David B. Reynolds' blog

All Men Are Created Equal

2010-07-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” So states the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence.

As we celebrate our independence from England so many years ago, I wonder: do our actions today honor or forefathers … or demean them?

“All men are created equal” means literally every man, and woman and child. This does not mean that one race (white), one religion (conservative Christian) or one political party (Republican) is, to use a quote from the novel Animal Farm, “more equal than others.”

Recent actions by various conservative groups—the Tea Party being one of the most visible—seem to ignore equality. You are either for them, or a goddamn liberal communist, to use one of the mildest names I’ve heard them use. Organizations such as the Tea Party promote hatred and intolerance, which is the opposite of what our forefathers sought by founding this nation. Instead of seeking informed discourse through polite conversation, the Tea Party seeks to enforce its agenda by out-shouting, out muscling and using verbal violence on anyone who dares challenge its views.

According to the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, we are all equal. This means Democrats and Independents have the same right to express their views as Republicans, that Jews and Muslims have the same right to practice their religions as Christians, and that skin color has no bearing on a person’s rights.

In terms of personal liberties and rights, our forefathers did not state in the Declaration that only white, conservative Christians had rights, even though every one of them qualified as such. They made no distinction in terms of wealth. It made no difference to them if someone had arrived on the Mayflower, or a ship from Africa. All were welcome.

In today’s America, the wrong-headed right-wingers act as if only people who have a particular set of characteristics are welcome. If you are Latino, gay or non-Christian, “stay the bleep out.”

We should return to the ideals of our forefathers: freedom for all, not just a select few.

Tips For Saving Digital Photo Files

2009-12-29T08:58:00.001-08:00

I use a time-consuming method with photos and "digital illustrations" that saves time and frustration overall.

The upshot is that I end up with multiple copies of the same photo that take up storage space on my hard drives. The good news is drives are huge and inexpensive, so it's very possible to store thousands of photos and still not fill up a single drive.

The process I use to avoid problems is:
1. Shoot your photos at the highest possible resolution. You can never make copies sharper than the original but you can always "dumb 'em down."
2. Make my exposure adjustments to the original shot so the colors and lighting are best.
3. This is where the time-consuming aspect comes into play. I always make a copy of the original before cropping or resizing it. This way I have unchanged original to fall back on if I don't like the crop or new size.
4. Assuming I like my cropped version, I'll save a copy of it (copy #3) at a specific size and/or resolution, depending on the photo's intended distribution and use.

For example, if I know that a given shot is only going to be sent via email and the recipients are unlikely to print it, I'll save my cropped, adjusted copy as a 4-inch by 6-inch at 72 dpi (screen resolution). If the image is going to be printed, I'll save the copy at 200-300 dpi, which is far sharper but makes for a much larger file size.

Also, the format you save the file in is very important. I like JPG ("JPEG") for email distribution because of its universal use. PNG is becoming very common as an alternative, but far fewer folks will be able to see these shots.

JPG graphics allow you to set the compression amount, which affects the quality. Little or no compression (9-12 on the 12-point scale) means larger files, which translates to longer upload and download times, but better viewing and printing quality. Medium to high quality (6-9 on the JPG scale) is usually enough for most emails, though.

You set this quality level when saving the file as a JPG. Hitting the Enter key twice saves the copy at the same resolution as the last shot and locks the file. The first time, though, lets you adjust the compression and quality from ultra small, low quality, to huge, high quality.

Another key step is naming your files so low-res copies don't overwrite high-res originals. Here's an example:
Original or copy 1: Filename.RAW. Because I use an interchangeable lens digital camera most often, I can save photos in the RAW format that retains all of the original exposure information, including the ability to adjust the exposure after the fact.
Copy 2: Filename.PSD. I'll save a copy in the native Adobe PhotoShop format if I've significantly altered the image, such as by adding text (see my Christmas card as an example).
Copy 3: Filename 4x6.JPG. This is the high-res version for general print distribution. My originals are shot at even higher resolution, so making a 4x6 print is still lower quality--and makes for significantly smaller files--than the original.
Copy 4: Filename 4x6-72.JPG. The "-72" tells me this version is for email distribution and on-screen viewing only.

That's the lengthy, step-by-step process I use. I hope it helps.

Gamesmanship

2009-12-13T10:40:00.001-08:00

A lot of people play emotional power games. They have one goal: be THE boss, the big kahuna, the only one in charge. My question is: is it worth it?

The short and simple answer is a quote from the ancient movie "War Games" with Matthew Broderick: "The best way to win is not to play the game."

I've known more than a few people--family members and co-workers--who feel that they have to be in charge and dictate how someone else--you--feels. You are happy or sad at their whim, not based on how you feel like feeling.

I was involved in a very rocky marriage many years ago that involved this sort of "power struggle." I wanted to control my own destiny; my wife at the time wanted to dictate what I would do for the rest of my life.

I gave her the power to turn me from a calm, rational, thinking human being into an angry, raving monster. I allowed her to push my emotional buttons, particularly the one that said, "instant raving asshole." I was that, unquestionably.

Eventually I learned that my ex wasn't at fault in this situation, though her comments were still very nasty and very self-serving. While she got a kick out of proving to other people that I was not fit to be around, I was the object of scorn and ridicule.

No, she wasn't at fault. I was. Why? Because I played her game. I allowed her to make these rules then I played her game by rules set up for only one possible winner: her.

When I finally woke up and realized what was happening, I had three choices: I could continue playing her game by her rules; I could play a new game by my rules where only I could win (this had a different winner, but still had a loser); or I could walk away and not play any game.

Once I decided not to play my ex's game, that marriage was officially over. Unfortunately, while I'd learned a valuable lesson, I hadn't learned it well enough as many other relationships suffered the same doomed fate for the same doomed, and stupid, reasons.

When enough years--and deep emotional pain--had passed, the "control" aspect finally came to the forefront. When that happened, I finally found happiness.

Here's what I said and here's what I learned. I told the woman who became my wife that, "what you see is what you get." Like every other human being, I express the full range of emotions from extreme happiness to extreme sadness, from placid calmness to raging anger. I am all of these and everything else in between.

The key now is that I try not to let other people control me. I control myself and myself only. I do not generally allow anyone else to dictate how I feel and I try not to control the emotions of others. Yes, I can still be hurt, and yes, my words can still inflict pain on others, but the amount of pain I feel and I cause has been lessened since I learned my lesson.

The best way to take control of situations like this, where someone else is trying to control you, is this: take a deep breath, step back, regain control of your breathing (you will probably be experiencing a lot of shallow breaths), disengage the heart and emotions and engage your brain.

Next, try to answer these questions: What's in it for me if I allow this person the control they so desperately seek? What's in it for them if I give them that control? What will happen if I refuse to give them the control and not play their game? Can I accept the results of my choice?

Once you've made up your mind, act on it and tell the other person, but do it calmly. My ex-wife tried to continue playing her power trip games even after our divorce. When I acted calmly and rationally, instead of with extreme vehemence and anger, she was the one who became angry. My calm, slow, logical approach drove her nuts because it wasn't what she was expecting.

Even though I often refuse to play these games, other people still try to force me into it. They do not realize that some people--namely me--can see what they are doing and refuse to go along with it.

I've become much happier my knowing--and practicing--that the only person who can control they way I think, feel and act is me. It's not you. It's not my ex-wife. It's not one of my sisters, my daughter or even my current (and hopefully forever) wife. It's me.

It took a lot of time to figure this out and even more to put it into practice. Give it a shot and see if it works for you.

Thanksgiving Is About Religious Freedom

2009-11-18T17:27:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, Nov. 27, 2009, many Americans will celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Traditionally, families will gather and get caught up on everyone’s activities, then stuff themselves with a large meal. Some of these people will have a blessing before eating. During the blessing, they give thanks to a higher power for the bountiful meal they are about to consume. Few, if any, will discuss how Thanksgiving came about, or what caused a group of Englishmen and women to leave their homes and immigrate to an unknown new world … and that is a shame.

Historical Background

Americans celebrate Thanksgiving based on events occurring at Plimouth Plantation (spelled differently than the city) in 1621. In this situation, so legend has it, a group seeking religious freedom cross the Atlantic from England and landed on the Chesapeake Bay shore of Massachusetts near the city of Plymouth. The group—known as Pilgrims—sough to practice their religion outside the bounds of the Church of England, which was the only religion allowed in Great Britain at the time. The English settlers and members of a native Wampanoag tribe gathered for a harvest festival feast.

Religious Freedom is Everyone’s Right

The key here is that these people celebrated their religious freedom, meaning they were not required to one particular church at the risk of losing live and property. One tenet the founders of these United States included in the earliest documents is that everyone, regardless of race, age, gender or national origin, is free to practice their religion. Membership in a given church is specifically prohibited as a requirement for elected office as stated in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution. This founding document states in part, “… but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”

Religious freedom is also guaranteed to every citizen through the Constitutional amendments known collectively as the Bill of Rights. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …” Amendment 1 begins.

Religious Freedom and the Christian Right

However, one group wants to change this. They want to take away the freedom to practice any religion that differs with theirs. Anyone who has even glanced at a newspaper or television news show in the last few years reads and hears numerous attacks led by the Christian Right (also known as the Religious Right and the Evangelical Bloc).

“The politically active social movement of the Christian right includes individuals from a wide variety of conservative theological beliefs, ranging from traditional movements within Pentecostalism, fundamentalist Christianity and Mormonism to the adherents of Lutheranism and Catholicism that are theologically conservative,” a Wikipedia article states.

This is a name given to many different organizations who share similar, extremely conservative, religious-based beliefs. These organizations and their members take the words of the Christian Bible (though no specific version, such as King James, is ever agreed on) as being literally the Word of Law. A simplified version of what they groups are saying is that everyone, whether they belong to this specific church or not, MUST CONFORM to the rules and behaviors which they dictate. In essence, these right-wingers want to establish a national religion, which is contrary to the ideals on which this nation was founded.

According to these groups, if you follow their strict rules and behaviors, you are a good person and you will be assured a place in that church’s version of a pleasant afterlife. If you disagree in any way, you are a heathen, you are not fit to walk the same earth as God-fearing men of this church and you are doomed to eternal damnation.

Who dictates what members of a church are required to believe? Their leaders.

Who are their leaders? Almost exclusively men who have a special relationship with God.

How do we know these leaders have a special relationship with God? Because the leaders say so.

Where is the concrete, unbiased and unimpeachable proof these leaders have of their close-knit relationship with God? There isn’t any.

Common Beliefs Among Christian Right Organizations

Even a casual glance at right-wing Christian groups will find several striking similarities. They include at a minimum:

· Only God-fearing people who submit to our Christian religious views should hold public office or be considered citizens. Therefore these elected leaders must adhere to the rules set forth by religious leaders, which is in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution.

· Only men—not women—can make decisions. “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex,” states Article 19 of the Constitution, ratified on Aug. 18, 1920. However, many religious organizations still consider women second-class citizens.

· Abortion is a sin and must be outlawed. In Rowe vs. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court stated that women have the right to determine the fate of their own bodies, including during pregnancy. If a woman chooses to prematurely end a pregnancy, she is legally allowed to do so. “Pro-Lifers”—which includes virtually every member of the Religious Right—take that view.

· A marriage—which in their eyes is a religious ceremony blessed by a Christian leader—is only between one man and one women. Only married couples can have children, but unmarried couples cannot abort pregnancies. Groups seeking equal rights for couples of the same sex have been unsuccessful in getting laws to that effect enacted. The Christian Right in recent months has overturned laws allowing same sex marriage in several states.

· Only people born in the United States are citizens. Anyone who entered the country illegally—regardless of their age at the time—or whose ancestors entered the country illegally, does not qualify for citizenship.

· Your beliefs and behaviors are what we tell you to believe and do. Thinking and acting for yourself is not allowed.

· People who agree with these beliefs are patriotic Americans. Anyone who disagrees with these views is a communist.

Another unstated—but quite common belief based on television coverage of several events including the 2008 Republican National Convention—is that elected leaders also should only be of Caucasian (white skinned) Northern European ancestry. No form of “mixed race” heritage (Native American, Hispanic/Latino or Asian) is allowed.

Logical Issues With These Views

I don’t know about you, but I sure can’t find any reference in the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights or the Declaration of Independence that states people are not allowed to practice other forms of religion. If this line of thinking was followed, then people who base their religion on any book other than the Christian Bible (The Old Testament and King James versions being but two of many) would not be allowed to hold citizenship or public office. This means that Catholics, who use Catechism as their religious teachings, would not qualify. Neither would Jews, Muslims or members from scores of other religions.

The Constitution already states that women are equally qualified to hold elected office. People in other countries such as The United Kingdom (Margaret Thatcher), Israel (Golda Meir) and India (Indira Gandhi) have elected women to their highest offices. Elected office can, and is, held by people who are openly homosexual. The only voting-related restriction allowed is age, but it’s unofficially set at 18.

Abortion is a very touchy subject since it involves ending a human life. People on both sides have their rigid points of view, some of whom use violence to enforce their views. While I have heard of abortion doctors and clinics being shot or bombed, I have yet to hear of one person being attacked for not performing a legal abortion.

“Marriage” versus “civil union” is a matter of semantics and legal wrangling. However states wish to word it, though, I believe that couples should have equal legal rights and responsibilities, regardless of their sexual orientation.

When speaking strictly in terms of immigration, the only people whose distant ancestors were born here are Native Americans, and some scientists say they moved here from Siberia. In strictest terms, the descendants of European immigrants came here without the express written consent of the local residents. Taking the Christian Right at its word (or worst) means everyone else—you, me and the family down the block—should be deported. Obviously there would be exceptions, but some groups such as Latinos and Asians would be targeted for deportation.

My beliefs and my behaviors are my concern, not anyone else’s. If I violate society’s accepted standards, then I’m breaking the law and—if I’m caught—I will be punished. However standing up for personal and religious freedoms is not illegal—at least not yet—and I will continue to think for myself as long as I am able.

Republican comments that only people who agree with their views are patriots is one view that I emphatically denounce. Here’s why.

Patriotism vs. Communism vs. Dictatorships

The majority of people who are living and working within the borders of the United States—regardless of their citizenship status—are here because they believe in what this country stands for. Their skin colors are white, black, brown and yellow. Their ancestry comes from each and every race on the planet. Their religious views also cover the gamut from monotheism (one God, such as Christianity) to polytheism (many gods such as those of classical Greece and Rome and people in modern-day India). People from all of these groups have sent members off to die as part of the U.S. Armed Forces, supporting U.S. actions worldwide.

Any members of the Christian Right saying that only people espousing their beliefs are patriots need to get their brains tattooed with the phrase, “This space for rent.” They have conveniently forgotten about these other sacrifices by groups such as the Buffalo Soldiers of World War II fame.

Also, these people don’t have a clue what the word “communism” means.

What follows is a direct, unedited quote from Wikipedia:

“Communism is a socioeconomic structure and political ideology that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless society based on common ownership and control of the means of production and property in general. Karl Marx posited that communism would be the final stage in human society, which would be achieved through a proletarian revolution. “Pure communism” in the Marxian sense refers to a classless, stateless and oppression-free society where decisions on what to produce and what policies to pursue are made democratically, allowing every member of society to participate in the decision-making process in both the political and economic spheres of life. In modern usage, communism is often used to refer to Bolshevism or Marxism-Leninism and the policies of the various communist states which had government ownership of all the means of production and centrally planned economies. Communist regimes have historically been authoritarian, repressive, and coercive governments concerned primarily with preserving their own power.

“As a political ideology, communism is usually considered to be a branch of socialism; a broad group of economic and political philosophies that draw on the various political and intellectual movements with origins in the work of theorists of the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution. Communism attempts to offer an alternative to the problems with the capitalist market economy and the legacy of imperialism and nationalism. Marx states that the only way to solve these problems is for the working class (proletariat), who according to Marx are the main producers of wealth in society and are exploited by the Capitalist-class (bourgeoisie) (i.e., the wealthy), to replace the bourgeoisie as the ruling class in order to establish a free society, without class or racial divisions. The dominant forms of communism, such as Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism and Trotskyism are based on Marxism, but non-Marxist versions of communism (such as Christian communism and anarcho-communism) also exist.

“Karl Marx never provided a detailed description as to how communism would function as an economic system, but it is understood that a communist economy would consist of common ownership of the means of production, culminating in the negation of the concept of private ownership of capital, which referred to the means of production in Marxian terminology.”

Dictatorships are countries ruled by one person or one group (think of the South American military councils known as juntas). If the Religious Right has its way, the U.S. would not be ruled by votes from every citizen. Instead, officials elected by the people would then be subjected approval by a religious body. Christian leaders would have the final say as to who leads this country. This is not a democracy: it is a dictatorship.

In Conclusion

So while you are sitting down to your pre-Thanksgiving meals, give thanks to our forefathers—and their forefathers—who created a land where people of all faiths can practice their religion without fear of persecution. And give thanks to all the people, regardless of their religion or ancestry, who laid down their lives so you can enjoy yours. Lastly, read what you can about these topics. If you agree with the Religious Right, great! But if you disagree, I also wish you well.

Let’s have a civilized, unemotional and informative discussion. Taking outlandish views and actions is guaranteed to end in violence. To quote the late author Isaac Asimov, “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”

Happy Thoughts (and Postings)

2009-10-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Bobby McFerrin sang that song back in the 1980s. While it’s a lot tougher to do in these tough economic times, the sentiment makes sense.

I’m like a lot of other people: I spend far too much time dwelling on the negatives and no where near enough time being positive. Here’s an example based on a different from an event that inspired another blog posting.

The event: A man was smoking a cigarette at a gas station while filling his truck’s tank. The sheer stupidity of it inspired me to call his employer and complain.

Now for the bright side: Neither I nor my wife was hurt by this idiot’s actions.

And despite strong winter storm striking early, our home and pets came through unscathed. The only “damage” we had were a few downed twigs and dead tree limbs. The good news take on this is: it saved me the time of cleaning up leaves only to have a lot more come down later. Now I’ve only got one larger clean-up to do instead of two.

I could also be depressed about my wife’s July emergency room bill for $26,000 coupled with our lack of medical insurance. Instead, I’m happy that my wife found a billing person to work with us and reduce the bill to a more manageable amount. If the bill is cut in half, great! If the bill can be reduced even more, that is even better. What’s most important to me is that my wife survived the night and is taking steps to protect her health.

Here’s one other related thought: it takes the same energy or less to be positive about life than it does to be negative. We are all exposed to a tremendous amount of stress in our daily lives caused by all the negativity. Being positive will help us live longer and most importantly, enjoy our time in this plane of existence.

If I'm not mistaken, McFerrin also sang "Smoke Two Joints." If someone smoked as much marijuana as that song calls for, they would be so stoned, they would qualify as a rock quarry!

Each Person Must Be Accountable For Their Actions

2009-10-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

My apologies for not updating this blog in a very long time. I’ve been making posts, but on my communications blog, not here. That said, here’s today’s topic: accountability.

I stopped for gas last night after taking my wife to dinner at the Red Haw Casino. While I was filling up our Honda Civic’s tank, I looked at the guy ahead of us. Then I looked again. Then I grabbed a pen and a receipt and jotted down the name of his company, the vehicle number and its license plate number. This morning I found the phone number for the company, called and explained what I witnessed. A few minutes later, a company spokesman called me back, asked a few questions and said he would take care of the issue.

What got me going—more out of concern than anger—was the witless action I witnessed: a man filling up his truck’s gas tank while nonchalantly smoking a cigarette.

People that know me understand I flat-out don’t like cigarette smokers, mainly because I’ve been around far too many who are going to smoke, regardless if other people can’t stand the smell or don’t want to breathe the noxious fumes. I normally don’t have a problem when people are puffing away outdoors and the wind is blowing the smoke away from me. I do have a problem when they are smoking near businesses and the fumes are allowed to enter the building, especially in California where state law prohibits smoking within 20 feet of an open doorway or window, but that was not the case here.

I also have a problem with people behaving stupidly. We’ve all seen the people doing dumb, idiotic, moronic and highly-dangerous acts while driving. Smoking in an enclosed car is one. I’m just as guilty as the next driver for sipping my coffee and eating while driving, so I can’t complain too much about that.

What really got me going about last night’s action, though, was this guy’s total disregard of common sense. Let me make this perfectly clear: gasoline + open flame = trip to the ER or morgue. If the smoker had ignited any gas fumes, I might not be writing this.

My phone call this morning wasn’t designed to punish this guy for his action—though having “Safety” be part of the company name played a part—it was more to wake him up to what he was doing. His boss promised he would mention it to the guy, with his tone of voice saying the driver was going to get an earful. Many people disregard safety warning signs. For example, how many men out there don’t wear safety goggles or gloves every time they use power tools? I sure don’t.

But come on, be real. If you want to kill yourself—and smoking is a good way to do it—be my guest. Just don’t take me and the people I love with you.

There Are Too Many Complex Laws

2009-10-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

We have far too many complex laws on the books and they are not being enforced. It’s time for the public to demand that the number of these ordinances, rules, restrictions and laws be reduced and that all laws be enforced, and enforced equally.

I’m like a lot of people: I’ve had tax problems in the past. Tax laws have gotten so complex in the last few years, taxpayers are forced to hire a professional to fill out the forms for them. So in addition to what you owe the government, you are being penalized for this legal complexity by having to fork over the preparer’s fee. You might earn a $400 refund, but have to pay the preparer $500, or owe the government $3,500 and with the accountant’s tariff, your bill comes to $4,000. That’s frankly insane, largely because many of these laws are inane!

Laws need to be written in such a way that someone with an eighth grade education can read and understand them. Here’s an example taken directly from the California Motor Vehicle Code:

“22450. (a) The driver of any vehicle approaching a stop sign at the entrance to, or within, an intersection shall stop at a limit line, if marked, otherwise before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection.

“If there is no limit line or crosswalk, the driver shall stop at the entrance to the intersecting roadway .

“(b) The driver of a vehicle approaching a stop sign at a railroad grade crossing shall stop at a limit line, if marked, otherwise before crossing the first track or entrance to the railroad grade crossing.

“(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a local authority may adopt rules and regulations by ordinance or resolution providing for the placement of a stop sign at any location on a highway under its jurisdiction where the stop sign would enhance traffic safety.

“Amended Sec. 8, Ch. 630, Stats. 2007. Effective January 1, 2008.”

This law would be easier to understand if it were written like this: “Come to a complete stop at all stop signs. The front of your vehicle should not extend beyond a line from the stop sign to the other side of the road. If you do not come to a complete stop, you may be fined.”

Instead of spending millions of dollars on legislative salaries to write more complex laws, let’s cut out the deadwood, rewrite the rest and put it to the kid test: if a kid can’t figure it out, the law is too complex. This way people understand what will happen to them if they commit a crime. The money spent on these salaries could then be used to hire more people to enforce the laws.

Here’s another example. A rewrite of one murder law would state simply, “If you kill someone while committing a crime, or your actions from the crime cause their death, you will be put to death.” That simplified variation would make people think first before shooting or stabbing someone while robbing them or killing a pedestrian after robbing a store.

Personally, I’m in favor of reducing crime by making the punishment fit the crime. If a crook is convicted of robbing a home, then anyone and everyone should be allowed to legally enter the robber’s home and take whatever they want. If the crook trashes a home while robbing it, the crook’s home should also be vandalized.

Taking this ultra-conservative approach would make people think long and hard before committing crimes.

We Need Health Care Reform NOW!

2009-08-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

An open letter to President Obama and Congress

My name is David Reynolds. I am a 53-year-old third-generation Californian with both a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University (1980) and a certificate in technical communication from UCLA Extension (2008). My wife has a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and a Masters of Fine Arts from a private art school.

Despite our best efforts, neither of us is employed. I have not had a regular full-time job for most of the last five years. This lack of employment also means we lack a critical product in today’s society: medical insurance.

A spike in her blood pressure recently caused my wife to visit Marshall Medical Center’s Emergency Room. Under the strong urging of the medical staff, she stayed overnight and through most of the next day. All of her problems were corrected by adjusting her medication.

We have two problems with her bill:

First, at no time was she given any estimate of the cost for any of the tests or procedures, including more than one MRI and a stress test. Once her medication was adjusted, she would have refused further treatment had she known her bill was going to be far in excess of what our limited funds allow. Our view is the Marshall staff was negligent in its failure to inform us of these high costs before the procedures—most of which were completely unnecessary—were performed.

Dentists provide cost estimates of their procedures before performing them. At no time did Marshall Community Medical Center staff present us with an itemized estimate of what some procedures would cost, and therefore give us the opportunity to selectively accept or refuse individual treatments.

I understand that many unnecessary medical tests are performed not out of need for the information they provide, but to eliminate the likelihood of a malpractice lawsuit. This still does not allow these service providers to perform the tests without providing an advanced written estimate.

I wonder: How much of this unnecessary medicine is being practiced, then billed to insurance companies and the American public? How much money could be saved—and how many lives and marriages—if the medical profession and medical bureaucracy behaved in a truly professional, businesslike manner?

Second, requests to lower my wife’s bill were denied based on my portfolio. That portfolio was given to me through my late mother’s estate. She died on April 7, 2004. We were married on Dec. 8, 2004. That portfolio is not community property. Therefore, it should not be factored into Libby’s ability to pay this bill.

My income outside my stock portfolio consists of infrequent contracts for technical writing. My last contract ended not long ago and no new ones are on the horizon, though I am constantly seeking new clients and full-time employment.

Low property values also prevent us from seeking a second mortgage to pay this extremely high medical bill. Simply put, our home was last valued by El Dorado County at $359,000. We paid about $529,000 for the home on five acres in 2006. Our home is now worth about one-third less than we paid for it in 2006 making it unattractive to any lender.

In addition, my wife's existing medical conditions prevent us from obtaining medical insurance we can afford.

Sir, we are just two middle class Americans caught in the jaws of the medical bureaucracy. We are being squeezed and we lack the financial ability to fight back. Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Signed,

David B. Reynolds

Being Hypercritical of Hypocrites

2009-07-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

I’m hypercritical of hypocrites. One thing that riles me up but good and quick is hearing someone spout off on a topic, then go out and do the opposite. What these people are telling us is, “Do what I say, not what I do.” When I hear that sort of rhetoric, all I want to do is turn the page or the channel, or pack up and get out of there.

Here are three examples based on events either public or private.

I know a business owner who has been telling his employees he has to cut their hours, or can’t give them raises, or can’t buy this piece of equipment because he can’t afford it. Shortly after I heard these comments, I saw the same owner drive up in a new Mercedes. I’d say his comments were hypocritical.

I keep reading about Sarah Palin eventually running for President as a Republican, and how the Republican Party is all about morals and family values. So tell me if I’m getting this right: the GOP wants as its spokesperson a woman who has been hit with several very public charges she violated ethics rules. One of the most complaints is that she accepted private money to fund her legal fight against these ethics charges, even though accepting this money is an ethical violation of its own.

And if the Republican Party is so keen about high moral standards and family values, why don’t its most public members practice what they preach in terms of these values? Good, attentive parents of teenagers educate their kids about how to have sex safely and what can happen if they or their partner gets either pregnant or catches a social disease? If How can someone stand up in front of a nation and rant about how American values are slipping and sliding, yet they can’t even keep their own family in order?

My final example deals with men not keeping their zippers closed. Of course we all know about President Bill not being able to keep his zipped and the fallout that resulted from it. Sure, having any form of sex with Monica Lewinski, or even the appearance of having sex with her, goes against the Christian doctrine of married people only having sex with their legal partner. While sex with someone outside the marriage vows is not illegal, it is immoral.

Way back during the Vietnam War, Vice-President Spiro Agnew got caught up in a scandal. I think it was a corruption probe before he became VP. Richard Nixon essentially fired Agnew because he got caught. His replacement was Gerry Ford, who was not elected to office. Agnew was probably guilty on both legal and moral grounds and lost his job because of it.

When Dick Nixon got caught essentially authorizing the Watergate break-in, then resigned, Ford replaced him. What Nixon is accused of doing—he was never convicted, though many people believe it would have been a slam dunk if he had been tried—was committing a clearly criminal act. No matter how much you hate someone, you don’t illegally enter their office seeking proof your hatred is justified.

Personally, I have far more faith in people who are honest and practice what they preach. President Obama says he is a reformed smoker. Smoking isn’t against the law, and a lot reformed smokers have been known to sneak a puff here and there when under stress. So far, no photos of the President have surfaced showing him taking a drag in public.

I believe I’ve heard him admit that he does occasionally steal a few puffs here and there, but that his wife gives him hell when she finds out. At least he admits to his indiscretions.

I can admit to mine. Hell yes, I smoked pot when I was younger. I freely admit to it. But I haven’t touched a joint in a very long time because I don’t enjoy the fuzziness that lasts for days afterwards … and because I smoked so much that I developed a very high tolerance for pot. It takes a lot to get me stoned, and since I don’t want to deal with the aftereffects, I stay away from it.

I also drink alcohol. But I don’t drink large quantities of it and get behind the wheel. I’ll do my rare serious drinking at home, not out at some bar where I’ve got to get myself home. I feel horrible when the flu makes me puke. Self-inducing nausea by drinking too much is plain stupid.

What I’m doing by making these admissions is comparing myself and my morals to public figures … and finding them lacking the moral fortitude I consider essential in a leader.

I’ll vote for a person who can not only say it, but lives it. I’ll fully endorse a businessman who claims poverty, then sells his Mercedes and buys a used Honda. I can believe his claims.

I can endorse a woman politician who takes a stand against domestic violence because she has seen it first-hand. She knows what happens to the abusers and the screwed-up lives the abused victims lead afterward.

If you’re going to talk the talk, walk the walk.

'Not Guilty' and 'Innocent" are a Universe Apart

2009-07-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

Entertainer Michael Jackson’s recent death has reignited controversy over child molestation charges against him. At issue then, and now, is whether or not Jackson did or did not sexually molest some young boys who stayed at his Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos.

Some people believed then—and still believe now—that Jackson lured these boys to his ranch with the sole evil purpose of having sex with them. Others believed—and their opinions have not changed—that Jackson was like J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan character: a boy who never grew up.

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon felt he had sufficient proof against Jackson to charge him with child molestation. Jackson and his attorneys fought the charges in Santa Maria before, as the Constitution allows, “a jury of his peers.”

Here’s where semantics come into play. The jury acquitted Jackson of these charges. He was not “found innocent” or “proven innocent” of the charges against him. Instead, U.S. law states a person is judged “not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” The only way “innocence” can be determined is by either having someone come in and say, “Yeah. I did the dirty deed” or someone else coming forward, and being able to prove, that the charges were a complete and total fabrication.

Yes, the difference between “innocent” and “not guilty” is a matter of semantics but the void between them spans the universe.

Whether Jackson did or did not commit immoral acts and illegal acts on or to these kids became completely irrelevant once the jury rendered its decision. The jury did not state that Jackson was “10 percent guilty,” “75 percent guilty” or “pure as the driven snow.” What the jury decided was that despite the best efforts of Sneddon and his team of investigators, there was still a “reasonable doubt" as to Jackson’s guilt. If that “reasonable doubt” exists—if each juror was not completely and utterly convinced the defendant committed the crime—they are required by law to find the person not guilty.

Remember that defendants in American criminal and civil court cases are not required to prove their innocence. The American legal system is based on British common law, which places the burden of proof completely on the prosecution’s shoulders. Before charges are filed, law enforcement must have a very good idea the person committed the crime. Before a conviction is handed down by a judge or jury, the prosecution must be able to point a finger at the defendant and say, “they did it and we have iron-clad proof."

Jackson’s attorneys, and those of other high-profile criminal cases such as those involving O.J. Simpson, were required to do one thing: create an element of doubt in the juror’s minds. If enough doubt existed that Jackson did not commit the crime, and if the entire jury did not agree that he in fact was guilty, then they were required to find him not guilty. That is exactly what happened.

Simpson was involved in two trials, both of which had decidedly different outcomes. The high-profile murder trial, where Simpson was accused of killing ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, resulted in a similar “not guilty” verdict. One way of looking at the trial was that prosecution did not prove Simpson’s guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Simpson is now behind bars, and may well stay there for many years to come, but not from the murder trial. Instead, he was convicted of what amounts to armed robbery. The prosecution in this case did prove his guilt. The evidence shown to jurors left absolutely no doubt in their minds that he did in fact commit the crime.

Simpson can now rightfully be called a criminal because he has been convicted of a crime. Jackson when alive could not be called that because no conviction was issued.

When people remember Michael Jackson, they should look at the entire human being, with his good points and bad. His positive, outgoing, entertaining light side and his negative, brooding dark side. Most importantly, he should not be remembered as a criminal because he was not convicted in a court of law.

Visit with Trevor and Jenny

2009-06-06T15:36:00.001-07:00

Libby and I recently spent a delightful few days visiting my daughter Jenny, her husband Brian and their two-month-old son Trevor in Phoenix. Other than Libby having some problems due to the heat, we had a great time.

The visit was fantastic and we got to spend lots of time talking with Jenny and spending time with Trevor, who was busy being a baby: eating and sleeping.

It was a more expensive trip than we thought, mainly because Libby and I came away with a new addiction: video games. Jenny got us hooked on Wii sports games, so we bought a complete set of the hardware. Libby has been using it regularly since we got back and I've played several sports games myself on it.

Pictures of Trevor are gradually being posted on my Facebook page, davereyn83, and a few shots from a brief trip to Sedona, where I once worked, will appear shortly.

Summertime Blues

2009-05-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

I feel like blasting the Who's "Summertime Blues" nice and loud through my computer speakers right now. It's hot, I'm tired, I've got a lot of stuff that needs doing like cleaning the house because Libby has been im-mobile ("Going Mobile" from Who's Next) with a bum ankle for two weeks, and yet I'm bored beyond belief.
Earlier today I published my blog sites to the Google, Yahoo and MSN search engines. I waited several months because I wanted some good content on each page. Now that I've got material up, what do you think?
Send me an email with any suggestions for improving any of my blogs: this one, kom-u-ni-kay-shunz (my communications and primary focus blog) and retreatbookreviews, all followed by .blogspot.com.
Your comments and ideas are important, even though this is a personal blog.
Thanks, folks.

Disneyland and the LA Times Festival of Books

2009-05-01T12:59:00.000-07:00

Libby and I got back Monday from a five-day trip to LA. We drove down Wednesday, checked into our room at the Embassy Suites in Anaheim, a few blocks from the Anaheim Convention Center, then ate dinner at the Rainforest Cafe.
We got our two-day Park Hopper tickets that night then were back at Disneyland at 9 a.m. Thursday. We had a blast and went on many of the rides, some two or three times, before leaving at 1 0 p.m. (closing time).
Friday started off at California Adventure where we had Food Network chef Robert Irvine autograph two copies of his Mission: Cook book, one for Libby and one for a donation. We went back over to Disneyland and hit Splash Mountain twice, cooling off on what was a very pleasant day.
Much of Saturday was spent at UCLA for the annual LA Times Festival of Books. Libby got four books signed by her favorite author, Joanne Fluke, plus three others from a new author. I added signed books from John Lescroart and Adam-Troy Castro to my collection (I may need to support the floor in my office because the wall-to-wall bookshelves are groaning in agony).
I also got a copy of Dashing Through the Snow signed by both Mary and Carol Higgins Clark, which I might keep or give away.
A key reason for going to the festival, though, was to honor my mom. A former elementary teacher, she was a strong supporter of literacy, helping the Escondido Friends of the Library with its fund-raising efforts. My way of honoring her was to buy several books, get them autographed, and donate them to the Placerville Friends of the Library.
Those folks are getting a copy of Irvine's cook book, a book from Carol Higgins Clark, one by John Lescroart (who lives in the area), plus books by Linda O. Johnston and Todd Borg.
I'm also tossing in a T-shirt from the Southern California Mystery Writer's Association with the famous Philp Marlowe quote, "Trouble is my business" signed by four authors.

Not Enough New Posts!

2009-03-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

I'm not getting enough new material on this blog, and it stinks! Running three blogs at once, doing very little freelance work for two clients (paid technical writing and swapping books for book reviews), looking for full-time work and now that the weather is improving, working on the yard, is keeping me busy.
Even so, it's a matter of balancing everything.
This is both a personal, private blog and a public forum. If you have questions about topics you think would interest people, please ask. I'll do my best to answer them and do it quickly.
If a topic is important to you, send an email to davereyn83@gmail.com for the fastest response.
Thanks.

Yesterday's News

2009-03-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

It was a horrible accident,

When the child fell down a well,

The press was all over it,

They covered it so well.

Then she was someone,

Today she sings the blues

What were today’s victims

Have become yesterday’s news.

On a clear December morning,

From the sky the bombs they fell

What had been a tropical paradise

Became a living Hell.

“A day that will go down in Infamy,”

Oh yeah, you want to bet?

Then it begat a war

Today, no one is still upset.

And still they sing the blues

What were today’s villains

Have become yesterday’s news.

So many lives were snuffed

As the planes fell from the sky

They struck so hard and quickly

We had no chance to cry

Now the media is finding other

Stories to cover, other fish to fry

As the story still unfolds

Will we ever really know why?

Today everyone is upset

And still they sing the blues

What were today’s heroes

Have become yesterday’s news.

And in the years to come

As we wander down the mews,

Will we look at today’s tragedies

And ignore them

Because they were yesterday’s news?

Goodbye, Ray Casso

2009-03-14T23:50:00.000-07:00

Libby and I said goodbye to her uncle Ray Casso on Friday, March 13. Ray, a Rotarian and active member of the Clayton, Calif. community, was murdered on March 7 while checking his mail at the local post office.
Ray leaves behind his wife JoAnne, three children and several grandchildren, plus numerous nieces and nephews and a huge host of friends.
Details about Ray's death and a complete obituary can be found at www.raycasso.net.
Ray was buried in a Catholic ceremony where a crowd of family and friends filled St. Bonaventure Catholic Church. Nephew Jesse Casso of West Covina gave the eulogy. A slide show and brief video presentation followed the service.
He was buried in the scenic Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
Rumor has it that Ray's killer, who was quickly caught, is and was mentally unhinged. It's fair to say that he may be one of many mentally ill people who should not be allowed to roam the street due to the dangers they present to the public and themselves.
My opinion is that we need to examine the state of our mental institutions and ensure that other people don't "fall through the cracks" and end up back on the streets.
Every person who dies in such a violent and tragic manner leaves behind a grieving family and shocked community. We should do everything in our power to make sure no one else suffers this same sort of tragedy.
>>Dave Reynolds

Are You a Blood Donor?

2009-03-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

I’m a regular blood donor. Are you?

One of my first assignments as a photo-journalist for the Sedona Red Rock News back in 1991 or 1992 was taking photos of a blood drive. Like many people, I use a fear of needles as an excuse not to donate.

One group or another continued to hold these drives, I kept covering them and I kept avoiding them and avoiding them. I let the fear of a little pain keep me from helping people.

On a trip to Redding, a wrong turn brought me past a blood bank. These folks had a great idea: give away T-shirts. Since my older sister Cindy is a family practitioner, I figured giving her the shirt would help recruit more donors.

Skipping forward to 2001, a Solvang group scheduled a blood drive at the Royal Scandinavian Inn. Donate a pint of blood, get a free dinner. There was only one minor problem: the blood drive, which was set months in advance, was held on Sept. 11. The response was so great, people (including me) were turned away.

Still a journalist, I kept taking photos of people giving blood. The only difference now was I often joined them, assuming a crazy deadline schedule allowed.

On March 5, 2009, my donations to the Marshall Community Blood Bank reached two gallons in three years. To put it in perspective, you can donate one pint of blood every 16 weeks. Over three years, I missed two possible donations.

Folks, anything negative you may have heard about blood banks is flat out wrong.

To find a local donation spot and date, go to https://www.givelife.org/.

Why donate? “Blood is needed for emergencies and for people who have cancer, blood disorders, sickle cell, anemia and other illnesses. Some people need regular blood transfusions to live,” the American Red Cross website states.

“Imagine if giving blood was part of everyone's life. Something you did on a regular basis, like eating at your favorite restaurant. What kind of difference would that make? For nearly 5 million people who receive blood transfusions every year, your donation can make the difference between life and death.”

People have reasons for not donating. The American Red Cross lists these Top 10 excuses. Is yours one of them?

1.I don't like needles / I am scared of needles / I am afraid to give blood
Nearly everyone feels that way at first. However, most donors will tell you that you feel only a slight initial pinch, and 7-10 minutes later, you are finished and headed for the canteen. If you take the time (and courage) to make one donation, you'll wonder why you ever hesitated.

2. I am too busy
The entire process takes about an hour, and the actual blood donation time is only 7-10 minutes. If you stop to think that an hour of your time could mean a lifetime for a premature baby, someone with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, or someone who's had an accident, you might decide that you can make the time to give the gift of life.

3. No-one ever asked me… I didn't realize my blood was needed
Consider yourself asked! There is simply no other way to supply the blood needs of hospital patients but for the generous donations of people like you. Every two seconds someone in America needs blood. More than 38,000 donations are needed every day in communities across the U.S.

4. I already gave this year
You can give every 56 days. Many donors give 5 times a year!

5. I am afraid I'll get AIDS
It is not possible to get AIDS by donating blood to the American Red Cross (or any other blood bank). A new sterile needle is used for each donor and discarded afterwards.

6. My blood isn't the right type
Every type of blood is needed daily to meet patient needs. If you have a common blood type, there are many patients who need it, so it is in high demand. If you have a less common blood type, there are fewer donors available to give it, so it is in short supply.

7. I don't have any blood to spare
The average adult body has 10-12 pints of blood. Doctors say that healthy adults may give regularly because the body quickly replaces the blood you donate.

8. I don't want to feel weak afterward
Donating blood should not affect adversely a healthy adult because your body has plenty of blood. You will donate less than one pint, and your body, which constantly makes new blood, will replace the donated volume within 24 hours. Most people continue their usual activities after donating.

9. They won't want my blood (I am too old / I've had an illness)
If you have doubts, check with your physician. The qualified staff on duty at a blood drive or donor center will also review your medical history with you. There is no upper age limit to donate blood with the American Red Cross, and a great many medical conditions do not prevent you from donating blood, or may have done so only temporarily in the past.

10. I have a rare blood type, so I'll wait until there is a special need
Blood that is rare or special is almost always in short supply. There is a constant need for these blood types in order to avoid having to recruit specific blood types in a crisis.”

Here’s my Top 5 Reasons TO donate:

5. The rest of the day is a day of rest. You are not allowed to do any heavy lifting and you’re supposed to take it easy. Donating blood means no more excuses: kick back!

4. Free cookies, munchies and fruit juice.

3. You’re able to lie down in the middle of the day for 15 minutes. Can you say nap?

2. Needles these days are so tiny, you don’t feel the pin prick when they test your iron levels and the needle stick when you donate is a minor irritant. A bee sting—and some mosquito bites—hurt a lot more.

1. Everyone can literally be a life-saver. That means me and most importantly, it means YOU!

A Good Review

2009-03-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick tip for anyone who looking for lunch on their way to South Lake Tahoe: Stop for a bite in Placerville.

You will know you're in Placerville when you hit a series of signals on Highway 50. Make sure you turn right and get onto Main Street, then look for the water tower. On one side is Placerville Hardware with a very interesting collection of merchandise, including some hard-to-find items.

On the other side is a --burp--tiny restaurant called the Old Town Grill.

I support them because they are one of several local businesses that support the local blood bank. These folks provide coupons for a free burger and fries. After I donated last Thursday at the Marshall Community Blood Bank (further up Main Street on the left and open Wednesadays and Thursdays), Libby and I used a coupon for lunch. We will most definitely be back.

The coupon I got was for a free lunch item and french fries. Having not eaten there before, I found the house’s specialty was its bacon cheeseburger. If you want a burger that's cooked to perfection, the Old Town Grill is THE place to go.

There’s only one word to describe the bacon cheesbergers: delicious. Another expression might "heart attack in a bun," but one of these occasionally is just fine.

I haven't sampled anything else on the menu yet, but I will. And I most definitely will be coming back.

For more reviews of the Old Town Grill, click here.

My Day Stunk, Literally

2009-03-02T22:47:00.000-08:00

When I say my day (Monday, March 2) stunk, I mean it quite literally.
The day started out with promise, but that was as bright as it got. I had a job interview that sounded exciting, despite the pouring rain and 90-minute drive. One wrong turn on my part, and a non-existent exit later, I arrived at the Batteries4Less office in Grass Valley.

Very quickly into the interview I was told that I was vastly underqualified for the position, but that they might consider using my services as a freelance blogger. These same "people" (another, far less flattering term, is much more appropriate) also said that bloggers were quite common and that they could anyone to write for them and pay them a pittance.

My comment is thanks for absolutely nothing! Yes, I am a communicator. I have the experience and college education (San Jose State and UCLA) to prove it. But no, I'm not going to work for these ****heads unless they pay me a decent rate. If they read this, I'd like them to take their "it's a buyers market and we can pay as little as we want" approach and put it you know where.

I finally got home at 2 p.m. after leaving at 9 a.m. I then spent two hours writing a piece on the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 for my Kom-U-Ni-Kay-Shunz blog and another hour trying to format it correctly in HTML, while also battling a slow Internet connection.

Does it sound like my day stunk so far? Wait. It gets better.

About 9 p.m. I took our dog Rainy (he was found in the rain at Wal-Mart about two weeks after we moved to Placerville in 2006, hence his name) out for his evening rounds. As we got home, he lunged toward the back porch. Thinking he'd seen a cat, I let him lead me. Oops! That was a bad move on my part.

It wasn't a cat he'd found, but Fifi lePhew, or what Libby calls the resident skunk. The skunk sprayed Rainy and got me in the process. Rainy has had three baths. Now it's time for my second.

Pleasant days and don't shop for cell phone batteries at Batteries4less.com. If they treat prospective employees this way, how do they treat their customers?

2009-03-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

Everyone has their favorite song lyrics. My top two are below. What are yours?

Most favorite lyric:
"Good times and riches
and son-of-a-bitches
I've seen more than I can recall."
--From Changes in Lattitudes, Changes in Attitudes by Jimmy Buffett

"If we weren't all crazy
we would go insane."
--See above

Social Marketing in the Internet Age AKA Blog or Die

2009-02-23T18:18:00.000-08:00

Hi there! I'm baaack with another of my long and extremely detailed "how to" guides. Questions? Comments? Suggestions on ways I can improve this? How's about an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered here? I'm listening.

>>Dave

(davereyn83@gmail.com)
Marketing in the Internet Age

Introduction

I want it all, I want it all, I want it all and I want it now.

Freddy Mercury’s lyrics from a Queen song written in the 1970s are appropriate to today’s information consumer.

Companies that want to stay in business must keep in mind that people these days are not willing to wait for answers, regardless of what the product or service is. Their approach is, “Give me what I want NOW or I will get it from someone else.”

Firms that want to stay competitive can no longer afford to take a wait-and-see approach. To be competitive today means:

§ Connecting with current and potential clients and customers.

§ Staying connected with current suppliers and potential suppliers.

§ Listening to the needs and wants of both customers and suppliers.

§ Responding quickly to those needs and wants.

§ Allocating manpower and technology resources so you can respond quickly.

Consumers these days get their information from a variety of sources that were unavailable 15 or 20 years ago. These information sources help shape their buying decisions.

There are three important Internet-related technologies every firm should be aware of and use:

§ Web pages

§ Blogs (a contraction of the term “web log”)

§ Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

This white paper defines each of these technologies and explains why using them is important to their business.

Background: New Information Sources vs. Old

In the “Information Stone Age” of the late 20^th Century, people got their information from three main sources: daily newspapers, nightly network news broadcasts and radio broadcasts. If you didn’t read about it, see it on TV or hear about it on the radio, “it” didn’t happen. Even then, information access options were exploding as cable television and the early days of the Internet dawned.

Today, most consumers are no longer willing to wait for the morning newspaper to be delivered before making their buying decisions, let alone delay important decisions until after their local 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. news broadcast tells them what happened. Many people would say radio these days is far more about opinion and far less about information.

Unlike the 1960s, 70s, 80s or 90s, nearly everyone today has constant access to volumes of information that were unheard of in the late 20^th Century.

In 1970, Alvin Toffler’s book Future Shock examined the effects an exploding information age would have on human beings. He predicted that the volume of information would dramatically increase each year to the point that humans would have a difficult time staying current. Human beings would be “future shocked” by information overload—another term coined by Toffler—leaving them shattered and disconnected.

Let’s use the financial markets as an example of how this “future shock” of rapid access to information has changed—and continues to shape—the world as we know it, nearly 40 years after Toffler’s predictions.

Previous Information Source	Modern Source
Stock quotes in daily newspapers with results at least 24 hours old.	On-line stock quotes with information delayed at most by 20 minutes.
Annual reports produced by or for companies containing information that was current when researched, but is now out-dated. Occasional updates and quarterly print publications.	News reports about specific industry sectors Corporate earnings reports available on-line Federal Trade Commission filings
Monthly industry trade magazines.	On-line “e-zines” and web sites devoted to specific industries and some individual businesses.
Comments from stockholders at meetings held once a year.	On-line blogs with new comments appearing every few seconds.
Written letters from stockbrokers mailed via the U.S. Post Office to clients arriving one to four days after being written.	E-mails now arriving on desktop, laptop and palm-top computers plus Internet-enabled cell phones, all within seconds of being transmitted.

Using the Internet to Achieve Business Goals

In the “old days” before the Internet, being competitive meant having the best product on the market, then doing a better job of selling it than the other guys. Firms took the approach of building better products then assuming people would come to them. When they had something to say, they sent out a press release or bought ads in local media.

Those days when the adage “make a better mousetrap and they will come” approach worked are not only over, they are dead, buried and not even worm waste.

William Perrault and E. Jerome McCarthy state in Essentials of Marketing that modern marketing means listening to the marketplace and individual consumers then giving them what they want. Firms must pay constant attention to consumers and respond to their needs and requests. If they don’t—if they continue to fight old-fashioned pests by building mousetraps when consumers want to fight modern pests through junk email (“spam”) blockers—these firms will go under.

Today, firms MUST LISTEN to what their consumers and clients want. Those that do, and can respond quickly, can survive and even prosper. Those that fail to solicit comments, ideas and suggestions will go the way of dinosaurs and disappear.

In Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, authors Al Trout and Jack Ries wrote in 1981 that firms must use every available tool to keep their brands and products in the forefront of consumers’ minds. It takes a lot of work to become #1 and even more work to stay there, they wrote.

Folks, there are a lot of electronic tools out there today that did not exist 10 or 20 years ago. These tools share one common goal: to help people communicate.

Websites Can Help Firms Stay Competitive

Take a close look at many television and print ads. A common line at the bottom of almost every advertisement you now see is a website address. Why? Because people use the Internet to search out information appropriate to them. Firms that have a Web presence and promote it allow current and potential customers access to the information they seek.

Today’s websites are very similar to magazines of year’s past, with one major change: instead of being industry-specific as the print publications were—and some survivors still are—websites are company-specific.

What kinds of information can anyone find on good websites these days and how does this information help that company stay competitive?

Specific materials found on-line depend on the company and the market sector it is in. However, common items found on most websites are:

§ An opening page or section that introduces visitors to the company and its products and/or services.

§ A listing of the types of products and/or services the firm offers. Some firms have simple listings while others have full on-line catalogs.

§ Methods of obtaining these products and services directly from the company without going to a retail store or office, nor even making a phone call. Purchases can be done on-line.

§ Ways of contacting the firm for more information. These methods typically including both email and telephone options.

§ Special promotions and breaking news. If a firm has a weekly or monthly special, odds are good a similar ad appears on its website. If a firm recently made a major announcement, such as acquiring a competitor, chances are good consumers will find detailed information on-line.

Also becoming more common are blogs.

Blogs, Blogging and Why Your Firm Should Care

The Internet allows people to search for information appropriate to them. In addition to web pages that inform, educate and occasionally entertain the public (these are the core functions of advertising), many firms use electronic mail to get the word out.

People today are far more likely to send an email message asking for more information, making suggestions or voicing their displeasure than they are to use the postal service or fire off a fax.

Another method of communication that essentially combines emails and web pages is also now in frequent use: the weblog, or as it is more commonly known, the blog.

Essentially a blog is an on-line listing of comments with the most recent comments (“postings” in Internet lingo) shown first. Comments come from the general public, which are typically informed and educated consumers.

En.Wikipedia.org defines a “blog” (a contraction of the term “web log”) as, “a website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. “Blog” can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.”

A typical corporate blog has a comment or news item followed by public comments. When questions are asked, a company spokesperson answers them and posts the answer for all to read.

Blogs are typically included as part of a company’s overall Internet presence. Most corporate blogs are one of several pages on the firm’s website. Others, such as those operated by private people and concerned consumer, have their own unique identifiers.

The vast majority of blogs are not operated by corporations or businesses, yet they have tremendous power to influence consumer buying behavior. How? Because many people subscribe to these blogs and are automatically notified when new information appears.

Let’s say Joe Jones Used Car Lot just bought its next-biggest competitor, Lucky Lou’s Horse and Buggy. The Jones people send a press release out to the media and run a detailed story about it on joejonesusedcars.com.

These same folks also operate a blog on their website. The blog can help the Jones staff answer questions like: “I just bought my rig from Lou’s. Can I still get it serviced?”

The general rule is: if a comment, question, suggestion or idea potentially impacts more people than just the writer, post the original document and the response on-line.

What Information is Found in a Blog?

Some people think a blog is just a collection of comments, like an on-line diary or an electronic version of a newspaper’s opinion page.

Blogs can be both of those, or they can be so much more.

Here are few ideas for helping a company blog be very effective in stimulating conversations with the public.

§ Post the first paragraph of news releases on your blog. Include a link like “to read the entire article, click here” that takes visitors to your company news page.

§ Include videos and still photos when appropriate. For example, let’s say your antique store just obtained a special new dresser. Don’t just tell people about it, show them a digital photo or two.

§ Use the blog to tell people about the people in the company. For example, get Mark in Marketing to make a comment, then have a link back to his biography on the “About Us” or “Contact Us” page of your web site.

§ Show photos of company events and behind-the-scenes activities. People relate to people in their normal environments, not stuffed suits given stilted speeches.

How Can Blogging Help My Firm?

Go into most major grocery stores and many other retail outlets these days and take a look at the bottom of your receipt. Chances are excellent that there is a phone number you can call or website you can go to and take a survey. Why? Because these surveys allow firms to take the pulse of people buying their products.

Blogs blow this customer-satisfaction survey approach out of the water. Instead of being a one-way communication, “thanks for your opinions, now go on your way,” having a blog allow a firm to have conversations with their customers.

A few key benefits to having a company-sponsored blog are:

§ The ability to respond in real time to comments, questions, suggestions, ideas and complaints from customers. Response delays are measured in the time it takes your firm to post a response to comments received on the blog, not the time it takes to receive a written response in the mail.

§ The ability to guide conversations and have consumers guide your business. Your firm can post a comment or idea then get feedback from consumers. Consumer feedback can help you decide what products to carry, and which to abandon.

§ The ability to rapidly respond to changes in the marketplace. You no longer have to wait as a market research firm creates a survey, uses focus groups to test it, conducts the survey then evaluates it. Sufficient comments on your blog can help you decide if a full-blown research project is worthwhile. Most importantly, blogs give firms a way to connect to the individual people that are or might be using your products. Your firm is not dictating to the marketplace. Instead, you appear to be conversing with individual customers on a one-on-one (actually one-to-many) level.

Do not over-use a blog, though. Having a presence on the Internet and hosting a blog does not eliminate the need to use good business sense.

For example, people who read and respond to blogs, or on-line surveys, are already interested in your offerings. Launching a new product line should be based on research using many new potential consumers who may never have heard of your firm.

Also be sure to use your blog for communications, not advertising. A blog is not a place to scream, “Buy Our Products or Services Now.” Instead, a blog is a place where people can ask about your products and services. Through the back-and-forth flow of information, customers create their own reasons to buy.

Blogging and Financial Services: An Example

Earlier we used the financial services sector as an example of how information sources have changed over time. Now let’s take a look at how a financial advisory firm could use a blog to its benefit.

Let’s say your firm asks people to respond to the question, “How are we doing?”

In addition to the brief comments like, “fair” or “OK,” some might say, “I have never dealt with a financial advisor that has done so much for me. Thanks very much.” Testimonials like this can become part of your advertising.

Now flip the virtual coin. There’s an adage that states, “your learn more from complaints than you do from compliments,” so let’s say a comment comes in that complains about the financial advisory firm’s take on a specific industry segment.

Your firm can take another look at that segment and reevaluate its position. Perhaps you find that the comment to be dead-on and your research hasn’t been up to your standards. You can make a change and then post a comment telling people—and possibly thanking the person—about it.

Another blog posting comment might be one suggesting your financial firm could do better if it looks at a particular company or market segment. Your research into this comment might find a new area where you can make your clients money.

One more way a blog can help is by having consumers suggest new products or markets. If you produce a weekly market watch email newsletter, for example, you could then sell subscriptions to the general public. Not only are you providing wealth management services to your clients, but information to people that want it. Some of these subscribers may then become full-blown clients.

Non-Company Blogs

A company blog is a great way to converse with people, but there many more blogs out there. In addition to having a company blog, firms are strongly urged to seek out other blogs on topics that are of interest to them, especially those run by interested private parties and even your competitors. These other blogs might focus on the same industry sector, such as financial services, people commenting about a specific company such as Morgan-Stanley or Merrill-Lynch, or even individual financial advisors within these firms.

Using an Internet search engine such as Google (www.google.com), consumers and clients can find blogs where key terms are used. Over time, you will find a handful of sites that contain useful information. You can then read the comments and when, appropriate, post comments to these sites. You can also RSS (for Rich Site Summary, but often used to mean “Really Simple Syndication”) feeds or channels.

Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.com) defines the key advantages of RSS or Web feeds as, “They feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate content automatically. They benefit readers who want to subscribe to timely updates from favored websites or to aggregate feeds from many sites into one place. RSS feeds can be read using software called an “RSS reader”, “feed reader”, or “aggregator“, which can be web-based, desktop-based, mobile device or any computerized Internet-connected device.”

Blogs and podcasts (audio files such as radio shows that are computerized and compressed then made available for download via the Internet) are among the most common uses of RSS feeds.

When You Decide to Post to a Blog

Posting to a blog is not a hit-and-run sport. You can’t just drop an advertisement on the site under the guise of a reply posting, then move on to the next blog. Doing that will get you banned from that blog and cause more harm to your reputation than the posting was worth.

A little bit of etiquette goes a long way.

Do	Don’t
Read the main heading and the posts.	Read a posting, dump an ad and leave.
Respond to the posts that interest you.	Create a generic posting that reads like an ad and does not read like a response to a specific posting or comment
Remember the purpose of social marketing is to encourage conversations. Your posts and comments should provide additional insight, or ask questions, to help others gain knowledge about a topic.	Don’t take comments or criticisms like personal affronts. There are some people who enjoy playing power games and knocking others down. Don’t buy into their games. If your are frequently getting flamed by one person, send a note to the system operator and complain about them.
Return to the blogs you’ve posted comments on and see how others react to your posts. You might find some people are asking you questions while others “flame” (criticize) you. It’s all part of the game.	Don’t take the approach of acting like you are someone else. An example is a business employee trying to drum up business by pretending to be a customer. Your return email address could easily give you away.
Learn from the posts of others. You will find ways to gain knowledge and build trust.	Don’t expect to make sales immediately. You must gain the trust of regular blog readers first, and that takes time.

Social Networking Sites

While blogging is an important step in connecting with your current and potential customers, and staying competitive in today’s ultra-competitive marketplace, blogs are not the only sites you should visit.

In Putting the Public Back in Public Relations: How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR, Brian Solis and Deidre Breakenridge clearly state that public relations firms—and the companies that hire them—need to go beyond sending out press releases to print and broadcast outlets. PR firms—and everyone else, too—need to look at social networking sites.

The Internet is now in its “Web 2.0” phase, according to the authors. How? Because people can no now communicate on-line. Information flows not just from company to consumer, but from consumer to company.

“The parties are all over
They ended just past dawn
But the jungle drums are beating
With the tales from late last night
Cause the stories bear repeating
For everyone’s delight

“You can hear it on the coconut telegraph
Can't keep nothin' under their hat
You can hear 'em on the coconut telegraph
Sayin' who did dis and dat
Dis and dat dis and dat”

—From Jimmy Buffett’s song, “Coconut Telegraph”

YouTube and Facebook are the modern-day incarnations of the coconut telegraph, plus the “scandal rags” of Hollywood lore. If someone does something stupid in public, the odds are that a video will end up on YouTube before the night is over.

For a recent example of the impact social networking sites can have, look no further than a photo of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps holding a bong (a pipe used for smoking marijuana) that showed up on YouTube then got plastered all over the Internet and mainstream media. This single photo costs Phelps millions of dollars when sponsor Kellogg’s pulled out.

Having Facebook pages about individual company employees puts them out in front of the public. Use these pages to foster not blatant advertising but conversations.

Social networking sites and blogs allow you to start this process:

Comments and postingsÞ conversations and dialogÞ trust in these peopleÞ potential sales.

People who read your regular comments—blogs and social networking sites are only effective when used and visited frequently—will eventually start conversing with you. Over time, they may trust what you have to say. That trust could eventually lead to sales and satisfied customers, which is the ultimate goal.

What is Required to Be An Effective Social Marketer?

Making a splash on the social marketing scene is not a “one-shot and you’re done” thing. Firms that want to be effective must be willing to spend the time, money and manpower needed to do it.

Critical requirements are:

§ Have someone create your web page and blog. Make sure the design communicates what you want it to.

§ Have someone in-house assigned to regularly update your content. No one wants to read comments that are two months old unless there are newer postings, too.

§ Have a budget to pay for the website and blog. If you don’t have the money, and you can’t convince management that a blog is not a luxury but a necessity, don’t do it.

§ Find a way to measure the success of your social networking. Two common methods are including a link to a printable coupon that is only found on-line or a trial subscription to an email newsletter.

§ Realize success in social marketing through blogging, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter (a site that uses text messaging shorthand to limit comments to 140 characters) takes time. Just the act of having a blog does not mean people can find it, and if they can’t find it, they can’t comment on it.

Let’s say your boss finally relented to your constant “we need a website and blog NOW” speeches. You’ve got it up on the Web but there’s a problem: no one can find it. Whaddya do?

What Other On-line Tools Are Important?

A key these days to having success on-line is using Search Engine Optimization. Having a blog or web page is not enough: people must be able to find your stuff. A telephone Yellow Pages section might list a dozen firms similar to yours, but a Google search could literally turn up millions of similar sites.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) uses various tools and techniques—including paid advertising on the search engines such as Google and Yahoo—to help bump your website towards the top of the heap. When people search for a given topic, the odds are very strong that if a website isn’t listed on the first page of the search results, searchers will not visit it.

Given the competitive nature of today’s marketplace, every firm wants to be one of the top results when searches on their topics are made. Constantly using SEO techniques will help your web page move up the ladder and hopefully keep other firms from knocking you down it.

One common method is frequently updating content, which is another advantage to blogs: consumer comments count as content. You don’t have to redo the entire page every day or week, but keeping some material fresh helps Internet search engines find your site and gives people reasons to return.

There’s an old saying in advertising that is appropriate here: “Tell ‘em. Tell ‘em what you told ‘em. Tell ‘em again.” Fresh content allows you to recycle old information and add new material when it becomes available.

Summary

Being competitive in today’s marketplace requires not only having good products, but actively seeking out your customers and conversing with them.

Web pages tell consumers who you are. Blogs let consumers tell you what they want.

Conversing means going to spots they visit in cyberspace, such as blogs, and creating places where they can converse with you and their fellow consumers, such as your own blog.

Blogs are a great way to stimulate conversations on your products and services. They also allow you to learn what the public wants then tailor your offerings to meet their needs.

Having a good web site and blog is not enough. You must let people find your material and keep it fresh so they want to come back.

Sources

Future Shock by Alvin Toffler. Published by Bantam Books (576 pages). Price $7.99.

Essentials of Marketing by William Perrault and E. Jerome McCarthy. Published by McGraw-Hill/Irwin (688 pages). Student version with CD-ROM price $137.47.

Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Trout and Jack Ries (20^th anniversary edition). Published by McGraw-Hill (246 pages). Price $ 24.95.

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Putting the Public Back in Public Relations: How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR by Brian Solis and Deidre Breakenridge. Published by FT Press (352 pages). Price $22.99. Note: A pre-publication copy of this book was reviewed by the author. The book become available on March 2.

Cautions and Comments

The preceding comments are based on information from the quoted sources combined with other knowledge obtained by the author through personal experience. Each reader is strongly urged to investigate these topics on their own.

Suggestions for changes, corrections, additions or deletions can be sent to the author at: davereyn83@gmail.com.

About the Author

David B. Reynolds, 52, is a Certified Technical Writer, former community newspaper editor and one-time retail salesman. He now operates a communications consulting business in Placerville, Calif. and trains individuals on how to use personal computers.

For a fee, he will help firms assess their communications needs then aid them in becoming more visible. A wide range of other communication services—web page design, newsletters (both print and on-line), press releases and general Public Relations, plus some marketing—are also available.

E-mail him at davereyn83@gmail.com for more information.

Welcome to my blog

2007-06-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

June 22, 2007
Dear Readers,

Though I'm a long-time computer user--I started in the mid 1980s--this is my first blog. I'll be posting comments, thoughts, ideas and tips of one sort or another here on an irregular basis.

Since this is my blog, it runs under my rules. Comments are welcome that adhere to these simple, dictatorial rules. Please send an email to me at davereyn83@gmail.com should you wish to comment. Those that I like, or don't dislike too much, will appear here. If I consider the content obscene, spam, irrelevant to the discussion, or I don't like it for any reason, your comments will not appear.
>>Dave Reynolds