How to Boil Water and Other Random Thoughts

A Streetcar Named Despair

2012-01-29T16:06:00.000-06:00

Shh. If you listen closely, you can hear St. Louis and Omaha laughing.

In the what-were-they-thinking category the city council of Kansas City, MO on Friday approved a contract in anticipation of building a streetcar line a whopping two miles in length through downtown. Steve Vockrodt of the Kansas City Business Journal reports that HDR, Inc. will be paid approximately $700,000 to design the line.

Nothing, and I mean nothing, screams urban modernity and progress like ... a trolley.

Fox4 News reported last week that the council planned to bring streetcars to downtown KC. Including federal funding, a local tax increase, and property tax assessment, the council estimates the cost to reach $100 million. Voters will need to approve the 1% sales tax increase and property tax assessment to foot the local portion of the bill.

Knowledge is power
Meanwhile, Kansas City just last year closed almost half its public schools and released 700 teachers and other personnel resulting from a $50 million deficit. I don't know whether this was because voters wouldn't approve a tax increase favoring the schools or administrative mismanagement. Do city council members really place more value on a useless trolley than on the future of their taxpayers’ school-age children?

Beef jerky
I would be interested to know the logic behind the council's decision to put streetcars to a vote. Similarly, I am hopeful the affected residents tell the council where they can put their proposal. A 2011 study commissioned by the Federal Transit Administration and termed an “alternatives analysis” introduced the streetcar idea alongside express buses and commuter rail as a candidate for possible federal funding. Why?

At best, streetcars are quaint. Used in other cities, they interest me only in passing. "Oh look, a streetcar." Unless it is bearing down on me at an inescapable -- if I'm sleepwalking -- 20 mph, I am over it by the time I speak the noun. And by the way, KC, MO, you already have buses!

Technically speaking, streetcar systems are light rail. As you might know I am a huge proponent for (real) light rail throughout the Kansas City metro. High-speed rail would put the "City" in Kansas City. But a trolley is to light rail what beef jerky is to Kansas City Strip.

Meanwhile, several plans put forth for a four-county light-rail system hover around the $1 billion mark. In a September, 2010 article, Jeff Fox wrote:

Commuter rail also promises cost advantages. Another lane of I-70 from Blue Springs to downtown Kansas City – the state is looking at those plans already – would cost $4.5 billion, compared with slightly more than $1 billion to build the entire four-county commuter rail system.

Please, sir, may I have another?

Significant as that analogy is, what’s more alarming to me is the psychological impact of the 2-mile trolley proposal. Not many people enjoy a tax increase however much it is needed. Yet I fear this proposal – for a quaint, 2-mile trolley system – will pass. Fear? Why?

Because what Kansas City really needs is a true, light-rail system within this decade to remain competitive. A multi-county commuter rail system would go a long way toward unifying the metro and dissolving the state-line divide. And it would take lots of cars off the roads.

Because psychologically and from a tax perspective, people buying into streetcars augmenting an existing bus system, will cut off at the knees any serious momentum to develop a true, functioning, multi-county transit system prior to 2030. KC metro residents and businesses on either side of the state line will balk at a referendum for a possible 3% tax increase to fund any of the four-county plans if a trolley is held up as the symbol of progress.

A trolley for your thoughts

With federal belt tightening looming, the odds of securing Washington’s assistance for any of the proposed light rail projects seem unlikely in the near term. Still, 10 times the cost of the streetcar proposal would yield commuter service lines 67 times the distance –in one of the more heavily promoted light rail proposals – and would serve large swaths of the metro area.

The proposed streetcar system would service an area that can easily be covered by any reasonably healthy pedestrian.

I would urge my friends who will be allowed to participate in the referendum to give the streetcar a pass, saving the tax increase for a plan that makes sense for the whole metro.

The Case against a Four-Day Work Week

2012-01-13T10:49:00.000-06:00

No disrespect to Jay Love, but I disagree.

He raves in his recent article in Inc. about the benefits of the four-day week in his role as CEO of Slingshot SEO. That this policy works well in his current environment is wonderful. I disagree that the concept is scalable to any company size or sector.

Early in my career when my level of responsibility was admittedly very low I heard about the much coveted four-day work week. It made sense. I was young, hungry and single, and the thought of working four 10s or even 12s followed by a long weekend maintained a magical grip on my psyche.

As my skills grew, so did the responsibilities which I take seriously. In a variety of roles at companies large and very small, I watched that magical grip go the way of my belief in Santa Claus.

Taking Issue

At the highest level, Love should identify that his audience is primarily small technology companies. In 10 years as a hiring manager, finding strong talent that also fits nicely into the group dynamic remained a challenge for me despite the “cool” company culture in both cases. [I now work for myself, so I don’t have this issue at the moment.]

You’re crazy if you think I am against a three-day weekend! I just don’t see how productivity can be sustained at the same level as before the policy took effect.

Life. Just because you designate Friday off doesn’t mean a child won’t come down with a stomach bug while in kindergarten on Monday, or that the replacement for that dishwasher that ceased to live up to its name can be delivered on any day or than Thursday. Forget about doctor appointments, your trunk latch breaking, your parents or an old college buddy showing up unexpectedly on their way to Sedona, your power going out … any day of the week. On the work side, you can include the pressures of quarter end, the annual audit, the implementation of and training on a new CRM, and innumerable unexpected developments that pay no heed to the three-day weekend.

Life doesn’t conform to the four-day work week. Figure one such event every other week – especially if you’re a parent -- within the Monday through Thursday timeframe. Half of your now 10-hour day evaporates, is rendered significantly less than productive. Sticking to the four-day stricture, that’s 13 full days off each year. The article makes no mention of Slingshot SEO’s vacation policy, but most workers in most exempt roles agonize over the conflict between serving unavoidable life events, taking a modest vacation, and of course getting the job done.
Collaboration. Putting all of your eggs in four daily baskets versus five removes 20 percent of the traditional opportunity to meet with colleagues to make progress on projects large and small. Factor in people’s travel schedules, the aforementioned life events, customer-imposed deadlines and fires and the four-day week appears in practice to have a negative impact on overall productivity. Let’s add the wildcard of an employee who, feeling entitled, would rather take off Monday than Friday. It happens. Sometimes the employee is incredibly valuable as a star performer and you must accommodate or face a long backfill/training process. Imagine one of those employees on each team within the company. Which brings me to …
Psychology. Exceptions happen. Even within an organization – I’ve seen this first hand in several significant cases – policies deemed to benefit all on paper are implemented with varying management commitment based on business demands. Love mentions retail or customer service as two examples of tricky coordination. The fact is, these sorts of functions – namely sales and support – exist in most organizations. The risk of the four-day week here is obvious … resentment within teams and cultural resistance. “Why does that team get x and we don’t?” This is real. It happens all the time. And it is counterproductive.

I disagree that this is “the age of recruiting the best talent to your team.” Organizations of all types have always sought the best talent, from police to school districts, from Fortune 500 sales and marketing departments to the start-up where everyone wears 12 hats. This “age” is no different.
Research? I am unclear in reading Love’s article where the concept of a day of research comes into play. He asks, “How much more innovative and exciting would your business be if every single team member spent one full day each week devoted to research?”

Is this day of research to take place on the fifth day? The day off? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose? Also, only at the most coveted companies – a Google, a Facebook, a Zappos – would even 70 percent of the employees voluntarily sit still for a full day to research when nearly all employees are faced with multiple, competing deadlines in their regular work. “Oh, I’ll do some research this afternoon right after I wrap up this proposal, answer these 12 emails and jump on that conference call with the client.” Poof! Research day disappears.

In another example, Love mentions the Friday repairman visit. I bring that up as counter intuitive to the day of research concept and cite my first point above, Life. “Well, I’m supposed to hit the books today, but we’ve got a family bar-b-que tomorrow, it’s a nice day and I’d really like to replace that rickety fence gate.” How many of the employees within an organization will honestly have the discipline to shut out the world’s demands and focus on research on The Fifth Day?

I’m all for telecommuting! Several years ago when gas prices passed $4.00 per gallon, I created a work-from-home policy for my team wherein they could pick two days from Monday through Thursday to stay in their pajamas. (We had mandatory company meetings and many team-building events on Fridays that I believed were important for the team to experience.) But I only allowed this once the team member had been with the company for at least six months – to build relationships inside and outside the team, to complete training, and to give me an opportunity to evaluate their performance – and I reserved the right to revoke this privilege individually if the quality of work appeared to suffer.

I’m not saying Love’s experience isn’t valid or that the concept doesn’t work. I only suggest that that in corporate America, non-profits and public sector institutions its application is limited and could lead to more challenges than it’s worth. I am sorry to be a naysayer here. Love’s enthusiasm for the idea is palpable. In my experience, I still lean toward the traditional work week, and believe a properly managed “unlimited vacation” policy would serve the organization more effectively from both a recruiting and a productivity point of view.

Have you worked at an organization offering the four-day work week? How productive … really productive enough to balance your client, project and life demands … do you think you would be in your current role in this environment?

Thanks for reading!

Verse 2

2011-11-09T01:15:00.000-06:00

Making some massive headway on outstanding projects at the day job, much more than I hoped. People are being hired, the major database is moved thanks in total to a ridiculously dedicated employee, and a major template revamp initiative is apparently months ahead of schedule.

As it has been since March, I’ve earnestly attempted to move family matters higher in the realm of things to which I need to pay more attention. I think my ridiculously understanding wife would agree that I’ve made leaps and small bounds on that front in the second half of our first year of officialdom.

In my previous blog I mentioned that I needed some uncertainty, something I’ve never done before and never dreamed I could. Leaving a company I’ve loved to start my own has made me hyperventilate more than a few times.

Knowing what I am doing -- the ins and outs of what I’m offering -- comforts me immensely. Having provided these specific communications services repeatedly in the last decade with positive results, more recently in the context of social media, gives me incredible confidence in our success.

It’s wildly surprising to me how social media has become such a crazy passion of mine (of ours) in the last four years. Communicating in online formats ... that’s easy. Everyone does it. Doing it with purpose is a different story. Doing it with a strategy, with an infrastructure, within a framework that supports grassroots engagement ... well, that’s just bonus. And that’s what this new gig is all about, really.

A New Chapter

2011-11-01T21:41:00.000-05:00

Who is crazy enough to voluntarily leave a perfectly fine job amid the country’s second worst recession without a parachute?

That’d be me.

After more than seven years at my current employer and 16 in corporate, I’ll soon be off to my own devices, raising and nurturing the consulting business I launched in March. As is my inclination to stay behind the scenes, I am advising clients on the decidedly unsexy side of social media marketing strategy ... editorial calendars, crisis management, social media policy development, awareness strategy, and monitoring, mainly, with a little of this and a little of that thrown in for spice.

Last December and January surfing the holiday party circuit, eight people approached the wife and me asking for our help with this social media problem or that on behalf of their respective companies. We’re generous folks by nature, but we didn’t need to peel the velvet from the hammer to realize the opportunity before us.

The idea was simple. In no-B.S. terms, we would look at an organization’s overall marketing plan, audit its social media presence, and make fact-based recommendations on improving the social presence to help meet the larger marketing objectives. It all seemed so natural. These are exactly the conversations my wife and I have virtually every evening sitting on the back deck watching the sun go down. We live this stuff, eat it up. It’s most certainly a shared passion. But could we do it for a living for ourselves?

We joked about it. Then we talked about it ... a lot. And by mid-March, I gave birth to a bouncing baby LLC, complete with its very own FEIN. We were proud parents planning our baby’s future, and I’ll be darned if babies don’t grow fast! Managing the sentient family, two full-time jobs, a few extracurricular interests and the infant consultancy devoured that season called summer which most of you experienced. Meanwhile, I built out our partner network and began filling the umbilical cord, er, pipeline.

Clearly the wife is the more risk averse, and after seven years in largely the same role, I needed a change. I needed some uncertainty. I needed to do something I’ve never done before, and never dreamed I could or would. So on Thursday, after some herculean calculating to ensure the target audiences would be in the right places at the right times, I tendered my resignation.

It wasn’t a tough decision. In fact, I had already decided back in March. Finding the right time was another story. Change is good, and I had accomplished about all I could hope to there. I’ll stick around for another 5-7 weeks to wrap up a laundry list of projects large and small. It’s not in me to walk away from a mountain of work and leave it to someone else to clean up. After that, I become a full-time Mr. Mom, caring for this toddling company.

While the decision itself was a no brainer, I’m admittedly sad to be leaving such a talented group of employees and colleagues. I take no credit, but sincerely believe that my team is the best RFP team in the software business. And my many friends there beyond my team are also some of the most dedicated and smart people I’ve had the pleasure to work with. The execs taught me a lot about business, about growing a business, and I’ll forever be grateful for the experience. What an amazing ride it has been.

Thanks to the magic of technology, I don’t have to say goodbye. Everyone remains a click, a post, a tweet or a speed dial away. I know I will miss the routine, but I am trading it for that edge-of-my-seat, making-ends-meet thrill ride.

I believe in this so strongly, as does the most understanding wife ever. Demand is high; the pipeline is strong; the passion is off the charts. This.Will.Be.Awesome.

Independents Day

2011-10-18T19:26:00.000-05:00

What follows is my response to an article posted by a friend on Facebook regarding the upcoming general election. I do a great job of microblogging on Facebook and less well posting here. This is a start. Enjoy ...

For the first time, I am considering not voting despite challenging the apathetic for years with, "If you don't vote, you can't complain for 1,420 odd days."

My issue is larger than President Obama. My issue is (and has been) with the party that *cares* about those in need, but doesn't, as a party, have the balls to draw a line and fight for its own beliefs. Its campaign managers, advisors strategists have been brilliant individuals, but collectively, they couldn't market themselves out of a Ziplock Bag. They fail, always, at communicating their successes in a way about which their base and independents can feel warm and fuzzy, let alone excited.

Did I vote for the president because I believe in racial equality and was wanting to send a message? In part, yes. Plus, he was the democratic nominee (normally a no brainer). Plus his eloquence and passion were light years beyond that of his predecessor.

I believed. I still do a little bit. But I believed in him, not the machine. I was a party faithful, increasingly disgruntled as I became over time. I no longer consider myself an advocate for a cause that can't champion its worth even with the sharpest minds an ideal can draw.

I don't regret my choice in '08 one bit. But, looking forward, with a majority of my blame placed on those who espouse social policy directly informed by religious beliefs and in clear violation of the separation of church and state, I can't in good faith support the incumbent who has failed to fight (until now). His party allowed this. The air up there on the high road is very thin.

I am stepping down to take a breath or three and will -- either way, it seems at this point -- suffer through whatever the RNC money machine forces down my throat for the next, post-election eight years. Perhaps spilled oil will soften the sting of the barbs of social injustice headed our way.

Who survives? Google + or Facebook?

2011-07-27T22:23:00.000-05:00

A friend just asked via Facebook whether Fb or Google Plus (+) would be the winner in two years. Here are my thoughts.

As with any new content system I've worked with in a corporate environment, the clean, shiny and new platform eventually becomes occluded and ultimately unusable. Facebook saved itself from the latter fate, in my opinion, by allowing us to hide pillows, sheep, farms, the mafia, and more. G+ is clean and ad free for now. Also, some of us pay ridiculously close attention to Fb privacy settings for a number of reasons. While G+ make *that* part simpler, the fact remains that those of us who have been on Google for years have already surrendered in some way to its algorithms. THAT is where Google has an advantage over Facebook. Google already knows so much about so many of us that they can incorporate the most lock-tight privacy we desire with no affect on their objective to know everything.

Knowledge is power. I don't fault either of them for wanting it. I have willingly participated on Google over the years, and cautiously participated on Facebook. (Notice how some of my posts that you see are Notes? There's a reason for that.) But I am always conscious of the fact that I am giving over my photos, docs and thoughts in the interest of engaging and sharing.

Based on all of that and more, I think G+ will win out. Google has achieved significant acceptance in so many ways already. I think they've struck gold here from a competitive standpoint (security, group video) in such a way that Facebook will never catch up.

What are your thoughts?

Christmas Shopping 104, 7 Steps to Speed Shopping for the Idea Impaired

2010-12-23T12:52:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve is double-digit hours away. You have a list of names and a bit of disposable income left, but no ideas on how to execute said disposal. What to do?

Step 1. Breathe

The world is full of people eager to take your money. Relax and saddle up.

Step 2. Visit the Mall (Duhn-duhn-duh-DUHN)

It's too late for shipping, so get over it. Your recipients at this point had better be local or not mind a belated Happy Jesus Day gift. Next to pop-ups or banner ads, nothing compares to the sensory bombardment of online shopping like a visit to the local Retail Mecca. Need ideas? The Mall delivers.

Step 3. Use Common Sense

You’re ushered inside by the Salvation Army rep uttering his 739^th “Merry Christmas” greeting of the day. You reply in kind. Now, stop! Consult your list. You’ve known most of these people for the larger part of your sentient existence. You need to focus. Sis, who never bakes, doesn’t need a cake mold. Dad, who doesn’t hunt, won’t want camouflage socks. Kids’ stores are for kids … unless LEGOs or Star Wars are involved.

You OCD folks – who inexplicably have waited until the closing hours of the shopping season – can picture your gift recipients left to right in your head in alphabetical order, or up and down by age. Either way, have that vision created for Step 4.

Step 4. Case the Joint

You’ve now got a game plan in that you’ve conceived of the hits and misses for the laundry list of loved ones. Now move it, soldier! Find your way out of the store you originally entered and wade into the meaty Mall’s aorta. Confusion may set in, but remember that while store fronts exist on either side of you, your skull, spine and ocular devices are naturally enabled to swivel. If you’re 80 or older though, you may require a firmware update.

Make use of these natural gifts as you breeze empty handed like a Tom Brady pass through the aimlessly wandering Time Suckers. They are the enemy. The Time Suckers linger, looking for odds and ends. You, on the other hand, are starting from scratch. They should fear your determination, your focus, your visible sense of urgency, but they don’t. And unlike rush hour traffic, they do not come equipped with brake (or reverse) lights or turn signals. Deploy the Marty Feldman tactic. Keep one eye on the driver’s ed video unfolding before you and the other eye’s focus split evenly between bright, shiny, neon store names and “70% Off!” placards.

Your objective here on this leg of the speed shopping mission is to identify your targeted items.

Free tip: grasp the concept of the mall. Based on independent research conducted by me yesterday, the Mall is geared toward the female 13-35 demographic. That means aside from the anchor department stores, three out of four stores deal in women’s shoes, women’s clothes, things that smell nice, or women’s clothes and shoes that smell nice. Sprinkle in a toy store, a Radio Shack, two video game buy-trade-sell outlets, a pretzel kiosk and a place to buy sports memorabilia, and you’ve discerned the lay of the land in your local Suburban Income Suck Pit.

Keeping your list – or your chronologically ordered faces – front of mind, allow yourself the freedom to wander into and out of stores whose offerings might produce a Recipient Match. Don’t fear failure. For example, an adult male shopping for six nieces in the 10-20 age range will strike out more often than not. Set aside the discouragement and go with your gut, but don’t buy a thing, yet.

Work each level of the mall, end to end. Take note of prices and discounts. Make that quick call to the significant other to confirm the seeming normalcy and/or practicality of that one thing you saw in that one store with the things in it five doors back. Well done! You’ve identified your target purchases.

Step 5. The Dash to Dispense Cash

The 1,000-yard dash begins. Lesson learned: Do not backtrack from your stopping point in Step 4. You are now standing at the gaping mouth of the store by which you entered. Do not work your way back and purchase your targeted items in reverse order. (See Step 6.)

Given economic times, pay in cash. If you have a debit/check card, make sure it’s readily available and make sure your magnetic strip is well oiled and in otherwise pristine condition.
Keep your driver’s license with your debit card. This will save you time. Most sales associates won’t ask, but if they do, you won’t have to drop your bags and dig for it in the pants, the jacket, the purse or the wallet.
Keep one pocket empty to store all those receipts.
Most importantly, fly solo. You’ll move a lot faster and will avoid those distracting second opinions. You’re going with your gut now as time is of the essence. Trust it, and clear a path.

Step 6. The Big, Long Haul

I hope you’ve been keeping up your gym membership to this point. You’re about to load up on lots of plastic bags which, over time, will collectively destroy any circulation to your finger tips. Under other circumstances where you’re free to meander, you might pick up the stocking stuffers first, then the clothes. They’re light. Save the gadgets and toys for last. They’re heavier, but also tend to make maneuvering through the masses a tad complicated. In this case, you simply have to suck it up. You’re on a mission after all.

Stop at the car intermittently? No way, Joe. It wastes a lot of time. It leaves your freshly purchased prizes vulnerable to the desires of unscrupulous folk. And it wastes a lot of time.

Stay focused. If you’re clear and direct – and sans a long line at the register – you can be in and out of a store in two minutes.

Head to the farthest place from your entry point and start swiping as you work your way back. Use the stairs. Avoid the escalators. They’re slow, and on them, Time Suckers become immovable objects to your unstoppable force. Besides, dodging, darting and the occasional, “accidental” nudge with the sharp edges of the Tommy Tells Time box are fun.

Remember to breathe. If you don’t, you’ll turn blue, see more bright, shiny lights and fall over. If that’s your thing, do it on your own time.

Walk fast, with a purpose. People, even Time Suckers, don’t like to get run over.

Finally, be polite. You’ll encounter people of all temperaments in your mad dash. Even the orneriest are more likely to give way if you’re polite.

Step 7. The Exit

Your hands are full, your bank account is empty and if you’re silly enough to have worn a leather jacket, you’re likely breaking a small sweat. Those four passing offers for a free massage are looking pretty good right now, but don’t give in. Your shoulders will recover, and your fingertips will eventually return to their natural color.

Head to your door, say something nice to the Salvation Army bell ringer and breathe the fresh air. Check your watch. Two hours? You rock!

You’re done. Fill the trunk with the goods, go home, crack the egg nog and break out the wrapping paper.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Soapy Scales

2010-12-03T22:43:00.000-06:00

Wife has "Days of Our Lives" on in the background. Whoa, what a flashback. Watched that in college looong ago. Victor, Vivian and Stefano are still on. Makes me wonder two things:

1. How different must the pay scale be for actors who do live TV every weekday, versus standard weekly TV or movies?

2. These actors are on these shows for decades playing the same character. I can't help but wonder how much their characters bleed into their real lives after that amount of time. After your 10th year or so of playing a completely different person, does your brain rewire itself so that, socially, you can only ever hang out and effectively interact with other soap opera actors (in the same way policemen or Navy Seals do)?

What a strange existence those long in the soapy tooth must have.

Obama's NPP

2009-10-09T19:28:00.000-05:00

Catching up on Fb after nonstop meetings today. Truly annoyed at the hate talk about the Pres receiving the NPP. Really? Unlike the Olympics, he didn't solicit it, didn't lobby for it and didn't *ask* for it. Let it go. Seriously.

Are others more deserving? Most likely. Are awards (beyond proven, hard-earned military honors) and award shows ever above board? Doubtful. And that's why I don't watch them. Did Reagan deserve one for certain things he did, as Kevin suggested? Probably. Is he all torn up about having not received one? I think not. Finally, if presented with the honor, what one of you would give a polite, "No thank you," to the committee? Let it go.

Get riled up about something that truly matters; and then do something about it. Effect positive change in your own lives.

Vote for Hope House for the September KC Twestival Charity

2009-08-11T22:52:00.000-05:00

For those unaware, the Kansas City Social Media Club is joining the nation and the world in a new "twestival" next month to raise funds, this time, for a local charity. The committee solicited local groups in need and narrowed the list from 18 to six. Voting is now open on the finalist.

Please, please, please vote for this charity. Animals are essential companions and don't always get a fair shake. But right now, right this minute, families, *people,* are suffering as a result of the economic downshift. So many people newly out of work. This leads to domestic tension, financial troubles and a crumbling of family unity that can, tragically, lead to domestic violence as the stress of the world today begins to take hold.

I know that many people love animals (as I do), but without stable families, solid homes that have been disappearing by the thousands in the last 10 months, what hope do the animals have of salvation? Support the families first. Help the people first in these times so that they can eventually rebound and provide healthy environments for themselves and those pets they may eventually adopt.

Harvesters is a wonderful charity, but from my experience in the corporate world, the annual drive is hypercompetitive among all businesses in the KC area and nationally. Domestic abuse shelters *never* receive that level of consideration. While I've not been previously engaged with them, I'm certain these very local safe havens rely on individuals more than corporations to help fund their efforts. Now is the chance to change that, to put in the forefront of the minds of corporate and individual donors alike an important cause about which many of us are only occasionally made aware and all too often do nothing about (I'm guilty of this, too).

Vote, please, for Hope House, and give these broken families a chance to repair themselves or move on to brighter futures. Everyone affected can only benefit.

Thanks for your time.

Twitter Down! Twitter Down! 31 Things

2009-06-16T20:35:00.000-05:00

Twitter went offline today for re-scheduled maintenance for one hour late this afternoon (Central Time).

Wow. This Twitter addict felt ... liberated! In that hour, free of the compulsion to monitor the enlightening and entertaining I accomplished the incredible.

1. I reduced my work inbox to 14 unread messages.

2. I conducted seven productive meetings and escaped with just two action items.

3. I volunteered and filled six sandbags for the next major storm that is sure to hit the city this week and spark a Katie Horror Fest.

4. I baked a cake.

5. I bought a new bicycle and rode 22 miles.

6. I recycled four aluminum Coke Zero cans.

7. I said hi to four strangers.

8. I did not speed.

9. I sent 42 text messages.

10. I admired a piece of art.

11. I thought fondly of someone close to me.

12. I learned origami.

13. I relearned calligraphy.

14. I built a bridge.

15. I designed an airport.

16. I sculpted a fruit bowl.

17. I read the Harry Potter series.

18. I watched the entire Friends series on DVD.

19. I posted 93 Facebook updates.

20. I considered buying a bag of marshmallows.

21. I bought more Purell.

22. I realized that my Pre is 1.7 million times better than my Moto Q.

23. I signed some forms.

24. I played nice when I could have taken a different road.

25. I ate some lasagna. (What? Like you didn't think I would? If only I was stocked with Idaho potatoes to mash with the 2% milk and margarine.)

26. I planned a much needed trip.

27. I admired the blue sky and speckles of white puffiness.

28. I loathed the humidity.

29. I wrote nine songs and won two Grammy award: One for my h.s. rap song, "Runny Nose" and, one for my karaoke performance of Sunday Morning.

30. I thanked six people for things they did that made my life better.

31. I cured fingernail cancer.

Thank you Twitter, for a brief workday respite. How I love you, but how I don't miss you when you're not there. Funny in a way that *life* is happening when we're not looking at Twitter or Tweetdeck or Seesmic or Facebook or whatever.

All snarkiness aside, I love the Twitter folks for what they are, for what the app will become, and for what they did today to reschedule their planned maintenance around a U.S. State Department request to accommodate the post-election protests in Iran.

For those that, in apparent, equivalent snarkiness, label Twitter an arm of U.S. foreign policy, would you say the same in the face of an overnight natural disaster or an accident at the Zion Nuclear Power Station for example?

This is social media. Twitter provides a voice to those without. Any ill-conceived, State Department motives aside, Twitter acted responsibly in letting those abroad voice their opinions and concerns at a time when it was (and is) most needed.

For my part, I hope that these demonstrations result in a peaceful transition of power. I understand that I am idealistic, but still, with a truly democratic Iran, what a wonderful world it would be.

Palm Pre! (a.k.a. RIH Moto Q)

2009-06-06T13:35:00.000-05:00

I am free!

The Divorce
After a long, tortuous relationship with the Motorola Moto Q, MEGAFAIL in 2.0 speak, I am free.

I knew it was over with the Q long before my contract was up. Things just weren’t working out. The batteries failed repeatedly. It was slow to respond. It went to sleep too early. These issues failed to resolve themselves despite a string of three Stepford Qs. But I am free now.

This morning, I became an official early adopter. I didn't camp out overnight. Didn't set the alarm. Just rolled out of bed and strolled through the Sprint world headquarters campus to the store hidden deep inside. A little over an hour later, I got engaged to and married the Palm Pre. Our union has been long in the making and highly, eagerly anticipated.

Honeymoon Bliss
I was pleased to hear from a Sprint insider that Palm cast aside many of the suggestions by Sprint developers and stayed true to Palm technology, which I love. I really do miss Graffiti, though.

The touch factor is sweet. Not having used an iPhone before, the sweeping and swishing and tap dance response impresses me. It's a tad unwieldy for a newb, but I'm sure I'll manage to master the controls in short order.

Communication
The lack of arrow keys may severely impact Twitter aficionados using the browser. The finite length of the fixed-width update field on Twitter prevents scrolling back or forth through a tweet within the field should you need to edit or correct a typo, for example. I find this to be a major pain in the ass, quite frankly, as I am just becoming accustomed to the new keyboard. It's slightly different from my happily departed Q and from my work Crackberry. Maybe I just need to read the manual.

On the plus side, the "@" key next to the spacebar represents a QWERTY revolution in the era of Twitter. No need to hit Shift or Alt. Yay! Love this!

Texting is intriguing. On the Moto Q, I could easily send a single text to multiple, chosen recipients. I've sent 23 text messages from my Pre today. I like that it groups text strings by contact, but sometimes I found myself wishing I could blast a handful of select people as I could on the Q. That made making arrangements convenient. I guess I'll have to rely on Twitter. If my 300+ followers are enlightened regarding my presence at a particular event when I know that only five are planning to attend, I apologize in advance. [Again, maybe I need to read the manual.] Can't wait to see the new Twitter app, by the way!

The Touch Factor
Here's a suggestion for a product line extension/accessory, Palm. How about a thimble with a 1-cm stylus at the tip? That would certainly help users like me with fat fingers to be much more accurate in our tapping, despite its inherent impracticality. As it is, the surface area of my thumb or even the tip of my fingers prove to be too large to quickly access a button when the view is set to normal size. It wouldn't be nearly as geeky as the pretentious, Borg-ish Bluetooth earpieces. I am truly half joking about this. All of this. Half joking. (More than half, about Bluetooth.) Think about it, Palm.

Physical Compatibility (Phone Sex)
The Pre's form factor could stand some improvement. It's sleek all around, and that’s sexy. But as a result, it doesn't lend itself to a simple thumb push from the side to expose the underlying keyboard. I'd rather a pad on either side of the screen so that I don't need to leave thumb prints on the viewing area each of the 20,000 times I am certain to open it before "next new gadget do we part." I do like that it locks into place when extended. I hope that feature doesn’t disappear through normal wear. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Once the Pre sleeps, you would think that pressing the button at the bottom of the screen would wake it up while in its closed position. It does not. You need to slide the screen up and press a key on the keypad. That's unfortunate.

A tiny piece of plastic molded to fit the shell and anchored by a small plastic "wire" conceals the port used to charge the Pre. I can see this breaking off completely by accident or by wear in the first eight months of use.

As I said, if you've not used an iPhone before, manipulating the screen with brushes of a thumb or using fingers to zoom in or out takes some getting used to.

The Nuptials
I’m happy to say that the misers in the deep, dank bowels of the Sprint campus have taken pity on me and upgraded my data plan in such a way that my monthly bill will remain exactly the same. I would expect as much given my loyalty despite many (some soon-to-be-resolved) inconveniences and periods of angst. Thank you for that.

I've often wondered who "those people" are that, for whatever provider, confabulate the "plans" that seem to bleed our cash. I surmise that they all work at Area 51. In this case, I am satisfied that I can tolerate the new arrangement. I remain mystified by the whole concept of "rebates" and why it takes 6-8 weeks as I was told, in this day and age, to cut a check for $100. Really? You can't just have it credited to my account by 5:00 p.m. on Monday? Is it that complicated?

The Future
All in all, I look forward to a long and loving experience with the Pre. It's not perfect for my needs, but what device truly is? I'll learn to love its peccadillos. That's what a relationship is about, right?

I have much to explore yet. These are my initial thoughts after a few hours of use. If any of you find this useful, please feel free to comment.

Overexposed

2009-01-04T20:40:00.000-06:00

In my new year, get-a-grip effort Friday night, I achieved clarity about something I had been avoiding and had no desire to confront. I’m too exposed on the Interwebs. This has been magnified by the recent need to change my lock-and-key on FaceBook a few weeks ago and now (thanks phishers!) my Twitter password, too.

There, I said it, the “P” word. Have you ever taken inventory of your passwords? If your answer is, “Sure. My PINs are my spouse’s birthday. My passwords are my pet’s last name. You can catch Mr. Fluffy McScratchalot cited in the captions of the photos I upload weekly to Posterous,” I don’t want to know you. Really, I don’t.

My unpleasant realization evolved as follows. I paid my monthly bills – the same ones you all have – online in the waning days of ‘08. How? Supplying a password each time, of course, after logging in to my personal laptop. In fairness, half of those bills are deducted from a bank account, but I still log in to verify that they’ve posted.

I’m too active online, it seems. By my count, that includes those 10 bills, 17 social and professional networking sites, five email accounts, 10+ online retailers and streaming music sites, my personal website, at least eight job boards and freelance sites, my alumni page, my 401K, my bank, a FICO finder, a handful of charities, my GPS manufacturer’s site and my blog.

Every Monday through Friday, well Sunday through Saturday to be specific, you can add passwords for Salesforce, SurveyMonkey, the work laptop, BlackBerry voicemail code, expense report site, budgeting platform, recruiting site, and desk phone voicemail code.

On that note, don’t forget the voicemail code on the cell phone and the debit card PIN.

Do you see where I’m going with this? You’re probably like me in my seemingly unfortunate reach. Nearly 70 access points, each with virtually unique passwords! Ten years ago, I had four or five. How did things spiral so wildly out of control?

How does one manage, and how safe are they?

I’m no expert. I am not advising here, merely sharing my own strategies. You can say I’m a big fan of the Password Reset feature on many sites for starters. If anything, this helps me refresh stale ones that no longer bear any significant meaning. And be certain that my passwords are strong. Yours should be, too. That means mixing things up a little, or a lot. Some sites restrict the number of characters or the types of characters one can use. I am creative nonetheless, as creative as the site allows. I make them challenging, make them strong and make them many.

How? I use some core elements such as familiar (but not obvious) number blocks, made-up or foreign words, Leetspeak and special characters. For example:

Numbers: the honeymoon room number or a piece of a car’s VIN

Nonsense words: chibbylagwah, santercolift, happlifance, ublangr (If I’m not feeling creative, I just look at the parade of pharmaceuticals thrown at me during every commercial break.)

Foreign words: I prefer anything from the Balkan-area language family. Lots of consonants. On occasion, I will use an online language converter.

Leetspeak and special characters: I replace letters with numbers and vice versa. A “1” can be a capital “I” or a lowercase “L” for instance, or substitute the # for an “H.”

I’ve got a mental library of bite-sized, memorable and meaningful building blocks. On demand, I’ll pull out a few, arrange them accordingly, apply some Leetspeak and I’ve got myself a strong password. My personal paranoia has led me to make this a best practice since I first started playing and working on the Interwebs in its earlier incarnations.

One last hint. Some systems require you to update your password periodically. For ease of remembering, I’ve inserted a favorite three-digit number in the middle of a nonsense word and merely update the number incrementally when prompted.

If you aren’t convinced yet of the necessity for strong passwords, John P.’s old blog post, ”How I’d Hack Your Weak Passwords”, states the following about commercially available password cracking tools, “Adding just one capital letter and one asterisk would change the processing time for an 8 character password from 2.4 days to 2.1 centuries.”

If you aren’t sure of the strength of your password(s), Microsoft offers a password strength checker on its website. Note also the related link in the right navigation bar on how to recognize spoofed websites.

Think about it next time you join a new site or feel inspired to change your current access code. And definitely think about it before one or more of your accounts gets phished or hacked.