John W. Scherer VIDEO PROFESSOR Blog December 2nd 2005

Let’s talk tech and computing!

One out of six, do I hear two? Or three?
More and more people are selling online. In fact, one out of six of us have sold something through an online auction or Internet sales site.
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So what the heck are you waiting for? Five out of six of us AREN’T selling online. But guess what? It’s EASY! Check out our new eBay tutorial at www.videoprofessor.com and start buying, selling or both, online.

Internet shopping, it sure beats getting trampled.
Do you remember seeing the news story about the poor lady who got trampled by other shoppers the day after Thanksgiving? It looks like a lot of folks saw that picture and decided shopping on the Internet is far safer!
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For many folks, like the lady who got trampled, the Internet remains a mysterious place. It’s anything but, and I can prove it to you!
Visit:: www.videoprofessor.com

New Orleans and Wi-Fi. A bold new step to the future.
New Orleans is slowly rebuilding. The city leaders know full well the importance of communication after Hurricane Katrina. The city is launching the first municipally owned wireless Internet system in the country. And the new system will be free and open to all users.
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Brian Williams- “You’ve got mail!”
NBC’s Brian Williams answers his e-mails. And it pays off. Here’s why.
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Black day for Blackberry
Bad legal news for the folks who make the ubiquitous Blackberry. It’s so popular it even has its own ailment, "Blackberry Thumb." But a legal decision is causing some real pain.
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Bose takes on potholes?
If you’ve never heard music through a Bose sound system, you just haven’t lived. Absolutely magnificent. But despite all his success, something more mundane bothered inventor Arman Bose. Potholes. And he’s doing something about it.
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No pay, no start
Looks like folks in the repo business should start looking for new careers. Car dealers that sell to high-risk customers are turning to tech to make sure they get paid!
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Off-topic
Rebates-use them!
I urge you to read a fascinating article about rebates in the December 5 issue of BusinessWeek. Did you know that 40% of rebate offers never get redeemed? That adds up to more than 2-billion dollars of extra revenue for retailers and suppliers. BusinessWeek reports that many consumers are “just too lazy, forgetful or busy to apply for rebates.” For those of you who do take the time (and it’s worth it!) keep the pressure up on some of the companies that take a little longer than promised to redeem your rebate. But rebates can make for some incredible bargains.

Saddam on trial
Saddam Hussein can bluster all he wants, but he’s the one sitting in the cage. His latest rant was about having to take the stairs up to the courtroom because the elevator wasn’t working. Sadly, this trial will take forever and a day. But justice will rule out and Hussein will pay dearly for his crimes. He’s right where he belongs.

See it Now, again.
Finally, it’s rare these days that a movie deserves a second look, but in the case of “Good Night and Good Luck,” you should. The message is especially relevant. In the movie, we see how Senator Joe McCarthy realized that he could smear anyone, anytime, simply by speaking into a microphone and the facts be darned. Once what McCarthy said was “out there” the damage was done, regardless of accuracy. The Internet is an extraordinary part of our culture, but like anything else, it can be abused and it’s too bad a few people are abusing the Internet for misinformation and half-truths. Just because it’s on the ‘net, doesn’t make it true. But just like Ed Murrow, we can and should, stand up to bullies because when you do, they cave, and quickly.

Quote o’ the week
“If you don’t,” he said, “I promise you the network will just put another comedy show in this time slot. Then you’ll be sorry.” –Now former ABC Nightline Anchor Ted Koppel, after urging viewers to give his successor’s a chance.



Site o’ the week
The National Zoo in Washington has a new star. Meet Tai Shan, who conducted his own version of ‘Meet the Press” this week. Check out the Panda-cam here on the zoo’s website!
View the Panda-cam

My cyber door is wide open; send e-mails to CEO@videoprofessor.com

John W. Scherer
CEO and Founder
VIDEO PROFESSOR, Inc
Member: Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau.
View our report at www.denverbbb.org