Todd Carpenter becomes one with the Borg and the charming little lemmings elbow each other out of the way to dive off the cliff head first.
One of two things will happen: Todd will discover he’s made a terrible mistake and will quit this job with dispatch — I hope very loudly. Or: Todd will deliver us to our slaughter.
Anyone who expects anything other than evil from the National Association of Realtors has either not been paying attention, or, much worse, embraces that evil.
In any case, this is not something to be celebrated, not even to affect to be “nice” in chorus with the rest of the lemmings.
The NAR may want to infest our world in order to destroy it. More likely, they want to take it over.
What they certainly do not want is to approach the public as we do — openly, authentically, concealing nothing. The entire edifice of residential real estate is founded on secrets and lies, and, as long as it is, the NAR will be nothing but a cesspit of tyrannical motives and vendorslut con games.
And — more is the pity — Todd Carpenter cannot take their money without being their shill and their Judas goat — or worse.
I’m saddened by this, because of all the gutless big-name real estate webloggers, Todd has more guts than most. But nothing good for us will come of this, and the only good that can come of it for Todd is for him to escape with his scruples intact as quickly as he can.
Bob says:
I have a hard time believing that this will be long lasting. I don’t expect Todd to compromise. I believe that he truly believes that he can make a difference. Either he will pull of something rather amazing, or he will eventually realize that he is being played and just beating his head against the wall.
FWIW, I’m glad it’s Todd. He has a lot at stake here. If he can’t pull it off, then it can’t be done. To be clear though, i don’t see this as a test for Todd, but a test for NAR.
February 26, 2009 — 12:43 pm
Kevin Sandridge says:
Hey Greg – saw Todd’s announcement yesterday and wished him well. Frankly, I need to educate myself a bit more about the NAR. As a mortgage broker, they’re sort of outside my box a bit. I enjoy this blog, and value the knowledge that you and the other contributors impart. Can you point me to one or two posts here that might get me up to speed on things?
February 26, 2009 — 12:45 pm
Kevin Sandridge says:
Hey Bob – I like what you’ve said here. I have come to know Todd as a straight shooter as well. I trust that he would not stay in a situation where he’s asked to be a yes man.
February 26, 2009 — 12:50 pm
Greg Swann says:
Kevin, read the PDF I linked to in this post, or follow the “Supplanting the NAR” category. Or search on the word “vendorslut.” 😉
February 26, 2009 — 1:01 pm
Doug Quance says:
I wish Todd well – and hope the experience doesn’t leave scars.
Not really sure what NAR is up to with this position… so I guess we’ll all know soon enough.
February 26, 2009 — 1:14 pm
Mark Madsen says:
Greg, I’ve been a fan of your writing for a couple of years, as well as a distant participant of BHB. I say distant, because I always try and avoid commenting on these type of posts.
However, this article doesn’t sit right with me. It sounds like you’re suggesting that anyone who supports Todd is either an enemy of real estate agents, or just a follower without a clue. That just seems like such a hard line. I know that this is your typical style, which is why I love reading BHB, but come on.
I gave Todd a public congrats yesterday and I encouraged a few of my mortgage buddies to do the same. Does this mean that we’re all lemmings? As a loan officer, I think it is important for the mortgage community to support Todd since he is from our side of the tracks.
I understand and agree with the theme of this post in the fact that Web2.0 (social media) shouldn’t be exploited as a marketing engine for the purpose of bringing more power to big evil companies…. and all of that stuff.
Just like Bob said above though, we’ve got to at least give Todd an opportunity to do his thing before everyone starts labeling him as the enemy.
February 26, 2009 — 1:20 pm
Greg Swann says:
> However, this article doesn’t sit right with me.
If my sister were to marry a known mafioso — even with the best of motives on her part — I would offer her a room in my home if she needed a place to run to. I would even offer to chip in for the divorce. But I would not toast her nuptials. If you would, that’s your business, but I wouldn’t consider your having done so a colorable difference of opinion. Wrong is never right, not even on festive occasions. We all know the NAR is a criminal cartel. Alike unto all organized crime, there is nothing good to be said about it, nor about anything that it does.
> I think it is important […] to support
Divorced from context, this is what I call monkeytalk. Todd got a job. Yay! Todd got a job with an evil anti-consumer conspiracy. Boo! Todd got a job stealing credibility from Web 2.0 Realtors in order to whitewash the evil that is the NAR. This is what has just happened, and what Todd does about it will be interesting to watch. But what we do about it will be crucial, essential, decisive.
It’s nice to be nice, but the lemmings would live if just one of them had sense enough to evaluate being right ahead of being nice.
February 26, 2009 — 1:41 pm
Mark Madsen says:
I saw that response coming before I hit publish. 🙂
February 26, 2009 — 1:52 pm
Ken brand says:
Time will tell. This little ditty comes to mind when reading your post. “First we’ll give him a fair trail, then we’ll hang him.” Except there’s no fair trial, just a hanging. (metaphorically of course.)
If you’re right, he can’t hurt the lemming herds, it’s over the cliff. If you’re wrong or half wrong, then positive things will happen.
I wish him the best.
February 26, 2009 — 1:56 pm
Greg Swann says:
> “First we’ll give him a fair trail, then we’ll hang him.” Except there’s no fair trial, just a hanging.
Nonsense. I said nothing but (comparatively) good things about Todd. But he cannot do good in the faithful service of an evil master. The world works the way it works no matter how much we might want it to be otherwise.
February 26, 2009 — 2:06 pm
Genuine Chris Johnson says:
It’s nice to be nice, but the lemmings would live if just one of them had sense enough to evaluate being right ahead of being nice.
Classic Greg Swann.
February 26, 2009 — 2:08 pm
Todd Carpenter says:
Mark, this article sits just fine with me. Greg is my friend but I would be disappointed if he suddenly curbed his opinion just to wish me well. That wouldn’t be the the guy who I’ve come to respect so much.
Bloodhound Blog has been a daily read for me for years. Now that I’m working for an organization that Greg has consistently railed against, his dissent only becomes more important to me.
I will be working to enable NAR and it’s membership to communicate more openly and authentically through social media. I think I can do it. It certainly seems worth the challenge to me.
February 26, 2009 — 2:10 pm
Ken brand says:
> “First we’ll give him a fair trail, then we’ll hang him.” Except there’s no fair trial, just a hanging.
Nonsense. I said nothing but (comparatively) good things about Todd. But he cannot do good in the faithful service of an evil master. The world works the way it works no matter how much we might want it to be otherwise.
Greg, good point. You did not say negative things about Todd. I need a better metaphor, that one kinda sucked.
February 26, 2009 — 2:17 pm
Trace says:
Very interesting points.
Great points made about Todd not compromising…. From my interaction with Todd and as a credit to him, he’s the type of guy that sticks to his guns when it comes to ethics, morality and doing the right thing…. ask him to lie or mislead and it isn’t going to happen… awesome, right?
That being said, I don’t think it’s an all or nothing situation as Gregg seems to suggest….
Do I think Todd or any other single mere mortal can change the NAR? No. Company culture dies hard… the only way to fix the NAR is through an extensive blood letting of epic proportions….new management and new lifeblood are just what the doctor ordered. Do I think this is going to happen? Not without a takeover, coup or other act of God.
That being said, Todd will be a great communication channel for the NAR and give the dieing dinosaur a voice…. this is not a bad thing and anything he does will be better than what is occurring today.
I know Todd will do the right thing and unlike Gregg, DO believe Todd can take their money without being their shill…. IN FACT: I can say matter of factly that Todd values his reputation and self respect more than any money he might receive. I’m also very sure that he realizes that the penalty for becoming a shill would come in the form of immediate crucification of his person and reputation in the blogosphere and beyond…..
The true test will be whether or not Todd will be able to do his job within the NAR culture / infrastructure, without throwing his hands in the air and leaving….I don’t think this is outside the realm of possibility, but there is always the chance Todd is a masochist. 🙂
I’m rooting for Todd and wish him the best…. the only way he can fail in my eyes is if he compromises his values…. short of that, I’m expecting great things from him.
February 26, 2009 — 2:25 pm
Greg Swann says:
> Greg is my friend but I would be disappointed if he suddenly curbed his opinion just to wish me well.
I would have liked all this better if they had picked some vendorslut nobody like the leaches who are always lecturing us about the vast importance of the social media world in which they do not participate. But what I told your recruiter on the phone is that you actually do understand our world, where none of those poindexters do. So the worst news could be that I baked my own goddamned cupcake, even though I couldn’t do anything but tell the truth. But then I looked at all those attaboy comments and realized that your announcement post is on a Moveable Type weblog. I’m hoping that’s a sign that the NAR is too inept to do too much damage.
I said this in email, but I’ll say it again in public: Here’s what I want for you, Todd Carpenter: Come out with your soul untouched. The next time I’m in Illinois (I was born there), I’ll make time to buy you a beer.
February 26, 2009 — 2:49 pm
Mark Madsen says:
Todd – I totally understand Greg’s point, and I expected his response to mine. This is just a good discussion that I enjoy participating in.
I don’t feel sorry you, and I know you probably don’t need the support of all mortgage lenders like I mentioned above. I mean, dude… you’re getting paid to blog. Like Greg said “Todd got a job. Yay!
Politics, NAR, Dr. Evil… what ever, I’m sorry that I’m not sounding more sensitive to the concerns most agents have with your organization. Maybe I should, but today I’m going to play the “I’m just a mortgage guy” card.
==
Greg, sorry if I sound like I’m patronizing you, I hope you know me better than that. I’m a big advocate of BHB, but it was that lemming comment that got to me.
February 26, 2009 — 2:52 pm
Bob says:
Well said Trace.
While it would probably surprise most, I too am rooting for Todd. Unlike Gregg, I dont want to see NAR die, but instead be transformed. If there was ever an opportunity to have a bloodless revolution, it is now. I hope that instead of being a talking head for NAR, Todd is a talking head within NAR for us.
February 26, 2009 — 2:57 pm
Thomas Johnson says:
Todd’s soul is safe for the moment. The NAR will be spending the rest of the year turning back Obama’s removal of the mortgage interest tax deduction.
I imagine his first assignment will be to rally web 2.0 practitioners against this effort.
February 26, 2009 — 4:48 pm
Barry Cunningham says:
Anyone know who got booted off American Idol this week? I mean really..could there be an announcement more insignificant to the well being of Realtors everywhere?
Todd and I have ahd our discussions and we have had our battles…but with the masses not even able to check email and conduct business in any technilogically meaningful manner Todd’s appointment is akin to showing the Octomom how to use birth control!
Here’s the first order of business…tell realtors that AOL isn’t the Internet! That alone may increase productivity over 50%.
Then the introduction to this thing called a telephone and you have another 50%. Accomplish those two things and he’ll take Dick Gaylord’s or Charles McMillan’s job.
Twitter..Linked In..Facebook…that’s graduate level curriculum. 90% will never even register for the Social Media class.
Bueller…Buelller..Bueller….
February 26, 2009 — 5:26 pm
Tom Vanderwell says:
“But he cannot do good in the faithful service of an evil master.”
Greg, I’d like to argue that it’s possible to do good in the service of an evil master. I’ve spent the last 20 years doing good and helping people with the financial side of their real estate transactions all the while operating with my integrity and character intact and I’ve done it working for what many people would say is an evil master (the big banks).
Is it difficult? Yes it is. Am I confident that Todd will make the difference he intends to? No. But am I confident that Todd will retain his character and integrity? Yes I am.
Tom
February 26, 2009 — 5:31 pm
Jennifer says:
Agreed wholeheartedly. Ever since the announcement, all I’ve seen is “this is great!!!!” and “awesome”, type of posts about it. Glad to see one of the big names in the blog world like you Greg stepping up and calling it the way a great many of us feel.
February 26, 2009 — 6:02 pm
Brian Brady says:
“I’ve done it working for what many people would say is an evil master (the big banks).”
Say what? Banks lend people money. How is that evil?
February 26, 2009 — 7:36 pm
Brian Brady says:
“I will be working to enable NAR and it’s membership to communicate more openly and authentically through social media.”
The key word is authentic. Todd, I think you single-handedly have to change the whole culture of NAR. NRT is a great group because they are mostly people who “get it” but good luck with the leadership.
“I think I can do it.”
If it CAN be done, you’re the guy to do it. I think you’ll either (a)- be wearing a tie in 3 months or (b) tell them to kiss your tie-died ass in 12 months.
“It certainly seems worth the challenge to me.”
Of course it is. I WANT you to succeed but I’ll know if you’re running Yun’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
So, now that you have the expense account, are you coming to Unchained to represent?
February 26, 2009 — 8:29 pm
Tom Vanderwell says:
Brian,
I was making a reference to the current state of affairs where everyone loves the way banks have and are behaving. You and I both know that lending isn’t evil, but we both also know that the corporate “ideals” of a big bank aren’t always lined up with the same morals and integrity that I live by.
Make sense? That wasn’t a crack at lending per se, it was a crack at the way lending has been done in the last few years and by many on Wall St.
Tom
February 26, 2009 — 8:34 pm
Tom Vanderwell says:
One more thought before I call it a night….
It’s been 18 years since I’ve been a member of NAR, so my opinion of them doesn’t hold anywhere nearly as much weight as those of you who write checks to them on a yearly basis, but I’d be interested in some of your thoughts on who has done more damage to the economy and the housing market in the last, say, 5 years – The Big Banks (aka Wall St.) or NAR?
Okay, been a long day, thanks for the thought provoking comments and writing. MUCH appreciated and valued.
Tom
February 26, 2009 — 8:46 pm
Brian Brady says:
“Make sense? That wasn’t a crack at lending per se, it was a crack at the way lending has been done in the last few years and by many on Wall St.”
I don’t have a problem with the way lending WAS done. In the end, more borrowers will have benefited than didn’t. I have a problem, as a former shareholder, with the way BUSINESS was done at the banks but that hasn’t been my concern since April 1, 2007. As a borrower’s advocate, I’m completely cool how banks treated my customers- they lent a lot of people money who might never have qualified.
February 26, 2009 — 10:08 pm
Jason Berman says:
> If it CAN be done, you’re the guy to do it. I think you’ll either (a)- be wearing a tie in 3 months or (b) tell them to kiss your tie-died ass in 12 months.
What a great comment. I love just being a wallflower sometimes.
February 26, 2009 — 11:21 pm
Todd Carpenter says:
Brian, I don’t start until next week, but a budget for travel is one of the first things we want to work out. I would go to every event like Unchained if I could. IMO, In real life is the ultimate goal of social media marketing. I think it’s just as relevant to NAR’s goals as it is to an agent trying to meet new clients.
February 26, 2009 — 11:29 pm
Kevin Sandridge says:
From Brian Brady, Above – to TCAR: “So, now that you have the expense account, are you coming to Unchained to represent?”
– Excellent!
February 27, 2009 — 5:44 am
monika says:
I really do wish Todd well. The test will be with NAR and if they truly will be open. I think Todd can only bring positive change to NAR. I really hope I get to see that happen.
February 27, 2009 — 6:35 am
Austin Smith says:
“Greg Swann, ABR, CBR, CRS, E-Pro, GRI, is a Realtor and the Designated Broker for BloodhoundRealty.com.”
Above is an excerpt from Greg’s website bio, affirming his status as a NAR member.
Greg, I am not attacking you as a person, nor your 1st amendment right to criticize whoever and whatever you please. That said, I am baffled that you can’t see the hypocrisy of your argument. You stated in your post that NAR is out to destroy our world, yet you still claim affiliation. As near as I can tell, the post was of an “anti-NAR” nature, and meant to sway people to the side of NAR-dissatisfaction. Correct me if this assumption is incorrect..
So why then do you still pay dues to The Man? Do you not have the option of striking out on your own, becoming a completely independent broker-owner since you hate NAR so much?
February 27, 2009 — 10:47 am
Greg Swann says:
> Do you not have the option of striking out on your own, becoming a completely independent broker-owner since you hate NAR so much?
I think you are a Realtor, but I’m going to assume for the sake of discussion that you don’t know this: The National Association of Realtors is a cartel in most states. I cannot belong to the Arizona Regional Multiple Listings Service without also belonging to a local Realtor board (in my case the Phoenix Association of Realtors), the Arizona Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. In other words, I cannot work in residential real estate without paying dues to the NAR, much as I cannot live in the United States without paying taxes to a vast horde of moronic moochers. This does not in any way — at least so far — inhibit me from complaining about either situation. To the contrary, it is my moral duty to point out the nature of these evil institutions — particularly since I’m so good at it. The counter-proposition would be that only people outside of the NAR — who know quite a bit less about it than I do — should be suffered to criticize it. What I’m doing is not hypocrisy, it is reform by the only means reform is ever achieved — stripping away the best and leaving the rest to starve.
For what it’s worth, I also make compelling and, so far, unanswered arguments against the current structure of the MLS. The entire point of everything I do is to achieve a better kind of justice for consumers, largely by encouraging real estate professionals to forevermore foreswear criminal conduct. And when standing firm against crime is denounced as hypocrisy — it’s time to check your premises.
February 27, 2009 — 11:13 am
Brian Brady says:
“IMO, In real life is the ultimate goal of social media marketing.”
There’s hope for the heathen. Bring your cross and sword, Todd; you’ll use both daily.
February 27, 2009 — 11:26 am
Austin Smith says:
Valid point. I was unaware of the MLS hierarchy requirements (I am Not a REALTOR), but now that you have clarified it makes sense and is something I should’ve known before.
I see your point and stand corrected.
However, it is my view that it is unwise to so vehemently bite the hand that feeds you, no matter the amount of skill with which you bite. NAR may be trying to take over the world, but they are doing it while providing your business’ lifeblood. But alas, it is only that: my point of view…and it is not nearly as eloquent as Swann’s.
February 27, 2009 — 11:29 am
Greg Swann says:
> (I am Not a REALTOR)
My apologies.
> NAR may be trying to take over the world, but they are doing it while providing your business’ lifeblood.
Not us. We counter-market against mediocrity, and there will come a time when the word “Realtor,” unadorned, will signify mediocrity.
Thanks for raising these issues, though. This is a good debate.
February 27, 2009 — 12:20 pm
Jay Thompson says:
I’m in the same association as Greg and basically forced to join the NAR. It’s a requirement for access to the MLS in these parts.
But no one is forced to put NAR alphabet soup after their name.
February 27, 2009 — 12:18 pm
Greg Swann says:
> But no one is forced to put NAR alphabet soup after their name.
For us extended education, some of which is sponsored by the NAR, is a badge of honor. We never stop learning, and we never stop educating our clients. My business card details what each designation means as a way of introducing the subject. With the exception of CRS 204, what we teach is quite a bit more advanced than what I learned in those classes, but their relative familiarity makes them valuable as conversation starters. In any case, the argument you are not quite making here seems to turn on two invalid points: The specious evaluation of virtue as being a species of vice and the equation of our individual efforts at self-improvement with the effects of the NAR’s on-going anti-consumer criminal conspiracy. Individual Realtors learning all they can to provide better service for their clients is a good thing. The National Association of Realtors’ attempts to manipulate legislation in order to churn the real estate market is a bad thing. These are not the same things. Not even close.
February 27, 2009 — 1:33 pm
Jay Thompson says:
Greg, I’ve got no problem with continuing education. I’m a big fan of it and I wish more agents would take, and actually learn from, some good continuing ed opportunities.
But come on. Did YOU really learn something in e-PRO classes? Hell man, you could run circles around any e-Pro instructor. Do you learn something by writing checks for annual dues to some of these NAR “sponsored” designations?
I’ve heard you speak, and I struggle with you needing an explanation of a designation on a business card as a “conversation starter”.
“Relative familiarity”? Does John Q. Public really have any familiarity with the meaning of ABR, CBR, CRS, or GRI? This is not a rhetorical question, I’d really like to know. I don’t have any designations and I know no client or prospect has ever asked me why not. Nor do I think I’ve ever lost a listing because some guy was a GRI and I wasn’t. I can see the alphabet soup being a conversation starter — “What the hell do all these letters mean?” — but they don’t seem necessary to actually start the conversation of what we do to continuously educate ourselves.
I don’t have to tell you there are plenty of ways to get continuing education without attending NAR courses. Heck, I suspect a few days at Unchained would get an agent substantially more education than the entire litany of NAR courses.
Since there are other ways to get (IMO far superior) continuing education, I just find it odd that someone who believes that an organization is evil and criminal would take their classes, advertise that they have, and write them checks.
I’m not exactly an NAR poster boy. But I don’t think they are evil and criminal. I think they are generally clueless and almost completely out of touch with reality. But I have seen some signs of life there. They aren’t on board the cluetrain yet, but at least some of them seem to be willing to chase after it instead of watching it blow right by them.
> The National Association of Realtors’ attempts to manipulate legislation in order to churn the real estate market is a bad thing.
That won’t get any debate from me, other than perhaps the word “bad” isn’t strong enough.
February 27, 2009 — 2:12 pm
Brian Brady says:
“Heck, I suspect a few days at Unchained would get an agent substantially more education than the entire litany of NAR courses.”
Thanks, Jay. Your quote would greatly help our credibility when we (as you’ve stated elsewhere) “constantly barrage our readers with advertising for this conference.”
Would it be okay if I use it?
February 27, 2009 — 6:27 pm
Jay Thompson says:
Sure Brian, you can use it. I said it, and I mean it.
It’d be nice if it was used in context. It’s really more a resignation that NAR course are generally worthless. There are a LOT of ways one can get substantially more education than the entire litany of NAR courses. Including {gasp} attending Inman Connect that certain authors here bash relentlessly, and RE Bar Camps, which if I recall correctly have also been slammed here (though I could be mistaken on that. To be honest, I read a very small percentage of what’s posted here).
And in my opinion, there is a constant barrage of advertising here for Unchained. So what? It’s Bloodhound Blog and it’s Bloodhound Unchained. It’s Greg’s blog and it’s Greg’s conference (I think. Heard mixed messages on that in the past). So I understand the promotion of it here. What I don’t understand is the incessant ranting on “vendorsluts” when in fact, by having a paid conference you ARE a vendor. I don’t understand what I see as hypocrisy in attacking those that advertise on their blogs while BHB is full of advertising for Unchained. But that’s just me, and I’m pretty sure what I think doesn’t mean much to most here.
I’ve never attended an Unchained event, so I can’t say if it’s good, bad, or indifferent. (it’d be nice if some people that have never attended a Connect event would quit bashing it, but I don’t expect that will ever happen.) Given the generally horrific quality of NAR courses, I *do* suspect a few days at Unchained would be better. I’m not sure that says a lot for Unchained (or Connect, or Bar Camp or…), more that it speaks volumes for the lack of substance in most other courses.
But if you want to use it, use it. It’s not an endorsement for Unchained. I can’t endorse (or demean) something I’ve never attended.
February 28, 2009 — 11:30 am
Brian Brady says:
“What I don’t understand is the incessant ranting on “vendorsluts” when in fact, by having a paid conference you ARE a vendor”
I think that’s a reasonable question, Jay. Is it possible that there is a marked difference between “vendors” and “vendorsluts”? Perhaps this comment I left on this post will explain it:
http://mortgagesalesblog.com/2009/01/02/mortgage-sales-blog-transparency-disclosure/
Mark Green: “I think your lesson is a good one, and I do appreciate it. But ultimately, I believe what you saw in that thread was a colossal waste of time. I’d rather be reading about success stories, killer strategies and things that are going to help my business.”
BB: Au contraire, Mark Green. What you saw in Greg Swann’s article was the definition of transparency with vendors. What you see in this post is the practice of that defined transparency.
Trace: “While I think Gregg doesn’t hide his bias against virtually any vendor or vendorslut… he was right on point about what AG was doing”
BB: That’s just not true, Trace. Greg uses, pays for, and recognizes WordPress. He uses, pays for, and recognizes a certain business card vendor.
BB (cont):Here’s who should be carefully reading Greg Swann’s article and Mark Madsen’s disclosure; vendors. If you really want to build social capital, don’t bribe bloggers. Certainly, you’ll want to offer free trials in order to entice originators but those free trials should be for everybody, influencers or not.
BB (cont):Greg and Mark just changed the game for the better. Vendors who have something of value should be cheering from the mountaintops. Useless ones should be very scared.
Does that make sense, Jay? We’ve had a lot of success with vendors who stuck their head in the mouth of the lion and engaged us here. Witness Matthew Hardy, Louis Cammarosano, and David Gibbons. These guys have been run through the ringer and came out dry-cleaned and smelling like roses.
February 28, 2009 — 9:03 pm
Greg Swann says:
> http://mortgagesalesblog.com/2009/01/02/mortgage-sales-blog-transparency-disclosure/
Oh, cool. I hadn’t followed the comments on that post. This is the first I’ve read of this branch of this thread, too. It’s off-topic, and I assumed it was just a sideshow from the hobbyhorse rodeo you mentioned to me on Friday. But the comments you quote from MSB are excellent. There are a lot of vendors I praise to the skies — I sold dozens of Flip cameras, and my love for Obeo’s virtual remodeling is absolute. What I object to, loudly and repeatedly, are overpriced crap products devised to swindle the grunts on the ground, along with the publications, web sites and trade shows that pimp that crap. Collectively: Vendorsluts, which Teri was delighted to point out to me has become a meme. Everyone knows what I’m talking about. Hobbyhorse cowboys try to score points by playing dumb — assuming they’re playing. Meanwhile: Anyone who wants to pretend that we are hypocrites is free to pretend not to read us, as always. Everyone knows where to go for the unvarnished truth — no fear, no favor, no holds barred. Should I be disgusted by this childish nonsense? I don’t care. I’m busy.
February 28, 2009 — 9:29 pm