Golden Pages misleading people

As someone who talks to people all the time about websites, their uses and their values i have become more and more concerned with what i am hearing about Golden Pages sales calls.
Golden Pages are trying to sign up business owners for massive amounts of money to just a directory listing, and convincing them its a website they are getting.

this is nothing short of disgraceful, and is simply false advertising. A space on the GP website with your name, address and number on it is not a website. There are no graphics, no optimization, no inviting pictures etc. For the money they are asking for you would get a 4-5 page brochuer website up and running no problem at all.

They seem to be preying on people who are not very web savy. For anyone who reads this, start asking questions. If you want just your name, number and address on the web and your not worried about your logo or brand being out there, and your willing to part with well over a grand, then the GP is for you. If not, contact a web developer.

Ireland heading right way digitally

Here's a couple of articles recently in the SB Post about the growing Irish on-line market, both as a marketing tool and a selling tool.

The first one here from Cillian Barry deals with some of the industry trends we may see in 2010.

The second article is also from the Post and shows how a Google Ad words campaign can help a business, in this case the massive Bord Gais "Big Switch" campaign.

Somethings never change

Its seems the Chinese government are making things extremely hard for Google in their most populated of countries. Obviously its a massive market were google to pull out, which may just happen, but at the same time, do they need the hassle? I'm not so sure. Maybe in 5,6 or 10 years time the Chinese government will come crawling back, well they'll let them in, even if there is no crawling involved.
See this BBC release below, some interesting links within as well.

Google to pull out of China?

The start of the end for the Print Media???

Over the past couple of weeks one of the USA's best known newspapers, The Washington Post, has started closing its offices all around the States. The reason for this is to concentrate on the local market (see here). Since that news first came out it has also come to light that they are getting rid of their Sports department!!! What? is the first thing that sprung to my mind. This is crazy in my own opinion and could well be the end for the Post. They have 2 reporters who work on the Redskins Football team alone. Has it ever crossed their minds that a huge population of people, mainly men, will only buy their newspaper for the sport.
Ok the web is taking over, and print media is in trouble, but i believe there is still a place for it, just to a lesser degree. Also why don't the WP concentrate their sports to their website, go online with it all. Young people love sports, have more time to read about sports and are Web savy and online on a regular basis. The WP is just alienating all these young people with one big swipe.

Almost like Rupert Murdock they seem to be ignoring the rather large elephant in the corner of the world. And of course, more important than any of that, a number of talented people are going to lose their jobs.

Its sad to see. The internet is here, and will be for the foreseeable, its a pity some of the supposed smartest people in the world can't see this.

By the way, Happy New Year, i believe 2010 is going to blow 2009 out of the water.