I guess the sky is really NOT falling!

So here we are at Sequestration Day (as my friend Steven says, he wishes this word would be removed from the language [right along with 'comprehensive' and 'package']), and all we’re hearing about is the pain that will be inflicted on society. Has anyone heard about the PAY CUTS that will inflict members of Congress if this happens? **sounds of crickets chirping** No? Didn’t think so. And for the record, this goes for both sides of the aisle…plenty of accountability to go around on this one!

I also notice that as of 9:15am here in California, the stock market is actually in positive territory! At this point, I don’t sense that anyone is taking this whole thing seriously…not consumers, not the stock market, and certainly not anyone in Washington DC.

#SMH

Musings of the last few days

I’ve been away for a while…actually, a long while. And in that time, I lost one job and started a new one; this time, my own! In late December, I actually started a video production company: First Impressions Video, and have been devoting quite a bit of time to it. I am also doing online marketing consulting, having spent the last dozen or so years in and around that space. The consequence is that I won’t be  posting here as often, and you may see a subtle shift towards more online marketing-related subject matter. That said, here are a few  recent observations, for your consideration:

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So I go out to get the mail today and what is lying in the driveway? My new YELLOW PAGES! Just what we need…another 300 page paper doorstop. Hey YP publishers, it’s time to stop killing trees! I did an online marketing presentation about a year ago and I asked the audience if, by a show of hands, they: a) had a current YP, b) knew where it was, and c) actually used it in the last year. The only hands that went up were from people over 40, and most of them were quite a ways “north” of 40!!

Headline today from The Daily Online Examiner:  “Microsoft Takes Aim At Google, Says Gmail Invades Privacy.” Please tell me no one is surprised by THAT revelation?!?!

LinkedIn, you need to get your act together! Yesterday, I got two ‘connection’ invites: one from a long-time friend with whom I’m already connected; the other from a total stranger. Both of these invites were sent to an email address that is NOT associated with my LinkedIn profile. It’s hard to determine to what extent these two accounts have been hacked or compromised—especially since they’re blasting invites to email accounts that LinkedIn doesn’t (or sure as hell shouldn’t!) even know. Take heed in how you are handling our profile information, or your relevance will suffer as a result!

HEY FACEBOOK…STOP SERVING “SUGGESTED PAGE(S)” ON MY NEWS FEED!!! It’s not bad enough that you’ve got these stupid things–90% of which are neither relevant nor applicable–running down the right rail, now you’re inserting them into our feeds! Yes, I know…it’s your sandbox and we’re just playing in it, but at least do a better job of this. Too much stockholder pressure?? Just sayin’!

IMHO–two words that should be stricken from the Washington DC lexicon: “comprehensive” and “package.” And they should never, EVER be used together in a sentence! If you hear them used together by any politician or government bureaucrat, lookout…your pocket’s about to get picked–again! Irrespective of party, by the way!

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That’s it…I’m done. Y’all have a great rest-of-the-week!

Here’s to the twentysomethings at NBC

I suppose I must be living under a rock because today I saw that a few weeks ago, NBC cancelled “Harry’s Law.” NOW THIS IS A CROCK!! One of the best scripted shows on TV and it gets the chop?!?! What, so they can schedule a bunch of CRAPPY REALITY SHOWS? Just what we need…more Donald Trump tripe! Give…me…a…BREAK!!! Maybe, since David E. Kelley got a new show picked up on TNT, he can persuade them to grab “Harry’s Law,” too. Read the comments section here and you’ll get a good idea of what people think about this boneheaded move by NBC.

Clearly, this decision was made by network execs that didn’t really like the demographic of the show’s audience (which includes this writer), but here’s a news flash: This demo has MONEY to buy the products & services represented by the ADVERTISING that appears during the show. It was the second most watched program only to ‘Smash,‘ with over 8 million viewers. Excuse me, those numbers don’t suck! Oh, and did I say this demo has MONEY to buy the products/services ADVERTISED during the show??

Some things just never cease to amaze me…. Kathy Bates, you and your cast did a fine job and you all certainly deserve something better than this!

Just sayin’!

‘Dr. Bloomberg’ steps in to limit size of sugary drinks

Man, I am just NOT comfortable with Mayor Bloomberg’s stand on this! We’re already hearing the rhetoric about how we banned smoking, and curtailed other unhealthy activities, but this puts us on an already slippery slope! The government(s)–federal, state and municipal–are in our pockets, and now they’re wanting to get onto our dinner plates and into our drinking glasses. We do have an obesity problem, but we’ve got to find a better way. Pass this kind of legislation, and what’s next? I don’t even want to think about that! When I consider the overarching dietary problems that are indeed real, it continues to beg the question: will we ever see personal responsibility return? Or will we become a culture of lemmings just waiting for the nanny state to take care of us, ’cause we can’t–or won’t–take care of ourselves?

Just sayin’!

Out.

What’s next, (former) Senator Edwards?

“John Edwards ‘not guilty’ on one count; mistrial declared on remaining charges.” I guess the village is about to get its idiot back! Now I guess the only question is: when will we start hearing about the jurors’ book deals…movie deals…etc. And no doubt John-boy will probably be doing the same…probably not too much left for him in the legal profession, I would imagine. Talk show?

Illinois hires Ohio’s John Groce as head basketball coach

So……John Groce abandons Ohio U for Illinois! Disappointing for sure, but he leaves a MAC school for the allure of the Big Ten–and a new arena being built in Champaign–AND $1.4 mill a year! That’s almost what he made in his entire 4 years in Athens!!

Who do the Bobcats go after as Groce’s replacement?? It would have to be someone with a winning spirit–and record, and someone who wouldn’t be lured away (again) by the big bucks; in other words, someone already independently wealthy. I’m thinkin’ Phil Jackson! He doesn’t need the money, he’s got nothing left to prove…I think he’d be ideal! But that’s me!

Watch where you’re standing when the camera snaps!

As a Marine, I was quite disturbed by a recent photo taken of a Marine recon unit posing with a Nazi SS flag behind them. I guess the Commandant of the Marine Corps was similarly PO’ed by it…and said so in an ALMAR bulletin dated yesterday. Unfortunately there is a “404″ redirect on the actual link but it can be found on www.marines.mil, and then do a search for “ss flag” to see CMC’s comments. Gen. Amos, props for addressing this properly! Thanks and Semper fi from all us–active and inactive Marines!

Disclaimer: Part of me wants to cut these guys a break because younger Marines can do and have done dumb things (I know…just ask me!), but this is a recon team scout sniper unit–truly a “best-of-the-best” team, that should have a better command of military history than to have been a part of something like this. And if you look at the picture, this wasn’t a bunch of 18 year olds, fresh out of recruit training.

It goes without saying that they will regret this picture was ever taken, as it undermines every good, noble thing they’ve done while wearing the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. I am saddened as much as I am disturbed. All of us that wear (or wore) the uniform share a black eye on this one.