Terry Root and the Orchid Zone

[paphioland]

Terry is a very decent person that does not suffer fools. A little known fact about Terry is that he appeared in the early 70's in the Coca Cola TV commercial “I’d like to teach the world to sing (in perfect harmony)". He’s the one in the suit in the back near the end. Rusty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mOEU87SBTU

shut up. Is that really Terry???? LoL

 

[Sirius]

Terry is a very decent person that does not suffer fools.

The problem with that philosophy is, every man is a fool at some point or another.

 

[Heather]

okay....

First off, it needs, again apparently, to be said that this is an open forum.
If Terry Root, whom I have the UTMOST respect for, wishes to not have his address posted online, he needs to talk to Google first (you try it!), and me, PERSONALLY, second.

I don't particularly appreciate PM's saying I should delete messages from people acting on someone else's behalf. We don't do that here, especially when the person in question has a very public profile.

If someone has an issue with this, they should contact me directly.

 

[Gcroz]

All I have to say, even though I probably shouldn't but thats what a glass of port and cigar will do, is that I wish I was able to afford Terry's plants. I'm a reseller and I've thrown my hat in with some growers I like. For what I do, they're perfect.

After all, in my humble opinion and please excuse the language, who gives a crap what the grower is like if his plants are First Class the world over.

Besides, if you think he might be a jerk, God help any of you that meet me!

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

On a more peaceful note....a few years ago I bought a blooming paph at my favorite plant shop in Chinatown...it was an exceptionally large and well shaped vini, with a tag that had nothing more than a number. Since the number had "OZ" in it, I looked up the OZ online (Yes, all that info is posted for the world to see at a mouse click), and emailed them, asking what the cross was. In less than a day, Terry replied personally, with all the info on the cross. All I did was buy a plant (and not at an exorbitant price) from a plant shop...guy didn't know me from a hole in the wall, yet he was willing to take his time to give me the information..that's classy to me. Take care, Eric

 

[paphlady]

The bad thing about throwing quotes at people to argue a point is, they never quite get the point across properly. You see, by saying I hold Terry in contempt, you are saying I despise him. The very definition of contempt according to Merriam Webster, is "the act of despising." If you look up the definition of despise, you find that it means "to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful." I suggest you re-read my post and point out to me exactly where I called Terry negligible, worthless or distasteful.

You've completely missed my point and the meaning of the quote. Re-read my post and the quote. Nowhere did I attempt to interpret your statement (e.g. I didn't say this is what you're saying about Terry).

 

[Leo Schordje]

Sorry Leo, I misunderstood. It was just that you followed it up with "back up and get real." I thought you were implying something else.

Thanks, no problem.

Candace - I apologize if you felt I was singling you out. I was not referring to any single person. I forget that capitals means shouting rather than emphasis. I did not think capitals were rude. My mistake (I plead guilty of over 50). I guess I did sound a bit grouchy. Sorry about that
Leo

 

[Sirius]

You've completely missed my point and the meaning of the quote. Re-read my post and the quote. Nowhere did I attempt to interpret your statement (e.g. I didn't say this is what you're saying about Terry).

I don't see how anyone could misunderstand the meaning of the quote. It's pretty simple. A man is stuck in his own ignorance, if he holds something in contempt without investigating it for himself. The translation is right there, and doesn't leave much room for interpretation.

Don't worry, you haven't hurt my feelings.

 

[malibucarl]

OZ

Terry is a very decent person that does not suffer fools. A little known fact about Terry is that he appeared in the early 70's in the Coca Cola TV commercial “I’d like to teach the world to sing (in perfect harmony)". He’s the one in the suit in the back near the end. Rusty

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mOEU87SBTU

WOW.
That Coke commercial, along with TWA's "Up Up and Away" commercial, bring back memories of a time I didn't have to TIVO darn near everything to skip annoying ads.
Thanx for the link,
Carl Straub
Ret TWA Pilot

 

[Heather]

Okay, validated. I did just have email from Terry so, that message that was deleted was done so validly, both with regards to the original posted and with regards to administration here.


Please, I will just say, if people have an issue with a post, please just email me directly? Please!

 

[Sirius]

For future reference, if someone wants the address to the Orchid Zone, point them to Google and let them find it. We are not going to post it on this forum, because apparently it is ok for Google to display a listed phone number and address, but not us. Are we all cool with that? Good.

 

[paphioland]

For future reference, if someone wants the address to the Orchid Zone, point them to Google and let them find it. We are not going to post it on this forum, because apparently it is ok for Google to display a listed phone number and address, but not us. Are we all cool with that? Good.

You are such a punk. Where is it a listed address? Just because other people put up private info doesn't make it right.

 

[Sirius]

Ken,

Please review the Forum Rules before you post again.

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18

 

[Sirius]

The information I found was from an archive of press releases, and telling you where it is would point more people to it. That is what we are trying to avoid here. It wouldn't really matter though, the information is also listed by the California Dept. of Agriculture, and is also readily available on other orchid forums. I am sorry if the information is so much a secret, as it seems that it is readily available to anyone with a web browser. I can point you to these other sources, and you can contact them Ken, as the duly authorized point of contact for Terry, so these other listings may be removed. You are a duly authorized spokesperson for the Orchid Zone right?

 

[SelectOrchids]

Orchid Zone guarrantees its customers that the Orchid Zone will not compete with them in the retail market. I thought it would be fair to the OZ if I pointed out that this was the reason they did business that way. I am fairly confident Terry Root and the rest of the OZ staff get tired of people speculating about their motivations and personalities. "Hero Worship"? "Cult of Personality"? Whatever. I guess it's not wrong. Terry Root is definitely a hero in the Paph world, even I think so.
Leo

For sure. But I am absolutely sure on the other side that OZ decided to keep a "segment" of the orchid market, and do it well, rather than making a lot of things from propagation to end-consumer sales, mostly because of time.

I have a tissue culture lab, and actually now I have a "distributor" in Europe ( with a database on a website that he can access). If hobbyists want to get 30 seedlings of that cross, and 100 of that other, from their own seeds, it is perfectly fine. But I "splitted". The "distributor" actually gets the hassle of replying to many emails, getting a lot of enquiries for fewer orders, care of each individual customer, the unpaid bills ( and there are many in the orchid world). On my side, I just make the lab ( well, at least I hope), I get packets of seeds, make the flasks, and return them to him 4-6 times a year.

I tried to do the whole process, but I got too many enquiries as to the stage of that seed caps, how many seedlings can be done, etc... and I was spending before I decided to have a distributor, at least 6H/day in emails reply.

Terry is not a brutal stupid guy, he is very well educated, so he is deemed to reply to any enquiries, for politeness. From that, he can loose a hell of a lot of time to reply to too many people, and the flower he wanted to be pollinated has faded, he was too tired and inverted pollen, or whatever. Believe me from experience, retail is a full time job.

And no, I think they definitely would not need distributors to make money if they wanted. If the Orchid Zone was going retail, most people would buy from them directly, so retailers or not, their income would be the same ( and retail entitles from some people at least x5 the wholesale price !). But they choose not to have an overload of work.

Apart from the coca cola (that's a really good video actually!), Terry is very keen on astronomy as well, and many others fields (I do not know if he still have the target shooting practice somewhere ?).

 

[rdlsreno]

shut up. Is that really Terry???? LoL

That is so cool!!! Can't believe that is Terry!


Ramon

 

[goldenrose]

On a more peaceful note....a few years ago I bought a blooming paph at my favorite plant shop in Chinatown...it was an exceptionally large and well shaped vini, with a tag that had nothing more than a number. Since the number had "OZ" in it, I looked up the OZ online (Yes, all that info is posted for the world to see at a mouse click), and emailed them, asking what the cross was. In less than a day, Terry replied personally, with all the info on the cross. All I did was buy a plant (and not at an exorbitant price) from a plant shop...guy didn't know me from a hole in the wall, yet he was willing to take his time to give me the information..that's classy to me. Take care, Eric

I had the same experience!

 

[Heather]

On a lighter note...what happened to strong advertising?

That Coca Cola ad, and the Keep America Beautiful campaign were pretty amazing...

Before anyone says anything, I realize that what I am going to post now is pretty stereotypical, I majored in Native American Studies, but in 1974, these were pretty good marketing strategies.
Obviously, many of us remember both of these...

http://www.aef.com/misc_video/adcouncil/indian_in_canoe_60.mpg

 

[NYEric]

I take exception to the suggestion that anyone here stated otherwise.

Well gee, most of us aren't Harold or Norito.:wink: Therefore I guess we have to spend at least $1K!

Wow, obviously this thread has generated a lot of knee-jerk reactions. I believe OZ has created a "cult" through both it's quality of plants and exclusivity. Whether it is intentional or not media manipulation has helped create the OZ monster. Even on eBay, OZ plants command a price because of their quality and the OZ name. [PS they are affordable.] I enjoy the plants, I would love to meet the man, but I realize my location and personal finances don't allow me to buy wholesale probably will not have the chance. I don't think anyone here has told an untruth about Terry's temperment and we all can't get allong all the time so we'll all just have to try to deal. Terry, I'm sure, is computer literate and if he objects can respond here on our open forum. Just my 3 cents.

 

[Heather]

Terry, I'm sure, is computer literate and if he objects can respond here on our open forum. Just my 3 cents.

Agreed, let him speak for himself if he has something to say.