Gavin Hall dot org

Yesterday I went to AMSCOT for the first time. Their business model is cash advances on checks. Basically they create a mini loan for people who need money right away and don't know much about interest rates (or just have no other option). Like a pawn shop just with different collateral.

I recieved a speeding ticket a few months back and decided to damn the man and fight it. I won but I had to pay court costs and the like. AMSCOT setup a deal with Orange County where you are able to pay any fees at any of their locations (which happen to be in as many places as starbucks all of the sudden).

What stood out to me from the experience was a small customer service thing they do that I had never seen before.

You walk in and there are 15 windows but only 5 employees. They tell you to walk up to one of the open windows even if no one is behind it. You walk up and the person asks why you are there and then slides you a small tootsie roll.

umm...ok.

So he finishes up with another customer and comes back to me and asks for my ticket information. He said to hang on one second and hes going to enter it into the computer. Slides about 3 or 4 tootsie rolls over.

this guy is strange...he just hands out candy randomly?

He came back and it turns out they only take cash. I went to the ATM and came back and got another lady. Walked up she asked what I was there for and passes me a tootsie roll.

At this point I eat it and notice in the trash can next to each window is just full of wrappers. Also everyone else in there is chewing on tootsie rolls.

Anytime there is a delay where they are helping someone else or doing something for you they give you tootsie rolls. By the time you take it, unwrap it and chew it they are typically back. At first it was the strangest thing I have ever seen but sure enough when they were helping other people or working on something I had a task that kept me busy and I didn't even care they were working three windows at one time.

Although I'm sure it doesn't help America's obesity problem it is still a interesting way to handle a waiting customer.

God bless you Internets! I don't know what we did before YouTube.

McSweeney brings you a letter to Optimus Prime from his Geico auto insurance agent. It's gold.

Yay! Orlando finally has a soccer team!

Today I am 27 and it makes me want to share a little story with you.

A few months ago I traveled to DC for an "off-site". Basically these are events where managers of a division get together and "press the flesh" (aka bond) so that when someone needs something they can drop a personal email to someone instead of going through all the red tape.

To start the night off everyone was sitting around a large wood table with a glass of wine and we started an ice breaker. The ice breaker was simple, and I'm sure fairly common, but it was the first time I had heard it.

You were to say your name, first concert and something life changing that will happen to you this year.

I was close to the last person to go. Most people talked about either selling their company, switching to come work for AOL, moving or having children. As the youngest in the room my response wasn't typical.

"My name is Gavin Hall, the Eagles and I'm 26...every day is life changing".

I think during your early twenties you figure out who you are and in your late twenties you finally have the means to put those findings into action.

I am now in my late twenties and it's my time to put those findings in to action.

And I couldn't be more excited.

Well this is just about the worst video I've ever seen. I rather just see that UF guy get tased over and over again.

Ever since Brian posted the link about the press button, get bacon I am unable to go to a public bathroom without laughing. I won't lie to you it's a tad awkward sometimes. Damn you Brian!

Show em if you got them! (Thanks Mike!)

Robin Sparkles is awesome ;)

When CodeJam LA came in March of last year they flew us out to Santa Monica and we stayed in a hotel called the Viceroy. I think I have talked about that before so I won't go into detail on it.

However a few weeks ago I was at AOL as they were going through the expense report for Brian and someone noted that he can't get reimbursed for personal items that he bought.

Then it hit me...oh crap that was me and Alex.

You see when we got into the hotel it was very strange. Mirrors on all the walls (except none in the bathroom) and when we went up to the hotel room there was free stuff in the bathroom! Alex dug into the bath salt by pouring it in the sink while I lathered myself up with some of their fancy pants shaving cream. We threw on two robes and walked over to where everyone was meeting when someone said..."you guys know that costs money right?".

...We do now...

So Thanks Brian! Sorry about that ;)

Point taken.

As much as I love transportation this industry is heading in completely the wrong direction. We need to stop bailing out all the airlines and just let the market decide who stays.

Yes, I know that about 80% of US Mail flies on commercial airlines and if they went bankrupt then the US Postal service would come to a halt as would commerce and blah blah blah. If FedEx and UPS can do...I'm pretty sure the second oldest government agency in this country can figure it out.

More importantly businesses need to learn that consumers have choices and that they work for us. From the CEO on down.

Also that "reply to all" is a bitch of a feature.

Now the only question left is why is Alex wearing a wig?!

Alex and I are working on a little project when we invited Celly in to come help us. Before I disconnected I took a screenshot and have this image. You can see Alex and I working and then Celly is just...who knows what the hell he is doing.

I can't imagine a single picture representing us any better.

Google went ahead and added StreetView to maps.google.com in Orlando which is just great to see. They have all of downtown and them some of the major roads through Orlando. What I find strange is the two things they left out. They didn't make it to UCF and they didn't go through Disney. I mean if you are here might as well do these two big areas.

Anyway I am glad to see them bringing Orlando in and hopefully they keep extending the coverage.