Archive for October 1st, 2010

Clyburn says: “GOP majority would waste time, create gridlock”

October 1, 2010

House Majority whip James Clyburn warned other Dems this week that the GOP — if they win a majority in the House — would waste Congress’ time with hearings into whether the Obama was really born in Hawaii.
 http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/121059-rep-clyburn-gop-majority-will-issue-birther-subpoenas-against-ob

My take:

  1. His comment comes during the week that the House committee was entertained by Stephen Colbert’s stand-up testimony.
  2. I like it when the Congress wastes time … means they’re not causing any real damage.
  3. I am concerned that Congress adjourned with unfinished business, e.g. steroids in baseball, the BCS play-off sytem.
  4. Is that Clyburn’s best shot re: why Dems should be elected ??? 

Posted in Elections - General | 1 Comment »

They don’t like his policies, but they still like him … oh yeah ?

October 1, 2010

The refrain that ‘Obama is still personally popular’ is repeated so often — especially in the mainstream media — that it’s treated as a universal truth.

Unfortunately (for Obama) the facts don’t support the contention.

Based on the latest WSJ-NBC poll :

  • 47% of people feel positively towards Obama … 29% very positively
  • The 47% is down from 64% on Inauguration Day
  • 41% of people feel negatively towards Obama … 27% very negatively
  • The 41% is up from 19% on Inauguration Day

My take:

  • People started out liking him, but …
  • Less than half now feel positively towards the guy
  • Numbers correlate pretty well with his job approval

Question: how would you feel if half the people who knew you felt negatively about you ?

Bummed, right ?

So why do the pundits keep saying he’s one popular dude ?

I must be missing something …

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/WSJNBCPoll09282010.pdf

Posted in Obama Administration, Polls & Surveys | Leave a Comment »

Leveraging a "P": Wal-Mart Expands Its Reach via FedEx

October 1, 2010

TakeAway: Wal-Mart is experimenting with allowing customers to buy merchandise online and have it delivered for free to urban FedEx locations in a bid to boost sales in big cities where the retailer has little to no store presence.

A perfect example of one of the 6Ps – placement!

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Excerpted from the Wall Street Journal, “Wal-Mart Uses FedEx to Expand Urban Push” By Miguel Bustillo,September 20, 2010

This summer, Wal-Mart started tests in Los Angeles and Boston to allow customers to direct purchases made on Walmart.com to FedEx Office outlets at no cost, mimicking a Wal-Mart offering called Site to Store that lets online buyers send items to the retailer’s stores for free.

Wal-Mart has no stores in Boston and two in Los Angeles, but FedEx has many locations in both. Wal-Mart is still collecting feedback from the tests.

Some retail experts said it seemed like an inevitable next step for the retailer, which has struggled to expand into America’s largest cities amid political opposition from labor unions. Wal-Mart is searching for new ways to spark domestic growth without needing to invest in real estate.

Wal-Mart also is pursuing younger urban shoppers, who don’t think twice about making big purchases online.

The partnership could allow FedEx to capitalize on its locations near college campuses it inherited when it acquired Kinkos in 2004.

Edit by AMW

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Full Article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704416904575501790739176042.html

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Posted in Mktg - Distribution, Retailing | Leave a Comment »