Bonsai Focus "Reminder"

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The biggest thing I can't swallow here is the stubborn, dimwitted arguments from the folks who write for, or are associated with, the publication, against IMPROVING a product.
Rockm, you are setting up straw-men here and creating a mountain out of a mole hill. No one here made any arguments against improving a product, and maybe you would be so kind as to point out the dimwitted arguments you spoke of, because all I have seen is people getting way too upset over a simple invoice that looked like a past due notice.

Victrinia's first post was simply an inquiry as to if anyone else received the same notices and she specifically stated, "This is NOT a Bonsai Focus bashing thread...we love that magazine, and in fact have had the subscription for next year purchased as a Christmas present by another member of our family already." But, as usual with a few people on this forum, it was taken as a call to war and blown completely out of proportion, next thing you know someone will be claiming that these invoices cause global warming. :rolleyes:

"I wonder how many of the "offended" here are actual subscribers to the magazine?"

I wonder how many potential subscribers are watching and learning...Count the number of people who have noted their concerns about BF. Then count the number of defenders who are not associated with the magazine...Do the math...
Learning what? How a bunch of practitioners of the gentle art of bonsai act like hungry sharks at the first hint of blood? How they turn on a great publication and even each other over the stupidest thing?

Yeah, they're learning alright and if they're smart, they will turn off the computer and subscribe to Bonsai Focus, ABS Journal, and International Bonsai and stay far away from anyone who tries to bring the art of bonsai or the practitioners of it down.

Not only that, many here have long developed respect for Victrinia. If she is treated rudely we take notice. It does effect my opinion. With state furloughs in effect our houshold budget is tight. I had been considering BF for my B-Day request. I'm not so interested now. I'll look elsewhere for a periodical.
Victrinia was not treated rudely, she simply got an invoice that looked like a past due notice.

10 pages...I object.
Ditto.



Will
 
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Victrinia was not treated rudely, she simply got an invoice that looked like a past due notice.

Will

I think René Rooswinkel's email that he didn't take time to send personally was what was kinda rude. His gamble really. I'm not in a big huff about it. I'll subscribe to ABS and be content to keep my $ in America.
 
Attila,

I can't understand your reasoning that sitting back and accepting this kind of thing is the best option. Without objecting to crap like this, you tacitly endorse it and allow it continue..

I am not sure how to put it in simpler terms: I do not care how they conduct their business. I do not care how they talk to customers. I do not care how they word their letters. I do not care if they go out of business tomorrow.

You are saying that "I should not allow this to continue". Allow what? Allow them to be themselves?
I have the power to choose where my money goes, that's about the only thing I can "allow" to control.

I cannot possibly understand why should I care about the above. I don't have a personal relationship with their staff, so I am indifferent to anything they do.

What I do care very much about: the quality of the magazine, and timely delivery. As of today, I am getting a high quality product, and I couldn't be happier. I congratulate Bonsai Focus for delivering the high quality product that I expect and to which I am used to.
 
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Attila my friend, you and I must be reading two different posts from BF. The statement issued WAS a bold slap in the face ...

See, this is what I mean about the difference in our perception of rudeness. I can see very well why you see their post as rude, because I know what your expectations are, but a the same time, I don't personally find the post as rude at all.

I am in the financial services business, dealing with high net-worth clients every day. Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and other posh neghborhoods are next door to my office. If you think Bonsai Focus was rude, you should try to put up with some of my ultra-rich clients, just for one day. I guarantee you that at the end of the day, will find the remarks of BF refreshingly candid.:D:D

I also recommend that you spend a day in the company of hard-nosed stockbrokers and commodities futures traders. That will also ensure that your perception of what is rude will go through a drastic make-over. :) It's all about perception, my friend.
 
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I also recommend that you spend a day in the company of hard-nosed stockbrokers and commodities futures traders. That will also ensure that your perception of what is rude will go through a drastic make-over. :) It's all about perception, my friend.

Attila, I was a stockbroker and later a trader after graduating from Wharton. So my perception is well anchored from past experiences. Two different industries, your example cities individuals that rarely if ever deals with the public much less the retail public.

I understand and sympathize about your niche clients...as I said before big fish syndrome.
 
See what happens when you grow a ponytail :D
 
It's all about perception, my friend.

There is much truth to that. Being married to a cop, and being the people person I am, we often perceive the world in drastically different ways. Both perspectives have truth based in our perceptions. I can see your point.
 
There is much truth to that. Being married to a cop, and being the people person I am...

OMG, this must be the shock of the week..you being married to a cop.:eek:

Well, you don't want me to get started on that. I am so allergic to their way of seeing the world, that I get a high blood pressure and adrenaline rush just being with them in the same room. So, I am really sorry to hear that.:)
 
I think René Rooswinkel's email that he didn't take time to send personally was what was kinda rude. His gamble really. I'm not in a big huff about it. I'll subscribe to ABS and be content to keep my $ in America.

Exactly - I don't recall receiving the "collection notice", and if I did, I doubt I would be upset. It's the publisher's email to Walter (that he asked be forwarded because he is "too busy" to reply himself) that really struck a raw nerve.
 
What is objectionable is the mere objection from someone over the pond, who has been reading this thread for 3 days, without offering any input with the exception of an objection on the tenth/sixth page :rolleyes: Objection overruled :D

LOL! For the record, I haven't been reading this thread for 3 days. 95% of the reason I'm here at all is to see if the Logo competition thread is updated. Which it isn't.

Anyway, I'm with Attila on this one. I agree that the invoice should be rephrased but do I get personally offended??? No, I don't. I also fail to see the arrogance and whatever in the email Rene Sent to Walter. The only person here that has the mandate to express any kind of whining is Walter, and for all I know they may very well have known eachother for ages and I don't see the problem in asking someone I know to post some crap at some forum. How a third person can be offended by this is just beyond me...

It wouldn't surprise me if Rene IS busy, and I don't register any BS forum (or so I thought) just to get some facts straight SO THANK YOU RENE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO WRITE THAT STUFF SO WE KNOW.

The ranting Swede
Emil
 
OMG, this must be the shock of the week..you being married to a cop.:eek:

Well, you don't want me to get started on that. I am so allergic to their way of seeing the world, that I get a high blood pressure and adrenaline rush just being with them in the same room. So, I am really sorry to hear that.:)

Oh it sure isn't easy. I have a pretty radical political activism history and he doesn't appreciate it. It is a strange pairing. Kids are the tie that binds.

I am very certain that my perspective is a much happier perspective. I love people of all points of view and (sub)culture. I find variety fascinating. He sees a narrow world of tan and green just like his uniform. I have a long list of friends and aquintences. He has a few. I am glad I am me, strong will, tenacity, moxie, and all.
 
Emil,

this is a misunderstanding. Ryan is offended by anything that remotely sounds like criticism of his way of seeing the world. Don't worry about him. This has nothing to do with the mail.
To come back to the mail that I had the honor to post here. Well, when I posted it I thought "I would have written the thing with a lot of honey and apologies but stating the situation as it appears to be still". This is called marketing.
When I was young I read this book by Dale Carnegie "How to to make friends and influence people". Bottom line it says "say to people what they like to hear". This was a totally foreign notion for a Central European. The book was telling me that I had to lie.
So far to cultural differences.
 
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