Page 30 - Flathead Beacon // 7.20.16

LIKE I WAS SAYIN’
TWO FOR THOUGHT SAME TOPIC, DIFFERENT VIEWS PENCE A GOOD CHOICE?
KELLYN BROWN
MEET THE FUTURE
LAST WEEK A STAFF WRITER AND GRAPHIC designer were wandering the o ce, holding their phones under their noses and searching for “pocket monsters.” Yes, there are Pokémon at Flathead Beacon headquarters in downtown Kalispell. A Pidgey was captured in the newsroom.
To me, Pokémon was always a card game featuring bizarre creatures that would do battle over a co ee table – like Spades for kids. Then there was the cartoon and the merchandise and video games. This is di erent. This is Pokemon Go, an app that debuted two weeks ago and quickly eclipsed more that 20 million daily active users in the U.S. That’s more than Twitter. It’s the biggest game ever and is still growing.
What is it? A millennial coworker explained it this way: “When you log on, you see a map of the area you are in, including streets and buildings. Some places are made into destinations, like Pokémon gyms where you can train and Pokéstops where you can get more sup- plies. As you’re walking, Pokémon will randomly appear – you then click on that Pokémon and it will activate your camera so you’re actually looking at the Pokemon on the screen in the street in front of you. You throw the ball until you catch them, although there’s some strat- egy to that I haven’t quite gured out.”
Based on the amount of hours he has invested in the game, I’m sure he will. It’s addictive. That’s why you see people jumping out of their cars and running with their phones down the sidewalks. There is an upside to all of this. People who otherwise might be glued to screens indoors are walking around with them outdoors.
Jacob Schmidt, who was gathered with friends play- ing the game in downtown Billings, told the Gazette, “Before downloading it I was walking less than 3,000 steps a day, and since I’ve downloaded the game I’m walking 13,000 steps a day.”
To be sure, a phenomenon that draws millions of peo- ple outside looking at their phone screens instead of the world in front of them will have consequences. And here are just a few:
Nearly every day, there is a report of property own- ers wanting their in-game locations removed from the Poké-verse, including the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington and the Arlington National Cemetery, where Pokémon Go players are disrupting other visitors.
On July 12 in Auburn, New York, police responded to an accident in which a vehicle drifted o the road and collided with a tree. The driver, who su ered minor injuries, acknowledged that he was distracted actively playing Pokémon Go while driving.
On July 14, two men in North San Diego County fell o a blu while playing the game. Fire ghters rescued the men. O cials said they were likely led to the cli in search of pocket monsters.
In the short term, the popularity of the game will only increase. And for all those properties that want to be removed, equal numbers are eager to pay to have Pokémon characters placed in their businesses.
Many gamers will continue to play this app when they shouldn’t, like when walking near cli s or driv- ing. Perhaps accidents can be reduced by the advent of self-driving cars, except those appear to be crash- ing lately, including a Tesla on its way to Yellowstone National Park.
Cars that drive themselves. Augmented reality games. The future is here and a lot of us aren’t quite ready for it.
BY TIM BALDWIN
Either Trump or Clinton will become president of
the United States. Trump is untested and controver- sial. He needs help to appeal to traditional conserva- tive voters. His choice for vice president is such a way. Trump chose Gov. Mike Pence. Good choice?
Pence appeals to traditional conservatives: his stance on abortion, homosexual marriage, foreign policy, economics, and immigration. Clinton called Pence “incredibly divisive and an unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies.” But perhaps it is this clear ideological distinction that Trump wanted in his choice. In contrast to Trump, Pence is a well-es- tablished politician having worked in the system step by step to rise in position. This experience will likely bene t Trump and give him more credibility to voters.
On another score, Pence supports amending the Constitution to limit Congress’ authority to tax and spend. Forty-nine states have balanced budget man- dates under their state laws, but Congress has no such limits – and judicial precedent con rms this unbri- dled power. More Americans are becoming aware that amending the Constitution is necessary to limit federal power. But some, like those in the John Birch Society, absolutely oppose amending the Constitution in de - ance of all sound reasons. Will they abandon Trump/ Pence because of Pence’s stance here knowing it will help Clinton win?
Pence: there appears to be more advantages than detriments to Trump’s chance of winning.
BY JOE CARBONARI
The choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as running
mate has helped both Donald Trump and the Repub- lican Party. Pence, a six-term former congressman, knows the political ropes, has a calming demeanor, and strong conservative bona des. He will help turn out the Republican base and calm the fears of some moderates and swing voters. He appears presidential.
He will also help turn out some Democrats, partic- ularly the LGBT community and liberals as a whole. What the net gain in Trump votes might be is unclear.
On social issues, Pence seems to stand well to the right of Trump and caused a national stir when as governor he signed a bill making it easier to deny service based on a religious disapproval of same-sex marriage. The Indiana Legislature was forced to back o and re-write the legislation after several national corporations and organizations threatened to boycott the state.
Pence favors a strong military, limited immigra- tion, and less freedom of choice on abortion issues. He does this, however, with less vitriol and anger than many who share his views. The head of the Republican convention’s anti-Trump movement, Kendal Unruh, has called him “a great pick.” Others have pointed out that most voters cast their ballots based on the top of the ticket, not the VP choice.
Pence takes some of the edge o the uneasiness with Trump, but moves the ticket further from the ideological center. Moderates, be careful who you enable. Pence may also have a bite.
AMERICAN RURAL DIANE SMITH BORROWING GOOD IDEAS
Y
If we’d had any problems during the meal, we could have easily and anonymously texted a manager to let her know. When we told the manager who stopped by our table to say hello and check on us what a great idea we thought this was, she replied, “While we’d always prefer a no-text night, we’d rather know if our custom- ers are unhappy so we can x it.”
Neither of these ideas is going to change the world. But it’s fun to see the improvements – low-tech (busi- ness cards) to high-tech (texting) – that longtime industries like food service are implementing. David and I eat out all the time. Seriously, all the time. So, while we know nothing about running a restaurant, we know plenty about eating at them. And we’d never seen either of these innovations before, not in big cities or in small towns.
Our hats are o to Wyoming Rib and Chop House for caring so much about its customers that it’s given them the power to let management know when some- thing’s gone awry. It’s tough to run any business well, particularly when lots of potentially grumpy, hard-to- please customers are involved. But if the line of folks waiting for dinner at Wyoming Rib and Chop House in Sheridan is any indication, giving customers simple opportunities to be “heard” can result in a big payo . Great job.
OU KNOW THE SAYING, “IMITATION IS THE most sincere form of attery?” Well, one of the
reasons David and I like to “hit the road” is to discover, celebrate, and occasionally borrow good ideas from other communities. At a restaurant in Sher- idan, Wyoming, we discovered two ideas that are cer- tainly worth celebrating and that some of our restau- rant friends may, we hope, think about implementing.
We decided to try Wyoming’s Rib and Chop House for dinner after watching a half-dozen cars pull into its parking lot in under ve minutes. Figuring it was the go-to restaurant in Sheridan, we decided to give it a try even if we had to wait. It was a delightful meal. The food was good, the service even better, and it was clear throughout the evening that the management cared deeply about its customers. Furthermore, cus- tomers are encouraged to let management know of any problems they might encounter. Not surprisingly, their service is top-notch.
So how does a small-town restaurant provide such super customer service? We thought two particular innovations were noteworthy. First, in each of the restrooms was a stack of business cards that read, “If this restroom needs attention, please give this card to any employee.” Second, at each table there was a large card that said, “Want to talk to a manager? Text the manager at 307-223-XXXX.”
Diane Smith is the founder and CEO of American Rural. Learn more about Diane by following her column here or visit American Rural at AmericanRural.org.
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JULY 20, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM