Here Jen leads the Womens Chorus in her lecture recital. Now that its over, she only needs to do her exams and write her final document, and she's got a year to do it.
Abby's Easter dress.
Easter morning
Friday, April 24, 2009
Easter Photos
So here are a few new photos.
Here Jen leads the Womens Chorus in her lecture recital. Now that its over, she only needs to do her exams and write her final document, and she's got a year to do it.
Abby's Easter dress.
Easter morning
Here Jen leads the Womens Chorus in her lecture recital. Now that its over, she only needs to do her exams and write her final document, and she's got a year to do it.Abby's Easter dress.Easter morning
Friday, April 10, 2009
My Thoughts on PrePaid Legal
So my dad sent me a birthday card, which included a check. He asked me to use the money to register under him in Prepaid Legal, the multilevel marketing company that sells pre-paid legal services and discounts. He has a plan to register a few thousand Native Americans he is working with through another program (and believes he can get many to sign up under my name thereby guaranteeing me a perpetual income). This caused me to investigate the Prepaid Legal company.
What is a pyramid scheme? Is any hierarchical organization a pyramid, and is that the same thing as a pyramid scheme? I'd say there is a critical difference between a typical pyramid organization (like the US government) and a "pyramid scheme." Both function by giving the fewer people at the top more power/authority than any of the many individuals at the bottom; however, a "pyramid scheme" takes it one step further by advantaging the few at the top by exploiting the many at the bottom--that is what makes it a scheme. In a pyramid scheme the suckers on the bottom spin thier wheels with hope of extending the pyramid below them, but the program usually reaches critical mass before most people get in and so they never really profit anybody but those few early members at the top.
So, is Prepaid Legal a pyramid scheme? Like Amway before them, they claim they are not a pyramid scheme because they company does not profit from recruiting new people below them but instead by selling legitimate goods and services. As long as the company is built on actual goods and services thier argument is correct. But as I think back on Amway I recall that it encouraged people to sell products--sure--but there were below average quality and above average prices that no real consumer would ever purchase. The products were a cover for the real source of profit. To make real money you got people below you selling the crappy products, and that is what made Amway a pyramid scheme. So the defining issue then is... does Prepaid Legal profit mostly from selling legitimate and competitive legal services, or from recruiting people below and getting them to sell non-competitive services (who then want to get people below them to sell services). Is the emphasis on providing quality services for a fee, or the acquisition of sales people below you (who pedal a crappy product as cover for the pyramid scheme)?
As I search the web I see lots of blogs and other commentaries that say Prepaid Legal's services are a joke. Many people say they provide far less than they claim. Others say Prepaid Legal has outrageous cancellation rates (50%-75% in the first 3-5 years) that suggest the legal services are just a cover--a convenient way to pretend the whole scam is about a product/service and not about pyramid recruiting schemes. I cannot verify the quality/legitimacy of thier services because I've never used them.
So I must conclude that I do not know if Prepaid Legal is a pyramid scheme, but it appears that that may very well be the case. It depends on if the services are bogus or actually legitimate. Has anybody ever used thier services before (anybody who does not sell Prepaid Legal)? Can anyone vouch for the quality of the services (who does not have an alterior motive as a sales rep for the company)?
What is a pyramid scheme? Is any hierarchical organization a pyramid, and is that the same thing as a pyramid scheme? I'd say there is a critical difference between a typical pyramid organization (like the US government) and a "pyramid scheme." Both function by giving the fewer people at the top more power/authority than any of the many individuals at the bottom; however, a "pyramid scheme" takes it one step further by advantaging the few at the top by exploiting the many at the bottom--that is what makes it a scheme. In a pyramid scheme the suckers on the bottom spin thier wheels with hope of extending the pyramid below them, but the program usually reaches critical mass before most people get in and so they never really profit anybody but those few early members at the top.
So, is Prepaid Legal a pyramid scheme? Like Amway before them, they claim they are not a pyramid scheme because they company does not profit from recruiting new people below them but instead by selling legitimate goods and services. As long as the company is built on actual goods and services thier argument is correct. But as I think back on Amway I recall that it encouraged people to sell products--sure--but there were below average quality and above average prices that no real consumer would ever purchase. The products were a cover for the real source of profit. To make real money you got people below you selling the crappy products, and that is what made Amway a pyramid scheme. So the defining issue then is... does Prepaid Legal profit mostly from selling legitimate and competitive legal services, or from recruiting people below and getting them to sell non-competitive services (who then want to get people below them to sell services). Is the emphasis on providing quality services for a fee, or the acquisition of sales people below you (who pedal a crappy product as cover for the pyramid scheme)?
As I search the web I see lots of blogs and other commentaries that say Prepaid Legal's services are a joke. Many people say they provide far less than they claim. Others say Prepaid Legal has outrageous cancellation rates (50%-75% in the first 3-5 years) that suggest the legal services are just a cover--a convenient way to pretend the whole scam is about a product/service and not about pyramid recruiting schemes. I cannot verify the quality/legitimacy of thier services because I've never used them.
So I must conclude that I do not know if Prepaid Legal is a pyramid scheme, but it appears that that may very well be the case. It depends on if the services are bogus or actually legitimate. Has anybody ever used thier services before (anybody who does not sell Prepaid Legal)? Can anyone vouch for the quality of the services (who does not have an alterior motive as a sales rep for the company)?
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Abby Movie
This is just some clips of Abby running around the house--nothing spectacular but I know some of you are desperate for any video, so here it is:
Whitney Solved: Now onto Switzerland
This is a great way to get info. Only a few hours after posting the Bangkok post the blog viewer revealed herself. Then, a few hours after posting the Whitney question, Abby's birth mom told us they were family on her dad's side. Abby sure is lucky to have so many people who care about her.
So, now, on to my third and final mystery of the day....
Google Analytics tells me that there is somebody from Switzerland (city of Stetten) who has been checking out our blog. Who are you? If you are a friend, what are you doing in Switzerland? And, to be fair, here is my little tribute to Switzerland:
So, now, on to my third and final mystery of the day....
Who is in Switzerland?
Google Analytics tells me that there is somebody from Switzerland (city of Stetten) who has been checking out our blog. Who are you? If you are a friend, what are you doing in Switzerland? And, to be fair, here is my little tribute to Switzerland:- Founded (sort of) in 1291, which they still celebrate--must be one of the oldest national holidays in the world; that is one dang old nation state! (though they were not fully independent from the Holy Roman Empire until 1499 & the modern constitution only dates back to 1848)
- 7.7 million people in the whole country (less than my home town)
- Germans dominate (65%), followed by French (18%), Italians (10%), and others
- life expectancy is just over 80 years and people average 1.45 children
- perpetually declares neutrality in all wars, leading many organizations to set thier headquarters there (like the Red Cross and World Trade Organization); they are so devoted to neutrality that they did not join the United Nations until 2002
- did not grant full womens suffrage until 1990 (not so progressive after all, hunh?)
Thailand Solved; So Who are the Whitneys?
So, in just a few hours after posting that Thailand entry the viewer from Thailand identified herself: Michelle--Jen's long lost student from when we taught in Heber City, Utah (I've added her to our list of blogging buddies so you can check out her awsome Thailand photos if you'd like). Posting that was so successful that I'm now going to try it again.
Jen and I thought about this for a while and we do not recognize them in the photos on thier blog (though the wife is starting to look familiar but I think it is because I've become thier blog's #1 visitor in an attempt to figure them out).
Does anybody know who they are? I have two theories:
(1) one of Jen's two million contacts that she does not remember (she usually rememvers well, but she's got a lot of friends)
(2) somebody of relation to Abby's birth mom (also last name Whitney)
Any help?
Who are the Whitneys?
You'll notice on our blog followers (on the right) individuals can sign up and self-identify as followers of our blog. One family, the Whitney's, has listed themselves.
You'll notice on our blog followers (on the right) individuals can sign up and self-identify as followers of our blog. One family, the Whitney's, has listed themselves.Jen and I thought about this for a while and we do not recognize them in the photos on thier blog (though the wife is starting to look familiar but I think it is because I've become thier blog's #1 visitor in an attempt to figure them out).
Does anybody know who they are? I have two theories:
(1) one of Jen's two million contacts that she does not remember (she usually rememvers well, but she's got a lot of friends)
(2) somebody of relation to Abby's birth mom (also last name Whitney)
Any help?
Bangkok
My website analytics reveal somebody in Bangkok has repeatedly visited our blog. I don't know who it is, but here's to you mysterious Bangkok blogger browser.Bangkok quick facts:
- capital of Thailand
- trading post turned capital city in 1768
- 22nd largest city in the world w/ over 8 million residents
- #1 tourist destination in Asia
- popular sports: football (soccer), golf, bowling (go figure)
- Full Name (according to wikipedia): Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit
- source of silly 3rd grade joke that my 32 year-old brother-in-law still thinks is funny ("what is the capital of Thailand?" followed by a quick jab to the genitals)
- homeland of my childhood best friend's mother, and source of learning her absolutely amazing egg rolls
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
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