JustBrady

Hy-Vee... for real?

2011-04-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

My wife and I, living in Minneapolis, are quite used to Lundss | Byerly's, so the bar is pretty high when it comes to grocery experience. After a lack-luster experience with grocer here in Des Moines, my wife and I started shopping at Hy-Vee. Specifically, the Hy-Vee on East Euclid in Des Moines.

Hy-Vee does have some issues they can improve upon to offer Lund's | Byerly's like service, but if they keep up their devotion to top notch service, they will get there soon. There are two separate Hy-Vee experiences I would like to cover in this post:

Swing By Delivery?
After visiting Hy-Vee and discovering they lacked a few items we were looking for, rather than complaining, I figured it would be a great idea to send an email to their general manager, Mike Kueny. I sent him a list of things we were unable to find, and his response amazed me. Within minutes I got a personal phone call from someone at the store, telling me a few of the items I had requested had not been put out, and the other item was simply not in a section I was familiar with. As if a personal phone call is not enough, he then offered to bring theses groceries, TO MY HOUSE. Yes, you read that correctly, he offered to bring me my groceries to my door because he was getting off soon, and would be happy to do it. Are you kidding me?

Special Order!
Again, after visiting Hy-Vee and not finding an ingredient, I emailed Mike. Like the first time I got a response apologizing they did not have what we were looking for but offering to stock it in the future, hopefully in the next two days. Of course, I thought that was a nice gesture, but didn't actually think they would do it. Imagine my surprise when I got a phone call two days later informing me they now had the Thai Curry Paste, and they even mentioned, "I heard you were in the store today, sorry I didn't catch you". How on earth did they know I was in the store!?

This kind of devotion to the customer and top notch service is what has made Hy-Vee who they are today, and what has earned them their #40 spot within the top 100 privately held companies in the nation. Sure, there are a few things Hy-Vee can improve upon, but with service like this, it's not going to take them long to meet grocery perfection.

Thanks, Hy-Vee for your amazing customer service. It hasn't gone unnoticed.

Don't Feed The Birds...

2011-01-22T10:21:00.000-08:00

I just got done reading a funny NYT article* about how Glenn Beck's comments are causing people to make "violent threats" toward Frances Fox Piven. Obviously, the NYT does their very best to stay neutral [insert sarcastic laugh] by pointing out there are always uneducated people on both sides that make stupid death threats and accusations. So, bravo to them. [insert patronizing comment about NYT here]

My main reason for writing this post is in response to this whole Welfare, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security issue. We need to nationally adopt a process that forces people OUT of the system. It's for their own good, and for the good of the country. (Similar to Rudy's system for New York.)

It reminds me of something I was told my an ornithologist. Don't feed the birds! Like any animal or living creature, when you put out food it creates a dangerous habit of dependency. Any living thing is pre-wired to do these least amount of work for the highest gain. It's a natural survival tool. When you feed the birds, you are creating a new dependency they adapt to. They start to forget to hunt and live on their own. This is why living creatures have such difficulty adapting to the wild when released from captivity, if they adapt at all.

Humans, although more intelligent, will act the same way. Once something is provided for them, they forget how to hunt on their own. The flesh is strong and prefers the easy option. Once someone is on Welfare or food stamps there is little chance they will try to get off them. (1/6 families are on food stamps right now!**)

Obviously there are "sick birds" out there, that cannot provide for themselves; they are physically or mentally unable. Even though it is NOT a right to be taken care of by your government, I do think the care is what makes America great. It's obvious the majority of people getting paid by uncle sam is absurd and getting more people into the system is not the answer. (I am reminded of this every time I go get groceries and some person uses my money [food stamps] to pay for their frozen pizza and chips.)

These people need to understand the government is NOT paying for their food and medical coverage. It is their neighbors and friends that are paying for it! Why can't they make this connection?

As hard as it may be, there is a point they must be released into the wild. Like a mother eagle shoves a baby eagle out of it's nest, they too need that little push. Failure might happen, but we can't save everyone....

* http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/22/business/media/22beck.html

**Food and Drug Administration; MoodysEconomy.com

"Send A Call From Santa" Isn't Illegal… Yet.

2010-12-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

The other day I got a call from Santa! It was a very clever automated message where Santa talked to me, and was even able to tell me (at least vaguely) details about myself, and what I wanted for Christmas. It was funny, but one thing about the call concerned me.

When I got the call, my caller ID showed my brother's number (who was present in the room at that time). His phone went off as well, with a Santa call too, with his phone showing my number. Yes, you read that right. We didn't initiative the calls, someone else did. (I still have no idea who it was, but I have my suspicions… you know who you are)

On the call, Santa identifies the organization doing the prank calls as Google voice and fortunately, lets you opt out of any future calls be pressing "2". Obviously I had to check this service out, so I went to www.sendacallfromsanta.com and filled in my own message. I filled in all the silly mad-gab style information, but instead of being truthful, I entered my fathers cell phone and name under "sender". Sure enough, when I finished, Santa called me from my fathers number!

I started wondering how that was even possible, and after quite a few Google searches. (Irony!) I was led to research caller ID spoofing. The technical process of caller ID Spoofing is a bit complex, but without going into detail, it's easy enough for someone like Paris Hilton to pull off. I am no tele-communications specialist, so this is news to me. I always thought that caller ID was accurate, but apparently anyone can trick it for the right price.

Now you would think this type of activity, which is obviously possible, would be illegal. Right? It's not. At least, not right now. On June 27, 2007, the House passed the Truth in Caller ID Act, but the Senate never ended up voting on it! On January 7, 2009 however, it was again introduced and later passed by the House (for a 2nd time) on April 14, 2010. The Senate is expected to pass the bill in February, and hopefully Obama will sign it.

The good news here, is that any spoofing in the future would be considered criminal activity. The bad news? When Christmas rolls around next year Santa's calls might put him in the slammer.

Picture used from SendACallFromSanta.com

Daylite (by Marketcircle) unlinked my tasks from my contacts!

2010-10-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Oh No! Daylite (by Marketcircle) unlinked my tasks from my contacts!!

Let me start this post by saying that I LOVE Daylite by Marketcircle. It is intuitive, and has some amazing options. There is one problem however that has been a thorn in my side since day one.

This post serves two purposes.

Help others in resolving an issue in Daylite's software.
Bring this issue to light, so Daylite fixes it (there is a minor reference here but they still have NOT resolved the issue).

The Error / Bug:
Daylite will erase the link between tasks and the contacts they reference.

Why This is a Problem:
This is obviously a problem because if you don't know who the task is linked to, you may have no idea who this person is, what the history is, and any relevant contact information.

Who is Affected:
This issue tends to happen to users with sync turned on AND MobileMe to sync contact information between laptops / iphones / ipads.

How Daylite's Sync Works:
Daylite establishes a dependent link to your iCal & Address book. What this means is, anything that changes outside of Daylite via iCal or Address book will also change the data in Daylite. When contact, calendar, or even task information outside of Daylite is changed, Daylite maintains it's own link between contact and task internally. This is a good thing.

How Daylite's Sync Fails:
Daylite's sync fails when MobileMe comes into the picture. When MobileMe accesses your data, in rare cases, it notices inconsistencies in your calendar. In these cases, Mobile Me finds it best to erase the calendar data on your computer and replace it with the updated file. This is also ok, because now your information is accurate and consistent.

The PROBLEM comes in how Daylite interacts with the mediator. In this case iCal. When iCal's events and tasks are "erased and replaced" Daylite does the same thing, by erasing all events and tasks. At this point you essentially have a brand new task and calendar list. This is a problem because your contact's were still linked to the data that just got erase seconds ago. Even though the data has been replaced, Daylite doesn't understand it is the SAME data. (It does seems to be smart enough however, to keep the link between actual appointments. Odd, I know)

This is the problem, and this is why ALL your tasks are no longer linked to their contacts.

THE FIX:
Until Daylite fixes this issue, this will probably continue to happen. BUT take heart dear reader, I did not want to write this post without the workaround to fix this problem.

Fix Process:
Daylite IS smart enough to keep the old tasks information in what it calls the trash. So your data that was perviously deleted IS still there. It is actually an easy process to set things back to the way they were earlier. Here's how.

Your first option might be to simply restore from a backup. I can't do this, because my information changes to quickly for this to actually help. It would restore very old data. (perhaps I need to backup more) If like me, this is not an option for you, the steps below WILL work. They have worked for me flawlessly.

Wait 10 Minutes: Wait ten minutes from Daylite failure to do this process. We need to separate deletion history by time frame.
Backup Daylite: File --> Database --> Quick Backup
Erase All Tasks: Tasks --> [all] Tasks --> CMD+A --> Delete. (Important: Note the time of this deletion)
Wait... this deletion process make take a VERY long time
Open Trash: Window --> Trash
Sort By Deletion Date: Click on Deletion Date, and this list will re-sort. (Arrow should point up)
Find Old Data: Scroll past all the data you deleted seconds ago, it may span over just a few minutes. (remember, we noted the time we deleted it)
Find Old Data: Select the first task that was one of the original tasks deleted. This will be time stamped more than 10 minutes earlier than time you wrote down.
Find All Old Data: Keeping that first task selected, scroll down until you get to the end of the accidental deletions. You will them all on the same time stamp (or at least within a minute of each-other). Obviously ALL erased data is in here, and we don't want to restore the stuff you just deleted on purpose.
Select And Restore Data: When you come to the end of the task deletions in questions (the ones we want to restore). Hold down Shift and select that last task. Now all the good tasks we want to restore are selected. (They should all be highlighted) Verify all the correct info is selected.
Restore: Click the restore button. Wait. Now your correct task information is restored!!
Verify your information is back to the way it should be.

If you data is NOT restored. Restore Daylite to the backup we created before we started this process and go back through the above list to see what you did wrong. (File--> Database --> Restore Backup)

If this process did not work for you, there is a chance you have experienced a different bug entirely. If that's the case, make sure to contact MarketCircle and plead for their assistance. (Note: If you are respectful and nice, they are quicker to help you)

McDonald's automated up-selling, a new low?

2009-12-31T07:58:00.000-08:00

For a while now I have been completely put-off by the automated up-selling done at the drive through window at McDonald's. For those who have not experienced this, it is a pre-recorded voice that mentions the daily specials before the employee can take your order. Not only is it mildly irritating, but it shows complete distrust for their staff. The ironic thing is when you tell someone you don't trust them to do their job, they typically want to do it less. (By the way, I ask every employee what they think of that thing, and they unanimously hate it)

As my wife and I went to McDonald's last night for a cone, the automated up-selling assistant hit an all new low. We came only to order two ice cream cones, and like clock work, the up-sell assistant asked if we wanted to get a hot apple, pumpkin or cherry pie, 2 for a dollar. I declined, but as I pulled up to the window my wife and I agreed that an apple pie would be really good. As the employee slid open the drive-through window, I mentioned to her, that I would love to add 2 apple pies for a dollar. Her response astounded me.

Employee: "I am sorry sir, we are all out of Apple pies, but we have cherry available."

Me: "But wasn't I just offered to purchase some only a moment ago?"

Employee: "Yea, that thing has been saying that all day, and there is nothing I can do about it, I'm very sorry"

The one time the automated up-sell assistant actually interested me in a product, it was still a complete failure, because it was up-selling me to inventory that wasn't available. The automated up-sell assistant doesn't have a brain, and therefore didn't understand that inventory was lacking. My brief exchange with this employee is a picture perfect reason that up-sell power should be kept in the hands of REAL people. After the automated error, obviously this employee was intelligent enough to offer me an alternative, and intelligence is what this system lacks.

If employees are not up-selling the solution is better training, and better care for employees, NOT automated computers to do their job. Stop insulting me and your employees, treat them better and let them do their job.

Don't understand social media? Talk to grandpa.

2009-05-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

If you had a grain of sand for every time social media is mentioned today, you would have a private island by this point. There are training sessions, focus groups, news stories, marketing campaigns and dinner table discussions. (If you don't have a pulse, I am speaking of Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, Wordpress, Delicious, FriendFeed, Viddler, YouTube, etc.)

So what is all the hype REALLY about? It turns out Granpa might know best. If using social media for business or personal gain, true experts will tell you it is all about reaching your target market through transparency, openness, education and being a general resource. Of course they are correct.

So what is my discovery? What does Grandpa have to do with social media? It is quite simple. Social media avenues actually turned the business practice clock back about 50-60 years. Let me show you the three sales ages I've noticed to illustrate my point.

The Age of Character: 50-60 Years ago when companies were smaller, sales were made through listening, transparency, openness, education and great reputation. It truly was about a relationship!! Character played a big role.
The Age of Shut Up: We then moved into the advertising age, where the company with the most money won. Companies got bigger and started to flood their markets with tons of advertising that would silence the neigh sayer. If you had a bad experience your voice wasn't easily heard. Selling via "relationships" & "character" was merely tradition NOT actual practice.
The Next Age of Accountability: AKA, the new Age of Character. With our connected-ness and social media avenues today, grandpa's sales techniques are coming back into practice! It is again about the relationship and not flooding the industry with your marketing. It is again about listening to the customer.

My discovery isn't about the correct use of social media avenues, experts have been preaching that for the last 2 years. My discovery is that with this new technology, we have actually stepped backward in the way we sell. If your company doesn't care about the relationship with your customer or your own character, you won't survive. Your grandpa would be happy to know "the relationship" is making a comeback in business.

In addition new websites like SmartyPig.com and Mint.com also believe in Grandpa's way of not spending what you don't have. I turns out Grandpa knew best all along.

Do I need a business coach? (A conundrum)

2009-02-27T07:12:00.000-08:00

Throughout my business endeavors and networking I have seen astounding growth in the coaching business. I feel the business coach is the new "consultant 2.0". I am not here to argue the relevance within the industry of business / personal coaching, but I would like to ask if I should pay for it.

I have been debating this industry and seriously wondering if people actually pay for this service. Keep in mind the only experience I have with a business coach is a seminar I sat through; I have no personal experience with a business coach. In other words, I am incapable of seeing value simply because I have not given it a try.

Now I am sure you are ready to comment on this saying, "But Justin, you have had a business coach your entire life! You benefited from coaches during Soccer, Work, and School! How could you argue the value?" I agree with you, and that is exactly the point I am making. Read on...

I do believe what the business coach offers is 100% needed and I have several business mentor's right now. This being said, what is the difference between a business coach and a mentor? Is the only difference between a business coach and a mentor being that one is paid and one is not?

I have found that people in general want you to seek advice from them. If you simply ask for help and advice they will gladly help you out. I know I do the same thing for people that ask me advice. (Andy Drish recently spoke on asking for advice) Is this a free business coach? Is it wrong to ask for this help? Should I pay them? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below.

Should I feel bad if I don't buy local?

2008-12-21T14:40:00.001-08:00

It makes sense to buy local; a sense of value and community come with buying local. Naturally, it is more advantageous for the community to buy local then from a national chain. If goods are purchased from a national chain, the money benefits a distant community in California or beyond.

Despite strong personal opinions about buying local, the rules must be bent a bit every once in a while. For example: If an item is not sold locally, a clear decision will be made to purchase from the national chain.

But what of other circumstances? How far will someone take the buy local mentality? Will an individual drive 15 miles out of their way to buy local? Will this individual pay additional money simply to buy local? If so, how much more? Will an individual tolerate a local company if their service is crummy and the national chain is flawless?

I personally will drive a little farther, or pay a little more to keep my money local, but I do draw a line, especially when it comes to service. I don't feel guilty and neither should you, here are my top 4 reasons a customer won't feel bad going to the chain:

Customer Service: This is quite elementary, but seems to be a fading trend. Good customer service is free and great customer service is cheap. Customers won't hesitate to go to the national corporation if they are treated like slime at the local place.
Filthy Store: This IS a problem. Local companies don't have corporate visits, so there are no national standards they will be held accountable too. This can easily be fixed by having involved management.
Lack of updating / modernizing: Yes, it costs money. But your customer will give it back to you. It is wise for the local companies to stay up with the times. Wi-Fi in coffee shops, or frequent buyer programs are just two examples. What are the national boys offering next door? How can you offer the same thing or better?
Credit Card Minimums: Credit card fees cut into profit. But the truth is, if a customer picks the local guy over the national chain the local guy should be happy to give up 3-6% of their profits. (or would these companies prefer to spend cash on advertising?) A customer will pass up the local place and go somewhere they won't be penalized. Local companies should simply offer incentives for buying more or using cash.

Buying local cannot be a company's main marketing tactic. Not in economic times, not ever! If the service at the local company is terrible, customers won't feel bad taking their business local. It is a bad move for companies to make customers feel bad buying from a "national corporate bully", if they are going to be a "local small bully." Buy local is not a marketing tactic, but should be viewed as a cool bonus for doing business with a company. So, should you feel bad if you don't buy local?

October 31st and 72º

2008-10-31T17:04:00.000-07:00

Based on scientific data (or lack thereof), I am not convinced global warming is a problem, or is entirely caused by man. If you want to argue about this, feel free to email me or comment with your data, I am certainly open to this topic. Please read my post in light of my comments.

Today's amazingly warm weather evoked this reaction from my wife. "I Love Global Warming!" This got me thinking. For the sake of argument, let's say global warming is real, and our planet really is heating up. If this is the case, is global warming bad? Try to think past all the hype and focus on the REAL issue here. The issue is the planet being warmer than colder. Right?

The overall question then is, "Is it good or bad for the planet to be an average 1o degrees (or more) warmer? Let me give you a few things to ponder:

Did you know there are far more freezing related deaths each year than heat related deaths? If our planet warms up, less people will die every year.
Did you know that a warmer planet means longer growing seasons and more food resulting in cheaper grocery costs.
Did you know we would spend less money on road construction if we didn't have harsh winters? No cracked roads, no salt and shoveling to ruin roads and freeways. In turn, lower taxes.

"But Justin! The polar ice caps are going to melt and the earth will flood!" Not only is this not true, but Al Gore smokes crack. (Fact followed by distasteful personal attack, sorry) Over 90% of the polar ice caps are under water! What we see on the surface is a tiny part of the ice. Keep in mind the core of the earth is hot, so there is water underneath there.

Here is a fun experiment for you and Al to do together. Put a cube of ice in your cup and let it melt, watch with astonishment as the water doesn't rise. Amazing!

In closing, why is global warming bad? Maybe global warming is a positive step. Politicians and the media always have a habit of trying to freak us out. Don't always think so negative. You silly evolution people should view this as "the earth evolving" right? Or do you believe the earth is deteriorating? (Gasp! We found a hole in the theory of evolution).

That is all.

Your day will be ruined by work.

2008-09-21T21:12:00.000-07:00

Did you ever sit down and think about a word and it's uses? Today one word really started to bother me. The word that I got so hung up on was the word, "work." If you really start to ponder this word's existence you begin to see just how terrifying it really is. It corrupts anything it comes in contact with and destroys innocent perceptions.

You will gladly go to the ballgame, go to a friends house, even go to bed, but you will think twice before going to work. Whenever you are participating in a project the project itself is most likely an enjoyable one. But if you are working on a project, this usually assumes a deadline, and unfavorable conditions.

When finding the answer to how a particular event concluded you may ask, "How did that play out?" But if you ask someone, "How did that work out? It is a question of empathy, preparing oneself for a possible negative outcome.

If you are hesitant to jump on my band-wagon (what bands travel in wagons? bluegrass?), consider you will gladly go out, laugh out, shout out, sing out, turn out, jump out, run out, look out, but will hesitate and wince before you work out. Or how about everday driving? You will gladly drive through various different zones, whether it be a city, country road, etc. But a cold sweat breaks out when you drive through a work zone.

Still not convinced? Consider how the following words are helplessly crushed by this one sadistic word:

School: A pleasant learning establishment.
School Work: A plauge that follows you home and does not allow for sleep.

Yard: An area, usually covered by grass, to enjoy time and activities with loved ones.

Yard Work: An activity involving weeding, thistles, blisters and general pain.

Team: A group of people working toward a unified goal.

Team Work: Typically refers to activities done by a group of people that really want nothing to do with each-other. (Usually in an office setting, ick!)

Ethic: A set of principals.

Work Ethic: A set of principals that drive oneself harder, so that you are given even more responsibility.

If you are part of the 90% of people that will challenge this little post, you are now trying to come up with alternate phrases or uses for this word, and to be honest, I hope you find some. Perhaps your help can free me from my negative viewpoint. (On the other hand, if you have more negative examples, pass them on and I will post them)

Oh, and by the way, I was going to highlight our little word in red every-time, but I didn't because that was too much work.

Why does Des Moines lack Groceries.

2008-09-14T14:31:00.001-07:00

I need to apologize for my writing in this entry. I am sick and tired...

It was grocery time once again. We needed to hit Target as well, so we went to Ankeny. (We don't grocery shop at Target because they don't really have enough.)

We ended up going to Hy-Vee, assuming they would carry more than the dreaded Dahl's near our house. (ick) But once again we were very disappointed. They didn't even carry fresh potatoes, they were moldy! In addition we haven't been able to find, and still cannot find poblano peppers.

If this trip was not enough, both Target and Hy-Vee had shopping carts scattered throughout the exits. I am sure some fire code was being broken at both places.

We figured out today, that we would actually save time driving to Minnesota once a month and stocking up on groceries from Byerly's, than we would going grocery shopping here in Des Moines between Dahl's, Hy-Vee, and Gateway Market. Unbelievable!

Milk, I apologize.

2008-09-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

I never did like milk. I knew it was good for me, but it always just seemed so flavorless and gross. Milk and I just didn't have a great relationship. I actually remember the gag reflect kicking in a few times. For some reason, a few years back we decided to switch to Sheeder's Cloverleaf Dairy.

When we switched I decided to give milk a second chance and I must say that I have been unfair to milk all these years. I never knew milk could taste so amazing. Sheeder's Milk is amazing. Their skim tastes as though it is 2% or greater. We made whipped cream with their whole milk, and I say, I could eat a meal of just their whole milk! Sheeder's Cloverleaf Dairy has turned me into a milk lover.

If flavor and quality of milk isn't enough they are also eco friendly. They deliver their milk to the stores in glass bottles that you can return later for a deposit refund. This cuts our waste down to just a plastic cap. In addition they are hormone free and all natural. (I don't really care about that, but some people do.)

This discovery naturally leads me to question why other milk tastes so bad. I mean, dairies use the same process, right? Why does Sheeder's milk taste so much better? I am not chemist, but it tastes as though other dairies water down their milk to turn a better profit. I am not claiming this as true, but I am sure suspicious.

In closing, Sheeder's Cloverleaf Dairy has changed my perspective. I think Milk and I will be best friends for a long time. Thank You Cloverleaf Dairy!!

Thank you, idiot!

2008-08-18T16:05:00.000-07:00

How many of us has been on the road, at the department store, or in a restaurant and caught ourselves thinking and sometimes saying, "You Idiot! What are you doing?"

Like many others I experience this affliction from time to time. Rarely do I say anything, but I catch myself wondering how stupid some people can behave. This behavior even cultivates recognition, in which the most stupid of the human race are rewarded with the title: Dumbest Criminal, or with a not-so-coveted Darwin Award.

I write this not to upset you in any way, my goal in writing this is to give you hope. Hope for a brighter future loaded with lots of success. The very result of these people providing us with their surplus of doltish acts is the same reason you and I have the opportunity to excel in our life goals.

Can you imagine what kind of terror this life would be if everyone were as smart as you?* Imagine a world where you can't get promoted because everyone else is just as proactive and innovative as you. Imagine a life where all the drivers on the road went the same speed. Imagine a city in which everyone was a consultant (actually this one might be true).

My point is this, we need to thank that guy that cut us off; that dumb criminal that fell from the ceiling trying to break into the jewelry store; and of course that irritating customer that can't make up their mind. Oh sure, they get in our way, and tick us off, but without their everyday inconveniences we wouldn't be the success we are, or will be, in the future.

*Footnote: If that guy that cut me off today is reading this, be advised this blog post does not apply to you in any way, how did you even figure out how to get on the internet? :-)

Trusty Pig

2008-08-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

Days ago I wrote an entry about a travesty in the web world. The travesty I speak of is a company's website. This company is Trusty Pig. They are a Romanian ad outfit and they are responsible for web theft, stealing their beautiful new web design from a local Des Moines Bank, Smarty Pig.
I learned of this crime on Twitter. Because Smarty Pig is a great Des Moines company that the local web 2.0 community respects, within 1 hour many people on the web community were outraged. Their website was completely original, created by Happy Cog, and Trusty Pig had ripped it off and claimed the design as their own. Below I have included comparison screen shots compliments of Troy Rutter.

Within only two days TrustyPig.com figured out we had caught on and replaced their web design.

My original post was taken down because I noticed the design change, however, when Trusty Pig's apology blog was posted I immediately re-wrote this post. Their blog has an apology letter for using Smarty Pig's design. But then it goes on to shift responsibility off of themselves. They start to blame others and Trusty Pig even has the nerve to attack and insult the blogging community who was responsible for this quick resolution, even stooping so low as to call them "uneducated".
If they would have taken responsibility for their actions, I would have erased my post all together, but they have not. Because of their highly defensive blog, I am led to wonder what designs they have stolen and will steal in the future. Please beware of this dishonest, "Trusty Pig".

Debit or Credit

2008-06-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

Living in Minneapolis for 5 + years, Vanessa and I have noticed some differences now that we live in Des Moines. Two of those differences were RedBox and Chipotle, which have now been integrated into the Des Moines consumer landscape. Another difference though is the simple little phrase, "Debit or Credit?"

You know what I am referring to, don't you? It sneaks up on you like heartburn after a bowl of chili. You know it's coming, and the anticipation is almost worse that the heartburn. (I take tums) I do understand what they are asking, and I do understand the difference (as far as how the money travels) but why do I, the consumer, care either way? Why were we never asked this in Minneapolis? Why did stores in Minneapolis just assume credit? The grand questions is: "Why use debit?"

Today at Dahl's (sigh) Vanessa and I were once again asked this inevitable question. We decided it would be good to get one of the employees perspectives (Derrick, the bagger). He was kind enough to inform us he uses Debit because he doesn't want to sign his name.

So is that it? Is our precious time wasted every day and are we asked this question each time to give us the option to sign our name or not? Why does that matter? Why do we have to do either? Technically speaking, all that is truly needed at the counter is a record of your credit card being swiped. This is why gas stations don't have you sign OR enter your pin.

Can we eliminate this nagging question from our consumer lifestyles? Can we eliminate Debit altogether?

The Lawn Waste Bag Tax

2008-06-21T17:41:00.000-07:00

When you have leaves you need to get rid of, or lawn waste to discard you are required to buy those paper bags. Those bags, of course, are another way for the state to make money; they are essentially another tax.

Today I noticed a funny thing about those bags. As if the bag isn't enough to pay extra for, you have to pay sales tax on them. Now if that isn't a slap in the face Not only do you have to buy the State's own paper bags for 7.75 a pack, but then they tax you again on the bag.

The next step is for the state to swap out our current plastic trash cans and recycle bins for more stupid bags.

Service Please

2008-06-19T18:35:00.001-07:00

So, when was the last time you went to a store such as Home Depot, or Best Buy and you just can't get anyone to help you? The employees seem to scatter like gazelle from a Lion.

To be honest I am not too surprised, given todays work ethic combined with non-commission employees. Yet, I am still frustrated because we all were helpful and hard working, right? We deserve some good service.

Take heed dear reader, I have unearthed a new technique that will save you time, grab attention of employees and perhaps be a little interesting and fun. It is really quite simple. When you go into your next store make sure to never forget a clipboard. A clipboard!?

Whenever you bring a clipboard with you, you create a persona of mystery. The employee won't be sure if you are from corporate, or perhaps another store, or perhaps you are there to watch THEM! Are they being watched for a promotion? A demotion? Termination? It doesn't really matter, just make sure to NEVER tell them what the clipboard is for. In addition, writing occasionally and making an attempt to hide it when they come near helps too.

The employee will start to weigh their options. Oh sure, they could choose to ignore you and your antics, but they are more likely to show some interest in you, simply because they are curious, and want to know what that clipboard is for.

Hopefully after trying this tip, you will walk a way with better service, and of course, a great story to tell you friends.

The Irony in high gas prices.

2008-06-04T20:33:00.000-07:00

Writing my oil blog a little while ago, I came to a hilarious conclusion. No one is laughing now, but I am sure they will be in a few years.

While Exxon is making record profits selling gas, and the American people are suffering, does anyone see the irony in these high gas prices?

The quote that I got to thinking about was from the Sheik. "the Stone Age came to an end not for a lack of stones, and the oil age will end, but not for a lack of oil" ~ Sheik Yamani, Saudi Arabia's former oil minister and founding architect of OPEC.

What he is basically saying, is that we will stop using Oil when it is more convenient, or makes more sense, to move on and use something else. These high gas prices are going to push people to make alternate decisions and ironically will push companies like Exxon right out of a job. Then who will be laughing?

Ed Wilson

2008-06-01T20:25:00.000-07:00

A few days ago it was stormy here in the Des Moines area. Nothing super severe or dangerous, but Ed Wilson thought differently. He decided to keep interrupting The Office to give his extremely ridiculous updates. Forget the fact that channel 13 has their updates ALREADY posted on the bottom corner.

If that weren't enough, his updates, weren't short and sweet, he repeated himself at least 3 times. I found myself becoming increasingly angry with him, and hoping he would trip down a flight of stairs before going home.

What made it really ridiculous is that he interrupted what seemed like every 5 min. Of course, he would not interrupt the commercials, don't want to upset the advertisers, perhaps he forgot that I don't watch TV for commercials.

Keep in mind, I am not even ranting about that fact that he is never correct or even close. My dashboard widget on my computer does a way better job than him, and it doesn't get paid.

What it basically comes down to is that 13 and 8 are so obsessed with being the "first" they have completely forgot what real news is. Don't you both have a animal interest story to cover?

Where did all the oil go?

2008-05-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Oil is the most precious resource today. I just thought I would share some fun quotes and figures. You can draw your own conclusions, my conclusion is at the bottom.

1769 - Watts invents steam engine.

1900 - Oil is discovered to be a clean reliable resource for energy

1914 - the US Bureau of Mines estimates that there will be oil left over for only ten years consumption.

1939 - the Department of the Interior projects that oil will last only 13 more years

1945 - Oil replaces coal as predominant energy resource

1951 - again projected that oil will run out in 13 years

1972 - Limits to Growth is published. Oil resources will officially end before 1992

1987 - Ehrlich tells us an oil crisis will present itself in the 1990s

1992 - Beyond the Limits is published. (revised edition of Limits to Growth) Oil is predicted to run out 2031 and gas in 2050.

"the Stone Age came to an end not for a lack of stones, and the oil age will end, but not for a lack of oil" ~ Sheik Yamani, Saudi Arabia's former oil minister and founding architect of OPEC.

We have relied on oil now for about 70 years. The middle east is not out of oil, they have only cut production. On top of that, the middle east only has about 50% of the worlds known oil supply. To reiterate, we will stop using oil not because of it's scarcity, but because it is simply not beneficial for us to use.

Soccer in Des Moines

2008-05-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

Once again I found myself playing soccer today. (6:30p every Sunday. If you are interested click on the map below) It seems as though no one plays soccer in Des Moines! The turnout just isn't that great. This post basically serves as my lament. Thanks for reading

View Larger Map

I am a perfect fit for the Apple Store?

2008-05-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

So, I learned more about the Apple hiring process today. Last week I applied to the Apple store with an internal recommendation for the position. It seems as though I would be a shoe-in for this job, but then again I have struck out at the Apple store twice already.

Well, the interview came and went, and I am proud to say I have finally figured out how the Apple hiring process works.

Apple does not care one iota if you know their platform at all. They don't care how much you love the Mac or how talented you are with their equipment. They don't really care if you have any knowledge of technology whatsoever. Charisma does not even play a role in their hiring process. What they do care about is diversity.

The local Apple stores rely on diversity of staff. They want any person coming into the Apple store to say, "Hey look at that guy, he looks like he would understand me." That is why every-time you go into an Apple store there is the kid with the mohawk, the old guy and the gothic girl. Diversity of employees makes more people feel comfortable.

Apple believes that the amount of knowledge an employee has before hire is irrelevant. They can train the employee later. This explains why the Apple employees are nice, but the majority don't seem to know a lot about the product.

So did I get the job? No. Apparently the white 25 year old business guy in a suit category is taken. Strike Three, I'm out!

New Site Design!

2008-05-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

So, I started blogging using the blogger.com engine. This is a lot easier. Below you will notice a bunch of postings on one day. These are all imported archives from my old site, don't be alarmed.

Those Companies That Just Don't Get It!

2008-05-16T17:37:00.002-07:00

What is up with those crazy companies out their that simply don't listen to their customer base? A good product comes along like the iPhone, iPod or QC2 headphones and they are instant successes. The surrounding industry seems so baffled and everyone praises their innovation. But what is really happening here? Since I asked, I will tell you; what is happening is this simple. People like Bose and Apple do one thing differently than everyone else. THEY LISTEN!
It is really that simple, to make the big bucks you need to listen to your customers and treat them like the kings and queens they want to be treated like. Is it any wonder why CompUSA crashed? Their demise should not be shocking to you if you have ever been in one of their stores. Return policies, knowledge of product, and service all stunk at that place, and now they are gone. So why are companies like American Express Apple and Bose doing so well? Because they give dang good service.
Why I am on this rant, I suppose I should call out some bad companies. Best Buy is terrible, not only do they offer bad service, but they treat their employees like garbage and pay them next to nothing.
I am also really mad at Oakley right now. I have a pair of Oakley Half Wire Sun Glasses w/ Polycarbonate lenses.
A year after purchase one lens started to get hairline cracks coming from the top. (Where the frame hold the lens). I care for these glasses and keep them safe. They are always in a case when not being used.
Assuming I had done something wrong, I called Oakley and sent in the glasses they were repaired for $30 plus shipping. A year later, the same lens (that was replaced) and the other were cracking the same way. This time I was sure I had not done anything wrong so I contacted customer service, they had record of my situation but they told me to pay to repair both and then if they crack again, then their may be a problem with the frame. Obviously I had already repaired them and was not about to do that again. I then contacted their executive staff. After repeated calls and email, I got no response. I even sent a letter that if this issue was not resolved I would never again buy Oakley. Still no response. In closing, STAY AWAY FROM OAKLEY!

Prayer and Its Backwards Ways

2008-05-16T17:37:00.001-07:00

Finally a new entry! Hey, no fluff right? I have wondered frequently about prayer and its properties. If I am honest, I typically feel like prayer is so pointless. God is omniscient therefore he knows everything future and past. If this is true, my prayer changes absolutely nothing.
How is it then that people like Peter could heal people using prayer? Obviously God healed because they prayed right?
On my way back from work today, I got to thinking about a comment that Alyssa Long made in our young married group. She said something that sounded like, "I prayed for my future job and ended up getting a class with challenged kids, with behavior issues. Because I prayed for a job, when I was given this one, I saw it as a blessing and a ministry opportunity. Had I not prayed for this job, perhaps my perspective would have been completely different. I may have thought that I got this job because I did not pray."
This goes back to the idea that prayer changes us, not God. So back to my original thought, when people like Peter were healing people I would be willing to bet that Peter's healing abilities were not God's responses, but rather Peter's responses. In other words, maybe Peter was so in tune with God, that he "healed" people that God had already informed him would be healed. Peter's place was to simply give God the glory.
I know this is all over the place, but here is another idea. Perhaps we could be so in tune with God, we will never have a prayer that God answers no. Did you notice the Lord's prayer never asks for anything accept a better relationship with God? Is this a crazy thought?
Perhaps prayer from God synced people is one true tangible way of us seeing God work. Do you think we could even tell the future by listening to the prayers of Godly people? Is this a form of prophecy. Email me if you have any thoughts.

Blessing Morons

2008-05-16T17:35:00.000-07:00

Why DOES the squeeky wheel get the oil? I guess it is basic science, but what about those other wheels. They have been so well behaved and they don't even wobble when going down the iles of life. They are so well behaved, and for all their hard work they get nothing.
Vanessa and I are trying to be cautious and responsible. We are not living beyond our means (it seems as though we are close though) and we work so hard to pay off our bills. Yet there are other people that are extremely irresponsible. They do not plan, they make stupid decisions, and still they are fine. A closer look into their lives will reveal that their friends and relatives, and even the government continue to deliver money, and goods to help keep them afloat. After seeing their stupid decisions have led to more help and support, they continue to make even worse decisions. Many times, if this deadly cycle persists they will actually start to excpect others to give them the stuff they need. (This is primarily why we are capitlist in America, and not socialist. Could you imagine everyone behaving in this manner?) The answer to this problem is to simply let these people crash and burn, it goes back to basic parenting. If your child makes a stupid decision, hey, it is only human, but if your child continues to make stupid decisions sometimes it is necessary to let him or her feel the full brunt of their error. Vanessa and I have made a point to learn from others mistakes, but sometimes it seems as though the mistakes have no repercussions. Of course, I know that only the future will reveal the benefit of our decision to be responsible, but man, it sure is irritating right now.

Arguing with God

2008-05-16T17:34:00.002-07:00

It is no shock that God knows all, and we don't. Yet, His decisions still stupify us at points. I have wondered just how appropriate it is to argue with God. Frankly, I don't like some of the decisions He has made, and I can't see the good that will come out of them. I was relieved when seeing a tape of Bono talking about his experience with God. He lamented how some of our Christian pop culture music is to uppity and yuppy. Listening to it, you would swear all of our lives were perfect. On this topic he mentioned, "Christian music should be more like the blues, sometimes you struggle with God's answers." God already knows what your mind is saying, why not just say it? Even Job attempted to argue his case with God. (Job 13:3) In the words of my dad, "I question God, it doesn't make me right it just makes me honest."
To change ourselves, or our own viewpoints humans experience a struggle. If there is some truth that you have believed, or a way of life you have accepted, you can't change instantly. The outward signs of struggle are proof that an individual is actively seeking truth, and not just putting up a facade. If we don't tell God our deepest fears and struggles, we are doing nothing but to hurt ourselves. God already knows; by opening up and sharing these struggles and fears with Him we are helping ourselves. Humans were not built to handle some of these stresses and tough decisions. Could this be why depression is so rampant? We need to give our problems to Him, and let Him deal with it. Our God doesn't want us accepting His commands and instructions blindly. Then we would be zombies. Our God wants us struggling with His decisions. This makes our relationship with Him real and not platonic.

Stupid Low Quality

2008-05-16T17:34:00.001-07:00

What is up with low quality junk? There are so many low quality companies out there producing low quality stuff. Two examples come to mind. Campbel's Soup, and Foldgers coffee. Both companies recently introduced a "premium" line of un-impressive products. Campbells has "Gold Label Select" and Foldgers has there premium line of coffee. This means that there older stuff is bad then right? Why would you want to buy a lower quality coffee or soup? Wouldn't you naturally want the premium one, rather than the low quality one? It seems to be they are labelling there previous products as inferior. Why not just discontinue the old stuff, and make it look as if you are moving forward as a company? I hate companies that give you the option of buying low quality products. NO ONE WANTS LOW QUALITY ANYTHING!

Time Flies fast when

2008-05-16T17:33:00.002-07:00

Have you ever heard the saying, "Time flies fast when you are having fun."? Of course. We all accept this, but when you really start to think about this, it isn't true at all. The saying should be, "Time flies fast when you are occupied." Anyway, that isn't my reason for writing this. The reason for writing this is to formally announce my cure for time flying fast when you are having fun. To solve this problem is quite simple. Remember in class when time seemed to stand still? The reason is you were likely watching the clock. Time slows down when you watch the clock. So, the cure is to watch the clock when you are having fun. Whenever you are enjoying the big game, or enjoying time with friends be sure to continually ask, "what time is it?" to everyone, every second.

Story Trading

2008-05-16T17:33:00.001-07:00

Here is a quick one. Today at work I noticed something peculiar about communication. Whenever anyone shares a story about their experience in something, everyone around them feels it necessary to share their own experiences in similar situations, as if to top the prior story. Sit back and watch sometime, our communication is not achieved by inquiring, but rather by talking about ourselves and our own interests.

Hollywood, so rewarding!

2008-05-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed that there are so many stupid award shows for these hollywood cry babies? Seriously, there are the Grammys, Emmys, Oscars, CMAs, People's Choice Awards, AMAs, Tony's, and a few more. Of course, each category has it's own stars to focus on, except for the CMAs (Country Music Awards) Grammys, and AMAs (American Music Awards) which are all only for music.
Does this profusion of awards remind you of something? It brings back memories of elementy school, where every single thing, no matter how insignificant it is, gets acknowledgement. (Look everyone! Jimmy picked up a peice of lint off the floor, yea Jimmy!). We all know the reason for awarding behavior in elementry school is to change or perpetrate behavior, but this concept isn't related to Hollywood, or is it?
I think the best recent headline to illustrate my point rests with the Dixie Chicks. We all know they just received five Grammy's, for their most recent album, "Taking the Long Way", yet they recieved not a single award from their own genre, the CMAs, nor have they sold many of their "Taking the Long Way" albums prior to the Grammys. The album itself was quite a flop for them. How then did they win those awards?
If you have ever listened to the album, you would know it is littered with anti-war / anti-Bush remarks. Ever since their controversial 2003 remarks in London, they have been on a rampage against our own nation.
This brings me back to my original question. What IS the point for all these ridiculous awards? These awards reward behavior, not necessarily Musical, or acting ability. I guess I find it ironic that only after they start their Bush bashing, do they actually start to get awarded for their musical ability? Hey everyone, the Dixie Chicks picked up some worthless lint of the floor, yea Dixie Chicks! JustBrady would also like to congratulate all the other Hollywood Pawns!

Super Bowl at Church

2008-05-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

What is the NFL's deal with banning the Super Bowl at Fall Creek Baptist Church in Inianapolis. Perhaps the decision maker is anti-Christian, or just anti-religion. If this were a Muslim mosque, gay men's chorus, or Buddhist temple, severe repercussion would follow. Click here to read the article on FoxNews.com.

Heaven

2008-05-16T17:30:00.003-07:00

Vanessa was working on a final today and asked me to help her find a topic in 1 or 2 Corinthians that she could write a paper about. I came across 2 Cor. 5. It's about our new bodies and heaven. This got me thinking, why am I not that excited about heaven? Can God really blame me for not being excited, I have no concept of what heaven will be like, I am just an ingorant human capable of understanding only what is put in front of my face. "God, help me to understand more about my future home, I want to be more excited!"

Christmas, the sneak attack!

2008-05-16T17:30:00.001-07:00

I have always felt that Christmas is a great time to spread the gospel because people are more accepting around the holidays. While Christmas is a time when people are more likely to come to church, it is no better of a time to share the gospel, people are simply less offended by a nativity scene than a, "you are going to hell," speach.
Christmas reveals the true way to spread the gospel, giving and spreading love. Christmas time does not change the gospel message or the way it is recieved, Christmas, I feel, changes the messengers of Christianity, us!

What is Instinct, Really?

2008-05-16T17:29:00.001-07:00

Today, driving home from work, I noticed a flock of birds flying south. This sparked a thought: how DO they know to fly south? How does a baby know how to suck milk from it's mother? How does a bird, "learn" to fly? Of course the "scientific" answer is the phenomenon of instinct. That, of course, is a bunch of crap because instinct cannot be scientificly explained.
As far as I can tell there is no chemical process in which instinct is involved. Instict, therefore does not qualify as a sceintific response or explanation! Instinct is the secular attempt to explain what is purely God.