Winter Coat. Check.
Hat. Check.
Gloves. Check.
Facemask. Check.
Mug of hot tea. Check.
It takes a little extra preparation in the morning to get ready to face a cold Minnesota winter day, not to mention a record low -24 degrees.
I walk to work from MSU's free parking lot to my office. Its about a 4 block walk from my car, usually into the wind, to the warm indoor sanctuary of the Taylor Center. Its a usually a uneventful walk, and I'm usually the only one walking in that early in the morning.
This morning though, I witnessed the value of my MSU degree dropping with the mercury. On my walk in I was passed by a student wearing only a pair of jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. No hat, no gloves, no jacket, and despite wearing a hooded sweatshirt, no hood.
I get the whole manly bit, I really do. Man vs Mother Nature and all that. But there is a difference between being manly and stupid. The older I get the more I realize things falling into the latter.
Back to this student. If he can't prepare for a walk into school, I have little hope for him to be prepared for the actual class. My biggest fear is his future job interview: "Yes I went to MSU. Does your health plan cover frostbite?"
Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Sayola?
I've worked in the radio industry for what is going now on my 5th year. Mostly behind the board, rarely behind the mic. I run that big fancy sound board that controls what goes over the air. Not a prestigious PT job but it helps pay some bills (mostly gas to and from the station).
Around when I first started I remember having to sit through a "Payola" online presentation mandated by my then employer Clear Channel Communications. It was an informational piece about "Payola". If I recall correctly, it had to be watched annually.
To give a little background to those unfamiliar with what "Payola" is: Payola is basically an under the table exchange of money to either play certain songs or talk favorably about certain businesses, products, etc . Radio personalities must disclose tot their audiences if they are getting paid by a company they are talking about.
There are certain word or phrases that indicate people are promoting products on the square.
Typically you'll hear commercials saying "This is (radio personality) for (endorsed product)". You'll also hear them disclosing that they're getting paid (one way or another) for something they're doing/promoting. A good example is when Dan Cole on KFAN talks about an upcoming boxing match, and where the fight is being held (a certain casino). He then states "He is getting paid handsomely" to ring announce at the event. Thereby disclosing to the audience that it is a paid endorsement.
The line between payola and a legit endorsement can get tricky, hence the need for radio companies to clarify it with On-Air Staff on an annual basis.
Social Media Muddies the Water
When I first started in radio(way back in 2006), Twitter was in its infancy, blogging was reserved for nerds discussing the finer points of Star Trek, and Facebook wasn't nearly the household name it is today.
Now with over 500 million users on Facebook, businesses cannot ignore this chance to connect with potential consumers. The radio industry has done just that. Today, many radio personalities interact with their fans either through individual personality pages and twitter accounts, or through station pages and twitter accounts. The more followers or fans you have, the better the opportunity to turn listeners, into loyal listeners by giving listeners the sense of being actual friends with those personalities or stations.
This also creates a possible "sayola" issue. (I think I created the term)
While the FCC looks at broadcasts for payola violations, they do not (as far as I can see) cover social media.
A radio personality gains Twitter followers or Facebook fans from their broadcasts. (often by directly or indirectly promoting each on the air). They can then direct these followers/fans away from the non-revenue generating Facebook & Twitter to revenue generating products they offer, like tuning in to the station or logging on to their website.
Of all the benefits those social media entities can bring, it can also bring in problems.
Those personalities could also work under the table with other businesses for exchanges in the way of trading status updates/tweets for $, goods, or services. Going outside the obvious "Man, business X has the lowest prices in town", something as simple as a Connect-4 "Check-in" can possibly be seen as an endorsement of that business.
While I don't see this as currently being a major issue, it is an issue that was not even possible only 5 years ago.
Around when I first started I remember having to sit through a "Payola" online presentation mandated by my then employer Clear Channel Communications. It was an informational piece about "Payola". If I recall correctly, it had to be watched annually.
To give a little background to those unfamiliar with what "Payola" is: Payola is basically an under the table exchange of money to either play certain songs or talk favorably about certain businesses, products, etc . Radio personalities must disclose tot their audiences if they are getting paid by a company they are talking about.
There are certain word or phrases that indicate people are promoting products on the square.
Typically you'll hear commercials saying "This is (radio personality) for (endorsed product)". You'll also hear them disclosing that they're getting paid (one way or another) for something they're doing/promoting. A good example is when Dan Cole on KFAN talks about an upcoming boxing match, and where the fight is being held (a certain casino). He then states "He is getting paid handsomely" to ring announce at the event. Thereby disclosing to the audience that it is a paid endorsement.
The line between payola and a legit endorsement can get tricky, hence the need for radio companies to clarify it with On-Air Staff on an annual basis.
Social Media Muddies the Water
When I first started in radio(way back in 2006), Twitter was in its infancy, blogging was reserved for nerds discussing the finer points of Star Trek, and Facebook wasn't nearly the household name it is today.
Now with over 500 million users on Facebook, businesses cannot ignore this chance to connect with potential consumers. The radio industry has done just that. Today, many radio personalities interact with their fans either through individual personality pages and twitter accounts, or through station pages and twitter accounts. The more followers or fans you have, the better the opportunity to turn listeners, into loyal listeners by giving listeners the sense of being actual friends with those personalities or stations.
This also creates a possible "sayola" issue. (I think I created the term)
While the FCC looks at broadcasts for payola violations, they do not (as far as I can see) cover social media.
A radio personality gains Twitter followers or Facebook fans from their broadcasts. (often by directly or indirectly promoting each on the air). They can then direct these followers/fans away from the non-revenue generating Facebook & Twitter to revenue generating products they offer, like tuning in to the station or logging on to their website.
Of all the benefits those social media entities can bring, it can also bring in problems.
Those personalities could also work under the table with other businesses for exchanges in the way of trading status updates/tweets for $, goods, or services. Going outside the obvious "Man, business X has the lowest prices in town", something as simple as a Connect-4 "Check-in" can possibly be seen as an endorsement of that business.
While I don't see this as currently being a major issue, it is an issue that was not even possible only 5 years ago.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
United we Run
A few weeks ago I had the engine on my old silver Grand Prix blow out. It was a reliable car over the time I've had it, never needing a lot of expensive fixes, just replacing old parts that wore out. It had seen 2 major hits via winter collisions in its lifetime but rebounded, ready to go again. When faced with a complete engine overhaul, I started looking at what it wasn't, over what it was. Its better days had passed. A dinged door here, cracked weather stripping there, there wasn't much of an incentive to repair something literally being held together by duct tape in some places.
Looking for a replacement vehicle that had (presumably) longer life span, I found a Kia Sportage, a newer (younger) vehicle that didn't quite have the power of my older car, but was built for the future. More room for our family to grow. I've already taken it for 2 test drives and liked the way it drove, and looked overall. For better or worse, I'm going to ride with this vehicle, and see where it takes me.
Looking for a replacement vehicle that had (presumably) longer life span, I found a Kia Sportage, a newer (younger) vehicle that didn't quite have the power of my older car, but was built for the future. More room for our family to grow. I've already taken it for 2 test drives and liked the way it drove, and looked overall. For better or worse, I'm going to ride with this vehicle, and see where it takes me.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Do you see what i DMB?
I had the pleasure last night to attend the Dave Matthews Band concert. As I was standing in the crowed, taking it all in, I couldn't help but identify certain individuals that fall into concert goer stereotypes. Perhaps its because we're going over segmentation in my marketing class right now, but I've broken them down into a few categories listed below. You may fall into one or two of them. I know I do. If you can think of any more categories feel free to post comments to add them.
The Paparazzo: With enough flashes to give the band a seizure, these photographing phenoms love watching the concert through their 2" digital camera screen. Lookout facebook, here comes 50 pictures of a blurry stage!
The Cinematographer: They've got an iphone an they're not afraid to use it. They also watch the concert through a screen, but a kick-ass 4" screen instead of 2". Sure you can't fully take in the visual experience that you put money down to see, but at least you can re-live the experience with speakerphone quality sound over and over again.
The Karaoke Superstar: Everyone likes to sing along at a concert, but these rock stars feel the need to scream every word of every song, and just to let you know that they know all the lyrics, they sing them well ahead of the band. If I wanted to hear you sing I wouldn't have put down 75 bucks for tickets. I would have went to the local corner bar to hear you butcher songs.
Dancing with the (or while seeing) stars: Again dancing is part of a concert, i get it, but like Lincoln Hawk, these twinkle toes take it over the top. Expecting you to get out of the way for their personal soul train dance, they'll take whatever room they need to show their moves. This usually involves stepping on your feet, and throwing their often girthy size into you, oblivious to your show experience.
The Day Tripper: These party hardy souls usually need a designated driver to get TO the concert. For them, this isn't a 3 hour concert, its a 24 hour event. With a pre-party schedule that would make Ozzy Osborn blush, they rarely make it through the entire show, or at times, make it to the show at all. These people are the reason I don't wear good shoes to concerts.
The Crowd Climbers: Sure you arrived after the opening band and just before the main act, but who cares? Your ticket may say "GA" but to you it says "Front row center". You're going to elbow your way to the front, crushed toes and spilled beers be damned.
Corporate Carl: Sure you got off work at 5pm and the concert wasn't until 8pm, you're wearing that expensive suit to the concert anyway. Bring a change of clothes? Heck no! You're important and people need to know that.
The Phone-o-graphers: Texts, Facebook, or Twitter, you're constantly relaying messages or checking on what else is going on. Its a concert, set down the phone and enjoy it.
The post concert screamer(town crier) - As everyone is shuffling out of the venue and through the plaza, every minute on the minute this guy screams "Woooo!"
The Paparazzo: With enough flashes to give the band a seizure, these photographing phenoms love watching the concert through their 2" digital camera screen. Lookout facebook, here comes 50 pictures of a blurry stage!
The Cinematographer: They've got an iphone an they're not afraid to use it. They also watch the concert through a screen, but a kick-ass 4" screen instead of 2". Sure you can't fully take in the visual experience that you put money down to see, but at least you can re-live the experience with speakerphone quality sound over and over again.
The Karaoke Superstar: Everyone likes to sing along at a concert, but these rock stars feel the need to scream every word of every song, and just to let you know that they know all the lyrics, they sing them well ahead of the band. If I wanted to hear you sing I wouldn't have put down 75 bucks for tickets. I would have went to the local corner bar to hear you butcher songs.
Dancing with the (or while seeing) stars: Again dancing is part of a concert, i get it, but like Lincoln Hawk, these twinkle toes take it over the top. Expecting you to get out of the way for their personal soul train dance, they'll take whatever room they need to show their moves. This usually involves stepping on your feet, and throwing their often girthy size into you, oblivious to your show experience.
The Day Tripper: These party hardy souls usually need a designated driver to get TO the concert. For them, this isn't a 3 hour concert, its a 24 hour event. With a pre-party schedule that would make Ozzy Osborn blush, they rarely make it through the entire show, or at times, make it to the show at all. These people are the reason I don't wear good shoes to concerts.
The Crowd Climbers: Sure you arrived after the opening band and just before the main act, but who cares? Your ticket may say "GA" but to you it says "Front row center". You're going to elbow your way to the front, crushed toes and spilled beers be damned.
Corporate Carl: Sure you got off work at 5pm and the concert wasn't until 8pm, you're wearing that expensive suit to the concert anyway. Bring a change of clothes? Heck no! You're important and people need to know that.
The Phone-o-graphers: Texts, Facebook, or Twitter, you're constantly relaying messages or checking on what else is going on. Its a concert, set down the phone and enjoy it.
The post concert screamer(town crier) - As everyone is shuffling out of the venue and through the plaza, every minute on the minute this guy screams "Woooo!"
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Lay-Z-Boy
Yes it has been over a month since my blog post, so I do understand the humor in it being about laziness.
As I start my next attempt in a long line of attempts to lose weight I find my own laziness to get out and exercise is my biggest stopping point. (yes a bigger stopping point than even my belt has become)
The deterioration of my conditioning was shown to me very clearly as I "sprinted" to first base while playing my first softball game in years. Gasping for breath I couldn't believe how a short run could take so much out of me.
While I am reflecting back on my own laziness, it was the acts of two others that inspired me to write on the topic that forced me to take a look at myself.
The first act I witnessed on campus. While walking to the student union from my office I neared the door to see a student flick his cigarette on the ground and walk in. My only issue besides littering on my campus is that he was 10 feet from one of those cigarette disposal tubes. I would have said or done something but I was on my way to a meeting, and talking sense into someone like that would have required far more time than they were worth.
The second act I witnessed while at Cub Foods (I'll save the Cub vs Cubs rant for another time).
While standing in the checkout line I peered through the large glass window in the front of the store in time to see a large lady parked in the closest parking spot loading the rest of the things in her trunk. After closing the trunk she proceeded to push the cart over the curb and onto the rocks in the median directly next to her car, rather than pushing the cart 50 feet to the nearest cart return.
I could easily get angry over their laziness. Instead chose to seek out a valuable lesson: That sometimes it only takes few extra small steps to change myself, my environment, and how others see me.
Its going to be a beautiful night, I think I'll take a walk.
As I start my next attempt in a long line of attempts to lose weight I find my own laziness to get out and exercise is my biggest stopping point. (yes a bigger stopping point than even my belt has become)
The deterioration of my conditioning was shown to me very clearly as I "sprinted" to first base while playing my first softball game in years. Gasping for breath I couldn't believe how a short run could take so much out of me.
While I am reflecting back on my own laziness, it was the acts of two others that inspired me to write on the topic that forced me to take a look at myself.
The first act I witnessed on campus. While walking to the student union from my office I neared the door to see a student flick his cigarette on the ground and walk in. My only issue besides littering on my campus is that he was 10 feet from one of those cigarette disposal tubes. I would have said or done something but I was on my way to a meeting, and talking sense into someone like that would have required far more time than they were worth.
The second act I witnessed while at Cub Foods (I'll save the Cub vs Cubs rant for another time).
While standing in the checkout line I peered through the large glass window in the front of the store in time to see a large lady parked in the closest parking spot loading the rest of the things in her trunk. After closing the trunk she proceeded to push the cart over the curb and onto the rocks in the median directly next to her car, rather than pushing the cart 50 feet to the nearest cart return.
I could easily get angry over their laziness. Instead chose to seek out a valuable lesson: That sometimes it only takes few extra small steps to change myself, my environment, and how others see me.
Its going to be a beautiful night, I think I'll take a walk.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Doing the Cha Cha
I recently became an independent contractor for ChaCha.com. Its a text your question, get an answer kind of site, like KGB. You text in your question, a real person has it pop on their computer screen and they answer everything from "whats the twins score right now" to "why doesn't he like me?"
I make about 2 cents an answer, but some answers only take a couple of seconds to answer since I have access to the answers given to previously asked questions. Its not a bad thing to pick up if you're bored on a snowy/rainy day. I think I made about 20 bucks a week the last couple of weeks in my spare time.
As you can imagine, you get a lot of questions from teenagers. It is the questions from that age that make me laugh/concerned the most. I have seen 2 trends from the questions I get, and I thought I'd share.
1. Lock up your meds parents! Don't laugh at the PSA's about kids stealing pills from grandma. I can always count on a few questions during the time period between school getting out and parents getting home from work asking what Pill has "X" number on the side, is "X" color and can you get high from it?
2. Technology is hamstringing education. I get a lot of requests to summarize a chapter in the Great Gatsby or asked other questions that seem oddly close to questions I was asked in tests in middle/high school. If we wanted the answers to these questions we'd have to do them the old fashion way....buy the cliff notes.
3. I know I said only 3, but 80% of the questions with the word "does" in it, is spelled "dose". We can't even spell fowr letter words right.
Overall its been fun answering questions at ChaCha.com. You log on when you want, answer for as long as you want, and learn along the way. Did you know NCAA Basketball broadcaster Clark Kellogg is 6'7"? I didn't know either until someone asked me. Trying to remember the name of Kevin Garnett's High School? Want to know what movies and the times they're playing in Sioux falls, SD? Need a Chuck Norris Joke to lighten your day? Text it to 242242. Unlike KGB(.99 per question), Its free! Who knows, I might even be the one answering it!
I make about 2 cents an answer, but some answers only take a couple of seconds to answer since I have access to the answers given to previously asked questions. Its not a bad thing to pick up if you're bored on a snowy/rainy day. I think I made about 20 bucks a week the last couple of weeks in my spare time.
As you can imagine, you get a lot of questions from teenagers. It is the questions from that age that make me laugh/concerned the most. I have seen 2 trends from the questions I get, and I thought I'd share.
1. Lock up your meds parents! Don't laugh at the PSA's about kids stealing pills from grandma. I can always count on a few questions during the time period between school getting out and parents getting home from work asking what Pill has "X" number on the side, is "X" color and can you get high from it?
2. Technology is hamstringing education. I get a lot of requests to summarize a chapter in the Great Gatsby or asked other questions that seem oddly close to questions I was asked in tests in middle/high school. If we wanted the answers to these questions we'd have to do them the old fashion way....buy the cliff notes.
3. I know I said only 3, but 80% of the questions with the word "does" in it, is spelled "dose". We can't even spell fowr letter words right.
Overall its been fun answering questions at ChaCha.com. You log on when you want, answer for as long as you want, and learn along the way. Did you know NCAA Basketball broadcaster Clark Kellogg is 6'7"? I didn't know either until someone asked me. Trying to remember the name of Kevin Garnett's High School? Want to know what movies and the times they're playing in Sioux falls, SD? Need a Chuck Norris Joke to lighten your day? Text it to 242242. Unlike KGB(.99 per question), Its free! Who knows, I might even be the one answering it!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Ben Identity
I got a phone call on Tuesday night from my dad. He was calling to relay a message from someone identifying himself as a welfare fraud investigator from Olmstead county (Rochester).
With my mind racing on what it could possibly be about, i called the number he had left. He said they were looking for me in Blue Earth County (Mankato) but they thought I had moved back home with my parents. He said that he had to serve me papers to appear in court in May, but didn't elaborate. He said he'd refer my paperwork back to his partner in Blue Earth County and I should hear back from him next week.
NEXT WEEK?
I got a random phone call out of the blue, saying i needed to appear in court for an ungiven reason. But I won't find out WHY until NEXT WEEK?
What was this about? Was my identity stolen? Did they get the wrong Ben Nelson? Helpless, I had to sit and wait......
Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep wondering what it could possibly be.
The next day I called the guy that I had talked to the day before to see if he would elaborate on what the summons was about. He was just as uninformative as the day prior.
Putting pieces together, I made the assumption that I was being summoned by Blue Earth County. So I called the Blue Earth County Attorneys office to see if I could get to the bottom of this. They said that they did have a affidavit for me to sign about a court case in which I was listed as a victim of a Mr Gleason. Talking with Lisa, the person assigned to the case, she asked me to send her pictures of the scars on my face. She also said the court date was in May, as referenced by the process server that I had talked to on Tuesday. But she said the Ben they were looking for was in California.
They obviously had the wrong guy. However, Lisa said that they had not sent out a summons for this case, so no one should have been looking for me. She also said that they don't use private investigators, so the person looking for me, wasn't from this case.
So I was back to square 1 with even more questions than answers. I decided to follow up with the Blue Earth County Sheriffs office to whom Lisa said was holding the affidavit for me (well the other Ben Nelson) to sign. According to the Sheriffs office, they had nothing for a Ben Nelson to sign and there was no summons for a Ben Nelson, directly contradicting the County Attorneys office.
Frustrated, I gave up and just decided to wait until next week, and be served the papers from the Blue Earth private investigator.
Before coming into work this evening, i received a phone call from the local process server that I wasn't expecting until next week. He wanted to meet me and give me paperwork for the exact case I talked with the Blue Earth County Attorneys office about. He was looking for a Benjamin Joesph Nelson born 2 years after me.
One kicker is that about 2 years ago I hired a Benjamin Joseph Nelson at FedEx that was 2 years younger than me. So not only was i mistaken for him, but our paths had crossed before.
Even though its been sorted out and I know I have nothing to worry about, I still have a ton of questions. Like how did the system fail so bad that talking to 3 different parties about the same case, none could come to a consensus. Why did someone contact my parents, Identifying himself as an Olmsted County Welfare Fraud investigator?
As frustrated as I am, I can't help but laugh when im reminded of Allen's line in The Hangover "Classic Mixup"
With my mind racing on what it could possibly be about, i called the number he had left. He said they were looking for me in Blue Earth County (Mankato) but they thought I had moved back home with my parents. He said that he had to serve me papers to appear in court in May, but didn't elaborate. He said he'd refer my paperwork back to his partner in Blue Earth County and I should hear back from him next week.
NEXT WEEK?
I got a random phone call out of the blue, saying i needed to appear in court for an ungiven reason. But I won't find out WHY until NEXT WEEK?
What was this about? Was my identity stolen? Did they get the wrong Ben Nelson? Helpless, I had to sit and wait......
Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep wondering what it could possibly be.
The next day I called the guy that I had talked to the day before to see if he would elaborate on what the summons was about. He was just as uninformative as the day prior.
Putting pieces together, I made the assumption that I was being summoned by Blue Earth County. So I called the Blue Earth County Attorneys office to see if I could get to the bottom of this. They said that they did have a affidavit for me to sign about a court case in which I was listed as a victim of a Mr Gleason. Talking with Lisa, the person assigned to the case, she asked me to send her pictures of the scars on my face. She also said the court date was in May, as referenced by the process server that I had talked to on Tuesday. But she said the Ben they were looking for was in California.
They obviously had the wrong guy. However, Lisa said that they had not sent out a summons for this case, so no one should have been looking for me. She also said that they don't use private investigators, so the person looking for me, wasn't from this case.
So I was back to square 1 with even more questions than answers. I decided to follow up with the Blue Earth County Sheriffs office to whom Lisa said was holding the affidavit for me (well the other Ben Nelson) to sign. According to the Sheriffs office, they had nothing for a Ben Nelson to sign and there was no summons for a Ben Nelson, directly contradicting the County Attorneys office.
Frustrated, I gave up and just decided to wait until next week, and be served the papers from the Blue Earth private investigator.
Before coming into work this evening, i received a phone call from the local process server that I wasn't expecting until next week. He wanted to meet me and give me paperwork for the exact case I talked with the Blue Earth County Attorneys office about. He was looking for a Benjamin Joesph Nelson born 2 years after me.
One kicker is that about 2 years ago I hired a Benjamin Joseph Nelson at FedEx that was 2 years younger than me. So not only was i mistaken for him, but our paths had crossed before.
Even though its been sorted out and I know I have nothing to worry about, I still have a ton of questions. Like how did the system fail so bad that talking to 3 different parties about the same case, none could come to a consensus. Why did someone contact my parents, Identifying himself as an Olmsted County Welfare Fraud investigator?
As frustrated as I am, I can't help but laugh when im reminded of Allen's line in The Hangover "Classic Mixup"
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