Monthly Archives: November 2009

Amazon has just released Kindle software for your PC.  If you already had a Kindle, all your books and publications will be immediately available.  Download here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=kcp_pc_mkt_lnd?docId=1000426311

So what is so great about this?  For one thing, you don’t always have your Kindle with you.  The best thing is your PC monitor is in color and the Kindle is gray scale.  Books you purchase in color are in color on your PC.  This is especially important for childrens books.

Another Kindle note – Amazon has just released a firmware update for your Kindle. A great new feature is screen orientation. You can switch display view to landscape as well as portrait. It is kind of a nice feature. 

I started playing with video editing this past week. It’s not easy. But it is fun. Have a look at my first attempt. http://trif.com/video.htm. Combining video, text and sound can be daunting. It is easy to overdue because it’s hard to know when to stop. I have watched and learned a bit from Ross Jones, owner of Harvard Video in Harvard, MA. Ross produces business videos and has created some memorable moments for some people I know. Here are some examples:

• http://www.jsclassicwoodworking.com/
• http://www.selinamaitreya.com/video.html
• http://www.progressiveenergyservices.com/video.htm

Have a look at these and check out http://harvardvideo.com/  and consider what a business video might do for your business.

Were you ever curious how Jay Leno gets all those great cars?  Jay Leno has more than 160 cars in his garage and half of them were delivered by our client Intercity Lines, Inc. based in Warren, Massachusetts.  Jay Leno posted a video describing the process when he recieved his 1963 Chrysler Turbine in a 53′ fully enclosed air ride trailer fitted with complete hydraulics to transport cars safely.  Only 50 of these cars were produced.  It’s claim to fame?  Engine was capable of 60,000 rpms and it could run on diesel, unleaded gas, jet fuel, kerosene or vegetable oil.  Also capable of running on tequila.

Check out the video http://www.trif.com/ICL/JayLeno.wmv and if you ever need a car transported from north to south, east to west or back again, check out the Intercity Lines web site: http://www.intercitylines.com/ or call them at 800-221-3936.  You can also find the video on Jay’s website http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/.

The Implosion of Credit in America – A New Paradigm


In 2008, as we moved into the financial crisis, Americans were saddled with more credit card debt than ever before. The cycle began with decreasing home values which reduced equity. Credit card companies, despite getting bail outs from the US government were reevaluating their portfolios. Americans on the cusp were notified that credit lines were being reduced or closed. The reduction in credit lines impacted the ratio of available credit to outstanding debt which caused the credit scores to fall. Falling credit scores caused yet another round of credit line decreases plus an increase in interest rates. The US Treasury is handing out money for close to zero percent but the credit card companies are now charging Americans as much as 30 percent interest or more. The rise in interest rates is making it near impossible to make more than the minimum payments each month and late payments are becoming inevitable. Decreasing credit lines, increased debt to credit ratios, paying minimum payments causes further decline in credit scores creating yet another round of credit line reductions. Where does all this end. How do Americans dig themselves out of this loan shark driven credit market? Eliminate debt? Tough to do when assets are dwindling, jobs are scarce and wages are falling.
However, that is the answer. Eliminate debt. Convert remaining assets into cash and reduce debt. Deplete savings and reduce debt. Cancel any hopes of retirement and reduce debt.
Or?
There is one other option Default. Here is a logical argument for defaulting:
• Americans are supplementing the income of credit card companies through bail outs with their tax dollars anyway.
• The cyclical decline of credit scores is self induced by the credit card companies making the value of those scores virtually worthless. A clever scam to make more absurd profits by increasing interest and fees to the point of strangulation.
• There is obviously no end to the greed of the credit card companies as they maneuver around the intent of the law discovering loophole after loophole, political and geographic asylum. Out of state or off shore solutions are well within their bag of tricks to suck America out of America.
• The United States government does not have the stomach to call it like it is. Greed gone wild and the bankruptcy of America. And as goes America, so goes the world.
• The Credit Card Reform law going into effect in February 2010 doesn’t go far enough. So what is safe? If the greed continues, what kind of anarchy will result. Is your home safe? Your car? Your services like telephone, electricity, fuel? Groceries?


Where is the outrage? Why do Americans accept this kind of self indulgent behavior by the leaders of our largest publicly held financial companies. We wouldn’t permit our children to behave like this.


Here is some further reading:

http://money.blogs.time.com/2009/10/29/guess-how-many-credit-card-companies-engage-in-unfair-and-deceptive-practices/

http://www.dailyreckoning.com.au/bankers-pull-another-fast-one/2009/02/16/

http://money.blogs.time.com/2009/10/30/ten-signs-that-the-economy-is-still-in-awful-shape/


http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/credit/2009-05-21-obama-credit-card-reform-law_N.htm