Disqus - Latest Comments for melle

Re: Cider culture

Melanie Baker — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 16:06:16 -0000

I don't remember.

Re: Cider culture

Melanie Baker — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 09:23:59 -0000

Apparently it's not quite there anymore, moved closer to Mildmay and Diemerton. Owner's Greg Russell.

Re: Cider culture

Melanie Baker — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 09:04:49 -0000

The place in Carlsruhe?

Re: The Literary Tattoos of Team Book Riot

Melanie Baker — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 21:19:59 -0000

The last words from The Count of Monte Cristo. (My skin is not actually chartreuse.)

Re: Captured cruelty towards a bus monitor reminds us being human is a tricky thing

Melanie Baker — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 09:06:04 -0000

The reason for the strength of reaction is that in the case of physical violence, everyone gets the same thing, basically. The perpetrator just starts swinging. The assault isn't "customized" to the person being abused.

This is not the case with verbal/psychological assault. Certainly, there are some general insults that are societally acceptable. (There's an article on Jezebel relating to this story outlining how we've built a society in which it's just fine to hate and abuse fat people, especially women.) With verbal taunts, the worst part of it is that it's "crafted". Before saying anything, the perpetrator(s) considers what the most hurtful thing to say to that victim is. Sure, there are lots of people you could call fat. But referencing her son who died by suicide? That's specific. It didn't come out of anyone's mouth by accident. That demonstrates an analytical process with the specific goal of causing as much psychological damage as possible.

And societally we don't want to consider that kids are capable of that. We know adults are, but children are supposed to be "pristine". Any other kid can call bullshit on that, but children are supposed to be smaller, sweeter, and more innocent, and when we see evidence that that's not the case, it freaks people out because we can't deny that they didn't get that way by themselves. With very rare exceptions, what kids become, they're taught.

Re: Captured cruelty towards a bus monitor reminds us being human is a tricky thing

Melanie Baker — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 18:22:01 -0000

As a friend noted, she could see that happening on her bus as a kid, too. Mob mentality isn't new; we just have more recording devices now. And it only takes one "strong" one to start it.

Perhaps there is a collective guilt at work that's resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations. Perhaps it's an admission from thousands of people that there was that one time when they should have spoken up, and didn't. Or, worse, when they were part of the mob. I say amen to the cell phone cameras. Will people be so eager to jump into the bullying fray if they know that eye is turned on them?

There are other ways you can look at it, too. People who are just genuinely sorry something terrible happened to an innocent person, even if they had nothing to do with it. People who, like most of us, don't have the answers to the hard questions, but want a stranger to know we're not all like that, the world isn't all like that.

Because, really, how *do* you instill humanity into children? Whose job is it, if not the parents or administrators? Between those two groups that's covering most of the adult exposure kids get. Even those of us without kids are responsible, too. Everyone influences someone, and kids are watching and learning even when you're not paying attention.

So maybe that donation campaign is an admission of guilt. Maybe it's a self-imposed fine for not doing better in the past. But I don't think anyone who'se seen the campaign, let alone the video (I refuse to watch it; I've read more than enough about its contents) can escape having it come to mind some day in the future when they come across another, similar situation. And if you're *right there* you can't just throw money at it, but you can remember how the whole situation made you feel before, and you can do something to be proud of, not just feel retroactively guilty about.

Re: Troll all the things

Melanie Baker — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:14:54 -0000

It's only too meta if she's doing her trolling from a DIY standing desk.

Re: Firing

Melanie Baker — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:02:31 -0000

One thing that's been alluded to in a handful of comments, which can't be overstated, is just how fast the toxins can spread in a small company or startup when someone remains there who should be fired. Whether it's incompetence, failure to get the job done, attitude, or what have you, the other employees *know* that that person needs to go, and will resent it. (And rarely do they speak up as directly as is needed.) This poisons morale, productivity, and respect for management's ability to make decisions and act quickly and decisively. Sure, in some big, institutional companies, people can coast for years, but small companies don't have that "luxury", and can't afford any deadwood (or, worse, active sabotage of one sort or another).

Re: Disney Live giveaway!

Melanie Baker — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:09:55 -0000

I would be Belle, just for that ballroom scene. :) Kitchener would be the place for me.

Re: She doesn’t get eaten by the eels at this time

Melanie Baker — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:21:49 -0000

Didn't see anything on the site currently that suits me, and unfortunately most Toronto companies would want me in the office, rather than working remotely, rather more than I'd be interested in.

Re: I just wanted to make toast

Melanie Baker — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:59:16 -0000

Basically, about the only thing that kept me from burning down the building was knowing that it's mostly concrete and I had no guarantee that it would burn thoroughly enough to guarantee maggot eradication...

Re: My Career, Her Job

Melanie Baker — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 10:41:39 -0000

Wow, this is... impressively offensive. Because I choose not to write code or manage people I don't and can't have a career? That's just bullshit. And speaks to extremely limited experience not only in the work world, but with people and roles outside a very narrow group.

And no, not writing code does not mean you're a woman NEAR tech. We're just as in it as you are. More so, I would argue, given that typically, developers don't spend much time talking to customers, potential customers, partners, industry experts, analysts, other departments within the company, and assorted other groups. Compiling stuff isn't the be all and end all of business, and I would welcome you to see just how successful a company with nothing but engineers would be.

Re: Unphotographable

Melanie Baker — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:28:28 -0000

Yes!

I was at the light on Weber at Ottawa and it turned green JUST before my phone was ready.

Re: louisgray.com: Google+ 1 More: I'm Joining Google Monday

Melanie Baker — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:32:14 -0000

Welcome aboard. :)

Re: Limelight

Melanie Baker — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:09:48 -0000

S'ok, Robyn. The phrase "short grant" doesn't really strike me as a long-term stable employment opportunity. :)

Re: Ignite Waterloo 5

Melanie Baker — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:29:20 -0000

I spoke on killing zombies and I've never met one...

You should submit an application. One imagines the slides alone would be worth the price of admission: http://www.ignitewaterloo.c...

Re: Stuff and Nonsense

Melanie Baker — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 20:40:59 -0000

That was totally it. I'm not a hoarder; I don't know hoarders, and yet the show just kept making me more agitated and anxious.

Apparently at the end of S2 they have a recap on "Where are they now?" I don't think I'd be able to stand to watch that, especially people who're clearly not getting help and back sliding.

Though apparently there are episodes that deal with animal hoarding, and I KNOW I can't watch those or I will become homocidal.

Re: How McDonald’s taught me a valuable lesson.

Melanie Baker — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:43:58 -0000

Bad, bad memories. Had that experience from a quarter pounder in my teens and have never gone back.

Fortunately, when you REALLY need a cheeseburger, there are other options. :)

Re: Introducing the PostRank Facebook Analytics App

Melanie Baker — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:12:45 -0000

That's right -- we can only gather metrics from the time you add the app going forward. There isn't a way for us to retroactively get metrics for Facebook content.

As for types of metrics, just likes and posts of your links.

Re: PostRank in Numbers: 2010

Melanie Baker — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 07:37:13 -0000

Hi Wictor - I'm afraid we won't be doing Top Blogs this year. We tried to fit it in, but too many exciting projects on the go!

Re: Unphotographable and Photographable

Melanie Baker — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 09:13:01 -0000

Part of the point of it was just grabbing my little point and shoot and heading outside and seeing what I could see, so yeah, there was potential to get "better" shots, but I kinda like how they came out.

I don't own a tripod at this point, and those were the longest shutter time I could figure out then and there. :)

Greetings from Waterloo!

Re: Why Paying Bloggers For Posts Changes The Game

Melanie Baker — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:27:26 -0000

From a position in the middle, I think both sides have a ways to go before this model (these models?) mature. I've seen "PR-friendly" bloggers who don't have visible contact info on their sites or who pitch companies whose business they're clearly know nothing about. I've seen campaign outlines from brands that have conflicting messages and offers in the pitch. Or who don't seem to have a clue how quickly the influencer landscape changes.

I think the barter-esque nature of how a lot of this started, and the fact that it looked a lot more like B2C than B2B -- providing goods for reviews (and often giveaways) -- clouded that it IS business, not Secret Santa. For both sides. Sure, when you get heaped with offers and products and schwag it can initially feel like Christmas, but those providing those items ARE buying you, or at least your brand, words, reputation, and audience's time. And from the blogger perspective, when you enter into an agreement with a company, no, you are no longer completely autonomous. There are now boundaries, legal and good judgment around what you can say, especially if you want to continue to do business this way.

Certainly, at this point, agencies and brands want to start with reliable lists of X number of currently influential people who write about Y topic to help with campaigns, etc. for Z products. And there are not yet a lot of efficient ways to get those. I work for PostRank, and our Connect service was developed to tackle precisely that need.

But that need will get more sophisticated, just as the business relationships between bloggers and brands will get more sophisticated. And the lists will start to include more information about which communities you're influential in, rather than just traffic numbers. Or how your influence rankings in various topic areas have changed in the last few months. Or how dedicated and active your audience is.

If we have neuromarketing to show what we REALLY think and feel about products, I don't think it's unreasonable to have something comparable eventually to show the emotional relationships between a blogger and the audience, and how that ecosystem grows, changes, and can be leveraged, if that's the business direction the blogger wants to take. (Which bears a bit of resemblance to sentiment analysis, but would have to be far more sophisticated.)

Re: 2 New Ways To Find Influencers Quickly And Affordably

Melanie Baker — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 12:24:36 -0000

One other cool thing is that bloggers/publishers who sign up for Connect also get free PostRank Analytics accounts (http://analytics.postrank.com). So they can track their content's performance and work on improving it and growing their reach and audience -- which in turn will make them more desirable with the brands and agencies who are looking for folks like them.

Thanks for the overview -- a great intro for people, and help spreading the word is always appreciated. :)

Re: More fun with Canadian companies…

Melanie Baker — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 11:56:38 -0000

I think so. I don't recall if they stopped right away, but I don't get them anymore.

Re: “Iceberg, Right Ahead!”

Melanie Baker — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:29:44 -0000

Ahh, you're right. Updated to refer more clearly to survivors.