Frank J. Zamboni & Co. still cranks out over 200 Zamboni ice resurfacing machines a year and is the standards bearer for the ultra niche market of resurfacing ice skating rinks. The first Zamboni machine took ten years to build, but today they can crank out a custom ordered one every six months. For anyone who has skated, played or attended hockey games, the Zamboni machine is as much of the experience as throwing squids on the ice:
The Zamboni machine’s hypnotic mission and captivating name have made it a cultural icon, something the Zamboni family finds both gratifying and a bit puzzling. The first ice-resurfacing machine was built in 1949 and its form, function and sales output have remained consistent for decades.
You would think that this company, which is so synonymous with ice skating and winter sport, would be based in a town like Medicine Hat or Saskatoon, but the harsh reality is that they are based in, of all places, Los Angeles.
The mean streets of New York are going to show their softer side in the future. The Mayor’s office released a design manual for NY city streets, including visuals of how they may look “down the road”. We are already seeing these sorts of changes in NYC with the recent additions of seating areas along Broadway in Mid Town, and the additions of bike lanes on 7th Avenue downtown. While its great that NYC is beautifying its streets, this does once again chip away at the edgy, unique qualities of NYC and move it that much closer to it being a big mall.
I was playing around with the new Wolfram Alpha search engine. But its not really a search engine. Anyway, for a goof, I did a vanity search and the below is what was output. My first name is ranked 172nd, and approximately 1 in 935 people born have the first name Stephen. My name was most popular betwen 1950 and 1960, it has been in steady decline since then, and approximately 760,000 people alive today are named Stephen. Converse to the high birth rate in the 1950-60 timeperiod, the age distribution of those with the name Stephen has peaks with those in the 35-45 range and the 50-65 range. That is just cool.
A full 20% of US households have given up their landlines. And that segment is now outpacing the number of landline only houses, which stands at 17%.
A generation very soon will not know the concept of a home phone line. But in today’s mobile device world, everyone will have their own unique device where talking is just another embedded or installed feature. And I would argue that talking on the phone is almost a secondary function these days, behind emailing, texting, Twittering, and posting to Facebook. But are we losing something here too? Is technology chipping a little bit more away from how the traditional elements of the traditional household and family? Like the boy calling the girl’s house and having to talk his way through the suspicious father? Or brothers and sisters battling for phone time?
The Chicago Park District is looking into allowing surfing at 5 beaches on Lake Michigan. I didn’t realize the surf was so high on the Great Lakes.
Today I found myself on the website of The Cluetrain Manifesto (Buy at Amazon) which also has a list of 95 theses, in many ways guideposts for social media. This book is a now almost 10 years old, but its points are still relevant. In fact, I would argue the 95 theses are exponentially more relevant today than when the book was first published. I’d advise keeping a copy of the 95 theses at your desk and to refer to them regularly…daily if possible. Here are a few points that I particularly liked:
- Hyperlinks subvert heirarchy
- There are no secrets. The networked market knows more than companies do about their own products. And whether the news is good or bad, they tell everyone.
- Companies can now communicate with their markets directly. If they blow it, it could be their last chance.
- Companies must ask themselves where their corporate cultures end.
- If their cultures end before the community begins, they will have no market.
I could go on. The pace of change in how business and society operates is moving at warp speed. To paraphrase Ferris Beuller (aka Abe Froman, the Sausage King of Chicago): Business moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
I used to like Brett Favre. But I am getting pretty tired of his annual “I’m going to ride out of retirement again on my white horse to save a franchise” charade. Once again, he’s talking to an NFL team about coming back for another season. Last year, he led the Jets to an implosion of mammoth proportions at the end of the season. And now, the Minnesota Vikings are talking to him about coming back….again.
Granted, the Vikings QB situation is a pretty sad state of affairs but did they not see what took place last year in the swamps of New Jersey? Not to mention that the Vikings are to the Packers what the Hatfields are to the McCoys. What in the name of Vince Lombardi is happening here? I guess Favre’s 15 seasons in Green Bay doesn’t add up to a hill of beans.
Is he considering coming back to a team that has a legitimate shot at a Super Bowl? No. Will his addition to this team make them a legitimate Super Bowl contender? No. Did his arrival with the Jets make them a Super Bowl contender? No (although don’t tell that Jets fans and the NY press circa November 2008). He can’t be doing this to improve his legacy because that’s already been demolished beyond repair. His legacy in Green Bay? Forget it. Its a distant memory that moves farther away with every twist in this sordid retirement legacy. What’s happening here is driven purely by greed and the opportunity to take advantage of another desperate franchise.
For the fans of the Minnesota Vikings (of which I am not one) and for the fans of the NFL, just retire. Move on.
This site will make you think twice next time you pick up a soda or a pop tart. Sugar Stacks displays the # of sugar cubes that are contained in several types of foods, snacks, beverages and other food products. I’m glad I’ve cut down on my Coke intake this year.
