From the Management

I don't mention this often enough -- as in, I think I've mentioned it once in the past ten years -- but I recently got an account statement from Amazon Associates, and so it seem a reminder of a good time to bring it up again.  (I don't get such statements often, more on that in a bit.)

I've been writing this column for 12-1/2 years.  And by my rough estimate, posting a minimum of two articles a day and sometimes more, I've written around 19,200 articles.  I greatly appreciate the people who come here to read them regularly, or even occasionally -- and just periodically.  I write it for a range of reasons, but at the top of the list is it helps me vent and keep my head from exploding, and also I like passing along information that I think might be interesting or fun to others.  Nowhere on that list of reasons, as is obvious, is "Do this to expand my annual income".  (I would love to say that I haven't even tried to get paid advertising on the site out of altruism.  But the real reason is that I doubt I could get an advertiser silly enough to spend their money.  Unless perhaps there was a Harry Secombe Enterprises corporation and theme park, but alas there isn't.) 

On the upper right of this website, there is a yellow "badge" that says "Buy Now from amazon.com."  And if you click on it, it takes you directly to Amazon.  The only difference between doing that and going straight to Amazon on your own is that, having first clicked on the badge, Amazon knows that you got there by coming through this Elisberg Industries website, rather than just by going there directly.  And so, if you do happen to buy something during that visit, the fine folks here at Elisberg Industries get a very tiny commission.

It really is very tiny.  As in "infinitesimal." Though the more people who click through to Amazon that way, the more that amount will be, and it can add up, perhaps even reaching the level of basic-tiny.  Though if you plan to buy a car or yacht on Amazon, I'm sure the commission would get out of the tiny range.

(How infinitesimal?  Happily, some people do click on the badge -- and it is highly appreciated, and I thank you all.  That's very thoughtful of you.  And I get a monthly report from Amazon Associates.  The thing is, they only pay out a check when $10 have been accumulated.  Which brings me to report mentioned above.  I got a notice the other day that I did actually cross that $10 threshold!  An event that my records show happens about once a year...) 

So, if you do plan to browse Amazon during Amazon Prime Days, it would be appreciated if you come here first and click on the yellow badge to take you there.

For that matter, it would be appreciated if you did that whenever you plan to buy something on Amazon.  I know that's unlikely as an "all the time" matter, but a guy can dream...  Anyway, the Amazon experience is exactly the same as usual on your end -- the only difference is that tiny commission.

At the very least, I do hope some people click through during Amazon Prime Days.  A small matter, I know.  But with all the articles and content here free (and yes, I know, you get what you pay for...), it's at least worth mentioning.  And worth throwing a little bit of guilt around.  Especially since clicking on the badge costs folks zero.

Y'know, I should probably mention this more often than every eight years.  I'll likely do that...