Category: News & Pop Culture

Gas prices expected to drop after strike ends

As our economy continues to be based more and more more on a global level, its important to realize what happens in Nigeria may not stay in Nigeria.

A recent strike in Nigeria as caused Exxon to completely shut-down production there, hurting the balance between supply and demand world-wide. But now it looks like the striking workers requests may have been solved and oil production can continue.

Also, recent attacks on oil refineries have also led to a reduction in overall oil production.
Continue reading Gas prices expected to drop after strike ends

Switch off that television

This video is making it’s rounds around the Interweb. I’ve seen it on 3 or 4 sites now but saw it first on Thomas’ blog a day or two ago. Everyone’s had some great opinions on it. I personally like Thomas’ best – maybe cause we’re looking at things in a similar way.

I’ll try not to steal his thunder. Watch the video and then read his post for sure. But here are just a couple highlights:

From the video:

Media that’s targeted at you but doesn’t include you may not be worth sitting still for.

Thomas writes:

The way Clay expresses it is basically… the new media (blogging/wikipedia/youtube etc) = consuming + producing + sharing > this is a shift from the old media that only expects you to consume.

People are watching less television and are doing something… making something happen… like just now as I create this post. It reminds me of the old Why don’t you? motto :: Why Don’t You Just Switch Off Your Television Set and Go and Do Something Less Boring Instead? :: kind of ironic, I know… but its real… and its now!

I have some great friends who chose not to purchase a TV for the first couple years of their marriage. They only had a small Commodore monitor hooked up to a VCR for watching movies. They finally gave in though when Tim needed his Texas Rangers fix and probably didn’t help that their girls were getting older – but I wonder how different our lives would be if we all stopped simply consuming television on a daily basis….

The economics of free

I’m a big fan of things that are free. Isn’t everyone?

Chris Anderson, editor and chief of Wired Magazine was on Charlie Rose’s show discussing his book, Long Tail (hat tip to John for the original tip).

Very interesting ideas about the economics of the web, along with his latest cover story from Wired Magazine.

Common Craft also had some interesting thoughts on Anderson’s ideas:

I want to talk a bit about how “Free” has impacted Common Craft…

Being a small company, we need to keep costs down, and the free economy has been a huge help…

  • Bandwidth: We pay zero bandwidth costs to serve our videos online.
  • Web hosting: Our web site is essentially free to us thanks to the fine folks at RainCity Studios.
  • Marketing: We spend little, if anything on traditional marketing.
  • Communication/Collaboration: We’re heavy users of Google’s free business services
  • At the same time, we’ve oriented our business around freeness.

Let’s pretend that we started making videos like RSS in Plain English with the purpose of making money from them directly, perhaps by charging for access. Here’s what wouldn’t have happened:

  • We wouldn’t have put the videos on You Tube, Blip.tv, etc.
  • The videos would have never been spread across the Web via bloggers.
  • We would not have a popular blog or videos with lots of views.
  • There would not be demand for our custom services
  • We would not have worked for Google, H&R Block, Redfin, etc.
  • We wouldn’t have a recognizable brand.
  • We would not be so happy right now

In case you didn’t know, every Charlie Rose interview is also available for free on the Interweb.

Starbucks is closing!

From 5:30-8:30 this evening, there’s going to be trouble. Feet will tap, heads will ache and sweat will trickle down restless foreheads. Starbucks is closing.

6 weeks ago, Howard Schultz took over the reins (again) as CEO of Starbucks. Since then, he’s been on a mission to return the company to its previous form. Today, every store throughout the nation will close for three hours for “remedial espresso training.” Or in Schultz’ terms, “to teach, educate and share our love of coffee, and the art of espresso.”

Wow. What an undertaking! 5:30 – 8:30 on Tuesday nights is a very likely time we’ll be stopping by one of our local Starbucks to grab a hot drink before our community group – as do several others in our group. Might make for restless (or sleepy) meeting time tonight.

Since this news came from CMS – what if our churches closed for one weekend service to focus on staff/leadership etc? What about your place of work – think your boss would close the doors for 3 hours one week to improve your appreciation for your job?

The death of Ernie Pyle

The AP recently uncovered a photograph of WWII journalist Ernie Pyle. Pyle covered WWII for many papers and wrote “The death of Capt. Waskow.”
The Belton Journal (my former employer) has run the piece from the World War II correspondent numerous times in the past about Belton’s own Capt. Henry T. Waskow.
The piece was originally run on the front pages of newspapers across the country and The Washington Daily News devoted its entire first page to the column — not even a headline, just solid text.
The paper was completely sold out that day.
Until today I overlooked the interesting connection between Waxahachie and Belton for Capt. Waskow.
Belton Journal Associate Editor Berneta Peeples writes:

There is another war now, and have been others since, and The Belton Journal continues to reprint the Waskow piece once in a while, as a tribute to Belton men and boys who have been killed in wars of this century, ranging from privates to generals.
Actually, Ernie Pyle wondered about this piece; he thought maybe he was “losing his touch.”
Henry Waskow was a 1935 graduate of Belton High School, attended grade school at Hay Branch and Wiltonville.
He attended Trinity University in Waxhachie, paying his way with his “Guard Money.”
He highwayed it back to Belton every Tuesday to make the guard drill.
Guardsmen were paid $3 for every drill they attended.
Waskow taught school two years before Co. I was mobilized in November 1940.
Belton’s Waskow High School bears his name as well as Henry T. Waskow V.F.W. #4008 Hall located at 2311 S. Pearl.

See the picture/cutline on Ernie Pyle or via Wikipedia
Read “The death of Capt. Waskow”

The Bible and a gallon of bleach

Just found Jen Nathan via Twitter. She’s an indy public radio producer in Portland. Her latest story is “The Bible and a gallon of bleach.” It’s a great story and a great topic. Reminds me of the charity stores the Salvation Army has around the world.

Peter Donatelli is an ordained Catholic priest. He also runs his family’s laundromat in Portland, Maine. Through his passionate beliefs and awkward sense of humor, Father Peter has created a public space where people actually talk about religion and politics. Some customers love it. Others hate it. But everyone agrees that it’s good for the community.

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