Thoughts on the Lesser Beasts

All of you pause to admire the snail
He never leaves home, never forwards his mail.

Spare no attention, though, for the box turtle
To his spouse and his children, he is rather brutal.

In plain black and white, magpie is beplumed
disguised as a clown, he'd look rather stupid.

The robin is shabby, wears only worn tweed
Fat dons on the quad is how they're perceived.

Part of me pities the magnificent horse
from little girls' attention I'm happier divorced.

Flight enters the minds of those the skunk family scampers at
I wonder why coats of arms never show them en rampant.

Incongruous at admiration of tigers accordant
every tiger I've met sorely needed deodorant.

Random Babblings About Twitter and Facebook

Thanks to Twitter, I've been eavesdropping on a rather interesting exchange tonight involving the possible futures of Facebook and Twitter.

It has been posited that Twitter's users, or Twitter itself, could be absorbed, Borg-like, into Facebook as -- granted I'm only speculating here -- Facebook brings in more flexibility than does the 140-character micro blogging site.

I do, however, wonder if the difference in audience and purpose might keep Twitter and Facebook decidedly seperate, at least for the bulk of each service's users. I'll explain what I mean by that, and offer the caveat that it may simply apply to how I use each service and may not necessarily apply to everyone else. Or anyone else, for that matter.

So, who is my audience on Facebook? I can more sincerely say that on Facebook, it's friends, and I include family in that category. Now, it may simply be because I have many more physical, I've-met-them-before friends who use Facebook than use Twitter, so, It Stands to Reason, if I may invoke that storied and most respected college of common sense and knowledge, that Facebook is going to naturally be the place I go to share stuff with friends and family.

So who, then is my audience on Twitter? I do have a few friends. There. A few I actually will see on a week-by-week, or month-by-month basis. But most of my "followers" there are people I have never met and likely will never meet. Many of them seem to be practitioners of that sacred rite of multi-level-marketing, but that's probably my fault because I will typically follow back anyone who follows me, unless they are a Twitter Bimbo or introduce swearing or other questionable material to my Twitter feed. But I have many more contacts on Twitter than I do on Facebook, but it's less likely that I'll ever meet or interact with the Twitter folks than the Facebook folks.

So what purpose do each of these sites serve? Well, aside from begging my bishop's blood pressure up because I use them -- and I'm not sure he knows about the five blogs for which I"m a contributor or the sole author -- there are distinct uses.

Some uses intersect. I use both Facebook and Twitter to promote my blog posts and Uncharted, a travel and adventure website I'm involved in. I use both services for the occasional bout of nonsense. But that seems to be where the common uses cease.

Ends are where I see the most difference. On Twitter, promotion is an end, but it's rather one-sided and shallow, because I have no real measure on who is reading and, more importantly, who is clicking on the links I send out to be read. A lot of Twitter metrics sites point to retweets as a good measure to gauge how effective your tweets are. If that is the case, then the nonsense I tweet is received with much more enthusiasm than is the stuff I hope to promote.

The opposite is true on Facebook. While the nonsense does receive some attention, I can tell by Google Analytics that I have many more visits coming to my blogs from Facebook than I do Twitter -- so the promotions I'm doing on Facebook are more effective? Why? Because most of these people know me, see me occasionally, or at least remember me as one of the fat geeks who roamed the halls of Bonneville High School, looking pitiful. So there's a lot more human contact on Facebook than on Twitter.

And that just may be how I'm using the sites, once again biased because I have fewer actual physical friends on Twitter than I do on Facebook. I can see the dynamic being much different if my circle of friends on both sites were similar. As it is, my Twitter followers are probably a more diverse group of people from more areas in the nation and world, but it's my Facebook friends with whom I have more meaningful interactions. (Sad reality is that I'm so durn shy that I interact better with people I know on Facebook than I do face-to-face, but it's interesting that because of the stuff I put on Facebook those face-to-face interactions are becoming easier because we can chuckle about the things we "say" on Facebook.)

Note I don't speak much about my blogs here. While I'm pleased with the traffic coming to my blogs from Twitter or Facebook, I'm loath to shut down the blogs and just use Facebook for the postings and both Facebook and Twitter for the promotions. I like that I can control the look and feel of my blogs, which adds to the overall 'oss 'oldin' hexperience.

So overall, I see room for both Twiter and Facebook in my Internet experience at the moment. And my blogs. Sorry, bishop. At least I don't do Farmville . . .

Blog Post Reuse! "Moodometer"

Note: This post was originally published over at My Refrigerator - Art from My Kids, but the art is so dear to me this week I thought I'd share it here as well. And drumming up additional traffic for my other blog can't hurt, either.

Yet another contribution from our oldest, who wants to quantify EVERYTHING. Beginning to think we might have to start calling him "Numbers" Riktor, a Terry Pratchett character who thought you could count everything.

Anyway, today we're quantifying moods. The following is a "Mood Chart" that we have on the refrigerator. Almost every day, it's adjusted by the children (the oldest drives this) so we know, at all times, what mood everyone in the house is in. We all have our own individual magnets; mine is a block of magnetite.

I'm just grateful this is still the kid version, because I hear tell that the teenage model comes only in "surly" and "noncommunicative."

On this chart, my favorite is the "Uh Sure" block (lower left corner). The character's eyebrows are very expressive. "Smug," (first row, second from right) with the repeated raised eyebrows, is also a show-stopper. 

Goooo/OO\ooogle Spies?

Seems whoever put together this handy-dandy little graphic left out a little something: While Google was recording the pictures for Google Street View, they were also capturing snippets of data flying over open wi-fi networks.

Google's done a lot of back-pedaling over this revelation -- which they fessed up to on their blog after a German governmental authority asked them about the data-tapping -- according to CNN.com.

Google has said that they only collected "snippets" of data, but that did include websites that people were visiting while on open networks. They added, however, that data on encrypted networks hadn't been compromised, and that they were working with appropriate authorities to destroy the data they've collected.

If this doesn't make you squeamish, substitute "government" for "Google," then see how comfortable you feel.

Why, I have to ask, is Google going about with equipment capable of gathering this kind of data in the first place? I thought Google Street View was for street views -- views which are unaffected whether they're inadvertently or on purpose gathering snippets of data from open networks. That they forgot to turn the switch off is less disturbing than the fact they decided they needed that option on their equipment in the first place.

If this were the government, would we trust that the collected data was being destroyed, that it was only snippets, and that the behavior was going to stop? More likely we wouldn't have that trust.

I've got no worries -- our home network is encrypted. And on the privacy front, I only put out stuff on this blog, Facebook, et cetera, that I'd dare show my grandmother, my employer, my spouse and even my children, so I've got no worries there. We burn documents that contain personal information. We don't blab. And if I see a Google street view vehicle coming up my street, I'm going to throw eggs at it.

Even More Fossilized Fud Music

Today's Fossilized Fud Music Selection features first, the New Christie Minstrels singing "Today." My sister Marina used to play her guitar and sing this song when I was a very small boy. Now, every time I hear this song, I am transported back to childhood, sitting on the floor in her room, listening to her sing and watching her fingers dance over the strings of the guitar. I'm sure I never told her at the time, but I loved to listen to her sing and play. Good times.

This one, she didn't sing, at least to my reocllection, which is probably a good thing, because it kind of freaks my kids out. "Why is she so mean," They ask. I have to say, "Well, it's just a silly song." They don't quite understand. I'm not sure I do either. But it's such a catchy tune . . .

Then there's this guy. Hillbilly music. Not the kind of condescending city-folk music that Myrna Minx might descend out of Manhattan to play at bars and such in Mississippi, but real hillbilly music. Not that she'd sing that kind anyway -- too white, of course.

Happy Wanderer

I'll soon have a story up at Uncharted about another happy wandering. Until then, enjoy this wonderful Muppets Clip. You can see photos of my wandering here now if you wish.

Update: The story is now published in all its glory.

Oont, 30,000 Words In

You know what? I've suddenly gone into "O Brother Where Art Thou" mode. And I don't know why. It's just where the story wants to go. Maybe I won't go there when I go through and edit this beast, but at least in a few more months I'll have a beast to edit. It's kind of exciting. Oh, I've started many, many other novels. But this is the first one I feel like I could finish in a reasonable amount of time.

Then to get it published. That would be quite the thing.

Do We Need Kickstarter?

At Uncharted, we’re at yet another crossroads. I know we talk about crossroads as if we’re hitting a crossroads every three feet, but in a way we are.

We’ve come a long way. We’ve gone from a clunky Joomla-powered site to a much less clunky Ruby on Rails-powered site. I’m no longer embarrassed, I told my Uncharted compatriots a month ago, to invite people to visit us – www.uncharted.net – and contribute their own photos and stories. We’ve got a great product being made by good people.

We just need money.

Specifically, money for improvements. We’re thinking of moving from RoR to PHP. We’d like the ability to add video to our site – something that’s critical for the social web. We want a mobile site. We want the ability to post links and not have them blow up.

We’ve done a lot with a little. Working with programmers in India, we’ve built a $100,000 website for about $10,000. We’ve got a small but growing audience, and dedicated staffers working for free.

We just need money.

Maybe Kickstarter can help us.

Yes, indeed, it is a crowdsourced funding engine, kind of like the things I’ve made fun of. But if you’ll note in my earlier screed, I did say this kind of thing would likely work in niche products such as ours, and perhaps not in general interest products. And I’ll be selfish and say I like the approach that the funding is just that – funding. It’s not an investment. Those who contribute may get a reward – a t-shirt, something like that – but they’re not financially vested. They’re emotionally and creatively vested, which might even be better.

Though my cynical nature says this: Meh. Actually, it shouts “MEH!” But maybe I shouldn’t We ought to give it a try. I'm definitely bringing this up at the next tenants' meeting.

My Wife Gets Things Done

So how's this for news: The Sugar-Salem School District will end the school year two days and a few hours early, calling May 29 the last day, rather than June 3. This just a few days after my wife talked with the district superintendent about closing early.

The in-district discussion I blogged about earlier came to a vote among classified employees, who voted -- this is unofficial, of course -- 77 to 7 to close school early. So there was that, too. My wife didn't do everything.

As I mentioned earlier, it's more of a symbolic money-saving gesture than a real money-saving gesture, but at least the symbolism is there. I don't believe the district will save tons of money, but at this point -- and especially as they ask patrons for a $450,000 levy -- making even token money-saving gestures might help. What also might help is that patrons in the neighboring Fremont School District approved a $1.8-million levy a few days ago.

I think Sugar's prospects of getting the levy passed are good. I know how I'll be voting, at least.

Grocery Store Mythology

Here’s a startling tale to tell: When we do serious grocery shopping, we drive 60 miles round trip to do it. In a sport utility vehicle, no less.

We have grocery stores that are closer to home. Heck, we have one a block and a half from home. We go there for incidentals: hot dog buns, bananas. Occasionally, they put their boxed cereal on sale at a good price. The kids love their penny-candy counter.

But for serious shopping, it’s into the SUV and strap in, we’re going for a ride.

There’s an Albertson’s closer. Their prices aren’t, as Robb Hicken describes in a blog post at the Idaho Business Review, “adequate.” They’re outrageous. Just on mozzarella cheese alone – two blocks every two weeks – we save enough money driving sixty miles to buy it to justify the gas to get us there. There is Winco of Idaho Falls, part of the Boise-based discount chain. And Winco saves us money on practically everything else we buy. I know. I check. I run the numbers. About once a year, I take our latest Winco receipt to the local Albertson’s, the local Broulim’s, and compare prices. Every time, Winco has them beat. They even beat Walmart. Even after I factor in the gasoline.

Yes, I know you shudder, and not just because you’re concerned about the massive size of my carbon footprint.

We don’t. Because whether we drive the extra distance to Idaho Falls to shop or stay local and spend more, somebody still has to drive that food to our local stores, waving at Idaho Falls as it passes. And mark it up. Enormously. Still, you say, we’re tipping the carbon scale. If only you could convince me to look at this situation through the lens of a carbon economy.

Hicken, however, relies on nostalgia, not environmental friendliness, to keep him going to Albertson’s. He likes that whenever he goes into his local store, he knows the people who work there. That’s great. But we’re on as friendly terms with a few folks at Winco and (gasp) Walmart to say the Albertsons Effect here is mitigated. You get out of an experience what you put into it. One of the clerks at Winco was a Waremart clerk I remember chatting with as a kid. You can make friends with a big-box greeter just as easily as the neighborhood grocery store butcher, you know.

I, too, have fond memories of grocery stores past, but I’m afraid they have little to do with store brand loyalty, or loyalty to a store for that matter.

Albertson’s: As I sat in the car with my older sister and younger brother, at the Albertsons in the Yellowstone Mall (the entire mall now is shuttered) another car pulled into the parking spot facing us. Sister said “Wouldn’t it be funny if that car hit us?” It did.

Smith’s: The old Smith’s Food King had an ice cream parlor inside. Rainbow sherbet ice cream every time. Once, younger brother dropped his ice cream in the parking lot. Dad replaced it. Then we sat in the car in the parking lot hoping somebody would step in the melted ice cream. A little boy ran straight towards it – we cheered. Then he leaped over it. We cheered even louder.

Waremart: Winco’s predecessor. They had a drinking fountain in the far corner. I still look for it in Winco’s new store. They also had boxes at the front you put your stuff in, rather than bags. And grease pens so you could write the price from the shelf on the stuff you bought. And real generic brands – black and white packaging.

So there’s a lot of mythology involved. Though I have fond memories of Albertson’s and Smith’s from childhood, their prices today keep me out. I enjoy my Winco and Walmart experiences as much as I enjoy shopping occasionally at the corner grocery store. I’m putting in exactly what I hope to get out: Convenience with some, savings with another.