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Thank you for visiting Dance4One. My DAILY BLOG covering Economics, Politics, Religion and Every Day Life was "born" on May 2, 2011 and NOW boasts a READERSHIP consisting of individuals and businesses in 124+ NATIONS...

DanceOne's "heart and soul" or VISION is best communicated in this statement: Be Art. Do Business. Have Faith...CONNECTING Art and Business THROUGH Faith.

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Thank you again for your interest in Dance4One...For ALL your Promotion, Advertising, Business & Personal Financial & Operational Analysis, Photo & Video Creation, Editing and Production, Documentary, Reporting, Artistic, Creative, Consulting, Dance Instruction, Cultural Events and Sponsorships, Corporate Endorsements & Product Sponsorships/Co-Marketing Campaigns NEEDS, email Dance4One11@yahoo.com and Visit DANCE4ONE at http://www.dance4one.blogspot.com/, YouTube Channel 12131966dan, LinkedIn (Dan Getz), FACEBOOK (Dan Getz, Dance4One Group & Page, & Christian T Shirits Plus by Dance4One Page, www.CafePress.com/ChristianTShirtsPlusbyDance4One/ and Twitter @Dance4One.

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Sunday, October 30, 2011

The Anonymous University of Texas at Dallas Dancers

by Dan Getz, Blogger
www.Dance4One.com

Help Dance4One go VIRAL...See "Anonymous UTD Dancers" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Vxz04vZI0. www.Dance4One.blogspot.com
www.yourbuzz.com

19 Year Ima Charu from Bangledesh Speaks Out on Human Rights Abuses in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Interview between Dan Getz, Blogger for Dance4One and 19 year old Ima Charu on Friday 10-28-11

:

Dance4One - My good friend Ima...how are you? Can you tell me what you know about the human rights abuses currently happening in either Pakistan or Afghanistan? I know you are living in Bangledesh, but because of your passion concerning protecting the rights of women and children, I would be interested in knowing what you know about either of these two countries...

Ima Charu - well about PAKISTAN,BBC and CNN telecast some reports that was quite scare.
some terrorists r shooting people on the street(mostli civilians). even a police officer was killed with his family in his own ho,e

Dance4One – wow...that is sad, and I do not mean to sound callous or hard, but people all over the world are killed every day. why does this particular news scare and concern you?

Ima Charu - but the GOVERNMENT seems to be ignorant of the fact/

Dance4One – I think u have hit on something...the difference is the government seems to not be aware, and if they are, they do not seem to care. Is that what u r saying?

Ima Charu - if there are people(civilians) die without any reason by unknown people.and government is not able to find who the are,that means government is not able to protect the people.specially after the death of OSAMA BIN LADEN,the situation became worse.a pedestrian says,'i dnt know if i can return home,people r killed every day.on street home,no one knows who the killers are.' do u know about MUKHTARAN MAI? she was raped as a part of punishment of their tribe in pakistan(it is ruled by TALEBANS)
AND ACCORDING TO PAKISTANI LAW "IF A WOMAN IS RAPED SHE CANNOT GO OUTSIDE PAKISTAN FOR ANY REASON"

Dance4One – I am embarassed to admit...but no, I do not know who this person is, and this is the first I have heard that she was raped as you stated. Tell me just a little about who Mukhtaran Mai is? I am of course assuming she was not also killed when she was raped.

Ima Charu - MUKHTARAN MAI did not get her justice before,but she tried to contact international; media.the with the support of people all over the world SHE WAS ABLE TO GAIN HER RIGHT,and the people who commited the crime were jailed/. but recently they all have become free. and gov. does not want to give her protection. IN AFGANISTAN it's a normal story when baby girls r married to OLD (not older only!!)men,and sometimes the girls are beaten to death

Dance4One – Ima, unfortunately we are out of time...one quick quick quertion (and I defiintely want to do a follow up interview regarding the information you have provided)...r u still 18 or are you now 19? and u r studing to be a doctor (not nurse) right?

Ima Charu - u may watch the move KHUDA KE LIYE.that provides a complete picture of PAKISTAN

Dance4One – great...can u quickly answer the last 2 questions?

Ima Charu19 NOW.AND STILL WANNA BE A DOC. LAST U MEAN ABOUT MUKHATARAN MAI.???

Dance4One – i will get back to you on the ???? I really have to run...Blessings to you.. I will let you know sometime next week about setting up a follow up interview...You are a real inspiration...Keep doing what u r doing...u r definitely ALREADY making an influence on your world...

Ima Charu - THNX.I REALLY NEED BLESSINGS.TAKE CARE.U DNT KNOW HOW MUCH U INSPIRE ME

Dance4One – the feeling is mutual...YOU are an inspiration and there is an ABUNDANCE of Blessings AWAITING YOU...the key to staying ALIVE is BELIEVING and having FAITH...

More Information about Dan Getz or Dance4One can be found at www.Dance4One.com, www.Dance4One.blogspot.com, @Dance4One or by Emailing Dance4One11@yahoo.com.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Tim Halperin…picture of TRUE SUCCESS at Plano, Texas Feastival

by Dan Getz, Blogger Reporting from Plano, TX

Apparently how American Idol and the general American public view SUCCESS and how WE in TEXAS view SUCCESS are two different things.  Halperin’s modesty, “realness” and raw, undeniable talent was not only refreshing, but obvious to all who witnessed Halperin’s performance Saturday evening at the Plano Feastival in Plano, TX.

As the band was performing it’s final sound and equipment checks, Halperin was seen interacting with, and signing autographs for his young “tweener” fans…much like a big brother interacts with a younger sibling.  Testing the waters a bit (as an adult and technically media), I introduced myself as an Independent Blogger for Dance4One, and requested an autograph.  Tim not only graciously got up and signed a fold out map of the DART system (the only item I could readily put my hands on), but suggested doing an interview if I could stick around for a bit after the show, which I of course readily accepted.

Tim (lead vocalist and keyboards player) and the band played a number of songs I recognized from his new “Rise & Fall” album currently available on I-tunes in singles or as the full album (only $10).  My personal favorites were “I Wanna Fall in Love” and “New York” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEC3K0G1oug) which Halperin executed PERFECTLY. 

After the “official” show was done, the “real show” began, and there was NO show to it, as Halperin and his fellow band members continued to carry and present themselves in a way that is not only rare in the music and art “arena”, but hard to describe in words.  I alluded to his character earlier when I mentioned he acted in a way that was “like a big brother”, particularly when talking to, and signing autographs for his mainly 5 year old to maybe 15/16 year female fans, even when it was obvious they were “fawning” over Tim and had been through the line multiple times. But it was more than that.  It was a humbleness, strong sense of right and wrong, and respect that usually comes from excellent parenting, a strong faith in Someone bigger than yourself, and an inner resolve to do and say the right things, no matter what. 

While Mr. Halperin may not have the fan base I think he one day will have, Tim had a stability and confidence about him that was secure in the fact that he WAS and IS successful no matter what the majority of people may, or may not say or think about him…NOW…or in the Future, and whether or not the charts reflect a Rise…or a Fall.  It was crystal clear to me as a representative of Dance4One, that Tim has, and is learning to CONNECT Art and Business THROUGH Faith, by BEING ArtDOING Business…and HAVING Faith.  Thank you Tim for demonstrating your core values, and talent, on and off stage.

More Information can be found about Dan Getz or Dance4One by visiting www.Dance4One.com and www.Dance4One.blogspot.com, or by Tweeting @Dance4One.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

RE-RELEASE OF "Is the DART hitting the Bulls Eye or Even the Target? A 31 Day Journey THROUGH Art, Business & Faith"

When I first ran this story on October 26, 2011, I had the intention of disguising my identity until the last or 31st day.  In retrospect that would have been a HUGE mistake.  Although ALL of the information below has been presented in a CREATIVLY TRUTHFUL manner, the EXPANDED TRUTH is that I, Daniel Getz, www.Dance4One.blogspot.com, YouTube 12131966dan, FACEBOOK (Dan Getz & Dance4One), Twitter @Dance4One and LinkedIn (Dan Getz) are both "Joe" and the narrator of this story...MY STORY...Subsequent Days may, or may not appear in sequential order.  Every effort will be made to POST Subsequent "days" on my BLOG, now read in 60+ NATIONS at www.Dance4One.blogspot.com on WEDNESDAYS...Enjoy MY STORY...MY Adventure and READ ON and TELL all your FACEBOOK, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yahoo and BLOGGER FRIENDS to JOIN ME :-)
By Dan Getz, Blogger


When I met up with Joe* approximately 16 months ago, I found him under a bridge near one of the DART stations helping a family who had lost nearly everything, save a tent, a LOT of clothes, cooking utensils, several pets (including a rabbit in a cage), and several other assorted “survival-type” items.  Although Joe quickly informed me that he had just lost his job, himself, he shared with me part of this family’s story.  There was a father, a mother, a 19 year old son and I believe a brother of the wife, and then that brother’s wife (sister-in-law) of the mother. 

Joe told me that he had met the mother a few weeks earlier pan-handling at an intersection maybe a mile south from where we were at.  It was the middle of the summer in Texas, so it was obvious that she was exhausted and extremely hot.  The day Joe spotted her, he initially felt a twinge of conviction (I later found out he was a devout Christian) for having had passed her by (which had happened at least once or twice before) and a couple miles up the road, made a U-turn and returned to the place where he had seen her.  But she was not there.  So seeing a place where he could pull in and park, he did, and began to inquire at several of the businesses to see if they had seen this person in the area, and did they know if she was a “regular” at this particular location?  Nobody had, and about to get in his car and resume his plans for the day, he spotted Lori*, whom he had already identified as “the mother”.  Joe, in his charismatic and friendly way was able to quickly determine the fact that Lori was hungry and offered to buy her a SUBWAY sandwich and a drink, and sit down and have lunch/dinner with her.

Lori, though obviously hungry, was more than eager to talk and explain herself, very much like an accused man or women insisting on their innocence.  In fact, “She talked so much, Joe said, “I had to gently remind her that ‘It was okay.  We could talk later, but right now it was important to eat, and listen to what I had to tell her.’” “What I had to tell her” Joe said, “was that I did not blame her in anyway, and although I was limited as to the extent I could help her (because, as you know I had recently become unemployed myself), I had several practical ideas of how I might be able to help, if she would just eat and listen.”

And that’s about where I left Joe the last time I saw him, approximately 16 months ago, UNTIL I ran into him at a Starbucks in North Dallas recently…I said, “Hey Joe, is that YOU.  Do you remember me?  I’m that guy that…

And Joe said, in the same overtly positive and optimistic tone he had carried throughout our several weeks of communication and interaction many months earlier, “Yeah, Yeah…I remember…Do you know what I just bought?  It’s a 31 day Regional Pass for DART…I lost my motorcycle to the bank a couple weeks ago…I’m unemployed again…but I do still have a little in the bank and a car and apartment.  So I figure I’m gonna learn the WHOLE DART SYSTEM NOW…while I’ve got a little “breathing room”, and hopefully find some work through my writing, blogging and travels on the DART system before the end of my 31 day pass.”

And so…this is JOE’s story…

To Be Continued (in 31 ADDITIONAL segments)…

*More Information can be found on Dan Getz and Dance4One at www.Dance4One.blogspot.com OR by FOLLOWING @Dance4One on TWITTER or FACEBOOK.  Names with asterisks may or may not have been changed for this story.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Netflix's CEO does not LISTEN to his Friends, Collegues and most importantly his CUSTOMERS...

The article below was copied and pasted as is by Dan Getz/Dance4One Blogger from http://finance.yahoo.com/news/How-Netflix-Lost-800000-nytimes-2771345185.html?x=0 (Starting at "How Netflix Lost 800,000 Members, and Good Will).


...I (Dan Getz with Dance4One) have only TWO comments and BOTH are directed to CEO Reed Hastings...ONE Stop BLAMING others for YOUR and Netflix's MISTAKES, and Start LISTENING to your Friends, Collegues, and Customers, as it is apparent you do not value their opinions.  And TWO, in reference to the VERY last line  of this article (where you have been quoted, Mr. Hastings), Missionaries often DIE for their Beliefs and "Faith"...


How Netflix Lost 800,000 Members, and Good Will

nytimes

, On Monday October 24, 2011, 8:17 pm EDT
Reed Hastings was soaking in a hot tub with a friend last month when he shared a secret: his company, Netflix, was about to announce a plan to divide its movie rental service into two — one offering streaming movies over the Internet, the other offering old-fashioned DVDs in the mail.

“That is awful,” the friend, who was also a Netflix subscriber, told him under a starry sky in the Bay Area, according to Mr. Hastings. “I don’t want to deal with two accounts.”

Mr. Hastings ignored the warning, believing that chief executives should generally discount what their friends say.

He has since regretted it. Subscribers revolted and many dropped the service. The plan further tarnished a once widely respected Internet service that had already been wounded by an unpopular price increase in the summer. Mr. Hastings was forced to reverse the planned split — but not the price increase — three weeks later and apologized.

On Monday, the company revealed the damage that had been done. It told investors that it ended the third quarter of the year with 800,000 fewer subscribers in the United States than in the previous quarter, its first decline in years. The stock plummeted more than 25 percent in after-hours trading.
Despite the decline in subscribers, the company did well financially in the quarter. It reported net income of $62.5 million, or $1.16, a share, compared with $38 million, or 70 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. Revenue rose 49 percent to $822 million. Both revenue and income topped analysts’ expectations.

Like many other companies built in Silicon Valley, Netflix prides itself on its analytical, data-driven approach to making decisions. But it made a classic business misstep. In its reliance on data and long-term strategy, the company underestimated the unquantifiable emotions of subscribers who still want those little red envelopes, even if they forget to ever watch the DVDs inside.

Mr. Hastings said in an interview last week, his most detailed discussion yet of the bruising period, that he had been guilty of overconfidence and of “moving too quickly.” But he said he still believed — as do nearly all investors and analysts — that Netflix’s future lay not in DVDs but in streaming over the Internet. “We still need to move quickly in streaming,” he said.

Twice in the interview, Mr. Hastings linked the hostility toward Netflix’s price change and proposed breakup to the angry mood of the country, even citing the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street movement by name.

He said — and repeated it on a conference call for investors on Monday evening — that subscribers had been bothered more by the summer price shock than by the breakup plan. Until September, a combination of video streams and DVDs cost as little as $10 a month; now, that same package costs $16. “We are done with pricing changes,” Netflix said Monday in a letter to shareholders.
Mr. Hastings said he was not sure whether the plan to split the company had been presented to customer focus groups before it was made public. Mr. Hastings said he assumed it had been. But he said he did not recall what those focus groups had said about the plan.

He said Netflix was now trying to slow its decision-making to ensure that there was more room for debate about major changes at the company.

How Netflix came to be so out of touch with its customers is a cautionary tale for other companies that try to transform to new media from old. As the company’s streaming Internet service caught on with consumers, subscriber numbers soared and, with them, the company’s stock, rising ninefold from the start of 2009 to peak above $300 in July.

Last year, Fortune magazine put Mr. Hastings, 51, on its cover as the businessperson of the year after he seemed to pull off the rare feat of finessing the “innovator’s dilemma” by navigating Netflix to the digital future from its DVD rental business.

A key to its success was the way it blended its new and legacy businesses. While the library of material available for streaming was relatively sparse because of Hollywood licensing restrictions, Netflix customers could find many of those missing movies, especially new releases, in the company’s far larger DVD selection.

But Netflix needed to spend more money to license additional material for its streaming service. Collecting $10 a month from subscribers was insufficient as costs ballooned. Mr. Hastings defended the increase last week and again on Monday, but he said it was “too big a price change all at once.” Hubris played a big role in the errors, he said.

For well over a year, all the signs seemed to indicate to Netflix that customers were ready to move quickly to a future in which movies and TV shows would come to them instantly over the Internet instead of in the mail. Mr. Hastings said the decision to form Qwikster, as the mailed DVD company was to be called, had been based in part on data that showed a faster-than-anticipated increase in streaming by its customers.

In the first quarter of this year, for the first time, DVD shipments were down year over year, leading Netflix to declare that the DVD business had peaked. “Very few” new subscribers were choosing to get DVDs in the mail, Mr. Hastings said.

Stuart Skorman, a Bay Area entrepreneur who previously ran a chain of movie rental stores and an Internet movie venture, last year worked with Netflix managers after licensing to the company a database of movie recommendations. He said he was struck at that time by how little Netflix seemed to care about its DVD rental business.

“I think they should have been paying much more attention to it because that was their customer base,” he said. “That’s what made them special.”

Steve Swasey, a Netflix spokesman, disputed the idea that the company did not care about its DVD business, saying it was still acquiring discs for the service and was focused on speedy delivery of movies.

The breakup announcement in September seemed “very data-driven,” said Rich Greenfield, a media analyst for BTIG Research. “I think the company thought, because many people aren’t watching the DVDs, let’s accelerate the transition.”

What the company seemed not to respect was the premium that consumers place on having options — even if they don’t actually take advantage of all those options. Just ask any all-you-can-eat buffet operator, or a gym owner who sells six-month memberships.

Netflix’s red envelopes “were basically occupying slots in between the couch cushions for long periods of time,” Mr. Greenfield said. “But even if there wasn’t usage of the DVDs, there was a perception of value.”

Mr. Hastings said he expected that the DVD-by-mail business would “last a long time.” He identified two long-term markets for it: rural customers who cannot or do not have broadband Internet access for streaming, and “film school types” who want a comprehensive catalog of old films.
The scrapped plan to form Qwikster has led to speculation among analysts and executives, like Mr. Skorman, that Mr. Hastings wants to sell Netflix. While Netflix beat big rivals in the DVD rental business, like Blockbuster and Wal-Mart, it faces an increasing phalanx of formidable players in streaming movies, like Apple, Amazon and Hulu.

Mr. Hastings denied he had any such plans. “Mercenary C.E.O.’s are always preparing for a sale, and missionary ones are always preparing for the long term,” he said. “I’m clearly in the latter camp.”

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Tim Halperin, former AMERICAN IDOL contestant graces Plano Feastival with Kindness, Respect, Humbleness and TALENT


Tim Halperin (former American Idol contestent) you totally rocked last night at Plano Feastival...Thank you so much for not only your fantastic artistic, creative and musical talent, but your respect, kindness and humbleness...Looking forward to our follow up interview!! Ever thought of hiring Julie (coordinator of Plano Feastival) as your AGENT? She obviously knows TRUE talent when she sees it!... Colton Jacobson, you should consider Julie as well...you, in my opinion (and from what I could see, the opinion of your fans) are VERY talented as well, and COULD be the NEXT Jason Bieber...Keep BEING aRT...DOING bUsInEsS...and HAVING fAiTh...CONNECTING art AND business THROUGH faith. for a FULL feature story on the Plano Feastival and TIM HALPERIN coming SOON go to www.Dance4One.blogspot.com.

Friday, October 21, 2011

You never cease to AMAZE me, STARBUCKS...and that's a GOOD thing

By Dan Getz, Blogger

Reporting from Allen, TX 

Two days ago I logged into www.starbucks.com and not only quickly found an area to leave feedback and comments at but was strongly encouraged to offer suggestions and IDEAS.  This is what I wrote, in part: 
“I had a VERY unique (and pleasant) experience at your location at North Central Expressway, Allen, TX 75002 (store #3475) this morning and yesterday.  I will be writing a feature story on my positive experience… I have written articles for Jack-in-the-Box, Wendy's, Coca-Cola, MetroPCS, Team Mobile, Sprint, Double Dave's Pizza...to name a few.   

...One final note...even though I have been a Starbucks's customer for several years and frequent MANY of your locations, I noted a a VERY impressive teamwork procedure/process (I notice these things as a Sr. Financial/Operational Analyst with 20+ years of experience) that I have NEVER seen in another Starbucks, let alone ANY other business or company in the WORLD (I see this, too, due to extensive travel including Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, etc.) and the Middle East (most recently Aaman , Jordon and Beruit, Lebanon).” 

The specific procedure/process I noted was a COMRADERY, that, although I have frequented Starbucks for 10+ years, I have NEVER seen at ANY other Starbucks in the nation or the world.  After complementing the Supervisor/Lead (Jessica) and a newly hired Real Estate/Renovation/"Build to Suit" and Acquisition Manger (Kim) on what I observed, I was able to ascertain two additional pieces of information.  First, one of their team members is a former (I believe) CHEERLEADER and 2) The process I observed was a “reporting” (which was more of a jubilant/high energy “proclamation”) of the anticipated drive through times.  Possibly, one of the reasons I had never previously observed what I saw is the fact that I have not (at least regularly) frequented locations with a drive through. 

However, my “gut feeling” is that this particularly location not only possesses “over-the-top”, absolutely superb MANAGEMENT (I learned too through this experience, that MANAGEMENT is SHARED amongst several individual team members and roles/positions and NOT just ONE, or a select few, as is typically the case at MANY other companies), but has established TEAMWORK in a way, that although present, in other companies, and most Starbucks locations, does not come remotely close to the LEVEL I personally experienced at THIS Starbucks location (Bethany and US 75 in Allen, TX).  Thank you STARBUCKS for AMAZING me AGAIN. 

Dan Getz is an INDEPENDENT BLOGGER, and OPERATIONAL/FINANCIAL ANALYST.  More Information can be found at www.Dance4One.com, www.Dance4One.blogspot.com, OR by TWEETING @Dance4One or EMAILING dangetz1213@yahoo.com.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Calling ALL Artists...

CALLING ALL ARTISTS (Painters/Drawers, Musicians, Cinematography (sp.?), Muli-Media, WRITERS, Reporters, Dancers, ETC.)...I am working on a VERY bare-bones concept to PROMOTE the ARTS via a website(s) with ZERO investment and a "cut" of ALL sales of YOUR work...NOTHING will be posted without YOUR express consent and release...PLEASE begin emailing me samples/pieces of your work (jpeg, PDF, mpeg, M...P3, etc.), so I cannot only review YOUR work, but begin building a distribution list where I can share with you more details of this concept. My email address is dangetz1213@yahoo.com. For files over 25 meg, please use www.toobigforemail.com which is a REALLY great site!! Of course you can look at some of my "work" too at www.dance4one.blogspot.com and www.dance4one.com. Also check out my FIRST YOUTUBE upload of a piece I did a few years back :-)
Check out yesterday's post...Creativity in MOTION, YOUTUBE video Shot, Edited and Produced in ALLEN, TX by Dan Getz, Dance4One (www.dance4one.com).  More Information can be obtained about Dan Getz and Dance4One via www.dance4one.blogspot.com and www.dance4One.com.

Monday, October 17, 2011

CREATIVITY...in...MOTION

Shot, Edited and Produced by Dan Getz with Dance4One (www.Dance4One.com) in ALLEN, TX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v2nQlDrR7s

There’s a lot (of GOOD) to be said for MetroPCS’s TAX INCLUSIVE rate plans…

by Dan Getz, Dance4One Dallas, TX October 17, 2011

About 5 ½ months ago, some of you might recall the article I wrote on May 19th (with a follow up article on May 25th) regarding my personal decision to switch from MetroPCS to Team Mobile due to what I viewed as significant coverage, 411, 611, hand-off and Customer Service issues.  Most, and rightfully so, would have classified me as a significantly disgruntled customer that was “venting” my extreme displeasure with MetroPCS.

Although I didn’t mention it, I also was not particularly “thrilled” regarding MetroPCS’s seemingly limited selection of, and high priced phones,  You may or may not be aware of this but typically a pre-paid company (like MetroPCS, which was essentially the “forerunner” in this space) is significantly limited on, what amounts to subsidies from the prepaid company and possibly cell phone manufacturers, it can offer as incentives/discounts on phones to it’s customers, when compared to a company who only offers 1 and 2 year contracts (i.e. a company locking in a customer with a contract is “guaranteed” a certain amount of revenue, and can offer deeper discounts on it’s phones as an “incentive”, while a prepaid company’s customer’s longevity is much more uncertain).

Today, after visiting a MetroPCS Authorized Dealer location (a “franchise” location as opposed to a company owned store), and ultimately deciding to switch my service and phone BACK to MetroPCS from Team Mobile, I am cautiously optimistic about not only some positive aspects that I expect to benefit me personally as their customer, but some renewed vigor and creativity I noted, that I believe is going to significantly increase MetroPCS’s competitive edge in the market-place.  Let me explain.

While I having nothing negative to say about Team Mobile’s 411, 611, hand-off, and Customer Service (in fact, I would have to say that their Customer Service is second to none), cost of service was the primary driver for my decision to switch back to MetroPCS.  As I explained to the Team Mobile Customer Service representative, “Why would I pay what amounts to $75 to $80 (when adding taxes and overages for international text and 411 calls) for a $59.99 plan (EvenMorePlus POST PAID, not contract) that covers unlimited local and long distance plus unlimited DOMESTIC (i.e. NOT INTERNATIONAL) text messages with TEAM MOBILE, when I could pay ONLY $45 (TAX INCLUSIVE) for a METROPCS plan that includes UNLIMITED local and long distance, Nationwide coverage, Unlimited Text Message (DOMESTIC and INTERNATIONAL), UNLIMITED picture messaging, UNLIMITED web access, Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, 3-way calling (as does Team Mobile and most carriers), UNLIMITED short codes and alerts, UNLIMITED 411 Service, and UNLIMITED access to two proprietary products called SCREEN IT (an enhanced CALLER ID service) and POCKET EXPRESS (a retailer/alert discount/convenience service)?”  The best this Team Mobile representative could offer was a $5 discount (a $54.99 plan of some sort that TOO would be PLUS tax), to which I graciously declined.

So with a $45 plan (they have a $40 and $50 plan + bolt on costs for individual products and customization TOO) at METROPCS, I found I not only could save $30 to $35 (MOSTLY due to the TAX INCLUSIVE aspect) per month (over the $59.99 Team Mobile Plan), but could get a WHOLE BUNCH more UNLIMITED features.  In addition, I was told by the sales representative of the Authorized Dealer that not only had coverage been improved and expanded in recent months, but Customer Service had improved dramatically as well, as a  NEW 3RD party call center had recently replaced the previous vendor…the two primary reasons I originally switched from MetroPCS to Team Mobile.  As an added “surprise” I found that MetroPCS’s selection of 4G, Smart Phones and “regular” phones was not only quite a “smorgasbord”, but including mail-in rebates were priced as low as $9…not quite free, but awful darn close! The cost of the phone I selected (a LG BEACON combination “slider keyboard” and "touch screen" phone) ended up being $44.99 with a $25 mail in rebate.

In the end, time will tell which telecommunications carriers will remain at or move to the top, or fall out.  But it is my sincere belief, particularly in today’s economic climate, that cost, competitiveness, and CREATIVITY (like TAX INCLUSIVE pricing and offering a BUNCH of UNLIMITED features in ALL pricing plans) will ultimately be the drivers that determine the final “players”.  And, it was not that long ago where the “naysayers” (primarily the other 3 or 4 carriers, and multiple analysts) were saying a PREPAID ONLY service would never make it.  Now about 10 to 15 years later, that same company (METROPCS) is the only company I know of that has “built” TAX INCLUSION into ALL of it’s plans…While FORERUNNERS always make waves, that is not the point.  The point is who is STILL riding the waves at the “end of the day”.

More information about Dan Getz or Dance4One can be found at www.Dance4One.blogspot.com or www.Dance4One.com.

Friday, October 14, 2011

FACEBOOK “TELLS” YOUR “STORY” IN SECONDS…and it’s not via the TIMELINE feature or other controversial algorithms

By Dan Getz, Blogger

While the newly announced FACEBOOK TIMELINE feature, or controversial algorithms used by companies like FACEBOOK and GOOGLE (and some are decrying as “censorship”) may be the first thing you think of when reading this headline, my story is somewhat different, and may either shock you, or be casually chalked up to “Been There.  Done That.  KNOW THAT.”

Regardless, let me do what FACEBOOK infamously calls “Share”...

I recently was approached by a fairly conservative friend of mine, who among other things, was concerned that her teenage son was having possibly unprotected sex with his girlfriend.  She did not know who the girl was, and other than a hunch (and the undeniable fact that 1 plus 1 does equal two), her theory was exactly that…a HUNCH.

That is when the “investigative reporter” aspect of me “turned on” and I decided to turn to FACEBOOK…the application and not the company, helpline or corporate headquarters (what a joke, albeit not a very funny one, for those of us who have ever tried to call FACEBOOK, search for help on a topic or attempt to contact a live person at FACEBOOK, huh?).

Step one was friending my friend’s son, which I initially feared would not be accepted until I noticed he had over 700 “friends”, seemed to “friend” just about anybody and responded nearly instantly as my “friend” with an “accept”…Red Flag numero uno for that also fairly conservative aspect of me, not to mention that father myself (and did I mention?) “investigative reporter” side of me TOO.

Step two was scrolling through less than a half page of recent posts over the last 10 or 12 days which quickly revealed the following: 1) His “relationship” status had changed 8 days ago from being “single” to “in a relationship” 2) His relationship was established with a specific girl (name withheld I hope for obvious reasons) 7 days earlier and (here’s the clincher) 3) She introduced herself to my friend’s son (saying among a few other things “I think you’re cute”) the SAME DAY his “relationship” status changed (did I mention?) a WHOPPING 8 DAYS EARLIER.

Although my admittedly “gut feeling” conclusion and unfounded opinion is that he PROBABLY is not having sex (yet) with a girl who a mere eight days ago had to remind him she was the girl that had apparently been secretly admiring my friend’s son from a lunch line on certain days of the week, the above TWO steps could be (and WERE by me) performed in less than a minute by virtually anyone…particularly a parent like myself.

While my next “revelation” could be technically ascribed to “creeping” (which my own children have indicated is “someone browsing the pics, profiles or wallposts of ‘friends of friends’ that they do not personally know and sometimes, but not always concludes with the submission of a request to be friends with that friend of a friend”), my friend’s son’s “relationship friend” not only ended up being someone with over a 1000 “friends” herself, but was also someone with over FOUR pages of “older posts” (I stopped at FOUR because at that point, I was starting to get creeped out) with NOTHING else reflected in her status, save the acceptance of her new “friends”.  I was momentarily tempted to “test the waters” by submitting a request to be her “friend” (just to see if she would accept without a second thought), but quickly decided against this action as this would have undoubtedly classified (and undeniably declared and identified) me as a bonefide “CREEPER.”

My conclusion and “advice” to my friend, and just about anyone with children that COULD be sexually active?  Albeit unprofessional, unproven and possibly narrow-minded and judgmental:  Make ‘em get tested for HIV and any other sexually transmitted diseases, ‘cause until the mindset that everyone is our “friend” AND  ignorance (by choice or otherwise) of the available “privacy settings”/”protection” (that can virtually eliminate these types of “problems”) are dealt a “death blow”, consider your children, friends and family UNPROTECTED.

Although requested prior to the publication of this article, FACEBOOK did not provide any comments or feedback.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

In spite of Greece or the capital of Pennsylvania filing or contemplating BANKRUPTCY you can STILL negotiate HUGE discounts on "Fixed" Items

by Dan Getz, Blogger,
www.Dance4One.blogspot.com

While the world and national economies are signicantly worse than words like "sluggish" or "struggling" seem to be able to adequately express or convey, nations such as Greece and state capitals (as of yesterday in Harrisburg, PA) are either contemplating or filing bankruptcy, and the national unemployment rate in our nation remained high at 9.1% as of the end of August, 2011 (with North Dakota ranked lowest at 3.5%, Nevada ranked 51 at 13.1%, California ranked 50 at 12.2% and Washington D.C. and South Carolina tied at position # 47 at 11.1%), I found this morning that the price of a typically "fixed price" breakfast sandwhich at a top fast-food restaurant can be significantly discounted by simply asking and exercising some fairly basic negiation skills.

Maybe it was fluke (or the presence of 3 cars behind me and 1 in front of me with one person working around 6 am), but this is how it "went down"...I happen to know that one of my favorite places sells a ham, cheese and egg sandwich for $.99.  I also remembered that while I didn't know the exact price for a substition of bacon or possibly sausage, this was an option, but (of course) for an extra charge...which if over ten or twenty cents, I was unwilling to spend.  I also was fully prepared, if necessary, to purchase a biscuit and sausage sandwich for $.99 at a place I would pass enroute to my final destination, should my first choice choose not to negotiate their "fixed" price menu item.

So as I pulled up at the drive thru, I said, "I KNOW I want your ham, cheese and egg sandwich for $.99, but how much would it be if I wanted sausage instead of ham on my second sandwich?"  The answer I got was $1.79 plus tax for the second sandwich.  I then said, "Well here is the deal...I know I can get a sausage and biscuit sandwich for $1.00 at such and such, so can you match their price if I don't get the egg (forgetting to request the removal of the cheese as well)?"  After some apparent fumbling on a calculator or the register, she said, "You know what?  Between you and I, we can make it (a sandwich WITH sausage, AND egg and cheese too) work for about $2.00."  When she rang me up at the window I received an added surprise when the total (with tax) was discounted to $2.01, meaning I only paid 67% of what I should have...receiving the equivilant of a 33% discount.

I (and I have heard and read of others doing the same thing) have been able to negotiate discounts on things like medical and phone bills, amounts clearly impacted by service and quality issues, and autos and boats, but this was a first for me on an established menu item at a chain fast food restaurant.

So my advice for saving money on just about everything is really quite simple...1. Don't be afraid to ASK for a lower price. 2. Be polite and  courteous 3. Be clear, (precise and concise) on what (and possibly why) you are asking and attempting to negotiate 4. If necessary, be prepared to walk (or drive) away if you don't get an acceptable answer, because you can always go somewhere else or even try again at the same place (and probably a different person) tomorrow 5. Be flexible, adaptable and ever-learning like our friend Forest Gump (and I learned today) who likened life to a box of chocalates..."cause you never do know what you're gonna get"...and I would add that a box of chocolates contains mostlly chocolate, and chocolate is pretty good stuff by most people's standards.

For more information on Dan Getz or Dance4One, please visit www.Dance4One.blogspot.com or www.Dance4One.com.