Quote of the Day

"I pray God when the Democrats take back control we don't make the kind of naked power grab you are doing."

RE: Republican efforts to ram through "nuclear option" legislation in 2005 to bypass filibuster.

Joe Biden, 2005

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People are Angry

Who said the following?

As it happens, I hate Barack Obama, too. And my reasons for doing so are piling up fast. But I would never mistake him for a liberal. And that, in fact, is one of the things I most despise about this disastrous fool of a president. I couldn’t possibly care less what happens to him, other than hoping for fate to return the favor after all he’s done (and, especially, failed to do) to the country he promised to rescue.

A. Rush Limbaugh

B. Glenn Beck

C. Dick Cheney

D. None of the above

The answer? None of the above. And no, it wasn't Sarah Palin or Sean Hannity or some other right-wing embryonic terrorist. It was, instead, a Lefty professor from Hofstra University who is so angry that The One has failed to enact a complete and utter Progressive takeover of the nation that his head has exploded.

When you've lost the professors, you've lost middle America.

I wonder when the Secret Service will be knocking on his door?

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Drama!

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Turning the Tables on Family Finance

My favorite professor at Darden has been Ron Wilcox. (And don't worry, I don't have him anymore so there is no grade lobbying going on here.) Anyway, he got his Phd in Economics, but he teaches Marketing here at school. As is typically the case with economists, Ron brings a unique perspective to most things.

He recently wrote a column for the local newspaper, found here, and it's all about the division of financial responsibilities between husband and wife.

Typically men manage the long-term investments (the home purchase, the retirement account, etc) while the women handle the day-to-day or month-to-month expenses.

Ron says it should be the other way around.

Men are too stubborn and trigger happy with the retirement account investments. Their impatience and aggressiveness often slow earnings growth. Meanwhile women are shopaholics and often buy more than they intend/need. Neither wants to swap responsibilities, but Ron's research suggests that women (more careful with fees and transaction costs and diligent in following financial advice when sought) are better at the long-term stuff, while men (ever the efficient hunters) are better at the short-term stuff. And the family finances are better off because of it.

Certainly not what Ryan wants to hear. :)

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Oh No! The Government's Shut Down!

Just when they were getting nowhere!

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Of Super Bowl Ads, Risk, and Politics

What a game?

I thought there at the end that the Colts had put Brett Favre into the game to do his best Brett Favre impression. Instead, it was Peyton Manning throwing the game ending interception. Peyton Manning! That same immaculate and indescribably incredible son of New Orlean's own Archie Manning. Conspiracy?

But who knew Drew Brees was so damn good?

And who knew that the Super Bowl ads were going to be so terrible? But more on that later...

An onside kick to open the second half was, in hindsight of course, the most brilliant play in Super Bowl history. Had the outcome gone any differently, there'd be a bounty out for Sean Payton's head. Especially after that debacle of a play on 4th and goal just a few minutes earlier. Instead, that guy who coaches the Colts held a look of shocked disbelief on is face from that moment on. Indeed, I'm certain he is still wondering just what the hell happened. I mean, he had Peyton Manning under center!

Which brings up a good point: Risk.

Risk can lead to monumental success, or terrible failure. There cannot be one without the other. And so, men must take chances. In business, in sport, in love. How many of us would be married today had we not taken that absurdly self-aggrandizing step of asking a woman to dedicate the rest of her life to us? And how many of us would be married if that girl had not taken the even more ridiculous, and self-basing chance of actually agreeing to such a proposal?

Which is why the government is so terrible at Super Bowl ads. They have no skin in the game. That is, you and I paid for a bunch of Hollywierd lefties to pretend they were a part of the private sector inadvertently ripping off the Government. Imagine that, the private sector stealing from the government! Hahahahahhhhhaaaaaa! Ahem. Sorry. Where was I? Oh, yes. 2 million tax payer dollars were used to promote the census during the Super Bowl. The census. During the Super Bowl. 2 Million. Dollars.



By all means, give these people our health care!

But at least the ads were free of any draconian references to Nazi Germany, right? Except, were they?



Is this ad brilliant parody, or a glimpse into an algore future? Perhaps Both? It wasn't funny, if that was it's intent. But it did make the entire green cult look silly and petty. But then, I'm not sure if that was intended or not either. The take home message that conforming to totalitarianism is A-OK was a little puzzling. And will it sell any cars?

I suppose we will find out. (See above about taking risks)

Meanwhile "Who Dat" is fast becoming the most annoying phrase on the planet. But at least "pants on the ground" has been supplanted. And it would also appear that the damage inflicted on New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina will only be slightly worse than what is being predicted from the combination of Mardi Gras and a Super Bowl victory. I'm certain FEMA is warming up the school buses as we speak.

But don't worry. There is a light at the end of this dark wintery tunnel: pitchers and catchers report February 18th.

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1st Amendment Thoughts

As to this supreme court decision.

I think this is a critical check on the populism movement sweeping the world.

Tyranny of the majority where corporations are painted as the enemy and they have little recourse at election time. Their voice is important in a democracy, especially since corporations pay the bills.

When a government can decide to impose an addition 10% income tax on my company/bank because they feel that is the fair thing to do (even though we repaid TARP + 25%), then companies may begin to question where their representation is.

I know for a fact, that we want to invest (read add jobs) right now given our strong capital position. We are constrained though because we have to worry about a potential reduction in our net INCOME by about 10%. A hundred million dollars+ to go to the government coffers. We would gladly hire sales and technology staff to exploit marketplace opportunities. Instead we have to prepare to write a check to the government.

BofA and Citi will be saddled with a 1 BILLION + bill. How many staff must they hold off hiring while they await the decision on this new 'regulation'?

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Reasonable Reason

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The Art of Rejection

Remember in high school how the month leading up to a big dance was so filled with elaborate invitations and extravagant responses? Then there were some who were fortunate enough to have multiple invitations and they had to choose? (Some call that situation a Princess Problem -- too many suitors.)

It's never appealing when that person complains about having too many invitations, right? Kinda makes you want to throw up in your mouth, especially when you're sitting on the sidelines with nothing. No date to the dance.

So there's definitely a need for class when handling the situation with too many offers. And there's also an art to respectfully rejecting an offer - no matter how uninterested one may be in said offer.

I am currently in a situation with multiple internship offers where I need to consider how to respectfully and artfully turn down offers. In some ways, I kinda wish this were high school because the stakes were so much lower back then.

But it's not. And in a lot of ways I'm glad that it's not. (I never got this kind of attention in high school!)

So I seek the guidance of TTKS authors and readers. How does one go about rejecting an offer in such a way that it a) leaves the person/company grateful to have recruited you and b) possibly keeps the door open for future employment?


Oh, and for the one I do accept, should I answer with custom messages in Hershey kisses or a piece of paper inside a jello mold?

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