UBER .....SCHMUBER.

IT'S ALL ABOUT UBER !!!

WHAT ABOUT THE POOR CABBIE?

Over the last couple of years, I have watched with interest the Worldwide Fight going on between the UBER Ride Service and the quaint Taxis Cab Business; the checker cabs, the yellow cabs and of course the famous black cabs of London England.

UBER, the upstart, has come along recently promoting Smart Phone Apps which you can use to request a ride and pay for it at the same time challenging the long time love affair between the public and our cabbies.

And they are doing it through the riders' pocket books - they can operate far more cheaply since they do not have to get a licence, nor liability insurance, nor even a police check.

UBER's pitch is that the Cab Industry is so 'yesterday' - "get with the program and come into the 21st Century".

And I say, not so fast guys.

And, I can hear many out there countering - 'Galagher, you probably would have said the same thing at the turn of the 1900s claiming that the horse and buggy was superior to the new-fangled automobile'.

Maybe, but let's look first at where the Cab Business is today and how it got there:

Governments, primarily local or city governments quickly got into the licencing of cabs - their owners and their drivers.  Not only did it raise revenue via the selling of licences plus the annual fees, but it ensured that their respective public's were provided with a safe method of transport.

But in issuing these licences - the government authorities also restricted the numbers issued so a black market arose where licences were sold over the years for ever increasing dollar amounts.

And thus was the state of the Cab Business over the course of most of the 1900s.

So it is time to put you in the driver's seat so to speak and then tell me what you think about what has happened to the hapless cabbie:

You are an immigrant - you come to a new country and find that the only work you can get - in ever more modern societies -  is menial.  You end up driving a cab for 12 hours plus per day and make less than minimum wage.

You are trying to support a family of 4 for instance - and at the end of a brutal week have little to show for your work.

You have to pay rent to the owner of the cab licence since you do not have the money to pay the $300,000 plus to buy your own.  You pay gas, insurance, repairs and various other fees for the honour of working these long hours.

You dear reader decide after several years of this to beg, borrow and steal to arrange to buy one of these over priced licences and find yourself making more money per week but you are in debt up to your eye-balls.

You still have visions of seeing your 2 kids get an good education because you know that this is the only way that will see them escape the hand-to-mouth existence you have had to endure.

And along comes Uber - the new age which prices the old yellow cab out of existence.

The cabbies ask for 3 things - one that the Uber drivers have to have a licence too, second that they must obtain adequate insurance and finally that they all must regularly produce police clearances.

The big one of course is with respect to the licencing which in their wisdom the authorities decide is now longer needed - so the licence owners say okay - then compensate us for what we paid for our worthless licences.

To bad - so sad is the reply they get.

They are told it is just like a bad stock investment - some times the investment goes up, sometimes it stays the same and sometime it drops ...even to the point of worthlessness.  It is chance you took when you purchased the licence.

So what do you the immigrant think - you worked 12 to 14 hours a day for minimum wage to raise your family - you then put everything you / your family / your friends had to buy a licence and for the privilege you placed yourself in debt for eternity.

And now these smart ass bureaucrats - paid too much and under-worked have the nerve to tell you to suck it up.

The fact is, these self same governments / bureaucrats were part and party to this ponzi scheme from the very beginning.  They knew by restricting the issuance of licences that their cost would skyrocket over time and now when they decide the day of licencing is over - they have an obligation to the folks who played the game along with them.

Reimburse them for their sour investment.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

What Do The Cowardly Attacks in Paris, Brussels and Pakistan Tell Us?

They tells us, dear Reader, that the Dream of a new Caliphate is dead in the water - like the proverbial Dodo.

These Petty, Little, Islamic, Peons have read the tea leaves and can now see that their jig is up.

They are on the defensive throughout the Middle East and are daily losing ground to an array of opponents who are determined to put these cowards out of their self-inflicted misery.

With the ground war unraveling before their unbelieving eyes, they are now morphing into the use of guerrilla tactics - wherein they blow up innocent men, women, and children. It is the strategy of a loser and although it gets headlines, will not carry them to their hoped for ending.

And for those of them who have gone before and for those yet to join them - I can only imagine their disappointment when they find that the Fires of Hell do not harbour Vestal Virgins - rather just other cut-throats like themselves.

But that does not mean for a moment that our job is done - fact is we are still at war* with these dirt-bags but we need to change the way in which we in the West deal with them on two (2) separate fronts.   *(some argue against using the term War saying this has international implications (e.g. UN) - I say nonsense - if the Baddies can declare 'war' against us - then we can bloody well declare 'war' against them back.)

So what needs changing?

First on the Individual Front.  I read over the weekend that since the Paris attacks, the market places in Brussels have been deserted and with last week's attack, the few that continued to come - have now too disappeared.  They should come out in droves in defiance.

In fact we as individuals everywhere should go about our daily lives as we did pre-ISIS / Al Qaeda.  Dismantle the security lines at air ports - (you know the electronic strip searches) - fly often, take the subways, the buses as if they were the safest places to be on earth - go to Malls, Markets, Sports Events - Live Life to the Fullest.

When an attack happens - dust yourself off mentally - like the Londoners did when they faced down the Nazi bombers in the 1940s.

And, Second on the State Front    Governments need to come clean and declare who the enemy is - that is to say Extreme Muslims who have distorted a great religion for their petty power purposes. Stop Muslim Immigration probably until the War with Radical Islam is over or at least until authorities can adequately sort the chaff from the wheat. And instead of harassing the Innocent Citizen , The Babies in Carriages, The Infirm in their Wheel Chairs,  the Atheists, the Christians and the Jews - focus entirely on the Bad Guys - the Extreme Muslims.  Profile, Profile, Profile - then Profile some more and do it discreetly.

Unfortunately innocent Muslims will get caught up in this but since the Bad Muslims hide out among them - this is inevitable.  Plus there is some benefit to this - the problem of Extremist Muslims is a problem for all Muslims and only they can effectively - by collectively put an end to this reign of terror.

As i see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

THE UN-DIET

Note:  I indicated my previous Blog on Diet attracted much attention but nothing compared to my recent - as per below.  Nearly 3,000 views - a record for me and I thank everyone of you for visiting - G


Over the course of the last two (2) years I have lost over 50 lbs. on the UN-DIET and during that time, family and friends have also been successful in losing significant weight.

As you know, I usually write about Politics, World Affairs, and Current Events but once in awhile I drift into other areas of interest to me as is the case with the Un-Diet. Some of you may even recall that I dealt with this subject on a previous occasion and I found that it generated a great deal of interest - in some cases, even more than with respect to some of my standard pieces.

So it seems fitting at this Easter Period  - with its emphasis on good food, chocolates and such that I return once again to the age old topic of  losing weight.

Let me iterate at the outset - the Un - Diet is named as such since it is not a Diet - there are no gimmicks - no magical foods or other substances - no weird exercises - indeed you do not even need to exercise to be successful.

The Un-Diet comes down to the simple equation of Calories In & Calories Out.

If you take in more calories than your body consumes daily - you will gain weight.   Full Stop

If you use more calories up than you take in daily - you will lose weight.  Full Stop.

It is as simple as that.

Indeed, it is so simple that to call it a Diet would be wrong in the same way it would be to say that Breath In Breath Out warrants some complex approach.  Can't you just imagine Dr. Em Dee coming out with a Declaration that she can reduce the number of your Breaths by 10% within 60 days or your money back.

It is nonsense for Breathing as it is for Losing Weight.


And dear Reader, you can eat whenever and whatever you want.  In fact, the more times you eat per day, the greater your chances of success and the food you eat always tastes better when you give it value.

Permit me to explain using my personal experience:

I used to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner and in between grazed on anything that was readily available.  I also snacked in the evening.  Who knows how many calories I was consuming per day since I had no idea whatsoever but one thing I did know the weight packed on.  Given my cavalier approach to eating - it never tasted all that great to me.

But one thing that was obvious - I was taking in more calories than my body could burn.

So I began by reducing the amount of my daily food intake:

• Breakfast     Prior to this I usually had a breakfast comprising of 2 slices of toast, butter - jam sometimes with peanut butter.   I reduced this to 1 slice of toast*, no butter, no jam (indeed I try to avoid sugar like the plague since it only sets up your body for craving).  On the 1 slice of toast I would put peanut butter or 2 eggs or I would have bran flakes**with low calorie Almond Milk (a third of the calories of regular milk).  I would aim to have no more than 350 to 400 calories.

             *Bread varies greatly in calories - anywhere from 80 calories per slice to 120 per.  I go for                    the 120 since it is more filling - but the choice is yours.

            **I go for a sugarless or sugar reduced cereal but add dry protein to it which I will cover in                 more  detail below.

• Morning Snack     I find the protein in my breakfast (eggs/ peanut butter, / dry protein) keeps me satisfied much longer than carbohydrates.  So it is easier for me to consciously stop grazing between breakfast and lunch.  As a reward - around 11 am I treat myself to a snack - a handful of almonds or some crackers and cheese or peanut butter and a banana.  Again I focus this snack to give me a shot of protein to carry me the last hour or so to lunch.  I try to keep my morning snack to 150 calories. 

• Lunch     I used to have 2 sandwiches for lunch - 4 slices of bread plus meat and condiments.  Now I restrict myself to 1 sandwich - so 2 slices of bread plus meat* and condiments**  I also add a fruit - an orange or an apple.

           *  Surprisingly cold cuts vary greatly in caloric content - anywhere from 30 calories for a few                  slices to a hundred and more.  I focus on the meat that has but 30 calories.  Condiments                  too have calories but not as many as you might expect if you do not lay it on too thick. I am
               therefore not too religious about what I choose but do try to go with Mild Salsa which is                      almost calorie free.  I try to keep my lunch time calories intake between 400 and 500 cal.

• Supper / Dinner  If you add up the daily calorie count so far - it totals between 900 and 1050.  That leave me with well over 1000 calories for dinner - so as long as I am eating foods we prepare ourselves - such as salads, vegetables, meat etc - I really do not have to be too concerned with numbers of calories.  I do however refrain from desert.  Supper - 1000 - to 1200 calories.

Now I did say you can eat whenever and whatever you want - and you can.

The above provides for eating at 5 separate times - plus if you do not go wild at dinner - you can add a 6th time for an evening snack*.  Indeed, my wife tells me I am "always eating" and it does in fact feel that I am.  Plus I also include fruit (an orange or apple or banana) between these 3 meals and 2-3 snacks. 

     And because it has become part of my daily regimen - the food always tastes better than when I randomly grazed.

  *Did you know that there are frozen yogurts out there that have but 90 calories per serving?  And, the Chocolate has less calories than the Vanilla. 

As for eating whatever you want - you cann do that too.  For instance, I noted above that I avoid desert at supper time.  I could and you could have desert if you want - just factor it in the calories in calories out equation.

You could also have a Big Mac - calorie load - 550 - simply deduct that from your personal daily calorie allotment*.

*As a Male I can consume up to 2200 calories per day and lose weight - Females can have slightly less - up to 1900.   When thought is put into the selection of food - these numbers can translate into a lot of food with modest calories.

I give the example of hamburgers - I went to the local grocery store wanting to buy hamburgers - the store's regular burgers each totaled 400 cal.  - their reduced fat burgers had but 200 cal per burger and tasted just as good or even better.  I would have 2 burgers for dinner so had I taken the regular ones - that would be 2 x 400 cal or 800 cal which is nearly your full dinner calorie allotment.   I took the lean version 2 x 200 or 400 cal so had lots of calories left over for other things.

Final Word Of Advice

Weigh Yourself Each Day since it is too easy to convince yourself that you are having less calories per day than you really are - believe me I have tried it but daily weighing keeps you and me on track.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher.

BANKS ....PT. II Summary.

Let Me Begin This Summary by reminding that this Blog is not about Banks per se - rather it is about Economies and More To The Point - the anemic Economies within which we now find ourselves.

I have placed focus on The Banks solely because they fare well in all Economic Climates.- both good and bad and are viewed by their governments as being too important to fail.

In that regard, the most egregious action on the part of Banks in my living memory took place only a few years ago in Cyprus where its Banks arbitrarily seized 10% of their depositors' money.  Wink, wink, nudge, nudge - so you think this could only happen in a backwater like Cyprus - Dear Reader think again - the G-7 nations are now in the process of legislating these self-same confiscatory powers to our own Banks.   Add this to the Negative Interest Rate Trend and the old mattress with a hole in it is looking better and better all the time.

But again I have digressed.

So let's first summarize what a perfectly running economy would look like:

• 100% of a Nation's Workforce would actively participates in its Workforce;

• Investors would be adequately compensated for their hard-earned investments - that is to say, they would receive a return on their investments which would exceed inflation, pay all taxes due on the return and leave a sufficient amount to be used by the investor for his or her own purposes (e.g. retirement or more investing or whatever)

• Interest rates would be such that they would neither encourage nor discourage spending / investing;

• Governments would get out of the way of private enterprise and in so doing, balance their budgets (i.e. refrain from incurring debt).

You may have other good suggestions to add and that's fine.

Now contrast the Perfect with our Economies as of the beginning of this 21st. Century:

  ( * I am going to primarily refer to the United States of America not only because it is still the World's largest economy but because the other nations tend to mirror it)

• The U.S.A. has a Workforce Participation Rate(W.P.R.) of only 62% - some 75 Million Americans are missing in action.  And as discussed in my initial blog, some 100 million Americans ( 1 in 3) are on permanent Social Services (i.e.  Welfare).  Simply stated, these people have opted out. Surprisingly, with respect to the W.P.R. America is in somewhat better shape when when compared to the world's other major economies  - Japan (59%), France (56), Germany (60), and the United Kingdom (60).

• Interest rates are so low that savers not only are subsidizing borrowers but the interest rates they receive are so low that their investments are worth less as each day goes by.  And now we are entering the age of negative interest rates where depositors are obliged to pay financial institutions for the honour of  keeping their money.  Reminds me of the Ant and the Grasshopper - 'far better to be the latter'.

• Governments are racking up debt at unhealthy rates - look no further than America's current $20 Trillion Dollar Debt - which exceeds its annual GDP.  Japan is the G-7's worst offender with a Debt exceeding 250% of its GDP.   The Emperor(s) has / have no clothes.

• And these National Debts do not take into account under or un funded pension plans which will only worsen as the Boomers reach their more senior years while at the same time the workforce has fewer and fewer workers. This of course is already unfolding but it will only get worse.

• And in the face of this what have our governments done - why they have printed money with zip to back it up. We laugh at the fact that Zimbabwe has the most Billionaires in the World due to the fact it takes 250 Trillion of Its Dollars to convert into $1 US Dollar.  If we keep printing - the Zimbabweans may get the last laugh. 

So what to do?

First, stop running up deficits and debts - it will take all of our resources to manage our nations' aging population.

Don't devalue our currencies by printing money willy-nilly.

Let interest rates be determined by the markets and not by the Central Bankers.

Start chipping into the large welfare contingent that has opted out of our economies - I do not know what a reasonable number for opt outs would be but I know instinctively that the American experience of 100 million or 1 in 3 is way out of line.  If we are going to survive Baby Boom- we will need as many 'on deck' as possible.

We need to get rid of the useless unemployment rate - it tells us nothing.  Rather we need to convert to the Workforce Non-Participation Rate and track that religiously.  For example - since America's W.P.R. is 62% - its Workforce Non-Participation Rate (W.N.P.R.) is 38%.  It is this latter number that should replace the old unemployment rate and I think that a healthy W.N.P.R.  would be in the vicinity of 20%.

A final word of warning - if the West does not address these deficiencies - even investing in Banks will not prove a salvation and for those of you who think Gold and Silver is just the ticket - you cannot eat Gold nor Silver nor can you protect it from marauding gangs.

I would appreciate your comments.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

THE BANKS ... A Sage Investment

I say that because of a recent trend toward negative interest rates - that is to say - you and I have to pay the Banks for their kindness in allowing us to deposit our hard-earned savings with them.

Even before this negative interest trend, the Banks were paying measly interest on our deposits - most times not even compensating for inflation. Directly below is a chart depicting these puny rates over the last several years:

2015	1.40
2014	1.48
2013	1.75
2012	2.80
2011	2.75
2010	2.80
2009	2.21

If you think the Banks in turn invest this out at double or triple those rates - you'd be partially correct - in fact they are recouping 30% and more on your investment.

How is that possible you might ask.

Permit me to explain - say you invest $50,000 with your Bank - Banking rules permit your Bank to lend that $50,000 out Ten (10) Times and say they pay you 1.5 % annually; the Banks then lend it out at 3% annually (or more) - 10 separate times - and that, in turn, totals a very healthy return of 30%.  A 5 % loan would realize a staggering 50% return.

Not bad for a deposit paying you or me a chintzy 1.5%.

And with that rate - we are not even keeping up with Inflation - that is to say, each year when the dust settles on our Bank Investment - it is worth less than when the year started.

The New Motto - 'keep your money in investments as long as it lasts'.

But it is even worse than that - YOU are obliged to Pay Taxes on the earned interest  so in the case at hand, 1.5% interest on $50K generates $150 and you will be expected to declare that sum in your annual income tax return.

Talk about adding insult to injury.

So what to do?

Invest in Banks of course - since as you can see from the above, they are making money hand over fist - on the backs of our investments and not only that - they pay out dividends of between 4 and 5%.

So not only do Banks make money - big money - they also pay out good dividends - dividends which themselves exceed the rate of inflation.

But this Blog is not really about the value of Banks nor the healthy dividends they pay - nor even about investing in Banks to stay ahead of the curve.

Rather, it is about the slow motion trend in world economies to drain the value out of our nest eggs.

To prove this, let's go back to the 2007 / 08 Melt Down of Mortgage Backed Securities which nearly caused the collapse of the World Wide Banking System - a Melt Down caused by reckless and greedy US Mortgage Lending and Worthless Security Selling activities sanctioned by both the US Government and by America's Financial Institutions themselves.

Neither has even bothered to apologize to the world for their massive fraud..

In the face of this meltdown - the US Fed's reaction was to print money - $$$ Billions of it - better known as "Monetary Easing".

And better known by you and me - as Making Money out of Worthless Paper.

And with this devaluation comes the diminished value of your Nest Egg - especially for Seniors' - Notice that Septuagenarians and Octogenarians are still in the work force because the return of their investments is spit. .

So why are the Fed and the Central Banks doing this?

Surprisingly, to help non-investors - primarily the young - get mortgages - buy cars - furniture - trips and so on in the belief that this will stimulate their moribund economies.  It won't.

These borrowers are not stupid - why would they not borrow when the money they pay back next year on their loans - is in fact worth less than when they initially took the loan out?

They do though fail to think what will happen if interest rates rise as little as 1 or 2 %.  And heaven help them if it goes 5% or more.  The House of Cards will come tumbling down.

But they need not worry too much since the Powers That Be seem quite adept at keeping rates artificially low.

But it is not just the young and starting out who benefit from low or negative interest rates - the numbers on social welfare are also growing:

• 50 Million are on Food Stamps  ( 1 in 6)  45%+ since Obama became Prez
• 100 Million on Welfare  (1 in 3)  This represents a growth of 19% since Obama became President and accounts annually for some 1 Trillion Dollars (USD $)
• the labour participation rate is approx. 62% the lowest it has been in 36 years (the official unemployment rate is 5.9 % but when one factors in those who have quit looking for work - the rate is double digits)
• 45% pay no income taxes
• 50% of Americans have incomes of less than $30,000 per year

And to top it all off, the US Debt now stands at some $20 Trillion Dollars - a figure that is greater than the country's annual Gross Domestic Product.

In other words, to fund this Social Service Morass the US Government is borrowing against its future while desperately pulling all the levers it can to keep rates low. 

I leave it to you  mathematicians out there to figure out what would happen to the interest payments on this massive US Debt if rates were to increase even marginally. 

And does anyone still think the best days are still ahead for the United States of America?

Tomorrow I will sum up.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

Barack Obama… Once More Into The Breach*…in Brussels, Belgium

 

With this morning’s attacks in Brussels, Obama was quick off the mark in condemning these cowardly acts:

“We will do whatever is necessary to support our friends in Belgium," he said.

“We stand in solidarity with them in condemning these outrageous attacks against innocent people… And more,

“This is yet another reminder that the world must unite, we must be together.”

All this was said by Obama on the third day of his visit to Cuba which began with the Cuban Castro Brotherhood Dictatorship clearing Havana streets of debris – that is to say, the mothers, wives and girl friends of political prisoners who have lingered for years in Cuban jails.

But I digress.

Back to the issue at hand…today’s carnage in Belgium.

Let’s tune back to the President’s press conference which is just ending and to our correspondent on the scene .. Les Nessman-

Les – over to you, anything that particularly surprised you by today’s comments by Obama?

Yes Galagher there was one thing – when the President promised to stand in solidarity with our friends in Belgium a member of the audience yelled out – just like you did for the innocents in Iraq, Iran and Syria, Mr. President?’

And why did that surprise you Les?

Well Galagher, you just don’t hear that sort of criticism here in Cuba… at least against their President.

Well that may be true Les – but overall, what does Obama’s comments tell us about the perpetrators of today’s events?

In fact Galagher, we now know quite a bit – we know for instance that these were “outrageous attacks” and not only that – they occurred against “innocent people”.

Could you be more specific Les?  For instance, from His Statement, who do you think might have been responsible for these evil deeds?

Well that’s the problem Galagher – the President did not say – in fact, he never does say in such circumstances, so we are left to speculate.

My money is on a rogue group of madmen, gone off their meds.

But Galagher that does not mean it could not have been a disgruntled element of the local Red Cross or even an outcast troop of disaffected Boy Scouts. 

The list is just too long to name all of the possible subjects.

Good Job Les – Keep up the Good Work.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

*KING HENRY V:
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;

 

Civilization's Thin Veneer

Please bear with me for some rambling thoughts.

The 20th century is oft mentioned as one of the most horrifying centuries in all of history, with two devastating world wars, numerous lesser wars e.g. Vietnam, the Jewish holocaust, the Chinese cultural revolution, the millions of Ukrainians starved to death by Russia in the 1930s, and numerous massacres such as in Cambodian and Rwanda.  In total, over 100 Million died horrible deaths over the course of the last century.

Daily we see in this new century, media reports of more atrocities committed around  the world, most notably by Islamic Extremists.  We also see a strong surge in China's militarism and the reawakening of Russia's coupled with the fact that the world appears to be on the brink of another round of  nuclear proliferation. This last item is really the elephant in the room led by Theocratic Iran.

Neville Chamberlain's quest for 'peace in our time' is likely to continue to elude us too.

And this does not even include the millions lost to abortion and the growing trend to euthanize the sick, the old and the infirmed.

The value of life is getting cheaper while the forces of evil are getting more and more ruthless in their attempt to foist their thoughts and way of life upon others.  Witness the Christians who are being slaughtered across the Middle East and in many parts of Africa and the vicious split between the various Muslim sects.  

The World's defender since the World Wars - the United States of America is in economic and moral decline.  Who then over this new century is going to protect the innocent and the hard-won freedoms many of us profess to enjoy? 

This subject recently hit home with me with my reading of Ken Follett's Trilogy covering the tumultuous times of the last century.   

Follet personalizes his epoch by following 4 different families, one each living in 4 major countries involved in the conflict - namely Germany, Russia, England and the USA; (the other major country - Japan, is not included).  For the families living in Germany and Russia the upheaval in their individual lives is simply beyond apprehension since, in addition to the War Years both of those countries had to endure life under Totalitarian Dictatorships - Nazism and Communism. 

I was born shortly after that War and thought I had a good idea of what had transpired then through the history courses I had taken in both High School and University - but those courses had not prepared me for the deft handling of this period by Follett. The smothering of democracy and the rule of law, the starvation, the random and relentless killing I found to be simply beyond comprehension.

And for me it begs the question - What If?   What If those Axis of Evil Countries had been successful and we'd all be living under Totalitarianism today.

And believe me - the years between 1939 and 1943 looked doubtful for the Allies.

We - you and me get complacent and too often turn a blind eye to what is going on around us and throughout the world. 

Some worry themselves sick about Global Warming while paying scant attention to the beheading of Christians at the hands of Muslim Extremists.

We stand idly by as Russia imposes its will on former members of the USSR and throughout the Middle East.     

We watch China poor Trillions of Dollars into its military - money it received from the West for cheap goods and services; it builds artificial islands to extend its boundaries while the World collectively turns a blind eye.

The World paid a great price the last time it turned away and claim close to total collapse.

Will we be so lucky if there is a next time?

The way things are going now I would not want to place a bet on it.

As I see it....

'K.D. Galagher'