Wouldn’t it be nice to have a way to have more money without risking your own?
You can, just try a “Private Equity Partnership”. Never heard of that? Well perhaps you’ve heard of Bain Capital, where Mitt Romney got (I won’t say earned) a lot of his money.
Here’s a little video where Robert Reich explains how a private equity partnership works, it’s just a few minutes long and nicely illustrates how the 1% can grow richer while passing much of the risk off to the 99%.
When the Sandusky scandel broke at Penn State last fall, I insisted that Joe Paterno had to go. I wrote
As a proud Penn State alumnus, I was trying to tune out the news from Happy Valley in the last few days. I think Joe Paterno is on the Mt Rushmore of college coaches and for 4+ decades his program has been the standard-bearer that all other programs are compared to. Even at their 3-9 worst in 2003, I maintained that on reputation alone, Joe Paterno alone should be able to decide when his coaching career should come to an end.
The local sports talk radio station that I enjoy, and that NEVER talks about college football, couldn’t stop piling on Joe, that because of his failure to bar Sandusky from the Penn State football facilities after he first learned of child sexual abuse allegations in 2002, his entire legacy was tarnished. After JoePa died last Sunday, it started all over again. In many ways what he failed to do is unforgivable, but when looking back at someone’s life, I think it’s a shame to focus on any one thing.
This reader email to Andrew Sullivan’s The Daily Dish sums it up nicely for me
Why do so many people feel the need to ask, “In light of the scandal, how do we remember Joe Paterno?” Why can’t we remember him and his life exactly as it happened? One heinous act does not undo all the good he did in his life, much like a major kindness does not undo a life of evil. Joe Paterno was an excellent football coach whom many considered to be a paragon of morality, good will, dedication and service. But he also made mistakes, most notably he failed to act on information concerning the safety of children and in all likelihood enabled the further abuse of children. But most importantly he was a human, and like all of us he is neither black nor white, but some shade of grey. The need to classify him into a category of “good” or “evil” seems like folly to me.
I think there’s a lesson here for all of us.
As far as his grand experiment, that a nationally-competitive football program didn’t have to sacrifice academic standards? I think it was a success, Penn State was rank FIRST in this years Academic Bowl.
Do you read blogs on your work computer? Tweet from work? Write blogs posts at work? Use an instant messaging program to chat with friends while at work?
This past week one twitter friend got into hot water at work and another blogging friend lost her job because of what she was doing with company IT resources.
Do YOU know your employers internet use policy? Here are some snippets from mine
(2) You consent to the following conditions:
(a) Employer routinely intercepts and monitors communications on this information system for purposes including, but not limited to, blah blah blah.
(b) At any time, the employer may inspect and seize data stored on this information system.
(c) Communications using, or data stored on, this information system are not private, are subject to routine monitoring, interception and search, and may be disclosed or used for any employer-authorized purpose.
(d) This information system includes security measures (e.g., authentication and access controls) to protect employer interests—not for your personal benefit or privacy.
Certain unacceptable uses are spelled out as well
(1) Submitting malicious code or hacking.
(2) Copying proprietary software.
(3) Installing unauthorized software.
(4) Conducting a commercial business on an Army IS.
(5) Unethical uses (e.g., profanity, sexual content, gambling, soliciting funds).
(6) Accessing unauthorized sites (e.g., pornography, spam, streaming video, gaming, eBay).
(7) Using unauthorized services (e.g., peer-to-peer, chat, instant messaging except AKO and other authorized government messaging systems used for official business).
(8) The improper use of e-mail (e.g., mass mailing, chain letters, hoaxes, auto forwarding).
Veronica the HR expert pointed out that even if your employer doesn’t spell out an internet use policy, most people fall under a policy called “employment at will”. Unless you work under a contract or are a member of a union, chances are that you’re employed at will. What this means is that your employer can terminate your employment without cause at any time. (No, you can’t be fired because of your age, or your gender, or your sexual orientation, etc.) Be forewarned, your internet habits at work could be used against you.
I like blogging, tweeting, naughty emails and chats as much if not more than the next guy. But I also know what I can and cannot get away with at work.
Do you?
Many of us see it on a regular basis, depending on where we are. Someone sees a service member in uniform and shakes their hand, thanking them for their service. A soldier finds that his restaurant tab has been paid for by someone who wishes to remain anonymous.
I’ve seen little acts of thanks and appreciation like those happen many times in my travels.
Unfortunately, there are Veterans who need more help. Veronica also posted this list on her blog and on this Veteran’s Day I wanted to share it as well.
1. Give shelter
Homes for Our Troops constructs houses for severely injured veterans who served after 9/11. Donate equipment or help build a home. homesforourtroops.org
2. Offer a vet a ride
The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) provides free transportation to men and women unable to travel to VA medical facilities on their own. You can volunteer to drive a DAV van for those in need. dav.org/volunteers
3. Provide foster care for a pet
Take in the dog or cat of a deployed soldier or a wounded veteran while he or she is on duty or receiving VA medical treatment. guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org
4. Record a war story
Do you know an old soldier with tales from the front lines? The Library of Congress wants to hear his voice. Go to the website below for tips on conducting an interview or to request a field kit, including biographical data and release forms. loc.gov/vets
5. Put those old cell phones to good use
Instead of stashing your used phones in the junk drawer, ship them to Cell Phones for Soldiers. For each one donated, the organization will pay for an hour of talk time for troops overseas. cellphonesforsoldiers.com
6. Donate used DVDs
Drop off movies or television shows at your local VA facility, or mail them to DVDs4Vets, a national organization that distributes them where needed. dvds4vets.org
7. Cut coupons
Have some expired coupons lying around? Military families can use them for up to six months past their end date. coupsfortroops.com
8. Contribute to a holiday drive
Operation Gratitude’s annual campaign collects clothing, food, and more and packs it in gift boxes for service members. Pitch in by offering up items; local residents can sort them on-site. operationgratitude.com/volunteer
The Toys for Tots campaign that Ashly Star is running for the 3rd year in a row on her blog is also a great opportunity to help. While not Veteran-focused, Toys for Tots is a program of the US Marine Corps.
9. Post a care package
Through the organization Kitchen Table Gang, hospitalized veterans and troops abroad can receive personalized parcels containing everything from candy to board games. Get a service member’s address from KTG, bundle up items with a note of thanks, and send them off. soldierpackages.org
10. Share your expertise
MilServe connects volunteers with vets in many areas: financial counseling or legal services; job search guidance; even carpentry, for building wheelchair ramps. milserve.org
11. Support Big Brothers Big Sisters
The national organization has a special Military Mentoring program for children with parents in the armed forces. The group carefully pairs kids with adults serving in the military, as well as with veterans and civilians. bbbs.org
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check made payable to
‘The United States of America ‘ for an amount of “up to and including my life.”
[Check out today's Project365 photo of the day for something a little sexier]
We were relaxing at home as a family on Monday evening and I had SportsCenter on in the background. Like every other day for the past week, a featured story was the on-going scandal at Penn State. This particular segment was detailing the charges against Jerry Sandusky, including the details of a grad student walking in on a child being raped by Sandusky.
Veronica whispered to me “is this appropriate for him to be hearing?”, referring to Darling Boy
At that moment it dawned on me that yes, it was appropriate. He is 11 yrs old, the boy in the shower was 10 at the time, most of the other victims were in the same age range as well.
In the past we’ve talked with him about private parts and where it is or is not appropriate for people to touch others, from a child’s perspective, of course.
With my alma mater continuing to make front page news all week, we’ve had conversations about sex crimes, lying, protecting your friends, media relations, accountability, dealing effectively with a crisis, owning up to your mistakes, and even a little about the (overblown) role of sports and particularly collegiate athletics in modern society.
It hasn’t always been easy for us, or for DB, to have some of these conversations. We make sure to keep it all in context, that this is happening because a grown man had or attempted to have sex with young boys.
The above-the-fold headline of the sports section of today’s Boston Globe reads “Penn State trustees fire Paterno”
DB saw the headline and without prompting declared “dad, I’m glad they fired Paterno”.
He gets it. It’s been a tough week to be a proud Penn State grad, but I’m definitely proud of my little man. He gets it.
Veronica: And I’m proud of him too. However, the look on his face as we brought up the topics saddened me. I never saw him look quite so uncomfortable and nauseous during a conversation with us. However, they were all very important conversations to have.
As a proud Penn State alumnus, I was trying to tune out the news from Happy Valley in the last few days. I think Joe Paterno is on the Mt Rushmore of college coaches and for 4+ decades his program has been the standard-bearer that all other programs are compared to. Even at their 3-9 worst in 2003, I maintained that on reputation alone, Joe Paterno alone should be able to decide when his coaching career should come to an end.
Disclosure- I’m not just a proud alumnus, I have multiple connections with the football program. I’m NOT unbiased when it comes to Penn State football. Veronica also has connections, she used to work for someone on the board of directors of The Second Mile, and we both spent some time inside the football team facility.
If you don’t follow sports news, this article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette lays out the timeline of events starting in 1994/5.
Did Joe Paterno do the right thing, legally speaking, by reporting what he learned to Athletic Director Tim Curley? Yes, I believe so. It’s what he DIDN’T do that is bothering me, and why I think he has to go.
After Joe Paterno was informed that Jerry Sandusky may have sexual abused boys inside the Penn State football facility, JoePa didn’t take away Jerry’s access to the facility. Keep in mind that Jerry found his victims through The Second Mile that he founded in the 70s. It’s easy to envision him using his position with the football team and access to the facilities as tools that he used to help him curry favor with these boys and give him a place to commit his alleged crimes.
Veronica: And I have to admit, the 1st time I got a tour of the football team facility I was giddy as a school girl. At 34. I can only imagine the effect access to the football facility had on a sports loving tween.
JoePa didn’t take that access away from Jerry Sandusky. He could have. He SHOULD have, and for that failure to act, I think the only honorable thing left for him to do is resign.
Veronica: I have to agree. I also think that there is a lot of shame to go around.
For those of you who want to crucify JoePa for not doing more, here is an excerpt from a great piece on Deadspin
Sandusky was Paterno’s colleague (and one would assume friend) for over three decades. So imagine someone coming up to you and telling you that your friend of 30 years was raping a kid in the shower. Would you believe it? Would you want to believe it? Probably not the first time you hear it. Would you go to the police? What if the grad assistant was wrong and your friend’s life is ruined because of a misunderstanding? You might not even want to explore the matter further because you can’t tolerate the idea of someone you trusted doing such monstrous things. I think the reason Paterno went to his AD and didn’t go to the cops is because it provided him with the chance to have it both ways. This way, he was able to “report” it, without having to be the person who takes the significantly braver step of actually calling the police. Problem solved. Conscience cleared.
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I haven’t mentioned the kids, the alleged victims of these monstrous crimes. My son is the same age as some of those boys, I can’t imagine how I might respond if DB fell victim to a person like Sandusky. I hope they get the help they’re going to need.
Veronica: I can. And I would happily go to jail for the violent bludgeoning death I would inflict upon the person who would dare do those things to either of my children. And my thoughts and prayers go out to those young men. I also wonder if Mrs. Sandusky knew anything about all this, since these boys allegedly spent a lot of time with the immediate family.
As for Sandusky, I’ve heard that in prison society those who sexually abuse children are looked down upon as the worst of the worst. Should the allegations prove to be true, I hope that the prison guards look the other way.
Veronica: We can only hope.
Imagine there is a bank which credits your account each morning with $86,400, carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!
Well, everyone has such a bank. Its name is TIME.
Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow”. You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success!
For the victims of the 9/11 attacks and the untold 1000s who have perished in conflicts since then, their time prematurely ran out.
For my step-father, his time ran out earlier this morning, he passed away in his sleep.
Rest in peace “Dad”
Our cable has been out since around noontime Sunday. Two kids plus my sister & her son plus our online addictions has lead to a long day!
We have our iPhones and I have my iPad so we’ve somewhat stayed connected, at 3G speeds.
I have photos to share, we have the follow up to “Good Hosts” to share plus the usual miscellaneous nonsense you’ve come to expect from me. But, there’s only so much I can do from my iPad.
Stay tuned, I hope to catch up on Monday.
In the meanwhile, I’ll work in being grateful that my problems are so minor and at least we still have power and an intact roof over our heads, some people didn’t fare as well. I know of at least 3 blogger friends who have been told not to expect to get power restored until the end of the week, and I know someone on twitter who’s dad had a BIG tree crash through the roof of his house.
Good cop? No, strike that, this guy is a GREAT cop. He’s on patrol and see’s a guy walking down the street carrying a pistol on his belt. As it turns out the individual is also videotapping the entire time, probably trying to make a cop look like an asshole, instead he’s the one who comes across as the asshole. Watch how the cop handles the situation, it’s perfect.
Now contrast the officer in that video with this guy, trampling on the rights of a citizen, in public, to record something happening in public. I saw somewhere that the charges against the photographer were dropped and the cop was being sent for “media sensitive training”.
