iPod vending machine

Now this is just nuts. Robert Scobble, Microsoft evangelist found a vending machine in his hotel lobby that sold iPods.
Nuts. What’s funny though, is the machine was running Windows software. HA.
Scobleizer: Microsoft Geek Blogger writes: “Maryam, Patrick and I were just having breakfast at the Sunnyvale Four Points Sheraton and when we came out we saw a huge vending machine. OK, that alone might be notable, but Patrick instantly recognized that it sells iPods and other Apple stuff, along with the typical junk food and other items you might expect in a hotel lobby.”

George Eads

CSI actor George Eads just gave props to Belton on the Late Late Show.
Except he said all he did in Belton was cruise the Sonic – which may still be the case.
But he did give some big props to Texas women. Don’t blame him.
For those who don’t know, Eads was born in Fort Worth and grew up in Belton, son of a local judge and step-son of the Belton ISD superintendent.
Read the local papers and there’ll be a feature or mention of him once or twice a year.

Observations of a traveling Editor

Well here are some things I learned today running errands around Harker Heights and Killeen..

JB & Sandy in Austin are doing a radiothon to raise money for the Dell Children’s Hospital and the family center in the Cancer Ward. They’re trying to raise $200,000 between now and Sunday. If they make their goal the Lance Armstong Foundation will add an additional $100,000 towards the project.

You can donate online or make bids on their auction items at jbandsandy.com.

I don’t normally give a lot to charity, but cancer research and work has a special place in my heart because it effects everyone everywhere. I challenge you to make a donation. Then every time you’re in Austin and you see the Children’s Hospital you can say, “Hey – I helped build part of that.”

$10 a month is only 120 a year. But think about what $10 a month is – that’s less than it costs me to eat at Snuffers normally. That’s it. If you drink 2 sodas a day – that’s a week of sodas you could give up.

So go online or call 1-877-832-6947.

Sears is not a good place to park by if you’re going to Chick-Fil-A in the Killeen mall.

Since I was being generous and giving to the Dell Children’s Hospital, I thought I’d save some money and use some Chick-Fil-A coupons I won at the Chamber Mixer yesterday.

Not knowing the Killeen mall very well (cause who shops there anyways?) I parked at the furthest part of the mall I think from Chick-Fil-A. But by the time I walked it and walked back, I’m sure I was able to walk off at least a couple fries.

War is Real.

Being so close to Fort Hood I constantly come in contact with soldiers serving in the Army or other branches of the military.

I remember growing up and seeing WWII Vets and Vietnam Vets and others who had lost limbs in war. But today I saw two soldiers who had lost limbs (I would assume in Iraq or Afghanistan). They weren’t old vets in the twilight of their years, but these were kids my age, probably younger – who felt a call to serve and did.

It made me proud to think of the guys my age, like Jay Allman who have joined up, despite the reality that they’ll likely go fight overseas and come home missing limbs or possibly like Cindy Sheehan’s son. And I don’t want to get into that – but boy what a mess.

Should the ruler of the Free World be expected to meet every mother or father of someone killed in war? Why does Sheenan think she deserves a second chance to meet with the president? But if the president signs orders to send men and women to war, shouldn’t he be willing to face the families who lose loved ones following his orders?

I don’t know. If I was a political advisor I’m not sure what I’d tell the president.

My instinct tells me no. You don’t meet with her. And quite frankly I can’t believe one protestor is getting such attention. People protest outside the White House and elsewhere ALL THE TIME. It’s because of bloggers that have spread this thing everywhere. The Waco Tribune, KDH and TDT only started covering the story a day or two ago.

If you meet with one woman who protests, what would keep you from meeting with every other protestor?

Just because you’re upset doesn’t give you the right to meet with the president. Go through the proper channels. Don’t get upset and expect a meeting with the president just because you stand outside his ranch.

There are proper ways to do things, and I don’t think protesting at a ranch is going to get you anywhere – and shouldn’t.

Any wacko person with a cause could make the President stop everything and have to take time, away from running the country, to meet with him if you start allowing protestors to get time with the President.

OK – I went off a little there. Just a little upset. Calm down. Breathe – OK. We’re better now.

Well that wraps up this edition of traveling editor. Join us next time, same blog, same editor, different rants.

Why read a newspaper?

So I’m having a little bit of trouble understanding a couple of the local newspapers right now.
Maybe I’m just “in the know,” but everyday I pick up a Killeen paper or Temple paper I feel like I’m reading last week’s news.
They are full of AP news stories that I read the day before on the web, either from another news organization or from someone’s blog.
Why waste precious time re-reading what I’ve already read?
It’s just a vital point for me, as a newspaper editor, that I have to keep up to date on local news and make that my ultra-focus.
I can get everything else in the KDH or TDT on the web. And believe me, I think they know that.
While I was in Belton, they slammed us every chance they got with Belton stories on the front page. Belton’s city council would be on the front page, while Temple’s city council would be in D section.
I don’t recall but 2 or 3 Temple ISD school board stories in the 2 years I was there.
Now I see a continued increase in KDH’s news coverage in Heights.
So between the two of us, I guess we’ve realized that people want local news – or so it would appear.
I wonder what would happen if instead of printing our Friday paper on Wednesday night, we waited and printed it on Thursday.
The news would be more timely and up to date. But how would that effect distribution and time in publishing?