AlterNet: Call Someone Who Cares
AlterNet: Call Someone Who Cares
Speaking of phones…
Is anyone else bothered by the for-profit philosophy of running prisons? I mean, why would you want anyone to benefit from having people behind bars?
DenverPost.com - Financial freedom
DenverPost.com - Financial freedom
I’ve been thinking about this type of thing quite a bit recently. I feel that I’m at a kind of crossroads. I could continue to work in the field in which I’m in now, which is enjoyable enough work although not my passion. I could find a way to get an engineering job within the same company, which, although it would require relocation and long hours, could conceivably also propel me into the ranks of six-figure earners. I could also pursue teaching, either as an engineer with an advanced degree or as a k-12 teacher.
I have all sorts of thoughts on this. Sometimes I think back to the movie John Q, in which Denzel Washington’s character tells his kid, “sell out sometimes.” It makes life easier. But other times I read articles like this and realize that you can live quite happily on fairly little if you know what you’re doing.
The article suggests that losing the cell phone is a step, and my first thought was, whoa, how could anyone from my generation do that? But I got along fine without one for years. It’s just the first in a string of things that I pay more for than they are really worth to me. Will I cancel my phone service? Probably not. But it is nice to remind oneself once in awhile that you can get by with less–and that the six-figure income doesn’t necessarily put you ahead.
Economist.com | Procter & Gamble buys Gillette
Economist.com Procter & Gamble buys Gillette
Looking at this merger from a marketing standpoint…
You already know how I feel about P&G’s marketing techniques. But something in the Economist analysis made me think about it a little more. One assertion that The Economist makes is that while Gillette has had success marketing to men, P&G’s marketing strength is in their marketing toward women.
I find that interesting because I really don’t see too too many ads for Gillette products, but I do see a few–just enough that I’m aware of their products and presumably their benefits. Which is probably a good thing if you want me as a consumer because advertising is at least as likely to turn me off as turn me on. (I think of Subway’s misguided ad campaigns–”I think I made the drive-through guy cry,” etc.–that drove me away. I haven’t chosen Subway in two years, and I don’t miss it.) I wonder if Gillette sees limited advertisement as the key to the male market. Of course, they could also be advertising in channels that I don’t pay attention to.
As a consumer, I can tell you that both these companies did a knock-up job “marketing” me personally. When I arrived at college, my product preferences were anything but firmly set. When I checked into my dorm, I got a package that included Gillette brand shaving cream and deodorant, as well as P&G’s Tide detergent. And I still use all three exclusively. Not long before that I received Gillette’s refillable razor in the mail as an “18th birthday gift.” I think it came the same day as my Selective Service registration, actually. But I’ve loyally bought Gillette’s refills for nearly 8 years now and haven’t had a reason to change.
Anyway, I don’t have any conclusions. I’ll probably be pondering this interesting merger for awhile.
Ayad Allawi
It looks like the US press has finally figured out that the head of the interim Iraqi government is Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. Interim President Ghazi Al-Yawar is largely a figurehead, (and as I understand it, that will continue to be the case,) but it seems the US press follows his every move. The rest of the world has been focusing on Allawi, but it seems the NY Times and others among the US-centric press have just now gotten the clue. Only 7 months too late.
The New York Times > Opinion > Thomas L. Friedman: The Geo-Green Alternative
The New York Times > Opinion > Thomas L. Friedman: The Geo-Green Alternative
As the world celebrates the apparent success of the Iraq elections, the Bush Admin is looking forward to Iran. And the rest of us are gnashing our teeth–yes the Iraq elections look like a victory, but let’s not use the ends to justify the means.
Friedman’s column starts to get important about three paragraphs from the end (if you’re short on time.) Personally I’d prefer our oil alternative not be something that has to be buried beneath a mountain that will be “geologically stable” for 300,000 years, but that’s ok.
The New York Times > Reuters > Australian Held at Guantanamo Arrives Home After 3 Years
The New York Times > Reuters > Australian Held at Guantanamo Arrives Home After 3 Years
I’ll keep posting these…remember, holding prisoners for years without charging them with anything and turning prisoners over to countries that maybe don’t really frown on torture make us look like the Bad Guy (and one imagines the NY Times feels the same, since they give this a prominent position on their webpage.)
So what do you do when your leading party makes your country look like a Bad Guy?
Momentum appears to be shifting back.
The New York Times > White House Drops Effort to Relax Media Ownership Rules
The New York Times > White House Drops Effort to Relax Media Ownership Rules
Well, good news for now. Pro-deregulation types will continue to point out how well the internet is doing as an alternate media stream, but come on! I mean, how many people visit a website compared to the number of people watching a particular network’s evening news? The airwaves belong to the people. Shouldn’t the people have the better part of their range of views broadcast?
