It's a Dog's name

Let me start by saying NO! we're not getting a dog. Of any kind. Or perhaps yes one of those one that sits on the shelf in the back of the car and nods. But not a real one.

So someone suggested that I should get a Beagle. So I shared this in the cube farm.

Sending pictures to my wife, sending her links on where to buy one - bad form!

I get home and she's written a list of names

Gordon
Benny
Boris

just the three I can remember, and if I had a choice, not that there will be a choice, I would go with Gordon.

BUT that's the name of the brother of a fellow cube farmist. Bad form.

BUT you can't have one beagle, you have to have two, they like companionship and get lonely.
BUT they are baying dogs
BUT they are notoriously single minded and hard to train - they get a sniff and they are off. Well they are sniffing baying dogs.

And they dig holes

And I don't want to spend thousands on a fence to keep the critters in.

But two names - think of that
Starsky and Hutch
Mills and Boon
Benny and Joon
Pak N Save
Horse and Trap

So there you have it, the dog I never had.

It's a Dog's name

Let me start by saying NO! we're not getting a dog. Of any kind. Or perhaps yes one of those one that sits on the shelf in the back of the car and nods. But not a real one.

So someone suggested that I should get a Beagle. So I shared this in the cube farm.

Sending pictures to my wife, sending her links on where to buy one - bad form!

I get home and she's written a list of names

Gordon
Benny
Boris

just the three I can remember, and if I had a choice, not that there will be a choice, I would go with Gordon.

BUT that's the name of the brother of a fellow cube farmist. Bad form.

BUT you can't have one beagle, you have to have two, they like companionship and get lonely.
BUT they are baying dogs
BUT they are notoriously single minded and hard to train - they get a sniff and they are off. Well they are sniffing baying dogs.

And they dig holes

And I don't want to spend thousands on a fence to keep the critters in.

But two names - think of that
Starsky and Hutch
Mills and Boon
Benny and Joon
Pak N Save
Horse and Trap


So there you have it, the dog I never had.

Word War II wasn't about Jews and 9/11 wasn't about Firemen

In my opinion, the actions of School kids when confronted with Nazi Symbolism and images at a museum exhibition was totally predictable.

The reaction of the Jewish council - again predictable.

However the War wasn't about Jews. and Jews seem to have or want to hijack history and hammer relentlessly the holocaust, the holocaust. Sidestepping the gypsies, infirm, gays and anyone else caught up by circumstance in the aspect of the war that was concentration camps.

Don't worry about the carpet bombing of civilians, that's what? Unfortunate? Allowed? Don't worry about any other war crimes - hey they all pale into insignificance right, so we can ignore them?

But can't overlook the Jews. No Sir! Lest we forget it's all about them and only them.

Now I open myself up to all sorts of abuse and accusations with this opinion. And you have then not understood a word of it. The War happened. Lots of people died. Germans, English, Russians - a lot of Russians, Americans, French, Japanese and more than a lot more other nationalities also lost citizens, either conscripted soldiers or unfortunate bystanders.

For Jews to rail at ignorance of youth implies they only want the high ground. They don't do anything at or with schools to education or provide education - that of course would be indoctrination, but I bet dollars to cents that they don't have an active education lobby going on that would require teaching of the whole history of WWII. They only want the high ground.

Much like 9/11. Which has all become about Firemen. Brave as they were the willful destruction by terrorism wasn't about Firemen. But hey guess what every remembrance - I was tempted to say celebration - involves almost exclusively Firemen. Disproportionately represented yes - about them no.

Are these good things? Do we need "Leaders" in remembrance. Yes of course.

Do we need leaders in only one aspect - or leaders that re-write or concentrate only on one aspect of an event - no.

Are the kids insensitive - yes they are. But ignorance of youth is no excuse to high ground and make a stand. If it's offensive it's offensive - or do you allow a museum display as in context ? In context to who? and what?

Word War II wasn't about Jews and 9/11 wasn't about Firemen

In my opinion, the actions of School kids when confronted with Nazi Symbolism and images at a museum exhibition was totally predictable.

The reaction of the Jewish council - again predictable.

However the War wasn't about Jews. and Jews seem to have or want to hijack history and hammer relentlessly the holocaust, the holocaust. Sidestepping the gypsies, infirm, gays and anyone else caught up by circumstance in the aspect of the war that was concentration camps.

Don't worry about the carpet bombing of civilians, that's what? Unfortunate? Allowed? Don't worry about any other war crimes - hey they all pale into insignificance right, so we can ignore them?

But can't overlook the Jews. No Sir! Lest we forget it's all about them and only them.

Now I open myself up to all sorts of abuse and accusations with this opinion. And you have then not understood a word of it. The War happened. Lots of people died. Germans, English, Russians - a lot of Russians, Americans, French, Japanese and more than a lot more other nationalities also lost citizens, either conscripted soldiers or unfortunate bystanders.

For Jews to rail at ignorance of youth implies they only want the high ground. They don't do anything at or with schools to education or provide education - that of course would be indoctrination, but I bet dollars to cents that they don't have an active education lobby going on that would require teaching of the whole history of WWII. They only want the high ground.

Much like 9/11. Which has all become about Firemen. Brave as they were the willful destruction by terrorism wasn't about Firemen. But hey guess what every remembrance - I was tempted to say celebration - involves almost exclusively Firemen. Disproportionately represented yes - about them no.

Are these good things? Do we need "Leaders" in remembrance. Yes of course.

Do we need leaders in only one aspect - or leaders that re-write or concentrate only on one aspect of an event - no.

Are the kids insensitive - yes they are. But ignorance of youth is no excuse to high ground and make a stand. If it's offensive it's offensive - or do you allow a museum display as in context ? In context to who? and what?

Having one of each, children that is.

Seriously I have one of each. Children that is.

In many ways!

Eldest is a boy, youngest therefore a girl - not rocket surgery there then

Boy is a rather solid and imposing figure, Daughter is thin.

Boy is drifting along not able to focus on study and is leaving school this year - but only because he can't go back - and had no idea what to do next, work, Uni, or go overseas.

Girl is very diligent and getting near top marks for most anything she does

Boy is world champion of surfing the Internet, if that could be a prize he'd be a contender. Idea of exercise is to open an energy drink.

Girl, what can I tell you, Plays hockey, Players player of they year, School Player of the year, Accredited NZ Jnr Umpire, Best umpire at National Tournament award. it goes on

Boy drives a car, worked for cash, saved up, passed his test (!!!! how did that happen) and drives reasonably well

Daughter has a newly acquired drivers licence but isn't keen "I wouldn't know which buttons to put my feet on" !

So genuinely I have a mixed bag of children, each at some point in some things the total opposite of the other. I'm sure they'll work out, people usually do.

Having one of each, children that is.

Seriously I have one of each. Children that is.

In many ways!

Eldest is a boy, youngest therefore a girl - not rocket surgery there then

Boy is a rather solid and imposing figure, Daughter is thin.

Boy is drifting along not able to focus on study and is leaving school this year - but only because he can't go back - and had no idea what to do next, work, Uni, or go overseas.

Girl is very diligent and getting near top marks for most anything she does

Boy is world champion of surfing the Internet, if that could be a prize he'd be a contender. Idea of exercise is to open an energy drink.

Girl, what can I tell you, Plays hockey, Players player of they year, School Player of the year, Accredited NZ Jnr Umpire, Best umpire at National Tournament award. it goes on

Boy drives a car, worked for cash, saved up, passed his test (!!!! how did that happen) and drives reasonably well

Daughter has a newly acquired drivers licence but isn't keen "I wouldn't know which buttons to put my feet on" !

So genuinely I have a mixed bag of children, each at some point in some things the total opposite of the other. I'm sure they'll work out, people usually do.

My New Car.

Well new to me. But this isn't as simple as you'd think.

1. Think of a budget.


2. Every car you like costs at least $2k more. No use kidding yourself that you've set your budget too low, or pretending to yourself that your budget is flexible. It shouldn't be.

But a car is a car is a car? Not remotely no.  But when did it all start to go difficult.

Back in the day you had a Model-T. in Black. Big Rims and all. But cars seem to get smaller and smaller, and then suddenly bigger and bigger. I think perhaps the Americans had something to do with car bloat.

But what do you really need. I know what you don't need. A stonky great big 4x4 for commuting is what you don't need. Similarly Smart Car or Micro-car for the same job. Are you stupid.

And apart from "sports cars" that are by an large seen as "girly" cars in this part of the world, or Penis substitutes if you are older, there isn't a decent 2-door car to be had.

Which would be sensible right. Why haul a couple tonne of steel and foam about with you when all you need really is one seat.

I wish is was that easy.

Some cars seem timeless, some just look old the day they came off the line. Some have beginners design school gradutard all over them, liberal use of plastic bumpers an all. Some are manly, some are girly, some are gender neutral.

All of them are just cars.

I don't care as much as I used to, he says, but to me, the car is an extension of you. So I want to drive something wild and out-there but also conservative and easy (read cheap) to maintain. Such is the way things are.

Short list? I don't even have a long list. Except that once you start looking you have flash-back of nostalgia, what about a Ford Cortina Mk5, or a Capri? or hey a Torana. Classic Mini? Mini-Van. They are there if you look or want to look hard enough. And have enough for two cars since they can't be reliable even with the best will in the world I couldn't see it happening.

Also you need something that no-one is going to nick off with. key or otherwise damage or give you stick about. So that crosses of a fair few too.

I'll let you know how this goes, it hasn't started well :-(

My New Car.

Well new to me. But this isn't as simple as you'd think.

1. Think of a budget.
2. Every car you like costs at least $2k more. No use kidding yourself that you've set your budget too low, or pretending to yourself that your budget is flexible. It shouldn't be.

But a car is a car is a car? Not remotely no.  But when did it all start to go difficult.

Back in the day you had a Model-T. in Black. Big Rims and all. But cars seem to get smaller and smaller, and then suddenly bigger and bigger. I think perhaps the Americans had something to do with car bloat.

But what do you really need. I know what you don't need. A stonky great big 4x4 for commuting is what you don't need. Similarly Smart Car or Micro-car for the same job. Are you stupid.

And apart from "sports cars" that are by an large seen as "girly" cars in this part of the world, or Penis substitutes if you are older, there isn't a decent 2-door car to be had.

Which would be sensible right. Why haul a couple tonne of steel and foam about with you when all you need really is one seat.

I wish is was that easy.

Some cars seem timeless, some just look old the day they came off the line. Some have beginners design school gradutard all over them, liberal use of plastic bumpers an all. Some are manly, some are girly, some are gender neutral.

All of them are just cars.

I don't care as much as I used to, he says, but to me, the car is an extension of you. So I want to drive something wild and out-there but also conservative and easy (read cheap) to maintain. Such is the way things are.

Short list? I don't even have a long list. Except that once you start looking you have flash-back of nostalgia, what about a Ford Cortina Mk5, or a Capri? or hey a Torana. Classic Mini? Mini-Van. They are there if you look or want to look hard enough. And have enough for two cars since they can't be reliable even with the best will in the world I couldn't see it happening.

Also you need something that no-one is going to nick off with. key or otherwise damage or give you stick about. So that crosses of a fair few too.

I'll let you know how this goes, it hasn't started well :-(

I'm not famous I can make any statement I want

Two words yesterday on twitter "Free Polanski".

Not from a world recognised name, but a name known in New Zealand. Someone who commands an audience and imparts information, love, humor, and adds that bit in your day that makes a difference. I know, still only a voice on the radio and anyone "could" do it. They can't he does.

But carelessly or otherwise he's committed to a statement, a "cause celeb", and joined a bunch of others calling for something based on what I can only assume is "better than you" -ness

Does that make him a bad person? Not really. But is does highlight that whilst I never met him, never spoken to him, and am not that likely to bump into him in the streets (although that is the most probable), I've formed an opinion about what he should and should not be able to comment on.

Except that this is different. We might disagree on political things, he might be left I might be center, we might disagree on Chardonnay over Sauvignon, or free-range over farm eggs. But we can't disagree on child abuse surely?

Confusing assumed greatness, or significance, and ignoring illegality and moral bankruptcy just seems, in my opinion, to be wrong.

Then just to put the record straight I think Nelson Mandela is a Terrorist. But I'm allowed to say that, I'm not a celebrity.

I'm not famous I can make any statement I want

Two words yesterday on twitter "Free Polanski".

Not from a world recognised name, but a name known in New Zealand. Someone who commands an audience and imparts information, love, humor, and adds that bit in your day that makes a difference. I know, still only a voice on the radio and anyone "could" do it. They can't he does.

But carelessly or otherwise he's committed to a statement, a "cause celeb", and joined a bunch of others calling for something based on what I can only assume is "better than you" -ness

Does that make him a bad person? Not really. But is does highlight that whilst I never met him, never spoken to him, and am not that likely to bump into him in the streets (although that is the most probable), I've formed an opinion about what he should and should not be able to comment on.

Except that this is different. We might disagree on political things, he might be left I might be center, we might disagree on Chardonnay over Sauvignon, or free-range over farm eggs. But we can't disagree on child abuse surely?

Confusing assumed greatness, or significance, and ignoring illegality and moral bankruptcy just seems, in my opinion, to be wrong.

Then just to put the record straight I think Nelson Mandela is a Terrorist. But I'm allowed to say that, I'm not a celebrity.

I read the news today. Oh Boy!

There were/are 3 things that prickled me this morning on the news, which in no particular order are

1. Roman Polanski. - Moral indignation from the elitist bleating about cultural significance of his works and how he should be granted clemency. I say "What about all the good things Hitler did?" It's not good enough to claim it's 30 years - it could be 300 years, 3 years, 3 days it would not make a difference, plying a teen with alcohol and drugs to have sex with them isn't legal, wasn't then, isn't now. IF Mr. P had any backbone he would have stayed to clear his good name. He Didn't.




2. Some Cellist is playing his thing in Auckland, and the advertising goes something like "acclaimed as a phenomenon by The Herald (a newspaper). Not, you note, acclaimed by Mr.Billy Perkins, Staff Writer, as a phenomenon, but hidden behind a facade that "The Herald" implies gravitas. The Herald speaks we listen!




3. Ministerial allowances. So an MP has been dobbed in for claiming an allowance on a house he owns and lives in. The bureaucracy that condones this is not configured to catch people out, but to ensure that the allowances are meted out to the claimants. The bureaucracy is in place to serve the bureaucracy, no other reason. They don't check the validity of the claim, but only the receipts and mathematics are correct so they can process the claim. All care no responsibility.

As to claiming the allowance or perks, which employee for any company given a list of claimable things would not go out of their way to ensure they could claim everything, and which employee would be the advocate and loop-hole advisor to others to allow maximum claim under "the rules"

The only people going on about this are the indignant people who cry "public trough" at the drop of a hat - you know they typically are "I know my rights" type people.

Sure the allowance is a rort. It always has been. And this would be the top of a scary iceberg if we were really interested in looking in detail at everything that MP's could and probably do claim from a daily newspaper, magazine subscriptions, stamps and a lot of other things.

Just saying.

I read the news today. Oh Boy!

There were/are 3 things that prickled me this morning on the news, which in no particular order are

1. Roman Polanski. - Moral indignation from the elitist bleating about cultural significance of his works and how he should be granted clemency. I say "What about all the good things Hitler did?" It's not good enough to claim it's 30 years - it could be 300 years, 3 years, 3 days it would not make a difference, plying a teen with alcohol and drugs to have sex with them isn't legal, wasn't then, isn't now. IF Mr. P had any backbone he would have stayed to clear his good name. He Didn't.

2. Some Cellist is playing his thing in Auckland, and the advertising goes something like "acclaimed as a phenomenon by The Herald (a newspaper". Not, you note, acclaimed by Mr.Billy Perkins, Staff Writer, as a phenomenon, but hidden behind a facade that "The Herald" implies gravitas. The Herald speaks we listen!

3. Ministerial allowances. So an MP has been dobbed in for claiming an allowance on a house he owns and lives in. The bureaucracy that condones this is not configured to catch people out, but to ensure that the allowances are meted out to the claimants. The bureaucracy is in place to serve the bureaucracy, no other reason. They don't check the validity of the claim, but only the receipts and mathematics are correct so they can process the claim. All care no responsibility.

As to claiming the allowance or perks, which employee for any company given a list of claimable things would not go out of their way to ensure they could claim everything, and which employee would be the advocate and loop-hole advisor to others to allow maximum claim under "the rules"

The only people going on about this are the indignant people who cry "public trough" at the drop of a hat - you know they typically are "I know my rights" type people.

Sure the allowance is a rort. It always has been. And this would be the top of a scary iceberg if we were really interested in looking in detail at everything that MP's could and probably do claim from a daily newspaper, magazine subscriptions, stamps and a lot of other things.

Just saying.

Roman Polanski arrested over underage sex

Swiss authorities have arrested film director Roman Polanski for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl.

yeah and?

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Roman Polanski in Paris at the lunch of the César awards nominees Français : Roman Polanski au déjeuner des nommés des César du cinéma (Photo credit: Wikipedia)"][/caption]

He's been on the run since in France, scared to go back to the USA in case they arrested him, and he was in Switzerland for a film festival.

It remained unclear last night, why this visit had triggered the interest of the Swiss authorities according to the press I read. Well let me clear it up a bit.

He's a Pedophile

Claiming innocence and justification of his pedophilia ways he said  plying her with drugs and champagne and having unlawful sex with her at Jack Nicholson's Hollywood home was OK since the teen was sexually experienced and had consented.

Still a Pedophile.

Restaurant Critic #1

A Special day out in Paeroa, Gateway to the Coromandel, at one end described as "Positive Paeroa - we still have the street races (Motorcycles) and at the other as "Antique Town" I guess due to the number of Antique Shoppes that occupy the main street (the only street really).

The Ohinimui Winery Restaurant then, just out of town in the Karangahake Gorge, for a birthday lunch

This must have been the day that the chef discovered Garlic. Lime, Lemon, Dill, and Mustard because that was the over-riding taste sensation from each of the main courses in various amounts

Or it could have been the chef had a cold and their taste-buds were shot, who knows

Lets skip the bread and dips - can't really go wrong there you get what you get, it is what it is and move to

Salmon and Dill Roesti $16.50
Swiss styled potato pancakes topped with smoked salmon and poached eggs, finished with dill aioli

It says "finished" it should read "Swimming in a tart almost inedible" dill aioli

Salmon was sandwiched between the pancakes which saved it somewhat from the flavour explosion/disaster

Now to my mind, a finish or a sauce should be a whisper not a SHOUT! But that's  just me.

Or lets look at

Corn Beef Hash Cakes $17.00
Potato, caramelised onion and corn beef hash cakes topped with eggs and mustard hollandaise

This time fried eggs between hash-cakes with a totally OTT Mustard/Garlic Sauce. Who knows that the hash tasted like.

Bad day in the office?

Scallop and Prawn Ravioli $20.00
Our kitchen made pasta pockets, filled with chopped scallops and prawns.Accompanied by a seafood broth.

This however came out as "tasteless" except for the broth which should keep vampires away for a while.

Seafood Chowder $17.00
A delicate creamed based chowder filled with scallops, mussels, prawns and shrimp

For "delicate" read "watery"

And the other two people each had the same
Winery Pot Pie $19.00
A twist on the traditional homemade pie. Hot stew on mash with a hot pastry topping. Beef and Bacon.

An overflowing ramekin of stew with a dainty pastry dropped on top, cocked in some spiffy kind of way.
The stew was on top of a hidden bed of mash, which by consensus may well have been straight garlic.

We Skipped the desert and brought magnum bars at the dairy

Added with a $40 bottle of Over-cold Sav, and two soft drinks all up around $160.00

That's the food and cost what about the restaurant?

Dainty little nooks and crannies type of place, seemingly pretending to be both a fine-dining  and rustic gastro-pub affair at the same time, I think. Entertainment provided by each and every waiter dropping at least one knife/fork/spoon onto the wooden floor. Loud and jarring.

Other entertainment

Waitress woman who asked if everything was ok and had we finished? It wasn't we had, just walked away as if that was a courtesy question, and and the bit where the head waiter took some of our plates and then wandered off to talk to someone else leaving half of the plates on the table for someone else to deal with.

http://www.ohinemuri.co.nz/restaurant.html

Go again? Perhaps after a walk around the gorge and the derelict mine workings for a wine and beer in the garden but it would be a push to think that anything else on the menu would not some with the surprsing and unwelcome taste disaster.

Paeroa to dining what the H is the Wanganui. Irrelevant.

Roman Polanski arrested over underage sex

 Swiss authorities have arrested film director Roman Polanski for having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl.

yeah and?

He's been on the run since in France, scared to go back to the USA in case they arrested him, and he was in Switzerland for a film festival.

It remained unclear last night, why this visit had triggered the interest of the Swiss authorities- according to the press I read. Well let me clear it up a bit.

He's a Pedophile

Claiming innocence and justification of his pedophilia ways he said  plying her with drugs and champagne and having unlawful sex with her at Jack Nicholson's Hollywood home was OK since the teen was sexually experienced and had consented.

Still a Pedophile.

Restaurant Critic #1

A Special day out in Paeroa, Gateway to the Coromandel, at one end described as "Positive Paeroa - we still have the street races (Motorcycles) and at the other as "Antique Town" I guess due to the number of Antique Shoppes that occupy the main street (the only street really).

The Ohinimui Winery Restaurant then, just out of town in the Karangahake Gorge, for a birthday lunch

This must have been the day that the chef discovered Garlic. Lime, Lemon, Dill, and Mustard because that was the over-riding taste sensation from each of the main courses in various amounts

Or it could have been the chef had a cold and their taste-buds were shot, who knows

Lets skip the bread and dips - can't really go wrong there you get what you get, it is what it is and move to

Salmon and Dill Roesti $16.50
Swiss styled potato pancakes topped with smoked salmon and poached eggs, finished with dill aioli

It says "finished" it should read "Swimming in a tart almost inedible" dill aioli

Salmon was sandwiched between the pancakes which saved it somewhat from the flavour explosion/disaster

Now to my mind, a finish or a sauce should be a whisper not a SHOUT! But that's  just me.

Or lets look at

Corn Beef Hash Cakes $17.00
Potato, caramelised onion and corn beef hash cakes topped with eggs and mustard hollandaise

This time fried eggs between hash-cakes with a totally OTT Mustard/Garlic Sauce. Who knows that the hash tasted like.

Bad day in the office?

Scallop and Prawn Ravioli $20.00
Our kitchen made pasta pockets, filled with chopped scallops and prawns.Accompanied by a seafood broth.

This however came out as "tasteless" except for the broth which should keep vampires away for a while.

Seafood Chowder $17.00
A delicate creamed based chowder filled with scallops, mussels, prawns and shrimp

For "delicate" read "watery"

And the other two people each had the same
Winery Pot Pie $19.00
A twist on the traditional homemade pie. Hot stew on mash with a hot pastry topping. Beef and Bacon.

An overflowing ramekin of stew with a dainty pastry dropped on top, cocked in some spiffy kind of way.
The stew was on top of a hidden bed of mash, which by consensus may well have been straight garlic.

We Skipped the desert and brought magnum bars at the dairy

Added with a $40 bottle of Over-cold Sav, and two soft drinks all up around $160.00

That's the food and cost what about the restaurant?

Dainty little nooks and crannies type of place, seemingly pretending to be both a fine-dining  and rustic gastro-pub affair at the same time, I think. Entertainment provided by each and every waiter dropping at least one knife/fork/spoon onto the wooden floor. Loud and jarring.

Other entertainment

Waitress woman who asked if everything was ok and had we finished? It wasn't we had, just walked away as if that was a courtesy question, and and the bit where the head waiter took some of our plates and then wandered off to talk to someone else leaving half of the plates on the table for someone else to deal with.

http://www.ohinemuri.co.nz/restaurant.html

Go again? Perhaps after a walk around the gorge and the derelict mine workings for a wine and beer in the garden but it would be a push to think that anything else on the menu would not some with the surprsing and unwelcome taste disaster.

Paeroa to dining what the H is the Wanganui. Irrelevant.

Somebody died I feel sad.

It's nobody I know, knew or would have ever had a chance to meet. Never spoke to them or knew anything about them, their likes, dislikes, hates, peeves, loves, hopes or ambitions.

Didn't know if they liked tea, coffee or juice. Sugar? Milk or cream?

But they died. And I feel sad.

They were world-famous (even if only in New Zealand), or they may have been truly world-famous. I read about them in the weekly gossip and rumor rags, or the broadsheets, or even perhaps on E!. Maybe they were guest-spotting on a show and paraded their talents. Probably they hung around with other faux-celebrities and caught my attention that way.

But they died. And I feel sad.

Why? Well they sang nicely. Or was it dancing. Singing and Dancing perhaps. Wrote a song, made a million. Perhaps they were a paperback writer. Whatever they were I assisted their fame, spent some money and they got rich/fat/lazy and more famous.

"How could you possibly understand how I feel?"

What is it you feel?

You could put anyone on TV/Radio/ in a Newspaper/Magazine and they'd achieve celebrity status and a fan-club. For some it is fleeting, for some it's their employment, it's what they do - Sing/Dance/Write/Perform.

Just like you do 9-5, just that you're not on TV.

But they died and collectively, or individually, we wring our hands and shake our heads solemnly. As if we had an impact in their lives (mostly only financially beneficial), and that the least we can expect is an invite to the funeral (will it be in TV or in the glamour mags?)

I read that this worship of stardom, this celebrity worship thing replaces, at least in western society, the religious idols we used to admire. We love/hate admire/revile applaud/boo with great abandon anyone that we're told is famous. Even for being famous.

Whats tragic really is that you full well know that in some hospice, in some car, at some place of work, someone is about to die. A lonely death. No less tragic, but less visible, and then less important. No matter that they touched the lives of a few people close to them, in a true and genuine way, not news, not important.

The biggest tragedy is we're all going to die. One day, some way. Even those we admire but have never met, spoken to, seen, etc. But when they die we'll be sad.

Of course.

See Also : http://wp.me/p1FL5z-mg

Related articles

• The Religion of Celebrity (wingeyes.wordpress.com)


• Fame Isn't All It's Cracked Up To Be (clutchmagonline.com)


• 'Why Are People So Crazy About Celebrities and Their Deaths?' (thesecretlifeofatescojunkie.wordpress.com)

 

Somebody died I feel sad.

It's nobody I know, knew or would have ever had a chance to meet. Never spoke to them or knew anything about them, their likes, dislikes, hates, peeves, loves, hopes or ambitions.

Didn't know if they liked tea, coffee or juice. Sugar? Milk or cream?

But they died. And I feel sad.

They were world famous (even if only in New Zealand), or they may have been truly world famous. I read about them in the weekly gossip and rumor rags, or the broadsheets, or even perhaps on E!. Maybe they were guest-spotting on a show and paraded their talents. Probably they hung around with other faux-celebrities and caught my attention that way.

But they died. And I feel sad.

Why? Well they sang nicely. Or was it dancing. Singing and Dancing perhaps. Wrote a song, made a million. Perhaps they were a paperback writer. Whatever they were I assisted their fame, spent some money and they got rich/fat/lazy and more famous.

"How could you possibly understand how I feel?"

What is it you feel?

You could put anyone on TV/Radio/ in a Newspaper/Magazine and they'd achieve celebrity status and a fan-club. For some it is fleeting, for some it's their employment, it's what they do - Sing/Dance/Write/Perform.

Just like you do 9-5, just that you're not on TV.

But they died and collectively, or individually, we wring our hands and shake our heads solemnly. As if we had an impact in their lives (mostly only financially beneficial), and that the least we can expect is an invite to the funeral (will it be in TV or in the glamour mags?)

I read that this worship of stardom, this celebrity worship thing replaces, at least in western society, the religious idols we used to admire. We love/hate admire/revile applaud/boo with great abandon anyone that we're told is famous. Even for being famous.

Whats tragic really is that you full well know that in some hospice, in some car, at some place of work, someone is about to die. A lonely death. No less tragic, but less visible, and then less important. No matter that they touched the lives of a few people close to them, in a true and genuine way, not news, not important.

The biggest tragedy is we're all going to die. One day, some way. Even those we admire but have never met, spoken to, seen, etc. But when they die we'll be sad.

Of course.

Overhaulin'

When you spend as much time as I do looking at performance based statistics it throws up some interesting things.

Most importantly it shows up that you need to be nimble and ready to accept and process on a new idea, no matter how left-field it seems or appears to be.

Changing your focus, or changing the status quo can have a knock on effect, and changing to a non-measurable metric is always a difficult choice.

As is giving people an optional choice. My thinking (belief) is that if you make something optional then likely as not it does not get done. So the challenge is to come up with a non-optional option. Cunning that.

Implementing change without reason is difficult so it's a matter of spinning this into something that those that have to do the work think its a great idea. Cunning that.

Will it change the world? I have no idea, if I can't measure it by empirical data I'm back to "I feel" kind of things, which is something I shy away from.

We'll see where this goes, and it might be that we get back to the "I feel" metric based on pop-surveys and sat-survey techniques, which is something to look forward to and a good way to measure your trust and love quotient amongst those that you are there to be nice to.

Overhaulin'

When you spend as much time as I do looking at performance based statistics it throws up some interesting things.

Most importantly it shows up that you need to be nimble and ready to accept and process on a new idea, no matter how left-field it seems or appears to be.

Changing your focus, or changing the status quo can have a knock on effect, and changing to a non-measurable metric is always a difficult choice.

As is giving people an optional choice. My thinking (belief) is that if you make something optional then likely as not it does not get done. So the challenge is to come up with a non-optional option. Cunning that.

Implementing change without reason is difficult so it's a matter of spinning this into something that those that have to do the work think its a great idea. Cunning that.

Will it change the world? I have no idea, if I can't measure it by empirical data I'm back to "I feel" kind of things, which is something I shy away from.

We'll see where this goes, and it might be that we get back to the "I feel" metric based on pop-surveys and sat-survey techniques, which is something to look forward to and a good way to measure your trust and love quotient amongst those that you are there to be nice to.

The importance of self-importance

" Hey I know my rights!" which is what someone who generally doesn't says when they are clearly wrong. Just an observation and generalization.

But we're shuffling desks at work, and there are some people who will gather around them a new shiny job title. Different in some way to their old one. Newer.

Scary.

But some people find this type of change challenging. They don't want to change desks, and they don't want a new job title. They prefer "Assistant to the Manager" to "Team Leader". Some of them anyway. Some are looking forward to a new title. It'll empower them with enthusiasm and a new outlook.

But that's what some people are like, those that missed the meaning of the communication or the reason for the shuffle and re-focus. The "I know my rights" people who now need a "new contract" since this is a different job. Not Quite right.

But as a beneficiary of the reshuffle I have a bigger quandary, that of what promises were made to the new team members - those changing from the window seat to the hub. I guess we'll find out on the 1st

Related articles

• Job Titles are Important, Just not that Important (inspiredm.com)

The importance of self-importance

" Hey I know my rights!" which is what someone who generally doesn't says when they are clearly wrong. Just an observation and generalization.

But we're shuffling desks at work, and there are some people who will gather around them a new shiny job title. Different in some way to their old one. Newer.

Scary.

But some people find this type of change challenging. They don't want to change desks, and they don't want a new job title. They prefer "Assistant to the Manager" to "Team Leader". Some of them anyway. Some are looking forward to a new title. It'll empower them with enthusiasm and a new outlook.

But that's what some people are like, those that missed the meaning of the communication or the reason for the shuffle and re-focus. The "I know my rights" people who now need a "new contract" since this is a different job. Not Quite right.

But as a beneficiary of the reshuffle I have a bigger quandary, that of what promises were made to the new team members - those changing from the window seat to the hub. I guess we'll find out on the 1st

Funding and Self-Sustaining organizations

This is the 9th Annual Fashion week in Auckland. But the organizers were saying this year was hard since they found it difficult to come up with funding to stage the event.

Excuse me? If this is such a stunning event of significance shouldn't it be self-funding from receipts and charges?

If it's not then what's the point of having a commercial event?

This is the same week that some jobsworth has decided that sports clubs can't receive donations from charitable trusts (pub poker machines) because in essence they are not charitable organizations. Poker Machines prop up the racing "industry" another unsustainable past-time.

Sports clubs though? What do they do with the money. For as long as I've been having my child play sports it's been fees for this, fees for kits, fees for travel, fees to go tournament, club fees, you name it it goes on. And they are not minority sports.

By and large they use council owned facilities, and have dubious facilities at best, assembled in the roaring 70's mostly.

Sure you need sponsorships, you'd be a nut-bar if you thought 6,000 gate tickets pays for 25 professional rugby players and as many back-room staff.

But it's always struck me as ironic that something that is clearly commercial often calls for government cash to support it, if it really was that important then wouldn't it fund itself. I'd be willing to bet Cirque Du Soleil, WWE, U2, Simon and Garfunkel et al. all made a commercial killing. Why would they come otherwise.

Then on the other hand NZRFU have already chalked up negative $30 million for the right to host the world cup. And we'll end up with a white elephant in the middle of a urban centre- still it'll be nice for the 6000 faithfull every other week to watch from the Gods their professional athletes. Won't it.

H for Harden Up

The reason to be miffed about this is the addition of an H to spell a word originating and only for an oral language astounds me.

Not only that it's a silent H, based on regional dialect. Go Figure who came up with that. Academia.

Seriously most if not all the press and the rabid minority who have foisted this upon us are taking great glee that it's one in the eye for Micheal Laws. It isn't it's more than that.

Running roughshod over what the local locals want by a group of unelected, unrepresentative people is shoddy in any definition of democracy. Isn't it.

But, and of course there is always a but, whole countries have changed their names, Burma for instance. And Whole cities have changed name. Bombay for instance.

Not that much of a deal really if everyone wants it. In this case though the academics want it, and its somewhat based on something that happened in 1991 where they changed the name of the river to include the H, the popular thinking now is the town name must therefore be wrong.

Funny that.

But it begs to be asked why so much glee and why we have to suffer the terrorism of the minority in the 21st Century. This isn't about growing up this is about spitting on the majority under the guide of racism.

Funding and Self-Sustaining organizations

This is the 9th Annual Fashion week in Auckland. But the organizers were saying this year was hard since they found it difficult to come up with funding to stage the event.

Excuse me? If this is such a stunning event of significance shouldn't it be self-funding from receipts and charges?

If it's not then what's the point of having a commercial event?

This is the same week that some jobsworth has decided that sports clubs can't receive donations from charitable trusts (pub poker machines) because in essence they are not charitable organizations. Poker Machines prop up the racing "industry" another unsustainable past-time.

Sports clubs though? What do they do with the money. For as long as I've been having my child play sports it's been fees for this, fees for kits, fees for travel, fees to go tournament, club fees, you name it it goes on. And they are not minority sports.

By and large they use council owned facilities, and have dubious facilities at best, assembled in the roaring 70's mostly.

Sure you need sponsorships, you'd be a nut-bar if you thought 6,000 gate tickets pays for 25 professional rugby players and as many back-room staff.

But it's always struck me as ironic that something that is clearly commercial often calls for government cash to support it, if it really was that important then wouldn't it fund itself. I'd be willing to bet Cirque Du Soleil, WWE, U2, Simon and Garfunkel et al. all made a commercial killing. Why would they come otherwise.

Then on the other hand NZRFU have already chalked up negative $30 million for the right to host the world cup. And we'll end up with a white elephant in the middle of a urban centre- still it'll be nice for the 6000 faithfull every other week to watch from the Gods their professional athletes. Won't it.

H for Harden Up

The reason to be miffed about this is the addition of an H to spell a word originating and only for an oral language astounds me.

Not only that it's a silent H, based on regional dialect. Go Figure who came up with that. Academia.

Seriously most if not all the press and the rabid minority who have foisted this upon us are taking great glee that it's one in the eye for Micheal Laws. It isn't it's more than that.

Running roughshod over what the local locals want by a group of unelected, unrepresentative people is shoddy in any definition of democracy. Isn't it.

But, and of course there is always a but, whole countries have changed their names, Burma for instance. And Whole cities have changed name. Bombay for instance.

Not that much of a deal really if everyone wants it. In this case though the academics want it, and its somewhat based on something that happened in 1991 where they changed the name of the river to include the H, the popular thinking now is the town name must therefore be wrong.

Funny that.

But it begs to be asked why so much glee and why we have to suffer the terrorism of the minority in the 21st Century. This isn't about growing up this is about spitting on the majority under the guide of racism.

Customer Service

The Mantra for my staff, for my company, is “Legendary Customer Service”. That’s our mission. Not our 5 year mission, the whole mission, not going where people have never been, just doing the right thing first time every time. Legends.

So I have two things

1. It’s annoying to find shop oiks who don’t seem to care. Granted usually minimal wage earners but don’t congregate at the back of the shopping gabbing on when you can be serving someone and making someone else happy.


2. When you get good customer service it’s often a surprise and
   2(a) It’s not usually as good as I believe that my team delivers

Now I may be biased, and they may be rubbish at it. But I believe “Legendary Customer Service” Exists.

Recently I had to buy a spare part for a fridge. The Door shelf thingy that holds jars. Being as how I can I bent down wrote the model number of the fridge down and hopped on the good old interweb to F&P

Naturally the bit I wanted wasn’t describes, but then I didn’t expect it to be really, but there was a handy “email me” option which I sent off.

The reply came, asked be a question, I replied, it came back giving me the part #, price and where I could go collect it, or If I wanted to have it shipped how to place an order.

I went to the factory to pick it up. Seemed like a great way to spend some time at lunch. I knew what I wanted bish bosh bash done!

When I get to the Customer Service desk however it was occupied by an oaf. A lummox with scraggly hair, cascading down from under his leather hat. Beard that looked like it had mice in it. Ginger too! Trousers that could not have been hitched higher if he tried.

“I want the bit that goes in the freezer for the shelf” he said “This is the model number, BUT I want it for the “elegance” model instead”
“What’s that model number?” said little old small lady behind the counter

“well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man
“What’s that model number?” said little old small lady behind the counter

“well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man

It could have gone on. She hefted ring-binders onto the counter turning pages and pointing to line diagrams of freezers “is it this bit?”
"well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man

Eventually she had to go get yet another book. Oafy turn around looks at me and the other chap patiently waiting and says “can you believe the poor customer service you get?”

I looked at him like you do, with that puzzled look, he turned away muttering.
The helpful lady turned back up with some more books which they proceeded to look through with much the same conversation.

For me? Someone from the back room came up to help at the counter, luck or re-enforcements? Who knows. I asked for the bits I needed by part number, she toddled off, and within 5 minutes done!

I wonder if the oaf and the very helpful staff member are still going at it.

Hurtfull Things

So I'm off to a friends house for to watch the Rugby, NZ v SA.

Wife has kindly agreed that she'll drop me off and pick me up.

We stop at the beer shoppe and I go inside, she waits in the car.

I arrive back at car with the 12 pack of beer for my night out

"What happened to the Six-pack" she says looking at me

I glance down and say (pointing out my less than flat tummy), "Well I've never ever had one have I?"

She let out the longst most hurtfull sigh I have ever heard. :-(

All you need is $300

Where we go and buy the all new Beatles re-mastered stuff.

Well forgive me!

I like a lot of Beatles songs, like not love. I love their simplicity and the pictures they paint in my head. Written, often, by men who’d had a quick pull on the wacky baccy it seems.

Nobody likes the drummer though. The man we knows as Simon “the spice girls will never amount to much” Cowell recons that they’d fail a talent competition. Which isn’t the point is it. You can’t fail when you’ve reached the top, and clearly can’t get back together as a band, especially given that John Lennon appears to be dead.
Sir Paul though must be rubbing his hands with glee. I’m not up on many things but didn’t Wackko Jakko once own the back-catalogue for Apple Music. And Didn’t Sir Paul want to change to accreditation on a lot of songs from Lennon-McCartney to McCartney-Lennon ?

Are the Albums any good? Mostly about 44-46 minutes – being as how they were like 2 LP sides long and that was about as long as you could fit on them – compared to today’s monster 6-75 minute 12-15 song efforts you’d be thinking not good value for money.

Are the Albums any good? Some of them are better than the others. Some of the content is iffy. But then show me a perfect album from any artist.

Are the Albums any good? I’m not sure how you would compare the Vinyl to a 1st generation CD to these latest digitally Re-mastered efforts. I have some of all three, Just no way to compare them in a sensible way.

Besides which what’s the first thing you do? Straight onto the MP3 player and you know how that enhances the quality of sound.

Do I enjoy them, Yes! well sometimes. But then I enjoy a lot of music variously. Particularly the ones you can sing-along with. And the ones where you can make up alternate words.

Twitter in the workplace Pt4

The one where we get Blogged down

I am kidding the only thing we’re stuck with is motion towards, that is finding a blogging service that will ultimately suit our needs. And as I think we’re leading this from the from in NZ it’s going to be imperative that we get it right first time.
The project sponsor has a site host in mind – SquareSpace – so the next thing to do is sign-up for one of those on a limited basis as an individual and try-it and see.
As mentioned though it’s going to be a challenge to have enough things to post – no use starting with a hiss and a roar if after a week you’ve used your best stuff and get writers block or cramp.

Some of the criteria we are looking for include the use of tagging, so that we can identify an article in a number of ways, say for instance we have 5 key topics that drive our marketing and our vendors, call them 1,2,3,4 and 5. We need to be able to tag an article so that it can appear in 1,3,5 or 1,2,3 depending on its content.
What are the fabulous 5? Security, Virtulisation, Storage, Collaboration and Networking.

Like a said, quantity and quality of words, and a place to display your wares.

Twitter in the workplace Pt3

In where we discover that all you need is time.

One of the things not mentioned in all the literature is how much time you need to build a following, how you really attract followers and when you can expect to get some traction

I believe that my organization in NZ is leading the way in adopting Social Networking in the workplace but it really is not clear just how long you need to make a mark. Sure following the leaders is one way to get news. Re-Tweeting may make your tweet count rise, but it seems to be to be likely that the same people following you are following them? I could be wrong.

Tweedeck can be a distraction, and you can end up absorbed in the twitterings about Cisco, for instance, who could be a person/Dog/Fish/Bar or nick-name – there is a lot a chafe with the wheat. So you have to begin to pick your keyword followings.
And there are things like #tags (hash-tags) to get a grips with, like keywords they can attract people to your followers list.

There are also a number of measurement services all starting with some variation on “tweet” that are 3rd party offerings that are available to use, mostly if not always free of charge.

And so then that brings us to our second step, we’re already tweeting our normal information to the twitterverse, and our next step in the social media project is to expand our usefulness. How we do this is to blog. And to blog you need content. And to get content you either have to be an expert in your field, have great opinions about a wide range of subjects, be good at research and be able to translate that into an article, or get someone to provide you the words you need.
We’re going to have a mix and match of in-house submissions and donated words.

That’s the plan anyway.

Twitter in the workplace Pt2

The one with a stream and tweeting

Armed with a brief to incorporate “Social Networking” into the workplace I’de discovered the addiction of Twitter, Tweetdeck and of following, un-following and immediacy of the world. Michael Jackson had died- and I think it was the law for everyone to twitter once about it. No kidding. Even if some of the stuff was not complementary

But to strategy. The accepted wisdom is to follow the leaders. So I started just by watching from this account and gathering a list of people to follow. Starting with our Head Office company, the local press people, and publications that tweet, adding some vendors as they became apparent from articles and twitterings. A Range then of individual and corporate types that were contributing to the twitter stream. Watch for a while. It’s interesting what you pick up just by watching and honestly I gathered a couple, not a lot, of great leads and people to follow by observation.

What to tweet? As a Distributor company we have a fair amount of 1st hand information that we share with our partners so what better place to start than tweeting our regular weekly newsletter to the twitterverse? With TweetDeck it’s easy to shorten landing page URLS

So away we go with that, 10-15 regular tweetings that make up our regular NZ newsletter, 5-10 from our parent company newsletter which is similar but different, and the odd information piece as requested by the project sponsor.
We picked up some followers on the way, and discovered a few to follow, but we have some ways to go.

Twitter in the workplace Pt1

The one with the plan!

I have a Pretty easy brief from the boss, “we need twitter in our sales and marketing please do it”

So there I was vaguely aware of Twitter and not a lot else, and where to start. Based on the exuberant recommendations from aforementioned Boss apparently Twitter was something awesome and inspiring and that “everyone” was using it, and making money and making customers happy.

Like all good stories the success of twitter as a communication tool was pretty much unverifiable, what really was the truth that “they” watch twitter to react to tweets and respond accordingly – fixing problems and interacting with disgruntled people to put a lid on dissatisfaction.

But like all good projects you have to start somewhere and find your own truths. So first thing first a personal twitter account – get your toes wet see what is what. Lucky for me an acquaintance of mine was also getting her feet wet so at least I could look forward to some results. Twitter is pretty easy to understand as a concept and “following” like an acolyte becomes something you do and not think about- basking in the reflected glory of following web luminaries sush as Kevin Spacey or Stephen Fry, or more locally Mike Hoskings, or Kate Hawkesby.

And people follow you! Who knew I was that interesting to Montreal Real Estate people, or Basketball world and others, still a following is a following and I have one more follower than I follow, if that makes sense, since I am not of the I-follow-you you-follow-me school of twitter

Next then a giant leap – A corporate twitter account. A new challenge, one to test the veracity that “they” were watching and “they” were tweeting.
And a way to manage what you watch – lucky for me I picked up a rant from someone I follow about some software – tweetdeck – that I just had to try.

Customer Service

The Mantra for my staff, for my company, is “Legendary Customer Service”. That’s our mission. Not our 5 year mission, the whole mission, not going where people have never been, just doing the right thing first time every time. Legends.

So I have two things

1. It’s annoying to find shop oiks who don’t seem to care. Granted usually minimal wage earners but don’t congregate at the back of the shopping gabbing on when you can be serving someone and making someone else happy.
2. When you get good customer service it’s often a surprise and
2(a) It’s not usually as good as I believe that my team delivers

Now I may be biased, and they may be rubbish at it. But I believe “Legendary Customer Service” Exists.

Recently I had to buy a spare part for a fridge. The Door shelf thingy that holds jars. Being as how I can I bent down wrote the model number of the fridge down and hopped on the good old interweb to F&P

Naturally the bit I wanted wasn’t describes, but then I didn’t expect it to be really, but there was a handy “email me” option which I sent off.

The reply came, asked be a question, I replied, it came back giving me the part #, price and where I could go collect it, or If I wanted to have it shipped how to place an order.

I went to the factory to pick it up. Seemed like a great way to spend some time at lunch. I knew what I wanted bish bosh bash done!

When I get to the Customer Service desk however it was occupied by an oaf. A lummox with scraggly hair, cascading down from under his leather hat. Beard that looked like it had mice in it. Ginger too! Trousers that could not have been hitched higher if he tried.

“I want the bit that goes in the freezer for the shelf” he said “This is the model number, BUT I want it for the “elegance” model instead”
“What’s that model number?” said little old small lady behind the counter

“well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man
“What’s that model number?” said little old small lady behind the counter

“well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man

It could have gone on. She hefted ring-binders onto the counter turning pages and pointing to line diagrams of freezers “is it this bit?”
"well it’s this model BUT for the Elegance model instead” said oafy man

Eventually she had to go get yet another book. Oafy turn around looks at me and the other chap patiently waiting and says “can you believe the poor customer service you get?”

I looked at him like you do, with that puzzled look, he turned away muttering.
The helpful lady turned back up with some more books which they proceeded to look through with much the same conversation.

For me? Someone from the back room came up to help at the counter, luck or re-enforcements? Who knows. I asked for the bits I needed by part number, she toddled off, and within 5 minutes done!

I wonder if the oaf and the very helpful staff member are still going at it.

Hurtfull Things

So I'm off to a friends house for to watch the Rugby, NZ v SA.

Wife has kindly agreed that she'll drop me off and pick me up.

We stop at the beer shoppe and I go inside, she waits in the car.

I arrive back at car with the 12 pack of beer for my night out

"What happened to the Six-pack" she says looking at me

I glance down and say (pointing out my less than flat tummy), Well I've never ever had one have I.

She let out the longst most hurtfull sigh I have ever heard. :-(

All you need is $300

Where we go and buy the all new Beatles re-mastered stuff.


Well forgive me!

I like a lot of Beatles songs, like not love. I love their simplicity and the pictures they paint in my head. Written, often, by men who’d had a quick pull on the wacky baccy it seems.

Nobody likes the drummer though. The man we knows as Simon “the spice girls will never amount to much” Cowell recons that they’d fail a talent competition. Which isn’t the point is it. You can’t fail when you’ve reached the top, and clearly can’t get back together as a band, especially given that John Lennon appears to be dead.
Sir Paul though must be rubbing his hands with glee. I’m not up on many things but didn’t Wackko Jakko once own the back-catalogue for Apple Music. And Didn’t Sir Paul want to change to accreditation on a lot of songs from Lennon-McCartney to McCartney-Lennon ?

Are the Albums any good? Mostly about 44-46 minutes – being as how they were like 2 LP sides long and that was about as long as you could fit on them – compared to today’s monster 6-75 minute 12-15 song efforts you’d be thinking not good value for money.

Are the Albums any good? Some of them are better than the others. Some of the content is iffy. But then show me a perfect album from any artist.

Are the Albums any good? I’m not sure how you would compare the Vinyl to a 1st generation CD to these latest digitally Re-mastered efforts. I have some of all three, Just no way to compare them in a sensible way.

Besides which what’s the first thing you do? Straight onto the MP3 player and you know how that enhances the quality of sound.

Do I enjoy them, Yes! well sometimes. But then I enjoy a lot of music variously. Particularly the ones you can sing-along with. And the ones where you can make up alternate words.

Twitter in the workplace Pt4

The one where we get Blogged down

I am kidding the only thing we’re stuck with is motion towards, that is finding a blogging service that will ultimately suit our needs. And as I think we’re leading this from the from in NZ it’s going to be imperative that we get it right first time.
The project sponsor has a site host in mind – SquareSpace – so the next thing to do is sign-up for one of those on a limited basis as an individual and try-it and see.
As mentioned though it’s going to be a challenge to have enough things to post – no use starting with a hiss and a roar if after a week you’ve used your best stuff and get writers block or cramp.

Some of the criteria we are looking for include the use of tagging, so that we can identify an article in a number of ways, say for instance we have 5 key topics that drive our marketing and our vendors, call them 1,2,3,4 and 5. We need to be able to tag an article so that it can appear in 1,3,5 or 1,2,3 depending on its content.
What are the fabulous 5? Security, Virtulisation, Storage, Collaboration and Networking.

Like a said, quantity and quality of words, and a place to display your wares.

Twitter in the workplace Pt3

In where we discover that all you need is time.

One of the things not mentioned in all the literature is how much time you need to build a following, how you really attract followers and when you can expect to get some traction

I believe that my organization in NZ is leading the way in adopting Social Networking in the workplace but it really is not clear just how long you need to make a mark. Sure following the leaders is one way to get news. Re-Tweeting may make your tweet count rise, but it seems to be to be likely that the same people following you are following them? I could be wrong.

Tweedeck can be a distraction, and you can end up absorbed in the twitterings about Cisco, for instance, who could be a person/Dog/Fish/Bar or nick-name – there is a lot a chafe with the wheat. So you have to begin to pick your keyword followings.
And there are things like #tags (hash-tags) to get a grips with, like keywords they can attract people to your followers list.

There are also a number of measurement services all starting with some variation on “tweet” that are 3rd party offerings that are available to use, mostly if not always free of charge.

And so then that brings us to our second step, we’re already tweeting our normal information to the twitterverse, and our next step in the social media project is to expand our usefulness. How we do this is to blog. And to blog you need content. And to get content you either have to be an expert in your field, have great opinions about a wide range of subjects, be good at research and be able to translate that into an article, or get someone to provide you the words you need.
We’re going to have a mix and match of in-house submissions and donated words.


That’s the plan anyway.

Twitter in the workplace Pt2

Theone with a stream and tweeting

Armed with a brief to incorporate “Social Networking” into the workplace I’de discovered the addiction of Twitter, Tweetdeck and of following, un-following and immediacy of the world. Michael Jackson had died- and I think it was the law for everyone to twitter once about it. No kidding. Even if some of the stuff was not complementary

But to strategy. The accepted wisdom is to follow the leaders. So I started just by watching from this account and gathering a list of people to follow. Starting with our Head Office company, the local press people, and publications that tweet, adding some vendors as they became apparent from articles and twitterings. A Range then of individual and corporate types that were contributing to the twitter stream. Watch for a while. It’s interesting what you pick up just by watching and honestly I gathered a couple, not a lot, of great leads and people to follow by observation.

What to tweet? As a Distributor company we have a fair amount of 1st hand information that we share with our partners so what better place to start than tweeting our regular weekly newsletter to the twitterverse? With TweetDeck it’s easy to shorten landing page URLS

So away we go with that, 10-15 regular tweetings that make up our regular NZ newsletter, 5-10 from our parent company newsletter which is similar but different, and the odd information piece as requested by the project sponsor.
We picked up some followers on the way, and discovered a few to follow, but we have some ways to go.

Twitter in the workplace Pt1

The one with the plan!

I have a Pretty easy brief from the boss, “we need twitter in our sales and marketing please do it”

So there I was vaguely aware of Twitter and not a lot else, and where to start. Based on the exuberant recommendations from aforementioned Boss apparently Twitter was something awesome and inspiring and that “everyone” was using it, and making money and making customers happy.

Like all good stories the success of twitter as a communication tool was pretty much unverifiable, what really was the truth that “they” watch twitter to react to tweets and respond accordingly – fixing problems and interacting with disgruntled people to put a lid on dissatisfaction.

But like all good projects you have to start somewhere and find your own truths. So first thing first a personal twitter account – get your toes wet see what is what. Lucky for me an acquaintance of mine was also getting her feet wet so at least I could look forward to some results. Twitter is pretty easy to understand as a concept and “following” like an acolyte becomes something you do and not think about- basking in the reflected glory of following web luminaries sush as Kevin Spacey or Stephen Fry, or more locally Mike Hoskings, or Kate Hawkesby.

And people follow you! Who knew I was that interesting to Montreal Real Estate people, or Basketball world and others, still a following is a following and I have one more follower than I follow, if that makes sense, since I am not of the I-follow-you you-follow-me school of twitter

Next then a giant leap – A corporate twitter account. A new challenge, one to test the veracity that “they” were watching and “they” were tweeting.
And a way to manage what you watch – lucky for me I picked up a rant from someone I follow about some software – tweetdeck – that I just had to try.