The City and the Sea at the Edge of Night

The City meets the Sea
At the edge of night,
And they speak in low whispers.
The things of which they tell
Would make the mountains blush,
If they only knew.

I came to the water's edge
And overheard them mumbling.
It was an argument I'm sure,
For the City boasted of its vibrancy,
Of how it shone through the mists
Rising from the jagged, glistening rocks,
That scattered over
the ever-reaching beach,
And how a beautiful aura dazzled
Therefore.

And I'm sure that all the Sea
Answered back was;
"Peace,
Beautiful peace."

Food Marketing in the Inner City.

Answers to essay questions in a quiz in Introduction to Marketing class;

What I see here are four ethics questions. They seem easy to answer at first, until you start taking action to resolve the problems. What I see is not a question of right or wrong; it is a question of how to implement the necessary changes.

Question 1 states the problem as being one where the inner city grocery stores are making a profit by selling to its consumers food that is not necessarily healthy for them. First of all, is any packaged food which is sold over the counter really healthy for you? This is a question that has raged ever since I was a kid, and before that. Packaging involves the use of preservatives, which, at best water down the overall quality of the food, and at worst put toxins in our bodies that are harmful. Aside from that, the problem becomes educating the local consumers to the fact that the store now carries quality food. 7-Eleven, Inc. has faced that on a grand scale ever since the 1990s. For one thing, Alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, and candy are high profit items, and are, therefore, the company’s bread and butter. Secondly, 7-Eleven had a reputation for poor quality food, which was brought on by the fact that hot dogs were very often left on the grill rollers too long (among other things). Since 2001, 7-Eleven has been trying to change people’s opinion of the stores by bringing in fresh foods on a daily basis. They are depending heavily on word of mouth to promote this idea (but I judge that this is only moderately successful); yet they still rely on the old standbys of beer, cigarettes, and candy for high profits. Therefore, in answer to the question, the biggest problem is that profitability is the biggest driver for stores, such as those inner city ones, and until they are willing to take a little bit of a loss (and advertise heavily), in order to build a long range reputation for quality, that is the way things will stand.

Question 2 states the fact that food costs more than it does in the suburbs, and wants us to place the ball squarely in the backyards of either the marketers or government and the church. I see a problem here. Primarily the fact that food costs so much in the inner city is directly related to the facts stated in Question 1. If food, as a product, doesn’t move as fast as it ought to, it has to be thrown away. That is because food has a limited shelf life. Therefore the marketer has to swallow whole the cost of the food item, as well as missing out on whatever profit the item would have brought in. Does the marketer have any responsibility to sell quality, healthy food? Sure he does, but it is profit that puts bread on the table. And if we are talking about major retailers like Safeway, Kroger’s, or Albertson’s, then we have to understand that the design of the system means that each individual store supplies its shelves out of the daily profits that store brings in. The corporation gleans off the top, while the individual store does all of the work. Now, as in the case of 7-Eleven, it can become the company’s mission to change the image and supply quality foods to its franchises and outlets; but in order to keep the price low, the company would have to eat the cost of the wasted food product, and that would (and does) eat into their profits.

Well, if the corporation will not lower the price, then maybe we can pass some laws that put a ceiling on the price tags of the food items. The companies would naturally balk at this idea, unless they were reimbursed for this by the government, and that ain’t gonna happen, Charley, because that would mean a tax hike, which the voters won’t go for. In addition, demanding that nonprofit organizations such as churches contribute isn’t likely to happen either, because you can’t force people to give when they don’t want to. Now churches and nonprofits often do establish things like food banks and soup kitchens for the homeless on their own accord, but it shouldn’t be expected of them. Once again, the answer is for the markets to educate the people that they will be carrying quality food that they will want to purchase and eat. This also answers Question 3, which asks if these institutions (government, schools, churches, etc.) should take over the function of getting nutritional food to the poor. The answer, for all of the above reasons, is no, unless, of course, they offer (and are willing) to do it.

Question 4 asks what I would do in this case if I were a grocery store owner. There is one point I haven’t mentioned, and that is that the kind of store that deals in sales of beer, cigarettes, and candy, often attracts what might be called an undesirable element. This element tends to scare away people who might otherwise be interested in buying a better quality food item. Many storeowners are scared to lose this clientele because of the money they spend. In actuality, however, providing better quality food is more likely to attract a better kind of clientele that will spend more money. Once again, this means educating the local consumers as to the fact that you are carrying a better quality of food. Jack-in-the-box suffered greatly from bad press about the quality of their food. In the 1980s, they tried to change their image with the “Food is better at the box” ad campaign. It took time, but they have succeeded to a great degree in the end. Now, if they could only improve their service.

Therefore, the issue isn’t really what is ethically right; it is how to achieve those goals. It takes time, money, and effort; which, translated, means great cost to the company. The company, using Jack-in-the-box as a model, needs to realize that the investment is harsh, but worthwhile in the end.

The Good Guy (A Play)

The Good Guy is a play that I wrote in high school (Homestead High, in the picture), inspired by my friendship with a developmentally challenged (what we used to call “mentally retarded”) boy named John Emanuel. In recent years I updated it, only to find (when I was through) that over 80% of the play was what I had originally written. John and myself are represented by the characters of George and Younger Henry (there is also an older version of the character) in the play, and in this excerpt they are about to meet.


(Lights come up full onstage, as the spotlight on George fades out, and he circles around to the center of the main stage as if he’s walking to class. Hecklers 1, 2 and 3 enter; one from stage right, one from stage left, and one from center. The third one is silent, weaving in between the other actors and making faces and obscene gestures at George.)


1st Heckler: Hey guys! Look over here! Do you see what I see?

2nd Heckler: Yeah, the “Brain!” (They laugh and begin to circle George.) Why don’t we push him and see if he fights back?

(The 3rd Heckler pushes George, who tries to ignore it.)

George: Hey!

1st Heckler (Taunting voice.): Ah! He doesn’t want to fight!

George: Shut up!

2nd Heckler: Hey, listen to the Man! C’mon and fight me, “Brain!” (He clenches fists and assumes mock fight position.) C’mon and fight me!

George (Indignant.): What’s with you?

(Younger Henry enters stage right, carrying textbooks, and overhears this.)

1st Heckler: Hey! Answer this question: what is two times two?

George: Uh . . . Four.

2nd Heckler: Spell “antidisestablishmentarianism!”

George: I can’t!

Younger Henry (starting to run toward the 3 Hecklers ): Hey you! Scram!

(The 3 Hecklers, taken by surprise, run off the stage, and exit through the audience.)

Younger Henry (A bit nervous about meeting George, to himself): Well, here goes nothing! (Crosses to George.) You shouldn’t let them treat you like that!

George (Still a bit shaken): Yeah, I know. But if I try to stop them they beat me up! And I don’t like to fight people!

Younger Henry: It kind of makes you mad, doesn’t it?

George: Yeah.

Younger Henry: If they tease you like that, just ignore them. You shouldn’t have to answer their stupid questions! In fact, don’t!

George: I don’t know why they do that though!

Younger Henry: Well, you really shouldn’t even worry about it. However, I look at it this way; They call you an M.R., but look at them! Look at how they act! They’re jerks! They’re worse than anything that they can call you!

George (Not shaken anymore, but quiet and thoughtful): Yeah, I suppose so. (After a moment:) Have you ever had people treat you like that?

Younger Henry: Yeah. I guess so. At one time.

(George looks at Younger Henry.)

George: What’s your name?

Younger Henry: Henry.

George: Mines’ George. (Pause.) Do you think that you could keep a secret?

Younger Henry: Yeah.

George (backing out): No, I really shouldn’t tell you.

Younger Henry: No, I can keep a secret! Come on and tell me!

George: You might not like me after I say this.

Younger Henry: Hey, try me.

George (hesitating): Wel-ll, promise you won’t laugh at me?

Younger Henry: I promise.

George (squeezing it out in a whisper): I-I have brain damage.

Younger Henry (normal volume): So?

George (surprised): Y-you mean it does not bother you that I have brain damage?

Younger Henry: Why should it?

George: It’s just that sometimes it bothers people.

Younger Henry: It doesn’t bother me. I like all sorts of people. It doesn’t make a difference to me whether they’re like everyone else or not. In fact, I prefer people who don’t fit in with all the rest. They’re more real, you know what I mean? So, why should it matter to me if you’re brain damaged? What is important to me is that you’re a nice person. That’s what matters!

George (smiles): Cool!

(The school bell for class rings.)

George: Well, there’s the bell to go to class! I’ll see you again some other time.

Younger Henry: Yeah, nice meeting you!

TV and Video practicum analyses of "The Mask Of Zorro"

The Mask of Zorro is a film which came out in 1998. It was a property which had been in development for eight years. The property is owned by Zorro Productions, a company owned by John Gertz and his sister Nancy. Their father, Mitchell Gertz had been the agent of author Johnston McCulley who had created the character of Zorro, and had subsequently become owner of all rights regarding the character. Upon his death, the rights passed to his children.

In 1990 the Gertzes started exploring the possibilities of a new feature film involving the character. As is usual in Hollywood, the script was kicked around until it crossed the desk of Steven Spielberg, who happened to be a Zorro fan from way back. At that point, the project was greenlighted. Amblin’ (Steven’s production company) and Zorro Productions would co-produce, and Tri-Star Pictures would distribute a film called The Mask of Zorro.

The story is a mixing of two legends, the legend of Zorro as created by the original author, and the legend of Joaquin Murieta and his brother Alejandro. In the 1820’s Don Diego de la Vega, the alter ego of Zorro, is robbed of his wife (through murder) and child (by kidnapping) by the departing governor of California, Don Montero, and is left to rot in prison. Twenty years pass, and Diego escapes from prison when he learns that Montero is returning to California. At the same time the Murieta brothers, Joaquin and Alejandro, have been parading around like California Robin Hoods, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor, when they are apprehended by a United States calvary officer who has teamed up with Montero, named Captain Love. Alejandro escapes, only to see his brother commit suicide and be beheaded by Captain Love. The story which follows is a passing-of-the-torch story, in which Diego and Alejandro team up to fight Montero and Captain Love, in order to save California. Added into the mix is the fact that Diego’s daughter, Elena, has been raised by Montero into a fine young woman who does not know who her real father is (nor what her supposed father is planning to do), and has fallen for a scruffy bandit, Alejandro, who will become the new Zorro.

As a character which has been around for the better part of a century (the first Zorro story appeared in print in 1919), Zorro brings some baggage with him. Although Antonio Banderas (Alejandro) is the first Hispanic actor to play the part in the movies, the character has come to represent a positive role model to the Hispanic people the world over. Even though this film is purely melodrama, the Gertzes made sure that elements of this were a part of the point of view of this film. This is high adventure, with clear cut heroes (Diego and Alejandro) and a heroine (Elena), as well as clear cut villains (Montero and Captain Love), but all through the picture there is the sense that this is about an entity, Zorro, who is a hero to pre-statehood Californians. This is, indeed, what has always attracted me to the character; he does things simply because he believes in right and wrong, and not because he has deep, dark, psychological underpinnings (such as Batman has been portrayed in recent years). Zorro dresses in his black costume because he is a classic outlaw; meaning that the mask obscures his face so he cannot be recognized, and the color is black because it blends in with the night, and for no other purpose.

As stated, Antonio Banderas starred, along with Sir Anthony Hopkins (Diego), Catherine Zeta Jones (Elena), Stuart Wilson (Montero), and Matthew Letscher (Captain Love). The production crew consisted of Steven Spielberg, Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald (co-executive producers along with John Gertz), Martin Campbell (director), Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio and John Eskow (screenwriters), Phil Meheux (Director of Photography), Cecilia Montiel (Production Designer), Michael Atwell (Art Director), Graciela Mazon (Costume Designer), and James Horner (Composer). Also of note, Bob Anderson, who had started teaching Errol Flynn, and even played Darth Vader in some scenes of the Star Wars movies, was fencing master.

Martin Campbell stated that he wanted the film to look “like one of those big Hollywood epics-with tremendous action, romance, and a lot of fun.” The look of the film, then, is somewhat bright, and full of color, as opposed to the dark, moody look typical of many of today’s action films. The production was filmed in Mexico, according to producer David Foster, because “It was important that the locations reflected the era in which our story is set.” Great expanses of land and several haciendas were what was needed, and Mexico fit the bill. Celia Montiel concentrated on historical accuracy by researching the period heavily (Pictures and paintings of Mexico from the late 1700’s to 1860’s were highly influential). One of her most phenomenal designs was a mine set which you would have thought was a model, but was built full scale, and then had to be blown up. She worked heavily with costume designer Graciela Mazon to create a rich textured look on the screen, using heavy materials. Alejandro as Zorro has an outfit that fits into his environment, which flows with his movement to make it part of the surrounding space.

When Spielberg saw what Campbell had filmed, he proclaimed that he was the best action director that he had seen. Campbell, in the opening scene, in which a crowd is forced to watch an execution (subsequently stopped by Zorro), hoped to evoke the panic and chaos of the fall of Saigon. He did this effectively by intercutting medium shots of the crowd in uproar, with expansive shots of Zorro swinging over the heads of the crowd by his whip. Campbell knows exactly what action the audience wants to see, and the way they want to see it. A prime example is a duel between Alejandro and Elena (referred to by the cast as “sexy swordfight”), which is full of double entendres, light sexual play, and action; which is very satisfying as entertainment. One of the toughest problems in sound editing, incidentally, is matching the sound of swords clashing to the image on the screen. The team received an Academy Award nomination for their work, I believe, as well as for the quality of the sound, too.

The target audience for any action film is the fifteen year old male, but I think the producers also wanted to target audiences that had watched Douglas Fairbanks, Tyrone Power, and Guy Williams. Especially since they had Catherine Zeta Jones playing Elena, this would also mean a heavy female interest that was important to the core popularity of the films dating as far back as Fairbanks. The marketing certainly reflects this, because the final song, “I want to spend my life loving you,” sung by Marc Anthony and Tina Arena, was a big hit.

The marketing has been interesting. There have been no toys associated with the movie (to my surprise), which indicates that they wanted to touch an older audience. As has been mentioned, there have been CDs of the soundtrack available (I believe you still can get them). There was a novelization of the movie (this was followed by a series of juvenile novels which, although featuring Don Diego as Zorro, were definitely spurred on by the movie), posters, and no less than 3 variations of the film on DVD. Definitely look for Blu-ray. I have hanging on my wall two plastic epees, a mask, a hat, and (in my closet) a cape; all of which was marketed as a Halloween costume.

The DVD provides a link to the Zorro Productions online website. Here you can get information about the movie, as well as information about past Zorros. There is some merchandise available here, such as the DVDs (there was a sequel-The Legend of Zorro- which I liked, but it tanked at the box office), books, CDs, and posters. Also, you can rent the film online from Netflix, and can probably download it from there, too.

As far as my personal opinion of the film’s quality and impact, if you haven’t guessed already, I loved it! A Zorro fan’s dream come true! I love the fact that Antonio Banderas, himself, is a fan and says “There is a message here in ‘Zorro’ for the entire Hispanic community. He fought for justice. He fought against poverty. This is an especially important model for kids, especially today, and especially here in Mexico.” He understands that Zorro is a role model, and it shows in his portrayal of the character. He is Zorro!

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