Leila's Biz Talk posts

Defeasance Clause - Consultant

I am seeking a defeasance consultant in the Seattle area, to help a client navigate and overcome the consequences of a defeasance clause in their commercial loan.

If you are thinking, "Defeasance clause/consultant, WTF", join our club. Our client was totally unaware of the real nature of the clause.

This clause is the prepayment "penalty" whereby to pay off a loan (e.g., when a property is sold) the borrower has to convert all future interest payments into bonds and the like, before the lender will release the property that secures the loan.

Navigating the defeasance involves multiple players and deadlines, so we are looking for someone who is familiar with that territory.

"comments" as Google hits

Please bear with me as I phrase this question.

First, I'm not referring to the way in which comments made on blogs can appear in Google results. I'm curious today about a weird little way that Google is interpretting something else on my blog.

I have an unassuming little blog. But it's been around long enough and it's been active enough, that it is well-recognized by Google, which finds my posts within minutes (I'm not bragging here, I'm just saying). So, I've begun using this Google juice to help call attention to things I believe should be more noticed. And usually, soon thereafter a Google search on the names or key words that I used in my entry will add my blog entry to the top Google results (of course dependent on other things).

Recently I made such an intentional post. But this time the related Google search calls up a Google listing that I've never encountered before, and that's what my question is about. The Goolge hit title is "Comments on:" followed by my blog entry title. Now there are not comments on this post.

Following the link brings up:

This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below.

<!-- generator="wordpress/2.0.1" --> −

<rss>

−

<channel>

<title>Comments on: "Blog entry title"</title> <link>http://www.theseattleblog.com/?p=112&lt;/link&gt; <description>my life, fresh for you today</description> <pubdate>Fri, 29 Jun 2007 13:58:12 +0000</pubdate> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1&lt;/generator&gt; </channel> </rss>

And then, well, you know that Google thing where each hit includes the option "Similar pages"? When I follow that, up comes an assortment (but not all) of links from my blog.

hmmm. I may have just realized part of what is going in here (xml violation of some sort?) but I'm curious, what and all ...

Online payment provider options?

There was chat here back in December about online payment services, but that was months ago and things change :-)

I need something now for accepting political campaign donations through a website.

Does anyone have any current thoughts or observations about such things? Thanks.

New US postage schemes/rates

New rates went into effect yesterday; are you as baffled as I?

I get the part about that I am "penalized" the further I go from "normal", but what I am really looking for is a sensible summary of how it all breaks out. ... something tidier than the 100+ pages that USPS makes available, and perhaps even tidier than the 25 page explanation that Pitney Bowes provides. Yikes.

Charts? Templates? Bears, oh my.

Thanks.

How do you recruit new employees?

How are folks finding job applicants these days? This would be for an well-experienced legal staff position.

jobdango? craigslist? Online versions of local print publications? ???

(Or, a corollary question: How did you find your last working-stiff gig?)

DST 2007 - WTF? Or, Daylight Savings Time comes with new headaches this year

My boss just stopped by my desk and asked me if I have time to download and install a patch on our server, so that we're good to go with Daylight Savings Time. He handed me a yellow pad with scrawls on it, his notes from his chat with our hired IT dude, who apparently doesn't have time to do this.

So, I'm poking around on the Exchange Server website and discover that I've really been sleeping through this, and maybe it's not a good thing to sleep through ...

Seems that with DST coming three weeks early this year and lingering a week longer, this can be a big problem in Microsoft-calendar-related programs which weren't expecting this new DST, including that calendar on my bosses' Blackberrys ...

Before I launch into this server update, I thought I would see if anyone else has been through these patches? Uh, 'cause there seem to be a fair amount of precautionary statements on this website.

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst

Swag, shwag, schwag - the Best and the Worst

However we spell it, it's that Stuff We All Get ... but to what end?

Last week I was at an Adobe product intro, here in Seattle on the Adobe campus. I wasn't expecting any shwag, but there it was of course, stamped with various names and logos. Some page-marking flags, a toy-like thing called a "Tangle", and a mini-flashlight. The flags are of not much use to me, the Tangle is sorta interesting, and the flashlight, frankly, is pure garbage.

Soon, all of it I'll (guiltily) pitch into the trash, in the meantime it occupies my space and peripheral attention, in an annoying fashion--not much of a positive reflection on Adobe.

So, have you been bestowed with any schwag lately? Anything particularly annoying/useless? Any keepers--something useful/fun/of good quality or merit?

Copyright question, sort of - images used on blogs

I like to blog about swell things I encounter, such as restuarants and events, so as to encourage their prosperity.

Since I find blog entries are more complelling when mixed with images, I've been nabbing illustrations from the related websites and posting them on my blog, for example, a photo of the Dead Sea scrolls with an entry about the exhibit that I'd seen. Where I can find who to credit, I do. But usually I can't find who exactly generated the image. (Of course there's a link embedded somewhere in my post steering any curious readers to the image source.)

I'm not completely comfortable with my approach. Probably in an ideal world I would drop a note to each of the websites and ask permission, first. I could argue that if I used that route, I'd never get the entry done (I'm not saying that's a valid argument).

I'm curious what all y'all think about such practice. What is your approach? I can see it from several perspectives.

Seek Geek to Tweak -- a blog

I just want a few customizations to the template and some help mastering a few things.

Searching Biznik members for "geek" turns up only 11 of ya. Searching for "blog" turns up only 17 hits. But you must be in here somewhere ... I'm in Seattle, but this is about blogs, so you could be anywhere :-)

Artist Live/Work Space Available - Seattle

Pretty much last call to get in on the "ground-floor" for space in the artist community that is forming at the old Rainier Brewery.

Build-out of each live-work space is slated to begin within 60 days. You front the cost of build-out (~$10-15K), then rent the space at 1/3 to 1/2 market rate. 5-year lease with two 5-year options to renew.

Swell co-op (Sietch 22) seeks a few new members. Current members include painters, musicians, costumers, and graphic artists. Vibrant outlook and slightly demented sense of humor required.

Drop an email to sietch22artisthousing@gmail.com to get more info and arrange a tour.

"Holiday" greetings & trappings - What is their place in today's world?

There is no right or wrong answer here. I am genuinely curious about your perspective and experience.

Personally, the two "Thanksgiving" cards that came to me from vendors this week, I tossed immediately into the recycling. I've got no use for them and they don't give me any more favorable impression than I already might have of the vendors. But hey, I'm opinionated and harsh sometimes.

Tell me, what are your views?

What do you think, what do you feel, about "holiday" greetings and such--whether they be in physical or verbal form.

If you give them, what form(s) do they take? Why?

When you receive them, what do you like or dislike about them? Why?

What impression do they make on you?

Et cetera.

Again, I hope to hear YOUR thoughts on this, WHATEVER they may be. I wonder about these kinds of things. Thanks.

Seeking Multi-Media Blog Examples

I would like to look at blogs which include content of multiple mediums, and especially would like to see some that include areas devoted to visual and/or audio art, writing samples, plus regular blog entries.

I appreciate any URLs you can suggest.

Dreamhost users - Want to form a discussion/study pod?

Are you out there like I am, stumbling through the features and possibilities of Dreamhost, all the plug-ins and add-ons and so on?

Pretty much I find everything on Dreamhost easy to use, ONCE I find it, and figure out how to use it.

I'm sure it would all be even easier if there were others stumbling with me. Drop me a line if you're interested in comparing notes.

Thank yous and thank-you gifts for referrals - How do you do give thanks? How do you like to receive thanks?

First, I want to acknowledge that there is a broad range of circumstances for which we might give thanks or receive thanks for referrals. Certainly in our office, the degree of effort or thought behind a referral, as well as the ultimate value(s) of a referral, can hugely vary.

But I was generally curious about your views on this.

How do you like to acknowledge someone who has sent you a client? Do you have a particular policy or formula or gift service (and if so, who do you use)?

How do you like to be acknowledged?

Your comments also about why and how and so on are appreciated.

money in podcasting?

Okay, I confess that I'm so used to free podcasts that I was surprised today to see these at $169.00 a pop for ~90 minute broadcasts. Have I just been under a rock?

http://www.lorman.com/podcasts/

Temporary Legal Support Work

Interesting opportunity to work for/with one of the most amazing legal minds on the planet.

I happened to talk today with an attorney I know who needs immediately a legal secretary to fill in until late October.

His practice is in complicated realms of bankruptcy. His mind is off the charts. I can't imagine he would be easy to work for, but what a realm to enter for awhile!

Contact me off list if you are interested in talking to him.

The Long Tail

Those of you who are reflecting on "The Long Tail" (see the Biznik Book Club event of today, 9/12) might be interested in this: http://www.lawtechnews.com/r5/showkiosk.asp?listing_id=1188470&amp;pub_id=5173&amp;category_id=27902

Look for the very subtle link "here" in "We start the discussion here." at the end of the first page of the article.

Something better than "Great weather" and "How 'bout those Mariners?"

I'm looking for ways to jump-start connections and relationships. To uncover those elements we share, or ought to share.

I know there are zillions of people out there whom I encounter who are terrifically interesting and compelling people, but I struggle to find those links we have between us.

What are some ways that you have found to do this?

What are your favorite conversation-openers, that get you to the crux of the people you meet?

What are some of the surprising common interests that you have discovered, and how?

FREE Good Karma - Yours today. Just help build Biznik in St. Louis by scrounging through your address books and inviting those hard-working Missourians to join Biznik. Please. Hey, do the same for Tacoma, while you're at it.

It's like this. I'm a Seattle-girl. I've lived here since before the freeway was built. Lucky cuss that I am. I get to do Biznik face-to-face all the time.

But I've got "family" in other parts of our world, and those parts have only a teeny tiny Biznik population.

So I thought that if all of you other Bizniks put a special thought to recruiting ... well, maybe we could open a crack for Biznik to take hold in St. Louis and Tacoma.

Check your address book, eh. Scan for 314 and 253 area codes, and hit the Invite Friend link on the Biznik website.

Can't you just feel your good karma adding up?

(thank you)

Introduction? or Referral? Which is what?

I know this has been talked about quite a bit, but I'm still a little lost ...

In the land of Biznik, what is an "Introduction" and what is a "Referral"?

If I have a friend who is not a Biznik, but he sorely needs some help with the mess he calls home, do I "Introduce" him to Gwen Williams, or do I "Refer" Gwen to him?

Is it different if he is a Biznik?

Are "Referrals" only between Biznik members?

Sorry. My linear thoughts keep trying to draw arrows between the various kinds of connections, and I'm looking for the correct labels for the paths.