Reed Hastings and the Netflix Debacle--Dude, You Owe Me

Dear Reed,

Please take no offense that I have called you by your first name. However, all emails I receive from Netflix call me by my first name.

Let me tell you my beef. It aggravates me that you squandered my loyalty. I was touting the praises of Netflix to my uninitiated, technically-challenged friends years before anyone cared about your company. I got them to join and helped them maneuver their way through this new high tech concept. I bought my mother a six-month membership as a Christmas present. (It took her six months to work up the courage, but she finally used it and then joined.) I paid extra for blu-ray. I watched documentaries at my leisure through your streaming. I used my iPad and PS3 to enjoy those services.

My bill went from $17.99 to $26 a month.

I felt robbed. I had to choose Netflix or cable. A horrible choice. But in this economy I could no longer have both.

I miss my documentaries. I miss the movies that never made it to the big screen and were still amazing movies. I miss my Netflix. But I can't afford you.

I was faithful. I was loyal. I promoted your brand. In my estimation, Netflix owes me about a year of free service to make up for the business I brought to you. Don't worry. I know I won't get that.

I do want you to know that customer loyalty is an extremely important asset. I stay with companies who have a respect for my hard-earned dollar. I promote companies who do right by their customers.

Reed, you screwed up. Netflix is still a goldmine. But what have you done to restore their faith? If your hope is new customers, then I wouldn't count on good numbers for that. You need to do some serious advertising. Probably something funny with you admitting how much you screwed up. Funny would probably be your best approach. I don't know.,.something like Vin Diesel hanging you over the edge of the building making you promise to never make a dumb move like that again. (Obviously, you would not be literally hanging over the building.) Maybe buy some Superbowl advertising time.

But who am I? Just some nerd who watches documentaries, and occasionally gets stupid action and sci-fi movies for my nerdy husband.

Sincerely, an ex-Netflix supporter,
Jenbold@aol.com

Government and Wall Street--Love the Way You Lie

"Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is interesting. But what they hide is vital."--Aaron Levenstein

Today was a special statistic. Unemployment is at the lowest level since 2008. And the crowd roars. The stock market rallies. It's all good in the US of A.

Conventional stock market wisdom says to "buy the rumor, sell the news". So is unemployment down?

I suppose if you spin the numbers enough. If you exclude those no longer eligible for unemployment benefits. If you exclude those who aren't on the rolls anymore because the government counts them as people who are no longer looking for jobs. If you include the underemployed who got hired on as seasonal workers for the last two months. I suppose you can make those numbers say whatever you want them to say.

I was never a conspiracy theorist, but...I now have this idea that we, the American public, have been played. And the government and Wall Street are just one big playa' calling us up in the middle of the night for a booty call. They gotta keep stringing you along, being just nice enough...so you will ignore the fact that you aren't the only one they're screwing. We will all be fine as long as we don't ask too many questions.

Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
Well, that's alright because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
Well, that's alright because I love the way you lie
--Eminem

Reality TV Suicides

Russell Armstrong killed himself in August. Wesley Durden killed himself in October. Maybe the country's new year resolution should be to stop watching any of these reality shows. These are real people with real lives exposed to the world without publicists or bodyguards to hide behind.

Bring back the talented writers and actors and produce shows that don't exploit people's lives. Durden and Armstrong were just doing what all of us are trying to do--make a successful life for their families.

As hard as it will be to skip Survivor and the Real Housewives--I, for one, will not be watching!