Movember Update

One week to go!

Growing a "mo" has been an uncomfortable experience, physically and socially. But just a few days ago I was reminded of the seriousness behind our silly fundraiser. A guy at my work was diagnosed with prostate cancer and is undergoing surgery. He's a runner, in great shape, and always has a very positive attitude. It's sobering.

I've helped raise $150.00 from people at my office. If you haven't given and have an opportunity, you can donate any amount, it's all helpful:
http://us.movember.com/mospace/253642

Consumer Complaint about Bluegreen Corp

I feel like a sucker, but in the hopes of sparing someone, anyone, here is the letter I sent to Bluegreen Corp (and I sent a similar one to Bass Pro who promoted the sales event).

On Saturday November 14, 2009, I attended a Bluegreen sales presentation at The Falls Village in Branson, MO. I am writing today to let you know I am very disappointed in the experience, and to let you know that your reputation has been severely damaged for me. I also want you to know that I have written Bass Pro to let them know that it is harming its reputation by associating itself with the behavior I experienced at a Bluegreen sales presentation.

Prior to the sales presentation, my experience with Bluegreen was actually very positive. The phone operators were professional, courteous and helpful. Check-in at The Falls Village was also quickly managed and professionally handled. The accommodations provided by Bluegreen were also satisfactory. I was even interested in the Bluegreen product, as my family takes regular vacations.

The sales presentation and one-on-one sales experience, however, were unprofessional and offensive. I am sure you are no stranger to the "time" complaint, so I'll not bother to explain in detail how the sales experience was 3 hours instead of the promised "approximately 90-120 minutes." It seems elementary to me that Bluegreen would be far better off being truthful about the time commitment. My wife and I had arranged for childcare based on a 2-hour presentation, not 3 hours. Starting off a sales event with low credibility is a very poor way to begin. Better yet, Bluegreen could reduce the time spent in group presentation.

The group presentation that I attended in Branson included racist jokes from the group presenter (I think his name was Kevin), who also expounded for a full 5 minutes or longer that the problem with today's kids is that "they are not whipped enough." Unnecessary, incorrect and terribly unprofessional.

I save the worst for last, however, in that the one-on-one sales presentation was even more unprofessional and a ridiculous attempt to intimidate and even insult me and my wife. It was someone named Jerry Miller and I signed a formal complaint with the local Bluegreen manager about his behavior.

Frankly, I do not expect my concerns will change your sales model, but I write anyway in the hopes that someone may be spared my experience.

Now I have gift cards for Bass Pro merchandise and I can honestly tell you it was not worth it and I have no appetite to give Bluegreen or Bass Pro any business, not even for free with these cards and certainly not my hard-earned money in the future. I am very disappointed in Bluegreen's behavior and in Bass Pro for aligning itself with these tactics.

UPDATE After posting this and within a couple hours of emailing Bluegreen, I got a call from Bluegreen headquarters in FL. The woman apologized and asked for details. She apologized for everything from the time to the specific behavior. She promised follow-up with the Branson people involved and gave me her contact information. Impressive response.

Under a Blood Red Sky a Crowd has Gathered

"The U.S.S. New York reached New York City Monday morning, sweeping under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, pausing at the World Trade Center site and pushing along the Upper West Side before circling around, like a contestant in a beauty pageant, to dock in Midtown Manhattan.


It was the end of an inaugural five-day voyage from Norfolk, Va., for the ship’s official commissioning into the Navy fleet on Saturday, as well as an emotional 'homecoming' for a vessel that was named for the state after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and has 7.5 tons of steel from the twin towers cast into its bow..."

The celebrity of this ship is the melted steel from the twin towers of New York. Ship-builders, sailors, politicians and family members of 9/11 victims attest to the hallowed anatomy of this ship, advertised by the Navy as "designed and built to fight." The unmistakable message is reverent but vengeful. A brother of a 9/11 victim gave the honest statement, "I really like the idea of people going out and avenging what happened to us." Charlie Daniels' crass song in "tribute" promotes the ship as a "bringer of vengeance" and "bearer of truth's deadly force" created to "hunt down our enemies."

I feel the primal urge too, it wasn't my family and I didn't know those killed on 9/11, but I stood next to the still-reeking mountain of rubble just 4 weeks after 9/11. I mourned the loss of life there and took satisfaction in the swift and efficient annihilation of some of the people that supported the government that gave safe-haven to the 9/11 killers.

But now I question, 8 years later, hundreds of billions of dollars spent, two countries invaded, thousands and thousands of people killed. Is another vehicle of violence, even more efficient and more lethal then ever, really the best tribute to those killed? Appropriate and ample reverence for the innocent lives lost on American soil, but not a whisper for the innocent lives lost in our hunt for our enemies? We spent over one billion dollars on the USS New York. Even if the goal was safety, is the best use of One Billion dollars to build a larger and better weapon?

Must the cycle continue? They struck us, so we strike back harder. They killed some of us, so we kill even more of them.

Are we not sick of it YET?!

This ship will not stop the violence. Five Hundred ships like this will not stop the violence. But they would keep the violence away from us... Is that the goal?

Revenge is hard work and battle takes courage, but forgiveness is harder work and peace takes stronger courage.

Movember

I'm always up for a gimmick. If the fun also benefits something worthwhile, even better. In the month of November, now known as Movember, I will be growing a moustache. It's a worldwide event to raise awareness and funding for research of cancers that affect men, specifically prostate and testicular cancer. I'm more into the awareness than the fundraising, but if you would like to donate, you can HERE. Any amount, no matter how small (no pun intended) is welcome.

Here's my starting shot:


By the end of Movember I think I'll look like Josh Brolin from "No Country For Old Men."


Or maybe I'll go with the "Clark Gable" for the ladies.



I'll keep you posted. Or, maybe I'll only email the updates to those that donate...