Thursday, July 23, 2015
Hello, Liam, and Welcome to Your New Computer
Hello, Liam, and welcome to your new computer.
Here are a couple of suggestions for what you can do with your new computer:
Here are a couple of suggestions for what you can do with your new computer:
- Learn Ruby, a programming language; this tutorial is pretty good for kids / beginners
- Read about History on Wikipedia; I personally am a big fan of US Presidential History
- Check your Gmail account, and send an email to someone you know
- Read up on some financial goings on; economics is a blast
- Continue working on your Mandarin, Latin, French, or other foreign language pursuits
- Watch a video about becoming a better pianist or drummer
Please note, the computer is not just a TV with a keyboard attached.
It is a tool for learning, for creating, for exploring the world (and universe!) around you.
Use the computer to write software, music, stories; to paint pictures; to run calculations and algorithms; to communicate with your family and friends, and to grow as a person.
If you need additional ideas on what to do with your new computer, or have run into some digital brick wall, let me know, and I'll help you through it.
If you want to sit around and watch TV all day, I'll make you mow the lawn.
Enjoy :-)
Love,
Dad
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
One Idea for Improving USPS Profitability: Spam Filters
I've had an idea brewing for years on how the United States Postal Service (USPS) can improve it's chances of reaching profitability.
It's super simple, and I'm shocked the USPS hasn't tried to implement this yet: Spam Filters.
I don't know about you, but I hate junk mail - even more than I hate junk email.
I would gladly pay a monthly fee to the US Postal Service - be it $5 or $10 or even $15 dollars a month - to absolutely never again receive a single piece of junk mail.
I read with great interest the McKinsey & Company and Accenture presentations on their respective recommendations for the USPS' business model (you can read them here).
There wasn't anything really revolutionary in either PDF document. It was a bit surprising that the USPS would pay such high consulting fees to these companies, and get almost nothing out of it. Our tax dollars at work, I suppose.
Beyond additional service offerings, I'd love to see the USPS privatized; I'd love to be able to select a mail carrier provider as my go-to carrier. Having competition between the USPS, UPS, Fedex, DHL, etc for my mailbox business would be great. Opening up mail delivery for my postal address to a number of carriers would increase competition and drive down costs (gotta love capitalism).
Only through service diversification does the USPS have a hope of improving it's profits, however. Paying a monthly fee to block junk mail is just one potential idea for one exciting service that the USPS could offer. I'm sure there are other great ideas out there; it is a bit of a shame that none of the expensive consulting firms that the USPS hired to help them envision their future business model offered any real ideas, beyond pushing for new legislation, raising stamp prices, and bemoaning the fact that the USPS no longer has a monopoly on letter and package delivery.
On a lark, I reached out to an Arizona Representative through email to offer this idea up, but never heard back. Who knows... maybe someone in the USPS will run across this post and give the idea consideration.
It's super simple, and I'm shocked the USPS hasn't tried to implement this yet: Spam Filters.
I don't know about you, but I hate junk mail - even more than I hate junk email.
I would gladly pay a monthly fee to the US Postal Service - be it $5 or $10 or even $15 dollars a month - to absolutely never again receive a single piece of junk mail.
I read with great interest the McKinsey & Company and Accenture presentations on their respective recommendations for the USPS' business model (you can read them here).
There wasn't anything really revolutionary in either PDF document. It was a bit surprising that the USPS would pay such high consulting fees to these companies, and get almost nothing out of it. Our tax dollars at work, I suppose.
Beyond additional service offerings, I'd love to see the USPS privatized; I'd love to be able to select a mail carrier provider as my go-to carrier. Having competition between the USPS, UPS, Fedex, DHL, etc for my mailbox business would be great. Opening up mail delivery for my postal address to a number of carriers would increase competition and drive down costs (gotta love capitalism).
Only through service diversification does the USPS have a hope of improving it's profits, however. Paying a monthly fee to block junk mail is just one potential idea for one exciting service that the USPS could offer. I'm sure there are other great ideas out there; it is a bit of a shame that none of the expensive consulting firms that the USPS hired to help them envision their future business model offered any real ideas, beyond pushing for new legislation, raising stamp prices, and bemoaning the fact that the USPS no longer has a monopoly on letter and package delivery.
On a lark, I reached out to an Arizona Representative through email to offer this idea up, but never heard back. Who knows... maybe someone in the USPS will run across this post and give the idea consideration.
Friday, August 08, 2008
History of Internet Memes
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Mike Savage Attacks Autistic Children Update: He's off in Mississippi!
Steve Davenport, CEO of TeleSouth Communications has had the good sense to take the ranting lunatic and absolute moron Mike Savage off of the air in Mississippi.
Read more about this update on getting Mike Savage off of the air at Think Progress.
Effective immediately, Michael Savage and his Savage Nation Radio Show has been canceled on all Super Talk Mississippi stations. Michael Savage's comments about Autistic children were beyond inexcusable and are unacceptable. Super Talk Mississippi and the Gallo Radio Show have assisted numerous Autism organizations on the air in the past and will continue to do so in the future. Autism is a serious condition affecting children and adults in Mississippi. We appreciate our many listeners who notified us of Savage's comments, especially those listeners who have autistic children. Steve Davenport, CEO Telesouth Communications, Inc.
Read more about this update on getting Mike Savage off of the air at Think Progress.
Monday, July 21, 2008
On the Unspeakable Name of God
This has to be the most fascinating article I've read in awhile:
Rabbi Unveils a Secret About God
I'm not about to get all mystical or religious on y'all, but the article is definitely worth the read.
Rabbi Unveils a Secret About God
I'm not about to get all mystical or religious on y'all, but the article is definitely worth the read.
