J.D. Salinger dies at 91 years old at his home in Cornish, NH

Posted on January 29th, 2010 by John Sostak

J.D. Salinger on the cover of Time Magazine, 1961

“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like getting into it, if you want to know the truth.” Holden Caulfield, first sentence of Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger.

J.D. Salinger died of natural causes on January 27th, 2010, at his home in Cornish, New Hampshire.  For a thorough obituary, read the NY Times, Charles McGrath, January 28, 2010, by clicking here.

Like every American who attended school in the US, I was assigned Catcher and the Rye.  Thankfully, I did read it.  I am grateful to my teacher (I don’t remember which one), and J.D Salinger, I attribute my love of reading to Catcher and the Rye.  To be 13 years old, and introduced to Holden Caulfield is a gift.  It is unfortunate that the rebellious existence of a Holden Caulfield character trait can be found in most teenagers.  This may contribute to a handful of people, like a colleague and friend of mine that attended Gordon Tech, from meeting Holden Caulfield at this fleeting time, when they can relate perfectly.

I hope Catcher in the Rye is still required reading for teenagers, and is being downloaded by one to an Amazon Kindle as I type this.

In my opinion, most other books by Salinger do not hold up as well.  9 Stories, and Franny and Zooey come to mind.  Was Catcher in the Rye such a tough act to follow that Salinger eventually chose not to publish again?  That the enormous burden of greatness created a shadow which drove Mr. Salinger into what he is perhaps most famous for?  Seclusion.

Mr. Salinger has made himself famous, for being a fiercely protective recluse.  Now that J.D. Salinger has passed away at 91 years of age, this too, will pass, and he will be returned to fame and much deserved respect for what is far more fitting, he was responsible for a Great American Novel, Catcher in the Rye.  J.D. Salinger is a great American Novelist, like Twain, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald.

J.D. Salinger was an American writer.  He was also an American soldier in World War II.  He served with the Counter-Intelligence Corps of the Fourth Infantry Division, whose job was to interview Nazi deserters and sympathizers, and was stationed for a while in Tiverton, Devon, the setting of “For Esmé — with Love and Squalor,” probably the most deeply felt of the “Nine Stories.” On June 6, 1944, he landed at Utah Beach, and he later saw action during the Battle of the Bulge.

In 1945 he was hospitalized for “battle fatigue” — often a euphemism for a breakdown — and after recovering he stayed on in Europe six months past the end of the war, volunteering for Denazification duty. He married a German woman, very briefly.  Her name was Sylvia, Mr. Salinger’s daughter Margaret has said, but Mr. Salinger always called her Saliva.

Mr. Salinger was private, reclusive, and human.  He invited Joyce Maynard, an 18 year old Yale freshman, into his world in 1973.  They had a 10 month long affair, and she went on to publish a memoir about him.  “Mr. Salinger was controlling and sexually manipulative,” Ms. Maynard wrote, “and a health nut obsessed with homeopathic medicine and with his diet” (frozen peas for breakfast, undercooked lamb burger for dinner).

Joyce Maynard believes he had at least two novels written and locked away in a safe.  She revealed that he never stopped writing about the Glass family.  His office was lined with shelves of notebooks devoted to the Glass family.

Salinger’s daughter Margaret also wrote a book about him. This book was condemned as exploitive by her brother Matthew.  Ms. Salinger said that her father was “pathologically self-centered and abusive toward her mother,” and to the homeopathy and food fads she added a long list of other enthusiasms: Zen Buddhism, Vedanta Hinduism, Christian Science, Scientology, and acupuncture. Mr. Salinger drank his own urine, she wrote, and sat for hours in an orgone box.

Mr. Salinger is survived by his wife Ms. Colleen O’Neill and children from a previous marriage to Claire Douglas, son, Matthew, and daughter, Margaret, as well as three grandsons. His literary agents said in a statement that “in keeping with his lifelong, uncompromising desire to protect and defend his privacy, there will be no service, and the family asks that people’s respect for him, his work and his privacy be extended to them, individually and collectively, during this time.”

“Don’t ever tell anybody anything.  If you do, you start missing everybody.” Holden Caulfield, The End of Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger.

Tags: Dead

Goldman Sachs bonuses exceed $20 BILLION, thanks to US government and American tax dollars.

Posted on January 29th, 2010 by John Sostak

Former CEO's of Goldman Sachs, Henry Paulson and Jon Corzine

Rather then too big to fail, they are actually too big to jail.  Too smart, too.  Sandwiched in between President Obama’s State of the Union Address, and Steve Jobs introduction of the Apple iPad were a couple of Goldman Sachs stories that are disturbing, and deflating.

1.  The champagne has been flowing, and the champagne flutes clinking in toasts that could be heard all over the world last night.  Goldman Sachs paid out $23 BILLION in bonuses yesterday.  40% of this is paid in cash, with the balance paid in GS stock.  Since 85 Broad Street is in charge of the Country, this stock is worth more then the cash.

Click here to read about some lawsuits against GS by shareholders, Ken Brown and Central Laborer’s of Illinois pension fund.

2.  The AIG bailout generated a $16 BILLION payment to Goldman Sachs.  Tim Geithner was handed the bailout like a football, by ivy league football player Hank Paulson.  Geithner and Treasury paid 100% of AIG money owed to Golman Sachs, rather then negotiate a lower payment.

There should have been a much smaller payment to GS, as AIG had a realistic threat of bankruptcy and break up.  I say realistic threat, but with Hank Paulson in charge, with a wink and a nod, it was never a question that GS would be paid, and paid for poor products and services.  While Goldman Sachs was advocating AIG invest in mortgage backed securities, Goldman Sachs was reducing it’s exposure in MBS’s and CDO’s.

I believe that Goldman is in charge of our economy.  The former Goldman Sachs CEO Henry Paulson was the Treasury Secretary during the largest economic crisis our lives has made this obvious (most people alive during the depression are no longer with us).  GS has the best of both worlds, they have the partners plugged in to the posts that matter in US government.  They do not need lobbyists, because they are the politicians.  They also are a market maker, they sell products that they know are failing or are bad.

I will never be confused with an economist.  I don’t have answers, but I do have questions.  Can our government find a way to do what these large firms, like GS will not do?  Make banks smaller?  Rather then help Chase buy Bear Stearns, or BOA buy Merrill Lynch, or let Lehman BK, why not help Bear, and ML, and Lehman become 100 new firms?  If Goldman has 1,100 partners, force each one of these big brained bankers to be it’s own firm.

Wouldn’t we be in a safer economy if Bank of America, Chase, and Citi, were regional banks?  If banks were community banks, and our largest banks were regional, with a limit to the amount of banks each could manage and how many states they could operate in?   Bad banks could more easily be absorbed, and FDIC insured accounts would be smaller.  These banks should also be restricted from owning investment banks or businesses.  Morgan Stanley was a major catalyst for the run up in oil prices in 2008, as they own businesses that store oil.

I know, then we may not have bank CEO’s that make $50 Million annually.  We could instead have 50 Bank Presidents making $500K to $1M Annually.  I am certain this would benefit our economy, as it would spread the wealth and create more opportunity for a greater amount of individuals to be entrepreneurial.

If we did an overhaul of the financial system, we could operate with less regulation, as rules could be simpler, and investing would be as well.  More risk would be shouldered by the smaller investment bankers that run investments, and they would deserve the money they make, as they could be eliminated if they were to fail.  If we have talent in our financial systems, it will not run to England to work at Barclays, it will stay here to run its own boutique firm.

This could also be a way to create new investment in our country, which is being lost to other markets.  I don’t have answers.  I just think these banks are way to large, and we have created a bottle neck that is bad for our economy.  If we are lending money at 0% to banks, but this money is not being reinvested through lending into our country, we need to overhaul the system.

Big banks have business models that do not rely on lending.  They are focused on M&A, and only answer to their share price.  M&A does not benefit small business and the entrepreneurs that employ the majority of Americans.  Small banks and credit unions make money on deposits and lending.  Obviously they also invest in homes, oil, commodities, even parking (Morgan Stanley, Chicago), but it is a more diverse group of holdings.  If any small banking institution makes a mistake by over exposing themselves in something like an MBS, they could very easily be absorbed.

If you are interested in reading some interesting conspiracy newsletters, check out Martin Armstrong.  Keep in mind, he is in jail.  With the Internet, there is never a shortage of bad information, so it all must be investigated before it can be considered fact.

Tags: Banks, Economy, Goldman Sachs

What Makes a Great Elevator Pitch? Great Question.

Posted on January 25th, 2010 by John Sostak

Reid Hoffman,creator of LinkedIn

Kevin Liebl is in a Digital Marketing group that I belong to, and he asked this question today.

Kevin’s exact question is “what are some of your favorite examples of elevator speeches?”

An elevator pitch is not easy. It is considered a success if it creates an interest in investing in the business, or creates a new client for the business. This is the first thing to remember, the pitch should be tailored to the audience.

It should also be fresh, and as a small business owner, I know my business and it is important for me to be able to concisely describe it, in it’s current form. All of our companies, clients and projects change. My pitch and what I promote is modified because of these changes.

If your pitch works, you will be asked a few questions. A rehearsed speech means nothing if the first question asked by the audience is met by a blank stare and “uhhhh, I don’t know.” Consider your elevator pitch a dialogue. You should understand what you are pitching or promoting and be eager to expand on the pitch.

The elevator pitch for my company, Arcade Digital is:

Arcade Digital is a web development company that improves businesses through Internet marketing. We develop custom web sites, mobile apps and Internet marketing campaigns that are tailored to our clients business and it’s specific needs.

That by itself is pretty bland, and unimpressive. I welcome a question from the person I am speaking with to elaborate, and if I do not get one, I need to engage one from them. I consider this a launching pad for a dialogue about their business, which will then allow me a chance to brainstorm a way we could help their company improve. Although Arcade is an Internet company, we need to be able to help non Internet companies realize that we can help their business grow.

I admit, I am envious of the simple pitch that describes a eureka product that everyone thinks they thought of. A pitch like:

You may have heard of my company, LinkedIn? LinkedIn is a community website made up of people in business. Members commonly have contacts which are colleagues, clients and entrepreneurs that they may know well, or only know through LinkedIn. The individuals create profiles, and engage each other in groups. It is free to join, and we charge for advertising and premium memberships.

Great elevator pitch Reid Hoffman. This brings me to a closing point. A great idea, makes a great pitch, and ultimately, a potentially great company.

Do you have an example of an elevator pitch or speech you like or use?

Tags: LinkedIn

I can finally piss in peace on a golf course, thanks to a stupid ass invention, the UroClub.

Posted on January 23rd, 2010 by John Sostak

A duffer enjoying a piss on a golf course thanks to the Uroclub.

The UroClub is not a Northwest Side bar filled with Polish guys in Affliction shirts and gold jewelry puffed up for virtually naked Polish girls primping and praying someone can rescue them from a future that may include housekeeping.  It is a golf club you can pee in.

OK, I cannot make this up, maybe because I am not creative enough, maybe because I have the filter that helps me understand when something is ridiculous.  If you click here, you will find a real website, that is selling a hollow golf club.  This hollowed out golf club is called the UroClub, and has been made to piss in when you are on a golf course.

Excerpted from the UroClub website:  “How many times has this happened? You’re playing 18 holes with your best buddies, drinking sport-“ades”, water, beer, etc. You’re coming up to the 3rd hole with no rest room in sight. There are no trees or bushes around and you just have to go, what are you going to do?”

I need to interject right here with a quick answer.  Never.  I always need to pee, but haven’t been stuck with nowhere to urinate.  Unless you are on a links course that is busier then a City of Chicago downtown subway station at rush hour, and populated by women, children, and nuns, you haven’t had a hard time taking a leak on a golf course either.

The websites home page continues, “The UroClub™ is the discrete, sanitary way for your [sic] urgent relief. Created by a Board Certified Urologist, it looks like an ordinary golf club, but contains a reservoir built into the grip to relieve yourself. The UroClub™ is leak proof, easy to clean and no more embarrassing moments.”

Maybe I should try the “uroclub” before I knock it.  I have vowed to remain away from golf until Tiger Woods returns, so when I do return, I hope one of the guys I play golf with has a UroClub I can borrow.  It’s not that I do not want to drop $25 on a new one, I just don’t want to sacrifice one of the clubs in my bag to a hollowed out piss receptacle.

“Doc, mind if I use your Uro Club?, I need to piss bad, and I don’t want to offend Uncle Frank or Bookmaker.”  A reasonable request from John?

“Fuck you, get your own.”  The Doc.

Tags: golf, uroclub

The Hurt Locker & Military Dogs are Working Hard in Afghanistan & Baghdad

Posted on January 23rd, 2010 by John Sostak

US Army dog team in Baghdad, both are soldiers.

I  just rented The Hurt Locker.  It was a good movie.  It is also very real, and sad.  We have a lot of soldiers sacrificing things that we take for granted, like sanity, for this ‘war on terror.’  This is a great wake up movie.  If you are trying to remain oblivious to what is happening (a war) in the Middle East, watch this, you need a reminder that we are at war.

I was in the Army, 3/35th FA, and I served in the first Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm.  I was fortunate that I did not see real combat.  It was a well organized deployment, and we were support with soldiers from other NATO countries, like Germany and Britain.

The current war seems to be run by a civilian workforce.  Corporations are doing work that soldiers used to do.  This is another story which needs to be reported on more thoroughly.  I hate to promote sinister conspiracy theories, so I will only say I am very suspicious.

My father was a Vietnam War Veteran, also US Army.  He was a dog handler and was in combat.  He never ‘blogged,’ or even spoke about what he did in the service.  A few clues would trickle out from time to time, but one thing was obvious, he was affected.  The soldiers that are serving on the front lines in the Middle East are too.

This war will continue for years after we stop fighting.  Thousands of soldiers are permanently damaged.  This was what I took from The Hurt Locker, and this is the story I read when I read an article about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I read most articles about the war that I come across, and I am concerned about the soldiers and the civilians serving.  I hope to one day understand why this is allowed to continue, and how we as a nation and democracy benefit from this continued sacrifice.  Here is an Associated Press article about dogs and the challenge to feed the dogs working in the Middle East.

By ERIC TALMADGE, Associated Press Writer

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan has led to a dog surge — and unexpected problems in procuring high-quality dog food with enough protein and nutrients for hundreds of canines used to find explosives and perform other energy-intensive missions.

Along with about 37,000 U.S. and NATO troops, the number of military working dogs being brought into the country to search for mines, explosives and to accompany soldiers on patrol is increasing substantially, according to Nick Guidas, the American K-9 project manager for Afghanistan.

Guidas, a civilian contractor who primarily oversees dog operations in southern Afghanistan, said he has 50 dogs on operational teams and about 20 more awaiting missions. He expects that number to go up to 219 by July.
“It may go as high as 315 dogs in Afghanistan,” he said Saturday at a crowded kennel full of highly trained German and Dutch Shepherds, Belgian Malinois and Labradors on this air base, the hub of U.S. and international security forces’ operations in the volatile Kandahar area.

“Because of the surge there is more need for working dogs. But one of my main problems is getting dog food,” he said. “It’s hard to convince people sometimes that it’s a priority, but it’s a necessity if we are to keep these dogs working.”

Guidas said because of the energy-intensive demands of their missions, the dogs require special food and can’t just eat scraps.  The dog food, which is made commercially in the United States and has extra protein and nutrients to keep the dogs healthy while working in the heat and cold, must be shipped to Pakistan and then trucked to Kandahar.  But space on trucks is limited and prioritized. Food and supplies for humans come first, and logistics planners are still adjusting for the eating needs of the bigger pack of dogs to be put to work.

“It doesn’t get a higher priority than a Coke or some potato chips,” Guidas said of the dog food. “It moves when it moves.”

Even so, the dogs have become an essential component of many units because of their versatility. They can be trained to search for a wide variety of explosives and parts used in making improvised bombs.
In the past month alone, military dogs in southern Afghanistan have made 20 finds of unexploded devices, weapon caches and other materiel.

The U.S. has about 2,800 military dogs, the largest canine force in the world. It has used dogs in combat since World War I.

The dogs don’t come cheap. It costs about $40,000 per dog a year, and each goes through about five months of training. This year, Guidas expects the cost of the dog food that he needs to reach $200,000, up from about $80,000 last year.

He said each dog can work for five or six years, but the demands of the terrain and of the mission are harsh, particularly on the dogs’ joints. If a dog is injured or sick, it is not sent out on operations.

Only two military dogs have been lost in southern Afghanistan in the past five years, Guidas said.
“We take very good care of these dogs,” he said. “In some cases they are treated better than us.”

Tags: afghanistan, war