No, send me my free trial!

I received this in the mail the other day:

Postcard to request my free trial issue

There are three stickers on the top portion: “Yes”, “No”, and “Maybe”. I’m supposed to peel off the “Yes” sticker and affix it the postcard before sending it back. This sort of gimmick is common, though the “Maybe” sticker is new. Perhaps the difficult Yes/No decision was keeping people from accepting free trial offers.

When I see these, I’ve always been sorely tempted to affix the “No” sticker and send them back. I would do it except I’m 100% sure they’d still send me the magazine. And then they wouldn’t get my bill with “cancel” written on it until after they sent my second issue. Etc.

Posted by Jeremy on June 25, 2005. 1 Comment.

Greed Disguised

I’ve read that the efficiency of a purchase (i.e. the satisfaction gained from the money spent) goes from high to low with the following situations:

  1. spending your money on yourself
  2. spending someone else’s money on yourself
  3. spending your money on someone else
  4. spending someone else’s money on someone else

This is used, among other things, to explain why capitalism is more efficient than communism. But my application is far more personal…

You see, I’m pretty sure that you were planning on spending some of your money on me. Don’t ask me how; I just know these things. That would put you in category #3. Hmm, that’s a bit low on the efficiency scale.

I have a proposal. How about you let me control how you spend the money? This would move you to category #2. How would I do that, you ask? Through the time-honored system of distributing a wish list, I reply triumphantly. By purchasing items from my wish list, you improve the efficiency of your money.

And remember: efficient people are happy people. Be happy.

Posted by Jeremy on June 7, 2005. 5 Comments.

Christians Depicted in the Media

I am outraged. Completely outraged. There is really no other word to describe it.

How long will we put up with the entertainment industry portraying Christians as hypocritical bigoted buffoons? How long will we stand by as our good name is mocked and taunted?

A series of Christian-bashing articles just premiered in Playboy magazine. While disguised as a look at life in the Midwest, it portrays Christians as duplicitous and insincere. I encourage Christians from all walks of life to inform the management of the magazine that this type of misrepresentation is unacceptable.

 

The above was satire. If my point is too obtuse (it wouldn’t be the first time), keep reading… (more…)

Posted by Jeremy on June 6, 2005. 6 Comments.