Archive for March, 2009
Feedback on 3-31-09 Issue of “Work Is Not for Sissies”
Tuesday, March 31st, 2009Who Else Is Profiting from a Down Economy?
Monday, March 30th, 2009“Escapist literature”. Sales of Harlequin Romances rose $3 million in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Who Else Is Profiting from a Down Economy?
Sunday, March 29th, 2009Sales at Burpee, the world’s biggest seed company, are expected to jump 25 percent in 2009, while veggie seed sales at Park Seed are up 20 percent this year from 2008. More people are gardening to grow their own vegetables.
Sexting Girls Facing Porn Charge Sue D.A.
Saturday, March 28th, 2009Well, you knew it had to happen. Click on this link to see the legal battle brewing on this…
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/27/earlyshow/main4896577.shtml
Why I Love a Recession
Friday, March 27th, 2009One reason I love a recession is because it forces businesses to think outside the box, and get better at what they do. Today we held the “Give Me Money Please” seminar (on how to get people to pay their past due accounts) as a teleseminar for the first time. The first time I did that program as a regular seminar was in 1991, and I kept doing it until 2006. We put it on the back burner then because it wasn’t pulling well anymore. But we decided the time was right to bring it back in 2009, and decided to test it first as a teleseminar. It was by far the toughest program for my copywriting team to write the promotions for, because the subject matter is so different from most of our programs. But holy moly did it ever work. It did better as a teleseminar, on its first time out nonetheless, than it ever did in 16 years as a semianr. It was the third most successful teleseminar we’ve ever done, and it came very close to eclipsing #2, which is on how to do performance evaluations (How to Manage Problem Employees is still #1). And we would have never tried it if it weren’t for the “bad economy”.
Should People Be Drug Tested Before Getting Government Benefits?
Thursday, March 26th, 2009It’s not often that I get excited about legislators doing something right, but this one is such a no brainer that even politicians get it – at least some. Eight states are considering laws requiring people to pass drug tests before they can get AFDC (welfare), unemployment benefits, or food stamps. My only question is, “What’s wrong with the other 42 states?” And for the record, my home state of Tennessee is NOT one of the eight states smart enough to take this tough love approach.
The Best and Worst Places to Find a Job
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009A new quarterly survey from Forbes has come up with a tally of the best and worst places to seek work in spring 2009.
Among the best spots:
Yakima, WA
Kennewick, WA
Anchorage, AK
Amarillo, TX
Sioux Falls, SD
Barnstable Town, MA
Meanwhile, the cities with the worst job outlooks:
Cape Coral/Ft. Myers, FL
San Juan, PR
Port St. Lucie, FL
Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Pompano Beach, FL
Santa Barbara/Santa Maria/Goleta, CA
Naples/Marco Island, FL
Los Angeles/Long Beach/Santa Ana, CA
Charleston, SC
Tallahassee, FL
Hickory/Lenior/Morganton, NC
Feedback on 3-24-09 Issue of “Work Is Not for Sissies”
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009WalMart Awards $2 Billion to Its Employees
Monday, March 23rd, 2009If you’re tired of hearing about those Wall Street CEOs who ran their companies into the ground and then paid themselves millions of dollars of bonuses, wash your ears out with this. WalMart is awarding approximately $2 billion to its U.S. hourly employees, including handing out $933.6 million in bonuses, $788.8 million in profit sharing and 401(k) contributions, millions of dollars in merchandise discounts, and contributions to its employee stock purchase plan.
For its fiscal year ending January 31, 2009, Wal-Mart’s total sales rose 7.2%, and its employees are benefitting. A year ago, WalMart awarded almost $1.2 billion in its U.S. hourly employees. Contrary to what some of the protesters are claiming, capitalism is NOT evil and it’s not about greed. It’ s about competition and making a profit.
Pilots needed – No Flying Experience Necessary
Sunday, March 22nd, 2009Nope, I’m not kidding. Click on this link: