Eugene's Personal and Professional Blog

Riots in London - A comentary

2011-08-15T11:23:00.001-05:00

These two articles are worth reading. Are they a harbinger of what may happen in the USA?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903918104576504033881168802.html?KEYWORDS=dalrymple

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/fac0b38e-c1d1-11e0-bc71-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1V78VELDd

Texas Legislation Adds Conditions on Abortion

2011-05-11T09:09:00.001-05:00

Below is the letter to the editor that I sent to the Wall Street Journal regarding the article found at this website http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704681904576315350526209130.html?mod=ITP_pageone_1

Good Morning

I read with great interested the article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal on 11 May 2011 on page A4 entitled Texas Legislation Adds Conditions on Abortion.

I was most struck by the comments by Ms Kelly Rosati from the group Focus on the Family on how an ultrasound is capable of having a woman connect "with that child inside her".

It is interesting how she and others on the religious and political right are so anxious for a woman to connect with her unborn child but are not willing to devote the necessary resources so that relationship can grow and develope once the child is born. Ms Rosati and Focus on the Family are prime examples of the attitude that tells women we will do everything possible for you to keep your child, but once it is born, you are on your own.

Response to Randi Weingarten's Article

2011-04-27T13:41:00.002-05:00

Here is a letter that I sent to the WSJ in response to the article found at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704071704576276673922731938.html

In her article, Ms Weingarten decries the use of market based solutions in education. What Ms Weingarten fails to understand that there is a de-facto market system in place already in that parents are choosing education alternatives that run the gamut from charter schools, private or parochial schools or simply moving to a location with better schools.

Ms Weingarten is already in the middle of a market based solutions and her refusal to embrace fundamental change such as pay for performance, and elimination of tenure with cause and increase in the flight of parents to alternative education choices.

How do we "suit up" for the game.

2009-05-25T14:26:00.004-05:00

I read with interest the article by William McGurn that appeared in the WSJ on 19 May 2009 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124269063343832561.html.

Mr McGurn is right on target when he says " When Notre Dame doesn't dress for the game, the field is left to those like Randall Terry who create a spectacle and declare their contempt for civil and respectful witness". The question becomes how do we as thoughtful Catholics suit up?

I am convinced that the Priests for Life crowd or even my brother knights in the Knights of Columbus have grasped that you not only have to give a prohibition to abortion but to give pregnant women better options and that frankly, will take money. I would love to get Fr. Frank Pavone and Randall Terry in one room and say "OK.....let's say abortion gets prohibited like you want...then what? What are people in the pro life movement willing to give up so that women won't abort their babies. I want to know in dollars and cents how much they are willing to pay in terms of taxes for public services, health care, education and reliable day care to ensure that those babies who are not aborted will grow to their full potential.

I hear scant little from the pro life quarter on these issues. They are quite ready to say no to abortions but what are they going to do about it when abortion is no longer legal.

These sentiments are not only applicable to the pro life crowd but to institutions like Notre Dame. They are absolutely tone deaf on this issue. They talk a good game about honoring church teaching but what do the DO about it. Are they really willing to have an open dialog about abortion or devote resources to this cause?

Sometimes, it seems that the Catholic centers of higher education want it both ways. They want to seem as progressive and acceptable to the great population but still want a veneer of Catholicity.

Photos That Could Cost Lives? Maybe We Should Look At The Policies Instead

2009-05-11T21:38:00.004-05:00

I just finished reading the article written by David Rebhein that appeared in the May 8 2009 Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124174121748398901.html.

While I believe that the American Legion does great work, I feel that the views expressed by Mr Rebhein are not in line what I believe a free society should be about.

Mr. Rebhein thinks that releasing more photos of detainee abuse will only inflame America's enemies, but I am convinced that in the long run, openness is better for this country. I am convinced that people like Mr. Rebhein and other on the political right would rather have the pictures suppresses so that they can continue to perpetuate the myth that Abu Ghraib was just "an aberration" or the work of a "few bad apples".

Until the full evidence is shown to the American people, we will never be freed of the ghosts of Abu Ghraib. In addition, we have got to get real about making the people whose policy decisions that lead to detainee abuse accountable in some way. It could very well be that this government does not have the stomach or political capital to bring these people to the bar of justice there is always the court of public opinion.

How many generals were allowed to retire quietly and pick up their nice pension and go on the right wing rubber chicken dinner circuit? How many DOJ attorneys who signed off on torture were allowed to go into places like the Heritage Foundation some other sympathetic think tank?

I am all in favor of making life for these politicians and generals at least somewhat uncomfortable and make them think about what they have done.

I would like to draw a parallel with the recent flap over the flight of Air Force One over the Statute of Liberty that was kept under wraps. If the folks had been open about the flight, there would not have been any panic and people would not have thought about the expense of the flight. Now, the administration has had to deal with people's anger (however muted and short term) and the hew and cry over the expense.

I keep thinking that our government does not trust us. It seems that Mr. Rehbein does not either. He would rather keep the photos under wraps on the chance it will inflame our enemies.

Maybe Mr. Rehbein needs to think about the larger policies of the present and past administrations that put troops at risk and not just photos of detainee abuse.

WSJ and the UAW....Same old, Same old

2009-04-01T22:17:00.003-05:00

I just finished reading Holman W. Jenkins column in the April 1, 2009 Wall Street Journal entitled "GM Bankruptcy? Tell Me Another" http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123853988781575499.html.

I thought I would find something new and interesting but it's just the same page from the playbook of Rush Limbaugh. Mr. Jenkins makes the same arguments that Rush has in that the problems of the Detroit automakers can be laid at the door of the UAW and the United States Congress in their push for better fuel economy in passenger vehicles. They all want to make the car companies and by extension, their management the victims of the UAW and the congress.

What a load of baloney!!! The car companies keep harping on the fact that "we only sell cars that people want to buy, and the wanted to buy big honking SUV's and now that people don't like to pay for higher gas, that's not our fault".

Let's face realities..people buy cars for the same reason that they buy everything else and that is because of the influence of marketing. It was the skillful marketing of the big three that made the SUV so popular (and by the way enable the big three to make big profits on them). Car companies don't follow demand, they lead it. Otherwise, why would they have marketing and advertising departments for which the spend millions on, not to mention all the TV ad time they take up during prime events like the Superbowl. If the car companies had any vision, they would have been crafting marketing messages that would have alerted people to the danger of foreign oil and that a car that gets good gas mileage can be "cool" to drive and could have made a nice profit on cars like that but Detroit decided to take the easy way out.

With regard to the UAW, I never saw a big three executive with a gun at his head and forced to sign a contract. Those contracts were entered into by both parties...nobody "imposed" terms on the other. If the big three did not like the UAW terms, then they should have ramped up and gotten ready for a fight each time the union contracts came up. The union cannot be blamed for a contract that both parties negotiated and agreed to. If the big three did not like the terms, they should have let a strike happen and starve the UAW out. I'm quite certain that in the long run, the big three would have had the resources to do that.

Auto executives and their proxies should stop pointing fingers and acting like the innocent victims in this tragedy.

Is Consumption Still A Virtue?

2009-02-24T22:51:00.004-06:00

This is the text of a letter I sent to an edtior at Vogue Magazine

Ms. Sally Singer
Fashion News and Features Director
Vogue Magazine
4 Times Square12th Floor
New York, NY10036-6518

Dear Ms Singer:

I listened with great interest your interview with Ari Shapiro that aired on Morning Edition on Thursday 19 February 2009 on my local National Public Radio station, WBEZ.
I thought the interview was very worth listening to until you made the following statement:

Fashion is an enormously important industry, not just in New York City, but across the country. And there are a lot of people in America who make clothes, who sell clothes, and we want to keep those people working. Not shopping is not a moral act at this time. So many people think that their frugality is somehow a new moral front. Now that might be true if they were kind of excessive and bizarre in the years before. But when people don’t shop, other people lose their jobs. That’s a fact.

I have to admit that I was absolutely appalled by this comment. Not only does it show a marked misunderstanding of where the clothes that most people come from but also does a disservice to those people who are attempting to spend less in these hard economic times.
You above all must realize that the clothes that most people wear everyday are not made in the United States. They are cut and sewn together in countries such as India, China and Indonesia where labor is much cheaper.

Statements like yours may work well in the design houses of Paris, the runways of New York Fashion Week or the shops on Rodeo Drive but fall absolutely flat in Middle America, the so-called flyover states. I also feel that your statement continues to perpetuate an image of your industry as trivial and in no way connected to the lives of everyday Americans, many of who are struggling to stay in their homes. You statement also sends a message that the rest of the American population in some way owes people in the fashion industry a living. Nothing could be further from the truth. American workers, whether in the office or factory floor, must prove their value to their respective employers every day. Maybe it’s time that the fashion industry consider doing the same by designing clothes that can be worn by people who may not have a perfect shape and who need clothes that can stand the rigor of everyday use. I’m sorry to say that much of what passes for fashion in this country fails on both accounts.

I would like you to consider what a lack of saving has done to this country. More and more individuals are looking to the government to save them from their economic and financial folly and your statement about not spending not being a moral act continues to propagate the myth that happiness or at least economic salvation can be found in continued conspicuous consumption.

I truly wish more people in your industry would really try to see how most Americans live. I believe you will find the exercise both eye opening and helpful in your work.

Sincerely yours

Eugene Michael Giudice

A New Discourse

2009-02-24T22:47:00.003-06:00

Below is a letter I sent to the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus regarding abortion and gay marraige.

Mr. Carl Anderson
Supreme Knight
Knights of Columbus
One Columbus Plaza
New Haven, CT 06510

Worthy Supreme Knight:

I am a Past Grand Knight and former District Deputy from Illinois and I have wanted to write you for a long time in regard to the issues of abortion, gay marriage and the recent presidential elections.

Please understand that I am not advocating any nuance in our stand on the issues of abortion and gay marriage. What I think that the Knights of Columbus should be doing is helping transform the discourse on these issues.

First of all, I would like to address the evil of abortion. I believe in the church’s teaching that life begins at conception and ends with natural death but I have become convinced that the road to ending abortion does not go through the direct political process. The Knights of Columbus need to be at the forefront of championing both attitudes and policies that make it more desirable for a woman to keep her child rather than to abort it. That means that the knights need to be advocating things like accessible day care, education reform and health care reform. If women have the right support network they will be less likely to chose abortion. The problem as I see it is that the advocacy that the knights have engaged in so far seems to stop with ending abortion. I have not seen any other issue command so much rhetoric both at the local council and Supreme Council level as abortion does. We as knights need to really understand what it means to be “pro life”. I further believe that without a true change of heart and priorities in public spending, any legal protections given to the unborn will not guarantee an end to abortion. Affluent women will still be able to travel to foreign countries for abortions as they did before Roe v. Wade and there will arise a network of doctors will continue to perform clandestine abortions.

I have no illusions that the changes in day care, health care and education will be expensive but if we want women not to abort their babies we are going to have find a way to pay for it. Too often, people outside of the pro life movement have the perception, whether rightly or wrongly, that once a child is born, the woman is on their own. We knights need to change that perception. That change won’t happen with the rhetoric that you engaged in with your open letter to Senator Joseph Biden. I feel that while it was doctrinally correct, it was a tactical misstep because it hardened opposition to the pro life movement and your own background, having worked in Ronald Regan’s administration, blunted the efficacy of the message because you have been perceived as just another Republican voice. My point is that if you were to use the resources of the Knights of Columbus to advocate for broader changes in the priorities in terms of government spending, our stand on life issues would have a great deal more credibility.

Now, I would like to address myself to issue of gay marriage. I think what the knights need to do is expand what we advocate in terms of marriage. More and more, Catholic marriages are ending up in divorce. My first marriage ended that way and I was fortunate to get an annulment. We need to spend more time extolling and helping to develop the sacramental theology around marriage than trying to decide who can and cannot get a marriage license. In my professional life, I have come into contact with a number of gay couples who have been able to build a life together without a marriage license. Deciding who can and who cannot get a marriage license will not change that.

I have often heard the statement that gay marriage is a danger to the institution of marriage. I would submit to you that there are dangers to marriage that are more close at hand. I look at my own experience in that my wife and I experienced prolonged periods of unemployment while trying to take care of my wife’s mother in our home while her dementia continued to rob her of mental faculties. These things were far more dangerous in terms of putting our marriage at risk than whether or not two gay individuals can get a marriage license. Again, the knights need to be strong advocates for those priorities in government spending that will demonstrate our true commitment to family life. Without those policies in place, it won’t make a difference who can get a marriage license

I truly believe that we first must evangelize the Catholic community as to what marriage truly means and that is a union of a man and woman that makes manifest in the world Christ’s love for the church. Frankly, if it were up to me, I would tell all Roman Catholic priests and deacons that they were to no longer sign marriage certificates issues by a civil authority. I think we would be better off moving to more of a European model and process like my parents went through when they got married in England in 1954. They had a full nuptial mass and then had to go to the marriage registry office to have their marriage recognized by the civil authority. If we had a model like this in the United States, we could advocate for marriage as we as Catholics understand it regardless of what the civil authorities say.

The essence of what I want to convey to you is that many of us are tired of the same old culture wars and think that a new approach is needed. This approach does not require us to nuance or water down what church doctrine is but does require us to look at it from the larger perspective of bringing about a greater good for more people while staying true to the Gospel of Life.

Sincerely yours,
Eugene Michael Giudice

A Letter to Both Candidates

2008-09-14T22:09:00.004-05:00

Below is a letter I drafted and mailed to both Senator McCain and Senator Obama.

Dear Senator McCain and Senator Obama:

I want to congratulate both of you on the nominations you received from your respective parties. My reason for writing to you is to give you some thoughts that I have had for some time on the nature of politics in this country. Please understand I am not writing to ask for anything or to request a specific action on any policy number. I would hope you would count this as one more voice in this campaign.

First, please let me tell you a little bit about who I am. I am a 44 year old Caucasian male. My wife and I live on the northwest side of Chicago. We have no children but we have been taking care of my wife’s mother in our home since December of 2002. We live in what could be classified as a middle or upper middle class community in Chicago. My wife and I have both experienced job loss. I was unemployed from August of 2002 and found full time work as a law librarian in April 2007. My wife was unemployed from April 2006 to September 2007. I took a pay cut of $20,000 to enter my new field of librarianship. During this time, we were able through God’s grace to keep our home and health insurance.

I want to let you know that for myself, I feel that neither political party has much to offer me, either economically or socially. The problem is the partisanship I see manifest in both parties and brought into sharp focus during this summer’s conventions. I realize that conventions are meant to rally the party faithful it should be no surprise that there are little signs of national unity at these conventions.

My alienation from the political process stems from the fact that many ideals that I hold are not honored or respected by one party or the other. Thus, I don’t feel I belong in either party. For example, I am person of deep and abiding faith. The Catholic faith was one of my bulwarks during my protracted unemployment and I don’t believe that a woman has the right to an abortion. This makes me suspect among many Democrats and progressives. I also try to hold a strong position on the church’s option for the poor and social justice. This makes me suspect among many Republicans who might think I have common cause with them on social issues. I believe in a strong commitment serving the nation, especially in the military. The profession of arms is not honored among many progressives. I see this attitude in the way military recruiters are often treated and the fact that ROTC program are not found in many universities. I grew up as a child of the labor movement and think that labor unions can have an important role in commerce. I am hearing more strident voices from Republicans on ways to thwart union organizing. I could go on and on with other examples.

The problem as I see is it is that both parties have allowed the more doctrinaire elements to set the tone of the discussion and have allowed the demonization of the opposition. I, like many Americans, question our role in the world and think that we should act in a more humble fashion. Many on the right often take this as America bashing or America hating and would question my patriotism. I also think that personal responsibility and initiative are the bedrock of which our nation’s economy is built. Many on the left would say that I want to continue to oppress those in our country and other nations to satisfy and sustain a capitalistic system.

I wish that both sides could treat each other with more civility and recognize the inherent goodness of the other. I saw no such civility or humility in both parties’ convention and that is shameful for such a great nation. As leaders in your party you must start to not only “distance” yourself from the more strident and radical elements of your party but to start pressuring these so called surrogates to tone down their rhetoric for the sake of moving our country forward.

I feel that harsh words towards the opposition and the ad hominine attacks are even more detrimental to the ability of the next president to govern because they are often wrapped up in the flag, a sense of patriotism or freedom for the economically or socially downtrodden.

Both of you have the power to fundamentally change the nature of political discourse in this nation. I have no illusions that often times, the loudest and most strident voices are the ones with the most to lose if public policy does not go that way. I also know that these voices are also the moneyed interests and that modern day politics run on money. It is real leadership that can tell these voices that their strident rhetoric is not helping the nation. The time is coming when it won’t matter who has the upper hand politically because neither side will be able to get anything done, and that is when our nation will begin its slow decline to irrelevancy. We may seeing the start of that irrelevancy, with a resurgent Russia, a China that has now taken its place on the world stage through its Olympic spectacle and the enrichment of oil rich countries of the Middle East through petro-dollars. The time for bold action is now, not at some future date when a “comfortable” majority is in place.

I have no illusions that there is very little chance of this letter ever crossing your eyes. I l don’t live in a battleground state and I don’t have the financial resources that would make you want to listen to me. All I can hope is that some junior staffer on your campaign may see this and become food for thought.

At one time, I had great hopes for the political process, but I grew up watching the Watergate hearings and since then, my confidence and connection in politics as they are done in this country has become more tenuous and irrelevant.

I’m hoping one of you can change that.

Should I trust Lanny Davis?

2008-08-01T13:40:00.001-05:00

Lanny Davis’ article in the 31 July Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121745984626098717.html does more to convince me that Hillary Clinton should NOT be Barack Obama’s vice presidential running mate. The key issue for me is the ability to control Bill Clinton personally and to a lesser extent, the Clinton’s desire for power.

It was quite evident during the primary that Hillary could not control Bill. If she could not do it then, why should we trust Lanny Davis when he basically says that things would be different if we only knew them as Davis knows them?

I further believe that with Hillary in the vice president’s office, we would have a continued state of campaigning for the presidency, with her as the candidate. We have had had eight years of that with George W. Bush; we don’t need another four or eight years.

But the most important fact that leads me to believe that Hillary is not the right choice for vice president is the fact that she cannot keep her supporters in line. In other words, she cannot exert what used to be called “party discipline” on all these various supporters who have been very vocal (like Mr. Davis) of their unhappiness with the way the primary season ended. If Hillary cannot control these people, how in the world will she control Bill and his entourage? If all this vocal unhappiness is being done with her approval (albeit with enough plausible deniability), doesn’t that speak volumes to the idea that Hillary is no real change agent but somebody willing to continue with politics as usual?

Hillary Clinton and Her "Supporters"

2008-07-16T13:47:00.004-05:00

Michael Kinsley's essay that appeared in the July 11th 2008 edition of Time magazine http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1821662,00.html is right on target.

I am getting so tired of Hillary Clinton's supporters threatening to 1) stay home on election day 2) vote for John McCain 3) support some other third party candidate. I find it especially galling that they keep demanding that the 18 million voters who supported Mrs Clinton be heard. I'm not hearing that from John Edwards' supporters or Bill Richardson's' supporters or any of the other Democratic contenders.

What Mrs. Clinton's supporters must realize is the following 1) they lost because they had poor strategy and poor cohesion amongst the campaign leadership 2) they failed to keep Bill Clinton on a short leash 3) if they decide to pout and not support Barack Obama, do they think they will get a better deal in terms of moving a progressive agenda forward from John McCain? If they do, they are sadly mistaken and finally and most importantly, if Mr. Obama loses because of their lackluster or nonexistent support, it will come back to haunt them because many in the party will consider them and by extension Mrs. Clinton a pariah and not want to have anything to do with them because Mrs. Clinton could not exercise effective discipline over these so called "friends".

NB: Portions of this letter appeared in the August 4th Edition of Time magazine

What is the REAL Price of Transporation

2008-07-15T05:55:00.001-05:00

Dennis Byrne's column entitled "Not Quite A Fare Share" that appeared in the July 14th 2008 Chicago Tribune http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0714byrnejul14,0,648646.story was absolutely no help in the discussion of public transporation subsidies.

Mr. Byrne very conveniently forgets the millions of dollars that go in to road construction contracts that people like me never get value from because we use the public transportation system. I'm quite sure that the tolls paid for by drivers come nowhere near the real cost of road construction and maintenance.

I'll make a deal with Mr. Byrne. He can stop subsidising my train ride when I can stop subsidising his commute by auto.

Mr. Byrne has done one valuable service and that is to create another wedge issue that can divide the electorate and make it easier for the status quo to remain.

In Defense of Lobbyists?

2008-06-01T21:08:00.001-05:00

Below is a letter to the editer that I submitted to the Wall Street Journal.

I found the article entitled “In Defense of Lobbyists” written by Mr. Tom C. Korologos and published in the Wall Street Journal on Friday May 30, 2008 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121210874509231275.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries to be an extremely self serving article and does nothing to enhance the public perception of lobbyists.

First of all, Mr. Korologos is correct in stating that all lobbyists should not be tarred with the brush of Jack Abramoff but he also wants us to consider all lobbyists equal in that he equates the lobbyists hired by corporations and industry groups to be the same as those hired by unions and public policy organizations. I doubt that the lobbyists hired by unions and public policy organizations have the same cash resources as corporate and industry lobbyists.

This brings us to the second about the “coin of the realm” of the lobbyists being trust and respect. I would submit that Mr. Korologos is delusional if he thinks that the real coin of the realm of the lobbyist is indeed the money that they can control and generate for the ever growing, ever voracious appetites of political campaign. We need only to look at Tom Delay’s self styled “K Street Project” for evidence of this.

Thirdly, no one should be misled by Mr. Korologos in thinking that lobbyists are performing a public service strictly in the public interest. Organizations do not hire lobbyists to look out for the public’s welfare, whatever that might be. Lobbyists are hired to protect the interests of their respective clients and that should not be forgotten.

Mr. Korologos also equates lobbying with citizens petitioning government for redress. I would submit that lobbying as it is practiced in the United States is a far cry from what the Founding Fathers had intended.

As an experienced reference librarian, I categorically reject the notion that the lobbyist is the best place that legislators, their staffs and executive department agencies can get the information they to make policy. The United States government is the largest single source of information, much of it gathered by agencies such as the Congressional Research Service or agencies of the executive branch.

The real cure for lobbyist abuse is to make the legislature and executive branch agencies less dependent on them for information to assist them in promulgating public policy or the funds to run political campaigns.

Let The Trains Move!!

2008-05-31T21:03:00.002-05:00

Below is a letter I submitted to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times and Crain's Chicago Business regarding the proposed purchase of the Elgin, Joliet an Eastern Railways by the Canadian National Railroad.

I find the current uproar in certain northern suburbs by some politicians and residents regarding the proposed purchase of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railways but the Canadian National Railroad to be short-sighted at best and a case of overblown self entitlement at worst. Add to these two possibilities a strong case of NIMBY (not in my back yard).

The reality of the situation is this: The faster goods can get to market, the lower prices can become. Anyone with a simple understanding of economics and accounting will tell you that goods in transit wind up as an asset on somebody’s balance sheet. Those assets, though, are not doing anyone any good. They are sitting in some boxcar on some railway siding somewhere in the Chicago metropolitan area. A reduction in the transit time for goods will be beneficial to all consumers. The residents of the northern suburbs who up to this point have enjoyed the benefits of an abundant supply of goods at fairly reasonable prices must now step up to the plate and take responsibility for helping to ensure the efficiency of the supply chain.

Having grown up in Melrose Park less than a mile from what was then the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and now living less than two blocks from a Canadian National right of way, I understand the frustration of waiting for freight trains to pass but in my opinion, that is a small price to pay for the added economic vitality that railroads add to the entire region.

Finally, I would add that individuals who live close to the railroad who have expressed concerns about safety and property values should look at their own economic behavior. Chances are the railroad was there long before they moved into the area. They should have understood that trains run on those track and their strident outcry regarding property values and safety are extremely late in coming.

What is Marriage

2008-05-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

Eric Zorn is right on target with his column published on 22 May entitled "Let Churches Define What Marriage Is" http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/columnists/chi-zorn-22-may22,0,3266777.column.

My parents were married in Europe over 40 years ago and they had two steps. The first was a church ceremony and the second was registering at the marriage registrar's office. The marriage was not considered official until this second step was completed.

I think that gay marriage has become such a hot topic is because we have members of the clergy acting as functionaries of the state.
My marriage is not defined by some civil statute but how we live our marriage as our religion (we're active Roman Catholics) has taught us.

I believe that people in this country should be able to enter into any sort of contractual relationship they want. It should be fairly easy to change the "marriage law" so that any couple, be they heterosexual or homosexual could apply for a "civil union permit". Notice I did not call it a marriage license. That permit would be enough to guarantee all the benefits that married people now have. If people want to have their contract soleminized in some fashion by a clergyman or clergywoman, that would be up to the dictates of their conscience and the teachings of their chosen religion.

In a similar vein, I would call upon state legislatures to collaborate and draft a uniform civil union statute in the same fashion as we have the Uniform Commercial Code.

Those pesky shareholders...why don't they leave us directors alone and let us play?

2007-09-30T21:48:00.000-05:00

This is written in response to the article entitled Corporations Should Not Be Democracies written by Lynn A. Stout and published in the September 27, 2007 edition of the Wall Street Journal and can be found at http://www.law.ucla.edu/docs/stoutoped.pdf.

What Professor Stout fails to remember that being a shareholder entitles the shareholder to certain rights and that includes voting for directors and setting policy through shareholder initiatives. Being a shareholder mean being an owner with all the rights and responsibilities of ownership

It appears that what Professor Stout advocates is that all decision be left to the good judgment of the board of directors. We need only look at recent history to see how poorly many boards of directors do their jobs. The scandals at Enron, Tyco, and Hollinger International show how timely intervention by a vigilant board of directors could have averted tragedy.

Shareholder activism has always been with us in one form or another. Only recently has it become a major issue is because more and more large block holders of shares such as pension funds and private equity firms are starting to flex their muscles and are exercising the rights that have been theirs all along. It appears that Professor Stout is not comfortable with that.

There is an easy way to cure share hold activism and that is to not use the public equity markets for funding. If directors are so concerned about being able to develop and execute policy with the "interference" of stockholders, then they should simply use their own monies or offer debt in the public debt markets and buy up all the shares.

I am quite certain that the level of scrutiny that a board gives to corporate activities will rise in direct proportion to their own level of ownership.

Change of Control at Stroger Hospital

2007-09-22T14:48:00.000-05:00

This is in response to the article written by Mike Colias entitled Panel Eyeing Hospital Shift: Durbin's Group Likely to Urge Taking Control From Stroger http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=26383 that appeared on page one of the September 17th, 2002 Crain's Chicago Business.

This article really brings home the point about how there is often nothing really new, just things that keep coming around. This is especially true about the idea proffered by a number of politicians that the Cook County Bureau of Health Services should be run by a commission and not by the County Board.

If you read the book The Old Lady on Harrison Street by Dr. John G. Raffesnperger, you will find out that the efforts to keep the county hospital system free of political patronage and interference are as old as the hospital itself. One may also learn that at one time in the not to distant past, the hospital was run by an independent board.

If this idea is to work two things must happen. First, leaders in government must learn from the mistakes of the past and understand what were the circumstances that cased the independent boards of the past to be disbanded and second, there must be airtight assurances of independence by the new governing body that all decisions, especially about hiring and contracts, will be free from political interference. The new board must be made up of dedicated health professionals who specialize in public health.

I was amazed when I read Dr. Raffesnperger's book how coveted was a place on the house staff of Cook County Hospital was or how keen the competition for a residency was. Can the same be said today under the leadership the county health services has had in recent years.

The Cook County Bureau of Health Services can become a model for health deliver services nationwide if only there is the political will to stop making the county health service (and all county government for that matter) a dumping ground for the politically connected to collect a paycheck.

The citizens of this county deserve nothing less than a world class health service and will be willing to pay for it if proper governance of it is in place.

Anti-Israel Lobby

2007-09-10T13:30:00.000-05:00

This is in response to the article written by Mr. Jeff Robbins and entitled Anti-Semitism and the Anti-Israel Lobby published on 7 September 2007 in the Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118912590978320145.html?mod=rss_opinion_main.

When will the people of this nation really understand what side of the bread is buttered when it comes to Middle East. I would submit this for your consideration: What nation has the closest thing to a fully functioning democracy in the Middle East? What nation in the Middle East has the greatest press and civil liberty freedoms? What nation has done what the US has asked more times than not, including exercising great restraint of its armed forced during the 1991 Gulf War. The answer to all these questions is Israel.

Israel is the best friend the US has in that region, but too many elitist pundits and policy wonks wish to continue to try and placate regimes that harbor terrorists, promote extremism and keep their populations under tight control. Maybe many people have forgotten but I haven’t forgotten the fact that the majority of the September 11 terrorists were of Saudi Arabian birth. In addition, too man US defense and industrial firms find they can get a bigger market for their wares in the Arab world than in Israel. That’s not the tune they piped a few years ago when the old Soviet Union supplied the Arab nations with all their weapons and the US supplied Israel.

The US has got to break away from dependence on a resource (oil) that is controlled by nations that wants the American people to think they are our friends but are simply looking out for their own interests and policy ends, which, in my opinion, includes the destruction of the state of Israel. Once we as a nation do that, then our relationship with the Arab world can take on a different hue in that we can speak truth to their power and not have to worry about the consequences in terms of their flow of oil to the US.

Special Education: Are We All Special Even if We Don't Earn It?

2007-08-22T10:19:00.000-05:00

Below is a letter to the editor I submitted to the Wall Street Jounal on 22 August 2007

The article by John Hechinger and Daniel Golden entitled “When Special Education Goes Too Easy on Kids” and appearing in the 21 August 2007 Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB118763976794303235.html again highlights how public education has failed the most vulnerable students through a conspiracy of low expectations.

I worked as a substitute teacher and one on one aide for a disabled student for an entire semester. I have seen instances time and again where assignments, tests and quizzes were re-worked. The most egregious example of low expectations and waste that often accompanies public education was the fact that in one math class, every Friday was “Movie Day”. Over the course of an entire semester, I sat through films like Supersize Me and The Italian Job (hardly fare that in any way related to the subject of math).

I proceeded to report this to the assistant principal. Whatever became of my report, I have no idea, but the fact remains that for entire semester, 1/5 of classroom time was wasted. Added to that was the fact there was no textbook used in the class.

It is the flagrant violation of parent’s and taxpayers trust by school administrators and teachers that continue hobble the United States’ public education systems. A wholesale reevaluation of the delivery of education in this country is needed. Fundamentals, such as the length of the school day and school year need reexamination in the light of a global economy. In addition, new school models such as the charter school and most importantly, providing parents with access to alternatives to the traditional public school need serious consideration. Finally, public school districts have to be willing to cut back on those programs that are not serving the student in the classroom; interscholastic sports might be a good start.

Taxpayers are getting fed up with a public education system that is getting more and more expensive and delivering less and less, especially in the areas of special education and education for gifted students.

The global economy requires a highly skilled workforce. If the United States is to maintain leadership in that economy, education must be the foundation of that strength. If we don’t we are only kidding ourselves and it will be only a matter of time until the United States is considered a second rate economic power.

Athletes and Bad Behavior

2007-08-06T11:16:00.000-05:00

Below is a letter I submitted to the Chicago Sun Times. An edited version appeared in the August 4, 2007 edition.

Jay Mariotti's column published on July 27, 2007 and entitled Unworthy of any Trust is at best more hand wringing and at worst hypocritical.

Mr Mariotti seems shocked at all the bad behavior going on in sports. His reaction reminds me of the reaction of Captain Renault in the movie Casablanca when he says to Rick "I'm shock..shocked to find gambling going on" and then somebody hands him his winnings from the roulette table.

What does Mr. Mariotti and others expect of sports? Who said these sports figures should be looked up to?

More importantly, the press has to take some responsibility for this. They are constantly promoting various athletes and they are getting younger and younger and being eyed by more and more people who want to make money from their skills. Then, at the first possible minute, these young people turn pro and get lots of money and maybe a shoe deal and when they don't show the maturity or responsibility required to handle new found fame and fortune, people like Mr. Mariotti start making all manner of protests as if they have been personally insulted.

At least all of Mr. Mariotti's outrage looks good in print and sells more papers for the Chicago Sun Times.

Until enough people, from university presidents to the man in the street, stop investing their resources of time, money and interest in sports will things return to the normal order where sports will be treated as what they are - only a game for leisure - nothing will change

How to Avoid Mortgage Madness

2007-08-06T09:51:00.000-05:00

Below is the text of a Letter to the Editor I submitted to the Wall Street Journal

I wish to comment on the article entitles Mortgage Madness which was published on Friday, August 3, 2007 in the Wall Street Journal and can be found at http://aei.org/publications/pubID.26602,filter.all/pub_detail.asp.

I question the wisdom of Mr. Lindsey's contention that "the key to getting America out of its current housing and mortgage market mess is to do everything possible to maximize the availability of credit". Isn't that how we got to this situation in the first place. Does Mr. Lindsey really think that it is good for the economy to have unsophisticated buyers (like me) to purchase exotic mortgages with adjustable rates, only to have many of those mortgages end up in foreclosure?

The solution does not lie with more regulation as Senator Schumer might advocate or maintaining the status quo as Mr. Lindsey. The key is to return to a fundamental understanding of what home ownership is. Home ownership is the key to upward social mobility and key to that mobility is stability and establishing roots in a community. Consequently, a home must be looked upon as a long term investment and only secondarily as a store of wealth or value.

In addition, education is key for consumers to make correct choices. Individuals must take responsibility for their own financial futures and understand all the risks involved with a particular mortgage instrument. My wife and I are fairly risk averse, so when it came time to refinance our home, we chose a basic 30 mortgage. We were lucky enough to find a very low rate and have been able to keep our home and accelerate the amortization of the loan even during periods of prolonged unemployment.

The old conventional wisdom of putting 30% down on house and having a fixed rate mortgage may not be the most glamorous way to purchase a house, but it can bring considerable peace of mind.

The Decline of Detroit - Maybe

2007-07-18T20:30:00.000-05:00

Here is the text of a Letter to the Editor that I sent to the Wall Street Journal.

I wish to respectfully associate myself with the comments made by Mr. John Schnapp in his article entitled The Decline of Detroit and was published in the July 14-16 2007 Wall Street Journal and can be found at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118437946701766538-search.html?KEYWORDS=schnapp&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month.

Mr. Schnapp correctly points out a number of things that people who wish to continually bash the UAW seem to miss, namely that Detroit makes cars that many people do not want for various reasons.

I get so tired of hearing the over used statistic about $1500 per car goes to pay for retirees health costs. If Detroit made cars that people truly wanted, the $1500 would decrease or be eliminated due to volume.

I am also so tired of hearing the big three state that they produce cars that the market demand. Taking a "let's see what they want and we'll give it to them" approach versus being world class and designing and building cars and marketing cars that are innovative has made the Big Three move into second rate status as an industry.

We need leadership in Detroit that will not simply bend to whatever is popular. They need to innovate to create the next generation of cars that will create the demand that they so desperately need. They did it before with the SUV and the minivan, and they now need to do it again.

What About Muslim Moderates? - The British Have it Right

2007-07-11T22:13:00.000-05:00

I wish to respectfully associate myself with the views put forth by Mr. R. James Woolsey and Ms Nina Shea in their article entitled What About Muslim Moderates that appeared on July 10, 2007 Wall Street Journal.

The American government and people have to become realistic as to who are friends are in the Middle East. It's all well and good for President Bush and his family to have a close personal tie to the House of Saud but it is that very relationship that keeps true voices of reform in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere from being heard. Mr. Woolsey and Ms Shea hit the nail right on the head when they state that certain Muslim groups are not supported because it might displease the House of Saud.

It is worth repeating that a majority of the September 11, 2001 terrorists were Saudis and it is the House of Saud that continues to propagate the Wahhabi form of Islam.

The only way this country is going to break the influence of the House of Saud is to break our dependence on their oil.

The British government has it right; they have made it a policy to work with those Muslim organization whose actions reflect their words. The United States would do well to imitate that example.

Our Own Worst Enemies - Maybe Not

2007-07-11T21:57:00.000-05:00

I wish to comment on Alexander M. Haig's column entitled Our Own Worst Enemy that appeared in the July 10, 2007 Wall Street Journal.

It appears that Mr. Haig does not like other people's exercise of their right to vote for the politicians they want. He decries the policy of "elections at all costs". I would like to know what Mr. Haig would substitute. Would he return American policy to that sort seen in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's where United States government, either through covert or overt actions supports some strongman who will act as our proxy in whatever region the strongman is located in.

We have seen the results of policies like this all over Africa and South America. I would much rather sooner trust the peoples of the world to determine their own fate and United States government will have to adjust to meet the reality of new politics and politicians. True, there will be problems and conflicts with other governments and the United States people and its elected representatives must develop new and creative policies to engage constructively with them.

Wasn't it Barry Goldwater that said "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice". I guess Mr. Haig would modify that statemen to say "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice - except when it is inconvenient".

Letter to President Bush

2007-07-09T22:05:00.000-05:00

Below is the text of a letter I sent to President Bush.

Dear President Bush:
I want to express my anger and disappointment at the commutation of the 30 month prison sentence of Mr. I. Lewis. Libby, Jr.

I am angered because it sends a message to the American people and our allies and more importantly, our enemies, that there are two classes of justice in this country; one for the privileged and powerful and another for those not of the political elite. This nation was founded on the concept of equality before the law. That means that anyone in jeopardy before the bar of justice should meet that jeopardy on an equal footing. If people, simply because of their status or influence, can expect different treatment, our system of justice will fall like a house of cards. Your actions have set a dangerous precedence that will create more problems for future presidents. Mr. Libby should have been forced to go through the appeals process like any other citizen.

I am disappointed because your actions have lowered our nation’s stature in the community of nations. I realize that the opinion of other nations has never been important to you or your administration but it is becoming ever more evident that we will have to work with other nations to address the great social, economic and environmental problems of our age. I am also disappointed because your actions focus more scorn and cynicism to the office of president. There was a time when young people aspired to the presidency of this great nation. Do you believe that your actions have helped or hindered those aspirations? Regardless of one’s political leanings, the office of president has been one that people respect. In the final analysis, only you can judge how you have been the steward of your high office. Have you enhanced it for future office holders or have you diminished it?

Having lived all my life in Chicago, I have become very adept at recognizing political hacks of all parties and positions. You are just the latest hack with an Ivy League veneer that has made his way into the White House. You are not the first fool to occupy your office and you won’t be the last.

Your actions in regard to Mr. Libby are indicative of your entire administration. Your administration has been a monument to cronyism, favoritism, incompetence and obfuscation towards the American people whom you claim to serve but really hold in utter contempt.

I have no illusions that this note and the sentiments expressed in it will ever cross your eyes. The sycophants and ticket punchers in your administration will not permit it. I have great hope in the sensibility of the American people and they will see what you administrations and its policies have wrought and I am glad that come November of 2008, we will have the power to send you and your minions to the dustbin of history. You deserve nothing less.

Sincerely yours,
Eugene M. Giudice

Who Gets the Benefits of the Law

2007-06-26T14:34:00.000-05:00

Below is an email that I sent to four friends of mine who practice law. The hotlinks below lead to the Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com) which is where I copied the quote from.

I came across this quote this weekend while I was watching A Man for All Seasons which is the story of Sir Thomas More's (later Saint Thomas More) conflict with Henry VIII of England. The dialog from the movie shown below takes place after More's family (including his future son in law William Roper) try to persuade More to arrest a young protégé of More's whom they suspect of spying on More and reporting back to King Henry. More refuses to arrest the former protégé because he has no evidence of a crime.

William Roper: So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!
Sir Thomas More: Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
William Roper: Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that!
Sir Thomas More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!

I know there is a great debate in this nation on who should and should not get the protections of our laws and Constitution. Being scholars of the law yourselves, I offer this as simply some food for thought and a source for reflection on the great and noble profession the four of you pursue. It is my honor as a law librarian to off what small part I can in the work your profession does.

Immigrants must learn English

2007-06-24T21:02:00.000-05:00

Below is an letter I submitted to the Chicago Tribune

I am writing to comment on the article written by Victor Davis Hanson and appearing in the Commentary Section of the Chicago Tribune on Friday, June 15, 2007. The article can be found at http://www.victorhanson.com/articles/hanson061807.html or http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/premium/printedition/Friday/chi-oped0615hansonjun15,1,5887784.story?ctrack=1&cset=true.

Mr. Hanson strikes a rather sensitive nerve in his article, especially about the political and media elites who have been and will continue to be untouched by this nation's scandalous lack of a coherent immigration policy. The fundamental goal of new immigration policy must be based in building American citizens who will make a commitment to the future growth of this nation. We have to be realistic about what these immigrants want and they must have a clear, unambiguous message of what will be expected of them. We must know whether these newcomers are here to build a nation and plant roots or are the simply sojourners who plan to send whatever monies they make back to their home country?

One of the easiest ways to discern an immigrant's commitment to this land is the strict enforcement of English language requirements for all people looking for permanent residency status or citizenship. This nation is not going to be served by its Balkanization based on language. People must learn English to effectively navigate government and commerce in this land and any immigrants rights advocate worth their salt must admit this. Learning English can be the key for an immigrant that will allow him or her to emerge from an ethnic enclave to the seats of political and economic power in the nation.

This economic and political empowerment can be dangerous to so many so-called immigrants' rights advocates because as immigrants become empowered, they will rely less and less on these brokers and intermediaries and take their own future into their own hands. This is what every immigrant group has done since the founding of the nation but many now want to jump immediately to total political empowerment without the first important step of inculcation into the American culture and the fundamental step in that inculcation learning English.

Be Happy in Your Work?

2007-06-24T20:41:00.001-05:00

Below is a letter I submitted to the Wall Street Journal.

I am writing to comment on the article "Happy for the Work" written by Professor Arthur C. Brooks and appearing in the June 20th, 2007 issue of the Wall Street Journal. The article can also be seen at the American Enterprise Institute's website at http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.26371,filter.all/pub_detail.asp.

I read with great interest Professor Brooks' article. The article reminded me of something attributed to Winston Churchill. He is reportedly said of Sir Joseph Chamberlain (father of future prime minister Neville Chamberlain) "Joe loved the working man, he loved to see him work". That is precisely the attitude I sensed in Professor Brook's writing.

The key fact that Professor Brooks' misses is that while a majority of people would continue to work even if they did not have to, the nature of that work would be radically different and probably more fulfilling. People, when given the flexibility of financial resources, can and do find greater meaning and satisfaction in their work because they have the ability to craft and shape the nature of work as well as the times and places it is done. Professor Brooks totally missed that point.

Professor Brooks would be well served by taking a deeper look at worker satisfaction under what circumstances people are truly fulfilled. I submit that the more people can be truly fulfilled at work the more the will be willing to produce for their respective companies. I am unsure that Professor Brooks has little meaningful contacts with workers, in his nice, ivory tower at Syracuse University nor would his masters at the American Enterprise Institute encourage such contact.

Corporate Entertaining or Corporate Whining?

2007-06-24T20:15:00.000-05:00

Below is a letter I submitted to Crain's Chicago Business in response to a recent article. The article can be found at http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?article_id=27976

I am writing to comment on the story entitled Courting Clients Takes a Toll that appeared in the June 18 2007 issue of Crain's Chicago Business.

I must say that I absolutely pity the business people interviewed for this article. Life must be so rough for them; having to go to the best restaurants in Chicago, sit in the best seats at sporting and other stadium events, and all on somebody else's dime. Compared to them, my problems such as unemployment and underemployment, caring for an aging parent, and trying to prepare and plan for an uncertain future pale in comparison. I am so glad I don't have to deal with those problems.

I all seriousness, where do these people get off complaining about going to places that most of us cannot or probably will never be able to afford to go? Professional sporting event and headline concerts have become out of reach financially for most families in Chicago or any major market and fine dining has become the exclusive domain of the very rich and those on expense accounts.

I would make a challenge to any of the high priced whiners profiled in this article to swap places with me for one week. I would be very surprised if there were any takers among them.

A Pardon for Libby?

2007-06-14T13:07:00.003-05:00

I saw this item on the Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-f-bauer/the-progressive-case-for-_b_51983.html and thought it would an interesting counterpoint in the Libby saga. Unfortunately, it is not.

What really did it for me is is Mr. Bauer's assertion that by pardoning Libby "Bush will step forward and take the lead role. He will have to explain himself; he will have to answer questions." What makes Mr. Bauer think he will answer questions? If a pardon does come, it will probably come at the 11th hour in his presidency, a new president will be sworn in and President Bush will be having a nice ride (his final one) on Air Force One back to Crawford, Texas. Once there, he won't have to answer to anyone. He'll travel the rubber chicken circuit, speaking at places like the Heritage Foundation or the American Enterprise Institute and picking up nice speaker fees each time.

In a similar vein, this administration has taken secrecy and obfuscation to new heights. What makes Mr Bauer think it will change now?

Scooter Libby - Fallen Soldier?

2007-06-11T21:00:00.000-05:00

I saw this item in the http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010185
in the Friday, June 8, 2007 issue of the Wall Street Journal. I would also like to call your attention to Eric Boehlert's comments at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-boehlert/scooter-libby-and-the-chi_b_51541.html

Mr. Ajami continues to perpetuate the fallacy that the Libby trial was a trial on the Iraq war? What is his evidence for that? Is there anything in the indictment to that effect? Mr. Libby was put on trial for lying to the FBI and to the grand jury as part of an investigation, irregardless of the fact that the investigation or grand jury did not hand down any other indictments. I guess Mr. Ajami figures that if he keeps repeating this canard, people will start to believe it.

What is really galling about Mr. Ajami's article is his repeated comparison to Mr. Libby as a "soldier in your - our - war in Iraq". This is the greatest dishonor to the men and women of our armed forces. Was Mr. Libby ever in Iraq and in danger of death or injury? Did he have to deal with psychological impacts of fighting essentially an unconventional and civil war? Did Mr. Libby's family ever have to worry about him not returning home? I think Mr. Agami's comments and comparison of Mr. Libby to a fallen soldier is no less repulsive than some civilian who never heard a shot fired in anger wearing a Purple Heart as his own decoration. Mr. Libby is by no means of the imagination a "casualty" of this war. If Mr Ajami wants to see real casualties, he need go no further than Walter Reed or the nearest VA Hospital.

Mr. Libby was not and could never be considered a soldier. He was a political operative, nothing less. It would be an interesting study to find out how many "fallen comrades" Mr. Libby or Mr. Ajami have left in their wake in their own pursuits of political power. I also reject Mr. Ajami's assertion that Mr. Libby was in the "outer circle" while the war was being deliberated.

It bears noting that most of the current administration has no idea what it means to be in the service and subject to the risks and constraints of being in the service.

If we learn anything from this war is should be that American military might should be used with the utmost caution and deliberation and those in no way attached to the military should not be permitted to wrap themselves in the honor and dignity that are reserved for members of the armed forced.

Separation of Church and State - When Its Convenient

2007-06-11T10:09:00.001-05:00

I saw this article in the Wall Street Journal on Friday, June 8 2007 and thought it was an extremely interesting piece.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110010184

It's a sad commentary when the very same action can be lauded in one case and decried in another based soley on what is politically expedient.

There will always be people who malign the church because of its attempts to be faithful to the message of the gospel and not to the message of one political party or another. Maybe its a sign of the church's vitality that it can manage to "anger" both the politicians and the pundits on the left and the right.

Just some food for thought and grist for the mill

Barack Obama gives back contribution

2007-06-08T10:18:00.000-05:00

In today's Chicago Tribune, there is a story about Senator Obama donating $16,500 to charity from his campaign because the money came from donors linked to Tony Rezko

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-obama_08jun08,1,6033901.story?track=rss&ctrack=2&cset=true

It's a nice gesture, but one that lacks substance given the amount of money his campaign is raking in. He'll make that money up in no time.

Pay any Price

2007-06-07T09:58:00.000-05:00

This is the first time in a long time I have posted to my blog and the first time I have said something political. Below is a copy of an email letter to the editor I submitted to the Wall Street Journal earlier today.

I read with much interest the report by Bobby White on page B1 of the Marketplace section from the 6 June 2007 Wall Street Journal. At the end, I was very saddened by what I read.

I was saddened because of the attitude of Ms Shelly Valerio, who is opposed to the war in Iraq but want to prevent a neighbor from making a statement about the war on his own property because of the impact on her property values.

I was born in 1964 and when to Catholic grammar school. As anyone of a similar background can tell you, we were brought up on the words of President John Kennedy. Many people tend to focus on the "ask not what your country..." quotation from his first inaugural. My personal favorite from that speech has always been "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

What has happened to this country when people could be aroused by such words to the state we have now where people will support or oppose a particular cause so long as it really does not interfere with their lives. I could care less whether Ms Valerio supports or opposes the war in Iraq. My main issue with her is she is not willing to put any "skin in the game" for her views.

America is still the greatest country in the world, in spite of our mistakes and areas in which need to improve. This greatness will decline if the cynicism of its citizens is allowed to continue unchecked. Ms Valerio's attitude is only unique in that it is an extreme form of this cynicism

The cynicism of "I'll agree with you so long as I get mine" has got to stop. It has to stop in the home, in the workplace and in the corridors of power. It has got to stop because if it does not, this republic and the ideals for which so many have sacrificed so much will become nothing but a hollow promise that will be passed down future generations.

Is it current?

2005-09-23T20:54:00.000-05:00

Here is something for folks to chew on:

As part of my library science degree at Dominican University, I am taking a class focusing on competitive intelligence. On the first night of the class, the professor challenged (in a good way) my thinking about KM. His challenge to me was "Is the information we gather as part of a KM capability current?" Can it be used for real time strategic decision making?

I started to think about this....If all we use our KM capability for is to capture lessons learned and client experience, this is by nature information that is not timely. We can use it to help not step in the same holes as we did before but how can we use it in a forward thinking way to help our organizations respond to the fluid nature of business.

Any thoughts on that...please comment.

Eugene

Busting KM Myths

2005-05-21T22:57:00.000-05:00

The link below has a solid article about KM myths and tries to bust them. This short article can be useful if trying to show how a KM initative can help an organization - but it is only a short treatis and thus cannot be the only thing used.

Enjoy

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Management-Focus/Busting-knowledge-management-myths/2005/04/18/1113676690541.html?oneclick=true

Employee Loyalty and Retirements

2005-05-21T10:59:00.000-05:00

In an article found at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/5/prwebxml238577.php, the author makes a good case for KM as it relates to the loss of organizational knowledge because of retirements.

The author also makes the following statement "Despite the potential loss of workforce knowledge and experience, workers remain committed to their employers. According to the survey results, more than two-thirds (70 percent) of respondents said they expect to retire from the organizations at which they're currently employed, and half (49 percent) said they expect to remain in their current positions until that time. The vast majority (88 percent) said they are willing to acquire new skills, nearly half (46 percent) said they are willing to relocate for their employers, and more than one-third (39 percent) said they are willing to work longer hours. Yet four in 10 (41 percent) said their companies are doing only a fair or a poor job of providing the training they will need to meet the skills challenges they will face prior to retirement. "

I would question the conclusions drawn from this statement. Are people willing to do things like work more hours or relocate for their employer out of loyalty or fear of job loss. The high rate of people who expect to retire from their current employer may not say that because of loyalty but because of the fact they consider themselves "short timers" and will retire at the first available moment.

KM In Action

2005-04-03T22:48:00.000-05:00

I was reading an article entitled Knowledge Management in Action and it was dated March 16, 2005 and appeared in an online magazine called TechRepublic. It is about a company called Collaborative Consulting and their KM initiative. Here are some of the key points that I found:

1) The team spent enough time to identify the issues and get the key decision makers to sign on.
2) They chose two tools called Jive Forum and Jive Knowledge Base. This product only cost them $10,000.
3) They created an incentive system so that people would start using the KM system right away.

The key take away items for me are 1) you don’t need pots of money to do implement a KM system – the software was relatively cheap (when compared to other KM products) 2) getting something into folk’s hands as rapidly as possible does have value. The old 80/20 rule may be applicable in this case and 3) senior level buy in is still critical.

Just some food for thought and grist for the mill.

The field is where the knowledge is

2005-02-12T22:20:00.000-06:00

In the 20 December 2004 issue of Newsweek on page E6 there was a story under the title A Call to Mecca. It tells the story of LG Electronics CEO Kim Ssang. The story stated that he spends 70% of his time globe trotting because "the field is where the knowledge is".

This is so true. If we, as knowledge managers want to really show value for the work that we do, we must be as close to those who have the valuable content knowledge as we can. It is through their expertise can we help take the knowledge that is developed in the field and universalize it for the entire organization and thus, create value.

Blog penetration

2005-01-11T21:53:00.000-06:00

Here is another article about the penetration of blogs in business http://www.adtmag.com/article.asp?id=10466.

I think we are on the cutting edge of something that will be commonplace very soon.

The Changing Role of the Librarian

2005-01-11T21:48:00.000-06:00

In this article http://crm.ittoolbox.com/news/dispnews.asp?i=125209&t=99 the changing role of the librarian is highlighted.

This just proves some of the things I found out when doing my research about going back to librarian school. The days of "Marian, Madame Librarian" with her hair in a bun and a pencil through it are long gone.

From now on, librarians will have to be content managers, contract administrators and be able to stay abreast with all manner of technology.

Blogging for Business redux

2005-01-10T20:33:00.000-06:00

Here is an article that is good for the neophite blogger or those thinking about it.
http://www.intranetjournal.com/articles/200501/ij_01_10_05a.html

Blogging for Business

2005-01-04T23:25:00.000-06:00

I saw this short article http://www.webpronews.com/news/ebusinessnews/wpn-45-20050103BloggingforBusinessanOverview.html.

It's short but shows how blogging can be a value added activity in business. Those of us who are early adopters should be using our new bully pulpit to get other to try blogging as a value added activity and not just something to do when we have time.

Inspiring Great Discussions

2005-01-04T23:00:00.000-06:00

My friend, Jack Vinson published the following item in his blog (http://www.jackvinson.com/ )
"It isn't only coffee that inspires conversation. It might be anywhere that people are gathered for purposes of open discussion: coffee shops, tea houses, hookah huts, good meals... George Nemeth found an interesting quote on Inspiring great discussions with respect to hookah smoking.
'One of the oldest traditions of the Middle East is the art of hookah smoking. The hookah, also referred to as a narghile or narghila, shisha or sheesha, water-pipe, and hubbly-bubbly, has long inspired great discussions of politics, religion, and the daily happenings. In social gatherings, the passing of the hose is remarkable- a narghile is placed in the center of a group and smokers pass the hose to the next in the circle, all the while exchanging words and sharing ideas in a playful mode...'"

Now, the question for our time is how do we recapture a truly oral tradition like this? With the attention span of the west growing ever shorter and organizations' timelines (vis a vis their vision and mission) becoming shorter, how can we show the value of a truly oral tradition that values history as well as the time it takes to build relationships. In the Middle East, hooka smoking was an important social activities and relationship were build that stood the test of time. What do we have in the west that is comparable?

Essay for Graduate School

2004-12-10T06:30:00.000-06:00

The essay below is one that I drafted as part of my application process for graduate school. I intent on attending Dominican University in River Forest, IL and earn my Master's in Library Science. The essay probably does not unearth anything new but I have included it in my blog as food for thought / grist for the mill.

The role of the information professional has changed radically over the past two decades. These changes came about not only with the advent of the internet, but with more recent developments such as the use of blogs. Content in general has also gone through a dramatic not only in terms amount but also in terms of quality. The information professional’s duties have also expanded to manage this wide range of content and will continue to evolve as the global economy expands and decision makers’ needs for relevant, timely and easy to access information that will enable them to create value for their organizations and remain nimble.
The skills that I have will complement the changes that are going on in the world of the information professional. I have over seven years experience as a systems development professional which will enable me to work with the various technologies that are (and will be in the future) available in an information center. In addition to that, I have managed projects and understand the need to balance scope, time and resources so that value is delivered to the client. In addition to these skills, my seven years as a consultant has given me the facilitation, negotiation and business acumen skills that will allow me to collaborate with clients (both internal and external) as they try to find ways to deliver value to their organizations. I will be able to link these skills with the research, management and technical skills that I will gain through this graduate program to truly help clients deliver value. Finally, I have spent considerable time on my own in studying and networking with others in the knowledge management (KM) area. This is one of the newer areas for the information professional and I know that it will become more important to organizations in the future as they try to integrate external content and sources with the experience and learning that is developed and takes place every day in an organization.
It is not only important to understand how the profession has changed and what skills I will bring to the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University and the profession in general, but it is also important to discuss what I intend to do within the profession once I complete the program and how I plan to add value to future organizations. In my opinion, the key to being a good information professional is to be client centered and have a strong service orientation. I am intent on working in all aspects of the profession, be that as a researcher, a technologist or in information center / library management. As part of my research before deciding to enter into the MLS program at Dominican University, I spoke to a number of people working in the profession. One theme that was common to all my conversations was the need to be flexible and open to doing different things, even if they might not appear on the surface to be related to the profession. As the profession changes and the demands placed on information professionals change, I plan to continue to look at my career in light of not only the current needs in the profession but what will be the needs in the future and take proactive steps to prepare myself to meet those needs. I intend to constantly keep myself abreast of the trends in the profession and industry needs through continuing education and constant networking with others in the profession. It is through this constant professional development and networking that I will be able to remain a vital and useful part of the profession.

Who needs to know

2004-12-01T23:22:00.000-06:00

Who Needs to Know is an article written by Leandro Herrero of the Chalfont Project. I subscribe to his newsletter.

In the article he make a very good description of the evolution of KM as a discipline and how we are seeing a move from a strictly IT-centric view of KM to one that includes the social aspects of knowledge.

He also makes the point that many times, KM is "something added" to and existing application or process. It is used, in Leandro's words "to plug into the system.

Leandro tries to turn this thinking on it's head as he asks "who needs to know what, why, when and where they must know it and how will they find it out". These questions are asked at the onset and knowledge is the drivers.

What's good about this is that it looks at knowledge as a true corporate asset that can drive value and takes into account the social aspects of learning .

Leandro also says that "IT does not often create new behaviours, at least not sustanable ones". This is what many in the KM world have been saying. If we want KM to really deliver value, we must move it beyond simply a technology solution.

To be frank, I am not sure (from looking at journals like KM World) if all the software firms who consider themselves KM providers have figured this out yet.

Demand for Librarians on the Rise

2004-12-01T23:14:00.000-06:00

I read an article online that was in the online version of the Detroit News in the Careers section. It was written by Kathy Carlson of the Gannett News Service. The article appeared Friday, September 10, 2004. The basic gist of the article was that "librarians don't just live in the four walls of the library anymore".

This article, coupled with a meeting I had with Susan Chenoweth of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago led me to think that maybe those of us in the KM world need to look closer at librarianship as a way to move the profession forward. Susan told me that if you are willing to work in a number of different areas and be involved with various technologies, librarianship can be a rewarding career.

It seems to me that we have been letting technology lead the way in the KM world. Many of us in KM come from a technology background so naturally we tend to think of KM in those terms. What I have discovered is professional managers of information (librarians in particular) might be the innovators we have overlooked.

Just some food for thought and grist for the mill.

What is Knowledge Management

2004-10-12T23:06:00.000-05:00

Since this blog will (hopefully) get people to start talking about and/or thinking about knowledge management (KM) as a discipline, I would like to submit my definition of KM for people to comment.

KM is the discipline whereby the experience and learning that goes on in an organization can be used as a corporate asset. To that end, two things must be present. First, there must be an organizational culture that places a premium on knowledge sharing and second, the processes and tools must be in place whereby experiences can be captured, the universal truth extracted from the experience, the universal truth is then published to the rest of the organization and finally, the universal truth is examined after some period of time in light of changes that have gone on in the internal and external environment.

In short, KM is not simply implementing some sort of tool. It must take into consideration people, process and culture.

All are welcome to comment.

Welcome

2004-05-28T11:16:00.000-05:00

Thanks for looking at my blog. I hope you find some thought provoking items here that you can use both personally and professionally