Thanks for the link

The Common Man Digest has received its first official link from The Ridgewood Blog. I would like to thank PJBlogger62 for trusting that this blog will live up to his standards. I will do my best to be worthy of that honor. You will note that I have linked to him for a while under the heading "These are links that are near and dear to me".

In the meantime, I appreciate any links from other blogs or sites as may be offered. As I have said before, I am looking for readership and would like to thank those that forward any of the postings here.

Lastly, I am always happy to read other blogs for news and inspiration. If any of you readers find something that you like, please share.

Thoughts anyone?

Final word on "Let Them Know"

I have previously blasted the McDonalds franchise holder for not caring enough to return my e-mails regarding their Fair Lawn store. I am happy to report that I now have the cell phone number of their District Manager who was very willing to talk about my experiences at his store.

I visited again tonight and I will say that he lived up to his word. The front line was staffed by courteous, although not completely interested, youth who worked quickly to get through the line (something which had been lacking on previous visits). The obnoxious managers were gone and replaced by a no nonsense gentleman who clearly set the pace that he expected everyone to follow.

The result is an apparent increase in traffic on my last few visits. This is what happens when customers are heard and they are only heard if they speak up.

Thoughts anyone?

Wireless Electricity?

In searching for today's thoughts, I came across a topic that some of the other bloggers picked up. It's an article from yesterday on CNNMoney.com entitled, "Death of the Cell Phone Charger." It talks about a new technology that will convert energy waves that are floating around our home or office into DC current used to charge small devices such as a cell phone.

The entrepreneur who started the company, Powercast, has signed non-disclosure agreements with over 100 other companies who are working to incorporating his technology into their products. How cool is this? When you sit down at your desk, your cell phone automatically begins to charge. When you sit it on the nightstand and go to sleep, no more remembering to plug it in, unplug it in the morning, etc. It sits there, it charges.

The article talks about many of the potential uses and is certainly worth the read. Sometimes it's just exciting to see what really cool things people can make happen, isn't it?

Thoughts anyone?

It's up to you

So, it's all over the news about Circuit City's firing of 9 percent of its workforce. This has potentially huge effects for all employees and can be affected by all consumers.

First, the employees. Most people work for employers that are "at will" employers meaning that anyone can be hired or fired by the company whenever it desires. Most reputable companies, however, have systems in place that give employees warning, time to improve, etc. Therefore, most employees know that "it's coming" (unless you work for someone like Enron who just folds overnight). This is the way it should be.

Even non-union employees and employers enter a contract. The employee agrees to work to company standard (or above) for the wage and benefits that the company offers.....basic free market. Time and energy is invested on both side to their mutual benefit. This investment is the protection that one side or the other won't just walk away from the contract. Circuit City has violated that contract.

Many companies have financial issues and overpaid workers. Most companies work to reduce their labor costs by attritioning out those that are paid more than they are contributing. It happens every day and sometimes it even makes the papers (buyouts by auto and airline industries to name a few). That is the proper way to approach that because it allows for security and stability in the workforce. It keeps the contract in force by providing mutual respect.

Circuit City's action will now become the rallying cry for retail unions across the country which would be BAD for everyone. Widespread unionization of retail will result in higher costs and lower service (in some cases that seems hardly possible...but watch!) across the board. This is a VERY bad move which should be condemned by all rational people and retailers immediately.

Now, to the second point. You, the consumer, have a huge ability to let your opinion be known. YOU determine the fate of Circuit City. You can choose to tell Circuit City it's ok to let someone go without notice even though they've worked for the company for 12 years, their mortgage payments and family bills rely on that paycheck, and their skill set probably justified over $18 an hour. You tell them it's ok to treat people like that when your foot crosses the threshold of any Circuit City store or your mouse clicks on their website. Whether you are making a $5000 purchase of a plasma tv or a $1.99 purchase of a phone jack, you are saying that it's ok to let these people go!!!

I suspect that if enough people stop going to Circuit City, they will be gone quickly. You don't just eliminate 9% of your workforce over $.50 an hour unless you need to stop spending cash immediately. They are in trouble and if enough people say, THAT'S NOT RIGHT, they will be gone and serve as an example to other businesses of how not to treat employees. Your action here will help (or hurt) more hourly employees than any raise in the minimum wage can ever do. I've eliminated Circuit City as an advertiser on this blog and will drive past them to go to a Best Buy. That is my response. And yours? (Please let us know how you've responded.)

Thoughts anyone?

Tis the season

It's an interesting fact that the most important season of the Christian calendar is one of the most overlooked. Most people in the US grow up with Christmas being the highlight of their calendar with months of advertising and decorating, sending and receiving cards, and parties galore. While it's certainly important to recognize the fact that Jesus was born, that's only a small part of the story.

In fact, there are thousands of people born each day. While we celebrate many birthdays in our lives, we recognize that the actual day of birth is only a starting point. The more important days are the ones that follow that first day!

Today, for example, I was touched by two very simple cards that I received in the mail. One was from my Masonic brother thanking me for sharing a lunch with him (something I would gladly do any day) and the other was to my wife and me from Specialist Lottie Steere in Iraq. SPC Steere was thanking us for participating in my friend's You've Got Mail program (if you haven't participated, PLEASE DO IT NOW!!!) With these two simple actions, these two fine people have made a connection and improved my day dramatically which will then help me to try and pass that on.

Ultimately, we will be most judged on our last day. We will be remembered for how we spent all those days in between and NOT on how we appeared on our first day. A coworker was looking at a children's book about Easter and said that she didn't understand the big deal. The story, to her, was simple, Jesus died. This is true and we all do it. The "big deal" however, is that Jesus also lived. Regardless of whether or not you believe in the Resurrection (another REALLY big deal), His life's work was a remarkable demonstration of God's work on Earth and sufficient for us to remember him for.

Christians, however, DO believe in the Resurrection and that is the whole point of the message that started with Christmas. Holy Week, culminating in Easter, is THE high point of the Christian calendar and yet we have no Easter Parties to attend, Easter Carols to listen to on the radio, or Easter cards to get in the mail. This is really contradictory to the message. THIS is the message that really should be proclaimed on the radio, at every party, and to everyone we know. Why isn't it? Because we can't make money off of it?

Thoughts anyone?

Maybe Silence IS Golden....

An interesting discussion has begun on a local blog regarding a program called, "Day of Silence". The original writer is an obviously homosexual student who supported the program as a way to "raise awareness" for "gay rights". Some of the commentors to the blog bring up some very interesting points (some are just ignorant slobs). The one that caught my eye was a discussion of approach vs. message. It reads as follows:

"This on-going argument is what the day of silence has brought – a
stereotypic response on the part of the supporters of the demonstration accusing
objectors of stereotypic behavoir. That is exactly the opposite of the stated
intentions of the demonstration. All "conscious raising” demonstrations are
destructive and divisive; the demonstration tends to minimize the real issue
they intended to help. The exercise’s premise is based upon the non reality that
raising public awareness through a demonstration will abate the issue or get
people to at least understand. What these “mini-dramas” actually do is cast
suspicion on the issue itself, and allow the divisiveness of the organizers to
accuse everyone of being insensitive if anyone objects.

Objective reporting by non-vested third parties, such as newspapers, is
the only way to really get people to understand an issue. This day of silence
rendered the real issue, prejudice against homosexuals, moot as the
demonstration, not the issue, took the center of attention. "

This is a point that can cover many different issues, not just gay rights. It is something that Cindy Sheehan could listen to, Al Sharpton should pay close attention, and so could the myriad other "protesters" planning things to raise awareness. The writer hits the nail on the head by pointing out that the demonstration becomes the polarizing event and instead of raising awareness, it instead raises defensiveness.

I must say that nothing makes me more "anti-peace" than seeing Cindy Sheehan spouting her rhetoric and hatred. Do I wish that all of our troops were home? Absolutely, I have a friend there that I worry about daily. Of course I want them home and I want us to be "at peace", but her demonstrations make me forget that we are trying to achieve a similar goal because her process overwhelms her message.

The same is true of Al Sharpton. Who wouldn't be in favor of equal treatment for people of all races, nationalities, religions, and even sexual orientations? That is the foundation of our common national belief system. The problem is, seeing Al Sharpton shouting, "No Justice, No Peace" every time a black man is "wronged" does nothing but build resentment.

In addition to having the process become suspect, as the quoted writer (anonymous, by the way) stated, many times the protesters make themselves suspect because they are just as intolerant as those that they are protesting against. Cindy Sheehan refuses to credit intelligence to anyone who would argue against immediate withdrawal of the troops (as do many leading Democrats!). Al Sharpton encourages racism against whites because any incident that injures a black is automatically racist.

An example is the shooting of a black man by an off-duty detective. The mother of the man said, "My son only shot him once, why did he have to shoot back 5 times?" Can you believe the stupidity of this statement?! An officer (or anyone for that matter) who is shot at, no matter how many times, has the right to assume that the first shot may not be the last and thus act accordingly. That is not black-white, it is common sense! But again, that is the message fostered and grown by these demonstrators.

To finish up on the issue of gay rights (the original trigger for today's entry), I must say that I support the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness by all, but not at my expense. If you want to be gay.....be gay (my favorite college roommate was "out of the closet") just don't inflict it on me. Don't accuse me of being a homophobe if I don't want to watch two homosexuals make out or paw each other in public because I wouldn't even want to observe that behavior between heterosexuals. I'm not a homophobe if I don't want to march with you, sign a petition, or participate in a day of silence. I'm just not particularly motivated because I don't feel that many of your rights are lacking, especially here in New Jersey - home of the civil union. It's not a behavior that I understand, but that doesn't mean I'm going to try and outlaw it. I do wish you'd stop hitting me over the head with it along with the peaceniks, animal rights activists, unionists, and all the other demonstrators spewing bile around the country.

Thoughts anyone?

Sanity in the world of Banking?

In a story covered by most news services, it was announced that Congress is going to start investigating the policies of credit card issuers. To that I say, it's about time.

Having "been there, done that" at one point in my life, I can attest to the fact that banks not only kick you when you're down, they stomp the living crap out of you!! I can understand charging an overlimit fee, or a late payment fee, or even a returned check fee as a punishment for unwanted behavior. It's a way for them to recover costs and to reduce potential risk. The problem comes when the cardholder runs into a situation that becomes chronic.

A person who up until now has great credit, loses their job, incurs huge medical bills, or maybe goes through a divorce and suddenly falls behind on their credit card payments. The first problem is that the credit limit isn't really a limit at all. The credit card companies will continue to allow "automatic payments" that have been billed to your credit card to continue even above your credit limit. Next, you are charged the "overlimit fee" even though they allowed the charge. Finally, if you don't pay the entire amount over the limit, on time, in full, your interest rate is increased (not only on this card, but probably all your other cards as well), you pay a late fee, and the overlimit fee and this continues until you finally (if ever) catch up. The system seems designed to make sure that you don't ever catch up because your monthly payment goes sky high just when your ability to pay is reduced due to unforseen tragedy in your life.

I fully support the fees needed to reduce risk and unwanted behavior. I just have a problem with them going on in perpetuity. I would propose a limit on the fees charged in succession. If someone is overlimit for three months in a row, there is a problem. The line should be frozen (not necessarily cancelled) and an immediate payment plan worked out.

There has to be some responsibility on the credit issuer's part as well. There is nothing so intimidating for someone who previously had no problem paying bills as having to face a collector. There should be a special collection department for such people. I know there are programs out there and have even used them, but they should be made readily available (based on past history of the cardholder) and the normal collection channels should be immediately bypassed and the cardholder contacted by a "consultant" of some sort from the bank with the intention of developing a mutually agreeable plan to bring things back into compliance. The bank should not be waiting until the person who is trying to keep up finally screams uncle and begs for help from the bank.

This should be a one time only deal.....not meant for the chronic dead-beat. I would hope that Congress works WITH the banking industry to develop a plan that is good for all and doesn't just pander to the lowest common denominator which would lead to credit becoming inaccessible for all but the most credit-worthy. It would become a situation of credit being available to only those who don't really need it.

Thoughts anyone?

All I can say is Amen

Another great post from Maj. Higgins in Iraq.

Red vs. Blue

This weekend I had the opportunity to go to church with dear friends in Atlanta, GA and I was able to observe some significant differences between those I worshipped with there and those that I associate with here in the "Blue State" of New Jersey on a daily basis.

All rationalists' arguments of hypocrisy aside, these people were more grounded and focussed. Regardless of whether or not it was show (which I didn't really perceive), there was a greater sense of community and genuine concern for each other.

As I've mentioned here before, it is essential that we work to have all parts of our life work together and there are some great modern philosophers working on that today. We've got to get away from "living for work" to "working to live". This is a great struggle in my current life. I'm debating whether or not a job change is in my future because I find that my job is becoming all-encompassing. I devote better than 80% of my waking time to it and I'm not sure that is fair to my family and myself, let alone my spirituality!

Having seen what a difference it seems to make in these people's lives, I can't encourage you enough to become spirtually active. Attend church, synagogue, temple, mosque, or even private study groups to develop the God-center of your life. You will find that however you reach that place, it WILL change you. You will also find that only those who are elitist snobs with no moral compass or purpose are the one's who automatically equate a firm religious foundation (of any type) with ignorant, redneck hillbillies with one tooth per community.

Lastly, I found that the primary difference between red and blue was the willingness to admit what you stand for. Not being afraid to offend someone because the other person would be able to respect the difference of opinion without finding it a personal attack.

Thoughts anyone?