Decisions - Made or Avoided

In large corporate organizations it is easy to see how decisions are made by committee. This allows the individual to avoid responsibility and disappear into the group. The same holds true outside of the professional environment. Many people are guilty of surveying friends, and asking “what do you think?” until time forces a decision. As an example, a man may consider buying a new truck and discuss the details with his friends, co-workers, and family. Most likely he knows what truck he wants, but he fails to make the decision. Through committee he can blame a ‘lemon’ on everyone but himself. Another form of decision making is analysis paralysis. Using our truck buyer as an example, this type of decision making is based on the relentless collection of data: facts, figures, reviews, and reports. Data analysis becomes the excuse for failure to make a decision because there may be an additional piece of information either for or against the choice. Perfection regarding the choice is sought, however no decision is ever perfect. Time is the one challenge we all face regarding successful decision making and for some, delay becomes the ultimate decider. Time can successfully steal conscious decision making by forcing a deadline to pass and then becomes an excuse by allowing one to state, “I ran out of time.” Often this is conscious avoidance, or procrastination by true description, and the blame is not the clock but the clock-watcher. Lastly, relying on others to make our choices is the most dangerous form of decision making. For example, as children our parents do this for us or at work supervisors give direction to employees and constantly make decisions for their teams. Thus, it is easy to become guilty of seeking authorities like doctors, teachers, clergy, and even parents to make decisions. It is critical to empower ourselves and take responsibility for making timely decisions in our lives. Opportunities constantly flow forth and although the desire to step forward may burn within us, bad decision making habits will prevent reaping possible rewards. I assert the risk of a bad, personally made decision is far less than the lost opportunity guarded by the safety of inadequate decision making processes.

Naysayers – Don’t be kept down

Naysayers – Don’t be kept down (5/16/2012) Imagine your excitement regarding a new goal, like going back to school or starting a business, and everyone you share your idea with finds problems with it. Parents are guilty of using their personal failures as experience to discourage children and friends allow their own insecurities to trump support. This is my third column regarding opportunities, decision-making and pursuing our dreams. Along the way we must acknowledge the negative influencers who stop us. Many years ago I discovered the type of personality type I would call the "naysayer;" the friend or family member who constantly spews negativity. I am a believer that the ability to recognize and consider opportunities, make effective and timely decisions, and avoid naysayers will propel us forward to new successes. The classic naysayer can be described as “Eeyore” from the “Winnie the Pooh” series of books. At first glance a likable character and friend, but upon examination he is dreadful. For example Eeyore once conversed with Pooh, “Good morning, Pooh Bear,” said Eeyore gloomily. “If it is a good morning,” he said. “Which I doubt,” said he said. Eeyore always saw the glass half full, sadly never relishing the hope which comes from optimism. As an optimist, it is hard to acknowledge negative people, but once I found the naysayer and understood their life’s mission is pessimism, cynicism, skepticism, and denial regarding any opportunities it was obvious avoiding these people was critical to my own success. The naysayer would not admire my success and therefore was an enemy to my future. We must challenge ourselves to ask “who do I know that is a naysayer?” Sadly, they may be our spouse, a family member, or close friend. The worst scenario is a trusted confidant as a naysayer. Over time we may not realize this is the case, but unfortunately the naysayer is the most significant obstacle to seizing new opportunities. To recognize those holding you back you must take a close look at your friends and family who constantly find problems with your dreams, goals, and desires. Cheerleaders of your interests will always look for positive outcomes to your opportunities. A supportive friend will debate the merits of your considerations and offer pragmatic opinions. A naysayer, on the other hand, will immediately question the wisdom of your ideas and find nothing but negative consequences. We must beware the naysayer because they will fill us with negative energy and prevent the empowerment we find when taking control of our own lives. Sadly, the naysayer is more devastating when it is someone we love or hold in close esteem because we inherently trust their opinions, sometimes more than our own. My advice is just say no to the naysayer and break away to find freedom in your own successful pursuit of opportunities.

Opportunities

Opportunities (4/28/2012) Opportunities confront all of us each day but too often the door is closed without ever stepping forward to take a chance. Writing this column my inspiration comes from concern for those I watch missing chances to take advantage of new paths in life. After many observations I have concluded there are two distinct reasons people reject opportunity: fear and inaction. President Roosevelt said, the “Only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” and nothing sums up the reason opportunities are rejected than his infamous saying. When faced with a new challenge many people will create unfounded fears that prevent them from considering a change. For example, an elderly person may reject a free airline ticket to see her grandchildren for fear of dealing with unknown airports, but yet millions of travelers face that fear every travel day. Similarly, overcoming unemployment may be impossible for the fear of moving from established roots, but yet thousands migrate to locales like North Dakota and Nevada to save their families. Second to fear is inaction and is best exemplified by Einstein’s famous quote, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” I assert inaction is far easier than action. Thus, when faced with opportunity the effort to take action will succumb to the ease of inaction and the door to opportunity will close. By example a high school student may pass on a college application or a standard test due to the effort required and her laziness is then rewarded by the status quo. Likewise, a job opportunity may be passed because leaving a spouse in a current job is easier than searching for a new job when total income could increase. Often it is easy to observe the opportunities friends and family miss, but impossible to realize when the same occurs personally. Daily I believe each of us are presented opportunities, some consequential and most trivial. The critical trait is to recognize when opportunity knocks and to, at a minimum, give consideration. Understanding fear and inaction as the obstacles to grasping opportunities helps right a course in our lives from status quo to prosperity and adventure. My challenge to you this week is to assess every choice as a new opportunity and to understand how fear and inaction could contribute to saying no. Alternatively this week consider how facing fear and taking action could open doors normally closed. “Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” – Sun Tzu.

Generational Reach

Generational Reach (3/21/2012) Have you ever considered your legacy or the legacy of your family who came before you? The immediate touch to our children and grandchildren is obvious, but have you considered the stories your grandchildren will tell their grandchildren about you? In their book, The Fourth Turning, authors William Strauss ad Neal Howe propose the theory of generational reach. They describe this as memory span; the distance between the lives that touched you connected to the lives you will touch. Since reading about this concept I have considered thoughtfully who I am based on memories of my grandfather and how my grandchildren will remember me. When technology is factored into the concept an awareness of complexity becomes more apparent. To calculate your generational reach, think of the oldest person who influenced your life and their birthday. For me, it is my paternal grandfather, born 1899. Next, we must identify the youngest person you will touch. Most likely this will be a grandchild; if unborn today assume your youngest child will bear your grandchild at age 35 year and your unborn grandson will live to be 85 years old. For me, my son Ty will be 35 in 2047 and his son or daughter, my future grandchild, will live 85 years to 2125. Thus, my reach is (2125-1899) 226 years. I believe generational reach helps understand the differences in views toward politics, values, and everyday culture. Immigrants carry fresh in their mind the struggles to come to America and place value on family, hard work, and maintain their roots. Many families have been in American since the late 19th century or early 20th century, thus generational reach to a different time is a fresh memory, easily reached through one or two generations. In contrast, families with roots dating back to the late 18th century and early 19th century have lost touch with the fight to escape persecution and enjoy the fruits of others thrust upon them by an entitlement society. I believe generational reach slows progressive policies and grounds values in time. Shifts in culture acceptance of previously questionable behaviors are slowed. However, generational reach may also create rebellion as youth work to prove elders wrong and undo values established for conservative reasons. Take, for example, the late 1960’s when the hippie-youth counter-culture rebelled against the establishment of the day. Arguments were made regarding the disconnect between youthful opinion over the Vietnam War versus politicians sending other people’s sons to Southeast Asia. Today, similar disconnects are evolving as the Millennials protest , through the Occupy movements, decisions of an elder-political class intent on enslaving future generations through an unpayable debt. The generational reach today comes from the millennials whose grandparents tell stories of the thievery of banks in then 1930s and see similarities to today’s big banks. These same millennials will tell their grandchildren about the great recession and the lost decades of economic prosperity and how their future was stolen like their great-grandparents. They will touch forever lives extending forward another century in the history of America.

When are Races Won?

When are Races Won? (3/14/2012) Last summer I wrote a column titled, “The Media Elects Presidents;” a now prophetic article regarding the influence of corporate media on the nominations. Since the spring of 2011 the Republican nomination process has been underway although it did not officially start until the first Tuesday in January of this year. However, long ago it appeared a decision was made anointing Mitt Romney as the heir to the Republican nomination. My goal here is not to offer an opinion on the qualifications of the candidates, but instead want to analyze the process. Watching the recent Russian elections many media outlets around the world reported possible election fraud and manipulation. I believe Americans have always believed our elections were above such accusations and not subject to manipulation or theft. However, many seem to acknowledge questionable tactics in municipal elections like Chicago’s mayoral races, either like the Daly’s in the past or the most recent residency issues of Emmanuel. Similarly, the Bush and Gore vote division propelled true questions of integrity in our own system to the forefront of our attention. As of this week, there are only four candidates in the race: Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, and Paul. Of the bound delegates, according to the GOP web site, Romney leads with 339, Gingrich is second with 107, and Santorum is third with 95 delegates. Paul is clearly trailing in fourth place with 22 awarded delegates. Throughout the nomination race I have been puzzled by reporting from major media outlets like the case where Santorum won the Iowa Caucus, not Romney, even though the media was quick to report differently. Although Romney holds a sizable lead over his next closest competitor, only one-third of the total delegates have been awarded. Watching the process last summer and fall demonstrated a candidate’s demise could arrive without much warning. Regardless, since my original column eight months ago Romney has been the declared winner. I feel the problem with the constant polling and predictions of who will win is the voter apathy created. First instance, if Romney is the winner – as declared by the media before the race started, then why bother voting? When a voter believes his vote no longer matters he chooses to not participate in the process and ultimately fulfills the hypothesis that his vote no longer matters. If results were held back, speculation by the media held back, and no forecasts were made I assert the voters would remain more objective in the process and choose the candidate they feel best qualified for the job.

The Media Elects Presidents

The Media Elects Presidents (6/8/2011) Over the last 50 years I believe there has been a dramatic turn in Presidential elections. Arguably the headline, “Dewey Defeats Truman” in 1948 is reflective of media bias and anticipation toward election outcomes. Most academics will acknowledge the 1960 Presidential debate outcome was not determined by the quality of the candidate speeches, but instead by appearance on television. Nixon articulated much stronger responses but was no match for Kennedy’s suave television charm. Today the media is controlling who wins the nomination and the election in several ways. One method is withholding information and using editorial prejudice to positively influence opinion about candidates. Two documented cases exemplify this. First, the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal unreported by major broadcast and print outlets until Drudge’s persistence forced the issue to headlines and impeachment of the President. Second, the New York Times failure to print an article deemed damaging concerning the Obama/ACORN relationship which may have brought a different election outcome and it took the whimsical undercover video by James O’Keefe to finally destroy the organization. The second method of influence is the prejudicial nature of coverage of candidates. For example, The Project for Excellence in Journalism and Harvard University's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy conducted a study of 5,374 media narratives about the presidential candidates from January 1 through March 9, 2008. The study found that Obama received 69% favorable coverage and Clinton received 67%, compared to only 43% favorable media coverage of McCain. An October 29, 2008 study found 29% of stories about Obama to be negative, compared to 57% of stories about McCain being negative. Finally, my last concern regarding media influence on politics is the pervasive use of public opinion polls. With every candidate announcement regarding potential Republican candidates a comparison poll is published. On NBC News May 26th nightly program speculation around Palin’s presidential announcement was offset by a poll showing candidate positioning, with Romney in the lead. The media has given far more coverage to Romney, Gingrich, and Palin than CPAC straw poll winner Ron Paul and Tea Party favorites Cain and Bachman. With an election 15 months away the media is focused on manipulating public opinion to control an outcome. Imagine what our election process would be like if there were no polls, no television pundits, and no scandalous coverage. Imagine speeches and debates, presented factually, without media editorial. I am not asserting to curtail freedom of the press, but instead push to present unedited coverage, eliminate polling, and present opinion as such, not news.

Out of Sync

Out of Sync (2/8/2012) Annually I experience the same odd weekend in late January or early February void of understanding the fascination of watching steroidal, beast-like millionaires engage in gladiator activities on a Sunday evening. I think my concern would wash away if the obsessed fans were willing to move from the couch and do more than head to Wal-Mart to purchase corn-syrup enriched foods to add to their excessively high caloric intake. For days beforehand morning and evening news programs beam critical messages to the masses about the must-watch game, cannot wait to be seen commercials, and the over-hyped halftime show. Unable to afford it, but still willing, consumers will purchase new televisions to achieve bragging rights among their friends. Grocery stores peddle mountains of soda and chips at the gateways to their stores and decorate like another holiday has come. On game day over zealous fans will don tribal colors to cheer for their millionaires and some will paint their skin or even forever mark themselves with tattoos. Hilariously, the word “we” will be used more than ever to claim membership on a team although no fan would be allowed near the celebrity players. With 45.8 million Americans on food stamps it is likely the SNAP card will purchase soda and chips to celebrate the day. For an afternoon the unemployed, those facing foreclosure, and many worried about job security will disregard the true American concerns instead asserting this ritual game as more important. Sadly, these same hurting neighbors will know more about the players, their names, hometowns, and meaningless statistics than they do members of congress, their state legislature, or local elected officials. Ironically, many support the “occupy” movements and fall victim to the populist arguments of today, but fail to realize their own celebration of the ultra-rich further distances the classes. While players unionize to find fairness in the absurd revenue generation, the owners are elevated from the lifestyle of their fans by wealth beyond most imaginations. I wonder how many fans realize a player earns more in one season than most fans will earn in a lifetime? So, another meaningless game has come and gone and an afternoon of life was given to further reward those our president is suggesting we despise. Of course, many men will take their sons to football practice to teach them the gladiator like throws, and tackles to hopefully make superstars of them, or more importantly demonstrate their masculinity to their tribal friends. The reward of the annual ritual of millionaire game playing is the small boost to the economy and distraction from woe, but the tragedy is the blind following of the masses being entertained like the citizens of Rome as the empire faces collapse.

Recipe for Success

A Recipe for Success (2/1/2012) At dinner last week my friend Scott shared comments from a seminar he delivered to MBA students about entrepreneurship. His observation from spending time with these millennials was their questions focused on how to be successful; not in generalities but seeking a specific checklist void of risk. Mutually we agreed there is no checklist to succeed, but commonalities exist which create a method to achieve success. Personally I have formulated a recipe, based on experience and believe three essential elements are required: S-E-P, Evolution, and no Plan B. S-E-P is Skills, Education, and Passion. First, Skills are the know-how we develop over time that contribute to our expertise. For example, we all can pound a nail, but a carpenter knows how to build a house. In his book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell describes a 10,000 hour requirement for our skills to develop to an expert level. Second, Education is required to differentiate ourselves, but may come from military, college, or teachings of others. Most important, communication, whether written or verbal, is the critical learning requirement. Third, Passion is the ultimate differentiator between success and failure, but is the hardest to explain. Passion will drive one to succeed no matter what obstacles are confronted and passion is what engages us to continue when our energies are exhausted. The second essential element is Evolution. Our lives are about learning from mistakes and this is the evolution I refer to, understanding how to move forward after a perceived failure and use failure as way to unlock opportunities. I argue each failure makes us stronger because they are events, not who we are. For example, when I owned my company many people assumed my most successful software program was the first I developed. To the contrary, I counted there were nearly 14 different programs I had tried to develop and sell. Most business owners evolve to create opportunities and rarely is success found the first time. Lastly, to succeed there must be no “Plan B” because failure cannot be an option. I assert if an easier option exists affording failure then our effort will stop when the most difficult challenges loom. When failure is not an option, our creativity is ignited to try new methods and search for alternatives supporting our passion, in other words evolution occurs. For example, today’s college graduates can choose to move home because finding a job or supporting themselves is deemed impossible. If moving home was not an option these struggling graduates would share cheaper homes, work three jobs, and live on their own. Success cannot be had when one can turn his back on hard work and fear of bankruptcy. There is no checklist for success, but I can assure you without elements of the above achieving success is impossible. Our current economy is tough and it saddens me when I hear about friends and neighbors losing jobs and homes, but at the same time I can identify friends finding success because they will not be victimized by systemic factors and have demonstrated the above elements. No guarantee for success exists, but I assure you practicing and understanding the above will bring reward.

Pragmatic

Pragmatic (01/04/2012) Taking my son to school recently I was listening to an interview on NPR with a spokesperson from Merriam-Webster dictionary. I have always loved the dictionary and can remember scouring the unabridged version when I was in school, searching for words I needed to learn and finding words of which I had never heard. Today, I never pick up a printed dictionary and instead relay on a digital search. Companies like Merriam-Webster benefit because in the digital world the company captures data about users, like the most common search. For 2011 Merriam-Webster reported the most searched word is “pragmatic.” Coincidentally, in conversation the day before the NPR piece I was commenting “I’m a doom and gloomer” when it comes to the economy, currencies, resources, or general outlook. My friend Katie quickly corrected me and said, “I don’t think you’re a doom and gloomer; your pragmatic.” Like many of us looking for the meaning of the word pragmatic I cannot say I gave much thought to it before our economic downturn several years ago. In September 2007, I lost my job and found myself selling unneeded items, downsizing through multiple garage sales, and finally having to leave my friends and children in New Smynra Beach, Florida. I started reading, learning, and understanding government, money, commodities, food chains, and even media interpretation of events. Ultimately, this led to my opportunity to write weekly newspaper columns in several papers and publishing my book, Clearly Ambiguous. Encouraged by personal change I started identifying trends and taking an umpire-like view of the world, “calling it like it is.” Specifically I remember a meeting with a group of realtors in spring 2008, part of a leads group I had formed, and the realtors commenting the housing market would return by the end of the year. I challenged their thoughts, stating it would be five to ten years before real estate made any return to the prior levels. Challenged, I stood my ground sharing statistics, facts, and observations. Recent data by the National Association of Realtors has reiterated the markets have been worse than reported and instead consistent with my assertions. Each week I work hard to share events whether identifying infringements on our liberties, disputing economic optimism, or calling out the idiocy of our leaders’ decision making. My friend has accused me of being negative, another of living on the mountain too long and become radical. I think Katie got it right, I am “pragmatic.” prag•mat•ic (adj \prag-ˈma-tik\) 1: archaic a (1): BUSY (2): OFFICIOUS b: OPINIONATED. 2: relating to matters of fact or practical affairs often to the exclusion of intellectual or artistic matters : practical as opposed to idealistic.

1984, Y2K, 2012...

1984, Y2K, 2012...(12/28/2011) It started last week when I saw my first article referencing a countdown to the winter solstice of 2012 when the Mayan calendar predicts the world will end. I think this is silliness and would be the same as a future archaeologist mining a 21st century landfill and finding a “Snap-On” tools calendar ending 12/31/2011. Speculative archaeologists make conclusions based on limited data and future generations could infer we worshipped scantily clad women and predicted our termination at the end of this year. Cultures have always focused on end-of-time events. I believe a fascination with the opportunity to have a genesis of life provides hope by focusing on doomsday dates . Whether fueled by Nostradamus, lunatics like Harold Camping, a novel written by George Orwell, or the errors of 1960’s computer programmers, Hollywood, the media, and internet pundits focus on predictions to build their own following and create panic. Speculation from movies like The Road, Armageddon, or 2012 feed the appetite of people seeing hope through termination of today’s woes and a clean start in a new world. Predictions of an Orwellian society did not come true in 1984. However, a slow incremental change has occurred and continues to take us closer to that vision nearly every day. Slowly liberties and freedoms are eroding to government sponsored surveillance and restricted speech, travel, and freedoms. Looking back to 1999 we know airplanes did not fall from the sky or satellites crash to earth, and traffic lights and computers continued to operate. However, more than any prophetic event facing our world the hype around Y2K contained a level of validity. Personally, as a software-company owner at the time, I benefitted from failures of my competitors to update products for the year 2000 and conclude a level of failure was avoided through preparation. In 2012 disasters are looming on the horizon which may create the feel of a societal collapse and end life as we know it. At the end of 2011 when we feel the worst of the financial crisis is behind us the world governments have used their ammunition to save the economies but the battle must continue. With no way left to fight Europe will face its biggest financial challenge and could ultimately collapse upon itself. Although China has expanded rapidly growth will halt and credit will freeze due to an American and European consumer hunkered down awaiting the end of the world where iPhones and shopping malls will no longer be important. Western nations will fight to recover outsourced industries, realizing globalism created a Roman Empire like gluttonous lifestyle and they must save themselves through isolationism, thus shutting down third-world development and freezing economic growth. I predict the world will not end December 21, 2012. However, our current malaise will continue to exacerbate and make many wish an epic calamity would cleanse our past mistakes. Careful prudence and pragmatism will guide the successful whereas hardship will enslave many of our friends and neighbors unwilling to change old habits. Ultimately we will look back laughingly at the hyped prophecy of 2012 as we do past predictions. Next up, Hollywood can focus on the impending collision of the Apophis Asteroid on April 13, 2036. Happy New Year!

Only in America

Only in America (12/14/2011) Every day the world around seems to get crazier. Headlines shout out moves by our government that make no sense, but yet we abide by the changes thrust upon us. I thought I would compile a short list of what I consider infringements upon our liberties that we could not imagine five years ago, and certainly never a decade or two ago. Through slow incrementalism we, the citizens, have eroded our own freedoms. Actions by TSA top the list; an agency which did not exist a decade ago but now employs approximately 50,000 screeners and has a budget of $8.1 billion. This agency now requires everyone to throw away water before boarding an airplane. Water is the essential liquid required to live on our planet, it puts out fires, and easily identified. But, only in America if you are drinking water while waiting in a security line is it now a security threat. A close second is last week’s incident by TSA strip searching 85 year-old Lenore Zimmerman. Only in America would a 100 pound 85 year-old be considered a terrorist requiring a complete vacate of common sense. Attending theme parks and sports events has brought another level of questionability to liberty erosion. Watching the “rent a guard” screeners at facilities like the Coca-Cola museum, Georgia Aquarium, Disney, or Sea World laughingly rifle through personal belongings with chop sticks while wearing latex gloves confirms the authoritarian moves of fear implementation and our own stupidity. Only in America would we trust our lives to $9.00/hour security guards and allow them to infringe on our privacy while claiming to protect a commercial enterprise from a bogeyman terrorist threat. Tracking citizens has become the latest trend by government both national and local. Although the constitution guarantees freedom from warrantless search and seizures, we have allowed government entities to track vehicles with GPS, install cameras using facial recognition software to track individuals, and license plate scanners watching and permanently recording the location of our vehicles. In addition, police departments now carry devices to take and download cellular phone data, without warrants, during stops. Only in America would George Orwell’s predicted tracking of citizens occur in our lifetime. Nearly everyone with a smart phone has a video camera with them 24-hours per day. The first sensationalized recording of police brutality was the Rodney King beating caught by news helicopters, and if the cameras were not on scene the LAPD would have denied the punishment they put on King. Nearly every day citizens are now arrested for filming their own arrests or the arrests of others. The most serious being Michael Allison in Illinois who faces five counts of wiretapping for filming his own arrest this past summer. If we cannot film the public servants hired by us, the citizens, to ensure rights are protected then a police state has truly come into existence. Only in America would filming a police officer lead to the arrest of an innocent bystander. Our country has changed before our eyes. Since the passage of the Patriot Act our government has accelerated its actions to interrogate, search, and control the innocent citizens of America. Our founding fathers warned against such actions and tried to protect us with the Bill of Rights. Only in America would we ignore history and readily give up Rights that were won with the blood of our ancestors.

Hang 'em

Hang ‘em (12/7/2011) Americans tend to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to government. Sadly a majority cannot name the Vice President, and certainly not the Secretary of State or the Speaker of the House. Thus, this is the reason for referring to “sheeple” or “zombies” to stereotype the average citizen. It seems the career politicians understand this and manipulate the masses for their own gain. The latest failure of the ruling-elite is to come up with budget cuts for the next ten years. The proposed method of manipulation to make this happen was so appalling every member of the House and Senate should be publicly hung for treason against the people. Over the last years, under Obama and prior to the Republicans winning the House majority, Congress has failed to submit a budget. This year with new leadership the Republican majority made a valiant attempt but was blocked by Democrats in the Senate from approving the budget. The new “super-committee” was created to break through the deadlock and find $1 trillion in cuts. What is more important to note was they were tasked with finding $1 trillion in savings over 10 years, starting in 2013. A simple task, right? $1 trillion over 10 years works out to $100 billion per year and the current budget is approximately $3.7 trillion in expenditures (outlays) and $2.6 trillion in revenues (incomes=taxes). A $100 billion cut per year is 2.7% of the total expenditures. Sadly, these ass-clowns running our country could not come to an agreement, but why should they? There are no consequences! Similarly, on November 18, 2011 Congress had a chance once again to demonstrate the interests of the country and the people were more important than their bipartisan bickering. Voting primarily along party lines the proposal for an amendment to the constitution failed to pass. Currently 49 states have some type of balanced budget amendment. Interestingly, the federal government has only balanced the budget six times in the last 50 years, four times while Bill Clinton was president. It is easy to ignore the actions of Congress as most people yawn over politics and turn on a Sunday afternoon football game. However, this past week the Federal debt hit a post WW2 high of debt to GDP (Total Debt/Total GDP) equal to 99.5%. In the next two weeks that number will move to triple digits and will not stop increasing. Interest rates are artificially low and any crisis remotely similar to Europe will drive the cost of treasury bonds higher therefore adding to debt faster. At the same time an economic malaise engulfs the country and GDP based on the consumerism of the threatened American shopper is likely to remain relatively flat. Congress is the only entity to change the course of America right now and it must make tough decisions to rein in spending. Arguments are taking place over taxes, but spending is the first, and easiest, place to cut. For instance: foreign aid, arts, museums, the Department of Interior, Department of Education, Department of Energy, and closing military bases overseas. The ass-clowns running Congress want to ensure they have a luxurious lifestyle based on a taxpayer funded income and pension for life instead of making tough decisions best for future generations. I assert today’s Congress is committing treason as they have become the domestic enemies of our country by willfully and knowingly harming our credit rating, impairing national security through reckless spending, and stealing the wealth of future generations.

Zombieland

Zombieland (11/30/2011) Watching the news last week was absolutely predictable as there was much speculation about zombies appearing on Black Friday to consume meaningless merchandise from China. I am guessing most of the zombies have garages full of past Black Friday festivals, plastic junk hidden away under children’s beds and some may have storage units holding booties from years past. For several weeks the zombies have been fed hype regarding deals on computers, tablets, televisions, clothes, and a myriad of other unneeded items. Last week’s newspapers prepared the zombies so they could map their plans with war like precision. Over the last several years the retailers who feed the zombies have become more sophisticated by using the internet. This allows some zombies to continue feeding on traditional foods at home, Thanksgiving leftovers, and use their computer to kill merchandise with their credit cards and a few online clicks. These zombies feel they have an edge against everyone since they maintain the protection of their homes and can start shopping and killing deals in the digital fantasy world; oblivious to social interaction and breathing fresh air. Not only was the news an accomplice to the zombies, but the media was being fed by our own government. There were reports if the zombies did not consume enough merchandise then the great beast, “The Economy,” would not survive. It appears the annual ritual of zombies appearing on the day after Thanksgiving has become the signal for the life of the beast over the following year. The President himself helped by ensuring merchandise for his campaign was marked down 10% on Friday, giving zombies a new purchasing outlet As stores opened the zombies took to hurting each other: A 55-year-old Marston, N.C., woman zombie who had just finished Black Friday shopping for Christmas presents with her sister zombie and son at Wal-Mart in Myrtle Beach was shot in the foot during a robbery in a nearby parking lot; in Phoenix, AZ a brawl broke out in the video game aisle as zombies madly tore open packages like they contained the cure for cancer; at a Pittsburgh area mall where a hot deal on yoga pants had some women zombies fuming. “Literally, girls zombies were punching each other,” said shopper Liz Wentling, and “girls were literally shoving each other, moms were getting into it.” In Rome, NY zombies at a Wal-Mart injured two female zombies and a male zombie was arrested after fighting in the electronics department. In another incident, a woman zombie trying to improve her chance to buy cheap electronics at a Wal-Mart in a wealthy Los Angeles suburb spewed pepper spray on a crowd of zombies and 20 zombies suffered minor injuries, police said Friday. Black Friday’s ritual has become more prevalent over the last several years, especially as the Beast has been dying. Roosevelt was the first to try to control the zombies during the Great Depression by moving thanksgiving a week earlier to stretch the holiday shopping season in 1939. But it was not until Philadelphia newspapers used the phrase in 1966 did the zombies have a festival day called Black Friday. The mid-1990’s propelled the frenzy to headlines and in 2002 Black Friday officially became the biggest shopping day of the year. Last week approximately 134 million zombies left their caves to kill deals nationwide on Black Friday. As the zombies face the hangover of debt from consuming too much meaningless merchandise retailers were quick to celebrate “the best Black Friday in years.”

Small Town Newspaper

Small Town Newspaper (11/16/2011) Imagine a world where no newspaper exists. Very soon we may live in such a time. Most people treasure newspapers as milestones of current events. For example, in my possession I have framed front page issues of The Chicago Tribune from November 23 and 24, 1963 detailing Kennedy and Oswald's assassinations. History books show pictures of Truman holding The Chicago Tribune on November 3, 1948 announcing his defeat to Dewey. Since the printing press was invented by Gutenberg around 1440, people have used shared printing to record history and news and this the newspaper has been the most popular daily diary of our world. Today, historians scour pages of black and white text to create the synopsis that becomes our history books. However these summaries are swayed by opinion and filter critical details. The average person typically keeps newspapers clippings; I have copies of my high school athletic feats, graduation announcement and other personal milestones. Most of us save birth, death and wedding announcements. In each of these cases without a local newspaper there would be no record. As I paged through last week's paper I read about school children, Council meetings, local sports, and crime. Arguably information is captured digitally via the Web and television, but only the small town newspaper remains accessible to everyone. A March 22, 2009 Time magazine article reported on a Pew Media analysis focusing on the question, “what happens when a town loses its newspaper?” For small towns the consensus seems to be one of indifference other than the loss of primary news sources via the “ecosystem” of local journalism feeding other outlets because only a small town newspaper provides the depth and diversity of local news. Unfortunately, newspapers are closing at an amazing rate, hundreds per year from major cities to the smallest towns. The brick and mortar business model is giving way to a low-cost digital media that many assert will ultimately replace print. As you page through this week’s paper take an extra moment to scrutinize each page, looking for particulars normally passed. For instance, read the crime blotter and note the detail forever saved to the historical record. Around the local section imagine looking back 50 years from now through an archive at the photos and current events of the day. While reading the editorial page’s letters and opinions picture future school children doing research on “The Great Recession” and compiling future history books from the non-digital account of today’s woe. I argue newspapers will always have a place in our world and remain the only reliable method to record history and present opinion. Support for our papers must start via circulation and supporting the advertisers. Patronize the businesses you see in print and let them know it was printed media dollars that brought you to their establishment. Let your editor know how columns impact you and take every opportunity available to contribute editorial content.

Live Life Like You’re Dying

Live Life Like You’re Dying (11/9/2011) Too many people put off until tomorrow the things they want to do today. Personally, I am a goal oriented person and manage my life with short-term and long-term objectives. For example, with the change of seasons in north Georgia I am very conscious regarding preparations for winter: cutting and splitting wood, testing space heaters, and making sure outdoor water pipes are winterized. Easy examples, but yet also easy to put off until a storm like the one that hit the northeast is upon you. Recently my wife and I have been watching the television show “24” from its beginning. In the second season the character George Mason is poisoned by radioactive material and knows he will die within the next seven days. Although he does not know specifically whether he will live days or a week, he begins making amends with his estranged son. Of course, this is fiction, but somberly reminds me life can change instantly. This past weekend two men were killed in a plane crash outside Williston, Florida. I knew one of the men, Mike Fuller, and planned to meet with him next week. In an instant, his life ended tragically. Movies like, The Bucket List, Eat Love Pray, or Soul Surfer win our hearts in the theater due the common theme of perseverance against formidable odds. In each case a goal is set, and a plan executed to ultimately triumph over personal tragedy or dreams. I am follower of James Altucher’s blog, “JamesAltucher.com” and last week he wrote a column titled, “The #1 Most Effective Habit” that articulated the same points I want to make. First among them is being proactive. Too often I meet people who tell me they want to travel, write a book, or even learn to fly, but all succumb to excuses and the “naysayers.” Altucher challenges his readers to start by making a list, eliminate the “bad people” and most importantly just get started. Over the last three weeks I have published a book, Clearly Ambiguous, hiked Yonah Mountain, and had a weekend away with my wife. None of the above is significant, but like the life goals in The Bucket List they incrementally take me to a better place in my life. Over the same three weeks I met a young man who hiked the Appalachian Trail last year and I read an article about 17 year-old Taylor De Lay who circumnavigated a homebuilt aircraft around the United States. I am guessing during the same three weeks many people did nothing, going to work, watching television, and griping about their misery. However, anyone can make a change in their own life. So my question is, “what would you do differently today if you knew you were going to die in the next week or month?” My follow up question is obvious, “since you know you will die (someday – we all will die), why aren’t you living your life like your dying?”

I call Bullsh-t

I call Bullsh-t (11/2/2011) It is disappointing to see the criticism emerging around the Herman Cain presidential candidacy. The irony spewed forth by the media is appalling and I call bullsh-t on this issue. For whatever reason there is a generally accepted media opinion of republicans as racist. The election of Barak Obama was a historic moment for America, the first non-white elected to office. There will be many other firsts to the presidency in the future, this is just the start. In 2008 accusations flew that conservatives were anti-Obama because he was black. The problem then became one of questioning any comments, statements, or plans by candidate Obama as being made by a racist, not by a person of differing opinions. Conservatives were shut-down and ultimately afraid to speak their mind regarding the questionable path down which President Obama wanted to take America. Fast forward three years and conservatives are again targeted by the liberal media bias as racist. Ironically, conservatives are now racists because many support a black man running for president. Herman Cain is a capable businessman with more experience and personal successes than Barak Obama. Instead of organizing communities he ran the Federal Reserve of Kansas City and one of the largest food retailers in the country. His 1994 debate against President Clinton over healthcare reform highlighted his capabilities as a knowledgeable man regarding issues. Personally, I have enjoyed Cain’s conservative radio show and never questioned his race as a factor regarding his views. Over the last three weeks MSNBC has been at the front of the hypocrisy regarding these issues. On October 14, Ed Shultz, host of the “Ed Shultz Show” commented, "You think about white Republicans who don't like black folks," Schultz explained. "It's almost as if this guy is trying to warm up to them and tell them what they want to hear." Last week On Martin Bashir's television program, Democratic strategist and MSNBC analyst Karen Finney said that Republicans are supporting Herman Cain because of his race. It appears in America to not be racist one has to be a democrat. It also appears even if you are black, you can be racist if questioning the education gaps and the possibility some fault lies personally with people. For my entire life democrats have successfully pandered to minorities in our country under the guise the only solution is through government to increase personal well-being. Most businessmen and Herman Cain too, will argue that success comes from individual achievement, not government charity. I do not want to be part of the government plantation and argue my support of Herman Cain does not make me racist. To MSNBC and the liberal media I call bullsh-t.

Good Job Mr. President (10/26/2011) President Obama surprised the press, Americans, and in one case, the world, with two major announcements in the last week. I give him kudos for the leadership he exhibited and the specificity of what he put forth. Unlike past political grandstanding, the announcements to withdraw troops and help homeowners with mortgage renegotiation were made without politicking and driven by what was best for others, not his political future. I believe if he can continue to be effective like this his poll numbers will rise and re-election may be possible. The announcement Monday to help homeowners unable to finance surprised everyone as the President made his way around Las Vegas. Initial reports showed a walk down a typical suburban street with expectations minimized due to the campaign-like presentation. However, by executive order the president bypassed congress and the new rules will take effect. On the surface they appear positive – underwater homeowners who are current on their mortgage may refinance. Underlying this is the risk associated with these loans has been transferred from the homeowner and bank to the taxpayer. But, where the homeowner remains, makes payments, and there is no default I consider this a win for all three parties. On Thursday President Obama announced all U.S. troops would leave Iraq by year-end, ending the most politically questioned war ever. With this decision a campaign promise was filled. Most Americans tuned out to this war long ago and with more than one trillion dollars spent overseas the real question is “why?” Long ago U.S. presidents learned meddling in Middle-East affairs comes at great expense, both political and through actual blood-shed. This decision is one of President Obama’s highest achievements. It must be foot-noted though, the decision was less a choice by President Obama but more than implementation of a consequence set forth by President Bush and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in December 2008 as part of the Strategic Framework Agreement. I have criticized the President many times over the last nearly three years for “missed opportunities,” leadership opportunities that were easy to implement but overshadowed by politics. When working for the good of the people and with less personal interest all politicians succeed and survive. The decisions made this week may have unintended consequences which only history will reflect, but their intent and immediate impact is important. Good job Mr. President, you deserve our appreciation this week.

War! What is it Good For?

War! What is it Good For? (10/19/2011) I have been traveling lately so my ability to tune to the news has been limited. However, it appears the United States is currently in the process of creating another “Gulf of Tonkin” event to justify an attack on a sovereign nation. It is hard for me to believe I would make such an accusation, but history repeats itself and desperate politicians will do anything to maintain their power. Let’s take a quick look at the facts. First, President Obama continues to slide week after week in the public opinion polls. His own party is currently turning against him and with regularity Hilary Clinton’s name is floated, via trial balloons, as a possible nominee or Biden replacement. This is a President, and party, who cannot accept the downward slide and has been working toward re-election, not governance, since January 2009. Second, the administration has lost control of several stories and will use diversions to deflect the outcome – a classic maneuver confirmed by Hollywood in the movie “Wag the Dog.” Today the administration is being investigated for two significant, impeachable events: “Fast and Furious” and “Solyandra.” The diversion playbook is far easier to play from than truthful acceptance of responsibility. Third, questions are currently rising around the alleged plot to kill the Saudi envoy to Washington. Additionally, the world does not recognize the right of the sovereign nation of Iran, a former war ally, to build its own nuclear program. Senator Diane Feinstein over the weekend affirmed her own skepticism regarding the plot by the Mexican used-car dealer to assassinate the Saudi; however she feels after her intelligence briefing there is a case. She did continue to comment this is not the time for war with Iran and America appears to be on an unavoidable collision course. Personally, I believe Ahmadinejad to be a ruthless dictator who should not possess nuclear weapons. However, we must draw a line and avoid a possible fifth war (Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Libya) as an attack on Iran has the potential to escalate to a nuclear event. President Obama has assured the world Iran would face the “toughest possible sanctions” for its part in the assassination plot. I suggest if there were no personal gain for his administration the President would back-channel his responses and leave pleas for public opinion out of the spotlight; quiet and decisive action is more effective than loud self-serving posturing. “War! What is it good for? Absolutely nothin’!” – Norman Whitfield.

I love Corporate Jet Owners

I love Corporate Jet Owners (10/12/2011) Our president loves to talk about “fat-cats”, “the rich”, and “millionaires and billionaires” as he makes a case for the malaise in which we find ourselves. The parallelisms to Carter’s same pleas with America in 1979 are eerily similar, especially knowing such criticisms and populist arguments drove the economy further away from recovery. One of President Obama’s specific criticisms targets corporate jet owners and it is with this I must take exception. If driven by jealousy and envy it might seem appropriate to target those rich guys flying around in their jets, but personally my family and I depend on corporate jet owners to pay our bills. Where the president misses the mark is he believes the government through Keynesian economics is best suited to transfer wealth and create economic growth, whereas I feel corporate jet owners are better suited. For instance, a jet must first be built and this is accomplished at plants like Gulfstream in Savannah, GA where 5,500 at all skill levels are employed. Additionally the supply chain, maintenance or even the multiplier effect of employees spending money locally all come from the purchase of corporate jets. Once in the air the jets must be fueled, maintained, and managed. A hangar with a staff of three to five is typical and two pilots are needed. Thus, the “evil” corporate jet owner directly employs people to take care of his aircraft paying at least $350,000 in total salaries and the appropriate taxes. Further economic stimulus results from the hangar rent and property taxes. Operating the aircraft requires fuel; a truck driver delivers the fuel and companies sell the fuel to the corporate jet owner. Additionally, every gallon typically collects $0.244 in Federal Excise Tax, $0.05-$0.20 in state and local taxes, and another $0.10 in miscellaneous taxes. A corporate jet owner will consume 50k-200k gallons of fuel annually, generating tens of thousands of dollars in tax revenues. Each time the aircraft lands at an airport’s FBO (Fixed Base Operator) employees keep their job by servicing and fueling the aircraft, like an old-fashioned service station. It is easy to be envious and jealous of those who have more, especially when you have never held a job or worked to start a company like our president, but under examination a different view comes to light; like a car a corporate jet is a tool to do business, to travel faster and more conveniently. In 2005 General Aviation contributed $150 billion to the economy, employed 1,250,000 million people and generated $53 billion in wages. As America’s single biggest corporate jet user, via the taxpayer’s pocketbook of Air Force One, I wish President Obama would rethink his populist arguments against corporate jet owners.

All Lots $79,900

All Lots $79,900 (10/5/2011) Driving to Gainesville (GA) one morning last week I passed a partially developed neighborhood with an enormous sign advertising, “All Lots $79,900 – Financing Available.” I laughed as I looked at the subdivision: empty lots next to “McMansions” displaying overgrown weeds, and electrical boxes and sewer pipes growing out of the ground like trees. The eyesore of the undeveloped properties is obvious and a developer's dream is awash in a failed economy. During the boom I was always troubled by such subdivisions; worthless land with infrastructure added and lots sold like South Florida swampland. Exorbitant prices were supported by the banking Ponzi scheme. How come no one every asked why a piece of dirt was nearly $350,000 per acre I wondered? Farmland returns value and is the reason people homesteaded. However since the first post-WWII subdivisions in Levitown Americans have succumbed to a delusion of home ownership as a measure of success. Imagery fuels this desire as Hollywood's settings range from Beverly Hills and Orange County to Chicago's North Lakeside Drive or beachfront on any shoreline. The middle class believes homes should be large and spacious when the affordable reality is quite opposite. Maybe the "Real Housewives..." should be set in a Toll Brothers or KB Homes three bedroom house in Orange County, Florida to generate a realistic picture of middle class life. In that show Mom and Dad would both work 50 hours per week and good times are replaced with conversations of budgets and staying afloat. The media continues to find false hope week after week of real estate market bottoms or economic turnaround. Housing starts are the lowest in recorded history, and loans to purchase a home are unattainable. The biggest criminals have been exonerated by "too big to fail" and continue to profit, and taxpayers now hold one-third of foreclosed properties. Instead of reporting on "Obamavilles" and digital soup lines of 45 million food stamp recipients a National Association of Realtors monthly press release reporting "pricing bottom reached" is promoted as gospel to only be contradicted the following month. The dreams remain alive for a life now gone; large houses, jet skis, and oversized trucks, but signs for $79,900 lots still fly. As businesses shutter, mayhem by youthful mobs continues, prices rise and wages stagnant I hope reality will set in. Across the country there are families living the dream in brand new, overpriced homes looking at the overgrown remnants of lost subdivisions and lost dreams. Someday soon the sign will promote the real value, "All Lots - Worthless."

School Taxes

School Taxes (9/28/2011) My first attempt at this week’s column rubbed some folks the wrong way so I made an effort to tone down the rhetoric. I was inspired to write about senior citizens and a feeling of entitlement over a recent property tax issue. My concern is one group working to exempt themselves from a tax at the expense of those who cannot vote: school children. With surprise, at the gym last week I saw a petition on the table for signing. The petition was to create a ballot initiative to exempt anyone aged 65 and older from the school portion of their property taxes. Sure, on the surface an argument to say, “I do not have school age children so I therefore should not pay school taxes,” appears valid. However, the fallacy in the argument is it can be applied throughout the entire tax code. Many taxes are “use” taxes: fishing license, state park fees, and even fuel taxes collected to pay for roads. Our society has agreed most other taxes are for the greater good. Researching my “refreshed” version of this column I found a Facebook page and many web sites for Seniors not paying taxes. Sadly, the consistency in the comments was one of entitlement, “I have paid enough in taxes,” or my favorite, “don’t we deserve a little break in our golden years.” I am appalled! I see supporting schools as investments in our future. Without an educated and skilled youth our country will continue to degenerate. The savings to her are minimal, but the impact of the entire group is substantial; millions of lost revenue per year. Personally I hate taxes and would seek to reduce any tax I pay, but I have long offered there are some necessary costs to live in a civilized society: defense, infrastructure, education, and minimal social safety nets. Our society is changing rapidly. There are far more takers of the social security system than ever anticipated and the system cannot persist. The number of retired citizens is higher and as property owners their school property taxes are an investment in our future, and their own future. Within the next twenty years most of today’s seniors will be covered in dirt, but their legacy will live as their grandchildren work to pay the debt they created.

9-11

9-11 (9/21/2011) I planned to write this column about three weeks ago, feeling it would be prophetic. However, due to personal time constraints I did not have a chance to get pen to paper until this past weekend. By then my worst fears were materializing; the media created frenzy around “potential threats.” One must understand the premise of false terror and political needs to keep feeding the “monster”. George Orwell explains this in 1984 as Emmanuel Goldstein; America’s Goldstein is Al-Qaeda. My heart goes out to all families who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. Likewise, my heart goes out to the other losses in the same year and annually since then. Statistics make a case for where real threats lie, not the hype pushed at us every evening and in newspapers. On September 11th there were 3,116 Americans killed in the four airliner incidents. The Department of Homeland Security did not exist, and we were not at war in Iraq or Afghanistan. By comparison in 2001 there were 17,448 alcohol related fatalities and 42,116 total traffic fatalities – more than ten times the number killed the morning of 9/11. In 2001 there were 16,037 murders and 90,863 rapes. The numbers show far more people were killed in 2001 by preventable causes than the significant events of that morning. However, like any tragedy the knee-jerk reaction was to mobilize the U.S. military to capture Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden. History reflects Saddam had nothing to do with the attacks and it took nearly ten years to flush Bin Laden out of a luxury home in Pakistan. Meanwhile twice as many military personnel have been killed as the number of deaths that morning and an unstoppable monster called “Department of Homeland Security” now employs 200,000 and has a budget of $98 billion dollars. Sadly, even with this monumental effort to fight the “war on terrorism” preventable deaths occur and the civil rights of ordinary Americans are violated daily as collateral damage to the Patriot Act and DHS overreaching tactics to ensure safety. I grew up in the Cold War, believing a nuclear winter would start in 20 minutes; similarly our children are growing up in a government induced façade of terrorism occurring any minute. Willfully new generations have learned to submit to security scans at public events, show papers, and give away freedoms. On the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, ten years from now, will we be living a pre-9/11 lifestyle or one of further submission? The next time you see law enforcement violating any American’s 4th Amendment Rights – executing searches of vehicles, bags, and even identification – ask yourself what the real threat is: government or foreign terrorists.

Republican Chumps

Republican Chumps (09/07/11) It is amazing how the media handles the messages from the candidates for Republican presidential nomination. Unfortunately, only “The View” and the evening news can deliver a message people will understand as most Americans will never tune into a debate. I personally believe Oprah Winfrey had more to do with the election of Senator Barak Obama than the debates and job qualifications. By comparison Hillary Clinton was far more qualified and should have taken the Democrat nomination, but she was trumped by Oprah’s afternoon television show. In Iowa last month the two winning candidates were Bachmann and Paul. However, the media spent the weekend reporting on Perry and whether he would enter the campaign. Maybe looks have more to do with the process than records, or an agenda exists behind the scenes to drive a certain candidate to the top? For instance, when Gingrich announced his campaign the media immediately began unraveling campaign contribution paperwork and essentially destroyed the campaign before it started. Likewise, questions were raised concerning Bachman’s conflict between using Fannie Mae versus her opposition to the organization. In sharp contrast, Perry has been heralded by the media as the savior to the Republican Party; the only electable candidate. Similarly Romney has maintained headlines as a contender and every effort is made to make this a two-horse race. However, under scrutiny these two candidates are far more questionable than Bachman, Paul, Cain, or the rest of the field. Most people don’t realize Perry’s significant personal contributions to the Democrat party. He was formerly the Democrat Representative for Haskell County, Texas, state director of the Al Gore Presidential campaign in 1988, and in 1993 documented his enthusiastic support for Hillary Clinton’s proposed health care program. By far Perry’s worst action was his February 2007 executive order forcing every sixth-grade girl to submit to a three-jab regimen of the Gardasil vaccine. This decision undermines parental authority and one must wonder how such a mandate regarding a newly approved drug with unforeseen side-effects could benefit his state’s citizens. Romney is currently among the media top-ranked candidates although he skips debates and passes on appearances where voters could confront his record. Mitt Romney, as governor of Massachusetts, passed a health-care plan providing socialized medicine for its citizens. Regarding his jobs and economic performance, under Romney’s leadership Massachusetts has a weak comparative economic performance of the state, one of the worst in the country. I titled this column “Republican Chumps” for a reason; to highlight the fallacies of the contenders and question why so many are willing to blindly follow polls and “The View” to determine their Presidential nominee. I argue candidates Perry and Romney fail under scrutiny. The other candidates are only “unelectable” when ABC, NBC, and CBS make the decision on the voter’s behalf. Today the “chumps” are the candidates; tomorrow the “chumps” will be the uninformed voters.

Lawyers

Lawyers (8/31/2011) The problem in America with health care costs, insurance and even consumer costs is lawyers. I fly airplanes and recently was reading a placard in the aircraft, finding it idiotic because it states the obvious: "...failure to properly latch seat and heed all instructions can result in bodily injury or death." That placard is there due to a widow successfully suing Cessna when he adjusted his seat while climbing out on take-off. The incident was certainly not Cessna’s fault but a jury ruled otherwise. Some adventure sports like white water rafting and parachuting require a waiver before participating; again to head off lawsuits. Every amusement park in America has a warning to pregnant women and back pain sufferers at the front of each line to mitigate law suits. Similarly, my wife is pregnant and we were required to sign an 8-page disclaimer releasing the doctor of liability if the baby is harmed during birth due to law suits. Recently I was in Mexico with my kids and took them to an attraction consisting of natural park area, snorkeling, tubing, and other experiences. Walking through the park there were no hand rails to protect against a fall, there were no cameras watching our every move, and there were no warning signs at each ride In fact, it was probably the nicest, cleanest, most cost-effective, freest park experience I have ever head; it existed without the oversight of lawyers fueling idiocracy. Three weeks ago I traveled to Gulf Shores, Alabama and saw shocking “ambulance chaser” billboards. The law firms advertising were seeking clients who cleaned up the oil spill and "might" be exhibiting "any" symptoms of illness. Talk about fishing for monies and setting up for a class action lawsuit. It is nearly impossible to turn on the evening news in Orlando, Florida without the advertising of a particular law firm shopping for clients to call regarding the latest disease, tragedy, or injury. The only justification for the persistent advertising is the successful income stream generated by settlements made just under the radar of large companies. These under $20,000 lawsuits filed frivolously but settled readily by insurance companies cut costs instead of risking larger expenses in court, a steady windfall for law firms. Examples abound but now I must ask, is this the lawyers’ fault or the juries making it easy to win "life's lottery" with a lawsuit. I don't know that caps on lawsuits are the right answer but I would assert less monies to attorneys and more to victims would make lawyers less likely to shop for victims and more likely to pursue justice.

Changeling

Changeling (8/24/2011) My family and I recently watched the moving “Changeling” with Angelina Jolie. The movie itself was entertaining and focused on the efforts of a 1920’s woman to recover her missing son. The issue at hand was the corruption of the Los Angeles Police Department after receiving bad press and their attempts to cover up shoddy police work. As we watched I found myself angered over the blatant misuse of authority. For example, when Jolie’s character challenged the police department they had her committed to an LA psychological hospital; a warrantless incarceration without trial. Once behind the walls of the hospital it was nearly impossible for her to plead her case. Watching the movie caused me to challenge my kids to compare the situation to events of today and instantly they commented on perception of law enforcement corruption and intimidation. Of course, the most obvious example is TSA’s violation of the 4th Amendment at airport security check points and intimidation of people like Aaron Toney who was detained for 90 minutes, without arrest, by TSA on December 31 at Richmond, Virginia’s airport when he removed his shirt and displayed the 4th Amendment on his chest. In Philadelphia gun owner Mark Fiornio was nearly shot, detained and harassed for lawfully openly carrying a gun. A new FBI Advisory circular, “Communities Against Terrorism: Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activities Related to Military Surplus Stores” advises store owners to keep records of customers making lawful purchases but fitting a profile of self-preparedness. In London two weeks ago government officials required Amazon.com to stop selling self-defense weapons while authorities simultaneously allowed riots to “run their course.” Thus, the citizens lost the right to protect themselves in their own homes. Similarly, San Francisco authorities shut down cell-towers within the Bart system to prevent a possible riot from developing, but also leaving law abiding citizens with no mechanism for protection. Regardless of examples I provide I must wonder when intimidation will stop and the rule of law will prevail. The movie “Changeling” highlighted corruption I could not believe existed. Ultimately, the 1930’s Courts found in favor of their “own”, but yet the corruption was known and documented. Like the Gestapo, TSA, police departments, and the National Guard will be asked to turn on citizens instead of protecting those, they are here “To Serve and Protect.”

Things You Don’t Know

Things You Don’t Know (8/17/2011) It’s easy to watch the news and feel the economy is improving. Comically the performance of the Dow Jones is blasted at us each evening as the key indicator of economic success in America. It becomes more ironic when one thinks of Larry Kudlow shouting accolades of “Green Shoots” across the CNBC airwaves, but our neighbors are losing their jobs and homes. The Obama administration’s economic success is measured by the Dow, unemployment, and inflation. The numbers are reported as better than during the recession of the 1980s and especially better than the Great Depression. However, this is far from the truth. Every evening the swings in the Dow are blasted across the airwaves as the measure of success of our country. However, the Dow has changed so dramatically no one should pay any attention to these numbers. The Dow is an index of 30 companies, originally started in 1896. In 1896 there were twelve companies in the Dow and only one remains existence today, General Electric. Since 1896 the “components,” or 30 companies composing the index, have changed 48 times. Thus, a more technology weighted or health services weighted Dow can look nothing like the Dow of bygone years. When one adds inflation, as the Dow is unadjusted, the numbers become completely meaningless. The unemployment numbers are currently 9.1% and considered the holy grail of whether we are better off than the Great Depression. Most people don't realize the methods of calculating the unemployment rate have changed. The most significant change came in 1994 when those out of work for more than a year were eliminated from the numbers, essentially reducing the count by 5 million and in 2003 the statistical models were changed. Using old methods brings the current U-6 rate to 23%, in line with the numbers of the 1930's. The consumer price index (CPI) is the measure of inflation and it too has changed. The market basket of goods is to measure pricing averages as this index impacts policy and more importantly government dole like Social Security and Medicaid. Alan Greenspan argued the historic methods were invalid because, for example, if the price of a steak increased then consumers would substitute with hamburger. A somewhat valid argument until one considers rent, heating oil, and gasoline where there are no substitutions. Changes were made by Carter, Reagan, and Clinton to ensure inflation was not “overstated.” Housing is indexed to “rent equivalents” and energy has been eliminated. In essence, we are not comparing apples and apples to look at today versus yesterday. "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics." – Author Unknown

Collapse is Starting

Collapse is Starting (8/10/2011) President Obama promised “Hope and Change” when he was elected; he has definitely managed to deliver “Change,” and last week he was quoted saying “Hope” doesn’t happen overnight. Change has come at us like a freight train and repeatedly I have our covered loss of civil liberties, now our economic future has been stolen by Washington: - The debt deal promised cuts, but the debt will increase by $8 trillion dollars to $23 trillion by 2021. “Why?” Because the government calls a “cut” less spending than was projected for the following year, not less than is spent now. - The day after the deal passed the government spent $236 billion, or $750 per citizen, in a single day. For my family of six, the debt increased by $4500. I don’t have an extra $4500 lying around, do you? - Standard and Poor’s downgraded the U.S. credit outlook for the first time in history on August 5, 2011. To claim this is a political move would underscore the objectivity of credit reporting. - The official Chinese news agency commented, “China has every right now to demand the United States address its structural debt problems and ensure the safety of China's dollar assets.” - Food stamp usage hit a new historic high last week, 45.5 million, up from 26 million in January 2007, and 32 million in January 2009 when Obama took office. - According to the Census Bureau, homeownership fell to the lowest level since 1998, 65.9%, and if delinquencies are included the numbers match 1965’s level of 59.2%, according to Morgan Stanley. - Housing prices have dipped 32% since they peaked in mid-2006, again for the 50th straight month realtors call a bottom to the decline. - Weekly first time jobless claims continued their record setting levels above 400,000 for the 17th straight week. - The average length of time to find a job has surged to a new record, 40.4 weeks. - The labor force participation rate fell to a new low, 63.9% not seen since the early 1980s. - Including those who quit looking but desire employment, the broader unemployment rate reached 16.1%. - Gold topped historic numbers last week, closing above $1660/ounce. I believe President Obama and Congress sealed their political fate last week and I am hopeful revolution will begin with the election of leaders, not self-serving politicians in 2012. A quick read of history will point to failed governments following the same path as the United States. We will not have societal Armageddon tomorrow, but our standard of living, and more importantly future generations’ standard of living, will continue to decline.

Soldiers v Winehouse

Soldiers v Winehouse (8/3/2011) This past week I was riding with my daughter Haley talking about events of the week when I asked her if she knew who Amy Winehouse was. About two weeks ago Amy Winehouse died of an overdose and I had never heard of her, you probably haven’t either. What intrigued me more was the amount of media coverage her death received. I watch the NBC Nightly News and they gave at least three minutes to this celebrity, focusing on a lifestyle of degradation wrought with drugs and alcohol. My daughter impressed me with her next question, “did you see the Facebook post about this?” I asked her to explain as I had no idea what she was talking about. Haley went on to share a girl had posted about Amy Winehouse versus the soldiers who died in the same week. Essentially, this is the same issue bothering me. Receiving no media coverage were the U.S. soldiers who gave their lives in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, and Libya. Since 2002 thousands of soldiers have died fighting in our Presidents’ war on terror. These are funded by, but not declared wars by Congress and in my opinion Bush and Obama along with the entire Senate and House can be blamed for these deaths. Prior to Obama’s Presidency the major networks would publish the names of the soldiers who died each day and give coverage to the IEDs and bombings taking the lives of our sons and daughters. Part of Obama’s election platform was the withdrawal of troops and shutting down the wars, but the opposite has happened with as many lives lost on his watch as Bush’s. I puzzle why we have U.S. soldiers dying on foreign soil and speculate the following: Iraq – to install democracy, Afghanistan – to stop Al Queda, Libya – to remove Qhadaffi, and Yemen – to protect human rights. All of these theaters are U.N. sanctioned and fought without a declaration of War by the Congress. Therefore, our soldiers are policeman, not upholding the Constitutional premise of protection against enemies foreign and domestic, especially since Osama Bin Laden was killed and the mission accomplished. The Gulf of Tonkin taught us politicians will lie to create wars. I must now questions the policies of our government, and more personally I wonder if I would allow the government to send my sons to a questionable war. Of most concern is the media stopped questioning the reason for these wars and it now appears a meaningless, drugged up 27-year old British citizen deserves more coverage than our youth fighting a politicians’ war.

Alimony

Alimony is like winning the lottery - a lifetime of income incentivized to take from another. I have no objection to a "rehabilitative alimony" scheme to help a former partner gain traction. But a lifetime of lottery winnings arbitrarily tied to another's success is theft and indenturement. Please read and consider support improving outdated family court laws. Alimony battle heats up in CA and FL

My 100th Column

My 100th Column (07/27/2011) This week I celebrate my 100th column, a huge milestone for me as I could not have imagined writing for “The Observer” for nearly two years without missing a week; I just wish my high school English teacher could see me now. I want to thank the publishers for the opportunity, seeing something they liked and allowing me free reign to pontificate as I desire. It was freelance writing, “Death and Taxes” that won me the opportunity and I find it ironic it is that issue, taxes, currently in front of the American people. As I look back over the last 99 weeks I note my philosophies have emerged where I feel I can clearly define my views: libertarian (with a little “L”), constitutionalist fearful of eroding liberties, and angry at politicians feeling anointed to spend, steal, and create laws but yet hold themselves above the people. My early columns could be republished today: “What is Government’s Role”, “When Should Citizens Fear their Government?”, and “Big Brother is Watching.” Sadly I look back and see a country that has worsened during the last 100 weeks and continues to spin into the abyss while the citizenry look the other way to take in meaningless hype like Casey Anthony, the NFL, and “Dancing with Stars.” Two forces have united to provide the Kool-Aid for apathy, the media and the President. Right now we are two years into the economic recovery: remember “Green Shoots”, Biden and Obama touting all of the jobs they saved, and the National Realtors Association calling the bottom to housing prices? This deception is dutifully reported by the three networks and bull-horned by General Electric owned MSNBC and CNBC. Over the weekend, the networks gave more time to the Amy Winehouse drug-induced death than the critical issues. Did you know last week gold hit a historic high over $1,600/ounce; jobless claims topped 400,000 for the 15th week in a row; and Borders (closed 399 stores), Cisco and Lockheed Martin announced combined layoffs of 23,000? Since January state and local governments have laid off 142,000 workers. Let’s not forget last week’s media celebration of American Airlines ordering jets from Airbus, a consortium of European companies, a staggering loss to domestic aircraft producers. Although our President tells us things are better and improving it is impossible to conclude the same when looking at the numbers. Likewise the 1930s were a long road of government missteps trying to fix problems created by the same banking cartel whose lineage has brought the same destruction upon us today. Looking back, history provides hilarious quotes from our leaders during the Great Depression trumpeting the recovery and “Happy Days are Here Again.” I believe Obama and Biden will be similarly chided for their mistruths when history is chiseled.