NY Times has a great blog post on how to book travel online. Here’s how I book domestic travel with defined dates: Check mileage programs – see if a saver ticket is available (generally 25k for a roundtrip). If so, book, but watch out for fees, especially if within 3
Continue readingFree Kindle to Amazon Prime subscribers: good idea, but will it be profitable?
TechCrunch broke the story of Amazon‘s plans to give a free Kindle to all Amazon Prime subscribers. I love the forward thinking by Steve Bezos. Cell phone companies have been doing this for years – free cell phone with a contract. Could he leverage a similar formula for his Prime
Continue readingAnother reason magazine advertising is dying
Add this one to the list of reasons companies will continue to reduce magazine ad spend: I was reading the Jan-Feb 2010 edition of Harvard Business Review and came across this gem: If Accenture, who dropped Tiger Woods back in mid-December, can’t alter an ad 2 months before distribution, you
Continue readingDraft Texas for the Pac 10
Recently, the Pac-10 announced it would explore conference expansion. Tied to this were negotiations for a new TV deal, and perhaps an exclusive station (a la Big Ten Network). This news comes on the heels of the Big 10 announcing it will expand to 12 (or more) teams in the
Continue readingInitial thoughts on “Google Buzz”
Facebook is shaking in its boots. They have a great platform, but haven’t monetized it yet. And then Google swoops in with a tremendous value proposition called “Buzz.” In short: Integrates various programs inside and outside of Google, including Gmail, Picasa, Twitter, and Reader No friend-ing needed. People you email
Continue readingImpact of Super Bowl on web traffic
I wondered what would happen to web activity during the Super Bowl. My hypothesis was that with the proliferation of web-enabled cell devices, activity would pick up as people comment about the game and the ads via Twitter, Facebook, and other social media tools. Plus, I’ve seen more and more
Continue readingA Tunnel would cost $9 per rider it generates for Eastside light rail
Looking at the financials for light rail in Bellevue, the Tunnel option just doesn’t make fiscal sense. Here are the numbers… A tunnel would cost 77% more than the Vision Line ($430 MM more). While many claim the Vision Line would reduce ridership, the Transit study determined that ridership would
Continue readingIt’s El Nino, not global warming, driving warm weather in the Pacific Northwest
I was standing outside my office yesterday during an unseasonably warm, sunny, winter day. It’s been that way for the past month, and I have no complaints. A co-worker walked by and we both commented about the beautiful day. However, she said it’s sad for the environment that global warming
Continue readingHas the library turned into a glorified Blockbuster?
I love the library. I currently have 4 books checked out, 3 holds placed, and 1 reserved waiting for me to check out. The Bellevue branch in particular is a specimen of beauty. However, in the election next week, I’m hesitant to blindly check “yes” to support the tax increase
Continue reading“The Conversation” gets it right
I’ve never been a fan of talk radio. Both sides (liberal and conservative) rant and rave about their positions and don’t listen to other perspectives. There’s no incentive to present facts or honest debate because that’s not what sells – the bombast always wins out, whether it’s Al Frankin or
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