Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

It's hard to believe I haven't sent anything, not even a rant, to this blog in six weeks. I'll try to blog more. It also reminds me that maybe I should look at the myriad of blogs I have out there and try to hone them down into one or two, more liberal arts style blogs. Maybe one for the written word, one for photos, and one for something else.  I don't know. 

Until then, I hope everyone is enjoying a safe and happy holiday season. Here's a picture of Sean, pre-Christmas, looking exactly like his grandfather did in one from 40 years ago.

My Superpower

We all have ridiculous superpowers that are worth nothing. No practical value at all. One of mine, I apparently inherited from my father.  The power to spot minor celebrities every time I leave the house on a trip. I've seen Larry King, Lee Corso, Jon Gruden, etc. Today, I saw Newt Gingrich and his wife in Chicago's O'Hare airport.

I don't agree with him politically, but independent of that, I noticed a few things about the pair:

1) They travel light. There wasn't an entourage, they didn't have much luggage (I bet they checked it).

2) They're smaller than I thought. They're both about the same height and seemed much shorter than me (I'm six foot).

3) They're made for television. His hair was big. She was very bright (hair color). They both look severe in a way. Like they've been specifically built for the camera, but lose something in real life. 

A number of years ago, while he was still my Senator, I met John Edwards in the airport. The person I was with knew him (they lived in the same neighborhood). The difference was a bit startling. Edwards was charismatic from across the room. It felt like you wanted to be around him. He felt like a leader. Newt, on the other hand, did not. He and his wife had an air around them that said something else. Not quite, "go the hell away," but something like that. 

Manufacturing in the USA

We often hear that Made in the USA is a dying thing. Too often this is true, and we end up spending less but getting less. One place where that trend is being bucked is in small-scale manufacturing, especially for luggage and brief cases. In the search for an organizational tool, I found Rickshaw Bags. They have a video that shows what happens when you order a bag and how it gets made. It's worth a look:

They also have a fresh bag feed that lets you see photos of your new bag as it is made, by hand, for you. 

Maybe if we were all willing to spend a little more on good quality stuff, we could make things a little better around here.

I also forgot to mention, that they use a reusable mailing pouch (that your mail back to them) instead of a lot of packaging.

What Have You Done for ME?

I've recently noticed a strong sense of selfishness in America. I understand that when the economy gets bad, people naturally turn to their own self-interests. It's shown up often in the political discourse and how individual citizens talk about the direction our economy and our country is headed. What have you done for me, what will you do for me, and why are you helping those people seem to be more and more common attitudes (though not necessarily in that order all the time). The one place it is popping up and I don't understand it it the case of the freed American hikers, Josh Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd. 

If you read comments on stories covering their long overdue release, people are actually saying they got what they deserved. I'm seeing comments like:

another prime example of people demanding freedom without accountability and or suffering the consequences of their actions

or

Dear government of Iran, we would really appreciate it if you kept idiots like these.  We don't want them back.  We are more than happy to have you feed, clothe and house them for the rest of their lives.

While likely not the safest activity in the world, those who attempt to climb Everest or engage in other, similar activities, don't receive this type of scorn. Other comments are unhappy with their criticism of any US policies (which so far have been very soft) and strike a definite love it or leave it tone. These attitudes seem to be a reflection and extension of the economic, what have you done for me lately idea permeating policy discussions. The idea that young Americans might go to a strange part of the world to experience culture and nature is so foreign to some people, that it's wrong. 

As Americans we should be happy that US citizens are home. We should be happy that our government cared about them enough to work for over two years to bring them home. This is exactly what our government is for. To protect the rights of the individuals, to work on behalf of its citizens. These young people don't deserve our scorn because they now criticize a corrupt Iranian regime that holds political prisoners for speaking out and asking for the same rights protected by our Constitution. 

Too many Americans seem to have forgotten what Democracy means. It doesn't mean we live in a society where we say all the time, "there oughta be a law..." it means we should be looking for opportunities to say, "there shouldn't be a law." It also means that our government doesn't imprison people and strip them of their rights (like we do in Cuba to many young people who are not terrorists), it means that it should be protecting rights of citizens against larger interests be they corporations, those who would impose a theocracy, or countries like Iran.

Regardless of how you feel about these young people and their comments since coming home, our protection of free speech means that we as a society need to tolerate these ideas. These young people went through a horrible ordeal that is not due to them being reckless or irresponsibility. They're out there experiencing the world before they have responsibilities or expectations on our society (mortgage, social security, Medicare, etc.) and really represent the best of our youth.  Why? Because they want to understand how the world works and make it and the United States better despite living through a horrible experience. 

There is nothing wrong with seeing the world. There is nothing wrong with being young and having a sense of adventure. There is nothing wrong with speaking out against an injustice (be it in a foreign country or here at home). But there is a lot wrong with having a closed mind that only thinks of one's self and thinks that if others receive help it means that they're losing something. 

Why I Changed My TV

For years and years I have loved television.  I mean adored it in a way that is probably not healthy. In 1995 and 1996 I can safely say that I watched at least one episode of each and every network show. When I started working I realized that instead of majoring in history and political science, I probably should have gone to school for communications and media studies. I should be the guy they ask about television shows in interviews on television. 

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I think my parents owned this exact 1974 Zenith Console TV

That being said, I recently said good bye to Directv. I did not add cable. I found that overall television has descended into a black hole absent of creativity. For every 30 Rock there are plenty of shows I will never, ever watch. Too much of cable has become a wasteland of reality shows: dangerous jobs, people hoarding piles and piles of junk, vapid idiots trying to be the dumbest person to every walk the face of the Earth. Outside of HBO and a handful of shows on other networks (30 Rock, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, How I Met Your Mother) there is absolutely nothing to watch on pay television.  Nothing.

So after some investigation, I discovered I could stream two of the three sports I love (NHL and MLB), use an over-the-air antenna to get HD network programming, and stream the rest via Netflix and Hulu (though the verdict is still out on Hulu as it doesn't seem to have much content). As a result, our cable bill that was once around $105 per month is now replaced by $24 in streaming and DVD services. That's about $1,000 a year in savings.  The best part? I don't miss a thing (except Larry David which I'll get on DVD as soon as it comes out).

Actually, I've been watching shows and movies I always meant to try or watch again like Sports Night or Starblazers or Louie (from FX). Instead of wading through crap, I'm doing the programming and finding good stuff. Plus, by going OTA I get three PBS stations. So I now get more nature and history shows than on satellite.

You can do it too.  There is absolutely no reason to keep paying for cable. They gave up trying to really entertain you. They don't produce anything worth watching. If you're happy to pay $100+ a month so you don't miss an episode of Alaskan State Troopers or Frightening Old Ladies who Hoard Piles of Shit and Cats then by all means feel free. But, if like me, you miss the glory days of television and would rather not participate in the corporate sham that exists today, then join me. You won't miss a thing.

Netflix's Problem

 

A lot of people are getting mad at Netflix. First they raise their prices, then they go and announce plans to split into two companies. Oh the Humanity! How could they treat us so? The comments against Netflix are staggering. In my opinion, too many people are focused on the price aspect (they doubled the price and now I have to go to TWO websites?). The point is, they're not trying to be greedy, Netflix is looking too far into the future. Yes, I said that Netflix is looking too far into the future.

Netflix is made up of tech geeks and early adopters who, I'm sure, are all streaming television. They may have even done what my household has recently done, cut all pay TV sources and go streaming only. When I tell most people that we have no cable and no satellite and we get all content via streaming or an OTA (over-the-air) antenna they don't get it. I'm asked questions like, "so can you get TBS with that antenna," or "how do you get ESPN?" I don't. I get network TV for free (yes they still broadcast it) and stream everything else. I can only assume that many of those making decisions at Netflix have done the same thing. They are likely streaming using Netflix to provide the majority of their entertainment content. If they're like my family, they're also relying less and less on the DVD service.

So what does this have to do with the split and all the changes? I think Netflix is imagining a world in the near future where everyone gets more content like this and sees no reason to ever get another DVD in the mail again. Face it, eventually, all of the content on DVDs is going to be sold digitally like music. Netflix is anticipating that by splitting into two companies. With streaming enabled TVs and DVD players becoming the norm, streaming is set to take off. With postal rates about to increase and Saturday delivery about to go away, service via mail is going to get more complicated. Additionally, new competition from kiosks like Red Box may make take over what is left of an increasingly less lucrative physical DVD business.

A lot of people are upset because they don't want to wait for content to get to streaming/streaming has a poor selection of movies/streaming quality stinks/etc. Again, Netflix is making a play based on the future. As more and more consumers stream, the companies that own the rights to this content are going to see the need to stream more content more quickly. Who cares about DVDs being the first thing out if nobody watches them anymore? All of these problems will eventually go away and fix themselves. Broadband will get better, the selection will get better, etc. The only danger here is if broadband companies start to throttle bandwidth or find a way around net neutrality. 

The thing most people don't realize is that Netflix is thinking like a successful technology company NOT a consumer services company. By looking to the future, they're anticipating how people will act tomorrow. Maybe their methods weren't the smoothest, but they're trying to distance themselves from DVDs in the mail and make a play for streaming entertainment directly to the consumer. By doing so, they're betting on the long-term viability of the company and trying to anticipate how the market will change instead of reacting too late (like Blockbuster).

My Poor Little Blog

Not much going on around here I guess.  I've had some vacation time, been working too hard, and have generally had nothing to say.  So what did I do on my summer vacations?  Mostly went to western North Carolina (twice) to enjoy the splendor the mountains.  While there, I saw:

The hippest, fanciest duck ever.

 

An Octopus wandering the streets of Asheville

 

The tallest point (in the United States) east of the Mississippi (Mt. Mitchell)

 

Grandfather Mountain

 

A crazy Llama

 

And a new Sheriff in Town

 

Overall, the summer of 2011 was a lot of fun. Now, if I can only find a way to make fall that much fun too.