In tough times, cocaine dealers have to turn to cold-calling | Hacker News Reader

In tough times, cocaine dealers have to turn to cold-calling

economist.com

42 pointscwan32 comments

Describing that as 'cold calling' is a bit misleading.

Yes, it's really warm database management, which is a smart tactic for established sales businesses experiencing a downturn.

I've had a number of "we haven't seen you lately" letters and emails over the past 12 months. None from my dealer though.

The "cold" part of "cold calling" means that it's someone you don't know. This would be warm-calling.

If you want to get to the actual article without clicking through two blogs.

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2009/08/hit_by_recession_cocain...

Although I realize it is nothing more than a detail, I found it quite amusing when the drug dealer attempts to reassert his masculinity at the end by saying "I don't like small talk. I don't like having to ask them how their day was."

It would seem that cocaine dealers are starting to engage in Steve Blank's oft-heralded customer development process.

If I were ever dumb enough to do coke, I would be very concerned if I discovered that my dealer has a little black book with my name and address in it.

Possession and dealing are the things you will be prosecuted for. "Is in a notebook owned by the drug dealer" is probably not the number one enforcement priority.

But it's sure egg on your face if that notebook becomes evidence. Especially if you're famous.

If you're famous and concerned with PR, shouldn't you have people who shop on your behalf, for whatever it may be?

I think they call that a "dealer".

When a person only buys drugs for you he's called a 'personal assistant' instead

Only if you're famous, concerned with PR, and smart.

But once they've busted your dealer and taken a look in his little black notebook, they're more likely to come after you, and that's when you get done for possession.

Yeah - but that's no where near as likely a story as your name getting out and egg on your face.

Cops could usually care less about who's buying drugs for self use (which in many cases isn't even a felony). There are bigger fish to fry.

Do Wall Street execs ever get busted for possession?

They mostly don't have LBBs, they have mobile phones that are only used professionally.

Given the number of Economist articles that involve this particular stimulant, I'm starting to wonder what their writing pool is up to on Friday nights.

Maybe they have a good idea of who their target audience is.

Unhappy middle managers, kids in their early 20s and doctors?

Colombian cartels are in the toughest industry in the world. They have to deal with the police, the military, all sorts of government regulations, picky customers that don't stick to a single brand name, and there's no government there to bail you out if you aren't innovative enough! :P

Ahh, realpolitik. The one startup arena where slashing the top of someone's neck so that their tongue hangs out is considered innovative.

toughest industry in the world

Sounds like someone's never tried smuggling muskets to the Spanish Main.

In current events conversations, participants can usefully be divided into "those who read the Economist", and "other."

There isn't a better magazine, period. And I'm not a banker, or a Tory. I am just under 40 though.

I think you meant to respond to my downvoted comment.

Note that the editors are, in fact, fiscal conservatives for the most part. I had meant to illuminate the coincidence of the downvoted comment's parent mentioning banking.

And sure, "those who read the Economist" can be divided yet again into "those who ONLY read the Economist for current events" and "other." It's the new flag lapel pin for the under 40 crowd. Excuse my while I cough politely.

Don't forget the people who claim to read it but really just use it as intellectual bling.

Technology Quarterly in The Economist is great. The magazine "New Scientist" is also quite good.

"Oooh! Look at me! I read The Economist!"

http://web.archive.org/web/20020425102256/http://www.theonio...

Not really surprising. If you read the Economist for a while you will discover that it is a magazine that is exclusively dedicated to the protection of the interests of large banks and hedge funds. So it is not surprising that the journalists are friends with a bunch of bankers. And everyone knows bankers love coke.

Well, it's a Tory magazine for the under-40 crowd. I don't know if that makes it banking-only, but given that banking is the big traditional industry in the UK, sure, I'll bite.

(Incidentally, I don't seem to mind as much when they have a pot-directed story.)

I was not really referring to the intended audience but to the editorial direction. If you pay attention, their editorials (and even their articles) are almost exclusively in favor of the big international banks and various large investment interests.

I am not calling them corrupt maybe it is just their philosophy but, that is a fact.

They may not even be indulging deliberately: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3325948/The-Thames-aw...

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