As a consumer, I love to see this sort of initiative and action.

As investors, this talented Canuck gives us all something to ponder.

Here’s the actual video in its entirety.

And a follow-up statement from Mr. Carroll:

Forbes provided a follow-up analysis of the situation for United.

Forbes also ran an article earlier this year outlining their ratings of the best and worst companies in regards to customer service; something to consider before plunking down your hard earned money on shares of any company.

You may not be surprised that Southwest Airlines won the best customer satisfaction rating while United Airlines scored the worst.

Quote of the Week: “Growing old is like being increasingly penalized for a crime you haven’t committed.”

Anthony Powell as quoted in the May 25, 2009 issue of Forbes.

Come to think of it, I have a bone to pick with a certain investment magazine.  I paid for a subscription through the summer of 2010.  They cashed my check, then asked me again and again to renew through the summer of 2010.  I wrote them and provided them with the check numbers, amounts, dates, and the fact that all of my checks to them had cleared my credit union.  They responded this month by ending my subscription.  I’ll write one more letter and then go to the Better Business Bureau if I get ignored again.  Customer service and satisfaction is a vital part of any business plan!

I think I’ll ask them for a free one year subscription for my trouble.  I’ll let you know how that turns out.

Buried News of the Week

Our neighbors in Nebraska wake up and smell the coffee!

John Quinn’s article in Saturday’s Rapid City Journal (07-11-09) caught my eye, particularly the following quote: “By what twisted logic do elitists think that the solution for too much borrowing and too much spending is even more borrowing and more spending?”

I believe the answer may lie in one of my previous blogs, where I quoted Sen Dick Durbin: “And the banks — hard to believe in a time when we’re facing a banking crisis that many of the banks created — are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And they frankly own the place.”

Could there possibly be a connection?  Hmmmmm…

Could our representatives, senators and presidents be putting special interests ahead of the American people?

All of this reminds me of one of my older blogs about our national debt.

Yes, our national debt has risen tremendously due to the bailouts, but the real crisis is entitlements.

When Social Security and Medicare obligations are taken into account, our national debt rises to about $65.5 trillion, which exceeds the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the world, according to this previously cited article in World Net Daily.

So, here are two points to ponder: 1. If $65.5 trillion in debt isn’t enough to consider the U.S. bankrupt, how much would it take?  2. If we aren’t bankrupt, then how much inflation are we going to encounter to cover this debt?

Please check out this interview with economist Marc Faber. He sees only 10-20 percent inflation in the next 5-10 years.  (I’m not quite that optimistic, but I can’t quite see a Weimar Republic scenario either.  What do you think?)

I hope everyone’s having a great summer!

Quote of the Week: “We usually meet all of our relatives only at funerals where somebody always observes: ‘Too bad we can’t get together more often.’”

~Bernard Berenson as quoted in the May 25, 2009 issue of Forbes

Digging through Youtube after considering some of these issues, I came across the following documentary about the possibility of hyperinflation in the U.S.  It features some of my favorite economists.

Quirky News of the Week

Gas station charges man $23 Quadrillion for smokes