I just started watching this board to see why my stock is plummeting. I am a former director at the company. Borders started losing their way long before the economy collapsed. They made a bad decision to attempt to put in Retek and when anyone challenged the executive team on this decision they were fired. Borders started as a progressive retailer but the management they hired around 2002-2003 was very weak and had little to no retail experience. Instead of being a leader Borders became a follower mainly of Barnes and Noble. Any suggestions to be first with any retail ideas were soundly rejected. Here is a short list of what was rejected:

- Sell musical instrument merchandise within the store. Go to Best Buy and see what Borders could have done... first.

-Group CDs, Books and DVD with similar themes and subjects together for cross buying.

-Stop the Retek implementation and put in SAP instead.

-Allow customers to directly download purchased music to their IPOD or other device to hang onto the "new" music customers.

I could go on but you see the trend. The more they rejected these good ideas the worse the morale became and the best middle managers fled the company or were pushed out by inept exucutives.

Remember it was only 9 years ago that Borders beat B and N in every major category including sales per square foot, year over year increases and net profit. They had the lead and they blew it.

My prayers go out to the remaining good men and woman still depending on them for their living.