World Ventures?

Last night I received a text from an old college buddy that said "Hey man, I need to talk to you about something really important... can you be by your computer in 10 minutes". Being a good friend, I of course obliged, logged into my computer and awaited his call.

At about 9 o'clock, I get a phone call and he tells me to visit the following website: http://worldventures.biz/ and click number two. I then proceed to watch a twenty minute video clip, with him on the phone, all the while being skeptical and knowing what I was watching had to be a scam.

After watching the video, he asks me "So what do you think? Do you want to be a part of this business opportunity"? I almost didn't know what to say, after watching the video it was obvious to me that the company was either A) A pyramid scheme or B) a tough sell commission job, either way not my cup of tea. I then proceeded to try and explain this to him, but he would not have any of it and seemed offended that I was insulting his new get rich quick plan.

The problem with "companies" like this is they prey on people like my buddy; people that are above the poverty line, but are not faring well in this recession. They charge membership fees to be a "Travel Agent" in their "company" and tell you that you will be able to make a lot of money and go on a lot of vacations. That offer sounds enticing to anyone, but it is especially enticing to people like my friend that work 60 hours a week and barely get by.

The company tries to hook you with a video. They explain that being a member of their "MLM" company is like being a member of SAM'S or Costco, they buy vacations in bulk so that you can sell them cheap and make money as you sell people the product.

Here is the problem:

You are not selling pizza or a magazine subscription. You are not even selling a one time discounted vacation. You are selling a membership to a travel club, and it isn't cheap. You have to be able to convince someone to spend $200 dollars up front and then spend $55 each month to keep their membership before they even purchase their first vacation. Actually you don't have to convince just someone, you have to convince at least 4 someones before you break even each month (a this point they pay your monthly membership). Here are some facts: the poor can't afford this and the wealthy and middle class are too smart to buy into this. You will only be able to sell this to others that are looking to get rich quick and will not look into it deeply.

Any "company" that charges you to be an employee is probably a scam. Yes it is true that when you start your own business you must spend money to make money, but this isn't starting your own business.

$200 (base price) + $100 (to be a sales associate)= $300 up front
$55 (membership fee) + $10 (associate fee)= $65 each month
in one year you will have spent $1080!
(+ they occasionally have seminars for $200 to teach you how to sell more memberships)

This "company" is a great opportunity for the people that own it. They get to make over a grand from each chump they are able to sign up and do so with very little work. For the average American, all I can say is stay far away from World Ventures. As my father always said, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Hey, at least they give an income disclosure for their employees.

Rationality gone in my generation?

I feel as though I was born 50 years after my time. 

Reading about the Humberto Leal Garcia case is almost enough to make my blood boil. This man raped and murdered a 16 year old girl in San Antonio while staying in America illegally. In a rare strike of judicial justice, Humberto was put to death today after being given the death penalty sentence in 1994 at the conclusion of his trial. Any logical (I know thats asking a lot in the 2000's) person would see this as justice at its best, a man losing his life for killing an innocent girl and forever changing the lives of the people she was close to. The "international community", however, sees it differently, branding Texans as barbarians and criticizing Perry for allowing his execution. 

Their argument is simple, since Garcia is not an American citizen, America has no right to execute him regardless of his actions. Well if we can provide non-citizens with education, medical services, welfare, etc. and they don't have any problems with that, why is it any of their damn business what we do with people who rape and murder our citizens? It shouldn't be. If I went to Mexico tonight and got pulled over by a crooked cartel cop and didn't have enough money to buy my way out of Mexican jail, would the international community weep for me? No because I am an American and I am not "helpless". 

This is the problem I have with progressivism in general. As a country we spend so much time and money helping those that "can't" (don't want to) help themselves that we have lost the competitive edge that has historically made us a powerful nation.

Ideals such as personal responsibility, fiscal conservatism, personal freedoms and hard work are what this country was built on. The idea that given the freedom to prosper, a person can do great things with hard work is the notion that made America great. As the country has aged, people have slowly started sacrificing these freedoms in favor of government assistance in the form of handouts and regulations. 

Instead of being an individualistic nation, in which each person is responsible for their own happiness and success, we have developed this mentality of "they can't help it" and "it's not their fault". "She murdered her 8 children because she is crazy, she can't help it", killing 8 children is crazy... its crazy enough to warrant the death penalty. "He dropped out of High School and doesn't have a job, it is our responsibility to take care of him", if we didn't take care of him maybe he'd get his GED and find a job. Some of the greatest men in history stepped up and became men out of necessity, we are depriving our most vulnerable citizens of this chance but not allowing them to accept personal responsibility. 

Being soft is no way to be a great nation. We became the best because as a country we could kick ass and take names without thinking twice. World War II wasn't won through being a humanitarian, it was won through the individual efforts of Americans using force and ingenuity. We didn't go easy on Hitler "because he's crazy", we did what we needed to win and we weren't afraid to work hard to do it. 

It is imperative that as a nation we move away from this trend and soon. Mediocracy should not be something celebrated but something feared. To be a great nation you cannot just settle for good enough, you have to aspire to improve with every step you take. This is not a harsh critique but a reality: If we do not work harder as a nation, we will be surpassed within the next two decades.

As a child, Teddy Roosevelt was frail and not expected to live to be an adult. Doctors continuously used the words won't and can't and Roosevelt's father presented him with a choice: live a short, half-hearted life or prove them wrong. Roosevelt worked hard and strengthened his mind and body, becoming a successful outdoorsman, businessman and most memorably one of the greatest presidents we have ever had. Men like Roosevelt were not born, they were made. 

America, lets stand up and make some more great men.