Out Of My Mind—Episode 9 Show Notes
One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure with Kyle Wiens
If you’re a baby boomer you’re old enough to remember a time when television repairmen came to your home to fix your TV; when you
took your radio to the local repair shop or when there was always a kid in the neighborhood who worked on his own car (and yours, too, if you let him). Gradually, the notion of fixing products in your home gave way to simply replacing them. Kyle Wiens, co-founder of iFixit.com, says it all started in the mid-80s, when the VCR became the first consumer product that was cheaper to replace then repair. At about the same time, electronics manufacturers began taking repair manuals out of circulation. Thirty years later, replace-rather-than-repair is the norm. Kyle says that lifestyle is not without its consequences, ones that range from a negative impact on our environment to poor choices when purchasing durable goods. But, this way of living is a choice. With a little curiosity, a bit of experimentation and help from repair manuals, parts and tools available from the iFixit website, we all can become more informed consumers, and have a little fun along the way.
Your first step is visiting iFixit’s website.
Here’s how iFixit’s website will help you. (:53)
If you’re handy with tools, whether that means fixing smartphones, replacing a seat in a vintage VW or repairing cracks in walls, Kyle wants to hear from you. Specifically, he’d like you to share your knowledge by writing a repair manual for the iFixit website. (:33)
Going To the Chapel with Alesiha McCormack
Weddings have changed quite a bit since we listened to the Dixie Cups singing about going to the chapel and getting married. Fortunately, Aleisha McCormack, host of the Save the Date podcast, wedding expert and, as she’s often been called, virtual bridesmaid, is on top of these changes and especially how they apply to Baby Boomers. Along with the typical challenges of planning a wedding, we have some challenges much more common to us…like getting married after the death of a spouse or a divorce. But there are ways to handle any situation, especially once you realize that the old rules that most likely governed your first marriage don’t apply anymore. Today, it is, as Aleisha says, pretty loosey-goosey, with the only restrictions being what you and your future spouse decide on.
If you don’t get the answers to your questions in this episode, Aleisha has several ways to tap into her expertise. You can listen to her Save the Date podcast, check out her website or send her your questions directly.
By the way, Aleisha makes history with her appearance on the show, She is our first international guest, joining us from her home in London. Write all that down. It will be a trivia question someday.
The Toll of the Troll with Lee Cheng
If you’ve bought anything online, run an ad on a radio station or dined out, the chances are good you’ve paid a hidden tax. This isn’t one from the government, though, this is a tax lawyers and business executives call the toll of the troll. The troll in this case is a patent troll, typically a shell corporation that has acquired one or more questionable patents that cover a broad array of inventions and processes. These trolls use their patent portfolio to wring money out of companies by threatening to sue them if they don’t agree to the troll’s settlement terms.
Lee Cheng, the chief legal officer of online retailer Newegg.com has been on the receiving end of many such demands. In Part I of The Toll of the Troll, he discusses how the trolls work, why they can leverage useless or unenforceable patents into a steady stream of cash, and what the real toll is on our economy and on us. In Part II, which you can hear in Episode 10, he explains how Newegg turned these trolls’ own business plans against them and made threatening Newegg a losing proposition. It’s a strategy any business owner can use to help encourage patent trolls to get out of the troll business.
Listen to a description of how one typical patent troll plies its trade. (:50)
Out Of My Mind on YouTube
We want it to be as easy to listen to Out Of My Mind as it was to listen to music on your transistor radio. We’re not there yet but we’ve taken a step in that direction. Beginning with Episode 10 you’ll be able to listen to the show on YouTube. No, there won’t be a video version. If Jay wanted to appear on television he’d have spent money on a wardrobe. We slapped a static picture on each show, which you should ignore, and uploaded the show to YouTube. They think it’s one more for its collection of a jillion videos. We know it’s a podcast. Everybody wins. Please give listening on YouTube a try and let us know how you feel about it. You can leave a comment on YouTube or visit the show’s contact page on our website. To listen to next week’s show, go to YouTube and search for Out Of My Mind Podcast. We’re looking forward to hearing your comments.
Support Your Favorite Podcast
Podcasts live or die on downloads. They’re the Nielsen ratings of the business. The more downloads we get the better our chances of attracting sponsors. And sponsors mean we’ll be able to go more places and do more things in our hunt for the essential, non-essential and curiously-essential information we uncover each week. Oh, and we’ll also be able to give way decent thank you gifts for such things as using your comments on the air. So, if you enjoy the show, here are some ways you can help us right now:
- like our page on Facebook;
- subscribe to the show;
- leave a review on iTunes;
- tell your friends about the show, ask them to subscribe and listen and to tell their friends to subscribe and listen.
The economics of podcasting require shows like Out Of My Mind to have at least 200 downloads every day to attract a sponsor, and I can tell you we’re not even close. But with your help we will be. Thanks for supporting the launch of our little program and thanks for helping us grow.
Music
The Out Of My Mind podcast theme by Jimmy Fontanez.
Contacting the Show
Email: jdouglas@thetheaterofyourmind.com
On the Web: Contact Out Of My Mind
Write: Out Of My Mind | The Theater of Your Mind, Inc. | 2215 Fern Dell Place | Los Angeles, California 90068
Or subscribe with your favorite app by using the address below
Book Jay Douglas as a Speaker, Podcast Guest or Consultant
Call 323-856-1795 for availability.
