Politics, I guess

I wanted to take a moment to describe myself.  Not my hobbies or stuff like that.  All the stuff I’m not aloud to talk about at family gatherings and in the work place.  I figure it’s only appropriate here, because only people who agree with me with keep reading, and everyone who doesn’t will probably just close this and do something else.  I like to think that I have no definite stance and that I can’t be classified a certain political title.  However; I’m sure you’ll think of names to call me.

1. This is not a Christian nation.  I love that Americans have the freedom to be Christians, any other religion, or lack thereof.  I don’t care if you worship your toaster.  I just don’t want toaster-propaganda taught in public schools or toaster-law given any credit in the court room.  Everyone in America should have freedom from toasters.
2. Abortion is a weird one.  If you think it’s wrong for a religious reason, then your opinion is discredited by my first comment.  If you think it’s wrong because you think it’s killing a baby (not religious) then that’s a fair opinion.  People can argue all day and night about when it’s a baby and it’s not just a sloppy mess.  Where I stand on it is this… and this is just me… I went to one of those “Body Works” things at the museum and it showed different fetuses’ at different stages of the pregnancy.  There were some stages where I said “this isn’t a baby yet” and some where I said “yeah, it’s a baby at this point.”  I don’t remember where that point was, but I would say that point is where I think the difference of good idea and bad idea is for an abortion.  Okay, so that’s all my opinion.  I don’t think the law should be my opinion.  That line in the sand could be somewhere else for someone else, and I don’t think its right to create a law telling people what they can and can’t do with their own body.  Wishful thinking is that both sides could just compromise, like: no abortions after ___ months of the pregnancy, unless the mother’s health is in danger.  That might already be the case, in which nothing needs to be changed… in my opinion.
3. Money.  I’m going to make this as short as possible.  I think the country should act like a team or a family.  This would require we all care a little about one another.  So since that’s not going to happen, I don’t know what the solution is.  Here is my idea for taxes:  We establish how much money is the minimal amount an individual would need to live a comfortable life (I have no idea what would set that standard… lets just call it the “poverty line”).  Then, we tax everyone and equal percentage on the amount OVER that poverty line.  So, a poor person living under the poverty line would pay no taxes.  Someone who makes $1 over that line would pay the same tax percentage on their $1 as someone would pay who made $1 billion over that limit.  That just seems fair.  I don’t know.  Maybe I’m crazy.
4. I think public teachers should have SUCH good benefits and get paid SO much that teachers would be fighting over the chance to be able to teach at a public school in the ghetto.  Then schools could hire the best teachers.  This results in are youth doing better in life, and paying taxes so you can retire someday.  Also, by paying top dollar for top notch teachers, we eliminate the need for private schools, which solves the problem of children being raised to believe that “toaster-facts” are true, just so they get a better education.  And stop cutting the budgets on the people who stop your house from burning down!  That just doesn’t make sense!  Give them as much money as they need!
5. I’m not a racist.  Any political opinion you have that’s rooted in some kind of racism is not credible.  Stop talking. Stop voting.  Stop breathing.

To be Continued…

Twitter, marketing, and shit.

Pretend for a moment that you have a cast on your leg and you're having a hell of a time crossing the road.  Someone offers to help you.  After you're across, you talk briefly and learn they are on their way to their own business... Let's say its a bakery.  In a perfect world, you might consider buying a loaf of bread from them.  If you don't bring it up, they might offer for you to visit the shop.  Maybe they offer to deliver you product, on account of your leg.

It's the perfect sale, and no one knows it.  It just feels like nice people doing nice things for one another.

The problem is if we wait for the perfect scenario to unfold, we'll all go bankrupt.  This is why salesmen are doomed to be assholes.  Salesmen ask for the sale, when the customer doesn't.  When is a salesman not an asshole; when the product/service sells itself.

This is where marketing and advertising comes in... I think.

A delicious loaf of bread will sell itself to someone looking for bread.  The bread needs a salesman for someone looking for new tires.  Marketing is about finding those hungry for bread, and convincing them its delicious.  Then, it sells itself.

Marketing to me seems like the task of making things that aren't cool seem cool... And this act in itself is very uncool.  ...Unless you're presenting cool things for how cool they are.  That seems cool, but let's face it:  everything for sale isn't cool.

Ok.

So I've been giving away CDs of my band for a few weeks now on Twitter.  This is what I do:
1.  I start following people
2.  I engage in conversations.
3.  I offer people my band's CD for free
4. I mail them a CD, Sticker, and a button
5.  Wait and hope for some kind of word-of-mouth buzz to spread, which aids the success of the band's future projects.

I'm not asking for a sale.  I dont imply they owe me anything.  I'm just making friends and giving gifts.

I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW HARD IT IS TO MAKE FRIENDS AND GIVE AWAY FREE THINGS.

There is a catch to what I'm doing, but I would say its pretty mild.  I figure the more free stuff I give away, the more people will like me...  Perhaps they will feel an unconscious need to do something nice for me.  If that feeling leads to higher attendance at our shows or the SALES of future merchandise, that's the "catch."  Not too bad, right?

But go back to the baker for a second.  What if you sensed that the reason they helped you cross the street was so they had the opportunity to pitch their bakery to you... That feels different, doesn't it?

Put yourself in both shoes, I guess.

Anyone want a free CD?