THE FORGOTTEN SUCCESS STORY
March 14, 2006
It would be hard for anyone to deny that Americans have become greedy. If we can have seasons of greed and not a lifestyle of greed, then we are enjoying some degree of success. I’d have to admit that’s where I am. I no longer have to have “more” every month, quarter, year. But there are those seasons! I mean I went for almost five months recently without buying ANYTHING new to wear. Give me a pat on the back!
While the “pat on the back” is in jest, the five month moratorium isn’t. Our buying binges are much like our eating ones. We buy, we eat, we consume BECAUSE WE CAN! It’s strictly a habit: a bad one as well.
There used to be a day, say about 40 years ago, where people who made $50,000 would spend $45,000. They would save $5,000 a year. Then about twenty years ago, we’d make $60,000 and spend $60,000. Oh yes, and the wife would have to work so that we could make $100,000 as a family and spend that $100,000.
Today, both husband and wife work. They make $120,000 among themselves and they spend $130,000 (minimally), saving nothing of course. Then along comes the need for new tires, so put it on the credit card. The baby gets sick, so put it on the credit card. Life is so hard we need a vacation that we can’t afford, so put it on the credit card. And credit just builds!
Alas, it’s time to declare bankruptcy and start all over again. The problem with all of that is the new bankruptcy law that’s going to go into effect soon. Alas, we’ve forgotten what it takes to be successful. How about a quick reminder.
Live within your means by spending or committing for less than what you make. Don’t borrow on credit cards: especially those zero interest that turn into 21% interest if you’re a day late or a dollar short somewhere down the road! Use them, but pay them off each month. SAVE! Invest in stocks only IF you can afford to lose whatever you’re investing. And whatever you do, don’t get sucked into those buy now, nothing down, no interest or no payments until January, 2006- or whatever.
Hey, you CAN do it!
WHEN A NATION BECOMES DIVIDED
March 13, 2006
The division in America has now reached dangerous levels. I am not talking about this week, month, or year, but the place we’ve come to in the last decade or so. Continue Reading »
CONDI DOESN’T GET THE POLE
March 13, 2006
She has almost four years to change her mind; but Sunday, Condi said to pull her number from the pole position for president in 2008! What a shame. Just when the red-necks from around the country were getting up in arms about not having a man to vote for in 2008, one of the big names dropped out.
And then there’s Hillary! While everyone knows she has her sights on the 2008 presidential bid, she still has to win the Senate in 2006. I’ve learned from sports that you better not ignore the game you’re playing tonight by concentrating on who you will be playing tomorrow.
So, if not Condi who? Let me give you two dozen names but when the dust is settled and we’re a couple more years down the road, don’t believe that what a politician tells you is gospel. It’s way to early to know who the horses are in 2008 when 2005 has just gotten started. Ahh, but isn’t it a better waste of time than hearing about the Michael Jackson trial ad nauseum?
PS. In case you’ve not noticed, that “other gal”, Martha Stewart, has seen her stock drop 30% since she got out of jail: from $35 to $24. I had said it would be under $20 by year end, maybe I should have said months end.
THE POWER OF POLITICS
March 12, 2006
Condi Rice is now making it known that she is open to running on the Republican ticket for President in ’08. Hillary is now “moral savvy” and is beginning to line up with some conservative issues. She now says there is too much sex and violence on TV. Wow! How will Hollywood respond to that: their own is turning against them.
Bush is intent on doing all he can in his second term to heal any rifts (if possible) with our international neighbors. Wonder if it’s possible with France? Rumor has it that he’s going to nominate Karen Hughes, long time friend, to the position of Undersecretary of State.
And not to let a little heart surgery follow up get an ex-president down, Bill Clinton is lending his name (for some big bucks)to a big hedge fund. If you are a politician, you can’t have any down time. The power of politics is fueled by money!
NO JUSTICE IN THE WORLD COURT
March 11, 2006
We have gone so far from fulfilling any sort of JUSTICE (Biblical or secular) that I don’t think anyone has a clue as to what JUSTICE really is about. Continue Reading »
THERE’S NOTHING LIKE HOME!
March 10, 2006
Getting up at 5:30 in the morning in Milano, taking a taxi, a train, and two planes to return home reminds me why I don’t travel all that much. Som people love the stuff! Continue Reading »
A BRIEF GOODBYE AND HELLO
March 10, 2006
If the roads aren’t blocked in a few hours, I will get on the plane for a very, very long ride back to the states and home.
I leave a very divided nation. There’s the average Joe that is just trying to survive on $150 a month. He’s the most loving person in the world. And then there’s the politicians at the top that seem to be the most antagonistic and unloving in the world.
But then, I am headed back to America where it seems all we are interested in is Reality TV and Celebrity trials. Don’t we have more important things to do with our lives than watch soap operas?
I guess one has to make a decision as to where home is, do the best to BE what we are supposed to BE, and hope that others will do the same. Maybe it will all work out one day.
Maybe. Hasta luego.
JUST ANOTHER DAY IN BOLIVIA!
March 9, 2006
It’s deja-vu all over again. I was here in May of last year after a recent insurrection led to the ouster of President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada. People rioted, barracaded the streets and dozens died. Carlos Mesa, the newest president, turned in his resignation Monday on my second visit. Though the Congress rejected his resignation, it’s back to the streets. I wonder if he can keep the title?
Anyway, back here at the Trajibos Hotel, I get the same room that I had last year. The food’s the same, even the waitstaff is familiar. Things change a lot in this country and yet they remain the same. The Spaniards thought they had hit pay dirt when they discovered silver in the Andean mountains in the 1500′s. The Incan civilization only got to keep it for a hundred years or so, but they still have a major impact on today’s life.
Get outside of a couple of cities, you find you’ve just gone back 100-200 years in time. Almost 90% of the roads in Bolivia are DIRT! A town maybe 25 miles outside of Santa Cruz has no electricity, no cars, just skinny mule-pulled carts with “wooden” wheels. The more modern version as tires on the carts. The people are very short in stature and life span, which is 12 years shorter than our in America.
It seems there’s always a war going on with someone (usually Chile). If not on the outside, on the inside. And so it is. Maybe one day there will be a modern-day Simon Bolivar who will deliver the people from the death of “sameness”. Until then, hasta luego and deja-vu amigo!
DAY ONE IN BOLIVIA- OR IS IT TWO?
March 8, 2006
When one arrives at the airport at IAH at 2:00 Monday afternoon to head to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, getting there at 9:00am on Tuesday morning, Tuesday works out to be more like two days. I arrived knowing that Carlos Mesa had submitted his resignation as President due to the street blockades and demonstrations. You never know what to expect in South America when it comes to politics.
The people at the hotel were immune to it, and the people I met with said it was no big deal. Santa Cruz politicians were particularly upset with Mesa but after considering the alternative, they’re now backing him. As I write this, I have “heard”, but I don’t know for sure, that the Legislators have refused his resignation, meaning he’s still the man at top top. Manana, it might be totally different.
Back in America, that thing that I’ve been talking about for eighteen months now (INFLATION) was now standing squarely in front of Alan Greenspan and to admit there is still no inflation is a bigger deal than is that river in Egypt- DENIAL!
When the headlines are blaring that Copper just set a 16 year high, and when the Commodity Index (CRB), just set a new 24 year high, you have a hard time saying all is well. As a result gold jumped (I’m still smiling), silver leaped, and anything that was a solid got bumped in value.
Oh yes, and the news that oil might be selling for $80 a barrel down the road didn’t help, nor the $2.00+ cost per gallon of gas. Of course Warren Buffett made a couple hundred million more on the tanking US$. Then’s there’s that nation to the North of me (this week), Venezuela. Chavez is intent on being the great spiritual son that Castro wanted, and he’s living up to the role. He’s invited in the president of Iran for later this week to see how they can continue “sticking it to” the U.S. My guess is increased oil prices is their game. Duh!
An exciting first day in Bolivia (or has it been two), and I’ve yet to head out for the night for my first major meeting. 
LISTEN ONLY TO ISRAEL’S WORDS!
March 8, 2006
Does anyone seriously think that the United Nations is going to do anything substantial in the way of stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons? Continue Reading »
REPORTING FROM BOLIVIA-
March 7, 2006
I have internet, I have international roaming on my phone, but I don’t have e-mail! So, the 300+ hits a day will just have to wait until I get back, I guess. After an 18 hour trek from Houston to Miami, to LaPaz, and then eventully to Santa Cruz.
In our ride from the airport we were greeted by some street blockades. President Mesa resigned yesterday, the second president to do that in the last two years, and today the legislators will decide if they will accept his resignation, opt for the lef-wing Morales, or punt!
Meanwhile, I’m headed to bed for a few hours of sleep before meeting with some leaders who want to build a life for their neighbors and the kids in their orphanage. Maybe one day the politicians will come together and realize that as long as they are divided and bickering, they only prolong the agony of the people they represent.
NATURE IS STILLED, BUT NOT TIME
March 7, 2006
Well, it’s 1:00am on Wednesday here in Milano: 6:00pm Tuesday night in Houston. I’m still wired from a trip north of Milano to Lake Como, Italy, a place I visited 32 years ago as a single man. And here I am walking down cobblestone streets in one of the most beautiful settings of the world; except this time I am married and walking ahead of me are two children (17 and 24) that did not exist the last time I was here. Continue Reading »
GOOD & BAD CULTURE-TRADITIONS
March 6, 2006
Why are so many men playing a little soccer at the park on Monday? That was my quesion. Is unemployment that high in Italy, or was it a holiday? Continue Reading »
WAR IS HELL AND EVERYONE LOSES!
March 6, 2006
Richard Russell is one of America’s foremost financial and economic forecasters. He’s been around for seven decades and has some understanding about the reality of life: at least economic life. He has a saying (many ): “In a BEAR market everyone loses, and the person who loses the least is a winner”.
So it seems this addage applies to war as well. America has lost 1,500 men and women since the Iraq war began. It could be that more than 100,000 Iraqi’s have lost their lives: no one wants those numbers published, so no one really knows.
The latest reminder of the hell that war is will cause increased tensions between the U.S. and Italy. Was Giuliana Sgrena and her car fired on intentioanlly, was it an accident, were they not adhering to U.S. policy, or was it just the reality that war is hell?
The story is further emotionalized by the fact that the man who had won her release, we that man that took a bullet to the temple and died in her arms. It’s a story that will inflame the Italians regardless of what the truth may be. You see, it all goes back to that other saying, “A single death is a tragedy, but thousands of deaths is just a statistic.”
Tens of thousands have died in Iraq in the last year, but who is counting. That one man died on Sunday is a tragedy- and war is still hell where no one wins.
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