Every weekday, PR Daily associate editor Alan Pearcy highlights the day’s most compelling stories and amusing marginalia on the Web in this, #TheDailySpin.

If this is a Halloween joke from the ghost of Steve Jobs, then let me be the first to offer a tip of the witch’s hat. A digitalized series of 1983 audio clips taken at the International Design Conference in Aspen, Col., and recently released by the Center of Design Innovation, feature the voice of the late Apple founder during his now infamous “The Future Isn't What It Used To Be” speech. In the recordings, Jobs offers strikingly accurate predictions of our then future tech industry, including early mentions of portable computers, the Internet, and even WiFi. Listen below:



[Related: Did fifth-graders accurately predict the future of the Internet—in 1995?]

Thank God those predictions were correct, particularly those about the Web. How else would political pundits and Big Bird have berated Mitt Romney and Barack Obama via social media during last night’s first presidential debate? Or more constructively, provided such a timely fact-checking of the candidates squaring off, similar to that which Politico has given us.

[Related: 11 PR observations from the first presidential debate]

However, I’m scared to consider what might develop between President Obama and Gov. Romney by their final debate. As Advertising Age reports, a study shows Romney and Obama have waged the most negative race in recent history.

[Related: Romney’s garbage man trashes him in new Obama ad]

On a positive note, our nation’s beer industry looks to be in much better shape. According to ABC News, craft brewers have helped turn around declining sales blamed on the recession and its effect on key consumers, namely blue-collar males in their 20s.

Meanwhile, quotes are shaping up on sites such as Pinterest, where—when paired with the right image—can bolster a brand’s traffic. “Pinterest is designed to be a visual experience,” said spokesman Barry Schnitt. “We were surprised by the popularity of these quotes.”

The popularity of grabbing a bite with a client is probably as great among PR pros as coffee, so you might want to heed the advice of Kenneth Feinberg who writes on Esquire.com about how to master the art of the business lunch.

I’m not exactly sure of the appeal, but I’ve always found something oddly artistic about drivers’ license plates. Perhaps it’s admiration for what some people are able to communicate in so few characters. Take this collection of license plates from Wired, for instance. It might be geek-inspired, but it’s inspirational nonetheless.

Harry Potter geeks can rest assured that their literary queen has not lost her magic. She may have moved on from Hogwarts, but J.K. Rowling has proved that even when writing for grown-up audiences, she still casts a spell on publishing. Her adult novel, “The Casual Vacancy,” has nabbed the top spot on USA Today’s Best-Sellers list.

Is there something you think we should include in our next edition of #TheDailySpin? Tweet me @iquotesometimes with your suggestions. Thanks in advance.

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