large brand managment

i propose no solution to the problem i address. but really, should this happen.

my mtg is with bank of america. an institution i truly wish i did not have to deal with. they are horrible, completely disorganized, the classic right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.

i tried to sign up for automatic drafts to pay my mtg. it would deduct from our checking account (no way in hell is that with bofa) twice per month, starting middle of november. i called to verify it was set up properly earlier that month and assured it was. middle of november, there goes my money to bofa, no problems. not so fast....

december doesn't get taken out. i called them and was told that the first november draft is floating out in bank of america cyberspace land and was NOT applied to my mtg. awesome. 'how do we correct this problem?' i ask. they said go pay HALF of the mtg and the rest, the floating rest, will be applied and your mtg current.

i hope you got that.

i had to call SIX more times to resolve that fuckin' little problem. everytime i called, the conversation started with, 'sir, did you know your mtg is past due?' 'yes, jerk off, and its not past due!'

i understand in large entities, especially ones strewn about the country (and bangalore, for that matter), need to link their systems and input accurate data. i don't mean to sound like an ass here but it's not that hard of job. or, they can't train their employees for shit.

i just want some appropriate diligence on their part. i do my part by paying. the least they could is properly ACCEPT and CREDIT my payments.

anyway, thirty days later, it was finally resolved and i'm no longer late. let's see if they grab their money on monday...

list of stupidist thing of 2009?

i hate the end of the year for one reason (actually, two if you count how freakin' cold it is). that is all the 'top ten _____ of 2009." even better, this year we get, top ____ of the decade lists."

these fuckin' things are repulsive. look, the end of the year is three weeks away! something drastic could happen anybody remember that tsunami a few years ago? that happened on....december 26, 2004. huh, i'd bet that was after all the 'top ten events of 2004 lists were compiled and released to a hungry public?

can't we wait till after the new year/decade starts? then decide what was best of 2009?

are you anonymous?

for starters, read wired. really good mag with very interesting articles.

i'm particularly fascinated by the article "gone" in last month's issue. one of their writers tried to 'disappear' for a whole month. anybody that found him got $5K; if he stayed away, he got $5K. in a digital, where you are really never anonymous, he managed to stay away for about 25 days before getting caught.

the lengths the 'hunters' went to find him was truly staggering. they tracked him all over the country despite him setting up a phantom computer and IP address in vegas.

just think about this the next time you're fucking around on the internet. somebody's watching you.

did advice to brand tiger follow the template of brand jordan?

so last night, verbal spouse commented about the silly tiger woods story and more mistresses "stepping" forward and nike's full support of brand tiger.

so i thought a bit. now, i'm from chicago and remember another cash cow icon for nike (their first and arguably most important one). i recall a few years ago (maybe more by now) when numerous allegations came out about jordan's affairs going as far back as shortly after his marriage. i don't remember the particulars but i do recall somebody commented about jordan's "arranged" marriage, more of thoughtful push really. somebody (i'd guess nike) wanted to make him more marketable, protect the image of what they created. so it was a "why don't you get married, mike?" type conversation. "jordan is more than incredibly talented athlete, he's a family man. see? he's married, with kids!"

the family jordan emerged even though, later reported and google-able (is that a word?) he was having affairs all over the place. cut to recent events and tiger woods.

is it possible that tiger was always this guy, as apparently jordan is/was? not the family man you see in the media but the image that's now come out? tiger seems to be following the same playbook, down to the build a huge house and insist on complete privacy while you compete for public adoration and money. similar stories: uber talented out of college, signs with nike, becomes marketer's wet dream, wife and kids, and oops! mistresses!

as i previously said, i don't care about the affairs, it's not my business. but isn't it curious that these two have the same story? anything to do with nike, their advice, their creation? or am i totally off my rocker here?

prowling tiger?

huh, so others are starting to notice some chinks in the armor now, too? i'm not going to sit here and speculate about WHAT led to the accident, the talking heads and gossip rags are doing a fine job, but this just appears to be more dents in the perfect suit of armor for the man. he's been pretty impenetrable for the last ten years plus.

something happened that led to the accident. at quarter to three in the morning, the accident just looks suspicious. the "cover-up" for brand woods just kinda makes the whole episode more questionable.