With the passing of J.D. Salinger, for the first time in years I was reminded of the immortal teenager, Holden Caulfield. It had truly been a long time since the famous rebel occupied any of my conscious thoughts.

Apparently that was not true for others. The enormous outpouring of interest on the web gave clear indication that Holden is one of the most remembered characters in the history of America.

Unfortunately, timing being everything, there was another passing last week, one that drew far less attention. The passing of Howard Zinn, Professor Emeritus at Boston University, flew largely under the radar.

For some, the death of Professor Zinn did not rise to the same level as a legendary and reclusive author’s passing. But for me, the passing of the longtime proponent of compassion over vengeance was far more notable.

Howard Zinn

An activist in every sense of the word, Howard Zinn is credited with being a key force in helping young people understand the importance of dissent to a democracy. The historian wrote one of the most important books of all time, A People’s History of the United States (1980). {Fans of “Good Will Hunting” might recall Will (Matt Damon) recommending the People’s History to his shrink Sean (Robin Williams)}.

Zinn served as bombardier during World War II, attaining the rank of second lieutenant. He entered New York University on the GI Bill at the ripe old age of 27. Working nights in a warehouse loading trucks, Zinn worked his way through school earning his bachelor’s degree from NYU, and later, master’s and doctoral degrees in history from Columbia University.

Zinn taught at Upsala, Brooklyn and Spelman colleges. Marian Wright Edelman and Alice Walker were two of his students at the historically black Spelman. During that time, Zinn became active in the civil rights movement and participated in numerous demonstrations. In 1964, Zinn became an associate professor of political science at BU and was later named a full professor in 1966. At that time his focus shifted to opposition of the Vietnam War.

History has it that Zinn ended his final class at BU 30 minutes early so that he could join a picket line. He also urged his 500 students in the lecture hall to join him – estimates indicate roughly one hundred did.

News accounts that spent time discussing this important man cited his autobiography, You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train (1994). In it, Zinn wrote:

“From the start, my teaching was infused with my own history. I would try to be fair to other points of view, but I wanted more than ‘objectivity’; I wanted students to leave my classes not just better informed, but more prepared to relinquish the safety of silence, more prepared to speak up, to act against injustice wherever they saw it. This, of course, was a recipe for trouble.”

Opposition to Afghanistan

In late September, shortly after the 9/11 attacks, Zinn penned a piece for the Chronicle of Higher Education. As we consider the current issues facing our country, hemorrhaging money in Iraq and Afghanistan yet so deep in debt we are finding it near impossible to solve our own problems, Zinn’s thoughts in 2001 are particularly prescient:

The images on television have been heartbreaking. People on fire, leaping to their deaths. People in panic and fear. Terror in hijacked airplanes. The scenes, the images horrified and sickened me.

Then our political leaders came on television, and I was horrified and sickened again. They spoke of retaliation, of vengeance, of punishment. We are at war, they said. And I thought: They have learned nothing, absolutely nothing, from the history of the 20th century, from a hundred years of retaliation, vengeance, war, a hundred years of terrorism and counterterrorism, of violence met with violence, in an unending cycle of stupidity.

Will we now bomb Afghanistan? Then we will, inevitably, kill innocent people, because it is in the nature of bombing to be indiscriminate. Will we then be committing terrorism to “send a message” to terrorists? We have done that before. It is the old way of thinking, the old way of acting. It has never worked. Reagan bombed Libya, Bush made war on Iraq, and Clinton bombed Afghanistan and a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan, to “send a message” to terrorists. Isn’t it clear by now that sending “a message” to terrorists through violence only leads to more terrorism?

Haven’t we learned anything from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Car bombs planted by Palestinians bring air attacks and tanks from the Israeli government, and then there are more car bombs. That has been going on for years. It doesn’t work. And innocent people die on both sides.

We need to think about the resentment all over the world felt by people who have been the victims of American military action — in Vietnam, in Latin America, in Iraq. We need to think about the anger of Palestinians, who know that the weapons used against them are supplied by the United States. We need to understand how some of those people will go beyond quiet anger to acts of terrorism.

We need new ways of thinking. A $300-billion military budget has not given us security. Military bases all over the world, warships on every ocean, have not given us security. Land mines, a “missile-defense shield,” will not give us security. We need to stop sending weapons to countries that oppress other people or their own people. We need to decide that we will not go to war, whatever reason is conjured up by the politicians, because war in our time is always indiscriminate, a war against innocents, a war against children. War is terrorism, magnified a hundred times.

Our security can only come by using our national wealth, not for guns, planes, and bombs, but for the health and welfare of our people, and for people suffering in other countries. Our first thoughts should be not of vengeance, but of compassion, not of violence, but of healing.

Change We Can Believe In?

Those of us who fell in love with the Obama campaign harbored hope that we were electing a man who might usher in a new way of thinking.

The loss of that hope is perhaps why I feel so disillusioned today just one year into this new president’s term.

We were looking for someone like Zinn, someone who could inspire a new way of viewing our current issues, someone who could help us create a transcendent America. Instead, we find ourselves stuck, unable to move forward.

One can’t help but wonder, would Holden be far more disillusioned were a young Salinger to pen such a famous work today?

In the meantime, we can’t help but wonder what it says about our current state of affairs when we pay more attention to a fictional teen and the passing of his reclusive creator than we do to the death of one of America’s truly great thinkers.

A month to the day we recommended that the Class of 2010 begin examining all their future options, that next year’s graduate should begin thinking about what they might do instead of simply entering the workforce. Our rationale was simple, the current unemployment rates and the impact of two poor successive job placement years meant that job opportunities next spring are likely to be no better than those seen last spring.

Lest our readers have any doubt regarding our advice, that particular scenario has been reinforced by data relayed today by the New York Times. According to the Times, Labor Department statistics for the month of July revealed that just “2.4 million full-time permanent jobs were open” yet there were “14.5 million people officially unemployed.”

That represents a six to one ratio, the worst such ratio since the Labor Department began tracking such numbers. The sum total is that workers will continue to be looking for employment for a much longer period than has occurred in prior recessions.

And that means that those graduating in 2010 will be competing with a number of experienced workers for the very few job openings available.

Long Term Impact

While some economists believe the recession is over, this data reveals that the recession could well be a double-dipper, if not a stagnator. The high unemployment rates mean that a large segment of America still has little in the way of disposable income and will remain in such a plight for the near future.

Therefore, the high unemployment rates also will ultimately translate to a continued reduction in consumer spending. Given the dependence of our nation’s economy on consumer spending, this current scenario could well mean that the ugly head of recession may reemerge in the not distant future.

The current situation also represents a major issue for federal and state budgets. Fewer workers translates to fewer taxable dollars coming into the government coffers, both in income and sales based taxes. That likely means more in the way of layoffs at the state and federal levels.

The job losses have also resulted in a large number of early retirement claims from laid-off seniors. Overall, applications for retirement benefits are up 23 percent over a year.

That means that Social Security is about to pay out more in benefits than it collects in taxes over the next two years (the first such occurrence since the 1980s). This will, of course, only make those federal budget deficit numbers for 2010 and 2011 that much worse.

Student Options

Overall, this data indicates that those graduating in 2010 should begin to research options other than the traditional workforce, including the Peace Corps, Americorps, Teach for America and graduate school. Given the state of the economy, the current situation means that these options could all well be out of the question for those who procrastinate.

If you are graduating in 2010, now is the time to begin thinking about all your options.

It is tough to sell a product today unless you can find the right “niche,” that small group of customers who value what you have to offer.

Of course, you can help create a valued item by adding just a little ingenuity, a sound packaging scheme and the proper marketing strategy.

Motivation Industry

For the ultimate in niche creation we turn to Despair, Inc®. On the web site, Founder and COO E.L. Kersten, Ph.D., addresses the source of his idea: the thriving motivational commodities and services industry.

“Psychology tells us that motivation – true, lasting motivation – can only come from within,” states Kersten. “Common sense tells us it can’t be manufactured or productized. So how is it that a multi-billion dollar industry thrives through the sale of motivational commodities and services?

“Because, in our world of instant gratification, people desperately want to believe that there are simple solutions to complex problems. And when desperation has disposable income, market opportunities abound.”

In regards to his major point, Kersten is likely dead on – today’s speed of light, technological world is complex. And it cries out for speed of light, technological solutions to problems that were unimaginable a generation ago.

While noting that simple solutions don’t exist, Kersten presumes, rightfully so, that others just might share his basic view on the matter.

Hence, his niche:

“At Despair, Inc, we believe motivational products create unrealistic expectations, raising hopes only to dash them,” Kersten explains. “That’s why we created our soul-crushingly depressing Demotivators® designs, so you can skip the delusions that motivational products induce and head straight for the disappointments that follow!”

The Demotivators® Designs

Much like the motivation industry, Kersten relies on clever packaging and rich, evocative sayings to draw immediate interest. He then adds just the proper level of cynicism and tongue-in-cheek humor to draw you in.

As with the motivational industry, there is no shortage of posters. Consider:

• BAILOUTS – From each according to his ability, to each according to his lack thereof.
• INCOMPETENCE – When you earnestly believe you can compensate for a lack of skill by doubling your efforts, there’s no end to what you can’t do.
• ELITISM – It’s lonely at the top, but it’s comforting to look down upon everyone at the bottom.
• INNOVATION – If it can make your job easier, it can probably make it irrelevant.

Each offers a requisite visual spoof that makes just the right mockery of the typical motivational poster format.

There are note cards for “when you only care enough to share the despair.” There are smaller versions, Variety Packs that are “virtually guaranteed to strengthen your relationships by utilizing the most powerful interpersonal bonding technique known to man, shared misery.” Or if you just can’t decide, there is the Notecard Super Sampler Pack featuring 84 designs representing the “perfect way to tell someone that misery loves company.”

There are coffee mugs and the ultimate office gift: the Pessimist’s Mug. The mug/glass offers the classic half-empty reminder though it will take a true pessimist to “understand why it had to be so big.”

And then there is my personal favorite, the Points-of-View-Glass, featuring a single glass but with “eight different perspectives on it.” From optimist to pessimist and sexist to capitalist, this item is a must have for the home or office collection.

Finding a Niche

The Demotivators® Designs certainly demonstrate how to sell a product. From its extremely clever packaging to its stylish presentation, Kertsen has done exactly what a good business man should, create the proverbial niche.

But while he seems to have something for almost everyone sharing his view, be forewarned. If you visit, your emotions will be not be spared.

Sometimes the knife can cut very deep, as in:

BLOGGING – Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few.

There is no mistaking his preference. All things considered, Nick Brown wants to pursue a career in NASCAR.

If he had his druthers, he would prefer to be behind the wheel.

But he knows there is more money to be made if he gives up driving to pursue a crew member position, perhaps one day tackling the top spot as a crew chief. So despite winning his first race against the big boys this summer, the Bath, ME resident headed south last week to the heart of race country.

He has parked his car, at least for now, and begun his future educational foray into college at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. His major may be mechanical engineering but it isn’t quite what you might expect.

Because this program is a racing enthusiast’s dream complete with a minor in motorsports engineering.

Racing in His Blood

Maine sportswriter Steve Solloway noted that Nick Brown isn’t “much different from other 18-year-old recent high school graduates who are long on dreams and short on experience.” Of course, like many male teens, he likes to drive fast.

It’s just that he has always channeled that enthusiasm to the race track.

As one might expect, Brown is from a racing family.

“I really got into racing from my dad – he took me to the Saturday night races when I was just a baby,” chuckles Brown. “I really had no choice but to like racing – my dad and my whole family are such huge racing fans.”

“I first started racing when I was 7-years-old,” explains Brown. “I started out racing go-karts at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough.”

In 2000, he won his first race, and in 2001 he added another 2 wins. Then came 2002 where he won a total of 15 times and earned his first points championship. In 2003, he moved on to Maine’s premiere racing location, Oxford Plains Speedway, where his racing skills continuing to develop. Form 2003 through 2006 he would earn four straight track Kart championships.

In 2007, at the age of 16, he left the Kart world for what is called a Legend car, a scaled down version of racing coupes from 70 years ago, and raced at several different tracks in New England in the NELCAR series. In 2008, he took yet another step, racing an ACT legal late model and making the three-eighths mile oval at Oxford Plains his home track.

A Summer to Remember

In his second year racing the late model ACT series, Brown earned his first win. It was a 40-lap race at Oxford and came just one week after he graduated from Morse High School.

According to Brown, there have been another 3 to 4 top 5 finishes and another 6 to 7 top tens. Early in the summer he stood fourth in the cumulative standings and was still in the top five until he took a week off to attend his senior prom.

Those racing performances garnered him a lot of attention, allowing him to compete for a slot in the annual TD Banknorth 250 at the Plains. He was even given a prominent, head table seat at the midweek press conference alongside veteran drivers Ricky Rolfe, Tim Brackett, Glen Luce and Joey Polewarczyk, Jr.

While it was not to be in the cards for this year, it represented a huge step for Brown who did have some prior experience with the race. It was just three years ago that Brown got a taste of big time pit duties. He was a crew member for Whorff Motorsports and was part of the team that helped Jeremie Whorff top Kyle Busch for the 2006 TD Banknorth 250 victory.

Tremendous Support

Brown was quick to point out the adults in his life that have been so instrumental in his development as a driver and racing enthusiast. First, he cited his parents, Al, and Tami, particularly when it comes to that major piece of equipment, the car itself.

“My father and mother have always owned and help me maintain my car,” adds Brown. “My father has pretty much been my crew chief from the days of the go-kart until now.”

The college freshman was quick to point out how many others have been helpful to him as well.

“Jaime Magno, Jim Howe, Zach Anderson, Chris McInnes, Mark Green and my brother Ben are always a big help,” notes Brown. “Both at the track and in helping me maintain the car between races.

“And I am fortunate to have a lot of great sponsors: Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway, Servepro, Midcoast Glass and Windows, Jim Magno Builders, Reno Racing and Whorff Motorsports.”

On to UNCC

Maintaining a 3.4 GPA and managing to make the honor roll 15 times in 16 academic quarters at Morse means that Brown also has some other options beyond racing. But he admits racing at times has taken over.

“A few years ago, we had a crisis,” Brown states, referring to his parents view of what had become too big of a focus on cars and racing. “All that I wanted to do was work on race cars but my parents wanted more from me.”

There was talk of entering the engineering field and while not as exciting as racing, Brown recognized his parents were probably right, that getting an education was of utmost importance. Then he learned of the mechanical engineering program at UNCC, a program that offered a motor sports concentration.

“When I saw the program that UNCC offers, an engineering program based around racing, I knew that was the program for me,” explains Brown. “The campus is located in the heart of race country and some of the best crew chiefs in NASCAR have graduated from the program.”

It will be a real test to see if the crisis is in fact abated because Brown has indeed parked his car for now. But in true form, Brown is as Solloway says, long on dreams even if he is short on experience.

“I would really like to race while I am in North Carolina but my financial situation will not allow it,” says Brown with a sigh. “Down the road, I would really like to get onto a short track team or something else here to maybe get my foot in the door for the future.”

With such a viewpoint, it seems Brown should soon be long on experience as well.

The job data for the class of 2009 was very sobering. At commencement time last May, a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers indicated just 19.7 percent of those graduates who applied for a job actually had one.

Though extremely troubling, given the state of the economy and the number of jobs being cut, most experts were not surprised to see such a low number. But the Class of 2010 needs to be forewarned: the employment numbers from 2009 could well have a cascading effect, creating yet another difficult market come May.

2008 Magnified 2009

To get a sense of why 2009 was such a tough market for grads, one actually needs to look back at 2007 and 2008. First, to get a baseline, in 2007, 51 percent of those graduating that spring actually had a job in hand at the time they graduated.

However, in 2008, the numbers were nearly halved. Just 26 percent of those graduating who had applied for a job had one in hand by the time of graduation.

So one of the major issues facing 2009 graduates was the large number of 2008 graduates who were still searching for a job in their field. That rolling competition certainly added to the 2009 challenge and played a significant role in the placement numbers dropping further.

Which brings us to those for whom 2010 is commencement time. Right now, you probably feel there is some hope. It is clear our economy is turning around, albeit very slowly. That signifies the potential for a more positive outlook come next May.

But students need to beware. The backlog of unemployed folks is long and there are now two consecutive years of poor placement records for graduating seniors.

If the economy does continue to improve, the backlog will begin to be addressed over the next several months. The question is: to what effect will it be addressed by next May?

The answer of course is no one really knows.

But economists are not forecasting a rosy future. Their belief is our recovery will be slow and job creation slower still.

Research Options Now

Given such a scenario, college seniors need to begin researching all options for next summer this fall. Waiting for spring will simply be too late.

Without a doubt, creating a plan that includes a fall back is critical. You may ultimately want to take your sheepskin and head directly into the world of work. That may be your first choice and you certainly can pursue that hard.

Just realize it might not be possible.

So have a back up plan ready. Community service or volunteer type experiences might be something to consider? Or perhaps the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps? Line up or create your own internship? Maybe Teach for America? Even graduate school might be a decent option?

The bottom line is the Class of 2010 may well face as tough a job market as the last two graduating classes. Given such a scenario, now is the time to start thinking about your options.

Several Internet sites reported some bleak financial news this morning. It seems that U.S. banks were on a pace to rake in $38.5 billion in customer overdraft fees this year.

Sadly, the vast majority of that $38.5 billion was likely to come from the consumers who can least afford it.

That includes young, cash-strapped college students.

Bank Overdrafts

Whether you write a check, withdraw money from an ATM, use a debit card to make a purchase or make an online electronic payment for an amount greater than the amount of money you have in your bank account, you in essence are attempting to “overdraw” your account.

Banks can do one of two things at that point, they can either pay the amount requested or decline to do so. If the bank fronts you the money to complete the transaction, they will then charge you an “overdraft” fee.
Most people think overdraft protection is a good thing. First of all, if a bank returns a check without paying it, instead of an overdraft fee, you will likely be charged a “bounced-check,” or “insufficient funds,” fee. In addition, the company that you sent your check to may also charge you a “returned-check” fee. That decision is separate from any made by a bank.

Second, with debit cards, it can be pretty embarrassing to be at the checkout counter with items in hand only to have your purchase rejected for insufficient funds.

So ultimately, most people like to work with a bank that will provide overdraft protection. Such a set up means no returned check fees and less potential public embarrassment.

But it places you at the mercy of the bank and their overdraft fee policies. According to the Financial Times, nationally the median cost of an overdraft fee is 26 dollars. At the larger banks, the median fee is 33 dollars.

Remember your statistics here. The median is the middle number in a list – so one-half of all fees are less than the median but another half exceed that value.

In fact, according to the Financial Times, at Bank of America, “a client overdrawn by just six dollars could incur a 35 dollar overdraft fee that can be levied up to ten times in a single day.”

Most Common Mistake

The reason that most people overdraw an account is they have failed to keep track of how much money they have in that account. Keeping any account register up-to-date, checking, debit or other, can be a real pain.

But to be certain of your status, it is imperative that you record all of your checks at the time you write them. It is also important to record those other transactions, debit card or online payments (automatic ones as well), at the time you make them. The ease with which money can be spent in such a manner often leads to the omission of a specific record or two.

And, if it happens, you must not forget to subtract any fees you have been assessed.

At the end of each bank cycle, reconcile your account with your bank statement. Any discrepancies should be dealt with immediately.

Mistakes Happen

If at some point you do overdraw an account, make a deposit as soon as is possible. That deposit must cover both the overdraft fee and the amount the account was overdrawn.

The failure to reconcile the issue quickly often leads to additional overdrafts and fees. In some simple cases, banks charge a flat fee per day (in addition to the overdraft fee) for each day the account remains overdrawn.

And remember, the overdraft fee kicks in on every transaction when you have exceeded your account balance. You might expend as little as $10 for another transaction yet get hit with that $33 overdraft fee.

To minimize the cost of any mistakes, be sure to explore all options with your bank. You may be able to keep an additional savings account with a small sum that you never touch yet can be used to transfer funds when you do overdraw a checking account. Some banks will make limited such transfers free of charge, others for a small fee per transfer.

Another option is a line of credit with the bank. With such an option, if you overdraw your account, the bank lends you the funds from your line of credit to cover the overdraft. There will be interest charges on the loaned sum and the account often carries an annual fee but it can be great protection from other overdraft options.

The same idea can be used with a credit card. It can be attached to your account and when you overdraw your bank account the money to cover the overdraft becomes a cash advance from your credit card.

Just remember, this is still not free. Most cards have a cash-advance fee and the interest charges start the moment of the transaction. And be careful, if your interest rate is high, this can be as expensive if not more expensive than those bank charges.

Don’t Contribute to the $38.5 Billion

The advice is simple. Practice good account management – always know where you stand financially so that you can avoid costly mistakes.

Take the time to review options with your bank so as to ensure the best possible situation should a mistake occur.

You have worked hard for the cash you do have so make it a pledge not to gift your hard-earned money to the bank.

For more on overdraft protection and bank practices, visit the Federal Reserve.

By now you are no doubt familiar with the story of Trina Thompson and her lawsuit against her alma mater, Monroe College. The blogosphere has been abuzz since Kathianne Boniello of the New York Post broke the story.

The Digital Student over at GoCollege offered some support for her plight. They noted that tiny Thomas College in Waterville, Maine, actually makes a promise to its grads, one that Monroe does not: a job or else.

But most were merciless in their criticism of the 27-year-old. Robbie Cooper at UrbanGrounds gave her “The Idiot of the Day Award” while Ryan at RightJuris dissed her even as he stood up for the legal profession noting that Thompson had to file the suit herself, the insinuation being that the case was so frivolous that no one in the legal field would touch it.

Given some of the absurd suits that have been filed we tend to believe her when she simply says she filed it herself because she could not afford a lawyer. Whatever the case, therein lies the rub.

Everyone in the blogosphere has an opinion of the information-technology graduate. Trina Thompson is now a household name on the web.

Today, if one uses any search engine of note and types in the name Trina Thompson, pages and pages emerge. Many with unflattering titles, many more mentioning the anger she feels as a result of her plight and all highlighting the fact that she has chosen to blame her school for her failure to acquire a job.

Future Employment?

Irrespective of the merits of her lawsuit, Thompson now faces more difficulty than she could have ever imagined.

Anyone involved in the process of hiring someone for a professional position will thoroughly check a candidate’s references. Not only will phone calls made and questions asked of all listed references, many employers will try to determine the inside scoop by contacting someone else that may have knowledge of a candidate but is not listed as a reference.

However, the Internet has brought new meaning to the term reference check. The time has come when virtually all potential employers add one other simple process: Googling a candidate’s name.

The availability to readily access information on the web about a candidate has created a whole new phenomena called personal branding. It is a concept every high school and college student needs to become aware of and breaks down simply: it is extremely important that when your name is Googled, positive information comes up.

The last thing you want to have happen is for that search to yield information that would cause an employer to think twice about offering you a job.

If Ms. Thompson was truly searching hard for work before but was coming up empty, her decision to file the lawsuit has likely become her kiss of death. By virtue of her actions, she has created the ultimate red flag for human resource offices. No employer wants to hire someone that appears willing to sue others in a fit of anger.

Unfortunately, the filing of this lawsuit led Trina Thompson down a path in which she lost control of her personal brand.

And given the nature of the Internet that will follow her the rest of her life.

I noted late last week my frustration with the lack of free Wi-Fi access in the northeast. I even went so far as to commend big-box bookseller Barnes & Noble for dropping its prior practice of pay for service.

No sooner had I postured our position when I bumped into a rather different option noted by Alex Salkever of DailyFinance.com.

Instead of free access, he suggests we are on our way to another path, one where The Price of Our Next PC is actually zero.

As in nada.

And it scared the BeJesus out of me.

All About Making Money

Salkever writes:

Here’s another soon-to-be new twist on the Freemium model, where companies make money by giving things away. This time it’s set to hit the high tech hardware world.

….wireless carriers like Verizon (VZ) and AT&T (T) are rolling out more and more plans that offer subsidized netbooks to customers willing to sign up for two and three-year data plans on top of their existing cell phone coverage.

According to a DisplaySearch analysis, the lifetime value of a two-year AT&T or Verizon subsidized netbook (w/ HP Mini or Acer Aspire One netbook) and service plan (assuming you don’t blow through monthly data limits) is $1,159 before sales tax and all of the monthly telecom taxes are added.

As the acceptance of applications delivered over the Internet continues to grow (Microsoft OfficeLive, Google Apps) the true value in a customers engagement will move towards this software and away from hardware. That will force PC companies like Dell (DELL) and HP (HPQ) to consider new ways to boost revenue because, let’s face it, they don’t want to be in the business of selling sub $500 computers, which is where the market is heading.

The upshot? The new price for some PCs might well be $0.00.

Hate the Thought, Part One

Now I hope your not thinking, wow that must be right up my alley. As in free is the word for this writer.

Actually, I don’t like the sound of this at all. First, it reeks of those early days when unsuspecting customers purchased those amazing color printers. You know, those three-way babies that could copy, scan, and print for some ridiculously low figure like $19.99. In some cases, the deal was to throw the printer in free.

Perhaps you bought/accepted one?

At first, things seemed OK. They even delivered a decent product.

But at some point, quite soon in most cases, they ran out of ink. And you headed to the store to pick up a couple of cartridges only to learn you had to shell out $50.00 for a new pair. You cussed but you accepted it, it gave a decent product.

Perhaps the second time, or maybe the third, as they ran out of ink (again quite soon), you caught on. It wasn’t about selling you a printer. It was about getting you take that printer so they could get you to shell out serious cash again and again as you supplied the damn thing with ink.

Hate the Thought, Part Two

This also sounds a great deal why I no longer have full cable television access. You know, the bulk pricing that features oodles of channels.

You soon learn that most of them are not worth even a buck a month. But, you are stuck.

You can buy channels 1 – 23 or 1 – 80 or some other ridiculous combination. But you can’t negotiate a price for the five or six or if you are lucky, ten channels, you might actually watch.

Yes, this sounds too much like the cable outfits, bulking up so as to give the appearance you are getting more just so they can charge more.

Has the Best Come and Gone?

Me, I am fearful. I am afraid that the best has come and gone.

I love this Internet thing and access to the world-wide web as it now exists. The limitless opportunities, the hours of surfing without a meter running.

Yes, I am worried. I am worried that somehow the free, open nature of what we have today will close down.

And the costs rise.

As the services dwindle.

No, I didn’t like what Salkever had to say one bit.

Remember the time when you harbored hope of free wi-fi access everywhere? Not just a few select cities, but unlimited hot spots for citizens all across our great land?

The theory was simple: logging on would involve a 15-30 second period where we would be exposed to local advertising. These captive ads, paid for by local businesses, would ensure the costs of access for an entire community would be more than manageable for any city.

Move forward to 2009 and here in the northeast nothing could be further from reality. In the State of Maine one has to hunt down a Panera Bread to be able to find a sit down, leisure option, for such access. Amazingly, one cannot even get free wi-fi while waiting for one of those indeterminably-delayed flights at the Portland Jetport.

Of course, we have figured out how to get by. Mainers, ever frugal, now know they may pull into the parking lot of a Staples or Office Max or even a VIP Auto (yes, one of the strongest signals available is in the parking lot of an auto parts store) to be able to check their email.

But finding one of these entities, wheeling into the parking lot, and popping open the lap top is never easy.

Ultimately, we have longed for what might be.

Barnes & Noble to the Rescue

Given our frustration we were thrilled to learn of at least one major company willing to give the idea another go. Book store giant Barnes & Noble recently announced it would drop its pay-per-use store hotspots in favor of free wi-fi access to anyone with an appropriately equipped laptop, smart phone or PDA.

Of course the action is not simply an act of kindness by the book store chain. Instead, the store is promoting its e-book library in hopes that you might just be enticed to purchase the latest best seller.

That is not a problem in our eyes. As we noted earlier, we had anticipated a sales model in return for access. Even if it does involve significant marketing, it is no different than any other magazine, newspaper or web site.

As long as you are disciplined, there is virtually no negative. There isn’t a requirement to purchase an e-book to get online. Instead, as WalletPop points out, B & N is simply making it as easy for folks to “browse the cyberspace aisles as the real ones.”

Retailer Has a Plan

While great for users, there actually appears to be a larger plan at work here: B & N is on the path to competing with Amazon by developing its own e-book reader. But for now the company is simply offering software that enables you to view the best sellers on your laptop, smart phone or other electronic portable device.

In the meantime, for those who also really like books and the atmosphere of the book culture there is also a sign up available for promotional coupons and notices of book signing events. But for the rest of us, what makes the entire option a plus is that signing up for such promotional material is not required for access.

It is, dare we say it, free wi-fi access!

B & N, here we come.

What separates your inner ear from your outer ear?

In what country would you find the Panama Canal?

Which President was known as Tricky Dick?

What does the DC stand for in Washington D.C.?

Man, he looks like he was in the water?

Are any of these folks graduates of your school?