john maddente | midwestern clarity

AIG logo T he outing in question, was the same type of company outing that many other American companies fund each year. There were perhaps a dozen AIG people in attendance. Unfortunately, due to the timing, the issue has become a a silly media-driven frenzy. Even the White House couldn't resist criticism and CNN keeps blaring, "Spa treatments! Spa Treatments!" If an insurance company employs a business model of selling through independent reps, it likely does something similar to reward and motivate top performers (Note: they are not employees). These events are planned months, or years in advance. It has nothing to do with the loan program -- it wasn't even funded by the holding company. It is...a cost of doing business. Should AIG shut down incentives for independent sales agents?  If so, there's no incentive, ipso facto. Disclaimer: I own shares of AIG, but even if I did not, my reaction to this storm would be the same. I did not like the bailout...

Saturday, June 07, 2008--Hillary Clinton, Peggy Noonan and me I owe Wall Street Journal columnist, Ms. Peggy Noonan. My own infatuation with the tenacious campaign of Hillary Clinton almost made me lose my senses.  Peggy Noonan brings me back to earth. Before I explain, here's my basic take on Peggy Noonan - she's a better columnist than speechwriter, or television commentator. For me, one of the most memorable parts of the disastrous Dukakis campaign in 1988, was when Dukakis mocked the famous Noonan line written for George Bush, about "a thousand points of light" when he asked derisively, " What does that mean ?" Fairly asked, in my opinion.  Similarly, I was baffled by the amount of recognition Ms. Noonan received for the phrase crafted for President Reagan to describe Washington D.C. as, "that shining city on a hill."  So much for my petty problems with her speech writing.  On TV she's occasionally cheeky or demonstrative, leaving the i...