Where Is My Mediacom?

Chuck Zimmerman

I don’t mean to complain but actually I really do. Since about 8:30am today our primary internet access has been down. We use the local cable company, Mediacom. I’ve spoken with their business account support staff at least 6 times. For half the day the reason was a loss of power from the utility company to their equipment.

The logical question was, “Do you have backup power?” They said they have generators but apparently weren’t using them. That’s not good. If you’re going to have business level accounts like ours you might want to consider that electricity is important!

Since then the reason has been that we’ve got line problems such as a low signal to noise ratio and major “packet loss.” I can’t believe we’re losing packets. Sounds bad. I’ve been promised a technician on the spot for the last 4 hours. It’s not looking promising.

So I’ve put in some serious work on my Sprint PCS card today. That’s my backup. I just wish the local Sprint had their EV-DO but it has allowed us to get our client work done. It’s just cut into my posting time in a major way.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest and expect more AgWired news soon.

Uncategorized

Interactive Media Producer

Chuck Zimmerman

Jason MeekerHere’s a new communications title I haven’t seen before. Interactive media producer. This new media world is spawning a lot of uh, new things. It looks like Successful Farming is gearing up to move further ahead into this online world we live in. Kudos! It will be interesting to see some of Jason’s product.

Media, Publication

Blog Posts On Google News Searches

Chuck Zimmerman

Google News AlertI know a lot of people who use Google Alerts. Here’s one I got this evening that I’ve had for a long time for the keyword “dairy.” I’ve been hearing about how Google is adding blog results and just started seeing them recently.

Uncategorized

I Want To WOMMA

Chuck Zimmerman

Word of Mouth Marketing SummitI know this isn’t a “farm” program but . . . it sure sounds like a good one that I’d like to find a way to get to. I’m not sure how that’s going to happen though. We’ll see.

If you’re involved in agricultural marketing today you just can’t ignore these types of professional improvement opportunities. Do you think you know all there is to know about using new media tools like blogging? Do you have a blog? If you don’t then how do you know what it can do or how to apply it to your company or clients?

Uncategorized

More Trees For Troops

Chuck Zimmerman

Trees For TroopsIt’s time once again for the Trees for Troops program to get in high gear. Trees are already on their way to our troops overseas. They’ll also be delivered to troops stationed here at home over the next several weeks.

Ag Groups, Audio

Say No To Rusty Beans

Chuck Zimmerman

American Phytopathological SocietyHere’s a reminder about the 2006 Soybean Rust Symposium which is going to take place this week in St. Louis, MO on Wednesday and Thursday. Judging by their website, The American Phytopathological Society has just about everyone involved as a sponsor.

Ag Groups, Soybean

Pioneer Announces Shipments of Bio-PDO

Chuck Zimmerman

If you had asked me a week ago what Bio-PDO is I wouldn’t have a clue. However, after helping distribute a news release for Pioneer this morning I now know that it’s a bio product made from corn and like a lot of biotechnology, it’s helping us reduce our dependence on oil while helping American farmers. Commercial production of Bio-PDO™ …

Agribusiness, Audio, Biotech, Corn

PERC Yourself Up

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast95 - All About PERCIt’s back to work after a very nice Thanksgiving weekend. So let’s jump right into it with this week’s program. One of the interviews I did at the recent NAFB Convention was with Mark Leitman, Director, Agriculture Programs, Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). Thanks to Sarah Robinett, Osborn & Barr Communications for helping set me up!

There’s a lot of familiarity with checkoff programs like beef or pork but not as much with some others. PERC is funded through a federally mandated law which provides some significant funding which is used for research and promotion programs. I interviewed Mark to learn more about how his organization is structured and what they do with all that money.

Ag Groups, Audio, ZimmCast

All I Want For Christmas

Chuck Zimmerman

I hope you’ve had a very relaxing Thanksgiving weekend. It has been an unbelievable warm weekend here in Missouri. So today it was time for a Katy Trail bike ride wearing these, connected to this, and listening to a little bit of this and this.

Uncategorized

Going to Blog Green Week

Chuck Zimmerman

International Green WeekIt’s been a very nice Thanksgiving weekend so far. I’ve been playing catch up on a lot of things that were on hold with all the travel of the past several weeks.

Looking ahead we’re getting near farm convention time. A lot of state organizations are holding their annual meetings in December. I’m hoping you’ll let me know about them and how they’re promoting them so I can pass it along.

Farm Shows, International