Mulling over Management

Did you ever get fascinated watching a hamster racing inside a play wheel? When I was a child, during one extremely short experience as a hamster owner, I was often mesmerized by the little fluffy fella. Seemed like he could go on forever, but never getting any place, and never looking or acting any different afterward. If I were to go on a treadmill comparatively fast, I’d be winded, red faced, hot, sweaty, and basically exhausted. Yet, I’m invigorated, and after a few recuperative minutes, I’m energetic and ready to face my next challenge.

After that hamster gets done, he waddles off of the wheel, heads over to his feeding spot, and then takes a dump (slang, but applicable here), and curls up in the soft straw bedding to snooze. The little hamster looks, acts and is totally oblivious after working that hard.

Now, believe it or not, I originally came up with the idea to write this article this morning while listening on the radio to some story about the extremely slow motion of bureaucracy. In my mind’s eye, I thought of a wagon wheel, with the various spokes. No matter how fast or slow the wheel turns, the stokes just keep going round and round. If it weren’t for the efforts of the rest of the vehicle (wagon, bike, etc) and the driver, nothing would get accomplished. Then, I thought of other senseless round and round motions, and the hamster wheel thought took hold. They aren’t really related, but if you stretch it, they are pretty descriptive of management, anywhere you look.

That’s what working in management is like sometimes. My spouse has been dealing with this at work. He’s middle management currently, and so gets “it” from above and below. He comes home some nights, and I see the exhausted, defeated look, saying in essence, “What was I doing the past 10 hours?” Other days there is a glimmer of hope, and he tells me about an accomplishment, usually in the form of baby steps. Even so, invigorating energy oozes out, and he’s ready to plough into the next work day.

Why is it, that no matter the determination of the superiors or subordinates, or management momentum, things just move in circles? Whether slow or fast paced, actions are like spokes, around and around, and around yet little takes place. Are hamsters the mascot for bureaucracy?

It’s just an interesting phenomenon and I felt like posting on it. I didn’t come up to any fancy conclusions, or resolutions--just statements. But then again, it’s just another spoke in life.

Dollar Decay $$$ $$ $ $ $ ? ? ?

Remember when you drove your new automobile off the dealer’s lot? A sense of exhilaration, excitement, and the accelerated feeling of being a new car owner! You feel like you’ve been productive (well, except for the three hours of paperwork), and just possibly might conquer the world. It’s a high that lasts a few fleeting minutes, until you discover depreciation. That awful word, which means you just lost an appreciated (pun intended) amount of the worth of your auto, just because you drove it off the lot.

Well, Americans today are hardly ready for the terrible sinking feeling that is going to overcome us, when we realize that the American Dollar is plummeting in value just because we took our eyes off the “lot.” That icon of economic means, stability, and as aptly stated in Resurrect King Dollar, our defense.

Those looking in on America today--be it interested world markets, competitive icons, or just simple neighborhood terrorists—find it hard not to snicker at the apathetic efforts we’ve made in protecting our money. It’s scary to think that in the sense of the American Dollar, we have “driven it off the lot”, down the street, drag-raced, abused, ignored, overused, extended, failed to maintain and upgrade, and basically begun the demise of our prized possession.

Now, we have a responsibility to bring back our appreciation (pun intended) for the dollar, by specifically acknowledging that our very American livelihood depends on our diligence in this election year. We need to do this before inflation, other nations edging the dollar from the global market, and socialists, communists and terrorists stoke the media with the idea that the dwindling $$ equates to America's weakened, defenseless posture.

Do you have an idea on how to make the American Dollar stand TALL again?

Comments, ideas, and American fortitude welcome.

Ref: Resurrect King Dollar

By Lawrence Kudlow

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

See also Some Things Just Need to Be Said and Visit our American Conservative Forum for exhilarating, productive communication to strengthen our America.

Taking America Back

Dear Fellow Conservative:

As an American Conservative, I have some sad news to tell you today. I also have some good news that I will share with you.

You have probably noticed that your only choice for president, in this election, is a liberal. I know, some will try to claim some modest level of conservatism but a careful look under the cloak of half truths you will find a liberal standing before you. Recognizing this fact and preparing for the inevitable, barring some miracle, will only help us to rise to the challenge. Now is not the time to turn away or blindly thrust your head in the sand. There is work to be done.

Our congress is another disaster. It cannot accomplish a single task and has stalled our nation. This may too fall to the liberals who are so eager for power. They will quickly remind you of their superior intellect and their determination to save the world through the failed philosophy of socialism. They may strive to make some dramatic changes to our great nation and if we sit back and do nothing, they will succeed.

The good news is that there is a chink in the armor of liberalism. Liberalism demands power and dominance and our constitution puts us in charge. Oh, they will try and put you at ease and say they got it all under control. They may even try to silence the critiques of their grand schemes, but as long as we stick together they will remain impotent.

Keeping power is more important to the liberal then their ideals. They will sacrifice any and all who stand in the way of power. They must come back to “we the people” to retain that brass ring. If we turn our backs and walk away from the right to vote that so many have died for, we have let them win.

Now is our finest hour. We the Moral Conservative Majority have the ultimate trump card in our hand. We have the capacity to dethrone them and there is nothing they can do to keep us from it. We have the election process and the impeachment process at our disposal. All we need to do is stay organized and informed.

We have the ability to feed and support each other knowing that, no one of us has all the answers. The liberals in their superior then thou throne rooms have only themselves. It has been measured that conservatives make up more than three-fourths of our great nation. We come in every political bent; Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, Constitutional, Green, and so many more.

Set aside your political affiliation and take a moment to focus on your core conservative beliefs. We are the people of the United States of America and we can set the agenda. Let us start by unifying in conservative locations, both in body and on the internet. Each of us has unique talents and knowledge that can help all of us keep our government in check. If each of us does three things we can make a difference and save this nation. All three of these things are in everyone’s reach no matter your race religion or financial standing.

1. Stay informed of what is going on around you.
2. Share and interpret this information with veryone and any one you can.
3. Write letters and hold your representatives feet to the fire, from the neighborhood watch to the President of the United States.

The first one should be a breeze; you live and work where you are. You know those around you and what goes on where you live. You don’t need to stretch much to make a difference.

The second one will require you to actually act on what you believe and know. No matter your specialty, interpret and report to fellow conservatives what you see and hear. The liberal media isn’t going to help us stay informed. We will have to blog and spend time on forums to pass information along. We will have to spend a few minutes each day getting the word out and taking in what is going on elsewhere that may affect us. Use the knowledge and skill of fellow conservatives to keep you informed.

The third one will be our shining star, reminding the pandering power mongers who is really in charge. They won’t make a move against a unified body of conservatives bent on taking away the only thing that really matters to them, power. They will follow lock step as a bull firmly grasped by the ring in his nose, if we stay engaged.

I would like to take this moment to recommend a place to share and build conservative unity, the American Conservative Forum. This is not just a fun hang out, but a place for serious conservatives who want to take America back and hold our leaders accountable. A place for people who are willing to do their part and use their God given talents and skills to keep our government in check, by informing the rest of us so we can act in mass.

Many of us have become disenfranchised from our government and we have cast our one vote away. It is no longer about one vote. It is about all of us, as one, casting a vote for conservative principals totaling epic proportions of conservative presence in American Politics. We have failed to unify for almost one hundred years and we have been given the government we deserve.

Are YOU ready to take it back?

Take your first step. Post, print or email this message to everyone you know. Join the American Conservative Forum and let’s start restoring America.

Sincerely,ablur

Links:
American Conservative Forum -- http://amcon.proboards99.com/index.cgi
My Web Home – http://ablursspot.blogspot.com/

Mascot for the NEW Conservative Party!!

I couldn't resist this little guy when he came on one of my e-mail forwards the other day. He's just a clear, adorable picture of what we as Americans need to stand by--Our God, Our Family, Our Country and Our Freedom.

Please see American Conservative Forum and Texas Fred's blog, for more information on the emerging Conservative Party! In God We Trust.

Finally, for more information on the guiding principles of the New C-Party (my witticism for this distinct emerging political unit), please see The Platform of the American People. This is courtesy of the web site American Solutions.

According to the only source I could find, the actual picture came from funnypostcard.com