9.30.2005

Episode 107 for Friday, September 30, 2005

Shownotes:
News: Freeways Cause Asthma, ADHD or Lack of Sleep?, Ritalin New Drug of Choice on Campus, Tonsil Removal as Lifestyle Nervana
Music: "Princess Of Willowcrest" by John McCloy, "Fine Mess" by PJ Smith, "Blister" by Christian Nesmith

-Wipes Use #20: Karate Respect
-New Segment: TOONTEST!
-Listener Feedback

Here's the direct link to the show (warning: its a LONG one) but PLEASE subscribe through the Podsafe Music Network, iTunes, or Odeo. Thanks, Muchly!

9.22.2005

Episode 106 for Friday, September 23, 2005

Shownotes...
News: No Cell Phones for New Drivers, Minivans Suck in Rear-End Crash Tests, CA Gov. Outlaws Junk Food in Schools, Babies Having Babies and Killing Them, More on Gravelle Caged Kid Story
Music: Cool Waters Band. "2 Car Garage" from music.podshow.com, Jordan Doucette, "Never Good Enough", Tony Deziel, "Jilly Bean" from Garageband.com.

PLEASE keep those comments coming! Here's the LINK to download, but your subscription is important. Puh-leeeease subscribe at music.podshow.com or iTunes...THANKS!

9.18.2005

Evan the Engineer


Most kids his age want to be engineers - the kind that drive trains - not my boy. He wants nothing more than to goof off with the mic and the on-board reverb effects. He'll sit there for hours playing with knobs and making all kinds of creative noises. You've heard some of his 'original content' on the podcast.


My apologies for the late post of episode 105.
There were 'feed issues' which have been resolved by the responsible party (not me! I swear!)

Episode 105 for Saturday, September 17, 2005

Shownotes:
News: 11 Kids sleeping in cages, Botox for infants, Kids not adults tending the elderly, Students coping with tech overload, Des Moines as a fashion megalopolis...
Music: Justin Hopkins, "Last In Line", Stone Melodies, "This I Know", The Brothers, "Sparks"...
Goofy's Speedway and Use#18 - Splinter Remover!

Click Here for a link to the show...but PLEASE subscribe at Odeo, iTunes or my favorite, music.podshow.com...THANK YOU!

9.15.2005

blog-o-spam

Sorry to those who are commenters on the site, here. I had to turn on the spam protection, because I was getting comments posted, like "Love your blog...you'd be interested in my blog, www.buymyproduct.com"

I have no objection to marketing per se, but do it in your own space!

(my apologies to those who are regulars to this site...if you see 'comment deleted' messages, now you know why)

9.10.2005

Episode 104 For Saturday, September 10, 2005

Shownotes: Kids as Marketing Tools
News-NCMEC creates website to reunite families after Katrina, Parents aren't talking to School Counselors, High-tech kid-tracking, Michigan follows Illinois with violent video game bill
Music-Alva Star, "Adore", Bascom Hill, "Angels Weep", Sweet Crystal, "Looking Back" (Garageband.com)
Soundseeing Tour of Toontown!
Here's the link to the show, but please subscribe at iTunes, Odeo or PodsafeNusicNetwork! Thanks!

9.07.2005

Marketing 101: Kids Made to SELL

My son just started Kindergarten. He's very excited about the prospect of going to school to learn, get knowledge, and become a marketing powerhouse on the playground.

He's there two lousy weeks and his backpack is already being bombarded with fund-raising materials he can't even read yet!

I'm no idiot. I know this stuff is targeted at me and my wife. And mind you, I have no objections to fund raising in general, or selling in particular. Economies depend on somebody buying something from somebody else. What I do object to is the product choices, the prices, the goals for reward and the lack of suitable sales training.

Let's examine each of these points.
(1) Product Choices: the word "suck" comes to mind in this context. Ugly wrapping paper, seeds for plants that have no chance for survival in this part of the country, childrens books that look like recycled free leaflets at the health center.

(2) Price: With terrible product, even the cutest child will meet with rejection and door slams, which I think is fabulous lesson to teach a 5-year-old - NOT. Add to that the laughable markup charged for the products being peddled, and we have a recipe for esteem-crushing disaster.

(3) Goals: Sell 3000 of item-X (usually the highest-priced and lowest perceived value item) and we'll send you to Disney World! Of course if you do the math, you'll find that you just made $5,000 for the charity, $50,000 for the company providing the materiel, and they're giving you a prize valued at more than the charity makes! Anybody else see a problem with this formula?

4) Lack of Sales Training: With bad product, high prices, and ridiculous goals that can only be met my rich mommy and daddy buying the stuff, kids are set up from the start for disappointment and heartbreak, And anybody who says knocking on doors of total strangers pitching junk is "fun and exciting" will get an earful from me! The schools don't teach kids "how" to sell this junk, they just expect them to "know" how.

I hope that's not the approach they take with reading or math.

9.03.2005

Episode 103 For Saturday, September 03, 2005

Shownotes:
News: Helmet recall, milk can stop tooth decay, "Bladderman", talking to your kids about disasters
Music: Garageband.com - NEA, "Out of Grace"; Peter Matthews, "Wipe off the Dirt"; music.podshow.com - Adrina Thorpe, "Did You Think"
Use#17, shout out for Matthew and Dougie in Glasgow

Here's a link to the show here but please subscribe to the show at iTunes, odeo.com or music.podshow.com. Thanks!

9.02.2005

In the Eye of the Storm

A very close friend of mine just retired to enjoy his senior years in his favorite part of the world - New Orleans.

Fortunately he was in California visiting friends and missed the impact of Katrina's wrath firsthand.

His fiance, however, did not make the trip.

The home they are building together is gone. The life they are building together has an uncertain future.

Ralph, if you can read this, you and Fedilia are in our hearts and prayers. Take Care, my friend.

Please click here and visit my feed site and click the Red Cross banner and donate. Please.