|
|
|
#596
3.3.2008 In this issue: 1. Reflections 2. FYI 3. Dad in charge 4. Reviews . . . THE BAND'S VISIT, etc. 5. TV alert 6. True crime story 7. Websites 8. Computer tip 9. Unusual excuses (actually used by employees) 10. A quote I like 11. Thought for the day 12. Advance planning department _________________________________________________________ 1. Reflections A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I had the pleasure of joining friends to see BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, put on by the Performing Arts Students of Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, NJ. It was as good as anything we've seen on stage in quite some time! The staging, the costumes, the choreography, the singing, the acting, the music . . . all were top-notch. We were blown away by the size of the cast, close to 100 it seemed, as well as by the orchestra of well over 40 musicians. Michael Neiderer and Chelsea Wargo were both superb in the two leading roles. Afterwards, we enjoyed going to the gym to see all the performers greeted by their relatives and friends . . . we got a special kick out of watching little girls come up to Chelsea to have their pictures taken with her. For more information, please also see the BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD (after Section 1D). B. During the week, I got to hear Mara Liasson--NPR's national political correspondent . . . she spoke to an overflow crowd at Princeton University on what was happening in the current presidential races. Among her comments that I found of interest: * McCain in some respects is more extraordinary than Obama or Clinton because of his stances (in contrast to typical Republican parties). * The general election has already begun; e.g., as evidenced by Obama talking about McCain's half century of experience. * The debate in the future will be what now to do in Iraq, not what happened in the past. * McCain has a lot of baggage: the economy, the war, etc. * The national race promises to be very close. * Nader will have a minimal effect. * Richardson and Biden are only a few of many possible Democratic VP possibilities. Powell will not be in the mix. * Romney might be the Republican choice; Huckabee won't be. Rice has already said she would not be a candidate. C. On Friday, I was honored to have been asked to chair a panel at an informative conference, "Boomers & Beyond: Work Matters Over 60" at the College of New Jersey. KUDOS to both Lorraine Allen with the Small Business Development Center at the College and Steve Gable, co-chairs for the event, for their role in making it the success that it was . . . in addition, special THANKS to the folks who participated in my session: Louis Zanoni, WZBN TV; Robert Estok, Mercer County Community College; Marvin Schlaffer, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Rutgers University; and Lisa Gable, LG Accessories . . . they each shared their perspective on what it's like to stay active in the work force and frankly, what they said has gotten me thinking about what it is that I want to do next after my retirement from college teaching . . . their words also inspired me, as well as the others in attendance. Perhaps the high spot of the day was what happened next . . . Lisa Gable was recognized by Experience Works as New Jersey's Outstanding Older Worker . . . her remarks in accepting the award brought tears to many eyes. See below for a picture of (l-r): yours truly, somewhat covered up; Lisa Gable; Lorraine Allen; Jo Rinehart, regional director of Experience Works; and Steve Gable:  D. CORRECTION in last week's issue: There was a typo in what I wrote about Kevin Jameson . . . his last name was given incorrectly; sorry 'bout that Kev . . . what follows is the correct information: CONGRATULATIONS, also, to my longtime friend Kevin Jameson . . . he recently won Honeywell International's Automation and Control Solutions' President's Club Award. ***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD ***** This week, it goes to Louis Gibilisco--director of the Performing Arts Department of Notre Dame High School for the past 18 years. I don't know how he is able to have his students put on such fantastic productions, but he keeps doing it year after year . . . aside from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST this year (see also Section 1A), he was the man behind the scenes for last year's equally fantastic production of LES MISERABLES . . . and without even knowing the show, I'm already planning to return next year and every other year I'm still in the area. His wife, Debby, always joins him every step of the way . . . she served as choreographer this year, as well as costume coordinator. Making it a real family affair was the fact that they were joined by all three of their children . . . Jaime was on stage as a very funny Gaston, Jenna was the Carpet and Gigi was in the pit orchestra. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 2. FYI When you take an idea that is viewed as unpopular by some, do what you can to give it a twist to make it acceptable to as many people as you can . . . for an excellent example, study how Albert Shanker did this with respect to merit pay--as described in TOUGH LIBERAL (see also Sections 4, 10 and 11) by Richard D. Kahlenberg: At the July 1983 AFT convention, Shanker invited not only Reagan but also the Republican Governor of Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, the author of an innovative twist on merit pay. Alexander, with the help of Vanderbilt University's Chester Finn, proposed a career-ladder system, in which master teachers, who would be involved in developing curriculum and serving as mentors to young teachers, would receive greater pay. This career-ladder approach was more palatable to Shanker than traditional merit-pay schemes because it involved differential pay for different jobs, not bonuses for people doing the same job as others. Under the plan, master teachers would be identified by panels that included teachers and principals from different districts, to avoid the problem of favoritism traditionally associated with merit-pay plans, in which principals reward obedient teachers. And under the proposal, 87 percent of all teachers would be eligible for raises ranging from one thousand to seven thousand dollars a year, paid from new education funds that did not subtract from the pay of some teachers to reward others. FYI, part 2 * Ken in New York, who also happens to be my brother--commenting on a passage from HOW STARBACKS SAVED MY LIFE (about how the author had once been given advice when employed at J. Walter Thompson to not send "praise memos"): We replaced a manager in our offices in Albany--Ron Whateverhisnamewas. Dad wrote a requested letter of recommendation attesting to his honesty and competence, which was not the case. He was replaced by a woman who was just marginally younger, but a hell of a lot better manager and not a thief. To make a long story short, we were sued for age discrimination and whatever else Ron's attorneys could think of on the basis of Dad's glowing tribute. Just about every employee we had was older than Ron--Gene Liparini, Norm Einziger, Tony Anari, Mike Weiss, Dad--the list goes on and on. Most were honest, your father the exception. (Just kidding!) To defend would require sending our lawyer who was not cheap, being part of the Louis Nizer firm, to Albany and then putting him up for a few days . . . plus court costs, etc. . . . probably tens of thousands of dollars. And there was no guarantee of winning, even though we knew we were in the right. It became expedient and a cost saving to the company to settle for a very substantial amount at the time . . . over $15,000. ALL this the result of Dad's trying to be a nice guy. By the way, writing a knowingly bogus letter of recommendation could also leave you open to a suit from the next employer as well. DON'T PUT IT IN WRITING. * Bob in New Jersey: Have you looked into the Clearwater, Tampa Bay side of Florida? * Jean in Pennsylvania: THANKS for mentioning the Ukrainian dinner at St. Anne’s. It might help this little church raise money, and the food is great. (My 80-year-old mother helps make the pierogies, which are for sale each week as well). * Mark in Florida; Below is my link to my new website for sportfishing charters: http://www.offthechartfishing.com Please review and give me your thoughts. I can pay commissions on any charter referral. Contact me with any questions. * Lady Rose in Ohio: Another great edition. Thanks for sharing. MY TWO CENTS: My pleasure; i.e., to share . . . by same token, I always encourage you and all others to do the same . . . feel free to share jokes with me, particularly if you have not seen them before, but also recommendations, websites, reviews, etc. . . . this missive owes much of its success to the many submissions that I receive each week. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 3. Dad in charge One day my mother was out, and my dad was in charge of my brother, who is four years younger, and me. He was maybe 3-1/2 years old at the time and had just recovered from an accident, in which his arm had been broken. Someone had given him a little "tea set" as a get-well gift, and it was one of his favorite toys. Dad was in the living room engrossed in the evening news, and my brother was playing nearby in the living room when he brought Dad a little cup of "tea" (which was just water). After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, Mom came home. Dad made her wait in the living room to watch my brother bring him a cup of tea because it was "just the cutest thing!" Mom waited and sure enough, here he comes down the hall with a cup of tea for Dad and she watches him drink it up. Then she says to him, "Did it ever occur to you that the only place that baby can reach to get water is the toilet?" Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 4. Reviews A. THE BAND'S VISIT is a quirky Israeli film about an Egyptian band that's slated to perform at the opening of an Arab cultural center . . . however, en route, it gets stranded in a quiet desert town . . . the residents there provide them shelter and food, as well as friendship . . . this is a slice-of-life story that's, at times, sad, funny, touching, and even thought-provoking . . . I did not love it as much as many critics did; however, I would recommend that you view it when it comes out on DVD; i.e., if you can't find it in the theaters . . . rated PG-13. B. Not having much to recommend in terms of new DVD offerings out this week, I'm going to suggest you rent CHALK . . . this is a mockumentary about the world of public education . . . it takes a poignant look at the challenges faced by the teachers at a mythical high school . . . you'll relate to some spots that will have you laughing; others will have you giving credit to anybody who dares to stand in front of a classroom . . . rated PG-13. C. Albert Shanker had always been one of my heroes . . . yet until I read TOUGH LIBERAL (see also Sections 2, 10 and 11) by Richard D. Kahlenberg, I had not known too much about him. That's no longer the case . . . in fact, this excellent biography even increased my appreciation of Shanker who once told an interviewer: * "If I didn't have to make a living, I would have done this as a volunteer." What he did was head the American Federation of Teachers for well over 20-25 years . . . by doing so, he helped change the perception of teachers by having them recognized as professionals: * A professional receives a liberal-arts education, then specialized training, and then must pass a rigorous exam before beginning to practice. She participates in an internship, is guided by mentors, and participates in reviewing the performance of colleagues. Once these professional responsibilities are met come the reciprocal set of rights: greater autonomy and higher compensation. In Shanker's vision, policies like a rigorous national test, peer review, and career ladders were not just defensive moves against critics of public-school teachers, they were prerequisites to the professionalization of teaching. TOUGH LIBERAL summarized Shanker's contributions to education in one of the finest concluding paragraphs that I've ever read: * In one lifespan, Albert Shanker helped to create the institution of collective bargaining for teachers, giving them greater dignity and voice in how they would be treated. He then used that power to engage in a series of critical education reforms that proved instrumental in improving and preserving the institution of public education. Both accomplishments served the larger goal he cherished above all others: strengthening American democracy. His failure to convince fellow liberals to extend their support of democracy more broadly--to racial policy, international affairs, and their views of the labor movement--leaves open the question: what might society look like if we tried? If you want to learn about Albert Shanker and the labor movement in this country, read this book . . . it will also make a great gift for any teacher. D. Heard THIRSTING FOR GOD: THE SPIRITUAL LESSONS OF MOTHER TERESA, a CD program narrated by Dr. Lou Tartagla with personal insights from Father Angelo Scolozzi . . . perhaps best of all, it included parts of rare recordings that contain the actual words of Mother Teresa herself. You'll find yourself inspired how this one person, filled with love, was able to touch the entire world . . . she was truly belief in action and even now, years after her death, you'll be moved as I was by her story. As was noted, "She was an ordinary woman who did things in extraordinary ways" . . . she rarely took no for an answer, instead she continually pushed for what she thought was right--aided by God's help. Among the many tidbits of knowledge I picked up from listening were these: * Don't give what you don't want. * All work is prayer is action. * It's not how much you do, but how much love you put into what you do. * We were created to love and be loved. * We need to love others as God loves us. * All life is precious. * To be a better husband or wife, smile at each other. * The family that prays together stays together. * Alcoholism and addiction need to be treated by caring for the soul. You may have heard some of these ideas before, but methinks that hearing them come from Mother Teresa will make you view them in a completely different fashion. This fine program is available for purchase or rental . . . if you want to get it, please click: http://www.achievementlibrary.com/ Above is the tape rental club I belong to; i.e., the Achievement Tape Library . . . this a great way to hear CDs and/or audio cassette tapes, view videos, etc.--all for a fraction of what it would cost to buy them . . . call the head of the firm (Paul Arroyo) directly at 1.800.735.3660 and mention my name . . . that way, you'll be sure to pay even higher prices . . . NOT. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 5. TV alert A. THE SECRET LIFE OF A SOCCER MOM offers stay-at-home moms the chance to work at their dream jobs (ranging from chef to police officer) . . . Mondays at 10 p.m. on TLC. B. MEN IN AMSTERDAM introduces TV's newest high-concept cop, a detective who's immortal . . . according to THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, "The underlying theme here, once the fantastic elements are stripped away, is loneliness. . . . [It has] a true and very tender heart." . . . Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX. C. TERMINAL CITY, a Canadian import, debuts on SUNDANCE on Thursday at 9 p.m. . . . it is a series about women with breast cancer that also promises to be funny at times. D. THE ESSENTIALS gets a contemporary cohost when cult-film favorite Rose McGowan joins Robert Osborne to discuss March's titles, starting with 1969's THE APARTMENT . . . Sundays at 8 p.m. on TCM. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 6. True crime story Tired of constantly being broke and stuck in an unhappy marriage, a young husband decided to solve both problems by taking out a large insurance policy on his wife with himself as the beneficiary. He then decided to have her killed. A friend of a friend put him in touch with a nefarious underworld figure who went by the name of "Artie." Artie explained to the husband that his going price for snuffing out a spouse was $5,000. The husband said he was willing to pay that amount, but that he wouldn't have any cash on hand until he could collect his wife's insurance money. Artie insisted on being paid at least something up front, so the man opened his wallet and displayed the single dollar bill that rested inside. Artie sighed, rolled his eyes and reluctantly agreed to accept the bucks as down payment for the dirty deed. A few days later, Artie followed the man's wife to the local Super Wal-Mart store. There, he surprised her in the produce department and proceeded to strangle her with his gloved hands. The unsuspecting woman drew her last breath and slumped to the floor. The manager of the produce department stumbled unexpectedly onto the murder scene. Unwilling to leave any living witnesses behind, Artie had no choice but to strangle this potential witness as well However, unbeknownst to Artie, the entire proceedings were captured by the store's hidden security cameras. An alert security guard immediately called the police. Artie was caught and arrested before he could even leave the store. Under intense questioning at the police station, he revealed the whole sordid plan, including his unusual financial arrangements with the hapless husband (who was also quickly arrested). The headline in the next day's newspaper said it all: "ARTIE CHOKES TWO FOR A DOLLAR AT WAL-MART" Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 7. Websites A. One way to block spam from entering your mailbox is to click: http://www.Spamgourmet.com This is an easy program that automatically blocks spam from coming to your email account. It is very simple to set up. Best of all, it's FREE. B. Remember this name: Paul Potts . . . if he's not yet familiar with you, he will be after you watch this clip: http://www.maniacworld.com/Phone-Salesman-Amazes-Crowd.html It helped this former manager of a cellphone store win BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT and from there, his career has taken off to where he is now in the midst of a concert tour covering 65 cites across 13 countries. C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view it, please click: http://www.blainesworld.net In the unlikely event you ever miss an issue, you can find it by going to Newsletter on the left, then Archives . . . sometimes, it is fun to just go back and revisit a joke you may have forgotten or not even seen if you weren't a subscriber . . . for example, at random, I went to Issue #457 and found this one: Signage A hospital posted a notice in the nurses' lounge, saying: "Remember, the first five minutes of a human being's life are the most dangerous." Underneath, somebody had written: "The last five are pretty risky, too." Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 8. Computer tip You can enlarge type face, size of icons and text of certain websites in Windows XP by going to the Start menu on the bottom-left corner of the screen and then selecting "Programs," followed by "Accessories," then "Accessibility" and lastly, "Magnifier" . . . play around with the different options to see what's best for you. Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 9. Unusual excuses (actually used by employees) 1. At her sister's wedding, an employee chipped her tooth on a Mint Julep, bent over to spit it out, hit her head on a keg and was knocked unconscious. 2. While at a circus, a tiger urinated on the employee's ear, causing an ear infection. 3. An employee's dog wasn't feeling well, so the employee tasted the dog's food and then got sick. 4. "Someone put LSD in my salad." 5. An employee's roommate locked all his clothes in a shed for spite. 6. "Stuck on an island; canoe floated away." 7. An employee was upset because his favorite AMERICAN IDOL contestant was voted off. 8. "I didn't think I had to come in if I had time in my vacation bank. I thought I could take it whenever I wanted." 9. An employee said he wasn't feeling well and wanted to rest up for the company's holiday party that night. 10. A groundhog bit the employee's car tire, causing it to go flat. SOURCE: Anthony Balderrama in CareerBuilder.com Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 10. A quote I like The worst crime a leader can commit is to go on playing by the same rules of the game when the game and the rules have changed.--Albert Shanker in TOUGH LIBERAL (see also Sections 2, 4C and 11) by Richard D. Kahlenberg Back to Top _______________________________________________________ 11. Thought for the day When the New York State United Teachers faced a challenge a challenge from the National Education Association, Shanker gave what teachers remember was the most famous address in his entire career: Shanker's cadence slowed. He read the story ["The Most Unbelievable Thing" by Hans Christian Anderson], in which a king announced that he would give his daughter in marriage to the man who accomplished the most unbelievable thing. There was a tremendous competition, and on the day for judgment, everyone agreed that the most marvelous accomplishment was a handsome clock that depicted leading intellectual and spiritual leaders throughout history. The judges were about to pronounce him the winner when a thug carrying a sledgehammer arrived. With three blows he smashed the clock, and everyone had to admit that was the most unbelievable thing. Shanker said: "Our organization is a wonderful work of art. It has been put together. If destroyed, it will never be put together again. To each of us goes the responsibility of seeing that it is the clock that survives and not the sledgehammer." Shanker received an ovation that lasted for five minutes. Men in the audience had tears running down their face. "Keep the clock" buttons were printed up and passed around. SOURCE: TOUGH LIBERAL (see also Sections 2, 4C and 10) by Richard D. Kahlenberg, a book I REALLY liked as evidence by the fact that this is the fourth time I've cited it in this week's newsletter Back to Top _________________________________________________________ 12. Advance planning department A. The Lower Bucks campus of Bucks County Community College proudly presents the next installment in its faculty lecture series on Thursday, March 6, at 12:30 p.m. when Professor James A. Freeman will read excerpts from his LIAR'S TALES OF TRUE LOVE . . . for more information, please click: http://www.bucks.edu/releases/LBCLecture-Freeman.html B. Mimi Schwartz reads from her new book, GOOD NEIGHBORS, BAD TIMES, on March 6 at 7 p.m. in Barnes & Noble, 3535 Route 1 South, West Windsor, NJ, on March 6 at 7 p.m. C. FREE CONTEST GIVEAWAY (concludes): Due to the popularity of past contests, I'd again like to extend an invitation to some lucky reader(s) to be my guest at the "Meet the Author" Business Seminar on March 12, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. in the Library Auditorium at Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA. Best-selling author Lisa Ford is the featured speaker of the 5th annual "Meet the Author" Business Seminar at Bucks County Community College. Her presentation, Exceptional Customer Service--Going Beyond Your Good Service to Exceed the Customer's Expectation, is based on Lisa's best-selling video training program. To be eligible for the FREE TICKETS, submit your name by February 25 via email to my assistant: hughesbr@bucks.edu . . . in the subject line, put these words: FREE TICKETS . . . in the body of your email, include this information: your name, how many tickets you would want (1 or 2), email address, snail mail address, and phone number . . . I'll then let you know if you're a winner on or before March 10. Should you want to guarantee a seat or have your company purchase ticket(s) for you, here's the information that you will need: Individual tickets: $50 or take advantage of a $495 corporate sponsorship and receive 10 tickets, reserved seating and the opportunity to promote your organization. To reserve your seats today for this engaging seminar, call 215.968.8224 or to order tickets safely and securely online, please click: https://www.bucks.edu/meettheauthor.php
D. Janet in New Jersey: Now that I am in New Jersey, I am beginning to teach again. I will start in Morristown, NJ at a new location and see how we grow from here. Old and new students welcome to join us for this new adventure together. FIRST CLASS BEGINS NEXT THURSDAY EVENING COME AT 6:45; CLASS BEGIN PROMPTLY AT 7 PM-9 PM This class is Two Thursday evenings a month. This class is definite and has space for more. SEE CLASS DESCRIPTION BELOW. CALL IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. Details and sign ups by phone. SPECIAL PRICING FOR ONGOING STUDENTS AND CLIENTS. Please call with questions. Blessings, Janet 973.647.2500 BE THE MEDICINE: ONGOING GROUP FOR SPIRITUAL HEALING AND LIVING with Janet StraightArrow, Woman of Medicine, Medical Intuitive, Energy Healer WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO BE THE SOLUTION FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS? Advanced Teachings and practices for Healing practitioners and everyone ready and open to profound growth and experience. The high loving energy Janet brings assists us in our experience as we move into deep inner spaces and learning. The needs of the group will focus the teaching. Each week has its own focus and tools. For more information, please click: http://www.OasisForTheSoul.com _________________________________________________________ PS. Please join me in praying that we soon get our remaining soldiers back from Iraq and that peace resumes in Israel . . . also, make it a great week! Back to Top ---------------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBCRIBE INFORMATION To subscribe to this publication, please send an email to: bginbc@aol.com and put SUBSCRIBE in subject line . . . if you wish to unsubscribe, just send an email to same address and put UNSUBSCRIBE in subject line.
|
