15 October 2008

Dave's Blog Action Day Post Especially For You

Did you know that today is Blog Action Day and I am taking part. Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, in posting about the same issue on the same day. The goal is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion about that issue. This year’s issue is poverty.

As I sat here thinking about what to write and say about Poverty and how we live in the wealthiest nation in the worlds and we produce more waste than Gross Domestic Product of many countries, it is well just sad. Yet, even close to home, may right down at the end of your street there is someone who is going to bed hungry tonight. Someone might just need more than a can of soup but a warm bowl of chicken noodle and a even warmer heart to help ease what hurts.

This keeps bringing me back to one of three of my all time favorite Christmas movies; Scrooged. At the end of the movie our hero Frank Cross, played by the immortal Bill Murray, discovers the true meaning of Christmas and in no uncertain terms Frank makes sure the world knows too. So I will let Frank Cross tell you in his own words and you will see how it applies to today (and everyday).


The video is 8 minutes long and the speech begins just after the 5 minute mark

Frank Cross: Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Tis the season to be jolly
Don we now our gay apparel
Troll the ancient yuletide carol

James Cross: We should be taping this.

Frank Cross: How did that happen?
That happened because it's Christmas Eve.
I'm not crazy. It's Christmas Eve.
It's the one night when we all act a little nicer.
We...we smile a little easier. We...we...share a little more.
For a couple of hours out of the whole year
we are the people that we always hoped we would be.
It's a Miracle, it's really a miracle because it happens
every Christmas Eve.
And if you waste that miracle, you're gonna burn for it. I know.
You have to do something. You have to take a chance
You do have to get involved.
There are people that are having trouble making their miracle happen
There are people that don't have enough to eat,
there are people who are cold.
You can go and say hello to these people.
You can take an old blanket out of the closet or make a sandwich
and say, "Here."
"I get it now."
And if you give, then it can happen, the miracle can happen to you.
Not just the poor and hungry, Everybody's gotta have this miracle!
It can happen tonight for you all!
If you believe in this pure thing,
the miracle will happen and you'll want it again tomorrow!
You won't say, "Christmas is once a year and it's a fraud." It's not!
It can happen every day! You've just got to want that feeling!
You'll want it every day! It can happen to you!
I believe in it now.
I believe it's gonna happen to me, now. I'm ready for it!
And it's great. It's a good feeling.
It's better than I've felt in a long time.
I'm ready.

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So what can we do to keep the magic happening? GIVE...real simple GIVE. GIVE what you can: Give Your Time, Give Some Money, Give A Lot of Support...Just Give, remember a little goes a long way.

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12 October 2008

Are Celebrity Endorsements Still Needed or Relevant for Local Businesses?

I am asking this question for all the marketing pundits to toss around and when an answer has been determined please let me know.

Today is Sunday and my TV screen is reserved for the National Football League Sunday afternoon presentations. It goes without saying commercials are also a part of my Sunday afternoon. So there are plenty of ads that are specifically for the Sunday afternoon audience. There is one set of ads in particular that have caught my eye (per sé).

There are two local Lasik Eye Surgeons who seem to have cornered the market on Sports Celebrities in their commercials. It seems that they have some kind of deal worked out with Professional Football Players from the Dallas area where in exchange for some eye work there is a simple endorsement via TV and Radio commercials.

Don't get me wrong I understand the need for endorsements, however, these guys just over do it. It is now to the point that these two "medical professionals" are in an all out shoot out to out do each other. Every commercial they have put out has been with at least one "professional football player from Dallas." There was one (and only one) exception to this: one commercial in which one of the eye doctors did have a few endorsements from several prominent doctors and one city mayor, still I have yet to see these two include an endorsement from an everyday bloke or lady.

Where am I coming from with this? My vision is not what it used to be and I have reading glasses (for now). Thus I have considered the option of the Laser surgery for my vision. However, these two guys in the need to compete against each other have started to place themselves out of the reach of everyday people. So I am losing interesting in what they offer as I fear that am not socially or financially within their reach.

I wonder if even one of these guys would consider bringing themselves back down to their intended customer's level and have possibly a Teacher or Police Officer endorse the service they offer?

So I ask this question: At what point does the celebrity endorsement stop having the effect it was intended to and start to create a sense of being out of reach for (or out of touch with) the target audience?

Anyone, please feel free to respond.

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05 October 2008

A 401K and a Mason Jar


I read a question posted on the FastCompany FastTalk board, “Q. How concerned are you about the long term value of your 401K plan?

While normally this question would not normally draw my attention, however, it along with observing my friend (remember the would-be gold prospector?) caught my eye. Seems that since the start of this Economic Debacle, my friend, almost like clockwork, logs in and checks the latest on his 401K. I just scratch my head and walk away. Here is someone who is genuinely worried about something today that he will not need for another 20 or 30 years from now. He is worried about something that he is not living off of. Just like any economic situation it will get better. The economy has always had its ups and it has had its downs, you can bet it will have plenty of ups and downs over the course of the next 30 years. So, why get all worried, concerned, and paniced over nothing. The only people that should show some concern is those that are currently living off the return of their 401Ks.

Don’t get me wrong, I think my friend is genuinely worried about nothing. Especially, when low value is all there is . This is not time for concern (and panic) but time to take advantage of a bad situation.

I am firm believer in buying low and selling high. This is the time that my friend and many others should be dumping as much money as they can to build up their holdings. I know I am.

It is real simple: building up and solidifying the base of any 401K, mutual fund, or individual stock position while the prices are low is really the only thing that makes sense during the current economy. What is it that so many people find this difficult to believe? Some say that if the economy continues this downward spiral it will be pointless to invest in anything.

So the question from those worrywarts becomes: What if the stock market completely fails?

If you or anyone else has that kind of attitude, shouldn’t you be pulling your money out of the 401K, IRA, Mutual fund, stocks, or any investment program before the bottom completely falls out? I mean for pete’s sake, if you have defeatist attitude about the future of the market, then please cash out now before all your money is gone. Of course, what will you do with all that cash? Put it in the bank? Burying in the backyard? Or store it under your mattress?

Unless, you are ready to take advantage of a very unique situation, my guess is a mason jar under the front porch is right for you.


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03 October 2008

Hurry Up and Wait

Hurry Up and Wait seems to be the phrase that best describes the up to the minute situation of the economy.

The Economic Bailout package is still bouncing around in the House & Senate with a vote looming. Yet all this time we have been playing that old US Army game of "Hurry Up and Wait"

Where we go 100 miles per hour and then when ready to kick things off we are told to just sit and wait.

Now we wait for Friday's vote in the house. Though all is not waiting, the markets are reacting some in a not so favorable manner. However, this is no cause for alarm as it is too early to even begin speculating as the EB has not yet been approved.

So for now we wait.

Talk to you soon



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