Love him, hate him, or ignore and marginalize him, Noam is the man.
This is Part 2 of this interview.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Wingnut Alert!
And the hits just keep on coming.
The Newtster strikes again.
Yikes. Imagine this guy as president. A laser? Really?
AAAAAAAAAHH!
The Newtster strikes again.
Yikes. Imagine this guy as president. A laser? Really?
AAAAAAAAAHH!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
What's with Taylor Swift?
For months now I've been hearing all this buzz about Taylor Swift.
Well, I watched the opening to the Country Music Awards show tonight, and I'm sorry but she can't sing. She sort of... well... whines and moans in a semi-melodic way.
Nope, I don't get it.
Whew! I'll sure save a butt-load of money not buying Taylor Swift CDs.
Well, I watched the opening to the Country Music Awards show tonight, and I'm sorry but she can't sing. She sort of... well... whines and moans in a semi-melodic way.
Nope, I don't get it.
Whew! I'll sure save a butt-load of money not buying Taylor Swift CDs.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Internet scammers reach new lows...
Just when I thought the belly of a snake couldn't get any lower, when I thought I thoroughly understood the word "scoundrel," I received an oh-so plaintive missive (shown below) to one of my email addresses.
Because its sender said I should not "discuss this" and should "destroy it" to avoid "leakage," I posted it here for all to read as a big "f@ck you!"
Wow. Can you say "scumbag?" These people are just creepy as hell, utterly without shame, and beneath contempt. I'm certain it was just so difficult for him as he "summed up courage" to write this garbage.
Get a real job!!!!
This letter is simply a new variation of an old scam that's been running for years. Beware of responding to these morons; just out them when you see them.
SOURCE OF MONEY: Some money in various currencies was discovered concealed in barrels with piles of weapons and ammunitions at a location near one of Saddam's old palaces during a rescue operation, and it was agreed by all party present that the money be shared amongst us, this was quite an illegal thing to do, but I tell you what? No compensation can make up for the risks we have taken with our lives in this hell hole.
The above figure was given to me as my share,and to conceal this kind of money became a problem for me,so with the help of a German contact working here, and his office enjoys some immunity, I was able to get the package out to a safe location entirely out of trouble spot.He does not know the real contents of the package,and believes that it belongs to an Asian American who died in an air raid, and before giving up, trusted me to hand over the package to his family.
There is a secured way of getting the package out to a safer country for you to pick up,and i will discuss this with you when I am sure that you are willing to assist me. One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter with a third party, should you have reasons to reject this offer. Please destroy this mail as any leakage of this information will be too bad for us.
I do not know for how long we will remain here but hopefully before the year runs out, I have survived 2 suicide bomb attacks by the special grace of God, this and other reasons I will mention later has prompted me to reach out for help.
Respectfully,
Capt John Nielsen
Because its sender said I should not "discuss this" and should "destroy it" to avoid "leakage," I posted it here for all to read as a big "f@ck you!"
Wow. Can you say "scumbag?" These people are just creepy as hell, utterly without shame, and beneath contempt. I'm certain it was just so difficult for him as he "summed up courage" to write this garbage.
Get a real job!!!!
This letter is simply a new variation of an old scam that's been running for years. Beware of responding to these morons; just out them when you see them.
Dear Friend,
With a very desperate need for assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you. I am presently in Iraq with the USA marine platoon; I found your contact particulars in an Address journal. I am seeking your assistance to evacuate the sum of $900,000.00(Nine hundred thousand dollars) to you, as far as I can be assured that it will be safe in your care until I complete my service here. This is no stolen money, and there are no dangers involved.
With a very desperate need for assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you. I am presently in Iraq with the USA marine platoon; I found your contact particulars in an Address journal. I am seeking your assistance to evacuate the sum of $900,000.00(Nine hundred thousand dollars) to you, as far as I can be assured that it will be safe in your care until I complete my service here. This is no stolen money, and there are no dangers involved.
SOURCE OF MONEY: Some money in various currencies was discovered concealed in barrels with piles of weapons and ammunitions at a location near one of Saddam's old palaces during a rescue operation, and it was agreed by all party present that the money be shared amongst us, this was quite an illegal thing to do, but I tell you what? No compensation can make up for the risks we have taken with our lives in this hell hole.
The above figure was given to me as my share,and to conceal this kind of money became a problem for me,so with the help of a German contact working here, and his office enjoys some immunity, I was able to get the package out to a safe location entirely out of trouble spot.He does not know the real contents of the package,and believes that it belongs to an Asian American who died in an air raid, and before giving up, trusted me to hand over the package to his family.
There is a secured way of getting the package out to a safer country for you to pick up,and i will discuss this with you when I am sure that you are willing to assist me. One passionate appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter with a third party, should you have reasons to reject this offer. Please destroy this mail as any leakage of this information will be too bad for us.
I do not know for how long we will remain here but hopefully before the year runs out, I have survived 2 suicide bomb attacks by the special grace of God, this and other reasons I will mention later has prompted me to reach out for help.
Respectfully,
Capt John Nielsen
Friday, April 3, 2009
I have an idea...
Why don't assh*les like this guy just shoot themselves FIRST!
That way, if they want to die, they can just get it the hell over with and not take an innocent baker's dozen with them.
That way, if they want to die, they can just get it the hell over with and not take an innocent baker's dozen with them.
White Belt Redux...
Phil, Phil, Phil... read this, then do the right thing, man!
Don't blame the wind.
You're plus-3 after 8 holes because of that... gulp... b-b-b-belt.
Don't blame the wind.
You're plus-3 after 8 holes because of that... gulp... b-b-b-belt.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Geeky Golfer Warning!
If you love golf (and why wouldn't you), but have grown tired of the never-ending Woods-vs-Nicklaus conjecture (Alien-vs-Predator, etc.), here is an article that covers it better than any I've read.
It's thoughtful and well written.
It's thoughtful and well written.
The 15 Commandments of Customer Service
We're remodeling a bathroom ourselves and as a result we've come into contact with many vendors of products as well as services.
Sorry to seem pedantic, but in these rough economic times, when spending is at a historic low point and businesses must thrive on what little spending they receive, customer service can make a difference for any business that wishes to remain in business. This goes for plumbers and physicians, for the mom-and-pop hardware and a giant Lowe's.
Following are what I call "The 15 Commandments of Customer Service."
Enjoy.
1. Never forget that without customers, you have no business. Treating customers in any way but courteously and respectfully will signal the beginning of the end of your business.
2. Never forget that you’re not doing customers a favor by being in business; rather, they’re doing you a favor by giving you theirs.
3. It takes 20 positive things to overcome one negative thing.
4. Call when you say you will. If you tell customers you’ll call regarding an order or a service, then call. If you don’t plan to call or think you might forget to call, then don’t say you will (or simply tell customers to call you).
5. Hire employees who share your customer service point of view. Relying on customer service training (or, worse, coercion) to instill the art of customer service in people who have no concept of it (through a simple lack of experience) will not be anywhere near as successful as you need it to be.
6. Never assume customers know your business or, especially, your processes. You might have to explain how your order process works, what your return policy is, or something similar. Simply handing customers a printed copy of your policies --- or telling them all your policies are discussed at your web page --- is not sufficient and lame to the extreme.
7. Avoid using jargon with customers you don’t know or who don’t know you. How do you feel when someone speaks a language you don’t understand, and does so right in front of you. Confused? Well, jargon is like another language to your customer, and a confused customer will go elsewhere (i.e., you’ll experience Commandment 1).
8. Be careful discussing theory with customers. Chances are customers don’t come to you for an education, they come to you because you can do something for them. If you bury them in theory you’ll confuse them: don’t explain how a vacuum is created inside the BigVac 1000, just demonstrate how well the BigVac 1000 picks up debris. (The corollary to this is customers who know more about the theory than you.)
9. Never try to show your customers you know more than they do (put another way, never assume they know less than you). They’re probably in your store because they know less than you, or simply because what you can do for them is something they can’t do for themselves. Either way, no one likes to be made to feel stupid. (See also Commandments 1 and 2.)
10. Don’t ever think that what you offer is something customers can’t find elsewhere in one form or another. The same day you begin to act as if you’re the only game in town is the same day all those similar games in town begin to appeal to your customers.
11. Listen to your customers twice as much as you speak to them. You have two ears and one mouth. Yes, this is a bromide, but if you have a better way to suggest listening more than speaking, I’m all ears.
12. Avoid a fine-print mentality. Treat your customers as you would wish to be treated when you’re a customer. It’s not called the Tin Rule or the Iron Rule or the Aluminum Rule; its called the Golden Rule. Whoever thought of this used a precious metal because this is a precious rule. (See also Commandment 6.)
13. Don’t be afraid to say I can’t help you. You can do this positively by suggesting where they might go to find what they need and, if there’s time, by offering to call ahead for them: this can be to a competitive business, to another store within your franchise or chain, or simply to another department within your store.
14. Never denigrate a competitor or another customer, in front of a competitor or another customer. (See also “the Golden Rule.”)
15. Follow up with customers after a large sale or a complex service. A small thing like a follow-up phone call or email to ask how things are going can make a huge impression and can ensure return business. No, you probably can’t contact all your customers, but you can contact some of them. John Chambers of Cisco Systems has always done this, and look where Cisco is.
Sorry to seem pedantic, but in these rough economic times, when spending is at a historic low point and businesses must thrive on what little spending they receive, customer service can make a difference for any business that wishes to remain in business. This goes for plumbers and physicians, for the mom-and-pop hardware and a giant Lowe's.
Following are what I call "The 15 Commandments of Customer Service."
Enjoy.
1. Never forget that without customers, you have no business. Treating customers in any way but courteously and respectfully will signal the beginning of the end of your business.
2. Never forget that you’re not doing customers a favor by being in business; rather, they’re doing you a favor by giving you theirs.
3. It takes 20 positive things to overcome one negative thing.
4. Call when you say you will. If you tell customers you’ll call regarding an order or a service, then call. If you don’t plan to call or think you might forget to call, then don’t say you will (or simply tell customers to call you).
5. Hire employees who share your customer service point of view. Relying on customer service training (or, worse, coercion) to instill the art of customer service in people who have no concept of it (through a simple lack of experience) will not be anywhere near as successful as you need it to be.
6. Never assume customers know your business or, especially, your processes. You might have to explain how your order process works, what your return policy is, or something similar. Simply handing customers a printed copy of your policies --- or telling them all your policies are discussed at your web page --- is not sufficient and lame to the extreme.
7. Avoid using jargon with customers you don’t know or who don’t know you. How do you feel when someone speaks a language you don’t understand, and does so right in front of you. Confused? Well, jargon is like another language to your customer, and a confused customer will go elsewhere (i.e., you’ll experience Commandment 1).
8. Be careful discussing theory with customers. Chances are customers don’t come to you for an education, they come to you because you can do something for them. If you bury them in theory you’ll confuse them: don’t explain how a vacuum is created inside the BigVac 1000, just demonstrate how well the BigVac 1000 picks up debris. (The corollary to this is customers who know more about the theory than you.)
9. Never try to show your customers you know more than they do (put another way, never assume they know less than you). They’re probably in your store because they know less than you, or simply because what you can do for them is something they can’t do for themselves. Either way, no one likes to be made to feel stupid. (See also Commandments 1 and 2.)
10. Don’t ever think that what you offer is something customers can’t find elsewhere in one form or another. The same day you begin to act as if you’re the only game in town is the same day all those similar games in town begin to appeal to your customers.
11. Listen to your customers twice as much as you speak to them. You have two ears and one mouth. Yes, this is a bromide, but if you have a better way to suggest listening more than speaking, I’m all ears.
12. Avoid a fine-print mentality. Treat your customers as you would wish to be treated when you’re a customer. It’s not called the Tin Rule or the Iron Rule or the Aluminum Rule; its called the Golden Rule. Whoever thought of this used a precious metal because this is a precious rule. (See also Commandment 6.)
13. Don’t be afraid to say I can’t help you. You can do this positively by suggesting where they might go to find what they need and, if there’s time, by offering to call ahead for them: this can be to a competitive business, to another store within your franchise or chain, or simply to another department within your store.
14. Never denigrate a competitor or another customer, in front of a competitor or another customer. (See also “the Golden Rule.”)
15. Follow up with customers after a large sale or a complex service. A small thing like a follow-up phone call or email to ask how things are going can make a huge impression and can ensure return business. No, you probably can’t contact all your customers, but you can contact some of them. John Chambers of Cisco Systems has always done this, and look where Cisco is.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Oops, he did it again...
Wow.
If you missed it, this was a fun one. Eldrick Tiger Woods did it by locating rough, missing greens, finding bunkers, but dropping putts. Who else in any sport is as competitive, as motivated? Sometimes the guy just doesn't seem human.
Sean O'Hair will be back. He's too good not to be. Hang in there Sean: par just might have won it for you.
If you missed it, this was a fun one. Eldrick Tiger Woods did it by locating rough, missing greens, finding bunkers, but dropping putts. Who else in any sport is as competitive, as motivated? Sometimes the guy just doesn't seem human.
Sean O'Hair will be back. He's too good not to be. Hang in there Sean: par just might have won it for you.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The "scoundrel sniff test?"
John, John, John.
The higher the pedestal, the farther the fall.
This is just sad.
The higher the pedestal, the farther the fall.
This is just sad.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Who goes first?
NASA just announced this.
I'm wondering how they choose the guy who drinks first.
Maybe the delay is because no one would volunteer.
I'm wondering how they choose the guy who drinks first.
Maybe the delay is because no one would volunteer.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Truer words...
I just can't imagine the current frustration about the financial bonus (a.k.a. retention award) situation being expressed any better than this.
Truer words are rarely spoken.
Its gist? Senator Christopher Dodd has just suggested that allowing us all to be bent over by AIG, et al., is better than not having expressed in writing the ability to be allowed to bend us over should the choice be made to do so.
Oops.
Grab your ankles, Senator Dodd: 2010 is coming fast.
Truer words are rarely spoken.
Its gist? Senator Christopher Dodd has just suggested that allowing us all to be bent over by AIG, et al., is better than not having expressed in writing the ability to be allowed to bend us over should the choice be made to do so.
Oops.
Grab your ankles, Senator Dodd: 2010 is coming fast.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Stupid is as stupid does...
Forrest Gump's mom spoke the truth, and this is a really stupid idea.... REALLY stoooopid.
Hopefully the Obama team will figure this out sooner rather than later: you can't say you support our troops and then not support our troops.
Hopefully the Obama team will figure this out sooner rather than later: you can't say you support our troops and then not support our troops.
Buffalo for the Broken Heart...
I know this is what so many book reviewers say, but... if you read just one book this year, please read this one: "Buffalo for the Broken Heart."
It's nothing short of wonderful.
Even if you're a vegetarian, and the thought of eating any animal (including buffalo) is abhorrent to you, you'll get something fine from this moving story of loss, longing, love, and life on the Great Plains.
For more information about Dan O'Brien and what he's doing now, please check out this web link.
It's nothing short of wonderful.
Even if you're a vegetarian, and the thought of eating any animal (including buffalo) is abhorrent to you, you'll get something fine from this moving story of loss, longing, love, and life on the Great Plains.
For more information about Dan O'Brien and what he's doing now, please check out this web link.
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