Thursday's burst of creativity

So, you know how when you're just about to spend money and effort on marketing a product that you thought you were so sure about, and then you make one last call to your supplier to make sure that they still had enough of those things to sell, and they tell you "whoops - they're only available for left-handed Tahitian basket weavers" and you don't HAVE any clients who are left-handed Tahitian basket weavers?

And you know how you've already shot your mouth off to a bunch of your referral sources that you have this fabulous product that now is only available to left-handed Tahitian basket weavers, none of whom are acquainted with your referral sources?

Yeah, like that.

So, thirty minutes later, we're trying to figure out what we're going to TELL our referral sources, and we start talking about different ways that we can try to sell products to the rest of the non-Tahitian left handed basket weaving world.

And, I have a brainstorm that would create a marketing campaign that addresses most all of the concerns that our customers normally have when they buy our stuff, and we play with the concept a bit until we think that we've got it really set just right. And, then we call some of our referral sources and they LOVE the idea. And then, we call our supplier and they say .. well, yes .. that's true, that product we do have an awful lot of and no one seems to be selling it to anyone.

And then you start going through your potential customer list and you realize that there's a TON of people who could be buying this product. Like a TON.

Would that be a good day?

LINKARAMA!

Here - single payer health care could stop the flood of outsourcing.

Here - a proposed single payer health care legislative proposal for use state by state.

Here - read about the persons delivering health care and their response to proposed changes to the California health care system.

Here - the movie I'm going to watch this weekend.

I've hired someone to do the painting for me on Friday. Otherwise, it's pretty clear that's not going to happen, as I don't "feel" like doing it myself. It will be very good to have it all done.

Bram bought STYROFOAM PLATES. I about choked. I'm going to find out where he bought them and take them back.

Last link - Bill Maher's "new rules" for this week. The best part:

And finally, New Rule: If you were surprised that the Chinese don't care about toy safety, then the child who needs protecting is you. Over the last couple of months, American consumers have been learning a shocking lesson about supply and demand: if you demand products that don't cost anything, people will make them out of poison, mud and shit. Now, since April, approximately 17 million toys in the United States, all of them made in China, have been recalled. Which is amazing considering that no one in the Department of Justice can recall a thing. Okay.

Now, believe me, I was devastated when Mattel recalled almost everything in my Barbie Dream Closet. Although I had suspected something when Ken discovered a lump on his testicle.

Until recently, I never even worried about being harmed by the Chinese. Unless they were in the left-hand turn lane. I kid. I love the...

But then we found out … that their dog food was deadly and that they were making toothpaste out of antifreeze, and that the Number 62A at the Szechuan Palace is Beef with Bronchitis. They're the Chinese. They don't care if your precious little Britney sucks a little lead. Because in China, their kids aren't playing with the toys. They're the ones in the factory all day making them.

Now, I know you're saying, "But, Bill, I don't have time to ponder whether these $12 jeans are the product of child labor. I just know I'm an American on a budget and our lifestyle is a blessed one. And I want to look nice while I'm standing in line for my iPhone."

But, there is something to be said for thinking about why these bargains are such bargains. Wal-Mart is the most American thing in the universe, but all it sells is crap from China. Wal-Mart wouldn't exist without the American consumers' endless thirst for the cheapest stuff China has to offer. Like $30 DVD players and Jackie Chan. Yeah, you're right, it was a great movie.

Anyway...in America, there is nothing more sacred than a bargain... And Jackie Chan. And that even includes the war. Yeah, there's too much lead in the kids' toys, but not nearly enough on the Humvees in Iraq. "Let's have a war and cut taxes; what could go wrong?" "Let's give mortgages to the homeless. Sounds like a plan." "Let's buy toys from a Communist police state. You just know they'll put in a little extra love."

Speaking of which, you know why today's modern Chinese capitalist puts lead in the paint that goes on toys? Because it makes colors brighter. You've got to love America, a country that's literally being killed by the stuff that makes objects shiny.