Video Killed The Radio Star.....

  VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR

"I heard you on the wireless back in '52
Lying awake intent at tuning in on you.
If I was young it didn't stop you coming through.
Oh-a oh
 

They took the credit for your second symphony.
Rewritten by machine and new technology,
and now I understand the problems you can see.
Oh-a oh

I met your children
Oh-a oh
What did you tell them?
Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
Pictures came and broke your heart.
Oh-a-a-a oh

And now we meet in an abandoned studio.
We hear the playback and it seems so long ago.
And you remember the jingles used to go.
Oh-a oh
You were the first one.
Oh-a oh
You were the last one.

Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind we've gone to far
Oh-a-aho oh,
Oh-a-aho oh
Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.

In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind we've gone to far.
Pictures came and broke your heart, put the blame on VCR.

You are a radio star.
You are a radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
Video killed the radio star.
----Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley

 

We were driving to the store a few days ago, and, as always, Scott and I were listening to KNX Radio 1070.  While gazing out the window, contemplating the day ahead of us, I heard anchor Bob Brill discussing his new book with another reporter.  Of course, the title of the book, "NO BARRIER: How The Internet Destroyed The World Economy" grabbed my attention right away!  

 

As we've discussed on various occasions here, the problems that independent business owners face today are a direct result of the internet.  How?  Doesn't the internet mean instant connectedness and therefore the chance to get your product in front of the global community?  It may seem that way, but so not true.  Right this minute, I could open an eBay store and list dozens of items for sale, but with so many thousands of other similar products pushed by other vendors, it's unlikely my products would ever be seen. 

 

Which leads us to the corporate mega-vendors who dominate the real-world internet marketplace - Amazon, Walmart, Target, and the like.  With enough purchasing power to buy and sell certain small countries, these behemoths have permanently changed the global economy, and not for the better.  All have implemented the use of the internet.  As I listened to the radio spot, Mr. Brill answered the questions of "why don't you think that the internet is a good thing for economy and job creation" by explaining that “the Internet has destroyed the old business model we’ve come to rely upon and eliminated businesses while becoming the most powerful tool the world has ever known.  For all the good it has done, the Web has touched every life in a negative way as well, whether we want to believe it or not.”  The book is forwarded by noted economist Dr. Pamela Falk and contains comments from top leaders of the past 20 years to every day business people whose careers have been eliminated, never to return. Mr. Brill not only looks at where we’ve been but where we are going and, in the simplest of terms, how the United Nations is grappling with it.  I'm very excited to read this book!

In other news, we have heard nothing on the sale of the Webster's complex.  We still wait to find out something - anything! - but nothing seems to be forthcoming.    

 

We're hosting a book signing with local author Randy Jurardo Ertll, whose book  Hope In Times Of Darkness: A Salvadorian American Experience will be discussed.  The event notice is here if you'd like to join us.  Of course, tasty appetizers, coffee and tea are complimentary, and the event is free to the public.

Valentine's Day decorations started going up inside the store this week, which is always a nice respite from the emptiness after removing holiday decor..  It's like taking your Christmas tree down at home, and how everything looks so bare without it!  This year our theme is My Funny Valentine (you'll see why in a couple of weeks), and our decor reflects both the red hearts that are standard Valentine fare and icy winter elements, like bare white trees festooned with snowflakes.  Who knew that it would actually be icy and freezing when we planned this out so many months ago?!  I don't know about you, but I'd like our nice warm Southern California back, thank you very much!

Stay warm, have a great week and we'll talk again next Sunday,

Lori and Scott

Are You Ready For The Information Age?

A retailer friend of mine in Redding, California, sent this video around today called "The Currency Of The Future III". The link to it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idn4Lb-uCyg and it's just chock full of useful information.

Information....there's that word again. It keeps popping up in almost everything business-related I read anymore. According to the makers of this video, "it is estimated that 40 exabytes (4.0 X 10 19) of unique new information will be generated worldwide this year. That is more than in the previous 5,000 years".

They also predict that "in the next 24 months, it's estimated that U.S. online transactions will surpass store transactions at shopping malls". While that doesn't bode well for brick and mortar businesses, especially independent ones, they do go on to note that "in the information age, one of the most powerful forms of genius will be entrepreneurial genius".

This is exactly why I've been pushing so hard at getting WFS online in all forms - this blog, our website at http://www.webstersfs.com, on Facebook, MySpace, and any other place I can put us. I'm planning like mad to get this store's ecommerce site up and running....it's just a bit difficult in these hard economic times. It needs to be done, though. I don't want to be a dinosaur lumbering about trying to find shelter from the planetary storm, I want us to be comfortably ensconced in the promised land.

You won't find another store in the area as active in social media as we are. You can follow us and our retail life in real time. You can be assured that there are real people here, all of us working as a team to bring you the best service and product we can. But it doesn't stop there. We are forward-thinking young adults with a plan....a plan to be the agents of positive change in our community. We invite you to follow along with us - celebrate with us, think with us, learn with us and play with us. Join in the contests we have for fun merchandise give-aways and enjoy our motivational quotes.

WFS will be hosting a Social Media Networking Event in the very near future. More information about that will be forthcoming soon....make sure to check our Facebook page!

Have a great week, my friends!

Lori & Scott