Moments of Clarityhttp://www.mitchgroup.com/Moments of Clarity in business, family, and life in the Midwest from a practicing Geo-ArbitrageurenSun, 14 Feb 2010 06:43:49 PSTTypePad http://www.typepad.com/franchise,Iowa,business,consultingBusiness/Management & Marketingdoug@mitchgroup.comnofranchise,Iowa,business,consultingSmall Business ZoneSmall Business Zonehttp://www.momentsofclarityblog.comhttp://mitchgroup.blogs.com/headshot_with_flag_background.jpgThe Mitchell Grouptypepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arbhttp://feedburner.google.comHow to Configure Flash Video Plugin for WordPress?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/3G_BZ086LDQ/how-to-configure-flash-video-plugin-for-wordpress.htmldoug@mitchgroup.comSun, 14 Feb 2010 06:43:49 PSTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e20128779e7c03970cI've been trying to use the Flash Video Player plugin for WordPress for months now.  Every time I configured it and read through it's technical requirements I seemed dead on.  But the video file would ALWAYS take forever to load.  The symptom could best be described as "The entire video downloaded before it would play no matter the buffer settings".  This became very frustrating. 

So I looked at all of the options again yesterday and began playing around with video formats.  if you're like me you work in a mac and end up with .m4v or .mov end products that need to be converted.  The Flash Video Player plugin says it DOES work with the newer flash format .F4V  (vs. the usual .FLV that you've seen).  Herein lies the problem.

Maybe the plugin does work with the .F4V format but not in the way you'd want it to.  Perhaps someone can point out what else I'm doing wrong...but the .F4V flash file format does load the entire video (so in my case with 12mb download speed a massive video can still take a long time). 

So going to the .FLV output file and using Amazon Cloud Front distribution I'm getting instant load /start times.  I've been seeing the entire movie buffer in the first 2 minutes of a 44 minute movie with this configuration. 

Some of you might say, "Well duh....FLV is the standard for FLASH Doug" and I agree.  But my first choice conversion software gave me this "newer" version/option and I thought it produce higher quality output...and the plugin says it "works".

So at least in my case the plugin does "work" with this format...but it's nowhere near what's required to actually watch a video.

I know this will be meaningless to most...but someone out there may be having the same issue.

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]]>I've been trying to use the Flash Video Player plugin for WordPress for months now. Every time I configured it and read through it's technical requirements I seemed dead on. But the video file would ALWAYS take forever to load....http://www.mitchgroup.com/2010/02/how-to-configure-flash-video-plugin-for-wordpress.htmlIn Small Business You Either Get an F or Moneyhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/mMz8NPokPkc/in-small-business-you-either-get-an-f-or-money.htmldoug@mitchgroup.comWed, 10 Feb 2010 07:28:07 PSTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e2012877893b32970cIf you are a fairly recent college graduate...have you extended the concept that one can receive a B or C and still "pass"?  In small business especially there isn't much room for C's because they don't pay.  They don't generate revenue. They don't forge relationships for life and repeat business.    You either get an F or you make those sales and build that value and blow your customers away.  F-OR-Money. 

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]]>If you are a fairly recent college graduate...have you extended the concept that one can receive a B or C and still "pass"? In small business especially there isn't much room for C's because they don't pay. They don't generate...http://www.mitchgroup.com/2010/02/in-small-business-you-either-get-an-f-or-money.htmlThe Brave New Economyhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/EYpkigNuKuY/the-brave-new-economy.htmldoug@mitchgroup.comFri, 22 Jan 2010 06:44:07 PSTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e20120a7fce518970bI have an intern doing some great work for me.  He's a sophomore in college at Iowa State. We had a frank discussion about what business is "really like" out there and what's possible these days.  He's seen the inside of big corporate.  Now he's seeing the gritty trench warfare that we engage in daily.  Phone ringing. 30+ websites.  Team members executing web strategy for small businesses and political clients. 

We're running at least 2 full time operations for ourselves here and we're the marketing arm for many others.  This boggles big corporate.  But we can do it because of technology and leverage. Build online courses in how to leverage new media once. Use many times in multiple verticals.  Use project management software to keep tasks and due dates clear for 20+ active projects. Use instant messenger to have real time chats on execution. Use skype video chats and google wave to collaborate in real time regardless of geography.  Record Internet Business Podcast - Managing the Edge, a political technology podcast, and plan for an upcoming 6 episodes of BizTactical at Entrefest in February.

When I take a breath and examine what we can do today using technology to gain leverage and replicate ourselves via content outposts and markets online...sometimes I can't believe it.  Back to the trenches for your typical day in the Matrix.

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]]>I have an intern doing some great work for me. He's a sophomore in college at Iowa State. We had a frank discussion about what business is "really like" out there and what's possible these days. He's seen the inside...http://www.mitchgroup.com/2010/01/the-brave-new-economy.htmlActiontec PK5000 Mac Wireless Connection Problemshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/dng3-N6hxGs/actiontec-pk5000-mac-wireless-connection-problems.htmldoug@mitchgroup.comSun, 06 Dec 2009 17:54:05 PSTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e20128762165f8970cHere's a quick post that I hope will save someone some pain out there.  I was just sent an Actiontec PK5000 router from Qwest as a replacement for my Motorola 3347 Netopia due to slow Internet speeds in my home network.  I've been dealing with a slow degradation of speed that brings my 12up/896k down speeds into the the 4-5mb down and 200-300 up range after only a couple hours of a fresh reboot of the Snow Leopard iMac and the router.  I must give Qwest Kudos for listening online because they found my query via twitter (They're at @talktoqwest).  They assigned what I'd describe as an "non-scripted excellent free thinking tech support" expert onto my case.  Only 24 hours before I'd gone through "scripted step by step no outside the box thinking" tech support and the summarization was that "It's a problem on your end so thanks for calling."  You know that drill.  But Qwest really has done a great job in this case and I expect to get a call tomorrow to confirm that things are going well.  That 3347 modem was ALWAYS a bit sketchy IMHO.  The guy who installed it had to replace it to get decent speed on "go live" day.  So far I'm still cruising around 10mb down and 725k up so perhaps my speeds will be stable from here on out.  I'm getting full speed to the router...so I think that's about as good as it will get???

Well I've set up my Actiontek PK5000 and for the life of me couldn't get my Mac Airport wireless to connect to the network.  I used the same SSID that I had before...so I figured same settings, same password, reboot the machines...and I'm good.  Wrong.  After struggling for hours my solution was less elegant but effective.  I simply had to change my SSID to a brand new one that "My Mac's had never seen".  I'm not sure what's up in the Mac Airport wireless configuration that prevents the machines from "forgetting the old and looking for the new" but that seems to be the only thing I can come up with.  I thought there was some kind of DHCP issue or something but my non-technical view is that "The Mac just wouldn't forget the OLD IP address it was given by the old router/modem."  I know that's not very technical but you know.

So changing the network name (SSID) to a new one and setting up the network fresh got all devices on board just fine.  Now my wife is not going to harm me from lack of web access and I'm able to get the snow storm weather alerts via wifi on my phone.  That is all.

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]]>Here's a quick post that I hope will save someone some pain out there. I was just sent an Actiontec PK5000 router from Qwest as a replacement for my Motorola 3347 Netopia due to slow Internet speeds in my home...http://www.mitchgroup.com/2009/12/actiontec-pk5000-mac-wireless-connection-problems.htmlClive Church Living Faith Web Progresshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/wyv-zLkJDGA/clive-church-living-faith-web-progress.htmldoug@mitchgroup.comFri, 04 Dec 2009 16:48:29 PSTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e20120a714cd04970bMy Church Living Faith Lutheran in Clive pastor Luke Timm has been working very hard on their website using SquareSpace.  I tried to take him down the path of using WordPress by understand his decision.  He wanted something that put a user friendly GUI on top of the "guts".  I haven't used Squarespace before...but it seems pretty straightforward.  The last "friendly GUI" blog platform I used (and still use on this site) is TypePad.  It's amazing what can be done today with template driven sites.  CliveChurch.com is a pretty SEO friendly URL too so nice grab. 

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]]>My Church Living Faith Lutheran in Clive pastor Luke Timm has been working very hard on their website using SquareSpace. I tried to take him down the path of using WordPress by understand his decision. He wanted something that put...http://www.mitchgroup.com/2009/12/clive-church-living-faith-web-progress.htmlWhat if Google Just Quithttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/sBek5FEmP_U/what-if-google-just-quit.htmldoug@mitchgroup.comTue, 17 Nov 2009 06:04:27 PSTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e20120a6aa5d2f970bAs I was pruning RSS feeds this morning in between coffee sips and my facebook stream I started thinking about the information overload that many of us face.  Becoming a better filterer is really the secret to becoming efficient.  Not getting overwhelmed and saying, "Forget this!" is a necessary skill to acquire or one risks being lumped in with the phone book.

So what if you woke up tomorrow and the precious resource called google was gone?  "We're clOOsed" the search box might read if they left up a splash page (no doubt they'd sell an add on that page for $1mil per click). 

Would it crush you to hit the restart button?  Imagine the subtle rejoicing around the globe when everyone's reached inbox to zero nirvana.  Starting anew might make the universe learn something new about how to filter better.  It might also teach us something about cloud computing.  Don't get me wrong I'm right there with all of you and use Google for just about everything you can imagine.  But I'd also be fine if they tOOk their ball and went home.

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]]>As I was pruning RSS feeds this morning in between coffee sips and my facebook stream I started thinking about the information overload that many of us face. Becoming a better filterer is really the secret to becoming efficient. Not...http://www.mitchgroup.com/2009/11/what-if-google-just-quit.htmlThe Verdict Is Inhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/lUGwMQehBIM/the-verdict-is-in.htmldoug@mitchgroup.comFri, 30 Oct 2009 07:48:16 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e20120a692b412970cI have been having left knee trouble lately far beyond my normal slight discomfort.  What began in my youth as an unknown trauma to my leg (your guess is as good as mine) progressed into a condition called Osteochondritis Dissicans in my late teens.  This resulted in a chunk of bone separating from the "knuckle" on my femur.  Back then, 1989'ish...they told me, "There's nothing you can do except treat your knee good and don't go up and down ladders a lot".  I was told I'd eventually need a knee replacement as this rough spot on my bone would likely cause arthritis and cartilage degeneration.  They were right.

Recent Xrays and and MRI show that I have the knee of a pretty severely arthritic seasoned citizen with and that besides injections...there's really nothing that can be done to help me.  I need to hold out until it becomes unbearable and then get the replacement knee (robo knee).  Oh yeah, and because I'm "so young" I'll probably need another knee in XX years in the prime of my "kids are college now so let's party" years. 

Hey it could be worse and I'm thankful I have 2 legs and 1 knee that works.  I will need to alter my lifestyle somewhat and I've started taking the less proven more holistic stuff like fish oil and glucosamine/chondroitin in addition to the normal compliment of inflammatories and pain meds (when it gets bad).  I figure dropping 50lbs won't hurt either.  I think I've been eating like a bear about to hibernate while having little mobility so I can spare the 50...trust me. 

I just need to get into a position where cycling is my world and I think my world record squat attempts are going to have to wait.  Thank the maker I'm not in Britain or some other "universal health care" country where I'd have to wait 2 years if I decide the knee needs to become titanium.  I'd have cyberjoint in 2 weeks if I asked because of our system. 

Now go forth and enjoy your good joints.

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]]>I have been having left knee trouble lately far beyond my normal slight discomfort. What began in my youth as an unknown trauma to my leg (your guess is as good as mine) progressed into a condition called Osteochondritis Dissicans...http://www.mitchgroup.com/2009/10/the-verdict-is-in.htmlstill amazed at how much we recyclehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/U5hV9AbzbY4/still-amazed-at-how-much-we-recycle.htmldoug@mitchgroup.comTue, 27 Oct 2009 17:28:49 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e20120a67de9ad970cThe big green bin has revolutionized how much we recycle vs. throw away.  Just making recycling easy and giving us the higher volume container has allowed us to reduce our "trash" by about 4 X.
Amazing.  I think the city should offer up a discounted second bin to those who have the volume....or collected once per week vs. every other. 

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]]>The big green bin has revolutionized how much we recycle vs. throw away. Just making recycling easy and giving us the higher volume container has allowed us to reduce our "trash" by about 4 X. Amazing. I think the city...http://www.mitchgroup.com/2009/10/still-amazed-at-how-much-we-recycle.htmlTwo records broken this weekendhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/TeZlMOjo_50/two-records-broken-this-weekend.htmldoug@mitchgroup.comSat, 17 Oct 2009 16:50:20 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e20120a647ebac970cToday is the 2nd anniversary of full-time creating WOW at http://createWOWmedia.com.  Thank you all SO much for allowing me to live a life of passion every day.  And thanks to all the partners and supporters that have enabled us to grow and thrive in this economy.  I'm so thankful for you all.

Next.  I haven't been on a plane in over 2 years.  Tomorrow I board one at 7AM to head to Washington DC with Dave Funk, the amazing candidate for Iowa's 3rd Congressional District.  I hope to build http://OperationRedState.com business while there. I'll be directly interacting with 50+ current/active Congressional candidates for 3 days so wish me luck.

Thanks again to ALL of you. 

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]]>Today is the 2nd anniversary of full-time creating WOW at http://createWOWmedia.com. Thank you all SO much for allowing me to live a life of passion every day. And thanks to all the partners and supporters that have enabled us to...http://www.mitchgroup.com/2009/10/two-records-broken-this-weekend.htmlDad's and Son's and Sportshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/mitchgroup/musings_on_geographic_arb/~3/jsw2_McLt6w/dads-and-sons-and-sports.htmlFamilydoug@mitchgroup.comSun, 04 Oct 2009 20:35:13 PDTtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d834524d1469e20120a5bc44ee970b

I'm not "that sports dad" that shoved a football in his kid's hands for his first birthday. (I did have a Jimmie Johnson fire suit onesey however).  I truly don't care if he chooses acting, dancing, chess, or whatever other less physical pursuit as he progresses in life.  Gavin's always been extremely coordinated and has innate hand-eye coordination, timing when hitting a fairly fast pitched ball, etc. 

But over the summer, we asked the question of him as we've done for about a year..."Do you want to play a sport yet?  This time he said yes and chose soccer. Now of course since daddy played soccer this tickled me. 

He's been doing great and we've been talking about never quitting on the ball, following up until the play is over, going into open space and not bunching up, etc.  We also talked about aggressively taking the ball to the goal vs. taking a more defensive role.  (In under 7 it's 4 vs. 4 with no goal keeper so playing defensively doesn't help that much). 

We made a deal last night before the game.  "If you score a goal tomorrow, I'll take you to Culver's for ice cream".  The game was today and Gavin's team won 8 to 7.  Of the 8 goals, my boy scored FOUR of them.

Dad's psychology and coaching...or vanilla custard with Nerds candy on top.  Which do YOU think was the greater motivator.  Just let me have my moment OK...

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]]>I'm not "that sports dad" that shoved a football in his kid's hands for his first birthday. (I did have a Jimmie Johnson fire suit onesey however). I truly don't care if he chooses acting, dancing, chess, or whatever other...http://www.mitchgroup.com/2009/10/dads-and-sons-and-sports.htmlnonadult