NETFLIX: With Commercials?

Netflix is an on-demand Internet streaming media company. Netflix provides you with television shows, documentaries and movies. The items provided are old and new. This is all done through the Internet. All you need is a connection and the content will be provided for you. The company is at an all time high in valuation. And from the looks of it, the sky is the limit as to how high the price of the stock will go. It is still a good investment if you can afford to buy the stock. The reason this article is being written is because Netflix maybe ignoring a crucial market in their hemisphere. That market is the portion of customers who do not want to pay for television or movies for that matter. If you think about it, they do not want to pay for any content.

These people are currently customers to network television. They are also begrudgingly customers to paid content through cable and satellite television. These people do not mind watching commercials. Let me repeat that. These people do not mind watching commercials. As long as they do not have to pay, they are okay with the content they receive. Usually, a company would have to research this but the evidence already exist. The networks have proven that the model works. It is said that television advertising is a sixty five billion dollar business. Now, the question is how does this pertain to Netflix.

What if Netflix were to approach this as a two tiered solution? Netflix could continue to offer content in it's original format. The format that we are all familiar with. A second tiered approach could be that Netflix offers a free service with commercials. The networks are already doing this on the Internet. I have watched all my favorite shows from ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX on the Internet and they all have commercials. It does not bother me in the least. Netflix would have to change in some regards to accomplish this. But, it is achievable and the profit in doing so is there. Something else Netflix should take into consideration is that this would reduce the pirating of its content. People using other peoples Netflix password to access programming would greatly be reduced. Some say that the way the networks do business is dying because people do not want to watch commercials. I say maybe the model still exist. It may simply be migrating to the Internet. If given a choice of watching commercials or paying $150.00 per month to watch television, I'd watch a reasonable amount of commercials with my television programming.

THE AUTHOR: On Writing My First Novel

It is said that writing a novel is a difficult endeavor to undertake. It is said that one has to have a talent for it. But, it is also said that everyone has one book in them. This must be true because it seems as if everyone has written that one book. The ebook market is filled with fiction and non-fiction books. The numbers and topics are wide and vast. The chance that one will make it as an author, much less and ebook author is slim to none. This fact does not seem to be holding anyone back from trying to become an author. This new paradigm that exist in the world of writing has made it accessible to all. This is a good thing. It is also a bad thing. The competition is enormous and the reading public is not as enormous. The product outnumbers the buyers. However true this may be, there are those who are still successful at it. The key is to try to become one of those few.

My first book is about a vigilante who hunts people that are bad. He has some of the tendencies of a serial killer. He hunts people who have committed crimes and are deserving of punishment. This may sound familiar to anyone that has seen the show on Showtime Cable Channel called "Dexter." But Dexter was not the first and only character of his kind. There has been many others. Dexter was however the most popular. And, The cable show was very good and captivating.  My character is similar to Dexter in that they hunt those who deserve to be hunted. The similarity stops there. The name of my character is "Malcolm." He is a black male and was raised in a strict catholic setting. He came up with his code of behavior based on what he learned in the catholic school system. He was told that killing is never good in the eyes of God. He also knows that in the old testament, the law was "An eye for an eye." He does hunt because he feels compelled to but he is also righting wrongs as he sees it. As a child, Malcolm asked a priest; Can the guilty be punished here on earth? The priest responded, "Yes they can and that the law took care of that. Malcolm then asked, "What about the ones that the law does not deal with?" The priest responded, "God would deal with those persons." Malcolm then said, "The angel of death has killed for God before, hasn't he?" The priest responded, "Yes, he has." Malcolm said, "Can someone here on earth be like the angel of death?" The priest did not respond. He simply said, "Malcolm you are only fifteen, much to young to be pondering on such matters. But the answer to your question is, "Yes, some people have acted as such on behalf of God. But, it always led to great and overwhelming consequences." Malcolm heard what he wanted to hear in that response. The priest, after making the statement, did not know why he gave such a response to a child. He was bewildered. Malcolm went on to formulate his own conduct as it pertained to people who do wrongs.

In writing Malcolm, it was a goal made to be obtained. I obtained it when I finished and published it. Of course, I found a hundred things wrong with it as soon as I self published it. I wanted to change this and change that. I have read that this is a natural reaction to having written a book. I am working on my next book and it has nothing to do with vigilante or serial killers. The working title is "The Amoeba Strain." The book is about a man on the run from the government and a powerful corporate titan. They seek him for different reasons but once they find him, it will be his end. The story deals with questions about humanity, sexuality, and a host of other topics. It is proving to be quite a challenge. I am hoping to be finished and self published by the end of 2015.

NBA PLAYER: Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin is an NBA basketball player. He plays for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. Prior to the Lakers, he spent sometime with the Houston Rockets, another NBA team. Lin became famous while playing for the New York Knicks. The term "Lin sanity" came about during his time with the Knicks. He had an incredible run with the team that gained him superstar status in the NBA.

Jeremy Lin is a great offensive player. He is good at shooting and driving to the basket. He sees the court very well and it helps in his passing game. He is a point guard and seeing the court well is a needed skill set. He seems to thrive best in a run and gun style of play. He does most of his damage in the transition from defense to offense. If there is one knock on Jeremy Lin, it is that he is not a good defensive player.

Playing defense is an important part of basketball. It is the art of stopping your opponent from scoring or helping some one else to score. It can be very difficult and Mr. Lin is not the only one with difficulty playing defense. To be clear, it is not that Mr. Lin does not play defense. He gets beat off the dribble when his opponents use fakes to go by him. Also, the screens don't help, but that's a problem for everyone. The man Mr. Lin is guarding does three things to go by him. They use a head fake, shoulder fake or ball fake. The ball fake usually entails a cross-over. As stated earlier, Mr. Lin is not the only one with defensive problems. There are many NBA players with the same problem.

The solution is very simple. The answer lies in what is known as body mass or your center mass. I've watch Jeremy Lin play defense (purely as a fan of his and of the game). He has a tendency to focus on the opponents head, shoulder or ball dribble. By doing this, he is susceptible to fakes which results in him losing his man in open court. What Mr. Lin needs to do is concentrate on the center mass of his opponent. He needs to focus in on the chest area of the man he is playing. A player can fake with his head, shoulders or even the ball but where his center mass goes, so does the rest of him. There is no way around it. There are other factors that a good defensive player needs. But in Mr. Lin's case, This is the most important in my opinion. The opinion of one of his many fans.  

STAR TREK: Farewell Mr. Spock

Leonard Nimoy died on February 27, 2015. He was the actor that played "Spock" on the popular television series, "Star Trek." He was 83 years old and beloved by many. His character was an alien from the planet Vulcan. Vulcan's had learned to control their emotions as a people. It was not that they did not have emotions but rather they controlled their emotions. Vulcan's as a consequence of controlling their emotions appeared to be emotionless. The life of a Vulcan was based on logic. They needed things and wanted everything to be logical. And if they weren't, it did not make sense to them. Spock was the epitome of what a Vulcan was and should be. But because Spock was half human, he struggled with emotions more so than did full blooded Vulcans. On the show, Spock the character was the perfect first officer and the perfect friend.

Can a totally logical person be prejudice? The answer to that question is no, they cannot be. If you accept the premise of what a Vulcan is, can Spock be a prejudice person? The answer would seem to be no, he cannot. I probably liked the character "Spock" on "Star Trek" for that reason. As a child, I looked at him as someone who was not and could not be prejudice. This is the reason I enjoyed the show so much as a child and as an adult. Although at a later age, I realized that even very logical individuals could be prejudice for any given number of reasons.

The show also dealt with topics that pertained to prejudice directly and indirectly. One of my favorite episodes was the one dealing with the creator of Enterprise's ships computer. The creator was a black man and was the engineer that created the computer. Even as a child, I knew how unusual it was to see that man in that role and the character to be of that race. There was another episode I enjoyed immensely. It was about a planet at war. The inhabitants had killed off everyone on the planet except for two remaining survivors. They were hell bent on killing each other. Eventually, they were both beamed to the Enterprise. When they got there, Captain Kirk asked them why they were fighting and trying to kill one another. One of the men said, "Can't you see?" Everyone on the bridge looked at the men and then at each other. They did not understand. The man saw this and said, "He is black on the right side and I am black on the left." The other man he was at war with was in total agreement. They demanded to be beamed back to the planet to finish hunting each other. The captain complied.

It is my hope that Mr. Leonard Nimoy lived a long and prosperous life. As someone who is outside looking in, it appears that was the case. I saw him in other roles as an actor. It always brought a smile to my face because I would always associate him with "Spock." I would not be surprised if hundreds of years from now "Star Trek" was still relevant. After all, it was a show which the creator, Gene Roddenberry, stated was a play on morality. If you look closely, it was exactly that, in my opinion. I am sure that he will be missed by his family, friends and the many fans he has worldwide. I am one of those fans. 

Question: Marvel Comics T.V. & DC Comics T.V.

I am amazed that Marvel Comics and DC Comics does not have their own channel. Whether that channel is a cable channel, Internet streaming channel or some form of both, I am amazed. The main problem with owning a television channel is providing content. This would not be a problem that either of these companies would have. They have content going back eighty to ninety years if not longer. The content that they have possess characters and back stories that are fully developed. They have hundreds of heroes and villains whose stories are written and still being written. They have supporting characters to go along with the main ones they have already.

Marvel is now owned by Disney. There is such a thing as the Disney Channel and it is pretty successful. It only seems fitting that there should be a Marvel Channel. They can include everything from cartoons to contemporary programing. The model already exist in limited form. Marvel has "The Agents of Shield" on ABC. DC Comics has "Arrow" and "The Flash" on the WB Channel. Marvel and DC has several successful movies under their belts. In reference to programming, the channel could include the old superhero shows as fillers. Marvel has the old "Captain America" and "Spiderman" from the 70's and 80's. DC Comics has "Wonder Woman," "Superman" and "Shazam." The list goes on and on but finding programming would not be a problem. Agreements would have to be reached. But in the end, the venture would reward all parties involved.

The true question is how many people would tune in to watch these channels? It all depends on how it was set up. Would I pay to watch if the model was similar to Netflix? Depending on the price being charged, I probably would. If it was a cable channel, would I include it in my package? The answer is yes, I would. There are millions, if not tens of millions of people who purchase comic books. These people also watch the current superhero material being offered on television as of now. They also go to the movies to watch superheroes on the big screen. Would they also be willing to pay say $5.99 to $8.99 a month for a Marvel or a DC channel? I think the answer is yes. Is there a chance of over saturation of the market? The answer is yes. If you get tired of it, you don't normally remove it from your package or discontinue your Internet streaming service, you simply watch something else. After a while, you come back to it. Well, I hope these channels exist one day. I really hope that they are made into their own publicly listed companies so I can invest in them also. I think they would be great investments. I also think that they will be fun to watch.

Online Trading: The Confidence Game

So, I tell you that you can make a lot of money. I tell you that you do not need a lot of money to start in order to get involve. I tell you that there are others that have become rich, even wealthy doing this. I tell you that this is an investment, not gambling. I tell you that I am regulated to some degree. I show you where you can go to check me out.  I show you testimonials. You listen and become interested. It sounds to good to be true but the evidence is staring at you in the face. I tell you that all you have to do is read some books, take a course and learn some strategies. It all sounds so easy, feasible and practical. You want to give it a try.

In the world of online trading, you will find all of the above. The trade can be in stocks, commodities, or currencies. All you have to do is set up an online account, deposit the required funds and start trading. The problem is that you will most likely loose all your initial investment and more if you continue. Are there people who are successful at online trading? The answer is yes. But those people are few in numbers and they are usually people who have been trading for years if not decades. The other factor is that those people have the capital to stay in the game. This is very important because in trading; you will suffer losses. If you cannot weather these losses, you will never pick enough winners to stay in the game or for that matter be successful.

A Ponzi scheme works in such a way that the people at the top of the pyramid end up with all the money. The online trading game is similar to a Ponzi scheme. Research shows that most traders lose money. The few that make money collect it from the losers who lost the money. In other words, the 70 - 80 % who lose money, pay out to the 20 - 30 % that makes money. But, it does not stop there. Even if you make money, fees and taxes eat away at your profit. So, you end up paying another group of people at the top of the pyramid besides the game maker. You end up paying the tax man or woman and endure more losses. In the end, it's all a confidence game. Only this game is to some degree legal and regulated, sometimes (see: Binary Options).

Remember the old adage, If it is to good to be true, it probably isn't. You would be better serve to take part in your companies 401k. You would be better off investing in an index mutual fund, if you have money to spare after the 401k contribution. And if you still have more money burning a hole in your pocket, take a tally of the things you most use (see: electronics, social networks, household items, personal care products, etc.). Research the companies who makes these items and invest in them by buying their stocks. It's the long game when it comes to this type of investment. But it will be well worth it. A lot of these companies will be well established and profitable. It may not be as fancy as saying, "I'm a trader." It will in the end allow you to say that you are an investor, a savvy one.

Big Oil's Panic Mode: Part 2

The world wide oil industry is fighting against progress. Yes, it is true that supply out strips demand when it comes to oil. OPEC has decided not to stabilize the price. It's their play on forcing the U.S. to cut back on production or bring their oil manufacturing to a stand still. The U.S. is leading in oil production these days but for how long. With prices this low, it becomes non-feasible to continue oil production in the U.S. This also applies for the Canadians. OPEC seems to believe if they can allow the price to plunge, they will survive and be the last man standing.

The fact of the matter is, if progress in new energy developments continue, oil may become obsolete. If not obsolete, its use may eventually be so minuscule that the industry collapse. In reference to new energy, electric vehicles are all the rage. There is also talk of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. A fusion power plant was mention to be feasible, viable and on track to be online in the next ten years (see: Lockheed Martin/ Fusion Plant). All of this spells bad news for the oil industry. So as an industry, they allow oil prices to drop and stay that way. This will encourage the populist to remain dependent on oil. With gas prices at $2.00 per gallon in some areas, Our views on alternative energy is changing ever so slightly. More people are buying gas guzzling vehicles because of this.

The question now is for how long will the price of oil remain low. At some point, the oil industry may decide, progress is inevitable, let's get all we can get before the end comes. At that point, the price of oil will go up and the industry will gouge us for all they can. But for now, the low prices reminds us of how great the use of oil and gas is. It reminds us of how easy on the wallet it can be. Those are strong reminders and how much they will affect us remains to be seen. While it appears that OPEC is in a fight against other oil producers, it is apparent that what concerns all of them is the survival of their industry in the form of one entity. Electric cars do not need gas.

Division 1 College Football & Basketball: Indentured Servitude

The definition of an indentured servant is a person under contract to work for another person for a definite period of time, usually without pay but in exchange for free passage to a new country. During the seventeenth century most of the white laborers in Maryland and Virginia came from England as indentured servants. (Definition from Dictionary.com)

The players at the top 100 or more Division 1 schools who play football and basketball are likened to indentured servants. They work without pay and their free passage is the so-called free tuition to the school. The tuition is not even guaranteed for four years or upon graduation. It can be canceled or revoked on a yearly basis. It is based on your production as a player.

Indentured Servitude is illegal in the United States of America. The laws are mainly used to protect migrant workers. The players at these schools face similar dilemmas when it comes to pay. In the case of the schools, millions, hundreds of millions of dollars are being generated and the players see none of it. Without the players, the revenue would not be generated. That is a matter of fact.

The argument of the schools are that they do not want to classify the players as employees. The problem here is that the business of sports is generating staggering amounts of money. The generation of the income is due to employees such as coaches, assistant coaches and staffs at every level. These persons tend to the "student-athlete." Guess what, the student athletes are also employees regardless of what one wants to classify them as. These schools are some of the oldest institutions in our nation. They have business centers and are more than capable of figuring out a way to pay these athletes.

POLICE LIFE: Death of the New York Police Officers

I was a police officer for four years where I worked as a patrolman. Later, I would serve as a United Nations Peace Keeper.  In that capacity, I served as a civilian police officer in Haiti. I trained Haitian police officers out in the field. It was similar to the work I performed in the U.S.

A while back, I met a U.S. Marine Veteran. Upon leaving the armed forces, he joined the D.E.A. We struck up a conversation while we were standing and waiting at a Sears register. He was there with his wife and he told me that he was now retired from the U.S. Marines and the Department of Drug Enforcement (D.E.A.). I told him that I had once been a police officer. We joked about the job and some of the daily turmoils. He said something that has always stuck with me. He said, "The thing with law enforcement is that; It's 90% boring, filled with paperwork and 10% sheer terror." He said, "The 10% is what causes the stress, the danger and quite possibly your life." I told him that I agreed with everything he said. I thanked him for the service to our country. We shook hands and parted company.

The police officers recently killed in New York because a mentally ill person was out for vengeance reminds me of that conversation with the veteran. The man wanted vengeance for Ferguson, among other things. Those two officers were like any other officers at work. They wanted to make it home that day, like every other day. But sometimes, the 10% sheer terror finds you as a police officer and becomes your end. Try to imagine what was going on in their minds as the man fired into their vehicle. It is not an end that anyone should have claim their lives.

As a society, there is a small percent of the population that is bad to the bone. The same comparison could be made of law enforcement. There is a small percent in law enforcement that is corrupt and lawless. One has to remember that the overwhelming numbers of people in our society are good and try to do the right thing whenever possible. The same could be and should be said of law enforcement. The fact of the matter is; if they were all bad, we'd all be in dire circumstances or in jail. It is my opinion that two good men died in the line of duty in New York. I don't know them but that is the feeling that I get from first impressions. If I'm wrong, being shot to death is not the way to deal with it. It should be handled through the justice system, even if the outcome is undesirable sometimes. The only thing that I hope for is that there are no "copy cats" to what happened in New York.

Big Oil's Panic Mode

The price of oil is down significantly. The reason is obvious enough. The supply outweighs the demand. With the U.S., Canada and others generating oil output, it is no wonder that the price of oil is down. But when this has happened in the past, the powers that be (Big Oil, OPEC) have simply reduced supply and artificially forced the price of oil to go up.

Now, here is the problem for Big Oil. With the price of oil so high which also translate into high gasoline cost, it makes sense to look for alternatives. The electric car is coming and there is no doubt to that. The use of electric powered engines is inevitable. And, it won't be for just vehicles. Big Oil knows this or at least can see the writing on the wall.

In an effort to slow this down and/or bring it to a halt, Big Oil has decided to let the price of oil remain at all time lows. It's been said that OPEC would be o.k. with $50- $60 dollar barrel of oil. Remember, the price use to be over $100 dollars. By making oil cheap and there by it's byproducts (gas), Big Oil is extending the life of it's product. It is attempting to make us more dependent as before on it's product. The question is will it work. With the majority of vehicles throughout the globe powered by gas, It will probably work. The infrastructure for electric vehicles is not here yet and if Big Oil has it's way, it won't be feasible. When the Model-T was first made, there were electric vehicles then also. One could say, Big Oil won the fight over what form of energy would be used to run vehicles then. The same situation exist today and Big Oil is employing the same tactics as then to win this 21st century fight. The question is will they win or will electric power be the winner this time around. Who knows, it may end up being a tie and both forms of energy co-exist. We'll have to wait and see.

An Excerpt from "Malcolm" a Novel

Malcolm is an interesting fellow. He is a hunter who is single minded when it comes to his prey. In this introductory first book, we learn about him and his talents. We learn about his childhood and his mentor. Malcolm is not a serial killer. He does have some of the tendencies of one but he is not. In telling the story, we pit him against the most despicable of persons as we could find. There will be no love lost for them and their fate. The story is fast pace and reads like a movie script. Below you will find and excerpt from the book. Have a look and hope you enjoy it. Thank you.

PRELUDE

 

I am what I am.  I have no qualms about that.  I have been aware of my true nature since childhood.  I am aware of my urges and to what those urges could lead.  But, I see no reason why I should prey on the weak, the old and the helpless.  I have read about my kind.  I have some insight into their behavior.  They seek out a certain segment of our society.  They seem to be guided by an unseen hand.  The answer to this is as clear as it is hidden.  And even though I was brought up Catholic, I am not a religious man.  But those who are religious would say; they are doing the bidding of their master. There is some truth to that.  However, that is not the case with me.  I fear God and not much else.  I seek to fulfill my own personal self-gratifications and to cultivate my own insatiable urges.  My name is Malcolm, Malcolm Forbes.  If you are weak, helpless and un-challenging, you have nothing to fear from me.  If you believe yourself to be strong, untouchable and a master of the universe, you and I will be having a conversation.  Again, my name is Malcolm and soon, it will be time to “PLAY.”

Tax me: Taxes and IRA's

What if the U.S. Government implemented a federal sales tax on all online purchases amounting to 1-3 % of the item being purchased? What if they then took that revenue and set up Individual Retirement Accounts for citizens of the U.S. (and possibly residents)? We would still have Social Security Benefits. This new revenue would be another income stream for the retired.

The finer points to this is that many of us shop online.  The more money you have the more money you spend online. This would serve as a tax that takes into account wealth distribution in the reverse. The payments of interest on the IRA (Let's call it Federal IRA'S) would be the same for everyone. The amount would fluctuate base on how much sales tax is collected. It has been stated that for the holiday season of 2014, 89 billion dollars will be generated. The amount of tax revenue will only go up as online shopping increases.

Collection of the funds can be accomplished by expanding the duties of the IRS. Collection could also be done through credit card companies. They are the point of sale after all to some degree for this purpose. Distribution can be accomplished by expanding the functions of the Social Security Administration. The collected revenue could be managed in similar fashion to the way money is managed through index mutual funds. Questions on the age retirement and what it should be would need to be answered. We are all living longer.

So, would you be willing to pay a federal sales tax on your online purchase if it benefited you in this manner?

The Salvation Army & Novels

Did you know that a good place to buy books is the Salvation Army (www.salvationarmyusa.org). At most stores there is a section for books. And while it is true, the books can be older and out of print, it is a good place to find some of the best author's to date. If you don't mind reading books that are set before the age of the cellular phone or the internet as we know it, the finds at the Salvation Army are tremendous.  I have bought Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Robert Ludlum, James Patterson, David Baldacci and many others.                                                                                                                        I have sometimes found less known authors with what I considered to be fine work.  That is to say, I enjoyed their book and even went as far as seeking other books by them. One such author was Christopher Reich. I bought his first novel, "Numbered Account" and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I then went in search of his other offerings. I did not find them at the Salvation Army, Instead, I believe it was at Target's book section.  The books were, "The First Billion" and "The Runner." Interestingly enough, what draws me to the books at the Salvation Army are the book covers and the titles. I then read the blurb to make up my mind on whether to spend the time on the book. The prices for the books usually run from one dollar to three dollars. It depends on whether it is paperback or hardcover. I found out about this from a fellow reader I met at Barnes and Nobles.  He saw me
looking at what the store had to offer and struck up a conversation.  That is when he told me of the books at the Salvation Army. Well, I thought, I would share that tidbit with you. Hope it broadens your horizon. Take care.

Ebooklaunch

In writing "Malcolm," I used Ebooklaunch (www.ebooklaunch.com).  They are responsible for my cover page and my formatting.  They did a stupendous job on both.  Their prices were reasonable and they worked with me to get everything done properly.  I was even surprised to see my chapters in the front of the book were linked to my actual chapters among other things.  If you are just starting out on your self publish journey, Ebooklaunch is a great partner to work with.  I definitely will use them on my next book.

Hi, my first novel is completed.

 

  The name of it is "Malcolm," by F.J. Telasco. You can find it on Amazon Kindle. Check it out and tell me what you think of it. It was quite an experience writing it.  It took me about six months and another three months to prepare it for publishing.  The work has just begun because now I have to market it.  Well, it's an adventure and I am ready to go. We'll see how it turns out.  I already started on my next novel. Hopefully, this one will go smoother.