The Wisdom of Warren Buffett
I saw this post going around Facebook and thought I would share this as well. I agree with Warren Buffet on some things and not on others, this one I totally agree with. Congress has become the proverbial “fat, dumb and lazy” and while they do little for their communities they have done one thing well – feather their own beds. We need more than change in congress and Washington D.C., we need an overhaul.
“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes,” he told CNBC. “Y
pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more
than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible
for re-election.
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds)
took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple!
The people demanded it. That was in 1971 – before computers, e-mail,
cell phones, etc.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year
or less to become the law of the land – all because of public pressure.
Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to
a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask
each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will
have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed
around.
Congressional Reform Act of 2012
1. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no
pay when they’re out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social
Security.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the
Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the
American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all
Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise.
Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and
participates in the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the
American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void
effective 12/1/12. The American people did not make this
contract with Congressmen/women.
Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in
Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their
term(s), then go home and back to work.
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will
only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive
the message. Don’t you think it’s time?
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!
If you agree, pass it on. If not, delete.
Folks We’re Screwed – Election 2012
I haven’t written anything here in a long while but I felt compelled to put up a post this evening about the Presidential Election. If you didn’t vote, you can’t complain about my post. If you voted, then fire away. This is a point-of-view on the state of our country. Not my words but i totally agree.
Over five thousand years ago, Moses said to the children of Israel ,
Pick up your shovels, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead
you to the Promised Land.”
“Lay down your shovels, sit on your asses, and light up a Camel, this
is the Promised Land.”
Today, Congress has stolen your shovel, taxed your asses, raised the
price of Camels and mortgaged the Promised Land!
I was so depressed last night thinking about Health Care Plans, the
economy, the wars, lost jobs, savings, Social Security, retirement
funds, etc …. I called a Suicide Hotline.
I had to press 1 for English.
I was connected to a call center in Pakistan . I told them I was
suicidal. They got excited and asked if I could drive a truck.
Folks, we’re screwed.
Vienna – World’s Best City to Live – Again
For those of you that know me, you know that I love going to Vienna. Aside from having the coolest tram (designed by Porsche) it’s just a very beautiful, friendly and scenic city. And it’s ranked #1 again as the worlds best city to live in. Check out the article from CNN.
And on of my Favorite places in Vienna, Fischerbräu, picture from one my Flickr Vienna Sets
Black Friday Boasts $816 Million, Up 26 Percent vs. Year Ago
#SOSUS
Black Friday was up 26% over last year. Let’s see what Cyber Monday brings for etailers this year! And there was even some pepper spraying to keep things lively.
comScore reported U.S. retail e-commerce spending for the first 25 days of the November – December 2011 holiday season.
For the holiday season-to-date, $12.7 billion has been spent online, marking a 15-percent increase versus the corresponding days last year.
Black Friday (November 25) saw $816 million in online sales, making it the heaviest online spending day to date in 2011 and representing a 26-percent increase versus Black Friday 2010. Thanksgiving Day (November 24), while traditionally a lighter day for online holiday spending, achieved a strong 18-percent increase to $479 million.
The full version of the press release is available at: http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2011/11/Black_Friday_Boasts_816_Million_in_U.S._Online_Holiday_Spending
Social Media and Going Viral
Every Monday I look forward to seeing the cartoon that Tom Fishburne comes up to start the week off. This weeks cartoon was another nail on the head for digital brand marketers everywhere.
Recently, I was working with a friend and she was asking about how to create a viral strategy for her product launch. My response – same as it always is when agencies or marketers ask this question – “Viral is not a strategy, it’s an outcome”.
Brands and their agencies spend a lot of time conjuring up “viral strategies” and on a good day about one percent actually go viral. And for the ones that do, it’s truly a combination of stellar creative, an excellent story and a payoff (for the consumer) that has a great and fun twist. And a many of the most successful viral campaigns are not what most brands would consider “brand safe”. For the brands that understand the differences between strategy vs. outcome and how to push the envelope of brand safety, the viral world is yours to enjoy!
Writing Well in The Workplace – A Lost Art?
IMHO, one of the side effects of the cacophony email we all troll through every day, is that we have lost some skill in writing well in the workplace.
Recently, I was in the midst of writing a company-wide email. As I was editing, I peered over to something I keep posted near my desk. This list of tips always helps keep my written communication at the office in check and helps ensure I’m writing clearly and as concise as possible. I thought I would share.
I would enjoy hearing your thoughts.
Outline for Management Communication
- This (recommends, analyzes, answers etc): All communication should start by telling the reader what you are doing and why they should read it. Add a 3-5 sentence executive summary. Finish with who concurs with your work.
- Background: Short, direct summary of the salient info that the reader needs to understand your proposed action or summary.
- Summary of Analysis or Recommendation: The meat of the document and what the reader needs to understand or what you want them to do.
- Basis or Rationale: Why you believe what you do. Keep to a maximum of three. Anything after that the reader will not retain. Rank in priority order
- Rejected Alternate Solution: Optional. Should be used when making a reco and is your second best choice. Use when you know the reader wants to look at a certain area but you decide it is not the best course of action.
- Next steps: What you propose to do, by when and by whom. Use numbers if you want to sequence. Use bullets if no particular order is necessary
- Close and cc: your signature and copy any appropriate parties.
Decisions
“Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
An’ if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know!”
- The Clash
Although The Clash was signing about something a little different, do you think the inner monologue of Former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs may be a bit similar at the moment? There is a lot of buzz about Gibbs being pursued by Facebook to be their next head of communications. Clearly Gibbs is well suited for the role but methinks if Facebook really is after him, it is about much more than communications and more likely his deft skills at navigating the sea of lobbyist and policy makers in Washington D.C.
One simple reason why I could see Facebook wanting Gibbs is their road ahead may be fraught with lots of government regulation issues around online privacy, data collection, etc. An in-house expert, like Gibbs, would be a significant advantage in dealing with potential government issues that may be ahead in the US as well as the EU. And then there is the equity upside for Gibbs at the hottest pre-IPO company in the valley.
Then again Gibbs could also go and work for Obama on the “Election Campaign – Part Deux” But shhh…it’s all still a secret with Gibbs for now
And since you all know I really like to grok about Online Privacy, here is a great primer from the friendly folks at the IAB
