I'm not the only one...

So I guess I'm not the only one that feels that way about paying to see our teams play. Check out this post from the Every Day Should Be Saturday blog.

A Good Business

Ok, let us review a case study in business. I know what you're saying...booooorrrring. But hear me out.

I own a business. My business provides a weekly service to it's clients and charges a substantial premium. Now there is not a lot of competition in the immediate area, but my clients do have a lot of other options. Now for a long time, my service was average at best, but at some point things took a turn for the worse and my business started sucking. Every week when I provide my service to the clients they wonder "What are they going to fuck up this time?" Now in most similar situations people will decide that enough is enough and stop paying for my services. The reality is my service is not necessarily needed and if it's that bad could be considered a waste of money. However, very very few of my clients turn. In fact, I am still making as much as before, despite my poor product. Additionally, so many of my clients have remained that I have actually been able to increase my prices!!!!

Now, let's think about this for a second...product sucks consistently, enough people continue to use my product that not only do I not change my quality, but I also raise prices. Most people with real business knowledge would look at this and think, "This is bull shit, this would never happen."

Naturally they would be right. For the most part, as your quality diminishes so do your sales. But the reality is there is one company out there that has managed to continually grow profits and maintain a consistent customer base despite a shitty product...in fact it is the shittiest product of its kind for almost 2 full years now. (Click on that link before continuing.)

Now, it is to the point that I really need to wonder. At I time when unemployment is at an all time high, and people are increasingly diligent about spending, why the fuck wouldn't people stay home and turn on the radio, instead of paying their hard earned money to such a piece of crap company?????? I need someone to teach me how to run a business like this! Make millions with the worst product in the industry!!! In fact, if the customers really want to see a change in the products and services this company provides them, GOD DAMN IT STOP PAYING THEM!!!!!! If no one payed them guess what...they would fix their service issues. Basic business and economic principles!!!!!! I know there are not a lot of other options and they have the market cornered, but I've always bought from their closest competition, a company out of Chicago.

If you want a real value for your money I suggest an all out boycott until they provide you with a quality service (they're free on the radio)...

September 1

So in a few hours, this planet will have been graced with my presence for 29 years! So I thought I would take a moment to address a few other prominent anniversaries for September 1st, so I looked up "This Date in History" stuff and was sorely disappointed. I was really only able to find a few historically significant events:

1 - In 1939 Nazi Germany attacks Poland, beginning the war in Europe.


Not really an event you want to be associated with, however historically significant this event may have been. World War II changed the future in more ways than we will ever really know.

2 - In 1974 the SR-71 Blackbird sets the record for flying from New York to London: 1 hour 54 minutes and 56.4 seconds.


Now this one is frickin' AWESOME!!! 1974 also marks the end of American muscle cars. The SD-455 was silenced and the raw power this engine produced would never be replicated. And yet, it was replaced in the air by this beast of a spy plane that any kid would have killed to fly. In the amount of time the average American spends commuting each day this plane can FLY TO EUROPE...wrap you head around that shit.

3 - In 1969 a revolution in Libya brings Col. Muammar al-fuckin'-Gaddafi to power.


The frickin' RockStar of North Africa has on many occasions told neighboring nations that he owned them (typically after a week long benders with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad). In fact this year is the 40th anniversary of this event!

I also wanted to give you a few historical and famous people I share my birthday with...

1818 – José María Castro Madriz, first President of Costa Rica and founder of the republic
The man invented Costa Rica for cryin' out loud, how cool was he?!

1923 – Rocco Francis Marchegiano (better know as Rocky Marciano), American boxer (d. 1969)
Only the toughest guy ever! 49-0, 43 by knock out. And get this...he died the night of August 31, 1969. On the eve of his 46th birthday and the Libyan revolution.




1939 – Lily Tomlin, American actress and comedian
Ugg.

1950 – Dr. Phil McGraw, American talk show host
DAMN IT!

1968 – Mohammed Atta, Egyptian terrorist
Fuck.

1976 – Marcos Ambrose, Australian racing driver
He's cool



1976 – Jada Fire, American porn actress
SWEET!

1976 – Polly Shannon, Canadian actress
The long lost cousin of Molly Shannon an American actress

1981 – Clinton Portis, American football player

Some other things I can claim "relation" to, Uzbekistani Independence Day, the first day of spring in Australia, and the Eastern Orthodox Church new year!

So basically, my birthday sucks...Happy Birthday to me (and Rocky Frickin' Marciano).

50 Reasons...

Not that I'm complaining, but the following is a list of 50 reasons I am actively looking for a new job. All numbers are based on data from CNNMoney.com for positions requiring 4 years or less experience (some require special training but none more than a Bachelors Degree) in my local area. All pay more than I make...

1) Associate Pastor - $67,499
2) Bricklayer - $49,285
3) Custodial Manager - $48,829
4) Volunteer Coordinator - $42,745
5) Warehouse Supervisor - $55,868
6) Campus Recreation Director - $67,026
7) Assistant Coach Minor Sport - $41,505
8) Estimating Manager - $65,686
9) E/L Accountant - $ 45,329
10) E/L Architect - $42,684
11) E/L Budget Analyst - $52,674
12) Business Banking Development Officer - $60,042($52,385 low)*
13) Call Center Quality Analyst - $41,839
14) E/L Compensation Analyst - $54,292
15) Consumer Credit Analyst - $43,578
16) E/L Copy Writer - $44,602
17) Correctional Officer - $42,952
18) Chicago Police Officer - $58,896 (after 18 mths)**
19) Documentation Clerk - $40,287
20) E/L Electrician - $45,594
21) Employee Relocation Rep - $48,192
22) Field Auditor - $54,393
23) Financial Associate, Corporate - $61,042
24) Health and Safety Administrator - $59,494
25) Interior Designer - $41,044
26) Logistics Clerk - $42,407
27) Metallurgical Engineer - $58,608
28) Meter Reader - $45,306
29) Procedures Analyst - $49,327
30) Pipeline Technician - $62,788
31) Press Operator - $46,255
32) Recruiter - $45,987
33) Retail Store Management Trainee - $41,962
34) Sales Analyst - $49,707
35) SBA Business Development Officer - $74,340
36) Travel Clerk - $43,637
37) Fire Fighter - $44,053
38) Automobile Estimator - $43,045
39) Administrative Services Supervisor - $59,059
40) Archivist - $45,799
41) Campus Recruiter - $61,339
42) Executive Assistant - $53,248
43) Meeting/Event Assistant - $47,021
44) Translator - $48,571
45) Actor - $53,257
46) Broadcast Technician - $45,224
47) Development Associate - Museum - $63,161
48) Retail Buyer - $47,804
49) Cashier Manager - Grocery - $46,295
50) Group Underwriter - $47,778

*My current position, even the low tops my pay
** Data found at Chicago Police recruitment website

This is why you don't help out strangers...

Ok, so I stick around work a little late to finish up some stuff. I live about a mile from the office and it was a nice day, so I decided to walk home. So I'm enjoying a casual stroll down Washington Street...as I approach Halsted I hear a little dog yipping, then a different dog bark and a woman yell!

I look across the street and see a little dog bolt into the road, in slow motion I see this cute little dog make it across one lane, and then BAM! I'll spare the details, but the dog was out, still alive, but out cold. So assessing the situation and seeing that the woman was alone I had to step in and help(I couldn't leave the thing in the street). So I carried the dying dog to the shoulder, and as it died in my arms I got directions to the nearest vet for the lady, then took off my undershirt, wrapped it up and put it in her trunk.

I get home and Dakota freaks out, she can smell this dog on me, not too hard for a beagle to do. Not hard at all I came to realize since my leg and shoe were covered in this dogs blood.

So this good deed turns into and $8 cleaning bill and a $70 pair of shoes. 78 frickin' dollars because I had to be a nice guy and help out this poor old women out with her mutt. All I was trying to do was help out a neighbor. And it cost me almost 80 bucks.

Oh well, I'll try to look on the brighter side of it all...at least it wasn't her child and I got a new pair of shoes. Now trust me, it won't stop me from helping people out, but damn it was expensive.

Thank You Canada!

"China isn't putting up the money, and Mexico isn't putting up the money," said Tony Clement, Canada's Minister of Industry. "But if we're putting up the money, just as the Americans are, then we have the right to protect our production capacity."

This says it all. Our administration is pushing GM into bankrupcy (not a problem, I get that, that's what happens when you take the feds money) and GM wants to ship factories over seas?? YOU ARE OWNED BY THE TAXPAYER!!!!! Give them jobs. I don't even care if they are crap jobs with no heathcare, a job is a job! Obama, take a cue from the Canadians and tell GM no american jobs, no taxpayer dollars. I don't want to be in the hook for a company that manufactures their product overseas. If GM wants to ship their labor to China and Mexico then they should lose all access to bailout funds and be allowed to collapse under their own weight!

Twitter

Hey everyone, I'm on Twitter now! You can follow me at www.twitter.com/JMScib. It's mostly professional or political, but check it out!