Tuesday, 5 March 2013
The Claims Gang
I was talking to our new Probationary employee Dawn. I normally shy away from new employees, while they are on probation, just in case they get let go during probation. You don't want to get too close in case they get let go. However I have managed to alienate most of the regular co-workers, therefore I don't have a lot of people to talk to. Plus new employees have not heard my well worn stories.
I was telling Dawn about my Claims Gang idea. Most people are dismissive and tell me to leave their cubes, or they will dial HR. But Dawn appeared to warm to the idea. As I have already recruited Crazy Paul, 3-people make for a gang, albeit a small one. But it is a start.
Now our gang is not violent, or intimidating, though we are collectively quite tall, we have no interest in causing trouble. What will make us standout is our capes, top hats and walking sticks. I have written about this before. What I would like to do is arrive at a mediation in our matching capes and top hats. All arrive at the same time, walk around the table without uttering a word, exit to hang up our capes, reenter the room and place our top hats on the table. Then loudly and repeatedly tap the tables with our walking sticks until we are told to stop.
I want people to know us as the people with the capes and top hats. Its a schtick, a statement without uttering a word. It's all about being taken seriously in the market. A calling card in the industry.
I was telling Dawn about my Claims Gang idea. Most people are dismissive and tell me to leave their cubes, or they will dial HR. But Dawn appeared to warm to the idea. As I have already recruited Crazy Paul, 3-people make for a gang, albeit a small one. But it is a start.
Now our gang is not violent, or intimidating, though we are collectively quite tall, we have no interest in causing trouble. What will make us standout is our capes, top hats and walking sticks. I have written about this before. What I would like to do is arrive at a mediation in our matching capes and top hats. All arrive at the same time, walk around the table without uttering a word, exit to hang up our capes, reenter the room and place our top hats on the table. Then loudly and repeatedly tap the tables with our walking sticks until we are told to stop.
I want people to know us as the people with the capes and top hats. Its a schtick, a statement without uttering a word. It's all about being taken seriously in the market. A calling card in the industry.
Investing in my Investments
It may be hard to believe, but I have a Colombian financial adviser. Many would think that would be unwise. My financial adviser dabbles in claims adjusting and is a fashion and social critic. I took her advice and invested in what appeared to be a dubious South American oil & mining play. While I trust her advice, I did do some research into the company and true enough, it is a well thought of company by analysts and recommended as a buy. I made a modest investment and the stock price is headed in the right direction, plus they pay a dividend. In some circles I may be considered a bit of a Colombian Oil Barron.
I am a modest investor in the markets. In particular I like to buy index funds. I do own shares in various companies. I've made a decent return, even after I took a bit of a bath during the last market meltdown. Which may explain why I have an aversion to bathing. I also freely offer unsolicited financial advice as an untrained, unqualified financial guru.
My latest investments were to take minor cash holdings from dividends and reinvest them in stocks. The money was sitting there and not working for me. I also bought some Canadian bank stocks, which are always a safe play and pay regular dividends.
The sad part for my financial adviser, is that she had her money in some crazy bank, I think related to a chain of pizzerias, or something similar. She has been trying to move her money and invest in the market. It has been several weeks and the money has not yet arrived. They have no charge checking, or offer 0.25% more interest, therefore it is a good idea to put your money in a pizza parlour bank, apparently.
My financial adviser has been missing out on the rising market. I'm making a killing and she is waiting for her money. They can deliver pizza's in 30-minutes, but money? Not so much!
I am a modest investor in the markets. In particular I like to buy index funds. I do own shares in various companies. I've made a decent return, even after I took a bit of a bath during the last market meltdown. Which may explain why I have an aversion to bathing. I also freely offer unsolicited financial advice as an untrained, unqualified financial guru.
My latest investments were to take minor cash holdings from dividends and reinvest them in stocks. The money was sitting there and not working for me. I also bought some Canadian bank stocks, which are always a safe play and pay regular dividends.
The sad part for my financial adviser, is that she had her money in some crazy bank, I think related to a chain of pizzerias, or something similar. She has been trying to move her money and invest in the market. It has been several weeks and the money has not yet arrived. They have no charge checking, or offer 0.25% more interest, therefore it is a good idea to put your money in a pizza parlour bank, apparently.
My financial adviser has been missing out on the rising market. I'm making a killing and she is waiting for her money. They can deliver pizza's in 30-minutes, but money? Not so much!
Sunday, 3 March 2013
Half of GTA Employees in Precarious Jobs
If you are employed Full-Time with a job with benefits in Southern Ontario, hang on to that job at all costs. Fully half of So. Ontario workers are in what is called precarious positions. No benefits, no guaranteed income, less than full time hours. Fully half the workers do not believe they will be in the same position in one years time.
The days of jobs for life are long gone. Defined pensions are a thing of the past, unless you work for the government. Unskilled, uneducated jobs are scarce and low paying. It is not a good time to be unemployed. Recent graduates and older workers are the most vulnerable. You are lucky to get a contract job. No employer will higher an older worker on anything but contract work.
The biggest mistake is to quit your work when you are upset with your employer. The number one rule is never quit a job, unless you have lined up another better paying job first. Even then your new employer will lay you off first in a downturn. If you are unemployed you are competing against dozens of people for any one position, maybe hundreds with equal, or better skills. Maybe they are younger with a longer shelf life, or friends and family of other workers.
In my industry the older workers compete for contract work. Many have full pensions as they were part of the last lucky generation. It is rare in my position to end your career in anything more than a contract job, working maybe in 6-month cycles, hoping to get a renewal of the contract.
Thousands of high paying industrial jobs have left the province for low pay jurisdictions in the US south, or Third World. When I was growing up in Hamilton, the sons of steel workers assumed they had a guaranteed job at the mill waiting for them when they graduated. In many cases they were the last generation to take advantage of those jobs. They are now long gone.
People took full time jobs with benefits for granted, but they are disappearing very quickly.
If you are angry with your employer, hang in there, wait it out. If they are upset with you, at least wait to get packaged out and give yourself time to look for work, with money to tide you over. There has never been a worse time to be unemployed and looking for work. It is not going to get any better.
I knew it was bad out there on the streets, but I was shocked when I read the articles last week. Google "precarious jobs GTA". Read the articles and hang on to your job for dear life.
The days of jobs for life are long gone. Defined pensions are a thing of the past, unless you work for the government. Unskilled, uneducated jobs are scarce and low paying. It is not a good time to be unemployed. Recent graduates and older workers are the most vulnerable. You are lucky to get a contract job. No employer will higher an older worker on anything but contract work.
The biggest mistake is to quit your work when you are upset with your employer. The number one rule is never quit a job, unless you have lined up another better paying job first. Even then your new employer will lay you off first in a downturn. If you are unemployed you are competing against dozens of people for any one position, maybe hundreds with equal, or better skills. Maybe they are younger with a longer shelf life, or friends and family of other workers.
In my industry the older workers compete for contract work. Many have full pensions as they were part of the last lucky generation. It is rare in my position to end your career in anything more than a contract job, working maybe in 6-month cycles, hoping to get a renewal of the contract.
Thousands of high paying industrial jobs have left the province for low pay jurisdictions in the US south, or Third World. When I was growing up in Hamilton, the sons of steel workers assumed they had a guaranteed job at the mill waiting for them when they graduated. In many cases they were the last generation to take advantage of those jobs. They are now long gone.
People took full time jobs with benefits for granted, but they are disappearing very quickly.
If you are angry with your employer, hang in there, wait it out. If they are upset with you, at least wait to get packaged out and give yourself time to look for work, with money to tide you over. There has never been a worse time to be unemployed and looking for work. It is not going to get any better.
I knew it was bad out there on the streets, but I was shocked when I read the articles last week. Google "precarious jobs GTA". Read the articles and hang on to your job for dear life.
Saturday, 2 March 2013
The Brawler
The Brawler is getting a lot of attention as Spring is around the corner. I had $2,500 of upgrades to make it seaworthy. A new VHF radio, which unlike you, I'm licensed to operate, new BBQ with a handy stand, a brand new horn and other accessories. It is not often that I Visa $2,500 without complaint. Not even a famous D'Arcy fist shake.
I have had several groups of people offer to gas up the Brawler in exchange for a group excursion with Captain D'Arcy at the helm. I'm glad to oblige. I will never accept money and this entire hobby is a money pit, but on rare occasion I will accept a group offering to top off the gas tank. From individuals, food, beer and ice are welcome, but not expected. I know I'm going to lose my shirt in this boating experience, but I'm counting on the fun factor to outweigh the expense.
There will also be a sexist factor to the Brawler. In order that the boat does not resemble a floating Pride flotilla, women board for free. They are not expected to bring anything.
I have Crazy Paul and Ryan getting licensed to on occasion take the helm. I'm hoping M also gets licensed. She is responsible and rarely drinks. Ryan is also responsible, while Crazy Paul? Well he is a little Crazy? I don't want the Brawler to be the subject of a Gordon Lightfoot song. Or was it Edmund Fitzgerald?
I have had several groups of people offer to gas up the Brawler in exchange for a group excursion with Captain D'Arcy at the helm. I'm glad to oblige. I will never accept money and this entire hobby is a money pit, but on rare occasion I will accept a group offering to top off the gas tank. From individuals, food, beer and ice are welcome, but not expected. I know I'm going to lose my shirt in this boating experience, but I'm counting on the fun factor to outweigh the expense.
There will also be a sexist factor to the Brawler. In order that the boat does not resemble a floating Pride flotilla, women board for free. They are not expected to bring anything.
I have Crazy Paul and Ryan getting licensed to on occasion take the helm. I'm hoping M also gets licensed. She is responsible and rarely drinks. Ryan is also responsible, while Crazy Paul? Well he is a little Crazy? I don't want the Brawler to be the subject of a Gordon Lightfoot song. Or was it Edmund Fitzgerald?
Blacks in Ontario Jails
The Toronto Star has an an article and editorial today stating the fact that blacks are 4 times more likely to be jailed than white people. They blame society for this problem.
Blacks make up a tiny proportion of our population, likely less than 1 percent, yet when you read about a murder, or shooting, in Toronto you know the likely shooter and and victim will be black. If there are 100 murders a year in Toronto, 70 to 80 of the murderers will be black. Same number of victims as well. You are probably 100 times more likely to be a murder victim if you are black in Toronto.
I'm surprised that blacks are only 4 times more likely to go to prison. I thought it would be higher.
There is nothing that the greater society can do to keep them from killing each other. Almost all of them will be fatherless. How is the greater community going to force black fathers to look after their kids? To take responsibility for their families?
The solution by the do gooders is to build them more basketball courts. To keep them busy so they wont rob us.
What is the black community doing about making black males more responsible, when then have children?
Everyone in Ontario gets free education and healthcare. The black community should get their own house in order. Where is the community outcry to make black males more responsible parents?
It is not my fault when a black kid shoots another black kid in the Eaton Centre. I wont take any of the blame. The judge better throw the shooter in jail for a long time, so I can walk through the mall in relative safety. I don't care if the kid didn't have a basketball court to keep him busy, or know his own father.
The Toronto Star states that if we don't keep young black males busy with recreational spaces and give them a job, it is our fault when they commit murder. Newfoundland has a 19% unemployment rate and very few basketball courts, yet they have a low murder rate. Why is murder the fallback position? I'm not busy and don't have a job, so I will go murder someone.
Its not the gangster culture, the drug abuse, the fatherless homes. It's society's fault that 80% of black males are raised without fathers.
Am I saying there is no problem? No, there is a problem with black on black crime. I'm saying two things, one is that it is not my fault, the other is that there is no solution. Other than a cultural change from within the community. I don't think it will happen any time soon.
Blacks make up a tiny proportion of our population, likely less than 1 percent, yet when you read about a murder, or shooting, in Toronto you know the likely shooter and and victim will be black. If there are 100 murders a year in Toronto, 70 to 80 of the murderers will be black. Same number of victims as well. You are probably 100 times more likely to be a murder victim if you are black in Toronto.
I'm surprised that blacks are only 4 times more likely to go to prison. I thought it would be higher.
There is nothing that the greater society can do to keep them from killing each other. Almost all of them will be fatherless. How is the greater community going to force black fathers to look after their kids? To take responsibility for their families?
The solution by the do gooders is to build them more basketball courts. To keep them busy so they wont rob us.
What is the black community doing about making black males more responsible, when then have children?
Everyone in Ontario gets free education and healthcare. The black community should get their own house in order. Where is the community outcry to make black males more responsible parents?
It is not my fault when a black kid shoots another black kid in the Eaton Centre. I wont take any of the blame. The judge better throw the shooter in jail for a long time, so I can walk through the mall in relative safety. I don't care if the kid didn't have a basketball court to keep him busy, or know his own father.
The Toronto Star states that if we don't keep young black males busy with recreational spaces and give them a job, it is our fault when they commit murder. Newfoundland has a 19% unemployment rate and very few basketball courts, yet they have a low murder rate. Why is murder the fallback position? I'm not busy and don't have a job, so I will go murder someone.
Its not the gangster culture, the drug abuse, the fatherless homes. It's society's fault that 80% of black males are raised without fathers.
Am I saying there is no problem? No, there is a problem with black on black crime. I'm saying two things, one is that it is not my fault, the other is that there is no solution. Other than a cultural change from within the community. I don't think it will happen any time soon.
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