Category Archives: Thinking Aloud

Big Break

The Big Break

Do you watch the Big Break on the Golf Channel?  The series has been running for seven years or so and has featured men and women, young and old, competing for a chance to play in PGA Tour and LPGA Tour events.  There are also, as they say in the game show world, lots of cash and other valuable prizes.  One guy who was on the show – Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey – has actually had some success on the tour, one guy caddies regularly on the Tour (most pro caddies are great golfers) and many others, particularly the women, have played well on the Duramed Tour, which is the LPGA’s developmental tour.  (Update – I forgot about alum James Nitties who also has had PGA Tour success – thanks Tarek!)

So why, other than my well-known obsession with all things golf, am I bringing this up?  Because as I was watching the show I had a thought about business and I wanted to share it. Continue reading

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Filed under Thinking Aloud

Lie To Me

I’m a fan of the Fox show “Lie To Me.” In a nutshell, it’s about a guy who can detect when people are lying through various clues – facial expressions, use of language, etc. Besides the fact that it’s well-written and acted, it gives me hope that most of us can learn to do the same thing. Unfortunately, I’m not sure that’s true, but if it was I’m also convinced that a lot of folks would choose to ignore the clues since there are so many examples of people doing just that today. It’s true both in business and elsewhere and let me tell you what’s prompting this. Continue reading

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Filed under Helpful Hints, Thinking Aloud

Deceptive And Dumb

Ah, the wonders of snail mail. Seems to me that the only stuff that arrives in the non-electronic mailbox these days is magazines, bills, and junk. Oh sure, the occasional birthday or holiday card at the appropriate times of the year, but mostly it’s crap or bills.
That’s why it was pretty obvious that since the official looking “Refinance Notice” from the US Fannie Mae Relief Program wasn’t a bill, it was probably junk, at least to my eyes. The problem is that neither you or I, who wouldn’t be fooled by this, are there to explain it to the folks who won’t know any better. So let’s ask a business question. Continue reading

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Filed under Reality checks, Thinking Aloud