A newly discovered chapter in the Book of Genesis has provided the answer:
Adam and Eve said, "Lord, when we were in the garden, you walked with us every day. Now we do not see you anymore. We are lonesome here, and it is difficult for us to remember how much you love us."
And God said, I will create a companion for you that will be with you and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourselves."
And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam and Eve. And it was a good animal. And God was pleased.
And the new animal was pleased to be with Adam and Eve and he wagged his tail.
And Adam said, "Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom and I cannot think of a name for this new animal."
And God said, "I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name and you will call him DOG."
And Dog lived with Adam and Eve and was a companion to them and loved them.
And they were comforted. And God was pleased. And Dog was content and wagged his tail.
After a while, it came to pass that an angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam and Eve have become filled with pride. They strut and preen like peacocks and they believe they are worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed taught them that they are loved, but perhaps too well."
And God said, “I will create for them a companion who will be with them and who will see them as they are. The companion will remind them of their limitations, so they will know that they are not always worthy of adoration."
And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam and Eve.
And Cat would not obey them. And when Adam and Eve gazed into Cat's eyes,
they were reminded that they were not the supreme beings.
And Adam and Eve learned humility.
And they were greatly improved.
And God was pleased.
And Dog was happy. And Cat didn't give a shit one way or the other.
About Me
- CRAFT
- Davenport, IA, United States
- Been There, Done That. My life has been one of luck and good decisions. I'm lucky I have been to the places I have and am making the decision to share my experiences with you. I hope you enjoy them.
05 August 2010
29 July 2010
Unionization of America
I have never been a fan of unions in the United States. Here is a paper I wrote for a class I attended at Trinity International University:
The forces that control the government are using the unions in the United States to bypass laws in the redistribution of wealth. The very definition of unions is to make everyone equal regardless of the person’s abilities. For those who see their jobs as a potential challenge to succeed, that portion of their job, or even their lives, will be irrevocably altered if forced to join a union. These unions in the United States are taking over the workforce and holding down individuals who would otherwise prosper in our economy. They form another level of bureaucracy, inserting additional fees upon everything they interact with and make it that much easier for companies wishing to lower their payroll to decide to move their businesses overseas.
Saying “NO” to Unions
Unions in the United States are taking over the workforce and holding down individuals who would otherwise prosper. The leveling of the playing field for all people not only raises the bottom worker making them even with the midlevel workers, all without contributing anything substantial to the workplace, but also holds back those who could otherwise be over-achievers from getting the raises and benefits they may deserve.
Selena Maranjian, a pundit for the Motley Fool wrote; “In theory, at least, unionized workers might become so comfortable and protected that they lose the incentive to work hard for their employer. And outstanding employees might lose their get-up-and-go if there's no incentive to excel -- or worse, if they're pressured by the union to not go the extra mile.”1
What they fail to realize is they will be working for the same companies that answer to stockholders and the board of directors when payroll costs are up and projected profits are down. These are the people who decide to move their manufacturing base overseas to countries whose economies greet the newcomers with open arms and the production costs are a fraction of the amount that unions have fought for over the decades here in the United States. The end result is the people the unions have fought for and brought into their fold are back where they once were; mainly uneducated, unemployed, and looking to the government to make it through the day.
How did we get to where we are today?
Equate the unionization of the United States workforce to an educational setting where the teachers were not allowed to fail a substandard student, but, at the same time, could not give an “A” to anyone who had clearly earned the advanced grade. In the short term, the parents of the students who had deserved the “A” grade would be upset, but the long term ramifications could be even more profound. When the student who did not achieve, but was rewarded with a non-failing grade would enter the workforce and not be able to perform to the level put forward by their managers, that person would not be able to maintain the job. The student who is able to achieve will do so after graduation no matter what profession is sought.
James Sherk says of unions in an article entitled “Should Unions prevent your next Raise?”; “They also hold back the economy. Workers -- like everyone else -- respond to incentives. Economists unsurprisingly find that when workers are not rewarded for working harder, they don't. But when companies pay for performance, employees become more productive. Workers at companies that start using performance pay seize the opportunity to get ahead -- they become more productive and their earnings rise between 6 and 10 percent. That creates more wealth for the entire economy.”3
By holding back the creative spirit of the American worker, you stifle that which has made the United States the best place to live, work, and raise a family among first world countries. If you make the individual strong, independent, and allow that freedom of spirit to roam free, the whole of the economy will prosper.
Unions Block Choice in Education
Teachers unions, through the opposition of student voucher programs, have a long historical stance in blocking parental choice to send their children to the public or private school of their choosing. The fear is many parents would shift away from public schools with poor track records, violence in the halls, and teachers who have resigned themselves to the status quo, in favor of attending a private school. These private schools, away from state sanctioned teachers unions, have a history of higher test scores, less in-school violence, and much more discipline in the class room. Teachers unions will raise millions of dollars to keep poor students, whose schools are some of the worst in the nation, the same schools despite the alternatives.
To emphasize this point, take a look at this segment from The Phyllis Schlafly Report dated August 2000; “At its annual convention over the Fourth of July weekend, the National Education Association flung down the gauntlet in its war against school competition, a.k.a. school choice. Meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago, the delegates voted to impose a $5 a year increase in each member's dues in order to raise $6 million to combat vouchers and related ballot initiatives.”2
Teachers unions are even opposed to the home-schooling of children, citing that only state licensed persons should be able to teach and only state authorized curriculum should be taught. Those parents who have an opposition to in-school teaching of sex education in public schools have a say in the curriculum of a home schooled child, but none in the public school system. This is a power play brought on by the teachers’ unions to maintain their power base and therefore control of our future.
When people voted positively for the school voucher programs across the United States, it had teachers’ unions terrified. They were losing their power when parents voted and enrolled their children in religious schools. The safety and stability offered by a Christian-based curriculum in a religious school could not be countered by public school administrators. The cost per student was less, the test results were higher, and discipline was upheld to a higher standard. Overall, public schools were not able to compete with private schools in the open market, so the unions struck back in the only venue that would listen to them; the court of law. In the end, it was the students who suffered when forced back into their violence ridden schools where studying came in a close second to political correctness.
Unions impact us all
Even if the impact is tangential at best, much of our lives are held in check by union pressure. There is much that is influenced by American unions from the reaping and transporting the food we eat to the entertainment industry we all enjoy. One of the most populous and influential of unions is the Teamsters. If they should decide to strike and refuse to deliver their goods because they want more from their negotiated contracts than their employers are will to give, much of the food and goods that cross our country every day would go undelivered.
Should the Teamsters vote to strike, they would still receive compensatory pay from the union they belong to until a new agreement could be reached. All other people involved in the aspects of the distribution of goods, from manufacturing to selling, would be out of a paycheck. A Teamster strike alone would cause ripples through our economy that may well take years to fully recover.
Unions and Socialism
The thinking and mentality which all workers should receive the same pay and benefits, regardless of education, motivation, or skills is very pervasive within certain segments of socialist teachings. This happens to be a core belief of those who would see the United States become a more socialist country. Many people also believe that the United States is prosperous enough to spread its vast wealth to those less fortunate. These are the people that unions prey upon; low education, living poor neighborhoods, but hard working for the most part. They are enticed with worker protection, benefits not otherwise available to them, a higher than average wage, and becoming a part of something larger than them. One thing kept from them, either overtly or covertly, is that they will no longer receive individual compensation they once had available to them. People who could reckon on obtaining a higher individual raise by an evaluation of their deeds now get the same raise even the lowest performing worker can count on.
With so much news of people across the globe trying to shrug off their socialist bonds and become more like the United States, why is it so many in power here are struggling to become more socialist? Many other countries do not appreciate what a free society and workplace can bring to the local and national economy and assume all productivity comes from the state. These other countries, many of them socialist in nature, rely on the people working for the government to make the government strong and keep the individual weak.
Unions prevent fair Competition
Before deregulation in the mid-1970s, United States automakers had a virtual stranglehold on the entire auto industry. The fact that a unionized autoworker assembled a car at one of “the Big Three” United States automakers, Chrysler, Ford, or GM, added several thousand dollars to the final cost of the vehicle by way of higher wages and benefits. These higher prices were passed on to the consumer, not taken by the auto industry in terms of lower profits. Even when not working, due to plant closures and work shortages, does not mean that those factory workers are not still being paid. These union members, by contract, were still bringing in the same wage as if they were productive on the assembly line. Competition in a free market system has proven to breed a higher quality product at a lower price. It is the basis for our economy and unions seem to go against the very fiber of that theory; produce as little as you can and still maintain your employment.
Unions tend to prevent fair competition in government jobs by only allowing unionized companies to bid on many profitable jobs; “In what appears to be a bill for political pay-back, [Rep. Hollenbaugh] would allow the state to require companies bidding, negotiating, or working on any public works projects [to be union]. Right now, the law says the state cannot require the agreements, which leaves the bidding, negotiating or work for any contractor or business.”4
Haves versus the Have Not’s
Unions have had their place and time in American history. Where would we be today without the establishing of labor unions in the 1800’s? Business practices and work conditions of that time dictated that somebody do something drastic to ensure the safety and well-being of the worker. The companies that operated with 14 to 16-hr work days, no child labor statutes, and working conditions that border on the inhumane, mandated that, if the company would not do anything for the worker then the worker would have to look out for themselves. Workers banding together in a single voice and creating work stoppages to make them be heard was the best way for this to happen without overtly breaking the law.
The business sector has always done what was expedient for itself prior to unionization; maintaining poor work conditions and hiring unskilled laborers at the lowest possible wage knowing there were plenty of able bodied workers to take the place of anyone who quit or was injured on the job.
This mentality still holds true in many sectors today. Company profits are the top priority to the heads of many businesses and they will even sacrifice working conditions for higher profits. Companies will ship jobs overseas regardless of unionization or not to boost the bottom-line profits. If it is the people who make a company great, then unions are the way to make companies sit up and take notice of the great things they contribute to the workplace.
Conclusion
Unions are another form of classism, not allowing the average worker the ability to gain more and progress further than those around them in the same position using their God-given talents. The United States of America was founded on the idea that having the ability to choose what to do is always better than being told what to do. Any an individual, should be able to achieve what they have the ability, the heart, and the drive to achieve. We have been told for generations that any job worth having is one in which you can grow and prosper.
Personal responsibility is a much better way to approach any shortcomings workers may have in life. We are all encouraged to be educated and continue our education even into adulthood. By becoming educated adults, not only do we become more prosperous in our individual professions, but become more prosperous members of society as a whole giving back as much if not more than we have taken out.
If you are stifled from growing in your job, not because of limitations inherent within yourself or the position, but by a contract, a piece of paper that others have agreed upon, is that really any job you should strive to obtain?
References
1 Selena Maranjian October 30, 2003 www.fool.com/investing/general/2003/10/30/unions-good-or-bad.aspx
2 The Phyllis Schlafly Report, August 2000, Vol. 34 No. 1
3 James Sherk, June 5, 2009, “Should Unions Prevent Your Next Raise?”
4 Montana Main Street Blog, February 20, 2009
The forces that control the government are using the unions in the United States to bypass laws in the redistribution of wealth. The very definition of unions is to make everyone equal regardless of the person’s abilities. For those who see their jobs as a potential challenge to succeed, that portion of their job, or even their lives, will be irrevocably altered if forced to join a union. These unions in the United States are taking over the workforce and holding down individuals who would otherwise prosper in our economy. They form another level of bureaucracy, inserting additional fees upon everything they interact with and make it that much easier for companies wishing to lower their payroll to decide to move their businesses overseas.
Saying “NO” to Unions
Unions in the United States are taking over the workforce and holding down individuals who would otherwise prosper. The leveling of the playing field for all people not only raises the bottom worker making them even with the midlevel workers, all without contributing anything substantial to the workplace, but also holds back those who could otherwise be over-achievers from getting the raises and benefits they may deserve.
Selena Maranjian, a pundit for the Motley Fool wrote; “In theory, at least, unionized workers might become so comfortable and protected that they lose the incentive to work hard for their employer. And outstanding employees might lose their get-up-and-go if there's no incentive to excel -- or worse, if they're pressured by the union to not go the extra mile.”1
What they fail to realize is they will be working for the same companies that answer to stockholders and the board of directors when payroll costs are up and projected profits are down. These are the people who decide to move their manufacturing base overseas to countries whose economies greet the newcomers with open arms and the production costs are a fraction of the amount that unions have fought for over the decades here in the United States. The end result is the people the unions have fought for and brought into their fold are back where they once were; mainly uneducated, unemployed, and looking to the government to make it through the day.
How did we get to where we are today?
Equate the unionization of the United States workforce to an educational setting where the teachers were not allowed to fail a substandard student, but, at the same time, could not give an “A” to anyone who had clearly earned the advanced grade. In the short term, the parents of the students who had deserved the “A” grade would be upset, but the long term ramifications could be even more profound. When the student who did not achieve, but was rewarded with a non-failing grade would enter the workforce and not be able to perform to the level put forward by their managers, that person would not be able to maintain the job. The student who is able to achieve will do so after graduation no matter what profession is sought.
James Sherk says of unions in an article entitled “Should Unions prevent your next Raise?”; “They also hold back the economy. Workers -- like everyone else -- respond to incentives. Economists unsurprisingly find that when workers are not rewarded for working harder, they don't. But when companies pay for performance, employees become more productive. Workers at companies that start using performance pay seize the opportunity to get ahead -- they become more productive and their earnings rise between 6 and 10 percent. That creates more wealth for the entire economy.”3
By holding back the creative spirit of the American worker, you stifle that which has made the United States the best place to live, work, and raise a family among first world countries. If you make the individual strong, independent, and allow that freedom of spirit to roam free, the whole of the economy will prosper.
Unions Block Choice in Education
Teachers unions, through the opposition of student voucher programs, have a long historical stance in blocking parental choice to send their children to the public or private school of their choosing. The fear is many parents would shift away from public schools with poor track records, violence in the halls, and teachers who have resigned themselves to the status quo, in favor of attending a private school. These private schools, away from state sanctioned teachers unions, have a history of higher test scores, less in-school violence, and much more discipline in the class room. Teachers unions will raise millions of dollars to keep poor students, whose schools are some of the worst in the nation, the same schools despite the alternatives.
To emphasize this point, take a look at this segment from The Phyllis Schlafly Report dated August 2000; “At its annual convention over the Fourth of July weekend, the National Education Association flung down the gauntlet in its war against school competition, a.k.a. school choice. Meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago, the delegates voted to impose a $5 a year increase in each member's dues in order to raise $6 million to combat vouchers and related ballot initiatives.”2
Teachers unions are even opposed to the home-schooling of children, citing that only state licensed persons should be able to teach and only state authorized curriculum should be taught. Those parents who have an opposition to in-school teaching of sex education in public schools have a say in the curriculum of a home schooled child, but none in the public school system. This is a power play brought on by the teachers’ unions to maintain their power base and therefore control of our future.
When people voted positively for the school voucher programs across the United States, it had teachers’ unions terrified. They were losing their power when parents voted and enrolled their children in religious schools. The safety and stability offered by a Christian-based curriculum in a religious school could not be countered by public school administrators. The cost per student was less, the test results were higher, and discipline was upheld to a higher standard. Overall, public schools were not able to compete with private schools in the open market, so the unions struck back in the only venue that would listen to them; the court of law. In the end, it was the students who suffered when forced back into their violence ridden schools where studying came in a close second to political correctness.
Unions impact us all
Even if the impact is tangential at best, much of our lives are held in check by union pressure. There is much that is influenced by American unions from the reaping and transporting the food we eat to the entertainment industry we all enjoy. One of the most populous and influential of unions is the Teamsters. If they should decide to strike and refuse to deliver their goods because they want more from their negotiated contracts than their employers are will to give, much of the food and goods that cross our country every day would go undelivered.
Should the Teamsters vote to strike, they would still receive compensatory pay from the union they belong to until a new agreement could be reached. All other people involved in the aspects of the distribution of goods, from manufacturing to selling, would be out of a paycheck. A Teamster strike alone would cause ripples through our economy that may well take years to fully recover.
Unions and Socialism
The thinking and mentality which all workers should receive the same pay and benefits, regardless of education, motivation, or skills is very pervasive within certain segments of socialist teachings. This happens to be a core belief of those who would see the United States become a more socialist country. Many people also believe that the United States is prosperous enough to spread its vast wealth to those less fortunate. These are the people that unions prey upon; low education, living poor neighborhoods, but hard working for the most part. They are enticed with worker protection, benefits not otherwise available to them, a higher than average wage, and becoming a part of something larger than them. One thing kept from them, either overtly or covertly, is that they will no longer receive individual compensation they once had available to them. People who could reckon on obtaining a higher individual raise by an evaluation of their deeds now get the same raise even the lowest performing worker can count on.
With so much news of people across the globe trying to shrug off their socialist bonds and become more like the United States, why is it so many in power here are struggling to become more socialist? Many other countries do not appreciate what a free society and workplace can bring to the local and national economy and assume all productivity comes from the state. These other countries, many of them socialist in nature, rely on the people working for the government to make the government strong and keep the individual weak.
Unions prevent fair Competition
Before deregulation in the mid-1970s, United States automakers had a virtual stranglehold on the entire auto industry. The fact that a unionized autoworker assembled a car at one of “the Big Three” United States automakers, Chrysler, Ford, or GM, added several thousand dollars to the final cost of the vehicle by way of higher wages and benefits. These higher prices were passed on to the consumer, not taken by the auto industry in terms of lower profits. Even when not working, due to plant closures and work shortages, does not mean that those factory workers are not still being paid. These union members, by contract, were still bringing in the same wage as if they were productive on the assembly line. Competition in a free market system has proven to breed a higher quality product at a lower price. It is the basis for our economy and unions seem to go against the very fiber of that theory; produce as little as you can and still maintain your employment.
Unions tend to prevent fair competition in government jobs by only allowing unionized companies to bid on many profitable jobs; “In what appears to be a bill for political pay-back, [Rep. Hollenbaugh] would allow the state to require companies bidding, negotiating, or working on any public works projects [to be union]. Right now, the law says the state cannot require the agreements, which leaves the bidding, negotiating or work for any contractor or business.”4
Haves versus the Have Not’s
Unions have had their place and time in American history. Where would we be today without the establishing of labor unions in the 1800’s? Business practices and work conditions of that time dictated that somebody do something drastic to ensure the safety and well-being of the worker. The companies that operated with 14 to 16-hr work days, no child labor statutes, and working conditions that border on the inhumane, mandated that, if the company would not do anything for the worker then the worker would have to look out for themselves. Workers banding together in a single voice and creating work stoppages to make them be heard was the best way for this to happen without overtly breaking the law.
The business sector has always done what was expedient for itself prior to unionization; maintaining poor work conditions and hiring unskilled laborers at the lowest possible wage knowing there were plenty of able bodied workers to take the place of anyone who quit or was injured on the job.
This mentality still holds true in many sectors today. Company profits are the top priority to the heads of many businesses and they will even sacrifice working conditions for higher profits. Companies will ship jobs overseas regardless of unionization or not to boost the bottom-line profits. If it is the people who make a company great, then unions are the way to make companies sit up and take notice of the great things they contribute to the workplace.
Conclusion
Unions are another form of classism, not allowing the average worker the ability to gain more and progress further than those around them in the same position using their God-given talents. The United States of America was founded on the idea that having the ability to choose what to do is always better than being told what to do. Any an individual, should be able to achieve what they have the ability, the heart, and the drive to achieve. We have been told for generations that any job worth having is one in which you can grow and prosper.
Personal responsibility is a much better way to approach any shortcomings workers may have in life. We are all encouraged to be educated and continue our education even into adulthood. By becoming educated adults, not only do we become more prosperous in our individual professions, but become more prosperous members of society as a whole giving back as much if not more than we have taken out.
If you are stifled from growing in your job, not because of limitations inherent within yourself or the position, but by a contract, a piece of paper that others have agreed upon, is that really any job you should strive to obtain?
References
1 Selena Maranjian October 30, 2003 www.fool.com/investing/general/2003/10/30/unions-good-or-bad.aspx
2 The Phyllis Schlafly Report, August 2000, Vol. 34 No. 1
3 James Sherk, June 5, 2009, “Should Unions Prevent Your Next Raise?”
4 Montana Main Street Blog, February 20, 2009
How far would You go to save a Loved One?
Opponents of “enhanced interrogation techniques,” or torture as they call it, do not believe information gleaned from these methods is valid and may even go against current human rights conventions. A question to ask anyone who has lost a loved one to terrorist activities; “If given the opportunity to go back in time and prevent that event from occurring, how far would you go and what would you do to prevent that loss?” If the event were preventable because of advanced notice due to harsh interrogation or information gained through torture, is the life and well-being of a terrorist worth more than the life of your lost wife, husband, child, sister, brother, mother, father, in-laws, or even a best friend?
These methods are used in restrictive situations on select persons within a certain time frame after being apprehended so that any information to be gained is still fresh and pertinent. The longer the time frame between the seizure and actual questioning means events may have unfolded to make any information gathered irrelevant and not useful. Many times information gathered is only used to verify what is already known or suspected. It is one of the techniques used in the court of law; ask only questions you know the answers to.
These techniques are regularly performed upon the actual people who will be using them on the enemy. People who are expected to go deep into harm’s way without much in the lines of support and with the possibility of being captured are often given training into what to expect if caught. It is regularly given as a part of SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) training to toughen up the field operatives.
We know that, as of today, time travel is not possible, so we can only speculate as to how we would feel or what we would actually do given the ability to alter the past. We have all seen movies of people going back in time to right a wrong or undo an injustice done to them. The ending is usually pretty well scripted out where the good-guys win. In reality, the future would not be the way we left it; a domino effect given the altered series of events in the past would cause an entirely new and different future. So we must use what we have presently; information gathered from sources to alter the future.
Recently a big push has gone out to re-evaluate how we treat persons caught on the field of battle against the United States military forces. Are they considered prisoners of war, enemy combatants, or are these just more political maneuverings and word games? The whole argument has become a matter of semantics.
Are we obligated to follow the Geneva Convention and other civil treaties if our opponents do not? The Geneva Convention states that its tenets apply to uniformed agents of an established government’s military. People who are contracted by a government as non-uniformed agents, people who act independently of the government and people who have no formal relationship to any government are not strictly bound by those same laws or treaties. As such, when a member of a uniformed military organization enters onto the field of battle, if caught and taken prisoner, they are taught to expect certain rights and treatment. Soldiers of the United States are careful not to do anything that would bring them under the scrutiny of higher elected officials.
There is a manual that is well known to the military intelligence community as well as our opponents and it states that, as agents of the United States government, they must act in accordance to these rules or be tried by a jury of their peers in a court of law. This knowledge can be used to find information as well as hide it. If you know what an opponent can and cannot do, you can plan ahead.
Interviewing subjects, talking to them in a more relaxed, friendly manner and treating them in a civilized approach is said to eventually break down any barriers and the prisoners will inadvertently give out information they wouldn’t normally using harsh techniques. This is used if time is not a major factor.
We may never know the honest truth about what is the best method to gain information to use for our causes and against those who would do us harm. As long as there are people and politicians who want to use the system for their own ends and are more worried about the rights of the opponents than the welfare of American citizens fighting on their behalf, we will continue to have these debates on how to treat enemies of the United States of America.
These methods are used in restrictive situations on select persons within a certain time frame after being apprehended so that any information to be gained is still fresh and pertinent. The longer the time frame between the seizure and actual questioning means events may have unfolded to make any information gathered irrelevant and not useful. Many times information gathered is only used to verify what is already known or suspected. It is one of the techniques used in the court of law; ask only questions you know the answers to.
These techniques are regularly performed upon the actual people who will be using them on the enemy. People who are expected to go deep into harm’s way without much in the lines of support and with the possibility of being captured are often given training into what to expect if caught. It is regularly given as a part of SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) training to toughen up the field operatives.
We know that, as of today, time travel is not possible, so we can only speculate as to how we would feel or what we would actually do given the ability to alter the past. We have all seen movies of people going back in time to right a wrong or undo an injustice done to them. The ending is usually pretty well scripted out where the good-guys win. In reality, the future would not be the way we left it; a domino effect given the altered series of events in the past would cause an entirely new and different future. So we must use what we have presently; information gathered from sources to alter the future.
Recently a big push has gone out to re-evaluate how we treat persons caught on the field of battle against the United States military forces. Are they considered prisoners of war, enemy combatants, or are these just more political maneuverings and word games? The whole argument has become a matter of semantics.
Are we obligated to follow the Geneva Convention and other civil treaties if our opponents do not? The Geneva Convention states that its tenets apply to uniformed agents of an established government’s military. People who are contracted by a government as non-uniformed agents, people who act independently of the government and people who have no formal relationship to any government are not strictly bound by those same laws or treaties. As such, when a member of a uniformed military organization enters onto the field of battle, if caught and taken prisoner, they are taught to expect certain rights and treatment. Soldiers of the United States are careful not to do anything that would bring them under the scrutiny of higher elected officials.
There is a manual that is well known to the military intelligence community as well as our opponents and it states that, as agents of the United States government, they must act in accordance to these rules or be tried by a jury of their peers in a court of law. This knowledge can be used to find information as well as hide it. If you know what an opponent can and cannot do, you can plan ahead.
Interviewing subjects, talking to them in a more relaxed, friendly manner and treating them in a civilized approach is said to eventually break down any barriers and the prisoners will inadvertently give out information they wouldn’t normally using harsh techniques. This is used if time is not a major factor.
We may never know the honest truth about what is the best method to gain information to use for our causes and against those who would do us harm. As long as there are people and politicians who want to use the system for their own ends and are more worried about the rights of the opponents than the welfare of American citizens fighting on their behalf, we will continue to have these debates on how to treat enemies of the United States of America.
GLOSSOPHOBIA
Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is one of the most pervasive phobias we can face in our lifetimes. The ability to speak in public is rare. It is crucial a crucial skill to have for many occupations today. Even speaking to small groups, like a promotion board or interviewing for a new job, can be a daunting task to those who are not accustomed.
When I first started my speaking career, I was in my early teens and had joined the local 4-H club. Periodically we would have to give a demonstration or project talk to the club members. These talks would be either informational in telling members about a subject or a physical demonstration of how something is accomplished.
One year I had a demonstration to show the proper way to make a bird house. I started by telling the audience that different birds preferred different forms of houses and the shape of the house would either attract or repel the target bird. Research would have to be done to make sure the species you are trying to attract would use form of the house after built.
I would align the materials needed to complete the house in front of me and tell what each piece was named and how selecting the building material was as necessary as its shape. As I built the house, I would explain how the engineering of the structure would allow ventilation for proper air flow. In the end I would tell the audience where the most optimal location to place the completed house.
This form of oral communication was good for a young person starting out to get familiar with presenting in front of a crowd of people. We were all friends, you would choose your topic, and you usually had plenty of time to prepare. Being among friends, people could talk to individuals in the crowd as opposed to talking to a sea of unknown faces.
I have the speech impediment of stuttering. It has been an issue for a vast majority of my life, as long as I can clearly remember. There are times when it is very obvious and I can’t speak for two minutes without it stammering and there are times when I can go days or weeks without a noticeable problem. I have identified certain consonants and word patters that queue an episode so I try to stay away from them if possible.
In order to combat the problem in hopes of overcoming it, I joined the debate and forensics teams in high school. I did this thinking that if I would face the issue I could triumph over it. It did affect me greatly in those classes and I did not excel the way others did in my grade. But because of this, I have no real fear of speaking in public as long as I am familiar with the subject matter.
Overcoming this fear is one of the primary goals of the group Toastmasters. Their approach is to improve a person’s speaking ability and leadership skills. In my limited research of this organization it is very open to outsiders and understanding of a person’s hesitance at public speaking. They give immediate feedback as to what you should keep, change, improve upon, or drop entirely.
So, in short, if you have a problem speaking, there are groups out there to help. You only have to take the first step and look for them.
When I first started my speaking career, I was in my early teens and had joined the local 4-H club. Periodically we would have to give a demonstration or project talk to the club members. These talks would be either informational in telling members about a subject or a physical demonstration of how something is accomplished.
One year I had a demonstration to show the proper way to make a bird house. I started by telling the audience that different birds preferred different forms of houses and the shape of the house would either attract or repel the target bird. Research would have to be done to make sure the species you are trying to attract would use form of the house after built.
I would align the materials needed to complete the house in front of me and tell what each piece was named and how selecting the building material was as necessary as its shape. As I built the house, I would explain how the engineering of the structure would allow ventilation for proper air flow. In the end I would tell the audience where the most optimal location to place the completed house.
This form of oral communication was good for a young person starting out to get familiar with presenting in front of a crowd of people. We were all friends, you would choose your topic, and you usually had plenty of time to prepare. Being among friends, people could talk to individuals in the crowd as opposed to talking to a sea of unknown faces.
I have the speech impediment of stuttering. It has been an issue for a vast majority of my life, as long as I can clearly remember. There are times when it is very obvious and I can’t speak for two minutes without it stammering and there are times when I can go days or weeks without a noticeable problem. I have identified certain consonants and word patters that queue an episode so I try to stay away from them if possible.
In order to combat the problem in hopes of overcoming it, I joined the debate and forensics teams in high school. I did this thinking that if I would face the issue I could triumph over it. It did affect me greatly in those classes and I did not excel the way others did in my grade. But because of this, I have no real fear of speaking in public as long as I am familiar with the subject matter.
Overcoming this fear is one of the primary goals of the group Toastmasters. Their approach is to improve a person’s speaking ability and leadership skills. In my limited research of this organization it is very open to outsiders and understanding of a person’s hesitance at public speaking. They give immediate feedback as to what you should keep, change, improve upon, or drop entirely.
So, in short, if you have a problem speaking, there are groups out there to help. You only have to take the first step and look for them.
25 July 2010
ONE OF MY OTHER FAMILIES
While growing up, I had several families “adopt” me as one of their own. Being from Smalltown, Kansas, it seemed as though everyone watched out for each other. Where I grew up, you are family to anyone who invited you into their home, but we all have our favorites.
It all started when I moved to the family farm in the early 1970’s. One of my favorite families to adopt me was the Winchells from Axtell. Loretta looked me after many days. In fact, I think she may have even “potty-trained” me.
The Kim and Loretta have five children and, at present, eleven grandchildren!
In order of appearance: Carissa, Holly, Hope, Kami, and Kyle.
It was natural for me to gravitate toward that family; kids my age to play with, fun loving, friendly, and we attended the same church.
Even though Carissa and I were the same age and in the same class, Holly and I were inseparable when we were together. When they would come out to the farm to play, Carissa and my sister would play with dolls and stuff, while Holly and I made a beeline for the barn, the ponds, and area trees to climb. We shared a great love of the outdoors and nature. We spied on our sisters and were told on more than one occasion to “Get out of here!!!” and we would run away laughing only to try again later.
Carissa, Holly, and I became great friends. Hope sometimes tagged along, but was more of a “5th wheel” than an actual play-buddy. Kami and Kyle were just too young for me to play with “way back then.”
In the winter months, when the snow covered the countryside, one of our pastures had a perfectly sloped hill for “tubing” (riding a tractor tire inner tube down the slopes). It was steep enough to give us a thrill, long enough to build up some speed, but still short enough that we would not get too tired hauling the tube back to the top of the hill. Every few weeks the church youth group would come out for a Sunday afternoon of tubing followed by a nice roaring bon fire to roast hotdogs, marshmallows, and make “s’mores.”
I changed schools after First Grade, but was still able to get together and have fun for church events. When I returned to Axtell HS for my Jr./Sr. years, I was reacquainted with many of my earlier childhood friends and made many new ones.
Another of the Family I haven’t mentioned yet is Lance. He was born with a learning disability and a heart the size of the state. There are many people who attend Axtell’s sporting events that know him on sight, he is a great supporter, but don’t really know who he is. They only know him as “Lance,” but not his last name. My first memories of Lance are of him in church ringing the bell to call people to service or as the candle-lighter sitting in the front pew.
When I attended my last class reunion, Wendy and I stopped by the Winchell’s homestead to see if anyone was home and Loretta answered the door, busy as usual. After a bit of a talk, in comes Lance, smiling as he always does and without skipping a beat envelopes me in a bear-hug and says, “Hey, Buddy!” Other than a bit of lost hair, Lance is still the same wonderful person I’ve known all those years ago.
Through Facebook, I caught back up with the Winchells and have talked to Holly a couple times. Both she and I have gone through our own individual trials and tribulations, but due to the support of our Families we are both much better off with them than without.
It all started when I moved to the family farm in the early 1970’s. One of my favorite families to adopt me was the Winchells from Axtell. Loretta looked me after many days. In fact, I think she may have even “potty-trained” me.
The Kim and Loretta have five children and, at present, eleven grandchildren!
In order of appearance: Carissa, Holly, Hope, Kami, and Kyle.
It was natural for me to gravitate toward that family; kids my age to play with, fun loving, friendly, and we attended the same church.
Even though Carissa and I were the same age and in the same class, Holly and I were inseparable when we were together. When they would come out to the farm to play, Carissa and my sister would play with dolls and stuff, while Holly and I made a beeline for the barn, the ponds, and area trees to climb. We shared a great love of the outdoors and nature. We spied on our sisters and were told on more than one occasion to “Get out of here!!!” and we would run away laughing only to try again later.
Carissa, Holly, and I became great friends. Hope sometimes tagged along, but was more of a “5th wheel” than an actual play-buddy. Kami and Kyle were just too young for me to play with “way back then.”
In the winter months, when the snow covered the countryside, one of our pastures had a perfectly sloped hill for “tubing” (riding a tractor tire inner tube down the slopes). It was steep enough to give us a thrill, long enough to build up some speed, but still short enough that we would not get too tired hauling the tube back to the top of the hill. Every few weeks the church youth group would come out for a Sunday afternoon of tubing followed by a nice roaring bon fire to roast hotdogs, marshmallows, and make “s’mores.”
I changed schools after First Grade, but was still able to get together and have fun for church events. When I returned to Axtell HS for my Jr./Sr. years, I was reacquainted with many of my earlier childhood friends and made many new ones.
Another of the Family I haven’t mentioned yet is Lance. He was born with a learning disability and a heart the size of the state. There are many people who attend Axtell’s sporting events that know him on sight, he is a great supporter, but don’t really know who he is. They only know him as “Lance,” but not his last name. My first memories of Lance are of him in church ringing the bell to call people to service or as the candle-lighter sitting in the front pew.
When I attended my last class reunion, Wendy and I stopped by the Winchell’s homestead to see if anyone was home and Loretta answered the door, busy as usual. After a bit of a talk, in comes Lance, smiling as he always does and without skipping a beat envelopes me in a bear-hug and says, “Hey, Buddy!” Other than a bit of lost hair, Lance is still the same wonderful person I’ve known all those years ago.
Through Facebook, I caught back up with the Winchells and have talked to Holly a couple times. Both she and I have gone through our own individual trials and tribulations, but due to the support of our Families we are both much better off with them than without.
20 July 2010
My Fascination with Numbers
I have a severe fascination with numbers that borders on obsession. Let me explain:
I have found two numbers (whether adding up to or standing alone) again and again significant times in my life. Those numbers are 8 and 9. Below I show you what I mean.
I am sure I could find more if I were to really look, but I do not want a movie to be made of my life with me scraping these numbers in my sanitarium cell with blood-tipped fingernails.
The Number “8”
My Mom’s old address
242 S Hancock
2+4+2=8
My first squad leader at Ft Bragg
242 Spear Dr
add it up
Field Artillery Units I belonged to in Desert Storm
3/8th FA
5/8th FA
3+5=8
Unit I belonged to on Ft Bragg
503rd Maint Co
add it up
Belonged to on Ft Stewart
24th Infantry
2x4=8
Birth year
1970
1+9+7+0= 17
1+7=8
Last number of my badge at QCNPS
1401208
1+4+0+1+2+0+8=16
16/2=8
The Number “9”
Current Address
#4203
4+2+0+3=9
First three numbers of SSN add up to
9
take my word for it
Last four numbers of SSN add up to
9
Supported in Desert Storm
XVIII ABN Corps
18/2=9
Units in Desert Storm
18th FA Brig
1+8=9
My box number given to me for collecting comic books
9
I was married in
September
9th month
Wendy was born on January 9
GOING A BIT FURTHER
Year I graduated HS
’89
8 and 9
I joined the Army
8/9/89
COINCIDENCES WITH WENDY
My middle name is a grandparent’s last name; Wendy’s middle name is a grandparent’s last name
Wendy and I share the same two middle numbers in our SSNs.
Some of these are a bit of a stretch, but it keeps me occupied.
I know you are probably shaking your head debating whether to disown me or not. This is how my mind works. More on my mind working (or not) later.
I have found two numbers (whether adding up to or standing alone) again and again significant times in my life. Those numbers are 8 and 9. Below I show you what I mean.
I am sure I could find more if I were to really look, but I do not want a movie to be made of my life with me scraping these numbers in my sanitarium cell with blood-tipped fingernails.
The Number “8”
My Mom’s old address
242 S Hancock
2+4+2=8
My first squad leader at Ft Bragg
242 Spear Dr
add it up
Field Artillery Units I belonged to in Desert Storm
3/8th FA
5/8th FA
3+5=8
Unit I belonged to on Ft Bragg
503rd Maint Co
add it up
Belonged to on Ft Stewart
24th Infantry
2x4=8
Birth year
1970
1+9+7+0= 17
1+7=8
Last number of my badge at QCNPS
1401208
1+4+0+1+2+0+8=16
16/2=8
The Number “9”
Current Address
#4203
4+2+0+3=9
First three numbers of SSN add up to
9
take my word for it
Last four numbers of SSN add up to
9
Supported in Desert Storm
XVIII ABN Corps
18/2=9
Units in Desert Storm
18th FA Brig
1+8=9
My box number given to me for collecting comic books
9
I was married in
September
9th month
Wendy was born on January 9
GOING A BIT FURTHER
Year I graduated HS
’89
8 and 9
I joined the Army
8/9/89
COINCIDENCES WITH WENDY
My middle name is a grandparent’s last name; Wendy’s middle name is a grandparent’s last name
Wendy and I share the same two middle numbers in our SSNs.
Some of these are a bit of a stretch, but it keeps me occupied.
I know you are probably shaking your head debating whether to disown me or not. This is how my mind works. More on my mind working (or not) later.
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