A couple of weeks ago I put out a challenge to the industry to find a better opportunity than YTB regarding price, compensation, and benefits. It’s not surprising that I’ve had very few takers. I already knew the answer.

Here are the requirements that I’ve asked everyone to follow:

Just one Host, one Agency, one single Brick and Mortar that:

• Offers 80%-100% commission contracts.
• Pays cash bonuses of up to $10K when you hit performance levels for travel commissions earned.
• Covers the cost of your Medical Insurance and provides a $150,000 Life Insurance policy.
• Give me that “hat trick” for less than $500 start up and $49.95 per monthly overhead.

I’ve seen a handful of answers from those associated with Nexion, Travel Planners International, and over the weekend, CruiseOne.

While I have no problem with any of these Host Agencies, (I’m sure they’re all very good) none of them match what I have with YTB. Travel Planners for example can offer 100% commission (after two years) but lacks the bonuses and medical benefits I’m looking for. CruiseOne does offer the medical benefits I’m looking for, but I’d have to pay for benefits, along with a hefty $10K for the privilege of being aligned with them. (Where YTB will pay me $10K for producing.)

I do like and did find the payment option in Travel Weekly’s CruiseOne article interesting. If you can come up with $2500 down payment, you can finance the rest through a third party to complete the remaining amount owed. I have no idea what the interest rate or terms would be for something like this, but I can promise it will end up costing a bit more than the $9800 flat rate price to get started the old way.

I also liked Dwain Wall’s comment on the current influx of new blood into the industry in the Travel Weekly article.

“We’ve seen an influx of interest from very bright, passionate, entrepreneurial people who have been laid off from another industry or are working presently, but challenged to produce the initial CruiseOne Franchise Fee,” said Dwain Wall, senior vice president and general manager of CruiseOne. “We want to eliminate any barriers to success for people who show such strong potential and offer a stimulus plan, of sorts, to help aspiring entrepreneurs seize the moment and start their own cruise travel business.”

YTB found the same challenge for bright, passionate, entrepreneurial people as well, and came up with a $99 plan to get started. (You can find more info on the $99 plan here.)

To me, it’s all about risk verses reward. If you truly want to align yourself in the travel industry and see if this is something you want to do, why pay more for inferior compensation and benefits?

I’m just asking…

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Doug & Ronda Bauknight AKA: TravelPro Travel Agent / Networker Phone: 678.458.5812

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Do You ZamZuu?

TSO #588629

I’ve written about a company called PhoCusWright here before which measures online travel sales. I’ve also written about BurstMedia as recently as a few weeks ago, which looked at consumer research for travel related spending. Another company that measures on-line spending is a company called eMarketer who came out with a report last week which forecasts some significant growth once we get past this recession.

The Retail E-Commerce Forecast reports and tracks current online sales and then forecasts what will happen in the future based on the data collected. The current forecast indicates that online sales will begin to rebound in 2010 and hit full stride in 2011. A trend in greater spending by online buyers is the key to eMarketers forecast of continued e-commerce growth. Currently some 152 million individuals will shop online in 2009.

The report also goes on to state that many consumers opt to buy online for convenience, price and broad product selection. It also states that over 80% of online shoppers are also online buyers. According to PriceGrabber.com, the tough economy is driving consumers online to compare prices, look for retailers that do not charge sales tax or shipping fees, seek discounts and avoid impulse buying.

It should be noted that PhoCusWright and eMarketer specialize in two separate segments of online sales. Online travel sales are so large and significant in this day and age that it’s broken out into its own category of B2C e-commerce. The remaining group of sales, whatever that may be, is left in the hands of eMarketer.

We’ve heard Coach, Scott and Kim this year quote that $0.42 out of every dollar spent online is spent on travel.  YTB brought Aisle 19 on board at the beginning of the year to capture the other $0.58 of that dollar. If you have ever wondered where that statistic comes from you now know it comes from PhoCusWright and eMarketer who work together to bring you and me a complete picture of the online shopping market. In 2008 $95.3 billion of the total sales volume spend online ($227.6 billion) was spent on travel.

Yes, I know that traditional travel agents want to stake a claim to the $95.3 billion in travel that’s spent online in an attempt that they are changing with the times. The claim; they too book online. Mind you, Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity and Priceline take up more than half of the $95.3 billion with $50.1 billion on their own. (As documented in last weeks 2009 Power List rankings.) If you’re wondering if this is nothing more than a desperate attempt to keep traditional agents in this changing and evolving game you can bet on it.

A few weeks ago I documented BurstMedia’s findings with how consumers are using the internet for travel research and spending. That article got a considerable amount of attention from various massage boards, forums, and blogs. (As noted in stat reports I read that document not only what people are reading, but where they are coming from.) The findings from the BurstMedia research upset many traditional agents, and the excuses started to mount. One traditionalist went as far as personally attacking YTB and myself in some feable price match to show that booking with him would prove to be a better value. I’m not sure how that one example will change the entire scope of consumer research and spending, but I will tell you that the traditionalist who spent days ranting over the issue has successfully relieved himself from any anxiety he once had.

If someone wants to point out that people still value traditional travel agents, they are free to do so. I’m fairly certain that there are independent reports out there that they can use. I’d certainly find an independent source far more credible than some self generated price match consisting of one obscure flight to prove my point however. Yet a simple copy and paste price match appears to be all some need to keep their dream alive that they’re still wanted or needed. Or even better, that they use an age old excuse that they too use the internet to purchase travel for thier customers which factors into the large online booking numbers we’re now seeing in the reports that are documented here.

I’ve yet to generate enough interest in proving this point, but I’m fairly certain from past reports that PhoCusWright puts out that it’s not calculating B2B as it would be in the case of a travel agent booking with suppliers, but B2C with suppliers booking directly with consumers online. B2C after all is what this and many other reports document rather than the other way around.

I’ve been shopping online for years because of it’s convenience and ability to search for the best price I can find. Three years ago I was in the market for a brand new digital camera and went to the internet for a match of what I was looking for. I already knew the specs I desired, already had a budget in mind, and was already willing to purchase the camera online. What I found was the Fuji FinePix S9000 and it’s been one of my most enjoyable investments I’ve ever made.

When I do get a call from a client (as opposed to a booking just showing up in my back office) these clients already know the dates, times, and have a budget in mind because of the research they’ve done online. Some still refrain from buying online due to security and privacy concerns or the inability to touch and feel products. Others will go ahead and book or purchase themselves because they’re comfortable with the medium.

With almost nine out of 10 Internet users browsing and researching to compare products online this year as documented in this report, it’s yet another example via independent research of the bright future of online retail.

And YTB appears to be right in the thick of it. In more ways than one. ;-P

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Doug & Ronda Bauknight AKA: TravelPro Travel Agent / Networker Phone: 678.458.5812

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Do You ZamZuu?

TSO #588629

Update: Traditionalists are now adding Delta to the list of “We don’t need no stinkin’“. As they have done back in the mid 90′s and turn of the century what one does, the others follow.

After reading the comments section once again, this time there does seem to be a good solution.

Drop airlines altogether and let them handle the service issues.

——————————————————————

When I saw this Travel Weekly article last week, I wondered if anyone else would pick up on this, and after going back this weekend and seeing over 300 comments, I think it’s safe to say that the CEO of American Airlines struck a nerve. I’ll get to the comments section in a bit, but first I’d like to highlight what could be the next move American Airlines may take to put a nail in more Brick and Mortar Travel Agencies around the country. It’s been noted elsewhere and even corrected here that American Airlines was the first to reduce commissions in the mid 90′s and finally eliminating them altogether early at the turn of the century.

Now in a very bold move…a pipe dream…a flash of insanity the CEO of American Airlines, Gerard Arpey sees a day when the roles are completely reversed to reflect Agencies paying for access to the American Airline product rather than American paying Agents to distribute their product. AA certainly needs to think of something to turn things around after a $375 million dollar loss and a 15% drop in revenue in the first quarter of 2009. Based on the reaction of so many Traditionalists, something tells me that American might be going from the frying pan into the fire with this idea of Agents paying American now, which for the moment has gotten more attention than YTB. (Trust me, that’s hard to do.)

When you look at the comments section of the article you find (yet again) a very bitter, angry, and demanding group who needed to tell this CEO that they don’t approve. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few well spoken and creative ideas mixed in among the 311 comments, but the vast majority of the comments are simply spouting off how angry they are at this idea of getting shafted once again by the airlines.

What’s surprising to me is that I found several comments (if someone wants to count how many feel free) in line with “We don’t need no stinkin’ AA” which is often thrown up as an excuse by YTB when it comes to RCL and NCL. A boycott of American Airlines appears to be the move most Traditionalists seem to favor to combat this “dream” as a united voice of “Well show you who controls this industry”. I for one found it interesting that the same terminology was used by many from the Tradionalist crowd as a way of making them feel important.

I also found it interesting that this CEO doesn’t know how the travel industry actually works. There seems to be some sort of magical algorithm in place that only Traditionalist know about in order to be accepted into the fold. In this case Gerard is made out to be some snotty MBA type who is paid millions off the back of the hard working foot soldiers who pay his salaries. (Agent themselves who promote and sell his product.) And while we’re on the subject of “wealth envy”, which is what this is all about anyway, Agents praise a bailout for themselves, which was finally passed after a second push, but it’s pointed out as nothing more than greed and wasted expense when it comes to the airlines.

When you lose $375 million in a quarter, they do have a point.

Honestly, some of the comments are extremely entertaining, while others make me wonder how some have been able to survive as long as they have. Still others beg the question why they’re still in the industry with all the injustice going on that makes them nothing more than victims. When margins fell below what I thought was acceptable to live off of in the Home Entertainment Industry, I got out and moved on to something else, while others stayed on to the very end when the company finally went bankrupt.

These are very interesting and difficult times in this industry, and I’m sure venting about such things like this make some feel better, but after looking at majority of the comments I have to question where any solution can be found to help any of these agents stay in business or be happy.

But as we have seen so many times before with YTB, the best answer to solve one’s problem is elevating your temper and spouting off with threats and empty promises. While I haven’t checked, like YTB, I suspect that none of Traditionalists actually own American Airlines, and this is a free country.

Unfortunately, all that is thrown out the window when you work in the Travel Industry. You simply don’t have the freedom to think about or choose to do things any different from the way some believe it should be.

Heaven help you if you do because like I’ve seen so many times before you’ll feel the rath of a very bitter and angry segment of this industry.

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Doug & Ronda Bauknight AKA: TravelPro Travel Agent / Networker Phone: 678.458.5812

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Do You ZamZuu?

TSO #588629

Are you as tired as I am over all the trash talk about YTB’s stock? Honestly, I’m sick of it. It’s as if YTBLA.OB is the only stock out there that’s down in the dumps. You’ve got to be hiding out in a cave somewhere not to realize that the markets overall are…well, in the toilet.

While the market has many running in fear, others are banking on the fact that the market will eventually turn in an upward trend. Most people would think someone would be crazy to actually be buying stock these days. Yet, that’s exactly what many of the super wealthy would have done in order to make their fortune. It’s times like these that would explain why Warren Buffett bought a considerable amount of stock at the end of the third quarter. (And if you’re thinking he sold a bunch, think again.)

The “Average Joe” simply can’t stomach what’s going on right now. That’s why we’re seeing the selling frenzy that we are, and also why critics appear to be focused on YTB’s stock specifically. It helps give the perception that the company is in dire straights and won’t last. Our third quarter numbers did a significant job is dispelling those rumors after their release. While there is a considerable amount of excuses following YTB’s profitable quarter, it did cause some of the most hardened critics to actually state that the numbers actually turned out better than they expected.

I would assume that’s why the focus has been shifted so quickly to the stock. It’s the one thing critics can point to that doesn’t look all that rosy, nor is bouncing back. The picture they’re painting is as if all other sectors are doing just fine, and it’s only YTB that’s having the difficulty holding on to its price. (Even with a profitable quarter.)

This attempt to spin the stock got me thinking how YTB compares to other stocks, more specifically, the travel sector since YTB of course knows nothing about travel. (Even after our 8 year run in this sector and being named in Travel Weekly’s Power List the last two years.)

By no means do I claim to be some type of stock expert. Far from it. But anyone with a pulse should realize that the markets, even after the election, continue to tank.

After pulling up various stocks to compare with YTB’s I started noticing that the broad brushed picture being painted isn’t what our critics claim it to be. (Big surprise, I’m sure.) Nor did any one sector in our industry lead in the categories I checked. About the only sector I was not able to check thoroughly at this time were other Brick and Mortars. (Most according to the Travel Weekly Power List are privately held.) I also tried to pick stocks that most everyone would know, even if you’re not “in” the industry. (Hogg Robinson Group, being probably the one exception.) Since there were so few public Brick and Mortar Agencies, I did use both American Express and Boeing who do own “Agencies” but obviously have diversification which neither look to either help or hinder their performance over the last year.

Here is an overview of the industry representing Airline, Cruise, Brick and Mortar, and On-line Agencies.

YTB (as noted by the blue dot) ends up pretty much “average” compared to the other stocks in the industry. Since there are so many in this sample, I’ve taken each industry and broken it down into segments for ease of reading.

Our first sector is how YTB compares to the Airline Industry. Companies are color coded and YTB will remain blue. Companies sampled with YTB are Continental, Delta, US Airways, and Northwest Airlines.

Next is a one year snap shot of Brick and Mortar Travel Agengies, which include American Express, Boeing, and Hogg Robinson Group.

Would a one year snap shot of on-line agencies look any better? Take a look at how YTB compares with Expedia, Priceline, and Orbitz.

And our last sector is the cruise industry as we take a look at both Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

After looking at this again, maybe Royal Caribbean should be the one in red…

So what gives? Why all the focus and fuss over YTB’s stock when obviously YTB appears to be on par with all the other companies in the market?

Because that’s what critics do. It’s something for them to talk about to give the perception that the Network Marketing business model is flawed or inferior to what they consider a tradition business plan. It’s all about perception to add fear and doubt about your choice in the industry.

They want you to go back to something more “legitimate” or “secure”.

So let me ask you. When it comes to the stock market, which one of these stocks above look to be more secure to you?

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Doug & Ronda Bauknight AKA: TravelPro Travel Agent / Networker Phone: 678.458.5812

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Do You ZamZuu?

TSO #588629

I hate this kind of news, I really do. Yet another Travel Retailer has bitten the dust. What’s even worse is how this all came down. I’m applaud at how cold and callus this was handled and honestly, this story sounds like something Anti-MLM critics would come up with to attack an MLM as just another example makeing a HUGE fuss about how shabby, crooked, and flawed the MLM model is all over the Internet.

But alas, since this is a “traditional business model” and not an MLM, mums the word and nobody seems to be all that concerned. Even if it was brought up, the bad economy would certainly be a leading excuse to defend such deplorable behavior in the traditional business world.

Cruise Value Center, a cruise seller in East Brunswick, N.J., suddenly closed its doors on Monday after 14 years in business. Employees were sent an email on Sunday night, informing them that they don’t have a place to come to work Monday morning.

An agent, who spoke with Travel Weekly on the condition of anonymity, said it wasn’t clear whether they would be paid commissions on sales they had already closed, or if the cruise lines were going to be paid for cruises clients had booked.

“They left us all hanging,” the anonymous agent said.

Yep, sounds like something straight out of the pages of “MLM Myths and Legends”.

Too bad it’s not an MLM company huh?

Jeff Kavit handed over the reigns to a company called Travel Holding Entity out of Michigan last year, and of course couldn’t be reached. While the Cruise Value Center web site is still up, the 800 number no longer works. What’s surprising to me at least is that Cruise Value Center did an annual sales volume of $70 million and combined with Cruises of Distinction, also owned by Travel Holding Entity, was expected to produce $100 million in sales.

Ross Spalding, general manager of Cruise Value Center also resigned from his position (although it’s not specified when) “due to the unfortunate situation at Cruise Value Center.”

Back in June we were informed that Magic Johnson Travel folded abruptly, although not like this. Late last week, Liberty Travel consolidates and lays off a segment of its offices. Now with Cruise Value Center, I’d say the traditional travel industry is a real mess.

Too bad they don’t have the Government to bail them out like American Express does.

But as usual, the focus isn’t on any of this, it’s on little ol’ YTB and our critics seem to be in a tizzy about selling off an old office building for $1.5 million that we no longer need due to a 430,000 square-foot home office. (For the record, and to clarify the St. Louis Business Journal report, the Home Office is 130,000 square-feet on a 59 acre spread to expand even more.)

But hey, what do I know about what’s really important or relevant and what isn’t right?

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Doug & Ronda Bauknight AKA: TravelPro Travel Agent / Networker Phone: 678.458.5812

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Do You ZamZuu?

TSO #588629

WARNING: The content, topic and links in this post are not only inappropriate for children, but may also be extremely offensive to women. (And males with even an ounce of integrity or ethics.)

I’ve personally been called a lot of things in my life. I have also been ridiculed and scorned buy a group of individuals who are obviously upset I am involved with a company who is changing their industry without their permission. I don’t particularly mind the attention or ridicule; I’m a big boy and can handle anything that comes my way. If I didn’t like the heat, I should stay out of the kitchen.

Picking on me is one thing, but picking on an innocent, respectable, nurturing, woman, Mother, and Minister is another. With Mothers Day coming just around the corner, I’d like you to think of your own Mother for a moment. More than likely, if I or anyone else ever met your Mom, she would be much like the Mother I was introduced too some time ago. You can read about this Mother and Minister from her bio, and you like me, you would think that she is quite remarkable. As a Minister, you would believe that she is an honest, responsible individual with not only an understanding of the word integrity, but someone who lives with integrity and truth on a daily basis and certainly knows right from wrong.

However, she has one fatal, glaring blemish on her bio; that of being associated like me as a YTB RTA. That blemish makes her fair game to not only be called out, but publically scorned, ridiculed and dragged through the mud on a blog and forum by a bunch Thugs.

On Friday, April 25th, once former “friend” and “colleague” in the Travel Industry, John Frenaye posted an absolutely horrid article that called out this woman and accused her of being a liar. The post went on along with some 69 comments on Friday and Saturday until the comments got so out of line, even he closed them. Accusations ran ramped the entire day, as it so often does on the cesspool of bandwidth, that this Mother and Minister is someone without morals, ethics, or a shred of credibility simply because, like me, she’s proud of what our company has been doing in our industry. John and his band of Thugs used not only very belittling and demeaning language, but John himself used a very graphic picture of a child extruding his middle finger, giving this woman, Mother, and Minister “the bird”. Would you show your own mother the bird? We at one time assumed that John wouldn’t, but that idea or belief has now been proven wrong.

How anyone could get so emotionally charged concerning such an apparently innocent and non threatening woman may be in question right now, but evidently, John being the crazed, obsessed, and paranoid individual he is took exception of a post this woman made concerning YTB merging with a 27 year old company based outside of Clarksburg, West Virginia, American Destinations. Since this crackerjack Journalist couldn’t find a verifiable source to substantiate the post; that in his mind was justification to use a foul and offensive picture and words to match to drag this Mother through the mud.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of being introduced to John Frenaye, be truly thankful. He claims to be some sort of “New Breed” of Travel Agent and Journalist, and has been published over the years, and thus has gained the respect of a few followers and co-workers in the industry. As of late, John has lowered his Journalistic efforts and has spent an increasing amount of time researching (cough) and posting daily on his hideous blog of what he has found digging up what he considers “dirt” on our company and its Independent Contractors. I’m sorry, make that “RAT’s”, and no, that’s not a typo for RTA; it’s what he and his Goons call us. (Professional, don’t you think?)

John spent an entire week, (assuming that he reads all YTB Blogs like he does mine on a daily basis.) attempting to find any type of documentation or verifiable source of what this woman posted as having any truth. He made a “quick call” to American Destinations, and sent several very demanding and demeaning e-mails to this Mother, Minister and RTA demanding proof of her findings. She simply responded that a Director had informed her of this information.

As it turns out, not only did a Director inform her, Director Jeanie Sharpless informed the rest of the company of this merger on a Company Training call on Monday, April 21, with the owner of ADI and former RTA Curtis Edwards and his son Nicholas, on a Company Conference call. (It is my understanding that Curtis and his family had to resign as RTA’s as their role with YTB has now changed.) These are recorded and archived in our back office, enabling me (and you) to listen to the call from Monday night. Many of you not only know of Jeanie, but respect and admire all she does for us in Training and educating us how to sell more and more Travel. ($414.5 Million worth of Travel in 2007) Are we to assume that Jeanie could be in fear of being labeled in the same category as Regina then? What about Curtis’s wife and Mother to Nicholas?

After listening to the archived Company call and then going back to this hideous post and reading the comments from these arrogant yet oh so shallow group of Thugs, I began to wonder who in their right mind would do something like this?

Vultures do this, wild dogs do this, hyenas do this, parasites do this, but human beings should certainly not be categorized in this class of life form who rip and tear into someone who they think is beneath them. But somehow, there it was, for the entire world to see, and being from such a low class of life, they appear to feel justified in their actions and accusations towards this woman, Mother and Minister because try as some obliviously made to defend and help Regina, not one RTA was able to provide the proof John felt he needed to inform him that her post was accurate and true.

Anything associated with YTB by the way is automatically either suspect or in question, no matter how valid or solid the information may appear to be. It’s MLM, and we MLM’ers are the problem, NOT someone like John and his Followers.

To me, and this is strictly my opinion, I have to question how anyone could be so obsessed and paranoid over our company to get them so constipated about who we are and what we do that they can’t find a strong enough laxative, cleanse, or enema to cure what ails them. After watching and dealing with s
uch arrogance and anger from this group for as many years as I have, I actually believe they truly enjoy their misery. Their anger and hatred towards anyone associated with our company, no matter what any individual’s motives are or how pure a human being may appear to be outside of YTB, if you’re in YTB, you are absolute scum.

While I understand that this class of life, especially John, feel justified in their actions, I have to wonder what single Moms would think of John’s post and graphic picture who have or are considering utilizing and purchasing travel services from Travels With Fred or his partnership with his Single Parent Travel web site and businesses. Did he ever stop to think how a Parent would feel about this post not knowing anything about YTB or this woman and Minister? Many people on the outside of his band of Thugs know nothing about YTB, although he is trying in vein to inform them. (With his false and misleading information no less.)

I’m betting he didn’t, but I’m also betting that the internet being the powerful source of research that it is, many single Mothers can and will Google John Frenaye and Single Parent Travel or Travels with Fred, and while they may not find the cesspool he calls a blog, (instead as of now finding something about the 10 Commandments of Travel??!!) they will begin to find this blog and post complete with a PDF copy of the post for download and a mirror of the blog’s source code as a copy of his handy work so the entire ordeal can be kept permanently for everyone to reference. (Just in case this post kicks him in the rear hard enough to relieve him of his apparent constipation.)

Again, I remind the readers how explicit the content of both links, as they are complete with graphic and comments but I firmly believe it may help his clients understand just what this man is made of. I think it’s only fair that John’s clients be allowed to judge on their own if John and Single Parent Travel might be a bad mix. Don’t you?

If they’re like me, or you, they would be terrified or at the very least ashamed to be associated with this filth, but not John, he’s standing by his convictions. He so certain this woman lied, and because she’s associated with YTB, anyone who finds this post will certainly side with him.

Are you as interested as I am to see how all this unfolds? Can you Just Picture It Now?

I wish I could express to John how badly he “stepped in it” this time. I’ve expressed to him personally when we actually communicated privately together how his anger, resentment, and obsession with this company have truly gotten the best of him. I’ve never been able to reach him in that regard, and now it appears that his unwillingness to listen could lead to some very unfortunate circumstances.

Going after someone like me is one thing, but going after a woman, Mother, and Minister the way he did with Regina is so far out of bounds, I can’t put it into words. (Imagine that, ME without words?!) I’m dumbfounded, stumped, and ashamed that I even associated with the likes of him and his band of Goons. This goes against every molecule, cell, and fiber of my being.

But that’s just me.

So, it’s come to this. It’s come down to me going public myself and saying to John, “Come here Boy…why don’t you come pick on someone your own size?”

By chance, you might be thinking that this Mother Regina isn’t capable of taking care of herself. Well, you might think again. I’m six foot and 215 pounds, and if my Mother who is five foot nothing found out that I picked on an innocent Mother and Minister the way John just did, she’d grab me by my ear, take me out to the back of the wood shed, and whip me with a long leather strap.

(Hmmm, anybody know John’s Mom?)

Dear John,

You owe this woman a public apology, and maybe you could even purchase and send her flowers for Mothers Day from her own web site if it you think it might help. But I don’t think your man enough… no make that human enough, to actually swallow that pride of yours and offer up something apologetic or sincere. You’re cold as ice buddy, and I have to question if someone like you even has a pulse let alone any remorse for what you have done to this Mother and Minister.

Furthermore, if you think you can offer up an apology just to get some sort of retraction or comment out of me, think again. You deserve every bit of what you have coming to you, and while Regina is a Christian woman who has forgiven you, you’re not going to be quite as lucky with me. I’ll still think you’re a “Tool” and you’re going to have to do considerably more than a simple apology or retraction in order for me to even entertain any idea of changing my belief that you are nothing more than the Coward, Fraud and Zealot that you are.

Just Picture It Now, I remind you that this woman you so blatantly attacked has the faith, character and strength to not only pray for you, but forgive you for what you have done. Kind of whittles down that big strong “man image” you try so hard to portray, don’t it?

I’ll leave you with this John…

I exchanged e-mail’s with Andy Cauthen earlier this week concerning your post and obsession over Hickory Travel Services, which by the way, you have absolutely no proof or documentation of. He has invited you and any of your other Thugs who care to up to the home office to discuss any issues you have with our Company. You have an open invitation to discuss directly with people who are responsible for and have lost complete control of rouge RAT’s like Regina Osei.

While I can’t promise, I bet they’ll even pick you up in the Company Jet. Not to show off, but to assure you that they’re on their way, since you are tracking every place this plane flies. This way you can be notified via e-mail just as soon as the flight plan has been filed.

Think about it…and if you’re man enough to take on someone your own size instead of a harmless, innocent woman, let me know. You know where to find me.

If not, you can go pound sand with the rest of your Goons. We’re taking over this industry our way, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it Pal.

To the rest of the good, decent, hard working RTA’s in YTB;

It is my belief that we need to send a very strong message to John Frenaye. Please excuse my French here, but John is so constipated the man thinks his shit doesn’t stink.

So, if you are as appalled as I am over John’s behavior, I invite you to let the general public decide if John’s business is worth patronizing and let the chips fall were they may.

And we’re going to do it the only way we know best. “Word of mouth advertising”.

If
you have a blog I want you to write an article about how appalled you are over this lame stunt of John’s and his attack on an innocent Wife, Mother, and Minister, you’re colleague in YTB. I would also recommend for rankings that you point people to this very post. (The more links to this post and site, the more likely it will be found on the first page of the search engines.)

http://travel-pro.blogspot.com/2008/04/dear-john.html

If you know how to use tags, or keywords in you blog please insert the following:

John Frenaye, George Dooley, MSNBC, Tripso, Travels with Fred, Single Parent Travel, JVE Group, ASTA, Travel Agent Issues, Brick and Mortar, Home Based Travel Agent, MLM and Travel a Bad Mix.

If you participate in forums and other message boards, please post how appalled you are concerning John’s actions and in both cases let it be known to your Company is the “New Breed” of Travel Agent. Which happens to be legitimate and respectable business and can be found at http://www.ytb.com/.

I realize that many of you are Christian’s and may like Regina and Coach, turn the other cheek and simply pray for John, and forgive him. Please understand that praying for him will also help John and I commend you for beliefs and those actions as well.

This is your choice, but I also believe that something needs to be done concerning the Cancer we have among us.

To Regina and her family;

I’m sorry about all this. I can’t control John and his actions. Nobody can. I can’t tell you how much I admire and respect your decision to pray for and forgive John. I do agree with you, he is a troubled soul, and he certainly needs the hand of God to help him through his troubles.

I want you to know that you are not only remarkable, but loved throughout this company. I truly believe that. YTB is like family to me, and you are certainly part of it.

Please accept my sincere apology and feel the love and warmth I have for you at this very moment.

In closing, I’m not sure if I will post the rest of this week. I need to at least take a shower after swimming in this mud and filth of John’s. I also need to work on letting the anger and resentment I have towards John right now go. Airing my beliefs and feelings here certainly helps. We may find the “documentation” John needs to make the retraction he claims he’ll make. If so, I might inform all of you.

If not, try to have a great week in spite of the tone it has started.

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Doug & Ronda Bauknight AKA: TravelPro Travel Agent / Networker Phone: 678.458.5812

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