Local Not Always Good

Ah, business must be booming for Scolari's, a local supermarket.  Good to see there is little competition in that market segment.

As my friends know, I BBQ all the time, even in 2 feet of snow.  We usually keep 3 propane tanks at the ready for the unforeseen outage (I've done that, on Thanksgiving!!!).  Last week, along with a regular shopping trip we decided to go this market with our 3 tanks as it had an automated Ameri-Gas propane kiosk instead of SaveMart (the great prices of Walmart without, well, dealing with Walmart).  After doing our shopping, we loaded up, swung around to the KIOSK, unloaded the 3 tanks, ran the card and...and...and...Nothing!  Not the first time.

Murphy's Law, everyone decided to check out at the same time I went back in.  25 minutes later, I got to the cashier, purchased 3 exchanges the old way and asked to speak to the manager.  After explaining what had just happened, this hapless wonk told me sorry, they don't take care of those machines and don't have anything to do with them.  WRONG ANSWER!.

As I profess to business people, if you are providing a service or selling a product, whether handled by a third party or not, it IS a direct reflection on your customer service and brand.  I was called by the store manager the other day, spewing the company platitudes and patronizing 'appreciation'. 

Glad to see the local grocer doing so well to afford such a flippant attitude...oh well...my bad!

The Voice That Rocked Vocalists for a Generation

Yesterday saw the passing of a true Rock Legend.  Ronnie James Dio passed away at the age of 67 after battling cancer.

The name Dio is synonymous with a era of rock that may never be matched, a voice that will never be duplicated. I had the good fortune of seeing him perform on his on and with Rainbow. As a musician and singer, I was in awe of his vocal range, better live than in the studio.

Ronnie James Dio left on impression on a multiple generations of musicians and music fans alike. He will always be with us. Thank you for sharing your gift...RIP!

A funny thing happened to a Honduran on the way to Mexico....

Mexicans here and in Mexico are rather upset by the recent enactment of stricter anti-illegal alien laws by Arizona's governor.

 

In light of the following, that position demonstrates the typical double standard used by race-hustlers and assorted something-for-nothings.  Read on, and read it to the end.

 

New Immigration Laws: Read to the bottom or you will miss the message... 1 There will be no special bilingual programs in the schools. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2. All ballots will be in this nation's language. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 3. All government business will be conducted in our language. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4. Non-residents will NOT have the right to vote no matter how long they are here. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 5. Non-citizens will NEVER be able to hold political office * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 6 Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No welfare, no food stamps, no health care, or other government assistance programs. Any burden will be deported. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 7. Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount at least equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 8. If foreigners come here and buy land... options will be restricted. Certain parcels including waterfront property are reserved for citizens naturally born into this country. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 9.. Foreigners may have no protests; no demonstrations, no waving of a foreign flag, no political organizing, no bad-mouthing our president or his policies. These will lead to deportation. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 10. If you do come to this country illegally, you will be actively hunted &, when caught, sent to jail until your deportation can be arranged. All assets will be taken from you. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Too strict?...... The above laws are the current immigration laws of MEXICO !!! These sound fine to me, NOW, how can we get these laws to be America's immigration laws??

Going Back 3 Floods

When I first moved to Reno, I was told about the conservative nature of the locals.  As in times past, everyone not born here was considered a carpetbagger or city folk.  I was couched to answer, 'About 3 floods', if I was asked how long I'd been here, so as not suffer from the effects of xenophobia.  Having been born in the Bronx and then growing up in a small NJ town (population approx 11,000, same as in 1980), I now the comfort the rural womb.  Unlike that small town, Northern Nevada is a study in the dichotomy of old versus new.  The natives want things to stay rural and small town, part of the charm of living here.  Those that have moved here since the turn of the century see that quality of life, but realize we have to make some subtle changes to attract the people and businesses to migrate to a new economy.

The noise and eye pollution during election season brings to light the thread-bear protectionist campaigners.  Born and raised here, native Nevadan, 3rd generation.  That is not a selling point.  Hasn't been, shouldn't be.  What that should tell the layperson is that the individual may have little or no experience outside the womb.  It also tells me that the current way things work is dysfunctional at best, so being from here and being OK with that is not in my best interest.  

I need fresh, new ideas and tenacity.  Our 2 party political system is broken, probably beyond repair.  What worked a couple centuries ago, no longer functions.  The lunatics are truly running the asylum.  As citizens it is our right and responsibility to cause change, as those same patriots of the 18th Century did.  As a collective, we are duped into relying on the soundbites and ads.  We work ourselves up for the primaries and general elections, cast our votes, than fall back in to a stupor for another 2 years. We complain, yet do nothing about it.  That is what is expected of us as the public mass and we never disappoint!

Well, off to get my waders, there's a storm coming.

Brown-Out in London

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Parliament has been without real power for decades...

anyone see a flashlight?

A Lesson on Exchange

While at the Reno Aces game the other day, the sound effects guy queued up the sound of a chicken clucking. A spectator quipped that Sue Lowden must be in the house. Another fine example of the parrotting of the ill-informed.  Let it go already.

A little history on bartering for the less educated, sound bite crowd.  The exchange of goods and services has been around thousands of years longer than what you use today, paper money, the subjective value of which can be rendered useless at any time.  Barter is still in use today by may cultures, even our own, even in Reno.  Paper money, not so long ago, was also tied to a tangible asset.  Anyone remember the term silver certificate printed on our very own bills?

As our government continues to print money, it destabilizes it's worth and our credit on the global scene.  As our debt rises, counties heavily invested in our debt will seek better returns and may possibly seek to abandon the dollar as the currency standard all together.  If this increasingly plausible scenario plays out, what left you have of that retirement fund  you may want to use to keep yourself warm.  You may want to take inventory of what you have to trade for food and shelter.

For the sake of facts, comment on context and content, not on sound bites.

Big Business gets the Engine, Small Business the Shaft

Here are the latest figures from the Congressional Budget Office:

$50B to General Motors

$185B to AIG

$XXXB to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae

$2.8T committed to the likes of AIG, BofA, CitiGroup

$3.6T committed to Money Market Funds and TARP

Small Business: $30B Total.  Do the Math.

The funding and finance window for gig business continues to be wide open, to the tune of over $10 TRILLION.   According to the SBA, the 27 million small businesses account for half of our GNP.  HALF.  That works out to roughly .06% of what big business is getting to support the backbone of the economy. 

It's time for voters to wake up and act.  Forget the sound bites, educate yourself  Voting is a right...don't waste it.  If the system continues to fail, it may be time for a major change.