9/11 of Wall Street

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The 9/11 of Wall Street

Do not look now folks but the towers are falling once more, only this time it is in slow motion.

In a sadistic twist of irony,
the Twin Towers, the symbol of capitalism,
are crumbling to the ground.

A circumstance seemingly incredulous in fact may be true;
the very definition of paradox.

The difference this time is the principles of a weak foundation, specifically greed, as the source bringing down the house.

What is being described as a very big day for Wall Street and the world is lesson learned by civilizations throughout history.

At present the conversation is how big is too big to fail?

Until this time, the scope has been limited to financially viable corporations concerned about fiduciary responsibility to its shareholders.

When you go to the video, it becomes clear the line has shifted to a scale of monumental proportions.

Talk about your bridge to nowhere.

Seven years have gone.

The memory seared in our minds.
Where we were on that fateful day, starring at the screen, wondering when the next shoe would drop
as we watched the next Tower fall.

The initial attempt at the structure was in vain,
the successful attack removed the symbol of strength, and now it appears the weed is being pulled out at the roots.

Therefore, the words resound throughout the nation, ‘you’re on our own’…

The ramifications of the fallout are exponential;

those whom had not are no worse off, those used to living the high life are taking a haircut.

By the numbers,
the three to five million unemployed citizens of the USA may have doubled overnight.

Now may be too early for a wake up call and
too late to set the alarm,
or vice versa.

The U.S. Financial Markets are learning a lesson
far too many people have been living far too long; distinguishing liquidity from solvency to regain stability.

Such is the success story of E-Bay, the masses raising capital to meet their financial means.

So at the end of the day,
when the dust has settled and the smoke has cleared
only one element stands alone:

It is an election year.
Don’t tell me it’s not worth fighting for…gjf

The Face of Tragedy

Hurricane Katrina provided a myriad of valuable lessons for a vast cross-section of America. The discussion could easily revolve around the blatant disregard of forewarnings with respect to the integrity of levees in New Orleans. The discussion might focus upon appointing qualified professionals in vital Government posts. Instead, the forum will be examining the impact of placing a face on tragedy.

Undoubtedly, when a face is associated with a tragedy the impact takes on monumental proportions. The magnitude of such an event has a tendency to migrate from empathy to fear. Conventional wisdom being, if that happened to them it could happen to me. The danger of this attitude is its future ramifications with respect to credibility and confidence. The possibility exists of far reaching effects having exponential consequences upon specific segments of society.
U2 and Green Day "The Saints Are Coming"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seGhTWE98DU


What did it for me was watching CNN coverage during the early stages of the unfathomable scenario unfolding right before America’s eyes. If I’m not mistaken Anderson Cooper was providing an overview of the overwhelming devastation he presently was witnessing. At some point a man, I believe his name to be Hardy Jackson, wandering on screen obviously in shock.

Mr. Jackson, while trying to convey his personal tragedy to America revealed the senselessness of terror he recently experienced. Mr. Cooper, recognizing the man was in shock, transformed from a detached newscaster to a compassionate humanitarian instantaneously. The moment elicited intense emotion thereby placing a face on a tragedy as America watched in disbelief.

Hardy Jackson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S68ksghDNg4

Sorry; unable to find cnn coverage...or just wrong!

Mr. Jackson’s heartbreaking nightmare was relived in America’s living rooms throughout the land. As the water rose, he and his wife ascended within their home, until they could go no higher. After literally hanging on for dear life for hours, she finally let go of her husband’s hand. When Anderson asked, “where is she now” with a tentative hesitation in his voice, Hardy simply said “she gone”. The face of tragedy will never be removed from New Orleans and she’ll be forever known as Katrina…gjf

She's Gone:A Mother's Compassion (for Barbara Bush)

Curious george in Flushing

Circa early 1960’s, flashback to my earliest memories. Prior to being able to speak, somehow I knew I’d come from a far better place than here. Nothing felt right in this world, especially the sense of purity. Where I’d come from wasn’t the question, where was I now is what consumed my thoughts. Of course, I later realized I am indeed in Flushing or Corona or was it Queens. If ever there were a more fitting name for these surroundings, I’d go with Flushing. All one needs to do is a Google Earth search to see the name is fitting. Keep in mind I firmly believed I had come from some other world, and on that point, the jury’s still out. Thus began the saga of Curious George.
Beginnings shape our destiny, our expectations and yes our limitations. Being clueless on how I landed on Otis Avenue didn’t exactly help my disposition. This reason lends credence toward my outlook of skeptical optimism. It has an oxymoronic ring to it making the term all the more attractive. I see the glass as half full but realize instantaneously, that is at any given moment, will change to half-empty. The roots of emotional survival are based on a foundation of principles. Once those principles are compromised or threatened, we are forced to deal with internal conflict. The proverbial ingrown hair lying under the surface of the skin. Peeling away the layers is painful, nonetheless essential to relieving the symptom. So break out the tweezers and yank out that sucker.
Since Flushing is a key element to the compound that is my life, I'll explain the analytical process of decisions I‘ve made along the way. Why the career path, why the women, the whys and why nots of life. The best recipe I can come up with is one part Common sense, two parts logic and reason, with a dash of insanity.

september 21, 2008