BrainFuel

I am constantly criticized and asked to change the way I format telephone numbers. People always think that the way they do it is best.

Most of the time, I prefer this format: (480) 945-5653.

So that’s what I use when I put a phone number on a web site or printed piece.

But 99% of the time the customer asks me to change it.

Sometimes they want it like this: 480-945-5653. The rest of the time, they like using periods between numbers, like this: 480.945.5653.

Then there are people who want to use some wicked combination. My favorite is separating the numbers every two digits. As such: 48 09 45 56 53. Yes, that is beautiful.

I have a personal project called “having a life” and something I did this weekend towards that goal was make a neat little paper toy! I had a ton of fun making it, and thought it would be a cool time-lapse video to boot.

I’m making it a personal mission to make each and every one of the Readymech’s that are featured on www.readymech.com, so keep your eye out!

I have to give a little shout out to Josh Pigford who posted a link to this on his new blog, Decomodo.

Thanks for watching!

If you make any of your own, email me a photo or a video!

I’ve been observing this iPhone madness, and when Andrew sent me this link to an obviously gentle PC World iPhone Stress Test video, I had to provide my own recommended stress testing guidelines.

The Chris Tingom iPhone Stress Test

• Play “egg toss” on the parking lot
• Drop it down an elevator shaft (a mine shaft will do in a pinch)
• Throw it against a brick wall with all of your might
• Play baseball with the iPhone (professional pitcher not required)
• “Accidentally” microwave it with lunch
• Freeze it with your lunch leftovers
• Run over it with a lawnmower
• Play ice hocky and use the iPhone as a puck!

I’m sure you can imagine it wouldn’t survive. But if it did, I’d buy one. In other news, Viddler is giving away two iPhones in July.

We went over to an open house recently that a client of ours held and this guy was playing the steel drums.

I’ve often pondered why Katie Couric got the CBS anchor job. If you think about it. Nobody likes her. People don’t really care who is delivering the news (ok, maybe some people still care). I do know that the person behind the microphone isn’t always researching and writing the stories they give, so why bother having someone famous?

Why do news networks continue to fumble when amazing ratings are within their reach? I ask you, which of the following would you like to see as news anchors?

Adam Sandler

Sean Connery

Kiefer Sutherland

Mr. T

Now seriously, that lineup would be the bomb!

If a major news network brought actors and comedians on board to deliver the news. Ratings would jump.

I was chatting with my friend Don the other day, and sent him a witty joke about blind carbon copy.