{"id":401,"date":"2013-11-27T04:15:28","date_gmt":"2013-11-27T12:15:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=401"},"modified":"2013-11-27T04:15:28","modified_gmt":"2013-11-27T12:15:28","slug":"do-not-proceed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=401","title":{"rendered":"Do NOT &#8220;Proceed&#8221;&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_403\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/IMG_2467.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-403\" data-attachment-id=\"403\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?attachment_id=403\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/IMG_2467.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"640,480\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.4&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone 4S&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1384965725&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4.28&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;50&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0026246719160105&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_2467\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;This photo has nothing to do with the content of today&#8217;s post; I just like the photo&#8230;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Camels on the beach of Oman&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/IMG_2467-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/IMG_2467.jpg\" class=\"size-full wp-image-403\" alt=\"Camels on the beach of Oman\" src=\"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/IMG_2467.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/IMG_2467.jpg 640w, https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/IMG_2467-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/IMG_2467-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-403\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Camels on the beach of Oman<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u2019Tis the Season, the invitations have begun to arrive and there, prominently printed, is that dastardly phrase, \u201c\u2026proceeds go to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I had thought I\u2019d write about this before the beginning of the Season, but put it off, and now I\u2019m reminded at how irritating this word, \u201cproceeds\u201d is to me. Frankly, I find the word intentionally misleading and lacking in integrity.<\/p>\n<p>Years ago, more than 30 of them, when founding Friends of Oscar (now Academy of Friends) in San Francisco, it was the predominance of that word that inspired me to find a way to guarantee that 100% of the ticket price would go to the beneficiary charities. At that time, in better financial times, the event could be 100% underwritten such that the guarantee could be made.<\/p>\n<p>Times have, indeed, changed, and it\u2019s much more difficult, now, to attempt to make such a guarantee. Unfortunately, the use of this Word Without Honor continues to proliferate; and I believe it sheds a bad light on otherwise noble causes.<\/p>\n<p>Seriously. Let\u2019s say you just paid $100.00 for a ticket to an event, ostensibly for Charity. What is the difference between:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>100% of the proceeds will go to feed the homeless<\/li>\n<li>50% of the proceeds will go to feed the homeless<\/li>\n<li>25% of the proceeds will go to feed the homeless<\/li>\n<li>a portion of the proceeds\u2026.<\/li>\n<li>et cetera?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Nothing!<\/p>\n<p>All of those statements can mean anything the producer wants them to mean.<\/p>\n<p>The dictionary in this computer says that \u201cproceeds\u201d is \u201cmoney obtained from an event or activity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cProceeds\u201d is disrespectful of and frankly insulting to your audience. Just what comprises \u201cproceeds\u201d? Profit? A percentage of the profit? Whatever\u2019s left over after every entity, vendor and individual involved has taken their cut; or just what, exactly?<\/p>\n<p>So, Producers of Events, out there; find another word. A word that actually means something. As the word, \u201cproceeds,\u201d is an essentially meaningless word, invented by some producer to give the impression that s\/he is doing more than is, perhaps, reality.<\/p>\n<p>Most people, in my occasional and informal surveys, assume it means\u2026<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cum, profit?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI dunno, everything after expenses?\u201d \u201cWhich expenses, exactly\u2026?\u201d \u201cOh, I see your point\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And so it goes; the impression of the word is of something noble. Upon examination, however, and with a little thought, people come to the realization that \u201cproceeds\u201d has no real and concrete meaning, thus can be used to mean anything.<\/p>\n<p>In the name of simple Integrity, simply tell your audience what you mean; be clear as to just how much of the purchase price is going to the beneficiary of a given event or sale.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s simple respect. It will be respected. The candor will be rewarded, as you\u2019re telling your audience that you can be trusted.<\/p>\n<p>And, frankly, people will appreciate it. If what you are selling or charging is of value, allow the customer to know to exactly what level s\/he is supporting the chosen recipient. Even if it is only $5.00 of the price of a $50.00 book, that\u2019s still $5.00 more than would otherwise support that charity were the book not bought. If you are comfortable with that, if the buyer or patron is comfortable with that, all is good.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m a strong proponent of clarity and transparency. People appreciate transparency. And, if customers don\u2019t come, that\u2019s good information for the seller.<\/p>\n<p>If, on the other hand, one is trepidatious about sharing the precise amount per purchase being donated; that might be an opportunity for re-evaluation. Using the truth in seeking charitable donations is doing business with full integrity.<\/p>\n<p>Frankly, when I receive an invitation and see anything along the lines of<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u201c\u2026proceeds will go to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">It goes, all right; directly into the trash.<\/p>\n<p>IMHO, someone is hiding something when that word is used.<\/p>\n<p>Find a better word: tell the truth.<\/p>\n<p>Happy Thanksgiving and <em>Caveat Emptor<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><em>My eBook, \u201cimho\u201d for iPad and now OSX is still free, <strong>worth every penny<\/strong> and still available for download from Apple\u2019s eBook store and iTunes. Read the reviews; read the book!<\/em><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2019Tis the Season, the invitations have begun to arrive and there, prominently printed, is that dastardly phrase, \u201c\u2026proceeds go to\u2026\u201d I had thought I\u2019d write about this before the beginning of the Season, but put it off, and now I\u2019m &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/?p=401\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2oSuI-6t","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=401"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":404,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/401\/revisions\/404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imho.kileozier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}