The nation grew a little bit last week when Democratic Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama, give a speech on race unlike any this nation has ever seen. In the very week America thought it had discovered the bone in Obama’s closet that would derail his run for the Presidency, Barack kicked down the door of the closet that holds America’s worse skeletons, its race closet. We all know race is a conversation America never wants to have, because it’s a conversation they can never win. So the race closet, stacked to the top with 400 years of skeletons-from the Middle Passage through today’s colorblind racism, is closely guarded by those who know and understand this vile and twisted history. However, this time America started it by trying to radicalize Obama and racialize Obama’s Minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Barack finished it by stating that if you really want to have a conversation about somebody’s racial views - then let’s talk about America’s racial views, in its totality. It was substantive, and it was eloquent.
Obama's Speech on Race: Not Just Empty Words, or Another "Eloquent Speech"
The nation grew a little bit last week when Democratic Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama, give a speech on race unlike any this nation has ever seen. In the very week America thought it had discovered the bone in Obama’s closet that would derail his run for the Presidency, Barack kicked down the door of the closet that holds America’s worse skeletons, its race closet. We all know race is a conversation America never wants to have, because it’s a conversation they can never win. So the race closet, stacked to the top with 400 years of skeletons-from the Middle Passage through today’s colorblind racism, is closely guarded by those who know and understand this vile and twisted history. However, this time America started it by trying to radicalize Obama and racialize Obama’s Minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Barack finished it by stating that if you really want to have a conversation about somebody’s racial views - then let’s talk about America’s racial views, in its totality. It was substantive, and it was eloquent.
As you know, the financial sector of the economy is in a crisis now, particularly in mortgage lending. Nothing less than panic is rippling through financial markets the world over. The fallout from nonprime lending has cascaded into other segments of the global economy and what you are watching unfold is the reaction to an overleveraged financial market held together by bubblegum and scotch tape.
How do we climb the mountains of our lives? One step at a time! Life is a continuous series of steps beginning with grade school, middle school, then high school. College (perhaps) - then finally the work force. The steepest step of all may be the process of applying ourselves. Consistently climbing; we get off on some and consider jumping to others.
True story. Several months back, I went for an early morning run after about two hours of sleep. Mind had been racing for hours. Tossing ideas and throwing solutions. Vibes were too strong for a notepad. Had to move – got up and dressed for a few morning miles. Chose a main street – 4:20a – instead of a track. In this story I trip – land on my hands...in the street – look up as vehicles are approaching. More than 100 yards away. Thank God.
We've all heard and read a lot in recent years about the demographic shifts that will change the workforce of the future. I argue that future is now. Corporate culture, keeping employees fully engaged, and a team approach to tackling priorities are all on the smart company's agenda. No problem there. 
Holding onto regret is like dragging the weight of the past with us everywhere we go. It drains our energy, leaving less available for life in the present because we are constantly feeding an old issue. This attachment can cause illness the same way watering a dead plant creates decay. We know that something new and beautiful can grow in its place if we only prepare the soil and plant the right seeds. We also know that we create our lives from our actions and our actions are based on what we think and believe, so dwelling on the past may actually recreate a situation in our lives where we are forced to make the same choice again and again.
Your attention please. Corporate malfeasance is most often used when describing disastrous accounting scandals like Arthur Anderson, Enron, Worldcom. More than 10 years later, the SEC continues to struggle with regulatory systems put in place and some reports doubting their usefulness. I'm more concerned with documenting personal performance; a different type of accounting scandal.
What do these documents all have in common: Business Plan, Contract, Invoice (luv that one), Request for Proposal, Marketing Plan and Service Level Agreement? They each represent an inventory of expectations. We differ not. We contain the know-how, but at times don't seem to deliver. Disruptions are usually bad news. Typically equates to lost revenue and aggravation. For whom – you fill in the blank.
