Open Mic Week
This week is Open Mike [sic] Week at Green Valley Moments. There won’t be any other posts by OldGeezer until sometime next week
So, here’s your chance.
Discover life as a blogger.
Got something on your mind? Maybe a rant, or better yet a rave?
Maybe you have something of interest you just want to share with others.
Go for it!
Enter your topic in the form of a comment, or feel free to comment on some other person’s topic.
March 17th, 2006 at 8:46 am
The sign of the light bulb
Brilliant ideas do not often come except to those who are brilliant, such as Edison, Gates and Garry Trudeau who draws the “Doonesbury” comic strip.
For cartoonists, an “idea” is shown over a cartoon character’s head as a light bulb. And a few days ago one appeared over my head.
I’m both an aviation buff and a frequent flier. This week Northwest broke new ground, opened originally two or three years ago by airlines charging for food services, by announcing those aisle and exit row seats we big dudes so cherish will cost extra.
A news story this week of March 12, 2005 indicated Northwest and other carriers may come up with more “value added” charges to cover the increased cost of fuel.
Most of the major American carriers are either in bankruptcy, just out or on the verge of going into Chapter 11. Even Southwest just raised its fares and the prediction is other airlines will follow.
So here is the idea.
For last year, Exxon Mobil announced profits of a staggering $31 billion.
My idea is that the oil companies should buy up the airlines, splitting the failing carriers among the largest and most profitable.
The oil patch boys with their airlines can sell aviation fuel to themselves at rock bottom prices. With the inflated airfares, the airlines once more will start making billions instead of losing them.
Commerce will boom, tourism will flourish and we all will be happy campers.
A not so farfetched worse-case scenario is if two major carriers such as American and United close their doors forever, a situation potentially even more devastating than the weeks after 9/11 when passengers stayed away by the millions. Can you spell major economic depression?
Many mergers that have succeeded have been those where there is a clear fit. Like oil going into refineries and coming out as JP3 fuel going into airplanes. It’s a win win.
Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has now left the building.
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