:bigwave: Hey Marc or anybody else,

Could we not consider some of the assistance we provide folks who are developing, implementaing or maintaining their QS, EMS or other systems by coming here to the forum for help as a type of consulting?:confused:

I would say yes.
Why do you want to know?

Curiosity mainly...Also there may be the opportunity for some milage to be gained. ;)

:confused: Randy "what type of milage" could possibly be gained :confused:

It kinda keeps the jucies flowing for those of us that are doing consulting as our sole source or nearly sole source of work. I know that it encourages me to do some study and research to find answers.:)

I wonder, is research time deductable?

That's kinda along the line I was thinking. There is always a scramble to build ones rep so to speak. And I was curious whether or not the assistance that many of us provide one another here could be a form of consulting. I know that if someone like you or Biz or Marc were to use me as a reference I could honestly say "Yes" that any of ya'll had helped Daily Safety and Environmental (as a un-compensated consultant our compensation is the help we get in return). Maybe I'm stretching, but some of the folks here are looking for assistance in their regular jobs (like you guys from manufacturing organizations), and many of us here are helping them with their systems. I don't know how we could document it (the assistance we provide) and I surely wouldn't want to bastardize what Marc is doing here with this Forum. So if I'm off limits please let me know.

What would the purpose of documenting it be? Do you mean like on a resume'?

I would consider a statement like "Major contributor to a nationally recognized quality forum." as accurate. I think Quality Digest recognized Marc's site a while back.

If you're thinking "tax deductible" my accountant always said my research time or self taught time was investment in the business.

Maybe I'm still confused on the purpose of the question.

Laura

Laura,

Your 1st statement was pretty much in line with my thoughts. I had never considered the tax angle. Right now my history is kinda narrow and I'm hunting and digging to widen it without stretching the truth too much.


The total of my non-military & non-law enforcement career is that of a government contractor in the services sector. I was extremely fortunate in acquiring my present credentials, but I have a very shallow pool of verifiable experience to advertise with outside of that. I'm just trying to find a way to show a broader experience base without expense to others. I hope this doesn't sound too shallow.:o

There is one way that this can backfire. Should I put my contributions on my resume and the person looking at my resume is a member of the Cove, and if the person has read any of my posts, then the result might have a negative effect. Something like…”Oh, so that is who db is. Now this idiot want me to hire him? I don’t think so.”

:biglaugh:

db

You have a point there - especially because I think we "let our hair down" every once in awhile here. Not that we are not being ourselves here, but I'd be careful, for example, "bashing" a registrar at a first meeting with a potential client - but here there's an anonimity to it. A little therapeutic at time when the rest of the world "don't get it."

I've mentioned to a couple clients about the Cove. Most seem to be more interested in what they are doing vs. what I'm supposed to be doing, so they don't check in here.

Laura

Randy,

It occurs to me that participation in the COve is more closely aligned to belonging to a professional society and participating in the meetings, discusions, etc. than it is to consulting. I am more inclined to follow the path Laura follows: "Major contributor to a nationally recognized quality forum."

Rick

Rick and Laura

At the risk of offending anyone (or perhaps to build our resume even further), perhaps we could rephrase it to a "Major contributor to an internationally recognized quality forum." We do not want to exclude those contributors and readers from other parts of the globe.

:thedeal:

:biglaugh: :biglaugh:

That would be the last thing you would have to worry about (other) Dave. :biglaugh:

Dave

"That would be the last thing you would have to worry about (other) Dave"

I don't know Dave, just one look at my license plate (yes, that is my plate), and one would assume that I don’t have a life and take this stuff tooooooo seriously! HMMM maybe that’s true! :bonk:

Originally posted by Randy

I had never considered the tax angle.Talk to a GOOD accountant who knows 1099's and schedule 'C'. Note: Not many do. They are typically trained and know mostly about W-2 and investment issues.

Originally posted by db

At the risk of offending anyone (or perhaps to build our resume even further), perhaps we could rephrase it to a "Major contributor to an internationally recognized quality forum." Calling the Cove forums "...an internationally recognized quality forum..." may be stretching things a bit... :thedeal:

Originally posted by Laura M

db

You have a point there - especially because I think we "let our hair down" every once in awhile here.Where? Where? You wouldn't by chance be referring to the fights, bickering, darts thrown and the Road Kill Recipes, would you? :vfunny:

Originally posted by Marc
Where? Where? You wouldn't by chance be referring to the fights, bickering, darts thrown and the Road Kill Recipes, would you? :vfunny:

While I participate in the fights, bickering, darts and the road kill recipes and other funky humor, I will say this: Do not think for one minute that anything you say in the forum is being utilized in it's final form. The discussions and the different viewpoints are thrown into the collective pot, the wheat separated from the chaff and the the final result proffered to my management and mostly rejected. Not because it's bad stuff, it's because they don't understand what it is they are being offered. Personally, I gain more than I can give. Would I think your advice to me, or others, worth some kind of tax deduction or a great thing to put in your resume? Not!:eek: Besides making yourself feel good, there is no verification that your information was ever utilized. The best information in still in the Premium files. Real stuff. Now, the Cheech may have a bitch, but the rest of you, keep on dreaming!:ko:

Originally posted by energy

The best information in still in the Premium files. Real stuff.Excellent post energy. I don't consider this consulting - training, maybe. Not resume material for me, but possibly for others. As far as the "nationally recognzied, or internationally recognized" - I guess it depends on whose recognizing. If Quality Digest is international - then the site was "internationally recognized."

Originally posted by energy

Now, the Cheech may have a bitch, but the rest of you, keep on dreaming! :ko:I hope everyone knows I'm not bitching here, I'm laughing! It's hard for me to conceive of these forums and/or the site in general as more than the spec on the internet universe that it is. The forums and site have morphed quite a bit from my 'original plan from way back then', but everything evolves over time. :thedeal:

Calling the Cove forums "...an internationally recognized quality forum..." may be stretching things a bit...
Marc, I have in the past had reason to challenge you on ethnocentric thinking. This is
an internationally recognized quality forum.
I am from outside the US and I recognise the forum. QED.
If the reason for consulting is tax consetions then I really don't know.
What is clear though is that even the "Experts" learn here.
It is "an internationally recognised educational forum"

Don't be worried about the road kill etc, he who has no humor has no life. 101 in training add humor to your presentation, letting your hair down is just a way of testing your training abilities!!!!!

I took a break today from work and did the 'New Posts in Last 24 hours' thing or something and saw the thread title and read it. Having been out of town and busy I haven't been looking at many threads. Any way, as I was reading this thread I was/am pleased and am honored that folks here think so much of the place. I was laughing to myself mainly at the term recognized. I don't disagree at all with the international aspect - wasn't even thinking that way - people come here from all over. I well know that from the server logs. Anyway, along with Kevin's and my 'misunderstanding', this just thread sorta tickled me.

I'll agree it's internationally recognized per se, but I was thinking about the regulars (what a group!) and that the site has really been more of an 'alturnative' site where I've for years bashed ISO and QS. You may remember me going so far as to use images like:<center>http://Elsmar.com/gif/line-blood.gif</center>on some of the main site pages with respect to QS... See http://Elsmar.com/qs9000.html as an example. I mean, really. It's for sure not a corporate or company site per se. I just consider it a 'backwoods' site.

Now, if I was as famous as Michael Moore... I guess I better start getting a movie together and start a book! He had GM and I have the QS and ISO folks to beat up on. Threads like http://Elsmar.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=4045 are invaluable as people here and there get little tibits of information and mention them here.

Anyway... Since I was taking a break and in a 'reasonably giddy mood', I decided to play around for a few minutes and thus my posts.

OK! I give up! :truce: It's an internationally recognized forum. Thanks for the Kudos, but let's not get overly serious here... :thedeal:

Originally posted by Marc
OK! I give up! :truce: It's an internationally recognized forum. Thanks for the Kudos, but let's not get overly serious here... :thedeal:

As if that could ever happen!:vfunny: :biglaugh: I think that there is little chance that the regulars here will be overly serious...We seem to be able to be serious when the need arises, but all in all to paraphrase "QA Managers just wanna have fun." I know I do, see my tag line. If we can't enjoy our work, we ought to be doing something else.

Keep up the good work everyone. I know I really appreciate all the times someone has come to my rescue when my opinions have differed with an auditor. This is a great group of folks.

Sat here between meetings I need to tell all you lot how much you are a help for me.

Upto Jan of this year my focus was improvements on the shopfloor and a bit (read lot) of fire fighting. To a certain extent i have been a little lost in my new role not to mention, disheartened and fustrated. But you little gems have given encouragement, made me laugh and a realisation it's not just me.

I realise that this is what i want to do from my living and sorting things out so it is for the visible future.

It the cove is a great society and the advice is thought provoking.

So thanks you lot you are a big help.
:bigwave: :bigwave: :bigwave:

A Blast from the Past...

Any new thoughts, folks?

A Blast from the Past...

Any new thoughts, folks?Without dragging through the entire thread, I can say for myself that I consider most of my posts in the Cove as Mentoring (defined as giving service to proteges and friends without thought of material reward.)

My posts in the ASQ Forums are evenly split between Mentoring and agitating and railing against ASQ paid staff who seem to be suppressing the role of Quality "education" in favor of profit at the expense of the rank and file membership. The profit, of course, only goes into the pockets of an overpaid and burgeoning bureaucracy within ASQ.

Without dragging through the entire thread, I can say for myself that I consider most of my posts in the Cove as Mentoring (defined as giving service to proteges and friends without thought of material reward.)

My posts in the ASQ Forums are evenly split between Mentoring and agitating and railing against ASQ paid staff who seem to be suppressing the role of Quality "education" in favor of profit at the expense of the rank and file membership. The profit, of course, only goes into the pockets of an overpaid and burgeoning bureaucracy within ASQ.

Wes, I am a Senior Member ASQ and have looked over their website but cannot find the ASQ Forums you refer to above. Would you be so kind as to identify how these are accessed? I would like to see the postings and subject material, and the answers given.

Wes, I am a Senior Member ASQ and have looked over their website but cannot find the ASQ Forums you refer to above. Would you be so kind as to identify how these are accessed? I would like to see the postings and subject material, and the answers given.

To get to the ASQ Forum, sign in as an ASQ member using your ASQ membership ID. If you have never created a password then it will ask you to create one. Once the ID and password is entered, then a different home page screen appears for ASQ members. About 2/3 of the way down is the link for Discussion Boards. ASQ made it like those video games where you have to know the hidden doors to go into the next room.

Be prepared that the board is not user friendly and does not have the same features as this forum. It is also not used as much as this board and does not have active moderators. Many of the regular users on the ASQ board also appear here.

Bill Pflanz

Bill, Thanks I found it and tried it out by looking through the topics and a few discussions. Not impressed. The "Cove" rules :agree1:

Bill, Thanks I found it and tried it out by looking through the topics and a few discussions. Not impressed. The "Cove" rules :agree1:As a senior member, perhaps you can help us change the situation for the ASQ Forums from "dreck" to something worthy of our general ASQ membership.

You know, "Light a candle instead of curse the dark!"

I like the mentoring analogy, Wes.

BTW, I'm still going through threads looking for broken links. I was up most of last night going through threads and this one popped up (along with about 300 others...).