Ran across my old roommate this week.  Hadn’t seen each other in, let’s say, 25 years.  Two photos, one from this week and one from 1985 when we were roommates.  Haven’t changed a bit.

I spent seven years at BoA.  One of the nicest places I have ever worked, at least at first.  By “nice” I don’t mean free coffee or any silly perks, but competent professional people doing meaningful work.  Of course, there was bound to be some bloodletting after the financial crisis, and it seemed like the real hit was to the brick and mortar banks.  But eventually the other parts of the organization took their hits.

After I read the article below, one thing that always bothered me made more sense.  I saw a string of very capable people promoted, then quickly fired.  I’m not talking about one or two, but a bunch.  At first I though it was just some twisted version of “up or out”.  Now I think I see where these “managers” came from, at least where I was.  Can’t recall seeing a “real manager” go, even though a few really deserved it.

Bank of America CEO Moynihan says he cut jobs equal to the workforce of Delta Air Lines

“While cutting rank-and-file positions, Moynihan realized three years ago that they had left too many managers — about 30,000, he said. He slashed a third of those jobs in just a few years.”

From the BBC.  80 years ago this week.

Kristallnacht: Lights left on to mark 80th anniversary

By Chayya Syal

UGC Hub

Between 9 and 10 November 1938, more than 1,400 synagogues and prayer rooms, thousands of Jewish-owned homes, hospitals, shops and cemeteries were damaged or destroyed across Nazi Germany and Austria.

Was watching Saints vs Bengals.  I thought the game started at 1pm, but I guess that was 1pm Eastern Time.  So I missed the first half.  No matter, Saints were ahead and looking good (38 – 7).  But in the 3rd quarter Fox decided to switch to a “more competitve” game.  I don’t have any interest in a competitive game.  I wanted to watch the Saints win one.

How to explain to someone living abroad that Democrats can have over 10 million more Senate votes and still lose

“More than 45 million Americans voted for Democratic Senate candidates vs. about 33 million for Republican contenders, according to figures updated around 11 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday.

Win against Eastern Illinois.  Horns looking good.  Andrew Jones even played a bit.

Growing up I knew some guys from Mississippi who knew Jimmy Buffett’s family.  The song Margaritaville was a big hit, especially on the gulf coast when I was in high school.  So Buffett’s music is at least a part of my life’s soundtrack.

I always wondered where he stood on ‘events” since being from Mississippi doesn’t leave much room for moderation, socially or politically. Now Mr Buffett is from a military family, from Mississippi (as I mentioned) and is quite wealthy.  He is also well travelled and a musician and artist.  So it could go either way.  Of course, he could also just be aonther guy in the middle of the road, who splits his ticket ot just has his own opinions about things.

I always think of a line from one of his songs (I forget which one) that gives a good synopsis of an ex-pat southerner:   “I ran away from politics, it too bizarre at home”. Yes indeed.

I grew up in David Duke’s Louisiana and I decided early on who my Bad Guys and my Good Guys were.  Of course that made it harder to stay in a place where somewhere around half of the people you ran into we in the former category.

Well, yesterday Mr Buffett decided he didn’t care who he alienated.  A few years ago I went to a Buffett concert and said it would be my last. Too may Old Drunks.  I suppose it was the same folks who were Young Drunks when I first started listening to him. Now I think I will go see him again, just as a show of support.  Maybe time to fill in part of my Buffett catalog.  If you are looking for a good one, I have been liking his “Far Side of the World” from 2001.

Jimmy Buffett to Play Rally for Florida Democrat Andrew Gillum – Rolling Stone