A look back and ahead.

[GordonJ]

The Past to Remember, The Future to Behold.


This was our class motto. Cuyahoga Falls High School, Class of 1968.


I'll be spending the next few days casting glances backwards and into the future.


What an amazing, exciting time we live in. Every person reading this now has the power and reach of a large broadcast network, that just a few years ago was considered impossible...you are as powerful as a TV Network and any Media Giant.


Two words: Justin Bieber. A YouTube sensation one day, an international star the next. Jackie Evancho, what an amazing kid, hope you got to see her sing for the President at the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. Another of the YouTube super stars.


Social Media.


WOW. A SIX BILLION dollar offer from Google to Groupon...TURNED DOWN...(some of you may recall my daughter was the runner-up in the Groupon contest, she went to Chicago, met the people at Groupon including the owner, whom she really thought was a “cool” executive)...


We live in an age where people can create products which will become billion dollar bonanzas in just a few years. That has to get your Entrepreneur heart pounding.


And, yet, we can be as small potatoes, fly low collect the dough, under the radar as we want to be too.


Chatteling today is 1000 times easier than it was a decade ago. Today it is almost impossible not to make money buying and selling stuff with Craigslist, eBay and Google. Anyone reading this can make 500 to 1000 bux any given day they desire with chattel.


There was a day when it was considered CRASS to sell anything other than computer parts, pieces or software on this network of computers now called The Internet (thanks Al Gore). I know, I crassly sold one of the first 'reports', How to Start a Cult for Fun and Profit, via bulk postings (before Spam was a dirty word) and that seems like only yesterday to me.


Today, the Internet, in fact, I say ALL media...is advertising driven. ADVERTISING and MARKETING is what it is all about these days (and even I find that sad).


So, I'll spend a few days looking back over the year, and a few posts looking toward the future.


It has been a roller coaster ride for me personally, I've gained great insights, have grown as a person and have learned a few new tricks too.


I hope you will share your stories, of success, triumph and failure too, with us and we can all look forward to one of the most challenging, opportunity filled years we've ever faced.


In the next few days, I want to look at the coming Municipal Bond Failure (some say CERTAIN) which could throw us back into the big recession and also to peer into the future and reveal some great opportunities for those with the vision and desire to make things happen for themselves.


Let's examine the “end of the Internet (computer) and the rise of the Smart Phone/Pad devices which are said to be future.


We'll talk of web sites, apps, gaps, advertising, networking, social media...and the future.


What do you consider to be the BIG news stories of 2010?


What do YOU think will be the next BIG thing, or do you see some more Doom and Gloom in our forecast?


This is the time of the year to reflect and think about where we have been and where we are going.


Your comments are appreciated, however, your political rants will not be welcome (and deleted), but feel free to express your ideas and join in the conversations regarding:


The Past to Remember...The Future to Behold.


Gordon Jay Alexander