Politics
Tuesday 17th, March 2009
Do You Care About Diversity? That might be the problem.10:13 AM Category : Politics
Location : Columbus, Ohio, USA
Recently a personnel change was made at a large company with which I interact quite a lot. The change affected one of the people with whom I interact. I was at the same time saddened to loose the excellent support of person leaving the position, happy for them because of the new opportunity they have, and curious about the new person and how they might continue to provide the support to which I have become accustomed. At no point did I concern myself with the facts that a white middle age American woman was being replaced by a white, somewhat younger German man. At least this did not occur to me until I read the welcoming post of someone else in the community which read "Welcome - great a European!
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Until that point I had not noticed and really did not care. With that post I had to consider if it was or was not a good thing. As a result, I am much more bothered that it makes any difference to anyone if the person is anything other than effective at their job.
This made me reflect on the recent wave of "public-service" commercials going on in the US about the value of a diverse community and that those who grew up or now live in communities without diversity are somehow worse off. What strikes me wrong is that anyone cares how diverse someone else's background might be. What they should care about is if a person can interact in meaningful and effective ways, regardless of their nonbusiness attributes.
In business, politics and most every aspect of life, how effective and meaningful our interactions with others are will determine our level of success in the long run. None of the labels associated with race, gender, national origin, political persuasion, sexual orientation mean a hill of beans if the interactions with others do not work. Those that care about the balance of these attributes which should be unimportant are simply creating and perpetuating the problem, most likely because they have found a way to profit or otherwise benefit from the decisiveness they cause. (9) Monday 2nd, March 2009
Broken Promises. No Pork, No Earmarks, what is next11:04 AM Category : Politics
Location : Columbus, Ohio, USA
It seems President Obama has been paying mere lip service to reigning in uncontrolled pork and spending in the federal government. Today he will sign the omnibus appropriations bill with 9000+ earmarks and untold spending {link}. So clearly his statements of absolutes are are relatively absolutes unless they conflict with another part of his untold and out-of-control agenda.
So what is next. Well the Attorney General who thinks we are all cowards has declared the water boarding is "a form of torture that the Obama administration could never condone." How long will it be before that principle is left by the way side as other seem to be.
And do not try to tell me it is out of respect for human life. Confirmed abortionists have no claim to that supposed moral high road.
Newbs
Never put off until tomorrow what you can forget about forever.
*************************************************************************************************** (6) Sunday 15th, February 2009
Good Politics and Bad Ecnomics01:56 PM Category : Politics
Location : Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Do we live in the time of the "Worst catastrophe since the Great Depression" or the time of the biggest rip off of all times. The main stream media seems to ignore the facts and support President Obama's contention that we are in uncharted dire straits. But the facts, though grim, do not support the severe reaction we are hearing.
Unemployment currently stands at 7.6%, up a whopping 2.2% in the last year with expectations that it will increase more in the next year. In 1930, the first year of the Great Depression, unemployment increased by 4.8%, the first of three years of huge job losses. (see {link}). By another measure automobile production has fallen 25% in the last year contrasted to a 90% decline in 1930.
These numbers sadly show we are not in the catastrophe that our political leaders describe. But we could end up there because of the their policies and failed leadership. The promise of transparency and change has been replaced with the most completely hidden and earmark laden legislation of all times. In the name of stimulus the democrats in congress have given us a litany of social agenda spending programs, most of them totally unknown to those who voted for or against the bill.
Clearly Mr. Obama, supported by the liberal media, is a master of the political spin. Even more clearly, he and his woeful choices for cabinet members do not have a clue about the real economical situation.
Or perhaps they do understand what they are doing and they are using the crisis to move all the wealth of this great nation to their control. Either way their actions if not checked will be the end of freedom and prosperity as we know it. (6)