Monthly Archives: November 2009

I Broke Down

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I broke down and bought an iPhone from Apple yesterday.

I will still use my cell phone as a stand alone device to talk to people. But I will now use my iPhone as a web device and a device that will let me post to Facebook; update my blog; and read and respond to my email.

I went into the Apple store - the first in the nation, I might add – in Tysons Corner and worked with an associate and bought a high end 3 GS iPhone. In less than 30 minutes, I was registered and signed up with AT&T. That was kind of spooky as AT&T wanted to talk to me on the phone for a credit reference and asked me about a lease on a car from 1995 and asked if I still or ever worked at Redgate Communications, a company I founded in 1986. Who knew their records went back that far?

The store was packed. The associate really knew his stuff. I am downloading apps like a mad man now. There are more than 100k apps as many of you know that are available to the public.

The iPhone is an integrated platform. I find the service so far to be fast and intuitive and efficient.

The film on SnagFilms called MacHeads reignited my passion for Apple. I worked on the launch of the Macintosh back in 1983/84. I love my iPod and now I have an iPhone. I am back.

Now no one can give me grief anymore that I use a Treo to do my email.

I have joined the ten million other people using an iPhone. So far, so good!

What is the First Rule About Fight Club?

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Don’t talk about Fight Club.

But Kim Morgan talks about it after the fact – ten years after the fact. Wow, a decade has blown by us. You need to read this piece if you are a fan of this film!

Fight Club, I agree, is a seminal piece of work. It is dark, depressing and uncommercial in its blatant commercialism. It is one of the greatest films of the last twenty-five years.

Kim nails it. I don’t know who Kim is but she is one smart and insightful writer. Check this one out. Kim – come and work with us at indieWire. Check out indieWire here.

Our Coach Says It is a Good Point

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So it is a good point. Who are we to argue?

We played very short-handed again with seven players out in a back to back game in Toronto at their home rink last night. We tied in regulation and in OT; we lost in the shootout to gain one point.

Our goaltender was outstanding last night. He deserved a better fate. Sometimes I enjoy the shootout and sometimes I loathe it. Guess how I felt last night?

We now have 31 points. We remain in first place in the East. We have played the same amount of games as the Pens who have 30 points. Both teams have played 23 games to date as the season is flying by.

We are battling though injuries and we are tired.

But we have no excuses. We have to keep playing well on the road and be productive. We play 4 games in 6 nights. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves.

This is a tough stretch. It is good to get some many players ice time in the NHL but we need to keep up the productivity of garnering points and playing well short-handed.

Onward. Go Caps!

Hockey Gods are Angry

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Clank! We hit the post. Clank! We hit the post again.

We lost by one goal. We lost yet another player to injury.

Last year, we were fourth in man games lost to injury. We are giving it a good run again this season to be a leader in man games lost.

Tom Poti was hurt in the first period. Hence we didn’t have Poti, Jurcina and Morrisonn on D in the lineup. We didn’t have Semin, Knuble, Gordon, Laing and Nylander in the lineup front. We didn’t have Theodore either in goal. That is goofy, huh? $25 million in payroll NOT playing.

We still could have won that game but missing this many players does scramble the game plan and the rhythm of the team. No one feels sorry for us. We can’t use injuries as an excuse. We just have to tough it out.

And because the hockey gods are angry, we play yet tonight – in Toronto – back to back games.

I shall make my sacrifices to the hockey gods this afternoon. Try to appease them and make them take pity on our mortal souls. As is said, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Go Caps!

Mac Daddy

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Here it is - a film about Macintosh computers, Apple and the people who are passionate and dedicated users.

This documentary is amazing. It is a love note to a computer, a lifestyle and to Steve Jobs.

I had one of the first 100 Macs that shipped as I worked on the Macintosh rollout at my firm, Redgate Communications, with Apple Computer.

I loved MacPaint. :-) Remember that little spray paint can?

I went to every MacWorld conference for ten years. I pulled all nighters working on the Macintosh Buyers Guide for Steve Jobs. We shipped our magazine in with the first 500,000 Macintosh shipments.

That was all in 1984 - 25 years ago.

I love and respect Steve Jobs, his turtlenecks; his New Balance sneakers; and his keynote speeches.

Steve Jobs is our generation’s greatest inventor and executive. Macintosh. iPod. iTunes. iPhone. What a legacy.Watch this film on SnagFilms.com. Macintosh - the computer for the rest of us – insanely great! Grab this film widget if you own a Mac or love Apple Computer. Show it to your friends! Pass it on.

Thank You Matt and Here We Go Again

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I would like to play one single game where all of our players are healthy and in the lineup. Just one as it hasn’t happened this season yet. Imagine if we were healthy. How many points would we have? What kind of pace would we be playing in terms of points garnered?

We are really banged up.

No Alexander Semin; Mike Knuble; Boyd Gordon; Quintin Laing; Milan Jurcina; Shaone Morrisonn. Jose Theodore is out for a few days and, of course, Michael Nylander is deciding where he wants to play. It is funny. That is about $20 million in payroll not in the lineup.

We have back to back games this weekend. We will play both of our young goaltenders. We will play John Carlson on defense. He is 19 years old.

Let the games begin.

And I want to do another shout out to Matt Bradley, the epitome of a hockey player. Matt is one of my favorite people in the locker room. He is so upbeat and so grateful to play in the NHL. He loves his teammates and our fans. He plays every game like it should be played.

Matt’s performance at MSG was a great one. I enjoyed reading this piece on him in the DC Sports Bog. Check it out.

Excited and Grateful

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Since our announcement that American Express is acquiring Revolution Money, I have received more than 500 congratulatory emails and seen more than 300 articles on the web. Many partners have reached out to us to do work together.

I must communicate that this merger is NOT completed. We await regulatory approvals and until then we are operating Revolution Money as an independent and stand alone company.

We did make positive news though. This proposed combination of talent and infrastructure will focus on making the online payments space much more competitive.

I also truly believe that we are seeing a gigantic switch in consumer habits. Older consumers got a piece of plastic - a charge card or a credit card - and then were pushed to websites to transact, check balances, manage reward programs and connect with their money. For the most part each of these applications was based on stand alone systems.

Continue reading →

RIP Kevin

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This is such sad news.

A long term friend of mine, Kevin Knox, died of cancer at 53 years old.

Kevin and I were good friends. We played basketball together for years and years.

Kevin was a professional comedian. He had made it and was a regular in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

Kevin was a wonderful, fun and interesting man. He will be missed.

Life is short. Play hard!

More Competition Online is Good and Welcomed

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Here is a thoughtful article on online payments and the lay of the land.

It also discusses the American Express acquisition of Revolution Money.

The Washington Post did a good job here in describing how the new consumer is living his/her life online and how the nature of money transfer is about to change for the good.

As an aside, I will add that the reporter of the piece contacted me on Facebook to connect. How cool is that?