Did Someone Forget to say "Excuse Me"?

It looks like the family of the gentleman trampled to death when Black Friday crowds broke through WalMarts electronic doors at 5 a.m., is suing Walmart for "creating an environment of frenzy and mayhem". Huh?

While I sympathize with this man's family absolutley for their terrible loss, is blaming Walmart for man's inhumanity to man appropriate? I guess the absence of chestnuts roasting on an open fire outside the store at 5 am on Long Island and no Jimmie Stewart to claim "It's a Wonderful Life", while snow flurried down upon the cheery holiday shoppers was the catalyst for the frenzy and mayhem. That must be how a crowd of human beings devolved into animalistic behavior allowing them to knock down and trample a 6 foor 5 inch, 270 pound man eventually asphyxiating him?

What ever happened to common courtesy to others and respect? I'm not talking all out chivalry here, I'm not that naive to think that even comes close to existing anymore in the "me" world. I'm talking the basics: ladies first, respect for and assisting seniors, making way for those physically challenged, letting others pass, helping children and holding their hands in crowds, crossing the street, etc.

The New York Daily News reported that witnesses said shoppers continued to stream past emergency crews as they worked furiously to save the 34-year-old worker's life, before the Valley Stream, N.Y., store was closed.

I guess it's fortunate the emergency crews weren't also trampled but they probably dragged the fallen man out of the way of onrushing shoppers to work on him. These guys have seen the worst and obviously knew they were at risk too!

As many as six other people, including a pregnant woman, also suffered minor injuries in the incident, according to reports.

Hey, it was still dark and probably cold so if she had a coat on, how were dedicated shoppers to know that woman was pregnant and show her some courtesy? Her bad for being in the way I guess.

What happened was tragic. Suing Walmart for the abhorrent behavior of a crowd of moronic neanderthals is a sad commentary on the basic premises of right and wrong as well as the equally out of control, litigious society. But I guess in the end, somebody forgot to say, "excuse me"...

Veterans Day--The Meaning

Another Veterans Day is now upon us tomorrow. I thought I would also provide a little background about the purpose and history.

Veterans Day is an American holiday honoring military veterans. Both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, it is celebrated on the same day as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.)
Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to [United States] national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty.
The holiday is commonly misprinted as Veteran's Day or Veterans' Day in calendars and advertisements.

Armistice Day was first commemorated in the United States by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919, and 30 states made it a legal holiday. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 inviting all States to observe the day, and made it a legal holiday nationwide in 1938. It has been observed annually on November 11 since then - first as Armistice Day, later as Veterans Day. On November 11, 1953, the citizens of Emporia, Kansas staged a Veterans Day observance in lieu of an Armistice Day remembrance. Congressman Ed Rees of Emporia, Kansas, subsequently introduced legislation in the United States House of Representatives to change the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Following a letter-writing campaign to secure the support of all state governors in the observance of this new holiday, the name change was enacted on June 1, 1954, to honor those who served.

So now you know!

*************A big Thank You to all employees and their family members who may have served and sacrificed…***********************

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If a tree falls in the woods...

If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there, does it make a sound?

If someone creates a blog and nobody adds comments, then has that someone really "blogged"?

Random End of Week Thoughts...

Markets are caught up in their own negative aura. Fear and not fundamentals are driving unbelievably bad scenarios. Things will get much worse before they get better but it shouldn't be this bad in the first place; it is way too emotional out there. Let's hope reason an dlogic return soon.

The only excuse for Lute Olsen's behavior would be that he didn't know how sick (dimentia?) he really was. Whatever the case, I feel sorry for him and for the kids and families he has negatively impacted. The NCAA should let them transfer without sitting out a year.

Regardless of the outcome, won't we all just be grateful when the elections are over? How much more depressing could this seemingly endless nightmare be? How much valid information do we have to make a decision about either candidate or what they specifically plan to do and how? I think they are both going to "change" something. I hope it is their rose colored glassses. In anycase, the world is a different place and whoever is in the Presiential role will face challenges never seen before. We are in for very difficult geo-political times for the next decade.

Sustaining Greatness while the Sky is falling...

So much hand wringing and whining about what "might" happen next in the market. How about looking for opportunities, understanding risks and how to manage them in order to acheive new levels of success? Came across these gems in an article from hrgrouponline.com. Definitlely worth some attention and thought!

• Recipe for Sustaining Greatness
  Companies do not fail primarily because of what the world does to them or because of how the world changes around them; they fail first and foremost because of what they do to themselves.
• Great companies that have achieved and sustained greatness have trained leaders who could evolve and create a portfolio of flywheels - yet they also held tight to core values that have remained fixed for 100 years or more.
• Whether you prevail or fail, endure or die, whether you make it onto the Fortune 500, and whether you stay there, depends more on what you do to yourself than on what the world does to you.
• Throughout history the greatest companies have used adverse times to their advantage
  When you've built an institution with values and a purpose beyond just making money - when you've built a culture that makes a distinctive contribution while delivering exceptional results - why would you surrender to the forces of mediocrity and succumb to irrelevance?
• The best corporate leaders never point out the window to blame external conditions; they look in the mirror and say, "We are responsible for our results!"

Texting and the deterioration of the Frontal Lobe

The frontal lobe is part of the cerebral cortex of the brain. Disturbingly, I have concluded albeit through somewhat limited but persistent research, that the frontal lobe of an astonishingly high percentage of teens and pre-teens must be deteriorating at a scary pace. How else would one explain seeing 4 teenage girls sitting right next to each other texting each other on their cell phones?! If their frontal lobes were intact and healthy, there could be no fathomable reason for these girls to not simply turn to one another and converse.

If you don't think this is serious, here is what you can look foward to next!

• Loss of simple movement of various body parts (Paralysis).


• Inability to plan a sequence of complex movements needed to complete multi-stepped tasks, such as making coffee (Oh crap!)


• Loss of spontaneity in interacting with others.


• Loss of flexibility in thinking. Persistence of a single thought (Perseveration).


• Inability to focus on task (Attending).


• Mood changes (Emotionally Labile).


• Changes in social behavior.


• Changes in personality.


• Difficulty with problem solving.
  Inablility to express language (Broca's Aphasia).

Stop the insanity! Texting is slowly killing our children. Protect their frontal lobes now by limiting texting and encouraging human interaction as a substitute communication mechanism and maybe it will catch on... :-)

Economy's impact on interactive advertising?

Boy are there enough different thoughts out there about how the Digital World/Interactive space will fare in this current "recession"? Everything from Sequoia Capital's doom and gloom, hunker down strategy (shades of the Dot.Bomb era?) to "don't worry, interactive ad dollars will shift from traditional media to interactive and the impact will be minimal.



Actually, the right answer is there is no answer. It is difficult to imagine the interactive space won't feel some of the pain as reduced spending across all industries starts to set in. The question is how much? Given the measureability of digital marketing and the ability to respond to the market quickly, "effective" digital marketing should continue to see its fair share of budget dollars. Performance related campaigns, in paid search and elsewhere should also do well as long as revenue and ROI goals are being surpassed.



The typically hot fourth quarter retail advertising and sales will be a barometer of what may be to come. Will shoppers tend to go on-line versus drive gass guzzlers to the mall? Will retailers push on-line specials even more to be where consumer eye balls are? Strong on line activity and results may bode well for even flat or at least, less reduced 2009 budgeting; but a Q4 of weak results may make Q1 in particular, an unhappy place for all marketers, including digital.



In any case, the companies that get even closer to their clients, become true parters through real creativity and uniquely new ideas while trying to understand more about their client's clients, will be best positioned to retain contracts, win new business and weather the inevitable coming storm.



No great revelations here I suppose but what do you think???