Oh, Bob Dylan…you little rascal. You keep writing music and you don’t look a day older than your 104 years of age. You may remember-or read- that Bob wrote in the 1960’s that Times Were a ‘Changin. More on that in a bit.
I’m guilty of writing about The World As It Should Be as opposed to The World As It is.
Mostly I do it because I’m trying to be amusing but I’m also guilty of defaulting to talk instead of taking action. My wife could tell you a little about this.
Apparently, I can’t be bothered to altering the course of human history because important things have presented themselves- such as my inability to find the remote control or reading extensively about why uber gazillionaire Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan recently purchased an exo-solar planet. (Excellent Milky Way views, move-in ready!).
To my millions of readers- Jamie Dimon didn’t really buy a planet, though he has that type of cake.
So which world do you live in? The World As It Should Be or The World As It Is?
Many would say the former is the domain of the political Liberal and the latter the political Conservative.
Some incredibly special people throughout history have brought justice to glaring and various human-created inequalities. Whether Gandhi or Martin Luther King or dozens before and after them, their energy was mobilized and would not be silenced. The World As It Is was unacceptable and they had the courage of their convictions. More importantly, they walked the freakin’ talk which separates them from myself and the rest of the world. Virtually all of their modern-day brethren however just offer their opinion or write editorials..or whine to nobody in particular…that’s their contribution to righting what’s wrong. This describes about 99.999999% of today’s elected officials. They love, love, LOVE talking about change. And they are followed around by legions of IDIOTS who cheer them on and wear silly hats and launch confetti and say my guy will bring change!! Wheeeeeeee!!!
The overwhelming majority of people who live in The World As It Is have ZERO motivation to change it. Many were born into great wealth and privilege. Many were born into poverty and were determined to escape it- often by any means necessary. They see human nature as a constant and unchangeable. Are they wrong? I, for one, don’t know. I think this group of people tends to be slightly more at peace than the former. Slightly.
The 1960’s in The United States brought us many things. Including but not limited to: a bevy of new mind-altering contraband, marginal hygiene, frightening hairstyles and music so esoteric, eclectic (and loud) that only its creators knew for sure it was actually a form of music. But it also brought a significant amount of people who didn’t just talk about change but actually did something about it.
We could all use a use a little of that 60’s mojo nowadays- just remember running water, soap and shampoo is available.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Let's cut the Horsebleep
Nothing about business, jobs or any of other stuff I typically blather on about.
Today I will lay waste to a couple of brutally overused platitudes and sacred cows- and I will enjoy it.
Ya never know.
Bullshit. You often know, you FRQUENTLY KNOW, you almost always know. When an outcome has overwhelming evidence on how it will turn out, people feel the need to fill the uncomfortable unease and silence. A suggestion: just say nothing. Let your facial expression communicate what you and others feel. We don't always get what we want and that's OK. Someone invariably will utter that magical pearl. Save it. Silence is OK.
Everything happens for a reason.
Says who??...the organized religion assigned to you? Probably but just as likely you feel the need to say something about the unpleasantness at hand. What would be the reason for the most unspeakable acts of human cruelty? Fact is, we don't know but I don't like the assertion that it happens for a reason- especially when the victim(s) suffer a fate beyond words and an unattached, unaffected observer reflexively offers this up. Zip it and feel your common humanity with this poor person. An exponentially greater service than empty words.
Now more than ever.
Advertisers LOVE this one. More than during The Great Depression? More than when the world was at war? More than when famine and disease ravaged huge sections of the world? Oh, you mean now that people are so consumed with their largely self-created life dramas and wouldn't know real hardship if it bit them in the ass? PURCAHSE THIS PRODUCT I'M
PITCHING BECAUSE NOW, MORE THAN EVER...Good grief.
This is what they would have wanted.
After someone's passing, this one is definitely coming. Let's be clear: This is what YOU WANTED. Whether or not the deceased wanted it is unknown, but this is clearly what YOU WANTED. Even if this person was your spouse of 50 years, you don't know (though, in this instance, you've more than earned the right to say whatever the hell you want).
Our thoughts and prayers go out to…
99% of the people who say or write this do neither and soon return to whatever important activity they were engaged in- such as refreshing their Facebook page to see if anyone commented on their heartfelt line about how they were apparently sending out prayers....or if anyone liked their 479th posted public picture of themselves.
Today I will lay waste to a couple of brutally overused platitudes and sacred cows- and I will enjoy it.
Ya never know.
Bullshit. You often know, you FRQUENTLY KNOW, you almost always know. When an outcome has overwhelming evidence on how it will turn out, people feel the need to fill the uncomfortable unease and silence. A suggestion: just say nothing. Let your facial expression communicate what you and others feel. We don't always get what we want and that's OK. Someone invariably will utter that magical pearl. Save it. Silence is OK.
Everything happens for a reason.
Says who??...the organized religion assigned to you? Probably but just as likely you feel the need to say something about the unpleasantness at hand. What would be the reason for the most unspeakable acts of human cruelty? Fact is, we don't know but I don't like the assertion that it happens for a reason- especially when the victim(s) suffer a fate beyond words and an unattached, unaffected observer reflexively offers this up. Zip it and feel your common humanity with this poor person. An exponentially greater service than empty words.
Now more than ever.
Advertisers LOVE this one. More than during The Great Depression? More than when the world was at war? More than when famine and disease ravaged huge sections of the world? Oh, you mean now that people are so consumed with their largely self-created life dramas and wouldn't know real hardship if it bit them in the ass? PURCAHSE THIS PRODUCT I'M
PITCHING BECAUSE NOW, MORE THAN EVER...Good grief.
This is what they would have wanted.
After someone's passing, this one is definitely coming. Let's be clear: This is what YOU WANTED. Whether or not the deceased wanted it is unknown, but this is clearly what YOU WANTED. Even if this person was your spouse of 50 years, you don't know (though, in this instance, you've more than earned the right to say whatever the hell you want).
Our thoughts and prayers go out to…
99% of the people who say or write this do neither and soon return to whatever important activity they were engaged in- such as refreshing their Facebook page to see if anyone commented on their heartfelt line about how they were apparently sending out prayers....or if anyone liked their 479th posted public picture of themselves.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Need Not Apply
If I can properly tweak this flux capacitor- and get my hind quarters back to the year 1985- I have a useful message to deliver.
If you are unwilling or unable to be a technician or specialist of some kind, you’ll need a Plan B through Plan Z on how you will earn your daily bread. The days where salaried employees spend considerable chunks of time bored out of their skulls (while on the clock) are rapidly reaching the finish line. Government jobs will be protected from this until either: 1.) Politicians have the guts to tell their constituents the truth and take necessary action, or 2.) Wide ranging anarchy on a global scale and the dissolution of the current systems government, finance and all relevant institutions. (On a lighter note, Keeping up with The Kardashians may be renewed for another season)
The reason is incredibly simple.
The creation and the rise of the modern day corporation happened because it made economic sense. The Industrial Revolution, mass population migrations and various standardizations across a spectrum of industries meant groups of “employees” would be necessary to provide these new markets with what they needed. If this meant some employees had extended “down time” during their work day- so be it. The market could support this because it couldn’t wait when needs arised. Temporarily short-handed companies that couldn’t meet the markets demands went out of business so they needed a roster of full-time employees.
If you haven’t noticed, things have changed a bit. Information Technology obliterated almost the entire model.
A sizable and growing portion of the specialized labor necessary to support the demand of the market can be provided on an “as needed basis”. Unless your occupation requires your physical presence in congregation, you can hardly expect to be paid for 40 hours because you’re there 40 hours . This change has already been underway for several years and, like Arnie The Terminator, will not stop.
The reason there is a 100% chance this will continue is because of money. Money gives us the illusion of security and that is something we all desperately cling to. It’s more important to us than anything, this concept of security. I say “illusion” because there is an endless list of things that money is powerless to protect you from- but it does cover the rent, toothpaste, basic cable, $8,000 weddings and a handful of other needful things. And money will ensure that money isn’t spent on things that are not necessary (That means you Mr. $120,000 a year Marketing Manager who uses the word strategic all day..and millions of other jobs that sound just like that one).
Unless you are uniquely brilliant and ambitious, you might want to learn how to do something that people want or need. Getting a four year degree in “business” may be entirely useless unless you’re wildly charismatic AND ambitious OR you’re in the business of repairing flux capacitors or silencing Terminators.
If you are unwilling or unable to be a technician or specialist of some kind, you’ll need a Plan B through Plan Z on how you will earn your daily bread. The days where salaried employees spend considerable chunks of time bored out of their skulls (while on the clock) are rapidly reaching the finish line. Government jobs will be protected from this until either: 1.) Politicians have the guts to tell their constituents the truth and take necessary action, or 2.) Wide ranging anarchy on a global scale and the dissolution of the current systems government, finance and all relevant institutions. (On a lighter note, Keeping up with The Kardashians may be renewed for another season)
The reason is incredibly simple.
The creation and the rise of the modern day corporation happened because it made economic sense. The Industrial Revolution, mass population migrations and various standardizations across a spectrum of industries meant groups of “employees” would be necessary to provide these new markets with what they needed. If this meant some employees had extended “down time” during their work day- so be it. The market could support this because it couldn’t wait when needs arised. Temporarily short-handed companies that couldn’t meet the markets demands went out of business so they needed a roster of full-time employees.
If you haven’t noticed, things have changed a bit. Information Technology obliterated almost the entire model.
A sizable and growing portion of the specialized labor necessary to support the demand of the market can be provided on an “as needed basis”. Unless your occupation requires your physical presence in congregation, you can hardly expect to be paid for 40 hours because you’re there 40 hours . This change has already been underway for several years and, like Arnie The Terminator, will not stop.
The reason there is a 100% chance this will continue is because of money. Money gives us the illusion of security and that is something we all desperately cling to. It’s more important to us than anything, this concept of security. I say “illusion” because there is an endless list of things that money is powerless to protect you from- but it does cover the rent, toothpaste, basic cable, $8,000 weddings and a handful of other needful things. And money will ensure that money isn’t spent on things that are not necessary (That means you Mr. $120,000 a year Marketing Manager who uses the word strategic all day..and millions of other jobs that sound just like that one).
Unless you are uniquely brilliant and ambitious, you might want to learn how to do something that people want or need. Getting a four year degree in “business” may be entirely useless unless you’re wildly charismatic AND ambitious OR you’re in the business of repairing flux capacitors or silencing Terminators.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Squirrel Accessories
I fervently wish I had all the time back. All the time I wondered, silently or out loud, why do people do what they do
I'll do it again in this life though I'd be better served wondering why dogs continue to fall for the fake tennis ball throw.
In my line of work, people awaiting a job offer or at least a "what's next" communication lose their flippin' minds trying to understand why?. What are they doing? What haven't we covered? Why would they leave me in limbo? OnE could reasonably argue the people at the company are afraid to make a decision or, worse, the wrong decision. But that could be TOTALLY wrong, also. It could be any number of things. Meanwhile, you continue to torture yourself. Oy.
This is where being silicon-based as opposed to carbon would alleviate so much wasted energy. However, if you were silicon based, you would be a Cyborg possibly hundreds of years in the future and reading blogs would be like me engaging only in activities interesting to squirrels. This moment of lightness was brought to you by * Cyberdyne Systems, a developer of self-aware artificial intelligence and ** Woodland Industries- a manufacturer of Squirrel toys.
Emotion almost always crushes logic in situations such as these- we've all been there. If you can do one little thing every so often to make your life a wee bit more manageable- do this. Stop wondering why people do what they do. If you REALLY want to know, people do what they do to avoid discomfort and/or hopefully gaining some type of peace or pleasure. All decisions come from that- no exceptions.
And if individually or collectively the decision to hire you increases one of these and/or diminishes the other, you are powerless.
Someone is stalling in hiring you or someone can't decide whether to invest in your company or buy your product or The Girl Next Door can't make up her mind on you versus Vincenzo "Vinny Carwash" Bellatoni , logic says move on. Logic is your friend here, *** not like your Social Network "friends" who post publicly how melancholy they're feeling and hit the refresh button 147 consecutive times awaiting comforting words from people they really don't know.
* Sarah Connor
** Not Really
*** Why I don't do Social Networks, ESPECIALLY that FB one.
I'll do it again in this life though I'd be better served wondering why dogs continue to fall for the fake tennis ball throw.
In my line of work, people awaiting a job offer or at least a "what's next" communication lose their flippin' minds trying to understand why?. What are they doing? What haven't we covered? Why would they leave me in limbo? OnE could reasonably argue the people at the company are afraid to make a decision or, worse, the wrong decision. But that could be TOTALLY wrong, also. It could be any number of things. Meanwhile, you continue to torture yourself. Oy.
This is where being silicon-based as opposed to carbon would alleviate so much wasted energy. However, if you were silicon based, you would be a Cyborg possibly hundreds of years in the future and reading blogs would be like me engaging only in activities interesting to squirrels. This moment of lightness was brought to you by * Cyberdyne Systems, a developer of self-aware artificial intelligence and ** Woodland Industries- a manufacturer of Squirrel toys.
Emotion almost always crushes logic in situations such as these- we've all been there. If you can do one little thing every so often to make your life a wee bit more manageable- do this. Stop wondering why people do what they do. If you REALLY want to know, people do what they do to avoid discomfort and/or hopefully gaining some type of peace or pleasure. All decisions come from that- no exceptions.
And if individually or collectively the decision to hire you increases one of these and/or diminishes the other, you are powerless.
Someone is stalling in hiring you or someone can't decide whether to invest in your company or buy your product or The Girl Next Door can't make up her mind on you versus Vincenzo "Vinny Carwash" Bellatoni , logic says move on. Logic is your friend here, *** not like your Social Network "friends" who post publicly how melancholy they're feeling and hit the refresh button 147 consecutive times awaiting comforting words from people they really don't know.
* Sarah Connor
** Not Really
*** Why I don't do Social Networks, ESPECIALLY that FB one.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
The Most Liberal of Arts
So the President tells some autoworkers yesterday that learning how to actually do something is a good idea for many. We can all guess what happened next. Many people who weren't in that room lost their collective minds.
I read the exact text of what he said- not a word to offend anybody. Unless you make your living in Art History. So, of course, the President had to make a public apology.
This is one of the roughly 2,992 reasons why I'm not currently The President of the United States.
There is no better way to put off having to actually do something with your life than to put your parents heavily in debt while you go to college to learn how to do nothing in particular. You also likely will incur significant debt that you can subsequently default on and blame someone other than yourself how unfair it all is. I'm being smarmy because I've hit my limit with The Cult of Entitlement.
Learning for many is one of life's great joys including for no other reason than you like to learn. Structured learning is necessary for sizable segments of the population or society would suffer greatly (Is there a Doctor in the House?).
I think we can safely (and fairly) now say that gaining a four year degree at significant cost is not an entitlement. Unless you're the President or someone else with the guts to say that too many young people leave college without any marketable skills. That's fine if your family is wealthy and has no qualms in financially supporting you into adulthood but very possibly a rude awakening if they're not. (Is there an 'Occupy Wall Streeter' in the House?).
I once asked a Pultizer Prize winning writer how to "do what I love". His one-word answer: Write. I've written ever since- I've even been paid (a little) to write. Nobody owes me a living to write but I do it anyway.
The same is true of countless other lines of work that society may enjoy but doesn't necessarily need. If you have a gift or even an intense love of something and you want to earn your daily bread from it- go after it. If it requires a formal education- go get it. If you want to go away to college for the experience- do it. When the bill comes due, don't assign blame. Life is inherently unfair but you're not one of it's victims. It's victims live in the world's hellholes.
I read the exact text of what he said- not a word to offend anybody. Unless you make your living in Art History. So, of course, the President had to make a public apology.
This is one of the roughly 2,992 reasons why I'm not currently The President of the United States.
There is no better way to put off having to actually do something with your life than to put your parents heavily in debt while you go to college to learn how to do nothing in particular. You also likely will incur significant debt that you can subsequently default on and blame someone other than yourself how unfair it all is. I'm being smarmy because I've hit my limit with The Cult of Entitlement.
Learning for many is one of life's great joys including for no other reason than you like to learn. Structured learning is necessary for sizable segments of the population or society would suffer greatly (Is there a Doctor in the House?).
I think we can safely (and fairly) now say that gaining a four year degree at significant cost is not an entitlement. Unless you're the President or someone else with the guts to say that too many young people leave college without any marketable skills. That's fine if your family is wealthy and has no qualms in financially supporting you into adulthood but very possibly a rude awakening if they're not. (Is there an 'Occupy Wall Streeter' in the House?).
I once asked a Pultizer Prize winning writer how to "do what I love". His one-word answer: Write. I've written ever since- I've even been paid (a little) to write. Nobody owes me a living to write but I do it anyway.
The same is true of countless other lines of work that society may enjoy but doesn't necessarily need. If you have a gift or even an intense love of something and you want to earn your daily bread from it- go after it. If it requires a formal education- go get it. If you want to go away to college for the experience- do it. When the bill comes due, don't assign blame. Life is inherently unfair but you're not one of it's victims. It's victims live in the world's hellholes.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Cole Slaw
Here's where all the trouble started.
Most people who write blogs have the technical acumen of cole slaw. My own is right there on that same paper plate next to the slaw, burger and corn on the cob.
So I decide I'll write an blog entry today- the last day of the year- on why I think New Year's Resolutions are like the "Comments" section of a YouTube video: inane and pointless.
I click on "new blog post" and a message comes up that reads: Possible problem with your *. gwt.xml module file. The compile time user.agent value (IE9) does not match the runtime user.agent ...
This information to me is about as useful as telling a squirrel about the history of the telephone. I write a blog, I have no access to Technical Support and- if I did- The Technical Support person would begin his crack problem solving abilities by asking if 1.) My computer is plugged in and 2.) What version of Enterprise XML Java Beans BPEL I'm running.
The nation is running on an Emergency Supply of Common Sense. Google owns Blogger because they own everything now including your home and immediate family. Whoever at Google that is responsible for me seeing such an asinine "help" message that reads: Possible problem with your *. gwt.xml module file. The compile time user.agent value (IE9) does not match the runtime user.agent ... should be forced to successfully flirt with a girl while simultaneously carrying on a conversation with a stranger about something other than Tech, Science Fiction or niche Pop Culture.
Now let me get on with my grouchy 2104 self.
Most people who write blogs have the technical acumen of cole slaw. My own is right there on that same paper plate next to the slaw, burger and corn on the cob.
So I decide I'll write an blog entry today- the last day of the year- on why I think New Year's Resolutions are like the "Comments" section of a YouTube video: inane and pointless.
I click on "new blog post" and a message comes up that reads: Possible problem with your *. gwt.xml module file. The compile time user.agent value (IE9) does not match the runtime user.agent ...
This information to me is about as useful as telling a squirrel about the history of the telephone. I write a blog, I have no access to Technical Support and- if I did- The Technical Support person would begin his crack problem solving abilities by asking if 1.) My computer is plugged in and 2.) What version of Enterprise XML Java Beans BPEL I'm running.
The nation is running on an Emergency Supply of Common Sense. Google owns Blogger because they own everything now including your home and immediate family. Whoever at Google that is responsible for me seeing such an asinine "help" message that reads: Possible problem with your *. gwt.xml module file. The compile time user.agent value (IE9) does not match the runtime user.agent ... should be forced to successfully flirt with a girl while simultaneously carrying on a conversation with a stranger about something other than Tech, Science Fiction or niche Pop Culture.
Now let me get on with my grouchy 2104 self.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Pay Me
Start your own company.
Start your own company and decide what your salary will be.
I've been taking this stance lately with certain professionals who believe their compensation is unjust. Start your own company and you'll soon learn what the market thinks your value is. You can then complain to your customers that you don't charge them enough. Good luck with that.
Underpaid and overpaid is an opinion and I'm in the opinion that there are plenty of both in a thriving economy. I'm also in the opinion that most people are paid their market value. One could argue that as fact because the number that is your salary/compensation is a fact and you are part of the labor market. However, unlike some unapologetic capitalists, I don't believe the market is infinitely intelligent and always right. In some cases, the market can be rigged...it's happened many times in human history therefore the market is not necessarily always correct or inherently right. But the laws of supply and demand do a pretty good job in determining what a Snickers Bar costs and what a middle manager is paid.
If you feel your underpaid then I'm afraid you will need to prove it to an employer or a market....or both.
I don't particularly like that an amazing school teacher might make 50K a year while a clearly average hedge fund manager might make that in a week. But I'll take that over a bureaucrat in a planned economy deciding my salary.
All of the above has been true for as long as free market capitalism has existed. Globalization has taken this truth to another level.
There is no "fair". When the unknowing tobacco farmer was told 60 years ago that his crop kills people, he had to make a decision. When your W2 says you made $37,000 this year, you too might have to make a decision. Don't make the decision to assign blame. Accept it or make an all-out effort to change it. If you can't change it, be grateful for what you have. More than 3 billion people on this earth live on less than $3 a day.
Start your own company and decide what your salary will be.
I've been taking this stance lately with certain professionals who believe their compensation is unjust. Start your own company and you'll soon learn what the market thinks your value is. You can then complain to your customers that you don't charge them enough. Good luck with that.
Underpaid and overpaid is an opinion and I'm in the opinion that there are plenty of both in a thriving economy. I'm also in the opinion that most people are paid their market value. One could argue that as fact because the number that is your salary/compensation is a fact and you are part of the labor market. However, unlike some unapologetic capitalists, I don't believe the market is infinitely intelligent and always right. In some cases, the market can be rigged...it's happened many times in human history therefore the market is not necessarily always correct or inherently right. But the laws of supply and demand do a pretty good job in determining what a Snickers Bar costs and what a middle manager is paid.
If you feel your underpaid then I'm afraid you will need to prove it to an employer or a market....or both.
I don't particularly like that an amazing school teacher might make 50K a year while a clearly average hedge fund manager might make that in a week. But I'll take that over a bureaucrat in a planned economy deciding my salary.
All of the above has been true for as long as free market capitalism has existed. Globalization has taken this truth to another level.
There is no "fair". When the unknowing tobacco farmer was told 60 years ago that his crop kills people, he had to make a decision. When your W2 says you made $37,000 this year, you too might have to make a decision. Don't make the decision to assign blame. Accept it or make an all-out effort to change it. If you can't change it, be grateful for what you have. More than 3 billion people on this earth live on less than $3 a day.
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