Sex, Lies, & Ebay

I last month wathced a movie called "Shattered Glass". It's the true story of Steven Glass, a writer for "The New Republic", a very prestigious politcial magazine.

Steevn was the subject of a scandal in 1998 when it was discovered that most of the writing he had done for the magazine was fabricated. A rising star, he wrote dozens of high profile articles for a number of national publications in which he made up or all of the facts. Steven's world came crashing down when publication of the article "Hack Heaven" was exposed as fabricated by Forbes magazine reoprter Adam Penenberg. After creating a shell website, a fake voicemail account, and ficticious notes in order to fool fact checkers at the Republic, he was subseuqently fired.
Recently, Steven has written a biographical novel called "The Fabulist" to give his individual spin and excuses for havnig fooled his employers, friends, and the public with his dream weaving.
He's done interviwes with 60 minutes among others. Today, he continues to proift from his exploits. To say that eBay has been, and is, a changing landscape would be an incredible understatement. I've been selling on eBay for the beginning in 1995. Early on, I made a tech support call to eBay and from the receptionist's desk was connecetd to the "server room". The phnoe was answered by "Pierre" who I realized after was the founder. Thnigs have changed quite a bit for then. I spend most of my day on the World Wide Web. Selling products. Writing books.

Creating websites to produce income. But by far the vast majority of my time is spent doing research. Making attempts to gather information to improve my current endaevors or to create new ones.
Wading through the vast wasteland of the World Wide Web yesterday while trying to create my own little oasis is harrowing. When you mention the name "eBay" to somebody it will almost alawys invoke an opinion. You can ask my mother and she'll tell you all about it although she owns no comupter and has never surfed the World Wide Web a moment in her life - it's simply amazing. The one thing all the opinions will contain is dollar signs.
eBay means money.
For many people the prevailing idea is that at any point they can quit thier job and instantly make a living on eBay. I don't know how we got here but it's one heck of a marketing job. Don't get me worng. If you want to claen out your attic eBay's the place.
If you want to criuse a couple of garage sales and make a "C" note or two, no prob. But if you want an electric-bill-payin', heath-insurance providin' full time job, you bteter stay at Wal-Mart. Seeing "Shattered Glass" stuck an off-key chord with me about the state of eBay yesterday. I buy eight to ten eBooks containing money-making subject matter every month.

I've got the $39.95 "Auctions For Income" sitting on the shelf rgiht here at arm's reach. Just about every book I buy has smoething in common with all the others. They are yesterday's ideas and inofrmation.

Good ideas?

Yes.
Ideas that work yesterday?