For Confiscatory Socialization To Work It Has To Have A Bogeyman

by Pietro Savo

Father’s Day started with many colorful cards from my six children, and a relaxed morning quietly reading old issues of the Wall Street Journal neatly stacked up on my office floor. The Wall Street Journal is a good publication for understanding the unfiltered reality, no matter how old the newspaper is, for that reason they don’t enter the recycling bin until thoroughly scanned over. Small-business employment accounts for about 80% of the jobs in the United States, and what has created such a death grip on our economy is the weakness in small-business employment. (Source: Wall Street Journal, Apr 3, 2009)

Small-businesses searching for hope often turn to the Small Business Administration (SBA) website, and there you will find talk of Economic Stimulus Package and the bottom-line small business tax cuts. (Source: U.S. Small Business Administration Website) Here is the problem, if you don’t have any work what good is tax cuts? Small-business job productivity trickles down from large corporations, and today labeled the most productive citizens and strategically called the rich. The rich in a confiscatory socialization mind-set represents the bogeyman. Here is the problem those of us in the middle and lower class will be the ones who suffer from a reduction in jobs caused by higher taxes on large corporations. Resulting in higher prices for almost all durable goods and for anything produced and less money to invest in the trickled down effect for small business job creation. (Source: Wall Street Journal, Apr 4, 2009)

For confiscatory socialization to work it has to have a bogeyman, and when that bogeyman becomes totally consumed. Perhaps the next bogeyman is the middle or lower class? Not to worry we will be suffering from the confiscatory socialization strategy long before that happens, perhaps we already are?

Manufacturing Research Practitioner™ by Pietro

Credit Card Industry Friend or Foe, You Decide!

by Pietro Savo

Credit card industry and drug dealers have a great deal in common, the business models are similar. Strategically targeting young people in college, credit card industry throws many risky credit card applications into student’s mailboxes. Think about this, how can a student afford any credit at all, and turn down what appears as free money? The enticement, the hook is easy, young inexperienced and unprepared to combat predatory lenders. 76 percent of undergraduates have credit cards, and the average undergrad has $2,200 in credit card debt. Having no means to pay off what you borrow begins a lifetime of indentured servitude. Never-ending, simply paying the minimum payment, pure interest, a predatory lenders delight. Real moneymakers for the credit card industry, they make back their money many-times over. The average outstanding credit card debt for households was $10,679 at the end of 2008. (Source: Nilson Report, April 2009)

The credit card industry in the United States with annual earnings in the $30 billion range is the most profitable industry. This industry started to become profitable as a result of deregulation, then the Supreme Court decision in the Smiley v. Citibank case lifted fees on what credit card banks could charge, and fees went from a modest $5 to $10 to today’s $29 to $39 fee for paying late or simply going over your credit limit. Credit card banks also use specific marketing tactics to increase their profits. The first is zero percent introductory interest rate offers, when this period ends the interest rate increases to 17 or 19% overnight. The second tactic used is to require a minimum monthly payment of only 2% to encourage cardholders to endlessly carry a balance so they can rake in more interest profit. (Source: Wall Street Journal, Apr 13, 2009)

There are those who can pay-off their cards every month. However, the credit card industry is banking on you not doing so. The credit card industry today a guaranteed moneymaking business model, they are banking on most of the credit cardholders not paying off their balance every month. Interest rates from 5% to 29%, anyone’s guess, the credit card industry forced organized crime’s moneylenders out of business; it is difficult to compete in a market legitimized by the government. That explains why credit card company profits are so high and their executives receive some of the largest salaries and bonuses in the corporate world. (Source: Wall Street Journal, Apr 13, 2009)

So what is the pay-off for credit card consumers, no pay-off exist; the only guarantee is a lifetime of paying back on a never-ending credit card balance? Since the United States Senate and United States Congress let this happen. Simply follow the lobbyists and the large sums of political donations directly to Washington politicians, the solution then becomes obvious, we need term limits for anyone in political office!

Manufacturing Research Practitioner™ by Pietro

The news media’s responsibility to society is to report the news, not create it! The day I met the President of the United States!

by Pietro Savo

The day I met the President of the United States, it was truly a celebration event, he spoke for an hour, no teleprompter, no prepared notes, and what he said that day naturally connected with everyone at the Armory in Manchester New Hampshire. The president was so near, I could look into his eyes, what I saw was the awesome responsibility of the office; can you imagine having the responsibility for an entire nation.

That day he created a genuine kinship with everyone there, everyone listening and everyone seeing a genuine leader. The same President of the United States, the same man the news media brought to trial, judged, and finally convicted. We often forget the media’s responsibility to society is to report the news, not create it. When the power of the media abuses our nation’s reality for political reason, the entire nation suffers and pays the price. When the news media became the supermarket tabloid, their credibility, became lost forever.

That day when the President of The United States’ approached me, he asked me how he was doing. So impressed by his question, all I could say was “fantastic Mr. President!” Can you imagine a son of an Italian immigrant meeting the President of the United States, with my cell phone in hand; I dialed my Mom and shared the moment with her. On October 5^th, 2002, the President of the United States autographed my Presidential Event entry ticket. Today this autograph is still one of my most cherished possessions.

Two Types of Intellectuals In Our World

by Pietro Savo

Two types of intellectuals in our world, the first being a person who makes productive non government good paying jobs for others, and the second type, a person who is only concerned with preserving their own employment. The first type represents the entrepreneur, the shakers, and movers, with an indisputable focus for making jobs; and the natural by-product becomes making money. The trouble with the second type is they do not leave the world better than they find it; this has largely a negative effect on society. The second types are easy to spot, they are always the first to criticize others or brag their self-proclaimed intellect in public.

Here is the big problem; perhaps over a time span of 40 years, the first type of intellectual outnumbered the second type by 10 to 1. Today the second type of intellectual out numbers the first type by 3 to 1. What becomes significantly interesting, the second type of intellectuals reading this statement will now have a greater concern for validity of the ratios or measures outlined, then the historical reality of this written paragraph.

What does this mean, it took over 40 years of selfish intellectual learning to advance the economic chaos we are experiencing today, and it will take many years to reverse the effects. Reasoning behind this lag in reversal is the second type of intellectual is slow to build up interest, or become motivated, because in their eyes, it’s someone else’s problem.

“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” Albert Einstein

The Video Game Culture Problem

by Pietro Savo

The video game culture problem, life does not have a reset or do over button. What has emerged from our society is a video game generation who has lost sight of real people limitations. In the gaming world when you die, your energy runs out, you lose and hit reset! Here is the problem, unfortunately, life does not have a reset button, and the results you acquire are permanent. Knowing the difference between reality and make-believe becomes impossible when you play endless video games. In truth, we have a generation in our society living with two realities, the first being an endless reset button with no risk to failure, and the second reality is fragile life itself. The behavioral concern occurs when mixing up the two. For example, someone driving a car and has an accident, that happens; or with the video gamer, the wrong reality kicks in causes an accident, today the mindset is no big deal, just hit the reset button.

Those of you who have children glued to the video game screen understand the reason for this blog. Having two conflicting behaviors creates a developmental clash in our society and people get hurt. This developmental behavior conflict stays with the person for their entire life. To reset is habit forming and easy, the video game culture has become generational, and virtually impossible to reverse. The old adage that too much of anything, even something fun, can actually be harmful, fits well with the video game culture.

Homeland Security Problem is the “Tip of The Iceberg!”

by Pietro Savo

The poorly informed Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano apologized to veterans after a report issued by her department said troops returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were at risk for recruitment by right-wing extremists. A leader’s role in a democratic society is to have enough experience to avoid insulting the men and women serving in the Armed Forces that keep them safe. Our Constitutional Fathers were patriots who believed in the freedoms that today are at risk because government officials act without thinking. Ultimately, we believe and hope the Obama administration finally becoming staffed with smart people; however, the evidence is contrary. Now the question that comes to mind, where was the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) while this government wrongly insulted and accused our veterans?

What happen to due process for our Armed Forces, what happened to due-process according to the ‘law of the land’ and whose duties it to protect the Armed Forces’ civil liberties? Napolitano’s apology was not the solution; she was simply re-acting to the symptom, getting to the root cause to Napolitano’s department’s error, the only way to ensure it never happens again.

Our founding fathers, as a deterrent against fancy governmental double speak, created the Constitution. Due process for all citizens is the law. When supposedly smart people from the Obama administration insult our nation’s finest citizens, this problem is simply the Tip of The Iceberg. Again another reason why government must be for the people and not just for more government, ACLU asleep on watch once again, clearly time to cut the ACLU’s funding!

Northwest to Delta Airlines Not Feeling the Love!

by Pietro Savo

In 2008 I flew over 35 round-trips; most of these flights were on Northwest Airlines. Traveling for a living characterizes anything but fun. Airport life is demanding, unpredictable, frustrating and simply stressful. Add the prospect for gambling for lost luggage; and now the recent headlines for the airborne flu threat and having to breathe with the high likelihood of swine flu filled air all about you. Think about this for a minute, breathing in the airtight metal tube filled with only 50% recirculated outside air. This means, the other 50% is germ filled spit, and now have a terrific flight. I wonder how soon before they start selling fresh air? I spend so much time breathing this air that I must have one hell of an immune system, well battle tested antibodies to combat all viruses known to man plus more; let’s hope so anyway.

The daily reminder that air travel is thousands of times safer than driving your car, having a window to roll down to let some fresh in will make that believable for me. Can it get worse, perhaps, yes? Recent Northwest Airlines buy out by Delta has made it even more difficult to feel the love. The transition has been slow; honestly, the superb customer service by Northwest has not transferred to Delta. Delta seems colder, less focused on customer’s satisfaction; a seasoned traveler can quickly sense the difference. Perhaps that is why Northwest is gone, and it may be time to shop around and find the next Northwest Airlines to patronize.