Every once in a while I come across a tool that allows me to compare the value of certain skills of mine in different cities. Like me, you may be thinking there is no single job description that accurately covers everything you do for a living. Sure, but you gotta start somewhere.
Take one aspect of my work -- online community development -- and you'll get an idea of what those job responsibilities alone might pay in certain locations, if that is your only area of expertise. If you're in the middle of job negotiations, this could be an effective, eye-opening, way to present your salary case. Remember, it's just a free tool, so if your target career appears woefully underappreciated, don't say I didn't warn you. I'd recommend relying on more than just one Web site and more than one job title to figure out what you should be earning.
Random thoughts about different media, depending on the catch of the day.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Find Yer Booty! Arr...
If you're a big fan of the "Pirates of the Caribbean," movies, then you'll love this Pirate Map Prototype using Yahoo! Maps API. Just plug in yer city and state, Matey and thar she blows!The project's point is to explore the flexibility of Yahoo! maps and how they can be integrated into the design of a site/application.The author created a few others for your amusement, too. And if you really like it, you can get the source to create your own.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Up Close and Personal
With so much identity theft happening of late, I wonder how a site like ZabaSearch is getting away with this?
Want to try it? Just go to the site and plug in your neighbor, employer, boyfriend or even yourself. You'll find it reveals more information than it should.
Privacy advocates? Lawmakers? Lawyers? Anyone? Hellllloooooooo.
Want to try it? Just go to the site and plug in your neighbor, employer, boyfriend or even yourself. You'll find it reveals more information than it should.
Privacy advocates? Lawmakers? Lawyers? Anyone? Hellllloooooooo.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Vanity Betrays You
So my daughter got contacts. Which is good, because she can actually see the board in class now.
I thought, I should get them, too, then I'll understand what she's going through in the morning.
(sigh)
Sure, I can do this. I know I have a paranoid attitude about anything in or near my eyes, but I can't stand these crummy reading glasses anymore. Not to mention the unsightly line eyeglasses leave on the bridge of my sensitive nose. Yep, I'll get contact lenses.
Ah, the wonders of getting older. Fortunately, the optics industry has come a long way, so I had some choices. Now I'm wondering why I waited so long.
I got my "trainer" lenses last weekend. The "eye assistant" had to leave the room because she was driving me crazy with her micromanagement of my technique. My eyes looked like a desert full of red tumbleweeds, with all the fuss trying to get the lenses in. After she exited, I succeeded. Imagine that.
Yesterday, it took me 5 minutes to get the right eye in. Then 15 for the left. So I gave up to retry later.
Let me just say that spending hours feeling like a lash is stuck in your eyeball is not my idea of a good time.
I've been asking everyone I know who has contacts about their techniques for applying and removing them. Apparently, there is no right way. At least I'm getting better at this, and I did manage to face my fears about something in my eye.
Next week, I find out if my eye doctor thinks I should continue, or it it's just a bad choice for me. Something about checking the health of my eyes to make sure they can tolerate the lenses.
Oh, joy. The things we do for vanity.
[ tags: contacts, eye doctors ]
I thought, I should get them, too, then I'll understand what she's going through in the morning.
(sigh)
Sure, I can do this. I know I have a paranoid attitude about anything in or near my eyes, but I can't stand these crummy reading glasses anymore. Not to mention the unsightly line eyeglasses leave on the bridge of my sensitive nose. Yep, I'll get contact lenses.
Ah, the wonders of getting older. Fortunately, the optics industry has come a long way, so I had some choices. Now I'm wondering why I waited so long.
I got my "trainer" lenses last weekend. The "eye assistant" had to leave the room because she was driving me crazy with her micromanagement of my technique. My eyes looked like a desert full of red tumbleweeds, with all the fuss trying to get the lenses in. After she exited, I succeeded. Imagine that.
Yesterday, it took me 5 minutes to get the right eye in. Then 15 for the left. So I gave up to retry later.
Let me just say that spending hours feeling like a lash is stuck in your eyeball is not my idea of a good time.
I've been asking everyone I know who has contacts about their techniques for applying and removing them. Apparently, there is no right way. At least I'm getting better at this, and I did manage to face my fears about something in my eye.
Next week, I find out if my eye doctor thinks I should continue, or it it's just a bad choice for me. Something about checking the health of my eyes to make sure they can tolerate the lenses.
Oh, joy. The things we do for vanity.
[ tags: contacts, eye doctors ]
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Good Grammar Is Optional
I installed Windows Defender the other day. Apparently, command of the English language is not a prerequisite of Microsoft employment.
Friday, June 02, 2006
Your Reputation Precedes You...Forever and Ever
Social computing is a pretty hot topic lately.
Here's the deal. I didn't really dwell on the negative side of social computing until a colleague suggested to me that individual users should all have Internet reputation scores. These could be logged in a central repository, accessible by all users, sites and ISPs. He was so blindingly excited about this Orwellian concept of identity and wanted to start driving its adoption, that I almost threw up.
Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.
A portable identity and reputation standard is a wonderful idea...for eCommerce, as in consumers and businesses engaged or to be engaged in a transaction. As a buyer of goods on eBay, I want to know if customers have had good experiences with sellers. As a seller of goods, I want to know if customers are prompt payers and willing to resolve any issues in a reasonable manner, if needed.
But apply a universal rating to private individuals in all their online social endeavors? Come on. Wow. Nothing like institutionalized bigotry...oh, wait. I forgot about some fly-by-night religious groups.
It's not like we don't have enough social caste systems in place already. My daughter doesn't wear Prada or drive a Hummer to school, so she isn't hanging out with the kids who do. Not that it matters. And I'm not the CEO of a big corporation or a brilliant engineer being courted by Microsoft, so you won't find me playing tennis with Bill Gates. Not that it matters. My significant other is not a political pundit or powerhouse, so the White House won't be calling him anytime soon to prep him on Iraq. And again, not that it matters.
It's reality. We all get it. We are human and we make choices. And sometimes, we make mistakes.
On the Internet, we each have a wonderful opportunity to discover new friends, learn new things, and perhaps evolve into a smarter and different person, regardless of our current status in the physical world or any past foibles. An Internet-wide user reputation system would change all that forever, severely and unnecessarily limiting our online freedoms.
Users who frequent user-generated communities, enjoy gaining favor on selected sites for the quality of their posts. What if you never had a chance to erase, hide or transform your online identity, even after you'd become a better online person?
I reminded my colleague that there are too many nutjobs online who spend all day plotting revenge on some poor newbie who mistakenly typed IN ALL CAPS in a favorite forum. And for some reason, self-appointed Net police seem to run in packs. Over the years, I've seen users gang up on someone for one indiscretion, just because it was good sport. A user judged by one community as a scoundrel could be a hero in another...but he might not get the chance, should new technology be misused to assign a "Human Value Score."
I can only begin to imagine what injustice will be served by an overreliance on a technical standard not meant for cataloging human beings. Why we continue to substitute technology for good old neighborliness is beyond me. Ubiquitous online ratings would have the potential to stalk users for the rest of their natural lives...can't we just give individuals the benefit of the doubt?
Much of the Internet's value comes from an ability to gather info and participate anonymously, devoid of superficial barriers like universal personality systems attached to one's ankle like an boat anchor. With many aspects of SciFi a bold reality today...intrusive direct marketing, identity theft, and domestic spying...I don't want to live my live in a fishbowl. There's a reason I'm not rushing to become a contestant on a reality TV show, with insensitive strangers deciding whether or not I can stay or go. And I value my privacy. I don't want everyone to know everything about me, especially if I had a bad hair day and posted in haste.
So, while I whole-heartedly support the development of social computing standards, merchant ratings and earned reputations, let's make one thing clear...portable ratings are best used for consumer protection and business development, not for Scarlet Letters.
"There's been a lot of interest recently in the social aspects of Web 2.0 experiences because of their tendency to alter the communities that use them. A lot of folks call these pull-based interaction systems, which value reputation and trust above all other things..." ~ The shift to Social Computing by ZDNet's Dion HinchcliffeI'm excited about the future of social computing, while at the same time, somewhat apprehensive. I like to imagine "What if..." just to see where it takes me. Bare with me while I dream about a possible future.
Here's the deal. I didn't really dwell on the negative side of social computing until a colleague suggested to me that individual users should all have Internet reputation scores. These could be logged in a central repository, accessible by all users, sites and ISPs. He was so blindingly excited about this Orwellian concept of identity and wanted to start driving its adoption, that I almost threw up.
Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should.
A portable identity and reputation standard is a wonderful idea...for eCommerce, as in consumers and businesses engaged or to be engaged in a transaction. As a buyer of goods on eBay, I want to know if customers have had good experiences with sellers. As a seller of goods, I want to know if customers are prompt payers and willing to resolve any issues in a reasonable manner, if needed.
But apply a universal rating to private individuals in all their online social endeavors? Come on. Wow. Nothing like institutionalized bigotry...oh, wait. I forgot about some fly-by-night religious groups.
It's not like we don't have enough social caste systems in place already. My daughter doesn't wear Prada or drive a Hummer to school, so she isn't hanging out with the kids who do. Not that it matters. And I'm not the CEO of a big corporation or a brilliant engineer being courted by Microsoft, so you won't find me playing tennis with Bill Gates. Not that it matters. My significant other is not a political pundit or powerhouse, so the White House won't be calling him anytime soon to prep him on Iraq. And again, not that it matters.
It's reality. We all get it. We are human and we make choices. And sometimes, we make mistakes.
On the Internet, we each have a wonderful opportunity to discover new friends, learn new things, and perhaps evolve into a smarter and different person, regardless of our current status in the physical world or any past foibles. An Internet-wide user reputation system would change all that forever, severely and unnecessarily limiting our online freedoms.
Users who frequent user-generated communities, enjoy gaining favor on selected sites for the quality of their posts. What if you never had a chance to erase, hide or transform your online identity, even after you'd become a better online person?
I reminded my colleague that there are too many nutjobs online who spend all day plotting revenge on some poor newbie who mistakenly typed IN ALL CAPS in a favorite forum. And for some reason, self-appointed Net police seem to run in packs. Over the years, I've seen users gang up on someone for one indiscretion, just because it was good sport. A user judged by one community as a scoundrel could be a hero in another...but he might not get the chance, should new technology be misused to assign a "Human Value Score."
I can only begin to imagine what injustice will be served by an overreliance on a technical standard not meant for cataloging human beings. Why we continue to substitute technology for good old neighborliness is beyond me. Ubiquitous online ratings would have the potential to stalk users for the rest of their natural lives...can't we just give individuals the benefit of the doubt?
Much of the Internet's value comes from an ability to gather info and participate anonymously, devoid of superficial barriers like universal personality systems attached to one's ankle like an boat anchor. With many aspects of SciFi a bold reality today...intrusive direct marketing, identity theft, and domestic spying...I don't want to live my live in a fishbowl. There's a reason I'm not rushing to become a contestant on a reality TV show, with insensitive strangers deciding whether or not I can stay or go. And I value my privacy. I don't want everyone to know everything about me, especially if I had a bad hair day and posted in haste.
So, while I whole-heartedly support the development of social computing standards, merchant ratings and earned reputations, let's make one thing clear...portable ratings are best used for consumer protection and business development, not for Scarlet Letters.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Shaving for the Clueless
This has got to be the silliest (and most entertaining) advertising idea I've seen in a long time. Thanks to Jim Del Favero for telling me about it during a meeting in Mountain View this week.
Easily offended? Then don't go to the Philips site. To be honest, I couldn't stop laughing when the actor accompanied himself on the guitar while singing a folk song about the product and his "bleeped-out" boy parts. Obviously, this is not a tune you'd find on Billboard Magazine's charts. Parental discretion advised.
So if you're into interactive Web marketing with a ribald sense of humor, stop by the Norelco site to "drive" the virtual shaver and listen to some faux voicemail testimonials.
Philips Bodygroom: The Philips Norelco Bodygroom all-in-one system to shave and trim body hair.O.K. -- the interactivity does remind me somewhat of Progressive Casualty Insurance Co's Virtual Voo Doo Doll.
Easily offended? Then don't go to the Philips site. To be honest, I couldn't stop laughing when the actor accompanied himself on the guitar while singing a folk song about the product and his "bleeped-out" boy parts. Obviously, this is not a tune you'd find on Billboard Magazine's charts. Parental discretion advised.
So if you're into interactive Web marketing with a ribald sense of humor, stop by the Norelco site to "drive" the virtual shaver and listen to some faux voicemail testimonials.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Buy Your Way to Fame...and Support a Good Cause
Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a film producer, billed alongside the names of the Hollywood elite? Apparently, a dollar will do it these days.
If you haven't heard about it yet, here's the scoop. The 1 Second Film (2007) is "a collaborative non-profit epic that climaxes in one second of animation." The idea is to raise money for charity. You pay any amount and you automatically get a credit in the film. In essence, the film will consist of one second of animation and 90 minutes of credits rolled alongside a documentary of the making of the film. Currently, the project is in production, with a projected premier date of November 2006.
It's not a joke...it's pure genius. I heard about the 1 Second Film project while searching on YouTube. The most entertaining part of the promo, apparently filmed at Sundance 2005, were the celebrity comments.
Comedian Tom Arnold said "Oh, God, What a great deal," in reference to the producer credit he obtained by donating $100.00. Pierce Brosnan chipped in $10.00 then referred to himself as a "sucker producer." After cobbling together a whopping $11.00 for his producer credit, Stephen Colbert said, "IMDB should put these credits in. It's as valid as most of my credits."
Just how good is this idea, from a Word of Mouth perspective? It's probably the best WoM bonus any film could ever hope to achieve.
- Jason Lupish, $15 Producer
If you haven't heard about it yet, here's the scoop. The 1 Second Film (2007) is "a collaborative non-profit epic that climaxes in one second of animation." The idea is to raise money for charity. You pay any amount and you automatically get a credit in the film. In essence, the film will consist of one second of animation and 90 minutes of credits rolled alongside a documentary of the making of the film. Currently, the project is in production, with a projected premier date of November 2006.
It's not a joke...it's pure genius. I heard about the 1 Second Film project while searching on YouTube. The most entertaining part of the promo, apparently filmed at Sundance 2005, were the celebrity comments.
Comedian Tom Arnold said "Oh, God, What a great deal," in reference to the producer credit he obtained by donating $100.00. Pierce Brosnan chipped in $10.00 then referred to himself as a "sucker producer." After cobbling together a whopping $11.00 for his producer credit, Stephen Colbert said, "IMDB should put these credits in. It's as valid as most of my credits."
Just how good is this idea, from a Word of Mouth perspective? It's probably the best WoM bonus any film could ever hope to achieve.
I think what you are doing is probably one of the most creative and inspiring ideas I've ever heard of, not to mention a noble and unselfish act in raising money for this charity. If I had a million, I would donate it, I know how hard it is to raise money for a project, and to raise money for a charity. I've sent out a mass email to about 100 people telling them about your project, so I hope you get some more donations. Congratulations on your success thus far.
- Jason Lupish, $15 Producer
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Wiki See, Wiki Do
I've been dabbling in the Wikidom a lot and someone just asked me my top tips for Wiki administration. So I'll take a shot at it. These thoughts are coming out in no particular order. Here goes...
1. Log into your Wiki every weekday and add value, even if it's just a new category to make things easier to find. You can spend 15 minutes every day or you can spend 5 hours on one long frustrating day trying to clean up the messes left behind by various users -- the choice is yours.
2. Frequently browse the "Recent Changes" page to make sure some knucklehead hasn't done something awful or stupid. If so, fix or revert the page then move on. Don't dwell on it. The contributing user will get the picture soon enough. If anonymous, lame edits become a pattern, see the next tip.
3. Minimize the acts of wise-ass egotists, inexperienced Wiki doodlers, and drive-by spammers by forcing a log-in before allowing someone to edit. Talk to your Wiki Sysop to enable this.
4. Don't sweat the small stuff. You can go crazy editing other people's prose for teensy-weensy grammatical errors, when it adds nothing to your Wiki's value. Unless your Wiki is some Doctoral Dissertation on Grammar and Punctuation and you have a very dedicated and highly skilled user base, give it a rest. Focus on more important matters, like good overall content, ease of navigation, and attracting credible contributors.
5. Spend lots of time on mastering the Wiki basics yourself before you start judging others' contributions. The only way to lead by example is to lead by example.
More thoughts later as I have the time...
1. Log into your Wiki every weekday and add value, even if it's just a new category to make things easier to find. You can spend 15 minutes every day or you can spend 5 hours on one long frustrating day trying to clean up the messes left behind by various users -- the choice is yours.
2. Frequently browse the "Recent Changes" page to make sure some knucklehead hasn't done something awful or stupid. If so, fix or revert the page then move on. Don't dwell on it. The contributing user will get the picture soon enough. If anonymous, lame edits become a pattern, see the next tip.
3. Minimize the acts of wise-ass egotists, inexperienced Wiki doodlers, and drive-by spammers by forcing a log-in before allowing someone to edit. Talk to your Wiki Sysop to enable this.
4. Don't sweat the small stuff. You can go crazy editing other people's prose for teensy-weensy grammatical errors, when it adds nothing to your Wiki's value. Unless your Wiki is some Doctoral Dissertation on Grammar and Punctuation and you have a very dedicated and highly skilled user base, give it a rest. Focus on more important matters, like good overall content, ease of navigation, and attracting credible contributors.
5. Spend lots of time on mastering the Wiki basics yourself before you start judging others' contributions. The only way to lead by example is to lead by example.
More thoughts later as I have the time...
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Reinvent Yourself
Trying to come up with a funny moniker for that next improv character? How about a great character for that student film? At a loss for a fake identity to give some stalker at the next party you attend? Then check out these sites.
The Original Gangsta Name Generator
The Sopranos Gangster Name Generator
Rap Star Name Generator
Get a Pirate Name
Get a Chinese Name
Even better, check out
Humorous Name Generators in the Yahoo! Directory
The Original Gangsta Name Generator
The Sopranos Gangster Name Generator
Rap Star Name Generator
Get a Pirate Name
Get a Chinese Name
Even better, check out
Humorous Name Generators in the Yahoo! Directory
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
A Series of Unfortunate Events
You'd think people would figure it out before they registered them. This list of bad domain names is funnier than Cox.net. Thanks to The Hitchhikers Guide to the Internet and Gruepthink for bringing them to my attention.
- Who Represents? A database for agencies to the rich and famous: (http://www.whorepresents.com)
- Experts Exchange, a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views: (http://www.expertsexchange.com)
- Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island: (http://www.penisland.net)
- Need a therapist? They'll help you find one...maybe. (http://www.therapistfinder.com)
- Mole Station Native Nursery, based in New South Wales: molestationnursery.com (http://www.molestationnursery.com)
- New to Milan and you need electric light? Why not sign up on-line with Power-Gen?
(http://www.powergenitalia.com)
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
What's The 411?
Avoid getting charged $1.00 or more for directory assistance calls on your cell phone.
Dial 1-800 FREE 411 (1-800-373-3411).
Apparently, you'll only get charged for the minutes.
Hey, I don't know this for sure. I haven't tried it, but I'm curious. If you find out this is not true, please let me know.
Dial 1-800 FREE 411 (1-800-373-3411).
Apparently, you'll only get charged for the minutes.
Hey, I don't know this for sure. I haven't tried it, but I'm curious. If you find out this is not true, please let me know.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Kaleidoscope Painter
My cousin Tom is always sending me the greatest links on the Web. Here's another one. Tom writes:
This is clever! ....place mouse on dot in middle (click & hold) and then move around.....what a trip!! Also experiment with the sizes and brushes.
Kaleidoscope Painter
Monday, December 26, 2005
Ho Ho Who the Hell Cares?
The controversy about whether or not to wish someone a Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays is so overblown. I'm fed up with broadcast pundits and religious leaders and their indignant airs about the so-called controversy. When did holiday greetings become fightin' words, partner? Do these people have nothing better to do? "Jesus," as my teenager would say.
But then, I got caught up in the controversy, too. (sheepish smile)
I'm watching that daytime estrogen-filled talk show, The View. I love the way these women talk over each other so it's often hard to make out what each is saying. The View is the perfect white noise for working at home.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck says she celebrates Christmas so her cards wish everyone a Merry Christmas, regardless of what they celebrate. Sending another person good wishes has nothing to do with the recipient, apparently. It's all about her. Anyone who is offended should let her know so she can take them off her list for next year. Besides, she's too busy to do anything special. Go ahead and send out your Christmas cards, Lazy...er...Lizzy, because that's not the offensive part. Your self-centered attitude during the holidays is, (channeling James Bond in Thunderball) you stupid twit.
Star Jones says her friends are happy to get a card from her at all, because she's so busy...and self-important, I guess. Awwwww. Viewers? Send your donations to the "My Give A Damn's Busted" Holiday Fund c/o ABC. Star's cards read Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I've heard, due to the war in Iraq, there's a national shortage of available space on card stock. And Americans should always make it clear that Christmas is the only holiday that warrants mentioning by its proper name anyway.
Joy Behar says she sends out both Christmas and Hanukkah cards, because it doesn't take that much extra time. Hear, hear! Presumably, she only has two flavors of friends. (She's a white, heterosexual, middle-aged woman, so maybe so.) One year, Joy sent out holiday cards with both a Santa and a Rabbi. Hmmm. Come to think of it, we did that, too. (Yup, I'm a white, heterosexual, middle-aged woman, so go figure.) I can't speak for Joy, but my recipients were either offended or condescending. No one laughed with us. God forbid anyone should appreciate humor during the holidays.
Meredith Vieira ends the discussion by wishing a Happy Kwanzaa to folks who "follow that," as if to dismiss the whole horrible idea as soon as possible. Gee, Meredith, could you add a little more sarcasm next time?
Look, I am happy to make a special effort during the holidays to send out Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Ramadan or Diwali cards, if it's appropriate and I know the person/family well enough. Not everyone gets a gift from me, so it's the least I can do.
I don't expect people to follow my lead on card shopping or cardmaking obsessions. Few people's wallets can handle the extra money drain. Even fewer people have the time or talent to make cards. So here's my solution for you. If all-inclusive off-the-shelf cards seem too wishy-washy, take the time to pen a handwritten note. I've received "wrong holiday" cards with a personal note inside, and that has real meaning...canned Hallmark sentiments be damned. If someone doesn't know me that well and I get a greeting that isn't a fit, without a personalized note, I smile anyway. They thought about me, and for that, I'm happy.
But if your head-in-the-sand excuse during the holidays includes labor or time considerations, you're not off the hook. We're all busy. You're nothing special, Bubba. Neither are those who claim it's too much brain trauma to figure out who celebrates what among one's friends and family. Whatever. Make your choice, but don't you dare complain when others make theirs.
Bottom Line: The holidays aren't about you. The holidays are about spreading cheer to others and being sincerely grateful for receiving them, in whatever form. As for those who whine about acknowledging the diversity of the human race on this planet and in this country, too bad for you! You either care about goodwill or you don't. It's just that simple.
But then, I got caught up in the controversy, too. (sheepish smile)
I'm watching that daytime estrogen-filled talk show, The View. I love the way these women talk over each other so it's often hard to make out what each is saying. The View is the perfect white noise for working at home.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck says she celebrates Christmas so her cards wish everyone a Merry Christmas, regardless of what they celebrate. Sending another person good wishes has nothing to do with the recipient, apparently. It's all about her. Anyone who is offended should let her know so she can take them off her list for next year. Besides, she's too busy to do anything special. Go ahead and send out your Christmas cards, Lazy...er...Lizzy, because that's not the offensive part. Your self-centered attitude during the holidays is, (channeling James Bond in Thunderball) you stupid twit.
Star Jones says her friends are happy to get a card from her at all, because she's so busy...and self-important, I guess. Awwwww. Viewers? Send your donations to the "My Give A Damn's Busted" Holiday Fund c/o ABC. Star's cards read Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I've heard, due to the war in Iraq, there's a national shortage of available space on card stock. And Americans should always make it clear that Christmas is the only holiday that warrants mentioning by its proper name anyway.
Joy Behar says she sends out both Christmas and Hanukkah cards, because it doesn't take that much extra time. Hear, hear! Presumably, she only has two flavors of friends. (She's a white, heterosexual, middle-aged woman, so maybe so.) One year, Joy sent out holiday cards with both a Santa and a Rabbi. Hmmm. Come to think of it, we did that, too. (Yup, I'm a white, heterosexual, middle-aged woman, so go figure.) I can't speak for Joy, but my recipients were either offended or condescending. No one laughed with us. God forbid anyone should appreciate humor during the holidays.
Meredith Vieira ends the discussion by wishing a Happy Kwanzaa to folks who "follow that," as if to dismiss the whole horrible idea as soon as possible. Gee, Meredith, could you add a little more sarcasm next time?
Look, I am happy to make a special effort during the holidays to send out Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Ramadan or Diwali cards, if it's appropriate and I know the person/family well enough. Not everyone gets a gift from me, so it's the least I can do.
I don't expect people to follow my lead on card shopping or cardmaking obsessions. Few people's wallets can handle the extra money drain. Even fewer people have the time or talent to make cards. So here's my solution for you. If all-inclusive off-the-shelf cards seem too wishy-washy, take the time to pen a handwritten note. I've received "wrong holiday" cards with a personal note inside, and that has real meaning...canned Hallmark sentiments be damned. If someone doesn't know me that well and I get a greeting that isn't a fit, without a personalized note, I smile anyway. They thought about me, and for that, I'm happy.
But if your head-in-the-sand excuse during the holidays includes labor or time considerations, you're not off the hook. We're all busy. You're nothing special, Bubba. Neither are those who claim it's too much brain trauma to figure out who celebrates what among one's friends and family. Whatever. Make your choice, but don't you dare complain when others make theirs.
Bottom Line: The holidays aren't about you. The holidays are about spreading cheer to others and being sincerely grateful for receiving them, in whatever form. As for those who whine about acknowledging the diversity of the human race on this planet and in this country, too bad for you! You either care about goodwill or you don't. It's just that simple.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Roads Skolar Neads Inglish Lessin
Just who gets Rhodes Scholarships these days? Apparently, selfish backstabbers with bad grammar, if you take the finale of Donald Trump's Apprentice to heart. Randal Pinkett -- last night's winner in the top ranked reality TV show -- made a laughable, but successful argument when asked if Trump should also hire runner-up Rebecca Jarvis.
"This is the Apprentice, not the 'Apprenti'," insisted Randal, forever cementing his place in the Verbal Gaffes Hall of Shame, right next to The Potatoe Award for Dan Quayle. So let's make it fair and assume the plural of cactus is cactuses.
And as far as Trump's role in the kiss-off? After bragging that he takes hiring very seriously and emphasizing how it's not a game to him, he let someone else dictate a hiring decision on a last minute whim. Mr. Trump? If you really care about hiring the best, you'll find a prominent place for Rebecca in your organization and you won't sweep it under the rug.
"This is the Apprentice, not the 'Apprenti'," insisted Randal, forever cementing his place in the Verbal Gaffes Hall of Shame, right next to The Potatoe Award for Dan Quayle. So let's make it fair and assume the plural of cactus is cactuses.
And as far as Trump's role in the kiss-off? After bragging that he takes hiring very seriously and emphasizing how it's not a game to him, he let someone else dictate a hiring decision on a last minute whim. Mr. Trump? If you really care about hiring the best, you'll find a prominent place for Rebecca in your organization and you won't sweep it under the rug.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
I'm Keeping My Day Job
I guess I'm never going to become a helicopter pilot. I'm terrible at navigating a simple Web game application that simulates flying up and down to avoid obstacles. But at least it got me laughing.
Fly it for yourself
Fly it for yourself
Saturday, September 24, 2005
You Had Me At Hello
I found HumourNet's list of the "Top 15 Jewish Country and Western Song Titles" -- sure, it's a joke, but I had to stop and read them anyway.
Then I decided to make up my own country music title parodies. Here's a go...
"You Had Me At Shalom"
"Manischewitz Makes Her Clothes Fall Off"
"Moshe's Got His Purim Goggles On"
"Do You Want Kugel With That?"
"Play Something Klezmer"
Then I decided to make up my own country music title parodies. Here's a go...
"You Had Me At Shalom"
"Manischewitz Makes Her Clothes Fall Off"
"Moshe's Got His Purim Goggles On"
"Do You Want Kugel With That?"
"Play Something Klezmer"
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Five Easy Pieces (of Bad Marketing)
My newspaper bill came in the mail today. It's time to renew my subscription to the Arizona Daily Star. Well, I'd like to renew online and save time, money and space, but something is amiss.
Click on each image in order, from left to right, to see my attempts to pay my bill.
I really think everyone in the Star's direct marketing department needs one-on-one training in how to type a URL. Not to mention that some IT manager needs to wake up the yokels in Web support.
You know, it's been a decade since the Web went commercial. You'd think a media outlet would have a clue by now. Aw, heck. It's only a small town newspaper. You can't expect these guys to proofread.
How hard can this be, to get a URL right in 2005? It's not like I'm ordering plain toast, which isn't on the menu.
Click on each image in order, from left to right, to see my attempts to pay my bill.
I really think everyone in the Star's direct marketing department needs one-on-one training in how to type a URL. Not to mention that some IT manager needs to wake up the yokels in Web support.
You know, it's been a decade since the Web went commercial. You'd think a media outlet would have a clue by now. Aw, heck. It's only a small town newspaper. You can't expect these guys to proofread.
How hard can this be, to get a URL right in 2005? It's not like I'm ordering plain toast, which isn't on the menu.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Spying on Earth
A few years back, one of the "better-known" mapping sites had satellite images. It used to be a hoot to pull up our house and show my daughter.
Everybody and their mother browsed to that site after September 11, just to get a top-down look at the horrible hole in the ground. Then suddenly, one day, the technology was gone. (assumes teenage stance) What a rip-off!
Now the ability to see a bird's eye view of our house is back.
At first glance I'm digging MSN Virtual Earth better than Google Maps: the close up view is closer. The houses are bigger and the pictures are clearer. -- Search Engine Lowdown
Everybody and their mother browsed to that site after September 11, just to get a top-down look at the horrible hole in the ground. Then suddenly, one day, the technology was gone. (assumes teenage stance) What a rip-off!
Now the ability to see a bird's eye view of our house is back.
At first glance I'm digging MSN Virtual Earth better than Google Maps: the close up view is closer. The houses are bigger and the pictures are clearer. -- Search Engine Lowdown
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