• by Michael Kubin , October 25, 2000

By Michael Kubin, Co-CEO, Leading Web Advertisers

Note: To be sung mournfully, but ultimately in an upbeat tempo, to the melody of Garth Brooks' "Friends in Low Places"

Blame it all on dot coms

That blew up like bombs

Some lost ninety percent on their shares.

Now the Nasdaq is low,

And there ain't no more dough,

Gone are the billionaire entrepreneurs.

Oh, it's been a great ride

And, burn rate aside,

I'd love to live through it again:

The Super Bowl ads, mass infusions of cash,

And business plans none can explain.

CHORUS

Now I've got friends in no places,

Since pink slips wiped out all the traces

Of the VC ways,

But I'll be OK.

My options are sunk, but really the case is

Web stocks will be back, then it's off to the races,

But for now I've got friends in no places.

SECOND VERSE

When the bubble began

My phone rang and rang

The VCs would knock down my door

They were eager to write

Any check, any size,

Didn't need to say what it was for!

Now that Pseudo and Boo

Have been left behind,

And Priceline's direction

Has been redefined,

I'm going back to my ivory tower

To dream up my next IPO.

CHORUS

- Michael Kubin is co-CEO of New York-based Leading Web Advertisers (LWA), a comprehensive Web advertisement monitoring service. Prior to co-founding LWA in 1998, Michael co-founded Media Incorporated in 1992, growing the media management company's billings to over $175-million in just four years. More recently, Michael was managing director for Western International Media where he oversaw more than $1.1 billion in media management billings for over 200 clients worldwide and was responsible for WIM's European expansion. He may be reached at mkubin@web-advertisers.com