Cost of a meeting for an external tool.

Let’s see,,,  Another meeting…    How many of us are creating income…   CPA – 4, electronic – 6 maybe, Radio PA (is that a profit center?) ,   Top Flight Media?  development – 4?    14+heads * 1.5 hours = 21 hours of lost selling time.   Why don’t they invite a focus group of contributors and not foot the payroll bill for the meeting?    Are ‘Unscheduled Meetings” calculated into the $190,000 (or whatever Central PA Biz Rag announced today)  cutbacks for ’09?

 

The other attendees are overhead anyway and can spend their life in meetings.

 

How about they do the meeting without a microphone and reduce the medical bills from migrains from listening to feedback screeches (do we have anyone onboard with A/V experience? Maybe we can get an intern from HACC to help us out there) and save the cost of the electricity.

 

Speaking of which… I happened to get in about 7:30 today and the board room was lighted like Vegas and two studios were powered up but vacant…   Does anyone have responsibility for the light switches here???    Who in the building has fiscal responsibility for stupid expenses?

 

Why isn’t this meeting a “click here” demo (or video if they want me to teach them how to use a digital camera) and an online Q&A?   Or are we all being issued computers for the meeting so we can experience the “look and feel”?    Maybe it’s better in a group so the presenter can maintain control and things not become a ‘critical review’.     Did we budget a redesign expense if the critics cut it apart?

 

I didn’t get the memo about when the website is being shared internally for us to see before the release date.

 

Would write more but it’s too soon after dinner.

 

Please don’t forward to an in-house friend,,, except maybe Bob R. (who is a pro at ‘playing a room’!)

 

Thank you

 

Jeff Kurtz

 Jeff

Econimic stimulus.

Live from the Democtatic Policy Committee:

“Creating Jobs, Investing in Our Country’s Future, and Cutting Taxes
For the People of Pennsylvania”

Today, by a supermajority vote of 60, the Senate sent the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 to the… How do you define a SUPER majority?

According to the White House, approximately 143,000 of these jobs will be
in Pennsylvania. ( I like this,,, a measurable quantity)

• $66.2 million through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to address the
backlog of drinking water infrastructure needs. $157.6 million through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to address the backlog of clean water infrastructure needs

($223 MM water… not pork.) $35,000/Joe the Plumber = 6,300 jobs one year

$1 billion in Highway Funding… infrastructure activities at the discretion of the states. ( $35,000/yr/hwy worker = 28,000 jobs one year)
$343.7 million in Transit Formula Funding (Phila/Pitt)
$213.2 million through the Public Housing Capital Fund (no relationship to economic crises… these people are living on state property already)
$95 million in HOME Funding…rehabilitate affordable housing and provide rental assistance to poor families ( DITTO)
$90.4 million through the Homelessness Prevention Fund (Ditto)

$27.0 MM ( aka 2.7 Billion) Education and Training in Pennsylvania. (Enabling people to apply for the jobs that haven’t been created yet)
includes the following estimated benefits for Pennsylvania:*
• $100.8 million through the State Energy Program
• $258.8 million through the Weatherization Assistance Program (jobs or energy savings for low income?

Protecting the Vulnerable in Pennsylvania. $888 MM – jobs? For counselors?
Law enforcement – $80MM – if a cop earns $40,000 that’s 2000 cops for one year – not my job man.
Unemployment – to benefit the other two guys who aren’t potential cops.
AND $400 to pay the taxes on that new job that you got!!! ( if you were a counselor, or cop)

Another fine whine.

I arrive between 6 and 7:00 am every day to this highly illuminated edifice that stands out on the Harrisburg skyline as the NPR/PBS representative to the mid-state of PA. PPL must send and receive thank-you cards and invitations to their PROFIT CENTER ON A Weeky basis!

Today I discovered that we have reduced the PRESENTATION of the magazine, unannounced, to a flier flimsy version, similar to the CLIPPER… which I slid under your door… (burst of angst) FYI, I discussed this concern with my manager today

This afternoon, at one of my advertizing venues, I picked up a copy of the FISH WRAPPER. They now have a 4-color insert that looks remarkably like our special section.

If we want to reduce expenses why not look like an environmentally conscious company that would rather provide news/information than light the east shore, and turn off our a few lights? Our building over night looks like excessive consumption. How environmentally conscious is that? Our Supporters want to see their investment used for illuminations? I have pledged, by payroll deduction. $1,000 to be a premier member to support programming. not utilities at WXYZ. Can we, the supporters of WXYZ receive a report on how much of that goes to PPL? Harrisburg International Airport doesn’t even turn their lights on until 6 AM.

A) If we want to be a gaudy tabloid, I’m afraid that I hired in to the wrong company. I understand that my job is on the line here, but that’s I took this job to be the print representative of NPR and PBS., not the merchandiser.

B) If it’s about cutting to the quick, how about going low watt AM and maybe short wave. Black and white TV and (remind me why we aren’t live on the internet and offer TONS of local programming like the third-tier WVIA in a remote economically depressed area with 12+ TRANSLATORS northeastern PA.)

C) I am retracting my offer to publish Central PA magazine as a 3rd party operator until the organization demonstrates their commitment to quality.

D) further cost savings: Engle publishing and Journal publishing do great tabloids. That may be a salvation option for your enterprise, but my sales prowess will not be there.

I truly respect your management skills, and professional demeanor. I’m guessing this is an organizational fluke and can be remedied forthwith.

Let’s look at ’09 as a year of JOURNALISTIC accomplishment and prowess.

Jeff Kurtz

Marketing Advisor

Central XYZ magazine

Opinion on trade show ROI and effectiveness

Our PBS/NPR stations do local chamber of commerce expos. I anchor deals from evey one! If the other reps aren't, then shame on them! I arrive pre-dawn with a flagon of coffee from Panera Bread or alt. and cups. Help vendors setup. greet visitors, wear a nametag as BIG AS YOUR FACE so there is no doubt. The best hour at any show? the LAST hour... that's when the business owner shows up after locking the door at the end of a long day. and half the vendors have their head in their briefcase packing to leave. There's also the concept of working the show from the attendee-side. Booths are usually filled with reps not decision makers, but they are anxious to fend off pitches by giving you the name of the decision maker, unlike the highly trained gatekeeper who answers the phone. My tip of the week? The smaller the venue, the larger the rewards. Why worry about how deep is the sea, when you are the biggest fish?

notes from Pony Club Regional Mtg. You need to know the players!

Attached are my handwritten notes from the day. Some are about projects I'm working on, but you should be able to follow the topics. Of course the meeting lasted 4 hours longer than necessary due to much rambling conversation. but we did put a calendar together.

Hidden Creek,lion country and Keystone are putting Quiz rally together, to be held at Schikellamy High school in Sunbury. Jean R is going to run Dressage rally, after the universally acclaimed mess from last year. SJ is at Dugan's. There is talk for 2010 of moving eventing qualifier to a one day in late may or early June to allow more weeks of spring training. Irv will investigate letting northern tier clubs qualify with rallys from other regions if spring weather leaves too little time to get in shape. (State college was hot on this.)

One side of the room asked dates of D4K and Syd/Kate responded "what difference does that make?".

USPC champs looses $20,000 - $30,000 each year and is loosing backing from Kentucky. They are thinking about 4 regional champs. that way they can loose $20,000 in four places the same year. Syd explained that they merely needed to charge more like USEA AEC.

Lots of folks inquired about dressge@Bloomsburg. Hidden Creek wants me to investigate using Quentin. I'm just concerned that weather could ruin the day, but we've only had one activity really shut down for rain in all these years.

They (Syd) wants to be certain that all clubs include all of the instructors that are being used so she can get them all to clinics to be sure they are teaching "proper seat". She started sounding like a priest talking bout the "one tru church" when she said (and I wish I had recorded it),"we certainly don't want to see Phillip Dutton's style appearing in Pony Club"! They want EVERYONE to attend her standards and ratings clinics. including coaches, parents, riders even if not preparing to rate.
I am supposed to supply her with Laverne's and Jen G's and Karl's & Lendon's and Dutton's (who has the wrong seat) and now the guy next week's email address so she can teach them how to teach, (so they can grow up to be as good as Syd).

Black Diamond is going to reactivate. Bridlewild is going inactive. Radnor is losing volunteers.

Kate C. sidestepped discussion about HM at eastern nationals, so Irv brought it up for her later. Some "chiefs" were demoted. His phone rang off the wall all weekend with calls from pissed parents. who aren't competitors so they don;t count. Syd and Kate are working on training the other HM Chiefs to be bitches so all are compliant. Texas requires diapers padding exposed corners on trailers and there are bugs in Connecticut. They didn;t share the rules about bugs.

When a HM judge from Delmarva gives our kids penalty points for a rule that she invented it teaches our kids how to deal with a weird boss... ( I had some difficulty interpreting this one.) ( but I have a reputation for not understanding bosses.)

12 y.o. d3 can go to champs as stable managers.

Champs shirts is a free for all... Lands End is out. Shirts from any year are acceptable, as long as they are white and each person wears at least one.

USPC insurance and hold harmless has been found to be unacceptable by landowners with lawyers in Phily suburbs. Ann D. is paying $250/day for private insurance for their activities that use shared properties. USPC pointed her to a guy in Kansas. Quote KY " We have what we have and that's all that we have".

Yvonne from Keystone has applied to be a HM queen and is going to KY to learn to be like Kate and Syd.

Did not discuss food. someone mentioned pitbull pony parents who broadcast spurious emails. "the parents need to stay out of it, it's the kids who are the competitors" (Kate). I figured run-silent-run deep.

Hidden Creek went directly to the bar. will drive home later.

Many people missed you guys. ( this is "no S##T"). Except Jane from Stirling ("We're a new club and are clueless") Stirrups who "has facilities that could accommodate any rally conceivable with hotels nearby" who expressed (somewhat privately) that there is one MLPC officer that she didn't miss... Is one of you holding out on me? so she somehow thought I needed to hear that? After all, I married at least one of you. ( don't forward this to Livia, please!) Syd announced that Radnor is center of universe and the universe is 50 miles wide(tall/round).

I think that if she announced that "We're a new club and are clueless" one more time (I think that would have been the twelfth) they would have asked her to join Southern NY or her adopted in Bermuda... Then we spent time discussing if she should have been a for-profit Center vs a non-profit club.

OH. there is one, soon to be 4 horse centers in the region. most are apparently very high end.

Jen, you're sending the packet that I was to have delivered?

see notes about when checks for rallys must be received. That lady is BIG!

Devon booth wasn't mentioned. I don't think anyone in attendance was there. (does than make them oxymoron's?) Margo was a no show. Irv mentioned his daughters in every 15 minute segment. Cote's and Pitts girls are gong to NYC or CBS or ABC. (one of Irv's kids went twice!) and Irv gets 27 emails per day because he's also on the activities committee. and now Kate is a vice RS because Irv lives up north and isn't always in the loop and if the weather prohibited him from getting to a rally there would be back up form Barb. and everyone should go to annual meeting because it's so rewarding. Next year in TX.

Whoever is putting on that clinic next weekend (all their officers are new this year) said they are looking forward to seeing Mac! ;)

My guess is that everyone headed to the bar and just didn't invite each other... I came home (to the bar.)

Writing this recap was the high point of my day. Please read it at my eulogy, should I live that long.

Jeff Kurtz

Regarding the employee party, in consideration of the client party posted below:

Regarding the HOLIDAY PARTY INVITATION (I take it that person is on the computer with the nealderthal all caps mode?)

Given the previous event (see post below):

Will I be getting the follow up memo about a vendor opportunity? Can my date sell stuff? If I sell wine would the caterer whine about free trade? If it were an upscale caterer, would that be called a fine whine? Can people pay to watch me dance? Or did I not see a band/DJ listed??? Are they looking for a DJ? I have some great 70's reel -to-reel. (would we have a way to utilize that technology?) I can do line dance lessons. (aside to internet audience: this is a radio station party) If my date is a client would I loose a g/f and a client in one dip? When we dance would that be double-dipping? If my date is a client would this be considered "on-the-clock"? ( 2...3...4...) ROTFL... Don't even want to thing about worker comp'lications! please reread the last item and post to www.justshootme.com

It's 5:50 AM on my day off... can you tell I'm having pino' for breakfast?

Jeff

Employee yard sale during Premium Client lunch.

Before I shoot my thoughts off... Is this how they do the Client apretiation day every year?

• Won't this conflict with time spent with our clients?
  Or should we tell our clients to bring their checkbooks.
  
• Is this a fund raiser ?
  
• Is there space for other employee vendors?
  
• Can our caterer get in on it by perhaps selling upgrades from coach to fine dining?
  
• If I wanted to be a vendor, would I have to take time off from my paid sales job to sell stuff?
  
• If I get hurt selling stuff not related to US , do I still get workers comp?
  
• If someone chokes on one of my brownies, do they sue me or sue 'ITF. I can bring copy of my insurance and company can sign a release.
  
• Will Bob have a Mona Vie meeting?
  
• Maybe I can signup with my bosses boss for Mona Vie and sell subscriptions... then Bob and I can profit from our client ap' day. Maybe I can sign up company and then it benefits the cause.
  comment deleted... ;)
  

This would have been perfect for Dream Dinners... eat lunch and order dinner.

We cluld acronym it the Where Is The Friggin Holiday Brazziear.

Also posted on http://www.justshootme.com/