A Golf Blog

RSS Armageddon

The forces of good vs. evil

Link: RSS Infomercials are upon us.

When I saw the SuperFeedSystem.com website, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. OK, I mostly laughed. But this is pretty bad! I quote (in all its red-fonted and yellow-highlighted glory):

Record Label Launch

I see where Song, Delta’s low cost carrier alternative, is launching a record label. I wonder what Tony Brice of Outside The Star thinks?

He wrote about the same thing back on April 5th. I hope Song tries to cultivate new talent, both for writers and singers.

Tony’s a writer and someday he’ll be an overnight success.

You Are What You Eat

So long as it’s beans on toast for breakfast, an omelet and salad for lunch and fish for dinner. Or so say’s the NewScientist.com with its 11 steps to a better brain.

China’s Impact

If there was any doubt about China’s economic impact...... Factoid – The Mall of America, 2.5 million square feet and the South China Mall has 7.1 million square feet. Addias is opening 40 new stores a month in China for the next 40 months.

It’s a small wonder that airlines are salivating over the possibilities.

Via Tom Peters

Barton Vows Wright Repeal Will Fail

Representative Joe Barton (R – TX) said he will do “whatever it takes” to make sure the repeal of the Wright Amendment will fail. He said he’s been around long enough to “know the right people” which led me to believe he’d even call in markers to make sure the repeal effort is defeated.

Remember the study done by the DFW Airport that said repealing the amendment would have a negative impact on air traffic at that facility? Also, remember that nothing was said about the impact on fares.

It now looks like the DFW Airport did not release the information on the impact it would have on fares. What’s wrong with a bit more competition and a reduction in fares by as much as 50%?

Couch Surfing

Looking for a bit of the exotic on your next holiday? Perhaps Couch Surfing is just what you need.

Employment Exam

It has been quite some time since Google published the GLAT (Google Labs Aptitude Test).

I happened upon something similar from ITA Software – they’re the engine behind several travel web sites.

The GLAT had a good mix between left and right brain types. The brainiac that gets hired by ITA will be left brain all the way.

Travel Industry Fraud

Jay Campbell of the Business Travel Beat’s (paid sub required) latest piece is all about fraud in the travel industry. It’s costing the airline industry about $1.5 billion annually and is primarily due to the fact that the players (airlines, GDS’, and payment systems) are not cooperating – cooperating in that they’re exchanging information about day to day operations as it relates to fraud.

One example that does get talked about is called a bustout scam - where agencies sell tickets and collect payments before abruptly closing up shop. Andy Warman at British Airways said his carrier got hammered by an agency that wrote about $4.5 million worth of tickets in 18 hours. Systems can detect this kind of activity by comparing what’s normal with what’s happening.

What’s harder to detect, and what happens much more frequently, is the small transactions. Some is simple credit card fraud and some is identity theft. And in the past several months, millions of credit card numbers were hacked out of several large companies. One has to wonder where and when those numbers will begin to turn up.

Funding a Competitor

We are beginning to see some interesting developments in the travel industry and it’s for certain that other industry verticals, like automotive, are paying close attention.

Awhile back, I had a brief mention that United Airlines being able to back out of their pension fund obligations meant a huge competitive advantage as well as a $1.4 billion hickey for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. They were already operation at a $23 billion deficit. So, what’s that got to do with funding a competitor?

The tax dollars being collected from United’s competitors are being applied, in part, to the PBGC deficit.

No Credit Card, No Check, No Sale

Yesterday, we found ourselves at one of those national chains that specialize in all things kitchen, bedroom, and bath. When it came time to ‘check-out’, it was like the grocery – whatever line you’re in is the wrong line to be in.

Anyway, a cheerful employee went to a vacant register, looked us right in the eye and said she’d be happy to help the next in line. Wonderful, this would expedite our departure from the comfort of the air conditioning to the brutal, 99 degree Fahrenheit heat of the afternoon.

Then it happened – their credit verification system went down, not just locally, but nationwide. So, we tried to pay by check – no good; because the credit system also did check verification. Might as well close the store.

Does anyone today still transact business with cash?