Dan’s Surfing Snippets

My wife and I first moved to Dayton, Ohio from New York in 1978 during the winter blizzard of ‘78. So we have been here for 30 years! And that trip took 3 days by car!

 

You can say it was a bit of culture shock coming from a very large city of many millions to the Dayton Metro Area of a couple hundred thousand people. New York is the “city that never sleeps” and Dayton closes up shop at 5 pm.

 

The difference is striking but very positive for both of us. We love the Dayton area and the Dayton people.

 

Looking back it seems that a lot has changed in Dayton in 30 years. I can remember only two shopping malls, The Salem Mall (in Trotwood) and The Dayton Mall (actually in Centerville). They were both much smaller then. The Salem Mall was attractive and many times we would go there not only to shop but to do our daily walk. Many others had the same idea. We no longer have Harrigan’s Ford, Wolohan Lumber, Builder’s Square, the Kon Tiki Theater and Miami Valley Hardware.

 

On the radio we listened to Lou Emm and on TV 7 we watched Gil Whitney with the weather and Don Wayne, the Walter Cronkite look alike, seriously doing the news. I am sure you had your favorites. There were others on the other channels too like Johnny Walker on TV22 and Omar Williams on TV2. Remember Steve Kirk on WING radio? I also remember Erma Bombeck…gosh she was funny. Si Burick was a great sports writer for the Dayton Daily News. Oh yes, there was another paper called the Journal Herald.

 

James McGee was Mayor and we not only didn’t have I-675 but we didn’t have the Trotwood Connector either. This was before the pedestrian bridge at Deeds Park and there was no RiverScape Park and of course no RiverScape Fountain, which we enjoy. No Dragon 5/3 Field and no Schuster Center Theater.

 

Downtown at that time did not have the Fifth Third or Dayton Centre buildings. Coming from NY I don’t call them skyscrapers. We didn’t have the Private Fair Soldier Statue on Main and Monument. Although I heard that they did have it back in the late 1880’s. Wonder if it is the same statue?

 

I remember eating ice cream at Sherer’s and bowling at Bolero Lanes. Hara Arena is still around but I remember attending a lot of events there through the years including music concerts, pro wrestling, hockey (Dayton Gems then the Dayton Bombers) and country western concerts. Not a big CW fan but we took my Mom whenever she would visit from NY. She loves her “country music.” We were delighted to show off our town, including the Air Force Museum which just keeps growing and growing.

 

Sinclair Community College was much smaller then and has steadily grown in size and stature. And remember Rike’s Department Store and the famous Christmas Display.

 

Remember the Roger and the Zap Band? That was a tragic story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnTxhO8L_YI&feature=related

 

We had no Internet then and no home computer until the early 80’s with the introduction of the Commodore. We did not have a cell phone but we did have a car phone that was attached to a large bag that we plugged into the cigarette lighter of our car and had very limited reception.

 

I wonder what 30 years in the future will hold? Will anything be left of the big automotive industry? What will be the Dayton Area population? What will be the main industry?

 

I am sure you have your Dayton Nostalgic moments too and I’d love to hear about them.

Click here for more Dayton Nostalgia:

 

http://mhs77.com:80/Nostalgia.html

 

http://www.thinktv.org/demand/dema_demand.html

 

http://www.gigsalad.com/Music-Groups/Oldies-Music-Group/OH/Dayton/5

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Since the first dazzling commercials of the Apple iPhone I was both amazed and intrigued. I saw the crowds of people line up for hours to get their hands on a new generation of phone that used an innovative “touch Screen” method integrating gps technology to make calls, connect to the web and make phone calls all combined with the functions of a widescreen iPod.

 

For some reason I just stayed on the sideline and watched. Since I currently use Sprint I wasn’t too keen on switching to AT&T. This pricey device had some initial problems including slow connectivity to the web and a costly monthly phone bill.

 

Then Apple listened to its audience and came out with the faster and somewhat less costly iPhone 3G with even more features added. Still, you have to sign up with the AT&T network which leaves a lot to be desired. I have been using Sprint for years and if the iPhone let users choose a different network I might have purchased the 3G.

 

However, just a few weeks ago Sprint released their “touch screen” multimedia Smart phone the Samsung Instinct. The ads caught my eye and my curiosity peaked so I dove into my research of this alternative to the iPhone.

 

Having been fully satisfied with the better $129 price, better phone network with faster speed and similar options (as I compared the two) I ordered the Sprint Samsung Instinct. Value-wise the Samsung Instinct is also better than the new Verizon LG Dare. As a Sprint customer I was entitled to an additional rebate savings.

 

I did the order by phone and it took about two weeks to arrive because so many people have had the same idea. Sprint has been so swamped with orders that they are desperately trying to fill them as fast as possible.

 

The phone had to be activated so I did this by phone with a friendly Sprint representative and then they asked me to wait about 2 hours more for my current Sprint phone to be deactivated and for the transfer to take place.

 

The Samsung Instinct came with an additional battery and external battery charger which I thought was thoughtful. Other items include stereo Bluetooth headset and USB cable to connect with your PC when using the Media Manager Software to transfer music, photos and video clips.

 

Sure enough I was finally connected and online. The Instinct comes with a ton of features and some (to my surprise) not found at all on the iPhone like live mobile TV or speed dialing from the home screen and voice activated commands. With the iPhone you can only buy music via WiFi (when you can connect) and not cellular as with the Instinct.

 

I found it to be very user friendly and easy to navigate, especially with the three shortcut buttons at the bottom for back, home and phone. The iPhone only has one “home” button. The touch screen menus are very easy to navigate and you can adjust the touch sensitivity to suit your needs.

 

Narrower and lighter than the iPhone, the Samsung Instinct has a haptic feature  –a slight vibration when you touch a screen button— that lets you know that your command is received.

 

Samsung Instinct texting is in landscape mode which seems easier to use for me and vertical mode (you can also draw the characters with your finger or stylus) while the iPhone can only be used in vertical view during this operation. Yes, the visual experience using the iPhone is slightly better.

 

In comparison to the Apple iPhone and Verizon’s LG Dare the Sprint Samsung Instinct has the most features, the best value and does it all very well. These include Sprint TV, streaming audio content, visual voice mail, camera, camcorder, web browser, listening to music, viewing photos, GPS, Voice Command System, purchasing music online or slide loading from my computer, and the other standards such as calculator, clock,

email, test messaging, voicemail, notes, and more.

 

I am having a very a positive user experience with the Samsung Instinct. I have been able to easily make calls whether using Voice Command, Contact List or typing in the phone number. Call quality has been excellent. I was able to pull up the GPS Navigational system easily from both buttons and Voice Command. I especially like this feature for driving because a soft sounding voice gives you turn by turn instructions.

 

Although many online reviews have called the Samsung Instinct the “iPhone Killer,” which denotes a lot of praise, I wouldn’t go that far but would say that it can stand up head-to-head to the iPhone 3G. For me, I find it very practical and a lot of fun! For more info go to: http://www.instinctthephone.com/

 

 

I used to get colds all the time, especially during the cold wintry months. However, I have noticed that I haven’t had a cold or flu in the past few years! There must be a reason (I never had a flu shot in my life).

Yes, I understand that you can build up a resistance to certain strains but I also know that what we call the common cold (acute viral nasopharyngitis) mutates readily. So each cold virus we are exposed to is relatively new to our immune defense system. I have known people of all ages throughout my life who were always sick with a cold.

So I decided to reflect as to what I have been doing or not doing that has had an impact. I feel that sharing this information as to what has helped me might also help others.

I know that the common cold virus gets transmitted by contact, one person to another. An obvious example is if a person with a cold coughs or sneezes right into another person’s face. However, there are many not-so-obvious means of transmission.

If I have and cold and cough into my hand, then touch a door knob to open a door; then 48 hours later someone touches that same door knob and then touches their face, especially rubs their eye… boom, they catch a cold.

I don’t want to sound like Monk (the character on TV) but, if we really think about it, there are germs all around us. So what I have been doing is washing my hands often and using sani-wipes and liquid hand sanitizer whenever I am at meetings and especially after shaking hands.

I make sure that I do not touch my face while in public.

If I did have a cold I would not shake hands and state that I have a cold and do not want to spread it to others. If I cough, even to clear my throat I do not cough into my hand as that would only spread germs. I would cough into the inside of my suit jacket. I feel that it’s just common sense not to infect others.

No, I don’t run around and whip out a box of sani-wipes after shaking each person’s hand at a meeting. I am just conscious that when this happens my hands are possibly contaminated and I should keep them away from my face until later when I am able to wash my hands. When able I also wash my face and blow my nose. I believe this helps to get rid of the unwanted germs that might have been trapped in my nasal passages.

Another thing I do is take about 500 mgs of Vitamin C every day and whenever I think that I might be exposed to some sick people around me, as soon as I am able, I take EmergenC (powder in a packet, available at most health food stores) in water or juice (1000 mgs Vitamin C per packet) and I feel that my immune system gets that extra boost to ward off and prevent the impending infection. Whatever…mind or matter… it works for me!

There are other things that I do to stay healthy that I will be exploring at another time but staying cold-free is important enough to share now.

I can surf the web all day and night and one thing becomes quite evident…

p h y s i c a l  s t a g n a t i o n.

All of us who use computers a lot or have desk jobs suffer from the same problem. Our minds might be getting exercised but our bodies are not. And, as someone with a little bit of health of knowledge, I know that it is not good.

Long hours of sitting results in weight gain, poor muscle tone, and on and on. I know this and I am sure you do too. But whether it is laziness, lack of time, lack of motivation or whatever, the result is that we don’t get enough exercise.

I am the first one to admit that it is hard to find the time in a busy schedule to get to the gym or rec center. There’s travel time, time at the center, changing of clothes, time to travel back. I know– more excuses and that is what many of us do.

I saw a commercial on TV a few times about the Wii Fit Balance Board System and it caught my attention. So I did what we all of us do when something stirs our imagination we surf the web. I found all sorts of YouTube and other videos on Wii Fit and I was further intrigued.

So I surfed some more and researched and researched. And the more I did the more I wanted one. Talking it over with my wife (like any good husband does) I found out that she wanted to exercise more but had trouble finding the time and had an interest in this new gadget. She also surfed the web and we decided to go right out buy one.

Well, we found out that to get the Wii Fit to work you first need the Nintendo Wii unit. Ok, we searched online for prices and then which stores carried them only to find they were all SOLD OUT! So every day we tried again and it was the same thing.

I figured the local stores must carry this stuff so rather than drive from store to store I searched the web for phone numbers and ended up calling a few. They said that they received shipments here and there but they get sold out immediately. Wow, does everyone have the same idea… guess so.

So every day we called and called. Days turned into weeks and finally we found a store that just got a shipment in. We talked the clerk into holding it for us and we rushed to the store and paid about $250 for the Nintendo Wii unit but still no Wii Fits in stock.

Taking the Wii home and unpacking I found out that it came with a Sports Games CD so we could at least get used to using this new system while waiting for the Wii Fit to come in. Without a doubt we were very impressed. I haven’t played interactive games since the days of Pac Man and the Mario Brothers at the mall arcades. Again, we were impressed not only with the fantastic video graphics but also how the wireless unit intuitively monitors each and every motion to give a very realistic experience. The attention to minute detail is phenomenal.

It was easy to get physically involved. Just turn it on, place in the CD and play the games. We were not just sitting or standing. We were moving around. We were bringing up a sweat. We were getting active!

Our drive and determination to add the Wii Fit package to our new Wii unit increased. We continued to call several stores on a daily, and sometimes hourly, basis. I bet the clerks recognized our voices. Finally persistence paid off. One store said that they just got a shipment of 8 in and they would put one on the side for us. How thoughtful… or maybe were they tired of all the phone calls.

Without hesitation I got in the car and drove down to the store and picked up the Wii Fit unit. They even had it on sale so I was able to get it for $85 including tax! There I go, spending my tax incentive check before I even get it. We also purchased a second Wii remote so we wouldn’t have to hassle with passing the baton back and forth.

This thing is amazing. It tracks your BMI (body mass index) and weight. You select a goal to loose weight and how many weeks to do so. It talks to you and gives you great advice just like having a personal trainer. The wireless Balance Board is able to pick up every slight shift in movement so it is able to help us with our posture too.

Exercises are divided into different categories: aerobics, yoga, strength and balance games. It’s the ease and availability that is the key. Every time I am able to take a short break I can simply walk over to where we have the unit installed and do an exercise for as long as I like. The virtual trainer recommends that it is better to have a schedule and stick to it. Like measuring the BMI and weight the same time of day each time.

Two weeks have gone by and we have both seen positive results. Most of all, we are motivated to get our bodies back in shape and stay there. As a tech freak, this is not only interesting, but it is FUN!

I often run across folks who have a business, add a website and expect thousands of customers to call immediately!

 

I wish life was that easy. Actually some have done very well via their website. However, I know you don’t want to hear it, but you have to work hard to get good results. More importantly, you have to work smart to get great results.

 

The basis of promotion is like good communication. You have your organization on one hand and your target audience on the other. The website can be the catalyst to get these together and can be very effective in communicating your message. Nevertheless, I am constantly amazed at seeing advertisement from companies and their website address is not included. This is such a waste of opportunity and money.

 

A good plan is needed that fits your budget. The fundamental objective is that each and every piece of printed and media material that leaves your office must have your website address on it. The obvious are flyers, brochures, all marketing print advertisement, and business cards. The not so obvious are signs on your vehicles, billboards, outdoor signs, TV ads, invoices… now are you getting the picture?

 

Don’t overlook every opportunity, including your emails. Think outside the box. Some might be right under your nose. As each business and organization is different, we impact the public in different ways. Look at each of these all around you and see if it includes your website address.

 

Then there’s the Internet. Hopefully your webmaster fully Optimized your website for the Search Engines before starting the Registration Process. This is extremely important for people to find your organization on Google, Yahoo, etc.

 

Speaking of Google and the other Search Engines, they love websites that have other websites that link to them. This helps your website ranking. Therefore, get as many organizations and companies that you know or belong to have a link on their website to yours.

 

Blogging is another way to promote your company. We are all experts at something.

You can start a blog about the subject that interests you evoke conversation. My friend David Bowman (see www.davidebowman.com) is paid by his company to blog full time. That’s all he does, but in doing so, spreads his brand and that of his employer throughout the world. You can’t even put a dollar amount on the value of this advertising.

 

There are so many ways to get involved with different groups on the web. However, just getting involved or listing is not enough. You have to promote your organization, list your website address, and build credibility like David.

 

Yes, this all takes a bit of time and energy but it will pay off in the long run. You do not have to put a lot of time into it but you should plan to do something every day on a consistent basis. Go ahead and promote your website!