Monday, August 5, 2002

A 'Feckless' Administration This Time article is a must-read. It's a long article, but if you want to understand what led up to the events of 9/11, you have to read it. (Clinton's National Security Adviser) Berger attended only one of the briefings (Early January 2001) --the session that dealt with the threat posed to the U.S. by international terrorism, and especially by al-Qaeda. "I'm coming to this briefing," he says he told Rice, "to underscore how important I think this subject is." Later, alone in his office with Rice, Berger says he told her, "I believe that the Bush Administration will spend more time on terrorism generally, and on al-Qaeda specifically, than any other subject." The bottom-line is that this administration; due to it's hatred of Clinton, ignored advice and plans that laid out an attack on al-Qaeda. A plan that was disclosed to the incoming adminstration in January 2001, nine months before the 9/11 attack. The Bush team dropped the ball, and lost the chance to do anything. All because they were too worried about missle-shields; and making Clinton look bad, to implement a plan developed in Clinton's administration....mj Feckless adj Not fit to assume responsibility Generally incompetent and ineffectual; "feckless attempts to repair the plumbing"; "inept handling of the account" So which adminsitration is the Feckless one? 2:01:31 PM

August 5, 1991 Eleven years ago today was the saddest day in my life. It was the first time as an adult that I ever had to deal with the death of someone close to me. I have been blessed to have lost so few. On this morning my Grandmother Dorothy Roberts passed away. She died from compications due to Cancer. The last words she spoke were: "I love you Michael." I loved her with all my heart and I still miss her. I always will....mj 1:21:56 PM

August 5, 1962 Candle In The Wind Goodbye Norma Jean Though I never knew you at all You had the grace to hold yourself While those around you crawled They crawled out of the woodwork And they whispered into your brain They set you on the treadmill And they made you change your name And it seems to me you lived your life Like a candle in the wind Never knowing who to cling to When the rain set in And I would have liked to have known you But I was just a kid Your candle burned out long before Your legend ever did Loneliness was tough The toughest role you ever played Hollywood created a superstar And pain was the price you paid Even when you died Oh the press still hounded you All the papers had to say Was that Marilyn was found in the nude Goodbye Norma Jean From the young man in the 22nd row Who sees you as something as more than sexual More than just our Marilyn Monroe 40 years ago today, and the legend lives on. My 22 year old step-daughter Mandi is a big fan. A fan of a women who died almost 20 years before Mandi was born...mj 1:08:50 PM

Senator proposes stock option reforms A bill introduced in the Senate on Thursday proposes reforms in stock option programs. Such programs, popular in the technology industry for employee compensation, have fallen under attack in the wake of recent corporate accounting scandals. The Rank and File Stock Options Act, introduced by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., encourages companies to distribute options more equitably among executives and rank-and-file workers. It also urges regulations that would forbid executives from selling their shares while still employed by their company and would require shareholder approval of stock option plans. [ZDNet] Reforms like this are long overdue. After watching the founders of my previous employer selling their own shares and pocketing money, while the emplyees went unpaid...enough is enough. This might not have stopped that, but it does admit that companies have lost sight of reality with all the focus on options. My friend Bill and I were talking about options recently and he had a wonderful observation. His idea was that we have seen a shift in corporate focus during the past 20 years. I have a little different spin that owes its origin to Bill's comments. I would say that in the past 20 years we have moved from 'The Customer Is Always Right', to 'The Shareholders Are Always Right', and recently to 'Whatever Pads My Options Is Right!'...mj 10:08:24 AM

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