Econ 101 – He Never Saw it Coming

Sometimes people just don’t look both ways. That’s how wrecks happen. In this country, the level of economic expertise is pathetically low. We don’t mandate even basic economics classes in most high schools. The average American doesn’t have a clue how the economy works or what the Federal Reserve does. If the paycheck clears the [...]

Maybe the Tea Sippers Can Explain It

I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels cerebrally challenged from time to time. I’m pretty well educated and I’ve rolled the odometer over a couple times on the experience machine. It could be because I like to surround myself with people that are a hellava lot smarter than I am, but I’m always [...]

Satan – My Personal Banker at BMW Bank of North America

A bit hyperbolic? You be the judge. This is a true story about the decay in the moral code of the American banking system. It’s not restricted to the banking industry; sadly, it permeates much of American business ethics. But in this case, the scene plays out in the offices of a diabolical brotherhood of [...]

From the Bowels of the Mountain

Some of you have asked, “What has happened to Babs Ferguson?” My pugnacious, contrarian sister-in-law has been strangely absent from the column in recent weeks. My instinctive response is along the lines of what we used to say when I was playing baseball, “Never talk about a no-hitter while you’re pitching one. It’s bad luck.” [...]

Have We No Cyber-Shame?

Somehow we’re doing this with a straight face. I keep looking around to see if I’m the only one laughing, but even Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is acting as if she’s serious. Google is threatening to pull its operations out of China because someone cracked into some of the Google gMail accounts. No one [...]

Pat Robertson – One Sick S.O.B.

I’ve been a little neglectful of this column recently. Most of my efforts have been going into writing a book about a homeless, mentally ill man who served as a unifying force in a community in California. The book is nearing completion and will hopefully shed light on the plight of the mentally ill in [...]

Entitlements – and the Bastards Think We Owe It to Them

That’s what’s wrong with this country today, entitlements. They’re killing us. Can you imagine? All these people thinking they’ve got it coming to them. Just because they’re poor they expect food stamps, unemployment payments, and the same quality of education they’d get it they lived in the richer suburbs. They already get free medical care. [...]

Hopefully for Israel, Elephants are the Only Animals that Never Forget

With the holiday season upon us, social gatherings abound. I seized the opportunity to attend one recently. Who am I to turn down free food? There was a promise of excitement. It was to be attended by an eclectic group of writers, politicos and intellectuals. It was to be an evening where one conceptual piñata [...]

The Lieberburger – Lots of Fat, but Short on Meat

For those of you inclined to ask the rhetorical question “Where’s the beef?”, here’s your answer: The Heart Attack Grill. Our friend Tommy was kind enough to visit us briefly in Scottsdale during our recent visit to that beautiful city. Tommy was good enough to come by and allow me to severely trounce him over [...]

Flu the Coup – On the Passing of Allen Sherpa

It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon and I’m just chilling. Sadly, I mean that literally. Chills seem to accompany the Swine Flu. I’m not sure why I capitalized “swine flu” unless I subconsciously fear offending this microbial goddess of the throbbing head. As near as I can tell, I’m not in any of the high risk [...]