It’s almost October and the stores have their Halloween displays up already. Tempus fugit and all that. Soon it will be time for the drooling season leading up to the holidays to begin. Not quite yet, though, thank goodness.
With autumn a-comin’ in, we have, however, arrived at the season when people who think about business for a living (as opposed to doing any) begin considering what might have been the biggest, the best, the funniest, the stupidest, the most pathetic and the most inspirational business stories of the year, in preparation for their year-end extravaganzas. So that’s what I’m thinking about. As always, I hate that. Thinking, I mean. I would rather ask you for help.
So. What do you think were the biggest, the best, the funniest, the stupidest, the most pathetic and the most inspirational business stories of the year?
- Was it China, which last week added the recall of a million baby cribs to its list of miscreancies?
- Was it the state of the crazy, hazy airline industry?
- Was it Mr. Jobs promising to give $100 cash American to anybody with eleven fingers?
- Was it the spread of BlackBerry ubiquity?
- Was it the arrival of Sudoku as brain Drano of the year?
- Was it YouTube’s 1,000,000th talking cat video?
- Was it the branding of Philanthropy as a fad, replacing Excellence, Synergy and many others that came before?
- Was it the decline of the celebutante and pop tart as dependable mercantile entities? I mean, haven’t these people ever heard of chauffeurs?
- Or was it something else? Something, say, that YOU did that you believe is worthy of note?
As magazines and newspaper editors meet in serious conclave, with stacks of clips and videos in which to immerse themselves, let’s see if we can go them one better and begin the construction of a meaningful, entertaining and illuminating list.
Okay?