Send out the clowns

Things in this country are a mess. Ergo, I’m currently completing an exercise that I’m positive that many Americans are also participating in. I’m taking an inventory of what is going on in the world, wondering how it affects my life, trying to figure out how responsible the politicians are, and trying to figure out if any of the current batch of politicians is capable of fixing the things that I believe that they are responsible for.

But ...before I move on I want to add a couple of caveats. I represent main stream America. Most of my opinions are formed by what I hear and see through mainstream media. I listen to folks on both sides of the aisle so I think I am able to walk the tightrope and keep any bias in check. I do have a few “informed” friends but most of my views are shaped by what I see and hear and what is affecting my life.

So here are a few things that are important to me. If any politician wants my vote they will try to work on clearing these things up. Politicians always take credit for anything that is positive (Think Al Gore and the internet) so I’m going to ask that they take responsibility for the negative as well.


The Economy, stupid- I want to work in a land where barriers to innovation are destroyed and where the Dagny Taggart’s of the world can spread their wings. The minute that special interests and pork barrel spending (Think farm subsidies) enter the equation we lose efficiency for the sake of pandering for votes and influence. As a result we see things like the Ethanol/Gas situation. Politicians have won primary votes in the mid west but they’ve created a solution that is more of a mess. I think that the primary role of government is to make sure that the economy is free to operate and fair for everyone.

Gas Prices- I realize that this is related to point 1. Poor policy leads to inflation, which leads to a weakened dollar, which is one of the factors leading to really sucky gas prices, which leads to me getting my bike tuned up. Hell, we had a plan and a program to send a man to the moon. Why can’t we have a sound energy policy that can increase oil supply in the short term, select an alternative fuel that is less harmful, help create the necessary infrastructure to extract, refine, and distribute the fuel, and provide incentives to the private sector to create machines that will run off of it? We’re getting close to crisis mode here.

Belligerent Foreign Policy- This is where the Bush Administration really lost me. It has tried to paint the world as black and white and bully everyone into that paradigm. At least in Saddam we knew what we had. Now we have created a black hole in the Middle East that could last years. We’ve polarized the world against us. And our war effort is draining valuable money that needs to be spent with more pressing issues at home. I wish we could just turn our attention home so that we could fix ourselves first before we pretend to preach to the world.

Infrastructure- This hasn’t affected my day to day routine too badly but I fear that it will down the road. We have an aging infrastructure that needs to be fitted for the 21st Century. This is going to come with an incredible price tag and I wonder how it is going to be covered.

Legislating morals- I’m kind of fed up when I see Congress spending their time dealing with baseball players with steroid issues. I have a hard time when Government tries to get involved in moral issues that can best be dealt with on a local or state level. I strongly believe in morality but I also strongly believe in freedom of choice. I believe that the government should defend certain basic morality. But I feel more comfortable my religious education from the church of my choice then having it come from a government.

Well, this has become a little long winded. I usually stay out of politics but it has gotten to the point where it is affecting “main street” America. I have become very disillusioned with the current President. But I just don’t believe that either McCain or Obama has the ability to be a whole lot better.

Help me Obi- Wan you’re my only hope.

Uncovering the internet

Like many people I have my daily internet routine. I have 10-15 sites that I visit without fail multiple times a day. Unfortunately this gets old and distracting. I always love it when a friend uncovers a new site, especially the type of site- think www.howstuffworks.com- that you can spend hours on and not feel completely guilty.

Well, I have been enjoying www.lumosity.com. It was featured on PC Mag's Top 100 undiscovered websites. It's like Christmas in June.

Here is the link to the complete list. (Most of them are for computer geeks, but there are a few new gems worthy of inclusion for the daily circulation.)

http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/0,1206,l=213934&pg=0&s=25234&a=213919,00.asp

Well the new site is live. I don't expect that it will generate a lot of business for me but it should provide some professional polish when people view my site after I meet them. It lets them now I'm serious and ready for business.

An old gem

So I was rummaging through an old disk drive when I stumbled across this. I made this when I was working in Mexico during the spring of 1999. I was pretty bored at work and figured that my time was best spent learning power point. So here is my life, circa 1999, as presented by Microsoft technology. (Please excuse the formating. The upload caused certain slides to get a little funky.)

Running off the rough edges

I came to a certain understanding the other morning while I was slogging away on the treadmill. I was somewhere between miles 4 and 5 and I was desperately trying to keep my mind occupied and away from the fact that I was jogging for that long. The mental exercise involved me replaying some of my finest athletic achievements from my youth, keep in mind that they are few and far between, and then determining whether or not I could replay those feats in my current physical condition. The conclusion?

NO.

I no longer have that burst or ability to cut quickly. I guess that happens with age. I even observe it while watching the older players in the NBA or NFL. The player no longer has the ability to dart or weave so his actions become more measured, more controlled, more economical. It’s just a fact of life. As we get older our flashes of brilliance get replaced with more level play. I suppose that this analogy can carry over to a wider range of relevance.

When we are young we want the music loud, the movie big, and the extra value meal. We think in terms of big returns, massive ratings, and big curves. As we get older our experience and wisdom kick in. We start to balance our checkbook, watch our diet, and think in more tempered moderation. A large part of that may be due to the fact that we have more at stake- family, career, etc…- and that we are responsible for more things then just ourselves.

So we evolve. I look at myself and see that the rough edges and spiky hair have been replaced with softer features and a more corporate look. I work within my limitations but I also still see possibility. Aging isn’t all that bad once you get used to it. Instead of preparing for a sprint I am trying for a long distance race. There is still much that can be attained and accomplished. I don’t mind the process so long as you don’t fill up my closet with a bunch of chinos and polo shirts.

The tracks keep a comin'

I was hoping to have this one complete but the timing of the vocals were off in a couple of places. I need to go back on the drawing board. The final cut will also contain a hammond organ in the bridge and an additional guitar.

Feedback is appreciated.

Click here to listen to Ryan's super cool "Untitled-Track-1-46"

Where have all the “early risers” gone?

We see it all around us. Its ubiquitous, it’s everywhere, you can’t look at a single scene from our daily existence without running right into it. You’ve most likely fallen victim to it more then once. It can be equal parts help meet and hell. It is also, in my opinion, one of the primary reasons that we have witnessed such a precipitous decline as a nation these past several years.

What is it? It can be called many names. Short cut. Expedience. Convenience. But at it’s core it’s the same….wanting optimal results with minimal effort.

It can be very simple and with minimal consequences. Something that comes to mind might be a fast food dinner. It’s understandable that time is at a premium and that we can’t expect a five star meal without the effort. Yet we still want to get a good meal and keep our figures. These circumstances span a whole litany of ’30 Minute Meals’, Home-Style Deli’s, and frozen meals. Yep, we all want to feel like we are having aunt Betty’s blueberry pie but we don’t want to put in the time or hours to get it right.

But things can get far worse when the stakes are raised. And this is what has me worried about where we are heading. Here are a couple of examples to illustrate the point:

• I see so many people who look to ’swing from the fences’ when it comes to finances. As a result you see so many schemes that are marketed as low risk- high reward. The whole lottery mentality has replaced the notion of slowly building up a nest egg.
• This extends to companies. I see a lot of small firms and venture capitalists who have 3-5 year plans. They want only to fatten up a company to the point that it can be taken to the market and sold. So in essence they want 30 years worth of income for 3 years worth of work. I understand that those that take the high risks need the high rewards. But I’ve been a part of several of these companies and the greater emphasis on the short-term (getting a company ready for the sale) has greatly and negatively impacted the company’s long term viability. (I wish I had some statistical evidence to validate this claim.)
• I even see this with larger more established companies. Long term goals are completely ignored because short-term expectations need to be met. Programs that will pay great dividends down the road are sacrificed in order to meet the Wall-Street EBITDA expectations for that quarter. A vicious cycle ensues as companies have to find increasingly creative, and sometimes unethical and unwise, ways to keep up with investor expectations.
• Perhaps no world is more soiled then the realm of politics. One of the strange ironies however is that we excoriate the politicians for actions that many of us practice in our own private lives. Politicians operate at the behest of the latest opinion poll and pander for votes by adding wasteful pork to our public spending. Our budget is shot to hell and no current politicians have the courage or leadership to do the necessary things to getting things back on track. Not when it would mean that you might short change a powerful lobbyist or offend one of the hands that feed you.
• It’s not just business. It extends to popular culture and relationships as well. It seems like everyone is pandering for their 20 seconds on You tube. Nothing can top the instant gratification that comes with the thrill of seeing your senseless exploit viewed by 200,000 anonymous viewers or colleagues, or potential employers. The dark side of this primal urge is revealed when we see people denigrate, humiliate, or scandalize others for the sake of the temporary notoriety. This is yet another case in which people are willing to sacrifice the long-term efforts required to build an honest reputation for the thrill being talked about.

I could go on and on with more examples of people or organizations that have stunted the natural gains that come through hard work and labor by making short sighted decisions. I have lived long enough to where I can successfully measure the ebbs and flows of societal progress.
In talking to people and organizations I am able to observe motivations. Sadly these motivations generally don’t include things like group benefit. It is a lot ‘parts not looking to sum up into something greater’. Short cuts are being taken at an alarming pace. Self interest has never been higher. Effort has never been lower.

Crap…I better not continue for fear of setting off the apocalypse. I believe that at our roots we are all great. But I hope that we realize that before our situation becomes worse, our purchasing power further diminished, and our “light on the hill” has been extinguished by the economic and military prowess of China or the moral superiority of some other culture or form of government.

The Essence of Life

Sure, it's in human nature to aspire for something that is bigger and better then what we currently have. I think that we've all seen enough sales pitches from the neighbors down the street who want to get us involved in the next big MLM scheme to agree. While yachts, shiny red European cars, a 5th home in the Carribbean, and endless cuts of Omaha Steaks are all nice, I would have to declare that it's the simple pleasures that really squeeze joy from the fruit of life. Hat's off to those people who can live independent of the rat race and can enjoy those things that are simple, cheap, and around us....those things that might be unheralded or simply waiting to be discovered.


Here is my own little simple pleasure list:

• Public Libraries
• Cheap books at half.com
• "Promenade" by U2
• Fresh almonds, lightly roasted
• The 1st season of "Arrested Development"
• Free software
• Walks at dusk in Phoenix when the Orange trees are blossoming
• Photography
• Revisiting old back issues of Sports Illustrated and National Geographic
• Fun time with kids
• Getting great service at your favorite restaurant
• Ideas
• Coming up with schemes with friends
• Wikipedia
• Frosted Mini-Wheats
• Weekend getaways
• Music Making
• Netflix

Selling a house in a bearish market

I've got somewhat of a conundrum on my hands. I've got a perfectly fine house that I'd like to sell....in the midst of a very tight real estate market. I could wait and sell the house in a year or two once the market stabilizes. I live in a great area that will continue to see growth and investment. But that delays our goal of getting into a more suitable "family friendly" house when the market is ripe with good buys.

So I am going to test the market now and see how it plays out. If no wealthy benefactor decides to swoop in and make a generous offer I will just rent it out. Until then we have a nice weekend cottage in the city.

Here is the link to the MLS listing for your viewing pleasure. Don't be afraid to make an offer.

Your Future Dream Home

I've been drafted

Fact: Men devote too much time to sports.

That fact applies to me as well. But I try to do my part by limiting my sports watching hours to Football, basketball, and a little soccer. There is one event, however, that has held a spell over me since I was a wee tot. The NFL Draft. It my siren song and I am its captive sailor.

Why is the draft so cool? Why do I watch hours of TV in early April of the same stupid talking heads debating picks into oblivion? I think I heard 25 hours worth of opinion regarding who the Rams should take with the 2nd pick. Why do I care about what kind of draft grade the Cowboys got with their picks even though none of the players have even played a game?

The draft is somewhat special because it is an event that includes everyone. It is the rare day that the Lions could come out a winner. It allows the average fan the chance to step into the role of the GM and try to pick the right player for their club. There is a definite fantasy football type of aspect to the draft. And I guess that is why it is so wildly popular.

Well the draft has come and gone and I am mildly satisfied with how the Cowboys picked. I am eternally grateful for Jodi for putting up with me this past weekend and even feigning interest in the process. Now this is over and I have to what a while before I get some more football news. Until then I have the Jazz to satisfy my sports fix.

This is a desert?

Most people conjure up images of the barren Sahara or atleast anything around Las Vegas when the word desert is brought up. But after living in Phoenix for several years you grow to realize that this stereotype doesn't quite pertain. There are places here that at the right time appear to be just downright verdant and lush.

Here are some recent photos from the famed Superstition Mountains that are east of Mesa. We will continue to poke around these hills in search of desert beauty and some of the Lost Dutchmans cache of gold.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ronifer/SuperstitionMountains

New Song

I've taken my act back to the studio. I still have about 12 songs to record before I feel comfortable in moving on to new stuff. This song is a couple of years old and carries emotion from another time and place.


Click here to listen to "Held-you-in-my-arms-once-upon-a-time"

Open for business

The dream is slowly becoming a reality. I've got my first work and as things grow I will need to look the part. Lacuna Strategy, LLC was formed this week and the business cards and websites will follow shortly there after. Thanks, Gar and Glen for the help.

Here is a sneak peak at the card. The journey begins.

Rome and a little Photoshop

Here are a couple of the better shots from Rome. They have been altered somewhat by Photoshop.

The New Venture

I've started my own company, Lacuna Strategy LLC. I've been doing a lot of marketing consulting lately and I thought that I should incorporate as to take advantage of some tax benefits. It has been very exhilerating so far and I look forward to doing things like business cards, website, branding, and sales.


Here are a couple of current logos that I am working on. By way of explanation- Lacuna is Latin for "gap". My services bridge the gap between what customers currently do in terms of marketing and what they can accomplish with the right strategic guidance. (Triangle 1= Company wit

h smallish performance, Triangle 2=The company as it would want to be, The Line= the solutions provided by Lacuna)

Disregard the colors, they are showing up wrong. It should be Navy Blue and Gold.

Wedding Links

Enjoy some photos from the wedding. They can be viewed from the following links.

http://www.pictage.com/448096

Sorry that you have to put up with that gnarly registration process.

The new gold rush

Our recent trip to Europe highlighted one thing. The dollar sucks. It becomes less abstract and more real when you have to shell out $80 for a very average pasta dinner. Since most major commodities are sold in dollars it also means that things like gas and gold become that much more expensive.
The press has caught on and I recently watched some special on the local news about "Gold parties" where people gather together and hawk their old jewelry for cash. With a recession looming, with Gold prices at $1,000/ounce and Platinum at $2,000/ounce this has created somewhat of another gold rush. The big difference being that instead of combing the foothills above Sutters Mill we are all secretly scouring through our spouses jewelry in search of that pair of earrings that they really didn't like.
I took an old platinum/gold ring and decided to play the game....daddy needed a new blazer from Banana Republic. I took my act over to a local jewelry/hobby store in the area. The type of place that smelt of many years and poor taste. The trip was memorable.
I was greeted by a large cage. I buzzed in the door and entered the cage. From there someone on the inside buzzed me through the next door. The place was a veritable low budget fortress with bars and security cameras protecting the small cache of 18th Century coins, baseball cards, and tasteless jewelry. It was also exceptionally crowded and I was given a number to wait my turn. I perused the collection of old European coins and eavesdropped in on some conversations.
To my left was an elderly lady with a shoebox. She poured it out in front of the store owner who was wearing loupe and trying to find value in her dusty treasure trove. She went through each piece and after explaining its history (things like 'this was given to me by an ex-husband after I discovered that had been cheating on me') passed it on to the owner. He examined it for a few seconds, weighed it, and then pulled out his calculator to determine what he would offer. This followed with each piece. She ended up walking away with $400 for troubles and probably took her new wad of cash directly over to the nearest bingo table.
I observed this event with a few other people. I saw a kid and a mom, probably amateur coin collectors, try to trade some coins. I saw a middle aged man and his watch. It was all quite interesting.
Finally my turn arrived. My situation was a little more complicated because he also had to calculate how much platinum was involved. He gave me a fair quote but I decided that I would get a second quote elsewhere or at least to try and sell it directly without a middle man. I went home and got one of those free "gold kits" you see on TV and am using that route to squeeze an extra $100 out of the ring.
The whole experience was quite interesting. I was able to see how inventive and desperate people can be when it comes to making ends meet. I was also able to witness how broad economic happenings can affect live on 'main street.'

Italian Impressions Version 1

We will spend the next couple of entries recapping some of the highlights, memories, and key learnings from the Italian trip.

Rome at first glance

Rome is akin to Janus. You have to deal with both faces. There is much to love and there is much to hate. We enjoyed our stay by coming to grips with the good and the bad.

Some of the good:

• Rome is steeped in 3,000 years of history. You can find it on every corner.
• Rome has all of the requisite romantic stops (Trevi, Spanish Steps, etc...) that make it appealing to couples.
• Rome has a definite vibe and pulse. While it can be overwhelming to some, it is worth experiencing.
• Food and dining is an integral part of Roman living.
• Clothing and style is also an essential part of the Roman experience. Savor the 3 Euro ties.
• The popes commissioned and stole some pretty good art over the centuries. Take advantage of this and visit the myriad locations.
• Experienced with an insider or with inside knowledge and the very best of Rome can be experienced. You will avoid the traps designed to suck money and experience the places that get the seal of approval and patronage of the local populace.

Some of the bad:

• Everything has a price. The Vactican for 2? About $40. A drink of water? Try 3 Euro.
• The price is exponentially more steep for the unwitting tourist. There are many traps waiting to spring on a couple of unsuspecting sight seers from Yonkers. You can easily spend $50 for a horrible pasta dinner if you go to the wrong place.
• The constant crowds can be grating. We went during the low season and we still felt the body heat. We broke our Rome stay by taking a couple of excursions. This made things a little less overwhelming.
• The damn dollar. It was a deflating experience to check the internet everyday and discover that your greenback got you less and less.

Italy Highlights

The next few entries will probably contain highlights from our recent Italian excursion. So pull up a cup of Gelato and enjoy.

In the meantime click on the following link to view some pictures.

The Roman Jensens

Pre wedding Highlights

Day 1 activities:

-Camelback Hike

-18 Holes of Golf (Thanks Bott)

-Rehearsal Dinner @Monti's.