Thursday, January 26, 2006

Bringing Corporate America into Line

In corporate America it is impossible to reward high performers because of the way performance is measured.

Each position should be rated hourly or salaried up-to and including the position of Chairman of the Board and assign dollars to the job either by the hour, week, month, etc. Each year if the incumbent passed the performance review, meaning they were not fired, they receive a cost of living raise. Based on their performance they would be given an amount of money, with no regard to percentage. The amount could be in two parts such as one for their performance and one for the performance of their group or department or the company. That would be their pay for that year.

The common way is to reward people for the rest of their work life for good jobs early in their career even if they fail to meet performance criteria and due to age or gender or other EEO points the they, in affect, have tenure.

The current way makes it impossible to catch people up to the appropriate level and is especially harmful to women who have been slighted in the past.

Dollars assigned to positions should reflect that fact that the CEO can fail if a lower paid individual fails in a critical position or time so the highest pay should not exceed a percentage of the lowest paid employee. If the lowest paid position is $15,000 per year then the CEO should not exceed "N" times, such as 100 times or $1,500,000. Position should be the only consideration and not the fact that one person is paid more than another person and you want to catch them up. If they want more money they take a different job or increase their performance rating. For new employees they might have a certain amount withheld for 6 months or so until they prove that being new does not affect performance. At the end of the six months they are paid the same base as another employee who has been there for 30 years.

Ratings for people in management or supervisory positions should consider the ratings of the people under them. For example a manager should not be rated higher than n% of the people within their area of responsibility. Of course at least two other people chosen by the HR department or someone who can be trusted should agree with the supervisors ratings of the people within their area. That goes all the way to the top.

With the current commonly accepted practices women will continue to be slighted. The basic rating system must change.

Getting DUIs Under Control

In Tennessee you will find examples where there were 30 DUIs with little or no jail time. How about a few suggestions:

Insurance Companies policies should include items such as upon an arrest for DUI, even if their was no accident, the policy cost quadruples or more or cancelled whichever the insurance company preferred. In the case of an accident, the insurance company will not pay for any medical expenses nor collision claims if the Police conclude the driver was DUI. They would agree to pay a minimum liability and work with the injured parties to sue the policy holder. And the policy would be cancelled as of the date of the accident. The wording in the policy would be such that the policy owner is agreeing to these limitations not that they are being forced upon them. Of course legions of lawyers need to be involved to make sure the limitations will be enforced.

Federal , State and Local laws should require:

Upon an arrest for for DUI the automobile is confiscated, guilty person loses their driving license for 6 months and they spend 200 hours in community service, 80 contiguous hours in jail and complete a rehab program, All of those would be within the same six months during the license suspension.

Driving on a suspended license would result in 5 years of license suspension, 1 year in jail. A second violation would required 10 years of license suspension and 5 years in jail. The next violation would be 20 years of license suspension and 10 years in jail. and on and on, These would be consecutive penalties Allowances could be made for documented proof of no contact with alcohol or drugs or bars or drug dealers for 5 years. The individual would be responsible for documentation.

A DUI with an accident would mean a lifetime license suspension. If someone is hurt 10 years in jail. If someone is killed, life in prison,

All jail sentences would be without the possibility of parole.

Federal laws would prohibit insurance companies from using DUI related expenses in the numbers they use to determine their rates to be charged to the consumer. In other words insurance companies and their stock holders would have to eat those expenses.

When the Federal and State governments and insurance companies get serious we will be able to greatly reduce such situations.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Nutty or Dangerous?

Once in a while you hear of a real nut. Ingrid Newkirk, cofounder, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is such a nut.

Her quotes include:

“Six million Jews died in concentration camps, but six billion broiler chickens will die this year in slaughterhouses.”

“Even if animal research resulted in a cure for AIDS, we’d be against it.”

“There is no rational basis for saying that a human being has special rights. A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. They’re all mammals.”

After learning of a suicide bombing in Israel, Ms Newkirk wrote a letter to Yasser Arafat --- because a donkey was used in the bombing. “We have received many calls and letters from people shocked at the bombing in Jerusalem … in which a donkey, laden with explosives, was intentionally blown up,” she wrote to Arafat. “If you have the opportunity, will you please add to your burdens my request that you appeal to all those who listen to you to leave the animals out of this conflict?”

When asked if she would try to persuade Arafat not to blow up people too, she replied. “It’s not my business to inject myself into human wars.”

When Harvard started offering a course in animal law, Ingrid is quoted, “We’re looking for good lawsuits that will establish the interests of animals as a legitimate concern in law.”

PETA has pressured corporations to stop giving to the March of Dimes because a small percentage of its resources go to organizations that do animal experimentation.

When a child dies you can wonder if PETA is a cause…….

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Without Evolution Can You Explain.....

Without evolution can you explain how all of the races of people in the world today descended from Noah and his wife? What external force would affect individual's DNA as to change eye shape such as between caucasian and oriental; as to change skin pigmentation such as between negroid and oriental and caucasian?

Just wondering....

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Dewey Beats Truman!

When the media wants to know what went wrong with the reporting of the mine accident in West Virginia, they need only look in the mirror. They are so intent on beating their competition that common sense and sensitivity go out the window. Before anyone knew anything one CNN reporter asked a family member "Are you still hopeful?" In other words have you come to the conclusion your husband/son/brother/uncle whatever is DEAD? Nice going CNN.

Today news is not news it is mostly speculation and what might/could/should happen. If a newspaper or network or local station reports something the rest of the media report that a certain paper or network or station is reporting "fill in the blank." Having no idea of truth or accuracy they report because someone else is reporting. That is not news. That is garbage.

The media need to return to the days of old when sources were verified and re-verified and they did the best they could to ensure accuracy and being first was not the governing principle.

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

When Government Attempts To Regulate Morality

Before the 19th century, most states had no specific abortion laws. Women were able to end a pregnancy prior to viability with the assistance of medical personnel.

Beginning in Connecticut and followed by New York in 1829 over the next 20 years there were a series of laws restricting abortion, punishing providers, and, in some cases, punishing the woman who was seeking the abortion.

The first US federal law on the subject of abortion came in 1873, which permitted a special agent of the postal service to open mail dealing with abortion or contraception in order to suppress the circulation of “obscene” materials.

From 1900 until the 1960s, abortions were prohibited by law. The Kinsey report noted that premarital pregnancies were electively aborted and public and physician opinion began to be shaped by reports of the increasing numbers of unsafe illegal abortions.

In 1965, 265 deaths occurred due to illegal abortions. 20% of all pregnancy-related complications in New York and California were due to abortions. A series of US Supreme Court decisions granted rights to women and ensured their right to choice in this process. In 1965 the courts recognized a constitutional right to privacy and ruled that a married couple had a constitutional right to obtain birth control from their health care provider.

Why do you believe the way you do?

Do you expect government to convince others to believe as you believe?

Is a fetus alive if unable to survive without life support?

Is an adult alive unable to survive without life support?

See what happens when government attempts to regulate morality?