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Should Small, Local Newspapers Go Online?

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

newpapers-online I’ve been in McCall a few months now and have been giving a fair amount of thought to the local paper, The Star-News. (And not just “Why is it called that, anyway?”)

Here’s where I’m going with this post — and I love to say that I reserve the right to get smarter. The Star-News is only a physical paper, as in, there’s no “online” version of the entire paper. The paper comes out once a week; every Thursday. The paper has no real competition. One hundred miles away, in Boise, there’s the Idaho Statesman, which I presume a fair number of people in McCall take (or read online), but as far as getting “local” McCall news, The Star-News is the only game in or out of town.

An aside: For me, taking a physical paper is a real negative, but it’s currently the only option. I would much rather read my news online and avoid the waste associated with printed papers, not to mention extra trips to the recycling center. I don’t think that I’m alone. (more…)

Posted in *MY BEST POSTS*, SEO | 2 Comments »

2009 Brundage Crazy Daze Pond Skimming Photos from McCall, Idaho

Saturday, April 11th, 2009

Brundage Pond Skimmer - Crazy Daze Indeed

I’ve come to the conclusion that if If you haven’t at least been a spectator at a pond skimming event, you’ve really been missing out. Brundage Mountain’s 2009, “3rd Annual Crazy Daze with Pond Skimming” was a lot of fun for participants and spectators alike. I read that Bogus Basin had their pond skimming event today too, which is kind of a bummer for them to be doubled up, but there were still a lot of 1A plates up at Brundage. Many folks showed up in great costumes, and even more people ended up really wet (and cold) on the day. I managed to get a fantastic position along the pond for taking photos and even avoided getting sprayed (or smashed) by out-of-control skimmers. Hope you enjoy the pictures below. (more…)

Posted in *MY BEST POSTS*, General Musings | 3 Comments »

Google Local 10 Pack is All The Rage – Except Here

Saturday, April 4th, 2009

Things move at a bit slower pace here on the 45th parallel. While the world’s big-time SEO’s and SEM’s are all up in arms and tweeting about Google’s recent (and fairly major) local search change, I doubt that it has impacted many folks here in McCall. Which is essentially the reason why I didn’t rush to jump on the bandwagon and start blogging about it 3 days ago when the news broke.

What’s a Google Local 10 Pack you ask? Beer? Huh? No, it’s the SEO-hypster term for a cluster of business listings (up to 10) that are often found on Google results pages for common local search terms — and similar to what you would see near the top of the page for the search “mccall idaho seo“. (more…)

Posted in *MY BEST POSTS*, SEO, Usability | No Comments »

McCall Idaho’s Elusive Internet Service Providers

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

This post has been in the “idea folder” since before I moved to McCall, and now it’s time to get it out there for

McCall Idaho's Elusive ISPs

“all” the world (some McCall folks) to enjoy.

The Issue:

It was far more difficult to obtain basic services in McCall than I had originally imagined. This was compounded by the fact that we needed to do this work remotely from Seattle, which meant that we couldn’t actually talk to anyone locally in McCall, which has proven to still be about the best way to do local research.

Got a guess at which local service was the most difficult for me to find by searching online? (more…)

Posted in *MY BEST POSTS*, SEO | 6 Comments »

156cm Volkl Aura & Evogear’s Killer SEO

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

I love it when personal experiences/learnings get backed up with real word findings (or vice versa).

Volkl Aura 156cm

I was on the prowl for a pair of Volkl Aura skis for my wife — specifically 156cm. These skis are darn hard to find these days. I’m not sure if Volkl did a limited run relative to the Aura’s male counterpart, the Mantra, or what the deal is. I’ve heard from multiple sources that every woman who demos these skis ends up loving (and buying?) them.

The story goes like this. My wife demoed a pair of 163 Auras and liked them a lot, but it was clear that they were too long. The local shop didn’t have any new pairs in stock, let alone 156cm. I turned to the web like a man possessed and did what I could to dig up a pair that were on sale commensurate with the time of year. (Note for non-skiers, spring is the time when progressive sales rules the shops — and bargains up to 50% can be had!) I was able to dig up a few pairs across the US. Literally just a few though. And it took some serious work. For gosh-sake, I had to page out well into the high 100 listings in order to find stores that had them in stock. Ironically, I ultimately ended up finding an ebay listing (by doing direct to ebay, not organically) that had a pair of 156cms at auction that didn’t sell. I was able to contact the seller, (who had a decent site, but it hadn’t turned up in my searches) to find out what the deal was. He still had them, and I bought them. (more…)

Posted in *MY BEST POSTS*, General Musings, SEO | 2 Comments »

iPhone or AT&T Service in McCall, Idaho?

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

Have you used an iPhone in McCall, Idaho?

I’ve yet to get a new cell phone and plan since moving to McCall from Seattle in January. It’s seriously time, but there’s a hitch. The new phone needs full web browsing capabilities, and at this point in time — and especially given my current thing for Apple products, the Apple iPhone is the device I want to get if I’m going to make the investment. But here’s the thing, I’ve yet to actually run into anyone in McCall happily using an iPhone. In fact, I’ve heard nothing but terrible things about AT&T’s coverage in the McCall area. I’ve done some light research on the subject and not found anything to the contrary, so I’ve been in wait and see mode. As in “wait and see if I actually run into someone using an iPhone in McCall that says coverage and speed is solid.” Until then, I’m getting by with what I have.

Please comment if you’ve personally had experience with an iPhone in the area or know of someone who has.

Thanks!

Posted in *MY BEST POSTS*, General Musings | 10 Comments »

McCall Winter Carnival – UPDATED! Now with more photos!

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

It’s that time of year again, when thousands of folks flock to Valley County — McCall, Idaho specifically, to take part in the McCall Winter Carnival. It’s been going on since 1924 and word on the street is that the 2008 edition brought 77 thousand people to town to watch the parade.

Since this is my first Winter Carnival as a local, I’ll be able to partake in the festivities in an enjoyable fashion. Truth is, I didn’t realize just how many festivities there are at this snow festival. It’s a great event for tourists and locals alike, and plays a big part in the local economy.