Steps to turning around the economy

Economic recovery is right in front of your eyes. I’ve been having a number of discussions with my colleagues and other business associates in regard to the state of the economy. As we discussed our economic dilemma and ideas for fixing it, it became as obvious our formula for an incredible turn around was fairly simple. I am sure there will be many skeptics and naysayers. However it should be obvious after I make my point that we, the taxpayers have the answer at hand. And, by the way, we are actually paying for our own current demise. Shocked? You should be. Ok, let’s think about where we are and let’s think about the leaders we elected to run this country, our country.


All of our huge government projects are paid for with our tax dollars. I am assuming you are not surprised. The fact is we all should have a say into how those dollars are spent. We all should be writing and calling our elected officials and demanding if they spend our hard earned tax dollars we demand it gets spent on American manufactured products created by American labor using American materials. Yes, it may be more expensive but think of the long term effect on the state of the economy. We end up keeping our US citizens employed at our factories and bringing home an income and spending it locally and thereby invigorating and revitalizing the economy. Sounds simple, doesn’t it. Well, it is. It doesn’t require a person with a degree from Harvard in Economics to ascertain keeping your money flowing in the local economy will make it stronger and you life much better.

Ok, here is what you need to do. It only requires you to take some action. All you need to do is demand, yes demand, your government to only spend your money on contracts which are filled by companies that employ US workers, using US materials and products made in the USA. Accomplishing this will easily solve our economic crisis. Paying foreign countries for materials, equipment, products, supplies, and a myriad of other things does not help us and will not solve the problem. Its time to turn the time and buy things only made in the USA.

Memphis - Some southern R&B and history to boot - WOW!!!

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 I recently had the opportunity to warm up in the Shubert Theater on Broadway to be part of an inspired, spirited and heart pounding presentation of Memphis. Chad Kimball delivered a performance that was able to make you tweak up your listening skills to fluidly hear that Tennessee twang and be part of his life. He was credible, likeable and more importantly, believable in his portrayal of Huey Calhoun, a person of limited academic training and knowledge but with a vision and passion for music in an era when Black soul and rock and roll were deemed as being subversive and not proper. Damn that, full speed ahead. The audience gets drawn into this historic reflection of things many of us lived through. To see the evolution on stage and the stereotypical conflict of White and Black, especially as it applies to a relationship is still eye opening and maybe for some...not understood. And maybe, even hopefully, a younger generation needs to be told of this conflict because it no longer exists. Wishful thinking, I'm sure. There is a lot of reality in this show and sometimes some discomfort in facing demons of the past. However, Chad Kimball's incredibly voice and the magnificence of Montego Glover is overwhelming. Montego, as Felicia, is talented, confident, and artistic and her inner, as well as outer, beauty adds a scintillating spark to the cast. Well done! What a great day to be in New York, in the winter, in the Shubert, in an audience which has the privilege to hear this incredible cast. If you're looking for great music, a wonderfully romantic story and some dancing that will make you jump out of your seats...see Memphis.

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Does AVATAR have a hidden message, or are we just introspecting?

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The hot topic today seems to be about the hidden messages in AVATAR. I've seen this wonderfully technologically advanced and visually overloading movie and I didn't find anything hidden at all. That is not to say there isn't a message to take away, or things to think about, or no more than the moral messages from the other blockbuster movie with a message BLINDSIDE . So, why is there all this hoopla about the movie? Personally I am overjoyed it may have caused people to think about conservation, the environment, military might, mercenaries, invasion of indigenous peoples, flower, fauna, the planet and yes the incredibly rare and needed ore called unobtainium (get it...it's unobtainable, except on Pandora). As I walked away from the movie I too had feelings of remorse of how we, the US culture treated our Native Americans. Ok, I admit, it wasn't me, but to think about how people from another continent invaded, yes invaded the western hemisphere for their own gratification. You can call it what you want, but the natives owned their own land and it was taken from them. The natural resources were used to whatever means were desired. Also, this was with total disregard to the natural balance of things. Reviewing past history, we know the end results. I think this has struck a very sensitive cord because it may have forced us to take a look at ourselves in the very largest perspective of looking at ourselves and what we, the human race has done. You can make all sorts of excuses or rationalizations, but we all know the reality of our actions. If you take the time to sit back and think, and ponder, and observe, and really reflect, you can make your own conclusions, and you will. History teaches us many things and all we have to do is learn from it. The stronger, bolder, more aggressive beings seem to always want to overpower, rule, and control the weaker...does this sound familiar? The weaker indigenous peoples seem to understand the importance of the balance of nature. They appear to be in touch with the important elements of life. I could list significant times in history where this is repeated, but you should know those. I did have the opportunity to do a field study of the American Indians while a student at Wayne State University in Detroit and learned a lot about our Native Americans and how they understood the balance of nature. I also learned about myself and walked away with a new different perspective. Knowledge will do that. Additionally, I could list many many movies with similar messages, such a Dances with Wolves, Last of the Mohegans, Lawrence of Arabia, Little Big Man, even Brave heart. The story line is the same. Good versus evil. Weak versus strong. Ideals and Culture clashes. If AVATAR stirred up some hidden feelings, biases, or political discoveries ....good. I think it worked because we are all talking about it. 

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Job Satisfaction?

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I heard a hot news item this morning as well as read about it on a number of news sites where researchers from the Conference Board found "only 45% of workers were happy with their jobs, dropping from 49% in 2008."  An interesting point is the Conference Board research group concluded that the recession was only partly to blame for the drop.  Ok, paint me pink and call me Dumbo, but I am thinking someone received a grant to compile this survey and will probably do another which will find some obvious results.  As a person who recieved the 'Blue Boot' from IBM in February of 2009, I can give some first hand insight into the uninviting job market.  Yes, yes, I know, from all the experts and motivators and career coaches (me now being one of them), I have heard about networking, meetings, being motivated, positive and maintaining or increasing skills.  Yes, they are all important.  However, when you are scrambling to pay the current bills, you pretty much will do whatever it takes to get some revenue flow.  Ok, what does that have to do with job satisfaction?  It has everything to do with job satisfaction.  Think about it...when a person takes a job to gain revenue to pay their bills they have pretty much taken a landslide to the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy and are focused on survival.  They may not like the job because it is just that...a job.  Not a career.  Not a exceptionally enligthening experience.  Not a step to self actualization.  It's a means to and end.  So, surprise, surprise, surprise.  Job satisfaciton has plummeted.  Duuuhhhhh!!!  I don't agree with the experts in their view of productivily falling because of this.  People are afraid and will work to stay employed.  I believe productivity will start to fall when the economy really starts to turn around. 

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At that time, workers will have more choices which they see as being career oriented and with growth potential.  They will leave their currect jobs and move out and on to better opportunities.  You don't need to pay high priced researchers to discover these things, its pretty much common sense and maybe being "street wise".  I think what you will find is it becomes a Leadership issue and a problem with people Management.  If you have these workers who are dissatisfied, as a leader you need to find out what motivates them and what skills they bring.  Capitalize on those and you  won't lose the talent or edge you may have in the market.  Your employees are not just numbers, or as in IBM mumbo jumbo 'resources'.  They are people.  Treat them accordingly and your return on your investment in them will be tenfold.  Because, you see, all these studies, findings, and research is about...people.

For help for your organization see http://www.globalcoachingandconsulting.com/

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