May 31, 2018

Trace Amounts of Cocaine

So this is a funny story from today.

I had a wonderful opportunity to tour a couple of labs at NIST today.

One of them does work in contraband detection.

The scientist asks if anyone has any money in their wallet.

I pull out a dollar and hand it to him.

I ask him what happens if he finds any traces of bad stuff on the money from me.

He says, "A cage will fall from the ceiling" and I'll be in big trouble.

Uh, we all laugh a little.

He unfolds the money and puts it into the machine that looks for the contraband.

Oh sh*t, it comes up in the "red"--positive for cocaine.

Someone else says jokingly, "A little leftover from the weekend?"

I joke back, "Na, It's from this morning before work!"

Ha, ha, I think. 

It turns out the scientist explains that 90% of our currency actually tests positive for cocaine

I'm wondering whether this is a commentary on drug use and even the opioid epidemic in America.

The lab director explains a theory that the automated money counters spread traces of the drugs from bills and contaminates the other currency.

Aside from this little experiment today, I got to learn so much about creating standards for contraband detection systems and equipment and in another lab about magnetism. 

It is unbelievable how smart these scientists are--they are so unique and of the best in the world.

I am so happy to be able to learn from them even if it's contraband on money. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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May 30, 2018

Dumb Socks

So have you ever gone to the shoe store, but you forgot to wear socks. 

Well, this is what you get to try-on shoes.

These absolutely crappy, thin, brownish wades of disposable nylon socks. 

How completely unappealing--especially piled up like this and looking like they are getting reused again and again. 

The try-on socks look shitty, feel shitty, and don't help you try-on anything, because they aren't the same density or texture as regular socks. 

Talk about penny wise and dollar foolish--if the store won't even invest in a proper pair of socks for their customers, then how much do they value their business? 

How about an intelligent shoe store with a little class that actually has some real pairs of socks for their customers, and when you're done they send them out to the cleaners or maybe even let you keep the pair if you buy the shoes!  ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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May 29, 2018

The 3 P's Do NOT Matter

So I heard Joel Osteen give a great speech. 

He said that it's not any of these things that make a person worthwhile:

1. Possessions
2. Performance
3. Popularity

But rather, it is a person's inner self and soul that determine their value. 

Each person is a son or daughter of G-d.

I agree that our personal worth is a matter of how we act as human beings in choosing right over wrong and good over evil; and it is not based on how much we have, how successful we have become, or how much we are liked. 

In the end, a person must return to their maker alone to answer for their actions.  

You can't take anything with you.

Materialism and vanity all fade away and only your spiritual inner self will pass over and live on.  

So how will you spend your time and attention--chasing vanity of vanities or doing good in all your words and deeds? ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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May 28, 2018

@Great Falls Park








(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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May 27, 2018

Crazy Sink

This crazy water faucet in Florida has no sink basin. 

Where does the water go?

Product design takes a new turn, but the water just dish-appears!  ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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May 26, 2018

Amazon's Dangerous Genius

I am marveling at the Genius of Amazon and Jeff Bezos but also concerned about their future direction. 

Traditionally, they have invested for the long-haul!

For years, Amazon never made a dime, actually operating at a loss.

But all the time making long-term investments in infrastructure (warehouses, supply chain, logistics, etc.) and in customer acquisition. 

Their great selection, reasonable pricing, free shipping, and easy return policy lured hundreds of millions of people to drop the brick-and-mortar stores and even other online retailers to go Amazon all the way. 

Most people I know get virtually everything and anything on Amazon these days. 

Of course, the fear always was that Amazon would become such a dominant player and monopoly that no one else could compete. 

For a long time, they didn't even charge sales tax!

It seems people can't even imagine not having Amazon--where in the world would they shop and get all their stuff in 2-days or less (Prime Customers) and still be able to return all the crap they don't even want. 

So here is the rub.

Now that Amazon is so dominant, guess what?  They are raising the Prime Rates and cutting back on returns--with customers actually being banned for returning too much. 

Ah, the lure, bait and switch. 

Amazon got us all as their slave customers--and we let them and love them for it. 

And after they snared us with all the convenience and security of being able to return stuff, they pull the rug and what can you do, but cry foul?

I love Amazon for their genius and what they have done for eCommerce, but I don't like that they've built in a sense a dark empire to prey on their loyal customer base. 

Mr. Bezos, here is my message to you...

Please stay true to your ideals of customer-centricity and long-term investment in the company that has been the foundation for what you have built into such a retail juggernaut.  

Keep valuing your customers and serving them well and not trading them in for short-term profit gain.

In the end, that is a winning strategy that won't land you in either regulatory hell and/or antitrust action to then force you to bend your knee or your ultimate breakup. 

Remember, you have one chance to make the right decision for Amazon or I fear that it's not product returns that you'll be for long worrying about. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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May 25, 2018

My Happy Socks Friday

What do you think of my special Friday socks? 

These make me feel relaxed and happy. 

Wishing you all a great Memorial Day weekend!

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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Left Handshake Is Right

So I heard about someone misinterpreting something I did for the worse.

Occasionally, when someone tries to shake my hand, instead of shaking with my right hand, I will take their hand in my left. 

I'll do this for various reasons such as arthritic pain or from dirt (like ink or cleaning ) from some prior work I was doing. 

But always when I extend my hand it is with warmth and friendship. 

However, I learned that one person took this handshake as a serious personal affront. 

They thought that I was "disrespecting" them intentionally.

So I learned that even the most everyday, mundane gestures like a handshake, but done differently, can be taken out of context and misinterpreted. 

Why do we judge others for the bad?

Maybe because we don't trust, don't want to ask, don't want to know, or have had bad experiences in life that jade us. 

But sometimes a handshake is just a handshake whether with the right or left hand. 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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May 23, 2018

The Wealth Effect

So some wealthy people are good and they use their blessings and good fortune to help others.

Yet, others think that they "have it all coming" to them, and they flaunt their money and look at others who don't have what they do as pure trash--unworthy to occupy or breath the same universal space or air that they do. 

Visiting Palm Beach yesterday, I must say that I saw too much more of the latter than the former. 

Some people were nice, but others were incredibly arrogant. 

With my Jewish head-covering (yarmulke) and our mundane vacation wardrobe, we got more than our share of looks--with one older lady who was wearing fancy clothes and talking to another literally sneering at us with her nose raised in contempt as we passed. 

People whispered as we browsed the fancy stores where a shirt, skirt, or bag averaged around $10,000!

Even a large (over-sized) coffee table book was almost $1,000.

Yes, we did not belong there to buy anything, and were just respectfully browsing--and frankly, we are human beings too.

In the end, we were subject to some good old-fashioned racial profiling by the Palm Beach Police, who pulled us out as we were entering an Uber by the gorgeous beach and fancy schmancy Worth Avenue. 

At least 3 police cars surrounded us and took us toward one of them for questioning. 

They said to my wife that Chanel called saying a woman in a "hot pink" top and black skirt had stolen a pair of sunglasses. 

My wife doesn't wear sunglasses!

We told them matter-of-factly that we weren't even in that store--although we did pass by there--and my wife wasn't wearing a skirt, but rather pants.

They looked in my wife's knapsack that she opened and it was almost empty except for some travel items for the day. 

Then they said that the suspect that been called in had high heels, which also my wife didn't have--so basically the description didn't match and it didn't make any sense why they even pulled us over.

Hey, did they bother to check the store's surveillance tapes to see what the thief actually looked like???

So after they proceeded anyway to run my wife drivers license for any outstanding warrants--hey,  at this point might as well try for something--we finally, we got the:

Oh, so sorry for the inconvenience and have a nice day folks. 

Another officer winked at me. 

This whole thing went right along with the scene of the high-end looking Palm Beach patrol car that they have off to the side of the road immediately when you get over the bridge to their luxury island--clearly conveying the message:

Non-wealthy people not wanted here!

We are watching you!

So this is part of the land of the free and the home of the brave, but where the sickness of money pours from their narcissistic veins. 

But interestingly enough, right over the bridge going in the other direction--after you leave this island paradise--is the hospital. 

I'd bet that they probably all have nice, private rooms for these monetarily rich people, but for those that are spiritually bankrupted, I'm sure that their money doesn't buy them what is truly important in life like health, meaning, happiness, or love. 

For the ones that are driven by corruption, greed, and arrogance--what they get is a dirty evil little soul.

And like Sodom and Gomorrah--these things usually don't end well for them. 

If they manage to live out their stink-in rich years, I think G-d will probably send them back one day, but instead, theirs will be a story of riches to rags--so they learn their lesson and learn it well. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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May 22, 2018

@Flagler Museum




































(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

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