Category: Uncategorized

Trust Me

It never ceases to amaze me how people will blindly trust “in this case” the government.

People continue to surrender their rights to privacy in exchange for safety. How safe are you?

Here is an article I found most disturbing. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us/14explorers.html?_r=1&

These are kids playing soldier. Does this not look eerily reminiscent of this?

The government has deals with cell phone providers to get anything that they want detailing your account and activity. My guess would be that they can also tell what you watch on TV and where you have been on the Internet, all without a warrant.

Bush opened this can of worms and Obama is just capitalizing on it. Do you know that once you surrender your rights that you will never get them back? Again, looking at history; it will take a war with our young men and women fighting each other to bring about some sort of government that is not so “corrupt” if we don’t start now. It will be that or the word “free” will have a whole new meaning. With each new law you loose some freedoms.

We learn that they have supercomputers which break your passwords and security algorithms (most probably using brute force) and that too is done without oversight from a governing body.

In months to come your complete medical history will be available online. That includes notes about your confidential conversations with your mental health provider. If you are prescribed any type of medicine for anything, big brother will know about it and most likely profile you in some sort of slot.

It would seem to me that they should tie this profile to a unique number. There would be no names in it that could identify the person to whom the medical information belonged. Until you provide them a number either by telling it to them or producing a card with it on it would they have access to it. I realize that it will take hundreds of thinkers in several states and committee meeting after committee meeting to think the process through and come up with this idea but, you can have it for free; and save the tax payers billions while you try to come up with it. Oh, and use a hexadecimal numbering scheme so you have lots of numbers.

We have many companies out there providing backup services to companies and individuals via “The Cloud.” Now how much would you care to wager that the same cloud that houses your encrypted data also provides a shadow over a less than honorable sector of our government? “all in the name of safety of course.”

Their reasons for originally doing this may seem honorable but with absolute power comes absolute corruption. If you doubt this, try reading some history. It happens to be rife with such events although the internet was not invented then..

We in fact are following cyclical history and we don’t ever seem to learn from it.

Like the frog in the boiling water, we just never saw it coming…

-Best to you and those that you care about!

Certifications a good idea or bad?

Is the person with the most certifications the best hire? Maybe yes, maybe no.

The history of the certification for IT really started with Novell. Novell used to charge computer manufacturers to “certify” that their equipment was compatible with their software. This was no inexpensive proposition. Somewhere around the release of V2.15 there was the invention of the CNE or Certified Netware Administrator.

Back at this time this was no easy certification to obtain. Proficiency in hardware, DOS, NetWare, Networking equipment and topologies, datagram’s, IPX XPS, NetBIOS and the list went on.

As the certification idea took off, adaptive test were created. If the test found a weakness, it would give you more questions around that weakness which may very well be your doom. These tests were not inexpensive. The study material was not cheap and when you boiled it all down, unless you are really good at taking test; you had to have the experience and knowledge the back it up.

So in theory this was a good idea and should have given employers an excellent way to gauge someone’s level of expertise.

What changed?

It is human nature to cheat. I am beginning to think that making ones way through college was in part, how good you were at gaming the system.

This is true of the certifications today for the most part. There are too many websites and groups dedicated to giving out information to the applicant, that we really have no idea how much the person knows. That is why it is paramount that you, the hiring manager know the technology and not just look at his or her pedigree.

We don’t like to take test and I appreciate that. As a professional I want to know that I know the material. Would you want your doctor or Pilot to “game the system?” Why would we hold them to a higher standard; other than the obvious of the life and death thing?

Do we not put the company at risk if we are not qualified? The people that you hire absolutely can make bad decisions and as one who sells disaster recovery, that is one of the things to consider, “an oops.” I have seen this happen more times than I would like to say and it is never pretty. (No, it never happened on my watch.)

After my company hired a person on their credentials alone, I soon learned that you had better know more or at least as much about the subject as that person who you are looking to hire. The person was a paper certified pro meaning he could take test, not actually do it.

I look for someone with a good track record in the field that they want to pursue, a solid work history and lastly I consider their certifications. I need to know if they can do the job and not just take a test. I also check their references and backgrounds if they make it past the first few hurdles.

Technology is an extremely liquid entity. The books and materials that you buy today may not be salient tomorrow. Spending thousands of dollars on classes, books and test is only good for such a short time, before you have to hit the books again.

Your “technologist” the CIO in most cases should understand technology better than anyone else in the company. He or She should have a very in depth background and not only understand the nuts and bolts of things but, should possess enough business acumen to know what products or services are relevant for their company; and those that would have a poor ROI or high TCO not to mention poor application.

All purchases and changes to the architecture should make sense. Anyone that you hire to administer that equipment should not only grasp the equipment or technology, but also the company’s vision.

In short, I am not given to looking solely at certifications. Can they do the job and how did they do it before? Were they successful? Are they willing to go to classes if the job requires it?

The trick to committing to obtaining a certification is to determine the viability of the company or product, and if that product will take off or die on the vine? That is the rub in that I have seen technology come and go. Xerox had the best of the best, 30 years ago and had their marketing been better, and they not try to recover their total development cost with the first few sales, Bill gates might still be working out of his garage.

Xerox had the GUI and the Mouse before Steve and Bill. That is another story.

If you are looking to the information technology field as a career I can tell you from experience that the length of your job at that company will only take you until you have maxed out on the salary that they want to pay; or they find a way to outsource what you do. There are fewer and fewer indispensible employees any more as most CEO’s or owners have figured out that everyone should be replaceable. If you are one of the people who have stayed in one place for a long time you are either underpaid, or the company does not have the guts to replace you with a less expensive alternative. Keep doing what you are doing as it is working for you and for the boss, get real; nobody is indispensable.

It is therefore paramount for you the job seeker to keep your resume up and current, analyze trends in the market to see what company is doing what, and who is using them. Most of us will get into the rhythm of our jobs and get comfortable. This can no longer be the case, as very few companies have any loyalty to their employee’s . Employee should empower themselves to become even more marketable. Accomplishments are a great thing to put on your CV especially projects with dollar figures or some other quantifiable metric. “saved the company $13 million dollars a year by changing the way that they did business.”

It is up to you the worker to maintain your marketability through skills, career choices, education and even personal appearance plays a role. I cringe when I see these young people today with piercings and tattoos. I personally see this as not a real bright decision and a possible impediment to getting a good job as I know that most serious business people feel the same way. You now will have to go with some young company that is really out there like Google or Microsoft or, find a way to cover up your decisions… I don’t mean to sound critical but, it is a shame that youth is wasted on the young.

These are pearls from me to you…

-Best to you and those that you care about!

Dot Zero

After 30 odd years of being in the field of Information Technology; one might have guessed that I had picked up a thing or two.

When a project does not go as planned something called a root cause analysis needs to be performed. Basically why did the project fail? Was it poorly planned, poorly funded, poorly thought out, were the deliverable s too much or too little?

There are a host of things that should be considered before embarking on any project. One really needs to play the “what if” game. We are not striving for analysis to paralysis here but, we do need to know that everything is well thought out and a fallback plan is in place.

Is the project necessary?

What are the driving factors for the project?

What are the deliverables?

What will the TCO (total cost of ownership) be?

What is the (Return on investment), ROI?

How long to implement?

What impediments to business will the project cause, if any?

Are those impediments accounted for with workarounds?

What are the risk?

Are the milestones clearly defined and; expectations set with all members of the project?

Are the tasks clearly defined and assigned?

Is there a test plan to determine feasibility as well as to determine a baseline?

Is adequate documentation of the project occurring?

Are key players involved through a process like a change control committee?

Will training be necessary and if so; has that documentation been planned for and prepped?

If tweaking was necessary, what was it and why?

Did the project perform as expected, if not why not?

Did the project come in at or under budget? If not why not?

Some manager’s think that upgrading to the newest latest greatest is the thing to do and press on. I for one, have learned never be on the bleeding edge of technology. I always wait until a service pack has been released, especially if Microsoft is any part of the equation. Never load Rev.0 into a production environment, unless you really don’t like your job or company as you will most certainly have to explain why as it most likely will fail. As the sysadmin you really have to be able to tell your manager “no,” and back it up with sound logic and reasons. Some will ask for the .0 not realizing the inherent dangers that go along with that. You will be the one with the arrows in your back from the users, and the owners / manager and CEO. They wont see the software bugs as the issue, they most likely will blame you and or your staff, or anyone that had their hands in it.

The hallmark of a PM is to be able to communicate every aspect of the project with everyone involved. To be able to manage their resources in such a way as to not have any wasted dollars or time. The project should be on track and on budget at each and every milestone. Having a good Gantt chart, or at the very least a good plan of the project in excel will help to keep you from getting off track. There are no good surprises in business and hardly ever any good surprises with projects!

-Best to you and those that you care about.

Ego and Widgets

I have never met anyone that was puffed up by their ego that could be objective about anything. When we get a case of the “by gods” we loose ourselves to anger, arrogance, and objectivity.

Seeking that which would validate your opinion vs. looking for the truth; no matter what it is, is by nature our folly. We are so prejudiced by our “feelings” to the point of severing ties with people that we care about who happen to see things differently. We will go so far as to sever relations with those who think differently than us, because of pride.

There is strength in diversity. A bunch of like minded people will convince each other that they are correct and everyone else is a fool. We see this all over the globe in all sorts of situations. Once we make up our minds about something, we for the most part stop looking for the truth and will vehemently fight for our particular slant on the facts. When facts are provided that would disprove our opinion we tend to argue the validity of the facts and even question things like the scientific method.

The early church did this with Galileo. They believed that the sun revolved around the earth and the earth was the center of everything. As the early church was the de-facto authority for any questions about any subject; anyone who dared to disagree with them may very well face the noose or the sword. They were the government, the school and of course the one and only way to heaven. Very prideful people which reminds me of a story…

There was this fellow that built a business. He built it by the sweat of his brow, constantly honing it, making gentle course correction to achieve optimal penetration into his particular niche.

A lot of the employees were either impressed by him or alienated by his sometime brute force approach to problems. When the business became too much for one person to manage it was decided to bring in an assistant. The board members (people who provided the seed money) insisted as they were looking out for their investment.

For a while things were rocking along nicely until the two disagreed over policy or procedure. One person being stogy, and rigid, and self righteous; while the other person wanting to try something new or different. Words were said that should not have been said and the lot was cast when forgiveness was not asked for or offered until it was too late. These facts were not told to the employees but they all knew something was up, as one of them would be gone for long stretches at a time. The product was not as radiant as it once was, and the customers were really not getting what they were paying for; as the quality was lacking. The machine in fact was broken because of arrogance and pride.

The Board of directors, keeping up with the P&L, took stock of these numbers and were very much concerned that their investment was going down the tubes. Having absolute power over the main players, they decided to get rid of both of the managers, as neither one was capable of getting past the events that had transpired. While they were there; neither one was doing their jobs with any alacrity, so they were handed their hats and asked to leave.

The value of the stock was slipping and the competition was picking up new customers as people are not only apathetic but fickle. We are quick to judge and form an opinion and then act on it, with virtually no facts, no truth, just hearsay.

One of the leaders started over again, and the other just simply left as he knew that his actions had damaged the company, their product and the satisfaction and trust of the customers.

The Board of directors looked long and hard to replace the leaders but the niche market for these widgets is narrow and hard to find qualified people who understand this particular widget and all of the intricacies that go with it.

In the meantime the employees picked sides and when the leaders were let go, many went and looked for other employment with other companies as they did not trust the board of directors or agree with their actions. Some stayed however as they were not there for the leaders, but the product, and how much the customers needed and enjoyed the product. They were of course saddened to see the managers leave but the true focus of the company was not on the men that started it; but the widget!

In time the company got production going again. They hired new employees and found new customers to buy the product. Some of the old employees were unhappy with this and sent terrible hurtful letters to those that stayed, because those that stayed were not willing to strike and walkout like they were. The people that stayed were looked upon as “scabs” or strikebreakers. The employees that left were truly angered by those that crossed the picket line as their battle should be everyone’s call to action (or so they thought). Those who crossed the picket line cared for the greater good, the customer and the survival of the company. They did not want to see another Hostess episode after all.

The widget factory survived because the majority of the people trusted the board of directors and knew that the widgets must be made and sent out on time.

The employees that left still had bitter feelings toward the company and those people that stayed behind, relations were severed. I think that they even took a dislike to the widget which they once were very fond of. When they saw one another in the street, they snubbed their once fellow co-worker. Had they trusted in the “board of directors” and not given their allegiance and “faith” to a single human being, the widget factory would never have experienced this loss of production, hence lack of profit and the customers would not have had to go look for widgets of unknown quality elsewhere, and relationships that were built over years and years would not have been destroyed.

When ones ego gets too inflated, it pops. When it blows up, there is lots of collateral damage, innocent people get hurt. When you use the nuclear option to settle an argument with your neighbor, you may very well take out the entire city.

Your perception of the facts may be inaccurate. You were not there when the original “event” went down, so you really don’t have anything but conjecture and hear say to act upon. For some that is enough. Before you kill off Little Debbie by your willingness to act on few facts, please keep in mind that like Hostess, that company has been around for years and has graced the lunch box of many children for generations. What would the world be like without Little Debbie, or the Widget?

-Best to you and those that you care about.

The World Today

As a hiring manager for the best part of the 90’s and well into the 2000’s I could not help but notice a difference in the candidates that would walk through my door.

I would put on a suit and tie, make sure that my shoes were polished as well as the rest of the personal hygiene in check if I were interviewing. I was surprised by those who did not. If they did not respect me or the company enough to try and look respectable, what would they look like and or act like if I were to hire them. There is this whole etiquette thing involved in obtaining a job, and it starts with how you look. You only have one chance to make a first impression.

With Mom and Dad both having to work to make ends meet, generation “Y” was most likely raised by “Big Bird,” or an older brother or sister, or possibly some retired family member. The TV with hundreds of channels made a great baby sitter; and then there was the “game boy.” This generation is addicted to “screens.” While I appreciate “screens” as well, I also enjoy a good book, a walk in the park, watching the ocean, talking with friends and family on the front porch and going to a baseball game. There is nothing wrong with FaceBook or World of Warcraft, it is simply a matter of balance and not a way of life, or substitute thereof.

While negative attention is better than no attention, I suspect that many who pushed the envelope did so for attention. “Look Ma, I am doing drugs! Don’t you care enough to even slow down to talk to me?” From drugs they may turn to self-injury, or getting some sort of tattoo, or some of this wonderful body jewelry “through their nose.”

They in fact must have never heard the words “self effacement.” “I suspect that Hubris has taken the place Humility.”

We have shows on TV glorifying “INK.” We have celebrities who have more ink than skin. Our kid’s role models are broken people. When your kids look up to “broken people” where do you think that will lead them? Your kids should be looking up to you, not Madonna!

It is my opinion that many are drawn to “ink” and alike purely for the sake of attention. If they cannot get the good attention they need at home; mutilating ones body will certainly draw a crowd at school, the mall, and of course with siblings. And it most certainly will draw that negative attention from your guardians or other authoritarian figures…

There is another school of thought; these folks are insecure and again “ink,” mutilate, or act out audaciously, in an effort to get people to leave them alone as “they are bad.”

I also think that there is a subset that does it, purely to spite their family or friends and peers either at work or school or what have you. These are the folks that are so insecure that they are giving their-selves a rhinectomy. “I will show you, I will cut off my nose!” In the end they are only really hurting themselves currently and in the future as well as some of these things are really quite permanent!

Once these folks are disfigured, they drastically limit their options for employment and possibly a choice in friends and or spouse. If you present yourself for employment with visible body jewelry that is “out of the norm” there is a high probability that your “resume” will be trashed the second you hit the door.

I would guess that the same could be said for over the top tattoos. My thinking and I am certain most hiring managers thinking would be, if they make these types of decisions for themselves, what kinds of decisions are they going to make for me?

Unless your aspirations for employment are to work your way up to busboy, or maybe become a tattoo artist, I would strongly suggest keeping the ink under cover; at least from 8 to 5.

There is a group which I have not mentioned that may very well be so artistic that they want this “Art” on them to wear into perpetuity. The problem with that my pet, is simply this; as we age we loose collagen. Our young looking skin gets wrinkled and becomes thinner and pretty soon the artwork looks like a used painter’s pallet, instead of the masterpiece that you paid for. Think about it this way, do you own an outfit that you would wear everyday, day in day out for the rest of your life? I know of no clothing that I would want to wear everyday, and night; forever!

If you make bad decisions with permanent outcomes in your youth; those will have an effect on you as you mature. Some if these decisions lead to depression, and eventual suicide as they cannot live with what they have done, and the guilt overcomes them. Addictions often end in self destruction as they practice the addiction and then deal with the guilt for what they have done. To get rid of the guilt they do more of the addiction and spiral downward; until they either become outcast and wake up in the gutter or decide to end it all. Very few “see the light” and decide to choose not to do what they have been doing. Society tends to let these folks slip away which is probably normal programming.

If one were to follow the lives of the “rich and famous” they would quickly discern that with their lifestyle comes a price. When these people admit that they have been strung out on recreational chemistry, why are they not investigated criminally? Dealers are so bold that they don’t even try to keep their deals under cover. I was at the gas station the other day. In the next lane there were two people in a car, motor running taking up one of the spots to purchase gas. Before I finished a women pulled up behind them, got out and fussed at them for making here come “all the way over here.” They transacted their business and then both were soon gone their separate ways. I would imagine that the rich and famous get delivery, much like the Pizza guy delivers food and they don’t have to go to the gas station.

This culture is invasive to our way of life. Along with all of the other trappings that seem to come with this entitled generation, recreational chemistry seems to be one of the trimmings that not only effect the rich and famous, but the not so rich and famous.

All addictions are chemical. What many fail to realize is that all addictions are chemical in nature. When we smoke or drink, chemicals are released in the brain which we find appealing. Recreational chemistry is not only externally chemically induced but also causes a release of chemistry in the brain so in fact, one might get a double dose of “feel good” chemistry. I suspect that is why Cocaine is so addictive. Pornography can be a chemical addiction just like chocolate or food. If whatever you enjoy releases these chemicals, you can become addicted to it, and not know why or even know that you are. One of the most common addictions is adrenalin. We have rides at amusement parks which cause the release of this chemical as well as speeding or racing a friend, to even fighting in school. If we were to really study the kleptomaniac, we might learn that is a chemical addiction as well and we might treat the condition differently than simply locking them up. Other criminal endeavors like car jacking or what have you, may not only serve the purpose of obtaining money; but the perpetrator might very well enjoy the high from the release of adrenalin. I suspect that many of the “crimes” that people do today like flashing, or being a peeping tom, or simply being an exhibitionist, might very well be because of the release of some hormone or endorphin.

My guess would be that the BDSM community would also fall into this category.

Criminals are not the only people to enjoy this “high,” as I suspect firefighters, policemen, fighter pilots or even bull fighters might very well do this, because they are adrenalin junkies, and may not even know it. If you have ever listened to the police scanner when there is a chase going on or perhaps the firefighters when they are fighting a fire, you can hear it in their voice.

If I were to guess why middle school is so tough, it would be that this is typically when (puberty) hormones are released in abundance and young people experience this and really don’t know what to do with it. Male dominance may break out (and be manifested as fights) as young men try to establish their place as the “alpha” male. Young ladies also have their chemistry issues and those manifest mostly as sniping, spreading rumors and trying to become the “queen B.” We are not so different from the animal kingdom and those that think that we are simply are fooling themselves, as they don’t like the idea of being related to “animals.”

Pain can be an addiction. Endorphins are released with pain so cutting, burning or other forms of self-injury could not only be a cry for attention, but also feeding an addiction.

Extreme forms of chemical release are also practiced by some but, usually not for long as it kills them. One form is autoerotic asphyxiation. David Carradine was most certainly the victim of such an act. I say victim because he was under the delusion that he could do this safely. There is no safe way to strangle one-self. I cannot imagine what drove him to do this but I suspect like all drugs, it takes more and more to achieve the same “high.”

There is a saying among the pilot community that states, “There are old pilots and bold pilots, however; there are no old bold pilots.” I suspect the same could be said with some exceptions for the “addicted among us.” When a pilot gets into trouble such as flying into a cloud bank without the proper training, he is taught to get on the radio and confess what has happened, so air traffic control can assist him back to clear air. Without proper training there is this condition called spatial disorientation. Basically your eyes and senses do not believe the instruments, and more often than not the pilot will fly the plane right into the ground or “auger in.” If you are reading this, and you happen to be addicted, get help before you too, auger in. There are few people, if anyone that can handle an addiction without eventual self destruction. We witness this daily with our celebrities as well as their deaths from overdoses etc. There is no “winning” with addictions.

The other issue with Generation Y that puzzled me is “sagging,” tell me what the hell satisfaction one gets by wearing their jeans down to their crotch, walking around with one hand holding them up so they don’t fall down the rest of the way? We all know where the trend started and somehow adopted and glorified by the hip-hop crowd but really, you think that we want to see your underwear? I watched a young man run across the street to catch his bus. He tripped over his pants that were falling down the rest of the way and did a face plant in the middle of the road in front of the bus that he was running to catch. Either this kid was trying to prove that Darwin was correct or he was trying to prove how stupid it actually is to do that. Does this trend bespeak of letting your peers know how cool you are or the rest of the world know how stupid you are? Had the bus driver had a little slower reaction time, those sagging pants would have cost that person their life. He quite literally would have been thrown-under-the-bus.

Like “ink” I think that “sagging” is just one more way of young people expressing their objection or rebellion to the main-stream mores of the day. Instead of getting an education and working to change the system to make it better, it is much easier and simpler to call people’s attention to you underwear. The trouble here is that most people will not see past how lame you look, and that will be as far as it will go. And ladies, we really don’t want to see your “wale tail” either.. Underwear is just that, clothing that stays under other clothing. It can be audacious as you like, but keep it your secret, “really…”

Our youth is mesmerized by shows like American Idol. Millions of people watch that show. How many do you think imagine them-selves doing it, winning the top spot? We have become so egocentric as a people, that narcissism seems to be a way of life. “I made it through school, now where is my corner office and how much are you going to give me to sit here and look pretty?” Not really exaggerating too much here.

You can decide to be one of the leaders of tomorrow, or live in the shadows of society; it really is your choice. Many will blame their circumstances on where they are in life, but if they were truthful with themselves, they would know and admit that their lot in life in most cases is their own doing.

There are too many rags to riches stories all through history. Look up how they did it and see if you cannot apply some of their techniques. Or, you can learn how to stay warm by using discarded newspapers as insulation; it really is up to you. If you are reading this; you have at your fingertips all of the information that you could ever need to do anything that you want to do. Any subject that has ever been invented is here. Knowledge is power, and while that cliche may seem tired, trust me it is more salient today than ever before.

Figure out where your talents lie, or what you are passionate about and than search through history and see how others that did what you want to do, managed to do it.

I would not have “win the lottery” as my retirement plan, I also would not put all of my eggs in the rock star basket, or country star, or movie star. The odds are very much against you.

Before you spend your hard earned money on ink, or permanent jewelry, you may want to think about the future just a little bit. The hiring manager will most probably not be sympathetic to facial jewelry or ink. There are millions of folks looking for employment. If you and another are equally qualified but the other person has adorned him or herself with accouterments, most likely you will get the job. Is that fare? Nope, life is not fare, get used to it and live with it. The system is what it is, either work to modify it by legal and moral means, or adjust your way of life into the system. Rebelling against it by wearing your pants around your ankles, or getting every inch of skin inked or pierced is your problem; and society will pass you by.

-Best to you and those that you care about.

Moral Depravity

I have often suspected that those who run for office probably have some underlying mental aberration that needs addressing. In Anthony Weiner’s case there is no longer any doubt of his “issues,” which he really needs to deal with.

The sad truth is that people have a short memory. Coupled with their lackadaisical attitude towards voting for the best person (i.e. character) there is a good chance that Weiner will get elected simply because he is a household name. He actually has a “brand,” so to speak (in marketing parlance). You would think that the Democratic Party would discourage him from being in the public eye but no, they seem to thrive on the attention, good bad or ugly. Since the verdict is still out on what the definition of “is is” I am guessing that the main stream media will endorse his run for mayor, and paint him as simply misunderstood and really had no idea that the camera was on and pointed at his, well,… wiener.

We condone a lack of moral character, we condone being caught in lies and deceit and we condone allowing our people being killed, doing nothing to help them and we condone the president “killing” American citizens with drones. I often wonder if it is a matter of condone, or really just don’t care?

History will be the judge of all who are in power right now. Unless they censure the truth and write their own version for the next generation to read and believe, I don’t think it will look favorably upon them or us; as we put them there.

I am unaware of what the “crotch shot” actually showed of Mr. Weiner’s, but if it showed his cojones, my guess is that they are brass.

It will be interesting in a “human interest” kind of way to see if the people actually vote for this person.

-Best to you and those that you care about!

Political Football

Finding the words to express my distaste of the media’s proclivity for ratings, at the expense of so many simply overwhelms me at times. If ever you were in doubt that we are a fallen people, watch the news!

What happened here in Texas and yesterday in Oklahoma is and was terrible. When we learn that someone or a group of someone’s decided that they did not want to spend the money on safe rooms for schools in OKLAHOMA (known for tornadoes,) is beyond comprehension! Criminal charges should be filed. Stupidity should be criminal…. Especially if you are in a position to make decisions like this!

I read a tweet today that some people are so stupid that they should turn pro at it… Kind of fits here.

Today on the floor of the US senate some democrat senator turned the whole thing in to a political football using his time to push for cap and trade, blaming global warming / cooling on this recent weather. These people should be so ashamed of themselves! I truthfully don’t know how they can look at themselves in the mirror in the morning. Don’t confuse weather with global climate.. There are no supporting facts scientific or otherwise to sustain this. The only “Facts” that have ever been displayed were later shown to be falsified to fit an agenda of selling carbon credits of which would drive the cost of goods and services up. In laymen’s terms you would pay for the carbon credit; that would go into some politician’s pocket, much like the Freon debacle of the 80’s.

Even if there were supporting evidence, do you really think that you can legislate China or Korea or other countries to “clean air,” water etc policies? Why in the hell do you think that our companies go over seas? They do it to get away from the EPA, OSHA, crippling taxes and other rules and regulations that we (you) impose on industry. And oh yes, they pay slave wages to their people as well. We do everything to drive business out of this country and then blame capitalism. Can’t we strike a happy medium? Evidently not, Government types who make the laws, well they have a job / salary / and really good health care plans for life, what do they care? Let me answer that for you, they don’t! If it puts money into their pocket they care, that is it.

To put it in our president’s words, “it’s the process and it is messy!” As an

American I can tell you, if that is the process, it needs to be changed! The whole damned mess of them needs to be fired, until they listen to the people.

We the People…We the people are their boss. They work for us! Someone needs to remind them of that and my friends you do that with your vote! The process sucks Mr. President, and it needs to be changed! Lead for once and change the process, do what is right for the country and not for your agenda, or your party! It is time that we do things to bring this country back together as Americans, and not rich vs. poor, black vs. white or any other derisive activities that have been perpetrated on the people to fit an agenda of divide and conquer!

When the chips are down, you can see who we are. When we put our “politics” aside to help our fellow man, you can see who we are. Does it really take devastation and heartache to wake people up to the simple fact, that we are all one people?

“Father, we lift up the people of Oklahoma and all of the other victims of the recent storms. We pray fervently for wisdom for our elected officials that they may be humbled out of their ivory towers; long enough to waken them from their delusions that they are somehow equal to you lord. We give thanks for those who have selflessly given of their money, time and energy to help those in need. Please watch over us and keep us humble as well lord, so we do not fall victim to the plight of those who have been given so much power that they have lost sight of who they are, and what they are there for. Father, place your arms around those that have lost so much in recent days and comfort them. Bring people into their lives to assist them through this time and in the days ahead. Awaken the people who decide things like “which school or building gets a safe room and which do not.” as it is not their decision, which life is more precious than another lord. In your sons name…Amen..”

Weather

The changing seasons historically bring with it violent weather. As the winter winds loose their icy grip on the north, they send wave after wave of cold fronts south and east which are met by dry lines and oh yes, the warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico.

This is dangerous combination of conditions and often will generate the weather that we have experienced the last few weeks and of course today. It has nothing to do with climate change, it is simply weather.

Keep the people of Oklahoma and of course CleburneTX in your thoughts and prayers as they grieve for the loss of loved ones, while picking the pieces up and try to continue on.

It is times like this that bring out the best in folks. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all acted this way just because; and we didn’t need an F5 tornado to remind us to be nice to one another?

-Best to you and those that you care about.

Below you will find an “idea” circulating around

Below you will find an “idea” circulating around the internet through e-mail and alike.

Whether Warren Buffet had anything to do with it is really irrelevant. The true issues are that power is a seductive force. Once these folks make it to Washington they loose their soul. Getting elected to congress is almost like winning the lottery! They write laws that do not apply to them i.e. “insider trading.” While you and I would go to jail (paging Martha Stewart) they not only can buy and sell stocks on what they know, they can create the environment with your money and invest before the company is granted some huge infusion of cash (bailout). That is akin to betting on the results of a “fixed contest.”

Washington is dysfunctional and growing the monster larger is not the answer.

If this makes sense to you, just point your friends to this and see what they think. Re-Blog it! A conversation regarding such things is always welcome and in fact, a healthy debate with educated people is actually exciting! So read on and tell me what you think.

-Best

Winds of Change….

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward
this email to a minimum of twenty people on their
address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.


In three days, most people in The United States of America will have this message.


This is one idea that really should be passed around…


*Congressional Reform Act of 2013


1. No Tenure / No Pension.


A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they’re out of office.


2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.


All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.


3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.


4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 2%.


5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

This one seems like common sense doesn’t it?
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.


7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/31/13. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

Two four year Terms
Congressmen/women made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.


If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Don’t you think it’s time?
We can do better than 20 with Twitter, Facebook, and of course the power of the BLOG!


THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS! I would also add Washington.

If you agree with the above, pass it on. Lets make it (dare I say it) Viral!

Actors

There are many people who have “danced on the silver screen” in my lifetime. There are many that I would watch the movie simply because they were in it. This held true for the “silver screen” and of course the purchase of same via “laser disc, (yes I go back that far) video tape, DVD and of course Blue Ray.

It was not until I found the Hollywood elite; espousing their opinions on political issues did I take notice of the perfection to which their craft was honed. One guy, who I really like; on his twitter profile says that he is a: professional pretender. Yet he elucidates his opinion as if it were fact; which many take as such, as he plays a news anchor on the tube. One would not let Alec Baldwin fly the jet as he plays a pilot, neither should you take their opinion as the gospel.

There are others that I admired as well until they open their mouths, unscripted, and now I find them an ignorant, bigoted, waste of skin! To be so talented at your craft to fool the country is akin to being a politician! While I congratulate you on your skill, thanks for the look behind the curtain.

I will no longer enjoy the programs with you in them, as I don’t like the “real” person who you are or, that you have become.

We all have talents and of course opinions. If you happen to be a thespian and you choose to proffer some factoid on being such, good for you. To speak with authority on that which you clearly know nothing about, is bad form, and misleading to those that listen to you.

While we clearly give you that power, remember dear friend, it can be stripped away as easily when you remove the cloak, and give us a peek at the monster behind the mask.

I also take issue with those in Washington, holding in high esteem as role models those who sully the name of entertainer, by their vulgar behaviors, their lewd clothing and or dance, and their rather offensive words in their “music.”

What legacy are we as a people leaving behind?

Thanks for reading my blogs, and as always, –Best to you and those that you care about!