While I have the time and inclination I've started reading serious material again. I was tempted to entitle this post as a little "Light" reading but was afraid the pun would miss. Besides, a light didn't really go off when I read the three books last week as much as a realization that many of the things I saw in our world were real and of concern to me. (Specifically while job and/or income hunting) And how I and millions of other Americans were blissfully ignoring the real condition of our world.
The first of the three books was "Freakonomics, a title from 2005. This book spawned a series of editions, a blog and a radio show. The book and related activities bring to light the erroneous nature of "conventional wisdom" and back up the findings with economic stats and calculations. This original take on our culture and economics looks at and defines actual drivers and motivations for things we either take for granted as natural occurrences in our world or have grossly mistaken understandings of the real cause and effect. As the little German soldier on "Laugh In" used to say; "Very Interesting."
From "Freakonomics" I moved on to "The Ascent of Money". This very interesting and somewhat more heavy reading material gives the history of how we came to have money, currency, loans, stocks, banks, insurance, bonds, and all the myriad financial instruments of our time. It highlights the need for much of what the financial industry does today to facilitate international commerce. It leaves the reader with a clear understanding of how we got to where we are concerning money, be it digital or physical.
Last but certainly not least and the one title I recommend for your perusal if you can only read one serious tome, is "That Used to Us." One of the authors is Thomas Freidman who you might recognize from his TV punditry. The material is quite dense, there is no getting around it. It is not however thick with graphs and studies like the very useful but tough work "Generations."
So.. You may need a little time to get through this one, but when you do you'll come out informed and hopefully inspired. The two authors lay out how we became a great country, the formula that made us that way and how we lost our way in the last 20 years. They favor no political party and they grind no axes. They do let the reader know what we did and are doing wrong, the consequences to America and the world if we don't change our ways, and they offer some ideas about how to fix it.
The bottom line from this reading is this. I and the millions of others in our country have to face the reality of our economy; that for millions of us our jobs are not coming back. That for a decade or two we ignored the effects of globalization and the IT revolution. That the financial meltdown just made it worse and that smart people must adapt.
I've also realized that in this climate of hyper-connectivity, highly collaborative workplaces and social networks that extend into the workplace; that I may need some help finding a place if I intend to prosper or even just survive.
While I continue to apply for the few traditional jobs that fit my age and experience, I will likewise search in other directions for workshops, support groups and any other resources that might help me find a new career or income opportunity.
One of things I took away from the books was the need to be flexible, be agile, and be willing and able to adapt. To do otherwise puts you on the path of extinction. I'm not ready for that just yet.
RT
Friday, March 9, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Voted off the Island
I got fired from my crummy $12 an hour call center job yesterday. While it is never fun to be let go, I have to admit to a certain amount of relief. It was perhaps the worst job I've had in 30 years and that includes a stint selling portable toilets. So, let's get the sour grapes, satirical wit and mini-bitterness out of the way so I can move on to more positive things.
Sour Grapes: The company culture was adolescent at best and just plain idiotic at worst. I complained vociferously about my supervisor yelling across the room while we were on calls, the need for headsets that worked and the quality of audio in our headsets, the lack of any decent sick leave policy, ( example: I asked for 1/2 hr off and put it in the system, (you can't just ask your supervisor) 3 weeks ahead of time and was turned down,) and the general lack of cleanliness in the facility.
After the last time in which I met with the Asst Mngr and my supervisor the die was cast. She looked for and found a nit picky violation of one of the many company policies and got me fired.
The termination process there involves you being brought into a room, told your offense, told you're fired and surrendering your badge. It is totally classless.
Satirical Wit: We referred to the supervisors and their favorites as Kool-Aid drinkers. If you didn't drink the kool-aid you couldn't get time off the phones for special projects and just plain BS.
My friend who sat next to me made it to his second anniversary there and was given a balloon. He is 50 years old. (I may have mentioned this in the meeting with a somewhat disparaging attitude) I missed my 2 year anniversary by 7 days. Just enough so they won't owe me two weeks vacation pay my wife believes.
The carpeting in the building was over 30 years old and very stained and nasty. (I may have brought that up as well), but they had a big balloon budget. The accounting department must have been run by a descendant of Ebeneezer Scrooge,because they made you pay for the cheap little pads on your headset when they wore out.
I had to bring in a Doctors note to have a lunch break during the lunch hour. otherwise the computer would give you a lunch break as early as 9:30 or as late as 2:00.
I was once told by a manager that not everyone could have the luxury of a Monday-Friday schedule. I'm here to tell you that there was nothing luxurious about my Mon-Fri schedule.
Mini-Bitterness: The call center culture is ruining our businesses and effective customer service. Companies bring on entry level workers, give them minimal training and put them on the phones. The center I worked at had a business model that worked with 80% turnover. The company used a government program to make money on each new hire and then relentlessly weeded them out. This particular company has an insidious group think mentality that is scary. Supervisors regularly spout the company line when confronted with the ridiculousness of their actions.
The constant monitoring, nit picking micro-management, and the sheer pettiness of the enterprise was soul killing. Other workers complained to me of the constant stress they felt in the workplace. There was one well meaning but overly emotional co-worker who cried at least once a week.
The really sad thing about this particular company is how seriously these folks take themselves. In the end it's just a job folks. Many of the people for whom I worked were single or divorced and I believe the company culture and work schedule may contribute to their situation.
While informative and eye-opening, my tenure at this company was a waste of my talents and experience, they were totally devalued there. I stayed for the insurance and ease of commuting. Clearly I overstayed my welcome. Oh, well!
Positive Things: I stayed as long as I did at my work due to the insurance issue. We needed coverage for Vicki. Well, just a couple of weeks earlier she was hired on as a full time employee at her work and immediately covered by her insurance. So, no problem there. The only reason for me to stay no longer exists.
With the economy slowly coming back there is a better chance to find work that is rewarding, interesting and more attuned to my age, attitude, experience and skills. It's a big Ole World out there and I look forward to the opportunity to find my economic muse.
Even at my age I am not suited to fly a desk. Eight hours a day sitting is unhealthy and unnatural. Therefore I will look for work that has at least a minimal physical component, such as walking, driving, on site inspections and the like.
The world is still my oyster, let's see what I find inside.
RT
Sour Grapes: The company culture was adolescent at best and just plain idiotic at worst. I complained vociferously about my supervisor yelling across the room while we were on calls, the need for headsets that worked and the quality of audio in our headsets, the lack of any decent sick leave policy, ( example: I asked for 1/2 hr off and put it in the system, (you can't just ask your supervisor) 3 weeks ahead of time and was turned down,) and the general lack of cleanliness in the facility.
After the last time in which I met with the Asst Mngr and my supervisor the die was cast. She looked for and found a nit picky violation of one of the many company policies and got me fired.
The termination process there involves you being brought into a room, told your offense, told you're fired and surrendering your badge. It is totally classless.
Satirical Wit: We referred to the supervisors and their favorites as Kool-Aid drinkers. If you didn't drink the kool-aid you couldn't get time off the phones for special projects and just plain BS.
My friend who sat next to me made it to his second anniversary there and was given a balloon. He is 50 years old. (I may have mentioned this in the meeting with a somewhat disparaging attitude) I missed my 2 year anniversary by 7 days. Just enough so they won't owe me two weeks vacation pay my wife believes.
The carpeting in the building was over 30 years old and very stained and nasty. (I may have brought that up as well), but they had a big balloon budget. The accounting department must have been run by a descendant of Ebeneezer Scrooge,because they made you pay for the cheap little pads on your headset when they wore out.
I had to bring in a Doctors note to have a lunch break during the lunch hour. otherwise the computer would give you a lunch break as early as 9:30 or as late as 2:00.
I was once told by a manager that not everyone could have the luxury of a Monday-Friday schedule. I'm here to tell you that there was nothing luxurious about my Mon-Fri schedule.
Mini-Bitterness: The call center culture is ruining our businesses and effective customer service. Companies bring on entry level workers, give them minimal training and put them on the phones. The center I worked at had a business model that worked with 80% turnover. The company used a government program to make money on each new hire and then relentlessly weeded them out. This particular company has an insidious group think mentality that is scary. Supervisors regularly spout the company line when confronted with the ridiculousness of their actions.
The constant monitoring, nit picking micro-management, and the sheer pettiness of the enterprise was soul killing. Other workers complained to me of the constant stress they felt in the workplace. There was one well meaning but overly emotional co-worker who cried at least once a week.
The really sad thing about this particular company is how seriously these folks take themselves. In the end it's just a job folks. Many of the people for whom I worked were single or divorced and I believe the company culture and work schedule may contribute to their situation.
While informative and eye-opening, my tenure at this company was a waste of my talents and experience, they were totally devalued there. I stayed for the insurance and ease of commuting. Clearly I overstayed my welcome. Oh, well!
Positive Things: I stayed as long as I did at my work due to the insurance issue. We needed coverage for Vicki. Well, just a couple of weeks earlier she was hired on as a full time employee at her work and immediately covered by her insurance. So, no problem there. The only reason for me to stay no longer exists.
With the economy slowly coming back there is a better chance to find work that is rewarding, interesting and more attuned to my age, attitude, experience and skills. It's a big Ole World out there and I look forward to the opportunity to find my economic muse.
Even at my age I am not suited to fly a desk. Eight hours a day sitting is unhealthy and unnatural. Therefore I will look for work that has at least a minimal physical component, such as walking, driving, on site inspections and the like.
The world is still my oyster, let's see what I find inside.
RT
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Mr Obama goes to Chandler
Well, the Pres showed up in my town today. He flew in to Gateway Airport out in East Mesa and cruised on over to Intel on Dobson road. The Intel property borders Oakwood which is part of Sun Lakes. I managed to avoid the traffic jams caused by his appearance, but my wife got caught up in the mess. She made it home about 45 minutes later than usual. This was due more to the local police not having a clue about where and how to reroute around Intel than the Pres's presence.
As is usual on Wednesdays I adjourned to my driveway (it faces west and is warm in the winter) for a cigar and an adult beverage. (Wine tonight since we were having fish for dinner later) Once I had my lawn chair setup, my cigar lit, a good book and the wine at hand I noticed a noise to the north. Lo and behold it was our President making his speech outside the construction at Intel. All I could hear were cheers and an occasional word from his speech. I walked back inside, turned the TV to channel 5 and there he was, making jokes, being charming and presidential just a few blocks from my home. Literally within shouting distance. (Or really within loudspeaker distance)
Of course nothing that happens in our state can be do without the presence of our governor, Jan Brewer. The takeaway from their meeting is a picture of the pair with Brewer putting her finger in the Pres's face. This chick is a total piece of work. I'm guessing he couldn't wait to get out of here.
Channel 5 showed the plane getting ready to takeoff, so I stepped out on the patio and sure enough there was Air Force One taking off headed to Vegas. How did I know that it was his plane. I mean it was dark and the airport is miles away. Ah, here's how it works when you're the big guy. There were no other planes in the air. Not a one. See when AF1 takes off they clear the airspace for his departure. So not too hard to figure it out.
I watched the plane fly out of sight, gave the Pres a little salute, and walked back inside to do the dishes.
The excitement never ends around here.
RT
As is usual on Wednesdays I adjourned to my driveway (it faces west and is warm in the winter) for a cigar and an adult beverage. (Wine tonight since we were having fish for dinner later) Once I had my lawn chair setup, my cigar lit, a good book and the wine at hand I noticed a noise to the north. Lo and behold it was our President making his speech outside the construction at Intel. All I could hear were cheers and an occasional word from his speech. I walked back inside, turned the TV to channel 5 and there he was, making jokes, being charming and presidential just a few blocks from my home. Literally within shouting distance. (Or really within loudspeaker distance)
Of course nothing that happens in our state can be do without the presence of our governor, Jan Brewer. The takeaway from their meeting is a picture of the pair with Brewer putting her finger in the Pres's face. This chick is a total piece of work. I'm guessing he couldn't wait to get out of here.
Channel 5 showed the plane getting ready to takeoff, so I stepped out on the patio and sure enough there was Air Force One taking off headed to Vegas. How did I know that it was his plane. I mean it was dark and the airport is miles away. Ah, here's how it works when you're the big guy. There were no other planes in the air. Not a one. See when AF1 takes off they clear the airspace for his departure. So not too hard to figure it out.
I watched the plane fly out of sight, gave the Pres a little salute, and walked back inside to do the dishes.
The excitement never ends around here.
RT
Sunday, January 15, 2012
"Much Ado about Nothing"
The title of today's post is pretty much what I think about this presidential primary season. The current crop of alleged "conservative" nitwits filling our airwaves with right wing banalities is both scary and boring. The only bright spot so far has been Stephen Colbert's attack ad on Mitt the twit.
Enjoy
RT
Enjoy
RT
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas
I wrote a short poem for the Daily Husband today, you can read it here. It pretty much says it all for us this year. Vicki and I feel very blessed to be able to celebrate the season in good health and spirits. It was much different this time last year.
We even celebrated our 25th Anniversary in Vegas this last week as well. While there we saw a performance of the "Lion King" at Mandalay Bay, gambled and rambled the strip till 4:30 AM one morning, enjoyed a very late room service breakfast the next day while overlooking the strip from the 31st floor of our hotel and just generally had a great time. We also took the opportunity to go downtown on the double-decker bus and see Fremont Street and the whole scene down there.
Now back home in Sun Lakes we're looking forward to an evening service tonight and Christmas day at our oldest daughter's house in Mesa.
My wish is that all our friends and relatives find the same peace and happiness this year that Vicki and I have.
Vicki and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
RT
We even celebrated our 25th Anniversary in Vegas this last week as well. While there we saw a performance of the "Lion King" at Mandalay Bay, gambled and rambled the strip till 4:30 AM one morning, enjoyed a very late room service breakfast the next day while overlooking the strip from the 31st floor of our hotel and just generally had a great time. We also took the opportunity to go downtown on the double-decker bus and see Fremont Street and the whole scene down there.
Now back home in Sun Lakes we're looking forward to an evening service tonight and Christmas day at our oldest daughter's house in Mesa.
My wish is that all our friends and relatives find the same peace and happiness this year that Vicki and I have.
Vicki and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
RT
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thanksgiving Day 2011
I have a lot of things to be thankful for this year.
First and foremost is Vicki's being Cancer Free. This time last year we were deep into her Radiation and Chemo treatments. I had researched everything I could about her cancer and I was deeply worried about the outcome of the treatments. The process was grueling, but we were fortunate to have the best of the best on her treatment team.
So... I am thankful that there are still people willing to make the sacrifices necessary to work in our health care system. Most have terrible schedules, end up working weekends, nights, Holidays, you name it. I am very thankful that an extraordinary group of these folks worked so diligently to fight the cancer in Vicki's head.
I am very thankful to have a partner who is able to meet the challenge of cancer and maintain her sense of humor, her great attitude and her love for me. I am likewise thankful to learn that we have the kind of marriage that can not only survive a fight with cancer but get better.
I am also thankful to have a wonderful support group of friends and family that prayed for us, helped us, and was always there for us when we needed them.
I am thankful that in spite of the recession, the awful job market and our government's indifference; that we have jobs, a roof over our heads and some hope for future prosperity.
I'm thankful that this Thanksgiving my wife and I were able to spend time with our family and friends to celebrate this day.
And last but certainly not least, I'm thankful to still be here on this magnificent planet and to look at each new day as the blessing it truly is.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
RT
First and foremost is Vicki's being Cancer Free. This time last year we were deep into her Radiation and Chemo treatments. I had researched everything I could about her cancer and I was deeply worried about the outcome of the treatments. The process was grueling, but we were fortunate to have the best of the best on her treatment team.
So... I am thankful that there are still people willing to make the sacrifices necessary to work in our health care system. Most have terrible schedules, end up working weekends, nights, Holidays, you name it. I am very thankful that an extraordinary group of these folks worked so diligently to fight the cancer in Vicki's head.
I am very thankful to have a partner who is able to meet the challenge of cancer and maintain her sense of humor, her great attitude and her love for me. I am likewise thankful to learn that we have the kind of marriage that can not only survive a fight with cancer but get better.
I am also thankful to have a wonderful support group of friends and family that prayed for us, helped us, and was always there for us when we needed them.
I am thankful that in spite of the recession, the awful job market and our government's indifference; that we have jobs, a roof over our heads and some hope for future prosperity.
I'm thankful that this Thanksgiving my wife and I were able to spend time with our family and friends to celebrate this day.
And last but certainly not least, I'm thankful to still be here on this magnificent planet and to look at each new day as the blessing it truly is.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
RT
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Out of Iraq
After 10 years, over 800 billion dollars and just under 5,000 fatalities our president announced that we will be withdrawing all troops from Iraq by January of 2012. It's about time. Since we never should have been there in the first place, one wonders what took us so long. But bad things happen when you displace a government and attempt nation building. You'd think we would have learned our lesson in Viet Nam, an action in which in I was involved. But it has not happened. Our country has been blithely engaged in two wars for the last decade with little or no protest from the populace.
The old saying about "those that ignore history are doomed to repeat it" applies to our foreign policy for at least the last 40 years. Now, with the factually challenged warrior wannabes in charge of the congress and perhaps the senate as well (in spite of a supposed Democratic majority) we continue on the path of waste and destruction with little or no thought to the outcome or consequences.
From my perspective our leaders have lost the ability to think big enough to help the majority of the people. Most seem tied to some cause or worse, to some corporation whose only goal is profit. Witness the exodus of middle class jobs in the last 30 years. Where did these geniuses think our citizens would work when they sent hundreds of thousands of jobs to China, Indonesia, Pakistan and Whereeverthefuckistan? They didn't care then and they don't care today.
This country has been divided into two distinct classes; the investment class that owns 40% of everything and 50% of all stocks and bonds. These folks constitute just %1 of our population. The other 99% of us make up the other class. Most of us depend on employers, the government and the cycles of the economy for our well being. Since 1980 and the conservative revolution headed by Ronald Reagan our government has made it easier and more profitable for corporations and the wealthy while making it much harder for the other 99%.
This has been accomplished by applying the science of Madison Avenue (marketing) to political dialogue, with devastating effect. "Framing" has become the modus operandi of the pundit and media class. No longer are issues reported on and discussed without some variety of "framing" involved. The majority of the electorate remains ignorant of what is being done to them and this allows them to continually vote against their own self interest. Amazing!
As just one example of the duplicity of the factually challenged in power is the current buzz word "Job Creators". What a Crock! These very people are the ones responsible for millions of jobs lost, not the ones that remain. After all, someone has to do the work on the ground, don't they? The lucky folks still have jobs, though they pay less and have fewer benefits than just 5 or 10 years ago. I guess the Corporations and Wealthy think it's OK if the people who made this country what it once was, who fought in its wars, and continue to lay down their lives to this day, should struggle to make a living in the richest nation on the planet.
I applaud all those in the "Occupy Wall Street" protest for at least identifying the enemy within. It is too bad they lack a spokesman to articulate the anger and frustration felt by so many and the injustice of supplying the financial sector with over 13 TRILLION dollars in bailout money while continuing to decimate the middle class. The Greed of the ruling class in our nation is so apparent and ever present that one wonders why it took so long for the people to rise up in protest.
Perhaps it will come to something, but I remain cynical that any action will be taken to right the wrongs done to us.
Of course we are now in the election season or "silly season", where we will be bombarded with BS from all parties. Most if not all of this will be a smokescreen to divert our attention from the real and most pressing issues.
For comic relief I recommend any so called Republican debate, but only if you can turn off your critical thinking and need for facts. Just sit back and laugh for a bit. Oh, and wait for the news of our next invasion of a foreign country, its just around the corner. My guess is somewhere in Africa this time.
RT
The old saying about "those that ignore history are doomed to repeat it" applies to our foreign policy for at least the last 40 years. Now, with the factually challenged warrior wannabes in charge of the congress and perhaps the senate as well (in spite of a supposed Democratic majority) we continue on the path of waste and destruction with little or no thought to the outcome or consequences.
From my perspective our leaders have lost the ability to think big enough to help the majority of the people. Most seem tied to some cause or worse, to some corporation whose only goal is profit. Witness the exodus of middle class jobs in the last 30 years. Where did these geniuses think our citizens would work when they sent hundreds of thousands of jobs to China, Indonesia, Pakistan and Whereeverthefuckistan? They didn't care then and they don't care today.
This country has been divided into two distinct classes; the investment class that owns 40% of everything and 50% of all stocks and bonds. These folks constitute just %1 of our population. The other 99% of us make up the other class. Most of us depend on employers, the government and the cycles of the economy for our well being. Since 1980 and the conservative revolution headed by Ronald Reagan our government has made it easier and more profitable for corporations and the wealthy while making it much harder for the other 99%.
This has been accomplished by applying the science of Madison Avenue (marketing) to political dialogue, with devastating effect. "Framing" has become the modus operandi of the pundit and media class. No longer are issues reported on and discussed without some variety of "framing" involved. The majority of the electorate remains ignorant of what is being done to them and this allows them to continually vote against their own self interest. Amazing!
As just one example of the duplicity of the factually challenged in power is the current buzz word "Job Creators". What a Crock! These very people are the ones responsible for millions of jobs lost, not the ones that remain. After all, someone has to do the work on the ground, don't they? The lucky folks still have jobs, though they pay less and have fewer benefits than just 5 or 10 years ago. I guess the Corporations and Wealthy think it's OK if the people who made this country what it once was, who fought in its wars, and continue to lay down their lives to this day, should struggle to make a living in the richest nation on the planet.
I applaud all those in the "Occupy Wall Street" protest for at least identifying the enemy within. It is too bad they lack a spokesman to articulate the anger and frustration felt by so many and the injustice of supplying the financial sector with over 13 TRILLION dollars in bailout money while continuing to decimate the middle class. The Greed of the ruling class in our nation is so apparent and ever present that one wonders why it took so long for the people to rise up in protest.
Perhaps it will come to something, but I remain cynical that any action will be taken to right the wrongs done to us.
Of course we are now in the election season or "silly season", where we will be bombarded with BS from all parties. Most if not all of this will be a smokescreen to divert our attention from the real and most pressing issues.
For comic relief I recommend any so called Republican debate, but only if you can turn off your critical thinking and need for facts. Just sit back and laugh for a bit. Oh, and wait for the news of our next invasion of a foreign country, its just around the corner. My guess is somewhere in Africa this time.
RT
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