This site is extensive; thousands of articles, videos and commentaries; -but you can search it quickly and effectively.

For example: Looking for 9/11 films simply enter 911 or 9/11 you'll be directed to all 7 feature length films about the World Trade Center Disaster. OR: Food Inc, Music, Currency, Depression, Kennedy, FDR, Nixon, Reagan, Carson, John Stewart, Fiat, Hyper-Inflation, Gold, Silver, Foreign Relations, Missile Capability, Exponential Function, Depleted Uranium, Monsanto, Plunge Protection, Deriviatives, Money Graphics, Occupy etc.

 

 

B2B Phishing Happens Too

 

Feb 12, 2013 We discussed spamming in the last article and the very same letter in that post turns out to be an excellent example of a phishing attempt.

This scam is aimed at the B2B market.

Some telltale signs that I noted in the letter were grammatical errors in the opening paragraph, capitalisaton errors throughout, gobbledygook in the 6th, grammatical again in the 8th, no telephone numbers, a phony company name using a Commonwealth corporate naming convention and included a phony address in California.

Needless to say that Rita Thomas doesn't exist either.

It is always best to trust your instincts.

This type of scam is possibly more dangerous than the phishing attempts that one receives purportedly from major corporations like eBay, PayPal or Citibank because it is so earnestly appealing to your business sense. It's not asking for any private information so you give it a free pass. The problem however, is when these charlatans get you on the phone you'll be easy prey.

The relevant details.

 

  

 

Spamming For Spammers

Feb 11, 2013 Spamming companies are going to continue to have outsized growth for many more years because the average businessperson has no idea how damaging sending spam will be.

When confronted by letters like the one below, (a spammer spamming for spammers) they're interested, and once that they learn that the vendor will send 3 million emails for $500.; -they're hooked.

 

There's a time and a place for email marketing, but there is never the right time to send out emails to strangers. Include to that list, clients that have not explicitly asked or invited you to open that form of dialog.

An important distinction to make is that email is not media, it is a platform to manage communications.

Sending an unsolicited email is interfering with the recipients communications medium; -wasting their time, your money, and building animus. Spamming is tantamount to you sitting in the great room, watching Netflix and the owner of a new Tattoo Parlor (30 miles away), breaking into the TV signal and broadcasting that he's having a two for one on piercings with his cousin's Ham Radio setup. Great for him (he thinks he's letting the whole world know he's in business). It may even win some sales, because he's an artist (one of a kind), but what about the plumber, dentist or plastic surgeon?

Ask yourself: 'Does it build the kind of relationship that I want with my customers?" and then don't do it.

  

 

Worldview Shopping

Feb 10, 2013 If you decide that you need an Accountant or an Attorney you can let your fingers do the walking through the Yellow Pages or use one of the many search engines such as Google®.

Personally, I toss the Yellow Pages® in the garbage as soon as it lands on my doorstep and favor the PC. If you want to help save a tree you can opt out of home delivery by clicking the YP photo.

I'm innately aware of how I tend not to favor the first page of search results (because I know that they are paid links and not necessarily someone that shares my worldview).

How about you?

  

 

A Logo is a Placeholder

Feb 9, 2013 If you're a start-up you don't need to spend a lot of money having a logo designed. You can get a very good one (IMHO) from Constant Contact for $100. It's not advertised, but they do a competent job for you if you sign up for their service.

Alternatively, there are plenty of fish that you can go to, or DIY if you have the Photoshop chops.

My point is, that until there is a reason for people to associate that something special that you offer with the logo, it's just a placeholder in your marketing material.

  

 

Caveat Emptor

Feb 8, 2013 "What is the difference between unethical and ethical advertising? Unethical advertising uses falsehoods to deceive the public; ethical advertising uses truth to deceive the public." -Vilhjalmur Stefansson, "Discovery", 1964

 

  

 

Birth - Zenith - Nadir - Rebirth...

Feb 7, 2013 Building on the sanctity of integrity, here is a timeless example of authenticity, prepared by a man of noteworthy accomplishment.

The keyword here is authenticity.

No public relations photo-op here; Steve Jobs tells it like it is in three poignant stories about his life in this commencement address to the Stanford University 'Class of 2005'. If you haven't thoughtfully watched it before, it is truly poetic.

Steve Jobs unveils life's vicissitudes. His intimacies of triumph and wrenching loss reveal silver linings -A reason for everything.

Diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer and faced with 3 - 6 months to live, his next rebirth led him to one more, then unknown, but fitting zenith.

As eloquent a speech as any man will ever give.

Find what you love; -Indeed.

 

 

This is a prepared text of the Commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, on June 12, 2005.

  

 

It's the Advice That Counts

Feb 6, 2013 In order for advice to be good, it should be delivered by someone that knows what they are talking about. Apparently in the computer world the uber-chic know more than a high-school mathlete.

This old PC ad (with the 'It's a Dell Guy'), works well as an advice vehicle, because back when this was filmed ('03), a youthful cool male dude was considered the authority on PC's. Besides, he has everything, (the girl, the car, youth, dudeness) so he may as well be a movie star. Yes, that's Maggie Grace sitting in the Galaxy 500.

 

 

HP's assault highlights entertainment icons including Dr. Dre, Jerry Seinfeld, Mark Cuban, Gwen Stefani and Jay-Z blovating swagg.

Apparently a pedant, mega-millionaire, People Magazine, sell-out is what we associate with. The conceit and hubris are palpable.

 

 

Rule number one in marketing is "Make Me Care". Does anyone care about Jay-Z's self-indulgence? All these HP commercials do is alienate the audience.

Here' some of the other HP ads:

• Mark Cuban ad
• Dr. Dre ad
• Gwen Stefani ad
• Jerry Seinfeld ad

Anyone would be more inclined to take advice from the dude than a blowhard.

Here's one more 'It's a Dell' dude guy ad

Wikipedia explains what happened to The Dell Dude (Ben Curtis):

  

 

Hurry Before It's Too Late

Feb 5, 2013 When traveling, it's a wise choice to rise 15 minutes early, so that we can leisurely gait onto our plane. The other choice is to catch the flight in a sweat, or miss it.

A flight is not only important, but an urgent matter. It has to be dealt with immediately or repercussions ensue.

In an office, there is nothing more pressing than a critical systems failure. Your business is crippled.

Yet the most common imperative oversight in I.T., is one that will cost even the smallest companies dearly; -upwards of $2000. That's not including the cost of one or two days of office mayhem.

A preposterous sum, no doubt; -but let's look at rebuilding your office server objectively.

Even if you have an incremental backup such as Carbonite® or an external drive and a simple peer-to-peer Windows 7® set-up, this is not an atypical invoicing scenario.

Item	Hr	@$95
Troubleshoot, diagnose, remedial action, incl. $200 for hardware	1	295.00
Install Operating system and updates	2	180.00
Install Microsoft Office® (WORD®, EXCEL®, POWERPOINT® etc.)	1	95.00
Configure Outlook® Email for multiple users and iPhone®	1	95.00
Install DB, PIM, CRM & configure users (i.e. ACT!®, Amicus®, SAP®)	2	180.00
Install Quickbooks®, Firefox®, IE9®, settings, favorites, etc.	1	95.00
Install Adobe® product suite, Acrobat®, Flash®, Photoshop®, etc	1	95.00
Java®, Norton Anti-virus®, Malwarebytes® and configuration	1	95.00
Printer setup, scanner setup, second printer setup	1	95.00
Downloading extraneous drivers or software and fixes.	1	95.00
Rebooting after each installation, second installs for some s/w.	1	95.00
Setting up the internet and file sharing, reloading data, testing.	3	285.00
Backup systems, adding keyboard, mouse, unforeseen etc.	3	285.00
TOTAL + 6% (not including premiums for after hours or overtime)	19	$2125

 

This is a mitzvah. Don't ignore the danger. The alternative (below) is eminently more palatable:

• Your server is put on a workbench at night, by morning it has been cloned and you are prepared for the emergency that will inevitably happen. Total cost is $100 ± $200 for new drive). No downtime
• When the server eventually fails, replacing the drive will be nominal, ~$95.00 or whatever the hourly rate is when that happens.
• Ultimately, the choice is two days of mayhem and a $2100 invoice or no disruption and ~$400.

This solution always makes perfect sense, yet invariably excuses ensue and commonly I have to chastise like a mother hen.

Get up 15 minutes early and stroll to the gate, hurry, before it's too late. Seriously.

(More about backup here.)

   

 

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