Blankbaby

I want that calendar on my Kindle!

I am one of the biggest Amazon Kindle fans you'll find (heck, I wrote a book about the darned thing.. feel free to buy it for yourself and your friends) but Amazon might be going a little Kindle crazy... just a little.

Nothing says Philadelphia championship like a crystal baseball

Philadelphia is going wild at the moment since the Phillies just won the World Series (their second title in 28 years). Macy's, ready to cash in, sent out a mass email to, I assume, anyone on their email lists with a Philly address pointing us to the perfect way to celebrate: Waterford Philadelphia Phillies 2008 World Series Commemorative Crystal Baseball.

Having lived in Philadelphia for 5 years I know that Philadelphians always celebrate with expensive crystal (though usually we're breaking it).

Good job, Macy's. Now, were did I put that $170?

Internet Curmudgeon

I remember when 'personal brands' were called 'personalities.'

I remember when cult leaders where the only people who had followers, and making friends was a littler harder than clicking a button.

I remember when conversations took place face to face.

I remember when 'user generated content' was just called 'making crap.'

Social media has changed all that, though. Now it is all about 'following your DNA,' and Digging your top ten list while rushing to get into the latest closed beta from yet another company that promises to help you manage your online interactions, or that let's you tag your workout schedules.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Internet. I blog like a maniac, I Twitter with the best of them... but lately the ratio of sensible talk to crap spewing has really gotten out of control.

Alex Hillman who I am a big fan of, is a passionate and smart fellow. I recall when I first met him (well, the second time I met him) all he could talk about was co-working. And then every subsequent time I saw him over the next year all he could talk about was co-working. His focus and drive is very impressive (and you can't argue with the results: I'm a huge Indy Hall booster even though I am a lame work a day dude myself).

Clearly, I wouldn't have said all these nice things unless I was leading up to something less than nice (that's a rhetorical device, kids). Alex recently penned his first post on Mashable (a site which I find almost as annoying as TechCrunch, but not quite) titled "How to Know if You Should Fire Your Social Media Consultant."

He missed one important sign, though: they use the term 'social capital exchange' without a hint of irony (what does it even mean?!). Call me old fashioned, I won't hear you over my phonograph anyway, but what the hell is a 'social media consultant' anyway? Is that like paying someone to find you friends? I'm all for people getting big corporations to give them lots of money for very little work, but when a whole class of people who seem to exist merely to go to conferences and talk about the same things over and over again, with the same people, crops up I know that the party is over.

But who am I to stop you from thinking that Gary Vaynerchuk is a genius for telling people to do what they like, and work hard? If you want to spend all your time making virtual friends rather than actually creating something be my guest. But I, for one, would like it if you did it quietly and without labeling yourself as an expert on anything.

Yep, I'm an Internet Curmudgeon. I can't be the only one out there. Someone else must have to resist rolling their eyes as much as I do when someone introduces themselves as a 'social media consultant,' or suggests that what your small business really needs is a CXO (that's 'Chief Experience Officer'), can I?

Cute, Denny.

Have I told you lately that the political process in this country is broken (though it is great that I can post that opinion without fear that the government will track me down and haul me off somewhere unpleasant)? I'm watching the Democratic Debate on CNN at the moment and I am not pleased with what I hear.

Dennis Kucinich is part of the debate, though no one really thinks he has a chance in hell to win the nomination. We all know this, but that doesn't excuse his fellow Democratic candidates from patronizing him.

Kucinich was asked if people who voted for open trade with China should be held responsible for the various toy recalls and such. Kucinich answered with the obvious, 'Yes, they should be held responsible for the consequences of their actions. Senator Edwards voted for open trade with China, and he's a trial lawyer, he should know better.' I'm paraphrasing, of course, but that's the thrust of what he said. Edwards was given the chance to respond, and he said, 'Well, I don't know what being trial lawyer has to do with anything but...' Here's where Kucinich interjected with, 'Product liability.'

Now that's a zinger if I've ever heard one. What was Edwards' response? 'Cute, Denny,' he said with that bright smile of his and then went on not answering the question of whether he should be responsible, partly at least, for our troubles from China. It really turned my stomach because that phrase right there sums up the contempt the frontrunners have for anyone that says things we, the American people, know to be the simple truth. The truth ain't pretty, and as we all know it won't get you elected to be the next President.

Now, I don't agree with everything Kucinich wants to do but I damn sure think that his candidacy deserves respect. He's working just as hard, if not harder, than Hillary, Obama, and Edwards.

I'm just saying.

#437: Why anything related to Paris Hilton is newsworthy

This story should be on the cover of US Weekly (maybe), not the fricking New York Times. I refuse to even link to the story itself.

My brain is odd (but you already knew that)

For some reason I knew that residents of Quebec are called Québécois, and yet I can never remember people's names, where my keys are, or important dates, let alone who I am going to see.

Example:

The other day I went for a followup Doctor's visit (diagnosis: fat). I checked in, and the woman behind the counter said, 'What doctor are you here to see?'

I replied, 'I don't know. I can't remember her name.'

'Well, when were you here last?'

'Umm... hard to say. It wasn't that long ago,' I said deep in thought.

She continued, 'Do you remember if you registered as a patient?'

'Not exactly, but the Doctor did see me, so that's a good sign, right?'

It just got worse, folks.

Sitting on the ground

It isn't comfortable and you end up dirty. Why do people do it?

Too many computers

You know, sometimes people mock me for having too many computers (at the moment I have 4 computers in my one bedroom apartment). It is interesting to me that when they need technical help all that mocking goes away. I wonder where it goes?

Things Scott Doesn't get #435

Soccer. I mean WTF, world? A long game that can end with a 0,0 tie?