#EmptyCans #conversations #talk #interactions
“Empty cans make the most noise.”
So says the mother of Monica Pearson, retired WSB-TV news anchor in Atlanta, who now works for the station’s sister publication, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
She quoted her mother several times in a column published April 7, 2024, in the newspaper.
The reference raises the image of empty cans tied to the rear bumper of a car carrying newlyweds, signifying they are just married. They are supposed to be noisy in celebration.
But Pearson was discussing how people with character react in certain situations.
Do those who talk the most have the least to say? Or, do those who talk the most have little worthwhile to say? Or, do those who talk the most know least about what they are talking?
It’s a lot to think about.
If you talk about someone, are you saying things you would not say to their faces?
If you talk to someone, are you telling them the truth to the best of your knowledge? If you don’t know the actual truth, do you keep it to yourself until you are certain it is true?
Sometimes, we hear or read things from sources that are not reliable. We think they are reliable, but we later find out they are not. If what you later find out is false hurts someone, do you apologize?
Then, we sometimes say things we wish were true, but are not.
Most of us don’t set out to lie. But, then again, some people do.
Most of us don’t talk for the sake of hearing our own voices. Then, again, some people do.
Talking about something can take time away of doing the things talked about. Hence, we have the adage “all talk and no action.”
The lesson from the empty cans is if you are going to say something, make it constructive or helpful. Don’t say to others what you would not say to the person about whom you are talking.
There are situations when it’s best to say nothing at all. In those cases, if you are in conversation, find a different subject, something less harmful, to discuss.
In today’s world, one should stay away from certain topics when talking to people that you either don’t know well, or know that such topics may lead to an unwanted argument.
Even among friends and family, not every subject should be on the table.
We all desire openness in conversation. Openness can be valuable to a person who is, say, trying to work through a problem and needs advice.
Openness is always better than deceit, but there are times when conversational parameters are in order.
So, speak with clarity, not obfuscation. Choose your words carefully, but don’t choose a lot of words that say nothing.
Be a helpful, full can to all with whom you interact.
Peter
Tag Archives: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
CONSUMERS HELPING TO LOWER INFLATION
#inflation #prices #shopping #rent #gasoline #groceries
If something costs too much, don’t buy it.
That can’t be said for everything, since we all need housing (rents), fuel for cars (gasoline), medication and food (groceries).
But, according to Christopher Rugaber, business and economics reporter for the Associated Press, companies are starting to lower their prices because people just aren’t buying their products in the volume they would like, at the prices they want to charge.
Apparently, it’s working. Last week, inflation dropped below 3 percent for the first time since 2021.
Rugaber’s article on the subject was published August 13, 2024, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Before Rugaber’s article, McDonald’s reportedly started lowering their prices on some of its most popular items because there were too few diners at many of their restaurants. It showed in their earnings report.
It’s good also to remember that government has little leverage in bringing down prices. It can do what it can for things it can regulate, such as bringing down the cost of insulin to $35 for senior citizens. One big lever they have is allowing Medicare to negotiate prices. This has helped bring down the government’s cost for 10 popular drugs.
But, what really helps bring down prices is the lack of buyers.
It’s simple economics. Set a price, see whether the market will bear it and adjust as the market adjusts.
For businesses, particularly small businesses whose product is not an absolute necessity, it’s a much tougher decision. Usually, these businesses know what prices the market will bear for their finished product. But, can they produce that product at a cost that not only covers what it costs them to make it, but also puts a little profit in their pockets?
It’s a struggle for some of these businesses, many of whom are facing labor shortages. When workers are few, they will demand higher wages. Can these businesses keep their workers happy, pay for ingredients that produce high quality products, pay for their workspace AND make a profit?
The bigger corporations have more pricing flexibility. If they, like McDonalds, see less traffic in their retail spaces because of prices, they usually can adjust to that more easily.
Sometimes that doesn’t work well for some of those who work for them, since labor is one of the places that corporations adjust.
In all, reports say that, given the labor shortage, most workers have seen their pay rise. A lot of the things we buy are priced higher to pay workers more. In most cases, workers’ raises are more than the price increases they are paying for necessities.
As Rugaber’s article implies, consumers are working hard at changing what markets will bear – whether they realize it or not.
So, here are some handy rules for buying: If it is something you need to survive, try to use less of it. (Don’t drive around in a 4X4 pickup truck if you don’t need to haul anything). If it’s something you want badly, but don’t absolutely need, look for bargains. It may not pay to drive five or six miles to save two cents on a gallon of gas, but it might make great sense to shop around if you’re in the market for, say, a big-screen TV.
Another rule: don’t long for the days of the pandemic when prices on just about everything were lower because people weren’t going anywhere. The disease was too much of a cost just to have lower prices. (By the way, the air was also cleaner during the pandemic, but that’s a story for another day).
Inflation ultimately adjusts when fewer people buy. So, work hard at your job, make as much as you can and try to spend carefully. Also, try to pay yourself first by saving a little of that paycheck for your future.
Peter
If something costs too much, don’t buy it.
That can’t be said for everything, since we all need housing (rents), fuel for cars (gasoline), medication and food (groceries).
But, according to Christopher Rugaber, business and economics reporter for the Associated Press, companies are starting to lower their prices because people just aren’t buying their products in the volume they would like, at the prices they want to charge.
Apparently, it’s working. Last week, inflation dropped below 3 percent for the first time since 2021.
Rugaber’s article on the subject was published August 13, 2024, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Before Rugaber’s article, McDonald’s reportedly started lowering their prices on some of its most popular items because there were too few diners at many of their restaurants. It showed in their earnings report.
It’s good also to remember that government has little leverage in bringing down prices. It can do what it can for things it can regulate, such as bringing down the cost of insulin to $35 for senior citizens. One big lever they have is allowing Medicare to negotiate prices. This has helped bring down the government’s cost for 10 popular drugs.
But, what really helps bring down prices is the lack of buyers.
It’s simple economics. Set a price, see whether the market will bear it and adjust as the market adjusts.
For businesses, particularly small businesses whose product is not an absolute necessity, it’s a much tougher decision. Usually, these businesses know what prices the market will bear for their finished product. But, can they produce that product at a cost that not only covers what it costs them to make it, but also puts a little profit in their pockets?
It’s a struggle for some of these businesses, many of whom are facing labor shortages. When workers are few, they will demand higher wages. Can these businesses keep their workers happy, pay for ingredients that produce high quality products, pay for their workspace AND make a profit?
The bigger corporations have more pricing flexibility. If they, like McDonalds, see less traffic in their retail spaces because of prices, they usually can adjust to that more easily.
Sometimes that doesn’t work well for some of those who work for them, since labor is one of the places that corporations adjust.
In all, reports say that, given the labor shortage, most workers have seen their pay rise. A lot of the things we buy are priced higher to pay workers more. In most cases, workers’ raises are more than the price increases they are paying for necessities.
As Rugaber’s article implies, consumers are working hard at changing what markets will bear – whether they realize it or not.
So, here are some handy rules for buying: If it is something you need to survive, try to use less of it. (Don’t drive around in a 4X4 pickup truck if you don’t need to haul anything). If it’s something you want badly, but don’t absolutely need, look for bargains. It may not pay to drive five or six miles to save two cents on a gallon of gas, but it might make great sense to shop around if you’re in the market for, say, a big-screen TV.
Another rule: don’t long for the days of the pandemic when prices on just about everything were lower because people weren’t going anywhere. The disease was too much of a cost just to have lower prices. (By the way, the air was also cleaner during the pandemic, but that’s a story for another day).
Inflation ultimately adjusts when fewer people buy. So, work hard at your job, make as much as you can and try to spend carefully. Also, try to pay yourself first by saving a little of that paycheck for your future.
Peter
SHOULD SCHOOL BE MORE FUN?
#FunAtSchool #fun #learning #work #reading
Some educators say children will learn better if you make school more fun.
Others say that learning the basics, like math, isn’t always fun. Even math experts say that.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tackled this debate in her January 30, 2024, column.
Think about your days at school. Were they fun? Were they work? Were they a combination of both?
Excluding recess and volunteer extracurricular activities, did you have fun at school?
Chances are, if you went to a Catholic school, it was all work. Rigor is the best friend of most Catholic educators. Not that kids had NO fun at Catholic schools, but work, and the feeling of work, were the main motivators.
Many students, and people in general, read for pleasure. Some educators want to make reading seem like work. It’s doubtful that would encourage young students to read more.
There are those who wish to separate work from pleasure. But, wouldn’t you want young students to grow up learning to love, or, at least, like their work?
In today’s world, work is often as much a social activity as a job. Creating pleasant work environments helps attract and keep good, productive people.
Part of the purpose of schools is to train children to be good employees as adults. If learning in school were more fun, wouldn’t you likely be teaching children to be happier employees?
Of course, students must master the basics. They must also learn history, art, music and other creative pursuits. After all, encouraging creativity is the goal of many of today’s workplaces. Creative students ask more questions, and you really want students, and adults, to ask more questions. Then, as a result, find more correct answers.
Realistically, school can’t be all play and no work. But, just as employers strive to make their workplaces more enjoyable, thereby more productive, teachers try to find that perfect mix of work, fun and learning in school.
Getting students to want to learn is, or should be, as much of a goal for teachers as learning itself.
Curiosity is as commendable a characteristic in a student as ambition. What good employer would not want curious and ambitious employees?
In addition to curiosity and ambition, we all want students to have good humor – not necessarily be funny, but more to be able to take setbacks with a smile and humility.
No employer wants a bunch of angry and disgruntled employees.
In past decades, these characteristics were thought to come naturally to kids and, later, adults.
But curiosity, creativity, ambition, good humor and many other desirable personal traits can be learned – and taught.
Often, to do so, teachers must possess, or have learned those same traits and apply them appropriately to their lesson plans.
Sometimes, that involves making school more fun. Like putting medicine on a sugar cube, it may involve disguising work amid that fun.
It’s up to teachers, and their administrators, to encourage students not only to learn, but also to want to learn.
Peter
Some educators say children will learn better if you make school more fun.
Others say that learning the basics, like math, isn’t always fun. Even math experts say that.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tackled this debate in her January 30, 2024, column.
Think about your days at school. Were they fun? Were they work? Were they a combination of both?
Excluding recess and volunteer extracurricular activities, did you have fun at school?
Chances are, if you went to a Catholic school, it was all work. Rigor is the best friend of most Catholic educators. Not that kids had NO fun at Catholic schools, but work, and the feeling of work, were the main motivators.
Many students, and people in general, read for pleasure. Some educators want to make reading seem like work. It’s doubtful that would encourage young students to read more.
There are those who wish to separate work from pleasure. But, wouldn’t you want young students to grow up learning to love, or, at least, like their work?
In today’s world, work is often as much a social activity as a job. Creating pleasant work environments helps attract and keep good, productive people.
Part of the purpose of schools is to train children to be good employees as adults. If learning in school were more fun, wouldn’t you likely be teaching children to be happier employees?
Of course, students must master the basics. They must also learn history, art, music and other creative pursuits. After all, encouraging creativity is the goal of many of today’s workplaces. Creative students ask more questions, and you really want students, and adults, to ask more questions. Then, as a result, find more correct answers.
Realistically, school can’t be all play and no work. But, just as employers strive to make their workplaces more enjoyable, thereby more productive, teachers try to find that perfect mix of work, fun and learning in school.
Getting students to want to learn is, or should be, as much of a goal for teachers as learning itself.
Curiosity is as commendable a characteristic in a student as ambition. What good employer would not want curious and ambitious employees?
In addition to curiosity and ambition, we all want students to have good humor – not necessarily be funny, but more to be able to take setbacks with a smile and humility.
No employer wants a bunch of angry and disgruntled employees.
In past decades, these characteristics were thought to come naturally to kids and, later, adults.
But curiosity, creativity, ambition, good humor and many other desirable personal traits can be learned – and taught.
Often, to do so, teachers must possess, or have learned those same traits and apply them appropriately to their lesson plans.
Sometimes, that involves making school more fun. Like putting medicine on a sugar cube, it may involve disguising work amid that fun.
It’s up to teachers, and their administrators, to encourage students not only to learn, but also to want to learn.
Peter
BE AS ENTHUSIASTIC TO VOTE AS NEW CITIZENS ARE
#vote #RegisterToVote #USCitizens #NaturalizedCitizens #NativeBornCityzens
In the past few weeks, thousands of people from many countries have become U.S. citizens.
For most, the process took years. But, they say, it was well worth it.
On July 3, 2024, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution covered some of these citizenship ceremonies. In one case, political columnist Patricia Murphy told the story of her cousin from Ireland finally becoming a U.S. citizen.
The privilege of U.S. citizenship is valuable to anyone who comes here from any other country.
Usually, the first thing these new citizens look forward to is registering to vote and casting their ballots.
Many native-born citizens of this country do not take advantage of that right to vote. Every election, be it local, state or federal, is important.
If you are a native-born or long naturalized citizen of the U.S., and are of eligible age, do what the newly naturalized citizens look forward to: register and vote!
Politicians will do their thing. Courts will do their thing. If you don’t like what they are doing, vote them out! If you admire what they are doing, or say they are going to do, vote them in! Don’t let minor mishaps by candidates discourage you from voting. In the upcoming elections, it will come down to WHAT you are voting for, not whom you are voting for.
Our system of democratic government has shown its fragility recently. There are some who want to eliminate it altogether. If you don’t want that to happen, make sure you vote for candidates at every level that have pledged to preserve it.
The preservation of our system of government is more than just a partisan issue, or a matter of opinion. It’s a matter of power. Some would rather have the few control the lives of the many.
If you think voting for candidates who want to disrupt that system is a good idea, you may miss our system of government when it’s gone.
Giving Person X ultimate power today because you like him or her may lead to Person Y, whom you may not like, coming to power tomorrow. An election may not be able to stop that.
Often, a person who gets power this way will find ways not to leave power, regardless of the people’s preferences.
We’ve also recently seen courts, for the first time in the nation’s history, start to take rights AWAY from people.
If you don’t want that to keep happening, vote for candidates at all levels who will appoint judges who will enhance and increase rights, not remove them.
Remember, what you think you have the right to do today may not be available to you tomorrow.
The reason for optimism here is that the people STILL have power to control much of the country’s destiny.
New citizens cherish the right to vote here. It should be cherished by ALL citizens. If you think your vote doesn’t count, it will count more than ever. Don’t sit out an election because you don’t like the choices. Remember, some choices are so much worse than others. As a voter, you have to discern the worst alternative, and vote for the other candidate.
Voting should be made as easy to do for everyone eligible in all jurisdictions.
Still, regardless of attempts to restrict voting, as some want, you, as a citizen, must persevere and do whatever you must to vote at all levels. Damn the long lines and other obstacles. Make sure you register, vote and get your vote counted.
Your future definitely will depend on it.
Peter
In the past few weeks, thousands of people from many countries have become U.S. citizens.
For most, the process took years. But, they say, it was well worth it.
On July 3, 2024, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution covered some of these citizenship ceremonies. In one case, political columnist Patricia Murphy told the story of her cousin from Ireland finally becoming a U.S. citizen.
The privilege of U.S. citizenship is valuable to anyone who comes here from any other country.
Usually, the first thing these new citizens look forward to is registering to vote and casting their ballots.
Many native-born citizens of this country do not take advantage of that right to vote. Every election, be it local, state or federal, is important.
If you are a native-born or long naturalized citizen of the U.S., and are of eligible age, do what the newly naturalized citizens look forward to: register and vote!
Politicians will do their thing. Courts will do their thing. If you don’t like what they are doing, vote them out! If you admire what they are doing, or say they are going to do, vote them in! Don’t let minor mishaps by candidates discourage you from voting. In the upcoming elections, it will come down to WHAT you are voting for, not whom you are voting for.
Our system of democratic government has shown its fragility recently. There are some who want to eliminate it altogether. If you don’t want that to happen, make sure you vote for candidates at every level that have pledged to preserve it.
The preservation of our system of government is more than just a partisan issue, or a matter of opinion. It’s a matter of power. Some would rather have the few control the lives of the many.
If you think voting for candidates who want to disrupt that system is a good idea, you may miss our system of government when it’s gone.
Giving Person X ultimate power today because you like him or her may lead to Person Y, whom you may not like, coming to power tomorrow. An election may not be able to stop that.
Often, a person who gets power this way will find ways not to leave power, regardless of the people’s preferences.
We’ve also recently seen courts, for the first time in the nation’s history, start to take rights AWAY from people.
If you don’t want that to keep happening, vote for candidates at all levels who will appoint judges who will enhance and increase rights, not remove them.
Remember, what you think you have the right to do today may not be available to you tomorrow.
The reason for optimism here is that the people STILL have power to control much of the country’s destiny.
New citizens cherish the right to vote here. It should be cherished by ALL citizens. If you think your vote doesn’t count, it will count more than ever. Don’t sit out an election because you don’t like the choices. Remember, some choices are so much worse than others. As a voter, you have to discern the worst alternative, and vote for the other candidate.
Voting should be made as easy to do for everyone eligible in all jurisdictions.
Still, regardless of attempts to restrict voting, as some want, you, as a citizen, must persevere and do whatever you must to vote at all levels. Damn the long lines and other obstacles. Make sure you register, vote and get your vote counted.
Your future definitely will depend on it.
Peter
IT’S TOUGH BEING A YOUNG ADULT, LOOKING FOR HOUSING
#housing #HousingCosts #YoungAdults #BuyingAHouse #SellingAHouse
It’s not easy being a young adult today, trying to build a life.
As Bill Torpy, columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, points out, the median price for a house in Atlanta today is $405,000. He discussed the perils of young adults and housing in his May 12, 2024, column.
If you are 20-something, married or single, can you afford $405,000 for a house?
With rents on apartments also skyrocketing, it’s no wonder many young people are still leaning on “the bank of mom and dad” for help.
There are a number of issues driving up housing costs.
In decades past, a young person could get an affordable apartment to live in until he or she was able to buy a house. After all, The American Dream included home ownership.
They would buy their first house and live there until they outgrew it. Then, they would sell it to buy a bigger house. They would keep trading up in housing size as needed, until they reached retirement age.
Then, they might sell their bigger house and trade down to a smaller one, perhaps in a retirement locale with the various amenities for older folks.
That pattern is more or less out the window today. Buying and selling real estate has become something of a cut-threat endeavor.
In those old days, a person starting out might offer a price for a house that was a bit less than the seller had asked. The seller, looking for a firm sale, would usually accept. Today, it’s more likely that a buyer will have to bid up from the asking price, and might still lose out.
The demand for housing today is way over what the supply is. Because people can’t make any more land, most property available for building has been spoken for. That caps the supply at a certain level, but the population has grown considerably from decades ago, and keeps growing.
Also in the housing mix are entities such as property management companies, hedge funds and real estate investment trusts that tempt sellers with cash offers, leaving many young buyers out of luck.
Meanwhile, apartments and condos are going up like crazy in some areas.
Often, new apartments mean high rent, and new condos can be overpriced and have high owner fees to maintain common areas etc.
Tiny houses, and housing made from shipping containers also have been trending. These are not an option if one plans to have a family, or even a spouse.
Something else is happening today. Many young adults want everything now. They won’t settle for a fixer-upper, or rooms they view as too small. Many want what they are used to – what their parents have. And, they want it now. They are unwilling to accept something less, and work up to what they ultimately want.
If you are young, and do not want to live with mom and dad for the rest of your life, flexibility is the key. Chances are, even if you buy or rent someplace that’s not exactly what you want, figure on making do until you can save enough to afford more. As you trade up, you may not get everything you want at each stage. But, with each stage, you may get something more.
It’s not always possible in some areas to find adequate, affordable housing. But, if you keep looking, you may run into something you can work with. By the way, try not to get too comfortable living with mom and dad.
Remember, too, that a house is a house. A home is what you make with the house you have.
Peter
It’s not easy being a young adult today, trying to build a life.
As Bill Torpy, columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, points out, the median price for a house in Atlanta today is $405,000. He discussed the perils of young adults and housing in his May 12, 2024, column.
If you are 20-something, married or single, can you afford $405,000 for a house?
With rents on apartments also skyrocketing, it’s no wonder many young people are still leaning on “the bank of mom and dad” for help.
There are a number of issues driving up housing costs.
In decades past, a young person could get an affordable apartment to live in until he or she was able to buy a house. After all, The American Dream included home ownership.
They would buy their first house and live there until they outgrew it. Then, they would sell it to buy a bigger house. They would keep trading up in housing size as needed, until they reached retirement age.
Then, they might sell their bigger house and trade down to a smaller one, perhaps in a retirement locale with the various amenities for older folks.
That pattern is more or less out the window today. Buying and selling real estate has become something of a cut-threat endeavor.
In those old days, a person starting out might offer a price for a house that was a bit less than the seller had asked. The seller, looking for a firm sale, would usually accept. Today, it’s more likely that a buyer will have to bid up from the asking price, and might still lose out.
The demand for housing today is way over what the supply is. Because people can’t make any more land, most property available for building has been spoken for. That caps the supply at a certain level, but the population has grown considerably from decades ago, and keeps growing.
Also in the housing mix are entities such as property management companies, hedge funds and real estate investment trusts that tempt sellers with cash offers, leaving many young buyers out of luck.
Meanwhile, apartments and condos are going up like crazy in some areas.
Often, new apartments mean high rent, and new condos can be overpriced and have high owner fees to maintain common areas etc.
Tiny houses, and housing made from shipping containers also have been trending. These are not an option if one plans to have a family, or even a spouse.
Something else is happening today. Many young adults want everything now. They won’t settle for a fixer-upper, or rooms they view as too small. Many want what they are used to – what their parents have. And, they want it now. They are unwilling to accept something less, and work up to what they ultimately want.
If you are young, and do not want to live with mom and dad for the rest of your life, flexibility is the key. Chances are, even if you buy or rent someplace that’s not exactly what you want, figure on making do until you can save enough to afford more. As you trade up, you may not get everything you want at each stage. But, with each stage, you may get something more.
It’s not always possible in some areas to find adequate, affordable housing. But, if you keep looking, you may run into something you can work with. By the way, try not to get too comfortable living with mom and dad.
Remember, too, that a house is a house. A home is what you make with the house you have.
Peter
WILL OFFICE SPACE UPGRADES BRING WORKERS BACK?
#WorkFromHome #OfficeSpace #PersonalInteractions #jobs #employers #employees
Companies that require office workers face a dilemma.
Since COVID-19 forced many workers to toil from home, some workers don’t want to come back to the office.
Their employers who pay for the office space want more workers to come back, at least once in a while.
Some, like Cisco in its Midtown Atlanta offices, are resorting to upgrading their office space by focusing on improving indoor environmental factors, according to an article by Zachary Hansen in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The article was published April 14, 2023.
In fact, as a new Portman Midtown Atlanta office tower goes up, it may be the last of its kind for a while, Hansen writes in an article published May 13, 2024.
But, will those things entice workers back into the office? Many have gotten used to working from home, or somewhere else. The advantages – no commute, no buying lunch at work and other money savings, for example – outweigh the disadvantages – no office worker interaction, distractions at home etc.
That puts companies in somewhat of a bind. How much office space do they really need? Does having an office building, or office space in general, give a company an identity that makes it worth having? Is upgrading office space to entice workers back going to be worth the investment? Will workers respond by coming back into the office?
These are the decisions of the future, both for companies and their employees. If a company forces workers to come back into the office, will they quit?
If a worker has a great job he or she doesn’t want to lose, will he or she give up the freedom that working from home gives them?
Will being home, with young children, be too much of a distraction for workers? Will they then bear the expenses of commuting, day care etc.?
Of course, many workers dream of having these alternatives. Many workers HAVE to go to work at a specific location. They cannot possibly do their jobs from home. They must interact with bosses, customers, coworkers etc.
But, if there are choices available, is there a way a worker can have it all with some sort of hybrid work schedule?
As discussed here before, if workers can do their jobs remotely, they can essentially live anywhere. They don’t have to be in a high-cost, high-tax locale, even if their employer is.
They can live where they want and still have the job they want.
But, as a society, do we want to encourage such a solitary lifestyle? Of course, essentially working alone cuts down on arguments. You don’t have to sit at a lunch table with someone you don’t like, or with whom you disagree on just about everything.
Still, we all benefit from having personal interactions with people. Some service organizations who meet regularly, even if they don’t require regular attendance, encourage it because club members are deprived of the presence of those who are absent. They see that as a loss.
So, most people will make decisions about where and how they work based on personal preference, unless companies impose requirements.
We will all miss something if too many people do not interact with one another. The workplace is the easiest, and often the best, place to do that.
Peter
Companies that require office workers face a dilemma.
Since COVID-19 forced many workers to toil from home, some workers don’t want to come back to the office.
Their employers who pay for the office space want more workers to come back, at least once in a while.
Some, like Cisco in its Midtown Atlanta offices, are resorting to upgrading their office space by focusing on improving indoor environmental factors, according to an article by Zachary Hansen in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The article was published April 14, 2023.
In fact, as a new Portman Midtown Atlanta office tower goes up, it may be the last of its kind for a while, Hansen writes in an article published May 13, 2024.
But, will those things entice workers back into the office? Many have gotten used to working from home, or somewhere else. The advantages – no commute, no buying lunch at work and other money savings, for example – outweigh the disadvantages – no office worker interaction, distractions at home etc.
That puts companies in somewhat of a bind. How much office space do they really need? Does having an office building, or office space in general, give a company an identity that makes it worth having? Is upgrading office space to entice workers back going to be worth the investment? Will workers respond by coming back into the office?
These are the decisions of the future, both for companies and their employees. If a company forces workers to come back into the office, will they quit?
If a worker has a great job he or she doesn’t want to lose, will he or she give up the freedom that working from home gives them?
Will being home, with young children, be too much of a distraction for workers? Will they then bear the expenses of commuting, day care etc.?
Of course, many workers dream of having these alternatives. Many workers HAVE to go to work at a specific location. They cannot possibly do their jobs from home. They must interact with bosses, customers, coworkers etc.
But, if there are choices available, is there a way a worker can have it all with some sort of hybrid work schedule?
As discussed here before, if workers can do their jobs remotely, they can essentially live anywhere. They don’t have to be in a high-cost, high-tax locale, even if their employer is.
They can live where they want and still have the job they want.
But, as a society, do we want to encourage such a solitary lifestyle? Of course, essentially working alone cuts down on arguments. You don’t have to sit at a lunch table with someone you don’t like, or with whom you disagree on just about everything.
Still, we all benefit from having personal interactions with people. Some service organizations who meet regularly, even if they don’t require regular attendance, encourage it because club members are deprived of the presence of those who are absent. They see that as a loss.
So, most people will make decisions about where and how they work based on personal preference, unless companies impose requirements.
We will all miss something if too many people do not interact with one another. The workplace is the easiest, and often the best, place to do that.
Peter
CAN (DO) STUDENTS FEEL SAFE IN SCHOOLS
#SchooolSafety #teachers #students #parents #FeelingSafe #SchoolShootings
Safety in schools is more than just being able to avoid being shot.
Of course, any moment now, someone could walk into a school with a gun and shoot a bunch of students, teachers and staff.
What can we do about it? Not much, short of limiting the supply of firearms – particularly the most lethal and purely offensive weapons — for people who shouldn’t have them.
More security officers in schools will help, as long as they are willing to come face to face with the assaulter(s).
But now, it’s not just the threat of violence in the schools that can concern children. Children used to be able to confide in teachers, or other staff, about things they may have been afraid to tell parents.
Now, in many places, teachers and staff MUST tell parents if children talk to them about, say, their sexuality.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, took on this topic in her March 14, 2023, column.
There was a time when school was a totally safe space for kids. Yes, they were supervised. Yes, they had many requirements they had to fulfill. Sometimes, discipline was necessary.
If Child X was bothering Child Y, Child Y could go to someone and report it confidentially – at least in theory. (There may have been some fear that Child X would retaliate if he or she were disciplined).
Of course, there should be cooperation between teachers, staff and parents when necessary. But there are some things kids don’t want to discuss with parents, particularly if they live in restrictive households.
Discussing such things with other students has its own peril. Besides, students usually do not have the adult wisdom to counsel properly.
We want students not only to be safe in school, but also to FEEL safe in school. If they do not feel safe, they won’t learn properly. Despite some schools that strictly use rigor and discipline as an education method, most students are not motivated to learn strictly out of fear. Certainly, fear can get kids to accomplish tasks. But, they are unlikely to truly learn what they need to know that way.
Feeling unsafe in school puts fear at top of mind for students.
So, what is an educator to do under these conditions?
If students are not allowed to be honest with educators about what they are feeling, how is an educator supposed to reach them?
As governments begin to impose unreasonable restrictions on how teachers teach, what they teach, what they can and cannot say to students etc., how and what do these entities expect students to learn in school?
It’s a question that will not be answered immediately. It’s difficult to measure what a deprived learning environment will do to any child.
The good news in all this – or the bad news, depending on one’s perspective – is that if a student doesn’t learn what he or she wants in school, there are other readily available outlets for them to get that information. Students often will fill that learning vacuum via other means.
We can only hope that depriving students of safety, and some education, in schools doesn’t lead to one or more of them, out of frustration, turning to weapons against that same school.
Peter
Safety in schools is more than just being able to avoid being shot.
Of course, any moment now, someone could walk into a school with a gun and shoot a bunch of students, teachers and staff.
What can we do about it? Not much, short of limiting the supply of firearms – particularly the most lethal and purely offensive weapons — for people who shouldn’t have them.
More security officers in schools will help, as long as they are willing to come face to face with the assaulter(s).
But now, it’s not just the threat of violence in the schools that can concern children. Children used to be able to confide in teachers, or other staff, about things they may have been afraid to tell parents.
Now, in many places, teachers and staff MUST tell parents if children talk to them about, say, their sexuality.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, took on this topic in her March 14, 2023, column.
There was a time when school was a totally safe space for kids. Yes, they were supervised. Yes, they had many requirements they had to fulfill. Sometimes, discipline was necessary.
If Child X was bothering Child Y, Child Y could go to someone and report it confidentially – at least in theory. (There may have been some fear that Child X would retaliate if he or she were disciplined).
Of course, there should be cooperation between teachers, staff and parents when necessary. But there are some things kids don’t want to discuss with parents, particularly if they live in restrictive households.
Discussing such things with other students has its own peril. Besides, students usually do not have the adult wisdom to counsel properly.
We want students not only to be safe in school, but also to FEEL safe in school. If they do not feel safe, they won’t learn properly. Despite some schools that strictly use rigor and discipline as an education method, most students are not motivated to learn strictly out of fear. Certainly, fear can get kids to accomplish tasks. But, they are unlikely to truly learn what they need to know that way.
Feeling unsafe in school puts fear at top of mind for students.
So, what is an educator to do under these conditions?
If students are not allowed to be honest with educators about what they are feeling, how is an educator supposed to reach them?
As governments begin to impose unreasonable restrictions on how teachers teach, what they teach, what they can and cannot say to students etc., how and what do these entities expect students to learn in school?
It’s a question that will not be answered immediately. It’s difficult to measure what a deprived learning environment will do to any child.
The good news in all this – or the bad news, depending on one’s perspective – is that if a student doesn’t learn what he or she wants in school, there are other readily available outlets for them to get that information. Students often will fill that learning vacuum via other means.
We can only hope that depriving students of safety, and some education, in schools doesn’t lead to one or more of them, out of frustration, turning to weapons against that same school.
Peter
PAPER CEILINGS MEANT TO BE SHREDDED
#PaperCeiling #WorkQualifications #technology #CollegeDegrees
The TV ads call it the “Paper Ceiling.”
In a nutshell, it’s the elimination of some people for certain jobs because they don’t have the proper “paper” qualifications. These people may be perfectly capable of doing the jobs because of experience or other training. They just may not have the degree that the specifications require.
Now Georgia, and other states, are tackling this problem by trying to ease some of the paper qualifications for certain state jobs.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, discussed the Georgia situation in her February 14, 2023, column.
As she writes, Microsoft founder Bill Gates never finished his degree at Harvard because his ideas were so time-sensitive that he had to act on them immediately.
With technology, timing is everything. If you wait too long to develop it, it could become obsolete before it’s even created. Or, a competitor will beat you to it.
But, as Downey writes, Gates is a big believer, and funder, of higher education.
The so-called paper ceiling has prompted a generation of leaders and influencers to place a high value on getting a college degree. In fact, statistics show generally that people with college degrees do better economically than those who don’t have one. We also hear stories of people who spent a lot on an education, only to get a job that didn’t require it.
Of course, education of any sort is never a waste.
Where the rub comes is ruling people out for certain jobs they are capable of doing, just because they lack the college degree.
The paper ceiling is a convenience for hiring managers. It allows them to sift and sort through piles of applications more easily by ruling out people quickly.
But college is not for everyone, particularly those who cannot immediately afford it. People have gone into extreme debt to get a degree. But, once they have it, they may, or may not, get the job they want. And, even if they do, they’ll likely spend a valuable chunk of adult life paying off that debt.
There are also many trades and other good-paying jobs that may require technical training, but not necessarily college. These jobs often are in high demand, and workers with those skills can be hard to find.
Some believe too many trade schools have been turned into computer schools, and there are too few venues to train electricians, plumbers and other skilled workers.
Though computers have infiltrated most modern machinery and appliances, there is still a great need for raw, old-school skills.
In short, if you are a hiring manager, don’t underestimate the skills of someone who may not be as well papered as you might like.
If you are a prospective employee, don’t hesitate to apply for a job you believe you can do even if you don’t have the paper credentials. You may have to sell yourself better in your application to overcome the lack of credentials.
Closed minds on either side may blur good potential.
Just as glass ceilings are meant to be shattered, paper ceilings are meant to be shredded.
Peter
The TV ads call it the “Paper Ceiling.”
In a nutshell, it’s the elimination of some people for certain jobs because they don’t have the proper “paper” qualifications. These people may be perfectly capable of doing the jobs because of experience or other training. They just may not have the degree that the specifications require.
Now Georgia, and other states, are tackling this problem by trying to ease some of the paper qualifications for certain state jobs.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, discussed the Georgia situation in her February 14, 2023, column.
As she writes, Microsoft founder Bill Gates never finished his degree at Harvard because his ideas were so time-sensitive that he had to act on them immediately.
With technology, timing is everything. If you wait too long to develop it, it could become obsolete before it’s even created. Or, a competitor will beat you to it.
But, as Downey writes, Gates is a big believer, and funder, of higher education.
The so-called paper ceiling has prompted a generation of leaders and influencers to place a high value on getting a college degree. In fact, statistics show generally that people with college degrees do better economically than those who don’t have one. We also hear stories of people who spent a lot on an education, only to get a job that didn’t require it.
Of course, education of any sort is never a waste.
Where the rub comes is ruling people out for certain jobs they are capable of doing, just because they lack the college degree.
The paper ceiling is a convenience for hiring managers. It allows them to sift and sort through piles of applications more easily by ruling out people quickly.
But college is not for everyone, particularly those who cannot immediately afford it. People have gone into extreme debt to get a degree. But, once they have it, they may, or may not, get the job they want. And, even if they do, they’ll likely spend a valuable chunk of adult life paying off that debt.
There are also many trades and other good-paying jobs that may require technical training, but not necessarily college. These jobs often are in high demand, and workers with those skills can be hard to find.
Some believe too many trade schools have been turned into computer schools, and there are too few venues to train electricians, plumbers and other skilled workers.
Though computers have infiltrated most modern machinery and appliances, there is still a great need for raw, old-school skills.
In short, if you are a hiring manager, don’t underestimate the skills of someone who may not be as well papered as you might like.
If you are a prospective employee, don’t hesitate to apply for a job you believe you can do even if you don’t have the paper credentials. You may have to sell yourself better in your application to overcome the lack of credentials.
Closed minds on either side may blur good potential.
Just as glass ceilings are meant to be shattered, paper ceilings are meant to be shredded.
Peter
HUG DAY AT SCHOOL; BE KIND, BUT CAREFUL
#hugs #HugDay #schools #kids #students
Wednesdays are hug days at Cedar Grove High School.
So begins an article by Cassidy Alexander in the Feb. 25, 2023, edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Each Wednesday, the article says, each student at the school in DeKalb County, Ga., is greeted by a hug from either a student or staff member.
Most kids really like it, the article says, but if a student is uncomfortable with a hug, he or she gets a fist bump.
The idea for a weekly hug day was conceived because students in the previous couple of years were cooped up at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. No touching allowed. Safe distances from others was not just encouraged, but required.
With the pandemic mitigated to a good degree, the school believes students should be shown the love they’d gotten too little of during that time, the article says.
In decades past, teachers might have lovingly touched students routinely. But, as allegations of child sexual abuse increased, teachers had to be careful about their interactions with students.
Even if a teacher wanted to comfort a student in distress, or congratulate a student for a job well done, he or she often had to stop short of any physical contact.
In fact, according to the article, a Maryland elementary school banned parents from hugging any child except their own. In 2018, a Carroll County, Ga., parent said her middle school daughter was reprimanded for hugging a classmate.
But, Cedar Grove students said they are glad for the connections. In fact, a student organization called The Love Club was formed to not only set up the Wednesday hugs, but also perform other acts of kindness. Those include helping custodians empty trash and decorating teachers’ rooms, the article says.
The pandemic caused much distress in all spectra of life. The pandemic-mitigation era is prompting people and organizations to rethink how they do things.
More people are working from home. At the same time, more people are getting out to do things with others that they weren’t allowed to do as the pandemic raged.
At Cedar Grove, before the Wednesday hugs, the atmosphere was “very dry.” Alexander quotes sophomore E.J. Colson. Now, the hugs mean a lot, he says. “It starts you off with a loving feeling. It makes you spread more love,” Alexander quotes E.J.
Obviously, as the weekly hugs may be a good thing, the school, and others that may emulate the idea, have to be careful.
One could easily take advantage of a kid at that level. One could easily spread a cold or other contagion. Good ideas and practices can have unintended consequences.
The school has to be careful to make sure that one thing may not lead to something sinister, or unhealthy.
Just as actor Ted Danson offers a hug to a frustrated cellphone customer in a Consumer Cellular commercial, the intention of the hug has to be noble and kind.
When offering a kind touch to someone, know when it is appropriate and know whether the person being touched is comfortable with it.
Apparently, the students at Cedar Grove, for the most part, welcome the hugs every week.
Peter
MAKE TEACHING AN ATTRACTIVE PROFESSION AGAIN
#teachers #PoliceOfficers #ArmedTeachers #ImprovingEducation #AttractingTeachers
Teachers have gotten a bad rap for many years.
Today, however, the problem is getting out of hand.
Now, they want teachers, in some jurisdictions, to carry guns.
Georgia is attempting to get a handle on how to make teaching at the K-12 level attractive again.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, took on this problem in her November 22, 2022, column.
Downey cites a working paper from the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, which documents the state of the K-12 teaching profession over the past half-century. It analyzes 50 years of teaching, looking at prestige, interest among students, preparation for entry and job satisfaction, according to Downey.
The conclusion is damning: the state of teaching is at its lowest level in 50 years, Downey writes.
To top that off, as Downey writes in her column published November 7, 2023, Georgia wants to arm teachers to curb gun violence. They want to take advantage of the relatively low teacher pay by giving teachers who volunteer a $10,000 stipend for firearms training, and the willingness to carry them in schools, Downey writes. Would you want your kid’s teacher to be armed? Downey doesn’t think it’s a great idea.
Let’s look at the history of teaching as a profession. In decades past, most teachers were women. Since it didn’t pay very much, it was tough for a teacher to make a good living on teaching alone. Although it didn’t pay much, there were good benefits: summers and lots of other time off, good insurance, a decent pension for those who stayed long enough and, in many places, good union protection. That meant job security for as long as a teacher wanted, in most cases.
In those days, parents left teachers alone. Sure, they’d visit during PTA meetings, occasionally volunteer in the schools etc. But, for the most part, teachers had free rein to teach and discipline children as they saw fit. As a kid, if you were bad in school, you often got punished again at home. Parents didn’t question the teachers in those instances.
Then, as widespread economic hardship hit families over the years, people in other usually better paying professions who were losing jobs became jealous of teachers’ job security and union protection.
Gradually, politicians of certain persuasions started blasting teachers unions, and still are.
Today, that resentment is manifesting itself in extreme parental and political interference in schools. Remember, teachers, in general, don’t get paid much. Despite their good job security, there’s only so much many will put up with for the compensation they get. Most teachers like, even love, what they do, providing they have enough latitude to teach as they see fit. When that latitude is gone, teachers will go, too. And they are. Having armed teachers in school may hasten this exodus.
This outside interference is NOT improving education. Kids are not learning what they should learn, particularly in history and science, because of this interference. Arming teachers likely won’t make schools safer. It may even do the opposite.
Other professions, besides teaching – law enforcement , for example – are also relatively low in pay and high in responsibility. They, too, often face far too much outside interference in their work. No one wants, say, a police officer going rogue in the streets. But there’s a vast difference between good oversight and training, and bad interference.
Educators, as Downey points out, are studying the problem of making teaching attractive again. Many studies are shelved and never implemented. Suffice it to say that if we can’t put good teachers, preferably unarmed, in every classroom, the children – and the world – suffer.
If you have a child in school, get involved, but don’t interfere. Most teachers know what they are doing. They are well supervised, and usually have good curricula on which to base their efforts.
Previous generations of children, in most cases, had no difficulty reconciling what they learned in school with what they learned at home or at church, even when some of that knowledge appeared contradictory. It would be hard to believe that today’s children would be incapable of doing the same.
In short, support your teachers, your police officers etc. Hold them accountable when necessary. Be involved in your children’s school(s) and your community. But don’t stand in the way of good and proper education or policing.
Peter