Month: December 2018

For all of my childhood I loved going to concerts, and part of allure was the ticket stub, proof that you were at ELPowell at the Igloo, proof you were at 38 Special and Night Ranger @ Caldwell college on the hill, proof that you were at Bon Jovi at the Count Basie Theatre. Collecting the stubs, and keeping them with other memorabilia from your life for some of us was a thing to do. I even have ticket stubs from Islander playoff games in the 80s, and the NJ devils opening season.

Over the last few years, the in thing is for the tickets to be on your phone. Now being a geek I initially thought it was great. (Same with airline tickets etc.) But then I read the following article (Got to give credit I was not the person who discovered this) https://theoutline.com/post/5628/how-a-concert-ticket-steals-your-personal-data?zd=1&zi=twro2vqo – So the app I need to buy a ticket and get into a show is now scraping information from my phone about me. Buying a ticket for a show should be able say 30% of the ticket price going to the band, that 20% going to the venue, and 50% going to the ticketing company ripping me off. Cause after I pay for tickets, I also have to pay for a ticket fee, and a delivery fee (like it really cost them $10 for them to email me a ticket)

Ok, let me put my distaste and annoyance with ticket companies aside, and get back to the heart of this problem. Something I thought was really innocuous, now is tracking me. Originally I step back, I use Facebook, Google and Instagram, and I know they track me, know everything about what a post, where I shop online etc. But I don’t pay for Facebook, Google and Instagram, all three companies I know that “I am the product” and thus to receive benefit I need to give something up. In all three cases, I am giving up privacy, information etc. Supposed I chose to pay for these services instead of allowing them to track me. well its hard to put a number, but not sure the amount I would pay would be worth it.

But I am paying for tickets, and I am paying the service fee (you are making money on me) now you (without asking permission) are trying to make additional money from me. To me this just has a bad taste. As stated before with the Big 3, your better know by now how the make money (you are the product) but when you are paying for a product they should be their revenue. No for all of those nodding their heads and saying hey lets get mad, I am only telling you 1/2 of the story.

Now let us get into the fine lines, companies that you are paying for service and are tracking you. Some that give you some value for it and some that do not.

• Your Internet service provider: They know where you surf, where you shop, basically ever where you go online, and get this, they sell that information. They are not telling you nor are they giving you additional benefit for it.
• Your Credit card company. The know all your purchases, and much more. And they too sell that information. Some cards have a fee some do not, they all make money from the vendors, but they all sell your info. You only pay for free cards if you carry a balance.
• Your Store -Club-Rewards-Discount-etc. So at any store you can get a card (not a credit card) and they give you discounts (supermarket, retail store etc.) and for the discount the value they do is track everything you buy.
• Amazon – you dont think Amazon sells the data they collect about what you shop for (whether you buy it or not) – They dont tell you.
• All Free “internet services” (We listed the big 3 but any other)
• Add any app that the NY Times find tracking you – https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/12/10/business/location-data-privacy-apps.html – and again the benefits based on the app.

Well I use Amazon, a credit card, Verizon (right now for ISP) etc. I have a Stop and Shop Card and use the Big 3, so why I am so up and arms about AXS or any other company tracking me. At this point my information must be bought and sold a 100x over. I think it is because they didn’t tell me. Yes I am angry about my ISP, and use a VPN, and I use Amazon as a matter of convenience. My daughter asked me today while we are driving “do you miss shopping in a store” and honestly as we passed IEI, yes I do. For many places, I still go, for the people (Ask Amanda and her crew at GNC) There are some things though I don’t need help picking out. Paper towels is not something that I need expert advice nor I will talk about, but talking to the people about GNC about changing up my workout and how good I have done dropping 30 lbs over the last 4 months. It is very different.

My personal information really is out there, and I don’t have control over some of it. I said it once before and I will say it again, I vote with my wallet. If a company is giving me value for my money, or my information than I will make the choice. I just hope companies will be forward and tell me what it is costing me, vs. hiding it. If Verizon told me for the discounted price, they collect information, than it is my choice. At stop and shop I say 99% of the time I forgot my card, and they put in a generic card, thus i get the discount without the tracking (yes you can do that)

I guess its just the idea we need to be educated, something we didnt have to do before, the amount of knowledge is just greater. And I try to do my best to enlighten people.

Go find my disclaimer on other posts.. but as always i dont advertise, don’t ask for money, if you want you can donate to a charity I care about -http://give.nyp.org/site/TR/DIYTeamRaiser/General?px=1031549&pg=personal&fr_id=1080 – Morgan Stanley pays all administrative costs for the Children’s Hospital, so 100% of your donation goes to kids. Have a good holiday.

Today I got an article in my feed about having to “leave work early” and what it meant…  The point the author made were the following:

1. Work is a never ending process – It’s fact and we may as well get used to it, therefore stop focusing on 1 day or 1 week and start planning for a career. So harness the skills of time management and stop trying to get everything done in a day!
2. Interest of a client is important, so is your family – Honestly I scoff at the remark from those who think 2 hours in the evening is enough for your family, it’s really not. They will always enrich your life more than a client ever can, give them the time they deserve.
3. If you fall in life neither your client or boss will lend you a helping hand, your family will – Don’t get me wrong I was conflicted with this as I try to be a good boss and always try to be there, but I try, families always will, no questions asked.
4. Life is not only about work, office, and client – I love the people and industry I work within and man when we celebrate it’s fantastic but do you know what, that’s one moment. With friends and family, it’s continuous and without expectation. Cherish your moments with family/friends and experience new adventures with them as well.
5. A person who stays late at the office is not a hardworking person – This raised a lot of dispute on my original post and I understand why people would disagree but I have a different view. I have learnt in 10 years of recruitment that those who are able to work effectively in the time provided they are hugely successful and enjoy a great work life balance. If you are working 10-12 hours I beg you to look at what you are trying achieve and question whether they are genuinely adding benefit. Plan your day before you start your day, don’t do it at 8am or 8.30am when your day has started as your already chasing your tail. Don’t be a fool.
6. You did not study hard or struggle in life to become a machine – Nail on head, machines can operate 24 hours a day with the right fuel. You cannot, balance your life, remember you have 24 hours a day, 8 hours to sleep, 8 hours to work, 8 hours of your own!
7. If your boss forces you to work late – You know what I am a boss. If I have to ask anyone to work late or work late myself I am a fool. To date, I have never asked anyone to work late, I never will. Practice what you preach.  — From Andrew McGregor (giving him credit) 

Well what I like to really address is numbers 2-3.   First I tread my work (employees, employer, hell the custodian) all as family.  I will say hi to them, treat them with respect and treat them like who they are, a person.   In my day, I spend 3.5 hrs commuting, 9-10 hours at work, 6 hours sleeping that means about 5 hrs at home.  But I need to walk the dog, eat, clean up, shower, exercise etc.  So really the author maybe correct I spend 2 hours with the family.  But that is Monday thru Friday, Saturday and Sunday is not that.   My coworkers are part of my family, and I hope I am part of theirs, and spending time at work should be an enjoyable relationship experience.  I guarantee I don’t like everyone, but I do respect them and their talents.  Maybe its wrong, and maybe I will never be a Managing Director as like people, but I have friends.

As for number three, when you fall who will be there.  I have written before that I have had one of the worst tragedies in life, my wife passed away.  For those who were at the funeral, it was packed, by the book around 500 people.  And of those people, my current whole staff, five people from the business I support including both Managing Directors, my managing director, 2 previous managers, and thirty plus previous employees, including one who was in from China, lastly there were others co-workers from other divisions where I had worked before.  I was just dumbfounded, for  the outpouring of love and support.   These were people who were there when I was at rock bottom, and the people along with my friends (wait these people are my friends also) would help me get back up.

I cherish the moments I have with people at work, I cherish the moments with my friends at home, and cherish every second I spend with my girls.  Maybe I have a different perspective of life, I make sure I get my work done, and leave when I need to leave, and spend time balancing what I need to do with with my life.  But work is a big part of my life, and the people there are a big part also, maybe we should rethink our world, where our freinds, family, co-workers are all one big happy family.   Not something to leave, at least i think so.

This opinion is mine, and mine only, my current or former employers have nothing to do with it. I do not write for any financial gain, but if you do like what I write you can donate to the charity I support (with my wife)  http://give.nyp.org/site/TR/DIYTeamRaiser/General?px=1031549&pg=personal&fr_id=1080