I’ve been a basketball fan for a long time and follow my local team as much as I can. And I’m so tired of reading anything related to the NBA lockout that I just might boycott the NBA altogether.

The owners and players are fighting about splitting 4 billion dollars a year in revenue. The union says they are making concessions, the owners say they are losing money. To someone who works what feels like ten part time jobs to make ends meet while I continue to look for a meaningful and equitable position with a company I would like to be associated with, the bickering about 4 billion dollars seems like a lot of crap to me.

I think I’ll find a new sport. One that doesn’t pay its players millions of dollars per year. So, at this point, NBA, it’s not me. It’s you. I’m tired of your crap. We’re breaking up. I just want to enjoy myself for a couple of hours per week watching the aggression of sports.

Who knows. I might end up a lacrosse fan.

I saw this on a designer’s site today.

Tradia is a colossal time and money-waster. You’ll do much better to stick with eBay and PayPal. We signed up thinking it would be a good way to garner local customers for our hosting business, but at the end of the day Tradia appears to be little more than an outlet for random odds-and-ends that you typically find in the back of a Ross discount outlet. Basically you’ll end up trading real work in exchange for the opportunity to purchase mismatched towels and musical dolls.

Still, I wouldn’t be complaining here except that now we’re trying to cancel our account and they are being asshats about it. They won’t accept an email cancellation, instead they are insisting we fax them a signed document (which they don’t have a form for) to terminate our account. I love retro, but frankly the 90′s hasn’t come round again just yet, so I’m fresh out of facsimile machines and I get annoyed thinking about driving to a Kinkos to send them what amounts to a photocopy of a scribble on a blank piece of paper. It stinks of “delay tactic”.

Even Tradia members are finding out that their system does nothing.

If you are looking at this post, it is because you are doing some comparison shopping or trying to find out more information about Nitrobids.com or dubli or any of the other dutch auction sites. Here’s the skinny and why I think they are sneaky, sly, and should be put out of business: they are deceptive.

Here’s how it works at nitrobids.com.

You have two choices, nitrobids or bid2buy.

Nitrobids are auctions that start at $0 and increase by a penny every time someone bids. Each bid resets a timer on an undisclosed amount of time, and if you happen to be the last person that bid when the timer expires, you win the auction and can buy the product for the listed price, which should be much lower than the retail price.

Here’s where it gets sneaky: you pay for every bid you use. In the best case scenario for you, you pay $.57 for every bid, worst case $1.

Let’s start doing some math. If an auction for a Nike + iPod kit (live as I write this) retails for $29, and the current auction price that you can “buy” it for is $1.40, that means that 140 bids have been placed on that item from the beginning of the auction until now. So, every bid, spread out over how many people, has generated between $.57 and $1 per bid. Worst case scenario, Nitrobids.com has just made at least, AT LEAST, $79 on that item, which has a retail price of $29.

So, yeah, you might win, and you might be able to buy it for $1.40, but the truth is nitrobids.com is cleaning house with this method of auction.

Worse yet, there is absolutely no transparency. They don’t say how long the timer lasts They don’t allow you to buy the item for a specified price. You never know how many people have bid on the item, or if their software is bidding against you. You never know whether or not you are going to win the item at the price you want. They don’t provide any clarity on what they are doing. And what they are doing could be considered illegal gaming. Dubli.com is facing class action lawsuits because of the deceptive nature of what they do.

Then the second kind of auction, the bid2buy, is the same thing, but in reverse. The auctions start at a retail price, and then go down one penny per bid, and it costs the same to bid on each auction as the other.

There is an iPad that finished the auction at $456.50 on the site right now. The auction started at $499. Let’s do the math again…

If the price went down $42.50, then there were 4,250 bids on the iPad…. which means at WORST case nitrobids.com made $2,422.50 from the bids PLUS the $456.50. On a $499 iPad nitrobids.com clears, WORST CASE SCENARIO, a cool $2,300, and only one person got to take it home, while hundreds of people may have “bid” on it. Nitrobids probably clears something like $4,000 on an auction like this…for something worth $499 on the open market. Is this right? Ethical? Moral? Legal? Certainly not the first three, but the legality of it has yet to be tested.

What makes me sick about Nitrobids.com is that I know one of the owners. And he seems like a decent guy…but come on people, this is a scam through and through. If you want to gamble, go to Vegas, I bet your odds of winning are better there than on Nitrobids.com.

I had the opportunity to be the guest speaker on Just Biz Talk yesterday. Here’s the interview…I talked WordPress and Barter…and it was pretty fun.
My interview on BlogTalkRadio

I’m in my second to last class, Introduction to American Pop Culture, and I feel like poking my eyes out. I’m terribly bored. My mantra is, “April 15th 10:00PM, April 15th, 10:00PM…”

At the request of some people that I care about deeply, I have decided to share a factual account of my experience as a Tradia franchisee. The intention of this post? To warn those that would do business with them. In doing so, I don’t wish to face a libel lawsuit. They already sued me once, and that was enough. I will make the most sincere attempt to corral my commentary to facts. The facts are:

• I started with Tradia, then Compasscard, in April of 2003 as a regional trade director on an independent contractor agreement.
• Compasscard/Tradia had acquired a trade exchange I used to work for, UBX.
• Compasscard grandfathered my clients to my brokerage.
• For the rest of that year and the next, I operated my brokerage with relative freedom and prosperity.
• I served on the board of directors for the corporation starting in 2004.
• Tradia changed names in 2005 from Compasscard to Tradia.
• Matthew Humphreys let Manena Seamons go, one of the ethical employees and a dear friend of mine, because it was suspected by his wife that he was having an affair with Manena. This was discussed openly in my visit to Portland for the board meeting where Manena’s departure was announced.
• Manena was replaced by Matthew Humphrey’s wife, Paula, who took over operations of the company.
• Paula quickly began instituting tight controls on everything, including inventory accounts, gift certificates, posting of transactions, admission of new members, travel restrictions and other day to day operations.
• The new rules more than doubled my work and the time it took to do business.
• During the summer of 2006 I was assigned by a client to pre-sell $20k in chocolates. Paula stopped letting my member’s purchases get posted to their accounts because her chocolates weren’t delivered when she wanted them. It cost me hundreds of dollars in fees. This is only one example.
• I was asked to take down my Tradia of Utah.com website, under the guise of brand consolidation, offering no alternative form of communication with my clients in its place.
• After winning several awards over several years (broker of the year 3 times, most cash collected, most new members, etc.) in the fall of 2006 I began to tire of fighting tooth and nail with Paula over posting transactions.
• At the January board meeting in Salt Lake City, both Matthew and Paula Humphreys spent the first three hours grilling me about my “loyalty” to the company. This after having served on the board for years, donating all of my system improvements and ideas with no compensation, and serving as the broker board president for two years for free.
• The board meeting, which lasted two days, generated no clear objective and no direction for the company.
• In February I started planning on leaving the company to start an exchange with its base of operations in St George.
• In May, I left my Tradia franchises to my partner, taking only $60k in business debt with me, to start fresh in another city.
• The 19th of that month I lost my father to suicide.
• Not having the heart to pursue my new venture, I left it in the hands of my only employee and started doing web design full time.
• February 2008, Tradia served me with a summons to Oregon State Court for the purpose of obtaining damages because of the business I had abandoned. They had sustained no damages as my partner was still operating the business at optimum levels.
• July 2008, the lawsuit is still open in Oregon State Court.

To anyone that is thinking about doing business with Tradia, I would reconsider, and investigate more fully the company you are interested in getting in bed with. These documents are from the Oregon State Court. They summarize the five lawsuits that Tradia has pending in that court against former employees and franchisees.

Court Case Number Type Date Filed Starting Instrument Status

Washington Co Circuit Court C075046CV Civil Contract 11/07/07 Complaint Bankrupt Inactive

Case Participants

Name Role Address

BARTER UTAH Alias – Defendant

SEAMONS TYLER Defendant

GARDNER MARK Judge

TRADIA FRANCHISE CORPORATION Plaintiff

COTTLE MARK O Attorney – Plaintiff

STARK JUSTIN W Attorney – Defendant

ORGILL AARON Defendant

KOHL THOMAS W Judge

KANESHIRO NATHAN Attorney – Defendant

Event Summary

Date ID Event Related Event

11/07/07 1 Complaint (NOT SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION)

03/03/08 2 Notice/Rule 7 – 91 day

03/14/08 3 Answer Counterclaim

04/11/08 4 Submitted Lmt’d Jgmt of Dism’l as to def #2 to MG

04/14/08 5 Judgment Dismissal Limited Event 6

PURSUANT TO UTCR 7.020 FOR LACK OF PROSECUTION

04/18/08 6 Notice Entry of Judgment

04/16/08 7 Answer AND CROSS CLAIM

04/23/08 8 Issue/at Issue

04/23/08 9 Trial/Ready for Event 10

04/23/08 10 Notice of Trial

04/23/08 11 Miscellaneous

05/01/08 12 Return Service Summons per serv

05/01/08 13 Return Service Summons PER SERV

05/05/08 14 Trial Twelve Person Jury Event 15

2 DAYS CB ABATED AS TO DEF SEAMONS ONLY

05/05/08 15 Notice of Trial

05/15/08 16 Submitted MO & ORDER TO REINSTATE CASE AGAINST AARON ORGILL CLND MG 5/19

05/21/08 17 Order TO REINSTATE CASE AGAINST AARON ORGILL W/MOTION

07/29/08 18 Motion FOR ORDER OF ABATEMENT

07/29/08 19 Affidavit in Support of Motion

07/31/08 20 Submitted OR FOR ABATEMENT AS TO TYLER SEAMONS TO TWK

08/05/08 21 Notice Pend Dism Settlement Event 22

08/05/08 22 Notice Printed

08/04/08 23 Order FOR ABATEMENT AS TO TYLER SEAMONS ONLY

08/14/08 24 Stay of Proceedings AS TO TYLER SEAMONS ONLY

09/11/08 25 Submitted DIMISSAL re: Aaron Orgill

09/11/08 26 Judgment Dismissal General Event 27

lack of prosecution RE: AARON ORGILL

09/11/08 27 Notice Entry of Judgment

09/29/08 28 Notice Bankruptcy Auto Stay Event 22

Event 23

#08-24443 CHAPTER 13 FILED 7/10/08 / DIST OF UTAH (SEE RELATED EVTS FOR DOCS)

Judgment Summary

Date Jgmt # Judgment Status Status Date

Court Case Number Type Date Filed Starting Instrument Status    Washington Co Circuit Court C075046CV Civil Contract 11/07/07 Complaint Bankrupt Inactive    Case Participants    Name Role Address    BARTER UTAH Alias – Defendant     SEAMONS TYLER Defendant     GARDNER MARK Judge     TRADIA FRANCHISE CORPORATION Plaintiff     COTTLE MARK O Attorney – Plaintiff     STARK JUSTIN W Attorney – Defendant     ORGILL AARON Defendant     KOHL THOMAS W Judge     KANESHIRO NATHAN Attorney – Defendant     Event Summary    Date ID Event Related Event    11/07/07 1 Complaint (NOT SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION)    03/03/08 2 Notice/Rule 7 – 91 day     03/14/08 3 Answer Counterclaim     04/11/08 4 Submitted Lmt’d Jgmt of Dism’l as to def #2 to MG    04/14/08 5 Judgment Dismissal Limited Event 6    PURSUANT TO UTCR 7.020 FOR LACK OF PROSECUTION    04/18/08 6 Notice Entry of Judgment     04/16/08 7 Answer AND CROSS CLAIM    04/23/08 8 Issue/at Issue     04/23/08 9 Trial/Ready for Event 10    04/23/08 10 Notice of Trial     04/23/08 11 Miscellaneous     05/01/08 12 Return Service Summons per serv    05/01/08 13 Return Service Summons PER SERV    05/05/08 14 Trial Twelve Person Jury Event 15    2 DAYS CB ABATED AS TO DEF SEAMONS ONLY    05/05/08 15 Notice of Trial     05/15/08 16 Submitted MO & ORDER TO REINSTATE CASE AGAINST AARON ORGILL CLND MG 5/19    05/21/08 17 Order TO REINSTATE CASE AGAINST AARON ORGILL W/MOTION    07/29/08 18 Motion FOR ORDER OF ABATEMENT    07/29/08 19 Affidavit in Support of Motion     07/31/08 20 Submitted OR FOR ABATEMENT AS TO TYLER SEAMONS TO TWK    08/05/08 21 Notice Pend Dism Settlement Event 22    08/05/08 22 Notice Printed     08/04/08 23 Order FOR ABATEMENT AS TO TYLER SEAMONS ONLY    08/14/08 24 Stay of Proceedings AS TO TYLER SEAMONS ONLY    09/11/08 25 Submitted DIMISSAL re: Aaron Orgill    09/11/08 26 Judgment Dismissal General Event 27    lack of prosecution RE: AARON ORGILL    09/11/08 27 Notice Entry of Judgment     09/29/08 28 Notice Bankruptcy Auto Stay Event 22    Event 23    #08-24443 CHAPTER 13 FILED 7/10/08 / DIST OF UTAH (SEE RELATED EVTS FOR DOCS)    Judgment Summary    Date Jgmt # Judgment Status Status Date

Court Case Number Type Date Filed Starting Instrument Status

Clackamas County Circuit Court FE090862 Civil Frcbl Entry/Dtnr: Rsdntl 05/19/09 Complaint Simple

Case Participants

Name Role Address

CLACKAMAS PROFESSIONAL PLAZA Alias – Plaintiff

KAMERMAN CHARLES Plaintiff P O BOX 69

EAGLE CREEK OR 97022

BENNETT JEFFREY S Attorney – Plaintiff

COMPASS AMERICA LTD_ Defendant ET AL 9123 SE_ST HELENS ST STE 150

CLACKAMAS OR 97015

NORBY SUSIE L Judge

BENNETT JEFFREY S Attorney – Plaintiff

TRADIA COMMERCE NETWORK Alias – Defendant

KAMERMAN LYNNE Plaintiff P O BOX 69

EAGLE CREEK OR 97022

CLACKAMAS PROFESSIONAL PLAZA Alias – Plaintiff

MCCORMACK ANNA S Attorney – Plaintiff

Event Summary

Date ID Event Related Event

05/19/09 1 Complaint ff $189.00 ck #18532

05/20/09 2 Certificate Mailing

05/20/09 3 Hearing FED Event 4

05/20/09 4 Notice Hearing

05/26/09 5 Return of Mail and et al notice fed hrg

05/26/09 6 Summons and et al

05/26/09 7 Return of Svc/Summons Posting and et al

05/28/09 8 Order stipulated agreement

05/29/09 9 Order stipulated agreement

05/29/09 10 Stay of Proceedings

Judgment Summary

Date Jgmt # Judgment Status Status Date

Court Case Number Type Date Filed Starting Instrument Status

Clackamas County Circuit Court CV06110336 Civil Other 11/15/06 Complaint Closed Inactive

Case Participants

Name Role Address

SMITH BRADLEY D Attorney – Plaintiff

TRADE YA INC Defendant

LOWE JOHN K Judge

TRADIA COMMERCE NETWORK INC Plaintiff

STOOP JASON Defendant

MAURER STEVEN L Judge

THOMAS-STOOP MICHELLE Defendant

MCNAMARA JACK Defendant

DOES JOHN 1 THROUGH 5 Defendant

DOES JANE 1 THROUGH 5 Defendant

Event Summary

Date ID Event Related Event

11/15/06 1 Complaint $206 ck #002230

11/29/06 2 Summons

11/29/06 3 Return Service Summons Event 2

11/29/06 4 Return Summons/Sub Service Event 2

srv Jason Stoop

03/06/07 5 Notice/Rule 7 – 91 day

03/30/07 6 Affidavit in Support of Motion to continue

03/30/07 7 Motion Cont as Pending Case req 90 days

03/30/07 8 Case Notes Event 7

order to ctrm 5 to allow/deny

04/02/07 9 Affidavit in Support of Motion to continue

04/02/07 10 Motion Cont as Pending Case Requesting 90 days

04/02/07 11 Case Notes Event 10

order to allow/deny to ctrm 5

04/03/07 12 Order to Continue Event 10

to amend complaint

08/10/07 13 Court Notes rule 7 to ctrm 200

08/17/07 14 Judgment Dismissal General Event 15

want of prosecution, rule 7

08/17/07 15 Notice Entry of Judgment

08/17/07 16 Closed

Judgment Summary

Date Jgmt # Judgment Status Status Date

Court Case Number Type Date Filed Starting Instrument Status

Lane County Circuit Court 700622602 Small Claims Contract 11/14/06 Claim Closed Inactive

Case Participants

Name Role Address

TODOCHATA Alias – Plaintiff

CARP TED Judge

TRADIA COMMERCE NETWORK INC Defendant MATTHEW B HUMPHREYS- REGISTERED AGENT

C/O DANI GORDON PO BOX 1963

CLACKAMAS OR 97015

MCMANUS MARK S Plaintiff 1823 MOSS ST

EUGENE OR 97403

Event Summary

Date ID Event Related Event

11/14/06 1 Claim

11/24/06 2 Answer Counterclaim in sum of $1,500.00

12/07/06 3 Trial Court Event 4

COUNTERCLAOM $1500.00

12/07/06 4 Notice of Trial

12/28/06 5 Hearing Event 6

**COUNTERCLAIM $1500.00

12/28/06 6 Notice Hearing

01/29/07 7 Judgment Dismissal General Event 9

w/mediation

02/08/07 8 Closed

02/08/07 9 Notice Entry of Judgment

Judgment Summary

Date Jgmt # Judgment Status Status Date

Court Case Number Type Date Filed Starting Instrument Status

Washington Co Circuit Court C052431CV Civil Contract 07/07/05 Complaint Closed Inactive

Case Participants

Name Role Address

COMPASSCARD TRADE SYSTEMS INC Alias – Plaintiff

DEGUC VINCENT A Attorney – Plaintiff

GARDNER MARK Judge

MCNAMARA JOHN Defendant

TRADIA COMMERCE NETWORK INC Plaintiff

MCNAMARA JACK Alias – Defendant

Event Summary

Date ID Event Related Event

07/07/05 1 Complaint (NOT SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION)

07/12/05 2 Return Service Summons PER SERV

10/31/05 3 Notice/Rule 7 – 91 day

11/14/05 4 Submitted OR OF DFLT & JGM MG

11/10/05 5 Motion Default Order

11/10/05 6 Affidavit FOR SERVICE

11/10/05 7 Affidavit RULE 69

11/21/05 8 Order of Default RE:

12/06/05 9 Continued R7 – cont pending word from MG on dism’l; no jgmt to date

01/25/06 10 Miscellaneous general judgment will be filed by 1/30/06 per ptf atty rs/MG

01/30/06 11 Submitted JGM CLND MG 1/30

02/07/06 12 Continued R7 – cont to allow for entry of default jgmt

01/30/06 13 Motion Judgment

01/30/06 14 Statement Costs & Disbursement

01/30/06 15 Affidavit in Support of Motion FOR JGM

02/03/06 16 Judgment General Creates Lien Event 18

Judgment 1

02/03/06 17 Closed

02/15/06 18 Notice Entry of Judgment

Judgment Summary

Date Jgmt # Judgment Status Status Date

02/03/06 1 Debtor – Defendant 1

Creditor – Plaintiff 1

Judgment General Creates Lien

Judgment 307285.79

Jgm Court Costs 485.00

POSTJGM INT IS OWED TO CREDITOR @ (9%) SIMPLE INT

FR/THE DATE OF THE JGM ON THE BALANCE DUE;

Unsatisfied 02/15/06

Court Case Number Type Date Filed Starting Instrument Status

Washington Co Circuit Court C090637CV Civil Other 01/28/09 Complaint

Case Participants

Name Role Address

COTTLE MARK O Attorney – Plaintiff

TRADIA FRANCHISE CORPORATION Plaintiff

HANSON SOPHIE Defendant

HERNANDEZ MARCO A Judge

BYBEE JERRY Defendant

HANSON SOPHIE Plaintiff

STARK JUSTIN W Attorney – Plaintiff

EASY TRADERS LLC_ Plaintiff

BYBEE TOMMY Defendant

STARK JUSTIN W Attorney – Plaintiff

EASY TRADERS LLC_ Defendant

STARK JUSTIN W Attorney – Defendant

MERRILL ALICIA Defendant

STARK JUSTIN W Attorney – Defendant

HUMPHREYS MATTHEW B Defendant

STARK JUSTIN W Attorney – Defendant

HUMPHREYS PAULA L Defendant

STARK JUSTIN W Attorney – Defendant

Event Summary

Date ID Event Related Event

01/28/09 1 Complaint ACCOUNTING-NOT SUBJ TO MAND ARB

03/27/09 2 Return Service Summons PER SERV

03/27/09 3 Return Service Summons PER SERV

03/27/09 4 Return Service Summons UPON R/A SOPHIE HANSON

03/27/09 5 Return Service Summons PER SERV

04/10/09 6 Answer Affirmative Defense & COUNTERCLAIMS

05/22/09 7 Submitted LIMITED DEFAULT ORDER/JGM TO MAH /JR

05/22/09 8 Motion Default Order

05/22/09 9 Declaration SUPPORTING DEFAULT

05/22/09 10 Declaration ATTY FEES

06/01/09 11 Order of Default

06/01/09 12 Judgment Limited Creates Lien Event 13

Judgment 1

06/03/09 13 Notice Entry of Judgment

06/16/09 14 Return Summons/Sub Service TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING

06/24/09 14 Issue/at Issue TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING

06/24/09 15 Trial/Ready for Event 16

06/24/09 15 Issue/at Issue Event 16

06/24/09 16 Trial/Ready for Event 17

MAILING AFTER SUB SERV

06/16/09 16 Certificate of Service Event 17

MAILING AFTER SUB SERV

06/24/09 16 Notice of Trial Event 17

MAILING AFTER SUB SERV

06/24/09 17 Trial/Ready for Event 18

TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING

06/16/09 17 Return Summons/Sub Service Event 18

TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING

06/24/09 17 Notice of Trial Event 18

TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING TRACY NIMO 5/5/09 NO MAILING

06/16/09 18 Certificate of Service Event 19

MAILING AFTER SUB SERV

06/24/09 18 Notice of Trial Event 19

MAILING AFTER SUB SERV

06/24/09 18 Trial/Ready for Event 19

MAILING AFTER SUB SERV

06/24/09 19 Notice of Trial Event 20

06/24/09 19 Trial/Ready for Event 20

06/24/09 20 Notice of Trial

07/16/09 21 Trial Twelve Person Jury Event 22

07/16/09 22 Notice of Trial

Judgment Summary

Date Jgmt # Judgment Status Status Date

Jason Richards Interview

We took the kids out fir Little Caesars pizza tonight and then had a little picnic at the park. While we were there, a gaggle of morbidly obese people held some kind of meeting. I thought maybe they were having a eaters anonymous meeting but it ended up being a scrap booking auction. Needless to say, Rebecca and I have decided that scrap booking is not for us if those are the results.