Apologize?

I don’t get why a Congressman suggests that Wall Street should apologize?

Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio made a point to ask during testimony, “Does Wall Street owe Main Street an apology?”

I would like to know what good this will do for me, the economy, and America. How has apologizing genuinely fixed anything? It may make you feel better but it does nothing to get you out of whatever problem you created. Wasting everyone’s time to grandstand during what is arguably the worst financial crisis this side of the Depression isn’t helping anything.

Maybe I’m wrong, maybe an apology will magically fix it all! In the spirit of fairness, let’s see who needs to apologize:

1. President Bush – Approval ratings are less than 35%. Katrina blunder, Iraq, national debt.

2. Congress – Approval ratings of less than 15% (Asking about apologies may be one of the reasons for this). Not just this Congress but all the way back through Clinton (It was during the Clinton administration that they took the cuffs off of Freddie and Fannie). Iraq, national debt, letting Fannie and Freddie go nuts.

3. The two couples within 5 houses of me that took on loans that they couldn’t afford and have had their homes foreclosed on. I would like an apology for making my home value decrease further and for creating an eye sore for the neighborhood.

4. Those not taking personal responsibility – Its not all Wall Street’s fault. Buying McMansions you can’t afford, spending more and more on credit cards, tapping your home equity to buy a Beemer and flat screen. You did know that this money would have to be paid back someday, right?

5. Wall Street – I didn’t forget them.

I’m absolutely certain that once we obtain the apologies from these people everything will be fine and we can get back to business as normal.

Now to drive the point home. Do the apologies of these people really matter, make a difference, or change any of the underlying realities? Rapists, murderers, corrupt politicians/CEO’s/police, and adulterers.

By the way, I’m sorry to those that don’t like this post.

Divorce

I don’t get why divorce rates have fallen so far.

There is a story on MSN’s homepage about relationships. Within this article is a line that divorce rates have fallen from over 50% to 36%. Really? There has been a 14% drop in the number of divorces in the United States. What’s the reason? What changed? Without further adieu, my thoughts.

1. People have realized that the grass isn’t greener on the other side.
2. Sex amongst married couples is on the rise. (Bad time to be an STD.)
3. On the last note, people aren’t cheating because of fear of catching an STD.
4. The economy. Tough times to go through the economics of a divorce.
5. Laziness. The good stuff is back on T.V. For women – Project Runway. For men – Football Season!

Analysts

I don’t get why stock analysts carry so much clout.

There are numerous items that will fluctuate the price of any listed stock. It could be tensions in the Middle East, crude, consumer spending, the dollar, or a Donald Trump bad hair day.

The thing that I don’t get is how one person (or numerous once they jump on the bandwagon) can single-handedly bring a stock to its knees or boost it beyond imagination. “I’m certain that Solar Fun is going to have a fantastic quarter! Why? Well, my Farmer’s Almanac says that the sun will rise tomorrow, that’s why.”

What kills me is that they have access to pretty close to the same information that the rest of us have. Yes, they could have an insider, and yes, they have more schooling for it than the rest of us. But why is it that they seem to be wrong more often than not? Not just wrong, but their “advice” seems to come after the 10-Q comes out and everyone goes, “What the hell happened that quarter?” The stock sinks and the analyst releases their report saying that they’ve downgraded the company from a Buy to a Sell, because of all the reasons in the quarterly report. I didn’t need them to tell me that and I certainly didn’t need them to help push the stock further down with that information. Aren’t these people supposed to be semi-clairvoyant?

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m damn good at publishing advice after-the-fact. So I herby declare my new stock picking analysis service “AftertheFact.com.”

Oil and Vehicle MPG

 I don’t get why there isn’t a car manufacturer that can’t get a vehicle over 32 miles per gallon without being some sort of hybrid.

Before you start, I concede that it may be higher than 32mpg but that’s the number I tossed out there. A couple of weeks ago, my wife, her parents, and I went perusing around Boise. Our travels took us to the old Boise Penitentiary. Talk about an interesting place! I really couldn’t believe that inmates were house there until the mid ’70s.

What does this have to do with a car’s mpg you ask? Well, inside the old laundry there are carriages that were used by early settlers coming from the east. Amongst the items was an old car about the size of a Mini Cooper. The sign accompanying the vehicle said that it was created by an Idaho car manufacturer during the Oil Embargo. Reading further, it states that the vehicle got over 50mpg. Yes, you read that right, 50mpg in the ’70s. How in the hell can’t Ford, GM, Toyota, or Honda get us something that does what a unknown maker in the ’70s did? Technology has improved astronomically, yet here we are. You can’t get over 45mpg without solar panels on the roof (like the new Prius is rumored to have) or running some sort of gasoline mix. I don’t get why!

I apologize for not writing down or remembering the name of the car. Surely you don’t believe me, especially if you’re like me and ask a lot of questions and don’t believe things without verifiable proof. Frankly, it doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me, because I’m certainly not driving the 40 miles roundtrip in my 18mpg vehicle—it’ll cost too much!

The Bachelor

I don’t get why they continue with the show The Bachelor.

I prefer not to get started on reality television, but this is beyond belief. Once again The Bachelor and his “fiancee” have broken up before the show even finished airing. Am I the only person in America that can see these relationships are doomed to fail before they begin?

The show has a record of 11 out of 12 or 12 out of 13. No, don’t kid yourself, that is 11 out of the 12 seasons the couples have broken up. There has been one wedding! This truly is a matchmaking show in the finest of forms. When will they pull the plug? When will we stop watching?

The law of averages says their performance should be much better than this. I think some other things have a better chance of succeeding than relationships from this show. Let’s see… Bush turning it around in the last months and leaving office with the highest approval record in history, me seeing a Social Security check, my dog treating his private parts as something other than a lollipop, Hugh Hefner having less than two girlfriends, and a beauty queen’s go-to answer, “World Peace.”

George W. Bush

I don’t get why so many people dislike President Bush.

I know, I can’t be serious. Seriously, I am. Before people track me down and pistol whip me, give me a chance to explain my reasons.

Before I go on, you must do something for me. Forget about the politics. Forget about his almost eight years in the White House. Forget all the things that have happened within his administration. I know it’s hard, but I really want you to think about this.

1. His right hand man is a skilled hunter and a crack shot.

2. He makes up his own words like “strategery.”

3. I don’t know what’s more American than giving the camera the bird.

4. Everything he does seems robotic, almost like he needs to go through a mental check list before doing anything. “Ok. Those are steps. I can do this, just walk up to the plane. Don’t trip; people are watching, bet they’re looking at my…whoa, almost missed that one. Okay, made it. Turn and wave goodbye. Where is everyone? Over there, now wave. Crap, have to smile. Yes, very good. Now get in the plane before I make a fool of myself.”

5. His press conferences are borderline comic stand-up routines. (Complete with wild movements and quips.)

President Bush reminds me of some of my friends and if I didn’t know any better, I would assume that he is a college freshman. The best part is that he’s sober during these moments. If only I could get invited to Crawford for some drinking games and see him liquored up. Everything aside, I believe it would be good times.

 

 

Rookie Athlete Contracts

I don’t get why NFL rookie athletes are receiving more money than their veteran counterparts without ever playing a down in the NFL.

Year after year the first rounders are receiving more guaranteed money and bigger contracts than the rookies the year before. These contracts are larger than for those that have playing in the NFL for years, and have proven themselves. Not one single down, not one practice, not one film session. Wear a suit, come to the draft, sign on the dotted line, and buy necessary jewelry.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not questioning all contracts, though some need questioning. I’m questioning the unproven. Matt Ryan has just signed his name to a very lucrative contract. He hasn’t even gotten under center and he’s making 12 million a year for the next 6 years. Peyton Manning is higher at 98 million for 7 years but Matt Ryan is 12 million more than Tom Brady (60 million for 6 years). Controversy or not, Tom Brady has accomplished a thing or two in the NFL. Ryan didn’t win the BCS, and he didn’t win a Heisman.

I’m not trying to pick solely on Ryan. It’s all rookies that haven’t proven anything in the college level to demand anything substantial. One of the hardest things for me is to give weight to collegiate accomplishments. The NFL is harder, the players faster and stronger, the schemes deeper. Does collegiate play mean someone will be good or bad at the next level? Certainly not. I just want to know why these young men are getting contracts their better, more proven confidants aren’t.

American Savings

I don’t get why America has the hardest time saving.

Ok, I know what you’re thinking. How is it even possible to save a dime in this current economic environment? Inflation is running rampant, more foreclosures by the minute, and now a bank has been taken over by the FDIC.

I completely understand that people aren’t making the most money in the world and that expenses are probably more than income. But there are people in the world who have it worse than the rest of us, yet they have the sense to save for retirement.

I recently read a blog post from Get Rich Slowly about a woman who has been begging her entire life. What does this have to do with saving, you ask? Well, this woman knows that she won’t be able to beg her entire life. So she saved as many coins as possible for retirement and opened a bank account. That’s right, a woman beggar has the common sense and wherewithal to save as much as possible to take care of herself in her latter years. I know she didn’t save much, but it’s the principle. I don’t believe any of our situations are worse than this, so I don’t think many have an excuse. Did I mention that this woman had polio? Poor beggar with serious health issues–what’s your excuse?

Why?

I’m inquisitive by nature. Is it because of my sign or because I’m a royal annoyance? Not sure. I do know that I’ve learned a thing or two by asking questions, specifically, Why?

I believe that we could all stand to learn a thing or two. There are many people who thirst for knowledge. Constantly craving, learning something they didn’t know before. There are people who just have to be in the know Then there are others who just want to have a better understanding.

What’s my reason? All of the above. I’m one of those people that has to know everything. If I can’t know know it all then I will learn a little about everything, just to be involved in the conversation. Regardless of the reasons, I feel that asking questions will give us deeper insight as to reasons things happen. Not cosmic or spiritual–I mean why did someone do what they did.

This blog is me asking why to different situations and scenarios. I want to find the reasons behind the outcome. Hopefully I can get more people to start asking why and possibly stir a lively debate as to reasons behind the action.