Category: Uncategorized

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

Whoops, I almost forgot, I promised to add a link to each day’s post.

Something interesting I came across in my web-travels.

Nothing too deep today. Just the first trailer for Xmen 3

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/x3/

This week it is very cold where I live. Colder than normal.

We are about 20 degrees colder than average.

Last night, I was watching one of my less credible local TV news broadcasts, and the meteoroligist pointed out that we were, in fact 20 degrees colder than average. The anchor then harkened back to early last week when we were about 20 degress warmer than normal. and they both seemed to take note of the fact that the temps seem to be all over the board. There seemed to be an impression that “Something was up” in our world.

I am not a student of weather, but I did study statistics in college.

Additionally, I studied “Averages” in 5th grade.

If, last week, we were 20 degrees warmer than average and this week we are 20 degrees cooler than average. Doesn’t that seem to indicate that, over the past 10 days, we have pretty much been average?

The one thing I remember about averages is that, the average may never be a part of your data set.

If the daily highs are something like:
50
50
48
16
8
18

The average high temp is around 32 degrees. Never did it hit 32. Infact, each day was significantly higher or lower than the average temp.

So, this percieved variance form the average, that the news team was talking about; was, in fact, quite average.

I believe that Internet broadcasting took quite a hit when it was erroniously associated with Internet file sharing.

During, and following, the high profile Napster battle, the recording industry began a strict enforcement of Internet broadcast music licensing. Also introduced was a fee structure that frightened many large broadcasting corporations out of the streaming industry.

That battle (I am not sure that is the appropriate term for it) appears to have settled somewhat, but I believe I have seen the next wave coming.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3000_7-6326030-1.html?tag=txt

I was reading an article in PC Magazine today about blogging. The original blogs, it appears were intended to be a log of articles and information on the web. A log of web content, or… a Web Log if you will..

Many, however, have become simple diary entries (such as the Blog you are currently reading). With that in mind, I am going to make an effort, hense forth, to enhance all of my entries with an informational or amusing link that may, or may not, have anything to do with what I talk about.

Speaking of Logs, I had a fire in the fireplace tonight. Quite nice and quite warm. The only problem is that the only thermostat in the house is in the same room as the fire place. So, everytime we heat-er-up, the rest of the house tends to cool down.

That problem is worth dealing with, for the pleasure of the fire in the place.

I should really get some wood. I am running out of dining room furnature.

Now for the link.

I could always spring for one of these

I get a kick out of the ability of consultants to keep themselves employed.

Before I go much farther, I need to clarify. I work with a consultant on a regular basis. He is with our company for the long haul and is a great deal of help in an area where an outside voice is more easily accepted. And… it is not outside of the realm of possibilities, that he reads this Blog

I am not talking about that type of consultant (I love you man…). I am talking about the “Fly-em-in-for-a-one-day-boot-camp” type. The “Motivational Speaker” type. The kind who gives the company all sorts of valuable tips on how they can change their “strategic focus” or “Purposed visioncast” and then catch the 4:18 flight back to wherever they came from.

I have seen a formula for success with these folks and it goes something like this:

1 – Establish what the biggest fad in the industry currently is
2 – Bash that fad to tiny little bits…
3 – Tell us how it should be
4 – Tell everyone how it should be.
5 – “How it should be” now becomes the biggest fad in the industry.
6 – Come back 4 years later and bash THAT fad.

It really is some great job security.

In fact, I think I am on to something here

I think I need to tell everyone about it.

I think I need to become a consultant.

Today was the last day before a 4 day weekend. It was fairly nice to get some work done in a less that fully populated office. The funny thing happend at 1:15. I was working in one of our studios across the building, then returned to my office.

I should probably first explain that our office area is laid out in 2 “wings”, with a few other offices in between. I work in the South wing.

As I returned to my office, I passed our Sr. Vice President, who had his coat on, and appeared to be heading out the door. I noticed that he had just turned out all the lights in our wing (with the exception of my office). Everyone in my wing had gone home for the weekend, a bit early.

I guess that was the right thing to do. I certainly didn’t need those lights. The light coming in through the offices of those lucky enough to get a window, was more than enough to light my way to my door. And my office was certainly well lit.

It just messed up the rest of my day. As I walked to and from my office, I felt as though I were there after hours. Never mind that I had to pass the receptionist and even said “hi” to her each time; it still felt as though I should be home with my family.

I don’t know that it had an adverse effect (or is it affect) on my work. In fact, I may have even gotten it done quicker. It just messed with my head, and made me want to head out sooner than I should.

I probably would have left early too, had I not realized (about 15 minutes after the “Light Incident”), that my 4 day weekend actually meant 6 days out of the office. I am taking a company trip (to sunny Iowa) on Monday and Tuesday. That meant that Wednesday deadlines were now, virtually, tomorrow. That gave me plenty to do in my last 3 1/2 hours of work. It also showed me many creative ways to multi-task.

That doesn’t mean I got it all done. It just means no one will notice until Thursday…

Perhaps it is self centered of me to think you have any interest in my work day, but hey… this is my blog and I am too cheap to buy a diary.

OK… I believe that Blog Things are tools that can be used for people who are too lazy to write their own content.

I have plenty to write about. For crying out loud, I was at a Clay Aiken Christmas Concert last night, sitting in front of a bunch of 50+ year old women who had been traveling the mid-west following the tour.

You would think I could come up with something good out of that.

But NOOOOOOoooo

I have to post a Blog-thing.

At least I can be proud of this one!

You Passed the US Citizenship Test

Congratulations – you got 10 out of 10 correct!

To my brother in Alabma, sister in North Carolina and parents and sister in Illinois, winter arrived in Minnesota yesterday.

Has it really been that long since my last post? I will fix that. But now, I have to head out the door.