Finding Free WiFi

Grand Opening...For Lease

Just had to share this, taken with my phone on 'The Ave' next to the University of Washington in Seattle:

The Dreaded Tip Line

A couple of times a week I'm faced with a very perplexing situation...what to do with the tip line on a basic purchase below $5.00?

$2.13. That was my cost of tea at my coffee shop office today, far cheaper than rent (though the cost of tea in china is certainly increasing steadily), and I had no cash, so they go a card.

Then, receipt...signature required, and a nice little line for the 'tip.' 

I'm all for tipping well for great service at restaurants, with my barber, etc etc.  However, my increased use of debit cards has caused a great fear of the unknown of proper tipping etiquette at the more random purchases that now include a tip line, including, and not limited to: the cup of tea I just bought, a $7.00 sandwich I bought the other day, and at the neighborhood bar.

Bars are the easiest of course since typing has always made sense there...I know the rule of thumb of $1 a drink, often more to establish a relationship with a neighborhood guy.  BUT, I'm a beer drinker, and generally pass on the elaborate mixed drinks.  Unless it's a Guinness, I'm not sure pulling down a tab for 8 seconds especially when they aren't busy, warrants a tip on a $3 or 4 dollar happy hour beer.  I don't know.

Evenmoreso, at the Teriakyi place or sandwich shop, aren't I PAYING them to assemble/make my food?  Or is it like waiters, where much of their salary is derived from tips?  I want a sign saying 'The majority of my salary comes from tips, if I make you a great bento box, please let me know with your loose change,'

Any American who's traveled abroad knows what I'm talking about, where leaving a euro and a half tip is more than sufficient even for a 30 euro dinner, yet you feel bad as you walk away.

So, assuming there's no loose change in my pocket, is it customary to add the $.45 that is 20% of my drink purchase to my tab?  Maybe every 3rd time?  Tip like 100% once a month and call it good?  Do a Donald Trump (which he now apparently denies)?

I like Pita Pit, where it's just a giant jar asking you what Pita is backwards .   

Happy Easter!

Was a beautiful Easter in Seattle, starting with clouds, Seattle-y rain drizzle, followed by pouring rain, followed by a fantastic sunny afternoon.

For those who are interested in such things on days like today, a great 3 minute sermon called:
Sunday's Coming

Wherever you're at on the Faith scale, I hope you had a great day with family, friends, or any sort of egg-thing.

Mascot Bracket

Results (Great 8 on):
Fighting Irish beat the Tar Heals (who won a squeaker over the Razorbacks), Volunteers over the Sooners in overtime, Tigers (Clemson) over the Runnin Rebels, Titans over the Wildcats (Davidson), Spartans over the Tigers (did you see 300?), Hurricanes over the Wildcats (Kentucky), Cougars (BYU) over the Bulldogs in overtime, Blue Devils over the Bears.

The Blue Devils lose to the Hurricanes in the final four, and the Titans step on the Fighting Irish.

Hurricanes beat the Titans in an epic battle for the ages.

Brackets Brackets Brackets

I love March.

Made 10 brackets over at ESPN.com
Most random variations on my actual bracket, but also did a mascot one, and one in which I literally picked zero upsets. Sadly, my no upset bracket is winning as of today, and is ranked #1 nationally (597,000 other people picked zero upsets, because that's what my bracket with no upsets except Georgia over Xavier (which should have happened) was ranked.

My actual bracket (Elite 8 on):
Carolina over Tennessee,
Georgetown over Vanderbilt (though Kansas looked GOOD today)
Stanford over Pitt
Connecticut over Duke
Carolina over Stanford in the final.

I have another version that's comparable with UCLA over Stanford to reach the final. Carolina then beats UCLA. UW beat UCLA, and we we're that good...but UCLA killed Stanford three times. Such a great time of year.

Athleon Game Widgets

For your viewing (and my testing) pleasure:

I love March

March is awesome.

Don't have my bracket done yet, but..

Off the top of my head. North Carolina, UCLA (who UW beat at home AGAIN), Stanford, and Georgetown. North Carolina over Stanford in the final.

Egh...a number 1 seed winning...

Maybe it'll change when I actually play in the brackets. That's just my first impression.

Ahh College Degrees

My co-founder and I had a random discussion about age, retirement, and the changing landscape of the 'elderly.' Our next president could be 72, and our richest man (give or take lots of philanthropy) and most 'important to their company' CEO will be 78 (ish).

In trying to figure out Warren Buffet's age, landed on Forbes' list of world billionaires. I already knew dropping out was a given to be a technology king, but I didn't realize that most weren't Harvard dropouts (hooray for public schools):

First, Mr Buffet did finish his degree (and more) but he did his undergrad at the U of Nebraska, which, as a Colorado fan growing up, we used to say 'put the N on their helmets to stand for (k)nowledge'

Lawrence Ellison, Oracle, Dropped out of U of Illinois,

Mr. Gates of course dropped out of Harvard.

Paul Allen, the other Seattle superstar, dropped out of Washington State of all places (too...many...wazzu...jokes)

And of course...that guy who started Dell computers (I once had this question on an exam at UW), never finished up at Texas.

Crazy. Stay in school kids (no, seriously, college was great).

He Practices What He Preaches

I have some regrets from college...big things not little things, 'wish I would haves' if you will.  While I don't dwell on them whatsoever in my perfect time machine world i would have done these things....meet my girlfriend earlier, not diving for the ball that lead to broken ribs my senior year of rugby...and work for a summer in New York City.

It's one of those things that you have the opportunity to do when you're young...but can't necessarily do later on.  Life doesn't give you a lot of three month segments in which to do something like college does.

Seth's offering a summer internship with him.  The link is here.  2 months just outside of NYC building something from 10 to 5 with Seth Godin.  And it's paid.  Sounds awful doesn't it?

If I was Seth, I'd forgot about the high school kids (unless someone amazing pops up), and not dare pick a local.  I'd pick 5 kids from 5 different parts of the country, help get them housing together and help them get to NYC as much as possible.  Build a little family that ends up building something purple.  Or multiple things.  Or just has purple smores.  I have no idea...but I bet it will be far more beneficial than any quarter of college has been for those 5 kids.

I wrote on having remarkable internships here.  I think he got all 10 (we'll see if he has beef jerky on hand). 

Success of Your Speech in Your Hands

Posted a few weeks ago about speeches

From this month's Men's Health:

After monitoring the reactions of audience members, German scientists found that people immediately lost focus whenever a speaker made pointless hand movements... Stick with gestures that add emphasis to your oration.

They added pictures of five of this year's (well formerly) presidential candidates, Obama and Guiliani used their hands to make their point while Edwards was touching his belt, Clinton was scratching her chest and Huckabee was rubbing his shoulder.

Good to know.