As 2010 approaches its final days, we’re all looking for a reason to celebrate. The economy is still in the pits and there are as many people unemployed now, in what the economists call a jobless economic recovery, as at the height of the recession, but an atmosphere of cooperation seems to be taking hold in the nation’s capital that might bode well for 2011.
President Obama has moved first to give the Republicans, who will control the House of Representatives in 2011, what they wanted most; an extension to the so-called Bush tax cuts for all taxpayers, including the richest. The concession gives the President and the liberal wing of his Democratic Party a much-needed continuation of unemployment benefits for the jobless and some economic stimulus measures for small business people, who provide most of the jobs in the nation.
The extremists in both parties will not be satisfied, but, in fact, it is when the Democrats and the Republicans share power and responsibility that they can accomplish the most for the American people or be damned for not doing so at the polls in the next election.
The big money Republican interests that gave President Obama and his party a beat-down in the November midterm elections, may, therefore, stop sitting on their hands and pump serious investment into the economy that finally creates significant new jobs. New jobs beget consumer confidence that turns into spending and, hence, more new jobs. Who knows the trend might take off and some of us might be able to stop frowning so much.
Unlike our friends who live in Celebration, an “ideal” community created by Walt Disney near his amusement world to promote sameness. They are ruffling their brows because the unthinkable has just happened. Celebration had its first murder since its development in 1996 and allegedly solved the crime in days. What actually happened is for the courts to decide and it is sure to generate national news coverage again because of the uniqueness of the occurrence in this plastic Central Florida community.
The murder has already generated national attention. Tourists, who normally would go directly to the theme parks, are stopping in Celebration to see what this picture-perfect town is all about. They don’t stay long. A few gift shops, some restaurants (a couple are very good), a retro 1940s soda fountain and movie house and that’s about it.
It’s hard to realize that people actually live in Celebration. There are families, moms and dads, kids and pets behind those cookie-cutter doors that until recently used to be kept open. Now sadly one of those fortunate people became a victim of violence, making Celebration as nervous as most other communities in America. Welcome to the real world, where we have lots to celebrate, if we’re very careful, keep our loved ones close and work hard, assuming, of course, we can find a job in 2011.
And, that’s that…
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Voters Deserve Better
There’s an old adage about elections that people get the leaders they deserve, but this time around voters deserve better.
Less than a month away from the midterm election that will select local, state and congressional representatives we are bombarded with nothing but negative attack ads on TV and debates about why not to vote for the other candidate. Alas, there is precious little being said about what candidates will do in terms of positive action and initiatives to make our lives better.
Here in Florida Democrats, Republicans and, yes, even the darlings of the Tea Party appear to be petty hate mongers. Are all the candidates liars and thieves? Probably not, but that’s all we hear, charges and countercharges, insults and denials and vague generalities regarding the critical issues that are important to us all.
Unemployment is still the single most important concern in Florida and across much of the nation, but what specifically can you refer to as a plan to create jobs, beyond the broad strokes of education and re-training for the industries of America’s new economic reality, whatever that is.
There is only one candidate for elective office that I’ve heard at any level in Florida who has articulated the key to creating jobs. Bill Segal got it right when he said in a recent televised debate that he’d fly anywhere in the world to bring jobs to Orange county. He’s the Democrat running for mayor of the county.
That’s the formula for success. You go to the companies with the highest potential for employing people and explain why they’ll make more money operating in your town. Teodoro Moscoso was the pre-eminent creator of jobs, who first wrote the book on the process that served as the model for developing countries. He was the architect and chief engineer of Puerto Rico’s highly successful Operation Bootstrap industrialization program in the 1960s and 70s, responsible for attracting the jobs that lifted the island out of poverty.
Moscoso knocked on the doors of every boardroom he found to convince corporate decision-makers that they were better off making their widgets under the American flag in Puerto Rico. As a result, many major pharmaceutical and technology companies still produce their high value-added products on the island, even though the tax exemption that originally lured them there has long gone. While there are now fewer jobs in more efficient plants, the core of skilled, technology jobs still on the island are the one ray of hope in an otherwise dysfunctional economy.
That was Moscoso’s legacy to the people of Puerto Rico. If the candidates in Florida and elsewhere in the US of A want our votes, they should take a page from the economic development chapter he wrote and tell us how they will open the doors to the current corporate world to create employment opportunities.
And, That’s That…
Less than a month away from the midterm election that will select local, state and congressional representatives we are bombarded with nothing but negative attack ads on TV and debates about why not to vote for the other candidate. Alas, there is precious little being said about what candidates will do in terms of positive action and initiatives to make our lives better.
Here in Florida Democrats, Republicans and, yes, even the darlings of the Tea Party appear to be petty hate mongers. Are all the candidates liars and thieves? Probably not, but that’s all we hear, charges and countercharges, insults and denials and vague generalities regarding the critical issues that are important to us all.
Unemployment is still the single most important concern in Florida and across much of the nation, but what specifically can you refer to as a plan to create jobs, beyond the broad strokes of education and re-training for the industries of America’s new economic reality, whatever that is.
There is only one candidate for elective office that I’ve heard at any level in Florida who has articulated the key to creating jobs. Bill Segal got it right when he said in a recent televised debate that he’d fly anywhere in the world to bring jobs to Orange county. He’s the Democrat running for mayor of the county.
That’s the formula for success. You go to the companies with the highest potential for employing people and explain why they’ll make more money operating in your town. Teodoro Moscoso was the pre-eminent creator of jobs, who first wrote the book on the process that served as the model for developing countries. He was the architect and chief engineer of Puerto Rico’s highly successful Operation Bootstrap industrialization program in the 1960s and 70s, responsible for attracting the jobs that lifted the island out of poverty.
Moscoso knocked on the doors of every boardroom he found to convince corporate decision-makers that they were better off making their widgets under the American flag in Puerto Rico. As a result, many major pharmaceutical and technology companies still produce their high value-added products on the island, even though the tax exemption that originally lured them there has long gone. While there are now fewer jobs in more efficient plants, the core of skilled, technology jobs still on the island are the one ray of hope in an otherwise dysfunctional economy.
That was Moscoso’s legacy to the people of Puerto Rico. If the candidates in Florida and elsewhere in the US of A want our votes, they should take a page from the economic development chapter he wrote and tell us how they will open the doors to the current corporate world to create employment opportunities.
And, That’s That…
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Walking-around...
Walking down Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan is like constantly playing dodge-ball, only you never get the ball. Forget about moving in from the curb to window shop or just stopping to look up in wonder. You do so at your own peril.
New York has always been a very hectic city, even when my office was at 48th Street between Fifth and Madison years ago. Now, as an out-of-towner, it seems even more so, or maybe it’s just me. Maybe I was more focused and went with the flow then. Still, New Yorkers should take lessons in chilling out from their neighbors further up the northeastern coast, in Boston, for example.
A perfect schoolhouse to begin such social decompression is the “autumn escape” provided on board the Queen Mary 2, which sails up the coast of New England, visiting such great walking-around towns as New Port, Rhode Island; Boston, Mass. and Bar Harbor, Maine, as well as Halifax, Nova Scotia and Quebec, Canada. The next nine-day cruise leaves Brooklyn’s Pier 12 on October 25, 2010 with some change in the ports of call, substituting Quebec with St. John on the Bay of Fundy in Canada. If you can’t make it, don’t fret. The Queen will be visiting New England and Canada again next September so plan ahead.
The minute you board this flagship of the Cunard Line your biological clock slows down and you know you’re in for a treat on this opulent vessel, built for transatlantic crossings. The ship accommodates nearly 3,000 passengers, who are served by a crew of 1,250. They anticipate and meet all the creature comforts associated with a luxury cruise.
In spite of the fact that this is one of the largest cruise ships on the seas, the level of service makes you feel as though the surroundings are more intimate. Even the large main dining room, the Britannia, is tiered for a more secluded feeling. If you’re lucky enough to get a corner table, you have no sense whatsoever that you are sharing dinner with hundreds of people, as you make selections from a varied menu of fine cuisine accompanied by an extensive wine list.
All this indulgence requires a strong dose of physical activity, which can be accomplished on the dance floor of one of the numerous entertainment salons or at the well-equipped gym and spa on board. Actually, just walking from your stateroom to the various dining venues can be enough exercise. The ship measures 1,132 feet in length. Back and forth for three meals and that’s more than a mile to walk off some calories. More energetic passengers also quick-step around the deck, braving sea sprays in brisk winds or do laps in the in-door swimming pool.
Sightseeing in the ports of call is another good way to shed the extra calories consumed. Having missed the first port, New Port, because Hurricane Earl kept us at sea for an extra day as it wound its way up the Atlantic coast in front of us, we especially needed the exercise of walking the streets of Boston.
It was a pleasure to once again stroll down Newberry Street, taking in the shops and galleries, and show the madness of Quincy Market with its crowded stalls to friends for the first time. Boston, like New York, is a major city of business and commerce, but the pace is less frenetic. You can enjoy what you see without being trampled, even around the Commons, the large park at the heart of the down town area, where every manner of human expression can be observed in the gardens.
Bar Harbor is a small fishing port that is even more laid back and while the “made-for-tourists” stamp is on almost everything in the shops, the town provides a quaint village atmosphere for the visitor to take in while browsing. Bar Harbor also is adjacent to Arcadia National Park, one of the natural wonders under the care of America’s Forest Service.
After that picturesque sojourn, Halifax is a disappointment. The dock area, like many cruise ports around the world, is drab industrial and quiet some distance from anything of interest, requiring some form of ground transportation. We opted for a bus-hopper, which was a mistake because there isn’t much to see in town. Halifax was the birth place of Sir Samuel Cunard, the founder of the transatlantic shipping company that now sails the three Queens on the Seven Seas. Interestingly, he is buried in the UK, where he established his shipping empire and was eventually knighted for his efforts. Obviously, he didn’t like Halifax either.
A day at sea enjoying the pleasures of the Queen, which is like being at a four-star resort, wiped Halifax from our memory and prepared us for the highlight of the cruise, a full day in Quebec, walking cobble-stoned streets and alleyways lined with bistros, boutiques, cafes and art galleries. You know they are there to cater to the visitors, but it all seems very authentic and charming, with a strong French favor that is friendly and welcoming.
Built into a steep hill, the walled upper old town of Quebec can be reached from the old lower town by climbing a long series of stairs or via an inexpensive cable car ride that opens onto the terrace of the Chateau Frontenac, a classic hotel that dates back to 1892 and dominates the cliff-top, providing a spectacular view of the St. Lawrence River, which opens to the seaway. Since it’s easier to walk down hill, we took the cable car up and descended the narrow, winding sidewalks, coming upon out-of-way places, like the Latin Quarter, where people actually live and go about their daily business.
In all, the “autumn escape” on the Queen Mary 2 was the ideal way to begin the autumn of life together after 50 years of martial bliss. We can’t wait for what the next 50 years have in store for us.
And, That’s That…
New York has always been a very hectic city, even when my office was at 48th Street between Fifth and Madison years ago. Now, as an out-of-towner, it seems even more so, or maybe it’s just me. Maybe I was more focused and went with the flow then. Still, New Yorkers should take lessons in chilling out from their neighbors further up the northeastern coast, in Boston, for example.
A perfect schoolhouse to begin such social decompression is the “autumn escape” provided on board the Queen Mary 2, which sails up the coast of New England, visiting such great walking-around towns as New Port, Rhode Island; Boston, Mass. and Bar Harbor, Maine, as well as Halifax, Nova Scotia and Quebec, Canada. The next nine-day cruise leaves Brooklyn’s Pier 12 on October 25, 2010 with some change in the ports of call, substituting Quebec with St. John on the Bay of Fundy in Canada. If you can’t make it, don’t fret. The Queen will be visiting New England and Canada again next September so plan ahead.
The minute you board this flagship of the Cunard Line your biological clock slows down and you know you’re in for a treat on this opulent vessel, built for transatlantic crossings. The ship accommodates nearly 3,000 passengers, who are served by a crew of 1,250. They anticipate and meet all the creature comforts associated with a luxury cruise.
In spite of the fact that this is one of the largest cruise ships on the seas, the level of service makes you feel as though the surroundings are more intimate. Even the large main dining room, the Britannia, is tiered for a more secluded feeling. If you’re lucky enough to get a corner table, you have no sense whatsoever that you are sharing dinner with hundreds of people, as you make selections from a varied menu of fine cuisine accompanied by an extensive wine list.
All this indulgence requires a strong dose of physical activity, which can be accomplished on the dance floor of one of the numerous entertainment salons or at the well-equipped gym and spa on board. Actually, just walking from your stateroom to the various dining venues can be enough exercise. The ship measures 1,132 feet in length. Back and forth for three meals and that’s more than a mile to walk off some calories. More energetic passengers also quick-step around the deck, braving sea sprays in brisk winds or do laps in the in-door swimming pool.
Sightseeing in the ports of call is another good way to shed the extra calories consumed. Having missed the first port, New Port, because Hurricane Earl kept us at sea for an extra day as it wound its way up the Atlantic coast in front of us, we especially needed the exercise of walking the streets of Boston.
It was a pleasure to once again stroll down Newberry Street, taking in the shops and galleries, and show the madness of Quincy Market with its crowded stalls to friends for the first time. Boston, like New York, is a major city of business and commerce, but the pace is less frenetic. You can enjoy what you see without being trampled, even around the Commons, the large park at the heart of the down town area, where every manner of human expression can be observed in the gardens.
Bar Harbor is a small fishing port that is even more laid back and while the “made-for-tourists” stamp is on almost everything in the shops, the town provides a quaint village atmosphere for the visitor to take in while browsing. Bar Harbor also is adjacent to Arcadia National Park, one of the natural wonders under the care of America’s Forest Service.
After that picturesque sojourn, Halifax is a disappointment. The dock area, like many cruise ports around the world, is drab industrial and quiet some distance from anything of interest, requiring some form of ground transportation. We opted for a bus-hopper, which was a mistake because there isn’t much to see in town. Halifax was the birth place of Sir Samuel Cunard, the founder of the transatlantic shipping company that now sails the three Queens on the Seven Seas. Interestingly, he is buried in the UK, where he established his shipping empire and was eventually knighted for his efforts. Obviously, he didn’t like Halifax either.
A day at sea enjoying the pleasures of the Queen, which is like being at a four-star resort, wiped Halifax from our memory and prepared us for the highlight of the cruise, a full day in Quebec, walking cobble-stoned streets and alleyways lined with bistros, boutiques, cafes and art galleries. You know they are there to cater to the visitors, but it all seems very authentic and charming, with a strong French favor that is friendly and welcoming.
Built into a steep hill, the walled upper old town of Quebec can be reached from the old lower town by climbing a long series of stairs or via an inexpensive cable car ride that opens onto the terrace of the Chateau Frontenac, a classic hotel that dates back to 1892 and dominates the cliff-top, providing a spectacular view of the St. Lawrence River, which opens to the seaway. Since it’s easier to walk down hill, we took the cable car up and descended the narrow, winding sidewalks, coming upon out-of-way places, like the Latin Quarter, where people actually live and go about their daily business.
In all, the “autumn escape” on the Queen Mary 2 was the ideal way to begin the autumn of life together after 50 years of martial bliss. We can’t wait for what the next 50 years have in store for us.
And, That’s That…
Friday, August 27, 2010
50 Years and Counting...
Editor's Note : The following is an excerpt from the Prologue to a new book project about the experiences that will be encountered during our Golden Year of marriage.
August 28, 1960 was a typical hot and sunny day in San Juan, Puerto Rico, except for the fact that it was our wedding day, which made it special to us. Leading up to the big event was a series of first-time experiences for us both. We were both living in New York City and got married in Puerto Rico only to accommodate the bride’s family. They had returned to the place of their birth a couple of years earlier after building a life and thriving printing business in the Bronx...
In 1960, in our circle at any rate, if you knew anyone who was going to a party of any kind on the island, you were free to tag along. Today, by and large, most levels of Puerto Rican society are more savvy and aware of social morays. Back then, however, 75 close family and friends quickly swelled to 150 “hangers-on,” who expected food and drink. To this day, after attending many weddings and putting on a few, we agree that ours was the worst ever.
Moreover, we found the pickings in wedding gifts very slim by comparison to the experience of our friends who tied the knot in the states. Those friends, primarily three other couples, married just months before us. They are still very much our friends and they are still very much married, which makes us all rare birds. Bits of their own particular wisdom on the subject will be shared later. Collectively we now represent more than 200 years of experience in wedlock.
So while we were not as fortunate as our friends in the collection of wedding gifts, we did share their good fortune in staying power. What within our nature kept us all together? Who knows.The lightness of our satin wedding purse was clearly only a minor setback. It meant that the week-long honeymoon we planned at the lavish La Concha Hotel on the beach on the Condado tourist strip that was just beginning to develop in San Juan would be cut short.
We received the grand sum of $125.00 and four pieces of decorative plastic fruit, the kind you would put in a cut-glass bowl on a dining room table, if you had a cut-glass bowl or a dining room or a table for that matter. That sum, even in 1960 dollars, didn’t buy very much at a luxury hotel. We did have a couple of glorious days at the resort before the ill-wind started to blow. That gale of reality was not only the result of a lack of funds, but an approaching hurricane that drove us back to our family’s home.
The hurricane stood out in our minds, not only as an excuse for our abbreviated honeymoon, but as a catastrophe of epic proportions. The storm was called Donna and to this day it holds the record for the longest duration as a major hurricane with sustained winds of 115 miles per hour.
Donna wound her way across the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispanola, Cuba, The Bahamas and every state on the east coast of the United States over a 17-day period from August 29 to September 14, 1960. She left in her wake $900 million in property damage in 1960 dollars, which would today be the equivalent of $6.6 billion in 2010 dollars. Donna also took 364 lives directly, 107 of which were lost in Puerto Rico, due to flash floods along the east coast, mostly in Humacao. Meanwhile, we were cloistered in Rio Piedras under the mosquito net, oblivious to the devastation that had befallen people beyond our little enclave.
That was the beginning of our first 50 years of marriage. Over that time, we have run into many roadblocks to our plans but always found a way around them or through them to move happily ahead together, raising a family, building businesses and enjoying lasting and valuable relationships.
Building on that experience, we're ready to greet whatever the next 50 years bring us with light-hearts and, maybe just a little, light-headed from all the joy.
That (Isn't) That...
August 28, 1960 was a typical hot and sunny day in San Juan, Puerto Rico, except for the fact that it was our wedding day, which made it special to us. Leading up to the big event was a series of first-time experiences for us both. We were both living in New York City and got married in Puerto Rico only to accommodate the bride’s family. They had returned to the place of their birth a couple of years earlier after building a life and thriving printing business in the Bronx...
In 1960, in our circle at any rate, if you knew anyone who was going to a party of any kind on the island, you were free to tag along. Today, by and large, most levels of Puerto Rican society are more savvy and aware of social morays. Back then, however, 75 close family and friends quickly swelled to 150 “hangers-on,” who expected food and drink. To this day, after attending many weddings and putting on a few, we agree that ours was the worst ever.
Moreover, we found the pickings in wedding gifts very slim by comparison to the experience of our friends who tied the knot in the states. Those friends, primarily three other couples, married just months before us. They are still very much our friends and they are still very much married, which makes us all rare birds. Bits of their own particular wisdom on the subject will be shared later. Collectively we now represent more than 200 years of experience in wedlock.
So while we were not as fortunate as our friends in the collection of wedding gifts, we did share their good fortune in staying power. What within our nature kept us all together? Who knows.The lightness of our satin wedding purse was clearly only a minor setback. It meant that the week-long honeymoon we planned at the lavish La Concha Hotel on the beach on the Condado tourist strip that was just beginning to develop in San Juan would be cut short.
We received the grand sum of $125.00 and four pieces of decorative plastic fruit, the kind you would put in a cut-glass bowl on a dining room table, if you had a cut-glass bowl or a dining room or a table for that matter. That sum, even in 1960 dollars, didn’t buy very much at a luxury hotel. We did have a couple of glorious days at the resort before the ill-wind started to blow. That gale of reality was not only the result of a lack of funds, but an approaching hurricane that drove us back to our family’s home.
The hurricane stood out in our minds, not only as an excuse for our abbreviated honeymoon, but as a catastrophe of epic proportions. The storm was called Donna and to this day it holds the record for the longest duration as a major hurricane with sustained winds of 115 miles per hour.
Donna wound her way across the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispanola, Cuba, The Bahamas and every state on the east coast of the United States over a 17-day period from August 29 to September 14, 1960. She left in her wake $900 million in property damage in 1960 dollars, which would today be the equivalent of $6.6 billion in 2010 dollars. Donna also took 364 lives directly, 107 of which were lost in Puerto Rico, due to flash floods along the east coast, mostly in Humacao. Meanwhile, we were cloistered in Rio Piedras under the mosquito net, oblivious to the devastation that had befallen people beyond our little enclave.
That was the beginning of our first 50 years of marriage. Over that time, we have run into many roadblocks to our plans but always found a way around them or through them to move happily ahead together, raising a family, building businesses and enjoying lasting and valuable relationships.
Building on that experience, we're ready to greet whatever the next 50 years bring us with light-hearts and, maybe just a little, light-headed from all the joy.
That (Isn't) That...
Friday, August 13, 2010
Silver Sneakers Rule... Then What?
Twice a week my wife and I get decked out in our gym togs and go to the "Y” (formerly known as the YMCA) to participate in the Silver Sneakers fitness program along with thirty-or-so other seniors. We have never been joiners, but, at my wife’s behest, we decided to see what our health insurance company was touting as an outstanding personal wellness undertaking.
We’ve now been at it for about six months and can unequivocally attest that it has been the best investment of time and energy we have made in years. We started out with a degree of skepticism acquired in our youth on the streets of the Bronx in New York City.
Of what value is marching in place while sitting in a chair?, we wondered. Besides, everyone in the room, except for the instructor, was old and we have always tried to be around younger people who can be more fun. We soon found that there is much more to Silver Sneakers than marching in place and the people who subscribe to the program are more alert and vivacious than they appear at first glance.
The exercise regiment involves dumbbell weights, a rubber pulley band and a rubber ball that is larger than a soft ball and smaller than a soccer ball. These apparatus are lifted, pushed or pulled in sets of repetition counted out by the trainer with fast-paced music in the background. It can be Lady Gaga or Ricky Martin or some hip-hop group urging the Silver Sneakers on to the next level of exertion with the cadence of sounds that are unfamiliar to many people in the class.
The music of Ella Fitzgerald or Frank Sinatra or the Beatles would probably be more to their liking, but the whole idea of Silver Sneakers is to shake people out of their comfort zone and get them to share on a higher plain of physical activity.
Moreover, the realization of what we accomplish in class has encouraged many, my wife and I included, to exercise at the “Y” on off days. As a result, we are experiencing less aches and pains, fewer sleepless nights, lower blood pressure and cholesterol and more energy. Best of all, we are losing weight for the first time in a decade.
Multiply those individual achievements, small as they may be, by the millions of people over the age of 65 and the health care system in the United States will unquestionably benefit; more importantly, so will the general population that relies on that system.
A recent study confirms those benefits. Researchers found that participants in the Silver Sneakers program had reduced their health care costs substantially and were hospitalized less than non-participants in a control group. The study was conducted by Group Health and the University of Washington in 2008 and was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In March of that year, Healthways, Inc., which founded Silver Sneakers in 1992, counted 2,800 participating fitness centers in 49 states. Since then the program has grown rapidly. By 2010, the network was up to 10,000 fitness centers, including the “Y,” 24 Hour Fitness, Curves, Gold’s Gym, Lifestyle Family Fitness and even community centers, making the program accessible to older people almost everywhere free of charge.
Healthways partners with dozens of major health insurance providers to deliver the exercise program to older folks, who qualify for Medicare, at no additional cost beyond their supplemental insurance premium. That makes good business sense because the less we use the health care system, the more efficient and profitable the companies become. Silver Sneakers is a win-win all around.
So as I huff and puff my way to the nirvana of physical fitness and watch us older folks collectively rejuvenate, I have only one nagging question. How will our youth-oriented society deal with revitalized elders, who are healthier, fitter and increasingly motivated to stay active and productive? If the economy can’t make room for them, volunteerism may be a partial solution, but it won’t pay the bills for over-achieving old-timers, who continue to earn the right of full participation in the mainstream.
And, That's That...
We’ve now been at it for about six months and can unequivocally attest that it has been the best investment of time and energy we have made in years. We started out with a degree of skepticism acquired in our youth on the streets of the Bronx in New York City.
Of what value is marching in place while sitting in a chair?, we wondered. Besides, everyone in the room, except for the instructor, was old and we have always tried to be around younger people who can be more fun. We soon found that there is much more to Silver Sneakers than marching in place and the people who subscribe to the program are more alert and vivacious than they appear at first glance.
The exercise regiment involves dumbbell weights, a rubber pulley band and a rubber ball that is larger than a soft ball and smaller than a soccer ball. These apparatus are lifted, pushed or pulled in sets of repetition counted out by the trainer with fast-paced music in the background. It can be Lady Gaga or Ricky Martin or some hip-hop group urging the Silver Sneakers on to the next level of exertion with the cadence of sounds that are unfamiliar to many people in the class.
The music of Ella Fitzgerald or Frank Sinatra or the Beatles would probably be more to their liking, but the whole idea of Silver Sneakers is to shake people out of their comfort zone and get them to share on a higher plain of physical activity.
Moreover, the realization of what we accomplish in class has encouraged many, my wife and I included, to exercise at the “Y” on off days. As a result, we are experiencing less aches and pains, fewer sleepless nights, lower blood pressure and cholesterol and more energy. Best of all, we are losing weight for the first time in a decade.
Multiply those individual achievements, small as they may be, by the millions of people over the age of 65 and the health care system in the United States will unquestionably benefit; more importantly, so will the general population that relies on that system.
A recent study confirms those benefits. Researchers found that participants in the Silver Sneakers program had reduced their health care costs substantially and were hospitalized less than non-participants in a control group. The study was conducted by Group Health and the University of Washington in 2008 and was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In March of that year, Healthways, Inc., which founded Silver Sneakers in 1992, counted 2,800 participating fitness centers in 49 states. Since then the program has grown rapidly. By 2010, the network was up to 10,000 fitness centers, including the “Y,” 24 Hour Fitness, Curves, Gold’s Gym, Lifestyle Family Fitness and even community centers, making the program accessible to older people almost everywhere free of charge.
Healthways partners with dozens of major health insurance providers to deliver the exercise program to older folks, who qualify for Medicare, at no additional cost beyond their supplemental insurance premium. That makes good business sense because the less we use the health care system, the more efficient and profitable the companies become. Silver Sneakers is a win-win all around.
So as I huff and puff my way to the nirvana of physical fitness and watch us older folks collectively rejuvenate, I have only one nagging question. How will our youth-oriented society deal with revitalized elders, who are healthier, fitter and increasingly motivated to stay active and productive? If the economy can’t make room for them, volunteerism may be a partial solution, but it won’t pay the bills for over-achieving old-timers, who continue to earn the right of full participation in the mainstream.
And, That's That...
Friday, July 23, 2010
Brooklyn Bound
“Only The Dead Know Brooklyn” may have been an accurate observation in 1935, when Thomas Wolfe wrote the short story for the New Yorker magazine. But today, the people who know Brooklyn are very much alive and inhabit one of the most happening and with it sections of New York City.
Growing up in the Bronx, we learned to avoid Brooklyn, because of its remoteness and the strange dialect attributed to the people who lived there. Going to Brooklyn was like going to a foreign country and took almost as long on the subway system. As luck would have it, Brooklyn police headquarters was my first assignment as a reporter with the New York Post. That’s were they sent the try-outs to make their bones.
Every chilly morning at 5:00 am in the dead of winter, I would mount the train at 207th street in the Bronx for the monotonous hour-long ride to Borough Hall in Brooklyn. How many times did I doze off, miss my station and wind up in Coney Island? That’s when I realized that I needed to pick up a specialty and wangled my way onto the financial desk, where it was 9-to-5 in the more familiar environs of lower Manhattan.
That was almost 50 years ago and so now I return to Brooklyn with great anticipation and only slight apprehension about what my wife and I will find on this first leg of our golden wedding anniversary journey of renewal and discovery.
We start in Brooklyn because that is the summer berth of the Queen Mary 2, from whence it begins the “autumn escape” up the New England coast to Halifax and Quebec. Before boarding the Queen at Pier 12 we’ll take in the various sights of the area, such as the Brooklyn Museum, which is the second-largest art museum in the United States, after the Metropolitan in Manhattan.
We’re told that neighborhoods like Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO are very chic now. DUMBO is an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, an area that boosts high-priced condos, shops and galleries. The epitome of extravagance and cheek in Brooklyn, however, has to be the Peter Luger Steak House, a restaurant in the Williamsburg section that is more than 100 years old and serves very expensive melt-in-your-mouth beef, but does not take credit cards.
Think we’ll check out what DUMBO has to offer and leave Peter Luger to meat-eaters with bigger appetites and wallets.
And, That’s That… (for now)
Friday, July 2, 2010
234 Years and Counting
Just days before the 234th anniversary of the birth of this nation and when very little is going right for the US-of-A; this might be a good time to take some inspiration from the people who got us here.
There are several great books that chronicle and reflect on how this unique democracy began and the people who carried it forward. Starting with “1776,” an outstanding journey through the revolutionary war that demonstrates the grit of the early settlers of this British colony and their determination to be free of oppression.
Historian David McCullough traces events not only through the eyes of the leaders of the revolution, but through the dramatic actions of ordinary people, who met tremendous challenges. A central figure in the story is the 25-year-old bookseller, who had the bold idea to haul the massive guns of Fort Ticonderoga, which was captured from the British, overland in the dead of winter to Boston, turning the cannons on the Red Coats. That Herculean accomplishment contributed significantly to the favorable outcome of the revolution.
This bookseller (bookbrokerbob) is offering “1776” and other historical treatments of more recent major events and the leaders who shaped them for good or evil. My Amazon.com Storefront includes Edmund Morris’ “Theodore Rex,” Seymour M. Hersh’s “The Dark Side of Camelot,” Haynes Johnson and David S. Broder’s “The System,” David Halberstam’s “War in a Time of Peace,” Richard A. Clarke’s “Against All Enemies,” and Bob Woodward’s “Bush at War.” You can check out these books and others at great prices by going to http://amazon.com/shops/A38D3KMTMTXUGS.
The heaviest lifting bookbrokerbob will do is to haul your purchase with great care and expedition to the post office.
And, That’s That…
There are several great books that chronicle and reflect on how this unique democracy began and the people who carried it forward. Starting with “1776,” an outstanding journey through the revolutionary war that demonstrates the grit of the early settlers of this British colony and their determination to be free of oppression.
Historian David McCullough traces events not only through the eyes of the leaders of the revolution, but through the dramatic actions of ordinary people, who met tremendous challenges. A central figure in the story is the 25-year-old bookseller, who had the bold idea to haul the massive guns of Fort Ticonderoga, which was captured from the British, overland in the dead of winter to Boston, turning the cannons on the Red Coats. That Herculean accomplishment contributed significantly to the favorable outcome of the revolution.
This bookseller (bookbrokerbob) is offering “1776” and other historical treatments of more recent major events and the leaders who shaped them for good or evil. My Amazon.com Storefront includes Edmund Morris’ “Theodore Rex,” Seymour M. Hersh’s “The Dark Side of Camelot,” Haynes Johnson and David S. Broder’s “The System,” David Halberstam’s “War in a Time of Peace,” Richard A. Clarke’s “Against All Enemies,” and Bob Woodward’s “Bush at War.” You can check out these books and others at great prices by going to http://amazon.com/shops/A38D3KMTMTXUGS.
The heaviest lifting bookbrokerbob will do is to haul your purchase with great care and expedition to the post office.
And, That’s That…
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Knickers in a Twist
Our friends across the pond in Great Britain have their "knickers in a twist" over the bashing BP is justifiably taking in the US for the environmental disaster the mammoth oil company caused in the Gulf of Mexico. "Knickers in a twist" is British slang for being in a difficult or awkward situation.
We'd say between a rock and a hard place. That's pretty much where the people who live and work on the gulf coast find themselves as oil continues to gush from the ruptured BP well killing wildlife, spoiling beaches and mangroves and destroying livelihoods.
Not surprisingly, this environment calamity, possibly the worst in history, has everyone screaming for someone to blame. Even the usually level-headed President Obama, in the frustration of helplessness, wants to know "who's ass to kick." A string of investigations in Congress and the Justice Department will eventually point out the culprits, but it's safe to assume that BP and some of its top brass will be at the head of the list.
Not fair, say many of our friends in England, who hold BP in high esteem as a pillar of their economy and a generous payer of large dividends to pension-holders. Many Brits think our officials are over-reacting and even anti-British in holding BP so harshly accountable.
Folks in the four gulf coast states that are most seriously affected by the torrent of oil are rightfully questioning BP's generosity or, at least, its timeliness in providing relief where it's needed.
In Florida along, more than 10,000 claims for lost income have already been filed with the company and, as of this past Friday, only 2,400 checks had been written for a total of $7.8 million. The company has also come up with
Clearly, tourism in Florida, which was on the mend in the first quarter of 2010, is now, again, as fragile as the oil-laden birds that are being pulled out of the muck. Our British friends and all us Yanks should, therefore, straighten out our Knickers and hope that cooler heads repair this environmental and human disaster as soon as possible.
Otherwise, the many British vacationers Florida hosts each year will be taking home tar balls along with keepsakes from the new Wizarding World of their fictional countryman, Harry Potter, and the older, but still popular, dream world of Disney's Magic Kingdom.
And, That's That...
We'd say between a rock and a hard place. That's pretty much where the people who live and work on the gulf coast find themselves as oil continues to gush from the ruptured BP well killing wildlife, spoiling beaches and mangroves and destroying livelihoods.
Not surprisingly, this environment calamity, possibly the worst in history, has everyone screaming for someone to blame. Even the usually level-headed President Obama, in the frustration of helplessness, wants to know "who's ass to kick." A string of investigations in Congress and the Justice Department will eventually point out the culprits, but it's safe to assume that BP and some of its top brass will be at the head of the list.
Not fair, say many of our friends in England, who hold BP in high esteem as a pillar of their economy and a generous payer of large dividends to pension-holders. Many Brits think our officials are over-reacting and even anti-British in holding BP so harshly accountable.
Folks in the four gulf coast states that are most seriously affected by the torrent of oil are rightfully questioning BP's generosity or, at least, its timeliness in providing relief where it's needed.
In Florida along, more than 10,000 claims for lost income have already been filed with the company and, as of this past Friday, only 2,400 checks had been written for a total of $7.8 million. The company has also come up with
Clearly, tourism in Florida, which was on the mend in the first quarter of 2010, is now, again, as fragile as the oil-laden birds that are being pulled out of the muck. Our British friends and all us Yanks should, therefore, straighten out our Knickers and hope that cooler heads repair this environmental and human disaster as soon as possible.
Otherwise, the many British vacationers Florida hosts each year will be taking home tar balls along with keepsakes from the new Wizarding World of their fictional countryman, Harry Potter, and the older, but still popular, dream world of Disney's Magic Kingdom.
And, That's That...
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Davids Beating Goliaths
There's Your Job -- Part III
We are in, what the experts are calling, a "jobless" economic recovery. All the important economic indicators are pointing up, except the one that matters most to individuals -- the unemployment rate, which continues to bounce around above 10 percent. A nagging lack of confidence among big employers, now made worse by the fear that the financial crisis in Greece and the rest of Europe might pull the U.S. back into recession, has kept hiring at a minimum throughout the nation.
Also, the giants of business have learned to do more with less people during the recession. As a result, many laid-off workers are likely never to get their jobs back. The number of people who have been out of work for a year or more is mind-boggling. Moreover, "lots of laid-off workers will never regain their former earning power," the Economist magazine warned recently. That's especially true for older people, who may have been forced into "retirement" because of poor job prospects in the hierarchy of large corporations.
They are living off their savings, pensions and fixed assets. How do they begin to rebuild lost wealth? The horizontal dissemination of knowledge, information and even commerce is one solution. Certainly, social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, have empowered the Davids of the world to take on and often beat the Goliaths of traditional industry. "We're not all going to wind up working for eBay or Amazon, but as large organizations lose the economies of scope and scale that once made them preferred employers, more people are going to wind up working for themselves or for small businesses," predicts Glenn Reynolds, in his 2006 book "An Army of Davids." Not even Reynolds, a successful blogger, could have seen how quickly the Davids would provide a viable alternative to the vertical supply chain of traditional commerce.
This blogger, for example, is now offering "An Army of Davids," along with many other titles as "bookbrokerbob" on his own Amazon.com storefront at http://www.amazon.com/shops/A38D3KMTMTXUGS. "Bookbrokerbob" got actively involved when a friend reported making about $3,000 a month by buying and selling books directly between individuals. That's a nice piece of change for a freelance writer between assignments.
Similarly, online freelancing is taking off through "the cloud," a tech-speak phrase that describes the combination of ubiquitous fast internet connections and cheap, plentiful web-based computing power, according to the Economist. "Millions of workers are embracing freelancing as an alternative to full-time employment or because they cannot find salaried jobs," the magazine reports.
May the Force be with us Davids.
And, That's That...
We are in, what the experts are calling, a "jobless" economic recovery. All the important economic indicators are pointing up, except the one that matters most to individuals -- the unemployment rate, which continues to bounce around above 10 percent. A nagging lack of confidence among big employers, now made worse by the fear that the financial crisis in Greece and the rest of Europe might pull the U.S. back into recession, has kept hiring at a minimum throughout the nation.
Also, the giants of business have learned to do more with less people during the recession. As a result, many laid-off workers are likely never to get their jobs back. The number of people who have been out of work for a year or more is mind-boggling. Moreover, "lots of laid-off workers will never regain their former earning power," the Economist magazine warned recently. That's especially true for older people, who may have been forced into "retirement" because of poor job prospects in the hierarchy of large corporations.
They are living off their savings, pensions and fixed assets. How do they begin to rebuild lost wealth? The horizontal dissemination of knowledge, information and even commerce is one solution. Certainly, social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, have empowered the Davids of the world to take on and often beat the Goliaths of traditional industry. "We're not all going to wind up working for eBay or Amazon, but as large organizations lose the economies of scope and scale that once made them preferred employers, more people are going to wind up working for themselves or for small businesses," predicts Glenn Reynolds, in his 2006 book "An Army of Davids." Not even Reynolds, a successful blogger, could have seen how quickly the Davids would provide a viable alternative to the vertical supply chain of traditional commerce.
This blogger, for example, is now offering "An Army of Davids," along with many other titles as "bookbrokerbob" on his own Amazon.com storefront at http://www.amazon.com/shops/A38D3KMTMTXUGS. "Bookbrokerbob" got actively involved when a friend reported making about $3,000 a month by buying and selling books directly between individuals. That's a nice piece of change for a freelance writer between assignments.
Similarly, online freelancing is taking off through "the cloud," a tech-speak phrase that describes the combination of ubiquitous fast internet connections and cheap, plentiful web-based computing power, according to the Economist. "Millions of workers are embracing freelancing as an alternative to full-time employment or because they cannot find salaried jobs," the magazine reports.
May the Force be with us Davids.
And, That's That...
Davids Beating Goliaths
There's Your Job -- Part III
We are in, what the experts are calling, a "jobless" economic recovery. All the important economic indicators are pointing up, except the one that matters most to individuals -- the unemployment rate, which continues to bounce around above 10 percent. A nagging lack of confidence among big employers, now made worse by the fear that the financial crisis in Greece and the rest of Europe might pull the U.S. back into recession, has kept hiring at a minimum throughout the nation.
Also, the giants of business have learned to do more with less people during the recession. As a result, many laid-off workers are likely never to get their jobs back. The number of people who have been out of work for a year or more is mind-boggling. Moreover, "lots of laid-off workers will never regain their former earning power," the Economist magazine warned recently. That's especially true for older people, who may have been forced into "retirement" because of poor job prospects in the hierarchy of large corporations.
They are living off their savings, pensions and fixed assets. How do they begin to rebuild lost wealth? The horizontal dissemination of knowledge, information and even commerce is one solution. Certainly, social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, have empowered the Davids of the world to take on and often beat the Goliaths of traditional industry. "We're not all going to wind up working for eBay or Amazon, but as large organizations lose the economies of scope and scale that once made them preferred employers, more people are going to wind up working for themselves or for small businesses," predicts Glenn Reynolds, in his 2006 book "An Army of Davids." Not even Reynolds, a successful blogger, could have seen how quickly the Davids would provide a viable alternative to the vertical supply chain of traditional commerce.
This blogger, for example, is now offering "An Army of Davids," along with many other titles as "bookbrokerbob" on his own Amazon.com storefront at http://www.amazon.com/shops/A38D3KMTMTXUGS. "Bookbrokerbob" got actively involved when a friend reported making about $3,000 a month by buying and selling books directly between individuals. That's a nice piece of change for a freelance writer between assignments.
Similarly, online freelancing is taking off through "the cloud," a tech-speak phrase that describes the combination of ubiquitous fast internet connections and cheap, plentiful web-based computing power, according to the Economist. "Millions of workers are embracing freelancing as an alternative to full-time employment or because they cannot find salaried jobs," the magazine reports.
May the Force be with us Davids.
And, That's That...
We are in, what the experts are calling, a "jobless" economic recovery. All the important economic indicators are pointing up, except the one that matters most to individuals -- the unemployment rate, which continues to bounce around above 10 percent. A nagging lack of confidence among big employers, now made worse by the fear that the financial crisis in Greece and the rest of Europe might pull the U.S. back into recession, has kept hiring at a minimum throughout the nation.
Also, the giants of business have learned to do more with less people during the recession. As a result, many laid-off workers are likely never to get their jobs back. The number of people who have been out of work for a year or more is mind-boggling. Moreover, "lots of laid-off workers will never regain their former earning power," the Economist magazine warned recently. That's especially true for older people, who may have been forced into "retirement" because of poor job prospects in the hierarchy of large corporations.
They are living off their savings, pensions and fixed assets. How do they begin to rebuild lost wealth? The horizontal dissemination of knowledge, information and even commerce is one solution. Certainly, social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, have empowered the Davids of the world to take on and often beat the Goliaths of traditional industry. "We're not all going to wind up working for eBay or Amazon, but as large organizations lose the economies of scope and scale that once made them preferred employers, more people are going to wind up working for themselves or for small businesses," predicts Glenn Reynolds, in his 2006 book "An Army of Davids." Not even Reynolds, a successful blogger, could have seen how quickly the Davids would provide a viable alternative to the vertical supply chain of traditional commerce.
This blogger, for example, is now offering "An Army of Davids," along with many other titles as "bookbrokerbob" on his own Amazon.com storefront at http://www.amazon.com/shops/A38D3KMTMTXUGS. "Bookbrokerbob" got actively involved when a friend reported making about $3,000 a month by buying and selling books directly between individuals. That's a nice piece of change for a freelance writer between assignments.
Similarly, online freelancing is taking off through "the cloud," a tech-speak phrase that describes the combination of ubiquitous fast internet connections and cheap, plentiful web-based computing power, according to the Economist. "Millions of workers are embracing freelancing as an alternative to full-time employment or because they cannot find salaried jobs," the magazine reports.
May the Force be with us Davids.
And, That's That...
Friday, May 21, 2010
Davids Beating Goliaths
There's Your Job -- Part III
We are in, what the experts are calling, a "jobless" economic recovery. All the important economic indicators are pointing up, except the one that matters most to individuals -- the unemployment rate, which continues to bounce around above 10 percent. A nagging lack of confidence among big employers, now made worse by the fear that the financial crisis in Greece and the rest of Europe might pull the U.S. back into recession, has kept hiring at a minimum throughout the nation.
Also, the giants of business have learned to do more with less people during the recession. As a result, many laid-off workers are likely never to get their jobs back. The number of people who have been out of work for a year or more is mind-boggling. Moreover, "lots of laid-off workers will never regain their former earning power," the Economist magazine warned recently. That's especially true for older people, who may have been forced into "retirement" because of poor job prospects in the hierarchy of large corporations.
They are living off their savings, pensions and fixed assets. How do they begin to rebuild lost wealth? The horizontal dissemination of knowledge, information and even commerce is one solution. Certainly, social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, have empowered the Davids of the world to take on and often beat the Goliaths of traditional industry. "We're not all going to wind up working for eBay or Amazon, but as large organizations lose the economies of scope and scale that once made them preferred employers, more people are going to wind up working for themselves or for small businesses," predicts Glenn Reynolds, in his 2006 book "An Army of Davids." Not even Reynolds, a successful blogger, could have seen how quickly the Davids would provide a viable alternative to the vertical supply chain of traditional commerce.
This blogger, for example, is now offering "An Army of Davids," along with many other titles as "bookbrokerbob" on his own Amazon.com storefront at http://www.amazon.com/shops/A38D3KMTMTXUGS. "Bookbrokerbob" got actively involved when a friend reported making about $3,000 a month by buying and selling books directly between individuals. That's a nice piece of change for a freelance writer between assignments.
Similarly, online freelancing is taking off through "the cloud," a tech-speak phrase that describes the combination of ubiquitous fast internet connections and cheap, plentiful web-based computing power, according to the Economist. "Millions of workers are embracing freelancing as an alternative to full-time employment or because they cannot find salaried jobs," the magazine reports.
May the Force be with us Davids.
And, That's That...
We are in, what the experts are calling, a "jobless" economic recovery. All the important economic indicators are pointing up, except the one that matters most to individuals -- the unemployment rate, which continues to bounce around above 10 percent. A nagging lack of confidence among big employers, now made worse by the fear that the financial crisis in Greece and the rest of Europe might pull the U.S. back into recession, has kept hiring at a minimum throughout the nation.
Also, the giants of business have learned to do more with less people during the recession. As a result, many laid-off workers are likely never to get their jobs back. The number of people who have been out of work for a year or more is mind-boggling. Moreover, "lots of laid-off workers will never regain their former earning power," the Economist magazine warned recently. That's especially true for older people, who may have been forced into "retirement" because of poor job prospects in the hierarchy of large corporations.
They are living off their savings, pensions and fixed assets. How do they begin to rebuild lost wealth? The horizontal dissemination of knowledge, information and even commerce is one solution. Certainly, social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, have empowered the Davids of the world to take on and often beat the Goliaths of traditional industry. "We're not all going to wind up working for eBay or Amazon, but as large organizations lose the economies of scope and scale that once made them preferred employers, more people are going to wind up working for themselves or for small businesses," predicts Glenn Reynolds, in his 2006 book "An Army of Davids." Not even Reynolds, a successful blogger, could have seen how quickly the Davids would provide a viable alternative to the vertical supply chain of traditional commerce.
This blogger, for example, is now offering "An Army of Davids," along with many other titles as "bookbrokerbob" on his own Amazon.com storefront at http://www.amazon.com/shops/A38D3KMTMTXUGS. "Bookbrokerbob" got actively involved when a friend reported making about $3,000 a month by buying and selling books directly between individuals. That's a nice piece of change for a freelance writer between assignments.
Similarly, online freelancing is taking off through "the cloud," a tech-speak phrase that describes the combination of ubiquitous fast internet connections and cheap, plentiful web-based computing power, according to the Economist. "Millions of workers are embracing freelancing as an alternative to full-time employment or because they cannot find salaried jobs," the magazine reports.
May the Force be with us Davids.
And, That's That...
Friday, May 7, 2010
FED Watching Goes Public
Reading about America's fiscal policy used to put most people to sleep. After the recession, economic meltdown and the corresponding personal financial hardships of massive unemployment, home foreclosures and lost wealth, watching the antics of the Federal Reserve system (affectionately referred to as "The FED") has become as popular as reality TV.
People now consider the Chairman of the Federal Reserve akin to a rock star, hanging on every pronouncement with great anticipation and trepidation because of the potential impact on every one's economic condition.
Not surprisingly, recent books about FED chairmen past and present have been best sellers. They provide an insightful glimpse behind the closed-doors of the Federal Reserve and its critical functions and personalities. Most notable was "Maestro" (published by Simon & Schuster in 2000). The book was written by journalistic superstar Bob Woodward of Watergate fame. It traces the positive influence of FED Chairman Alan Greenspan on the American Boom of the late 1990s, which produced the largest budget surplus in the history of the nation.
Greenspan was credited with setting the course for economic expansion with a light hand on the monetary tiller. Now, in hindsight, his orchestration of fiscal policy was perhaps too light-handed and many believe his FED should have anticipated the coming slide of the financial system. In any event, "Maestro" makes for fascinating reading of a better time in America's recent economic history. "Maestro" is available from bookbrokerbob, my altar ego at Amazon.com, at a very reasonable price, as are many other titles from my personal library.
Check it out...
People now consider the Chairman of the Federal Reserve akin to a rock star, hanging on every pronouncement with great anticipation and trepidation because of the potential impact on every one's economic condition.
Not surprisingly, recent books about FED chairmen past and present have been best sellers. They provide an insightful glimpse behind the closed-doors of the Federal Reserve and its critical functions and personalities. Most notable was "Maestro" (published by Simon & Schuster in 2000). The book was written by journalistic superstar Bob Woodward of Watergate fame. It traces the positive influence of FED Chairman Alan Greenspan on the American Boom of the late 1990s, which produced the largest budget surplus in the history of the nation.
Greenspan was credited with setting the course for economic expansion with a light hand on the monetary tiller. Now, in hindsight, his orchestration of fiscal policy was perhaps too light-handed and many believe his FED should have anticipated the coming slide of the financial system. In any event, "Maestro" makes for fascinating reading of a better time in America's recent economic history. "Maestro" is available from bookbrokerbob, my altar ego at Amazon.com, at a very reasonable price, as are many other titles from my personal library.
Check it out...
Friday, April 23, 2010
Shooting for the Stars...
So Where's My Job? -- Part II
If you're a NASA engineer, technician or astronaut there's a good chance your job will go up with the vapor trail of the last shuttle mission, which just got a short reprieve because of problems with one of the science experiments, pushing the mission back to November of this year instead of September.
Buzz Aldrin, one of the first men in space, knows what it's like to be bumped off a stellar program. He recently did not got very far on "Dancing with the Stars," the "reality" TV-show that sent him home early, but the former astronaut, who was the second man on the moon, got a good lesson in the "Obama Two-Step," when he witnessed the president launch his plan for space exploration after scuttling the shuttle program at the Kennedy Space Center. Aldrin was front and center, along with other supporters of the president's alternative to NASA's current manned-rocket program.
In its place, the president is proposing a $19 billion investment in NASA to work toward putting astronauts on an asteroid by 2025, shooting beyond the moon into deep space. Meanwhile, short-term, the manned-space program would be left in the hands of commercial rocket companies that will send astronauts to the International Space Station for its care,maintenance and related endeavors.
So, according to the president, the new space initiative will create 5,000 new jobs by 2012 and stimulation a whole new "Silicon Valley for space" in Central Florida with countless opportunities for commercial development and high tech employment. Immediately, however, an estimated 9,000 jobs will be lost when the manned-shuttle missions soon come to an end. As NASA engineers and technicians are laid off, an estimated 14,000 other jobs are expected to be lost in other segments of the space coast economy. That's a hard blow to a region that already suffers from an unemployment rate of 12.6 percent.
Many Floridians are wondering, as a result, why they are getting so much attention from President Obama. First, he journeyed to Tampa to announce federal funding for a high speed rail system along the I-4 corridor to Orlando. And, more recently, the visit to the space coast. First he giveth and then he taketh away. Some are wondering, even hoping, that he's looking for cheap real estate to move to the Sunshine State when he retires? Good luck with that one.
And, That's That...
If you're a NASA engineer, technician or astronaut there's a good chance your job will go up with the vapor trail of the last shuttle mission, which just got a short reprieve because of problems with one of the science experiments, pushing the mission back to November of this year instead of September.
Buzz Aldrin, one of the first men in space, knows what it's like to be bumped off a stellar program. He recently did not got very far on "Dancing with the Stars," the "reality" TV-show that sent him home early, but the former astronaut, who was the second man on the moon, got a good lesson in the "Obama Two-Step," when he witnessed the president launch his plan for space exploration after scuttling the shuttle program at the Kennedy Space Center. Aldrin was front and center, along with other supporters of the president's alternative to NASA's current manned-rocket program.
In its place, the president is proposing a $19 billion investment in NASA to work toward putting astronauts on an asteroid by 2025, shooting beyond the moon into deep space. Meanwhile, short-term, the manned-space program would be left in the hands of commercial rocket companies that will send astronauts to the International Space Station for its care,maintenance and related endeavors.
So, according to the president, the new space initiative will create 5,000 new jobs by 2012 and stimulation a whole new "Silicon Valley for space" in Central Florida with countless opportunities for commercial development and high tech employment. Immediately, however, an estimated 9,000 jobs will be lost when the manned-shuttle missions soon come to an end. As NASA engineers and technicians are laid off, an estimated 14,000 other jobs are expected to be lost in other segments of the space coast economy. That's a hard blow to a region that already suffers from an unemployment rate of 12.6 percent.
Many Floridians are wondering, as a result, why they are getting so much attention from President Obama. First, he journeyed to Tampa to announce federal funding for a high speed rail system along the I-4 corridor to Orlando. And, more recently, the visit to the space coast. First he giveth and then he taketh away. Some are wondering, even hoping, that he's looking for cheap real estate to move to the Sunshine State when he retires? Good luck with that one.
And, That's That...
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Economy Recovered ! So Where's My Job?
First the numbers, then the pundits and finally President Obama told us in recent days that the economy has recovered. So, where's my job?, the unemployed are asking. Well, Duckie, it will be a long time coming back, if at all.
The numbers said that 1.1 million jobs where added in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2010 and retailers reported their strongest sales growth in a decade for March, causing the stock market to go up passed the "Eleven Thousand" symbolic threshold. So why is everybody still walking on eggs, instead of hiring to meet expected demand?
The problem is that this could very well be what the experts are calling "a jobless recovery." From 2007, when the recession began, to late 2009, when the first signs of recovery appeared, employers who survived did so with fewer workers. They became leaner and more productive with less people on the payroll and they are likely to stay that way for as long as possible.
That management fix has been gaining currency in corporate America for a very long time.
"More than two decades have passed since the modern layoff first appeared as a mass phenomenon in American life," writes Louis Uchitelle in his 2006 book, "The Disposable American." "Until that happened, companies tried to avoid layoffs. They were a sign of corporate failure and a violation of acceptable business behavior."
Uchitelle, like FED Chairman Ben Bernanke, could not have seen the depths of the coming "Great Recession," but his analysis of the impact of mass joblessness on the American physique describes what people are still suffering today. There are 8.4 million sad stories out there as a result of jobs lost during the recession. Uchitelle, after all, is only a reporter, albeit, a very good one. Bernanke, on the other hand, is paid to see the economic freight train going off the tracks.
Now that the wreckage is being cleared, what's next? "In an earlier era of much more faith in the payoff from public investment, President Eisenhower and Congress, to take one famous example, did not hesitate in the late fifties to authorize huge sums to get the United States into space...," Uchitelle reminds us. That investment, supported by subsequent administrations, produced not only jobs, but private sector investment in new technologies and countless industrial spinoffs.
Ironically, President Obama will be on the Space Coast tomorrow to tell us his plans for the future of the space program that was launched so long ago. Hopefully, it will take off as well.
And, That's That...
The numbers said that 1.1 million jobs where added in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2010 and retailers reported their strongest sales growth in a decade for March, causing the stock market to go up passed the "Eleven Thousand" symbolic threshold. So why is everybody still walking on eggs, instead of hiring to meet expected demand?
The problem is that this could very well be what the experts are calling "a jobless recovery." From 2007, when the recession began, to late 2009, when the first signs of recovery appeared, employers who survived did so with fewer workers. They became leaner and more productive with less people on the payroll and they are likely to stay that way for as long as possible.
That management fix has been gaining currency in corporate America for a very long time.
"More than two decades have passed since the modern layoff first appeared as a mass phenomenon in American life," writes Louis Uchitelle in his 2006 book, "The Disposable American." "Until that happened, companies tried to avoid layoffs. They were a sign of corporate failure and a violation of acceptable business behavior."
Uchitelle, like FED Chairman Ben Bernanke, could not have seen the depths of the coming "Great Recession," but his analysis of the impact of mass joblessness on the American physique describes what people are still suffering today. There are 8.4 million sad stories out there as a result of jobs lost during the recession. Uchitelle, after all, is only a reporter, albeit, a very good one. Bernanke, on the other hand, is paid to see the economic freight train going off the tracks.
Now that the wreckage is being cleared, what's next? "In an earlier era of much more faith in the payoff from public investment, President Eisenhower and Congress, to take one famous example, did not hesitate in the late fifties to authorize huge sums to get the United States into space...," Uchitelle reminds us. That investment, supported by subsequent administrations, produced not only jobs, but private sector investment in new technologies and countless industrial spinoffs.
Ironically, President Obama will be on the Space Coast tomorrow to tell us his plans for the future of the space program that was launched so long ago. Hopefully, it will take off as well.
And, That's That...
Thursday, April 8, 2010
'Ill-Spirit' Airline
News that Spirit Airline will start charging up to $45.00 for the privilege of carrying luggage on to its planes is not surprising. It's an abuse, but they've been heading in that direction for a long time. What is shocking is Spirit's attitude. "Bring less, pay less" is how one Spirit executive sums it up.
In other words, the customer be damned. Remember when passengers determined when, where and how they traveled. Then airlines started crying that they can't make a profit. So they began charging extra for everything in sight. Want a soda, that's extra; chips, extra; seat-selection, extra. A British airliner is said to be charging for the use of the "luv," which is the toilet in the King's English. Next, possibly, toilet paper will be purchased by the sheet and flushing will be optional with a fee.
Clearly, the airline industry is free to charge whatever it wants for its services. Likewise, the traveler can opt to take the scenic route in a train, bus or car and pack to the hilt. Spirit is a no-frills carrier that prides itself for its low fares. Its customers will have to start taking a calculator with them online when they make reservations to see if that is still true after all the extra charges are factored in.
By the way, if you deal with Spirit, you have to do so online, because they don't answer their 800-number and it's almost impossible to talk to a real person if you do get through. But, I just found another avenue to get through to Spirit's team. Consumerist.com tells us that Tony Lefebvre is senior vice president for customer service. Corporate headquarters is at 2800 Executive Way, Miramar, Florida 32025. Tony's email address is tony.lefebvre@spiritair.com and his phone number is 954.447.7965.
If this latest outrage from Spirit bites you in the behind, write to Tony or give him a call and tell him how you feel. You probably won't get through because he and his cohorts are trying to figure out what they can do next to make your travel experience less enjoyable and more costly. Although, I must admit their "Big Front Seat" is more comfortable than first class on most other airlines at a substantially lower fare.
Notwithstanding that plus, Spirit's lack of sensitivity, at a time when people are still smarting from economic depression, deserves the ire of its customers and ultimately they will decide, who, if anyone, fills their seats and overhead bins.
And, That will be That !
In other words, the customer be damned. Remember when passengers determined when, where and how they traveled. Then airlines started crying that they can't make a profit. So they began charging extra for everything in sight. Want a soda, that's extra; chips, extra; seat-selection, extra. A British airliner is said to be charging for the use of the "luv," which is the toilet in the King's English. Next, possibly, toilet paper will be purchased by the sheet and flushing will be optional with a fee.
Clearly, the airline industry is free to charge whatever it wants for its services. Likewise, the traveler can opt to take the scenic route in a train, bus or car and pack to the hilt. Spirit is a no-frills carrier that prides itself for its low fares. Its customers will have to start taking a calculator with them online when they make reservations to see if that is still true after all the extra charges are factored in.
By the way, if you deal with Spirit, you have to do so online, because they don't answer their 800-number and it's almost impossible to talk to a real person if you do get through. But, I just found another avenue to get through to Spirit's team. Consumerist.com tells us that Tony Lefebvre is senior vice president for customer service. Corporate headquarters is at 2800 Executive Way, Miramar, Florida 32025. Tony's email address is tony.lefebvre@spiritair.com and his phone number is 954.447.7965.
If this latest outrage from Spirit bites you in the behind, write to Tony or give him a call and tell him how you feel. You probably won't get through because he and his cohorts are trying to figure out what they can do next to make your travel experience less enjoyable and more costly. Although, I must admit their "Big Front Seat" is more comfortable than first class on most other airlines at a substantially lower fare.
Notwithstanding that plus, Spirit's lack of sensitivity, at a time when people are still smarting from economic depression, deserves the ire of its customers and ultimately they will decide, who, if anyone, fills their seats and overhead bins.
And, That will be That !
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Pulling Energy from the Sun
You'd think that Florida would, by now, be covered with solar panel arrays pulling energy from the sun that should also create new green industry jobs.
In fact, the "sunshine" state is just now getting serious about the alternative energy source for its favorable environmental and potential economic impact. Renewable energy development is receiving a large chunk of the $90 billion the Obama Administration wants to spend to stimulate thousands of green jobs and interests in Florida are finally vying for a piece of the action.
Most notably, Orlando will soon build what will briefly be one of the largest solar panel fields in the nation. The Orlando Utilities Commission plans to erect more than 30,000 panels at its Curtis Stanton Energy Center, southeast of the city, and another 18,000-plus panels near the International Airport. When completed, the solar power arrays will generate enough electricity to meet the demand of about 1,000 homes and reduce dependency on coal burning.
That project will be over-shadowed by the vast solar panel farm of 190,000 mirrors being planted by FPL Group north of West Palm Beach, which, when completed later this year, will be the world's second largest solar plant.
FPL Group is the parent company of Florida Power and Light, which is looking for substantial savings from this system. It will be the first hybrid, combining the latest solar technology with conventional fuel generating capacity that is already in place. As a result, the utility expects to cut costs by 20 percent because it will not have to replace existing infrastructure, while still reducing environmental impact.
Such innovations suggest lots of potential for economic growth and employment in Florida, where the sun shines most of the time. Entrepreneurs should put on their shades and their thinking caps.
And, That's That...
In fact, the "sunshine" state is just now getting serious about the alternative energy source for its favorable environmental and potential economic impact. Renewable energy development is receiving a large chunk of the $90 billion the Obama Administration wants to spend to stimulate thousands of green jobs and interests in Florida are finally vying for a piece of the action.
Most notably, Orlando will soon build what will briefly be one of the largest solar panel fields in the nation. The Orlando Utilities Commission plans to erect more than 30,000 panels at its Curtis Stanton Energy Center, southeast of the city, and another 18,000-plus panels near the International Airport. When completed, the solar power arrays will generate enough electricity to meet the demand of about 1,000 homes and reduce dependency on coal burning.
That project will be over-shadowed by the vast solar panel farm of 190,000 mirrors being planted by FPL Group north of West Palm Beach, which, when completed later this year, will be the world's second largest solar plant.
FPL Group is the parent company of Florida Power and Light, which is looking for substantial savings from this system. It will be the first hybrid, combining the latest solar technology with conventional fuel generating capacity that is already in place. As a result, the utility expects to cut costs by 20 percent because it will not have to replace existing infrastructure, while still reducing environmental impact.
Such innovations suggest lots of potential for economic growth and employment in Florida, where the sun shines most of the time. Entrepreneurs should put on their shades and their thinking caps.
And, That's That...
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Transportation "avatars" of Central Florida
At first glance, Buddy Dyer and Rich Crotty look like the typical GOP (Good Old Politician) mayors of Orlando and Orange County, respectively. In fact, they could be the new personification of a familiar idea that is long overdue, making Central Florida a greener and cleaner transportation hub. Hence, by definition, they are worthy of the "avatar" label.
Both Dyer and Crotty were behind initiatives to establish a high-speed rail link between Tampa and Orlando, potentially making the I-4 corridor less congested with polluting cars and prospectively serving as a magnet for economic activity and jobs. That promise came closer to reality recently when President Obama announced in Tampa that the Central Florida project would receive $1.25 billion in federal stimulus funds to get the link up and running.The high-speed rail line is expected to generate 23,000 jobs and should stimulate technology transfers for new industrial development along and beyond its tracks.
The separate SunRail commuter train project slated to start construction before the end of the year also has their vigorous support as a job generator that will take polluting cars off the roads between suburban communities and downtown Orlando. The politicos are exploring how the two train systems can be hooked up for even greater advantage for Central Florida.
Of seemingly lesser importance, but still another forward-thinking transportation move, was the mayors Dyer and Crotty recent show of support for electric car charging stations around Orlando. Nissan will launch its all electric car, the Leaf, in the U.S. some time this year and Orlando will be one of its first markets.
Such initiatives are sorely needed in a state that lags behind the nation in economic recovery and employment. "Blog-o-namics," a regular posting of Orlando Sentinel reporter Jim Stratton, who has been on point in reporting the jobs crisis in Florida, recently wrote:
"State forecasters have revised their projections for unemployment, saying Florida's jobless rate will peak at 12.3 percent sometime between July and September."
Experts are telling us that many of those lost jobs will never come back. The technology transfer associated with greener and cleaner transportation in Central Florida may pick up the slack by creating new employment opportunities. Immediately, the avatar mayors of Orlando and Orange County have pledged to add the electric cars to their fleets when it comes time to replace vehicles. That's a good start.
And, That's That...
Both Dyer and Crotty were behind initiatives to establish a high-speed rail link between Tampa and Orlando, potentially making the I-4 corridor less congested with polluting cars and prospectively serving as a magnet for economic activity and jobs. That promise came closer to reality recently when President Obama announced in Tampa that the Central Florida project would receive $1.25 billion in federal stimulus funds to get the link up and running.The high-speed rail line is expected to generate 23,000 jobs and should stimulate technology transfers for new industrial development along and beyond its tracks.
The separate SunRail commuter train project slated to start construction before the end of the year also has their vigorous support as a job generator that will take polluting cars off the roads between suburban communities and downtown Orlando. The politicos are exploring how the two train systems can be hooked up for even greater advantage for Central Florida.
Of seemingly lesser importance, but still another forward-thinking transportation move, was the mayors Dyer and Crotty recent show of support for electric car charging stations around Orlando. Nissan will launch its all electric car, the Leaf, in the U.S. some time this year and Orlando will be one of its first markets.
Such initiatives are sorely needed in a state that lags behind the nation in economic recovery and employment. "Blog-o-namics," a regular posting of Orlando Sentinel reporter Jim Stratton, who has been on point in reporting the jobs crisis in Florida, recently wrote:
"State forecasters have revised their projections for unemployment, saying Florida's jobless rate will peak at 12.3 percent sometime between July and September."
Experts are telling us that many of those lost jobs will never come back. The technology transfer associated with greener and cleaner transportation in Central Florida may pick up the slack by creating new employment opportunities. Immediately, the avatar mayors of Orlando and Orange County have pledged to add the electric cars to their fleets when it comes time to replace vehicles. That's a good start.
And, That's That...
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Congress is snowed
The weather outside is frightful. If anyone doubts that severe climate change induced by global warming is real, just open the window. You have freezing temperatures as far south as Central Florida and snow had to be trucked into Vancouver, Canada for the Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, heavy rains cause massive mug slides in California and a blizzard whites out much of the rest of the nation.
Still, the naysayers ask, "where's Al Gore's global warming now?" There is no point in explaining the correlation to politicians who have a different agenda and can't deal with change of any kind.
In the nation's capital the federal government was closed down and Congress took a snow week, which is probably a good thing given the recent performance of lawmakers. Obviously, the lobbyists who play Congress all the time, where able to make it into work. Their hot air cuts through any obstacle, including blizzard conditions.
You can see their footprint on hung-up legislation to overhaul the student loan program and end subsidies to private lenders and to rewrite financial regulations that would protect consumers and encourage lending to small business. Everywhere you turn in the halls of Congress you see the shadowy profile of big financial institutions that want to maintain unreasonable profits and bonuses reflected on the walls.
When the sun starts warming things up again, the shadows will hopefully disappear, like melting snowmen, and Congress can accomplish what needs to be done to get our economy moving in the right direction to stimulate jobs.
And, That's That...
Still, the naysayers ask, "where's Al Gore's global warming now?" There is no point in explaining the correlation to politicians who have a different agenda and can't deal with change of any kind.
In the nation's capital the federal government was closed down and Congress took a snow week, which is probably a good thing given the recent performance of lawmakers. Obviously, the lobbyists who play Congress all the time, where able to make it into work. Their hot air cuts through any obstacle, including blizzard conditions.
You can see their footprint on hung-up legislation to overhaul the student loan program and end subsidies to private lenders and to rewrite financial regulations that would protect consumers and encourage lending to small business. Everywhere you turn in the halls of Congress you see the shadowy profile of big financial institutions that want to maintain unreasonable profits and bonuses reflected on the walls.
When the sun starts warming things up again, the shadows will hopefully disappear, like melting snowmen, and Congress can accomplish what needs to be done to get our economy moving in the right direction to stimulate jobs.
And, That's That...
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Early Wakeup Call for Obama
Edward Kennedy is turning over in his grave. The Senate seat he filled so abundantly for 40 years is now occupied by a former beefcake model and a Republican no less. Scott Brown, the new senator from Massachusetts, is a relative political unknown, who covered up his republicanism in independent trappings to win in a state that has traditionally been a Democratic Party stronghold.
How did things go so wrong, so quickly for the Democrats? Just one year into the "presidency of hope," Barack Obama is facing a revolt of the very independent voters who swept him into the White House. Those voters expressed their anger and frustration in Massachusetts and their voice has been heard by Obama strategists, who want to avoid a disaster in this year's mid-term elections. They realize that Brown's election was not about Democrats vs. Republicans in the traditional sense. It was about jobs, jobs and more jobs, as well as the perception that Obama's administration is driving us all deeper into debt.
This early wake up call has already shifted the emphasis of the administration's message. All the President's Men are talking about the stimulus having created or saved some 2 million jobs. We'll hear more about that, fiscal responsibility and taking on special interests in the State of the Union message tomorrow night. We can also expect to hear the words "cooperation" and "collaboration" in regard to health care reform.
The following day, the President and Vice President Joe Biden are scheduled to appear in Tampa, Florida, hopefully to announce federal support for a fast rail project that promises to bring much-needed jobs and economic activity to the state. Florida was critical to Obama's win in 2008 and it has suffered more than most states in the recession. Unemployment is more than 11 percent, substantially higher than the national average.
"There are few places that have been hit as hard by job losses as Florida, and I think you'll see him (Obama) talk about his plans for getting the economy going again," says Steve Schale, a Democratic strategist who helped Obama win in Florida.
Certainly, everyone in the Sunshine State will be hanging on the President's words and deeds in days to come.
And, That's That...
How did things go so wrong, so quickly for the Democrats? Just one year into the "presidency of hope," Barack Obama is facing a revolt of the very independent voters who swept him into the White House. Those voters expressed their anger and frustration in Massachusetts and their voice has been heard by Obama strategists, who want to avoid a disaster in this year's mid-term elections. They realize that Brown's election was not about Democrats vs. Republicans in the traditional sense. It was about jobs, jobs and more jobs, as well as the perception that Obama's administration is driving us all deeper into debt.
This early wake up call has already shifted the emphasis of the administration's message. All the President's Men are talking about the stimulus having created or saved some 2 million jobs. We'll hear more about that, fiscal responsibility and taking on special interests in the State of the Union message tomorrow night. We can also expect to hear the words "cooperation" and "collaboration" in regard to health care reform.
The following day, the President and Vice President Joe Biden are scheduled to appear in Tampa, Florida, hopefully to announce federal support for a fast rail project that promises to bring much-needed jobs and economic activity to the state. Florida was critical to Obama's win in 2008 and it has suffered more than most states in the recession. Unemployment is more than 11 percent, substantially higher than the national average.
"There are few places that have been hit as hard by job losses as Florida, and I think you'll see him (Obama) talk about his plans for getting the economy going again," says Steve Schale, a Democratic strategist who helped Obama win in Florida.
Certainly, everyone in the Sunshine State will be hanging on the President's words and deeds in days to come.
And, That's That...
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Bank Bonus Bashing
Can't find a job? Frustrated with trying to modify your mortgage? Can't get a loan for your small business? Take some solace from the gavel-to-gavel coverage of the new Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission hearings on C-SPAN2. The hearings started January 13th by grilling the chief executives of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America. While it's not entertaining TV, it's fun to watch bankers squirm in $3,000 suits to justify their actions in pursuit of financial gain.
Those financial institutions and the people who run them have become a lightening rod for criticism from the White House to the out house back on the farm. As the hearings began, media attention was again focused on the huge profits racked up by the banks from investment of the taxpayer bailout funds they received and the outlandish bonuses the mega-banks are paying their top executives, as a result.
The purpose of the commission is to uncover the "salacious wrongdoings" of financial kingpins who brought the global financial system to the brink of collapse. This latest round of banker bashing will justifiably continue until big banks change their ways voluntarily or they are forced by regulation to contribute proportionate to their gains in the recovery of the economy.
Average people have good reason to be outraged that in the midst of economic uncertainty bankers are giving themselves fat bonuses. Greed apparently continues to drive the financial community without regard for the collective good of the economy. Their gross avaricious is cause enough to bite the bankers in the behind. President Obama's moved to tax the excess profits of institutions that gained the most from the taxpayer bailout should be a wake-up call for the bankers.
The real dilemma is that bankers "just don't get it," as Administration spokespeople from the President down have said repeatedly. Arianna Huffington, the grand dame of blogging, and others in the private sector have proposed another way of reaching the bankers. They have started a movement to hit the bankers in the pocketbook by taking deposits out of the mega-banks and placing them in community banks that invest where they live and support average bank customers. If you want to learn more about the movement, go to the Huffington Post or Google "Move Your Money."
Such catharsis, however, is little more than a nuisance to bankers pulling down six, seven and eight-figure bonuses even in bad years, according to the New York Times. Unfortunately, the old saying on Wall Street still applies; "money talks and bullshit walks."
Bankers will not pay attention until their hands are held to the fire by their boards of directors and stockholders. Stockholders have the power to pressure the bosses of major financial institutions to take a hard look at what drives them. Perhaps, they can provide a seat and a voice for the small business people who create wealth and jobs in this nation, as well as a place for the ethicist, who can see beyond the numbers. Clearly, the accountants, lawyers, and, even the mathematicians, who determine investment strategies, have failed to tame the lions of Wall Street. It's time for Main Street to have a say.
And, That's That...
Those financial institutions and the people who run them have become a lightening rod for criticism from the White House to the out house back on the farm. As the hearings began, media attention was again focused on the huge profits racked up by the banks from investment of the taxpayer bailout funds they received and the outlandish bonuses the mega-banks are paying their top executives, as a result.
The purpose of the commission is to uncover the "salacious wrongdoings" of financial kingpins who brought the global financial system to the brink of collapse. This latest round of banker bashing will justifiably continue until big banks change their ways voluntarily or they are forced by regulation to contribute proportionate to their gains in the recovery of the economy.
Average people have good reason to be outraged that in the midst of economic uncertainty bankers are giving themselves fat bonuses. Greed apparently continues to drive the financial community without regard for the collective good of the economy. Their gross avaricious is cause enough to bite the bankers in the behind. President Obama's moved to tax the excess profits of institutions that gained the most from the taxpayer bailout should be a wake-up call for the bankers.
The real dilemma is that bankers "just don't get it," as Administration spokespeople from the President down have said repeatedly. Arianna Huffington, the grand dame of blogging, and others in the private sector have proposed another way of reaching the bankers. They have started a movement to hit the bankers in the pocketbook by taking deposits out of the mega-banks and placing them in community banks that invest where they live and support average bank customers. If you want to learn more about the movement, go to the Huffington Post or Google "Move Your Money."
Such catharsis, however, is little more than a nuisance to bankers pulling down six, seven and eight-figure bonuses even in bad years, according to the New York Times. Unfortunately, the old saying on Wall Street still applies; "money talks and bullshit walks."
Bankers will not pay attention until their hands are held to the fire by their boards of directors and stockholders. Stockholders have the power to pressure the bosses of major financial institutions to take a hard look at what drives them. Perhaps, they can provide a seat and a voice for the small business people who create wealth and jobs in this nation, as well as a place for the ethicist, who can see beyond the numbers. Clearly, the accountants, lawyers, and, even the mathematicians, who determine investment strategies, have failed to tame the lions of Wall Street. It's time for Main Street to have a say.
And, That's That...
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Prostate as "Smooth as Silk"
"Smooth as silk," is how my urologist described the inside wall of my prostate gland recently after the third annual examination, post successful cancer treatment. His encouraging, although not very scientific description, was confirmed by the PSA test, which came in at 0.04. That is a far cry from the 8.5 reading I got in 2006, when I first visited Dr. Thomas G. Cangiano, a urologist, who, along with the other doctors in his group, built a medical practice around compassionate care.
How did that compassion manifest itself in my treatment? My second visit to the doctor’s office was to perform the biopsy and ultrasound of my prostate, a procedure that requires special equipment to be brought into the office along with a technician to run the equipment.
The process involves inserting a probe, the approximate size of a pencil flashlight, up the rectum. Unfortunately, the passage in my case was made more difficult by hemorrhoid tissue, which caused pain and bleeding.
There is expense and time involved in doing the procedure in the doctor’s office and they could have barreled ahead in order to save both. I would have survived, but instead the doctor opted not to cause me the discomfort and rescheduled to do the procedure in the hospital with local anesthetic so I would not suffer.
If this appears to be a blatant testimonial for my urologist so be it. The toe-headed Dr. Cangiano deserves the recognition, especially when you consider his early beginnings.
We did not realize it at first but Tommy, his brother and his sister were childhood friends of our son and daughter in Puerto Rico, where we all lived prior to moving to Florida. Pee Wee football was the common denominator. Our son and Tommy’s brother were teammates and the girls were cheerleaders. Tommy was a few years younger so he was usually running around the field making mischief. Amazingly, Tommy survived those years and excelled to become the accomplished doctor who cured my cancer and hundreds of others. My cancer-free prostate is now like that of a teenager and it’s thanks to the fine early treatment of Dr. Cangiano.
Early detection and treatment are critical to not becoming one of the nearly 30,000 men who die from prostate cancer in the U.S. each year. Feel free to add your two cents. We'll have more to say about that important topic for men later.
That's That... for now.
How did that compassion manifest itself in my treatment? My second visit to the doctor’s office was to perform the biopsy and ultrasound of my prostate, a procedure that requires special equipment to be brought into the office along with a technician to run the equipment.
The process involves inserting a probe, the approximate size of a pencil flashlight, up the rectum. Unfortunately, the passage in my case was made more difficult by hemorrhoid tissue, which caused pain and bleeding.
There is expense and time involved in doing the procedure in the doctor’s office and they could have barreled ahead in order to save both. I would have survived, but instead the doctor opted not to cause me the discomfort and rescheduled to do the procedure in the hospital with local anesthetic so I would not suffer.
If this appears to be a blatant testimonial for my urologist so be it. The toe-headed Dr. Cangiano deserves the recognition, especially when you consider his early beginnings.
We did not realize it at first but Tommy, his brother and his sister were childhood friends of our son and daughter in Puerto Rico, where we all lived prior to moving to Florida. Pee Wee football was the common denominator. Our son and Tommy’s brother were teammates and the girls were cheerleaders. Tommy was a few years younger so he was usually running around the field making mischief. Amazingly, Tommy survived those years and excelled to become the accomplished doctor who cured my cancer and hundreds of others. My cancer-free prostate is now like that of a teenager and it’s thanks to the fine early treatment of Dr. Cangiano.
Early detection and treatment are critical to not becoming one of the nearly 30,000 men who die from prostate cancer in the U.S. each year. Feel free to add your two cents. We'll have more to say about that important topic for men later.
That's That... for now.
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