What would you do with 895 million dollars? I know what I would do. Any damn thing I wanted to. For as long as I wanted to. I don't think I have seen a lottery reach that high, and the chances of winning are 1 in 176 million? (maybe it's 126 million, anyway its nothing but luck). Back to tonights magic number. 895 million dollars. If you owned a company that showed a profit of 895 million, after all the lights have been paid, your employees have been paid and all your equipment has been paid for, the bottom line, as it were, 895 million dollars in one year. That would make you happy wouldn't it? I think if I could do that I would only work that first year and sell out, then retire to my private island with my assistant, Bubba.
Would you possibly reward your employees with an increase or bonus, for performing their job at such a high level that you exceeded your expectations. Take pause. Let's make it even more interesting. Let's say that your compny posted these numbers as total profit for the quarter of the year. Three months net profit of 895 million dollars. Imagine that, every three months you profit close to a BILLION dollars.
The company I work for did that today. Posted a net profit for the second quarter of 895 million dollars. This is the same company that asked us to turn over uneeded copies and make new copies on the other side of the paper. GLOOM/DOOM! No one in my company was offered an incentive bonus this year, because, "Times are tough." "With this new business unit we will position ourselves to continue to lead our industry." "We appreciate your understanding in these trying economic times."
Take Pause.
Do you know what it costs to be the primary sponsor on a Nascar car? In 1995 it was 15 million a year. Now it runs between 20-22 million. This includes the driver's salary which runs around 1 million a year. Let me get this straight.... You are paying a nascar driver a million dollars a year to do nothign more than use up tires, fuel, and body work.... that has NEVER even won a race. Win, my bad he can't even finish in the top 5. So in other words, here's a company employee who does his job half way, rarely completes his work asignment, and has a terrible habit of destroying company property. Its enough to make me want to call the ethics hotline and tip them off. The guy is obviously slacking off and definately destroying company goods.
In spite of our nascar driver's efforts, the company still made a profit of 895 milion This makes me take pause because all I ever wanted was that huge increase of around 45 cents per hour. I don' think it would break the bank... not by a long shot.
Ask me about smoking in public, I can't wait to get that started.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Things That Make Me Pause
You know, there are things all around us each day that should make us go Hmmm. As I grow older I begin to realise that not much suprises me anymore, however, many things make me pause. That's the theme of this blog and here you will find the things that make me pause, and think to myself, 'How damn stupid can some people be?'
Point in case... Today on my morning drive, the news came across my radio that my state, pardon, commonwealth, was closing down 18 rest stops on our major highways. The reason given was lack of funding, budgetary cutbacks, cutting expenses. My commonwealth recieved about 18 million in stimulus monies. Since the monies were provided, the state has laid off/fired/eliminated teachers, and other key state employees. I have not seen nor heard of a single job that has been created. This was, I thought, the purpose of the stimulus monies, to create jobs, and improve the economy. This makes me pause.
When I watch the Government take over big business, GM, FORD, CHRYSLER/DODGE, and promote fuel efficient vehicles... a $4500 bonus to those who trade in a gas guzzler (= <18mpg) for a car that gets equal to or better than 28mpg, this makes me pause. This is the same government that decided it was a family's right to own a home, whether they could afford it or not, and in that brainfart placed the housing market in the place it is today. The mismanagement of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. I am taking pause again.
Listen, do we really want an accountant to determine the level of Healthcare we deserve? Pancreatic Cancer cannot be cured. You ARE going to die if you develop it. Do you want an accountant or a doctor to determine your treatment path? The accountant will look at the bottom line. $500,000.00 to keep you comfortable for another year of life, or free to deny any benefit. Take pause when these decisions are being made.
Is it right for government to tax you a higher percentage because you had the business savy to make a million bucks? If I make X annually, and you make Z, if we are both paying our 33% then what's the problem? Your 33% will always be a higher dollar amount than mine, until I get to your income level. We are not talking about tax brackets, we are talking income level. I take pause whenever someone says to me that I should work my butt off to succeed, then give away my rewards for succeeding. I want to be a millionaire. I want to buy nice things as my reward for making it. I do not want to drive a car that gets 28mpg and can be crushed by a bicyclist on a downhill run. I want to spend on whatever i want to buy. I cannot however, because my company decided they would withold our incentive increase this year to fight a tough economy.
Take pause. If I do not get my increase I do not have any money to spend on the items which have had their prices increased. If I do not buy these items, more new items cannot be produced. If new items are not being produced they cannot be shipped. If they cannot be shipped then my company cannot make money. It's a vicious cycle isn't it? It gets better. If the items are not being produced then Bob at the factory gets laid off. If they are not being bought, then people who work at the stores get laid off. Maybe the store goes out of business altogether. Maybe the factory where these goods are made goes out of business too....
Then to top it off, you are expected to show charity to those with less than you...oh and don't forget to donate blood... if you can get any more blood out of this turnip.
Point in case... Today on my morning drive, the news came across my radio that my state, pardon, commonwealth, was closing down 18 rest stops on our major highways. The reason given was lack of funding, budgetary cutbacks, cutting expenses. My commonwealth recieved about 18 million in stimulus monies. Since the monies were provided, the state has laid off/fired/eliminated teachers, and other key state employees. I have not seen nor heard of a single job that has been created. This was, I thought, the purpose of the stimulus monies, to create jobs, and improve the economy. This makes me pause.
When I watch the Government take over big business, GM, FORD, CHRYSLER/DODGE, and promote fuel efficient vehicles... a $4500 bonus to those who trade in a gas guzzler (= <18mpg) for a car that gets equal to or better than 28mpg, this makes me pause. This is the same government that decided it was a family's right to own a home, whether they could afford it or not, and in that brainfart placed the housing market in the place it is today. The mismanagement of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. I am taking pause again.
Listen, do we really want an accountant to determine the level of Healthcare we deserve? Pancreatic Cancer cannot be cured. You ARE going to die if you develop it. Do you want an accountant or a doctor to determine your treatment path? The accountant will look at the bottom line. $500,000.00 to keep you comfortable for another year of life, or free to deny any benefit. Take pause when these decisions are being made.
Is it right for government to tax you a higher percentage because you had the business savy to make a million bucks? If I make X annually, and you make Z, if we are both paying our 33% then what's the problem? Your 33% will always be a higher dollar amount than mine, until I get to your income level. We are not talking about tax brackets, we are talking income level. I take pause whenever someone says to me that I should work my butt off to succeed, then give away my rewards for succeeding. I want to be a millionaire. I want to buy nice things as my reward for making it. I do not want to drive a car that gets 28mpg and can be crushed by a bicyclist on a downhill run. I want to spend on whatever i want to buy. I cannot however, because my company decided they would withold our incentive increase this year to fight a tough economy.
Take pause. If I do not get my increase I do not have any money to spend on the items which have had their prices increased. If I do not buy these items, more new items cannot be produced. If new items are not being produced they cannot be shipped. If they cannot be shipped then my company cannot make money. It's a vicious cycle isn't it? It gets better. If the items are not being produced then Bob at the factory gets laid off. If they are not being bought, then people who work at the stores get laid off. Maybe the store goes out of business altogether. Maybe the factory where these goods are made goes out of business too....
Then to top it off, you are expected to show charity to those with less than you...oh and don't forget to donate blood... if you can get any more blood out of this turnip.
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