Meal:  ”Bowl of chili” and the” chicken strips and tortilla chips” basket.

Thumb score….

Food: UP (Great food!)  have the chicken…AND the chili….
Service: DOWN (It is evident that there is an atmosphere in the restaurant that promotes lackadaisical service standards.)
Atmosphere: UP (Nice place)
Cleanliness: UP
Location: UP (UIC, easy parking, nice building in general…nice area)

So last night I dined for the 5th time in as many months at Morgan’s on Maxwell street.  Being close to my current residence, it is an easy place to grab some food.  The food here is fantastic.  From the Morgan’s Burger, featuring Jalapeño Cream Cheese, to the Chili to the chicken, everything is always great.  Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the service.  The staff seems mildly interested in serving you, and extremely interested in their personal conversations and banter.  At each request, you wait.  Upon sitting, it was almost 15 minutes before anyone came up to us, other than the confused guy delivering food to our table.  Unfortunately, we hadn’t yet ordered.  And the girl who took our order wasn’t sure on my dinner mates request, and was too lazy to open the side door and ask for clarification.  Instead, she waited for about 5 minutes until he came in, further delaying everything…. Out of 5 visits, 2 had service that would be rated at best acceptable.  The wait time for someone to refill a drink, or even notice your presence is not for someone trying to get in and out.  Overall, good place.  Great food.   It is clean, well maintained, nice looking, and parking is easy in the garage next door.  However, if you are looking for excellent service with your food, you should probably spend your time elsewhere.

Lady GaGa and Chad Green (Osterfeld Models)

Have you ever seen a picture that is perfect.  Everything is in place.  Everyone is looking good.   The appropriate facial expressions give you just the right feeling.  From seeing pictures of myself either that we have taken, or on blogs, or that get emailed to me I am always suprised by the reality that went into the creation of the image.  The disaster that can occur leading up to said perfect image.  If an image is worth a thousand words, what happened to make it is worth a million.  That one second in time where the camera snaps and that moment is frozen.  I’ll give you an example…

That morning I had an early Breakfast with some staff ( that were not attending the event) to discuss the rest of the weeks schedule and priorities.  I then headed downtown.  At this point it was nearly 11AM, and I was already running late.  Isn’t it amazing how quickly you can go from on-time to an hour behind schedule.  We are very good at that.  I headed to the penthouse to grab Brett Swanson and headed for my 11AM.

At 11, I was due to be at the office to meet the group headed to the Grabby’s.   I was a few minutes behind and was informed that pretty much everyone had arrived at the office and but they were not ready.  I couldn’t get to the office and wait for them to get ready, and then downtown quick enough, so I postponed picking them up until 12.  Bailey (who attended as Lady GaGa) was in the bathroom putting the finishing touches on her wardrobe.  Chad I believe was trying to find a tie, somewhere.   I  dont think he did after all, I remember a purple shirt.  I suppose the pictures will tell that story.  Sometime during this interlude, someone will find the booze.

I was due to pick up Brent Corrigan ( the famed porn star and also HOST of the event).  Of course I was late.  I grabbed a cab and headed downtown to the Hard Rock Hotel on Michigan Ave., Brett Swanson in tow, to meet at the steak house next door to grab an appetizer (to serve as lunch) and drink with Brent before heading to meet the group. The limo service was to arrive at noon precisely so we could be to the red carpet early.  Finally, Brett and I arrive at the steak house and take a minute to grab a drink,  waiting for Brent.

About 10 minutes later Brent arrived.   looking dapper, each hair specifically placed, shirt pressed and ready to go.   The wonderful boysish host that everyone expect was soon to arrive. We jumped in yet another cab and headed back to the West Loop,  where the office is, to meet with the crew.   At some point, this is where I will recall things starting to take a somewhat rough turn.  I may have forgotten to send a memo, or mention it at all, but somehow the bar in the office was fully stocked and ready to go, and no one had said do not drink.   Noon had come and gone, I was late, the staff was there and with nothing else to do.  With that, the bottles were opened.

Brett, Brent and I arrived about 12:30, a half hour late.  Randy Blue and his team were supposed to meet us at my place to head over to the event, but due to an unfortunate situation at the airport, they were running behind and would need to take a separate car from their hotel.  GaGa had finished her outfit and I believe what must have been her 2nd drink at this point.  Brett quickly got involved in the action.  About fifteen minutes later I was finally able to shuttle everyone down to the waiting limo, as the driver stood outside, visibly fuming at our tardiness, with the door held open.  As we crammed into the car and rushed off toward the Park West Theater the trip came to a screeching hault as we realized we had forgotten the camera!  This of  course pleased the driver even less than our original tardiness as he swung the massive car around and headed back from whence we came.

After collecting the camera and getting back  on the road we were about ten minutes from the theatre.  Everyone was in rare form and having a grand time.  Jonathan and Zach had somehow entangeled themselves in Zachs suspenders and were working to seperate themselves (I am pretty sure they will be entangled until the next morning). Bailey (GaGa) and Chad, spent nearly the whole trip taking MySpace style pictures of themselves with every facial expression they could manage (they are gay, there are a lot).  I posed for a picture with the 3 stars, them behind me and me akwardly positioned in front because the car was moving, and snapped a few photos.  They made me look fat.  I was not amused.  Most at least half drunk at this point, I believe it was Brett who encouraged our our lovely show host to take the first drink to “loosen up”.  If you know Brett, or see him drinking, wait until about 3 drinks in and you will notice a little glint in his eye.  A little scary, but that is when the fun begins.  Who knew 8 people could drink so much so fast.  It was practically a marathon.   I decided it would be best if I had a few to loosen up, grabbed the bottle of vodka and chugged. We arrived about five minutes behind schedule.  Not bad.  All of the alcohol was gone.

The concern that I had gotten the host drunk (not that he was visibly drunk, but he was definitely much happier as we pulled up) swept over me.   He was afterall a small guy.  Lots of muscle, but not big by any means.  All I could picture is him up on stage, slurring his words on the introductions and witty banter that was sure to follow and stepping too far forward diving off the stage head first into the lap of an onlooking and unsuspecting fan who’s day was about to get really good.

Brett Swanson (Randy Blue) Michael Osterfeld (Osterfeld Models) D'Angelo Tyler (Falcon Studios)

When the car stopped in front the of the theater, our cheerful driver popped out of the car and around back to let us out.   As the door swung open and our legions prepared to invade, the producer of the event (the red carpet guy…that directs the carpet things…) came screaming to the door asking who was in the car. Of course, after it was determined that in fact that were porn stars and a host in the car, the driver needed to pull up the the main entrance on the red carpet.  What did I know, I was half drunk.  But it made sense that we would need to enter from the front of the main carpet, I am Michael Osterfeld.  And this again, was not popular with our driver.

Finally, out we come onto the red carpet.    Cameras flashing, people looking.  I hardly noticed the limo speed off.   I think he had somewhere to go.  Brett is pulled off to the side by a devoted fan to sign photos (might I say, these were some compromising photos if I have ever seen some) and by golly he signed every damn one.  GaGa and the rest come alive the moment cameras start pointing and shooting and the show begins.

As we advanced the red carpet,  Mr. Corrigan took the lead.  And of course, me being the gracious person that I am, we hung back a bit.  Ok, ok… so it was also for my benefit.  If we were to enter with Brent, no one would notice us and everyone would be focused on him.  Right?  We needed to time our entrance when he was gone and far enough ahead, and we were the next group for maximum exposure.   I had to hope that my group would be able to put together full sentences during interviews, which could become challenging at any moment.  As we came up to Sister Roma, she fell in love with Mr. Swanson.  Cute, adorable, charming after a few drinks, he was certainly made to be photographed. As he advance with D’Angelo to the radio interviews, I stopped with Sister Roma to chat it up.   I stumbled through a few questions (The vodka hit me hard) and tried to mention my name as many times as possible (this, I am encouraged to do by my publicist).  I believe one of Roma’s questions was “Where do you find all these gorgeous men, what is your secret?” to which I responded, “Michael Osterfeld, Osterfeld Models” and scurried past trying to keep the group together.

GaGa and Chad Green - Brent Corrigan's Award

Once inside we found our seats, the center of the room, best seats in the house. It is amazing what a couple grand will buy you.   We piled into the area, figured out who was sitting where and everyone headed quickly to the bar.   My tab was going to begin early.  Arriving at our seats I found that in the seats in which we were suppose to be, there were people already there.  Uh oh.  I calmly approached the people seated, informed them that they were in the wrong seats, and that those were reserved.  As they began to get up, and look around I saw Randy Blue walking toward me.  We greeted each other, I introduced my staff one by one.  I introduced Brett and D’Angelo.  As I finished, he turned to introduce his staff.  They would of course be the people that I had just kicked out of our/his section.  I quickly apologized, having never met his people before, and grabbed another drink.  I spent the next 20 minutes or so intently focused on the conversations I was involved in. Have you ever been drunk, trying to listed to a conversation, staring intently at someone talking to you and trying to seem sober?  Ya, it was like that.

As the awards got under way, the rest of our group showed up.   A Doctor friend of mine arrived and took his seat as well. Quite the eclectic group we have here as I looked around (college students,a doctor, executives…Me…)  Our VP and General Counsel Ron informed me that he wasn’t going to make it. We were one short of our group of 12.

Throughout the event I remember seeing people I hadn’t seen in a while.  Being in Chicago, I don’t get to see most of the company reps very often.  I remember Troy from Falcon Studios, with his hot exclusives, I believe Russell was there as well.  Steven from Hothouse, David from Corkscrew.   Chi Chi was there of course, hosting as always with Brent.  And of course the Hostesses with the Mostest, Stacey Bridges and Mark Nagel (Producers of Grabby’s and GRAB Magazine)  It was a good time.

Michael Osterfeld (Osterfeld Models) Don (Randy Blue)

As the awards wound down, Randy Schmoozed Brett.  Brett, visibly drunk, did all he could to keep seated and keep his clothes on (when he drinks, the clothes come off).   The right wing of our group, pretty much just drank and cheered for Brent whenever he came on stage.   I believe Brent won the award for best bottom (I cannot recall for sure at this moment) and the boys played with it for a while.  I mingled with both groups and the doctor, enjoyed my drinks and the awards and had a great night.  Nothing is ever simple.  Fun for sure, but not simple.

As the night wound down, I avoided all  of the afterparties and headed with my group back  to the office, and then to my apartment.  I am  not huge on the big late night parties.  Never have been.  An eventful day it turned out to be.  With both hands I managed to hold everything together.  Prim and proper we were not.  But it all worked out.  Next year I am sure that it is going to be even more interesting.   A bigger group and more booze.   Love is in the air.

Written by:  Michael Osterfeld
Edited by:  Alex Pennington
Photographs:  David Daju

]]> http://michaelosterfeld.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/looks-can-be-deceiving-michael-osterfeld-at-the-grabbys-2009/feed/ 1 michaelosterfeld grabbys2009 022 grabbys2009 005 grabbys2009 011 GRABBYS09_022A grabbys2009 016 Picture 008 http://michaelosterfeld.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/yahoo-altered-image-why-is-the-world-ending/ http://michaelosterfeld.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/yahoo-altered-image-why-is-the-world-ending/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:07:06 +0000 michaelosterfeld http://michaelosterfeld.wordpress.com/?p=53 ]]> I was reading the front page of Yahoo! News today, and this image was atop the “big story” about Icebergs breaking from Antartica and heading out to reak havoc on the world.  I understand why such a thing can be  an issue; the ships in the area may be at risk, and the bigger picture being that global warming is melting away the earth and life as we know it.   What I don’t understand, is why they need to photoshop the image?  The image, as you can see below, seems to be altered to glow a lighter blue around the fractured ice.  Maybe I am wrong, maybe this hasnt been altered and god is shining a beam in sunlight directly on it to highlight the crisis at hand, but I think not.  Note, the even lines seperating light blue and the oceans dark blue for no particular reason…I ask again, why photoshop this image?  Does it seem more ominous in this light?  I don’t think so…..  maybe I am not aware of the subtle subliminal messaging produced by such a light.  It as if some global warming alarmist is trying to make a point in a bad light (ha.ha.)  Maybe they just assumed if they didn’t highlight it we may miss the ice cubes.

(Not that I have not verified through Yahoo! or any other news source that this image has in fact been altered.  You can judge for yourself. )

Osterfeld Models success can be attributed to the ever changing business structure and mold that we follow to create success in our industry. The reach of Osterfeld companies as a whole is far and wide ranging from television entertainment, adult entertainment, real estate, restaurants and more. In each of those companies fluid change and ability to keep up with current trends is critical in staying at the top. When I am asked what the key to our ongoing success is, I can generally attribute it to two factors: Our continuously evolving structure and operations systems that allow us to constantly innovate and the people that work within our company. The companies that we work with demonstrate that same innovation in their success, keeping them at the top.

Since our founding in 1999 the one thing that we have always done is adapt to our market and the current changing trends of our field. For this particular article, this field of topic is Osterfeld Models and the innovative change that social media marketing is bringing to the entertainment marketplace as it applies to rational systems integration in model development and placement.

Different is better.

Our management team continually focuses on the next trend. To be ahead of a trend is the key to beating the competition. We have done this continually. So have our clients. We regularly review our operations and compare our systems to the competition. We review them to ensure we have the best practices in place to make the success we hope for, a reality. We must continually ask ourselves: What are we doing better than the competition? What are we not doing as well? What can we do that is different? Different is everything. It is not enough to hope for success. You must take physical action in order to make that changes needed occur.

In an age where the world is cluttered with a multitude of everything, you have to stand out. Simply being there isn’t enough anymore. When a consumer (or in my case a model) is hit with a marketing message from my company at the same time a multitude of other messages come, I want them to remember my company, not the competition. And not just the general field. There are more companies getting into the business of model scouting daily. What makes us different from them is our reason for being here. My company is here to build a brand, and support an industry not just now, but 20 years from now. Once a quarter, we read and review one of the latest business motivation books by someone running another company. Seeing how others make it happen, really does work. Listening to other companies and other CEO’s to gather strategy that can focus your company and motivate your movement is ranked in the top 10 most important things you can do to succeed, in my book.

Set yourself apart from everyone else. When they copy you, change.

Our web sites, phone systems, staff practices, model forms, questionnaires, client database systems and model boards are the best in the industry. Training every person talking on the phone, how and what to say is just a critical as having a great looking online presence. When you present a look for your company brand online, you want to make sure the person answering the phone matches that look. High quality. Strictly business. Straight to the point.

Our blogs feature cards from real models. A new model may be skeptical coming into a new business and can easily log on and see what other models are saying. Real people, completing shoots. It has been a great success for us in that more models are checking out the www.osterfeldblog.com site every day. Additionally, the www.osterfeldagents.com board is providing the most cutting edge delivery program for models available online. Talent buyers and companies can easily see all new models instantly. Every morning, a broadcast email is sent containing all new models posted the previous day, reminding the buyers to check them out. The RSS feed also delivers instant headlines for new models posted for any buyer that subscribes to the feed. And of course, our booking agents are always there to follow up on each models profile and ensure the best fit.

Social media marketing for survival.

When it comes to social media, Osterfeld also remains at the forefront. Our MySpace and Facebook accounts are updated daily. Inquires from new models are handled right away. Our presence across the internet allows us to gain credibility from our models and our vast web presence utilizing Flickr, Photo Bucket, Blogging, Vimeo and YouTube to get the word out about everything Osterfeld. Osterfeld Models is the top ranked agency site in adult entertainment for traffic (ahead of the closest competitor by nearly 3 times the traffic). Each member of the model management team is involved in the process of social media. Each agent is on Twitter. our company has a main Twitter account that is operated by the head of Creative and Social Media Marketing. Each piece of the puzzle is continuously operated in order to archive the best results for our models and buyers. Whilst having all of these things are important, what you communicate is even more important. At my company, there is one rule for all social media marketing platforms and those who operate them: Positive message is King. All messages should be promotional, positive or entertaining. Reading Twitter remarks about your latest disaster every 10 minutes doesn’t exactly instill professionalism and confidence in potential marketers and buyers. Stay on message. Every company has problems, but those are best kept in house and handled quietly. Once you Tweet it, you can’t take it back. The internet is forever.

Close your loops.

The key to success with Social Media Marketing programs (or any marketing program) is to close the loop. Several business books talk about “open loops” which can be categorized as things that we need to get done or finish…hence the loop is not completed, it is open. The social media marketing way of looking at an open loop is that if you have a presence on 10 sites, you need to close the loops to link them all together. For example, if I write a blog post at www.osterfeldblog.com then I should Tweet that on the company Twitter account, and link in everyone else in the company to read it. On the blog, I should have links to company web sites and directories to drive potential clients over to the main site. The main site has links to our Twitter, Facebook and Myspace. And the list goes on. Closing the loops, and looping in all of your power in social media means making sure that your message and update is communicated across all social media platforms. You probably have different people following you on different media platforms, why tell 5 clients something that is important, when you can tell them all.

21^st century thinking. The winds of change are blowing.

Right now our creative and development team is working on a 21^st century affiliate program to drive traffic to the clients that we sell our models too. What better way to ensure the continued success of our models, than to provide direct links to business and customers to our buyers. This system is so far ahead of the affiliate sites in current existence, that there will definitely be some culture shock when it hits the market. But, with our knowledge of television markets and emerging online trends, we will be positioning ourselves to be at the start of the next revolution in adult marketing and entertainment. Television is going online, more every day. Adult entertainment has shifted from magazines to VHS to DVD. The DVD market is collapsing, it may survive another 3 to 5 years, but it is done. The final blow for most companies that have low cash flow will be the current recession started in late 2008.

The ship has left the harbor.

Unfortunately, some companies have actually missed the boat on DVD to online transition, because the market is already going to move to another trend. Most attempts to get online lack something new and innovative, making them undecipherable from everything else on the internet leading to over produced online content that is boring and not unique. I worked directly with a company for over a year to create a product that was unique, different and ahead of the trend. But in the end, they cut out everything that would have made it different and released the same old thing. Then they fired me. Some companies are not comfortable with innovative change and that is unfortunate. Many companies that have been around have a resistance to change. But it is the company that is willing to take a risk and move in a new direction, which will succeed in the new market.

In 10 years, most consumers will watch television over the internet, on their TV. It is this trend in technology that those companies who are successful will move into. The rest will die. If a company is currently trying to move from a DVD base, to an online base, they are too late. The internet presence and amount of quality online entertainment available from sites that have been web based for the last 8 to 10 years are so far ahead, it would be impossible to catch up without spending millions. And simply regurgitating old content won’t do anything, accept fill a site database and maintain a low end consumer rating. They key in this scenario, is to innovate. Move past the standard model internet based adult site, and look at the emerging television to internet trends. Don’t try to simply create the same thing that is out there, do something new.

I was approached a few years back by some TV executives that wanted to create a reality based TV show around myself and my company. Reality is in. Go for it!

You are out of your mind.

More than a few people have said that I am a little more than crazy for talking about all of this. And I will tell you my thoughts on it and why I talk about what we do to get ahead.

First and foremost, this information is out there. If you haven’t acted on it now, why would you do it based on what I say? People and companies that fail to change have done so probably for a long time. Regardless of what I say, they aren’t going to change that. I could be wrong from time to time. If they do, more power to them. But I am not giving away any trade secrets that about 1000 other books out there don’t already point out. Most just fail to do anything to act on the knowledge available.

The way I look at it is if I can encourage my competition to do better it is only going to raise the bar for my own company and my people. Companies already copy us. From the near direct wording of their sites being the same as ours, to design and business practices. Imation is the most sincere form of flattery, eh? Well, I think that is true. When you are the industry leader, people look at what you do and try to do the same thing. The one thing I know is that we are still the best. We have the best systems, the best people and the best innovation and I am confident that we will remain in the lead.

Others attack me and say that my ideas are wrong, or that I am self important (which I suppose I cannot disagree with. Anyone that writes something and tells you how to do something must for some reason have it in their head that they have something to say that someone is going to want to hear, maybe). They might be right, but I have been successful at it so far. And no one else even comes close. I love to read blogs and emails where people attack us for the things we do. It entertains me. But it also encourages us. People only attack you when you are at the top. So if people are attacking us…

In closing I would like to say, make sure to freshen up your web site every year at least. I see some companies out there with the same tired old thing, year after year. And those if you focusing on black should take a look at white. The market, for adult entertainment has emerged since the years where you watched it hidden in your home and it was suppose to be something filthy and bad. Flashy and trendy includes white these days. Come out of the dark and into the light! I say this with much love, but some marketing people just need a push sometimes. So there you go!

Written By:  Michael Osterfeld
Edited By:   M. Neumeier

I am finding lately that whomever is in charge of deciding what gets classified as “breaking” should be fired!  Why the fuck would you think I want to know about who wins a championship at 1 am!  Did they go out and grab some tabloid editor out of the gutter and put them in charge?

This is of course provoked by the fact that I just received a text message with once again “Breaking News” that “Gov. Mark Sanford, after days when his whereabouts were unknown – says he has been unfaithful to his wife.”

WHO CARES!  Maybe you should focus more on Iran, or North Korea and stop trying to be like US Weekly and report that actual news.  Does ANYONE really care if he cheated on his wife, other than maybe his wife and family?  I would think not.  And if you do, get a life!

Can someone at CNN get their head out of their ass and report something important please?

An Important Amendment:

While today (6/25/2009) I see in the news that the Governor named above has been found allegedly using tax payers money to fund his little trips, I will note that I did not receive a text update about that.  I would think that part of said scandal would be more relevant to the average person.   The tax money scandal, not the affair.

CNN swings and misses, once again.

On any given day, I would most likely rather be reading something (KV) or writing something or even watching a good movie, than going out with most people.  People are fake.  Everyone lies.  (Yes you do).  Most people only have their own interests in mind when they do something for you.  So what is it worth?  I have too much to do, and too much going on to be bothered by fake people.  I only have time for those that really matter.

I have some close friends and family.  That suits me just fine.  I don’t like meeting new people.  I never really have.  Most people I meet have an agenda.  They want something or feel they can gain something by being with me.  It doesn’t always have to be money or the “lifestyle” that they want, but it generally is.  And what do I gain from that?  A new friend?  Worthless.

I have come to understand that I am perfectly happy with the way things are.  I need to surround myself with people that matter to me.  The rest are just a waste of time.I know there are people that would argue with me and say that everyone is special in their own way.  Fuck that.  Not everyone is special.  As much as you can argue that everyone is special and unique, I can show you how we are all the same.  Insecure, lonely, sad, bored, fed-up, tired, inspired, depressed and addicted.

I encourage you to evaluate yourself.  Do the people that you are with matter to you?  If they do, that is great.  If they don’t and you are with theme merely to not be alone, then consider the fact that being alone allows you time to think, to write, to create.  Being alone is a good thing.  People who have to be going, going, going are just trying to fill the void they feel in their lives.  They always have to be doing something.  That is sad.

Step back.  Take a look.  Enjoy the solitude.

What is the purpose? Is there really a need to know what everyone is doing every minute? I recently read a post on a wall on Facebook about a death in the family. I happen to think people posting things like this on their walls are doing it more to gain attention and get a response than keeping people informed, but I could be wrong. I was wrong once last year, so anything I possible.

I tend to think it is more for personal satisfaction, attention seeking, and just plain ignorance. The brother of the above named Facebooker actually posted, in response to this particular Facebook post mind you, the question of “Who died?” In today’s world a person will actually seek to update a Facebook status and tell the world, or the maybe 3 people that read it and care, before bothering to tell or call a family member?

When my grandfather died I too was grappled with such pull toward the decision. I wanted to run to my Facebook and update my status, but I was stuck with my family and everyone was crying. There was no computer near me.  What a shame (thank god for twitter, I was able to tweet for the moral support I so greatly needed). If only they too could be blessed with this knowledge of Facebook. When people write “Where were you” at least I will have something to say.

PS – www.twitter.com/mikeosterfeld

Don’t misunderstand my point.  I am not saying that we shouldn’t have unemployment but there should be a limit (and not just a save-face limit).  Unemployment is suppose to be funded by the taxes that a business and an employee pay into a fund in the event of a job loss.  This “insurance-like” benefit is suppose to have a time limit and a set amount based on the pay rate you were receiving as an employee prior to termination.  That is fine.  What I have a problem with is the perpetual state of increased unemployment and welfare payments around the country in hard economic times.  What is the difference between increasing payments for not working and saying “don’t get a job, we’ll take care of the tab, you just relax.”  Nothing.

Don’t tell me that it is all paid for by the unemployment a company and person pays in.  If so, were we just screwing the unemployed out of their entitled funds before?  Were we paying them less than they were covered for?  And if not, then how could their previous payments into the plan now also cover the increases that have been made in coverage over the last few months?  It is one or the other?  It can’t be both. The funds allotted by the government to increase unemployment with the “Stimulus Bill” enactment are tantamount to welfare.  Why don’t we just call it that.  When you take money from another place and throw it into “unemployment” funds, then where did that come from?  And what is now suffering as a result?  Answer:  Your wallet and actual working Americans.

What exactly happened to the funds that I paid in over the last ten years?  I worked, more than full time, for the last 10 years and paid taxes.  But I have never collected a dime of unemployment.  Never even filed.  Do I have a stored up account with ten years worth of unemployment payments on my behalf?  If so, can I take some time off this summer?  I should have quite a hefty sum ready for withdraw.

The Other End of the Stick

Welfare is probably one of the worst programs that I have come across.  As a liberal democrat I often end up with strange looks because of my stance.   Hear me out.

Welfare pays someone to stay home (I am not including disability in this conversation).  Why?  What possible positive impact does someone staying at home have on the world?  Why do we have to pay for it? Get a job.  Do something with your life.  Don’t expect me to cover the bill for you to stay home watching reruns of ‘One Life To Live’ while I work eighty hours a week and give half to the government just to have them turn around and hand it to you.

I’m also not without an understanding of the problems that face the American worker.  Downsizing, closing retail outlets, banks and organizations lead to less jobs.  In these economic times (I can’t stand to type that overused phrase – but what else to do?  I feel remiss in having not used it at least once) it is possible to quickly find yourself unemployed at no fault of your own.  I get that.  But I don’t get free handouts.  If you want to collect welfare, there should be some stipulations (aside the lackadaisically enforced current guidelines) that require you to make an effort.  For example, why don’t the people on welfare work for the government?  If we are writing the check, shouldn’t we get something in return?  There are plenty of jobs to be done.  As I sit here and look out the window I see garbage all over the streets and dead plants that need to be replaced, bridges and fixtures that could be painted.  All of the jobs available might not be something that someone wants to do, but then again, I don’t want to pay some lazy ass to sit at home in front of the TV all day.  Life isn’t fair I know.

Unemployment and welfare as a whole get my blood boiling.  Maybe my viewpoint is shaped narrowly from my own experiences and those of my immediate family.  But if we cannot think and act based on how we have been brought up, then what do we go by?

Cheers,
Michael

Mr. Cunningham spoke with a caller. Well, more at the caller that with him. Everything the caller said was overrun by Bill’s ranting about Obama wanting to bring another terrorist attack to U.S. soil. Ridiculous. No matter how bad of a president you might think Obama is going to be (even though he just got started) you can’t possibly think he actually wants another attack? Really? If this is the competition the ‘Left’ faces from the ‘Right’ then apparently we (myself and most other Americans) are in pretty good shape.

A Helpful Note: Radio talk shows are designed so that the host is in control. Unless you want to agree with him or her – or – you like having your ass handed to you, I would recommend you remain a listener and not become a participant. Most hosts are not interested in debate but love shoving their point of view down your throat. That is why their volume is twice that of the caller and they can mute you at any time. Trust me, if you begin to win, you suddenly will find that your argument falls on deaf ears (those of the mute button, call screener and a subsequent dial tone).

Mr. Cunningham was basically ranting about the most recent right wing talking point related to Georgetown and the alleged request by the Obama Administration for the school to cover a symbol referring to Jesus which would have been in the shot as The President was speaking. Who really cares if they did? And who would care if they didn’t? There are two sides to every argument. You could argue that it was wrong for the administration to have The President speak at a Catholic school and then ask them to cover the symbol (which he was). But you could just as easily argue that it is important that The President, when speaking, be conscious of the fact that all of America isn’t Christian. I suppose it should be the same if he spoke at a Jewish school, or a Muslim organization.  I don’t see why it is important either way. The President should be able to stand in front of whatever he pleases to speak. What is in the background is just that, the background.

The reality, as I see it anyway, is that right wing extremists really don’t have much to criticize in Obama, so they focus in on whatever trivial items they can. Since Obama has taken office he has done most of what he said he was going to do. He is working on the economy, remaining open to dialogue from all parties in the international community, working with the border, cleaning up the mess that George Bush made (keeping in mind that Bush had screwed everything up a long time ago) and quite frankly embarrassing the right every step of the way. The President bowed to another president. They say he apologized for our behavior (though he really didn’t), and so what if he did?  If there is a person out there that doesn’t think George Bush damaged the reputation of The United States, I would love to hear how they think he improved our position. The two party system is meant to create debate, but who really cares of someone bows?

What really got my goat was when Mr. Cunningham started talking about “Tea Bagging” as a “deplorable practice carried out by gay men.” What? When I was in high school, the term ‘Tea Bagging” was used mostly by the jocks in the locker room, talking about what they did to their team mate if he fell asleep with his mouth open. I wasn’t aware that this was an exclusive homosexual practice. And if so, why wasn’t I invited? I’m about as gay as they come. Last time I checked sir, if it’s two males doing it voluntarily, it’s called getting your balls sucked.

I will leave you with his last point (or at least the one before I tuned out). Apparently(according to Cunningham), the straight, white, Christian male is the only person that you can now discriminate against in this country. Which is funny, because the last time I checked, I was still unable to get married in Illinois. I am pretty sure that if I get a job, I can be fired for being gay in most places. So if you mean by a black man becoming president, people held without evidence of guilt being released, gays being able to do more (not everything), and most people being outraged against hate crimes, you are discriminated against, well then I suppose you are right.   After all, isn’t it historically common for the majority of discrimination in this country to be inflicted upon the previously named discriminated against parties by white christian males? So I suppose you are just getting what you deserve. If you stand in front of gay rights, what possible purpose can you have but to obstruct the rights of others and deny them the same equal rights you enjoy. How does a gay marriage hurt yours? If I get married tomorrow, is your wife going to leave you? I’m sure if she does it wont be related to my marriage.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to your comments.

Michael

For a while now I have been posting on several other blogs.  It amazes me how quickly an hour can become the morning can become the day.  With The Osterfeld Models Blogs, X Industry Blogs, Twitters, Facebooks, Myspaces, web sites, news feed and model boards we practically need to hire someone just to keep up on that(and we did). More and more I find myself lost in updates and postings.  Where did the morning go?

That having been said, I am launching yet another blog.  I have been asked to update my own thinking on some blogs in the past related to the business of Osterfeld.   (In case you are not aware and reading this for the first time, I am Michael Osterfeld of Osterfeld Industries, models, movies, shows….just Google me, but don’t stalk me).  I am a behind the scenes guy. I put things together and make them work.  It is this business of entertainment that I dabble in.  It entertains me.  I am asked for fashion advice, I really don’t have any.  But I can tell you that I wear what I want, and I think I look good.  I can also tell you if I like what you are wearing or not.

Launching a new blog was a must, I suppose.  The things that I want to say cannot be said on any of our corporate blogs.  But if i put up my own, then I can say what I want.  And I will.  I have commandeered this web address (www.michaelosterfeld.com) from my company.  You can still find company information at www.osterfeldcompanies.com and www.osterfeldmodels.com.

I write about many things.  Models, modeling, entertainment, contracting, what pisses me off, what makes me happy.  What i think about people and situations.  I write about good things too I suppose.  I don’t write about my models and answer questions about their personal lives (I get that a lot so wanted to let you know in advance).

In my professional life I own some companies.  I write for some TV shows.  I produce some TV shows.   I generally avoid the parties and drama of the day to day “industry” life, but the occasional Chicago Social photo spread tries to tell a different story.  I like some events.  Others I don’t.  I can’t stand club events, masked as fashion shows to connect the worlds “little people” with the business.  It is nothing like the “business”.  It is a party with some models walking around in last years spring fashions.   And ya, it’s about as fun as it sounds.  The latest flier i saw read “The World of Fashion Made Available To Everyone, Exclusively at XXX”.  Now don’t get me wrong, sounds nice and all but if everyone can get in, then who will want to?  Rest assured, you still can’t get in to the real thing.

Well I think that should do it for the introduction.  My humor is dry.  My sense is quick.  My tongue is fast (when my speech isn’t slurred…late night…etc.).  Have a great day.  I would say thanks for reading, but you should probably say thanks for writing.

Michael