Chestnut Burr & 2011

     As 2011 comes to a close, I thought you might like to know the stat results of this blog.  It certainly doesn't set any records!  My total views were 3,729 up to this post.  I can tell you the most popular blog is MSOC and Privacy Laws.  It was way ahead when Google gave us the dynamic view option about three months ago.  After that, the stats showing each post viewing haven't been accurate.  My view counts change each day, but the next view, for posts and number count are always the same.  I've seen several complaints about it on support pages, but evidently Google has more important matters to look after.  The popular MSOC views are obviously AT&T employees that are unhappy with the company's drive for more productivity via their "whip em" program.  I've been on vacation for the last two weeks and I've been told there is a "personnel entry" for poor efficiency waiting on me, when I return to work.  It's a happy place...

     Two others whose popularity surprised me were Goldfinch Feeding Frenzy and Does Membership have it's privileges?  Judy and I plan to do more "birding" this year and I plan to write more about the birds in Alabama.  We were searching for specific info recently, just for birds in our area, and found it somewhat difficult.  For general information, it's hard to beat Cornell University's ornithology pages.  Check those out here.  Another good site is Audubon, where you can also purchase guide apps for your phone or ipad.

     As for Does Membership have it's privileges, it had a lot of readers but very little feedback.  I plan to have several blogs this next year with religious themes.  We can't enter the year that the Mayans have predicted to be the last, without being prepared to meet our maker.  Some of you obviously have some problems with that(Hollywood, news media, politicians, Muslims, etc.).  Maybe I can help a little.  I believe the end isn't until the fourth quarter, so we still have time to get things right.

     I think all bloggers enjoy looking at the stats.  It's usually the only way we know someone likes what we write.  I appreciate your stopping by from time to time and reading the Chestnut Burr.  It was originally intended as a dose of forgotten wisdom for those who are needy.  I often find myself in need of a handful and I hope I never come across to you, the reader, as a "know-it-all".   As long as we still draw air in our lungs, God gives us opportunity to learn and change.  So, it is my prayer that 2012's cup of truth will overflow and "with wisdom you will learn what is right and honest and fair" Proverbs 2:9



    

Genealogy

   

     Merry Christmas to all on this cloudy and cool Christmas eve.  This week, I've been bitten by the genealogy bug.  I've never cared much about family history, that was my mom's hobby.  Her research was supposedly lost by my brother, so the morale of that story is "get it while you can".  If you've got older relatives with family information, give a gentle nudge to hand it over before it falls into the "mine,mine,mine" of inheritance hackers(if you have any).

     Anyway, I've gone back to within eight miles of Jamestown, Va in the early 1600's.  I have one name from England but have seemingly reached the end with my side of the family.  My wife's, on the other hand, is a different story.  Her pedigree, through her grandfather, L.V. Wright, goes all the way back to King Edward I (longshanks).  I think it's funny that her side is opposite of William Wallace(Braveheart), in that contest.  I read some of Longshanks history and he wasn't entirely evil.  He made some excellent legal reforms and his wars of expansion were probably necessary for the kingdom's survival.

     I do enjoy reading some of the old family histories. Their wills with how the property was distributed is interesting too.  I read one who gave each person in the family a named slave as inheritance first, with particular attention to where the slave would go if something happened to that person.  The rest of their property would be lumped together as an afterthought near the end.  To me, that shows the value placed on slaves and the care promised to each one.

     The other interesting fact is the way they bought and sold large tracts of land.  It was like trading cards, 357 acres bought this year and traded next year for 200 acres on the Roanoke River.  Land was abundant and people were scarce.  River front property was important, as that seemed to be the preferred mode of travel.  In looking at our family's migration south, the cities along the route were closely connected to water.  I've always liked the Tennessee River and just didn't know why.

     Earthly lineage is pretty neat, but not as important as the religious, or spiritual line.  My own belief in Christ connects me directly to the "King of Kings" and "Lord of Lords"!  Needless to say, that puts me in the family of God with an inheritance(reward) that can't be imagined.  A person can't choose their earthly line, but anyone can choose to belong to Christ's family at any time.  Maybe this Christmas the best gift you could give yourself is a belief in Jesus as Christ!  Hey, it's an impressive pedigree!

     But when the right time came, God sent his Son who was born of a woman and lived under the law. God did this so he could buy freedom for those who were under the law and so we could become his children.  Since you are God's children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, and the Spirit cries out, "Father." So now you are not a slave; you are God's child, and God will give you the blessing he promised, because you are his child.    Galatians, chapter 4

You've Come A Long Way Baby

Yes, I'm an employee of AT&T and the following is my opinion.

   

     It's difficult to know where to start with this one.  I was surfing around the web last night and came across a story from Cnet about AT&T.  It seems that AT&T was rated the worst cell phone carrier for the second year in a row.   The funny thing is, according to the article, AT&T still added 2.1 million new subscribers just in the third quarter alone.  Does that mean that people just don't care about poor service?  Are the numbers wrong?  Did they only call the unhappy ones?  Or, just the ones whose calls were dropped?  We'll probably never know the actual truth.  However, it might be a good time to have a short history lesson...

     Here is the funny & famous video by Stephen Colbert about all the telecom mergers creating the one network again.  I laugh every time I watch it.  A much more detailed look at the evolution of the current behemoth is this article form Wikipedia.  Most of us forget about all the regional phone companies and the fact that Southwestern Bell Corporation is the one that came out on top with the AT&T brand.  I found it interesting looking at their history and their efforts to purchase Cox Cable and later Comcast.

     AT&T's December 29, 2006 acquisition of Bellsouth Telecommunications was my first company change in twenty eight years.  I became an employee of AT&T and am still working each day to make my customers happy, just like in the old Bellsouth days.

     BellSouth was known for good customer service.  They won the J.D. Power customer satisfaction surveys in 1996, 1997,1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, & 2006.  The 2006 award stated Bellsouth "leads all carriers in majority of customer satisfaction factors".  We were proud of it and the company printed it on our trucks.  We are all customers of someone and we all know when we've been treated badly.  I appreciate having worked for a company that placed their customers on such a high regard.

     I would like to tell you why I believe that service has gone downhill somewhat, but my opinion would serve no purpose nor would any large company listen.  There are those of us who remember the good old days and make an effort to please.  Hopefully all the mergers and buyouts will be over soon and companies will refocus their efforts on good customer service.  Till then, hang on...

Media Bias & Politicians

    

     Greetings everyone!  Hope you enjoyed a good Thanksgiving and have picked out all your ideal Christmas presents and have them wrapped already.  For me, its not Christmas eve yet, so I'm good.  I'll get to my shopping later.

     This evening, I find myself annoyed at the media.  Which media you ask...  all of it!  I tweeted last night that we needed a local television station for news, here in Shelby County Alabama.  All of our TV stations are in the neighboring county of Jefferson which, of course, has the City of Birmingham in it.  Almost all of their news stories are about black on black crime, schools that need money, politicians that could be(or should be) going to jail, sewer system debt, or the past April 27th tornadoes.  Oh, I forgot the biggest story of late, the awful Alabama immigration law which is being harsh on illegal immigrants.  Crocodile tears flow regularly from the news anchors when they speak about the poor criminals who have to leave our state to find jobs and how evil we are not to look the other way and leave them alone.  I've stopped watching FOX6 news altogether over that one issue.  I alternate between ABC33/40 and CBS42 news now, with the edge going to 33/40.

     It amazes me how a 21 county television market can spend 90% of their coverage on probably 40% population but possibly 5% of area.  Shelby County alone has 800 square miles with a population of around 200,000.  It is the fastest growing county in the state and ranks among the 100 highest-income counties in the United States.  It votes heavily with the Republican party, hence was punished politically for years when the Alabama Legislature was controlled by Democrats. 

     We do have a good newspaper, the Shelby County Reporter, but it is not published daily.  It contains much better local news for us than it's rival the Birmingham News.  The News has a section once a week about Shelby County, but is isn't worth reading.  The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce has a nice website with additional info called Shelbyco. Also, if you get on the right twitter feeds, there is plenty of local stuff.  We just need news about us, without all the Birmingham bias.

     Now that I've chased that rabbit, I want to talk about the national media a little.  The latest polls have Newt Gingrich in the lead, with Romney a distant second.  I hate the fact that misinformation is constantly published as truth in an effort to mislead the public.  They want you to believe there is no reason to keep supporting your loser,  just vote for who they tell you to.  This is the same media who set up the Obama-McCain contest.  I held my nose and voted for McCain, but it won't happen again.  I WILL NOT VOTE FOR NEWT GINGRICH.  In my opinion, he is morally and ethically challenged!  He is old news and should have stayed out of the race.  You might find this story revealing about Newt.

     I find myself supporting Ron Paul.  Where Obama promised change last time around, Ron Paul would actually accomplish it!   He seems to be the only candidate with common sense!  Listening to him speak, it is from the heart and not to appeal to any particular group of voters.  The media is harsh on Representative Paul.  You can tell from the way each question is framed in the debates.  They TRY to make him look foolish but usually end up foolish themselves.  I follow him on his YouTube channel.  Visit it and listen to a real statesman!  And to the media I'll say, "you should be more fair and balanced so as not to drive your listeners away"!