Amazon's text-to-buy

Amazon launches Text-Message Shopping (AP)

Amazon TextBuyIt, which launched late Tuesday, lets people text the name of a product, its description or its UPC or ISBN to 262966 (that's ''Amazon'' on the keypad) from anywhere their cell phones work -- including from inside physical stores.

Howard Gefen, director of Amazon mobile payments, would not directly answer when asked if the service is meant to extend Amazon's reach by poaching customers browsing at bookstores or big-box electronics retailers.

'We think this is a great experience. We think they'll use the product...wherever they happen to be,' he said.

You do not have to be at a store to know the UPC or ISBN of a product. You could be at a friends house, thinking "I like this CD, I think I want a copy." You could be at a library or at home with a library book and decide "I want a copy of this."

Next, they should incorporate the song recognition feature that some cellular carriers offer. "I like this song, I want it." Record a sample, send it to Amazon, and Voila! You bought the CD or the MP3.

Who am I kidding? I am the kind of guy that goes to the store, looks at the price, and then gets on my phone and searches the web for the best price. This makes my life easier because 8 out of 10 times, Amazon has the best price. Kudos Amazon!!

Phone Survey Fun

Answer: "I'm white, for the most part..." and "No I would not say it is my favorite. The radio station sucks..."
Question: What responses can you give a phone surveyor when she asks you about radio stations in Evansville, IN?


So I get a call from a phone survey company wanting to ask me about radio stations in Evansville, IN. The first time they called, I politely told them that there is nothing worth listening to in Evansville, and I would be no help. When they called back, I decided to let them know how I really felt.

"Who are you representing," I asked.
"Evansville Radio Stations."
"Which ones?"
"All of them."
"Who do you work for?"
"Wilkens [something or rather]." I had not heard of them, but then again, I have not heard of many companies that call for phone surveys.
"Who is the group who contracted you out? ClearChannel?" I believe ClearChannel owns about half the radio stations here.
"I don't know. I would not know that information." And I thought, that's probably true. $7 to $9 an hour probably doesn't warrant knowing or caring who you are working for.

At this point, I let her begin the barage of demographic questions. Age, gender, ethnictiy...
"Are you white or caucasion, black, latin american, asian, or pacific islander?" she asked.
"Yes." I was in that narrow group. Maybe writing software has altered my ability to parse English, but I believe "Yes" is a perfectly correct answer to the preceding question.
"Ughh, which one?" Wow, that was a very condescending tone.
"White, I guess, for the most part."
"[very annoyed grunt]"

The script went on. "We are collecting information from ...." blah blah blah.

"Do you listen to any broadcast radio stations on am, fm or satellite?"
"Not often."
"What do you listen to?"
"I listen to the Bob & Tom show. It is syndicated on one of the stations here."
"Which station?"
"I am not sure. GBF? I think..."
"Would you say that is your favorite station?"
"NO!! I would not say it is my favorite. The radio station sucks, just like every other radio station I have tried to listen to here."
"[Another very annoyed grunt]"
She snaps, "Thank you for your time," and quickly hangs up.

So why do these places call and ask for your opinion if they do not want your opinion? And why am I getting a different phone survey company each month? I think I may have had a couple before moving here. Now, I get them each month.

And what pissed me off is that I didn't get to talk about death metal. [later I'll post the conversation I had with a cold-call salesman trying to get me to buy a timeshare in Branson, MO]

Top food places

As I avoid doing work, I started thinking about the best places to get various food items. This list will probably change, but for now, here is what I am thinking.

Oriental Restaurant: House Of Hunan, Medina OH (With China Thai in Indianapolis as a close 2nd)
Ribs: Get Busy Ribs, Indianapolis, IN
Hamburger: Culvers Super Bacon Butter Burger Deluxe
Chain Restaurant (Sit-down): Max & Erma's
Southern Food: Firefly, Evansville, IN
Pizza Restaurant: Pizzazzio's, North East Ohio (Turronis in Evansville, IN as a very close 2nd)
Pizza: Your Way's Buffalo Chicken Pizza & Papa Murphy's Cowboy Pizza
Indian Restaurant: Garden of India, Indianapolis, IN
Mexican/Taco Chain: Qdoba
Soup: Max & Erma's Tortilla Soup
Wings: BW3s (I liked 7th St. Wings in Terre Haute when it existed)
Mexican Restaurant: El Sol de Tala, Indianapolis, IN
Beer: Upland Wheat

That is a good start. I am sure I'll refine this list. Maybe I'll even put all these places on a map and make this all Web 2.0-ish.

Learn to drive

Why do idiots think they can can just pull in front of you when you are walking? I cannot think of any state in the US where a car has the right to take the right-of-way from a pedestrian when they are on a sidewalk, even if it is an entrance to a parking lot. What is the advantage of cutting off a pedestrian anyway? You can drive around a look for a parking spot faster? "Let's make this guy stop (in the rain) and wait while I drive by!" Geesh, what a waste.

My theory to lower carbon emissions - kill stupid people.

Bloggy Blog Blog

I am hungry. It is bed time. T is still awake. He is hungry too. Yet, I am online blogging.

Am I cool now?

I have finally created my own blog. Wow, who would have thought I was this cool?