Police Violence and Labor Shortage

Two more bits and pieces. Just commenting on issues that seem hot in the media these days. Just different perspectives. This is what makes living in a complex society difficult. So many views. So many truths. Not all of them pleasant.

Police Violence

A guy steals an expensive car. He takes it on a wild chase through high traffic areas with dense populations and pedestrians. Police take chase and corner him. He makes a break for it, smashes through a street barricade of police cars, and is ordered to halt and surrender. He does not. He runs for it. More police chases and gunshots fired – first to warn, then to stop the speeding vehicle.

The kid crashes the car. He makes a break for it and runs into a neighborhood. Police chase him on foot. They shout their warnings and shoot warning shots. Finally, not knowing what danger they face in the end, they shoot to stop the fugitive. They get him, cuff him and take him in. He dies from gunshot wounds to the back – because he was running away from the police! – and the city goes hysterical because of police violence.

Give me a break. The kid did everything to attract his grisly end. The police are charged to protect you and I. I expect them to take the lead in doing just that. The miscreant be forewarned: you may get hurt or killed doing your misdeeds. And you know you are breaking the law, right?

If the police are to stand nicely aside while the criminal breaks the law and wait for him to stop, turn around and shoot them fair and square, how many police do you think would apply for the job? Who is to know at the moment the kid doesn’t have a gun? For all the world he does. After all people are shooting at police and ambushing them, right?

Of course the police could wait until all the excitement has come to an end and then respond to the emergency call. But what good would that do the public? Huh?

A little balance please. Just who is the victim in these matters? The police? The criminal? The public? Or principles that often get confused in the rush of life being lived in the real world. These are not simple matters.

Take time before making a judgment please.

Labor Shortage?

Bloomberg News has claimed that there is a shortage of labor in America and employers are facing real problems staffing their business operations. I don’t agree with this.

First, we have a huge number of retiring experts who would gladly receive fair pay for part time work after retirement to help their former industries prosper. They haven’t been asked. It would be good for the retirees and excellent business for the employers. Why haven’t they asked?

Second, there are plenty of young, bright and technologically savvy people who want to work but don’t know exactly what the employer wants. So the employer should hire them and train them exactly the way they want the new hires to do the work. Why don’t they? Do all employers expect the public to train and educate the young to do exactly what the employers want? Why? It is time for employers to educate, train and pay the tab for what they want. Last time I checked we labeled that investment.

Investing in your people is job one if you wish them to perform in a prescribed manner. So do it!

The only labor shortage we have is in our thinking and doing. The people are there. Hire them, train them, and pay them. They will have the jobs and the incomes to buy your dam products and services. That’s how the economy works!

Meanwhile, schools, colleges and universities need financial help to do their work, too. That’s one reason they are mostly tax supported entities. Imagine that!

August 9, 2016

Olympics and Hillary

Again there are so many stories happening around the globe and within our own country that it is difficult to land on just one and give it solo attention. So I will scope out a couple items that may interest you as well.

Olympics in Rio

Good to see the Games begin at last. So much drama leading up to them – the construction delays, incomplete facilities in Rio, water pollution at ocean front beaches where competitions are to be staged, crime sprees rampant throughout Rio and its region, political unrest, President under impeachment, temporary president under suspicion, too, and near financial collapse of Brazil, and of course the continuing threat of international terrorism despoiling the games. One of these crises would be a huge news story on the global stage, but all of them at the same time?  One wonders if they were blown out of proportion or not; the city looks glorious and appears to be a generous host to the games. May all go well from this point on.

So far it is. Capable venues. Beautiful scenery. Challenging competitions. A willing gathering of so many nations and 11,000 athletes, all primed for their Olympic test!

Hillary Not a Liar

It is said that young white people do not trust Hillary. I think this is a normal thing when one realizes this demographic was raised on sound bite news and social media. Twitter statements do not contain much fact. Perhaps not even much conclusion. Just bites of information that are totally disconnected to the context of their reality.

This is a problem when dealing with news, historical stories delivering context of later events, and complex social issues that often have many symptoms and even more causes. It is the nature of social issues. Why is joblessness experienced among one group and not another. Depends, doesn’t it? On education, experience, expertise gathered through the complex evolution of some industries, and so on. Then there is language, meanings of words and phrases, different cultures and clashing of age groups without translatable experiences to share.

A politician understands that how the public sees them is vital for receiving and retaining support (votes) from that public. Statements – written or oral – must be phrased carefully so exact meaning can be communicated and misunderstanding avoided. Not always possible, though. The issues and the times are very complex.

Hillary has claimed and most experts have agreed that email communications involving Hillary’s work at the US State Department did not involve classified information. At the time of the emails whizzing from pillar to post that may have been true. Later events would make some of the material classified because of those later events, but not at the time the emails were originally sent. Out of 30,000 plus emails maybe a hundred or fewer became sticky. This does not make Hillary a systemic liar in any sense of the word. Nor does it make her careless. The complex issues she was involved with required timely, fast communications. Emails fit the bill; perhaps not the most secure practices, especially over a server that was not in the direct control of the State Department. Thus policies and procedures have been established that are much more strict. A good thing. Not a liar thing.

And more. Hillary and husband Bill have been the target of political enemies for decades. They tried everything they could to bring each down as well as the couple. So far they have not succeeded. With all this scrutiny how can anyone believe that they are serial liars and breakers of the law? If anything they have been generous with their time and talents to the public. They have given up their privacy for all to view. That shouldn’t be the price anyone pays to be a public servant but the public demands it anyway.

Making personal finances and tax filings public is an example of that. Too bad Trump doesn’t agree or his supporters. Guess he can hide behind any old excuse to maintain his privacy. But not his competitors?

Next time you or Mr. Trump wants to accuse Hillary of wrong doing, be prepared to provide all the proof. Being accused is not being convicted. If you were in her shoes you would understand that intimately.

August 8, 2016

Inventing New Tomorrows

I'm currently involved in strategic planning with a volunteer group I’m associated with. Most of us are of retirement age. All of us are invested in the success of the organization and have spent years supporting it with personal ideas, efforts and intellectual gifts.

Having spent 30 years or more in professional strategic planning consulting, it is interesting to sit on the other side of the dais. I’m a participant planner, not the head coach or facilitator. That job belongs to others. I observe the process and act within it as well.

The fit is OK but uncomfortable at times. I feel manipulated at times by the process. Did I do that with my clients?  Did they feel the same way? I can only hope they didn’t, but that is not likely accurate!

Luckily our group has others within it that have much group facilitation experience and planning expertise. We are rescued from dangerous abysses and circular logic. We are brought back to the path and wind up at the finish line whole. Whew! I wondered if we would ever get there!

But we did. Now; without ego involvements that almost destroyed the process several times. That’s the nature of working with retired executive types. They have decades of successful business and organizational achievement under their belts. And they are not the least bit bashful to share it. Some are curt and cutting. The air is poisoned occasionally by such offerings. But we move on anyway.

Outside the planning chamber we continue our operations as normal using the old protocols that will be soon challenged with new ones. Interesting to experience the juxtaposition of the old and new with colleagues unaware of the sort of thing we will be working with shortly. So we are drawing near a playing field on which the new and old will tussle some as transitions are worked out.

Some of us have been experimenting with the new for a while without letting others know. We are getting good results from the new ways. Not scientifically registered or analyzed but early indications are the new is promising. Outcomes in coaching and mentoring are slow to materialize; all we can go on is amicable relations with clients and their comfort with working through their entrepreneurial struggles. If they are good with it and a new business or a strengthened existing business results, we can mark that up as an outcome of the new process.

Doing something one way for years does not make it the best. It is only the most comfortable, until the new takes its place in the comfort fitting department. Then it will become ‘the way we always did it.’

I can only hope we get there sooner rather than later. There remains much to do and stretching our resources as far as we can with the growing client base we are attracting. That alone is a measure of our success I think. It is not a certainty but it is a hopeful sign.

Breaking free from the old to give the new a chance is always risky but refreshing as well. Perhaps even exciting? Yes. And that is an allure to try new things.

The future calls.

August 5, 2016

Frick and Frack

Fiddle Dee and Fiddle Dum. The old children's stories and fantasies. Opposites. The Jack Sprat could eat no fat and his Wife could eat no Lean. The thick and thin of things. You know what I mean. Opposites throughout our daily lives. They are not models of what the other could be, or warning, either. Opposites don’t warn us; they instruct us.

If you want a business person to administer your affairs and make decisions to add to your wealth, you look for a person with a set of skills and experience who can do that. You also observe his record of achievement. You are attempting to make a judgment on who can help you. Of course you will steer clear of people you think might harm your portfolio and assets. You weigh the options and get as much information as you can and then you make your decision.

I repeat, but then you make the decision. Doing nothing is a decision. Hiring one person over another is a decision. Firing someone who has not served you well is a decision. Decisions. Options to choose. Action to take in implementing the choice.

Very much like voting for one candidate over another. You gather the information you think applies, you compare the candidates, then you make a choice. You vote for one or the other. Or maybe you vote for a third person knowing that he or she cannot possibly win, but you felt you couldn’t in good conscience vote for either of the other two.

Of course there is the option of not voting at all. That would be a decision. It means, however, you are not involved in the decision over which candidate will win.

But I think there is another issue here, a fourth option, so to speak.

If your think both candidates are not worthy of your vote, I think you need to assess why you came to that conclusion. After all, there are two primary political parties in America. If you don’t like the candidate of your usual party, you need to ask how this came to be. Were you involved in the party beforehand? Did you know the ‘poor’ candidate was likely to be the party’s successful candidate at the end of the primary season? If you didn’t, why didn’t you understand this?

Now if you greatly distrust the opposing party, you will have some difficulty voting for their candidate. I get this. But this means you should have understood your own party even better. After all, if the opposing party’s candidate is abhorrent to you, you need to truly understand why such an awful candidate has appeared in your own party.

Politics is not private. It is public. It is the result of masses of people opting their philosophies and values. These things form amalgamations that have meaning and portent for the future. They are not mysteries. They are transparent and open to view through the entire process. Along the way some people may think things are not fair, but that’s a poor sport’s take on it. The truth is the system belongs to the people and the voters. If the results don’t fit your expectations or beliefs I suspect you failed your own party at some point.

Case in point: Trump is the republican nominee. Like it or not, he’s the choice of the party. If this is considered a mistake by you, then you have some homework to do and hopefully learn how to not let this happen ever again. Perhaps this will help the party pay closer attention to its members, and help them understand the educational process needed to keep people involved in the system and helping it work smoothly.

Obviously the republican party ran into some heavy problems this time around. But a study of the party’s history would inform students that this result was decades in the making. Allowing religions to get involved in party politics was a major goof back in the 1980’s. Allowing those same religious leaders to manipulate policy, candidate selections and agenda items is a continuation of the same goof.

Politics and religion don’t mix. Neither do government and religion. Witness the Middle East. Is that what you want for America? Whether you are Muslim, Christian or Jew, if your nation’s government heeds only your religious majority, then it becomes a Christian nation, a Muslim nation or a Jewish nation. None of those nations are successful or without serious violence.

America didn’t used to have political violence either. Now it does mainly because a bunch of people and one political party insists we are a Christian nation when we are not. We are a people of predominantly Christian faith or heritage upbringing. The truth is, however, that our nation has a huge portion of its population that is un-churched and non practicing of any religion. Another large segment of the population is of eastern or oriental faith systems. Many more keep faith with Islam or Judaism. Still tens of millions more favor one Christian sect over another. It is a chaotic milieu of spiritual thinking, espousing and practices.

This is not the stuff of peace and calm in government circles. Best to leave all of that behind. Keep it separate. The court system has attempted to do just that. The constitution favors no religion. The Founding Fathers themselves were more Deists than Christians. In fact their discussions were heavily weighted in avoiding the chasms and schisms of faith communities entirely. Just read Thomas Jefferson’s writings for that. Benjamin Franklin as well. And George Washington, the Adams families, and so on.

The Democrats give respect to religions and faith issues. They do not take sides, however.

Abortion and Gay issues have been made into wedge political issues by religionists. That’s why these issues are so hotly debated. One opponent feels their religious freedom is abridged if rights for abortion or gay people are granted. Nonsense. This is not a decision on religion. It is a decision on civil rights guaranteed by the constitution. The government makes these decisions, not churches or faith leaders. Simple. Keep it so.

The matter of conservative, liberal or middle of the road political philosophy is fair game for all of us to discuss. Please do not make monsters out of your opponents, however. It makes a fool of you and doesn’t help the discourse one little bit.

The current presidential election pits one know-nothing and inexperienced person in government affairs against someone who has studied law, history, governance and political philosophy. She has worked her entire career in several levels of government. She has made her life’s career service to others. She has not benefited from any of this work. Her enemies made her famous and a successful author of books and speaking engagements. That has made her wealthy compared with the rest of us. Same for her husband. An unintended effect I know but that’s what created the Clinton wealth.

They continue to raise funds for their foundation so charitable work benefiting all of society both domestic and foreign are beneficiaries of their work. Thank God for that work!

The other candidate has lined his own pockets at the expense of others his entire life. His kids are doing the same. And he got a starter gift from his wealthy father to begin his own career. Along his career path he has amassed some wealth that does not benefit others very much. Plus he has soaked investors and vendors alike for years with failures and bankruptcies several times. What he pays in taxes is still an open question. My bet is he pays very little, soaking the rest of us with games played with the tax code.

The same cannot be said of the Clintons.

So, if you don’t like the Clintons, say so. But if you feel they have broken the laws, then you owe it to all of us to point out the facts and case law where this is apt. Truth be told there is a long record of people attempting to find fault with the Clintons. They have not found anything yet. But that hasn’t stopped their tongues wagging.

Wanting it so doesn’t make it so.

Just ask Trump!

And voting for no one is you walking away from your democratic responsibilities. Shame!

August 4, 2016

Battling Cable

Let’s see now, our AT&T cable bill was $95 per month including taxes. This included our wi-fi computer internet service coupled with our wi-fi cable service. This was a special package rate that was up on July 17. Shortly thereafter we were notified that our service contract cost would be billed at $157 plus taxes, or $170 or so per month. We knew we couldn’t afford that so took action.

My plan was to cut the cable cord entirely. I would retain internet service as is, then buy an electronic TV antenna for hi definition signals of local stations. They say those things work well and that would keep us in network and news contact. We have a Netflix video streamer and pay $9.99 per month for that. It gives us access to unlimited streaming of a jillion shows or so (seems like it!). Many shows are series of things we really like such as HGTV programs, DIY and FYI shows. And a lot more – Chasing Classic Cars, cooking shows, and tons more.

So my thought was to go to basic cable, or none at all with the help of the electronic antenna with HD signals. Then the streamer. Then use the computer with a hook up to the TV screen for current shows unavailable except by cable. Many people tell me this is a workable solution and costs a tiny fraction of what we are now paying.

So, yesterday we called AT&T and went to town. Ended up again in the customer retention center (clever name, don’t you think?) and they did their best to retain us. In fact they did mainly because Rocky was staring me down hard to keep cable! If he isn’t on the computer he’s on the TV. So he needs cable he says.

So we cut our services and got another rate package and what was better and used to cost us $95 a month is now going to cost us $117 per month plus taxes. That should add another $10 or $12 per month.  $127 to $129. Still outrageous in my book.

This morning I received an email confirmation of my order. It will cost me $160 per month plus taxes. If I get a bill of that amount I’m not sure what I’ll do. I think their email was a mistake, so I printed it out and will confront them with the facts later if needed.

So, I did battle with the cable company and lost. And then I lost again. Is there no shame at AT&T? Or at any of the other cable companies as well? Here’s the deal: nearly all TV programming today is aimed at the lowest common denominator. I don’t live at that level of life, so I am offended by 80% of the programming and usually don’t watch it. I prefer doing something on the computer or reading an actual book with pages (what a concept!) or take a nap. I do a lot of volunteer work so I am not trapped at home with the boob tube. But there is only so much volunteer work I should do without losing control of my life as a whole. Rocky, on the other hand, doesn’t do that. All he has is a hobby and TV. Grontch!!

So HELP! What are the rest of you doing to control the cable monster?

I think we should have special cable rates for seniors. We can’t buy food, meds and cable. There are not enough dollars for that. It means we must be discerning consumers. I think cable should be cut to zero while we find another connection via the internet. I don’t care if the selection is few, just as long as the programs have value and intellectual content. I know I’m asking a lot, but hey, is this the greatest nation on earth or not?  By TV standards it is NOT! But that’s just my opinion.

Anyway, please share your secrets to controlling cable costs. I’m getting desperate here. My next move will be to keep internet service and cut cable to the public stations without DVR and HD. May have to do that yet.

Thanks for listening. Even more thanks if you actually share a workable idea!

August 3, 2016

Waiting / Getting Results

We’ve been going through a medical drama lately. It all began with Rocky getting a bad case of laryngitis. That was 11 weeks ago. Two and half months of difficult communications. Sometimes Rocky didn’t put in his hearing aids so in addition to gravelly speech similar to a bad mafia movie (Guido, you know?) he could not hear what I was saying so we were miscommunicating a lot.

Finally, we though it odd that laryngitis would last so long so we visited his GP who immediately said an ENT specialist was called for (Ear, Nose, Throat). An appointment was made and we welcomed yet another doctor into our lives.

Soon he was examining the throat, noted copious post nasal drip due to seasonal allergies, but then noted a swollen left chord and an inert right chord. So he requested two CT scans – one for neck soft tissue, and another for the upper chest to track the route of a nerve controlling his paralyzed vocal chord. The only rub was health insurance approvals and two CT scans were not approved; one first, then the second would follow if needed. The second scan was needed but more delays ensued.

Seems the ENT doctor felt Rocky should have an antibiotic to combat a minor infection causing one of the vocal chords to swell. Rocky was allergic to the meds so we returned for another prescription. That too was not accommodated by Rocky’s body and he began immediately to throw up and have a diarrhea. So on a Thursday morning at 2:20 we went to the emergency room. They diagnosed thrush caused by the two antibiotics that didn’t work. More meds for that condition and more discomfort. By Sunday Rocky was unable to swallow water or breathe easily. So off to the ER again, this time at 4 am.

This time the doctors felt the CT scans were needed immediately and had them done. ENT specialist was notified and he ordered an ultrasound imaging with a needle biopsy. More insurance company delays but finally the ultrasound was approved. The results indicated an internal nodule measuring 2.5 cm by 2.3 cm by 2.2 cm. For the novice the node is roughly 1 inch cubed. That is large enough to require a biopsy.

Back to the insurance company for approval. Got it. We are in the examining room with a doctor and two techs. I’ll let you know the results when we know. This is Thursday and we should know something by Monday afternoon.

From our meeting with the GP until today, 7 weeks have transpired. A long time to think about the unknown results that could mean a cancerous tumor requiring removal of the tumor if not a large portion of the thyroid gland. The waiting has been excruciating for Rocky. He doesn’t do well with medical issues anyway, so this was a major drama!

It goes back to a basic concern of cancer. Rocky’s brother died about 5 years ago from bile duct liver cancer, a fairly rare cancer but virulent. Joe was gone six months after diagnosis work was begun. That was a shock that Rocky is still dealing with.

So here we are waiting through yet another weekend for test results. At least this time we know that whether this time we know that whether benign or not, the tumor will be removed and mostly likely half the thyroid as well. If malignant we are told such tumors rarely spread beyond the one gland. Removing it removes all doubt about future cancer development from this instance. Removed and benign the pressure on the vocal chord nerve will be eliminated and the voice should return to normal.

So there you have it. Monday we should know where we stand. I’ll keep you posted.

And so Monday we waited for the results and received word that the tests were complete but the lab reports were not sent completely to the doctor. More delay. We were told to call Tuesday morning for the latest information. That is this morning as I write this blog. We will hopefully get the results before noon today and then I can post an update tomorrow and let you know the results.

Finally. Going on 12 or 13 weeks. Nice to know our medical community is considered the best in the world. But are we the best served community in the world?

August 2, 2016

Home Prices

I’ve said it before and I will say it yet again – We are seeking the new normal, not the return of the old normal. The old is gone forever; look for the new and make it happen as best we can and build upon it for the long term future.

Why am I saying this? Because I just read that housing prices have risen yet again and are nearly at an historic high.

And I say this is not true. Home prices depend solely on location. If the supply is low relative to demand prices will respond with a rise as well. New York metro area is an example. So too Washington DC. In fact, DC’s pricing rarely goes down because federal government as an industry is a growth industry, especially at its headquarters region. This is not true away from headquarters. A lot of chiefs and not enough Indians in DC; we all know this. But head bangers are what make the federal government go around so they move to DC, buy homes, create jobs, and that requires more homes. Prices thus rise.

Chicago is another story. Lots of changes going on in Chicago. Some areas are booming with an influx of new residents; if space is already tight with neighborhoods built out, then remodeling or tear-down-replace are the only options. Both are costly and prices rise. There are plenty of neighborhoods throughout Chicago and all of the suburbs where prices are still doing down or are so low they can’t go lower. The old normal is long gone and the new normal hasn’t visited these areas yet.

And the same is true all over the country following the exact same principles laid out above. Period.

Now re-read the reports on rising home prices. They are bunk. They are a scam designed to line the pockets of mortgage lenders and real estate people who are gaming gullible populations. Too bad; you would think these same people would understand exactly how we got into a nation and international mess because of the greed of mortgage lenders and mortgage bankers, and investment banks and real estate professionals. They were there when it happened. They were there trying to game the system for all the money they could.

The result was the second largest economic crash in the history of the USA. Only the great depression was larger. And for a time there it looked like we were in for a repeat of that. Only huge flexibility, suspension of legal penalties and a lot of compromise allowed the federal authorities to bail out the sick industries who caused this mess. We are past that now. But you would think we are entering a new bubble.

So they wish. Shame on them.

Condos and townhouses are still depressed. My old townhouse once was valued at nearly $280k; it was valued at $132k at the time of my bankruptcy. And the bank lost the capital they helped build out of nothing; so they reaped what they sowed. I paid all of my other bills and reaffirmed my auto loan. So no one else lost money from my BK.

I did not game the system. They gamed me.

I’m not happy about this but I am over it. I am happier with less and living a much better life than I was before. We don’t travel and we worry about bills and auto care and medical issues, but otherwise we are fine. 

Too bad the bulk of our population doesn’t understand this and learn to live with it. They would be so much happier. There would be much less drug and alcohol addiction, too.

Isn’t it time we called out the greedy people among us and asked them for an adjustment?

Meanwhile, let the rest of us read the tea leaves accurately and get down to what is really important. And that starts with other people, not the self. It takes valuing the simple and the everyday components of life, too.

Not a bad lesson to learn. It makes everything else so much more pleasant. And rewarding!

August 1, 2016