[begin rant] I stopped working for the government in 2014 and have been in the private sector since then, doing what it is that I do. Which means that I’m always looking for more work – even if I’m booked up. It’s part of being self-employed. Companies, individuals and sometimes people have serious problems and since I’m NOT a communist, I don’t work for free.
I solve problems for individuals, companies and governments other than ours. The USGOV has all of the integrity of a Nigerian Prince under Barack, and I have standards. I could do pick-up work for the Chinese but I don’t do that either. It’s a matter of principle. I let others handle those things.
You’d be surprised how many people want free work. The Wimpy excuse, “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today,” is often cited. But no, there is no free ride.
I’ve had a number of people who tell me that their need trumps my time and overhead (and overhead is a beast that keeps on eating, my friends). I ask about the money that I have to pay people who I employ. They ask, “can’t you just pay them (out of your own pocket)?”
I say, “Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.” They look at me like the dog in the photo below. They plea for help – and explain hardship.
The younger the client, the worse is their howling that they have big trouble but don’t want to pay anything to solve their problem. I suggest kindly that they vote for Bernie because he will give them their every wish for free. [end rant]
I’d love to help the British out of their BREXIT mess but they will vote one way or the other. If they stay in the EU, they will have to surrender all military sovereignty to the EU and ship their military there. That’s never a good idea. Pat Condell weighs in on this matter below.
Why does it seem like the whole world is imploding at the same time? Coincidence?
I like the dog in the hammock part of the post. Good work.
It's not just USGOV. Corporate America is deeply in the "Free Sh*t" frame of mind. Some things, like software, can't really be done well because nobody ever thinks they should pay for it.
I will admit candidly that in the old days, I did "warez" software, but I picked and chose. Being an Apple guy, I tried to stick to Microsoft. I played on the Internet when it was new (Archie, Veronica and Lynx), and there were no rules. Today it's no fun and I blog and such.
They want to be saved, LSP. They really do. Not that long ago I spoke to a lady in Louisiana who wanted help. She's worth about $50M. I quoted her a genuinely modest fee and she asked if I'd lost my mind. I reminded her that she called me, and I only get new clients by word-of-mouth. Which means that I'd been recommended by somebody that she trusted.
She found another solution (possibly). I don't lose sleep over this stuff.
It always is like that, Adrienne. Always. In 600 BC when the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem and took the Jews (and Samaritans) into bondage and killed the Egyptians who were running the show there and "protecting" the city, those people felt the way we do now. Except it was worse for them than it is for us.
I, too, have people that have problems that I am an expert in solving ask me to solve them for free.
Nope.
>the Wimpy excuse
Sadly, these days lots of people don't even pretend that they have any intention of ever paying you. They seem to feel they are somehow entitled (how I hate use of the word "entitlement" for stuff we give to the willfully unproductive, BTW) or that they are doing YOU a favor by letting you provide some service. Photographers get this all the time with "oh, you can use the photos in your portfolio" for example.
Personally I don't mind someone asking me a few professional questions at a social event or whatever, especially when it's of the "who do I even approach to solve this problem, and could/would you do it?" nature, but when it turns into a 30+-minute consultation then I expect to get paid for it.
Well said, Pat. I have my vote by Proxy form ready.
Here is a speech from Nigel. Though shhh….if you listen to Mr. Farage in Britain then you must be a bigoted racist and "Off with your head"
youtu.be/wbXdDJ3phu0
Here all this time I thought that you had a progressive streak…I guess not.
I agree with you, and I'm not a total jerk about things. I'm willing to share thoughts socially but when it comes down to it, I will be serious when they are.
By all objective standards, I am a bigot. Though not the way they think. I have a bullshit filter and when it starts to get clogged my bigotry turns in that direction.
I, too, quit doing "free" stuff for other people. Had a friend who had an Arduino project that needed major help with the packaging, something I'm really good at. All he wanted (at first) was "just a few built so my friends and I can use them".
Then he wanted 5 more. And then 10 more. He was considering putting it into production, and I had offered to do all the layout, packaging, and redesign because he was spending about $85 in off-the-shelf parts, and I was putting in about 5~6 hours to build each one. I was able to reduce his parts cost to about $25, and assembly time to about 20 minutes.
No, he just wanted "A few more so my friends and I can use them", at which point I told him he wasn't serious about the project, but that he was a serious waste of my time.
Last I heard he had shopped it around, and was staggered that he was quoted $25k minimum to get it ready for production.
Mr. Condell is 100% correct about the BREXIT. The UK should get out of it ASAP, or it will do to them what Hitler wasn't able to…..
Work and getting PAID for it is a good thing… sigh
I thought you were just scary….
I've finally filled in my application to vote by proxy form and told my proxy what to do.
I’ve been weighing up my decision on BREXIT for some time now, looking at the pro’s and cons. On the whole, we never really fit in with Europe. We are not countries that are alike or stand together and I can never see it being the case as we are culturally very diverse.
However, the plus of staying, from a liberal minded perspective, is that we are “allegedly” stronger as a whole than separate and is not that the way the world should be moving? All as one unity. It’s a very pretty and hippy way to look at things but it’s not realistic. We can’t even get on with our neighbours in the same country which is the size of a shoe. Britain is not the great sovereignty it once was, holding power is a thing of the past and people fear we cannot hold our own.
It’s very good that currently we can move around freely in Europe, work there,conducting business and travel with ease and the ability to free trade. I understand why business people fear an exit as it may affect them personally. We are basically a commerce nation and I believe our biggest export is Japanese cars. And gold – there’s gold in them Welsh hills! Ok, seriously. Many foreign banks and car plants have threatened to leave Britain should we exit. Plus Barrack says Americans won’t play with us anymore…it worries people. An exit may cause a lot of lost jobs in an already ‘too many out of work’ society and cause another recession which our economy cannot deal with after two major ones. We are a small nation and cannot afford another big knock like that as it affects house prices (already flat) and jobs and destroys all the things that people have worked hard to build. I can fully understand the fear and the way the media fuel it doesn’t help. Ultimately, people tend to look at themselves rather than the bigger picture when they’re afraid and unsure of the repercussions. Why rock the boat even if it is unsound and sinking mentality.
However, there is quite a divided opinion in GREAT Britain (see what I did there?) A lot of people think it’s time we had the balls to pull out of a system that doesn’t work and just cost us heaps of money. More than we get back. The only main players are Britain, France and Germany trying to hold together a group of other failing countries that haemorrhage money. We too are a proud (albeit suffering) nation that hold our heads high and see ourselves as individuals not wanting to be dictated to by anyone else. We don’t use the Euro. Will it affect free trade? Will Italy refuse our marmalade and say the rind is too thick and send it back and impose hefty charges? Maybe. Can we not do the same to their spaghetti? I think so. We import more so I don’t see that as in their interest. I don’t think staying or leaving will make any difference to our immigration issue as we were open armed before that. That’s a whole new thread and a different issue but it would help make a point if we step out.
I think we are strong enough to go it alone and I also think of what my Grandad fought for and what he would be saying were he here. I also consider the importance of the future of my country based on its brilliant history. I’m voting out but I’ll be surprised if that’s the way it goes. We wouldn’t want to be responsible for the collapse of EU now, would we. Anyway, must dash, I've got to buy a new lipstick. MAC have got a sale on….
Funny! I hope nobody listened to the "Worst US President in History" while the big bully was over there. What a douchebag. Love Pat's video. I hope all of you in Great Britain get to choose your own destiny.
Great Britain is strong enough to be independent of Europe, while engaging in treaties regarding trade that benefit all concerned.
We all live and learn Dr. J. Me too. I bought the t-shirt.
It's the only way to do it. Otherwise people use you. I am not casting aside friendship. That's different. But everyone must win.
When I started my first business, one of the first lessons I learned (the hard way) was to get a contract signed and a retainer paid before I did the work. Seemed like the ones with the most funds where the ones that would try to take advantage.
For my part, when a friend does work for me, I pay the going rate. Lot less stress on both of us. I sleep well with my conscience…
Lessons learned, the hard way.
Will you take a check? I'll even throw in a gift card to Waffle House.
In my business the "Well to do's" come into the booth always wanting to pay less. My standard line was, "Would you work for $5.00 an hour?" They would always answer no and I would ask, "Then why do you think I should?" I've reduced that exchange now by just pointing the way to Walmart. They weren't going to buy anything anyway.
YOUR check? John, I believe in currency and gold (though I'd have to test that it's real).
The gift card to Waffle House on the other hand is something that would be akin to "eating the profits"… ;^)
Yeah.
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