Month: June 2010

Last week, before Jack McDonald died, he told his son, Toronto Blue Jays utility infielder John McDonald (14 home runs in a 12 year professional career), to hit a home run for him when he went back to the team. “They’re not that easy to hit,” John said.

John rejoined his team and got his first at-bat in the ninth inning this past Sunday. Father’s Day.

Companies frequently abbreviate their names in order to present a more generic, less nationalistic face to consumers around the world. It’s AT&T, not American Telegraph & Telephone. Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation presents itself to banking customers in Washington, D.C., as HSBC. Swapping specific city and country names for generic abbreviations makes sense for globe-trotting companies. Even in an age of globalization, nationalism can be a powerful influence on consumer behavior. And in times of crisis, national biases can come to the fore quickly—and harshly.

North Korea picked the wrong moment to allow its people to see a bit more of the outside world. The authoritarian regime was so proud of its soccer team in the World Cup that it allowed an unprecedented live broadcast back home of the match against Portugal — a rarity for the communist nation that normally exerts strict control over the media. What ensued was a different sort of history: North Koreans, used to seeing only positive news about their reclusive country, watched as their soccer team received the worst drubbing so far in this year’s tournament and was prevented from advancing to the next round. As the 7-0 loss to Portugal concluded, the North Koreans quickly halted Monday’s coverage.

I just hope that there are no consequences for the players when they get home…