Terran Tom and the 47 Trators

Sounds like a Grimm's fairytail.  More like grim than Grimm.

Not long after the legally dubious invite to address Congress extended to Netenyahu, 47 Senators decided to bypass the Diplomate in Cheif by sending a letter to the Grand Ayatollah of Iran to dismiss any effort of an agreement.  At its least, it's disrespectful. Not to the President or the Ayatollah, but to the American people.  Hashtags abound from #47Trators, #GOPwantsWar, and the.more.personal #TerahnTom. (Tom Cotton of Arkansas was the writer of ththis letter.)

Editorials abound criticizing the letter.  Even going as far as calling it a "clown letter"

But it was Obama's comments that got me thinking.  "I am embarrassed for them."

When I was in Middle School, there was a kid that this discription fit perfectly. Looking back now, there is a chance she had Autism or something, but.that was before it became as well known.  All I knew was she wasn't all there. She would often find herself in these oddball predicaments that would make even the best of us facepalm.  Not from destress, but from embarrassment.  She obviously wasn't embarrassed. We were embarrassed FOR her.

On example was after school.  I was waiting for my mom at the front office when she walks in.  We had our awkward exchange (as was custom)  but then the office phone started ringing.  As custom at our school, nobody was there to answer it.  She looked at me and said "phone is ringing."
"Yup"
"Someone should answer it."
"No, better leave that alone."
"but the phone is ringing."
"I know, just let it ring."
"Yea but its ringing."

Before I knew it, she was behind.the counter and on the phone.  Just then, Principal Shepard walked in.  She said the person was looking for someone.  Mr Shepherd took the phone from her and sent her to his office.  He took care of the call and went in the office where a very loud argument took place.  With her insisting "it was ringing off the hook!"

This is one of a few instances I was embarrassed for her.  In fact, it was one of a few instances I was embarrassed for anybody.  Its not a feeling that comes up a lot.

I can't say for sure what the mental state of the senetors who signed on this letter, but I think we should be embarrassed for these senetors as well.  Embarrassed for their excuses, of their defense. And really of the people who voted them into office. 

Then again, this congress has done a lot of embarrassing things as of late.

This is why I hate your mobile site.

Hello friends and foes.  Today I am going to demonstrate why your mobile site sucks.  Don't take this personal.  Think of it as an intervention.  I am going to help you figure out how to improve your mobile site by telling you 13 things that is wrong with it.  Aren't I nice?

1) You don't have a mobile site.
So what your telling me is that you do not have a mobile site...at all.  Not Cool.  Desktop sites are formatted for desktops, with unlimited data (unless your on Comcast or AT&T) and faster capacity.  Meanwhile mobile sites need to load on slower bandwidth where your fat thumbs are the mouse, and data is at a premium. 

2) Your using Adobe Flash.
Dear webmaster, Welcome to the 21st century.  We don't use Flash anymore.  Hell, Adobe doesn't use Flash anymore. and there is no such thing as a phone that uses flash either.  These days it's all about HTML5. 

And as a note to CTOs of the world.  If your website pops up with an error saying "for best results, upgrade your Macromedia Flash player," fire your webmaster.

3) Scale your images.
When I zoom in to your site, I want to see words bigger, not zoom in on your logo.  That thing is useless to me.

4) Oh you have a app?
Don't Care!  Unless I am really invested in your community, (and if I'm googling to find out how to fix X, chances are I'm not) then I'm not going to need your app. in fact Please stop with the popups.  Or for that matter.

5) Available on the AppStore
And I use an Android (sigh)

6) Enough Popovers and Intrusive ads.
If I don't want to find that stupid black X so I can actually read what's I Want to read.  You want to sell me something?  Fine.  But piss in me off isn't going to make me want to buy.  Some of the adds are so big they leave a half inch to read through.  Some just completely obscure your view so you have to locate the add and then shut it off.

7) Do you really need an app anyway?
Before you create the app, ask yourself one question.  What will this app do that I can't do already on your mobile site?  If you cannot answer that question, then skip the app.  Hitcents may not like it, but it will save you money and time in the long run.

8) annnnd.....refresh.
I once tried to read an article that looked interesting.  But I never finished it.  Why? Because it would refresh on me for no apparent reason.  What's worse, once it decided to reload, I had to scroll down to find my place again.  Mobile is suppose to be a convenience.  If you piss me off, I'm not convened.

9) Click next to begin the slideshow.
This isn't your summer vacation, and your PowerPoint project does not have to be turned into me.  No slideshows, no page 1,2,3.  Just tell me or piss off.

10) No you may not use the desktop site.
OK, so your mobile site sucks so bad that I want to use your desktop site.  Sorry no can do there bro.  If you try to manipulate the URL, well just redirect you back to the mobile site.  And don't bother looking for the "Use Desktop Version" link.  It doesn't exist.  That sucks a lot because...

11) You must use our desktop version to do X.
If I had access to my desktop, I wouldn't need your stupid mobile site to begin with, would I?

12) the correct format is m.website.com.
I realize we were in flux for a while as mobile sites were developing.  But it's over.  We prefix with m because it's easier to type than mobi, or mobile.  And make sure I can replace m with www so I can get onto that desktop site as well.

13) X would like to view your location
Why, Are you going to send me directions to your house so I can strangle you?  No?  Then it's not necessary.