Losing It All

No, I'm not saying that everyone should quit his job, blow up his home, create an alter-ego and then start fights with random people in the hope of changing the world - that just won't do.
But Fight Club did have a good simple message - to just let that which really doesn't matter slide.

SeeNew left a link:
http://www.cifs.dk/scripts/artikel.asp?id=1010&asp;lng=2

But the side-effect is that any successful sustainable counter-culture becomes the new oppressive popular culture.

The Wonders of Modern Medicine

http://www.gizmodo.com/5807958/actually-we-have-no-idea-what-the-hell-our-drug-will-do-to-you

http://www.chinasmack.com/2011/stories/chinese-baby-atrophies-dies-after-bcg-vaccine.html

e-money

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0509/technology-psilocybin-bitcoins-gavin-andresen-crypto-currency.html
Start 'mining' today, you could be e-rich tomorrow.

Learning, Not Losing

"The best laid schemes of mice and men/Oft go awry." someone once said.
When faced with failure one can do one of two things;
1 - Give up,
2 - Learn from what didn't work, make adjustments and then keep moving towards ones goal.

Think of your initial business plan, political movement, social improvement, whatever ...  as a prototype.
No..., of a drawing of a prototype.
Prototypes are rarely made into production models - they are learning models.
A certain amount of 'failure' is planned into an idea when one is attempting to improve on an old paradigm.
Sometimes the technology doesn't exist to bring such innovative ideas into fruition.
Sometimes the timing is just off.
Sometimes the effort is not worth the cost.
This does not mean that your idea or concept was wrong - only poorly timed and/or planned.

If one is able to overcome the limitations of the technology and common consciousness of the time, one may be able to create a masterpiece known throughout most of the the world for it's beauty and innovation.

Go Back To Africa?

 It amazes when one group says that another group is taking over 'their' country.
I don't think that Sarah Palin and her Teabaggers are Native Americans.

 And I don't think that the Shackle-Draggers (no offense) in Australia are Native to that land either.

And don't even get me started on the English and/or Dutch settlers in South Africa complaining about indigenous peoples taking back their lands.

Tap, Tap, Back, Grasp, Release and then Snap

The things one does to get people to feel special at night clubs.
If done in the listed order, this handshake will allow one free entrance into the club.
Done wrong - it's the back of the line for you.
The funny thing is that grown-ass people try to keep up with arbitrary dumb-ass rules in order to feel as though they are members of the 'in group'.
(Note; Secret shake subject to change on any given night.)

Keeping It Real?

 Back in the day, one made the best out of what one had - and for most people that meant 'street fashion'.
Even Bob Marley 'dressed up' on occasion in Rude Boy attire.

 The Teddy Boys (Similar to Rockabilly here in the States) shopped at thrift stores to get their suits.
People liked to look cool - they just weren't willing to go broke doing it.

 Before Vivienne Westwood began to turn punk fashion into high fashion, Punk groups like The Clash would wear clothing which was affordable to anyone.

 That B-Boy stance?
It's the look one gets while being sized up as someone is deciding whether jack you for your ish.
White shoes, blue jeans and black jackets?
Anyone could afford this look.

 The came the New Romantics.
Sure, Adam Ant looked like a broke cast member of the Pirates of the Caribbean but Duran Duran adopted a more effete high-end look.

Which brings me to Kanye West...
Is Hip-Hop still relevant?
Is it still 'Keeping it Real'?
Nope, not when modern 'street fashion' is causing many fans to go broke trying to emulate their favorite artists.

Know Your Business

I just started a new contract with another group of owners who think that they know how to run a nightclub.
This means that I have too take up a lot of time re-working their concept, staff, advertising and philosophy.

I go out ... A LOT.
But I don't go out to have fun so much as I'm always on the look out for new talent.
The bartender who can attract women, doesn't steal, works hard and provides good service,
The cocktail waitress who can work a crowd, get orders out quickly and correctly while providing good service,
The door guy who can end a problem before it starts, who shows up on time and can provide professional service to sometimes angry customers,
The DJ who plays what the crowd wants to hear not just what he/she wants to hear...
I'm always looking.

Club owners always assume that they are in the wrong business.
"Why should people come here?", I always ask first.
"We have a nice decor", some say.
"But if people want to look at art they'll go to a museum or gallery", I reply.
"We have cheap drinks. We make our money on people buying drinks.", is also a common answer.
"If people just want a drink it's cheaper for them to just buy a bottle and sit at home and get drunk.", I tell them.
"A strong and good one-hitta'-quitta' $8 drink will bring more return business than will a weak $4 drink, It's not the actual cost but the perceived value that matters most.", I continue.
"We have a good DJ.", some say.
"If people just want to hear music they can just watch YouTube to listen to their favorites in the order they prefer... for free.", I say.
"Look, a good DJ is like a good actor - you don't notice it. But a bad DJ is like a bad actor - each can make the experience unbearable.", I continue.

So, people don't go to clubs for the music, for the decor, or for the drinks.
What does get people to come back and bring more people?
Service.
People like to feel as though they are special and that cover charge and the cost of each drink affords them that privilege for the three to five hours one spends in a night club.
The best employees know how to make this happen.
The best employees can create an addictive environment - an environment which allows small people to be the big shot.
Good nightclub workers are good hosts.
They may be the best at what they do but the patron should still be made to feel as though he/she is the most important person in the building.
The best workers are able to put aside their egos in order to do the job.

People get addicted to the status associated with being the big man/big woman at the club and they will pay to get that high even if they have to spend their rent money to do it.
This is where VIP cards and free drinks come in.
The people who get these perks boast of them and come back in order to do so - and those who don't enjoy these perks come back to work their way up to becoming a member of the 'in group'.

In all honesty - the situation is laughable.
Who cares about such things if ones kids can't get his needs met?
But like those addicted to narcotics, the call of a rented status is just too strong and they will feel as though they missed something if they fail to come back on a good night.
They will look for the same high they got when they first felt special.
I still don't enjoy working at nightclubs but the pay and bonuses are just too good to pass up.
I can't wait for the days when I will once again be able to go out without having to be on the lookout for the perfect employee for the perfect place.
I can't wait until going out fails to be work.

Germans

 Well... They do make great cars.

While watching George Kranz's Din Daa Daa video on YouTube, "Damn, This video sucks", is what I thought.
George Kranz, Kraftwerk, Nena, Falco (Okay, he's Austrian but after watching the Van Trapp family and their dealings with the Nazis in The Sound of Music - it's close enough.) all had nice pop songs but their videos could use a director.
Din Daa Daa? Yeah you know, that song from Ginuine's None of Your Business interlude, from the X-Box Jump-In commercial, from the Jabbawakees performance on ABDC - you know...
And don't get me started on Kraftwork providing the beat for Afrika Bambaataa tunes.
Germans had some good songs - just skip the videos.