Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

The first thing I look for when reading a magazine are specials, offers, and sweepstakes. I went to take my mom to her neurologist appointment the other day and while I was sitting in the waiting room I read an edition of AARP magazine. I don't recall what month it was for.

While I was sitting there I came across some valuable information which apparently not even my mother knew. We frequent quite a few of the restaurants which serve breakfast all day. They serve fresh coffee any time of the day with consistent coffee refills which is very important to us. Yes we live a very exciting life with the best outing being able to go and sit down and have fresh coffee served to us at a table rather than having to fix it and pour it ourselves.  It makes it taste so much better.

I discovered one restaurant we frequent often offers a 20% discount on the ticket and $1 coffee for all the guests by browsing through the magazine. I thought about how much money we could have saved if I had known about that sooner. While I waited I wrote down several websites with information, coupon and discount offers for AARP.  I can see my mom saving a lot of money.

• http://www.aarp.org/doughnuthole
• http://www.aarp.org/work
• http://www.couponmom.com
• http://www.hotcouponworld.com
• http://www.twitter.com/petersgreenberg
• http://www.ConsumerCellular.com/aarp
• http://www.coupons.com
• http://www.aarp.org/homeupdates
• http://aarp.thehartford.com/msb
• http://www.aarp.org/savemoney
• http://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/discounts/dining/info-2010/dennys.html 
• http://expedia-aarp.com
• https://www.aarphealthcare.com

We now realize we should check most places we shop for discounts for AARP members for my mom as well. Some offer discounts up to 30% for AARP members.  I think it is great how companies reinvest in the people who helped make this country what it is today.

Giant vs. Giant who would win?

Right about now I am wishing I would have kept on the path less traveled and gotten my masters in Information Systems Analysis and went on to law school to become a corporate attorney. When I think about how much the attorney's battling out the disputes between the internet giants must be billing it makes my head spin even trying to think about it.

Trust it is not a matter of greed one good case would probably set me right. Can you imagine having a portfolio that included setting precedence for the Internet giants: speaking engagements, graduation ceremonies, professorships, board appointments, what wouldn't happen?

I'm wondering what will happen though if Google and FACEBOOK were to stop disallowing cross pollination. What if FACEBOOK says okay no more links to YouTube videos via our website. What would happen if Google filtered FACEBOOK from their search results.

Well let me tell you I would be very disappointed. Who am I? The small fry who depends on the services, creativity, and innovation of these technology giants to make things less cumbersome day-to-day.

What if a user went to hit the share button to share a video they like with their FACEBOOK friends and were no longer able to. I know several of my friends post YouTube videos all the time which helps me to journey down memory lane.

I hope the battle for control or lack of control does not worsen between the internet giants. "Can't we all just get along" as in the famous words of Rodney King.