Derek Huether

The paradox of the killing off the phone book

Instead of finding the newspaper on my walk yesterday, I discovered someone delivered (threw) a phone book.  It’s been years since I actually opened a phone book.  Out of curiosity, I opened it only to find 1 in 4 of the ads being nothing more then advertisements to advertise in the yellow pages!  Granted, there were no personal phone numbers in the book, only businesses.  I can appreciate the necessity of the yellow pages and phone book.  Anyone not having access to the Internet still needs to find a business.  But after reviewing the quality of the product, it makes me question if it is time this thing went the way of the dinosaur.

I find it ironic, printed on the book, they ask us to please recycle our “outdated” phone books.  Hello!  A phone book IS outdated.  So, to satisfy their request, this brand new phone book is going right into the recycling bin.

Here’s a thought:  Since this company has our address to deliver the phone book, why don’t they send us a letter asking if we would like to opt-out of the delivery in the future?  Wouldn’t that feedback let them know if their days are truly numbered?

Testing Foursquare vs. Gowalla

Getting ready to head out for our Saturday ritual.  First, we’re going to drop some items off at Goodwill.  Next, it’s off to lunch and pick up the dry cleaning.  Last, it’s off to get weekly groceries and honey-do-list items.

During all of this, I’m going to try to check in via both Foursquare AND Gowalla.  Because I use an iPod Touch instead of an iPhone (I loath AT&T), I have to depend on WI-FI connections to check in.  What happens, depending on the service, it may think I’m in a different state…like Virginia!  Anyway, let’s see how this goes.