I, like 8.3 million other people, have purchased the final Harry Potter book.  I didn’t pre-order the book because I knew what the book would mean — baggy eyes and a tired spirit due to late-night reading.  However, after passing by a Border’s on Saturday night, there they were…stacks and stacks of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  It was on sale and too tempting to resist.

As predicted, I spent last night reading into the wee hours of the morning.  It’s always doable to read “just one more chapter.”  I also know that tonight I’m back in for more.  Harry Potter is how all products should be.  One that delivers as promised and one that makes consumers come back wanting for more.

This Monday marks the first time that UGC (user-generated content) will be used to ask questions in a political debate.  Videos have been submitted via YouTube and the questions will be edited and selected by CNN.

This begs the question if this will be any different then any other debate.  The questions will probably not be the true questions that popular America wants to have answered but rather a water-down, edited version.  Instead of using the web as a submission tool for questions, wouldn’t it be better utilized as a voting tool to determine the most pressing issues?  That way instead of having a 3rd party like CNN pick the questions, questions are asked based on popular vote.

Going a step further, all the candidates responses to the questions should be posted online as well where they can be shared via websites like YouTube and rated by users.  It would be great to see how America rates the candidates responses versus the political “experts”.

Being honest with your customers is key to getting the relationship you want out of them — that being long-term, loyal, consumers.  Social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook were meant to give the Internet community a way of sharing ideas, creating interaction, and making connections.  Blogs and UGC (user generated content) sites like Youtube were meant to be authentic and allow individual expression.

When companies enter these communities, build product pages, and plant videos, are they still being honest with the intentions of these sites? Are companies just jumping onto the bandwagon to say that they have a Web 2.0 presence?  Alas, companies are not likely to stop strategizing and entering onto these sites but unless they create authentic connections with their customers, it’s unlikely to translate into more sales.

It’s about time we stop turning a blind eye towards the extra-curricular activities of our star athletes.  I commend Nike for immediately stopping the release of its newest Michael Vick shoe after Vick’s recent federal indictment for dog fighting.

I don’t understand with all the millions of dollars these athletes make why they can’t hire someone to ensure that every decision they make is a smart one.  It’s quite simple, for every questionable, unsure, or possibly shady decision that could arise, they should ask their paid advisor on what to do.  This advisor should be unbiased, unrelated, and definitely not a friend of a friend from the old hood.  Heck, hire me…I’ll let you know if you’re being dumb.

Seeing the Simpson’s on the big screen is long over due.  After 20 years of success on television, it’s debateable whether or not there is enough interest for blockbuster success.  The gamble to transform some select 7-11′s into Kwik-E-Marts and offer Simpson staple products such as Buzz Cola, KrustyO’s Cereal, and Squishee Slurpees is definitely creating quite the buzz (not to mention sales).  You might wonder whether after the movie, it might be wise to actually have real Kwik-E-Marts for the long term.