DonnieLogic

2011-03-21T19:14:00.001-07:00

The U.S. is in the finals of a FIFA tournement. Are you serious?

2009-06-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

Unbelievable. The U.S. mens team defeated top ranked Spain to advance to the Confederations Cup, a World Cup warm up tourney. Does this give one hope for America in next year's World Cup in South Africa, or should we really set our expectations based on a handful of games?

If anything, it proves that upsets can happen in soccer (football). Here's a USA Today story.

However, it's good to see that some things in international soccer are getting back to normal. Thank you Holland for finding yourselves again!

Champion Margarita

2008-09-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

Here's another summer recipe. This is from my sister - it didn't make it into the cookbook we put together in 2005, so if you own a copy, here's a bonus. You can find more recipes from us at http://cookingtotaste.ning.com/

A good Californian bartender had better be able to make a great margarita. This recipe would always win over the connoisseurs.

Servings: 1 large glass
Prep Time: 30 seconds because you’re a bartender and you have 100 other drinks to make.

1 ½ shots Tequila
1 ½ shots Triple sec
3 shots Sweet and sour mix
½ shot Lime juice
kosher or sea salt
fresh lime

Dip the rim of a large glass in a puddle of sweet and sour mix, then dip onto a plate of the salt for an even coat along the edge.

On the rocks (recommended): Fill with ice then add the tequila and triple sec, the sweet and sour mix, and the fresh lime juice. Stir briefly.

Blended: Blend liquid ingredients with about a glassful of ice. Pour into salted glass.

Garnish with a wheel of fresh lime. Be prepared to make more.

Roasted Pear Lavender Mashed Potatoes

2008-09-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

Summer is winding down, and as you get older summers seem to get shorter. The holidays are going to be here before you know it, so I'm starting a little early on a holiday side dish recipe. This is my take on the traditional mashed potatoes. This one came to me in the middle of the produce department at a Safeway. Again, experimenting with seemingly unrelated foods turned out to be a subtle, aromatic dish that pairs well with poultry and fish. Lavender is very aromatic, so add a little bit to the recipe first to see how lavender-y you want your potatoes!

WARNING: This is an extremely frou-frou side dish. Men, if you are not completely comfortable with your sexuality, it is advised that you: 1. drink beer while preparing dish, 2. watch football and/or Telemundo prior to preparing dish, 3. get into a fist fight immediately after preparing dish.

Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

You'll need:
- 4 white rose potatoes
- 4 red potatoes
- 2 ripe Bartlett pears
- Culinary lavender
- ¼ stick butter
- ¾ coffee mug of milk
- Honey

Cut the potatoes into quarters, leaving the skin on. Boil potatoes for approx. 15 minutes or until soft. While potatoes boil, slice the pears lengthwise. Place pear slices onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for no more than 10 minutes. Check regularly until soft. Remove from oven and chop pears. It’s best to crush the lavender by rubbing it between your hands a few times, it crumbles easily.

In a mixing bowl combine boiled potatoes chopped pears, butter, milk and lavender. Pour in honey to taste, I use the 3 second squeeze rule (as much honey that I can squeeze out of the bottle in 3 seconds). Use a hand blender to puree and enjoy the fact that your kitchen now smells like Bath & Body Works®.

Some love this recipe, others find it too unorthodox. Let me know how it turns out for you.

The basics of ethics and espionage

2008-08-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

In my trend of chiming in on totally unrelated topics, I submit the following: My thoughts on the how ethics and espionage can coexist. I'm only covering the ethics surrounding human intelligence (HUMINT) here.

It may be difficult to believe that ethics plays a role in espionage. Popular culture has enforced an image of espionage as an underworld network full of betrayals, lies, and shadowy dealings. Espionage is the act of spying. One could argue that spying is inherently unethical. That argument is universally true at the most basic level. For example, eavesdropping on a neighbor is not exactly a neighborly thing to do. However, when espionage is used as a function of national defense, the line between what is ethical and what is not becomes blurred. How does the intelligence community successfully navigate ethical waters?

The intelligence community uses a less absolute code of ethics than the general population. It can be thought of as different rules for a different game. Foreign nationals are recruited to commit treason. It may seem unethical for an intelligence officer to aid a foreign national to betray his own country, however, the relationship between handler and spy is built on trust and cooperation. The officer protects the spy's identity. He teaches the spy skills in information gathering, clandestine communication, how to avoid detection. The exchange of knowledge/information benefit both the spy and the foreign intelligence agency for which he is spying.

The subject becomes complicated when we step back and consider what is unethical when done in the name of national security. This can lead to a moral dilemma. Blackmail, bribery, the threat of exposure, and sometimes sex are employed to keep a spy gathering information. However, these tactics are used to protect the lives of Americans. The sacrifice of an individual’s freedom saves the lives of thousands. It must also be noted that most spies are recruited and (most) willingly participate. Their motives to spy against their own country can be self-serving. Many foreign spies receive money, special favors, or to keep their own skeletons in the closet.

Counterintelligence further clouds ethics in espionage. When an enemy spy is discovered within an agency, the agency may allow the individual to continue spying. The spy will be allowed to continue instead of blowing the enemy’s operation. Some could argue that it is unethical to permit an enemy intelligence agent to move about freely without facing any recourse. However, the information flow is now our control. Providing the spy with misleading information can drain an enemy’s resources, ultimately saving American lives. An intelligence agency may try to convince the discovered enemy agent to change sides, to become doubled. This can also become a sticky ethical situation. Can it be considered ethical to convince an individual who had spied on the United States for a foreign power, to now deceive his own government without facing justice?

The rules that dictate societal ethics, at times, must be bent to serve the greater good. People will continue to call into question the ethical integrity of the intelligence community, but it we must remember that the enemy is doing what we are doing to them. The only difference is that if we stop spying for ethic’s sake, the enemy will take full advantage.

Want to read learn more on the subject? Visit http://intelligence-ethics.org/ethics1.html to review a number of publications on ethics in intelligence.

The New Winnov

2008-03-24T14:44:00.000-07:00

I was at an educational technology tradeshow in San Francisco last December when I overheard a Sonic Foundry sales person mention that she had never heard of Winnov. In fact, when directly asked if Mediasite could do what Cbox 3 does, her reply went something like, "I don't know what they do, but we sell to graduate schools". I that's great. Our industry's pound gorilla with the tanking stock price has no idea that competing products exist.

Finally got the new branding and the new web site up. I may be partial here, but Winnov is raising the bar in the video encoding, webcasting, presentation capture and streaming industries. Winnov has been spending years and money on engineering where our competitors have been throwing their money in to marketing. The result is that Winnov has developed products like the Cbox 3 with technology that's 2-3 years ahead of the market. Can Mediasite or Accordent capture both RGB video and high resolution images? Can either truly capture dynamic presentations? Nope, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

http://www.winnov.com/

Grilled Crab-licious

2007-12-09T21:22:00.000-08:00

Last night, for the fist time, I grilled crab...and it was delicious. I was grilling steak for dinner and we had purchased 2 crabs for dinner, and for the sake of convenience I decided to try throwing the crab on the grill Turned out amazing. It had a smoky flavor that I've never experienced with shellfish again. If you like crab you have to try this:

Get a -steamed crab(s) from your local fishmonger/seafood department. To save time, have the crab cleaned and cut. Wrap the crab in aluminum foil and throw on the grill for 5-7 minutes. Unwrap the crab and splay out the foil over the fire and let it sit for another 5 minutes moving the legs/claws around periodically. No need for seasoning!

Barry Bonds indicted? Its about time

2007-11-16T07:39:00.000-08:00

Federal prosecutors formally filed charges of purgery and obstruction of justice against Bonds this morning. It isn't a question of whether or not Bonds took steroids; it's obvious he's been using them. No, the question is - why the hell did it take so long to get an indictment? Why did federal prosecutors wait until after Bonds broke Hank Aaron's home run record (which I personally do not recognize).

Maybe if Bonds wasn't such a douche bag; maybe if he wasn't' so arrogant, maybe if he didn't treat other people so poorly prosecutors wouldn't have tracked him down. I, like many, have a very poor opinion of Bonds as both a player and as a person. He doesn't take his position as a role model seriously and is the most overrated player since Cecil Fielder.

Bonds obviously needed performance enhancement drugs in order to remain competitive in the majors. The guy didn't deserve the recognition he received and I can't wait for the Hall of Fame to reject his nomination and nullify his unearned home run title.

You're getting what you deserve Barry.

Hiring a Web Designer, NOW!!!

2007-11-15T12:01:00.000-08:00

I'm looking to hire a full time in-house web designer / developer. My employer, Winnov makes some pretty incredible web casting, rich media streaming and video capture technology. The company has been around since 1992, has an impressive list of customers and I can say with confidence that our hardware technology is 3 years ahead of anyone else in the market. I'm in need someone to work with me to redesign the corporate site, our media player GUI, sales & marketing collateral, advertisements, etc.

There is so much opportunity for growth and the corporate culture fosters creativity and freedom of expression. I'm looking for a web developer who loves technology, media and video. Please pass this along if you or someone you know is interested in applying (and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area).

Click here to learn more about the position.

The New Complete Marketer - Article

2007-08-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a good article from the Strategy + Business, Autumn 2007 issue. It adresses how the role that marketing plays within the corporate structure is rapidly becoming the corporate driver for growth.

The New Complete Marketer: How the most successful CMO's are teaching management to drive growth
By GregorHarter, Edward Landry, and Andrew Tipping

Disingenuous Branding or Good Story Telling?

2007-08-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

This week's brand debate on BrandChannel focuses on the ethical/(perhaps) legal snare of disingenuous branding. As per BrandChannel, "It's not surprising that corporations are willing to bend the truth to gain a competitive edge. But at what point does manipulating the truth undermine the consumer trust that successful branding requires?" They also pose the question of whether the government should step in to provide regulation. (See the complete debate intro and reader comments here: http://www.brandchannel.com/forum.asp?bd_id=84).

The brunt of the ethical questioning was placed on advertising & packaging and the lack of truth found therein. In my humble opinion, the debate question itself is fundamentally flawed. Branding is neither advertising or packaging alone. The brand is a company's personality, its emotional tie with consumers, the humanizing factor of an otherwise faceless corporation. It's the experience you have every time you go to Starbucks that helps you rationalize paying $4 for a cup of hot sugary milk. The brand is your friend. And much like your friends it can be prone to exaggerating a story now and again.

Advertising is one of many communication vehicles for a brand, and it's meant to engage and entertain, often through exaggeration. Yes, advertising bends the truth, but so do sitcoms and films. I'm about as likely to believe that Jason Bourne is a real ex-CIA assassin running around New York as I am that drinking Gatorade will help me throw a football out of a stadium.

There is a big difference between exaggerating and lying, and this is where the lawyers step in. If an advertisement expressly states that a product will do something or provide a benefit that it does not, then you sir are a liar, and thus subject to a class action. If a Coke spot claimed that by drinking Diet Coke you will lose 45 pounds, well that's unethical and illegal. But when we see an empathetic tow truck driver moving a VW away from a red curb because towing the 2007 VW GTI would deprive the car owner of an incredible driving experience. That's telling a story, not claiming that buying a Volkswagen will keep you from getting towed. Well, according to my interpretation of the commercial.

And that's why advertising can be such a powerful tool in brand marketing. It can tell a story, showing off the lighter, wittier, human side of a company. It engages consumers in ways that even the product isn't capable of doing. For me, a company that can make fun of itself says a lot about the confidence it has in it's brand.

Back to the debate. I don't think its disingenuous to say that you've killed seven in one swat, you just have to make sure that in your message the listener sees seven huge flies.

It's important for brand managers to remain aware of the brand communication vehicles used and understand each vehicle's purpose and how it goes about creating impact. The retail experience, the packaging, the customer support must all be in line with the brand message, promise, vision, mission and all the other co prorate compass points - but it is also important not to stifle branded communications in the name of controlling the brand.

In the end it comes down to consumer. The moment I hear Tom Shane's droning voice in a Shane Co. radio ad I turn the dial; when a Budweiser 'Real Men of Genius' radio ad comes on I turn up the volume.

Hard Things to Do - #47: Maintaining Objectivity

2007-08-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

You know, it's very difficult watching others make bad decisions, well, what I think are bad decisions. We all have had the friend who was in a relationship with the wrong person for the wrong reasons and no matter how much logic you threw at him/her and no matter how many obvious red flags are presented, the friend chooses to stay.

Having recently seen my girlfriend go through this with a friend of hers, I was able to remain somewhat removed from the situation, giving me a chance to examine this situation from a more objective standpoint. Admittedly, I was against the relationship myself. She sold her successful business and moved to the Midwest for a guy who appears to be an all around douche bag. Nearing his forties, he's acting as if he's never left the frat house. During a recent trip back to the Bay Area her friends hit her with concerns, arguments and support for leaving. Although she appeared to 'see the light' she disappeared suddenly, refusing to return phone calls and text messages. She cut her trip short and returned to the flat barren, boring midsection of America.

Did we push her too hard? Maybe we were so busy talking at her that didn't stop and listen to her. Maybe what we see as a soon-to-be domestic train wreck is something completely different in her eyes. Maybe she's afraid of running out of opportunities...or time. Perhaps the situation will play out exactly as we fear, but it's a lesson that she needs to learn the hard way.

All I know is this: It's impossible to see clearly when you're too close to a situation, no matter what side of the fence you're standing on.

Happy Feet

2007-08-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

By some serendipitous twist of fate my sweet, bless-ed Reef flip flops have come home to me!!! It was miraculous: I was at home slaving away on my next blog post when the sky opened up and a chorus of angels spewed forth some form of angelic host-like musical number (mostly "aaah, aaaahh, aaaaaaaahhhhhs") and my sweet flippers descended from heaven into my awaiting (heaving) bosom.

Or the person who ended up with the flip flops gave them to Cynthia... who then brought them home for me, where I was most likely drinking beer, sleeping or a combination of the two.

Either way I'm walking comfortably again with a renewed sense of tanned masculinity, which is then quickly snapped away when my sweet Cynthia reminds me with her dark Mexican (unfair advantage) skin that my hard earned farmer's tan reminds her of the backside of a postage stamp. Thank you Love.

DonnieLogic: Rules to Rule By: Support for Those Who Support You

2007-07-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

DonnieLogic: Rules to Rule By: Support for Those Who Support You

Support for Those Who Support You

2007-07-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for a winding rollercoaster of a blog loaded with tangets, non-seqitors, explative laden paragraphs and completely biased opinions? Alrightie then, let's do this.

Let's just get this out of the way: My juice fast lasted 2 1/2 days. I proved to be more of a juice bastard than a juice master. I'm gonna go ahead and blame my timing of the diet as we had just adopted a puppy and Cynthia wasn't ready to commit that length of time. So, I now officially shift the blame (mid-paragraph) from my poor timing to Cynthia, in which I will now receive no love and a verbal beating of unprecedented porportions. What's surprising to me is how easy it was to not eat for over two days. The lemonade is actually very tasty and it kept the hunger pangs away. We plan on attempting it again later this summer. Now, on to other matters.

I'm annoyed. Scratch that, I'm pissed. And I'm pissed at just about everyone. And what I'm pissed about is people's apparent lack of decency when interacting with individuals who serve in supportive, serving or subordinate roles. I've seen receptionists berrated by visitors, vendors no less; I've seen servers at restaurants take abuse from angry customers; the barrista at every Starbucks on the planet, the girl working at the Bath & Body Works who can't adjust the price of an item just for you. These individuals work to serve us, yet we somehow feel entitled to get what we want from them exactly how we want it exactly when we want it - and damnit, they never get my order right. On the other hand, maybe the treatment is justified. I mean, these people must be less intelligent than myself if this is the only work they could find, right?

Most us us have worked in retail or waited tables or answered phones when we were younger and we should remember how it was to perform menial tasks & deal with ungrateful customers (internal and external). I like to think that the support role is a temporary condition. It's a summer gigfor some, and for many it's a means to supplement their income or a way to work between career-relevant jobs. Many of those who bring us our dinners hold graduate degrees. However, I tend not to put much credence in the theory that a college degree equates a high-intellect, high-quality output from an employee. I've met too may MBA's who couldn't tie their shoes. They were just lucky enough to have a mommy and daddy wealthy enough to buy them their education. Real life experience, natural intelligence, the ability to get along with others and the desire to grow are, to me, what what makes for a great employee. But I digress.

Why do we neglect, abuse or completely ignore those who work to support us? Why do we take what we can from them and give back little (outside of waiters, for whom, tips are the only reason for putting up with us)? Are we all so wrapped up in ourselves & our own image of self-importance that courtesy goes bye bye?

Try saying thank you, or smiling or maybe even participating in a little idle chatter with the kid behind the counter as you wait for your incredibly sophisticated sounding venti.* (see, I can make DOS jokes too) latte. A little bit of courtesy goes a long way. Everyone needs to feel appreciated. These people are making a lot less than you and I'm willing to bet the stress levels are fairly relative to what you'd experience in a given workday.

Here's one way to see it: Be nice to those who serve you in a supporting role, they're doing the bullshit menial tasks that you could easily do yourself, but are very much above doing.

Will I Become the Cleanse Master?

2007-06-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

Today I embark on a perilous 10 day journey that I have never before considered possible: a fast. In fact, I'm not just fasting, I'm doing the Master Cleanse diet/fast/detox program. Although the master cleanse isn't a true - starve myself to prove a point or fight injustice - type fast, it is kind of a fast as I am not going to eat anything. My diet will consist of a drink mixture of filtered water, grade B maple syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. I'm also going to take vitamin supplements during this time as well. I don't know if that's considered cheating, but vitamins aren't on my menu of things I enjoy eating.

In my research I found a fair amount of positive as well as negative reviews of the fast. But out of all that I read, fatigue seems to be the most serious side-effect. Well, I don't plan on being fatigued. Do I plan on taking the advice of "taking it easy" while on the fast? Hell no! I'm staying the course baby, just not in the Iraq-stay-the-course way.

Fist of all - yes mom, I researched this topic and the positive feedback appears to outweigh the negative. And yes, mom, there are nutrition experts say that this is safe. I decided to try the fast to see if the concept of body detoxification holds any water. I've been feeling as if I've been gaining a lot of weight lately (I'm at 153 lbs). Those who know me are sure to think that I'm nuts, as I am not anywhere near approaching the overweight mark, but I believe that weight gain is for most of us something that sneaks up on you. I also want to push myself physically and mentally, just to see what I'm made of.

Here's my plan: I will fast for 10 to 15 days, eating nothing but the vitamins, H2O and the lemon juice concoction, yet continue to stick to my regular activity regimen of soccer everyday at lunch, pick-up soccer on Wednesday evenings, training on Tuesday evenings and teaching on Thursday nights, which consists on holding pads and maybe light sparring.

So, can I go without food for two weeks and still exercise five days a week during that period of time? Will I master the cleanse or will the master cleanse kick my ass? We'll find out.

Have you done the Master Cleanse diet? Let me know how it worked/failed-sent to the emergency room- for you?

My Flip Flops: The Loss of a Dear Friend

2007-06-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

Few things in life are as comfy and familiar as a pair of well worn flip-flops. Much like a fine wine, it takes time to cultivate a flip-flop with an aged look and feel. A look that says "Yeah, I've had these since college, so what?!" Once they're broken in and those flippers are perfectly molded to your feet alone, few things match that level of pure comfort.

My flip-flops are an integral component of my wardrobe (ask my girlfriend) and part of how I brand myself-style outside of work. Its critical to my laid back lifestyle and my just rolled out of bed look that I prefer to wear on weekend afternoons...and weekday evenings...and weekdays, when I get a chance. Yeah, a sandal does that much for me: think about somtething you wear often and how that item or style is part of your outward self-image.

I always have a hard time tossing my flip-flops when their time has come. The rubber is a brownish-grey, the soles are slick and rounded upwards from years of wear, the straps are hanging on by a thread, and yet I convince myself that these bad boys can last me at least through the coming winter (Luckily, living in California allows me to wear flip-flops year-round).

This last weekend I lost my Reef flip-flops of 3 1/2 years. My girlfriend and I were visiting some friends Saturday. After a few too many chavelas wedecided to spend the night. When we prepared to leave the next morning, my flip-flops were nowhere to be found. They had completely vanished. I'm guessing that someone slipped on my flips flops mistaking them for his/hers.

How do I pick up the pieces and move on? I plan to go out and get a replacement pair of simple black Reefs (I'm loyal to that brand), but in the meantime I'm wearing a pair of Mossimo pre-molded flip-flops. Pre-molded? That's heresy! Definitely not the same.