After the disappointing discovery that Cold Stone Creamery has closed, I decided to look a little deeper into the AIG concerns of today.
I’ve been following the recent Wall Street turmoil with a sickening fascination, like watching a slow-motion building implosion. Did you know that there are only TWO independant investment banks left in the US? Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. The others (Bear Stearns, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Bros.) are all gone. Bought out, bankrupt. Goldman Sachs just posted the worst earnings since going public.
How much worse is it going to get? AIG (largest industrial and technical insurance company in the US) is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. That’s $441 billion in assets. Stocks are plummeting. Is my 401k going to be there when Indi and I leave the country in March?
I’m not really concerned with “who to blame” right now. It’s more “what can we do?” to turn things around. This kind of thing always trickles down. How long before I start to see personal, meaningful changes? Sure, an ice cream parlor went into foreclosure. These things happen. But is this a sign for the future?
We’re already seeing a downturn in business at the store. How long before AT&T starts to trim things to keep moving forward?
Rhys Martin is an author and photographer from Tulsa, Oklahoma. His love of travel was awakened in 2009 when he sold all of his possessions and left the country. For ten months, he lived out of a backpack and explored southeast Asia and Europe. When he returned home, it was with fresh eyes for his home state.
As he drove the back roads of Oklahoma, Rhys discovered the significance of historic Route 66 to the greater American story. He has traveled all 2,448 miles of the Mother Road and continues to seek out the quiet Main Streets of the Midwest.
Rhys's travel writing and photography has been featured in numerous publications, including Tulsa People Magazine, This Land Press, ROUTE Magazine, Nimrod Journal, The Oklahoman and Tulsa World. He wrote the book Lost Restaurants of Tulsa, which features the stories of nearly 50 iconic eating establishments from the city's past. He has also been a contributing author to multiple Route 66-based travel and history books.
Rhys is the President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and serves on multiple boards and commissions related to the Mother Road and its upcoming Centennial in 2026. He loves to connect with people and share his experiences.
View all posts by rhysfunk
Rhys' Pieces 