22 Sep 08 Bailouts SUCK
It seems to me that if the management and executives of these failed companies are not willing to relinquish their bonuses, stock options, and golden parachutes then they are not in need of a government bailout, that is FUNDED by YOU and ME.
Main Street does not need to be bailing out Wall Street. Let THEM eat grass.
Tags: bailout, golden parachutes, grass, stock options, wall street
19 Jun 08 Internet Bypasses TV In The UK
According to ZDNet, Internet advertising in the UK will overtake TV this year. I am not suprised really, it was almost bound to happen at some point.
Take myself. I watch very little television, mostly because I am not interested in much of the content; secondly because on network television there are so many commercial breaks it spoils the few things I am interested in watching. I really don’t want to see an ad for injury lawyers, or for a new drug every 6-7 minutes.
Now, I appreciate that everything costs money, and advertising pays for those costs; after all, I have a number of blogs on which I carry advertising, including this one, as it pays for the costs of running them. However, no-one has to click on any ads on my sites, unless they want to, and that’s the same on most other sites I visit.
I keep in touch with what’s going on in the world. I read the local newspaper. I read the New York Times. I get a daily podcast of the Wall Street Journal. I frequently visit the BBC news site – as I feel they are less biased, and more trustworthy in their news reporting than Fox, or CNN for example.
Sometimes, I find the advertisements on web sites are useful. Sometimes I click on them, and read about the product and service that is interesting me. Sometimes I go on to make a purchase. One reason is that the advertisements online are more likely to relate to what you’re reading, unlike on television, where a commercial for a backache pill comes in the middle of a history documentary.
Tags: advertisements, bbc, bbc news, blogs, cnn, commercial breaks, costs money, fox, history documentary, injury lawyers, internet advertising, network television, new york times, news site, one reason, podcast, spoils, wall street, wall street journal, zdnet
27 Feb 08 Smell The Coffee
Practically all the Starbucks stores across the nation closed their doors recently for three hours, to have a training session for their staff. They’re closing 100 stores, and scaling back business expansion plans.
Wall Street, who once saw them as one of the gold jewels, now look upon Starbucks as yet another fast food chain.
Many folks are not impressed with Starbucks, and avoid them. Others flock there on a daily basis. Well, myself, I’m an occasional user. I don’t think their coffees are wonderfully out of this world, but they’re ok, and while I’ve had better, I’ve certainly had a whole lot worse. I’m not a regular visitor for two reasons. One, I work from home a great deal of the time, and therefore have no need to pick up a latte on the way to the office. Two, I’m pretty frugal with things like that anyway, and if I am going to an office, I’ll make coffee at home, and take it with me, in a thermal mug. I don’t feel it’s justified to spend between $2 and $4.50 each day on a cup of coffee anyway.
What do you think? Are you getting a good barista-crafted creation in your cup for your dollars at Starbucks, or is is just a squirt of warm liquid, and a splash of cold milk?
Tags: business expansion, coffee, coffees, daily basis, doors, fast food, food chain, gold jewels, latte, occasional user, starbucks, starbucks stores, thermal mug, training session, wall street, whole lot
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