Month: September 2014

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What Happens After The Full Investigation?

congressional hearings

I have seen several instances lately where Congress has called for a full investigation of accusations of governmental misconduct.  There has been Fast and Furious, the IRS targeting groups that are speaking out against government waste and abuse including Lois Lerner’s missing emails, Benghazi, abuses by Wall Street banks and the list goes on.

The question I have is what ever happens?  In some cases a few people lost their jobs, but usually not the people who really masterminded the scheme.  Often the people involved were just quietly moved to other positions.  In other instances the press (or is it the public?) just lost interest and the subject faded into political oblivion.

Is this what our nation deserves?  Should we not demand real answers and that those responsible for abusing their positions be held accountable?  Would this happen in private industry?  What do YOU think should happen?

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Redskins and Other Politically Incorrect Names

There has been a bunch of yapping going on lately about the Washington Redskins being offensive.  I say, so what?  If someone is offended, that’s okay.  There are others who are flattered by the name and some of them would no doubt be offended if it were changed.

Too much attention is given to not hurting the feelings of a few sensitive individuals.  The old saying is that you can’t please all of the people all of the time.  These names were not given out of spite.  In fact they honor a heritage and symbolize bravery and athleticism.  Frankly for a few individuals to demand that the rest of the world cater to their indignance is, well, offensive!

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Have A Great Day!

Are you the bright spot in the day or do you blend in to the background?

Are you the bright spot in the day or do you blend in to the background?

In my line of work I come in contact with hundreds of people every day. Most of the time I look forward to my job.  But there are days where I really don’t want to see people.  You know those days.  Sometimes we just don’t have a choice of whether or not to deal with people when we really don’t feel like social contact.

Fortunately, I have a choice on whether I reflect that negativity to my clients.  It used to be that I would let things like this affect my interaction with others.  But it quickly became

When you look at this tree do you see something old and tired or something with amazing stories to tell?

When you look at this tree do you see something old and tired or something with amazing stories to tell?

evident that doing so could have a negative effect on my business. But it also rubbed off on the people I associated with.  So I began an experiment.  When someone inquired how I was doing I would answer enthusiastically that I was great!  After two or three times saying it like I meant it I actually DID mean it!  What’s more, those around me would “catch” the upbeat attitude and everyone behaved in a more positive manner.

 

So if you are feeling a bit on the blue side, do yourself a favor and deny the urge to wallow in self-pity.  At the very least you will avoid subjecting those around you to your pains.  But you never know, you may just teach yourself to be one of those annoying people who are always cheery no matter what!  Besides, life is too short to waste it by not enjoying each day for what it is worth.

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Hate Crime Laws are Hate Crimes

There are several laws on the books making “Hate Crimes” punishable by a tougher penalty than the same act not committed out of “hate.” But what exactly constitutes a “Hate Crime?”

If a white man beats up a black man because he is black it is a hate crime…but if a black man beats up a white man because he is white it is not.  If an arsonist lights a church on fire it is a hate crime.  But if that same arsonist lights a store on fire because he hates the owner it is probably not going to be classified as a hate crime (unless the store owner is a minority).

So why do we have hate crime laws?  The logic was that it would give a stricter punishment for BlindLadyJusticeperforming a malicious act out of spite.  But is this reasonable?  Is the victim any less victimized if they are not being targeted because of prejudice or if the bias is not recognized in one of the special groups that these laws apply to?

So in reality, by passing a law that gives special consideration to some groups over others, we are actually committing what equates to a “hate crime” in that we are singling out individuals and leveling a greater punishment on them than the crime would otherwise warrant.  It would be different if the standard was applied equally across the board, but it is not.  Plus we are telling certain victims that they don’t rate as high on the scale of justice when we don’t classify theattack on them as a hate crime.  All men are supposed to be equal in the eyes of the law.  They are all supposed to have the same rights and protections.  Justice is supposed to be blind…but is it?

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Who Is Your Best Friend?

As a child and adolescent I spent a great deal of time trying to fit in. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was looking for validation in the eyes of others. This was, of course, unachievable.  But I wanted to have friends…and to be liked by the “popular” kids.  After a while, I realized that those popular kids were not what they seemed.  Many of them spent their time putting down others, presumably to pump themselves up.  Eventually I discovered a secret. Continue reading →

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Do You Think Like A Free Person?

The concept of freedom is something that many people believe in.  Most consider themselves to enjoy a certain level of liberty, yet these same people, myself included, often voluntarily give up their rights for various reason.  We, as a society, have grown complacent.  We want to live a life of leisure and have forgotten that it is labor, and the fruits of our efforts, that give us satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.  It is also the price of freedom that we must be responsible for our own well-being. Sometimes we are coerced into forfeiting our liberties in exchange for the promise of security.   Continue reading →

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It’s Common Knowledge…

There was a time when it was common knowledge that the world was flat and the sun, moon, stars and all the planets revolved around it. There was a time when everyone was sure that demons caused illness and drought. Today we have made discoveries that disprove those “facts” of long ago and we have replaced them with new “facts” accepted by most of us on this planet. But just how accurate are these things we hold as common knowledge? Will they, too, be disproved one day? Remember that there is no proof that something is correct, only the inability to prove that it is no…for now!

I am reminded that back in the 1970’s we were told by the “experts” that we were entering a mini ice age.  Well, that has morphed into global warming and again into climate change.

There was a time when it was commonly accepted that some ethnic groups were not as intelligent as others, or that lightning never strikes the same place twice.  We know today that both of these are untrue.

My point is not to attempt to dispel current beliefs or argue today’s contested topics.  I simply wish to point out that before we blindly accept “common knowledge” as fact we should ask questions, do our own research and think independently…like a free person!