CapitalistMarks

Voice of reason.

Posted on 10. Jul, 2009 by scott.

I have made it a point to write about current socio-economic issues with an unbiased view.  But.  On the one hand I have strong opinions.  On the other hand, I am open to contrasting views.

I will write what I believe (at the time) and readily admit that my opinions are just that . . . opinions.  Offered to help others understand and assess what is going on in our world.

Hey, ours is a complex world.  There is far too much information for the average person to absorb, let alone analyze for the purpose of establishing an opinion.  Hence, news, blogs and tweets etc.

My purpose is to do much of the absorbing for you and a good deal of the analyzing (though you will get my side of things0.   However, I only expect to be right sometimes and that is what differentiates me from the thousands of other bloggers, tweeters newspeople and congressmen out there.

Today’s blog is to let you know that I will be honest in my assessment as well as my opinions.  When I call someone (or a group of someones) knuckleheads or the equivalent it is done in good faith and good fun.  Frankly, I have almost never met anyone with whom I failed to establish a connection or some commonality.  So, take it with a grain of salt and do some of your own digging when I call someone nuts (like I have at times with VP Joe Biden . . . but then that is kind of a slam-dunk isn’t it?).

This is not a confession but rather an honest admission.   And perhaps a warning for those who find significant disagreement with me. 

I would like all of us to have enough information to make intelligent decisions (when voting, voicing, or volleying).  Or at least conduct reasonable discussions. 

It is my hope that you will consider Capitalistmarks a voice of reason.  Do your own due diligence but I bet if we were to meet I could persuade you that my views are mainstream, sincere and real.  It would be even better if those same opinions might influence you to do some thinking of your own and even express them to others (like our elected officials).

Here’s hoping more Americans will be looking for and expressing their own “voice of reason.”

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Tesla motors launches an all electric ‘family’ car!

Posted on 27. Mar, 2009 by scott.

Tesla motors’ first launch was of a sporty all-electric car that would cost well over $100,000.? Not exactly within the reach of most Americans.? Effective but not efficient.? Yet,? it looks great and goes FAST.? All on batteries.

This proves the point of my previous blog i.e. we are really starting to do something about energy independence.? Well, sort of.? Doesn’t help a whole bunch to be free of ‘cartel’ oil if the solution costs us an arm and a leg.? But that could change.

I have followed Tesla’s progress for years now, hoping that they would get the economies of scale to the point that I could drive one of their cars to a movie or up to the ski-resorts (in the summer anyhow).? The price, frankly, just kept getting higher and the probability of me ever driving one with the wife and four kids in it were well below zero.? Not just the cost either, the dang thing only held two people (and none over 6′5″ or 200 lbs.–me and two of the boys are in that category).

Until today.? They just announced the family car of the future.? Maybe that future will be in my life time.? Not yet for sure.? Just maybe.

This car is hot! And cool! And roomy! Well, if two of the seven passengers are tiny kids. And affordable!? Wait a minute here.? Is $50,000 affordable for a family of 7?? Not in my world, and I only have 4 kids and a wife!

Still, this is a great announcement and a real movement forward in energy independence. All kidding aside I loved reading this. ? The company projects a 300 mile range on a single (over-night) charge!? I can drive to about 11 of Utah’s ski resorts in a single day with that promise.? All the golf courses I could possibly play in a day too!? Without using any cartel oil.? Not even an ounce of their stuff.? Now THAT really is cool!

Maybe I can afford this ‘baby’ when it comes out in 2011.? I’ve got an idea to help the economics of it work.? I’ll park it at the side of the house every night.? Fortunately my neighbor had a convenient outlet there.? By plugging in to THAT convenient outlet, my cost of miles/watt will be way low…like ZERO!? If my personally advantageous ‘charging’ process offends my neighbor, well…I will just let them take it to the store once in a while.? I can only hope they will appreciate the sacrifice I will be making for THEM!

The way I have the economics of this all figured out, I can borrow the money for the car at 11% per annum and it will pay for itself with all that ‘free’ electricity. . . eventually.? I just wonder if it will still be running when the debt is paid off.? 2034 according to my calculations.? Hey, honey, isn’t this making sense to you?

Stay with me here America, this is still good, even awesome news.?? Affordable Electric cars are here!? Ah, shucks, in 2011 anyway, maybe.

Here’s to you Putin, Ahmadindjad, and Chavez.? How far can YOU drive without any gasoline at all?

By the way, the above foto is NOT of the actual Tesla family sedan.? It is of my ‘other’ car…you know, the one my wife drives!

thanks for flickr’s photo from poom!

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Multi-tasking President

Posted on 07. Feb, 2009 by scott.

I fear that the economy is such a dominating and difficult problem for our President that he will fail to do one of the things all of us voters hoped he would do when he was elected.? That is prove an ability to work on more than one problem at a time.? And frankly that would be at least one more problem than the previous administration was able to deal with (I?could generously?add the caveat — effectively — here but?I don’t think it is needed).

Currently the problem that strikes me nearly as critical as the economy is the mid-east problem.? Fix that and a lot of other related problems would go away.? I mean, what are the extremist Islamic jehadists going to ‘go off’ on if the Palestinians and Israelis can be made, or encouraged, to live together in peace.?

That is the mantra Ahmadinejadiboob in Iran dwells on more than any other.? Sadly?there are a lot of his same ilk in the region.

The thing is that peace is possible.? It takes some effort.? Just ask the folk in Northern Ireland.

If people will? sit down and figure out solutions rather than lobbing bombs at each other think what might happen.?

Secretary of State Clinton and her able assistant (the former Pres.) should make that goal the ONLY thing they work on for the next few months (or even years).? The average Joe (even a few who are plumbers) in Gaza and in Israel want peace.? It seems only a few horribly misguided leaders (and followers) on both sides are so intransigent that they can’t see the damage that further conflict is doing to this and future generations.?

The U.S.?can help by giving economic aid so that education and jobs are available to counter the indifference (jealousy)?that the impressionable, uneducated, unemployed?young people in the region experience and that guides (forces) ?them into extremism.?

We must also insist that the wealthy Arab/Muslim nations step up to the plate and provide hope (jobs/education) for good people? who just want a ‘life’ for their families.??By the same token those who abuse the teachings of the Bible or the Q’uran must be punished by all governments and religious leaders until they ‘repent.?’

Peace is possible, if all direct parties and third parties join together to solve the problem.? That means political, economic and religious leaders must be forced to work together using persuasion, logic and the peaceful teachings most accept anyway.?

This isn’t rocket science, and we don’t need a Manhattan project to push it.? We do need leaders who will use Islamic, Christian and Jewish virtues to trump the falsehoods that hatred, mistrust and?perverted history have made all to common.? Change despair to hope.? Change the all to common view of an awful past to a promising future.

Prove you can do it Obama.? Set hillary and the attack-peace-dogs on the problem and?keeping pushing until it is done.?

The world would be different and?Many?of our other problems would go away at the same time.? ?

And by the way. . . . don’t forget the economy.??I have another neighbor who just lost his job.? Multitask, my man BHO.

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Charity vs greed

Posted on 30. Jan, 2009 by scott.

It strikes me that one of the biggest causes of this awful recession, and perhaps depression?( if our government does not get working primarily on unemployment and confidence and not just social issues and pork), is greed.?

Corporations, and by extension their executives and ceo’s, just got carried away (Even they mostly admit that).? They saw too many opportunities for lining their own pockets instead of paying attention to what they were really being paid to do–i.e. increase value for their shareholders and maintain jobs for their employees.? They cared more about their own future than that of those they should have been reporting to.?

Now you can say that the treasury dept., and the FDIC, and the?S.E.C. and any number of other government agencies dropped the ball, but the fact is that no amount of economicregulation is going to stop creative and greedy people from doing what they do.? Albeit, an honest and dedicated government couldn’t hurt it is really up to those that make decisions.

Obama got it right when he said?that? the $18 billion bonuses paid to financial executives in 2007 was shameful.? But it was a whole lot more too, it was at least immoral and it might have been illegal (don’t they have an absolute fiduciary duty to shareholders?).?

Who is going to watch the chickens if all the farmer’s dogs are playing with the wolves?

We are really in one heck of a mess in this country today.? Every week brings further information about obscene losses?from banks and financial institutions and revelations about more greed from executives.?

Where does it end?? Can we bail out these ‘evil-doers’ every time another bucket load of losses?is thrown at us?? Don’t think so.?

Some (and probably a bunch) of the corporations run by ‘evil-doers’ are just going to have to fail.? Some shareholders (who have their own culpability, especially since the lion’s share of them … don’t you like the metaphor?…are mutual funds and institutional investors who managed ‘our’ money and should have been paying more attention) are just going to have to pay the ultimate price.?

Let ‘em lose everything.?? Seems that here again, Adam Smith was right.? Let the market adjust as needed (sorry John Meynard Keynes).?

So what happens???A few big banks fail (the government picks our/your losses up to $500,000) and all the real estate that would hit the market at heavily discounted prices would sure help home sales for first time buyers!

It’s the leaders that caused this.? The ceo’s have to accept the blame . . . along with their top tier of executives.

What does it take to get good leaders?? Education? Sure.? Experience? Probably.? Selfish drive?? Heck no!!?? It takes integrity–moral strength.

We need men and women of integrity and courage in every executive office of every corporation in the land.? Washington D.C.?too.? Sounds biblical, but it would work,?I promise you.?

Lincoln had it right.? In his 1st inaugural address he said ” intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him, who had never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust, in the best way, all our present difficulty.”?

That goes even more today than it did in 1861.

Let’s focus on the Christianity part of Lincoln’s address.? But it could just as easily be Judaism or Islam since?the Tanakh and the Q’uran also teach the same lesson ( its just that I’m more familiar with Christianity, though I’ve studied the others too).? The lesson there is that charity (the Greek word in the original?New?Testament was ‘agape’ which is really cool and??means powerful love for others) is paramount.? We all, particularly our leaders, have to think of others? first.?? Stop being selfish (that goes for you and?me too)?everything else will come along with that.?

Charity breeds self-respect and success, as well as intelligence, patriotism and a firm reliance on ‘Him who has never forsaken this favored land.’? Man, that lincoln was a cool guy, they even named some logs for him? (and I used to make some great cabins with them as a kid).

Kick out any leader who lacks charity.? Kick out any leader who is greedy.? Do it with our votes.? For politicians or for ceo’s.? none of them can be where they are with out a clear vote from the electorate or the shareholders.

Take control!

Charity vs greed.? The choice is easy.

?

thanks to??maha-online? for the flickr photo.

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The bull . . . or bull#%@&.

Posted on 23. Jan, 2009 by scott.

Its cold here.??Rainy.? Better than the snow we have had for weeks on end.??I suffer from SED and as anyone who has seasonal effective disorder knows the worst days are when it is cold, snowy, cloudy and smoggy.? Achoo!

Just read in the paper that the air in our wonderful state of Utah is the worst in the nation, and the worst air is right here in the Wasatch Front.? How awful.??We have smog that you could cut with a knife and spread like peanur butter.??Yechhhhh what an image.

To get a break from this?I went golfing yesterday.? Yeah,?I know, sounds stupid.? My wife thinks so and so do my parents and my kids.? But the important thing is that iI don’t?think so.?? Drove to the only course that is open within a 150 mile radius at this time of year (and rarely that). . . wingpointe at the Salt Lake International airport (don’t laugh . . . there are actually a few flights to Canada and so it really is an international airport).? Teed off at one o’clock, when the temperature was 33 degrees farhenheit with wind 15 mph out of the north.? There was still so much snow on the ground that?I lost three golf balls when?I hit them in the snow and they just disappeared.? And?I mean to tell you that these were not just good shots they were great – plus?I lost the balls which is something?I can ill afford to do (not in the monetary sense – think score here).?

Then, there were the greens.? Most were okay, well some were okay, but a bunch were so covered with snow you couldn’t really putt without a snowplow.? One green’s hole and?flag were solid? ice and so the best you could expect was to roll you ball over the frozen hole and count it as a made putt even though the ball didn’t stop.? Fun stuff.? By the fourth hole the temperature?was down to 32 and?I had four layers of clothes on and that wasn’t enough.? The wind was the worst?part of it.??Made a few pars, no birdies (who would’a thunk pars were even possible in the conditions) and a few others? (which on the scorecard?show up as double bogeys?but only because?I can’t stand to put down?anything higher when my fingers are frozen to the pencil).

So, what does this have to do with the bull, as in the market bull (not the kind of bull your broker gives you every time he (or she) calls to tell you that your account needs more cash so he can lose it as well)??

Here’s the deal.

I?had a couple of shots that I simply ‘chunked’.? You may not be intimately familiar with?that term in the sporting sense but?I can tell you that iIam and so is every other golfer who tries to play with not one but two gloves on. . . . (or with a hitch in the backswing)?.???The?’chunk’ . . . a shot that is?made by?swinging the?club with great power but not great finesse.? The ball is hit by just a tiny part of the club and slams into the ground inches from the tee and then rolls about the length of a club before it feebly stops within reach.? Oh, my gosh!!? Its flat out embarassing?– particularly when you are playing?from the blue tees (the one further from the hole and intended for the big boys) with guys who all have complete sets of Taylor Made clubs and custom winter golf outfits.

Back to the title.??I hit two?’chunkers’ yesterday and on the second one?I had this image of giving up golf and trying something less challenging, like badmiton or perhaps nuclear engineering, or running for Congress without a millionaires backing.?

Dang those ‘chunks’.??Sucks when?you try to do something and it just doesn’t turn out the way you?expect.

Hence the bull.?

Our new President wants to get a stimulus plan passed (and by the way so do I? and?about 300 million other Americans).? Problem is Congress is notoriously slow to act . . . they have other?things on their mind. Imporant things such as decorating their offices or framing their pictures from the inauguration.?THe?important stuff that keeps them from doing what they are paid to do.? Obama wants the stimulus immediately and so Congress has agreed to shorten vacations and start?thinking about voting on it in a month or so (guess that is immediate to those knuckleheads).

But assuming congress decides to actually work there are two problems.

First the stimulus coud be a ‘chunk’ . . . kinda like the one Bush pushed through last spring.? The one where $168billion was?doled out to citizens who filed taxes with the intent that they would spend it and stimulate the economy.? The one that didn’t work because you and? I saved the money or paid off bills and didn’t spend it like we were supposed to.??Bush’s advisors said it would work because the brains at treasury said so.? It was supposed to work because if you put $168 billion into people’s hands and if they spend it? . . . then that thing economists call ‘the multiplier’ kicks in and pretty soon that $168 becomes $4-500 billion.? Cool stuff when it works. Didn’t.? Nada.? Zip.? ‘Chunk’!

Second the stimulus needs to work fast (the $168 billion not only didn’t work fast it didn’t work at all).?Fast means weeks or a few months unless you are a politician and then it means?years.? We can’t afford another ‘chunk’ on the coming stimulus.

Whatever amount of our money the government finally decides to pass out needs to be spent so that it does three things (in order of importance):

??? 1 — increase jobs significantly and fast,

??? 2 — improve confidence of the consumer (make ‘em feel like their jobs and salaries are going to be there in a year or two so that they will spend, spend spend),

??? 3 –?(i’ve added this?one as a result of the?$168 billion fiasco) spend our money in such a way that it gets into the hands of people or?businesses that will pump it back into jobs, tvs, vacations . . . .

So Obama and Congress.? Its up to you.? Are you going to?give us the bull back . . . or just more bull#%@& ?

I wish?I had some real hope but these guys don’t play?together well when the?good of the nation is involved (not historically anyway)?and besides they really don’t have to worry about their jobs? so why should they go the extra mile?? Work on the weekend?? You gotta be kidding me!

#%@& (crap)!? I’m going out to practice my?swing so that when the rain stops I can go out into the cold and hit a few more golf balls.? My extra effort?will hopefully mean?I won’t hit more ‘chunks’.?

Sure wish our leaders?would make the same?kind of extra effort for the good of our economy.? Assess, think, debate, agree.

and fast!

Important point.? Send me some stimulus $$ and I PROMISE I will spend it–fast!? Just give me a second chance.

And fast!

?

thanks to michiwurm for the flikr photo.

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Nice, but a hero?

Posted on 16. Jan, 2009 by scott.

The plane crash into the Hudson River yesterday was really quite the miracle.? Last?I heard one person had a broken leg and there were no other serious injuries.? 150 people walked away safely . . . albeit a teeny bit cold iIassume.? The water was 36 degrees and that is colder than?I like my dr. pepper to be when?I order at Burger King (by the way?I get no payment from them of any kind . . . i just like their ‘whopper’ and their fries–but I am open to any proposal!)

While this plane ditching was quite the news story, good news at that– and heaven knows we need good news (that makes you feel good anyway) at this point in time,?I just don’t get all the references to the pilot being a hero.

I suppose you could call him a lot of?admirable things.? Like, hummmm: lucky, skilled, talented, capable, exemplary — you know the list goes on.? But . . . hero?? Don’t think so.? Not to take anything away from his ability as a pilot but he did what he was supposed to do, what he was trained to do, what he was paid to do, and what would be expected of any competent commercial pilot.?

What he did not do (and these are among things that qualify one as a hero, i believe) was: risk his life to save others, demonstrate incredible strength, bravery?and selflessness, go out of his way to make a difference, exhibit incredibly unusual capacity in the defense of truth and right . . . . . . (superman?).

The genuine heros today are guys like a neighbor?who has been out of work for months and still remains cheerful and positive– and he goes out of his way almost everyday to help someone else on?our street when they need it.? This guy is charitable, honest, keeps a stiff upper lip, and is an example to just about everyone who knows him.??He’s a hero.?

Or how about the soldier that was part of our soon to be ex-Pres. farewell broadcast at the Whitehouse?? He put his own life at risk to save several of his comrades who were under fire.? He’s a hero.

Or how about a Sunday School teacher?I know who kept at the job (which he does well) even after major surgery laid him up pretty good.? Or the guy around the corner who does snow removal for those that live around him and are too old or?unable to do it themselves (and by the way he is in his late 80’s and has some serious health problems of his own). Then there is . . . (here you are supposed to add a few of your own).

Well, heck,?I know plenty of people that demonstrate that they are real hero’s (or heroines) by their actions every day and they get NO publicity (they should).? They represent the kind of stories we need to hear more about on the news.? Think what that kind of news?coverage would do for our confidence and self-image?? Gosh, it migh even help the economy.

In conclusion:? two things.?

One — be on the lookout everday for people who are heroic . . . and if the news doesn’t cover them you spread the word — and keep the memory for yourself too.? You’ll feel good and so will the heroes and the people who learn about them.

Two — thanks to you, cool headed pilot who did his job and did it well.? you might not be a hero but you sure as heck are an example.? That?is a feel good story!? Now use the key to the city that Mayor Bloomberg gave you to open a few doors for the disadvantaged . . . then you will be?a hero.

Feel good, help others, believe in yourself.

Ten-four!

?

and, thanks to davidwatts1978 for the photo from flickr

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Brevity rocks

Posted on 12. Jan, 2009 by scott.

I?wish our politicians would speak less and say more.? It isn’t easy but it is possible.

I?remember reading that Lincoln edited the Gettysburg address dozens of times right up until he gave it.? You gotta admit the effort was worth the results.

Seems to me that our leaders need to take the ‘cue’ from that great President.? The key is this: think about what you are going to say B4 you say it.? The more you think about it the more effective the words will be.? This goes not just for politicians but for all of us.?

Implementing this?principle in our lives would reduce angry outbursts, the divorce rate, wars, strikes, lawsuits, and a lot more.? It will, of necessity, be optional for the bulk of us, but it should be mandatory for our elected officials and bureaucrats (how do we do that?? Let ‘em know by contacting them when they let?us down and ultimatley with your vote).

Some of the most sublime and charitable words ever uttered were by Lincoln, who always gave a lot of thought to the words he uttered and spoke from meticulous notes.?Among his best were these from his 2nd inaugural address:

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan ? to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”

Beautiful!? If we believe them, as he did, we should live them.? By so doing we teach other by example.? This could all take a while but it will be worth it.

So, think before you speak . . . and demand that your representatives do the same!

Nuff?said.

thanks to flikr’s chadh for the great photo.

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How deep are the yankees?

Posted on 27. Dec, 2008 by scott.

athletes can be people too!

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away we go

Posted on 26. Dec, 2008 by scott.

Hi, my name is Scott Hogan and I know times are tough right now . . . all across the globe the economy is bad.? This blog is intended to help?make sense?of what is going on and–we should be so lucky–how to deal with the mess.?The now and the future.

I’ll tell you right up that I believe?runaway personal freedom (liberty without conscience) combined with?unrestricted capitalism (think CEO’s who care more about stock options than stockholders) and privileged officials (think senators/congressfolk who . . . absent term limits . . . do what it takes to get reelected no matter how stupid) got us here.? BUT, I also believe that liberty and capitalism?will help us get back on track.?

When appropriate, I’ll?post negative ‘marks’ to?individuals, bureaucrats, governments or enterprises when the mess up.? Positive ‘marks’ if they help.? That is the plan anyway . . . but first we have to get through this mess and get back on the track of American ingenuity and integrity.

I hope you’ll leave comments and provide your own insight.? Differing points of view are how we learn and I am open.?

Stay tuned.? We, the people, are the key and as time goes on ‘we’ just might take the power back and send a lot of the crooks and idiots packing.

Meanwhile, have fun if you can and stay busy if you can’t.? Life is great!

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