Today Forbes released its annual list of the truly wealthy and again I didn't make the list of Billionaires. World gets 102 more billionaires in new rich list, Forbes annual ranking of richest people. According to Forbes there were just 140 billionaires in 1986 and now there are 793. The good news is combined; they're worth a $2.6 trillion, up 18% since last March. Damn my pay raise was only 4%. Lucky for me Exxon/Mobile, Questar Gas and soon Utah Power will have nipped that away to a mere zero. The other fact I enjoyed were the new additions from my favorite outsourcing nations.China, India and Russia.

In more troubling news, the new Ferrari Experience Driving School will only accept $8,200 from current Ferrari owners and will not allow non-owners to register and attend the school. So is that $8200 Canadian? The good news is Partners or guests can attend for approximately $800. What a steal? The Ferrari Experience is starting a new school outside of Mt. Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. The three day school of racing and pampering will begin in May and run through October and will feature the new Ferrari 430.

The good news for the poor is a new board game which will ease the. So Sue Me! is the exciting new board game where you can have hours of fun suing your friends and taking their stuff. I can't make this crap up. I am speechless!!!

Utah Power is now getting into the act of reaping record profits. Utah power is asking for its biggest rate increase ever. As if the sting of higher heating and gasoline prices isn't bad enough, electricity bills are likely on the rise in Utah. On Tuesday, Utah Power, the state's dominant power provider, is asking the Utah Public Service Commission for a $197 million rate hike to cover substantial investments it made in power generation and distribution systems in its six-state service area to meet growing demand -- especially over the peak summer period. Utah Power is asking for 17% increase to go with its 6.9% increase last April and the 4.4% increase last March for a grand total of 20% since May of 2000. Utah Power states that it will only be a $10 per month increase. Oh if that's all the increase is going to be then lets do it. I am sure my employer will gladly give me a heft raise to pay for all these new costs of simply living. NOT!!! Utah's inflation rate has averaged 2.3% since 2000 so an increase of 11.5% might be justified but not 20%. Source: Utah Governor

So why does Utah Power suddenly feel so greedy? I don't know maybe it's the examples set by Exxon/Mobile, Questar and others. Or maybe its because they think we need to pay for the new customers service. Utah Power argues that in recent years it has had to provide service annually to an additional 14,000 to 18,000 new customers. So just let me understand this. You need to jack up prices because business is going so well that your business is growing too quickly? Your revenue stream is increasing but the profit margins aren't there? It sounds like poor business management. Could this be because Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway will have completed their purchase of Utah Power by the end of the month? Maybe the Oracle of Omaha is making Utah Power seem like the bad guy by being the bastards that bleed more money out of Utah.

Utah Public Service Commission sucks and needs to be replaced by consumers and not corporate puppets.

Pat Bagely's Cartoon Sums it up nicely.

I have decided to part with two domain names from my collection.

financingutah.com

and

utahfinancing.com.

More Info

On Friday, Totally Awesome Computers shut its doors. And Super Dell melts down in front of the media.

"This is thanks to all of you," Schanze told reporters gathered outside the Jordan Commons Megaplex. "All the media in Utah are liars and murderers . . . . I would not want to be in your shoes having caused this. You are agents of Satan and you need to repent." Salt Lake Tribune

Schanze is awaiting trial May 10 on charges he sped through a Draper neighborhood and pulled a 10mm handgun after being confronted by several angry residents. Schanze, who says he was defending himself and his 8-year-old daughter against "a gang of vigilantes," is charged with brandishing a weapon, reckless driving and lying to police. He recently lost a lawsuit for discrimination and has openly admitted that he is involved in an IRS audit.

Super Dell has always been a brash love him or hate Utah original. If you have seen Dell lately in the media he has become quite the over the top nutcase in front of reporters. This last tirade was hilarious. I wish that there were video clips to go with this post. Every time I have seen him in the media in the last six months he seems like he might be on drugs. Weird.

He blames the media that made him a star and entrepreneur success for his downfall. Actually Super dork it was you yourself blaming everyone but yourself for your silly actions. This is PR 101. When a scandal breaks and you are involved apologize and be repentant. Has he not seen the melt down of hundreds of successful people.

The Deseret News was full of advice for Super Dell.

Schanze caused own downfall

Dell Schanze's recent attack on the local news media, going so far as to call them "liars and murderers" and "angels of Satan," is just more of the same ludicrous hyperbole and self-promotion we have come to expect from this 24-karat ignoramus. For Schanze to attack the media for spotlighting him is the ultimate reduction to absurdity. Through this entire affair, Schanze has courted media attention as zealously as a love-starved hero courts the girl of his dreams. Schanze's real bitterness lies in his own inability to manipulate the media to his advantage. He opened Pandora's box but didn't like what he got.

Schanze sold great computers. That much is true. But his downfall is his own grating personality. Schanze slit his own throat by annoying the Dell out of everyone.

Paul Gibbs
Taylorsville
Paul
Kudos on a great letter and "24-karat ignoramus" I will have to use this one later.. Sorry his computers suck.


Super Dell needs to grow up

Dell Schanze needs to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. This man has never met a camera or a news reporter he didn't like. It is not the media's fault his business failed. It is not the media's fault he drove 80 miles an hour through a residential neighborhood. He is a prime example of the "it's everybody else's fault but mine" train of thought. I feel sorry for the ex-employees of his company.

Dennis England
Salt Lake City

Links:
Totally Awesome Computers Its more a letter of what happened.