Tag: slogans

I have a general ‘rule of thumb’, when writing a Diary: “Don’t make it about yourself.”

Today, I’m going to break that rule.

I work for a Govt Agency.  A database, software programmer … who has watched our very able programming staff of about 15 … shrink, dwindle, attrition away into about 5 or 6 “lucky ones” who still “remain standing”.  

Five years of budget cutting projections, have met their goal — however unmercifully.

AND in the “All Employees Meeting” I just left, the Message was once again, Still the Same …

Doing More with Less

Rod Kurtz, Bloomberg Businessweek –April 22, 2009

Smaller companies are feeling the squeeze of budget cuts, reduced demand, and tighter credit. It has never been more important to do more with less.

Since labor is the largest controllable expense, integrating and automating management, payroll, and HR is a place to start.

Govt is feeling that Pinch too.

Funny how Management in both worlds, always thinks, It’s the Employees that are the Problem!

During the 2000 debates, George W. Bush spoke at a sixth-grade level (6.7) and Al Gore at a seventh-grade level (7.6).

In the 1992 debates, Bill Clinton spoke at a seventh-grade level (7.6), while George H.W. Bush spoke at a sixth-grade level (6.8), as did H. Ross Perot (6.3).

In the debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, the candidates spoke in language used by 10th-graders.

In the debates of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas the scores were respectively 11.2 and 12.0.

In short, today’s political rhetoric is designed to be comprehensible to a 10-year-old child or an adult with a sixth-grade reading level. […]

Voltaire was the most famous man of the 18th century.

Today the most famous “person” is Mickey Mouse.

America the Illiterate

Chris Hedges — Nov 10, 2008 (pg 2)

I think, I’m detecting some sort of trend here …

“Don’t Let the Perfect become the Enemy of the Good” — it’s common knowledge, right?

Important words of wisdom with Great Historical Significance, right?

OK, if you say so …

François-Marie Arouet, better known by his pen name Voltaire, was a French writer, deist and philosopher.

Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien.

* The better is the enemy of the good.   — La Bégueule (1772)

 Variant translations:

   The perfect is the enemy of the good.

   The best is the enemy of the good.

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/V…

Voltaire

Author and Philosopher, 1694 – 1778

Francois Marie Arouet (pen name Voltaire) was born on November 21, 1694 in Paris. Voltaire’s intelligence, wit and style made him one of France’s greatest writers and philosophers.

[…]

In 1726, Voltaire insulted the powerful young nobleman, “Chevalier De Rohan,” and was given two options: imprisonment or exile. He chose exile …

Woooo, some drama … could be a notable lesson here?  

In my neck of the woods, the local Republicans are showing a real green thumb (actually, perhaps green hammer) as there is green sprouting all over. Green signs with a gas pump are appearing with the words “Drill Now! Pay Less! Vote GOP!”

Now, other than the direct linkage of a gas pump and the Republican Party (the Grand Oil Party), it is hard to see any honesty in this poster. It is a continuation of the concerted Republican efforts to mislead and lie to the American people about critical energy issues. It is, in fact, impressive that this sign can be deceptive and simply dishonest on so many levels at the same time.