On the Clock Advice

A lot of my posts - and a sub-theme of this blog - revolve around the job-hunt. When I got a job I thought it would be interesting to switch to on-the-job topics. But when you start a new job, you generally get very busy and ... well ... good intentions ... you know how that goes ...

Now I'm on the hunt again - but I did come across this helpful article by Mary Pratt from Computer World for those who are on the clock and I wanted to share it. The comments are pertinent too.

Your Tech Career: How to Cope with an Unsupportive Boss

Lately I've been reading a lot of career advice articles, and I frequently come across the observation or statistic that more people report being dissatisfied with their jobs than ever before. So I hope this will help those of you who are restless with your on-the-clock. :)

June Bug

Great State of the Union Address Last Night, President Obama! :D

State of the Union Address 2010

Now I too am reinvigorated and hopeful for our county's future!

Insurance Companies Back Health Care Reform?

Locals Rally for Health Care Reform

I attended a local Health Care Rally (sponsored by Move On, Yes We Can Tippecanoe from Organizing for America, and the Lafayette Peace Coalition) outside our courthouse yesterday. BRRRR! I thought it went really well - passers-by seemed supportive and receptive. And boy are my arms sore from holding a sign high above my head for half an hour to be more visible to folks driving by .... (I'm the gal in black in the picture below and I really need to get more exercise) ...

Ages of participants ranged from 13 years old to 94 years old - and the local tv reporters were there and featured us on the evening news! (By the way, the 13 year old is an avid activist as well as a home schooler and I admire his mom for making this event part of his education.) I also admired his astute sense of humor. At times we chanted slogans (to help keep warm as much as anything - hee), so after a few rounds of, "We want healthcare," he suddenly switched to, "I feel stupid!" I had to laugh - an unlikely collection of demonstrators, we all looked a bit uncomfortable out there in the freezing elements - but we were all willing to push past our comfort zones to support health care reform. Unfortunately Evan Bayh wasn't willing to push past his. His response was disappointing, out of touch, and ... clueless? Well, at least as Channel 18 reported it.

And thanks to the lovely lady from Lafayette Office Supply who, wearing no coat over a silky blouse with sheer sleeves, gingerly made her way across the street to invite us all in to warm up with coffee, tea, and hot chocolate! Just wrapping my frozen fingers around the steaming styrofoam cup warmed me up all over! Except for the frozen toes. ;)

I did learn something interesting while talking to one of my colleagues at the rally. He had read an article in an insurance industry trade journal. Apparently insurance companies are fast losing their customers.  The first wave of baby boomers are reaching the age of medicare eligibility. On top of that, massive unemployment and job loss has made health care insurance unaffordable for many. Also employers are dropping coverage because they cannot afford to provide it. So apparently the insurance companies are looking to health care reform and the government to guarantee them $30 million or billion in revenue or whatever! As a result, we may see more Republicans supporting health care ...

Just a heads up - and keep warm out there!

June Bug

What Next for Health Care Reform? A Progressive Caucus Poll

The Progressive Congress seems to have a very sane approach - they are asking for suggestions and ideas to feed back to Congress about what to do next about Health Care Reform. Here's a link to people's responses so far:

http://feedback.progressivecongress.org/forums/38781-what-s-next-for-health-care-reform-jan-20-2010/activity.atom

I thought the comments were varied and helpful. It helps to have a thoughtful discussion in a democracy. Which you can't do if only one voice is talking. Or if people are simply throwing party lines at one another. Only with a thoughtful discussion can we truly get to know one another and begin to see what our options are!

I participated in the calling in Massachusetts, and while it was an interesting experience, I'm not sure it was an effective way to campaign. It really sounds like the Democratic candidate should have done her homework - and not fallen back on Organizing for America as a last-ditch campaign strategy. People don't like to be bombarded with sales pitches - whether it's a sales call or a campaign call or even a fund-raising campaign for a good cause. With today's technology, a lot of people let their answering machine take calls when they don't recognize a number. I know I do.

On the other hand, if someone legitimately needs to know when the poll is open, or where it is, or how to get a ride, or even that their vote is critically needed ... a brief message on the phone with some helpful information may be appreciated.

It's hard for the average joe/jane (like me) to understand the health care proposal. I know I found it a little disturbing when Physicans for a National Health Care Plan said they couldn't support it. Huh? They found it fatally flawed. Apparently the insurance and drug companies are going to make more money than ever.

Huh?

I thought the idea was to cut costs and make health care more accessible.

Okay. So now what are we supposed to do? Nothing? Well, I don't know about everybody else, but that won't fly with me. While I am grateful for last November's historic election, glad I voted for President Obama, and glad he won, health care reform was THE determining issue for us in picking a candidate. It would have also been a historic election if Hillary had been elected. And maybe, she could have gotten us a better health care bill. With her previous health care reform experience as First Lady, as well as her recent experience as the Senator from New York, I'll bet she would have been tremendously helpful! But instead she's running around as Secretary of State ...

Ah, well, I digress. Anyway, take a look at what fellow Americans think in the Progressive Congress poll.

JuneBug

Flowers from Summer Storms

Flowers from Summer Storms
Originally uploaded by Prey_Momma

Just testing the flickr interface

People age 55-64 find it hard to rebound from unemployment, but are the wave of the future?

Yes! Someone FINALLY noticed! I knew I wasn't alone - that if this was happening to me, there were others out there grappling with a similar dilemma!


Check out this article tweeted by heymarci:


http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/1421791.html


Thanks to reporter Cindy Krischer Goodman of the Miami Herald for noticing and for giving us a voice!

I lost a new job last April when I was 58. And while I have to accept some responsibility for allowing myself to be duped away from a two and a half year stable job to take a job that lasted only six weeks, shame shame shame on those who practice such irresponsible and hurtful hiring practices (all the while proclaiming they want to benefit community health and be seen as a premiere employer in the area)! I know it sounds harsh, but American workers are tiring of such corporate hypocrisy (and the growing wage disparities as well). After all, the only reason I started looking for a different job was because health care premiums had doubled, and I knew I had to find either a second job or more affordable benefits. But now, if it weren't for President Obama's ARRA discount, I wouldn't even have health care.

Seems as if management theory has been promoting more and more horrific management practices the past few year (and the propagators likely paid rather well, I might add) - but where do these ideas come from? In the eighties and nineties, participative management emerged as a management theory. It was both energizing and empowering. Along with more inclusive policies for women and minorities in the work place, it helped create opportunity, therefore it must have indirectly fostered economic growth. Like the GI Bill after World War II, it built the confidence of a generation. It encouraged exploration and new ideas. And then it disappeared. What ever happened to it? Of late, I really wonder if managers are turning to reality tv shows as their models. If this is truly the case, it does not improve life in the American workplace, needless to say, but rather seems just another way in the popular trend to be outrageous.

But perhaps I digress. Ageism is an age-old issue and it has touched all groups, whether privileged or marginalized. When I encounter ageism in the workplace, I just think, "May you also be blessed with health and long life. And don't you know you're looking at your future   - and don't you want to make it better?" And when that person is actually my age or older and hasn't a clue, I think, "There but for the grace of God go ...."

I hope we can get back on track and make the work place a better place for all Americans to work for future generations. A good place to start may be to join organizations like American Rights at Work (araw) and to support the Employee Free Choice Act. As well as putting some checks and balances on the abilities of individuals, corporations, and I suppose whole industries to buy our elected officials. Sigh. We have enough of that already. The current disparity of wealth in some cases is such that a single business entity or individual could "trump" the wishes of a whole democracy. And historically, human nature seems to favor the odds that they will. And if they do, will we still be truly free?

The second half of the title of Cindy's piece (that we may also be the wave of the future) is definitely more upbeat and hopeful - and that should give us incentive. :)




JuneBug

History of a Haitian Holocaust: Information Clearing House - ICH

Wow, here's an eye opener about Haiti and the relief effort. You'd think we'd learn from Katrina. We have trouble getting organized to respond timely to our own citizens!


History of a Haitian Holocaust : Information Clearing House - ICH

JuneBug

I wonder if our private groups and not-for-profits have been able to respond more quickly and effectively? It would be a good question to ask ...

Ron Paul: US has broken with reality, sanity, and rule of law; calls for "Revolutionary changes"

I really like Ron Paul. I think a lot of people do.

Ron Paul: US has broken with reality, sanity, and rule of law; calls for "Revolutionary changes"

Ron Paul: This Speaker Says It All

JuneBug

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Job Seekers' New Year's Resolutions by Jobs.Com

Don't know if I agree with all of these, but it's a good start for a new year! With the clutter of the holidays behind us, and the pristine new year before us:

A Job Seeker's New Year's Resolutions by Kristin Bennett

Happy Job-Hunting!

JuneBug