Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Cirrus | Biographies/Gronk
Cirrus | Biographies/Gronk
Biographies
Biographies
GRONK BORN: Los Angeles, California, 1954 SOLO EXHIBITIONS: 1992 "Fascinating Slippers/Pantunflas Fascinantes", Daniel Saxon Gallery, Los Angeles, Ca |
Facebook | THE OFFICIAL "WN UNITY AND WATCHDOG" GROUP
Facebook | THE OFFICIAL "WN UNITY AND WATCHDOG" GROUP
Freaky. hate groups on facebook. I knew there was something terrible about facebook.
Freaky. hate groups on facebook. I knew there was something terrible about facebook.
Facebook | WE ARE THE FUCKING KAMIKAZE AND WE FIST FOREVER !
Facebook | WE ARE THE FUCKING KAMIKAZE AND WE FIST FOREVER !
Hate group on Facebook. Sickening. Is this the future.
Hate group on Facebook. Sickening. Is this the future.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
You cannot run a world class economy on the backs of service industry workers
There was a time when 21st Century Insurance was a brand with meaning. It stood for quality - the best service at the best rates - and I felt lucky to qualify for this insurance.
Now it is an illustration of how corporate mergers and acquisitions ruin companies, decrease competitiveness and harm the worker and the consumer. The only beneficiaries are a very few in top management who have employment contracts that guarantee their bonuses based on the price of the stock and the success of the M&A activity, the M&A investment bankers and lawyers, a few major stockholders who understand what is happening well enough to perfectly time stock purchases and sales. And that is it.
The consumers have definitely not benefited. The employees of the original 21st Century Insurance and AIG Marketing have not benefited. The economy has not benefited.
There have been many players on both sides who have played very badly in terms of being decent human beings. Layoffs on both coasts have been decided out of fear, anger, misplaced loyalty and all the other lowest common denominators of behavior that intensely insecure environments bring out.
But it is the system that is broken, not just a few bad apples that have ruined the house.
Farmers is in the process of outsourcing every aspect of information technology to foreign countries. The name, nature and existence of foreign countries is not the problem. The problem is that the overall system only rewards short term profits, and punishes long term planning. As many economists have explained, you cannot run a world class economy on the backs of service industry workers. McDonald's will need to hire locally. Plumbers will need to live locally. The concept that economic growth can be sustained in such an environment is fundamentally unsound. One doesn't need a degree in micro economics to understand why.
Farmers is strategically shutting down the half of 21st Century Insurance that actually has the capability to perform direct marketing to consumers and support the type of 24/7 high quality operation that can retain direct consumers. Farmers is retaining the half of 21st Century Insurance, the former AIG Marketing subsidiary, which is able to wholesale auto loans to affinity groups and additionally, outsources much of the policy support operations to retain the customers to the affinity groups.
One cannot assume that Farmers is devoid of intelligent life. Which means that Farmers plans to eliminate the direct marketing of auto loans to consumers, and move the book of business to their agents. This is logical as Farmers risks alienating the group that brings in 100% of their business currently, the agents.
As far as information technology goes, Farmers has quite openly announced that all internal jobs will be outsourced, predominantly overseas. There is no doubt that is the future for 21st Century Insurance also. The work of the former IT teams on the west coast have already been transferred overseas. And the plans to move the IT work on the east coast overseas are already negotiated. Several systems have already started the work to transfer the system to the Farmers equivalents, although not everyone is aware of this fact.
Additionally, the fact that Farmers was surprised to learn that the call center support in California are all highly trained and licensed insurance agents, indicates that it is no accident that these competitors to the Farmers agents are being eliminated. Internal studies have found that the regional differences within the country make for frustrated and unhappy customers when people are dealing with complex products such as insurance and cannot receive help in their time zone.
There are no efforts going on to retain business at 21st Century Insurance. Between the recent rate increases, the plans to change to a new rating system that will further raise rates and the profound focus on decreasing costs at the expense of increasing business indicate a company that is at the top both aware of and helping to plan its own decline.
One of the many losses to the public of the M&A activities of oversized corporations is that there is no longer any transparency. It was easy to see the motivation of previous CEO's of 21st Century Insurance through SEC filings. The fact that similar motivations and contracts may exist for current top management will never become public because deals within the company do not fall under the SEC controls. There may very well be an enormous payout to top 21st Century Insurance management for eliminating the book of business for direct customers, but only a handful of people will ever be privvy to the deals.
Anyone left at 21st Century Insurance in any location who does not possess inside knowledge of the arrangements and monetary motivations being offered at the top should not be surprised at the upcoming, and seemingly illogical cuts and changes in 2010 and 2011. The end result will not be the growth of 21st Century Insurance, nor will it be a transformation of Farmers to a direct marketing firm.
Again, a few people will get very, very rich.
And the majority of consumers and workers who support the backbone of the economy will suffer.
Now it is an illustration of how corporate mergers and acquisitions ruin companies, decrease competitiveness and harm the worker and the consumer. The only beneficiaries are a very few in top management who have employment contracts that guarantee their bonuses based on the price of the stock and the success of the M&A activity, the M&A investment bankers and lawyers, a few major stockholders who understand what is happening well enough to perfectly time stock purchases and sales. And that is it.
The consumers have definitely not benefited. The employees of the original 21st Century Insurance and AIG Marketing have not benefited. The economy has not benefited.
There have been many players on both sides who have played very badly in terms of being decent human beings. Layoffs on both coasts have been decided out of fear, anger, misplaced loyalty and all the other lowest common denominators of behavior that intensely insecure environments bring out.
But it is the system that is broken, not just a few bad apples that have ruined the house.
Farmers is in the process of outsourcing every aspect of information technology to foreign countries. The name, nature and existence of foreign countries is not the problem. The problem is that the overall system only rewards short term profits, and punishes long term planning. As many economists have explained, you cannot run a world class economy on the backs of service industry workers. McDonald's will need to hire locally. Plumbers will need to live locally. The concept that economic growth can be sustained in such an environment is fundamentally unsound. One doesn't need a degree in micro economics to understand why.
Farmers is strategically shutting down the half of 21st Century Insurance that actually has the capability to perform direct marketing to consumers and support the type of 24/7 high quality operation that can retain direct consumers. Farmers is retaining the half of 21st Century Insurance, the former AIG Marketing subsidiary, which is able to wholesale auto loans to affinity groups and additionally, outsources much of the policy support operations to retain the customers to the affinity groups.
One cannot assume that Farmers is devoid of intelligent life. Which means that Farmers plans to eliminate the direct marketing of auto loans to consumers, and move the book of business to their agents. This is logical as Farmers risks alienating the group that brings in 100% of their business currently, the agents.
As far as information technology goes, Farmers has quite openly announced that all internal jobs will be outsourced, predominantly overseas. There is no doubt that is the future for 21st Century Insurance also. The work of the former IT teams on the west coast have already been transferred overseas. And the plans to move the IT work on the east coast overseas are already negotiated. Several systems have already started the work to transfer the system to the Farmers equivalents, although not everyone is aware of this fact.
Additionally, the fact that Farmers was surprised to learn that the call center support in California are all highly trained and licensed insurance agents, indicates that it is no accident that these competitors to the Farmers agents are being eliminated. Internal studies have found that the regional differences within the country make for frustrated and unhappy customers when people are dealing with complex products such as insurance and cannot receive help in their time zone.
There are no efforts going on to retain business at 21st Century Insurance. Between the recent rate increases, the plans to change to a new rating system that will further raise rates and the profound focus on decreasing costs at the expense of increasing business indicate a company that is at the top both aware of and helping to plan its own decline.
One of the many losses to the public of the M&A activities of oversized corporations is that there is no longer any transparency. It was easy to see the motivation of previous CEO's of 21st Century Insurance through SEC filings. The fact that similar motivations and contracts may exist for current top management will never become public because deals within the company do not fall under the SEC controls. There may very well be an enormous payout to top 21st Century Insurance management for eliminating the book of business for direct customers, but only a handful of people will ever be privvy to the deals.
Anyone left at 21st Century Insurance in any location who does not possess inside knowledge of the arrangements and monetary motivations being offered at the top should not be surprised at the upcoming, and seemingly illogical cuts and changes in 2010 and 2011. The end result will not be the growth of 21st Century Insurance, nor will it be a transformation of Farmers to a direct marketing firm.
Again, a few people will get very, very rich.
And the majority of consumers and workers who support the backbone of the economy will suffer.
Facebook | Nicole Mfg Blanchard: MONEY LAUNDERING
Facebook | Nicole Mfg Blanchard: MONEY LAUNDERING
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ADDING ITEMS TO YOUR WISH LIST. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YOU MUST HAVE AN OPEN SPOT ON YOUR WISH LIST FIRST THEN CLICK THESE LINKS:
Money Iron:
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=0deda52a7188cdaa1e5fbf56f325bf0b&xw_time=1258118258&xw_action=wishlist_add&xw_city=3&tmp=062630965152adb08d60336c8de62b4e&gift_category=0&gift_id=113
Dirty Laundry
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=0deda52a7188cdaa1e5fbf56f325bf0b&xw_time=1258118258&xw_action=wishlist_add&xw_city=3&tmp=062630965152adb08d60336c8de62b4e&gift_category=0&gift_id=114
Dryer Sheets
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=0deda52a7188cdaa1e5fbf56f325bf0b&xw_time=1258118258&xw_action=wishlist_add&xw_city=3&tmp=062630965152adb08d60336c8de62b4e&gift_category=0&gift_id=115
Money Line
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=0deda52a7188cdaa1e5fbf56f325bf0b&xw_time=1258118258&xw_action=wishlist_add&xw_city=3&tmp=062630965152adb08d60336c8de62b4e&gift_category=0&gift_id=116
Roll of Quarters
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=0deda52a7188cdaa1e5fbf56f325bf0b&xw_time=1258118258&xw_action=wishlist_add&xw_city=3&tmp=062630965152adb08d60336c8de62b4e&gift_category=0&gift_id=117
Death by Detergent
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=0deda52a7188cdaa1e5fbf56f325bf0b&xw_time=1258118258&xw_action=wishlist_add&xw_city=3&tmp=062630965152adb08d60336c8de62b4e&gift_category=0&gift_id=118
Dirty Bra
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=0deda52a7188cdaa1e5fbf56f325bf0b&xw_time=1258118258&xw_action=wishlist_add&xw_city=3&tmp=062630965152adb08d60336c8de62b4e&gift_category=0&gift_id=119
and Money Sock: ( WHICH IS THE BONUS YOU GET FOR RE-VAULTING THE COLLECTION)
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=6b78285a64b442804e5d070c5b096d2f&xw_time=1258118266&xw_action=wishlist_add&xw_city=3&tmp=062630965152adb08d60336c8de62b4e&selected_city=3&gift_category=2&gift_id=45
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Money Laundering Collection Vault ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OK YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL 7 PIECES FIRST!!!!
Here's the code to Vault it:
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=2dc952c8f300edde8d7f22b43ece6a9b&xw_time=1258315528&xw_action=vault&xw_city=1&tmp=9ca7e5d3e1226f7c1082ea9133f7779d&vault_id=17&selected_city=1
AFTER YOU VAULT IT, YOU MUST HAVE ALL 7 PIECES AGAIN!!!!
And Here's the re-Vault Code:
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=collection&xw_exp_sig=b9074ede923a0455883c3c926063f026&xw_time=1258315687&xw_action=vault&xw_city=3&tmp=37135447a8c652715f4e5cc8dc92b1b6&vault_id=17&selected_city=1
Vaulting Gets you a -3% Deposit Reduction and re-vaulting earns you 5 Money Socks Boost which are consumable and earn you + 50% money earned per job!!
*****ALSO IF YOU RE-POST MY NOTES,ONLY PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY CAN SEE IT AS I HAVE MY PRIVACY SETTING'S SET THAT WAY******
Have Fun!!
MONEY LAUNDERING
NEW MONEY LAUNDERING VAULT BONUS !!!!
You will be given -3% to bank deposit fees points. Revaulting is 50% greater payout from jobs.
How to do the job=you MUST be in NY then click this link :
http://apps.facebook.com/inthemafia/remote/html_server.php?xw_controller=launder&xw_exp_sig=039c30c3126047d6f95c927a300b1646&xw_time=1258144752&xw_action=start&xw_city=1&tmp=235f0fe87d72b124f179afd3bef08022&job=69&tab=9
IT SEEM'S THAT THE JOB BONUS'S GO BY THE 25 PER CITY RULE,SO IT YOU USE ALL YOUR HELP'S YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HELP ON THE MONEY LAUNDERING JOB..SO SAVE AT LEAST 5-10 HELP'S JUST TO DO THIS NEW COLLECTION.
ALSO YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR "BONUS" MONEY RIGHT NOW..ANOTHER GLITCH ON THEIR PART.
You will be given -3% to bank deposit fees points. Revaulting is 50% greater payout from jobs.
How to do the job=you MUST be in NY then click this link :
http://apps.facebook.com/i
IT SEEM'S THAT THE JOB BONUS'S GO BY THE 25 PER CITY RULE,SO IT YOU USE ALL YOUR HELP'S YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HELP ON THE MONEY LAUNDERING JOB..SO SAVE AT LEAST 5-10 HELP'S JUST TO DO THIS NEW COLLECTION.
ALSO YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR "BONUS" MONEY RIGHT NOW..ANOTHER GLITCH ON THEIR PART.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ADDING ITEMS TO YOUR WISH LIST. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YOU MUST HAVE AN OPEN SPOT ON YOUR WISH LIST FIRST THEN CLICK THESE LINKS:
Money Iron:
http://apps.facebook.com/i
Dirty Laundry
http://apps.facebook.com/i
Dryer Sheets
http://apps.facebook.com/i
Money Line
http://apps.facebook.com/i
Roll of Quarters
http://apps.facebook.com/i
Death by Detergent
http://apps.facebook.com/i
Dirty Bra
http://apps.facebook.com/i
and Money Sock: ( WHICH IS THE BONUS YOU GET FOR RE-VAULTING THE COLLECTION)
http://apps.facebook.com/i
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Money Laundering Collection Vault ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OK YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL 7 PIECES FIRST!!!!
Here's the code to Vault it:
http://apps.facebook.com/i
AFTER YOU VAULT IT, YOU MUST HAVE ALL 7 PIECES AGAIN!!!!
And Here's the re-Vault Code:
http://apps.facebook.com/i
Vaulting Gets you a -3% Deposit Reduction and re-vaulting earns you 5 Money Socks Boost which are consumable and earn you + 50% money earned per job!!
*****ALSO IF YOU RE-POST MY NOTES,ONLY PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY CAN SEE IT AS I HAVE MY PRIVACY SETTING'S SET THAT WAY******
Have Fun!!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
ten-things-not-to-say-when-firing-an-employee: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance
ten-things-not-to-say-when-firing-an-employee: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance
This is not a very good article for a magazine of the caliber of BusinessWeek.
Is the internet bringing down the quality of journalism overall?
Yes.
This is not a very good article for a magazine of the caliber of BusinessWeek.
Is the internet bringing down the quality of journalism overall?
Yes.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Amy Winehouse song - 4shared.com - online file sharing and storage - download AutumnGirl - You've Gone Cold Tonight.mp3
4shared.com - online file sharing and storage - download AutumnGirl - You've Gone Cold Tonight.mp3
http://www.4shared.com/file/118203849/7005d857/AutumnGirl_-_Youve_Gone_Cold_Tonight.html
http://www.4shared.com/file/118203849/7005d857/AutumnGirl_-_Youve_Gone_Cold_Tonight.html
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
AT&T - Baker's dozen: 13 kitchen necessities
AT&T - Baker's dozen: 13 kitchen necessities
ALMOND AND OAT FLOUR
Jodie Chavious, pastry chef at Taylor's Market and Kitchen and Mason's Restaurant in Sacramento, Calif., substitutes almond or oat flour for all-purpose flour in some of her sumptuous sweets.
"They have a better flavor, texture and can turn a normal chocolate chip cookie into something much more tasty," she said.
Chavious makes her own flours by grinding up the almonds or old-fashioned rolled oats in a blender.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
SUICIDE PREVENTION IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS
SUICIDE PREVENTION IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS: "SUICIDE PREVENTION IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS"
Army Reserve Resources
Army Reserve Resources
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Monday, November 09, 2009
Into the Pacific: October 2009
Into the Pacific: October 2009: "http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2409610&id=3409076&l=92743fe5a5"
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Worldmapper: Royalty Fees
Worldmapper: The world as you've never seen it before
http://www.worldmapper.org/images/largepng/168.png
Royalty Fees
"Over half (53%) of the value of all royalty and license fees paid in 2002 were received in one territory: the United States. Large proportions of these fees were also received in Japan and the United Kingdom.
These fees are the payments made by someone who wants to use an idea, invention or artistic creation that legally belongs to someone else. To receive these fees a copyright or patent is needed, which may remain active for years after the initial invention. Thus of the US$44 billion received as royalty and license fees in the United States in 2002, much will be revenue from work that was completed prior to that year."
This explains copyright infringement in the third world. Until governments have an economic stake in upholding international copyright law, then enforcement will remain an issue.
http://www.worldmapper.org/images/largepng/168.png
Royalty Fees
"Over half (53%) of the value of all royalty and license fees paid in 2002 were received in one territory: the United States. Large proportions of these fees were also received in Japan and the United Kingdom.
These fees are the payments made by someone who wants to use an idea, invention or artistic creation that legally belongs to someone else. To receive these fees a copyright or patent is needed, which may remain active for years after the initial invention. Thus of the US$44 billion received as royalty and license fees in the United States in 2002, much will be revenue from work that was completed prior to that year."
This explains copyright infringement in the third world. Until governments have an economic stake in upholding international copyright law, then enforcement will remain an issue.