I have only seen basic stuff on the Fire, Amazon’s newly launched tablet)

I say Fire away – because I am sure it will be good and yes I do think both will go forward and both will build sales

I believe also that Apple will not have been resting on its laurels and will keep innovating and changing both in price points of different units and new capabilities and features

I am certain that Jeff is already well advanced with the next three products in this realm (as is Apple)

I think both Apple and Amazon stock is a better bet than most others in any sector for good price rises over the next six months. proviso or caveat is that we have  all the ingredients for a continuing OVERALL stock marathon downhill skiing era for many months or even a year and more. that said, it is never everba continuing straight line from top to bottom just as it will not be unrippled sailing for Amazon or Apple.

On the face of it Amazon seems to have it’s sails better tuned to the illn winds that blow in the economy and are thus better set to profit however down the pundits and or the reality may paint  things / actually be.

Strange that England is a country that spurns success and yet condemns failure.

You can’t learn through failure in England, yet you can in America.

You must succeed in America but if you fail you will learn a lot and be the better for it.

In reply to Travelodge guest survey 24 April 2011

Very impressed by the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff at the Wymondley Travelodge…all of them.

Dismayed at the submission to the fascist Health and Safety regime in the UK that means (or is your excuse perhaps??!!!) for not allowing access to the balconies at the rear of the property and indeed only allowing about 5 inches or less of window opening.

Travelodge is big enough at least to fight this and resist and i am sure the chairman and CEO of Travelodge are made of stronger stuff than to let the world go to pot because of soul-destroyed socialist/communist police-state-introducing politicians.

Business creates jobs, business improves the world, politicians and their endless souls destroying rules NEVER do.

Open your windows, open your balconies and earn the respect of your customers!

P.S. People are FAR more likely to commit  suicide as a result of the life-quashing state of endless health and Safety social rules than because they have the freedom to stand on a balcony !

Best wishes
Roger Ellman

A “freakonimics” example:

It is a tradition in Crete to eat lamb for Easter – preferably lamb roasted on a spit.

This year, a consumers co-op that runs a chains of super-markets, intervening to help consumers and producers both get a good deal, created an unpredictable result: lack of lamb for consumers, less revenue for producers.

What they did: They agreed with the meat producers association to buy 7000 lambs at the “fair” price of 6 euros/kilo. And the lamb would be sold to consumers at 6 euros/kilo, at cost. Hoping, of course, while doing a “good deed” to benefit from the publicity and collateral sales in their shops.

What happened: When word got round about this, individual butchers across Crete dramatically reduced their orders of lamb before Easter, anticipating slow sales, as everyone would presumably rush to buy at 6 euros/kilo from the chain. Their prices would normally be higher. So who would buy from them? They didn’t want to get stuck with unsold lamb.

The result: the chain sold-out quickly, by Saturday (Easter eve, the peak day of lamb-buying) there was very little lamb on the market in Crete. Consumers had to drive around in search of lamb. Butchers found that many people did indeed go to them asking for lamb, but they had none to sell. Producers found they made overall less revenue because the butchers didn’t buy.

The consequences:

• Consumers had a harder time finding lamb for Easter
• Butchers got less sales, less revenue
• Producers got less sales, less revenue

See also:

• Freakonomics blog & Freakonomics book by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
• “They run out of lambs” article (in Greek), on Nea Kriti newspaper

1. Original hotel descriptions (and not the hotel’s own!)
2. Original photos (again, not just the oh-so-perfect-images the hotel provides)
3. Clear price-list, including all taxes (show all periods,  without having to enter dates)
4. Testimonials for the travel service/website/business
5. Transparent about who handles the booking and who is responsible for customer satisfaction
6. Clear, plain-english quotes and terms (without legalise & lengthy disclaimers)
7. Area information (original – not Wikipedia please!)
8. Privacy policy (what are they doing with your details?)
9. Feedback form
10. Full contact details, including physical address and contact numbers