For 26 1/2 years, Dusty and Bill Phillips, my older sister and her husband, have owned and operated Big B’s, home of great hamburgers, homemade fries and the best thick milkshakes the world has to offer. Today, that era came to an end, when they sold the business to a small fast food chain. Already, the Big B’s sign is down and the menu has been changed.

The little hamburger joint was a favorite of the locals in Sandy, Utah. Dusty and Bill’s four kids had their first real work experiences behind the counter of Big B’s. My kids loved to stop there when ever we visited Utah. Last August, when my wife, Claudia, and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary in Utah, we stopped by for a photo and some food. I’ve got to admit a little lump arose in my throat tonight when Dusty told me the news.

Tags: Hamburger
Milkshake
Big B’s
Sandy Utah

I enjoyed watching an entertaining and insightful video interview of Doc Searls today.

He spoke of “Value Constellations,” each a “set of relationships between individuals” that “come together in the live web.” He challenged, “You have to participate.”

This sounds a lot like Scott McNealy of Sun Microsystems talking about the Participation Age.

Tags: Identity
Digital Identity
Identity Management
Sun Microsystems
Doc Searls
Scott McNealy
Participation Age
Identity Relationships

Every year at Christmas time, my mother sends each of her 7 children, their spouses and children an Idaho Spud candy bar. This little gift is a unique link to the state where I grew up, and a fond tradition for our extended family. Plus, I think they are delicious!

Today, AP issued an article about the venerable treat. CNN.com picked it up as an item in their Offbeat News section.

Tags: Idaho
Idaho Spud
Candy
Potato

My very pregnant daughter Angie Dunn plays an active role in the $4 billion per year scrapbooking industry. It never ceases to amaze me how a simple concept like putting family photos into books has blossomed into such a dynamic industry!

Angie teaches a monthly scrapbooking class named “Simplicity” for Scrapbooks, Etc., the largest scrapbooking retail store in Mesa, Arizona, where she also works as a retail associate. Yesterday, the family gathered at the store to help her produce the 400 kits she will need for this month’s four classes.

Angie also designs layouts for Bazzill Basics Paper, the premier scrapbooking supplies wholesaler in the industry. We first met Doug and Marti Jones, who own Scrapbooks, Etc. and Bazzill Basics Paper, when we moved to Arizona 15 years ago. Doug had a little plastics engraving business and Marti cut out wooden items for crafts in their garage. Then they caught the Scrapbooking wave and became industry leaders. It took lots of work, much perseverance, many talented people like Angie, and the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time. Thanks, Doug and Marti, for giving Angie a chance to blossom as the Scrapbooking Angel!

Tags: Scrapbook
Bazzill
Scrapbooks Etc.
Angie Dunn