Ludington Talks: Ad Money Matters-- People Don't

[Tom Torquema]

Sorry all for snubbing the Ludington Torch since joining about a month ago.  I have been devoting more time to an ailing father and my business, so I have been away from the keyboard lately, until this last weekend.

 

I got on Ludington Talks and started a thread about Census 2010, and had even gotten a couple of thoughtful comments from torcholders Dave and Edie, when I went back later on Sunday, the thread was gone!  I sent Shoreline Media the following message:

 

"I had a thread titled "Earn Some Money and Help Your Community" about employment opportunities with the 2010 Census which was deleted by your spirited censorial keyboard.  I am from Ohio, and I understand that the recession has been particularly hard on your state so I offered some advice on where to find information on and apply for the 2010 Census for those who read Ludington Talks.  Apparently, you perceived it as an unpaid advertisement, which it was not meant to be.  Will I get my words deleted if I post a comment on why I prefer Coke over Pepsi?

 

Some of your members and their families who were down on their luck now have less of an opportunity to rebound thanks to your action.  Do you even care about them?"

 

They actually replied and said "The Census Bureau is paying money to advertise on several other media outlets, we're not going to offer free advertising for them here."

 

Two points. I have applied to join the census, but do not represent them in any way-- I wish only to bring the knowledge to other people who need the money and wish to help their local community.  Secondly, they ignored the question about them caring about the local people-- "who cares about them, we worship only the mighty dollar", they seemed to say.

 

Due to their anal misreading of my thread, and their callous disregard for the people who buy their newsprint, I have cancelled my subscription to the LDN paper, and have decided to boycott Ludington Talks, which is a seriously misnamed outlet.  Long live the Voice of the Lakeshore-- The Ludington Torch!

 

 

 

 

[Tom Torquema]

I might take the last sentence back if you delete me, X. Har, Har, Har.

Here's a link to the jobs site at Census 2010, in case you are interested in this short term employment for you or for someone you know who is in need of some extra money and can meet the requirements.

[XLFD]

Didn't catch your thread, Tom, but I'm not surprised by your repartee with S&M, I mean SM. It would be nice if the Ning software allowed an administrator to cache a post until they can find out the poster's intent, not that it would have been used over there. As long as you do not blatantly violate the terms of service regarding advertising on a free Ning site, you will be OK here. Pointing out job opportunities for the benefit of your fellow men/women does not.

[Sweater Cows!]

I think your thread over there sounded like an ad for the census bureau too. I was like huh?

If you had said, hey I got a job doing the census and you talked about your personal experience it would have probably been okay.

I have to be careful when I talk about my work over there because I don't want it to come off sounding like an ad but with that said there are some topics I would *really* like to talk about regarding our business and the things we have to deal with, especially comparing the hmo/ppo in health insurance to the DRP issues in the auto collision sector, but I just leave it alone, at least until someone else brings it up.

I would love someone to get a thread going about how their insurance company manipulated them into a DRP shop when they wanted to go elsewhere because then I could tell the truth about their rights to choose and all the 'steering' that goes on. I just can't find a way to go about it without coming of as sounding like an ad.

please, ask me, lol... maybe X will let me have my say here? hmm?

I don't think it was what you said but the way you said it.

[Tom Torquema]

You have a point Sheila, I hadn't really thought of me doing ad-work until it was deleted, and then I looked in the rules and saw that had to be why it was pulled. This hasn't been the first time I've had my posts disappear and wonder why over there. Why go through the bother? I've seen them pull other intelligent postings, some by Torcholders, that are to the point, but ruffles some feathers. Have'nt seen that yet here.

[XLFD]

Sheila, I see no problem with an FYI thread on such topics, particularly if you stay on generalities, and keep it honest or provide information that could help Torchbearers make informed decisions. Just try not to make it sound like an ad; I'm sure members will tell you when you cross that line.

[Mary A.]

Sheila, if you do post your discussion, please spell out acronyms on the first reference. I deal with so many in my work, my brain will explode if I have to figure out those that I'm not familiar with. What is DRP? :-)

[Sweater Cows!]

DRP means direct repair program.

When you have certain auto insurers they will try to get you to go to 'their' shop. Some shops have contracts with insurers and the insurers call centers or agents have these scripts they use to 'steer' people into those shops. Sort of like a HMO/PPO plan with health insurance.Michigan law says you don't have to (nor do you have to for glass work) you can go where you want. Steering is illegal in most states. I'll get something up on it soon. and leave this thread to Tom.

[Mary A.]

Thanks. Good to know.

[Mary A.]

Tom, good for you. You seem to be a man of character.

[XLFD]

I met him one day this last fall when he was up here for a couple of weeks beer drinking deer hunting; the guy is impressive and passionate about topics once you get past his Falstaffian facade.

[Tom Torquema]

Actually, X, although you crossed it out, I did not have a single beer when I was up. And although I like to come up and spend a couple of weeks in the family lodge hunting, I have got more deer with my fender than I have in the field with my gun over the last five years. I feel I'm doing the deer a bigger favor, by not driving, and sitting out in the field. Since I come from Ohio, they are calling me the buck-less buckeye nowadays. Har, Har, Har, (sigh).
Thanks, Mary, you seem like a woman of great character yourself.

[AQUAMAN]

Buck-less buckeye, I LUV that! We gotta a OSU bus you should see someday, it was in the 7/4/09 parade last year. Anyone got a pic? Maybe I do? HAR