October 31, 2006

E-Ching for the Day

"We must not endorse a system where it is profitable to do nothing."
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October 30, 2006

The Tipping Point: Part Five

If people started holding the door for people more often, displaying a high-level of courtesy, would we begin to see a decline in traffic accidents? This is the backwards thinking we have to start looking for.
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October 30, 2006

The Tipping Point: Part Four

The Tipping Point for civil rights was arguably a single man. Martin Luther King, Jr. Are there currently any injustices close to the magnitude of that one still going on in our country today? Something that needs to be tipped to bring it out into the mainstream?
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October 27, 2006

The Tipping Point: Part Three

What could the tipping point be for a third political party? People are definitely sick of the current two. But, an independent vote (save the case of Joe Lieberman) is typically a complete waste. And right now, when people think third party, they think green, environment, pot. I would suggest a different party. Perhaps a true John F. Kennedy party, or a true Ronald Reagan party, even though both Democrats and Republicans, respectively, claim these icons as their own, they're really not. What could tip it? Could it be a candidate's personality? Could it be a push back to state rights? Thoughts?
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October 26, 2006

E-Silly’s Joke of the Day:

"My father is a staunch believer in hard work. That's why the only handouts he gives to homeless people are pistachios."
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October 25, 2006

The Tipping Point: Part Two

Please read yesterday's post before this one. What I am looking for are possible "Tipping Point" suggestions for curing an ill in society, or furthering a good. My suggestion for today looks at the ill of prostitution in our society. Policies made over the years to quench prostitution have ranged from legalizing it, to raising the minimum wage to de-incentivize it, to religious protestors yelling God's wrath at them. But, to little success, there has not yet been a tipping point that has "cured" prostitution. How 'bout this? People start calling up escort services, hiring out a lady for the evening, and treating her like it's your first date with a movie star. Take her out to a nice dinner, a movie perhaps, and ask her about her life. No goodnight kiss either gents. What could that do?
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October 24, 2006

The Tipping Point: Part One

The Tipping Point, written by Malcom Gladwell, discusses how the effects of a seemingly "small" thing can be the tipping point that turns a virus into an epidemic, for things both good and bad. You may have heard of the 'broken windows' theory. Studies found that crime rates go up drastically in neighborhoods where there are broken windows in houses and buildings. So, instead of hiring more policeman, some cities have simply been replacing windows in run-down areas to tremendous success. (Note: Some people use the 'broken windows' theory to say that people are not responsible for their actions since their actions are only a result of their environment...that's not where I'm going with this.) New York City had a crime problem on the subway. Some guy suggested repainting all of the trains and repainting the cars the second they were graffiti vandalized. The crime rates plummeted. A particular STD in the city of Philadelphia spread rapidly in a short period of time. It turned out that a half-dozen homosexual men were by and large the culprits. AirWalks, a shoe for skateboarders became wildy popular overnight, and can be attributed to a few skateboarders in California. The big idea is that it's the little ideas that can go a long way. These ideas have captivated marketers, trying to determine how they can 'tip' their product. But, how 'bout we try discussing how we can do something little that can stop, start or cause something big. Let's go.
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October 23, 2006

Walmart: The Start of the Future

I watched an independent documentary last night entitled, WalMart: The High Cost of Low Price. The film made some very good points and defaming accusations about the legality of WalMart's practices, those that WalMart certainly needs to change. Such as forcing workers to work off the clock, well, maybe that was the only one. But, most of the film centered upon the small hardware stores that were closing because WalMart came to town. A common argument by these small store owners was, "I'm no communist, but this just isn't fair." They're right. It's not 'fair'. And it is sad that these owners felt like they could do the same thing for 43 years and stay in business. But, the people have spoken, and they have chosen the giant stores. They are showing that they value inexpensive goods over friendly service and professional expertise. So, my question is, "If WalMart started acting completely legally in its hiring and compensation practices", do you have a compelling economic (NOT SOCIAL) reason against the WalMartization of the world? That's what I rented the movie to find, and I didn't.
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October 20, 2006

Invention: Athletic Soled Dress Shoes

To be sold at Business Casual, athletic soled dress shoes will give the appearance of fancy, business appropriate footwear while being comfortable enough on the inside to play basketball in.
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October 19, 2006

E-Ching for the Day

"The will of the people is always right."
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