The "How Comes" of our society

Financial Thoughts:

I don't know as that there is much of substance on my mind today. I have been mulling over a few thoughts during the recent weeks however, and I thought that I ought to throw some of them down on "paper". The one of which is my theory relating to large financial institution bonuses, why they are paid out, and why certain people get them. If you'll allow me, I'd like to make a comparison to modern sports compensation.

Would you say that currently, professional athletes receive justifiable pay for the service that they perform? Maybe some of them do. I would wager that the majority of players are payed a "reasonable" salary for their skills. They make money for the franchise, and the franchise rewards accordingly. There are a few, however, that are paid far in excess of any reasonable rate. Tiger Woods earned, last year, $110 million, according to Forbes Magazine. 110 million dollars!! Now to be fair to Tiger, much of that was from endorsements and other business deals. But the next down, Oscar De La Hoya earned less than half that: 43 million, and I don't see any Nike Air-De La Hoyas. I could go on but it's more of the same.

Now, to make the comparison, why are these athletes paid so much? Well, the only answer that I can really give is that they are good at what they do. Right? They must be so above the best, that they deserve to be given such amazing returns. I hear very few people decrying exorbitant athletics pay. I can only assume it is just therefore. Now a banker has really one job, much like an athlete does. A banker's job, however, is to make money. A great banker will expend all of his options to make the most money possible off of money that he receives, and we would expect a great banker then to use that money to make...more money. If we apply the model set forth by professional athletes then, a great banker should then be paid very well for doing his job well, correct? So there you have it: a banker who makes money and is paid for making money. The result is money, money, money.

One more point on this topic: Perhaps all of this anger toward Wall street is caused by the fact that they weren't honest. Perhaps it is justified by the fact that the people we once thought were there for us, turned out to have only self interest as motivation. If this is true, then I expect us to apply the societal norms which are applied to professional sports, which are: If you've cheated, lied, run illegal drug rackets, or used drugs yourself, it's ok. We realize that you are the best at what you do, and we couldn't find another to replace you. Therefore, go thy way, and sin no more. Because we need you for next season, otherwise we won't have a chance at the championship.

It Starts...

Thusly, I would like to begin my blog... SHHPOW!... BAM!
There, now that we've all got that out of our system, we can get down to business. I'd like to thank you all for logging on and reading this, though I know all who read this are most likely going to be family, and you know me pretty well. That however, does not diminish your importance nor your stature here. I welcome you and hope that you enjoy what you read here. I can promise you one thing: that whatever we do, you and I, we will dredge the very depths of the human experience, scrape the saturated, woody bottom of the emotional barrel, and, with any luck, find a morsel of goodness or a palatable piece of joy in this restaurant dumpster of a world! Are you ready? because, WHAM!... W'BANG! We're off!
Yesterday, I took the first definitive step toward becoming a productive and contributing member of society. It has been a long time coming. Twenty six years of floundering in miasma of indecisiveness, apathy, and stagnate dreams have brought me here. Finally, as the layers of emotional, and psychological sludge built up beneath me, I have been able to climb out of a dismal hole. I have packed down the dirt, packed down the slime, packed down the ooze. I have compacted all of it, and now can stand firmly upright and say, with all the fervor of a suicide bomber: "I am blowing this joint!" What have I done? I took a test. Now, I understand if you feel I've let you down here. I see that from the outside of my frame of reference this may not seem as ground-breaking as I have made it out to be. "But Austyn," you may say, "it's just a test. Why all the hype? Why the build up? What does a test have to do with you upgrading your life status from "Adult Mooch" to "Participatory Element of Society"?" Well, my friend, sit back, grab a Cold Ones from the fridge, and allow me to harangue.
I have long been pursuing the occupation of Sign Language Interpreter. Perhaps, I have been pursuing it for too long. In other words, I should have arrived at my career starting point long ago. I have lacked that certain je ne sais quoi that propels other, more ambitious men onward. Ah yes, that is it. Ambition. Passion. These are my deficiencies. I have ruminated in my comfort zone far too long. But even the most patient men can stand still only for a certain length of time. I made a leap. So much of a leap in fact, that my instructor became quite angry with me and gave me a good tongue lashing for trying to skip ahead of the program. But I had to! Like a headstrong, lovesick girl, I barreled ahead. I signed up for the State of Utah Sign Language Interpreter's Exam, and despite disapproving vibes from teachers and friends volunteering to give my eulogy, I took that test yesterday. 100 questions of the most obscure information ever written down, information that you would only know if you had read 6 particular books, of which no one has ever heard. I have read these books, and I know. How did I do on the test? I don't know. I won't know for 10 days. But I took that test. I took it! and I will not look back! Unless I don't get 80% and then I will be kicked, metaphorically speaking, back into my hole and really might consider becoming a fungus of some sort. Less is expected of that kingdom.