Rush Talks Current Affairs & Stuff

Relationships: What Men Really Think

2011-06-15T19:11:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, my friend Jarvis and I attended an all men’s meeting at his church. Jarvis’s church hosts weekly men’s meetings where men can comfortably express their thoughts and feelings freely.

At last Wednesday’s meeting, the topic of choice was relationships. In particular, the older men felt the need to compare and contrast past and present dating rituals. According to one gentleman, dating in the U.S. was very similar to dating in eastern countries. That is, a male suitor had to undergo the intense scrutiny of all the males in a woman’s family. In addition to that, he had to compete for the woman’s affection because, “there were always other gentlemen callers waiting in the wings.”

“If you were lucky,” the gentleman remarked, “you would win the woman’s heart, her hand in marriage, and her loyalty for the rest of your life. If you were the loser, on the other hand, you would have to choose another woman you ‘kind-of-liked’. As a result, you could spend your entire life lamenting over the fact that you lost your greatest love.” (You would have to live knowing that you would never have her.)

“At present time”, he remarked, “that scenario is invalid. Relationships only last 6 or 7 years at best. So, if you wait long enough you could have your chance to date or marry the woman as well.”

That’s when another man chimed in. “There may not even be a marriage! The woman is not a prize, she is a human being. As such, she may decide to engage in relations with you and another fellow at the same time. Her virginity is neither expected nor respected.”

“Face it!” he said, “there is no more one man one woman. Vaginas are more communal in nature.”

Did I hear him correctly, I thought to myself. Did he just imply that we now live in the era of the community vagina?

My Duty to My Family

2011-02-05T06:42:00.000-08:00

Last November my family and I celebrated thanksgiving at my grandmother’s home in New Jersey. It was a joy to see all of the faces of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings all together in one place. We sang songs and recounted stories about one another. Many of the stories included facts that were best left forgotten.

The tone in the room shifted, however, when my uncle Arthur walked through the door. The excitement dissipated and it was replaced with pity.

Many family members began to murmur about uncle Arthur’s financial situation. That is, some family member discussed their discontent with uncle Arthur. He chose not to accept money from family when he lost his job last year. He, instead, chose to work two jobs and rectify his situation on his on. When asked, at the dinner table, “Why did you refuse our help?” Uncle Arthur launched into a tirade that went as follows:

“Had I accepted your assistance (part of your savings) what would I really be saying? What am I saying about my trips to Vegas, my trips to Montreal, my Friday night steaks, my Brooks Brothers suites, and my automobile? All of that would have partly been financed by you! That's right...I would have taken your trips, worn your suits, and driven your car. Those were partly your things, but you never got to enjoy them. No, no, no! I consumed those things. Therefore, I should pay for them.”

When uncle Arthur finished talking, I sat in my chair looking at my plate; I asked myself, “did uncle Arthur have a point?”

Soybean Madness

2010-05-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

I was recently in the grocery store shopping for alternatives to whole milk. As I walked along the dairy aisle, I noticed that there was some rice milk, goat’s milk, and various versions of soy milk.

“Soy milk?” I pondered.

There was organic soy milk, store brand soy milk, and off-brand (generic) soy milk.

Before I made my final selection, I decided to journey down some of the other grocery store aisles. There, I noticed that there was soy cooking oil, soy (bi-products) in bread, and soy in recovery drinks. Everywhere I looked, there was soy, soy, soy!

Are there not any other beans in the world? Why do we NOT see black, white, pinto, or Garbanzo bean milk? Are the other beans not as nutritious as soy? Do the other beans not taste well? Are the other beans more expensive to produce? Or, is this the outcome of what they call the industrial imperative?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, here is the Rush abridged version:

Whenever an industry leader takes some form of action (i.e., produces a new product, changes an existing product, or alters its price structure, etc.) all the other industry players feel the need to follow suite in order to remain competitive in the marketplace.

As a result, we end up with similar products with varying prices. It seems as though the bean industry (this is not the proper terminology) has forgotten that there are three basic marketing strategies. That is, organizations compete with one another based on price, differentiation, and niche. When are we going to see some differentiation when it comes to bean products?

Are U.S. Citizens Too Dumb For Instant Cash Winnings?

2009-12-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

About a month ago McDonalds ended another one of its annual Monopoly game promotions. During the promotion, McDonalds dolled out its Monopoly Game Stamps on each of its soft drink and fry containers. To win cash, customers had to make a purchase and collect the Monopoly Game Stamps to form “Winning Combinations."

Needless to say, trying to win the game required players to not only frequent McDonalds, but keep up with the game stamps. (These stamps often ended up lost or ruined in my multipurpose automobile ashtray.)

In the U.K., conversely, McDonalds gave away cash via its lucky straw system. That is, they wrap all of their straws in a shiny OPP film and they give away cash in the straws randomly. The winning straws may contain 5, 10, or 20 pound sterling notes.

I won cash almost every time I visited a McDonalds during the promotion periods and I did not have to collect anything. I made my normal purchase and I became an instant winner. Each time I won, I ask myself why McDonalds does not run the same promotion in the U.S. Are there laws in the U.S. that prevent McDonalds from giving away cash? Or, does McDonald’s think U.S. citizens are just too dumb for instant cash winnings?

Thinking in terms of Tradeoffs: Back to Basics

2009-10-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

Some of you have requested that I blog on the Healthcare discussions taking place in the U.S. That sounded like such an excellent idea that I wanted to delve into the topic with both feet. However, I changed my mind after speaking with a few U.S. citizens.

That is, I have come to the conclusion that we may 1st need a discussion on thinking in terms of tradeoffs, before we discuss a specific topic.

For those of you who are not familiar with this mode of thinking, here is the Rush guide to thinking in terms of tradeoffs:

All throughout our lives we are presented with a myriad of choices. In response to these choices, we are supposed to (1) weigh the pros and cons of each option, (2) select the option that yields the greatest benefit, and (3) act on our selection.

In step 1 is where thinking in terms of tradeoffs begins. Here is where we should realize that every time we make a decision to do something, we are simultaneously deciding not to do something else. (It is the later part of this statement that requires our concentration.)

To think that one can gain something without loosing something is asinine. Every time we are presented with an option (especially where the shifting of large sums of money are concerned) we need to ask ourselves, “What are we being asked to give up?”

Most of us are familiar with this mode of thinking when purchasing durable goods (appliances, vehicles, etc.), but we fail to extend this thinking to other areas of our lives (i.e., relationships, voting, procreation, etc.).

I am simply suggesting that we evaluate all of our options similarly; we should scrutinize those that market only the pros of an option!

Same-Sex Marriage: Making sense of the legal battle

2009-08-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

Note: Before reading any further, please understand that this post dose not discuss weather Same-Sex Marriage is right or wrong. It, instead, explores the objectives of the legal battle(s) surrounding this issue.

Over the past 10 years I’ve been loosely following the battle over same-sex marriage in the U.S. Initially, it seemed that equal treatment under the law was at the center of the conflict. That is, same-sex couples wanted the same benefits, rights and protections afforded to opposite-sex couples.

Only recently, years after the Vermont legislature granted these rights, did I realize that the word “marriage” was really at the center of the controversy. Same-sex couples not only want the same remuneration, they want to redefine the term marriage. They want the term marriage to include same-sex couples. (Having marriage for opposite-sex couples and civil unions for same-sex couples produces a type of segregation; same-sex couples want the segregation to end.) In opposition to this proposed change stand religious conservatives. The religious conservatives say that marriage is a religious term that defines a union between a man and a woman.

It is at this point (as I understand it) the battle appears to be at a standstill. And, it is at this point I lost understanding of what was going on! (I don’t understand why the lawyers representing same-sex couples want to continue to battle over the word marriage.)

I am not a lawyer, but it seems like it’s a good time to change ones strategy. Instead of taking on the religious conservatives, they should consider turning their sights back to the courts.

Why not side with the religious community and admit that “marriage” is a religious construct? Then (focusing on the separation between church and state) fight to have all unions recognized as civil unions in the eyes of the law. That is, every time a couple (opposite or same-sex) wants to unite legally they would have to apply for civil union certificates. That way, the segregation will end (everyone will use the same terminology), everyone would be treated equally under the law, and religious conservatives can feel vindicated. (Marriages can be performed separately from the state).

Internet, Love, and the Catholic Church

2009-07-02T23:36:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, Richard (my friend in the U.K.) told me that he had fallen in love with a young lady he met over the internet. He has never seen the lady in person, but he assured me that they were indeed kindred spirits.

No, he did not meet her at one of those shabby Asian bride websites. They were blog mates. She would comment on his postings at his U.K. blog and he would comment on her postings at her Thailand blog. They liked each others views so much, they started writing and calling each other every day.

Richard had some reservations about the relationship, however. So, he asked Bud and I what we thought about the situation. Quite naturally, I was apprehensive about the long distance, internet based love affair. How do you know it is not a scam? How do you know she’s not really a man? How do you know that they won’t have the gimp (a character from the movie Pulp Fiction) waiting for you when you visit her?

Although I had these questions in my mind, I encouraged Richard to continue talking to Elsa and give us a few days to evaluate the situation.

Bud and I decided to take a scientific approach in resolving Richard’s dilemma. So, we borrowed a few pointers from Dr. Ingrid Guerra-López’s book on Performance Evaluation. (She also discusses research methods in her book.)

1. Identify the question(s) that needs answering – how do you verify that the person is who he/she claims to be?
2. Identify what data needs to be collected – location, employment, education, relations, and associations.
3. Identify the tool(s) for collecting the data --?
4. Plan data collection process.
5. Collect the data.
6. Analyze and report the data to the stakeholder (Richard and Elsa).

Needless to say, we got stuck at the step 3. We needed to find an organization/institution that could perform such a task. The organization needs to be both international and impartial.

After mulling over the idea for almost a day, the only organization we could come up with was the Roman Catholic Church. The church is a colossal network where one priest could easily contact another, anywhere in the world.

Conceivably, Richard could attend his local church; Elsa could attend her local church; the priests from each church could contact one another and verify that both parties are who they purport to be.

If this idea was to work, couldn’t the Catholic Church help to stem some of the internet dating scams?

Michael Jackson (The Greatest Entertainer of All Time) is NOT dead

2009-06-25T23:21:00.000-07:00

If Elvis is still alive, then Michael will live forever. Not only will he live forever, he is now a child; he is having the childhood he never got to enjoy.

Jesse Jackson: Shakedown Artist?

2009-06-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

For one reason or another, I’ve been thinking about the comments that Reverend Jesse Jackson made about (then Senator) Barack Obama last year. Reverend Jackson said something to the effect that Obama was, “talking down to Black Folks,” during his 2008 father’s day speech.

Shortly after Reverend Jackson’s comments were televised, I received a flurry of emails and text messages from my African-American friends defaming the reverend. Some communications talked about his personal life and others contained links to web postings alleging that Reverend Jackson was a shakedown artist. The articles charge that Jesse Jackson extorts money from companies in the name of diversity. (Companies must work with his organization or endure boycotts.)

After I waded through all the e-mails and texts, I found myself musing the following question: Is Jesse Jackson really a shakedown artist? Before I could answer the question, I had to grapple with the words extort, diversity, and boycott being used in the same context.

Are the authors of these “articles” saying that Reverend Jackson visits various corporations and demand that they embrace diversity in their hiring practices (i.e., hire more people of color and women)? Then, he and the people he represents refuse to buy the company's product(s), if the company does not comply?

If this is what they are saying, does this not make Reverend Jackson the master of the economic concept known as dollar voting?

For those of you who do not understand dollar voting, here is the Rush abridged version from Economics 101:

In a marketing system, each individual is a sovereign. Each person has the ability to determine which businesses succeed or fail. That is, each time you purchase a company’s product and/or service, you tell that company you like/need its product, service (how they treat you), and/or operations. When you withhold your dollars, you let the organization know the opposite is true. You do not like/need its product, service, and/or operations

That being said, is it wrong to exercise your dollar voting rights collectively? Or, is it extortion?

Happy Mothers Day

2009-05-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

Peace and Love to all you moms out there.

I love you mom!

Crying Men: Grist for Barbarians

2009-05-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

While taking my daily walk, I came across a young lady comforting her crying son. The boy had tears running down his face, snot bubbles popping from his nose, and a full-lunged wail going. He was crying because a boy down the road had pushed him down to the ground.

Just when I could barely stand any more of the boy’s crying, his mother hugged him and told him that, “it’s OK for a man to cry.”

In that moment I almost lost hold of my senses!

I stood there in shock while a host of questions rushed through my mind. I wanted to ask her, “How do you know this? When and how did you become an expert on manhood?”

Does she understand the implications of what she said to him, I asked myself? What will be the affects of her statements on the boy later on in life? More importantly, what happens when we, as a “civilized” society, enhance the feminine qualities in our men when other nations are not doing the same?

How do the barbarians (those who wait for our society to fail) feel about our new, improved, and sensitive men?

I recall a historian saying something like the following:

“Nature, it certainly appears, does not intend to have the whole world civilized at the same time... Nature retains these undeveloped varieties as a reserve fund to pay the toll which civilization always exacts.”

I took the historians words to mean that no society lasts forever. And, those on the “outside” will become tomorrow’s ruling class.

I became even more cross with the woman when I thought about those words in conjunction with the following words written by Nietzsche:

The noble caste was in the beginning always the barbarian caste: their superiority lay, not in their physical strength, but primarily in their psychical –they were more complete human beings (which, on every level, also means as much as “more complete BEASTS”).

With those words in mind, I suggest we men stay in touch with our inner beast! Why? At ANY time, we may be called upon to do the unthinkable in defense of our society.

What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas

2009-03-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

Many of you know this snazzy saying from the television advertisements. You may not have known that this saying was adopted from the military saying – What happens TDY stays TDY.

TDY is an acronym that stands for temporary duty assignment. Airman, solders, marines, and seamen stationed at a particular base are sometimes sent to other bases – for less than 1 year – to perform work. During this period of time, unscrupulous airmen partake in extramarital affairs; these affairs usually fall into 1 of 2 categories – independent relationships or military sex circles.

Independent relationships
This scenario is a classic! An airmen goes TDY. He meets a (hopefully) beautiful woman. They fall in “love”. They get together whenever the airmen visits the TDY location. (This scenario was typical before there was an influx of women in the armed services.)

Military Sex Circles
A military sex circle develops when married and single female airmen are passed around between groups of male airmen . How does it work?

Here is the Rush model of a military sex circle:

Let’s say you have 2 airman, Jane and Jim. Jim is stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) and Jane is stationed at Scott AFB. They both meet while TDY at Ramstein AFB, Germany.

For one reason or another (greed, loneliness, or dissatisfaction at home) they decide to start a relationship. Both parties know the relationship, like the TDY, is temporary. So, they enjoy each other’s company without fear or trepidation. After all, they are protected by the agreement – What happens TDY stays TDY.

When they return home, they keep in touch via e-mail. There is nothing wrong with “friends” e-mailing one another, right?

The circle does not take on shape until another TDY comes along…

Before going TDY again, Jane contacts Jim and lets him know about the TDY. If Jim can go, he meets her there. If he cannot, he contacts one of his friends that is going. (Remember the military is a small community.) Let’s call the friend Tim. Jim tells Tim about Jane (i.e., he gives him a quick rundown on her sexual capabilities) and tells him to look her up at the TDY location. During the TDY Tim finds Jane and they become “friends” or he introduces her to someone else. From that moment forward, Jane is dubbed “cool” and the circle widens.

Did you get that from the advertisement?

Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future (by Friedrich Nietzsche)

2009-03-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

We think that severity, force, slavery, peril in the street and in the heart, concealment, stoicism, the art of experiment and devilry of every kind, that everything evil, dreadful, tyrannical, beast of prey and serpent in man serves to enhance the species “man” just as much as does its opposite

My Favorite NBA Moment: June. 25, 2005

2009-03-14T02:26:00.000-07:00

Shaquille O'Neal receives MBA from the University of Phoenix!

The President’s Spending Plan

2009-02-26T13:59:00.001-08:00

As I was listening to NPR this morning (yes I am listening again), I heard the announcer recapping elements of the president’s spending plan. I was concerned about 2 elements of the plan – education and taxation.

Although he said he was going to assist the middle class, my mind kept telling me he’s really talking about the commoditization of education and the taxation of the middle class.

How did I come to this conclusion? Let’s take a look:

Taxing the Middle Class
The first thing we need to realize is the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is not in the business of taxing wealth. The IRS taxes income/revenue! (They do not know how to tax wealth.) The people they are most likely to tax are high income earners. These are people that make large salaries working for others; they do not own their own business. (This group includes some company executives, entertainers, civil servants, etc.) Most live beyond their means.

It is my understanding that most millionaires (the truly wealthy people Obama hopes to tax) own their own businesses. One of the joys of owning your own business is that you can adjust your income to suite your circumstances. That is, you can decrease your stated income in order to avoid certain tax liabilities. Those of you that have attended business school or own your own business should be able to confirm what I am saying. Am I right?

So, what happens when the wealthy people adjust their incomes? Does the IRS begin to target the next highest taxable income earners (families making 100K to 150K)? Where will it stop?

The Commoditization of Education
Don’t get me wrong, education is a good thing. However, we must remember this principle: When you increase the quantity supplied of a thing, you decrease the value of the thing. That being said, the easier it becomes to obtain an education the less valuable the education becomes. To state it plainly, you will not be able to demand as high an income in the future as you can now. This change will make it more difficult for you to move up/change your social-economic status. Is this change what we really want?

Crazy Checks: The New Welfare System

2009-02-17T22:16:00.000-08:00

Do you remember the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (welfare reform act)? Do you know what happened to those who were affected by the act? Did they all get jobs? Are they all now productive citizens? I suggest that neither case is true.

It has come to my attention that many (not all) people have opted to receive what are called “crazy checks.” “Crazy check” is slang for Social Security Disability benefits.

Instead of going to work, some parents are having their children declared mentally disabled. Doing so provides the parent with a source of income to replace that which was lost via welfare reform. (This migration from the dole to Social Security has in effect transformed the Social Security system into the new welfare system.)

This new income source does not come without a cost, however. The children are being sacrificed for survivals sake. That is, the children are prescribed medications that are ill effecting their developing young minds. They are also being labeled in school as slow learners which couldn’t possible help them in the future.

So, my question is, what do we do about this situation? Do we reinstitute the old welfare system? Or, do we allow the destruction of our (America’s) children to go unabated?

The Queen of England Is Just A Figurehead?

2009-02-06T12:49:00.001-08:00

Approximately a month ago I spoke with my friend Richard who lives in England. Richard gave me an update on the tone of the people regarding the economic “crisis” in the U.K. He said, “Some people are crying out to the queen for help, as if she could actually do something. She’s just a figurehead.”

Before I came to my senses, I found myself agreeing with Richard. Then it hit me. She could do something, but she will not! If she did, she would cause people to think about thoughts that most have forgotten or are not equipped to consider. What do I mean?

Most U.S. citizens, for example, are Christians. Many of whom are protestants (whether they know it or not). Correct me if I am wrong, but they believe man does not require a human intercessor to God. One is able to form a direct connection to the Creator.

Contrary to this theological concept, the queen rules by what is called “Divine Right”. This means that orders (if you will) come from God, to queen, to subjects (that may be you). At any time, the queen could exercise her “Divine Right” and alter the order of things. That is, she could speak to the hearts of men and women and demand change. She could remind the ministers, the robber Barron, and commoners that all still belongs to the crown.

But, who would want to upset Catholics, Protestants, and others?

This is the new millennium. Could you imagine someone in western society exercising “Divine Right?” Could you imagine us having deep intellectual, theological, and legal discussions when most of us do not understand either? This would be tantamount to aliens landing.

Did The President Signal The End Of Bling-Bling Culture?

2009-01-21T02:15:00.000-08:00

"Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights. "

"In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. "

“we will restore science to its natural place”

On Bad Terms With Some Of My Closest Friends

2009-01-12T18:37:00.001-08:00

Some of my closest friends and I have severed our relationship of 16 plus years. Mind you, these friends are not anyone I’ve actually met. They are the radio hosts on various shows broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR) and the BBC. (I am not talking about BBC World. I am talking about Radio 4 Intelligent Speech in the UK.)

I have not been this upset with these guys since 911. They were so obsessed with the attacks that I hated to turn my radio dial anywhere near 88.1 WUWF. Now I’m afraid of the station because they are obsessed with our “failing” economy. (At no time did I hear anyone mention that our economy is cyclical and this is part of the cycle.)

You may think that their obsession is warranted. Look at the effects of the economic downturn on the world. The economy touches everything.

It does, huh? Well why weren’t they this obsessed with it prior to the “crashes”? Why weren’t they trying to put a word about the economy in every report then? Why now? Why every show?

Case in point, the other day I tried to listen to Talk of the Nation. It was a show about jazz. The show was running smoothly when the commentator suddenly slips in a question about the economy. Will jazz as an art form survive in this economy?

When he posed the question, I could tell that the guest was thrown off by the question, as was I.

What the hell, I said to myself. Stop it!

It’s not just Talk of the Nation, its All Things Considered, Fresh Air, Car Talk, etc.

I just want my friends back. Please come back! Please come back to your senses. Let Morning Edition and Weekend Edition discuss the economy. Get back to discussing the other world happenings...the things I don’t, but should know.

Perhaps they’ll return when the pledge drive comes up short this year. Oh, wait. It will give them more fuel for their continued doom and glum economic discussions.

How To Get The Really Pretty Girls (My Crash Course)

2009-01-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

I have a friend named Martin. Martin and I belong to the same chapter of Kappa Alpha order. Like most fraternities, you have a mix of guys who come from different backgrounds. When we come together, you quickly find out that every individual is endowed with certain inherent gifts. One of Martin’s gifts is that he is a ladies man! That is, I always see Martin with some of the most beautiful woman on the planet. He has girlfriends from all continents and all races – Asian, Black, Caucasian, and Hispanic.

Me, on the other hand, I tend to find myself dating woman who are classified as sensible or smart. These are not the women I am looking for at this stage of my life. These are the women that tend to gravitate towards me.

One day I went to Martin and I asked him how he got a hold of such pretty women. He told me the following:

“Show them everything and promise them nothing!”

For a moment, I was perplexed by his statement. Then, he went on to explain.

“My brother, we are living in a bling-bling culture. As such, the really pretty (but not practical) women like flare and glitz, as defined by our generation (i.e., television). They want the good life! To get them, you must show them with your car, home, and clothes what the good life looks like. Show them everything!”

“They can’t see that I’m not going to give them anything more than what the last guy gave them. He didn’t give them anything and I’m not going to give them anything. Why should I? If they go for this, they are not wife material. We are talking about the ten foolish virgins.”

“If they get too clingy, move on to the next one. When it’s time to settle down, look for the practical woman.”

WOW!

Happy New Year!!!

2008-12-31T20:56:00.001-08:00

Here's a parting gift for 2008.

Aesop Fables: Back To Basics

2008-12-31T14:53:00.000-08:00

Do any of you remember the children’s story The Ant and The Grasshopper? If you do, which are you? Are you the grasshopper or the ant? Some of you will, undoubtedly, say that you are the ant. Are you really? Is there a standard by which you are measuring yourself? Try reading The Millionaire Next Door. When you have finished, ask yourself are you really the ant? If you haven’t figured it out by now…most of us are grasshoppers! (If you do not believe me watch your local news.)

The Fable:

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. "Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same." "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

Note: Those elementary school lessons still hold value!

Tattoos: Have we tattooed ourselves out of a good job?

2008-12-28T08:35:00.000-08:00

As an employer, you want to hire the best (as you define it) person for a given job. Sometimes the “best” person is not the best at what they do. She may be a friend, someone with similar views, or a family member. When the aforementioned is not the case, all you have to go on is your impression of the individual and the individuals resume.

That being said, when there is a shortage of viable applicants for a given position you cannot afford to be very selective in your hiring practices. You must choose from among the best applicants you can attract from the labor pool. (Think about the state of our economy over the past decade or so.) When there is a surplus of labor, on the other hand, you can be very selective. In fact, you can almost demand perfection! (Think about our current economy.)

Question: How do tattoos play out in a conservative marketplace? I posse the question because I’ve noticed that some young people have tattoos on visible parts of their bodies – forearms, necks, hands, and calves. It is almost as if we have forgotten that societies are like pendulums – they swing back and forth between conservatism and liberalism.

Again, I ask have we tattooed ourselves out of a good job?

Hard Times: The Good News

2008-12-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

I know the media has bombarded us with bad news about our economy. I, on the other hand, have been thinking about the good that may come of our current economic situation. The following is my list of positives:

o House Parties. Not everyone will have the money or will to go to the club. A less expensive alternative is the house/basement party. This is good news for the local aspiring DJs out there.

o Restrictive Dating Policies. Individuals will have to evaluate potential spouses/partners more critically. Before we lay with one another we must examine each others contributions to the relationship. This is good news for intelligent and productive people. The cute, cool, lazy, and imprudent must beware!

o Greater Religious Involvement. Nothing brings people to the church, masjid/mosque, synagogue, or temple like a good financial challenge.

I will add to the list as I think of more good things.

$10,586,589,075,929.34 In The Hole

2008-12-28T06:42:00.000-08:00

I recently heard a man commenting on the Bush presidency. He stated that before Bush came into the white house we had a budget surplus and now that he is leaving the white house we owe over $10 trillion.

On the surface, it seamed like the man had made a solid point. When I analyzed what the man had said, however, I realized that the man had jumbled up two different concepts. He mixed what was happening with America’s balance sheet with what was happing to its income statement.

For those of you who do not know the difference between the two here is the Rush abridged version of Accounting 101:

Every organization (and country) has or should have 4 financial documents – income statement, statement of capital, statement of cash flows, and balance sheet. The income statement shows and organization’s (or country's) income, expenses, and profit/loss; the balance sheet shows the organization’s assets, liabilities, and owner equity.

The man was correct when he said that we had a balanced budget (i.e., our income statement was balanced) when Clinton left the White House. What this means is that for a given year our income met our expenses. That is, we paid all of our bills for the year in question and we had a little left over.

The man was incorrect, however, to mention the $10 trillion within the same context. Our $10,586,589,075,929.34 total public debt outstanding refers to the liabilities listed on our nation’s balance sheet. This debt outstanding is tan amount to having a mortgage on your home. Just because you paid all of your bills for the month/year does not mean you have erased your mortgage. The mortgage still exists. In fact, your mortgage (our public debt) has been mounting under the presidencies of Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and Bush.

When I tried to explain these concepts to the man he was not receptive. ( I guess facts have no place in his argument.) So, I ended our conversation by suggesting to the man that we listen carefully to what our politicians are saying. Why? Politicians (including our President Elect) speak to us as though we do not know the difference between the documents. If we did, we would know that it was both parties that have gotten us into this financial mess.

Question: Did you notice that neither "major" candidate spoke about the country’s balance sheet?

The Most Powerful Man In The World Dodges Shoe?

2008-12-15T17:06:00.000-08:00

This incident was funny until I thought about the implications of what happened. This man threw his shoes at the president of the United States of America. Whether we like him or not, that is our president.

Once I came to this realization, it wasn’t so funny any more. How could he throw his show at the most powerful man in the world?

Thanksgiving Tip: A Polite Way of Saying the Food Was Nasty

2008-11-27T11:13:00.000-08:00

Here is the scenario: You’re sitting at the thanksgiving table of a friend or family member. Your plate is crammed with a variety of foods. Suddenly you put something in your mouth, while exchanging pleasantries, that turns out to be something extremely nasty. Someone turns to you and asks, “what do you think?”

Do you respond by saying, “it’s an acquired taste?”

Or, is there another response that you could give? After all the, “acquired taste,” response is so Passé.

I suggest that you use “Taste bud confusion”.

Let’s give it a go:

Your Aunt Gwen asks you to try a piece of pumpkin pie; you respond by saying no thank you; Aunt Gwen doesn’t take ‘No’ for an answer. You taste the pie. The pie tastes horrible! She looks you in the eye and asks, “what do you think?” You respond, “I am experiencing taste bud confusion.”

Your response should be enough to confuse Aunt Gwen. If she insists that you explain, give her the truth.

Changing Captains Aboard A Sinking Ship

2008-11-06T02:30:00.000-08:00

Is this a celebration aboard the Titanic?

President Barack Obama

2008-11-05T00:02:00.000-08:00

There is no such thing as a free lunch...life is a myriad of tradeoffs. What was given for what was gotten? Better yet, what shall be the cost?

Are We Too Dumb for a Discount?

2008-10-28T02:08:00.000-07:00

For those of you who own a home you may have recently received a letter from your mortgage company stating that they have sold your loan to another institution.

Do you understand how that works?

Here is the Rush (simple) explanation of the process: Your bank owns your mortgage and they want to sell your mortgage. Why? The bank realizes two truths: (1) a dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow. (Your loan is spread out over a number of years. If the bank can get the present value of those monies today it will sell your loan at a discount to do so. Look up the time value of money.) (2) The longer their money is out being invested, the more at risk they are of losing their money.

My question is, why don’t our banks offer us the discount? Why doesn’t our bank tell us it is considering selling our loan and offer us the opportunity to pay the loan off? We could conceivably find another bank that could loan us the money and reduce the amount we owe to the lender. Or, are we just too dumb for all that? Call your lender and ask them to explain why they did not offer you the discount!

George Bush’s Legacy

2008-10-28T01:42:00.000-07:00

Someone recently asked me what I thought about Bush and the Iraq war.

Instead of answering the question directly, I proposed a series of questions: What if what's going on in Iraq, for example, has nothing to do with oil. What if he was simply the president that needed to make some tough choices for which we will not see the output of for 50 or so years? You do know that that some times happens, right? It’s just unimaginable to me that our country does not have a plan. When you attend a university, work in management, join the military you are always told that there must be a plan. Everything is about planning.

The real question is, “what is America's (U.S.) plan?” Do we have a plan? Why don’t you know the plan? Could the planners share the plan with everyone? How do you not know what's happening is not apart of that plan? Or, are we taking a myopic view of our country's future? (We live day to day therefore we assume the country does.) The U.S. military has a plan for 100 years out. The military is only one part of our government. What is their plan predicated on?

Perhaps we should be looking 50 to 100 years out? Now, reexamine Bush from this view point and tell me what you see. I propose that he was an unlucky guy who had to implement an unpopular part of the plan!

The Implied Agreement

2008-10-20T01:11:00.000-07:00

We are now on the fringe of having our very 1st Black president in the United States. What does it mean and what is the value of having a Black president?

The only thing I can come up with is that his success sends a clear message to all U.S. citizens that if they set goals, work hard, and keep a good attitude (don’t waste energies complaining) they can make it in the U.S. You can even become the most powerful person in the world!

So the question becomes, “what’s preventing you from achieving your dreams?” Don’t have any goals? Don’t like to work hard? Have a bad attitude? Or, is it racism? If you haven’t figured it out yet, in the minds of many people, Obama’s success takes away some of the legitimacy of racism excuses. Why? If this individual can make it to the highest office in the land (facing the same “racism” as the rest of the Blacks) and not complain, then what does any African American have to complain about?

So the agreement is, Obama gets elected and everyone stops complaining and get to work!

"I HAVE A DREAM" (1963)

2008-09-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

In response to the e-mails and posts I have recieved, here is the transcript of MLK's speech:

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation [U.S.].

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men - yes, black men as well as white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check that has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security of justice. We have also come to his hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end but a beginning. Those who hoped that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating "for whites only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today my friends - so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification - one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father's died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!"

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi - from every mountainside.

Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring - when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics - will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Obama: The fulfillment of King's Dream?

2008-09-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

I have not had a problem with Senator Obama’s presidential campaign until last week. Something disturbed me about the implied connection between his candidacy and the fulfillment of Martin King’s dream.

If I am wrong in what I am about to say, please correct me. I thought Martin Luther King’s dream was about 3 things: (1) The resolution of the bad feeling between the American Negro (descendants of slaves) and White Americans; (2) The resolution of the ill treatment of the American Negro by White Americans; (3) The coming together of the decedents of slaves and Whites in America.

If this is true, how does Barack Obama fit into that picture? He is not a descendant of the American Negro. So, (in my mind) the question becomes, “how does he symbolize the fulfillment of King’s dream?”

Yes, he is an African-American. He is African by way of his father and he is American by way of his mother (a White American woman). Please help me put this together?