Skeevy

So last night I'm having a light meal with some friends over at Luna Park and we're all sitting around one of the tables when I see something dart out of the corner and head under my table. At first I thought it was a frightened stray cat, but as the brown shape hurried its way to the other side of the outdoor patio, I could see it was a rat. Ewww.... (shudder)

Plusses, Minuses

Minus - Newsday didn't print my letter, even though I called them to verify I was the author. Interesting that they printed a letter I wrote several years ago about Rick Shalvoy rowing his way around Long Island for breast cancer, which was just about as inoffensive as they get, but when a letter is critical of Newsday's reporting, evidently they sit in "under consideration" limbo. Plus - It doesn't matter. I've been telling folks I know in person and lots of people have been reading the blog entry.

Minus - We've had some recent budget cuts by clients, which will likely cut back the billable hours and media commissions we earn this year.

Plus - Three new potential clients have stepped up this week, and it looks as if we'll replace the lost revenue (and then some).

Minus - Sara didn't catch any fish surfcasting off the Shinnecock Inlet this weekend.

Plus - I caught three bluefish, and Sara managed to land a few freshwater perch when we took a rowboat out on the pond at Sears-Bellows on Monday.

Minus - Someone nailed my car in the parking lot at the train station a couple weeks ago.

Plus - He was really cool about it and sent me a check right away to cover the damages.

The Big Duck

Here's Sara at the Big Duck, which is on Suffolk County land on Route 24. The Big Duck is right near the entrance to Sears-Bellows County Park, which is where we spent the long weekend camping.

Few people realize that although this thing looks like just a silly giant duck, it has historical significance in the realm of architecture. "Big Duck Architecture" refers to representational design. The Big Duck used to house a small store where people could buy ducks, eggs, etc. So when you visit the Lipstick Building in midtown Manhattan, know that the architectural movement that gave rise to it started with the Big Duck.

Breakage on MTA MetroCards

Sent a letter to Newsday in response to this story (link likely to die after today):

Submitted for Publication

It’s called “breakage” and it’s the term used to refer to unredeemed value when any business plan involving a stored value card is constructed. Stored value cards can be gift certificates, pre-paid phone cards, pre-paid debit cards or anything that holds a monetary value, including Metrocards.

In putting together any business plan involving stored value cards, making assumptions regarding breakage is a critical component of the plan. Taking liabilities off the books when cards expire frees up revenue and adds dollars to the bottom line for any marketer employing a stored value instrument. That’s why it took me by surprise to see New York City Transit Spokesman Charles Seaton quoted in your story as saying the issue of forfeited fares is “really no gain to the transit authority because it doesn’t affect the amount of service we put out.” This quote implies that the breakage was somewhat of a pleasant surprise for the MTA. If the MTA engaged in responsible business planning, which I’ll assume they did, at least a percentage of this breakage would have been accounted for in the plan.

Can one blame the MTA for its low-key approach to the redemption policy? Publicizing it simply takes money from their bottom line. And if the MTA planned the Metrocard program responsibly, they likely had a fairly good idea of how much money the breakage would represent on their books.

Sincerely, Tom Hespos [personal info deleted from original letter]

Let's see if they print it.