Professor Elam

Improve your Writing with an Outline

May 30, 2016

Russell Blake has written some four dozen books the last four years.

In this link he explains his outlining method. As it happens, writing a successful page turner is quite structured, as he explains. Take a look,

this probably works for fiction and non fiction.

Follow that read with Writing a Page Turner.

Thomas Sowell on Today's Music

Weekend May 28, 2016

To me, beautiful music is whatever music makes you glad to be a human being, whether it is "Musetta's Waltz" from "La Boheme" or "Muskrat Ramble" from New Orleans. Much of what passes for music today makes me wish that, if there is such a thing as reincarnation, I can come back as a dolphin.
Read more at http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell050316.php3#T8vHQiDS7sVRX3Rb.99

Baylor, Another Football Ethics Casualty

Friday May 27 2016

Baylor fired Coach Art Briles and moved Presiddeent Ken Starr to Chancellor.

After what happened at Penn State, you would think a major college would  have an ethics team from internal audit all over its athletics programs.

But I guess not. This linked article contains comments from across the country on what should happen. Why a coach would not dismiss players involved in

forcing themselves on unwilling females is really beyond me. But no Baylor and Art Briles will pay a heavy penalty.

Watering the Stock

Friday May 20, 2016

Abraxas announced it would price its new 25 million share offering at $1.

The stock ended trade yesterday at $1.33. Needless to say this announcement took the current shares down to the $1 level, a drop of 23%.

This is known as 'watering the stock.'  And I don't mean as in watering livestock.  Notice the market capitalization  is about $107 million.   At a  buck a share that means there are about one hundred and seven million shares outstanding, which is to say, way too many. Now at one sixth of the price high two years ago, the company is trying to raise money. This leads to too many shares out. It will be too hard for the company to dramatically improve E/S with this many shares out.  Hence the stock is said to be watered as in watered down.

from Corsair, A Bography of J P Morgan

Thursday May 19, 2016

You must know that a young man learns as much in six moths in a counting room as in four years at college (which) only made poor gentlemen and spoiled clever tradesmen.

No stimulus to learning can be half as great as when A boy can figure it out on his slate how many dollars and cents his geography, grammar, spelling, reading and good conduct comes to per annum.

 

Corsair the Life of J P Morgan

Food Reflects the Mood

Weekend May 15, 2016

I noticed this limited offering at a stop at Burger King this weekend on the way to Denton, Tx.

Burger King follows Angry Burger with Angriest Burget with angry sauce!

It should be clear by now that anger is more and more the mood of America. Burger King has met the challenge of responding with

its Angriest Burger!  The bun includes red peppers resulting in an Angry Red Color.

Here is a great demonstration of  social mood affecting even fast food offerings, to understand marketing you need to get

 

in the mood.

Update

Monday May  2 2016

Stocks rebounded from two days of losses on weak volume.

Energy and iron ore may have done all they can for the time being.

I am leaving for the Warwick Conference on Mood

Wednesday.  I will be the first speaker and appear last with the keynote speakers in a panel discussion.

So no updates until I return mid wek May 11-12.

Tx A & M San Antonio Students Comment on Mood Project

 

HIgher Minimum Wage Pushing Digital Ordering

Monday May 2 2016

The push for a $15 minimum wage is in fact reducing the number of fast food jobs. Pizza, hamburger, and SBUX joints are all rushing to digital ordering.

Just as Uber is threatening taxi cab cartels, digital ordering will result in fewer jobs at the order counter for fast food. Demanding more money for the same job service is jolting the move to robotics in fast food. Careful what you guys ask for!