Secret Theories I may or may not believe

Let me start by saying I believe the great American experiment has proven to be the most effective and stable form of government there is.  That has been exemplified by surviving the last 4 years of an extraordinary presidency.  The series of checks and balances in place have made for a governmental body that is able to protect itself against many different threats that other countries are unable to bear. However, just because a government is strong as an organization does not mean that it's good as a governing body.  Several elements provide cause for concern: Foreign Lobbyists - No other country that I'm aware of allows direct lobby groups from other countries influence our lawmakers.  This is NEVER good for the country as the lobby is not interested in the welfare of the nation but rather their own welfare. Expanding Presidential Powers - The President is not a dictator.  That was made clear from the beginning.  That does not stop individuals in the posi...

There are so many people out there telling you to live your best life.  Strive for excellence!  Be your best!  I can't be more tired of them.  I was once told that the best thing I can do is find someone that inspires me and follow them for my own self improvement.   Here is the problem.  In any group of anything there is what is known as the 80/20 rule.  It's just how everything measures out.  Take any bell curve and take the top 10% and the bottom 10% and what's left is average more or less.  If you look at people living their life.  They are doing whatever they can to make the best of it.  Sometimes people lie a little.  Sometimes they cheat a little.  Sometimes they make a fantastic effort.  Sometimes they champion a cause.  Sometimes they stay quiet.  They look at their life and think they should do more.  Social media makes people think that they should do MUCH more.   I think socia...

When you look at your company's bottom line.  Where in the ledger does it count unpaid overtime?  Is there a line where salaried employees should show how many hours beyond 40 hours a week they put in? Company : Oh well we are hiring them to get something done.  It's project based.  We don't know.  Did they make the deadline?  That's on them. Yes yes,  but all of that comes down to one item.  Does your bottom line depend on free labor?  Does your profit depend on the dedicated attention to your bottom line for people that are not being reimbursed for it?  Is THAT why people are paid salary?  So they can be worked for apparent deadlines that are artificial in nature?  Why does it make sense to work people beyond the standard acceptable hours and then proudly claim that work as your profit? Company : Competition makes us do it! Well that could be.  It looks to me to be more of a mix of greed and pride.  When you are ...

Every year and usually around November it becomes your civic duty to vote.  VOTE!!!  Primaries...VOTE!!!  I'm constantly inundated with pleas to vote.  I have a few thoughts about this.   1.  Don't vote.  Just stop.  Lets pretend your vote is money (worth about 5 dollars last I checked) If I bet you 5 dollars against you being able to pick on a list of platform planks which ones your candidate stands for.  How many of you would take that bet?  Double or nothing on the opponent?  Now how many?  Only those of you that are politically savvy or motivated would risk 5 dollars.  The rest of us are either team players (straight ticket) or we just don't believe that voting does much (I vote but I'm in that camp).  People shouldn't vote if they aren't educated about what they are voting for.  They do a lot these days to help with that, but it still requires the voter to actually read and that might be too much. ...

I've seen a disturbing trend.  This is the trend of the Positive Thinker.  You know the people.  Always excited for the next adventure.  No problem too large.  The person everyone wants at the party.  If you are looking through a job posting, they are 'self starters' and 'passionate'  My problem isn't the thinker themselves if they are genuine.  My problem is the legion of people that are NOT positive people but desperately need you to think they are and probably would like you to be.  The truly positive person is easier to deal with.  Why?  Because the positive person has a length of empathy with bad requests that doesn't require you to be accurate or even timely with what you want from them.  If you seem to be worried and anxious enough, the positive person will go to great lengths to assuage those worries and calm your soul.  They compliment freely and see the good in everything. I am not a positive person.  I am...

I've worked at several companies in my career as a database programmer.  I've seen a lot of different compensation plans and I've seen some companies that even offer bonuses.  The word bonus brings to mind fantastic sums of extra money showered upon employees of a successful company.  A deserving tribute to the people that made the company so profitable.  I've found that Bonuses should be either one of two things: 1.  A bonus should be a distribution of excess wealth to the employees as a gift.  The employees work for the pay they are given and that pay is what they earn.  A bonus should happen when the company makes so much money that they would like to share that wealth with the employees.  It should always be a surprise and not expected. 2.  A bonus should be compensation for extra effort worked on a temporary project or position that requires more than standard work hours.  Understanding this, the company sets forth what the comp...