Editorial Musings from the Heart(land)

Please pay attention as to how a company loses a customer, client, user or subscriber .... I started using the product (service or program) because I had a need for it. It had the perceived potential of doing just that ... satisfying this need. It was my expectation, (based upon its promotion) the product would fill in a gap related to those needs. Congratulations ... I became a user/customer. After using the product for a significant amount of time, I discover that a glitch of some sort creates an output that is undesirable. It's not an operation that it cannot do, but essentially a glitch (something it used to do before updates etc, but can do no longer). As it turns out, based upon some research ... there are other users experiencing the same glitch. The issue has been brought to the attention of the seller/developer of the product. Customer service/Support apparently has known about this glitch for quite some time. Support even suggests that it's not a problem with ...

It always catches my attention when I witness in person or via the media how those that have power or means treat those who don't. A person's true character is reflected in how they treat those without power, especially when those powerless creatures cannot directly affect them (the powerful). I think most of us cringe when the weak and those dependent suffer from such treatment. We become outraged when children, animals, those of different gender, financial means and ethnicity are walked upon, abused and otherwise treated poorly. Some amongst us, when these injustices occur ... march in the streets and vehemently protest it. I stay away (with no exception) from individuals who treat the powerless that way. One cannot let their guard down with them, because as soon as one turns their back ... the odds of some sort of despicable act on their part most likely are high. The way one treats another (particularly in this situation) is how they will treat me. In spite of whome...

Simply put ... YOU CANNOT KILL THE GOOSE that LAYS the GOLDEN EGGS. Regarding this point, there is NO viable argument. Our economy is based upon its participants being able to consume. If the CONSUMER (Goose) is not consuming (buying stuff), then the economy falls apart and collapses ... thus NO GOLDEN EGGS for investors, corporations and their owners. If wages are too low and prices too high, then our pay is gobbled up by the basic necessities of survival. Not only do we struggle for those necessities at some point, but there is little room left for optional things (e.g. buying a new car, Detroit). Subsequent to our most recent economic down turn, prices have continued to rise, but pay for the rank and file have gone down. There is really no way for a complete economic recovery (Gold Egg) if the the consumer (Goose) is losing ground. From my perspective, it would seem that the privileged are thinking short term and seeking to exploit those of us on the low end. Companies are...

Democrats Attack Tax Bill as a ‘Middle-Class Con Job’ Headline from an article within the "New York Times" written by Jim Tankersley October 29, 2017   or President Trump: Tax bill 'an incredible Christmas gift for hard-working Americans' ABCNews headline by John Parkinson, Benjamin Siegel, Alexander Mallin and Mariam Khan December 20 2017 News reports such as the above go on and on, day after day. I feel a little unsettled by it all. So WHAT IS IT??? Within an informational environment so polarized, how do we know what makes more sense? I suppose one could say the truth is probably somewhere in between. We rely upon the flow of information from the media to help us make more informed decisions regarding a host is matters. I really do try to NOT be partisan in how I view national issues. The powers that be simply make it difficult to maintain that line of pursuit due to their constant power struggles. No one on either side of the line possesses ...

Any fear that I have had about the youth of today and their ability to lead tomorrow is unfounded. Let's face it, young people are a little crazy .... well, perhaps a lot crazy by our seasoned adult standards. Nevertheless, this is what I refer to as "Operating within Design Specifications." Young folks are supposed to be testing and questioning any/everything. There is not a one of us who have taken to heart or followed the advice of our elders always or anyone else for that matter. We seem to think our way is the right (only) way to do things and our young people are the same way only to the extreme LOL. I am personally glad they are of the questioning type. I have not gotten everything right and I would like to think there could be a better way about it. We must not develop the conclusion that simply because they are responding to the condition of being young, that they are not intelligent and extremely capable. I cannot begin to express to you how impressed I ...

Hardly a day goes by that I don't see something that says there is a BIG shortage of commercial drivers. These are the folks that drive vehicles which most often transport goods and passengers from one point to the next. Most large truck and bus drivers are required to have a commercial drivers license (CDL). If you happen to be perusing through the job ads, you will find listing after listing of companies seeking qualified CDL drivers. Qualified is an important point as it relates to driving. The seriousness of this is evidenced by the tragedy of lost human life and property damage. Obtaining a CDL license is not an easy accomplishment. There are written tests involved, plus actual physical skills/driving tests required to obtain one of these licenses. Also, a medical physical exam is mandated (making certain one is healthy etc - this is a serious physical and not to be taken lightly) and of course tests associated with substance abuse. Once the license is obtained, then t...

Mosaic Life Care in Kansas City, MO (Corporate HQ, St. Joseph, MO) is my medical services provider of CHOICE. After years with no medical coverage, NOW that I have it, I  CHOSE the innovative way in which the Mosaic team delivers their services. The facility I use has a New AGE feel to it (just recently learned it was designed by a former "Disney Imagineer") and the way they practice patient/customer service is beyond exceptional. It's a far cry from the normal doctors office visit and environment. The technical medical support is top notch in my book of top notch things :) Up until the Mosaic experience, I have always felt like I was serving the medical world, not them serving me. The old way of delivering medical services was "Have a seat over there and we will get to you when we get to you", not very appealing. The Mosaic world was not like this at all. Very patient centric. Now, comes word from ST Joseph's "News-Press No...

Took a day off from my normal Monday activities and spent time with the grand kids exposing them to the magic of the season :) I for one, get all wrapped up in the stresses and cares of life ... totally losing track of the things most important ... kids. When my daughter was born a few years ago, someone brought to my attention the fact that (regardless of our spiritual perspective and beliefs) her birth was my geniune shot at immortality. She become me, a physical manifestation of everything I am as a human. Deeply, touching. Gifting to our kids, the magic of Christmas is beautiful beyond all else. Children truly believe in this magic. I am so thankful they do. It sparks something inside of me that allows me to believe in .... Kansas City Southern's "Holiday Express"

I'm reminded of a controversy years ago in Los Angeles involving Rodney King. A famous quote of his, belittled by many was “can we all get along? Can we get along?” I ask that same question again. Somewhere along the line we have forgotten how to get along. We will never be carbon copies of each other. Our belief patterns & the way we each do & think things will vary. Somehow though, we've just got to figure out how to get along in a world of diversity. There are race, gender, religious, sex variations that will always be around. Along with these variations come bits of wisdom & strength possessing great value to all humankind. There are many things I am sure we DO  share & value. We desire a life full of love, happiness & contentment. We want work that will allow us to care for & protect our loved ones. We wish to worship in peace and be healthy. This just scratches the surface of that which we share. I'm pretty sure there's enough good/sha...

Our little team really didn't start out to be a team. We were just a handful of employees that were jointly assigned a project in random fashion. Several different employees came and went for whatever reason, but through it all a core team developed that understood how each other performed. No matter how overwhelming the task may have been, the team stuck together and just worked through the task until it was done successfully. Each team member grew to respect and have confidence in what each other was doing ... knowing full well, that each of us had each others' back when push came to shove. A fellow team member may have done something that another team member did not anticipate, nevertheless because of this confidence in each other ... it was accepted and clear that whatever it was had to be done that way. In a work environment, the highest compliment your coworkers can put forth is .... We want YOU to be a part of our team.

We (you & I) vote based upon what we deem to be right, good & in our best interests. Those best interests most likely are in the form economic, social, national security, & family concerns etc. Our cultural heritage also plays a significant role along with social pressure and perhaps gender. The popular entertainment media & main stream press (I don't want to exclude social media)  plays a part in our decisions,  also. The issue of "why we vote as we do" is quite complex & in some cases it could be anybody's guess as evidenced by polls etc. The political process seeks triggers to influence the way we see things & of course encourage us to vote for the candidate they wish for us to support. These triggers can be both negative & positive depending upon which side of the political aisle we reside on. An example of this would be the case of the coal miners in West Virginia. A lot of triggers were pulled which in turn influenced, I  am sure ...

I am of the mind that we just need to let those who have lived & worked in the United States while being illegally here, just stay. Most likely they have become a functional part of our communities & have established roots with those of us who are citizens. They have married our sons & daughters, they have become parents to our grand kids & most likely are working a job that needs to get done. A number of those who have come here, originally came because we (business owners & otherwise) needed them to help us with whatever needed to be done. Yes, some would say that they did work that we citizens could not or did not want to do. Some are here because we had no one who could do what they do. Business owners needed their help on many things. A local outdoor mall here in the Kansas City metroplex was by & large built by those workers who were illegal. Once the mall was done, they fired them all. Which takes me to the following point .... We used them for ou...

A market battle is raging NOW between brick-and-mortar stores (Walmart) & the net (Amazon). I suppose the perception is such that an internet store can do it better, have a broader selection & be more responsive to the needs of the consumer. It’s possible that the internet store is more convenient & easier to use. Plus, maybe less expensive. The struggle for the internet store is that they have to figure out how to get the product to the end user …. the “last mile” they would say. Shipping costs can be significant. I recall not too long ago, planning on purchasing a product, where it was being offered something like this … “Buy 1, Get 2nd FREE”, the only thing needed to pay on the second one was shipping & handling. The free turned out not to be so free, therefore I couldn’t even buy the first one because of the shipping/handling cost. The collection of sales taxes used to be a big deal, but that is quickly disappearing as an issue & the playi...

We (the American People) are being confronted with a windstorm of sexual misconduct allegations. One hardly has enough time to catch your breathe before the next wave of allegations commence. The behavior these allegations suggest is reprehensible & barely forgivable, if at all. Being the father of daughters, it breaks my heart to think that my daughters might have to face hideous creatures out in the so called real world that will force them to make decisions like these from a position of no power & or options. After personally facing this type (not sexual, but verbal & physical) of thing in the work place, I am particularly sensitive to the risk the accuser takes in coming out & calling it what it is ... "Wrong & Unacceptable". I am also aware of how little protection there is out there. The institutions & the people that work for them (make money BIG TIME) talk a good game, but in the end are not going make a decision to protect the powerless ...

Big News as Kansas City, MO announces that they have partnered up with "Uber" to be the "Official Ride" of its very popular "KCPLDistrict". This district encompasses the the "Sprint Center" & all of it's restaurants, pavilion etc. The local transportation company pretty much has had this district locked up with restricted access re "Sprint Center" events & special pickup zones of their own. Now, "Uber" & it's drivers have circumvented this restriction & come up with some new rules of their own to shake things up a bit (who am I kidding, they are shaking things up BIG TIME). As a side note, this same restrictive (Closed) market rule by the local transportation company is at play at "Arrowhead Stadium" regarding all their events (Chiefs & Concerts). I would have to assume that a big shake up is coming there also. I can only hope "Uber" can break this hideous market dead lock. Th...

Finished reading an article regarding a new medical research center being built by “Children’s Mercy Hospital” in Kansas City, MO. It’s going to be a beautiful building & one of architectural significance from the looks of it. I dare say that it most likely will be pretty expensive to build . Having not too long ago moved back to Kansas City from Houston … there, they are building new architecturally significant hospitals right & left … there appears to be no end in sight as to the building spree. I am not sure there is any more room left in the Houston Medical Center District. Some of my reading has implied that these facilities are of a high tech nature with all the bells & whistles necessary to deliver state of the art medical care to a generation of folks who are demanding such services. I can’t help but believe that all of this will ultimately be reflected in higher health care costs to us the end user. Our insurance rates in reality go up significantly e...

RESPECT … when one takes a look at the definition of this word, it becomes clearer of why what happens in some companies is a total lack of respect for their employees. Respect involves thinking & doing. Therefore, with the doing part in mind …. It becomes obvious that respect in any employer/employee relationship is either there or not. Amazingly enough, in order to get respect, one has to give it. Regarding this chicken or egg thing, I am not certain which one should come first. But it is a 2-way street. I work for my current company for several reasons. One of which of course as most of do is because I am attempting to make a living (pay my bills). It is my belief upon making an arrangement with my employer, that they will pay a fair wage & that there is work there to make it possible to pay a fair wage. Another reason is that I enjoy the nature of the activity & the challenge which is involved (working with people & customer service.) I like...

From my perspective, it would seem that those that have the greatest impact upon the success of any company are the employees who make it happen day after day after day. Yet, those that make the least money are those who make it happen day after day after day. Years ago, I spent a considerable amount of time training regarding how to handle a client as soon as they walked in the door of the business. I mean the training was so detailish  that we were aware of exactly how many minutes (& seconds) the client had to wait until they were serviced by one of the company’s employee folks. Then of course, we were to be aware of every aspect of how we acted while with the client. The goal, to have a happy client leave believing they had been well served such that there was no doubt that when faced with the same needs next year …. They would return to  do it all over again. Corporate profits were predicated upon this process. It would seem to me that the employee is...

Waking up & simply wishing to take a look @ the overnight news, here is what I see ….. “U.S. House Republicans Prepare Contempt Action re FBI” (Trump News) “Trump Says He’s ‘Unbeatable’ in  2020” “The Odds of Impeachment are Dropping” (Trump News) “Was Michael Flynn asked to Wear Wire “ (Trump News) “Alec Baldwin’s Trump haunted by Michael Flynn” (Trump News) “Jared Kushner Failed to  Disclose West Bank Funding” (Trump News) “Senate Panel Building Obstruction case into Trump” “Trump lashes out at own FBI in a series of tweets” “Trump Wants ABC Sued Over Botched Russia Story” & on & on & on …. I have been seeing articles of this type for over a year now & I'm bored with what appears to be a concerted effort to bring the President down because of discontent over the election outcome. You ask??? What kind of news am I looking for??? I am looking for news that directly affects my family, friends & work … hard core news NOT SPECULA...

Regarding the most recent Trump news & his former National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn lying to the FBI & of course getting caught …. Here is how it works in the world of transportation & this bit of information might be helpful to our future leaders, if they take the time to  read this LOL. When a driver is involved in an incident that causes damage to a company asset or to someone else’s ass(et), the driver is faced with the following decision … Report it to the company?? Or Not??? The drivers are always advised by me to report it. Now, the nature of the incident may lead to a driver’s firing, reprimand (involving retraining) or a simple incident dismissal (subject to the demand for that drivers’ services … that’s another story LOL). The point here is that the outcome is uncertain, but at least there is the strong possibility that the drivers’ job will be preserved & ALL forgiven. Now, if the driver tries to cover the incident up &/or deny ...

I have a few things on my mind & instead of writing in a diary I think I'll just share it with you. I am slowly emerging from the state of shock as a result of the set of circumstances that occurred at the place I am currently employed. There have been many things that have occurred at work over time, but in this particular situation the nature of the events has really caused me to think deeply about a lot of aspects of life, work, big business, powerful & the powerless in this country. We all talk & talk about things that we've never really experienced ... Of course in that regard we act like we are experts & know exactly what should be done or happen. The rubber hits the road when all of the sudden ... BOOM ... one of these things hits us squarely between the eyes & we are personally involved or affected by the event. What does one do, then? We act based upon our much discussed theory finding out that there is a rather sizeable gulf separating th...