ScottKidder.com: April 2007 Archives

Archives by Date: April 2007

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April 19, 2007

How many elevators does $1 million buy?

My college career is alas winding down, so tonight I went to attend a reception for graduating students in NYU's Kimmel Center. Situated on Washington Square South, it houses NYU's one swankiest spaces -- on the tenth floor houses is the Rosenthal Pavilion, a large ballroom with a a great view up Fifth Avenue.

Tonight, the Rosenthal Pavilion apparently was holding a reception for members of NYU's Sir Harold Acton Society, an exclusive club for NYU trustees and those that have given over one million dollars.

And so older people in tuxedos and gowns passed through the Kimmel lobby. Kimmel has four elevators, but apparently one had been "reserved" for the event, an NYU representative told me. "They probably paid for it!" she said. Well, perhaps, but my ever-growing tuition probably helped too. "It's actually a common misconception that tuition only covers..." she shot back.

So then another elevator arrived. "Actually, we're using this one, too," I was told. Yeah, not so much. I walked into the elevator anyway, and the 30 other students that had been waiting followed.

Meanwhile, I receive frequent solicitations to give money to my Senior class gift! I wonder how many elevators that will buy?

I'm a big supporter of giving back to institutions. I'm very active in fund raising for the school I attended in Baltimore.

But this whole experience makes me less than eager to start donating to NYU.

Posted in Business, College, New York, nyu, rants on April 19, 2007, 12:42 AM | Comments (1) | Permalink

April 05, 2007

OMG .MOBI

The new hotness in bed-and-breakfast marketing: .mobi websites!!!

Johannes Tromp says the Web site for his South Carolina bed-and-breakfast generates good business. But last fall, he found a way to reach even more potential customers: He made a version of the site for cellphones.
Mr. Tromp signed up for a mobile Web address with the newly available suffix "dot-mobi" and used a self-starter kit from a company called Roundpoint Ltd. to build www.kilburnie.mobi, the mobile site for his Inn at Craig Farm. He says he's gotten a surprisingly good response, with 30 to 40 new calls per month from interested travelers who heard of his inn by accessing the cellphone site.
"For people to find me, I have to make myself available any way I can," says Mr. Tromp.

30 to 40 calls a month from people visiting his website on mobile devices? I call bullshit. Most decently-designed sites will degrade gracefully on blackberries and the like -- no special site needed.

But hmm... I wonder if ScottKIdder.mobi is available?!?

Mini Web Sites Target Users of Mobile Phones [WSJ]

Posted in Business, Media, advertising, rants on April 05, 2007, 03:41 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink