Why Apple won't best the Palm Pre

Kevin Rose is at it again. After some dubious predictions in the past he's saying the iPhone 3.0 will have copy and paste and, according to his source, "Brings it up to speed with all the Palm Pre stuff."

Copy and paste is probably a pretty safe bet. And I will be the first to admit that it's pathetic how excited everyone will be for a basic feature that should have been included in the original software, yet has taken TWO YEARS to make its appearance. (Assuming it's even coming - everyone has been expecting it from day one.)

As for the iPhone being brought up to speed with the Palm Pre, I doubt it. Why? Because one of the big features I see in the Pre is the ability to better manage your information. With the Pre, it pulls all your contacts from (for example) your work email, Gmail, Facebook, etc. and deduplicates entries automatically. So if my friend from work, Adam, is in my contact list the Pre will pull his work email, Gmail account and Facebook status and display them all under his name without any help from me. It does the same thing for calendars, IM, email, etc. all over the air without needing to plug the Pre into a computer. (For a good demo of the Pre click here and watch chapters 4, 5 and 6.)

Apple has failed when it comes to information management on the iPhone. They can't even get their proprietary, completely-controlled-by-them, specifically built for the iPhone, doesn't play nice with anyone else, $99/year MobileMe service to consistently work properly. Nor have they enabled the push notification feature which was supposed to be out months ago.

I'd love it if Apple pulled the same functionality of the Pre out of its hat. I really would. Especially if it's easily unlockable. I just don't think it's going to happen.

Besides, they have yet to conquer picture messaging, instant messaging, text message forwarding and all those other radically advanced cell phone features.

Thoughts? Any last-minute predictions for tomorrow? Am I delusional? Leave word in the comments.

Trash can for the bathroom

 

Practical design, don't you think? By Stephan Hauser.

Oh yeah. And this is my 700th post.

Yahoo!

Elder Uchdorf on creativity

I think anyone would find this inspirational, regardless of your faith (best viewed in HD - click the "HD" button near the volume control in the player after you hit play):

The church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) has set up a channel on YouTube called MormonMessages and is creating short, informative and inspirational videos exclusively for the medium. You should definitely check it out.

About this video... what an interesting topic for a conference talk! I wish they had a link to the entire talk because I'd love to read it.

What do you think? How did you feel when you watched the video? Leave word in the comments.

This chick kinda looks like she has a hairy chest

Sorry Ms. iPod Shuffle Model. The combination of freckles, shadows, thin lips and ill-placed head hair makes it look like you've got some serious shag going on.

Funny, but kinda creepy

Courtesy of here.

The trash can experiment

I walk into my office each morning and on a semi-regular basis find my trash in a place other than where I normally keep it.

You see, the cleaning guy doesn't put it back. He comes in and grabs it and tosses any trash that may be in it into a bigger trash can in the hallway. This is good. However, upon returning the can to my office, he only makes it about half way back and sets it on the floor in front of my desk drawers instead of tucked away under the opposite side of the desk where it belongs. I can only imagine a two reasons for this:

1. Short-term memory loss. The poor guy can't remember where the trash can goes despite picking it up just 15 seconds earlier. (Sad.)

2. He's lazy. (Also sad.)

Not to be overly critical, but I'm leaning toward number one because he never forgets where it goes when I'm in the office and he comes in.

So I'm going to do a little experiment and for the next little while I'm going to leave my trash can wherever he puts it. I won't touch it. If he puts it in the middle of my doorway I'll step over it. If he puts it on my chair I'll stand all day or find a new chair. (Don't any of you go giving the cleaning guy any crazy ideas. This is a scientific experiment.)

What do you think will happen? Let me know in the comments.

UPDATE: Dang it! I was still at my desk when he came in tonight. I tried not to make eye contact. It was awkward.

Got $1.4M to drop on a car? It should be this one.

Behold, the Aston Martin One-77. Why "One-77"? Because there are only going to be 77 of these cars hand built by the motor company. According to the article (link below), "...It represents the culmination of all the company has learned since its founding in 1913."

Check out this brief article with more pictures and info. Now you'll have to excuse me - I have to go change my pants.

The Kit to Thwart Writers Block

"The Kit to Thwart Writers Block was created after being asked to find something I hate, change it and make it better, and then advertise it. Because I hate getting writers block, I researched the many ways to solve it, and created a packaged kit. I advertised it by silkscreening depressing doodles on napkins that look like they could have been drawn by someone in the throes of writers block. Folded on the other side of the napkin is the logo of the kit. Napkins were dispersed at coffee shops, and other locations where one might go to try and avoid writers block."



A fun project. I wish she was really selling them. :) See more of the kit here.

An addictive chemical in the chicken

This scene is a classic. Still cracks me up. This time I watched it from the point of view of the friend listening to the story being told. Hilarious.

Get Dropbox

I've mentioned the stellar service Dropbox provides in the past.

If you aren't familiar with it, Dropbox puts a folder on your desktop and anything you put in that folder is automatically backed up online. You can also connect that folder to another computer and the files and folders placed in it will automatically sync between the computers. All your files are available through any web browser. You get 2 GB free.

It turns out they have a referral program where if you sign up by clicking HERE you get 10% extra space on the free version (and I get the same amount added to my account).

Give it a try. Install it on your work computer and your home computer and watch the magic happen. It works on Mac, Windows and Unix. Even if you don't need to sync files between computers, it's still a great, simple way to get 2 GB of easy-to-use, easy-to-access, always available (even when you're offline) online backups. It also includes a great online interface so you can access your files from any computer with Internet access.

Just sign up already, OK?

Vote on how we should spell "Sara(h)"

We're considering naming our girl Sara(h). While this is by no means set in stone, it's how we're leaning at the moment.

The question is, should we spell "Sarah(h)" with or without the "h"? The poll is in the upper corner of the site. If you want to give any additional justification for your vote/further argue your case, do so in the comments.

And....go.

Grumble, grumble

I'm sick, my head feels funny and my Internet connection is being very slow. I'm tired, but I can't fall asleep - a symptom of my illness which I do not relish. Also, what the heck is up with this "link" box below the title box on Blogger?:

That is all.

Idaho, it's a girl, and other updates from the last couple weeks

Sorry about the blogging drought. While I've been slacking in the blogging area, I've been more than picking up for it in all the other stuff I've got going on. Let me explain. No. There is too much. Let me sum up.

The Bun II

Most importantly, we're having a girl! We went to Fetal Foto last night (shudder) and had another ultrasound. It turns out the experience wasn't nearly as creepy as I thought it would be. And they sent us home with a DVD of the entire ultrasound set to music. So a bit cheesy perhaps, but not creepy.

Speaking Engagement

Last week I went and spoke at Brigham Young University Idaho on "social media and its impact on business and advertising". (Sounds boring doesn't it?) I was spending all my free time into the wee hours of the morning (literally) preparing the presentation. So no blogging for me.

Ironic since I was speaking on social media.

I presented a "one hour" version and a 15 minute version. I asked the students in the first presentation to fill out surveys afterward and overall the feedback was good.

My little family was able to come with me and the faculty members were very gracious hosts. Overall, I think it went pretty well and I really enjoyed hanging out for a bit up on my old stomping grounds.

If you're interested (or sadistic) you can view the Keynote slides by clicking the links in the sidebar. (Update: now removed. Email me if you want to see them.)

Brazil by way of Provo

Oh yeah. My sister in-law left for her mission to Brazil. Her visa didn't come through in time so instead of going straight to Brazil she had to make a slight detour to the Provo MTC. She just left today. Knowing that she'll be gone for 18 months doesn't seem like a HUGE deal until I think about it this way:

When she gets back my son will be twice as old as he is now.
Our little girl will be my son's age.

Crazy.

Txt me

Saturday we merged our cell phone plan with my in-law's. We now have more minutes and unlimited text messaging for less than we were paying before. Good deal.

As an aside, I had no idea how disciplined I was by limiting my texting to a paltry 1,000 messages per month. Being on an unlimited plan for a little over three days now I've already used over 300 texts. It feels good to not have to worry about that anymore.


TRANSITION...

Three random things I've noticed within the last two weeks:

1. We need more AA batteries in our place. I am at the point I'm pulling the rechargeable batteries out of the computer mouse to put in the remote to watch movies.

2. Singing multiple verses of "Old McDonad" is really funny when you start making up noises for non-barnyard animals. You should hear my bald eagle. Top notch.

3. If you see a house like this, and it's listed for $159,000, don't get your hopes up.

The last nail in MobileMe's coffin (MobileMe functionality, free)

Now that Google is providing free Exchange push synchronization of Google Contacts and Calendars to the iPhone and iPod Touch, it has effectively killed MobileMe's last unique selling point.

So instead of blowing $99 a year, here's a list of where you can get everything MobileMe offers (and then some) but free.

• Bookmark synchronization – Foxmarks (now available on Safari)
• Online storage (iDisk) – Dropox I've been using this for a while now and it works perfectly. Good UI too.
• Push Calendar – Google Calendar using CalDAV for iCal and Google Sync for iPhone/Touch.
• Push Email – Yahoo Mail (I suspect this will soon be available via Gmail as well).
• Online photo gallery – Picasa, Flickr, etc. Desktop clients/plugins are available for both Mac and PC as well as for the iPhone/Touch for easy uploading.
  

Of course, MobileMe isn't the be-all-end-all solution despite the fact they're charging for it. There are a couple of things MobileMe SHOULD do which are available through third parties:

• Note syncing – Notespark is a great little $2 app for the iPhone. It works when you don't have a data connection and all your notes sync to a decent-looking web interface. Includes excellent tag and search capabilities.
  
• To-Do List/Syncing – Remember the Milk provides a hard-core to-do application that works in Gmail, through their own website and (for $25/year) the iPhone/Touch. It, too, is available without a data connection. For something less robust (and free) try Toodledo.

There you have it. Everything MobileMe offers for $99 a year for free. I wonder how, or if, Apple will respond. Thoughts?

Someday, someone may make a movie of your life

Courtesy of here.

A week? Seriously?

Dag, yo. I didn't realize it's been a week since I last posted. I have three posts (or at least quick thoughts jotted down that have the potential to become posts) saved in draft form waiting for the time...well, I'm not sure exactly what they're waiting for aside from me to get the chance to work on them.

I've been busy.

I would tell you what I've been busy doing but I don't have time.

Today I got my new business cards. "Social media strategist." Additional title. New responsibilities. No raise. It's cool. I'm pretty stoked that I have a job.

I've been thinking quite a bit recently about how the world has changed a lot in a relatively short amount of time. Think about it. I remember very clearly when the Internet didn't exist (or at least it didn't exist outside of government and universities.) You probably do too.

Now think about how much of your life depends on it. The way we pay bills, the way we buy stuff, the way we communicate with each other, the way we bank, the way we find people, the way we work, the way we learn and discover new things and the fact that you're reading this right now. It's all the web. It's literally transformed our way of life in the span of around 15 years.

How many more 15 years do I have left in my lifetime? Probably a few. At least three I'd guess. Makes you wonder what's going to happen.

My mom said she thought it would have been fascinating to live when her grandmother did because she (her grandmother) went from riding a horse and buggy to seeing a man on the moon.

That really is remarkable.

But if I had to choose I'd rather have my laptop and the Internet and not have gone to the moon.

I think I could really go for a sabbatical. There's so much reading, thinking and writing I'd like to do about these changes. Take advertising for example.

TV ads in the 50's, 60's, and even into the 70's and 80's were on the Big Three networks. If you wanted to reach people, you advertised during Ed Sullivan and you could probably count on most of America seeing your message. It was like the Superbowl five nights a week.

Not anymore.

I think I may have just re-locked my unlocked iPhone. Not sure why, but it's not recognizing my T-Mobile SIM card. It's like it wants a SIM card from AT&T or something. Fat chance, iPhone. I love you, but I'll throw you to the wolves (or in the junk drawer) before I switch to AT&T. And don't give me that attitude. I'll wipe your pretty little self so clean there won't be an original 1 or 0 on you. Think about it long and hard and we'll continue this discussion in the morning.

For those of you who are reading this and aren't inanimate objects, I hope you have a good weekend. Who knows? Maybe the next time we see each other I'll reintroduce you to my new iPhone.

The irony is brilliantly potent

I love it.

Awesome skydiving music video

I'm curious to know how many jumps they went on to get all the footage. Check it out. Although be sure to stop before the 3:15 mark to avoid a long string of profanity. Oh, and I believe the band is El Guisante Mágico. Or something.

A great example of how NOT to use social media

Bad Belkin! According to Engadget, Belkin is allegedly paying folks to give their products positive reviews on Amazon as well as for knocking the competition down a few rungs.

"For a whopping $0.65 cents you can write a 5 out of 5 review of a Belkin product, and downrank negative reviews while you're at it."

This is exactly what companies don't grasp about social media. They know it can be influential but they don't understand that 1. It can't be manipulated and 2. If they do try to manipulate it, it will likely come back and bit them very, very hard.

For example, by (allegedly) doing this they're basically telling everyone, "Our products suck to the point we have to pay people to give them good reviews." Probably not the outcome they were looking for.

Create your own bike lane

Via here.

The hippies are at it again. This time with "sea kittens".

How's that for timing? PETA is trying to "save the fish" by rebranding them from "slithery and slimy, and they have eyes on either side of their pointy little heads" (their words, not mine) to "sea kittens."

Again, I am not making this up.

It would appear people don't care about scaly, slimy fish and are all too eager to have someone hook, club, slice, gut, cook, and squeeze lemon over one for consumption. They needed to come up with a way to change people's perception of fish. I can see the brainstorm session now:

"So how do we create an emotional attachment to fish? They're ugly and eat worms."

There is a long pause with lots of "hmmmming" and pencils being tapped on empty pads of paper. (I know what this is like because I do it for a living.) Eventually someone tentatively says, "People like cats."

There's another pause while everyone thinks about this. "But cats eat fish too," someone in the corner calls out.

At this point, they should have killed the idea and moved on to something else. Sadly, this did not happen.

"True," a creative director offers, "But instead of cats eating fish, what if the cat was the fish! We change the entire way people view fish! Instead of viewing them as slimy underwater worm-eaters, we get people to see them as cats! Little, adorable kittens. Ah-HA!" His hands are stretched like he can see the headline floating in front of him. "Sea kittens!"

A flurry of note taking begins where everyone who works under this creative director tries to capture their understanding of his vision. Hasty sketches are drawn. Headline options are furiously scribbled. No one has the guts to say, "This is stupid."

So that's their first problem: they assume everyone likes cats. This is false. Not all people like cats. People like me. In fact, this campaign makes me want to eat more fish simply because they are now being associated with an animal I strongly dislike.

The site urges visitors to fill out a petition to to the US Fish and Wildlife Service to "save the sea kittens." I presume the people who work at the US Fish and Wildlife Service are well-educated people, particularly about animals and species and  the like, and are aware that there is no such thing as a sea kitten. This would make it very difficult for them to be saved since, you know, they don't exist. That's PETA's second problem.

However, PETA has been kind enough to provide the functionality to Create Your Own Sea Kitten. You know, to give you something visual to picture the next time you're looking at a piece of salmon on your dinner plate. This is mine:


I named him/her/it "Lunch". Why? Because of PETA's third problem: they neglected to put a "sound off" button on their site which drives me nuts. So I'm going to have a fillet o' fish today for lunch. From a fast food pace. In a food court. In a strip mall.

This time the hippies have gone too far

"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, cofounders of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., urging them to replace cow's milk they use in their ice cream products with human breast milk."

Apparently the story is a bit old, but according to PETA (known in some circles to stand for the People for the Eating of Tasty Animals), using human milk would, "Lessen the suffering of dairy cows and their babies on factory farms and benefit human health."

So getting milk from cows on farms causes them suffering. I'm not a woman but I'm guessing if you asked one what she thought, the idea of rounding up a bunch of lactating women and milking them might be considered a form of suffering. I could be wrong on this.

PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman was quoted as saying, "Everyone knows that 'the breast is best.'" I cannot comment on that statement. At least not with a straight face. Although I think these people would agree with her.

I think Ben & Jerry, despite being hippies themselves, made the right choice in deciding not to switch to human breast milk for their ice cream. Do you agree? Disagree? I can see a huge, passionate debate happening in the comments so...get to it.

Read the full story here.

More minutae and even more random thoughts - a new tumblog

In case you can't get enough of me (and, honestly, who can't?) I've started a tumblog of the things that aren't quite big enough to make it to TheOtherDrummer.com.

These little things include:

• Sites I find worthy of bookmarking
• Pictures
• Videos
• Gems from my RSS feeds
  
• Thoughts that don't quite warrant a full post here

I used to have my Twitter feed streaming there too, but it was a little much.

The tumblog will be updated more often than here, but with shorter content.

You can follow the more minute details of my life on the web by clicking here or subscribing via RSS by clicking here.

Apple introduces laptop with clickwheel instead of keyboard

Apple Introduces Revolutionary New Laptop With No Keyboard

Can't wait for Macworld tomorrow!

10...er...9 Social Media Blunders that Can Destroy Your Brand

An interesting post by Wendy Piersall over at Sparkplugging discusses 10 Social Media Blunders that Can Destroy Your Brand. While I think it's a good post, I disagree with the second-to-last point (#9?): 

Show up as a company spokesperson, brand representative, sales executive, or anything else other than simply showing up as a real human being

...If you are going to show up in the Web 2.0 community for business reasons, show up as a person first. People don’t want to connect with brands, companies, or products. People want to connect with people.

 Yes, people do want to connect with people. However, I disagree that people don't want to interact with brands or companies. I think people are fine following brands and companies through means of social media if they know that's who they're following. It's all about expectations.

There are Four Levels of Social Media Involvement as far as businesses are concerned (I'm thinking mainly Twitter here, but I think the principles apply across the board):

1. The Deceiver - Mentioned in #3 of Ms. Piersall's post, these are companies that know social media can be beneficial, but go about it in an entirely errant way by being deceptive about it. For example, hiring people to go out there and secretly promote the company. Bad CMO! These companies don't grasp the point transparency, how crucial it is, and how when you screw it up it comes back to bite you. Hard.

2. The PR Printer - Their idea of using a blog, Twitter, digg, etc. is to pump out press releases. They are under the delusion that people want to hear their corporate speak. They are wrong. And while they may have a warm fuzzy feeling because they think they're "using" social media, nobody is listening to them.

3. The Rep - This person is assigned to take on social media responsibilities. Perhaps it's a PR team, brand rep...whatever. They know that content is king, produce good content and are open about who it's coming from. Inherently this person isn't as interesting as if he or she was the CEO, but their presence is still beneficial to followers/customers.

4. The Guru - This company has it down pat. They have someone in a position of real authority in their organization engaging personally in social media. This person provides relevant content on a regular basis and presents him or herself in a natural, likable manner. It's not just their company that understands social media, but the person producing the content really gets it.

Ideally, you want your company or organization to be at Level 4, but many companies at Level 3 have people who are interested enough about their company/brand that they are happy to communicate with a brand rep or PR person. This is because I'm interested in, and want to connect with, the brand and/or company, not necessarily the person.

An example of this is the team that writes Google's Gmail Blog. I don't pay attention to who writes it, nor do I care. I love Gmail and I want to know what's going on with its development, new features, etc.. 

That being said, no one should be ghost writing for the CEO, no matter how good the content is. And a company would be foolish to, say, try to buy diggs. However, if I know the blog I'm reading is:

1. From the PR team at X company
2. They tell me it's from the PR team - not trying to be deceptive
3. Producing quality content (Level 3)

... then great! While they aren't at a Level 4, they aren't damaging their brand either. In fact, I'd argue that they're building it.

As I said before, it's all about expectations.

Re: Steve Jobs' health

Why has Dear Leader been looking so gaunt? Really, is it any of our business? He's the CEO of a company for crying out loud. If Phil Knight, Steve Forbes, or even the famed Richard Branson appeared to have health problems would their stock tumble and the very future of the thriving companies they founded be brought into question? I think not.

The fact that Steve Jobs had to write a public letter explaining his health status (obviously a very personal thing) is a shame.

Wait. No it isn't.

Apple has created the perception that one person responsible for an entire brand, product line, company and a cultural phenomenon. I understand the fact that Mr. Jobs doesn't want to discuss his health ("So now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this") and any other CEO probably wouldn't have to.

But guess what Steve? You brought this on yourself by making (and promoting) yourself as more than a CEO: you brand yourself as The Heart, Soul, and Mind of Apple. You are irreplaceable. You are responsible for its success. You are the foundation upon which Apple is built.

There's nothing wrong with people who have invested in Apple inquiring about (possible) cracks in the foundation.

Image courtesy of Engadget.

The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance

A story about New York, Mormons, being rejected, and The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance. Very funny, particularly the end.

The Bun is...

... still a mystery. They weren't able to determine the gender. Little The Bun was stubbornly curled up in a ball and wouldn't uncurl for anything.

I think I'm having a girl.

Talking to empty rooms

Courtesy of XKCD.

Boy or girl? Vote now.

Friday is the day we go in for the ultrasound and (hopefully) find out whether we're having a boy or a girl. I've already voiced my concerns about having a girl, but here's a quick list of the benefits to each gender as I see them:

BENEFITS TO HAVING A GIRL

• We'll have our bases covered - at least one of each
  
• I'd absolutely melt if I had a little girl
• Could bring balance to the testosterone that would be flowing through our household in the form of trucks, video games, dirt, etc. (This could also be a con.)
• If my sons are anything like me, the changes of accidents and serious injury are greatly reduced if it's a girl
  

BENEFITS TO HAVING A BOY

• It would be awesome for Jake to have a brother
• I can call them "my boys"
• My wife can call the three of us "her boys"
  
• Seasonally, Jake's clothes will match perfectly with what The Bun II will need and we'll save a small fortune on clothes that will only be worn maybe four or five times before they're outgrown
• No frilly stuff

What do you think we're having? Please vote on the poll that's in the upper-right corner of the site. Also, do you see any other pros or cons to having a boy or a girl? Leave word in the comments.

Image courtesy of here.

Apparently I'm not all that helpful

I received the following email from a friend last week, which I publish here in abbreviated form and without her permission:

Dear Dave,

My family is going to do a family talent show on Christmas and we have to come up with something to do. Can you guys help us out...? Last time we took traditional Christmas songs and rapped them. It was a hit and we've been asked to try to do it again... PLEASE HELP!!!

Stacie

I replied:

Dear Stacie

I think maybe you should maybe do a dramatic recreation of a scene from Schindler's List. Or maybe a live demonstration about how to pluck a chicken.

Just some thoughts.

Warmest wishes,

David

Stacie replied:

I'm going to email your wife for help now.

Advice on being a Secret Santa

If at all possible, avoid routes to the front porch that are covered in crunchy snow and ice. Also, the fewer people making the trek to the porch, the better - I recommend less than three. Try to avoid paths to the door that may be more complicated than necessary. For example, if there is a 30 foot wooden ramp with a 90 degree turn in it that you must go up before even getting to the porch, consider aborting the mission and giving the toys to the neighbors. Or keep them for yourself.

Finally, if you've been volunteered by your commrades to be the one to stay and ring the bell (similar to being the wounded guy in a movie who stays behind to be eaten by the monster in the hopes it will buy his friends enough time to escape), and the porch light turns on before you get a chance to ring the bell, feel free to make as much noise as you want as you book it out of there as fast as you can. It doesn't matter if they hear you; In a matter of seconds they're going to open the door, see the presents, and know someone was there, which is the whole point anyway, right?

Image courtesy of here.

Three things that are giving my friend Brett a headache

My friend Brett recently vented about a few things and I happen to agree with many of his sentiments. He said I could repost it here, so I have. Enjoy, and please leave your thoughts in the comments afterward.



The Next Notebook Trend: Cellphone-Like Contract Deals
Yeah, here’s a great idea- lock people into stupid notebook contracts like cell phone companies do so that they end up paying 3 or 4 times what the product is actually worth. The only thing stupider: the people who would actually fall for something like this. No offense, iPhone users, it’s nearly unavoidable in your case.

15% Fat Tax
With “the troubled economy,” state budgets are coming up short. Their solution? Tax the people. Here’s what somebody isn’t understanding: People were not made to support government, rather, government was made to support the people. Remember that whole “by the people, for the people” line?

Who is the biggest, most bloated, grotesquely obese entity on Earth? The U.S. Government. And they want to tax us for being fat?

Instead of penalizing the people because of a desire they have for a certain type of food, government should be cutting ITSELF down to make up for the hard times, not cutting the people down to make up for their own glutenous, fatty, short-sighted spending habits. The government should be doing what American families are doing to weather the hard times—cutting back, re-evaluating programs, canceling cable, re-budgeting and adjusting appetites that sometimes get out-of-hand when times are too good to be true.

How any elected representative can, in good conscience, even throw this idea around in his head for more than 3 seconds is completely beyond me. And the one thing stupider:

North Carolina’s idea of a Mileage Tax
Are elected officials going completely insane? Charging you for every mile you drive? So they want you to pay taxes out of the income you worked for to build the roads, tax you again to buy the car, tax you again every year to own the car, tax you again to buy the gas, and then on top of all that, TAX YOU AGAIN WHEN YOU ACTUALLY DRIVE THE CAR?!

I’m sorry, but when a government has to insert itself to take money from the people at every single exchange and interaction—and it still can’t support itself, it is time for that government to go. And I’m not kidding. I’m blowing a gasket. That’s WITHOUT mentioning that they propose to track the mileage by installing a GPS unit so that they know where, when, and how far you’ve gone? This is like a bad dream.

How long can the American people support what has become an un-manageable, irresponsible, corrupt government who, instead of solving problems, creates them at every turn? I have a headache.

Originally posted here.

Hot girls rule the world

 "I realize you may have had some concerns before as to whether I should be given my way, but please, let me set your mind at ease about all that: I'm attractive. Matter resolved."- The Onion Editorial Page

In the ridiculously overplayed song, Are You Gonna Be My Girl, Jet states the immortal words, "You don't need money when you look like that, do you honey?"

Hot girls rule the world.

Years ago Rob, Ryan and I declared this to be true, and it still is today. Hot girls get whatever they want. Think about it. How many hot girls do you know who don't get whatever they want? Exactly.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a diaper to change and dishes to do.

Where IS Carmen Sandiego?

Did anyone ever find out?

 Image courtesy of here.

FINALLY! A note synchronization app for the iPhone: Note*spark

I've griped about this a number of times to just about anyone who would listen: "Why the #!$& can the iPhone locate my position using a combination of wifi hotspots, cell phone tower triangulation and global positioning satellites, but it can't get notes from my phone to my computer??!"

This morning I checked my RSS feed that shows me each and every iPhone app that's been approved for the App Store and, amidst the dross of apps like iFart and iLuvBling...there it was. Note*spark. Notes. Over the air synchronization. Doesn't require a constant data connection. Web-based app for desktop integration. No Comic Sans font.

Upon reading the description, I couldn't contain myself: "MY DAY HAS COME!" I shouted in my best faux-Sean Conner accent. Two bucks? Not a problem. I'm sure my wife would gladly give me fifty dollars if I'd just shut up about the lack of notes synchronization on my phone. So I signed up for a free account online and downloaded the app and it works perfectly.

Eventually, I'm sure Apple will create to-do and notes syncing with Mail. However,  you'll probably need a MobileMe account to do so ($99/year) and I'm guessing it won't sync online - just to your Mail app. Remember The Milk and Note*spark work perfectly now.

Enough. Go download it and enjoy seamless notes synchronization. Click here to download the app (iTunes link).

KSL is broken

The Official Rules of Wallball

In case you were wondering, here are the official rules of Wallball, courtesy of FOUND Magazine.

Reading this lead to a lenghty discussion between my wife and I about the very nature of Wallball because we had very different definitions.

I grew up with Wallball being a game played with a rubber ball, similar to those used in playground games like Four Square. Two people played at a time and tried to get the other person "out" by either performing a shot werf's opponent couldn't return, or causing werf's opponent to make a mistake.

Mistakes included Pockets (ball hit exactly where the wall and the sidewalk meet), Rainbows (ball didn't bounce between when it was hit and when it reaches the wall), and Carries (similar to volleyball: you can't carry the ball, it has to be a solid hit).

My wife's version involved a tennis ball and a large group of people playing simultaneously. I don't remember the rest of what she said because 1. it's hard to describe some games if you aren't watching someone play them and 2. the details are always a bit foggy 20 years later.

At this point I must boast a bit and let you all know that in second grade I went through the entire line of kids waiting before I got out. That was probably the greatest day of my life.

Google Reader redesign

 

Google Reader got a major UI tweak this afternoon. Boo-ya. The look feels a lot like Google Docs. It makes me wonder when Gmail is going to follow suit. Then again, they did just announce a slew of new themes.

Speaking of Reader, you can subscribe to this blog by pasting the following in your RSS app of choice: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheOtherDrummer

Simpsons makes fun of Apple

Enjoy.

Mapple - The Simpsons
by aarplane

Blogging from Powell's

While certainly not a momentous occasion for most people, let alone those who are reading this, I'm quite happy to be on Burnside in Portland, Oregon at Powell's Bookstore. I have a perfect, street-level window seat, ideal for watching the steady stream of people walking past. And I get to blog a bit. Perfect.

I spent the first half hour or so wandering the different rooms: the Gold Room, the Rose Room, the Blue Room, the Green Room. An entire city block, 68,000 square feet, three stories tall (at places), filled with people looking and learning.

Despite being the largest new & used bookstore in the world (over a million books at this location) it still feels personal. I feel happily curious as I walk through the aisles of books. It's a fantastic environment. It has the feel Barnes & Noble is going for, but can't quite achieve because they're Barnes & Noble.

Today I may be in the market to purchase my first book of poetry. My sister in-law suggests David Kirby. I need to set out to find it because we're headed to dinner at the Marrakesh for dinner - fantastic Moroccan food, five courses, eating everything with your hands. It's places like these that make me want to move back to the Northwest.

A space just for you

I could probably spend an entire day looking through people's pictures on Flickr. Not the snapshot, "it was the greatest party in the world" pictures, but those of people who actually know what they're doing with the camera. (If you're interested in becoming addicted yourself, check out Flickr's Explore page and just keep hitting "reload".)

When I see a picture I like I'll usually click over to see other pictures from the same photographer. That's how I found the above shot. From a technical aspect, I'm guessing it's not the greatest photograph in the world. However, as soon as I saw it I thought, "What would I do with this space?

A loft in the city that's all your own - you don't have to share with anyone. It's your personal retreat. What would you put in there? It's a blank canvas and you can make it become anything you want. What would it be?

For example, maybe you love cooking so you would put a nice kitchen with great appliances and lots of counter space. Maybe you have a passion for dancing so you'd install a nice sound system and use the space as a dancefloor. Maybe you're an artist and it would become your studio. Leave word in the comments.

Boo-ya

 

I've decided I want another boy

Life isn't about finding yourself.

I saw this (sticker?) at the library gift shop and snapped a picture. I like the seniment: don't wait to find something that defines you, but do things to define yourself.

So, what do you want to be?

MotrinMoms? I don't get it.

The blogosphere is all up in arms over the above TV spot for Motrin and it's currently the #1 thing being discussed on Twitter. Now referred to as "MotrinGate" by some, Motrin has officially removed the video from their site and posted an apology note right smack-dab on their homepage (which apparently works best when viewed with Netscape?).

Want to see some of the scathing reviews floating around Twitter? This person has made a NINE MINUTE montage of the criticism (obviously, there's a lot of it).

From an advertising perspective/social media case study, here are a few additional comments:

MCP85: Motrin - classic example of how social media can kill you in a hurry when you screw up!

ChristySeason: #motrinmoms is an excellent case study to help sell the importance of monitoring your brand via social media

 

EllanNews: How’s that for instantaneous feedback on your marketing efforts? Take a deep breath and feel your power, people!

jodifur: the motrin debacle got picked up in the washington post http://tinyurl.com/68cl4o #motrinmom

However, one company's pain is another company's opportunity: baby carrier brand Ellaroo is offering 10% off their carriers if you enter the coupon code "motrin".

As I read through the Tweets and blogs about the subject, people are very clear as to the fact that they're upset, but not as to why they're upset. As a calloused, insensitive man I don't understand the reason for the mommy-rage. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me by leaving a comment?

Online journals vs. blogs

"I've never really found the time to blog, so to sepak. For me blogging isn't about sitting down on a regular basis and dreaming up something to say. It's more about indignation, frustration, pride and beliefs." - Bob Lutz, General Motors

The above quote came from The Corporate Blogging Book by Debbie Weil, a book I'm reading it as part of an assignment for work. So far, I like it much more than the book I had to read last quarter, Testing Advertising Methods by John Caples. That one made me want to shoot myself in the face. But I digress.

I like what Mr. Lutz (great last name) had to say about blogging, and I believe to a certain extent it defines what makes a good blog. Are you reciting the events of the day or week? Or are you writing about things you have a passion about? Sure, online journals are fine and have their place and serve as a way for people to keep up-to-date on what you're up to.  But I think a distinction could be made between online journals and blogs, with blogs being outlets for "indignation, frustration, pride and beliefs".

Am I overanalyzing this? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments.

VIDEO: Obama supporters now have nothing to live for

Intolerance for tolerance (reblogged)

*Note: I don't know if "reblogged" is the correct term for republishing/linking someone's content because you want it to have a larger audience. But people "retweet" all the time on Twitter, so I figure it's as good a term as any. So... a quote from the blog Political Shorts.

Here are some comments from a gay activist website. Remember, these are from the people that are angry because other people are intolerant.

• Can someone in CA please go burn down the Mormon temples there, PLEASE. I mean seriously. DO IT."
• "I'm going to give them something to be f--ing scared of....I'm a radical who is now on a mission to make them all pay for what they've done."
• "Burn their f--ing churches to the ground, and then tax the charred timbers."
• "I hope the No on 8 people have a long list and long knives."
• "I swear, I'd murder people with my bare hands this morning."
• "Trust me. I've got a big list of names of mormons and catholics [sic] that were big supporters of Prop 8....As far as mormons and catholics...I warn them to watch their backs."

Some additional points of my own, in addition to the obvious irony:

1. Why would you burn down our temples? Because you can't get married there? The only reason anyone would want to get married there is because they believe in the doctrine of the church. And if you do, then you A. understand why the church has taken the position it has and B. wouldn't want to burn down the temples.

2. As for the threats to individual members of the church - it's nothing new. I dare say that throughout the history of the United States, Mormons have been persecuted much more than homosexuals.

3. I'd love it if there were enough Mormons in California to take credit for the passage of Prop 8, but there were a lot of Catholics (as were mentioned), Baptists, and people of many other faiths and organizations who helped...but thanks for the nod anyway.

4. FYI - It doesn't matter how much you or anybody else protests; the church isn't going to budge. So if it makes you feel better to march around with your signs, be my guest - it's most certainly your right to do so - but it's not going to change anything.

Anyway, jump over and read the full post over at Political Shorts. I especially like his tip at the end about the Polynesian guy.

Sick

 The plagues of Egypt have hit our home (minus the locusts and rivers of blood). Hopefully everyone will be feeling better by Monday. Or, preferably, tomorrow.

Image courtesy of here.

Interesting poll results (should I drop The Other Drummer name?)

While I figured most people would tell me to get a Facebook account, I'm very surprised that 81 percent of people want me to keep The Other Drummer instead of using my real name as the URL. Would you be so kind as to enlighten me as to why you voted the way you did? Please let me know in the comments - I'm extremely curious.

Today, we're all winners: FCC Approves Unlicensed Use Of “White Spaces” Spectrum

 

Think wifi on steroids. Everywhere. This could be a big deal. Read about it here.

Vote!

Today's the day. Or, if you voted early, the last two weeks have been the day. I already didn't vote for Obama or McCain and the whole experience only took 30 minutes. Not too shabby at all. In fact, early reports today say that lines are moving quickly - about 45 minutes from getting in line to leaving the polls.

I share these sentiments from Sarah:

...The poll worker may not even ask you for an ID [seriously disturbing...seriously], the amendments may sound like they were written by a 5th grader with a thesaurus but no dictionary, and you may not even be entirely 100% certain which is the lesser of two evils…but the democratic process–and the promise it holds– is still worth celebrating, worth defending, worth participating in.

Plus, you could probably eat for free all day with the rewards Starbuck’s, Krispy Kreme, Chipotle, Chick-Fil-A and Ben & Jerry’s are offering for that little red “I voted” sticker.

So get out there and vote. And if you have any last minute questions, they can most likely be answered at LeaveYourPrint.com (voting location, candidates and issues on your ballot, etc.) And I've added a poll about the polls in the upper right corner. So cast your vote again up there and then tell me why in the comments below.

Another Bun in the oven

Yup. We're expecting again. Due at the end of May.

P.S. No, I will not be putting the widget back up.

Why I didn't vote for Obama

Allow me to preface this post: this is going to be extremely personal and emotional. It will touch deeply on my personal beliefs as well as my political stance on some sensitive issues. While I will cite doctrine from my church, which I testify is true, the conclusions I come to about those doctrines are my own, not necessarily those of the Church.

"I don't want to vote for McCain and I won't vote for Obama." That's the little phrase I've come up with to explain my feelings about this election. I'm not happy with either candidate.

That being said, Obama is probably the walking definition of charismatic. When I've listened to some of his speeches I admit do feel inspired and feel like he would be an excellent leader. Despite these things, I still wouldn't vote for Obama. Here's why:

Obama supports not only abortion, but partial-birth abortion. In fact, he even made a speech in favor of post-birth "abortion". (You can read his full speech in chapter 10 of The Case Against Barack Obama by David Freddoso.)

Obama also wants to redefine the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman and voted against a federal amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

Now, one might ask why I put so much emphasis on these two topics when there are other very important things to consider including the war in Iraq, health care, energy issues, the economy, etc.. It's because of The Family: A Proclamation to the World which was given by God through his prophet. I hold it in the same reverence as I do the Bible, Book of Mormon, and other scripture.

In the Proclamation it states (in part - see the above link for the full document):

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children....

We warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

Note that it doesn't say high taxes, outrageous government spending, wars, or lack of health care will bring upon us calamities. The disintegration of the family will. I don't consider those idle words, nor do I think they're figurative.

Which candidate "promotes [the] measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society"? It's not Obama. And while that's not the only factor to consider when casting your vote, I believe it's the most important.

Meat. Lots of meat.

I think this was the largest steak I'd ever seen. Supposedly, it was 18 oz (net weight before cooking). Ha. There's probably two pounds of meat there.

I was pleased with how much of it I ate.


That is all.

I voted

I voted in my first presidential election and I must say it feels good to have gone out and performed my civic duty. Of course, that last statement should be qualified with the fact that I didn't vote for either McCain or Obama.

In fact, I didn't vote for any of the people on the ballot.

I voted for Jeremy Williams, the IT guy at work.

Not only do I think Jeremy would do a fantastic job as Commander in Chief, I'm betting that if he got elected he'd hook me up with some kind of sweet advisory position in his cabinet and would give me a tour of Air Force One.

But the real reason I voted for Jeremy is because I wasn't satisfied with either candidate. I really felt that the situation was between the lesser of two evils so I decided not to vote for either of them.

Obama seems to want to bring the country so much closer to socialism I can hardly believe it and I don't support his views on a number of issues (more on this later). On the other hand, I think he would be an excellent leader. He is very charismatic and I believe would have the capabability to inspire people to participate more in their communities.

McCain seems to be about as out of touch as you can get. The guy doesn't even know how to check his email, a "skill" which I believe the leader of our country and most of the free world, should possess. His complete lack of understanding of technology is startling considering how much of our economy, military, country and day-to-day lives rely on it.

While I tend to agree with him on more issues than Obama, I still have too many reservations to give him my vote. And his age plays a role in my decision not to vote for him. President isn't exactly easy on the body (or mind), and I don't know how he'd withstand the pressures of office. That mans Palin would be in charge of things and I don't think she has the experience to do it.

So that leaves Jeremy.

I encourage you to write-in Jeremy Todd Williams for president.

Vote early

Tomorrow is the last day to vote early, so plan on a long lunch and get to the polls. You can find your polling location and see exactly what's going to be on your ballot (with links to the candidates and issues) at LeaveYourPrint.com. It's nice to be able to ignore all the billboards and lawn signs and only see the stuff that's relevant to you. Check it out.

Trick or treat from a democrat

Courtesy of here.

One of the more ghetto parade floats I've ever seen

Saw this beaut' while at the Labor Day parade in Evanston, Wyoming. Quality.

I need some suggestions (crowdsourcing Halloween)

OK. I do precious little around my house. Really, I come home from work, kiss my wife and son hello and then sit down and play Xbox until it's time to eat dinner. Then my wife does the dishes, I lock my son in his room and continue to play Xbox until it's time for his bedtime where I am interrupted again by having to kiss him goodnight.

So when you realize one of my few responsibilities is to be in charge of Jake's Halloween costume, you'd think I could handle it, right? Nope. I can't think of anything remotely interesting.

So I thought I'd ask everyone what they think my son should be for Halloween. Let me know in the comments. If I don't get any good suggestions it's probably going to end up similar to the above pictured costume which will scar my son for life.

Don't corrupt such an innocent mind. Leave a suggestion in the comments for a better Halloween costume.

Image grotesquely provided from here.

Verizon backs down - no rate hike coming

 See my original post here. Verizon has decided not to impose the 300% rate hike on text messages sent from short codes. Woo-hoo! According to one article it was because of the strongly worded e-mail I sent to Verizon Wireless's CEO (and other public outcries). Kudos Verizon. Here's hoping it's a permanent decision.

I may give into peer pressure

Great. Here we go again. It's 11:15 pm and I'm supposed to be in bed but I had a random thought while brushing my teeth.

Most people who know me would probably consider me a tech-savvy/nerdy guy. While I don't know how to program anything, nor do I speak Klingon, Elvish, or any other fiction-based language, I enjoy keeping tabs on what's going on in the world of tech and participating in my own, limited way. Yes, I probably know enough about Star Wars to be considered a complete geek to the average person. Sure, I've had more cell phones in the last seven years than most people will have in their entire lives. So you'd think that I of all people, I would have a MySpace and/or Facebook account. After all, it's how hundreds of millions of my peers function online and off.

But I don't. And that's on purpose. (I shared my feelings about social networks here.)

Up until now.

Here's the thought I had while I was brushing my teeth: why don't I create a Facebook account to tell people I'm not using Facebook.

Weird, I know. But bear with me.

One reason I don't like sites like Facebook is, if I understand it correctly, people login to Facebook and leave me a public message. I then get an e-mail telling me that I have a public message, so I login to Facebook to see what it is. OR YOU COULD E-MAIL ME. (This is similar to the problem I have with Basecamp, but I'll save that for another time.)

So instead of corresponding with people through Facebook, why not use Facebook to tell people the channels I do use to communicate? I picture an empty page with nothing but links to my Twitter feed, this blog, and maybe an e-mail address.

Despite this minty epiphany, I have my reservations:

1. I'm really stubborn about certain things, and getting a Facebook account is one of them. Even if I don't use it, the fact that I have one wouldn't settle well with me. I kind of enjoy not doing certain things everyone else is doing. I know it sounds a bit backward, but it's true. It's why I've never had a Coke and it's why I'm perfectly happy hating potato chips and french fries, thank you very much.

2. My real name and personal information would be linked to this site. Now, most of you know me and I don't think it would take a rocket scientist to probably find out everything about me online. While I've been contemplating dropping The Other Drummer moniker and just using my full name as the title of the blog (and the URL), I haven't decided to make the jump yet.

What are your thoughts on the subject(s)? Two polls have been posted in the upper-right corner. Have at it. Or, if you feel like waxing poetic, leave some prose in the comments.

C...V...B...N...M...

I wonder what happens when you hit the "N" key.

Courtesy of Engadget.

The status of my 10 fetuses

Apparently my virtual uterus requires more nourishment than the Internet is able to provide. Sad. (But not really, because I hate that widget.)

I'm curious: in general, do you like seeing the virtual uterus widget on people's blogs? Let me know in the survey in the upper-right corner of the site.

Verizon Wireless triples SMS charges for mobile marketers

In addition to raising their text messaging rates 100% in the last year (along with everyone else in the industry), Verizon Wireless has now taken upon itself to triple the charge it imposes on sites that allow subscribers to receive SMS notifications to 3 cents per text.

For example, you pay $20 per month for unlimited text messaging. So you sign up for CNN to send you a text message any time there is breaking news. Starting in November, Verizon will charge CNN 3 cents for each message they send out, despite the fact that the consumer is already paying for the text message.

This double-dipping on Verizon's part not only comes across as greedy (it costs virtually nothing to send a text message - they were making a profit when they only charged less than a penny per text) but it stifles innovation. Sites like Twitter, Remember The Milk, Celllfire, and others may have to either close up shop or severely limit their functionality if Verizon insists on charging the fee.

I decided to be proactive and sent an e-mail to Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam telling him basically what I said here: it's greedy and it stifles innovation. I haven't heard back from him.

Maybe I should have also mentioned how they're delusional for wanting to be content providers instead of "dumb pipes" for giving people access to information. Verizon, when it comes to creating content it's you verses the Internet. And I think the Internet is going to win.

For more reading on the text messaging rate hike, hit up this link.

Logo courtesy of here.

Morning routine

I usually use my iPhone.

Courtesy of here.

A petition

Just last week it was in the mid-80's (nice summer temps, but entirely too warm for October). In Utah it seems like we have about six months of winter, four months of summer, six weeks of spring and about two weeks of Fall.

I consider this a travesty, as Fall is my favorite season.

So I am starting an online petition to have Fall last longer. Tell your friends.

When I get enough signatures I'm going to send the petition to President Bush because, as it appears, he is solely responsible for everything wrong in the world.

So leave a comment about why you love Fall and we'll get this crazy world we live in set straight.

Image courtesy of here.