There's a place called "The Expert's Corner". Here's how it works. You're just another rum rep, with just a few lines when you decide to establish one of the early websites. You make up a piratey story and then establish a commercial site which pretends to promote rum in general. But here's the key...
A certain number of monkeys will come to believe you're an expert and buy the story.
Now whether you are or not, the reading public treats you like one so what do you do? Simple. You celebrate your marketing success and proceed to play the role. And play, and play. You have to. It becomes unthinkable to go out of role, and just be what you are: a guy pushing precious few lines, and making some dough organizing rumfests and "competitions".
Has the Preacher painted himself into the "Expert's Corner"?
Survey sez "You betcher sweet ass". Or does it? Recently a new monkey - in all good faith - introduced himself and noted some of the really great prices he'd experienced when on assignment in Venezuela. These included Cacique 500 for $9 (USD), Santa Teresa 1796 for $23 and their Gran Reserva for a measly $5!
Now them are some really great prices! Almost immediately a couple of envious fellow furbearers did the human thing - to simply share in his good fortune. They properly oooed, awwed and grunted their approval and congratulations. Attamonk!
But not the Preacher.
No, our dear painted-in exspurt just had to play the role and toss some icewater on the poor caged poster:
Wow! That oughta keep the furballs in line. Thought you had a good deal, did you? With airfare the Gran Reserva is actually $505, not just five. And 7% less rum to boot, assuming that the Preacher's assumptions are correctly assumed."Those are good prices, if you don't include the cost of air fare (and) ...those are probably 700ml bottles being sold in the airport as that is the standard size bottle in Venezuela. It's not much but 7% more is 7% more..."
Thank god! I was just about to book a flight...
