Company.find(:first, :conditions => [
  "state = :state AND name = :name AND division = :division AND created_at > :some_date",
  { :state => :approved, :name => 'Flatterline', :division => 'First', :some_date => '2009-02-27' }
])

This is also very handy when you have the same value for multiple parameters, since it will replace all matching bind variables with the value (e.g., the current time).

Event.find(:first, :conditions => [
  "state = :state AND starts_at <= :now AND ends_at >= :now",
  { :state => :active, :now => Time.zone.now }
])

References

• ActiveRecord::Base API documentation

So now, you can indicate which scenarios should pass and which are still be worked on, then run them separately if you like. Simply add some meta-data to your scenarios like this:

This will tag the scenario as a test that should work. If you have a work-in-progress, simply tag with @wip.

Read about some other ridiculously awesome cucumber and webrat features on the thoughtbot blog.

Strangely, though, Rails does not have an inflection that deals with the singularization of these words correctly. From the command line, try singularizing the word “business”:

While this seems like a contrived situation, it’s actually not as hard to hit as you’d think (e.g., common code that needs to singularize the incoming argument). I saw this while using Acl9, a role-based authorization system for Rails…

Here’s a quick fix that you can add to your config/initializers/inflections.rb:

You can read more about how this won’t be fixed in this ticket.

Here's what you do to patch Rack:

You should now be back in business. Hopefully it won't be too long before an update is released for Rack that includes the patch.

Happy uploading!

References

• Rails Ticket #2497: Rack in Rails 2.3.2 throws fatal error with small uploads
• Rack commit log: Fix multipart uploads on 1.9
• Ruby NYC: paperclip triggering a “invalid byte sequence in US-ASCII” ruby 1.9 rails 2.3

I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt when it comes to subscribing to their RSS feed, following on Twitter, etc. It’s usually about a 2 week trial period, after which I reevaluate my choice. I also occasionally reevaluate long standing connections to see if it still makes sense for me to be connected to that person through whatever tool I’m using.

My main reason for cutting people is mostly due to a lack of relevance to me at that time. Just because one of your posts caught my attention doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to be interested in the rest. If someone has ceased being relevant to me, why would I continue to skip over their posts in search of relevant content? (That’s a key indicator for me: I begin skipping over people’s blog posts, tweets, etc. That’s when I know it’s time to move on…)

Negative people seem to have an effect on my mood, so I choose to remove the negativity. You may have heard the phrase “negativity is contagious.” Well, I’ve found this to be true in online interactions as well. Occasional outbursts I can live with, it’s the constant negativity that gets to me…

I also try to cut people who are rude, racist, bigoted or arrogant. I’d really rather focus my attention elsewhere; it’s not worth devoting any energy to these people. Besides, it seems like many of these people are so vocal because they’re eager for responses; it’s fuel for the fire they’re stoking.

Remember, you don’t need to follow everyone; it’s your choice. Be picky. This will allow you more time to establish better relationships with the people you choose to maintain a connection with.

Try taking some time to evaluate the people you follow, read, etc. and make a few cuts. Start with me if you’d like You might be surprised at how easy it actually is.

This came up in a conversation I had with local Phoenix artist and photographer, Tyson Crosbie a few weeks ago. He posited that, while getting together in larger groups was fine for many things, it didn’t foster the same type of relationships that smaller groups did. Further, he stated that some of the best conversations he’d had were in very small groups. It shouldn’t be news to anyone that it’s easier for people to bond in smaller groups, right? I tended to agree and started thinking about it more.

New online tools make it easier for us to find people with which we share similar interests and they allow us to communicate with them. Having online friends is becoming the norm… there are many people I’ve talked with online that I’ve never met in real life. However, the communication mediums that currently exist online are flawed. For instance, we’ve probably all experienced how easily the subtleties of human interaction are lost when communicating online. After all, these are just tools; they’re not an end, they’re a means to an end!

When I do, occasionally, visit meatspace I’m either attending a networking event or some other social gathering. I think there’s a desire to be a part of something large because that’s often used as a measure of “success”. Much like many bureaucracies, the larger things get, the harder it is to accomplish something meaningful. I think making a more personal connection with a small group of people is far more valuable than being one of many in a semi-anonymous crowd.

So, why not challenge yourself this month? Use your tools to gather 3-4 people you don’t know well from amongst your diverse network of people and invite them for coffee, sit down for dinner or have a drink at a local bar. Hell, invite them over and cook them dinner, but whatever you do, start creating better relationships. Oh, and if you go out, please go to a local place and not a chain

Let us know your experience in the comments!

1. make eye contact; smile
2. perform a full clasp; no premature grabs
3. use a firm grasp; not too hard though
4. don’t be overzealous with the shaking
5. hold it for a few seconds after saying your intro (e.g., “nice to meet you”, “my name is X”)

Photo by tenderlung / CC BY-NC 2.0

If you were to search Google about how to give a proper handshake then you would find articles and videos that mostly tell you the same things I learned. A handshake is one of the first impressions you get when meeting someone. With the way I was taught, there is an element of sizing up the individual with whom you’re shaking hands; there’s a certain machismo involved. If the grip is too weak or they avoid eye contact it could be construed as a sign of weakness and, therefore, leaves a bad impression. CareerBuilder cites a University of Alabama study to this effect:

[The] study found that consistent with the etiquette and business literature, there is a substantial relationship between the features that characterize a firm handshake (strength, vigor, duration, eye contact and completeness of grip) and a favorable first impression.

However, a few days ago I had my ingrained notion of what a handshake should be challenged by an unassuming individual. He didn’t challenge it directly, he simply shook my hand in a way that was entirely foreign to me. His handshake had the following characteristics:

1. downcast eyes; slightly bent body
2. double handed clasp
3. soft grasp
4. barely any shaking involved
5. held it for longer than a normal handshake

Normally, I might have a negative reaction to this type of handshake, but this time I didn’t. Why? The handshake was sincere, absolutely and utterly sincere, and conveyed quiet confidence. In fact, it was probably the most sincere handshake I’ve ever received, yet it goes against most of the things I’ve been taught about a proper handshake.

It made me wonder why we’ve trained ourselves to look for weakness and/or dominate the other person during first impressions instead of looking for sincerity, authenticity, trustworthiness and good will. Is it some sort of evolutionary thing; a throwback to the days when our ancestors continually fought for dominance of each other? I’m not sure, but I feel like the handshake has become an insincere, mechanical response to a common interaction. In essence, it’s lost it’s meaning.

What do you think?

• Event photographers must be like ninjas. Going in and out of sessions shouldn’t distract the participants too much and you want to capture things unobtrusively.
• People like to look at cameras and/or pose. However, I was trying to capture more candid shots. It was especially hard because I still don’t know what I’m doing and it takes me a while to adjust the settings before taking a picture. I’d either put the camera down for a little bit or tell them I was just playing with the settings, not taking a real picture.
• Dealing with different lighting is hard. Each setting was unique and trying to figure out, with my limited knowledge, what to adjust was both time consuming and frustrating. I ended with quite a few dark or blurry shots because I couldn’t get it adjusted correctly. I also missed quite a few while I was trying to adjust…
• Manual focus is also hard. Part of my tutelage involved placing everything on manual as I need to learn what all of those adjustments mean before trusting the camera to do some of them for me. I stuck with it all day… There were many shots where the focus was really close to being on, but was 3-4 inches too near or far (e.g., focused on someone’s ear or on their hand that’s resting on the table in front of them).
• Photographing an event can be physically tiring. I spent much of the six hours I was there crouching, kneeling, leaning or standing. There was not much opportunity to take a break. I went to each of the sessions and, during lunch, grabbed a quick slice of pizza before everyone else so that I could take pictures during lunch/networking time. And I only had one camera and no additional equipment; think about the people lugging multiple cameras, tripods, lens, etc. around.
• I’m self-conscious about taking photos. It seems like a weird thing to say, but that’s how I felt during the day… It got better as the day went on, but it was especially bad during the first hour or so.

One of the constructive comments I received afterward was from local Phoenix fine arts photographer, Tyson Crosbie. He said it looked like I was afraid of getting close to my subjects. This may be a reflection of feeling self-conscious about the whole thing, but might also be the result of only having the 50mm lens.

Overall, it was a good experience and I think some of the photos actually turned out well. Of the 330 I took, I narrowed it down to 62 that were, somewhat, fit for viewing. So go check out the photos from LaidOffCamp Phoenix and let me know your thoughts and suggestions so I can improve!

Disclaimer: I am not a professional photographer, nor do I aspire to be one at this time.

Please read and share!

If you’re starting a business in Phoenix, or already have one, how are you approaching defining the values of the company, how those values are communicated to employees and the steps necessary to find and retain great employees? Do you practice “adequate performance gets a generous severance package?” Have you ever asked yourself something similar to the Keeper Test:

Which of my people, if they told me they were leaving in the next 2 months, would I fight to keep?

Why not?

If you’re an employee of a company in Phoenix, do you believe in the values your company believes in? Does your company say one thing, yet do another? If you were considering leaving, does your company value you enough to work to keep you there, while at the same time celebrating those who decide to go on to bigger things? Do you know what you’d be paid by another company; is your pay at the top of the market?

Why not?

Update: Interesting analysis of the Netflix guide by Scott Berkun.

As a small, Phoenix Rails development company, Flatterline was particularly interested in this discussion. I’d been discussing this same topic with Chris Chandler the day before as we sense an expansion on the horizon, but are hesitant to bring someone on full-time. Our major point of concern is being able to provide constantly for someone else while we’re still figuring out our own business.

Jason Ayers led the discussion and we came up with a few things to consider when growing a small business. Here are some of the things we discussed:

1. Know the difference between a contractor and an employee – Jason related that there have been several times that he was treated like an employee, but was classified as a contractor. As a small business this can get you into a heap of trouble if you misclassify people. Consult with an attorney…
2. Build a network – Establish relationships with independent contractors that can help you out as needed. Even if you don’t bring them on as full-time contractors or employees, you can supplement your workforce more easily
3. Try before you buy – Bringing someone in on a trial basis as a contractor for a few months makes a lot of sense for a small business. You can’t afford to hire the wrong people, so there’s no need to rush into bringing someone into the company that’s not a good fit. Additionally, you can limit their hours so that neither party is entirely reliant on the other
4. If it’s not right, don’t hire – If someone isn’t the right fit, then don’t keep them on. You need to do what’s best for your business and sometimes that can be hard, but necessary

Overall, I thought it was a good discussion. Since I’m a new small business owner, I’d love to hear comments from other, more experienced business people.

What wisdom do you have for small businesses in Phoenix?