Tea Party must get real to have lasting power - CNN

Tea Party must get real to have lasting power - CNN

Mr. Martin gets Ditched for compromising on the spirit of the democratic process for the sake of political probability. His message in this article is that the Tea Party should adjust some of their stances in order to produce more mainstream candidates with a better chance of being elected. That, he believes, is the only real way in which they can be taken seriously and affect legislation.

In arguing this position, though, Mr. Martin reveals his very twisted take on politics and parties in general. First, Mr. Martin seems to believe that a party has rendered itself and it's message impotent if it does not win an election. Second, he seems to believe that the only messages worthy of attention must be coming from either of the parties in power. Finally, his message carries an overwhelming sense of "settling". Parties and interest groups that are in their nascent stages should adjust their message and "settle" on a mainstream candidate. In turn, voters should have to "settle" on candidates from either of the main parties in power who carry the highest probability of winning.

In response to the first point: Mr. Martin completely overlooks the power of smaller parties to still have a very big effect on elections and raise the public's awareness of different political stances. Parties can wield a very real power with their ability to steal votes away from other candidates. Additionally, even though a party may lose an election, the public has still been exposed to their platform through their participation in the political process. They may not be in office directly applying their interests, but the public still knows that they exist and that those interests are still important to some voters. Could that not weigh upon the decisions of those candidates that were actually elected and are forming legislation?

Most importantly, Mr. Martin needs to understand that the freedoms we have in this country provide for a very diverse collection of beliefs. The election process should always be a reflection of that diversity, not a stifling force. No group, whether Mr. Martin happens to agree or disagree with them, should be forced to dilute their message for the sole sake of winning an election. To do so is to "settle" for nothing more than the status quo and a system incapable of evolving.

Transsexual athletes treated unfairly - CNN.com

Transsexual athletes treated unfairly - CNN.com

Ms. Rose does NOT get Ditched for her acknowledgement of the inequality in athletics that some individuals face. That is a serious issue that continues to need attention from ruling bodies. Rather, Ms. Rose gets Ditched for her failure to understand what her particular line of reasoning will ultimately mean for athletics in general, not just for transsexuals. Ms. Rose states that the policy for the IOC was changed based on the "recognition that a person's gender is more complicated than any single factor, combined with the inability to identify medically sound testing criteria". This reasoning allows for the inclusion of transsexual athletes in Olympic competition, which is neither being promoted or argued against in this post. What is being pointed out, though, is the fact that this reasoning also eradicates the ability to have ANY male/female separations in athletics at all. Using this logic, could an individual not argue that they are mentally and physically two different genders? Which gender determines their athletic eligibility? If gender is to be deemed something too complicated to be defined by any medical metric, there is no authority to establish restrictions or groupings based on gender. Ms. Rose needs to take enough time to think through the implication of this reasoning, not only to her particular interest group, but also to the broader collection of athletes. Once she does this, she needs to either continue to support that reasoning or go back and revise it for the benefit of creating a more sound logic, free from any "irrational, emotional argument"  

Beyond Foursquare: The Next Generation of Customer Loyalty - Michael Schneider and Anne Mai Bertelsen - The Conversation - Harvard Business Review

Beyond Foursquare: The Next Generation of Customer Loyalty - Michael Schneider and Anne Mai Bertelsen - The Conversation - Harvard Business Review

Mr. Schneider and Ms. Bertelsen get Ditched for overlooking a very important facet of location-based apps in the retail arena: the role it plays as a free form of advertising and generator of "buzz" for those viewing, NOT producing, the information. While this article focuses on the purchases made (or not being made) by those using the apps, it comes to a hasty conclusion without acknowledging the positive effect of that same user's activity on others' decisions. Creating a metric to measure the effectiveness of an app is key, but it should measure more than the behavior of those posting their locations. The metric would need to show the effect of that post on the viewer's behavior. Did a location tag from a friend influence another's decision on where to eat, drink, or shop? Did multiple posts from multiple users about a certain brand or location effect the perception of that brand and company? Though these apps may have limitations or pitfalls to how they influence those posting, they are a free form of advertising for these businesses that are influencing the behavior of those viewing the posts. Before Mr. Schneider and Ms. Bertelsen can begin to weigh the effectiveness of these apps, they need to acknowledge this "viewing" audience and be sure to incorporate their behavior in to their summations. 

NBER declares recession ended in June 2009 - Sep. 20, 2010

NBER declares recession ended in June 2009 - Sep. 20, 2010


The National Bureau of Economic Research gets Ditched for not using a more relevant definition for economic downturn that incorporates a stronger use of unemployment and poverty levels. Additionally, the NBER gets Ditched for their role in setting up useless "checkpoints" for our economy that instill a false sense of accomplishment and simply take away from the urgency of the matter at hand. This is a financial "Mission Accomplished" sign being touted right before November elections meant to prevent voters from remembering that unemployment is at 9.6% and almost 44 million people in the US are living in poverty. No matter what side of the aisle you fall on or what fiscal policies you adhere to, it is imperative to remember that much work still needs to be done before the country realizes a meaningful recovery.


Unemployemt Reference: http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS14000000
Poverty Reference: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2009/pov09fig04.pdf

FT.com / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé - Here today, gone tomorrow

FT.com / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé - Here today, gone tomorrow


Mr. Brule gets Ditched for assuming that all hotel patrons fit his profile of road warrior. What of those patrons on vacation and looking for an escape from their ordinary surroundings? Is that sense of escape not aided by all of the trendy furnishings and finishes that can be seen in their hotel setting? Finally, is our society's sense of trend not time-dependent and constantly evolving based on a host of industries and factors? Why should hotels even think about ignoring that sense of trend for the sake of giving themselves a green check mark? It defines their existence for a significant segment of their market. 


One travelling strictly for business can very easily overlook the satisfaction derived from trendy offerings because their main goal for the stay is comfort and utility. They need a clean and quiet place to sleep with a helpful staff (only when beckoned). There is rarely an appreciation for the

BP Marketing Falls Short at the Pump

BP gets Ditched for this failed effort to mollify the public backlash over the oil spill. Many potential customers are choosing to take their business elsewhere, thinking that their refusal to fill up at a BP station will directly detriment the pockets of BP executives. Unfortunately, it is only the local owners  and operators that are significantly effected by this decision, not BP corporate. Rightfully so, BP has made an effort to correct this misunderstanding. Though the message is accurate, it is not targeted at the right audience. The pictured advertisement is located on the pump lines at local BP stations. If BP wanted to truly assist local stations in distancing themselves from the follies of the oil spill, they would direct a message, such as that pictured, at a nationwide audience that had not yet made their decision on where to fill up. Placing this ad at the pump is bound to only solidify the decisions of those that would have chosen BP anyway, NOT sway the decisions of those confidently driving by.  

The Dirty Truth About Digital Fasts - Alexandra Samuel - Harvard Business Review

The Dirty Truth About Digital Fasts - Alexandra Samuel - Harvard Business Review

Ms. Samuel gets Ditched for her narrow view behind why people choose to unplug. She appears to believe that those who ween themselves from the grid do so because they feel their interactions with people on the web are not necessarily genuine or meaningful. I'm sure that may be a reason for a very small percentage. However, the biggest reason that people want to or should take a step back from their online addictions is because they are not engaging in any human interaction at all, either physical or on the internet. Perhaps Ms. Samuel's argument would be better suited for those choosing to cancel their Facebook or MySpace accounts, not those just looking to take a step back from the internet in general.

Heart of Iowa as Fault Line of Egg Recall

Heart of Iowa as Fault Line of Egg Recall - NYTimes.com

Monica Davey gets a Ditch because of the lack of sources in this article. This is a he said/she said article. None of what’s printed can be verified, the only local named sources gives no real information, only that he has been blacklisted for not supporting the operation. What that lack of support is, aside from complaining about the egg figurine on his banker’s desk, is unclear.

I expect more from the NY Times. This is more Reader’s Digest.

Flight attendants vent about passengers - CNN.com

Flight attendants vent about passengers - CNN.com

Mr. Pawlowski gets Ditched in this article for 2 reasons. First, the general public is connecting with this story not because they have somehow come to the entertaining realization that we are all rude on planes. Rather, it is because Mr. Slater was so brazenly able to do what most everyone wishes they could do on their bad days at work. Take this job and shove it! Second, the airlines are given a "Get Out of Jail Free" card in this article. Are people truly growing more rude OR is the airline industry growing more intolerable? Many people are on edge while flying, chiefly because it is still a high-anxiety routine. Many are on business and inevitably have a tough time leaving work frustrations at check in. That is never going to change. Airlines and attendants should realize that and adapt. They are in a customer service position and customers are not always happy. However, many people are on edge while flying because airfares are increasing, baggage fees are increasing, delays are increasing, and the one thing you wish you had, the ability of someone in a customer service position to empathize with you and help assist, is decreasing. You are charged a fee to check a bag. This causes more people to try and carry on. This delays boarding and deplaning. This causes a highly frustrating experience. Airlines are worsening the experience they offer their customers AND magically hoping that the customer is able to give themselves a boost in patience. That is not the way any successful business handles their customer service. If airline attendants are unhappy with the way they are being treated by disgruntled passengers, perhaps they should look to their management to make changes that give the customers a fighting chance at being satisfied with the service.

I’m American. And You?

I'm American. And You? - NYTimes.com

Matt Bai gets a semi-ditch in this article about immigration. He starts with George W. Bush - who was a moderate on immigration - and how the republican party has changed their stance. The problem I have is with his treatment of the idea of repealing the 14th amendment. Bai, and many other writers on this topic, sell the 14th amendment short. He describes the 14th amendments as: "that’s the one that affords children born on American soil automatic citizenship."

Well, yes, but it also guarantees equal protection under the law. Georgia cannot make a law infringing on the civil rights of visitors from another state (unless it involves gay marriage, but that's another topic). I think readers deserve at least some expanded background on the 14th amendment. People are likely to read the limited description, and not anything else. Soon you have people voting on something they don't understand.

I take a very narrow view of travel agencies that book trips to the US in order for a child to be born here, then return home as a US citizen. Repealing the amendment is not the way to fix the problem.