2015 YEAR-END WRAP-UP

BRYCE'S BEST

- My most popular columns this year.

This is my last column for the year as I prepare to enjoy the holidays and rest up for 2016. As has become customary, I’m going to use this opportunity to review my top essays from the past year.

It's been a busy year in 2015. I reached my 1,000th article on my regular blog (WordPress) on November 11th. My 1,000th on Blogger will be sometime in early January, and I achieved my 600th posting on SpeakWithoutInterruption.com on October 23rd.

As you know, I write on a variety of subjects, such as management, systems, technology, social issues, politics, and observations of our changing world. Sometimes my work is instructional and informative, other times it is controversial or humorous. I certainly hope it isn’t boring. By the number of subscribers I have, their comments, and the hits I have on my web site, I do not believe this is the case.

For my year-end column, I researched my statistics to see which were my most popular. Herein, therefore, are my "greatest hits" for 2015.

NOTE: You can find the audio versions of these columns at my channel on YouTube.

HISTORY

"The Masonic Role in American History" - #5 overall
"Seeking the Truth"
"The Jackson/Tubman Debate"
"The Golden Era of America (1945-1960)"
"1976 Reds versus 1927 Yankees"
"9-11 Remembered"

LIFE

"The Power of Prayer" - #4 overall
"Inspirational Videos Teaching Morality"
"Why Oldsters are Mean"
"The Meaning of Life"
"When are we on our Own?"
"The Secret of Happiness (a short story)"
"The Frustration Factor"
"The Simple Pleasure of Friday Mornings"
"How to Maintain Your Sanity"
"Differences in Family Values"
"Evoking Memories"
"Black November"
"Passing the Buck"

MANAGEMENT

"The Need for Checks and Balances in Nonprofits"
"Why Do We Tolerate Incompetence?"
"Your Duties as an Employee"
"Moving from Theory Y to Theory X"
"Business Writing"
"Engaging Your Workers"
"Music in the Workplace"
"Our Sense of Professionalism"
"When Havoc Strikes"
"The Perils of not Knowing Your Responsibilities"
"Democratic Management"
"Are We Getting Lazy?"

POLITICS

"What is Wrong with this Picture?" - #6 overall
"The Jewish Vote" - #7 overall
"Cultivating a Culture of Fear and Anger"
"Mad as Hell"
"Again, Into the Abyss"
"How the Press Controls Political Campaigns"
"The Real War on Women"
"Special: GOP Stereotype Season"
"At the Breaking Point"
"World War III"
"Special: 3 Questions for Hillary Clinton"
"Republican Portrayals"
"Why the Left Hates Donald Trump"
"Hillary Can be Beaten"
"Will the Republicans botch the 2016 Presidential Election?"
"Legislating Political Correctness"
"Is America Too Big to Succeed?"
"Rasmussen: Federal Government Too Big"
"The Growing Political Polarity"
"Our Growing Immigration Problem"
"The GOP Debate: Round 5"

SYSTEMS

"Managing Complexity"
"The Right and Wrong of Design"
"Methodology Design 101"
"Medical Records Interoperability"
"Process Templates"
"44 Years of PRIDE"
"Information Resource Myopia"
"The Systems Industry"
"The USDA's System Snafu"
"Understanding Business Process Design"

TECHNOLOGY

"Bed Bugs & Our Changing World" - #3 overall
"Technology's Effect on Society"
"The Effect of Social Networking"

MISC

"Reflections of Jamestown, NY" - #1 overall
"Morale in the Military" - #2 overall
"Our Fascination with Trains"
"Chinese Food Sampler"
"Just Plain Weird"
"Who's on Beef?"
"Academic Quacks"
"One Week's Madness"
"The Dichotomy of Our Drug Culture"
"Make 'em Laugh"
 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  HI-HO, HI-HO, IT'S BACK TO WORK WE GO - PART II - Some New Year resolutions for the office.

LAST TIME:  MAKE 'EM LAUGH - Come on, take a moment out of your day and laugh.

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

MAKE 'EM LAUGH

BRYCE ON HUMOR

- Come on, take a moment out of your day and laugh.

(Click for AUDIO VERSION)
To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.

It occurred to me recently I haven't seen too many people laughing. As for myself, I cannot remember the last time I fell down howling about something funny, and for those of you who know me personally, you know I love a good joke. Unfortunately, thanks to political correctness, it appears jokes are a thing of the past. Our gloominess may also have something to do with the state of our nation. Even in business, you don't hear too many people raving about succuss. It seems we are all stuck in a rut and don't know how to get out of it. I like to believe humor is the distraction we all need in this hour of distress, if for no other reason than to distract us. To this end, I am offering the following list of videos featuring humorous situations which, I hope, will cause you to at least smile. Some are old, and some are new. Either way, I hope you find something amusing in this eclectic set of subjects.

The Fielding Mellish Honeymoon Night - From the movie, "Bananas," starring Woody Allen and featuring Louise Lasser as his recently married wife. To consummate the marriage, Allen surprises everyone by staging a fight sequence ringside in his bedroom, with Howard Cossell as the sportscaster.

Sam Kinison, Marriage and World Hunger - People from the 1980's and 90's will remember wild man Sam who met an unfortunate death in 1992. Kids today, are starting to discover him again. This segment was one of his first performances held at "Dangerfield's" comedy club. Both of his subjects here are not only hilarious, but also make a valid point.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the Bunny Attack Scene - This is from my favorite Python movie, possessing some ot the best sight gags around. In this bit, King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table are traveling in search of the Holy Grail. Here, a guide takes them past a cave which holds great danger.

"The Magic Christian" hunting scene - an avant-garde movie featuring Peter Sellers as Sir Guy Grand, an eccentic British multimillionaire. His adopted sun is played by Ringo Starr. The two participate in a bird hunt in the English countryside with friends, except it turns into something only a multimillionaire could afford.

South Park, The Dog Whisperer - this is one of the most imaginative and avant-garde series on television. This particular episode is a favorite of mine, featuring Cesar Millan, from NATGO's "The Dog Whisperer." In this episode, Cesar's dog training tricks are used to control Cartman.

Johnny Puleo & His Harmonica Gang w/Milton Berle - Held on ABC's "Hollywood Palace" in 1965, this features the legendary Johnny Puleo in a famous slapstick routine.

Jonathan Winters roast of Johnny Carson - Winters could improvise a situation at the drop of a hat. Here, he portrays an old farm friend of Johnny's from Nebraska.

Don Rickles & Frank Sinatra on Johnny Carson - Rickles visits Johnny's set to make fun of Sinatra, only Frank has the last laugh.

Steve Martin, the Great Flydini - a classic magician sketch by Martin on Carson's Tonight Show.

WC Fields, Honest John - this classic scene demonstrates how well the comedian captivated the attention of his audience simply by playing pool.

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog at Star Wars release - From Conan O'Brien's late night show, Triumph the insult comic dog is puppeteered and voiced by Robert Smigel. Conan has sent him to several unusual venues over the years ripe for his talents. In this segment, he visits a bunch of nerds waiting to attend the premier of a "Star Wars" movie.

Julio Iglesias & Johnny Carson sing - another classic from the Carson library where Johnny impersonates Willie Nelson and joins Julio in a competent duet of, "To All the Girls I Loved Before."
 

If one of these segments (can get) got you to smirk, smile, or belly-laugh, than I have accomplished my mission. Go ahead crack a joke, say something politically incorrect, think outside the box. Believe me, you'll feel better. As the cast of Monty Python said, "We all need a little silly."

Related article:
"Our Sense of Humor" (Jan 27, 2009)

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  2015 YEAR-END WRAP-UP - My most popular columns this year.

LAST TIME:  OUR GROWING IMMIGRATION PROBLEM - And what should we do about it?

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

OUR GROWING IMMIGRATION PROBLEM

BRYCE ON IMMIGRATION

- And what should we do about it?

(Click for AUDIO VERSION) 

To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.

First, let's state the obvious; there are two interpretations of our immigration problem. On the one hand, there are those who claim we should show compassion and allow the illegals to stay in our country. On the other, there are those families who came to America legally, took classes and tests to learn about the American system and its history, and took an oath denouncing their native countries and pledged allegiance to the United States. This group of people, which includes most Americans, believe in the rule of law and followed the rules for immigration. Interestingly, it is this group which is accused of lacking compassion. Nothing could be further from the truth, they just recognize the proper process to become a citizen, worked hard to become one and rightfully believe they have been spit in the face by illegal immigrants, with the message being, "following the rule of law is for chumps."

Those in favor of allowing illegals to stay will claim opponents are "racist." They are also offended by the expression "illegal immigrants," preferring instead the politically correct terms of "unauthorized immigrant" or "undocumented immigrant." The expression "Anchor babies," denoting children of illegal immigrants born in this country, are also treated as politically incorrect. Such verbiage is a clever subterfuge to misdirect people from thinking of them as "illegal."

So, we have people who want to observe the rule of law and those who want to craft a compromise which, inevitably, is a refutation of our existing immigration laws. As an aside, the concept of "Sanctuary Cities," whereby illegals are offered a safe haven from prosecution, is also an affront to our immigration laws.

The only two politicians who have openly endorsed a "rule of law" approach thus far is Texas Senator Ted Cruz and businessman Donald Trump. In Trump's case, he sites the precedent of "Operation Wetback" under the Eisenhower administration which led to the deportation of a couple million illegal Mexican immigrants in the 1950's. Today, it is estimated there are over 26 million illegals in the country, maybe more, making deportation seem enormous, but the costs involved are pale in comparison to the benefits they receive in this country. To illustrate, a 2010 study found illegal aliens impose more than $113 billion per year in costs on the U.S. government at all levels, and pay only $13.4 billion in taxes, creating an annual net fiscal deficit of almost $100 billion, which has to be paid by U.S. taxpayers.

Again, the "compassionates" claim such a deportation is not right; as President Obama said, "That's not who we are as Americans." Speaker of the House Paul Ryan also appears unwilling to deport illegals. Further, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said people coming here illegally is an "Act of Love." I am not sure about love, but it certainly isn't legal. However, it appears Cruz and Trump are the only two candidates with the stomachs to make hard decisions. Everyone else wants to dodge the question and handle it like a hot potato.

Whereas America wants a "kinder and gentler" approach to handling illegal immigrants, just about every other country has tougher laws against such people, including our neighbor to the south. Mexico welcomes only foreigners who will be useful to Mexican society. Illegal immigration is a felony there. If you try to enter the country under false pretenses or with false papers, there is a very strong chance you will be imprisoned for up to two years and incur a fine of three to five thousand pesos.

There are two parts to the problem; keeping illegals out, and what to do when we discover them hiding in our country, both of which the United States handles badly. If we truly believe in the rule of law, we must secure our borders. If this means a wall along our southern border, fine. In 2012, the Border Patrol caught 356,000 trying to cross illegally from the south. Obviously this does not include those who allude border agents which may be just as high, if not higher. Common sense would conclude we should use some of the $100 billion we pay out to illegals, to build such a wall, instead of allowing another generation of illegals into our country and doubling the amount of money to care for them.

To add to our problems, President Obama offered to accept thousands of Syrian refugees into our country. This hit a major stumbling block following the Paris attacks when several state governors openly objected to the immigration of what was perceived as a threat to our security. The president claimed it was "un-American" not to take in more Muslim refugees. Perhaps he considers it patriotic to allow entrance to unvetted people with a perceived inclination for terrorism. Or maybe he feels it is more important to care for these people as opposed to the 50,000 homeless American veterans who walk our streets. Somehow I believe we have our priorities wrong; instead of supporting thousands of possible security threats, we should help those who secured our freedom.

The question becomes, can we be compassionate without violating the rule of law? Certainly, but it begins with some form of legal process that identifies the illegal immigrants and checks their background. If they have any problems whatsoever, such as a criminal background, they should either be deported or jailed. A penalty of some kind should also be incurred for illegal immigration, thereby helping to pay for the benefits they have received.

Until they pay their fair share, as everyone else does, they are certainly not entitled to any benefits, nor do they have any special rights such as voting. They should only be allowed near a voting booth when they have become naturalized citizens. This should be obvious.

Whereas the president insists climate change poses an "immediate" threat to national security, I tend to believe it is our policies on immigration that is much more pressing at this time. Not only does illegal immigration provide a pathway for terrorists, but it promotes the proliferation of our drug culture, contributes to our national debt, and places a financial burden on the American taxpayer.

So, what is different between the Eisenhower years of the 1950's and today? Frankly, we've become a generation of wimps afraid to enforce the "rule of law." It appears we only follow it when it is convenient to do so. Our strong sense of political correctness causes us to be overly sensitive to other people, but who are we concerned about upsetting? People who have no regard for our "rule of law" and become parasitic to the bounty this country offers? No, we do not need a more "kinder and gentler" approach. Instead, we need something that is "fair and equitable," as prescribed by law. Therefore, we should either enforce our laws or change them.

When we become more concerned with how we will be perceived on the world stage as opposed to standing on principle, we will always have a serious problem with immigration.

Related articles:

"Securing Our Southwest Border" - Sep 25, 2013

"The Facts About: Immigration" - Aug 29, 2012

"Immigration Reform" - May 10, 2011

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  MAKE 'EM LAUGH - Come on, take a moment out of your day and laugh.

 

LAST TIME:  THE DICHOTOMY OF OUR DRUG CULTURE  - Why are we sending mixed signals to the American public?

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

THE DICHOTOMY OF OUR DRUG CULTURE

BRYCE ON DRUG ADDICTION

- Why are we sending mixed signals to the American public?

(Click for AUDIO VERSION)
To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.

The media has recently been producing various programs regarding the addictive powers of drugs such as heroin. For example, last month, CBS' 60 Minutes had a segment on "Heroin in the Heartland," describing how heroin is now being embraced in suburbia by seemingly ordinary people. Whereas most Americans thought of heroin as an urban problem, the show reveals its use is blossoming throughout the country by stable adults, exceptional students, and gifted high school athletes. The story contends addiction is becoming a pervasive problem throughout the country. Other news outlets have also been describing similar stories about heroin addiction, including the New York Times, and Fox News. As the cost of the drug goes down, it is rapidly being embraced by the middle class.

Meanwhile, President Obama has called for a reform of our criminal justice system by ordering the release of non-violent drug offenders. This may very well lead to decriminalization of drug offenses. On the campaign trail, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has called for relaxing drug regulations at the federal level. However, her Democratic opponent, Sen. Bernie Sanders, advocates decriminalization.

At the same time, many states are considering the legalization of marijuana, either for medicinal or recreational purposes, such as Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and the District of Colombia. A number of other states have decriminalized the possession of marijuana in small amounts. In a recent Gallup poll, it was found that 58% of Americans now back legal marijuana use.

Drug proponents applaud these efforts and tout this as an indicator the country is moving in the right direction. Libertarians and others have long supported the idea of decriminalizing drugs and pardoning all nonviolent drug offenders.

So we have to live with an interesting paradox; whereas our culture seems to be heading towards the open acceptance of drugs, we are just now beginning to understand the dangers of addiction. For years now, scientists have claimed such drugs cause organic brain disease, that they will physically change our brain. Unfortunately, there are many in the country who simply do not accept this or couldn't care less. Further, after several years of the "War on Drugs," Americans no longer believe it is a war that can be won. In a recent Rasmussen study, only 10% of American Adults believe the United States is winning the war on drugs. The argument thereby becomes, "If you cannot beat them, why not join them?" Frankly, we have been fighting a war with one arm tied behind our back. Our weak immigration laws and border protection is such that drug dealers have opened a superhighway to our country.

Gallup also posted two other surveys of interest, and possibly related, finding "More Americans Say Crime Is Rising in U.S." and our moral values are declining. They do not make a direct connection to drug addiction, but the coincidence is too remarkable to simply dismiss.

As an aside, heroin has contributed to the deaths of many entertainers over the years. Notables including Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Ray Charles, Kurt Cobain, John Belushi, Janis Joplin, and many others. It has devastated not just a generation of American jazz musicians, but rock and roll as well.

Whereas the president and the Democrats want to decriminalize drugs, I claim the laws are not tough enough. More importantly, how are we trying to help people fight their addiction? If you want to free up space in prisons, let's start by helping people get off junk and other drugs.

Deep down, we all know drugs such as heroin are dangerous, but somehow we believe we have a God given right to use them regardless of the consequences. The mixed signals we are sending the American public is confusing people. Do we or don't we believe drug abuse is evil? Personally, I see this as simply another indicator of the decline of our culture.

Related article -
"Medicinal Marijuana as a Trojan Horse" - Mar 12, 2014

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  OUR GROWING IMMIGRATION PROBLEM - And what should we do about it?

LAST TIME:  ARE WE GETTING LAZY? - some interesting statistics describe a change is underfoot.

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

ARE WE GETTING LAZY?

BRYCE ON MANAGEMENT

- some interesting statistics describe a change is underfoot.

(Click for AUDIO VERSION)
To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.

According to a recent YouGov poll, American workers want a 35 hour work week and at least two weeks vacation (10/19/2015). The concept of a forty hour work week may already be a thing of the past. According to the statistics provided in the report, American workers on the average spent 1,836 hours of work in 2000, that comes to 35.3 hours per week (not including vacations). By 2014, this dropped to 1,789 hours for 34.4 hours per week (again, not including vacations). This is substantially different than the "go-go" years of the 1960's and 1970's when it was not unusual to work more than sixty hours a week. As an aside, office workers were normally dressed in suit and tie, drank a lot of black coffee, and smoked their brains out, but not so today.

In the survey, respondents claimed their European counterparts were already working much less than we are in America. This mindset always puzzled me. Why should we care what other countries do? Do we really want to keep "down" with the Jones'? Historically, American workers were considered the valued resources which propelled our economy, but I guess this doesn't matter anymore.

With workers less inclined to work additional hours, management is more inclined to seek new ways to speed up processes to maximize their efficiency. Normally, the need to improve speed in manufacturing has been met by improvements in technology on assembly lines, such as the use of robotics to expedite such tasks as welding. However, in the early part of this century, the "Agile" movement came to prominence in terms of how to quickly develop computer software. This movement was a departure from normal manufacturing methods and embraced an iterative process to develop software, e.g., write some code, than continue to modify it until the end-user accepts it. Some call this progress, I call it "quick and dirty" and certainly does not promote craftsmanship or quality work products. For example, documentation of the program is considered optional, thereby complicating the implementation of future changes (e.g., how can you change an office building without a set of blueprints; the same is true in programming).

In other words, the Agile people want to expedite the process by skipping steps, thereby adding risk in the form of defects. By doing so, I contend this approach drives the maintenance backlog to grow in size, not to reduce it.

The concept of "Agile" development has grown beyond programming and can now be found in project management, systems design, data base design, and influencing other processes beyond the Information Technology field. Regardless of its weaknesses, this is how youth today perceives how business should be conducted and why managers are worried about defects in workmanship. It also adds to the perception by management that workers are lazy; hence a Theory X form of management ensues (autocratic rule; aka, "micromanagement").

Nonetheless, it is this mindset that is causing people to re-think the work week. Today, workers primarily worry about the amount of time they put in at work, not the work products they are charged to produce. In other words, a blue collar mentality is flourishing throughout business.

Under a Theory X form of management, the manager spends more time supervising than managing. This greatly inhibits worker ambition and innovation, hence the interest in doing less. This is why I am a proponent of Theory Y where you manage from the bottom-up, meaning you delegate responsibility and get out of the way of the workers. The only time the manager should talk to the worker is to provide assignments, receive status reports, and help them overcome any problems they may face. In other words, managers should manage more and supervise less. By treating workers like professionals, they will respond accordingly, and you will have fewer clock watchers.

As an aside, Theory Y was the management philosophy of choice during the "go-go" years of the 1960's and 1970's.

"It's not the time you put in, it's the work product you put out." - Bryce's Law

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  THE DICHOTOMY OF OUR DRUG CULTURE - Why are we sending mixed signals to the American public?

LAST TIME:  THE GROWING POLITICAL POLARITY - File this under, "More Trouble Brewing."

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

THE GROWING POLITICAL POLARITY

BRYCE ON POLITICS

- File this under, "More Trouble Brewing."

(Click for AUDIO VERSION)
To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.

Aside from dirty tricks and name calling, implementing a boycott program has become the tactic of choice for voicing displeasure with a political opponent. Boycotts are certainly not new, but their use in politics has accelerated in leaps and bounds over the last ten years. Back in 2010, I discussed the left's attempt to muzzle Glenn Beck's program on Fox News whereby they called for a boycott of the sponsors of his show. We may not know how effectively this worked, but we all know Beck is long gone from Fox.

This was all kicked up a notch when Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president and called for a cleanup of our immigration problems. Shortly thereafter, the liberal boycott machine went into overdrive and called on companies to sever ties with the billionaire, such as Macy's who dropped his line of ties and apparel. In turn, this backfired on Macy's when thousands of Trump supporters registered complaints with the store and destroyed their Macy's cards.

Three of the Cooking Channel's celebrities have also taken Trump to task on his positions, such as José Andrés, Geoffrey Zakarian, and Anthony Bourdain. Again, Trump supporters are pushing back and boycotting not only their shows, but the network itself. It is hard to imagine a cooking network becoming politicized, but it has.

Liberal Democrats are also actively encouraging the boycott of Trump hotels, golf courses, television programs, and to stop conducting business with his television sponsors. Scared of losing revenues, many of the companies withdrew their support of Trump. Yet, Republicans have taken notice and are now boycotting the boycotters. It is getting to the point we cannot conduct business without first verifying the other person's political inclinations.

The press actively contributes to the polarity of the country as well. Shortly after Trump's announcement, the Huffington Post refused to place any news about the billionaire in their political section, instead posting it under "entertainment." Univision also severed their relationship with Trump and is assuming the role of leading Latino opponents. Latinos also protested NBC's Saturday Night Live for allowing Trump to host the show on November 7th.

It appears the more belligerent the liberals become, the more conservatives are willing to stand up and push back. This extends to the press who has not been kind to GOP candidates. For example, the ratings of Megyn Kelly's show on Fox News took a beating after her run-in with Trump in the first GOP debate. This became uglier following the third GOP Debate in Colorado where the CNBC moderators baited and attempted to assassinate the character of the candidates. However, instead of taking it, as they commonly do, the candidates collectively fought back much to the moderators' surprise. Even though the debate generated the highest viewership in CNBC history, plus record setting advertising revenue, the GOP candidates were so angry with the network they cancelled another NBC debate scheduled for February. Again, for every attack by the left, the Republicans have learned to counterattack.

Not appreciating criticism of any kind, the press is stepping up their attacks on the candidates. Understanding the rift, the integrity of the press is now questioned by the public. If it is discovered the press is distorting the facts, or misrepresenting the candidates, they will lose whatever trust the people had in them.

Between boycotts, inflammatory accusations, and confrontations among protestors on the streets, the polarity of the people are at a flash point where I suspect fisticuffs and perhaps a lot worse may be in the offing. For example, consider last year's confrontation in Nevada between rancher Clive Bundy and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Other examples include the anger of American vets over the Government shutdown two years ago, or the Occupy Wall Street movement. We also are witnessing the rise of Black Lives Matter, a group recommending violence to what is perceived as police brutality. We also see a resurgence of the Black Panthers, and the Nation of Islam.

The fact is, the polarity of the American people is reaching new heights. If we are not careful, we will explode into violence and bedlam. Maybe this is what the anarchists want who desperately yearn for a revolution to change America.

It is difficult to hold a conversation about politics today without it turning heated. Whereas the Republicans historically were more sedate when confronted, they are now more inclined to sharply refute derogatory comments. This may very well be caused by conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity and others who are teaching their audiences to oppose liberals as opposed to allowing them to have their way. The same is true in Congress, which explains our culture of gridlock.

Plain and simple, we have become less tolerant of the other side's viewpoint and are willing to go to any length to fight back for what we believe in. Aside from violence, boycotting has become the tool of choice to hurt opponents economically.

If you think the disparity between the Republican Congress and Democratic President Obama is bad, wait until the next president is elected. Regardless of who it is, the other side will simply not roll over and accept it. This speaks volumes in terms of our deteriorating culture.

Related articles:

"Drawing the Lines"

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

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Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  ARE WE GETTING LAZY? - some interesting statistics describe a change is underfoot.

LAST TIME:  PEARL HARBOR DAY - Remembering the day of "Infamy."

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

PEARL HARBOR DAY

BRYCE ON HISTORY

- Remembering the day of "Infamy."

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To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.

It's Pearl Harbor Day, a day we set aside in America to commemorate "a date which will live in infamy," December 7th, 1941, when the Imperial military forces of Japan bombed military targets in Hawaii or, as many called it, a "sneak attack." Today, in the 21st century where 9-11 is fresh in our memories, the Pearl Harbor attack is quickly fading into obscurity as the "greatest generation" fades away with it. I'm afraid 9-11 is superseding December 7th, just as the Pearl Harbor attack superseded "Remember the Maine" in 1898. All were unfortunate disasters, and I don't want to say one is better than another, but it would be unfortunate if we forgot the important lessons they taught us, particularly December 7th.

Pearl Harbor is a story of courage, survival, and a spirit of "don't give up the ship." On that day in 1941 approximately 2,500 people were killed and another 1,200 wounded. Four major battleships were sunk in the harbor (though two were subsequently raised), numerous planes were destroyed, and the Pacific fleet was set into disarray. To this day, 74 years later, oil still leaks from the USS Arizona which sits in its watery grave in the harbor.

The bombing shocked and angered the nation. Had it not been a surprise attack, it may not have aroused the emotions of Americans, but such is hindsight.

The real lesson learned from Pearl Harbor was how unprepared we were and how we could have prevented it. To illustrate, prior to the Pearl Harbor disaster, the Army sent General Billy Mitchell to study Pacific defenses. Mitchell's notoriety stemmed from his advocacy of air power. During World War I he commanded all of the American air combat units in France. He was a visionary who understood the potential of the airplane and pushed hard to promote air power which, as he discovered, was difficult to do during peacetime. His arguments extolling the virtues of air power fell on deaf ears and earned him the scorn of his superiors, who sent him to the Pacific (and get him out of their hair).

During his tour of the Pacific, Mitchell visited Japan and witnessed firsthand how the Japanese were embracing air power and realized America was far behind their counterparts. Following his tour of the Pacific he produced an extensive 323 page report on his assessment of American defenses in the Pacific. Here are excerpts from it:

"One hears it often said that Japanese cannot fly. Nothing is more fallacious than this. They can fly, are going to fly, and may end up by developing the greatest air power in the world... It takes no longer to teach Japanese than it does Anglo-Saxons."

"Japan knows full well that the United States will probably enter the next war with the methods and weapons of the former war... Japan also knows full well that the defense of the Hawaiian group is based on the island of Oahu and not on the defense of the whole group."

(After describing in detail the tactics and timing of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor) "I have gone into attack by an enemy in some detail to show how easily it can be done by a determined and resourceful enemy...
Actually nothing can stop it except air power..."

"(Japan) knows that war is coming some day with the United States, and it will be a contest for her very existence. The United States must not render herself completely defenseless by on the one hand thinking that a war with Japan is an impossibility, and on the other by sticking to methods and means of making war as obsolete as the bow and arrow."(1)

Interestingly, this report was produced in 1924, seventeen years before the Pearl Harbor bombings. Mitchell was not only prophetic, he was correct. Regardless of how accurate Mitchell's report was, he was criticized and ignored by the Army, and the report was quickly dismissed. One year later, Mitchell would be court-martialed and suspended for remarks he made accusing the Army and Navy of military incompetence.

Regardless of the military's feeling about him, Mitchell had delivered a fair warning and provided a blueprint of weaknesses in Pacific defenses which, had they been corrected, would have changed the course of history.

Pearl Harbor Day to me is a strong reminder of how Americans tend to be reactionaries as opposed to planners. I find it incredibly strange and dangerous that we prefer to pay attention to a dog only after it has bitten us, as opposed to heeding its bark. Our history is checkered with many examples of reactionary behavior, all coming at an incredible expense to American lives.

I hear the dogs barking in the Middle East and Asia, but does anyone else?

Originally published: December 7, 2010

Keep the Faith!

EPILOGUE: In 1942, after Pearl Harbor proved Mitchell correct, FDR restored his service record and elevated him to the rank of major general. Regrettably, he had passed away six years earlier never knowing how prophetic he had been.

1 - The Billy Mitchell Story by Burke Davis

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  THE GROWING POLITICAL POLARITY - File this under, "More Trouble Brewing."

LAST TIME:  WHEN DO WE BECOME OUR PARENTS? - Is it in our 20's, 30's, or 40's?

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

WHEN DO WE BECOME OUR PARENTS?

BRYCE ON LIFE

- Is it in our 20's, 30's, or 40's?

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Perhaps the most common joke at a high school reunion is when someone inevitably makes the observation, "Gee, when did we become our parents?" To me, the answer is simple: at age 40. Actually, a lot depends on when we were born as well as our offspring, but it is fair to say the transformation begins in our early 40's. In our twenties, most of us are still learning to spread our wings and begin our careers. Lust typically raises its ugly head during this period, and along comes children. At this stage, I don't think we're our parents quite yet as we are still learning to find our way through the world and how to cope with the ankle-biters around us.

As the kids get older and enter grade school, we're now in our thirties. At this stage we are still relatively active and fit. We are also coming into our own professionally. Both husband and wife remain active, be it developing a career or helping with the kids' homework. Retirement is still a nebulous concept to us. No, we're still not there yet.

As we enter our 40's though, we start to observe several subtle changes around us. For example, we start to attend more weddings, showers and funerals. Oh God, the funerals. Long time friends and family members suddenly and mysteriously begin to pass away and we become conscious of our own mortality. We also start to observe and celebrate silver and golden anniversaries, not just our own, but of friends and relatives.

You notice that your parents are slowing down, their hair is getting whiter, and they are beginning to have trouble with their teeth and hearing, not to mention walking. In contrast, your children are now teenagers and abuzz with activity and chatter as they are discovering the world around them. Not surprising, it's around this time when you become acutely aware of rising insurance bills and you start thinking about pending college tuitions, weddings and other substantial bills in the not too distant future. And this is where I believe we truly become our parents; as we find ourselves stuck between generations. It is this period when we come to the realization we share the same worries and concerns our parents experienced and we are shocked by the epiphany that we are no different than they were. We have the same interests, the same humor, the same type of friends and social activities. It is something we all must experience sooner or later.

I don't wish to demean parenting in our 20's or 30's, but we really do not grasp the significance of it until we reach our 40's. I see everything prior to it as nothing more than a learner's permit, but it is our 40's that defines us as parents and how we'll be remembered as such. It is typically at this time when we go back for a high school reunion, look around at our old friends and notice they look and act remarkably like how we remembered our parents and their friends. It is then that you know with certainty that you have indeed become your parents. Don't dismay though, consider it a right of passage. We all go through it.

Originally published: November 10, 2010

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  PEARL HARBOR DAY - Remembering the day of "Infamy."

LAST TIME:  ONE WEEK'S MADNESS - What in the world is going on?

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.

ONE WEEK'S MADNESS

BRYCE ON LIFE

- What in the world is going on?

(Click for AUDIO VERSION)
To use this segment in a Radio broadcast or Podcast, send TIM a request.

As if our political world isn't enough to drive us crazy, we seem to be bombarded by a constant barrage of bizarre events we simply do not comprehend. Nonetheless, the press insists on producing stories testing our common sense. They would be funny if we knew they were false, but they are not, thereby causing us to shake our heads in bewilderment. I've noticed such shaking has become commonplace among people reading newspapers, be it in a cafe or library, or watching the news on television.

To illustrate, I picked a few news stories produced between October 23rd and 29th. There was nothing special about these dates other than to demonstrate the frequency of some of the bonehead shenanigans going on in our country. Keep in mind, this was a busy week politically where we saw Hillary Clinton testify before the Benghazi Committee, the third GOP debate in Colorado, and Paul Ryan elected Speaker of the House. Despite these major news events, we were treated to the following oddball events:

First, there was the announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) (Oct 26th) condemning the consumption of processed meats as they may cause cancer (which inspired me to write my "Who's On Beef?" article earlier). Basically, the announcement was designed to cause us to think of meat as another form of tobacco and encourage us to convert to vegans. From my perspective, this appeared to be another "Climate Change" type of announcement to make us feel guilty for eating meat. Sorry, my conscious is clear, so leave me alone. Incidentally, another story appeared later in the week claiming the oldest living person in the United States, a 116 year-old Brooklyn woman, Mushatt Jones, claimed to enjoy life by eating four rashers of bacon every day. Take that, World Health Organization.

When I first read about the "EEOC Wins Discrimination Case For Muslim Truck Drivers Fired For Not Delivering Beer" (Oct 25th), I thought it was a joke. Sadly, it wasn't. Two Muslim truck drivers were hired specifically to deliver beer for a Midwest distributor. When they complained the job violated their religious beliefs, they were fired. They sued through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) who awarded them $240,000. Yes, there is the obvious question of why would you apply for a job you know you cannot fulfill, but I guess the EEOC knows better. Somehow this reminds me of the frivolous lawsuit brought on by a woman years ago who spilled hot coffee she was holding between her legs in an automobile. I believe the two Muslim drivers were last seen applying for work at Smithfield Foods. Yea, right.

A host on MSNBC, Melissa Harris-Perry (Oct 27th), tried to update the political correctness vernacular by insisting the expression "hard work" should not be used. She claimed a picture in her office, showing slaves from the 1800's picking cotton, is the only true depiction of "hard work." I guess she wants us to believe only African Americans understand the meaning of "hard work." I would then assume our founding fathers, such as those at Plymouth Rock or Williamsburg, had no concept of "hard work," nor the Jews and slaves imprisoned in European concentration camps during World War II, or the millions who survived the "Great Depression." She wants us to believe she alone holds a monopoly over "hard work." Yea, right.

The Department of Justice dropped a bomb when they announced they were closing their two-year investigation of the IRS Targeting Scandal (Oct 23rd), claiming they could find no signs of corruption, thereby letting people like Lois Lerner off the hook completely. This startled a lot of people, particularly those in Congress, who claimed the IRS destroyed evidence and blocked investigations. Not surprising, Congress shortly thereafter introduced legislation to impeach IRS Chief John Koskinen.

A seventh grader in Katy, Texas (Oct 27th) came forward with a bizarre story of her reading teacher instructing her class that God was not real. Further, any of the students responding to the contrary on their tests would warrant their grades being docked. Actually, such stories are more common than you may think, not only to frame religious theory, but to make political statements as well.

And finally, my favorite, the Missouri City Council is being sued over their Indecent Exposure Law (Oct 27th), by the American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) and the "Free The Nipple" movement (sorry, I'm not making this up). Evidently, they look upon this as a first amendment "free speech" matter allowing women to walk around topless if they are so inclined. Such lawsuits are certainly not new and have been tested many times in the past. My question though is, why stop there? Why not allow the exposure of genitalia for both sexes? Frankly, I think we would see a substantial increase in traffic accidents if this were to occur.

I guess what bothers me about these stories is that they are becoming more frequent, not less. Are these stories fictitious, or have we really lost all common sense? Maybe there really is something in the water.

Keep the Faith!

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com

For Tim's columns, see:   timbryce.com

Like the article? TELL A FRIEND.

Copyright © 2015 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.

NEXT UP:  WHEN DO WE BECOME OUR PARENTS? - Is it in our 20's, 30's, or 40's?

LAST TIME:  PASSING THE BUCK - Don't make your problems mine.

Listen to Tim on WJTN-AM (News Talk 1240) "The Town Square" with host John Siggins (Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:30-3:00pm Eastern); WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; and KIT-AM 1280 in Yakima, Washington "The Morning News" with hosts Dave Ettl & Lance Tormey (weekdays. 6:00-9:00am Pacific). Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube.