Adult Nap Time -- A Business?

I was reading someone's squidoo page on sleeping that caught my eye and I wanted to share the info...

Basically, the guy has several stats about how adults almost always consider themselves tired, and hence should take power naps all day. Example data points included:

• The average adult sleeps under 7 hours a night during a work week.
• 40% of adults admit that the quality of their work suffers when they're sleepy.
• 19% report making mistakes and errors due to sleepiness.
• Sleepy drivers cause approximately 100,000 car crashes annually.
• 33% of adults surveyed would nap at work, if allowed.

What I found most interesting, though, was the fact that there is actually A BUSINESS (read as: a store) in New York City that caters to the "power nap needer!" It's called Metro Naps

"New York's New Craze: The first daytime sleeping salon in the U.S. Located on the 24th floor of New York City's Empire State Building, MetroNaps hopes to provide a quiet sanctuary where rundown corporate drones can recharge. MetroNaps has become a haven for the stressed cubicle dweller. For $14 a pop, the budding enterprise offers 20-minute naps that guarantee to leave the customer feeling rested."

Does anyone else find this really strange? I can maybe understand a massage or Yoga or something related, but paying $42/hour for a sleep cubicle? If someone actually goes to this or knows someone who does -- PLEASE let me know.

Printer Recommendation?

Amy and I are in the market for a home printer. It has to be small and doesn't need to do 25 fancy things. It would help if it was one that didn't have ink cartridge refills that didn't cost more than the printer itself and run out after 1 month....

Any Suggestions??

2006 NBA CHAMPS

I think a previous post (on attending Game 3) summed up a lot of my feelings about the Heat, but below are some quick feelings after the Heat have won their first NBA Championship!

-- After 18 years of hard luck – it feels AMAZING to know that the Heat will finally raise a Championship banner in their arena

-- It also feels great that almost instantaneously after the win, I received about 10 text messages from friends. I guess I’ve done a good job over the years of branding myself a die-hard Heat Fan. I feel like even some of my Knick fan friends are happy for me.

-- Big up to my boy Steve Pugliese, who has shared the 18 year run with me. We’ve both have had some roller-coaster feelings about the Dolphins over the years – but this had never been the case with the Heat. Since 1988 – we’ve been passionate, loyal fans who have always imagined last night happening. Small props to Colediggy who did attend the first game the Heat ever played in 1988 with me (against Dale Ellis and the Supersonics), but has been a Bulls fan over the years…

-- Big ups to my old man, PG. He has gotten season tickets for every year in some way, shape, or form. (The seats we shared with the Puglieses’ next to the old lady were my favorites… Cinnamon Almonds…Cashews…)

Now for the team:

-- Dwayne Wade is getting TONS of hype after his finals performance and he 100% deserves it. Heat fans have known he’s the man for 3 years – now the whole world is privy to that. As I said in my last post, he is officially my favorite NBA Player of all-time

-- Speaking of Dwayne Wade ….. where the hell has Converse been during these finals????? They FINALLY land a superstar that Nike, Reebok, or Adidas do not and they don’t scream this at the top of their lungs during the Finals? Who is running their marketing department?? (Note: Converse is officially owned by Nike, but operated as a seperate brand.Also, Reebok and Adidas are now the same company)

-- I won’t admit that I was wrong about Antoine Walker – but I have to say that he earned my respect. It will never be pretty to watch him in the game, but the guy played a role on this Championship team and for that I must respect him. Shimey all you want Twon …. You earned it.

-- Alonzo Mourning deserved a ring. A lot of people hate him because of his jumping around from different teams in that short spurt – or maybe because he was a little immature when he first got into the league …. But I’ve always loved Zo’s game. Yes, he has the “survivor” story through his kidney troubles – and he deserves every bit of praise for it…. But that’s not why I love Zo. Again – I love his game. He’s a hustler, a defensive force, a role player – does whatever the coach asks of him and doesn’t complain. Last night, possibly his final game in the NBA was a microcosm of all this. He was awesome and exactly what the Heat needed. He’s a class act (not to forget a Pimp dresser) and I’m above all happy that he has finally won a ring.

-- Dwayne Wade was the clear-cut MVP, but large props must go to James Posey who seemed to always be doing something positive for the team. Props also to Udonis Haslem who made All-NBA Dirk look like a Dirk who wouldn’t have made the All-Star team.

To sum up, being a loyal fan for so long, I definitely feel like I’ve won the Championship too. No, I’m not one of those psycho people who actually think they’ve won the ring too – but it just feels grea!. To me, it just proves that if you stick with something and you are loyal with it – that it is rewarded over time….. LET’S GO HEAT! (or should I say CHAMPS)!

Greatest Accomplishment?

Yesterday, Amy came home and told me a story of how she went to a luncheon that honored 2 people in her industry. At these types of events, they typically talk about all the good things they do both for their company, industry, and most importantly their community. Being the self-reflective person that Amy is, she came home and shared that she was a little sad that she didn't do anything for her community. (and hence wouldn't be honored at a luncheon anytime in the near future)...

Coincidentally, the next day (today) my company sent around an employee survey that asked 7 pages worth of questions - all multiple choice except the last one: "What has been your greatest accopmlishment to date?" .... Um......... Ah.......Um..... Did the answer of "2004 BigTime Fantasy Football Champion" really just pop into my head? And....It's not like "getting engaged to the woman I love" is really an "accomplishment" in the tense of a business survey.....

On the flip-side, to say I've had no true accomplishments is a lie. Graduating with a degree from the University of Michigan is certainly an accomplishment - but is it really "my greatest"? There is a lot of pressure to define your "GREATEST" of all accomplishments...It's almost saying "this is my ceiling"....

So what did I do? I answered "My greatest accomplishment has yet to be discovered."

I recognize this is a unbelievably corny cop-out, but I really couldn't think of any other somewhat satisfying answer. (and refused to spend more than 15 minutes on an internal questionaire)

Am alone here? To help answer this, I'm asking that all readers of this blog leave what they would have answered in that box within the comments section below. (and yes - I know how many people come to my blog each day, so when there are only 2 comments -- I'll know who chickened-out)

An In-Person Instant Classic

I had waited 18 years for last night... and I'm pretty sure it was well worth the wait.

The Miami Heat are far-and-away my favorite sports franchise of all-time. My father has had season tickets for the Miami Heat since 1988 - the team's inaugural season. I can name almost every player that's every worn a Heat jersey... I have battled through the cellar years (0-17 to start the season), the Knicks Rivalry (including being at "The Alan Houston shot" game), and everything else that has been the Miami Heat journey.

Last night was the franchise's first home NBA Finals game ever --- and I was there! Before the game even started - I turned to my dad and said, "I'm so glad I'm here right now" ... which in hind-sight was the under-statement of the evening...

As a quick overview -- the Heat have inspired me this play-off season by beating all of their prior three opponents in no more than 6 games...Since game 1 of the finals, however, they have been atrocious. They have lacked any sense of confidence and it this has been exposed by a very well-rounded and well-coached Dallas Mavericks team.

Now onto game 3 - In the first half, neither the Heat nor the Mavs looked very good - but the Heat was up by 9 at half-time, so I wasn't about to complain ... The third quarter was a big kick in the nuts ... Dallas outscored Miami by 18 points, flipping the 9 point lead to their advantage going into the 4th Quarter ... 10 minutes to go in the game, Dwayne Wade (already my favorite basketball player of all time after only 3 years in the league), gets his 5th personal foul... The Heat go down 13 ....
During a Heat time-out, my father looks at me and says "If Wade gets his 6th and this lead gets extended -- we're outta here" ... I felt like I got punched in the gut ... not by my dad's statement, but more because I started to feel like the Heat were really going to go down 3-0. But, I wasn't ready to give up ....So I turn to my dad and said "we're not leaving --- you gotta believe!! Do you believe??!!) .... And the rest is well documented in any sports journalism from today... Dwayne Wade was just as amazing as he has been all year .... Udonis Haslem and James Posey played some great defense .... Gary Payton reminds us that he's actually on the Heat... and a 90% Free Throw shooter misses a shot, when a 45% shooter makes two when it counts...

Regardless of what happens in this series -- I will never ever forget being at Game 3 of the 2006 NBA Finals. (Thanks Dad!) For those of you who know how passionate I am about the Heat -- you should know that this game certainly made that passion deeper (if that is possible). I'm an original Miami Heat fan - and will be one until I die...... LET'S GO HEAT!!!

The Duck Walk

People everywhere do everything in different ways ... Walking, talking, and acting are all unique character traits among individuals...It is with this thought that I feel compelled to bring up "the duck walk."

There are certain people out there who just seem lo lead with their inner thigh (rather than the quadricep or front thigh) and land their foot with a bit of an angle (rather than straight) when they walk...

Fundamentally, I don't have any issues with the walk itself (although I can't say that this wouldn't have been a potential "after first date critique" of someone had I dated them back in the day)
The walk appears to get people from point A to point B just like non-duck walkers.

What I am most curious about is if these "duck walkers" know and acknowledge that they walk differently...Kind of like -- do people with bad breathe usually know and acknowledge that they have bad breathe? No - right?

If anyone has any insight - please leave a comment or email me.

ATM Fees

When I verified a hunch a few weeks ago - I definitely felt stupid...

Since I began banking as an adult - there has always been a fee for "outside network" ATMs. (I am currently a Citibank customer) In my mind, this has always been the cost for using, say, a Chase ATM...

This is not the case, however. The real fee for Citibank customers using the Chase ATM is $3.00 - which breaks down as $1.50 from Chase (and even more sometimes -- it was $3.00 in Vegas this past week) and $1.50 from Citibank. Now it's pretty clear to me why these two competitors haven't gotten together and come up with a number they agree to split - but I guess I just assumed they had...

My Idol-Less Rationale

Can 35 Million Americans all be wrong? Probably not, but I just can'’t get into The American Idol Craze with everyone else. (and I'’ve definitely tried!)

It is the most popular TV show in the country and a major pop culture topic, which makes the fact that I do not watch almost a social hindrance. I recognize that I'm clearly in the minority.

This being said, I thought I would try and explain why I, personally, have not been able to get into the show. I want to be clear, though, that I do not intend to bash the show and call 95% of my fiends and family "“crazy" for watching.

Reason #1 --– The Format

- Being in the advertising business, I understand the concept of creating content that keeps an audience tuned in for the full 30, 60, or 90 minutes. This said, I cannot stand the format of the show. 10 minute review of what happened last week, followed by some BS clip of each contestant, a song, some banter with Seacrest, the phone number numerous times, then commercial. The format just doesn't grab me - even with the ability of a DVR.

Reason #2 -- The Judges

"Yo dawg, yo dawg .... Dawg... lemme tell you something dawg... I like your style" Gosh - it drives me nuts.... Randy Jackson is just a loser ..... Paula likes everyone and is just all-around strange (although the fact that she hooks up with contestants definitely ups her value in my book) and Simon clearly revels in the fact that he's an asshole. It's time to get new judges!! On the rare times that I've actually watched the show - I think I've changed channels 90% of the time when it's their turn to speak.

Reason #3 -- I am a bit of a music snob...

Meaning - I have limited knowledge or ability to relate with a lot of the songs that are sung. I like hip-hop and R&B music - mostly after 1995 - so it's rare that contestants are picking songs that I've actually proactively listened to more than a few times. Additionally, the guest artists that come on during the season are no doubt music icons - but very few are often in my personal "top 100 artists of all time" list

That's about it. Again - as the 5th season is officially completed - I still have yet to watch a good portion of one complete season. Maybe next year I'll have to try something else (like betting on contestant futures or something like that) (Sadly enough - I did enter into a small fantasy type American Idol pool with friends a few years ago -- but The Malester found a way to rig it like she does all the pools she runs...If someone has a good idea for next season -- let me know)

Amy - Will you Marry me?

(Hopefully most people reading this know that I did not ask Amy via a blogpost - but - come to think of it ... that woulda been awesome... -- Just kidding

So - Yes. I asked Amy to marry me last Thursday (May 25th) on the stoop where we shared our first kiss. 4th St between 1st and A - which is hands down the most unromantic block in the city - but, it is what Amy dubbed "our block" about 20 seconds before I went down on bended knee...

After asking (and Amy responding positively) we headed to Mo Pitkin's to celebrate with close friends, although Amy still thought we were going to see Andrew Fried do stand-up. The room upstairs was perfect for the event - and thanks to everyone who was able to make it! After Mo Pitkin's, we headed to The Mandarin Oriental in Columbus Circle. The hotel is really nice and was the perfect ending to a great night... We spent the next day at the hotel relaxing, capped off with massages at their spa.

Leading up to the night, anyone who knew was asking if I was nervous. It's a misleading question - because "nervous" is the wrong word. Nowadays, with most people I know, we ask the question being fairly confident in the answer - which means our nerves are now less focused on possible rejection - and more focused on making sure that everything goes as planned (as possible). In my case - I have to say that everything went even BETTER than I expected. Sure, I do enjoy patting myself on the back with a great strategic plan - but to play the part of Oscar winner -- it couldn't have gone off as smoothly without some help. So I'd like to thank the following people for the following things (and if I leave you out - don't think I don't appreciate your help and support -- I'm speaking mostly in terms of enabling the special night to go so smoothly).

Jessica Borstein - My Executive Jewelry consultant
Barb - My Jewelry Researcher
Andrew Fried - The best fake event email writer a guy could ask for
Jamie Brown - Fantastic performance of excitement for a fake event
Dirk and Jessica Borstein - Great performance of playing it cool while hangin out with us for 3 hours before it happened
Jill, Fred, and Dad - Thanks for taking care of the ring (and keeping it out of my possession until it was absolutely necessary)
Arie - For giving me permission and for keeping a secret for a while.

So - there you have it. For those that have been asking me "when I'm getting engaged" - I ask that you wait at least another month before the next round of questioning begins. Amy and I haven't picked a date yet; We are not sure where it's going to be; We have not registered yet; ETC. ;)

Thanks to all again - especially to Amy who said YES! I love you very much and cannot wait to marry you. ;)

“Have you seen ______ yet?”

As many of you already now, I’m a bit un-orthodox when it comes to knowing any details or insight about a TV show or Movie that I am interested in.

Moving forward, this is why I implore all of you to ask a simple question before you send a text or talk to someone about a certain program or movie: “Have you seen ____ yet?” This will work much better than me shouting “I haven’t watched 24 yet!!” as my first words into the phone greeting…

Speaking of 24….. Tonight I am flying to California during the 24 Season Finale. I really do not want to avoid my friends calls and texts altogether, but I fear I must. I don’t feel that all of my friends have grasped the concept of not always watching shows when everyone else does. (and thus possibly ruining the show before I see it). Not everyone falls under this classification, though, as I have seen great progress over the years as the DVR becomes more mainstream. There are a number of friends who fully comply with the rules of TV conversation engagement (Jared Margulies comes to mind).

This being said, I feel compelled to remind you all again that I will be on the plane (and not JetBlue) during the 24 season finale. Please do not talk to me about 24 until at the earliest later this week.

Thank you.

Cell Phone Only Life

I just read a report that said between 7 and 9 percent of Americans use their cell phone in place of the standard "home phone." To no surprise, about half of this group of people is under the age of 30 and over 70% are single.

A few years ago - I got fed up with my $65+ phone bill (in which taxes were about 30% of) and switched to Vonage. I have a few friends who've had a couple of hick-ups with them, but I thought it was great service for almost $50 cheaper per month! Was well worth it (plus i loved getting my voicemail messages emailed to me).

Since moving in with Amy, we haven't made the switch yet, but in thinking about it - we really don't have too many instances in which we NEED to use the "house phone." Yes - there are times when I forget to charge my cell or my Razr is cranky and doesn't want to have great reception.... But I definitely have wondered if I really need the home phone or I'm just used to having one. Do I really need it? I don't think so, but it seems as if only 8% of the population agrees with that statement. It will be interesting to see how quickly this percentage increases over the years...

Sporty Spice’s observations

(Weekend nickname given by Colediggy)

This weekend I had the fortune of attending 2 live pro sports events (thanks to Amy's dad): Heat-Nets Game 3 and the Saturday match-up between the Yankees and A’s. During each 3 to 4 hour experience – I observed a few things that I wanted to share:

- The prices of food and drinks at these events is straight-up robbery. $9 for a beer (more expensive than Manhattan). $5.00 for a hot dog (more than a pack of 8 raw hotdogs from a supermarket), $5 for ice cream to name a few. At least at the Yankee game, they allow people to bring in outside food as long as it’s in a clear bag. (No briefcases, coolers, bottles or containers) And for anyone trying to eat somewhat healthy – B.Y.O.F. is your only option.

- Leaving early. With 5 minutes to play on Friday night, the Heat were up by one….. New Jersey called time-out. Directly after this, the family sitting in front of me walks up together and leaves the game…. Does this make sense to anyone? Um … “I’m going to pay all this money to come to a game, but I don’t really care how it ends...” Who’s more concerned with beating the traffic???? Again - makes no sense to me. Sure –there are instances of severely lopsided games or prior engagements or someone not feeling well …. But how often does this happen? If beating the traffic is number one priority when coming to a game – I say stay home.

- The “production” – the attempt to keep the audience entertained every single minute at a game is something funny to watch. Music, promotions, the jumbo screen all helpful tools...My favorite are the Miami Heat "Golden Oldies" - which are a group of about 7-10 women (and 2 men) over the ago of 70 who put on a dance routine that without fail ends in some kind of "shake yo' ass booty music bounce." On a seperate note – Amy wants to know how the Yankees pick the songs for each player while they go from the on-deck circle to the plate. Does anyone know this? Do the players pick it themselves?

There are several other nuiances at live sports events, but those were some that caught my mind this weekend. I'm hoping to hit up some more baseball games this summer - so those of you with corporate tickets.... Holla when you are looking for people to fill the seats.

Google Trends

Just a quick post to let everyone know that for the first time, Google has provided a directional guide to users search queries. The tool is called Google Trends.

Beyond the seasonality of search queries - I think the coolest part is the ability to compare up to 5 queries to each other (separated by commas) and to see how various cities (and countries) differ. For example check out the trends of The Yankees and Red Sox. Interesting to see that the Red Sox are more popular in Canada, eh? I also thought it was interesting that chicken salad was far more popular than egg salad and tuna salad (I happen to be on a big egg salad kick these days).

What is Pat Riley Thinking?

And more importantly, what is he going to do about it? Watching last nights game 1 was painful… literally causing me pain.

In reading a lot of the press the past few weeks, the headlines seem to focus around Shaq’s foul trouble and Antoine Walker and Jason Williams inability to defend….. Well…. Yes, these are 2 good (and very related) reasons for the Heat struggles, but I believe a good, experienced coach would be able to fix these problems. Pat Riley is under-performing at this task, to say the least.

Shaq foul trouble – Clearly he needs to know how to avoid offensive fouls, learn how refs are going to call it in the post-season and adapt. However, his fouls on the defensive end are all due to the need for him to constantly help when the perimeter defenders get burnt (which seems to be 97% of the time).

Antoine Walker and Jason Williams – Neither is adding much value to the Heat right now and neither is a typical Riley player. Did Riley give up on his “defense wins championships” mentality after he couldn’t get over the hump against the Knicks? I mean - Walker is a complete scrub! (I’ve already written a post about this, so I’ll move on) Jason Williams is clearly struggling on his jumper, which is causing him to force passes which is creating turnovers. Oh – and his defense is a liability…

Some questions I have:

• Why isn’t James Posey starting and getting the Antoine Walker minutes yet? He isn’t the defensive stopper once advertised, but he can certainly hold his own….
• When defense is our problem, why isn’t Shandon Anderson getting more run? He isn’t an potent offensive threat, but you rarely see him get beat as badly on the perimeter as Williams.
• I know his conditioning is in question – but can we please try and play Shaq and Mourning at the same time? I’d like to believe that Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson would think twice about bringing it to the rack if these guys blocked a few of their shots….
• I never thought I'd say this, but am I the only Heat fan that is suddenly missing Eddie Jones?

I'm hoping Pat Riley wakes up and smells the disgusting stench that is them Miami Heat defense. The Heat clearly have better overall talent than the Nets, and should we lose this series, it will be because Lawrance Frank was a much better coach than Riley.

The Commerce Bank pen

I think it's fair to say that I own the crown in my family for "Company Schwag" owner and giver. Google stuff for everyone! Well, although Google notepads, t-shirts, and umbrellas will be continued to be given out to my friends and family -- The company my brother-in-law works for, Commerce Bank, takes the cake for most distribution ever by a single piece of company schwag.

The Blue Commerce Bank Pen is EVERYWHERE. (except on the web, as I searched for an image of one for the last 20 minutes) It's at the point now where Amy and I are shocked if we receive our completed credit card charges not accompanied by "the Blue Commerce Bank pen."

Any situation that calls for a pen - Commerce Bank is there! Has anyone else noticed this? (And if you haven't yet -- you will now - I just read in Ad Age that 20 million Commerce bank pens, in fact, will be distributed in 2006.)

Commerce Bank used to be known to me as the place open 7 days a week where you can exchange your coins for dollars for free. Now it's the place with the magical re-appearing pen (and the company that my brother-in-law works for).

Why can't I get a witness??

Many who know me have probably heard me say that I am "sponsored by Nike." Amy has often said that my weekend-day attire consist of 3 themes: Nike, Google, and The Miami Heat....

This brings me to the recent Lebron-Witness Nike Commerical. In the commercial, there are a couple of quick shots of people wearing a plain black or navy blue shirt with the word "Witness" and a Nike Swoosh below. Pretty simple. I want the t-shirt.

So, being the savvy web searcher/online shopper, I begin my quest...No luck at all online besides ebay (more on this below). I contact a few New York sports apparel stores...No Luck. I GO TO CLEVELAND (for business, not just for the shirt) and go to 4 stores there, including the actual store in "the Q" where the Cavs play their games...No Luck!!

Apparently, Nike gave out those t-shirts as a Game 1 home play-off promotion. That's it. The store manager told me that I was at least the 1000th person to come in and ask for it!! When I told my buddy Dirk (who grew up in Cleveland) that I was looking for the t-shirt -- he had heard the same story from his friends. Apparently - these things are in high demand! So what is NIKE thinking?? It's not like they don't sell any Lebron gear. It's not like they're not running millions of dollars of ad spots supporting the Lebron-Witness campaign. And most importantly - it's not like the shirt itself isn't a walking commercial (which i'm willing to pay $20 for by the way). The shirts are currently valued at over $60 a piece on eBay. The clerk at the Foot Locker in downtown Cleveland told me he'd sell me his for $70.

Apparently, there are a few street vendors that are selling a replica, but unfortunately the streets of Cleveland are fairly dead at 2 PM on a Wednesday, so none were out while I was there. SO...As of now, the quest is still on. If anyone sees the t-shirt, please let me know!

Orlando

I'm in Orlando for the next few days to speak on behalf of Google at an online marketing conference.

On my drive from the airport to the hotel, I thought of the perfect ad slogan for this city... "Vegas for 10 year-olds." Instead of casino after casino, it is rides and attractions after rides and attractions. Instead of fancy, high-end restaurants, you have touristy-kitch chains that are family-oriented (Hard Rock, etc) Instead of extravagant shows and entertainers -- you have cartoon and 3-D attractions... (oh - and everything has a good-old fashion line)

In high school, I probably drove up to Orlando a handful of times. Maybe it's because I stayed at the cheapest hotel room that could fit 9 of us, but I really don't remember anything as built up as it is now.

While here, I was able to see my step-sister, Risa, who is going to school here (at UCF) for hospitality management. She's perfect for the profession -- and from what I can tell from this city -- it is the perfect city to learn the craft.

Is this the start?

Below - you will see a video that I was obsessed with for about 10 minutes. I watched the 13 second clip probably 7 times, and then immediately had to show someone else. (and by someone else, I mean anyone within 10 feet of me or on my Google Talk or AIM buddy list).




And then it got me thinking... Does Google Video empower people (read as: stupid kids) to suddenly be more likely to try Jackass-type stunts? Are we going to start seeing the "3:00 - by the bike rack" events by the droves? The truth is -- all they need is a video camera and the internet. The cost of being published is suddenly beyond minimal...

So - the answer to these questions are unfortunately "yes."

Do I blame Google? No - because if Google didn't do it, someone else like YouTube or Yahoo would provide the ability to post video online and make it available to the world. All it means to be is that parents have a much more important job and responsibility to lead by example. Great job of exemplifying this by the woman in this video - huh? I guess we should stay tuned...

My Top 5 MC's of All Time

Toure, a well-known journalist focusing on hip-hop came to Google yesterday to chat with us. He gave out his book, which is a culmination of his various journalist experiences - mostly with hip-hop stars. I've read the first few stories - and they are very cool.

Anyway - he pretty much starts the book with ranking his top 5 MCs. He did a really good job of out-lining what the "scoring criteria" are when judging such a subjective topic. Below - you will find my top 5 MC's of all time and some rationale. Below that, you will find Toure's criteria which I almost compeltely (but not 100%) agree with.

I wanted to point out that buying new music used to be a weekly occurrence for me. It has since diminished drastically. It could be that I’m getting older…it could be the complete commercialization of hip-hop, it could be a combination of those two…

This being said, I wanted to document my top 5 favorite rappers (with honorable mention below). Here we go:

#5. Big Pun

• Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of published material from him, but what I did hear – I replayed, and replayed and replayed. He had an original, quick delivery that often got my adrenaline running. His lyrics, which needed a few times to truly comprehend, carried a strong sense of authenticity…He was also the first mainstream non-black rapper that truly got respect from everyone.
• My favorite album - Capital Punishmet (although not so much to chose from

#4 Method Man

• M-E-T-H-O-D… I like comparing him to a Frank Sinatra (of Hip-Hop) back in his day… He has this voice and flow that enable him to say almost anything in a song and sound cool. When I would buy a Wu-Tang album, no doubt I would listen first to the Method Man tracks before any others. He has a way of inserting flare into his lyrics, that are somewhat under-rated. Perhaps it's because he isn’t as deep as some others, but I think he’s often more creative than given credit for.
• My favorite album of his… Blackout (with Redman)

#3 Eminem

• I first learned about him in the Sources “unsigned hype.” Mostly intrigued by him then because he was white. When he came out in 1996 or so with “My Name is” … I really didn’t like him. I felt he had a whiney voice and wasn’t quite sure I was feeling what he was saying… Over time, though, his consistent exposure intruiged me. I started listening to his entire albums rather than just radio singles….Well, since then, I have NOTHING but love for this guy. His “breaking the racial barrier” aspect demands a certain level of respect, but this is just the effect of his work. His tracks are funny, thought provoking, and catchy all at the same time. Yes, there are themes like his ex/current wife that have gotten old over time, but he definitely has kept his delivery of ths message creative over time. I’m really hoping he continues to produce good albums, but if not - he still has one of the top 5 best albums of all time in my book (Eminem Show)
• Favorite Album – The Eminem Show.

#2 Jay-Z

• He is the most creative lyricist in my opinion. His consistency and longevity, coupled with his ability to balance the “commercial vs. street” is unprecedented. I’ve been on the jigga bandwagon from Day 1. However, he is so good, that I still can listen to his old album and pick-up new concepts. I’ve purchased every Jay-Z album and they almost all still make their way to my playlist. No other rapper can claim the consistent success for as long as he’s done it. On a side note, you also have to love his entrenpenuership. Beyond his actual lyrics or style, the fact that he doesn’t write his rhymes when recording them – proves his natural talent. His current job title (President of Universal) is also ground-breaking….kind of like the first ball player who became GM after his playing days…
• My favorite album: Reasonable Doubt (this is a really hard decision, though)

#1 Notorious B.I.G

• It’s no secret that this guy is the best ever. And there are many who think this fact is somewhat an after effect of his un-timely death. Well – I don’t think his “champion title” has anything to do with his death….It was his mastery of every style – he was the complete package…..He could freestyle, he could story-tell, he rapped about criminal life and rhymed about his relationship woes. He could flow quickly or slowly…. He created music for the clubs and for the bedroom. His sound was clear and powerful. His lyrics are legendary for blowing minds.. And yes, like Jigga, his rhymes all came from his head – nothing written. Bottom-line, B.I.G., put Hip-hop into 6^th Gear…. After him it can coast and move forward, but I find it hard to imagine a higher gear….
• My favorite album: Life After Death...

Honorable Mention and other props:

• Kayne West - Currently in the lead for breaking the top 5 when all is said and done.
• Missy Elliot – By far my favorite female rapper. She brings the fun out of hip-hop. I got mad respect for her.
• Ludacris – Extremely under-rated lyricist. Often makes me laugh. Feel like he deserves more respect from the industry. He unfortunately is guilty by association with all other crap Southern Rappers.
• Dr. Dre – The most consistent producer in the biz. Could easily be the all-time biggest influencers in the industry one day.
• Mos Def – My favorite of the “deep thought” rappers.
  
• Busta Rhymes – Great “cameo” injection of energy for a random verse. Unfortunately could never truly carry his own album.
• Rakim – If B.IG. put it in 6^th gear…Rakim is responsible for putting into 5^th gear.
• KRS-1 – My favorite thought provoker from the old school. I feel like I would have put him and Rakim on my list had I been a little older and would have been into their music during their prime.
• Nate Dogg – No better “hook artist” – Period. Doesn't help the "commercialization" of hip-hop, but it's hard not to love this guys ability to make
  

A Methodology For Ranking MCs (By Toure) A list of what should and should not be considered when ranking the greatest MCs of all time: 1. The MC Resume. How many albums has the MC released that the general hiphop community considers classics? How many times has the MC had the song of the moment, one that dominated culture from the clubs to the radio to your personal playlist? How many times has the MC dropped the unforgettable couplet that people repeated over and over, a couplet that shot into your mind like a dum-dum bullet, exploding within you as deeper levels of comprehension dawned upon you. How many years has he been a relevant MC? Has his music aged well? (Songs released on mixtapes are equally as valid as songs on commercially-released albums. Every time you step to the mic counts.) 2. The MC Decathlon. An MC is primarily judged on what he does in four arenas: (a) songs; (b) stage performances; (c) freestyles--a word which now encompasses both the old school meaning (improvisational rhymes) and the new school meaning (written rhymes the audience hasn’t heard before); and (d) battles. Battle rhymes are of a special breed and though it’s possible to go an entire career without having beef, it’s unlikely and not recommended. MCs get big points for winning big battles. If there was an MC decathlon they’d have to (a) make a song, pick a beat, then write a hook and verses and deliver them dopely, (b) rock a crowd, (c) kick a hot rhyme off the top of the dome, and (d) battle somebody. A great MC must master all these arenas. 3. The MC Microscope. When we get out the MC microscope we look at voice (both literal and figurative), flow, lyrics, and the ability to pick beats. Does his voice alone transmit confidence to the listener? Is his voice original, compelling, powerful, seductive, tasty, or hypnotic? Has he innovated new facets of MCing? Can you dance to the bassline made by his flow? In his lyrics does he coin original words or phrases, does he pick words we don’t normally hear in hiphop, does he make words rhyme that don’t really rhyme, does he have an interesting vocabulary, does he spit inventive metaphors, killer punchlines, clever slang, poetic word play, and double and triple entendres? Does he have original or interesting thoughts and stories to tell? Is he an interesting person, which does not mean has he been shot or has he shot someone, it means when he’s on the mic is he an interesting person to listen to? Does he have MC integrity, meaning, do you feel that he’s telling the truth about himself and his world, is he representing himself honestly, or is he just playing a role, i.e., perpetrating? Does he have a point of view? Does the sum total of his oeuvre paint a world? 4. The Trash. What doesn’t count? Sales are not a relevant variable. Sales do not matter. Also, being able to sing means nothing. MCs are only judged on rhyming. MCs also don’t get points for shooting someone, getting shot, doing a movie, doing time, doing commercials, dealing drugs, having been a Blood or a Crip, owning their label, or anything else off-mic, including doing a great video. The artifice of videoworld has nothing to do with being a great MC, however doing a great concert and being able to rock a stage will matter as long as MC still stands for Master of Ceremonies or Move the Crowd. (Postmodern kids will argue that a video is another sort of stage and it is, but really it’s a commercial and we don’t count commercials.) Ergo, my (Toure) top five (all of whom have at least two classic albums, multiple song-of-the-moments, and tons of unforgettable couplets): #1 Rakim, #2 Jay-Z, #3 Biggie, #4 KRS-One, #5 Nas.

Why even ask?

I'm assuming everyone has seen that Citibank commercial that shows a guy continuing to navigate through automated customer service "front-lines," only to be disconnected when he finally reaches someone...

Well, yes, I too find the "pre-screening" of customer service lines beyond annoying. The mere voices or need to qualify ones desired topic of conversation is not what I find annoying. What DOES boil my blood is that once you finally get through to a person - they ask you the same damn questions. "What is your account number?" "What are you looking to do?" .... I JUST SPENT 15 minutes answering all of these questions to a computer voice... Are all of those questions asked only as a function to entertain me while I'm waiting? Is it filler while the calls are re-routed to India?

Why can't a company not only use the information that I enter in before I talk to that person -- but why can't they remember my phone number (just like a web page does via cookies) for the next time?

Clearly, the phone customer service industry is trying to transition all customers at some point to email correspondence. It's cheaper, easier to control by the companies (via templates) and certainly less stressful on the customer service reps.

I would be OK with this, as long as I don't have to answer questions multiple times to different sources.