Dyslexic Research

To Guzzo the Contrarian...

2011-01-12T16:12:00.001-06:00

If you wish to return from your slumber, you are always welcome to write here. Hope you are ok out there.

Social Security...

2011-01-12T15:30:00.002-06:00

Here’s the thing about Social Security. As long as you are working, granted there are certain requirements to be eligible etc, you have been paying in. I started “working” when I was 14 and believe I started paying into the system when I was 16, I am now 31 years old and have put in $18k into Social Security or so my little yearly handout I get from the government says. So to put it nicely, if we get rid of the system, I want my mother f^#&ing money. $18k is $18k and I want it back, if it were $10 I would want it back. I’m pretty sure everyone else wants it back as well.

Social Security is like a gift card from the government. The system hopes you don’t use the entire balance on the card, aka you expire before your contribution/deposit runs out. That allows a surplus that goes back to the government and/or Social Security, just like Walmart hopes that you don’t use the entire balance on the gift card leaving them a leftover surplus. Better yet, sorry to use mortal terms, it would be even better if you expired before you get to withdraw, or in gift card terms, you lose your card.Yes, there are specifics that I am leaving out here, but I am not the best source for facts anyway.

Honestly the system while just okay at creating a minimum balance to retire and distribute as a payout, is in fact brilliant in that it forces people to plan while giving them money to balance budgets (I never agreed to that part). Granted some people don’t agree with government just taking your money, but some people don’t agree with Fluoride in the water. Fact is it’s there, a lot of us contribute, and it should remain for those whom have paid in.

The argument is that too many people will retire (boomers), pulling out too much money, without a greater input of cash going in. I understand, more people retiring than ever before, and if they live as long as they might live, OMG for GOV’T. The thing is there is quite the growing population in the US; however the employment opportunities seem to keep dwindling down. Manufacturing, customer support, engineering, and supplies keep getting sourced to other countries, thus less people inputting into the social security system and with the jobs left, inputting money at a much lesser rate. I don’t know when it became popular to look down on these trade jobs, vo-tech education, and service industry, but it is hurting the society as a whole because now everyone wants to be a rock star or computer programmer over being a carpenter, plumber, and electrician. I digress, but I am really just saying government, society, and American companies need to create more employment opportunities for Americans and then your cash recovery for Social Security I would think occur.

So please, when you can, buy American. Write your congressman to create more jobs here and do what you can to help out, because someday I want my mother f^#&ing money.

What is a return...

2010-12-21T18:42:00.004-06:00

..or what is there to return to?

The bug is back in me slightly, so I will write some.

This past year, was more difficult than the one previous. Which is hard to believe, considering I was broke, unemployed, and selling/repairing bikes to make it. This year I luckily regained employment in February, then my future brother in law and now my real brother in law was diagnosed with Hodkins Lymphoma. He's doing great, full recovery pretty much an afterthought now. A sister in law just had her first child too. So started nice, rough middle, and is ending beautifully.

Most importantly, the girl I love (and have been with for nine and a half years) and I got married. Just great, great, great.

So I have been away, but busy. I think I will start to write again. Don't really know if I care or if anyone cares.

This just in....

2010-02-17T19:10:00.001-06:00

...MJ gets a job!

Haven't posted in awhile...

2009-12-18T16:39:00.002-06:00

...thought I would chime in with a couple of thoughts. Despite thoughts to the contrary I think the market is acting scared right now, it may be appropriately fragile but I am unsure. I think solid value investing of solid straight forward companies with large cash savings are the way to go. ABB and PM come to mind. VTI has almost recovered my Roth completely and I think proven that is the "safest" place for money, so props to Bogleheads.

As for me, I am still unemployed. Manufacturing in KC is down, and engineering jobs are then. I don't plan on moving and I don't see a turnaround here coming soon. Thus, I am working towards opening my own bike store, hopefully can put something together by February. In other words, when times are tough, I am going to invest in myself.

Good luck out there, more to come when I feel like it. Happy holidays...

From Sinfest...

2009-11-03T11:57:00.002-06:00

Great little comic called Sinfest can open your eyes at time...

Beware the 4th quarter...

2009-09-01T20:39:00.002-05:00

I have been around some cable TV as of late (not mine), and have been noticing everyone saying that they should be prepared for the sky to fall. While I do think that some pullback is inevitable soon, I don't know if it will be drastic.

What I do suggest you look out for is fourth quarter earnings which in the coming months will be reported for a great deal of business. Despite what you believe about how truthful the first three quarterly reports are, I will tell you that typically the fourth quarter is as legit as it will get. This is due to companies having to report the official earnings to the government. They scrutize themselves thoroughly at this time and you will often find that major adjustments to the other quarters. I've seen GM and Goldman Sach's do this just this past year.

If you are a long term investor, often times you will follow stocks over a longer period. Notice the companies that do and do not have major adjustments after each report. Those that do not swing numbers around wildly likely chance of having both a straight forward business structure and more importantly honest business practices. I can think of a few examples, Trane before it was acquired by Ingersoll-Rand and while it was under American Standard's portfolio was extremely well honest with its practices, and has Baldor over the past 4 years or so (that I have seen).

So be careful and keep a watchful eye on your stocks, the fourth quarter is coming...

Awesome

2009-08-13T15:29:00.001-05:00

Maybe you shouldn't speak up about the government or speak at all or move to California.

Healthcare Question:

2009-08-13T14:17:00.003-05:00

Do you feel like the govenment is tackling the second greatest issue with healthcare instead of the first? Am I the only one that thinks that tort reform would be the single greatest affect on the healthcare system? Don't you think if we could streamline and better manage health related court costs, then insurance, doctor's well being, patient care, and overall outrageous costs associated with the system could be eliminated. Seems to me we are saying that is too hard, and instead let's give healthcare for all, creating a massive government insurance company that will then find the need to push tort reform.

Whereas, tort reform could be pushed first and thus private insurance could be reachable for all. If not private insurance then at least paying for the procedures would be in a more realistic price range and then government insurance plans would become more economical for the nation.

Why am I seeing it this way?

What's Happening With MJ

2009-08-09T17:18:00.006-05:00

MJ's been kind of "hush hush" about his job situation. But, that's only online. He has no problem sharing his stories with his friends and colleagues in person, especially when he's out partying. So to keep everyone updated to his situation, I videotaped his last night out with his friends before he went on vacation.

New Healthcare Bill...

2009-08-08T01:00:00.003-05:00

I am still out traveling the Rockies, but I think healthcare reform is important and will end up affecting us all.

So before everyone makes an opinion about some heresay on this or that try checking out PolitiFact.com website. It is a sight that is supposed to be non-partisan and show the real truth to rumors making the rounds.

Click here to check out the healthcare section of Politifact.

Hitting the road for awhile...

2009-07-30T11:50:00.005-05:00

...I am going on the road for a couple of weeks. If anyone is interested in following my travels click here.

Have a good couple of weeks. Below is a picture of where I am headed. (Hint: It rhymes with lacier ational ark)

Ahwww

2009-07-20T21:45:00.001-05:00

Now Monday is really going to suck.

Where I want the whole bike shop thing to go...

2009-07-15T00:09:00.001-05:00

Sometimes people who get their bike repaired by me or stop by to look at parts wonder where I would like to go with this, really I am not sure but every once in a while I get a little bit of a dream going. One of my favorite cycling blogs Copenhagenize visited a place in London that is similar to what I would like to do here in Mission.

Take a look here. Mission is one of the areas in the city that could easily become a more mobile bike community. Everything from restaurants to grocery stores to hardware stores are less than a mile a way from a large residential and rental areas. It just seems like it would be a prime place for something such as this. Maybe I will step forward, don't know yet, it is nice to dream about it.

A particularly bad habit of mine: Article of the week

2009-07-13T14:28:00.002-05:00

Swearing, unfortunately I do it often. I have sweared in the most inappropriate of times, in front of my parents, in front of children, churches, etc. I am not proud of it, but man is it easier to get your frustration out. Now science (or is it just psychology) has proven me right. Read on:

Swearing Makes Pain More Tolerable

Stop...

2009-07-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hammer Time

Busy at Home

2009-07-06T20:19:00.003-05:00

So a few ads on craigslist and a website later and I am making some pocket money. I am busy, so busy in fact that I haven't posted anything here. It is hard for me to give financial advice when I myself don't really have the money to invest. Not that I don't have money (Thank you Missouri and craigslist), I just don't have anything extra. Nothing is tapped out or in despair, but nothing is gaining so to speak.

If I had money, I would be watching ABB. If the the green boom is really going to occur this company is going to make lots of money. They make electic motors, PLC controls, robots, and most importantly transmission lines. If the US is going to go green, the power grid (ie transmission lines) is going to be overhauled. ABB has some promising technology that will likely make it happen. Last time I looked the stock was around $15 but I think it will go a little lower again. Long term, it looks fabulous.

If this whole bike thing continues at a steady pace and the current economic situation remains dire, I may make a bike store here in KC. I just don't know, maybe I am just cheap labor and have basically no overhead. But I have been pulling a small but decent amount of cash from the work, so if that was added with sales it may be okay, I just don't know.

Anyway, all is well. Sorry to all that have followed wondering what is going on, inspiration and time just isn't here right now. I will continue to post but it just may be in spurts for forseen future.

Appropriate for BBQ town USA

2009-07-06T20:16:00.001-05:00

9 Days of Green: Borrow, Share, and Be Neighborly

2009-06-16T12:40:00.006-05:00

The hardest concept for new America to grasp I think is the idea that we don't need everything. I have to fight it myself a lot. It comes from my mother, she is somewhat of an artist, but she is even better at preparing to be an artist. Whenever she starts a new project she becomes a collector of all the stuff needed to make that project happen. She was into making her own soap for a while, but I think she collected enough forms, molds, and equipment to give Dial a run for there money. When she was younger, she had all of the supplies to be a great painter, tool leather, and die shirts. For me, I gathered every tool I ever need to fix bikes, string lacrosse sticks, and work wood. Reality is that not everyone of us is Norm Abrams and we don't need everything for everything. Know what you like and then be able to share and borrow with others.

For instance, snow blowers are not a necessity here in KC but can be real nice to have every 3 years or so. So if you have one great, but don't be afraid to let someone borrow it or if you are that afraid of someone hurting themselves then do it yourself. I borrowed my neighbor's non-working mini-tiller for a week while I redid my side yard, I fixed it and returned it in better order than it came to me in.

Both of these examples are good to point out how it is good to be neighborly as well. Sure you may not get along with everyone and that is fine, but you would be amazed at how cool it is to find out about the people around you, share desserts and vegetables from gardens. Call it living the Golden Rule or just call it being nice, it can save you a lot of money and increase your self worth significantly. So share what you have, borrow what you can, and always be nice to your neighbors.

Here's a clip of my neighbor recorded yesterday:

Yes, this is actually what my neighbor sounds like. The "two chicks at the same time" guy is his name in our household.

Looking to Save Money

2009-06-14T04:48:00.006-05:00

MJ has been working hard with his new business, so he hasn't really had the time to focus on ways to save more money and share with us. But luckily, his girlfriend has been working on finding ways to reduce household costs with her friends, and has unveiled her own stimulus plan.

Nation's Girlfriends Unveil New Economic Plan: 'Let's Move In Together'

However, I'm not too sure that MJ is fully behind her plan.

Slacking pretty bad...

2009-06-12T20:44:00.001-05:00

Will have some updates this weekend. Sorry, sorry, sorry, it's been a busy week.

9 Days of Green: Repair & Maintain

2009-06-01T12:53:00.005-05:00

"They don't make them like they used to."

How many times have you heard this phrase, let along said it. I tend to think a lot of my green ideas are abstract and this one is no different. If something is broke fix it.

This opinion was developed over my time as a manufacturing engineer and as a amateur bicycle mechanic. Repair stuff that is broken and maintain what is not. You want some of your home bills to stay down, maintain you HVAC system. Old or new these systems run more efficiently with clean filters, fans, and sensors. Have an old car that runs well, try adding synthetic motor oil with the next oil change, you may be surprised what your gas mileage is afterward. Bicycles can run and run as long as they are cleaned every year. Heck your home has probably needed an update here or there, did you throw your home away or did you get that new roof, added insulation, or paved driveway.

It is really simple and probably an afterthought that we need to repair things when they break down. I know that after moving into this house my washing machine and garage door opener failed on me. Myself or my girlfriend was ready to purchase something new, thankfully we didn't because a couple of trips to the parts center and some elbow grease later, we had everything up and working. By keeping what we have running, working, and used, it is one less thing to throw away fill up a landfill, or use energy to melt down, not to mention all of the resources and energy to produce a new product.

Electronics are probably my most hated product in terms of maintenance and repair. Most electronics are not very repairable, can require a significant understanding of circuits, can become obsolete rather quickly, and may have the worst warranties in the business. I wouldn't know what to tell you to do with them other than use them as long as you can before your needs change or the machine dies. I know a lot of people know how to repair old radio tuners and kitchen electronics, but the ratio of those compared to the number of tossed equipment definitely isn't favorable.

When faced with the dreaded repair versus buy new arguments, think of it this way. First, what will the life of my product be if I do this repair? Second, what will be the total cost of purchasing and using the new equipment? Then, compare the results. My dad kept cars way past their prime, his reasoning was sure this repair costs a lot but it is cheaper than car payment. I always thought that was a good argument. Realize too that simply maintaining equipment constantly will keep things running longer than you would ever think is really possible. Whether it is a repair or simple maintenance, continued usage of your old stuff can keep numerous other materials and resources safe from harming the environment.

9 Days of Green Extended to June 7th

2009-05-28T12:28:00.002-05:00

Well I have missed a few days here in the 9 Days of Green so I am going to extend it through June 7th, because I have had a busy week of bike selling, bike repairing, GF B-Day, and today I had a long interview (yay). So I will still have the 9 Days of Green (meaning 9 blog posts - 2 down, 7 to go), but just spread it out over the next two weeks to get things done.

So post in the comments over at Grant's Corner Office Blog and/or here until June 7th and win some some swag.

Thanks,
The Management

9 Days of Green: Simplify

2009-05-24T08:32:00.007-05:00

(Day 2 of the ReJAVAnate Bag contest, comment to enter. Don't forget to visit Grant at the Corner Office Blog as well and enjoy your weekend!)

"Simplify, Simplify, Simplify"

It was my mantra a year ago after we had moved into our new home. All of our belongings fit in a 10' deep x 10' tall x 20' wide storage room and yet when we brought everything to the new house we filled the entire house up. It was baffling but we had too much for there to be a spot for everything. So my GF and I did what we have always said that we would eventually do, "Simplify, Simplify, Simplify." Out went what we didn't need, out went what we had too many of, out went the clothes that didn't fit, out went the TV's we didn't need, out went a lot of things. Mind you that these were not trashed but garage sale'd and eventually donated to the thrift stores.

The point though was that we wanted to not have what we really didn't need. You know simplify. For years we collected items for 'that house we would get' and just stored those items away, only to realize that we had way more than what we ever needed.

So, what do we really need in life? When you think about it all we really need is food (and the stuff to prepare and eat it) and a roof over our head (and the stuff to support that). Maybe that is way oversimplifying the idea, but it is a good place to start.

I think it is common in Americana to dream about the stuff you always want when you are young: favorite car or truck, the perfect home theatre, the ultimate bed, the pottery barn living room, the perfect house, etc. Then when we finally find a job and begin earning real money, we try to buy all of those things, which is great for a while. Then you have a child or you just grow up a little and realize, "Hey, it's great that I finally made my 4X4 truck that I dreamed about, but I never drive it, and we really could use a family vehicle." There just isn't anything that is really that important.

My brother who spent years not making much finally completed is training and began making real money, bought a lot of stuff he thought he really wanted. Today, most of it sits unwatched, unused, and gathering dust. He constantly talks about that what he thought mattered just doesn't. He now lives a fairly bohemian life with his family and he truly believes that the only things that are actually important are his family and getting to travel.

After we made the choice to simplify, I can tell you that it is both uplifting and annoying at times. Uplifting because everything has a place, clutter is more easily eliminated, and costs go down because less is bought, maintained, and used. Annoying because you will constantly ask yourself if you really need something and while that is extremely helpful, it can get old. It is almost like religion, when you violate the lifestyle, that guilty pleasure can turn into just plain guilt.

All that being said, no one simplifies completely but utilizing it as a mantra will no doubt save you money and skip that regret that we all get from poor purchasing decisions. It helps too when it is time to make big home decisions like thinking that you need a bigger home when maybe you have too much stuff or when it is time to clear out the garage. It's a big step but I am telling you it can be a freeing feeling when you finally decide to simplify, simplify, simplify.

Pictures of the Prize

2009-05-24T08:06:00.005-05:00

I wanted to add some pictures of what you are working for:

(Click on the pictures for high resolution)

I also wanted to add some more information about the Arc Organization whom sponsors the makers of this bag, from their website:

"The Arc is the world’s largest community based organization of and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It provides an array of services and support for families and individuals and includes over 140,000 members affiliated through more than 780 state and local chapters across the nation. The Arc is devoted to promoting and improving supports and services for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Local chapters of The Arc come in every shape, form and size – from small voluntary groups to large and sophisticated multi-million dollar organizations. To maintain a strong and cohesive movement, The Arc’s network of chapters share a common thread – our core values. We invite you to get to know The Arc by meeting a chapter near you (click here for our chapter locater)

The Arc’s vision is that every individual and family affected by intellectual disability in the United States has access to the information, advocacy, and skills they need to participate as active citizens of our democracy and active members of their community. We work to ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families have the supports they need to live an ordinary, decent American life:

* People with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families are valued, respected and included in all communities.
* People with intellectual and developmental disabilities direct their own lives. People choose their services and supports from many available sources.
* People are empowered through nonprofit advocacy. State and federal governments administer programs and set budgets that meet everyone’s needs.

The Arc is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors."

9 Days of Green: Reuse 2.0

2009-05-23T08:32:00.004-05:00

(Day one of the ReJAVAnate Bag contest, first topic is a new old one of mine here at Dyslexic Research, Reuse. Comment to enter. Everyone but Grant and myself are eligible.)

While waiting in Manila for a flight to Dumaguete, I flipped through a current Dwell Magazine. This issue was about the popular topic of green building / sustainability and one article in particular sparked my thoughts about what is the most green thing one can do with building or buying anything. The article was about someone’s modern expansion and makeover of a home with new green, recycled, processed, and organic materials and its design process. It’s a very beautiful home but I can’t help think about all of the energy used to make these new recycled panels, parts, and materials, not to mention of the fuel needed to power the equipment used to build the house. Sure they utilized biodiesel fueled trucks, processed hay, denim insulation, special insulating windows, solar panels, and low-VOC paint but what if first they took a trip down to the local recycled materials store (KC Restore, etc) first for windows, doors, sinks, wood, flooring, and tubs.

Reusing what isn’t “new” is the best way to keep trash out of dumps and not use time, money, and energy to produce a product. This obsession with “new” is what is truly wrong with the American lifestyle. We all are obsessed with “new”, you suffer from it, and I suffer from it. If we all just stopped at the thrift store first for some clothes, not all, but some, it would reduce some of that time, money, and energy needed to produce new clothes. Just being satisfied with the furniture we have or with the current layout of our kitchen, should be considered just as green, if not more so than some LEED’s certified property built from the ground up. Okay truly if we have to build something new, then using and investing in these new recyclable or more sustainable materials is great and needed, but not reusing older, perfectly fine materials and goods is just reckless, snobby, and wasteful.

Go back just 100 to 200 years ago to America and farmers would use as much wood as they could from the old barn to build the new barn, the old bath tub in the old house would get transferred over the to the new house, the old sink was the new sink, and on and on. The products were typically more robust then, usually made to last a little better than our current throw away society.

Somewhere in Americana, we all started to want “new” and more “new”, and in order to afford the variety of more “new”, we needed cheaper and cheaper stuff. First came the old Sears and Roebucks and then came out Wal-Marts, providing us with all of the crap we wanted as cheap as it can get. At one time the little closets in the old houses Americans owned fit all of the clothes that a person held, all of them. Now we need so much stuff that huge closets and rooms are needed to pack all that crap in. More stuff, more crap, more space, and it all has to be “new”, that is the problem (somewhere I hope George Carlin is smiling). Enjoying what we have, or reusing someone else’s perfectly good stuff, is the best, most green solution. Magazines may never write about it, media may never promote it, but there really is just no better thing to help the green movement than to reuse.

ReJAVAnate Bag Contest!!!

2009-05-20T22:51:00.008-05:00

With my massive Internet influence that span tens and tens of people, I have been able to finagle some free stuff for the viewers of not only this blog but those of The Corner Office Blog run by my old college bud Grant. So what is the prize? Two super nice ReJAVAnate grocery bags are up for grabs. Yup, I gracefully asked ReJAVAnate to donate a couple of bags for me to review and then offer up to the commenting public. I can't believe it either. (Quick note: Actual pictures of bags to come tomorrow)

From this Saturday the 23rd of May to Sunday the 31st of May I am going to run 9 Days of Dyslexic Research's Guide to Green. I missed Earth Day, sure but I plan on 9 days of topics that should help inform the everyday person of real, green ways to live your life, with no hype. Believe me these will not only be green ideas but also ways to save you money. With day 9 devoted to my final informed review on the ReJAVAnate bags. The Corner Office Blog will do whatever Grant wants to do.

So to enter the contest simply comment here at Dyslexic Research or over at The Corner Office Blog between May 23 to 31. You get one entry per blog post per day either here or there. So a commenter that commented 8 times on my post one day would get only one entry, but if that commenter posted 8 comments on eight different posts he/she would get 8 entries. Or if they posted a comment on each of our blogs on the same day they would receive 2 entries that day. It will probably take a couple of days after the 31st, but I will put all of the comment entries together and pick a winner the following week.

So how nice are the bags? Well ReJAVAnate sent me two of there Large Grower Bags that are lined with recycled canvas for extra sturdiness, an $18 value. I should add that these bags were sent to me in an old phone box to 'shamelessly' reuse packaging (hey that's their own words). These bags are roughly 15" wide by 15" tall and look to hold at least two gallons of milk per bag with room to spare for a lot more tasty groceries. If books were your thing, between the two of them I think you could clear a shelf of paperbacks. Stitching looks to be top notch, especially when you compare this to one of those $.99 bags from the store. Unlike those flimsy bags made in China of polypropylene, these bags are made to last. So far they incorporate everything green thing that I believe in: quality product, long-lasting looks, reused materials, and a good cause. Not bad.

Also cool is the grower's logo on the burlap of each bag. So cool in fact that guys can carry these things around and not feel like a tool with some flowered or pastel thing slung over your shoulder. No, these bags look like souvenirs from your trip to Columbia after helping farmers carry coffee beans over the mountain cliffs avoiding various jungle guerrillas or whatever. In reality your helping both workers with disabilities have real work with real value and recycle burlap and canvas keeping these materials out of landfills. Still pretty cool.

So tune in here or over at Grant's blog and comment and enter to win!

More Info on ReJAVAnate (from their website):

"ReJAVAnate - making a difference one bag at a time! This is a great story.
These bags address three important issues:
1). They reduce a significant
source of landfill waste - burlap from coffee
2). They provide jobs to those
that often have difficulty finding jobs - The
ARC
3). They provide a good way to reduce our paper and plastic bag
consumption

The ReJAVAnate story is one of the most compelling sustainability stories
you will find - our material, who makes the bags, where they are made and that
the bags are completely biodegradable. Much better than the usual reusable bags
made from nonwoven polypropylene in China!

Did you know:
- Coffee is the second largest commodity in the world
- 800,000 tons of burlap are put into landfills every year
- The ARC
helps 140,000 people find housing and employment
- US consumes over 380
billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps
- 14 million trees were cut to produce
10 billion paper bags for grocery stores in the US"

This Week: Making Something Out of Nothing

2009-05-16T17:23:00.008-05:00

This week I learned a lot about type of people here in Kansas City, and I have nothing but good thoughts for this town.

This week my time was spent fixing bicycles, truing wheels, and cleaning parts. There was big, free bike swap meet in KC today and I worked my butt off this week getting ready. It was quite the ordeal, but I am committed to making my life more simple and if I can get this stuff all sold, I will be that much closer. I guess I need to share, if you hadn't guessed already that a great love in my life is riding bikes. When I was in high school on through college, I think I had 2 mountain bikes, a road bike, 3 BMX bikes, a unicycle, and 5-6 huge Rubbermaid bins of bike parts. Well in the past 5 years I have sold all of that stuff down and am down to 2 bins of parts and 3 bikes, 2 of which I am trying to sell right now. So this week was pushing to get more and more of that sold off, and so far, so good.

This week I was amazed by how powerful Craigslist has become. I predict Ebay is going to fall out, if you have your money in there stock, pull it out ASAP. After preparing all of this bike stuff for Saturday's swap meet, Thursday night I posted my four ads on Craigslist late that night and by 6AM the next morning, I had an inbox full of potential customers. Craigslist is the new king for me. Another story to share about Craigslist is that you can post your resume there anonymously, which I did weeks ago, and (other than the random weird emails) someone shot me a lead for a job here in KC that isn't posted anywhere. No idea why or who, or if it will check out, but it was a solid lead. He said he was just helping out a fellow machinist, kind of cool.

This week I felt the great sense of community at the swap meet. I have never been around a bike group at large that wasn't snobby, uptight, and think that they are faster than you. Traditionally bicycling is a deeply personal sport. How many miles I did, what my bike is, how fast I am, etc. Lots of non-team sport kids that grew up. However, I am amazed to say I saw just the opposite. Lots of friendly people, that just love to ride, like to shop talk, and work on bikes. Bicycle community is definitely the best way to describe it, I really felt like I met 20 new friends this weekend. This has to be what it feels like to be a Star Trek fan for a long time and then to finally go to a Trek convention.

This week I have decided to start a small no cost business. Can you guess it? Bike repair out of my home, it will be kind of a litmus test to see if it is an avenue I would like to pursue for a real business. This swap meet probably put together a small list of clients for me to start with and I can see how it goes. If it feels right and like something I can actually make money with, I might step forward with something more bold. Either way it will feel like I am progressing again, it will be fun to make something out of nothing.

Yup this week was pretty fun. And next week, Dyslexic Research will have a contest!!! Details coming soon...

Where in the World is MJ?

2009-05-16T05:22:00.005-05:00

If any of you frequent readers of Dyslexic Research have been wondering what MJ has been doing with all of his time off lately, here's a video of him describing his recent freedom from work in front of an audience of his closest friends. (No, that's not David Spade)

The Quick Guide to Unemployment

2009-05-14T07:12:00.007-05:00

Having helped a couple of neighbors now with the unemployment process, I thought I would put together a quick reference for those getting ready to start filing for unemployment. All three of us have had the unfortunate luck of living in Kansas and working in Missouri. Most of you don't know that Kansas has a straight forward well laid out unemployment system, that also has a higher payout limit than Missouri per week, so when you realize you are dealing with Missouri a big "son-of-a" will enter your mind. It is not the greatest realization. Enough about our story, so without further delay:

The state you work in, is the state you file in. No, it is not the state that you live in that pays unemployment, it is where you work. Your old HR department can get this wrong as my two neighbors' were told that they would be filing in Kansas.
To receive unemployment, you must qualify. The biggest qualification is either being fired or laid off. Each state may have a minimum amount of days worked and some other qualifications.
This brings up a point, if you are worried about your job in this economic environment, don't quit, unless you have another job lined up. Also try not to worry either about your job security to the point of stressing yourself out, if you get laid off you may have over 6 months of unemployment you can gather before finding the next job.
Fill out forms when you receive them and return them. Yes, most unemployment departments now have most, if not all, of your forms online, but there are a lot of forms, especially in the beginning, that may come through the mail. Fill these out promptly and return them back to the state. Failure to do so, can default your money for the week. This is probably the most important step!
Do everything that the state tells you to do, otherwise you will not receive the payout. Missouri asks that you show up every 4 weeks to an unemployment center. I show up, log in on a computer there and go home, it is a seemingly asinine process, but failure to do so defaults the payout until you do it. I understand the point, because those centers have a lot of useful options that can assist you in looking for a new job. Those centers often have real jobs lined up, mock interviews, resume writing help, and more so it can be a useful place if you need it.
File every single week, you have to. If you miss a week, it isn't too big of a deal, most let you file for weeks you miss, but know that you will not get paid unless you file. Most will not payout the week you file, but the week after. So if you miss a week, you will receive that payout a week after you do file for it. Obviously you may receive two weeks of payout that following week to make up.
Understand your state's rules on severance packages. Kansas wants you to include your severance information on the weekly claim and the state will not payout for that severance week, so you may want to file for unemployment in a state like this near the end of your severance period. Missouri doesn't care about severance, they consider that like bonus money from your past employer, so you could apply if you needed for unemployment right away. In state's like this, I would say it is up to you. I still think that you should begin filing near the end of your severance to maximize the time that you can be unemployed, you may need it, but if you need more money up front to pay off some bills you have the option.
How to mark the forms for taking classes or training step by step. Say you want to take a class or two while you are unemployed, please follow these steps so you are not denied payment. Step one always mark the box for did I train or take classes this week. Typically the state will send you an additional form for the first week you do this to know more. Fill the form out honestly with what classes your taking, where, when, etc. Typically these forms will have a spot asking if it affects your ability to work during a normal time period, which it is fine to say yes, but it is brutally important that you mark the next box correctly. If the form asks that you can readjust your class schedule if a job is found, ALWAYS mark this yes. If there isn't a box for this write on the form's note area or attach a sheet saying this. This is the truth, you can quit the class if you need to. Make sure that this form is immediately returned to the state and you should be okay.
Start the list of contacted potential employers from the beginning. My neighbor did this, I did not. It took me most of a day one day to put the list together. Forms for making that list can come from the state but you can easily make one yourself. It just needs to have the job, person and company you contacted, their email and/or phone number, and date.
Most states have a website with lots of information and a phone number to call. Help is there you just have to look for it.

That's all I have for now. I may edit this some more as I think of other things that I forgot and add something others may comment on.

Friday I Rode My Bike

2009-05-11T22:53:00.004-05:00

Friday I rode my bike and rode it and rode and rode for 25 miles. It is the longest I have ridden a bicycle in 8 years and all I can say is that it sure felt like more than that.

It took me three hours on a mountain bike and it led to a lot of internal thinking. This time I thought a lot about how nothing great is acheived unless something great is attempted. I don't ride to earn miles, usually I just pick a destination in the city and just go for it. Well for Friday I picked a park quite a ways away just to see if I could do it. I tried not to think too much about it and just told myself to start out.

Now this isn't a great story or anything and I am certainly not a great cyclist either, but I like to push myself and without work this is the way I know to do this. So that long ride continues to keep me thinking of ways I should push myself. Should I start a business for myself? While I am young, but not too young (30), I definately have had my share of lousy bosses and if not them then it is my boss' boss that I dislike. I really like the thought of getting real money back for something I put time into. There are lots of appealing reasons to open a small business, but is this the economy to take a chance? I know I have the will power to figure this stuff out, but I always wanted to start something at a much more stable point in life. Why should I wait? What is a stable point? These are all good questions, maybe I will get them worked out on the next ride.

What is the best grown-up fun?

2009-05-05T06:41:00.005-05:00

It was a friend of mine's 31st birthday on Saturday and his phone kept ringing off the hook. The rest of us started discussing while he was on the phone, what would be the greatest thing that you could be telling someone your doing on your birthday that would actually make them jealous. Some that we came up with:

Blow up bouncy gym with a fully iced keg in the middle?

Rented Monster Truck at the local salvage yard? Wait for it, with dual USA flags in the truck bed.

Baby Alligator filled kiddie pool with $10K in $100 bills?

An old school bus, 500 pumpkins, an open field, and a trebuchet?

Go-Carts on a hockey rink?

Free trips in the General Lee provided by one of the Duke boys? No you don't get to drive, but you do get to shoot the explosive arrows.

Build anything with the members of the A-Team? Cigars included.

Chase down jets in Air Wolf?

Not sure how the last three came up. What would you love to say your doing to someone on the phone for your birthday?

Saving at the Grocery Store

2009-05-03T15:15:00.007-05:00

So being that I am on continued "financial lockdown", I thought I would share one place that my GF and I have been particularly good at keeping costs low: the grocery store. We were $120+ spenders at the grocery store every two weeks and we are now averaging constantly in the $70-$85 range. Doesn't seem like too much until I did a little analysis. Also, disclaimer for those in expensive cost of living cities, these are Midwest prices.

First, there are three adult mouths to feed at my house. My GF, her brother, and myself. When we were paying $120 per trip, you have to remember that I was a frequent out to eater (4-6 times a week), the GF was only 1-2 times a week, and her brother 3-4 times a week. So there is a whole set of costs that are now reduced from me eating out once a week max and everyone else continuing their same habits. That being said, with me eating at home more, more food should be consumed and thus more groceries needed, right? Well, yes more food is consumed but it is important to know what I am eating. Basically very little is getting spoiled and not eaten now that I am around. All that being said, the savings is coming from being a better picky shopper.

Enough explanation of my personal situation and let's move on to some tips:

Pay attention to what is on sale: This is the number one rule! Look at your store's flier (usually right there when you come in), look online, and plain just look at the tags on the aisle. Coupons that come in your mail obviously can be handy too. Adjust your eating habits to what is on sale for that week. Last week, strawberries were $.99 a pack so we ate a lot of strawberries. The trip before that whole pineapples were a $1.50 so two week of carved pineapple was served at our house. Hy-Vee in Kansas City has been having amazing deals every week in their fliers and then we get coupons from the mail from them that have been ridiculously good, I am going there today to use my 5lbs of potatoes for $.58 coupon and my $.59 loaf of Hy-Vee bread coupon. It's been great, we can get a lot of food for very little, and by giving in to what is on sale we get variety every trip to the store. It prevents that same 'ol' food feeling you can get from eating at home rather than going out. Some stores are transitioning from newspapers to the internet and even email fliers, so sign up.

Know what generic products really save you money: Key generic food that can save you lots of dough is cereal and bread for sure. At my store, Hy-Vee, makes great bread of all types and usually something is on sale for cheap every week. Sometimes it is plain old white bread for same price as a candy bar, and other times it can be some butter top wheat or cottage wheat for a buck. Generic cereal (I mean store brand not Malt-o-Meal) can be tricky at times, as some can end up tasting like saw dust, but for the most part generic cereal still tastes pretty good. You have to try some to really see what works, but for me generic apple cinnamon tasty-o's, cinnamon toast squares, and golden honey crisps are pretty delicious. Generic bread and cereal are particularly cheap compared to the full price brand names, often times half the price. Some other generic products may not really save you a lot of money ($.10-$.20 off) and really just name brand stuff on sale is just as cheap so just take note. Other good high-savings cheap generics are ketchup, mustard, chips, oatmeal, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and crackers.

Watch the meat prices (Vegans skip ahead): For the meat eaters out there, don't just buy what you like. I get at least a pound of deli meat every trip for sandwiches, and every time I want to buy roast beef, but if it isn't on sale then I won't get it. Look at the sale deli meat, it is again like half the price of the rest of the stuff. Most delis will let you try a slice if you are worried about the taste and buying only what's on sale forces the variety in your diet. As for other meats, I am a snob when it comes what I call the grilling meats, like hamburger meat, steaks, pork chops, chicken quarters, etc. I look for light meats, and yes they are on sale just as much as the fatty stuff, you just have to look. Again be open to what is on sale (notice a trend) and also look at the pre-wrapped stuff away from the butcher's counter, a lot of times there is the same stuff cut the day before for a lot cheaper (30-40%). Don't forget to check the bologna, brats, and hot dog aisles, usually one is on sale for cheap.

Pop is expensive: The real deals on pop are $1.20 and less on two liters, and $11 and less for 3 12-packs. You can figure out the math on your own to adjust for price. When these deals come around load up if pop is important to you, otherwise try to avoid it.

You don't have to buy all 4 pizzas to get the 4 for $10 deal: Pop, pizza, chips, cookies, condiments, ice cream, among others tend to have deals that are 2 to 5 for some good price. Most grocery stores will still give you that value price even if you only get one item of the deal, so only buy what you need.

Buy food not condiments: Okay sometimes you need condiments, but seven types of salad dressing is overkill. Limit your variety of condiments at home so you use things up and open up on your variety of food. For me I like all sorts of barbecue sauce, but if I haven't used one up at home, then I won't try a new one. Food fills you up, not sauce.

Conversely stir fry sauces are like gold: Stir fry is delicious and easy to make. Buy a wok, preferable stainless, cook your meat first (any meat), add your vegetables, mix, cook, and then lastly add the stir fry sauce until your stir fry is sufficiently flavored. It doesn't take much sauce at all for everything to taste great. Prepare some noodles or rice on the side (also cheap) and you will be amazed how close this tastes to your favorite Chinese food place. A lot of times I just cook the vegetables and not add any meat. Super healthy and super good. Yes the sauce can be a little pricey at times, but it takes very little to fully flavor what you eat.

Quantity and Quality is key: Make sure to look at the weight or amount of stuff that is in the box/bag when comparing prices. For instance chip amounts in bags vary wildly, so be aware of when a bag is cheap but gives you nothing and when a bag is cheap and can feed a football party. When I refer to quality, I am talking calories. For example Miracle Whip is typically cheaper in price and contains something like 30-40% less calories than mayo. Butter vs margarine vs margarine spread also varies wildly in calories, price, and amounts. (Note: don't mess around, if you are making cookies at home, use butter)

That's it, if you have some more good tips please share it in the comments as I am sure I will do a version 2.0 of this article as I figure out more.

On Wednesday...

2009-05-01T04:25:00.000-05:00

I rode a bike and walked more miles than I drove. If this rain will stop in KC I will keep trying to do so.

Officially:

Bike: 12 miles

Walk: 3 miles

Car: 10 miles

I thought that was kind of cool for the day. As Kermit the frog puts it, "It's not easy being green."

Articles of the Week: Baldor Bounces

2009-04-30T11:02:00.003-05:00

I still like this company and it's latest earnings may help get my portfolio back on track. It may be a little late to get in at this point but this stock tends to fall until the quarterlies are reported, so you may want to keep an eye on it. If you need a little refresher on the company, here are the plus/minuses:

Plus:

High effeciency, US made motor. The brand that everyone starts with when purchasing new motors.
Consistant purchased product no matter what the economy.
Metal prices have dropped while motor prices have stayed consistant.
Future looks bright as they already make the highest efficiency electric motors and have recieved help with the US gov't to make the next iteration of the product.
Begun some China production to support that market. (US production supports the US and Europe).
Has consistantly beaten market expectations for at least 2 years.
I absolutely think this stock will take off when either the economy turns around and/or real funding is released for green/smart energy occurs.

Minus:

Carry quite a load of debt but doing extremely well at paying it down. This is the biggest risk of the company.
Sales have fallen, but not as drastic as most industries.

The Articles:

Baldor Electric Company Announces First Quarter 2009 Results

UPDATE 1-Baldor Q1 profit tops Street; warns of difficult Q2

Funny Feeling...

2009-04-28T21:18:00.003-05:00

Okay is anyone else getting a funny feeling about the markets right now. My investments have grown and now stablized for around a week now and it has interest me greatly. Mostly due to the fact that I am extremely sceptic about the market.

It is summer right now, and if consumers are going to buy anything, now is the time. Why do I say that? Traditionally most manufacturing occurs from the March to October time periods due to consumer spending increases. Stuff like lawn mowers, plant seed, bicycles, 2x4's, etc all start selling when the weather gets nice. So even in this bad economy, stuff will sell when the sun comes out. Money starts getting recorded and quarterly reports are reported, investors get jumpy and want back in. Which prices were so low, it wasn't a bad decision to make. A decision that I wish I had an option for.

Here is the thing. Manufacturing is still in the toilet. Every major production facility that I have contacts with are still running on fumes, bairly making anything. Which makes you wonder, why are stock prices going up? I understand a stabilizing in the market and am happy to see it, I just don't know if I believe that the market is truely stable.

My one buying idea is VIG, also known as Vanguard Dividend Acheiver's ETF. Essentially it is an ETF that covers constant dividend acheiving stocks. What is important to note is that it holds barely any banks and is mostly made of good companies that happen to pay a healthy dividend (don't believe me check for yourself here). It is also a Vanguard product so there is little in the way of fees and could potentially be a long term consistant dividend return product (currently ~3%) that could also grow in value over the long term. I am watching this ETF closely as I am looking to switch investing companies so that I can go with a service that does free automatic dividend reinvestment. I haven't decided a price point but will you all know when I do think it is a buy.

Financial Lockdown

2009-04-19T16:38:00.005-05:00

Last week I posted about being on "Financial Lockdown" under strict orders of my GF. Now I didn't do anything overly bad and I am not in dire straits that forced this to occur, it is just that I am currently unemployed and any real slip up in the matter of money could prove disastrous down the road if I stayed unemployed. I look at it this way, every $1 I save is a $1 longer I can stay in this house. There are cool blogs out there that are all about proudly saving until it hurts and I have enjoyed them greatly but have never buckled down and done what I could do to save 'til it hurts.

So in reality I am not a big spender, my bills are pretty low, my mortgage is decently priced (although I am trying to get it lower), and I don't really buy much, so what made my GF force me into the lockdown? The answer is eating out. No, not the $10 meals at sit down dinners, but my occasional $6-$7 meals that are a quick pizza or sub that seem to sneak into my diet now and again. In January, while still employed, my eating out roughly equated to 7-8% of my "brought home" income (not gross). That is actually pretty low for me, usually I would eat lunch out 2 to 3 times a week and I would say that it would more typically affect my budget by 10%. 10% isn't bad right? Well wrong, really that is 10% going to only me, and when I have a GF, a future brother-in-law, 2 dogs, and a cat that I typically feed with groceries, it comes out pretty selfish. Not to mention, 'out' food doesn't really keep the whole diet in check. I am also not counting my stops as the local QT for the occasional soda and cupcakes. I can't be trusted when it comes to my stomach, so I get why she did it and why I agreed to it.

After the lockdown, what did I learn about myself? Well eating at home ain't all that bad, never has been in fact. I enjoy cooking and without a job, I find myself grilling, stir-frying, and baking at least a couple of times a week. A college favorite, PB and J's are made when I am ready to snack and I stay out of stores. My killer is soda pop, I go in and out of full on addiction to it. Currently I am on but when the last 2-liter is emptied I will try again to keep away from the Dr. Pepper.

What else? When you are in the savers mentality everything becomes a chance to save. My GF wants to make a garden on the south side of the lawn, that can be a lot of money right? Well, we are probably going to get some limestone rocks from my parents house to border the garden and most of the plants will likely be re-purposed from other spots in the yard. The only spending I see will be some planting soil and maybe a couple of $10 plants. Another example is in my garage, I finally grabbed my bicycles from my parents shed and needed storagefor them in my garage. $3 in hooks and some scrap 2" x 4"s later everything is hanging. Not bad, I think.

Great, what else? I don't shop for anything but groceries really. My GF and I look for things to work on around the house and not things to buy. We hang out with friends at their homes (no one is forced mind you, everyone is worried about excessive spending too) not the bar. We go 'out' to places we have long-not-used gift certificates for if we are feeling the urge, and generally look for free fun.

To me it is really not that bad. I have always wanted a simplified lifestyle, and this was just yet another way of achieving it. In a month, my GF may give me all of my monetary freewill back and I feel as if this lifestyle should continue. We'll see...

From The Makers of Viagra

2009-04-19T15:43:00.005-05:00

Kalamazoo study finds Pfizer factory release drug into water supplies.

According to this news release:

In one study, samples taken at two treatment plants down the sewer line from drugmaking factories contained a range of pharmaceuticals -- among them opiates, a barbiturate and a tranquilizer at "much higher detection frequencies and concentrations" than samples taken at other plants, according to preliminary research by the U.S. Geological Survey.

In another study, Environmental Protection Agency researchers tested sewage at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Kalamazoo, Mich., that serves a major Pfizer Inc. factory. Bruce Merchant, Kalamazoo's public services director, provided data that showed unusually high concentrations of the antibiotic lincomycin entering the plant, a drug the factory was producing around the time samples were collected.

So, now we have a reason for the recent rise in illegitimate children in the State of Michigan. ;-)

Job Search: Interview Articles...

2009-04-16T06:00:00.001-05:00

Two great articles showed up on Yahoo the other day for the interview process of a job search. It is well worth your time to read these, it is basically the same advice that I would give:

The Interview That'll Bag a Job

Answering One of the Trickiest Interview Questions

When Green has jumped the shark...

2009-04-14T23:23:00.008-05:00

Maybe you have read this and never understood what the term commonly referred to as "jumping the shark" is. This term is commonly referred to something once it has become so popular that it starts to veer off course into something totally absurd. Sometimes it refers to when a fad becomes absurd and ends, and othertimes refer to when something 'sells out'. It literally refers to a Happy Days episode where the Fonz actually jumps a shark on water skis to keep TV viewers interested in the show.

Regardless I have officially read the article over at the Green Wombat that "jumps the shark" on the green movement:

PG&E signs deal for first space-based solar farm

The whole green thing is great and if you are going to be an engineer in the US, become a Electrical or Computer Engineer. Your future will be bright. But really people, why are we investing in this? As of right now when have you known anything can transfer radio waves into usable energy? I know of plenty of things that use energy to convert to radio waves (microwaves come to mind), but this is ridiculous.

Also I saw Twitter on my local news today, it's official some other Internet fad will take over. Or will that only be after some Twitter based crime occurs?

2008 Taxes Turned in Yesterday...

2009-04-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

And I clearly feel like the winner. I purchased a new home last year, paid off student loans, and worked in a different state than where I lived, and you know what, I came out ahead $2,900 total. Needless to say that keeps me in my house another two months (if I need it) after the unemployment wears out. So all in all, I am super happy.

Also, job update is both good and bad. The bad is that the good engineering job I interviewed for is going to wait 3 weeks before they get to finish their interviews and select the final candidates for the position. Craptastic. Good news is tomorrow I am having my second interview for the project management position, they are flying in to talk to me so that is pretty good sign.

Guzzo dropped more posts than I have the last two weeks because I felt that I don't have money to invest right now, so I don't have much advice. I am on, as my GF describes it, financial lock down so I won't do anything stupid with the money that I have. Interestingly enough I spent roughly 7% of the money I brought home my last month of real work (January) on eating out. That is a lot in my opinion, so eating at home is helping a lot. We dropped cable as well so the savings is adding up.

More later, but don't be surprised if I am a sparse poster for awhile.

Article of the Week...

2009-04-13T16:50:00.003-05:00

Every investor has a style. Mr. Guzzo (now back at his regular gig) is a contrarian, but firmly believes in the teachings of Mr. Bogle. My college buddy Grant (over at the Corner Office Blog) firmly believes in stocks that pay a high dividend. Besides being a bit of those two (I always look for a dividend, and now about half of my portfolio is Bogle-esc), my stock picking is heavily influenced by Benjamin Graham and his modern disciple Joel Greenblatt of Magic Formula Investing. That is I am a value investor, recently a a good article popped up on Barron's that gives some insight to this style again. Enjoy:

A Back to the Future Value Strategy

Is this Rally for Real? - Morningstar's Take

2009-04-11T16:05:00.002-05:00

That's when a couple of bones were thrown my way....

2009-04-03T08:32:00.002-05:00

So I have been posting lightly this week due to some interesting circumstances.

Tuesday: Went through the first steps of getting my mortgage loan readjusted with the bank. It looks as if it may go through, I should get a call for the next steps some time in the next two weeks. Yay unemployment!

Wednesday: Worked on taxes, I still need to do state but so far $1300 from federal coming back. Will finish this on Saturday. Yay new home purchase and student loans!

Thursday: Two interviews, yeah TWO interviews today. The first was a first round phone interview for a project manager position and the second was a first round face-to-face interview for a manufacturing engineer position. Both in Kansas City. I don't know if I will get called back from either, but I know that gave the best interview I could for each. Yay possible employment!

Overall I am pretty happy with this week, I feel like something was accomplished.

Arbitrage Opportunity

2009-04-02T19:45:00.025-05:00

Just bought 1000 shares of Image Entertainment (DISK) at $1.10/share as a speculative arbitrage opportunity.

As a speculative play, the details about their business isn't too important to me since I'm only attempting to capitalize on the difference in the stock price now compared to the buyout price. What do I mean?

According to a definitive merger agreement in January:

On November 17, 2008, our board of directors approved, and on November 20, 2008, we entered into, a merger agreement providing for the acquisition of Image by Nyx Acquisitions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or Nyx. If the merger is completed, you will be entitled to receive $2.75 per share in cash, without interest, for all of the shares of our common stock that you own at the time of the merger.

What is important to me are the chances of this merger actually happening.

The current stock price would indicate that most investors probably don't think this merger will ever come to fruition, and there's good reason for their skepticism. Nyx Acquisitions, Inc. has already extended the closing date of the merger a few times and investors are worried that Nyx won't be able to swing the financing or that they may back out of the deal.

But, I think differently.

With each extension of the merger closing date, Nyx is basically required to pay an ever-increasing, and non-refundable, extension cost to Image referred to as a "business interruption fee". After news today of another reported extension, the amount of extension money Nyx has paid to Image now totals $4 million.

I bought DISK because I believe NYX wouldn't just walk away from such a large deposit if they weren't truly intending to buyout Image. It's difficult finding financing at this time, but not impossible. The merger date may be postponed again, but I think that that it's a done deal sometime in the near future.

Of course it's all speculative, but when it happens, I should more than double my investment in this arbitrage opportunity. If it doesn't happen, Image Entertainment, Inc. would be "sitting pretty" with a free cash infusion of at least $4 million.

Madoff Released!

2009-04-01T21:30:00.006-05:00

Breaking news today. According to the AP:

Bernie Madoff to become a free man on Friday. A federal judge in lower manhattan district court ruled that evidence gained from Madoff's confessions violated self-incrimination rights, and he ordered all charges to be dismissed immediately. The judge also ordered all seized assets to be return to Madoff by the end of this month.

Until all of his assets, including interest, are returned to Madoff, he will be released to his advisory team of Milken, Boesky, and Kozlowsky on April fools day.

Weekly Market Wrap

2009-03-27T17:33:00.016-05:00

I was telling my wife Janet yesterday that this Friday would be the real tale of the tape about a stock market rally. If the markets ended up on Friday, it would be a positive sign of investor confidence and we could be onto something. If they ended down, investors still aren't convinced that we're out of the woods just yet.

While this past week brought some good news regarding new home sales, consumer spending and corporate earnings, rising unemployment news still has many investors too nervous to remain in the markets. So, it looks like we'll have to see what next week brings.

Source: ajc.com|Mike Luckovich

In the meantime, knowing that a picture (or cartoon) is worth a thousand words, I thought I would post a linkfest to some of the very best financial editorial cartoons that I found this past week.

Gary Varvel - The Indianapolis Star

Jim Morin - The Miami Herald

Clay Bennett - Chattanooga Times Free Press

Steve Breen - San Diego Union-Tribune

David Horsey - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Don Asmussen - San Francisco Chronicle

Enjoy the weekend!

In Search of a Deal - Step 1: Grow a Pair

2009-03-27T17:08:00.000-05:00

So last thursday I get a call from my old college roommate, not Grant but my other roomy. He had tickets to NCAA first round tournament of games in KC. So I called up my pops and off we went to the Power and Light District by the Sprint Center. A good time was had by all, including such great quotes as:

"There is no one in OU's band that could even play the cow bell in the Morgan State Band!"

"Air ball, Air ball, Air ball"<-directed at Blake Griffin after missing a free throw

"Mr. D, you are going to let your son use that OU rally towel?" and the reply "He said he needed a rag for wiping his feet and changing oil"

"Well should we play Boomer Sooner again?" <- in response to Morgan State's band director taunting OU's band.

Needless to say Morgan State has one heck of a pep band. Elsewhere, I was trying to teach my old roommate a lesson in economics. See he bought the first round ticket set before the seeding occurred and paid out the nose for them. A couple of people backed out and he was stuck with the tickets. My dad and I helped with a couple of tickets, but who knows how bad he loss with the rest of the sessions.

Regardless, I am a firm believer in ticket scalping. Put on your school affiliation gear and walk out to the stadium. Every time I have ever gone to a Big 12 tourney or first round session, I have paid no more than a $30 ticket to get in. Usually paying $10-$20. Why you say? Because when I was young a good friend of my pappy taught me the art of buying tickets. There are more stories than advice here but the basics are don't be a wuss and grow a pair. For those who are unable to do this, bring a friend that has.

The biggest part of getting a good deal on anything is having the guts to try. Everyone from that guy who yells at you on TV to Trump has opinions on how to do it, but I always thought it was best to try anyway you can and after a few tries and some good awareness you should be well on your way.

Tour de Broke - Not coming to a town near you, unless you live in Boulder

2009-03-26T21:17:00.004-05:00

Well, my GF has outdone herself this time. She convinced now in the time of my dire straits that I should get out of the house and travel to go see my brother. I told her the whole when you have work you don't have the time for a vacation and when you don't have work you have the time but can't afford the trip. Well she 86'd that idea and out the door I was pushed on Wednesday. I love that gal. 9.5 hours of driving later I am in beautiful Colorado with my brother, sister-in-law, and my two favorite nieces hanging all over me. It just recharges the batteries a little. My job search needs a search party currently since I have only heard from one recruiter for an out of town contract engineering job. He won't call me back either now.

It is rough out there, but at least the unemployment money is coming in with it's +$25 (thanks Jesus II) and I am not dipping into any savings so far. At the risk of becoming a statistic, I am going to take advantage of this time to try and get that mortgage rate down (not that it is that high). Then see what I can do out there, my two positions that I am most qualified for aren't exactly in the best shape right now. Do you know any non-producing factories that need a manufacturing engineer or any underwater businesses that are in need of a capital projects manager? All joking aside, it is going to be interesting to see what I end up doing. For right now, I have to go read my youngest niece a book. Hope the rest of you are enjoying your work.

Comments as true now as they were then...

2009-03-26T04:21:00.001-05:00

Here is the famous part from the movie Network. I recently heard this quote over the radio again and it is as true now as it was then.

Mad As Hell
Uploaded by terzieview

I agree, I want you to get mad, get mad as hell...god dammit my life has value!

(Quick note, congrats Mike on the new job. AND if you haven't visited in awhile this site is now authored by myself and Mr. Guzzo. Ain't technology grand!)

It's All About Patience

2009-03-25T12:03:00.005-05:00

There's an old Dutch saying: “A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.”

After three months of searching and waiting for "the right" job, I've finally found the ideal position that I was looking for. With a pharmacist shortage nationwide, it used to be easy to pick and choose what I wanted to do. But now that we're in a recession, finding that "ideal" job isn't so easy. Yeah.. I know. Boo Hoo.

In order to demonstrate just how difficult it is finding a "good" job nowadays, I thought it might help others if I videotaped my most recent job interviews so you could see for yourselves.

To begin with, I wasn't offered the first job for which I interviewed. The HR person interviewing me with must have missed his morning coffee. It was all over within the first minute after he found out my GPA in college. Hit me with a brick, why dontcha.

So, I shook it off, reworked my resume a little, and set forth on my second job interview. This one seemed to go a little better. I thought that I convinced them that I was the best man for the job. The interviewer seemed interested in hiring me, but decided it would be best to consult with his superior first. Once his boss came into the room though, it was all over and I was shown the door. Tough crowd.

I realized that I must be doing something wrong, so I decided to ask a colleague if I needed to rework my interviewing methods. I took his advice to heart, changed my entire approach, and set off on my third job interview.

Not only is patience worth more than a bushel of brains, but sometimes it's nice having more luck than brains.

I'm not exactly sure what happened. Maybe it was my new haircut, the way I dressed, or maybe even the way I carried myself, but this interview went far better than I could have expected. This employer hired me on the spot and gave me everything that I wanted. I was so happy that I spent the whole night celebrating with my beautiful wife.

Now, let's see if having patience will work out with my investments.

Hold on Tight

2009-03-23T11:49:00.017-05:00

We've officially been in a recession for 15 months now and it looks like we're about to break the record for the longest recessionary period since the Great Depression. With rising unemployment, record foreclosures, and depleted savings, this economic crisis is almost crushing our dreams for a secure retirement.

But, hold on tight, don't give up just yet.

After the Treasury Department's announcement today of their plan to rid banks of bad debt, investor confidence surged. The markets rallied with renewed confidence that our new administration will do it's best to keep our financial system from failure. Hopefully, the Fed's actions will spark a permanent turnaround.

However, what's really on everyone's mind is: Have we reached a market-bottom or is this just a bear market rally? Of course, everyone has their opinions pro or con, but we'll only actually know in hindsight.

Like everyone else, I have my own opinions. But, I thought I would ask a few old friends if they could orchestrate a get-together in order to shed some electric light on the subject.

Here's what they told me:

Accroches-toi a ton reve
Accroches-toi a ton reve
Quand tu vois ton bateau partir
Quand tu sents -- ton coeur se briser
Accroches-toi a ton reve.

Sounds like good advice to me. If you can't read French, watch this video for a better understanding.

A Liter For The Fallen...

2009-03-18T22:29:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite bloggers, Mr. Mike Guzzo of Guzzo the Contrarian fame has closed his site down for good after a few months of conflicting thoughts on continuing. This stinks from my opinion, but I was able to convince him that whenever he feels the need to share again with the world, he can do so whenever he wants here at Dyslexic Research. I truly respected his work, and he even influenced my own investment strategy toward more stable 'Bogle' style, low fee, diversified investing. His website will be missed, but hopefully he won't be as I am planning on giving him the ability to write what he likes when he is ready again.

So another one doesn't quite bite the dust and I will drink a liter to that (it's a Filipino beer thing).

Don't Believe the Hype, But...

2009-03-16T23:28:00.004-05:00

So after the market has increased in value now for roughly 6 days, a lot of naysayers are starting to come around and say that we "may have hit the bottom". People are looking for more signs than a group of fourteen year old girls in an Ouija board. I don't believe the hype, until my friends at the paint company tell me that production is up, I am going to have a hard time believing it. There is just too many people on unemployment, too many scared to purchase more than anything besides the necessities. I won't believe it until consumer spending is up for a couple of quarters.

BUT,

The savvy investor, the contrarian, and myself know (I am the dumbest of the three) that if you wait too long you may miss the bounce. So I have begun the search for more good stocks. It is a gamble, no doubt. I have two ultimate criterion. 1] The potential company must be one that will exist when this economy has finally turned. 2] The potential company must be one that will be profitable when this economy has finally turned. Sorry GM doesn't qualify.

My favorite way to begin a stock search is through the magic formula screen. I have talked about it before, recommended buying the book, and believe in it's methodology. I won't go into full on stock research in this post, but will say that my findings turned up several good prospects including: CALM, MLHR, MSFT, PCU, PM, RIMM. Until I plow through their latest financials I won't recommend anything. Also there are a few perennial industrial powerhouse stocks that are 'relatively' cheap including LECO and EMR among others.

I will start doing the numbers because I am beginning to feel like it is a good time to start looking to buy. We will see how it goes.

How to Become a Financial Expert...

2009-03-09T22:07:00.003-05:00

Step One: Create a blog.

Step Two: Create content, typically cover crap any investor already knows or something popular spewd out by whatever current financial or investing expert that everyone knows. Topics like "Save 25% of Your Income" and "How to Start a Roth IRA" are good starters (if your new go ahead use these topics, I don't mind). Keep those things like thoughts and ideas of your own at bay, don't want to go ruining your content.

Step Three: Add stupid clip art.

Step Four: Answer comments by the finacially inept.

Bam, instant success. In no time you should be well on your way to financial superiorism.

(Maybe that is why I only have two viewers, thanks Grant and Mike ahead of time)

Due to tough economic times...

2009-03-09T22:03:00.003-05:00

...we may have to lay off Andre.

If you have money left, where would you invest?

2009-03-05T16:17:00.001-06:00

So if you have money, and want to actually invest in something still what would you do?

Before I answer that, let me just say that my parents grewup as children of parents that survived the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma and as adults themselves survived the exodus of jobs in Oklahoma when all of the Oil Companies left the state in the 80's. They never have really invested other than, their home, some rental properties, and high interest CD's and Money Market accounts. They have saved some, but I am uncomfortable to think how much. Their current jobs are secure and they are close to retirement. I know that my brother and I wish they invested more, but now think at times maybe they might have been fairly right all along. I mean they have seen some of these economic times on a micro-economic level in Oklahoma and experienced the psychology of their parents in the aftermath of the Great Depression, and learned what is really true: money and stuff you own, and real estate.

Which gets me back to where do you invest in this market, that will have the best chance of returning a profit in the years to come? Me, I am leaning towards real estate. I know it is crazy, but prices are at a value and if you truly know your town, and make logical property purchases over the long term you could really do well. Nothing is a guarantee, but if you are truly a long term investor, it may be just the right way to go.

Thoughts???

An Idea...(Notice: Rant Ahead)

2009-03-04T15:28:00.004-06:00

Recently between working on my neighbor's house for money, wading through unemployment proceedings, attempting to refinance, signing up for COBRA, and oh yeah looking for a job, I am noticing a few trends:

Everyone has their own idea of what will get us out of this mess.
No sympathy for where public America is really at right now.
The ridiculousness of the comments I have been hearing on radio and TV.

So 1, all over the radio and TV is a number of people stating that their own idea of what will boost the economy, and the truth of the matter is that they need to take care of their own house, their own job, and their own money. By trusting some other jack@$$ in the first place, buying crap you don't need, and banking on rapid growth or some other prospective investment we have all fallen into a trap. We used 'fake' money, overspent on ridiculous stuff, and now want someone to help the sinking ship we all created. Somewhere in life, things went from buy what you can afford to buy now pay later, even if you can't. Stimulus plan may work, may not, but if we all start coming to the epiphany of what we can really afford then maybe we will stop the scariness of everything. End overbuilding, overspending, and think. In the past two years I bought a new 'used' car and a house. I put down more than 10% on each, purchased something extremely affordable, and they may both be in jeopardy now that I don't have a job. Okay not really, but they could if I am unemployed a year from now. I take that responsibility however, and it is my job to try and take care of things.

2 is the other common theme I hear. Please understand we are past the point of the housing bubble, that was a domino, and now a lot of people, more than what is being reported, have lost their jobs or may end up losing their jobs. Sure idiot bankers should not have sold 0% down loans to risky buyers and likewise buyers should not have thought that they could purchase these homes, blah blah blah, etc. Spending is frozen, lending is frozen, and no body is really producing anything besides gas, food, energy, and natural gas. A quick call to friends from past employers over the past two weeks report 20%-30% work force layoffs at every employer I have ever worked for, ALL OF THEM. To top that off everyone of them is producing at around 10% production of their yearly average. TEN PERCENT!!! Read that as factories, companies, employees, everyone is standing on that cliff looking over the edge. Unless something changes, i.e. lending opens up, people open up their pocketbooks, then bankruptcy and shutdowns at the least are going to begin to occur. It is going to be painful, heck it is painful. Start showing some sympathy for your fellow man, because you may be next one on the chopping block, and hope your neighbor isn't serving crow when you need help with your next meal.

And last but not least number 3. The bits of armor are starting to fall off of everyone, and we are hearing some of the most stupid comments I have ever heard from people getting worried. For example, today on NPR's Talk of the Nation, a gentlemen called in to the station to say that it has been very difficult to get his two VARIABLE RATE HOME LOANS on his current home and his VACATION HOME, and although he has hired someone to help him get them readjusted nothing has occurred. He wanted to know when the government was going to force these banks to do something. All I can say is, where is this guy and how else can someone make money off him. Then about a month ago NPR covered the fact that California may default on their bonds for the first time ever, a consequence was that student loan checks have been late, not that they weren't paid out, just late. NPR of course found some strapping young woman at Berkeley for comment. Her quote you ask? "It's not bad enough that I am a DOUBLE MAJOR with a MINOR, but now I am going have GET A JOB to make my payments." I don't know where to begin, first college is a privilege, second 2 majors and a minor what the heck do you need that much college for, third enjoy your debt for the next 25 years, and lastly YES YOU MAY HAVE TO GET A JOB.

These times are rough, and I am sorry if I am negative. The government is doing some positive things, albeit expensive things, to try and help. I will be one of the people in line for the help, and will remember this if I make it through this intact and reciprocate to someone else in need.

Good luck, evaluate yourself, and SAVE!

Frustrating Systems = 2 Week Hiatus

2009-02-18T16:04:00.002-06:00

Well, I have spent the last several days working out COBRA and unemployment and am thoroughly frustrated with "the system", so for the next two weeks I am going on hiatus from blogging or commenting or whatever. Even though I am not working I simply have too much crap to do.

That being said, I have had no interest from anything I have applied for, and no calls returned for any jobs out there. This truly is a scarce job market and I am going to have to figure something out, after going through my finances I should have enough money with unemployment to make it 8-12 months. My only worry is that it may not be enough, we'll see anyway.

So there you go, I will report back in two weeks how it is going and hopefully do some regular posts then.

Adventures in Craigslist

2009-02-15T21:05:00.003-06:00

Well in this no margin world of the stock market right now, I have found a new (old) savior. A lot of economic websites talk about achieving 10% - 20% profits on stocks or ETF's. My old side business was buying stuff cheap and selling it on eBay. I typically made 70%-130% on the stuff I found. It worked out for years, but starting out about eight months ago two things happened that made me all but abandon eBay. First, people stopped buying on there. Second, I have gotten totally fed up with eBay. Fees are absolutely out of control, and have ruined what used to be a great product. I'm sorry but ever since eBay went public, the fees have gone up, the gimmicky sellers are in control, and crap just doesn't work right at all.

Now I sold things two ways, eBay and garage sales. With eBay out garage sales became more important. Well last year was fairly successful garage sale wise, but I miss that eBay side of the money. It was like a steady extra bonus that occurred throughout the year.

So recently I started posting things on Craigslist and it is going pretty well actually. I started off with some of my GF's old car stuff, which was pretty unsuccessful, but kept reading and trying. This last week I sold roughly $200 worth of stuff and am supposed to meet up with a few people next week already to trade some stuff for dollars. The best part, CASH (making better margins than eBay) and no fees and no shipping. It is enough to bring a tears to a guy trying to squeeze a dime from a nickel. It may seem somewhat idealistic, but Craigslist represents everything that I think makes the Internet great. I remember being in high school searching for information on UFO's, KU basketball, and *cough* the girls of SI. As things have progressed the Internet has developed, and websites have changed, but the relevance of Craigslist remains. Free listings of crap in your town, when has that ever been not a good idea. The fact that it for the most part remains free (I think they charge LA and NYC fees for a few things) is amazing and helpful.

A lot of thought goes into companies becoming global, but when times are tough the companies that will survive become local. So I encourage you, to dig around in that back closet or garage and post something on Craigslist. Trust me, it is the easiest thing out there to do to make money.

Job Search: Making Connections

2009-02-10T21:52:00.003-06:00

I have been searching for a job for about two weeks now and I can officially say that my personal job skills in the manufacturing and project engineering arena is not so hot. Not really all that surprising considering that my two job focuses are on factories and capital projects, which for the most part have been halted for every company out there. So my options are thin, yet some things are starting to pop up.

I consider myself a super sleuth when it comes to finding jobs for myself and I thought, hey in this employment crisis I could give out a few tips to finding a job so:

1. Find good recruiters:

In my line of work I have been called a hundred times by recruiters of all types trying to make a buck off of my back. Most are absolute meat peddlers, but some really are looking out for you. How do you shake out the good from the bad? First most of the bad is obvious, you can hear the urgency in their voice and if you don't fit their exact search criterion, they try to get off of the phone faster than the falling Dow. Good ones will probably do a long phone interview and then a face to face if they work in your town. That is typically a good sign, but the ultimate way to tell if a recruiter is good is when they give you feedback from the potential employer after an interview. That is the surest sign that they care. Those you keep in touch with and they will take care of you, sometimes for a lifetime. It must be said that some recruiters are good at getting interviews even if they are not always representing your interests fairly. They are pushy, and I dislike them greatly but sometimes that is just the nature of the beast.

When I got laid off I spoke with three recruiters immediately, and they are all beating on doors seeing if anything is available. Two are local and one is national, and they all had some possibilities. Like I said, the good ones, who know you, will take of you.

2. Know your boards:

Kansasworks.com, Careerbuilder.com, EngineeringJobs.com, CoatingsJobs.com, Monster.com, KansasCityHelpWanted.com... There are a lot of boards out there and choosing which are the best for you can be difficult. I have two tips to find the best in your area. First, figure out which board partnered with your local paper (for the KC Star it is Careerbuilder.com), it will typically have most of the jobs in your area. Second, find the state sponsored job board (Kansasworks.com for me). This can be the most effective resource because it is typically tied with the unemployment office for your state, meaning it searches a wide swath of other job boards to find you an opening. The state really wants you to make your own money. Go through the motions of creating your resume and then just search and search and search.

3. Make connections and call them:

I have met a lot of people over the years and do my best to keep in touch with lots of them. Why, because you never know when you will need a favor. A favorite target of mine is contractors. They work with lots of companies and typically have a good ear to the ground on companies that are needing people like you. One that I have dealt with quite a bit may hire me as drafter for awhile, which may be what I have to do to pay the bills. I had a good interview at a place a few years back that I didn't just quite fit the position but the plant manager said to keep in touch, and who do you think I called when I noticed that they have some openings now? That is how it works sometimes.

4. Buy the paper every Sunday:

This is how I have found 2 of my last 4 jobs and continues to be maybe the best source for open jobs and direct contact with an employer. It is old fashioned but still really effective. Even though my paper does partner with Careerbuilder, I find that positions posted in the paper are not always online or maybe I didn't enter quite the right search criteria or whatever. The paper works.

That's it folks. Good luck and keep your job.

A Story...

2009-02-08T00:05:00.003-06:00

After all the doom and gloom of the economy and my situation, and maybe whatever you guys are experiencing out there it reminded me of a story.

At one of the places I used to work we always had a morning production meeting to go over what was being produced that day. Well one such meeting we were going through our usual throws and when it got to me, the plant manager really put it to me. He asked where I was on this or that, what was the status of projects, and reminded me of everything I was behind on. Now you need to know he and I gave each other a hard time quite a bit, it was the nature of things. Earlier in the week I had gotten him and this was his way of returning the favor. Well after that big list, he had me pretty good and he asked, "So what do you have to say for yourself?" and to which I replied slowly, "A-l-w-a-y-s look on the bright side of life" To which all of the various other manager immediately chimed in with the whistle, it was one of the funnier moments in my life...

Monty Python - Always Look On the Bright Side of Life
Uploaded by goldrausch

Enjoy your week!

What the Eff Do You Do Now?

2009-02-06T13:36:00.004-06:00

So as I stated in my last post, I have been laid off. More specifically I have been laid for the second time in 4 months. I personnally couldn't believe it. Mostly because I had chosen this job over three other jobs that I was worried wouldn't be as safe in this economy. I was wrong, I had a target on me due to the fact I was well paid for what the latest company considered an entry level position. So out I went when the time to save the company money came. Another lesson learned by me. What is scary is now I see nothing out there in KC that my job skills really fall into.

But know I have to beg the question what in the heck do I do now? Well I do have a little bit of a plan and it involves the following.

Know that my old company is compensating me for four weeks. So I have one month's worth of extra pay, starting now.
Know that my girlfriend has a definate temporary job at one of her old places of work. My GF is one of the only people that knows the work for a position that someone is going to go on maternity leave. That will start in either March or April and should last three to five months. We are not married so that will allow for me to...
File for unemployment. I am going to have to. I have about three months worth (four to five if we stretch things) of emergency money, my GF some more, but I would like to save that for when unemployment runs out if we have to. I may still need some of the emergency money to makeup for time waiting for unemployment to kick in. The unemployment money should take care of the house payment, which is the most important asset to protect in my opinion. I feel that once this economy shakes out, it is going to be pretty difficult to purchase a home for awhile.
Look for cheaper insurance for the home and auto. Pretty straight forward, I think I can get a cheaper rates but I need to look first.
Try to get a better mortgage rate. Actually, I am not very hopeful on this one. I was attempting to do this a few weeks back but realized I had a special 10% down loan before with a special up front PMI that the home seller paid for. Changing the mortgage may jeopardize our current setup. Also, we already are decently low.
Cancel Luxuries. No more blockbuster by mail, redue our cable-internet package, etc.
Be thrifty. Pay attention to groceries, cease eating out, less driving, etc.

If you can't tell, I am looking at this for the long haul. I work for factories typically and until there is some real production going on, I am afraid I am not going to see employment opportunities for awhile. I am very much willing to step outside my box and just make money, but I have to make enough to pay the bills. Things could rapidly change, but I don't really see the economy changing for at least a year. Our consumers have to fundamentally change their habits, and real money needs to go to real things. I don't know I am pretty nervous about the whole thing.

How bad is this economy?

2009-02-02T23:07:00.001-06:00

So bad that I was just laid off for a second time last week. Be careful out there, things are getting worse not better...

Quality – Cost – Delivery: The Basics

2009-01-26T22:11:00.004-06:00

Look it up, it is a basic teaching of Lean Techniques. I am inspired by Grant’s article which was inspired by my article on made in the USA . My premise was to buy American if you want to save American jobs. Grant added a caveat to buy American when it is a quality American product. I say for the most part he is right but my factory training says otherwise.

What is Quality – Cost – Delivery? Well let’s break down each component. Quality is typically how well a product is made and how long a product will last. In my few years in industry the person that best defined quality to me said quality is simply making a product to the customer’s specifications. That is the best definition that I have ever heard. Cost is well how much a product cost or actually how much a consumer is will to pay for something. Sometime ‘Cost’ is replaced with Quantity or Value. Quantity being the cheaper something is the more you can make. Value being how much something is worth verse the quality of the product. Both are really just other ways of interpreting ‘Cost’. Last is delivery, which is either the period of time to make the product or the period of time it takes a product to reach a consumer or both.

A basic Lean ideal is the relationship of Quality, Cost, and Delivery. In an ideal world we would only make and purchase items that perform equally on all three topics, but in the real world we will typically end up with only two. I will try to portray a few examples. Let’s take Ferrari for example. Ferrari’s tend to be of high perceived quality and therefore costs ridiculously high and tend to deliver when the car is done not when you want the car done. How about nuts and bolts at the hardware store? They tend to be cheap, they’re there when you want them, and most (not all) people could care less how nice they are as long as they hold stuff together. How about ordering gifts online? You want something to get to someone on time, and may be willing to give a little on cost and quality just to make sure it get there.

There are truly not lots of items that truly hold the benefits of all three. The closest that I can see would be Craftsman hand tools, which are sold at a decent price (more than Walmart, less than Snap-On), backed with a lifetime guarantee (read as quality), and typically in the store when you need it.

So what does America do? Well I have covered this before (the re-use post), but it needs to be said again. Somewhere America went for price above all else. So much so that our super stores, shopping centers, and landfills are littered with the fruit of that thinking. Not to mention our society borrows (or maybe now it is borrowed) irresponsibly in order to get more crap to better fill their lives.

So think about the things you purchase. Do you need that iPhone or will a LG do just fine? Do you need cheap milk or are you willing to support a local dairy? Do you need a new car or will a used car suffice? Will a Bowflex make your life better or did you just purchase a nice towel rack? I am not saying that buying cheap crap is always that bad, we all have done it (maybe bologna over roast beef), but think about what you can afford, what you are using it for, and how long it will last. Think of how it will impact the world around you, how it will impact your very own world and your neighbor’s.

What happened to American manufacturing (in addition to the whole dollar versus yen or pound or euro or whatever) was that somewhere the American Dream became I need all this crap and lots of money so I can get more crap instead of I need to live well and comfortable. Quality, select products at a fair cost was given up for everything at the cheapest cost possible. My hope is that this economic correction (that is my p.c. way of saying disaster) will teach us all a lesson of what we really need and really are willing to pay for. I hope I am right or history is bound to repeat itself.

Cat and Girl and my feelings of dread...

2009-01-25T22:47:00.006-06:00

I tried to come up with a catchy title to this one but it didn't work out. From time to time I link to various comics on my blog and tell you to check them out (Kate Beacon History Comics come to mind - still awesome). Well Cat and Girl is another of my all time favorites and the past weak has had cartoons that actually pict-i-fy (yeah I just made that up) how I feel about things.

Specifically this week, a terrible feeling of dread over the economy rubbed over me. Harley-Davidson reported that it would eliminate 1,100 jobs (out of 9,000 in the company), which surprised me, and Microsoft basically announced similar measures. Then the kicker was the unemployment numbers for November, 554,000 people, whoa. Needless to say, Cat and Girl put things into perspective, or at least how I interpreted it (Click the link to go see the original). I think this correction is forcing the public to stop living this credit lifestyle we all have lived since the '80's and move us all back to the mentality of the '50's and before. Where you bought things you had the money for and the only items you borrowed money for was homes and cars (if that).

The Cat and Girl comic that followed the one above was pretty interesting as well. To me it represented the mentality, at least in the first four panels, of the common American. The end has a good punchline as well. I love good inner dialogue and contradictive thoughts, considering that is what I suffer from continuously. I mean I am the Honda loving blog writer saying please save Detroit after all.

Anyway, click through Cat and Girl sometime when you get the chance. It is truly terrific writing and thoughtful perspectives on what we call life. Also, I love whenever the Cat is dressed for sports.

Putting your money where your mouth is: Made in the USA

2009-01-22T23:16:00.002-06:00

(To all those that may be visiting from The Corner Office Blog, thanks for stopping by, I hope that I don’t disappoint)

So fresh after inaugural day, you are now ready to do what you can to help America . Specifically you are ready to help do something about that economy you hear so much about on the TV, but Obama hasn’t told the public just how to do that yet. Well MJ is here to save the day, I am suggesting an oldie but a goodie which is to BUY AMERICAN.

Yes buy American. You remember that place, purple mountain majesties, golden plains, NASCAR, NFL, and the like. It’s still there and those people still need those jobs, and what better way to help than to help your fellow countrymen (or countrywoman for that matter) than to purchase their stuff.

So now energized with the thought of supporting the good old USA , you are ready to head down to Walmart and thoughtfully purchase anything with a big eagle on it, you fly out the door, pocketbook in hand. Well hold on there partner, besides shampoo and dog food you may not see a whole lot of goods that are American made there. What follows is just a starting list of items I have found over the years that I know are made here in the US (not Usa , Japan ).

Clothing: Melanzana (http://www.melanzana.com/)

Like fleece, like high quality clothing, like mountain-style hippies but not sure how they make their money? Try the clothes made by the fine folks at Melanzana All sorts of thoughtful cuts, sizes, and materials (as long as those materials are Polarfleece) pack there online store. Made in Leadville , Colorado , the highest elevation town in the US , by people who want to stay warm and exercise all year round. I have actually seen the store, met the people, and seen how they produce the clothes. I can honestly tell you that fabric comes in sheets, cut by human hands, and sown by regular machines. Prices are reasonable, the clothing holds up beautifully, and everything fits warm and comfortably.

Appliances: Whirlpool, Maytag, Jenn-Air, KitchenAid, Amana

One company that hasn’t left the US quite yet for cheaper shores is Whirlpool, maker of all the brands above and more (most of Sears Kenmore stuff as well). A few years ago Maytag / Amana was for sale and Whirlpool bought them up to help protect the American territory from foreign (read as Chinese) suppliers flooding the market with cheap branded products. Smart plan, unfortunately Whirlpool has had to reduce the workforce somewhat in past year. However, most of their product is made here in the US, so you can wash your clothes, wash your dishes, and mix your cakes knowing full well that you bought something made by a neighbor and helped with what you could to keep their jobs. Not to mention that the products are well made, durable, and parts are available cheaply at your local parts distributor (Sears Outlet anyone).

Hand Tools: Craftsman

Some people prefer Snap-On or MAC, which is fine, but most of the public doesn’t have access to those brands. However one brand that we all have access to is Craftsman. Sears and now Kmart have access to the best value hand tools out there. Yes Craftsman, the same tools your grand-pappy repaired the tractor with, is still available and the hand tools are still proudly made in the USA (by the Williams Tool company owned by Danaher and also makes Matco tools). Yes some of the electric tools are made overseas (most are unfortunately), but the hand tools are still made here. The best part is the lifetime warranty on everything. If you wake up and decide your ½ combination wrench just doesn’t look like it’s good enough anymore, you can skip on in to Sears, not even make up a good lie, and exchange it for a bright shiny new one. Eat that Stanley .

Lawn equipment: John Deere

Nothing runs like a Deere, and no company was a bigger pain in my @$$ than those of the green and yellow. They have ridiculously high production standards that they hold their suppliers to from tires to paint. So while they may cost more than average lawn companies, I know for a fact that they are giving you a long lasting, well made, high quality product that should last for a long time, and is well supported all across the US . They care about their product and it shows.

Drinks: Celestial Seasonings

I have actually toured the plant outside of Boulder , Colorado and seen how a business started by a local mountain biker is now a international brand with a large variety of pretty delicious teas. Pretty neat place, that does there part for the environment, commission independent artists (how do you think they get those neat labels), and package tasty drinks. I think it is the place where all the nice people in the world work (better there than annoying me at Whole Foods).

More:

Sure there is more: Purolator, Harley-Davidson, and Dexter-Russell com to mind. But I wanted to see if anyone else out there had some good suggestions for the common American public that wanted to share. If you have a company you know of or a product to pimp that is clearly US made drop a line in the comment box or drop me an email, we can only help each other out if we know what is available.

Take care and God Bless America .
(Waving Nixon peace gestures)

To all the people looking for real Dyslexic Research...

2009-01-19T19:48:00.006-06:00

From time to time, I get emails (not a lot mind you) from people with various dyslexic causes or research or books. I don’t know what to tell these people, I am a dyslexic, but I found out late in life. So for those looking for real dyslexic research, I am sorry but continue on looking. I talk about my experiences and what has helped me in my life, but I wouldn’t know the right way to guide those who are seeking hard research about dyslexia. I will push people towards the one book that makes the most sense for me. It is called, “The Gift of Dyslexia” by Davis and Braun, and I can say the methods in there helped my tendencies. Beyond that I can only share my story.

I have had issues my whole life with concentration on school work. I often would spend 4 hours on homework that others spent an hour on. I always had difficulties on tests. I spent many hours over many years spinning my wheels studying and studying. Yet I would do extremely well in some subjects and quite horribly in others. I had teachers that truly helped my development and others that gave no breaks. The latter didn’t help things. The worst semester of school I ever had was the one that I took Calculus I. I had a tutor, worked in a study group, went to the TA’s office hours, and studied on my own everyday. The TA never gave me a break and told me I wasn’t mature enough for the material (The class was taught by the TA and needless to say I hope this person burns in Heck). I kept at things because I wanted to be an engineer.

It wasn’t until I was a senior in college that I took enough engineering classes at the same time that I hit the proverbial wall. I studied round the clock yet it didn’t help a single grade. I dropped three classes and had a knock out, drag out fight with my mother who was convinced that I was just what my teachers had said for years, “smart but needs to work harder.” I won finally, and got tested for learning disabilities, something I believed that I had a problem with my whole life.

Let me say that if you are worried about putting yourself or your child through the testing, don’t be. It may be the most revealing and appreciated experience of your own or your child’s life. When I took the tests, I was ready for someone to tell me I was stupid or that I couldn’t handle the material or let me know that I had ADHD or whatever. I just wanted an explanation.

I tried to go into the testing without any expectations of the outcome. I thought somewhat that I may have ADHD, but other than that I didn’t know. The process is quite interesting; I took an intelligence test and three learning disability evaluation tests. The combinations of all three along with observations and a proper history evaluation were the foundation for the diagnosis. When the expert sat myself (at age 22) and my parents down, we all were taken by surprise. I had almost a perfectly matched chart to that of what they consider an ideal dyslexic. My mom cried and my dad was flabbergasted by the description of a typical dyslexic. He soon realized that he was dyslexic too. The best part was my intelligence test returned that I had an extremely high IQ, and that is what had probably compensated for a lot of the difficulties I had growing up. Who’d a thunk. (Don’t worry mom and I worked everything out after, she now is amazed that I made it so long without knowing the truth.)

That being said, other than the book I talked about, there is only some mild changes that I have been able to make to help things in my life. I am too old and have already compensated for a lot of tendencies at this point. Just realizing my disability and knowing why I do things that I do, it helped. My advice on dyslexia has to be taken with a grain of salt, I found out late, way too late to really work on my study habits. To this day, some things take me a while, I have to make time for it. I have little concept of time, so I keep a lot of clocks around. I misread words, but I typically check over things twice to just make sure. I am good at seeing the big picture, conceptually laying out things, and finding true breakthrough improvements in work. So it all balances out.

So if you stop by here looking for dyslexia research, you probably won’t get it. You will get a dyslexic’s opinion of a lot of stuff, maybe some out-there thoughts, and you will get some tips of what helps me cope. Mostly you are going to get my thoughts on the economy, industry, and the markets so relax, read some archives. You may find out something actually useful to your life.

Finally, I will leave with the harsh but true words someone close to me has always said when I want to use dyslexia as a crutch, that is, “No one cares that you have a learning disability, they want you to do your job.”

New Year's Resolutions for 2009

2009-01-16T11:14:00.000-06:00

First let's visit last years:

Buy a house for the misses and me. (Check, March 2008)
Setup a truly easier lifestyle at said home. (Check-ish, I wish my house was more organized)
Max out Roth IRA for 2007 (til April). (Check, March 2008)
Begin a true side business. (Uh not unless you count all of the stuff we sold on Ebay or in our 3 garage sells, I think this will become a 2010 goal)
Go on an extended vacation. (Check, August-September 2008 to the Philippines)

So 4-ish out of 5 ain't bad.

Bring on '09:

Pay off Honda Loan.
Max out Roth IRA for 2008 (til April).
Renogotiate mortgage for better rate, hopefully.
Concentrate on new job.
Create a better blog page.
Get one car IN the garage.
Lose 20lbs.
(World Peace)

Wish me luck...

Dear 8lb 6oz newborn infant Obama...

2009-01-15T20:43:00.001-06:00

"I like to think of Obama with giant eagle's wings and singing lead vocals for Lynard Skynard with like an angle band and I'm in the front row and I'm hammered drunk..."

Have you noticed that over the election period, and even more so as we get to inaguration, everyone is making Obama out to some sort of super hero or super villian for their cause? Environmentalists thought that he was Captian Planet, minorities see him as a great exclamation point, Democrats as JFK, cigarette companies as the great new Marlboro Man, techogeeks as a Crackberry addict, and today I heard book readers believe he is the 'Greatest Reader' and he t-o-t-a-l-l-y gets them because he reads a lot and wrote two best selling books (nevermind that Bush reads a lot, must be some of those cool maze books). I am not making this stuff up. It seems that Obama is just like the Jesus that Ricky Bobby prays to.

Likewise, I have heard from conservatives that Obama is the next Stalin or Lenin. They think that the Greatest Reader is going to rip chapters out of the Marxist hand book. Rush, between oxy-cotton induced hallucinations, thinks socialism is going to break out at any minute.

Well before we begin idolizing and sacrificing the man, I am suggesting we all do what college kid's tend to learn their senior year, moderation. He is just a man, a man at an important seat, but just a man. He is going to make mistakes, but he will, just like we all do, make the best decision possible with the information he has. So stop all the lovey dovey BS and the hatemongering and give the man a chance.

(Oh and am I the only one noticing that he is the 'change' guy, well he seems to have a lot of Clinton's old pals in his cabinet. Just a thought. Oh and I guess a vote for him was just like a vote for Hillary then.)

Investing (sounds like) Gambling

2009-01-14T10:31:00.005-06:00

With all the down activity in the market the average investor and really all investor needs to realize that investing in the market is like gambling. Spreading out the portfolio in different markets, ETF's, stocks, and bonds is the best way to hedge those bets, but like sitting out a few good hands in blackjack, you will eventually lose some money. Especially if you are not watching your stocks or at least the market. So all that being said I am trying to form my own strategy to protect and grow my own portfolio.

Invest in the long term.

Wanting to not worry about the markets everyday, I am investing in what I see as the best of long term opportunities. In stocks this means perrinial favorites KR and WMT, international smoking company PM, and my only US manufacturer (that is slowly growing in the world market) BEZ. Some of these may be what people consider odd bets but I am looking to solidify things for long term and historically these are good companies and I through my own research I feel as I will be proven right in the long run.

More importantly is my chunk of investment in the Vanguard Total Market ETF (VTI). With it's fair dividend payout (currently 3.5%) and low expense costs, it has some serious potential to make money when the market turns around.

ETF's will be my anchor.

When this year's Roth investment ($5k for 2008) gets put in a majority will be in Vanguard ETF's with decent dividends and low expense fees. I want to get to a 70-30 rule with the 70 being in market ETF's. I will define the others later, but for now I am VTI all the way.

A stock strategy???

I sometimes have written about I have believe I have a knack for finding good stocks but as far as finding a good strategy for keeping, selling, and growing stocks, I lack a strategy. In the past I have hit 20%-30% growth on certain stocks and just let it ride. Let it ride all the way back down (okay not always). My goal is on speculative stocks, not the long term ones listed above, (assuming they go up) that somewhere above 15% growth I may sell off my original investment money wise. Meaning if stock X cost me $1k and is now at $1.5K, I will sell of that $1K of the stock and let the rest ride so to speak. For now that is what I am looking to do, we'll see if it works. I may iron out a few more details before the big Roth investment for 2008, we'll see though.

What else is out there?

I think the current downturn in the economy points to the importance of variety in your own personal portfolio, for me that means stocks, bonds, and interest may not be the only place to store cash. I am probably a year away from having the money for a side venture, but it is my goal to either own some rental property or *a laundromat*. The laundromat is my dream for some day. This year will be a year of ironing out some finances like paying off the car and attempting to get a better mortgage rate.

Should be an interesting year...hedge your bets.

The problem with bitching out the Big 3 and Detroit...

2009-01-13T09:23:00.004-06:00

Through the financial crisis I have seen one and only one article that seems to fairly represent what is reality in Detroit. Unfortunately I have no idea where it went, all I know was that it was a Yahoo opinion piece.

The bulk of the argument was that Congress and the public has been slamming the big three for their lack of viable, profitable small cars, yet Detroit has never ever had a small car anchor their company profits. The cars they sell are cheap and costs less than there Japanese counterparts but that is because they have never had a highly profitable small car. Honda and Toyota not only do well with small cars but typically are making $2k-$3k more in profit per small car than the GM, Ford, or Chrysler counterpart.

That being said all three could produce such a car, but it is an uphill battle. Think of an alternate universe where the Japanese government chastises Honda and Toyota for not building vehicles that compete with Suburban XL's and Expeditions (okay Toyota has one, but the idea is the same). It would be difficult for an auto company to turn that niche in the market their direction. First, they would have to build an vehicle that truly convinced the public that their vehicle is the best. Oh and it would need to be at a price point to convince the population to purchase said car. Think about that for a second. This requires a great investment of engineering, production, and advertising on a vehicle that may not really turn a profit in its first 4 years. Meanwhile you will have to change the perception of the auto media and the car buyer that a company known for making questionable quality small cars now makes great small cars. Don't forget your competitors which already are good at making its auto equivalent can release a new, better vehicle a year after which can wipe your products advantages off the map and is known as a quality vehicle (good example is the Chevy Colorado/GM Canyon and then Toyota's release of a new Tacoma a year later). It is a difficult hill to climb.

That hill can be so great that it leads to companies having an easier time creating new niche vehicles than over fighting in a saturated market. These CEO's are not dummies, they are doing what makes sense. What makes the most sense is continuing the success the niche markets that they are strong in (see trucks and large cars), draw a line in the sand on markets they can compete in (see midsized sedans) and create new vehicles when they have been kicked out of a market (see minivans to crossover vehicles). It is really like telling JA Henckel's (the knife maker) to make hand tools. It can be done, it might turn a profit at some point, but it will take a lot of money to make it happen.

To me it was funny, they ripped the CEO's, which rightfully so when they all show up asking for money in posh jets, but beyond that it was nothing more than impressive political sound bites. Believe it or not, automotive production is one of the two last great manufacturing industries that remain in the US (the other being airplane), congress should do everything they can to protect the industry. It is fragile, it did need a scolding, but after that do what is right and save the companies. At least they make a product, a real product.

My own private market update

2009-01-08T22:52:00.000-06:00

Well after I lost roughly 46% of what I had put away in my Roth IRA I have been slowly climbing instead of digging with a portfolio shuffle that I think will work for both the short term and long term. I am now firmly only at a 26% lost. That means I have raised my funds roughly 20% from there worst point in the past 2.5 months. How did I do it, mostly buying two stocks that are a couple of the only companies that will do well in this economy Kroger (KR) and Walmart (WMT). Not to mention timely purchases of Baldor (BEZ), Philips Morris International (PM) and Vanguard Total Market Etf (VTI). I am buy no means a savvy investor again (was I ever) but I resolved late last year to make conservative long term purchases in the market. Also, I am going to go forward with an investing strategy which I will explain someday in a later post but the biggest impact is going to be anchoring ETF's like VTI and smaller investments for long term stocks using principals that I have laid out over the past year in this blog.

I haven't even begun adding to my 2008 Roth yet, so a big plop of money is going to get infused soon into my future funds and a close scrutiny of the market will litter my posts once again.

Que "Welcome Back, Kotter" Soundtrack...

2009-01-07T22:09:00.003-06:00

After a hearty Christmas plunder, okay not really, I have immersed myself into one my favorite of pastimes. Music has triumphantly returned to my life with not one but two mp3 players that were given to me as gifts. All I can say is thank you thank you thank you.

Music has and hopefully will always be a big part of my life. From alternative to blues to classical to folk, I have always enjoyed a eclectic mix of sounds. However, I am saddened slightly that I didn't jumping into this whole portable mp3 player sooner or maybe I entered at the right time. After three years of relatively little music submersion due to, well, growing up, I received both an Ipod Nano and a Creative Zen. I can honestly say that I am blown away at what a quality product both of these players are. I imagine most players now are like this. After a few good listens with real song, I felt simultaneously irritated that I had waited so long and gratified technology can still really be such a great thing.

With a click of a button I am transferred to another dimension of melodical, sensory overload, one that I haven't visited since my long nights of studying in college. Now as I knock on the door of age 30, I take solice that I can still get carried away in a song, not caring for a thing in the world. It is not unlike what my girlfriend does nightly as she feverishly pages through books, ignoring all around her. For me, the music helps me escape my new everyday cubicle job life and sometimes actually gets me excited to go to work. Unlike a lot of the population, I work more efficiently with a toe-tapping beat, so my production has gone up significantly since the holiday break.

If anyone cares the two albums I am enjoying the most right now is Emotionalism by the Avett Brothers and Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend. Content that I do not have a lot of quality rocking banjo folk music in my life the Avett Brothers have blown me away we just how solid there entire album is from cover to cover. The pop rock Vampire Weekend has excellent sounds the reminiscent of Paul Simon, late 90's alt rock, and well circus organs (how's that for a review). Go find them and listen, you won't be disappointed.

Welcome back music, don't ever eff-ing leave again! Also, to every plugged out, hipster, huge-headphoned nerd out there, I t-o-t-a-l-l-y get you.

Just wanted to say!

2008-12-25T12:21:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays...

Stop Buying Things #3: The 411

2008-12-22T14:24:00.003-06:00

In this day and age of GPS, internet, and the like, why would you still need to use 411 to find a number. Because we all are idiots from time to time and need to find a number on the road without looking at the phone. Well those spend thrifts at Google are at it again (sarcasm), and created a free number that works well excellent. Simply state the business and the city and your done. Oh and again IT IS FREE. So don't forget to program the number in your phone so it is there when you need it.

Google Info Line is 800-466-4411

Giving the Gift of Lo-Fi

2008-12-16T21:00:00.009-06:00

So I know I just shared my favorite new website in the last post, but as an alternative to all things new-fangled, modern, and complicated, I bring you the extreme Lo-Fi electronic list for Christmas. Some of those famous past electronics are back and cooler than ever, or just still work well. Let's begin!

RadioShack AM/FM Portable Radio:

Be the envy of every office cubicle with this truly lo-fi portable am/fm stereo. It comes with such features as an antenna, a little dial for volume, a little dial for tuning, headphone jack, and a speaker. Truth is that there is no better item for picking up radio signals in the office and this well made blast from the past does its beautifully. Available at all your local RadioShack for only $14.99.

Cobra 75 WXST or MIDLAND 75-822 CB Radios:

Breaker, Breaker 19. Remember the the glory days of adjusting squelch and messing with truckers in your youth, well you can have it again with a couple of innovative cb radios from Cobra and Midland. The Cobra 75 WXST ($97) is a cool compact cb radio built into the mic. It has a minimal base setup and good reviews. Alternatively the Midland 75-822 Radio ($90) can be setup similar to the Cobra for the in car experience, but also can be transformed and roll out into a slick battery powered portable setup.

Ion Turntable to USB, Tape 2 PC, and VCR 2 PC:

Got tapes, records, or even old VCR tapes of the family? Well what is old is new again from a new company called Ion. All those memories that you have been sitting on for years can be uploaded and kept digitally with their long line of products. They even have a Slide to PC product. I could talk to you about it more but just go check it out for yourself at their website:

http://www.ionaudio.com/site/index.php

Happy Shopping!

Article of the Week: Christmas MP3 Players

2008-12-14T21:19:00.003-06:00

This week is for those of you looking for mp3 players, specifically those that are not named iPod. My newest favorite website is AnythingButIpod which features thorough reviews of well everything that isn't an iPod, including players, amp's, and headphones. The article however is ABI's top 5 mp3 players of 2008, enjoy:

http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2008/12/top-5-mp3-players-of-2008.php

ONE YEAR!

2008-12-11T18:30:00.001-06:00

Today marks the one year anniversary of my blog. It all came about because I was inspired by my old college roommate Grant (The Corner Office Blog). I thought if he can do it why can't I? What I thought would be a blog about finance and a source for a book that I wanted to make with my father has slowly developed into that plus a place for my personal opinions and comments, a source for truthful (not righteous) posts on the green movement and lifestyle, and posts on my life with dyslexia [and a lot more].

I hope you all (all five of you) have enjoyed it thus far and I encourage you to comment or email me to let me know your out there. I promise to finish those series of items that I have started (Job Search Series comes to mind), continue to overuse parenthesis, try to improve the look of my blog, and continue to share my opinions and thoughts on everything from piles of leaves to saving the Big 3.

Thanks to all so far and Happy Holidays, MJ...

Remix: Recycle or Reuse Bags?

2008-12-11T00:13:00.005-06:00

After my post on cheapo reusable bags this past week I received an email from a company that I can definitely put some support behind. I only know what was sent to me in the email and what I found on their website, but ReJAVAnate to me looks like a company that we all should look to strive for. They take the leftover burlap sacks from coffee bean transportation and remake / reuse them for various sized hand carry bags. Best of all they are partnered with ARC to utilize developmentally disabled labor for product production. Oh and the price is great as well(from $6.50 to $9.50 each). I love it.

From the email that Douglas Farquhar, Director of Business Development, sent me:

"1). We take burlap from coffee roasters that would be otherwise sent to landfill,
2). Work with The ARC which serves individuals with developmental disabilities to hand make the bags,
3). A better way for individuals and organizations who want to make a statement about reducing paper and plastic bag consumption."

"I think you will find the ReJAVAnate story is one of the most compelling sustainability stories you will find - our material, who makes the bags and where they are made and that the bags are completely biodegradable – much better than the usual reusable bags made from polypropylene in China!"

At one time in my life I worked in a machine shop where we ordered safety glasses and push brooms from ARC related companies. The brooms were the highest quality brooms I have ever used (and I did a lot of sweeping), and the safety glasses comparable to anything else out in the industry. If these bags are anything like my past experience, then I wholeheartedly back ReJAVAnate.

That being said to help in my own little way, what with my ones and ones of readers and all, I have added a new link bubble over on the right for supported businesses. Head over to their website and check it out.

http://rejavanate.com/

My College Speech: School Plan / Selection

2008-12-10T20:08:00.000-06:00

My GF would tell you that I have a pretty consistent speech that I continuously dole out to high school kids looking to get an engineering or technical field. It annoys her greatly but I still think that it is valuable to parents and teenagers ready to make that next step, especially those who are in financial dire straits wondering how to afford college for there child. I am going to break it down into three parts: school plan / selection, tips for students in school, and ideas for funding school.

The first step is to seriously consider a junior college for the first year or two. The reason, smaller classes, better teachers, a chance for the student to ease into the curriculum, and costs at around a 1/3 of the price of the state schools. It is important to note that there are okay junior colleges and great junior colleges, you need to look for the latter. How do you tell? Well whatever your son or daughter is interested in should be covered. For example, my career was engineering and in Kansas City, Avila College and Johnson County Community College have close relationships with the surrounding state schools. Their curriculum matches that of KU, MU, K-state, etc. Therefore all the credits transfer and their professors know the right material to teach. Another secret is that state schools tend to gather up to hundreds of students in classrooms or worse allow teaching assistants (not real accredited teachers) to lead the basic lower level classes. Considering that may be up to the first two years of your son or daughter’s life that can be a lot of frustration avoided, or worse discouraging them from their original field of interest. Junior colleges have small classes real professors in the core lower curriculum, which can really give students a chance to learn rather than sink or swim. Another note is that if a student wants to change their field interest it won’t be at such a cost as it would at a state school.

Once they get through the basics it is time to move up to bigger schools to get into the meat and potatoes portion of the degree, which can be hard. My best advice is to not overload on classes, no more than 12-16 credit hours per semester, unless your kid is just that smart or not the type to burn out. Engineering programs tend push lots of credit hours on their students these days, and reality is that a student can take classes at whatever pace really works for them and it will not penalize them. College is not a race, it’s supposed to be training. A quick tip is that summer school is a great way of catching up, the classes typically are focused on the basics of that subject, and the tests are more simple.

Last note for college planning is that for almost all engineering degrees there is a non-calc/physics based technical degree. Industrial engineering has industrial technology, electrical engineering has electrical technology, computer engineering has computer technology, etc. They are truly different curriculum but the two different degrees may lead to very similar jobs once people are out of school. Other than true engineering design, technology degree holders can be just as qualified or start just a step lower than that of the paired engineering degreed student. In my mind if someone likes engineering but can’t handle the calc/physics, they should not be discouraged out of their desired field until they try the matching technical program. They still may end up with the same job they wanted in the end. I have worked in several factories with people called engineers all around me that held only industrial and electrical technology degrees. Hope this helps.

Stop Buying Things #2: Car Advice

2008-12-09T19:54:00.001-06:00

Okay I had a little Thanksgiving hiatus there due to what I will call a Honda Element Forum binge. My car, the Honda Element has one hell of a good website called the Element Owners Club (http://www.elementownersclub.com/). I absolutely love this website due to it’s encyclopedia like knowledge of everything that is my car, from common issues and their fixes to factory recalls to mod’s (that is modifications for the laymen) to camping tips. It is more addictive then potato chips.

I guarantee that your car, whatever it is, has a forum filled with repair knowledge and eager posters that are ready to share there knowledge. The best part is that the money collected for all of this is nada. So search out your car’s forum and find out why it always rattles slightly at highway speeds.

A little blurb no one saw...

2008-12-08T19:35:00.003-06:00

I would call this the article of the week, but I didn't want to do to it being so close to the last one.

I may have been wrong, although I think not. The following article is a report of how well the reworking of mortgages have gone for the first half of this year, reality is not that good. I think though that we really haven't seen the major modifications yet. I think that some of this representative of people not having any money and trying to still keep it together.

Regardless read on, it certainly could be proof for the naysayers of what I thought would help this economy.

http://clusterstock.alleyinsider.com/2008/12/ouch-borrowers-keep-defaulting-after-mortgage-modification

Added Note: In a funny coincident, I am watching CNBC right now and James Stewart (Smart Money editor-at-large) makes a great suggestion that let's just lower the mortgage rates across the board. That way those who have been making the right decisions all along on payments could refinance (thus being rewarded) along with some of the fringe people getting a chance to switch as well to a better payment. Not a bad idea at all to free up money.

Added Disclaimer: I think James Stewart is an absolute genius, his articles in Smart Money have always been excellent.

Article of the Week and Automaker Commentary:

2008-12-04T21:07:00.003-06:00

Hurry up and read this week’s article before it goes into WSJ’s archives:

Auto Chiefs Admit Mistakes as They Make Case to Congress (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122840102318379327.html)

My thoughts on what is going on in the US Auto Industry is well, mixed. I grew up a GM teen with 2 Buick Regals, 2 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supremes, and a Saturn SC2 (still own it), and always thought there drivetrains were excellent. Now-a-days though I have definitely switched to the darkside, I am firmly a Honda and Toyota guy. Someday, I will go into that more but really feel the need to evaluate the US Big 3. Before I evaluate each company it is important to note that all of these companies were restructuring when the whole market went to crap. Most have some decent new vehicles, but with nobody buying cars, and nobody putting out loans, they all got screwed so to speak. Others would say too little too late, and I do agree to some extent.

Let’s start with Ford. Ford in my opinion is the best run company of the three right now. Why, because they have viable small cars and light trucks that are reliable, built well, and really as good as anything Japan offers. They went to the government asking for a $9 billion line of credit, not bail money, but credit just in case they need it (which they may), and they have a realistic plan for profitability by 2011. They have four excellent models in the Focus, Fusion, Escape, and F-150 that will retain a good demand. To me this company is the best bet of the three for succeeding. Worth noting is that they have an extremely good hybrid in the Escape that is in its second powertrain generation, meaning already have some of the technology needed for higher mileage vehicles. The bad is that Ford is looking into selling some of Mazda, hopefully not all. Mazda has basically been the test dummy for a lot of the Ford drivetrains that are now used, and Mazda really makes some good cars.

GM is next. Frankly, I am disappointed with GM and I do not think that Rick Wagoner is the right man for CEO. However the good is all of the Cadillac product, Buick Enclave, the Chevy Silverado, Malibu, and the tiny Aveo are all pretty well built cars. The Malibu in particular is again one heck of a vehicle, now with the possibility of a 4cyl engine mated with a 6-speed transmission, which really is a car made for the common American public. Another bright spot is that the Ecotec 4cyl engine is actually pretty decent and reliable; too bad the Malibu and Saturn Aura are the only decent vehicles that it goes in. The Cobalt and variants really could be a nicer vehicle (cheap), the Saturn lineup needs more of the Opel fuel efficient engines that are common in Europe, and they need to abandon this push towards E85. The Volt looks promising. Also good is there strong presence in China’s emerging economy. I feel that with the right leadership all these loose good parts of GM could be remade into a really reliable company. It has a real chance if it can get away from acting like cow is a stallion, and instead just make that stallion. Also, they need to stay far away from merging Chrysler.

Chrysler is in terrible shape and Cerebus is to blame. What exactly was Chrysler thinking would happen when it continued to promote and develop big cars for the Hemi and delivering on such crapfests as the Dodge Caliber? Does anyone else thing that they were idiots for abandoning the Neon (the pre VW Bug redo before the actual VW Bug redo)? The only good products in their lineup are the mini-vans, Jeeps, and the Ram trucks, consequently those are the products that they spent their money on after the take over. What stinks is their eagerness to merge with GM, which to me reeks of Cerebus ready to cash out and GM to get as much money from the government as they can. Mark my prediction if GM bought Chrysler, they would dance with the corpse long enough to get paid and then burry the body. The two companies’ product lines just do not compliment each other at all. Where I am most upset with Chrysler is that the best option was out there and they didn’t jump on it, which was working with Nissan. Charles Ghosn CEO of Nissan-Renault is probably the brightest man in the auto industry right now. He offered at one point to take up to a 20% stake in Chrysler, allowing Chrysler to get Nissan built small cars, and Nissan to get Chrysler built large trucks and minivans. It actually was an excellent plan and gives Chrysler a real viable future, and they walked. To me that was worse than Yahoo walking away from Microsoft. I don’t know if I would loan them any money unless they began some good real talks with a potential buyer not named GM.

All this being said, I do really feel the government should save the companies, with true oversight. Some have suggested giving up some true bail out money for now, and then requiring the companies to prove that more is needed and will be well spent. I would approve of any plan like that, there are really too many people that this would risk, and basically end major manufacturing in the US other than planes.

Recycle or Reuse Bags?

2008-12-04T20:42:00.004-06:00

My latest work thing involves a plastic bag recycling plant. Now, Grant and I had a discussion about this at a BBQ I had several weeks back and it is funny that it comes up at work. Basically, Grant and I agreed that this whole reusable bag idea isn’t the sunshine, happy day sort of program that it is presented as.

Now I am not against it per say, after all I am a green head, but these cheap a$$ bags they sell for this are well cheap a$$. They don’t hold up, they tear up, so then the user buys more when their bag fails, thus continuing the cycle. Most of those “reusable” bags cannot be recycled. They are made of cheap materials, poorly sown, and the production needed to produce these things vs. plastic can’t be equitable. My point is this, if you are truly into this movement, then go buy those heavy duty LL Bean or Eddie Bauer canvas bags that are big, repairable, and will last. Or simply use those evil plastic bags and recycle them back at the grocery store when you are done, or use them as liners for your bathroom trashcan or your car. That makes sense and isn’t wasteful. Check this website out as well, it may change your mind.

All this being said, you would be amazed at the amount of crap that can be recycled now a days. Take a trip down to your local recycling center (www.recyclespot.org in KC), and blow your mind.

State of the Economy....

2008-11-17T22:53:00.002-06:00

The announcement by Bank of America (owner of Countrywide), CitiBank, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac that they will start renegotiating mortgages may begin what turns around the economy, in the least it may help keep this bail out to a minimal. Times are tough however and more outside the bank world companies are going to start asking for money. Tough times are ahead.

More signs of a down market that I have heard / seen:

* Paint orders are still extremely low.
* Construction orders are being put on hold / slowed down.
* People I know are still worried about losing their home.

For now my money besides what is already in, is going to wait. What I would like to know is what is the everyday investor's sign of a turn around? So what are your ideas, metals stabilize? New house orders rise? You tell me...

2008-11-11T11:32:00.002-06:00

Holy Crap! I guess ask and ye shall receive.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081111/meltdown_mortgages.html

Up next lawsuits from people who missed out on this...

Brilliant! CitiMortgage Coming Through!

2008-11-11T09:54:00.005-06:00

Recently I have been eluding to what I think will recover the economy the quickest both here and on thecornerofficeblog run by my friend Grant. Basically, figure out a way to keep as many people that can into homes, without letting them off the hook for payments.

The idea is simple, people that can afford to stay in there home can afford to buy other stuff. Thus ensuring the great capitalist society that is America.

Math will tell you that as long as a homeowner stays in a home for some given amount of time, then the interest on that loan will ensure a bank makes a profit. Most times it means the bank will make a big profit if that homeowner remains in a house 8+years or more. Well I have recently thought that two strategies to keep homeowners in their house would be to A)adjust the interest rate to a level that they could afford and fix it for 30-years or B)extend the mortgage to a 40-year fixed and adjust the rate appropriately. I am not talking about handouts but something appropriate for that homeowner. Don't ask me to define what determines what, I don't know that answer, but something reasonable should be able to be agreed upon. I believe this will still shake out the people who can't afford a home period, but maybe saving some people on the fringe and those who may have recently lost their job. Like arm floaties for those getting tired of swimming.

I know the argument against doing anything like this was that people should have known better and if they couldn't afford the home that they were buying then shame on them. That is a good argument, but I would argue as well that many of these people probably thought if I can't afford this when the my 3 to 5 year ARM ends, then I will just refinance like this banking guy is telling me or just sell the house. Both of those "fail-safes" have, well, failed. Now people are upside down, banks aren't collecting any money, and foreclosure is abound. If you could keep people in homes, home values could stabilize, governments property tax funding could stabilize, and maybe the taxes we all see on the horizon could be greatly reduced.

Now I originally thought that the government would be the only entity that may put together a plan like I was speaking about, but to me real capitalist hope is on the horizon. Citi (the nation's largest or second largest bank I can't remember) announced that it was going to put together a team of 600 specialists to help their struggling customers figure out a payment that they can afford. Although it may be too late for our economy and many foreclosed homeowners, but the lender is finally coming through with the promise to refinance, albeit not in the way they were originally planning.

To me, a big signal of the economy starting to turn around would be several more of the big banks following suit without government involvement or encouragement. Until then I think you will not see an end to this economic struggle until floor opens up and a lot of otherwise good, smart decision people have lost their jobs along with all of the idiots. It is a downward cycle in my mind that will continue until something is done.

The downward cycle:

1. People can’t afford their home, bills, etc.

2. People stop spending on anything that isn’t necessary.

3. All those companies making the non-essentials suffer greatly, because now there aren’t any orders.

4. Those companies layoff people, close plants, and consolidate.

5. Now more people can’t afford their home.

6. Repeat 2-5 over and over.

All that is occurring right now, and we all are going to be affected. I don't know about the rest of the world but I want the costs to me, the working population to be minimalized, before my life or my job (again) to be affected.

This week's article of the week...

2008-11-10T20:36:00.005-06:00

This week's article comes from the most unlikely of places for me, Seeking Alpha. My brother can be thanked for finding it however. Seeking Alpha is pretty hit or miss as far as quality of articles, but this one seems to hit well.

This week's is from Seeking Alpha's James Quinn, titled "The Shallowest Generation" it goes on to speak about the amount of debt that he believes his generation has spent. I don't know how true his facts relate back to the Baby Boomers, but it is an acurate depiction of the our current state of the nation. His solution is odd as well, basically for the boomers to pull out their wallets and pay for things, which would be hard I think if they have already maxed out their credit as the article says. Either way, enjoy...

http://seekingalpha.com/article/103202-the-shallowest-generation?source=from_friend

This Just In...MJ Revealed!

2008-11-09T17:30:00.005-06:00

Yup that's me. Notice the mask and safety glasses, it's the only way I can enjoy the fall. I am basically allergic to everything in the fall, but nothing is more fun than a big pile of leaves (MFTABPOL for short). That's my great little midwest ranch in the back, no we haven't painted it yet. I especially like the Oliver Stone camera angle my GF went for. Funny thing is this is exactly how I eat the burnt-end special at Oklahoma Joe's.

The truth about Warren B...

2008-11-03T21:37:00.001-06:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122548632193589047.html

Read it while you can, it is currently free.

This is what I have been saying to people that have responded to me with the phrase, “well Buffett is buying again.” He is getting deals we are not getting, a 10% dividend on GE and Goldman Sachs is hardly something the rest of us can get. That 10% hedges most of the activity of the stock he is holding whether it goes up or down.

It looks as if the market is starting to level out, but I still don’t think this is the end. My prediction is to see how the market reacts to the post holiday earnings reports and then judge the state of the economy.

I couldn't have said it better myself...

2008-11-02T01:15:00.002-05:00

Warning left wingest liberal propaganda within...Thanks Mike.

I'm voting for Obama...

2008-10-29T02:25:00.004-05:00

Just to let people know, I'm voting for Obama. Although I live in Kansas and my actual (electorial vote) is going to McCain. I really, really wanted to like McCain, but he is just not the same person he was in 2000. That's just too bad, I am pretty sure the 2000 McCain would kick the 2008 McCain's ass.

I don't care who people vote for either, please just go vote.

Market Status Update...

2008-10-24T14:30:00.001-05:00

(que cool news ticker evening news beginning music)

Well don't know if anyone has been looking at the news recently but the economy is in the can. Some people are seeing this time as now being a buying opportunity, but I am not so sure. I have bought some PM stock and VTI shares, but otherwise I am keeping about half of my money off of the table. Why, because well I am observing my environment.

Fact is I was laid off just a month and a half ago from what I do still think is a well run company. While I will not share the company's name, I will reveal their business, which is paint. Paint is a lovely commodity that can instantly give an investor a clear picture of one clear customer, the American Consumer. Let me explain a little bit further, paint covers everything a buyer really wants: appliances, mowers, home hardware, power tools, windows, cars, and mailboxes. Traditionally it is all that stuff you buy within six months of buying a house. The housing market dried up two years ago, and it started affecting the paint business six months after. Then the market sort of flattened out and paint was still being made, just at a lower rate. I recently learned that paint orders have basically just dropped off the face of the planet. That is a hair raising bad thing to hear.

I have a good ear to construction and agriculture equipment as well. I thought that when I left the con/ag situation a couple of years ago, things were going to start to fall off. I was wrong then, but look as if I am getting more right now. The Caterpillers, Deere, and CNH's of the world have actually started showing signs of slowing. I always think that when these companies as a collection start showing weakening returns, then that shows a slow down in all construction: residential, commercial, or government. To me that means funding is really drying up, loans are becoming much more scarce to build not only what is wanted but what is needed. Or even worse, industrial improvement operations have ceased and companies are now in waiting game mode.

So what does look good. Well during my interview process for a new job, I think that I found the industrial sectors that are doing well. Railroad car manufacturers cannot produce enough cars to keep up with demand. Increase costs in shipments by truck has led to a mini boom in railroad cars. Companies are working 7 days a week to keep up. I worry some about the railroad industry as the economic structure falters though for the industry, gas keeps falling as well too. Food ingredient companies are hiring and spending lots of money. My new job sells a certain type of equipment to various food, petrochemical, and industrial sectors. Well a quick scan of orders shows who is really spending cash, and food is in. They are going about spending smartly as well by expanding operations at current plants to state of the art systems that can reach a lot of profitable returns. I have been looking at Kroger (KR) but I think now companies like Kraft and Del Monte may be a good bet.

The economy is still in rough shape however, a lot of good people have made some bad decisions and more foreclosures are still coming over the next 2 -4 years as these 3-5 ARM's expire and change rates. Remember that unemployment rates are not necessarily showing the big picture either. For every job lost or plant closed, there is someone with a customer lost, and then some money on their paycheck is lost and so on and so forth. It's not just the unemployed's missing funds, but the ripple affect will move on to contractors, salesmen, commission jobs, and small business. That in turn will hurt the big businesses that much more. I think we are six months to a year before this truly bottoms out.

Government is focused on the day to day lending and borrowing but truly what will save the common American is working with the mortgages that they are upside down in. I think that what will end up saving us is a forcing of a low interest rates on banks loans for those who screwed up and in turn lower the borrower's monthly payments. I don't care if they make them 40 year fixed or whatever, banks will be in a lot better shape with a steady payment and by extending the loan years will ensure that they still get their money in the long run. Foreclosures are not working, and bailing out banks is a Band-Aid. Rooting out a solution for the actual mortgage issue should be the top priority. I think people will start spending again once they know that they can make the payment for the month and their family is safe.

I guess we will all see. Be careful out there and keep some money back.

Exciting Halloween Costumes

2008-10-23T20:10:00.002-05:00

Phat Phelps:
Fat guy, Speedo. 8 sports participation ribbons.

Chinese Olympic Gymnast:
Leotard, Diaper, and huge smile.

Chiefs Quarterback:
Glue bench to butt and injured reserve letter on head, and greasy hands that are unable to hold football. Money in back pocket optional.

Bad Idea :
Dress as $.99 store recycle bag or Royals professional baseball contract or Drill Bit with ANWR painted on it.

Good idea:
Dress as windmill or mattress stuffed with cash or CFL Bulb or 4 cyl engine.

Banker:
Find empty wine barrel, carve out bottom, add suspenders, tie, and cigar. Or wear suit complete on front, completely ripped off on back.

AIG Executive:
Armani Hobo outfit, don’t forget golf clubs and tickets to Club Med in pocket. (Note utilizing interpretive dance to avoid tough questions about using taxpayer bailout money for executive retreat). Or dress as gigantic douche bag.

Chiefs GM, Various Bank CEO’s, President Bush:
Dress as gigantic douche bag.

Presidential Candidate:
Mask that has Obama face on one side McCain on the other, must know how to lie constantly or I mean “promise change” to everyone around you. Shell game prop would be handy at taking people’s money. If they want their money back hand them a few pennies and call it an economic stimulus package. Make sure to burn all money acquired from the shell game at the end of the night.

Congressman with significant economic stimulus package:
Costume not available at this time.

Mortgage Broker:
Wear suit, cover thoroughly in Teflon, whiten teeth, and grease palms. Blame everyone else for problems.

American:
Blackberry, cigarette, Starbuck’s coffee cup, repo-ed Lexus cutout, $400,000 foreclosure home cutout, Mc D’s Manager uniform, and white picket fence optional. Must text constantly, sweat, and only talk about how crappy you are paid, and how you should have bought a BMW instead. If asked about foreclosed home or repo-ed Lexus act as if you never saw it coming. Ask for credit applications every time you meet a new person.

American Company CEO:
Suit, Scrooge-McDuck-sized money bag, and golden parachute. Must speak in nonsensical verbiage like, "synergistic parallels" or "knowledge cohesion" and must always choose the wrong decision. While at the party talk about moving the keg processing operation overseas to save money. Hand out pink slips constantly.

American Healthcare System
Body bag and gurney. Have buddy dressed as douche bag, I mean as a lawyer, push you around the party and talk about what great shape you are in.

Real Time Stock Ticker
Wear all red and bounce on trampoline. Occasionally fall, and only get up after conversation with person dressed as Warren Buffett or douche bag. Or person dressed in shorts may trip you constantly.

American Consumer Confidence:
Rent zombie outfit.

Ben Bernanke or Henry Paulson:
Rent Ronald McDonald outfit and juggle. Hand out money all night to people dressed as douche bags.

Read before it goes to the archives...

2008-10-19T07:34:00.004-05:00

An excellent interview this weekend in the Wall Street Journal of Anna Schwartz about the current economic crisis versus some of our past economic downturns. She co-wrote a book that Bernanke thinks is the best explination of great depression failures in the 30's. Please stop and read it this weekend while it is free and before it turns into the WSJ archive.

Link here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122428279231046053.html

Cash is King

2008-10-18T17:36:00.003-05:00

So we all have heard the comment, "Cash is King!" Usually I heard it around my old job downtown, with a lot of these little mom and pop places that didn't like being charged some fee from Visa or Mastercard to get their money. Now I can't help but think about the comment when I see US banks, automakers, insurers, and brokers claiming that they are in million dollar short falls. So who actually has the money if all of these companies don't have it? I don't know, but I bet a year's worth of garnished wages that it will end up being us. I won't pretend to know the answer to this economic crisis, but a part of me is getting a bit more anxious about where all this financial support from this government is coming from. Am I the only one that sees raised taxes on the horizon from whomever the next president is going to be?

The golden parachutes of top execs piss me off, what they have gotten paid to ruin companies really piss me off. Welsch, Iacocca, and Ford are probably amazed at how crappy CEO's have become, the countries companies are run by bankers and not grind your nose out leaders.

Banks making loans out to people they never should have pisses me off, people who cannot afford those loans piss me off. The American Dream is sometimes meant to be a dream, not a reality. How people got massive amounts of money without putting in the time really bothers me. A society of these people is a huge problem.

I guess I want to say that, I saved my money living in crappy housing to put together the traditional 20% for a home. I have always had a emergency fund account that took care of me when I didn't have a job or when my dog needed surgery or whatever. And how will I be rewarded: inflation, higher taxes, crappy healthcare, and a government that doesn't have any clue about what Americans really need. Whatever happened to leaders, real leaders, planners, real planners, and how about a person with a clue on how to get us back to a better place.

Where have all the good people gone?

My Job Search Update...Things are looking up.

2008-09-26T07:40:00.003-05:00

Well today I am writing before my phone call with a particular company to accept a position as a Project Design Engineer. It is a little different from my last job working as a Project Engineer doing capital projects for a factory, but it definately falls into the realm of rounding out my experience. It is hard to believe as engineer that I haven't done much literal design, but I haven't. That makes this job a little exciting, but I also have some reservations about the position. Basically, I will be the guy I used to hire at my last job to design, build, and install specialized pieces of equipment. This includes my skills as contractor negotiator, project manager, and will now push my engineering design skills forward. It should be exciting.

What is unfortunate is that no other company moved with the speed as this company did. There are several really good Project Engineering positions available in the KC area, but none of them really showed any interest until late. This company has acted quickly, throwing me in a couple of interviews in a short period of time and making an offer a week later. I definately don't want to be unemployed for a long period of time in this economy either, so this is a good fit for now.

Long term who knows, I still love the idea of the corporate jet-setting Project Engineer, but we will work this angle for now. I need to start preparing now, I have a few things to negotiate with HR before I accept the position. More job search series coming...

Somebody please fix Sears!

2008-09-22T22:05:00.000-05:00

Someone please fix Sears / Kmart's financial situation. I 100% don't want to see this company fold. Let me tell you why, support and service.

I recently had a 6-year-old Kenmore washing machine die on me and after speaking with a sales guy at Sears (the guy who should be selling me a new washer), I found that I needed to replace the motor coupler. After searching online through there http://www.managemyhome.com/ website, I found the part I needed, the diagram to pull the thing apart, and the location of the nearest Sears Parts Center. Which I might add was opened on Sunday, and to rest my mind, was told that they would be open for a little bit on Labor Day if I had any problems. Get it, they are supporting the common home owner, I can't believe it. Anyway my next delima was a 15-year-old Craftsman Garage Door Opener. The drive gear sheared off and I thought, hey it's probably time to by a new one. My GF's brother wouldn't have it, he saw what we did to the washer and said he would figure it out. A couple of computer clicks, a drive to the store, and $20 later we had the garage door all fixed.

Couple this with ever so easy to replace Craftsman hand tools, solid prices, and I am convinced this is still America's store. That is if America can remember to use it. I think it has an image problem and not necessarily a product thing. Make all Kmarts into Sears and then try to make the stores not feel so stuffy. So please someone fix Sears so it lasts and lasts as a store around the corner, because I don't know what I am going to need to fix next year around Labor Day.

Ticket to Crazytown: Market Thoughts...

2008-09-21T19:36:00.003-05:00

Well I haven't updated on stocks recently, but should probably say that I went to all cash except for Baldor (BEZ) Wednesday morning and then picked up one of those two stocks that I have been eyeing Phillips Morris International (PM). I have been thinking a lot about the market and how to make safe money in this our current economy and have come up with a couple of thoughts.

The first being I am going to stay away from ETF's until there are real signs of market improvement. This may sound crazy, ETF's by nature are supposed bring some stabilization, but all the ones that I have held and were eyeballing have been slowly deteriorating in share price. I am negative 20% on my account because of it. When signs truly trend a little better I will buy VTI and PWV again, but for now I am going to wait.

The second being that there is some real values out there right now. If you are a contrarian investor you should be having a field day. I am trying to find some real hard and firm value stocks with good economy proof basics. Baldor is still one of those stocks for reasons that I have spoken about before. Philips Morris International is one that should be both economy proof to the US and also provide long term growth across the world, and because smokers smoke. The others that I have been looking at is Kroger (KR), Intel (INTC), and Ship Finance International Limited (SFL). I am searching for more, but I am looking for a solid long term companies.

I am interested to know what other people think of what has happened with the economy. I have mixed feelings for the government's bailout / takeover / whatever that has occurred this week. On the one hand I am glad that they are doing something, I think that the current financial market dictates that this needed to occur. I don't like that it is my money, but I think that saving us from a complete financial collapse is a good thing. On the other hand, I am pissed that we all didn't do something six months ago when we knew that this was a possibility and when it would cost us a lot less. Beware now of the hidden inflation that will now occur. I am unsure how it will affect the everyday person, but we can't keep throwing money at sinking ships and expect for the return to add value to the economy. I am nervous that is for sure.