Slope of Hope Blog Posts

Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.

Amazon vs Hachette: Why An Axe May Beat A Hammer (Part 2)

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(For Part One Click Here)

Just a scant 15 years ago the internet and everything we now take for granted was almost unimaginable. If you were placed in hibernation then only to wake now it would be the equivalent of being a Quaker suddenly transported to the deck of the Enterprise.

Smart phones alone are only 8 years old and the Blackberry™ (a what?) was at the time a marvel of marvels. Today? What is the same is Amazon’s business model. i.e., Sell at break even if not a loss, for as long as it can till they are the dominant (if not only) choice.

The “for as long as it can” part of that statement is what I believe is now jeopardizing that model. Amazon is still if not more convenient as ever as a first go to place to check prices and more. But (and it’s a very big but) it is far from the absolute price dominator on all items it was in respect to just 4 or 5 years ago. (more…)

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

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For a price not much higher than that of the Six Million Dollar Man, you can come hang with me here in drought-sticken Palo Alto! In this morning’s paper, there is a property featured in my neighborhood for the low, low price of $6.5 million, which is a cinch if you happen to be one of Facebook’s earlier employees. And the lot size – simply massive – a full .172 of an acre (and I am not making that figure up – less than one-fifth of a single acre). Must be pretty magnificent building, though, eh? Here ya go! (more…)