"What is the use of studying philosophy if all that it does for you is to enable you to talk with some plausibility about some abstruse questions of logic, etc., and if it does not improve your thinking about the important questions of everyday life."--Wittgenstein

Scaramouche: Hacker/Factotum [abbr. Sc: H/F] was organized by Walter Coole (pére) in 1981. At the time, he was a college instructor whose teaching areas included: philosophy, mathematics, education, English, and management.

Sc: H/F began as a cottage industry side-line, and is now a full-time professional occupation, occasionally employing a number of talented friends, colleagues, and relatives who perform specific tasks as circumstances demand: engineers, merchants, journalists, technicians, artists, managers, teachers, anthropologists, lawyers, and writers.

The business was named for a 16th century Italian Commedia del'Arte  reprobate, the inspiration for a number of dramatic and literary roles depicting a clever--but fey, mischievous--soldier of fortune with hidden stripes of altruism and oddly-expressed loyalty. Scaramouche's traditional costume colours are black with silver and white trim; hence, Sc: H/F's productions, decor and advertising are largely black and white. (Also, black and white is cheaper.)
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What they say about Scaramouche: Hacker/Factotum

"There's something suspicious about naming a business after a crook." -- C. Berjerik

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"He was born with a gift of laughter and sense that the world was mad...and had made the most of his opportunities...stuffed with learning enough to produce an intellectual indigestion in an ordinary mind. Out of his zestful study of Man, from Thucydides to the Encyclopaedists, from Seneca to Rousseau, he had confirmed into an unassailable conviction his earliest conscious impressions of the general insanity of his own species...Nothing in his eventful life ever afterwards caused him to waver in that opinion...

"He also...has the gift of sly intrigue, an art of setting folk by the ears, combined with an  impudent aggressiveness upon occasion when he considers himself safe from reprisals...a skirmisher to the very life...[and yet], by disposition, charitable and loving to all mankind."--Rafael Sabatini

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"Make way for the factotum of the city...rushing to his shop for dawn is here...What a merry life, what gay pleasures...

"Bravo, bravissimo, bravo! Most fortunate of men, indeed you are ready for everything by night or by day, always in bustle, in constant motion. A better lot, a nobler life does not exist.. at my command everything's ready...Then there are 'extras',  part of my trade, business for ladies and cavaliers...All call for me, children, old men and maidens...take this note.

"Heavens! what a commotion! Heavens! What a crowd! One at a time, for pity's sake--here! there! Up! Down! Quicker and quicker I go like greased lightning.

"Make way for the factotum of the philosophic world!"-- From Rossini with apologies

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"You see him here, you see him there, you see him everywhere--that damned, elusive Scaramouche." -- Baroness Orczy {kinda}
 

------------------------------------Our guarantee-------------------------------------------

In general, our policy is to refund any fees without argument if the customer/client isn't satisfied  with a product or service we have provided. In case of dispute, we are committed to settle all matters by binding arbitration through the BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OF MAINLAND B.C. Customers outside the region may initiate arbitration through a geographically convenient branch of BBB; allowing the two local associations to arrange details of the process.
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Scholarly, public-service, non-profit and  charitable organizations we support through volunteer service: Burns Bog Conservation Society, WfH Forum, Vancouver CommunityNet, and Vancouver Public Library.
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Here's what we do for hire and volunteer public service...

1) When people and organizations consult us about goals, Scaramouche helps clients identify specific objectives and understand hidden aspects of missions. Once a project's aim is clearly stated, it is necessary to develop a strategy. Scaramouche solves problems through systematic analysis and research for alternatives. It's unique among consulting groups. We apply practical management skills in a context of cultural variety.

2) Gifted and talented individuals have special needs that require their advisors to be trained professionally to deal with high IQ's. They need to understand the psychological circumstances of gifted individuals and how they fit into the social world. More importantly, the advisors of gifted people must be, themselves, gifted in order to share their gifted clients' viewpoints.

Because Scaramouche's associates are unusually bright, they can supplement existing educational and career guidance services to tune their procedures to the special needs of bright individuals: both children and adults can call upon us.

3) In addition to the proprietor's teaching background, he has industrial and military data-processing experience reaching back into the 1950's. He's designed and written parts of a number of the major computer applications of the era, including SAGE, AUTOMAD, CLASS, PERSMATCH, and TRAFF. We can design and install sophisticated, but user-friendly, databases. We also produce and sell audio-cassette lectures and music.

Also:  articles, essays, audio-cassette lectures and music.

4) As a working group, Scaramouche has participated in and managed a number of seminars, conferences, trade shows and special events in Washington and British Columbia. We are known for our ability to adapt to the unusual: events with special needs and focus--and are  notorious for penny-pinching!

5) Are we Canadian or American? Sometimes it’s hard to tell. Scaramouche can help with transitions between the two countries.

6) Scaramouche's associates have traveled and lived in many parts of the world. As immigrants to Canada, they can serve as cultural interpreters from time to time assisting businesses with cross-border trade programs.

Vancouver has a number of sites and features of high interest to cultural and economic specialists. Because of its multi-ethnic makeup, the Lower Mainland can offer visitors many highly informative tours. Scaramouche organizes and conducts customized site visits in the Puget Sound area on both sides of the border.

7) Travel for learning: custom travel planning to accomplish intellectual objectives.

8)
We do dragons!

Scaramouche: Hacker/Factotum doesn't really do everything, but we do enjoy a challenge. We'll undertake anything that we're competent to do; as long as it's legal, ethical, useful and interesting*.

Have Decibel Meter, Will Travel
*Aggressive Sniveling
Stupid TELUS answers
Seal Programs
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