Oktoberfest Menu, 2011

I’m still not hungry, and it’s been nearly 24 hrs…

The main things to take away:

[Distributors] are awarded a commission based upon the volume of product sold through their own sales efforts as well as that of their downline organization.

and

Independent distributors develop their organizations by either building an active customer base, who buy direct from the company, or by recruiting a downline of independent distributors who also build a customer base, thereby expanding the overall organization

So, the thing about this: it’s a marketing scheme.  The actual thing sold may be a legitimate product, but it’s the distribution scheme that’s I despise. Mainly, I hate the pressure tactics that are generally used. I hate the dishonesty that has to come with it.  I mean, Marketing is inherently dishonest already – pushing one’s viewpoint on the masses.  But they take it to a new level: “you can make millions” – “you can quit your job” – “we have the best/highest rated/awesomest widget on the market” – “only available now”.

No, definitely not a fan. This comes from experience: when I was younger and (most importantly) more desperate, I was suckered into joining one of these organizations.  It lasted about a month, until I realized that it was a huge amount of work for selling your soul (ethically speaking), taking advantage of friends/family, and very much like a cult.

So I’m peeved about this right now.  The reason being that I was suckered into (well, felt obligated into) sitting through another sales pitch. A trusted friend of the family who we’ve watched grow up – a young man now – has entered the world of finance.  But not with the reputable companies – no, with a company that exclusively uses the multi-level marketing approach.

When I was at the same point in my life many people sat through my attempts at sales, even though they had no desire or care. They gave me the time because they were nice, and they were willing to help out a little.  Now I’m in their position.

So the experience wasn’t that bad, but it was definitely nothing I’d go through for any other reason. Attempts to “inform” about finance (basic stuff, too) and investments.  Talking about stuff that I have known since high school (I suppose not everyone is so lucky).  That was pretty quick, and it was pretty obvious I didn’t care. Then came the push: “if you know of anyone who might need our service and refer them on, why not get paid?”  Bang, it went from basic product information to multi-level marketing.

For those who know my in my real life, you know that I’m pretty busy.  Two blogs, an impossible-to-kick photography habit, a full-time job, a business, a young child.  I had budgeted thirty minutes for this, expecting about half an hour on top of that spent in traffic.  This is a significant part of my evening, especially since I had to stay late at the full-time job due to this (no sense leaving early to go home to turn around & drive to this).

So in thirty minutes, what did they cover? About twenty minutes were spent on their products.  Another fifteen on describing sales (it felt quicker, but the watch doesn’t lie).

Now it’s over, and this is good.  Stress levels are returning to normal, and irritation is slowly subsiding. I still feel obligated to help out people like this, but I’m not sure that I have the strength to put up with more sales BS.

OK, enough griping.  Tomorrow: back to photography.

That’s it.  Period. I mention this only because a certain credit card company sent me an update to their terms this week with that exact phrase in it. Now mind you, I’ve had several credit cards over the last 10 years.  I’ve dropped several.  Each one that was dropped sent a letter like this ended up making the deal far worse: raised rates, adding annual fees, shorter period between issuing of bills and late fees, and so forth.

In this case, I received it from a company that somehow is the *only* company with which I deal that manages to occasionally not send bills in the mail, delay processing payments, make it hard to redeem bonuses/miles, etc.  In fact, due to their practices this is the only credit card that I’ve had to pay late fees on in the last fifteen years.

Now, I can see some doubters saying that it’s my own damn fault.  I mean, legally it’s up to me to make sure I’m aware of each billing date & to pay on time.  But doing business with a company is a partnership, if you will: they are obligated to let me know about what I am owed, and I am obligated to pay.  Blaming me for missing their lack of sending a statement is like sending a tourist to visit places in a high-crime area, and then blaming them for not seeing the guy with the gun on the side of the road.

Why yes, they did receive government funds to keep themselves afloat.  Coincidence?

Further, if I comment on anyone or complain about anyone’s actions, do not expect me to post their names or give links.  It’s not a matter of fearing lawsuits (although some might consider it stupid *not* to).  Rather, I wouldn’t do them the favor of giving them the free advertising.

In a couple of days, those of us with U.S. Citizenshipt (and U.S. residents) we will get the privilege of paying for the service that government provides. It is traditional for most of us to bitterly complain about this, for it always hurts to see one’s money wasted away on the bureaucracy.

Every year, I think of a man.  I do not know this man, mind you.  My father spoke of him (OK, fine, I don’t remember who he said it about).  That man always paid his full amount of taxes. Never a deduction, never a credit.  Full amount, always.

He considered it a privilege to pay his taxes.  A privilege to live in this country, to pay for roads, and schools, and police, and fire departments, and libraries, and emergency services.

Yes, it could be argued that we’re also blowing wads of money on two wars and Obamacare (sorry, you’re already paying for the uninsured – just ask Mitt Romney, he admits it.  He just doesn’t like *how* the new Health Care bill covers the people).  But we’ve always blown giant wads of cash on meaningless endeavors.  Today is no different.

Given a choice, I’d rather that we all thought just a little bit more like the man in my memory.

It just really chaps my rear.  Thus nothing yesterday, and I’m still on strike today.

(The bastards got me)

This is certainly true, if not a bit obvious to many of us.  And as I alluded to in a comment there, it’s not a black-and-white cutoff: static pages are fine for static information.  Reference sheets, historicals – all good.  But the freshness of a blog?  Static sites can’t compete.

Something I’ve noticed, though – as the owner of my own business where I provide a certain amount of web-based services: a lot of my recent work has involved setting up blogs.  Not just for business clients, but for personal uses as well.

The future is here, which means it’s passé.  What next?

So this is the new it. Such as it is.

if dogs were 5 times their size, they’d still lick us.
if cats were 5 times their size, they’d eat us.
it’s not so much delusion as a problem of proportion (but then that’s exactly a delusion of granduer)

I found the observation both witty and likely accurate.

Check out her pics – she’s doing some interesting things with self portraits!

For the record, one of the hats that I wear is that of a freelance all-purpose tech guy, and I filled it out, too.