Trey's Blog: September 2008

Here's The Deal:

• Lots of folks are angry right now that Congress cannot get done with the debate on our financial crisis. 
• Why am I not surprised?  Because like most politicians they cannot get over their egos and their individual fears of being able to get re-elected.  Perhaps this vote ought to be a secret vote.
• Who cares that the congessional record wouldn't reveal who voted for what under this scenario...I don't.

This is an emergency...Please Politicians Put the differences aside DECIDE NOW!   Vote....DO SOMETHING!

This is serious business. The blame for the bank failures is far reaching and goes back many years. The politics are deep  I am sure.  But it is just as much about greed as anything. The bottom line is that it is  a larger and more complex issue  than any one of us can imagine alone.. I am certain of that.

The question is at this point it doesn't do any good at all to point fingers or blame right now....that can come later.. The first thing is for Congress to act soon and decisively instead of dividedly. Both parties spoke up today about how it is progressing. It has been a painstaking process but I was simply amazed when Speaker Pelosie  had to throw in a "Blame Statement." Oh that was really helpful Madame !Speaker ...good job  . 

The problems the banking industry are facing are far reaching and the causes go back several generations. I just hope this process of "Bail Out" doesn't drag on and that the parties will put their issues aside for the sake of all Americans.

God Bless America and give our leaders and representatives the strength, courage and wisdom to do the right thing for all Americans.

I still occasionally like to stop in my bank on Fridays and visit with my banker .  Today I felt especially compelled to do so considering the number of of serious events taking place in the banking industry, and world of finance, Wall Street and in our government.

I casually asked my banker what he thought about it all. And just as casually and with a small grin he commented " The big guys are suddenly finding small country banks to be attractive "

It dawned on me why. Yes there are plenty of small banks that have made mistakes but there are just as many that have remained conservative  and protected their, and their customers' assets.

Then I thought about how mayby  " A Country Bank Can Survive " could be hummed to the old Hank Williams Jr. melody which is trotally relative in today's critical times.

Think about it and then read the lyrics. 

 http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/williams-hank-jr/country-boy-can-survive-10123.html

These Giant piers will help support a highway exit ramp in College Station Texas when completed. They are so interesting to observe while being constructed and actually are in 3  pieces. The giant steel molds take days and days to install before pouring the concrete mix, and after the mixture hardens and the molds are removed...... reveal an  almost art -like yet at the same time alien looking  structure when complete. 

The ramp will serve as the exit for Rock Prairie Rd from Hwy 6 in College Station ,Texas.

www.treythurmond.com

Big Decisions Concerning our economy    

 Over the course of the last 4 or 5 days I have listened to the voices of several couples  I am friends with . These couples have much in common....that  being they are middle aged empty nesters  with young adult children. 

      These couples are very concerned about what is going to happen to their investment retirement accounts, their life savings.  Should they take their losses now in the stock market , and move their proceeds to stingey money market funds or CD's?  Or just pull it all out and stuff it in a mattress.  Or if they are currently invested in fairly conservative mutual funds....should they leave the bulk of their money there and just wait it out? Those and more questions seem to be common with these couples.

      Whether or not you have a lot in common with these couples, the economy is changing so quickly you probably will be faced with similar concerns.   And then to aggravate the crisis we are currently facing,  there are so many individuals and couples from all age brackets that have little or no savings. What will they do?

        The President has invited both presidential candidates and congressional leaders to join him this week to further discuss the crisis. I think this is a critical meeting and all participants must temporarily dismiss partisan leanings and concentrate on the problem right now.

I don't know why but this is one of my favorite view at Texas A & M University . Sitting on the 50 yard line  and looking northeast between the "Zone" seats and the east side of the stadium you see the old G. Rollie White Basketball building. The Aggie Men now play in a more modern building but there is just something about the old Basketball Building that brings back fond memories.  Behind G. Rollie you can see the Oceanography building.

I have blogged a little bit about how we are doing a camera survey of the wildlife at our ranch in order to better manage the deer herd  and other game effectively.

So once a week I retrieve the card from the camera and take it home to down load on my PC.  On thing that has quickly become apparent is our wild hog population has become Waaaay To Big!  Like maybe out of control big!  To the point...... of taking food away from the other wildlife Big.

There is so much food out there this year due to the late seasonal rains that the little porkers are multiplying like flies. They can start making baby pigs at 6 months and have up to 3 litters a year with up to 12 to a group!

Do The Math!  

Now this scenario got me to thinking about all the problems in the banking industry, Wallstreet, Freddie  and Fannie, and the pork barrel spending in Congress.  Like feral hogs multiplying in the woods this whole national economy has gotten out of control.  Who suffers the most?   Not the Pigs !  They have hogged  all the success of the rest of the nation...gotten fat in the process and much like a herd of feral hogs ...stripped the economy for every cent.   And Multiplied to the point of absurdity.

Time to make some Bacon folks!!

Last night after hitting 150,000 points on Active Rain I immediately hit the bed.....because bad Mexican food from yesterday's lunch decided to ambush me! Caught me totally off guard!   So needless to say I didn't feel like celebrating too much last night.   :(

:)  But today's a new day and I am feeling great and just happy I have been able able to hang in here on AR and come this far. It certainly has been a fun and educational  journey ! I have made some new friends, picked up some business, and learned a ton about my business, national politics, photography, and so much more....... I think I'll celebrate this afternoon by taking in the Texas Aggie Game at Kyle Field. I am crossing my fingers on this one folks! Gig em'.

Have a prosperous week!

www.treythurmond.com

I used to believe that statement!  Not anymore. I have discovered just the opposite and have tried to be better about "house keeping" and organization in my personal space.  It isn't easy but it is an old habit I have been seriously working to change. Sure makes finding things easier! I have noticed in our office that those that seem to do the most business actually have fairly neat work spaces.   Do You ?  Oh this is not my room but is what I aspire too!

We all create our own opportunities . One simple opportunity is to just get up in the morning and go to work . I feel that just doing that in itself creates opportunity. Yes you can stay at home and work out of the home. But by doing so you miss so much.

Examples:

• Each day I try to go a little different route to work and discover things like new listings for buyers, and FSBOs that are just screaming "List Me" with their tiny little homemade sign in the yard.
• Whenever I stop to by gas or food , and  I have on my name badge, folks ask me about real estate.
• If I go to the office .....I get to be around others in the business all day long. It stimulates me to do something that is business related ...like selling real estate..