Lipsman.com_Main tag:www.lipsman.com,2007-08-24:/new//1 2007-08-24T04:22:08Z Movable Type Publishing Platform 4.0 sadkfj;dkfjk;djf sdfjsd fsdj sdf sdf sdfj ; tag:www.lipsman.com,2007:/new//1.2 2007-08-24T04:21:44Z 2007-08-24T04:22:08Z test... Benjy test I just finished installing Movable Type 4.0! tag:www.lipsman.com,2007:/new//1.1 2007-08-24T04:15:24Z 2007-08-24T04:15:24Z Welcome to my new blog powered by Movable Type. This is the first post on my blog and was created for me automatically when I finished the installation process. But that is ok, because I will soon be creating posts... Benjy Welcome to my new blog powered by Movable Type. This is the first post on my blog and was created for me automatically when I finished the installation process. But that is ok, because I will soon be creating posts of my own! Latest Freelance Project tag:www.lipsman.com,2005:/new//1.139 2005-05-12T18:27:48Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z Here's a little pro bono freelance project I just completed for the ADL's Walk Together 5k Walk & Fun Run.... Benjy ald_walk_site.gif Here's a little pro bono freelance project I just completed for the ADL's Walk Together 5k Walk & Fun Run.]]> New Ride tag:www.lipsman.com,2005:/new//1.138 2005-04-20T16:35:01Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z As you saw in my last post, I was involved in a bit of an accident recently. I'm back to normal, but my Jetta isn't. In fact, after initially saying they were going to fix it the insurance company decided... Benjy cars.com, autotrader.com, CarMax and elsewhere. The cars I saw ones I saw were either older (no warranty left), without leather, or I'd have to settle on a different color combo. Saw some blue with grey, some black with tan, etc. After test driving a blue/grey Passat Friday night, I found the perfect car on Saturday morning. I walked into the Autobarn - Evanston's used VW showroom and there it was! 2002 VW Passat GLS - same exact color combination as my Jetta, same turbo engine, same options (except single CD instead of changer), same everything basically. But 12k less miles. And I was able to get it for a price that only extended my payments a few months. I really hit the jackpot on this one. I'll post some pics soon...]]> Control-Z tag:www.lipsman.com,2005:/new//1.137 2005-04-11T20:19:35Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z Sometimes it'd be nice if life had an undo command like computers. Alas, it does not. While not official yet, it sounds like my car is dead. At least that's what the police officer on the scene and the tow... Benjy undo command like computers. Alas, it does not. While not official yet, it sounds like my car is dead. At least that's what the police officer on the scene and the tow truck driver both said -- and I'd trust they've seen enough accidents to know. Driving home from an appointment Thursday afternoon, I was rear ended on Rt. 41 at Half Day Rd. in Highland Park, IL. Heading southbound, I came to a stop at a red light. The Infiniti QX4 behind me did not. The driver claimed he looked down for a second and didn't see the light change. A witness yelled to me as he drove by that the guy was on his cell phone. I'm for the most part OK. My neck, shoulders and back are a little sore but I think Tylenol, heat and time will be enough. My car isn't as well off. My 2002 Jetta, only months from being paid off, is in pretty sorry shape. Here are some more pics of the damage. I'm waiting to hear back from my insurance company about whether they can fix my car, or whether I need to get a new one.]]> Phantom Price Drops? tag:www.lipsman.com,2005:/new//1.136 2005-02-24T03:54:46Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z Apple rolled out their latest revamp of the iPod line today: a 6GB mini, 30GB and 60GB iPod Photos, and price drops on most products. However, the new iPods come with fewer accessories than before. Items that were standard like... Benjy Apple rolled out their latest revamp of the iPod line today: a 6GB mini, 30GB and 60GB iPod Photos, and price drops on most products. However, the new iPods come with fewer accessories than before. Items that were standard like the firewire cable, case and dock are now extra. I’m not one who likes to pile on the accessories after plunking down cash on a big ticket purchase, so I liked that when I bought my iPod it came with everything. Sure, the case wasn’t ideal since I have to pull the iPod out to use the buttons/clickwheel, but it also meant not having to spend an extra $20-50 on a case. And the firewire cable & dock are now an additional $58. The three accessories I got with my iPod would now run $87, which means the actual price drop isn’t as dramatic as it first seems. I bought a 15GB iPod almost 2 years ago for $399, and now a 20GB with accessories would run $387. I guess some people want to add a case according to their specific use and taste, but it seems that the dock and firewire are pretty key items to inlcude. It's kind of like dropping the price on a car, but no longer including wheels. I guess we'll see. Apple seems to have an uncanny ability to understand their market, and their stock price shows that. I've benefitted from that personally, and just hope they continue to prosper with their growing iPod line.]]> So Close, but So Far tag:www.lipsman.com,2005:/new//1.135 2005-01-07T19:58:32Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z During my annual vacations in Puerto Vallarta, I've noticed more and more car models available down there that we cannot get in the U.S. For the past couple years, I've been seeing the Nissan X-TRAIL -- an attractive, smaller SUV... Benjy Nissan X-TRAIL -- an attractive, smaller SUV that is most likely car-based. At least in Mexico, it prices in just below the X-Terra we can get here in the U.S. It seems like it'd be a nice competitor to the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Ford Excape, etc. So why doesn't Nissan sell the model north of the border? Nissan's small SUV is the rugged, truck-based X-Terra. But in other SUV segments, Nissan offers both ends of the spectrum. In the mid-sized segment, they offer the truck-based Pathfinder as well as the car-based Murano. So why not offer the X-Trail here, too? I've also noticed that many of the European makers sell their vehicles in Mexico yet remain out of the U.S. market -- Alfa Romeo, Renault, Seat, Peugeot. Oh, how I wish they sold the Alfa 156, Renault Laguna, Seat Cordoba or the Peugeot 406 coupe here. I realize that it is expensive to move into a new market. They'd need to set up dealership networks, merket the vehicles, etc. But it seems like the payoff would be much greater in the world's most lucrative auto market. If they've already developed the channels to import the cars into North America, it seems silly not to tap into a much larger market that's right there. In the past, cars have been marketed primarily through expensive advertising such as television and national magazines. But it seems to me that cars could be marketed very effectivly without resorting to the high cost advertising used by GM, Ford, Toyota, etc. But autos lend themselves to word-of-mouth marketing better than nearly any product. They're an emotional purchase -- how many people spend so much more than they'd need to for basic transportation because they love the design, performance or status of a particular car. These cars are driven places and they act as billboards just by being on the road. That's exactly how I learned about the models referred to earlier. And how many people attend auto shows each year? Auto shows provide a perfect opportunity to put a product in front of the target market, both those looking for a new car as well as car buffs who are often asked for advice by friends and family. Car magazines provide free coverage (well except maybe the cost associated with loaning a demo car), and give consumers more insight into their performance. And don't forget the web. Studies show that a large majority of car shoppers begin their research online before ever heading to a dealership, and the combination of manufacturer sites, general auto sites and fan sites provide a number of opportunities to spread the word about new models available. Hopefully, some of the Euro car makers will realize this and return to the U.S. market. Alfa has been discussing it for years now, and I can't wait to get myself a 156.]]> Whoa, a Post! tag:www.lipsman.com,2004:/new//1.134 2004-11-12T01:48:11Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z Yeah, I've been neglecting this site a bit lately due to my involvement elsewhere, a freelance project and a new girlfriend. But I'm now embarking on a redesign on-the-fly and I'm planning on posting just a bit more here. Stay... Benjy elsewhere, a freelance project and a new girlfriend. But I'm now embarking on a redesign on-the-fly and I'm planning on posting just a bit more here. Stay tuned...]]> Little i tag:www.lipsman.com,2004:/new//1.133 2004-08-17T21:55:52Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z While the dot com era seemed to herald the rise of lowercase letters beginning names (ebay, iPod, uBid, etc.) the word Internet was an annomoly. But that's now changed. According to Wired, we no longer need to capitalize the 'i'... Benjy we no longer need to capitalize the 'i' in 'internet'. Or the 'n' in net. Or the 'w' in 'web.'
[I]n the case of internet, web and net, a change in our house style was necessary to put into perspective what the internet is: another medium for delivering and receiving information. That it transformed human communication is beyond dispute. But no more so than moveable type did in its day. Or the radio. Or television.
Throughout the years, I've been one of those rare people who actually knew the proper capitalization and and tried as much as possible to abide by it. I remeber a former colleague sending out an email with the official style guide for all those new "new economy" terms. Off all the hundreds of email sna memos, that's one that stuck. And now I'll probably forget all the time about the lower-case i's. Maybe Jeneane needs to send out another memo...]]> When Worlds Converge tag:www.lipsman.com,2004:/new//1.132 2004-07-17T15:39:31Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z This morning, I was reading the Chicago Trib online when an article title jumps out at me: Blogs flex muscle in `viral marketing'. I'm always interested in how the real media covers "new" things like blogs? Because they're usually either... Benjy Chicago Trib online when an article title jumps out at me: Blogs flex muscle in `viral marketing'. I'm always interested in how the real media covers "new" things like blogs? Because they're usually either years behind the curve or base entirely. Interestingly, however, my old boss from my Atlanta days at eKetchum days was one of the quoted "experts" in the article. Now I'm wondering if he even blogs. Guess I'll have to go hunt... UPDATE: He does, at www.GumpRants.com. At the end of the article, it lists some Chicago blogs, including Chicagoist! So my old boss and my new blog in the same article...]]> Summer in Chicago tag:www.lipsman.com,2004:/new//1.131 2004-06-13T14:48:28Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z When I moved back to Chicago from Atlanta about 2 1/2 years ago, it was primarily to be closer to family. I also wanted to live in a city with more of a "big city" feel, rather than a 4... Benjy Old Town Art Fair, one of the highest quality art fairs in the country. There wasn't time to see the Wells St. Art Fair, also in Old Town. While now quite as impressive, it's still a nice art fair -- maybe I'll hit that today. After a short mid-afternoon nap, I headed down to Grant Park for Blues Fest, Chicago's free annual outdoor blues festival. The music ended at 9:30, perfect timing for those of us at Blues Fest to join a friend at the nearby Chicago Yacht Club, where he was winding down after a day on a friend's sailboat. What could be nicer that sitting on the deck of a boat with some friends and a few beers? How about watching the Navy Pier Saturday night fireworks from the deck of the boat! While in some ways yesterday was a unique, amazing day, it's not that difficult to experience similarly amazing days in this town, with the extensive schedule of city-sponsored events, the hundreds of neighborhood festivals and the city's parks, marinas and beaches. There truly is no better city in which to spend the summer.]]> Chicagoist, Part II tag:www.lipsman.com,2004:/new//1.130 2004-06-05T23:05:07Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z The other day, I pointed out that Chicagoist had launched. I am honored to have joined the crew at Chicagoist, primarily covering sports. While I'll make damn sure readers of Chicagoist remember there's a baseball team playing on the South... Benjy other day, I pointed out that Chicagoist had launched. I am honored to have joined the crew at Chicagoist, primarily covering sports. While I'll make damn sure readers of Chicagoist remember there's a baseball team playing on the South Side, I'll try my best to give that other team some press, too.]]> Chicagoist tag:www.lipsman.com,2004:/new//1.129 2004-05-28T02:43:37Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z Chicagoist, sibling of Gothamist, offically launched this week. Chicagoist is already off to a great start covering my favorite city.... Benjy Chicagoist, sibling of Gothamist, offically launched this week. Chicagoist is already off to a great start covering my favorite city.]]> Chicago Sports Round-Up: The Good and the Bad tag:www.lipsman.com,2004:/new//1.128 2004-05-24T15:40:50Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z First the GOOD: Major League baseball players were polled about their favorite road cities, and Chicago was the clear favorite! Of 95 players asked, 35 responded that Chicago was their top city. While at first, one may think Chicago benefited... Benjy First the GOOD: Major League baseball players were polled about their favorite road cities, and Chicago was the clear favorite! Of 95 players asked, 35 responded that Chicago was their top city. While at first, one may think Chicago benefited from having teams in each lague, New York was second with 15 votes, while the Bay Area and L.A. were even farther down the list. Now the BAD: While the Bulls players are enjoying their off-seasons and the Bulls execs are looking forward to Wednesday's Draft Lottery, a number of former Bulls have made significant contributions to their teams' playoff runs, including Trenton Hassell. Cut by the Bulls before the season, he has been a starter for the Minnesota Timberwolves for most of the season because of his tough defense. Minnesota is currently playing the L.A. Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Hassell isn't the only defensive specialist the Bulls have sent packing in recent years, however. They traded away Bruce Bowen before he even played a game for them. He was second in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year. And the Bulls also traded away Ron Artest, this year's winner of the Defensive Player of the Year. And one of the Bulls' biggest problems in recent seasons has been defense, and we wonder why they continue to flounder 6 years after the post-dynasty rebuilding process began...]]> What Was He Thinking? tag:www.lipsman.com,2004:/new//1.127 2004-05-12T04:39:30Z 2007-09-01T06:15:37Z There is a major league pitcher who is currently 7-0. His ERA is 1.99. His 52 strikeouts place him second in the National League. Oh, and this pitcher was supposed to be retired! Clemens claimed in November that there was... Benjy pitcher who is currently 7-0. His ERA is 1.99. His 52 strikeouts place him second in the National League. Oh, and this pitcher was supposed to be retired! Clemens claimed in November that there was "no scenario" in which he'd return as a player. He wanted to spend time with his family in Houston. But then best friend Andy Pettitte signs with Roger's hometown Houston Astros. Clemens get talked out of retirement. And now he's running away with the NL Cy Young Award (it'd be his 7th). Amazing!]]>