Lipstick and Public Speaking

I reached a point in my career when it became necessary to cross over from my function as a Managing Engineer, to a sales type responsible for introducing a new product line to the sales folks who were manufacturers representatives. The task was a bit daunting. The company spent millions on these meeting held every two years, and the sales reps had many more years of experience with the company than I had.

The meetings were held over several weeks, and the reps were flown to the meeting site for a four day session. In all, there were seven identical meetings, four on the East Coast and three on the West, and the company spared no expense to provide a high quality backdrop to introduce new products and a new division. I was with the new division and had only been with the company about one year.

Covering the same topic three times in a four day period over seven meetings in a short period of time requires ever increasing concentration. That's 21 deliveries of the same "pitch". Everyone has had an experience driving from one place to another where you are suddenly at your destination and swear that you missed a few noticable landmarks along the way. The same thing happens in public speaking. At some point you will realize where you are in the outline, but unsure if a certain point was already covered.

Paul Stuckey of Peter, Paul and Mary tells a story of concentration, or the lack thereof, that is worth repeating here to further illustrate the point. Paul was attending a large gathering and had just paused for a moment at the punchbowl. Somone engaged him in conversation, but as this individual continued on, Pauls concentration went wandering as he looked over the attendees in the room, when he realized that his new companion had just stopped talking and had finished the dialog with a queation mark behind which was a question that Paul had not heard. Not wanting to be embarrassed, Paul responded by asking the gentleman to rephrase his question in a somewhat wider format so that his response might more fully address the issue. His companion agreed, and said slowly, a bit louder and most succinctly... "What are the ages of your children"? There's an old expression that "It's better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"!

It is really tough to repeat a speech and make it fresh to the new audience. It is so easy to drop by the "punchbowl" and continue talking. Sometimes fresh ideas are included in the 3rd or 4th delivery...sometimes they enhance delivery, sometimes they cause foot-in-mouth problems. This is particulary true when you try and be "cute" or glib....

There's a difference between including an off-the-cuff comment and a double intendre. I have serious concerns regarding Obama which you can see for yourself as you scan down this blog. However, I have to cut him some slack here. I believe his "lipstick on a pig" comment was just as I described above. This is a very smart man...and...had he thought about the connection of this comment to the "hockey Mom" comment by Sarah Palin, he never would have made it. Was he trying to be glib? Cute? Condescending towards McCain? Answer: three "you betcha"! Had he taken even a moment to think before speaking, he would have anticipated the backlash and never gone forward. I believe he recognized immediately following that he had just stepped into a moose pile of problems which did not end with his "spare me the indignation" semi-explanation. He should have accepted the consequences from his statement, apologized and then move on. That's not his way. He does not take ownership of his mistakes. In his interview with O'reilly, he could not bring himself to say that he had been wrong regarding the outcome of the surge. He'd dance and shuffle...smile and change the subject, but that was it. He does not accept consequences from his actions.... That's just Obama!

McCain, John S. #3

Background and history:

John McCain is 3rd generation Navy. Although his grandfather and father were career Navy Officers (both Admirals), Johns career was interrupted with a lengthy stay in North Vietnam followed by administrative assignments upon his return. All 3 McCains graduated from the Naval Academy...but the youngest McCain, unlike his grandfather and father, just squeaked through a notch above the bottom of his class.

Grandpa "Slew" McCain was an important figure in WWII. He reported to Bull Halsey who reported to Nimitz. Grandpa was a leader with his own task force and aboard a sub tender in Tokyo Bay with his son when Japan agreed to surrender. The elder McCain was in the famous picture aboard the battleship Missouri when MacArthur signed the war ending treaty with Japan. Following the war when he returned home, his frail health got the best of him and he was unable to enjoy much of his retirement. He had a full (Navy) life. He learned to fly after turning 50 and became a leader in Naval Aviation during the War. From his bio: "Slew McCain was so driven that when the Navy passed a rule saying only aviators could command a carrier, the old man went to flight school while in his fifties. He crashed five planes before finally getting his wings, and then his carrier. In one Pacific battle, planes under Slew McCain's command sank 49 Japanese ships in a single day."

The Naval Air Station in Meridian Mississippi was named after Grandpa, the "John S. McCain Naval Air Station", and the youngest McCain taught advanced flight training at that air station before requesting an assignment to a Carrier Task Force that would result in his being shot down over North Viet Nam. McCain wanted to fight.

John McCain grew up a Navy brat moving from base to base as Dad was transferred. His Dad's Naval career never reached the prominance of Grandpa, and Johns career never ascended to the level of his Dads. However, with the help of his brother, he wrote a book titled "Faith of my Fathers" which has details of the lives of all three "Navy McCains". There is considerable ink given to Viet Nam, and it becomes clear that the "Hero" label is correctly applied, but not for having been shot down or for his POW time. When they found out they had the son of a high ranking Naval Officer, North Vietnam offered to release him immediately. He refused as there were plenty of POWs that had been there longer than he. That was the agreement among the POWs. That's a hero! Regardless of what your personal feelings might be, the book is a very "good read".

A snapshot follows: In October 1967, flying an A4 on his 23rd bombing mission at 3500 ft and 550 kts, McCain released his bomb load on the target power station in Hanoi and rotated the nose up heading for a safe altitude. A North Vietnamese SAM hit the A4 and took off the wing. McCain ejected. His leg hit the airframe on the way out and broke. He landed in the water and managed to break his arm. North Vietnamese civilians fished him out and beat him up. Someone hit his shoulder with a gun butt. The shoulder broke. Someone else shoved a bayonet into his ankle and then into his groin. Then the Army showed up and took him to "the Plantation". He was released 5-1/2 years later.

When McCain returned from Viet Nam, it wasn't long before he rejuvenated his past reputation as a party boy and a ladies man. Given the time and treatment as a POW, returning to freedom and liberty would a challenge. It is tempting to cut slack here, and perhaps that is, in part, the proper position. However, time in the USA didn't stop while he was a POW either. During his internment his wife was in a serious accident that resulted in multiple surgeries, some disfigurement and physical disabilities. McCain was not told about the accident in order to keep that information from further consuming him as a POW. That was compassionate towards him, but was also something else he faced in rehab when he returned home. Regardless, he stayed in the Navy and surgery and the physical portion of his rehab allowed him to return to flying status. I can speak from experience here....after you have been in an aircraft "incident" as pilot in command, flying is just not the same. It had to be that way with McCain also...it was with Jimmy Doolittle. On the way to a Phd from MIT in aviation, Doolittle bailed out a couple of times before the famous B-25 "Doolittle Raid" off the USS Hornet in the Spring of 1942. Something about flying causes you to get back in the airplane...it's some kind of passion. I did it, Doolittle did it, and I can understand why McCain did it.

McCain was always a "Maverick". At the Naval Academy he always operated on the edge. He typically accumulated just under the maximum number of demerits. Exceeding that number got you out of the Academy. Going "ashore" with McCain (that's Navy talk for an evening off-base) was a time of drinking, party and most often, women. He did the minimum required to get by. According to published reports, McCain graduated either 2nd or 5th from the bottom of his class. No one ever accused him of being a scholar.

McCain self appointed label as a "Maverick" continues as he serves in Congress. Sometimes with good results, sometimes the outcome less desirable. For example: Lincoln Federal: That resulted from the Carter Administration deregulating thrifts in the late 70s. When Carter left office in 1981, 3300 out of 3800 S&Ls were loosing money because of high risk real estate loans (when will we ever learn?). The result of the investigation:

"The Lincoln Savings led to the Keating Five political scandal, in which five U.S. senators were implicated in an influence-peddling scheme. It was named for Charles Keating, who headed Lincoln saving and made $300,000 as political contributions to them in the 1980s. Three of those senators - Alan Cranston, Don Riegle, and Dennis DeConcini - found their political careers cut short as a result. Two others - John Glenn and John McCain - were rebuked by the Senate Ethics Committee for exercising "poor judgment" for intervening with the federal regulators on behalf of Keating." Although they operated within the scope of existing rules and law, they pushed the envelope. Later on, McCain and Fiengold would write a bill on campaign finance reform that would have prevented the sort of thing that happened with Lincoln Federal. However, Corporate interest and lobbyists have kept this in court since its conception in 2002. Even the Supreme Court upheld the main provisions in 2003. But, the debate is not over. "In an interesting case, in 2005 in Washington State, Thurston County Judge Christopher Wickham ruled that media articles and segments were considered in-kind contributions under state law. The heart of the matter focused on the I-912 campaign to repeal a fuel tax, and specifically two broadcasters for Seattle conservative talker KVI. Judge Wickham's ruling was eventually overturned on appeal in April 2007, with the Washington Supreme Court holding that on-air commentary was not covered by the State's campaign finance laws. (No New Gas Tax v. San Juan County)." (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

To date, the McCain and Obama camps are still arguing over matching Federal Funds. Briefly (it is a long and convoluted issue), Obama doesn't want matching funds because that would limit how much, and where from, campaign funds could be garnered, and restriction to legislative issues for media advertising within 60 days of the election. The DNC has a suit against the McCain camp to prevent them from doing the same.

Regarding McCains choice for V/P...Sarah Palin: I think it would be unwise to take her lightly. She seems to have a handle on the job and her position within the McCain candidacy. From her acceptance comments: "Now, no leader in America has shown these qualities so clearly or presents so clear a threat to business as usual in Washington as Senator John S. McCain. This -- this is a moment when principles and political independence matter a lot more than just the party line. And this is a man who has always been there to serve his country, not just his party."And this is a moment that requires resolve and toughness and strength of heart in the American president. And my running mate is a man who has shown those qualities in the darkest of places and in the service of his country. A colleague once said about Senator McCain: That man did things for this country that few people could go through; never forget that. And that speaker was former Senator John Glenn of Ohio. And John Glenn knows something about heroism."

I'm (Almost) Afraid to Tell You

This election has brought out the very worst. A US Senator supported by the Chicago machine; A US Senator who tolerated 35 years of her husbands philandering as a 2 term Governor and 2 term President; A certified American military hero and 3rd generation Naval Officer with no leadership or executive management tools; An ex-congressman with a belligerent antagonistic history running on a 3rd party ticket; Lastly, a consumer-advocate and author of "Unsafe at any Speed", or reasons not to own a Corvair. There they are. Our choices for the next 4 years.

I worry about #1 and #3. One will be president. This post is about #1. I will post #3 soon.

Machine politics - The Richie Daily designated hitter - AKA The Obama factor.

In my November 20, 2006 blog, I wrote about Chicago politics. I was born and raised in "the City", on the NW side. I remember Richies daddy, Richard J. Daley, when he came to power. For those who remember the Democratic National Convention 40 years ago in Chicago, the world caught a glimpse of Richard J's autonomous rule, his attitude, and most of all that patented sneer that became legendary. Daddy did a lot of good for Chicago, and at the same time he did a lot for his friends as well. Len O'Conner, a Chicago TV columnist wrote a book about "Hizzonor" entitled "Clout". It was all about Richard J. Daleys rise to power...names, places, events, friends, enemies, backroom deals, voting Chicago style (i.e. "vote early and often"). How O'Connor managed to survive it's publication remains a mystery to me.

Richie Daley isn't half the the Monarch his father was....but he still "rules" rather than governs. He is, indisputably, the King of today's Chicago. His authority may be less broad based than daddy, but like daddy, if he really wants something to happen....he makes it happen regardless of jurisdiction or reason. Take Meigs Airport adjacent to downtown Chicago for example. He tried for years to close it, but couldn't. So, one night he had City road equipment enter the airport and dig "X" shaped trenches on the only runway, rendering the airport unusable and stranding aircraft on the tarmac. The "normal" procedure for marking an airport "closed" is a painted "X" on the runway. Destroying the runway is not only outside the cities authority, it creates a hazard. The FAA eventually levied a fine against the city and scolded the Mayor, but be sure that it will be in appeal forever. Richie Daley got his way.

Richie Daley runs Chicago and the Chicago democratic machine politics. Richie Daley supports Obama just as his daddy supported Jack Kennedy. Some will claim that Richard J saw to it that Jack Kennedy was elected President as a favor to Jacks daddy, Joe Kennedy. There is always a favor involved. Joe (and Jack) Kennedy owed Richard J big time. Who does Obama owe??

Enter Tony Rezko.

According to Obama, he barely knew Rezko. It would seem that their relationship was a bit more. When he needed financial help for a $2 million dollar home purchase, he went to Rezko for the money while knowing that Rezko (Rezko Realty)was under investigation and headed for criminal court. Obama covered that with a "bone headed mistake" comment. It gets much more involved than this and involves a $350,000 "discount" on the house, Rezko's wife buying the property next door and selling a piece of it to Obama. It's still more involved.... Tony is now in jail and Illinois Governor is being investigated for connections to "Rezko Realty". Obama has not been implicated in the criminal dealings of his "non-friend" Tony Rezko. That sure worked out well for Obama. Did someone help him out with a favor? I guess we'll find out if Obama takes up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. If Richie Daleys brother Mike shows up with a new job in DC, bet there was a favor repaid!!

Even Chicago Public Radio weighs in on Rezko/Obama, listing campaign donations made by Rezko. It doesn't end there either. There is a connection between Rezko and Obama choice for V/P Joe Biden according to the Chicago Sun Times newspaper. And... it doesn't stop there. There is a Clinton connection to Rezko. No one knows where it ends, or where the end of the string is that connects everything together. However, for Obama to refer to accepting personal money from the likes of Tony Rezko as just a "bone headed mistake" falls far short of full disclosure. The Obama's managed to get connected to the mainstream Democratic political machine and take advantage of their Harvard Law School education. It would seem that their education just appeared as an opportunity in front of two young African American young people. However, upon graduation they both wind up with employment with a law firm that represents Rezko and a host of other slum lords. Coincidence? Perhaps. However, Michelle's million dollar salary, Barach's election to the State Senate and connection to both Springfield and Chicago politics in a system where past governors finish their careers in jail does provide food for further thought and reflection on what is to come of an Obama Presidency. It is certainly clear that Obama is astute when it comes to maneuvering politically. The question is, will he maneuver as fluidly in and about the leadership role required of the Commander and Chief, or will the debts he carries from ascending prevent him from leading as he should/could?

In his acceptance speeech in Denver on August 28th, and within the 1st few sentences, Obama thanked his friend "Dick Durbin". There's a ton of connections tied to Dubin.... suffiecient for a lengthly dissertation on the Senior Senator from Illinois who somehow went from a worker in a meat packing plant to his Georgetown Law Degree where he represented Illinois Govenor. Obama's connections are not just historical, although he has a lengthly history. His connections are current, and he is loyal. The Jesse Wright story illustrated the lengths he will go to remain loyal.

Why am I almost afraid to tell you? Simple....I don't want to dissapear!

Global Warming or the Ice Age Cometh?

A recent Washington Post article gave this scientist's quote from 1972. "We simply cannot afford to gamble. We cannot risk inaction. The scientists who disagree are acting irresponsibly. The indications that our climate can soon change for the worse are too strong to be reasonably ignored." The warning was not about global warming (which was not happening): it was about global cooling! In the media, disaster is news, and its absence is not. This principle has been exploited so skillfully by ecological scare-mongers that it is now regarded as politically incorrect, even unscientific, to denounce global warming hysteria as unproven speculation. Meteorologists are a standing joke for getting predictions wrong even a few days ahead. The same jokers are being taken seriously when they use computer models to predict the weather 100 years hence. The models have not been tested for reliability over 100 years, or even 20 years. Different models yield variations in warming of 400%, which means they are statistically meaningless.

So, what is this debate really about? Al Gore is one of the leading characters involved in tossing this Global Warming football around. He's been very visible and politically loud on this issue. He has produced a very successful movie that has gotten a lot of attention (including an Oscar), and is enjoying a rebirth of his public persona... a rebirth that has the experts who track these things estimating that he has earned some $40,000,000 since leaving "public life" for the speaking circuit. Al Gore is many things, but a scientist is not any more an Al Gore credential than his later recanted self proclaimed title as the "Inventor of the Internet". Journalism is one of his credentials, although he has not practiced that craft since the Vietnam era. Public speaking is in his toolbox, but he does loose a grip on the facts (or science) in favor of his opinions. Those who know him agree that he is in love with his voice, particularly in front of groups. Regardless, he has been very effective scaring the Hell out of his listeners regarding Global Warming. Interesting to note, a quick search of Amazon.com reveals 21,916 book titles on the subject of "Global Warming" with costs running between $10 and $50 per title..... That represents a lot of bucks!!! Is any of this about money??

Dr. Tim Ball is a Canadian with a PH.d. in Climatology: "Since I obtained my doctorate in climatology from the University of London, Queen Mary College, England my career has spanned two climate cycles. Temperatures declined from 1940 to 1980 and in the early 1970's global cooling became the consensus. This proves that consensus is not a scientific fact. By the 1990's temperatures appeared to have reversed and Global Warming became the consensus. It appears I'll witness another cycle before retiring, as the major mechanisms and the global temperature trends now indicate a cooling. " And: "Global cooling could develop on Earth in 50 years and have serious consequences before it is replaced by a period of warming in the early 22nd century, a Russian Academy of Sciences’ astronomical observatory’s report says, the RIA Novosti news agency reported Friday. Environmentalists and scientists warn not about the dangers of global warming provoked by man’s detrimental effect on the planet’s climate, but global cooling. Though never widely supported, it is a theory postulating an overwhelming cooling of the Earth which could involve glaciation. “On the basis of our [solar emission] research, we developed a scenario of a global cooling of the Earth’s climate by the middle of this century and the beginning of a regular 200-year-long cycle of the climate’s global warming at the start of the 22nd century,” said the head of the space research sector.

It surely wouldn't be productive to begin lining up "experts" that support different sides of this issue. That could go on indefinitely and prove nothing except there are learned folks claiming the truth about Global Warming, and learned folks that claim there is no such thing as Global Warming. I have managed to live long enough that I have heard the Scientific Community claim that if we continue at our present rate of polluting, we will be entering another Ice Age and all will be lost....followed by "if we continue at our present rate of polluting we will warm the Earth to a point of destruction".

So..... who and what should we believe??

Along the way of passing through 65 years of experiencing life, I have been privileged to participate on the Scientific and design side of business. I have seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears that everything I see, do, touch, smell, feel or have otherwise experienced has a life cycle. Food, the terrible twos and teenagers, moonlight, the seasons, electronics, artificial light, heat from the sun and sunspots all have cycles. In science, we calculate a factor we call "MTBF".... or "Mean Time Before Failure". It is the time from whence a device begins operating until it fails. It is similar in intent to the "Actuary Tables" an insurance company uses to calculate how long an individual will live based on the parameters in which the individual falls statistically. Statistics...an interesting subject based on averages and the differences between numbers that make up averages...or cycles.

Along the way the Earth will heat up and cool down. Eventually it too will fail as part of the cycle of life... And so I listen as I hear "the sky is falling" coming from this group or that. Someday it will........ In the meantime, for the next few milleneums, relax and be mindful and protective of Spaceship Earth......

Cowards, Uranians and Pedophyles

Thank you to Doug and Mary for the encouragement to get back to this blog..... and for a creep that threatened my family for rekindling my anger, passion and protection!


I can't imagine living my life in cowardliness by hiding in the dark recesses of the darkest shadows on Earth. I am talking specifically to "OS" who uses this equipment to display his desire to ogle and molest young boys for his own self serving pleasure. He identifies himself as "A new Uranian". By that very definition of his, one who is irregular, a misfit hideously and deliberately hidden from both posted comments or return email. This is an "IT", not a man. A man has courage, compassion, honor, and most of all is a protector of innocence and goodness. "OS" has none of these attributes. Rather, "IT" has set himself up and has been identified, will be prosecuted and sent to prison to become an inmates love toy. A child molester is the very bottom of the prison hierarchy. And, best of all, we have already identified the thread that this less than smart bottom feeder pedophile has left open through his own ignorance. You're right Forrest.... "Stupid is as stupid does"....


Sleep well Uranian.....but make sure you keep one eye open so you can run and hide like the unich you are... or rather the unich you will be!

Chicago Patronage Politics

They're at it again!!! This time the mayors #1 aide and his lieutenants got busted for being on the take.... Imagine that.... Corruption in Chicago!! The surprise is that it became public and a few folks had to fall on the sword!!

Mayor Richard Daley's former patronage chief was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for his role in a hiring fraud scheme at City Hall. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. Robert Sorich showed no emotion as U.S. District Judge David H. Coar delivered a tongue-lashing. "I don't give a hoot whether this has been going on for 200 years," the judge said. "It still stinks.'' Sorich could have received as much as 57 months in prison, but Coar gave him the lowest end of the sentencing range. Prosecutors say Daley aides rigged hiring for thousands of city jobs and promotions in favor of political loyalists. The scheme allegedly was designed to enhance Daley's political power.

Well, the patronage thing in Chicago has not been going on for 200 years...Hell, the city burned to the ground in 1871! It works in more modern Chicago because of the "loyalty" of the workers. They keep voting for the machine that provides them a job.

Is there a lesson in this for a raise in the minimum wage?? Will those who get the raise vote in the next election for those who got them a raise?? Ummmmm..... I wonder!!

Not the Cubs!!!

No, no....Not the Cubs!!!

Years ago, the Cubs were owned by Wrigley Gum which was owned by P.K. Wrigley. "PK" used the Cubs as a business...Like a farm to grow players and then sell them to other teams for a profit...Like Bruce Sutter. Bruce was about the last of the big cash deals before the Tribune (which by the way is directly across Michigan Avenue from the Wrigley Building) bought the Cubs. The trib owns WGN radio and TV, and that has been the broadcast link for the Cubs forever. A very tidy and controllable package!! The Tribune Company (http://www.tribune.com) is VERY LARGE...And it is publicly for sale! Take a peak at what they own...It is amazing!! That doesn't matter as long as the sign at Wrigley and the team that plays there doesn't change!!!