Daily Intent

Are you listening?  With both ears?

Monday morning I came out of the gym with my head phones pumping great beats.  I made a couple block walk to the nearest Blenders in the Grass, enjoying the coolness of the morning and lengthening of my newly torn muscles.  Upon time to order my morning power packed smoothie, I dropped one head phone from my left ear, made the order, then went back to listening to my music as the blender droned in the background.  Yes, I was that quasi rude guy.  However, so was the Blender’s employee.  He, an obvious high schooler on summer vacation, had one head phone in his left ear!

We’ve all seen the two friends sitting on a park bench or hanging out at the mall sharing the head phones of one iPod.

Why this is interesting to me?  California’s new, hands free driving law, is leading us all to have one ear tuned in at all times, leaving the other to receive information from the world around us.  A law meant to keep us more connected to that which is happening , may in fact be hindering us from full concentration.

Your thoughts?  Are we more connected or less because of these technologies?

Reminder: July 21. 6pm.  My office.  Negotiation/Mediation Seminar.  No sales.  Just great information…and appetizers.  You are invited.

Word of the week: Asset Stripper

Get your mind out of the gutter…

“An individual or company, which purchases a corporation with the intention of dividing that corporation up into its parts and selling these parts for profit. An asset stripper will determine if the value of a company is worth more as a whole or as separate assets. Usually the asset stripper sells some assets off immediately then sells the functioning portion of the business later.
 
 This is a corporate purchaser who discovers companies, which will create more profit by liquidating the parts rather than through business operations. For example an asset stripper could purchase a battery company for $100 million, strip and sell the R&D division for $30 million, then sell the remaining company for $85 million, for a profit of $15 million. The asset stripper could also just sell a portion of the business to fulfill debt obtained from acquiring the company.”  -Investopedia

  Five points to ponder:

   1.  Retailers, led by Wal-Mart and Costco, hold strong.  Financials continue plunge.  The rest of the markets continue march downward.  Bond yields fall.
   2.   Iran displays missile capabilities.  Tension mounts between Israel and Iran.
   3.  Easedropping via wiretapping to be okay’d by Bush today.
   4.   iPhone 3G - in stores Friday
   5.  Sports focus shifts to Europe - European Soccer Championships. Majestic Wimbledon. Tour de France Flip Flopping.  The Running of the Bulls!

Positives:  Sports!

    *      Viva Espana!  Nadal takes first Wimbledon title in epic win over Federer.  6-4, 6-4 , 6(5)-7(7), 6(8)-7(10), 9-7.  It’s already an ESPN classic.  Only negative of it all: White Capri pants will forever hold there place in history.
    *    Viva Espana! Spain dominated the Germans in the final round of the European Soccer Championships.  The last time they held this title? 1964.
    *   Viva Espana!  Since 1591 the “Los San Fermines Festival” has been experienced.  Ten of thousands of foreigners will put themselves in dangers way with 9 days of morning-bull runs and festivities.
    *       With Lance Armstrong out of the Tour de France, the rest of the world of cyclists now have a chance.  Each day/stage has left a different victor.
    *       If you lust after the iPhone or want an upgrade, tomorrow could be heavenly.
    *      Non-Spanish loving Americans do have two things to pride themselves upon: Venus Williams won her fifth Wimbledon title after defeating her sister and the US Olympic trials are leaving us flexing our world-record breaking muscles.
    *       Oil - finally something to begin cheering.  $9/barrel drop so far this week.

Negatives:

    *      The Dow is down 140pts on the week led by worries about sustainability of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the world’s largest providers of US mortgage finance.  Will this call for government intervention?  Billions of tax dollars?
    *      The government having authority to ease drop on our conversations, while good for obvious reasons, does open the door for power hungry abuses.
    *     Iran firing missiles to deter others from attacking is also unnerving.  The US plans to stand behind it’s interest in Israel.  Which brings up a side note - a book I’m reading speaks to the point of peaceful resolutions often found between Native American tribal leaders.  Why?  Because they were expected to take part in their wars.  President Bush?  Any interest in leading the charge?