iSnack 2.0: All Publicity Is Good Publicity

It really is*. Would love to see the Kraft spreadsheet that shows how much sales have increased since they announced the name.

*Unless a batch of iSnack 2.0 was found to have, say, live fire ants wielding razor blades and discarded syringes. Brand awareness isn't everything.

The Fix Is In

This American Life is a radio program. Wikipedia will give you the facts, but I can offer the opinion: it's consistently excellent. If you're a fan of radio journalism, listen. Every week is a masterclass. In fact, ArtBabe Jessica Abel did a comic about TAL that is a masterclass.

Last week, they replayed a show from 2000 entitled The Fix Is In. Eschewing their usual format of telling several stories around a central theme, they focus on the one told by Kurt Eichenwald in his book The Informant, which describes an FBI investigation of a price-fixing scandal. They interview all the principal subjects, including the enigmatic Mark Whitacre. It's an absolutely fascinating dissection of white collar crime, with some surprising twists. It's made me want to see the film adaptation which comes out later this year. Apparently they're playing it as a black comedy, which, after you hear this documentary, sounds like it could be an inspired decision.

How much are you paying for milk?