1000 Cranes Blog

Riding the Rails

I've got some appointments next week in Washington, DC and will be visiting our remote office there.  Normally, I would simply drive up since it's about a 4-5 hour drive. 

But with the upcoming weather reports, it's looking pretty grim with ice/snow showers taking place in North Carolina up to DC, so I went to the train station today, and I'll be "riding the rails" next week. 

When I travel to Europe, taking trains and public transportation seems so easy and so natural.  Our system of railways is in dire need to expansion, and perhaps Obama's stimulus plan will also address this as well.  

Thankfully, there is a direct train from Cary, NC to Washington, DC which takes about 6 and 1/2 hours.  So for an extra 1.5 hours, I can work on my laptop, have some lunch, take a nap and not worry about the stress of driving.  Washington, DC is a wonderful public transportation city as well.  Once I arrive at Union Station, I can jump right on the Redline Metro down to Metro Center to the office.  It's a perfect solution and a much more "green" alternative to driving.  

I will keep you posted on my upcoming travels...I have a feeling that riding by train will be a regular event! 

Do you ride public transportation and has it changed your perspective on driving? 

Equal Pay for Equal Work Bill Becomes Law

After years of fighting for equal pay at Goodyear for the work she did with her male peers, Lily Ledbetter knew she was being treated unfairly.   According to a CNN article, Lily Ledbetter filed a complaint with the EEOC in March 1998, alleging that men in her plant doing similar work were paid 15 percent to 40 percent more.

The records backed her up. By the end of 1997, Ledbetter was paid $3,727 a month, while her lowest-paid male counterpart earned $4,286 a month. Her highest-paid male counterpart received $5,236 a month.

Even though the EEOC won her case with an award of $360,000 for the 19 years of discrimination, the case was later thrown out and with a restriction that the claim could only go back for 180 days from the day of the filing. 

Today was a remarkable day as President Obama signed his first bill, The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act.

Obama said the following:

"It is fitting that with the very first bill I sign ... we are upholding one of this nation's first principles: that we are all created equal and each deserve a chance to pursue our own version of happiness." 

"If we stay focused, as Lilly did -- and keep standing for what's right, as Lilly did -- we will close that pay gap and ensure that our daughters have the same rights, the same chances, and the same freedom to pursue their dreams as our sons."

What is remarkable about this story is that Lily Ledbetter in the end will not see a penny from her efforts from Goodyear.  Even though she had an original judgment in her favor, because of the appeals process and the wording of the law, there is no monetary benefit to her.  She doesn't mind, though.  in her own words:

"To watch (the president) sign a bill that bears my name -- the bill that will help women and others fight pay discrimination in the workplace -- is truly overwhelming," Ledbetter said while standing next to the first lady.

"Goodyear will never have to pay me what it cheated me out of. In fact, I will never see a cent from my case. But with the president's signature today, I have an even richer reward. I know that my daughter and granddaughters ... will have a better deal. That's what makes this fight worth fighting."

What fight are you willing to take on without seeing any reward? 

What lengths would you go to make sure justice is served?

Time Trimming and Being Mindful

With all the focus on cost cutting, it's about time we look at time!  After all, time is a resource we have that cannot be replenished.  Once time has passed, it's gone. 

This year, in addition to being mindful of the time I spend with clients and prospecting, I've been very mindful of the time I spend doing ordinary things such as running errands, talking on the phone, chatting online, watching TV, cooking my meals or working on household chores. 

Needless to say, I'm very disappointed when people are careless and not mindful about the use of time.  It seems, too, that people like to waste my time.  Take today, for example, someone had asked to meet me for dinner tonight, and we had made plans to meet at a local Panera Bread.   We agreed on the time, and verified it electronically.  I then left a voicemail to confirm.  

Needless to say, I wasted about an hour and 1/2 of my time.  It takes me about 1/2 hour to drive to this location, then I waited 1/2 hour for this person to arrive, and then it takes 1/2 hour to drive home.  I was trying to be accommodating by meeting at a location that would be mutually beneficial, but now, as the saying goes "that's 1.5 hours of my life, I'll never get back."  

So as a favor to all people, we all should have an ongoing resolution that we won't waste other people's time, and we'll be mindful of the time we spend in what we do. 

What things are you doing to be mindful of your time?

What do you do to ensure you don't waste other people's time? 

Innovative and funny cost cutting measures

Today at my Power NAAAPsters Toastmasters meeting, the Table Topics Master gave the question, "With economic times being tough, what strategies are you doing to save money?"

Funny enough, one of our members came up with these two hilarious and practical suggestions: 

1) When you get invited to a luncheon where food is provided, always accept.  It's a win-win situation since the people want to fill the room, and you get a free lunch.  In addition, if there is food left over, you can often take something home to save for a later meal. 

2) Instead of buying perfume or fancy cologne, just head to your local department store and ask to try out the tester.  How often do you really need to spray yourself anyway?  Usually for a party or a special occasion, so why keep a bottle of rarely used cologne around? 

What other things can you do to shave those dollars from flying out of your pocket? 

The Importance of Ethical Guidelines

The new Obama administration has instituted some new ethical guidelines for staff working in the White House.  Every new appointee to every executive agency must sign an ethics pledge.   Key parts of the ethics pledge include gift bans, lobbying bans, and hiring guidelines.

How refreshing that we now have Standards in government!   It's wonderful to see this kind of example being set at the highest levels of our nation's leadership.  

As a certified consultant with the Standards for Excellence, one of the crucial principles is transparency.  Full disclosure is a crucial part of Board and Staff behavior.   Gift policies, whistle blower policies, and conflict of interest policies should be a way of life, and it's great to see these are being taken seriously. 

Do you currently have a Ethics Policy or Code of Ethics that you abide by and how does it make you feel?

What potential problems could occur when a Code of Ethics is not in place? 

Redoing the Oath of Office

Yesterday, President Barack Obama and Chief Justice Roberts met again to redo the swearing of the oath that was botched on Inauguration Day.   As the world witnessed on Tuesday, Justice Roberts had inserted the word "faithfully" in the wrong place.  As such, according to the Constitution, the President must say the oath precisely as it is written as follows:

"I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear, to faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States. And will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States. So help me God."

Nevertheless, Obama and Roberts went through the drill again out of what White House counsel Greg Craig called "an abundance of caution."

This took place in the White House Map Room in front of a small group of reporters, not the Capitol platform in front of 2 million spectators.   This should leave no doubt that President Obama is indeed the President of the United States. 

Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur were the other two Presidents who have had to redo the oath for similar reasons.  It doesn't hurt to be overly cautious!

Have you had an incident in your life where you needed to redo something? 

Have you ever been embarrassed by a flub in a speech or oath infront of a large audience and how did you handle that? 

Improving through Toastmasters!

I had the opportunity to interview Farnoosh Brock, the President of the Speech Acrobats Toastmasters Club.  The club meets at Cisco Systems in Research Triangle Park off of Kit Creek Road.  I am proud to be a member of this advanced club, and Farnoosh does a great job here articulating the benefits.  She gives three tips on how to be a better speaker and improve  your use of the English language. 

If you are looking to improve your speaking skills, there is no better place to do it than at Toastmasters!  Come check us out and see what we're all about! 

What do you currently do to improve your speaking skills? 

Why do you think more people are afraid of public speaking than of dying? 

Day to Celebrate!

Congratulations America in another successful transition of power.  No matter what political beliefs you may have and whether you voted for Obama or not, we are very blessed to have a system that allows us to elect our leaders where change is done in a peaceful way.  Diane Feinstein said it well in her opening speech that Obama's election is a testament of the power of the "ballot over the bullet."   

I spent the day watching the inauguration with my parents.  It was the first time the three of us had an opportunity to watch an inauguration together.  And because of its historical significance, we were very impressed with how well the events transpired.   I wish my brother could have been here to join us as well. 

The last time I eagerly watched an inauguration was in 1981 when President Reagan was sworn into office.  I remember being glued to the TV set as the transition of power also came with it the release of the hostages that were held in Iran during the Carter administration for 444 days.   It goes to show you that with the transition of a new leader into power, the world reacts, and many things can change.

On another note, today is also a celebration day for this blog as this marks the 600th entry!  Many thanks readers for your support!

What does the transition of a new President mean to you? 

Can you recall another incident when a new leader whether in the public or private sector made a difference to you? 

Fired Up! Ready to Go...to Washington!

I recently heard on NPR today about Edith Childs who will be heading to Washington to watch President-Elect Obama become the 44th President of the United States.

Edith Childs is the woman that Obama met in Greenwood, SC in June 2007.  This is where the then Senator Obama was early in the campaign trail, and he heard a chant from the back of the room.  He was a bit taken aback by the chant.  Afterall, how many times do you hear someone chanting while you are having a discussion with some local residents and council people. 

That auspicious meeting became the time where the chant became a rallying cry.  Obama adopted the chant for his Presidential campaign, and here is a clip of him with Edith Childs:

What is inspiring about this story is the message that Obama says about the event,  "It shows you one voice can change a room.  And if it can change a room, then it can change a city.  And if it can change a city, then it can change a State.  And if it can change a State, then it can change a country!"   And of course, one voice can change a world. 

What is your voice?

Are you fired up and ready to go? 

How Safe Is Our Food?

When several manufacturers of baby formula were recalled, it was hard to believe that after the melamine tainted pet food scare that it could happen to human food, especially food designed for babies with such sensitive systems. 

Needless to say, when Kellogg's announced to pull many of its Keebler, Austin and Famous Amos cookie brands, it really made me think twice about what food I ingest. 

Lately, I've been very careful in shopping as I've been practicing a gluten-free diet.  I've been very focused on reading labels, and I've cooked many meals at home to accommodate my new diet.  I find that when I cook, I feel so much better because I know the freshness of my food before it makes it to my dining table. 

I must admit, though, I'm having second thoughts.  Even if I purchase something brand new or "fresh" from the store, it may be tainted by some bacteria that could harm me.  Whether it is E. coli with a recent spinach problem or Salmonella with the current peanut butter scare, we must be careful with food. 

I do love my salads and raw vegetables, and although I love fresh spinach salads, I've been more prone to eat spinach in soups or sauteed lately.  There's nothing like a heat source to kill bacteria!    I'd always thought that I would only have to boil water and heat things thoroughly in other countries, now I'm beginning to think that it may become a common practice in my household to keep myself healthy. 

What else can you do to protect yourself from food poisoning?

Has the recent announcement changed your buying habits?  Why or Why not?