Complain To Gain

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Hmm growing up back then and growing up right now… which is better?

Well let us do a quick little comparison of things available to the youth back then and what is available right now.

Won’t you join me as we talk a little trip back in time.

It seems that as soon as a child is at the grand age of 5 it appears that the parents of today feel it is appropriate and somewhat necessary to arm their children with a cell phone.

But back in the day it was walkie talkies. Oh ya you know what I am talking about.

You would beg your parents to take you to the mall so you could use your free battery of the month card courtesy of Radio Shack and they would begrudgingly hand you over a power cell.

That would of course power your energy sucking walkie talkie for a grand total of about 1 day.

And for the other 29 days in the month you would just have to pretend your walkie talkie worked.

When in reality that is pretty much what you were doing any how.

Since even though the antenna on those things was about 6 feet and you had to have the red warning lights on them at night as to warn surrounding aircraft.

The range of them… hmm well have you ever tried the old tin can with string followed on the other end by another tin can??

You know how far you could do that with well instead of using string they replaced it with a 9 volt battery and you got pretty much the same sound quality and distance from them as you did with the cans and string.

But man did they look neat!

Now you have the portable hand held games. The gameboys, the psp’s the nintendo dxs etc etc.

With the ability to watch movies, play against your friends etc.

Back in the day we had hand held games.

Ohh ya we had them.

Except that they were just green lines or dots.

Ah electronic football.

Running past all of the other green hyphens dodging left then right.

There was no passing in this game.

It was hard core.

Nothing but one green hyphen running down the painted on football field.

Hardcore I said.

No need for banners and waving fans in the bleachers all that was needed back in the day was a poorly drawn football field with up rights on both ends of the 2.5 inch screen.

And the sound of triumph didle det dit di dee when the green hyphened warrior finally crossed the goal line.

No penalties no offside no rules it was a man’s game.

Nothing but running.

As I said back in the day it was hardcore.

Of course we could play against our friends also.

They just had to wait until we were finished  and then they would have to turn the game on and off to start the cycle of fun all over again.

Ahhh back in the day……..

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

I am sure all 3 of those names quickly fill our minds with the awesome power of mother nature.

But they have more in common then meets the naked eye.

All 3 of them were hit with a sudden slap from mother nature.

Which caught them all off guard, all unprepared and most importantly in desperate need of help.

Which leads me to the just of this post.

Looting.

You know the free for all when a natural disaster strikes the infrastructure is down well the only obvious thing to do is to do some looting.

Since everything is free once a natural disaster strikes???

But the thing that really makes me scratch my head is the images I have recently seen on tv about Chile.

And to be fair I saw the exact same images when the disaster hit the other 2 areas.

People breaking into what ever is left of stores and grabbing anything they can.

And I can not stress the last part of that statement enough.

Anything they can.

For example I saw on the news the other day a guy walking around with what appeared to be a small fridge on his back???

And in New Orleans I saw people wondering around with large bunches of running shoes?

Now call me crazy, call me what ever you want just call me.

But if I was faced with a no water, no food situation the last thing I would be looting was running shoes?

I would be hitting up the grocery store.

But if I may I am going to digress a bit here and reflect back on that moron carrying  a fridge on his back.

The guy could barely even walk the thing was so heavy.

Which makes me wonder.

If common criminals are capable of carrying large home appliances on their back then I have to wonder what the average person sitting under a tarp waiting for some help rather than trying to help themselves is capable of doing……

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

So you have finally got your web page up, your digital product all polished and ready to be downloaded.

But you have to find a online payment processor.

( I of course left out the most important piece of this puzzle is getting traffic to your website) Since no matter how good your product is or how wonderful your web site looks it will die in the water without traffic.

But this blog post is not about SEO it is about Clickbank.

Have you ever heard the expression always read the fine print?

Well before you even consider opening up a Clickbank account I strongly encourage you to read all of the rules and regulations regarding using their service.

Especially the clauses regarding how, when and under what circumstances you will get your money.

I am not going to get into numbers here folks since as we all know that once you put something on the web it is there pretty much indefinitely.

So in order to not date this article I am going to avoid specific amounts.

So you wake up one morning and log into your Clickbank account and see that you finally have a sale!

Wow you immediately start to think hey making money online isn’t that difficult at all.

But before you go out spending that money stop right there.

Since upon reading the fine print of the contract you have with Clickbank you suddenly notice that you won’t be getting a penny of that money unless you have more sales??

Hmm but you say to yourself.

I sold a product and I want my money.

Well unfortunately folks Clickbank doesn’t follow that simple transactional rule.

A purchase was made.

They have the funds and now it is time for them to distribute it to you.

You have to wait for several more sales before you will see one cent of the money that is owed to you.

And the transactions have to be from different individuals?

What?

Who cares if one person bought your product 5 times (yes I do realize that sounds strange) but bottom line they received the money and now it is time for them to pay you.

But Clickbank does not play by those rules.

They have their own rules.

And if perhaps you got lucky so to speak and sold only one unit and then you have a dry spell.

Well Clickbank will quietly chip away at the funds they are holding for you.

Until you are left with nothing.

So my advice for newbies trying to get on the big bad world wide web.

And once again I am intentionally omitting getting traffic from this post.

Would be to start out slow and cheap.

Instead of rushing out and paying Clickbank the fee to open up an account.

And then getting all excited when you make your first sale and quickly realize that you won’t be seeing that money from old Clickbank.

Try a cheaper alternative first.

And if you do decide to jump in and play with the big boys make sure you read the fine print.

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

For any of you out there that are into Internet Marketing (IM) no folks IM in this case does not mean instant messaging.

You are well aware of the latest and greatest crazy to hit the internet highway.

Give away everything you have for free?

Yup for those of you not in the IM loop that is what all of the “gurus” are encouraging the masses to do.

Since they are doing it.

But if you take a closer look at the free “stuff” that they are claiming on giving away you will notice something very peculiar.

It is nothing more than things that they “claim” they have made millions off the masses previously from.

So are they really giving anything away for free?

Well technically yes since it is a product that they have spent ” hundreds of thousands of dollars developing” a classic statement made by most IM gurus.

Although if you have ever been to a conference or seminar by one of the IM gurus they are very quick to tell you how they outsource all of their coding etc to overseas where they can get it done for next to nothing.

Hmm so how does next to nothing add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars???

Well quite simply it doesn’t.

As I have stated in previous posts IM is all about smoke and mirrors.

Showing photo shopped documents with earnings, costs etc.

The classic supply and demand get it now before it’s all gone since we are selling out quickly.

I would now like to digress just for a moment here.

So bare with me folks well I take you a magical trip known as internet marketing reality 101.

As most people are aware 90% of pretty much everything sold via IM is done via digital download.

Which means there are no physical products to “run out of.”

As long as your sever doesn’t blow up you can sell and sell and sell and sell and….

Until the cows come home.

So there is no such thing as selling out of a product that is distributed via the web as a download.

But let us not get to carried away here folks as we quickly go back to the old free line theory since I think I have made my point here.

Ok back to the main just of this the blog post.

Free line.

Good thing of bad?

I look at giving away things for free in this very simple equation.

If it cost me some money then yes I might give it away for free.

If it cost me my time…. there is no way that is going to happen.

Since money is something although at times it may be difficult but never the less it is something that can be replaced i.e. a commodity.

Unlike time is something no matter how much you try, how much money you have once it is gone it is gone forever.

If you have invested countless hours of your time into developing a product i.e my book complaintogain there is no chance that I will ever be giving it away for free.

I have invested several thousand dollars on purchasing software etc to develop my website (ya I know you would never know to look at it) but it is a work in progress.

And I encourage everyone else out there that if you have put your blood sweat and tears into a product along with some cash then by no means give it away for free!

Regardless of what the IM gurus are saying.

They can afford it.

And in most cases people like you and me can not.

And as stated above what are they actually giving away for free?

Other than something that they have made their fortunes on ( a claim made by the IM gurus) but has yet ever been proven from any reliable sources other than the doctored earnings statements they are so proud to display in their videos on their sales page.

There are a few things I live my life by.

One of them is my word.

I may not have much but if I give you my word it is golden.

And another is never give up.

I would much rather die being broke, and homeless (which is a looming possibility as of recent).

Then to do something or say something that I don’t strongly believe in.

Call me a fool call me crazy but if you are going to die. Die with your boots on!

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

My question to everyone is what do these “congressional hearings ” accomplish?

Other than an opportunity for the “selected” congress people  and I use that word very loosely to show off their inability to speak English?

Or to show the American public that old Uncle Sam is protecting you from a whole host of things.

Please.

Oh the congress is going to be so hard on so and so.

They are going to have them squirming in their seats,

And………………..

Well unfortunately it is and nothing.

They ask some hard questions.

The person or group before them answers them and…..

And nothing once again.

What was accomplished by “grilling” the CEO of toyota?

He apologized and said he would fix the problems.

Done.

Now could that not have been done hmmm maybe via a teleconference, email, fax of heaven forbid snail mail?

Without all of the hoopla, cameras, live media coverage.

The answer is of course it could have been done that way.

But how else are the members of the congress able to justify their outrageous salaries and perks if they did not show the American public.

Hey look at me I am working hard for you the tax payer.

And thank you very very much for letting me do so.

Wink wink.

I personally feel that Toyota was singled out since a) they were the world’s most successful automaker for years now b) that North American automotive industry had to get money from the American government to stay afloat.

Which is an embarrassment all it’s own.

But now would it make sense for the “congress” to put flaws in North American auto makers vehicles under the scrutiny?

Hmm let me see.

No.

Why?

Well quite simply since most Americans were not happy about having to fork over taxpayer dollars to help a private industry that through it’s own demise dug itself into a hole it could not get out of.

And for all of those people wondering around crying the sky is falling the sky is falling.

I can no longer drive my Toyota due to safety concerns?

The mass hysteria brought on by none other the media.

I think the media should stop and think before posting any type of news.

Since it is apparent that the world’s general population is incapable of independent thoughts.

Well if Joe is doing it I should do it also.

Instead of looking at the facts and then going to another source and another source and making one’s own mind up  rather than being directly influenced by the “media.”

Sorry folks the media is not there to inform you of world events.

The media is a business.

And what ever makes them more money then they are going to follow that story.

So for all of those Toyota owners out there breaking into theatrical tears when ever they mention they are stuck driving a death trap.

Stop and think.

Hmm how long have I owned this car?

Have I had any of the problems that are pasted all over the media as of recent?

If the answer is no then get one with your life and stop worrying about what if’s.

And for those of you whom like to crunch numbers….

Well look at the quantity of Toyota’s sold worldwide.

Millions upon millions.

And how many have had problems?

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

I am sure everyone whom is interested in the 2010 winter Olympics heard about the hockey game on Sunday?

Canada being a hockey nation was in shock after their loss to the Americans.

But are the Canadians and Americans at a disadvantage when it comes to Olympic hockey?

True enough that a large majority of the world’s best players are playing on either team.

But they also play in the NHL.

And were doing so up until a couple of days before they started to play as  a team.

Which means there is essentially zero time to gel as a team.

Looking at the Eastern European teams (and they do also have a few players playing in the NHL also) they have teams that play together as a whole for months if not years before the Olympics start.

Now is the glass half empty or half full?

Although the North American teams have pretty much all of the stars of the NHL on their teams they have no time to gel.

Which was very apparent in the game between Canada and the United States.

Sorry all of you team America fans but the Canadians outplayed and took the Americans to school on that game.

Stick checking, passing and out shooting them 2:1  you would have sworn you were watching team Canada play against a University team.

The down fall for team Canada was their pathetic goal tending.

Bottom line.

Any one who watches hockey/ has played the sport would agree with that.

But the bottom line it is the end result that counts.

So Vancouver and Canada for that matter are walking on eggshells right now.

There is a big game tonight against the Germans.

But to be honest this game would generally not draw any hard core hockey fans interest.

But due to the fact of the loss on Sunday is it a make or break situation for team Canada for medal contention.

So maybe the advantage that the Eastern European teams have as playing as a unit for considerable amount of time may be to their advantage.

Or maybe the world’s best hockey players may show up tonight and show them how it’s done.

I guess we will have to wait and see…..

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

You can walk anywhere in the city of Vancouver or Whistler for that matter without seeing them.

The blue coats.

The ones with the large piece of plastic hanging from their necks.

Saying to the world.

I am a volunteer!

Hear me roar!

They walk around all proud thinking that they are better than the common folk here in town.

No matter what they are doing or where they are going their outright refusal to take off that hideous looking uniform with that sign board dangling from their necks does nothing but make me laugh.

On the weekend when I was up in Whistler I met a gent who had traveled here from Boston?

To do what?

To be a volunteer???

Now don’t get me wrong here folks I have volunteered many an hour at non-profit organizations over the years.

This gentleman had to pay for his own way to Vancouver, then had to pay for his own accommodations and nothing but a good old slap on the back good job for putting in the countless hours of “volunteering.”

Oh lest we forget the ugly blue jacket and pants.

If the Olympics were a non-profit organization then I would have no problem with this.

But in actuality the Olympics are a monster cash making machine.

Since they have no problem paying the upper level people.

You know the ones I am talking about.

The ones that stand around and do nothing.

Or more than likely just sit around and reap all of the benefits of the games.

i.e.  free tickets to all events, parties, parties and more parties.

But for the people whom are carrying the Olympics on their backs….

What do they get.

Nothing.

Oh I should mention that the IOC was so kind to let all of the volunteers in for a sneak peak at a dress rehearsal of the opening ceremonies.

And from what I saw of the actual opening ceremonies that isn’t much of a consolation.

Now don’t get me wrong here folks I am all for volunteering.

What I am all against is a major corporation using people to carry their product from start to finish and only supplying them with a jacket, pants and some memories.

While they laugh all the way to the bank and wait another 4 years and do it all over again.

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Well I made it up to Whistler on Sunday was hoping to catch the women’s downhill but was postponed and was actually held today.

Took a private train there.

Was great.

Being waited on hand and foot with an open bar life is good.

Wondered around the village check out all of the sites.

Got my picture taken with the Olympic rings that are in the village.

Took the peak to peak gondola.

Warning that thing is not for the faint of heart.

Was strange being on a gondola surrounded by skiers and snowboarders.

Since typically that would have been me.

But my ex-girlfriend never learned to ski so there was no skiing that day.

What a pity the snow was awesome!!!

And the hill was pretty much empty to boot.

You have to take a gondola up and then transfer to the peak to peak.

Starting out wasn’t bad since in typical gondola fashion there are towers every several hundred meters.

But then suddenly nothing.

You are dangling way up and I mean waaaay up only on a cable.

No tower in site.

The next tower is close to 2 miles in the distance.

And at a height of 1400 feet it kind of gives you chills to your stomach.

Well after that heart pounding experience we went to get something to eat.

Longhorn’s Saloon. Right smack dab in the center of Whistler village.

Won’t ever and I mean ever be going back to that dump.

We sat ourselves down outside under a heat lamp since it was a bit chilly that day.

Waitress comes over and asks us if we want something to drink.

We looked at each other and said just a couple of cokes.

Then the waitress asked if I had a credit card?

I was carrying my platinum American Express with me but there was no way I was going to give it to her to start a tab??

What?

I told her no then she asked if I had a debit card same answer no I don’t.

I informed her we would be paying with cash.

Well did that ever get her nose out of joint.

Since from that point on the service was….hmm let see how can I say this deplorable!

She never showed her face back at our table until our meal was complete.

The food is disgusting.

What ever you do DO NOT EAT there.

I ordered some chicken strips and fries.

Out came some deep fried bricks that I struggled to cut with a knife!

Along with a grand total of 13 french fries.

Yes folks 13 french fries.

All of this for the little sum of $14.

There was more open space in the basket that it was served in then Buckingham Palace with no furniture in it.

I am not even going to mention the fact that eating those dry fried without the assistance of some ketchup was icing to the cake.

Once again compliments of the waitress whose nose got out of shape since I didn’t surrender my credit card to open up a tab???

For a couple of cokes.

And that was all we got since I long finished my coke well before my meal was served yet the kind hearted waitress did not see fit to see if I wanted another one.

Then to add insult to this completely horrific lunch hour adventure.

My ex-girlfriend went into use the washroom.

And upon entering the building the waitress confronted her asking if she left money on the table!!

Then like an eagle diving for a trout in a lake she came swooping down to our table flipped open the bill and asked if we needed any change.

I should also mention the fact that the waitress was so kind as to place the bill on our table before  right after she had delivered our cokes.

So my advice when you go to Whistler is definitely do the peak to peak and stay away far away from Longhorn’s Saloon unless you want to be treated like S##t  and then be served it too.

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

For any of you that may  have missed the current buzz on the net.

A new way to say slanderous hurtful things about people without anyone ever knowing..

Yet there is a twist… a program that lets you set it up and invite people to say these things about you?

What???

The only people that are prone to use this type of program/web page are people who are so insecure in the first place.

That are always worried about what others think about them.

Paranoid that someone is talking about them somewhere.

But thanks to the old information highway the solution has finally arrived.

A way for the emotionally weak to find another way to not go out of the house and sit in front of their computers and live in their altered sense of reality.

I sense in the near future the creators of this wonderful?? piece of technology may find themselves in court.

Since Susie put up one of these boxes/ web pages or what ever the hell it is and all of the negative comments caused them to end her  life.

We have seen it before on some  of the more popular social media sites and this one is just asking for trouble.

Even though the comments are ” anonymous”  and even that part of the equation is probably the most disturbing.

Since for all you know the person whom is taking your silly little poll more than likely doesn’t know you from a hole in the ground.

And even if they did.

I strongly believe in this principle.

If you have something to say about or to someone say it to their face.

If you can’t say it to their face don’t bother saying it at all.

Since any coward can lay out a verbal lashing on someone.

But it take a real man/woman to say it to your face.

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com

Well I am sure everyone knows that the Vancouver Olympics are just around the corner.

Or to be more precise tomorrow.

I guess there is nothing more true for at least me in the old adage. Don’t burn your bridges.

Case in point.

Currently I am staying with an ex-girlfriend from many many moons ago.

We left on amicable terms and have kept in touch over the years.

So to make a long story short I am staying at her apartment in my own room I might add.

No funny business going on here folks.

With an excellent view of English Bay in Vancouver and starting every night at around 6 pm the light show down by Sunset beach.

All free of charge I might add.

But enough about me bragging about my awesome accommodation.

Last night my ex-girlfriend and I were up to the wee hours talking about the impact the Olympics will/and have had on Vancouver.

The cost of holding these games is truly mind boggling.

1 billion dollars for security alone?

Yes folks that is a one with 9 zeros following it.

Then the city of Vancouver had to pick up the cost of the Olympic village housing.

Add another several hundred million.

From the numbers that we were roughly crunching last night we came up with a total of about 2 billion dollars.

Give or take 100 million here or there.

Either way that is one hell of a lot of money to hold something that will last 2 weeks?

Yes they will have a nice speed skating oval??

Hmm I am trying to think the last time myself or anyone in the general population per-took in any type of “speed skating.”

Then there is the bobsled run??

Another thing that I feel pretty safe in saying that very few people will be using that facility either.

While watching the morning news today I saw that the province of British Columbia is pretty much like every other country, city, territory in the world is facing some hard financial times.

And they don’t have enough money to pay their teachers fair wages, keep schools open, fund activities etc.

And the numbers that they were throwing around were not 100’s of millions of dollars.

5-10 million dollars here and there.

Now let me see if I were to do my math correctly how many 10 millions go into 2,000,000,000…

One hell of a lot is what I came up with.

So who is really benefiting from the Olympic games?

The general population of Vancouver?

Not in any way shape or form.

They will be paying for the Olympic debt for years and years and years to come.

The only thing that the local Vancouverite’s are gaining from the Olympics is a king sized headache.

Road closures, transit changes, price increase, and the lovely feeling that they will be feeling lonnnng after the Olympic games have come and gone.

The big ugly debt that it left behind.

I can’t remember where I heard or read this but someone said that the Olympic games should be abolished.

Due to the fact that it is nothing more than a money making machine for those who are in the chosen circle.

The contractors, the builders, the politicians etc etc.

For the rest of those unfortunate to be in it’s path…. well look out since trust me you will remember the Olympics for many many many years to come.

Learn how to complain effectively and get results! www.complaintogain.com