Craig's Corner

“Union supporter” isn’t a description that most would naturally associate with me.   In fact, for most of my professional career I’ve happily worked in non-union situations and whenever given the choice, I tend to opt for the solution that keeps unions out.   Many friends and colleagues are passionate members of their unions and recoil at my brash management prejudice.  As it has since 1894 a nother Labor Day is upon us.   Aside from it being a long weekend for most workers and the symbolic end to 'summer' – it’s one of the few tangible remnants of the Union heyday.   Despite the fast food worker strike today , c onventional thinking largely have Unions being obsolete.  In the current U.S. economic quandary the Unions actually have an opportunity that they haven't taken.   My blog last week generated some interesting dialogues and commentary in a variety of places.   Some of the questions that were raised went beyond the scope of the piece itself.   Does it m

I bought a new pair of pants last week.   (The world continues to twirl away on her axis with this amazing revelation.)   I opted to use an on-line store as I’m not much of the try-it-on type at a bricks-and-mortar place.   On-line I can choose the exact color, the unique waist and inseam combination that I swear will invert at some point.   They arrive, fit and I continue to marvel at the wonders of what our capitalist society has built.   My choices weren’t limited by where my neighbors thought I should shop or what the government thought I should pay for them.   To top it off I got to avoid an encounter with a surly or sullen teenager. Retail is largely made up entry level workers earning minimum wage.   According to the Bureau ofLabor Statistics   80% of these workers are under 25.   The recent argument that many make to justify increasing the minimum wage is based on an erroneous assumption that people who actually earn that wage are supporting a family – and the vast maj

I like being right.   As a kid I was rather obnoxious about it.   Then in my 30s I was wrong, I was very wrong.   I lost everything:   relationship, career, home, money, status , etc.   As I rebuilt my life I began being right again – and all seemed good with the world.   Then I was wrong again and the fall was greater than before.   In the roller coaster of life I’ve learned lessons, become more diplomatic and am the first person to admit when I’m wrong.   I may be right, but I try not to be righteous.  I’m older, perhaps wiser, and certainly heavier.   Despite this progress, the arrogance of regularly being right continues.   It is the personality trait that most qualifies me for public office.   Elected officials – whether they be local or national – make definitive statements all the time that are often not based in fact, but best available information.   In February of 2013 the White House and Congress were each wringing their hands and warning of the catastrophic

In November 1982 I lost an argument with my parents.   And I’m still pissed!   I had just turned 18 and Dad told me that I had to register with the Selective Service so that if there was a military draft they’d know where to find me.   Mom reminded me this was one of the costs of freedom, and a pretty minor inconvenience at that.   This seemed wrong on so many levels.  First the government was telling me that I had to do something.   Then there was the whole drafted for military service thing after having grown up largely in an era of peace - the idea of war was quite alien.  And, of course, the biggie was the government knowing where to find me was a particular irritant (and quite the foreshadowing moment).   Under duress, I registered.   ( Registration is still required for all Americans between 18-25.)   Now a fter nearly thirty years of being on the anti-war path, I find myself agitating for a fight.     I’m a pacifist by nature.   It’s not just   because I’m a lousy boxe

In a capitalistic society – where we put our money is a powerful weapon in effecting corporate change.   The changes in South Africa in the 1990’s came as a direct result of investors pulling their money out of companies that were doing business in the country – essentially supporting apartheid.   Less successful efforts include the annual rash of boycotts from ‘family friendly’ groups against television shows something they don’t like.   Sports is not immune from outside influences – with the US boycott of Russia in 1980 after the country invaded Afghanistan which was mirrored by the Russians in 1984 against the US for the summer Olympics.   Now many politicians are calling for a boycott of the Russian Olympics in 2014.   Edward Snowden released documents that showed the U.S. government gathers information on its citizens phone calls, emails and other correspondences.   The revelations also showed that foreign allies were also having their communications monitore