We're not in Kansas anymore....

It was only after leaving Kansas and selling my home that I became aware of just how oppressive a place it is. States like Oregon (my new home), do so much more for me.

For example - did you know that:

(1) The dispensing of Class 1 flammable liquids by dispensers properly trained in appropriate safety procedures reduces fire hazards directly associated with the dispensing of Class 1 flammable liquids;

(2) Appropriate safety standards often are unenforceable ...in other states because cashiers are often unable to maintain a clear view of and give undivided attention to the dispensing of Class 1 flammable liquids by customers;

(3) Higher liability insurance rates charged... reflect the dangers posed to customers when they leave their vehicles to dispense Class 1 flammable liquids, such as the increased risk of crime and the increased risk of personal injury resulting from slipping on slick surfaces;

(4) The dangers of crime and slick surfaces described in subsection (3) of this section are enhanced because Oregon’s weather is uniquely adverse, causing wet pavement and reduced visibility;

(5) The dangers described in subsection (3) of this section are heightened when the customer is a senior citizen or has a disability, especially if the customer uses a mobility aid, such as a wheelchair, walker, cane or crutches;

(6) Attempts by other states to require the providing of aid to senior citizens and persons with disabilities in the self-service dispensing of Class 1 flammable liquids at retail have failed, and therefore, senior citizens and persons with disabilities must pay the higher costs...

(7) Exposure to toxic fumes represents a health hazard to customers dispensing Class 1 flammable liquids;

(8) The hazard described in subsection (7) of this section is heightened when the customer is pregnant;

(9) The exposure to Class 1 flammable liquids through dispensing should, in general, be limited to as few individuals as possible, such as ...owners and their employees or other trained and certified dispensers;

(10) The typical practice of charging significantly higher prices ....in [48 of the other 50 states] states:

(a) Discriminates against customers with lower incomes, who are under greater economic pressure to subject themselves to the inconvenience and hazards...;

(b) Discriminates against customers who are elderly or have disabilities who are unable to serve themselves and so must pay the significantly higher prices; and

(c) Increases self... dispensing and thereby decreases maintenance checks by attendants, which results in neglect of maintenance, endangering both the customer and other motorists and resulting in unnecessary and costly repairs;

(11) The increased use...in other states has contributed to diminishing the availability of automotive repair facilities...;

(12) Self-service dispensing at retail in other states does not provide a sustained reduction in fuel prices charged to customers;

(13) A general prohibition of ... dispensing of Class 1 flammable liquids by the general public promotes public welfare by providing increased safety and convenience without causing economic harm to the public in general;

(14) Self-service dispensing at retail contributes to unemployment, particularly among young people;

(15) Self-service dispensing at retail presents a health hazard and unreasonable discomfort to persons with disabilities, elderly persons, small children and those susceptible to respiratory diseases;

(16) The federal Americans with Disabilities Act, Public Law 101-336, requires that equal access be provided to persons with disabilities at retail gasoline stations; and

(17) Small children left unattended when customers leave to make payment at retail self-service stations creates a dangerous situation. [1991 c.863 §49a; 1999 c.59 §160; 2007 c.70 §276]

Yep, you guessed it, only New Jersey and Oregon have figured out how to protect their citizens in a way that is so flagrantly overlooked by the other 48 states - stop letting them pump their own gas. I would add an additional item (items 1-17 above are quoted from Oregon State Code 480.315)

(18) Consumers who self-serve run the risk of spilling gasoline on their shoes, which could lead to very embarrassing consequences, possibly even forcing them to conduct a formal presentation at a global leadership conference wearing only socks on their feet. [I believe this really could happen - just ask Sean.]

Speaking of Sean - he's gone political on us - even showed up in the national media, thanks to a very clever fund raising strategy.

Driving across country with the family this weekend - leaving behind those repressive days of having to fill my own gas tank....

Another fun book - for serial Entreprenuers

Last month, I wrote briefly about the full day seminar I attended that was hosted by Dr. Don Kuratko. Among other things, Dr. K gave me a whole slew of new books to read (leave it to the college professor to send me home with reading assignments). The first "must read" on his list was "A Stake in the Outcome" by Jack Stack. Being from Kansas City, I immediately assumed that I would be reading about the establishment of a BBQ empire - but apparently, this Jack Stack has not relationship to my favorite smokehouse.

The Jack Stack that wrote this book was a general manager of a engine rebuilding plant in Springfield, Missouri during a major corporate shake-up. Going out on a limb, and with no real idea of what he was doing, he found a bank that would loan him the money for a management buy-out of the plant, establishing the highly successful company SRC Holdings. Having been involved in a couple of small company start-up ventures myself, I can relate to the "figure it out as you go" attitude that Jack and gang adopted in those early days. Unlike my own experiences, though, Jack started out with an existing company with a long history and an established customer base, although over 50% of their revenue came from a single client (something that nearly killed them at one point).

The cornerstone of Jack's success was the creative way in which he got every employee of the company tuned in to what it takes to make the company successful. Contrary to the typical big business approach, where separate groups within the company only focus on their own goals, objectives and measures; Jack determined that, in a small company, everyone had an obligation to understand the ENTIRE profit & loss statement, balance sheet and cash flow. To do this, he invented the "Great Game of Business", a tool that has been adopted by thousands of companies worldwide. The stories in this book are incredible. There is so much living proof out there of the power of enlightenment and engagement, yet so many companies absolutely refuse to disclose their books to more than a handful of internal employees.

This book was a really motivating read! While I don't see myself leading a management buy-out anytime soon, it sure would be fun to find a way to play the great game of business.

The Kansas City Science Fair

There are certain annual events that I have to include on my "can't wait until next year" list. One is the annual NSF SBIR conference (that I am unfortunately missing next week) and the other, without a doubt, is the Kansas City Science Fair, sponsored by Science Pioneers. I never actually entered a science fair as a kid - can't really say why, it's just not something I ever did.

Last year, an associate at the office asked me if I could volunteer to be a judge at the KC Science Fair. Everyone knows how passionate I get when it comes to working with and around kids, so I obviously did not hesitate. As a first year judge, I started at the elementary school level, only judging papers and displays. It was actually pretty straightforward - the required attribute sheet was very complete and most all projects were well developed. The one thing I did NOT get to do was talk to the students - that's only at the junior high and high school level. For me, the best way to judge how much a student accomplished during the execution of a project is to speak to them face-to-face, without that element, I just felt like I was missing out.

This year, I signed up for the junior engineering division - where I had the opportunity to judge and speak to several 7th and 8th grade students. It was fabulous. These young boys and girls were genuinely passionate about their individual projects, and many of them really had a good time doing them. Overall, I have only one complaint (that applies to all projects I reviewed last year and this year as well) - there is not enough emphasis on celebrating failure.

I wonder if it is human nature or just the manner in which science is taught these days. It's as if the definition of a successful experiment is one in which the student can exactly predict the results, then run an experiment that fully supports their hypothesis. As I mentioned to one student "If you proved what you already knew, then what have you really learned here?" I believe that real learning starts when we encounter the unexpected. New discoveries evolve from failed hypotheses. I fear that many of these kids are so focused on creating a nice little report that neatly fits into the standard format that they avoid true experimentation and discovery....

Of course, these were my concerns and conclusions after reading the reports, prior to the students' arrival. During oral interviews, a whole different story emerged - EVERY TIME. Talking freely about their experiments, each of the students I met had a great story to tell about experimental failures, shifts in thought process and critical thinking about follow-on projects and alternate hypothesis. This was utterly delightful! I could have visited with these enthusiastic young men and women all evening.

So, the thing that's really missing is not the method and thought process, but the ability to break from the highly structured format of a science report to adequately write their story of discovery....funny thing is - you don't have to look far to see the exact same issue in the business world. We're so programmed to fill in the template and follow the predefined structure, that we lose the ability to tell our story. My advice: throw out the form, forget the template - start with a blank sheet of paper and tell your story. By the way - this is the EXACT same advice I had for several presenters at last year's NSF SBIR Phase II grantee conference. So, what's your story?

The not-so-free press

I usually close out my work day with a quick peak at some of my favorite online news feeds and blogs. Today, I came across something a bit odd. One of my favorite bloggers included a link to "Ink" - Kansas City's new online news site. His uncharacteristically terse comment read "go see it. It's cool" Now, when it comes to web sites, very few live to earn the distinction of a "cool" rating on his web scale - so I had to check it out.

What I found was a "beta" site that was just plain NOISY. I don't think I ever really figured out what it was all about or where the real meaningful content was hidden...there was NO WAY this thing could have truly earned a "Cool" rating. I had to go back to the blog to check the date on the entry - maybe this was posted on Tuesday - as a clever April Fools prank...nope, it was new.

I happened to run into the author a few minutes later and got a rather disturbing story... Like me, he had found the site in need of considerable upgrade. True to form, he posted his unbiased and unabridged opinion on his blog - complete with a detailed list of issues that require improvement. (Fittingly - there was no "cool" rating awarded in this original posting)

What he probably failed to consider was that his wife's employer owns the site - so, naturally, she got a call into the boss's office, which led to a call to him with unambiguous instructions as to what she desired....and the honest, unabashed commentary was deleted. I wonder if this is just a small indicator of the inherent rivalry between the traditional press and the internet, which allows rapid dissemination of opinions and criticism without the benefit of political cleansing and quality checks at the hands of the editorial staff....hmmm, makes you wonder, doesn't it??

So, for those of you who might have missed the Ink.com buzz, here is a critical review for mass consumption:

I was just reading Mathew Ingram's remarkable post about the increasing trend of how news is consumed using social networks. He cites a remarkable quote from one 20-something, "If the news is important, it will find me."

The idea is that there just so much news out there that it's virtually impossible to consume it all. Instead, there is a faith that someone you know or trust will pass it on to you via email, RSS, Twitter, blog or other way. It's the new word-of-mouth for our century and it is replacing crushed trees smeared with ink as the medium of choice.

Coincidentally, today marks the launch of The Kansas City Star's new "lifestyle" newspaper named, anachronistically and without irony, Ink meant for the group Mathew Ingram talks about. There is a print tabloid version, but their website has user blogs and the ability to "friend" others into a trusted group. At first glance it looks like The Kansas City Star's team has put together something to face the future.

But it's awful.

It lacks RSS feeds. The advertising overwhelms the experience. The navigation is bereft of intuitive labeling and placement. The design has the sensibilities of a nausea-inducing MySpace profile. The blogs require "friending" to read, effectively shutting you out without a long wait. In short, it's unreadable.

The content seems like it might be worthwhile, but the design and usability obstacles are so big that I wonder if it matters. My first reaction might be a bit harsh for something that just launched and it does say on their site that it's in beta, but a launch is a launch.

Perhaps these are things they'll revisit and improve upon over time. I guess if it does, the news will find me.

UPDATE: Try Googling "Ink KC" or variations of it. They have *no* search engine visibility. I'd make that my first priority because I really want to see them succeed.