books.

The Spooky Goodness of Harry Potter: A Tribute: What is it about the series that makes it so magical? Are the snobbish critics right about its supposed frivolous nature?

Will Eisner: Graphic Novel Godfather, Dreamer: A look at the artist and storyteller who transformed the comics business and made graphic novels respectable.

Israel, Where Rockets Turn to Roses: The nation of Israel gets a bad rap now and in years past. Some thoughts on why it is a special gift to world, worth defending.

 

Photo credit: ms.Tea

 

Whatever comes in the year ahead, I pray that we will all enjoy the exploration of it together. Happy 2012, ladies and gentlemen! 

It takes me a little longer to write the kinds of posts I prefer to write, and sometimes my schedule gets complicated, so I can’t promise to have new posts available on a consistent schedule. That’s why I encourage you to sign up by email. You can do that by clicking here.

If you’re following along by  email, you’ll know right away when I have a new post waiting for you.  It is very easy to unsubscribe, and you won’t receive anything unrelated to my blog.

As always, thanks for reading and God bless.