Oprah, Queen of all Media

So, Oprah was duped by a former drug addict, cum author, who told her what she wanted to hear to pass along her own form of "feel good spiritualism." James Frey told her the story about addction and recovery. He wrote about suicide and police confrontations and how he was addicted to drugs and what he did to get the drugs and how he became clean and sober. It was the "gist" of the story that mattered when she called Larry King to defend her "Oprah's Book of the Month Club" author. Her word meant that millions of copies of the book would be sold. He was guaranteed fame and success. Any subsequent books would result in large advances, national or international book tours, adoring fans. In other words, he would be exchanging one addiction for another.

But, then the house of cards on which this fame and his story were built, came crashing down with a good, old-fashioned Oprah butt -whuppin' on national television. And somewhere during the course of his comeuppance, public sentiment started to shift, even if ever so slightly. Poor James Frey had to suffer humiliation in front of millions of television viewers. Oh, the shame, Oprah. How dare you flog someone when he thought he was your friend?

Of course, public perception started to change as the Smoking Gun report came to light and the truth was about to unfold. Oprah decided it was time to cover her assets. Where once the overall message was what was important in Mr. Frey's book, now it was the "truth" that mattered. Oprah doesn't like feeling "duped" but most likely, Oprah doesn't like the public to think that she is anything less than "above the fray" or is that "above the Frey"?

The whole story reminds me of a recent Scrubs episode where Jordan was conned by a repeat-offender drug addict. He gave the sob story of not being able to see his son because of a lack of money due to his hospitalization. She gives him $500 and at the end of the episode he is sitting there handcuffed after being arrested for trying to buy drugs. The storyline is that when someone is so addicted they will do anything, say anything, or be anyone they need to be in order to get the next fix. It is the same whether it is drugs, alcohol or the need for recognition, fame or fortune.

For Oprah, I'm guessing, that the fix is public approval, though she should have garnered enough over the last two decades to last an eternity. Sometimes even that isn't enough for some people. Most likely, it will be long-forgotten in a few months when the next "story for the ages" comes along.

Goodbye, Again, Newell

Levolor and Kirsch are leaving Freeport and POOF! there goes another 115 jobs in a community that can ill afford any more job losses. The first round of lay-offs or should that be let-gos will begin on Monday. Once again, an icon in the local business community is uprooting for the greener (aka-cheaper) pastures of a third world workplace and American workers are left to look for another pay cut and job in the service industry.

Joe Galli took the company for a ride and moved corporate headquarters to Atlanta. Now, he is gone and jobs are leaving. I know that we are not the only community that suffers this fate. Just read any recent business headline from many communities in Michigan, other parts of Illinois or Ohio or Pennsylvania. The "Rust Belt" is definitely continuing to live up to its moniker.

Our Governor places unusually high fees on industries like trucking and businesses fold or leave the state. Governor Granholm of Michigan paints a rosy picture of the state's condition, but it looks like she must have her head in the sand dunes of western Michigan. Flint is dying with the auto industry, just like Wixom and other cities throughout that state. There, like here, and the other Midwest states see jobs heading south for cheaper wages and in many instances much farther south... like Mexico and Central America. Where and when will it end? How many jobs can Wal-Mart supply us with?

Ford, Schmord

So the hype begins in Detroit and around the nation for Super Bowl XL to be played in Detroit at Ford Field. How ironic that the same week that all of this begins, Ford plans to lay off another 30,000 workers and close 15 plants. But yet, in the name of vanity and all that is great about America and promoting one's name---welcome to Ford Field, the home of unemployment, and the city that time forgot in the wake of the industrial age.

Maybe the Ford family should sell the Detroit Lions and rid its obligation of Ford Field (though I'm betting that much of it was financed on the backs of the citizens of Michigan, many of whom no longer have decent jobs) and use some of that money to pay its employees and retirees the wages and benefits that they deserve. Of course, Ford's stock jumped a few pennies from the abysmal level that it currently sits at. This once proud business seems to have lost its way. How many SUV's can Ford sell anyways?

Let the game begin. Let the hordes of people bring in their cash and deposit into the coffers of Detroit and Michigan for the first time in 25 years, because it may be another 25 before the Super Bowl comes that way again.

So Much for the Big Game Rematch

Good thing I'm not a betting man. First, New England loses yesterday. Now, the Chicago Bears take it on the chin. I did worry about the Bears' chances, especially when they started talking trash during game week. There are many intangibles in sports and one of the major ones is a sense of come-uppance. The Panthers shut down the talk on the second play of the game and finished business the way they wanted to... with a trip to Seattle.

Enough football for a while. Today was the heartbreaking tribute to the 13 miners who died in the coal mine in West Virginia. There is a nice perspective written by Homer Hickam for NPR or you can read the one that I wrote for The Journal Standard. The nation's lives change with each tragedy, but we find that we go on. It will be more difficult for the miners who are scheduled to return to work in the mine where the deaths occurred.

It looks like Judge Samuel Alito will be confirmed. I recommend the column by John Kass that spoke of the reaction of Judge Alito's wife during the confirmation hearings. I puts into perspective what the spouses of the nominees must go through since the Bork and Thomas hearings have put the political scrutiny and often outright cruelty of the interrogators into the mix. Of course, it is all politics of "us vs. them" and often has less to do with a candidates qualifications and more to do with trying to break someone's spirit.

Let's Play Some Football

I haven't sat this long in years. Fourth day without eating...nothing to do, but watch endless sports. Good news: Red Wings and Pistons win. Bad news: Michigan loses. Uncertain news: New England just fell behind by 11. They were robbed in the second quarter. Should have been offensive pass interference, instead Denver ends up with a TD on the next play. Then reliable Tom Brady throws an interception that is returned 100 yards. Next play, another Denver TD.

Have been rooting for a Chicago-New England Superbowl rematch. It was 20 years ago when the Bears emabarrassed the Patriots. It would be a lot closer this time...if it happens. We'll find out tomorrow if the Bears can make it to the NFC Championship game.

New England is on the move again...so I'm outta here.

Dumbing Us Down

Just finished watching the 20/20 special on schools in America. A few years ago while attending the Leadership Institute through Highland Community College there was a full-day discussion on education in general and Freeport in particular. One long-time (more than 30 years experience) brought out the interesting phenomenon of underprivileged children who entered her grade school classes full of desire to learn, but who by the fifth grade had lost that desire. The middle school teacher couldn't pinpoint what had happened in the intervening years, but a comment that another participant made stuck with me.

This person was asking about homeschooling, which we were doing at the time with our two oldest daughters. He said that his son had had straight A's until reaching the junior high level. The son started coming home with an occasional B and then started to see declining grades. It turned out, after some prodding, that the son didn't want to appear to be "too smart" because it went against his peer group, many of whom had lost interest in school at that early age.

The upside is that this student went on to have an excellent academic record despite the pressure of some of his peers. Many of these students never graduated, dropping out when they turned 16 or 17.

There were many ideas bantered about on the 20/20 show, including freedom of choice for schools; the issue of inept teachers who have such a deep safety net through union contracts that they are rarely fired; to teachers who are just there for the paycheck or health benefits; to too much money spent on administrative costs and luxuries. I didn't hear anything about the pressure of peers or the lack of responsibility by the parents to ensure that their children make good choices when it comes to education, whether it be public, private or homeschooling.

As it is with many of these shows that tell us "what is wrong with America" there was a dearth of possible solutions to the crisis in education. What there wasn't a shortage of, though, were the number of excuses and glossing over the facts by state school administrators, principals, teachers' unions, and politicians.

There were schools that were highlighted that did show high levels of achievement and learning alternatives that provided educational assistance leading to significant improvement in certain learning areas. It seemed like John Stossel's only suggestion was "competition" in education, such as school vouchers for students to attend private schools or charter schools. While the onus is clearly on our educational system, which is outdated by several decades, it isn't going to happen as long as parents, guardians, and responsible adults continue to abdicate more and more of the children's responsibilities to the teachers, administrators and schools. Children need advocates for their health, education and welfare and those primarily responsible should be the parents, guardians or all-too-common nowadays, the grandparents raising grandchildren.

I Can't Feel My Face

The left side of my face has been almost numb for the past few days. I have been home from work for the past few days unable to do much reading or writing due to the swelling in my face from an infection. I'm just now able to look at the computer screen long enough to put a few words down on the screen.

I've spent several hours over this time listening to the Alito hearings. I know, what a nerd! In some ways it is like listening to the Old Time Comedy Radio series. You've got the windbags like Kennedy and Schuler and then you've got the panderers like Brownback and Hagel. Are the Senate hearings just an opportunity to hear the Senators expound upon the already overactive profundity or is it to actually have a clue about determining the next Supreme Court Justice. It appears that the vote will most likely go according to each party's line and with a Republican majority and enough crossover votes, Judge Alito will become our next Supreme Court Judge.

We Three Kings and An Old Lady

We spent the weekend in Madison for our annual pilgrimage to St. Dennis Church to see the annual performance of "Old Befana". Ken Lonnquist and his gang have been doing this show for years. Ken wrote the musical version of Old Befana 19 years ago and it has grown each year in popularity. This is a show that is appropriate for all ages. It tells an old Eastern European tale of a widow that was asked to join the Three Wise Men as they make their journey to the town of Bethlehem to bring gifts to the special child born who was born on Christmas Day. You remember the baby, don't you. They called him "Wonderful," "Magnificent," "Saviour," "Christ." Old Befana doesn't follow the Three Wise Men, instead she chooses to stay home and tend to the menial tasks. When she realizes that she should have followed them, it is too late. She then takes her baked goods, candies, and cookies throughout the land delivering them to each child on January 6th, the Epiphany, Three Kings Day, hoping that one of the children she delivers to is that "Special Child" who will make a difference in the world.

The music is entertaining, as well as the gifted vocals of his cohorts, who are professional singers, as well as a wonderful bass player. They bring together this show each year for about 3-4 weeks in December and January. We've become kind of "Old Befana" groupies, having seen the show in Madison for 4 or 5 years and once in Chicago. If you ever get the chance to see this tale (some say it is actually more than 3000 years old, preceding the birth of Christ), don't pass up the opportunity. You'll be glad you went.

For more information about Ken Lonnquist or his music, including Old Befana, go to his web site: www.kenland.com.

Happy New Year!

For regular readers (okay, you two know who you are!) I apologize for the more than one month delay since the last post at this site. The holiday rush has taken its toll, especially with the practice experiencing its busiest month in my 15 year history. Life tends to get in the way of a web log sometimes. Thank you to everyone who has written or called or just stopped to ask about Claire and her dog, Shia. We've taken Shia to two fourth grade classrooms and will take her to Claire's room on her birthday this Thursday. Yes, Claire, who was only given a few years to live when she was two, will be thirteen. God does work in mysterious ways, doesn't He? Again for more information about service dogs for children with autism or autistic-like conditions, please visit the web site at Working Class Dogs.

For regular column readers looking for some updates: Books were forwarded to my friend, Jennie, in Germany. Haven't heard back, yet, but am assuming that they are on Christmas break. Thanks for the number of responses about the 'Twas a Few Days Before Christmas column. It is always appreciated to hear from readers, either pro or con, but especially when the remarks are well-written and when they are constructive in helping to formulate new ideas for the column.

I'll look to keep up once the home computer is up and working again. For now, have a happy, safe, healthy, prosperous and generous New Year!

A Yellow Lab with A Heart of Gold

Thank you to everyone that has asked about Claire and Shia since the column appeared on Thanksgiving Day. While not every day is a "good" day, there are more now than there were. As you can see, Claire is very happy with her companion and it does seem true that the dog and owner start taking on each other's appearance. Two beautiful girls.
Shia is a purebred Yellow Lab who was trained by Julianne Taylor of Working Class Dogs. She trains the dogs primarily for children with autism and autistic-like conditions. The dogs are helpful in keeping the children more focused, provide companionship, and often serve as an ice-breaker in social settings. For more information go to the Working Class Dogs website.

A Girl and Her Dog: The More Complete Version

I can't believe that I am only able to write for this site every couple of weeks lately. There is so much going on in the world, but like many people, I am caught up in my own world and that of my family and work. The following is the column that was scheduled to appear in The Journal-Standard on Thanksgiving Day, but I went well over my alotted word count. So here in full is the original column as it would have appeared. I hope you enjoy and I'll try to get a picture of Claire and Shia on this site, once I become tech-savvy enough to figure it out.

A Girl and Her Dog

by

Roland Tolliver

"Will you put me to bed, daddy? I’m tired."

Sure, Claire. Let’s get ready. I’ll take Shia out, first.

"Where’s Shia, daddy?"

Right here, honey. Go to bed, Shia.

Shia jumps onto the bed and lays at Claire’s feet.

Pillow, Shia.

And Claire’s service dog, Shia, stands up, walks to the head of the bed, and puts her head down on the pillow next to Claire. They will sleep like this for the next eight hours on a good night. Occasionally, Claire will wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and dad will put her and her dog back to bed. Some mornings we wake up and find them in the bed next to us. Shia is very quiet and light on her feet for a 60 pound yellow lab. Claire has learned over the years how to "sneak" into our bed and snuggle under the covers for the last hour or so before we have to get everyone up and ready for school.

It hasn’t been this way for most of the past ten years. When Claire first started having seizures at age two, nights were the worst. Her most severe seizures lasted between 2-4 hours. Yes, that is hours, despite anti-seizure medications given at home and emergency room treatment. I, being the much lighter sleeper between my wife and me, found that there were few nights that I was able to sleep through the night. I would stir at the slightest sound. A cough and I was up. A slight cry and I was in to look in on her. A gagging sound and I would spring into high alert, as that was the sound that would most often precede a seizure.

Five years ago this month Claire and I spent five days in the UW-Madison Hospital for a video-monitored EEG (a test to determine brain activity and the type of seizures she was having). It was then that we found out she was having seizures continuously and that these worsened at night when she went to sleep. The doctor recommended a change in her anti-seizure medications. Within one month we learned during a follow-up EEG that the seizure activity had decreased by 40%. Last year we learned at another follow-up that the activity had decreased another 50% and primarily affected the front lobe of her brain.

Claire, who was only given three to five years to live when she was two years old, will be thirteen in six weeks. Our little girl, who we held, cried over, prayed for, and constantly wondered whether the next seizure would take her from us, will soon be a teenager. The frontal lobe, which affects a person’s behavior, is still affected by low-grade seizure activity and brain damage. We still have no answers as to why or what caused the condition in the first place.

Claire, who looks like your typical twelve- year-old girl at first glance, has a wonderful smile, infectious laugh and long, beautiful eyelashes, is so much more. Her social and psychological behavior seems to have been arrested at about the four- year-old level. She still throws temper tantrums, often at the most inopportune times, like in the grocery store. She repeats much of what she hears, so we hear some words that are better left out of any of our children’s vocabulary. She attends special education classes at Carl Sandburg Middle School and now participates in the after-school program that was started in conjunction with the YMCA, Malcolm Eaton Enterprises and Freeport School District 145.

And there is one other major change for Claire and our family this year...Shia.

"How’s the dog?"

"How are your daughter and the dog doing?"

"How’s the dog working out?"

Great. I tell most people. I’m actually getting to sleep through the night more often.

"Does she sleep with Claire?"

Yes, she does. I’ll usually find Claire with her arm wrapped around Shia in the morning, when Shia hasn’t already gotten out of bed for her morning "better hurry" routine outside.

"Does she go out with the family?"

Yes. Shia has gone to church with Claire and the family on a regular basis. They’ve gone to the movies, to a few restaurants, to the grocery store, Blockbuster, Wal-Mart, and Farm and Fleet. She’s even greeted the cashier at the gas station, who didn’t even realize there was a dog in the store.

"What can she do? Does she obey many commands?"

My wife, Irena, is the primary handler. She endured the two full weeks of training, learning the 70-80 commands that Shia responds to, how to handle her in public, what to say to those that question bringing a dog into a place of business, and how to care for such a precious being. The rest of the family get to benefit from the love that Shia shows toward all of us, especially Claire.

Shia is a beautiful dog. She is sleek, almost deer-like, in her appearance and in her movements. She glides, instead of walks. She bounds, instead of jumps. She’s playful like a kid. And she is loving to a fault. Of course, we haven’t learned all of her cues, yet. So, there is the occasional "mess" to clean up and a sandwich (especially peanut butter) that may go missing from the table. She’ll usually only bark on command, unless egged on by our other dog, Bijay, who barks at any sight or sound. Many times during the day we’ll find the two dogs laying next to each other in the sunlight or on one of the kid’s beds.

"Does the dog go to school with Claire?"

No. Claire has an aid in school and someone would have to go through the training in order to be a handler at school. She stays home until Claire returns, though she does go on trial training runs with my wife sometimes. Just look for a lovely lady with a yellow lab wearing a blue pack around its shoulders.

It has changed our lives, having a service dog in the family. Many people ask if Claire is blind or unable to walk. We answer "No" to both questions. Claire walks, though usually she runs. She sees fine, often more than we want her to. Shia was trained to be a companion for Claire. Shia is a friend, a buddy, a sleep mate, and has become a member of the family. We waited over three years to finally have a dog like her come into our home. And now that she is here, we can’t imagine what it would be like without her.

"Daddy, is Shia my dog?"

Yes, Claire. Shia is your dog.

"Does Shia love me?"

Yes, Claire. Shia loves you very much.

"I love Shia so much, too. Good night, daddy."

Good night, Claire. Good night, Shia. God bless both of you and keep you through the night.

"I love you, daddy. Shia’s my dog, right?"

Yes, Shia’s your dog. I love you, too, Claire. Sleep well. I’ll see you both in the morning. Yes, I will.

On this Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful to God for my family, for friends, for Claire’s teachers, aids and care givers, for all of you who have asked about Claire and Shia and especially for all of the prayers that have been said for Claire over the past ten years. Mostly, I am thankful that Claire is still with us and growing into a beautiful young lady. Each and every day is a day to give thanks for our many blessings.

For more information on service dogs, please go to:

http://workingclassdogs.com/

Working for a Living

I've been away from this site for a while now. Okay, almost an entire month. You'd think that I had been overwhelmed by the departure of Joe "Say it Ain't So" Galli from Newell-Rubbermaid. In reality time has been short, or at least any extra time, and while there have been numerous happenings in the news, there wasn't much to catch a young or old man's fancy. I would like to recommend to all local readers (and you know who you are) to get out and get tickets for "Working" the play based on the writings of Studs Terkel which will be performed at Freeport High School starting tomorrow (November 17th) and running through Saturday (November 18th) at 7:30 each night.
I know, you're saying to yourself about now, "Why should I go see a high school play if my kid isn't in it?" The short answer is because you should. The longer answer is because it is a play that has never been performed in Freeport, because the performers do an exceptional job, and because in these trying economic times in Freeport and Northwest Illinois there are some universal truths about working and workers that are displayed in this emotional, thought-provoking, entertaining show.
If you do read this or my column in tomorrow's Journal-Standard, then call the business office and reserve your seats or show up at the box office and buy your seats there. Either way you should be impressed with the level of talent at the high school level and the excellent job that the actors and musicians do with this material.

So, It Wasn't So, Joe?

When Joe Galli decided to persuade the board of Newell-Rubbermaid to leave its corporate headquarters behind in Freeport I published the following column in The Journal Standardon February 20, 2003.

Say it Ain't So, Joe
by
Roland Tolliver


The sky is falling. The sky is falling. Chicken Little

It is not the Black Sox scandal. It is not the second coming. It is not the end of the world as we know it. It is one company announcing that they are moving their corporate headquarters. Illinois' government and the big business community rejoiced about two years ago when they found out that they had won the Boeing headquarters' sweepstakes. Millions in tax incentives were offered. There was wining and the dining by the corporate elite in Chicago. The key to the city and hobnobbing at Chicago's famous museums were a part of the process. We'll generate millions we were told. The tax incentives will pay for themselves in no time. We've heard that before. The headlines in Chicago acted as if there was no other news in the world. "Ho hum", said the rest of the population in Illinois. Boeing's aircraft are still manufactured by the hard-working citizens of Seattle and other cities with plants in the aeronautical industry. Meanwhile, about 150 executives relocated to Chicago and few words have been heard since then.

Now it is our turn. A few weeks ago we learned that Newell/Rubbermaid's corporate offices will move to Atlanta. How do we compete with Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport? How do we compete with the Peachtree city and the proximity to Wal Mart's corporate headquarters? Why would Joe Galli move out of Freeport for the southern climate and hubbub of Atlanta? Oh, wait, that's right, Joe Galli never lived in Freeport. He spoke to the Chamber of Commerce once, I believe, but I don't think that makes us his permanent residence. Joe, I hope he doesn't mind us being on a first name basis, once said that "But as important as company culture is, it's never set in stone. Culture takes its direction from the goals the company sets and the body of people working to achieve those goals." The corporate compass is currently pointing to a goal south of the Mason-Dixon line. In 1962 that corporate compass pointed northwest of Chicago to the county seat of a mostly rural county when when its companies consolidated into a single corporation in Freeport, Illinois. Sixty years earlier that corporate headquarters was founded in Ogdensburg, New York. Does anybody here know where that is?

When I was looking up the history of Newell/Rubbermaid one word repeatedly showed up in the descriptions. That word was "acquired". We are proud of "our " Newell's acquisitions as "our" Newell became a Fortune 500 company with offices and manufacturing plants throughout the world. We claimed pride in ownership of the "little company that could", which was located right here in the heart of Stephenson County. We cringed with any downsizing and rejoiced with any new emmployment opportunities. People in the area spent entire careers at Newell Window Furnishings. It was a job for life with dividends and stock options. Somehow we grew bigger than our borders through stategic buyouts and corporate mergers and then we became the Ogdensburg of the Midwest. The newspapers' headlines read in large, bold letters that Newell had forsaken us for Atlanta. The Chicago Tribune came hunting for a story and found that in Freeport it was business as usual. No immediate jobs were affected. The centralized corporate functions in Freeport were to be unaffected by the move of Galli's Army (Fortune December 31, 2002) to Atlanta. Our manufacturing base, distribution center and corporate employees were to be like the other 46,000 out of 48,000 employees who are working for Newell/Rubbermaid worldwide. Basically, for the time being, the earth will continue to spin on its axis and people will contiunue to go to work.

Ninety percent of all new jobs are created by the small business sector of America. Over fifty percent of those businesses are started by women. Some small companies become big companies. Most stay small, while many go out of business or start another company. I don't hear too much about them in the city council meetings. I don't hear much about tax breaks or tax increment financing districts. You know the people. There are the accountants, doctors, lawyers, and architects. There are also the plumbers, electricians, coffee shop owners and those that open boutiques or beauty salons. Do you know a massage therapist, owner of a car dealership or store owner? How many people are employed by these people? How often do you see these individuals in the grocery store or at the bank? When was the last time you saw the CEO of Allied Signal/ Honeywell walk into the local Culver's? When was the last time that the CEO of Goodyear spoke to your Kiwanis or Rotary club?

I know that there is a lot riding on future decisions made by the "big three" in Freeport. It will affect all of us in a worse-case scenario of "trickle-down economics." The tax base suffers leading to a loss of school funding and decreased monies for the city's infrastructure. The ancillary services like the hospital, community college, doctors, lawyers, accountants, home-builders, realtors (well, maybe not in the short run), hair salons, and various other businesses lose their client/patient/customer base. Why don't we hear more from our local governing entities about investing in the small business future of our community? Why are we so myopic in our desire to court large businesses in this fragile economy? Illinois was third in the nation in lost jobs last year, and yet, we offer one of the highest rates of tax incentives to big business. I don't see where the long term payoff is. I realize that families can sometimes be uprooted in the corporate world and community spirit can dwindle along with charitable donations and community services. To hear some tell it, we are already there.

There are some things in Atlanta with which we cannot compete. I don't think we'll see a Boeing 767 arriving at Albertus Airport any time soon. We are not near major interstate highways, but I do hope that we see a four-lane highway heading toward Iowa and Interstate-35 in my lifetime. Newell/Rubbermaid has given back millions to our community. The Ferguson Cancer Center and the Freeport Public Library are two prime examples. We are grateful for their contributions and nothing says that their donations are going to dry up any time soon. Honeywell and Kelly Springfield have also made major contributions, along with most of the businesses in our community. Without the individuals who make up the work force, however, none of this is possible. We all give to a community we believe in to the best of our abilities and resources. As for the "quality of life" that the news release said Atlanta offered the company, I believe that it is the quality of the people in a community that determines the "quality of life". In that respect, I'll enjoy the life I have here.

I don't want to sound too Pollyannaish, but I see that we have much potential in our little neck of the woods. There is an underlying spirit in this community. It is the spirit of the people that we see every day in the people that are our neighbors and friends. It is the spirit of those that see the glass as half-full, not half-empty. It is the spirit of those that call Freeport and northwest Illinois home and are proud of that fact. I see it in the thousands of volunteer hours by retirees, churches, service groups and individuals. I see it in the people that are employed and those that are employers and both of these groups' families. I see it in all of the people that donate their time, money and resources to make our community a better place to live. I see it in the people from all walks of life from the boardrooms to the stockrooms and all points in between. These are the people that I am honored to know in a community that my family and I are proud to call home.

It looks now like Mr. Galli is no more the "Whiz Kid" of corporate restructuring than any one of a number of executives who come in highly-touted and then ruin the image or integrity of a company. Freeport, apparently, wasn't good enough for Mr. Galli. He went for the glamour of Atlanta with its busy airport and CNN tower. He came in cutting and slashing jobs and divisions within the company and to what gain. A loss of confidence among the people and companies that had gained trust in the "Newell Way." There was a time when employee morale was high and there was great pride in the company and its products. It still exists, but where it does, it appears to be in spite of Mr. Galli, not because of him. When a family has run a company for years and a family atmosphere exists, it seems counterintuitive to bring in an outsider, who may know business, but doesn't know squat about the people, the history and the way a company does business.

Growth through intimidation ( the'you must work so many hours and produce so much in a day to be successful mentality' may play in New England, but the core of this company and its fortunes were firmly rooted in the Midwest with midwest ethics of family and work as separate, but more equal entities) was counterproductive. And now Mr. Galli of Black and Decker and amazon.com fame, is another statistic, albeit a rich one, in the corporate merry-go-round of those executives who sell themselves to the highest bidder. In the end the burden of the cost is directly on the communities that suffer from their short-sightedness and profit over people mentality.

Say it ain't so, Joe, but it wasn't just a dream and all will be as it was. It was more like a nightmare and our community suffered because of your ineptitude and inability to realize the real worth of the company, the people who worked there because they had a couple of traits that you seem to be in short supply of, integrity and loyalty.

Drip, Drip, Drip

There hasn't been much in the news lately about the slowly dissipating job force here in Pretzel City. Another 50 jobs or so are scheduled to be "outsourced" from Honeywell by March. I don't know, but I feel that a great deal of the problem with business these days is that it has dehumanized the people who work for the major companies. Perhaps it has carried over into the smaller companies, especially those that want to be like the big companies, but the choice of language used in business takes away from the human aspect.

No one is "fired" anymore. Instead, a person is "downsized," "right-sized," "outsourced," "doesn't fit in anymore," or is lost through "attrition." Of course, much of this occurs on short notice when someone is called into a meeting and given just enough time to "clean out your desk." How much courtesy is given or trust to people who in many cases have given many years of their life to a company. Loyalty is fast becoming a virtue of the past. It is still irksome when some CEO makes millions in salary and bonus for what? Letting people go so that the shareholders will be happy with another two cents per share profit?

It is not only the people that are "let go" that are affected, but it is the entire community. It is the morale of a community. It is the school districts and the health care system. It is the impetus to establish more jobs or to develop greater real estate opportunities. It is the non-profit organizations that suffer along with the smaller mom-and-pop businesses that rely on the steady salary of the local citizens to keep their doors open. It is the lending institutions and the tax base that erodes. It is the drip, drip, drip of a community hemorrhaging good employees, citizens and people until the area is anemic. And when there is insufficient prospects for new jobs, it is as if there is no source for transfusion to reinvigorate the community. We put on band-aids to stop the visible bleeding, but it is the deep, internal bleeding that goes unnoticed for months, years, decades before someone realizes that there is an unkown source of the blood loss or job loss, if you will. We can speculate about the source, but until it is discovered we treat the symptoms, but not the cause.

Former publisher of The Journal Standard, Mr. Gary Quinn, informed this community that we would not be able to rely on the Big 3 of Honeywell, Newell, and Goodyear for many more years. He said that the area was too heavily dependent on its manufacturing base and that it would slowly erode over the next 10-15 years. His prognostication was right on the money. And yet, here we are with nothing to replace the jobs that are leaving, except the occasional retail store and the promise of a hog processing plant. We are not alone in our current state of affairs. Many small towns in the Rust Belt are looking for ways to draw in new employers, whose jobs allow people to maintain a decent standard of living. How many are out there, though, that are not sending the lion's share to Mexico or Third World countries that work for low wages and produce products that are not always up to the standard that is acceptable by U.S. standards? But then again, have our standards been lowered to the point that we will continue to put up with these changes as long as we have access to cheaper products?

We may not be on life support, yet, but the patient is nearing critical condition.

Here We Go Again

We are embarking on the early election season. It is easy to tell because the money is starting to flow, mostly into Chicago where the majority of the voters reside in this state.

Governor Blagojevich has released almost $200 million into the state's hungry coffers. Voters, I mean recipients, will no doubt be happy, including our local park district for the SK8 Park. $50,000 is nothing to sneeze at and it does go for a project that was partially supported by independent donors, but... I am often reminded of the story of Dr. Faustus or its American equivalent, The Devil and Daniel Webster. It feels like somebody has sold their soul when money is put into projects when it is obvious that the timing suggests, "Look at me. I gave you money. Now, can I count on you for your support at the voting booth?" Multiply our small amount by a few thousand and you get the idea that, hey!, there is money to be had, jobs to fill, and support for the incumbent Governor "Reform, What Reform?!" Blagojevich.

Somewhere soon in a prison cell near you (though obviously not in Thompson, which remains a $40 million boondoggle of unused cells), former Governor Ryan, must be laughing his backside off. All politics is about cronyism and believing that we, the citizens, haven't a clue about what the big boys do in the state capitol of Chicago. OH, wait, that has only become the seat of our state government since the last gubernatorial election. Somewhere in Springfield there sits a mansion, which we pay for through taxes, used as a showcase for the waste that many in our government figure that we have to put up with because we have no choice. How much pork will be doled out before the primaries? How big will Blago's war chest grow before it begins to burst at the seems, or Hillary chooses him to be her running mate? Or will she take a chance on the rising star of the Democratic Party, Barack Obama?

Illinois may be like a lot of other states, but we don't live in those states. Here we see that it is business as usual with our state politics. Daley and the Boys get their pork and we get the rinds, all fluff, no substance. Of course, they package the junk food in such a way that enough find it palatable, but realize after it is too late that it isn't anything one can live on for any length of time. How is the expansion of O'Hare going, Your Honor? Enough jobs for you to keep your title of "Grand Exulted Ruler for Life"? Hear about how Rockford lost another airline or do you even know where Rockford or Northwest Illinois is on the map? Or, do you even care?

Irish Days

Yes, it is only about six months to St. Patrick's Day and yes, it was a wonderful evening at the Masonic Temple last night in Freeport, Illinois. Around 1000 people came to hear and see and experience the song, dance and comedy of The Irish Variety Roadshow. For me, it was the culmination of over 24 hours of Irish music. The night before was spent in Milwaukee listening to the sounds of U2 the supergroup from Ireland, who have been together for 29 years or so. They have consistently proven themselves by evolving with music, creating their own unique sound, and in many ways, changing the world throught their music and the personality of their lead singer, Bono. It was once said that Rock and Roll would change the world and in ways big and small it has. More about this in this week's column.

Kudos go out to the people who made last night in Freeport such a success. Father Burt Absalon's rendition of Danny Boy was clearly one of the highlights. Where else but in America can you find a Phillipino priest leading an Irish congregation and singing arguably the most popular Irish song of all time in front of hundreds of people of various denominations. A good show for a good cause with much fun and merriment to be had by all. Thanks to all of the individuals who made it happen, especially to my wife for the energy, effort and detail that she put into the prepartion for the program. Barry Collins, the founder of the Show, said at the end that they wouldn't be there if it hadn't been for her, neither would I have been.

If you would like more information on a couple of the performers, please see the sites for Michael Funge or Harriet Earis. We look forward to their return in a couple of years. In the meantime, we're more than halfway to St. Patrick's Day, time to celebrate.

We Was Robbed

Well the final tally is in and so is JD Fortune as the new lead singer for INXS. I'll listen to their past catalog, but I can't fathom buying any new INXS music. Maybe Marty wasn't the best for the band. His style really is suited to more modern music and he still has The Lovehammers and if they do open for INXS, there may be more people for the opening act than for the main show. I'm sure I am expressing some sour grapes, but if anyone except Marty won, it should have been Mig. I can't get the Elvis growl out of my head when JD sings. I keep waiting for him to curl his lip and say, "Thank you. Thank you very much." Oh well, I'll look forward to new music by Marty Casey, most likely with the bandmates that supported him throughout the show. The Lovehammers showed their class and support for their friend and frontman, Marty, throughout all of Rock Star. That is worth buying another of their albums just for the stylish way they didn't whine that their lead singer made an attempt to front a more established band. Good job, Marty, good job.

Did Anyone Else Notice?

There was nothing funny about Hurricane Katrina, but I couldn't help think about the story that is heard every so often about the man (or woman) who was a victim of a flood and stranded on his rooftop. A person comes along before the flood and asks him if he wants help leaving before the flood and he says, "No. God will help me. I'm staying." Then he is stuck on his rooftop and a boater comes along and asks the man if he wants a boat ride to safety, again he says, "No. God will take care of me." Finally, a helicopter flys overhead and they call out to him, "We're here to help. Climb into the basket." The man replies, "No. God will take care of me!" The man eventually drowns and as he is entering the pearly gates, he asks God, "Where were you? Why did you let me drown?" God answers him, "Who do you think sent the man to help you, and the boater, and the helicopter? You made the choice to not take advantage of my gifts to you." It seemed that this story mimicked many of the stories in New Orleans. Help was sent, but many people refused the help that was offered. For those that were stranded because they were offered no help, like the helpless victims of the nursing home in New Orleans where the owners left the residents there to die. Or the people that were unable to leave their homes because of various infirmities. One of the saddest stories, and yet at least the people found safetry, was of the deaf individuals who only realized the magnitude of the problem when the water level reached their beds and they clawed their way to safety. There is no end to the heartache of Hurrican Katrina, but lost among the stories of tragedy and loss, are the multitude of acts of heroism and the countless hours put in by tireless health care workers, firefighters, police officers, civil servants, and National Guard and Coast Guard members. I'm sure that we will hear more in the days, weeks and months to come. Let's hope that these stories do not fade into the background like so many other tales from trying times, but that lessons are learned and we come to appreciate the acts of kindness and not dwell on the acts of vandalism or violence.

Rock Star Redux: Voting for Marty

Maybe it is the era when I was growing up (or perhaps I'm still growing up), but I am compelled to watch INXS: Rock Star each week. I'm not getting into all the behind the scenes extras, but am enjoying watch each of the performers sing, especially now that it is down to the last four. Many of the teens of the seventies were fascinated with rock music as it moved into its teens and early twenties. I know many people who dreamed of fronting a band and being a lead singer or just a member of the band. How many of us picked up a guitar and pretended to be Paul or John or Mick or John Fogerty or even Jim Croce or Harry Chapin. Okay, so maybe I was more into the singer-songwriters who could pull off sitting on the stool on stage and playing their acoustic guitar and singing songs to make the girls swoon or at least think we were semi-cool. I never really learned how to make the two work together (the guitar and singing that is), but I still listen to many of the same artists over and over again. Each generation seems to have its favorites and now some of the "old-timers" like The Rolling Stones or Paul McCartney are still making new music and still touring. That brings me to Marty Casey and the Rock Star show. I think it may be that he is a Chicagoan or that his parents live in Northwest Illinois, but he does have that rock star persona, a quality voice and great stage presence, plus he is not afraid to try new arrangements. "Trees" as a VH-1 Storytellers-style performance, as if it were already a big-seller and he is bringing it down to its roots. Great showmanship. And "Creep" blew away the rest of the songs last night. Anyways, I'm ranting late at night or early in the morning and am heading off to vote for Marty a couple of more times before bed. We'll find out tomorrow if he stays or if he goes. I'm picking the former.

Flyin' High on 9-11

The best thing that I can say about flying home on Sunday, September 11th, was that the trip was completely uneventful. There were no delays, nothing unusual or out of the ordinary happened. I walked through the checkpoint, waited for the time to board the plane, secured an aisle seat (for some reason I no longer enjoy sitting by the window and definitely not in the middle seat), had a nice conversation with the woman next to me about Bichons and Chicago-style hot dogs (unrelated content!), and read and dozed during the short flight from Nashville. Everyone went about their business with no mention of terrorists or fear (not that it probably wasn't on everyone's minds), but plenty of talk about the floods and disaster in the South. It seems that we move on with our lives no matter what the disaster may be, unless of course, we are directly involved with the tragedies. I do not know how the families of the victims from 9-11 cope with each day, but I do know that it is possible, though not easy. And now we wonder how the people of the Gulf Coast region will cope. They have lost family members, friends, neighbors, pets, places of work and worship, schools, and houses. Some have lost everything, but their lives. The cameras can only capture so much and it seems as if they focus on the dread and the dreadful. And every once in a while we'll get a snippet about some heroic rescue or deed. I believe that if more time was spent on the positive actions of the citizens of the South, like the six-year old who lead his rag-tag troop to safety, and became a national hero for his brave actions, then there would be more of an impetus to repeat the success stories and not focus on the negative as much. Probably naive on my part, of course now that David Brown is history, we can move on, but I know we haven't heard the last about him and his bleagured agency, FEMA or Homeland Security. There are many others that will come into the spotlight in the ensuing months either for their bravery, leadership, or their lack of either. We can only hope and pray that something is done before the next big storm hits the Gulf Coast area, because if or when it does, there isn't much there at the moment to keep the cities and the regions dry.