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Indy Is NOT The O.K. Corral

by Brian Groce on July 18, 2010

in Blue Shotgun,Brian's Blogs

I won’t elaborate on the shootings in downtown Indianapolis last night but I’ll hit the key points of my thoughts:

  • First, check out Abdul Hakim-Shabazz’s Second Saturday Night Special post.  I echo what he’s saying.
  • Parents: for those of you whose children were misbehaving last night, what in the world are you doing and teaching your children? And where were you?
  • Leaders: where were you on this one?  You think a kid getting beat down for not respecting and listening to the authorities is a travesty and wonder why this sort of thing happens.  I’m not saying that cops should necessarily go out beating people down, but just think about the message that you’re sending to the youth and the community by asserting that you don’t need to respect authority.  This is what that mindset leads to.
  • Girls: stop dressing like “street workers” & fighting with each other in the streets! Respect yourselves first and foremost and control yourselves.  Whatever you’re after and upset about isn’t worth it. (Back to the parents.)
  • Boys: pull up your freaking pants! I watched live coverage of kids trying to run away from the shootings and there were a handful of you not getting anywhere fast as you’re holding your pants up. I thought the “prison draws” were a fad back when I was in school, but I guess that I was wrong.  Come on fellas.  I’m not saying to wear slacks all of the time, but you can at least do functional baggy in something your size. (Back to the parents.)
  • Morons with guns: I’m glad that you’re a horrible shot, but:
    1. where did you get your guns?
    2. are you even old enough to have a gun?
    3. what made you think it was a good idea to bring guns along?
    4. what made you think it was a good idea to start shooting people?
  • IMPD & Mayor Ballard: You did the best job you could be expected to and you were on top of.  There were ample officers and no one should expect you to control the stupid actions of a select few.

That said, let me know your thoughts, agree or disagree via comment or voicemail at 317-565-4250.  And keep it civil.

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Consumer Reports Slams New iPhone

by Brian Groce on July 12, 2010

in Blue Shotgun,Brian's Blogs

Via the WSJ:

Consumer Reports said its tests show a hardware defect causes the iPhone 4 to lose reception when held a certain way, challenging Apple Inc.’s claims that the problem is rooted in software that can be easily fixed.

The product-quality watchdog said Monday it can’t recommend the newest iPhone despite otherwise high marks, dinging a company that for many shoppers can do no wrong. It was the first time Consumer Reports has failed to give the thumbs up for an Apple phone.

…

Consumer Reports took some of the heat away from AT&T Inc.’s network, which has been criticized for dropped calls and not being able to adequately handle the load of data-guzzling iPhones.

Full story

The iPhone isn’t perfect? Really?  Well, I’m glad that we can now add it to the list of every other piece of hardware.

While the iPhone may have its software issues, I can say without a doubt that AT&T’s cell coverage is horrible.  I can’t count the times that I’m somewhere around Indy, even in my downtown office late at night, and either the phone drops out or I can’t get data to come through at all (I have a Blackberry Bold). And forget about trying to get a decent & consistent connection at a major event or an amusement park.  It’s not happening.

I can vouch that back when I had my non-3G Palm the service was better.  When I switched to my BlackBerry service was decent as well.  But by the time the iPhone market began to overwhelm AT&T it was really bad (they claim NYC is ready for the iPhone now…I wouldn’t hold my breath).

All of that to say, once my contract is up I’m planning on heading elsewhere. Someone that has decent service & isn’t going to start charging me outrageous fees for data usage (on top of an already expensive plan).  I don’t have time to worry about how much data I’m using and I’m sure not going to pay for data that only half way transferred because the network is choking on the data that’s trying to flow through it.

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6 Year Old Domestic Terrorists?

by Brian Groce on June 26, 2010

in Blue Shotgun,Brian's Blogs

OK, we allow crazy people with bombs and their shoes and fireworks strapped to their crotch on planes, but we put 6 year old girls on the “Do Not Fly” list? Was she carry a knitting needle on board (which is allowable, and which I’ve seen)? Did she look at a flight attendant wrong?

The father of a 6-year-old Ohio girl who turned up on the U.S. government’s terror watch list says the worst thing his daughter has ever done is probably been mean to her sister.

But Santhosh Thomas, a doctor from Westlake, Ohio, says he’s sure that’s not enough to land his 6-year-old Alyssa on the no-fly list of suspected terrorists. “She may have threatened her sister, but I don’t think that constitutes Homeland Security triggers,” he told CNN.

Federal authorities have acknowledged that such a no-fly list exists, but as a matter of national security, they won’t comment on whose names are on it nor why. “The watch lists are an important layer of security to prevent individuals with known or suspected ties to terrorism from flying,” an unnamed spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration told Fox News.

[read the full story]

This will probably get me put on “the list” for saying this, but our government is apparently ran by complete morons.  Is it really that hard to find competent people for the  job? Boy, do I feel safer now that this 6 year old girl can’t fly.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/ohio-6-year-oid-alyssa-thomas-turns-up-on-terror-watch-list/19532082

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Trading: Send in the Clowns #1

by Brian Groce on June 23, 2010

in Watershed Studio Gallery

 

2.5″ x 3.5″ Artist Trading Card (ATC).

TRADED

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Children’s Museum of Indianapolis’ New Logo

by Brian Groce on June 23, 2010

in Blue Shotgun,Brian's Blogs

Hey The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, the consensus is in and your new logo sucks!

Comments from my Facebook friends:

“GAG, the old logo was OK, but the new one has even less appeal.”

“Haha, or a zit! Ugh, what is the bump anyways?? Does the museum have a bump in it’s design somewhere!? They should have incorporated something iconic of the museum whether out-of-state visitors get it or not, like the clock, or something like that!”

“Looks like a crocodile eye or a terrible skateboard ramp. Either way, I expect record attendance and season pass purchases any minute now.”

“Very dated typography and very conservative.”

“I vote a big thumbs down on this change. Makes no sense. It doesn’t look very inviting as far as a museum geared towards children. Fail.”

“It looks like a stodgy business logo. Not kid-friendly at all. Boo.”

And to my own comments:

I’ll preface this by saying that I love the The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the logo won’t deter me from personally visiting, but…

Some “marketing” people really don’t get “branding” at all. Yes, update logos once in a while if/when necessary, but not something like this. (UPS is a good example of how to do it right.)

It certainly doesn’t scream “Fun” and I’m wondering if they did any market research with this because I’ve not heard anyone say they really like it. Even my 6 year old tells me “It looks like a mountain or hill & it’s boring to look at all day.” Way to market to your target audience!

Personally if I were in charge of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis I’d have a nice chat with the creative director and the marketing team.  Bottom line, you want something that brings in your target audience, especially out-of-town  visitors.  While logos don’t always need to give a feel for what the business is about (their main purpose is branding), in this case that should be important.  And by all means you don’t drastically change them every 15-20 years.

But I digress and am just happy that’s not something I’m responsible for.

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What To Do on Father’s Day 2010

by Brian Groce on June 19, 2010

in Blue Shotgun,Brian's Blogs

Father’s Day is one of those days that I honestly don’t worry about too much for myself (as if we really need another card-buying, gift-giving day).  We normally swing the kids by both sets of grandparents and have breakfast, lunch or dinner.  But this year I was thinking it’d be nice to go fishing to do something different and relaxing, then the weatherman swooped in to ruin that idea…

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN
534 AM EDT FRI JUN 18 2010
..VERY WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED INTO NEXT WEEK…

Very warm and humid conditions will develop across much of the region once again and last into next week.

High temperatures will reach the upper 80s to lower 90s most days for the coming week. Heat indices combining the effects of temperature and humidity will reach as high as the upper 90s to near 100.

If possible stay in an air conditioned building during the afternoon and early evening hours. If you must be outdoors for a significant period of time be sure to take frequent breaks in the shade. Remember to drink plenty of water and avoid overexerting yourself.

I personally don’t do to good in the heat (it’s a miracle that I didn’t pass out at the Indy 500 this year) & I certainly don’t want my kids to get sick from it.  So I’m having second thoughts on that one.  And golfing would be an even less enjoyable outing.  Anyway, we’ll see what happens.  Maybe the norm in air conditioning.

So, what are your Father’s Day plans?

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Trading: Flowers #5

by Brian Groce on June 15, 2010

in Watershed Studio Gallery

 

3.5″ x 2.5″ Artist Trading Card (ATC).

TRADED

View this post at Watershed Studio Gallery

U.S. Retail Sales Tumbled in May?

by Brian Groce on June 11, 2010

in Blue Shotgun,Brian's Blogs

via my Wall Street Journal News Alerts:

In a setback for the U.S. economic recovery, retail sales fell 1.2% in May from the previous month as consumers pulled back their spending on things from cars to clothing, the Commerce Department reported. The decline was the biggest — and the first — since September 2009, when sales fell 2.2%.

Excluding auto and gas sales, retail sales slipped 0.8%, the largest drop since 1% in March 2009.

For my own business I know that I think in a “micro” scale compared to the overall U.S. economy, and being up or down a few percentage points isn’t a huge hit to my business operations, but are we really basing any sort of reality off of a 1-2% fluctuation in sales (either way)?  If sales went down double digits during a single month on a grander scale for the economy as a whole I might be worried, but I’m not going to lose any sleep over this.

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Meg Whitman Attempts To Board The Sinking Ship

by Brian Groce on June 9, 2010

in Blue Shotgun,Brian's Blogs

I’m feeling sorry for my friends in California tonight. Your GOP candidate for governor is the Meg Whitman.  The lady who “diluted the magic of eBay” and did everything in her power to run the company into the ground. “Hey lets buy Skype but not the patents to the technology.” BRILLIANT!  Not to mention the other dumb business moves made during her short tenure at the helm.

On the other side of the coin you have former Gov. Jerry Brown. I don’t know anything about Mr. Brown, but one can venture to guess.

For the sake of your local economy (which has a direct impact on my own livelihood) I really hope that you have some decent third, fourth & fifth “party” candidates in the race.  I know you can do it!

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AMC Kills The Five Buck Club

by Brian Groce on May 28, 2010

in Blue Shotgun,Brian's Blogs

As I mentioned a few weeks ago via Facebook, AMC was determined to get rid of the Kerasotes Five Buck Club from the get-go.  They sent out a “survey” about the Five Buck Club and mentioned their alternative “Program X” for $5 movies.  Coming from a marketing & business background it was clear to me that AMC already had their mind made up on what to do regardless of the outcome of the survey (which they quickly shut down because they said that they had enough responses).

While the number crunchers probably sat down and came up with this grand plan, they failed to realize that there’s a reason people waited for movies to go to the Five Buck Club…because they don’t want to pay $10 (or more in 3D or IMAX) to see a movie that will be out in stores in a few months.  If people really want to see a movie then the price doesn’t come into play and they’d see it opening weekend anyway (and BTW, all morning movies at Kerasotes were $5 as well, even for new movies).

Anyway, what this means for me is that AMC won’t be getting as much money out of my pocket because most of my theater visiting opportunities come during their new Premium Pricing Club viewings.  But never fear, we still have second run movies and maybe Regal or another theater chain will see AMC’s folly and seize the opportunity.

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