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Simon's Decision Making Blog
Girl Scouts Decide To Make Cookie Cuts
The Girl Scouts are tightening their belts, just like everyone else. And this means cutting some of their cookie varieties. Relax–Thin Mints and Samoas (aka Caramel deLites) aren’t going anywhere! Neither are Do-Si-Dos, Trefoils, Lemon Chalet Cremes and Tagalongs (aka Peanut Butter Patties). But, it’s time to say goodbye to Dulce de Leche, Thank U Berry Munch, All Abouts, and Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip, none of which were pulling their weight, sales-wise.
From TIME Magazine’s Even Girl Scout Cookies Are Victims of the Recession:
“Our top five varieties make up 77% of cookie sales,” Amanda Hamaker, the manager of national product sales for the Girl Scouts, told the Wall Street Journal. “The others are yummy and fun, but they’re side dressing—leaving councils with an awful lot of alternate varieties left over.”
To be honest, I don’t think I had ever heard of Thank U Berry Munch, so I think I am going to get over the loss pretty quickly. How are you coping?
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Can You Imagine Life Without Credit Cards?
Courtesy of CNN Money's "The End of Credit Cards is Coming"
And not because you made a New Years resolution to lay off the plastic! According to this CNN Money article, “The End of Credit Cards is Coming,” those beloved plastic rectangles that never leave our wallets may be go the way of the vinyl record. Ask someone under 15 about a vinyl record and you’ll get a picture of just how obsolete (and forgotten) they have truly become…
And, no, we won’t all be using cold, hard cash (although Suze Orman would love that)–it’s the Smart Phone that is about to give your credit card a run for its money.
How often do you use your Smart Phone as a form of payment? Or maybe you haven’t made the switch. Either way, Blake Ellis reports that you might start choosing your phone over your credit card even more in 2011:
You can already use your iPhone, Droid or BlackBerry to buy a hotdog at the ballgame, buy your Starbucks latté, or give a friend a few bucks by Bumping phones. But by the end of the year you may not even think twice about reaching for your phone to pay at the register instead of fumbling for your credit card.
What do you think? Weird or awesome?
Simonites Decide About Academics? Yeah, Right!
Now that the school year is about a month in, you probably think that Simonites have been making all sorts of academic decisions, right? Wrong! Out of the top 10 most popular decisions in the past month, only two have to do with education: Decide on a college (#5) and Decide on a major (#10). So, what exactly are Simonites thinking about? The same as usual–L.O.V.E.! I don’t know whether my users are true romantics or just hormonal, but the top three decisions of the past month are: Should I ask him/her out?, Should I tell him/her how I feel?, and Should I get back together with my ex?
Interesting tid-bit: The top factor for both Should I ask him/her out? and Should I get back together with my ex? is none other than LOVE. Meanwhile, the top factor for Should I tell him/her how I feel is…Avoiding awkwardness.
Let Simon Decide iPhone App Makes Top 100 In Its Category
When it rains it pours, Simonites–I am blogging two days in a row, and I hope you can handle it! I am thrilled to announce that my iPhone app has made the Top 100 list for free apps in its category, , in the app store. There are thousands of applications in this category, and ours is only three weeks old (the free version). Needless to say, I am floored, honored, proud, and more. So, if you haven’t done so, download my free app here: .
FriedBeef.com Decides My Tool is “Amazingly Intelligent”
Coming down off of a holiday weekend can sometimes be depressing, but thanks to FriedBeef.com, the Let Simon Decide team had even more to celebrate the morning after July 4th. Check out this incredibly flattering review: “3 Amazingly Intelligent Web Services That Help You Make Complex Decisions.” The author, James Yeang, seems to understand exactly what we are all about, describing, “In the end though, once you do your homework, this is the perfect way to tabulate and affirm any complex decision you make.” Thanks, man!
Decide How To Celebrate the 4th of July
Hi Simonites! Sorry for the brief hiatus from the blog–I have been busy focusing on my decision making tools. But, never fear, I haven’t forgotten my community. Enough about me, though. Back to you and your decisions!
Summer is well on it’s way, so hopefully you are all making the choice to enjoy yourselves and to find time to relax. And for those of you who either have trouble deciding to slow down or just don’t have the choice, there is always the reliable three-day weekend and national holiday to come to the rescue. And what better summer holiday is there in the U.S. than the Fourth of July? Fireworks, barbecues, family, friends…my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
To get you in the spirit, here are a few articles to help you decide how to spend this July 4th. Specifically, what to eat and drink, which fireworks to watch, and how to stay safe:
- America’s Best Fourth of July Fireworks Displays
- Fabulous July 4th Party: Simple, Stylish and Affordable
- KidsHealth.com Fireworks Safety
- Fourth of July Recipes, Menus, and Drinks from Epicurious.com
I will keep you posted on other helpful articles as I come across them. More soon!
Happy Birthday to Me!
A year ago today, my online decision tools went live, making today my very first birthday. Too bad there’s that other May 5th holiday stealing my thunder… Oh well, I guess I will have to get used to it.
I am amazed at how quickly the past year has flown, and how much I have grown in the past year. I owe a big thank you to my team and user community for their continued support. Couldn’t have done it without all my wonderful decision makers!
Spring Cleaning, Part II: Decide To Get Your Finances Back On Track
Do you think you should get your finances straightened out, but are unsure where to start? In the spirit of spring cleaning (You all cleaned up your online profiles already, right?), here is a great resource for getting your finances back on track this spring. Decide to take a look at the seven tips listed in this CNN Money article:“7 Steps To Get Your Finances Back on Track.” The article goes into greater depth with specific tips and advice for how to square away your savings, your career path, etc. but most of all the author urges readers to adjust their expectations (of the economy, of themselves, of their careers, and so on) to ensure greater success in this reality, not the reality of the past. So, here’s to the present, Simonites–happy cleaning!
Spring Cleaning: Decide To Clean Up Your Online Image
Worried about how current and/or future employers will react if they decide to Google your name? Then perhaps you should roll up your sleeves and decide to do some spring cleaning–of your “digital dirt”. Whether this means attempting to remove the bad or adding more good, this Monster.com blog post, offers advice for how to do so. Have any of you had your online image come back to haunt you? Anyone successfully clean it up?
Decide How To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, gang! I hope you are wearing green, because there is always that one twerp in the office who will decide to pinch you. The big question is: How will you decide to celebrate?
If you decide to get into the holiday spirit and want some good, clean family fun, you should take a look at the advice in this “Geek Dad” article from Wired.com, 10 (Mostly) Sober Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Another list of ideas comes from the Washington Post, geared specifically toward college kids: “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!” (very original title, I might add). If you are feeling a little more wild–and don’t mind being tired at work tomorrow, look to your local newspaper or newstations’s website to find out what’s going on in your neighborhood tonight. But, please, be safe!