Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Bits and Pieces

This is one of those posts I periodically use to address several topics in short blurbs. Sort of a catching up thing with me!

Social Security Benefits Increase: 2% increase in monthly benefit checks scheduled for January 2018. That’s a good thing. But a minor increase for recipients. They have weathered two years with no increase. They have weathered cost increases in many categories and managed to remain in budget; or not! Earlier years provided minor increases of 1% or a little more than 1%. These are hiccups to the households, but tics that spell success or failure in paying the electric and gas bills. The system has to recognize increasing costs of living for elders who pay more and more for medical care.

War on Media: We spend so much time arguing about the right to bear arms in America. What about the right of a free and unhindered media, press? If coverage is unfavorable, give cause to a change in the topic. We do not destroy or control the press because we do not like what it is broadcasting. If that were true Fox News would be gone. So too, CNN and all the others. Then in the ensuing silence we would never see what is coming for us. Spooky? You bet!

Destructive Politics: Yesterday’s post was about program development provided within our system of governance. One political party labors to produce serviceable programs. One party works to destroy what the other party builds without replacing anything. Other minor political parties build their brand on specific, targeted criticisms of topics and related programs; but they avoid all the rest of the agenda included in the responsibilities of governance. Either produce workable ideas without tearing down somebody else, or some other idea and program, or leave the field of governance. Produce your own ideas and programs. It is hard work and has to fit within a broad context of limited resources of money, people and operating schemes.

Marketing Culture Overload: I googled ‘senior citizen part time jobs’ and received a gazillion offers to buy, sell and trade stuff belonging to others; I was offered pay to take surveys; all of these did not gain my opinion or researchable input; only sales and referrals to other businesses and scams. I did get connected with several job center services, but very few actually focused on my talents offered, or possible employer job descriptions with enough meat to understand what they needed. Meanwhile, my email inbox suffered an onslaught of 85 to 100 messages each morning; again in the afternoon; and in the evening, as well, but I rarely go on email then. So the full toll of email traffic was over 200 each day. That’s a lot of noise and activity with no gain whatsoever.

Tweets are the political equivalent of propaganda fliers dropped by the plane load by Hitler and Stalin, and the rest of the old guard of Russia. Propaganda. Today it is easier to Tweet, or hack email accounts and send fake news anywhere you want to. In America we are used to it. It is called media, and social media marketing. It can be effective. Witness the last presidential election with Russian interference and social media pranks played against most political candidates.

We are overloaded in marketing. It needs to be more themed and pointed. Targeted. Same with our conversations and communications whether in print, voice or digital. Targeted and cogent. Meaningful would help. The rest is noise. And may be harmful to your health.

Beware.

October 17, 2017


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