Another missed day in the information, or misinformation depending on your views, blogosphere. I just am not motivated enough to take my mobile communication device (Laptop) and search out a wifi hot spot. Having coffee at McSquacks at 0600 hours just doesn't appeal to me anymore. 20 years ago I wouldn't have given it a second thought but, 20 years ago I was still playing games like Adventure, and anything by Infocom on my Apple IIe and dreaming about getting on the internet. Memory was still in the Kilobyte range and storage was all about how many floppy drives you could daisy chain together. DOS (Disk Operating System) still ruled supreme but it's days were rapidly coming to a close. Wow, I only meant to look at the road sign, not take a major drive down memory lane. Doing a u-ball and getting back on the main road. What I meant to say was I missed yesterdays post.
Today's rant is about the disposable society we live in. Everything we buy these days is made for convenience and profit. Anybody still have a TV or appliance from 40 or 50 years ago that is still working? Most likely a freezer or refrigerator. Those are from an era when things were made to last and it was more about quality and reliability than profit and sustainability. Now days everything is built for profit. Electronics and appliances are built with a 5-10 year life expectancy so that the companies can count on you to buy 2-4 of these items on average in your lifetime. This is all part of their long range profit and sustainability plan. Businesses even have their own language for these types of plans. If the average Joe were to sit in on a board meeting, they would have to spend a day just learning all the terminology to understand what was being discussed. Could businesses build quality items that would last for 20-30 years or more? Absolutely,, but it wouldn't be profitable for them and it is all about the bottom line. We live in a disposable society where we buy items meant for convenience and throw them away when they have expired or outlived their usefulness. In this age it is almost always easier or cost effective to dispose of an item and buy a new one rather than get it repaired.Where was I going with all this....hmmmm...I blogged myself "write" (pun intended) into a crossroads with many directions to go. You decide!
ciao
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Snowmaggedon
Snowmaggedon, it sounds like a new name for an abominable snowman! Around here, in Northern Minnesota, we call that a snow storm, or a blizzard if it has some particularly nasty winds accompanying it. And, if it's really nasty, like the Halloween storm of '91, Mega-storm! That storm was good for 36-42 inches depending on where you lived in Duluth, MN. I suppose though, if you're the nation's capitol, you deserve a really fancy name for a little over two feet of snow. Snowmaggedon has a catchy ring to it and could be easily put to music. I'm thinking changing the words to avoid copyright infringement and playing it to Def Leopard's "Armaggedon It". Now that would be a cool song for the capitol! :-)
On another note, it's Super Bowl time and even though our Vikings didn't make the show, I still have to watch the game. I wonder if it will be decided by the zebras again or by the players and how they play. I think, and this is just my humble opinion, referee's in the NFL should ref the game more like the NHL. Let the teams play the game instead of throwing their laundry all over the field every other play!
So, who do I want to win? I am rooting for the Colt's after watching the NFC championship game in N'allins. If I sound a tad bitter, I am. I can't help myself, being a Viking fan of many years starting in the wee years of my childhood. This Saints team smacks of the dirty dog Raiders of the Madden era. You had to love to hate them! ;-)
Here is a link for magazine that has it all for guys and gals. IMHO of course.
ciao
On another note, it's Super Bowl time and even though our Vikings didn't make the show, I still have to watch the game. I wonder if it will be decided by the zebras again or by the players and how they play. I think, and this is just my humble opinion, referee's in the NFL should ref the game more like the NHL. Let the teams play the game instead of throwing their laundry all over the field every other play!
So, who do I want to win? I am rooting for the Colt's after watching the NFC championship game in N'allins. If I sound a tad bitter, I am. I can't help myself, being a Viking fan of many years starting in the wee years of my childhood. This Saints team smacks of the dirty dog Raiders of the Madden era. You had to love to hate them! ;-)
Here is a link for magazine that has it all for guys and gals. IMHO of course.
ciao
Saturday, February 6, 2010
TGIF In The Rear View Mirror
I missed Friday's flush due to travel back in time on "Da Range". Or the "Iron Ridge" as one former President so eloquently put it.
Saturday's floaters and swirling circles on the way to the gurgler are going to be short and sweet. I figured I would write without reading anything from the national or international slants. Something funny and mindless for a change. How about old TV commercials. What commercials do you remember from when you were a kid? For me it brings back memories of a much simpler time when advertisers were just learning how to hook the viewers with something that would stick in their head in an almost annoying yet catchy way. One for me which has stuck in my head throughout the years is so stupid yet it sticks and is always in the aging memory banks, "You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsident". Catchy and annoying yet stuck in my head forever it seems. I guess you always remember stuff from the young, impressionable years. On the flip side, I couldn't remember a recent TV commercial while I am writing this but, if I was in the store looking for a product to do a job, you can bet one of those catchy commercials would pop in my head and that is what I would buy, mindlessly! Ah the power of suggestion.
And, with a flick of the flush fixture, that's it for today.
Saturday's floaters and swirling circles on the way to the gurgler are going to be short and sweet. I figured I would write without reading anything from the national or international slants. Something funny and mindless for a change. How about old TV commercials. What commercials do you remember from when you were a kid? For me it brings back memories of a much simpler time when advertisers were just learning how to hook the viewers with something that would stick in their head in an almost annoying yet catchy way. One for me which has stuck in my head throughout the years is so stupid yet it sticks and is always in the aging memory banks, "You'll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsident". Catchy and annoying yet stuck in my head forever it seems. I guess you always remember stuff from the young, impressionable years. On the flip side, I couldn't remember a recent TV commercial while I am writing this but, if I was in the store looking for a product to do a job, you can bet one of those catchy commercials would pop in my head and that is what I would buy, mindlessly! Ah the power of suggestion.
And, with a flick of the flush fixture, that's it for today.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Blogger's Ballast - Navigating The Political Right and Left Wing
I have always viewed myself as an equal opportunity person, listening to both sides of the fence before making any decision or opining on any debate. A good analogy of it would be a cargo ship navigating the high seas. The climate of the sea represents the importance and sensitivity of the issue, the helm of the ship represents the direction taken to navigate the complexity of the issue, and most importantly, the ballast of the ship, which represents balance of the issue. Too much ballast either way and I start to favor one side or other of the issue. If I am overly zealous about an issue, my ship turns turtle and capsizes. In other words, I have taken the issue beyond the realm of plausibility and am now trying to make one side wholly believe in something that isn't realistic or possible.
So, what's my point here you may ask. My point is; The Passengers, AKA The People, need to wake up and check their tickets before blindly boarding a ship with ballast issues! I see a lot of ships in the heavy seas of congress floundering because of too much ballast to the right or left. And, even worse, I see a lot of keels bobbing on the waves that have capsized and are now collecting survivors from other ships that have capsized and gone down. Yet, rather than get in the rescue ship, these survivors cling to these capsized ships in hope of salvaging or re-floating the ship when the reality is it is already to far gone to save.
In closing, for my part, I always check the name of the political ship I am boarding to be sure it is not named the "Titanic" or even worse, "The Flying Dutchman", doomed to forever repeat a ballast issue gone awry.
ciao
So, what's my point here you may ask. My point is; The Passengers, AKA The People, need to wake up and check their tickets before blindly boarding a ship with ballast issues! I see a lot of ships in the heavy seas of congress floundering because of too much ballast to the right or left. And, even worse, I see a lot of keels bobbing on the waves that have capsized and are now collecting survivors from other ships that have capsized and gone down. Yet, rather than get in the rescue ship, these survivors cling to these capsized ships in hope of salvaging or re-floating the ship when the reality is it is already to far gone to save.
In closing, for my part, I always check the name of the political ship I am boarding to be sure it is not named the "Titanic" or even worse, "The Flying Dutchman", doomed to forever repeat a ballast issue gone awry.
ciao
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Hump Day
Wednesday is a summit of achievement for a lot of working people that find themselves in the drudge and toil of lower middle class America. Small victories of just making it halfway through the routine work week are what get many of us through to the weekend. Anticipation of plans for those two glorious day off go from being days away to almost there. Even the glass half empty person is thinking of things to do, or not to do, during the weekly escape from the "other" life they lead 5 days a week.
Now here's a radical look at a way to bring jobs and prosperity back to America. Instead of giving money to all the irresponsible corporations and banks that got us into this mess, lets flip the work week and have five days off and work two. Give the money to businesses to hire more employees and research radical new ways to make it sustainable. All those new wage earning Americans will then have five full days to spend their newly acquired earnings patronizing these businesses thereby creating wealth and prosperity for the business and creating more tax base for local and national government.
Don't shoot me full of holes! It is merely wishful thinking and pure fantasy on my part. But it never hurts to dream big and for some in this disastrous economy, that is all they have left, their dreams!
No rant today.
Now here's a radical look at a way to bring jobs and prosperity back to America. Instead of giving money to all the irresponsible corporations and banks that got us into this mess, lets flip the work week and have five days off and work two. Give the money to businesses to hire more employees and research radical new ways to make it sustainable. All those new wage earning Americans will then have five full days to spend their newly acquired earnings patronizing these businesses thereby creating wealth and prosperity for the business and creating more tax base for local and national government.
Don't shoot me full of holes! It is merely wishful thinking and pure fantasy on my part. But it never hurts to dream big and for some in this disastrous economy, that is all they have left, their dreams!
No rant today.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Fleecing of the Consumer
So, this is what is entertainment news on CNN today. The amazing sex doll. Guys, take notice because this is specifically targeting you. And, I must admit I would be just a little curious to see this too. I seriously though, couldn't imagine taking one of these to bed or having a conversation with it. Just a little to weird IMHO.
Consumer rant:
I used to watch the NBC evening news and was always amazed when they would air the "Fleecing of America". (CNN also has a good article on this) I would always think to myself, "self", "why do people continue to let this happen?" Then I would make a mental note to myself not to support that company or purchase those items. However, with a little research I found that a lot of the companies featured were owned by bigger corporations with names we all know. And, to eliminate products from those corporations would just be a darn inconvenience. This is coming from the guy that won't buy from anybody that physically attaches their ads to the comic section of the Sunday paper. (Damn I miss Papa Johns take and bake pizzas) Anyway, my point is; all these corporations bank on the premise that the consumer will pay exorbitant prices for highly hyped and over priced name brands in the name of convenience. Try and give up your favorite name brand item for just one month and you will see what I mean. So, what would make these corporations sit up and take notice that the consumer isn't just some mindless lemming and has had enough of being fleeced? If enough people stopped buying one name brand product, let's say Charmin TP for example, for 1 month you would see an almost panicked response at the end of that month from that company all the way to the parent corporation. If enough people did that to a major gasoline brand the effect would be monumental. I believe the next revolution will be when the consumer discovers that they have the power to control the corporate world by communication and controlling what they buy. With the advances and access to the internet now afforded by more and more people, this will become a reality in the not so distant future. Corporate America beware!
Consumer rant:
I used to watch the NBC evening news and was always amazed when they would air the "Fleecing of America". (CNN also has a good article on this) I would always think to myself, "self", "why do people continue to let this happen?" Then I would make a mental note to myself not to support that company or purchase those items. However, with a little research I found that a lot of the companies featured were owned by bigger corporations with names we all know. And, to eliminate products from those corporations would just be a darn inconvenience. This is coming from the guy that won't buy from anybody that physically attaches their ads to the comic section of the Sunday paper. (Damn I miss Papa Johns take and bake pizzas) Anyway, my point is; all these corporations bank on the premise that the consumer will pay exorbitant prices for highly hyped and over priced name brands in the name of convenience. Try and give up your favorite name brand item for just one month and you will see what I mean. So, what would make these corporations sit up and take notice that the consumer isn't just some mindless lemming and has had enough of being fleeced? If enough people stopped buying one name brand product, let's say Charmin TP for example, for 1 month you would see an almost panicked response at the end of that month from that company all the way to the parent corporation. If enough people did that to a major gasoline brand the effect would be monumental. I believe the next revolution will be when the consumer discovers that they have the power to control the corporate world by communication and controlling what they buy. With the advances and access to the internet now afforded by more and more people, this will become a reality in the not so distant future. Corporate America beware!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Monday Meanderings
Did anybody watch the Pro-bowl last night? I tried to catch it from the 2nd quarter and all I can tell you is it was 17-14 AFC. Even though it remained "on", it was so ho-hum it was nothing but background entertainment. Who won? I think it is always risky at best to break tradition and reschedule something like this, especially to move it before the Superbowl! That deserves a "WTF were they thinking" award! If I hadn't been channel surfing I would have forgotten about it altogether! 'nuff said about that.
Time for a tech rant:
E-reader Review
I would love to have an e-reader. Being able to take a virtual library of my favorite authors where ever I go would be awesome. The rub? The price! Who is going to pay from $250-$450 for that convenience? I mean c'mon! I could go out and buy a fairly decent laptop for that price and read them on it. Granted, it's not as portable as a paper back but, if I am going to fork out that kind of hay, I want the most nibblin' for my nag! I'll just buy the book for now and wait for the "gimme you're money please" guys to take the affluent $$$ first and then price it in the reality range for the rest of us.
Time for a tech rant:
E-reader Review
I would love to have an e-reader. Being able to take a virtual library of my favorite authors where ever I go would be awesome. The rub? The price! Who is going to pay from $250-$450 for that convenience? I mean c'mon! I could go out and buy a fairly decent laptop for that price and read them on it. Granted, it's not as portable as a paper back but, if I am going to fork out that kind of hay, I want the most nibblin' for my nag! I'll just buy the book for now and wait for the "gimme you're money please" guys to take the affluent $$$ first and then price it in the reality range for the rest of us.
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