Craig's Corner

The lights went out yesterday. An orchestra of beeps, honks and bleeps echoed throughout the house. Was the bill paid? Phew. A few minutes later I venture outside. It’s the middle of a bright, sunny Southern Californian day. No extreme heat sucking up all of the electricity. Others in the neighborhood have the same issue. Call Department of Water and Power. Mr. Automation replies: “There is a power outage in your area.” No kidding. Estimated repair time: 8 hours. (Actual time: 4 ½.)  Whatever the cause of the outage, I’m sure the result will be increased rates. The DWP has increased rates twice per year for the past several years. They claim it’s to cover the cost of repairs of an aging infrastructure. It’s true that the Los Angeles DWP system, one of the largest in the nation, is beset by equipment that is older than I am. The problem is that we’ve paid for the upgrade a few times already. Built into the rate structure are funds to cover the eventual replacement of the equipment...

My personal financial situation, along with millions of my fellow Americans, mirrors the debt ceiling “negotiations” in Washington. We have few prospects for new income and there’s only so far we can go in cutting expenses. Credit lines are maxed. There’s been months of haggling back and forth with a new plan with virtually every news cycle. They’ve all missed the one big, easy solution. It’s time to sell something. Americans are pawning and selling to make ends meet. (Ever seen Pawn Stars ?!?) Why not the U.S.? What to sell? Following the fairness doctrine of last in first out – we’d have to spin off Hawaii. Maybe just one of the islands would fetch a trillion or two? By unloading only one of the islands we wouldn’t have to change the flag, though it’d be a huge economic boon to have to re-do everything for 49 states again. If we’re hedging then perhaps a lease-back --- I’m sure the Chinese would see it as fair collateral to their $1.152 trillion. There’s always Alaska. It’s the 49t...

What do Rupert Murdoch, Barack Obama and Mike Barbour have in common? They each were in the news this week regarding their ability to take responsibility on major issues. Mike Barbour oversaw “Carmagedden” which never materialized and actually opened the 405 Freeway nearly 18 hours early. Rupert and James Murdoch went to a Parlimentary Hearing to disavow knowledge and responsibility for the hacking scandal in England that has resulted (so far) in 1 death, multiple arrests, payoffs, resignations and the demise of a 168-year old newspaper. President Obama has yet to get a solution to the debt ceiling and Republicans and Democrats seem no further along in preventing default. A key characteristic of leadership is the idea that decisiveness equates to results. Mike Barbour managed hundreds of personnel, interfaced with dozens of government agencies, neighbors, politicians and the media. His leadership is hailed thanks to preparation and cooperation...it wasn't a solo effort. The Mur...

July 15 2006 at 9:50pm was the first public tweet. Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter wrote: "just setting up my twttr.” Today there are more than 200 million tweets per day. As the world celebrates the fifth anniversary of the latest evolution in communications the conflict between the digital world and its physical counterpart is growing. Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer (triple its nearest competitor), and the State of California are poised to go to battle over the state’s newest law requiring online companies to charge and collect state sales taxes. Previously only companies with physical locations in the state were required to charge sales tax. Amazon and others are refusing and there are legal battles as well as PR fights underway in California and elsewhere. Business owners and legislators in the 12 states that have tried similar efforts argue that online retailers are at a competitive advantage because they don’t have to charge the tax. Consumers by law are suppo...

Whether it’s sung by Frank, Liza or Elvis - “My Way” captures the zeitgeist that we all want to have when our time comes. “I've lived a life that's full … Regrets I've had a few… I took the blows … I did it my way.” It’s an anthem of independence and assurance that when reflecting on one’s life one can do so proudly. Doing and living “my way” is distinct from getting “my way.” Successful entrepreneurs often create value for themselves and their companies with a passionate and exacting belief in their vision done in their own way. These innovators have been the driving force of innovation and the economic engine of the world from the beginning of time. For over twenty years I’ve worked with entrepreneurs in a variety of capacities, largely as a consigliere (one who advises and guides the principal). My expertise is in strategically delivering results whether for-profit or not. In a not-for-profit situation the challenge is magnified since the Board of Directors is in the r...