Light 'Em Up: Digital Consigliere

"Where'd he go?" "Where'd who gooooooo?" (Top Gun)

2009-03-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

I've moved! Virtually, not literally. Well, I guess literally, but not physically. Hmm.

Anyhoo, I've moved my blog over to my own site, switching to WordPress blogging platform. Which seems to be far superior to Blogger (sadly, Google is beat).

I see what you did here.

2009-03-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

From IMDB.com:

Watchmen: When A Win May Be A Loss

Although it took in $55.2 million at the weekend box-office, the news for Warner Bros.' Watchmen wasn't all that good. After reports came in of heavy pre-opening ticket sales on Internet sites, a theater count of 3,611 and a screen count of about 7,500, analysts had expected it to come close to or even exceed the $71-million opening gross for the previous Zach Snyder fantasy thriller 300. Moreover, sales fell off precipitously on Saturday and Sunday (the movie took in almost half its gross on Friday, including midnight screenings), and some pundits saw the result as an indication that the movie's appeal was limited to young adults who were fans of the graphic novel on which it was based. (Warner Bros. said that 65 percent of the audience was male and 54 percent older than 25.) They predicted that the movie, which some said had cost as much as $200 million to produce, would take a big tumble next weekend.

Whoever thought that Watchmen would pull huge numbers is not bright. Watchmen isn't a comic book that's been around for decades with multiple iterations. It's not a franchise like Superman, Batman, or X-Men. It's one graphic novel. From the 80s. With limited readers. There are no generational ties with Watchmen. At least not to the extent of said comic books.

Trying to compare Watchmen to 300 isn't justified either. Same director, sure, but did movie heads compare Schindler's List to Jurassic Park just because they were directed by Steven? No. While 300 was a technical achievement, Watchmen isn't. There isn't anything groundbreaking in Watchmen; it's just another adaptation.

Also, Watchmen was presented as a superhero tale, very dark, and very violent. I would venture a guess to say the general populace saw the previews and thought, "Hmm. Looks like an X-Men rip-off movie. That's dumb."

Lack of identity with the characters and source material should have been the first clue to the movie heads. Throw in the non-Watchmen movie goers who don't really understand the theme, and you have more non-recommendations.

Logo Fight: Re/Max vs. Rehava

2009-03-10T17:52:00.001-07:00

Um... Re/Max, your logo is ugly. Quit going to court to fix your own problems. And the Rehava.com logo looks absolutely nothing like yours.

No one would ever get the two companies mixed up.

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Logo Fight: Re/Max vs. Rehava

via Neatorama by Alex on 3/10/09

Do the two logos look similar to you? They do, according to the trademark attorneys of Re/Max, a national real estate franchise. They're challenging the trademark application of a real estate startup Rehava, which has a new commission structure that is different than the established culture:

Adam Scoville, Re/Max's legal counsel, said he can explain.

First of all, both names start with "r" and have logos with accent lines near the letter "e," he said.

"It goes beyond that," Scoville added. "If you chop the top off of the 'h,' you (almost) have the 'm' in Re/Max. The next letter is an 'a,' and if you take the 'v' then you have half of an 'x.' "

Steve deGuzman, Rehava's broker-in-charge, said he doesn't buy it. He said the trademark challenge is harassment and a form of corporate bullying that will cost his firm thousands of dollars.

"It's a huge distraction, particularly for a startup and also in this kind of a market," deGuzman said.

He suspects the Colorado-based franchise is challenging the trademarkbecause of Rehava's controversial commission rebates, which some in the industry see as a threat to traditional compensation standards.

Link - via reddit

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From the files of "Huh?"

2009-03-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

There's always time to launch your dream

2009-03-10T09:16:00.001-07:00

Interesting perspective.

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There's always time to launch your dream

via Signal vs. Noise by David on 3/10/09

"I'd love to start a company / become a great programmer / write an awesome blog, but there's just not enough time in the day!" Bullshit. There's always enough time, you're just not spending it right.

Now that's some tough love, but I'm sick and tired of hearing "no time" as an excuse for why you can't be great. It really doesn't take that much time to get started, but it does take wanting it really bad. Most people just doesn't want it bad enough and protect their ego with the excuse of time.

This excuse is particularly depressing when it comes from students. Oh, I have so many classes. Oh, I have so much home work. There's simply no time to learn outside of school. Then you're doing it wrong!

Never let your schooling interfere with your education, someone clever once said. Being willing to sacrifice at the edges is one of the most important skills you'll ever learn.

I've received plenty of Bs and even Cs for classes that I was incredibly proud of because they came from hardly no time spent at all. Time that I could then spend on reading my own curriculum, starting my own projects, and running my own businesses.

And I did. During my undergrad, I created Instiki, Rails, Basecamp, and got on the path to being a partner at 37signals. Do you think I could fit all that and still get straight As and have lots of time left over for playing World of Warcraft? No.

If you want it bad enough, you'll make the time, regardless of your other obligations. Don't let yourself off the hook with excuses. It's too easy and, to be honest, nobody cares on the other side.

It's entirely your responsibility to make your dreams come through.

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The Closest You’ll Ever Get to Being Batman

2009-03-06T15:42:00.001-08:00

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Just visualizing someone wearing that. Oh geez, where's the oxygen?!

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The Closest You’ll Ever Get to Being Batman

via Neatorama by Stacy on 3/3/09

You can actually zip this thing all the way up and then look out of mesh eye holes where Batman's eyes are. I think this is kind of cool as a hoodie, but when you add the face to it, I get creeped out. But if you're ready to go fight crime*, you can spend a mere $75 and be well on your way! The Tumbler will set you back a little more, though.

Link via Geekologie

*Do not actually go fight crime wearing this.

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Every Year Capital One Reopens My Account And XBOX Live Debits Money [Frustr...

2009-03-06T09:59:00.001-08:00

I hate Capital One. The 2-times weekly "Pre-Approved" mailings really get annoying. So would this-

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Every Year Capital One Reopens My Account And XBOX Live Debits Money [Frustrating]

via Consumerist by Meg Marco on 3/6/09

Every year Erick gets a Christmas present from Capital One. They reopen the credit card he closed 4 or 5 years ago. At that point, Microsoft gets into the act and starts billing that account for XBOX Live service he canceled at about the same time.

Erick says:

A long time ago I joined xbox live. I then cancelled xbox live a bit later. Microsoft continues to bill me even though my account is cancelled and they can't even find me in their system. I had paid off and closed my CapitalOne card about 4 or 5 years ago. Every year at Christmas, however, I get a neat present from them. See what they do is re-open my credit account then allow the xbox live payment to go through. Then I have to spend hours on the phone being bounced between customer service and collections and explaining over and over what happened. I finally get in touch with someone who knows what they're doing. I get told "yeah that shouldn't happen". They reverse all the charges and tell me the account will be closed permanently now.

Next Christmas comes along. Wash...Rinse...Repeat.

Well, I was no longer at the job or address that they had on file for me this time. So I've been sent to collections on an unauthorized charge made against an expired card attached to a closed account.

Well excuse me, CapitalOne, for not calling to inform you that I had moved WHEN MY ACCOUNT WITH YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ACTIVE!

This time I'm not messing around. I've sent a certified letters to their president and the attorney general's office for their state. I'm also going to be searching out lawyers if this isn't settled. I'm tired of this game.

Yay! Go Erick! Get 'em! You should also inform the attorney general of your own state, as they represent your interests no matter where the company is located.

(Photo:taberandrew)

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Spelling check isn't right if you're wrong

2009-03-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

Mislead: to lead or guide wrongly; lead astray
Misled: Past tense and past participle of mislead.

In other words, I was misled when the post was misleading in it's title. Misled is what happened; past tense. Read it outloud if you must. Mislead is "lead" as in "leader," or more visually, "leed."

Allen Weiss: What the Young People Say About Social Media

2009-03-02T12:29:00.001-08:00

Peace out!

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Allen Weiss: What the Young People Say About Social Media

via Marketing Profs Daily Fix on 3/2/09

Once upon a time I wrote a weekly column for an online technology magazine. When new Internet technologies and web sites emerged, I was tasked with predicting their fate.

Whenever I said something would take long to adopt (like e-books, for example), I got tons of hate email saying a) I didn't know what I was talking about, and that b) the upcoming generation would look at the technology completely different than we did and readily adopt it. That I didn't know what I was talking about wasn't surprising, but what was curious was this faith that once younger people came along, everything would change.

Well, last week I had the chance to talk to two classes of undergrads at a major university about Internet marketing. After explaining search engine optimization, web analytics, paid search, etc the subject turned to social media. I gave them the typical talk about listening, participating, having a dialog, giving up control, etc, and how social media is a big deal (you know, the standard rap about if you're not on a social networking site, you're not on the internet). Then I showed them the various social networking platforms and asked them which ones they participated in.

Now, just a bit of background here. These are juniors and seniors in a business school. When you look at them, you know these are the kids who aspire to move into the business world very soon.

So, the first class told me that MySpace was considered pretty passé, and they were all on Facebook and almost all on LinkedIn. When I asked about Twitter, however, only 4 (out of 40) in the first class used it.

I immediately posted a tweet about this and heard back from several people. Matt Collier, for example wondered whether many of them had even heard of Twitter (perhaps this was about non-awareness, rather than a disinterest in using this platform).

So, during the second class I asked this question again. It turns out almost everybody had heard of Twitter, but only 1 of 40 was using it. When I asked them why they were so disinterested, they explained they got most of this experience on Facebook and didn't see the value. Frankly, the general comment was "why would anybody waste their time on this?"

When I showed them what TweekDeck looked like, I got almost pained looks and comments about information overload (this from a generation that has grown up with information overload).

Now, some people think that when relationships and business are important, these people will flock to Twitter. Hmm. Business is important to them right now and they are obsessed with finding jobs and building relationships. So, what does this platform mean for their future?

Other people think this is about being "ahead of the curve". But whose curve are we talking about…the curve of people who are in business right now, or the younger generation that isn't living in the land of curves?

As many who heard me talk about this subject know, I have no proverbial dog in this fight. I'm not an evangelist of any platform, just trying to understand what is going on. But one thing I know is that you can't have it both ways. If you believe that looking at younger people give you an idea of what will be popular in the future, then you have to seriously consider what this group of future business people are saying about the technologies they feel are valuable to them.

So, what do you think? Well, it turns out if you're over 20 years old, what you and I think isn't relevant here. But look through a really objective lens (no evangelism, please), and what do you see for the generation about to enter the working world?

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Kansas City Shuffle

2009-02-24T14:47:00.000-08:00

Rolled on over to Truemors and found this misleading snippet:

Eight Years Average Age for Cell Phone in UK

Albeit, it’s not uncommon for a toddler to get a kick out of punching the numbers and imitating Daddy with the phone he manages to grab off the table, but could things be getting a little out of hand when little Noah and Madison have to pick ten friends at the tender age of eight? According to a survey of 1,435 Brits, thirty-five percent of kids have a cell by the age of eight. One of the conclusions of the study was that the buying of ringtones helps kids learn money management skills, though one has to wonder if blowing cash on a cell phone for a kid that age sets a great example of that particular skill. How about deferred gratification and saving for college? Just a thought.

What's misleading? Just the semantics of the headline. Literally, the headline is saying that cell phones in the UK average eight years, as in are used/last for eight years.

The headline should be something more similar to:

Kids- Turn Eight, Get a Cell Phone in UK.
35% of 8 Year-Olds Have Cell Phones in UK
or just a little clarity-
Eight Years Average Age to Get Cell Phone in UK

True, it does seem a big incredulous to believe cell phones are lasting eight years. As far as eight year olds having cell phones, why? How about LEGOs, GI-Joe (now that he's international), or books?

Grasp the obvious.

2009-02-23T16:46:00.000-08:00

I read a little snippet about how to present in a room full of Twittering people. As in your audience you are speaking to spends an extraordinary amount of time Twittering rather than watching you speak.

A lot of good points about why it's useful to have Twittering- people can "be there" virtually, instant commentary, and questions regarding the presentation content can be answered by a mulitude of systems.

From there the article started to go down the path of adopting more systems to enhance communications during a presentation (referred to as backchannel), and so did the comments.

When I was in school it was called raising your hand. Whiskey. Tango. Is that a completely foreign thought here?

If you want more participation from the audience, engage them and allow questions. Make being there worth it. If it was really important for someone to be there, they would be.

Remember: You determine the level of your involvement.

Maybe not quite an atmosphere

2009-02-19T13:22:00.001-08:00

Most people have bubbles. Small ones, large ones, and ones that could encompass small planets. But when everyone is in public spaces, there generally is "accepted public bubble space" (APBS) meaning everyone acknowledges a small space where you do not tread. This APBS shrinks and grows as the environment changes. At a bus stop it grows, but on the bus it shrinks.

Likewise in food establishments where food is prepared in assembly-line fashion (Subway, for example), APBS remains relatively constant within the confines of the establishment.

That means you do not need to follow your ever-precious, made-only-for-me-vegetarian-with-black-beans-bowl all the way to the register when there are obviously orders- meaning people- are before you. When you bump the next customer in a Ray Lewis-like action, it is also acceptable to apologize.

A slight bump is always present, as we forget that there are people around us in a public eatery, and we like to follow our food as it is prepared. It's natural. What isn't natural is the bump and no-arm hug as it becomes obvious the person in front of you is not moving, can't move, and you have to slightly ease back. In your selfishness to enhale whatever concoction you've ordered, you have advanced the line behind you, and they, too, have to back up because they are fully aware of the APBS.

No idea what I'm talking about? Short (9 mins) extreme example.

Bored of Directors

2009-02-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

I was thinking why everyone is so ticked off at businesses today. Then scrolling through my blogroll, Seth Godin wrote this about the music industry. It fits into the puzzle of today's business environment.

Everyone wants to be rich. There are many definitions of rich, mainly some variation of financially independent. However, when those that are rich (CEOs of auto companies or financial institutions, for example) end up driving the business or industry into a tailspin, it negatively affects those who want to be rich. The non-rich lose jobs, cars, homes, etc. That is because the current elite will always have money, regardless of economic situation. Always have, always will. Those trying to make it up the ladder, or even trying to get to a ladder, don't have money to sustain themselves during an economic collapse.

Like the music industry, the labels are focusing on the industry, not the music. Obviously companies are in business to make money, I don't deny that. I argue that companies are focusing more on hording the big green rather than offering products and services people need or want. And companies that fail are because they lacked the leadership to do the right thing. WaMu's Kerry Killinger helped direct WaMu into a premier banking institution. His poor decisions led to the collapse of a terrific story. Where was his board of directors to say no?

I like how companies are ousting CEOs and leadership teams from failing companies. Yet I don't hear of companies replacing the BODs; they seem to be exempt from the problems and have no accountability. Heads of GM and Ford are raking in double-digit million-dollar salaries, and yet both companies have been posting losses. Last time I checked, if I fail to do my job, I get fired.

I've often thought that any publicly-traded company, the CEO's salary cannot be more than 4-6 times the average hourly worker in the company (bonuses based on profits. No profit, no bonus!). So if the average hourly wage $25/hr. ($52,000/yr.), Mr. CEO is limited to $208,000 - $312,000/yr.

That's a simplfied example, but apply the concept to recent events. Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford, has a salary of $2 million. That's 38 times the rate of the average worker, in my example. This doesn't include his bonus in stock, which accounts for over $18 million. In contrast, Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO, pulls in just over $600k/year, with additional bonuses of $300k. And Microsoft actually turns a profit!

Private Jets are Moot

2009-02-12T14:12:00.001-08:00

For any leading businessperson, technology has allowed someone to be truly mobile. You can work anywhere, on anything. And setting up a mobile environment is a heck of a lot cheaper than a private plane.

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Private Jet Manufacturers Annoyed At Backlash, Claim Jets Are Practical [Private Jets]

via Consumerist by Meg Marco on 2/11/09

Did you know that private jets are actually quite practical? We didn't. The Wall Street Journal says that private jet manufacturers are angry at the backlash against private jets and are speaking out to "counter business aircraft misinformation."

From the WSJ:

In a campaign to begin Wednesday, Cessna Aircraft Co. will run an ad that says, "Pity the poor executive who blinks," and gets rid of the company jet. "One thing is certain: true visionaries will continue to fly."
...
"We think it's time the other side of the story be told, and that support be given to those businesses with the good judgment and courage to use business aviation to not only help their businesses survive the current financial crisis, but more quickly forge a path toward an economic upturn," said Jack Pelton, Cessna's chairman and CEO.

Another advertisement (shown below) reads, "Timidity didn't get you this far. Why put it in your business plan now?" (We assume that question is rhetorical.)

The backlash is hurting Cessna where it counts, the company recently laid off 4,500 workers because of the sudden drop in demand. Gulfstream Aerospace's spokesperson also defended the use of private jets.

"Do you really want a major executive to show up three hours late to a big meeting because of flight delays?" said Robert Baugniet, director of corporate communications for General Dynamics Corp.'s Gulfstream Aerospace, which makes some of the higher-end jets.

Cessna Fights Back On Private-Jet Trend [WSJ] (Thanks, Daniel!)
Cessna Launches Campaign to Counter Business Aircraft Misinformation (Press Release)

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Vote Now!

2009-02-12T11:18:00.001-08:00

This is a cool gadget, and I think there are wider applications for a "portable" hand-powered laundry pod. Like in RVs- If you spill BBQ sauce on shirt, you can clean it quickly, instead of waiting until you get home. A little more effort in design could yield a power adapter for automobiles. Your kid has multiple soccer games and the jersey's dirty? Throw it in the laundry pod.

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Greener Gadgets TOP 50 Highlight: The Laundry POD, a portable hand-oporated laundry machine

via Core77 on 2/12/09

For convenience sake, Greener Gadget Top 50 Semi-Finalist Laundry POD, designed by RKS Design Team, combines the salad spinner and the laundry machine, creating a new way to clean our clothes while saving energy at the same time!

While re-engineering and re-designing a salad spinner, we learned resourceful women were buying salad spinners to wash their delicates. This sparked the idea that the salad spinner technology we innovated could be used to create a portable, hand-powered laundry machine that would be far more appropriate for the task, than a salad spinner. The Laundry POD combines innovation and eco-conscious style to save energy, water and answer the need for a quick, easy, eco-friendly way to do small loads.

Like this design? Wanna vote for it or leave a comment? Check out this entry or the entire Greener Gadgets TOP 50 Gallery and help determine the TOP 10 for live judging at the upcoming Greener Gadgets Conference.

>>VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE GREENER GADGET NOW!!<<

(more...)

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The Mark Cuban Stimulus Plan - Open Source Funding

2009-02-10T17:06:00.001-08:00

I wonder how many business plans are going to be the equivalent to:

1. Steal underpants
2. ????
3. Make profit

Oh wait, there's twitter!

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The Mark Cuban Stimulus Plan - Open Source Funding

via blog maverick by markcuban on 2/9/09

Its easy to write about what the government or other people should do with our/their money. It's harder to come up with a course of action that I can undertake on my own that possibly, somehow could make a difference. My first inclination is always to try to look "for the next big thing". But the next big thing is just that, next. Its not now. Its Venture Capital. Its not self funding, renewal capital.

Rather than trying to be a Venture Capitalist, I was looking for an idea that hopefully could inspire people to create businesses that could quickly become self funding. Businesses that just needed a jump start to get the ball rolling and create jobs. Im a big believer that entrepreneurs will lead us out of this mess. I just needed a way to help.

So here it is. Some people will love it, some will hate it. It is what it is.

You must post your business plan here on my blog where I expect other people can and will comment on it. I also expect that other people will steal the idea and use it elsewhere. That is the idea. Call this an open source funding environment.

If its a good idea and worth funding, we want it replicated elsewhere. The idea is not just to help you, but to figure out how to help the economy through hard work and ingenuity. If you come up with the idea and get funding, you have a head start. If you execute better than others, you could possibly make money at it. As you will see from the rules below, these are going to be businesses that are mostly driven by sweat equity.

I will invest money in businesses presented here on this blog. No minimum, no maximum, but a very specific set of rules. Here they are:

1. It can be an existing business or a start up.
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Why ? Because I want this to be a business where you sell something and get paid for it. Thats the only way to get and stay profitable in such a short period of time.
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days
4. It must be profitable within 90 days.
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you dont make your numbers, the funding stops
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered
7. Everyone must work. The organization is completely flat. There are no employees reporting to managers. There is the founder/owners and everyone else
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download
9. I make no promises that if your business is profitable, that I will invest more money. Once you get the initial funding you are on your own
10. I will make no promises that I will be available to offer help. If I want to , I will. If not, I wont.
11. If you do get money, it goes into a bank that I specify, and I have the ability to watch the funds flow and the opportunity to require that I cosign any outflows.
12. In your business plan , make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money.
13. No mult-level marketing programs (added 2/10/09 1pm)

Im sure I will come up with more rules as I see what comes along, if anything.

As I find businesses I like, I will use the email address you provide before you post to get in contact with you. There will be a standard agreement, you can take it or leave it. Once I have done the standard agreement, I will post it here for all to see. This will definitely be a work in progress. Maybe it leads to great things, maybe it leads to nothing. We will find out. Im not going to claim a minimum or maximum amount or total I will invest. Im not promising I will definitely invest anything. If nothing comes along that I think is viable, thats the way it goes.

Hopefully I will invest in quite a few businesses that will lead to something more

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I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.

2009-02-06T17:02:00.001-08:00

This little quote from Lorrie Foster, The Conference Board:
"But the focus of marketing has evolved toward more strategic, value-added activities that can be quantified and linked to corporate goals. New approaches, methodologies and tools, and technologies are making it possible to link marketing investments directly to revenues and profits, holding marketing executives accountable for achieving expected results."

Note: If your companies marketing department isn't linked to corporate goals, you have bigger problems to worry about than ROI.

Utilizing technological marketing channels today, the quick launch and adoption of it, most of these channels are new themselves, breaking down traditional communication barriers. The hot-properties like FaceBook and Twitter don't even have a sustainable revenue plan, and marketing executives are expected to compute an ROI when using services like this?

Ultimately, ROI is reflected in EBIT. Finding the most successful method of increasing sales is a constantly moving target. Listing the entire properties a company could advertise with, just Internet-based, would be enormous. I'm not saying there shouldn't be ROI, because someone has to watch out for that marketing manager who has way too many events in luxurious hotels.

If companies had tremendous products, there wouldn't be a huge dependence on marketing. I think too many companies focus on the message and not the product.

Food for thought: Will the next version of a "Marketing Coordinator" position just be someone surfing message boards, social media sites, and Twitter, posting raves and shutting down rants? And how is ROI measured on that?

You must reboot at least 3 times.

2009-02-06T10:41:00.001-08:00

I took a gander at Windows 7, as I'm sure people will be fawning and chastising it constantly in months and years to come. When you look at Windows vs. OS X, the interfaces are obviously different, and OS X has traditionally improved the computer user's experience. It's simple to use. Why is that? Because OS X focused on the end user first.

Windows, however, is a standard. Everyone uses it (80% can be everyone in this example), therefore everyone is familiar with it. I'm not saying Windows is perfect. And I doubt an OS X user will say OS X is perfect. If they do (on either "side") they are total fanboys and you should slap their Starbucks drink right from their hands.

But I don't really want to delve into a Win vs. OS X argument. What I want to get into is the fundamental flaws in approaching an OS design. If you want to make it simple, "simple" is not a code optimization issue. Because "simple" is defined from the user, not the developer. Case in point, the sample screen shot of Windows 7 (below) have a base-level usability error. The screen capture below shows what the user reads (in red) and the user action (in yellow). The blue arrow is where the action goes.

Even though Windows 7 is in Beta, layout issues such as this are why OS X users feel more comfortable. User design is first, then functionality. Windows has such a large user base (therefore slow to change), it's likely simple design changes would be met with backlash.

"I'm Famous! Gotta get me my 15!"

2009-02-05T11:58:00.001-08:00

So what ever happens to stars of our favorite Super Bowl (er.. Big Game??) commercials? Like the Koala from CareerBuilder.com? Why, he splurges on a luxurious hot tub for him and his fellow Kiwis.

Just kidding. But the expression is pretty funny.

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Australian Heat Brings Koalas Closer To Home

via Neatorama by Queuebot on 2/4/09

Global warming has an upside!

"It has been so hot in South Australia for over a week…40+ degrees Celsius everyday – 104 F, very dry also. These are the photos of a little Koala that just walked into the back porch of a home around the way looking for a bit of heat relief. The lady of the house filled up a bucket and this is what happened!"

Link

From the Upcoming ueue, submitted by Trace1138.

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Which comes first, the product or the marketing?

2009-02-04T09:34:00.001-08:00

Seth makes a point that marketing comes before the product. However, that is a non-sequiter argument. The traditional (dictionary) definition of marketing is the transfer of goods from seller to buyer. Marketing is the combination of attributes commonly defined as Price, Place, Promotion, and Product (the traditional marketing mix).

As the Product is a component of marketing, the order of what comes first is irrelevant. In the marketing matrix (adding Who, What, Why, When, and How to the 4 P's), you can work whichever way you wish. Define who you want to target, where you want to, and how much you want to make in margin. Then decide what product will fit those decisions.

If you want to check out a marketing matrix, look here: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/05/the_worlds_shor.html

Sent to you by mike via Google Reader:

Which comes first, the product or the marketing?

via Seth's Blog by Seth Godin on 2/4/09

Well, if you define marketing as advertising, then it's clear you need the product first (Captain Crunch being the only exception I can think of... they made the ads first.) This great clip from Mad Men brings the point home. If the Kodak guys hadn't invented the Carousel slide projector, Don Draper could never have pitched this ad.

But wait.

Marketing is not the same as advertising. Advertising is a tiny slice of what marketing is today, and in fact, it's pretty clear that the marketing has to come before the product, not after. As Jon points out, the Prius was developed after the marketing thinking was done. Jones Soda, too. In fact, just about every successful product or service is the result of smart marketing thinking first, followed by a great product that makes the marketing story come true.

If someone comes to you with a 'great' product that just needs some marketing, the game is probably already over.

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Hehe... "High" Design

2009-02-03T09:36:00.001-08:00

To quote Denis Leary: "Marijuana doesn't lead to other drugs. It leads to @#$%^&*~ carpentry." Or chemistry, glass making, or liquid dynamics. So parents, be forewarned. If your kid is constantly asking for a chemistry set, be cautious. Real scientists forget to eat.

Sent to you by mike via Google Reader:

High Design

via Core77 on 2/3/09

There are certain products upon which people will lavish design attention, but will probably never apply for design patents on: Bongs.

Up above is a selection of Roor bongs. Roors--which are more "performance-based" in their design, according to this analysis--is what Michael Phelps was reportedly taking hits off of, and you can see an astonishingly large variety of them here. Unsurprisingly, most of the photos are rather hazy.

(more...)

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Happy Day! Oh Happy Day!

2009-02-03T09:24:00.001-08:00

This is good news. And I'm heading over to the 'tex to see what they're all saying.

Sent to you by mike via Google Reader:

Bangle: Bye-bye BMW (and auto design)

via Core77 on 2/3/09

According to Autoweek, legendary designer Chris Bangle, the man responsible for the much-imitated aesthetics of the BMW 7-series, is quitting the auto design industry to "pursue his own design-related endeavors."

In an interview with the man, Motor Trend mused that Bangle might be "The most influential automotive designer of the early 21st century." For those of you unfamiliar with him, here's a look at some Bangle news, opinions and accomplishments from the past few years:

Bangle on design, from Design Thinking Digest.

Chris Bangle at the TED conference, explaining that "Great cars are art:"

Bangle giving his personal overview of the BMW Design Group's exhibits at the Detroit Motor Show from '06:

Lastly, Bangle's basic bio is here.

For Bangle to quit the biz is horrible news for BMW, but may be great news for the design world at large. No word on what Bangle will be getting into yet, we'll keep you posted of developments.

(more...)

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Don't be "that guy"

2009-02-02T16:52:00.000-08:00

Which guy? That guy.

If I wanted a pool table

2009-02-02T16:17:00.001-08:00

Sent to you by mike via Google Reader:

Materials-savvy designer turns senior project into a company

via Core77 on 2/2/09

As part of his senior year ID project, Australian Craig Nottage designed a transparent billiards table; now he's founded his own company in Adelaide, Nottage Design, and made the table a reality. A special combination of glass and resin provide the same resistance you'd get with felt, but are completely transparent; the tubing of the slick ball-return mechanisms are also exposed. At AUS $40,000 it ain't cheap, but it's nice to see someone turn a senior project into a reality--and build a company around it.

via slash gear

(more...)

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A New Location for an Iconic Conference–and Here Come the TED Fellows

2009-02-02T10:26:00.001-08:00

I so want to go to this Conference. Someday I will.

Sent to you by mike via Google Reader:

A New Location for an Iconic Conference–and Here Come the TED Fellows

via BoomTown by Kara Swisher on 2/2/09

The well-known Technology, Entertainment, Design conference–better known to its techie fans as TED–will make its move from Monterey to Long Beach in California, starting tomorrow night.

It's a big change for the longtime gathering of digerati and others who have come to love its eclectic and outward-looking program, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

First held in 1984, Chris Anderson's Sapling Foundation bought TED in 2001 from its founder, Richard Saul Wurman. TED has since grown to include an international conference, TEDGlobal; media initiatives, including TED Talks and TED.com; and the TED Prize.

TED2009 is titled "The Great Unveiling." And BoomTown is glad to be attending after several years away, especially since I always learn something new at TED (and I have a lot to learn).

It certainly has a varied line-up of speakers again this year, such as Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates, neurological anthropologist Oliver Sacks, writer Elizabeth Gilbert, tree researcher Nalani Nadkarni, Web political phenom Nate Silver and many others.

But I am perhaps even more intrigued by the introduction this year of the TED Fellows program, initially 50 individuals, picked because of the "world-changing potential of their work."

They will be invited to participate in the TED community each year, and some of the fellows will come for longer stints to future conferences.

The fellows program is supported by the Bezos family, the Harnisch Foundation, private donors and Nokia, with additional in-kind support from Kodak, Lightscribe and One.org.

According to the press release, the fellows program was inspired by TED's Africa program in 2007:

"The TED Fellows program will focus on attracting applicants living or working in five parts of the globe: the Asia/Pacific region, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East, with consideration given to applicants from the rest of the world…The program focuses on innovators in technology, entertainment, design, science, film, art, music, entrepreneurship and the NGO community, among other pursuits."

Said Tom Rielly, TED Community Director, who is responsible for the program: "TED will help them communicate their 'ideas worth spreading' to a much larger audience."

Given the troubles all over the world these days, we could all use a much broader perspective.

You can read the longer list of fellows who seem to deliver just that here, but some of the first participants include:

• Erik Hersmann and Juliana Rotich, co-founders of Ushahidi.com, a Web site for citizen journalism, covering crises such as the Kenyan post-election violence

• Faisal Chohan, CEO of Cogilent Solutions and founder of BrightSpyre.com, the leading job portal in Pakistan

• Juliana Machado Ferreira, Brazilian CSI: Wildlife biologist who uses genetic markers to track, interdict and convict illegal songbird traffickers

• Gerry Douglas, founder of Malawi's Baobab Health Partnership, which builds touch screen terminals that allow non-doctors to diagnose, treat and correctly prescribe drugs for people with HIV

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

2009-02-02T09:43:00.001-08:00

I thought the Doritos' "Crystal Ball" ad was the best of the bunch. It was funny and unexpected. When is it not funny when someone gets nailed in the nuts? When it's you, of course. The Monster.com was ok, much better than previous years, and the CareerBuilder.com repeater commercial was funny, just because of the lady screaming before going into work.

GoDaddy.com continues to be dumb. And Teleflora was so busy explaining the boxed-flower gaff, everyone was going "Huh?" when the punchline came at the end.

Audi's commercial was good, but it will be difficult to top the "Godfather" commerical from last year. Pepsi had some good ones: "I'm Good" and "Pepsuber" (for the 5 people who still watch SNL). NBC's "LMAO" was, well, lmao. And the Hulu.com commercial was hilarious.

The dueling tire commercials, Firestone and BF Goodrich were both funny, yet I'd lean towards the Potato Head getaway topping the Moon Rover theft.

Budweiser Ads were not that fantastic, yet Bud Light was funny (not super-funny), with the exception of Conan's spot. Some people didn't get Conan's spot, but it was funny if you've seen foreign commercials with Hollywood stars.

The anticipated Transformers 2 trailer drew no excitement from me. I think the trailer had 3 cuts per second for a 30 second spot. Why not strap me in a chair, pin my eyes open and turn my brain into mush. Oh wait, Hulu's already doing that. HA!

Left hand, meet right hand...

2009-01-30T15:51:00.001-08:00

Party A has a GMail account. Party B has a GoogleApps for Business account. Why on Earth would Party B need to be invited to join GMail? Both parties are already using Google services. It's like asking someone to switch from a 20-oz Coke to a 24-oz Coke. I guess the logic goes off domain names, not service providers.

Here's a good one

2009-01-30T15:17:00.001-08:00

From Garr over at Presentation Zen- writing about inspiration.

Jack of all trades

2009-01-30T08:36:00.000-08:00

Some of my favorite quotes & why:

"Your scientists were so preoccupied if they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Source: Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) in Jurassic Park.
Reference: During the lunch table discussion of the scientific power used to create the park and its inhabitants.
Why I like it: It is a great filter to make decisions, directly major ones. Look at the financial crisis- just because you can lend money to thousands of risky home buyers doesn't mean you should. Who did the SWOT analysis on that one?

"640 k ought to be enough for anyone."
Source: Anonymous, although incorrectly applied to Bill Gates
Reference: Hardware configurations in the early 80's, and the software to use said hardware.
Why I like it: A great urban myth that attributes Bill G. to a short-sighted quote. The quote, regardless of who said it (or if anyone actually did), serves as a reminder to look at the horizon, not at your shoes, when walking down a path. Myopic vision also introduces walls, restrictions, and a short-term solution.

"You determine the level of your involvement."
Source: Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), Fight Club
Reference: The Narrator finally catches on to what Tyler and his "Project Mayhem" initiative.
Why I like it: It applies to so many things. Political causes. Volunteer work. Paid work. Relationships. Learning. No one can make you do anything great in life. People can help you, mentor, guide, and support, but ultimately you are the one who puts in the effort.

And lastly, almost anything from Liar, Liar with Jim Carrey:
"Garage sale. $10 marked down to $6.50" - Referring to "antique Tiffany" frame
"I don't know whether to pet it, or scrape it off and bury it!" - About co-worker's bad toupee
"Did you see that? He struck the child." - His son was given "birthday" punches by his ex-wife's boyfriend (go ahead, read it again if you have to.)
"I have unpaid parking tickets. Be gentle." - Revealing his glove box stuffed with parking tickets
"Do you mind!? I'm kicking my ass!" - Beating himself up in a courtroom bathroom to avoid a trial, since he can't lie for a day (apparently bad thing to happen to lawyers)
"That's just what ugly people say." - Debunking the "myth" of "Real beauty is on the inside"

"Where will you be when you need [Ferris Bueller]?"

2009-01-28T14:59:00.000-08:00

I'm compiling/absorbing/reading/experiencing a bit of social media right now. Kinda getting a feel for what is useful, and what isn't. I'm hoping that I'll be able to condense the main objectives and purposes in the coming weeks. It's not like it's new to me; I've used MySpace, currently responding to FaceBook emails, and I've had a Twitter account longer than Guy Kawasaki. But how much of it has benefited me or others?

The book I'm reading now during my lunch is about a third done. My Amazon.com order will have some more info to compile, but not necessarily relevant.

The main point of my commentary/observations (I hasten to announce it as advice or guidelines) will be based on the question (a broad question at that) - Why should I and what does it do for me?

A Google search will provide numerous blog posts and articles about that question, but they are pretty superficial and non-specific.

Best Episode Ever! 9/8 central. Live except on West Coast.

2009-01-27T17:22:00.000-08:00

I was listening to the radio this morning (far better alternative to the beeping of an alarm clock) when one of the radio personalities started with:

"Did you watch Leverage last week?"

An promptly went into a mini-recap of last week's episode and the episode on tonight. About 15 seconds into her talk, I noticed no one was chiming in, agreeing. Then came the slip.

"Leverage is the best new show on TV." Or something like that. FYI,TNT, no one talks like that. I would think the original copywriters had something better, but I bet TNT's approval board said they liked this line better. It was a great ad until the mucked-up copy.

Oh yeah- I couldn't remember the name of the show, so I looked it up on TNT's site, and lo and behold, their "Quick Links" aren't so quick. Or linky. Awesome!

Another one from Guy Kawasaki

2009-01-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

Loop-da-de-loop way of getting there- my bloglines, linked to his blog, linked to his post over at AmEx Open.

But here it is: What CEOs Should Be Saying

I enjoy the fact that Guy uses "bull shiitake" in his posts.

Where's My No Soliciting Sign?

2009-01-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

Got an email asking if I wanted to do an "unbiased review" for payment.

Short Answer: Hell No. (Question is down below)

Long Answer: I don't think so, "F B" who doesn't have the courtesy of using his/her own name, less actually use my own (available on my blog).

Just because we live in the information age doesn't give you permission to be completely oblivious in solicitations. As a quick perusal of my blog will illustrate, I have no advertisements, no explicit product reviews or endorsements. I may like something and pass it along, but I do so without compensation for good reason.

This is where someone should read this book and this blog (for starters).

*Note to readers: don't actually click/copy the links. I do not know where they will lead you. Possibly to your nearest IT guy or Staples for Norton AV.

So here's the email:

Hello,

I'm writing to you to know if by any chance you would be interested in doing an unbiased review of our site on your blog http://lightemup.blogspot.com/

Here is some information about the site -
Moving home can be a very stressful experience. But this site will make your life easier by taking the stress and hassle out of moving home, and you save your time and money in the process.

The site is organized in a way to help you with everything you need to do when you move home so that you won't have to go through the pain of doing it yourself. They would guide you through every step of the move process with help and advice, lists of suppliers and easy online quotes. They also help with transfer or set up home services like gas and electricity online to save you from call centres and phone queues.

It will help you manage your move, reminding you of everything you need to do with the tools and information to do it .

Click on the link to see a snapshot of the website -
http://www.seoblogreviews.com/screenshot.py?param=b13213a2ab26477d4e04fc811ff93212

If you agree we will send you a payment for the review. More information about the site would be sent to you along with the payment. Please let me know if you are interested.

If you are interested please click here to receive your money:
http://www.seoblogreviews.com/acceptreview.py?param=b13213a2ab26477d4e04fc811ff93212

If you want to receive more paid review proposals, just click the following link:
http://www.seoblogreviews.com/subscribe.py?param=b13213a2ab26477d4e04fc811ff93212

If you don't want to ever receive mails from us, just click the following link:
http://www.seoblogreviews.com/unsubscribe.py?param=b13213a2ab26477d4e04fc811ff93212

If you have any questions just send a reply to this email.
Thank you

Reading Comprehension > Financial Statements

2009-01-22T15:19:00.000-08:00

Read this (and come back).

Microsoft has been approaching the top of the corporate curve over the last decade. Meaning exponential growth slows. All businesses do this. Long-lasting ones adjust and reorganize, effectively starting at the bottom of the curve.

Enough of that, here's my point: MS had profits of $4 Billion and change. Four Billion. Not $4,000 nor $4,000,000. $4,000,000,000. Of profit- all expenses covered, salaries paid for, building leases paid, etc. (I'll assume it's EBIT, that is left out of the statement).

Revenues were up 2%. And consider they shipped a discouraging product in Vista and the massive push to web applications (which MS has none of), this is a good thing.

So why the panic? Why the layoffs? Because of the "power" of the dollar and Wall Street. Way to focus, guys.

New & Improved! Sort of...

2009-01-22T12:10:00.000-08:00

Saw this (and watched the videos) and wondered why haven't they designed a vending machine that will lift the product to a non-bending region? (Yes, make it the ultimate laziness apparatus around.)

I must admit, grabbing something from a vending machine is completely awkward. Bending over in front of lots of people, crack showing, overstuffed backpack high-centered, some mean guy giving you a little push to send you over, etc., etc.

Just a thought.

Do you take requests?

2009-01-20T20:46:00.001-08:00

Caught this Honda Civic commercial during the playoffs (pardon the ignorance, I don't waste time sitting in front of a television. I waste it sitting in front of the interwebs).

I thought it was creative. I thought it would be really sweet if they did the William Tell Overture (Lone Ranger theme), or something a bit harder (AC/DC, maybe?). Add in a bass line by cutting the lane down the middle- left side would carry one part, the right the other.

Then I thought more about the ability to hear the tune inside the car. When I'm driving, I have my own music I listen to. And isn't a "quiet ride" part of the expected quality of a car? Perhaps not Civics. Which leads me to my next idea- having a luxury car maker (Infiniti comes to mind first) that spoofs the ad by having its own luxury car travel down the same road, and not hear the tune. In all likelihood you would still hear the road song, but creative sound editing is not foreign to car advertisements.

Here's the commercial:

"You put the wrong em-fasis on the wrong sy-label." ( View From the Top)

2009-01-20T10:43:00.000-08:00

Customer service in action. It's the least they could do.

4+4= 44? 16? 4? What's a ratio?

2009-01-14T14:19:00.001-08:00

Here's a cool post referring to a site that explains, visually, movies and the way they will look based on the viewing apparatus.

"Do or do not. There is no try." -Yoda

2009-01-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

I updated my blogroll. I trimmed down from over 120 feeds to a manageable 43. I'll probably eliminate a few more in the coming weeks, depending on how much I read. Like Mental Floss- yes it's fun, but I don't have the time to read 100 useless trivia a day.

I eliminated a lot the blogs I inherited from a feller in Idaho, a large number of photoblogs. I also chose Engadget over Gizmodo- really, how many extraneous gadgets do you need, whether you can afford them or not? I just like seeing what's coming out, I don't need to see them twice.

My technology blogs will probably get the axe, too. I don't have an Apple, thus I don't read TUAW, and a few other ones that are maxed at 200 unread posts.

Less junk is coming in. That's a good thing.

Big Vision

2009-01-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

I was watching Apollo 13 the other day and a thought came to mind. Today we have no great vision to strive for. Maybe that's too strong, but what I'm getting at is right now there's no vision to go to the moon, end oppressive and dangerous powers, grand quests to discover new worlds. In the past, audacious goals have shocked and inspired generations. We need a leader with the incredible charisma and buy-in to announce a vision that will shift the paradigm of our history. Once the world was flat. We need something to that effect. (The US economy will be the first example that there is a vision, akin to Roosevelt and the Great Depression, but we are nowhere near the Great Depression levels.)

It can be argued the current exploration in the bio-medical industry is such a vision, with mapping DNA, cancer research, and the like. These are no less important, and ground-breaking efforts, but for the average person, it's hard to grasp the tangible result. You don't see a DNA molecule every night in the sky. It's difficult to connect with microscopic materials. Cancer doesn't have a face, but it's victims do. Basically our pursuits have turned towards a microscope instead of a telescope.

It can be hard to be forward thinking about history-making, but we are living in one right now with the Internet. While it doesn't have the nostalgic, Rockwellian feel as the family huddled around the television or radio during an important event, nor does it have a singular pivotal point, but the Internet is an important medium that has changed the world forever. In all the years of mankind we have explored and expanded, finding new territories and spreading across the globe. Now we are shrinking, decreasing distances to others through the Internet. Social media, news access, and personal relationships that have been brought closer with the Internet.

Hot Dawg!

2009-01-08T16:26:00.000-08:00

Smashing Magazine is highlighting the supported features in CSS3 (Cascading Style Sheets version 3), which is pretty sweet. CSS3 is allowing for rounded corners in blocks, when currently only square corners is available. So everyone can be like Apple.com, only years behind.

New features include drop shadows, opacity, and my favorite thus far- font specification! Yes! Now web designers can force people to view fonts that are far superior to Arial, Georgia, Tahoma, and Comic Sans (shudder).

On the user side, that feature doesn't really apply to me, since I change my default browser display text I like, and whatever font is intended is a moot point.

On the downside, we are a few years away from total CSS3 acceptance. Plus IE users have roughly 50% of the browser "market". Also, as mentioned in the Smashing post, get ready for a lot of "I-do-it-because-I-can, even-if-it's-ugly" overusage.

So I'm keeping my square corners. I'm going web-retro before it gets in style. Now where are my .wav files at?

Becoming an Expert

2009-01-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

Over on The Long Tail, Chris Anderson discussed his experience working for The Economist, and his current corporate efforts.

The 80,000 foot view: He changed jobs every three years until he came to Wired, which he then pushed himself to producing a book every few years. When he worked at The Economist, everyone was required to change jobs after 3 years.

Basically, he correlates Malcolm Gladwell's theory of that it takes approximately 10,000 hours to become an expert with the 3-year rule. Chris says if you dedicate 60 hours a week to your job, the 10,000 hours will take just over 3 years. Then move on to something new.

If you don't want to work 12 hours a day, then the "normal" expert rate would be almost 5 years.

If the 10,000 hour rule is truly accurate, I would think that colleges would need to overhaul the degree structure. In the Junior and Senior years, the time a student is actually in their program is roughly 900 classroom hours. Add the suggested 2 hours for each class hour for homework and studying, that comes out to 1800. So less than 3000 hours are spent honing your "expertness" for your career (hopefully). I would suggest the option of going right into the program instead of wasting time in electives like Political Science or Art. Or my favorite: Post-1940s Youth Culture through Media. That was a gem.

Hot Water!

2009-01-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Not like this is a bad thing. This is why I dislike politicians and unions. Neither have the best interests of the greater good in mind (generalized statement, I don't think ALL are like this). Unions think workers should automatically get pay raises. To help cover the "cost of living" increases, which is a half-lie.

How about getting pay raises for actually doing exceptional work? Merit raises, what a novel concept. And right now our education system needs a massive overhaul. Union contracts are the least of the worries. We need funding for everything, not just salaries. Schools are getting chopped. WASL isn't the stunning benchmark they thought it would be.

How about teachers get a "royalty" bonus when a kid graduates high school? And another with a college degree? Just a random idea to shake things up a bit. It may work, it may not.

There are bigger things to worry about than getting a "mandatory" raise right now in our country.

Idea...and Soccer Moms aren't going to be happy

2009-01-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

With the recent closures of Hwy 2 and I-90 for safety reasons, the traffic has been diverted to White Pass, in Central WA. In times of emergency such as this (unexpected closures), WSDOT should suspend carpool restrictions. The added load on the system could lead (and probably does) to more accidents.

I have an idea for troubled on-ramps, since many drivers have a difficult time merging. But it requires artwork (to be done later).

Future recommendations on changing the commute (other than adding more lanes):
1) Carpool lanes are designed to eliminate the number of vehicles on the road. So carpool means 2 or more licensed drivers in the vehicle. That means no mini-vans with kids. Drivers with kids are not carpooling. They are chauffeuring. Kids don't have an option to commuting. And they don't drive.

2) Allow people who commute 20+ miles (one way) the option to pay to use the carpool lane. For people who drive 20+ miles, WSDOT should provide a sticker for the window (so WSP doesn't pull them over), and include a RFID or GPS sensor that WSDOT can track to ensure the commuter actually drives that far. The application process would require a valid living address and work address that is 20+ miles apart. $20 a month for this option.

2a) Obviously some will try to cheat the system. WSP would have the option to spot-check the sticker cars. Those who cheat the system loose their car and license for a month. Give a high deterrent. And if they are caught again, revoke their license for an entire year with a $5,000 fine.

Just wait...just wait

2009-01-05T17:51:00.000-08:00

From IMDB.com:
"Hollywood closed out the year virtually tied with its results for last year. Total box-office revenue came to $9.63 billion versus $9.68 billion in 2007, according to Media By Numbers. The slight increase was the entire result of higher ticket pricing, inasmuch as the number of movie patrons dropped 4.3 percent from 2007. In an interview with the Associated Press, Media By Numbers chief Paul Dergarabedian said that the 2009 figures were impressive given the current economic downturn. "The movie industry is totally holding its own in the face of the recession, increased competition from other entertainment options and emerging technologies," Dergarabedian said."

The skinny: While 4.3% drop in attendance accounted for $50 million in business, movie theaters will continually raise ticket prices, the exact opposite of what they should do.

It's the long tail argument, and taken at extreme measures, you could have 100,000 people see a movie for the year at a reasonable $96,000 a ticket. Or have 2 billion people see any one movie and charge $5, which ends up being $10 billion, an increase. Or even $6, which turns revenue into $12 billion. And movie goers would be pleased as punch as it's $4 cheaper per ticket.

Now if only we could get the concessions cut in half.

"It's time to get thing started!"

2009-01-05T15:14:00.000-08:00

Mental Floss blog had this recent trip down memory lane.

And yes, there is a Muppet Wiki out there.

Who is the new creative genius for children's fare that will be long-lasting as Jim Henson and Mel Blanc? Is there anyone? Or anything?

Save this for a rainy day

2009-01-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

Or just April Fool's: UK Prank.

Since it's the beginning of the new year, lots of people are falling into the old trap of creating resolutions. And the 3-Day Walk is capitalizing on it. Sign up now to train for September's 3-day walk to help support finding the cure for breast cancer.

And no, I'm not being sarcastic. I think it's a great change in marketing strategy. This is the first year I've heard the advertisements.

Minority rules! (Zune owners)

2009-01-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

So apparently the 30GB Zune player can't handle the "random" events in the global calendar- leap years. So to "correct" this issue, the solution is to wait and let it solve itself. Apparently Zune owners were to let the battery die, leave it off and don't turn it on until fully charged.

And just for fun, here's the FAQs (from ZuneInsider) regarding said problem, with my translated answers:

Q: Why is this issue isolated to the Zune 30 device?
Because we didn't want to use the same drivers in all Zune products. That would be dumb.

Q: What fixes or patches are you putting in place to resolve this situation?
Nothing. We're all on vacation until the 5th. The problem won't be around then.

Q: What’s the timeline on a fix?
It will fix itself. Because here at Microsoft we create self-aware software.

Q: Why did this occur at precisely 12:01 a.m. on December 31, 2008?
Because the concept of leap years is completely foreign to us.

Q: What is Zune doing to fix this issue?
The nanorobots that act as microscopic DJs within your Zune are working feverishly to repair the issue before the end of the year.

Q: Are you sure that this won’t happen to all 80, 120 or other flash devices?
Because we made it. Should have spent the ca-ching and bought the larger devices.

Q: How many 30GB Zune devices are affected? How many Zune 30GB devices were sold?
All of them. While quantity of Zune devices sold are not broken down by model, it is safe to say there are more 30GB Zune devices sold than Yugos produced today.

Q: Will you update the firmware before the next leap year (2012)?
Yes, we always update firmware. Duh. Will the update include a solution to the problem? Probably not.

Burberry, Prada, you know, trendy...

2008-12-31T18:29:00.000-08:00

The ubiquitous year-end blog. Many are doing it. More will. Lump me in with the rest of them. The big events of 2008 for me:

1. Job change. Yes, job change not career change. Because I don't know what career I want yet. If I stop being afraid of writing (and the ultimate acceptance or rejection of said writing), I might become an author. But currently, my communications-related track is going along, as the new Communications Coordinator for ACEC Washington. It stretches me everyday. At least I'm forcing it to.

2. Stopped actively working on race cars. After nearly 15 years of working on race cars, sacrificing a lot time and energy, I hung up the stopwatch, so to speak. I got to the point where the effort put in was far greater than the return, and the sport stopped being fun. I've been kicking around defining a new role I want to be challenged in, but I'm sorting out the new job and my more important aspirations.

3. Gaining expertise in social media. I'm not the most technical person, but I feel I have a great ability to understand technical issues and break them down to understandable concepts. I may not know how to do something, but I can likely understand the concepts and pathway to get there. Social media is similar. Everyone "wants" to use it, but they don't know how, or if they should. That's where I shine, I think. I can't write the explicit code, but I can find solutions that will work. The new Internet structure is fitting the skill set of others like me. For a crude illustration, I'll point you towards Office Space. "I deal with the customer so the !@#$#$%%%^ engineers don't have to! I'm a people person! I have valuable people skills!" (okay, that's a stretch on the last part)

4. Segue into... Movie "wealth" is building. I saw more movies this year (dunno if that's a good sign), but I'm a minor movie enthusiast. My DVD collection is over 400 (modest collection to my standards), but I haven't traveled to the classics aisle yet. Mainly because I can't get them for $5-$10 yet. All those DVDs and not one Jimmy Stewart.

5. Played less video games. Yeah, that was great, but the time spent playing games shifted to the Internet and a little site called Hulu.com. I don't even have an XBOX 360, so I'm behind on that front. At the beginning of 2008 I had two options: guitar or 360. Good call!

6. Spent more time with the parents, playing cards or dominoes. And they kick my butt most of the time. I enjoy playing games, like when I was little. I remember playing Uno with the family, or Monopoly, Payday, Life, Clue, or any other game.

7. Being more selective in my blogroll. Sure my b-roll has over 100 feeds, but I only read about 10-20 of them. I think if I have some spare time I'll delete the feeds I don't read. Bloglines makes organization a dreadful thing, at least it was last time I did it.

Seth Godin

2008-12-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

He has some great posts. I agree with a lot he has to say, but I'm not sure I'd agree with everything. I haven't met the guy. But Seth has a nice post that every manager should be looking at in new employees (since this "recession" isn't going to last forever".

High points of this post:

1) Passion and expertise are required for employees. The level of each is determined by the position.
2) Passion for living and growing in the expertise trumps passion for the mission. For example, the factory worker with a passion for building engines doesn't necessarily need the same passion for all of GM's products.

Seth applies the "core competency" principle to labor, which isn't anything new, but I would venture a guess that some managers still don't get it.

Seth ignores the "skills can be taught" mantra, for good reason. It's misunderstood. You can teach new skills to employees, but if they don't have the passion to learn, they won't perform well. Or at all. But if you teach skills to employees that want to learn, they will be far more productive.

Somebody's fired.

2008-12-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

Over at Brand New, which I stumbled through Core77's blog, I came across the post about Pepsi's new branding. Not that I'm against change, it just has to be good change. Pepsi has pulled a "New Coke". And if Pepsi claims they had a deadline to make, let it be known- a great branding, or rebranding, knows no time. When a great mark is created, it could be done in 5 minutes on the back of a napkin, or 4 months, 3 firms, and 2 regime changes later. A great mark is almost a corporate unicorn.

And a reader jab (look at the larger version to get it all):

Don't ask what the US can do for you.

2008-12-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

For a while now it's been generally accepted Hollywood is out of new ideas, or seems to be content leveraging recycled ideas. Over and over. Like plastic parsley (for those that remember Alaska Air commercials).

It's reaching throughout the industry as well. Case in point:

vs.

Along with the plethora of identity crisis packaging:

I can see the point if there are multiple versions- widescreen, fullscreen, director's cut, anniversary edition, unrated, or a re-release. But a new movie? C'mon.

"I've been working on the chain...gaaa-aa-ing..."

2008-12-19T08:35:00.000-08:00

For NW drivers, here's my logic:

Snow chains are for use when you can't see the pavement and there is a base of snow & ice. The coefficient of friction of steel on ice is probably really, really low. Meaning slick.

Snow cables/plastic/lightweight chains are for use with hard pack snow and ice where some pavement is visible- that is, patchy.

When you can clearly see pavement, and no snow or ice is present, do not use either option on the roadway. Pull over and remove them.

Why?
1) Prevents unnecessary road damage.
2) When a car/truck looses a chain/cable, the driver never goes back for it. So it's left sitting in the middle of the freeway where drivers have to dodge and weave. Or it gets caught in some cow-catcher and destroys it (not like that would be a bad thing).

On the Other Hand...

2008-12-16T17:45:00.000-08:00

I was recently asked "What's your favorite management style?" As in, what preferences do I look for, or need, in my manager. I honestly replied that I'm still trying to figure that out.

More often than not, different roles require different management techniques. Depending on my role and responsibilities, I require different management support. And I think it's the same for any position- at any given time, your present role will dictate what type of management you need.

For example, if I'm scheduling work teams for an upcoming project, I don't require a manager to do it and have me communicate it. What I do need is a manager who will back me up when an employee has a problem with the schedule, or I communicate there isn't enough resources. Or if I have a large punch list, I don't need a micro-manager asking every five minutes if project W or V is done.

When job descriptions tend to gravitate to the "Other duties as assigned" territory, management styles should alter to fit the employee role. A production (otherwise known as "Goods") role requires direction and approval management. Relationship-building ("Services") role requires mentorship and policy oversight. Or to use a sports metaphor, production roles are like football plays. X's and O's, everyone knows their part to get the ball across the goal line. Relationship roles are dynamic and fluid, more like an MMPORPG (Massive Mulit-Player Online Role-Playing Game)- a set environment and a few rules. But you do whatever is allowed in the construct to accomplish your goals.

So each role requires different styles, since X's and O's aren't enough when you have Y's, Q's, and AE's (diphthongs).

And looking back at my answer, I think I'll rephrase it to this: Whichever leads me to my next level.

Better Mousetrap

2008-12-14T06:29:00.000-08:00

Mark Cuban weighed in on the US auto makers crisis, and asked a simple question. I also have questions about the US Big Three that I've never understood.

1) Why does GM have so many different brands, with only Cadillac and Hummer the clearly "luxury" brand? Chevrolet, Pontiac, GMC, Saturn, and Buick pretty much sell the same level of car. Ford would have clear, definitive lines with the jettisoning of Mercury- Lincoln, Volvo, Mazda. Chrysler has it almost, but that was based on the acquisition of other brands, like Jeep.

If you don't understand this point, look at the current trend on the other side of the pond. VW and Audi. VW ("the people's car") and Audi used to be clear on where they fit on the economic value of it's respective brands. But now VW quality, design, and price are vying for Audi customers.

2) Why fight the Perception vs. Quality argument? If customers expect a cheap, fall-apart car, provide a car that fit (not meet or match) their expectations, with a little extra. If a whiz-bang car comes out from a manufacturer known to build poor quality cars, the new best thing is going to be looked at skeptically and critically. Do you think anyone would buy an XLR if Yugo built it? Hyundai is a prime example. It's taken years (if not decades) to persuade America that it builds quality cars, inexpensively at that.

3) Why do people NOT buy from the US Big Three? My answer is three-part, and I'm avoiding the Labor/Union/Entrenchment points because I don't know anything about working inside an auto builder.

A) The proliferation of cars in the market. I initially thought that the US offered too many vehicle options, which increased the CODB, but manufacturers offer 15-18 different vehicles. But multiply that by at least 10 to get our buffet line going. Anyone can get anything. Options are endless. Problem is that the US Big Three did little to differentiate the similar offerings though the product line. GMC Yukon is the same as the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban. Chrysler Town & Country is the same as the Dodge Minivan. Going back- Olds Cutlass, Buick Regal, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Pontiac Something (Does it really matter at this point?). Virtually the same. Compare to Toyota and Lexus. Nissan and Infiniti seem to be the most US-like of Japan's Big Three.

B) Americans are more "wealthy" and buy more luxurious cars, or "better" cars- Audi, BMW, M-B, Lexus, Acura, Jaguar, and the supercar realm. Customers are more likely to spend another $10,000-20,000 for a European badge rather than a domestic plate. The perceived quality and prestige is more important than the bump in sticker price.

C) Foreigners are dead sexy. Face it, the amount of options allow for design risks and definable looks as a way to seduce buyers. True, majority of the Japan Big Three sales come from products very similar to each other. Compare the Accord to Camry throughout the years on the design side. Then compare the 3 Series to A4. Other than the Viper, Corvette, Camaro, H1, and Saturn Sky, there is not a whole lot that interests me from the US Big Three. And a lot of people feel that way. I would rather have an A4, Q7, M3, Mini Cooper, Skyline, TSX, RL, Jetta, GTI, DB7, Land Rover, Carrera S, or E350, before I get to my top US Big Three pic.

If I could drive GM for a bit, here are some changes I would make (Since it's easy to be a backseat CEO):

Shift the line-up on value. Cadillac-Saab-Chevrolet-Pontiac-Saturn. Hummer/GMC merge to offer SUVs/Pickups as their line of service. And cut the "exclusivity" price gouging that comes with buying the GMC badge. Buick, bye-bye.

Vehicle offering line-up. Cadillac is obviously the marquee luxury brand for GM. Saab is the trendy "we-have-an-import-brand" diversity project. But the cars are nice. It's a weird fit for GM. Chevrolet quits producing pickups and SUVs, as they go to HummerMC. Corvette, Impala, Malibu, Cobalt, Pontiac's G6 and GTO/Camaro, and Buick's LaCrosse get rolled into the car-only line-up. Pontiac has the real quirky brand, with the Vibe, Aveo, Solstice, G3, and anything else that would look good with a NAPA Hat or Pizza chain on top. Think of Pontiac as the US answer to Scion. Saturn keeps the current offerings, as the new-way-of-doing-business brand. Saturn, with the exception of Sky, is not the best, not the most attractive, but the quality is there to get you from point A to point B.

So there it is, my quickly thought plans. What about Ford? With the exception of the GT40 and Mustang, they build trucks. Cars come with the package. Chrysler? Thanks for the mini-van.

Side-jab commentary- Enough with the stupid "cross-over" term. You're either a station wagon or mini-van. Vans have sliding doors. Wagons have swinging. Embrace who you are! People buy what they like, not what it's called.

And SUVs are derived from 4-door pickups with a canopy. If it has 3rd row seats that face backwards, it's a wagon. Forward- SUV. Afraid of parking garages- SUV.

Googling....Googling....Googling....

2008-12-12T09:49:00.000-08:00

Seeing if there is a remote chance I can move the menus to the left side in Office 2007 (yes, it is that discomforting), I found this- the reason for all my pain:

Jensen Harris' Blog for Office 2007 Users

Summary: Microsoft decided to use a mathematical equation to solve a human intuitive problem. FYI, there are many things determined by equations that don't turn out as expected.

[edit: misspelled Jensen's name]

If You're Going to Change

2008-12-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

Make change for the better. Especially design. Case in point- Adobe Photoshop CS4 vs MS Word 2007. Both utilize a set of tools to perform functions of the main program, giving users the ability to alter/edit/change/etc. the content. But each program (even the suite it is part of) goes about displaying the tools differently. Upfront I'll tell you I prefer Adobe's display (or UI for User Interface) over MS's display.

Pics (otherwise it doesn't exist):
Word 2007

Photoshop CS4

So why is Photoshop's UI better? Because I'd venture a guess that the majority of content created on computers is for 8.5x11 paper, usually in the portrait format. Users of Photoshop, however, are not using that format. Most use Photoshop for photos, which are mostly 3x5, 4x6, or some other horizontal layout. Photoshop menus can be "undocked" meaning users can move them where they need to.

In Word, the menus are "Gorilla Glue'd" to the top, and users are forced to use Word this format. I don't know if many users use the 2-up "Reading Layout" for composition, but I'm willing to guess we've all accepted the "Normal" or "Page Layout" view as standard- one sheet at a time.

With the proliferation and acceptance of Widescreen monitors (over the 4:3 ratio. We've always been "widescreen"), it makes sense to provide toolbars and the like similar to Photoshop- along the vertical sides of the screen. It preserves the standard upright content form we're used to and have standardized on. If we ever switch to square paper, or landscape everything, then we'll need horizontal menus.

"Burning Ring of Fire" (Johnny Cash)

2008-12-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

I read a book once, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... And It's All Small Stuff" by Richard Carlson (Ph.D.) and he had a saying- you don't have the catch the ball when it's thrown to you. Similarly, I've heard it said you don't have to put out all the fires. Obviously this doesn't apply to real fires. It's a metaphor. Projects are like fires (that's a simile).

With forest fires, Department of Forestry actually does controlled burns to prevent widespread disaster during a real burn. And sometimes the fire gets too large to control, or they know the fire will run out of fuel, and let it go.

Sometimes "fires" need to be let go, and just monitored. Multiple problems can make a fire spiral out of control. The key in all this is to look back at where it went wrong. Learn from decisions made, assumptions made, or if preparation just wasn't there.

Make adjustments to the project plan, considering what needs to be applied from last time. Continual process improvement, just like in manufacturing.

Coming to a Lowe's and Home Depot near you!

2008-12-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

Seen over on Core77's blog is this awesome invention. Basically, a minor electrical current runs through you and your handy table saw. When your finger approaches proximity to the blade, the current is cut/completed or whatever, and enacts a stopping mechanism that destroys the blade and mechanism, yet saves your finger. Here's the proof:

While not a substitute for learning proper safety techniques with power tools, every school's woodshop should have these.

Tool manufactures, if not already done so, need to license it and add it as a feature on their saws. Looking at the web site, it seems as if SawStop is going about doing business differently. I think it's not always building the better mousetrap, it's building components that enhance the mousetrap. Apple made the iPhone. Thousands of developers make iPhone applications. They don't remake the iPhone. Same with Google Gadgets (Go, go, Google Gadgets!), FaceBook, etc.

I would like to see another test, this one using a hot dog that is flicked into the blade. Something a little faster to test the reaction mechanism. I don't think a majority of saw accidents are done by normal operating procedures.

Things I like (Rebuttal)

2008-12-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

So here's my (short) list of things I like:

1) Typography. Or in basic terms, I LIKE FONTS! I love the new trend in fonts going to Gotham family fonts. Like Starbucks moving to a Rockwell style to Gotham. Yes, I know Gotham family fonts look eerily similar to eye charts, but they just look awesome. It's kinda like watching Bob Ross. Mesmerizing.

2) Sharing knowledge. Participating in message board convos/blogs/twitter where I can share my experience and expertise (real or imagined) to those who ask for it. They may not always listen, but someone else might.

3) Rain. In select circumstances. Really cool to see powerful (yet non-dangerous) weather happening. Like at the ocean.

4) Thinking about things that have so much inertia, would I really be able to change it? Or other's perspective of "it"? Shifting paradigms is kinda cool if you think about it. Pun not intended.

5) Great TV shows. Studio 60 was one of them. I prefer smart and witty dialogue, with quick retorts. The writing that makes you do a double take or go back and view it again, because you missed it the first time.

6) The Interwebs. Intertubes. Al Gore's Ultimate Behemoth. WOPR. It's the access to information. I've become dependent on looking for additional information, even if it has no profound affect on what I'm doing. It's just too easy to find the right answer or information. Fail Whale. Rick Roll'd. Jump the shark. l337. ROFL copter. letmegooglethatforyou.com. Note: I only used one wikipedia reference.

7) imdb.com. 'Nuff said.

8) Being productive with tangible items. I like being able to see what I did. There is some sort of mechanism in me that gains satisfaction when something is actually done; I can see the result of my effort. I like the occasional retreat/tradeshow/corporate party, but constantly having long meetings that impact my production end up not on this list. But note they didn't fall on my other list, either.

9) Being honest with my knowledge. If I don't know the answer, or know I don't have all the information/skills/tools, I like to think that I divulge my level of knowledge in the particular arena. One, it provides a clear understanding of my own current knowledge and where I need to focus learning. Two, it prevents down-the-line problems like "You said you could do this." Three, I don't spout off something I think is right, someone Googles it and finds the right answer.

10) Bismark doughnuts. The ones with custard filling. Mmmm. Wish I could eat them everyday without penalties. That's why they still remain a treat.

Things I dislike

2008-12-02T09:41:00.001-08:00

Here's a good list of things I dislike, or depending upon the mood I'm in, hate.

1) Forgetting to get out the shower towel.

2) Dial-up ISPs. Worst. Programs. Evar.

3) Fanbois. You all know the one's I'm talking about. "OMG It's SOOO much better than the iPhone" or "SRT-4 kicks butt over any ricer!" Where is the :banghead: smiley when you need it?

4) Related to Fanbois- Brand Snobbery. With the amount of information available, choosing consumer items based solely on brand is pretty ridiculous. Plasma TVs, for example, are all sourced from the following: NEC/Pioneer, Samsung, Fujistu/Hitachi (w/NEC), Sony (w/Hitachi or NEC), LG/Zenith, or Panasonic.

5) Websites that look like they are from 1998-1999 (or actually ARE), the "critical mass" period of the Internet. Along that line, sites that are created in the 800x600 or smaller pixel box. A pass to some companies who use that format with actual creative action in the sites. Look no further than many government or city websites.

6) Dead spots with Cell phones. Especially when talking on them. And the ensuing instant call back from both parties. "I called you back and got your voicemail." "I was calling you back."

7) People who don't try to learn anything. Take a stab at something (metaphorically) first. If you succeed, congrats, you have a new skill. If you don't, you'll have a good starting point to determine if you really want it, or if it's better to find someone who can.

8) Books, as in their current format. I have a lot of books, some I'll read again. But I'd rather have them in multiple formats that allow better portability. Also, the fact they are different sizes. My OCD wants an even bookshelf. That's why I like the standard video cases. Everything looks orderly. In softcopy format, it's easier to search (ctrl + F), highlight & quote relevant sections, and doesn't require a bunch of trees. Bunch of oil and chemicals for the plastics and whatnot, but look at what we're not using!

From the other side of the fence...

2008-11-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

Great logos don't just happen. A great logo is like an overnight success. The backroom activities, the silent arguing, and the long, dedicated hours to the craft finally get noticed. And popularity ensues. And on reading the interview, the industry term would be "mark" and not logo.

The company responsible for the mark, Mode, made some good comments about their process. And although the mark was created "quickly," it still took two weeks.

From Logo Design Love blog:

Steven Heller: How many iterations did you go through before deciding on this “O”? Was it your first idea?

Sol Sender: We actually presented seven or eight options in the first round, and the one that was ultimately chosen was among these. In terms of our internal process, though, I believe the logo — as we now know it — came out of a second round of design explorations. At any rate, it happened quite quickly, all things considered. The entire undertaking took less than two weeks.

Read the full interview here in the New York Times.

Well isn't that special?

2008-11-25T21:33:00.000-08:00

I did an online survey for CBS, figured that's the least I can do since I watch some shows on there. Seemed a little long, and definitely NOT written by an English major.

One question asked if I remembered any advertisements during the show. Hmmm. Nope. I switch (alt + tab) to FreeCell during commercials, or I read a blog or two. I'm a pretty passive viewer.

Another question asked if there were ways to improve the viewing experience. Yup. Make it more like Hulu.com. Video pop-outs, dim the "lights" (browser), etc. Oh, and put Big Bang Theory online.

It took about 5 minutes, and they didn't ask a question that I though might be pertinent: Do I currently subscribe to Cable/Satellite TV, or have standard broadcast, or neither?

"Did you have the chicken or the fish?" (Airplane!)

2008-11-24T11:24:00.000-08:00

Wow. Here's a gander at the other side. Some are funny, some you can see where a customer isn't treated right, and some are just bizarre.

My favorite so far:

Caller: “I need to exchange this movie. It’s the wrong one.”

Me: “Which movie were you looking for?”

Caller: “Big Momma’s House.”

Me: “Um, what does it say on the case?”

Caller: “Big Momma’s House.”

Me: “What does it say on the video cassette itself?”

Caller: “Big Momma’s House.”

Me: “I’m thinking you have Big Momma’s House there, Ma’am.”

Caller: “But…”

Me: “Yes?”

Caller: “But… there’s white people in it.”

Me: “There are a few of us about, ma’am. We do sneak into the odd movie here and there.”

Caller: *click*

Gmail features- 200+ exp points!

2008-11-21T13:11:00.001-08:00

Google's been busy enhancing. I subscribe to the Google Docs blog and recently added the Google Docs widget/tool/accessory to my Gmail. So over in the left column I have a list of docs currently hosted in my Google Docs section.

So if I ever need to forward/attach a document to an email, there it is. I avoid the "click to attach-browse-find folder-find document-click ok-click ok again-wait for uploading-click send" process.

But for those paranoid conspiracy folks, you may not want to indulge in this wonderful feature, unless you replace certain keywords in your manifest doctrines.

"What's so great about discovery?" (Jurassic Park)

2008-11-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

Thinking about enhancing the customer experience. Enhance. Enhance. Enhance. What if, by some miraculous use and discovery of technology, a customer could call ahead with his or her order? What if that was taken a step further?

Say, texting your "tall non fat americano with vanilla 20 min" order to your favorite coffee shop? And have a text reply "Order tall n/f amer. w/ vanilla will be ready for you in approx. 20 minutes. Thank you and see you soon. -Pat, Manager" Note: I don't drink coffee, so I have no idea if this is a real drink.
I think it could work. Queue systems are already in place, so a text-in gets shuffled in as well. When the customer comes in for the drink, they will know where their drink is in line. Why not display the queue like airlines displays flights?

Allow this feature only to those who want it. A special group of customers who have a favorite spot, who know the baristas, or vice versa. It may alleviate customer frustration when they see a long line at their favorite spot and decide in favor of cost, rather than benefit. Issue cards and provide special-only access to a text number.

On the business side, it opens a large, well, opening to gather information, preferences, and trends specific to the customer. So when the "new" drink comes out, it can be targeted even better.

"Going green..." (Twister)

2008-11-19T15:15:00.000-08:00

PC Magazine is going digital. PC Mag is like Consumer Reports, only for geeks. Any business manager in charge of tech purchases should be reading PC Mag for reference. A quick read of the Ziff-Davis company reveals a lot of buying and selling, constant corporate upheaval in the changing environment of print publications.

TV vs. Internet is nothing compared to Print vs. Internet. Not only is news accessible quicker using the Internet, but you control the influences. Local news is the weak point for Internet news, not readily accessible through searches or a publications web site.

Print has had many years to brace and prepare for the Internet, since both formats share the same content- words. It's so simple to copy and paste from a word processor application to an html editor and host a page (people do it all day with blogs). Copy and pasting video, however, is not easy. Nor was the ability to see the videos because of constantly changing formats, codecs, and Internet speed. I remember downloading IE 5.5 over dial-up; it took 9 hours, I downloaded overnight. Downloading or even watching streaming video was slow and poor quality. Only the last 4 or 5 years has video become integral within the web, and only within the last two years has it skyrocketed.

I didn't mean to ramble on with this, it just begs the question: What's next?

And Another Thing...

2008-11-18T19:15:00.000-08:00

Regarding experts- they understand they don't know everything. Experts are constant foragers of information. So continually read up on subject matter, get a variety of sources. If your expert knowledge only comes from one source, say Wikipedia, that is not a very broad range. Learning about conflicting viewpoints, counter-arguments, and other challenges can solidify your knowledge base.

Being challenged isn't attacking credibility. It's strengthening the foundation. And it also exposes gaps in your knowledge base, providing room for improvement.

So the main points:
1. Gather information from many sources
2. Know the challenges within your subject matter
3. Test the information to ensure it is accurate and reliable

Reminder...

2008-11-17T11:26:00.000-08:00

I was talking with someone on Sunday and she mentioned that a leading manufacturer in the Seattle area, freshly off a strike and trying to advert another, was requiring budget cuts across the board. Knee-jerk reaction for many companies is to freeze hiring or reduce the workforce, especially around year-end when the "numbers" aren't going to "satisfy" shareholders. There are so many disagreements to this practice of "budget control" it is amazing that big businesses still engage in it.

1) Cutting the teams can overwhelm current employees. If some are hourly rate, savings evaporate with overtime. In rare cases, "overloading" is actually making someone do work, rather than being a bump on the log. Management cuts the labor, doubles the work. Without killing the team, management must allow for projects to slip, or targets to be missed. Don't expect awesome chocolate-chip cookies when you cut the chips.

2) Cost-cutting through wages only affects payroll for the current quarter. Projects left unfinished, or finished half-donkey, can affect the future bottom line for years.

3) Hiring usually comes back in full effect on the first of the New Year. Cost of re-hiring is an added expense. Recruiting, interviewing, training, etc, all affect the bottom line in hours wasted, since it was done the previous year(s). Redundancy.

4) Employee morale is affected. Employees worry if they are going to be cut, regardless of management's reassurance. Some employees waste more time searching/interviewing for jobs on company time. Any manager who tells the team of 100 that 12 people will be gone in a week, I'll bet half of them will be on Monster within an hour.

5) Want to cut costs? Cut costs. Office supply purchases, different vendors, smarter utility management. Lean manufacturing doesn't have to apply to actually producing a tangible product. It can be applied to anything done by workers. Ramping up for expansion is highly short-term.

Expert Commentary

2008-11-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

From Seth's Blog:

"Do you know enough?
If not, what are you doing about it?

If so, who do you think you're kidding?

[Interesting side alley: I was talking to a friend yesterday and encouraged her to speak at an upcoming conference. She said, "No way. I don't know enough." I explained that volunteering to speak was the best way to be sure that she'd end up knowing enough by the time she was through.]"

Interesting dilemma. Have broad knowledge, or be specific. In a world where most things are becoming commodities, what are you doing to become outstanding in your field? On the flip side, from The Incredibles: "If everyone is special, then no one will be."

What is an "Expert"? Someone who knows more about a subject matter than you. Sometimes we require certification to justify the "Expert" title- degrees, initials, published materials, etc. Convincing people you're an SME shouldn't be hard. Just let others handle things without you. It will let them, and you, know how much of an "expert" you are.

Introducing the smartest man alive...

2008-11-14T15:42:00.000-08:00

Peter Schiff. Hindsight is 20/20, and anyone can look like a genius when something happens, but his conviction of his outlook outweighs the prospect of chance. Even in the face of other "experts" on Fox. Check this out.

I'm not a financial expert, but I'd recommend Barack puts Peter in charge of our economy.

Is your house on fire, Clark? (Christmas Vacation)

2008-11-10T20:54:00.000-08:00

Guy Kawasaki had a great post on becoming better Twitterers. Or is it Twittees? Anyway, he has some great points about becoming a broader-read (more influence) Twit. A few of them resonate with me and something that I had been trying to word for a while.

Interact with the big Twitters. It's okay. Don't be intimidated that you know nothing about them other than what you read. Or that they have a gazillion followers. Interacting with a wider, outside-your-comfort-zone, audience may just bring more to yours.

Become a subject matter expert (SME). SMEs are sought-upon for advice. And in the absence of SMEs, people will listen to whoever has the most time on their hands. Just because someone has 1000 Twitters a day does not make them George Stephanopoulos. SMEs will have a dedicated relationship with followers because they will be passionate about the subject matter. In the book Jurassic Park, a character asks how the main character could remain so calm. The answer: Because he had thought about that moment his whole life. What have you been waiting for? What drives you to that "moment"? Twitter that.

And to help gain more influence over your audience, be respectful of their decision to follow you. Send direct Twitters to people when subject matter is not currently relevant. Otherwise followers will get turned off to the updates on BMs- "Size, frequency, color!" -Fletcher Reed, Liar Liar. In the information age, we can get TMI PDQ.

"I have to return some video tapes." (American Psycho)

2008-11-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

Is this the live "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego" game or election coverage?

I guess the massive amounts of eye candy during the election is one way to cover the fact that elections are one of the slowest developing news story. Historic election, yes. Do we need more fancy ways to say "Senator McCain just won Texas" or "Senator Obama has taken Iowa." I found some network's coverage really lackluster. Especially claiming results for the candidates when "0% of votes in" was clearly on screen. Or calling a culture a giant stone.

The Answers for the 1.5 Mile Tri-Ovals

2008-11-06T00:00:00.001-08:00

1. Kansas Speedway
2. Nashville SuperSpeedway (replaced Nashville Speedway at the Fairgrounds :-()
3. Chicagoland Speedway (ISC built, shafting the closer-to-downtown track)
4. Las Vegas Motor Speedway
5. Kentucky Speedway

More Google Earth

2008-11-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

Who can name these tracks:

To be honest, I could probably name just two. Hint: 1 of the 5 the Cup cars do not race at.

And here's a warm-up with the SMI's trifecta: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway. Name the three:

If I had a million dollars.... (BNL song)

2008-10-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

A post on RacingWest brought up improvements racers would like to see at Evergreen Speedway. Here's what I'd like to see (but unlikely). A 3/4 mile tri-oval, non-symmetrical, slight banking (about 10 degrees), pit facilities, seating for around 40-50,000. AND the new configuration would need to facilitate the current program as well. I think it would look something like this:

This would bring at least the Truck series back, and likely a Nationwide race. I doubt a Cup race, because the powers that be only like 1.5 mile tracks that cost $150 million or more. Besides, I'm secretly hoping the Cup will add another road course event and have it in Portland. Hawt.

Technology...It's not always a good thing

2008-10-27T11:40:00.001-07:00

Here's a blog writer that is amazing. Because he's hardly socially polite. He calls it as he sees it. It's Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team. He started Broadcast.com and sold it to Yahoo for CA-CHING! He has some great points about finance, CEOs, technology direction and more. He also isn't afraid to post what he goes through as a team owner, especially controversial player actions. I'm not linking because it contains the worst of our nation. So if you're really interested, go to his blog and read about it. It's been weeks ago.

Okay. So HP is spending a lot of coin pushing touch screen computers. Oooooooh. Aaaah. Do two things. Touch your monitor in the upper right corner right now. Now touch the monitor in the lower left corner. Imagine doing that 300 times a day. I'm not saying that is the extent of touch screen technology, or that is the sole purpose. But overall, touch screens are not for home computer use as a main method of computing. For those with physical problems that make standard computer use difficult or impossible, yes, touch screen technology is wonderful.

Touch screens have a specific set of uses, none of which I believe is destined for wide-spread adoption. Artistically it can be used for drawing. We already have Tablet PCs, and we all know how well those sell.

Using a keyboard is faster to navigate a computer. A mouse makes nearly everyone capable of navigating a computer. Keyboard shortcuts, if taken the time to learn them, would improve speed of navigation. Touch screens do the exact opposite. Games may be easier, like solitaire, but we're all lazy. No one wants to come home from work and become a mummy operating a computer.

The sad fact is the novelty of touch screens will outweigh intelligent decision making.

Rambling Thoughts

2008-10-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

So who knows what show replaced Seinfeld when Jerry "retired" from TV? It was 1999-2000 season if you need a hint.

I was searching for the lineups for the past and amazingly, wikipedia had a page referring to NBC's Thursday night lineup for the past two decades. What's funny is the first half of the table there aren't a lot of changes in the lineup. In the 90's there is a change nearly every year. Only 4 years did NBC go without changing the lineup since '91.

I can understand trying to find the mix after Cosby left NBC and having to wait for the anchor shows of Seinfeld and Friends. But looking at the last 6 years, NBC has shuffled a lot of shows. It shouldn't take that long to hand the baton off.

Scrubs is in its 8th season yet only spent 3 years in the Thursday night slot. NBC stuck The Apprentice on Thursdays to hand The Donald a built-in audience. But really, can't NBC let some shows get an audience before shuffling them about? Seinfeld took a while before people got the show. So did 30 Rock.

The answer: Frasier replaced Seinfeld for two years.

I love Google Earth

2008-10-20T18:45:00.000-07:00

So who can guess where this track is? It's roughly 1.6 mile oval, about 50' wide, and dang symmetrical. Likely banked, if you notice the change in width between the corners and straights.

All that's missing is some big grandstands, catchfence, multi-lane access, and a clean infield, you got yourself a nice racetrack, possibly NASCAR worthy.

The current occupant could build a new facility nearby. I think this could work.

The best multi-purpose tool.

2008-10-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

It's not a Leatherman. It's not a Victornox Swiss Army Knife. Not even the useful zip-tie comes close. So what is the best multi-purpose tool?

Duct tape. I think most everyone will agree. It can be used to harness things together, patch things up, wrap presents, clean things, use as identification markers, and numerous other things that I'm sure others have used duct tape for (other than taping up ducts). Even hundreds of years in the future, Ellen Ripley used duct tape to combine the lethal assault rifle and grenade launcher with the fearsome flamethrower. Apparently even in the future nothing is so versatile as duct tape.

So what other uses is duct tape good for?

Related, the old saying: to a guy with a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. What if you have duct tape?

"That's impossible!"

2008-10-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

The hardest I laughed watching this was at 1:39.

Live in infamy.

2008-10-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

Who's today's bad guys?

It's companies. Conglomerates. Look at tv. Lost. Fringe. Prison Break. Movies: Resident Evil, Blindness, Flash of Genius. The bad guy is some non-descript corporate entity bent on covering up mistakes or maximizing profits and power.

Coming up in the chain is governments, particularly the military side. 28 Days Later, Children of Men, The Unit. Government agencies running unchecked, running their own agenda.

Now I know this is fiction-based material, with the notable few exceptions (Flash of Genius), but the creative possibilities mixed with true stories bring up rabbit-trail line of thinking.

And based on my experience, it won't be too long before the quote "And I can see Russia from my house," by Tina Fey impersonating Sarah Palin becomes fully attributed to the Governor. Because we know who the real bad guys are.

Your Moment of Zen

2008-10-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

Still on the political kick...

Like 95% of my generation, I get most of my political facts and decision making information from The Daily Show on Comedy Central. Their unbiased reporting condenses the main points of the candidates and illuminates the clarity of traditional political double-speak. Just kidding about the first part. TDS really does a good job at lambasting both sides, not just one or the other. It just depends on which side is making the most mistakes. Right now it's the Republicans.

What I don't care for is the breadth of political "pundits" that sit on the sidelines offering no real benefit to advancing the political process. Since journalists should be objective and unbiased, they are left with describing the success or failure of their presentation of answers. I would think that the viewers would be able to see that for themselves.

I would like to see the "pundits" replaced with people that are normal people. Let's see what they think of the responses. Did they make sense? Who's blowing smoke and who's doing something? Who attacks and deflects rather than makes a point? Maybe if that happens more people will actually turn out and vote because they are being connected to. We're not all touring the lecture circuit or working full-time as a political consultant.

"You got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anythang," Aaron Tippen

2008-10-02T10:57:00.001-07:00

Seth Godin has another *ding* moment. What makes this country great is the ability to find/do/enable/act/believe/endorse/be whatever is permissible by law and our Constitution.

Unfortunately, our political parties, however fundamentally different, seem to be the same. Completely non-committal, confusing, and horrifically purposeless. In effort to appeal to the masses, they (the candidates) are trying to not offend the masses. Questions are answered long-winded like a US History test when you don't know the answer. Lack of knowledge is never trumped by verbose ambiguity.

I predict this year's election will be the lowest voter turnout because the candidates seem apathetic to the masses. They are more concerned with the Washington Two-Step and avoiding "embarrassing" (since when are beliefs/morals embarrassing?) soundbites that will be used on The Daily Show.

To candidates: Answer the questions succinctly and simply. Foreign policy? How about domestic policy? What are the candidates going to do for the people of the US? Pro-choice or pro-life? That doesn't really matter because the POTUS doesn't make laws (check & balances simplified point) and has nothing to do with running the country. It's our Senators and House of Reps responsibility to make the laws. They are the ones who need to answer that question.

Many people are arguing our economy needs to be fixed. How about we fix the political party process while we're at it? Neither of the current candidates really will do the best job. The American public is stuck with the lesser of two evils.

What do I suggest? How about American Idol + The Apprentice style election? Seriously. A 20-week process where we learn about the candidates. After the first 10 weeks ends, "We the People" begin voting off the ones we don't like. Of course this depends on the accuracy of our voting process and the Electoral College. Eliminate the "Campaign Trail" and give the people access to candidates lives by showing how much time they spend with the real movers and shakers ($$$$). IDK, it's just an idea.

Ivy League, Ivory Tower?

2008-09-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

I usually read Chris Anderson's Long Tail blog. Two weeks he posted a reaction to this, the composition of creating blockbusters, from a Harvard professor.

While I only have a single collegiate degree, I can surmise my views of John Quelch's position could easily be dismissed.

Quelch means well, in the regard that all companies should strive to create "Blockbusters" for products. However, if all that is produced is blockbusters, then eventually nothing becomes blockbusters. There's no way to differentiate. Add to that is the general blockbuster is a lowest common denominator product. Blockbusters are successful because they appeal to the masses.

Quelch's "requirements" for blockbusters don't exactly break new ground in creating products worthy of the market. My comments in italics.

1. Sheer size. A blockbuster has a transformational impact on a company and an industry, often opening up new markets worldwide. Blockbusters break sales records and exceed expectations. Around 100 pharmaceutical brands exceed $1 billion in annual sales. Procter & Gamble has 23 such brands. Like Chris' explanation before, this is a definition of blockbuster.

2. Speed. It's not just the sales volume; it's the speed of the sales trajectory. Remember that the original blockbuster was a bomb that could destroy an entire city block. Blockbuster brands address pressing consumer needs so well that they often enjoy vertical sales liftoff. Think Viagra. I believe speed is a result of marketing, not a product. It also has to do with market delivery.

3. Scarcity. A blockbuster brand is often in such high demand that stock-outs and shortages occur in the market. Remember the consumer lines to buy the new iPhone? As imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the speedy availability of counterfeits is another indicator of popularity. Don't think so, Q. If a product is scarce, then it is unable to bring in revenue until the next delivery. And then it runs out again. And the cycle repeats. So instead of one giant skyscraper dominating the market landscape, you have a bunch of 50-story buildings. Counterfeits don't only indicate popularity, they also indicate gullible consumers, overpriced products, and lack of competition.

4. Sustainability. A blockbuster brand is not a one hit wonder. It is a gift that keeps on giving. Remember Intel's Pentium chip. Or look at the seven Harry Potter books and five companion movies. Adding DVD and merchandise sales, theme parks, etc., Advertising Age valued the Potter economy at $15 billion. Um...yeah. A blockbuster is not sustainable. If a blockbuster continues to grow as the market grows, it's an under-utilized market. A blockbuster brand is a one-hit wonder. If it isn't then it's a monopoly.

5. Sizzle. A blockbuster does not just address an important need. It does so in an exciting and accessible way. Pfizer's Lipitor was not the first cholesterol reducer but superior marketing and sales made Lipitor number one. And in the movie world, think of the magical and memorable special effects in the Star Wars series. Again, this is called marketing.

(movie guy voice) In a world without...

2008-09-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

Don LaFontaine. The man who did the majority of movie trailer voiceovers has died.

Overall, I think there were two or three guys who did 99% of movie trailer voiceovers. What a voice.

Mascot Fights FTW!

2008-08-28T00:14:00.001-07:00

And here's a daily funny since college football is in season. And I'm a Husky.

Rambling thoughts...

2008-08-27T23:12:00.000-07:00

I rabbit trailed a bit online tonight. It's a fun exercise to do. Basically, if you're reading a topic online, say, an article about Michael Phelps and his training regimen on the Butterfly, look up the Butterfly stroke in Wikipedia. Learn the history of it. Then read about the swimmer who invented the stroke. So on and so forth. An hour later, you've stumbled across the Soviet Union's plan for US invasion and world domination.

No, not really, but that's kinda what happens with rabbit trails.

I was reading a poll result and wanted to know what "Mosaics" are. Turns out they are the young generation, Generation Y or Generation Echo- the kids of boomers. Reading further, I thought of the typical stereotypes associated with generations, particularly Gen X (me). A shiftless, loners, apathetic, low loyalty generation that supposedly has no future. Economically, Gen Xers are making less than generations before them, the first time in history a generation is not better off. Gen Xers are left with cleaning up the mistakes of the past (which generation hasn't?).

Some of this is ironic, considering I remember reading about Gen X a long time ago. It was a doomed generation from the get-go according to the "experts". Baby boomers led the charge in technology achievements. Apple, Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, Sun, etc, started in the 70s and 80s as technology made advancements.

If you look at the computer applications we use daily: Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, Amazon.com, Twitter, MySpace... all Gen Xer founded/led. A generation that grew up alone (we're also the latchkey generation), watching TV and cartoons, we've suddenly created a virtual neighborhood where we can make friends across the world.

Look at us now, world. We're leading the charge to connect to millions. We define who and what comes into our lives, and we decide when. We have so much information available and are connected so well that we are an honest generation. If a leader falters, there is no hiding it. If an athlete cheats, news is out before a statement can be made. We've built such a network that soon instantaneous won't be fast enough. Secrets can't be hid. If they are, they will destroy the trust of millions.

Of course, in true Gen X fashion, it will be forgotten shortly. Like if you're still reading this, you're likely not a Gen Xer. 'Cause we got short attention spans from watching TV in short bursts on MTV, ESPN, or whatever. Rabbit trail... I don't agree with MTV claiming people don't want music videos... ESPN still shows sports! I don't see a reality show on Making the Yankees! Crap, that's prolly all up in Steinbrenner's office now. Or maybe it's now "Manipulated TV" instead of Music Television.

So glad I support AT&T/Jeff Burton

2008-08-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

I think I'm done with the Sprint/Nextel/Little Tykes/Pampers Cup Series. Here's why.

I'm terribly sorry that Kyle Busch, a driver with tremendous talent and a top tier ride, is a complete pansy. That's being polite. I kinda wish he was the driver at the beginning of last year.

Kyle happens to be part of that inevitable public eye, where everything he says is recorded. And many things happen to come out of his mouth in the heat of the moment, so sometimes you just have to laugh.

But Kyle, pay attention. You wrecked Johnny Benson, with no respect to his team's place in the series. In a series you aren't running for points, just wins, you had this to say:
"My move is probably a pretty stupid move, people will call it," Busch said on Fox. "But I'm a racer and I'm going after another spot. I'm not happy with a third-place finish. I'm going to go for second if I got a spot I think I can get for second. Obviously, stuff happens on the race track that happens on a race track. That's how I see it."

If somebody raced a Cup race and took out Kyle (purposeful or accidental), the media would never hear the end of it.

Carl Edwards ran a traditional "bump-and-run" at Bristol. With 30 laps to go. You're telling me, Kyle, that a bump with 30 laps to go derailed your victory? Hardly. You don't like the way Carl raced you? Guess what? There are probably 30 teams between the Trucks, Nationwide, and Cup series that don't like racing you.

Here's the kicker: NASCAR, in it's new Eastern Thinking (ya, I went there), decided to put both Kyle and Carl on probation for the post-race activity. Sure, Carl retaliated and spun Kyle out, but that was after two big hits Kyle put on Carl. Bristol is like this. NASCAR knows Kyle is a hot head, and he's used the cool down lap, aka sucker-punch, before, been fined $50,000 for throwing his HANS device at another racer. It's time to grow up and accept you can't win every race, Kyle. Short track racing is a contact sport.

"I know him!" (Elf)

2008-08-26T00:05:00.000-07:00

Perusing YouTube and found this gem:

You get the feel of the canyon. And other racers. Listen to a few at the beginning, but then skip to the last 20 seconds or so. You'll hear it before you see it (barely see it, too). And it sounds awesome, even without hi-def recording.

And there are more vids, I'll see what else is around.

"I want my MTV!"

2008-08-22T21:08:00.000-07:00

Apparently Canada and/or Europe has ala carte cable channels. The powers that be here in the US say it's impossible to do. Smaller, less-subscribed channels would loose ad revenue because they'd have to charge less because a smaller viewer share.

Eeeeeeennnnh! Want to go for Double Jeopardy where the game can really change?

Right now cable packages are carrying along these "weaker" (business Darwinism) channels. Being part of package A, B, C, etc., a media company can sell time on smaller channels, claiming "over 25 million subscribers to this channel" and it won't be a lie. The problem can be only 300 people watch the channel. Or something statistically insignificant based on Nielsen ratings.

But here's the kicker with ala carte packages: The people who subscribe to these channels will watch them. It will be a more focused and targeted advertising because the advertisers will be actually reaching who they want. No blind shotgun approach, or a guess to who's watching.

Regardless of ratings and demographics, in today's media environment there is no concrete method to tell what people are actually watching. Tivo, yes. But how many homes have Tivo/DVR in overall TV-watching homes? I think if I dig deep enough, I'll find some evidence of young viewers melding today's media- cable, internet, cell- which I've seen a few advertisers try to accomplish.

However, a target-market focused campaign will be more effective if advertisers know exactly who is watching. Sure, it won't be cheap (inexpensive), but reaching who you want isn't.

Dangnabit

2008-08-17T20:53:00.001-07:00

I had a sweet blog post running through my head while driving, but forgot to write it down when I had it. Don't you hate that? I do remember that it would have been a long post.

"Your mission, should you choose to accept it..." (MI)

2008-08-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Reading some blogs this morning and ran across this from John Chandler:

In The Forgotten Ways, Alan Hirsch describes this community of shared mission as communitas:

“Communitas is therefore always linked with the experience of liminality. It involves adventure and movement, and it describes that unique experience of togetherness that only really happens among a group of people inspired by the vision of a better world who actually attempt to do something about it.” (pg 221)

The church exists as an agent of the Kingdom of God. Our mission is to make the way of Jesus known…to put Life on display. Rather than hold on to the phrase doing life together, I am holding on to the idea of being life together. For me, this captures the idea that community, or communitas, must be relationships that are focused on a shared mission. Our relationships are not exclusively focused in toward each other, but alongside each other as Life is demonstrated.

I think even if Christianese adopts "Being Life Together" as the catch-all mission, the phrase still sends the message of Christian is a club, civic group, elitist group. That's why I think "Connecting people to Life" is a great mission because it's outward focused and actionable. "Being Life Together" is more of the objective of small groups or support ministries.

CNN Masters of Geography

2008-08-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

CNN does have some brainiacs. Headlines missing prepositions. And a current realignment of continents in the worse case of continental drift I've seen. Apparently Washington is somewhere in the Midwest, near the Great Lakes region. I know Lake Washington is breathtaking, but I don't think it falls within the definition of "Great Lakes" most people accept.

Blog title goes here.

2008-08-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

A story published by a central news agency* talked about the segregation still present in churches. I find it hard to believe it is still solely a racial thing. People usually go to the churches their parents go to. It's a comfort thing; but that's speculation.

I don't have hard facts. I didn't read the whole article. The authors (don't even know if it was one, two, or the ubiquitous et. al.) seem intent on showing everyone how racist we (America) still is.

If the media brings up a topic constantly, that's all the public will ever see. I'm not saying America doesn't have a racial problem, but if everyone points out the spot on your shirt, that's all you'll ever see. I'm saying the public will always see the problem, whether it exists or not, and nothing more. No solution. No alternative. No questions.

When the "problem" arises in our own life, we tend to be hyper-sensitive and focus on the perception of the "problem" rather than being ourselves and conducting relationships with the utmost character and integrity.

I don't mean to trivialize racism, as it is a horrible scar to bear in history, but think about this: Pete Rose. What was he- a gambler or baseball player? And how do you know this?

*no link because it will cement the notion as fact.

O. M. G. Yes times 8.

2008-07-31T19:28:00.000-07:00

May 1st of next year. Possible run at The Dark Knight.

One issue: prequels don't work that great considering actors age. I like the casting of John Huston as Striker, he's always looked malicious.

Yes.

2008-07-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

10 Top Pet Peeves

2008-07-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

10) Texting or calling during inappropriate times
9) Leaving your cell phone on, or checking your cell phone, at movies
8) Overstuffed & multiple carry-on bags on airplanes
7) Driving slow when you're lost
6) People who don't know how to merge
5) People trying to be Lance Armstrong on a busy weekend trail. Use a road.
4) Minivans, SUVs, and the like rarely getting pulled over for speeding
3) Loud people at movies or the theater
2) People who can't use, or overuse (40+ item person, that's you), the self-pay lines at stores
1) Department store layouts. Not guy-friendly. The first department store to put the men's department right at the front entrance, staffed by people who are helpful when asked, will probably have a large male customer base.

"What are you doing?" (Step Brothers)

2008-07-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

So NASCAR Sprint Cup had (and still do) a problem Sunday. Tire problems resulted in a poor racing atmosphere.

People go to racing to be entertained, and most go for wrecks. For this last race at Indy, Goodyear brought a tire unable to handle the pavement at Indy, which is specially treated for Indycars which travel 30-40 mph faster than a Cup car. The tires were getting chewed up within 5 laps for some teams, then explode if not taken off the car. Indy has grooves in the pavement which help open-wheel cars, but severely hurt heavy stock cars. And I'm sure the suspension style of Cup cars also add to the abusiveness of the tire.

End result was a very boring and caution-filled race full of uncertainty for teams. Will people come back next year to Indy? Some may not, since this isn't the first time Indy had tire trouble. They need to fix this now, and not hope it will be fixed next year.

To mend the fences, here's what I think NASCAR & Goodyear should do:
1) At the end of September, NASCAR Cup is at Kansas Speedway. Indianapolis is less than 500 miles away. Thursday and Friday needs to be a tire test where Goodyear comes prepared.
2) Only the top 25 teams are allowed to test.
3) Friday afternoon the speedway opens the gates for spectators (FREE), and based on practice speeds, the cars are lined up for a 50-75 lap shootout.
4) NASCAR, Goodyear, and whoever else feels responsible for the debacle can put up $100k (minimum) for a purse, divided amongst the top 5 finishers.

Goodyear gets a good test. Racers should get a good tire. Fans get a show they were denied Sunday. Teams get another test session. And everyone can go to Kansas.

"I know how we can go down in history." (A River Runs Through It)

2008-07-24T18:30:00.000-07:00

I read a Christian study a while ago and it painted the public's perception of Christians as judgmental, homophobic, hypocritical and too political. The sample set of the study was young non-Christians, so I took the results of the study under that filter.

1) Asking young people opinions is somewhat fruitless. They don't have a worldly view for the most part, and think they have all the answers. I know, I was one of these. Look at the rallies at college campuses. You don't see those at retirement homes, or your local senior rec center. Asking opinions only pinpoints the opinionated viewpoints that bolster stereotypes.

2) The presentation of the Gospel by some churches rival secular performances. Whether it be the worship set, video presentation, or pastors themselves, the accessibility of what today's leading churches are doing might have a negative impact on the very people they are trying to reach. The "full-throttle" approach goes so fast it passes over love, grace, and compassion.

I know pastors have an authoritative anointing (yeah, that's redundant) to spread the Gospel to the best of their ability and resources. To a non-believer, it is easier to dismiss a powerful and flawless presentation as grandstanding, or viewing a performance, rather than accepting truth, passion, and forgiveness.

Somehow the Church has to break down perceptions instantly and remove skepticism from a non-believer and still guide believers to further their walk. Obviously this is a problem for all churches, otherwise we'd all be busting at the seams. Find the why, then address the how.