TV Lovers Simply Don't Get It

For quite some time the rumor has been that TV is in trouble because of the rise of the Internet. The theory is that, with the rapid expansion of more portable devices, the growth of bandwidth in Internet connections, and the 24/7 availability of entertaining content, will make the TV increasingly obsolete. Geoff Colvin of Fortune Magazine begs to differ and believes that either in spite of the Web or because of it, more people are watching more TV than ever. Colvin argues that since (according to polls) the average American is spending over four hours a day watching TV, the box has nothing to worry about. He couldn't be more wrong.

Americans are already spending a significant amount of time watching DVDs on TV. Others are watching TV programs online, making the distinction between TV and computer time quite blurry (e.g., the average age of nightly news viewers is 60, younger viewers are getting their stories online and when they want it). In my opinion, people only spend time watching TV because the link between the computer and TV hasn't become more simplified (although it is getting there). When people begin to instantly pull what they want from the Web to their TVs, individuals will become their own program directors and will largely ignore what is being offered by broadcast or cable.

Sure, some shows and their networks will survive, but the television landscape will be changing forever. Colvin is right that the boxes and screens that we are watching today will continue to survive (and even improve), but the content that goes into them will be increasingly driven by the Web and not by the networks. And all the more the Web is driven by users. I believe the best proof of this is YouTube, which I call the first major TV network of the 21st century that happens to be on the Internet. Google knew exactly what it was doing when it purchased that site for over $1.6 billion. They know that the future of the programming you will want to watch will be driven, not surprisingly, by you.

John McCain Invades My Email

I know I am way behind the curve when it comes to technology. My geek friends kind of giggle at me when I tell them I still have an AOL account. I have had one for most of the last eight years and it has caused me far more pain than pleasure. It tends to be slower than other services, the pop-ups on a site I'm paying for is unbelievable, and the quality of the services for a premium service are quite week. But I feel stuck because so much of my information is wrapped up in this system.

Anyway, to add insult to injury, AOL has recently moved to heavy advertising and have begun to make some of their services free. Unfortunately, those of us who continue to pay for the services are seeing a lot more advertisements as well and I'm beginning to find them offensive. Just recently I opened up an email to send and found a photo of Sen. John McCain with a statement proclaiming he is "a common sense conservative." This bothers me on several fronts:

* Was his ad casually placed on my email or do they know I'm interested in politics and conservative politics in particular? AOL is already among the worse when it comes to pop-ups, are they spying on me too?

* It bothers me that McCain markets himself as a conservative. Other than his position on the war in Iraq, McCain is really quite liberal on social issues, loves tax increases, and is a big fan of regulations. Furthermore, his positions on campaign finance reform makes him an opponent of free speech, in my opinion. I admit, he's excellent on Iraq, but that is not grounds to make him President or even call him conservative.

* It irritates me that he is on something as personal as my email. And, what if he shows up on emails I send to others? I think that is terrible. I really don't want people to associate my correspondence with him.

Rather than winning people that he hopes are undecided and use AOL, I think his strategy is more likely to turn people off. It's bad enough that they put the latest brand of toilet paper in an ad on my email, but a candidate whom I ideologically disagree with, that's a disgrace.

Jim Stein, Mike Alexander and Holly Uverity on the Houston Business Show

On this week's Houston Business Show I visited with two of our Advisers, Mike Alexander and Holly Uverity, as well as Bank of Houston President, Jim Stein. All of them can be found at the Houston Business Review. In addition to discussing with Jim Stein the differences between community banks and the retail banks so common in business today, I visited with Holly on some practical ways of getting organized in 2007 and Mike Alexander on the way Professional Employee Organizations are helping businesses stay focused on what is important to them.

Holly Uverity discussed a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, entitled "Five Questions for Holly Uverity." In it, she discussed changes she has seen in organization in the last 14 years since she went into this business, tools people need to get organized, and much more. I strongly recommend this article.

Mike Alexander discussed how Professional Employee Organizations reduce liability for business owners by taking responsibility for HR issues, the things a person needs to ask in considering such a company, and why they have grown so much in recent years. Mike also indicated that he would be writing an article on the subject in an up coming Houston Business Review article. Go to that page in order to get your free subscription.

Don't forget, you can hear the Houston Business Show 24/7 by visiting our show archive.

Saturday Morning Talking Heads

I typically watch Fox News every Saturday for their block of "Cost of Freedom" programs and I clearly see why it is the most watched two hours in business talk. Although I don't always agree with all the participants, they are very entertaining and many provide the best thought in business and the economy in the media.

A few observations from this week's programs:

* Social Security tax increases are still tax increases on job creation. We continually hear that Social Security is in a crisis and the answer to such always seems to be to raise taxes. If increases of taxes on income hurt the economy, so will Social Security taxes. In both cases it makes it difficult for the business owner to hire employees. Let's fix Social Security, but let's do it without hurting the economy.

* Let Wal Mart go into banking. The retail giant is interested in creating retail banking options at very low costs to consumers, and critics are concerned about their ability to do such. One commentator actually said "they don't know how to do it, so they won't do it well." Give me a break, as if Wal Mart won't hire the best people they can find to protect their assets and their customers. Wal Mart won't compete against the vast majority of banks, but make it possible to attract customers who have never had accounts, pumping huge amounts of money into the economy to be leveraged in a way it could never be done in a cookie jar, like many of these potential customers are doing now. If it is legal and Wal Mart wants to do it, I bet they will figure out how to do it well.

* Taxes on wealth creation must remain minimal in order to compete in a global economy. This may have been the smartest thing I have heard all day. How has Ireland, India, China, and other historically weak economies turned things around in recent years (two of these becoming economic powerhouses)? It isn't merely cheap labor, which India and China has had for years, but a tax system that puts the burden increasingly on consumption and a way from wealth creation (the source of jobs). If the US wants to compete on the international scene, they need to reduce or eliminate as many taxes on wealth creation as possible. Now more than ever they should consider eliminating income tax and replacing it with a consumption tax.

* How Tax Cuts Increases Revenue. Ben Stein is known by many as a TV and even movie personality (remember the history teacher in Ferris Bueller's Day Off?), but he is also quite brilliant when it comes to understanding the economy. One area he has come up short on, in my opinion, is understanding the power of the tax cuts in eliminating the deficit. On the news today he said that the increase in revenue the government has seen has been due to "business cycles" improving, which naturally generate higher revenues and not due to cutting taxes. Yet, I have also heard him state that the economy responded favorably to tax cuts and created a positive economic cycle. In other words, Stein has created a sequence of events in his mind but fails to see the bridge between the positive business cycle and higher revenues. That bridge was the tax cuts.

Some of these issues deserve, and will receive, more attention later, but I wanted to get them down as soon as possible. There is some excellent intellectual capital when it comes to business information available, one simply needs to know where to find it.

State of the Union: The Brief, But Powerful, Case for the Tax Cuts

The President's State of the Union speech, substantively, was fairly typical. "We need to balance the budget in the next five years" is something we have heard for six years and this time Bush can blame others if (when) it doesn't happen since he will be long out of office.

I will say that I am glad that he doesn't see tax increases as part of the solution to the deficit problem. One thing the President did articulate, but was largely ignored by the "talking head" news pundits, was that the deficit has been decreasing rapidly over the last few years. This without a tax increase? The economic growth driven by the tax cut has created more taxable activity, leading to a reduced deficit. Why would Democrats increase tax rates, which would likely reduce business tax activity, and thus reduce revenues? It is the politics of greed. They would rather crush economic growth, even if it hurts revenues and jobs, as long as it also hurts the very wealthy. It simply doesn't make sense. There is a quote, attributed to Abraham Lincoln, which was "you can't help America's poor by making America poor." This statement should be on the walls of both Houses of Congress.

The Democrats claim they have no problem with tax cuts, they just want them geared towards the middle or lower classes. These tax cuts are called "demand side" cuts, which leads to people buying a new stereo or TV. The President's tax cuts, on the other hand, are geared towards "supply" and lead to great economic formation, job creation, increased business activity, and (eventually) higher tax revenues, which we are seeing is true in the Bush cuts. I hope Americans are not fooled by the rhetoric. The Democrats tax approach will hurt more poor than help, destroy more jobs than create, and hurt revenue rather than generate.

If people are having a hard time understanding how cutting taxes increases revenue, just think of Wal Mart. Wal Mart has among the lowest price points for any retail company in the world, yet it is also the most profitable store of its kind. The lower cost per item, leads to more items sold, and then higher revenue. The same is the case for tax cuts. Such policies reduce the cost of business, leads to higher production, lowers prices, more items purchased, and higher revenue. Tax cuts work, let's keep them working for America.

Reflecting on the State of the Union

President Bush delivered his 6th State of the Union address to less than exciting crowds. In fact, the grand daddy of long speeches actually seemed some what short this year. The main reason why was the incredible restraint exercised by the audience when it came to applause. It seems that in past speeches 30 minutes to an hour were consumed in such out bursts, that was not the case this year.

The speech itself was strong in style and enjoyed some substance; although you clearly had the sense that the President knew he was not among friends. I almost think, with the rash of candidates using the Web to announce their candidacy, that Bush probably should have used the same vehicle for the State of the Union. Instead of the President having to have to make the long trip to meet with the hostile body, they could have just put a large screen TV on the wall and he could have literally talked down to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats. Just think how honest he could be in his assessment of the situation of our country.

Unfortunately, if he had done such, the President could not have the opportunity (like the one in the photo above) in which he and the Speaker arm wrestled before the speech. I believe the Vice President overheard the President saying, "if you win, you get a minimum wage increase; if I win I get to keep my tax cuts" or something like that. I didn't hear who won, but you can see that Speaker Pelosi is clearly cheating.

I will talk more about the substance of the presentation itself in the next week or so, but as far as the speech itself, it was fine and it drew ratings that we hadn't seen for such an Address in years. The American people still seem interested and open minded about the future of our country. Let's hope Congress is too.

Old Spice Tries to Reach Young Guys

The purpose of advertising is to create awareness about a brand -- sure it's suppose to sell things too -- but getting the name out there is a primary concern. That's why advertisements don't typically have long educational messages or persuasive speeches, but usually cut to the chase and hope that their clever little line and/or visual will make you remember them.

Each week I get Sports Illustrated and this week I noticed the full page advertisement for Old Spice on the back cover. It is a photo of Faye Dunaway (circa 1968) showing her lounging on a couch and looking very attractive. I didn't like the line that went with it, however, which was "If your grandfather hadn't worn it, you wouldn't exist" ("it" would be Old Spice, of course). According to the New York Times, this ad is part of an aggressive campaign developed by agency Wieden & Kennedy, which is best known for the "Just Do It" campaign for Nike. Old Spice is investing $100 million in its efforts this year alone.

I found this ad irritating. After all, it is kind of disconcerting thinking about the process that they are implying as it relates to my grandparents. I think you know what I mean. But more importantly, I almost get the impression that they think I owe them something. "Hey, buddy, since you wouldn't exist without us, you need to guarantee our existence." I don't do very well with guilt trips and it really speaks of desperation to me.

My initial response was to write a blog entry, but as you can see I also did some research and found that this is part of a much larger campaign. One of the ads (see the photo above) actually made me blush at the sight of an ice cream cone! This ad isn't my style either. So for me, this ad campaign is coming up short.

However, this campaign wasn't for me, it is clearly an appeal to younger men and not those in their 40s who are very committed to the products they use (I like rubbing alcohol after I shave). They are going to a group that could be more easily motivated by such ads. A younger generation. Furthermore, the ad did catch my attention enough to do a little research and I actually spent multiples more in time than the company who developed the campaign believed I would. My Google search on the campaign indicates that I'm not the only one, there is a great deal of "ink" devoted to this story, resulting in millions of dollars in brand awareness. As I pointed out at the beginning, that is one of the primary reasons companies do ad campaigns. This blog entry is just one more example of free exposure that the brand received, even if it wasn't completely favorable.

Richard Sonnier Predicts Demise of Text Messaging

On today's Houston Business Show (Monday at 1 PM on CNN 650 or 24/7, archived at HoustonBusinessReview.com) I interviewed Business Show Advisor Richard Sonnier of Nimble Services, who did an update on some of the latest changes in technology. I love this kind of programming because it helps me understand what are real changes and not mere fads, what I need to implement immediately or can wait until later, and what are the best approaches to incorporating technological changes.

On this week's show he discussed the new Apple IPhone which is expected to change the way individuals communicate with others and the way phones such as this is profoundly impacting text messaging (SMS). Text messaging was a hot form of communication just a couple of years ago and now, according to Sonnier, it is facing serious decline. Why? Because as people move to pda equipment they will increasingly use email, which doesn't cost anything extra since they likely already will have the web on their devices. Furthermore they can check out that information on their computers as well as their phones. When you can have major forms of communication be dismissed in months, the world of business is a really scary place. Companies must be holding on for dear life as they try to keep up the demands of an ever changing population.

Richard Sonnier has been an Advisor to the Houston Business Show for three years and his information has made a difference in the way many in our audience and I conduct business.

Why Can't Blogger Spell "Blog"?

I love to write and have done it for many years, but any reader of this blog can appreciate the fact that I need a spell check. Often my entries includes terms such as "blogs," "blog", "blogging," etc. You would think that a website such as "Blogger" would easily approve such terms. Think again, any word that has the root "blog" turns up as misspelled on this site.

To me, this doesn't make sense. How is it possible? This is a Google owned company and not some minor player on the Web. I've spoken to friends and colleagues and they seem as confused as I am. My oldest son, KJ, thinks that Blogger may use the Microsoft Word spell check for corrections. If that is so, it is using earlier editions because I believe the most recent Word includes blog.

Whatever the case, I think this demonstrates how rapidly things are changing. So amazing are the shifts that even a company like Google has difficulty keeping up with them and incorporating them in a site that is as important as Blogger.

Scary Letter From Donald Trump

Recently I have written several blog entries about Donald Trump, some of which take a humorous look at some of his recent activities (battle with Rosie, gift to subway hero, etc.). So I have to admit I was a little nervous when I looked at my mail recently and I found an envelope with "Donald J. Trump, New York City" on the return address and yours truly as the addressee.

Most people know that Donald Trump has a tendency to sue when he sees something he doesn't like, so when I saw that little envelope I was first excited (wow, a letter from Donald Trump) and then terrified (wow, a letter from Donald Trump). After all, there is a chance he didn't take my blog in the very friendly spirit it was written in. I looked at the outside and it appeared legitimate enough. Even the postmark had the look and feel of a real letter. I turned it over and on the back, printed in gold "230 Park Avenue, 10th Floor; New York, NY." It was very impressive.

I opened it up and -- to my pleasant surprise -- it was a VIP ticket to an event that his son, Donald Trump, Jr will be speaking at in the Houston area on how to be a self-made millionaire! Who would know better than the son of a billionaire! But seriously, it looks like an interesting event and it looks as though I will have an interview with him in the process. My understanding is that he is surprisingly level headed and actually has a natural head of business.
I'll keep people up to date as the event nears. If I get the expected interview, it will be archived at the Houston Business Review.

Breakfast With Bruce Kaufmann

This morning I had breakfast with Bruce Kaufmann, who is a leading financial consultant for entrepreneurs. Bruce was in the banking industry from 1978 through 1992. During that time, he worked primarily with privatly owned companies and developed an expertise in financing exports with the support of US government guarantees and insurance. He also served as a manager in the areas of Loan Review and Credit Administration.

In 1992 Mr. Kaufmann established his own consulting practice with an emphasis on showing business owners how they could use financial management techniques to increase revenues. This business has evolved over the years, and now Bruce works with his clients as part of the management team to help business owners improve their ability to obtain financing. This is accomplished by helping the client understand the investor's mind set so the business owner can make a more effective presentation when requesting funds, and by showing the client how to improve internal operations to make the company a more appealing investment opportunity. He has worked with clients in a variety of industries.

Bruce has agreed to become a Houston Business Show Expert who will focus on corporate financial management and will be providing regular podcasts on the Houston Business Show website, which will be launched in February 1, 2007. Bruce will be a perfect compliment to other Business Show Advisors Ralph Fain (business brokering, R/Fain Group), Adrienne Leigh (Business Franchise expert with FranNet), Steve Hansen (factoring expert, Summit Financial Resources), Gary Cooper (CPA, CVA with Cooper, Bergman & Company) and Jim Stein of the Bank of Houston. Combined this team provides outstanding information to our large business audience. You will certainly be hearing more about Bruce as you have of other Business Show Advisors.

Britney Spears' Buzz

I'm sure regular readers of this blog are shocked to see an entry on Britney Spears, but I felt I had to in light of the conversations I have had with many of my colleagues recently. It seems whenever I meet business associates or friends, the topic of my blog continues to pop up. Lately, most of those conversations have ended with questions about when I was going to write about the latest celebrity bad girl.

Mind you, most of my colleagues are men in the age range of mid 30s through the 50s and their interest seems to be clearly tongue in cheek. But for some reason it is always Britney -- not Rosie, not Tom Cruise, not even Donald Trump -- that comes up.

I mentioned this to one of my friends and associates, Andy Valadez of Marketing Dynamics and he suggested that it was probably due to the large number of searches that are done with her name. Makes sense, so what would a fee market, pro-business, largely conservative blogger like myself write about Britney? Well, here a few possible topics:

* "Britney Without Panties -- Good for the undergarment Industry or Bad for Wall Street?" (or the other way around). I've seen so much mention of her choice (or lack of choice) of underwear, and to hear the comments, one would almost think this is important. From how many stories I have seen on it, it appears we have had several slow news days.

* "Britney's Step by Step Guide to Winning Child Custody in a Divorce." Such a book would be only one or two pages long and with very large print, but if they changed it to "How Not To..." it would be encyclopedic in scope.

* "To Fade Away or to Crash and Burn: Britney Weighs Her Options." Britney strikes me as simply one in a long series of teeny bop stars who either disappear or crash and burn. She seemed to try the former and is now out working the latter, but I wonder if either is working for her.

In the end, I will simply write that I don't really care, though I hope she becomes a decent parent for her children and figures out how to be happy. I also hope I get picked up in more Google searches, since she remains the center of so many conversations.

Which States Are Hot? Which States Are Not? And Most Importantly, Why?

Recently, Bloomberg announced which states are hot -- in terms of population growth and decline -- and which states are not, but there is not a great deal of explanation as to why. The top 10 states for increasing population (between July 2006 and July 2006) are:

Arizona 213,311 3.6%

Nevada 83,228 3.5%

Idaho 37,098 2.6%

Georgia 231,388 2.5%

Texas 579,275 2.5%

Utah 59,729 2.4%

North Carolina 184,046 2.1%

Colorado 90,082 1.9%

Florida 321,697 1.8%

South Carolina 74,316 1.7%

There are several unique characteristics about these population shifts:

* They are often huge. Texas gained over 500,000 in one year! This is absolutely significant. This is not only due to the horrible affects of Katrina that hit in the summer of '05, but because of the huge number of businesses that have relocated to the state.

* All of these states lean Republican or are very Republican. Republican strategists lips salivate when they think of these population shifts to their state. This means more Congressional seats moving to their states and away (as you will see later) from Democrat states. However, they may be surprised by the long term results, as I will explain later.

* They are all in the West or (even more so) the South. This has been a trend that has persisted for decades and continues to be the case. Politically, the implications of this are significant. All of our Presidents since John F. Kennedy have been from Texas, California, Georgia, and Arkansas. The only exception to this trend was Gerald Ford, who was from Michigan. But remember, he was not elected.

What about states that have seen decline?

Connecticut 4,108 0.1%

Mississippi 2,044 0.1%

Ohio 7,321 0.1%

Massachusetts 3,826 0.1%

New York -9,538 0.0%

Michigan -5,190 -0.1%

District of Columbia -519 -0.1%

Rhode Island -5,969 -0.6%

Louisiana -219,563 -4.9%

So what can we observe about the decline of these states?

* They are in predominantly Democratic states. Five of these bottom 10 are strong Blue states. Only two are consistently Red (Louisiana and Mississippi) whose decline can be attributed to Katrina, which hit in the summer of 2005. This, again, makes Republicans excited and Democrats concerned, but the long term implications could prove different.

* They are on the East Coast and Midwest. With the exception of Louisiana and Mississippi, all of these are in the East Coast and Midwest, which have also suffered when it comes to political prestige.

What are the lessons learned?

I believe that the political and economic environment of many of these states have become so hostile to entrepreneurship and economic growth, people are voting with their feet in a quest to find better jobs and opportunities. Michigan has taken a pounding for decades (my family was among the "Michiganders" who flew South to flee the rust belt in the 1970s) and continues to face economic pressures due to unions that international competitors never have to encounter. New York and Connecticut are noted for their constant regulatory pressures they apply on business, forcing many to have little choice but to leave. The list goes on, people are leaving these states on the quest for economic freedom and they feel as though they are finding them in the above top ten states.

I believe Republicans, who appear to be the winners in these shifts, should be cautious in their enthusiasm. I remember when I worked as an aide for US Senator Gordon Humphrey (R-NH). That state had become extremely Republican by the 1980s and was enjoying growth as people fled the disastrous political and economic situation in Massachusetts just to the South. Eventually New Hampshire became Democratic as people moved who knew there were things wrong with their home state -- taxes, crime, etc. -- but didn't realize that the people they were voting for was the source of their problems. So once they moved to a new promise land, they brought the same terrible policies with them.

The future looks bright for Republican states on paper, but this will only be the case if new voters support the very policies that have made these states so attractive in the first place.

Steve Hansen, Jim Stein, Ralph Fain on the Houston Business Show

One of my favorite activities is to spend time visiting with listeners during the Houston Business Show. In spite of the weather here in Houston today and the some what ghost town feeling as people celebrate Martin Luther King Day, I've got excellent guests lined up for this week's show.

Steve Hansen of Summit Financial Resources has been helping my audience learn how to finance their business -- and work towards a relationship with a bank -- for two years. On today's show he will be discussing a new product Summit is making available to clients. Learn more about Steve, who is a Houston Business Show Advisor, at Houston Business Review.

Jim Stein of the Bank of Houston (photo) is on today to discuss a new branch of the financial institution that will open in Memorial later this year. This will make three locations for the fast growing bank with offices just West of the Galleria and in the River Oaks area. The bank has grown 10 fold since it started just two years ago.

Finally, Ralph Fain, the Houston Business Show's business brokering expert, will be discussing the three ways people can own their own business -- starting from scratch, purchasing a pre-existing business, or by purchasing a franchise. This is an excellent way to begin 2007, as people consider ways of making this a great year for themselves financially. You can learn more about Ralph at the Houston Business Review.

Check out this and other programs, 24/7 at our Houston Business Show archive.

Even Bibles Affected by Technological Revolution

I really don't like to carry things around if I can avoid it, even my Bible to church. It isn't so much that I'm lazy, I just tend to leave them some place or feel like I have to continually take mental notes as to where they are. So for years now I would go to church and look at the big screen which would spoon feed the verses that were central to the sermon of the day.

In the old days, I would like to read with the Pastor, even in a different translation, just to get other perspectives. I would like to read passages around it in order to better understand the context in which it was written. But convenience has consistently beaten this instinct.

Until now. It wasn't planned, but at church yesterday I thought about my little pda that I have been writing so much about lately, and used it to go to a website I was familiar with called "Bible Gateway." I looked at the church bulletin, saw the verses for the day, had them read before the sermon began, and even was able to look at them in a few different translations. The site had dozens of translations available, which would have been very difficult for a person to carry around.

I believe there will always be a place for printed Bibles, I know I prefer to thumb through one at the comfort of home (but it is often with this website near because of the resources it has available). But I also have little doubt that powerful hand held devices that can quickly get me where I want to go, will affect this industry as well. It is a brave new world for everyone and everything, even something as old as the Bible.

Barbara Boxer's War on Civility and the Rights of Women

Barbara Boxer (D-CA) struck a blow against civility and the rights of women in her recent confrontation with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who was before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, discussing the war in Iraq. During the discussion, the Senator challenged the Secretary of State's sense of empathy by implying that since Ms. Rice has no children of her own, she couldn't understand the pain other families are experiencing who are sacrificing for the war.

This type of statement was used for decades by certain groups to oppress other groups. Many men use to argue that women couldn't succeed in business because they didn't understand the male dominated world. Barbara Boxer would have rightly said that such a proposition is ridiculous, but she seems to be using the exact same logic now. I feel sorry for young women who might hear her quote and be confused by the messages she is sending.

Also, the tone of the discussion was incredibly rude. Secretary Rice is one of the highest ranking officials in the US government and there was a time when individuals honored such offices, even if they didn't particularly like the person. This seems to be something that Senator Boxer has forgotten.

I believe that any human who has experienced the lost of a friend or loved one, which I'm sure the Secretary (like the rest of us) falls in that category, can understand the idea of lost and it is arrogant for anyone to question another person's sense of compassion based on whether they are parents.

The Senator has embraced some old approaches that we are all gladly did away with years ago in her use of discriminating remarks. Meanwhile she has abandoned one idea that I hope we always adhere to -- good old fashion manners. It is my hope she turns these around and begins by apologizing to the Secretary and to the many people who had to hear and see her inappropriate behavior.

National Center for Policy Analysis is Idea Central

One of my favorite organizations for years has been the National Center for Policy Analysis. I often find myself too busy to spend time reading their articles or visiting their website, but every time I do they never disappoint. It seems everything I read of theirs provides a "eureka" moment and my understanding of the subject I am studying increases dramatically.

Recently I spent some time on their site and read an insightful article by the organization's Chairman, former Governor Pete du Pont (R-DE). du Pont (photo) was my choice for President in 1988 as the brilliant leader told people the truth about the problems the nation faced and the necessary policies to change the status quo. He told farmers in Iowa that subsidies was actually hurting agriculture both in the US and around the world and he told seniors that Social Security needed to be reformed in order for future generations to be able to benefit. He always told the hard truths, which may be why his candidacy didn't catch on. Even to this day I would gladly get on a Pete du Pont bandwagon.

In his recent article in Opinion Journal (from the Wall Street Journal), the former Governor pointed out that, if they thought things were bad under the Republicans in Congress, wait until the Democrats pursue their policy objectives. The following is a quick summary of two of their goals:

* Social Security. In ten years, Social Security will be paying out more than it is brining in, which will find the system in a crisis beyond rhetoric. We should obviously do something about it today. The Republicans wanted to look at options that empowered individuals to become investors in the economy by being able to have their "contributions" turn into real investments through private initiatives; resulting in an expanding economy, serious return on the money put into the system, and numerous other positive effectives. The Democrats are talking tax increases which will hurt job development when businesses are forced to match Social Secutiry tax and raising the age, which will discriminate against minorities who already suffer from the current system. The Democrats, in essence, desire more of the same policies that have failed for years.

* Tax Increases. The Republicans are opposed to such and point to long term economic expansion and low unemployment as examples of how the recent tax cuts have worked. Not only have they contributed to economic growth, they have led to revenue increases by spurring on taxable economic activity. While the Democrats want to exact huge largesse from every small economic action through excessive taxation, Republicans take a Wal-Mart approach, by making a little off of so much more activity. If the Democrats really want to reduce the deficit, they would never touch the tax cuts. They declare that taxes must go up, no matter how much harm they do. It isn't because of efficiency, but envy; because the Democrats simply seem to despise econonomic freedom.

The former Governor goes on to examine spending increases, protectionism, and more showing a clear difference between the two parties. Because of the President's veto pen and their slim majority in Congress, it is unlikely that the Democrats will be successful in their policy objectives (except for the possibility of reversing the tax cuts and minimum wage increases), but what they will provide through their policy initiatives is a great road map of what the future will be if the Democrats ever win a governing majority and a sobering warning to everyone who would consider such an option.

The National Center is one of the greatest resources of ideas in the public policy market today and I'm glad that it is out there helping to successfully wage a war of ideas.

Creepy Hand or Smart Looking Button? That Was Easy!

I'm sure I am being very culturally biased here, but I always thought that Office Depot was a bigger player in office supplies than Staples, simply because the latter doesn't have a store (to my knowledge) in Houston where I live. After seeing the new ad campaign by Office Depot, however, I have to assume I was very wrong. For quite some time Staples have done a nifty little campaign that has included an "easy button." In their commercials, offices are getting completely organized with the click of a button. What wasn't true, was at least effective, in the eyes of this consumer of office supplies.

Then, out of what appears to be desperation, Office Depot has made one of the biggest mistakes a competitor can make (in my opinion), which is to try to make their own cute mascot in response to someone else. It has "me too" written all over it and it is a wide spread public confession that the button was working.

To make matters worse, Office Depot's mascot is absolutely creepy and is a flashback to the hand from the Munsters episodes that I remember as a kid. I loved that series and I still enjoy looking at old ones today, but I certainly wouldn't want a little hand like they had helping me around the office or the store. This week, sadly, actress Yvonne De Carlo who played Lillian in that great series passed away. I think, in honor of the actress -- and in hope of saving their business -- Office Depot should put their creepy little hand out to pasture.

Creepy versus smart? In the words of the Staples' commercials, "that was easy!"

Some of the Odd Side Benefits of a Dash or Blackberry

I mentioned earlier in this blog that I recently purchased T-Mobile's version of a Blackberry called the Dash. I also sounded like a kid in the candy store due to the purchase. Well the rave reviews continue, though for very odd reasons. Here are a few new reasons why I love my Dash:

* My office computer actually feels fast after waiting for the Windows on my Dash. I haven't experienced that feeling in a long time.

* The Dash screen is so small it feels like I'm looking at a movie screen when I am in front of the monitor at my office (wow, look at the detail!).

* I really appreciate the ability to open multiple windows on my office computer, which is a dream on my Dash.

I won't even discuss the obvious differences in the keyboards (advocates of evolution, watch carefully the thumbs of future generations).

In spite of these odd compliments, I still love the Dash and am excited about my ability to keep in touch in a way I was never able to do so before. But it was also nice to be able to appreciate my old stand by in a way I hadn't in a long time.

I Want to Play -- Er, Work -- at Google

Fortune Magazine's annual list of the best companies to work at was topped by Google and the difference between this generous company and others (even those on the list) is huge The following is a short list of some of the great things about life (and work) at the search engine giant:

* free gourmet meals from several different restaurants

* the ability to do your laundry, at no cost

* a place to drop off your dry cleaning

* one can get an oil change and get a massage all onsite

* one can enjoy a huge game room

* work is such a comfortable place that it is sometimes difficult to get Google employees to leave the office

This last item is a plus for the company and the "payoff" to Google for its generosity. The company has employees who don't have to be told to work over time, they are glad to do it in order to meet the company's objectives. Not only are employees pleased to work there, thousands are eager to get hired (with 1,300 applications coming in daily to chase down about that number of jobs available each year). People are well aware of the fact they have a really good thing.

I think Google is a great place a work and an excellent example to businesses around the world. They choose to do it, not merely for altruism, but to make it one of the most competitive companies in the world.

Entering the 21st Century

It feels as though I have finally entered the 21st century. I purchased a truly modern cell phone. I thought about buying a Blackberry, but never really thought I would need it. It seemed like over kill, but I purchased the T-Mobile Dash, which has most of the same bells and whistles, but at a lower price than the Blackberry.

It has it all -- web access, multi-media, easy to use email, etc. It is almost like a mini-computer (not to mention a top of the line cell phone, video player, etc.). Like any new technology -- cell phones, DVDs, computers, etc. -- you eventually wondered how you got by without such for all those years. That feeling came within about 30 minutes of getting my hands on a Dash. In fact, I felt stupid waiting so long to buy a phone like it (and I'm now looking at even better equipped phones, but please don't tell my wife).

One of my biggest interests are the major technological and other trends that are changing the economy and society. I love to chronicle them in this blog. With the purchase of a Dash, I can safely say that old cell phones are history as the proliferation of such technology drives the price of these phones down and the envy spreads as people share their phones with others. Another victim of this technology will be the old media such as print (newspapers, magazines and probably even books). With this browser and its ability to make the pages conform to the screen (e.g., this blog looks great on my Dash), I will read what I want, when I want, and such technology will make print publications obsolete. With multi-media capabilities, radio and TV will continue to be challenged by technology like the Dash. It is truly a brave new world of technology.

From the Houston Business Show Studios...

I'm writing today's blog entry from the studios of the Houston Business Show high above the city of Houston (at CNN 650). Yes, it sounds glamorous and it is true that we are high in the sky (around the 19th floor and fantastic view), but the actual studio I do the show from is smaller than my closet. In fact, a regular joke among personalities associated with the station is that we "come out of the closet" after each program.

On today's program, the first live one from 2007, I visited with Jim Stein of the Bank of Houston, which is a title sponsor of the show. The Bank of Houston is built on the concept that "everything old is new again." Back "in the old days," banks were born out of the neighborhoods they operated in and were built on the concept of relationship banking. Today, that largely seems to be little more than a nifty advertising slogan for most financial institutions. That is where the Bank of Houston differs, it truly is a bank of and for Houston.

Being a new year, I wanted to help individuals get organized with our first program and with that I had Holly Uverity of Office Organizers and Shahara Wright of The Wright Law Firm on about getting one's office and legal issues, in order for 2007. Both of these ladies are also Houston Business Show Advisors with articles at the Houston Business Review.

Holly emphasized the importance of making the beginning of the year a great opportunity to get one's business together. That process usually begins with developing the necessary systems to make your business more organized and effective. Being organized saves a business both time and money and makes it more productive.

Shahara discussed the fact that people are under going constant changes, but often fail to make sure their legal situation keeps up with them. Often, when a new business partner is being added to a firm or an individual gets married, people seem too busy to have the legal paper work reflect those changes. Spending time evaluating the previous year, and considering what changes are necessary, is a great way to begin the month of January.

Remember, you can hear the Houston Business Show 24/7 and around the world by visiting our archive.

Donald Trump Finds Himself in the News for a Good Cause

Lately, almost all the news on Donald Trump as of late has been bad, so it was refreshing to see him in line giving praise and even money to Wesley Autry, the 50 year old man who jumped on a New York subway rail in order to rescue a young man who was suffering from a seizure. With only seconds to spare he saved the day and provided an example that is inspirational to all of us.

Donald Trump gave the 50 year old construction worker $10,000.00 as a reward for his heroics. In return, Trump received, what I'm sure, is a warm and fuzzy feeling for his act of kindness and newspapers all over the world reporting on his goodwill gesture. Countries included New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, and many more wrote articles about his action. I believe that people are fairly cynical, and the media more so than most, but I saw virtually no questioning of Trump's motives. We should all want to praise Autry for such a selfless, heroic, and inspirational act and am glad to see such behavior rewarded in light of the trash we see that appears to be profitable.

I went ahead and did a little research to see how many references I could find on Donald's generosity in Google's news section and using very specific search criteria, I found over 680 references and as I mentioned earlier, they were all over the world. You can't buy publicity like that! Unless you are Donald Trump, than you can do it for a mere $10,000.00.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't entirely critical. He made a nice gesture. I'm just amazed how he always seems to turn a profit, no matter what his actions.

Minimum Wage Increase is Still a Bad Idea

The new US Congress has convened and about the only issue that is being discussed as achievable is a minimum wage increase. Back in August 2006 I wrote a blog entry about this subject and virtually everything in it is the same now as it was then...minimum wage increases do far more harm than good. The only thing that doesn't hold up is that I indicated Republicans might support it in order to get reelected in 2006. You saw how well it helped them when they tried to express approval of it in the last election cycle. Instead, I sadly expect Republicans to get back on this bandwagon again in hope for a payoff in 2008.

Instead of simply rewriting my thoughts here, I resubmit to you my thoughts from August 11, 2006. Minimum wage is still minimal thinking.

Barack Obama Comes Down to Earth

The media darling, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), has recently been on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which has become a regular ritual of those pursuing the White House (in the old days it was Face the Nation). He is being treated like a rock star and seems to be enjoying it, but the microscope that eventually follows all Presidential candidates now seems to be pursuing him.

In 1995 at the ripe old age of 34 (yes, that's right, 34), Obama wrote a memoir (Dreams from My Father) in which he admitted to drug use, including cocaine. Immediately journalists have begun to question whether this was just the tip of the iceberg. He denies any other activity that could be embarrassing, but since he was under the influence he can't really remember. Okay, the second half of that last line was a joke, and not true. The kind of joke you will likely hear on late night TV and will tarnish his star power and bring him -- either quickly or slowly -- back to earth.

This will only be the beginning. In spite of how charismatic he is, Obama is extremely liberal and will likely find it difficult to defend policy positions that are outside the mainstream on many Americans. Than there are accusations of being connected with Antoin Rezco, who has been accused of influence peddling and faces such charges as I write (although there is no evidence of wrong doing by the Senator, the relationship is there).

This isn't meant to say that Obama won't be a significant player in the 2008 Presidential campaign, but that he has largely enjoyed a free ride. That free ride is quickly coming to an end with each passing day. Welcome back to earth, Senator.

You Know It Is a New Year When...

Happy New Year! And just to prove that it is officially that time of the year, I wanted to point out a few indicators:

* You know that it is a new year when virtually every commercial on TV deals with smoking, over eating, drinking, and every other vice that people swore they would give up just a week or so ago.

* You know it is a new year when you receive several notices from non-profit organizations indicating how much they suffered during the holiday season.

* You know it is a new year when you finally find your resolutions you made a year ago under that stack of paper that you had as item #1 to organize last year. No, you didn't finally get around to organizing it, it just fell in an avalanche when you put on one more sheet of paper.

* You know it is a new year when that car you bought last year looks terribly outdated. Ditto on your shoes, suits, sports equipment, etc.

* Finally, you know it is a new year when every check you date needs to be corrected. We finally get it right around July!

Any way, Happy New Year!

I'm Back and Happy New Years!

I predicted very accurately that I was stuck and would be until I returned. We had a great trip, visited the San Antonio River Walk (which looked beautiful with its many Christmas lights), played several board games (including Risk, which brings out the worst and best in me), and ate way more food than is necessary. This last point led me to make many resolutions that, sadly, I have already broken. But there's always next year!

2006 was one of the most productive and exciting years I have enjoyed in a long time. I saw enormous changes in my family and business -- most of which were very positive -- that should provide much to build on in 2007. One of the more enjoyable things I've done and one that has contributed significantly to my professional life, has been this blog I've now seen excerpts of it in foreign languages and quoted around the world, showing how powerful the Web is and how small it has made the planet.

It is my hope that 2007 is a great year for you, one that makes you prosperous and productive and I look forward to spending much of it right here with you at this blog. Happy New Year!