01/11/24

Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin III – AWOL, MIA, incompetent?

Secretary of Defense Austin had elective prostate cancer surgery in December and failed to notify his chain of command as to his status before or after the event.

Thereafter, he suffered complications — more specifically, a post-operative infection — that necessitated his removal to the intensive care unit at Walter Reed Hospital for more than a week and where he currently resides with the clock still ticking.

This is a big deal because SecDef is a huge responsibility and he is a critical link in the Nuclear Chain of Command.

Continue reading →

01/10/24

CEO Shoptalk: Leadership

Leadership at the startup and small company levels is typically something the founder/CEO is doing for the first time in her existence. She is also likely taking the trash out, but this is the nature of small business.

[Pro tip: Relish the chaos and novelty of this experience. Bask in the chaos and learning. Write your Founder Story. Keep a journal. Get regular foot massages. Learn. These will one day be the “good old days” for which you long.] Continue reading →

01/4/24

Predictions 2024

Here is what is going to happen in 2024.

Economy

 1. The economy is going to be good to insanely good. Inflation will bottom out. Interest rates will begin to tail downward. The stock market is going to the moon — 42,000 by Christmas.

The next Federal Reserve moves will be interest rate cuts.

That Biden inflation? Baked into the cake and never coming out. US inflation rate 2.5% by Labor Day, maybe Thanksgiving.

 2. The electric vehicle hysteria will calm down and EVs will become something that will still happen, but at a more leisurely, realistic pace. Continue reading →

01/1/24

CEO Shoptalk: Learn To Say Goodbye

If you aspire to be good at anything, to really excel — including as a CEO — then you better learn how to say “Goodbye, y’all,” as you will be saying it a lot.

Girl whispering to guy, “Look you’re cute as a Labrador puppy, and you have great utility, but I have places to go and people to meet on the road to excellence, so this is goodbye, stud muffin.”

Think of excellence as being a mountain. As you near the top, the air is rarified, the pathway more treacherous, the successful climbers fewer, and that is life. As my billionaire pal Taylor Swift says, “Deal.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Big Red Car — you are no pal of mine, you lying bucket of bolts.”

Come on, babe, play along. You’re making me look bad here.

Continue reading →

01/1/24

Artificial Intelligence Will Eat Jobs

And, so it begins with the announcement by Google (they want y’all to call them “Alphabet” but I refuse to comply) of its elimination of 30,000 jobs on the heels of a previous reduction of 12,000 jobs.These jobs are being eaten by artificial intelligence. Google is quick to explain it is not just because they can eliminate jobs due to the implementation of artificial intelligence within their own processes, but also because they are refocusing their attention on AI and therefore throwing other initiatives overboard. Continue reading →

12/30/23

Exit Interview With Year 2023

Today we have a special guest, the Year of 2023 who has agreed to sit with us and answer a few questions. It is quite an honor as he/she has just a few hours more of his/her tenure.

“Welcome,” sayeth the Big Red Car. “You ready to wrap things up?” Continue reading →

12/29/23

The Massive Russian Misinformation/Disinformation Campaign

Russia is a little country in economic terms with a GDP that is dwarfed by Italy. It is not a technologically advanced nation with most of its manufacturing expertise having been imported.

It is not unfair to say Russia is a little gas station owned by China and India.

Given the recent avalanche of Russian misinformation, one would think they are winning the war and their economy is booming!

That is simply not the case.

Come on, Big Red Car, how about an example?

Ahhh, dear reader, you want an example? OK, let’s chat about the Russian supposed 5th generation stealth fighter, the Sukhoi Su-57.

It is supposed to be better than the best US fighter. Haha. Sorry.

Recently, the Russians announced with breathless excitement that they had DOUBLED PRODUCTION OF THE STUPENDOUS SU-57. Continue reading →

12/27/23

Screwing The American Military Veteran Yet Again

Veterans are a useful bunch of folks. They fought our wars and kept the country safe.

Twice a year — Memorial Day (war dead) and Veterans Day (all veterans) — we trot our veterans out and honor them, but the rest of the time we disrespect and abuse them.

Marines engaged in close combat, hand-to-hand training.

Continue reading →