When I knew Obama would be President.

I watched with interest tonight as Obama gave his last speech; well his last one as President anyway. I’m sure there are many, many more speeches in his future.

It reminded me of the first time I met Barack Hussain Obama in person. It was 2004, in Chicago and the event was a fund raiser during the run up for his first Senate candidacy.

Before I continue, let me rewind. See, in my past (the early 90’s), I spent almost seven years doing sales training. A big part of what we practiced on daily was public speaking.

We practiced, drilled, and trained, over and over again.  We video taped, reviewed, critiqued, and then did it all over again.There were subtle things we drilled on- like voice intonation, pace, and projection.

There were subtle things we drilled on- like voice intonation, pace, and projection.

There were more advanced items like a planned pause, step forward for emphasis, and left right brain pacing.

But, most of all, focused on crutch words. These are the ums, huhs, ok’s, etc. that people often repeat over and over again when giving a speech or interview.

The ability to deliver a rocking, amazing, soaring, and well-paced speech is, well, an art.

The skill to do so with perfect timing, no crutch words, and pauses at just the right points in again, an artistic marvel.It is something that can be learned with lots of practice.

This good new is, great speaking is something that can be learned with lots of practice.

What is the point of all this?

The 1st time I met Obama, I watched him give a speech. Then, I watched him work the room. Then, I had a brief opportunity to speak with him in person.

My thoughts? Wow—One day THIS guy will be President.

He had all the hallmarks—charismatic, energetic, dynamic, and engaging.

Plus, when giving a speech from the teleprompter he was FLAWLESS! This meant, while reading the teleprompter for speech, he hit all of his marks.

The subtle change of pace. The planned pauses of 1-3 seconds to let a point sink in. The ability to raise, lower, and intonate his voice. The pure energy and capacity to create a soaring rhetoric.

To that end, while giving a speech, again Mr. Obama is a master.

While I watched his speech tonight I found myself moved to tears on a few occasions. I was wrapped up in the tone and delivery. The poignant way he looked at his wife Michelle. The LOONNNG pause he gave while speaking about her to let the moment sink in, and give time for the crowd to cheer for her. Further (planned or not—though I think it was faked), he grabs a tissue from his pocket and with perfect timing, wipes away a tear.

Yes indeed, Mr. Obama can deliver a speech.

Now, let me say also (and this comment comes with an “I am NOT a racist” qualifier which is unfortunately needed in today’s politically divided state), that while I think Mr. Obama is a great orator, I am no fan at all of his policies. Even more, most of his rhetoric tonight I thought (again personal opinion) was fluff, overblown and distorted to his view of reality.

See, I can disagree with someone based on a difference of views or opinions, without being a racist in doing so.

Further, I can appreciate and admire someone who has excelled at their craft.

If you didn’t see his speech tonight, you should watch it. You will be able to see someone who has mastered giving a speech.

You can judge for yourself his delivery abilities. How he moves the crowd. How he creates applaudable moments, and then let’s the points hang in the air. In some cases, he makes a point and waits long enough, that there is a subtle bit of uncomfortableness until, as if off que, the crowd rises to a standing ovation.

You can judge for yourself as well the “tissue” issue when he talks about Mrs. Obama.

In so many ways, I may not miss the man, but I will certainly miss the speeches.

(As a side note, if you want to get better giving speeches, you should track down two of the great TED speaking coaches, John Bates and Mark Lovett)

However, all that being said, Mr. Obama was also an exercise in frustration to watch while doing interviews.

Indeed, if he’s not on a teleprompter, he is a stuttering, blubbering, crutch worded mess.

I used to watch in wonder about how someone who does so well on stage, looked so incompetent during an interview.

If you haven’t seen what I’m talking about, there is a compilation of his but, but, but, but, but’s here.

Now again, before someone jumps on the “racist” comment, this has nothing to do with color or class.

It has to do with delivery. To be so good on stage, and so poor off, was just something of a fascination for me.

Which leads me back to where this started. During our training, we used to tape our sales sessions. Why? To eliminate crutch words, create pauses and more.

For a total flashback, here’s a speech I gave in 1993. There are a couple of Ok’s, and so’s, but overall it wasn’t too bad. Especially considering it was in front of an audience of over 30,000 people.

 

Indeed, the first time I met Obama, I thought he could be President—and I was right.

In closing, and if anyone actually made it this far—there is only ONE other person whom I’ve ever met and thought the same thing; wow, this guy could be President one day.

Any guesses on who that is?

Does anyone see the humor…and hypocris

Does anyone see the humor…and hypocrisy here? The “professor” who was trying to quash the 1st amendment rights of the reporter…is now trying to use the 1st amendment to defend her actions? http://ow.ly/XvBhV

Anyone want to start a movement?

Anyone want to start a movement? Something called “Thanks for your Service”.

Here’s the premise; When you see a policemen, fireman, service man, etc. you simply hold four fingers to your heart and give it a gentle double tap.

This means you appreciate them and want to thank them for their service. I thought about ways to show appreciation, and went through many hand signals; a wave, high five, peace sign, etc., but felt they were all too trite.

Further, I researched the SWAT team and Police tactical hand signals to make sure I wasn’t giving a signal that could be mistaken for distress. In the end, I came up with the four fingers tapping the heart– see the Photo attached.

Why would this come up you may ask? Well, a few months back I was in New York City. This was a couple of days after the Policemen had been tragically shot. I was walking through Times Square and noticed in wonder as corner after corner (in the freezing cold) were men in Blue bravely standing there to keep people safe. You could feel the tension and concern as anyone could have walked up to them and done harm, but they stood proudly there protecting the city. The second issue occurred a few months later. I was in NYC and walking out of a meeting on 34th street when a loud BOOM shattered through the generic morning noise of NYC traffic.

As I stood there in wonder, many thoughts go through your mind- was it a backfire? A gun shot? An explosion? Another terrorist attack? I was not alone in my consternation and thoughts as almost everyone on the street was standing there with a similar look of stunned bemusement. It was a few second later when the SECOND explosion happened, that thing got interesting. At this point everyone on the street turned and took off running down the street in the opposite direction.

There was one particularly flamboyant person who went screaming and sprinting with his hands flailing wildly in the air. As I too turned to briskly walk away (still not sure what had occurred) I see something that made me stop.

Running TOWARD the explosion were police men and women from all directions! There were running toward the noise and chaos without any idea what the cause was. Yes, these brave individuals were sprinting to the danger, while those of us casual citizens were running the other way. It ended up being a gas explosion (http://bit.ly/1KezDea) but at that moment, no one knew.

So, with so much angst and anger against those who give their lives to protect us, I wanted a simple signal of appreciation and recognition.

That its, the simple T4YS (Thanks for your Service) love tap. Who’s with me? Please share along if you are so inclined.

http://ow.ly/SgvL2

The beginning of “The Angry Middle”

The next four years I fear is going  to remind me of the old adage-   you get  what you vote for…..err, I mean pay for.

The country  will become even more polarized, Obama will feel more emblazoned to push his agenda through (even though he won by a very slim margin), both camps will plant their flag even more firmly.

Each becoming ever more intransient to their own position.  In the end nothing will get done except party bickering and finger pointing.

There is a better way to do messaging and at a minimum- be able to refute, combat, or at least intelligently respond- to the liberal left’s messaging.

So much of  what is said, proffered and positioned is either playing to fear, just plain wrong, incorrect, or at a minimum could be responded to in a way that at least gets someone to think.

(if you doubt me on that, take a look at some of the phrases below)

I guess my responses make me part of the angry middle.

I further believe there will be a movement away from Republicans—and even democrats- as more people get either disappointed, frustrated, or repulsed by one side of the other.

This will cause many  I believe (or predict), to claim the affiliation and moniker of “Independent”.

All of which, again, will drive them to feel part of The Angry Middle.

To that end, here are just a few things I wanted to share:I’m constantly bemused, and at times a bit dismayed, at how confusing the political messaging seems to be..This is especially frustrating as it relates to the Political Rights ability to counter the Political Left’s positioning and sound bites.Thus, in advance of this Tuesday’s election,  I’ve  decided to put together my list of Politically Direct Responses.What follows are phrases or comments made by Mr. Obama; promptly followed by a potential Mr. Romney counter response .   Mr. Obama Says:	Politically Direct Response from Mr. Romney:
1-   Bin Laden is dead	Al-quada is Alive
2-   Al-quada is decimated	Our Ambassador is dead
3-   Lets go back to Clinton level taxes	Great, let’s go back to Clinton level SPENDING
4-    Benghazi was an “act of terror”	No Mr. President, throwing paint on a wall can be called an act of terror- Benghazi was a “Planned terrorist attack”
4a- Benghazi was the result of a repulsive video	Benghazi was a September 11th Planned attack
5-      I’ll take savings from the war and apply it to the deficit	The war was paid for by “borrowing” money so you can’t have savings from money that was borrowed to begin with
6-      I’ve created 5 million jobs	How many of them are satisfying, full time, well-paying jobs.
7-      I’ll helps kids go to college and increase manufacturing jobs	Kids don’t’ go to college with the dream of a manufacturing job
8-      Obama had “Hope and Change”,	Now it’s just “Hope FOR Change”
9-      This country is an Obamanation	This has been an abomination.
10-   I’ll create jobs by adding more teachers	Teachers are not jobs created by companies, they are “positions” created by   government.
11-   Shovel ready jobs weren’t quite “Shovel Ready” (chuckle)	Then where did all the money go if it didn’t go into programs and projects?
12-   You didn’t build that	Well, the government didn’t work late on nights and weekends to create it
13-   The wealthy should pay a little more,	Ok, but explain how  giving the government more money creates more jobs?
14-   Republicans want dirty air and water	Consumers want affordable gas, electricity, and energy
15-   We will go after the person who created this repulsive video	What happened to free speech and the constitution
16-   I saved GM and Romney wanted it to go bankrupt,	No you borrowed a bunch of OUR money and gave it to GM, Romney wanted GM to go through a legal bankruptcy no different than what the Airlines seem to do on a routine basis
17-   I killed Bin Laden	So the ten years of hard work by our armed forces and agencies around the world had nothing to do with it?
18-   Mitt Romney was born with a silver spoon in his mouth	So should you apologize to your daughters for your success and the BIG silver spoon they are growing up with?
19-   Bain capital outsource jobs,	Your head of the jobs council- Jeffrey Immelt, CEO of GE has outsourced more jobs than all of the companies Bain invested in combined.
20-   Bain company shut down plants and put people out of jobs	Bain risked its own (and it investors ) capital, not a government handout.  But yes, some companies didn’t make it, but many  survived.
21-   I was a community organizer, I got people motivated	I ran businesses, created companies, saved events and even ran a State
22-   I presented a budget to congress	True, and it was voted down 98 to ZERO
23-   I’m going to protect the Teachers Unions and education	The Parents and Students don’t have a Union, who is protecting them?
24-   My Pension is a lot smaller than yours Mr. Romney	Not true Mr. President, you have a lifetime pension provided to you by the Government after just a few years of services. I don’t have a pension, I have investment returns from my own money that I’ve earned from a lifetime of hard work
25-  Mr. Bush, 4 Trillion in debt is over 8 years is irresponsible	Then what do you call 5 Trillion in Four years?
26-   I’ve increased oil production under my term	How much of that was on private lands that you had NOTHING to do with?
27-   Mr. Romney, you are hiding money in offshore accounts	Mr. President, I’m sure you take every legal  tax deduction available to you, as do all Americans.  There is nothing illegal or nefarious about taking available deductions.
28-   If you like your Doctor you can keep him	That’s only if your company still offers you the same coverage or your Doctor still accept Medicare
27-   If this isn’t fixed in four years, I’ll be a one term proposition	Mr. President, I’m sure you take every legal  tax deduction available to you, as do all Americans.  There is nothing illegal or nefarious about taking available deductions.
29-   If you pass this stimulus, unemployment won’t go over 5%	The unemployment rate has been under been under 8% during the entire time in office
30-   My position on Gay Marriage is “evolving”	You were forced into making a declaration by your Vice President’s own concessions

31-   I’m going to protect Social Security	Social Security was mis-named and should have been called Social “Supplement”.  It was never designed to be the only retirement fund.
30-   Self-directed Social Security is risky. What if everyone was in the market during this last great recession.	Younger workers, who are investing in the market longer would not have been hurt as the markets are back up.  Older works would have moved  their investments to more safe holdings.  Either way, I trust the diversity and long term value of the capital markets, over the Governments eventual broken promises for Social Security to be there for future generations.
31-   Sandra Fluke represents every woman’s right to choose	The issue was never about telling a woman what to do.  It was about when does someone take personal responsibility that she couldn’t pay $9 a month for her own contraceptives.  It’s “completely” about her right to choose, and then to pay for those choices.
32-   You think 47% are on Welfare and takers, which is really saying it’s about handouts to black people	Mr. Obama, there are more WHITE people than Black people on welfare and foodstamps.  This is not a RACE issue, it is a people issue.  We need programs and jobs and opportunities for ALL Americans.
33-   The Republican party is racist because they targeted the white voter.	The Democratic party openly targets Hispanics, African American, and Women, is that any more racist?

I could go on and on…

In closing, Mr. Obama said in his speech, “we are more than just red states and blue stated”.  For all of our sakes, I certainly hope that ends up being true.

Until that time, I think I’ll stay in the middle.

Where does hypocrisy begin and end?

I read with interest recently an article where President Obama accused Mitt Romney of “not going after Bin Laden if given the chance”.

Where this is political fodder, as it was of course taken out of context and not given the full weight of his quote where Romney stated, “Of course we get Osama bin Laden and track him wherever he has to go, and make sure he pays for the outrage he exacted upon America.”

All in all, that was NOT what I found most interesting. It was Obama’s quote about being held accountable to your prior statements.

“I’d just recommend that everybody take a look at people’s previous statements,” Obama said Monday, during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. “I assume that people meant what they said when they said it.”

If that is the case, I wonder how “that” comment will come back to bite Mr. Obama?

He has made a LONG list of comments, including but not limited to;

1- The rate of unemployment not going above 8%

2- His comment about George Bush being unpatriotic for his accumulation of debt

3- His closing of Gitmo

And the list goes on and on.

In this world of political hypocrisy, you would think people would be more careful with what they say.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/04/30/romney-course-would-have-ordered-bin-laden-raid/#ixzz1tZBr5K5V

The Seeding of America- How to create a Micro-Loan economy

I was thinking the other day as I watched the news of the Solyndra collapse, that there has to be a better way.

To begin, I’m not against the fact Solyndra got a loan. What I think more about is the difference in approach.

To me, Solyndra is like planting one tree and “hoping” it grows.

What I’d like to propose is something a little different; I call it the “Seeding” of America.

Here’s what I mean.

In starting a company, the hardest part is the early stage capital. This money used to be called Angel Capital, where someone would invest early in an idea.

This was traditionally at the idea or formation stage, often long before a product was built, and certainly before a customer.

I’ve long said that raising money is easy and can be summed up the three simple words; “Capital follows Customers”.

THAT is the easy part. The hard part is getting an idea or business far enough along to actually get a customer.

If you were to think about the difference between planting a tree and hoping it grows large, versus spreading grass seeds on a lawn and hoping to have a great yard, there is a big contrast.

If you were to spread seeds of grass, surely there would be some sprouts that would die, perhaps many.

However, my guess is there would be a large majority that would survive and flourish. Of course the grass would need watering (i.e. funding, customers, etc.), but it would make more sense to water a lawn when you can see the signs of growth.

What does all this have to do with business?

There is a difference between 50,000 businesses getting “seeded” or started, versus picking a few big winners.

In the investment world, this is actually called “seed” capital for a reason. It’s in the early stages that a company needs the hope or belief.

How would it work?

Let’s look at a Government Program (or privately funded one for that matter), and put some math to it.

Let’s begin with a $2.5 billion dollar program.

Each State is given a mandate to invest $50,000 in 1,000 companies. These would be small business, startups, ideas, entrepreneurs, students, etc.

That would be 50,000 businesses seeded in one year!

Let’s say 5% survived to become an average small business (employing 25 people), that would be 2,500 successful companies with a new employment base of 62,500 people! If 1% of those 50,000 companies went on to become the next Google, Cenoplex, or high-flying super growth, world changing company.

THAT is an engine. Could that success number be higher?

Absolutely! The constant decline in the cost of technology, the proliferation and access to knowledge through the internet, the ability to create and provide a needed service has all made the opportunity to start a business more attainable than ever.

I thought of this similar to a Micro-loan program in other countries. What $200 may be to a person in Bangladesh is what $50,000 may be to someone in the US?

The disparity in the amount of course comes in the cost differences between countries, but the results could be no less empowering.

What was needed in the countries with the micro programs were two things:

1- Someone who believed in the goodness of the person trying to improve their live, and

2- A system with the funds and process to deliver the seed capital.

The argument against this would be- well, what if they fail? What if there is fraud? What if someone steals the money?

My belief (naively or not) is that there are a LARGE number of people who actually want to succeed. Want to have a business, want to create something.

This should also be viewed not as risk capital, but as “REWARD” capital.

Risk capital says- If I invest and lose all my money, that is a risk. This is what the view is currently with Solyndra where many are clamoring for an end to government subsidies and investments.

I would agree that the Government may not have the best track record at picking winners and losers; which again is a byproduct of “picking” a single company or industry.

Reward capital is the view that if you invest in a company, that money is spent locally, people are hired, taxes are paid, technology and consumables are purchased, and yes, you may lose some; but there may be a far larger majority of companies who will make it. Succeed!

The reward should far outweigh the risk, especially if the risk is spread out and allocated.

Would you lose some? Sure? Just like when you plant 1 Million seeds of grass, you’ll lose a few.

But the benefits far outweigh the risks.

There are good people, great ideas, hardworking individuals, all looking for an opportunity.

This country was built on those beliefs.

Someone needs to believe in them.

Let’s start the planting the seeds of greatness.

Let me get this straight- Be unemployed; Live free for a year?

Obama recently passed another program that I struggle to understand.

If you are unemployed, there is now a program to allow you to live in your home and NOT pay a mortgage for a year?

http://rismedia.com/2011-07-11/obama-administration-offers-additional-mortgage-relief-to-unemployed-homeowners/

Excuse me?

So, those of us who are hardworking, and maybe struggling to pay our mortgage or keep our homes are the ones who get no relief?

Instead, it’s unemployed or people who couldn’t afford to stay in their house to begin with?

When does hard work and savings really pay off in this country anymore? It seems more and more people are rewarded, or at least protected, for NOT being able to pay their bills.

Reminds me of the old parable with the Ant and the Grasshopper.

Not familiar with it? Read on below:

The ANT

AND THE

GRASSHOPPER

This one is a little different ……

Two Different Versions …..

Two Different Morals

OLD VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and

laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and

plays the summer away.

Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.

The grasshopper has no food or shelter,

so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE OLD STORY:

Be responsible for yourself!

MODERN VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long,

building his house

and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and

plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and

demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed

while he is cold and starving.

CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN, and ABC

show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a

video of the ant in his comfortable home with

a table filled with food.

America is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is

allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah

with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, ‘It’s Not

Easy Being Green..’

ACORN stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house where the

news stations film the group singing, We shall overcome.

Then Rev. Jeremiah Wright

has the group kneel down to pray for the grasshopper’s sake.

President Obama condemns the ant

and blames President Bush, President Reagan, Christopher Columbus,

and the Pope for the grasshopper’s plight.

Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King

that the ant has

gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper,

and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his

fair share.

Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act

retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and,

having nothing left to pay his retroactive

taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar and

given to the grasshopper.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends

finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government

house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant’s

old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn’t

maintain it.

The ant has disappeared in the snow,

never to be seen again.

The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident, and the

house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who

terrorize and ramshackle, the once prosperous and peaceful,

neighborhood.

The entire Nation collapses bringing the rest

of the free world with it.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Be careful how you vote in 2012

No hope for Weiner’s future? Not necess

No hope for Weiner’s future? Not necessarily – take a look at 8 famous politicians who survived (and thrived) after scandals…
http://www.usnews.com/news/slideshows/anthony-weiner-and-8-politicos-who-survived-scandals

Could Greece’s debt tsunami reach US sh

Could Greece’s debt tsunami reach US shores?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43427742/ns/business-world_business/

Amsterdam to become less appealing to to

Amsterdam to become less appealing to tourists? http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/06/07/amsterdam.pot.shops.ban/