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Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Dell Screws Up a Good Thing
Thanksgiving dinners have been a little touchy the last few years, in my family.
My sister works for a large Palo Alto-based printing giant that made the mistake of acquiring a large, poorly run, Houston-based computer company a few years back. Now, I have nothing at all against HP or "The HP Way"—HP has been very good to my sister—but it so happens I run my business on computers and printers from Dell.
So, what with the general controversy surrounding former CEO Carly Fiorina, not to mention the complete absence of HP products around my office and our house—except for an old HP printer down in the basement on which the cats like to perch—we haven't really seen eye-to-eye about which company, Dell or HP, constitutes "best of breed" when it comes to the IT needs of a small business owner.
It seemed obvious to me that, like all storied franchises in technology, HP never grasped the shift that undercut its multi-tiered distribution-based model. It always surprised me to hear HP executives mock Dell at every opportunity as nothing more than "a distributor" lacking the kind of R&D that made HP what it had become…which was, in my view, a slow-moving, high cost personal computer company completely out of touch with what made the direct sales model so compelling.
As a small business guy, I don't particularly care if my printer has the latest ink cartridge technology or my computer has fifty gigaflips of terabytes. And I absolutely don't want to have to deal with some Office Depot salesman trying to hit a month-end quota in order to buy my office equipment.
I want a good computer system I can order online or over the phone; I want it shipped to my office; I want plug-and-play so even any idiot, including myself, can get up-and-running before the market opens; and I want great support if I need it.
And Dell satisfied those needs for more than ten years, because Michael Dell understood the time value of technology.
But that was then, and this is now: and what happened now is that I spent five hours off and on last night dealing with a mish-mash of toll-free numbers and incompetent or not-my-department technical support people at Dell.
Poor service at Dell is not necessarily new-news. I've been hearing since last summer from various friends and acquaintances that Dell tech support was not all it had been cracked up to be. But since I haven't called Dell Technical Support in over a year, I didn't pay much attention to it.
Today, I am paying attention.
All I needed to do was change some settings on a Dell TrueMobile wireless router, which is not a big deal: Dell's formerly ace support people walked me through the exact same routine a year ago. Took maybe ten minutes.
But all of a sudden, it is a big deal.
Every blind alley in the new ghetto that is Dell customer support led me to a paid help desk—despite the fact that I have what is supposed to be "Gold" technical support.
Worse, they wanted to make me first go to a salesman in order to buy the paid help desk service.
What happened here? Did Dell outsource its technical support to Milo Minderbinder?
I suspect that, in its desire to satisfy the shareholder base that still thinks of Dell as a growth stock, the only way to "hit the numbers" now that both the law of large numbers is kicking in and Mark Hurd has begun to revive HP as a force to be reckoned with, the number-crunchers running Dell are simply cutting what made Dell great.
And since they can't cut R&D—because as HP always pointed out, Dell was never an R&D-driven company—they cut the customer support that won it loyalty, and sales, from small business customers like me.
I don't know if this is an over-reaction to one data point that means nothing in the long run, although given the grumbling from other quarters since last summer I doubt it. And I don't know if Dell's business model is at risk. Nor do I have a strong opinion about whether Dell's stock is over-priced or under-priced.
But I can tell you Thanksgiving dinner is going to be a lot more comfortable next fall: I've bought my last Dell.
Jeff Matthews
I Am Not Making This Up
© 2005 Jeff Matthews
The content contained in this blog represents the opinions of Mr. Matthews. Mr. Matthews also acts as an advisor and clients advised by Mr. Matthews may hold either long or short positions in securities of various companies discussed in the blog based upon Mr. Matthews' recommendations.
57 comments:
- BP said...
Not surprising to hear that, I've had HORRIBLE service from Dell, and two desktops that died on me over a period of five years, both of course after the warranty expired. I swore off Dell, but when I looked for a new machine (a laptop this time), nobody came close on price, or offered me EXACTLY what I wanted, and I begrugingly bought another Dell. Fingers are crossed, but they really offer the rock bottom price.
- kevinmr said...
Here is my Dell experience:
Bought an Inspiron 8600 (our third Dell) and exactly one year and two days from purchase the machine does not boot. Dell support tells me since my one-year warranty has expired (two days ago mind you!) I need to buy a new hard-drive. I put in the order for the hard-drive and decide to check the forums where I find the solution (easy!) and of course cancel my order for the new hard-drive. Approximately two years after purchase the LCD screen goes on the blink. Tried to open a ticket with Dell and of course they tried to sell me the support! Once again went into the forums where a kindly soul detailed how to perform LCD diagnostics.
It seems sad that Dell has let us slip away a happy repeat customer.
- tahoe kid said...
Perhaps this is the opportunity Best Buy sees in the Geek Squad business.
- chaseinvirginia said...
One little column and you've convinced me not to buy a Dell.
And now they wanna sell us TVs too? Ha!
- TG said...
Dell's service has gone from marginally OK to poor. Their laptops are not even second rate- I no longer will buy them even if they are the least expensive entry for a given spec set (which they seldom are anymore) because of their unreliability. Seems like an opening has been created for a competitor who can offer a better purchase/ownership package. Any credible entries out there?
- TG said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- gvtucker said...
My business is similar to yours, Jeff.
It has been two years since I've moved away from Dell, for exactly the same reasons. HP provides better support and less expensive computers.
For larger buyers, my understanding is that Dell is still price competitive. For smaller businesses (like mine) Dell is trying to milk the cash cow and hope that people don't comparison shop and still believe the low cost-high service myth of Dell. I don't think that's working any more.
- enrico99 said...
Welcome to the party man !
Just like you, I used to be a 10-year Dell fan. I converted all my friends and family just to have a $3000 laptop die on me overnight. No need to comment on the lack of support, as the laptop was something like 13 months old. The fun part was that Dell made an offer to repair for a thousand bucks. I noticed that they said maybe they would use old parts to repair my laptop. So I asked how long is the guarantee after the repair. Answer: 3 months. At this rate my laptop costs me just under $4'000 a year. Talk about total cost of ownership. Anyway, the sales guy says "But there is no reason for the laptop to die again in 3 months". Like there was a reason why it died after one year in the first place. My answer: "if you expect the repaired laptop to last longer, why is the warranty only 3 months". Never heard of the guy again. This message was typed on a Thinkpad.
PS. bp it's because people sometimes act like you did buying again from Dell, despite them treating you like sh*t, that Dell can follow this stupid strategy. Nothing personal man, I've also given business to people I shouldn't have, but we should all avoid doing that IMO.
- Athena_Sword said...
I hope you'll all be switching to Macs. Great interface, so easy to use monkeys can figure it out, and,best of all, no more allegiance to the evil empire MS. Then there are the other perks: no viruses, no 'defragging", reformatting, security pacs, yada, yada. Customer support is great too. Helpful, patient, pleasant uber geeks...ok, so sometimes it's outsourced to Canada. But that's not so bad, eh?
And what was that Michael Dell was saying about Apple throwing in the towel a few years ago....
- gvtucker said...
Alas, athena, Bloomberg doesn't run on a Mac OS, so a Mac is pretty much useless these days in the securities business.
- Alexander said...
Same problem here with Dell. Brand spanking new and their wireless card won't recognize my Linksys router. Spent 45 minutes on hold until I got someone who walked me through it. Not the best use of my time...
- MikesMess said...
As an admitted computer junkie, I've taken our family from Micron desktops in '97, to Dell laptops in '00, to Alienware laptops and desktops in '04 (just ordered another Alienware desktop this month). The Micron-to-Dell switch was necessitated by Micron giving up the ghost on their PC business; the Dell-to-Alienware switch was borne from unacceptable service. One caveat: I am a home user, I can't comment on Alienware's acumen as a small-business provider.
- Bob said...
I too am not surprised to hear what you are saying, although I arrived at the same conclusion from a different direction. Last summer, I bought a Dell laptop for my daughter, who was going to college. Calling the toll-free number, I was immediately offered an interest free loan to purchase the laptop, which of course I accepted. That got me thinking: Dell in effect discounts its products to generate sales and book revenue. And presto, it makes its numbers. But I would be curious if the cash flow is also holding up.
- BDG123 said...
Welcome to the club. BUT, before everyone does a pile driver on Dell, let me assure you it is the same at HP. You see, I have HP gear and their service is worse than worse. If I told my stories, which are repeated many times over, you'd think Dell was a peach.
In defense of the entire crew of outsourcing idiots, I will say that small business and home computing has become significantly more complicated thus requiring someone with a brain in support.
No one has accepted that fact at HP, Dell or IBM. That is likely one reason IBM chucked its PC biz.
I cannot even begin to tell you how pathetic HP small business and home support is.
- Parkite said...
Same problems with Dell as a small business owner..........i will be in the market soon for more equipment and am leaning toward HP. I just have a real problem rewarding Dell with additional business with the poor support they offer.
- johngalt said...
had the same experience - suckass service. How solved? bought an iBook from Apple. Much better machine & service - Lexus v. Yugo. Try it - you will never go back to PCs.
- bubbles said...
A few years ago I had product/service issues with HP after which I vowed never again. Switched to Dell, since then I've purchased 2 more desktops from them. I've had no problems, so I can't comment on Dell's service, but their pcs have been great. Don't know if its because I'm lucky or just running simple low tech pcs. My issues with HP were mainly related to their pavilion notebook and their outsourcing to incompetent tech people. As bdg123 said welcome to the club. Someone is always going to get bad service, maybe it was just your time.
- bubbles said...
I wish I could switch to a Mac OS, but the programs I run aren't available.
- ostiguy said...
Various thoughts:
1. Apple has only a one year warranty on their MacBook Pro laptops. For the prices they charge, this is foolish. If you think OS X does not have security issues:
They have a good record, but don't drink the Kool aid.
2. IBM/Lenovo service on thinkpads has been outstanding - I am 4 months into a new job at a mongrel shop (vs a straight HP shop), and have had great service with IBM, whether I wanted the parts to do the repair myself (keyboard swap), have a tech do the work, and even for fee out-of-warranty service. I would have no hesitation recommending you get a Thinkpad, provided you determine how long you want the warranty to be (I believe IBM is like HP in that discount laptops tend to have 1 yr terms). At my last place, we had good experiences with HP for reliability, such that when we refreshed all the end user machines, we stuck with HP. The HP nc6000 and 6230 business class laptops had excellent build quality.
3. Dell is selling out their desktop to the highest bidder. Their low end business desktops and laptops ship with:
A cut down Intuit quickbooks package that when removed properly, still assualts the user with pop ups after most reboots
An Installshield update app that sits in the system tray (near your clock), and seems to hang, throwing an error when you attempt to shut down the machine. I also think it does not work at all, although that might be the DVD burning software update applet.
If you want a high traffic gamer site's take, see this:
As for Dell service, I recently expended way too much effort getting them to fix my client's server (1 yr into a 3 yr. warranty). As an IT professional, I feel I did not get any credit at all for all of the troubleshooting I did before I called them. I also had to keep reminding them to send a tech - a main theme of my calls with them was that I was 200 miles from the server, and yet I was asked at least twice if they had to send a tech instead of shipping the parts.
Finally : don't buy a non Mac retail. The consumer oriented machines are vastly different in quality that the corporate oriented ones. This means T and X series thinkpads, and n* series HP. I am not as familiar with the other "letter" series IBM, but you probably cannot go wrong with those two.
- Aaron Koral said...
Apple makes nice looking laptops, but they don't have the same level of software availability like PC laptops from Dell and others do. Maybe with the Intel chip switch, however, Apple will change that (I could be wrong though...)
- zephyr said...
I have had very good experience with Dell desktops, but find their laptops to be of inferior quality.
It seems that they may have intentionally designed their laptops to die young. They overheat and damage the chip or otherwise self destruct.
Yes, Dell laptops are the lowest price for the features. But they must be replaced on a more frequent basis. So in the long run (not so long) they are a very expensive choice.
The pleasure of the bargain is soon replaced by the pain of poor durability. However, there is some randomness to this. You could have good experience. But don't count on it.
- zephyr said...
I have had great experience with IBM Thinkpads. However, I worry about the future with the new ownership of the product line.
- Chug-A-Bug said...
Never, ever, ever again will I purchase a Dell product or have to rely on Dell "customer support."
1. Few years ago, desktop crashed for no apparent reason. After way too long on "support" they walked me into reformatting my hard drive. Ummm, screw that. Called a real human being to come over and fix the problem.
2. Stupidly bought a Dell laptop. Was suckered into a 14" latitude b/c they promised me there wouldn't be a Pentium 4M 12". Lies. It came out a month later. The laptop has a hard drive that is slower than molasses. Takes 15 minutes to boot up.
3. Desktop crashed again. This is coming at you from a Gateway.
4. Dell DJ MP3 player. Please don't get me started.
In Dell's defense, I'd say that it took a home-grown degree in computer science and many trips to the geek squad to get all the software and all the peripherals happily working together on the nwe machine, then a phd thesis in networking to get that going. Weird conflicts is just a way of life with these machines when new.
But the Dell design/quality is atrocious and the service is insipid. I don't care what it costs to buy from somewhere else. My time is too valuable to deal with their version of "support."
I'm jealous of the wife's apple, but it has NO RIGHT CLICK. And yes, I'm a slave to too many windows only applications.
- Albany Lawyer said...
While I had always liked Macs, I had been a longtime PC user. I didn't buy Macs because I was price-sensitive. Bought a Dell when I started my law practice in Albany, New York.
Once I got the practice up and running, I discovered that computers are deductible. In a fairly short time I have purchased 4 Macs. 1 for the extra office for the rare day when my wife comes in. 1 at home which I use primarily for work. A laptop for when we travel. And I can't even remember where the 4th one is.
But I'm still stuck with the Dell, because I have been using MS Money for my business, and Ultrasoft has something that lets me keep track of all that stuff on my Treo 650. I was going to switch over to a Mac at the start of the year, but it seemed like the transition was going to be too difficult. My new printer (also a Dell, and I love this printer -- fast with a copier/fax/scanner -- Dell 1600n, I think) probably won't work on a Mac.
The Dell has been getting worse. I have to reboot about once a day because it chokes on too many applications. By comparison I reboot the Mac at home maybe once a month.
So maybe next year I'll finally switch to a Mac and dump the Dell.
I can't comment on Apple's customer support because I've never had to call. The problem with Dell is not Dell so much. It's that Dell runs Windows.
- ednedn said...
I love my DELL computers. My HP hard drive died after 14 months. They fixed it, then died 2 months later. I think HP charged me and never really gave me a new hard drive.
Gateway is the worst. My girlfriends laptop is cracked all down the side. She called the company and they said the are aware of the problem with those laptops, and they will fix it for $250.
My other Gateway died after 18 months, my friends Gateway died after 24 months. DELL might not be perfect, but they make one damn good computer.
- Todd Kenyon said...
I have had the same bad experience with a Dell laptop (Inspiron 8100) - hd burned up, lcd panel missing strips of pixels, crappy support. There was a HUGE forum thread on the design issues w/ the 8100, talk of a class action, etc. Dell shut it down (it was on their support site). Our co desktops have been fine however. For the average consumer, I don't see where Dell has any edge anymore. Seems I can always find something (HP, Toshiba, or Emachines for desktops) at one of my local stores that's a better deal. There goes the price advantage. And there is certainly no service advantage and no discernable quality advantage.
- BRGuy said...
Had to pile on, and note one cost of outsourcing customer service to foreign call centers... I described a wireless connection problem to tech support that occurred while having coffee at Starbucks. After I described the problem to the tech rep., 'John', he told me he understood my problem, but had one question...
..."What is a Starbucks"
p.s. longtime lurker who enjoys reading your commentary, thanks.
- dsamp said...
When I first received my laptop and was trying to set it up (I have wireless internet and was having an issue with it) I was on the phone with them for two hours, and then the next day for an additional 45 minutes. They actually had me taking my computer apart to check to make sure wires and such were together properly. I tried to be put through to their complaint department to have something on record and was told their computers were down (I'm not kidding). Every time I call I have to set aside a chunk of time and end up going over the same information over and over again. I will NEVER buy a dell again and have advised my friends to stay away from them.
- BlackLab said...
The solution to your woes lies here:
They are best known for making high end PC's for gamers. So why would a small business guy want a gaming PC? Because gamers want a PC to be stable. And since Hypersonic uses only the latest components that have been tested for compatibility with one another, you end up with a rock solid PC.
They run their computers for 72 hours before they ship them out. And they have a policy that the guy who puts your machine together is the guy who does the technical support. It goes without saying that they know a few somethings about which they speak.
The times I've called tech support (I have one of their desktops and one of their laptops), the phone hasn't rung more than 2 times before a live human picked up. No voice mail tree, no non-Engligh speaking clowns, no BS. My questions have been answered - quickly and accurately - every time.
You pay for the priviledge to own a Hypersonic. But it's worth every penny. Particulary so if you value your time.
- Peter said...
I too have had terrible service from Dell. Once they messed up an order which I had Financed with them. They would put me into a never ending loop of phone messages which i documented and sent to the texas attorney general. I then recieved a letter from michael dells office and someone helped me straighten out the order. Recently the casing around my screen cracked a week before my extended warrenty ended and they said they would sent me a box to ship it to get fixed. I never got the box. I tried to call back but it is difficult to stay on hold for so long. I need new computers and I don't plan on buying anymore dell.
- Athena_Sword said...
For those who said they couldn't switch to a mac because certain applications won't run. There's always Virtual PC. I'm sure the performance is pretty slow, but then if your Dell isn't working anyway, then slow is better than nothing. Read more about Virtual PC at
Plus, know that Macgeeks are working hard to get windows to boot on the new Intel processor based macs and have a prize for the first to implement a successful kludge.
- robyn said...
First off - I have to say you guys - and I assume all of you are guys - are basically ninnys when it comes to maintaining home appliances (and computers are home appliances these days - and they're a heck of a lot cheaper than most refrigerators or ovens or high def TVs).
What is it you expect of your home appliances? That's what you have to ask yourself when you buy. On my part - I expect an average computer or computer system component (like a printer) to last about 3 years. It's not a thing that I'm buying - it's a continuity of service. So I buy something I deem acceptable with a 3 year in home extended warranty (yes - the warranties are expensive - people cost more than "things" in the computer business these days).
I currently have in service a Dell desktop - an IBM thinkpad - and 2 HP laser printers. I have previously owned computer products from all 3 companies - as well as others - some of which still exist - and some of which don't (I go back to the late 1970's with computers). All have had issues - whether it's an HP printer dying for some unknown reason - or my husband getting a terminal case of spyware/pornware on his Dell - or my Thinkpad being delivered with defective pixels on the screen. All issues have been resolved satisfactorily by tech support under warranty. Do I sometimes have to stay on "hold" on the phone when waiting for people to pick up to help me - yes. But try getting Kitchenaid on the phone if you think Dell is a problem.
Note that I run a lot of financial software - including a lot of legacy software - some of it written in DOS - so Macs are not an option.
I also have a whole house electric surge/lightning protection system - UPS on all components - and keep good backups. How many problems have you had that are attributable to the lack of one of these things?
Finally - I don't think it's fair to dump on any company - including Dell - simply because when you're talking to tech support - you're talking to someone in India. They know we're so spooked talking with foreigners that every Dell tech support person in India has adopted a phony American name - like - "hi - I'm Karen". That's pathetic. I would rather talk with a competent person in India than an incompetent person in Georgia (although - for the most part - I have found most tech support people to be reasonably competent - if I get on the phone with a tech support person I think is a clunker - I hang up and call the next day to get a better one). Robyn
- BDG123 said...
Ninnys? Maybe. Although, I'm not exactly computer illiterate. Let me give you a point of reference when you poo poo the people on this board as possibly technology illiterate. I'm a former microprocessor designer who has also written microcontroller OS code and on and on and on.
ie, Dell, HP and IBM desktop/laptop support personnel are typically retards. Dealing with a competent person in India versus an incompetent in Georgia? Are you kidding? HP's service personnel in India aren't as capable as an associates degreed tech from the local community college who, btw, are usually extremely competent.
The support for PCs just plain sucks. Now, maybe it should. How can you sell a $500 product that is loaded up with millions of permutations of third party SW/HW and expect someone to fix it on the other end of the phone? Especially when the profit on the product was probably $50 bucks in the first place.
Likely, a resetting of consumer expectations is required. One reason Apple has great service is because they charge a significant premium and likely can use that premium for better training/staffing of support personnel. They also have a closed system and own the OS so third party HW/SW created problems are easier to control. They also aren't bashful about charging beyond a year warranty.
- Jim said...
Dell used to be the buisiness model to beat. Not anymore. They're as bad as Gateway now.
- StealthMouse said...
Dell and HP are both pitiful. I can't comment on IBM, I've never owned one. I owned one of the early Macs, but can't comment on that either, because I never had a problem with it, nor did I when I worked in consulting with Macs. My comment on Dell echoes everyone else here - go ahead and get it, but hope it works, because God help you if it stops working, even 1 day after you receive it. And HP makes 3-in-1 printer/scanner/fax machines that it knows won't work with several versions of Windows, but rather than fixing the problem with their own code, they blame it on the Evil Empire (MSFT). As for being a ninny, I'm no programmer, but I know how to fix crap, and it's pretty obvious when you call tech support and tell them what you've narrowed it down to, they give you 4 hours of stupid BS tasks to perform instead of listening. Also, most of the website tech forums out there do a better job then the OEM websites or their live tech support.
- Clyde Doggie said...
I think that if you look past the bitching and moaning going on you will see that the underlying *investment* discussion has to do with Dells changing business model. I am an IT consultant myself and up until last year I would always respond to the deluge of F&F requests for computer buying recommendations that Dell was worth a few extra dollars due to their outstanding support. I think that is how Dell originally separated themselves from the pack. Now Dells support,on their best day, is on a par with everyone else, so unless they are significantly cheaper I am now recommending HP/Compaq or IBM/Lenovo. The impact this has on their bottom line has yet to become apparent I believe, as their is some inertia in their reputation in the marketplace.
I also agree with the comments of a previous poster, though, that if you are looking for stability and support it is worth the extra +-20% to go with Alienware or another high-end gaming machine. For me, if I can save an hour or two and get a correct answer the first time and talk to someone in the States or Canada, this would be worth the $500 difference in cost between a high end major manufacturer and a high end gaming machine.
A note on Indian vs NA tech support - I am not biased against Indians per se, but as another person pointed out the quality of the support I have received when dealing with an Indian operation has generally been very poor. I don't know whether this is due to language difficulties or training issues, but most everyone in the industry I talk to about this echoes this thought.
- BDG123 said...
To all of the supposed business experts on here, I'd like to throw out a question.
Why is Dell's business model outdated? It's easy to throw out fancy words without any answers. You do know their model is closer to Apple's as it pertains to sales and support than to HP or IBM. Is Apple's business model broken? Does Dell need to be a technology leader? A patent engine? Pshaw! How do they fix their supposed business model problems?
The issue is one everyone deals with in the Windows PC space. Here's the $64 question. You are the CEO of Dell, IBM, HP or others. You ship a product loaded with someone else' software. Once the consumer receives it, they immediately load millions upon millions of third party sofware products, attach third party disk, tape, memory, drivers and on and on and on. You make $50 per PC. Raising the price would cut sales at the expense of your competitors or reduce the demand for your product because the consumer is extremely price sensitive. That would drive you to an immediate loss because your model is predicated on volume. Oh, and your product will only get more complex in the future. How do you address the issue of post sales support? And please don't tell me that they used to be good at it because they never were. No one has ever been good at PC support outside of the corporate world where clients sign tens of millions of dollar support agreements. Oh, and corporate customers have large IT staffs that create a reference PC platform. You are NOT allowed to deviate from that reference platform. ie, They tell you what model of PC, what level of OS, what drivers, what third party software, etc that you can load on the corporate PC. That is because the support teams spends thousands of hours integrating and testing that for compatibility then develops support procedures and help desk procedures around that reference platform. That is why corporate clients typically have PCs for years. The refresh cycle is highly complex. Most corporate customers will only buy a PC that has a life span of years without even a microprocessor speed change. Or, they buy thousands of PCs and warehouse them as they roll them out over months or years even though they know a "cheaper" PC will be available tomorrow. Because cheaper means variation from the reference platform creating more complexity in support and costing millions more in infrastructure, support and process. ie, The PC is the smallest cost component in total cost of ownership. When you are talking 10,000 or 50,000 pcs, you are talking massive costs.
The answer to the retail/small business consumer of PCs is...............deal with it. Or call the Geek Squad. Even with a gold service agreement where you pay an additional $150 bucks a year, there is likely little anyone half way around the world can do to help............The American consumer, in its desire to get a deal, has created a race to the bottom of the barrel. That is why Wal-mart thrives and Sears went kaput. Who cared about customer service. The product is 30% cheaper.
- robyn said...
BDG - I don't disagree with you. When I used the word "ninnys" - I didn't mean to imply lack of technical expertise. I did imply that when you buy a bottom of the line anything - with a short warranty - you can expect problems. So end-users have to ask themselves what they want in a computer - the Rooms to Go version or the Baker furniture version? The Kia or the Lexus? With all that implies - including post-purchase product support.
Kind of depends whether this will be a computer for an 8 year old who's likely to spill chocolate milk on the keyboard - or a machine that will be used for critical business apps - or something in between. Even then - there's probably no "one size fits all".
I've had lots of computers over the last 25 years. For a while - Dell was my favorite. But my last notebook was a Thinkpad. Don't know what will happen now that Thinkpads aren't IBM. Will have to check when I buy my next notebook. My husband's last desktop was a Dell. (I run critical business apps - my husband doesn't.) We have had good support from both companies when we need it (which isn't too often). Although we have - of course - run across the tech support retards you mention.
For all I know - LG or similar companies will be making computers next year (if they aren't already). And then I will have to check them out too next time I'm ready to buy.
And to Stealthmouse - we've had satisfactory support from Dell and HP when products failed. Both my husband and my father - after going through the admittedly tedious process of dealing with Dell tech support - had someone come to the house to install new hard drives. I had HP overnight a new multi-function laser printer to me when mine failed shortly after the warranty expired. It was a refurbished model - and I had to pay them about half-price for the thing including a 3 year warranty - but that was ok on my part. The refurbished one looks like the dead one - and works a whole lot better - smile.
And to those of you who mentioned corporate operations - I agree with you too. I'm a retired lawyer - and I sometimes wonder why so many lawyers are still running Wordperfect (frequently in ancient versions). The answer is that retooling - even in a small business environment - is expensive. Much more expensive than buying hardware. And - at least for lawyers - Wordperfect has something called "reveal codes" - which are incredibly useful when it comes to writing legal documents. On my part - I am part of that mentality when it comes to other business apps. My most important business apps were developed years ago to run on PCs with Intel Pentium processors. Will I take a chance with another Intel chip - or an AMD - no - even if I have to spend more to get that Pentium - or Pentium type - processor.
I'm not sure what the fuss is here in terms of investing. I look at consumer computer hardware as a super-competitive low margin business. You're talking about customers who - when buying something like a TV (and I think TVs are more complicated than computers these days) - don't understand the difference between standard def - EDTV - or HDTV - or how to get HD even if they buy a HD TV! How can they understand everything there is to know about computers?
Anyway - I don't think any hardware company is likely to be a huge investment success in the next 5 years (unless you buy it when it's totally in the toilet). Robyn
- Gap Trader said...
In the last 5 years, I've had 2 out of 4 Dells bomb because the hard drive failed. One was out of warranty (by about 6 months), but the other (1 month shy of warranty expiration), was replaced free with only a 20 minute phone call.
You get what you pay for. But Dell is definitely losing is reputation as a quality computer manufacturer.
- Jeff said...
I just went through Dell support for a Dell DJ Ditty. I had phone support on the line for 20 minutes. In that time we attempted debug, concluded it was broken, arranged warranty replacement, scheduled a "confirmation of delivery" follow-up call (Sunday am) and a "confirmation that the new unit is working" call for Wednesday 2-1-06. Both follow-up calls were suggested by the Dell customer service rep from El Salvadore.
The bulk of the comments from my perspective focus not on customer service but on the computer hardware failure or software conflicts. These are just a function of computer manufactures efforts to build faster, cheaper, and more feature rich machines utilizing the MS operating system. Sales drives this industry not the stability of the product. If stability was the marker than we would still have DEC PDP11's which could withstand bomb blasts and keep on going without a parity error.
- Charles W said...
I have also had ridiculously awful customer support from Dell however I am not sure where everyone saw "great customer service" as vital to Dell. Dell sells cheap PCs that can be customized by you and delivered to your house, period. Dell is a home computer specialist that branched into corporate operations and is awful at it. They are still the best for the home computer market simply for customizability, lack of having to deal with "salespeople", ease of delivery and price. The corporate market might have had more issues with serviceability though. Simply Dell got too big to grow in the home market and now has awful service which is not a key to a home users decision but is a key to corporate users.
- Chug-A-Bug said...
Sorry for taking this a little off topic but as a current lawyer running the latest WordPerfect 12, I can attest to the fact that WordPerfect is superior to Word not just for legal documents, but for ALL documents, period.
The difference in functionality and power between WordPerfect and Word is just plain astonishing, still to this day. If Corel made a successful operating system, nobody would be using Word. Word is Exhibit A in the triumph of marketing over quality...
Which, brings us back to Dell.
Eventually, it will catch up. I don't know if WordPerfect will ever come back, but Mac is taking back share from Windows, Mozilla has taken huge share from Explorer, and in what's left of the non-Mac PC market, Dell's share will, eventually, catch up with its problems.
- Equitywonk said...
On my most recent Dell purchase, I did'nt even bother to buy a service contract, I just realized that I would be a user of the Geek Squad or hire someother tech help. I just can't stand waiting on line and then speaking to someone in India reading from a computer prompt not knowing what the hell THEY are talking about, then being passed onto the next clueless soul in someother god forsaken part of the world after holding for 47 minuets. Dell's service is history!!!
- robyn said...
Chug-A-Bug - I will go even further off topic - smile. Don't know how old you are - but the best legal/overall word processing software I ever worked with was the software in an NBI (nothing but initials) dedicated word processing computer. Back in the early 80's. Before the PC was widely available. It left the scene a long time ago.
I think the most important thing about a computer is having it run the apps you want and need (and the needs of a graphic designer or a gamer may be very different from those of a lawyer). Robyn
- Chips Whitesugar said...
Purchased a Dell system for home use about a year ago - at the same time recieved a new HP system at work - nearly identical processor/memory/harddrive opsystem wise. I was pleasantly surprised by the HP (having used Compacts years ago) - it was well styled and constructed, whereas the dell seemed a bit dated and clunky. After
a year of use the HP still operates as
fast and reliably as when it was new, while my dell has slowed to a crawl. Since I'm the only user on both systems I know there is no extraneous software on the dell - no explanation for the performance difference - but I am inclined to go with HP's in the future - although I love my Toshiba laptop as well.
- Jeff Matthews said...
Looks like we stirred up a hornet's nest--but apparently it is not just me noticing a decline in Dell's service and support.
My story has a happy ending: as I wrote the blog in a coffee shop, a group of young men in bright red jackets with the logo "NerdsOnSite" were having a meeting at a table nearby.
When their meeting broke up, I asked them if they could help me. An hour later one of the nerds appeared at my office, sat down at the Dell, worked his magic on the keyboard and had me up and running in less than half an hour.
I happily paid him LESS THAN what Dell had tried to get me to shell out for "Dell on Call" (despite the fact that I had paid-up coverage from so-called "Dell Gold" support), and he was on his way.
If NerdsOnCall was a stock, I'd buy it--judging by the response here, demand for NerdsOnCall is going, as they say, "up and to the right."
One observation: losing your computer is not equivalent to losing your "Kitchenaid" dishwasher or refrigerator. One is an inconvenience, the other is money.
- Jeff said...
Robyn, our first wordprocessors were CPT's. We would save our briefs on 8" floppys. In the early 90's we replaced it with Macs running Wordperfect. We still had one running in 1997 when I left to join the tech world. It had become a legacy machine at that point. I don't know if those guys still have it sitting there or not. How's that for memory lane.
- Bernie Wojcik said...
We've been saying the same sort of things to our Dell reps. Guys are you listening?? If you lose our business it will be because you have *given* it away!
- OhioUser said...
I write to add my story. I own a Inspiron 9100.
My problems started with an intermittent POST problem. When I tried to start the computer, the lock lights would flash once and nothing more would happen. I called technical support, attempted to explain the intermittent nature of the problem, and explained my belief that the motherboard temperature sensor was failing. Thankfully, the unit was still under warranty, so Dell authorized a return. I sent it to them, they claimed to fix it, then sent it back. However, the unit continued to fail intermittently. So, I called again.
I learned that the depot hadn't done anything to the computer even though I had taken the time to include a written summary of the failure mode and my speculation as to the cause. So, off to the depot again. This time, Dell replaced the video card. The unit still didn't work. On my third call to tech support, I was instructed to flash update the BIOS with a download from Dell's FTP site. This seemed to resolve the problem. (I now wonder if this was some sort of work around.)
Shortly thereafter, the AC adapter seemed to fail. I called Dell to order a replacement. I was told that Dell did not carry the AC adapter in stock anymore and that a request to order the part would need to be initiated. Eventually, Dell shipped me a refurbished AC adapter at no cost and with no warranty.
Three weeks ago, the computer started telling me that it was unable to identify the AC adapter.
Then, last week, the computer ceased to POST even with the AC adapter plugged in. When the adapter was initially plugged into the computer, the light on the adapter would show green. Shortly after plugging the adapter in, the light would begin to dim and eventually go out.
Assuming that the problem lay with the adapter and/or the batteries, I decided to order replacements. I first attempted to purchase the replacements on line. However, when I searched for the parts, Dell's online catalog instructed me to call sales (a bad sign). I called and asked to buy the battery and adapter. The sales person gladly accepted my $230 order and assured me that the correct parts were identified in his system and would soon be on the way.
Today, the parts arrived. Unfortunately, I was sold a battery for a 9200 and an adapter for an 8500. I immediately called Dell and, after pressing four buttons, was connected to India.
I explained my problems to the tech support person. He told me that I had been sold the wrong parts (no kidding) and that I would have to call sales to get the correct parts. I told him that I had called sales. I also expressed concern that the problem really resides in the motherboard. Of course, we can't troubleshoot the computer without powering it up and he can't authorize a repair call until we first go through the telephone diagnostics. Yes, I had purchased the two years on site service when it was offered near the expiration of my initial one year warranty. Eventually, he looked up the part numbers and initiated a call record. After looking up the parts, he told me that he had to connect me to customer service to place the order for the right parts.
After a lengthy wait, I was transferred to the Philippines. The customer service rep wanted to immediately arrange for the recovery of the incorrectly shipped parts. I asked him if he would be able to place the order for the correct parts. "No," came the response. I would have to speak to yet a third person to place the order for the correct parts. Unwilling to arrange for a return until I could confirm my access to the correct parts, I insisted to speak to sales. Another wait. Now I was transferred to Texas.
I again asked to purchase the battery and adapter for the 9100. This time, the sales rep told me that he could sell me the battery, but that he could not order the adapter. Getting somewhat frustrated, I asked if there was one person at Dell that I could talk to who could resolve my issues. "No," came the response. I would have to talk to sales to order the battery, customer support arrange the return of the parts that Dell had incorrectly sold to me, and to tech (again!) about the adapter which he suggested could only be obtained from reworked returned adapters.
Two calls and three different Dell representatives later....this is the best that Dell could do.
A refurbished adapter is being sent to me. I don't know when it will be sent. There is no guaranty that it is the right adapter or that it will work (or for how long it will work).
Dell, if this is what you do for your customers with on site warranty coverage.....well, I can't even finish the thought.
Sadly, I note that Dell recently reported favorable financial results. So, I guess cheap products (and I don't mean price) and non-existent customer service yields profits in the short term. Beware that your name becomes mud in the marketplace. Your short term strategy will not work for long!
- OhioUser said...
Hey, I heard that Dell has a serious design problem with a number of its laptops. My 9100 shares the same problem with the 5100 and 1150. Google "Dell Overheating 5100" and you can find more information. Also, check out Dell Forums under Inspiron--General Hardware. Search "Overheating 1150." I hear a major class action law firm is considering suing Dell. All of this has to effect their sales and profit. Boy, if I owned any, I'd sell my Dell stock as fast as possible!!!
- Tim said...
I was an IT support person for a convenience store chain that specifically used Dell desktops in their offices. Whenever there was a problem, I called Dell support and always got great service. All of these machines were under warranty and they always shipped replacement parts the same day or next day. In the two years I dealt with Dell, I recall only one time when they did not fulfill their obligation. I have two Dell laptops. One is an Inspiron 1100 and the other is a 600m. The 1100 is three years old and the 600m is a year old. Both have performed flawlessly.
I think people have missed something very important here. Whenever you buy any type of computer, it's a crap shoot. Yes, you're buying a Dell computer but the internal parts are made by a host of "other" companies. For instance, I also own an HP laptop and it has Seagate hard drive in it. If the hard drive goes bad, I'll contact HP but Seagate ultimately is the one responsible for making an inferior product.
As far as Dell goes, I'll continue to buy from them. Fortunately, I have had nothing but good experiences with them.
- Jamie B said...
heh...just to let you folks know, I HAD a Dell Inspiron 8100 that worked great....when it worked. It recently gave up the ghost for good. Upon taking it apart to part it out, I found that not only was the heatsink on the processor poorly attached, there wasn't even any thermal compound on it!!!! So you tell me. Did they plan obsolescence? I think so. Someone should start a class action suit.
- Peggy said...
Goodbye 2006 and hello 2008! But Dell's customer service has not changed. Purchased online a Dell notebook despite better offer at the fair and hoping for better service being direct with Dell. How wrong I was! Delievery was late by 3 weeks or alternative parts! Contacted them and they repeated hung up on me! Yes they hung up on a customer! Talked while I am! Feed back to the supervisor . . . guess what? No different attitude and admitted all the negative comments thrown at them! Great customer service. Last but not least, she agreed being not interested in future patronage and recommendation!
- Peggy said...
well . . . they postponed the delivery again . . . to 1st April . . . April Fool . . . what a service!
worst off, they offered more freebies for the same set . ..paid for it, not yet recived it and the price has dropped . . .am I over paying for it?
- cheap computers said...
In my opinion HP provides better support and less expensive computers as compared to dell.
- Anonymous said...
I cancelled an order after a frustrating encounter with support. It was a 2K laptop. well imagine my suprise when I receive the wireless mouse I ordered a week later. This made me go online and check and found they had re entered my order the next day without my knowledge. well I freaked on them and they cancelled the order and asked me to ship back mouse. Because of the holidays and a scheduled vacation I was not able to even after they called asking for it on Christmas eve. These orders were on the 15 and 16th of Dec. and i checked online and they showed as cancelled.Well imagine my shock when I received a laptop today. I went online and it appears that they re entered the order on dec 22nd again without my knowledge. Is that not fraud?? I have not called them back yet because I am too mad at the moment to talk to a call center in India that is clueless. I figure I have a free laptop but of course judging by my experience I am afraid that they will screw up my bank information. Lets see what they say tomorrow. I am willing to close the bank account that I gave them for fear of fraud by forigners..Grrrrrrrrr
- plantronics headset said...
Dells does screw things up as they need to stick with computers and stop selling other products.


text:
A Supreme Court nomination, as President George Bush has made clear, can be a president's greatest and most lasting legacy. It took bruising battles, but Bush brought real change to the court, which he turned to the right with his successful nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito.
As president, Barack Obama can undo many of Bush's programs and policies. But he won't be in a position to change the Supreme Court until a justice or two decides it's time to go -- and even then, it depends on which justice retires and who is tapped (and confirmed) as the replacement.
It seems likely Obama will get a shot at creating a legacy of his own. At least one justice is expected to retire over the next four years, and possibly up to three. Five justices, after all, are 70 or older. John Paul Stevens is 88.
That means that as much as Bush pointed the court in a more conservative direction -- on abortion rights restrictions, on racial preferences, on religious liberty -- the next president could achieve even more dramatic change. With the court closely divided by one vote on those and other controversial issues, the next president could have a profound impact on its direction with a single nomination.
On that point, both sides agree. Outside advocacy groups on the right and left are pouring time and money into the issue, seeking to rally supporters and attract independent voters by highlighting how dramatically the next president could shape the court -- and American life -- for a generation.
"There is no single issue on which the next president, by himself, will have any greater impact than the Supreme Court," said Wendy Long, counsel to the conservative Judicial Confirmation Network, which has been running television advertisements in key battleground states.
"The future of the Supreme Court and probably the law as we know it over the next 40 years are at stake," Kathryn Kolbert, president of the liberal group People for the American Way, said at a recent forum.
The court now is split between four solid judicial conservatives (Roberts, Alito and Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas) and four liberals (Stevens and Justices David Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer). Moderate conservative Anthony Kennedy is the new "swing vote." He usually sides with conservatives, but on some issues, such as the death penalty and the scope of presidential power, he votes with the liberals.
With that kind of lineup, one new justice could shift the balance of power. But most court watchers believe McCain, not Obama, could have made the most pronounced shift in the court, at least in the short-term.
That's because the three most likely contenders for retirement are all liberal: Stevens, who will be 92 at the end of the next administration; Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is 75; and David Souter, who has reportedly told friends he'd like to return home to his native New Hampshire.
Replacing them with a conservative would minimize Kennedy's role as the swing vote and turn the court further to the right on key issues like race, the environment, religion, abortion, the death penalty and the war on terror.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Kalorik Steam Iron
Remove creases and wrinkles with this steam iron.
The Kalorik Steam Iron has everything a good iron should including a spray mist to remove and set creases, and a steam feature to press out stubborn wrinkles.
This steam iron has an auto-off safety feature, drip free (even at low temperatures), stainless steel plate for smooth gliding, and vertical steam to remove wrinkles from hanging garments. The self-cleaning system prevents mineral build-up, which can reduce the life of your iron and provide longer lasting steam performance. Features include a retractable cord for easy storage, adjustable temperature and steam control, soft touch grip, water cup for filling the water hole, and a silver skirt for an attractive design.
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Witnesses to War
With Hamas and Israel at it again, I'm reminded that there has been conflict in the Middle East all of my life. The killing and the dying never ends. A wry joke during my newspaper days was that we could save the headline "Mideast Violence Continues" and use it as needed, which was often.
But there is nothing humorous about the cycle of bloodshed-truce-and-more-bloodshed between Israel and its Arab neighbors, nor about the now 18-month-old conflict in Syria.
Given the region's history of continuous conflict of one form or another, it might be easy for we comfortable Americans to ignore the human suffering that is inevitable in such a world of relentless repression and aggression.
Thankfully, there are journalists who go physically where so few of us even want to venture emotionally. Below are links to recent work from photojournalists in the region.
* The Guardian published a set of images by freelancer Narciso Contreras from Aleppo, the center of the Syrian conflict.
* The Atlantic includes of Contreras' work and that of other photographers in this extensive collection (48) of photos from Syria, published a week go. The magazine reminds us: "Syria's horrific civil war continues. In some places, it has worsened."
* The Guardian (again) a month published a set of photographs from Spanish freelancer Maysun vividly showing the human casualties in Syria. Warning: These are graphic images.
* The Guardian (yet again) streams photos from the new Israel-Hamas fighting. The fear or the people on both sides of the border is evident.
Posted in Photojournalism Also tagged Aleppo, Maysun, Nicolas Contreras, Photojournalism, Syra Leave a comment


text:
About LIM College
Vanessa Williams to be Honored at 2nd Annual "Fearless" Event
The LIM Fashion Education Foundation will honor Vanessa Williams at its 2nd annual "Fearless" event
What: The LIM Fashion Education Foundation's 2nd annual "Fearless" event
Who: Honoring Vanessa Williams
When: Oct. 17, 2009 from 7 - 9 p.m.
Where: Ports 1961 (601 West 26th St. - Suite 875)
Tickets for regular admission are $150 each. Blocks of 10 tickets are $1250. VIP tickets are $250 each. Blocks of 10 VIP tickets are $2000. VIP tickets include admission, as well as a private cocktail reception with Vanessa Williams at 6 p.m. and a VIP gift bag. To purchase tickets or to make a contribution, please call Katie Fitzgerald at 646.218.4526. Advance purchase is required.
Ticket proceeds benefit the LIM Fashion Education Foundation.


text:
Nb: infants must be under the age of 2 and
children must be under the age of 12 at the time of
The Sport Hotel Gran Baita is one of Selva's top luxury hotels with elegant furnishings, excellent leisure facilities and fantastic cuisine. The beautiful and traditional hotel is in the heart of Selva, just a few minutes walk to the ski lifts and close to the main nursery slope. The superb food and impeccable service are particular features in this property. There is an elegant bar, spacious lounge, games room. The hotel also features a beautiful Roman style indoor pool and sauna.The Turkish bath, solarium, whirlpool and massage are at a local charge
50 Bedrooms: All bedrooms have telephone, satellite TV, radio, safe and hairdryer. Most have a balcony.
Iglu acts as a travel agent for disclosed principals/tour operators, further details
of which will be made available at the time of booking. Your holiday contract will
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quality ratings are provided by the Tour Operator (or one of the Tour Operators
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be added to your invoice. If you pay by a UK issued debit card, there is no charge.
All bookings are subject to a £5 per person Passenger Admin Fee charged by Iglu.com.


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A St. Mary's sheriff's deputy was flown Monday afternoon to a hospital, the agency reports, after he was injured in a motorcycle collision while assisting a police academy course in Prince George's County.
Cpl. Joseph L. Somerville Jr., a 17-year veteran of the sheriff's office, suffered incapacitating injuries when the accident occurred at about 1:13 p.m. that day, according to the sheriff's office, on Baltimore Avenue near Paint Branch Parkway in College Park. Somerville was providing instructor support for a basic motor officer course, hosted by the University of Maryland's Department of Public Safety Training Academy.
A helicopter crew flew Somerville to the University of Maryland Hospital's shock-trauma center in Baltimore. The collision is being investigated by the Prince George's County Police Department.


text:
ST. MARYS – Even though donations received in this year's Coaches vs. Cancer campaign at the Elk County Holiday Basketball Tournament fell short of matching last year's total of $1,200, more than $800 was still able to be raised to benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society, according to Roben Daghir, volunteer survivor for outreach and awareness.
"It was wonderful," Daghir said of the community's continued support of promoting cancer awareness.
The younger half of a father-and-son team charged with two Elk County arsons was in Elk County Court Friday seeking a reduction of his bail from a combined $125,000 cash to $12,500 secured by property.
Anthony Karl Milliard, 29, and his father, Francis Anthony Milliard, 55, are charged with setting fire to properties at 115 Front St. in Johnsonburg and 521 West Main St. in Ridgway.
After significant snowfall hit Wednesday, area residents and members of the Ridgway Borough Department of Public Works took to the streets to clean up the snow. The Department of Public Works is reportedly responsible for at least 30 miles of roads in the borough.
WEEDVILLE – In response to a growing concern among residents in the Weedville area related to the increased presence of elk in their community, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has scheduled a public meeting for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 3 at the Bennetts Valley Senior Center, located at 149 Plum St., Jay Township.
Adhering to the 20-day comment period, Elk County commissioners approved their 2013 budget during a special meeting Thursday morning. The spending plan features no tax increase.
Despite significant snowfall Wednesday afternoon, a snow-covered Main Street was still traveled on by a number of vehicles in downtown Ridgway. Many areas reported having at least nine inches of snow on the ground, if not more, while areas of McKean and Potter Counties reported having roughly one foot of snow on the ground.
Area residents celebrated the 30th Christmas Day Happening celebration with a Christmas Day dinner full of various events at Central Fire Station in Ridgway. Among the events were a dinner at noon, students from April School of Dance performing along with Bailey Pretak, who performed various Christmas musical numbers on the keyboard. There was a slide show illustrating past Christmas Day Happening events while patrons ate full turkey or ham dinners with mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, Italian wedding soup, and various other delectable delights.
A discussion concerning the installation of a Marcellus Shale well located above the Ridgway Reservoir continued during Monday's borough council meeting.
The concern was first addressed at November's meeting after council member Ralph Dussia, who came upon the site while hunting, questioned Environmental Manager Paul McCurdy on the effects of a potential spill near the reservoir.
A former Ridgway Fire Department Treasurer was in Elk County Court Friday where he accepted a plea deal on charges that he misused over $15,000 in company funds between March 2008 and October 2009.
JOHNSONBURG – In the wake of the deadly school shooting in Newtown, Conn., the Johnsonburg Area School District [JASD], like most school districts across the United States, continues to review their safety measures and procedures.
"Our school district has a crisis plan which we constantly are reviewing to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and support staff," said JASD Superintendent Dennis Crotzer. "My administrative staff has reviewed this plan with their staffs after the unfortunate school shooting in Connecticut.


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It's time to strap on the feed bag, friends. Chicago Restaurant Week runs through February 10, and we have every intention of squeezing in as many amazing prix-fixe meals as possible. But, here's the thing: There are more than 250 fabulous eateries participating this year, so a strategic dining plan is a must. Lucky for you, we've taken care of that tasty task and whittled the list down to our 14 favorites.
There's never been a better time to experience an affordable and complete dining experience at some of the top tables in town — from $22 lunches at GT Fish & Oyster and Prasino to $33 gourmet dinners at Graham Elliot Bistro and Trenchermen. So, make those reservations — and get ready to eat your heart out.


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- Gustavo Eda
- Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais
- Brazil
This conversation is closed.
How does talent influence you and your choices in life?
How heavy does it count in your learning or practical decisions, if you think you have it or not. If you think talent is very important to have or not so much. Or even how does one determine its existence. Please share your views with me, no matter how strange or polemic you think they are!
Thank you!
Frank Barry
Mar 21 2013: Gustavo,
- +4
this is a tiny bit (or more) being a braggart... lol
I believe, Talent is important. But it is not everything in a person's life.
Talented people are those who can do certain things well that others cannot.
Certain things are like a slice of pie in a world of pies.
I shoot pool. I astound my friends with 2, 3, and 4 cushion shots.
I am elderly, and used to be a good pool player earlier in life.
My talent has improved to the point that I need take a few weeks off to get rusty again.
My elderly friends cannot win, unless I let them.
We play a certain type of snooker game.
I handicap horse-races and get the winner before the race is run.
My return on investment is indeed awe inspiring.
I have created 21 businesses in my lifetime.
Some skyrocketed and made great amounts of money.
Others failed.
But I never worked for anyone but myself since 1971.
I consider myself talented. But my talents are limited.
And, unless I take the first step. Talent doesn't matter.
My motto:
Courage means to be afraid to do something, but to go ahead and do it.Mar 21 2013: in all honesty: when i see some one who is better than me at a sport it motivates me to do better.
my own talent i share with others th best i can, because i care.
gale kooser
Mar 21 2013: As a wildlife artist- I have one form of talent. Many have said to me: "I wish I had your talent."
- +2
My reply has always been: "But you do have talent(s) and not everyone can be an artist, singer, etc. Do you cook? I can't and cooking is a talent."
Art has influenced my life in many ways (too many to list here). While having a talent is great, without my art I would have been more involved in another field. If math is your talent (or other field), you excel in it. Even having a boat load of common sense is now a talent, being that it is not so common any more.
Mar 21 2013: what about your thinking skills -are they not a talent?
(intellectualism)Mar 23 2013: I do not think talent is a necessity in life. Many people spend their entire life doing a job that requires no talent. I do believe that a person who chooses to use their talents will by far be a happier person though. I do not have what I consider a 'real' talent. I don't sing. I can't dance. I am horrible at math. I am, however, creative and I have an extremely friendly personality. I connect well with children therefore I am working on my teaching degree. Is this a talent? To a degree, yes I believe so. Not everyone can or should do it. Not everyone should sing...I definately should not. I could have chosen to be a mechanic. My husband is and he is excellent at it. I am smart enough to learn to do it. I don't want to however. My 'talent' lies in other areas therefore, my decisions and choices in life revolve around my talents. Would I be happy as a mechanic? No. I feel a person should use their talents. Their education should revolve around those talents. Learn everything you can...you'll never know too much, but using your talents will lead to a more fulfilling life.
Ellen Dubber
Mar 23 2013: Hi Holly
- +1
I work with children and families and have discovered some of my talents as a result. I am aware that I can't sing well but that doesn't seem to be a problem to the young children and carers who I work with. We have fun and no one feels threatened about contributing to our singing. Of course the singing is a means to an end (inclusion of children in a social and communicative activity) . I hope you enjoy your teaching degree and the directions it takes you in.
I think there is a time and place for choosing to just having a go and being part of something as well as being able to display and use our talents. I like to think we can earn "points" for effort and intentions as long as it is not too painful for others :) .Mar 22 2013: Yes, I cannot sing, so i don't:) - simple answer...
I think we all have talents and something to contribute to the world. But "talent" is subjective...
My opinion of music today = not much talent. They have machines that sing, and they just keep playing parts of music from older songs and looping them into never ending sounds. So, I know people think that there are some talented musicians out there today, I believe so too, however, those are not the songs we hear on the radio.
I do art. Other people do what they consider art, but I don't see it. That doesn't mean they aren't talented, it just means I don't understand or get what they are doing, just like I am sure they don't see what I do as "art" (I draw what looks like fractals is the best way to explain it) I also scrapbook, make cards, and other various paper crafts.
I admire people who can work with their hands, like building houses, and I think that takes talent, or fixing a car, that takes another kind of talent.
If I know I am not good at something after i keep trying, i realize, I just don't have the talent for it (like painting pictures, i am horrible at it) I move on, that is just not what I am good at. i don't keep trying, not because I have failed, but because I succeed at something else:)
And that is my view on talent...
Ronney K. Phoenix, AZMar 26 2013: hey Gustavo, i know this isn't related to the subject but do you like my new profile picture?
Mar 26 2013: Yes, I do! Nice cold colors.
Did you made it yourself?
Mar 27 2013: yes. i. did! I'm excited you like it ! this is really huge b/c as someone who is an art lover her self, i look for people to comment on it. Thanks!Mar 26 2013: Thank you all for the messages! So many interesting views!
Actually, I'm trying to prove in my graduation thesis that "talent" as a constant factor on skill learning or practice, does not exist. So, your opinions gave me a nice insight about how does the word "talent" rings for you guys!
In my country, "talent", the word, is used as a major factor, and a major blockade for anyone who tries to learn or do something. "You have no talent to do/learn so" is often used. So, it has a bigger negative influence on people who tries to learn new things.
As a voice teacher, most of my students started singing from a point, where no voice teacher would have the care, or patience to teach them how to sing. Today, many of them can sing at least one song, in close to perfect pitch, only by analyzing their background with more detail and giving lessons according to what they can improve.
So, for me, using the word in such a way, stops many people from going after what they want to do. And by profoundly analyzing the whole thing, I hope to maybe change this negativity.
Thank you all for the comments and views! It meant a lot to me :D


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The Kane Lady Wolves fielded two separate squads in Saturday's Kane junior varsity volleyball tournament. The 2013 roster has six sophomores and nine freshman on the team, with only four juniors and two seniors rounding out the squad. Coach Judy Kessler and coach Rae El Johnson each had teams competing on Saturday.
The Kane Wolves boys soccer team has had a rough start to the season. Coach Ernie Chamberlain's team opened up with four straight road games before opening their home slate on Saturday morning against the Coudersport Falcons.
The Kane Wolves scored early and often in Friday night's 35-8 win over the Otto-Eldred Terrors at Paul R Miller Stadium. The Wolves, now 3-0 on the season, scored on their first four offensive possessions while the defense held Otto, who scored 54 points last week, to a lone touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
LUDLOW -- For years, Lori Moore of Ludlow has watched her daughter, Meghan and her son, Nathan compete in various sports for Kane High School.
The Kane Wolves defense has been outstanding so far in 2013. The Wolves defense has only allowed six points in two games. Both the Sheffield and Port Allegany offenses together could not break the century mark against the Kane "D".
The Kane Lady Wolves volleyball team defeated the visiting Sheffield Lady Wolverines in three sets on Thursday night, 25-19, 25-23 and 25-17.
Coach Judy Kessler's young squad, which boasts three freshmen in the starting lineup, evened their record at 2-2 with the win.
The Kane High girls soccer team certainly had its chances.
But a late rally fell short in a 3-2 loss Wednesday to Port Allegany at the Kane field.
In Part I of my story of the mysterious Army base near Seneca Lake, N.Y., I was trying to find out how I could gain access to this huge decommissioned former military base with its large herd of white deer. The base, which is still not open to the public, was used during World War II to house munitions. You know, like bullets and bombs. After the war it was rumored to house nuclear weapons, which the government never admitted. While building this base, a few whitetail deer were fenced in and hardly noticed.
It wasn't a win, but veteran Kane High volleyball coach Judy Kessler still had plenty of kudos for her young team Tuesday after a nip-and-tuck match with Elk County Catholic (ECC).
RIDGWAY – Ridgway boys soccer won for the second time in a row as the Elkers defeated Kane 4-1 on a hot Tuesday afternoon at Francis S. Grandinetti Elementary School.
Ridgway coach Todd Voss said the Elkers held together well with the temperatures near 90 degrees and with the Elkers shorthanded due to injuries, at one point having no subs off the bench in the second half.


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Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry
Action/Adventure, Drama
Three outlaws hit the road until the road hits back in this supercharged action thriller. Larry (Peter Fonda) is a stock car driver whose reckless nature has caused him a long run of bad luck. Larry and his friend and mechanic Deke (Adam Roarke) need money if they're to get a new car and get back in competition, so they map out a plan to hold up a grocery store after 150,000 dollars has been dropped off for payroll and working cash. The heist goes as planned, except for one little hitch -- Larry spent the night before with his occasional girlfriend Mary (Susan George), and she has planted herself in Larry's car and isn't about to budge. With Mary along for the ride, Larry and Deke try to outrun the cops and make their way to freedom, though lawman Franklin (Vic Morrow) is determined to shut them down. Much loved by both gearheads and action film fans for its hair-raising stunt work and solid performances from the leading cast, Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry was a surprise box-office hit in 1974, grossing nearly 30 million dollars in its initial release. Roddy McDowall appears uncredited as the manager of the supermarket.~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Cast: Peter Fonda, Adam Roarke, Kenneth Tobey, Susan George, Eugene Daniels
Produced by:
Directed by: John Hough
Written by:
Running time: 1hr 33min
Opens: May 17, 1974
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text:
Step Into the Past to Support the Future!
Eighth Annual Neanderthal Ball
Saturday, November 1, 2014, 7:00 - 10:30 p.m.
Step into the past to support the future at Orlando Science Center's Neanderthal Ball!
- Mix, mingle and walk the dinosaur amid the Stone Age in the DinoDigs exhibit and the Ice Age in the Our Planet, Our Universe exhibit
- Savor delectable food and wine from Orlando's best restaurants and caterers
- Enjoy a beautiful view of the downtown Orlando skyline on the fourth-floor terrace
- Chisel out your mark at the silent auction
Dress code is cocktail fun with an accent on "cavemen couture" — think animal-print necktie, leopard-patterned cocktail dress or a bone in your hair.
And special to this year's event, guests can experience our newest traveling exhibit, Bats: Myths & Mysteries! Come face-to-face with four live species of bat as you discover the creature's importance to the ecosystem and the resources required to protect these fascinating animals.
Please download the Sponsorship Packet for potential opportunities as to how you can be more involved with this spectacular event.
Planning Committee


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Proliant DL380 G4 RM M Xeon 3.6 1MB 2GB 2P RPS
Dual Processor Manufacturer Part# 361011-001
Overview:The world's best selling server just got better; the ProLiant DL380 delivers on its history of design excellence with enterprise-class uptime and manageability proven 2-way Intel Xeon performance and 2U density for a variety of rack deployments and applications. The ProLiant DL380 G4 High Performance model includes the latest performance technologies and enterprise class availability features pre-installed for convenience and value.
CategoryProliant Server
Part Number361011-001
Products ID14316
Form FactorRack-Mountable - 2U
LocalizationUnited States
Processor2 x Intel Xeon 3.6 GHz - 64-bit
Processor Main FeaturesIntel Extended Memory 64 Technology
Cache Memory2 MB L2 cache
Cache Per Processor1 MB
Floppy Drive3.5" 1.44 MB floppy
Hard DriveNone
Optical StorageDVD-ROM
Graphics ControllerATI RAGE XL - 8 MB
NetworkingEthernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Etherne
PowerAC 110/230 V ( 50/60 Hz )
Dimensions (WxDxH)17.5 in x 26 in x 3.4 in
Weight60 lbs


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By Merle Travis
In the mid-1940s, Merle Travis was a guitar-playing, country musician from Kentucky who had worked in radio, studio recording, and live stage shows. He also had bit parts in Hollywood films singing in B Westerns. In 1946, he signed a recording contract with Hollywood-based Capitol Records and had some early hits. Capitol also asked him to record an "album"of folk songs — four 78 rpm disks — three of which were songs that Travis wrote about coal mining. They were about life in the mines of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, where his father had worked. One of the songs was "Dark As A Dungeon" and another, "Sixteen Tons." For the latter song, Travis had pieced together fragments of phrases he had heard while growing up and in later life. A letter his brother sent during WWII made a comparison to working in the coal mines, saying: "You load sixteen tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt." Travis had also heard an expression his father used with neighbors, which Travis adopted for "Sixteen Tons," as he later recounted: "…The chorus is from a saying my Dad often used. He never saw real money. He was constantly in debt to the coal company. When shopping was needed, Dad would go to a [coal company] window and draw little brass tokens against his account. They could only be spent at the company store. His humorous expression was, 'I can't afford to die. I owe my soul to the company store.' "Travis' version of "Sixteen Tons" was released by Capitol records in 1947 on Folk Songs of The Hills. But the song did not receive much notice. In fact, during the Cold War hysteria of the late 1940s, songs dealing with workers' woes by "folk music activists," as they were called, became suspect. Ken Nelson, a Capitol record producer who had also worked at WJJD radio in Chicago in the 1940s, later explained in 1992 that FBI agents advised the radio station not to play Travis' records because they considered him a "communist sympathizer," which Travis was not. Although his version of "Sixteen Tons" — produced with a single guitar — did not become a hit, Merle Travis continued his music career, becoming one of the most highly regarded country guitarists in history. His "Sixteen Tons" would be made famous by Tennessee Ernie Ford.
"Tennessee" Ernie's Big HitErnest Jennings Ford was from Bristol, Tennessee, where in high school his baritone voice had first been noticed. After a stint in the military during WWII, he adopted the stage name "Tennessee Ernie." He began his career as a singer of country music on radio stations in San Bernardino and Pasadena, California. By 1949, he signed a contract with Capitol records, had a few hit records and also became a local TV star on the popular Southern California show, Hometown Jamboree.
In 1954 Tennessee Ernie Ford became nationally known through his several appearances on the I Love Lucy TV show as a visiting "country cousin." Ford knew the "Sixteen Tons" song from working with Merle Travis who had appeared on Hometown Jamboree. Ford's grandfather and uncle had also worked in the mines. In early 1955, Ford did a version of "Sixteen Tons" on television. Within five days, NBC received over 1,200 letters from viewers asking about the song. In July 1955, Ford performed the song again at the Indiana State Fair before a crowd of 30,000 and the response was "deafening," according to one report.Capitol Records, meanwhile, informed Ford in September 1955 that he needed to produce a new record to meet the terms of his contract. Shortly thereafter, a two-sided single was produced. "You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry" appeared on the "A" side and "Sixteen Tons" on the B side. Capitol believed that the A-side song was destined to be Ford's biggest hit yet. On October 17th, 1955, Capitol shipped the new record to radio DJs who began playing the B side, "Sixteen Tons." In about ten days' time, the record promptly sold 400,000 copies. Demand for "Sixteen Tons" became so great that Capitol geared all its pressing plants nationwide to produce the record. In less than month after its release, over one million recordings of "Sixteen Tons" were sold. It became the fastest-selling single in Capitol's history.
No. 1 Hit
"Sixteen Tons" hit Billboard's Country Music charts in November 1955, and held the No. 1 position for ten weeks. By December 15, 1955, more than 2 million copies were sold, then making it the most successful single to date. It then crossed over to the pop charts, and held the No. 1 position there for eight weeks into early 1956. Ford later gave some background on the song's recording in an interview he did with the Saturday Evening Post:
(…continues, at right…)
Sixteen Tons
Now, some people say a man's made out of mud,
You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Well, I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine.
You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Well, I was born one mornin', it was drizzlin' rain.
You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
WeIl, if you see me a-comin' you better step aside.
You load sixteen tons and what do you get?
Ford interview:
"…Sometimes it's a new twist that boosts one of those songs up into the million sales class. 'Sixteen Tons' was written eight years before I recorded it, too. I'd sung 'Sixteen Tons' years before [on radio], but it hadn't been any blockbuster, and Merle Travis, who'd written it, had put it in an album of his songs called Folk Songs of the Hills. Nothing happened then either. Then we decided to do some of Merle's things with modern instrumentation [on television]. When Merle did them, he'd used a straight guitar music background. When we did them we used a flute, a bass clarinet, a trumpet, a clarinet, drums, a guitar, vibes and a piano. They gave it a real wonderful sound."
"I snapped my fingers all through it. Sometimes I set my own tempo during rehearsal by doing that…. After I was through rehearsing that song, Lee Gillette, who was in charge of the recording session for Capitol Records, screamed through the telephone from the control room, 'Tell Ernie to leave that finger snapping in when you do the final waxing.'"
"They liked 'Sixteen Tons,' all right, at Capitol, …but nobody threw a fit over it. Nobody said, 'We're glad you brought this along because it's sure to sell a million copies in twenty-one days.' They didn't say that because anybody in his right mind knew that wouldn't happen. Yet that's exactly what did happen." [end Ford interview]
"[N]o American song in many a generation has got as much [play] in such a short time…as 'Sixteen Tons'," wrote a Time magazine reporter in December 1955. "It is currently the No. 1 hit on almost every list. It has been called deeply American by some and dangerously radical by others."
Danger & Debt
The song's lyrics hinted at the dangers of working in mines and the hard times of living in mining communities. And indeed, from the early 1900s through the 1940s, life in the coal mining communities all across the country was pretty grim. Mineworkers were frequently killed in mine accidents and most who worked in the mines developed "black lung" disease from years of breathing coal dust. Although mine conditions improved following the unionization of mine workers in the 1930s and subsequent mine safety laws, even in the mid-1950s when "Sixteen Tons" was at the top of the charts, mine accidents and deplorable conditions in mining communities were still found throughout the coal fields.
And as "Sixteen Tons" made plain in its lyrics, indebtedness to the company was also a problem in some coal communities, especially before labor reforms were adopted. Coal miners often became indebted to the "company store," also known as the general store in some locations. With no competition, the company could keep prices high for everyday items, and employees — especially those with families — often needed to pay in credit with tokens or scrip. A never-ending cycle of debt often resulted, meaning essentially that the workers were perpetually bound to the company.
Coal Mine Dangers
Although mine safety has generally improved over the years — and "Sixteen Tons" spoke largely to an earlier era — coal mining accidents were still occurring through the 1950s and 1960s, as they have to the present day. In December 1951, for example, the Orient No. 2 mine in West Frankfort, IL exploded killing 119 miners. In Farmington, WV, the Jamison No. 9 mine exploded in November 1954 killing 16. And in McDowell County, WV, the Bishop No. 34 mine had two fatal explo- sions in the 1950s — one on February 1957 that took 37 lives, and another in October 1958 that killed 22. The 1960s saw more of the same. A March 1960 mine fire killed 18 in the No. 22 mine at Pine Creek, WV. Suffocation took the lives of 6 workers in a Dora, PA mine in June 1966. And in 1972, a collapsed coal wastewater impoundment at Buffalo Creek, WV killed 126, injured more than 1,000, and displaced thousands more after flooding several downstream communities. In recent years, mine accidents have continued to occur, as in the May 2006 Darby Mine explosion in Harlan County, KY that took five lives; the August 2007 Crandall Canyon Mine cave-in of Emery County, Utah that killed six miners and later three rescuers; and the Montcoal, WV mine explosion of April 2010 at a Massey Energy mine that killed 29 miners.
Song Resonates
"Sixteen Tons" caught on all across the country in 1955 and 1956, as it offered a distinctly different sound; somber and fatalistic, in sharp contrast to the up-beat pop ballads of that day. Rock 'n roll was just starting its rise to prominence then. Still, the chorus of "Sixteen Tons" offered memorable lines and helped bring the plight of miners more into general pubic awareness at that time. Some listeners were also thought to identify with the tune in their own lives, as they too were living on credit or stuck in never-ending jobs, seeing themselves as "owing their souls" to a kind of "company store." In any case, Capitol Records was certainly happy, as "Sixteen Tons," along with other songs, helped improve 1955 sales to a record $21.3 million, up 25 percent over 1954, with profits up by 33 percent.
Ford's Career Soars
Tennessee Ernie Ford, meanwhile, went on to a successful TV career hosting prime-time network music and variety shows from 1956 to 1965. Ford proved a versatile performer, cutting across comedy, film, and various music genres, including country, pop, gospel and religious music. Ernie Ford also appeared in Hollywood films, sang the title song for the Marilyn Monroe/Robert Mitchum 1954 film, River of No Return, a song which became a pop hit. He also did the "Ballad of Davy Crockett," another 1955 hit record. His music career continued through the 1970s, as he completed a 1975 album with Glen Campbell, as this and other music from his past enjoyed a second life with new listeners and CD sales in the 1990s. At age 71 in 1990, Ford was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He passed away the following year due to liver cancer.
In 2005, some fifty years after "Sixteen Tons" had made its run at the top of the music charts, the General Electric Co., the giant industrial corporation, used the song in a TV advertising campaign designed in part to promote the use of "clean coal." For more on that story see "G.E.'s Hot Coal Ad."
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Date Posted: 6 October 2008
Last Update: 20 May 2012
Comments to: email@example.com
Article Citation:
Jack Doyle, "Sixteen Tons, 1955-56,"
PopHistoryDig.com, Octobe 6, 2008.
Sources, Links & Additional Information"Tennessee Ernie Ford," Wikipedia.org.
"Merle Travis," Wikipedia.org.
"The Wild Birds Do Whistle," Time, Monday, December 19, 1955.
"High-Priced Pea Picker," Time, Monday, May. 27, 1957.
Pete Martin, "Tennessee Ernie Ford Interview." Saturday Evening Post, September 28, 1957, p. 124.
Archie Green, Only a Miner, Urbana, Illinois 1972, pp. 301-302.
George Korson, Coal Dust on the Fiddle, Hatboro, Pennsylvania, 1965, pp. 72-73.
George Vecsey, "Strike Frees Miners From 'Dungeon' Peril"(Dante, VA), New York Times, Saturday October 2, 1971, p. 16.
Herbert C. Bardes, "A Chronicle of Coal Company Scrip," New York Times, Sunday, April 1, 1973, p. 183.
Leonard Sloane, "The Company Store Comes Out of the Coal Mines; The Company Store, Revised for 1975," New York Times, Business & Finance, Sunday, June 22, 1975, p. 147."Kentucky Coal Area Recalls Days of Token Money"(Dunmor, KY), New York Times, Sunday, May 4, 1980, p. 59.
Ace Collins, The Stories Behind Country Music's All-Time Greatest 100 Songs, New York: Berkeley Publishing Group, 1996, pp. 91-93.
The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (fifth edition).
"Sixteen Tons: The History Behind the Legend," formerly at: ErnieFord.com.
Rhonda Janney Coleman, "Coal Miners and Their Communities in Southern Appalachia, 1925-1941″ West Virginia Historical Society Quarterly, Volume 15, Nos. 2 & 3.
Dehue, West Virginia, "Past & Present: Another Day Older…" (Dehue labor photo from this site).
"Coal Mining Disasters," (incidents with 5 or more fatalities), NIOSH Mining Safety and Health Research, National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health.
Tennessee Ernie Ford website, TEF Enterprises, LP.


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Sucker Punch: The IMAX Experience
Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller, SciFi/Fantasy
"Sucker Punch" is an epic action fantasy that takes us into the vivid imagination of a young girl whose dream world provides the ultimate escape from her darker reality. Unrestrained by the boundaries of time and place, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and her incredible adventures blur the lines between what's real and what is imaginary. The IMAX release has been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience with proprietary IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology.
Cast: Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung
Produced by:
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Written by: Zack Snyder
Running time: 2hr 0min
Opens: Mar 25, 2011 Limited
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Kobenstyle cookware has been coveted by collectors and cooks since Dansk introduced the line of Jens Quistgaard designs in 1956. Recently revived for a new generation to enjoy, the Kobenstyle Butter Warmer evokes all the warm mid-century charm of the originals. This enduring classic features a teak handle that won't get too hot as you melt butter or warm sauces. The finishing touch? Three coats of glossy blue enamel, for mixing and matching perfectly with vintage pieces or contemporary cookware.
Capacity: 16 oz. Oven-safe to 400º F. Ideal for all cooktops, including induction ranges.
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Interview With A 'Loudmouth': WFAN's Craig Carton On Life, Career, Debut Book
WFAN New York's Craig Carton joined CBS Local Sports to talk about his new book and his career path to becoming co-host of the No. 1-ranked "Boomer & Carton in the Morning".
Best Books For Dad This Father's Day
Need a good gift idea for Dad this Father's Day? Our friends at Simon & Schuster put together this great list covering everything your Dad will love.