Haiku For You....

Sarah's Laughter

Softly it ripples

Through her whole body searching

 Skyward glows then dies.

From the Field...

"The internal audit went well. Always room for improvement, but overall, we a have a tight nit bunch..."

Too Big To Fail...

The real problem with the unconscionable level of greed, arrogance, deception, and disdain among mega-institutions - whether located on Wall Street or Main Street - is not:

TOO BIG TO FAIL

it's.....

Grace At Easter....

Thank you for...

The food before us;

The friends beside us;

And the love between us.

Amen!

Pearl

" I plan on living forever; so far so good."

Pay for Performance...

" I'm paid to think about things that can never happen -
and then, to make sure they do or don't."

The "Big Check" For Those Who Can't Help Themselves...

America's Credit Unions rarely unite on even the most critical of national and social issues.  It's just a fact of life that  Credit Unions differ in many, many important ways.

Yes, we are cooperatives, but we sure have trouble "getting our mess" together most of the time!

Except when it comes to "good works" - philanthropy!  We're good-natured, big-hearted, really like to reach out and dig deep for those who "can't help themselves".  Like last year when each of us wrote a Big Check to our favorite "non-profit"....

From the Field...

" The recent merger of the FSO and FSR positions within the branches seems to have touched a real hot bottom within the organization..."

From the Field...

" To whom it may concern: I've really enjoyed this experience.  It has had its ups and downs.  But it seems the downs were more than the ups.  So, I quit. "

NCUA To Issue New Directions For Corporates...

Take A Right!

Take A Left!

Straight Ahead!

Haiku For You

CEO ?

Before the mirror

Mere preening peacock strutting -

Self, self, self, self, self?

Another Trumped Up Federal Case ...

Fred Becker is one of the most intelligent, savvy, and experienced leaders in the Credit Union movement.  Fred's been the leader over at the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU) in Washington, DC for over a decade - clearly shrewd, a survivor!


Fred recently wrote the NCUA (read his letter here.) to complain about the high risk that state-chartered CU investment authority posed to the National Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF).  While Mr. Becker certainly has the right to point out problems that don't appear to exist; it might be helpful for a few indisputable facts to be included with the letter, to help give balance as to where the actual problem and risks just might lie.


For example:  The greatest investment losses ( last guess $15 billion!) ever incurred by credit unions were at:

• Western Corporate Federal CU
• US Central Federal CU
• Southwest Federal CU
• Members United Federal CU
• Constitution Federal CU

               ..... and this is the second time around on the corporates; the previous most expensive blow-up and major financial loss was with Capital Corporate Federal CU.


Another example:  Fourteen of the top fifteen critically undercapitalized CUs currently reported by NCUA are Federal credit unions.


Last example:  The only failed natural person credit union that the NCUA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) listed in its last (Sept 2010) semi-annual report as under review for causing a loss greater than $25 million to the NCUSIF was  St. Paul Croatian Federal Credit Union.


Not real sure why the States should be looking to NCUA for wisdom and guidance on prudential investment authority right now.....


Most of us long term admirers of Fred Becker have always hoped that with all that talent; with all that experience; with all that rigorous, disciplined military training; that Fred would eventually rise well above the level of "Division commander"...... still waiting!

Pearl

" Anything worth fighting for is worth fighting dirty for."

Haiku For You

Intense

 

How do I explain -

If you don't live at the edge - 

What you are missing?

Know thyself....

"Honesty - without it you don't know who you are."

From the Field...

"This month we were able to give presentations in both prisons in our county. This was something we've had on the calendar for quite some time, as these prisons have a significant portion of our membership..."

Examining Values

" Negative takes a whole lot less talent than positive."

Thought Leaders

Big Thinkers....

• Never lose your imagination.
• Don't take no for an answer.
• Turn reality into fantasy.
• Live your life with a purpose.
• Think with your heart.

                        .....Joey Reiman.

Senator Durbin Doubles Up....

Last time you bought a Big Slurpy and a moon-pie at the C-store, included in the $5.00 purchase price was the merchant's cost for settling the financial transaction - called "interchange".  Senator Durbin in his now infamous amendment to the Dodd-Frank Bill sought to protect consumers from these "abusive" interchange fees.  Good goal, unfortunate results...

What Senator Durbin has actually done is assure that every American consumer will now pay twice as much for interchange as before  - a multi-billion dollar penalty on consumers in the worst of economic times!

How so?  Well, Senator Durbin most definitely did lower the amount of income financial institutions will earn from interchange; but he forgot to mandate that the costs incurred by financial institutions, in providing interchange settlement services, would also be lowered.  Congressional accounting often works out this way!

Hope nobody doubts that financial institutions have already started looking for ways "to make up" that lost income by increasing fees and charges for other services.  Consumers will end up paying - one way or the other - for the costs of the financial services we use.  Haven't heard anyone - for or against interchange - dispute that economic fact.

And, what about the price of that Big Slurpy and moon-pie on your next visit to the C-store?  It will cost less - right?  Wanna bet....

So, now you and I will pay those abusive interchange fees twice - once at the merchant and once again at the financial institution.

 Thanks, Senator!  But I'm not real sure how much more of this consumer protection I can afford.....

From the Field...

"VITA is going great. I have been shocked by the absorbent interest rates charged on refund anticipation loans..."

NCUA Announces Leadership Change...

PRESS RELEASE

Alexandria, Virginia - The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) announced the appointment today of new leadership for the Agency which regulates or insures most of the Credit Unions in the United States.  The selection was the culmination of an extensive nationwide search of the seventh floor of the NCUA's headquarters building.  All senior level executives were interviewed and considered.

A spokesman for the Agency commented: "We weren't at all surprised to find the most qualified candidate for our top leadership position right here in the Agency given our outstanding record of achievement over the last few years.  Why look outside when we have so many insiders?  I mean ' if it ain't broke, why fix it? ', if you know what I mean."

Named to the top spot in the Agency was....

But don't panic, don't panic!!!!  It could have been worse.....