PREPARATIONS

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PREPARATIONS: Current Issue, Issue 4, Volume 1, for Tuesday, August 10, 2010. New Issue published every Tuesday, and updated throughout the week. Next issue due online August 17, 2010.

Thoughts:

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INITIALIZING

ISSUE INTRODUCTION BY EDITOR AND PUBLISHER C. A. PASSINAULT

It can be said that I live by a standard. If I can’t do something right, I won’t do it all.
Frontier Pop, however, seems to be a bit of an odd one out with that standard. The past two issues, and with this issue especially, I haven’t been able to spend the time working on it that I want to.
Well, I did consider putting the issues on ice until I had the proper time to commit to it. It’s just that I’ve decided that stripped down issues, devoid of articles and supporting content, will be good enough for now. Eventually, I will have the time to make larger issues. It’s just that, right now, I’m working on supporting sites, and I see that work as an extension of my work here on Frontier Pop. It may not be directly related, but that work is important for the support, and the consistency, of Frontier Pop as a publication.
So, for now, I spend most of my time working on photography and design marketing sites. Once that it done, it will be my modeling and talent resource sites (which include the upcoming sister site of Frontier Pop, Advanced Model). Next year, I’m sure that it will be my event and stage production marketing sites. There is always something to do. It’s just that, now, the photography sites are so urgent, that it is undermining the time that I can spend on each and every issue of Frontier Pop. The work on the resource sites, and the event/ production marketing sites, won’t nearly be as disruptive, as the work will be done over a longer period of time.
For the next eight weeks or so, Frontier Pop will be running lean. Usually, I’d like to have at least three days of work on each week’s issue. For now, A day a week is all that I get. It will be satisfactory, however, and will also give me the time to build an audience before I do the more serious issues.
I have big plans for Frontier Pop. It is very important to me. It is going to become my main marketing site, and will lead into everything that I do. On Facebook, at least, that’s already the case. A few days ago, I had an angle on a large news story, and I dropped a tip on the voice mail of a television reporter friend of mine. The next day, I was wondering why they didn’t respond. Well, they did. They sent me an email on my Frontier Pop Facebook account. It seems that, already, most people know that this is the best way of getting in touch with me.
Of course, that’s cool, too.

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IN THIS ISSUE

Support Site Work
I’m currently hard at work working on my support sites. The support sites of the next eight weeks are my marketing sites for my photography and design services company. After that, I move on to my modeling and talent resource sites, as well as Tampa Bay Film, which will heavily tie into Frontier Pop. It’s just going to take time.

Insurance Blues
I stopped by my bank the other day to obtain information on what exactly I needed for insurance (Comprehensive and Collision). They then asked me why I was shopping around for insurance, and wondered what I was paying (and this is important, because I have NEVER paid higher insurance rates than I am currently paying). After I told the bank representative what I was paying, they asked if I had gone on a reckless rampage with my car. I told them that I did not, as my car was right outside, and it was in perfect condition.
It just seems that, if you get into any accident which is categorized as “at fault”, prepare for your insurance to go up over 50% for at least three years! Take your $500.00 deductible, and add those higher rates, and your total insurance bill over your normal rate for any accident, over a three year period, even if it is a fender bender, is about $3,000.00.
Oh, and forget shopping around, too. I found this out the hard way. Normally, competition drives the prices down of services, and keeps it in check. This normal business model does not work in Insurance. There is this system that they are all tied into, and they all know what each other charges. As a result, the difference between them isn’t enough. They know that you require insurance coverage, as it is the law, and that if your car is financed, you have to have it, or else. As a result, they stick it to you.
I used to not take insurance that seriously. After all, I am a good driver, and I am low risk. I never figured that insurance would become a major expense. Well, it has. In 2008, I was in my first automobile accident in my 20 years of driving, and it was a fender bender. As a result of that, the insurance companies all think that I am high risk, and it’s, frankly, offensive.
Oh, and do you think that they would go back and look at my 20 year driving record? Of course not! They will only go back three years, and they will use it as a reason to gouge you. I swear, with one accident in 20 years, and with my last traffic citation being 9 years ago, I’m sure as hell annoyed by all of this. They are charging me unfair rates.
Oh, and let’s get into the asinine customer service. The following is an email exchange that I had with my insurance company. It started with an email from them begging me not to leave them. I responded, of course:

Insurance:
Dear Satan Passinault,
Your renewal deadline on your auto policy is rapidly approaching and we don't want you to forget your: (assorted token discounts which do not add up to much)
Just call 1-800-PAYTOOMUCH or renew online before 08/xx/2010!
If you've already made your renewal payment, then you're covered and there's no need to take any action.
Thank you for continuing to trust us with your insurance needs.

Passinault:
.... And don't forget that, if you charge your customers insane rates, that they end up leaving you. $xxx.xx a month is not cool for a driver with one fender bender in 20 years of safe driving, and a clean driving record, with the last traffic citation 9 years ago.
What a rip.

Insurance:
Dear Mr. Passinault,
Thank you for contacting Ripoff Insurance about your renewal.
The security and privacy of our customers is important to us.
Please reply to this e-mail with the following:
- Your date of birth or the last four digits of your driver's license number
- The mark of the beast, which is the number of man, on your forehead, or on your right hand.
Or, if you'd prefer, please call us at 1-800- PAYTOOMUCH. We're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,
Stevie Wonder
Ripoff Insurance Internet Representative

Passinault:
Hello Stevie Wonder,
I suppose that all insurance companies are tied into the same system, and that the rule of thumb that competition drives rates does not apply because they are all aware of what other companies charge, and that they know they don't have to go down in price.
It's also interesting that all insurance companies seem to use credit scores as a means to determine risk, instead of driving records, and that they only take into account the past three years or so, instead of looking at the entire driving history of the driver. The credit /risk criteria, and the limited window of driving when looking to charge the customer more, is B.S.
I am a low-risk driver. I am a good driver. If one of you people were to simply ride along with me, you'd know that. I'd be willing to bet that I'm a safer driver than you are. I'm also willing to bet that you, as a consumer, would not be cool with what I'm paying, if you were me.
Sadly, I have no choice but to continue to do business with your company, as you are the lesser of all evils. I may have not renewed at the moment, because I do not have the money to (thank God for Florida laws making insurance companies keep coverage in force for 14 days!), but I intend to before the 14 days are up. I'm not at all happy about this, however.
There will come a time when things are better. I will then remember how the insurance companies treated me, kicking me while I was down. It is then that I will become a very picky customer.
Have a good day!
Sincerely,
Chris Passinault

Insurance:
Dear Mr. Passinault,
Thank you for contacting Ripoff Insurance regarding your policy.
We would be happy to review your policy to see if there are ways to save money. However, we would need to verify you first.
The security and privacy of our customers is important to us.
Please reply to this e-mail with the following:
- Your date of birth or the last four digits of your driver's license number
- The mark of the beast, which is the number of man, on your forehead, or on your right hand.
Or, if you'd prefer, please call us at 1-800- PAYTOOMUCH. We're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,
Laura Necro.
Ripoff Insurance Internet Representative

Passinault:
Hi Laura, or whomever,
I can appreciate your attempts at protecting your costumers by verifying them, BUT if you actually read my emails, they are emails about general things, and are not account-specific. Additionally, you can easily look up my account by cross-referencing this email on file, and see that the facts line up, and still address my concerns without verifying me, or without going into account specifics.
Yet another example that you people don't really read emails, and that you practice CYA tactics by sending out canned responses.
Sincerely,
Chris Passinault

Insurance:
Dear Mr. Passinault,
Thank you for the reply.
I am sorry to hear that you are not happy with the rate you are currently offered. I understand your frustration with how insurance companies calculate rates. As you stated, how rates are determined are publicly filed and approved with the state. So each insurance company does now how others are determining the premiums that are charged. However, each company does use it's own calculations, so rates do vary from company to company. Although you are not happy with your rate, I do see that you stated that we are cur
We understand that price is important, and would be happy to complete a policy review for you. To help us determine if there are ways to lower your premium, please call us at 1-800- PAYTOOMUCH. We're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Thank you for choosing Ripoff Insurance.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to reply to this e-mail and provide your date of birth, The mark of the beast, which is the number of man, on your forehead, or on your right hand, or the last 4 digits of your driver's license number, or contact us at the number listed above.
Sincerely,
Jason Satanica.
Ripoff Insurance Internet Representative

Passinault:
Hi Jason,
Every email is answered by a different person, so I hope that "Jason" can continue his response where it was cut off. So far, your response proved that you at least read my last email (please review the entire email thread in the body of this email). Anyway, you were saying?
I'd like to read what else that you had to say, Jason.
Sincerely,
Chris Passinault

Insurance:
Dear Mr. Passinault,
Thank you for your e-mail.
Unfortunately, the way our system routes the emails you may or may not end up with the same representative to answer your email.
Many factors can influence your auto insurance rates. Recently, rising medical costs and vehicle repair costs are contributing to rising auto insurance rates. These increases are not unique to our company; most companies are reacting to increased costs by raising rates. Again, because a variety of factors specific to your policy are evaluated when determining rates, not all customers will experience rate increases.
Our rates are also based on our cost of doing business. When our costs decrease, we are able to pass those savings on to our customers in the form of lower premium. When our costs increase, we need to adjust our rates to account for those increased costs. Claims cost are rising, which increases our cost of doing business. These increased costs affect the rates of all drivers, not just those who have accidents
We encourage our customers to compare Ripoff Insurance's rates with those of other insurance companies. If you find a lower price elsewhere, we ask that you also consider the value and service you currently enjoy.
To help us determine if there are ways to lower your premium, please call us at 1-800- PAYTOOMUCH. We're available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to reply to this e-mail and provide your date of birth, The mark of the beast, which is the number of man, on your forehead, or on your right hand, or the last 4 digits of your driver's license number, or contact us by telephone at 1-800- PAYTOOMUCH.
Sincerely,
Heather Pillpopper.
Ripoff Insurance Internet Representative

Insurance:
Your Ripoff Insurance policy was not renewed
Dear SATAN PASSINAULT,
We're sorry that you didn't renew your policy with us.
If you forgot and want to renew...
Please call us right away at 1-800-PAYTOOMUCH or renew online. It's important to maintain your coverage if you're driving.
If you have already renewed, sent your payment, or were issued a replacement policy, please disregard this e-mail, and thank you for continuing to choose Ripoff Insurance.
If you decided to leave us...
We hope you'll check back with us soon. We're always developing new ways to provide additional savings and service, so you can pay the right price for exactly the coverage you need.
Thank you for trusting us with your insurance needs. We hope to hear from you soon.

Passinault:
But I still have my policy. I have 14 days, according to Florida law. I already told you guys that I did not have the $xxx.xx that you demanded on the xth. You'll be hearing from me tomorrow, when I do have money. I had to juggle some bills just to pay your expensive fees.
I'm getting sick of our obnoxious messages which state things that are not true.
Sincerely,
Chris Passinault

Passinault:
Hello Heather,
Bla bla bla, bla bla bla, bla bla bla bla.
Thank you for your detailed, but expected response. It would be interesting to see why I'm being charged 50% higher than the average customer over one fender bender in 20 years of driving. Love how insurance companies use a credit score, which is determined by information which is not based upon fact (people can start using credit scores as the word of God when there are judgments on there determined by courts instead of information which is not based upon fact, and which is not absolute), to determine my level of risk. If you ask me, it's discrimination against people who have financial difficulties.
Also, I received an obnoxious email from you guys stating that I "did not renew my policy", etc. I've already talked to several reps about this. I was supposed to pay close to $xxx.xx on the xth (and it's infuriating that every single insurance company wants roughly around this amount to obtain a policy). Like most people, I did not have that kind of money at that time.
Luckily, according to Florida law, I have 14 days to make the payment, which retro-applies to my policy. I am still covered, regardless of the "scary" emails that your system sends me.
I had to re-arrange my bills to make the large, excessive payment, but I will be able to address it tomorrow. Hopefully, I won't get any more B.S. curve balls thrown my way from your insurance company.
Sigh... I just love it when I get the kind of message that I just received about not renewing my insurance.

And the insurance issue was resolved the next day. On to other subjects.........

When Animals Attack
We all know the recent Tampa Bay news story where the tree trimmer was attacked by a swarm of Africanized Bees, otherwise known and “Killer Bees”. In an online question on facebook, a friend inquired as to why the tree trimmer survived hundreds of stings.
This was my response.

Mark:
Fill-in the blank to see if you can guess some of the ingredients of one of tonight's top stories: Safety Harbor man survives vicious attack from 500 africanized bees because he ___________.

Passinault (Frontier Pop):
Forgot that naughty Bees need love........ too. Or, perhaps he couldn't sing, or was too panicked to sing, because singing calms the savage beasts.
I still find it tough to believe that 80% of all wild bee's are Africanized bees. As a child,... I've stumbled upon a lot of wild hives, but never was stung as a result (and, it was a good thing, too, as I was miles in the middle of nowhere). As an avid hiker, though, I'm more afraid of Yellow Jackets than I am of killer bees. Yellow Jackets can sting you over and over again, and they are just as aggressive when you bother their hidden, underground hives. They also follow you a lot further. Killer bees only follow a short distance, and they can only sting once (their stinger is ripped from their abdomen when they sting, stuck in the victim, and the bee later dies).
The correct answer to your your question, Mark, is that tree trimmers and landscapers often come into contact with stinging insects. They build up an immunity after being stung often, much like handlers of venomous snakes can build up an immunity by regular injections of venom. I learned from a news source that the tree trimmer in question, who is nicknamed "Tank", has been stung by bees an average of 10 times a week for years, and that's why he survived. Additionally, if you are not allergic to bee poison (which is really just a protein, anyway), a healthy adult can handle 10 bee stings for every pound of their weight.
There is an insect which is much worse than bees and wasps, too. The Giant Water Bug, the large, alien-looking insect that you see in parking lots on a summer night, has one of the most painful bites in the insect world. They don't sting, but they bite, and when they bite you, they inject a saliva which liquefies muscle and tissue. A good bite from one can cause severe, and permanent, damage. I’d rather get bit by a Black Widow spider, which causes severe muscle contractions, or a Brown Recluse spider, which causes a growing, ulcer-like wound of dead, necrotic flesh (it works by cutting off blood flow to the wound area, and this spreads), than a Giant Water Bug. As a kid, I had all three as pets, but never got bit by them. And then there was the time that I had a bathtub full of Alligator hatchlings, and the time that I hatched Snapping Turtles from eggs.

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THE LATEST ON THE OFFICIAL FRONTIER POP SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

Frontier Pop @ Facebook
Updated frequently.

Frontier Pop @ Youtube
Updated frequently.

Frontier Pop @ Twitter
Good inside information and upcoming features revealed on twitter.

Frontier Pop @ Myspace
Updated frequently.

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ELSEWHERE - TAMPA BAY SCENE:

Frontier Pop is not responsible for any site that we link to, as they are owned by other parties, unless otherwise noted.

There is nothing which caught our interest this week in the Tampa Bay scene. Check back next week for news of something worth checking out, we hope. At any rate, make sure that you think twice before supporting any charities (see our new Charity Scam section), as about half of them make money for the organizers at the expense of the cause that they claim to be supporting. Don’t enable, or support, a scam, as the people who do charity scams are bad people.

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ELSEWHERE - NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS:

Updated this week....
I'm working on things. Really.

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READER REACTION

The Frontier Pop Reader Reactor

CONTROVERSY SCALE: 1 (Warm) to 10 (Critical Mass)

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Evil Nolan - Posted 08/10/10: 2212

Another weak week, Passinault! I knew that you didn't have the commitment to make Frontier Pop a contendor, and competition for my site!