How our opinions are formed.

Several years ago, during the height of the economic boom, I visited with scholars of the CATO Institute in DC. The conversation was about "why people, or some people behave as they do; or what does it take for people to react". Their analysis was driven by socio/economic status research which posed the following pyramid of influence:

5% of the population controls a vast amount of the wealth and intelligentsia, either on the left or the right. This 5% can influence the next 10-15% due to allocation of investments and political pressure.. This combined 20% can, at times, drive the beliefs and behavior of the next 20-25%. So now you have a cascade of influence that can move nearly 50% of the population, but most effectively at the highest 20-25%. What happens,I asked, about the lower 50%? They are nearly immovable, and only with events such as the attack on Pearl Harbor, Katrina, or 9-11 will they respond, for some period of time; then again goes into a placid state. I was devastated by this response, that nearly 50% of the population is detached, mostly.

Today the Washington Post published data by the Pew Research Center: What opinions, habits, surmises, hopes and fears do 20% of us share (recall the pyramid above)

1 in 5 Americans believe:

1. President Obama is a Muslim;
2. socialism is superior to capitalism (2009 Rasmussen survey);
3. reports " excessive sleepiness";
4. believes the harsh techniques used to interrogate terrorism suspects, were torture but still legitimate;
5. fears job loss in the next 12 months;
6. believes in the right of a state to secede;
7. thinks marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol;
8. believes that intelligent beings from other planets have made contact with
humans on earth;
9. skips medical care when sick or injured;
10. believes that the government "enjoys the consent of the governed"
11. admits to peeing in the pool.

So the question now becomes: "whom is influencing whom?"



In the final analysis, your attitude determines your effectiveness in everything, every time! LGLwww.LuisLobo.Biz

The Declaration Of Independence, Read Aloud

July 2, 2010 Twenty-two years ago, Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: hosts, reporters, newscasters and commentators reading the Declaration of Independence.

It was 234 years ago this Sunday that church bells rang out over Philadelphia, as the Continental Congress adopted Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence.


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128242656





In the final analysis, your attitude determines your effectiveness in everything, every time! LGL

ABA STONIER NATIONAL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BANKING at The Wharton School of Business - University of Pennsylvania

ABA now has the best of two educational traditions - the National Graduate School of Banking (NSB) and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking - integrated into one school and in one location at the University of Pennsylvania.

The ABA Stonier National Graduate School of Banking, the preeminent executive management school for the financial services industry, is designed to develop leaders who are able to compete in the 21st century. The primary objectives of the school are to provide you with the knowledge and skills to recognize and solve executive management problems and to implement solutions. With an industry undergoing such rapid change, highly developed leadership skills are required to meet the challenges and rapid changes occurring in the industry.

This school is about choice and building the program that will be right for you. Whether you design your own curriculum through a rich mix of Stonier core courses with a wide range of cutting edge electives, or select the pre-determined NSB program, the choice is yours.

This intense three-year program brings together the best and the brightest minds in the banking industry to be challenged by expert faculty and fellow students. Through a variety of team-building experiences students are able to brainstorm and share ideas. They develop strategies to be proactive in today's competitive financial environment, improve their effectiveness and internal working relationships, and hone their skills in all areas of banking.

Who Should Attend

•Senior to Executive Level Management in all functional areas of financial services
•Bank Directors
•Regulatory Staff
•Bank Examiners
•Financial Analysts



Executive Development Solutions
The ABA Stonier National Graduate School of Banking is part of a comprehensive portfolio of ABA Executive Development Solutions designed to improve leadership performance.

What Our Graduates Are Saying...
"Stonier prepared me to manage my institution no matter the economic environment. Topics and coursework covered at Stonier broadened my view of my institution, my customers, and my competitors; and armed me with the knowledge and tools to enhance our bottom line."
-- Kimberly S. Kirk, Senior Vice President/CFO, Vista Bank, Class of 2009

"It is obvious that the higher the quality of individuals in an organization, the better the organization performs. Stonier's NSB curriculum develops well-rounded individuals. The investment in high potental employees more than pays for itself."
-- Mark A Ricca, EVP, Chief Risk Officer and General Counsel, Carver Federal Savings Bank, Class of 2005

"As an EVP for a community bank, I was looking for a learning experience with a cross section of students representing other segments of our industry. I was pleased to find at Stonier not only community bankers, but also regulators, vendors, and students representing regional, national and international banks...."
-- Steven R. Lundgren, Executive Vice President, Denali State Bank, Class of 2009



Questions? Please contact Ann S. Friedman or Gloria Pritchard-Becker for more information.

Home | Search | Contact Us | Advertise | Privacy Policy | Reprint Request Questions? E-mail the ABA Webmaster or Customer Service, or call 1-800-BANKERS (800-226-5377).
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In the final analysis, your attitude determines your effectiveness in everything, every time! LGL