Righteous Indignation

This has nothing to do with pottery, but it does have something to do with small businesses, which should be of some interest to most potters. Sunday, while perusing the newspaper, I came across this article. As a proponent of small business and as a hobby beer brewer, I was aghast at AB/InBev's audacity. For those of you who don't feel like reading the article, here is a quick recap. Anheuser-Busch/InBev is suing the Illinois Liquor Control Commission because, as an out of state producer, they are not allowed to be a distributor in Illinois. Illinois breweries, though, can self-distribute within the state. They (AB/InBev) are claiming that small, independent breweries who self-distribute have an unfair advantage.
Really?! Are you serious?! The largest brewing company in the world, with a net income of $4.6 billion, is worried about an independent brewery with a distribution range of 60 miles?!

I have not bought much AB product since InBev took over. Partly because I prefer craft brews and partly because August Busch IV selling out really cheesed me off. Occasionally I would pick up a case of Busch...but I'm pretty sure that is done after these antics. I find it hard to support a company who is working to hold back independent businesses because they are not satisfied with billions of dollars in profit. Bloody savages.

-Rob

To boldly go where many thousands have gone before!

At approximately 10pm, central time, I officially became a seller on Etsy! I just got my shop set up yesterday, and finally listed my first item today. (That was my big goal for the week.)

And that is probably the only item I will have up for a little while. I got my photo set up cleared away enough to snap a few shots so I could get something on there that was better than a towel and a counter top. I have a lot of work to do on and around the photo area, though, before it is really ready to roll.
Not that it will make the pictures any better. I have no idea what I am doing when it comes to cameras and lighting and white balance and such. It would be really nice to be able to go to a workshop dealing with all that, but I have never heard of any around my area.

Is this really such a good thing, though, that I will be selling on Etsy? It is a flooded market place. Do I really want to be lumped in will all of the thousands of people out there pumping out mediocre (if not down right bad) work, and offering it up to the public?
I considered these things briefly, right before I considered how much money that mug was making while it was sitting on a shelf. I am fairly certain that millions of people are not going to walk through my house in search of handmade goods any time soon. On Etsy, however, at least it has a chance. So for better or for worse...here we go.

On a completely unrelated note, I got a free CD at P-mac Music today. P-mac is this cool little independent music store I used to work at. The owners are first rate folks. Check out their web site, and one of their stores if you're in the neighborhood. Anyway, so what did I choose for my free music selection? Primus: The Brown Album. Les Claypool is a freaking genius. The whole album is good, but Fisticuffs and Shake Hands with Beef get my top picks.