Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The Side Street Journal Weekly 3-10 April 2013


The Weekly Edition of 

The Side Street Journal
  
3 April 2013 to 10 April 2013

by

Slim Fairview


AAPL + Facebook join to buy AOL Time-Warner CNN. Most read article on my blog




Another source of traffic to my blog. http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/jcp/stream#.UWWPP_UXVT0 … Thank you. Sincerely, Slim
Another source of traffic to my blog. Thank you! Sincerely, Slim http://www.edge-labs.com/login/?next=/realtime/AAPL/ …


South Korea Germany UK Belize Canada Italy on my blog at the moment http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-volt-age-and-dead-batteries.html … Thank you all. Sincerely, Slim


Or, you can hand out this book to all your executives. ( one each) http://unwrittenrulesthebook.com/  Regards, Slim
@jcp ps. Still waiting for my Mac. Slim


$JCP & Sheldon Cooper's Big Bang Suit. With links to the first 3 articles: @JCP With Johnson out! Read them! http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/02/jcp-sheldon-coopers-big-bang-suit.html … Slim


@USTreasury @treasgov Will Lew come up with any projects? "Cliches & Slogans & Lew, Oh, My! http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/cliches-slogans-and-lew-oh-my.html … Regards, Slim

My Condolences on the passing of the former Prime Minister, Lady Margaret Thatcher. Indeed, a brilliant and effective leader. Not since L…
 


 
@Audi @VenablesBell Did $Audi pull a potentially great commercial rather than fix it? http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/mad-men-ad-men-or-sad-men.html … Still waiting for the Mac.

BREAKING Per $CNBC Part 2. $GM Resumes @facebook after 11 month hiatus. "Dear General, You're Welcome~Slim" http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-volt-age-and-dead-batteries.html …


BREAKING Per $CNBC $GM Resumes @facebook after 11 month hiatus. "Dear General, You're Welcome~Slim" http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/gm-and-telly-phone.html … Regards, Slim


BREAKING BlowOut Winner of the Day, Week, Month. Mad Men: Ad Men or Sad Men. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/mad-men-ad-men-or-sad-men.html … I'm still waiting for that Mac. Slim


Germany Russia UK Canada Greece India Denmark France Moldova Italy Mexico Namibia visited my blog. http://slimviews.blogspot.com  Thank you. Slim


http://lnkd.in/YGJpBu  Dear Messrs. Akshat Mangla, Nida Malik, and Vittorio E Malvezzi, thank you for the likes. Much valued. Sincerely,...




A Runaway success: Mad men: Ad Men or Sad Men. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/mad-men-ad-men-or-sad-men.html … Thank you.


Russia Germany Moldova UK Mexico Namibia Poland Canada France India Greece Switzerland on my blog. http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2013/04/china-not-what-where.html … Thank you, Slim


Point taken. I've been focusing on management issues lately. The international relations thing slipped in. Thank's Catarina. Sincerely, Slim




Weekly Top Hit Getter. The 2 for 1 article. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-visas-korean-crisis.html … Regards, Slim


@catarinaalexon Thank you for the Tweet, Catarina. Sincerely, Slim


Oops!!!!! I thought @FB was Facebook. It isn't. @Facebook is Facebook. & people wonder how stuff like this happens. My apologies to the FBI


GM & FACEBOOK 1 year ago. http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2012/05/gm-and-telly-phone.html … How are they doing? Slim


The Side Street Journal: Clichés, Slogans and Lew, Oh, My! http://fb.me/2rx8uYbu1 


J.C. Penney's home revamp is make or break for CEO Johnson http://fb.me/2jJVW0VA4 


Crunch Time is Over for Johnson. http://lnkd.in/vQ89GF  Regards, Slim http://lnkd.in/fVdXZi 


 


Did @Audi $Audi @VenablesBell Scrap a potentially great commercial rather than fix it?? http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/mad-men-ad-men-or-sad-men.html … Regards, Slim


Tensions Rise. Economy Falls. The Future of the G 20 in Good Times & Bad. Not for the G 20 only anymore http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/the-g-20-in-good-times-and-bad-5802178 …





Norway Spain on my blog. Reading? Please see Norway! Spain! below! Thank you. Sincerely, Slim


 


@CNBCnow @NBCNews Desole! M-I-C, see you real soon, K-E-Y, Why? Because we like you.....M-O-U-S-E !







Still Hot! To be read by anyone making TV commercials. "Mad Men: Ad Men or Sad Men?" http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/mad-men-ad-men-or-sad-men.html … Regards, Slim






HOT & RISING: "Making Stuff Up: The Korean Crisis" http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/making-stuff-up-korean-crisis.html … Thank you. Regards, Slim



HOT & RISING Cliches Slogans & Lew, Oh My! http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/cliches-slogans-and-lew-oh-my.html … Thank you. Regards, Slim



Cliches, Slogans, and Lew, Oh, My! http://lnkd.in/JaJSwi 



Making Stuff Up. The Korean Crisis. http://lnkd.in/VvEzJb 



BREAKING Making Stuff Up: The Korean Crisis The Side Street Journal http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/making-stuff-up-korean-crisis.html?spref=tw … Regards, Slim


Making Stuff Up: The Korean Crisis http://bit.ly/12zNBGU  via@catarinaalexon


Making Stuff Up: The Korean Crisis: They are at it again.  I was watching the experts discuss the North Korea ... http://bit.ly/12zNBGU 






Japan India Russia UK Canada Germany Ukraine Italy visiting my other blog http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com  Thank you all. Sincerely, Slim



India Malaysia South Africa Sweden Russia Germany Canada France Greece Ukraine Australia visiting my blog. Thank you http://slimviews.blogspot.com 

And 3rd Article on Bad Management: Suite-Cred or Sweet-Cred. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/suite-cred-or-sweet-cred.html …









Pretty Woman: The Perks and Perils of Being Attractive http://www.laraequy.com/blog/personal-leadership/pretty-woman-the-perks-and-perils-of-being-attractive/ … Great Article. Slim.



Great Article. http://lnkd.in/f2qjkF 



Clichés, Slogans and Lew, Oh, My! The Side Street Journal: http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/cliches-slogans-and-lew-oh-my.html?spref=tw … Jack Lew or Fairview. Regards, Slim




Clichés, Slogans and Lew, Oh, My! http://bit.ly/10ztDIw  via@catarinaalexon



Clichés, Slogans and Lew, Oh, My!: Jack Lew or Fairview?Clichés, Slogans, and Platitudes will not solve the Eu... http://bit.ly/10ztDIw 




2 for 1. Work Visas & The Korean Crisis. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-visas-korean-crisis.html … Regards, Slim
@USTreasury Jack Lew going to Europe to urge leaders to do what I've been advising for almost two years. Welcome aboard. Sincerely, Slim



@VenablesBell @Audi Would $Audi rather scrap a potentially great commercial rather than fix it? http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/mad-men-ad-men-or-sad-men.html …




Emerging markets investing isn't what it used to be. BlackRock PMs on evolving your approach: http://bit.ly/Zd3Z9q 



Retweeted by Slim Fairview
@blackrock Global Management: A shift in the paradigm of corporate America. http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/global-management-5415780 …



Google Search [what to expect in the future] 676 Million (over half a billion results.) # 55? Slim! http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2011/07/what-to-expect-in-future-if-there-is.html … Thank you, Google




.









http://lnkd.in/gRwnHx  Thank you Rahul Magan and Harish Magan for the likes. Rahul Magan, I posed the question in an article, what...


via @catarinaalexon Are you tweeting your investors?: How companies communicate with investors is changing. In... http://bit.ly/Y4GMul 


China. Not the What? The Where!: http://lnkd.in/UW2fv9 





@POTUSPressPool Merkel's Last Stand http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2011/12/merkels-last-stand.html … Beware!The Chancellor Consolidates Power 



@trpresidency A Fable my Dad told me 50 years ago. Origin? I believe Turkey. It has rope woven from sand & wisdom. http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2010/08/business-fable.html …
















@PwC_LLP Something REAL~Unwritten Rules~What Women Need to Know About Leading in Today's Organizations~Lynn Harris http://unwrittenrulesthebook.com/ 


@AAPL $AAPL Tech Devices are nice but: This is a B-School problem. The all time most read article on my blog. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/02/idea-appl-fb-buy-aol-time-warner-cnn.html … Slim













Is the World getting tense? "The Future of the G 20 in Good Times & Bad" http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/the-g-20-in-good-times-and-bad-5802178 … Not 4 the G 20 only anymore. Sincerely, Slim


@PwC_LLP SideStreetJournal: unfunded unsupported non-profit weblog by Slim Faiview Read my blog 2day or hear it from experts in a month or 2









@PwC_LLP Big data sounds like a fad that will be used to overburden corporations with the need to analyze a lot of data.







Query. "A Guide to Fine Dining" Screenplay. Comedy. http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/a-guide-to-fine-dining-9099341 … Hollywood? http://www.linkedin.com/in/slimfairview/ … Thank you. Regards, Slim




Query: allegorical novel of the French Canadian Separatist Movement. Partial. http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/coming-of-age-7243718 … Canada? http://www.linkedin.com/in/slimfairview/ …


"How Mr.Yakamoto Saved Face"A morality tale. http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/how-mr-yakamoto-saved-face-7298586 … Regards, Slim



@MikeBloomberg @vogue_italia @c40cities NatGas Buses. Recycling. Green Buildings. Energy Efficient Cars. Have I missed anything? Slim



Cities are on the front line in the fight against climate change: http://bit.ly/Y2LHYr  (via L’Uomo @Vogue_Italia) cc: @C40Cities


Then again. Slim's LinkedIn Profile. http://www.linkedin.com/in/slimfairview/ … Have a nice weekend.


A year later and it is still being read. China? No. China! http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/china-no-china.html … Thank you all. Regards, Slim







Germany Greece Canada UK Ireland Morocco on my other blog. Please See "China. Not the What? The Where!" Below. Thank you. Sincerely, Slim





Bing Search [sheldon coopers suit] 55,000 results. # 2 ? Slim http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/02/jcp-sheldon-coopers-big-bang-suit.html … Thank you, Bing. Slim


Germany France Australia UK Greece South Korea Russia Bulgaria Canada on my blog. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/02/idea-appl-fb-buy-aol-time-warner-cnn.html … You go $AAPL + $FB




















Work Visas? The Korean Crisis? Two articles in one. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-visas-korean-crisis.html … Regards, Slim








@janewells @rewashednews But in the New Yorker, they used to say, "There will always be an England." Hence: "There will always be a China."








Thank you, Dr. Krugman for providing greater insight than we get from TV. Sincerely, Slim. Hedge Fund America http://nyti.ms/12qlDJS 
















China. Not the What? The Where!: http://lnkd.in/b6wxm5 




China. Not the What? The Where! http://lnkd.in/zSkTMB 




China! Not the What? The Where! http://bit.ly/12ow0BG  via@catarinaalexon




China! Not the What? The Where!: China?  Not the What? The Where!I’ve been writing articles about China for a... http://bit.ly/12ow0BG 




http://lnkd.in/GQfA_X  PS: Thank you for the like. Sincerely, Bob


http://lnkd.in/mmzHhy  Ian, Thank you for inviting me to call you Ian. Please call me Bob. You insight is much valued. I...




27 October 2010 As we plan into the future, are we considering the path of the trajectory? Case in point. The pendulum swings both ways. T…




























@Quidsi Getting ready to post article about a no re-hire policy at a US warehouse & Why China's Leaders should read it. Up in a day or two.




Germany & Ireland on my other blog right now. Merkel's Last Stand. http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2011/12/merkels-last-stand.html …




Add South Korea Italy Australia to list of my readers 2day. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-visas-korean-crisis.html …




2 Articles in 1. Work Visas & The Korean Crisis. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-visas-korean-crisis.html … Regards, Slim.




Comments on Motivating an under-perfoming team. A perennial favourite. http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-motivate-underperforming-team.html … Regards, Slim


Korea? A Crisis? [Worker Visas & The Korean Crisis] 2 in 1 Article.: http://lnkd.in/EgmVuT 
















Why do companies NOT engage their employees in workplace improvement? http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2010/08/re-why-do-companies-choose-not-to-do.html …
















@SquawkCNBC @beckyquickcnbc Don't worry about North Korea. [Worker Visas & the Korean Crisis http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-visas-korean-crisis.html … 2 for 1. Slim








Crowd Funding? Recently reported, the middle class in Asia will rise from 500 million to 1 Billion 750 Million... http://fb.me/151FZMs6h 




Retweeted by Slim Fairview



 
Red Hot & Rising in my Stats: Work Visas & The Korean Crisis. http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-visas-korean-crisis.html … Thank you all. Regards, Slim








"How will I ever become a genius if no one will give me a genius grant?" ~ Slim Fairview The Quotations of Slim Fairview




BREAKING: Work Visas & The Korean Crisis. The Side Street Journal: http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/work-visas-korean-crisis.html?spref=tw … Regards, Slim




The Side Street Journal: Work Visas & The Korean Crisis http://fb.me/2grm7icCn 




Work Visas & The Korean Crisis http://bit.ly/11s8oJB  via@catarinaalexon




Work Visas & The Korean Crisis: Do you ever wonder why?Comments on Work Visas & the Korean Peninsula Contretem... http://bit.ly/11s8oJB 



Educate Foreign Workers. Then Grant them Visas. Keep emerging nations poor. Then, wonder why they don't like us. https://www.facebook.com/notes/slim-fairview/educating-foreign-workers/10151387444600698 …


I have an idea: Being that emerging nations desperately need teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, and other highly educated and skilled pe…




@PwC_LLP The Reason we can't solve problems is we can't analyze. "Eggheads & Cracked Eggs" The Metaphor. http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2013/02/eggheads-and-cracked-eggs.html …




@PwC_LLP I'm going to guess they're wrong. 1975 Georgetown Grants last QA degree. (Perhaps 44% of the 44% think QA is Quality Assurance




Only 44% of organizations agree they have sufficient #talent to undertake deep analysis of #bigdata http://pwc.to/XsVIxU 




Retweeted by Slim Fairview
@blackrock @NYSEEuronext Great! China is doing it. Why not you? China! Economics! Diversification! http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/china-economics-diversification.html … Regards, Slim









We're excited to ring the #NYSE closing bell at @NYSEEuronext today in celebration of our suite of EM debt #ETFs!




Retweeted by Slim Fairview
Hot topics at the moment: Our Middle East Muddling http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2012/03/our-middle-east-muddling.html … & Underestimating China Again 









Call it institutional memory if you like, Still: Batteries Die! http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-volt-age-and-dead-batteries.html …




Retweeted by Slim Fairview






























Mad Men: Ad men or Sad men? What's happened to the TV Commercial? http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/mad-men-ad-men-or-sad-men.html …




@aapl @FB @AOL @timewarner @CNN I do believe this will help the FB Mobile monetisation + enhance i-Pad and i-Phone versatility & usage Slim








Do not worry about events on the Korean Peninsula.: http://lnkd.in/TDejWM 




Do not worry about recent events on the Korean Peninsula. 1. If this were a serious threat, the Chinese Government would be concerned. 2. I…







I've been blogging about this for over 2 years. Why the surprise? Slim http://forumblog.org/2013/04/what-the-cyprus-crisis-means-for-the-eu/ … - What the Cyprus crisis means for the EU




Thank you for the retweet. Sincerely, Slim





How are conditions in Greece? I published this article 27 Sept. 2011. The EuroCrats Trojan Plan--Destroy Greece. http://lnkd.in/CgXqCr 


How are conditions in Greece? I published this article 27 Sept. 2011. The EuroCrats Trojan Plan--Destroy Greece. http://lnkd.in/CgXqCr 




How are conditions in Greece. I published this article 27 Sept. 2011. The EuroCrats Trojan Plan--Destroy Greece. http://lnkd.in/CgXqCr 




How are conditions in Greece. I published this article 27 Sept. 2011. The EuroCrats Trojan Plan--Destroy Greece. http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/eurocrats-trojan-plan.html …




Re: Why do companies choose NOT to do more to engage their people in workplace improvement? http://lnkd.in/cfd4_T  …




Re: Why do companies choose NOT to do more to engage their people in workplace improvement? http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2010/08/re-why-do-companies-choose-not-to-do.html …







CHINA: UK Tops my visitor list today. & China! Economics! Diversification! http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/china-economics-diversification.html …




CHINA: UK Tops my visitor list today. Underestimating China Again. http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2012/12/underestimating-china-again.html … &



Bulgaria China Russia Germany UK Australia Czech Republic France Poland Beware! The Chancellor Consolidates Power http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/02/beware-chancellor-is-consolidating-power.html …




Bulgaria China Russia Germany UK Australia Czech Republic France Poland visiting 2day The Culture of Bad Management http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-culture-of-bad-management.html …




Bulgaria China Russia Germany UK Australia Czech Republic France Poland visiting 2day. Suite-Cred or Sweet-Cred http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/suite-cred-or-sweet-cred.html …





Bulgaria China Russia Germany UK Australia Czech Republic France Poland visiting 2day. Bad Leaders or Bad Consultants http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/bad-leaders-or-bad-consultants.html …













The Daily Winner. "Suite-Cred or Sweet-Cred?" http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/suite-cred-or-sweet-cred.html … Sincerely, Slim




Weekly Winner. Mad Men: Ad Men or Sad Men? http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/mad-men-ad-men-or-sad-men.html … The Commercial Industry. Sincerely, Slim




 
@LaRaeQuy Not so I've heard? ;-) M!




 





@blackrock Oops! Almost forgot: The Future of the G 20 in Good Times & Bad. http://www.slideshare.net/slimfairview/the-g-20-in-good-times-and-bad-5802178 …








Did you miss our March 14 webinar with the "go-anywhere" Global Allocation team? Catch the replay here. http://bit.ly/10vuXe2 



@McDermottNews @CNBC @SquawkStreet Now will you believe me? Stop calling it social media: Start calling it Business Media. Slim




Watch McDermott's Gene Goldman discuss SEC regs & social media @CNBC @SquawkStreet at 11:50 am ET live





How will I ever become a genius if no one will give me a genius grant? Slim




@Slimfairview Too Greek to Fail: Please see Cyprus above. Thank you. Sincerely, Slim 24. January 2012 http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/too-greek-to-fail.html …




@Slimfairview Cyprus doubles taxes:15%to30% &Austerity? Merkel=Austerity. Norquist=Austerity. Merkel=Norquist. 24 Jan 2012 Too Greek to Fail




Too Greek to Fail: Please see Cyprus Below. Thank you. Sincerely, Slim 24. January 2012 http://slimviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/too-greek-to-fail.html …




Cyprus doubles taxes: 15% to 30%. + Austerity? Merkel = Austerity. Norquist = Austerity. Merkel = Norquist. 24 Jan. 2012 Too Greek to Fail




You don't need my help to fix bad TV commercial. @StateFarm fix of French Supermodel Commercial. It can be done http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/03/mad-men-ad-men-or-sad-men.html …
















OhBoy! Bulgaria China Hungary Russia Germany Australia Czech Republic France UK visiting Suite Cred or Sweet Cred? http://sidestreetjournal.blogspot.com/2013/04/suite-cred-or-sweet-cred.html …













Warmest Regards,


Slim

If you find anything herein to be helpful, please don't hesitate to send me a really tricked-out lap top and to tuck more than a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank-you note.


Translation: 

Buy a really tricked out Mac. Include an infrared mouse. 

Load it up with the business programmes.  

Buy a connection system. e.g. Verizon Wireless Prepaid - Verizon Novatel USB Modem Model: USB760 SKU: 9609316 UPC: 649496014568  

Tuck a few (US) dollars (Low 4 figures, no--decimals) into an envelope along with the thank you note, 

[Thanks, Slim. Very helpful. We sent along a little gift for you.] Look up my address: See below.

Pack it up and ship it off to me, [FedEx]

Contact information: 

slimfairview@yahoo.com



Copyright (c) 2013 Slim Fairview 

All rights reserved.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Making Stuff Up: The Korean Crisis

They are at it again.  I was watching the experts discuss the North Korea crisis.

The quote à la mode begins: "The only one who can solve the problem of North Korea is China, but they won't because if they do, it will..."  cause some or all of the following problems....

Well, by definition, they would not have solved the problem.

The list:

  • Humanitarian:  Millions of North Koreans will stream into China.

  • The two Koreas will united strengthening America's presence in the region.

  • Other assorted bad things varying with who is doing the talking.

First, the experts presuppose that the solution is the assumed but unstated solution which by definition is not a solution.  Then the experts suppose that their predicted results

a. will happen
b. are a problem

China has the resources to prevent the stream of presupposed immigrants streaming into China.

The presumed unification

a. may not happen
b. need not happen
c. would not be a problem if it did happen.

A. May not happen. 

Experts presume it will happen to segue into their doom & gloom forecast to embellish their street cred. After all, only the naive see things through Pollyanna's Glasses. 

B. Need not happen.

If China solves the problem, according to0 the chattering heads, a unification is not necessarily the result.

C. Would not be a problem if it did happen.

Our alliance with South Korea is sufficient for a US military presence.  North Korea in its present state is not a buffer, or a sufficient buffer between the US and China.  It is, rather, an enabler of a "greater threat" whatever that threat may be or may be presumed.

China can solve the problem by influencing a shift in the North Korean paradigm that will sustain North Korea, reduce any justification for a military buildup, and work to enhance a growing economic and diplomatic relationship between China and North Korea. 

However, yet again, middle aged, middle class, suburban white men are "talking about the elephant in the room" instead of "talking to the elephant in the room".

As I stated in another article:


The Korean Peninsula Contretemps

Do not worry about recent events on the Korean Peninsula.

1. If this were a serious threat, the Chinese Government would be concerned.

2. If the Chinese Government were concerned, they would take action.

3. If they are not taking action, they are not concerned.

4. China knows that serious threats would bring greater US Military involvement.

5. China does not want to invite an elevated US military presence in the region.

6. See # 2.


Regards,

Slim
Copyright © 2013 Bob Asken
All rights reserved.

If you find anything here to be helpful, please do not hesitate to send me a really tricked-out Mac Book  and to tuck a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank you note. Slim


[
Bob Asken
Box 33
Pen Argyl, PA 18072


Regards,

Slim


Clichés, Slogans and Lew, Oh, My!


Jack Lew or Fairview?


Clichés, Slogans, and Platitudes will not solve the EuroCrisis.  Reporting that Secretary Lew is going to Europe to urge leaders to "balance economic demand" is inane.

For almost two years, I've been inveighing against Merkelism:  "An economic system based on the fear that someone, somewhere is earning a living.

For those in desperate need of equations:

A = B

B = C

A = C


Therefore:

Merkel = Austerity

Norquist = Austerity

Merkel = Norquist

However, we've been supporting The Chancellor throughout her campaign.


You cannot cut wages, fire people, raise [property] taxes, and call it a solution.  Austerity is a one-pronged approach.  A one-pronged approach is not a solution. It is a weapon.


What Europe Needs

Capital Investment
Economic Development
Growth


But don't bother listening to me. Everyone always doesn't listen to me.  And the European economy is contracting nicely.

Further reading listed below.

Sincerest regards.

Slim



LinkedIn Profile:


Copyright © 2013 Slim Fairview
All Rights Reserved.



Merkel Invades Russia



Beware!  The Chancellor is Consolidating Power



EU Growth Summit: Slim Defeats Merkel



Merkel's Last Stand



The EuroCrats' Trojan Plan



Too Greek to Fail




If you find anything here to be helpful, please do not hesitate to send me a really tricked-out laptop and to put a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank you note. Slim



Thursday, April 4, 2013

Work Visas & The Korean Crisis

Do you ever wonder why?

Comments on Work Visas & the Korean Peninsula Contretemps



Foreign Worker Visas


Being that emerging nations desperately need 

  • Teachers
  • Nurses
  • Doctors
  • Engineers
  • And other highly educated and skilled people

why don't we educate them here; then we can grant them work visas so they can work in the US instead of their own countries 

This will deprive emerging nations of teachers, nurses, doctors, engineers, and other highly educated and skilled people to keep the people in those countries shackled to poverty by keeping them shackled to poverty programmes?

Then we can wonder why other countries don't like us.

Quick: Send them a diplomat with some foreign aid.


The Korean Peninsula Contretemps


Do not worry about recent events on the Korean Peninsula.
 
1. If this were a serious threat, the Chinese Government would be concerned.

2. If the Chinese Government were concerned, they would take action.

3. If they are not taking action, they are not concerned.

4. China knows that serious threats would bring greater US Military involvement.

5. China does not want to invite an elevated US military presence in the region.

6. See # 2.


Regards,

Slim


Copyright © 2013 Slim Fairview
All rights reserved.


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Suite-Cred or Sweet-Cred?

We've all heard the expression, "Street Cred,"  but I digress.


Do you have Suite Cred or Sweet Cred?


SUITE CRED

In the suite we are talking real.  In the vernacular of youth: "Get real," or "Make it real."  We can quote Yoda, "Do or do not. There is no try."  Or we can cut it short: "Do or do not."

Slim Fairview's Four Rules of Communication.

  • Precision
  • Concision
  • Enumerate
  • Specify

Anyone who went to B-School knows the rule: One Page.  

The morning memo to the boss: One Page, 
The résumé: One Page.

The more important you are, the shorter the résumé.  E.g. 

Name:  The Queen

Address:  Buckingham Palace

Work History:  Queen of England.

Personal:  Loves Corgis 

The bottom line

Suite Cred is all about the bottom line.  One thing we've lost in this country, an elsewhere, is the focus on the empirical method of analysis.

Then:  Perform the experiment, document the results, repeat the experiment, duplicate the results, report the conclusion.

Now:  Form an opinion, seek data to support your opinion.

For those who need a brief refresher, I've created the metaphor for understanding The Empirical Method of Analysis

Eggheads & Cracked Eggs--Why We Can't Solve Problems



From The  Bauhaus we learned "Form Follows Function."

Case in point:

In the supermarket bakery, the croissants sell at twice the price of doughnuts.  These sell to the people with money to spend.  The new baker adds goop to the croissants.  The croissants do not sell.  This is reported to the owner of the store by the customer.  The response to the customer from the new baker. "Not everyone likes it the way you do."  None the less, the croissants do not sell with goop on it.  The owner fails to tell the new baker, "Do not put goop on the croissants."

Second:

In the supermarket bakery, the new baker does not make baguettes. The loaves are shorter and fatter.  The customer complains to the manager.  The new baker's response to the customer, "It's the same weight."  The manager fails to tell the new baker, "Make baguettes!"

Two real life examples of management that doesn't. Doesn't what? Doesn't Manage.  In the first store the baker is putting out product in a form  that does not sell.  The only opinion is that of the baker.  The opinion, put out croissants with goop on it because not everyone likes them the same way.  In the second, as long as the loaf weighs the same, the shape doesn't matter.  The function: Sell baguettes.  The form: long and skinny.

The problem worsens when we try to solve problems with committees.  Committees involve more people.  More people want to talk about it. Why do people want to talk about it?  To bully other people into doing things their way.

More people = more words.
More words = more bad.
More people = more bad.


The Committee:


In my article:  "China: Economics and a word beginning with the letter P" I explained this:



If you don't believe me, witness the GSA scandal.  And the head of the GSA who was fired was reinstated with all back pay.

Our problem is systemic. It is inculcated into the fibre of our collective being.


Next we have


SWEET CRED

Consider the lollipop.  Pretty, sweet, tastes good.  However, it has no nutritional value.  The real downside, however, is not the lack of nutritional value.  It is that the lollipop spoils our appetite for nutritious food.  This metaphor extends to education and to business management. It also extends to the news.  "I want news. I don't want coverage." Slim Fairview

Consultants have been handing out lollipops for so long that the owner of the store is unable to say, "Make the croissants without goop on them."

Now, why the committee?

  • Billy wants to be on the committee.
  • You don't have a committee.
  • Billy wants to be on the team.
  • All the positions are filled.
  • Billy bullies you into having a committee instead of a team.
  • Why?
  • So he can bully you into letting him on the committee.
  • Why?
Herein lies the reason
  • Billy has a warehouse full of bottle caps.
  • Billy wants the final report to include: "Bottle Caps are crucial to the solution."
  • The final report reads: "Bottle Caps are crucial to solving the problem."
  • The report is issued.
  • The price of Bottle Caps skyrockets.
  • Billy has a warehouse full of bottle caps.
  • Billy makes a fortune.

This is understandable.  Specially if Billy owns a Bottle Cap Making Company and this creates jobs.  And, if Billy makes money without hurting anyone.

However, if valuable resources are diverted to buying Bottle Caps, the problem won't be solved.  Conditions will not get more high, good, better.  The situation will get more low, bad, worse.

When hiring a consultant, be careful about the consultant you hire.

Of course, you can always call in an expert.

  • 10 experts say, "Do this."
  • 10 experts say, "Do that."
  • 10 experts say, "Do something else."
  • 10 experts say, "They're all right."
  • 10 experts say, "They're all wrong."
  • 10 experts say, "Who's to say what's right or wrong?"
  • 10 experts say, "There is no right or wrong."

If you don't believe me, ask an expert.

If anyone still believes that a committee is the best way to solve a problem, I shall now refute, repudiate, and debunk your assertion with one word: Congress.


Regards,
Slim


If you find anything here to be helpful, please do not hesitate to send me a really tricked-out Mac Book and to tuck a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank you note. Slim


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