GM and Chrysler - Good News At Last

By: Michael Ferrara

The good news today is that GM has paid off ALL of their $6.7 billion in bailout loans, and that Chrysler has actually turned a small profit in the first quarter. Does that mean all that government bailout money was well spent?

Not necessarily. It might have just prolonged the agony, particularly for Chrysler and its parent Fiat. If things don't get better in a hurry for both automakers, they may be knocking on Uncle Sam's door yet again. But it's encouraging news for employees of both companies, not to mention their dealers, vendors and owners.

Most of the cars Chrysler has been selling have been going to fleet sales and rental car agencies. I had the misfortune to drive a Dodge Charger during a recent Florida trip and all I can remember about the car was that it was ugly and it was red. And the interior was so black (plastic) that everything disappeared inside of it. Here's hoping for better in the future. I also got a chance to drive a Chevy Malibu recently and was impressed by the overall quality feel of the car. Would I go out and actually buy one? Nope, but I would recommend that someone in the market for a nice 4-door should definitely check it out, as well as its Buick cousins.

Perhaps the upcoming Chevy Volt will 'spark' something at the GM dealerships. There's a new Jeep Grand Cherokee due out soon as well over at Chrysler. Stuff to ponder while I try to save up for a $500 brake job on my 8-year-old MINI, grateful that I have a good job and a set of wheels under 10 years old!

Even This Cloud Has A Silver Lining

Who would've thought one little ash cloud would cause so much trouble?

Okay, shrugging off one of the most far-reaching natural disasters the world have seen in years as "one little ash cloud" is a bit much.

And while last Wednesday's volcanic eruption in Iceland fortunately hasn't resulted in any reported casualties, it has caused enormous logistical problems for 20 European countries.

Those problems include a huge drop in visibility, airline flights, and traveler patience throughout Europe over the past 6 days.

However, the ash cloud did cause a major spike in something other than the number of frustrated vacationers, with revenues of several airport-adjacent hotels showing huge increases for the week, and occupancy levels increasing 90% in some areas.

With major airports like Heathrow, Frankfurt Rhein-Main and Amsterdam Schiphol having postponed all flights since the eruption (and most likely staying cancelled until at least Thursday), the thousands of people who are stranded will continue to keep the surrounding hotels busy.

Touchscreen Technology Well-Armed for the Future

I remember when Bluetooth headsets hit the market and thinking, who would want to look like they are babbling to themselves in public?

I also remember just a few months ago when tablet technology was gaining steam and thinking, who would want to carry around an over-sized iPod touch?

With millions of Bluetooth headsets in use and hundreds of thousands of iPads sold (with a surge of other companies ready to launch competing tablets), I can admit that my track record of predicting the future success of technology isn't the greatest.

But now that another emerging technology has caught my attention, it's time to get back on the proverbial horse and try to gauge the success of the latest potential game-changer.

Skinput basically turns your arm and hand into a touchscreen keyboard by utilizing an armband projector to display menu options and buttons on the user's arm that can then be used to control other devices.

While I think it's a neat idea, I wonder whether or not people would want to wear the armband that's required to project the touchscreen, because it is a bit bulky (at least according to the prototype models I've seen).

But my biggest concern is will Skinput will adapt to different skin tones and arm sizes, arm hair and wrinkles, as well as things like wearing watches or bracelets?

Also, will people who have forearm tattoos be able to use the device, or will their ink make the Skinput menu too hard to read?

I know it's a lot of unanswered questions about a technology that's still being developed, but Skinput does provide an interesting solution to alleviating the stress and hassle of tiny touchscreen keyboards, and could definitely give you hand when using your mobile devices.

Axiom Has A Spring In Its Step

Axiom traces its roots back to 1993; an absolute eternity in the media world. 10 years ago, putting up a website was a big deal, and we were excited when the first version of Axiomcom.com went up.

But now, we’ve gone through several iterations and we’re getting ready to launch the latest version in about six weeks.

In the new re-design, we’ve strived to make the site an immersive experience (translation: lots of video) that truly shows off our culture and ideas. A mobile version of the site is in the works as well.

But wait, there’s more. We’ve updated both our Twitter handle and our Facebook page, and we’re in the midst of giving our LinkedIn page a facelift as well.

Why all this activity? Well, we’re very proud of the fact that not only are we still kicking after all these years, but we’ve grown and matured, not to mention kept pace with the latest technologies. I’m also very proud of our team of twenty-somethings who truly understand all the new platforms and how they can benefit our clients.

Please give us your thoughts and suggestions as we roll out these new Axiom platforms. They are meant to be living, breathing tools that need to continually evolve to reflect the needs of our clients, and of course, to show off a little bit, too.

Ex-Gleek Critiques

As an ex-show choir member, Fox’s “Glee” holds a special place in my TV heart. However, “Glee” complicated our relationship on March 30 when it announced its MySpace open casting call to “fill new high school student roles.”

With an increasing number of contest talent shows like “So You Think You Can Dance” or “Next Top Model,” there is no denying these types of casting calls are popular. But what’s the value of these casting calls among professional performers? I spoke with two of my friends, who also happen to be professional actors, on the issue.

Minnesota-based actress Elizabeth Grullon recently appeared in Mixed Blood Theater’s “Somebody, Nobody” and performed with the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival. Elizabeth mirrors my social media enthusiasm for the online auditions.

“I am not hesitant at all to do a video audition for something I am interested in being a part of. The heavy promotion makes me more likely to audition simply because I know about it and I know it is legit.”

Even though she sees the value in these auditions, she feels the her performance is skewed due to poor user-generated video production. The collective spirit of these types of auditions is exciting and you hope that people receive recognition that normally wouldn’t.

Sam Prince is a working Broadway actor who recently appeared in “Robin & the 7 Hoods” and “The Happy Elf.” Sam reflects the performer in me, and views the auditions with major skepticism, considering them part of the “quick fame propaganda.”

“You don’t really know who’s viewing these submissions and what level of professionalism they’re really looking for ... Since I am professional, I have a team of about six agents behind me, submitting me for jobs, dealing with contracts, etc. ... I view it more as viral marketing campaign if anything.”

Sam’s doubts are echoed by the Terms of Submission page for the contest, which never specifically defines the role or the pay, and includes a potentially dangerous promise that you will not have other contractual obligations. This will discourage many professional actors from even submitting.

Social media-based campaigns that include these open casting calls are exciting tactics, but it’s important to remember the experience and concerns of the participants. Social media has pushed public relations to be more transparent, the campaigns should reflect that trend. Be clear on what you are promising the lucky winner, and define the submission evaluation process in lemans terms, not only in legal speak.

“Glee,” it’s a speed bump in our relationship but I still love you, my heart will go on.