Huckabee not Thompson

I am officialy switching my support from Fred Thompson to Mike Huckabee.  I wanted to support Huckabee earlier but did not think he had a chance.  I believe he will be the next president of the United States.

Huckabee’s an honest, proven leader with a strongly conservative background.  He is the most conservative of all the canidates.  And he will win.

Leo Laporte at Blog World

InBusiness.tv posted Leo Laporte’s keynote address at Blogworld.  Laporte is introduced by Six Apart’s Anil Dash who talks about Googles Open Social platfrom.  Laporte then talks for around 45 minutes about the rapid change in how media is expressed, making the point to stress that new media formats such as blogs and podcasts allow listeners to respond.  And that media content providers must make a point to converse back with their audience. 

You can watch the video here.

Fake complaint to Amazon

Recently someone named A. Hilderbrandt told Consumerist.com  about an odd occurence that involved some illogical Amazon customers.  Amazon recently held a raffle.   Many discounted items were being sold to customers who were picked at random.  250 people had the chance of winning $1,000 dollar computers for $300 dollars. Some customers claimed on the Amazon’s forum that they did not win because the prizes were going to Amazon.com employees and their friends. 

Hilderbrandt pretented to be a dissapointed customer, writing an e-mail to the president of Amazon.com.

“Dear Jeffrey P. Bezos, Good day. Recently, I participated in the “Customers Vote” promotion on your website. There was one item in particular that caught my eye: The HP Pavilion TX1305US Notebook PC for the discounted price of $299. I was ecstatic at the prospect of receiving this notebook. I’ve been without a mobile computing platform since I graduated college this past spring (after four rigorous years of post-secondary education). I had planned on using this laptop to write epic novels while sipping mochas at my local Starbucks. Sadly, when the time came for winners to be announced, I was greeted by a cruel message: “We’re sorry. You weren’t randomly selected to be offered this deal.” This has thrown my life into somewhat of a turmoil. I had greatly anticipated receiving this laptop, and doing so would have enabled me to not only pen epic novels, but win prestigious literary awards from various countries. Not being in possession of a laptop, I am instead forced to write with the humble pen and paper, a process that lacks both proper editing features and spell checking. Since this traumatic event took place, I have taken solace on the Amazon web forum, where I found others who were in a similar predicament. Together, we were able to conclude that the reason we were unable to win the laptops is that the laptops were never available in the first place, but were instead given to Amazon employees. In a thread I started earlier today, eighteen people (thus far) have confirmed that they did not receive a laptop. Since two hundred and fifty laptops were “available”, it is practically a statistical impossibility that not one of us was given the offer. The only possible explanation is that these laptops were claimed by Amazon employees before they were ever available for sale. Even so, I have used Amazon for years and would like to offer my continued patronage. In return, I would ask for the opportunity to purchase one of these laptops for the low price of $299 plus applicable shipping. I would even offer to extend my patronage beyond its normal constraints, writing “I wrote Amazon Executive Customer Service a cheeky e-mail and all I got was this AMAZING LAPTOP” with a Sharpie (as opposed to a generic-branded marker, which tends to bleed) on the upper lid of the laptop. Also, I would dedicate my first published novel to you, Jeff Bezos (though you may not be the sole dedication), for providing me with the means to create the world’s next great literary work. Please take this offer into consideration. I eagerly look forward to your response.” A. Hildebrandt e. (e-mail removed) p. (phone number removed)

To which the president of Amazon.com had this humourous and sarcastic reply:

“Dear Mr. Hildebrandt, Hello from Amazon.com.

My name is Autumn Walker of Amazon.com’s Executive Customer Relations. Jeff Bezos received your email and has asked me to reply on his behalf, taking any action necessary to assist you.

I understand and fully empathize with your desire to write epic novels using the “HP Pavilion TX1305US Notebook PC” offered in the “Amazon Customers Vote” promotion. I had similar hopes of producing my own work of greatness when I cast my vote. Perhaps fortunately for the general public, neither I, nor any of my colleagues whom I was ready to beg from, won this round. (Come to think of it, I don’t think we won *any* rounds.) It is important, however, that your genius be heard. I am unable to take one of the fully claimed and purchased laptops away from its winning owner to provide you with this deal, nor will we be discounting other $1000.00 items to the fire-sale price of $299.00 offered in our “Amazon Customers Vote” promotion. As I’m sure you are aware, promotions are for a limited time only and cannot be extended. I share your wonder that neither you nor any of the other 18 bloggers participating in your thread did not win the “Out & About” round. As a matter of fact, I was quite vociferous in like-minded protest. Perhaps the response I received to my own objections may clear this matter up somewhat: when I stoutly declared that some member of my voluminous family should have statistically won something, I was reminded of a common thread in our “Customers Vote” forum which states buying a lottery ticket only marginally increases one’s chances of winning the lottery. Take heart; Norman Mailer wrote all of his novels by hand. And you’ve surely heard the phrase, “the pen is mightier than the sword”? It would sound absurd to substitute “laptop” for the word “pen.” In the meantime, since fate has conspired against me as well, I will continue the process of gathering material for my novel, (also known as staying employed.) This means that I will certainly be on hand to help you find exactly the right Sharpie should you wish to persevere in your brilliant endeavor. That is, until next year’s “Amazon Customers Vote” promotion… Despite this setback, I eagerly await the publication of your novel, and can assure you that I will be among the earliest purchasers at the bookstore. Here’s wishing you the best of luck in next year’s promotion!”

Regards, Autumn Walker Executive Customer Relations   

 

Secret Weapon

I was listening to MXPX’s song “Secret Weapon.”  I found the song to be extordinarily encouraging and applicable my life right now.  Here are the lyrics:

Secret Weapon

You always had some trouble with authority

And that’s the way that growing up’s going supposed to be

But you can make it through, you gotta believe

You are your own secret weapon

It’s all up to you, to come out swingin’

It’s all up to you!

Take back the stolen years, the truth will set you free

Don’t lady down and lie, shut down the fallacies

Throw all of your fears into the sea

You are your own secret weapon

It’s all up to you, to come out swingin’

It’s all up to you!

So call all your cars, and take to the streets

Raise up your voice and sing

You can’t change the past, cause nothing will last

Embrace what tomorrow brings, you can’t change the past

You are your own secret weapon

It’s all up to you, to come out swingin’

It’s all up to you! All up to you!

In my opinion, the bottom line of this song is to let go of your troubled past so that you can live your life right now.  But how many people hold onto the past.  You can learn from your mistakes and move forward.  Or you can hold onto the past and be stuck there not learning anything.