Don’t let 2008 hit you on the ass on the way out. 2009 will be better by simple default. It has to be.
The American Dream seems a euphemism for I get to keep everything I get and screw the rest of you. Isn’t the measure of a just society how it treats it’s lowest economic rung? GOP’ers call Obama a socialist. Is he not just espousing a plan that will allow those most unfortunate to eek out mere survival in a country that has systematically forgotten them?
And McCain’s buy up the mortgages plan. Unbelievable. Does he not realize that by renegotiating those mortgages he will artificially lower the average prices that the free market he claims to champion should be the only decider? Why should a lack of personal responsibility be rewarded and those who are still underwater but manage to pay their mortgages get screwed? What crap.
47 million people in the US without health care. 47 million. Seems that a government sponsored plan is the only remedy. McCain’s plan will end up centred in one state with the lowest standards al a Delaware. Everyone may be able to buy insurance, but God help them if they claim. McCain says do you want a government body to determine health care? Yeah, the Insurance Co’s and the for profit HMO’s are doing sooooo well.
If you are one of those 47 million, the current choice is stark. Serious illness of a loved one has two outcomes: do nothing and risk that loved one’s health or life, or get help and likely go bankrupt under the weight of the bills.
Swell.
Oh there’s lots more, but it’s too disturbing to contemplate. Greatest country on Earth? American Dream? As long as it ignores/punishes/degrades the most unfortunate, you can keep it. Keep them afraid and everything will be ok. If you’re already rich.
And yes, Sarah Palin is the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. Period.
Sorry there are no graphics. There aren’t any that would do this potential tragedy to a once proud nation justice.
“Tonight’s forecast: Dark. Continued dark throughout most of the evening, with some widely-scattered light towards morning.”
George Carlin aka Al Sleet, the Hippy Dippy Weatherman
I’m always amused at the media’s approach to an economic riptide. When things are really bad they opine that it will get better and when it improves they refuse to admit it. Timing is everything and if we listened and acted on media-time, we’d all be poor. Lest we forget, these talking heads are not business people. They are entertainers.
The main thing that investors and companies should do with volatility is view any prolonged downturn as an opportunity. For long-term investors, the benefits are obvious. For a smallcap 
company, to wade into the perceived economic morass and execute an aggressive marketing campaign could well be the smartest thing its management will ever do. The opportunity to be heard in the midst of turmoil is a benefit that will undoubtedly bring substantial benefits short-term and consistently throughout the market recovery.
Allow me to explain why an aggressive marketing plan is critical –especially in times of market volatility:
- To show investors that management has more confidence in their business plan than the short-term vagaries of the markets. Investors can smell fear or indecision
- The ‘news trail’ helps to convince concerned investors to confidently acquire a decent position in the target shares-or more importantly NOT sell their shares– for when the market turns, which it always does
- Less interesting news can and should be released into this quieter period
- Enjoy a louder voice as competitors and peers mistakenly pull in their horns
- Negotiate better exposure deals as finance portals and communications entities see business contract
- Negotiate better financing deals as VC’s etc are aggressively looking for beneficial deals
- Ability to solidify shareholder base by focusing on growth rather than contraction, fear or market volatility
- Enhance market leadership through acquisition of complementary businesses at fire sale prices
- Demonstrate, above all, that the Company pays more than lip service to building shareholder value
Investors don’t want to see fear or perceive a contraction of growth from management. They want to see growth potential and how the Company will use the opportunity. If management can allay 
the concerns of investors and shareholders by getting in front of diversity rather than hiding, the benefits will see stakeholders divorce their perception of the company from the market volatility and see it as a well-managed growth entity both in good times, and most importantly, bad.
If there is bad news, get it out now and tell investors what you intend to do about it. Then do it. In a bad market, bad news is tolerated and usually accepted or ignored much more readily than when things are robust-a good time to clear the decks. If one waits for the market to improve to disclose bad news, the negative effects can be exponentially worse than getting it out of the way early.
What a Company perceives to be bad news may well pale in relation to the market volatility. Once disclosed, especially if properly messaged, it will quickly be forgotten.
Of course the best approach is the perception or reality proffered to investors that “Management doesn’t care what the market does as we’re focused on our aggressive business plan and continue directly on track. The Company views this short-term volatility as an excellent opportunity to accelerate our progress by enhancing growth, identifying excellent acquisitions; thereby truly embracing the most important aspect of our mandate, to build compelling long-term shareholder value.”
In volatile or challenging times, large companies significantly increase their news flow. Ford and GM, for example, virtually double their daily news releases as the market becomes more challenging-a practice that should be employed by small companies as well.
Just because a company is small doesn’t mean it has to act small, either in execution or the building of news flow.
The upside is that once the market turns, investors have been kept informed in a positive fashion, any bad news is behind it and investors have been able to build positions at good prices and see the Company as a leader; more interested in building shareholder value than cowering in the face of short-term volatility.
The ultimate message? Use market volatility to your advantage. Investors want to see clear and positive corporate direction. That’s how they make buying decisions. Silence or fear perceived during periods of volatility results in only two things: wholesale share sales and a contraction of your shareholder base; neither of which should ever be the goal of any well-managed small cap company.
In another incarnation, I wrote hi-tech articles for a now defunct Silicon Valley publication. It was primarily on Canadian hi-tech companies and the recent brouhaha regarding US VP candidate Sarah Palin–mother–junior politician–moose killer– brought this to mind. 
I had done the research and written the story. I had some questions for the IR guy, but he refused to call me back. Deadlines wait for no person, so up the article went.
Needless to say, I got the call the next day from the IR type who had avoided me. Article was all true, but he wasn’t happy. You have to go with what you know.
And so it is with Ms. Palin. The longer she refuses to return those media calls, the harder it will be to counter or confirm facts to the already jilted press. She can quip and be as sarcastic as she wants. That only plays for so long and its already played out.
I suspect we will only get a true picture of her when Joe Biden mops the floor with her on Oct 2. She’s already insulted just about everyone spouting her GOP talking points and her ‘ain’t I a tough chick’ trailer trash–untruthful for the most part–rhetoric.
Might want to read this. Unbelievable. And she continues to spout the same talking points several times a day.
I’d say the same thing if she were a man, so get over that.
And as far as being a proxy for Hilary Clinton–who returns to the stump Monday–I suspect we will hear this from Biden at the debate as Palin covers herself in the Hilary flag, or pantsuit if you like:
Biden: “Governor, I know Hilary Clinton. Hilary Clinton is a friend of mine. Governor, you are no Hilary Clinton.”
And then it will, mercifully, all be over.
And the GOP will disappear for a long time.
There’s a joke my kids used to tell that was amusing… It doesn’t translate to print well, but I’ll try.
Knock Knock
Who’s there?
Interrupting Cow
Interrupt….Moo (says the progenitor)
One of the good things about blogging, tweeting, email etc, is no one can interrupt you, something that has obviously been lost in some day to day conversation. I have noticed that merely drawing breath to continue a thought is like a green light to these folks…jumping in because whatever you’re saying is superfluous, boring or simply a waste of their time.
I guess the part that enigmanizes (not a word) me is that by verbally capping someone, what follows must be more important. Rarely. It simply clarifies the ignorance of the interruptor to the interruptee.
My late dad, bless him, had it down to a science. “I know I’m interrupting, but…” Annoying, but at least acknowledged and polite. I do it too, on occasion. Must be the genes. He gets a pass.
Anyway, for all those out there who spend too much time online perfecting Web2.0, second life etc, perhaps pay a bit more attention to Life 1.0. Just as our handwriting has become appalling, we’re losing basic social graces faster than certain politicians can scare us out of our privacy and civil rights.
We can correct both. Just take a breath. And don’t jump in when someone else does. The civil rights/privacy/government thing is a bit more complicated.
Type ADD political Junkie MSNBC’s Chris Matthews used ‘irregardless’ twice in the last couple of weeks. OMG… we’re doomed.
Why Frank? No reason. It’s Frank.
I try not annoy anyone. I fail a lot of the time as we all do but in business the current dismissive attitude toward potential employees/consultants does not bode well. I shall explain.
The names will be left out to protect me from pointless litigation or a simple kneecapping.
I had occasion to go to Toronto recently. I thought I would see if a company I had done some consulting for years ago wanted to see me for some work on my home turf. To the best of my knowledge, I never did anything to annoy them, but the runaround has left me, well, disappointed.
Went to Toronto on my own dime. CEO of this Communications company seems happy to have me interview. Human resources flack calls and makes appointment–or emails, I don’t recall–two weeks prior to my trip.
Get to Toronto. Upon landing, message on my cell. Sorry, have to cancel. Too busy. Nice. Giant hole opens in my schedule and no way to fill it.
Apparently the Company thinks I have nothing else to do, so they try and walk into the middle of my schedule with a half-hearted mercy phone interview. Needless to say, wasn’t going to happen.
So, they agree to interview me over the phone upon my return home. They did, took 10 minutes and was ridiculous. Much ‘we have to do this, we have to do that.’ We’ll get back to you.
After hearing nada for a month, I sent two emails. I get a blow-off email from the CEO. No sorry for the screw up, thanks for your time or anything other than a veiled “It would likely be better if you just stopped bothering us.” It fairly wreaked of arrogance and self-importance. Not a pretty trait in business. Or life.
Now look, I have no ego, truly, but I do believe in keeping relatively good relations with all business contacts. Some can bite me, but for the most part, professionalism and the building of long-term
relationships always pays off.
Case in point: last week I got a referral from a fellow I’d worked with 10 years ago to what potentially appears a good gig. I called him, thanked him and promised lunch as a prize, win or lose. And I will.
The CEO in Toronto? I’m hoping for Chapter 11. With malice. Or an embarrassing rash. See? I can be petty too. Not a trait I’m proud of, but really, WTF?
Karma may not happen in one’s lifetime, but it is an unavoidable force. I am likely still paying for some ancestral indiscretions.
Whatever.
How about a fishing lodge that was floated down to Vancouver for a refurb and is now on it’s way back? Wonder if it has an inboard or a couple of humongous Merc’s. Although there’s no wake…hmmmm. May be you could come on out and throw a line off. Trolling speed likely just about right.
The one below is just because it’s so much nicer out here even on a cloudy day. If you want to come out, the penthouse on the tallest building in the skyline –avec crane–is for sale: $26 million, I believe. Makes Rosedale and Forest Hill look a bit sick… Enjoy your moments of zen. We will…
I cannot believe how difficult it is to keep up a blog. Like exercise, one has to MAKE the time. I have plenty to say, but my personal time management skills obviously suck out loud. Been a busy time. Been meeting people with whom I can work and it’s surprising how many are out there who don’t have a clue. Have also met some awesome folks–especially women–who truly get the whole freelance/work for yourself dynamic.
I don’t single out women for any reason than by way of illustration. Men tend to think the world owes them a living. The women I’ve met and networked with have no time for the BS. They just get in there and get it done. It’s actually quite inspirational to a curmudgeon such as moi. I’d like to think my feminine side comes out in my approach to business–find it, qualify it, close it.
A freelancer can have no ego. We have no ‘people’. We spend 100 percent of our time securing business and 100 percent of our time getting paid. Like contractors, the final money on a project can be e
lusive. Mainly due to the fact it would cost more to sue for the money involved than for the client to do the right thing. Doesn’t happen often, but usually when the money is due at a critical personal time… this picture is for those folk..
Freelancing has it’s benefits, which far outweigh the turkeys. Watch your kids grow up, be your own boss, don’t have to suffer fools gladly, etc. Get rich? Maybe, but probably not. Retirement plan? It is too laugh. Best to plan to die at your desk, hopefully with no receivables. That would suck.
And you get to meet some amazing people. That’s likely the best part. I have been doing this for about 15 years and I am stunned by the people I meet who are way smarter than I/me and are extremely generous with their experience and knowledge. Age means nothing. I have met both kid CEO’s and women in their 60’s who are a credit to the genre.
Freelancing is like a club that everyone wants to join, few ever do and fewer succeed. And I believe in the final analysis that is the goal. Survival. If I had a dime for everyone who asks what I do and then looks at me like I’m either nuts or their new personal hero, I’d be sipping mai tai’s in Scotland. Long story…
Anyway, I promise to try to be more diligent blog wise and continue to hope that the US doesn’t attack Iran either before November or ever. (Didn’t see that coming, did you? Try to keep up…)
We’re all one day closer to death. As one of my favourite people says often: “Why can’t we all just get along?”
Indeed, my son.
This is great. The Pope is visiting the White House. He is coming to the US to speak about world peace and against the war in Iraq. And what does Bush do?
Apparently the Marines’ are going to sing, which is ok, and then there’s a 21 gun salute!
Does that strike anyone else as odd if not bordering on the ridiculous? Oh, actually it simply is disrespectful and ridiculous.
Much like Bush.
Only thing that is a God-send-pun intended-is that Dick won’t be armed.
I miss the sixties.
Frankly, I was appalled on Saturday at 8pm. My apartment in North Vancouver has a huge view of Vancouver city and North and West. As I sat in the dark, I watched with anticipation as the lights went out on the massive Lion’s Gate Bridge and waited for the rest of the citys’ lights to dim.
Nothing happened.
As a matter of fact, lights went on between 8-9pm. A true testament to both the fact that people paid little or no attention to the initiative and that we are truly in trouble, earth-wise.
For all the evironmental enlightenment the Left Coast is supposed to contain, the truth belies the perception.
Much like the appaling lack of community shown when the water was compromised by storms 18 months ago. The frenzied hoarding of water was not the Lower Mainland’s finest hour. I have always figured that Disaster kits were a waste of time. Apparently I was wrong. The enlightenment extends to so few people that the reality will swamp any ‘help’ one can expect from fellow citizens.
I’m ok Jack seems alive and well in BC. That needs to change. But just in case, get a disaster kit. The human disaster following will be much more profound than any natural catastrophe.
And people wonder why I lean to the pessimistic. We saw the truth on Saturday last.
Lights out.
