Quick Case Study: Ford Corp (F)

Once upon a time there was a car corporation that was the pride of the land. In 1903 Henry Ford, the companies founder, invented what we know today as the 'assembly line' and they produced the first motor vehicle this country had ever seen. The Ford brand was a symbol of America and people loved their cars. After many years of growth and wealth this beacon of the automobile began to decline. Perhaps lost in its success of the past or relying too much on its brand name to make sales, Ford failed to notice their more efficient competitors and the changing winds of demand. They fell prey to a union and its nefarious compensation ultimatums. Their flagships became stale and unpopular. They produced cars that did not meet needs. Finally, in 2007 this company's old and outdated management team saw net income reach nearly -13,000,000.00.


A meeting of the minds ensued.


Ford promised more stylish and more efficient cars. Plants were closed and operations restructured. They cut costs and brought in innovative and creative thinkers. They did everything that a management team should do, except one thing.


They didn't change their image.


The new and future consumers who are coming of age to purchase their own cars do not remember when Ford produced stylish vehicles that were the envy of their neighbors. Unlike their parents, they only remember the lackluster, expensive, gas guzzlers of recent years. The Ford brand has become a burden and the leaders of the company, perhaps lost in pride, seem unwilling to change even the logo. Do you think things would be different if Apple had continued to call its computers Macintosh instead of iMac?


Being a male, I have an innate attraction to cars. I stare at them on the road and look up pictures of new car shows on the internet. This past week I came across a picture of car not yet released (which is why this low quality photo is the only one available) and it caught my attention. The car is sleek and stylish but also looks powerful and luxurious. It is truly a great design.

It is a Ford. A Ford Taurus to be exact.

Here is a new, hip, and young design being named after a model whose only sales recently have come from old people and car rental companies. Is Ford STILL this out of touch? Washington should not be bailing out poorly run companies who make these type of decisions. Why would Ford market a new design filled with hope and grand potential after such an unpopular model?

Some could argue, that is like Barack Obama changing his name to George W. Bush.

If I Have a Son I am Naming Him Arland

I hate flying. I do it, but I hate it. When I saw the "Miracle of Flight 1549" last week, needless to say it did little to ease my fears. I don't really know why flying makes me feel like Dustin Hoffman during the airport scene in Rainman because statistically its safety is unmatched. Research shows that you have a 1 in roughly 10 million chance of dying on any given flight. Just to put that in perspective: odds of getting killed by lighting is 1 in 700,000; odds of getting killed in a tsunami is 1 in 500,000; and odds of getting killed by a domestic dog is 1 in 147,000.

I am sure that the people on flight 1549 had no idea of these odds and if they did they would have mattered little to them once they were told to "brace for impact". Most of the people who have ever heard similar words are dead. Like the people that were on Air Florida Flight 90, Washington D.C. to Tampa on January 13, 1982. That was the last commercial airliner to attempt a water landing in the United States.

It was a very cold day in the capital, flights had been delayed for nearly 1.5 hours when some bad weather passed and planes were given the green light. Flight 90 loaded it passengers and got in line behind numerous other planes taxing to the runway. While waiting for 45 minutes to get cleared for take off the pilot disregarded an anti-icing mechanism required in this type of weather. This decision decided the fate for this flight.

The Boeing 737-222 barreled down the icy runway and slowly lifted off. As it began its initial climb the pilot and co-pilot knew things were not right. It turns out they took off too early due to a frozen sensor functioning incorrectly. They did not have enough power to get high enough fast enough. They hit a bridge crushing cars and decapitating four people. The aircraft plunged into the frozen Potomac River. Six people survived the impact and all but one clung to the only portion of the plane sticking out of the water, the tail. Within 5 minutes one rescue helicopter was on the scene pulling survivors out of the water. They dropped a life vest hanging from a rope and one by one the first three people held on and were pulled to safety. When they dropped the rope a fourth time it was dropped in front of "a man in his 50's, balding" as he was described by rescuers. He grabbed the rope and in an act of selflessness immediately handed it to one of the other survivors and they were taken away. Three minutes later the helicopter came back and again the rope fell directly to this man and again he decided to give it away. Some where between the time the helicopter left and the time it came back the people looking on from the battered bridge watched as the plane and this man sunk into the water never to resurface. He had been in the water 29 minutes.

Months later authorities finally figured out that this man was Arland D. Williams Jr., a 46 year old bank auditor from Atlanta. His identity was confirmed only due to the fact that he was the only passenger pulled from the Potomac who died of drowning. In his honor, the bridge hit in the crash which connects Washington D.C. to Virginia has since been renamed Arland D. Williams Jr. bridge.

I read this story over the weekend and it has stuck with me for days. I can't get over the selflessness and the absence of fear this man showed. I am sure we all agree that Arland should not be grouped in with the 1 in roughly 10 million who die in plane crashes. Guys like him are much rarer.

Changing of the Guard

So the time is finally here. That dim witted cowboy everyone loves to hate is finally going to fade into the Texas sky. He gives way to an inspiring and wildly popular figure the likes of which I have never seen. The extremely unpopular President Bush being replaced by Barack Obama has set off quite a media storm the last few days. We are in the mist of a four day extravaganza that I have trouble comparing to anything I have ever witnessed. Sundays inauguration concert featured Bon Jovi, The Boss, and even the great Stevie Wonder. It is said the total cost of the inauguration and all events will be an estimated $130-150 million. It will be the most expensive inauguration of the 44 in our countries history. How much was the 2nd most expensive you ask?

The answer $55 million.

Not a good start.

However, no one seems to notice. It has been well publicized that AIG wasted tax payer money by sending executives to a spa shortly after being bailed out. Also, the media and the liberal congress jumped all over the 'Big 3' for taking private jets to beg for tax payer money. So how is this any different? Why is the "non bias" media not reporting this outrageous waste? Where is MSNBC and the AP? I guess they are lost in all of the excitement.


What this implies is both dangerous and irresponsible. A media that is free of bias is a very important piston in the engine of our countries checks and balances (one of my better analogies). If they do not scrutinize President Obama's every decision as vehemently as they did those of President Bush, our country will suffer. The new president must know that any desicion he makes will be judged by the media and the people and he will have to answer to both.


Mr Obama has a tough enough job ahead of him. Getting a free passes from the media will only make it harder for him to perform his job well.

Even Stevie Wonder can see that.

Hey, why a blog?

Hello and welcome. You have entered the blog of a man who is learned, hilarious, handsome, insightful, innovative, unique, and most importantly he kicks ass. I have been planning on putting my thoughts down on paper for a while now. Being the self aware scholar that I am I asked myself a short while back what are the 5 most important things in my life. Here is what I came up with:

• God (Even though it is incredibly trendy not to, I believe in god)
• Family (Most likely the best in the world)
• Friends (see description for family)
• My thoughts, memories, values, goals, and ideas
• Sports (sad but true)

Just about the time I gathered this incredibly introspective list I was watching a television series entitled Californication starring an actor who looks strikingly like David Duchovny (but is not nearly as creepy). In between all of the dark humor and raunchy sex scenes was a conversation between non creepy Duchovny, who happens to be a writer, and his father. In the conversation his father, who is getting on in years, reflects on his sons choice of profession and infers that writing can do three things. It can inspire people to think, it can stand the test of time, and it helps when you are trying to get laid. These reasons (not so much #3), ladies and gentleman are what inspired me to start my own blog.

I plan on writing things that are interesting sometimes and funny other times. I plan on posting on many topics. Most will be general, some will be about me, some will be about others, but all will be either thought provoking, entertaining, or both. This blog will act as a storage space for memories, thoughts, and my unbelievably hilarious jokes. It will be the equivalent of taking a picture of a moment, an idea, or the current social/political climate. It will give my children the opportunity to know me and the world I lived in. It will allow the people in my life to connect with me and maybe even get to know me better. It will enrich the the lives of those who read it and they will enrich the lives of those around them. The world will be a better place.