Are you WMM45+ (White, Male, Married and older than 45 ) Very conservative, take no nonsense from no one , including the government ? Would you think this guy would ideally be living in South Africa ?
Think again. These are the descriptions (short and sweet ) of the Tea Party members in the USA. Comprising about 18% of the voters according to some sources. They are most likely supporters of the Republican party in the USA ( Obama is a Democrat) They are more wealthy than the average American and might well become the biggest problem Obama will face during the next election.
My only question at this stage is who is going to be their ideal candidate ? Standing against a populist president like Obama is not in everyones shorts. Then again Sarah Palin is WFMM45+ (White, female Married , 45+ ) and a Tea Party Icon and does not wear shorts.
What does the Americans say ? If you invite Obama to tea do you think he will accept ?
Maybe we should have a Pretoria Tea Party (Like the Boston one) all non racial of course. The lack of black would be purely incidental.
Interesting stuff
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The wonder of special days
There are only a few special days in everyone's life. These can be their birthday, their spouse's birthday, Christmas, Aniversaies y and one or two others. Political days does not do it for me. So called childrens day, womens day , mothers day , fathers day, Sundays, and other days ending with "Y" does not do it for me either.
I have just experienced a birthday and found that this in all probability is the one special day in the year that stands out for me and I think for most other people. Why would this be ?
Well for one it places the focus squarely on You / Me for that day. Some family, mostly friends make you feel special by phoning you, emailing you, make a note on your facebook wall or send you an SMS. I know her birthday makes my wife bloom. She will even phone some friends and say " Hi happy birthday to me"
Some people will make Christmas / Sundays/ some political days out to be their most precious days. I think they are just trying to impress someone with their "attempted holiness" or "Pretentious patriotism". You can say what you like but the only thing that really makes people bloom is the spotlight when it is on them.
Come on, be honest with yourself - Am I right or am I right.? You are welcome to differ from me but as I always say: Everyone has the right to his own opinion even if it is wrong !
I have just experienced a birthday and found that this in all probability is the one special day in the year that stands out for me and I think for most other people. Why would this be ?
Well for one it places the focus squarely on You / Me for that day. Some family, mostly friends make you feel special by phoning you, emailing you, make a note on your facebook wall or send you an SMS. I know her birthday makes my wife bloom. She will even phone some friends and say " Hi happy birthday to me"
Some people will make Christmas / Sundays/ some political days out to be their most precious days. I think they are just trying to impress someone with their "attempted holiness" or "Pretentious patriotism". You can say what you like but the only thing that really makes people bloom is the spotlight when it is on them.
Come on, be honest with yourself - Am I right or am I right.? You are welcome to differ from me but as I always say: Everyone has the right to his own opinion even if it is wrong !
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Being able to relate
A few articles in the newspapers made me think of the ability of people to communicate without offending other people. The story of Woolworths that planned to take all Christian litterature off their shelves had a backlash from Christians all over the country. Of course it is the right of a company like WW to do what they like and make business decisions in their own interests. What they off course failed to observe is that you do no mess with Customer's heads in that way. This little mistake of theirs will become an example in marketing training classrooms as how you should not take customers for granted and how corporate businesses should not place their own interests above those of their customers. Of course whatever they say and how they made a U-turn will not take away the perception by Christians that they are frowned upon by the group. And as we all know, facts does not have anything to do with it - it is only perceptions that count
The point I actually want to make is the comments in the newspaper of the happening. Christians re-acted out of character. Comments against the actions of the Christian group brought out the ugly in people calling them all sorts of names. Not being able to communicate properly a lot of people resort to name calling.
This is a symptom of a sick society. It happens whenever people feel strongly about something and get frustrated with other people differing from them. This is how all sorts of rages start. Road rage, shoppers rage, whatever.
This exact thing occured with the recent ABSA rugby affair. Absa messed with their client's heads. People are passionate about Rugby. Whether rugby is 99% supported by the White community is of no relevance here. The bank used a political angle to mess with their clients. The same thing happened in the comments in the newspaper. Total irrational name calling and some even slanderious comments were made. It makes me wonder who actually taught some of these people to write as some of the compositions and sayings are totally blase and downright common.
I have stopped commenting on the articles if I cannot be one of the first in the morning and at least I can then comment on the actual article and not on what other people wrote !
The point I actually want to make is the comments in the newspaper of the happening. Christians re-acted out of character. Comments against the actions of the Christian group brought out the ugly in people calling them all sorts of names. Not being able to communicate properly a lot of people resort to name calling.
This is a symptom of a sick society. It happens whenever people feel strongly about something and get frustrated with other people differing from them. This is how all sorts of rages start. Road rage, shoppers rage, whatever.
This exact thing occured with the recent ABSA rugby affair. Absa messed with their client's heads. People are passionate about Rugby. Whether rugby is 99% supported by the White community is of no relevance here. The bank used a political angle to mess with their clients. The same thing happened in the comments in the newspaper. Total irrational name calling and some even slanderious comments were made. It makes me wonder who actually taught some of these people to write as some of the compositions and sayings are totally blase and downright common.
I have stopped commenting on the articles if I cannot be one of the first in the morning and at least I can then comment on the actual article and not on what other people wrote !
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Marketing: It is all in the basics
Basic stuff : Find out what people NEED & WANT and GIVE it to them :
Just understand the basics :
What is a need ?
It is something you have to have, something you can't do without. A good example is food. If you don't eat, you won't survive for long. Many people have gone days without eating, but they eventually ate a lot of food. You might not need a whole lot of food, but you do need to eat.
( So go into the NEEDS business and give the people what they need ) - see lesson one: Market research
What is a want ?
A want is something people would like to have. It is not absolutely necessary, but it would be a good thing to have. A good example is music. Now, some people might argue that music is a need because they think they can't do without it. But you don't need music to survive. You do need to eat.
These are general categories, of course. Some categories have both needs and wants. For instance, food could be a need or a want, depending on the type of food.
You need to eat protein, vitamins, and minerals. How you get them is up to you (and your family). You can eat meat, nuts, or soy products to get protein. You can get fruits and vegetables to get vitamins and minerals. You can eat yogurt or cheese to get other vitamins and minerals. You can eat bread to get still more vitamins and minerals. These basic kinds of foods are needs.
Ice cream is a want. You don't really need to eat ice cream to survive. You can eat it to get some vitamins and minerals, but other foods like cheese and yogurt give you more of those same vitamins and minerals without giving you the fat that ice cream does. Still, ice cream tastes good to many people. They like to eat it. They want it, but they don't need it. They like it, but they don't have to have it to survive.
(So go in the Wants business ) Again see lesson one : Do market research
Utilizing some of the possibilities of what I just wrote you should with a little effort find some business to start !
Just understand the basics :
What is a need ?
It is something you have to have, something you can't do without. A good example is food. If you don't eat, you won't survive for long. Many people have gone days without eating, but they eventually ate a lot of food. You might not need a whole lot of food, but you do need to eat.
( So go into the NEEDS business and give the people what they need ) - see lesson one: Market research
What is a want ?
A want is something people would like to have. It is not absolutely necessary, but it would be a good thing to have. A good example is music. Now, some people might argue that music is a need because they think they can't do without it. But you don't need music to survive. You do need to eat.
These are general categories, of course. Some categories have both needs and wants. For instance, food could be a need or a want, depending on the type of food.
You need to eat protein, vitamins, and minerals. How you get them is up to you (and your family). You can eat meat, nuts, or soy products to get protein. You can get fruits and vegetables to get vitamins and minerals. You can eat yogurt or cheese to get other vitamins and minerals. You can eat bread to get still more vitamins and minerals. These basic kinds of foods are needs.
Ice cream is a want. You don't really need to eat ice cream to survive. You can eat it to get some vitamins and minerals, but other foods like cheese and yogurt give you more of those same vitamins and minerals without giving you the fat that ice cream does. Still, ice cream tastes good to many people. They like to eat it. They want it, but they don't need it. They like it, but they don't have to have it to survive.
(So go in the Wants business ) Again see lesson one : Do market research
Utilizing some of the possibilities of what I just wrote you should with a little effort find some business to start !
Monday, September 20, 2010
The actual meaning of words
No Matter what wikipedia says this is the actual meaning of certain words when used by a woman:
“Fine”: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
“Five Minutes”: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
“Nothing”: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.
“Go Ahead”: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!
“Loud Sigh”: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)
“That's Okay”: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
“Thanks ‘: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' - that will bring on a 'whatever').
“Whatever”: Is a woman's way of saying S^%$ you!
“Don't worry, I'll do it”: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.
Thank you Paul Kruger - Moonstone for all these fine articles
“Fine”: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
“Five Minutes”: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
“Nothing”: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.
“Go Ahead”: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!
“Loud Sigh”: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)
“That's Okay”: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
“Thanks ‘: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' - that will bring on a 'whatever').
“Whatever”: Is a woman's way of saying S^%$ you!
“Don't worry, I'll do it”: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.
Thank you Paul Kruger - Moonstone for all these fine articles
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Life after the world cup
A lot has been written about the pros and cons of the world cup. Was it a good thing or a bad thing ?
And as I always content everyone has the right to his own opinion even though it might be wrong. Anyway here is some of my perspective:
We flew down to Cape Town, stayed a week and flew back to civilization - The republic of Centurion.
For one I was impressed with the obvious friendliness of the service staff all over the place - even the police walking around smiled ! The booking staff of Kulula really shined ! ( Maybe it was because it was Kulula ?)
The airport was as clean as you ever can imagine. The flight was incredible (Sorry about this but maybe it - was again the airline) We landed in Cape Town and by the time I got to the bagage retrieval our baggage was actually out - We were at the car hire within 10 minutes of landing. Now this has never happened before. Cape Town airport really sucked before the very obvious revamp.
Then the experience with the Car hire company. I was in our brand new car within 10 minutes after that.
A brand new Ford Figo - it had exactly 20 kilometers on the clock. (would have prefered a VW, but what the heck I really enjoyed this little car which I drove for just over 1200 kms during the week)
Then we booked in at the Strand Pavilion - and again - I have never had such a friendly reception anywhere at a timeshare resort. (and of course they could actually speak my home language - Afrikaans!) The service at this resort for the week was out of this world (I nearly said Out of Africa)
Why am I renting and raving about all this ? Well let me tell you if it took the world cup to make life so enjoyable they can have another one next year and I will not complain about tax payers money ever again !
One thing I am very sure about - all these improvements is not just accidental or by chance - South Africa actually stood up and said : We will be counted and the frase: Out of this world might just be changed to out of South Africa.
And as I always content everyone has the right to his own opinion even though it might be wrong. Anyway here is some of my perspective:
We flew down to Cape Town, stayed a week and flew back to civilization - The republic of Centurion.
For one I was impressed with the obvious friendliness of the service staff all over the place - even the police walking around smiled ! The booking staff of Kulula really shined ! ( Maybe it was because it was Kulula ?)
The airport was as clean as you ever can imagine. The flight was incredible (Sorry about this but maybe it - was again the airline) We landed in Cape Town and by the time I got to the bagage retrieval our baggage was actually out - We were at the car hire within 10 minutes of landing. Now this has never happened before. Cape Town airport really sucked before the very obvious revamp.
Then the experience with the Car hire company. I was in our brand new car within 10 minutes after that.
A brand new Ford Figo - it had exactly 20 kilometers on the clock. (would have prefered a VW, but what the heck I really enjoyed this little car which I drove for just over 1200 kms during the week)
Then we booked in at the Strand Pavilion - and again - I have never had such a friendly reception anywhere at a timeshare resort. (and of course they could actually speak my home language - Afrikaans!) The service at this resort for the week was out of this world (I nearly said Out of Africa)
Why am I renting and raving about all this ? Well let me tell you if it took the world cup to make life so enjoyable they can have another one next year and I will not complain about tax payers money ever again !
One thing I am very sure about - all these improvements is not just accidental or by chance - South Africa actually stood up and said : We will be counted and the frase: Out of this world might just be changed to out of South Africa.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Debating and all that jazz
I somehow landed on a contentious website the other day and had a look at some of the discussions there.
It was quite interesting to see people debating a point on this website while the owner does not respond or possibly is not even following the discussion. One thing that came out though is that some of the debaters
does not know the basic ethics of debating
As I always content : You have the right to your opinion even if it is wrong ( in my opinion ) And you have the right to state it. The present government with its blame shifting on Apartheid for everything is a good example
My basic Rule nr 1.
Debate the point - play the ball , not the man. If you do not like the other person's viewpoint don't get involved. DO NOT START CALLING THEM NAMES. Do not be defamatory. This actually places you at the lowest level in the argument. It tells the other person you are not worthy to debate with.
This happens a lot when people debate politics and religion. If you differ from the other person make your point. Do not be irrational - making points not proven is an example. Accepting so called facts where the evidence is not obvious is also a point in question. A recent article by a preacher on the creation in a newspaper is a very good example. He accepts the so-called evidence of certain scientists as absolute evidence. No questions asked. Even to the extent that he says : One cannot understand why people does not accept this ? Who is the one he is talking about. It is like talking to me and keep on asking the question:
"Of course you agree with me, don't you" This is irrational in my books.
Who are most prone to being irrational : Atheists, Some Christians, SomeVegetarians ,
Why do I say this ? They think they have a point but do not know what it is. They believe they are right without being able to say why or being prepared to listen - By the way you have 2 ears and one mouth.
You cannot get involved in a debate without being prepared to listen and to speak - Just make sense when you do.
It was quite interesting to see people debating a point on this website while the owner does not respond or possibly is not even following the discussion. One thing that came out though is that some of the debaters
does not know the basic ethics of debating
As I always content : You have the right to your opinion even if it is wrong ( in my opinion ) And you have the right to state it. The present government with its blame shifting on Apartheid for everything is a good example
My basic Rule nr 1.
Debate the point - play the ball , not the man. If you do not like the other person's viewpoint don't get involved. DO NOT START CALLING THEM NAMES. Do not be defamatory. This actually places you at the lowest level in the argument. It tells the other person you are not worthy to debate with.
This happens a lot when people debate politics and religion. If you differ from the other person make your point. Do not be irrational - making points not proven is an example. Accepting so called facts where the evidence is not obvious is also a point in question. A recent article by a preacher on the creation in a newspaper is a very good example. He accepts the so-called evidence of certain scientists as absolute evidence. No questions asked. Even to the extent that he says : One cannot understand why people does not accept this ? Who is the one he is talking about. It is like talking to me and keep on asking the question:
"Of course you agree with me, don't you" This is irrational in my books.
Who are most prone to being irrational : Atheists, Some Christians, SomeVegetarians ,
Why do I say this ? They think they have a point but do not know what it is. They believe they are right without being able to say why or being prepared to listen - By the way you have 2 ears and one mouth.
You cannot get involved in a debate without being prepared to listen and to speak - Just make sense when you do.
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