The irksome version of “going green”

This will be a short one.

It seems everyone, everywhere is “going green”. This usually consists of going “paperless” by sending invoices and account statements electronically. I’m all for that.

What irks me is when retailers print lots of posters, signs, banners, end-caps and other in-store promotional materials just to tell me they are “going green”. What also irks me a great deal are companies that find it important enough to put something like “XYZ co is proud to be green” in all their electronic communication, then attaches the forms you need to renew your policy/account/billing info etc. Of course, those electronic forms must be printed and mailed or faxed back. This is what is known as “greenwashing”- promoting the intangible niceties reflected by green initiatives without actually accomplishing anything green. Most often, these activities merely shift the cost of printing to you rather than truly eliminating paper and ink from the process.

This irks me almost as much a the prolific tip jar that springs up everywhere from coffee shops to fast food joints and just about every service counter in America. But that’s a rant for another day.

Always blame the speculators

“Speculators” are an old scapegoat standby. Those with fiduciary responsibility always like to blame someone else for their mistakes. I suppose it’s a natural human reaction that it must be someone else’s fault. The most recent nonsensical iteration of this phenomenon is currently being played out in Europe as officials there seek someone to blame for Greece’s woes.

Finally a stimulus plan that works

Finally a stimulus plan that will save America. Or at least that’s how the email reads. I’ve seen it too many times now, that I just have blog about it. Some genius’ plan goes like this:

Toyota Grades

I’ve spent years watching companies over time. You get to observe lots of neat things if you look closely. Companies almost appear as living, human entities (they’re not, Supreme Court!) For example, one can observe a formerly innovative and nimble company get “fat and happy” and lose their competitive lead. This can happen for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which is simply good, old fashioned arrogance. Corporate culture plays an important role too, particularly when a company’s work force doubles in a relatively short time. The newer employees change the culture or have trouble integrating or are simply less manageable due to the sheer size and speed of the expansion.

Investments that cost you money and why I don’t like them

A mouthful of a title for sure, but it says it all. I frequently find myself dealing with people who get into “investments” that cost them money. By “cost them money”, I’m not talking about an investment that went south and ended up at a loss. That happens all the time and is part and parcel of all investing. Rarely do investors find themselves without any losers. No, that’s not what I’m talking about.

When does the Chinese Credit Card Crisis Hit?

Koreans, as in Koreans who live in Korea, are not the best drivers. Korea has some of the highest car fatality rates in the developed world. The first time I set foot in Korea, it struck me how almost every car on the road had some kind of dent. Road rules seemed Darwinian. If you had the biggest vehicle, you had the right of way. Pedestrians were 10th class citizens, even on sidewalks.

International Intrigue, Swiss-German Style

An otherwise quiet government organization in Europe is attempting to buy secret cross-border bank account data. The unknown organization that has the data is asking $3.5 million for it. Authorities from two countries are trying to negotiate with the data hostage taker. Sound like a plot for a James Bond movie? Actually, this is exactly the dilemma faced by German and Swiss authorities right now! First, a brief background.

Another Ponzi scheme exposed in Fraud Lauterdale

Yep, another Ponzi has been exposed. Though not quite in Madoff’s league, it is still a big one at $1.2 billion. One Scott Rothstein created a large 70-lawyer law firm in Florida where he used the scheme to buy influence. According to news reports, he made generous donations to political campaigns, owned “hundreds” of cars, homes, jewelry, watches and businesses. He used the faux wealth to hobnob with politicians, sports celebrities and support an extravagant lifestyle. When discovered, he got on a private jet and fled to Morrocco with $500,000 in cash after wiring $16 million to Casablanca.

Keynes vs. Hayek

Yo yo yo! Rap style!

Word.

Obama proposes bank taxes, reforms

A couple of thoughts on the proposals this week. Let’s start with this proposed “bank tax”. Given the outrage centered around bank bonuses, the tax is supposed to penalize the banks for requiring government help last year (in the form of TARP). The idea is that the banks benefited from TARP and TARP will probably lose money on some portion of its loans, therefore we’ll tax all banks to make up any shortfall to the return of taxpayer funds.