An old saying in poker is that all you need is a chip and a chair, well here is an article from the Associated Press about how the U.S. gets the chance to catch up on credit card security.
Now, in order to protect you, your credit card and debit cards will have a rfid chip in them that is only for you. Aren't you lucky.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
What Shall I Say Sunday
Sunday I am to speak at a church. I don't know how many people will be there and don't know most of them. I do not know what I am going to say, I don't know what my subject will be. Okay, that means I am ready because I don't need to. I don't know how many times I have spoken before others, it always goes well, I just need to know my subject matter.
I don't know what scares me more, if next week there are more or less people. This will be interesting.
I don't know what scares me more, if next week there are more or less people. This will be interesting.
Lets talk Jobs and problems
So what are the biggest problems in the United States. To me the number one is a lack of commitment to one another, it is from that that all the others happen. We cannot make anything work if we are not committed to each other and the goals.
We have gone from being about each other to being about ourselves and momentary pleasure, to having an advantage over others and prosperity (whatever that may mean to the individual). That is what led to the fraud, corruption and shoddy approach to work.
The housing problem is not that we are not selling houses, it is not the value of the houses, it is not that we are not building houses, it is that people cannot afford the houses we have. There are only two ways to deal with that problem, give people bigger paychecks or bring down the price of the houses. It is unlikely that we are going to see people make more, we don't have anything to sell overseas.
What is the problem in the job market, our labor is too expensive and industry was too focused on high returns rather than steady and fair returns. It was also severely warped by basing the value of a company on the value of it's stock rather than it's product. The solution is also simple, we cannot insist upon being better paid than people in other countries making the same product and that includes management. CEO's should not be paid based on the value of the stock; but, instead on the profitability of the company and not for one year's profitability; but, on a multi-year approach (ten or twenty year rolling average for instance).
China has invested trillions in it's infrastructure, we have let ours deteriorate. We do need to upgrade our infrastructure and that is the place to start. With healthy and efficient infrastructure it costs less to produce goods and transport them. That means you can pay your workers more. A new Work Progress Administration is needed and that will put people to work so that they can buy our goods so that our industry can hire people again. That is why I am so disgusted by the lame jobs program announced by President Obama, tax cuts will not get people jobs if we cannot compete with foreign countries.
This new program proposed by the president may pass; but, it won't create any jobs because it does not address the underlying issues and nobody seems willing to. Management wants to keep getting millions of dollars in bonuses even when their companies fail, employees want more money that their labor is worth compared to the rest of the world and nobody wants to pay the taxes that are needed to rebuild this country; therefore, things will not get better. The party is over kids when will we recognize that?
We have gone from being about each other to being about ourselves and momentary pleasure, to having an advantage over others and prosperity (whatever that may mean to the individual). That is what led to the fraud, corruption and shoddy approach to work.
The housing problem is not that we are not selling houses, it is not the value of the houses, it is not that we are not building houses, it is that people cannot afford the houses we have. There are only two ways to deal with that problem, give people bigger paychecks or bring down the price of the houses. It is unlikely that we are going to see people make more, we don't have anything to sell overseas.
What is the problem in the job market, our labor is too expensive and industry was too focused on high returns rather than steady and fair returns. It was also severely warped by basing the value of a company on the value of it's stock rather than it's product. The solution is also simple, we cannot insist upon being better paid than people in other countries making the same product and that includes management. CEO's should not be paid based on the value of the stock; but, instead on the profitability of the company and not for one year's profitability; but, on a multi-year approach (ten or twenty year rolling average for instance).
China has invested trillions in it's infrastructure, we have let ours deteriorate. We do need to upgrade our infrastructure and that is the place to start. With healthy and efficient infrastructure it costs less to produce goods and transport them. That means you can pay your workers more. A new Work Progress Administration is needed and that will put people to work so that they can buy our goods so that our industry can hire people again. That is why I am so disgusted by the lame jobs program announced by President Obama, tax cuts will not get people jobs if we cannot compete with foreign countries.
This new program proposed by the president may pass; but, it won't create any jobs because it does not address the underlying issues and nobody seems willing to. Management wants to keep getting millions of dollars in bonuses even when their companies fail, employees want more money that their labor is worth compared to the rest of the world and nobody wants to pay the taxes that are needed to rebuild this country; therefore, things will not get better. The party is over kids when will we recognize that?
Thursday, September 8, 2011
I Love LA - Randy Newman
Raymond Chandler, Phillip Marlowe, Chinatown, all nice representations of our home. Let's do a little better.
What matters.
What matters.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
A Man Hugged Me and Cried Today
A man cried today because of me. He also hugged me, he was in his late 60's or early 70's. I bought a painting from him, well, I commissioned a painting from him. He does not use computers or cell phones, he will not read this.
The amount was substantial; but, I rarely buy anything for myself, I wanted art and he is an artist. He has not made any art in a couple of decades, I convinced him to do one for me. He gave me a gift today, a numbered print worth almost half of what I am paying him for mine. It was not requested and not expected. He told me how my commission had invigorated him to make art again. Do you understand what the felt like? Do you know what it means to reinvigorate an older man, to see him cry when discuss art with him, to discuss passion?
I have a couple of really crazy beliefs. One is that you can never lend money and expect to get it back, that is a blessing and should not be expected. Another is "Do the right thing for the right reason". I told you I am insane. I also believe in paying a worker his due and I believe that every second is an opportunity to make someone else's day. I told you, completely insane thoughts.
For my new found friend Zuma Dogg, God is in heaven and all is right with the world. We are always exactly where we are supposed to be, when we are there, it is our chance to make choices and define ourselves. Be well kiddies, things are in motion and end games are always the most interesting. Be well.
The amount was substantial; but, I rarely buy anything for myself, I wanted art and he is an artist. He has not made any art in a couple of decades, I convinced him to do one for me. He gave me a gift today, a numbered print worth almost half of what I am paying him for mine. It was not requested and not expected. He told me how my commission had invigorated him to make art again. Do you understand what the felt like? Do you know what it means to reinvigorate an older man, to see him cry when discuss art with him, to discuss passion?
I have a couple of really crazy beliefs. One is that you can never lend money and expect to get it back, that is a blessing and should not be expected. Another is "Do the right thing for the right reason". I told you I am insane. I also believe in paying a worker his due and I believe that every second is an opportunity to make someone else's day. I told you, completely insane thoughts.
For my new found friend Zuma Dogg, God is in heaven and all is right with the world. We are always exactly where we are supposed to be, when we are there, it is our chance to make choices and define ourselves. Be well kiddies, things are in motion and end games are always the most interesting. Be well.
A Little Time with a Friend
Taking a little time off to have dinner with a friend. As a consequence of Zuma Dogg's pointing to this site I have seen triple the amount of viewings. I would like to publicly thank him for his kind words. Peace.
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