Sunday = Sunday Morning Coffee! This is a visit between friends about a whole raft of
things that happened this past week...and a look forward. Because it's a conversation, I'm interested in your take. You can comment below, send me an e-mail or say something on Twitter: @MichaelLibbie. Scattered thoughts from a cluttered mind! Grab a cup and let's get started:
Biggest news in these parts is the 155th Iowa State Fair began on Thursday. Early projections had advance ticket sales outpacing prior years mostly, we think, because the availability of ticket sites climbed from 250 to over 2,100. You know, even at $10 it can be the cheapest full day of entertainment on the planet. IF you don't buy anything...however (see below) YOU better!
Inflation at the Iowa State Fair - A year or two ago you could still buy the famed Iowa State Fair Root Beer for $1.00. No longer... When I took the photo the "nice lady" at the stand said, "Well have you taken a picture of gas prices too!??!?" Yes...and it's cheaper this year than last. (I think she was just...too hot and humid.)
The first two days attendance at the Iowa State Fair might also suggest it was just too hot and humid. A total of 173,724 so far this year compared to 199,224 in 2009. Today....the high is only set at 83 degrees and very low humidity. Going? See you there.
The Iowa Democratic Party must have been listening or reading my post about Trade Show Booths. This year their booth, in the Varied Industries Building, is "open" without tables separating the workers from the attendees. The Iowa GOP? Nope. But, when you already know EVERYTHING...
Speaking of politics: I had a dream last night (some would call it a nightmare) where I ran into Governor Chet Culver at the Iowa State Fair. I had two things to share with him: 1) Start doing your own Tweets and FOLLOW regular Iowans - @GovChetCulver and 2) I invited him to do Insight on Business with Michael Libbie to talk about the IJobs program. Even in my sleep...some great tips.
Oh...tomorrow Metro Monday, the Monday Edition of Insight on Business with Michael Libbie, will feature Ed Weintrob of Brooklyn, NY. HUH??? We'll be talking about micro-news coverage and about his love of Des Moines...so it fits. Noon tomorrow...only at Webcast One LIVE!
Tip of the Hat to Andrew B. Clark and his wit. (@TheBrandChef) I'd been whining about water in the basement of our house. On Thursday I was to meet a "basement expert" but couldn't get in the house because I couldn't find my keys! (Dummy) Andrew writes on Twitter: "You can do it, hey, the water finds its way in..."
This week, I think, I'll find out if I can toss the squatters off of my property in Fort Dodge. Some people have no pride at all. It's going on two years since they've made a payment.
You would think it might be easy to force them out. But...
The Economy - Just so YOU know: YOU are responsible for the economy being sluggish in July. YOU did not purchase enough. YOU made the decision to save rather than spend. YOU, while you purchased vehicles, failed to purchase homes. YOU! Meanwhile business experts are fawning all over General Motors because they posted huge profits for the second quarter of 2010. "Wonderful!", "Exciting!", "Leadership!"...but nobody considered all of the YOU's who no longer have JOBS. Factory workers, dealerships, etc. Something, yes, had to be done. But...leaving that part out of the news story?
Which brings to mind a question a viewer of our show once asked, "What is the patriotic duty of 'Corporate America' to pay livable wages and hire people to put confidence back into the economy? Or is the only motivation to stock holders?" Never mind...I know.
Hey, are you going to The Iowa State Fair today? Just checking because Vanilla Ice and Tone Loc will be there. Show at 8:00PM. That's what I'm talkin' about! And...the Nadas at 7:00PM all at the Anderson - Erickson Dairy Stage. And...it is FREE!!!!
Got this fair stuff in my mind today huh? Apologies to those of you not lucky enough to make the fair this year or who don't care about the fair, or think the fair is "yucky" or don't have time, or it's too crowded, or whatever! ;-)
OK...out the door with this pot of Sunday Morning Coffee... Have a great day. Back to BUSINESS tomorrow! Here is the personal Facebook page, just in case you can't get enough. Sorry...
