Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Monday, June 20, 2011
The Cadillac Has a Flat
Covered in dust, familiar with rust,
The Cadillac has a flat.
Taking a look, just call a hook,
The Cadillac has a flat.
Twenty liters in your thorax, you tell me to relax,
The Cadillac has a flat.
Blood on your pillow, your skin is sallow,
The Cadillac has a flat.
You’re fixin’ to die. You won’t even try.
The Cadillac has a flat.
The Cadillac has a flat.
Taking a look, just call a hook,
The Cadillac has a flat.
Twenty liters in your thorax, you tell me to relax,
The Cadillac has a flat.
Blood on your pillow, your skin is sallow,
The Cadillac has a flat.
You’re fixin’ to die. You won’t even try.
The Cadillac has a flat.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
A Great Experience - MINImized at the end
Here's a "great" motoring story (as solicited by Seattle MINI):
The service experience in question dramatically accelerated my decision to sell the car. I have greatly enjoyed the car over the past three years, but the evidence was mounting that this car would be unreliable and expensive to own once the warranty expired. The product design and marketing are fabulous - the execution needs work.
My sense of trust was shattered yesterday when I was told by an agent of the store that they'd like to buy my MINI, but would hope to get it in their hands prior to warranty expiration to address "an issue" with leaking valve covers that they suspect my car has. Now, I had just received service and nothing was said about this issue. Was I to discover this after my warranty expired? This is not the experience that builds trusting customers. You really, really blew it here.
The service experience in question dramatically accelerated my decision to sell the car. I have greatly enjoyed the car over the past three years, but the evidence was mounting that this car would be unreliable and expensive to own once the warranty expired. The product design and marketing are fabulous - the execution needs work.
My sense of trust was shattered yesterday when I was told by an agent of the store that they'd like to buy my MINI, but would hope to get it in their hands prior to warranty expiration to address "an issue" with leaking valve covers that they suspect my car has. Now, I had just received service and nothing was said about this issue. Was I to discover this after my warranty expired? This is not the experience that builds trusting customers. You really, really blew it here.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Free to Good Home
I consider a paycheck to be a remarkably convenient thing. At some point, this convenience (and the expectations of one’s constituents) trumps any perceived alternatives. A kitten, sitting in a cardboard box in front of the Safeway, might initially be pondering whether adoption by a chicken farmer or a fishmonger would be preferable. As his littermates are taken one-by-one, the goal of not spending the night on the curb becomes the priority. To get to the point, I have a different job.
Circus Parades
When long-term strategy becomes discretionary to the firm, a strategist might be handed a broom with the order, “follow those elephants.” Hey, I’ve always liked calliope music.
Circus Parades
When long-term strategy becomes discretionary to the firm, a strategist might be handed a broom with the order, “follow those elephants.” Hey, I’ve always liked calliope music.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tell Congress to Support HR 1207 - Audit the Fed!!!
My message to my congressional representatives:
Please support HR 1207 - The Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009.
Anger is rising. Geithner's proposal for disposing of toxic assets amounts to taxation without representation in the form of put options footed by current and future taxpayers. The Federal Reserve Bank is central to the current crisis.
These are the seeds of revolution. Please stand up to the influence of our money center banks and wealthy "private" interests that stand to be the only winners in our current situation.
The Republic is at risk.
Please support HR 1207 - The Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009.
Anger is rising. Geithner's proposal for disposing of toxic assets amounts to taxation without representation in the form of put options footed by current and future taxpayers. The Federal Reserve Bank is central to the current crisis.
These are the seeds of revolution. Please stand up to the influence of our money center banks and wealthy "private" interests that stand to be the only winners in our current situation.
The Republic is at risk.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Take your money and run
What fool would willingly stay in the game when moral hazard becomes the modus operandi of the nation? If you are a saver, you are punished with zero interest rate. If you have reliably paid down your debt, your tax dollars now go to bailout those who could not or did not choose to do the same.
If you didn’t get your $40 coupon from the government to buy a TV converter, we will delay the digital conversion at the expense of local stations across the country because television is your right (and you need to keep watching those very important advertisements.) The government will bailout weak companies and individuals who made bad choices while taxing everyone who played by the old rules.
Our children go to schools supported only by those that pay their taxes, not by those who default and now qualify for a bailout from the government. These schools now face years of dire underfunding.
Why stay in this game?
If you didn’t get your $40 coupon from the government to buy a TV converter, we will delay the digital conversion at the expense of local stations across the country because television is your right (and you need to keep watching those very important advertisements.) The government will bailout weak companies and individuals who made bad choices while taxing everyone who played by the old rules.
Our children go to schools supported only by those that pay their taxes, not by those who default and now qualify for a bailout from the government. These schools now face years of dire underfunding.
Why stay in this game?
Repeat after me...
Repeat this three times daily until it becomes easy:
“Most major U.S. Banks are insolvent.”
This fact is as plain as the notes in the annual reports if not the balance sheets. Why then do we continue the charade of treating the problem as one of liquidity? Billions, maybe trillions of dollars of our kids future earnings will go to pay for this game. Republicans and Democrats in Congress are fond of playing the “sound and fury” game when they drag bankers and corporate leaders before them. Yet we don’t see a leader stepping up to call the problem what it truly is. We have noted economists and editors of credible publications like the Financial Times and The Economist stating things clearly, but the masquerade continues over here.
Bring your pitchfork, I’ll supply the torches.
http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13110352
“Most major U.S. Banks are insolvent.”
This fact is as plain as the notes in the annual reports if not the balance sheets. Why then do we continue the charade of treating the problem as one of liquidity? Billions, maybe trillions of dollars of our kids future earnings will go to pay for this game. Republicans and Democrats in Congress are fond of playing the “sound and fury” game when they drag bankers and corporate leaders before them. Yet we don’t see a leader stepping up to call the problem what it truly is. We have noted economists and editors of credible publications like the Financial Times and The Economist stating things clearly, but the masquerade continues over here.
Bring your pitchfork, I’ll supply the torches.
http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13110352
Saturday, January 17, 2009
My warning June 2008
Seven months ago today, I poured my concerns into an email and sent it on to a number of friends and family. Much has happened since then and we are not through this storm yet.
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:26:16 PM
Subject: Sound and sobering guidance from the Royal Bank of Scotland
The credit strategist for the Royal Bank of Scotland, Mr. Bob Janjuah is quoted in the linked article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/06/18/cnrbs118.xml
"A very nasty period is soon to be upon us - be prepared," said Bob Janjuah, the bank's credit strategist.
When you consider how the British are given to understatement, reading the article might just cause you worry for the global financial system. I suspect things will get rather interesting in the next few months. Hundreds of bank failures are anticipated in the U.S. alone. Germany, Spain and England all have their share of woes coming. I guess nobody really knows what the experience will be like as trillions of dollars, euros and pounds of excess leverage are unwound globally.
We are likely entering a period where your focus for investing is not to lose money as is mentioned by Mr.Janjuah. I am past the point where I can offer much advice beyond that given in the linked article. Scrutinize the condition of the bank(s) where you have your money. Consider having accounts with more than one bank, just in case.
If you have a mortgage and your insurance and taxes are paid into escrow each month, consider this - thousands of people over the past year have had their mortgage service company go bankrupt. A few months later, they discover a lien has been placed on their house for non-payment of taxes and their home owners insurance policy is canceled for non-payment because their mortgage company has failed to make payment. You can eliminate this risk by contacting your mortgage company and arranging to take responsibility for payment of taxes and insurance. Do this now.
For those of us not familiar with Hobson's choice: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/183300.html
For a gross check on your bank's condition, you can estimate the "Texas Ratio" fairly easily: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_ratio
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:26:16 PM
Subject: Sound and sobering guidance from the Royal Bank of Scotland
The credit strategist for the Royal Bank of Scotland, Mr. Bob Janjuah is quoted in the linked article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/06/18/cnrbs118.xml
"A very nasty period is soon to be upon us - be prepared," said Bob Janjuah, the bank's credit strategist.
When you consider how the British are given to understatement, reading the article might just cause you worry for the global financial system. I suspect things will get rather interesting in the next few months. Hundreds of bank failures are anticipated in the U.S. alone. Germany, Spain and England all have their share of woes coming. I guess nobody really knows what the experience will be like as trillions of dollars, euros and pounds of excess leverage are unwound globally.
We are likely entering a period where your focus for investing is not to lose money as is mentioned by Mr.Janjuah. I am past the point where I can offer much advice beyond that given in the linked article. Scrutinize the condition of the bank(s) where you have your money. Consider having accounts with more than one bank, just in case.
If you have a mortgage and your insurance and taxes are paid into escrow each month, consider this - thousands of people over the past year have had their mortgage service company go bankrupt. A few months later, they discover a lien has been placed on their house for non-payment of taxes and their home owners insurance policy is canceled for non-payment because their mortgage company has failed to make payment. You can eliminate this risk by contacting your mortgage company and arranging to take responsibility for payment of taxes and insurance. Do this now.
For those of us not familiar with Hobson's choice: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/183300.html
For a gross check on your bank's condition, you can estimate the "Texas Ratio" fairly easily: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_ratio
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