The Business Section

Federal Complaint Against the Roanoke Times

A complaint was filed with the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, DC in order to begin the discovery for a class action suit against the Roanoke Times based in Roanoke, VA.  The case will be based on the Roanoke Times' refusal to run "Help Wanted" ads for legitimate home-based businesses seeking to find competent help for business expansion.  The primary complainant is Bobby Buck owner of INFOBUCK.COM based in Roanoke, a home-based business in healthcare technology and does 90% of its research and sharing of those results via the Internet with the remaining 10% of the business by telephone to insure customer satisfaction. Ms Debbie Meade, the publisher of the Roanoke Times asserted via e-mail that her paper found that most home-based businesses were either scams or get-rich schemes and they just don't have the resources to verify that this is not the case. It was assured to her that INFOBUCK.COM was a legititmate business existing for three successful years with all track records available through the local BBB; this action could easily be done with a phone call or going online.  It was also pointed out that through the advancement of technology, communication for verification and/or referencing is instant.  This did not persuade her to consider the suggestion and the option.  Another factor that seem to bring conflict to Ms Meade's policy of not advertising "help wanted" ads for home-based businesses would be the number of ads seen for home based businesses such as Avon and Mary Kay as well as any number of real estate agents who primarily operate from home. There have been ads from places out of state with nothing but a PO Box, 800#, or an e-mail address with no information about legitimacy home-based or not.  It is therefore concluded based on initial research that there might be a pattern of economic discrimination not simply against home-based businesses but minority owned businesses which implicates old customary practices of racial discrimination. The problem seems to be systemic for similar obstacles were encountered initially with the local BBB in the Roanoke Valley headed by Julie Wheeler.  Therefore, an in-person discussion was held letting her know that if there was any negative association with INFOBUCK.COM as being a scam or get-rich scheme, any and all legal avenues would be pursued to rectify such a liability. If you know of a small business, home-based or not that may have been discriminated against by the Roanoke Times, please call toll free 1-866-836-6750 with details.  

Reducing Unemployment while Redefining Healthcare

INFOBUCK.COM is working with the Virginia Employment Commission, seeking those military veterans who desire training as well as seeking an income via the "Preventative Healthcare Technology" seminar currently offered at the Roanoke Higher Education Center.  This seminar is based on the course designed specifically for Virginia Western Community College.  In conjunction,  the veterans are trained and qualified to become seminar presenters in other localities throughout the state; thus, increasing their income.  Bobby Buck has achieved advanced standing with Virginia Western Community College in the Health Technology Department and is encouraging veterans to not only become interested in the profession, but to enroll in the programs offered by the department.

Bigotry or Bureaucratic Idiocy? You tell me...

I established my business in Roanoke, VA in 2006. Upon doing so, I submitted information to the BBB of SW Roanoke. I was requested to submit information about individuals as to the rate of compensation, of which I did with my consultants' permission, but the BBB failed to follow up. Three years later in 2009, I asked why my business did not rate a grade of "A" as opposed to "B+"? I was told it was just a matter of time, but they still wanted the information about people being compensated. Keep in mind, I have had no customer complaints or notes of dissatisfaction over the past three and half years. I told them because they failed to follow-up on the consultants performing services, I would consider taking them to court, if I had to go through the expense of a recovery due to their failure to do what they say they are doing to protect the public. Have not heard from them since.

My second encounter was with the Roanoke Times in which the Publisher of the newspaper cast my online business as simply another work-at-home get rich scheme, like so many others that they don't have time to verify that they are not. The purpose of aligning myself with the BBB was to counteract any such possibilities. I just wanted to run an ad in the "Help Wanted" section to expand my base of consultants...she refused. I immediately filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and doing a discovery at my expense toward a potential class action suit.

Encounter number three came with my contact with the Veterans Administration. After being given the run around in a three-state chase going from Roanoke, to Richmond, to Nashville, and eventually DC... I simply said I was going to the cabinet secretary's office and if necessary to the President's office. After almost a month of running around, I received approval within a week of my intended direct action in offering my program to veterans, who may be interested in learning new skills in technology as they pertained to health care. http://infobuck.com. The Veterans Administration's office in Roanoke is currently under Congressional inquiry for its incompetency in addressing the needs of veterans and also for getting bonuses for their bureaucratic bumbling.

My fourth encounter came with the Virginia Employment Commission of which I wanted to distribute brochures promoting  my business concept to the unemployed and to unemployed veterans in particular; I was told the VEC office could not do this despite my seeing brochures from other educational outlets with the only difference being that I offered a 4-hour seminar as opposed to a course. There were letters of exchange with the VEC's CEO as well as the office of the VA Attorney General. When I received the paper work to file a Federal suit with the Department of Labor against the VEC and informing the CEO, somehow I received the website by which I could promote my brochure before the close of the working day. Now, again, I started with the VEC in Roanoke and was sent off to other offices in the bureaucratic system in Richmond before I got the response I could have and should have gotten in the beginning at the Roanoke office of the VEC. 

Raw Capitalism

Unfortunately, America's economic success was a by product of this financial philosophy advocated today by right wing talk promoters. Capitalism grew out of the "mercantile theory" introduced by emigrants from England to the shores of this land. Capitalism was unholy profit and property produced at the expense of human dispatching of African slaves and Native American annihilation which are facts of history that cannot be denied or absolved... for what has been done cannot not be undone. What have we as a nation learned from this catastrophe? English slaveholders in Barbados surmised that the use of African chattel carried a life expectancy of approximately seven years and far more economical to replace as opposed to securing indentured slaves...European chattel. Slavery involved the support of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Africans, Arabians, Europeans, Americans, as well as other religious promoters seeking personal gain from the atrocity...thus, religiosity unleashed on society.

Slavery was eventually abolished in America by what I believe came  by means of "divine guidance " at a great cost in terms of life with a Civil War...a terrible lesson for world generations to come. Will we have learned anything...or will we fall back into an abyss of both black and white political ignorance...of which this nation may not get the benefit of said "divine guidance" to repeat its justification to exist...remember Eygpt, Greece, Rome? "Forgive them for they know not what they do" will not fly this time around. 

infobuck@juno.com