“Broken Windows” applies to business the theories on controlling crime
that were put forth by professors James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling
and applied, most notably, in New York by Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Police
Commissioner William Bratton, who is now L.A.’s police chief. Levine
paints a convincing picture that businesses need to pay attention to
those areas where they intersect with their consumers — first impressions
matter, as do all the details that make up that first impression: the
business representatives the consumer interfaces with, their attitude,
the environment where that intersection takes place (store, Web site,
phone conversation). All the small details contribute to whether the
consumer will conclude a sale and continue to do business with one vendor
over another. The book is about “how the smallest remedies reap the
biggest rewards.”
On your article on Michael Levine, you left out his most obvious trait
-- plagiarist. Everything he's ever written has been stolen from another
source. As an example, here is an article from today from his "E-Lert"
newsletter:
MEDIA EXPERT DECLARES OLYMPICS NO MEDAL WINNER FOR NBC RATINGS: NBC's
Winter Olympics coverage is far from over, but advertisers are already
grumbling about the less-than-stellar ratings according to media expert
and author Michael Levine. The numbers are disappointing enough that
advertisers and their agencies are starting to mouth "makegoods."
These are calls for additional commercial spots to cover ratings shortfalls.
Levine noted there is still some possibility for ratings redemption
because "one of the most popular events -- women's figure skating,
albeit absent media-darling Michelle Kwan -- doesn't start until next
week."
And this is from today's New York Post:
OLYMPICS NO MEDAL WINNER FOR NBC RATINGS NBC's Winter Olympics coverage
is far from over, but advertisers are already grumbling about the
less-than-stellar ratings. The numbers are disappointing enough that
advertisers and their agencies are starting to mouth "makegoods."
These are calls for additional commercial spots to cover ratings shortfalls.
NBC insists it's too early for advertisers to have their hands so
greatly outstretched, as the 17-day sports extravaganza only began
last Friday. And one of the most popular events — women's figure skating,
albeit absent media-darling Michelle Kwan — doesn't start until next
week.
Mr. Levine has never written or spoken an original thought -- or even
original word -- in his life. Check to see how many times he's been
sued for it... Please do more research before you promote people as
examples of Jews to be proud of.
Today's Michael Levine E-lert Newslatter:
*LBN-QUOTE: Emotions often influence why people choose their political
affiliations, and that partisans stubbornly discount any information
that challenges their preexisting beliefs. When presented with negative
information about the candidates they liked, partisans of all stripes
found ways to discount it.-----Michael Levine
And from The Washington Post:
Study Ties Political Leanings to Hidden Biases
By Shankar Vedantam Washington Post Staff Writer
...Studies presented at the conference, for example, produced evidence
that emotions and implicit assumptions often influence why people
choose their political affiliations, and that partisans stubbornly
discount any information that challenges their preexisting beliefs.
When presented with negative information about the candidates they
liked, partisans of all stripes found ways to discount it, [Emory
University psychologist Drew] Westen said.
Brylboy writes on the Jewish Journal forum:
I am not Jewish, but I did used to work for Levine in his office several
years ago, and I can attest to everything Kenny said in his post - Michael
Levine is a low life plaigirist who goes online every morning, cuts
and pastes articles from major publications (i.e. NY Post, NY Times,
Variety.com, Hollywood Reporter.com, LA Times, the list goes on...)
and sends them to his 'assistant' telling him or her to post these thoughts
as his own and replace the original author's name with 'Media Expert
and Best-Selling Author Michael Levine'. Media Expert???? If he knew
even ONE THING about media, he would know that people actually get their
news from more than one source...so if one of the millions who has read
the above publications on a daily basis ever came across Levine's "E-Lert",
would recognize instantly that Levine was not the original author.
The revolving door at Levine's office has been in heavy rotation of
young people who have come and gone after seeing what a thief this man
is....he attempts to liken his shoddy organization to an agency "mail
room" where young people come in and are shocked to see how appalling
his "work" is, only to be told 'if you want to work in the entertainment
business, then you have to play the game...'. Unbelievable.
Levine is an embarassment, not only to the Jewish community, but to
the entire world of entertainment and media. Sure it's a tricky business
and there are some phonies out there, but Levine is the lowest of the
low...I happen to work at an upscale boutique hotel where Levine meets
potential clients so as to keep them away from his office which is probably
a disgrace and a half...one of our restaurant managers was telling me
that he once refused to pay a $4.50 tab (Big Spender, I know), citing
"all I have is a $100 bill, can't I just pay you later?" It took her
almost a month to track him down just to pay up his tab...the staff
also plays 'rock/paper/scissors' everytime he comes in to see who gets
stuck waiting on him while he sits there for hours and only orders tap
water...
Michael Levine, who used to be needled monthly in the old Spy magazine
as the quintessential Hollywood flack, got mad at me a couple of years
ago for describing him on this blog as the Sidney Falco-like Michael
Levine.
...Tall, with silvery blond hair, the stepson of gossip columnist Marilyn
Beck, Levine cultivates the slick demeanor of a Hollywood man-about-town.
He's generally seen at social events with a different babelike young
actress. Once one of these girls got a little overexcited and started
prattling loudly in my direction about "Generation X articles" and how
"we should have coffee some time!"
"I must apologize for my date," Levine said later. "I was going for
the visual."
...[H]e was thinking of volunteering to be a Jewish Big Brother.
"That's really nice!" I said.
"But the thing is," he added, "I'd rather be a Big Brother to a girl."