Sunday, May 13, 2012

Truth is that which, when ignored, does not go away.

It's fun to dress like your friends!

JP Morgan Chase just lost a gazillion dollars of investors' money in what even they admit was bonehead transactions. When you describe your company's strategies as "well intentioned" it's corporate-speak for stupid. Some are demanding tougher regulations on investment firms to prevent a repeat by JP Morgan Chase or any other firm. Protect the investor from misfeasance!
I disagree. Let the marketplace handle it with its Darwinian brutality.

Let's say you had a bazillion dollars because you designed the logo for Facebook and were paid with a 1% share of the company. You went from living the life of a graphic artist (i.e. delivering pizza) to instant wealth as a result of the (soon-to-happen) IPO. What are you going to do with your sudden fortune? OK, what are you going to do with what's left over after the purchase of that 1968 Porsche 911? You're certainly not going to walk into the offices of your nearest JP Morgan, plunk it down on their desk and say, "Would you please take this and make it an even bigger pile of money?" In fact, I'm guessing there's a line of people outside that office right now, looking to get whatever is left of their investments and take them across the street to Acme Investments and Hair Salon.

(Note: yes, I realize the firm as more than enough assets in reserve to cover the losses. Chicken Little apparently does not.)

Washington hubris has convinced them they can and should fix all of our problems. They too often create five more and leave the first one so full of loopholes that within a week the suits have found a work-around.

I learned today about how restauranteurs work to improve the "dining experience." I think I'm ready to open Chez Craig. Except for that part about cooking.
I now know you never put dollar signs on the menu. Use adjectival phrases like "slow cooked" or "hand battered," but don't make your descriptions too long or people will need extra time to read the menu, and that will affect table turn.
"Tender, juicy hotdogs, slow cooked for 60 seconds in a hand-operated microwave."
Oh, and I'll have a fake waterfall to create the white noise that enhances intimate conversation.

I also learned today not to wear cuffed pants and use cruise control.
Coming home after church and lunch with the kids I had the cruise control on for the 13-mile stretch up the Loop 101. I approached a car going slower and couldn't safely change lanes, so I needed to tap the brakes and slow down. I'd been driving with my right leg drawn up so that my foot was near the base of the seat, and when I tried to stretch it out to tap the brake pedal...it wouldn't move. My cuff had caught on the lever for sliding the seat fore and aft. After a nanosecond of panic I reached down and unhooked my cuff; no problems.
But shouldn't the government make car manufactures either change the shape & position of that lever or post a 3x5 warning sticker on the dashboard? How many 6'2" preachers with cuffed pants have died needlessly because of this egregious design flaw?


The lily pond is coming to life as the temps climb. And the bearded iris, too, although the blossoms only last a day or two before turning crisp.

I broke down and turned on the AC. By 3:30 the house was already up to 83 degrees and the temp outside was only 102, still about 3 degrees short of our high. (Humidity is at 5%.) The thermostat is set at 80 and we pay a lower, "off peak" rate for electricity used between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., and all weekend, so I felt the freedom to splurge.

Pam gets home late tomorrow morning. I'm glad she can go visit her mother and be there for Mother's Day, but I'm more than ready to have her back home. I wish she didn't have to go back to work Tuesday.

4 comments:

Jim said...

The pond Iris are both beautiful!

Mike said...

Is there something wrong with your left foot?

Craig MacDonald said...

Mike, my driver's ed instructor AND my H.S. auto shop teacher taught me that unless I have a third pedal my left foot should NOT be involved. Can't shake that instruction.
I see old people here driving with their brakes on - left foot drivers.

Anonymous said...

re: photo--
Just because one can does not mean one should......