We all know what IBM is. Likely we also all recognize NCR and CBS. They are all iconic brands that have stood the test of time. Sometimes those times were tough, but they are still icons in the American landscape.
How did they become a three letter company? Again, they stood the test of time. They are brands we grew up with, that were perched in our family rooms and businesses since we were children. If you say IBM, you know what that means and who they are. Unfortunately, everyone now want to become a three letter brand. Don't think so? Listen to a radio or a television commercial especially when they are touting an organization fighting a disease. Medical branding seems to want to downgrade every prominent condition to three letters. Groups that are working for social change also fall into that category. Although MADD is a four letter word, no pun intended, I wonder if that is such a good thing.
I believe groups that are fighting for a worthy cause are short-circuiting their goals as they try to abbreviate their titles. What has more effect in your mind; Crohn's Disease Foundation or CDF. (As for purposes of illustration, as far as I know there is no Crohn's Disease Foundation). It is hip to be just a few letters in today's world but those letters do not convey the true intent of what they are working to achieve. The only ones who know the letters are the insiders in those groups. What does CDF mean to someone from the outside? Likely they mean nothing.
Too many groups and organizations are trying to establish an identity without establishing credibility as they pursue their cause. Tell the world your name and you might just get some help. The name has power in and influence to a cause. No one want to help a bowl of alphabet soup.
RCT
Ramblings of a 60 Year Old Man - My thoughts on just about anything, in no particular order; Robert Thomas - author.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
A lieing game
If politicians ever wanted to know what turns the voters off perhaps they should watch the television. The campaign ads are already in full bloom here in the Midwest and the nominating conventions haven't even started yet. It's gonna be a long autumn.
Now, presently I am neither in Romney's camp, not am I in Obama's camp. If it were up to me, I'd burn them both down. The ad concerning Obama's rant about "you didn't build this business" is so taken out of context that Romney should be ashamed of running the spot. I remember that speech and it is not portrayed as it happened. The other side isn't any better. I hear the consistent complaining that Romney paid little taxes, or no taxes, whatever. If he stayed within the muddled and confusing tax code written by Congress and he didn't break the law, it doesn't matter how much taxes he paid. I'll bet I could go find 100 members of Congress that paid less than Romney. Taxes shouldn't enter into the equation if he didn't break the law. Don't like it? Change the tax code. It's really that simple.
And while I'm on it, I have a problem with the other commercial where a woman is speaking about Romney being out of touch and not supporting women's choice and birth control etc. He's taking away a woman's choice? Actually, he might be standing up for something he believes in. How often does a politician do that? It is not within my choice to pay for your birth control with my taxes as that is a choice you made as a woman. If a woman is considering an abortion, where is the child's choice? You are taking from the child the same choice you are fighting for. You made your choice when you lay down with another person. Some may say, it's not a human life yet. I would disagree simply because it can become nothing else; it can't be an elephant, it can't be a flower. It can only be a human being, therefore that's what it is and if the cells are dividing, that's life, that's human life.
You had the chance to make a good choice, perhaps you didn't.
Now, presently I am neither in Romney's camp, not am I in Obama's camp. If it were up to me, I'd burn them both down. The ad concerning Obama's rant about "you didn't build this business" is so taken out of context that Romney should be ashamed of running the spot. I remember that speech and it is not portrayed as it happened. The other side isn't any better. I hear the consistent complaining that Romney paid little taxes, or no taxes, whatever. If he stayed within the muddled and confusing tax code written by Congress and he didn't break the law, it doesn't matter how much taxes he paid. I'll bet I could go find 100 members of Congress that paid less than Romney. Taxes shouldn't enter into the equation if he didn't break the law. Don't like it? Change the tax code. It's really that simple.
And while I'm on it, I have a problem with the other commercial where a woman is speaking about Romney being out of touch and not supporting women's choice and birth control etc. He's taking away a woman's choice? Actually, he might be standing up for something he believes in. How often does a politician do that? It is not within my choice to pay for your birth control with my taxes as that is a choice you made as a woman. If a woman is considering an abortion, where is the child's choice? You are taking from the child the same choice you are fighting for. You made your choice when you lay down with another person. Some may say, it's not a human life yet. I would disagree simply because it can become nothing else; it can't be an elephant, it can't be a flower. It can only be a human being, therefore that's what it is and if the cells are dividing, that's life, that's human life.
You had the chance to make a good choice, perhaps you didn't.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
The hole
I am by nature one who does not like a bunch of crap, stuff, clutter generally lying about. To me it is an annoyance. Nothing is more uplifting than a clean and breezy home. Don't get me wrong, I like a few mementos about reminding one of family and the like, but all the other crap can just go away.
Try as I might, that just doesn't happen. It occurred to me today that is due to life changes as we age. My Beloved used to say if you can't find it I either threw it away of put it in the crawl space. When we moved into our current abode, we placed many things in 'the hole' and never touched them again. A few years ago it was time to make things go away. I agreed to a garage sale although I hate fooling with them. We pulled all the stuff our of the bottomless hole and sold much of it, old dishes, clothing, scuba gear and general miscellaneous things we had accumulated over time. It was very liberating.
Since that time our lives have evolved and there are simply new things to take their place. Gone is the near-antique drafting table and the scuba gear and replacing those are baby bouncers and porta-potties for our grandson. He is now of the age that he no longer needs these things. Well, sell them off.
Not so fast, gramps. As our home is regularly visited by family that is now rolling through the next baby boom, these things will likely occupy my basement for the foreseeable future. I wonder what comes after that? Someone will likely give me a box containing the old game 'Twister'. I'll have to hold on to that one. The next baby boom will need it as they hit the pre-teen years.
It starts all over again.
Try as I might, that just doesn't happen. It occurred to me today that is due to life changes as we age. My Beloved used to say if you can't find it I either threw it away of put it in the crawl space. When we moved into our current abode, we placed many things in 'the hole' and never touched them again. A few years ago it was time to make things go away. I agreed to a garage sale although I hate fooling with them. We pulled all the stuff our of the bottomless hole and sold much of it, old dishes, clothing, scuba gear and general miscellaneous things we had accumulated over time. It was very liberating.
Since that time our lives have evolved and there are simply new things to take their place. Gone is the near-antique drafting table and the scuba gear and replacing those are baby bouncers and porta-potties for our grandson. He is now of the age that he no longer needs these things. Well, sell them off.
Not so fast, gramps. As our home is regularly visited by family that is now rolling through the next baby boom, these things will likely occupy my basement for the foreseeable future. I wonder what comes after that? Someone will likely give me a box containing the old game 'Twister'. I'll have to hold on to that one. The next baby boom will need it as they hit the pre-teen years.
It starts all over again.
Monday, July 23, 2012
And so, sports fans, it all comes down to this...
Usually when you hear that phrase it means the final play of a closely-contested football game, in which this play will determine the victor. I most distinctly hear the loud nasal tones of the late Howard Cosell uttering it.
Money.
That is really, at it's core, what the Penn State cover-up was all about.
Money.
The scandal was two-fold; child molestation over a long period, and the attempt to hide that from the public.
Because of money. Money that would cease flowing into the university coffers from their sparkly-clean football program, and the other (preferably large) donations that seem to go hand-in-hand with a winning football program. Trying not to tarnish the reputation of a prestigious university was a part of that cover-up, but really it was all about money. And today's sanctions levied by the NCAA against Penn State bore that out.
- a $60 million fine (approximately one year's gross revenue to the Penn State football program), to be used to set up a foundation to combat child molestation
- a four-year bowl ban (millions of dollars from the larger bowls now not available)
- a reduction of scholarships for the football program (fewer opportunities for the program to bring in elite players, thus preventing the team from competing as easily for those bowl dollars)
Non-financial penalties include the school vacating all football wins from 1998-2011, inclusive; be on probation for 5 years, and allow any incoming or current football player to transfer schools and play immediately at their new school, should they choose to do so.
The Big 10 conference commissioner also decreed that the school will not receive their share of the Big 10 bowl games revenue split for the next four seasons, and still reserves the right to boot the school out of the conference.
Money.
For that, the revered head football coach as well as several higher-ups in the university attempted to hide the fact that a former assistant football coach was raping and sodomizing young boys, on campus, and blatantly covered up their knowledge of these despicable acts.
There are many who believe the university should have been given the "death penalty", at least a one-year shutdown of the football program. I am of the opinion that the "death penalty" is justified because of the dreaded "lack of institutional control" the bigwigs showed, deferring to the wishes of their head coach to not reveal what was going on. Others argue that would be too harsh, since it would further impact all the innocent players, and all of the businesses that would suffer because a large portion of their business would be greatly affected by shutting down the football program. Not fair, they cry.
Again, money lies at the root of the problem.
Whenever an athletic program is penalized, it is usually the innocent players who are most affected, as their chance at further glory is diminished. Well, unfortunately, life is definitely not fair, and often the innocent are made to suffer for the actions of a few. And the actions of the university administrators showed they had no regard for anyone but themselves.
The university and its administrators are being or will be sued for damages, costing untold millions (or more); the reputations of the university, the administrators and the revered late head coach are forever shattered, and no amount of rehabilitation will succeed in making them whole.
Had the administrators and/or the football coach had the guts to stand up and say what was happening in 1998, they would have been praised for their openness and action (firing the person responsible), and who knows how many young boys would not have had their world torn apart in so vile a manner in the years since.
Why did they not do so?
Because of money, in the end. They cared more for the almighty football dollar for fourteen years than concerning themselves with stopping the commission of disgusting crimes by one of their own.
All because of money.
May they rot in hell, each and every one of them.
Money.
That is really, at it's core, what the Penn State cover-up was all about.
Money.
The scandal was two-fold; child molestation over a long period, and the attempt to hide that from the public.
Because of money. Money that would cease flowing into the university coffers from their sparkly-clean football program, and the other (preferably large) donations that seem to go hand-in-hand with a winning football program. Trying not to tarnish the reputation of a prestigious university was a part of that cover-up, but really it was all about money. And today's sanctions levied by the NCAA against Penn State bore that out.
- a $60 million fine (approximately one year's gross revenue to the Penn State football program), to be used to set up a foundation to combat child molestation
- a four-year bowl ban (millions of dollars from the larger bowls now not available)
- a reduction of scholarships for the football program (fewer opportunities for the program to bring in elite players, thus preventing the team from competing as easily for those bowl dollars)
Non-financial penalties include the school vacating all football wins from 1998-2011, inclusive; be on probation for 5 years, and allow any incoming or current football player to transfer schools and play immediately at their new school, should they choose to do so.
The Big 10 conference commissioner also decreed that the school will not receive their share of the Big 10 bowl games revenue split for the next four seasons, and still reserves the right to boot the school out of the conference.
Money.
For that, the revered head football coach as well as several higher-ups in the university attempted to hide the fact that a former assistant football coach was raping and sodomizing young boys, on campus, and blatantly covered up their knowledge of these despicable acts.
There are many who believe the university should have been given the "death penalty", at least a one-year shutdown of the football program. I am of the opinion that the "death penalty" is justified because of the dreaded "lack of institutional control" the bigwigs showed, deferring to the wishes of their head coach to not reveal what was going on. Others argue that would be too harsh, since it would further impact all the innocent players, and all of the businesses that would suffer because a large portion of their business would be greatly affected by shutting down the football program. Not fair, they cry.
Again, money lies at the root of the problem.
Whenever an athletic program is penalized, it is usually the innocent players who are most affected, as their chance at further glory is diminished. Well, unfortunately, life is definitely not fair, and often the innocent are made to suffer for the actions of a few. And the actions of the university administrators showed they had no regard for anyone but themselves.
The university and its administrators are being or will be sued for damages, costing untold millions (or more); the reputations of the university, the administrators and the revered late head coach are forever shattered, and no amount of rehabilitation will succeed in making them whole.
Had the administrators and/or the football coach had the guts to stand up and say what was happening in 1998, they would have been praised for their openness and action (firing the person responsible), and who knows how many young boys would not have had their world torn apart in so vile a manner in the years since.
Why did they not do so?
Because of money, in the end. They cared more for the almighty football dollar for fourteen years than concerning themselves with stopping the commission of disgusting crimes by one of their own.
All because of money.
May they rot in hell, each and every one of them.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Your front porch
I read this morning in my local newspaper an editorial from Frank Bruni who writes for the NY Times. His thoughts explore how we in this country have bent our lives on our own selfishness. After reading his column I would most heartily agree. We have become a nation of 'what's in it for me and no one else'. That is a sad state of affairs.
Then I began to think about a bigger picture within that context. Is he correct in his notions? Yes, but what is the catalyst for those actions? I think one possible cause is too many of us look beyond our own front porch. The grass is always greener so I need to get a piece of that action. How many times have you encountered those who look down at others simply to keep themselves elevated (within their own mind)? Or, I don't have what you have so I will work at tearing you down. My needs come before yours or the common good.
In our culture we have put so much on our plates, or wish to put so much on our plates that we aren't satisfied with the basics. I need to have the next iproduct even though I still can't use the one I have. That car is nicer looking so I want that one. That house is bigger so I need it. How familiar do these silent/public rants sound? How much simpler would our lives be if we quit worrying about what the other person has and simply take care of our own needs?
How much stress do we pile on ourselves simply to have those things that aren't important? I would say 'a whole bunch'. There's nothing wrong with wanting to improve one's position in life. That's what we should all do but what we often overlook is the fact that amassing more 'stuff' is not improving your life, it is simply adding to the chaos and stress. 'Stuff' does not improve ones situation any more than running over your 'neighbor' with your truck because he has more than you.
Take care of what's on your own front porch and don't worry about what the next guy has. 'Stuff' is just crap that will one day end up in a landfill, (as will we all).
Then I began to think about a bigger picture within that context. Is he correct in his notions? Yes, but what is the catalyst for those actions? I think one possible cause is too many of us look beyond our own front porch. The grass is always greener so I need to get a piece of that action. How many times have you encountered those who look down at others simply to keep themselves elevated (within their own mind)? Or, I don't have what you have so I will work at tearing you down. My needs come before yours or the common good.
In our culture we have put so much on our plates, or wish to put so much on our plates that we aren't satisfied with the basics. I need to have the next iproduct even though I still can't use the one I have. That car is nicer looking so I want that one. That house is bigger so I need it. How familiar do these silent/public rants sound? How much simpler would our lives be if we quit worrying about what the other person has and simply take care of our own needs?
How much stress do we pile on ourselves simply to have those things that aren't important? I would say 'a whole bunch'. There's nothing wrong with wanting to improve one's position in life. That's what we should all do but what we often overlook is the fact that amassing more 'stuff' is not improving your life, it is simply adding to the chaos and stress. 'Stuff' does not improve ones situation any more than running over your 'neighbor' with your truck because he has more than you.
Take care of what's on your own front porch and don't worry about what the next guy has. 'Stuff' is just crap that will one day end up in a landfill, (as will we all).
Thursday, July 12, 2012
MLB
As a child I really grew up with only one sport. I played baseball in the diamond three doors down, as pick-up games, on softball teams and then finally organized baseball. I was good (in my own mind). I had a great arm and good fielding instincts but once I got to high school I couldn't hit a baseball if you gave me a 2x4 and threw it underhanded. I was however a very good pitcher. I suppose that give me license to comment on the state of major league baseball.
Last night was the MLB All Star game. I haven't watched one on television for many years. I became disconnected years ago as I don't watch much TV at all anyway. But I guess I lost interest because the game didn't mean much anymore. It had lost its luster to the faster paced sports of football and basketball and the various other interests people have. I don't buy the old argument that you need to have a large space for a field in the inner city to play. There are big football fields everywhere. Diamonds are large but games can be adapted. Streetball is an adaptation. It works in the streets of NY.
Baseball needs a marketing plan in the worst way. Nowhere are the stars of the game marketed nationally. If you don't have a Jeter in your home town, you never see another player until they retire and start talking about prostate medicine. The commissioner needs to promote the game on a national level and not simply to those who already watch the game. Those people are dying off. For all his love of the game, Bob Costas doesn't speak to the average citizen. That's fine to remember the exploits of Mickey and Roger, Babe and Ty, but those heroes might as well be Civil War generals.
MLB has taken some minor steps to keep relevant but they pale in comparison to how the other sports promote themselves. The All Staff game is a prime example. The best players don't get in to see a competitive game but the ballot boxes are owned by those who can beat the voting system. Why should the NL have homefield advantage simply because they blew out the starting AL pitcher in the first inning? The only thing the All Star game should count for is which league will host the game next year.
Quit over-thinking the game and get it relevant again in the eyes of America or face losing it to field hockey as an irrelevant less-than-spectacular spectacle.
Put me in coach, I'm ready to play, today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoA9L9i3tBU
Last night was the MLB All Star game. I haven't watched one on television for many years. I became disconnected years ago as I don't watch much TV at all anyway. But I guess I lost interest because the game didn't mean much anymore. It had lost its luster to the faster paced sports of football and basketball and the various other interests people have. I don't buy the old argument that you need to have a large space for a field in the inner city to play. There are big football fields everywhere. Diamonds are large but games can be adapted. Streetball is an adaptation. It works in the streets of NY.
Baseball needs a marketing plan in the worst way. Nowhere are the stars of the game marketed nationally. If you don't have a Jeter in your home town, you never see another player until they retire and start talking about prostate medicine. The commissioner needs to promote the game on a national level and not simply to those who already watch the game. Those people are dying off. For all his love of the game, Bob Costas doesn't speak to the average citizen. That's fine to remember the exploits of Mickey and Roger, Babe and Ty, but those heroes might as well be Civil War generals.
MLB has taken some minor steps to keep relevant but they pale in comparison to how the other sports promote themselves. The All Staff game is a prime example. The best players don't get in to see a competitive game but the ballot boxes are owned by those who can beat the voting system. Why should the NL have homefield advantage simply because they blew out the starting AL pitcher in the first inning? The only thing the All Star game should count for is which league will host the game next year.
Quit over-thinking the game and get it relevant again in the eyes of America or face losing it to field hockey as an irrelevant less-than-spectacular spectacle.
Put me in coach, I'm ready to play, today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoA9L9i3tBU
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