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BLAINESWORLD
#575 10.8.2007 In this issue: 1. Reflections 2. FYI 3. Clerk wisdom 4. Reviews . . . THE HEARBREAK KID, etc. 5. TV alert 6. Bad start 7. Websites 8. Computer tip 9. Management lesson 10. A quote I like 11. Thought for the day 12. Advance planning department _________________________________________________________ 1. Reflections A. Cynthia, my beautiful bride, and I got to see my daughter Risa and her fiancee JP for a brief time this past weekend . . . see below for a picture of the two of them, taken on a recent vacation they had at Discovery Cove in Orlando:  They were in from Florida for the Bar Mitzvah of Risa's cousin, and so
we picked them up from Newark Airport on Friday . . . we hadn't planned to eat at any particular place, so it was fun to "find" King's Chef Chinese Restaurant (732.602.2188) in Iselin, NJ by just driving down Route 1. We all shared four dishes: pork fried rice, made with brown rice; boneless ribs; sesame chicken; and pan-fried noodles with beef . . . each one was excellent . . . we also liked the decor of the place with its many large windows . . . though none of us had ever been there before, we would definitely return based on our dining experience. A stop at a Cold Stone Creamery for dessert topped-off the evening. B. On Saturday, we had a belated celebration of Cynthia's birthday (it had been the previous Monday, October 1), at which time we were taken out for lunch by her sister and brother-in-law . . . we went to Eppes Essen in Livingston, NJ, a deli we've been to in the past and enjoyed . . . for more information, please click: http://www.EppesEssen.com Cynthia had an omelette with a whole bunch of vegetables in it, and I had the matzo brei . . . both items were delicious and huge in size . . . the best part, however, was being with Joyce and Marty . . . this is a something we've recently started; i.e., to join together when celebrating various birthdays . . . it is a tradition we plan to continue. From there, we went to visit my mother . . . she has been moved to a hospice facility in the Bronx (Calvary Hospital) and is resting comfortably. C. On Sunday, we saw THE TRIAL OF THE CENTURY at the renovated Hunterdon County Courthouse in Flemington, NJ (scene of the actual trial) . . . this true story revolves around Bruno Hauptmann, tried for the murder of Charles Lindbergh, Jr. It was an interesting play and the acting was quite polished . . . in particular, I liked the work of Kevin Young as Attorney General Wilentz . . . if you go, you might want to consider bringing cushions . . . the courtroom benches are uncomfortable, at best. For more information, please click: http://www.famoustrials.com For dinner, we went across the street to the Union Hotel (908.788.7474)--the place where the jurors dined and stayed at for the original six week trial . . . my burger was tasty, as was Cynthia's chicken quesadilla . . . the accompanying sweet potato fries were as good as we've had in quite some time . . . and if you go, make sure you ask for "Vinnie from Brooklyn," one of the managers . . . he'll make you feel most welcome. D. CONGRATULATIONS--again!--to my good friend Lisa Gable and her family. As previously reported, Lisa was named New Jersey's Outstanding Older Worker by an organization called Experience Works . . . she is the woman who invented Strap-Mate, an accessory that fits across a woman's back to keep lingerie straps from slipping . . . she hold four patents and has been operating her own company, LG Accessories, for over 13 years. This past Friday, Lisa was honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. . . . unfortunately, she was not able to make the event because of a recent hip fracture (caused by some unnamed bum who pushed her out of the way to get a cab) . . . however, she was ably represented at the event by her son Steve and his wife Fern, and we all look forward to recognizing her work at an upcoming recognition event to be held in this area . . . stay tuned for details. In the meantime, should you want to know more about Lisa or her company, please click: http://www.strapmate.com For more information about the fine work done by Experience Works, please click: http://www.experienceworks.org ***** BLAINESWORLD BEST AWARD ***** This week, it goes to Pat O'Connell--payroll supervisor at Bucks County Community College. Pat is one of those rare individuals who seems to be able to answer questions even before she picks up the phone or answers her email. It is a real pleasure to work with her, and I'm constantly appreciative of her responsiveness to not only my concerns--but to those of countless of my colleagues. I'm also impressed by both her enthusiasm and hard work. Her department has always amazed me with the fact that so much is accomplished with so few employees. Pat and her entire office just goes about and does whatever needs to be done--never complaining about how much work there is. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 2. FYI According to the Cato Institute's report, "President Bush has presided over the largest overall increase in inflation-adjusted federal spending since Lyndon B. Johnson. Even excluding spending on defense and homeland security, Bush is still the biggest-spending president in 30 years." Some specifics: * Federal spending has grown twice as fast under President Bush as under President Bill Clinton; 65 percent of it unrelated to national security. * Spending on education has more than doubled since President Bush took office in 2001. * In 2001, President Bush and the Republican Congress spent $286 billion on thirty-three anti-poverty programs. By 2005, the amount spent had grown to $397 billion--a 30-percent increase while inflation went up only 10 percent. "The GOP was once effective at controlling non-defense spending," the Cato report says. "The final non-defense budgets under Clinton were a combined $57 billion smaller than what he proposed from 1996 to 2001. Under Bush, Congress passed budgets that spent a total of $91 billion more than the president requested for domestic programs." SOURCE: CRAZIES TO THE LEFT OF ME, WIMPS TO THE RIGHT (see also Sections 4C, 10 and 11) by Bernard Goldberg FYI, part 2 * Kathe in New Jersey: Just wanted to pass along promotional deal offered by THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. A promotion, advertised in the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER (coupon FSI) is underway for 30 weeks at the rate of $39.95. Call number is 1.800.765.4096, promotional code 27JGAC. * Jack in Pennsylvania: I am participating in the Light the Night Walk on October 20th for Cancer awareness and funding. The Vice President of our company died this year from cancer. His name was Vince aka, Mr. Blacktop, and he was truly a gentleman. There will be a gold balloon in his honor at the walk. If anyone would care to sponsor me or make a wager whether I can complete the walk or not, that would be greatly appreciated. To do so, please click: http://www.active.com/donate/ltnPhilad/2089_PayrollJack * Bob in New Jersey: Barb and I are close friends with the organizers of "Sustainable Lawrence," an environmental group dedicated to protecting and improving the "balance of nature" in Lawrence Township. This group is hosting a special educational meeting for the "Faith Communities" in Lawrence and in the region. Sister Miriam is a Roman Catholic nun, dedicated to serving humanity through environmental education and action. THIS WOULD BE GREAT FOR YOUTH AND COLLEGE STUDENTS! Barb and I will be at St. Ann's Church on Rt. 206 in Lawreceville, NJ on October 17th at 7:30 p.m. We hope that as many of our friends as possible can attend also. We are told that her presentation is uplifting and convincing. If you have any questions, call Barb at 609. 977.1719 or me at 609.977.1716. Note that they are suggesting a $5 donation at the door. * Rebecca in Michigan [commenting on the information about Randy Pausch, the computer science professor mentioned in BLAINESWORLD #573]: Prior to meeting my husband, he too was a doctor with pancreatic cancer and only had months to live. He was diagnosed in April 2003, and was supposed to be dead by 10/03, but instead had a stroke and walked out of a nursing home on June 11, 2004. I met him on line on 6/16/07, flew out to meet him on June 25, 2004, and the rest is history. He too lectures on Winning Thinking. For more information, I suggest you go to his website: http://www.michaelcortson.com Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 3. Clerk wisdom Unfortunately, getting a new passport requires a new photo. As my friend handed her ten-year-old passport and the new picture to the clerk, she sighed. “I like the original better." “Trust me,” was the response she got. "Ten years from now you'll like this one.” Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 4. Reviews A. THE HEARBREAK KID is a Farrelly brother's remake of the 1972 film of the same title . . . I liked the original, and I liked this version too . . . Ben Stiller stars as a guy who won't commit . . . you feel for him, especially when you see him sitting in a very funny scene at the kids' table at the wedding of his former fiance . . . things finally perk up for him when he meets Malin Akerman (a Cameron Diaz lookalike), and they soon marry . . . yet shortly thereafter, Stiller finds out that she is anything but what he thought she was--and he dumps her for another woman . . . both Stiller and Akerman had me laughing out loud, at times, as did what might be described as the most obnoxious mariachi band of all time . . . rated PG-13. B. Now available for DVD rental is REIGN OVER ME, a tale of friendship and loss that did little for me . . . Don Cheadle is fine as one of the two dentists who reacquaints with his college roommate, Adam Sandler (who mumbled through his role and wasn't very good) . . . rated R. Methinks you'll be much better off by revisiting something that you may not have seen for quite some time; e.g., AMERICAN PRESIDENT . . . I just saw this romantic comedy again and was again delighted with it . . . both Michael Douglas and Annette Bening sparkle as, respectively, the president and his girlfriend . . . the scene in which Douglas tries to buy her flowers is one of my all-time favorites . . . rated PG-13. C. Some folks think I'm a liberal Democrat, but the truth is that I try to look at all sides of an issue--and even vote Republican at times . . . consequently, I find myself reading books that represent all viewpoints of the political spectrum. Bernard Goldberg is an author I've read and enjoyed in the past . . . his BIAS got me thinking, always a good sign, and I found it a fair treatment of how news is presented by the media. In his latest effort, CRAZIES TO THE RIGHT, WIMPS TO THE RIGHT (see also Sections 2, 10 and 11), Goldberg comes through again . . . he skewers both political parties, as evidenced by the book's subtitle: HOW ONE SIDE LOST ITS MIND AND THE OTHER LOST ITS NERVE. Though Goldberg was initially Democratic, he became Republican . . . yet what's so great about his writing is that it is actually quite balanced and doesn't leave you with the impression that he is doing a hatchet job, in that what he says presents a factual basis for many of his opinions. For example, I liked this one example: * In another election, San Franciscans voted--60 percent to 40 percent--to ban military recruiters from their public schools. Funny, I thought liberals were the ones who were always telling us that "choice" is a good thing. I guess that only applies to abortions; not to choosing whether or not you want to let students listen to a military recruiter talk about a career with the army, navy, air force, or marines. And even though the vote is "only" symbolic--officially, it's nonbinding--it does tell us how these people feel about being citizens of the United States of America. In addition, I liked his use of humor [inventing a proposed new game show] to drive home a serious point: * Okay, one senator down, ninety-nine to go. Bob Barker opens the drum door again, reaches in, and pulls out another name. This time he announces to the audience, "Robert C. Byrd"-a politician who, not for nothing, has been given the name "King or Pork" by Citizens Against Government Waste. You see, everything in West Virginia is named after Robert Byrd. Everything. And guess who paid for all of it? You did! In case you're wondering just where your money went, here's a very short list of the pork Byrd brought home. There's the Robert C. Byrd Expressway, the Byrd Aerospace Tech Center, the Robert C. Byrd Federal Courthouse, the Robert C. Byrd Industrial Park, the Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing, the Robert C. Byrd Bridge, the Robert C. Byrd addition to the lodge at Oglebay Park, the Robert C. Byrd Library, the Robert C. Byrd Hilltop Office Complex, and about a million more Robert C. Byrd Projects that would require a lot more pages to list. Lastly, although I didn't find myself agreeing with all his points, many of them got me to revisit some of my previously-held beliefs, such as this one on conservatism: * There are important reasons, I think that conservatives got feisty and started throwing their weight around. Liberals started it! Religious conservatives only became a political force after liberals began imposing their vision of morality on society. Liberals are the ones, after all, who thought it was a good idea for grade school kids to put condoms on bananas. So evangelicals responded with their own version of sex in the classroom: lectures on abstinence. Same with same-sex marriage: Conservative Christians never thought about banning it until liberals came up with the idea of legalizing it. Regardless of your political affiliation, I strongly encourage you to read CRAZIES TO THE RIGHT, WIMPS TO THE RIGHT . . . one thing I guarantee is that you won't be bored! D. I was so interested in the title of a CD program, PUBLIC SPEAKING SUCCESS, that I made it a point to both get and listen to it as quickly as I could. The fact that it featured four top speakers was an added attraction . . . Nido Qubein, Ron White, Brian Tracy, and Chris Widener, each had much to say about their respective topics, and their comments would be of value to virtually any speaker: Qubein in "How to Communicate Like a Pro" noted: * Communication doesn't take place until you have the complete attention of your audience. * The first thing I do is get an audience into the act. * Always find out what turns on your audience and let your dialogue focus on that interest. * Ask questions to involve the listener. White in "Speeches from Memory" commented: * I use the entire stage as my podium. This adds energy to my presentation. * When you can give a speech without notes, your credibility is going to go up. Tracy (rapidly becoming one of my favorites) in "Communication--The Master Skill to Powerful Relationships" said: * When you have small children, you speak to them at their level. * The more the person is talking about themselves, the more they'll like you. * Treat the members of your family like you treat your best customers. * Men are 95% more likely to interrupt a woman than a woman is to interrupt a man. * If you can paraphrase what the person said, that's real listening. Lastly, Widener in "Communication Skills to Influence and Persuade" observed: * When you master your skills, you're going to have better relationships. * The problem with being a good speaker is that you still need to get better. 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. Chef Ramsey visits various restaurants in KITCHEN NIGHTMARES, ripping them apart with an eye toward eventually making them better in the long run . . . Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX. B. LAST MEN STANDING is a new sparring series, in which six athletes get ready to rumble as they travel the globe to learn ancient arts from indigenous tribesmen . . . Thursdays at 9 p.m. on DISCOVERY. C. MEN IN TREES, one of my favorite shows, has its season premiere on Friday at 10 p.m. on ABC . . . if you like both romance and quirkiness, you'll soon become a regular viewer. D. BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGSOF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF kAZAKHSTAN has its HBO premiere on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. on NBC . . . it's an outrageous mockumentary, featuring Sacha Baron Cohen . . . he also coproduced and codirected. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 6. Bad start I rear-ended another car the other day. I tell you, I knew right then and there it was going to be a REALLY bad day. The driver got out of the other car and wouldn't you know it . . . he was a dwarf! He looked up at me and said, I am NOT happy!! So I said, "OK, then, which one are you?" That's how the fight started. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 7. Websites A. Can chemistry be made easy? Well, I'm not sure I would go quite that far . . . however, it can certainly be made more interesting, as you can see by clicking:: http://www.theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/
You'll find an actual (wooden) periodic table of elements, as depicted by chemist Theodore Gray . . . in addition, if you click on any element, you'll get a description of what it is, as well as what it can be used for. B. To make your computer run better, there's an excellent cleaner that is now available to readers of BLAINESWORLD at no cost; please click: http://comedyoption.com/pics/monitor_cleaner.swf It is addicting, so consider yourself forewarned. C. BLAINESWORLD, the website, remains up and running . . . to view it, please click: http://www.blainesworld.net To view past issues, click Newsletter on left and then Past Issues . . . it is a great way to catch up on jokes you may have missed and/or forgotten; e.g., see BLAINESWORLD #503 for other management lessons to go along with what you will learn in Section 9. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 8. Computer tip If you have a newsletter--such as BLAINESWORLD--that you send out to others, make it easy for them to read; i.e., by including it in the body of your email . . . sending it as an attachment forces the recipient to open his or her email, then download it (something that often isn't done) . . . even if you just are sending "regular" email, the same idea holds true . . . the less you force somebody to download something, the more likely you are to get it read. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 9. Management lesson A priest offered a nun a lift. She got in a crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg. The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg. The nun said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest removed his hand, but, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again. The nun once again said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest apologized "Sorry Sister but the flesh is weak." Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way. On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, "Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory." Moral of the story: If you are not well informed in your job, opportunities for advancement will pass right by you. Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 10. A quote I like There's an old line about how politicians are like diapers. They both need to be changed, a lot, and for the same reason. This, of course, is unfair. Diapers serve a useful purpose.--Bernard Goldberg in CRAZIES TO THE LEFT OF ME, WIMPS TO THE RIGHT (see also Sections 2, 4C and 11) Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 11. Thought for the day The following material appeared in CRAZIES TO THE LEFT OF ME, WIMPS TO THE RIGHT (see also Sections 2, 4C and 10), a book by Bernard Goldberg that you can tell I REALLY liked by evidence of the fact that this is now the fourth time I have cited it in this week's newsletter: I asked a young colleague once how he felt about diversity and affirmative action. Figuring he was a liberal, like just about everybody else in the media, I knew the answer before I asked. "I'm for it," he said. "Good," I replied. "So would you give up your job so that a qualified minority or woman could have it?" He looked at me confused. No one had ever asked him such an odd question. He stammered all over the place and finally said, "But I already have the job," as if such a lame response would get me to change the subject. "What about college admissions?" I asked him. "What if, in the name of diversity, you, a white kid, had been rejected in favor of another applicant, mainly because the other kid was a minority? Would that be okay with you?" Again, despite the fact that he had gone to an Ivy League school, all I got was stammering before I let him off the hook and said, "Never mind." I sympathize with my young colleague. He didn't make the rules. He's a good guy who wants everyone to have the same chance He did--at least in theory. A few years earlier I put the same question to two friends, white, middle-aged men who were senior executives at two major American corporations. Both thought diversity was important in business and was also good for American (not to mention their careers). Both acknowledged they used race as a factor-often a major factor-in deciding who got hired and who got promoted. "But if we do it your way," I told each of them in separate conversations, "it will take years and years to achieve the kind of racial equality you say you're looking for. My way will do it, literally, overnight." "And exactly how would that work?" they asked in a tone suggesting they weren't really interested but were willing to humor me. "Here's how," I said. And then I unveiled my plan. "All you have to do," I told them, "is resign. Right now! And you do it on the condition that only a qualified minority or woman can take your place. What do you say?" Like my young colleague, they were less than enthusiastic. And like my young colleague, they stammered all over the place but really said nothing; nothing except that you can't simply replace someone of their experience with a new person overnight. But, of course, you can-if you really want to. But they don't really want to. They're for affirmative action--as long as it doesn't cost them anything. As I mentioned earlier, a lot of liberals are like that. But if affirmative action and racial preferences are such a good idea, then why don't we use them in really important things, like sports and politics? Let's start with basketball. To make college and pro teams more diverse, let's reject some really talented black players in favor of white guys, who might not be as good but bring something very important to the table-namely the color of their skin; their minority whiteness. But what about merit, you say. Shouldn't we take the best players without regard to race? In a word, No! White kids grow up with a distinct disadvantage. They go to inferior high schools (basketball- wise), and could never compete in the big leagues without affirmative action. But won't the white kids feel stigmatized? Won't they know they got picked for the team not because of their ability but because of their skin color? Who cares! Too much is at stake to worry about such insignificant matters. Sports, as we all know, are a microcosm of America. And so America has a stake in the greater good. And that greater good is called . . . diversity!) . . . Under my plan every white male candidate who comes out in favor of affirmative action-if he is running against a woman or a racial minority-would have to spot that candidate ten percentage points before the votes are even counted, to make up for past injustices against women and minorities. So if the white male candidate were to "win" the vote by, say, nine percentage points-he would in fact lose the election, because of the ten bonus points. What could be more fair? Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 12. Advance planning department A. Cynthia and I have a good friend, Gail Frantz, who is a talented violinist . . . she has also started her own band: U.S. Creek . . . I mention this because you can catch this group in its very first gig on Saturday, October 13, at 1, 3 and 5:30 p.m. at the 2007 Autumn Lights Festival in West Milford, NJ . . . for more information, please click: http://www.westmilford.com/alf/ B. Deborah in New Jersey: Join us for Tribal Kirtan this Saturday, October 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Princeton Center for Yoga & Health in Central NJ (website with directions and phone number below) . . . y'all come, bring friends and come together in community and good company--an easy trip from both the New York and Philadelphia areas. Dalien, the "Yogi Rocker" returns to lead kirtan monthly with this unique and energetic experience. Dalien also begins the first in a series of workshops: Dharma and Dalien--same day, October 13, at 3:30 p.m. (Sign up for this workshop and admission to the 7:30 event is free!) October topic: The Power of the Heart Chakra. The workshop is held from 3:30-5:30 p.m. For more information, please click: http://www.princetonyoga.com
or call: 609.924.7294. C. Be my guest and have chance to win $500 at the same time when I present on "Positioning: How to Differentiate Yourself From the Competition" to graduate students at LaSalle University on Wednesday, October 17, at 6 p.m. The presentation is FREE . . . it will be at LaSalle's Bucks County campus (Room 205) on Route 332 in Newtown, PA . . . check in at the security desk at the entrance, but please email me FIRST to let me know if you'll be coming so I can notify you if there's any change of plans. D. Cynthia in New Jersey (see also Section 1A): JourneyDance/Move Your Body is a transformative, freeing movement experience. Using inspiring music from around the world, you are softly led into easy-to-follow movements. At times, you follow, you move intuitively on your own or you may choose to lead only if you are comfortable. You honor yourself and what you need in the moment. Please feel free to join me at the following session: Day for All Women Bucks County Community College Newtown, PA November 3 1:05-2:35 p.m. In addition, there are many other excellent sessions . . . for more information and/or to register, please click: http://www.bucks.edu/dfaw/
Back To Top _________________________________________________________ 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! ---------------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBCRIBE INFORMATION If you or somebody you know wants to subscribe to BLAINESWORLD, have them drop me an e-mail to that effect . . . new readers are always welcome . . . my address is: bginbc@aol.com In the unlikely event you wish to unsubscribe, notify me at the same email address.
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