Less than one week after the 5th Anniversary of the War In Iraq a bomb killed four more U.S. soldiers bringing the total to 4000 dead. Two huge milestones for George W. Bush. What a wonderful gift on Easter Sunday. I wonder what George's god thinks about that? Bush is about as religious as I am. The only religious thing that happened to me today was that the Easter Bunny came. I just find it hard to believe that the so called god of the world is a Republican. If the Christian god looks favorably on bombing innocent men women and children there is no wonder that I am an atheist. If god approves of 4000 dead Americans and possibly 1,000,000
dead Iraqis and millions of displaced civilians then he is no friend of mine.
But if god is for war profiteering , $4.00 a gallon for gas, domestic spying , destroying education and completely ignoring global warming (until it is deemed profitable) and spreading the Rush Limbaugh gospel of hate, than yes, I guess he would be a Republican. If he is the god of George Bush, Dick Cheney, and John McCain then maybe he is indeed America's nationalistic treasure.
After all, the American people, especially the house and senate are standing by and letting the White House get away with it. The media have honored the gag order not to mention the War. They have done their patriotic duty by covering the poor little Iraqi boy that was burned really bad and has been brought to the country responsible for his injuries in the first place. Why care now? No one gave a rat's ass about the other million dead people. What a joke our so called journalist are. They should all retire their pens .
I was just thinking that maybe I've got it all wrong. Maybe I should get right with god. I assume that means become a right winger. I guess I could buy stock in oil, Halliburton, BlackWater and The Carlyle Group. The stock market is in the shits it's a good time to buy.
Maybe it is time to give old Satan a break. I'm sure he gets tired of the saying ,"The devil made me do it."
So when you kill the enemy and his family and your wallet gets fatter and fatter at the expense of the common folk it will be o.k. If you decide to go to war with Iran and kill another million people your in good shape. You have an easy way out, all you have to say is:
"GOD MADE ME DO IT".
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
A few words on Tibet....
Some time ago I read a book about the Tibetan warriors during the Chinese occupation in the 1950's. These were some hardcore dudes who lived in the high country and did not take any crap from anybody. They were devout Buddhist and followed the teachings of the Dalai Lama but believed that you used violence to protect what was your own. They vowed to fight to the death for their religion and their freedom. Unfortunately they ended up losing both. The Dalai Lama escaped to nearby India and has lived there in exile ever since.
The Chinese government killed millions of Tibetans and destroyed the ancient monestaries leaving the people without a religious leader and stripping them of their culture and identity.
In 1965 the Chinese renamed the area Tibet Autonomous Region or TAR for short. This turned the country basically into Chinese provinces. The dominant ethnic group is called Han Chinese that make up about 90% of the population. The remaining Tibetans have been fighting mostly a losing battle to regain some sense of their former lives up to the present.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (Ocean Of Wisdom) is still recognized as their spiritual leader even though he still resides in Dharmasala which is located in India across Tibet's western border. He still preaches the words of non-violence and peace. A philosphy most Buddhists practice in everyday life.
Well this past week many young students and monks have decided that they have had enough of the on-going oppression of the Chinese government. What seemed to me as a peaceful demonstration has turned violent. The shit has hit the fan. Blood has been shed from the capital of Lhasa which is in the middle of the country to provinces of Sichuan in the east up through Qinghai in the north. The Chinese government has reported 19 dead while the Tibetans have declared at least 100 as of Friday night. The city of Lhasa is in lock down and a ban on journalist and cameras is in effect. It appears as though Lhasa is a complete mess with burning buildings and military activity throughout the town. With the government controlling the media (like George Bush in Iraq) no one really knows the extent of damage or an accurate body count.
The Chinese are blaming the Dalai Lama for inciting the riots which we all know is bullshit. Americans are used to this type of pro war propaganda from Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Powell, Rice, Wolfowitz and the rest of the right wing controlled media to know who is lying.
The Dalai Lama has said he will resign if the Tibetans do not stop the protests. I'm not sure if he has any control at all over these strong-willed beaten down champions of the cause.
I understand and appreciate his non-violent and peaceful approach to world problems. If the Pope was half as cool as His Holiness the earth would be a much better place to live. But in this instance his philosophy hasn't done much for his people in recent history. So now what?
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi went to visit the Dalai Lama in Dharmasala and at a press conference there had this to say:"Freedom-loving people throughout the world do not speak out against China's oppression in China and Tibet, we have lost all moral authority to speak on behalf of human rights anywhere in the world". In-tuned people have spoken out about the people of Tibet on Hollywood stages and in print for awhile now, but the governments around the world have been the silent ones.
We are all (at least people with half a brain) anti-war. We are all (repeat) pro-choice. But what choice do the Tibetans have? I guess if you believe in something so strong that you are willing to sacrifice everything to achieve it you have to go for it. If the United States were occupied by a right wing regime(like in Iraq) would you fight for your freedom and lay everything on the line? Or would you just shut up and take it? I know I will support the people of Tibet and their cause either way.
The Chinese government killed millions of Tibetans and destroyed the ancient monestaries leaving the people without a religious leader and stripping them of their culture and identity.
In 1965 the Chinese renamed the area Tibet Autonomous Region or TAR for short. This turned the country basically into Chinese provinces. The dominant ethnic group is called Han Chinese that make up about 90% of the population. The remaining Tibetans have been fighting mostly a losing battle to regain some sense of their former lives up to the present.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (Ocean Of Wisdom) is still recognized as their spiritual leader even though he still resides in Dharmasala which is located in India across Tibet's western border. He still preaches the words of non-violence and peace. A philosphy most Buddhists practice in everyday life.
Well this past week many young students and monks have decided that they have had enough of the on-going oppression of the Chinese government. What seemed to me as a peaceful demonstration has turned violent. The shit has hit the fan. Blood has been shed from the capital of Lhasa which is in the middle of the country to provinces of Sichuan in the east up through Qinghai in the north. The Chinese government has reported 19 dead while the Tibetans have declared at least 100 as of Friday night. The city of Lhasa is in lock down and a ban on journalist and cameras is in effect. It appears as though Lhasa is a complete mess with burning buildings and military activity throughout the town. With the government controlling the media (like George Bush in Iraq) no one really knows the extent of damage or an accurate body count.
The Chinese are blaming the Dalai Lama for inciting the riots which we all know is bullshit. Americans are used to this type of pro war propaganda from Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Powell, Rice, Wolfowitz and the rest of the right wing controlled media to know who is lying.
The Dalai Lama has said he will resign if the Tibetans do not stop the protests. I'm not sure if he has any control at all over these strong-willed beaten down champions of the cause.
I understand and appreciate his non-violent and peaceful approach to world problems. If the Pope was half as cool as His Holiness the earth would be a much better place to live. But in this instance his philosophy hasn't done much for his people in recent history. So now what?
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi went to visit the Dalai Lama in Dharmasala and at a press conference there had this to say:"Freedom-loving people throughout the world do not speak out against China's oppression in China and Tibet, we have lost all moral authority to speak on behalf of human rights anywhere in the world". In-tuned people have spoken out about the people of Tibet on Hollywood stages and in print for awhile now, but the governments around the world have been the silent ones.
We are all (at least people with half a brain) anti-war. We are all (repeat) pro-choice. But what choice do the Tibetans have? I guess if you believe in something so strong that you are willing to sacrifice everything to achieve it you have to go for it. If the United States were occupied by a right wing regime(like in Iraq) would you fight for your freedom and lay everything on the line? Or would you just shut up and take it? I know I will support the people of Tibet and their cause either way.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Cheney and McBush In Iraq
I'm going to be Rush Limbaugh or Bile Cunningham today. Hey all you Iraqi citizens, do you remember how you felt when Good Old George Bush bombed your houses and killed your friends and families. When you lost your job and everything else you held near and dear? Do you remember how you felt when someone you loved was hauled off to Abu Ghraib or Gitmo for no reason and was never heard from again? Well I have a great idea for you.....
Now is your chance to do your patriotic duty and kill these foreigners. Cheney was the one responsible for all those feelings you had and have. He is the puppetmaster behind George Bush.
He is the one that is going to bring Americans to your country and steal your jobs and drain your economy. Are you going to stand for this outrage? They will be lazy criminals and make your health care cost skyrocket. Get that pale skinned heathen and string him up. Tell him to learn the language before you kill him.
John McCain could take over this tyrannical rule. You better get him while you can. I hear opportunity knocking in Iraq you better take advantage of it. Because we will stay in your neck of the woods for 100 years if we have to. Don't forget about your buddies Iran. We have our targets set on them and we're ready to go.
Maybe you can chase them down a hole. Let them parade around in their underwear and eat Doritos. Hurry up before all the photo ops are over. I have another suggestion...
Give Cheney and McBush a couple of shot guns and let them go hunting together.
Now I'm back to reality...While Cheney and McBush are in Iraq they should close the borders and then make them become Iraqi citizens. They have to become Muslims and learn the Koran and pass a test that their own people can't pass. I"ll make a bargain with you, lock them up and waterboard them and post videos on YouTube. Then sell apparel on your website like Limbaugh does.
With an opinion like this maybe I should get my own radio show on Clear Channel.
Now is your chance to do your patriotic duty and kill these foreigners. Cheney was the one responsible for all those feelings you had and have. He is the puppetmaster behind George Bush.
He is the one that is going to bring Americans to your country and steal your jobs and drain your economy. Are you going to stand for this outrage? They will be lazy criminals and make your health care cost skyrocket. Get that pale skinned heathen and string him up. Tell him to learn the language before you kill him.
John McCain could take over this tyrannical rule. You better get him while you can. I hear opportunity knocking in Iraq you better take advantage of it. Because we will stay in your neck of the woods for 100 years if we have to. Don't forget about your buddies Iran. We have our targets set on them and we're ready to go.
Maybe you can chase them down a hole. Let them parade around in their underwear and eat Doritos. Hurry up before all the photo ops are over. I have another suggestion...
Give Cheney and McBush a couple of shot guns and let them go hunting together.
Now I'm back to reality...While Cheney and McBush are in Iraq they should close the borders and then make them become Iraqi citizens. They have to become Muslims and learn the Koran and pass a test that their own people can't pass. I"ll make a bargain with you, lock them up and waterboard them and post videos on YouTube. Then sell apparel on your website like Limbaugh does.
With an opinion like this maybe I should get my own radio show on Clear Channel.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
(New Owners)
The company I have been working for the last 10 plus years got bought out today. We were all summoned to the cafeteria at 3:30pm on Thursday afternoon for an important meeting. Prior to that, the day shift guys must have been on a gag order because they were only hinting at what took place at their meeting earlier in the day.
The owner of____ talked about wanting to get an exit strategy (where have we heard that line before?) for the last year and a half. He is ___ years old and his kids evidently don't want to be the 4th generation to be in the ____ industry. So he found a buyer out of ____ to take over the company. We were introduced to this cat named ____ from a company called ____ Who are under the _________Group. All sounds like some Wall Street mumbo jumbo to me, which frankly scares the crap out of me.
But! We were all told that nothing would change. The management we have now would stay intact, the crappy insurance and the minimal benefit package would remain the same. He didn't say that , but that is what he meant. All the other companies (three so far) would remain autonomous and function as usual. The idea is that we would all compliment each other in the world of ______.As per my usual M.O. I came home and looked up the other companies on the internet. I also looked up ______. They have many business interest in many fields. That was slightly comforting. The other two companies under the _____banner seemed smaller than ours. One is in _____ and one in _____. Not so comforting if we are supposed to get more work from places smaller than us.
I've never been through a buyout in my 22 years of printing. So this whole situation is new to me. Two of my friends used to work at Gibson Greeting Cards and they got royally screwed when they got bought out by American Greetings. So my emotions have run the gamut in the last few hours. Here's a few reasons why:
1. I've never trusted the upper management in any company I've worked for.
2. I certainly don't trust someone from _____ who I don't know at all.
3. I have a family to support.
4. Like everyone else I have debt.
5. I never went to college and have been doing this for a living since I was 20.
6. I'm 42 years old now.
Now here are the reasons why I'm not worried about my job:
1. You can't live in fear for any job, you will get an ulcer.
2. I had a labor job before this one I can always get another.
3. As long as I'm able, my family will have a roof over their head.
4. I have a supportive wife and "this team has made it this far."...
5. In a way I would like to do something else for a living, this could force me into it.
6. The only thing I stand to lose are material things anyway.
7. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, it keeps you from getting bored.
So on Friday at 3:00pm I will go into work as usual and count down the hours until the weekend.
I'm still going to do my job and have a few laughs with my friends. What the future has in store I can't tell, but I do know this... Life is too short to worry about what might happen.
P.S. You can fill in the blanks for yourself, maybe you or someone you know may have gone through the same thing.
The owner of____ talked about wanting to get an exit strategy (where have we heard that line before?) for the last year and a half. He is ___ years old and his kids evidently don't want to be the 4th generation to be in the ____ industry. So he found a buyer out of ____ to take over the company. We were introduced to this cat named ____ from a company called ____ Who are under the _________Group. All sounds like some Wall Street mumbo jumbo to me, which frankly scares the crap out of me.
But! We were all told that nothing would change. The management we have now would stay intact, the crappy insurance and the minimal benefit package would remain the same. He didn't say that , but that is what he meant. All the other companies (three so far) would remain autonomous and function as usual. The idea is that we would all compliment each other in the world of ______.As per my usual M.O. I came home and looked up the other companies on the internet. I also looked up ______. They have many business interest in many fields. That was slightly comforting. The other two companies under the _____banner seemed smaller than ours. One is in _____ and one in _____. Not so comforting if we are supposed to get more work from places smaller than us.
I've never been through a buyout in my 22 years of printing. So this whole situation is new to me. Two of my friends used to work at Gibson Greeting Cards and they got royally screwed when they got bought out by American Greetings. So my emotions have run the gamut in the last few hours. Here's a few reasons why:
1. I've never trusted the upper management in any company I've worked for.
2. I certainly don't trust someone from _____ who I don't know at all.
3. I have a family to support.
4. Like everyone else I have debt.
5. I never went to college and have been doing this for a living since I was 20.
6. I'm 42 years old now.
Now here are the reasons why I'm not worried about my job:
1. You can't live in fear for any job, you will get an ulcer.
2. I had a labor job before this one I can always get another.
3. As long as I'm able, my family will have a roof over their head.
4. I have a supportive wife and "this team has made it this far."...
5. In a way I would like to do something else for a living, this could force me into it.
6. The only thing I stand to lose are material things anyway.
7. Life is full of unexpected twists and turns, it keeps you from getting bored.
So on Friday at 3:00pm I will go into work as usual and count down the hours until the weekend.
I'm still going to do my job and have a few laughs with my friends. What the future has in store I can't tell, but I do know this... Life is too short to worry about what might happen.
P.S. You can fill in the blanks for yourself, maybe you or someone you know may have gone through the same thing.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Bill Cunningham / In The Blood (for Christian)
I've been thinking about the Bill Cunningham fiasco for a few weeks now. At the behest of my buddy Christian I have decided to address this situation. I was inspired by a recent conversation my wife had with my father-in-law on the subject of politics so I will try to tie it all in.
Let me start by saying that Barack Obama drew 13,000 people to the University of Cincinnati, Hillary Clinton drew 1,500 people to Cincinnati State and John McCain drew 500 people to Memorial Hall. One of those people at the McCain rally was local radio embarrassment Bill Cunningham. While most progressive minded individuals in Cincinnati really don't give Slick Billy a second thought, he has gained world wide attention with his typical arrogant Cincinnati Republican rhetoric. I realize those are harsh words because I know people locally who vote Republican and are pretty decent human beings. But hear me out.
When I first heard about Billy's comments I was not shocked in the slightest. After all, he said those rehearsed, pre-approved words at a John McCain rally. What do people expect? While most people in the country were appalled at the gall of this shock-jock-strap and wanted his head on a stick I got a different reaction here in the city. Not to mention I had my own take on the situation. What most people feel is inexcusable and intolerable racism your typical nationalistic Republican Cincinnatian looks at Billy Boy Cunningham as a hero for the cause. Let me explain.
Without naming names and relationships to those names, here's how I figure it. In the tri-state area there is a built in hatred for black people, especially poor black people. That hatred also extends to middle class and successful black people. Barack Obama seems to fit all three categories so he is the perfect prototype for that "in the blood " hate mongering that is so prevalent in our town. Maybe it has something to do with the Millcreek or all those crappy beers that Hudepohl brewed over the years but it's something that even a transfusion can't seem to change. I've been told that the only true news source in this country is Rush Limbaugh. So you can see how deep that dirty blood runs. My wife and I tried to figure out what the Republican spin machine could use to make Barack look bad. We looked at all the angles and I came up with the one thing they can use against him. HE IS BLACK! How dare he!
If you listen to the hardcore white suburban Republican male of all ages the deep seeded hatred for blacks and other minorities is sickening. They would never come right out and say it because that just isn't true. If I came up to them and said,"Hey man, you are a racist", a fight would ensue. The reason being is that "everybody" feels that way. If the people in your circle are racist and they use the same rhetoric, then it's not wrong or out of the ordinary, it's o.k. if the folks at the water cooler all listen to 700 WLW and get their news from FOX and agree with that point of view then you are in good shape. If you are a white drug counselor or a white social worker and the people you deal with are less fortunate and you have some superiority over them, you can look down at them and talk ill of them it always makes you feel better. It just re-affirms that they are less than you.
Which brings me back to people like Bill Cunningham and the "humanitarians" who follow him. There is no way that a black Democrat man is gonna get one up on me. There is no way a white Democrat women is gonna get one up on me. We will do whatever it takes to make sure this doesn't happen and they will. I never understood middle class older white men who don't really have anything and who are not going to leave their kids anything and who are not invited to any Republican fundraisers because they can't afford it still feel like they are part of the "party." Guess what? If you didn't cast your vote for them, you would be a shithead like the rest of us.
Christian wanted me to write something to tell Bill Cunningham to shut the fuck up. What if he did shut the fuck up? Who would the Republican sheep in Cincinnati flock to? Who would tell us that we need God in our lives? Who would tell us that perpetual war is awesome? Who would tell us that $5 for a gallon of gas is a good thing? Who would tell us that universal health care is stupid and won't work? Who would tell us that Global Warming is a liberal scare tactic? Who would tell us that bombs and Islamic fascists are more important than educating our kids? If we don't fear communists--I mean terrorists--how are we going to control the masses? I ask Christian, do want that responsibility on your shoulders? George Bush and all the right wing talking heads are gods. You have to follow them and their agendas with total and complete "blind faith." They would never lie to me, that's why I went out and bought all that duct tape a few years ago.
Remember when you had your favorite band that nobody "got" but you? Then they hit the big time and made millions of dollars and you traded in your albums and found another band because all the turds liked them now? That's the way I feel about the Republican brood. I don't want them on my team. I don't need the contamination. So I won't tell Billy Boy Cunningham to shut the fuck up. He serves his purpose in this town. So if you are a Cincinnati Republican and you cut yourself and lose a pint of blood, don't worry Dr. Cunningham will replenish it with a gallon of his own special brew. The City of Cincinnati went too long without an embarassment, thanks, Bill, for putting us back in the spotlight again.
Let me start by saying that Barack Obama drew 13,000 people to the University of Cincinnati, Hillary Clinton drew 1,500 people to Cincinnati State and John McCain drew 500 people to Memorial Hall. One of those people at the McCain rally was local radio embarrassment Bill Cunningham. While most progressive minded individuals in Cincinnati really don't give Slick Billy a second thought, he has gained world wide attention with his typical arrogant Cincinnati Republican rhetoric. I realize those are harsh words because I know people locally who vote Republican and are pretty decent human beings. But hear me out.
When I first heard about Billy's comments I was not shocked in the slightest. After all, he said those rehearsed, pre-approved words at a John McCain rally. What do people expect? While most people in the country were appalled at the gall of this shock-jock-strap and wanted his head on a stick I got a different reaction here in the city. Not to mention I had my own take on the situation. What most people feel is inexcusable and intolerable racism your typical nationalistic Republican Cincinnatian looks at Billy Boy Cunningham as a hero for the cause. Let me explain.
Without naming names and relationships to those names, here's how I figure it. In the tri-state area there is a built in hatred for black people, especially poor black people. That hatred also extends to middle class and successful black people. Barack Obama seems to fit all three categories so he is the perfect prototype for that "in the blood " hate mongering that is so prevalent in our town. Maybe it has something to do with the Millcreek or all those crappy beers that Hudepohl brewed over the years but it's something that even a transfusion can't seem to change. I've been told that the only true news source in this country is Rush Limbaugh. So you can see how deep that dirty blood runs. My wife and I tried to figure out what the Republican spin machine could use to make Barack look bad. We looked at all the angles and I came up with the one thing they can use against him. HE IS BLACK! How dare he!
If you listen to the hardcore white suburban Republican male of all ages the deep seeded hatred for blacks and other minorities is sickening. They would never come right out and say it because that just isn't true. If I came up to them and said,"Hey man, you are a racist", a fight would ensue. The reason being is that "everybody" feels that way. If the people in your circle are racist and they use the same rhetoric, then it's not wrong or out of the ordinary, it's o.k. if the folks at the water cooler all listen to 700 WLW and get their news from FOX and agree with that point of view then you are in good shape. If you are a white drug counselor or a white social worker and the people you deal with are less fortunate and you have some superiority over them, you can look down at them and talk ill of them it always makes you feel better. It just re-affirms that they are less than you.
Which brings me back to people like Bill Cunningham and the "humanitarians" who follow him. There is no way that a black Democrat man is gonna get one up on me. There is no way a white Democrat women is gonna get one up on me. We will do whatever it takes to make sure this doesn't happen and they will. I never understood middle class older white men who don't really have anything and who are not going to leave their kids anything and who are not invited to any Republican fundraisers because they can't afford it still feel like they are part of the "party." Guess what? If you didn't cast your vote for them, you would be a shithead like the rest of us.
Christian wanted me to write something to tell Bill Cunningham to shut the fuck up. What if he did shut the fuck up? Who would the Republican sheep in Cincinnati flock to? Who would tell us that we need God in our lives? Who would tell us that perpetual war is awesome? Who would tell us that $5 for a gallon of gas is a good thing? Who would tell us that universal health care is stupid and won't work? Who would tell us that Global Warming is a liberal scare tactic? Who would tell us that bombs and Islamic fascists are more important than educating our kids? If we don't fear communists--I mean terrorists--how are we going to control the masses? I ask Christian, do want that responsibility on your shoulders? George Bush and all the right wing talking heads are gods. You have to follow them and their agendas with total and complete "blind faith." They would never lie to me, that's why I went out and bought all that duct tape a few years ago.
Remember when you had your favorite band that nobody "got" but you? Then they hit the big time and made millions of dollars and you traded in your albums and found another band because all the turds liked them now? That's the way I feel about the Republican brood. I don't want them on my team. I don't need the contamination. So I won't tell Billy Boy Cunningham to shut the fuck up. He serves his purpose in this town. So if you are a Cincinnati Republican and you cut yourself and lose a pint of blood, don't worry Dr. Cunningham will replenish it with a gallon of his own special brew. The City of Cincinnati went too long without an embarassment, thanks, Bill, for putting us back in the spotlight again.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The Cincinnati Gardens
Last night my daughter Aurore and I braved the elements and went to see The Syrian Shrine Circus at The Cincinnati Gardens. There was no way I was giving up front row center seats to old man winter and his menacing snow. Wind chill factors and snow drifts be damned. We arrived a few minutes early so she could see some animals and maybe touch them. We bought a program for one dollar, not a bad price. She was able to get some of the clown's autographs then and throughout the night. I let her approach them by herself, I'm always trying to promote her independence. When we went into the arena a wave of nostalgia hit right between the eyes. When I was a kid in the 1970's my dad use to take us kids to see the circus. He was a Shriner and had one of those kick ass fez hats. He used to take us behind the curtain to check out the animals.
I remember meeting The Flying Wallandas, my dad still has an autograph picture of Carl Wallanda somewhere at his house. I think I know why people from New York have that "feeling" toward Madison Square Gardens, they can't help it. The Cincinnati Gardens is 59 years old, I've been alive for 42 years of that history.
I remember my dad taking us to see Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in the late 70's. Ric Flair wrestled Greg Valentine for the belt. BlackJack Mulligan wrestled Bobby Duncum in a taped fist match. It was magical!!!!
My wife and I went to see NWA wrestling and got seats on the floor close to the ring. Yes, Andre was a Giant. The Road Warriors were starting to get big at that time. I was in all my glory.
We also went to see Slayer and Testament at the Gardens. I've never seen a mosh pit that big and that violent in my life.
The old wooden seats, the aroma, the memories and hopefully the future will be a part of our lives forever. The U.S. Bank Arena or Riverbend can't compare to the intimacy of the Gardens.
They don't get the big concerts anymore, I believe some politics are at work, but they do get The Monster Trucks, The Rollergirls and some sports stuff and of course The Shrine Circus.
The circus itself was a total throwback to the 70's. The lion tamer was older and kinda fat. But he was great. The trapeze artist was a single rope and one person catching. The monkeys and dogs had a carnival feel to it. The man being shot out of the canon was a world record holder, he reminded me of Evel Knievel. He had to be well into his 50's but it was exciting as hell. The clowns and the lower level pageantry all added to the old school mix. It doesn't have the over the top extravaganza of The Ringling Brothers but it has a magic all it's own. Not to mention free parking. Aurore got to ride an elephant, what a thrill for a seven year old, a bargain at seven bucks. Oh yeah, we'll be back next year. The legend and legacy of the Cincinnati Gardens will be passed down another generation.
I remember meeting The Flying Wallandas, my dad still has an autograph picture of Carl Wallanda somewhere at his house. I think I know why people from New York have that "feeling" toward Madison Square Gardens, they can't help it. The Cincinnati Gardens is 59 years old, I've been alive for 42 years of that history.
I remember my dad taking us to see Mid-Atlantic Wrestling in the late 70's. Ric Flair wrestled Greg Valentine for the belt. BlackJack Mulligan wrestled Bobby Duncum in a taped fist match. It was magical!!!!
My wife and I went to see NWA wrestling and got seats on the floor close to the ring. Yes, Andre was a Giant. The Road Warriors were starting to get big at that time. I was in all my glory.
We also went to see Slayer and Testament at the Gardens. I've never seen a mosh pit that big and that violent in my life.
The old wooden seats, the aroma, the memories and hopefully the future will be a part of our lives forever. The U.S. Bank Arena or Riverbend can't compare to the intimacy of the Gardens.
They don't get the big concerts anymore, I believe some politics are at work, but they do get The Monster Trucks, The Rollergirls and some sports stuff and of course The Shrine Circus.
The circus itself was a total throwback to the 70's. The lion tamer was older and kinda fat. But he was great. The trapeze artist was a single rope and one person catching. The monkeys and dogs had a carnival feel to it. The man being shot out of the canon was a world record holder, he reminded me of Evel Knievel. He had to be well into his 50's but it was exciting as hell. The clowns and the lower level pageantry all added to the old school mix. It doesn't have the over the top extravaganza of The Ringling Brothers but it has a magic all it's own. Not to mention free parking. Aurore got to ride an elephant, what a thrill for a seven year old, a bargain at seven bucks. Oh yeah, we'll be back next year. The legend and legacy of the Cincinnati Gardens will be passed down another generation.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
From Raises to Steak Knives, From TQM to Six Sigma
Ten years ago when I was working as a printing press operator in San Francisco in the mid 90s, I was approached by my employer about joining a committee to help implement a new management / labor phenomena called Total Quality Management or TQM. The president of the company I worked for specifically picked me to represent “the shop” because I was outspoken, opinionated and I read. Since I was guilty on all three charges and because I’ve always been fascinated by the (often dysfunctional) relationship between the worker and the middle management--not to mention the unique disconnect that occurs between said laborer and the owner of the company--I jumped at the opportunity to find out more about how I could help the shop run more efficiently. Up to that point I had never been invited to take the elevator to the top of the “Ivory Tower” so I took advantage of this opportunity to see firsthand what goes on behind the doors with the fancy gold plates on them.
I have to say I was immediately taken in by this new way of thinking. What I liked most about TQM was the employee empowerment aspect of it. Instead of just being a time clock number, I was going to be a part of a team and a participant in positive change within the company. I had a reputation at work for my safety consciousness and I tried to always work as efficiently as possible, so being a part of the TQM transition was a good fit. But I liked that this was also my chance to voice my opinion and be heard by my supervisors. Needless to say I liked and looked forward to learning more about this idea of continuous process improvement.
During our initial meetings I was told by the president of the company that one of the features of TQM was the ultimate payoff of program success…RAISES! As one of the team captains, this is what I knew I could sell the guys in the shop on. I was asked to help come up with a system to eliminate spoilage and make the processes more efficient, so we sat down with members of each department and went to work.
After about six to nine months down the road, I’m proud to say that TQM is a success! As a team and as department spokesman, we had done it. Company wide we cleaned up our spoilage percentage and efficiency was skyrocketing. Every worker brushed off their surf board and we rode the wave to a model example of Total Quality Management. What a great feeling it was to watch an idea flourish and go from a flowchart to a reality. Great job everyone!
This experience is what I liked most about TQM and now in retrospect I know the number reason why it can fail: management abandons the team. The entire workforce supported the change for improvements and did their part as required to make it happen but the owner decided not to ultimately give any raises in the end. Even though spoilage was at a record low and efficiency was at its peak we got nothing for our efforts. He said and I quote, “Things are so bad that I have to keep the same Mercedes for another year.” Needless to say, I quit the team that day. I was called into the owner’s office for a personal interview and had to explain why I left the group. I took a verbal beating and vowed to never be taken advantage of again because that’s what it felt like. Note: later on, I did get a steak knife set for all my hard work.
Eventually I relocated back to Cincinnati, Ohio and I’ve stayed in the printing industry. In the early 2000s, my current employer decided to give TQM a try. They found out that I had gone through the process in California and asked if I wanted to join up. I did not want to rock the boat but I politely declined. The person who stepped up was very spirited and wanted it to succeed. She was a little nervous as she had to explain the program in front of the entire company, not just for the benefit of a few team members. I felt sorry for her in a way because she was asking everyone to work harder and become more efficient at a time when most people were working 12 hour shifts including weekends with no promise of any “reward”, raises or even steak knives.
The Vice President supported the program 100% and said we would all benefit from this innovative employee management system. Without going into specific details, the woman in charge was laid off within a few months and the whole program was scrapped before they’d even got started. It’s been replaced by a gain-sharing program that is also ineffective because management chose to include themselves in the program, essentially saturating the “pay off”.
I say these things not because I’m disgruntled but because the failure of TQM in both shops wasn’t just the result of management’s abandonment of the principles in order to help see it through in the long term. It even wasn’t from the owner’s unfortunate decision to renege on the promise of raises or his poor choice of words. It failed because TQM provided broad and relatively vague guidelines for management to follow. TQM focused on quality achievement through the help of all its members for long-term success but it didn’t work because it wasn’t allowed to.
It has recently come to my attention that many of the TQM principles I learned and applied in California have evolved into a redefined version called Six Sigma. Although the program sounds like an updated, reinvented version of TQM, I’ve read about some significant differences. The fact that it was developed some of the top CEOs in the world from GE to Motorola and beyond helps. From my perspective, if Six Sigma can help you as an employer identify and tackle the following issues with your employees, you’re already on the road to success:
>Create trust between employer and employees
>Admit that things aren’t going “great”
>Listen to concerns, don’t just shrug them off as “you’re just being negative”
>Be aware that individuals’ issues are not just their own, they are company issues
>Provide functioning equipment and “the tools” necessary to maintain quality
>Develop short-term and long-term incentives for employees and stick to them
Keep in mind that workers aren’t asking for the world and most employees realize that companies need to make money in order to be successful. There are many ways to show your appreciation and giving away steak knives isn’t one of them. If employers can bring the workers and the managers together to implement permanent and positive change and stick to it, everyone benefits from a program that aims to improve efficiency. Who wouldn’t want to make their company a good place to work? Can Six Sigma help bridge the gap between your workers and you?
Chuck Byrd has worked in the printing industry for 22 years and is currently a press operator working for a Cincinnati, Ohio printing company. He recently entered the publishing business in 2007 to become co-owner of Aurore Press, a Cincinnati-based publishing house that specializes in publishing local writers.
I have to say I was immediately taken in by this new way of thinking. What I liked most about TQM was the employee empowerment aspect of it. Instead of just being a time clock number, I was going to be a part of a team and a participant in positive change within the company. I had a reputation at work for my safety consciousness and I tried to always work as efficiently as possible, so being a part of the TQM transition was a good fit. But I liked that this was also my chance to voice my opinion and be heard by my supervisors. Needless to say I liked and looked forward to learning more about this idea of continuous process improvement.
During our initial meetings I was told by the president of the company that one of the features of TQM was the ultimate payoff of program success…RAISES! As one of the team captains, this is what I knew I could sell the guys in the shop on. I was asked to help come up with a system to eliminate spoilage and make the processes more efficient, so we sat down with members of each department and went to work.
After about six to nine months down the road, I’m proud to say that TQM is a success! As a team and as department spokesman, we had done it. Company wide we cleaned up our spoilage percentage and efficiency was skyrocketing. Every worker brushed off their surf board and we rode the wave to a model example of Total Quality Management. What a great feeling it was to watch an idea flourish and go from a flowchart to a reality. Great job everyone!
This experience is what I liked most about TQM and now in retrospect I know the number reason why it can fail: management abandons the team. The entire workforce supported the change for improvements and did their part as required to make it happen but the owner decided not to ultimately give any raises in the end. Even though spoilage was at a record low and efficiency was at its peak we got nothing for our efforts. He said and I quote, “Things are so bad that I have to keep the same Mercedes for another year.” Needless to say, I quit the team that day. I was called into the owner’s office for a personal interview and had to explain why I left the group. I took a verbal beating and vowed to never be taken advantage of again because that’s what it felt like. Note: later on, I did get a steak knife set for all my hard work.
Eventually I relocated back to Cincinnati, Ohio and I’ve stayed in the printing industry. In the early 2000s, my current employer decided to give TQM a try. They found out that I had gone through the process in California and asked if I wanted to join up. I did not want to rock the boat but I politely declined. The person who stepped up was very spirited and wanted it to succeed. She was a little nervous as she had to explain the program in front of the entire company, not just for the benefit of a few team members. I felt sorry for her in a way because she was asking everyone to work harder and become more efficient at a time when most people were working 12 hour shifts including weekends with no promise of any “reward”, raises or even steak knives.
The Vice President supported the program 100% and said we would all benefit from this innovative employee management system. Without going into specific details, the woman in charge was laid off within a few months and the whole program was scrapped before they’d even got started. It’s been replaced by a gain-sharing program that is also ineffective because management chose to include themselves in the program, essentially saturating the “pay off”.
I say these things not because I’m disgruntled but because the failure of TQM in both shops wasn’t just the result of management’s abandonment of the principles in order to help see it through in the long term. It even wasn’t from the owner’s unfortunate decision to renege on the promise of raises or his poor choice of words. It failed because TQM provided broad and relatively vague guidelines for management to follow. TQM focused on quality achievement through the help of all its members for long-term success but it didn’t work because it wasn’t allowed to.
It has recently come to my attention that many of the TQM principles I learned and applied in California have evolved into a redefined version called Six Sigma. Although the program sounds like an updated, reinvented version of TQM, I’ve read about some significant differences. The fact that it was developed some of the top CEOs in the world from GE to Motorola and beyond helps. From my perspective, if Six Sigma can help you as an employer identify and tackle the following issues with your employees, you’re already on the road to success:
>Create trust between employer and employees
>Admit that things aren’t going “great”
>Listen to concerns, don’t just shrug them off as “you’re just being negative”
>Be aware that individuals’ issues are not just their own, they are company issues
>Provide functioning equipment and “the tools” necessary to maintain quality
>Develop short-term and long-term incentives for employees and stick to them
Keep in mind that workers aren’t asking for the world and most employees realize that companies need to make money in order to be successful. There are many ways to show your appreciation and giving away steak knives isn’t one of them. If employers can bring the workers and the managers together to implement permanent and positive change and stick to it, everyone benefits from a program that aims to improve efficiency. Who wouldn’t want to make their company a good place to work? Can Six Sigma help bridge the gap between your workers and you?
Chuck Byrd has worked in the printing industry for 22 years and is currently a press operator working for a Cincinnati, Ohio printing company. He recently entered the publishing business in 2007 to become co-owner of Aurore Press, a Cincinnati-based publishing house that specializes in publishing local writers.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Barack and Hillary
We need a nominee now. The more they bicker and argue the worse it gets for the party. The Democrats don't need any more reasons to look bad. They have fallen into the hands of the Republicans. This whole Super Delegates thing is a joke. Whatever happened in Michigan and Florida is a joke. If they run as a team they are unstoppable. Howard Dean needs to unite the party and fast.
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