From 2006 until 2009, many of us enjoyed the Get a Mac television advertisements from Apple Computers. Well, at least those of us who use Macs enjoyed them!

The ads featured cool, casual (relaxed) Justin Long as a Mac and stodgy (dull; uninteresting), stuffy (not open to new ideas) John Hodgman as a PC (a computer that uses Microsoft Windows). Let me give you a couple of samples from the early years, using in part  the descriptions provided by AdWeek:

In one of the first ads, PC is seen rocking out (obviously enjoying himself) to an iPod and praising (saying good things about) iTunes. Mac replies that the rest of the iLife suite (a group of computer applications) works just as well and comes on every Mac. PC gets defensive (acting in a way that shows you think someone is criticizing you) and begins to list the cool apps (applications) that he comes with. Unfortunately he can only think of Calculator and Clock.

In another ad, Mac and PC hold hands to demonstrate (show) their ability to network (connect) with each other. They are joined by a Japanese woman who represents a new digital camera. Mac and the camera speak to each other fluently, but PC, who doesn’t have the proper driver (small app needed to do something), gets confused and can’t communicate.

If you want, you can view all 66 ads at the Adweek website. We Mac users think they’re very funny!

Not too long ago, Hunch.com carried out (did) an unscientific survey (research study) to see if Mac users really were like Long and PC users like Hodgman. You can see the results here in an interesting infographic (information shown as a graphic design).

The survey reinforced (supported) many of the ideas about the people who use Macs and PCs, but it also shed light on (showed, revealed) some interesting differences. Nearly 400,000 responded to (answered) the survey. About 50% identified themselves as PC people and 25% called themselves Mac people.

In general, Mac saw themselves as hip (fashionable), liberal (open to new ideas), verbally-oriented (good with words), more adventurous, and more creative. PC people see themselves as very mainstream (part of the majority in society), conservative (not liking change or new ideas), math-oriented, and less comfortable, in general, with computers and technology.

One of the interesting things is how PC users view (think about) Mac users and vice versa (the opposite: how Mac users view PC users). PC users think Mac users seem trendy (always follow new fashions), shallow (not interested in serious ideas), or pretentious (think they’re more important than they are). On the other hand, Mac users see PC users as being rigid (unwilling to change), conformist (doing the same as everyone else) and boring.

What kind of person are you – Mac or PC? Remember, this is about the kind of person you are, not the kind of computer you use. Take a look a the infographic and see which one you are. Remember, it’s possible for a PC person to use a Mac or a Mac person to use a PC! And, I suppose (think or believe), it’s possible to be a little bit of both.

~Warren Ediger – creator of Successful English, where you can find clear explanations and practical suggestions for better English and something to read during May.

Photograph “I’m Mac user” by Abdulrahman used under Creative Commons license.

Economics is the study of how we produce (make), consume (use), and transfer (give to someone else) various kinds of goods (physical things) and services (actions). In recent years, there have been several books in which economists use the methods of economic analysis to explain the way society (our culture or social structure) works.  The best known of these was the 2005 book, Freakonomics, which tried to explain different aspects of modern culture and living using economics.  (A freak is a strange or unusual person, and the term (word) is usually considered an insult).  Of course, “freakonomics” isn’t a real word in English; it is a new word created from “freak” and “economics.”

Now we have a new book in this same spirit (using this same idea or same approach) called Spousonomics, which tries to understand married people and their relationships through economic analysis. (Your spouse is the person you are married to.) Part of the book includes the results of a national poll (survey; questionnaire) of married couples and their opinions on various topics. Here are some of the results:

• 36% said that having children has brought them closer together, while 7% said it has driven them apart (separated them more).
• 45% agreed with the statement, “There are a few things [about my spouse ] I used to find appealing (attractive; making me like someone more) and now I don’t.”
• 56% said they had gained weight (got fatter) since getting married; 62% said that their spouse had gained weight.
• 57% said that a typical (normal) argument lasts 15 minutes or less; 4% said it lasts more than a day.
• 77% said that the amount of sex they have has diminished (become less and less) as they get older; 76% wish that it would not diminish.
• 35% said that they watch (pay attention to) their spouse’s spending, while 40% said that they don’t watch it.
• 58% had “full confidence” (were very sure) that their spouse would not cheat on them (not have a sexual relationship with someone else).

If you are married, you might want to compare your answers with what U.S. couples reported (said).  My answers are (in order): Not applicable (I can’t answer since I don’t have children), disagree, I’ve gained weight and my wife has lost weight, two hours, none of your business (you have no right to know), never, full confidence.

Finally, my favorite result: 55% said that marriage is more work than they expected before getting married. In other words (to say the same thing another way), 45% of the people were lying.

~Jeff

Photo Credit: Anillos (Rings) by Musoromana, Wikipedia CC

It’s hard to imagine that a song could have a better friend than Ella Fitzgerald! Ella – who died in 1996 – would have celebrated her 94^th birthday on Monday, April 25^th.

Ella, an American jazz singer, is known as the “First Lady (the leading woman in an art or profession) of Song.” She had a remarkable (impressive) career that “spanned (extended across a period of time) 59 years, garnered (collected) 15 Grammys (an important award for musicians) and forever changed the face of (sound or appearance of) jazz,” according to the Brain Pickings website.

Many believe that Ella had the best voice in the history of jazz or, perhaps, any kind of music. And they believe that her ability to interpret (perform in a way to show feeling and meaning) many different kinds of songs is without peer. In other words, no other singer has had the same ability she had. She’s certainly one of the foremost (best or most important) interpreters of the Great American Songbook – the best and most important American songs from the 20^th century, especially from the 1920s to 1960. These are songs that will probably remain (continue to be) popular and be performed by jazz musicians for many years. Sometimes these songs are called “jazz standards.” She received the National Medal of Art from President Ronald Reagan and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the first President Bush.

Ella was born in 1917 and began her singing career in 1934, when she was 17 years old. She sang with Duke Ellington, Count Basie and most of the other important bands (groups of instrumental musicians), but she may be best known for her frequent performances with Louis Armstrong, one of the greatest male jazz singers and trumpet players and my childhood hero (someone you admire). There always seemed to be a little special magic in the air when they performed together.

Ella is also considered (thought) to be one of the greatest scat singers in jazz history. Scat singing is when the singer uses the sound of his or her voice like an instrument, without words. Scat singing is almost always improvised. Improvised music isn’t written; it’s created, or made up, while performing.

Ready to party with Ella? I’ve found several great examples of her music, some of them rare (not often seen or heard):

• One Note Samba – a great example of scat singing from 1969. When she introduces the song, she calls it impromptu, which means not practiced or planned.
• Dream a Little Dream of Me – Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. This recording, the best I could find online, includes a humorous animation (like a cartoon) in which a bird and a cat act out the lyrics (words) of the song. Great music! Funny animation!
• First Lady of Song is a series of short podcasts about Ella Fitzgerald. You’ll hear her sing and listen to modern jazz musicians talk about and perform some of her music.
• Sound to Grow On is a series of American music programs from the Smithsonian Institution on iTunes U. They are hosted (introduced) by Michael Ash. Ash’s father Moses recorded many popular musicians from 1948 until 1986. The program called Jazz is one hour long, and you’ll find a song by Ella – from 1939 – at 37:45 (37 minutes, 45 seconds) into (from the beginning of) the program. I hope you listen to the whole program. You’ll learn a lot about American jazz. It’s especially interesting to me to hear the musicians discuss how they plan to perform some of the songs you’ll hear.

I hope you enjoy Ella as much as I do. I celebrated her birthday on Monday by listening to her music all day while I worked; I loved every minute of it!

~ Warren Ediger – English coach/tutor and creator of Successful English where you can learn how to use audio books to improve your speaking.

Photo of young Ella from the Wikipedia Commons is in the public domain.