Electric Signs, Governement & ISA

[Lane Booth]

Out of curiosity, why did you join?

Eduacation (mostly) and Legal Assistance, if we ever need it.

[Erik Sine]

If you feel the same way as described above. Let them know! CLICK HERE and take their survey.

They say they will also send you $20 for taking their survey, let me know if you get a check. We never got our months back.

Back to the daily grind

[imanut]

If you feel the same way as described above. Let them know! CLICK HERE and take their survey.

They say they will also send you $20 for taking their survey, let me know if you get a check. We never got our months back.

Back to the daily grind

More than fifty employees???? Impressive.

gn

[JR Neon]

You also stated you're learning alot --------------and going to do nothing with the "new" information you have except offer your services to share a beer????

Not what the industry needs. What the industry needs is for you to care enough about the industry to share that information. NOT just ---"hey, lookie what I just read and learned about". No, its a case of taking an interest in the info and the trade. What is to keep you from calling around to find out about recycling issues in YOUR area --------------- and then going to your bosses with FACTS and INFORMATION relative to what your company does, and be able to explain to them what THEY need to do and WHY they need to do it.

I'll explain. You work for a small company with a boss. I work for probably the largest sign mfg with lots of bosses, lots of VP's, lots of layers between us janitors and the decision makers. And on the food chain, as I refer to it, I'm almost at the bottom. I was given the assignment, being the low guy, to research IMERC -----------and if you don't know what it is, I'd suggest googling it because it would take to loong to explain. 10 minutes was what I given to sum it up. I took 1.5 hours -----------. I then did it three more times for different factions of our company, the last time for nothing but vp's. Bsed on my findings, and my research ---------and my gray hair-------they actually believed me. It wasn't about getting rid of neon, it was about our industry. It wasn't about the $25,000 fine per letter thrown away in the garbage, and the months in jail ---------this was our industry tht is being affected. It was a case of what do we need to do. It was a case of prying for more info. You CAN do the same thing. You only have one guy to convince. You only have one area that you work in doing signs --------- try a global approach. Try having a letter repaired, or a set of letters removed that YOU are responsible for - and the job is 3,000 miles away. Figure out those logistics.

You just had a sign show in Calif. Did you go?? No. You're probably going to be having one in the northwest. Are you going? does your company belong to the CSA? Call them ----------ask them these questions about recycling? Ask them the questions about t-8's and t-12's. Ask them about the ban on magnetic ballasts and the call for electronics?? good thing/bad thing???? And then prove to your bosses why electronics can save their company money, and save electricity for their customers. YOu want to show your bosss your more than a rookie --------teach them some stuff. Prove to them why electronic transformers can save them money ----------. You've got the people on this site that you can contact.

Just don't read this stuff ---------------and ask for another beer and forget to do anyting with this information.

ANd Eric ------ note that he DID offer to provide a dedicated server.

gn

Gary,

I will be the Paul Revere of my company with such hard to come by info and news!

-Mike

[YYZ]

I have a "quote of the day" box on my google homepage and there was an interesting quote today that I thought I'd share here...

"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators."

[Erik Sine]

I have a "quote of the day" box on my google homepage and there was an interesting quote today that I thought I'd share here...

"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first things to be bought and sold are legislators."

[Batch]

Has anyone ever had there best customer killed by the government?

Gus Boulis was killed by Jack Abramoff and his associates.

He has a wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konstantinos_%22Gus%22_Boulis

Here is an email I received today

There was a Chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Prof noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back And stretching as if his back hurt.The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government.In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, ' Do you know how to catch wild pigs?

'The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke.'

You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in The last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd.Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn.

They are so used to it that they have forgotten how To forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America . The government keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, free medical, etc. while we continually lose our freedoms - just a little at a time.

One should always remember 'There is no such thing as a free Lunch! Also, a politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.

Also, if you see that all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America , you might want to send this on to your friends. If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life then you will probably delete this email, but God help you when the gate slams shut!'

A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.' ....... Thomas Jefferson

[Erik Sine]

Now our government wants to "give" errrrrrr "Bail Out" relief to the people who bought and financed homes that could not be afforded. Greed came back to bite.

It's a good thing for people to know that if they fuck up or make poor decisions Uncle Sam will be there to help and scratch them out a check

You're absolutely right, soon that gate will be slammed shut.

[Travis]

Batch, thank you for the story. I think our government tends to be a double edged sword. For the most part it starts out with the best of intenetions but generally turns out bad.

I got an email the other day that shows just how reliant the government has taught us to be. It doesnt have anything to do with signs (sorry) but it does go along with the way the last few posts of this thread, and it is just a sad story that shows just how screwed up a 'good thing' can get.

Read the whole thing.

Sharon Jasper has been victimized. Sharon Jasper has been rabidly wronged. She has become a Section 8 care case "the victim of ever changing public housing policies.

Sharon Jasper has spent 57 or her 58 years dedicated to one cause and one cause only, and has nothing to show for her dedicated servitude. She has lived in Section 8 housing all but 1 of her 58 years. It was a legacy passed down from her parents who moved into Section 8 housing in 1949 when she was six months old. She has passed the legacy down to her children, but fears they may have to get jobs to pay for the utilities and deposits. She laments about her one year hiatus from the comfort of her Section 8 nirvana, ' I tried it for a year..you know, working and all. It's not anything I would want to go through again, or wish on anyone in my family, but I am damn proud of that year.'

Sharon was moved out of her St. Bernard housing project after hurricane Katrina and into a new, yet albeit, substandard quarterage. As can be noted from the above photo of her new Section 8 home, it is repugnant and not suitable for someone of Sharon Jasper's seniority status in the system. 'Don't be fooled by them hardwood floors,' says Sharon. 'They told me they were putting in scraped wood floors cause it was more expensive and elegant, but I am not a fool "that was just a way to make me take scratched up wood because I am black. The 60 inch HD TV? It may look nice but it is not a plasma. It's not a plasma because I'm black. Now they want me to pay a deposit and utilities on this dump.' 'Do you know why?'

She has held her tongue in silenc e through the years of abuse by the system, but it came to a head at the New Orlean's city council meeting where discussions were under way about the tearing down of the St. Bernard projects. When a near riotous exchange between groups opposing the tearing down of St. Bernard and groups wanting the dilapidated buildings torn down and newer ones built, Sharon unleashed verbal hell with her once silenced tongue. The object of her oratory prowess was an acquiescent poor white boy in attendance. The context of her scathing rebuke was, 'Just because you pay for my house, my car, my big screen and my food, I will not be treated like a slave!' and 'Back up and Shut up! Shut up, white boy! Shut up, white boy!'

Recapping from the mental log of the city council minutes in her head, Sharon repines, 'Our families have been displaced all over the United States. They are being forced to commit crimes in cities they are unfamiliar with. It is a very uncomfor table situation for them. Bring them back, then let's talk about redevelopment.'

Sharon directs the reporter's attention across the street to Duncan Plaza where homeless people are living in tents and states that, 'I might do better out there with one of these tents.' She further lamented her sentiments about her situation,' I might be poor, but I don't have to live poor.