Pot! (05.08.07)

Yeah, yeah.  I can't help but crack the easy joke.  So just a brief bit today to thank Vanessa for my new pot.  She hand crafted this pot to replace the awful, awkward blue plastic cup that had previously held most of my long handled kitchen utensils.  The old cup was small, and didn't weigh very much, so it tipped over all the time.  Besides, it didn't look very stylish.  Vanessa's pot is a truly beautiful and functional work of art.  It is the perfect size and weight.  It is physically and aesthetically smooth.  It works as useful tool.  Moreover, it was personally handcrafted by Vanessa.  Thanks, V. 

Marathon Sports (05.04.07)

I'll be the first to admit that a) I have high, exacting standards and that b) I can whine about even the smallest of infractions of these standards.  That said, there can be little argument that on average, most experiences with "customer service" of any kind leave something to be desired, and are often stress- and anxiety-producing experiences.Which is why I am pleased to applaud one of the greatest customer service experiences I have had in a long time, at sports-gear-retailer Marathon Sports.

I have been a loyal wearer of Asics Gel Nimbus sneakers now for 3 years, after making the sad switch from Samba classics (wore those from age 10 to age 24).  Unfortunately, the Gel Nimbus style --designed for ultra-cushion-- is not carried by typical footwear, and even sports gear stores.  Only high-end running stores seem to carry the marque.  So every year, I've been heading off to Marathon Sports, the local run/walk enthusiast store, to grab the latest Nimbus model.  The Nimbus 9's are not supposed to be out until June, but MS got them in Wednesday night, and gladly sold me a pair yesterday.

Getting advanced access to a product was cool, but that did not define my positive experience in the slightest.  The shoe salesman immediately noticed that I was wearing a pair of Nimbus XIII's when I rolled in, and had me take them off for a gait analysis.  He accurately identified my high arches, and mild outward pronation.  He confirmed that, while not the only possible choice, the Asics Nimbus was an excellent choice for me.

I proceeded to spend a whole hour at the store, trying on Brooks, Asics Gel Kinsei's (the Cadillac of cushion shoes), and 3 other pairs that came really close to the Nimbus.  I walked around the store, was allowed to go run around the block, and was checked for proper fit and gait about a dozen times by the salesmen.  We discussed the tread, build, comfort and style of each shoe, and the salesman was quite honest about the durability and customer feedback of each shoe.  In the end, I settled on my tried and true Nimbus trainers.

Upon checking out, as if things couldn't have gone any better, I exclaimed "Ouch!" when the cashier told me the final price ($125.99).  She immediately asked if I was a returning customer--I showed her my tattered old pair of Asics--and she immediately offered 10% off my purchase, and gave me a lifetime 10% off card.  I walked back to the office in comfort and style--and with the warm glow of a 100% satisfactory customer service experience.

Can you hear me now, BITCH? (03.28.07)

So I guess I suck at blogging...

I've been a loyal Vonage subscriber now for about 3 years. Maybe longer now. I like landline phones, and although I appreciate why many people use wireless only, I also know why people shouldn't rely on only wireless. Nonetheless, whether you care more for wireline or wireless, you should care about monopoly companies such as Verizon doing everything possible to make sure that consumers like you get hosed when they purchase any telecommunications service.

Although I don't necessarily support patent infringement, Vonage represents a small subset of competitive phone providers who are doing their best to compete against the likes of Verizon. Verizon uses evidence of this limited competition to beg for deregulation before the FCC. And yet at every corner, Verizon takes every step to crush rivals. The latest news in Verizon v. Vonage does not bode well for Vonage...or for telephone consumers.  Although the following video paints Vonage in a negative light, a couple of slides are both funny, and point to the sucky nature of the monopoly telecom market.

Balls! (01.22.07)

Balls come in all shapes and sizes, have many magical properties, and have the ability to bring substantive pleasure to both men and women. I just discovered a new use for two of my balls that relieves stress and muscle tension, lays me out on my back, causes moaning and heavy breathing, and can be done either by myself or with the assistance of another person.

Get your mind out of the gutter! I'm talking about a great chiropractic therapy that involves the use of two tennis balls to activate pressure points along the spine to help relieve neck and shoulder tension. It sounds like a crazy idea at first, but I've done it a couple of times now and the results are excellent.

So what do you do? Lie down on your back. Place two tennis balls under your shoulders--they should be as close together as possible, one on either side of your spine. Bring your feet together and draw them close so that your knees are up in the air. Put pressure on your feet, so that your back is resting on the tennis balls, and the only point of contact you have with the floor is your feet. From this position, you can do two things. You can move away from your feet so that the balls roll down your spine in one smooth motion--this should have the effect of "cracking your back." You can also roll down slowly, stopping when the balls reach each of several pressure points along your spine. Hold the position at each of these points and feel the tension in your back drain away.

This is a no pain, no gain therapy. Many people might find the discomfort of resting your back on two tennis balls to be greater than the benefits. To each his own, but in my opinion, this is the balls. (Don't forget to include in your calculation of benefits the bonus of getting to offer your housemates the option to play with your balls if they'd like to.)

The C&C Brick: Installed and Hottt (09.01.06)

There is no denying it: The C&C Brick is extremely Hottt. I don't really feel the need to say any more. Behold!

"The Scream" Reclaimed (08.31.06)

CNN is reporting that two paintings by Edvard Munch (The Scream, and Madonna) have been recovered after they were stolen from a museum at gun point in 2004. The works appear to have a value in excess of $120-million. The article claims that police are 100% certain that the works are authentic.

The details are scarce, so it is hard to assess whether or not this is a noteworthy triumph for the proverbial "Stolen Art Police," but it is most certainly a victory for the art community. Scream is a good painting--and every school child aged 6 or above can probably recognize that eerie face. But more important, in my opinion, is the return of Madonna. This painting is stunning and breathtaking, beautiful and unsettling, human and other-worldly. I love this painting, and I hope you will take a moment to appreciate it--I hope to have a chance to see it in person at some point.

Hope You're Feeling Better (08.29.06)

I have to give a special shout out to Anna (my massage therapist) for her excellent taste in music. At my latest massage, Anna played several cool things, including some Shirley Bassey (famous for singing the theme song for Goldfinger!) and some other cool tunes. To finish things up, Anna cranked some Santana. I have not really been a huge fan of Santana's newer material (too pop-y and uninspired) but have always been a great admirer of the older album "Abraxas," which is precisely what Anna put on.

I'm fairly certain that you know most of the tunes on this disc (Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va) so this plug may seem a little underwhelming, but you need to check out "Hope You're Feeling Better." This song absolutely rocks. It's got some mean organ riffs, some tight guitar solos, and to top off, excellent drums (both hand percussion and a kit). So with all haste, grab a copy of Abraxas and sit down and rock out to this 1970 classic.

Making an Exit (08.28.06)

There are plenty of important potential exits that could be discussed in this space: Iraq for example. Instead, I will focus on a much more crucial issue, how to make the most efficient exit through a set of outward-opening double doors.

When making such an exit in a public place, pedestrians often face the choice of turning left or right onto a sidewalk, and in the face of the choice, pick the wrong door through which to exit. Figure 1 below illustrates the possible trajectories of making a right hand turn through the right side of a double door. Note how the pedestrian must either open the door all the way [A.] (often causing an unintentional tensioned "spring-back") and walk all the way around the door; or open the door only part way, but have to walk in the wrong direction to get around the door [B.] (or worse, get stuck as an additional follower opens the door all the way! [C.])

FIGURE 1. A, B, & C.

I am fairly certain that millions of seconds have been wasted by humankind just by making a poor choice with regards to a double door exit. The clear choice for the most efficient exit, is to exit from the side of the door opposite to the direction in which you wish to make your exit. WOW! Figure 2 illustrates how exiting from the left door, which need be opened only marginally, allows for a quick and easy exit.

I strongly encourage you to take this advice to heart, and make the appropriate decision as you make for the exit. Nothing feels quite like making a clean break from a train station or office building, feeling the brisk city breeze as you slip away.

FIGURE 2.

Plan B (08.25.06)

Well, it has been nearly two months since my last post. Please excuse my delinquency. I've been a little overwhelmed lately by travel (Florida and North Carolina), house and pet sitting (Beverly and Beacon Hill)--in the past three weeks, I've spent only three nights in my own bed. This is not to say that I couldn't find the time to get all riled up about something. I just needed a little break. So now I'm back.

The FDA has just approved over-the-counter sale of Plan B emergency oral contraception. In my humble opinion, this is a good idea. I don't want to get to far into a Roe v. Wade debate, but I fall into the pro-choice camp. I don't advocate for wanton abortions, but I do advocate for not bringing unwanted children into the world, especially if they stand to be raised by unqualified or dispassionate parents. So I would prefer sexual responsibility, but that doesn't always happen. Plan B seems like a great middle ground for reducing unwanted pregnancies, while also keeping "choice" as the national standard. Some opponents of Plan B argue that OTC availability will increase sexual irresponsibility. I'm just not convinced: I feel like people who think, "Gee, I can have unprotected sex whenever I want, I can always just go take some Plan B," might also be the type to say, "Gee, I can take the Pill and have sex whenever I want."

So now, I feel obligated to give a shout out for responsible, safe sex. Have all the sex you want; but unwanted pregnancies and diseases are bad, so she should consider birth control, and he should always wear a condom. No exceptions.

An Inconvenient Truth (06.30.06)

At the suggestion of Keith, I went to see the film "An Inconvenient Truth" yesterday evening. Despite the fact that movie admission is now $10.00, and that a medium popcorn was $4.50, and that the popcorn butter warmers were all broken, I had a good time at this movie. In fact, for several reasons on which I will expound below, I strongly recommend that YOU see this movie, in the theatre, as soon as you get a chance.

An Inconvenient Truth, at its core, is a film aimed at drawing attention to the pending environmental crisis that is resulting from human pollution. More specifically, the growth in population and industry, and the resulting growth of carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gasses are posing a serious threat to our planet--and no one seems to be paying attention. But take heart, this is no Greenpeace documentary. This film tells the story of Al Gore's passion for environmental concerns, following his years of advocacy and in the process showing you a slide show presentation that Gore has been giving around the world, supposedly more than a thousand times now.

Humor. There really isn't anything funny about planetary catastrophe, but Gore-as lead character and narrator-makes some comedy out this situation. He hits on political satire mostly, but on some other elements too. Economics, industry, and science are all the subject of a little fun-poking. I wouldn't suggest this movie if you are looking for a comedy, but as I hinted before, the movie is not boring, and is actually quite enjoyable.

Moving. Al Gore does a really wonderful job of creating a sense of urgency and motivation--if we don't start taking serious action NOW, we may never be able to undue the damage we have done. There is no guilt involved. It may seem a little corny, but I left the theatre feeling inspired to do something. As an individual, it seems like it may be impossible for one person to do any good, but Gore makes it clear that you can help. See the movie, tell others about it, write to your congressmen, assess your energy uses and adopt low energy appliances, recycle, drive a hybrid car, turn your thermostat down when you leave the house. There are plenty of ways to start helping.

Not Sappy. I have seen so many poor attempts at environmental education. Lectures, classes, movies, TV, brochures, hippies from Masspirg hitting me up in the street. An Inconvenient Truth avoids all of the pitfalls of this sort of topic. There is no guilt. There are some moments which hit home on species extinction, and cycles of nature, but these are handled in a mature manner.

Informative. And not condescending! I learned a lot from this film, even though there was some repeat of information I had seen before in science class. Gore's use of Apple's Keynote presentation software makes the "classroom" stuff very enjoyable.

See the movie. The end of the film encourages viewers to reflect on how they can help, and explicitly asks for your help in passing along the message. So I am doing my duty: go see this film. It is totally worth it. On so many levels. Tell others about it. I was very pleased to see the makeup of the audience after my viewing. There were some adults, several twenty somethings, and many young people. Spread the word.

Irony. I do think that Al Gore should receive special commendation for his work with the environment, and for taking a stand and getting this movie out there. However, it was interesting to see that a lot of the shots from the film showed Gore driving around in a big Lincoln Towncar, a HUGE Mercedes, flying around in helicopters surveying the land below... I don't begrudge Al any of these luxuries, and aerial perspective may be critical to his work, but Al's message might have rung just that much truer if he was filmed cruising around in a Toyota Prius.

The Flag (06.27.06)

Those of you that have known me for a while have probably heard me express discontent over people and institutions that display a flag (be it the Stars and Stripes or the colors of a college) when said flag is tattered, torn, or noticeably faded. All too often, flags are raised and left on display 24/7 through the worst rains, wind and winters. It should not come as a surprise that flags, even of the highest quality, can quickly be damaged under such conditions. Even with proper daily raisings and lowerings, flags will sustain damage over time. Although I generally appreciate that people take the effort to display a flag, I feel that the proper display of a flag should be something undertaken only with the greatest respect for the flag and all that it represents. When the Porter Exchange Building flies the American flag from its highest point, I assume that it does so to demonstrate national pride and allegiance. (I am not quite sure why else people would fly a flag...)

To raise a tattered flag is a bit of a catch 22: you may be doing it with the best of intentions but it reeks of disrespect and lack of care. You wouldn't attend a job interview in a 3-piece suit that was tattered and fraying, adorned with a sun-faded neck tie, would you? It just doesn't evoke the pride and positive qualities that the flag/suit are supposed to evoke. As such, I feel strongly that flag flyers should only raise a flag if they are willing to undertake the responsibility of maintaining their flag, and replacing it when necessary.

That said, I am quite pleased that the senate did not pass (if by a narrow margin) a potential constitutional amendment that would make it illegal to burn or otherwise defame an American Flag. Although I strongly support upholding the Flag as a positive symbol of the US, I respect the right of anyone to express their differing points of view on America, especially in a non-violent manner such as burning a flag. The media is billing this as a first amendment issue, and at some level it is--I'll let you consider first amendment rights on your own--but I see this on another level. If the government were to mandate respect for the flag, the flag as a symbol--supported by voluntary respect and pride--would cease to carry the meaning that it does now. As discussed above, many Americans do not give appropriate consideration to the flags that they fly, and lessening that level of self-consciousness would only be negative.

I encourage you to take a moment to think about the "flags" that you fly, be they literal flags or otherwise. Ask yourself why you take pride in the flag, why you display it, and whether or not your commitment to respectful display is in line with these feelings.

Cell Phone Competition (06.22.06)

In the grand scheme of the telecommunications marketplace, few services are available to consumers from as many providers as cell phone service. Most users can choose from Verizon Wireless, Cingular, Sprint, T-Mobile, and a couple of regional cell providers. Especially now that AT&T and MCI are bought and paid for, most consumers are lucky if they have more than one choice for traditional wireline service. So 4-5 providers, all of whom take out tons of adverts in local papers, radio, TV, and billboards, provide a good deal of competition for service.

But are 4-5 providers enough to make the marketplace behave like a "perfectly competitive" market? Absolutely not. Here are some telltale signs that the market for wireless service is decidedly not as competitive as the industry would like you to believe.

1. Quality of Service. I'm sure that I am not the only one who has been given a lousy telephone, or who has been unable to hear a caller at the other end of a call, or have been unable to place a call at all. And have you ever tried to deal with a customer service rep from any of these companies? If the market for cell phones was competitive, these companies would treat you with much greater respect. You would get great reception at your house, office and anywhere else you go.

2. Marginal Cost of Minutes. Have you ever gone over your monthly allotment of minutes? Yep. Me too. I bet you've paid 30 cents a minute or more for that mistake. While it probably does cost something to provide you with an additional minute of airtime, it certainly doesn't cost 30 cents...or 10 cents. I bet the marginal cost of a minute of talk time is 1 cent or less for national carriers like Cingular. If the market for wireless service was competitive, you would not pay any more than the marginal cost for additional minutes. This is one of the surest signs that the market falls into the category of an oligopoly subject to some collusion (tacit or otherwise). If Sprint suddenly started charging users only 1 penny a minute for extra minutes, ceteris paribus, everyone would switch to Sprint and the other providers would have to lower their price.

3. Discriminatory Pricing. When a company can charge different prices to different consumers, can charge a different price for different volumes of the good, or can segment the market and charge different prices to each segment, they have some level of market power. Price discrimination has nothing to do with race or ethnicity, it has everything to do with economics and the desire to maximize profits. At any rate, wireless companies are guilty of price discrimination on at least two counts. $29.99 for 400 minutes, $39.99 for 600 minutes, $49.99 for 1,000 minutes. Sound familiar? Wireless companies charge less per minute to those users who commit to buying higher volumes. If wireless markets were competitive, everyone would pay the same price per minute. Wireless companies also segment the market. Many cell users purchase a post-paid plan, were you use your phone, get a bill at the end of the month, and pay it over the next 30 days. A new breed of cell phones with pre-paid plans have been on the market and are gaining popularity. With pre-paid, a user either buys minutes for a phone and adds them to the plan, or has a monthly plan, but has to pay for it in advance. These plans cater to those with poor credit, with no credit cards, or the desire to pay cash for cell phone service (mobsters, terrorists, etc.) You can be sure that these pre-paid plans are not priced identically to the usual post-paid plans. By separating the market into distinct groups with a preference (for whatever reason) to pre- or post-pay, cellular phone companies are exercising market power.

4. Barriers to entry/exit. Trust me. If I could start a wireless company, I would do it. Industry revenues topped out at the end of 2005 at $114-BILLION(!). If I could capture even 1/100th of a percent of the market, and pull down $1-million+ in revenues, that would be hott. But in order to compete at a national level, you need to make billions of dollars in fixed investments (let me just check my wallet here....) You need to buy cell antennas, rent tower space, own at least one telephone switch, have computer and billing systems. It is just not feasible for any schmoe to join up in the wireless industry and skim some profits from the top cream. As such, when wireless providers get greedy and flex their market power to charge supra-competitive prices, they are insulated from potential discipline that would develop in a market without entry barriers.

5. Bell Telephone Ownership. By several metrics, Bell companies own more than 50% of the national wireless market. Need I say more?

So what do you think? Are you tired of two-year(!) contracts for cell service, overage charges, and lousy customer service? Let me know! ccweir-at-gmail-dot-com.

Growing Up with GNR (06.14.06)

I just acquired an excellent CD by a band called Aqueduct. The disc is called I Sold Gold, and was an excellent buy from Newbury Comics for their unbeatable new disc price of $9.99. Pitchfork had some mixed reviews, but you have my word that this disc is worth 10 bucks. In fact, the first song I heard, Growing Up With GNR (courtesy of KEXP's song of the day [if you don't get this podcast, subscribe now!]) is worth the $10 alone. Buy it and enjoy. Here's a hot lick from GUWGNR:

• I was only twelve, dammit all to hell, I was feeling fine
  hearing Axl Rose, on the radio
  singing sweet child of mine
  welcome to the jungle
  you're much too much to handle
  I wish I weren't in love with you
  hearing Axl Rose on the radio
  remembering the good times with you
  I've been living in a fantasy
  Just trying to get it right, I've got to get it right
  whenever you're lonely you are not alone
  

Macy's Response (06.08.06)

Here is the email I received back from Macy's, which appears to be canned, as more than one person has received this same letter.

• Macy's has a long-standing and respected history of support for diversity. Our company philosophy is deeply rooted in diversity and inclusiveness. As such, we support a variety of causes in the communities that we serve. Our commitment and celebration of Gay Pride has been traditionally commemorated in our window displays. Our annual support of Gay Pride Week in Boston and in other cities where we operate clearly demonstrates our commitment to diversity. Macy's commitment to diversity will continue to be an important part of our company and community outreach as we celebrate Gay Pride festivities this month and in the future.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Altrina Johnson
  Customer Service Specialist
  Macy's

Boycott Macy's (06.07.06)

I'll write the sequel of my experiences at Harpoon another time. For now, you should take a moment to write to Macy's. According to boston.com, Macy's has taken down a window display showing two male mannequins and a Boston Gay Pride Week schedule. As you can see below, the display was quite positive and creative. The active removal of the display at the request of an anti-gay organization is hurtful. You should consider sending Federated Department Stores (Macy's parent company) an email explaining just how bogus and hurtful this is. You should also consider not shopping at Macy's, since according to the article, it sounds like Macy's will focus more attention on this issue if its own business interests are at stake.

• To Whom it May Concern: I was very disappointed to read on Boston.com that Macy's in Boston has removed a window display featuring two male mannequins and a calendar of events for Boston's Gay Pride week. The tasteful display was a wonderful vote of support for the gay community, and its removal at the request of a hateful anti-gay organization leaves me feeling offended. As an economist, I understand that human rights motivations are not always in line with business motivations, but your choice is a unacceptable slap in the face to the Boston community in which you do business. I strongly urge you to re-instate the display, make a public apology both to the gay community and the community at large, and acknowledge that bending to the will of a group of bigots was a mistake. Since you seem to care more about dollars than human rights, I have posted news of this occurrence to my website, and will take every effort to convince my peers to not shop at Macy's until you make restitution.

Pouring (06.02.06)

No, I am not referring to the fact that the weather has gone to shit and started raining again, although that is true. Last night I started my 3-day stint working at the Harpoon Brewery as a "part time pourer." It was pretty much just what I expected it to be, which is to say I was quite busy, met lots of cool/interesting people, and got really good at pouring beer. This is not exactly my first time pouring beer. I poured myself my first beer, a Sam Adams, from a bottle to a glass when I was 12 (at my grandma's house, great story!) I've pumped and poured more beers from a keg at various parties than I would care to remember. And I have certainly used a "real" tap to pour beers as well.

Pouring beer is both easy, and not nearly as easy as it looks. On a basic level, pouring is simple: you hold a glass under the tap, pull the tap, watch beer fill the glass, and turn off the tap. Oh, and the hand the beer to someone with a smile. This isn't rocket science.

But the finesse behind pouring a good beer (and giving a fair pour) is more complex. First, you cannot simply hold a glass under the tap: if the beer travels more than about 3/4s of an inch before it hits the side of the glass, it will foam uncontrollably. You need to really hold the glass right up to the tap and angle the glass so that the beer pours from the tap directly onto the glass, sliding down the edge rather than falling from the tap into the bottom of the glass. Moreover, depending on the beer and the tap, it may be necessary to start the flow of beer before placing the glass underneath the tap. This is necessary because some taps send a little spurt of foam right at the beginning, which can ruin the whole pour if you are not careful. (It is quite painful to watch that beer run down the drain.) Some beers are just naturally foamy, and the pouring process needs to involve some amount of beer spilling over the side of the glass, as settled beer pushes the foamy head of the beer up and out. (As an aside, Harpoon uses a high temperature dishwasher that cleans their glasses without soap. Soap residue, even if in small quantities that will not ruin the taste of a beer, will make a beer foam more as it enters the glass. I do like the idea of not cleaning glasses with soap, but will comment that non-soap dishwashers get your glassware VERY hot. Watch out for your fingers!)

One of my compatriots had a tough time with these anti-foam tricks of the trade. (It was even more difficult watching full beers with too much foam get poured out). I, on the other hand, was having trouble pouring beers with enough foam at the top. I personally appreciate getting a beer with no head, i.e. with the most beer possible. Other people seem to really want a good head on their beer. Once I had started the beer properly, no amount of restarting the tap, dropping the glass well below the tap or sloshing of the beer could generate a buildup of head.

So tonight will be an adventure to perfect my beer pouring skills. Can I generate an acceptable and desirable layer of foam on the beers while eliminating waste? Stay tuned.

Slides (06.01.06)

Sigh... June already. For better or worse, one of the duties of my job is to prepare slides to be used as handouts at various meetings. Often times my slides show a data table, a chart, or a graph. Sometimes a slide has some bullet points. Sometimes these slide handouts are long, and other times are 1-page efforts designed to catch someone's attention. My latest effort certainly qualifies as one of the weirdest slides I have ever put together. Has your boss ever asked you to find an image of an AK-47? How about a chainsaw? You think I jest? See the slide for yourself!

Memorial Day (05.31.06)

Always a day a late and a dollar short... I hope that all of my readers enjoyed this past Monday, a holiday, and got some much needed R&R. I spent the day outside doing some yard work and then doing some barbequing. It was great to spend some quality time with my family and neighbors and to finally be able to sit in some warm sun and just relax. As with many holidays, I did not stop to consider the reasons why I was taking a day off from work. Memorial Day has a rich a colorful history, but the basic gist is that the holiday is designed as a time to remember the lives of those who "died in our nations service." Did you stop to make such a remembrance? It briefly crossed my mind.

Given our current "war" situation, it is hard to think positively about the loss of human life on behalf of political or patriotic ideals. But regardless of what you think about the war in Iraq, or any war for that matter, it is hard to imagine where the US would be if it had not trudged through some of the wars in our past. Our whole existence as a nation is premised upon our victory in the Revolutionary war. Take a moment to think about the people who have died in the name of our country. It's the least you can do in light of the cookout you just enjoyed.

At the Cab Stand (05.26.06)

A brief rant here. I was held up at work the other day, and wound up being late for a meeting. Although my destination was certainly accessible by T, (and I HATE paying for a taxi, especially at rush hour, if I can get someplace easily via public transport) but I just did not have the time to walk to the T, wait for a train, and then transfer to the silver line bus. So I went to the closest cab stand, where there are usually 10 cabs lined up, only to find ZERO available taxis. Typical. So I wait. 2 other parties join me in line at the stand. A cab comes around the corner, speeding down Beacon Street, screeching to a stop at the cab stand a few feet behind where I was standing. The second party, obviously destined for the airport, throws open the trunk and puts luggage inside, while I stand, jaw agape, gesticulating at the gentleman who has just stolen my taxi. I would be pretty pissed if I missed a flight because I couldn't hail a taxi in time, but is a flight any more important than any other engagement for which one is about to be late? The guy asked me "Oh, were you here before us?" I responded, "Yeah, but it's all good." I hope I have some good taxi karma heading my way.

White pants (05.25.06)

Granted, it is almost memorial day, but not quite. And yet many people have been busting out the white pants with rampant disregard for general "White Pants" etiquette. White, as I recall, is allowed during the period starting in the spring with Memorial day and ending in the fall with Labor day. This general limitation on white applies to men and women, pants and sport coats, and some even extend this to shoes. (I wonder whether white gloves are kosher out of season?) And yet the white pants, mainly sported by women enthusiastic about the arrival of summer, are already busting out the white. I will admit a little gender bias on this issue, though I haven't yet seen any men in white pants or coats this seasons and HAVE seen a number of females sporting white pants (and shoes). Do I really care about the exact date when people don white? No, and in fact, I have been guilty of wearing my off-white tuxedo coat in the dead of winter. What really gets me is the general manner in which white pants tend to be worn.

For one, the popular trend in white pants seems to be that the "white" of the pants is actually more of a see-through-white. Don't get me wrong, this can be hott in the right circumstances, (and this problem isn't inherently endemic with just white pants), but I tend to see these white pants on people clearly coming from or going to the office or workplace. Showing off your thong may be perfect for the club scene but not for the office.

Appropriate clothing selection is a relative science which must factor in many variables: who are you, where are you going, who else is going to be there? Old-school clothing etiquette is arguably outdated and doesn't meet the needs of today's society. But there has to be a bright line somewhere. So what do you think? Are bare bellies and visible underwear acceptable at the work place? Are jeans and t-shirts acceptable at a restaurant? On the flipside, is wearing a suit to a casual office place being snobby? How about coat and tie at the local cafe while grabbing a beer?

Also, for what its worth, since Monday is Memorial day, does anyone want to go out on a date with a hott guy in a white tuxedo?

Mousing with the left (05.23.06)

This morning, In a fit of feeling a little too tired to sit down and be monumentally productive, I decided to clean off my desk. Work papers were filed away in my lateral file, notes and scraps and other such trash was placed in the circular file. I still have a little dusting to do, but my desk is finally looking pretty good. My Cheez-It tower stands regally in the corner, and my art hangs on the wall, seemingly accented by the lack of clutter that abounded an hour ago. As I shuffled some of the remaining clutter around to maximize my desk space, I was struck again by an idea I've been toying with: Maybe I should move my mouse to the left side of the keyboard and use my left hand to operate it. My limiting factor has always been that my mouse cord is way to short to accommodate the long haul between by computer on the floor to the right of my desk to the left side of my keyboard. But I found an extension cable amongst power cables, RJ-11 phone cords, and miscellaneous other wires that will probably remain unused for years. Woot!

So now my mouse is on the left, my water glass on the right, and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. I am sure I look like an idiot groping with my right hand for the mouse that has remained in the same location for three years. I also probably look pretty foolish as I gingerly grab the mouse with my left hand and slowly move the pointer to its intended destination. Scrolling with the wheel isn't so hard, but choosing the right mouse button/finger combination is. My initial inclination is to hold the mouse such that my left index finger is on the left button, and to move my index finger for the occasional right-click. I am trying to work it to hold my index finger over the right button, left-clicking with my middle finger. I suppose I could also experiment with switching the mouse buttons so that right is left and vice versa. Any of these combinations feel rather strange.

Why would I want to switch sides with the mouse? 1. Just cause. 2. Mousing with the same hand can cause all sorts of muscle problems, including repetitive stress issues. 3. I hope that using the left hand more for mousing will increase my overall left hand dexterity, especially for playing guitar. 4. Especially because it is so awkward for me, I hope to develop even more skill at using the keyboard to get where I need to get and reduce my overall dependency on the mouse.

Reader poll: Do you have experience with using the mouse with your non-dominant hand? Why? Any tips? Are you a lefty but mouse with your right hand just cause?

Happy Birthday gay marriage! (05.18.06)

I didn't believe it until I had read it in severalnews sources, but gay marriage has now been legal in Massachusetts for 2 years (May 17). I am proud to support my gay friends, and to vocalize that support to legislators both in and out of MA. I am sad to report that there are still plenty of haters in MA that would like to see gay marriage rights revoked and that these people have been making strides to put this issue on the ballot for a vote in 2008. If it actually comes down to this, I encourage all MA citizens to head to the polls and take a stand. Cast your vote in support of equal rights, cast your vote for gay marriage.