Editor's Note: My apologies for the delay in creating and posting this week's Four For Friday. I've been under the weather for most of the week, and today I chose to spend the day catching up on office work, not blogging. Carry on :-)
Q1 ñ Little League: Citing concerns that orthopedists have been seeing more and more aspiring little league baseball pitchers coming into their offices complaining of arm and shoulder pain, Little League International says it's time to give young arms a rest. These days, when you send a little league pitcher to the pitcher's mound, it's 75 pitches, no more. Good thinking or an overreaching (no pun intended) rule?
Q2 ñ Goiní Pro: If you could turn pro (right now) in any sport and compete with the best of the best in that sport, what sport would you choose?
Q3 ñ Fanís Rights: A Federal appeals recently court paved the way for pat-down searches to resume at Tampa Bay Buccaneers home football games, rejecting a fan's contention that they violate his constitutional protection against unreasonable searches. High school teacher Gordon Johnston successfully challenged the frisking of fans entering Raymond James Stadium in three lower courts, but a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned those rulings, saying Johnston forfeited his right to challenge the constitutionality of the pat-downs when he consented to them. The court also said Johnston doesn't have a constitutional right to watch a football game, that he was aware of the search policy before entering the stadium, and that the football team can revoke game tickets for any reason. "Being a government teacher and knowing the Constitution," says Johnson, "I think it's the wrong decision." What do you think?
Q1 ñ Pay for Play: Do you think college athletes should be compensated above and beyond their scholarships to attend college?
STATE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT COMPARED TO COUNTRY GDPs
The creator of this map broke down U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) into the GDPs of individual states, and then compare those to other countries' GDP (click on the image for a larger view).
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a convenient way of measuring and comparing the size of national economies. Annual GDP represents the market value of all goods and services produced within a country in a year. Put differently:
GDP = consumption + investment + government spending + (exports ñ imports)
Although the economies of countries like China and India are growing at an incredible rate, the US remains the nation with the highest GDP in the world ñ and by far: U.S. GDP is projected to be $13,22 trillion (or $13.220 billion) in 2007, according to this source. That is almost as much as the economies of the next four (Japan, Germany, China, UK) combined.
The creator of this map has had the interesting idea to break down that gigantic U.S. GDP into the GDPs of individual states, and compare those to other countriesí GDP. What follows, is this slightly misleading map ñ misleading, because the economies both of the U.S. states and of the countries they are compared with are not weighted for their respective populations.
Pakistan, for example, has a GDP that is slightly higher than Israelís ñ but Pakistan has a population of about 170 million, while Israel is only 7 million people strong. The U.S. states those economies are compared with (Arkansas and Oregon, respectively) are much closer to each other in population: 2.7 million and 3.4 million.
And yet, while a per capita GDP might give a good indication of the average wealth of citizens, a ranking of the economies on this map does serve two interesting purposes: it shows the size of US statesí economies relative to each other (California is the biggest, Wyoming the smallest), and it links those sizes with foreign economies (which are therefore also ranked: Mexicoís and Russiaís economies are about equal size, Irelandís is twice as big as New Zealandís).
Here is a run-down of the 50 states, plus DC:
California, it is often said, would be the worldís sixth- or seventh-largest economy if it were a separate country. Actually, that would be the eighth, according to this map, as France (with a GDP of $2,15 trillion) is #8 on the aforementioned list.
Texasí economy is significantly smaller, exactly half of Californiaís, as its GDP compares to that of Canada (#10, $1,08 trillion).
Florida also does well, with its GDP comparable to Asian tiger South Koreaís (#13 at $786 billion).
Illinois ñ Mexico (GDP #14 at $741 billion)
New Jersey ñ Russia (GDP #15 at $733 billion)
Ohio ñ Australia (GDP #16 at $645 billion)
New York ñ Brazil (GDP #17 at $621 billion)
Pennsylvania ñ Netherlands (GDP #18 at $613 billion)
Georgia ñ Switzerland (GDP #19 at $387 billion)
North Carolina ñ Sweden (GDP #20 at $371 billion)
Massachusetts ñ Belgium (GDP #21 at $368 billion)
Washington ñ Turkey (GDP #22 at $358 billion)
Virginia ñ Austria (GDP #24 at $309 billion)
Tennessee ñ Saudi Arabia (GDP #25 at $286 billion)
Missouri ñ Poland (GDP #26 at $265 billion)
Louisiana ñ Indonesia (GDP #27 at $264 billion)
Minnesota ñ Norway (GDP #28 at $262 billion)
Indiana ñ Denmark (GDP #29 at $256 billion)
Connecticut ñ Greece (GDP #30 at $222 billion)
Michigan ñ Argentina (GDP #31 at $210 billion)
Nevada ñ Ireland (GDP #32 at $203 billion)
Wisconsin ñ South Africa (GDP #33 at $200 billion)
Arizona ñ Thailand (GDP #34 at $197 billion)
Colorado ñ Finland (GDP #35 at $196 billion)
Alabama ñ Iran (GDP #36 at $195 billion)
Maryland ñ Hong Kong (#37 at $187 billion GDP)
Kentucky ñ Portugal (GDP #38 at $177 billion)
Iowa ñ Venezuela (GDP #39 at $148 billion)
Kansas ñ Malaysia (GDP #40 at $132 billion)
Arkansas ñ Pakistan (GDP #41 at $124 billion)
Oregon ñ Israel (GDP #42 at $122 billion)
South Carolina ñ Singapore (GDP #43 at $121 billion)
Nebraska ñ Czech Republic (GDP #44 at $119 billion)
New Mexico ñ Hungary (GDP #45 at $113 billion)
Mississippi ñ Chile (GDP #48 at $100 billion)
DC ñ New Zealand (#49 at $99 billion GDP)
Oklahoma ñ Philippines (GDP #50 at $98 billion)
West Virginia ñ Algeria (GDP #51 at $92 billion)
Hawaii ñ Nigeria (GDP #53 at $83 billion)
Idaho ñ Ukraine (GDP #54 at $81 billion)
Delaware ñ Romania (#55 at $79 billion GDP)
Utah ñ Peru (GDP #56 at $76 billion)
New Hampshire ñ Bangladesh (GDP #57 at $69 billion)
Maine ñ Morocco (GDP #59 at $57 billion)
Rhode Island ñ Vietnam (GDP #61 at $48 billion)
South Dakota ñ Croatia (GDP #66 at $37 billion)
Montana ñ Tunisia (GDP #69 at $33 billion)
North Dakota ñ Ecuador (GDP #70 at $32 billion)
Alaska ñ Belarus (GDP #73 at $29 billion)
Vermont ñ Dominican Republic (GDP #81 at $20 billion)
Q1 - Hands Off: Hugging is now a punishable offense at a Fairfax County, Virginia, school. School children at Kilmer Middle School in suburban Washington, DC, are now under a zero-tolerance touching policy. They're banned from poking, prodding, hugging, and even high-fiving one another. In your opinion, is this a good or bad thing?
Q2 - School Lunch: Did you bring a bag lunch to school or did you buy your lunch in the cafeteria? Did any of the schools you attended--excluding college or prep school--offer breakfast?
Q3 - Paying for Performance: Starting this fall, New York City students and their families could earn as much as $1,000 a year for doing well on standardized tests and showing up for class. As part of the City's new Opportunity NYC program (a conditional cash transfer program aimed at helping New Yorkers break the cycle of poverty), families can earn $25 or $50 per month for 95 percent school attendance for elementary, middle, and high school students; $25 for attending parent-teacher conferences; and $50 for obtaining a library card. An improvement in scores or proficiency on standardized tests at the elementary and middle school levels can earn a family from $300 or $350 per test; while at the high school level, a student can earn $600 for each passing grade on individual Regents exams. Incentives of $25 will be earned for both parental review of the test and discussion with teachers; high school students can earn $50 for taking the PSAT exam, and will share $600 with their parents for annually accumulating 11 credits, and a $400 bonus for graduating. Again, in your opinion, is this a good or bad thing? Should we be offering cash incentives for academic participation and performance?
Q4 - High School Reunions: Have you ever been to a high school reunion (yours or someone else's)? If so, what was it like? If not, is it because you refuse to go to one? If so, why?
Support The Cottonwood Institute: Bid on the 2007 eBay Live! Boston Gold Pin & Coin Set
As I mentioned earlier this week, today I am in Boston speaking at eBay's annual gathering of sellers, staff and vendors: eBay Live!
What an amazing event. Lots to see and do, including delivering my talk, "Blog to Boost Your Business on eBay." If you read my June 10 post, you know that in conjunction with today's talk, I will be coordinating with my co-presenter, eBay University Instructor Steve Lindhorst, to auction of some eBay Live! memorabilia for the benefit of The Cottonwood Institute. With that in mind, here's what's up for grabs:
Please support The Cottonwood Institute by placing a bid on this fantastic set of collector pins. For more information about eBay Live!, The Cottonwood Institute, or eBay Live! pins, please see my post from June 10.
Q1 - Music: A friend of mine has just over 1,500 songs on his computer that he listens to throughout the workday. Over time, he has become of tired of hearing the same music over and over again. His question is thisÖ how do you branch out and find new music that you'll like?
Q2 - Church: The Church of England believes its Manchester Cathedral is no place for a gun battle, much less a gory one that can be viewed in any living room. Sony's PlayStation 3 release "Resistance: Fall of Man" features a battle among British and American soldiers and aliens inside the cathedral. The Anglicans are demanding an apology and a contribution to the Church's antiviolence education campaign using the game's profits. Sony maintains that it will not alter the game. Do you think the Church is owed an apology and payout?
Q3 - Take it With You: There's an old saying that goes something like this: You can't take it with you when you die! If you had to choose three items to be buried with, what would you choose?
Q4 - Hotels: When you stay at a hotel, do you take the free toiletries home at the end of your stay?
To remain competitive on eBay, you need to do much more than simply list products at low prices. With comparison-shopping tools and specialty retail websites readily available, there is always someone who is selling the same item for less. To compete, you must choose a niche market, compete on something other than price and price alone, exhibit your expertise, and instill in prospective customers a sense of community and trust.
Blogging is the perfect tool to achieve all of those goals, build a loyal customer base, and boost your bottom line. Blogging provides eBay sellers with a promotional and advertising medium like no otheróa stage on which you can demonstrate your passion for the products you sell and commitment to your customers. It fosters the development of a virtual community that encourages visitors to interact while improving your credibility.
In a seminar I'm delivering later this week with eBay University Instructor Steve Lindhorst (at the eBay Live! conference in Boston), I'll be showing many the world's top eBay sellers how to implement a blog in their marketing programs, as well as how to:
Establish credibility as an expert in their consumersí eyes
Enhance visibility and expand a loyal consumer base
Establish an emotional connection with existing and prospective customers
Boost enthusiasm for their products
Capitalize on opportunities to promote their blogs
Steer visitors from their blog to their eBay listings and eBay Store
Clone their blogs in other locales for maximum visibility
Without a blog, many small and medium size online retailers remain nameless, faceless sellers clamoring for buyersí and shoppers' attention and money. After attending my workshop (titled ìBlog to Boost your Business on eBayî), eBay sellers will be able to add the personal touch thatís missing from a majority of buyer-seller transactions, boost their credibility, and give themselves the competitive edge they need to take their webstore or eBay business to the next level.
If you've stumbled upon this blog entry and are planning to be in Boston for eBay Live!, feel free to attend the seminar and say hello afterwards. "Blog to Boost your Business on eBay" will be presented on Saturday afternoon, June 16, from 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. in Ballroom 205-ABC of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
Update: I forgot to mention this when I first posted... if Blogging isn't your thing but figuring out which products to sell on eBay is, be sure to check out my friend Jeremy Hanks' eBay Live! presentation, "Product Sourcing - Find Products Buyers Want." Jeremy will be presenting his session twiceÖ once on Thursday the 14th at 3:00 p.m., and again at 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning the 15th. Jeremy is a product sourcing expert, and always has good information and ideas to share.
Theyíve been described as the ìcurrency of eBay Live!î When music plays from overhead, seemingly normal people end their conversations and rush around the eBay Live! Solutions Center exhibit hall searching for an eBay staff member handing out little treasures. What are they?
Since 2002, eBay Live! has brought the eBay community together to celebrate all things eBay. This annual event (held this year from June 14-16 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center) has something for nearly everyone... buyers, sellers, and vendors alike (it's part trade show, part conference, and a networking opportunity like no other for eBay enthusiasts from around the world).
Each year, eBay creates a unique set of highly sought-after collector pins that are doled out one at a time throughout eBay Live!. You can also purchase an entire set on site, however this is not nearly as exciting as collecting the set for free.
Besides the official set created for each each year's event, a special edition collector pin is made available to eBay attendees who meet certain requirements or just happen to be in the right place at the right time. The special pin last year in Las Vegas featured what appeared to be a roulette wheel studded with precious stones, and the eBay Live! logo.
This year, at least one special pin offering will be the Education Pin. This pin will be offered to those eBay Live! attendees who sign up for classes ahead of time using an online agenda builder eBay provides for everyone attending the show. When an attendee presents their their printed agenda to an Education Consultant on-site, they will be given one of the special Education pins. Of course in the eBay tradition, these pins are limited, so once they are gone theyíll only be available on eBay.com.
Since I just filled out my eBay Live! agenda online--which includes making sure that I'll be attending my own presentation ("Blog to Boost your Business on eBay," Saturday, June 16, in Boston Convention Center Ballroom #205), I'm hopeful that I'll be able to secure one of this year's Education pins. If I do, I'll post the pin for sale on eBay, and donate the proceeds to The Cottonwood Institute--a Colorado-based not-for-profit that develops engaging outdoor programs aimed at transforming the way kids become involved with their communities and surrounding environments.
Q1 - Customer Service: When was the last time you had to call a customer service department, and how would you rate the experience/service?
Q2 - Selling on eBay: If you were asked to sell one item that you currently own, what would you sell and how much do you think it would fetch on eBay?
Q3 - Take Your Medicine: When was the last time you took over-the-counter or prescription-strength medicine, and would you say it adequately alleviated or treated your symptoms or pain?
Q4 - Evolution: Do you think pigs will ever learn to fly?
Q1 - Pictures : How do you feel about having your picture taken without your permission? For instance, if you were in a public settingósay a park or restaurantóand you noticed a stranger taking your picture, would you say something?
Q2 - Conservation: Do you follow municipal requests to conserve water during dry periods?
Q3 - Birthdays: According to the latest figures I could find, there are approximately 6,717,024,080 people living on planet Earth today (give or take a few hundred thousand). [Taking into consideration that there are 365 days in a year] approximately 18 million people share your birthday (I know, statistically speaking, not the best way of calculating the frequency of birthdays, but you get the point). How many people do you know who share your birthday?
Q4 - Kevorkian Schmavorkian?: Jack Kevorkian will be released from jail today after serving more than eight years of a 10- to 25-year sentence in the assisted death of a Michigan man. The only U.S. state that allows physician-assisted suicide is Oregon, where the law allows only terminally ill and mentally competent adults who can self-administer medication to ask a physician to prescribe life-ending drugs. Do you think physician-assisted suicide should be allowed, or did Michigan get it right back in 1999 when they found Kevorkian guilty of second-degree homicide?
