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

The Buzz: Jobs must lead, not lag, the recovery - Aug. 6, 2010

The Buzz: Jobs must lead, not lag, the recovery - Aug. 6, 2010

Mr. Lamonica gets Ditched for his unrealistic assessment on how to jump start the economy. He mentions that businesses should be the first to take a leap of faith and start hiring. However, he fails to explain what those new employees would actually be doing. There needs to be a demand for some good/service before any production and hiring can be justified. Why should a company be forced to increase their inventories (goods or talent) in hopes that someone will magically surface to purchase it? True, in order for demand to increase, the typical American consumer must find themselves in possession of a new found disposable income. However, does that mean that companies should hire new employees with the hope that collective new hires throughout the economy will increase demand for their goods/services and these new employees will still have justifiable jobs in a few months? Or, would the more logical approach to increasing disposable income and, ultimately, demand for goods/services be to increase the wages of current employees? This would allow businesses to truly build the demand before hiring staff to fulfill it. Mr. Lamonica's approach could ultimately mean the hiring and firing of the same individual's when the demand that would necessitate those individual's never came to fruition. True, businesses should be looked to in making the first step, but let's not put the cart before the horse.

BP gas may be cheaper - Aug. 4, 2010

BP gas may be cheaper - Aug. 4, 2010

BP gets Ditched for a very weak attempt at assisting the stations selling their product. Even if the station owners pass the complete 2 cent savings to their customers, it is highly doubtful that such a meager cost reduction will be enough to drive customers back in to the stations and overcome such a detrimental public relations hurdle. It would be much more effective for BP to sponsor a nationwide marketing campaign that would help distinguish the business owners of local stations from BP and the Gulf incident.

Why BP Is Not Toyota - TheStreet

Why BP Is Not Toyota - TheStreet

Mr. Dicker gets Ditched for failing to note the chief difference between Toyota and BP: the publics ABILITY and FREEDOM to be selective with the respective brands. A consumer makes a much more thoughtful and time-consuming decision on whether to purchase a Toyota. Are consumers given the same time and freedoms when refilling their tanks? Furthermore, those consumers who did actually want to refrain from going to a BP station were reluctant to find out that the stations were not even owned by BP and that their selective behavior would only be hurting local/regional business owners. Currently, BP's oil is needed regardless of what environmental atrocities they take part in. They will always be shielded from the power of the consumer until a marketable oil alternative is made readily available.

U.S. economy seeing gradual recovery: Geithner - MarketWatch

U.S. economy seeing gradual recovery: Geithner - MarketWatch

Mr. Geithner gets Ditched for making a defenseless argument about the health of the economy. He speaks nothing of the demand for US goods or wage increases. He simply bases his rosey outlook on heresay from the select businesses he has spoken with. This is ultimately a vapid statement by Mr Geithner that is most likely politically driven during this sensitive time before the November elections.

4 Reasons Tighter Credit Is Good for Small Business | Business Pundit

4 Reasons Tighter Credit Is Good for Small Business | Business Pundit

Mr. Sildon gets Ditched for several reasons. First, he infers that small businesses needed to be taught a lesson about the importance of working in cash. Was it the small businesses that created the credit crunch through reckless spending? Second, he very idealistically mentions how learning to work "lean and mean" is a residual benefit of the crunch. What about the small businesses who are trying to serve other small businesses? These vendor small businesses who were able to grow and develop new products and services under a previous margin are now going to be stifled by their "lean and mean" clients. Lower margins means less money to be invested in creative projects and R&D. Perhaps Mr. Sildon's time would be better spent discussing the lessons learned by lending institutions and government instead of desperately grasping for ways in which the small business victims should be thanking their aggressors.