Friday, April 1, 2011

Goats Grazing Gritty Streets

Police have captured five goats that were wandering the streets of a gritty northern New Jersey city.

Chief Animal Control Officer John DeCando, munching on a pork sandwich, tells The Record newspaper that a woman called Paterson police after nearly hitting the herd with her car at 2:30 a.m. Thursday.

Police took the goats to the animal shelter. They'll stay there until they are sent to an undisclosed farm to live out their days.

DeCando says he believes someone was keeping them for an Easter meal or a sacrifice. It's illegal to keep farm animals in Paterson. They probably knew that.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Airlines to Load on More Fees

Oil futures are not the only source of additional fees for airline service. In their insatiable drive to find new ways to dig out profits, airlines will be charging for more services. Some of which you may have taken for granted. The new standard of checked bags, snacks, competitive seat selection and other now standard fees brought in $22 billion last year. Spirit Air derives 27% of its revenue from these fee sources:

This has, well, excited airline executives to the possibility of more revenue and some of those new sources may be as follows:

Infants riding in a parent's lap: Domestic flights could start charging the same kinds of fees (10% of an adult fare) that are charged for lap-riding infants on international flights.
Using a credit card: Cash-paying customers would get a 3% discount, effectively charging a 3% fee to credit card customers.
Checked baggage based on weight: Instead of paying a flat rate for your checked bags, the fees would be based on the weight of each item.
Carry-on bags: Spirit Airlines already began charging for some carry-on items last year. Don't be shocked if more carriers follow suit.
A pre-ordered champagne brunch in economy class. Well that’s worth it.
Weather related flight cancellation insurance.
Upscale meals delivered in coach.
In-flight movies.
Wi-Fi
A new “economy comfort zone” or “economy plus” premium coach seats designed for more leg room (4 inches!) and 50% more reclining which could cost from $80 – $160 each way. Annual upgrade to economy plus could cost $450 a year with Continental.

Although some believe that charging for once free items has reached its limit, these new upgrade money makers are based on creating a more comfortable flight. Creating value for the additional spend. "Passenger-pleasers."

Friday, November 12, 2010

Are You The Most Important Person: The First Follower?

This video is a must to watch. It is more than worth the minute or two of time it takes. In a nation obsessed with leadership, leaders, leadership qualities, "the smartest guy in the room"...here in this video is the counter argument: leaders are not the most important person in new trends. It is the first followers.