FREEMIUMS?

It is a major transformation- a coup an an extremely major scale.  Who would think that a whole new  stream of revenue from out-of-the-blue.  Imagine convincing the populace that they want to pay us to take personal information such a buying and spending trends a create a market to sell the information for focused marketing.  We will cover most of the populate in only a few short years by enticing people to utilize handheld feed devices (i.e. smart phones) that allow  us to gather all the information we need.  The service providers have made it so easy to get a smart phone (could be free) with only a two year contract to pay them back (we think for the phone, but the info is worth more than the phone).  It is becoming as impossible to find a non-smart phone as it was two years ago to find a phone without a camera!  The apps (for enticement) are too numerous to elaborate on, but basically provide for every user need (while taking what they need). 
I feel like I have harped and harped and even pontificated on the process of paying (actually twice) to be ripped off.  I don't think many of you are paying attention and think that I'm paranoid.
Fleecebook is providing the same enticements in a different form and still ripping our privacy away by the roots.  At lease there are some news stories discussing the process and that Fleecebook is losing its earlier luster. 
What about "FREEMIUMS"?  Have you ever considered why they provide them ?  Just as 'smart' phones are smart for their providers, free merchandise or services are only a means to get your feet in the proverbial spending doorway.  An example occurred yesterday, on 7/11, the 7-Eleven stores give away free Slurpees which increased their business significantly last year.  Who goes in to get a cookie or chips and doesn't want a free Slurpee?  That combination will surely appeal again before the year finishes, but this time, you'll pay for your snack AND your Slurpee.  What they REALLY should do is make Slurpees ALWAYS free.  That would cause buyers to come to 7-Eleven ALL year over other stores without the offer...

A man went to the doctor, who told him that he had a bad illness and only a year to live.
So he decided to talk to his pastor. After the man explained his situation, he asked his Pastor if there was anything he could do.

"What you should do is go out and buy an old Dodge Pickup," said the Pastor. "Then go get married to the ugliest woman you can find, and buy yourselves an old trailer house in the panhandle of Oklahoma."

"Will this help me live longer?"

"No," said the pastor, "but it will make what time you do have seem like forever."

TOP 20 ENGINEERS' TERMINOLOGIES

1. A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES ARE BEING TRIED - We are still pissing in the wind.
2. EXTENSIVE REPORT IS BEING PREPARED ON A FRESH APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM - We just hired three kids fresh out of college.
3. CLOSE PROJECT COORDINATION - We know who to blame.
4. MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH - It works OK, but looks very hi-tech.
5. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IS DELIVERED ASSURED - We are so far behind schedule the customer is happy to get it delivered.
6. PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL TESTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE - The darn thing blew up when we threw the switch.
7. TEST RESULTS WERE EXTREMELY GRATIFYING - We are so surprised that the stupid thing works.
8. THE ENTIRE CONCEPT WILL HAVE TO BE ABANDONED - The only person who understood the thing quit.
9. IT IS IN THE PROCESS - It is so wrapped up in red tape that the situation is about hopeless.
10. WE WILL LOOK INTO IT - Forget it! We have enough problems for now. 11. PLEASE NOTE AND INITIAL - Let's spread the responsibility for the screw up.
12. GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF YOUR THINKING - We'll listen to what you have to say as long as it doesn't interfere with what we've already done.
13. GIVE US YOUR INTERPRETATION - I can't wait to hear this bull!
14. SEE ME or LET'S DISCUSS - Come into my office, I'm lonely.
15. ALL NEW - Parts not interchangeable with the previous design.
16. RUGGED - Too damn heavy to lift!
17. LIGHTWEIGHT - Lighter than RUGGED.
18. YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT - One finally worked.
19. ENERGY SAVING - Achieved when the power switch is off.
20. LOW MAINTENANCE - Impossible to fix if broken.

The heart attack
A man suffered a serious heart attack while shopping in a store.  The store clerks called 911 when they saw him collapse to the floor.  The paramedics rushed the man to the nearest hospital where he had emergency open heart bypass surgery.

He awakened from the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at the Catholic Hospital he was taken to.  A nun was seated next to his bed holding a clip board loaded with several forms, and a pen.  She asked him how he was going to pay for his treatment.

"Do you have health insurance?" she asked.

He replied in a raspy voice, "No health insurance."

The nun asked, "Do you have money in the bank?"

He replied, "No money in the bank."

"Do you have a relative who could help you with the payments?" asked the irritated nun.

He said, "I only have a spinster sister, and she is a nun."

The nun became agitated and announced loudly, "Nuns are not spinsters!  Nuns are married to God."

The patient replied, "Perfect.  Send the bill to my brother-in-law."