The Financial Crisis Misunderstanding

Stormy weather has returned to Wall Street this week, thanks to the latest testimonies from several key players in last year's mortgage meltdown. If I didn't know better, I could swear that this was a well-intended ploy to distract John Q Public from the current tea-party ramblings as we approach Tax Day tomorrow, but I'll leave that for another post. Partisanship has once again reared its ugly head as both sides restart their finger-pointing at endless and pointless arguements about who's to blame, instead of focusing on effect as well as cause. This conincides with a lot of useless rhetoric about how evil the TARP idea was for America and how it benefited nobody but the big banks. Oh, Really? If you believe that, you seriously need to buy a clue. America stands to make HUGE profits from the TARP repayments, as nearly all of the major players have already repaid their loans, and at a high premium. But do you see any of that on the headlines? Oh, hell no -- all we hear is how it wasn't fair to bail out the Wall Street bloodsuckers and banks and yadda yadda yadda. Well, Guess What, America? The bailouts are working! The Treasury Department is expected to make a PROFIT from the repayments on the TARP funds. This goes clearly against the bitter thought process of the so-called economic experts who were quick to jump on the "it will kill us all" bandwagon. Now, they're slowly backpedalling, and because why? They're now armed with the FACTS. As for the rest of the anti-TARP crowd -- well, they know better than to get the truth get in the way of a good story.

The Big Tease

There was a slight edge of excitement creeping within the sub-conscious of the bank operations center; "Cube World", as the natives jokingly referred to it, was experiencing the normal increase in chatter that usually accompanies a late Friday afternoon before a holiday weekend. Alex noticed a higher-than-average of loitering by the mostly all-female staff, but it didn't bother him. He was focusing on completing a last-minute transfer request from his contemporary in Las Vegas. "Cindy must have hit a big account again", he grumbled under his breath. That would make 3 in four weeks to his 1 -- and his was a lucky one to get at that. He knew what was coming next: a phone call from Cindy, to, you know, follow up and confirm he got the email request. She didn't need to make the call -- he and she both knew their emails had return receipt acknowledgement turn on -- but he knew she couldn't go without talking to him about it. Plus, he enjoyed her call anyway, even if it was to tease him about the current standings in their contest. She would be sure to remind him of the stakes: Loser travels to Winner's city for a night on the town, courtesy of the Loser. Little did she realize that he was secretly hoping to lose the contest anyway, because he was very curious to finally meet Cindy in person after carrying on a friendly working relationship via phone for over a year. Cindy gave great phone, as they say in the biz, and she knew it. Alex would look forward to her calls, especially on Friday afternoons, it put him in the mood for when he hit the happy hour circuit with his friends after work. If the bank only knew how nasty the conversations were on the phone; he sometimes wondered if the phone lines would melt from the subtle heat. Cindy left no doubt about her intentions -- or maybe she was playing it strong because she had the physical distance between them act as her buffer zone. Alex didn't mind, since he always had Stacey at home to take care of any wandering urges brought on by the "hot topic" of the day. Stacey didn't mind when Alex came home in an armorous mood, especially if the result was physical satisfaction for her, and Alex would hardly ever disappoint. If Stacey only knew that it was Cindy who was responsible for getting Alex going...
"ring-ring"...Right on cue. From the Caller Id, he could see it was Cindy. "Trading Desk", he answered, trying to sound as indifferent as possible. He heard a girlish yet seductive chuckle on the other line, the same one he's heard for several months now, the same one he's enjoyed for just as long. "Hey, You...I think you're going to lose the bet!", she said, laughingly. He loved how she just knew his voice and avoided the formalities. She made him very comfortable with her loving-like teases, and she was only too happy to oblige. "What are you talking about, girl?", he replied, smiling. He was sure to turn away from eye-shot of the other co-workers. Alex's desk on the 14th floor was positioned so that his back was to the floor-to-ceiling glass, but he faced another desk -- Jillian, who, per rumor, had a thing for Alex but would never admit it to his face. Alex knew it was prudent to not rock the boat with his co-workers, especially the ones who were so nice and willing to make his life easier, and in return, he was careful not to burn any bridges by acting like an ass or showing off his interstate friendships for all to see or hear. He turned to the window. "There's still one more week to go, my dear -- and I'm a late charger. You'd better be saving your pennies -- Phoenix can be very expensive." Then came that laugh again -- she wasn't having any of it. "Oh, really?", she immediately replied. "Hey, I'm not worried...and last I looked, you were two trades behind me! Hope your bags are packed...and your wallet, too!" Her voice was light and breezy, like a sea breeze, and he could see his smile in the window reflection. He just loved her voice. "Phoenix is boring anyway -- you would love it here in Vegas", she continued. "I'll show you all the sights that tourists don't see -- and I promise it'll only be a little expensive!" It was his turn to laugh. (to be continued)

The Big "Kick Ass" difference

Happy One, my peoples! It's the first day of a new month, the first day of a new business quarter, the first day of a new commission cycle...everything starts all over, like Groundhog Day. And, in keeping with that mindset comes an ad campaign for a new movie, "Kick-Ass". Think "Fight Club" meets "Watchmen". The premise (from what I can gather from the previews and ads -- and you know they just about give everything away in those things) is that a small group of Ordinary Joes take it upon themselves to become vigilant Ordinary Joe superheroes, thereby taking the time to disguise themselves in full costume to go out and fight the bad guys, albeit with absolutely no superpowers, all (it seems) just for the thrill of it, as well as for justice. Don't know if there's an intention sublimial message involved, but it got me to thinking about one anyway: just what are we trying to say here? Are we all fed up with too much petty crime and not enough justice (i.e. car thefts, burglaries, etc.) because the Po-Po is more interested in the bigger fish? And if law enforcement denies it, does this mean we are disappointed in the results we see in bringing these petty criminals to justice in a timely and effective manner? If you saw "Watchmen", you would have seen how this street-level crime-fighting ended up in a corruptive state, because it's only human nature that we eventually lose sight of the forest from the trees. I liked what they did there -- it exposed our fallibility, our weaknesses, our All-Too-Human nature. And in the end, is that a bad thing? We know that we are not perfect, but we also know we are driven (most of the time) to fight for justice and to see good win over evil. It doesn't always go our way in the end, but it takes a lot for most of us to get overwhelmed by continual disappointment. We love to see the good guys win -- but please hold the sappiness, after all, we're watching calories!
My other question is, what is Hollywood trying to convey via this topic? I realize it's all for entertainment purposes only (no wagering), but it still begs for some discussion of the prevailing social mores within our society. I wonder if there are other trends or movements that the general public would like to see "cleansed" by do-gooders fighting for the common man -- maybe Washington political stalemate unclogged by Captain Drano? Or global religious zealots crushed by Major Reason? I'd like to see that -- along with child abusers physically eliminated from the face of the earth by General Consensus. What would you like to see?

Strange perspective

I was more than a little surprised the other day when I heard and read about Sen. Bunning's one-man embargo of a much-needed funding legislation. The appropriation from that legislation was earmarked to cover, among other things, unemployment benefits and COBRA benefits to those in need. Bunning's issue with the legislation was not because he was being a heartless curmudgeon, but rather because he was unhappy with the way the legislation would be funded -- per Standard Operation Procedure, the funding was to be added to the deficit. Bunning and supporters wanted the bill to be funded by unused stimulus dollars. The POTUS would have no part of that option because that's his own special fund that is to be applied to, in my opinon, "hero"-like matching appropriations, natch. Previous discussions between political party teams were met with very little net progress, and in the end, they were at an impasse. The consensus was that the POTUS administration and/or Senate majority was expecting the Senator from Kentucky to blink, yet he stared them down until they did. In the interim, certain mechanisms ground to a halt, and many Federal employees were furloughed because of the loss of appropriated funds expected to be there from the legislation.
The perception from the average citizen was that of another crusty old Republican Senator that has no clue how average America lives -- another elitest reigning high from his ivory tower. Dems pounced at the opportunity to show Bunning as a modern-day Potter, insensitive to the needs of thousands of Americans who cannot make ends meet because they will not be receiving their unemployment checks. As one that has personally experienced the anxiousness and stress involved with living paycheck to paycheck (and even unemployment check to unemployment check), this is not a pleasant feeling to experience. One wonders if Bunning has ever been in those shoes -- if he had, he would not have forgotten the feeling and would have a different perspective on how his actions affect the welfare of thousands. I appreciate his strong convictions to stand his ground to make his case, but I object to him doing it at the expense of those much less fortunate than he. Surely there must be a better way to make his point. Surely there must be a better way to conduct the business of America's fiscal management. Surely there must be a way to present the issues to the people for all to understand and accept -- most of us who are living on a budget while trying to provide as parents of teenage children can relate (albeit on a much smaller scale) -- we understand how easy it can lead to trouble if we "rob Peter to pay Paul", and how it would be so much easier to swallow if we decided we would pay the bill by using the "rainy day" money we've already set aside instead of ringing up more debt. Tell us ahead of time, let us know what's going on, tell us your frustrations, and most likely we'll change our perspective on the issue.

Strange Parade

Am I the only one that's noticed how our "also-ran" politicians are constantly in the media spotlight, whether as prognosticators or quasi-comedians? Mitt Romney is pushing his new book (always a valid excuse to get on the air) and took the opportunity while on Morning Joe to add his two cents' worth about why he believes Obama could have used better judgement. Meanwhile, Anchorage Barbie a/k/a Sarah Palin was seen on Jay Leno the other night, doing a weak stand-up impression as only, well, Sarah Palin can. I wonder who we'll see next? Harry Reid on SportsCenter? Nancy Pelosi on American Idol? If nothing else, these pols know one thing: always stay in front of American people, one way, shape or form. It used to be the exception to the rule whenever national politicians showed up on mainstream tv, but in this day and age of uber-competitive one-upmanship, any and all talk shows are grasping at straws to gain an advantage. I, for one, don't mind the extra exposure of these pols, just don't pull an ABC and over-do it like they did with Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and kill the goose that laid the golden egg. I gotta run -- I heard that Dick Cheney is going to pile-drive Jon Stewart...can't wait!

too strange to understand

I've been meaning to write this for several days now, but just haven't wanted to, for some reason. It's only about a TV show -- more like a storyline within a TV show -- but it hit me hard enough to haunt my mind for what I expect will be the rest of my life. The show in question is HBO's "Big Love", and if you haven't seen it, you're missing a treat. Granted, the topic of the show is not for everyone, and I even didn't give it much thought when it first came on air because I wasn't ready to accept the premise, but after a couple of episodes of the first season had aired, I decided to give it a shot one night during an HBO marathon, and I've been hooked ever since.
"Big Love" is the story of a Fundamentalist Mormon man (Bill Hendrickson) and his 3 wives (Barb, Nikki, and Margene), living in a typical suburban Utah town. You would know the actors from other shows they've done, so right away I was curious to see just what drew them to this project. The writing is spot on, and the acting is very entertaining. I know more than a little bit about the Mormon faith -- having lived over 20 years in Phoenix, Arizona, I've come across more than my fair share of Mormon rhetoric, including a one-week stay in Salt Lake City, courtesy of Mormon hosts that were all too eager to satisfy my thirst for knowledge of their history and culture. Polygamy was banned by the Mormon church many years ago, but like an old blood stain on worn carpet, it still won't go away from the mainstream. Fundamentalist Mormons continue to practice Polygamy to this day, even though it is illegal by law and not accepted by church doctrine. It is the foundation behind this devotion to polygamy that drives the show's storyline in general, and the main characters in particular.
One such character is a controversial young church sect leader that has taken over his recently deceased father's followers; Alby is a vile, juvenile and malicious person masquerading as a devout family man, married to a wife that has wicked ambitions of her own -- they seem made for each other. What the wife doesn't realize is that Alby is a latent homosexual and has been hiding his secret successfully for years. Lately, Alby has been sharing clandestine time with another man, also Mormon and very married with his own wife and kids staked out in a beautiful home in suburbia. Dale, the new man in Alby's life has a job as state-appointed trustee of the church sect's funds, but has been finding it difficult to do his job because of his inner desires for Alby's companionship and love. The two men find the time to meet in secret whenever they can; they both cannot ever admit their relationship to their families and followers because homosexuality is considered a sin to the church and they will be outcast from their rightful place in their eternal home in heaven next to Almighty Father (the most prized goal for all Mormons). Alby is so taken by Dale that he gets a secret apartment that they both can share and to be free from the shackles of the outside world.
In the episode that moved me, Alby believes he has finally found his kindred spirit in Dale, but politics and jealousy from Alby's wife come out of nowhere and the men are threatened with exposure. We see Dale trying desperately to reason with church leaders, talking about how he had done all they asked of him while going through "detox" at BYU, and how he would get physically sick from being forced to watch heterosexual porn. Dales cries out for help because he has constant "set-backs" that he cannot control, but the church leaders continue to insist he pray harder and try harder to drive the evil spirit out of him. Pressure also comes to Dale from other fronts that tell him that this inappropriate behavior cannot be tolerated any longer, given what's at stake politically. Dale is torn between what his job requires vs. what his heart desires, and he hurts because he's been hiding this urge all his life, for the sake of others and for his church. Alby's wife, in a fit of despair, is shown going to Dale's house and outing Dale to his wife and kids, behind closed doors. The last scene shows Alby heading to the apartment, trying to contact Dale by cell phone, and you can tell from the conversation that this is not the first time he's called him, but Dale is not calling back. Alby has a huge smile on his face as he opens the door to their apartment, their place to get away from it all, only to be shocked in horror to find Dale hanging dead from the rafters. Alby is beside himself, lying on the floor crying uncontrollably, as the scene fades to black.
What immediately came to my mind is the question of just how many times has a scene like this unfolded this year? Last year? Ever? How many lives have been shattered by the ultimate selfish sacrifice because this world is not tolerant enough to allow all people to live openly in their own lifestyle? And how can one carry on, knowing that the kindred spirit they've been searching their whole life for is suddenly gone forever, leaving their partner behind to pick up the shattered pieces? How can a church be so two-faced as to not accept Dale and Alby for what they are, yet still condone plural marriages and non-consenting unions between very old men and very young submissive girls, barely out of middle school? The hypocrisy is boggling my mind, and is one of the reasons why I cannot accept organized religion as being anything more than a pox on humanity because of all the wars (small and large, menial and global) fought in the name of "God". It is sad and strange indeed. I hope my children will see a more tolerant world than I have.

STRANGE games

yo, IS ANYBODY ALIVE OUT THERE??

1) Oh-lympic Hockey. Wow, what a great couple of games! Some, like Wilbon, call the Olympic hockey matches the greatest hockey tournament ever. More people watched last night's Gold Medal game (between Canada and USA) than any game of the last World Series between the Yankees and Phillies. More than Game Four of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and Magic. What does that tell you? Well, I think MadDog got it right by saying it has a lot to do with the games being on this side of the globe, whereas in 2014 in Russia, it will be (as the kids say nowadays) an Epic Fail. The great thing was the spirit of nationalism -- do we hate Canada? No -- they may be a pain in the arse, but I know they are harmless, just like my neighbor with her weird ill-timed questions about yardwork improvement (usually just after I finished my 4th beer in 10 minutes). Are they the villain like the old Soviet Union? No, it would be like saying your little brother is as much a menace to society as the High School drop-out gang leader in your old neighborhood -- it just doesn't correlate. And in the end, even though we were all pulling for the Good Guys, the Kid slipped on 5-hole past Ryan "I'm standing on my head here!" Miller to win the Gold Medal on home soil -- the first time since...since...gee, when was that again? And who did that then? We only heard about it, oh, EVERY DAY. Hey, I'm cool with Can-ah-Dah winning, it's no biggie to me, it's their national sport, fer chrissakes! And don't give me that lacrosse argument! It would be like if the USA lost the Olympic Basketball tournament on home soil -- it just can't happen (do NOT talk to me about Munich 1972 -- those cheaters are burning in hell for what they did to us. 2 Do-Overs of the last 3 seconds of the game? WTF). Would have loved to see our girls take the Women's tournament, especially since we had the much HOTTER girls on our team -- Good grief, there was not ONE Canadian girl on that team that was even remotely attractive! C'mon, now! No wonder they drank so much after the game -- they sure didn't have any where else to go, same as any other weekend night, I sure!
EXIT QUESTION: Did the 4-on-4 OT rule "cheapen" the win? Lots of smak talk on that issue -- why not have the best of the best go 5-on-5 in Sudden Death OT? Luongo was shaky at best, Crosby would have been double-teamed like he was all game (Crosby actually sucked most of the tournament, but all is forgotten with that GWing goal). What say you?

2) Curling. Didn't know what I loved more -- the tantalizing matches or the reactions of all the newbies to the sport watching it for the very first time and who had no friggin' idea what it was all about. Actually, I take that back -- the matches were fun to watch, whereas the haters and head-scratching viewers were just annoying. Didn't the matches compel you to watch, like a roadside accident you just couldn't look away from? Couple of comments -- {a} our men's team SUCKED out loud. I heard they were all full of themselves before the tournament, thinking they would be serious contenders. Then the so-called captain of the team outright Doinked on the last throw of several matches in a row, resulting in unexpected losses, and just like that, game over. Real Smooth, frat boy. Thanks for nothing. {b} if I never see another up close shot of Canadian women's captain CHERYL BERNARD, it will be too soon. Uh, NBC, this just in: there are other women on the team besides CHERYL BERNARD. I have a question for you (oh, there are SO MANY QUESTIONS for NBC and their coverage, or lack of it, but I digress): where were all these close-ups when the Danish or other Euro women were curling? Those girls came out with a fundraising calendar, and, well, let me just say, it's on my Christmas list from now on. See deadspin.com if you want to know more. Now, if CHERYL BERNARD (capitalized just in case you forgot her name) and her mates posed like "that" in their own calendar, I'll take back all I said.
EXIT QUESTION: If Curling had a televised league match every weekend like bowling or poker, would you watch it? Co-ed maybe? What Say You?

3) Ice Dancing. Now here's an event that I used to go out of my way to purposely run from, any chance I got. Yours Truly, Mr. Traditionalist, would not accept this event as legitimate over Pairs Skating (cuz, you know, I participated in Pairs Skating in my HS Senior Year Winter Carnival, with the fair L. Sinclair, so I'm a veteran! Doesn't matter that we barely could stay on our skates, let alone in sequence -- we were a part of it, dammit! And her hair smelled so good...I think we finished last, but I blame it on the biased wannbe-Russian judges). But then I was introduced to Tanith Belbin. Sounds like: Soft Porn. Holy Moley, who is THAT and where can I get more of it?? I hope you caught the Ice Dancing prelims -- the couples would panto-mine lust even as they got into position before the friggin' start of their routine! It was awesome! The key to scoring, on the ice, besides the synchronicity, is to stay as close to each other's waist as possible, all while twisting and twirling and gyrating on and around each other. My girl Tanith finished Fourth -- she and her "partner" were too overhyped and underestimated the competition. Between the costumes and the acrobatic grab-ass -- and did I mention the subtle soft porn imagery? -- it was incredible to behold. Sign me up for next time around -- I'm sure in 2014 it will get real dirty in Euro-World!
EXIT QUESTION: Will Tanith Belbin please consider a female partner next time? If that happens, the world will surely end. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'....

4) Half Pipe -- dude, like, that was so, like, righteous, man. Funny to watch all the pretenders take turns trying their best, then Shawn White comes over and NOT ONLY wins it easily, he adds another routine that still has people shaking their heads.
EXIT QUESTION: Does any snowboarder remember what he/she had for breakfast yesterday morning?

5) Lindsey Vonn -- how can I finish without props to America's favorite ski bunny? Hey, she nutted up and not only raced, but she pulled a Tiger and won the Gold easily in downhill, on one leg -- she almost lost it at the end, too, she was on one ski just as she crossed the finish line. Talk about balls to the wall. And Julie Mancuso is no sloppy seconds, either. Props to Bode Miller -- thank you for making up for that disastrous choke job in Turin. He's a winner all around -- sure, he let the nation down in 2006, but he got to party like a God in Italy, then he atoned himself with his performance in Vancouver. That ain't workin', that's the way to do it....

6) Sucks that the Luge dude died -- but really, Vancouver? Who was the mental midget that designed that track? "Hey, lets put up exposed steel beams with no padding just as you come out of a hair-raising turn!" Someone needs to be held accountable. I think I'm entitled to answers! I want the truth!

7) Bonus: how would you like to be that Dutch coach that got his skater DQ'ed because he made him switch lanes at the wrong time? That's what happens when you party all night with the Danish Women's Curling team the night before...hey, now that you mention it...

Dodge, Part II

The call to the Co-Worker confirmed it. Co-Worker seemed hesitant, almost apologetic, but this was no mistake or goof, it was the real deal. He made a passing comment about how swiftly it all had become, and Co-Worker offered no explanation, so they quickly hung up after the obligatory thank you/take it easy sign-off. He continued to drive, into the dark, stunned and perplexed at the same time. So many thoughts ran through his mind. So many memories -- yes, he was aware of the anomaly that it's human nature to easily remember the good times more so than the bad times, so he was sure to check himself before sliding down any slippery slope. The wheels were going round and round, but not coming to any logical conclusion. Of course, this was love (or something like it) we were talking about, and he bought in to it, especially with the knowledge of how she felt about him as expressed in various descriptive and provocative emails, letters and notes. He had kept them all, and as he moved forward, his mind re-opened all of them, recounting every word, noting every connotation and inflection, associating the words to her face, her touch, her heart...and it was all gone, just like that?
It was a good 15 minutes before he realized that the radio was not on. He had been driving in silence, which, given his penchant for always having music whenever and wherever possible, is something he never did. Clearly he was hit so hard, he lost his senses for a moment, and was surprised that he didn't run the car into the nearest telephone pole. Yet there was something about that very thought -- he also noticed, ever so slightly, a calming force in the background of all of it. As if a weight was slowly, quietly lifting off his shoulders. Yes, he was surprised -- she made the most unexpected move; he never saw it coming, but he couldn't be too hard on himself because it was his choice to purposely distance himself from her, by any means, over the past several months. He made it a point to disconnect from anything having to do with her, which was a complete 180 from before when he would do anything to be near her. So, as he reasoned with himself while continuing his driving, he recognized how sad he was, but yet not so much as to be completely ruined. And as he reflected on it, he would realize later that this unexplained background calming force was the foundation for the saving grace -- the guiding light that would pull him out of the abyss. "Was it meant to be this way?", he wondered, again, trying to find reason for it all. It did make some sense -- he was upset that it all ended the way it did, so mysteriously and sudden, and just days after one of the best times of their lives. There was no rhyme or reason to that, too, and he had spent the past several months in free-fall, trying to figure it all out, hoping for some resolution, wondering if it was temporary, hoping she would want to talk to him again the way she used to do. This news was like a cold slap of reality, courtesy of her, and he had to admit it was a brilliant move. But for it to be so, it would have to include pre-meditated motive, which was not unknown to her. And if that were so, it would likely mean he was dealing with an unsound mind, because how else could he rationalize the roller-coaster ride of emotions? This was not logical nor humanitarian by any means -- she made a mentally unpredictable move, lacking in common sense (to him), and in the end, his mind was eased by the all because he firmly believed he was dealing with an unstable person. And he laughed to himself, thinking, Well, if she's unstable, then so is he, especially after these past several months. She made the most unexpected move, and he was now starting to realize (and savor) the best part of all: he was now free.
It took a moment for it all to sink in, but as it did, he could feel the pressure lifting, and a small smile came to his face. It wasn't the end of the world -- it was the beginning of a new world. Tomorrow would be the first day of the rest of his life. It was like a ball and chain was released from his ankle -- oh, the sweet feeling of freedom! And what do you know: he was thankful to her yet again, only this time it was for his benefit, not hers anymore. Suddenly the world looked less dreary, less dark. And best of all, he envisioned a steaming hot bullet flying towards him, but just grazing his forehead before moving past him to another target. He had dodged it just in time, and lived to look back at where it was going...into another abyss. "Poor Bastard", he thought, "Better him than me. Good Luck with that", he thought to himself, wryly, as he continued to drive, away from her world, and for the first time in a long time, actually found himself enjoying the ride. He turned on the radio...

Dodge, Pt 1

He woke up in a mood that was unusual, compared to how he usually woke up for the past several months. It was as if a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. As the alarm from his cell phone bleated incessantly, he did something he normally wouldn't do: he just laid there. The "normal" process was to jolt out of bed as soon as the alarm sounded -- he had this move ingrained in his head for several years because he once had a bad habit of sleeping through alarms (and subsequently would be forever late for work), so he forced himself to make it a priority to get out of bed immediately (but he also had a fail-safe back-up of a second alarm programmed to go off 30 minutes after the first, you know, just in case) -- but on this morning, he just laid there, in the dark and silence, staring straight up at the ceiling. He could tell that this day was different, his conscience no longer clouded by guilt or despair. His mind raced over so many small details (he always was a firm believer that the Devil is in the Details), and, like a merging set of highways, the details always came together to the same conclusion: this day was really the first day of the rest of his life, and it was good.
The alarm shut off automatically after a minute, as it usually does if not turned off manually, and he continued to lay there. He was now conscious of his movement (or lack of it). This is different, but why? He searched his mind for the reason (his life revolved around the tireless quest for reason, and many times it was not always in his favor), and his memory took him back just 14 hours before, when he first heard the news. At that time, he put up a good front, as if to show on the outside he was not bothered by it at all. This was important because he never likes to show his hand if he can help it, so he was quick to move to an unemotional appearance. The news was a complete surprise. He went into scramble mode, thankful that only one other person was in the room, and she was oblivious to past history. She was the messenger, and he was not going to slay her, she had no idea of what she was doing other than engaging in conversation, so he played it off as such. It turned out to be a good decision because she quickly turned the topic towards her own pitiful plight, using it as an example of how one person could unfairly (according to her) be the recipient of bounty while she was more deserving, yet still doing without. He quickly shifted his position to sympathy for the messenger and tried his best to show support. After all, this was a fellow human, in pain, and he knew all about that. The sob story was suddenly ended when a much-anticipated phone call came to him, and he asked for pardon because he had to take it. She left the office, in mid-sentence, but very polite, and he was equally grateful and sorry, but this was business. He anxiously took the call because, well, for one reason, it was a client that wanted to hand him a large piece of business, and besides, it moved his mind away from the news.
After the call (and successful business conversation -- it's all good, it's getting closer to reality), his mind travelled back to the news. He stared at the floor. Is it possible? He couldn't believe what he heard. He was stunned. He was hurt. He was angry. The emotions were flooding his head. The Woman still had control over his feelings, and it would drive him crazy every time he fell down that slippery slope. Only this time, there seemed to be a finality to it all. This piece of news was like a bombshell that exploded over his frail mindset, as if to purposely shatter it and eliminate it forever. Maybe that's what he needed, maybe this was a good thing. Was it a Fade? Was this done purposely, as if sent from the Universe to straighten his ass out? The contrarian view was usually never wrong and existed for a reason, but it isn't popular because human nature doesn't readily accept it. He loved it because it was a deviation from the norm, and that's how he always was, from the beginning -- as Sister Albert told him in 6th grade, he was a Non-Conformist, and he reveled in it. He studied the news, and, as he did, he also recognized a feeling of the weight slowly moving from his conscious. Could it be? Is this a Fade within a Fade? Was he over-analyzing everything? He knew he had to clear his mind quickly, so he left his office (the scene of the crime, ironically enough, for both beginning and end) and walked out to the lobby. He needed validation from another source, just to be sure. But he also didn't want to give the appearance that he was desperate for it. After all, how did he know that it wasn't a set-up? To see how he would react if given news he wasn't expecting? He trusted no one, but was careful not to show it. First stop was to the Messenger -- apologizing for the interruption in the middle of her soul-baring diatribe. He cared about this person and wanted her to know, but she was also very understanding that business comes first, and thankful for the support. He turned to face the only other person he could trust to tell him the truth about what he heard, but that person was suddenly very busy, and he wasn't about to interrupt business just to discuss personal issues. It was getting late, the day was just about over, so his only other option was to pack up and leave, and to call the co-worker anonymously from the road. In the meantime, he had a strong urge to call his Confidant, to tell her about what he heard. The Confidant was very supportive and he leaned on her many times, almost too much, but she never failed him and was always offering support, even when her own world would sometimes fail. He would always be grateful and he promised himself that he would do all he could to return the favor, any time she needed him for equal support, and they worked well together as Confidants to each other. He so wanted to pick up the phone and call her immediately, but what if if wasn't true? What if it was misinterpreted? What if he jumped before being sure, as if his emotions were in control instead of rational thinking? No, he didn't call the Confidant, he had to call the Co-Worker first, to confirm it.

Not your best idea, El Rushbo

-- In the "heavy sigh" department: Rush Limbaugh, the bombastic bumpkin of talk radio, has again created a stir by insinuating that the White House has an alterior motive to be front and center on the Aid to Haiti crisis -- specifically, a political motive for the current administration and the Democratic Party. I have read articles and heard soundbites from both sides, and I have yet to find anyone that supports Limbaugh's position. As a 30-yr registered Republican, I can honestly say that Rush does NOT speak for me or for my fellow conservatives, and he remains more of a problem than Sarah Palin because of his ability to express his opinion to millions of unsuspecting (and unfortunately highly gullible) listeners. At least with Palin, you pretty much know where you stand: she's likeable but lightweight, sassy but lacking in substance, and this is ok for the most part because she's eager to conform to the needs of the many if it suits her best interests. Which is nothing different from ANY other politician, living or dead, and anyone that disagrees has not taken the time or energy to research American political history. Seriously, Rush, what crisis has not been used for political motivation? We saw a ton of it during the POTUS '08 campaign with the Republicans that used their performance after 9/11 as a litmus test of their ability to handle crisis intervention. Same with the Dems in Congress that showed their willingness to work in bi-partisan effort to help Americans in need and come together in a show of force to initiate the war agenda. Rush must either be bored or negatively reacting to his medications, and I would strongly suggest that he team with a partner that may help to check him from time to time so that he can focus on issues that create a net benefit for all Americans, and distance himself from caustic topics that do nothing but substantiate our weak opinion of him as a spokesman for conservative causes.

When your Best isn't Good Enough

The POTUS must not be sleeping much lately, thanks to recent resurfacing of allegations and admissions regarding the party-crashers, the Christmas Day bomber near-disaster, and the murder of 7 important CIA agents from one Al-Quaeda double agent suicide bomber. Plus, he starts the new year with one of the lowest approval ratings of any President heading into his second year. The POTUS came into office with a strong mandate of the people, most of who were infected with a fever of change, and now he's beginning to realize that it's not as easy as he once thought it would be. It's one thing to work hard to stay in front of everything, but if you ever managed even a small group of people for any extended period of time, you will find that it's not easy to be in control of everything. As a former manager, I would try to surround myself with the best and strongest, and yet still, there'd be something that happens that you never saw coming or got there too late. The key is to try to stay unemotional and stay in front of the problems, all the time. The only problem there is you can't see everything. People do and say the strangest things, at the worst times, and you either stress yourself out trying to stay one step ahead, or something small and trivial slips by your fingers and you don't realize it until it's too late. POTUS is not looking too excited lately, and now I'm wondering if he's second-guessing himself on some of his appointments and cabinet positions. His political party doesn't sound so happy, either -- they just lost 4 more Senators who will not be running again, leaving their seats wide open. It's funny how I remember when the 'publicans had a similar experience during the Bush Administration, and the press was quick to point out that it reminded one of rats leaving a sinking ship. Don't see quite the same reaction from the press this time. It's like watching Superman suddenly turn mortal and be seriously hurt by punch after counter-punch. And not much noise from my Bush-bashing friends, lately, either -- you see, it's not as easy as it seems. C'mon, friends, if you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here to help. You see, for the past eight years, my back has grown very strong because of all the weight put on it by you bashers, thanks to constant finger-pointing about every little negative thing being wrongly connotated as a F-up by a dim POTUS. Not so now? Is the shoe now on the other foot? Need Athlete's Food powder?

Ask me about 10

There seems to be a universal underground movement amongst industries that service customers, where the motive is to get feedback on the level of service received or (God forbid) not received. While at a auto body shop yesterday, I noticed that several of the employees were wearing a tag that said, "Ask me about 10". It didn't take a big leap from me to figure out what the motive was behind the message. What else would body shop employees want from everyday, day-in, day-out customers, besides their business? They want feedback. This is the golden information that helps them to determine the liklihood of repeat business, which in turns helps determine their immediate future as a profitable business enterprise. Can't say that I've not seen this before: my own employer has a similar quest for truth, albeit the grading scale only goes up to 5 (hey, cutbacks happen everywhere, it seems, even in the grading scale business). Always being the salesman that loves to hear all spiels, I asked about the "10". The clerk was very professional and very well coached. "We value your opinion and would appreciate you taking a few minutes to answer some questions about the level of service we receive; our goal is to get a '10' from you, and that tells us that you have been given the highest level of service". Very subtle -- she appealed for my help in giving them extra justification for their job, via an outside grading system. Of course, I was willing to comply. In sales, we always want to know how we did for you and what we could do better. Sometimes it matters in that it brings attention to things we may not have been aware of during our sales relationship cycle. Other times (if it comes back very favorable), it's used as a proud banner of achievement, to shamelessly self-promote us as the best thing in this industry since sliced bread. Quite understandable -- feedback is important if used to better oneself. Just ask any psychoanalyst. And then, sometimes, the feedback does not always matter -- the complaints are not anything that can be easily resolved, or maybe something was lost in the translation, resulting in a hopeless cause of a project that was doomed from the start. Yet we know from past experiences that the most successful companies get that way, in part, because they paid attention to their customer's feedback and made changes as needed. Conversely, the feedback is not always used to benefit all parties, because it can also be used as a tool to support claims that the benefactor was unjustly served by the employee, thus putting it on record in the employee's file for future reference. I'm the first to admit that knowledge is power, but as a fledgling self-taught golfer for over 20 years, I also acknowledge that there is such a thing as "Analysis Paralysis", and sometimes too much information is not always the best policy. At that point, it comes down to very simple and basic principles -- if you do your job right, and follow up with your business plan, you should see success come to you, plus your clients will benefit greatly from your performance and dedication to your craft. Makes sense, for the most part, but after a while, we lose sight of this idea (probably because it's too simple), so then we call in the feedback surveys to bring us back to reality. And so it begins...again.

Like it was yesterday

Given that it's College Football Bowl season, it's the time of year when I recall one of my favorite memories of my life (and the best football game I've seen on the road) -- the 1987 Rose Bowl between Arizona State and Michigan, in Pasadena, California. To date, it's the only bowl game I've been to, and it will be hard to top. In late 1986, the Sun Devil football team was having a terrific year, and all of us fans were enjoying the moment as our team surprised everyone with upset wins (including a road win over heavily favored USC at the LA Colosseum -- another game I attended) on the way to the Pac Ten conference championship. In those pre-BCS days, the champion of the Pac Ten was required to play the Big Ten Conference champion, and that year our opponent was the mighty (and tradition-laden) Michigan Wolverines. It was our school's first Rose Bowl appearance -- we had several chances to make it before, but always stumbled on the last game of the year against our hated rival University of Arizona, thus knocking us out of the game. That was not the case in 1986, and so my (then) girlfriend and I made plans to go to the game. She had family that lived in SoCal, so we made arrangements to stay with them over the holiday break; her cousins and best friends were joining us at the game, so we had quite a group of revelers together to take in the whole experience. And what an experience it was! From the car trip to SoCal, driving with and through caravans of other ASU fans (it was an 8-hr road trip), to the NYE dinner at a subtle-yet-trendy SoCal restaurant, to the game itself -- it was a magical time and I remember telling myself to be sure to take it all in, for future reference, and I'm glad I did. At that time in my life, my youthful arrogance (as we all had at that age) could have easily controlled my mindset of this being the way it will always be, as in To Be Expected Every Year, but for some reason, I was not wanting to take that path, and I told myself to look at it all as if I would never be here again, and it turned out to be the right decision.
The Rose Bowl stadium was an incredible sight to take in -- as we walked towards it from the parking lot, I remember seeing the ouside facade, the same facade that you see on TV whenever a game is broadcast, only this time I was actually there, and it was right in front of me. I remember our seats not being what most would consider to be great, and Critical Me would have been annoyed any other time, but No, not today, this was The Granddaddy of Them All, and I was here, with great friends, all of us immersed in booze-flavored joy, merriment and comraderie, as I had always wanted to be, and I was not disappointed in any of the surroundings. To top it off, the game itself was equal to the task as our Sun Devils rallied from behind to upset the Wolverines and win the Rose Bowl, in front of thousands of gold pom-pom waving ASU fans. It was an incredible sight. I brought the Nikon with me (as I usually did) and took a ton of pictures, but as great as the photos were, they could not match the actual experience. I was glad I was there to see it all, and so was most (if not all) of my fellow ASU fans -- one of the nice things about going to a school that is not a perennial football powerhouse is that, when the rare time comes that your alma mater does make the Big Show, the memory means so much more than if it's an every-year booster-club requirement (and remember what I said before about Familiarity Breeds Contempt). Plus, it helped that we won the game -- I'm sure it was not quite the same for fans that went to the 1997 Rose Bowl game that ASU lost in the last seconds.
Regardless, it remains one of my best memories of a sporting event, and one that I will never forget. It would be interesting to see how my recollections compare to yours and any similar events...

It could be worse

The theme for this month is "best", and thus the challenge begins. What comes to your mind when you think of "best"? Best Foods? Best Wishes? Best In Show? Pete Best? Best I move on...
I'm reminded of the song "the best of all possible worlds" -- I remember hearing it many years ago, on an alternative radio station in Phoenix. I think it's by Todd Rundgren, but I can't find it on the interwebs just yet. The melody has stuck in my head; I liked the layout of the song and I hope I can find it.
What is the Best of all possible worlds? I don't think it's humanly possible to exist in this scenario -- someone will always have a criticism or desire for something a little bit better. It's only when we go through all the rough patches in life and as we approach the downhill years that we yearn for something simpler, something basic. But in the meantime, we are human and thus destined for constant unrest. I guess you could say this is a good thing, in that it doesn't make us settle for less, doesn't make us lackadasical, for as we all know, "familiarity breeds comtempt". The person that wrote that was not oblivious to the human condition of always yearning for more, no matter how good we may have it. The German philosopher Leibniz wrote about something similar, in that there must always be the existence of both good and evil in order to obtain the best of all possible worlds, because one cannot be justified without the other. The optimal solution would be, of course, to have a much larger proportion of good than evil. Evil must exist only to remind us of the benefits of good and why we must use our free will in a positive manner for humanity. This fight for proper proportion has been the albatross around mankind's neck since its beginnings, and it will never end unless we evolve past it. Given that we are now talking millions of years from now, I suggest (as have others) we focus on the immediate and try to make things Better, for now, as we move forward to the goal of Best.

NOW you tell me...

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:"

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God.. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It is never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years, will this matter?"
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

housing opinion

Fifty years ago, when someone wanted to buy a house, they had to have a down payment, and a good credit history. Two things changed. First, the Glass-Steagal Act was repealed, which barred banks from using depositors money for investments. Second, members of Congress - like Barney Frank, insisted that mortgages be made available to people who could not afford down payments, and who earned less money and could not afford payments. Contrary to an earlier comment, this did not mean minorities, it meant poor people. Frank, and others in his party, believed that poor people should also buy homes, homes that they could not afford. They pressured Fannie Mae, etc. And it was done. Soon, people were buying homes with no money, getting cash from the builders and getting mortgages higher than the house value. Speculators joined in, and help drive the rush. Banks sold packages of these loans. It was all fine as long as the house prices rose, then it collapsed. We need to go back to when you had to have a down payment to buy a house, and good credit. No, you cannot give poor people houses. They have to be able to buy them. Frank and his congressional allies were responsible, Countrywide and other institutions made those loans, but so did banks. Was it minorities who bought? Well, some, but it wasn't that they were minorities, it was that those who bought were people who did not have the money to qualify under the old system. And, there were those who were not minorities who bought, and the speculators bought under the same terms designed for poor people. So, now the middle class is forced to pay for all of this nonsense, and Frank will be re-elected because he is in a gerrymandered, bulletproof Democratic district. He has refused to answer any questions about his role in the crisis, as has Nancy Pelosi. They know, but the Press is not really interested in pursuing them. And, the President does not appear to be looking for a substitute for Glass-Steagal. The system is ready for another round. You cannot give poor people houses, and make conditions that speculators will join in. People need to be able to pay for what they want to buy.

The March '09 Book: The Reader

by Bernhard Schlink...set in 1960's Germany...the retelling of a sickly boy's preoccupation with his new female friend and lover, an older woman with a secret past. I found the story compelling and the writing style unique for its perspective. The drama is found in subtle emotions that is not readily understood by everyone. The book was made into a major motion picture, of which I have not yet seen; I have some doubts as to how the movie adaptation could accurately reflect the different levels of experiences felt by the protagonist. The first half of the book is a series of accounts between the teenage boy and the much older woman; The second half of the book is more brutal in its assessment of how the now older boy observesation changes his outlook on life. What did you think of the book?

A little perspective on Socialism...

An economics professor at Texas Tech said he had never failed a single student before but had, once, failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said ok, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism.
All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.  After the first test the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. But, as the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too; so they studied little..  The second test average was a D!  No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around the average was an F.
 The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.  All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great; but when government takes all the reward away; no one will try or want to succeed.

-- thanks to Mr. Victor Burek via MBS Close commentary...and well said.

What were They thinking?

There seems to be a ripple in the universe lately with the news that AIG gave out HUGE bonuses to employees, shortly AFTER receiving billions in bailout money from the U.S. Government. This in spite of constant hemmoraging by AIG within their balance sheets. Logic would dictate that this wouldn't be prudent, by any means, because naturally, people would become upset over the very idea -- how can Joe Six Pack, he of the unstable employment situation and house under threat of foreclosure, accept this TraviShamMockery? There is no disputing the fact that AIG management failed, yet again, to exhibit proper judgement in this instance, but then again, they ARE following the proviso's as set forth by the pre-bailout comp plans to their employees who met or exceeded their goals. This is an incentive-driven business, something that Wall Street is very sensitive to, something that Obama does not (nor seemingly care to) understand, and something that Tim Geitner has apparently forgotten after only having been removed from Fed Reserve of NY post just three months prior.
If anyone within AIG is to have their bonuses retracted, it should be the employees within the financial division who were so lax in their diligence so as to put the company in this predicament from the beginning. This is the consensus shared by most Wall Streeters and peers of the perpetrators. Obama and Geitner would be wise to re-think their populist hard-line drivel before they spout off about something they failed to understand or refused to associate themselves with, in the name of politics.
Memo to Congressmen who are currently spouting off their versions of "oh, the humanity" speeches regarding AIG bonuses: spare us your flow of illogic -- and where was this incredible display of concern 18 (or even 8) months ago when it was needed most? Welcome to the party, pal! And oh, by the way, when you grovel on your hands and knees next year, hat in hand, begging for political donations -- who the crap do you think will be in the better financial position to get you a donation: Joe Six Pack or Winthorp Wall Street? Good Luck with that.

Letter from The Boss

internal memo circulating the interwebs...

Fellow Employees:
As the CFO of this business that employees 140 people, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barack Obama is our President, and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way. To compensate for these increases, I estimate that our Clients will have to see an increase in our fees to them of about 8%. Since we cannot increase our fees right now due to the dismal state of our economy, we will have to lay off six of our employees instead. This has really been eating at me for a while, as we believe we are family here and I didn't know how to choose who will have to go.
So, this is what I did: I strolled thru our parking lot and found 8 Obama bumper stickers on our employees' cars and have decided these folks will be the first to be laid off. I can't think of a more fair way to approach this problem. These folks wanted change; I gave it to them. If you have a better idea, let me know.

Sincerely,
The Boss