I love you both dearly. Especially you, Rachel - your beautiful smile and intellect - I just want to hang out with you and soak you up.
However, I'm reaching a saturation point for angry information about people acting badly. I've come to expect such bad behavior that nothing you share with me is remotely a surprise. It's almost more surprising that it's thought to be noteworthy.
More than twenty years ago, I stopped watching local TV news when our largest local affiliate ran all the way to Shreveport to lead with a murder story. People get angry, they have family arguments, they get drunk and argue, they try to steal sixty bucks from the corner convenience store and someone gets killed. Lather, rinse, repeat - is it news? Is it UNUSUAL?
Some ten years later, I stopped reading the local newspaper. Every single story was slanted toward a particular political and social viewpoint (one that did not include persons of color, as an example).
I was raised believing that watching the news and reading the newspapers were signs of intelligence.
It's a brave, new world.
I began to put my faith in blogs - people who undertook to recreate what reporters USED to do - research, read, assemble. Angry, ranting blogs weren't what I read - blogs that cross linked to original sources or other references so I could (and did) go read for myself were valuable.
Those resources haven't changed. But, all the anger is pointless. We're all raging at symptoms - screaming at a runny nose or a sore throat when the problem is that we should have covered our sneeze, or washed our hands appropriately, or eaten a better diet or gotten more sleep.
We are hip deep in crazy because no one's willing to deal with causes. Causes as in causal issues. Everyone's interested in having their own little world pampered, but there are no big picture thinkers who aren't either Matt Taibbi or the titans of Wall Street.
Frankly, if Matt Taibbi was running Wall Street, there'd be a whole lot more and better money being made and no more bubbles bursting.
KKR has a longer world view. AIG did not. Goldman does.
I'm thinking that the health insurance companies know that long-term, their goose is cooked. I'm thinking that they're looking to make hay while the sun still shines, and maybe extend the time that they reap those benefits.
Which leads me back to my point. I love you guys. I love you. You make me feel like I'm not alone. Yet, we're not making progress. We're tilting at windmills. I already gave up Daily Kos. It's time to go back to fundamentals. We have to re-teach civics and expand understanding. We have to give clear access to facts and provide an alternative to spin.
I know I'm going to be drawn back to you from time to time, but I need to take a break and re-focus.
DJHJD
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Speed walking through Safeway
I recall there being a wide variety of laundry soap products; now, at one of the largest Safeway (Randall's) stores in the Houston market - there is only a wide variety of liquid Tide. Tide makes my pale, white skin break out, so I was hoping for something else.
They did have sugar-free Popsicles on sale, which was fun. They also still had a bunch of sugar free tapioca cups in the discount bin, so I grabbed a bunch. Either I've gone daft, or they only had a very small selection of bacon. They also had coffee on sale (which was what brought me into the store - I was out of bean). Dunkin Donuts beans are more expensive than Starbucks? Really? Safeway has prices marked in disparate ways, just as do all grocery chains - some containers are marked per pound, some per ounce, some per package. This requires math on the spot - which is the better deal? This one's on sale, but the price per measure isn't converted for the SALE price, only for the original price ..
Calculate, calculate, calculate. This one says it's organic, but is it fair trade? This one looks perfect, but it's decaf.
Finally, I reached a decision.
The little hand basket loaded to overflowing, I wandered over to the cash registers, so loaded up with last minute offerings that one can't see whether a cashier is there until one gets right up on the belt.
I remember when Randall's (before it was Safeway) used to have thirty plus types of mustard. Now, there are five or six.
Not that I don't care for Randall's now - but, how Randall's became Safeway is an excellent example of how American business is so focused on short term profit and not on long term stability and growth.
Back in the distant past, there were four or five grocery chains that dominated the Houston market. Kroger, Randall's and Weingarten's, Safeway, Gerland's and Feista. Feista, I believe was a Spanish market store created by the Weingarten family.
Of those, only Kroger and Safeway were multi-state chains.
Houston has seen and kicked Albertson's to the curb, along with Food Lion and a few others. Weingarten ran for the exits in the 1980s, wisely focusing on their real estate holdings. Gerland's gave up the ghost, although hints of it linger on in the Food Town chain. Fiesta moves from strength to strength. Kroger has been the king of the hill for decades.
Safeway, though, had a very strong market position. In about 1986, Safeway was put "in play" by Robert Haft (who were, at least in the business of running food and drug stores), and the board ran for cover with Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts (KKR) as their savior. This is sort of like leaping into the arms of the cannibal pygmies to save oneself from being eaten by marauding lions. Proving my axiom, KKR required that the company repay the borrowed money by selling off chunks.
Of course, KKR handled the filings and arranged the financing making a blizzard of cash.
The helpful investment house of KKR offered to broker the sale of huge chunks of Safeway, which had been so neatly assembled over fifty years following a strategy set in place by Merrill Lynch. Overseas operations, about half the total was all sold. The Houston operation, including its distribution warehouses and its brand spankin' new dairy factory to the Houston managers.
Who had to borrow the money.
From KKR.
Who made a shitload of money on THAT angle, too.
Enter "Apple Tree Markets".
Apple Tree was actually a TERRIFIC grocery chain, but the debt load was too great to sustain its operations, and pieces of it began to fly off. The dairy plant. Prime locations. The stores started to show their plight.
Finally, Apple Tree stores sold off their pieces to .. Randall's and Fiesta. Mostly to Randall's, which expanded hugely from Apple Tree's failure.
Randall's bought up the Tom Thumb stores in Dallas, along with Apple Tree stores all around the state. And they were large. And they were prosperous-ish.
And they loaded up on debt.
Kroger, being the 800 pound gorilla in the marketplace, only had to burp up a few tenths of a percentage of cash flow to turn a cranky, 1970s Kroger store into a Sak's like emporium, and Randall's had to keep up.
And the money kept flowing in ... (with acknowledgment to Tim Rice). Guess who loaned them the money???? (hint, their initials are KKR)
Well, ten years after taking the company private, the Safeway folks were .. expanding into new markets to replace those 1,000 or so stores that vanished when KKR took the company private.
And, guess how they re-entered Texas? By buying Randall's and paying a blizzard of money for it. That they borrowed. From KKR. But, wait - KKR was the majority owner of Randall's - and had provided Randall's all of the financing - so, how did they .. loan .. uh ..
And now, we have Safeway in Houston again.
And Kroger is still the 800 pound gorilla.
But KKR has made a TON of money! Retail centers have lost tenants, managers and employees have lost jobs, pensions are gone, choices are fewer - but KKR HAS MADE A TON OF MONEY!!!!!!
And, isn't that how it should work? A growing food and drug chain in DC decides to expand their presence, so they start buying stock in a large, publicly traded grocery and drug chain but the board of directors of the large, publicly traded grocery and drug chain want to retain their jobs and their panache, so they bargain with the devil, who requires them to sell off ONE HALF of their enterprise, pay enormous fees and interest, finances the sales of all the ONE HALF of their enterprise to the buyers - making interest and fees, then FIRES ALL THE DAMNED DIRECTORS ANYWAY, and then suggests - hey, you guys - you should be expanding into these markets you're not currently in (because we made you sell the stores you already had there) and SELLS THEM MORE STORES THEY ALREADY OWN.
Seems quite reasonable.
And we wonder why sub-prime mortgages didn't sound so bad.
They did have sugar-free Popsicles on sale, which was fun. They also still had a bunch of sugar free tapioca cups in the discount bin, so I grabbed a bunch. Either I've gone daft, or they only had a very small selection of bacon. They also had coffee on sale (which was what brought me into the store - I was out of bean). Dunkin Donuts beans are more expensive than Starbucks? Really? Safeway has prices marked in disparate ways, just as do all grocery chains - some containers are marked per pound, some per ounce, some per package. This requires math on the spot - which is the better deal? This one's on sale, but the price per measure isn't converted for the SALE price, only for the original price ..
Calculate, calculate, calculate. This one says it's organic, but is it fair trade? This one looks perfect, but it's decaf.
Finally, I reached a decision.
The little hand basket loaded to overflowing, I wandered over to the cash registers, so loaded up with last minute offerings that one can't see whether a cashier is there until one gets right up on the belt.
I remember when Randall's (before it was Safeway) used to have thirty plus types of mustard. Now, there are five or six.
Not that I don't care for Randall's now - but, how Randall's became Safeway is an excellent example of how American business is so focused on short term profit and not on long term stability and growth.
Back in the distant past, there were four or five grocery chains that dominated the Houston market. Kroger, Randall's and Weingarten's, Safeway, Gerland's and Feista. Feista, I believe was a Spanish market store created by the Weingarten family.
Of those, only Kroger and Safeway were multi-state chains.
Houston has seen and kicked Albertson's to the curb, along with Food Lion and a few others. Weingarten ran for the exits in the 1980s, wisely focusing on their real estate holdings. Gerland's gave up the ghost, although hints of it linger on in the Food Town chain. Fiesta moves from strength to strength. Kroger has been the king of the hill for decades.
Safeway, though, had a very strong market position. In about 1986, Safeway was put "in play" by Robert Haft (who were, at least in the business of running food and drug stores), and the board ran for cover with Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts (KKR) as their savior. This is sort of like leaping into the arms of the cannibal pygmies to save oneself from being eaten by marauding lions. Proving my axiom, KKR required that the company repay the borrowed money by selling off chunks.
Of course, KKR handled the filings and arranged the financing making a blizzard of cash.
The helpful investment house of KKR offered to broker the sale of huge chunks of Safeway, which had been so neatly assembled over fifty years following a strategy set in place by Merrill Lynch. Overseas operations, about half the total was all sold. The Houston operation, including its distribution warehouses and its brand spankin' new dairy factory to the Houston managers.
Who had to borrow the money.
From KKR.
Who made a shitload of money on THAT angle, too.
Enter "Apple Tree Markets".
Apple Tree was actually a TERRIFIC grocery chain, but the debt load was too great to sustain its operations, and pieces of it began to fly off. The dairy plant. Prime locations. The stores started to show their plight.
Finally, Apple Tree stores sold off their pieces to .. Randall's and Fiesta. Mostly to Randall's, which expanded hugely from Apple Tree's failure.
Randall's bought up the Tom Thumb stores in Dallas, along with Apple Tree stores all around the state. And they were large. And they were prosperous-ish.
And they loaded up on debt.
Kroger, being the 800 pound gorilla in the marketplace, only had to burp up a few tenths of a percentage of cash flow to turn a cranky, 1970s Kroger store into a Sak's like emporium, and Randall's had to keep up.
And the money kept flowing in ... (with acknowledgment to Tim Rice). Guess who loaned them the money???? (hint, their initials are KKR)
Well, ten years after taking the company private, the Safeway folks were .. expanding into new markets to replace those 1,000 or so stores that vanished when KKR took the company private.
And, guess how they re-entered Texas? By buying Randall's and paying a blizzard of money for it. That they borrowed. From KKR. But, wait - KKR was the majority owner of Randall's - and had provided Randall's all of the financing - so, how did they .. loan .. uh ..
And now, we have Safeway in Houston again.
And Kroger is still the 800 pound gorilla.
But KKR has made a TON of money! Retail centers have lost tenants, managers and employees have lost jobs, pensions are gone, choices are fewer - but KKR HAS MADE A TON OF MONEY!!!!!!
And, isn't that how it should work? A growing food and drug chain in DC decides to expand their presence, so they start buying stock in a large, publicly traded grocery and drug chain but the board of directors of the large, publicly traded grocery and drug chain want to retain their jobs and their panache, so they bargain with the devil, who requires them to sell off ONE HALF of their enterprise, pay enormous fees and interest, finances the sales of all the ONE HALF of their enterprise to the buyers - making interest and fees, then FIRES ALL THE DAMNED DIRECTORS ANYWAY, and then suggests - hey, you guys - you should be expanding into these markets you're not currently in (because we made you sell the stores you already had there) and SELLS THEM MORE STORES THEY ALREADY OWN.
Seems quite reasonable.
And we wonder why sub-prime mortgages didn't sound so bad.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Berlin calling
In 1975, I visited Berlin for about a week. I was 15 years old, and yet I was captivated. Berlin has a history going back a thousand years, is the amalgamation of a number of smaller cities and villages, and is now one of the most important and exciting cities in the EU.
And, in 1945, it was blown to smithereens. British bombs, then Russian artillery blew the city into rubble. Every structure of importance was reduced to its foundations. To look at Berlin today, one wouldn't realize that the heritage was reconstructed - it is a blending of new and old, modern and traditional, experimental and trusted.
Last night, I had a delightful surprise through an email from Philip. Just as a reminder, there are only two Philip(s) with one "l", and this one is the awesome one that stayed with me one summer a few years ago.
He, Philip, is engaged in an effort to re-define and revitalize Detroit.
People slag Detroit endlessly and have for decades, but most people have never visited there. A hundred years ago, Detroit was arguably the second most important city in the country - a status it held until the 1960s. The race riots of 1967, spurred by the division of the black neighborhoods by the development of I-75, accelerated "white flight", and the city itself has never recovered.
Detroit presents an incredible and unique opportunity - the re-invention of a major American city. Rather than rely on traditional methods to spur growth and re-settlement, it is an opportunity to think totally out of the box, and marry the advantages of human convergence in a major city with renewable, sustainable environments that reduce city infrastructure needs, support growth through reduced recurring costs, provide a healthful environment for residents and look forward to what comes next, rather than trying to be a better city for 1958.
My mind is a river of ideas for the concept.
And, in 1945, it was blown to smithereens. British bombs, then Russian artillery blew the city into rubble. Every structure of importance was reduced to its foundations. To look at Berlin today, one wouldn't realize that the heritage was reconstructed - it is a blending of new and old, modern and traditional, experimental and trusted.
Last night, I had a delightful surprise through an email from Philip. Just as a reminder, there are only two Philip(s) with one "l", and this one is the awesome one that stayed with me one summer a few years ago.
He, Philip, is engaged in an effort to re-define and revitalize Detroit.
People slag Detroit endlessly and have for decades, but most people have never visited there. A hundred years ago, Detroit was arguably the second most important city in the country - a status it held until the 1960s. The race riots of 1967, spurred by the division of the black neighborhoods by the development of I-75, accelerated "white flight", and the city itself has never recovered.
Detroit presents an incredible and unique opportunity - the re-invention of a major American city. Rather than rely on traditional methods to spur growth and re-settlement, it is an opportunity to think totally out of the box, and marry the advantages of human convergence in a major city with renewable, sustainable environments that reduce city infrastructure needs, support growth through reduced recurring costs, provide a healthful environment for residents and look forward to what comes next, rather than trying to be a better city for 1958.
My mind is a river of ideas for the concept.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Every once in a while
I feel validated.
It seems that someone in California has obtained the signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would outlaw divorce completely.
Now, THAT would be marriage as a sanctity.
It seems that someone in California has obtained the signatures to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would outlaw divorce completely.
Now, THAT would be marriage as a sanctity.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
On The Town
Last night, I was delighted to watch the first production of Leonard Bernstein's "On The Town" ever mounted here in Houston. It was very cute, but my not-gay friend who took me kept remarking on how very gay the male cast members were.
And they were. Like "holy CRAP that boy is gay".
Back in "the day" when homo-ness was less acceptable, we (I) had to hide out in plain sight, which required that we be more conforming than is now the standard. In theater arts, one could be a bit more expressive - but, you were in the main NOT going to be so expressive that people would figure it out from twenty paces.
These boys - their gayness could be detected from space.
Not that it's bad, but one of the qualities of live theater in the past was that the dancing/singing/acting boys were just SLIGHTLY more appealing in terms of their finesse, their presentation, their expressions. When their gayness begins to negatively affect the believability of whether they would actually be found dancing with a scantily dressed female - the illusion is shattered and they aren't fitting for the roles they were cast into.
Sailors who chase dames, for instance, should at least give the idea that they'd be INTERESTED in chasing dames. And not to learn where they picked up those fabulous shoes.
And they were. Like "holy CRAP that boy is gay".
Back in "the day" when homo-ness was less acceptable, we (I) had to hide out in plain sight, which required that we be more conforming than is now the standard. In theater arts, one could be a bit more expressive - but, you were in the main NOT going to be so expressive that people would figure it out from twenty paces.
These boys - their gayness could be detected from space.
Not that it's bad, but one of the qualities of live theater in the past was that the dancing/singing/acting boys were just SLIGHTLY more appealing in terms of their finesse, their presentation, their expressions. When their gayness begins to negatively affect the believability of whether they would actually be found dancing with a scantily dressed female - the illusion is shattered and they aren't fitting for the roles they were cast into.
Sailors who chase dames, for instance, should at least give the idea that they'd be INTERESTED in chasing dames. And not to learn where they picked up those fabulous shoes.
The day after 090909
More teaching tomorrow and Saturday - maybe I'll get some marketing out for myself.
I wasn't quite expecting as much out of Obama's speech as we seem to have gotten. At the same time, the political theater is draining.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Happy anniversary last night, Rachel!
Spent Labor Day in awesome conversation connecting dots in elements of our national discourse and events. It was great to engage in uniform praise for Matt Taibbi, and to turn the concepts around together with other people who are analytical and well informed.
Consider -
H1N1 (swine) flu historically starts out with a short term spike that is minimally fatal. The flu begins to mutate, and comes back in the late fall/early winter, but then roars – nay, explodes – into a virulent killing machine in the late winter.
It seems quite clear that health reform will not have a public option (perhaps one that is “triggered” but not one starting out) and given that the same players created a TWO YEAR opportunity for credit card issuers to knock interest rates out of the park before new rules took effect, we can expect that any health reform (which should be in place before the H1N1 flu comes back for its class reunion around Thanksgiving) will have given the health insurance companies ample opportunity to reduce, reuse and recycle existing policy holders by jacking up premiums, co-pays, reducing benefits and basically making it very challenging for people to maintain their current health coverage.
While not widely reported, a very well researched and thorough writer has commented that a great number of his personal contacts are anonymously suggesting that we are about to experience major employers greatly reducing health benefits, increasing co-pays, increasing employee contributions especially for spousal or dependent coverage. This is expected to begin taking effect when enrollment periods open, which is traditionally late in the calendar year.
While not widely understood, current health insurance policies do NOT pay for emergency services, such as an emergency room visit with an onset of, say, sudden, chronic flu symptoms. Recently, a close friend had a visit to the ER after a diabetic episode at work and found that his employer paid health insurance pays only TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS of ER visits that are not (get this) approved IN ADVANCE.
Um, sure. “Hello? HMO? I'm thinking I'll have the flu on Thursday and may need to go to the ER – maybe Thursday night or Friday?”
In the 2000 presidential election, Ralph Nader was directly and aggressively challenged for his threat of Al Gore's effort to attain the White House. He acknowledged that, indeed, his intent was to block Al Gore from becoming president, saying (paraphrased) that our country had not yet suffered enough havoc of the policies of the previous 30 years to make lasting, real change.
I believe that he was right.
I believe also that a perfect storm may be brewing of greatly reduced health benefits, greatly increased health premium costs, greatly increased out of pocket payments for ER visits, co-pays and emergency treatment and the return of the H1N1 flu.
That change Ralph Nader has long thought needed may be nearly upon us.
Consider -
H1N1 (swine) flu historically starts out with a short term spike that is minimally fatal. The flu begins to mutate, and comes back in the late fall/early winter, but then roars – nay, explodes – into a virulent killing machine in the late winter.
It seems quite clear that health reform will not have a public option (perhaps one that is “triggered” but not one starting out) and given that the same players created a TWO YEAR opportunity for credit card issuers to knock interest rates out of the park before new rules took effect, we can expect that any health reform (which should be in place before the H1N1 flu comes back for its class reunion around Thanksgiving) will have given the health insurance companies ample opportunity to reduce, reuse and recycle existing policy holders by jacking up premiums, co-pays, reducing benefits and basically making it very challenging for people to maintain their current health coverage.
While not widely reported, a very well researched and thorough writer has commented that a great number of his personal contacts are anonymously suggesting that we are about to experience major employers greatly reducing health benefits, increasing co-pays, increasing employee contributions especially for spousal or dependent coverage. This is expected to begin taking effect when enrollment periods open, which is traditionally late in the calendar year.
While not widely understood, current health insurance policies do NOT pay for emergency services, such as an emergency room visit with an onset of, say, sudden, chronic flu symptoms. Recently, a close friend had a visit to the ER after a diabetic episode at work and found that his employer paid health insurance pays only TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS of ER visits that are not (get this) approved IN ADVANCE.
Um, sure. “Hello? HMO? I'm thinking I'll have the flu on Thursday and may need to go to the ER – maybe Thursday night or Friday?”
In the 2000 presidential election, Ralph Nader was directly and aggressively challenged for his threat of Al Gore's effort to attain the White House. He acknowledged that, indeed, his intent was to block Al Gore from becoming president, saying (paraphrased) that our country had not yet suffered enough havoc of the policies of the previous 30 years to make lasting, real change.
I believe that he was right.
I believe also that a perfect storm may be brewing of greatly reduced health benefits, greatly increased health premium costs, greatly increased out of pocket payments for ER visits, co-pays and emergency treatment and the return of the H1N1 flu.
That change Ralph Nader has long thought needed may be nearly upon us.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Lather, rinse, repeat
Program Director: Take 2, cue Howard.
Beale: I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth; banks are going bust; shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter; punks are running wild in the street, and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it.
We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat. And we sit watching our TVs while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be!
We all know things are bad -- worse than bad -- they're crazy.
It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out any more. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we're living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, "Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials, and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone."
Well, I'm not going to leave you alone.
I want you to get mad!
I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot. I don't want you to write to your Congressman, because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street.
All I know is that first, you've got to get mad.
You've gotta say, "I'm a human being, goddammit! My life has value!"
So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out and yell,
"I'm as mad as hell,
and I'm not going to take this anymore!!"
Beale: I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth; banks are going bust; shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter; punks are running wild in the street, and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it.
We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat. And we sit watching our TVs while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be!
We all know things are bad -- worse than bad -- they're crazy.
It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out any more. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we're living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, "Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials, and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone."
Well, I'm not going to leave you alone.
I want you to get mad!
I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot. I don't want you to write to your Congressman, because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street.
All I know is that first, you've got to get mad.
You've gotta say, "I'm a human being, goddammit! My life has value!"
So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out and yell,
"I'm as mad as hell,
and I'm not going to take this anymore!!"
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
why is this even a question?
No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick.
Dear President Obama,
I understand you’re thinking of dumping your “public option” because of all the demagoguery by Sarah Palin and Dick Armey and Newt Gingrich and their crowd on right-wing radio and Fox. Fine. Good idea, in fact.
Instead, let’s make it simple. Please let us buy into Medicare.
It would be so easy. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel with this so-called “public option” that’s a whole new program from the ground up. Medicare already exists. It works. Some people will like it, others won’t – just like the Post Office versus FedEx analogy you’re so comfortable with.
Just pass a simple bill – it could probably be just a few lines, like when Medicare was expanded to include disabled people – that says that any American citizen can buy into the program at a rate to be set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which reflects the actual cost for us to buy into it.
So it’s revenue neutral!
To make it available to people of low income, raise the rates slightly for all currently non-eligible people (like me - under 65) to cover the cost of below-200%-of-poverty people. Revenue neutral again.
Most of us will do damn near anything to get out from under the thumbs of the multi-millionaire CEOs who are running our current insurance programs. Sign me up!
This lets you blow up all the rumors about death panels and grandma and everything else: everybody knows what Medicare is. Those who scorn it can go with Blue Cross. Those who like it can buy into it. Simplicity itself.
Of course, we’d like a few fixes, like letting Medicare negotiate drug prices and filling some of the holes Republicans and AARP and the big insurance lobbyists have drilled into Medicare so people have to buy “supplemental” insurance, but that can wait for the second round. Let’s get this done first.
Simple stuff. Medicare for anybody who wants it. Private health insurance for those who don’t. Easy message. Even Max Baucus and Chuck Grassley can understand it. Sarah Palin can buy into it, or ignore it. No death panels, no granny plugs, nothing. Just a few sentences.
Replace the “you must be disabled or 65” with “here’s what it’ll cost if you want to buy in, and here’s the sliding scale of subsidies we’ll give you if you’re poor, paid for by everybody else who’s buying in.” (You could roll back the Reagan tax cuts and make it all free, but that’s another rant.)
We elected you because we expected you to have the courage of your convictions. Here’s how. Not the “single payer Medicare for all” that many of us would prefer, but a simple, “Medicare for anybody who wants to buy in.”
Respectfully,
DrDivo
Dear President Obama,
I understand you’re thinking of dumping your “public option” because of all the demagoguery by Sarah Palin and Dick Armey and Newt Gingrich and their crowd on right-wing radio and Fox. Fine. Good idea, in fact.
Instead, let’s make it simple. Please let us buy into Medicare.
It would be so easy. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel with this so-called “public option” that’s a whole new program from the ground up. Medicare already exists. It works. Some people will like it, others won’t – just like the Post Office versus FedEx analogy you’re so comfortable with.
Just pass a simple bill – it could probably be just a few lines, like when Medicare was expanded to include disabled people – that says that any American citizen can buy into the program at a rate to be set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) which reflects the actual cost for us to buy into it.
So it’s revenue neutral!
To make it available to people of low income, raise the rates slightly for all currently non-eligible people (like me - under 65) to cover the cost of below-200%-of-poverty people. Revenue neutral again.
Most of us will do damn near anything to get out from under the thumbs of the multi-millionaire CEOs who are running our current insurance programs. Sign me up!
This lets you blow up all the rumors about death panels and grandma and everything else: everybody knows what Medicare is. Those who scorn it can go with Blue Cross. Those who like it can buy into it. Simplicity itself.
Of course, we’d like a few fixes, like letting Medicare negotiate drug prices and filling some of the holes Republicans and AARP and the big insurance lobbyists have drilled into Medicare so people have to buy “supplemental” insurance, but that can wait for the second round. Let’s get this done first.
Simple stuff. Medicare for anybody who wants it. Private health insurance for those who don’t. Easy message. Even Max Baucus and Chuck Grassley can understand it. Sarah Palin can buy into it, or ignore it. No death panels, no granny plugs, nothing. Just a few sentences.
Replace the “you must be disabled or 65” with “here’s what it’ll cost if you want to buy in, and here’s the sliding scale of subsidies we’ll give you if you’re poor, paid for by everybody else who’s buying in.” (You could roll back the Reagan tax cuts and make it all free, but that’s another rant.)
We elected you because we expected you to have the courage of your convictions. Here’s how. Not the “single payer Medicare for all” that many of us would prefer, but a simple, “Medicare for anybody who wants to buy in.”
Respectfully,
DrDivo
Monday, August 31, 2009
August's last day for 2009
If one believes in the "Mayan" predictions, we have approximately three years, three months and three weeks before our plane of existence comes to a complete halt.
Personally, I don't find much strength in that line of reasoning.
I was driving by Momentum Audi today; they have a bright red A6 out front that isn't in their online inventory. Do I care enough to call 'em and ask about it? To point out that keeping their online information current is very important?
No.
Over the weekend, a friend had a call (he's a fire fighter) to an auto accident - a four year old dead, a six year old lost both of her feet - both of these before anyone was transported to the hospital. The cause? An unlicensed 15 year old who was texting.
Yikes. This morning, I carried my phone to the office in the trunk of the car. I need to leave it back there every time. EVERY time.
Mr. Z gave me one of Cafe del Mar's CDs to listen to - it's AMAZING. I have been playing it in the car, and it's just splendid.
I'm curious about time's passing. It's a very interesting dynamic.
I'm also curious about how resistant people are to change.
Personally, I don't find much strength in that line of reasoning.
I was driving by Momentum Audi today; they have a bright red A6 out front that isn't in their online inventory. Do I care enough to call 'em and ask about it? To point out that keeping their online information current is very important?
No.
Over the weekend, a friend had a call (he's a fire fighter) to an auto accident - a four year old dead, a six year old lost both of her feet - both of these before anyone was transported to the hospital. The cause? An unlicensed 15 year old who was texting.
Yikes. This morning, I carried my phone to the office in the trunk of the car. I need to leave it back there every time. EVERY time.
Mr. Z gave me one of Cafe del Mar's CDs to listen to - it's AMAZING. I have been playing it in the car, and it's just splendid.
I'm curious about time's passing. It's a very interesting dynamic.
I'm also curious about how resistant people are to change.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Things that make up a Friday morning -
Recently, I re-connected with my best friend from law school - thanks to Facebook. It has been incredibly rewarding to be back in touch with him. This morning, he and I were chatting away on Instant Messenger and he said this:
I just laughed so hard and so long I coughed up a lung.
In my email this morning was this:
I suppose it could have been even MORE of a great start to a Friday morning if I had received a note that someone had just given me my S8 free and clear, but this wasn't bad at all. I am psyched about it!
I notice this morning that the board of VW has voted to merge with Porsche.
For those that haven't been following, here's how this went -
Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP were elected to a plurality of seats in the German Reichstag in March, 1933.
They created a government with the Social Democrats.
They put all the Social Democrats in jail.
They eliminated all civil rights, unions, communists, jews, slavs, gypsies and youth organizations.
In replacing the unions with a single, national "union" that everyone had to belong to, they created the first rewards program wherein workers had deductions taken from their paychecks so that they could participate in vacations, cruises and such. This program was called "Kraft durch Freude" (or, Work through Joy).
To further give the non-unionized laborers incentive to labor endlessly without overtime, the right to strike or bargain or change jobs, the government announced that a brand new car would be sold on a weekly subscription basis - the "Kraft durch Freude" car - KDF, popularly known as the People's car (Volks wagen).
The car was designed by Prof. Dr. Ing. H. C. Ferdinand Porsche, who, like Hitler, was an Austrian, but had a bunch of training and skill other than bombastic oratory and making people hate each other. Prof. Dr. Porsche had this notion that designing a car with a flat, air cooled engine in the back driving the back wheels was the best idea since Austria became the center of the Holy Roman Empire, and later created a slightly more exciting car on the same basic design called the Porsche 911.
Said workers had another involuntary payroll deduction, and ground was broken for a massive factory near Wolfsburg, which had hitherto served no particular purpose in the German economy, but benefited someone who sold the land. This would become the massive Volkswagenwerk.
Gazillions of Marks were collected from paychecks, and not a single car was produced or delivered to those who had their money withheld. Sort of like a Tucker Torpedo, but without the cool movie starring Jeff Bridges.
Hitler got too frisky in his efforts to seize assets without paying for it, and eventually the Brits and the 'Murricans blew everything in Germany to bits with high explosives. In order to avoid this outcome, Prof. Dr. Porsche and his family designed tanks instead of air cooled cars with the engines hanging off'n their butts. They found it a little more convenient to avoid hot death dropping from the skies and moved their little operation to far Eastern Austria.
The 'Murricans thought that they could gain a leg up on 500 years of European colonial domination by rebuilding Europe, and so threw more money at Germany than they had previously thrown high explosives. Thinking that they had some say in the matter, the French, the Brits and the Russians took possession of different parts of Germany, and the Porsche family was involuntarily split into two geographic groups - northern and south-eastern.
Prof. Dr. Porsche and his family gently took control of the Volkswagenwerk, the plans for the KDF car, and the factory with the kind assistance of the government of Lower Saxony. Since they already had the plans for a real car thing, they started building them. This was the Northern part of the family.
Because the tank building part of the family had this nifty factory over in the southeastern part, and because they couldn't run back home to Wolfsburg and surrounds, they created a new company to continue to build Porsche automobiles.
Prof. Dr. Porsche died.
His family, in the grand tradition of the Hiltons, the Vanderbilts and others, fought over the spoils.
Each car company was mostly controlled by descendants of the guy who thought that hanging an engine off of the back of an axle was a great design.
People get confused, thinking that two different sets of folks control these companies - mostly because the Peich line controls the VW company. Peich is a grandson of the aforementioned Prof. Dr. Porsche. Porsche AG has been mostly controlled by Ferry Porsche, who was the son of Prof. Dr. Porsche. Peich is his nephew, the son of his sister.
Since Ferry died, the grandsons (Peich and Ferry the third) have been playing an endless game of "who's got the bigger dick", in which Ferry three attempted to swallow the world's third largest automaker whole with the backing of certain Gulf state oil investors.
Then, the whole economy of the world fainted, and Ferry three couldn't pay the bills on his efforts to "fress" (German for eat, but in the sense that an animal eats) Fow-Vay (German, for VW).
VW now is buying Porsche SE.
So, doesn't this mean that two cousins have blown through over $12,000,000,000 against shareholder interests, the interests of the workers, the franchisees, the ability to design new product, expand into new markets, reduce the costs of their products - just to see who had the bigger weenie?
Someone should take 'em both out back and give them the whacking that they should have each gotten back in the 1950s.
My favorite Doug utterance ever was this:
We were at someone's house, someone we didn't know, and they had two hyper barking jumping little white dogs. You were reading something, and I asked you what kind of dogs they were. Without looking up or moving, you answered, "White". I don't know why, but it's the best ever.
I just laughed so hard and so long I coughed up a lung.
In my email this morning was this:
Dear First Prize Winner,
Congratulations! You have been selected to receive a prize in the Lexus HS Contest, administered by ePrize.
You have been selected as the winner of a the use of a Lexus HS for one (1) week and a Lexus Hybrid Living gift bag containing Sponsor selected Lexus branded products! Please see the attached Official Rules for further prize details and eligibility requirements.
I suppose it could have been even MORE of a great start to a Friday morning if I had received a note that someone had just given me my S8 free and clear, but this wasn't bad at all. I am psyched about it!
I notice this morning that the board of VW has voted to merge with Porsche.
For those that haven't been following, here's how this went -
Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP were elected to a plurality of seats in the German Reichstag in March, 1933.
They created a government with the Social Democrats.
They put all the Social Democrats in jail.
They eliminated all civil rights, unions, communists, jews, slavs, gypsies and youth organizations.
In replacing the unions with a single, national "union" that everyone had to belong to, they created the first rewards program wherein workers had deductions taken from their paychecks so that they could participate in vacations, cruises and such. This program was called "Kraft durch Freude" (or, Work through Joy).
To further give the non-unionized laborers incentive to labor endlessly without overtime, the right to strike or bargain or change jobs, the government announced that a brand new car would be sold on a weekly subscription basis - the "Kraft durch Freude" car - KDF, popularly known as the People's car (Volks wagen).
The car was designed by Prof. Dr. Ing. H. C. Ferdinand Porsche, who, like Hitler, was an Austrian, but had a bunch of training and skill other than bombastic oratory and making people hate each other. Prof. Dr. Porsche had this notion that designing a car with a flat, air cooled engine in the back driving the back wheels was the best idea since Austria became the center of the Holy Roman Empire, and later created a slightly more exciting car on the same basic design called the Porsche 911.
Said workers had another involuntary payroll deduction, and ground was broken for a massive factory near Wolfsburg, which had hitherto served no particular purpose in the German economy, but benefited someone who sold the land. This would become the massive Volkswagenwerk.
Gazillions of Marks were collected from paychecks, and not a single car was produced or delivered to those who had their money withheld. Sort of like a Tucker Torpedo, but without the cool movie starring Jeff Bridges.
Hitler got too frisky in his efforts to seize assets without paying for it, and eventually the Brits and the 'Murricans blew everything in Germany to bits with high explosives. In order to avoid this outcome, Prof. Dr. Porsche and his family designed tanks instead of air cooled cars with the engines hanging off'n their butts. They found it a little more convenient to avoid hot death dropping from the skies and moved their little operation to far Eastern Austria.
The 'Murricans thought that they could gain a leg up on 500 years of European colonial domination by rebuilding Europe, and so threw more money at Germany than they had previously thrown high explosives. Thinking that they had some say in the matter, the French, the Brits and the Russians took possession of different parts of Germany, and the Porsche family was involuntarily split into two geographic groups - northern and south-eastern.
Prof. Dr. Porsche and his family gently took control of the Volkswagenwerk, the plans for the KDF car, and the factory with the kind assistance of the government of Lower Saxony. Since they already had the plans for a real car thing, they started building them. This was the Northern part of the family.
Because the tank building part of the family had this nifty factory over in the southeastern part, and because they couldn't run back home to Wolfsburg and surrounds, they created a new company to continue to build Porsche automobiles.
Prof. Dr. Porsche died.
His family, in the grand tradition of the Hiltons, the Vanderbilts and others, fought over the spoils.
Each car company was mostly controlled by descendants of the guy who thought that hanging an engine off of the back of an axle was a great design.
People get confused, thinking that two different sets of folks control these companies - mostly because the Peich line controls the VW company. Peich is a grandson of the aforementioned Prof. Dr. Porsche. Porsche AG has been mostly controlled by Ferry Porsche, who was the son of Prof. Dr. Porsche. Peich is his nephew, the son of his sister.
Since Ferry died, the grandsons (Peich and Ferry the third) have been playing an endless game of "who's got the bigger dick", in which Ferry three attempted to swallow the world's third largest automaker whole with the backing of certain Gulf state oil investors.
Then, the whole economy of the world fainted, and Ferry three couldn't pay the bills on his efforts to "fress" (German for eat, but in the sense that an animal eats) Fow-Vay (German, for VW).
VW now is buying Porsche SE.
So, doesn't this mean that two cousins have blown through over $12,000,000,000 against shareholder interests, the interests of the workers, the franchisees, the ability to design new product, expand into new markets, reduce the costs of their products - just to see who had the bigger weenie?
Someone should take 'em both out back and give them the whacking that they should have each gotten back in the 1950s.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
what if the car you bought with cash for clunkers was..
itself a clunker?
What if you traded in your clunker qualifier at a local Chevy dealer, and your new purchase was delivered to you with a non-functioning fuel gauge, AND the check engine light on?
And then, what if your friendly local Chevy dealer who had sold you the car only three days before told you that they'd take it in for repair, but NOT give you a loaner car or provide you with transportation in violation of the GM warranty?
Does that mean that you're still driving a clunker?
What if you traded in your clunker qualifier at a local Chevy dealer, and your new purchase was delivered to you with a non-functioning fuel gauge, AND the check engine light on?
And then, what if your friendly local Chevy dealer who had sold you the car only three days before told you that they'd take it in for repair, but NOT give you a loaner car or provide you with transportation in violation of the GM warranty?
Does that mean that you're still driving a clunker?
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
A new take on "green" living
More and more of late, I have been overcome by the waste in our society. I don't mean just that we buy dwellings and cars that are much larger than what we really need. I don't mean just that we suck up power that we don't need to use. I don't mean just that we wrest minerals from within the earth and then leave an enormous, toxic mess behind. I don't mean just the investment into transporting cheaply manufactured goods across oceans in huge ships that contribute far more particulate and toxic emissions into the air than do all of the cars in this country.
It's all of it.
Recently, a woman from Baltimore was on Oprah talking about how she had reduced her electric bill by 77% through unplugging things that pull an electrical load even when they're not being used. Whether you believe her actual performance or not, these two articles describe how it works and allow one to calculate how much could be saved.
So, what would motivate you to unplug a bunch of stuff? I've started unplugging nearly everything but for the alarm clock, the microwave (because it's impossible to get to) and the TV when I leave the apartment.
If you believe that global warming is bunkum, you won't be motivated to do this. If you hold a negative view toward trying to save money, or use less - you won't be motivated to do this.
What if Jesus said it was a good idea?
In Mark Chapter 12, Jesus was asked which was the most important of the Commandments. Most who are Christian or who have read the bible (note that I don't consider the two groups to be identical) are familiar with the story.
Here was the exchange:
Let's break this down for a moment -
The most important commandment is that there is one God, and you should focus on God. In my faith, we say "God is all there is", but in any faith - Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist .. we can all agree that the most important thing is that God is the most important thing.
What follows, though - "love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these".
Virtually every spiritual faith that has wide adherence contains this admonishment. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What goes around comes around. As you do, so shall you receive.
We humans find this to be an aspiration, but we do not live as if it were the second most important spiritual rule. We instead ignore God's admonition that judgment belongs only to God, and try to use the other commandments as weapons to justify our wrath.
What of the commandment "thou shalt not kill" from the perspective of the second most important commandment? One could reflect that being killed would be pretty bad, so since I don't want that done unto me, I should refrain from doing it to others.
Let's take "thou shalt not steal". Hasn't everyone come to realize that someone, maybe someone we thought of as a trusted person, has stolen from us? How does that feel? It feels rotten! So, when we see something tantalizing - how do YOU want to feel? You want to feel the way that the owner of that trinket will feel when they discover that you've taken it?
Well, then either mate it back with its owner or leave it alone.
Taken into a broader environment - no pun intended - what are you saying to your neighbor when you throw something out your car window instead of disposing of it in a waste container? How would you feel if someone tossed some trash in your yard? Or let their animal relieve itself on your sidewalk?
What's the difference?
What are we saying to our neighbors when we create an earthen pond containing three million gallons of toxic coal slurry to avoid dealing with the refuse from coal mining, and then it soils and nearly permanently destroys hundreds of acres, and displacing dozens of families and businesses?
What are we saying to our neighbors when we run our supertanker into a shoal, spilling several million gallons of crude oil onto public beaches, destroying wild life habitats and the living for local fishermen and then fight cleaning up after ourselves by spending more money than the clean up would have cost?
What are we saying to our neighbors not yet born when we overfish or pollute the waters such that there is no more food source? Or when we create a drug, or a beverage, or a processed food that is neglectfully or intentionally harmful and then do our best to avoid responsibility?
What if we conducted ourselves thinking about how WE would feel if we personally had to deal with the aftermath, the mess, the cleanup, the financial burden and then acted to minimize or eliminate any effect that our neighbor will be left with?
If we conducted ourselves that way, would we be honoring God and his creations more fully? Would we actually be living our lives following the teachings of Jesus?
Why, yes we would.
Could one then extrapolate a sound conclusion that littering, using more than you actually need, acting in a manner ignorant of how others are left responsible or diminished, or actively trying to avoid responsibility are against Jesus's primary teachings?
You tell me. I have my opinion on the matter already.
It's all of it.
Recently, a woman from Baltimore was on Oprah talking about how she had reduced her electric bill by 77% through unplugging things that pull an electrical load even when they're not being used. Whether you believe her actual performance or not, these two articles describe how it works and allow one to calculate how much could be saved.
So, what would motivate you to unplug a bunch of stuff? I've started unplugging nearly everything but for the alarm clock, the microwave (because it's impossible to get to) and the TV when I leave the apartment.
If you believe that global warming is bunkum, you won't be motivated to do this. If you hold a negative view toward trying to save money, or use less - you won't be motivated to do this.
What if Jesus said it was a good idea?
In Mark Chapter 12, Jesus was asked which was the most important of the Commandments. Most who are Christian or who have read the bible (note that I don't consider the two groups to be identical) are familiar with the story.
Here was the exchange:
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Let's break this down for a moment -
The most important commandment is that there is one God, and you should focus on God. In my faith, we say "God is all there is", but in any faith - Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist .. we can all agree that the most important thing is that God is the most important thing.
What follows, though - "love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these".
Virtually every spiritual faith that has wide adherence contains this admonishment. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What goes around comes around. As you do, so shall you receive.
We humans find this to be an aspiration, but we do not live as if it were the second most important spiritual rule. We instead ignore God's admonition that judgment belongs only to God, and try to use the other commandments as weapons to justify our wrath.
What of the commandment "thou shalt not kill" from the perspective of the second most important commandment? One could reflect that being killed would be pretty bad, so since I don't want that done unto me, I should refrain from doing it to others.
Let's take "thou shalt not steal". Hasn't everyone come to realize that someone, maybe someone we thought of as a trusted person, has stolen from us? How does that feel? It feels rotten! So, when we see something tantalizing - how do YOU want to feel? You want to feel the way that the owner of that trinket will feel when they discover that you've taken it?
Well, then either mate it back with its owner or leave it alone.
Taken into a broader environment - no pun intended - what are you saying to your neighbor when you throw something out your car window instead of disposing of it in a waste container? How would you feel if someone tossed some trash in your yard? Or let their animal relieve itself on your sidewalk?
What's the difference?
What are we saying to our neighbors when we create an earthen pond containing three million gallons of toxic coal slurry to avoid dealing with the refuse from coal mining, and then it soils and nearly permanently destroys hundreds of acres, and displacing dozens of families and businesses?
What are we saying to our neighbors when we run our supertanker into a shoal, spilling several million gallons of crude oil onto public beaches, destroying wild life habitats and the living for local fishermen and then fight cleaning up after ourselves by spending more money than the clean up would have cost?
What are we saying to our neighbors not yet born when we overfish or pollute the waters such that there is no more food source? Or when we create a drug, or a beverage, or a processed food that is neglectfully or intentionally harmful and then do our best to avoid responsibility?
What if we conducted ourselves thinking about how WE would feel if we personally had to deal with the aftermath, the mess, the cleanup, the financial burden and then acted to minimize or eliminate any effect that our neighbor will be left with?
If we conducted ourselves that way, would we be honoring God and his creations more fully? Would we actually be living our lives following the teachings of Jesus?
Why, yes we would.
Could one then extrapolate a sound conclusion that littering, using more than you actually need, acting in a manner ignorant of how others are left responsible or diminished, or actively trying to avoid responsibility are against Jesus's primary teachings?
You tell me. I have my opinion on the matter already.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Rainy Monday reflections
So, here I sit, my office again in total disarray after emptying out of storage fully. I await Ra-wub's arrival to move some things home and some things here. Then, everything has to be re-hung and .. Lord, have mercy.
So, yesterday I re-connected with two law school friends. One - my best friend from law school days, with whom I ran the streets until we both graduated and he moved back north. The other, a stalwart friend with whom I lost contact more than ten years ago.
It was good to catch up, and it was affirming to find that with all that has transpired since we last spoke - the uniform comment was that there just wasn't that much to talk about. No one was feeling enthusiastic about where we were in life - just looking for what's next.
Today, I was perusing employment opportunities - and finding that the job market has swept the value out from under the advanced degree I have. 25+ years of experience is worth about $22/hour, unless they're just lowballing.
Interesting article that I caught a day ago that suggested low cost airlines (specifically Ryanair) were charging the unsuspecting so much in fees that they were paying more than a full service airliner - and then today, another article complaining about the fees being assessed by the US network carriers which "may exceed the cost of the ticket!"
I had a hard time with the credibility of that last - not the least reason of which being that he couldn't spell worth a flip. But, today, I was researching some airfare for a friend (not that I don't do THAT several times a week) and discovered that American Airlines offered what looked like a lower fare than did Continental between the same two cities. However, in looking at the FINAL price (with fees), the American itinerary was between $6.00 and $8.00 HIGHER than the Continental price and required a stop and change of equipment in each direction.
So, when you're wondering how I work my airfare magic - I'll tell you. First, I tap into my vast, stored knowledge about which airlines travel between which cities (for instance, I would rarely suggest US Airways for travel to anywhere leaving Houston and going to the Midwest) and then check the following:
Kayak.com
Southwest.com
JetBlue.com (limited opportunities from this market, but great if you live near NYC)
If the travel includes a city into which Continental (or whatever your favorite airline travels) flies, I also check that airline's website directly.
With Kayak.com, you can search their site along with travelocity, expedia, priceline and hotwire simultaneously. Be sure to check those boxes to search all of the sites.
NEVER EVER EVER buy tickets from some website called "cheapassedairlinetickets.com" or something. EVER. When you buy through any website that is not operated directly by the air carrier onto which you are booked, any disruption in your travel will likely be handled by the booking website, and not the airline.
That means when you're stuck in New York City, booked on the last Delta (Comair) flight from JFK to Houston on a Sunday night and Comair cancels the flight because of a crew misconnect (which happens a LOT - seasoned travelers will avoid this flight like the measles) you will find that Delta will NOT help you. They invite you to call cheapassedairlinetickets.com and good luck with THAT.
Why check all of these different sites?
#1 - in any city pair market in which two of the airlines directly compete, you'll find that the airfares are nearly identical - UNTIL someone runs out of seats for that travel time.
#2 - if you find that is offering a lower fare, but you'd rather fly your preferred carrier, you can call them on the phone and ask them to match the lower price. They probably will.
#3 - each of these sites have different deals with rental cars and hotel operators - and sometimes you can find a lower airfare between your two cities by ADDING a hotel. The total cost is actually lower than the bare airfare.
And, never, ever try to back haul on a connection to save twenty bucks.
So, yesterday I re-connected with two law school friends. One - my best friend from law school days, with whom I ran the streets until we both graduated and he moved back north. The other, a stalwart friend with whom I lost contact more than ten years ago.
It was good to catch up, and it was affirming to find that with all that has transpired since we last spoke - the uniform comment was that there just wasn't that much to talk about. No one was feeling enthusiastic about where we were in life - just looking for what's next.
Today, I was perusing employment opportunities - and finding that the job market has swept the value out from under the advanced degree I have. 25+ years of experience is worth about $22/hour, unless they're just lowballing.
Interesting article that I caught a day ago that suggested low cost airlines (specifically Ryanair) were charging the unsuspecting so much in fees that they were paying more than a full service airliner - and then today, another article complaining about the fees being assessed by the US network carriers which "may exceed the cost of the ticket!"
I had a hard time with the credibility of that last - not the least reason of which being that he couldn't spell worth a flip. But, today, I was researching some airfare for a friend (not that I don't do THAT several times a week) and discovered that American Airlines offered what looked like a lower fare than did Continental between the same two cities. However, in looking at the FINAL price (with fees), the American itinerary was between $6.00 and $8.00 HIGHER than the Continental price and required a stop and change of equipment in each direction.
So, when you're wondering how I work my airfare magic - I'll tell you. First, I tap into my vast, stored knowledge about which airlines travel between which cities (for instance, I would rarely suggest US Airways for travel to anywhere leaving Houston and going to the Midwest) and then check the following:
Kayak.com
Southwest.com
JetBlue.com (limited opportunities from this market, but great if you live near NYC)
If the travel includes a city into which Continental (or whatever your favorite airline travels) flies, I also check that airline's website directly.
With Kayak.com, you can search their site along with travelocity, expedia, priceline and hotwire simultaneously. Be sure to check those boxes to search all of the sites.
NEVER EVER EVER buy tickets from some website called "cheapassedairlinetickets.com" or something. EVER. When you buy through any website that is not operated directly by the air carrier onto which you are booked, any disruption in your travel will likely be handled by the booking website, and not the airline.
That means when you're stuck in New York City, booked on the last Delta (Comair) flight from JFK to Houston on a Sunday night and Comair cancels the flight because of a crew misconnect (which happens a LOT - seasoned travelers will avoid this flight like the measles) you will find that Delta will NOT help you. They invite you to call cheapassedairlinetickets.com and good luck with THAT.
Why check all of these different sites?
#1 - in any city pair market in which two of the airlines directly compete, you'll find that the airfares are nearly identical - UNTIL someone runs out of seats for that travel time.
#2 - if you find that
#3 - each of these sites have different deals with rental cars and hotel operators - and sometimes you can find a lower airfare between your two cities by ADDING a hotel. The total cost is actually lower than the bare airfare.
And, never, ever try to back haul on a connection to save twenty bucks.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Every so often
I check to see if I have incomplete thoughts. Those live as blog posts that are started but not completed. Just found four, finished 'em off and published them, but they're back between 2007 and 2008. So, old news, old views.
Nevertheless, they're completed.
I'm working to gain the most votes in an online sweepstakes to get a free one year lease on a new Lexus hybrid - you could go vote for me right now by clicking on this link. You could win a lease for a year yourself!
I'll wait a moment while you go vote for me.
Thanks!
So, last night I was doing some laundry, and E called. E is about to list his manse for sale up there in Canadia, and it seems that there are ZERO properties listed in his MLS zone. Zero. Inventory = zero.
I think it'll sell fairly speedily.
He has plans to visit hither and yon, and has suggested that a post-Labor Day (US - if it was Canada, it would be Labour Day after all) visit to Houstonia.
Well, hide the children and the small animals because he AND RtH are coming to stay for a weekish sometime soon! Ring the bells! Charge the fire hydrants! Alert the media!
I can't wait. It should be a HOOT.
Speaking of hooting, Matticia is in town this weekend and that should be all fun, all the time. Off to hoot-owl land!
Nevertheless, they're completed.
I'm working to gain the most votes in an online sweepstakes to get a free one year lease on a new Lexus hybrid - you could go vote for me right now by clicking on this link. You could win a lease for a year yourself!
I'll wait a moment while you go vote for me.
Thanks!
So, last night I was doing some laundry, and E called. E is about to list his manse for sale up there in Canadia, and it seems that there are ZERO properties listed in his MLS zone. Zero. Inventory = zero.
I think it'll sell fairly speedily.
He has plans to visit hither and yon, and has suggested that a post-Labor Day (US - if it was Canada, it would be Labour Day after all) visit to Houstonia.
Well, hide the children and the small animals because he AND RtH are coming to stay for a weekish sometime soon! Ring the bells! Charge the fire hydrants! Alert the media!
I can't wait. It should be a HOOT.
Speaking of hooting, Matticia is in town this weekend and that should be all fun, all the time. Off to hoot-owl land!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
I was explaining the first time home buyer tax credit just yesterday - and the client was stunned. "Why don't people know about this?"
Well, there's knowing it exists and there's knowing how to access it.
For people buying a home to owner occupy between now and November 30, 2009, there is a tax credit of $8,000 available if they meet the qualifications.
A tax credit is a reduction in TAX which can be paid as a refund if no tax is owed. Most people are familiar with an income credit, which reduces only the income on which tax is owed.
Simply put, if your client is like most people, they get a refund back each year. This tax credit gives them an additional eight thousand dollars in refund. This money can be used to pay down payment and closing costs in the State of Texas (while funding holds out) or just gives your customer a huge refund.
So, you can generate more closings or more referrals by letting your customers know about this program. Even if they don't personally qualify, the information may help their friends, which increases referrals and retention.
Here are the bullet points you can use to let people know about the program:
* First time home buyer means that they cannot have owned any property during the three years prior to the purchase
* If they borrowed money to purchase, it has to be an FHA loan
* They can either take the credit when they file their 2009 tax return next year, OR they can amend their 2008 return and take the credit now - getting the money in about six weeks
* They cannot have delinquent student loans, tax obligations, money owed to the Federal government, or child support obligations, or the credit would be used to pay down those obligations
* If they earned more than $90,000 in gross income in the year they take the credit, they are ineligible
Here is where the real meat is, that will give you the ability to generate a ton of good will and more referrals -
* If they bought their first home (under these rules) between April 1, 2008 and today, they can amend their 2008 return and get the money before summer's end.
Think for a moment what it would do for you if someone you had done good business with contacted you and said "Hey, I think you qualify to get eight grand back from the IRS - you should look into that". Would you be excited? Would you think first of that person when a friend was looking for that service?
You sure would.
If you want to know how to use the money for new transactions at closing, I'll gladly go through that for you with a more detailed briefing.
If you'd like a flyer that you can send out to your clients, just hit me back and tell me how many you want.
Of course, everything has to have a hook in it - I do these tax return amendments for $125 each. I would love to support you in expanding your good will by delivering swift, accurate and warm service to your clients!
I know that it's tough to think about marketing yourself most of the time, given that there is so much else to be done - but this is a slam dunk way to generate terrific good will only for going through your closing list and contacting people who look like they qualify.
If you want to visit about this and get more information, please call me!
Douglas
Well, there's knowing it exists and there's knowing how to access it.
For people buying a home to owner occupy between now and November 30, 2009, there is a tax credit of $8,000 available if they meet the qualifications.
A tax credit is a reduction in TAX which can be paid as a refund if no tax is owed. Most people are familiar with an income credit, which reduces only the income on which tax is owed.
Simply put, if your client is like most people, they get a refund back each year. This tax credit gives them an additional eight thousand dollars in refund. This money can be used to pay down payment and closing costs in the State of Texas (while funding holds out) or just gives your customer a huge refund.
So, you can generate more closings or more referrals by letting your customers know about this program. Even if they don't personally qualify, the information may help their friends, which increases referrals and retention.
Here are the bullet points you can use to let people know about the program:
* First time home buyer means that they cannot have owned any property during the three years prior to the purchase
* If they borrowed money to purchase, it has to be an FHA loan
* They can either take the credit when they file their 2009 tax return next year, OR they can amend their 2008 return and take the credit now - getting the money in about six weeks
* They cannot have delinquent student loans, tax obligations, money owed to the Federal government, or child support obligations, or the credit would be used to pay down those obligations
* If they earned more than $90,000 in gross income in the year they take the credit, they are ineligible
Here is where the real meat is, that will give you the ability to generate a ton of good will and more referrals -
* If they bought their first home (under these rules) between April 1, 2008 and today, they can amend their 2008 return and get the money before summer's end.
Think for a moment what it would do for you if someone you had done good business with contacted you and said "Hey, I think you qualify to get eight grand back from the IRS - you should look into that". Would you be excited? Would you think first of that person when a friend was looking for that service?
You sure would.
If you want to know how to use the money for new transactions at closing, I'll gladly go through that for you with a more detailed briefing.
If you'd like a flyer that you can send out to your clients, just hit me back and tell me how many you want.
Of course, everything has to have a hook in it - I do these tax return amendments for $125 each. I would love to support you in expanding your good will by delivering swift, accurate and warm service to your clients!
I know that it's tough to think about marketing yourself most of the time, given that there is so much else to be done - but this is a slam dunk way to generate terrific good will only for going through your closing list and contacting people who look like they qualify.
If you want to visit about this and get more information, please call me!
Douglas
Forty years ago today
Watching this video reconnects me to the sense of excitement and exhilaration that I felt forty years ago, watching this live in the summer of 1969.
Looking on the brighter side
How many times have you had someone tell you to just cheer up, or to look at the bright side? How many self-help programs tell you to focus on the positive?
For many years, I thought looking on the brighter side was either a Pollyanna exhortation or an impossibility. What about all of this reality?
Other people's negativity brought about my own negative reaction to them. THEY shouldn't be so negative, after all. They were unfair, and unreasonable. MY negativity, though was always VERY reasonable.
I know that my own view of my life has changed quite a bit, and now when I observe someone else's negativity, I just find it noteworthy and something I don't choose to be near. An example -
The office occupants downstairs from us operate a healing practice - chiropractic, massage, acupuncture and such. The requisite elements are present - lovely bamboo, comforting furniture, appealing scent - yet, in our short relationship as neighbors they have complained repeatedly of our interference with their occupancy. They have locked the gates and doors without considering whether we are present, they have parked their cars to block us from entering or leaving, and then complained repeatedly about our presence, not our acts.
It used to really annoy me, their view and communications. Now, I just find it puzzling. Do they understand the weird connection between their business and their lack of awareness of other people?
Looking on the brighter side IS a choice. It feels better, and it is antithetical to the way most humans are trained to view life. It requires practice and repetition to seed firmly into the psyche. There is not a sense of Pollyanna ignorance to having a brighter viewpoint - there is only peace and a sense that everything will work out as it should.
Today's New York Times features an article that suggests a life without enjoyment isn't worth living. Very interesting stuff to consume as I reflect on this idea.
For many years, I thought looking on the brighter side was either a Pollyanna exhortation or an impossibility. What about all of this reality?
Other people's negativity brought about my own negative reaction to them. THEY shouldn't be so negative, after all. They were unfair, and unreasonable. MY negativity, though was always VERY reasonable.
I know that my own view of my life has changed quite a bit, and now when I observe someone else's negativity, I just find it noteworthy and something I don't choose to be near. An example -
The office occupants downstairs from us operate a healing practice - chiropractic, massage, acupuncture and such. The requisite elements are present - lovely bamboo, comforting furniture, appealing scent - yet, in our short relationship as neighbors they have complained repeatedly of our interference with their occupancy. They have locked the gates and doors without considering whether we are present, they have parked their cars to block us from entering or leaving, and then complained repeatedly about our presence, not our acts.
It used to really annoy me, their view and communications. Now, I just find it puzzling. Do they understand the weird connection between their business and their lack of awareness of other people?
Looking on the brighter side IS a choice. It feels better, and it is antithetical to the way most humans are trained to view life. It requires practice and repetition to seed firmly into the psyche. There is not a sense of Pollyanna ignorance to having a brighter viewpoint - there is only peace and a sense that everything will work out as it should.
Today's New York Times features an article that suggests a life without enjoyment isn't worth living. Very interesting stuff to consume as I reflect on this idea.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Things falling into place
Further to my last - I've wrestled with how to lay out the furniture that I am keeping in the new pad, as I have previously shared. Last night, I had my first netflix in the new place and so I organized the TV and DVD player (without furniture, gets amusing) and the layout just flashed for me.
It's not going to be roomy, but it will be very effective. It will also look terrific.
And, there will be no wasted space.
Last night, after nearly a year, I unpacked my antique camel back miniature mantel clock. I wound it up, and it started ticking away in its old, comfortable manner. Keeps great time when it's sitting level.
Now, I want to bake some bread. I have my loaf pans, but no bowls. Have the yeast, but no flour. Yet.
This weekend will hopefully involve recovering some or all of my kitchenware from storage.
It's not going to be roomy, but it will be very effective. It will also look terrific.
And, there will be no wasted space.
Last night, after nearly a year, I unpacked my antique camel back miniature mantel clock. I wound it up, and it started ticking away in its old, comfortable manner. Keeps great time when it's sitting level.
Now, I want to bake some bread. I have my loaf pans, but no bowls. Have the yeast, but no flour. Yet.
This weekend will hopefully involve recovering some or all of my kitchenware from storage.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Day two and a half
So, Monday was an independence day for me personally.
Independence from .. you may ask? Well, I'll tell you.
First, it's independence from the high drama I've always had around me. The drama structure made quite a bit of noise as it was exiting, I'll tell you.
Second, it's independence from the idea that more is more. This place I've moved into is SMALL. The closet is smaller than the one I had while growing up, albeit nicely trimmed with ceramic tile floor, recessed can light, multiple rods, nice shelves. The kitchen has enough room to be very functional, but no extra counter space to host "pretty things". The refrigerator does not promote cooking too much. There is no room for collections of books, ceramics, wall art - it's the smallest place I've ever lived.
And yet, it seems liberating. What more does one NEED? When a bird builds a nest, it doesn't build a duplex. Of course, birds neither collect decorative items, nor hang clothing, but still and all - why the obsession with having more and more?
Everything I ever gathered was to either compensate for something I felt weak about, or to prove something. Most of it was mindless, although carefully chosen and cunningly purchased. Lovingly packed, moved, unpacked, repacked, moved, unpacked. Dusted. Arranged.
SO much personal energy has been exerted in getting that just right.
I am now free of those restrictions.
So many structures that are now fading are being replaced with .. what, I'm not quite yet sure.
Independence from .. you may ask? Well, I'll tell you.
First, it's independence from the high drama I've always had around me. The drama structure made quite a bit of noise as it was exiting, I'll tell you.
Second, it's independence from the idea that more is more. This place I've moved into is SMALL. The closet is smaller than the one I had while growing up, albeit nicely trimmed with ceramic tile floor, recessed can light, multiple rods, nice shelves. The kitchen has enough room to be very functional, but no extra counter space to host "pretty things". The refrigerator does not promote cooking too much. There is no room for collections of books, ceramics, wall art - it's the smallest place I've ever lived.
And yet, it seems liberating. What more does one NEED? When a bird builds a nest, it doesn't build a duplex. Of course, birds neither collect decorative items, nor hang clothing, but still and all - why the obsession with having more and more?
Everything I ever gathered was to either compensate for something I felt weak about, or to prove something. Most of it was mindless, although carefully chosen and cunningly purchased. Lovingly packed, moved, unpacked, repacked, moved, unpacked. Dusted. Arranged.
SO much personal energy has been exerted in getting that just right.
I am now free of those restrictions.
So many structures that are now fading are being replaced with .. what, I'm not quite yet sure.
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