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Colorful Mexican Kitchens Part XX!

solman
13 years ago

DOS EQUIS XX! "stay thirsty my friends"

Well here we are on Planet XX!

Awfully bright here.

Well, you can't say that we don't have anything to say :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Part XIX of this thread.

Comments (149)

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Steff-Thanks Plllog, you're really sweet. I love the Bunny. Bunnies are cute but that one's REALLY cute. Is it your's Plllog? I know they're quite affectionate.

    No Steff, it wasn't the Internet it was the Biz. I got a really vicious, threat email from our biggest client (not the big new order) about late deliveries. I took it personally as heads of any operations likely do.

    To make a long story short, our packaging Supplier (China-where else?) produced thousands of pcs. that were defective. In order to not jeopardize our quality reputation or our Clients', I elected not to use the bad stock and had it remanufactured. This delayed any standing PO's. In the meantime, we have made sure that partial orders have been shipping every week since Feb, so as to keep the Retailer always reasonably stocked.

    We have supplied our client for almost 20 years with obviously a solid record of quality-service. However in the one instance, where unforeseen events took place, beyond our control, the Customer was quick to chastise and ultimately threaten our position as their Supplier.

    Upon reading the mail, I was not only in fury but absolutely shocked. I questioned every aspect of life. Most notably that of being a Businessman. It suddenly occurred to me that relationships are in essence totally valueless. It was like being married to a Woman for 20 years and the first time you had a problem (say NSF bank chq) she was ready to divorce and leave?

    While I somehow ended up in the world of business (but wanted to be a Professional Tennis Player), I have never respected the world of business. Where selfish aims, lies, greed, power, jockeying, hidden motives etc. are mainstays. All of which I have always refused to participate in. Ooops I almost forgot one, planned obsolescence :)

    24 hours ago, I saw my business life flash before me and quite frankly was about to let it go, for good. I saw the world of business for what it was; insensitive, entirely self-serving and ruthless. I thought about the delivery I made at 1 A.M. to a Customer in TO, 2 weeks ago on a Friday night. I remembered driving one hour to the Fed Ex Depot last week so a desperate customer could have their goods the next day. The girl's email I received just 2 days before, from Santa Cruz CA. She was stunned by a return phone call (at 10PM EST) to her general email inquiry and was full of praise! The force behind our success is Lexus' coin "In Pursuit of Perfection". Our's is "Quality Above All".

    In deciding whether I would feel bad packing it in, I asked myself one question. "If you walked onto the court for the Men's Championship at Roland Garros tomorrow morning and played 100% to the best of your ability and still lost, would you feel ashamed?" The answer is NO.

    So should the moment be presented, yes, I am willing to walk away knowing that we produced the best quality in the entire world, were leaders in our segment, and provided unheard of levels of service. I have no regrets.

    Today I was at one of my idols website's wondering how I will reach that same goal in life, to create a foundation that fosters growth, motivation, and gives hope to the underprivileged.

    America's Williams Sisters of Tennis have also done great work in Africa with their foundation and should be applauded for it.

    Told ya it wasn't an everyday funk!

    P.S. I wouldn't want to be in the Martha Stewart Enamelled Cast Iron Returns/Warranty Dep't., judging by all the reviews on Amazon of all the chipped and cracking pieces of this "Chinese" made Cookware. Run!

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good idol. RF, besides being nigh on invincible for so many years is reported to be genuinely nice, considerate, and polite. There must be a killer in there somewhere for him to be that dominant (as opposed to a Todd Martin who had a beautiful game but no killer instinct), but Federer's is very well masked by a civilized decorum.

    Not my bunny. I just poked around looking for something that couldn't fail to make you feel a little happier, and found that stinkin' cute li'l bunny!

    I'm sorry for your bad day, and sour experience, but there's a lot about commerce that's also friendly, expansive, welcoming, civilizing, etc. Mutual commerce may be the glue that brings peace to the world. You don't go blowing up your best customer!

    As you pointed out, you also don't go blowing up your best supplier, which is why you shouldn't take one horrible e-mail so badly to heart. Do you have any more of the blue ones? If you do, perhaps you can send half a dozen to the purchasing department for their own use, with a letter saying that you were very sorry your supply chain problems had negatively impacted them, that you've been diligent in making sure that they had an ongoing supply of first quality product, because their business was too important to you to allow them to be shifted to backorder status, even though you couldn't completely fill their order until more of your best quality product could be made, and that you hope they'll stick with you as you do everything within your power to ensure that they receive the best possible product as quickly as you can get it to them. Meantime, you hope they'll enjoy the blue beauties you've sent for their personal enjoyment (if you have some--if not substitute a fruit basket or something). That they are a special product you aren't currently offering because you can't supply that kind of quality at the initial special run price. That they are a special gift to the people who have been so patient with you.

    A little soft soap and a gift can go a long way when someone's stress overwhelms her (the writer probably got chewed out by the powers that be).

    You've got to do this if you want the foundation. I'd be happy to have you spend the chateau and Astin Martin money on the foundation, but first you've got to make the money...

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Plllog, wow what a paragraph! Can you get on that plane right now please, I think you'd be better off in this chair rather than doing all your fancy, funky, cooking stuff at the Chateau. I've already got a big apology/diplomat type letter with the usual yes I'm extremely sorry, these are the reasons why we are in this predicament and we are doing our utmost to correct the problem. Draft #3 and needing to press the send button shortly. I was going to wait until Monday morning so that I can follow the email up with phone call. That allows one to both gauge the opponent and fan the fire accordingly.

    Gift huh... I can't do flowers, it's a man. He got a bottle of Bollinger at X-Mas. Well I've got an idea for that, believe you me. Got something actually better than the Blues, also 10 times the price mind you. Those are the ones to be used at the Chateau, without doubt.

    A couple of weeks ago, a very nice Sales Rep from my new freight company paid us a visit and we got chatting. He said to me that while his job was OK, what he truly desired in life was to to do something that can make a difference, a positive influence in the lives of others. Not just working but working to support a cause. Suddenly my philanthropic ears perked up twitching, and yes, we began storming wildly. He was aware of the incredible quality of our product and instead of so overdone, low quality chocolate bars, cookies, etc, we started talking fund raisers with our product instead. The United Way, Homeless Food banks, Hockey, Baseball, Soccer associations, etc. etc. Disaster Aid releif... We continued for 2 hours with enough ideas to keep us both working until we're 95!

    I had shared my eventual Foundation/possible NGO ambitions and incorporating proceeds from individual product sales towards those groups. A little easier said than done and requires time/ travel. Travel?

    And it's true Plllog, in the grand scale, business can unite with the world so that it's not all ruthless and self-serving. Body Shop being an example, Fair trade products. This is the tree we are looking to climb.

    But after reading your post a third time, it just occurred to me that because our sales are Business to Business not to consumer or end user, as a Manufacturer, we don't have that bond to the marketplace. The Retailer has that role. We get maybe 2-3 consumer emails per year! Always dealer inquiries.

    Trust me I will be doing everything in my power/arsenal to get out alive as in we will fly the goods in by Air, at our cost, at 25x the cost of ocean freight!

    I look at this as the French Open Championship and like RAFA (actually my real idol, not Federer, I just like Federer -alot) I would never let a single point go and certainly not my French Open Title.

    VAMOS!

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mutual commerce may be the glue that brings peace to the world.

    This eloquent little line may due for a trip to The Folder. Adios palabras.

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So you like clay, huh? I actually hated playing tennis, but I was a big time Pete Sampras fan, and remember well the day Federer took out Sampras at Wimbledon using Sampras's own (mental) game against him! I love (watching) grass court tennis, and repine its dip in favor. Ah, tennis. I loved batting balls against the wall, forehand, backhand, forehand, backhand. All the other little drills were fun enough too. Those were all in the shade. But who wants to run around a great big swath of sunny concrete radiating heat up and melting the shoes, just to play pingpong on a grand level? No, no, no!!!! No running around in the sun pour moi. Trail rides (big shady hat, non-reflective dirt trails, green foliage moistening the air, and a good leather saddle and heavy blanket between one and hot horse sides), si! Tennis, non! But then I read Thunderhead and started feeling sorry for the horses...

  • steff_1
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I hope your email and concessions on shipping does the trick for your client. It's not at all uncommon in business for clients to fire off threatening emails over such things. We all wish they wouldn't, but they do. You have a good plan for getting things back on track and personal contact really is the best way. I don't know how much contact you had with them regarding the quality and shipping issues, but you can always promise to keep them better informed.

    Commerce is good and it's been around forever. It's not just for profit businesses where people behave this way. I have worked on volunteer projects and fund raisers where the problems were far more serious and less acceptable than any I encountered while working for a profit making business.

    It's really not possible to live life without a few compromises. No matter how rich or talented, you have to impose discipline and limits somewhere or do what is needed to pay the bills.

    From the website it looks like your company has a great approach to business and the quality is there so not only should you keep this customer but you will continue to gain more.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Steff! Glad you enjoyed the site. The vicious part of the email that got to me was "To be honest, I can order the product from Asia faster myself. I'll need to find another Supplier if you can't ship faster".

    This was very rude if not downright indignant. I could never imagine saying such to my Suppliers no matter how irate I may be. Considering the image of Canadians, I'm stunned that those words came out of one.

    Perhaps my philosophy of business, one of enduring partnerships with both your Suppliers and Customers is naive. In Sports, if your teammate loses the ball or the point, do you threaten to dispose of him from the team?

    The comment also showed ignorance. To really harness the value of any product and service with success takes time = energy. I spend 100% of my time on this one product, enormous efforts in the sourcing/traveling designing/buying all the individual components that go into making the finished product. Could a Retail Buyer of 50-100 different product categories possibly have the time or initiative? Unlikely. Also, a Retailer has say 50, 000 different items in a store. Can they possibly afford to buy each item directly and risk that kind of cash flow in an industry where margins are already tight?

    Funny story about finding a new Supplier. 2 years ago, one of our 2 products was delisted for another Supplier with a much less expensive product. Upon meeting in person, I showed the Buyer technically how poor his "Chinese" item was and asked him if such low quality product, relative to ours, was the image that his company wanted to project let alone the type of quality they subjected their customers to? You know, you are what you sell type of thing.
    I left it that and in 2008 received a surprise phone call from the same Buyer that he had made a decision to go exclusively with only our entire product line and would like to add all of our lines.

    This is why such language and behavior startled me. Yesterday we were his poster boy, today we are his slum rats? Sometimes I wish that we weren't so passionate about our product/company and then we would enjoy, chill and just float as they do in Latin America with a big smile and... Manana :)

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I think what he meant was that he could find your factory in China and bribe them to sell directly to him.

    The fact is that in business as well as in every other part of life, there are darlings and devils, sweethearts and SOB's, and everything in between. I'm sure this guy wasn't thinking about how he might be hurting the feelings of an actual person. He was just being the big tough guy insisting on "my way or the highway".

    It's nothing to do with you! Do your best. It's all you can do. Just don't confront him toe to toe. That kind of guy isn't going to back down. Go around him, surprise him, and refuse to engage directly. And if you need to, call him on his bluff. "Sir, I'm so sorry we are no longer meeting your needs. We would be very sorry to lose you as a customer, but we understand if you find a product or source that better meets your needs. If we can ever be of service to you in the future, we will be more than happy to resume our relationship with your company."

    Meantime, pet a bunny.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Plllog- Do I like Clay? Well how can I put this? There is no other surface in all of Tennis that defines, exposes, and demands all of the vital elements of the game of tennis. And on this basis, Roland Garros becomes the definitive quintessential Major of all the Grand Slams. Wimbledon is about tradition and pompous eloquence, US Open about big time/prime time America (especially your Todd Martin), the Australian is about endurance and stamina. The latter three all allow you to be one dimensional and still succeed. Roland Garros, no chance. Long, enduring rallies that require thought and construction of each and every point. And sorry to say, that your Grass King Pistol Pete was nothing but a blank pea shooter in Paris.

    And hey Plllog, am I ever impressed that you remembered that historically defining match in tennis history when the then fresh "new" Roger Federer systematically took apart Sampras, the Seven time Wimbledon Champion and ushered in the Changing of The Guard in Men's Tennis for so many years to come.

    LOL!! on your hitting against the wall. Actually this was the way Bjorn Borg became so great. Growing up on a farm, he had a giant Barn where he would mindlessly bang away for hours to eventually become the human backboard that he was well known for and the mental rock that made him an "Ice Borg".

    Today's young have no idea how easy they have it standing in front of a machine instead of an imposing, mind numbing brick wall.

    But Plllog, did you ever take lessons? The game is really eternal and one that you always adore. Personally, I have still never desired, been curious or even contemplated Golf because such intermittent activity would seriously bore me to tears and put me gently to sleep.

    Steff? Do you like or have you played? Maybe you're a Golfer?

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Meantime, pet a bunny.

    ((Thunderous Roaring)) LOL!!!

    You are a real card Polly. Where do you come up with these? Must be the Sea Breeze. I hope you're on the way to the Airport, you'll be needed indeed Monday morning. I'm sure Conan has a place for you too. But mine's more serious yet temporary.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Polly-. None of our products are made in China (unfortunately our packaging-yes). And yes, did we ever have a taste of that Apple (bad) many times.

    The beauty about doing business with CHINA is it's like going to the Casino. You never never know what you might win...or lose ;) Also, as I learned many times, when you do have a problem-after the sale-good luck with refund or resolution. It's "no problem we will make the next order much better, faster and cheaper."

    The greatest story is the world famous German stuffed Toy company-Steiff.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Whoops forgot a very key point in the Tennis summary of Majors.

    Roland Garros is the only one where sheer power does not guarantee victory.

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ooops! Sorry. I thought you meant it was all made in China.

    Yes, to the tennis lessons. There was a wall with a line on it at net height, and boxes to aim for as well. The wall was between me and the dreaded sun! I like the speed of grass, and, even more, I like the volleying. They never volley at Roland Garros. I like long rallies too, but not so much baselining. Plus, I have a bad memory from a clay paddle tennis court at a beach club.

    I haven't watched so much tennis on TV in recent years. Caught a little of the French, but if I'm feeling okay I can't just veg out and watch other people play.

    BTW, Sampras also grew up banging the ball against a garage door. But you can't rag on me for pulling for the home town boy!!

    BTOW, all three other majors were grass not so long ago. Grass was the court of choice for hundreds of years. I might have stuck with it better if I'd been offered Real Tennis. Played in the shade, on grass, with small raquets and natural strings, with floppy bonnets tied under the chin and long white lawn skirts. Yep. That's my kind of tennis. I played on grass in Mexico in high summer and didn't even mind the sun so much--and the court didn't seem as stupefyingly big...

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Banging might create winners but it's not tennis. Winning majors is about grinding down the opponent not playing a beautiful game. Ref. Todd Martin.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    !!!! RAFA !!!!

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You're surprised? I was actually up early today, but it was over when I turned it on.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ---> Korea and Germany. Our German one- fabric is patented.

    Winning majors is about grinding down the opponent not playing a beautiful game

    Well said. Are you sure you haven't been talking to Johnny Mac lately?As he said today about Rafa, "he just grinds you down". as poor Soderling found out. His last 2 long matches cost him the final.

    Congrats on the Grass Plllog! Sounds like you really like it and lucky you got to play on it. I have never played on a grass court in my lifetime. Very astute of you and true. All the current Majors were Grass. In fact, Flushing meadows when Jimmy Connors won his first US Open in the massacare of Ken Rosewall, was on Grass. I agree with you, hard courts are horrible and Clay & Grass should be the only surfaces permitted. Plus both are natural not some man made, high maintenance, knee destroying thing.

    Now ya see why my dream is to play in Monte Carlo?

    The club in my town here is 6 Red Clay (nice!) and 6 Hard.

    LOL!! on the Real Tennis with bonnet hats, long flowing skirts! You're such a little fashionista/artista. BTW Venus Williams designs her own clothing and Jewellery. Her little Black skirt at Roland Garros this year was... nice!

    Say, was Pistol Pete really your hometown hero? Does he still live there with his little Blonde movie star? Yeah I remember he was a CA boy.

    You like long rallies huh? Do you remember bygone French Opens where Borg-Vilas played. Yes they had continuous 100+ stroke rallies. It was insane.

    Today's victory for Rafa was very special. He waited one long year for this moment to avenge his only loss at Roland Garros,, last year to Soderling. The fire in his eyes was eery. This was a warrior that came to battle and assert his territory. And what a Champion. As Mac said, he played his absolute best match of the tournament, today. That's why Rafa and Federer have shared the last 23 Majors. True Champions rise on Championship Day.

    After last year's stunning exit to Soderling, it appeared that the end had come for the Maiorcan. He relinquished his crown by pulling out of Wimbledon, his knees in trouble, the divorce of his parents (he lives at home), and going 11 months without winning a tournament.

    Today, Rafa is officially the new World #1.

    What a comeback story!

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You like long Rallies?

    You like Grass?

    Quick, run to the tube right now!

    There's a replay of the epic 2009 Wimbledon Final with Federer's 5th Set victory over Roddick. What a match!

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    MacEnroe was listening to me! I've been trying to explain the mental game that is champion quality tennis to the skeptics for many years. Trying to explain why Andre Agassi was never in trouble early in 5 set matches because he do well playing cold, and his deal was running his opponents into the ground then jumping on them. Federer plays a bit of that and a lot more of the Sampras like psych out.

    The thing I've been listening to Mac on is that I agree they should go back to wood rackets. Then they'd actually have to play tennis because they couldn't just bang their way around the court. Baseball players use wood bats! It's not unprecedented!

    The real game of tennis was the volleying and it wasn't about the server scoring points by heaving unhittable balls into the corners, it was about have long rallies where the person who dropped the ball would lose a point. Oh, halcyon days!

  • steff_1
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That's good advice from plllog on working around the client's personality. There are personality types that can't just say they really, really need to get more of a product in stock without resorting to threats. It's more about him than your product.

    I have heard those stories about making quality things in China being a problem although I had thought it would have improved in the new China. It's really difficult to convert from turning out cheap goods at a rapid pace to the type of quality Steiff requires.

    I did play quite a bit of tennis for fun years ago and followed the tour back in the days of Evert, McEnroe, and Connors. Golf is my game now and I enjoy it very much. We do play some Wii tennis now and then which is a lot of fun and quite competitive.

    At the upper levels of any sport the competition is so good it has to be about the mental game to win consistently. It's the same in golf.

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bah!!! I've just spent the entire day updating my iPhone. Great device. Bad interface. Bit PITA!!! Apple -- :-P

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ouch! Sorry to hear that Plllog, we better do take out tonight. Steff should be here from the Golf course any second now. But why updating? I don't get it. Transferring data from another phone? I can't see that. You only have one iPhone.

    Dazed and confused?

    BTW Steve's rehearsing his lines right now fro WWDC tomorrow morning.

    We all get to see the real thing-finally!

    Will Steff be the winning "predictress"? (sounds good) Will Plllog? My word is that it is exactly the same as the "leaked" iPhone.

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Software, Solly! Software! New version. Can only do it from one of the rear USB's on a clean boot, so first thing, I pull the computer out of the cabinet, and unplug the printer from its USB and plug in the phone. I do a quick e-mail get while downloading the latest iTunes and install that. Then download and install the new iPhone software. That takes a few hours. Then get all the app updates, which take another couple of hours to download. Sync for a scant hour, then manage the apps (organization) and sync again. All day. Was supposed to have kitchen help but he had to take a meeting. Sigh. At least I can feel virtuous with a clean phone. :)

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    New iPhone OS 4.0? But Steve is just revealing it to the world tomorrow morning. Did Apple already pull the trigger tonight?

    Oh! Yeah I see how you burned the clock on this soap. I guess on a Mac, non mobile OS, it's much easier. I get the notification window from Apple, say OK Download-password- and bingo it goes, rarely more than 2-3 minutes. But mobile OS must be a whole different game, naturally.

    BTW. I just pressed the send button. And guess what? Your exact piercing words, with a RAFA tweak, was the closing paragraph (compliment). ((Big Hugs)) and even bigger thank you to you and Steff both for the positive input. Now I'm really not scared to call tomorrow. In fact, I feel assertive and will talk accordingly as in "Let's be grown up and civilized about this and face the unexpected as we do in any aspect of everyday life". S#*@ happens!

    "### I'm very sorry that our unforeseen supply chain problems have negatively impacted you. But even though we couldn't completely fill your order, until more of our best quality product could be made, rest assured we've been diligent in making sure that you did have an ongoing supply of first quality product in your DC at all times; because your business is too important to us to allow you to be shifted to backorder status. After all, (company name)'s success is also our priority.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    P.S. I will be following up this letter by telephone with you on Monday for further clarification."

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    No, no, now iPhone OS 3.x.y.z.

    Oh, Sol, I'm so glad to be able to help! Do watch the run on sentences though! I do them in chat because that's the way I talk, but I clean them up for business. [big wink]

    Your plans for the grown-up phone call sounds excellent!

  • steff_1
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good job on the email. Let us know how it works out. Interesting take on supply chain problems. Subtle message that if he tries to go direct, he's stuck with the supplier issues.

    You have some great photos on the website. Spectacular locations and great subjects.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Polly where are you??

    I'm here in the Arrivals at Pearson Int'l Airport in the drop top waiting.

    Surely there must be an App for that.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Steff. And you are oh so sharp to have picked up that subliminal message. Spent 2 hours on the phone last night with my Suppliers in tackling this operation. I repeat, we are praying that our cut fabric arrives tomorrow.

    I'm thrilled that you liked the website and our concept. It was entirely designed by Ms. Wonderful and it reflects the reality of a company whose worker's are as passionate about Traveling as the products we create for it.

    Steff-Didn't you just say that we need some more Adventure Galleries up there? Yes, I'm dying to leave...after the storm settles :)

  • steff_1
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    You can tell the boss your need more photos and quote me as objective observer. I noticed many were a more than few years old and attributed that to your business being successful. I thought Ms. Wonderful might be in there somewhere since you mention talking with her often.

    Also noticed some adventurers out there making blog posts about the towel which means it works as advertised.

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    But...Solly, morning comes a lot later over here and the tickets were issued in local time! It's all June gloomy so I guess this means I can go back to bed...

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Steff!-Please say it LOUDER to the boss. "Get that rascal outta here so the Adventure Gallery can be updated".

    Ok something I forgot to share as part of this equation. My customer is very eco sensitive and hence wanted 20% recycled fabric instead of our standard. We immediately warned him that there is no world demand for this yarn and so the very long lead times will negatively affect delivery. He still insisted and ordered us to shift all future production to recycled. Aside: I discouraged the choice not just for time issues but because I and my Supplier felt it was Greenwashing. 20 % Recycled? who cares? It is 80% not recycled in reality. Frankly, anything less than 100% is really useless for eco bragging rights. My Supplier also discouraged because it costs 25% more. For what? to have 20% of something? There is also a good counter argument against recycled that medical friends of mine have debated. Taking into account all the energy used to create a recycled item, is it really any more Green? I agree, good point.

    Anyway, this was another reason we are backordered. I had to tactfully throw that in his face with at verbatim:

    "I knew it would cause trouble and disrupt delivery times as we warned against. But to make you happy, as our most valued Customer, I still elected to produce it. As the Coach of our Baseball team, I should have made the decision and known better not to put in a brand new pitcher in the 6th inning of the World Series. I accept full responsibility for my coaching decision. It would have been better to let the new Pitcher break in during the off season. We are now in your PEAK SEASON. It is the World Series. Therefore, please let us go back to the original material so we can put our proven starters back on the mound and still win this thing."

    He agreed.

    Shockingly, he then admitted that this kind of thing always happens with stuff they make direct in China. China! deep inside I laughed with glee and certainly no surprise.

    So why the rude, insulting, threatening, attack?

    Sheeze!

    P.S. I'm surprised I was so bold in my telephone approach but the original Grizzly Bear like assault seemed to bring it upon me. I just couldn't bear to go into the talk as a sheepish, meek, defeated hound. It's strange even playing Tennis matches, you never quite know what you will do or how you will react until you actually get on the court and the match begins.

    P.P.S. After my/Plllog's pinpoint letter yesterday showing compassion, with apology, and reasoning for the woes, it would have been a kind gesture to at least thank the person for bringing light upon the situation. Without such reply, I lost any respect and from this will learn to never do likewise with any of my future business or personal exchanges.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Polly, will you get out from under those sheets please!

    I brought you a special Baked Potato from Wendy's, with Sour Cream and Chives!

    Steff made you the Chilli-Spicy Texas Style

    LOL!!! on hiding under the sheets from the cold. Saturday night weather here was so tumultuous; cold, windy, raining and had all my bedroom windows open. By the time I woke up in the morning for Roland Garros, I was freezing and shivering to the bone. Had it not been for yes, my year round HEAVY White Goosedown Duvet, I would have not made the epic Men's Final.

    Plllog, do you think I really should have had a Bunny to pet?

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sheets??? You meant the laundry? Or the vacuuming? Or the rearranging of kitchen cupboards? Even those of us suffering from the gloom do have work to do!

    Oooh! You can have the cream and I'll have the chilitato!

    Sol, I think you might be happier with a Labrador Retriever (or decent sized mutt) than a bunny, though it would be easier to clean up after the bunny. You might be happy to have a pet to pet and make lovey eyes at you when bears come roaring and slashing at you. But you do have to have a good sitter when you go adventuring.

    I'm still laughing about the guy who special ordered then balked. Amazing. I think you played it just right, man to man with your baseball analogy, but not squaring up for a fight. So...he's threatening to do what he already knows doesn't work because they can't get good stuff from China??? Empty hollow thud.

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So...Why aren't you in Buffalo? (Just kidding...you need a proper Candian one.)

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    See anything you've seen before? Still think it wasn't deliberate?

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ooops. Just read the fine print. When it said available I thought it meant it. I just meant wrist bands. Well, poop! And the OS upgrade doesn't put the good stuff on mine. Sigh.

  • steff_1
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well done, Solly! Congratulations on keeping your customer and getting the agreement to make the product with reasonable expectations.

    Thanks for the chili, Texas style has no tomatoes or beans and the meat is cubed instead of ground.

    I definitely think that earns a trip to some far off exotic locale like Western PA.

    So were you impressed with the rollout of the new iPhone?

    Funny that you used a baseball analogy since Canada isn't exactly baseball crazy. Important thing is--it worked!

    Interesting debate about recycled materials. We went through that in the design industry and I generally didn't buy into the use of "post consumer polyester" or whatever. I did try to be considerate of my suppliers whenever possible by limiting sample requests and returning them at the end of a project. To me the approach of doing the small, realistic things each day has far more impact than a feel good label.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh! so the special Potato didn't give you the goose bumps?

    Well maybe this will!

    Polly's new toy. Wait a second! that's Solly's new toy. Girls do Dolls don't they?

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Girls do computers.

    There's one good reason, currently, for post-consumer content: Keeps volume out of landfill. We have a lot of trash and nothing to do with it.

    There's a good future reason as well. The more pressure there is to recycle, the more demand there is by people who don't want to throw unreusable stuff out to have it recycled, and the more demand they put on suppliers to make recycled things, the more good stuff people will invent to do with all the junk.

    All fabrics used to get recycled by rag pickers. Some ended up in paper. Not sure where it all went. Soda bottles used to be collected, washed and reused. Then came the idea that it cost too much to reuse when we could just throw it out. Bad.

    20% is laughable, sure, and sometimes recycling isn't the most efficient usage. But when you look not just at the energy use, but the whole production cycle, including what else to do with the waste, the numbers get fuzzy.

    Interesting thing about paper: The fibers start pretty long in good quality paper. In recycling they get shortened. Leads to grocery bags that don't work without being doubled (yes, the cure is reusing canvas, but that's not the point). It also leads to softer paper. I grew up using high quality paper napkins. I couldn't stand the "paper towelish" bumpy ones, like Zee. (Cloth isn't a great choice in a drought prone area, and just means diverting the icky messes to other disposables.) The 7th G. recycled, bumpy little napkins are great! They're much softer. And for actually wiping hands and mouth on, rather than draping one's lap with, one or two is perfect for a meal, whereas I often feel like I have to reuse the better ones which aren't used up enough to throw away.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well Steff, now that put a smile on Cinderella's face.

    I guess the Potato just didn't have the WOW factor that this hunk of lust has.

    Do I like it? I fainted when I saw Steve chattering about it's virtues. With all the Android hype, looks like Jobs really went for the jugular on this 4.0 He had to in order to distance himself and push the goal posts further. What a screen! The design is really sleek. It looks like an instrument! A finely chiseled thing.

    It looks slimmer than the leaked phones. But the leak was no dummy shell at all. So I'm still at my original theory. It really did get in the wrong hands. He was testing it as they do every new device. What do guys think? Staged leak or true accident. If staged, it certainly kept us up at night waiting and not daring to go buy something else.

    And yes, I pressed the "Reserve Now" button so Plllog won't tease me with my $29 Nokia Prepaid Card toy. BTW I never did unlock it and never had a phone since 5 finger Charlie crashed my party.

    Polly-I'm so happy for you. At&T has a $19 upgrade deal for you.

    Steff- Would you?

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Should say though, that I agree with Steff 100% about everyone doing the little things daily having a greater overall effect.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Steff- I wanted to say that the phone call did play on my nerves. All day I was walking through the motions, remembering Plllog's "you don't want to rumble with this Bear" so I was thinking taming. But not sucking taming knowing that he'll bite again and make you bleed.

    First I said I'd do it in the morning. Then I pushed it to after lunch. Then it was after dinner. I felt the pressure and went for a 20 minute walk, came back and drank a laced 3 bag pot of Tazo "Calm" and went straight to the phone ready to take him on. It's strange because although I drank the Tazo-Calm, I was still pretty revved up.

    There was even a brash cocky sentence that I spewed forth. "Based on your Email it seems you questioned our ability to be able to supply your orders. Perhaps you should know that in 2009, our factory actually shipped 4.5 million towels worldwide and can be seen at every major Retailer in Europe. Truth. More Europe however. My Supplier has very few customers in N. America since the market here is all about cheap$$/low quality=CHINA=WalMart. Europe wants quality so CHINA has no chance against us there.

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Interesting debate about recycled materials. We went through that in the design industry and I generally didn't buy into the use of "post consumer polyester" or whatever. I did try to be considerate of my suppliers whenever possible by limiting sample requests and returning them at the end of a project. To me the approach of doing the small, realistic things each day has far more impact than a feel good label.

    Amen!!

    Thanks Steff. So eloquently put.

    I'm so glad you agree. I stood my ground and voiced your same opinion to this Buyer as stated above. It is Greenwashing. Done strictly for the sake of a label. It's still 80% not recycled or "evil". So why bother.

    I also remember that our local Supermarkets stopped taking the plastic shopping bags for recycling some time back. I inquired with the Store Manager and the convertor stopped picking up for $$ reasons and the business wasn't worth it. In other words, the money spent in breakdown and revenue from converting obviously didn't pay off.

    P.S. Last night when I was on the phone with my factory pushing them to order more recycled material, my rep said "Shouldn't we wait until we get this recycled fabric next week and at least make sure it is good quality and has the same feel and touch as our standard top quality fabric? " Now that's dedication and care. I was impressed. But I said NO, just order it anyways. I've got an angry Bear climbing up my tree.

    So if you push too much in life, sometimes people will just give up and "give the people what they want" good or bad.

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Staged. Or accident they hoped would never surface. Staged, more likely.

    Oh, cool, Sol! I hadn't seen about the AT&T deal. That's $199, though. Couldn't figure what the $19 one was. But it's still cool. I thought I'd have to wait until my 2 year date. The article I found said AT&T want their high paying (i.e., all iPhone) customers to have early upgrades to the best equipment. Who knew they'd do something smart? As in give the people what they want and keep 'em loyal? Good move, Ma Bell!

    I love the folders, nearly limitless number of apps, and the multitasking. Not sure I like the new shape. I'll have to see it in person. Not so hand friendly.

    Guess I'll really have to look into this. My brother has a touch. I wonder if he'd be interested in taking over my old phone.

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    ROTFL!!! Solly, that was a crosspost. I had no idea you were using the same words as a negative at the very same moment. Très droll!

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh-as in great minds think alike ;)

    BTW-for the record, Steff is the reigning Cross-Posting Queen. Last week she had me howling!

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "20% is laughable, sure, and sometimes recycling isn't the most efficient usage."

    Oh great, now you speak out! Where were you in April when I had this exact tussle with my Buyer?

    Oooooh how I'd love to pay you $$$ to write a letter to my Buyer and repeat the exact words above. Polly? Lifetime laundress? you're getting the Horses already. How about 2 Grass courts? One permanently has a Prince hydraulic Ball machine to make you into the next Jankovic, and the other reserved for pro sets and company.

    Steff-will you need to tune up your Golf game while at the Chateau? That could be a big project... and lots of grass seed!

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Plllog, remember when you wouldn't let me get the Pad?

    I guess you were right weren't you? This beauty is wayyy better for Travel and frankly looks more fun and is more versatile.

    See Steff, I am thinking along your lines. Now if only that Big Meanie Boss of mine would let me go, I could shoot another Gallery for the website, stay in touch with the Office (proving that I am a true Company man!) and answer my emails.

    Solution: Buy loyal worker new iPhone 4.0 and force him to get on jet airplane and go shoot a proper Gallery. What a disgrace, it hasn't been updated for years!

    ;;;;;; Tisk Tisk

  • plllog
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hm... I don't know. Are the insides of Jet Planes gallery worthy? Wouldn't it be better to take a seat and go somewhere interesting before you start shooting? Just saying...

  • solman
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Steff- I just looked at the clock and about this time last week, I was on the way home, driving back from your lovely Grove City PA, with my Le Creuset heist.

    The rain really put a damper on the ride but I was just psyched from the whole mission-accomplished.

    Yes Plllog- your call was dead on. I was at W. Sonoma on Saturday and looked at Flamme, and no, did not feel any Flamme. Glad to have doubled up on "the cutie". You'll laugh, but all the other Le. C's are in their respective boxes except that one on the plywood counter. I just look at it on occasion and smile. A pot with a hat. The balance is so incredible. The handle length to pot ratio. Serious ergonomics.

    Say, can I get the the larger 2 in 1!

    Steff-Did you say your family needed some prime Canadian Maple Syrup delivered to Grove City?