Two stories on the stocks pages in last week's News and Sentinel made me wonder if one could be related to the other.
An Associated Press-CNBC poll found that few Facebook users click on the site's advertisements or buy any of those virtual goods that make money for Facebook. While more than 40 percent of American adults click on Facebook at least once a week to share their lives and interests with "friends," a large percentage of the 900 million worldwide users don't trust Facebook security. In essence, the survey found if Facebook was a Facebook user, "it would have virtual friends but not many real ones."
OK, let's stretch that survey outcome to another story on the same page.
J.C. Penney reported a larger-than expected first quarter loss ... a loss that was even deeper than Wall Street's dismal expectations for the huge retailer.
Wall Street was turned off-and apparently so were shoppers-by the retailer's change in philosophy to everyday-low-pricing, Internet advertising, ceasing its 600 sales a year, its image advertising on TV and it pulling all but a few advertising inserts from newspapers.
Is there a connection between users not clicking on Facebook ads and Penney's not doing well because of its switch to Internet advertising? It made me stop and think, especially since my wife and I have been heavy Penney's shoppers for nearly 40 years and don't seem to go there nearly as often now as we did before the change in philosophy.
"No guts, no glory," as a retired Marine Corps brigadier general/journalism professor used to tell me about people who liked to make "bullets" for other people to "fire," but never come into the light of day themselves.
Such is my feeling about those who write me letters but don't have the intestinal fortitude to sign their names so the content can be considered in perspective with the agenda of the writer. Without a name, there also is no way to contact the writer to discuss the content.
So, what happens to such letters when they hit my desk? They are disposed of usually without reading them fully or putting any weight on whatever might be the content.
Readers have every right to disagree with me on any of my opinions, but they also should have the courage to sign their name to their opinions and positions, otherwise they are just hiding in anonymity, like so many posters do on the Internet or on the comment section of our website.
The general/professor was right: "No guts, no glory."
The Mid-Ohio Valley Outdoor Times is looking toward its third edition, but readers have fallen off the pace in offering photos.
To make the outdoors-related edition successful, we need your photographs and input.
There are hundreds of people participating in outdoor activities in the Mid-Ohio Valley and all of them could be included in the Outdoor Times, but only if someone makes the effort to send photos to us.
If you have photos you'd like to see in the edition, send a .jpg image to jsmith@OhioValleyOutdoors. com with descriptive information about the photo. But don't stop with just photos. If you have an idea for a news story or had an interesting experience in the outdoors you'd be willing to share with our readers, drop me an email about that, too.
To advertise in the edition, contact Jeff Jones at jjones@OhioValleyOutdoors.com or Lenita Babcock@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com.
The special edition will only be as interesting and informative as readers make it with their submissions, ideas and help.
So, help us to provide you the hunting, fishing and outdoor highlights you want to read by sending us your submissions.
Contact Jim Smith at jsmith@newsandsentinel.com
