The Stock Market Impact of the Gulf Oil Spill - $33 Billion and Counting!

Amazing chart....$33 Billion in market cap lost in a week by Big Oil. Some would say that it couldn't happen to nicer guys, but....big employers in the Gulf Coast area, and this disaster will have HUGE ecological and economic impacts for years to come.




But don't forget the real impact:

David


++++++++++++++++++++++

Exhibit A of Why You Should Not Text or Use a Cell Phone While Driving

Watch this clip of Meredith Vieira in a segment from the Today Show. And show it to your kids, your spouse, your coworkers, etc. to keep them from texting and driving!



David

++++++++++++++++++++++

BP Oil Spill May Undue Years Of Work Polishing Its 'Green' Image

Ya think??? Not enough PR spin people on the planet to undue the damage that that gushing well-head in the Gulf is doing. Just wait a few days when the pics of oil-covered pelicans and fishermen crying beside their boats because the oyster beds that were their livelihood have been wiped-out. Then, those beautiful beaches in Gulf Shores and Pensacola may be toast. Plus, thousands of jobs will be wiped-out because gamblers will not be able to stand the oil stench in Biloxi (no matter how many flowers are put-out by the Beau Rivage), and they will not be able to find a hotel room anyway because their will be no room at the inn (as they will be full of FEMA people and recovery workers). It simply keeps going, and going, and gushing, and gushing. This will turn-out to be one of the worst ecological - and economic - disasters of our time. And did I mention, prices at the pump will go up, too!

Free advice from a strategic management consultant here - Hire boom operators for preventing as much coastal damage as possible and find every robot submarine that can help you cap the well, not PR people!

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost


BTW - here's two good video overviews on the present situation:





Let's hope for the best, but prepare for the worst!

David


++++++++++++++++++++++

Drew Brees, Switch Hitter: Baseball Skills Come Natural To NFL QB (VIDEO)

He is "THE MAN!" Of course, Drew Brees in his teenage years was an excellent tennis player as well (he and Andy Roddick were competitors - and guess who won?) - See:

http://www.protennisfan.com/2006/02/andy_roddick_an.html

Watch his switch-hitting home runs below (yes, slow pitch, but still...could you do this???):

Righty:



and Lefty:



Well, the guy does have some wicked hand-eye coordination - one of the more natural (and hard-working) athletes of any era! Reserve a spot in Canton for him (of course, unless, God forbid, the "Madden Curse" gets him!). Let us pray.....

David http://wyld-about-sports.blogspot.com/
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

A Farewell to New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin

The New Orleans Times-Picayune put together a great montage of the "greatest hits" of now departing Mayor Ray Nagin's best sound bites - classic!

See:
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/04/mayor_ray_nagins_eight_years_i.html



David

++++++++++++++++++++++

Is Lagging Attendance a Crisis or Fluke? -- MLB FanHouse

Whose fault is this - Is it:

• the economy? 
• lack of parity? 
• 3 hour plus games? 
• the Yankees and Red Sox?

Read:
Is Lagging Attendance a Crisis or Fluke? -- MLB FanHouse

Major League Baseball - and all sports - need to find an answer, and quick. Otherwise, we'll see more and more folks believe that watching the ballgame means camping-out either in front of their 60-inch HDTV or at a table at Buffalo Wild Wings!

An issue to watch....

David


++++++++++++++++++++++

Can You Measure Value Added?: Teacher Accountability Bill in Louisiana

Well, as a Management Prof, I can't help but believe in seeing how we can best apply management concepts in all areas. But.....hard to measure a teacher's (or a principal's) "value added" in terms of student achievement (i.e. student test scores) without simply even more encouraging teaching the tests.

Read (if you had a "value added" teacher, of course):
Teacher Accountability Measure Clears Committee; Union Bosses Seethe | The Hayride

David

++++++++++++++++++++++