On the eve of Obama's 30 minute prime-time infomercial, the critics were weighing in on this unprecedented occasion, well I keep hearing that Ross Perot did one but I must admit I don't remember it and I haven't looked it up, that it could wind up being a foot in mouth, over-confident, over-the top propaganda message, that it may backfire, that it was too much of a risk at this late stage, or the sheer cost of it is absurd, why is Fox delaying the world series for it, and that Obama is unfairly spending ill-gotten gains because he reneged on his pledge to accept public financing and the accompanying fund-raising cap even though at the time they were skeptical of his ability to raise cash on the open market. Even I was starting to dread the decision as too risky.
Well nervous nellies, it was flawless! Every lingering doubt, every policy point and all fears were put to rest as Obama delivered his message as a narrative through the eyes of middle class, swing-state based Americasn in a well-produced, engaging 30 minutes that was inspiring. How dare he make us hard-hearted folks feel hope for America? Well, if you caught John McCain on Larry King after the broadcast that was certainly his tone, whining, complaining and pushing his negative Obama message missing the opportunity once again to brush off Obama and tell the captive American audience why they should vote for him.
You watch one half hour of feel-good TV, followed by 12 minutes of grumpy old guy and you start to wonder why he still has statistically significant support. Either it is a testament to John McCain's credentials as a formidable candidate that he can run a disastrously disjointed, negative campaign, even choosing a woefully inadequate running mate and still be within a few digits in the polls or Obama is a black man.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Fine Time for a Rally: Dow jumps 889 points
This is all I heard or read today right off the top of my head: GM is begging the government for money to buy Chrysler, Consumer Confidence is at 38, the lowest it has been on record since the index began in 1967, the Case-Shiller Index which measures median housing prices in the top 20 U.S. cities is down another 16.5%, Whirlpool has joined the daily layoff brigade announcing its own 10% reduction and a bleak outlook along with most other retail for 2009, average consumer debt is now $17,000 per household, AIG is asking for still more money after already receiving $127,500,000,000, the Governor of NY revised this year's deficit upward to nearly $2,000,000,000 and next year's deficit at $12,000,000,000 and projected NY State job loss of 160,000, recession begets depression, its going to get worse before it gets better, the whole world is on the verge of a global recession, the Federal Reserve is having 2 days of meetings to decide how much more to cut the federal funds rate as if there is any more to cut and how will it help at this point since all the major financial institutions and corporations are getting bailed out anyhow, yet somehow, the Dow rallied on this expected rate cut to the tune of 889 points.
Double take. I must have taken a different boat to work today. The economic fundamentals couldn't be weaker; fine time for a rally.
Double take. I must have taken a different boat to work today. The economic fundamentals couldn't be weaker; fine time for a rally.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Pre-Election Fatigue
Since I started my job, the television sets in the break-rooms have all been tuned to CNN, all day, every day, without a break. I wonder if someone will turn the channel, maybe, after the election. I am not sure if this is the custom or borne of necessity; satisfying the news-addicted selves that many of us have become. Nevertheless, every time you get water, coffee, prepare your breakfast and/or lunch, there is one of them talking, Obama, McCain, Palin and sometimes Biden; his rallies get the least coverage.
When I come home, we have the news on, with a little more flexibility in that we flip through all the news channels, listening to all the pontification on the election as if it is a sporting event; the play by play with all of the obvious commentary and conclusions batted about with authority. The all-knowing pundits making fools of themselves especially those sincerely defending the erratic actions of the McCain/Palin campaign; so dark, so extreme the comedy. But now, I have to say, I am absolutely sick of it!
Today, as I was in the kitchen and Obama was on, a co-worker commented that he was just as "dirty as the rest of them," and he was not saying anything new; it was the same old yadda yadda that he's been hearing for weeks, no months, probably a year at least. Before I go on I must interject, why do citizens expect impeccable behavior from politicians when the nature of the beast dictates that you have to get your hands dirty to succeed? It is a necessary evil if you want to survive; serving the people sometimes means subverting the people in order to continue to serve the people.
No politician can be pristine yet the expectation of some kind of morale facade is deeply rooted in the election process. And, for the duration of said election cycle, the politicians sling mud at each other while we all pat ourselves on the back resplendent in our candidate's ability to take a moral highground just a little higher than the opponent's. Satisfactory. Job well done. And if not, what he or she should or should not have said with the same jawboning of an academic exercise. Filler. Commercial. Filler. Flip the Channel.
Anyhow, I digress. I deftly steered my co-worker to some non-partisan websites and explained that one can separate the stump from the message and when you dig deep into the message you get a different picture of the candidates that will clarify all the sound-bites. After he conceded that I was right about Obama, he happily went on and I happily scored another one for the cause. But, I couldn't help that he was right about the elections season overload. I am starting to turn away from all the noise; not just me, many of us are now suffering from pre-election fatigue, all wanting the election to be over, to be done with the incessant partisan rant and to be happy that we have elected a better President than what we now.
So tonight, I found TiVo again and tried to reclaim some connection to the fall TV season. What, 6 episodes behind on Mad Men? I've got a lot of catching up to do.
When I come home, we have the news on, with a little more flexibility in that we flip through all the news channels, listening to all the pontification on the election as if it is a sporting event; the play by play with all of the obvious commentary and conclusions batted about with authority. The all-knowing pundits making fools of themselves especially those sincerely defending the erratic actions of the McCain/Palin campaign; so dark, so extreme the comedy. But now, I have to say, I am absolutely sick of it!
Today, as I was in the kitchen and Obama was on, a co-worker commented that he was just as "dirty as the rest of them," and he was not saying anything new; it was the same old yadda yadda that he's been hearing for weeks, no months, probably a year at least. Before I go on I must interject, why do citizens expect impeccable behavior from politicians when the nature of the beast dictates that you have to get your hands dirty to succeed? It is a necessary evil if you want to survive; serving the people sometimes means subverting the people in order to continue to serve the people.
No politician can be pristine yet the expectation of some kind of morale facade is deeply rooted in the election process. And, for the duration of said election cycle, the politicians sling mud at each other while we all pat ourselves on the back resplendent in our candidate's ability to take a moral highground just a little higher than the opponent's. Satisfactory. Job well done. And if not, what he or she should or should not have said with the same jawboning of an academic exercise. Filler. Commercial. Filler. Flip the Channel.
Anyhow, I digress. I deftly steered my co-worker to some non-partisan websites and explained that one can separate the stump from the message and when you dig deep into the message you get a different picture of the candidates that will clarify all the sound-bites. After he conceded that I was right about Obama, he happily went on and I happily scored another one for the cause. But, I couldn't help that he was right about the elections season overload. I am starting to turn away from all the noise; not just me, many of us are now suffering from pre-election fatigue, all wanting the election to be over, to be done with the incessant partisan rant and to be happy that we have elected a better President than what we now.
So tonight, I found TiVo again and tried to reclaim some connection to the fall TV season. What, 6 episodes behind on Mad Men? I've got a lot of catching up to do.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Confessions of a Weary Blogger
Today, for the first time since I began writing this blog back in June, I decided I should take the day off. The main reason is the addition of a full time job. When I added a full-time job to my schedule, I added a full-time job to the full-time job that I already had; mother of 2 and CFO of 2 LLCs and CEO/CFO of the household. Yet through it all I have adhered to the schedule that I initially set when I started this blog.
I didn't want to be a blogger who wrote a few times willy nilly until the blog trailed off into nothingness and I didn't want to be a blogger posting several times a day every day. To strike a balance that I could reasonably keep, I decided on the schedule of a single post M-F reserving the weekends for family demands which, if you have one, are plentiful. It has been working all of this time until today when I realized that I probably cannot keep up this schedule for too much longer if I ever plan to get any sleep.
Currently I begin writing sometime after 10pm with the goal of getting to bed by midnight which I have so far failed to achieve; usually it is closer to 1am. At the 10pm hour, everyone is in bed, the house is quiet and I can separate and find the time to think. Even if I wasn't writing I would be thinking for I have always been a bit of a night owl. Nevertheless, the reality is that I have to be alert and primed for my job every day all day if I plan to keep it.
Every person's job in the private sector requires pristine dedication and overt proof of indispensability; a tough order for any job holder but a requirement in today's economy. It is impossible for me to be comfortable and take my job for granted having narrowly survived a layoff this week while witnessing the news of thousands more being downsized from major corporations, the likes of Chrysler, Goldman, Xerox and Merck. The employment outlook is grim for the upcoming year and to lose one's job in this economy is a looming prospect; any day, any hour, any time into a world of shrinking opportunity.
Therefore, in the interest of preserving my job and by extension preserving some sanity, I will be reducing my output to M-Th. I think it will be fine.
I didn't want to be a blogger who wrote a few times willy nilly until the blog trailed off into nothingness and I didn't want to be a blogger posting several times a day every day. To strike a balance that I could reasonably keep, I decided on the schedule of a single post M-F reserving the weekends for family demands which, if you have one, are plentiful. It has been working all of this time until today when I realized that I probably cannot keep up this schedule for too much longer if I ever plan to get any sleep.
Currently I begin writing sometime after 10pm with the goal of getting to bed by midnight which I have so far failed to achieve; usually it is closer to 1am. At the 10pm hour, everyone is in bed, the house is quiet and I can separate and find the time to think. Even if I wasn't writing I would be thinking for I have always been a bit of a night owl. Nevertheless, the reality is that I have to be alert and primed for my job every day all day if I plan to keep it.
Every person's job in the private sector requires pristine dedication and overt proof of indispensability; a tough order for any job holder but a requirement in today's economy. It is impossible for me to be comfortable and take my job for granted having narrowly survived a layoff this week while witnessing the news of thousands more being downsized from major corporations, the likes of Chrysler, Goldman, Xerox and Merck. The employment outlook is grim for the upcoming year and to lose one's job in this economy is a looming prospect; any day, any hour, any time into a world of shrinking opportunity.
Therefore, in the interest of preserving my job and by extension preserving some sanity, I will be reducing my output to M-Th. I think it will be fine.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The Politics of Race
The Meltdown of the McCain/Palin campaign over the last few days is making me start to feel bad for John McCain. After all, he has sacrificed his reputation for this campaign though, thank goodness, America will forget in due time. Two things were going to happen when John McCain selected Sarah Palin as his running mate; she was going to energize the Republican conservative base and perhaps skim off former Hillary supporters who, in their disappointment appeared to reject Barack Obama out of hand or she would personify exactly what she was thought to be at the time, a neophyte lacking the credentials to be Vice President.
It seems that the latter has come to pass and though we are not shocked, we are still surprised to see it unfold before us. And, though she was chosen to energize the base, none of us could have imagined the devisiveness that has come to characterize her campaign and by extension, John McCain's. From her mouth has emanated a charged vocabulary with an undercurrent no doubt influenced by her virtual isolation in Alaska.
On the eve of the possible of election of a 1/2 black man as President, America reveals its racial divisions once again for all the world to witness. This is supposed to be the greatest country in the world yet the Republican candidates for Presidency stoke an unspoken but understood prejudice that is seized upon with gusto and widespread support. This is kind of frightening. It reminds me of the division that we had in the democratic primaries where Hilary had to deliver her people to Obama much to the distress of herself and her supporters - an open wound fueled by the competitive division between a white woman and a black man both vying to become the historical first President of their kind. In time, Democrats came around to support the greater good, a Democrat for President.
Now with the increasingly hostile and corrosive campaign that Palin spews and McCain condones, we are left with people who have a more insidious separation, a racial divide rooted in hundreds of years of history that was only equalized by law less than 50 years ago. The very same separation that may cost Obama the election if Americans fail to look beyond race once they hit the voting booth; proving that the Bradley effect is no myth, but reality.
It seems that the latter has come to pass and though we are not shocked, we are still surprised to see it unfold before us. And, though she was chosen to energize the base, none of us could have imagined the devisiveness that has come to characterize her campaign and by extension, John McCain's. From her mouth has emanated a charged vocabulary with an undercurrent no doubt influenced by her virtual isolation in Alaska.
On the eve of the possible of election of a 1/2 black man as President, America reveals its racial divisions once again for all the world to witness. This is supposed to be the greatest country in the world yet the Republican candidates for Presidency stoke an unspoken but understood prejudice that is seized upon with gusto and widespread support. This is kind of frightening. It reminds me of the division that we had in the democratic primaries where Hilary had to deliver her people to Obama much to the distress of herself and her supporters - an open wound fueled by the competitive division between a white woman and a black man both vying to become the historical first President of their kind. In time, Democrats came around to support the greater good, a Democrat for President.
Now with the increasingly hostile and corrosive campaign that Palin spews and McCain condones, we are left with people who have a more insidious separation, a racial divide rooted in hundreds of years of history that was only equalized by law less than 50 years ago. The very same separation that may cost Obama the election if Americans fail to look beyond race once they hit the voting booth; proving that the Bradley effect is no myth, but reality.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
News Addicts: Post Partisanism & Neo-Socialism
This has been the most engaging and engrossing news cycle to the point where many of us are becoming news addicts; major media including the New York Times are profiling self proclaimed news addicts, to the detriment of the new fall television season. The news has become the ultimate reality show, providing all the scintillating drama we need complete with the "so you want to be the next vice president," contestant resoundingly unqualified but resplendent in her $150,000 wardrobe. Even material from fake news comedy and comedy sketch shows is news on the mainstream news networks; the shows that take the news and riff on the news create incredibly hilarious segments that become news in themselves. Yep.
Americans are simultaneously voting for their American Idol and their next President. When times are bad, Americans look to escape reality, in the 1930's they went to the movies, to be swept away from reality, to root for the underdog, the Presidential campaign is entertainment. But, at the same time, Americans need a President who has the potential to lead them out of the misery. We are conflicted enough to be almost fooled again by the same tactics that re-elected George Bush but at the same time we recognize the deception and we want to rise above it this time around.
However, the news is so biased that all it takes is a click to find the right news that tells you what you want to hear: "We report. We decide. You listen. You believe." Somewhere in all of this many have become news addicts because of the need for actual information; we are in a recession but no news organization wants to declare it, everyday is like groundhog day on wallstreet where the market reacts to the news of the day and/or moment as if the economic realities of yesterday were forgotten. Never in so long can I remember a time where we were inundated with facts; financial facts of a complexity that we suddenly have to comprehend as taxpayers; a historic democratic primary leading to a potential historic first for the Presidency and a downright raiding of the public trust to the tune of $2,000,000,000,000.
As the Republicans trump out their usual party platform of conservative values, small fiscally responsible government, low tax Americana, they are overseeing the largest nationalization of private enterprise in collective memory. Socialism, the evil political term of the week, has already been embedded in our progressive tax policies of subsidies, tax credits, social security and public health programs. It is the Republicans, not the oft-described liberal socially radical democrats who are presiding over this post capitalist neo-socialism. To encapsulate further irony, all of this was done in the name of saving our wealthy financial institutions to avoid an economic devastation of all society. How Odd!
This is why it is a troubling reality to watch the Sarah Palin supporters boo loudly at every mention of socialism because of the misconstrued notion that Barack Obama is a socialist for even suggesting that we spread the wealth around by repealing the Bush Tax cuts for those making over $250,000 a year. Politically incorrect is making a comeback and I'm adding my two cents: Do you really think the crowd booing at socialism even understands what it means or that they make more than $250,000 a year? Or do you really think that faced with an 'ism they are concluding the worst because neither they nor Palin understands the term; these the people survivng on welfare, food stamps, medicare, medicaid and other benefits of the public largesse. And for those of them who are working, that, in fact, 95% would benefit from the Obama tax cuts.
This is why we are still worrying; those of us who watch too much news. Polling is misleading and so we try to ascertain which way the wind is blowing.
Americans are simultaneously voting for their American Idol and their next President. When times are bad, Americans look to escape reality, in the 1930's they went to the movies, to be swept away from reality, to root for the underdog, the Presidential campaign is entertainment. But, at the same time, Americans need a President who has the potential to lead them out of the misery. We are conflicted enough to be almost fooled again by the same tactics that re-elected George Bush but at the same time we recognize the deception and we want to rise above it this time around.
However, the news is so biased that all it takes is a click to find the right news that tells you what you want to hear: "We report. We decide. You listen. You believe." Somewhere in all of this many have become news addicts because of the need for actual information; we are in a recession but no news organization wants to declare it, everyday is like groundhog day on wallstreet where the market reacts to the news of the day and/or moment as if the economic realities of yesterday were forgotten. Never in so long can I remember a time where we were inundated with facts; financial facts of a complexity that we suddenly have to comprehend as taxpayers; a historic democratic primary leading to a potential historic first for the Presidency and a downright raiding of the public trust to the tune of $2,000,000,000,000.
As the Republicans trump out their usual party platform of conservative values, small fiscally responsible government, low tax Americana, they are overseeing the largest nationalization of private enterprise in collective memory. Socialism, the evil political term of the week, has already been embedded in our progressive tax policies of subsidies, tax credits, social security and public health programs. It is the Republicans, not the oft-described liberal socially radical democrats who are presiding over this post capitalist neo-socialism. To encapsulate further irony, all of this was done in the name of saving our wealthy financial institutions to avoid an economic devastation of all society. How Odd!
This is why it is a troubling reality to watch the Sarah Palin supporters boo loudly at every mention of socialism because of the misconstrued notion that Barack Obama is a socialist for even suggesting that we spread the wealth around by repealing the Bush Tax cuts for those making over $250,000 a year. Politically incorrect is making a comeback and I'm adding my two cents: Do you really think the crowd booing at socialism even understands what it means or that they make more than $250,000 a year? Or do you really think that faced with an 'ism they are concluding the worst because neither they nor Palin understands the term; these the people survivng on welfare, food stamps, medicare, medicaid and other benefits of the public largesse. And for those of them who are working, that, in fact, 95% would benefit from the Obama tax cuts.
This is why we are still worrying; those of us who watch too much news. Polling is misleading and so we try to ascertain which way the wind is blowing.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Layoffs
There were layoffs at my job today; a 30% cut of my department. We were quivering in our boots. My company has seemingly solid financials but in order to stay competitive, maintain profitability and survive through the economic downturn, they have to be shrewd; conserve cash, trim unprofitable sectors, and reduce headcount.
As we struggled through each hour and minute waiting for the tap on the shoulder, there was an eerie quiet, we did not speak, we did not speculate and we did not work. I sat with a heavy heart and hollow gut even though I thought I was prepared. Since I was just hired, I am very aware that I am LIFO (last-in-first-out) especially in these economic times; there is no expectation of job security. I know I was fortunate to land the job in the first place but I still expected it to last a little longer than 5 weeks.
Nevertheless, no amount of expectation or preparation can reduce the emotional devastation of layoffs; the organizational ties that are suddenly and unexpectedly shattered. You immediately feel the loss of those who are let go as you try to assess your pecking order; you are on a rudderless ship, all the bosses are behind closed doors; your fate hanging in the balance.You find your thoughts turn to the realities of finding a job especially in a tight market until day's end and the firing stops and you have survived. Then you wonder whether or not you have witnessed the first round as you look around at the empty cubicles; will there be more? You pledge to tighten the reins and save even more emergency cash as you digest that the sad reality of this day could have been yours.
As we struggled through each hour and minute waiting for the tap on the shoulder, there was an eerie quiet, we did not speak, we did not speculate and we did not work. I sat with a heavy heart and hollow gut even though I thought I was prepared. Since I was just hired, I am very aware that I am LIFO (last-in-first-out) especially in these economic times; there is no expectation of job security. I know I was fortunate to land the job in the first place but I still expected it to last a little longer than 5 weeks.
Nevertheless, no amount of expectation or preparation can reduce the emotional devastation of layoffs; the organizational ties that are suddenly and unexpectedly shattered. You immediately feel the loss of those who are let go as you try to assess your pecking order; you are on a rudderless ship, all the bosses are behind closed doors; your fate hanging in the balance.You find your thoughts turn to the realities of finding a job especially in a tight market until day's end and the firing stops and you have survived. Then you wonder whether or not you have witnessed the first round as you look around at the empty cubicles; will there be more? You pledge to tighten the reins and save even more emergency cash as you digest that the sad reality of this day could have been yours.
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