John W. Scherer Video Professor Blog

“Who’s best?” It’s a matter of opinion.

2010-04-26T07:01:00.000-07:00

It’s the fodder of sports talk on TV, Radio and Internet. Who’s the best?

I heard it on the radio today with one pundit describing Tiger Woods as the best golfer ever. Based on what? They used to say the same thing about Jack Nicklaus when he played. Ditto for Arnold Palmer. It would be great through some magical way to have all of them play each other in their prime. We could throw in “Slammin’” Sammy Snead to round out the foursome.

But we can’t, so we won’t find out. Well, maybe on a computer game.

Tim Tebow has been described by more than a few as the best college football player ever. So-o-o-o what about Roger Staubach when he played at Navy? Or Vince Young at Texas? I guess one measure will/would be at the next level, the NFL. Roger Staubach certainly is deserving of his Hall of Fame credentials. Vince Young is a work in progress and we’ll wait and see how Tim Tebow does playing for the Denver Broncos, who drafted him last week. It would be great to see Staubach and that 1963 Navy team play the Florida 2008 team.

But we can’t, so we won’t find out. Well, maybe on a computer game.

Then there’s baseball. Oh boy, baseball. Wouldn’t it be cool to see the Yankees teams of Ruth, Mantle, or DiMaggio take on today’s Yankees?

But we can’t, so we won’t find out.

So why engage in the conversation in the first place? The answer is easy. It’s such great fun. It’s what sports is all about. Measuring who’s best today is easy. Just look at the win-loss column. Measuring then and now however, is pure conjecture, which is the point of this lecture.

But the conjecture part is such great fun. As Yogi Berra said, "Take it with a grin of salt."

Who’s best? Too bad Abbot and Costello aren’t around to do a reprise of “Who’s on First?”

John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com
Follow John Scherer on Twitter: @VidProf

Look Ma! No CD's!

2010-04-22T06:43:00.001-07:00

I'm writing this from the road and prepping for a cover story interview with an industry publication. These sorts of interviews always give me pause to reflect on what we've accomplished the past 23 years at Video Professor.

Our first lessons "back in the day" were produced on VHS tape. You set up your VCR and TV next to your computer. Clunky, but it worked very well. People sure liked our 'What you see is what you do" type of learning.

So when we started using CD-ROM lessons it was a big step forward. You just popped the lessons into your computer and started learning. The lessons played right on your computer screen like a DVR. By this time the Video Professor Library had grown with the ever expanding number of productivity software programs becoming available both at home and in the office. Computing had arrived.

The Internet existed but most folks accessed it via a dial-up modem. Some of you may remember that awful sound when your computer connected to the Internet. But something called Broadband came along, aka High Speed Internet. It was the beginning of a communications revolution.

We quietly began providing lessons via the Internet to stream directly to your computer. We dubbed it "Video Professor Online."

We are quiet no more. Now with High Speed Internet the norm, Video Professor Online becomes our new norm. It's win-win. You as a customer get access to our entire learning library of over 65 lessons. Because we don't have to manufacture, package and ship lessons to your house we save money which means you save money.

Check out a 7 day trial of Video Professor Online at www.videoprofessor.com. It's an ideal learning opportunity for the entire family regardless of whether you're looking to learn or enhance computer skills so important in today's job market, or maybe start turning cash into clutter with our popular Learn eBay learning series.

All streamed directly to your computer. Click and learn.

So, Try My Product!’ (Online)

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

Reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Follow John on Twitter: @VidProf

“Cloudy” future for 4th Amendment?

2010-04-19T08:40:00.001-07:00

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”-4th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

So…does this apply equally to desk drawers, or what’s inside the computer on your desk which at the same time is posted on numerous social websites?

It’s a point raised in an article by Bob Sullivan about Cloud Computing on the “Red Tape Chronicles” website.

The whole idea of the 4th Amendment is to prevent the authorities from just walking into your house and rummaging through your private papers without cause. But in today’s world of Twitter ® to Facebook®, just what’s private and what isn’t?

As I’ve posted before, once you post something online, it’s “out there.” As the article points out, “Technology has changed dramatically in the last 20 years, but the law has not.” That gap continues to widen.
Is a letter written to a friend then stuffed in a drawer any different than a Facebook posting sent to that same friend for everyone to see? Akin I would guess, to simply leaving the letter on the public sidewalk outside your friend’s house.

Here’s another problem, and one some Congressional friends have agreed with me on. Despite laws being crafted to keep up with progress, there’s a significant chunk of legislators that frankly should “Try my product!” As hard as it is to believe, some legislators actually don’t vote for what they don’t understand.

Writer Bob Sullivan shares some interesting thoughts about all this which I wanted to share with you.

John
John W. Scherer
John Scherer is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com
Follow John on Twitter: @VidProf

Clicking beats Flipping

2010-04-15T07:02:00.002-07:00

A new survey by Arbitron, Inc and Edison Media Research shows people, by a slight margin, prefer to surf the web for video instead of watching television.

I’m not surprised and it’s not too much of a stretch to believe the gap will widen.

Needless to say, I came across the story online!

Bottom line? 49% of the people surveyed say given the choice, they’d drop TV in favor of the Internet. 48% said they’d stick with the tube.

With so much video content available on the Internet, your computer or PDA is becoming a one-stop location for just about everything you need. Add devices like the iPad^TM into the mix and you’ll have more and more people choosing to click (or tap) then flip through television channels.

The folks who produce the shows you watch online are of course very aware of this and make their product available through multiple platforms.

The study also points out that people multi-task watching content online, watching shows and posting comments on pages like Facebook^® or Twitter^®.

One thing to keep in mind is the launch this year of 3D HD television. Will that lure more people back to traditional television than online? The new 3D sets are expensive, so are the glasses you’ll need. Thousands for the set and around $150 for just one set of 3D glasses will make for a slow start. But it will take off once prices come down.

Unless of course, online providers provide 3D video. Which they will, sooner than later.

When I started Video Professor 23 years ago, the Internet was more concept than reality and certainly not mainstream. So while I could not have predicted the explosion the Internet has become, at the same time I’m not the least bit surprised.

Another reason why so many of you bought our “Learn the Internet” lessons!

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Follow John on Twitter: @VidProf

“K” is truly Special.

2010-04-12T06:53:00.001-07:00

He’s known as “Coach K.” I’m talking about Duke Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski. He won his 4th NCAA Basketball Championship last Monday, sneaking by Butler 61-59 in a classic.

Oh yeah, he also coached the “Redeem Team” to Olympic Gold.

Coach Krzyzewski (Pronounced “Sha-Shef-ski”) is at the top of the list of people I hope to meet some day. He’s right up there with my hero Muhammad Ali. (Who I did have the honor of meeting).

Here’s the link to his home page which tells an extraordinary story of accomplishment. Not the least of which he’s a graduate of West Point and served as an officer in the United States Army from 1969-1974. But like another service academy graduate, Roger Staubach (Annapolis ’64) the country was/is well served by the class both brought to the field of play or in the case of Coach K, the hardwood of college basketball.

He makes a lot of money coaching for Duke (Every penny of it deserved and then some) and he’s had more than a few opportunities to double or triple his salary coaching in the NBA.

But Duke is home and as long as it is, NCAA College Basketball has an anchor, a foundation of integrity and setting the bar for excellence.

Out of many quotes he’s given over the years, this one stands out:

“When you are passionate, you always have your destination in sight and you are not distracted by obstacles. Because you love what you are pursuing, things like rejection and setbacks will not hinder you in your pursuit. You believe that nothing can stop you!”

Coach, I love your product!

John
John Scherer is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com
Follow John Scherer on Twitter: @VidProf

Opening Day!

2010-04-08T07:02:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is the Colorado Rockies Home Opener at Coors Field in Denver. The team started the season on the road arriving home with a 1 and 2 record. Hurry back Jeff and Huston! The weather forecast is excellent.

There’s something special about Opening Day in baseball. Even fans of the worst teams in the sport arrive at the ball park with a renewed sense of optimism. Those hopes of course can be quickly dashed with a loss. But there’s at least a moment where anything is possible.

I’m one baseball fan who is happy that the sport is straightening up its act, however slowly. “Performance Enhancement” drugs and the like really hurt the game and a lot of player reputations. Players we applauded for heroic performances on the field were actually getting a little chemical assistance. We had to go through the ordeal of watching these players “Take the 5^th” in front of Congress. Ultimately it was the fans that got hurt worst of all.

We almost took a pass, on America’s Pastime.

But let’s get back to the season at hand. There are big expectations for the Rockies this year, as fans are getting used to the idea of the team making the playoffs and that’s where the bar is set for sure.

So with excitement comes high expectations; just like in every other MLB city and for their fans. 162 games is a lot. Just how fast the season goes is measured by the all important win-loss record. Because when it comes to baseball, October is where it’s at.

Play ball!

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Follow John Scherer on Twitter: @VidProf

Why I love Twitter!

2010-04-05T06:53:00.001-07:00

I’m a recent convert to Twitter but sure glad I am. Everyone has a “proof of performance” story about social media so here’s mine.

David Pogue is the guru of all things tech and his column in the New York Times is a must-read along with his weekly segments on CNBC’s Power Lunch. David is also hugely popular as a speaker at events across the country.

David makes tech fun. One of the first people I opted to follow on Twitter was David. The other day he put out a “talent” call for a segment he was doing about the Apple iPad. With tongue firmly in cheek, I tweeted him that I’d be interested and that I have a “little” experience in television.

He’s such a nice guy and Tweeted back to me almost immediately and so we taped my segments of the video with the result you can watch here. A "Bit Part" granted, but better than no part at all.

Like the ESPN spots I did last summer, it’s great fun and a break from the regular routine. And having your “face” out there in one way or the other is good for business.

All because of Twitter.

So my first real success story in social media. You can have one to. The great thing about social media is one size doesn’t fit all, and your success story will be as unique to you as mine was to me.

By the way, David Pogue used to be a Twitter skeptic. Now he’s a true believer and you can bet he made one out of me!

John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com
And yes, you can follow him on Twitter! @VidProf

Seeds are for planting.

2010-04-01T09:56:00.001-07:00

The NCAA Final Four is set. Just one #1 seed is left in the tourney, the Duke Blue Devils. When all this started, there were three other #1 seeds. Kentucky, Kansas and Syracuse. They’ll be watching from home this weekend.

Butler, Michigan State and West Virginia U. will be in Indianapolis with Duke.

Of course, just about everyone is picking Duke, if for no other reason than they’re DUKE. Having Mike Krzyzewski as your coach doesn’t hurt either. The Final Four is his second home.

I heard at least one pundit this morning raising the question if they should re-seed the Final Four. Re-seeding is good for lawns, but the Final Four, not so much.

I have no idea who decides who is seeded where and when the tournament starts. I’m sure statistics, records, strength of schedule blah blah blah all factor into it. But all that goes out the window when two teams hit the floor. That’s the magic and beauty of the best three weeks in sports.

Part of the fun is watching teams like Northern Iowa make it to the Sweet 16. They went from “Who?” to a solid place on the basketball map. A bunch of “Cinderfellas” for sure. Then you have 11^th seed Tennessee knocking off #2 Ohio State. Say what??

Neither made the Final Four, but they sure felt “Sweet” about this year’s tournament.

So when it comes to seeds, they’re for planting. When it comes to College Basketball and the annual three-week fan fest, it’s all about team, desire and the thrill of sending a #1 seed home.

The Final Four opens with Duke taking on Butler. Will the “Butler do it” again? It wouldn’t surprise me a bit.

Seeds, schmeeds. Give me teamwork any day.

John

John W. Scherer

John Scherer is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Follow John Scherer on Twitter: @VidProf

Am I Over-thinking new NFL Over-time Rule?

2010-03-29T07:13:00.001-07:00

Call it the “Brett Favre” Rule. Ok, I’ll call it the “Brett Favre” Rule. You can call it what you like on your blog. But I digress.

The NFL has tweaked overtime rules for playoff games. Up until now, winning the coin clip meant a lot. The odds favored the team winning that coin flip. First to score won the game. Cut to losing team holding their heads in disbelief.

That’s no more.

Now both teams have a shot in over-time. Well, sort of. If the team who wins the coin flip then scores a touchdown, the other team goes home. Cut to losing team holding their heads in disbelief.

But…if they only score a field goal, the other team gets a shot to score. Cut to team jumping up and down for joy.

So, touchdown and you go home. Field goal and you hit the field.

Not everyone likes the idea. It’s hard to please everyone all the time. (Google Health Care Reform)

One of my favorite ESPN commentators, Michael Wilbon has no problem with it. He says if you’re on defense, then man up and play defense. If you can hold the other team to a 4th and 2 on let’s say outside the 40, chances are you’ll get your shot. Then get the ball back and score a touchdown. Cut to other team holding their heads in disbelief.

Personally, I’d like to see the rule apply to regular season games. But it’s a start. I believe Brett Favre will like the change, especially if he comes back for another season. We’ll leave that for another blog, likely around training camp time.

John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
Contact him at ceo@videoprofessor.com
Follow John W. Scherer on Twitter: @VidProf

To 3D or not to 3D? That is the question.

2010-03-25T07:53:00.001-07:00

Having seen a couple of 3D films in the past few weeks including Avatar (Brilliant) and Alice in Wonderland (Brilliantly weird) I can say without fear of contradiction that the way we watch movies going forward has changed forever.

But what about at home? Soon we’ll be seeing 3D HD sets at electronics stores, and like the early generation HD sets, they will cost in the thousands of dollars.

But the folks making those sets learned a lesson. HD had been around forever. You could go to trade shows as far back as the 80’s and see pretty pictures on HD screens of flowers and butterflies. Impressive but forgettable once you got home.

What drove the huge and rapid migration to HD sets? Sports. Especially “Left-Right” sports like football and hockey that are a great match for the 16x9 format. When viewers could see the individual blades of grass to the eyeballs of the players, they were hooked.

As HD sports programming increased, so did sales. When sales go up, prices go down.

So it’s no surprise to see networks like ESPN jumping in big time with 3D HD sports programming. What will everything from football to basketball to auto racing look like in 3D HD? I have no idea.

But I can’t wait to find out. See you at the Big Box store!

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

Reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com or find John Scherer on Twitter: @VidProf

99 Cents for 99 Hours? YES!

2010-03-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, you’ve seen me holding up CD-ROM lessons on TV for more than a few years and they remain a great way to learn. Millions already have.

But I want to share with you, what has been a bit of a “Best kept secret” around here and that’s Video Professor Online.

Same great Video Professor lessons, but instead of waiting for the lessons to arrive in your mailbox, you just log on and start learning with full access to the entire Video Professor Learning Library. All you need is access to a high speed Internet connection.

Our proven “What you see is what you do” method of learning is available online! How convenient is it? Here’s what you see when you click the “How it works” link:

“Today, your credit card will be charged just $.99 for a full 99 continuous hours of access to over 60 titles. After your trial period, you will be charged just $29.95 per month until you cancel. There are no refunds. Or simply call (800) 424-0277 and cancel at anytime.”

Yep, just 99 cents for 99 continuous hours of learning from over 60 titles. Should you decide to cancel, just one toll free call does it.

Check out a great alternative for your computer learning needs, Video Professor Online.

Click and learn. It’s just that simple.

John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com
Follow John W. Scherer on Twitter: @VidProf

Online News: Searching for News and Dollars.

2010-03-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

The Pew Research Center’s “Project for Excellence in Journalism” just released a survey as to what condition the online news condition is in. (Thanks Kenny)

You can read the entire report here:

It wasn’t hard to find the bottom line. Revenue, or lack of it. Pew found that while there is a rapid growth in people going to the Internet for news and information, they’re not quite as anxious to pay for it. According to the study, 79% of those surveyed rarely click on online ads.

People still listen to radio, and watch TV for news, but those outlets are also facing revenue challenges with networks to local stations losing revenue, cutting staff and doing more with less.

The demise of the traditional newspaper is well-documented. Chances are you don’t even have a local paper where you live.

So why are the same people who willingly paid for a newspaper subscription, so hesitant to support the online sites they’re going to?

But as writer Derek Thompson reports in Atlantic Online, actually we do. Thompson points out people pay an average of $41 each month for Internet access at home. So yes, we are paying. But what part, if any of that revenue stream, is reaching the content producers you pay for access to through that monthly bill?

More and more papers like the Wall Street Journal now charge for “Premium” content. So you get some news free, but not all of it. Cloth seats vs. Leather.

Another model for some online editions of papers is getting “X” amount of story clicks each month. Go beyond that and you’re charged moving forward.

What has sustained any news organization, whether radio, television or print, has been paid advertising. But the online advertising model is a different animal and one marketers and apparently consumers are still trying to figure out.

The Pew Study also points out that a little more than half of us rely on about 2-5 sites for our routine news and information “fix.” That’s certainly the case for me.

Pew says a total of 199 websites get at least half-a-million visits per month. You can ask someone for instance what’s their favorite news website and they might say CNN or FOX. But these websites have multiple versions that deal with everything from news to sports and business.

Conclusion:

Just one from my point of view. It’s always has, and always will be about revenue or as Pew reports, the lack thereof. Click on the story, but not on the ad.

We all know there’s no such thing as a free lunch. That goes for online news too. Now we just have to figure out how to do it. Advertisers and consumers.

John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
Follow John Scherer on Twitter: @VidProf

It’s mad to mess with March Madness.

2010-03-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven’t had a chance to watch the Sports Reporters Sunday Mornings on ESPN, you ought to. It airs at 7:30am Mountain Time. The podcasts can be found at here. Great insight and analysis, week in and week out.

A recent topic of discussion included thoughts by the NCAA to increase the number of teams in the college basketball tournament known as “March Madness” from 65 to 96. Yes, 96. Which would essentially mean everyone gets in. Even making #65 in what used to be a 64 team bracket via a “Play-in” doesn’t make sense. In fact it’s nonsense.

But 96 teams? Come on folks! The three weekends that make up the current structure are as good as any in sports. The best, in the minds of many fans. What makes the current format successful, along with exciting basketball and the opportunities for Cinderella teams to make it in is the involvement of fans. The biggest being filling out your bracket sheets in the myriad of office pools and on-line games. There’s nothing like it in sports.

Can you even imagine a 96 team bracket? Nope, this idea just won’t fly. It’s anything but a slam-dunk. More like a slam-dud, dude.

What’s truly weird is that the same “Brain” trust behind all this is the same one that refuses to install a playoff in College Football. Yet now they want to ruin one of the best events in sports.

Even with the current format, let’s face it, the only people watching #3 play #14 in first round action are fans of those teams. Now should #14 win, welcome Cinderella! Then we watch and it’s when the fun begins, except when our brackets self-implode the first weekend.

So please NCAA and the Networks involved, leave a great thing just that, a great thing.

It’s madness to mess with March Madness.

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Follow John Scherer on Twitter: @VidProf.

“Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor gloom of night.” (Except for Saturdays and holidays.)

2010-03-08T07:57:00.004-07:00

Recently I shot a commercial where I mentioned the 22 years we’ve been in business at Video Professor and the millions of people we’ve taught over those years.

At the time, I didn’t know the folks at the United States Postal Service were considering cutting mail delivery on Saturdays. It caught my attention for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is we ship our lessons to you via USPS and last year they honored us with their Distinguished Business Achievement Award. The USPS team is great to work with.

One thing that has impacted the USPS is e-mail. How many actual letters do you get in a week, if you get any at all? Then there’s competition from other package delivery services like FedEx and UPS.

But certainly computers have had an impact on the way we communicate. If you send an e-mail, you don’t need to mail a letter. If you bank electronically, the bank doesn’t need to send you a statement in the mail. When you invest online, you can opt to get your financial statements sent via e-mail instead of your mailbox. Paying your bills online means not having to wait for a bill in your mailbox in the first place, or having to mail your payment when you do get a bill.

So less traditional mail means less business for the USPS. Less business means less revenue. Less revenue means having to cut back if you can’t find a way to make up for the lost business; which could mean no mail on Saturdays.

We’ve taught over 15 million people to put the computer on their desk to good use, to make their lives more efficient and organized. The machine on their desk or on their lap, in many cases has replaced the mailbox outside their door.

But there is no small irony in the fact that what you order online, which saves you time and in many cases money, will now be delivered Monday instead of Saturday. I suppose some day, some scientist will finally find a way ala Star Trek to simply “beam” products to your home. Not likely in our lifetimes.

So what will the impact of one less “mail day” mean to you and me? I conducted an online discussion on the subject last week via linkedin.com and got dozens of responses. Just about everyone’s reaction was different as to how eliminating mail delivery on Saturday would impact them. The funniest came from a Canadian friend who told me they haven’t had Saturday mail delivery for a long time and added they won the Gold in Hockey! (Not sure what the connection is but I’m sure it was a bit of a shot and I don’t blame him!)

We’re about to find out. Either way, we’ll also find a way to adapt. Pending of course, what Congress decides and when.

John

John W. Scherer

John Scherer is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Follow him on Twitter: @VidProf

Professor makes extreme point.

2010-03-02T07:37:00.002-07:00

Ok, I just play a professor on TV. But I came across this video of a real professor who apparently doesn't like the use of laptops in his classroom.

Granted the clickety clack of keys can be annoying, especially those keyboard pounder-types, but to not use laptops in today's classrooms seems a tad foolish.

You watch. You decide.

John Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
Reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com
Follow John on Twitter: @VidProf

Mr. Dithers, Jeremy and Hi on Social Media.

2010-03-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

Reading through the “funnies” the other day (a guilty pleasure) there were three different comic strips that included Social Media in their story lines.

First up, the popular comic strip Zits®. Young teen Jeremy is talking about spending too much time on Facebook®. His mom tries to chime in with advice, but he quickly tells her that he’s on Facebook asking his friends for advice.

Then reading Blondie® we visit the offices of the J.D. Dithers where Mr. Dithers is chewing out the staff for wasting time playing online games.

Finally a stop to catch up on the adventures of Hi and Lois®. Hi is talking with a friend who uses a PC at work and a Mac® at home. Asked about the conflict of machines, his friend tells him he’s seeing a “Computer Therapist.” (Maybe he should try the Video Professor!)

All these strips are must-reads for me every morning, online of course. In the case of Blondie and Hi and Lois, these strips have been around for decades. No one has aged a bit but they’ve all kept up with the times nonetheless. At least Jeremy recently turned 16 after several years of being 15.

But the latest gags are about Social Media. Just more proof, it’s here to stay.

Like it or not.

John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com
Visit him on Twitter: @VidProf.

Happy 100th Birthday to the Boy Scouts

2010-02-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to America's Boy Scouts, a wonderful American Institution.

John W. Scherer
Video Professor, Inc.
Reach me at ceo@videoprofessor.com or follow me on Twitter: @VidProf.

Got Mobile? The video floodgates are about to burst.

2010-02-25T08:38:00.001-07:00

I’m going to do my best to translate tech talk to people talk as I comment on some research released by the folks at Cisco. You can read it here, which has an additional link to more tech info.

The bottom line is, according to writer Sarah Perez, is not that the mobile web has a future but just how big is that future. It appears to be huge. (Not that there was any doubt as one person who posted about the article noted.)

Traffic on portable devices increased 160% in the past year alone and according to the Cisco study is expected to increase 39 fold by 2014.

We are becoming a nation of big screens at home, and small screens on the go. But wherever we go, we want content on demand.

All this is getting noticed by consumers because it’s win-win for them. More and more mobile devices, PDA’s and iPad-like devices will be flooding store shelves in the big box stores. Competition is good for consumers.

But those of us who market everything from computer lessons to car parts are already making use of this new and rapidly growing pipeline. The biggest demand will be for mobile video and this isn’t just here in the United States. The demand is world wide.

Nations like Iran and China are working hard to “narrow” the pipeline and what comes through it. But technology will trump ideology.

That’s a good thing.

-John

John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
Share your thoughts and ideas with John at ceo@videoprofessor.com
Follow me on Twitter: @VidProf

Teens Text, We Tweet.

2010-02-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

The folks over at the Pew Internet and Life Project have been studying how we communicate on Web 2.0.

They found some interesting facts. I wasn’t surprised that communicating online is a multi-generation thing these days, but there are generational differences in how we do it.

What Pew found:

• Teens tend to text while older generations are more likely to use Twitter®.

• Blogging is on the decline for those under 30, but people over 30 are blogging more. Blogs are popular in business, hence mine each week.

• Sites like Facebook® remain popular with the younger generation but more and more “Boomers” are connecting on Facebook as well.

All of the above remain a work in progress. There are no experts as we’re inventing all this together as we go along.

Regardless of method, wireless interconnectivity is growing and will continue to grow. There are many ways to do so and different sites ranging from Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn® offer young and old alike ways to catch up, make new friends and even market themselves or products.

I came across an interesting description of Social Media Networks from Mike Hanbery of Hanbery & Hanbery, ) a Denver-based marketing firm. Mike posts,

“The Office, The Water Cooler and The Bar: A Tale of Three Social Networks

Here’s a real easy way to think about the cultures of the “big three” Internet social networks: LinkedIn is the office, Facebook the water cooler, Twitter the bar after work. Source: Swift Kick Blog.

A pretty good description if you ask me. (He posted this on Facebook by the way.)

Remember that famous line from the movie “Cool Hand Luke?” The boss of the prison camp says to Luke (played magnificently by Paul Neuman,) “What we’ve got here, is failure to communicate.”

They didn’t have PDA’s back then. Not that ole Luke likely would have used one.

As always, a word to the wise: Once you post something via Twitter, Facebook or whatever, it’s out there. Forever. The good thing about the ‘Net is everyone has access to it. The bad thing about the ‘Net is everyone has access to it.

Look both ways before you cross the digital highway.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Should Super Bowl be a Saturday Night Special?

2010-02-08T08:46:00.000-07:00

Another Super Bowl is over, and millions of bleary-eyed people are showing up for work this morning, if they haven’t called in sick. But congrats to the Saints who've gone from "Who Dat?" to "We Dat!"

Super Sunday. Eat, drink and be merry. Not so good on Monday. I wonder if anyone has done any productivity, or lack thereof, studies about work the day after the Super Bowl. I did hear one analyst on the radio say this morning the cost is in the millions.

I was listening to Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN before the game, and they raised the idea about moving the Super Bowl to Saturday night. It seems to make a lot of sense. Let’s be honest, people party hearty during the game; it’s become a tradition. An unofficial national holiday.

I think a Saturday night game would actually be good for both fans and the teams. Certainly sports bars would get better business if people had the next day to recover. (Remember, always bring a designated driver.)

Long as I’m on the subject, do we really need a four-hour pre-game show? It’s not like there hasn’t been wall-to-wall coverage the weeks(s) leading up to the game.

So that’s my idea. Shorter is better for the pre-game and let’s make the Super Bowl a Saturday Night Special.

Sunday you can sleep in, or better yet, go to church and ask for forgiveness for over-indulging the night before!

I’m just sayin’ …

John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

NASA, Inc?

2010-02-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

We have a magazine exchange here at Video Professor. Once someone has read a magazine, instead of tossing it, they share it.

Digging through the box, I found and read the January 2010 edition of Popular Science. The cover story dealt with the commercialization of space travel.

Several companies led by Richard Branson, uber entrepreneur, and Burt Rutan are offering commercial space travel. Still pricey but the line for flights is a long one.

Meanwhile, NASA fiddles and faddles. NASA is a bad mix of politics and science. As said in the movie “The Right Stuff,” “No bucks, no Buck Rogers.” There also seems to be no direction or definitive goals set for the agency either.

Commercial space vendors are soaring while NASA is running out of shuttles and ideas. Soon we’ll be hitching a ride with the Russians just to get to the space station.

If you have a spare $25 million or so lying around, the Russians will actually fly you to the space station. Not so with NASA. Heaven forbid they actually try and make money from space.

The commercialization of space is nothing new, and it’s creating international partnerships. The television programs you watch are transmitted from satellites launched, in many cases, on American Atlas-Centaur booster packages with Russian Proton motors. Many commercial rockets are transported to Cape Canaveral aboard Russian-designed Antonov AN-124s (think the C-5A Galaxy on steroids) flown by a Ukrainian air transport company.

Do you believe the Cold War is over?

The bottom line is that if you have the cash, you can go into orbit.

Is it time to turn over the space program to private enterprise or for NASA to operate as a for-profit entity? Just think what Apple® or Google™ would be willing to pay to have their logo on the shuttle.

Competition means progress. Competition produces results. Free enterprise does the best job of it.

Space isn’t just for Buck Rogers anymore. It’s for anyone with the bucks to get there. The list grows every day.

John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Is Privacy "Passe?"

2010-01-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

If you haven’t read the Jan. 25 edition of Bloomberg BusinessWeek, I recommend you do so and turn to page 13.

In an Ideas column, Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg is quoted as saying that privacy “is no longer a social norm.”

Think on that for a minute.

Tech bloggers are chiming in. Marshall Kirkpatrick wrote on http://www.readwriteweb.com/ that “the notion of privacy can no longer be equated with absolute secrecy.”

Blogger Evgeny Morozov wrote on that some governments are “moving towards reinforcing privacy protections.” France for example is thinking about laws to allow citizens to have old online data about themselves deleted. The technology, however, doesn’t exist to do that.

With the growing number of social media web sites, it’s so easy for someone to bend, fold and electronically mutilate anyone’s reputation. A sober reminder that in a world where everyone has a camera, a picture of you is just seconds away from being posted.

Let me say that social media sites are great fun, a wonderful way to stay in touch with friends and family. As one of our employees here said: It’s a way for her to “have a high school reunion every day.”

But once something is posted, it’s out there. Forever.

We all treasure our privacy. These days you have to work very, very had to protect it.

The great thing about the Internet is that everyone has access to it; the bad thing about the Internet is that everyone has access to it.

Privacy need not and should not be passé.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Sports will break your heart.

2010-01-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

I’m writing this prior to the Jan. 16-17 playoff games but wanted to talk about both the Texas-Alabama NCAA championship game and the extraordinary battle between the Packers and the Cardinals in their NFL wildcard matchup.

Both are perfect examples of why we love sports, and why sports will break your heart.

As for the Texas game, the strategy was obvious. Stop the Tide, and get the ball to Colt McCoy. It worked for two minutes until McCoy was sacked on only his fifth play of the game, which he left with a limp throwing arm. He never returned. Fifty-eight minutes left on the clock. So much for that idea. In comes Garrett Gilbert, true freshman and thoroughly unprepared.

But the Longhorns battled back to get within three points. There was hope, right up until the ‘Bama “D” got to Gilbert, who was sacked and fumbled the ball. Then, the Tide “rolled” into the end zone and that was that. But Gilbert, the most highly recruited high school QB in the country, showed grit. There’s much to feel good about in Austin.

Then, watching the offensive free-for-all between Green Bay and Arizona, it looked like the Pack was out of it early. Proof again that you should never leave a game before it’s over.

The Pack battled back, and after a missed chip shot field goal by Arizona’s placekicker, the game tied up at 45-45 and went into overtime. The Packers got the ball and began their drive. Put another brat on the grill!

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is good, very good, especially making plays when everything around him is falling apart. Early in overtime, he made a simple three-step drop but held on to the ball too long, perhaps expecting to make magic one more time. He ran out of rabbits up his jersey.

Just like the Texas QB, Rodgers got hit, lost the ball and Arizona ran it in for the game-winning touchdown.

The emotions for both games ran the full gamut, and if fans have fingernails left from either game, I’d be surprised.

But in sports, one team has to win and the other has to lose. Texas and Green Bay fans had their hearts broken.

But the nice thing about sports is that both those teams will be back next year, likely to break a few more hearts, and both are hoping it’s the hearts of their opponents.

For you non-sports lovers, this is why those of us are so passionate about sports, because it’s so full of passion.

And heartbreak.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Eighty Football Fields of E-Bliss!

2010-01-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

The annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) just finished up yesterday in Las Vegas. Although the economy has had an impact on attendance, it remains one monster of a showcase for all that’s new in technology.

Imagine over 80 football fields-worth of displays from all the major players in tech, plus tucked away here and there—and out in the open—the next big thing.

Absent as always is Apple®, who does their own thing, not the least of which is the anticipated release of the ”iTablet” on Jan. 26 in San Francisco.

By any measure 2009 was a disappointment for folks who make their living selling tech toys, but optimism was seen everywhere looking ahead through 2010.

What will be hot in 2010 (my humble predictions):

My “super hot product” prediction for the upcoming year will be 3-D HDTV. Like any other technology there will be early adaptors, there will be bugs and of course, like anything new, the first sets will be expensive. With both ESPN and TLC rolling out HD it provides incentive for potential viewers to invest in the sets, but do satellite/cable program providers have the bandwidth and, if so, at what price?

But 3-D HDTV, especially in sports, is guaranteed to be a hit eventually. The transition from HD to 3-D HDTV will be faster than it was from standard def to HD (depending on the economy of course).

Also hot: E-readers like Kindle and tablet-style computers. I blogged elsewhere that Amazon.com reported that they actually sold more digital books than traditional ones on Christmas Day 2009. According to the CES web site, there were 23 different exhibitors with various types of e-readers.

Small will be big, and as a result, “hot.” Handheld TVs with both off-air and premium programming will also become very popular. Prices should be affordable from the start and only get better as more players enter the market.

DVDs are on the way out, as it will be more and more common simply to download movies right off the Internet to your TV. There will be a myriad of ways to do it, and it will be confusing for many at first, but it will catch on. Actually, it already is.

CES isn’t open to the general public, but attracted more than a hundred-thousand industry folks and media who cover tech. Has the tech turnaround begun? I think so. Proof will come when all these goodies hit store shelves throughout the year.

See you at the Big Box store!

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

It’s about the terrorists, stupid.

2010-01-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

Call it a Christmas miracle, but for some reason the bomb carried by 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab of Nigeria didn’t go off the way it was supposed to while he was seated in 19A aboard a Northwest Airlines jet.

He tried to set off some sort of explosive device while the jet was approaching Detroit. There was smoke; there was fire but no explosion, which is doubly lucky because 19A is very close to the fuel tanks.

Catastrophe averted. Abdulmutallab claimed to be Al Qaeda-trained and, within a few days, a murderous group linked to Al Qaeda claimed he was a “brother” and that they had trained him.

So how did it happen? We know he started his “mission” in Nigeria where security screening involves just getting on the plane. Oh yes, he paid cash for his ticket and had no bags. Destination: USA. No red flags, at least not in Nigeria.

By then he was in the system. There were additional security screenings in Amsterdam, but he sneaked by those as well.

Initially, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the system indeed worked. Oops. Last Monday she “recalibrated” her position to say the system, in fact, didn’t work.

Passengers are already being impacted. Some airlines won’t let you leave your seat within an hour of landing. Laptops and the like also have to be stored at that time. Bomb sniffing dogs are everywhere, especially in international departure areas.

Sadly, there has also been some political sniping going on. Cheap shots are out of order.

Much of the talk remains on the “system.” Can it be made better? Absolutely, but terrorists aren’t flying from here, they’re flying to here. The problem isn’t the system, it’s the terrorists!

They keep trying. They keep coming back. They’re not giving up. They’re relentless in their “jihad” against the West.

They’re sponsored by, and find refuge in, nations like Yemen and Iran. Countries like Nigeria simply let them walk on.

All the security here in America won’t keep them from boarding planes in other countries. The terrorists know that. Their modus operandi is pretty basic. Bombs, made from stuff you can buy at a drugstore. Scaled down versions of the improvised explosive devices, or IED’s, killing our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Our high tech vs. their low tech.

What we continue to underestimate is their cunning. Intelligence gathering is getting better. The capture of Najibullah Zazi in Denver is proof. By holding the 9/11 terror trials in New York, who knows how many young, misguided people will only be inspired to join the ranks of terrorists because you can bet the bad guys on trial will take every opportunity to portray themselves as glorious martyrs.

So, while we take our computers out of bags, slip off our shoes, are submitted to random pat downs, etc., here in the United States, terrorists will simply continue to refine their techniques and continue to walk on to planes in countries that have few if any security checks.

Keeping people in their seats an hour before landing just means the terrorists will try an attack more than an hour before landing.

We know where the safe havens for these terrorists are. We know who is bankrolling them. What we’re not doing is anything to stop it at the source.

The horse has long since left the barn. No need for a new lock. What we need is a new door. A door that locks from the inside rather than the outside.

-John
John W. Scherer
John Scherer is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

A good time to look ahead, not back.

2009-12-28T09:28:00.001-07:00

This is a time when many news organizations present end of the year stories, or in this case, end of the decade.

I remember as a kid looking forward to the new century. Back then the year 2000 seemed so far away.

There have been some rough, make that awful, times since the big ball in Times Square dropped, not the least of which was 9/11. Then the economic crash. We’re at war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Many around the world, and sadly some here at home, are writing off this nation. Our time on the world stage is over, they say.

I don’t buy any of that for a minute. The United States of America was, is and will remain the most powerful, prosperous and—most importantly—generous nation in the world.

Truth be known, we remain the envy of most of the world.

Can we do better? You bet. It can begin with our own government, where votes might as well be sold on eBay®. Bitter and petty partisanship must end. Immediately if not sooner.

Ultimately, it’s us who live along Main Street, USA who will carry on. We remain a nation of great people and problem solvers.

Just a few weeks ago we teamed up with a group of parents, educators and businesses to provide 130 computers and Video Professor lessons to deserving kids in Brooklyn, New York. As a result, kids who would have been on the wrong side of the digital divide are sitting at home with computers, learning and communicating. We didn’t need the government to help us make it happen, just the willingness to work together to make a difference.

So I remain optimistic about this nation’s future. Look back at our history. Seismic events throughout our history have simply made us stronger, as people and as a nation.

It’s with that spirit that I wish each and every one of you a most prosperous and happy new year.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Is Santa real? I have proof!

2009-12-21T15:14:00.002-07:00

There always seems to be some discussion this time of year about whether or not there is a Santa. The naysayers tend to be Grinch-like personalities.

So I did some checking to set the record straight once and for all.

I didn’t have to go any further than the Newseum in Washington, D.C. It’s a great place that honors the best traditions of journalism and those who did, and continue, to practice them. If it’s in the Newseum, it’s fact. Period.

They list an article that, to me, is absolute proof that Santa does exist. It all started when a young girl named Virginia wrote into New York's The Sun back in 1897. Apparently, some of her friends had been telling her there was no such person as Santa Claus. Concerned, she wrote a letter to the editor, and this was the response she received:

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Francis Pharcellus Church
The Sun

So there you have it, proof directly from the Newseum itself. Santa does exist. (Was there ever any doubt?)

Ho Ho Ho!

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

NASA can learn from NASCAR.

2009-12-14T17:01:00.001-07:00

I’ve been reading about entrepreneur extraordinaire Richard Branson who, along with engineer extraordinaire Burt Rutan, is building a commercial space facility in New Mexico.

Starting as early as 2011, you’ll be able to take a short suborbital hop for $200,000. Hundreds of folks have already placed deposits for a flight 70 miles above the earth and five minutes of zero-G.

The Russians will take you up to the International Space Station for $20 million.

All these prices are out of reach for most of us, but the bottom line is … the bottom line. Making money off space travel.

This leads me to wonder why NASA hasn’t gotten on the bandwagon. Theirs is a constant fight with Congress for budgeting. As they said in the movie "The Right Stuff," “No bucks, no Buck Rogers.”

There are ads on everything these days from busses to stadiums to race cars. Why not the space shuttle, or whatever next generation rocket comes along? Can you imagine what some companies would pay to have their brand on the side of a spaceship? Or on space suits?

Hey, it works just fine for NASCAR, so why not NASA?

Space exploration is important. It’s in our nature to want to explore to see what’s over the next hill or the next planet.

Why not earn a little advertising revenue along the way? Or would that make too much sense? Tax dollars are hard to come by these days and the voters are getting restless.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Dec. 7, 1941. A day that still lives in infamy.

2009-12-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

Sixty-eight years ago, Pearl Harbor was attacked. A sneak attack by the Empire of Japan. The Pacific Fleet was essentially wiped out. Thousands died.

America was at war.

It all ended in Tokyo Harbor aboard the USS Missouri in 1945. The fighting in between, both in the Pacific and Europe, was horrendous and the cost enormous.

American didn’t start it, but they finished it with victory.

Should your travels allow, visit Pearl Harbor and tour the USS Missouri and USS Arizona. In Europe, visit the beaches of Normandy. Feel the history; embrace the sacrifice.

Back then, battle lines were clearly defined, as was the enemy. They flew flags and wore uniforms.

Today we’re at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. We wear uniforms. Our enemies don’t. There are no battle lines, and often those we fight come in from other countries then escape back over some border to regroup and fight again.

As with all wars, the cost is high. Too high. But we pay it.

Like World War II, we didn’t start this war either. But we will finish it. With honor.

How victory will be measured is something entirely different.

After winning World War II we re-built Japan and Europe. What was once the enemy is now an ally.

It’s much different now.

But on this day, let’s remember what happened over the skies of Pearl Harbor those many years ago. Let’s remember that there are people in this world who want to destroy us and everything we stand for. They are dangerous and not to be taken for granted.

Let us remember this day and every day that it’s brave men and women who step up to finish the fight someone else started.

Let’s never, ever apologize for doing so.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

A Tiger’s Tale

2009-12-01T10:19:00.001-07:00

Golf fans, (which include me) and non-golf fans alike were stunned to hear the news that golfer Tiger Woods was “seriously injured” in an early morning car accident outside his home.

A short time later we heard he had been treated and released from the hospital and returned home. End of story? Nope.

As for the accident itself, police reports say it involved him leaving his home early in the morning, hitting a fire hydrant, then a tree. He suffered some facial injuries as a result. Police found him lying on the ground, his wife with him saying she used a golf club to break out the windows of the car to help Tiger get out of the car.

Then the Rumor Express left the station.

I won’t repeat any of them because I don’t know if they’re true. Stuff posted on blogs and other websites, were quoted by “traditional” news outlets. Stories began with the word “Rumor.”

Winston Churchill wrote years ago that, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”

Now the call is for Tiger to come clean. He did make a statement about the issue on his website. But almost everyone feels he should make a full and open public statement.

All that the law requires is he show his driver’s license and proof of insurance. He did that.

Personally, I think whatever Tiger says, or doesn’t say, simply fuels the fires of the blogosphere. Because of his celebrity, all bets are off about what is written or said about him.

Tiger is in a rough spot. If he says something, many will run with it and have a field day. If he leaves it with his website statement, many will run with it and have a field day.

Darned if he does, darned if he doesn’t.

Churchill nailed it.

-John

John W. Scherer

John Scherer is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can e-mail him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

A Time for Thanks

2009-11-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

This week families gather for Thanksgiving. It’s been a tough year in so many ways, but there remains so much to be thankful for.

Not the least of which are the freedoms we enjoy to gather, to speak our minds and to live and work in peace.

Let’s be thankful for the men and women of our armed forces who have volunteered to protect these freedoms, often making the supreme sacrifice in doing so. Remember them this week and every week.

Let’s be thankful for so many organizations that help out the needy who otherwise might go hungry or without warm clothing or shelter. Whatever you can spare to help these organizations in your community will be greatly appreciated. The need is bigger now than ever before.

Thanks to our own employees here at Video Professor, Inc. who, through their Seasons club, organize an annual food drive for a local nonprofit, the Jefferson County Action Center, which gives out two tons of food a day to the needy. As soon as the food drive is over, they start work on gathering gifts for the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program. I know so many of you are involved in similar projects where you live.

Americans are so generous, and they don’t get nearly enough credit for it. But you don’t give for recognition; you give because you care.

Let’s be thankful for technology and social web sites like Facebook® that allow us to hook up with new friends—and catch up with old friends—to share pictures, videos and what’s going on in our lives.

While many of us will get a few days off to enjoy the holiday, there will be police, firefighters, doctors, nurses and so many others who will be on duty. Let’s be thankful for their dedication and service.

Finally, let’s all be thankful for the spirit that is uniquely American. This nation has gone through tougher times before and has always snapped back. We are a nation of great people.

Yes, there is so much to be thankful for.

I wish you, your family, your friends and colleagues a most happy Thanksgiving 2009.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

The Water Cooler now has a plug.

2009-11-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

There once was a time, especially in the workplace, where the water cooler or coffee pot (depending on one’s needs) was the center of conversation, usually Monday mornings.

It was a place to share news and gossip as we “gathered around the water cooler.” The water coolers and coffee pots still exist, but just to serve beverages. Talk and gossip have moved online to web sites like Facebook® and Twitter®. Business-style discussions and exchanges of opinion can be found on sites like LinkedIn®.

It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t use these sites. We all create our own circle of friends, peak in at others, find old friends and make new ones.

Instead of pulling pictures from our wallets, we post them online. We don’t have to tune in to blooper shows anymore on television because we can post them online instead.

When it comes to sports trash-talking, there’s nothing like Web 2.0!

One colleague here keeps her Facebook circle of friends pretty much limited to friends from her school days. “It’s like having a class reunion every day” she said. It’s the best description I’ve heard about social media.

There is a dark side to all this, however. People have a tendency to say things online, especially anonymously or using a pretend identity, that they wouldn’t say to your face. Others will try and exploit their “friendship” with you for personal gain, or even more nefarious activities.

Generally, it’s all pretty terrific but, like anything else, look both ways before you cross any digital road. Pick and choose your friends wisely. Always remember that once you post something online, it’s out there pretty much forever.

Part of the HR process these days when evaluating potential hires is searching these sites to get a sense of who you are. Keep that in mind before hitting the Submit button.

Like anything else, when used properly and responsibly, these electronic versions of water coolers are great fun.

Let’s hope it stays that way.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

College Football and Computers: A BCS Mess

2009-11-09T14:55:00.001-07:00

There’s hardly a part of your life where computer skills can’t help you be better at what you do, both at the office and at home. We’ve been teaching just that for 22 years here at Video Professor.

With one exception, however: college football.

For the life of me, I cannot figure out how computers should factor into who should, and who shouldn’t, play for the national championship. The folks at the Bowl Championship Series do, however, and it provides no small amount of grist for sports pundits, reporters et al.

The BCS combines a labyrinth of polls and computer rankings to decide the best teams in the land, and who should play for the various games in the Bowl Championship Series.

Computers compute. But they have no heart, no soul, no true passion for the game. Sports is about passion. (And heartbreak!)

I follow a weekly “bracket” each week at CNNSI.com:

Okay, it’s put together by SI’s own pundits and scribes, but it’s close to what could be a legitimate play-off system, which could really go toward deciding a national champion in college football.

The idea of a play-off system in college sports isn’t a new one. It exists in many sports, not the least of which is the fabled NCAA basketball tournament.

A journey that starts with 64 teams and then narrows down to the Sweet 16 and then to the Final 4. (Sorry, I can’t embrace the “Great 8” yet.)

In the NCAA basketball tournament, everyone gets a shot. When it comes to football, it’s a case of the have’s and the have-nots. Great teams can go undefeated, but because they play in “non-BCS” divisions, they have no shot at knocking off a Florida or Texas.

President Obama likes the idea of a play-off, and he has an ally from the “loyal opposition” in Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.

Let’s hope the NCAA figures out a way to make it work before the government tries. NCAA “reform” would make the current arguments going on in Washington pale in comparison.

Every NCAA Division 1 conference should have a champion. That champion should have a shot at becoming the national champion.

The decision should be made on the playing field, not inside a computer chip. Or, worse yet, Congress.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

To: Congress

2009-11-02T13:26:00.000-07:00

November 2, 2009

To: Congress
From: Taxpayers
Subject: Notice of Employee Misconduct

As we approach your biannual review, we thought it important to notify you of several deficiencies. We deem them serious, and unless immediate efforts begin to remedy the situation, we will be forced to notify you that your continued employment may be in jeopardy.

We should remind you that this is what you agreed upon when entering into employment with us.

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

According to our legal department, this may not actually be legally binding, but we consider it at the very least, morally binding.

Here are the key areas that concern us most:

Budget Management
As of September 30, the deficit for the 2009 fiscal year was $1.42 trillion. This is up from $459 billion from the same period a year ago. The overall budget deficit is well north of $13 trillion, an increase of $3 trillion from a year ago.

You have indicated several times that you inherited a significant deficit from the previous management, but you also promised that you would work toward decreasing that deficit, not increasing it.

Here are just a few of literally thousands of examples of what we feel are wasteful spending. They have been brought to our attention, and we’re sharing them with you here:

· A tattoo removal program in San Luis Obispo County, California ($50,000)
· The Fort Union Trading Post bike trail in North Dakota ($500,000)
· The Center for Diabetes and Obesity at West Virginia University ($2 million)
· An effort to combat "Goth culture" in Blue Springs, Missouri ($270,000)

Individually, these items might not sound like much, but these projects and ones similar to them are up 14 percent over the last year.

Teamwork
One major project several departments are working on is reforming our existing health care system. Your original target date for completion was set for last August, but your latest reports to us indicate the end of the year at the earliest.

An area of concern appears to be an issue of competitiveness and personal agendas versus shareholder concerns. We also note that follow-up questions we’ve had since our employee-employer meeting in August are not being returned. Our “open door” policy rules are also not being followed.

These are issues of great concern, and it is management’s perception, at least, that you are driven by personal ego and lust for power rather than putting shareholders first.

Job Creation
Unemployment rates hover around the 10 percent level and have been steadily increasing. When you budgeted stimulus funds, we were promised job creation. Your report of 10 percent unemployment rates also appear to be understated due to the significant number of people who have given up searching for work, or who no longer receive unemployment benefits. True accounting puts the number in the region of 17 percent, a number which, like us, I know you must consider very serious.

The solutions, at least to us, appear easy. You must make every effort to loosen up the housing and credit crunch. No one sector of our economy employs more people. You must also free up credit to responsible borrowers and small businesses. Banks have the money; they simply are not lending it. Again, we stress that money should be lent only to responsible borrowers, which make up a huge majority of shareholders.

Your responsibility is not to create jobs but to let the private enterprise system work freely, which creates jobs. Simply put, get out of the way of those who know more about the economy than you do.

Personal Conduct
When we hired you, and as you stated in your earlier declaration, there was at least an understanding on our part that you would conduct yourself at a high level of decorum, ethics and personal morality.

There appear to be several areas where you have fallen short. Areas such as paying taxes, personal conduct issues and the like. While you may simply consider these “errors” or “lapses of judgment” we disagree. We will be paying especially close attention to personal conduct rules leading up to next year's employment review in November 2010.

There are also numerous and documented examples of name-calling, behavior expected from two-year-olds, but not from you, an employee of the United States of America.

Conclusions
It’s our hope that you take the above criticisms in the most positive of ways, and that they be guidelines to improve your overall job performance prior to next year’s employment review.

We must, however, inform you that your work is deemed unsatisfactory at this point, and unless significant improvements are made quickly, your employment with us will be in serious jeopardy.

Action Items
Return constituent calls, e-mails and letters.
Return to an open door policy, rather than trying to hide.
Please post legislative items for shareholder review at least 72 hours prior to voting on them.
Act like “grown-ups.”
Put your employers first, yourself second.

Again, it is management’s hope that you will carefully read and review all the above concerns. Your employment with us is, again, in serious jeopardy. We look forward to reports back from you detailing your actions for improvement.

Yours truly,

The Citizens and Taxpayers of the United States of America
Report filed on behalf of the above by:
John W. Scherer
CEO & Founder
Video Professor, Inc.
If you have any questions, please contact him directly at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Big Brother?

2009-10-26T14:09:00.001-07:00

George Orwell’s “1984” promised (and delivered) a frightening look into a society where the government controlled every aspect of people's lives.

There’s a piece of legislation sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia officially known as “S. 773: Cyber Security Act of 2009.”

According to OpenCongress.org, "The bill would also give the President new authority to 'declare a cybersecurity emergency and order the limitation or shutdown of Internet traffic to and from any compromised Federal Government or United States critical infrastructure information system or network.'"

On the surface it sounds good. Protect the federal government. The troubling part is drawing the line at exactly how “critical infrastructure information system or network” would be defined and how one person, the POTUS, would make the decision.

The bill was written much earlier this year and is in “committee,” which means that it’s essentially parked until further notice.

Here’s what some are saying about S. 773:

Cnet.com

Examiner.com

GovTrack.us

Computerworld.com

Lots of opinions. (Aren’t there always?)

What are yours?

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Points to Ponder

2009-10-19T14:34:00.001-07:00

I’m sharing these passages (with attributions) from various items I’ve read. You can draw your own conclusions, thoughts and ideas from them.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

-First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The Internet [...] has also nurtured an “artificial” sense of community among the hateful [...] When you have a venue for ventilating rage, your belief in that rage is ratified [...] It increases their belief that their behavior is acceptable. Their behavior is applauded, seconded. In that case, it’s scary. It does seem to roll and escalate.

-Shari Julian, psychologist, in an article in the Denver Post about Craigslist cracking down on what was being posted on its site.

One, I think there’s so much information out there that it’s hard to know what to believe and what not to believe. Two, rumors take on a life of their own. Three, the democratization of all this information undermines any kind of authority. Everybody’s an authority, so nobody’s an authority.

-Dee Dee Meyers, former White House press secretary, in an article from Public Relations Tactics magazine.
It started as privacy protection for the abused, the oppressed and the bashful. Now it shields creeps, criminals and malicious mobs. One story example was about a girl who, after sneaking out of the house, grabbed the keys to her dad’s Porche® and ended up crashing and killed in an accident. Gruesome photos of her mangled remains showed up online on Google™, Yahoo!® and Photobucket. Captions accused the girl of being a spoiled rich girl who deserved it. The postings were all anonymous.

-Paraphrased from the Forbes magazine article "Anonymity & the Net."

Food for thought.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor.com
Reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Education reform: Back to the future?

2009-10-13T08:20:00.002-07:00

President Obama is talking about extending school schedules into the summer months. Classes on weekends are even being discussed in some circles.

The goal is a good one: to make our kids at least as competitive as their counterparts in other countries. It’s no secret American school kids lag behind many countries in key skill sets like math, reading and science. Way behind.

How did we get to this point in the first place? A generation or two ago our education system was the envy of the world. Students from that time went on to get us to the moon. They went on to design the best cars in the world. They invented computers. They developed lifesaving medical procedures and cures.

What happened? Where did we lose it? Why did we fall behind?

We must have been doing something right back in the day. Maybe we need to look backward so we can move forward again.

It’s apparent our education system has taken a wrong turn. Maybe it’s time to double back and get on the right track again.

If the system is shortchanging our kids and our future, making days longer will just make it worse.

Back to the future. That’s the answer. What worked once can work again.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Enough with the polls.

2009-10-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

When I summon up the courage to watch the news these days, in most cases I’m confronted by a poll of some sort.

I’ve never been polled, but the way the results are presented I might be the only person in America who hasn’t.

Depending on the pollster, the network and day of the week I’ve come up with the following conclusions.

People want Healthcare Reform.
People don’t want Healthcare Reform.
People like the job the President is doing.
People don’t like the job the President is doing.
The BCS stinks. (Have to admit I agree with that one.)

Polls are called “scientific.” Not being a mathematician, I guess I’ll have to take their word for it. But how can a survey of a few hundred people truly be representative of a nation of 300 MILLION people?

One thing is for sure, there are two types of politicians out there. Those who let the polls drive them are followers. Those that ignore them are leaders.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Time to extend and expand the home buying rebate program.

2009-09-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

Incentives work. You may recall that earlier this year I called for a $10,000 tax rebate for anyone buying a new American car. I appreciated the fact that outlets like CNNfn, major newspapers and the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association liked the idea as well.

Congress didn’t listen but that’s dollars and jobs under the overpass. The Cash for Clunkers Program did get people back into showrooms, although it ended far too quickly. Sales, again, are flat. Showrooms are empty.

To its credit, the government is continuing the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers. I think they should expand it to include ALL qualified homebuyers. There are people looking to purchase another home, even in this economy, and fixer-uppers for investment and rental properties.

The automobile and housing industries are responsible for more jobs than any other in this country. It’s a huge amount of jobs.

Tax credits will obviously impact the bottom line next April 15, 2010 but in the meantime create jobs, jobs that pay good money, money that is spent in the community that generates other tax revenues which far overshadows any downside to tax credits.

Even the administration admits that double-digit unemployment will be around for a while. This is a jobless recovery. But there are people who are working, looking to buy cars and homes. Let’s give them every incentive to do so.

This isn’t rocket science, just sound and proven economics.

When people buy, jobs are created. It’s as simple as that.

John

John W. Scherer

John Scherer is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Why are we rewarding bad behavior?

2009-09-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

Were you watching President Obama’s health care speech to Congress when Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina called the president a liar? You may agree or disagree with that charge, but inside the House chamber is not the place to make it.

Then there’s Kanye West. As Taylor Swift was giving a heartfelt acceptance speech for winning an MTV Video Music Award, West—with a bottle of booze in one hand and a microphone in the other—comes on stage and says Beyonce should have won instead.

Of course there’s the case of Serena Williams at the U.S. Open Tennis Championships. Upset by a call, she pulled a John McEnroe and threatened to ram a tennis ball down a lineswoman’s throat. (Accented by several expletives.)

The real stink about all this is that then I see both Kanye West and Serena Williams on network television “apologizing.” Coifed, made-up and contrite. Right.

Serena referred to her victim as “that lineswoman.” Does she have a name? And I do hope that Mr. Leno offers Taylor Swift a guest spot on his show sooner rather than later.

Rep. Wilson, and this isn’t a partisan statement in any way, should apologize on the House floor because he insulted the American people by his behavior.

All this, simply put, is bad behavior being accepted and rewarded.

No one is perfect, but when shameful and boorish behavior is rewarded by a guest spot on network television, things have gone terribly wrong in this country.

Back in the day, if I would have acted this way in school, it was a quick and unpleasant visit with the principal. At home, well let’s just say mom and dad had rules and they were enforced!

I know I’ve been on a tear the past few weeks about yelling and now politeness. But this used to be a reasonably civil country. We need to get back to basics, stop yelling and treat each other with respect.

You know, the golden rule.

We saw a great example of this at the Philadelphia Phillies game last week. Maybe you saw it. Dad caught a coveted foul ball then handed it to his little girl, who promptly tossed it back on to the field. It’s what little kids do. Was dad upset? Nah, he gave his daughter the most loving of hugs. Watch the video here.

Let’s follow his example, shall we?

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

We’re yelling at the wrong people! (Part Two)

2009-09-14T15:50:00.001-07:00

Last week I hopefully started a dialog among you about all this yelling going on. Ironically people are claiming free speech to suppress your free speech.

There is a lot to yell about. Unemployment is now 9.7 percent. If you think that’s bad, I’m hearing that number will climb to as high as 10.5 percent before things start getting better. It’s hard to imagine it getting worse.

The $23 billion we “lent” to Chrysler® and GM® isn’t going to be paid back. Not a dime. Auto dealers who were promised refund checks from the government within 10 days for the “Cash for Clunkers” program are forced to wait months.

And the health care reform “debate” goes on, and on and on.

Promises broken over and over again. Yes, there is a lot to be angry about.

There was a time when you could actually get ahold of your elected representatives. In this world of e-mail and tweets, you’d think things would be easier. They are, at least for Congress. They just send generic automated responses along the lines of “Dear Occupant, I’m glad to have heard from you ..." blah, blah, blah.

I’ve received more than one of those “Dear Occupant” e-mails; it's disheartening to say the least.

It’s why people who showed up at the town hall meetings were so angry. We’re being shut out by the very people who represent us. The anger isn’t over issues; it’s over lack of representation.

So what’s next?

Keep up the pressure, but do it with the local offices. Call every day if you have to. Stop by personally at a local office and arrange a meeting with a local staff member. Here along Main Street, USA you have the power. You’re the boss. You’re the employer and there are employment reviews every two and six years.

Don’t give up. I’m not going to. Otherwise we’re going to lose, slowly but surely, the freedoms that have been part of our national fabric since July 4, 1776.

Finally, be unfailingly polite. The time for yelling is over. That outburst during President Obama’s speech last week is exactly what we don’t need, and proof that Washington is out of control.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t let them know who is boss.

And that’s us.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
Reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

We’re yelling at the wrong people! (Part One)

2009-09-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, let’s stop yelling, period.

As Congress returned to Washington, the business of the people (at least that’s what they claim it is) resumed after arguably one of the most tumultuous August recesses in recent history.

The issue at hand was health care reform. The debate revealed something else. The American people have discovered that the government has lost touch with the people.

Sadly, much of the yelling and screaming was done by Americans at other Americans. When they weren’t tearing each other’s protest signs away.

It’s no wonder. They’re both angry and confused. There really is no reform bill per se, just about 1,100 plus pages of hastily prepared and unfocused legislation floating around various committees and subcommittees.

Special interest groups bombarded the airwaves with their various versions of what reform should be. Town hall meetings became shouting matches.

Americans who dared oppose reform were called “anti-American,” “vile” and much worse. They were accused of being “organized.”

So let’s dispel a couple of myths. What is more American than raising your voice in protest against that which you disagree? It’s how the nation was founded. As for being organized, so was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s march on Washington. So was the bus boycott in Alabama. Both landmarks in racial equality.

It’s about as silly as when now-President Obama was accused by some of not being patriotic because he didn’t wear an American Flag lapel pin. What is more patriotic than running for president of the United States?

Washington long ago stopped listening. The Founding Fathers of this nation came up with a system of governing that included three separate but equal branches: executive, legislative and judicial.

One became term-limited, the executive branch. It was a reaction to FDR’s almost four terms as president. Now, just like a badly balanced wheel on a car, our system of governing shimmies and shakes.

Write your congressman? Forget it. Send an e-mail and you’ll eventually get a generic response.

So what’s a citizen to do?

The answer next week.

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

So, what are you willing to give up?

2009-09-01T08:23:00.001-07:00

You’ve no doubt heard that the government “revised” the estimated deficit from $7 trillion up to $9 trillion for 2010-2019. The current health care package being debated and argued ad nauseum will add another trillion to the total.

Why do I have a funny feeling the number will grow?

The cause for all this is a no-brainer. The government is spending way more than it takes in. To be clear, this all started well before most of us even heard of Barack Obama. In Washington, D.C. fiscal responsibility is an oxymoron.

So, how do we solve all this? There are only two choices, or perhaps a combination of both: cut spending and/or raise taxes.

What happens when you overdraw your checking account? You get a nasty note and penalty from your bank.

What happens when the government does the same thing? Well, think what it would be like for the Chinese to foreclose on the White House. Wouldn’t that be a proud moment? China holds over a trillion dollars of our debt, and I do believe they expect to get paid back—and not in Monopoly money.

But when you have a government accounting system that deals in “rounding errors” in the billions, it’s a recipe for financial disaster.

Oh yes, the market seems to be humming along. It’s no wonder. The companies making money have two things in common. They didn’t take bailout money and they’ve cut expenses to the bone, most notably employees—a difficult decision for any company to make.

Don’t let Washington fool you; our national unemployment rate is well north of 10 percent.

We are stuck in a national “catch-22.” A line-item veto would certainly be a good start, but the folks who could vote on that are the same ones who love to tuck millions for pork into legislation for the folks back home not remotely connected to it.

The Balanced Budget Amendment? Never gonna happen. Look at the health care “reform” debate. It would amount to a pimple on a hog’s rear end compared to the debate over balancing the budget.

So, we have to ask ourselves how much more in taxes we are willing to pay. Are we willing not to have our streets plowed, or those potholes on the Interstate fixed?

If the government isn’t willing to fly coach like we do, then it’s hard to expect us to give up driving on a decent road when we go to the airport.

I’d suggest you call or write your elected representatives, but they’re not listening. They stopped listening a long time ago.

Hence the $10 trillion deficit.

Just think, a child born today will do so automatically being $5,000 in debt.

A child born tomorrow will be in even more debt.

And so it goes.

-John

John W. Scherer

John Scherer is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Washington gets an earful.

2009-08-24T07:55:00.001-07:00

Attend any of the “Town halls” during the past couple of weeks? They’re certainly more raucous than the staged campaign-like appearances by the President, attendees by invitation only.

Listening to the level of “enthusiasm” of many of the attendees it’s clear the anger and anxiety being felt by us folks living on Main Street extends well beyond healthcare reform.

Most polls indicate that by a Americans are turning their backs on the Administration’s reform efforts, albeit by a small margin. But the margin grows daily. It’s no wonder, never has any initiative been more poorly articulated, with mixed messages galore.

Then there’s the stimulus plan. A USA Today poll last week indicated 57% of us feel that it’s flat-out not working. The feel the $787 Billion plan has not worked as advertised, has not created new jobs, has done nothing to truly stimulate the economy and would much rather simply have the money returned to them.

Don’t hold your breath.

The real issue is that the majority of Americans simply don’t trust government anymore. It doesn’t help when the Speaker of the House calls those who exercise their 1^st Amendment Rights "un-American".

It doesn’t help when Congress votes $500 Million for luxury jets when a lot of folks are simply trying to pay the bills.

Unemployment goes up, the debt does up, our confidence in government as a problem solver goes in the opposite direction.

All this started well before the current Administration. The inherited a mess but sweeping it all under a rug doesn’t get rid of the dirt. That will take a big broom and it appears the mood of the American people will be every bi-partisan next year to sweep everyone out and simply start all over again.

Washington has gotten an earful because simply put, we’ve had a belly full of petty partisanship and a total lack of leadership from both parties.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

What do you think? Contact John at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Pizza Goes High Tech.

2009-08-17T11:13:00.001-07:00

You might recall the PR hit the good folks at Domino's Pizza^® took a few months ago. A couple of employees posted an absurd, make that obscene, video spitting and other things on a pizza apparently set for home delivery.

Then they posted it on YouTube. Millions saw it. Unfair to Domino's? You bet. The good news comes twofold.

First, the employees are charged with food tampering, which is against the law. Nothing like having a felony on your resume.

The real good news is what Domino's did next, and because it involves computers, hence today’s blog.

Let’s face it, ordering a pizza for home delivery is one of life’s simple pleasures. Now when you order a pizza from Domino's for home delivery, you can order it online, then track it from the time it enters the oven, who made it and when to expect to have it delivered.

As I’ve said so many times before when we first started out teaching people how to use their computers, it’s always fun to see how things have evolved the past 22 years.

From MS-DOS to tracking your pizza.

Extra sausage please.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

What happened to R-E-S-P-E-C-T (and privacy)?

2009-08-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

You might have read about a female ESPN™ sports reporter who had her hotel room infiltrated by a tiny spy camera. No need to go into what was seen; she was a victim of the worst kind of intrusion. No one has been caught yet. Sadly, some of the images turned up on the Internet and elsewhere.

Then there was the story last week where someone set up a fake ATM machine at a Las Vegas hotel while a security convention, of all things, was going on. More than a few people swiped their cards for some cash, and instead had personal data stolen, pin codes, etc.

An anonymous blogger posts that Sarah Palin is getting a divorce and moving with the kids to Montana. Sadly, some mainstream media actually picked up the story. Only problem is, it wasn’t true.

There was a time when people respected privacy, and something Aretha Franklin so grandly sung about, respect.

Society has always had its share of bad people, but technology is aiding and abetting the worst of them. Anyone can buy a tiny spy cam and simply use the peephole in your hotel door to peep at you. How does someone get away with such a thing at a high-end hotel? The fact is that they do.

Planting a fake ATM machine at a ‘Vegas hotel during a security convention is akin to walking unannounced into the Oval Office. Somehow, someone figured out a way to beat the system.

And of course, we all know that anyone can post about anything they want anonymously on the Net. But when some traditional media start to “run with it” you have to scratch your head. Sadly, Walter Cronkite has passed away, but one would hope that solid journalism didn’t die with him.

It just isn’t right when, after checking into your hotel room, you have to check for hidden cameras. It just isn’t right when you need to use an ATM and you wonder if it’s real or the work of some high-tech crook. It just isn’t right when people simply make up rubbish, post it and then the story gets a life of its own. Even if it isn’t true.

I hope all of the above are caught. I hope that all of the above are punished or exposed for what they are.

Is simple respect out of date? I hope not.

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Video Professor-ESPN SportsNation spots posted.

2009-08-05T10:05:00.001-07:00

Just got the links to all the spots I told you about earlier with ESPN^TM. Thanks again to ESPN for making it a memorable day in Bristol. Hope you enjoy the spots as much as I did making them.

To view the Video Professor spots, click a link below.
SportsNation: Not Everyone Can Talk Sports
Bonus Content
Screen Test

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Interactive is empowering.

2009-08-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

I blogged last week about shooting a promotional spot for SportsNation on ESPN2 hosted by Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle. The show really empowers sports fans who can e-mail, Tweet, Skype™, etc. into the show. In essence, the viewers are the show and Colin and Michelle the “Ringmasters.”

Look also at your local news. Here in Colorado we’ve had a very stormy summer season. There isn’t a station in town that doesn’t provide an opportunity for you to post pictures and videos of spectacular lightning or storm damage. I’m sure you see the same thing where you live.

Viewers are now news gatherers as well.

What makes it all possible is your laptop, desktop or PDA. To be honest, when we produced our first lesson here at Video Professor on MS-DOS, this was the furthest thing from our minds. What we did realize was that people wanted to learn how to operate their computers. They saw the potential that the machines had.

Almost 22 years and 20 million customers later, we’ve seen for a long time that potential being realized.

It’s why it’s especially gratifying to us when we work with non-profits like Global Outreach in Tanzania or Serving Our World in Thailand who include computer literacy as part of their programs. They came to Video Professor as the best way for their students to learn how to operate a computer.

They’ll be able to learn more about the world around them, and at the same time share their world with the rest of us.

It is empowering. It’s great. It shows that regardless of where you live, you can be involved, that you can communicate, that you can be part of the process.

Your voice can be heard.

I like that.

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

The Video Professor spends a day at ESPN™.

2009-07-27T08:00:00.003-07:00

A few weeks ago my Public Relations representative came down to my office and said ESPN™ was interested in using me for a promotional spot for a new show.

I kept on waiting for the punch line! A few days later he was back and told me, “You’re going to Bristol!”

Is anyone not a fan of ESPN? Granted, a lot of people cover sports on television. But when it comes to sports coverage (and sports promos) there’s ESPN and there’s “not exactly.” ESPN re-invented sports coverage. Heck, they re-invent it every day.

ESPN is located in Bristol, CT. It’s a small community near Hartford. Their facility takes your breath away. It’s a huge campus full of studios and state of the art technology. The home of Sports Center!

ESPN promotional spots are among the best. They’ve developed a unique brand of humor and style, and I admit to being a wee bit nervous. I’ve been on TV for years, but this was something entirely different. The ESPN crew was great and made me feel right at home.

(John W. Scherer with ESPN Production Team)

The easy part was that I got to play myself. Sort of. ESPN2 is launching a new interactive sports talk show hosted by Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle called SportsNation. But this isn’t your Dad’s call-in sports show, this is all about interactive. You can Skype™, Twitter™, e-mail or even make old-fashioned phone calls with your questions and comments to Colin and Michelle in real time.

That’s where I came in. I’m a sports fan named VidProf45 and Colin Cowherd is talking about Manny Ramirez. I’m Skyping into the show telling Colin I taught Manny everything he knows about the Internet. In fact, I can even teach Colin, to which he responds that he’s been there done that. I close out with my famous commercial tagline, “What have you got to lose? Try My Product!®” Colin quickly moves on to another call.

(John shooting his lines for Sports Nation Promo)

I know they have a few other folks who’ve cut promos and like you, will see them on ESPN2. Check them out here: http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/screentest.

But for a day, at least, I got to hang out at ESPN and shoot promos that I hope will be successful in promoting SportsNation along with its terrific co-hosts Colin and Michelle. I’m honored that the folks at ESPN and The Martin Agency thought enough of the Video Professor brand to use it to promote their brand.

(John on the set of ESPN’s SportsNation)

When I started out Video Professor almost 22 years ago, I had no idea where computer technology was going and what it could do.

Now I know!

So, what have you got to lose? Try ESPN’s product (and mine, too)!

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Neil, Buzz and Mike are on to something.

2009-07-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

Last week marked the 40^th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing. After the current shuttle mission, only six flights remain scheduled. Then the “Space Truck” will be retired. It’s 1980’s technology.

Funding for the space station could run out as early as 2016. So, what’s next? For the meantime, we’ll have to hitch a ride to space—and only in low Earth orbit.

Getting to the moon July 20, 1969 was a remarkable achievement. It was more “Stick and Rudder” than high tech. The onboard computers had the power of a Commodore 64, if that. Slide rules, ruled. (Google® that one.) Your cell phone has more computing power than what was available to Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

The current goal appears to be a return to the moon through the Orion Project. It looks remarkably similar to Apollo. Just bigger, and of course, with computing power that could only be dreamed about 40 years ago.

The Apollo 11 crew dropped by the White House last week. They suggested Mars instead of the moon. As they’ve “Been there and done that” we should heed their advice.

The Russians just completed a simulation of a flight to Mars. The return trip will take at least 150 days. The challenges are huge. But we’ve proven we can send spacecrafts to Mars, land them safely and explore the surface.

The moon doesn’t offer much. Mars does, including an atmosphere of sorts, and water. Or at least ice.

Two points I’d like to close with, the first being cost. (It’s a CEO thing.) One of the staff here at Video Professor did a paper about the Apollo Program while in college. He discovered that at its peak, Apollo used just half of one percent of the national budget.

Secondly, the Apollo Program drove technology in computing, fuel cells and simply how to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Besides, Mars is “Shovel-ready.”

Do we go it alone? No. It should be a joint effort between the United States, the Russians and even the Chinese. All have established space programs. We already partner with the Russians getting to and from the space station, ferrying food and even equipment to fix the plumbing!

Other nations including Europe, Canada and Japan can also be active partners.

It’s human nature to want to know what’s over the next hill. This continent was discovered by explorers.

We’ve been to the moon. Let’s make the next stop Mars.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Wall-to-Wall 1963-2009

2009-07-13T08:21:00.001-07:00

I've been pondering what's referred to in the news business as the "Wall-to-Wall" coverage of the Michael Jackson memorial.

It harkens back to the network coverage following President Kennedy's assassination in 1963. The networks literally had to invent technology as they covered the story.

That coverage was described then as television's finest hour. I agree.
I'm not sure the same terms will be used today.

In 1963, there were just three networks and newspapers for coverage. That was it. Yet, the coverage then, as it is today, was incredible. Technology in 1963 was crude by comparison.

In 1963 it was Walter Cronkite and other journalistic giants of the era providing the coverage. Today it's "Jackofan4ever" competing with FOX News™ who is competing against (or working with) TMZ.com.

Dozens of networks, broadcast and cable/satellite, went 24/7. Many of you followed coverage streamed to your computer or PDA.

It involved streaming, tweeting and downloading, which created huge demand and big numbers.

Gigaom reports that it was one of the busiest Internet events ever.

Akamai says it delivered more than 2,185,000 live and on-demand streams in both the Flash® and Windows Media® formats. There were 3,924,370 visitors per minute as of 1 pm EST and an average of more than 3.3 million visitors per minute overall.

Facebook® announced 800,000 status updates during the memorial.

People filed pictures and video via their cell phone cameras on their sites and others.

Regardless of what you think about last week’s events, or those 46 years ago, it takes just these kinds of moments to push the communication envelope as to just what can be done—both good and bad.

Gone today, however, is the filter of traditional journalism. In fact, this modern era of communication often takes a backseat to rumor.

We need to work on that part.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

July 4, 1776 and July 4, 2009

2009-07-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

It’s hard not to think about The Declaration of Independence this time of year. What an incredibly brave thing it was for the men who signed it. They risked their fortunes and their lives doing so. Telling “Old King George” to essentially stick it was a risky proposition.

With all that’s going on, and sadly not going on in Washington these days, I offer you the text of the original document from the National Archives to read then think about. Pay attention to what these men were saying and the point they were trying to make about freedom and representative government; a government that truly serves the best interests of the people and doesn’t interfere with their lives or businesses. A “Less is more” approach.

Happy birthday America, may you continue on for centuries to come.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

In Congress, July 4, 1776.
A Declaration
By the REPRESENTATIVES of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
In GENERAL CONGRESS assembled.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When, in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. -- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. -- Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by mock Trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

All the news that’s fit to Twitter.

2009-06-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

Iran’s government is doing all it can to keep the outside world from finding out what’s happening inside Iran. Reporters have been arrested, kicked out and certainly not let back in.

Yet news is getting out. How?

Twitter. The whole world is watching via dispatches of 140 characters or less.

It’s easy to make fun of Twitter. For many, it’s posting something like “Just picked up a latte then picking up dry cleaning.” Z-z-z-z-z-z.

To their credit, more and more news organizations are incorporating Twitter into their operations.

To the credit of computer savvy citizens of Iran, we’re learning first-hand about the incredible courage and bravery it takes to stand up to an authoritarian regime like that of Iran.

This isn’t about technology trumping tyranny but the people with the courage to use that technology.

The Twitter heard ‘round the world.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Is social media making us less social?

2009-06-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

We’ve been reading and hearing a lot about social media these days. One of my favorite cartoon strips, Zits, has had more than a few themes dealing with Jeremy texting his mom and dad instead of talking to them. Even when he’s in the same room.

With Facebook®, MySpace, Twitter and the myriad of Web 2.0 web sites available, it looks like it might be too much of a good thing.

I just read results by the Annenberg Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California. They’ve been studying time we spend with our families, and the numbers aren’t good. According to results released last week, Annenberg says 28 percent of Americans surveyed are spending more time away from their families. That’s up from 11 percent in 2006.

It’s no surprise the same study shows teens spending more time than ever online.

Not that many years ago television was blamed for cutting into family time. But at least families can watch television together. Not so much surfing the Net unless you're texting or Twittering across the kitchen table.

In a way today’s technology, from PDA’s to social sites, allows parents to keep tabs on their kids more than ever.

But nothing beats face time. One-on-one conversation. “How was your day?” comes across much better in person, rather than texting.

Like everything else, it’s all about balance. We’re in our 22^nd year of business here at Video Professor, teaching people how computing saves time for more important things.

So enjoy the technology. Twitter away, but make a point of carving out regular family time where you can be in a real room instead of a chat room, where you can reach out and hug a loved one rather than text them.

It’s all about balance. Keep family in the mix.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

New era for entrepreneurs?

2009-06-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

I blogged earlier about the uncertain future facing a lot of graduates this year; jobs are tight.

Listening to an interview recently between Colin Cowherd of ESPN® and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban about entrepreneurship got me thinking back to my first days in business.

Cuban thinks we may have a new era of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship isn’t exclusive to the United States, but we’re as good at it, if not better, than anyone else. Every time the economy has gone down, Cuban says, entrepreneurs have built it back up bigger than ever.

I agree.

The Merriam-Webster® dictionary describes an entrepreneur as “One who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise.” I’ll get back to a keyword in that description in a moment.

Cuban made the point that new graduates choosing to start their own businesses better get used to continuing to live like college students! He believes there is some young person out there who will come up with the next big thing. People believe that if Bill Gates and Michael Dell (or even the Video Professor) could do it, they can to.

Despite the ads you see about “being your own boss,” showing pictures of people lounging around swimming pools enjoying the good life, starting a business from nothing is hard work. There is no time to spend around swimming pools, and after long days, get used to sleepless nights. A lot of them.

Okay, back to the description of entrepreneurship. Look at the word “Risk.” There are no guarantees of success. The huge majority of start-up businesses fail in the first year.

We here at Video Professor are in our 22^nd year of business. I wouldn’t change one bit of the experience. Were there tough times? Absolutely, but great times as well.

I started out as a contractor when I moved to Colorado. Then, I began manufacturing PC-clone computers. Customers came back to us asking for an alternative to complicated operating manuals. There weren’t any. So we created our own. The solution to a problem became my business.

What I did learn is that if you keep on showing up, surround yourself with talented and dedicated people and, oh yes, put any thoughts of hanging around the swimming pool out of your head, you can succeed. Just about every day other people will tell you to give it up, that you can’t go on. Don’t listen to them. Listen to yourself.

So, for you kids with diplomas and resumes in hand, but the hiring doors shut, take stock of yourself. What are you good at? Is there a service you can provide to others that is unique, special and affordable? Are you willing to start from your kitchen table or your parents’ kitchen table? Are you willing to eat a lot of peanut butter knowing the steak might come later?

If so, go for it. This is a good time to become an entrepreneur. I look forward to “trying YOUR product.”

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

June 6, 1944 and June 6, 2009

2009-06-09T08:16:00.002-07:00

This past Saturday we marked the 65^th anniversary of the Allied landings on Normandy. Yanks, Brits, Canadians, Free French and many other nations landed on those beaches—securing a beachhead that led to the demise of theThird Reich. Many never made it off the beach alive, or if they did, were horribly injured.

These brave soldiers, sailors and airmen fought tyranny, believing that freedom was far superior. History has proven them right over and over again.

The tanks, jeeps, etc. they used were manufactured by companies like General Motors® and Chrysler®. Detroit automakers, like so many other businesses, retooled for the war effort.

When the war ended, many of those who survived went back to work in those plants, building the cars that had become legendary, and the envy of the world.

I wonder how those few survivors still left would think about the current circumstances with GM® and Chrysler. GM government-owned, Chrysler managed by an Italian company. Those circumstances dictated by the government.

I wonder how these members of the “Greatest Generation” who came back and believed in paying cash for cars and houses and living well within their means while they built America would feel about our impending $10 trillion deficit.

I wonder how this generation who defined self-sufficiency would feel about paying the bills of those who spent foolishly, made bad decisions and got deep in debt, thinking that life was a free ride.

I wonder.

John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Pomp and Circumstance: 2009 Edition

2009-06-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Based on the number of decorations and balloons, etc. I’ve seen in neighborhood front yards, a lot of kids are graduating either from high school or college.

Congratulations to the Class of 2009!

Chances are good that you’ve been told about the challenging economic times ahead and the uncertain job market, etc. You’re not the first.

My parents lived through the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Compared to that, what we’re experiencing today is a mere blip.

I graduated from high school in 1965 and from college in 1971. The 1960’s were the most turbulent time in our history since the American Civil War. President Kennedy was assassinated, as was his brother, Senator Robert Kennedy. Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. also fell victim to the sniper’s bullet.

The Vietnam War was tearing the country apart.

Yet, the generations of those times survived and thrived. It’s what Americans do best.

No doubt you’re getting all sorts of advice. I’m going to chime in with some as well based on my own experience running businesses ever since I got out of college.

The world doesn’t owe you a living.

Despite what you’ve been reading, the government doesn’t owe you a living and won’t pay your bills. It doesn’t have the money. Now that you have a degree, it’s time to start your new life. My sense is that your generation will be a truly entrepreneurial one. Maybe you’ll be the ones to figure out how to make money with social networking sites!

Beware of marble floors.

When you show up for a job interview, unless you’re applying at a museum, be wary of marble floors and fancy paintings in the lobby. It means that the business is spending money on things that don’t build the business. Not a good sign.

Save for a rainy day.

I just read about a former news anchor that had been making $250,000 a year when he lost his job due to the downturn in the broadcasting business. Six months later he was borrowing money to make car payments. Don’t let rainy days, Mondays and layoffs get you down.

Beginning with your first paycheck, start your “Rainy Day Fund.” I guarantee you that it will rain sometime during your life. Very likely more than once!

Companies today that will survive tomorrow, like Dell®, Google® and Yahoo! ®, all have plenty of cash reserves, in the tens of billions of dollars. It’s raining, and that cash makes a great umbrella. They don’t need bailouts, nor do they want them. They understand the free enterprise system is a tough one, but since 1776 it’s the system that has worked best.

It works in baseball; it will work for you.

Don’t worry about hitting homeruns when you start your career. Concentrate on singles and doubles and watch out for strikeouts and errors. Focus on the basics and the homeruns will come soon enough.

So good luck to the Class of 2009. I wish you every success. We’re going to need you to help pay the bills that the government is running up today. (So will your kids, by the way.)

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Nimitz: Part 2.

2009-05-22T14:26:00.016-07:00

It took me a couple days to catch my breath after spending about 30 hours aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, a floating city with a punch.

As I blogged last week, the tail hook landing was something else. One second you’re flying, and the next second you’re stopped. But the entire crew at NAS, San Diego prepared us for the experience.

(An F/A-18 Hornet prepares to grab the 3-Wire.-Photo by John W. Scherer)

As soon as we landed, flight operations continued with fighter jets landing and taking off within a few feet of us.

We were quickly ushered inside for a briefing. When you’re on an aircraft carrier there are a lot of do’s, and especially a lot of don’ts. Aircraft carriers are warships, and they are dangerous places to work regardless of what your job is on the ship. Operations continue 24 hours a day and crewmembers work 12-hour shifts, seven days a week with no days off.

Our first stop was the bridge, which is a great place to observe flight operations. The captain of the Nimitz, Michael A. Manazir, showed us around. Seeing how the crew's focus was on the bridge (and everywhere onboard) was incredible.

(John W. Scherer with Captain Michael A. Manazir)

(The discipline, organization and pride are evident.-Photo by John W. Scherer)

The world situation being what it is, we were on an official wartime footing while at sea. No room for mistakes. And they don’t make any aboard the Nimitz. Many of the crew are just kids in their late teens or early 20’s. We don’t pay them nearly enough for the sacrifices they make to keep us safe and free. Their families make huge sacrifices, too. Imagine having a loved one gone for six months at a time.

With over 1,100 feet of length, a flight deck 4.5 acres in size and a crew of some 5-thousand men and women, everything about the Nimitz impresses. The enemy never sleeps, and neither does the United States Navy. The Nimitz represents the best of the best. I was just so proud to meet the officers and enlisted crewmembers.

(Some of the folks who work the toughest job in the world: keeping us free.)

(Prepping an A-6 Intruder for flight.-Photo by John W. Scherer)

If you love peace and quiet, an aircraft carrier isn’t the place to be. It’s noisy all the time, everywhere you go. It’s not just the jets, but the powerful catapults that launch the planes, the arrester gear that stops the planes plus the noise of machinery, the crew and the sounds of a warship at sea.

As big as the ship is, space is at a premium both on the flight deck and below deck. Privacy is also at a premium. Yet, thousands of crewmembers, men and women, find a way to make it work. The key is training and discipline. After a 12-hour day, most of us would just like to hit the pillow. Not aboard the Nimitz. Crewmembers are working on getting degrees, advancing their skill sets, taking care of laundry and of course grabbing some chow. Talk about appetites!

(John W. Scherer presents the Nimitz with a complete Video Professor learning library.)

Ultimately it’s the flight operations that absolutely stun you. Planes landing and taking off just a few feet from where you’re standing takes your breath away. Another thing you never do on an aircraft carrier is let your mind wander.

(Open 24/7, the ship never sleeps.-Photo by John W. Scherer)

(The “Island”-Photo by John W. Scherer)

(The fighter behind John will go from zero to 160 knots in just seconds.)

(The “Cat,” a.k.a. world’s biggest slingshot!)

The bottom line is that I can’t think of a better career for a young man or woman than our military. It’s not for everyone because you can’t just be “anyone” and make it aboard a ship like the Nimitz. The skills, the discipline and the focus on excellence are of the highest level. There are no unimportant jobs. Pilots; the crew both above and below the flight deck; the specialists who work on the bridge, prep the planes for flight, manage the weapons systems, choreograph the ballet of dozens of planes taking off and landing at the same time; the engineers who manage the nuclear propulsion systems and even the cooks all play a key role in keeping the ship, shipshape.

I just don’t have the words to describe the pride I have in them, the feeling in my heart knowing they take the battle to the enemy, the knowledge that they volunteered to do it and above all how they work with a level of pride and excellence that is far too rare these days.

There are simply none better anywhere. Their work gets far too little attention or appreciation. The last thing you want to do is mess with them. They’ll hit back and hit back hard. It’s their job, and they’re committed to it 24/7, 365 days a year.

(John W. Scherer makes a new friend aboard the Nimitz.)

(The Nimitz packs a punch.-Photo by John W. Scherer)

(Don’t mess with the Navy, because this is what you get in return.)

My time aboard the Nimitz, getting to know the fine men and women who defend this nation aboard one of the most powerful warships in the world, is a memory I’ll keep forever.

I’m free to write this, free to come to work and run my business, not to fear someone coming to take me away in the middle of the night because of all the members of our military.

They volunteered for the job and make incredible sacrifices, and I hope this blog will make you think about them, even for just a few moments and appreciate what they do for us.

My trip was an absolutely incredible experience for a land-bound CEO who learned more than a few things and is better for it.

Thank you Captain Manazir and your entire crew; I salute you all.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Nimitz: Part 1.

2009-05-18T10:45:00.007-07:00

A few years back I shared a story with you about my day spent aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain. I’m a member of the United States Navy’s Leaders to Sea program.

Leaders to Sea allows business, government and community leaders to get a first-hand look at how the wonderful men and women of the United States Navy do their jobs when at sea. It’s a great learning experience for all involved. During a standard six-month deployment, crewmembers work 12-hour days, seven days a week. No days off. Watching how their commanders keep them motivated is a great lesson for any CEO.

Note to taxpayers: I pay all my expenses from travel to food.

I was fortunate enough to get a second opportunity at sea, this time aboard one of the largest military ships in the world, the CV-68 aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.

My day started at Naval Air Station, San Diego where I received a briefing about the ship, and of course all that’s involved when a civilian flies out to land on an aircraft carrier! Our transportation was aboard a Grumman C-2 Greyhound, a military twin engine turboprop for carrier onboard delivery, also referred to as COD. It ferries crewmembers, equipment, mail and any other necessities to and from ships like the Nimitz.

For those of you who’ve traveled on an airliner, you make a nice level approach, a gentle landing and you slow down gently until you taxi up to your gate. A carrier landing is completely different.

As we approached the Nimitz, it felt like we were just a few feet over the ocean. Because we were! We circled in a holding pattern on the starboard (right) side of the Nimitz until we were cleared to land. Then came a left turn for our downwind approach to the ship. Looking out the window, you see what a magnificent ship the Nimitz is.

At this point the aircrew is flying at an airspeed just fast enough to keep us in the air. The crew constantly adjusts the angle of the C-2 to compensate for the pitching of the deck, winds, etc.

Then, BAM! We hit the deck and stop. I mean STOP! As the tail hook catches one of five arresting wires on the ship, the pilot immediately goes to full throttle in case we miss the wire and have to take off and try again. Our crew gets it right the first time.

We quickly taxied into the very limited space available on the 4.5 acre flight deck, the crew folding the wings of the C-2 to take up less space, which is at a premium on the flight deck and below decks.

As we were escorted off the plane and inside the ship, a variety of planes were either taking off or landing within a few feet of us.

Exciting? You bet. What was especially impressive was the professionalism of the crewmembers as they choreographed all this. They’re mostly just kids in their late teens and early 20’s.

It’s truly an organizational wonder.

Aircraft carriers like the Nimitz and others in the fleet are the fastest and best way for this nation to deploy air power to protect America.

The ships are literally cities at sea. On a full deployment, over 5-thousand crewmembers call the ship home. In next week’s blog I’ll try and give you a sense of what life is like aboard the USS Nimitz.

My first impression so far is simply, WOW!

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

It’s 2009, not 1809 folks.

2009-05-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

As I write this, the state of Minnesota has one senator. The other 49 states have two each.

At issue is the highly contested race between former Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and Democratic Challenger Al Franken. (Yes, the one from Saturday Night Live.) Franken won, but his margin of victory was so slim that an automatic recount kicked in, and the Democratic process got kicked out.

With Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania switching from Republican to Democrat, a Franken win would give the Democrats a 60 vote supermajority in the Senate, which means the Republicans couldn’t hold up legislation through filibuster.

This is either good news or bad news depending on your party affiliation. What’s sad is that the election was held last November, 2008. Now it’s May, 2009. Since then there have been recounts, recounts of recounts and more court battles than I can count.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas is now talking about taking this to the United States Supreme Court should the Minnesota Supreme Court decide against Coleman. That would mean the people of Minnesota would be underrepresented for a full election cycle.

Shameful, and not what the people who founded this country had in mind back in 1776.

The people of Minnesota deserve better. So does the nation. It’s amazing in this digital age that so many states haven’t figured out something as simple as counting votes. Years after the debacle in Florida, lessons still haven’t been learned.

People elect their representatives to government, not lawyers and courts.

Millions of dollars have been spent, political bad will grows each day and the last thing anyone involved in all this cares about is what’s best for the country. Not the least of which being fair and equal representation.

Each state is supposed to have two senators. That includes Minnesota.

There has to be a better way. There must be a better way, and the folks in charge better find it—and soon.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

It’s not the first 100 days, but the last 100 days that matter most.

2009-05-04T14:02:00.001-07:00

I did an interview this week with CNN Money. They asked me to grade President Obama’s first 100 days in office. Here’s a link to the article, which was published this past Wednesday.

You’ve likely seen or read dozens of stories about the administration’s “First 100 Days.”

The president has the best approval rating at this point than any president in the last 20 years. The only presidents in recent history with higher ratings were Kennedy and Eisenhower. Those were different times. This nation started becoming politically divided in the late 60’s. Today it’s as divided as it’s ever been. Deeply divided.

All this aside, I really don’t care as much about how the president is doing the first 100 days of his administration as I do about how he is during the last 100 days of his first term. That will dictate if he’ll get a second term.

Before going further, let me say outright that I want the president to succeed. If he does, so do we. If he fails, we fail with him, and failure is not an option. So, let’s see where we’re at the first 100 days.

Spending trillions of dollars we don’t have might work. It hasn’t in the past, but you never know.

GM® and Chrysler® going bankrupt, laying off tens of thousand of workers and dumping classic brands might work out. Billions in bailouts haven’t worked, that we know for sure. Detroit isn’t selling cars. Detroit needs to sell cars to survive. Everything else is just a soggy Band-Aid.

Maybe making the 93 percent of people who pay their mortgages on time also pick up the tab for the seven percent that don’t might work.

Maybe Iran, Cuba and Venezuela might become our BFFs.

Ambitious plans for high speed rail are compared with the building of the interstate highway system supposedly started in the 1950’s. Expensive then and even more expensive now. What is not reported is that the interstate highway system plan originated in 1921 and won’t be completed until this year when a section of the original plan is completed in Pennsylvania, 88 years later. That’s a lot of 100 days.

Massive solar projects in places like the Mojave Desert are already running into opposition because of the damage to the ecosystem that would result. The same folks demanding alternative energy are now heading to court to fight it.

Some banks claim to be profitable. Many of them are the ones that got TARP Money. It’s hard not to make a profit when you get free money. Why aren’t those banks lending money to responsible people to buy homes? If they won’t lend us money, when will they give the money back that we lent them? Maybe all this will work, but I doubt it.

Should the government become majority shareholders in banks and automobile companies? That appears to be the plan. Maybe it will work.

The president wants a healthcare plan on his desk by August, before the summer recess. It’s as ambitious an overhaul of anything in this country ever undertaken. Maybe Congress can get something done in the next few months. They haven’t gotten anything else done, maybe they can this time.

Then there’s Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Measuring the success of the first 100 days of a presidency is about as relevant as when a team scores on the first drive of a football game. It’s the score at the end of the game that counts.

As I said in the CNN Money article, I'd much rather see him focused on what gets people back to work. Imagine he said the following to a stadium full of people: "I have many things I can work on. Should I get us health insurance or should I get people back to work? Should I close Gitmo or should I get the economy going?" What do you think they would say?

The president’s agenda is impressive and expensive. Ratings are high. I wish him well.

Let’s revisit it all in about 1,300 days.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

So Much for Plan “B”

2009-04-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

Another day over and another day closer to once mighty General Motors® declaring bankruptcy. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men, along with billions of our bailout dollars, can't seem to put GM® together again.

In 1953, at the peak of its dominance, GM president, Charles Wilson, declared before Congress that “what was good for the country was good for GM”. By contrast it’s not a stretch to say what’s bad for GM is bad for the country.

Uh-oh.

Bankruptcy could come as soon as June 1. Maybe earlier. Maybe tomorrow.

So what you say? In a GM bankruptcy everyone feels the economic pinch. A federal agency, the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, will take over responsibility for the pension money. $16.5 Billion. Retired employees could end up with far less than what they’re owed. Perhaps pennies on the dollar.

Denver auto dealer, John Medved, told me that the average life expectancy was around 75 when those agreements were struck years ago. It’s well beyond that age now. Those retired autoworkers are living longer, and we’ll be paying even longer.

A bankruptcy doesn’t last a few weeks. It’s anything but neat and tidy. It doesn’t create jobs. It’s quite the opposite.

Dealers, to their credit, are trying everything they can to survive. The government is offering to guarantee your warranty. Wow.

Have you bought a new car yet? Didn’t think so.

Plan “B”, aka bailouts, isn’t working.

My idea still stands. A $10,000 tax credit when you buy a new car. Car dealers need to sell cars. This sort of incentive will get people back to showrooms. Buy today, claim that $10,000 tax credit when you file next year. John Medved told me straight out that it will work. He’s listening. The government isn’t.

Meanwhile, GM, in business for 101 years, is heading toward bankruptcy.

This helps the economy how? It’s a question I keep asking the government. So far, they have no answer; their hands remain firmly over their ears.

It’s not too late. This doesn’t have to happen.

John

John W. Scherer

John Scherer is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

It's too late for this year; let’s focus on 2010.

2009-04-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

Another tax day has come and gone. Regardless of whether you paid in, or got a refund, ask yourself this question:

“How would my taxes have been different if I received a $10,000 tax credit for buying a new American car?”

Then, call or e-mail your elected representatives and ask them why, despite the billions of dollars sent to Detroit, companies like GM are seriously considering bankruptcy. Why are we junking more cars than buying new ones? Why are car sales half of what they were just two years ago?

For my regular readers, you know the tax incentive plan is something I continue to believe in. I also realize that change, especially when it comes to the government, moves at a glacial pace. It’s like jogging through peanut butter.

The plan is simple: Buy a new American-built car and receive a $10,000 tax credit when you file your taxes next year.

You, as a taxpayer, would finally get a break, people would start buying cars, jobs would be created and the domestic automobile industry would get back to being a thriving business rather than a welfare case.

The idea, as I said, is SLOWLY catching on. I was honored to be a keynote speaker at this year’s Colorado Auto Summit where it was agreed that my plan would get customers buying again.

You can watch excerpts by clicking here for Part 1 and here for Part 2.

The Detroit Free Press, The Denver Business Journal, CNN Money, KUSA-TV, KCNC-TV, KMGH-TV, FOX 31, WB2 in Denver, KPHO-TV in Phoenix and WJBK-TV in Detroit have all done stories about my idea.

More importantly, no one has come up with an argument for why it won’t work.

More and more people are listening. Look for me on more media outlets and Op-Eds in the future. Sadly, just one entity isn’t listening: our government.

You’re expected to pay for the solution, but not benefit from it. That is simply not fair.

Join me in this fight for what’s right.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Jay Cutler: Lessons learned and not learned.

2009-04-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

Jay Cutler is now a Chicago Bear.

So, how does this pass the “So what?” test beyond wins and losses and the whole “football thing.”

The answer is pretty simple. Yes, football is a game. But it’s also big business.

Broncos’ owner Pat Bowlen, is the guy who signs the checks. It’s an easy system. You always listen to the guy who signs the checks.

New coach, Josh McDaniels, does. When Pat Bowlen calls him, McDaniels answers. In return, he gets a paycheck. Bowlen is also smart enough to listen to his coach.

Mr. Bowlen made several calls to Jay Cutler. Cutler ignored them. If Cutler had returned the calls, Bowlen would have listened to him as well.

It’s called communication. But it takes two to communicate.

You can’t run an organization when the employee ignores the employer. When discipline breaks down, the organization fails. Always.

Pat Bowlen is the successful owner of one of football’s most respected franchises. Jay Cutler remains petulant to the point that he felt he didn’t need to respect the organization that paid him a multi-million dollar salary, and despite a 17-20 record as a starter, was still willing to believe in him.

The boss called. The employee didn’t answer.

Pat Bowlen needed to make a point. He did. Good for him.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Government is wasting its most precious resource. Ideas.

2009-04-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege to be the keynote speaker last week at the 2009 Auto Summit, which kicks off the annual Denver Auto Show. They asked to speak about my idea for a $10,000 tax credit for all buyers of cars manufactured by GM, Ford and Chrysler.

Joining me on stage was Mr. John Medved, President and CEO of Medved Autoplex, a long established chain of car dealerships here in Colorado. Medved is the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association Dealer of the Year and simply put; one great guy.

The timing could not have been more opportune. About an hour prior to our presentation, President Obama announced his plans for both GM and Chrysler, essentially keeping them on a very tight leash.

President Obama officially announced the termination of GM CEO Rick Wagoner plus giving GM 60 days; and Chrysler 30 days to come up with restructuring plans before anymore bailout money would be made available to either company. The President also announced that Chrysler must merge with Fiat.

When did they add CEO to the POTUS job description?

The President didn’t mention about asking Detroit what government could do to actually help them sell cars. He did say the government would “back-up” warranties if you buy a car. Bet that will get you to a showroom.

Not.

President Obama is getting all his advice from people who know nothing about business or the American Automobile industry. After spending quality time talking on stage with John Medved, it struck me just what government is missing out on when it listens to bureaucrats instead of people like John Medved.

John’s dad worked on an assembly line back in Michigan for 37 years. John himself started out working the line before coming west to start his car business. His background is pure blue collar. He built up his business with grit, determination and plain old hard work. He’s an incredible businessman, who despite all the challenges facing the industry somehow is keeping the doors of his business open.

He agrees with me that the solution to getting the car business and our economy going again is sales. People aren’t buying because there is no incentive for them to buy. No sales mean no business.

Sales on the other hand mean business. It means creating more jobs. It means getting the economic blood flowing again.

John shared some staggering numbers. The industry is selling about half the cars it did compared to just two years ago. America is actually junking more cars than buying them!

I’ve blogged numerous times, and opined in numerous Op-Ed’s that the issue isn’t quality. Detroit makes great cars. Consumers simply need an incentive to buy. John Medved agrees. Give people a good reason to buy, and they’ll do just that.

John’s been to Washington. He’s a smart man. His ideas however, are falling on deaf ears. He’s just one of hundreds of “Main Street CEO’s” government isn’t listening to. I’m going to Washington next month to give it a try. Wish me luck.

I know, you see the photo-ops of business leaders supposedly meeting with government leaders. It’s all just “grip and grins,” But it’s the bureaucrats who call the shots. Not the people who live and breathe free enterprise. Or what’s left of it.

Until government realizes the tremendous resource it has in people like John Medved, we’re going to be stuck in neutral for a long time.

Washington. Listen. Please.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Annual Employment Review

2009-03-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

Employee Name: Federal Government
Date of Hire: July 4, 1776
Review Date: March 27, 2009
Next Review: November 2010

It’s important for employers and employees to communicate and to measure performance. This annual review is designed to provide positive re-enforcement and to identify key areas for improvement.

We will be reviewing your performance in the following areas:

Quality of Work
Integrity
Teamwork
Problem Solving Skills
Attention to Detail

Each area will be evaluated on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being excellent and 5 being unsatisfactory. When appropriate, we will include comments detailing the reasons for the particular score.

Quality of Work
Overall Rating: 5/ Unsatisfactory
It should be noted that after your initial hire in 1776, your work was the envy of the world. You maintained an excellent quality of work for over 200 years. The past several decades or so have brought about a significant decline, which is of growing concern to us.

Budget management is of key concern. Accounting reports you are consistently over-budget and that your deficits continue to grow. Revenue projections are over-inflated and do not achieve promised projections

You appear to be more focused on drawing attention to yourself, rather than problem solving. Political hearings on everything from the budget process to steroids in baseball, while worthy topics, have achieved no measurable results.

Integrity
Overall Rating: 5/ Unsatisfactory
This area has been especially disappointing to us. Several employees within your departments have been convicted of various crimes, including graft, corruption, and misuse of budget funds. Several recent hires in the budget departments were made, despite the fact that these employees did not pay their taxes, which could account for some of the revenue shortfalls you have incurred.

One recent promise made on your part last fall, to cut earmarks, was totally ignored with the recent signing (behind closed doors) of a legislative package that included over 8,000 earmarked projects. One example was the $200,000 study to find out why pigs stink.

You promise one thing then do something completely different.

Teamwork
Overall Rating: 5/ Unsatisfactory
Speaking again of your initial years of employment, while there were two distinct divisions (Republicans and Democrats), you always managed to put the best interests of your employers first, and set political differences aside for the overall good.

Frankly, in recent years, you have behaved more like spoiled children used to getting their way. No one appears to be working with a positive team spirit. The result is a dysfunctional organization. This is of growing concern to us and an area we will be paying close attention to as we prepare for your 2010 review.

Problem Solving Skills
Overall Rating: 5/ Unsatisfactory
Problem solving skills is another area of serious concern. Key issues facing the organization remain the economy, employment, the flow of credit to responsible borrowers and financially viable incentives for investment and growth.

Your solutions seem to take the proverbial “back-asswards” approach. You are investing funds in failing institutions and processes. We have several examples, but for the purpose of brevity, we’ll just mention AIG and housing.

AIG has been issued $180 billion, which has resulted in an 80 percent stake of ownership on our part. Yet, as majority stakeholders, you have put no control systems in place to account for and protect our investment. The recent decision by AIG to pay out $165 million in bonuses for failure is a perfect example. Several key managers within the government organization have expressed outrage, but in this case, the horse has already left the barn. No sense in closing the gate now.

As for housing, people were lent huge amounts of money for homes they could not afford to pay back. This was based on ill-advised rule processes and lax oversight. Your solution is to make the 93 percent of your shareholders, who are responsible and pay their bills on time, pay for your mistakes. A far more acceptable approach would be to free up credit for those who have proven track records of managing their bills and personal budgets.

Attention to Detail
Overall Rating: 5/ Unsatisfactory
Your most recent budget calls for approximately $3 trillion to be spent ($10 trillion over the next three years) with a promise of cutting the existing budget deficit in half during the same time period.

This is what’s called “fuzzy math” and unsustainable in execution.

Another example is that there is no accounting for $350 billion in TARP funds issued last fall. We don’t know where the money went and what it was spent on, other than a few lavish corporate retreats.

Summary
Overall Rating: 5/ Unsatisfactory

Based on past performance during the previously mentioned 200 years of employment, we have decided that there remains hope that you can turn this situation around in a positive manner. As a result, we expect the following action items to be instituted prior to your November 2010 review.

Accountability: You will respond to constituent comments and inquiries in a prompt and timely manner, not with pre-packaged generic e-mails. This will require extra hours on your part and certainly more work, but we feel this can be a positive move on your part to maintain employment. You will also read all bills before voting on any of them. Your direction will come from your constituents as to how to vote, not lobbyists and party hacks.

Budgeting: Moving forward, expenditures must not exceed revenue. This will require no small amount of fiscal discipline. But, the balance sheets must be just that, balanced. We will give you through the next scheduled review to develop a plan to adjust expenses, and also project realistic revenue numbers.

Teamwork: All of you must begin to work together. As an example, use this as a guideline before making any decisions: “Is this good for the citizens of this nation, the people who ultimately pay the bills? Do we reward success or continue to reward failure instead?”

Integrity: Please stop lying to us. Just tell the truth. Honesty is a good policy and served you well after your initial hire in 1776. We know it can move forward.

We will be closely monitoring the above action items through this next review period and will make our decisions as to your continued employment in November of 2010.

We hope that you have found this to be positive input, with constructive and workable solutions to ensure your continued employment. We have good ideas to help you succeed. But, you have to listen.

Supervisor Name:
John W. Scherer, on behalf of the American taxpayer.
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Memo to: Jay Cutler, QB1-Denver Broncos From: John W. Scherer, Football Fan

2009-03-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Jay,

It’s come to my attention that you’re not happy. I haven’t been happy either. Last year’s 8-8 record was disappointing to say the least. Like many of the previous seasons.

Before I continue, please note that you have a 17-20 record as the Broncos QB and have never been in a playoff game, either in college or professional football. Don’t let the Pro Bowl thing go to your head. No one watches that game anyway.

Apparently, you’re miffed that the team considered a possible trade. The keywords being “considered” and “possible.” It didn’t happen. Since then, you’ve pouted.

Football is a game on the field. It’s big business off the field. Pat Bowlen, who pays your annual $14 million a year salary, brought in a new coach, Josh McDaniels, from the New England Patriots.

The Patriots have a history of winning. The Broncos don’t.

Job #1 for Coach McDaniels is to change that. Otherwise, he doesn’t get a paycheck.

You make more money than the coach, but he has more authority. It’s the way the system works. He’s in charge. You know, the boss. The head dude. The “Decider.”

The team has made several private and public assurances to you that they want you to remain on the team. Yet, you continue to stomp your highly paid feet, and some reports now have you wanting a trade. That is what upset you in the first place.

Word is you might not show up for spring conditioning drills.

Jay, you’re 25 years old and a multimillionaire. There are men and women younger than you leading troops into combat at this very minute who make a fraction of the money you do. Let’s face it: Getting shot at 24/7 is far more dangerous than being sacked on Sundays.

They’re not whining. Why are you?

There are people standing in unemployment lines, or hoping to make their next mortgage payment or just trying to put food on the table for their families.

None of them make $14 million a year. They don’t feel your pain. Frankly, they think you’re a pain.

Back to the business side of pro football, it involves trades. Even you. Your job is to lead your team on the field. Pat Bowlen and John McDaniels’ job is the bottom line, both financially and in the win-loss column.

Part of being QB1 of a an NFL franchise, earning millions of dollars a year and being 25 years old includes leadership and maturity. (Google both.)

Jay, it’s time to man up.

Yours truly,
John
John W. Scherer is CEO & Founder of Video Professor.
You can reach him to talk football or anything else at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Beer-gate?

2009-03-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

It’s a tough job being president of the United States. At any one time, you have about half the country mad at you. It comes with the job.

Everything the president does is scrutinized. Everything.

So, when President Obama took in an NBA game this week and ordered a beer, the outrage began.

More than a few folks complained that he shouldn’t be having fun while so many people are having a tough time of things in this economy. Others complained that his job is 24/7, and he shouldn’t drink on the job.

Most folks are still able to catch sporting events, pay their mortgages and generally live their lives. Some even enjoy a beer or a cocktail once in a while.

So, why begrudge the POTUS for having a cold one? He does have a designated driver.

Franklin Roosevelt enjoyed a Martini (or two) during the Depression. Harry Truman was known to enjoy a Bourbon and Branch while we fought in Korea. John F. Kennedy partied with Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra during the Cold War. President Reagan was known to have a “Weak Orange Blossom” on rare occasions, and he won the Cold War.

Yes, we’re in the middle of some tough times. Having a beer won’t change that. But, it certainly won’t make it any worse

If I had any advice for the president, however, it would be to make sure that beer was a domestic brand!

Of course, always, everything in moderation.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Tea party anyone?

2009-02-27T15:53:00.001-07:00

Back in 1763, old King George of England needed to pay for some wars he fought with the French. His solution was to tax the American colonies. King George used the same tricks that politicians use today to “disguise” the tax, but the colonists weren’t buying any of it.

It was a sneaky pitch. One of the taxable items was tea, sold by the East India Company, which had exclusive rights to selling tea. King George told the colonists that he would actually lower the import fees paid for the tea, but in the fine print, the colonists would then acknowledge the British Parliament’s ability to tax them for anything, anytime.

King George made a serious mistake underestimating the intelligence of his subjects. Sound familiar?

It was taxation without representation. So, when the next shipment arrived in Boston Harbor, colonists met the ships and dumped the tea overboard.

The Boston Tea Party set the stage for America’s eventual independence.

Now, 246 years later, it might be time for another Tea Party, this one proposed by Rick Santelli, a CNBC reporter. Called the “rant heard ‘round the world,” Santelli was reacting to the mortgage stimulus bill being pitched by President Obama. Santelli’s point was clear. Why should the overwhelming majority of Americans, who play by the rules and pay their bills on time, be forced to pick up the tab for the small minority who don’t?

Not everyone agrees with him, especially the current administration. Personally, I can’t fault Santelli’s logic. He is calling for another Tea Party, set for July 4th. The event already has its own Facebook page.

This economic mess has been long in the making, and there’s plenty of blame to go around. But it won’t be solved by pouring hard-earned money down a deep, dark hole. Let’s get money flowing to those with proven and dependable track records, and the free market will take care of the rest. Reward investment; don’t punish it.

President Obama’s biggest problem was sitting right in front of him Tuesday night. I noticed that most of the faces in the crowd had been there for decades. These are House and Senate leaders from both parties who have built powerful fiefdoms, and the last thing they care about is you and me. What they want is what they get. They are the root cause of the mess we’re in today.

It’s time for us to show them the folly of that thinking again. Let’s hold the president to his promise to go through the budget, line by line, and cut the waste, a.k.a. pork. Then, see if he’s willing to stand up to those who put the pork there in the first place.

What better day than July 4th? Tea anyone?

-John
John W. Scherer
CEO & Founder
Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach John at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

Thank goodness for Sully.

2009-02-20T15:33:00.001-07:00

It’s been quite a week. President Obama signed the stimulus package. Do we know if anyone voted for it in the House or Senate read the darn thing? Anyone? It seems like no one really knows what’s in it.

Price tag? At least $1 trillion, despite claims otherwise.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scored $1.5 billion for his home state of Nevada. He’s up for election next year. How much did your state get? Look for more neon the next time you visit ‘Vegas, if you can afford to go.

GM and Chrysler made yet another trip to Washington for more bailout money. There will now be a bailout oversight committee, a.k.a. task force, instead of a car czar. Washington loves committees. More people in charge of less.

As for GM and Chrysler, they’ll head back to Detroit with a bailout total of $39 billion but without a plan or incentives for new car buyers, just more bailout money. I still believe a $10,000 tax credit for new car buyers will have customers lining up, dealers selling cars and jobs being created as a result.

Want proof? There was a story on local radio about a man with a good credit record, willing to put a 30 percent down payment to buy a new car, and the bank turned down the loan. This helps the economy how?

There was some progress on housing. Low interest rates for qualified borrowers are a start. The President also announced a new plan to help troubled homeowners, which essentially rewards failure and irresponsibility. Your cost? $275 billion. Maybe the government should reward success and responsibility instead.

Why not eliminate capital gains taxes when a qualified buyer invests in a property, which creates jobs and is able to sell it for a profit? Heck, they might take the money and buy another property, fix it up and create even more jobs. But no, success is punished instead.

So, what’s done is done. But what exactly has been done? We won’t know for awhile. Whatever the outcome, it will be spun, and re-spun.

President Obama is “Takin’ it to the streets.” He’s showing up in places like Peoria and Denver and away from Washington. He’s making his pitch on Main Street as he did during the election. It worked once. It may work again. The new President says he’s a fan of Abe Lincoln. I hope he remembers that Lincoln said, “You can’t fool all the people all the time.”

But, America today is a country that likes instant gratification. “What have you done for me lately” has been replaced by “What are you doing for me right now?”

GIMME, GIMMEE, GIMMEE! Okey dokey.

Good luck with that Mr. President.

Normally, when the news reaches a certain level of depression, I switch over to ESPN. There’s nothing like baseball and spring training to restore the spirits. But all the stories are about A-Roid. He’s sorry. He didn’t mean to do it. He’s going to make it up to us. I think he’s making it all up.

Cooperstown will soon have an asterisk wing. It will be a big one.

But, you know what? I remain optimistic about America. Our history has been full of wild pendulum swings. We’ve always been pretty good at grabbing it when it reaches the middle and holding it there for awhile. I think we’ll do it again.

Common sense will once again prevail. Hard work and honesty will be something to be admired and rewarded.

Sometimes it takes someone like Chesley B. Sullenberger III to set the standard and raise the bar. Sully, who in his own words was “Just doing my job, what I’m trained to do,” calmly set down his crippled airliner in the Hudson River. He and his crew saved all 155 passengers. He was the last crewmember off the plane, leaving only when he made sure everyone he was responsible for was safe. Just doing his job.

As long as America has men and women like Sully and his crew, we’re going to be ok.

I’m counting on it.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

MLB: This Bud’s not for you.

2009-02-13T09:18:00.003-07:00

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." –Poet and philosopher George Santayana.

"Major League Baseball has always recognized the influence that our stars can have on the youth of America. As such, we are concerned that recent revelations and allegations of steroid use have been sending a terrible message to young people."-Bud Selig speaking before Congress.

“FIRE BUD SELIG.”-John Scherer, the Video Professor and old school baseball fan.

Just when you thought the whole mess with steroids and baseball had settled down a bit comes the admission by Alex Rodriquez aka A-Rod, A-Fraud, A-Roid etc (The list grows every day) that he used steroids when he played with the Texas Rangers.

Big bat to big joke. Jay Leno is sending a thank you note. A-Joke admitted to it only after being outed by Sports Illustrated. He now says he’s sorry. Remember when saying you’re sorry used to mean something? Not any more. It’s been replaced with “A-Sorry.”

No word from MLB Commish Bud Selig yet. Part of his $18 million salary is apparently to keep his trap shut and do nothing. He’s like a monkey with six arms to cover his eyes, ears and mouth all the time humming, “Take me out the ball game.”

Meanwhile, the Yankees are standing by their man. He cheated while playing for the Rangers after all; not the Yankees. Lying is acceptable behavior within the Yankee Organization. (Read Joe Torre’s book)

The real stink of all this comes after last year’s Congressional Circus, I mean, “Hearings” about the problem.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig vowed to clean the mess up. Two things amaze me about Bud Selig. He’s apparently totally oblivious to the train wreck about to happen to professional baseball and you can’t see the puppet strings attached to him being pulled by MLB owners.

Howdy, Doody.

Why does Bud get to keep his job? Because the money is pouring in. Money is a great deodorant.

Ole Bud and baseball are in for a rude awakening this season. The economy is tanking and when people are broke, things like going to the ballpark move to the bottom of the discretionary spending list.

Bud, you’ve finally ruined the game. Americans are about to take a pass on America’s pastime.

The bar for behavior is now set so low you have to look down to see it. The apple pie is juiced. Don’t eat the Peanuts and Crackerjack. You might get salmonella.

It’s time to re-boot pro baseball. Step one is to boot Bud Selig out of his job.

Any records set after Roger Maris and Hank Aaron are deleted. 61 and 755 are the target numbers for rookies starting this season who keep their noses clean and the needles out of their arms.

The Mick, the Babe and Joltin’ Joe were far from perfect. But they were clean. What they accomplished on the field and made them heroes to a generation wasn’t due to science. Just hard work and skill.

Hank Aaron broke the Babe’s homerun record despite death threats. He overcame it all through courage, grace and determination. Not chemicals. Roger Maris was booed and had chairs thrown at him. But he didn’t juice up, he showed up.

A-Roid, Barry, Mark, Sammy and a bunch of others may have sold more t-shirts than those that preceded them in baseball. But they did so by selling out. So did over a hundred others.

Maybe there should be a new monument to these players for kids to visit called “Cop-Out” town, one big hall of shame. Washington DC would be a good location. The building would be shaped like a syringe.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
Reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

I hate to rain on your parade, but I’m going to anyway.

2009-02-06T09:38:00.001-07:00

“A regulator overseeing the government’s $700 billion bailout testified Thursday that the Treasury Department paid $254 billion for $176 billion of assets — an overpayment of $76 billion.” (Source: New York Times, Feb 5, 2009)

An overpayment of $76 Billion. Bailouts American Style. They hired the regulator after they gave away the money. You know, closing the barn door after the horse took off.

Sadly, I’ve officially lost all faith in government. As the new President, Senate and House leadership scream “Hurry up we have to pass this stimulus bill or the sky will fall,” we get positive proof, that haste indeed makes waste.

Last fall we were told the same thing. The bailout had to be passed immediately if not sooner. Congress caved and we paid. Actually we overpaid.

STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP with the B.S.!!

Chew on that number again. $76 Billion. Check your last pay stub. We’re paying for it. One paycheck at a time for a very long time. You have no other use for the money do you? My gloom and doom is non-partisan by the way. Republicans and Democrats alike are running the ship of state aground, when what’s really needed is statesmanship.

Welcome to the USS Titanic. There’s a financial iceberg dead ahead and the crew says “Full speed ahead.”

Last fall’s $700 Billion bailout is relative chump change as the current “Stimulus” bill is closing in on $1 Trillion. The difference between “B” and “T” is a whole bunch of zeros. Word also comes this week that our government will need to borrow another $2 Trillion to pay the bills for 2009.
So how do they raise that money? Foreign governments, many of whom have little regard for us, our ideals and our society are buying up that debt. While our government overpays, they’re buying our debt for pennies on the dollar.

They’re going to want it back. Imagine the Chinese Government foreclosing on the White House. Maybe Dubai putting padlocks on the Capitol.

Folks, we’re heading for financial Armageddon and I want to be on record saying so. But it’s not too late to slam on the brakes. There’s only one way to do so. Contact your elected representatives and tell them to “Just say no.” If you phone, yell. If you e-mail, type it in all caps. Call radio talk shows. Write the Editor if you’re lucky enough to still have a newspaper. Blog loud and blog proud.

If millions raise a big enough ruckus, Government just might listen to reason. The key word being “might.” Give it a shot anyways.

I’ve got some phone calls to make, e-mails to send and this blog to post. Are you with me?

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and Founder of Video Professor,
Inc.Reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Your Turn!

2009-01-23T15:56:00.000-07:00

When I first started blogging a few years ago, I was among a few thousand doing so. Since then, millions of new bloggers are on the scene almost daily.

Blogging is all part of a much bigger evolution called “Social Media,” and I take advantage of it.

It’s amazing how posting ideas and opinions can quickly spread. My recent postings on a tax credit for buyers of American-produced cars were picked up as Op-Ed articles in the Detroit Free Press and Denver Business Journal. I just finished an interview with CNN Money based on these postings along with thoughts on kick-starting the economy by making housing affordable for qualified buyers. The key word being qualified.

The soapbox is now a digital one. (And far more comfortable to stand on)

My most recent posting on housing and the economy became an excellent springboard for discussion when I posted it on a very popular site called Linkedin.com. Think of it as Facebook for people in business.

Several folks kindly allowed me to share their opinions with you. Here they are:

You ask "How did Washington get this way?" I believe it got that way because we the people started to believe that everytime there is a problem, we need government to solve it. We looked to the government in the 30's, they told us what we wanted to hear, gave us government programs that never go away and after 8 years of raising taxes and more government programs, we still had a depression. The depression ended because of WWII but the expectations of government didn't.-Michael Gardner, Live Coach Trainer, Salt Lake City UT.
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You may just be the smartest man alive. Is the 'keep it simple' philosophy still alive? You have the dead on solution and yet.... they will dance around that money as long as they can. I agree completely. The most profound statement for me was ' government doesn't create jobs'. DUH! I pray for this new administration. I have faith that we have seen the last of the crash and burn economics and policies. Obama is smart, and he has two little kids... my thoughts, as a parent, he will do things during his administration that will impact profoundly on his girls and their children. Bravo John!!-Shari Greer, Professional Marketing and Sales, Houston TX.
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I doubt that the govt can engineer especially lower interest rates for housing, separate from all else. Actually, the interest rates in the economy need to be increased so that people are encouraged to spend and save within their incomes rather than live off 'cheap' credit. Except, of course, no one can pay for a house with one's past savings - so housing loans can be supported via the fiscal mechanism instead - say e.g. allowing one to take the standard deduction instead of itemizing and, on top, get a tax rebate of, say, 28% of the mortgage interest one paid in the year. But the valid question arises, if the banks are getting these massive money infusions not for making new, cheap loans to the people, then for what are these? That's a separate speculation.-Harsh V. Pant-SAP America.

Social media is a great way to get your voice heard, and better yet, to hear other voices. Of course, not everyone agrees, but it’s this sort of discourse that has kept America very vibrant since 1776.

Technology simply makes it easier to do so.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & Founder of Video Professor, Inc.
Reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Economic Recovery starts with Housing

2009-01-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

The new Congress has been sworn in and it’s all about the economy and how to fix it. Or so they claim.

Wheels are turning. Make that spinning. We’re going nowhere in a hurry.

So allow me to offer a starting point: Housing.

Fact: Good people want to buy houses from people that want to sell them. Or buy homes to rent to others. But they want to BUY.
Problem: The system is such a mess, they can’t. Even the most qualified of potential buyers.
Result: Chaos.

The political pendulum has swung from “Anything Goes” to “No Way” since the system crashed last fall.

How about swinging back to the middle? The way buying and lending used to be; fair and equitable terms for qualified people. Apply the same rules for all borrowers and lenders. Then enforce them.

Your mortgage payment shouldn’t be more than 1/3 of your income. Your income must be verifiable and you have to show a proven and stable record of paying your bills on time.

Down payment? Absolutely! But how about 10-15% instead of 40%? This should apply to both homes to live in, and investment properties. Let’s peg the interest rates at no more than 5%. This will result in performing loan portfolios for lenders. Lenders like that.

Let’s provide this additional inventive for investment property buyers: No Capital Gains Tax on proceeds if the house is sold within ten years of original purchase.

Now for the easy part: It will work now. It will work tomorrow.

Once we get qualified buyers into houses, there will be a positive impact on our economy. These homeowners will buy new carpet and drapes. They’ll install cable or satellite TV. Maybe even buy a new TV and sofa. They’ll buy building materials to expand or improve their property and hire trades people to fix anything from a leaky faucet to repairing a roof.

All this creates jobs. Good jobs.

Let’s dispel a myth right now. Government doesn’t create jobs. Government’s responsibility is to make it easy for free enterprise to create jobs. That means private investment. Investment requires capital. Capital should be made available to responsible people. Investment doesn’t guarantee success. But success shouldn’t be punished either.

Government is pouring billions of dollars into banks. Let’s just attach one string. The banks have to make this money available for investment. A trillion dollar deficit isn’t the answer. A trillion dollar investment in real estate is. Not by government, but qualified and responsible buyers.

This has been the core of this nation’s economic success for over two centuries.

It is so frustrating to see Washington deal with the most complex problems because they can’t see how easy the solutions can be. How did Washington get to this point? Where did Washington lose its way? Where did Washington get the idea that printing money that doesn’t exist can be a solution to anything?

Washington needs to listen to folks like you. Call, write or e-mail. Flood Congressional Offices with your voice. Let’s all make our voices heard, loud and clear.

Let’s move forward by looking back at what worked so well in the past and will work in the future.

Please stop printing money we don’t have. It’s not as complicated as Washington is making it.

Problem solved. It starts with us. If government will let us.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Big 3 Tax Credits

2008-12-22T09:43:00.003-07:00

As a veteran business leader I am fully aware that changing economic conditions will have an impact on business operations, some good and some bad. In bad times you won’t see me in front of Congress asking for a bailout; like the majority of American business we here at Video Professor are on our own.

As a businessman, a taxpayer, and especially as a consumer I find myself thinking about what government might do to ensure the future of the American automobile industry. Since Henry Ford’s first Model “T” rolled off the revolutionary assembly line, the auto industry has been the cornerstone of our manufacturing sector and the foundation of our economy.

Americans make things. We’re good at it and the world knows this.

GM, Ford, and Chrysler are in a huge financial hole. They helped dig that hole but the major impact is the result of the housing crash. The Big 3 went from having some chance of success to having no chance at all. Of course, assistance from the government must be packaged with fundamental change in all areas of operation. And in the US auto industry there is plenty that needs fixing, in both areas of management and labor.

OK, let’s talk solutions. Now that the band-aid has been put on the big 3 here’s an idea. Why not offer a $10,000 tax credit to any US taxpayer who buys a GM, Ford, or Chrysler by April 15th, 2009? Also offer a zero interest loan and just watch the cars sell.

Right now, generating cash and reducing inventory are most critical to the success of the Big 3. But this can’t happen until the American people start buying cars again, now!

When the leaders of the Big 3 appeared before Congress, not one of them was asked, “How can we help you sell more cars?” It was a missed opportunity.

This bailout, loan, or whatever our government wants to call it, should include some taxpayer benefit. Simply put, the government offers a tax credit to American taxpayers who buy American made automobiles. Without stimulating the market, government is dreaming while asleep at the switch.

A tax credit ensures that all benefit – manufacturers and their employees, suppliers, dealers and their employees, and oh yes, the American taxpayers too. This will get the economic blood flowing again. The increase in sales will create a renewed revenue stream for the automakers, which in turn will reduce the amount of taxpayer money needed from the government. Taxpayers who buy cars benefit when they file their returns April 15th.

This is not rocket science. It’s common sense.

“Simply the best computer learning available – guaranteed.”

But you have to have an incentive for customers to visit showrooms. What’s wrong with a tax break for the folks who drive cars along Main Street, USA? So far, the only people not getting a break are the people paying for everyone else to get a break. That will break us all!

People aren’t buying Big 3 brands due to lack of quality. They make great cars and they can produce even better ones. One of my own cars is a Chevy Tahoe. It is a GREAT vehicle. The housing mess (don’t get me started on that) is the root cause of this particular “evil”. But when the warehouse is stuffed, there is no point in producing more inventories.

A tax credit to reduce inventory and generate cash flow is as good an idea as any I have heard. It’s a start. Why not try it?

The idea of government now getting involved in free enterprise is the last thing any of us should want. But the current situation is what it is. Tax credit for the folks, who one way or the other will pay for it all anyway, seems only fair.

The government keeps saying they want to help the taxpayers but they still haven’t done that as of yet. Wake up and step up Federal Government! Get the cars moving and get taxpayers the break you keep promising!

Sincerely,

John W. Scherer
CEO & Founder
Video Professor, Inc.
ceo@videoprofessor.com
12055 W. 2nd Place
Lakewood CO 80228
303-232-1244 Ext 386

Communication can’t be a generational thing.

2008-12-12T15:11:00.002-07:00

com⋅mu⋅ni⋅ca⋅tion-(kuh-myoo-ni-keyh-shuhn)

the act or process of communicating; fact of being communicated
the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs
something imparted, interchanged, or transmitted
(Thanks to Dictionary.com)

How do you communicate? How much time do you spend on the phone vs. using e-mail? When was the last time you actually wrote a note by hand or actually met with someone in person? Does generation factor into how you communicate?

According to a report this year by Forrester®, “Generation Y sets the pace for technology adoption and digital, far exceeding any platform of traditional media consumed spending. In a survey of 45,315 North American online adults, people 21–-25 spend an average of 17.6 hours online per week, with 65% of that time for leisure purposes.”

Theirs is a life lived online. It’s all they’ve known. It’s a world not only of e-mails, instant messaging and texting, but posting on social web sites like Facebook® or using Twitter.

By contrast, Boomers learned how to read and write both by hand and on something called a typewriter. We also used something called “conversation.” Most, but not all of us, later evolved to electronic communication. Research shows a significant number of Boomers are well versed in computing. Those who aren’t are generally held back by economic or educational circumstances, or plain stubbornness.

So how does Generation Y communicate with the Boomer Generation and vice-versa? Communication between generations has always been a challenge. The divide is prevalent both inside and outside the work place. Sometimes it’s like we exist in parallel universes.

Being in the business of teaching people how to use computers for over 21 years there certainly is anecdotal evidence showing that both generations have room to improve, better yet, to compromise. The good news is today’s computer technology offers the best opportunity to bridge generational divides.

What good is it for someone from Gen Y to be a Twitter whiz, if they can’t work with a simple Excel® spreadsheet? Your Facebook page may rock, but what about your presentation to senior management on a project involving the merge of numerous documents, graphics and images, where you actually have to speak, live, in front of real people?

It goes both ways of course. Boomers belong on Facebook. There’s no reason that senior management can’t use Twitter to communicate short, concise thoughts and opinions.
Perhaps we can teach each other. These are uncertain times at best. We can all do better.
It all starts with communication. We’re happy to help.

-John

John W. SchererJ

ohn is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Chatting it up in Hong Kong

2008-12-08T08:22:00.003-07:00

I had the opportunity recently to e-mail back and forth with a graduate student in Hong Kong. She’s doing research for a paper on blogging, how it is a part of corporate communications, etc.

My blog is a weekly exercise on my part. It’s quite separate from our regular marketing here at Video Professor. It is an opportunity to share thoughts and ideas, often times dealing with technology, sports and politics as well.

Simply put, it’s a great way to express myself and I enjoy it.

Ever since we produced our first Video Professor Lesson on MS-DOS, I’ve tried never to take for granted the huge advances in computer technology since we opened our doors in 1987.

One advantage is how computers allow us to communicate, literally with the world, to share thoughts and opinions and even help a grad student in Hong Kong with an academic paper.

It’s one of the reasons we donate our lessons to non-profit groups who include computer literacy as part of their programs here at home and around the world. We recently donated lessons to a group for a school in Tanzania.

Those kids will not only be able to learn about the world around them, but share their world with us as well.

Communication is a good thing.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can e-mail him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

USA CTO: It’s about time

2008-12-01T09:03:00.002-07:00

America is going to have a Chief Technology Officer. It’s all part of the soon to be Obama Administration.

Will it be a cabinet level position? Hard to say, but it deserves to be. It could also be an executive level appointee, akin to being the National Security Advisor.

A lot of names have been speculated for the job, I won’t do that here. There are plenty of good choices and it’s my hope whoever gets the job has real world technology and entrepreneurial experience.

This will be the first Presidential administration that truly acknowledges technology. It’s not surprising as the Obama campaign harnessed it very effectively, while Senator McCain admitted to being decidedly non-tech. It cost him dearly among a generation of voters who grew up with technology being part of their lives.

I’ve posted here before that the progress in computing technology the 21 years Video Professor has been in business never ceases to amaze me. We have computers on our desks, on our belts, in our pockets and purses and certainly at home. We shop, we bank, we invest, we do business, and we research and just have plain fun with computers.

We’ve taught over 10 million people to do all of the above.

The creation of a Chief Technology Officer is good news for consumers. It means Washington finally gets it. We hope this means that innovation and entrepreneurship will be encouraged, that regulatory roadblocks will be at least reduced, and that the way we use technology will empower us more than ever before.

Whatever comes along, we’ll do our best to help you master it.

-John

John W. Scherer

John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.

You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

BCS: Success or Mess?

2008-11-21T14:31:00.002-07:00

Just about everyone has weighed in this season on the Bowl Championship Series or BCS for short. Most notable is our next President who wants an 8 game playoff system.

The Chairman of the BCS committee respectfully disagrees. Guess who wins that one? The BCS Committee says a play-off wouldn’t be in the best interests of the “student-athletes.” Heck, it might be the best chance their professors actually get to see them.

Here at Video Professor we run the gamut of school favorites. Big 12, SEC, Big 10, PAC 10, ACC, the MAC and the WAC and the list goes on. We have a lot of proud alumni of some great schools working here.

The BCS is a strange brew of polls, both human and computer that no one seems to quite understand, although everybody has an opinion. The best win-loss record doesn’t necessarily mean a trip to the NCAA National Championship. Other factors include some conferences like the Big 12 and SEC have conference championship games while others like the Big 10 and Pac 10 do not, plus strength of schedule, blah blah blah.

But the powers that be refuse to consider (at least publicly) a play-off, even though there is one in college basketball which is a 65 team tourney. Guess what? When you add up all the bowl games played this year and early next year, 64 Division 1 football teams will play.

So we end up with 4 BCS games, and one National Championship Game. In most cases, someone is unhappy.

Ultimately this won’t come down to what’s right, but what makes the most money. ESPN just closed a deal to carry BCS games starting in 2010. While they plan to carry the Rose Bowl on ABC, you’ll have to have cable or satellite to watch the others. Another option is the games will be available on your computer or mobile device.

In the meantime, it’s great fodder for sports talk shows and interviews with the likes of Pete Carroll. He suggests removing the “C.”

I won’t have to wait to hear who makes what BCS games. I’ll just check the vacation request forms and do the math myself.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.
Reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Vision depends upon your point of view

2008-11-17T08:12:00.002-07:00

Folks sure like to predict things. Sometimes the predictions come true, often times they don’t. Predicting can be very un-predictable.

I came across these quotes about computing and technology from years past.
“No one will need more than 637KB of memory for a personal computer” by Bill Gates (Currently new PCs use around 524288KB+).

“There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.” by Ken Olson of Digital Equipment Corporation in 1977.

“Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.” by Popular Mechanics, 1949.

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers. ” by Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.

“But what ... is it good for?” (referring to microchip) by an Engineer at IBM, 1968.

“ [By 1985], machines will be capable of doing any work Man can do. ” by Nobel Laureate, Herbert A. Simon.

“Everything that can be invented has been invented.” by Charles H. Duell commissioner of the US Patent Office in 1899.

We seem to have a fascination with trying to predict things. Football pregame shows always include predictions. ESPN’s Bowl predictions change every week.

Las Vegas makes a lot of money off people who make predictions.

It’s all so very predictable.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

The transition from traditional media to Web 2.0

2008-11-07T15:21:00.001-07:00

How did you watch the election returns Tuesday night? Did you watch on TV, your computer or both? The networks provided a dizzying array of graphics. CNN even used holographic images of reporters and analysts that looked like something out of Star Wars. All produced with computers of course.

But the razzle-dazzle often times got in the way of what most people want on election night, what candidate or issue was winning or losing.

I heard one report that stated as many as 28% of you monitored election results on your computers. Most networks, newspapers and radio stations provided election night web sites that let you be the producer for election coverage.

Web 2.0 played an important part in Campaign ’08. The same held true when the vote was being counted.

While the networks may have been focused on one state, if you were interested in a different race in a different state, there were online options for you. It’s yet another example of how computers and Web 2.0 empowers you and puts you in control of the information flow.

Most election night web sites offered a full map of the United States. You simply clicked on the state you were interested in, and could drill down for more detailed information from there. Another plus was the ability for you to interact with these sites, post comments and blogs.

I try and never take any of these advances in computers for granted, thinking back to the days when we introduced our first lesson on MS-DOS. There have been huge technical advances in computing during the 21 years we’ve been in business at Video Professor, and there was no better proof than what we all experienced on election night.

More changes are coming as “traditional” media makes the full switch to the Web. The Christian Science Monitor will no longer publish a print edition. Everything will be online. Print circulations for newspapers continue to decline, while viewers shift their attention to the online editions.

Radio station web sites now offer multiple video clips. When radio uses video, you know the times are indeed changing.

I’ll make a guess that many of the 10 million people we’ve taught over the years, were watching election results online this year. Good for you. We’re happy to have helped you do so.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Does our digital age debunk UFO’s?

2008-10-31T12:00:00.002-07:00

A generation ago, it seems there was a picture of a UFO coming out every day. Some looked pretty real. Mostly, they were often dark, fuzzy and hard to make out. Some even made the cover of Life Magazine.

Today just about everyone has a camera with them all the time, usually on their cell phone. So, where are all the UFO pictures? Those we do see, remain grainy and fuzzy, even though today’s digital cameras make that almost impossible.

Maybe something did crash back in 1947 near Roswell, NM. I know someone who went to the 50th anniversary of “The Event” back in 1997; he said it was just one big tourist promotion. There were lots of souvenir t-shirts but no proof.

Maybe there are some aliens and a flying saucer being stored at Area 51 outside of Las Vegas. It’s made great fodder for countless science fiction stories and movies, but no proof.

Does anyone truly believe the government could keep any of this a secret if it was true? Our government has more leaks than a sieve.

So I end as I begin, with all the surveillance cameras around, the cameras built into our cell phones, where did the UFO’s go? Or did they ever visit us at all?

Speaking of which, don’t forget to vote this Tuesday. Unless you’re an alien.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

2008 Election: Where are the computers?

2008-10-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

In just a few days Americans will elect a new President and vote on a myriad of other offices, ballot initiatives and amendments. Here in Colorado the ballot looks more like the phone book than an actual ballot.

Since it’s 2008, we have an entire generation of voters who have never lived without computers. In so many states, those voters will have to vote using paper ballots because their officials cannot figure out how to use computers to count votes.

We use computers to communicate with people halfway around the world, to design the most sophisticated machinery in the world, to buy and sell and to send pictures of the grandkids. We have computers on our desk at work, in the den at home and on our laps in between. We have PDA’s on our belts or in our purses. We can use those PDA’s to access all the information we need about voting, but just not to actually vote.

The reason is simple. The same government running our economy, and both Republicans and Democrats can share in that debacle, can’t seem to find an efficient way to use computers to vote. Systems crash, or go so far over budget that the orders are cancelled. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on systems that just gather dust because they don’t work.

I guarantee that if they gave Bill Gates or Steve Jobs a call; they’d have something up and working in less than a week.

But that would make too much sense, something our government ran out of years ago.

-John
John W. Scherer
John W. Scherer is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Watch out for crooks taking advantage of the economic upheaval.

2008-10-20T07:25:00.003-07:00

The news continues to be dominated by the economy; efforts from the Congress trying to fix the mess, and banks failing or being taken over.

You can't miss the headlines about it all, and neither do crooks and scammers. They love to take advantage of a crisis by taking advantage of you.

Don't be surprised if you get an official looking e-mail claiming to be from your bank or stockbroker. It will have all the appropriate logos and official language and ask for personal information to "confirm" your account status.

Delete it immediately!

Your banker or broker will never, ever, ask for such information from you in this way.

The whole economic situation is very confusing, and crooks and scammers know that.

It's one reason our "Protect Yourself Online" tutorial is so popular. It teaches you how to keep you and your family safe from crooks and scammers, especially in these very uncertain times.

If you have questions about the status of your bank or brokerage accounts, 401k's etc, contact them by phone, or stop by the local offices or branches.

It's your money, and the crooks always want it.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Is your BlackBerry more like a Crackberry?

2008-10-10T08:59:00.002-07:00

Do you have a BlackBerry® or similar PDA? They've been around for a few years and the Pew Internet and American Life Project set out to not only find out how our productivity has been affected, but also the impact on our personal lives.

They came up with some interesting findings. But first, think back to what life was like before we had this kind of technology. A great example is to watch the terrific and award winning series “Madmen” on AMC.

Set in the 1960's, there are no computers on the desks, just typewriters. As for making a phone call away from the office, you found yourself a pay phone. Examples of both are on display at the Smithsonian!

Pew Research showed that of those surveyed, 96 percent used e-mail, the Internet or cell phones, and 80 percent said that it made them more productive.

Devices like the BlackBerry allow you to perform all these functions just about anywhere. It also makes it difficult to leave the office for the weekend when your office is attached to your hip.

Of those surveyed by Pew, 22 percent said they checked e-mails "often" during weekends or holidays, and 49 percent said it made it harder for them to disconnect from the office.

I tend to be in that group. Being a CEO is a 24/7 job anyways, but I always check my inbox, if for no other reason than to keep the pile manageable for when I arrive to the office Monday. And I must admit it sure is handy to check everything from flight schedules to sports scores on the Internet from my very own phone.

However, there are also times where I simply turn it off or leave it at home when I'm out with friends etc.

Technology is a tool, but should never be a master.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Does the POTUS need a PC?

2008-10-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

Before you read further, this is not meant to be partisan in anyway. That said, here goes.

The subject of computer literacy has come up in the Presidential Campaign, specifically the perceived lack of computer skills by Senator John McCain.

Senator McCain admits that he’s not the most computer-savvy person in the world, and the opposition has been quick to pounce on it. So have late night comedians.

I have mixed thoughts on this. I’m in the computer-literacy business. It’s why you see me on TV asking you to “Try my product®.” The Boomer generation, according to statistics by the Pew Internet and American Life Project shows that just 35 percent of people over 65 use a computer on a regular basis. You’d also be surprised at the lack of computer skills for those under 65.

It’s been our goal for 21 years that everyone has access to a computer and knows how to use it.
So what about the President of the United States? I went to Google®, and under images did a search for “Oval Office.” I got lots of great pictures, including some of the current occupant’s desk.

There’s no computer on it.

The job description for President of the United States is Commander in Chief, the leader of the free world. Who-ever sits in the Oval Office isn’t likely to instant message Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. My guess is the POTUS doesn’t need to prepare a PowerPoint® presentation either, or work up an Excel® spreadsheet for the national budget.

He has other people who do that for him. The President’s job is to make decisions, some of which are pretty serious. The nature of the job is direct, spoken communication. The next President, just like the current one, will listen then decide. The President doesn’t have to be the smartest person in the room; the President simply needs to hire the smartest people in the room. They are the ones with the computers.

The only real piece of technology the President needs is a cell phone. We supply him one as part of the job. Air Force One isn’t a bad perk either.

I really could care less if the next President has a computer on the desk or a laptop in the briefcase. What I care about is their ability to lead, to make decisions under incredible pressure based upon what’s best for you and me.

It’s the toughest job in the world. In this case, computer skills are not necessary. Leadership and decision-making are.

For everyone else, try my product!

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

Tracking Hurricanes Live Online

2008-09-26T12:43:00.001-07:00

This has been quite a season for hurricanes. I’m not going to get into the whole global warming debate here, but talk about how technology is literally saving lives when these storms happen.

Galveston appears to have been the hardest hit by Hurricane Ike. In 1900, Galveston had a devastating hurricane that claimed at least 8,000 lives. Back then there weren’t weather satellites, the Internet, computers or PDA’s. By the time people realized what was about to happen, it was too late.

Flash forward a century and it’s a completely different world. Not only were scientists able to track Ike for weeks, but we were too.

I found myself going to a variety of web sites to watch the hurricane develop, and track its projected path. I could access fresh images moment by moment.

I am sure that this proved to be a wonderful tool for the people in the path of Hurricane Ike. Those with computers or PDA’s had plenty of warning time, and plenty of time to evacuate to safety. Imagine how helpful it was for people with PDAs traveling in their cars to get the latest information on evacuation routes and other necessary things.

Yes, there was loss of life, and the damage is simply horrendous. But thousands were saved because they had direct access to warnings, evacuation information and where to go when it came time to try and return home.

Another example of what computer technology is designed to do. Empower, and in this case, save lives.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.
Contact him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

2008-09-19T12:46:00.001-07:00

eBay has been in the news lately. JetBlue® used the popular buying and selling site to auction off hundreds of airline tickets with bids starting as low as 10 cents.

Republican candidate for Vice President, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska brought the house down at the GOP convention when she talked about auctioning off a state-owned jet on eBay.

In both cases, the goal was more about PR than sales, and that mission was accomplished.

I have to admit that when our team talked to me about producing a tutorial about buying and selling on eBay, I was skeptical. I’m not anymore. It’s Video Professor’s No. 1 seller.

It’s a sophisticated buying and selling tool, the keyword being sophisticated. Think about having a sales tool that allows you to market to the world from your own home.

The best part about eBay is that it’s open to everyone. Not just commercial airlines or state governors.

This is yet another example of how technology and the Internet are opening a world of opportunities to anyone with a computer who has willingness to truly understand and use the power it holds.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com

CDC reports alarming rise in cyber bullying

2008-09-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

The Centers for Disease Control is reporting that cyber bullying against children from the ages of 10-17 has risen 50 percent from 2000-2005, from 6 percent to 9 percent.

I encourage you to read the full report.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/YVP/electronic_agression_brief_for_parents.pdf

This sort of “Electronic Aggression” comes in many forms from nasty instant messages, malicious and often fake posts on popular social network sites to text messages on the child’s cell phones.

The CDC makes the point that it’s not only adults on the cyber prowl, but other kids as well. Bullying is bullying, and technology just provides new ways for kids to pick on others.

It’s critical for parents to be involved in where and how their kids communicate on the Web and with whom. We developed a very useful tutorial, “Protect Yourself Online” to help you do just that. We worked with Cyber Crime Expert and Author Jayne Hitchcock on the project. Jayne was also a victim of cyber bullying.

This tutorial is a great tool to help protect your kids. And you too.

Please read the CDC report, and check with your State Attorney General for further information and tips.

Cyber bullying is a growing problem. While sometimes difficult, it’s important to sit down with your kids and be involved with them in person and online. Children are often hesitant to admit to being bullied, so work as hard as you can to get them to open up to you about any possible threats.

-John
John W. Scherer
John is CEO and founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com.

It’s September and it’s about time!

2008-09-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

A lot of folks head back to work after the Labor Day Weekend a bit depressed. It means that summer is over, and the next holiday isn’t until Thanksgiving. So there is a little blah in the air.

Except, of course, for those of us who love football, both NFL and college. We have picked our fantasy teams, spent extra money for all the game day television packages, we’ve found an even bigger flat screen than we had last season and generally, we’re a very happy bunch.

Our PDA’s have been programmed for scoring alerts, as have our laptops and desktops. Our Favorites list tends to be dominated by web sites of our favorite teams, both real and fantasy.

We’re not hard to miss. We have sort of a glazed over look in our eyes and a big smile on our faces. The best place to find us Mondays is by the water cooler or in the break room. If you can’t see us, you’ll hear us talking rather animatedly about plays both big and blown, along with no small amount of trash talking.

It’s a new season. Anything is possible. At least in your heart and mind, if not backed up by the roster.

Here at Video Professor, Friday is casual day and when Fall arrives, just about everyone here is wearing the jersey of their favorite NFL or college team. From the Broncos to the Bills, Texas to Kansas, our team is ready to root for their team.

The long summer is over. Football is here and life is as it should be.

-John.
John W. Scherer
John is CEO & founder of Video Professor, Inc.
You can reach him at ceo@videoprofessor.com