The job news continues to be distressing:
- Another 250,000 jobs lost in September
- A labor department report that there is a 6 to 1 ratio of job seekers to available jobs, 2,400,000 permanent full-time job openings for the 14,500,000 officially unemployed
- A new report by two Rutgers professors predicting that the job market will not truly recover for 7 years or until 2017
I have been pretty diligent with my job search and I am surrounded by many who are even more so. Unfortunately, the job listings are stagnant. Either employers are looking for a candidate so unique that he or she may simply not exist or the job boards are holding onto listings long past their expiration date. Certainly, many of the job postings that I saw at the beginning of the year when I started my search appear to re-cycle. It is virtually impossible to determine which listings are actually still 'live'. In any case, do I really have what it takes to be the lucky one of six that will score that job?
I have just graduated from a professional program that has matriculated nearly 300 well-heeled professionals thus far. My resume looks slim next to theirs since I just got back into the game. I have to overcome looking slim on paper and so far I have not been successful. Then again, only one person in my class of 13 has been hired since we started last June and that job offer did not come easy. Nevertheless, according to the statistics, there should be another hire. Right now it does not look like it will be me unless all of the miracles that have eluded me over the years suddenly decide to coalesce.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Becoming Desperately Creative
I have re-framed my job hunt as not just looking for a job per se, but looking to create income for myself, of which a job is simply one method. This way I can think outside the box and find a new key to my success. Sadly, my new philosophy is yielding nada and as I observe the world, public notoriety seems like the way to go. I am thinking of thrusting my husband out there doing one of his crazy moves or coming up with something equally egregious to rustle up some petty fame. Then, we can capitalize on that and write a book.
It doesn't take much to manufacture fame these days. Basically, the more outrageous, the greater the opportunity to monetize that five minutes of fame. The commoditization of fame continues and it is down to about five minutes, from the high of 15. Why? Because the 24 hour news cycle is voracious; subjects are devoured and spit out in between commercial breaks. A story has to be good if it is to be repeated all day. If the story does not warrant enough outrage then it is dropped. Conversely, if the story is too outrageous it is also summarily dismissed. Whatever the fine line of fame, any worthwhile proceeds must be swiftly acted upon.
Perhaps all of these factors are what is driving HarperCollins to move up publication of Sarah Palin's book from next Spring to this November; rolling out 1,500,000 copies. As sure as Tom DeLay is shaking his fanny on Dancing with the Stars, this book will sell out its first print. This is the type of base entertainment that appeals to the masses (though they might not actually read it). And, the publisher cannot take the chance that those same masses will lose the fame trail by next spring. After all, she is losing news.
Were I to deliberately write something inflammatory, enough to go viral, I might have a shot at some income. For if I don't find a job to create some income, I may truly have to become desperately creative.
It doesn't take much to manufacture fame these days. Basically, the more outrageous, the greater the opportunity to monetize that five minutes of fame. The commoditization of fame continues and it is down to about five minutes, from the high of 15. Why? Because the 24 hour news cycle is voracious; subjects are devoured and spit out in between commercial breaks. A story has to be good if it is to be repeated all day. If the story does not warrant enough outrage then it is dropped. Conversely, if the story is too outrageous it is also summarily dismissed. Whatever the fine line of fame, any worthwhile proceeds must be swiftly acted upon.
Perhaps all of these factors are what is driving HarperCollins to move up publication of Sarah Palin's book from next Spring to this November; rolling out 1,500,000 copies. As sure as Tom DeLay is shaking his fanny on Dancing with the Stars, this book will sell out its first print. This is the type of base entertainment that appeals to the masses (though they might not actually read it). And, the publisher cannot take the chance that those same masses will lose the fame trail by next spring. After all, she is losing news.
Were I to deliberately write something inflammatory, enough to go viral, I might have a shot at some income. For if I don't find a job to create some income, I may truly have to become desperately creative.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thank You Mr. Safire
Four evenings a week I assume my pose. I set up in the den, with my husband's laptop, I pick one of my crime dramas on Tivo, my husband calls them my d & d (death and dismemberment) shows, I throw some clothes in the washer as the laundry room is conveniently located right off the den and I sit down to write my post. But, before I write a single word, I do my research, scanning dozens of news sites and the like for inspiration. For me, a post is not a knock off but a writing exercise. It has always been about practice. I am hoping that through sheer diligence I can become a better writer. To that end, I frequently hit the books; dictionary, thesaurus and sometimes grammar. We simply do not learn enough grammar. Nevertheless, it was nice to know that the quest for words and meaning was well worth the effort.
William Safire reminded us of that every week in his column On Language, in the New York Times Magazine. As our foremost language dilettante and champion of the English language, he made the language more accessible. Many people may not know who he was and his death yesterday may not raise many eyebrows, but, for us who have an interest in words, his enjoyment of the language, his diligent research into the origin and structure of modern English terms and the ease in which he was able to convey this knowledge will be missed. In these days of email, texting, twittering, and instant messaging, it is easy to forget how to write properly. Thankfully, we had Mr. Safire to inspire us to construct a better sentence and/or concoct a better phrase and for this, we are truly grateful. Thank you Mr. Safire.
William Safire reminded us of that every week in his column On Language, in the New York Times Magazine. As our foremost language dilettante and champion of the English language, he made the language more accessible. Many people may not know who he was and his death yesterday may not raise many eyebrows, but, for us who have an interest in words, his enjoyment of the language, his diligent research into the origin and structure of modern English terms and the ease in which he was able to convey this knowledge will be missed. In these days of email, texting, twittering, and instant messaging, it is easy to forget how to write properly. Thankfully, we had Mr. Safire to inspire us to construct a better sentence and/or concoct a better phrase and for this, we are truly grateful. Thank you Mr. Safire.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Reflection on a Graduation
Well, I am graduating first thing in the morning and while I should turn in early, it probably will not happen as usual. Anyhow, I'll be the proud recipient of a Certificate in Business Analysis and a Certificate in Project Management. Yeah! However, the resulting job offer that I expected to snag due to this dual achievement has not materialized yet. I still believe that I will find something but as I stare deeply into the abyss of an aging job search, it is hard not to get discouraged.
I do believe that everyone is allowed to be discouraged sometimes just as long as despair does not become our modus operandi. We should get mad and we should get angry sometimes so that we can dispel the internal stresses that are bound to build as we constantly assess our jobless situation. Then we must dust off our boots, strap on a new outlook and continue the search.
Tomorrow morning, I am to show up in professional dress looking the part. Though they call it a graduation, it is a lot more than handing us our certificates, patting us on the back and sending us on our merry way. There will be representatives from area companies and career development professionals to give us another huge helping of job search guidance. Maybe some of us will get lucky and make a beneficial contact that leads to employment.
But just in case, I will be taking a civil service test on Saturday morning. It is for a position that pays half as much but I have to create opportunity and options for myself. We are being told to think outside of the box when it comes to seeking employment these days which essentially means we must pursue every lead even if it is for less money. So, I will do it.
I do believe that everyone is allowed to be discouraged sometimes just as long as despair does not become our modus operandi. We should get mad and we should get angry sometimes so that we can dispel the internal stresses that are bound to build as we constantly assess our jobless situation. Then we must dust off our boots, strap on a new outlook and continue the search.
Tomorrow morning, I am to show up in professional dress looking the part. Though they call it a graduation, it is a lot more than handing us our certificates, patting us on the back and sending us on our merry way. There will be representatives from area companies and career development professionals to give us another huge helping of job search guidance. Maybe some of us will get lucky and make a beneficial contact that leads to employment.
But just in case, I will be taking a civil service test on Saturday morning. It is for a position that pays half as much but I have to create opportunity and options for myself. We are being told to think outside of the box when it comes to seeking employment these days which essentially means we must pursue every lead even if it is for less money. So, I will do it.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
The State of New York: Part Two
Governor Paterson is talking budget again. Today he revealed in a public meeting with state legislators that the deficit has reached $3,000,000,000, some $900,000,000 more than was initially projected. Though he urged legislators to find spending cuts to help balance the budget, no date was set for them to return to Albany to do so. Reporters were much more concerned about Paterson's election bid rather than issues with the state deficit. Typical. I guess we have all been so deluged with budget deficit numbers and projections that this is simply not news?
Meanwhile, hundreds of MTA employees protested outside of MTA headquarters today against the MTA's decision not to accept a binding arbitration ruling that granted them an 11% raise over the next 3 years. The MTA is appealing this decision because they claim that they simply cannot afford it. In fact, New York State definitely cannot afford it. It is interesting that an arbitrator could grant such a generous raise given the financial woes of the state. But, even if the state has no money, all of the various unions still expect to get their just desserts as usual.
Today Paterson stated that he was not going to offer any suggestions for budget cuts because he did not want to hear any flack from the unions until the legislators meet again. In the most budget showdown, the unions won out and the budget actually went up several billion dollars despite the fact that tax revenues would continue to decline. Attempting to roll back what has been granted to the various unions is going to get nasty again. But, none of this will really be big news now, will it?
Meanwhile, hundreds of MTA employees protested outside of MTA headquarters today against the MTA's decision not to accept a binding arbitration ruling that granted them an 11% raise over the next 3 years. The MTA is appealing this decision because they claim that they simply cannot afford it. In fact, New York State definitely cannot afford it. It is interesting that an arbitrator could grant such a generous raise given the financial woes of the state. But, even if the state has no money, all of the various unions still expect to get their just desserts as usual.
Today Paterson stated that he was not going to offer any suggestions for budget cuts because he did not want to hear any flack from the unions until the legislators meet again. In the most budget showdown, the unions won out and the budget actually went up several billion dollars despite the fact that tax revenues would continue to decline. Attempting to roll back what has been granted to the various unions is going to get nasty again. But, none of this will really be big news now, will it?
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Plight of the Middle Class Continues
The plight of the middle class continues:
"For average Americans, the last 10 years were a lost decade. At the end of President George W. Bush’s eight years in office, American households had less money and less economic security, and fewer of them were covered by health care than 10 years earlier, the Census Bureau reported in its annual survey. The poverty rate in 2008 rose to 13.2 percent, the highest in 11 years, while median household income fell to $50,303. Ten years earlier, adjusted for inflation, it was $51,295." (from Timothy Egan article, New York Times, 9/16/09)
The middle class has much to ponder. Statistics show that many are falling from the ranks. The lifestyle to which they have been accustomed is in jeopardy. These are the people who pay a greater percentage of their income in taxes but are generally forced to foot the bill for themselves. Unfortunately, as our fortunes wane through job losses, home equity depreciation, and purchasing erosion through loss of credit, the increased budget deficits created by current government spending and stimulus initiatives, bank bailouts and now the soon to be unleashed healthcare reform seem like dangerous ground. At the end of the day, the increased tax burden usually falls on the middle class; the rich will find loopholes and the poor just won't pay anyway.
The middle class is struggling to hold onto its ideals; the quintessential American dream. Homes, jobs and lifestyles need saving so they don't have time to band together and fight. They don't even know what would be their common ground. Middle class means different financial classifications and values depending on what region of the country you reside in. Yet, the middle class needs to start fighting back somehow, for the current economic ills of America are disproportionally affecting them. I know it, I am staring the reality in the face, daily.
"For average Americans, the last 10 years were a lost decade. At the end of President George W. Bush’s eight years in office, American households had less money and less economic security, and fewer of them were covered by health care than 10 years earlier, the Census Bureau reported in its annual survey. The poverty rate in 2008 rose to 13.2 percent, the highest in 11 years, while median household income fell to $50,303. Ten years earlier, adjusted for inflation, it was $51,295." (from Timothy Egan article, New York Times, 9/16/09)
The middle class has much to ponder. Statistics show that many are falling from the ranks. The lifestyle to which they have been accustomed is in jeopardy. These are the people who pay a greater percentage of their income in taxes but are generally forced to foot the bill for themselves. Unfortunately, as our fortunes wane through job losses, home equity depreciation, and purchasing erosion through loss of credit, the increased budget deficits created by current government spending and stimulus initiatives, bank bailouts and now the soon to be unleashed healthcare reform seem like dangerous ground. At the end of the day, the increased tax burden usually falls on the middle class; the rich will find loopholes and the poor just won't pay anyway.
The middle class is struggling to hold onto its ideals; the quintessential American dream. Homes, jobs and lifestyles need saving so they don't have time to band together and fight. They don't even know what would be their common ground. Middle class means different financial classifications and values depending on what region of the country you reside in. Yet, the middle class needs to start fighting back somehow, for the current economic ills of America are disproportionally affecting them. I know it, I am staring the reality in the face, daily.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Oh No He Di'n't!
It has been widely reported that the White House has requested that Governor Paterson not seek election in 2010. Who does Barack Obama (and his Administration) think they are to stretch the long arm of interference into New York politics? Oh no he di'n't! Despite the fact that this tactic is straight out of the Karl Rove playbook, the fringe conservatives are having a field day. They will use anything that they can to cement their scare tactic case against the President, as they have been recently portraying him, among other things, as a socialist dictator wanna be. Nevermind that Paterson has incredibly dismal approval ratings and the Democrats, from a party standpoint, need to secure their current majority.
Then again, you can't blame Paterson for refusing to step aside. After all, he ascended to Governor of New York after Eliot Spitzer, popular crusading Attorney General-turned-Governor, was upended by a prostitution scandal thus Paterson has not earned his post by his own merits and would like the opportunity. Sadly, he has not been able to marshal his political fortune into political fortitude. While I initially championed Paterson's ascendance, he quickly capitulated to special interests and fell from grace. New York could have used a hero but instead he squandered his political capital for votes, (read curry favor with the unions) and it all backfired anyway. This method usually works, pleasing the right people, but for this Governor desperate times called for adept political measures and he simply did not/could not deliver.
Polls show that current Attorney General Andrew Cuomo would be the favorite in a Democratic primary against Paterson. Cuomo has yet to tip his hat but it is just a matter of time before he declares. After all, if you indirectly have the White House on your side, you might as well jump into the race. It is no accident that Andrew Cuomo is following the well-worn track of star New York Attorney General to Governor routine most recently practiced successfully by Eliot Spitzer. Besides, New Yorkers know the name Cuomo, Mario Cuomo, esteemed father of Andrew, was governor of New York from 1983 to 1994 and New Yorkers like to elect who they know. I say let the Democratic Gubernatorial primary decide. If Cuomo really is the favorite, let him win on his own merit by having a fair race against Paterson.
Then again, you can't blame Paterson for refusing to step aside. After all, he ascended to Governor of New York after Eliot Spitzer, popular crusading Attorney General-turned-Governor, was upended by a prostitution scandal thus Paterson has not earned his post by his own merits and would like the opportunity. Sadly, he has not been able to marshal his political fortune into political fortitude. While I initially championed Paterson's ascendance, he quickly capitulated to special interests and fell from grace. New York could have used a hero but instead he squandered his political capital for votes, (read curry favor with the unions) and it all backfired anyway. This method usually works, pleasing the right people, but for this Governor desperate times called for adept political measures and he simply did not/could not deliver.
Polls show that current Attorney General Andrew Cuomo would be the favorite in a Democratic primary against Paterson. Cuomo has yet to tip his hat but it is just a matter of time before he declares. After all, if you indirectly have the White House on your side, you might as well jump into the race. It is no accident that Andrew Cuomo is following the well-worn track of star New York Attorney General to Governor routine most recently practiced successfully by Eliot Spitzer. Besides, New Yorkers know the name Cuomo, Mario Cuomo, esteemed father of Andrew, was governor of New York from 1983 to 1994 and New Yorkers like to elect who they know. I say let the Democratic Gubernatorial primary decide. If Cuomo really is the favorite, let him win on his own merit by having a fair race against Paterson.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Happy Days Are Here Again?
Happy days are here again. This is the famous refrain from the Great Depression when economic indicators pointed to a turnaround in the economy. Of course it took nearly twenty years after this declaration for the stock market to actually recoup the depression-era losses. But, since we have no patience this time around, we have seemingly fixed everything in a matter of 18 months.
I read a couple of days ago in the Times that average wages for 80% of the workforce had risen from $612 a week to $618 a week in the last few months. Let's not all jump for joy at once. Credibility for this factoid was attributed to the number-crunching of two (unnamed) government agencies. Is this a case of government spin at work? Perhaps not. A majority of the economists, optimists, people that matter and people wanting to matter have declared that this recession is over.
Though they all cite facts that the rebound will most definitely be tepid at best, the general consensus is that the economic crashing has leveled off; we are no longer falling of a cliff, we are just falling. And now that the lesser of bad news is treated as good news, as it has been since this spring, we should all be happy. Must we remind them that we, the millions of unemployed or underemployed, can't seem to overcome our cognitive dissonance?
I read a couple of days ago in the Times that average wages for 80% of the workforce had risen from $612 a week to $618 a week in the last few months. Let's not all jump for joy at once. Credibility for this factoid was attributed to the number-crunching of two (unnamed) government agencies. Is this a case of government spin at work? Perhaps not. A majority of the economists, optimists, people that matter and people wanting to matter have declared that this recession is over.
Though they all cite facts that the rebound will most definitely be tepid at best, the general consensus is that the economic crashing has leveled off; we are no longer falling of a cliff, we are just falling. And now that the lesser of bad news is treated as good news, as it has been since this spring, we should all be happy. Must we remind them that we, the millions of unemployed or underemployed, can't seem to overcome our cognitive dissonance?
How much more cynical are we going to get of the economic good news? I should not be so ungrateful for the $6 extra dollars a week that I would be earning if I were employed. I must always remain positive, I must always make lemonade, I must always believe that things can/will be better. Only a positive attitude can boost my spirits and keep me above the negative fray. Only I can be responsible for making the choices that ultimately led me to be unemployed in the first place.
All things being unequal, if the shoe was on the other foot, I would want to be holding on to that shoe and therefore I shouldn't begrudge an economy that appears to be moving on without me. If I get my foot back in the door, that would shift my compass, wouldn't it?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Facts Are These
"As is now painfully evident, the economic growth of the Bush era was largely an illusion. Poverty worsened during most of the boom years and middle-class pay stagnated, as most gains flowed to the top. In a recent update of their groundbreaking series on income trends, the economists Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez found that from 2002 to 2007, the top 1 percent of households — those making more than $400,000 a year — received two-thirds of the nation’s total income gains, their largest share of the spoils since the 1920s." (from The New York Times editorial, 9/15/09)
The data is finally in; definitive proof of what we have long surmised through our own anecdotal evidence. We the middle class gained nothing over the last ten years. Instead, we were living large on cheap credit and/or home equity gold and as the editorial goes on further to say, "Because many if not most Americans gained little to nothing from the Bush “growth” years, they have found themselves especially vulnerable to the recession." Yes many of us have colossal debt and many of us have lost our jobs. Double Whammy.
Too bad it takes so long to compile the data required to validate our observations. We are the people on the ground, we know what is going on. Now, the economy is supposedly turning around and whether we believe it or not, it appears to be leaving many of us behind. Not good, I say. Not good, at all.
The data is finally in; definitive proof of what we have long surmised through our own anecdotal evidence. We the middle class gained nothing over the last ten years. Instead, we were living large on cheap credit and/or home equity gold and as the editorial goes on further to say, "Because many if not most Americans gained little to nothing from the Bush “growth” years, they have found themselves especially vulnerable to the recession." Yes many of us have colossal debt and many of us have lost our jobs. Double Whammy.
Too bad it takes so long to compile the data required to validate our observations. We are the people on the ground, we know what is going on. Now, the economy is supposedly turning around and whether we believe it or not, it appears to be leaving many of us behind. Not good, I say. Not good, at all.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
One Hundred Dollar Pill, Y'all
What if you were about to be released from the hospital after major surgery and complications due to a major abdominal infection and they tell you that the only antibiotic that you are responding to costs $200 a day for two pills? In fact this not so good news is prefaced by the platitude, "I hope you have good insurance." Thankfully, the insurance company did agree to cover this medicine for seven days because it was better than the alternative, paying for an additional week of hospital stay so that this medicine could be administered intravenously. This is a true story. It happened to a family member today.
Of course the real travesty here is the cost of the medicine. One hundred dollars for one pill is an outrage. There is nothing to stop pharmaceutical companies from charging whatever they want for certain drugs. Drug prices are one part of the healthcare equation, and as we know with Medicare Part D, affordable medicine is a necessity. Too bad it is costing the taxpayer a fortune because there is no provision to negotiate drug prices. We should be demanding drug price negotiation as part of this healthcare reform for it would be a key step in helping to control Medicare costs, savings from which are supposed to help defray the costs of reform in the first place.
Rational minds agree that without a public insurer to compete with private insurers, the cost of healthcare coverage will continue to escalate. Without a public option, there will be an enforced 46,000,000 more customers for the private insurers to gouge. Yeah! So, in effect the Republicans are fighting against a public option that would help to bring down coverage costs in the same way that they fought against a provision to include drug price negotiation when they and President Bush passed Medicare Part D. With the Republicans and the fringe protesters shouting so loud as to effectively cloud our judgment, we are on our way to healthcare reform that will further enrich private insurers and pharmaceutical companies.
Everybody has an expensive healthcare story, that alone should tell us all something.
Of course the real travesty here is the cost of the medicine. One hundred dollars for one pill is an outrage. There is nothing to stop pharmaceutical companies from charging whatever they want for certain drugs. Drug prices are one part of the healthcare equation, and as we know with Medicare Part D, affordable medicine is a necessity. Too bad it is costing the taxpayer a fortune because there is no provision to negotiate drug prices. We should be demanding drug price negotiation as part of this healthcare reform for it would be a key step in helping to control Medicare costs, savings from which are supposed to help defray the costs of reform in the first place.
Rational minds agree that without a public insurer to compete with private insurers, the cost of healthcare coverage will continue to escalate. Without a public option, there will be an enforced 46,000,000 more customers for the private insurers to gouge. Yeah! So, in effect the Republicans are fighting against a public option that would help to bring down coverage costs in the same way that they fought against a provision to include drug price negotiation when they and President Bush passed Medicare Part D. With the Republicans and the fringe protesters shouting so loud as to effectively cloud our judgment, we are on our way to healthcare reform that will further enrich private insurers and pharmaceutical companies.
Everybody has an expensive healthcare story, that alone should tell us all something.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Ohhhhh, I can't believe Patrick Swayze Died
Oh sigh, Patrick Swayze has died, claimed by pancreatic cancer at the tender age of 57. I can't say that I am necessarily a fan but I am one of those people who loved the movies Dirty Dancing and Ghost. What is not to love about Ghost other than it is one of those tearjerker romance movies that we all hate to love. But, for me, it is the setting of the movie Dirty Dancing, a predominantly Jewish Catskills mountain vacation resort, that stoked my memories. Of course, the movie was not actually filmed in the Catskills but that is beside the point.
Anyhow, as a member of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) I attended the annual conference at the Concord Resort Hotel, one of the famous Jewish Catskills resorts whose heyday was in the 50s, 60s and 70s and unrelated cousin of Grossinger's, the famous other one, every year of high school. In fact, I joined the club for the trip, the only requirement was to take at least one business course, I took one year of typing, to cement access to 3 whole school days in the Catskills, where my friends (most of whom were Jewish) and I skipped out of the planned festivities in favor of seeking the brighter side of life at the resort. Essentially, we were up to 'no good' but not the type of 'no good' that would keep us out of Ivy league colleges or anything.
Growing up in Westchester County in the 70s and 80s, the Catskills was the vacation destination of choice for many families and I always loved going up to the mountains. Also, our 6th grade trip was to the Catskills as well. Somehow, the movie Dirty Dancing bought a little of that back to me; the cabins, the giant banquet halls, the cheesy entertainment, I loved it. All of this really had nothing to do with Patrick Swayze per se but these are my takeaways from the movie of which he was a star. Not every death strikes all of us, but this is definitely one of those that makes me go, Ohhhhh, I can't believe Patrick Swayze died.
Anyhow, as a member of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) I attended the annual conference at the Concord Resort Hotel, one of the famous Jewish Catskills resorts whose heyday was in the 50s, 60s and 70s and unrelated cousin of Grossinger's, the famous other one, every year of high school. In fact, I joined the club for the trip, the only requirement was to take at least one business course, I took one year of typing, to cement access to 3 whole school days in the Catskills, where my friends (most of whom were Jewish) and I skipped out of the planned festivities in favor of seeking the brighter side of life at the resort. Essentially, we were up to 'no good' but not the type of 'no good' that would keep us out of Ivy league colleges or anything.
Growing up in Westchester County in the 70s and 80s, the Catskills was the vacation destination of choice for many families and I always loved going up to the mountains. Also, our 6th grade trip was to the Catskills as well. Somehow, the movie Dirty Dancing bought a little of that back to me; the cabins, the giant banquet halls, the cheesy entertainment, I loved it. All of this really had nothing to do with Patrick Swayze per se but these are my takeaways from the movie of which he was a star. Not every death strikes all of us, but this is definitely one of those that makes me go, Ohhhhh, I can't believe Patrick Swayze died.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Online Subscribers Are We?
So the Long Island Business News (LIBN.com) has gone to an online subscriber model. Online subscription models are being tested on us, the public; we who are currently used to unlimited free information on the internet. Recently, Rupert Murdoch put forth that he was moving to a subscriber model for all of his online publications.
Many online publications are simply the digital version of a print publication so many of us have been able to enjoy many publications online without being subscribers. Most people believe that we will not be willing to agree to pay models for information on the net because it was founded on the notion of (free) access to information. However, there is the necessary revenue side of internet content vs. the status quo of free content especially as traditional ad revenue falls.
I'll be the first one to say that I don't like having to pay for anything and as long as I'm paying over $50 a month to access high-speed internet, through Cablevision I might add, I feel I am paying enough already though this doesn't help the content providers at all. But, TV used to be free, radio used to be free and so on. In reality, we are now paying for a lot of things that were free when I was growing up. So, subscriber models may actually work in some cases. I am watching. We'll see how LIBN fares in the paid content wars.
Many online publications are simply the digital version of a print publication so many of us have been able to enjoy many publications online without being subscribers. Most people believe that we will not be willing to agree to pay models for information on the net because it was founded on the notion of (free) access to information. However, there is the necessary revenue side of internet content vs. the status quo of free content especially as traditional ad revenue falls.
I'll be the first one to say that I don't like having to pay for anything and as long as I'm paying over $50 a month to access high-speed internet, through Cablevision I might add, I feel I am paying enough already though this doesn't help the content providers at all. But, TV used to be free, radio used to be free and so on. In reality, we are now paying for a lot of things that were free when I was growing up. So, subscriber models may actually work in some cases. I am watching. We'll see how LIBN fares in the paid content wars.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Health Care Reform: A Moral Imperative
"The time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do. Now is the time to deliver on healthcare."
Tonight the President addressed a joint session of Congress to urge them to continue to seek solutions for healthcare reform in a bipartisan fashion. The President offered some ideas for what he would like to see in the reform package and indeed some of these items have already been agreed upon by both political parties. The following points are what I remember off the top of my head:
1. Those with pre-existing conditions will not be denied healthcare coverage.
2. Insurance companies cannot drop you when you become ill.
3. Employers will have to make contributions to a healthcare fund if they do not provide healthcare coverage to their workers.
4. There will be a health insurance exchange where individuals who do not have an employer-based plan can purchase affordable care from existing insurers. A self-supporting (through premiums) public insurer should be an available option on the exchange as a competitor to private insurers; more competition should foster greater affordability.
5. Medicare and Medicaid will remain unchanged but there will be a mandate to combat fraud and waste within the current systems.
6. Everyone will be required to sign up for some sort of plan to help reduce the frequency of emergency room visits for primary care which we all pay for in our current premiums.
7. There will be no coverage for illegal aliens (who primarily use the emergency room for primary care, hmm?)
8. There will be hardship allotments and tax credits for individuals and small businesses who demonstrate financial need to cover healthcare costs.
9. ...and more, I am sure.
Furthermore, the President addressed the scare tactics being used to quash the reform debate primarily propagated by Republicans and right-leaning individuals and groups. He declared the oft repeated propaganda that there will be government-sanctioned 'death panels' as an outright lie and that the whole idea of a government takeover of healthcare is pure fiction. Finally, the President threatened to "call out" anyone who continued to disseminate false information about healthcare reform.
Of course the biggest part of the healthcare initiative is cost. The President made it clear that he will only sign a bill that does not increase the deficit and that savings gained by reducing medicare and medicaid waste and fraud and employer contributions into the healthcare fund will be used to cover the estimated $900,000,000,000 tab over the next 10 years. In any case, the bill should include a provision that any savings that are not realized must be covered by reductions in spending elsewhere in the general budget.
Sadly, those Republicans who are hell-bent on defeating reform for the sake of defeating anything this President proposes sat in protest as the President delivered his speech. Some Republicans agreed with some of the talking points but most were resolute in not supporting the President, at least in public.
At the end of the day, the President called upon all of us to support healthcare reform as a moral imperative, and rightly so, and implored us to honor the spirit of Ted Kennedy by doing so.
Tonight the President addressed a joint session of Congress to urge them to continue to seek solutions for healthcare reform in a bipartisan fashion. The President offered some ideas for what he would like to see in the reform package and indeed some of these items have already been agreed upon by both political parties. The following points are what I remember off the top of my head:
1. Those with pre-existing conditions will not be denied healthcare coverage.
2. Insurance companies cannot drop you when you become ill.
3. Employers will have to make contributions to a healthcare fund if they do not provide healthcare coverage to their workers.
4. There will be a health insurance exchange where individuals who do not have an employer-based plan can purchase affordable care from existing insurers. A self-supporting (through premiums) public insurer should be an available option on the exchange as a competitor to private insurers; more competition should foster greater affordability.
5. Medicare and Medicaid will remain unchanged but there will be a mandate to combat fraud and waste within the current systems.
6. Everyone will be required to sign up for some sort of plan to help reduce the frequency of emergency room visits for primary care which we all pay for in our current premiums.
7. There will be no coverage for illegal aliens (who primarily use the emergency room for primary care, hmm?)
8. There will be hardship allotments and tax credits for individuals and small businesses who demonstrate financial need to cover healthcare costs.
9. ...and more, I am sure.
Furthermore, the President addressed the scare tactics being used to quash the reform debate primarily propagated by Republicans and right-leaning individuals and groups. He declared the oft repeated propaganda that there will be government-sanctioned 'death panels' as an outright lie and that the whole idea of a government takeover of healthcare is pure fiction. Finally, the President threatened to "call out" anyone who continued to disseminate false information about healthcare reform.
Of course the biggest part of the healthcare initiative is cost. The President made it clear that he will only sign a bill that does not increase the deficit and that savings gained by reducing medicare and medicaid waste and fraud and employer contributions into the healthcare fund will be used to cover the estimated $900,000,000,000 tab over the next 10 years. In any case, the bill should include a provision that any savings that are not realized must be covered by reductions in spending elsewhere in the general budget.
Sadly, those Republicans who are hell-bent on defeating reform for the sake of defeating anything this President proposes sat in protest as the President delivered his speech. Some Republicans agreed with some of the talking points but most were resolute in not supporting the President, at least in public.
At the end of the day, the President called upon all of us to support healthcare reform as a moral imperative, and rightly so, and implored us to honor the spirit of Ted Kennedy by doing so.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
A Whole New Ballgame
Back to school means more to me this year than it ever has. Though I will miss having my children around, they and I have some serious work to do. They are each facing a challenging academic year and I am facing a very challenging job search. All of the career counselors that I have come in contact with recently have stated emphatically that searching for a job is different this time around; in fact it is a whole new ballgame.
Though I have been diligent and put into practice much of the new tricks that I have been given, my search has turned up empty; my application of the new rules is not as effective as I had hoped. I am now a brand. I must market and sell myself. I must network and meet new contacts. I must write a winning resume. I must write winning cover letters. I must be aware of body language. I must conduct effective interviews. It is up to me to close the deal.
So, I need to focus real hard. I need to leverage every ounce of my being in this pursuit and to that end, 6 1/2 hours without children will give me the time and space that I need to help me achieve this goal. Back to school, not a moment too soon.
Though I have been diligent and put into practice much of the new tricks that I have been given, my search has turned up empty; my application of the new rules is not as effective as I had hoped. I am now a brand. I must market and sell myself. I must network and meet new contacts. I must write a winning resume. I must write winning cover letters. I must be aware of body language. I must conduct effective interviews. It is up to me to close the deal.
So, I need to focus real hard. I need to leverage every ounce of my being in this pursuit and to that end, 6 1/2 hours without children will give me the time and space that I need to help me achieve this goal. Back to school, not a moment too soon.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Labor Day
Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend.
For us, it was a family affair. Yesterday, my father-in-law had his annual Sunday before labor day party which is a deeply satisfying West Indian fete with his extended family and friends. It is always a veritable smorgasbord of delicious authentic food that I know and love. Also, I get to be somewhat important as one of his two daughters-in-law; as the wife of his son, I am introduced to everyone. Oh, look at me, family celebrity. Silly girl.
Today, we had no plans which opened us up for an impromptu visit from my mom who brought along some of her longtime friends; lifelong connections made during nursing school in England some 40+ years ago. It was very cool to see them, actually. These are ladies who knew my mom before she knew me. And since I do not see them very often, to them, I am always amazing.
So, may this ode to my shallow self be the declaration that I had a great weekend. Cheers!
For us, it was a family affair. Yesterday, my father-in-law had his annual Sunday before labor day party which is a deeply satisfying West Indian fete with his extended family and friends. It is always a veritable smorgasbord of delicious authentic food that I know and love. Also, I get to be somewhat important as one of his two daughters-in-law; as the wife of his son, I am introduced to everyone. Oh, look at me, family celebrity. Silly girl.
Today, we had no plans which opened us up for an impromptu visit from my mom who brought along some of her longtime friends; lifelong connections made during nursing school in England some 40+ years ago. It was very cool to see them, actually. These are ladies who knew my mom before she knew me. And since I do not see them very often, to them, I am always amazing.
So, may this ode to my shallow self be the declaration that I had a great weekend. Cheers!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Summer's Last Hurrah
Ah, it is Labor Day weekend, summer's last hurrah. This is when all the Long Island beaches officially close for the summer. Hopefully, the weather holds up for us. It has been rather cool over the last week so I need a spike so I can get in my last dips.
Given the economy, I had expected attendance to be up at area beaches this year but it just did not seem so. Perhaps, I have found paradise in my choices in that I attend few beaches that are overrun. I do sometimes wonder why anyone would fight with summer traffic to travel down the east coast to go to same ocean. But, as I have enjoyed my beaches and looked around, I can see why.
Outside of Montauk, which has some nice beaches and mostly motel-style accommodations, there are really no destination beach towns; no consumer-driven boardwalks, no fancy hotels or resort-like accommodations, few 'in' places to eat and relax, and in general not enough elements to really round out what we would consider a true beach vacation. In fact, most of my favorite beaches are surrounded by beach mansions that are available at rental prices well beyond the middle class budget.
The ocean beaches do provide for some excellent day trips though and since I live in Suffolk County, it can seems like I am on a permanent summer vacation (when the weather cooperates), except I come home at night. Many beach towns in Suffolk County gained fame from being destination beach towns with fancy hotels and the like back in the early part of the 20th century. A little creative thinking and some investor dollars could usher in a new wave of tourism which could be a boost to the local economy. But, seeing as this is Long Island and any development occurs at a snail's pace, I won't hold my breath.
Given the economy, I had expected attendance to be up at area beaches this year but it just did not seem so. Perhaps, I have found paradise in my choices in that I attend few beaches that are overrun. I do sometimes wonder why anyone would fight with summer traffic to travel down the east coast to go to same ocean. But, as I have enjoyed my beaches and looked around, I can see why.
Outside of Montauk, which has some nice beaches and mostly motel-style accommodations, there are really no destination beach towns; no consumer-driven boardwalks, no fancy hotels or resort-like accommodations, few 'in' places to eat and relax, and in general not enough elements to really round out what we would consider a true beach vacation. In fact, most of my favorite beaches are surrounded by beach mansions that are available at rental prices well beyond the middle class budget.
The ocean beaches do provide for some excellent day trips though and since I live in Suffolk County, it can seems like I am on a permanent summer vacation (when the weather cooperates), except I come home at night. Many beach towns in Suffolk County gained fame from being destination beach towns with fancy hotels and the like back in the early part of the 20th century. A little creative thinking and some investor dollars could usher in a new wave of tourism which could be a boost to the local economy. But, seeing as this is Long Island and any development occurs at a snail's pace, I won't hold my breath.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
School's Out for Summer
I'm done, I'm done, I'm done! I'm done with school, just awaiting the official graduation ceremony. I thank you all for your support. Now comes the next part, studying for the very difficult national accreditation tests where success will put some fancy letters beside my name. Can I get any more fantastic than I already am? I must. Competition is stiff and every little bit counts toward getting one's foot in the door these days.
Well, I am off to go celebrate before reality hits me. May I suggest my newest favorite bottle of inexpensive wine, Impala Run Shiraz 2004 from South Africa. It is imported by a Medford, NY based distributor so I don't know how much of the market they have penetrated beyond the Island. Anyhow, at a tidy $8.99 for the large bottle, it cannot be beat on price and taste. Put away those Australians, this one is good.
Well, I am off to go celebrate before reality hits me. May I suggest my newest favorite bottle of inexpensive wine, Impala Run Shiraz 2004 from South Africa. It is imported by a Medford, NY based distributor so I don't know how much of the market they have penetrated beyond the Island. Anyhow, at a tidy $8.99 for the large bottle, it cannot be beat on price and taste. Put away those Australians, this one is good.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Simply Because it is September
Today is the first day of September. The weather dropped cold like a stone. That was it, our run of summer weather is over. We may still see some 80 degree days but the summer heat that we enjoyed over the last few weeks was all too short. Oh well. At least I did all that I could with it. But, it is September now and so our psychology shifts. Even the Dow Industrials lost 186 points today simply because it is September.
September and October are historically down months for the financial markets and when a majority of the previous stock market crashes have occurred. After the unprecedented rally of the last five months, investors are taking profits ostensibly because the rally has no basis and is therefore unsustainable and because the market goes down in September anyway. It is circular logic that creates an unavoidable condition. I'll get it straight one of these days.
The only thing that I am certain about is that I am still unemployed. I was supposed to go back to work when the kids went back to school but I still have not been fortunate to find employment. Many were predicting that an improved stock market would spur business to hire and prepare for renewed demand but employment still seems to be frozen. Many are still being laid off but now it is old news. To me, it is more competition on the ground and no matter how fantastic you are, no one seems to be above the fray. None of the people who started school with me in June have found employment, many of whom have very impressive resumes.
Tomorrow is my last day of school so I still have a milestone that I can set my lack of employment behind. School is supposed to help me be more employable and its actual completion resets the clock again even though I have already updated my resume and applied for dozens of jobs in the last month. Anyhow, I press on for at least I have something to show for myself.
September and October are historically down months for the financial markets and when a majority of the previous stock market crashes have occurred. After the unprecedented rally of the last five months, investors are taking profits ostensibly because the rally has no basis and is therefore unsustainable and because the market goes down in September anyway. It is circular logic that creates an unavoidable condition. I'll get it straight one of these days.
The only thing that I am certain about is that I am still unemployed. I was supposed to go back to work when the kids went back to school but I still have not been fortunate to find employment. Many were predicting that an improved stock market would spur business to hire and prepare for renewed demand but employment still seems to be frozen. Many are still being laid off but now it is old news. To me, it is more competition on the ground and no matter how fantastic you are, no one seems to be above the fray. None of the people who started school with me in June have found employment, many of whom have very impressive resumes.
Tomorrow is my last day of school so I still have a milestone that I can set my lack of employment behind. School is supposed to help me be more employable and its actual completion resets the clock again even though I have already updated my resume and applied for dozens of jobs in the last month. Anyhow, I press on for at least I have something to show for myself.
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