More on GoDaddy

It took a bit of work, but I've moved my 10 domains and three hosting accounts from GoDaddy to DreamHost Web Hosting. I have some cleanup work, including file uploads, but the basics are in place. It might also take another day for all of the DNS records to propagate around the InterTubes.

This has been a while in coming. GoDaddy is, by most accounts, the largest domain and site hosting on the web. As a service, they've been reliable. I can't recall a time when my sites have been down or even noticeably slow. Prices are comparable to other services, if a bit high, but there are frequent promotional offers.

The account user interface is a bloated mess, particularly for the infrequent user. I have logged in, on average, once every two months and forget where things are. Routine tasks take much longer than needed because the layout is non-intuitive and the screen is constantly refreshing as it generates dynamic views of things that you don't care about it. Lots of flashing, spinning, and needless clutter.

Those attributes aside, GoDaddy, through the persona of its Executive Chairman and Founder, Bob Parsons, has a developed a reputation as being, well, being a guy who introduces his video on hiring great employees like this:

All of which is somewhat easy to ignore.

Until he shot an elephant: Go Daddy CEO Bob Parsons: Africa Elephant Hunt Video 'Nothing to Be Ashamed Of' - ABC News.

Which was less easy to ignore that their recent support of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). This bill, which got caught in the tax standoff at the end of the recent House session, is a particularly odious piece of legislation that could wreck the Internet technically. See An Open Letter From Internet Engineers to the U.S. Congress | Electronic Frontier Foundation for more details.

When GoDaddy appears on a list of SOPA supporters, lots of people, including yours truly, decided that it was time to take our business elsewhere. GoDaddy has since recanted, a cynical gesture at best.



The company's behavior is already showing up as a case study in how not to deal with a customer revolt: Lessons from the GoDaddy Customer Revolt - Scott Kominers and Paul Kominers - Harvard Business Review

At this writing, my 10 domains have been added to some 72,000 others, out of 32 million hosted by GoDaddy. We can barely see over the top of the decimal point. GoDaddy might not notice, but we will.

This morning's retail business news

The T&G has editorialized on the news that Sears will likely be closing more than 100 stores. This is sad news for the chain that had once been the mainstay of American retail business. Sears and the now banished Mr. Roebuck started a catalog company with its beginnings more than 125 years ago.  For many years, they offered young men a first glimpse of women in underwear.

Even into the 1960s, the catalog and, that most odd retail offering, the catalog store, were Sears' mainstay. Sears has managed to update the catalog experience for the 21st century. You can now go to the store, find that they don't have what you want, locate a kiosk where a sales clerk might be helpful, and place an online order that can be shipped to your home or back to the store.

Kohl's, meanwhile, is paying no heed to he coming retail apocalypse, has leased property on Lincoln Street where they may or may not have plans to build a store.

Poetic inspection

Rhyming works for now, but stickers that expire in 2012 are orange.

 

VZW: the iPhone can't do that.

It's getting close to time for a new phone. My HTC Incredible keeps kicking the SD card offline. In a related failure, about half of the time, my phone will crash when I use the camera. The SD is unmounted, so the camera app freaks out and takes down the phone with it. I've missed many good pictures over the holidays while the phone was rebooting. (Yes, I've run error checks on the SD card itself, tried different cards, and reinstalled the phone's operating system. No joy.)

Because I also had a couple of questions regarding my account, I thought it best to go to the local Verizon store in Shrewsbury. The store was moderately busy for a weekday afternoon, attributable to the holidays. I signed in at the unhelpful kiosk and waited for my name to be called.

While waiting, I had a look at the iPhone 4s. I had a question about setting up a hotspot with the phone, a question answered by checking the Settings app. Another question popped up. Is there a way to synchronize my Gmail contacts with the iPhone's address book? The settings didn't offer an obvious path.

I heard a faint voice call my name. I turned and was greeted by a salesperson. I told her that I was interested in the iPhone, but had a question about Gmail contacts. She replied immediately that contacts are stored in iTunes.

I told her that I use Gmail for all of my email and contacts now and that synchronization is essential.

"The contacts are stored in iTunes," she repeated. "But, I can check." She disappeared around the corner for a few minutes and returned to tell me that there was no way to do this.

I shook my head and said I couldn't do without my Gmail contacts. She said that the Android phones would work. I nodded and said that I'd take a look at some of those. On my way across the store, I sent a tweet about my experience.

I was interested in two Android phones, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the RAZR by Motorola. I've heard bad things about battery life with 4G phones, but great things about the power and features of the phones themselves.

A woman was making a call with the one Nexus on display. I wandered around for a bit, waiting but trying not to be creepy about it. On she talked.

The RAZR was a few feet away. It was unavailable for other reasons.The woman was still talking on the Nexus, a good sign, I guess, about battery life.

I left the store to get on with my other errands of the day. Soon, I received a helpful tweet from @vzwsupport:

@RoasterBoy We would love to have you! I hope you haven't completely changed your mind.
I can provide you with instructions. ^CM

A quick check of Google showed several solutions for iPhone/Gmail contact synchronization. I should have thought of that first. (Let me google that for you.)  I might have even asked Siri. But, I'm only interested in buying a phone. I'm not in the business of selling them.

Finnish police contain two threats to world peace

We'll let you decide which posed the greater danger:

• Finnish police detain Lambert after bar brawl - Boston.com
  Finnish police say they detained Adam Lambert after he assaulted people who tried to break up a fight between the former "American Idol" star and his boyfriend in downtown Helsinki.


• BBC News - Finland 'finds Patriot missiles' on China-bound ship
  The Finnish authorities have impounded an Isle of Man-flagged ship bound for China with undeclared missiles and explosives, officials say.
  More from the Helsingin Sanomat: Missiles and explosives found in ship in Kotka

Stop and Shop app stops shopping

Stop and Shop has managed to make a difficult process unbearable. They've done so by taking it mobile.

Let's start with their apps. They have three.

The first one you search for and find is not the one you want. The first one tells you a few things that you almost want to know, such as coupons and specials that are available for you as a prized Stop and Shop online customer.

You see signs around the store about deals that are available with the Stop and Shop shopping app. You see the info everywhere except in this Stop and Shop app. There's a link in the app to Peapod Mobile so you can shop on the go. ("Peapod in your pocket" is their clever, if a bit creepy slogan.")  That's the second app. That's not the one you want, either.

Besides, you're in the back of the store where cell phone reception is one bar at best. There is a WiFi network available, but you can't connect to it because it's only available through the app that you need to install, the Stop & Shop ScanIt! Mobile app.

You go back toward the front of store where radio waves can make it through the produce section and download this helpful little doggie. You scan your Stop and Shop card to register the app. The app then connects to the WiFi and you're ready to shop.

Slowly. It's slow because you have to scan the barcode of each item. You're standing in the aisle, twisting the can of pumpkin to align the barcode to your phone's camera, and waiting for the little ping that says you've been successful. On to the dairy section to find heavy cream. (In case you're wondering, Sandra's making a pumpkin chiffon pie for Christmas dessert.)

People are tangled up in the aisles, looking for unfamiliar ingredients for a special holiday meal and you've got your phone next to an upside-down box of corn bread mix. Can you imagine Balthazar fumbling with his phone and a bag of frankincense so his app could record the purchase?

When you're done disrupting the movement of shoppers through the store, it's on to the checkout. Hold your phone up to the bar code near the register. Yay, we get the ping. Now, scan your frickin' Stop and Shop card at the register! Your order appears on the screen. Scan the things that you couldn't scan with the app, such as the oranges because they don't have a barcode to scan.

Press the Finish and Pay button. Press Credit. On the handy PIN pad, tell it (again) that you're using a credit card. Sign your name on the display and press the unreadable Done button when you're, um, done.

To complete the experience, wait for the coupon for deodorant because Stop and Shop thinks that you smell bad.

Whose Christmas is it, anyway?

Before I get started on my stuff, I want to give props to Katie C's series on Making Peace with Christmas. She's raised and dealt with hard issues of this most perplexing time of the year.

I don't think that anyone above the age of seven should try to make sense of Christmas. There's too much to pick apart, too many triggers for irrational exuberance, self-doubt, anger (righteous and otherwise), sad reflections, and misremembered joys. If you try to keep it simple, your heart is likely to be broken by a people who trample one another for a waffle iron. If you try to declare your own war on the war on Christmas, you'll have little joy and create even less. It'sSanta may try to explain why he does what he does, but the explanations don't explain much.

There are plenty of things in life that aren't improved by thinking about them. You start off with a thought, pull it apart like a Sunday chicken, and all you have left is pieces and greasy fingers. Christmas is one of those things. Read Katie's blog posts, think for a while, and get on with your day. It'll be Boxing Day before you know it.

Report from Chicagoland

We trekked to the Chicago area to attend a family (my second cousin-in-law) wedding and to visit long-time friends in the college town of Urbana. Lemme tell you, if there's gloom in nation, a pall on America's spirit, I didn't find it here. Folks are going about their business. They're making lives, working hard, and are hopeful for their kids and grandkids. They're glad for a light snow cover to make December feel like Christmas.

To be sure, we didn't initiate any conversations aobut politics with anyone outside of the decidedly liberal crowd at the taping of Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!. We let people about work and families and the usual fare for people who'd just met.  The most serious social problem that I heard discussed came from one woman who told of neighborhood kids playing baseball in her driveway and denting her garage door.

[caption id="attachment_3029" align="alignleft" width="179" caption="A room with a view"][/caption]

The rehearsal dinner was in a restaurant in the back of a bowling alley. Several people at the lanes were wearing Bowling for Jesus shirts "because He died your pins."

It's true that Marshall Field's has been hollowed out and replaced by Macy's, that Dunkin' Donuts is bringing its alleged coffee to every street corner and gas station. There were few choices for breakfast near our hotel that's at the back of a large shopping mall that's in the middle of the carpet of suburbs. So we had our breakfast at IKEA and were very pleased. We ate lunch at the restaurant next to the Bass Pro Shop.

The people we spoke with were unfailingly polite as you'd expect. Their work was often in flux. The people getting married are in their mid-30s, late by the standards of previous generations, but common now. Housing prices are low, but credit is extremely tight, so attractive homes stay on the market for a long time. There weren't  a lot of little kids around, letting the four-year-old ring-bearer enjoy his day without competition.

We talked long enough to get beyond the introductory niceties. People didn't, of course, get to deep stories, but they did talk of their futures, what they liked and disliked about their jobs, what they did on weekends, and what they imagined for retirement. None of it was on hold until the 2012 election. None of it was about 99% or 1%. None of it was about class war or the war on Christmas or or who believed what. They talked about what they were doing and what they were gonna do.

If you read or watch or listen to the news, you might think that the fabric of the nation is irrecoverably split. The news spends too much time listening to itself.  Chicago may be divided, but it's between Cubs fans and White Sox fans, those who care or don't care that Theo Epstein might bring a World Series championship to Wrigley Field.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):
[Editor's note: there were 7 suspicious items this week.]

Holden

Monday -- November 28

7:29 a.m. State police received call from Jackson St. resident concerned about gunshots by watershed property. Advised it is OK for hunters to be in that area
9:09 a.m. Mother dropping off accident report for daughter, Main St.
10:19 a.m. Caller’s house vandalized, Christmas lights torn down and swags stolen, Avery Rd.
10:39 a.m. Resident in lobby to file complaint about neighbor cutting down trees on property line
1:04 p.m. Two young men crossing Holden St.; one carrying old-fashioned crow bar as if trying to hide it. Got into gray Jeep and took off
1:47 p.m. Black/gray pit bull in caller’s backyard, Newell Rd.
2:03 p.m. Bear attacked bird feeder, Lexington Cir.
5:02 p.m. Suspicious white van in front of caller’s mother’s home; OK, flat tire
6:37 p.m. Person in lobby complaining he was almost hit by fire engine/no traffic light in front of station

Tuesday -- November 29

10:10 a.m. Party into lobby to inquire about traffic issue on Shrewsbury St.
11:45 a.m. Small to medium-sized bear seen on rail trail
1:17 p.m. Party in lobby to drop off stuffed animals
2:36 p.m. Party in lobby dropping off stuffed animals
3:50 p.m. Call about group of kids in woods behind home, shooting pellet/airsoft guns, Lovell Rd.; adult males shooting paintball at target/no issue
5:30 p.m. Caller asking if guys from prior incident could be released to owner’s friend; advised no because of ongoing investigation

Wednesday -- November 30

4:34 p.m. Caller says truck dropped box of tools on Main St.
10:30 p.m. Suspicious person on bike came out from woods, Broad St.

Thursday -- December 1

12:49 p.m. Report of missing wheelchair, Mayo Dr.
4:23 p.m. Suspicious vehicle pulled into school lot, Reservoir St.
6:11 p.m. Hitchhiker, Shrewsbury St.

Friday -- December 2

1:52 a.m. Caller advising “at the end of Quinapoxet St., there is a bad person,”; second call from motorist reports male walking in middle of Quinapoxet St., would not get out of way. Arrest: ... drunkenness
11:49 a.m. Animal complaint, Bailey Rd.

Paxton

Monday -- November 28

4:25 a.m. Police remove branch from road, Pleasant St./Lincoln Cir.
11:56 a.m. Report of loose pitbull in Moore State Park near parking lot and access road, Sawmill Rd.
4:33 p.m. Suspicious person in area of Center School, West St.

Tuesday -- November 28

2:44 p.m. Suspicious vehicle in front of different houses all day, Hemlock St.
2:54 p.m. Follow-up investigation at station, Pleasant St.
4:50 p.m. Caller reports issue with credit card his son let someone borrow. Advised it is a civil matter

Wednesday -- November 30

4:06 p.m. German shepherd running loose in Moore State Park

Thursday -- December 1

6:09 p.m. Disturbance, Maple St. Everything OK, no services required
6:34 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Mower St.

Friday -- December 2

3:26 p.m. Aggressive unleashed dog running in Iron Forge Rd.

Sunday -- December 4

1:09 p.m. Loose dog in area for a few days, Sawmill Rd.
3:43 p.m. Suspicious vehicle drove into driveway, Marshall St.

Princeton

Monday -- November 28

4:39 a.m. Police remove large branch from Sterling Rd.
10:16 a.m. Request for assistance getting skunk from house crawl space, Ball Hill Rd.
12:10 p.m. Horse in caller’s back yard, Hubbardston Rd. Hubbardston PD located owner
3:27 p.m. Caller found stray dog, Hubbardston Rd.
3:48 p.m. Two dogs running around intersection all day, Ball Hill/Schoolhouse Rds.
4:44 p.m. Police check on person napping in his car on side of E. Princeton Rd.
7:24 p.m. Suspicious white car in parking lot for long time, Fitchburg Rd.
8:48 p.m. Police assist person locked out of vehicle, Old Brooks Station Rd.

Tuesday -- November 29

1:04 a.m. Dog barking for past two hours, Prospect St.

Wednesday -- November 30

8:33 p.m. Vehicle hit deer, Mountain Rd. Approximately 12-feet of guardrail damaged

Thursday -- December 1

7:50 a.m. Caller heard gunshots from her property and doesn’t want hunters there, Bullard Rd. Advised of posting regulations
3:41 p.m. Caller wants to speak to animal control officer about neighbor’s dead chicken. Ongoing issue, Wheeler Rd.

Friday -- December 2

12:40 p.m. Police assist person locked out of vehicle, Mountain Rd.
2:39 p.m. Police check building for packages left there, Boylston Ave.
8:45 p.m. Suspicious vehicle with blue light outside passenger window, Sterling Rd.
10:26 p.m. Safety cones removed from Beaman Rd. and taken to Wilson Rd. Police put them back

Saturday -- December 3

4:52 p.m. Suspicious vehicle with three males nearby, Thompson Rd.
5:04 p.m. Dog barking for long time, Merriam Rd.

Sunday -- December 4

Rutland

Monday -- November 28

7:30 a.m. Missing small white/tan Peek-a-Poo, River Rd.
9:13 a.m. Suspicious vehicles in area of Swartz Ave.
11:15 a.m. Injured squirrel, Davis St. animal control officer notified
12:15 p.m. Car parked between houses and no room for a vehicle, E. County Rd.
5:54 p.m. Deer ran into car window, E. County Rd.
6:33 p.m. Male standing near mailbox, Walnut St. Fled on a scooter

Tuesday -- November 29

11:32 a.m. Caller has two kittens living in his gazebo, Stevens Way
9:02 p.m. Report of gunshot close to home, E. County Rd.

Wednesday -- November 30

2:00 p.m. Worcester resident at station reporting her son’s bike that was stolen in Worcester is now on Craig’s List for sale with a Rutland address. She has an appointment to see the bike later in day
5:03 p.m. Officer recovering stolen bicycle, Main St.

Thursday -- December 1

1:46 p.m. Mini-van with three males traveling through the neighborhood very slowly, Emerald Rd.
6:45 p.m. Dog trapped under vehicle, injured but ran off, Main St.
8:20 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Barre Paxton Rd.
11:23 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, Barre Paxton Rd.
11:41 P.M. Dead raccoon, Main St./Nancy Dr.

Friday -- December 2

4:54 p.m. Suspicious female walking down Emerald Rd.
5:00 p.m. Female at station reporting a sign was spray painted with racial slurs, Welch Ave. Sign taken down
6:00 p.m. Missing black Labrador, Sassawanna Rd.

Saturday -- December 3

12:11 a.m. Police out with person trying to jump-start their car, Ficherman’s/Barre Paxton Rds.
9:03 a.m. Report of animal hoarding, 20 or more cats, some pregnant, Pommogussett Rd.
3:49 p.m. Suspicious vehicle in driveway, Campbell St.
4:04 p.m. Hunter on rail trail, caller wants officer to check it out, Crawford Rd.
4:40 p.m. Caller reports male sitting on the ground by his car, Main St.
8:18 p.m. Caller received call telling her she won $3 dollars, Pommogussett Rd.
8:47 p.m. Deer struck and under vehicle, Pommogussett Rd. Deer gone on arrival, damage to vehicle

Sunday -- December 4

9:43 a.m. Caller wants information about guns turned in five years ago, Main St.

Sterling

Monday -- November 28

3:06 p.m. Missing black standard poodle, Sterling Rd.
10:27 p.m. Caller’s girlfriend in an accident in Sterling somewhere; found to be on Ball Hill Rd. in Princeton. Female arrested in Hubbardston

Tuesday -- November 29

7:30 a.m. Cat found in carrier left near railroad tracks, Campground Rd. DPW advises someone took a kitten from the area, but a mother cat still in area
7:57 p.m. Caller requesting officer regarding male jogger without reflective clothing, Heywood/Rowley Hill Rds. Police find person is wearing safety device clearly visible

Wednesday -- November 30

9:53 a.m. Male and female going through rubbish barrels, Michael Ln.
3:14 p.m. Suspicious vehicle passing by two times, person seems to be looking at front doors of houses, Pratts Jct. Rd.
5:21 p.m. Stray cat in garage, Heywood Rd.

Thursday -- December 1

9:35 a.m. Suspicious vehicle with two occupants, Tanglewood Rd. Going through rubbish for cans
12:39 p.m. Missing Siberian husky from Lancaster

Friday -- December 2

7:34 a.m. Caller reports hunter in woods. Person said he has permission to be on property, Kendall Hill Rd.
8:51 p.m. Suspicious vehicle with blue light, Rte. 62

Saturday -- December 3

10:08 a.m. Caller reports his dog died during the night and was on the kitchen floor, Newell Hill Rd.
3:25 p.m. Caller concerned about hunters behind his house, Old Princeton – West Rd.
6:09 p.m. Suspicious vehicle pulled into driveway, then left and went down the street, came back and pulled into driveway across the street, Wilder Rd.

Sunday -- December 4

8:32 a.m. Car locked behind gate, Albright Rd.
12:08 p.m. Report of pregnant cat that keeps coming to house, Wilder Rd.
10:18 p.m. Caller reports gunshots, Newell Hill Rd.

About that new Microsoft Answers service

A report in  Ars Technica describes Microsoft's attempt to replicate Apple's Genius Bar by offering high-quality technical support for a Windows and Office products. Prices range from $49/hour for one-on-one online training up to $99 for two hours of virus removal, malware protection, or PC performance tuning. All of the services are handled remotely.

I'm relying on the Ars Technica article for this information because Microsoft, geniuses that they are, require that I agree to their terms of service before I can read their Frequently Asked Questions page.

[caption id="attachment_3020" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="(click to enbiggen)"][/caption]

Dress for success in the 21st century

Older workers, take note. A lifetime of gravitational effects makes us shorter. That may have an effect on your income. What medicine can't correct can be helped by fashion.

The correlation between height and income has been known for a long time, although a U.S. study suggests that the correlation only works for aggregate numbers, not for individuals. If you chart the height of 1000 people, for example, the income distribution curve will match the height distribution curve. If you compare two individuals, however, too many other factors come into play to make the height difference significant.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="303" caption="via Statistics Say These High Heels Will Get You A Pay Raise"][/caption]

That distinction, however, isn't stopping a German shoe company from running a series of ads suggesting that this set of bright red high heels would do wonders for your income.
The ads show a closeup of the heels, with headlines such as "Men over 180 cm earn 10% more money" and "80% of top managers are over 180 cm tall."

So, if you see me in a pair of these shoes, know that it's only for the money.

Online newspapers not ready for the web

The Boston Globe introduced its HTML5 paywalled edition in October. The paper works well on a variety of devices, including the iPad. It's easy to read and navigate. We have free access to the online version because we subscribe to the Sunday print edition. (Some papers, including the New York Times, are seeing a slight increase in the number of print subscriptions because of the online paywall.)

The content, however, hasn't made the jump. Two stories in today's paper illustrate the problem. Scott Kirsner's Is the price right? Mobile apps can help you find out story profiles several interesting mobile phone apps that let you make quick price comparisons while you're out shopping. The online version would be more useful if there were links to the app's website or to the iTunes Store and Android Market.
Similarly, On the Hot Seat with Martin Romitti by Megan Woodhouse mentions that Romitti, director of the UMass Donahue Institute's Economic and Public Policy Research, was editor of "the UMass journal on the economy" without naming the publication or providing a link. It took a while to locate MassBenchmarks.

A web-first editorial policy could mitigate these issues. Writers and editors would realize that the story isn't complete unless it's sourced with links.

[Full disclosure: I am a part-time correspondent and blogger for Telegram Towns, an online publication of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. Both the T&G and Boston Globe are owned by the New York Times. ]

Keeping WiFi awake on my Android phone

The other day, I described a problem I was having with my Android phone. When the phone went into sleep mode, the WiFi connection would break. Even after setting the Wi-Fi Sleep Policy to Never, the connection would drop when the display shut off. It made listening to a music or radio stream or downloading anything pretty much impossible.  Security settings on my wireless router didn't matter. The only consistent workaround was to keep the phone plugged into a power source (wall connection or USB). When away from home, the WiFi connection seemed to work as intended.

None of the keep-alive apps had any effect, nor did reinstalling the phone's operating system.

I called Verizon tech support. Their conclusion was that there was probably something amiss with the phone. There were other reports in various forums around the 'net that supported this idea. Because my phone is out of warranty, I couldn't get a replacement. I started thinking about a new phone and gave the iPhone serious consideration.

One Android app, WiFi Analyzer, showed that the neighbors have a couple of access points that occasionally reach into our yard. All of the access points were broadcasting on channel 1.

With nothing better to do and nothing to lose, I switched my router to use channel 6.

Joy.

Since making the channel change, my WiFi connection has not dropped when the phone sleeps. Declaring the problem solved to the extent that anything is ever solved.

Configuration notes

Phone

HTC Incredible on Verizon Wireless
Android 2.3.4. (Gingerbread)
Build version 4.08.605.2 CL185897 2011

Router

SURFboard SBG900
Software version: SBG900-2.1.15.0-SCM00-NOSH 
Hardware version: 3

Bridge

Linksys WRT54G/GL/GS 
DD-WRT v24-sp2 (07/22/09) mini - build 12548M NEWD Eko

When good people let us down

On this evening's PBS News Hour, Jim Lehrer asked David Brooks and Mark Shields for their comments about Barney Frank's decision not to seek re-election. Both praised Frank's formidable intellectual and verbal skills as well as highlighting his ability to get stuff done in Congress.

About Frank's impatience with stupid questions there is little disagreement. That's fine and often funny. Brooks went on, however, to characterize Frank as a bully.

You know, you go to Capitol Hill, and we see -- just on the show today -- there are these scrums, where these reporters surround the politicians. And most of them are like us, who are sort of middle-aged guys, and we can take it. But there's always a bunch of young people who are just learning the trade. And they're nervous.

And I just saw Barney Frank as cruel to them on a couple of occasions, needlessly cruel. And I'm sure he did a lot of good things, but that needless cruelty always put me off. And that's the lingering memory I have.

Shields, Brooks on Gingrich's 'Skeletons,' Bill Clinton's 'Second Act,' Tax Cuts | PBS NewsHour | Dec. 2, 2011 | PBS 

I have no direct experience with Barney's behavior. Sandra and I saw him in downtown Boston one time years ago. My impressions of him are based on what I've read, heard, and seen in the media. Reflecting on those stories and the reports from people who have met and worked with him, Brooks's comments are credible.

There are always times when it's necessary to speak truth to power. There are always times to afflict the comfortable. Mike Benedetti and I spent a good bit of time talking about those themes last night. #Occupy has carried hard messages but has done so with self-deprecating humor.

Barney used to do that, too. A campaign ad in the 70s clearly showed that he understood that his sartorial abilities rarely reached a passing grade.

When campaigning, Barney could be funny and smart, but also charming. That happened when he needed something - a vote or a favorable press piece.

In his non-reelection announcement, he said, “I don't have to pretend to be nice to people I don't like.” His political insights were sharp enough to know that he couldn't be successful if he was his natural self. By dialing it back, he could champion the liberal causes and get a lot of good stuff done.

His true perspective, though, seems to be that, for whatever reasons and for whatever purposes, he knew that he was smarter than the rest of us and that he didn't respect us for that.

Damn.

Say it ain't so, Barney.

Bankruptcy as a competitive strategy

Let me see if I understand this. AMR, the parent company of American Airlines, is declaring bankruptcy because it's the right time. All of its competitors have already done so. In the process, they shed expensive debt and pesky labor contracts, resulting in lower operating costs.

The Wall Street Journal reports that [t]he company decided a filing now would be from a relative position of strength by avoiding a tangled relationship with creditors who might want to control how the company restructures itself. Unlike many other companies that have sought bankruptcy protection in recent years, AMR didn't file for Chapter 11 with a reorganization plan in place supported by creditors. Instead, AMR must develop its plan during bankruptcy proceedings.

Filing for Chapter 11 reorganization will cost AMR millions of dollars in legal fees. The corporation, however, has $4B in cash.

Meanwhile, the company's employees are still bitter about the millions in stock bonuses paid to the executives who made lead the company to $10B in losses in the past decade. Granted, AMR stock plummeted 84% today. It may take a while for new AMR CEO Thomas Horton's 300,000 shares to be worth his effort to trim $1B from the the employees' pension fund.

[Update 11/30/11: upon further reflection, I realized that AMR shares will become worthless as the result of the bankruptcy and reorganization. As a result, the executives who received stock grants that vested after this filing will be out of luck.

[Update 12/1/11: The New York Times editorializes that  Mr. Arpey may be the only airline C.E.O. who regarded bankruptcy not simply as a financial tool, but more important, as a moral failing. Arpey held out against bankruptcy. When AMR's board overruled him, he left, with no severance and his stock holdings nearly worthless.

“Our bankrupt colleagues all made net profits, good net profits last year, and we didn’t,” Mr. Arpey told me a few months ago. “And you can mathematically pinpoint that to termination of pensions, termination of retiree medical benefits, changes of work rules, changes in the labor contracts. That puts a lot of pressure on our company, not to be ignored.”

I hate computers, little ones even more

For a while, my phone (HTC Incredible) hasn't been able to keep a wireless connection when it goes into sleep mode. I've set the Wi-Fi Sleep Policy to Never, but it's had no effect. When the screen goes dark, the WiFi connection drops out. If I ping the phone from another system, I can watch it go away.

I've tried various configurations on my routers with no consistent good result. Y'see, sometimes it works as intended. The screen goes to sleep, but the WiFi stays connected and I can listen to music or news or whatever. Most of the time for the past few weeks and constantly now, there's no joy.

I've done several reinstallations of the phone's operating system (Gingerbread, for those who care).

Now, sitting in NuCafe, it works fine. Now, using an open access point, the furshlugginer thing works fine. I have less of an idea why it works here than why it didn't at home.

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):
[Editor's note: There were 7 suspicious items this week. There were 5 lockouts, including one perpetrated by a dog.]

Holden

Monday -- November 14

12:34 p.m. Suspicious parties on foot, Broad St.
1:13 a.m. Suspicious vehicle, dragging front end, Main St. Driver says it is from a February accident
7:33 a.m. Party requesting officer regarding ongoing dispute with neighbor, Main St.
9:37 a.m. Female reports to post office personnel that a male is lying on the post office lawn, “groping,” Princeton St.
10:08 a.m. Caller reports canvas bag in front of Honey Farms, Main St. Turns out to be child’s toy
11:00 a.m. Caller reporting confused elderly gentleman asking for directions, Holden St.
11:28 a.m. Walk-in reports receiving a check for $1,000 more than asking price for a vehicle being sold on Craig’s list. Advised that it is a scam.
5:23 p.m. Motor vehicle lock-out, Holden Pizza, Main St.
8:19 p.m. Man with question regarding his wife buying a fake Northface jacket

Tuesday -- November 15

12:51 a.m. Shrewsbury St. Dunkin’ Donuts drive-through window is open. Notified owner, who declined walk through
4:23 a.m. Private investigator in lobby to drop off information. Will be in Appletree Ln., Harrington Dr. area all day
9:58 a.m. Mom’s Club into station for a tour
11:08 a.m. Party in lobby to report that on Sunday, she saw a 10-year-old operating her father’s construction equipment, Bullard St.
2:09 p.m. Party at station to gather information on private citizen, asked to see logs dating back two years
4:37 p.m. Water/sewer supervisor is putting out a Code Red alert for Jefferson, regarding water flushing this week.
8:26 p.m. Suspicious motor vehicle in parking lot, Sunnyside Ford

Wednesday -- November 16

8:53 a.m. Caller checking on private investigator parked outside his house, Harrington Dr.
9:08 a.m. Caller reports bobcat in her yard 30 minutes ago, Canterbury Ln.
10:03 a.m. Call from Boston Medical Examiner’s Office regarding bones found at Vicksburg Cir. Information relayed to state police
12:14 p.m. Holden Water worker reports finding several foil wrappers he thinks may have been used for cocaine near the sewer station. Requesting officer.
1:38 p.m. Caller found black Lab with license tags
6:16 p.m. Cub Scout troop touring station
11:07 p.m. Two white vans and red pickup truck at Fallon Clinic, Shrewsbury St.

Thursday -- November 17

11:49 a.m. Dog that looks as if it has been hit by a car walking down Newell Rd.
2:01 p.m. Loose dog, Forest Dr.
5:51 p.m. Walk-in advising of neighbor dispute. Would like officer present when he speaks with neighbor.
5:56 p.m. Motor vehicle accident, car vs. deer, Wachusett St.

Friday -- November 18

8:59 a.m. Man says his wife threw a rock at his vehicle during an argument, Main St.
5:15 p.m. Motor vehicle accident, car vs. deer, Main/Millbrook Sts.
5:18 p.m. Complaints of youths in roadway, General Hobbs Rd.
6:03 p.m. Caller reports jewelry stolen from her residence, John Alden Rd. Called back, found rings under some paperwork

Paxton

Monday -- November 14

7:50 a.m. Caller requesting assistance with vehicle lockout, Maple St.
12:35 p.m. Police assist person locked out of vehicle, Pleasant St.

Princeton

Monday -- November 14

9:18 a.m. Driver reports hitting large white Labrador-type dog on Gregory Hill Rd. Dog is heading up Mountain Rd. Owner picked up dog
7:30 p.m. Report of person jumping off motorcycle and running into woods, leaving bike on street, Thompson Rd.

Tuesday -- November 15

12:19 a.m. Police assist motorist with flat tire, Rte. 140 N

Thursday -- November 16

8:20 a.m. Caller reports her recycling bin has been taken the last two weeks when she puts out her trash, Worcester Rd.

Rutland

Monday -- November 14

4:55 a.m. 911 call for two suspicious people walking toward Birchwood Rd. and Inwood Rd.
11:13 a.m. Caller reports strange pickup truck came up driveway, has happened before, Campbell St.
12:38 p.m. Caller requests officer to Maple Ave. to view tape
5:03 p.m. Vehicle hit deer, Barre Paxton Rd. Deer ran into woods, vehicle has minor damage

Wednesday -- November 16

11:16 a.m. Caller requesting log entry for suspicious call she received from someone claiming to be from car insurance company. Male caller yelled, Turkey Hill Rd.
12:25 p.m. Suspicious vehicle with three young males stopped in front of house, threw something into Dumpster, Wildbrook Dr.
1:36 p.m. Business owner reports someone put mattresses in his Dumpster, Main St.
7:12 p.m. Suspicious truck parked at vacant residence, Maple Ave. Found to be septic contractor

Thursday -- November 17

11:00 a.m. Female locked herself out of vehicle, Glenwood Rd.
1:18 p.m. Caller reports her dog locked her out of her vehicle, Barre Paxton Rd.

Sterling

Monday -- November 14

8:30 a.m. Follow-up on missing person, Princeton Rd. Party no longer resides there
4:23 p.m. Caller reports theft of cord of wood from property, Worcester Rd.

Tuesday -- November 15

8:07 p.m. Motorist reports hitting deer, Metropolitan Rd.

Wednesday -- November 16

8:02 a.m. Report of animal on house, Hilltop Dr.
10:14 p.m. Caller reports unoccupied vehicle with lights on, Leominster Rd.

Thursday -- November 17

12:10 a.m. Two people walking down Muddy Pond and Boutelle Rds.

Don't touch the future. It might break.

Recently, while waiting my turn for a haircut, the customer before me got to talking the plan to give iPads to kids in school. "What happens when they drop it?" she remarked. They're always dropping things and losing things. You know how irresponsible our kids are.

Read more on TelegramTowns.com - A product of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Dept. of Tunes - The late teens

Those last teenage years start with a scream. Alice Cooper's I'm Eighteen grabbed that age with broad, crashing chords and trails off with a haunting organ solo. I don't know what eighteen-year-old girls felt or feel, but suspect that the milestone is all testosterone-driven. It's something about breaking free.

Breaking free.

Just like Wile E. Coyote running off a cliff.

And then you realize that you're 20. You can't be where you were, on Sugar Mountain, and you aren't where you're going to be.

You're in mid-air.

Yikes.

This week in job search

I took a test as a part of a job application. It was a writing test. The company provides a badly-written, three-page procedural document. I had to rewrite it so that it a) made sense and b) was an example of good technical writing.

It was a good test. The piece was laden with passive voices, bloated phrasings (lots of utilize), and a couple of incomprehensible tables. I eliminated the tables because they added no value.



The procedure resembled dance instructions for an octopus with hiccups. It probably could have been better rendered as a flowchart, but I was limited to words. I think that I got right, but I won't know for a few days.

Twenty-five years ago, I had to take a short test as a part of an interview for a software development job. I was a self-taught programmer. I solved the problem, but not elegantly or efficiently. I took another position before learning if I'd done well enough to get the job. That company didn't make it out of the 80s. The other company didn't make it out of the 90s.

I'd learned of this recent opportunity through an email. I sent a resume, but most of the vetting took place on my LinkedIn profile. Gone are the days of resumes printed on high-quality, off-white paper. Because each job has its own particular requirements, I need to keep several versions of my resume. To keep things in sync, I use Microsoft Word's master document feature to assemble pieces that emphasize one aspect or another of my background.

I'd prefer to keep everything in LinkedIn, but companies have recruitment software that generally require a file of some sort. It would be an interesting project to have a company's recruitment software use the LinkedIn API to fetch information from a person's public profile. I'll look around to see if anyone's done it. I have plenty of important things to do and so am always eager to be distracted from them.

Using LinkedIn when you already have a job

I received this piece of marketing email today.

It's a reminder that we should have someone else proofread our mass mailings.

3+1 things about the tablet wars

Apple doesn't have to worry too much about the Kindle Fire or Nook Color or their kin. The people who buy a tablet based on price will still wish that they'd bought an iPad.  The people who buy a Nook have a specific reason for doing so and most will be happy with their choice. Apple would not have reached them anyway.

The people who buy iPads (iPad buyers are exactly who you think they are, but with pets (infographic) | VentureBeat), may not know quite why they did. Or, they probably knew exactly why they bought one, but are embarrassed to give the real answer. (Sort of like saying you bought Playboy for the interviews.)

Apple has managed the near-impossible: they became the generic name for a type of product while retaining their distinct intellectual property rights. (See their series of brutal take-down suits in Europe and Australia  over the Samsung Galaxy. Nilay Patel explains it all in Apple sues Samsung: a complete lawsuit analysis on The Verge.) Apple won the music player (iPod), integrated monitor-system (iMac), and ultra-ultra notebook computer (MacBook).

1. The iPad still defines the terms of engagement. It's iPad vs. not-iPad, even when it isn't. When Jeff Bezos announced the Kindle Fire, he didn't mention the iPad at all. He didn't have to and shouldn't have.


2. Retail strength trumps specs. Barnes and Noble makes better systems than Amazon, but Amazon can and will deliver anything to you effortlessly.
   Buying books and magazines on the Nook and iPad has been a confusing and unsatisfying experience. Amazon figured out how to do that a dozen years ago and no one else is close.


3. When the battle moves to the Cloud, Amazon may be able to get the upper hand. Apple's never done really well with Internet services. iTunes works because they control the start and end of the pipe and there's no chance to get lost.  Their servers rarely handle peak loads well.
   I think that Google should buy Barnes and Noble. Then it would be a fair fight between the Kindle and the Nook.

+1
None of these is a social product. Social media is glued onto each product like an afterthought. Apple doesn't know how to do social. (Remember Ping?)  The promised deep integration of Twitter is nowhere to be found in iOS5. Amazon doesn't even have the native Android Twitter client in its app store. The Nook leaves a bag of tools on the table and says, "Here, you do it."

By the way, there are plenty of tablet comparisons and reviews out there. You don't need one more from me.This one is pretty good: A human review of the Kindle Fire – Marco.org, as is the venerable CR: Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet: How the specs compare.

My own experience is that I pre-ordered a Kindle Fire, received it on Wednesday and boxed it up for return yesterday morning. I have a Nook that's now running CyanogenMod. Much of the time, I bring my iPad to meetings instead of my laptop.

For the next year and probably two, Apple will own and define the tablet market. One of these companies still has to figure  out a coherent social strategy for tablets. If Google doesn't buy B&N, Facebook should consider it make a serious social tablet.

Remembering where your friends are

We're told that our social networks helps to make us smarter. This Scientific American blog post, Social Networks Matter: Friends Increase the Size of Your Brain, reports that we have individual traits that make us more or less social, but, even so, being in a social setting causes positive brain changes.

It's been more than five years since I've worked in an office. I have to be intentional in my efforts to keep in touch with people, personally and professionally. Ideas need people to thrive.

For example, I worked at Rational Software during the time that it was acquired by IBM. I have kept in touch with many former co-workers in person, through email, and in social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google+.

This morning, I read this article, IBM in the software era: Big Blue man gives HP a seminar • The Register. The piece includes an interview with Mike O'Rourke,  VP of Rational's  strategy and product management, a division of IBM software. O'Rourke became VP a couple of years after I left IBM. He has some interesting perspectives, however, on the evolution of Rational's products from the time of the acquisition. My former co-workers might be interested in this. Where, then, should I post this link?

An email to selected friends would have been most direct and probably the most likely to generate comments. The problem is that those comments would, at most, be seen by the people on the email thread. Others who currently work at IBM and people with whom I don't regularly correspond wouldn't have a chance to join in.

Facebook would be good. It is possible to post a message that's seen only by friends who worked or work at IBM Rational. That's a good-sized list. Some people, however, don't use Facebook with (former) co-workers; they only permit connections with friends in real life. I've had Friend requests turned aside by co-workers whom I thought of as friends. So it goes.

Google+ has lively discussions, but a limited audience.

I finally decided to share it in the Rational Alumni group on LinkedIn. More of my former co-workers are there and there's a greater likelihood that others would find this interesting. I'll report back on the results.

Local News: Chair City Signalization

The Sentinel and Enterrprise reports that city has received $500K for its Main Street Signalization and Roadway Realignment project. (An anagram for signalization is "I nail a zit song".) The Telegram story puts it into plain English:

Gardner was awarded $500,000 for Main Street signals and road realignment to develop 120,000 square feet of new commercial-office space, and to help with the redevelopment of 400,000 square feet of industrial-warehouse-office space near the project. The money is expected to generate more than 100 construction jobs and more than 150 full-time permanent jobs.

via Worcester Telegram & Gazette - telegram.com - Grants will pay for development work

The New England Post offers a fine summary of the statewide grants: Patrick-Murray Administration Approves 23 New Massworks Infrastructure Program Projects To Support Job Creation

If you want to find out more details about the project, well, good luck. The city's daily, The Gardner News, has its story, City gets grant for traffic signals, locked behind its paywall. The city's website shows nothing if you use their search. Google does show mention of something like this in the July minutes (PDF) of the community development committee.

So, a half million dollars of your tax dollars will help Gardner signalize. Whether that's a good thing or not apparently isn't any of your business.

More on education and politics

[caption id="attachment_2836" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Tim Connolly and Rep. Jim McGovern"][/caption]

The other day, Rep. Jim McGovern spoke at our WISE politics and media class. Tim Connolly, communications director for Worcester County D.A. Joseph Early, Jr., is leading the class. McGovern took questions for the full 90 minutes. As you might expect, topics ranged widely from Worcester politics to the pile of rubble that is the Washington political process. "If you wanted to chose any time in history to be president," said McGovern, "this is not the time you would choose." (Ref The Onion's on-point headline in November 2008, Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job .)

We talked redistricting. More than half of his district is new to him, now anchored to the west by Amherst and Northampton. (I corrected him on the pronunciation of Amherst, with a silent h. The townspeople notice such things.) The discussion about education included the usual topics of improving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as we try to prepare young people for jobs in the emerging green economy and medical technology.

In a bit of topic drift, we noted that a 20% turnout, coupled with Joe Perry's 48% plurality, means than fewer than 10% of Worcester voters chose their new mayor. "We are ultimately responsible for whom we elect," noted McGovern. By comparison, 40% of Fitchburg electorate voted. They re-elected Lisa Wong as mayor.

In addition to the usual concerns about civic detachment, the class agreed that civics should also be included in any education reform.

I know that it's comparing apples and dump trucks to relate my personal educational experiences with the practices and people of these times. There are a few dynamics about growing up, however, that are somewhat enduring. So, here are a couple of points:

• I loved history, social studies, and political science. I even got an award as best social studies student in my graduating class. My first college course, taken when I was 16, was political science. I grew up in a household where both parents voted regularly, where my mother campaigned for Ed Brooke as senator.
  I didn't vote until I was 30.


• There were several classes - Shakespeare in freshman English, shop, and gym, notably - that caused me not only not to learn the subjects but also to hate them later in life. Part of it was bad teaching, more of it was due to an inept student forced to display his ineptitude for the world to see.

These are notes of caution about what we can expect from education of any type, be it our public schools or even a parent to a child. We can give skills and knowledge, knowing that some of that will land on fertile ground and some will land on the rocks. The skill of the teacher and the aptitude of the student are the major factors here.

Much, much harder, though, it teaching people how to care when they don't. Even if we can identify root causes and remove those impediments, our successes are less than hoped for. It's pretty easy for people who are passionate about a topic to share why they're excited. The stories that are most interesting and, I think, most instructive, are the ones where someone once didn't care and now does. What happened? Is there anything transferable from those life lessons?

I voted for the first time because I was friends with people who were active in politics and who voted. The friendship preceded the act of voting. (This, by the way, is why social networks can be so compelling.) It's not about trust in the political arena or in the classroom, perhaps, but in the coffee shops and living rooms and other social places, where change happens. I voted not because I trusted the politicians so much as I trusted my friends.

November is the February of autumn

We now have more leaves than snow in the yard. Not all of the leaves are down yet. This season is running about two weeks late, not influenced by that freakish storm on Halloween weekend.

On this foggy morning, the Moses bushes in front of the house are bright. I wouldn't have noticed had I put out the trash last night. We're not apt to look at the font of the house except when we're coming or going and then we're often in a hurry. This morning, though, I had a moment.

This looks to be a typical day, meaning that there's nothing routine about it. After a reviewing the overnight news, I will take a look at a problem that one customer is having with QuickBooks and online banking. Then, I'm off to MWCC to talk with the very nice webmaster about work on new web, Facebook, and LinkedIn services for the alumni. Next will be a meeting with one of the professors and perhaps an administrator or two to see how we can integrate Twitter with Blackboard for an online course. I'm trying to rouse someone in marketing at a company so I can finish a blog post about them. I have a couple of other news stories in various states of unreadiess. You get the idea.

It's easy to lose track of details. Many of my contemporaries are complaining about age-related memory loss. I'm not ready to give in to that narrative yet. There are plenty of reasons to forget things. For example, this article, BPS Research Digest: How walking through a doorway increases forgetting, shows that going from one room to another resets our memory because our context shifts to the new place. There's no correlation with age or other condition; it just happens. If we're expecting events to be attributed to a cause, be it sugar-induced hyperactivity or the effect of the full moon, we'll regularly find events that fit our expectations. (We'll also discard, minimize, or explain away things that don't fit those patterns.)

I forget stuff, but I've always done so. Nothing new here, meaning that nothing's the same.

Note on Fitchburg politics - thinking beyond tomorrow

[caption id="attachment_2825" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong addresses a Massachusetts Broadband Institute program"][/caption]

As noted yesterday, I attended a presentation Monday by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute at Fitchburg State University. Mayor Lisa Wong introduced the program and noted the imp

ortant advancements brought about by having good broadband and wireless connectivity in the city. She presented a proclamation (full of details, she noted, gathered from the Internet) for MBI director Judy Dumont.

Most of the people in the audience were out-of-towners. This was the night before Election Day in the city. Mayor Wong was in close and tough race for re-election. She chose to be in a place that offered little immediate political advantage to talk about a program that would have a long-term benefit for the city.

This morning we learn Mayor Wong was re-elected to a third term by a record turnout of Fitchburg voters.

Mr. Hakkarainen goes to Helsinki

[This post is one of a series about Teuvo Hakkarainen, the newly elected True Finns Party MP from Viitasaari. For the record, my grandfather was born in Viitasaari.]
Banishing gays, lesbians, and Somalis to the Åland Islands isn't likely to be part of the immigration/emigration platform for the True Finns. The party leadership reprimanded MP Hakkarainen, who is on sick leave, for his recommendation that sending certain groups away to the islands in the Gulf of Bothnia would be good thing for them and for Finland. He later claimed that his comment was intended as a "joke."
A Swedish MP Elisabeth Nauclér, from the islands said, "Åland is home to 92 nationalities,” said Nauclér in Tuesday’s Iltalehti, adding that, “even Hakkarainen is welcome."
Hanna Kaarto said, in the Hesingin Sanomat, "The whole affair is so disgusting that it would be easier to plug one’s ears, shut one's eyes, and make loud noises just to keep from hearing it."

Is the enemy of my enemy my friend?

Staples has added a nice feature to its USB package, allowing you to test connection on your phone. It is, of course, made necessary by that cadre of evil-doers known as USB connector engineers who don't understand the meaning of the universal.

Unfortunately, packaging engineers are on the next layer of Hell. So, getting at the actual cable requires cutting devices and brute force.

 

The irrelevance of broadband

Many of us live in the breathless world of high tech where each advancement in tablets, phones, and social media services floods our reading queue. We click the Update button, waiting for the next release of IOS or Android. We scoff when a company's new phone has just a single-core processor. We talk to Siri like she's a sister from another mother.

Last night, I attended a presentation by the folks from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. Their project is quite simply stunning: bring lots of fiber-optic connectivity to the unserved and underserved communities throughout the state. Even with two tornadoes, a hurricane, and an October snowstorm ("Mother Nature hates broadband," quipped MBI director, Judy Dumont.), they're still on target to ensure that, in a couple of years, all people of our fair Commonwealth can have access to fast pipes. (Take a look at the MBI's web site for details about the many facets of the program.)

Then, the hard work begins.

Americans who did not use the Internet at all – whether inside or outside the home – most commonly cited lack of interest or need as the primary reason.

via Exploring the Digital Divide | BroadbandUSA - NTIA

The Digital Divide is a series of fractures. There's the very real issue of money, of course. Even with Comcast's new $9.99 program, computers with the requisite software are out of reach for many. If it was just a matter of money, though, it'd be pretty simple.  More than a third of the people who do not have home broadband reported that, more than cost, didn't think that it was relevant to their lives.

[caption id="attachment_2809" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Main Reason for Non-Adoption of Home Broadband Internet, 2009 (National Telecommunications and Information Administration report)"][/caption]

Irrelevance was cited by 50% more people than those who were said that money was the issue.  The full report (PDF) is here.

In future pieces, I'm going to try to figure out what's going on here.

Some seems obvious.  The Internet, as portrayed in the public discussions, is a dangerous place where bad people want to steal your identity, money, and children. Those of us who've mucked around the 'tubes for a while know what a tremendous time sink all this can be, how it can isolate us even as it calls us to be more social.

There's a bit of research starting to surface about how adults learn how to use computers and networking, research that should embarrass user-interface engineers for hardware and software products, including and especially Apple.

The theory that is mine, however, is that there are a few other things going on. Mostly, they relate to how we view work and education, how our businesses adapt to change, how we, as individuals, learn or don't learn because of intrinsic and extrinsic reasons, and a lot about fear.  I'll come back to these ideas soon. In the meantime, take a look at what the MBI is doing and imagine how this can change things, if not for us, then for our grandkids.

Dept. of tunes - Hallelujah

Recently, Cassie stayed overnight with us. She brought her Shrek tape. We stayed up late and laughed a lot.

In the later part of the movie, there was a sad scene, the setup for the happiness to follow. The tune playing during this sad scene is Hallelujah.

I have to admit that I wasn't paying attention when this song was released in the 80s. Leonard Cohen was a regular on my playlist from his first two albums, but if you're going to stay sane, you have to limit the quantities. For a long time, then, I didn't play the old albums. He's not radio material, so I missed the newer stuff.

For the last decade, lots of people covered the song, bringing out modest voices and great voices, each telling a common and uniquely personal story. There isn't one best version. K.D. Lang kinda owns it, but Justin Timberlake's performance in the Haiti benefit, Jeff Buckley, and Rufus Wainwright can make us hold back a tear. Even folks  less well-known in the States can draw from the deep, deep well of the tune's simple majesty and grace.  The guy himself does himself proud, a testimony to the strength of a great song.

Happy 7th Birthday, Cassie

[caption id="attachment_2800" align="alignleft" width="612" caption="On her first day of school, saying good-bye to Rocco"][/caption]

Crime in suburbia

From The Landmark (subscription required):

[Editor's note: There were 10 suspicious items this week and five lock-outs.

Also, in the words of our local SkyWarn coordinator, we were hit with an "anomalous and historical Nor'easter" on Saturday night and Sunday (10/29 and 10/30), with heavy snow .  The resulting damage included many downed trees and widespread power outages.]

Holden

Monday -- October 24

2:35 a.m. Assist Worcester PD by contacting person whose car is in Worcester, Main St.
7:50 a.m. Suspicious white box truck parked next to caller’s driveway, Montana Dr.
8:35 a.m. Police assist with loose dog, Dorothy Ave.
11:01 a.m. Two cars in middle of Main St., possible argument between drivers, Main St.

Tuesday -- October 25

2:33 a.m. Caller wants to speak with officer regarding incident in grocery store parking lot in Worcester. Advised to call Worcester PD
10:00 a.m. Male sitting in vehicle for long time, Main St.
4:55 p.m. Report of vehicle driving by and a dog thrown out the passenger’s side door before speeding off, Main St.

Wednesday -- October 26

9:33 a.m. Request for escort while picking up equipment at business, Main St.
9:04 p.m. Caller reports someone rang doorbell and left a brown bag, Bull Run. Bag contains candy and chain letter

Friday -- October 28

9:26 a.m. Suspicious vehicle parked in lot, person inside covered with blanket, Jamieson Rd.
5:49 p.m. Four kids fighting in woods, Shrewsbury St. Three juveniles arrested
7:06 p.m. Report of 20 kids running into street all dressed in black, Manning St.
7:22 p.m. Five suspicious males hanging out, Reservoir St.
9:12 p.m. Loud kids in area, Nichols St.

Saturday -- October 28

7:59 a.m. Advising “On Target” at center intersection blocking traffic, Main/Reservoir Sts.
1:45 p.m. Report of female urinating outside her vehicle in library parking lot, appears to be intoxicated, Highland St. Arrest: --- public drunkenness
3:01 p.m. Female says she will not drive any further due to road conditions, requesting assistance, Paxton Rd.
5:57 p.m. Keys locked in car, Main St.
6:04 p.m. State police advise vehicle going wrong way, Main St.
6:47 p.m. Person upset about traffic being stopped due to power outages, Wachusett St.
7:00 p.m. Transformer sparking, Arizona Ave.
7:44 p.m. Small black dog running down Main St.
8:49 p.m. Arcing wires, Driftwood Dr.
9:27 p.m. Tree on fire near Bull Run
10:21 p.m. Person staggering in the road, Salisbury St.

Sunday -- October 30

7:35 a.m. Police assist person locked out of vehicle, Bull Run
9:15 a.m. Report of teens building ramps and snowboarding down stairs, Main St.
10:32 a.m. Kids building a snowman in middle of Rte. 68
1:30 p.m. Kids throwing snowballs at cars, Mason Rd.

Paxton

Monday -- October 24

8:59 a.m. Two pumpkins taken from property, Camp St.
4:46 p.m. Provide courtesy transport to restaurant in Spencer

Tuesday -- October 25

12:33 p.m. Person at station requesting fingerprints, Pleasant St.

Wednesday -- October 26

6:38 p.m. Vehicle hit deer, Pleasant/Franklin Sts.

Thursday -- October 27

6:10 p.m. Caller reports having power in only half the house, Black Hill Rd.
10:09 p.m. Vehicle doing donuts in cul-de-sac, Glen Ellen Rd.

Friday -- October 28

11:07 a.m. Suspicious vehicle in front of home, Crestwood Rd.
12:40 p.m. Male sitting in vehicle on side of Nanigian Rd.
5:23 p.m. Police assist person locked out of vehicle, Glen Ellen Rd.

Saturday -- October 29

1:15 p.m. Report of a horse being neglected, Rockland St.
2:57 p.m. Report of female afraid to drive, causing traffic hazard, Paxton Rd., Holden

Sunday -- October 30

1:44 a.m. Arrest: --- ---- , 21,--- Lake George, N.Y.; assault and battery (domestic)
3:05 a.m. Arrest: --- ---- , 21,--- Lake George, N.Y.; assault and battery (domestic)
8:30 a.m. Transport person to heated location, Richards Ave.
6:28 p.m. Request for welfare check on elderly female. Person brought into lobby after being found in middle of road at Holden/Grove Sts., looking for a neighbor with heat

Princeton

Tuesday -- October 25

10:11 a.m. Tent blowing around road, Worcester Rd.
11:53 p.m. Officers remove about 20 broken beer bottles thrown onto Fitchburg Rd.

Wednesday -- October 26

1:55 p.m. Dog escaped leash while being walked on Wachusett Mountain, Mountain Rd.
3:10 p.m. Suspicious vehicle in area of Westminster Rd.
4:20 p.m. Barking dog, Ball Hill Rd.

Thursday -- October 27

1:01 p.m. Transport person to station to renew her registration online, then take her back to vehicle on Worcester Rd.
2:32 p.m. Missing black cat, Wheeler Rd.
2:48 p.m. White pick-up truck keeps running off the road, Rte. 140 N

Friday -- October 28

1:22 a.m. Officer removed branch from Sterling Rd.
8:42 a.m. Police stand by at vehicle with flat tire, E. Princeton Rd.
10:34 a.m. Police investigate abandoned vehicle, Whitaker Ln.
5:25 p.m. As the result of an investigation, stolen vehicle is removed, Whitaker Ln.
8:33 p.m. Person walking outside with flashlight, Ball Hill Rd.

Saturday -- October 29

10:24 p.m. Caller stranded since 4 p.m. Tow truck couldn’t reach them, Worcester Rd. Police drove person home

Sunday -- October 30

5:21 p.m. Dog found in center of town

Rutland

Monday -- October 24

1:20 p.m. Approximately 40 veterans’ grave markers stolen from cemetery overnight, Main St.
5:14 p.m. Black bear in yard, Pleasantdale Rd.
5:35 p.m. Missing calico cat, Pommogussett Rd.
8:12 p.m. Caller found arrow in her soccer net, Newman Dr.

Tuesday -- October 25

6:14 p.m. Shirtless male juvenile dancing in breakdown lane, Main St. Advised to move onto the grass
8:27 p.m. Company advised to stop working because no detail officer, Maple Ave.
11:48 p.m. Suspicious vehicle, driver sleeping, allowed to stay, Barre Paxton Rd.

Wednesday -- October 26

5:00 p.m. Male flagging down cars to get a ride, E. County Rd.
6:01 p.m. Gray car stopping in front of houses on Maple Ave.

Thursday -- October 27

8:37 a.m. Suspicious male in hooded sweatshirt walking around house, looking in sheds, Turkey Hill Trl. Advised is a family relative
11:41 a.m. Missing black and white Yak, Wachusett St. Later found lying down with bovines, should return home soon
10:32 p.m. Man at station looking for guidance with his daughter, Main St.

Friday -- October 28

11:20 a.m. Suspicious vehicle parked on side of Charnock Cir.

Saturday -- October 29

1:43 a.m. Suspicious vehicle, unattended and unsecured, Whitehall Rd.
11:07 p.m. Report of fireworks in Brintnal Dr. area

Sunday -- October 30

9:54 a.m. Person locked out of apartment, Main St.
10:05 a.m. Loose dog running in front of snow plows, Vista Cir.
10:48 a.m. Assist person locked out of home, Summerhill Ave.
4:10 p.m. Person at station to report a larceny. “Be on the look out” issued for male, Main St.

Sterling

Monday -- October 24

8:41 a.m. Follow-up on unlicensed dog, Chace Hill Rd.
8:56 a.m. Unlicensed dog follow-up, Central Ave.
10:50 a.m. Request for officer. Person washed car and can now see fingerprints on it, Bean Rd.

Tuesday -- October 25

6:30 p.m. Dog found, no one home where it lives, person concerned due to recent house breaks, Squareshire Rd.
8:08 p.m. Motorist hit deer, vehicle damaged, unable to find deer, N. Row Rd./Kathleen Ln.

Wednesday -- October 26

1:43 a.m. Police out with person walking on Rte. 140. Individual taken into protective custody, Redemption Rock Trl./I-190
2:53 a.m. Lancaster PD advises of person in vehicle, stole stop sign and headed into Sterling, Flanagan Hill area
11:17 a.m. Student took off from school, headed toward Muddy Pond Rd. Student transported back to school, Boutelle Rd.
2:53 p.m. Violation of harassment order, Worcester Rd. Subject has large sign in back of truck with caller’s name all over it

Friday -- October 28

9:23 a.m. Police provide escort services, Worcester Rd.
1:40 a.m. Dead deer beside Chace Hill Rd.
10:40 a.m. Barking dog complaint, School St.
11:00 a.m. Escort services, Bridge St.
11:36 a.m. Suspicious vehicle in school parking lot, Boutelle Rd.
8:39 p.m. Report of young male in store panhandling, Leominster Rd.

Saturday -- October 28

12:24 p.m. Chocolate Lab in driveway, Bean Rd.Sunday -- October 30
8:13 a.m. Caller trapped in her house due to downed wires, Princeton Rd.
10:00 a.m. Two roosters at ice cream stand Dumpster, Chace Hill Rd.

Remember when Staples was exciting?

During the last two trips for Staples, I've noticed more empty shelves and a reduced number of things you might actually want to buy. They have plenty of staff on hand, though. Nice people who wander around the store, waiting for you to ask for their help.

"Can I help you?"

"Thanks. I'm looking for small windowed envelopes." I'd seen a box of 500 at Sam's Club. I won't use 500 of these in my lifetime. A box of 25 would be fine.

Both of us looked high and low on the shelves. No small windowed envelopes.

We concluded that both of us could not find the envelops. "You can order them on the web," the sales assistant said. "I can go look it up for you." He motioned to the computer at the end of the aisle.

Indeed, we could order the product online from the store.

Those of you of a certain age, remember the old Sears catalog stores? You could walk in to a storefront where they had Sears catalogs on the counter. You'd look up the item you wanted, pay for the purchase in cash, and have the product delivered to the store or to your home.

Staples is doing something weird here. They have made an effort to put good sales support staff on the floor and then give them nothing to sell.

They used to have a slogan, "Yeah, we've got that." It was a good slogan. It inspired confidence without arrogance.

Time was, we'd go there and buy what we wanted and another armload of stuff that caught our attention -  boxes of pens, a deal on manila folders, a power strip, and a wastebasket to carry home all the stuff that we just bought.

On my last few trips, I've bought less than what I sought and very little on impulse. OK, so we bought yet another 4GB flash drive.

P.S., Staples has the envelopes online, but only in quantities of 500.

Plan ahead for Halloween

[caption id="attachment_2786" align="alignright" width="700" caption="Holden Rite-Aid"][/caption]

Wait, isn't science supposed to explain stuff?

ON 31 October, a newborn baby somewhere in the world will become the 7 billionth member of the human race. Dunno where, although, statistically, most likely birthplaces for Baby Billion would be India or China. (अरब बच्चे or 婴儿亿元 , respectively).

There's another reason why this baby would be born in Asia. American women avoid giving birth on Halloween.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="612" caption="Women defy biology to avoid giving birth on Halloween | Try Nerdy"][/caption]

The researchers could only speculate why women would time their births and aim for Valentine's Day, but clench their teeth and everything else to bring forth their babies in early November.

My mother and the mothers of the three other kids, including a set of twins, must have missed that memo. There were four of us in a high school class of 100 with Halloween birthdays.

The pattern of avoiding birthdays around holidays holds into the new year.

Rank	Date		Rank	Day
364	1-Jan		14	7-Jul
362	2-Jan		12	8-Jul
356	3-Jan		18	22-Jul
350	4-Jan		17	12-Aug
347	8-Jan		2	9-Sep
351	9-Jan		9	10-Sep
349	10-Jan		16	14-Sep
348	1-Apr		8	15-Sep
346	13-Apr		1	16-Sep
361	4-Jul		4	17-Sep
355	31-Oct		10	18-Sep
352	24-Nov		13	19-Sep
353	25-Nov		15	20-Sep
357	26-Nov		7	21-Sep
358	27-Nov		5	22-Sep
359	28-Nov		3	23-Sep
354	23-Dec		6	24-Sep
363	24-Dec		11	25-Sep
365	25-Dec		19	30-Sep
360	26-Dec		20	1-Oct

In spite of their avoidance for birthdays near Christmas into the early part of the new year, many will aim for that tax deduction. The middling days between Christmas and New Year's score pretty well compared to other dates in that week.

26	30-Dec
42	29-Dec
62	28-Dec

Data source: How Common Is Your Birthday?

The CMO Site blog - Sun Rising on Solar Energy Marketing

Solar energy businesses are marketing themselves successfully when they avoid the controversy around government investment and global warming and concentrate instead on value to the customer.
Read the rest at The CMO Site - Karl Hakkarainen - Sun Rising on Solar Energy Marketing

Happy 20th Birthday, Matt

[caption id="attachment_2753" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Matt in 2004, with Cassie, age 1 day"][/caption]

And, of course, we remember what happens when we turn 20: Neil Young - Sugar Mountain

Book review: The Secret Life of Word

The Secret Life of Word  by Robert Delwood « XML Press

I've waited for a long time for a book such as this. It's very good. It delivers clear information about Word 2010 with writing that's fresh and human, as though you were being coached by a knowledgeable and helpful co-worker.

The premise is simple. Using the Office scripting interfaces, macros and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), you can get a lot of good work done quickly and more accurately.  Delwood guides the reader through a series of common tasks often encountered by writers. At each point, you get just enough information to know what you're doing and how to do it.

Most technical writers avoid Word because, well, it can be messy (particularly if you've inherited someone else's Word files) and because it's not great for longer documents (more than 50 or so pages). Development teams and managers like Word because it's always around and they can edit the files when they want to (leading to the first problem). Given that more and more tech writers are working on short-term contracts where they have make sense of files that have been picked at by a half dozen authors, this book can be valuable resource in cleaning up cruft and bringing order to the sources.

Delwood is a fine writer with a reassuring voice. He introduces topics such as building blocks, Smart Tags, and macros with just the right balance of background and practical tips. There are plenty of good code examples throughout the book. Rather than having to retype everything, however, you can pick up the examples at the publisher's web site.
There were plenty of pleasing touches throughout the book, such as the use of "Hello, Word" in examples. made more poignant as we mourn the recent passing of C's, Dennis Ritchie.

The section on Find and Replace begins with "It may seem odd to consider Find and Replace as an automation technique." The examples then go on to show how you can bring back some order to a document with carefully targeted automation. Word is notorious for generating bloated HTML output. This small procedure is part of a larger effort to clean up that bloat and give you a more usable file.

Sub RemoveHTMLTags()
ReplacementText "<p*>", "<p>"
ReplacementText "<span*>", vbNullString
ReplacementText "</span>", vbNullString
ReplacementText "<o:p>", vbNullString
ReplacementText "</o:p>", vbNullString
ReplacementText "Times New Roman", "Comic Sans MS"^[1]
End Sub
^[1]

Delwood brings out the quirks and inexplicable behaviors in Word. He explains how the changes from Word  95 to the 2007/2010 era really messed people up. The user interface changed, hiding familiar menu options in out-of-the-way ribbons. New elements such as building blocks confounded people who were used to dealing with simple templates. He noted that Smart Tags, which most of us missed when introduced in Office 2003, are an under-appreciated feature. He then goes on to explain why they are useful (treating selected words as more than just characters, but words with a special meaning) and how to use them.

Debugging scripts is hard. The book keeps it simple, providing basic guidance instead of trying to turn a tech writer into a software engineer.

There were a few nits that I noticed, but nothing that diminishes the utility of this fine book.

• The email address for comments is incorrect, likely the result of a duplicated paste that was overlooked by the editor.


• Most of the time, the examples are clear and easy to scan. In the section on Smart Tags, however, it gets confusing because the headings for each section and the example captions appear to run together after a while.

This is a very useful book. I've already applied some of the material to documents that I maintain.

---

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for the purposes of this review. I am not compensated for my reviews nor was my review influenced by the manner in which I received the book.