But Mr. Betty, a regular dispenser of homegrown homilies and frank analysis, has seen challenging times before at EarthLink.
"Rest assured, Bear Stearns has seen challenging markets before and has the experience and expertise to serve you and us well".
The past weeks have seen challenges based on ostensible felony status in Florida, ostensible deaths in North Carolina and ostensible address problems in Ohio, among others.
All have seen challenges arise to their business not only from Amazon but also from the spread of hand-held devices that contain calendars, diaries, notebooks and so on.
Meanwhile, we've seen challenges both stylish (go Anna Wintour! And what's with that onesie Ninja Turtle getup, Liam Hemsworth?) and resourceful (no one can go bucket-less like Robert Pattinson).
"While Sky has seen off challenges from ITV Digital, ESPN and Setanta, BT is posing the most formidable challenge.
Despite the decline of its flagship party, the Christian Democrats, the church has muscle; it has seen off challenges to Italy's strict curbs on in vitro fertilisation.But Italians are less pious than they pretend.
The Osterley-based pay TV giant has seen off challenges from ITV Digital, Setanta and ESPN down the years, but BT has emerged as its biggest and best funded rival yet.
Another Detroit poet, Fluent, 31, wearing a black-and-red-checkered cap, brown jacket and red gym shoes, said the setting at Bell's was inspirational, especially in a city that has seen such challenges, financially and artistically.
Through those roles, he has seen the challenges of fragmentation but also feels like he knows how to navigate them, too.
