Random thoughts at the end of summer '11

If you ever want to see why they call it the 'world wide web' just write a blog. Other than readers in Canada, which I expect, my number two - three - and four readership comes from the United States; Russia; Australia; and Germany. Simply amazes me. Going to have to learn a little Russian to throw in to the mix soon.

I love how each season we qualify our weather with "we had a bad winter - so we'll have a good summer" - then "we had a bad summer so we'll have a good winter." So in the bad summer/bad winter/bad summer streak we're currently enjoying in Northern Alberta so far your prediction for winter...is.....

Howard Shultz, the CEO of Starbucks was on Piers Morgan recently and stated that "US business has more than 3 TRILLION dollars sitting on the ledger right now...HIRE people!" Howard has an iconic brand and does his part to spread the wealth. It seems clear to me that if we 'ever' rebuild the middle class again that spending and stability should return to the world of economics. We live in a time where so many have 'too much' and even more have 'too little.'

And big corporations you're scaring the daylights out of the next generation. You're headed for a big surprize over the next ten years as people refuse to support you and your products simply because you report insane profits at about the same time you 'downsize' large numbers of staff out of your industries. I'm now in a 'boutique' shopping mode trying to help Ma and Pa shops evolve back to that way it used to be.

As for the aforementioned sports still doesn't get it. In watching the NFL lockout/strike or whatever it was called the Billionaires couldn't figure out how to share with the Millionaires. Not weeks after the scenario was resolved one clown player decides to "sit out" because he wants to be the highest player in his position....somewhere in the neighborhood of $14 million a year or just under a million dollars a game to carry a ball about 15 times. I'm guessing he failed math - and social studies! Don't sign him.

For my Snowbird friends it appears the US is having a change of heart. As most of you know Canadians are only allowed in to the States for 181 days a year (complicated system if you come/go throughout the year too) and US Customs were quizzing us quite heavily over the past two years. The Snowbird Association of Canada is currently in discussion to get an 'excemption' for the 55 Plus club. You will have to state that you won't do business while in the US; have to prove that you can afford your house down south; prove that your Canadian residence is the primary residence; and a few other small promises. This comes after the economic crunch of the past two years across the line. In Arizona alone there are 90,000 perminant Canucks and more than 'half a million' visitors annually. By allowing us to stay over the 181 mark 'surely' the sunshine states should know they will enjoy a large uptick of dollars back into their neighborhoods.

I'm doing a lot of work with QR codes lately, with a brilliant group of people in Vancouver at Mobio. If you ever want to see 'dynamic' applications start following the progress in Scan codes. Progressive and innovative companies are 'building' exciting new applications and the usage of these codes is breaking through 'big time' these days. Our group is working on both E-commerce and the rapidly evolving M-commerce field. The obvious billion dollar aquisitions of mobile phone companies should be enough evidence to know these companies recognize where the consumer is heading - and it's researching and buying on their 'smart phones.' It's also nice to be back into a mood of 'building' creatively instead of operating on old school advertising and commerce platforms that are in a slow decline. Check out www.getmobio.com or like them on Facebook; follow them on Twitter.

The gift of travel is my greatest pleasure in this new phase of my life. I've counted that I've been on approximately 68 airplanes since I 'almost' retired from radio 2 1/2 years ago. My next adventure is at the top of the Bucket List that my family and friends hear me talk about often - and I'm truly thrilled to be travelling to Europe with two very good friends who will be going overseas for the first time. Our Tres Amigos do Europe 2011 trip has a Facebook site, and I will be doing special columns from Europe in the Edmonton Sun while we are on the road Sept 25th to October 12th. The other side of the world is 'truly' amazing and seeing how people live in different countries around the globe is not only enjoyable but very educational in understanding the crazy world we live in.

Our City of Edmonton should be 'so proud' of the Festivals that we put on. Each and every one of them is spectacular and attracts a ton of world class talent. The organizers and 'supporters' of these should all take a bow themselves - and we should 'thank them' as much as possible personally because these festivals are the 'banner' on which we hang our tourism hat on these days. So guys "THANK YOU" for bringing all this amazing performing talent to our fair city!

Finally, as the Baby Boomers head into retirement the number one reference I'd like to pass along to them is "volunteer." I'm working on some absolutely great projects that will benefit people for several decades to come and the upside is that the people who you meet in these projects are some of the smartest, wisest, and most rounded people you can ever meet. I learn something from them every day when I'm in the planning sessions for these events and projects. It's amazing how much of the'dollar' value of work is when you sit down and count it up too. I've proud to say I've been part of projects raising more than $22 million dollars over the last couple of years alone - and our new $20 million dollar Jerry Forbes Centre (Dad!) is closing in on the 'shovel hitting the dirt' phase shortly too. Children's Hospitals; Edmonton Public School Board Foundation; Stollery; The Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree; Santa's Anonymous - all 'touch' people in a very positive way and I'm totally 'honoured' to be involved in each and every one of these fabulous projects.

Just my random thoughts.