Bombfell purchases

Two things I've purchased from Bombfell in the previous year.

Original Penguin Cotton Ribbed V-Neck Sweater (link)

Original Penguin LS Button-Down Collar Oxford (link)

• Original Penguin LS Button-Down Collar Oxford Estate Blue
• Penguin tag number #1BBW0456OP
• 414 Estate Blue

Prius Gen 2 Rear Spoiler Removal

Notes on removing the rear spoiler:

Touring B-Type Rear Spoiler Installation (link)
How to remove/replace spoiler (link)

Junkyard Prii

Apparently not so many at local Pick-n-pull locations : o \

http://www.picknpull.com/check_inventory.aspx

Vectra flea control for cats

Noting so I don't forget...our vet said they use this now instead of Frontline.

http://www.vectrapet.com

Volvo 244 GL Clock Repair

http://www.brickboard.com/ARCHIVES/1998AUG/20008992.shtml

http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1387329&show_all=1

http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1510272&show_all=1

Apparently the stock 16 volt, 100 microfarads capacitors on the clock don't like going below ~50 F : o \

Replacing them fixes the clock.

NotAPriusTouringCar.com

Seriously Prius owners/sellers: look at the wheels - Touring Prii have seven spokes, fog lamps, and Toyota only manufactured them for 2007-2009...plus all the stuff at the following link:

http://priuschat.com/threads/prius-base-vs-touring-edition-the-dirty-little-secret.66143/

Used a Craigslist search tool this evening to search for Prius Touring cars for sale in my area and sellers had mislabeled nearly every one...greedy and/or ignorant--Blue Book lists them as quite a bit more than not. Though, in some cases, I think people assume they have a Touring car when they really have some high-end package (e.g., leather seats, navigation).

Anyway, /vent. ; o )

Toyota Prius versus VW TDI

Reading a bit on performance of the Toyota Prius versus the VW TDI (Jetta, Golf).

Why did Mel Brooks Name his Movie, "Spaceballs"?

It seems Spaceballs represents the name of the race of people living on planet Spaceball...and they seem to wear helmets shaped like balls.

Motion-Activated Playing of Music

I imagine it would get old after a while, but it would be fun to have the chorus from Rule Brittania play when I open the door in the morning. ; o )

Helloooooooo! : o )

Craigslist Searches

http://www.craigslist.org/about/help/search

VIN 3FASP11J0TR126323

I purchased 3FASP11J0TR126323 in 1998, the 2nd owner, and drove it for 15 years and 188,000 miles.

Hoping the next owner sees this, if it eventually gets repaired and sold.

Corfu

The Axis powers shot down my neighbor's father's bomber, which crashed on or near the island of Corfu, Greece, during World War 2.

They hid him and his surviving crew for some time, until he successfully returned to the United States.

Auto dealer interactions

Compiling a list of auto dealers I've interacted with:

CLOVIS AUTO MART
Clovis, CA

After contacting via web form with what seemed to me like a reasonable offer, I received the following e-mail: "Hello my name is J.R and I am the internet Mang. here at Clovis Auto Mart we are located in Clovis ca. on Barstow ave. 1048 Barstow ave. Clovis Ca, 93612 and you can reach me at 559-323-8100 between the hours of 9-6pm monday thru saturday.. love to hear from you soon, thank you for your time. J.R ( it is better to call for i am a one man show.lol ) thank you again.."

• Mang? I guess that means manager, but my first thought was Cheech and Chong : o \
• lol?
• Poor writing skills

Attempted to reply to this e-mail with the same content as what I sent via the web contact form, to give them one last chance: "I'm interested in this car: http://www.clovisautomart.com/2005_Toyota_Toyota_Clovis_CA_188783836.veh . KBB seems to list a 2005 Prius, in Good condition, with 86K miles, at $7.7K; I'll offer $8.0K...no way I'm paying $12.0K, so no use calling unless you are willing and able to reduce the price.Thank you for your time."

Attempted to reply by e-mail but received 554 delivery error trying to reach clovisautomart@y....com.

I'm giving up...I wouldn't give any money to this sales rep.

Marketing

I is learning:

Rhetoric 104:

There are three kinds of audiences:

1. Friendly: it's a waste of time to build the case and try to change their mood or their mind; you're pushing an open door. This type of speech or oped should focus on getting them to actually do something.
2. Neutral: it's great if you changed their mind and maybe inspired a few of them to act
3. Hostile: it's a victory to simply change their mood

There's also three steps to persuasion:

1. Changing their mood
2. Changing their mind 
3. Getting them to act

Journal of Advertising Research, 19770600/P

"Should you advertise to hostile audiences? Yes, says Chevron's director of communications research, because advertising can keep them from growing more hostile."

From the book, "Marketing," by Roger Kerin, 10th edition, chapter 19, "Types of Advertising"

Product advertisements

1. Pioneering
2. Competitive
3. Reminder

Institutional Advertisements 

"The objective of institutional advertisements is to build goodwill or an image for an organization rather than promote a specific good or service." 

Four types 

1.  Advocacy advertisements state the position of a company on an issue.
2. Pioneering institutional advertisements, like the pioneering ads for products discussed earlier, are used for announcements about what a company is, what it can do, or where it is located.
3. Competitive institutional advertisements promote the advantages of one product class over another and are used in markets where different product classes compete for the same buyers.
4. Reminder institutional advertisements, like the product form, simply bring the company’s name to the attention of the target market again.

How to Persuade Different Types of People

Persuasion Starts With Credibility

1. Trust
1. How long we have known a person.
2. A person's reputation.
3. Experiences with a person in the past.
4. Information about a person obtained from other people.
5. Any ulterior motives a person may have. 
6. How to build trust:
1. Get someone to act on your behalf
2. Act like you are not trying to persuade
3. Turn a negative into a positive
4. Be reliable. Do what you promise and publicise your achievements.
5. Be rational. It’s much easier to trust someone who makes decisions based on reason rather than emotion. Simon Cowell is a good example.
6. Be Receptive. It’s much easier to trust someone who is receptive to our needs and concerns.
7. Don't oversell or exaggerate. Underpromise and overdeliver. People will not trust you if your words do not match up with your actions.
2.  Expertise  

Sacramento Greek Festival 2013

Attended the 50th annual Sacramento Greek Festival on Sunday.

We had $2 discount coupons, so $6 for both of us to enter. We passed many costumed attendees of SacAnime as we entered the Sacramento Convention Center...and, since the Sacramento Greek Festival granted free admission to SacAnime attendees, we saw many of them wandering about the Sacramento Greek Festival area. : o )  Quite a melting pot, listening to the Annunciation Choir while Master Chief and a Predator walked by.

I sampled:

• Vegetarian dolmathes: Grape leaves stuffed with riceand seasonings - $3
• The Old Spaghetti Factory’s Spaghetti: with browned butter and mizithra cheese. - $7
• Pilafi: Rice flavored with butter and lemon juice - free (shared by Lanna)
• Retsina - free (shared by Lanna)
• Kourambiethes: Melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies,dusted with powdered sugar! (free - shared by Paul)
• Kataifi: Shredded phyllo infused with walnut filling and a touch of cinnamon. (free - shared by Dawn)
• Saganaki: Flamed kefalograviera cheese with a hint of lemon and brandy. (free - sample)
• Fotine's Simply Greek Cafe owner Fotine Halikaskopriva demoed how to make their signature tzatziki.... yum! (free)

Previously

Yosemite Lakes Campground Burned

What it looks like, with the fire burn overlay:

About 7-8 weeks ago, we camped at the southern tip of that little circle, on the right side of the above image. : o \

Not sure how much got burned...will remain interested in seeing post-fire pictures. Fearing the worst.

From the Yosemite Lakes web site:

Due to the Rim Fire, Yosemite Lakes remains closed and we are not accepting reservations at this time. Anyone having an upcoming reservation through September 3, 2013 is asked to please contact us at (877) 570-2267 so that we can assist with making other arrangements. We will continue to provide updates as we receive additional information.  (Posted 8/23/13)

Delegation

I am learning it.

12 Rules of Delegation

Coffeeee

Learning to appreciate aspects of coffee...but still would prefer caffeine pills so not staining my teeth. : o \

What's the most powerful/inspirational quote you've ever heard?

http://www.quora.com/Quotations/Whats-the-most-powerful-inspirational-quote-youve-ever-heard

Running again

Dawn and I have ran at the ARC track three times in the last week or so.