Have you used a website like Craigslist or EBay to buy or sell something? What was the experience like? Would you use such a service again? If you haven’t, detail how you have sold or bought something outside the environment of a retailer.
I have been both a buyer and a seller on both Ebay and Craigslist. Just like my previous post, I think both sites offer wonderful advantages but it doesn't mean you don't have to use your brain!
The film company I work for has an Ebay rating of 100%. We have to use Ebay to stay alive. In 2009 we traveled to France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Monoco, The Canary Islands and the UK to shoot film documenting the most wnning team in professional cycling - Team HTC Columbia. In order to accurately capture ever minute of the Tour de France, various interviews and B Roll shots, we employed the use of 14 cameras! A few of those camera cost well over 7 thousand dollars. You add all that up plus any other miscellaneous item and it's enough to cover the average JMU teachers salary for two years.
So when the project was done, we had to get rid of the inventory and recoup money lost. We do this with ever project infact - technology changes so quickly that we have cycle in newer toys every time anyhow. Ebay is the answer.
In order to avoid getting screwed, there are a few rules we follow -
1.) Never sell overseas
2.) Be honest, take LOTS of pictures and explain why are getting ride of the item.
We sold everything, no problems, no kinks no nothing.
When I was 12 years old I got into cycling - I was short and had no coordination so basketball wasn't really my thing. I found a pair of used Time pedals I wanted - (They allow you to lock your feet to the pedals for extra control over the bike. And yes they are very safe.) The pedals were 7 bucks. I got them right away and even if I hadn't, I still would have only been out 7 bucks.
Last year, during the epic winter storms, I was unable to train on my bike due to the 3 feet of snow. So I found some cross country skis on Craig's List. I wasn't about to have anyone mail me anything or send a check willy nilly. Luckily, I came across a woman who had multiple pairs who lived 10 minutes away. For safety reasons we me at the elementary school and exchanged goods. They were crap but I knew what I was paying for before I got them.
So thus far my experiences have been very good. I use both a lot more than I illustrated but those were just a few examples of my experience with the services. If you use your head, you won't get screwed (theoretically.)
Saturday, September 25, 2010
It Can't Be True If It's On the Internet!
1. You have an important personal question you’d like answered. Explain the procedure for getting your question answered and why this method appeals to you (you don’t need to get specific, but let’s assume the answer does not require specific expert knowledge, as from a doctor).
When I was growing up, through middle school and high school, teachers often required an extensive work cited page for any essay we wrote. Naturally -we were using others' words. But most teachers also required that we have five print sources to balance out our internet based finds. The reasoning was that we couldn't trust that the internet was right (as if the internet were all-knowing individual.) Books and respectable print dailies like the New York Times could be trusted without any question of a doubt. (Woops...Ever heard of Jayson Blair?)
When I was growing up, through middle school and high school, teachers often required an extensive work cited page for any essay we wrote. Naturally -we were using others' words. But most teachers also required that we have five print sources to balance out our internet based finds. The reasoning was that we couldn't trust that the internet was right (as if the internet were all-knowing individual.) Books and respectable print dailies like the New York Times could be trusted without any question of a doubt. (Woops...Ever heard of Jayson Blair?)
Over the years, maybe partly due to the development of the internet, I have come to believe that just because its printed its reliable, is a crock! There have been multiple occasions where I have used online databases and electronic journals as sources for me projects. Theses exact pieces can be found in print as well. Does that make the online version inherently less reliable? No.
Now let me clarify - I don't believe all internet resources to be reliable, of course not. We have to use our brains to decipher what is and what isn't. Let's take Wikipedia for example. Again teachers always told us to never use Wikipedia. I call bullshit on that! Go to Wikipedia and type in Coca Cola.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca_cola#cite_note-0
Now the teachers tell us not to believe a word of Wikipedia because anybody could edit this page. The first sentence states that Coca Cola is sold in over 200 countries. If I told the teacher that I found out this information from Wikipedia, she would flunk me. BUT if I click the "1" footnote following that sentence, I find a list of sources. I follow the corresponding link back to Coca Cola's Website and walla - there it also says that the delicious soda beverage is served in 200+ countries. If I turn that in, I'll get an A. Moral of the story - Wikipedia itself might not always have the correct answers but the list of sources each topic provides is a sure bet to efficient knowledge gathering.
Now having said all of that - when I need to figure out something for work, school, or jsut because I am curious as to why there are so many indoor football leagues, I turn to the internet. I used to ask Jeeves. But he wasn't very helpful so I turned to Google. Sometimes I'll type in the whole question and wind up on various forums where my exact question has been asked, and answered by other various users. Other times, I 'll just search keywords and sift for the answer myself. I usually back up my info gathering by checking multiple places to see if the answers are congruent.
Most recently, I was curious as to how to get my company's film, Chasing Legends, onto itunes. You can't just cll up Apple and expect someone to know. So I googled it. Turns out the process is a real pricey, expensive, and long process unless you are backed by one of the big guys - Universal, Warner, Sony etc... To be certain the process which I had pieced together from Apples vague description on their website to multiple forums, I called up a company that supposedly handles this request. They confirmed what I found. Good enough for me and it only took 30 minutes.
These days efficiency is everything. So whats wrong with using Google Mrs. Redding? (middle school teacher who despised the internet.)
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Google, Yahoo and my MVP card
1. Both Google and Yahoo have been criticized for censoring their search results in China. What are your feelings about this? Why should Google, or why should Google not, produce different search results for different countries?
Of course living in the United States, we are given not only the privilege but the right to information free of censorship (well, at least outlined as so in the Constitution but not necessarily enforced or followed given various pressures from advertisers, and higher-up's political agendas etc but that's a whole different story.) Having never lived in, nor visited a country like China, it is difficult for me to understand their way of life. It is difficult for me to understand a more strict society and without any deep knowledge of their culture, commenting on this aspect of it would be ignorant and naive.
From Google's standpoint, however, initially I couldn't understand why it was their problem to begin with. I realize however that if Google does not cooperate with these requests, then they will be banned al together. If they are banned, their goes the cash. If they are banned altogether, there's no place to stick ads and therefore no way to collect on one of the largest populations in the world.
The Chinese government wants to stay in control and limit the amount that western culture influences their own. Preserving their history and way of life is important. Google and Yahoo do not have the responsibility to assist in this, but they do have the responsibility to ensure that their own businesses stays in business. Even though I would hate it if I couldn't look for episodes of Hard Knocks or watch streaming videos form the Tour de France, I can understand, from a financial standpoint why Google and Yahoo would limit searching.
2. Chapter 2 revealed the reason behind grocery loyalty cards. How do you feel about the use of these cards that offer us discounts at the cash register? Do you feel your purchasing privacy is worth a discount?
First off, the store cards are a joke. A responsible consumer would not trust a grocery store's own "discount." You can buy peaches from Food Lion for $1.99/lb, but with your MVP card -and oh man do I feel valuable with this card! - with your MVP card you can save 20 cents per pound. Wow...20 cents! That's terrific, right? Wrong. You can get the same deal on peaches form your local farmer on Saturday mornings under the awning downtown. Super Wal Mart is such a massive force and can force low low prices form their vendors (and because they pay their workers 4 dollars below the average retail mega center wage.) Peaches at Walmart cost $66/lb....more than half off.
Just like any business, the grocery store is out to make money - and there is nothing wrong with that - but consumers need to realize that just like retails outlets like Gap or a bike shop, grocery stores have to purchase their product from other vendors. Then they mark it up to pay back what they owe, their business costs, and net some profit. The "discount" is the marked up price, what they expect to be paid. The rest is just butter!
Having said that, every week I am forced to choose between the limited yet delicious selection at the farmers market, the fake discount, and my moral problem with shopping at a place that crushes family business by driving prices into the ground and never paying overtime to their employees who already earn minimum wage. And just like the business looking for ways to make more money and save more money, I the consumer, am looking for ways to save it and spend less. So when I am at places that offer the "discount" of course I use it. Type in my phone number, swipe my MVP card...yup I do it.
But the real solution: Sharp Shopper. Bulk and excess food that the grocery giants cant get rid of find a foster home in Sharp Shopper. Two 32 OZ tubs of peach Yoplait yogurt...50 cents each. And if you can stand Fruit O's from Iowa based grocery store Hy-Vee (Kurt Warner stocked shelves here before winning a superbowl) rather than Fruit Loops, you are in the right place. And there is no MVP card. Everyone is VIP there.(Just be careful, some things are close to expiration.)
Of course living in the United States, we are given not only the privilege but the right to information free of censorship (well, at least outlined as so in the Constitution but not necessarily enforced or followed given various pressures from advertisers, and higher-up's political agendas etc but that's a whole different story.) Having never lived in, nor visited a country like China, it is difficult for me to understand their way of life. It is difficult for me to understand a more strict society and without any deep knowledge of their culture, commenting on this aspect of it would be ignorant and naive.
From Google's standpoint, however, initially I couldn't understand why it was their problem to begin with. I realize however that if Google does not cooperate with these requests, then they will be banned al together. If they are banned, their goes the cash. If they are banned altogether, there's no place to stick ads and therefore no way to collect on one of the largest populations in the world.
The Chinese government wants to stay in control and limit the amount that western culture influences their own. Preserving their history and way of life is important. Google and Yahoo do not have the responsibility to assist in this, but they do have the responsibility to ensure that their own businesses stays in business. Even though I would hate it if I couldn't look for episodes of Hard Knocks or watch streaming videos form the Tour de France, I can understand, from a financial standpoint why Google and Yahoo would limit searching.
2. Chapter 2 revealed the reason behind grocery loyalty cards. How do you feel about the use of these cards that offer us discounts at the cash register? Do you feel your purchasing privacy is worth a discount?
First off, the store cards are a joke. A responsible consumer would not trust a grocery store's own "discount." You can buy peaches from Food Lion for $1.99/lb, but with your MVP card -and oh man do I feel valuable with this card! - with your MVP card you can save 20 cents per pound. Wow...20 cents! That's terrific, right? Wrong. You can get the same deal on peaches form your local farmer on Saturday mornings under the awning downtown. Super Wal Mart is such a massive force and can force low low prices form their vendors (and because they pay their workers 4 dollars below the average retail mega center wage.) Peaches at Walmart cost $66/lb....more than half off.
Just like any business, the grocery store is out to make money - and there is nothing wrong with that - but consumers need to realize that just like retails outlets like Gap or a bike shop, grocery stores have to purchase their product from other vendors. Then they mark it up to pay back what they owe, their business costs, and net some profit. The "discount" is the marked up price, what they expect to be paid. The rest is just butter!
Having said that, every week I am forced to choose between the limited yet delicious selection at the farmers market, the fake discount, and my moral problem with shopping at a place that crushes family business by driving prices into the ground and never paying overtime to their employees who already earn minimum wage. And just like the business looking for ways to make more money and save more money, I the consumer, am looking for ways to save it and spend less. So when I am at places that offer the "discount" of course I use it. Type in my phone number, swipe my MVP card...yup I do it.
But the real solution: Sharp Shopper. Bulk and excess food that the grocery giants cant get rid of find a foster home in Sharp Shopper. Two 32 OZ tubs of peach Yoplait yogurt...50 cents each. And if you can stand Fruit O's from Iowa based grocery store Hy-Vee (Kurt Warner stocked shelves here before winning a superbowl) rather than Fruit Loops, you are in the right place. And there is no MVP card. Everyone is VIP there.(Just be careful, some things are close to expiration.)
Saturday, September 4, 2010
About Me
My name is Curtis Winsor and I am a SMAD (Media Arts and Design) Major in my senior year.
In 2008 I joined a small, but well established and award winning, independent film group, Gripped Films. They produce, outdoor documentaries, corporate videos, and ad pieces. After signing on as not much more than a deck hand, I traveled to Alaska for a 15-day shoot in the Tongas National Rain Forrest boating and flying via sea plane from island to island capturing the beautiful and diverse wildlife of the region.
Embarking on a new project with Gripped Films in 2009 my duties were no longer, "Here's your coffee sir," but rather I was working side by side the producers. What started out as a dare between the two producers became one of the most well received documentaries in its genre. We spent two months abroad in France, Italy, Spain, Monaco, and Switzerland shooting Chasing Legends - a deep into the number 1 team in the world at the Tour de France, Team HTC-Columbia. We were stuffed into their back pockets filming every move.
After a year of strenuous work, the film was complete in time for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California and since the theatrical premiere, Chasing Legends has sold out nearly every theatre it has stopped at along its independent film tour.
With Gripped Films my duties included, shooting, editing multiple special features, designing, creating, and managing out online presence, design and scheduling of ads, all general promotional efforts, scheduling events, and keeping the producers form killing each other :-P.
When I am not working or in school, I am also a cyclist. I am a "Category 1" racer which means that I am at the highest level of competitive cycling you can do. I race professionally, but am not a pro yet (kind of like when practice squad players get brought up in week 6 to replace an injured player.)
When I graduate in May, I intend to continue with Gripped Films, further my personal freelance business, and pursue racing professionally for a few years.
This class looks like it will help me further understand how the internet is changing and how it can be used to benefit business, my own personal life and gather and distribute information more effectively and efficiently.
In 2008 I joined a small, but well established and award winning, independent film group, Gripped Films. They produce, outdoor documentaries, corporate videos, and ad pieces. After signing on as not much more than a deck hand, I traveled to Alaska for a 15-day shoot in the Tongas National Rain Forrest boating and flying via sea plane from island to island capturing the beautiful and diverse wildlife of the region.
Embarking on a new project with Gripped Films in 2009 my duties were no longer, "Here's your coffee sir," but rather I was working side by side the producers. What started out as a dare between the two producers became one of the most well received documentaries in its genre. We spent two months abroad in France, Italy, Spain, Monaco, and Switzerland shooting Chasing Legends - a deep into the number 1 team in the world at the Tour de France, Team HTC-Columbia. We were stuffed into their back pockets filming every move.
After a year of strenuous work, the film was complete in time for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California and since the theatrical premiere, Chasing Legends has sold out nearly every theatre it has stopped at along its independent film tour.
With Gripped Films my duties included, shooting, editing multiple special features, designing, creating, and managing out online presence, design and scheduling of ads, all general promotional efforts, scheduling events, and keeping the producers form killing each other :-P.
When I am not working or in school, I am also a cyclist. I am a "Category 1" racer which means that I am at the highest level of competitive cycling you can do. I race professionally, but am not a pro yet (kind of like when practice squad players get brought up in week 6 to replace an injured player.)
When I graduate in May, I intend to continue with Gripped Films, further my personal freelance business, and pursue racing professionally for a few years.
This class looks like it will help me further understand how the internet is changing and how it can be used to benefit business, my own personal life and gather and distribute information more effectively and efficiently.
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