To: Dembski
From: O’Leary
Re: Compensation for Thumbsmen
July 25, 2007
Bill, pursuant to your recent comments on the guy in charge of promoting the ID biz conf over at the Thumb, how much ARE we paying our shills anyway? I have been trying to get figures for several months now, but accounting is backlogged due to the recent surge in memberships, donations, and book sales.
Taken as a group, the Thumbsmen are highly productive – an excellent investment. I can’t think of any venture of ours that has been as successful in providing worldwide recognition for the ID community and for anti-materialist ideas in general.
However, the productivity of individual Thumbsmen varies wildly. I cannot determine which ones we should tell to go freelance until I know what each is actually costing our public relations budget. Also, some of them are overdue for a pay raise, don’t you think? We wouldn’t want to tempt them to accept an offer to work against us.
The ASA division continues to underperform. In retrospect, that was not a wise acquisition. It seems that no one cares much about scientists who claim to be religious but don’t think the universe shows evidence of intelligent design. The product offer is, after all, quite confusing, and the marketing people have just not been able to come up with a sell sheet that provides any inspiration to the sales force.
Later this fall, I will recommend that we try selling that division. An environment consortium has expressed interest in acquiring a self-identified “Christian” opposition, to ramp up their campaign for common sense. I am sure we can work out a reasonable price. But again, I need some figures to work with.
Denyse
P.S.: I’m not entirely sure I feel comfortable with this new open letter business that that guy from the ASA division started a while back. I’d as soon go back to private correspondence myself. The conspirazoids are apt to think we orchestrate everything. Silly asses! No one can orchestrate absolutely everything!
P.P.S.: Bill, don’t forget the 13 Steps to Theocracy meeting this afternoon. The Twenty ! Ten! Take Over! Commission has a brand new PowerPoint they’re keen on showing. I am sure you will find it both interesting and inspiring.- d.