From the official Friday tome on Facebook, inspired by the spiritual river and written by Michael Patrick Murphy​
There is this policy of paying commissions. It's funny how the true nature of some people comes out when working on a commission, especially in chaotic retail environments. The dog eat dog, worst in the Valley of Death, primitives come out of the woodwork.
Another basic premise of man's nature is often missed in the commissioned world. That is his natural desire to do well and to be rewarded for it on it's own merit. We like to be "liked" by both customers and management. In a slip of language, you might add that all people we come into contact with are our customers. While that is a loose language indeed, it is another way of looking at our relationships.
One thing that all our customers appreciate is our efforts. We have phrases praising "effort." "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." "No guts, no glory." And, lastly, "No pain no gain." One of my mentors, Chester Karis, explained, "You have to up your ASSpirations." Another, Denis Waitley, once said that People do things that are tension relieving, rather than goal achieving.
While we often let ourselves down and fail to meet our own expectations, management has to learn to work with staff to help them appreciate themselves and their efforts. That will cause staff to show more effort, rather than less. A commission, in and of itself, is not conducive to this end. Running over your fellow staff or what I call, "register hoarding," is not the road to peace and prosperity.
While commissions seem to incentivise sales without the use of as much management training and supervision, in reality it does not. The system of commissions is bureaucratic and devicive. It works against both the customer and the employee. In the end, to repair the damage, management must actually work harder. Ask CarMax. There are many easier ways to reward good employees.
The Economy
I sit on a porch in perfect weather overlooking Cameron Park Lake. Life is good. There couldn’t be anything wrong with the world as I read this month’s Reader’s Choice issue of Money magazine. They decided to show some of the questions folks had of the next president. I had to laugh as I thought of our local elections’s department head, Jim McCauley’s comment years ago that we’re not that far out of the cave. He was referring to Plato’s cave.
In fact, by the look of the questions, he was right. The first question was another, “What can the government do for me?” question. John Cutler asks, “What steps must we take in the US to lower the cost of college for our youth?”
We’ll, John we can’t just print money to throw at the problem. The national debt, charged to the youth, proves that point. We the old have stolen from them and perhaps you reason we can do yet another student loan program. College in America is antiquated and chained by bad government seeking a new world order where the kids are less free and where they becomes slaves to those in charge of a Rockeffelian one world government. John, let’s get the government out of education.
Next, Marc Andrew asks, “Is debt killing America? How can we reverse the course and what actions do we need to take now to change tomorrow?”
Well, Marc, debt is killing America and the rest of the free world as well as a big chunk of the third world.. Charging everything to future generations is a ponzi scheme. The answer is to tear up the credit cards. Do you think Obama or Romney will change this trend? Of course not. In your heart of hearts you already know they don’t have the will or integrity to handle that problem. The goal is to devalue your assets and currency so the rich and powerful can scoop them up while you pay their bills for them. They would kill any president who endangered their largess.
A better question is asked by Gary Wyman. He comments, “The banks are still too big to fail” and basically says that government has proven useless. “How can I protect my savings from another debacle?”
And you're going to ask the President? The answer is that he knows, but won’t tell you publicly. Get out of American dollars and pronto. The president is going to help kill them through devaluation.
Now Joyce Ball is a planner. She again asks the wrong man the question, “How can I survive the next great recession in better shape? Protect your necessary assets. Have a job that does well during a recession? Be good at it. This will be no time to be retired. Diversification is never as good as being invested in the best stuff. First is your health, next is your own abilities. Don’t expect the government to be of assistance in any capacity.
Last was Allan Spelbring. He said, “With Social Security in doubt, medical costs rising and markets so uncertain, will on ever feel secure retiring?”
Again, why ask the next President? Not only will he not care about you, but he will be assisting in your demise. “Those that would trade freedom for security, end up with neither freedom nor security.” Your retirement is not secure. Get used to that fact. Also, in general, retirements will not be secure in your lifetime, no matter how old you are, including the possibility that you’re only five years old.
Now folks, if the next president gives you better answers than that, I’ll eat my paycheck.
Here’s some better questions of the next pawn we call president?
Why are you helping to destroy the country?
What do you get out of being president heading America towards one world government?
Why do have membership in so many cultish organizations?
Why have you lied to us and continue to do so?
Why do you hide the truth from the American people?
Guess what, I predict the next abysmal president won’t answer those more fundamental important questions to a public that doesn’t even know what I’m talking about.
Flakiness - The Biggest Killer of Business and Society
As of this morning:
The Lessor hasn’t called back to finish a lease signing, which puts off my storage facility move-out date. Why? No reason other than general flakiness.
An associate hasn’t returned calls or texted back for three days so I can pick up some furniture for a customer that wanted it yesterday. Last I heard, he was in court. Perhaps he went to jail?
The same person is late paying a phone bill and debt payment which is over a month and one half overdue. I’m having to cut it off again in a few moments.
This goes on and on everyday in every city in America and it costs everyone time and money.
The various government entities plague us with stupidity, arrogance and flakiness.
Homeland Security requires banks to hold deposit checks over 5,000 for 10 days, causing endless expenses. I can take the check, as long as it is non-business, over to the bank it was drawn on, get the cash for a $5.00 fee, and then deposit the $5,000 in my bank without issue. it just cost me more time—approximately a half hour, more money—approximately $5.00, and allowed me to use more gasoline and create more smog, not to mention wear and tear on the car. All this didn’t produce anything but a headache.
The court system throughout the land, used to admonish “flakes,” has also become untenable. It enables crime and flakiness by being too inaccessible, untimely, inefficient and expensive. People start to take the law into their own hands. Some give up on the world. Flakes get away with murder. All of this started somewhere and only we can stop the avalanche of poor quality lifestyles with honesty and discipline. Unfortunately, most Americans have become too lazy and apathetic to stop watching Ultimate Fighting long enough to pay their bills on time.
When government and leadership lies, cheats, steals, procrastinates, and does stupid flakey things, it hurts us all. It forms a domino affect. The waves ripple throughout the economy making it weak, irritable, inefficient and no longer cost effective. How much is the cost to Americans? 10%, 20% or 30% of our wealth, wasted on flakes and cons?
Each business must evaluate itself in these areas. We the people must demand better governance and apply honesty and discipline in our lives.
Planned Obsolescence Picks up for 2011
Plan ahead. Companies like Apple Computer are already breaking older software with newer operating systems. This, of course helps all the vendors because you and I will be forced to buy upgrades whether we like it or not. When the economy sours, this is one method to crank up investment in the computer and software industry. I think automobiles may go through the same trend, too. As gas prices rise, you are encouraged to dump the old car for a more fuel efficient model. Even as gas use goes down in a bad economy, the prices will stay up, perhaps in part to promote auto sales, much as LA began to give up the red cars in the late 40’s to promote gasoline using private automobiles.
There’s not a lot we can do about this trend other than to set aside an extra $3,000 per year for auto repairs, maintenance and replacement and another $1000 for computer issues. That’s $4,000 a year on top of most folk’s underfunded heath care situation! Think about that before you blow money on discretionary junk. Most people will buy another television first. Don’t be one of them. By the way, your old TV still works with cable. Do you really need to upgrade to digital television yet?.
Christmas 2010
Most people won’t know about my economic predictions. After all, I’m a small player and not a market mover like Warren Buffet, who still believes in investing in companies and people about which he knows more than the average bloke. He knows when he moves to the left, everyone else will follow. When he moves to the right, the sheep will do the same. Just remember, he moves there first. Me, I’m a little non-player in the game that is always rigged in his favor.
This Christmas will find Americans spending their money and ringing up their supposedly more trustworthy credit cards. Most of the gifts will be fashionable Chinese junk worth little to nothing in a few years. Fortunately, the money we gave them may also be worthless about the same time. It is no wonder they invest heavily in precious metals. However, they are careful to be more quiet about it, lest they drive prices upward. Meanwhile, these same folks, who will be increasing my bankruptcy business in the future, still don’t have long term care and a healthy retirement setup. Even the Christians can excuse themselves from bad financial behavior based on the premise that the end is near and you can’t take it with you.
The government has played Santa Clause by borrowing money against future children to pay for gifts this Christmas. The real problem is, as Japan is finding out, there simply are not enough young people to handle the debt. The result will be the world’s largest economic crunch in history. The truly great depression coming will find one of its roots firmly planted in this dilemma.
Housing
Due to our propensity to borrow as individuals and the propensity for that to be reflected by the government that represents us, the prices of homes have risen unnecessarily for the last 100 years. Imagine if we didn’t borrow money. Houses would not sell at the current prices (and they are not) and the prices would have to come down. Borrowing is a government induced form of enslavement. The answer lies in our refusing to borrow money, especially from sources, like the US government that simply print money unbacked by any kind of reality other than their successful ability to market the use of it by making the refusal of US currency a Federal crime. However, this downward trend of is the reality we must deal with when we plan our futures.
Census Bureau Survey - CA has 5 of the top 50 housing median prices. (Good for CA property tax collectors—bad for homeowners)
From most expensive to least expensive:
- San Francisco $591,600
- Los Angeles $463,600
- San Diego $417,700
- Sacramento $298,000
Biggest problem: Declining populations mean more homes with fewer buyers, lowering home prices relative to potential runaway inflation. See Japan’s example.
Housing Bubble Graphs Policy and Economy
Insecurities
Let’s follow life for a bit with a look at the news over the past century. If that doesn’t concern you as you invest in insecurities, I don’t know what will.
The latest posting is what we’ll note first and you watch the upcoming month end results. Keep in mind as you read that the press guides stock buying and selling.
2010-11-22 - Dow at 11,042 better to follow the whole market at 7,485 (We are not an industrial nation any longer, so why do we care about the DOW???) - European Union is crumbling.
2010-10-05 - Dow at 11,444
2010-09-21 - Dow at 10, 750 USA Today - Stocks already reflect recession’s end - Recession ended in June 2009. On the same day, we learn about Increases in airline fees and that builders moods remains low.
Unemployment
Unemployment figures are another of the US government’s big lies. It is always understated. We are in much more trouble than the graphs show. To see them, click below.
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/Economics/Unemployment-Rate.aspx?Symbol=USD