Capital Public Radio "Los Angeles Appeal" and KQED's service to L.A.

[Michael Rivers Kramer]

I have to laugh at this one. About a year ago, I donated some money to Capital Public Radio and to KQED since I'm a big public radio fan and I didn't give them support when I lived in Sacramento and San Francisco respectively.

Today, I recieved a second appeal from Capital Public Radio...Titled..."Los Angeles Appeal"...

I love these form letters..

"as the year comes to a close, we look back and anticipate what lies ahead. I am in awe of what individual donations make possible on Capital Public Radio....

...Please rake a moment to acknowledge what your support today can bring you and the people of Los Angeles in the coming year"

"We know there are many worthwhile organizations serving Los Angeles that deserve your support. We're grateful that you would consider Capital Public Radio among them"
********************************************
I told a telefundraiser earlier this year that I would not be able to support Capital Public Radio this year. I went on to say that I made a one time donation and that and now live in LA. He asked me if I would like to be removed from their list and I said yes.

KQED sent me a similar letter earlier stating something to the effect "We understand how KQED is important to Los Angeles community"

Really?

Funny stuff.

 

[LKellerIII]

They are probably computer generated, and fill in the blanks on the form letter based on your city of address. But as we know, computers can't think. So if you had moved to Fremont, Daly City, or Petaluma, it would have made sense. It would have been funnier if you''d moved to Des Moines.

In the 80s, I owned a video retail business named Captain Video. I guess we must have donated to non-profits' because we got on a number of mailing lists. For years after I sold the business, I got form letters hitting me up for money. The letters would start out "Dear Mr. Video," Farther down the letter when they were trying for more intimacy, they would use my 'first' name: "Well, as you know, Captain, we really appreciate your continued support..."

 

[DavidKaye]

In the 80s, I owned a video retail business named Captain Video.

YOU were Captain Video? I knew that store well.

 

[LKellerIII]

In the 80s, I owned a video retail business named Captain Video.

YOU were Captain Video? I knew that store well.

Let's just say I was one of the "captains" - co-owner of suburban franchise - not the main SF stores. Those original owners were very smart businessmen and knew instinctively when to get out, and get into other ventures. They're probably retired now.

 

[Madmansam]

In the 80s, I owned a video retail business named Captain Video.

YOU were Captain Video? I knew that store well.

Let's just say I was one of the "captains" - co-owner of suburban franchise - not the main SF stores. Those original owners were very smart businessmen and knew instinctively when to get out, and get into other ventures. They're probably retired now.

We had a Captain Video in Stockton. From 1986-90. When Blockbuster Video opened its doors nearby, Captain Video mysteriously disappeared.

 

[LKellerIII]

In the 80s, I owned a video retail business named Captain Video.

YOU were Captain Video? I knew that store well.

Let's just say I was one of the "captains" - co-owner of suburban franchise - not the main SF stores. Those original owners were very smart businessmen and knew instinctively when to get out, and get into other ventures. They're probably retired now.

We had a Captain Video in Stockton. From 1986-90. When Blockbuster Video opened its doors nearby, Captain Video mysteriously disappeared.

Not so mysterious, actually. Blockbuster (the 800 lb. gorilla of video retail by the early 90s) had a policy of buying out popular competitors., so they could be the only-game-in town. They didn't care about the little hole-in-the-wall stores. So that's probably what happened in Stockton.

Before I got out of the video business, I managed an San Francisco store for Blockbuster, and they had just bought out a local Movie Magic store in the next block.

It's a bit ironic now that progress has passed by Blockbuster. The store I managed for them in SF (one of the top 50 stores in their chain of over 3,000 stores) closed down earlier this year. Chapter 11 is imminent. The corporate owner at the time I worked there - Wayne Huizenga, who was smart enough to get out by the mid 90s - selling the entire chain to Viacom. Viaocom CEO Sumner Redstone caught a lot of crap for that acquisition.