Picto Diary - 17 July 2015 - 1% Musings

Above: Mike Callen, substitute speaker (and, a previous LSDM speaker), speaks to La Societe Deux Magots (LSDM). 17 July 2015. Wasatch Bagel.

Mike "stepped" up to the plate when the scheduled speaker was unable to attend.

Mike is a former Vice Chairman of Citicorp (now Citigroup), CEO of National Commercial Bank,
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of AMBAC. He and his wife Vickie are now retired and living in Park City, UT.

Mike and Vickie have lived in The Philippines, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Greece.

Note: Note taker is fallible. Mistakes are his. Mike is welcome to make corrections/clarifications.

LSDM was pleased to welcome previous LSDM speakers Fred Whaley, Sarasota, FL, and Paul Zane Pilzer, Park City, UT, who were in attendance.

Above:  Mike Callen presses a point while speaking to LSDM ROMEOs.  17 July 2015.  Wasatch Bagel, Park City, UT. 
 
 
Takeaways
 
Iran.  Iran has a highly educated population.  Still, there is no indication that the Mullah's will lose power any time soon.  In fact, the Mullahs are strengthened if the proposed agreement with the major powers to postpone nuclear weapons development is cemented.  They will benefit from eliminated sanctions and freed up frozen assets.
 
It is important to understand the growing impact of the Sunni/Shia divide.  As Iran (Shia) exerts greater influence in the middle east, Sunni powers such as Saudi Arabia will seek to resist growing Irani regional hegemony.  More countries seeking nuclear capability could become a reality.  What would have seemed impossible only two or three years ago, an Israeli/Saudi rapprochement, now becomes conceivable.  There is a likelihood of intensified conflict in the region if there is no international intervention.
 
 
Greece.   Greece is not really a European nation.  Its peoples have adhered to city state loyalties extant since antiquity.  There is little loyalty by Greeks to a central government as such.  To expect such a culture to adhere to European norms of economic discipline is a pipe dream.
 
 
India.  The China/India race?  India is behind and will be likely to stay there.  Since independence India has been bedeviled by excessive bureaucracy.  Modi has said he will reduce bureaucracy and he has made some strides, but, until India is open to, say, Walmart coming in, it demonstrates that it is not yet prepared for the free market reforms and unrestrained use of capital required to stimulate real economic growth.    Meanwhile, India's considerable talented managers and technologists continue to thrive overseas.
 
 
Thank-you
 
LSDM thanks Mike Callen for his insightful remarks as he stepped up on short notice as a replacement speaker.  Thanks to to Vickie Callen who input insightfully to the discussion.
 
La Societe Deux Magots (LSDM) is a non-partisan ROMEO (retired old men eating out) group which meets daily, at 7:00 AM at Wasatch Bagel in Park City, UT. LSDM members are the rightful intellectual heirs of a group of authors (Hemingway, Sartre, Camus, deBouvoir) who met daily at Cafe Deux Magots, in Paris, France in the 1930's.) 

Above: Excavation for new gondola connecting Canyons and PCMR. 17 July 2015.

Telephoto image from near Dan's.

Above: Colony Residence on Iron Canyon Ridge. 17 July 2015.

Telephoto image from near Dan's.

Above: Bee on thistle. 17 July 2015.

Image taken walking near Dan's.

Addendum:

"Want remote living? Try Cannondale. 350 miles to the nearest Costco... in either of Denver, Phoenix, or Salt Lake City."

Cannonville is remote, but I'm guessing the residents would be best served by the Costco in St. George, UT., less than 150 miles away. Do you still have the BMW 800?

Guzzi,
Park City, UT

Yes.


Enjoy your emails. Keep ‘em coming.

Claude,
Redding, PA


Steve, you soak up life for all its joy and adventure. It makes me feel good. xo

Anchor Lady,
Atlanta, GA


Great pictures, Steve. My daughter has been spending time in the mountains and terrain in Utah lately. She's working on her PhD in Geology at U Colorado in Boulder.

2nd Mortgage,
Plantation, FL


Awesome.

Hacienda Squared,
Las Vegas, NV