You Know You’ve Had Too Much Shark Week When…
So I’m sitting here on the sofa, clicker in hand, repeatedly flashing back and forth between Shark Week on Discovery Channel, and Mob Week on AMC. Now of course I could DVR either one (or both), and then watch them consecutively later on, even fast-forwarding through the commercials… but who wants to wait another hour for two of my (any many of you as I have been told) most favorite of all time series?!
After watching for hours about Great Whites and mob hit men, I started to realize that there are an extraordinary amount of similarities between the two. For instance, when you’re in the water you may not see or hear a man eating Tiger Shark (“a whaaaaat?”) circling around you, but you know that there is a very high probability that you just may encounter one…or even an entire “crew”. Typically, through their stealth like tactics, you “won’t even see him coming” as he may approach you from behind, or from beneath the ocean’s darkness, or even strike you face to face while you “gaze into his deep black eyes”.
You may have even cordially invited him on your fishing boat under the guise of a tempting roast beef dinner at the end of a monofilament fifty lb. test line. “Say hello to my little friend!” you mutter as you stick a hook in him. The shark responds, “If somebody messes with me, I’m gonna mess with him” as the ungrateful “twenty footer” takes one last chunk out of your own personal stern, while “turning your inboard into an outboard.”
At that point you say to the shark, “You broke my heart, you broke my heart” as you blow him the kiss of death (who wants to really kiss a shark?). Your fishing buddy then replies to the shark, “You send one of ours to the hospital, we’ll send one of yours to the morgue” as he begins to “whack him”. “I’m just messing with you”, says the shark… “Now go get your shine box”, the wise guy shark adds. “That’s it!” says your buddy, “Hold him here!” But once the “piece of work” is complete, you tell your buddy to “Leave the gun, take the cannoli.”
Same holds true with The Mob. You get in knowing that there are inherent dangers lurking within the sea of membership; however you still believe within your heart that you will never become shark bait and “sleep with the fishes”. Until, like the shark, you’re approached from the darkness, or perhaps you did see it coming, or maybe you “brought a knife to a gunfight”, and once again had the unfortunate opportunity of staring into the eyes of your attacker, or just maybe it comes from what appears to be a warm invitation only to have someone stick a hook in you…a meat hook, that is. Who would have thought that if you put a silk tie and a fedora on Jaws he could play “Tommy” in Goodfellas. I wonder how Joe Pesce would look in a dark gray and white “shark skin suit” (couldn’t resist THAT one!), with razor sharp teeth, instead of his mother’s kitchen knife that he used to “cut the hoof off a deer” that he supposedly struck on his way to a midnight macaroni dinner at Mom’s?
However, as everything always seems to do, Shark Week and Mob Week “pulled me back in”, as they both very much reminded me of this thing of ours. “That’s funny” you say? “How funny…like a clown funny?” Allow me to explain, per favore.
As an insurance agent, what is your greatest asset? Sure it may be your “crew” at the office, or maybe it’s your deep water “feeding ground” where you prospect. But think even deeper, it’s really because of your connections to the community, your Church, your Synagogue, your Rotary Club, Lion’s Club, Knights of Columbus, Moose Lodge, fire department, civic association, PTA, kids’ scouting pack, baseball, lacrosse, or golf team, country club, PIA, CIBGNY, IIAA membership…the list goes on and on, but you get the point: you’re a “connected guy” (or gal), and that’s what makes you who you are.
These connections are vital to your growth, along with assisting in sustaining what you have. In this day and age of technology with online quotes from direct writers and 15 minute phone calls at two AM while in their pajamas, people need that “personal touch” of someone they feel “connected to”. Think about how you purchase goods and services, most likely from the people that you know, associate with, play golf with and most of all like and trust. Membership has its privileges, so when your local civic association “opens its books” and lets in new members, be a blood brother and get connected. It just may save your business…and your life! “You got a gift, my friend” so use it to your fullest advantage. “So endeth the lesson.”
This week The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) released their list of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in the United States, based on statistics compiled by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). These stats were released in a report called “Hot Wheels” which examines all theft data regardless of whether or not it is insured.
According to the NCIB, certain models of older cars are still very popular with car thieves because of the value of their parts… not the car itself. New cars are typically stolen and resold intact with “fugazy” VIN’s, then shipped out of the country. On a nationwide scale, and for the first time since 2002, domestic cars were preferred over the foreign make and models, although the top three positions on the list are still held by foreign autos. Honda and Toyota have held the top three positions since 2000.
The list in order of reported thefts are:
1. 1994 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1991 Toyota Camry
4. 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
5. 1997 Ford F150 Series/Pickup
6. 2004 Dodge Ram
7. 2000 Dodge Caravan
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 2002 Ford Explorer
10. 1999 Ford Taurus
The good news is that vehicle thefts continue to decline, and a preliminary 2010 FBI crime report indicates a 7.2% reduction over 2009 statistics. If this indication remains when the FBI produces its final statistics later this year, 2010 will hold the record for fewest vehicle thefts since 1967.
The FBI report further indicates that technology is definitely one of the major factors in this to lower theft rate. Proof of this is that in the nearly 52,000 Honda Accords stolen in 2010, over 44,000 were 1990 models, compared with fewer than 5,700 that were produced since the year 2000.
Also this week, The Council Of Insurance Brokers of Greater New York held a wonderful summer networking reception at “Wildfish Restaurant” in Freeport, NY, last week. As always it was wonderful to chat with Michael Demetriou of Demetriou General Agency; Anthony Aqulino of Regency Insurance Agency; Peter Resnick of Interboro Insurance Company; Pat and Mary Hayes of EVO/XpressPay.com; Michael Pellicioneof Barry Risk Services; Dennis Damico, Mike and Alan Plafker of Member Brokerage; Mike Cracco of Completely Covered Insurance; Mary Garces of GMAC Insurance Company; Clint Acrey of GMAC Insurance Company; and many others.
Some huge and exciting news in the insurance automation world that was also released since we last spoke, is that Vertafore (formerly AMS Services) had acquired StoneRiver FSC. “The acquisition of FSC demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering point-of-sale solutions that allow independent agents to increase revenue and efficiency by providing faster quoting and better service to their customers,” said Euan Menzies, President and CEO of Vertafore. “In addition, we are particularly pleased to address the need to increase agency sales productivity with the industry’s first sales management system, FSC Pipeline, which is uniquely designed to enable producers to manage their prospects and close business faster.”
Paul Areida, President of FSC, said, “This is an extremely positive move for the insurance industry, as both FSC and Vertafore are dedicated to helping advance rating workflow and connectivity across the insurance marketplace, driving independent agents to sell more business in less time. This acquisition will result in significant synergies that will expand the services we can offer to our customers by providing a larger network and expanded carrier inventory in more geographies.”
Congratulations to both firms, and to their clients, employees and partners! Ok, so before we end our “sit down” today, how many of the lines in italics above can you name the movie from which they were derived from? If you’re stumped on any, drop me a note or give me a call, and we’ll “make some espresso” and talk about it (“watch what you say on the phone”). Well, until next time when we’ll be chatting about a couple of golf outings and another summer networking event or two, “Ciao for now!”
