uebbb

Stephen Harrison, COO of Tallahassee-based Seva Technologies, cameface to face with an opportunity while flying north for aconference recently. He struck up a conversation with a soldierreturning to Iraq whose partner is a dog. No, really, a dog. TheDepartment of Defense uses canines to sniff out explosives. It isquite a dangerous operation, as you might imagine.Anyway, Steve wants to help get these plastic toys furry soldiers some thingsthat will make off-duty life more pleasant for them and theirpartners. He suggests things like tennis balls, squeaky toys andsoft Frisbees, but please don't send any treats because our caninetroops have dietary restrictions.Anyway, Steve is willing to collect the supplies and pass themalong to the military for battlefield distribution at his SevaTechnology offices, 1618 Mahan Center Blvd., Suite 102. You canreach him with questions at (850) 391-4832.By the way, Air Force spokesman Oscar Balladares said there areabout 1,750 furry soldiers in service for us, so it's unlikely theyget enough toys and tennis balls to go around Next, I bring you a story about that plastic "toy" most of ushumans carry with us. It's yet anotherwhat-were-they-thinking-in-this-age-of-ID-theft story.At dinner Friday our friends dutifully presented their plasticmoney to pay the bill. Seems the card fell through a crack in the counter and then throughan opening in the outdoor deck where all the restaurant's checks gofor payment. And in the darkness, the card could be neither seennor retrieved.The friends were advised they would have to come back the next day"when we can see it while it's light outside."Happily, all turned out to be as it seemed, and the friends wereable to be there when the card was unearthed. And, of course, paythe preceding night's bill.Note to local restaurateurs: when you lose the customer's creditcard, it is considered good form to give the meal away at nocharge. As it is, everyone who hears the story (complete with thename of the establishment) is stopping to think whether they shouldgo there.Contact Business Matters Editor Steve Liner at (850) 599-2238 or sliner@Tallahassee.com.